Fetal head circumference as a Predictor of successful spontaneous vaginal delivery

Background: intrapartum head circumference is an integral part of sonographic models and important for the purpose of fetal weight estimation as well as in cases which abnormal fetal head growth is suspected, it is considered the interface between maternal pelvis and fetus

Aim: this study aims to assess the accuracy of fetal head circumference compared to expected fetal weight as a predictor of spontaneous vaginal delivery

Methods: a prospective observational study was conducted on 996 women in active stage of labor admitted to Labor ward of Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital and Labor ward in Manshiet El Bakry general hospital

Results large head circumference [odds ratio, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.37-5.73; p-value; .005 was independent predictors for cesarean delivery, and no significant difference on mode of delivery between different expected fetal weight

Conclusion: a large head circumference is more strongly associated with unplanned caesarian section than high expected fetal weight

Heterobeltiosis in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) F1 Diallel Crosses under Contrasting Soil-N Conditions.

Breeding wheat cultivars with improved adaptation to low soil-N, has gained importance worldwide in order to decrease N fertilizer consumption and overcome the ecological and economic problems of the misuse of this fertilizer. Identification of wheat crosses that show useful heterosis (heterobeltiosis) is an important issue in breeding programs. The main objective of the present investigation was to estimate heterobeltiosis for nitrogen use efficiency and other studied traits of F1 diallel crosses among six wheat parents in order to identify the superior ones for future use in breeding programs. Genetic materials were evaluated at two seasons (2007/2008 and 2008/2009) in a split-plot design with randomized complete block arrangement, using three replications. Main plots were assigned to N levels (0 and 75 kg N/fed), while sub plots were devoted to genotypes. Data combined across the two seasons were presented. In general, low N caused a significant reduction in 9 out of 14 studied traits. These reductions were relatively high in magnitude for number of spikes/ plant (SPP) for parents (23.65%) and F1's (23.99%). On the contrary, low–N caused increases in the averages of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by 89.5 and 97.60% for parents and F1's, respectively. Averages of heterobeltiosis for all studied characters were either nonsignificant or significant but non favorable, except for plant height under both low and high N, NUPE under high N and GPS under low N. However, some crosses for each trait showed significant and favorable heterobeltiosis. Under low–N, the highest favorable and significant heterobeltiosis estimate was shown by L27 x Gem 7 for GYPP (14.94%), NUTE (44.81%) and GPS (25.82%), L25 x L26 for 100 GW (13.87%), L 25 x L 27 for SPP (12.53%), L 27 x Gem 9 for GPS (26.19%) and Gem 7 x Gem 9 for BYPP (28.99%).

Antidiabetic Activity of Hydroalcoholic Extracts of Nardostachys jatamansi in Alloxan-induced Diabetic Rats.

A review of literature indicates that diabetes mellitus was fairly well known and well conceived as an entity in India with complications like angiopathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, and causing neurological disorders. The antidiabetic study was carried out to estimate the anti hyperglycemic potential of Nardostachys Jatamansi rhizome’s hydro alcoholic extracts in alloxan induced diabetic rats over a period of two weeks. The hydroalcoholic extract HAE1 at a dose (500mg/kg) exhibited significant antihyperglycemic activity than extract HAE2 at a dose (500mg/kg) in diabetic rats. The hydroalcoholic extracts showed improvement in different parameters associated with diabetes, like body weight, lipid profile and biochemical parameters. Extracts also showed improvement in regeneration of β-cells of pancreas in diabetic rats. Histopathological studies strengthen the healing of pancreas by hydro alcoholic extracts (HAE1& HAE2) of Nardostachys Jatamansi, as a probable mechanism of their ant diabetic activity.

Effect of estradiol on expression of cytoskeletal proteins during spermatogenesis in testis of sexually mature rats.

