Frequency of deranged blood lipids in male patients with androgenetic alopecia

Objective: to determine the frequency of deranged serum lipids in male patients with androgenetic alopecia

Methods: cross-sectional study was conducted in the outpatients department of Dermatology, Fauji Foundation Hospital Rawalpindi over a period of six months i.e. January 2015 to June 2015. Male patients between 25-65 years with androgenetic alopecia were enrolled in the study. Blood samples for fasting serum lipids were taken during the same visit. All data were entered and analyzed

Results: total 150 patients were included in the study according to the inclusion criteria. Mean age in high and low triglycerides patients was 46.87+10.58 years and 42.32+11.29 years, respectively. Similarly, mean age [years] in normal and low HDL was 42.17+10.87 years and 48.13+10.21 years, respectively. There were 131 [87.3%] patients who presented with high triglycerides levels whereas 19 [12.7%] patients had normal triglycerides. Similarly, there were 46 [30.7] patients who presented with normal HDL levels where as 104 [69.3] patients had low HDL levels

Conclusion: the study concluded that serum lipids were deranged in male patients of androgenetic alopecia

A study to estimate the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellites in an urban block of Kashmir valley (North India),

Background: The prevalence of Diabetes is increasing globally and these numbers include women with Gestational diabetes mellitus also. Based on demographic projections made by United Nations Population Division for the year 2025, WHO issued estimates of adults with diabetes in all countries and reported that there will be more women with diabetes than men and we may anticipate a considerable increase in the burden of GDM especially in less prosperous countries. ‘Gestational Diabetes Mellitus’ (GDM) is defined as any degree of glucose intolerance with onset or first recognition during pregnancy. Worldwide prevalence of GDM varies between 1.4 – 14 %. The prevalence of Gestational diabetes mellitus in India varies from 3.8 to 21% in different parts of the country, depending on the geographical locations and diagnostic methods used. Gestational diabetes mellitus has been found to be more prevalent in urban areas than in rural areas.Women diagnosed to have GDM are at increased risk of future diabetes predominantly type 2 DM as are their children. Aims & Objective: To estimate the prevalence of Gestational Diabetes mellitus and various socio-demographic factors of the studied subjects. Material and Methods: A Community based cross sectional study was conducted in the field practice area of Government Medical College Srinagar (Block Hazratbal: District Srinagar).The study was conducted for a period of one year from April 2011 to March 2012. All pregnant women in 24 weeks of gestation and above after undergoing preliminary clinical examination were given a 75 g oral glucose load, without taking in to consideration the time since last meal. Gestational diabetes mellitus was diagnosed if 2 hour plasma glucose was ≥140 mg/dl (DIPSI guidelines, a modified version of the WHO criterion). Tests of proportions (Chi square) and unpaired t-test were used to obtain results. Results: A total of 306 women were registered for the study. The prevalence rate of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was 7.8 % and all the cases were newly diagnosed during the study. Among various risk factors associated significantly with GDM were Gravida status, Parity and History of abortion. Overall, there was a preponderance of illiterate females (52.9%). However, the association between GDM and literacy was found to be non-significant at p > 0.05. The majority of females were home makers (96.4%) and occupation did not influence the prevalence of GDM. Majority of the studied population belonged to socioeconomic class III (Modified BG Prasad). Conclusion: Increasing prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus and its co-morbidities among females need immediate attention in terms of prevention and health education.

Plexiform Neurofibroma in a 16 year old boy

Plexiform Neurofibroma appeared at the age of 5 years, with little pain and itching at the site. Increase in size and weight of Plexifom was gradual with age. In this case the Plexiform developed on lower right arm. All over the body, the patient also showed other signs of NFl, Caf‚-au-lait spots [CLSs] and sessile neurofibroma. Freckles were seen in the arm pits and over the stomach skin. The Lisch nodules were also present in the eyes of the subject. Pedigree of the patient confirms that the case is familial one where his mother had NFl but no Plexiform. Biopsy confirms that neurofibromatosis tumors were benign

Neuro-ophthalmological symptoms [lisch nodules], in neurofibromatosis type 1 [NF1]

