Dermatophytosis in Khartom Dermatology Teaching Hospital

This prospective cross sectional study was done in Khartoum Dermatology Teaching Hospital [KDTH] during the period Nov. 1997- Nov. 1998 to show the incidence of dermatophytosis in [KDTH], to reveal the association of dermatophytosis and socioeconomic status, age, sex and contact with domestic animals, to find out the percentages of different clinical types presented to the referred dermatology clinics and to identify the common causative species of dermatophytes. It was found that the incidence of dermatophytosis is about 7% of other dermatosis in Khartoum. T. capitis was the commonest dermatophytosis [48.2%] and affects school boys below age 12 more than girls and adults followed by T. corporis [39%] which affected both sexes at different ages. Dermatophytosis is common in the lower socioeconomic educational status and those of direct contact with domestic animals

Daily interruption of intravenous sedative infusions for patients with acute respiratory failure in intensive care unit

Objective is to determine whether daily interruption of sedative infusions would decrease the duration of mechanical ventilation and the length of stay in the intensive care. A prospective, randomized, controlled trial. Setting: Intensive care unit in El-Minia University Hospital. Forty-five adult patients presenting with respiratory failure [acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease] who were receiving mechanical ventilation and continuous infusion of sedative drugs. In the intervention group, the sedative infusions were interrupted until the patients were awake, on a daily basis; in the control group, the infusions were interrupted only at the discretion of the clinicians in the intensive care unit according to the condition of the patient The mean duration of mechanical ventilation was 4.6 +/- 1.2 days in the intervention group, as compared with 7.3 +/- 1.5 days in the control group, and the length of study in the intensive care unit was 5.8 +/- 2.2 days as compared with 9.4 +/- 2.6 days respectively. The wake up time was significantly shorter in patients who received propofol infusion [of both groups] as compared with patients who received midazolam. The triglycerides level were significantly higher in patients who received propofol sedation [of both group] with insignificant changes in patients who received midazolam Adverse events [e.g. removal of the endotracheal tube by the patient] occurred in two patients of the intervention group and three patients in the control group. The daily interruption of sedative drug infusions decreases the duration of mechanical ventilation and the length of stay in the intensive care unit

Constituents of the aerial parts and roots of some solanum melanogen varieties

The aerial parts of Solanum melongena varieties Esculentum nees [Balady Black Long, Balady White Long and Round Black, Fam. Solanaceae] were exhaustively extracted with ethanol [90%] and fractionated into coumarin and unsaponifiable fractions. The coumarin fraction led to the isolation of bergapten [I], umbelliferone [II] and asculetin [III] whereas, beta-amyrin [IV], a mixture of steroidal component viz. stigmasterol [V], beta-sitosterol [VI] and campesterol [VII] were isolated from the unsaponifiable fraction of each plant material in different ratios and were identified using GLC. Also, the roots of Solanum melongena varieties were defatted and treated with ammonium hydroxide to afford the alkaloidal glycoside fractions which were found to contain solasonine [VIII] and solamargine [IX]. Acid hydrolysis of the glycoside mixture indicated the presence of solasodine [X] and a sapogenin diosgenin [XI]