Prevalence of type-II diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy: the Gaddap study

To determine the frequency of type-II Diabetes mellitus [DM] in the endogenous population of Gaddap town and also to evaluate the status of Diabetic retinopathy [DR] in this group. Descriptive study. Isra Postgraduate Institute of Ophthalmology, Al-Ibrahim Eye Hospital, Karachi, from January 2006 till December 2008. This community based study of subjects of either gender was carried out in the Gaddap town. Three primary eye care centres were established in the existing primary health care [PHC] facilities, to screen the target Population aged 30 years and above, and who met other inclusion criteria for DM and DR respectively. Patients requiring intervention were managed accordingly. Data was entered and analyzed using Microsoft Visual Basic 6 and Microsoft Access. Out of the cohort of 19211 subjects, 1677 patients were found Diabetic, giving the prevalence of DM in Gaddap town at 8.73%, with 1258 [6.55%] known and 419 [2.18%] newly diagnosed cases. DR was seen in 460 [27.43%] of the Diabetic cases with 126 [7.51%] patients requiring urgent intervention for vision threatening complications. The result validates the importance of early screening of DR in people suffering from DM for possible management and prevention of sight threatening complications in the early stage of the disease and advocates the inclusion of primary eye care as a part of PHC system

Use of fresh water alga Spirogyra ellipsospora Transeau as feed supplement to broiler chicks

Attempts were made to formulate a feed ration to poultry birds, broiler [Indian River Variety FS99] in order to achieve a low cost feed with better potentiality. Algal material Spirogyra ellipsospora Transeau was used as feed supplement for broiler chicks. After necessary processing, four concentrations viz. 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of algal material were mixed up with commercial feed of chicks [starter and finisher feed]. Feeding 1 experiments were performed from the day old chicks to ten weeks. Biochemical parameters [ash, carbohydrate, fat, protein and water content] of liver of chicks fed on different algal compositions as well as control feed were also studied. It was observed that the birds which were fed on higher concentration [10%-20%] of algal feed showed best results in terms of quality and quantity of meat. Spirogyra ellipsospora [15%-20%] showed best growth. Mortality rate was zero as no chick died during the whole feeding trial. On the other hand chemical analysis of chick's liver showed that there were no significant differences in fat contents of liver in control and algal fed chicks