Infant exposure to environmental tobacco smoke: Jordan University hospital-based study

To study exposure to environmental tobacco smoke during the first year of life, 220 infants attending the outpatient paediatric clinic of the University of Jordan for routine visits with their mothers were recruited to the study. Mothers completed a questionnaire about smoking habits of household members, and urine samples were obtained from infants for analysis of cotinine levels. A total of 60.0% of infants were reported to be exposed to passive smoking at home and 36.4% had detectable levels of urine cotinine [mean 7.1 ng/mL, range 0.27-41 ng/mL]. Detectable saliva cotinine levels in 8/20 mothers of neonates [1-2 days old] suggested in utero exposure. Recommendations are made to protect this vulnerable population from tobacco smoke exposure

Cardiovascular stability after epinephrine propranolol lidocaine infiltration in septoplasty operation in patients under nitrous oxide/02 opioid relaxant technique

Epinephrine infiltration is a common practice in ENT operations to produce haemostasis its concomittant administration with inhalational anaesthetics carries the risk to develop cardiac arrhythmias. This study was conducted to assess the cardiovascular stability after epinephrine propranolol-lidocaine infiltration in patients undergoing septoplasty operation under nitrous oxide nalbuphine relaxant technique. Forty ASA I adult patients of either sex were randomly allocated into two groups each of 20. Both groups received nitrous oxide [66%] in oxygen supplemented with nalbuphine 0.2 mg kg using atracurium 0.5 mg kg as the nuscle relaxant during maintenance of anaesthesia. First group received lidocaine 100 mg i.v. prior to infiltration of the nasal septum while the second group received nothing. infiltration of the nasal septum was done 10 minutes after intubation using 4 -5 ml of a solution containing epinephrine 1,00.000. lidocaine 1% plus propranolol 0.1 mg/ml. Patients were monitored as regards heart rate. systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Results showed insignificant changes in heart rate and blood pressure. No ventricular arrhythmias were seen. Lidocaine group showed more cardiovascular stability, in conclusion, epinephrine propranolol and lidocaine infiltration is almost safe during nitrous oxide opioid anaesthesia and lidocaine administration prior to infiltration confers upon more cardiovasculary stability

Effect of some opioid agonists [morphine and fentanyl] on blood picture in pregnant rats

This work was conducted on pregnant and non pregnant rats aiming to study the effect of opiod agonists [Morphine and fentanyl] on blood picture and immune system. The pathological changes in liver, spleen and kidney that accomapany their administration were also studied in mothers as well as, their offsprings. The experiments were done after single and repeated administration It revealed that: i. Morphine has a toxic effect on the haemopioetic and immune systems and this effect depends on the dose and duration. ii. Fentanyl is more safe than mrorphine. iii. Pregnancy potentiates the effect of opioids. iv. The offsprings suffer from opiods more than mothers due to inadequancy of the enzyme system metabolising the drug. So, it is better to decrease the dose of opiods during labour and avoid any treatment containing opiods during pregnancy

Factors affecting reproductive and productive performance of friesian cows

Reproduction and milk production traits of Friesian cows were collected and analysed to examine the relative importance of sire of cow, sire of fetus, season of calving and parity, on performance traits. Sire of cow and sire of fetus affected age at calving, number of services per conception, days open, calving interval, milk yield, persistency and peak yield significantly, but had no significant effect on days from calving to first service. Calving interval was not affected by sire of fetus. Within sire of cow, correlations of number of services per conception with days open and calving interval were high and positive [0.88 and 0.89], and those for milk yield with persistency and peak yield ranged between 0.73 and 0.76. Considering sire of fetus, correlation of calving interval with number of services per conception and days open were 0.79 and 0.89, and that between milk YIELD and persistency was 0.81. They were negative and significant for age at calving with milk yield and persistency [0.55 and 0.60]. For the days from calving to first service with days open and milk yield, they were 0.44 and 0.55. Season of calving had no significant effect on reproduction traits. Parity effects were significant for age at calving, days from calving to first service, milk yield and peak yield, but had no significant effect on calving interval, days open, number of services per conception and persistency