Ofloxacin: laboratory evaluation of the antibacterial activity of 34 brands representing 31 manufacturers available in Pakistan

Objective: To evaluate the antibacterial effectiveness of 34 competitive Ofloxacin products representing 31 manufacturers available in the local market, on 3 standard Quinolone-sensitive American Type Culture Collection [ATCC] bacterial cultures of E.coli, Proteus vulgaris and Staphylococcus aureus

Design: A blind assessment of 29 Ofloxacin brands in tablet form, and 5 in pre-mixed injectable solution collected by The Network for Consumer Protection in Pakistan, Islamabad, with trade and manufacturers names of the products veiled by blanking

Setting: The appraisal was conducted in Karachi at the Department of Microbiology, Jinnah University for Women, and Dr. Essa's Lab and Diagnostic Centre, in March 2003

Method: Direct aqueous suspensions along with 3 additional serial dilutions of each product were used to challenge the 3 target bacteria by the disc-diffusion method. The resultant inhibition-zone diameters were recorded for comparison of antibacterial activity

Results: Comparatively effective but varying antibacterial results were seen using Proteus and Staph aureus; however, alarming differences were recorded when E.coli was targeted. With this organism, excellent inhibition zone diameters were observed with Eracin [CCL], Ofloxacin [Shin Poong], Oflobid [Hilton] and Oflobiotic [Zafa]; others gave good, moderate or poor zones, while 4 shockingly exerted no visible effect: these included 3 single-vial injectable suspensions purported to represent Brookes [Quinon], Bosch [Tariflox] and Hoechst/Aventis [Tarivid], and the GlaxoSmithKlein's tablet Floxy

Conclusion: A significant variation in antibacterial activity of marketed Ofloxacin brands, some representing pharmaceutical giants, demonstrated by simple disc diffusion zone diameter comparison raises serious questions whether the less effective ones obtained in Islamabad and also purchased in Karachi for comparison were flawed, counterfeit or sub-standard preparations

Placental bed changes in hypertensive pregnancy and its reflection on fetal outcome

Placental bed biopsy specimens were obtained under direct vision during cesarean section from 42 patients [10 normotensive, 20 pre-eclamptic, 2 eclamptic and 10 essential hypertension with pregnancy]. The mean gestational age was 38-40 weeks. Spcimens were examined histologically light microscope. Spiral artery changes in the normotensive pregnancy were compared with those in hypertensive pregnancy. The degree of impairement was proportioal to the severity of the disease. Typical physiological changes were present in cases of essential hypertension with pregnancy

facility of aqueous outflow, and the rate of aqueous flow in diabetics

The Autonops computerized tonometer-tonogram has been used to estimate the facility of aqueous outflow as well as the rate of aqueous flow in 100 normotensive eyes of 62 diabetic patients. Additional data obtained during the procedure were the ocular rigidity and the P/C value. Results obtained were compared to those of 30 normotensive eyes of 19 nondiabetic subjects of comparable age. Although the outflow facility of the diabetics turned out to be significantly lower than that of the controls, yet both had comparable initial intraocular pressures. This is due to the lower rate of aqueous flow in the eyes of diabetics. Furthermore, ocular rigidity is significantly higher than average in diabetic eyes

computer-aided technique for the generation of A 3-D finite element mesh for modeling intricate structures: a case study: the vertebra

This paper discusses the modelling of a three dimensional structure by the finite element technique. To illustrate the use of this technique, it was applied for a human vertebra as an application to the study of a complex structure

Programmed replication of in vivo [whole body] loading conditions during in vitro [substructure] testing of a vertebral column segment

The main object of this paper is to present a technique to duplicate in vivo loading Conditions during an In vitro dynamic run. The test results show quantitatively the tensile and compressive loads under dynamic loading conditions