[Quantitative evaluation and antimicrobial activity of essential oil Artemisia herba-alba of asso. growing in Al-Nabek region-Syria]

The essential oils of fresh flowers of Artemisia herba-a/ba Asso. from wild type and cultivated plants found on eastern mountain, Al nabek region were extracted. Evaluation of oil outcome revealed that distillation of fresh flower at flowering stage produced high rates [1.84 ml/100 g in wild type and 1.75 ml/100 g in cultivated plants]. It was shown that drying lead to a loss of 63% of oil quantity. The lowest percentage of oil was obtained from young growth shoots and winter leaves, appearing at the beginning of the growth of A. herba-alba wild type, where oil rate was 0.16 ml/100 g of fresh plant. The antimicrobial activity of A. herba-alba essential oil was evaluated against four bacterial strains using the broth dilution method to determine the MIC of broth wild type and cultivated plant oils. The MICs were in the range 2.4-2.6 micro l/ml 2.25-2.44 mg/ml. The essential oil exhibited a strong growth inhibitory activity, on both gram positive and gram negative strains, but showed no effect on Pseudomonas aeruginosa even at the highest concentration of oil applied

Sex determination by odontometrics in some Egyptian population

Teeth form an excellent material for odontologic, forensic, anthropological and genetic investigation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy with which sex can be differentiated by odontometric analysis in some Egyptian population. The material consisted of 150 dental casts, 75 males and 75 females, ranging in age from-[15-45] years. The maxillary [Mx] and mandibular [M] canine width and arch were measured by a calliper. The data collected was analysed stastically. The result showed that the male teeth were consistently larger than the female teeth. The mean of: maxillary canine width [MXCW] = sd [Male [m] 8.97 +/- 0.44 Female [F],.8.11 +/- 0.38 MCW[m: 8.06 +/- 0.41 F :6.95 +/- 2], MXCA [m:35.67 +/- 1.27 F: 32.15 +/- 1.67] MCA [m : 27.42 +/- 1.64 F : 25.90 +/- 1.14]. The mandibular canine index [MCI] are found to exhibit sexual dimorphism as there is significant difference between males and females while maxillary canine index [MXCI] has insignificant difference. These findings support the usefulness of canines in gender determination by odontometric analysis. It also shows high significant dimorphic values for some of the other variables investigated

Sedative, hemodynamic, and respiratory effects of dexmedetomidine, propofol, and ketamine for intraoperative sedation during spinal anesthesia