Earlier studies had shown that long term treatment with estradiol arrests spermatogenesis in adult male rats, at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg/day. The present study was therefore undertaken to ascertain the causes underlying the reduction in sperm counts by administering estradiol for a short term, at the dose of 0.1 mg/kg/day. Estradiol valerate was injected at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg/day, for a period of 10 days to one group of adult male rats, which were administered saline for 12 days prior to estradiol injection, and sacrificed after 22 days. The control group was administered saline for 22 days. The sera were analyzed for testosterone and FSH levels. One testis of each male was immersion fixed for histology, and for immunohistochemistry of two testicular cytoskeletal proteins, vimentin and vinculin. The contralateral testes were used for analysis of vimentin and vinculin gene expression by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) and western blotting. Another group exposed to estradiol for 10 days was injected with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day, to ascertain the effect on germ cell proliferation, and sacrificed 12 days later, while estradiol treatment was continued till sacrifice. BrdU, at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day was injected i.p. to a group of control rats treated with saline for 10 days, and sacrificed 12 days later. The testes from both groups were immersion fixed for immunohistochemical detection of BrdU. Histology of estradiol treated testis showed predominance of tubules with round spermatids with accumulation of lipid droplets in Sertoli cell cytoplasm and decreased cell height, whereas controls showed elongating spermatids. BrdU immunolocalization in the testis, irrespective of treatment, indicated its incorporation in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) suggesting that estradiol sustained germ cell proliferation. Both vimentin and vinculin could be immunolocalized to the testis. The testicular levels of vimentin and vinculin, quantified after western blotting, were unaffected. The testicular expression of vimentin and vinculin seen by RTPCR was also unaffected. The study suggested that estradiol induced reduction in sperm counts was not due to adverse effects on proliferation. The observed predominance of seminiferous tubules showing round spermatids, accumulation of lipid droplets as compared to controls suggested that reduction in elongated spermatids occurred through reduced spermiation and phagocytosis. The study also suggested that reduction in Sertoli cell height after short-term estradiol treatment was not due to reduced expression of vimentin and vinculin, which could be maintained by estradiol. However, reduction in Sertoli cell height could have been due to suppression of FSH and testosterone, implicated in the polymerization of vimentin and organization of vinculin, two cytoskeletal proteins involved in inter-Sertoli or Sertoli-germ cell junctions. The study suggested that disorganization of Sertoli cell cytoskeleton and reduction in the volume of Sertoli cells could be an important factor for reduced efficiency of spermatogenesis after exposure to estrogenic molecules.

Surgical results of combined trabeculotomy-trabeculectomy for congenital glaucoma

Combined trabeculotomy-trabeculectomy was used in 40 eyes of 32 patients with primary congenital glaucoma [20 patients were females and 12 were males, their ages ranged between 7 months and 3 years with a mean of 1.42 years]. Primary combined trabeculotomy-trabeculectomy was the chosen intervention. No previous surgical intervention was done to any patient. All patients underwent thorough history taking and ophthalmic examination. The average follow up period was 8.9 months [6-12 months]. The main outcome measures were postoperative intraocular pressure [IOP], corneal clarity and diameter, bleb characteristics, time of surgical failure and complications. The success criteria included intraocular pressure inferior to 16 mm Hg under general anesthesia. The mean preoperative IOP was improved from 28.9 mm Hg to 14.1 mm Hg at 12 months postoperatively. A progressive improvement of the outcome parameters was observed in 37 out of 40 eyes. None of the patients had any sight-threatening intra or postoperative complications

Primary antiphospholipid syndrome presenting as pseudobulbar palsy in a young male.

Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) is now recognized as an important risk factor for young stroke. Recurrent stroke seems to be common in patients with APS and a first stroke, recurrent stroke and vascular dementia are feared consequences of APS. We are reporting a case of primary APS with recurrent stroke presenting as pseudobulbar palsy in an young man.

Hyperthyroxinemia of acute psychiatric illness

The present study was undertaken to determine the frequency of abnormal thyroid function tests in patients admitted with acute psychiatric illness. Elevated thyroxine [T4] levels were noted in ten [11.4%] of 88 psychiatric patients during short-term admissions and these levels retuned to normal by three weeks after admission [P< 0.0001]. None of the patients had schizophrenia. There were no patients with hypertriiodothyroninemia. Hypothyroidism was not observed in any of the patients studied. High normal T4 levels were noted on admission in 32 patients [mean T4, 117.46 +/- 19.18I/L], and decreased to a mean of 93.52 +/- 15.2 mmol/L three weeks later [P< 0.0001]. Fiver of the patients who showed hyperthyoxinemia on the previous admission were readmitted to the psychiatry unit during the study period because of relapse of their psychiatric illness, but none showed hyperthoxinemia on the second admission. Hyperthyroxinemia of acute psychiatric illness is a graded phenomenon. Its incidence is unpredicatable and may not be reproducible

Saudi medical students' attitudes to psychiatry

Seventy-two Saudi medical students were asked to complete a British questionnaire to measure their to psychiatry before and after a psychiatric training course at King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh. The whole group appeared to show a favorable attitudinal changes after the course, there was a significant difference in response between male and female students, showing the latter to have a more favorable attitude but less intention to specialize in psychiatry. Cultural factors strong influenced the medical students' attitudes