Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: initial experience in Qatar

To evaluate laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy[LSG], a relatively new procedure of bariatirc surgery, 21 patients [11 male, 10 female] aged from 28 to 51 years were studied who underwent the operation in Qatar between January 2006 and September 2007. None required conversion to open surgery. None died. One post-operative complication, gastric stenosis, was managed by endoscopic dilatation; another, gastro-cutaneous fistulae, required corrective surgery. The mean hospital stay was 8.7 days. The average weight loss and BMI loss six months post-operatively were 32kg and 12 kg/m[2] respectively. It is concluded that the main indication for LSG is for super obese patients or those with failed adjustable gastric banding and that it can be safely integrated into a bariatric surgical program with good results in terms of weight loss although major complications should not be ignored. Further studies should have longer periods of follow-up and include the quality of life using BAROS charting [Bariatric analysis and reporting outcome system]

Evaluation of community psychiatric-home visit treatment versus outpatient treatment of chronic schizophrenic patients in Bahrain

Schizophrenia has a high rate of relapse. Treatment compliance is challenging in the long-term management of schizophrenia. The outcomes of previous studies on Community Psychiatry Service - Home Visit Treatment [CPS-HVT] are inconclusive. To evaluate the effectiveness of CPS-HVT in [a] reducing the number of admissions and [b] duration of admissions of chronic schizophrenic patients. A retrospective analysis by auditing files of all cases of adult schizophrenic patients in Bahrain who underwent CPS-HVT treatment. A total of 10 years follow-up [5 years of outpatient treatment before the referral to the community service and 5 years follow-up in the community service after the referral] was carried out. The number of admissions and the duration of admissions were compared. Of the total number of 232 patients 51 [22%] fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The sum total of 77 admissions during 5 years before the referral to the CPS-HVT was 2577 days [50.5 d/patient]. After the referral to the CPS-HVT the sum total of 48 admissions was 1383 days [27.1 d/patient], and no patient had more than 3 admissions. The number of non-hospitalized patients doubled during the 5 years follow-up in the CPS-HVT [n=13; 4 males vs. n=27; 10 males]. The proportion of males was 47.1% [n=24]. CPS-HVT is effective and superior to standard outpatient treatment of chronic schizophrenic patients in reducing the number and duration of admissions, in Bahrain. Future studies should evaluate a wide range of other outcomes, including the cost effectiveness of CPS-HVT. Considering the massive impact of community-based care on patients, caregivers, clinicians and the community at large, such studies are urgently needed

Bacteriological and physicochemical studies of ground-water in Beith Lahia-Gaza strip-Palestine

Twenty wells of groundwater located in the vicinity of wastewater ponds were investigated to indicate the levels of water pollution during the four seasons of year [2000-2001]. Water samples were tested for the indicators of faecal pollution, heterotrophic plate count [HPC] at 25 and 37C, total coliform, faecal coliform, faecal streptococci, Clostridium perfringens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Campylobacter and Salmonella. Bacteriological analysis revealed that HPC at 25C exceeds that was counted at 37C in the examined water samples. A marked seasonal variation on the bacterial counts was observed where the high counts of most organisms were obtained in winter months. It recorded 130, 120 CFU/ml for TC and FC, respectively in the most contaminant well number [13], corresponding to 110, 90 CFU/ml in autumn season. Also, the secondary indicator microorganisms appeared relatively low counts while Salmonella sp. was not detected. High significant differences were observed between the tested bacterial counts, wells depth, distance from the wastewater ponds. Physicochemical analysis of water samples showed that some parameters such as turbidity, NH3+, NO2-, NO3-, K+, BOD5, COD and hardness exceeded the permissible level in many of tested wells. A relationship between the bacterial counts and physicochemical parameters was observed. Prepared questionnaire indicate that most the participants used to wells water without treatments suffering from various illnesses such as diarrhea, vomiting and other gastrointestinal problems specially in winter season

Studies on beta-galactosidase from Candida pseudotropicalis III- Purification and some properties of the pure enzyme

Beta-galactosidase from Candida pseudotropicalis was partially purified by fractional precipitation with ammonium sulfate. Purification was achieved by sephadex G-75 and the cellulose DE-52 column chromatography, the purification fold was 5.2, 20.6 and 104.2, respectively. The purity of enzyme was checked on polyacrylamide gel Disc electrophoresis. The properties of the purified enzyme have been studied. The Km and V max were 4 x 10-5 M and 27 x 106 M/min-1, respectively. The maximum enzyme activity was obtained in 0.2 M potassium phosphate buffer at pH 7.0 and incubation temperature 30C for 25 minutes. The effect of temperature, pH on enzyme stability and activity was studied. The enzyme was strongly activated by Mg+2, while as Mn+2, Ca+2, Na+2 and Zn+2 had an activating effect at low concentrations and Cu+2 showed complete inhibition

Effect of growth conditions on the activity of Kluyveromyces lactis killer toxin

A study has been made of the relationship between incubation temperatures [[20 and 30'C] at different pH values [4,6and 8] and different carbon sources [maltose, mannitol and glycerol] on the growth and toxin production by Kluyveromyces lactis [y-1140]. The highest level of toxin production was observed nearly at a temperature of 30°, when maltose was used as the carbon source rather than mannitol and glycerol. Also the inhibitory effects of K.lactis Killer toxin against sensitive yeasts cells was significantly enhanced when plate assays were performed in media at pH 6 rather than at both pH 4 and pH Sand at an incubation temperature of 30° rather than at 20°. However the interference of K.lactis killer toxin with some test yeasts toxin could not be ignored