This prospective, randomized study was performed to investigate and compare the effect of ultra operative sedatives dexmedetomidine, propofol, and ketamine, in patients undergoing urological procedures under spinal anesthesia with respect to sedation, hemodynamics, respiration, and side effects. The study included 60 adult male patients undergoing urological procedures [e.g. stone ureter and uretroscopy] under spinal anesthesia. Patients were randomized into 3 groups [n=20 in each group], all patients received spinal anesthesia followed by i.v. sedation with dexmedetomidine [bolus dose of 1 micro g/kg over 10 mm followed by iv. infusion of 0.2-0.5 micro g/kgm.], propofol [bolus dose of 0.5mg/kg followed by an intravenous infusion of 1-3mg/kg/h], or ketamine, after iv. administration of 0.01mg/kg midazolam, a continuous infusion of ketamine [0.5mg/kg/h] was started till the end of surgery. Hemodynamic data, oxygen saturation, and respiratory rate were monitored continuously and recorded at the beginning of the procedure and every 10min till the end of surgery and at 1 and 2h post operative. The sedation levels of the patients were assessed by the Ramsay sedation score and measured at 10-minute intervals; a score of 4 was targeted. Serum cortisol level was assessed before surgery [baseline], at 30 mm after skin incision, and 2h post operative. After surgery, the patients were observed in the recovery room until the motor block resolved. Time to the first analgesic demand [VAS 4-5] was recorded. The onset of sedation, and recovery time were also recorded. Side effects such as respiratory depression, hypotension, bradycardia, increased secretions, nausea, vomiting, and visual disturbances were recorded. Demographic and clinical data were comparable in all groups as regards age, sex, ASA physical status, body weight, and operative time. Hemodynamic parameters [SBP, DBP and HR] were comparable in the three groups at baseline. Significant reduction in SBP and DBP was recorded in the three groups after spinal anesthesia which responded well to fluid resuscitation. After 10min of starting sedative infusion SBP and DBP significantly reduced in dexmedetomidine and propofol groups [compared to group III] till the end of the study. HR mean values also showed significant reduction in the three study groups after spinal anesthesia [as compared to baseline]. HR was significantly lower in dexmedetomidine group after starting sedative infusion till end of the study. Serum cortisol level was significantly increased in the three groups compared to baseline reading at 30min and 2h of the study. Serum cortisol at 30min after skin incision in the three groups respectively [19.64 +/- 1.4 micro g/dL] - [23.31 +/- 2.4 micro g/dL] - [23.20 +/- 2.6 micro g/dL]. Serum cortisol at 2h post operative [19.90 +/- 1.3 micro g/dL] - [25.92 +/- 2.7 micro g/dL] - [24.14 +/- 3.1 micro g/dl] in the three groups respectively. Significant lower cortisol level was recorded in dexmedetomidine group compared to group II and III at 30min and 2h post operative. Respiratory rate was decreased significantly from baseline in all groups during sedation [p<0.05] with insignificant difference between groups before or during sedation. Spo2 did not fall below 93% in any patient in dexmedetomidine and ketamine groups during the study, but Spo2<93% was observed in two patients in propofol group. As regards complications, 2 patients in propofol group had respiratory depression. 2 patients in dexmedetomidine group had bradycardia [HR<50 beat/min]. Hypotension was recorded in 1 patient in dexmedetomidine group. Increased secretion was observed in 2 patients in ketamine group. There was no nausea, vomiting, visual disturbances, or hallucinations in the three groups in the postoperative period. In adult patients undergoing urological procedures under spinal anesthesia dexmedetomidine can be used safely. It can provide easily controllable analgesia and sedation without respiratory depression and good attenuating effect on stress response

Effect of rosemary leaves on autooxidation of purified corn and soybean triacylglycerols

Antioxidant activity of dry ground rosemary [Rosmarinus officinalis L.] leaves of particle size /= rosemary> TBHQ> carnosic> alpha-tocopherol> BHA. In SO TAG the inhibiton order was rosemary > Trolox> TBHQ>carnosic>alpha-tocopherol>BHA

Influence of packaging materials on the oxidative stability of stripped soybean oil

Stripped soybean oil was used to investigate the effect of different packaging materials on photooxidation stability. Four packaging materials were used, two glass [clear and amber] and two plastic [low density polyethelene PE and polyethylene terephthalate PET]. Clear glass caused the highest hydroperoxide formation followed by PE and PET while amber glass caused the least one, since it excluded most of the incident light responsible for photoxidation, hence retarding it and decreasing off-flavour development. Also polyethylene terephthalate gave more inhibition of hydroperoxide than polyethylene. Polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate packaging materials although they cause some of their constituents to migrate into edible oils, the over all amount migrated from them still below the international permitted level

Evaluating the effectiveness of high-dose misoprostol in the prevention of postpartum haemorrhage

To investigate the effectiveness of high dose rectal msoprostolpreventing postpartum haemorrhage. Study design: 270 women were randomly allocated to receive 600 micro g misoprostol per rectum after norrnal vaginal delivery or to receive no medication in their third stage of labour. Any excessive bleeding in either group was actively managed with conventional oxytocic agents. Blood loss was measured directly. Setting: Damietta and Ali-Hussein University Hospitals. The inclusion criteria were similar. Blood loss of >/= 1000 ml occurred in 2.3% [3/1 30] of the misoprostol group and 6.4% [9/140] of the "no drug' group. Additional oxytocic therapy was required by 1.5% [2/130] and 4.2% [6/140] respectively. Side effects attributable to prostaglandins, particularly-shivering and pyrexia, occurred more frequently in the misoprostol group. The use of 600 micro g misoprostol per rectum in the management of the third stage of labour was well tolerated and associated with statistically significant less postpartum haemorrhage

