influence of microwave irradiation on sleep disorders and electrical activity of rats' brain

Twenty four female rats divided into two groups [each group consists of twelve rats] were used in this study in a real exposure experiment in the point of maximum field of the cellular base station radiation field. Five epidural electrodes were implanted in the skull of the first group of rats, two in the frontal region [right and left hemispheres], two in the occipital region [right and left hemispheres], and one in a reference point in the nose. The first group was exposed to microwave radiation and EEG was recorded weekly [monoplolar and bipolar] on the same day and at same time of week for eight weeks. The rats of the second group were exposed at the same place of the maximum field intensity as the first group, and the neurotransmitter serotonin was assayed weekly

value of estimation of procalcitonin and complement levels in neonatal sepsis

Neonatal sepsis is a serious problem with high morbidity and mortality. Serum Procalcitonin, C[3] and C[4] levels were estimated in 30 neonates suffering from neonatal sepsis. Further investigations were done including: Complete blood picture, blood culture, CRP, ESR, CSF examination and chest X-ray. Eighteen matched healthy neonates were included as a control group. Serum procalcitonin level was significantly elevated in neonates suffering from septicemia [p<0. 001] and its level was significantly related to the severely affected cases suffering from meningitis, [p<0. 05] and those with poor outcome [P<0.01]. The mean levels of C[3] and C[4] in the study group were lower than controls but these differences were not statistically significant [P>0.05]. Also, there was no significant relationship between the level of C[3] and C[4] and severity of the cases or outcome. We can conclude that procalcitonin can be considered as an interesting diagnostic and prognostic marker of neonatal sepsis

Bone metabolism in asthatic children on inhaled corticosteroid therapy

This study was designed to assess the effect of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate [BDP] in a dose 200-800 pg/day for at least 3 years [mean 3.9 +/- 0.6 years] on the serum markers of bone formation in asthmatic children. Twenty-one children with asthma aged 7-14 years [mean 11.] +/- 2.0 years] on inhaled beclomethasone were compared with age and sex matched group of asthmatic children not treated with corticosteroids. Comparison was also made with 17 healthy non-asthmatic children. Pulmonary function tests [FEy[1], PEFR, FEF2S-75] improved significantly after the use of inhaled corticosteroids, however, serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, total alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, calcitonin, and urine calcium/creatinine ratio showed no significant difference between subjects of the three different groups. These findings were observed regardless of the atopic status of patients concluding that BDF in a dose of up to 800 pg/day has no effect on bone mineralization or biochemical markers of bone metabolism

Dual energy X ray absorptiometry and biochemical markers in evaluating bone mineral content in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

In this prospective study we aimed to measure the total body bone mineralization by DEXA in the prepubertal patients with JRA. Also measuring some biochemical markers of bone turnover, in a trial to understand the mechanisms of osteopenia in JRA and to find relationships between bone mineral loss, and disease sub type, duration, disease activity and drugs used in treatment Thirty prepubertal patients were included in the study; dual energy X ray absorptiometry were done for all patients, also serum calcium; phosphorous, alkaline phosphatase, serum osteocalcin., serum calcitonin and urinary ca/c ratio, with 18 controls for the biochemical parameters of bone mineralization. Twenty nine patients had BMD fell below the normal regression mean of age and sex. There is positive correlation between age and BMD [r=0.499, p<0.01]. The duration of the disease is significantly higher in patients with severe osteoporosis compared to the patients with severe osteopenia [67.5 122.13 months vs 36 _ 12.75 months with p<0.02]. BMD was significantly affected in patients with active arthritis compared to patients in remission [p= 0.04]. MTX significantly affected the BMD in our work, but no significant effect of low dose of steroids. No difference of BMD between the 3 subtypes of JRA. Serum calcium levels were low but not significant statistically, but there was a positive correlation between BMD and serumCa [p<0.01]. Serum phosphorous and alkaline phosphatase were not affected sign significantly. There was no significant difference in serum osteocalcin between patients and controls. Serum calcitonin levels were significantly lower in patients than controls. Urine ca/cr ratio as a measurement of bone resorption were significantly higher in patients than controls [p=0.03]. Our results, suggest that DEXA is a new promising technique to monitor disease progression. New biochemical markers show contradictory results in different studies. A prospective examination of risk factors for osteoporosis need to he performed and more work to get the best treatment of osteoporosis of JRA