Epidemiology of autistic disorder in Bahrain: prevalence and obstetric and familial characteristics

European and North American studies show that the prevalence of autistic disorder is increasing. This study was performed to identify the prevalence of autistic disorder in Bahrain, and determine some of the demographic and family characteristics. Using a case–control design, 100 children who received a diagnosis of autistic disorder according to DSM-IV-TR during the period 2000–2010 were selected. An equal number of controls who had received a diagnosis of nocturnal enuresis and no psychopathology were selected, matched for sex and age group. The prevalence of autistic disorder was estimated as 4.3 per 10 000 population, with a male:female sex ratio of 4:1. Significantly more cases than controls were delivered by caesarean section and had mothers who suffered prenatal complications. The prevalence estimate in Bahrain is comparable to previous reports using similar methods. Obstetric complications and caesarean section delivery may be associated with autistic disorder.

Evaluation of the protective effect of isoprinosine against navelbine induced oxidative stress in mice

Many studies in vitro and in vivo have shown immunomodulating and antiviral activities of Isoprinosine [inosine pranobex]. Chemotherapy means the use of a drug which is most effective at, killing cells that are rapidly dividing. Vinorelbine [Navelbine, 5 oranhydrovinblastine] is a third-generation vinca alkaloid anti-tumor drug. It is widely used in the treatment of cancer such as advanced non-small-cell lung cancer [NSCLC] and advanced breast cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the possible protective effects of Isoprinosine in bacterially infected and non infected mice at a dose level of 8.75 mg/kg/day orally every second day for 15 days under the effect of anticancer Navelbine. Mitochondrial DNA fragmentation, Lipid pereoxidation [MDA], glutathione contents [GSH], phagocytosis test and serum level of immunoglobulin G and M antibodies were evaluated, a significant increase in liver homogenate and mitochondria protein carbonyl levels was observed in Navelbine alone treated mice when compared to control group. DNA fragmentation in homogenate and mitochondria was significantly increased in all test groups when compared to control group except Isoprinosine treated animal group which showed significant decrease in DNA fragmentation. The results of this study proved the immune protective and immunomodulatory effects of Isoprinosine against Navelbine induced toxicity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa infected and non infected mice

Pitting corrosion and its inhibition for Cu-Fe and Cu-Al-Fe alloys in sodium chloride solutions

The pitting corrosion of Cu-5% Fe alloy [1] and Cu-10%Al-4,9%Fe alloy [II] in sodium chloride solutions was studied, using the potentiodynamic anodic polarization and galvanic current-time measurements. From the potentiodynamic anodic polarization curves the pitting corrosion potential was evaluated. The pitting potential of the two alloys varies with the logarithm of Cl[-] ion concentrations according to sigmoidal curves, which was explained on the basis of formation of passivitable, limiting active and continuously propagated pits depending on the concentration of chloride ions. Alloy [I] had higher resistance to pitting corrosion than alloy [II]. The integrated charge amount, q[a], in presence of Cl[-] ions was taken as a measure of the extent of pitting corrosion, while the difference in values between pitting potential and repassivation potential [E[pit]-E[p]] was taken as a measure of pit repassivation ability. The galvanic current-time measurements indicated that the induction periods become shorter with the increase of Cl[-] ion concentrations. Addition of inorganic anions individually or in mixtures to sodium chloride solutions caused inhibition of pitting corrosion of both alloys. This was indicated from the shift of E[pit] to noble direction in presence of these additives. The inhibition efficiency of the additives was calculated from the change of the integrated anodic charge [q[a]] and induction period in the absence and presence of inhibitors. It was found that the inhibition efficiency depends on the concentration and type of the additive. The synergistic effect manifested itself in presence of mixed additives

Pitting corrosion inhibition of some copper alloys in NaCl solutions by straight chain carboxylates

Electrochemical methods were used to investigate the abilities of the homologous straight chain monocarboxylates [C[n]H[2n+1]COO, n=1-13] to inhibit the pitting corrosion of two types of copper alloys in NaCl solutions. The copper alloys were alloy [I] [Cu + 4.47% Fe] and alloy [II] [Cu + 10.67% Al + 5.02% Fe]. It was found that these were susceptible to pitting corrosion in NaCl solutions, with increase of Cl[-] ions concentration. Alloy [II] was more susceptible to pitting corrosion than alloy [I]. The inhibition performance of the monocarboxylates was critically dependent upon their chain length. The range of chain lengths producing optimal inhibition efficiency was [6

