First aid facilities in the school settings: are schools able to manage adequately?

Background and Objective: Children spend most of their time in schools and are vulnerable to injuries and mild ailments, hence requiring first-aid care. School teacher can provide immediate first-aid care in the absence of any health professional. This study assesses first-aid facilities within school premises and assessment of teachers on first aid training

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from July-December 2017, participants were full time school teachers of both public and private sectors at both primary and secondary levels, having a minimum of one year experience. Questionnaire was filled on one to one basis by taking oral interview

Results: Out of 209 teachers, 72.7% were from private sector. Stomachache was the most common medical incident [82.29%] requiring first-aid care in schools. First aid box was available in all schools but its contents were not satisfactory. Sick bay was not found in any school. 68.42% of teachers were not trained in first-aid management because of lack of opportunity, however 56% were willing to enroll in any first aid training and majority [91.38%] considered it essential for their professional life

Conclusion: First aid facilities at various schools of Karachi and availability of trained teachers who can provide first aid care is unsatisfactory

Assessment of knowledge retention ability of undergraduate medical students

Background: Being a natural phenomenon, the knowledge learned by students is quickly forgotten. However, various factors are pertinent for one's memory and knowledge retention ability. This ability is not investigated earlier among pass and fail students of a particular exam

Objectives: To determine and compare short term memory and Knowledge retention ability among pass and fail students of mid-term exam

Methods: 103 first-year MBBS students were examined in 3 cycles after result of mid-term examination announced. These cycles consisted of 2 components related with short term memory [1[st] and 2[nd] cycles] and knowledge retention ability [3[rd] cycle] with one week duration apart

Results: Class attendance of pass, fail and absentees groups demonstrated statistically significant [P<0.0005] difference among them being in the order of pass> fail > absentees and significant correlation with marks obtained. A comparison between short term memory and knowledge retention ability also demonstrated statistically significant [P<0.0005] difference

Conclusion: The quality of learning positively correlates with the class attendance. Short term memory and knowledge retention abilities are significantly better in pass students and statistically correlate with each other. Regular conduct of such tests is suggested to assess short term memory and knowledge retention ability so that appropriate methods to enhance these can be adopted

Diarrhea management in children of developing countries by mothers and general practitioners

Despite continuous improvement and advancement of treatment, diarrhoeal disease is the second leading cause of death in children under the age of five years globally and is a major cause of concern in developing countries. Research suggests that lack of proper and timely management leads to increased mortality and morbidity. The aim of this review is to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of mothers/caregivers and general practitioners [GPs] toward management of diarrhoea in children under the age of five years in developing countries. A systematic review was performed using observational evidence.A thematic approach was used for the analysis of the data and narrative synthesis methodology to summarise the review findings

Results suggest that oral rehydration salts solution are not considered a sufficient cure for childhood diarrhoea and, are given,mostly with traditional medicines and unnecessary non-prescribed drugs. Health care seeking and feeding practices were also found to be very poor. Prescribing practices among GPs were influenced by professional knowledge as well as a number of factors, such as, fear of losing patients, loss of prestige, family demands, and external pressures like hospital work load and pharmaceutical interests. Barriers of recommended childhood diarrhoea management were linked to lay beliefs, economic constraints, and lack of education

Stress among working women

The modern world, which is said to be a world of achievements, is also a world of stress. Nowadays, stress is a common feature in everyone.s life. It is becoming a major issue and a matter of concern for the employees and the organizations. Working women are more affected as compared to their male counterparts, as their life becomes complex in order to maintain balance between home as well as work, so it becomes impossible to avoid stress. It is becoming difficult that they play the role of a perfect housewife, mother and working women at the same time. Many factors are involved in causing stress among working women at home or at workplace. Policies should originate in favour of working women to encourage them and to support them by providing a friendly, stress-free environment

Restorative effect of L-Arginine on gross morphology and adrenal weight in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats

Objective: To observe the restorative effect of L-arginine on body weight and weight of adrenal glands in streptozotocin [STZ] induced diabetic rats

Methodology: This experimental study was undertaken at the Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical Sciences Institute [BMSI], Jinnah Post graduate Medical Centre [JPMC], Karachi. Fifty healthy albino rats were equally divided into five groups.Group-A was taken as control. Group-B was treated with STZ. Group-C was given STZ with insulin. Group-D received STZ with L-arginine and Group-E was administered STZ along with both L-arginine and insulin. After the confirmation of diabetes by STZ, treatment was continued for a period of 6 weeks. The animals were sacrificed at the end of 6 weeks. At the start and end of the study period mean body weight of animals was calculated. Effect of L-arginine was observed on body weight of animals and weight of adrenal glands and compared with insulin

Results: The decrease in mean body weight of animals due to STZ was less significant when L-arginine and insulin were added to the therapy. Whereas the increase in adrenal glands weight was also less marked on administering L-arginine and insulin

Conclusion: L-arginine has restorative effect on gross morphology and weight of adrenal glands which is comparable to insulin

Frequency of complications of percutaneous nephrostomy in upper obstructive uropathy

Background: Ultrasound guided percutaneous nephrostomy may relieve the urinary tract obstruction but may have complications

Objective: To determine the frequency of complications of Ultrasound guided, percutaneous nephrostomy by seldinger technique for obstructive uropathy

Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 196 patients with obstructive uropathy who were treated with ultrasound guided percutaneous nephrostomy done by Seldinger's technique. The patients were followed up for 15 days for the complications like sepsis, hemorrhage, pleural effusion and displacement of catheter.Data was entered and analyzed by using SPSS version 14

Results: Sepsis occurred in 1 [0.51%], major hemorrhage in 1 [0.51%], minor hemorrhage in 3 [1.53%], pleural effusion in 1 [0.51%], displacement of PCN catheter in 11 [5.61%] and no complications occurred in 179 [91.33%] patients

Conclusion: The most common complications rate for the ultrasound guided percutaneous neprhostomy by Seldinger's technique are displacement of PCN catheter, hemorrhage and sepsis

Iatrogenic Foreign Body in the Urinary Bladder

A 60 years old man presented with a history of suprapubic pain, painful micturition, perineal pain, and acute retention of urine followed by catheterization. On abdominal ultrasound, there was a metallic needle found in the urinary bladder which was confirmed on pelvis X-ray. The needle was found to be a metallic piece of a resectoscope cutting loop which was removed through cystourethroscopy. Key Words: Urinary bladder. Metallic foreign body. Acute retention of urine. Resectoscope tip

Iatrogenic Foreign Body in the Urinary Bladder

A 60 years old man presented with a history of suprapubic pain, painful micturition, perineal pain, and acute retention of urine followed by catheterization. On abdominal ultrasound, there was a metallic needle found in the urinary bladder which was confirmed on pelvis X-ray. The needle was found to be a metallic piece of a resectoscope cutting loop which was removed through cystourethroscopy. Key Words: Urinary bladder. Metallic foreign body. Acute retention of urine. Resectoscope tip

Coronary artery disease: a review of risk factors

An attempt is made to review the relationship between coronary artery disease [CAD] and its risk factors. The major risk factor for CAD is endothelial dysfunction, including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, increased insulin resistance, and hyperhomocysteinemia. The other factors such as genetic, constitutional, environmental, gender, ethnicity, social support, increased fat and caloric intake, decreased physical activity and associated changes [increased inflammatory markers, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress] are also associated with increased risk for CAD in elderly. Special emphasis is given to the factors such as, psychosocial, life style, environmental, genetic, immunological, free radical species, gender, menopause, anemia, comorhidity, hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes, renal disease, pulmonary disease, side effects of therapeutic drugs and radiation