organizational challenge: Reframing of leadership to introduce "Master.s program in basic sciences"

There is a severe dearth of post graduate institutes in our country. Therefore, there is a need to initiate post graduate program for students who have talent and passion for research and teaching. The post graduate program will be aimed to strengthen the multi-disciplinary integrated concepts of Basic sciences as a solid foundation for developing research mentors and educators. This can only be made possible by analyzing the challenge in structural, human, political and symbolic leadership frames and device a solution which is in line with the vision and mission of the organization

Financial wellness awareness: a step closer to achieve millennium development goals for Pakistan

To explore financial wellness [FW] awareness amongst public and private sector medical college students of Karachi. A cross sectional questionnaire based survey was conducted on medical students from 3 public and 5 private sector medical colleges of Karachi from February 2011 to December 2011. All ethnic groups having age range of 18-23 years were included. A questionnaire tailored from wellness wheel evaluated the responses of FW on a four point Likert's scale ranging from 0-3[never, sometimes, mostly, and always]. Factor analysis explored common FW factors among both public and private sector medical college [MC] students. Private MC Students were better in terms of making short and long terms financial goals compared to students in public sector. The students of public MC were more focused to make and restricting to given budgets [p=0.05]. The FW element of keeping savings in bank account was responded more by private MC candidates [P < 0.0001] but was spent thrift as well [P < 0.0001]. Factor analysis revealed two factors; 'Financial Security Wellness' which was better in Private MC Students [p=0.001] and 'Care towards Expenses Wellness" in which results were not significant. Both groups of medical college students lacked FW awareness element in terms of caring towards financial expenses. The awareness of importance of financial security was practiced better by private MC students in terms of making short and long term financial goals and keeping savings in bank accounts. They were however deficient in the knowledge of making and restricting themselves to budgets

Predictors for number of retrieved oocytes in intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Oocyte numbers and IC SI success

Background: Successful ICSI depends on ovarian response to stimulation and maturation of oocytes retrieved

Objective: To identify predictors of number of retrieved oocytes during intra cytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI]

Methods: A cross sectional study carried out at Islamabad Clinic Serving Infertile Couples @ Saudi Pak Tower from January 2011 till December 2012. Female subjects [n= 282] aged 20 -40 years had base line estimation of follicle stimulating hormone, estradiol, antral follicle count and ovarian volume on the second day of cycle. Down regulation of ovaries was followed by controlled ovarian stimulation for 12 +/- 2days. On the day of ovulation induction by intramuscular injection of human chorionic gonadotropin, pre-ovulatory follicle count [PFC] was measured by trans vaginal scan and serum estradiol, progesterone and interleukin I- beta were estimated. Data was expressed as mean +/- standard deviation and median with interquartile range. Correlation coefficient was measured to study degree of association of demographic and clinical factors with NRO. Univariate regression of NRO as dependent variable with predictors was confirmed by multivariate regression

Results: Retrieved oocytes had strongest correlation with PFC [r = 0.98]. Multivariable analysis stipulated that in the presence of other variables PFC had similar strongest effect on oocytes. AFC showed significant but negative effect on NRO by multiple regressions. Progesterone, E2, IL-I beta, FSH and injections used for stimulation had insignificant effect in the presence of other variables

Results: PFC measured at the time of ovulation induction is strongest predictor of oocytes which are obtained during oocyte pick up procedure of ICSI

Social wellbeing: a positive energy for wellness in medical students

The objective of the study was to compare the level of social awareness amongst medical students of public and private medical universities of Karachi - Pakistan. It was a cross sectional, questionnaire based study which randomly recruited 800 medical students from three government and five private medical colleges. Their responses on various aspects of social wellness were graded from 0-4 [never, sometimes, mostly and always]. Non-parametric methods were employed for the comparison of social wellness between the students of two types of institutes. Factor analysis was run to extract common factors in our setup. Students from public and private medical universities [public MU/private MU] acquired significantly similar scores on communication wellness. Both group of students reported that they had network of close acquaintances. Students from public institutes not only showed a significant problems solving attitude to help their fellows but also exhibited significant frankness and fairness while dealing with their social bounds. On the other hand the private MU students contributed more social time and money to community projects. Strategies should be made to involve public MU students in community projects. Private MU students need to be taught to care for their social bounds and enhance activities to share their beings with friends and family

