ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the agreement between ultrasonography and nerve conduction studies in the assessment of severity of carpal tunnel syndrome
Study Design: Cross sectional descriptive study
Place and Duration of Study: Conducted at Radiology Department Combined Military Hospital Lahore, from Aug 2014 to Feb 2015
Material and Methods: Cases were selected from the Rehabilitation Medicine OPD of Combined Military Hospital Lahore. Total 130 cases of NCS positive carpal tunnel syndrome were included in the study selected on non probability convenience sampling technique. Ultrasound of wrist was conducted and results compared with nerve conduction study findings. Measurements were taken for the median nerve at the carpal tunnel inlet proximally. Patients were distributed in mild, moderate and severe grades according to ultrasound and nerve conduction studies. Agreement was determined using statistical analysis. Data entry and analysis was done by using SPSS version 20
Results: The average percentage of agreement between Ultrasound wrist and nerve conduction studies for assessment of severity of carpel tunnel syndrome is 63.4 percent.
Conclusion: Ultrasound is an additional noninvasive modality for assessment of severity of carpal tunnel syndrome having results comparable to nerve conduction studies
ABSTRACT
Objective: This article compares the study design and statistical methods used in 2005, 2010 and 2015 of Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences [PJMS]
Methods: Only original articles of PJMS were considered for the analysis. The articles were carefully reviewed for statistical methods and designs, and then recorded accordingly. The frequency of each statistical method and research design was estimated and compared with previous years
Results: A total of 429 articles were evaluated [n=74 in 2005, n=179 in 2010, n=176 in 2015] in which 171 [40%] were cross-sectional and 116 [27%] were prospective study designs. A verity of statistical methods were found in the analysis. The most frequent methods include: descriptive statistics [n=315, 73.4%], chi-square/Fisher's exact tests [n=205, 47.8%] and student t-test [n=186, 43.4%]. There was a significant increase in the use of statistical methods over time period: t-test, chi-square/Fisher's exact test, logistic regression, epidemiological statistics, and non-parametric tests
Conclusion: This study shows that a diverse variety of statistical methods have been used in the research articles of PJMS and frequency improved from 2005 to 2015. However, descriptive statistics was the most frequent method of statistical analysis in the published articles while cross-sectional study design was common study design
ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the prevalence of type II diabetes and pre-diabetes and its risk factors in the District Dir Lower Pakistan
Methods: This study was a population based cross-sectional analysis of 1650 individuals of age 20-80 years, using cluster random sampling technique. After an overnight fast, diabetes and pre-diabetes were analyzed according to the World Health Organization recommendation
Results: The prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes was 11.1% and 16.0%, respectively. Type II diabetes was found 11.0% in female and 11.2% in male subjects. Stepwise multiple logistic regression showed that growing age, positive family history, body mass index [obesity], hypertension, exercise [less physical activates], education, monthly income, are statistically significant risk factors with type II diabetes
Conclusion: Our results suggest that type II diabetes has become a main health problem in District Dir Lower and better strategies are required to handle this problem
ABSTRACT
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is known to slow down its transcriptional activity during dormancy. Hence, while using reporter strains, it is important to couple the reporter gene to a promoter that is strong and sensitive both in active and dormant M. tuberculosis. Since respiration is an indispensable process even in dormant bacteria, validation of the promoters of respiratory chain genes - type II NADH dehydrogenase [Pndh] and adenosine triphosphate [ATP] synthase operon [Patps] - of MTB was undertaken for this purpose. Putative promoter containing sequences were cloned upstream of a red fluorescent protein [RFP] gene. Mycobacterium smegmatis or M. tuberculosis carrying episomal constructs were validated for growth, fitness and fluorescence in different models in vitro and in vivo. Either promoter can drive stable and strong expression of RFP in actively growing and dormant M. smegmatis in vitro without significantly affecting growth or viability. Fluorescence due to Pndh and Patps was significantly higher than Phsp60. The fitness of M. tuberculosis H37Rv counterparts was unaffected inside J774 macrophages. In immunocompetent mice, despite an initial attenuation in the lungs, both strains reached loads similar to wild type during chronic infection. In the spleen, the fluorescent strain counts were similar to wild type counts throughout. RFP fluorescence in tissue homogenates was more homogenous among mice due to Pndh compared with Patps. Coupling an appropriate reporter to the promoter of ndh-2 gene of M. tuberculosis can make the reporter expression respiration sensitive and thereby reliably detect both active and dormant populations of the reporter strain.
Subject(s)
Animals, Laboratory , Genes, Reporter , Gene Expression , Respiration , Mice , In Vitro Techniques , Promoter Regions, GeneticABSTRACT
To compare the results of patients with locally advanced breast cancer receiving two different regimens Fluorouracil, Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide [FAC] and Paclitaxel and Carboplatin. Comparative study. The Oncology Department, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology [INMOL], Lahore, from March 2007 to September 2008. Patients with inoperable locally advanced breast cancer of stage were included. Sixteen patients were given FAC regimen and 9 patients were given Paclitaxel and Carboplatin, each combination was cycled after 21 days for four times. Before enrollment, detailed medical histories, physical examinations and performance status assessments were done as well as postchemotherapy evaluation with regular follow-up visits was done. Complete Response [CR, xLlOO%] is defined as the disappearance of all known disease parameter i.e. disappearance in detectable tumour size, node free disease and surgery is possible. Paratial Response [PR, "L > 50%] was defined by 50% or greater decrease in the sum of the areas of bidimensionally measured lesions i.e. change of N2 to N1 or no status and some surgical procedure is possible to downstage the disease. Minor Response [MR] was defined as a decrease in the tumour insuffieceint to quality for partial responce. Static disease or no evaluable reflected no significant change in disease and no evidence of new disease. Progression of disease [> 25%] was defined as a 25% or greater increase in the area of any lesion > 2 cm or in the sum of the products of the individual lesions or the apprearance of new malignant lesions, surgery not possible. Twenty five patients completed neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Sixteen [66%] patients received FAC and 9 [37%] patients received PC chemotherapy. Overall CR [breast and axilla] was 54%, PR was 16% and minor response [MR] was 8%. FAC treatment induced more emesis, mucositis, alopecia and cardiotoxicity. No death occurred. The Paclitaxel and Carboplatin regimen was better tolerated; both regimens were effective in improving disease and overall survival