Neurofibromatosis type 1 [NF1] is a genetic disorder where the affected persons can have cutaneous tumors prominently, and other features that affect the persons health and self-esteem. The Lisch nodules are haematomas in the iris of the NF1 patients is one of the ophthalmologic symptoms. The severity of the NF1 symptoms can influence one's life dissatisfactions. It was found that the complication occurred due to severity of Lisch nodules in the eyes, affects vision and severe photophobia. Lisch nodules appear in both the eyes are progressive with age, cause aggressiveness, irritation and unbearable upset in life. Patients were recruited by invitation and visit undertaken to their places through [NMNF] Nazar Muhammad Neurofibromatosis Foundation, it was a family on follow-up study

Elisa method for evaluation of anti A60 IgG for the diagnosis of tuberculosis

Background/Objectives: An ELISA test based on mycobacterial antigen A60 for the estimation of Anti [A60] IgG in the serum has been used successfully for the rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis in studies done in the European countries, China and India. To demonstrate and evaluate anti-tuberculosis anti-body IgG for rapid diagnosis of both pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis, this study was carried out in our set up

Methods: ELISA assay based on mycobacterial antigen A60 [Anda Biologicals, France] was used to the sera obtained from 69 cases of tuberculosis and 136 controls in the population of Karachi, Sindh -Pakistan

Results: Of 136 controls, only 17.7% were positive for IgG antibodies and showing 82.3% specificity. A very high sensitivity [88.8%] was seen in sputum positive active pulmonary tuberculosis. Relatively low [75%] sero-positivity was seen in cases of sputum negative active pulmonary tuberculosis compared to those of sputum positive active pulmonary tuberculosis. In cases of extra pulmonary tuberculosis, 47.3% sensitivity was observed. In case of healed tuberculosis quite a large number of cases was found positive for IgG [62.5%]

Conclusion: The estimation value of anti tuberculosis antibody IgG against A60 for the rapid diagnosis is proved from our data. Considering all the cases of active tuberculosis and the controls the global sensitivity of 69.8% and specificity of 82.4% were obtained when IgG antibodies estimation were taken into account

Effect of calcium and light on the germination of Urochondra setulosa under different salts / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Urochondra setulosa (Trin.) C.E. Hubbard is a coastal halophytic grass thriving on the coastal dunes along the Pakistani seashore. This grass could be useful in coastal sand dune stabilization using seawater irrigation. The purpose of this investigation was to test the hypothesis that Ca(2+) (0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 and 50.0 mmol/L) alleviates the adverse effects of KCl, MgSO(4), NaCl and Na(2)SO(4) at 0, 200, 400, 600, 800 and 1000 mmol/L on the germination of Urochondra setulosa. Seed germination was inhibited with increase in salt concentration with few seeds germinated at and above 400 mmol/L concentration. No seed germinated in any of the KCl treatments. Inclusion of CaCl(2) substantially alleviated the inhibitory effects of all salts. Germination was higher under photoperiod in comparison to those seeds germinated under complete darkness. Among the CaCl(2) concentrations used, 10 mmol/L was most effective in alleviating salinity effects and allowing few seeds to germinate at 1000 mmol/L KCl, MgSO(4), NaCl and Na(2)SO(4) solution.

Life history and morphology of melanostoma scalare

The homopteran Melanostoma scalare Fabre, from British Isles was studied for potential use as biological control agent of the aphids. Prey consumption and prey specificity on Drepanosiphum plantanoidin, Metapolophium urticae and Acyrthosiphum pisum was also studied. Information in the morphological changes of M. scalare is also presented

Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia requiring exchange transfusion; an aetiological perspective

Neonates requiring exchange transfusion for hyperbilirubinaemia have different aetiological factors in different geographic situations. One hundred and nine cases who underwent exchange transfusions for neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia were analyzed. Fifty two of these [47.5 percent] had evidence of haemolysis due to blood group incompatibility, G6PD deficiency and other factors. Twenty babies [18.3 percent] had polycythaemia whereas in 37 cases [33.9 percent], no obvious cause was found. Sepsis and prematurity were found in 30 and 26 babies respectively but these were uniformly distributed among all the groups. Twenty-one [19.3 percent] of all cases had signs of kernicterus, while thirteen babies expired during their hospital stay