Reaffirming the importance of traditional teaching methodology from the perspective of faculty of anatomy

Objective: To reaffirm the importance of cadaveric dissection and prosected specimens in imparting knowledge of Anatomy to medical students from the perspective of faculty of anatomy

Study Design: Cross sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in the Anatomy Department of Fazaia Medical College, Islamabad from January 2016 to March 2016

Materials and Methods: Data was collected from100 faculty members working in the Anatomy department of medical colleges of Rawalpindi and Islamabad having at least 2 years of teaching experience

Results: In spite of facing certain limitations, 60 % of the faculty considered cadaveric dissection as an indispensable tool for teaching Anatomy while 70% of the participants were of the view that combination of dissection and prosection is the best technique

Conclusion: The importance of traditional teaching methods in imparting knowledge of Anatomy cannot be undermined

Effects of electromagnetic radiations on thyroid radiations on thyroid follicles of mice

To study the effects of electromagnetic radiations on follicles of Thyroid gland of mice, Laboratory based randomized controlled trials. The study was carried out in department of Anatomy. Army Medical College Rawalpindi in collaboration with National Institute of Health, Islamabad from November 2009 to November 2010. Twenty adult Balb/C male mice were divided randomly into two study groups, comprising of 10 animals in each group. Group A was kept under experimental conditions without mobile phone exposure, group B exposed to radiations for 1 hour /day, for two months from mobile phone set. Thyroid glands were removed and sectioned after exposure period. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for microscopic examination. Results showed statistically significant difference in number and mean size of Thyroid follicles in gland of experimental groups. Thus it is concluded that exposure to EMFs causes decrease in size and increase in number of follicles of thyroid gland of mice, indicating hyperactivity of gland

Tocotrienols; effects on intimal thickening in ascending aorta of cholesterol-fed rabbits

To evaluate the effect of tocotrienols on intimal thickening in ascending aorta of cholesterol-fed rabbits. Randomized control trial. The Anatomy department of Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, from March 2009 to February 2010. Thirty, male, New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three equal groups. Group- I was fed normal lab diet for six weeks. For the similar period, group-II and III were given 2% high cholesterol diet. However, group-III diet was also supplemented with tocotrienols [6 mg/kg body weight/day]. By the end of study, aorta was removed from each animal. Cross sections from ascending aorta were processed and embedded in paraffin. Light microscopic examination was performed in H and E and Verhoeff elastic stained slides. Tunica intima in group-I appeared as single layer of squamous endothelial cells, lying on a thin layer of loose connective tissue. High cholesterol diet in group-II induced marked atherosclerotic changes which were characterized by extensive intimal thickening with raised fatty streaks, pools of extracellular lipids, proliferation of smooth muscles and deposition of connective tissue matrix. Intimal thickening was also observed in group-III, but lesions were of lesser degree than group-II [P<0.05]. Histomorphometric analysis revealed significantly [P<0.001] higher thickness of intima in group-II and in group-III when either was compared with group-I. However, thickness of intima was 35% lesser [P<0.05] in group-III than group-II. Tocotrienols has significant potential in suppressing the intimal thickening of aorta in cholesterol-fed rabbits