Comparative study between V.A.T.S and thoracostmy tube in revealing pathologic causes of pleural effusion

V.A.T.S. [Vidio-Assisted Theorocoscopic Surgery] is now an acceptable alternative to thoracotomy in different clinical situations, such as L.N. biopsy, lung biopsy, solitary pulmonary nodules [S.P.N.] ... etc. In this study, we managed 100 cases of pleural effusion [P.E.] to identify the causative pathology. Filly cases were managed by intercostal tube drainage plus bacteriologic and histologic sampling of the drainage [Group A], another 50 cases were subjected to V.A.T.S. aiming at diagnosing the cause of P.E. [Group B]. 11 cases [22%]-from group "A" failed to be diagnosed by routine bacteriologic and histopathologic examination of the drainage fluid. They were subjected to Thoracotomy, where direct biopsy from suspected areas revealed the diagnosis. All cases from group B were diagnosed. We conclude that in sub-acute and chronic P.E., V.A.T.S. is presumably preferable as a first line of treatment

Pre-emptive analgesia for laparoscopic surgery. a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled comparison between parecoxib sodium and tramadol

This study was performed to compare the preemptive effect of intravenous parecoxib vs intravenous tramadol as regards control of stress response to intubation and efficacy of analgesia, in adult patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. Forty five adult patients ASA physical status I-II scheduled to undergo abdominal laparoscopic surgery were included in this study. Patients were randomly divided into three equal groups. Group I [n = 15] received parecoxib [40 mg iv]. Group II [n = 15] received tramadol [100 mg iv]. Group III [n = 15] received placebo [10 ml normal saline iv]. Anesthesia was induced 10 minutes later using propofol [2 mg/kg] and fentanyl [1-2 micro g/kg]. Tracheal intubation was facilitated using succinyl choline [1.5 mg/kg]. Maintenance of anesthesia was achieved using isoflurane [0.6% - 1.5% according to blood pressure] in a mixture of 50% N[2]O in oxygen. Intraoperative muscle relaxation was maintained using atracurium [0.5 mg/kg followed by 0.1 mg/kg every 20 min]. Mechanical ventilation parameters were adjusted to maintain end-tidal CO[2] [ETCO[2]] at normal levels. Surgery was performed using standard techniques. Catecholamine levels [adrenaline and noradrenaline] were measured 1 minute before and 1 minute after intubation. Heart rate [HR], systolic [SBP] and mean arterial blood pressures [MBP] were recorded 1 minute before, and then every 1 minute after intubation, for 5 minutes. Postoperatively, patients received a continuous infusion of iv morphine at a rate of 0.03 mg/kg/hr. When requested, an additional [rescue] dose of morphine was administered at a dose of 0.05 mg/ kg, to a maximum of one rescue dose per 6 hours. The time till request of the first rescue dose, the number of rescue doses given, and the total rescue morphine dose given were recorded. Patients were observed for the first 24 hrs after surgery for occurrence of nausea and/or vomiting, and pruritis. Data was recorded at 8 hour intervals [8, 16 and 24 hrs after surgery]. There were no intergroup differences as regards age, gender, height or weight. Time to intubation, duration of surgery, doses of propofol and fentanyl used were also similar in-between the groups. Catecholamine levels increased significantly from baseline after intubation in all groups [P < 0.05], but the increase was significantly less in group II [tramadol] than in group I [parecoxib], and both study groups showed a lesser increase compared to placebo [P < 0.05]. Relative to baseline, HR, SBP and MBP increased significantly after intubation in all groups. This increase was significantly greater in group III [P < 0.05]. The tramadol group showed a slightly lesser increase in HR, SBP and MBP compared to the parecoxib group [P < 0.05], but these differences were not clinically significant. Patients in the parecoxib group showed a longer time [median] to first request of rescue analgesia [11.6 hrs] as compared to the tramadol group [7.2 hrs]. Both groups were superior to placebo [3.9 hrs to rescue dose, P < 0.05]. A similar trend was shown in the number, and total dose of rescue morphine, in-between the groups. Nausea and/or vomiting was greatest in the tramadol group [P < 0.05], and more pronounced in all groups in the first 8 hours after surgery. Pruritis was an isolated finding in the tramadol, group; none of the patients in the other two groups complained of pruritis. Both parecoxib and tramadol are effective agents as preemptive analgesics for laparoscopic surgery. While tramadol can have a more stable hemodynamic profile, parecoxib provides a more intense analgesic effect, with a hemodynamic profile that is not clinically inferior to tramadol. The use of tramadol, however, can be associated with more side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and pruritis