Hypoglycaemic, phytochemical and other properties of Allium cepa L

In the view of the promising potential of hypoglycaemic plants, 19 plants indigenous to Sudan and of common use in Sudanese folk-medicine, were screened for their hypoglycaemic activity. Out of these Allium cepa L being the most active, safe and non toxic, available and affordable, hence it had been selected for further investigation. Allium cepa was subjected to chemical tests and chromatographic procedures for the detection of its active components present. Conducted tests and procedures confirmed the presence of sulfur compounds. Comparative chromatographic methods as thin layer chromatography and C-18 high performance liquid chromatography revealed that the aminoacid, cysteine [0.059%] occurs as a major constituent found in Allium cepa. Allium cepa alcoholic extract was found to possess its hypoglycemic effect [36.33 mg/dl - reduction of glycemia] through a synergestic action of its similar sulfur phytoconstituents present, since less activity was exhibited by each of it's fractions [aqueous and organic] obtained when partioned wilh hexane. We can conclude that the integrated properties of the active medicinal products especially edible plants with their hypoglycaemic activity, make their use for the control and prevention of diabetes mellitus possible and recommendable. Unstability, similarity in constituents and synergy of their activity give reasons for not to isolate individual compounds from onions and give credits to use them whole as a crude drug or a concentrated extract. Furthermore, descriptive characters, chemical tests and chromatographic profiles obtained in this study could be used as measures to standardize red onion growing in Sudan

Biochemical and molecular studies on the hepatoprotective effect of ginger

The hepatoprotective effect of acetone soluble fraction [ASF] of petroleum ether extract of ginger was evaluated in vivo by using CC1[4] model, which induced hepatotoxicity. The results revealed that the activities of ALP, AST, ALT and TBARS were increased after adminsitraiton of CC1[4]. This effect of CC1[4] This effect of CCL[4] was attenuated by acetone soluble fraction of ginger by two doses. Also, lysosomal enzymes were markedly increased after administration of CC1[4], but this effect was ameliorated by ASF of ginger nearly to the control group. These results demonstrate that acetone soluble fraction of ginger plant exerted a hepatoprotective activity in vitro and in vivo and may be useful in the treatment of hepatotoxicity and liver diseases

Protective effect of acetone soluble fraction of ginger on carbon tetrachloride-induced nephrotoxicity in rats

The protective effect of acetone soluble fraction [ASF] of petroleum ether extract of ginger for rat kidney was evaluataed in vivo by using carbon tetrachloride [CCl[4]] model. Total proteins, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS], albumin and globulin of kidney were determined. Also, the activity of four lysosomal acid hydrolases, acid phosphatase [ACP], N-acetyl- beta -glucosaminidase [beta -NAG], beta -glactosidase [beta -galactosidase [beta -GAL] and beta -glucouronidase [beta -GLU] were determined. The results revealed that TBARS was increased after administration of CCL[4] while total proteins, albumin and globulin were decreased. This effect of CCI[4] was attenuated by acetone soluble fraction of ginger by two doses. Also, the activity of four lysosomal acid hydrolases, acid phosphatase [ACP], N-acetyl- beta -glucosaminidase [beta -NAG], beta -galactosidase [beta -GAL] and beta -glucouronidase [beta -GLU] were markedly increased after administration of CCI[4], but this effect was ameliorated by acetone soluble fraction [ASF] of ginger. These results demonstrated that ASF of ginger exerted a protective activity in vivo and may be useful in the treatment of nephrotoxicity

Effect of interferon alfa-2-beta on the DNA, RNA, proteins and the O[2]-uptake of Rat liver mitochondria and homogenates

The effect of interferon alfa-2-b [IFN] on O[2]-uptake of isolated rat liver homogenate and mitochondria at 37°C over two hours were examined in two concentrations "6428.5 and 3214.3 IU/kg rat". The results of the rates of aerobic respiration of rat liver homogenate revealed the occurrence of uniform reductions in total O[2]-consumption after 1, 2, 3 and 4 hours exposure to the two concentrations of interferon. On the other hand, the O2-uptake of mitochondria exerted an enhancement effect after the exposure time under the effect of the drug. Protein patterns were determined and identified by SDS/PAGE method, genomic DNA was extracted and purified, then isolated on 1% agarose for analysis the molecular size of DNA after treatment with interferon by the two doses. RNA was extracted and purified and then isolated on agarose 1.3% for determining the differences in the molecular size between the treated and nontreated samples. The protein concentration was significantly increased by the two doses of the drug. The protein patterns on SDS/PAGE revealed different bands with different molecular Daltons. The genomic DNA isolated from rat liver mitochondira or homogenate have a high molecular size [more than 1.0 kbp.]. In addition, interferon at the low dose decreased the RNA concentration either in rat liver homogenate or mitochondria, while the high dose of the drug increased the concentration of RNA. The molecular weight of isolated RNA on agarose either from rat liver homogenate or mitochondria after drug treatment exhibited a molecular size more than 1031 bp. PCR amplification was conducted on genomic DNA of rat liver homogenate after interferon alpha 2-b treatment by the high dose only. All PCR products appeared to be identical and the bands had the same molecular weights