Estradiol progesterone ratio on ovulation induction day: a determinant of successful pregnancy outcome after intra cytoplasmic sperm injection

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI] is an advanced technique employed in assisted reproductive clinics for treatment of infertile couples. The reproductive endocrinologists try their level best to identify factors that enhance success rate after ICSI. To compare estradiol progesterone ratio on ovulation induction day amongst pregnancy outcome groups following ICSI. A cross sectional study was conducted on 323 couples of Assisted Reproductive Clinic in Islamabad from June 2010 till August 2011. Down regulation of females aged 18-40 years with gonadotrophin releasing hormone agonist was followed by calculated stimulation with gonadotrophin injections [COS]. Oocytes pickup was done 36 hours after ovulation induction by 16G adapter and double lumen oocyte aspiration needle under general anesthesia. Oocytes were fertilized in vitro, graded and only blastocysts were transferred seven days after ovulation induction. Serum estradiol and progesterone were measured by enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay on ovulation induction day, ratio was compared in three groups of females; no conception with betahCG 5-25 mIU/ml, preclinical abortion with betahCG >25 mIU/ml and no cardiac activity on transvaginal scan and clinical pregnancy with betahCG >25mIU/ml and cardiac activity on transvaginal scan. Females having high estradiol/ progesterone ratio were able to achieve clinical pregnancy shown by a positive betahCG and cardiac activity on transvaginal scan. These females also had significantly high number of oocytes, endometrial thickness and implantation rate. A high estradiol/progesterone ratio on the day of ovulation induction predicts the success of intra cytoplasmic sperm injection

Ergonomic education - a tool to maintain health

Objective: To identify the occurrence of leg pain amongst computer users and assess its relation to age, sex, occupation and duration of computer use

Methodology: It was a cross sectional study conducted from January till December 2011. A self reported questionnaire tailored with Occupational Health and Safety Act of the Ministry of Labor, Ontario, Canada was used. Participants were randomly selected; responses analyzed by SPSS software version 15. Chi square test was applied to results and considered significant with p value <0.05

Results: A total of 416 participants responded with mean age of 34.87+/-8.78 years. There were 231[55.5 %] males. Out of 416, 123[29.5%] participants had work related leg symptoms [66[15.8%] male and 57 [13.7%] female]. Occurrence of leg pain within one to two hours of consecutive work was significantly more in 26-35 and 36-45 year age groups. Postural changes incorporated through frequent short breaks improved leg symptoms in between eight to nine out of ten participants [104/123]. The improvement was significantly more in 26-35 and 36-45 year age groups. Leg symptoms showed no relation with the length of computer usage or daily usage or between both sex and working groups

Conclusion: Leg pain/tingling/numbness is an early sign of repetitive injuries that can be timely addressed by ergonomic education and improving postural health through short breaks

Awareness and use of complementary alternative medicine in patients with asthma

To compare awareness and usage of various complementary alternative medicine [CAM] modalities in patients with asthma. An observational cross sectional study conducted at Pulmonology clinics on 452 male and female patients. Their age ranged from 10 till 50 years. An interview based questionnaire tested knowledge and use of CAM by intake of; tea, coffee, soups, joshanda, misri and honey, involvement by; yoga, swimming and breathing exercises along with application of CAM modalities like Vicks and steam inhalation. It was found that males had greater awareness and used modalities of CAM more than females. The age stratum reflecting maximum awareness was shown by the age group of 31-40 years with the females significantly having more knowledge[p= 0.01]. The knowledge was significant in patients who had family predisposition of seasonal allergies and had frequently been using inhalers. Application of CAM was seen with modalities of homeopathic and herbal medicines, coffee intake, steam inhalation, breathing exercises and use of multivitamins [p value<0.05]. The knowledge of use of swimming was found in 56%of asthmatics. A high ratio of respondents had knowledge of role of honey, soups, yoga exercises and application of Vicks vaporub but practices of these modalities were not found to be significant. Practice of swimming, intake of tea, soup/broth, honey; and application of Vicks was not found to be popular among patients with asthma. Patients with asthma were acquainted and used some adjuvants together with prescribed medicines as component of CAM; however its awareness was greater as compared to its usage