Evaluation of doppler indices of maternal uterine artery in cases with early idiopathic recurrent abortion

This study was performed on 120 pregnant women at early pregnancy. They were divided into two groups: The control group [I] included 30 normal pregnant women with no history of abortion and the study group [II] included 90 pregnant women with history of two or more unexplained abortion who were further subdivided randomly into three subgroups. All patients in the subgroups were given folic acid and low-dose aspirin; they were given alone to patients in group IIa, patients in group IIb received also nitroglycerine 5 TTS skin patches [5 mg each] and patients in group IIc were given 1.2 MIU of long- acting penicillin every two weeks. Doppler study of the uterine artery blood flow was performed at the time of vaginal ultrasound examination at different intervals of gestational age for all patients in all groups. A follow up of pregnancy was done every 2 weeks till 20 weeks [age of viability] or abortion occurred. The study concluded that uterine artery Doppler indices [resistivity index, RI, and pulsatility index, PI] significantly decreased with the increasing gestational age. Treatment with folic acid, pediatric aspirin, nitroglycerine patches and long-acting penicillin resulted in Doppler indices close to the control group results and in a better pregnancy outcome

Comorbidity of migraine and epilepsy

A relationship between epilepsy and migraine has long been postulated, but the nature of this interaction is still debated. We used epidemiological approach to investigate the comorbidity between both disorders through studying 200 epileptic patients and 200 of the first-degree relatives of them as a control group. The mean age [ +/- SD] for the patients was 28.84 +/- 7.95 and that of the relatives was 43.9 +/- 14.1. We found 33 migraine patients among the epileptic patients and 21 migraine patients among the relatives [prevalence rates were 16.5%, 10.5% respectively]. The mean age for the epileptics with migraine was 25.3 +/- 7.95 and that for relatives with migraine was 45.41 +/- 13.61. Migraine with aura formed 18% and 14.3% of the epileptic migraineurs and relatives with migraine respectively. Abnormal EEGs formed 63.6% in epileptic patients with migraine and 28.6% in relatives with migraine. Cumulative incidences of migraine [ +/- SE] by age 40 years were17.9 +/- 1.1 in the patients with migraine and 11.3 +/- 5.7 in relatives with migraine. We used Cox proportional hazards analysis to compute some epilepsy-related variables in relation to migraine. Migraine risk was higher in epileptic patients with history of head trauma than idiopathic epileptics; partial seizures had higher risk than generalized [RR = 1.18]; positive family history than negative [RR = 2.79]; onset before 10 years than after 20 years [RR = 2.5]

Electromyographic study of some cases of anorectal intercourse

In this work, 20 anorecetive intercourse [ARI] cases of both sexes, referred to Cairo Medicolegal Department, ministry of Justice, were examined. They were compared with 10 healthy non-anorecetive subjects. Regarding the characteristics of the studied cases, 30% of males were married compared to 60% of females. Anal penetration was complete in all married cases [males and females], while it was 70% and 60% in unmarried ARI males and females respectively. There were no signs of violence in all married cases as they were cooperative with the other partner. Regarding local examination, in 80% of married female cases the anus was deeply seated compared to 70% in married males. In unmarried female cases, 670% had deeply seated anus compared to 80% form males. Funnel shaped anus was detected in 70% of ARI married female cases and 60% of ARI married male cases. It was 40% in ARI unmarried females and 80% in ARI unmarried males. The analysis of needle electromyography [EMG] mapping of the external anal sphincter of ARI subjects revealed weakness, which ranged from mild to marked at localized sites and sometimes there was generalized weakness at all sites compared to the control healthy cases