Molluscicidal activity of certain sudanese medicinal plants used in folk-medicene

In view of the promising potential of plant molluscicides, 10 plants indigenous to Sudan and of common use in Sudanese folk-medicine, were screened for their molluscicidal activity, using two local snail vectors, Bulinus truncates and Biomphalaria pfeifferi. At different concentrations up to 500 ppm., seven plant samples were found to be lethal to both of the snail species. The pet. ether/CHCH 3 [1:1] extracts of 6 plants were lethal as molluscicidal agents while only two plants showed 100% mortality to the snails as methanol extracts. The two most active plants that killed both snail hosts [

Cardiovascular risk factors in Saudi Arabian and non-Saudi Arabian diabetic patients in Saudi Arabia

To determine frequency of cardiovascular risk factors in Saudi and non-Saudi diabetics, we studied patients attending King Abdulaziz University Hospital for follow-up in the period January 1997 to December 2001. Cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, obesity and smoking, were studied as well as degree of blood glucose control. Of 1122 patients in the study, 48% were Saudis and 52% non-Saudis. No statistically significant difference was found for prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors between the two groups. Correlation of each of the risk factors to patient's age showed significant correlation to hypertension and smoking

Maternity blues: psychometric approach

In this study, 61 women who were admitted to hospital for labor were studied for anxiety and depression. The results were compared with a control group of 22 women admitted for general surgery matched for the age, socioeconomic st and ard and educational level. There was a significant difference between both groups as regards the levels of anxiety and depression. Women with normal delivery were compared with those with CS and no significant difference was found. The study showed no significant difference between women with pathological scores and those without pathological scores as regards the age of marriage, age at labor, sex of the newly born or relation with the husb and

Factors affecting c3 in intestinal schistosomiasis

Complement component C3 was investigated in sera of a group of schistosomal patients free from obvious nephritis. C3 was studied in relation to S. mansoni egg count, presence of HBsAg, and liver functions. C3 level was low in schistosomal patients than normal individuals. Levels were low in both HBsAg -ve and HBsAg + ve schistosomal patients. No significant difference was found between HBsAg -ve and HBsAg +ve in one hand, and between patients with egg counts more than 400 and those with egg counts less than 400 eggs/1 gr as regards level of C3 on the other hand. Presence of ascites did not affect C3 concentration. Positive correlation was found with Serum albumin, but not with prothrombin concentration serum alkaline phosphatase or serum transaminases

Correlation of transvaginal sonography of endometrium, doppler velocitometry and endometrial histpathology in postmenopausal bleeding

In order to evaluate the transvaginal sonography in predicting endometrial pathology in cases of postmenopausal bleeding [PMB], one hundred cases with PMB were studied. In addition to clinical evaluation, transvaginal ultrasonographic evaluation of endometrial thickness, structure echogenicity and endometrial margins were done. Additionally transvaginal study if uterine artery wave form velocimetry as reflected by pulsatility index [P.I.] was measured. These were correlated with the histopathology of the endometrium obtained by fractional curretage. Eighty two women had atrophic endometrium with an verage thickness of 3-4 +/- 1.2 mm. Ten cases had hyperplasia with an average thickness 9.7 +/- 2.5mm, four cases had endometrial polyps with an average thickness 10.8 +/- 4.7mm and three had endometrial carcinoma with thickness of 18.2 +/- 6.2 mm. All cases with nonsignificant lesions showed regular endometrial margins and homogeneous echostructure. The PI for women with nonsignificant lesions was 4.22 +/- 1.06 mm, whereas in women with significant lesions, it was 1.2 +/- 0.37 [p <0.001]. An endometrial thickness of 5 mm and P.I. of 0.2 when taken as cut off points could diagnose all cases with abnormal endometrial pathology

value of the fetal pelvic index in the management of cases with cesarean scar

The fetal-pelvic index is a recently described method for identifying the presence or absence of fetal-pelvic disproportion. In this study, the efficiency of the fetal-pelvic index was evaluated in 68 gravid women with single vertex term uneventful pregnancy and history of a prior cesarean section. All women were in labor and fulfilled criteria for a trial of labor. By means of individually measured fetal and maternal pelvic diameters, circumferences of the fetal head, fetal abdomen maternal pelvic inlet, and maternal midpelvis were computed. Based on four circumferences between the fetus and maternal pelvis, a fetal pelvic index number was derived from the sum of the two most positive values

