[Determination of lactate level in serum and joint knee synovial fluid in patients with arthritis]

There is not a suitable marker in dilution method in analysis of biomarker in joint fluid. In past, dye dilution method was used for joint fluid, but there were some errors. The aim of this work is the use of rate change lactate level in serum and synovial fluid of patients with arthritis by application of dilution method and direct aspiration as a biomarker. In this cross-sectional study synovial fluid were obtained from 30 arthritis patients by direct aspiration. Also, serum sample were obtained from these patients. Serum and synovial fluid lactate level was measured by standard biochemical methods. For analysis results Students t-test was used and P was less than 0.05. lactate concentration increases in synovial fluid [14.1 +/- 2.3 mg/dl] in compare with serum [12.9 +/- 2.1 mg/dl], but the differences were not significant [p>0.05]. The difference between lactate concentration in synovial fluid and serum is not significant. The rate change of lactate concentrations in synovial fluid and serum was stable

Survey of hepatitis markers among donors in the state of Qatar

A total of 78,428 blood units collected by the Blood Donor Unit, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, from the multinational donors of Qatar [28,622 Qatari nationals donors and 49, 806 Non-Qatari donors] in the period January 1994 to Dececember 2001 were screened for hepatitis markers. About 10, 382 units [13.2%] were discarded because of positivity for one or more hepatitis markers; 769 units [0.9%] were positive for hepatitis-B surface antigen [HBsAg], 8516 units [10.9%] were positive for hepatitis- B core antibodies [HBcAb] and 1097 units [1.39%] were positive for hepatitis C [HCV] antibodies. There was no significant difference between the rate of positivity for HBcAb and HBsAg in indigenous Qataris and Non-Qataris despite a slightly higher rate of positivity for HCV antibodies in the Non-Qatari group. An outstanding finding was the significantly high rate of positivity for HCV antibodies in Egyptian donations [11.2%], which accounted for 31.2% of all discards for the Non-Qatari group. As the Blood Donor Unit at HMC is the only blood collection center in Qatar it is assumed that the results could be representative of the country as a whole

Improved screening of donor's blood for malaria: a qatari experience

Malaria is one of the most widespread infections globally and is undoubtedly responsible for the majority of all cases of transfusion-transmitted disease in the world. Qatar is free from endemic malaria. However, cases are seen with the large expatriate workforce imported from malarious areas. These constitute a significant percent of the blood donors'pool [34%]. Over a 27-month period, among 5845 volunteers tested for malaria, 21 were deferred [0.36%] showing positive result when screened by the Giemsa-stained thick smear technique, with 2 undiagnosed cases that led to transfusion-transmitted malaria. Since then and for the last 21 months, the Falciparum-Spot immunofluo-rescence [IF] test was implemented in an attempt to ensure accurate screening. Among 6367 donors tested, 274 [4.3%] were deferred. Careful questioning about donor travel history, expansion of deferral policy and the use of a more sensitive screening test have all resulted in increasing layers of safety where no transfusion-transmitted malaria was reported in the last 21 months. These measures were necessary to regain the trust of the public in the safety and stewardship of the blood supply

In-vitro and in-vivo availability of ketoprofen from suppositories containing its solid dispersions in ternary system

The present work is an extension of previous physico-chemical investigations on the effect of drug solid dispersions in ternary system on the solubility and the dissolution profile of ketoprofen. Solubility studies showed a linear increase in the ketoprofen solubility above the critical micelle concentration of sodium dodecyl sulphate [SDS] Also, an almost instant and complete dissolution was obtained with dispersion incorporating SDS [2%] w/w after 15 min. influence of the hydrophobicity of different fatty suppository bases on the dissolution profile of ketoprofen solid dispersion in PEG 6000 [1:9] and containing [2%] w/w SDS was studied. Suppocire AN alone and Witepsol W25, W31, W35 either single base or blends in [1:1] w / w ratio were used as examples of hydrophobic suppository bases. Weight variation, content uniformity, breaking [hardness] and melting range tests were conducted on the formulations. In-vitro release was carried out according to USP XXII basket method. Witepsol W25 was selected and subjected to in-vivo availability study as representative of the most promising formula according to in-vitro release data. Taking the AUC values to compute the extent of bioavailability of the drug, it was found to be 105.49% and 171% using rectal and oral administration, respectively in comparison to commercially available profenid suppository to act as a reference product