Cyanobacteria of hammam faroun hot spring [Sinai-Egypt]

In this study, twenty-eight cyanobacterial taxa were identified. On the basis of temperature tolerance, it was found that the species had different thermal ranges of growth; some had a wide thermal range of growth [30 - 72C], while others were characterized by a narrow range [30 - 40C]. Some species grew only at temperature [30 or 72C] such as Merismopedia punctata and Phormidium tenue, respectively. The biocecological analysis indicated that the spring had a clean oligosaprobic character with tendency to the presence of alpha- mezosaprbic indicators such as Oscillatoria tenuis

Medicolegal significance of early postmortem changes in intraocular pressure, fundus and electrolyte concentrations in the vitreous humour

This work gives light on the ocular changes in the early postmortem period. These changes included the intraocular pressure [I.O.P], fundus and electrolytes in the vitreous humour. Fifty corpses with an accurately known time of death were examined in Al-Zahraa University Hospital. The corpses were divided according to the cause of death into pathology group and trauma group. In the pathology group, there was a slow gradual decline in the I.O.P, while in the trauma group, a rapid sharp decrease in the I.O.P was recorded. Fundus examination 30 minutes after death showed a markedly pale optic disc. After one hour, all the retina and the macula became pale and oedematous. Two hours after death, there was a rise in the vitreous potassium, while sodium, chlorides and calcium showed a slight reduction in their vitreous concentrations. It is suggested that, evaluation of the postmortem changes of I.O.P, fundus and electrolyte concentrations in the vitreous humour may be of great value in determining the time of death

Progesterone receptors content of the endometrium in patients with luteal phase defect and its relationship to endometrium maturation and serum progesterone level

Luteal phase defect [LPD], a disorder characterized by delayed secretory endometrial maturation is associated with infertility and/or recurrent abortion. This endometrial retardation may not be a result of deficient progesterone secretion, but rather a consequence of endometrial failure to respond adequately to progesterone stimulation. This study included 20 patients with LPD suffering of infertility or habitual abortion and 20 control cases. All cases were subjected to endometrial biopsy on the 26th day of the cycle to assess maturation, immunostaining of the endometrial tissue for progesterone receptor content and serum progesterone level on the 25th and 26th days of the same cycle. The endometrial maturation had a lag of 4.46 days in infertile cases and 4.86 days in habitual aborters. The difference was insignificant. The serum progesterone levels showed no significant difference between study and control cases. The glandular progesterone receptors were higher in LPD cases, while stromal receptors were more in the control cases. These results suggested that serum progesterone determination is not ideal for LPD prediction. Estimation of progesterone receptors in the endometrium is valuable as failure of down regulation of glandular progesterone receptors in late luteal phase may be an etiologic factor in LPD

Thermal endometrial ablation for the treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding a simplified method

In this study a Foley's catheter, inserted into the uterine cavity then its balloon filled with hot water at boiling temperature, was used to inflict thermal destruction of the endometrium in patients with perimenopausal DUB not responding to medical treatment. Twenty patients underwent this procedure performed under general anesthesia just after a formal D and C for endometrial sampling and removal of thick endometrium. These patients were followed up for 6 months postoperatively. None of these patients had any procedure related complications. 90% of patients had a favorable outcome while only 2 of them needed hysterectomy for treatment failure. The study showed that thermal endometrial ablation using hot water in a Foley's catheter balloon is a simple, inexpensive and effective method for treating most patients with perimenopausal DUB carrying a very minimal operative risk

Use of dopamine agonists in L-dopa induced dyskinesias and poor responders

Eleven cases of chronic Parkinson's disease were studied. All of them were treated basically with levodopa and anticholinergic drugs. Their ages ranged from 50 to 77 years, and the duration of their illness was 6-10 years. All of them were given instruction about the proper way to use their medications. Webster scale was used to evaluate the clinical presentation and follow up for all cases for two years