Extradural opioids for postoperative analgesia

Effectiveness of extradural injection of morphine [4 mg], pethidine [50 mg], fentanyl [100 mg] and alfentanyl [15 ug/kg] were compared in 80 patients. They were divided into four equal groups, each of 20 patients, for postoperative pain relief. The onset of analgesia was 34.55 +/- 4.86 min. in morphine group, 20.65 +/- 4.13 min. in pethidine group, 10.55 +/- 3.44 min. in fentanyl group and 17.55 +/- 3.7 min. for alfentanyl group. The average duration of analgesia was 10.18 +/- 2.46 h for morphine, 7.04 +/- 2.4 h for pethidine, 5.315 +/- 0.926 h for fentanyl and 3.62 +/- 0.9 h for alfentanyl. The change in cardiovascular parameters [heart rate and blood pressure] were not of clinical importance in spite of being statistically significant, especially with epidural morphine and pethidine. The respiratory parameters showed a significant decrease in respiratory rate in the four groups with insignificant changes in PaO2 and PaCO2, following pethidine, fentanyl and alfentanyl, but in morphine group there was significant elevation in PaCO2. The onset of pain was accompanied by a severe restriction of FVC and FEV1. The earlier and the better restoration of the respiratory function was observed in the fentanyl group. The highest incidence of side effects e.g. itching, nausea and vomiting, occurred with morphine group followed by pethidine and alfentanyl groups and the last with fentanyl group

Sexual dysfunction in patients with major depression

Fifty male patients diagnosed as major depression according to DSM-III-R were selected randomly from psychiometric outpatient clinic. They were initially assessed by psychiatric tools as regards personality, anxiety and depression. Also their psychosexual functioning were asked about. Serum level of testosterone and prolactin were measured. Patients received treatment with tricyclic antidepressants for six months after which they were reassessed. Patients were divided into two groups according to their sexual functioning. Results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between both groups as regard level of depression and hormones. However the group with sexual dysfunction was significantly older other in age, had a higher level of anxiety, more introvert and with higher level of criminality and neuroticism. After treatment most of patients showed improvement but some patients did not improve. Even some developed decrease in their sexual performance. There was a significant increase in the level of prolactin and significant decrease in the level of testosterone after treatment in whole patients. But there was no significant difference between those who improved and those who did not. Also there is no significant difference between the patients who developed side effect of the antidepremants and who did not develop such side effect which was decreased in sexual performance. The implication of these findings were discussed

Serum LH, FSH and estradiol levels in women using injectable contraceptive [Norigest] over long periods of time

Blood glucose, serum bilirubin, serum enzymes, i.e. SAP, SGPT and SGOT, sodium and potassium, LH, FSH and estradiol level were determined in 93 women [aged 25-45]. These subjects were grouped according to the time of receiving intragluteal injections [200 rug NETEN 8-weeks intervals]. The groups of women receiving injections for 19-24 months showed a significant decrease [P < 0.01] in LH, FSH and estradiol levels. The pregnancy rate was 2%. Levels of LH, FSH and estradiol were elevated in women receiving injections for 25-38 M months. The pregnancy rate was 3%. The values were not significantly different when compared with controls. A significant increase in serum bilirubin, SAP, SGPT, SGOT, sodium and potassium levels were recorded in all treated groups. The control and treated groups did not show any significant difference with respect to blood glucose levels

Treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis with pentostam or cryosurgery

Cutaneous leishmaniasis [CL] caused by L. tropica is endemic in many countries in the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia. The disease is characterized by spontaneous healing and sterilizing immunity. However, medical treatment is always indicated particularly those due to L. tropica to reduce the reservoir of infection. In this study, parasitologically proven patients with CL were treated with Pentostam [57] or cryosurgery [38]. Both gave satisfactory results. However, the disadvantages of each line were discussed. There is a need for a drug which is cheaper, less toxic, safe, more effective and more easily administered than those currently available