[Effect of Pb-induced oxidative stress on performance, antioxidant status and behavioral responses in broiler chicken]

Background: lead [Pb] induced oxidative stress is known to suppress growth performance in broiler chickens. The current study was carried out in an attempt to describe the specific underlying mechanisms of such phenomenon

Objectives: the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Pb-induced oxidative stress on performance, antioxidant status and behavioral responses of broiler chicken

Methods: eighty day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 2 dietary treatment groups of 4 pen replicates, namely i] basal diet containing no lead supplement [control] and ii] basal diet containing 200 mg Pb/kg of diet

Results: the results showed that addition of lead decreased body weight gain [p<0.01] and feed conversion ratio [p<0.01]. Also, consumption of contaminated diet significantly increased MDA and H/L Ratio and significantly decreased SOD and GPx activity [p<0.01]. Moreover, addition of 200 mg/kg diet significantly increased sitting pasture and aggression behavior and decreased feeding behavior [p<0.01]

Conclusions: our data conclude that Pb-induced oxidative stress adversely suppressed feed conversion ratio and growth performance. The proposed underlying mechanism for such phenomenon is Pb-induced oxidative stress by impaired antioxidant status and feeding behavior decreased the growth performance

Ocular manifestations of behcet's disease in Jordanian patients

To study the prevalence, manifestations and severity of ocular involvement of Behcet's disease in Jordanian patients. The study population consisted of 43 patients diagnosed to have Behcet's disease through Rheumatologist's examinations conducted at Jordan University Hospital between January 2002 and July 2009. The sample involved patients who displayed ocular manifestations. This included 18 patients; 12 males and 6 females with a mean age of 35 years [SD = 17.26]. Ophthalmological examinations and retrospective analysis of medical files were carried on. Ocular manifestations were seen in 41.9% of patients. The most common manifestation for Behcet's disease was vitritis with a prevalence of 55.6%, followed by anterior uveitis and retinal vasculitis [50% for each]. On the other hand, the most frequent complications involved were cataract, cystoid macular edema [CMO], posterior synechiae and glaucoma with a prevalence of [44.4%], [33.3%], [11.1%] and [5.6%], respectively. The prevalence and severity of ocular lesions in Behcet's disease is relatively low in Jordanian patients. This result indicates that early diagnoses and intervention might delay or even prevent vision loss for those patients.

Computational modeling and drug designing of Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL) involved in ischemic stroke.

Homology modeling and flexible docking of Lipoprotein Lipase has been studied in silico approach. Blast result was found to have similarity with Lipoprotein Lipase of 83% identity with 1LPA. Active site of LPL protein was identified by CASTP. Large potential drugs were designed for identifying molecules that can likely bind to protein target of interest. The different drug derivatives designed were used for docking with the generated structure, among the 10 derivatives designed, 3rd derivative showed highest docking result. The drug derivatives were docked to the protein by hydrogen bonding interactions and these interactions play an important role in the binding studies. Our investigations may be helpful for further studies.

Molecular identification of bacteria isolated from meat sample.

Contamination of food with bacteria moulds, yeasts, viruses, protozoa or parasites could occur within food premises and result in unfit or unsafe food. Microbial contamination is frequently the result of ignorance, carelessness or negligence by the food operator, or due to lack of space or inappropriate design of food areas. In this work we have identified meat contaminating bacteria through molecular techniques. The bacterium identified through morphological and biochemical tests was sporosarcina halofila. This was confirmed after amplification of genomic DNA with suitable primers. Plasmid was isolated and it was identified to be 11kb. PCR amplified product was 100bp and primers were designed accordingly to the suitable organism.

Experienced airway management in laryngotracheal injuries: series of cases, survey and review of literature

Definitive airway control of penetrating laryngotracheal injury can be an extremely difficult challenge for the emergency physician. We report three serious cases of penetrating neck trauma with laryngeal injury that were managed successfully using different techniques of airway control in the Emergency Department [ED] of Hamad General Hospital during the three years from January 2006 through December 2008. Individualized assessment, identification of type of injury and familiarity with airway control techniques and the available options assure timely, safe and proper airway control in such injuries. Choice of technique in penetrating Iaryngotracheal injury is multifactorial and depends upon case presentation, physician preference, skill, and clinical constraints. The incidence of neck injury during this period was lower than in other reports; being 0.07% of total trauma cases, while the incidence of penetrating neck injuries represented 17.6% of total neck injuries with no deaths. Familiarity and availability of variant airway management techniques and variant surgical interventions in penetrating laryngotracheal injuries, improve outcome and reduce mortality

Aluminum and cadmium levels in maternal and umbilical cord blood in Assiut University Hospital

In this study, aluminum and cadmium concentrations were determined in maternal and umbilical cord blood from urban and rural areas [n = 20 in each group] in Assiut Governorate. The present results showed that the level of aluminum in maternal and umbilical cord blood was highly statistically significant in both urban and rural areas. However, its concentration was higher in rural area in both maternal and cord blood and the maternal blood aluminum was highly statistically significant when comparing rural and urban areas. The cadmium in maternal and umbilical cord blood was highly statistically significant in both urban and rural areas. However, the cord blood level of cadmium was statistically significant when comparing between rural and urban and cadmium level was higher in urban areas