Frequency and echocardiographic study of dilated cardiomyopathy in children presenting with cardiac failure

To evaluate the role of echocardiography in diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy as a cause of cardiac failure in children. Design: This was descriptive study. Children presenting with cardiac failure from indoor patients were selected and echocardiography along with chest X- ray, ECG, cardiac enzymes and ASO titre was performed in all patients. Setting: Hospitalized patients included in the study were selected from the Department of Child Health, Khyber Teaching Hospital. Fifty hospitalized patients with congestive heart failure were selected consecutively from hospitalized patients. Main Outcome: Role of echocardiography in the diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy in children presenting with cardiac failure. Out of fifty patients admitted with cardiac failure 27 [54%] cases were found to be dilated cardiomyopathy while congenital heart disease, myocarditis and rheumatic heart disease were found in 12 [24%], 8 [16%] and 3 [6%] cases respectively. Dilated cardiomyopathy is an important cause of cardiac failure in children and echocardiography is an important tool to diagnose and differentiate dilated cardiomyopathy from other causes of cardiac failure

Developmental dysplasia of the hip

This study was performed in Al-Zahrawee teaching hospital in Mosul city-Iraq during the period 2000-2002. The data was collected by special questionnaire constructed by the investigator. The results of this study show that there are [196] babies with [259] hips affected, as some cases with bilateral hip affection, female babies affected more than boys in ratio of 3:1. The condition can be discovered at different stages of life from less than 3 weeks to more than 1.5 year at the time of child walking, at the age where conservative treatment are no longer of benefit. Most of the babies have affection of L-hip 123 [63%], others have bilateral hip affection [31%] while few babies have R-hip dislocation [6%]. The study also show some associated diseases with [D. D. H.] like microcephaly, cerebral palsy, club feet, femoral shortening, mongolism. Some risk factors detected in babies with [D.D.H.] which alarm for searching for [D.D.H.] like females, first born baby, breech presentation, premature babies, positive family history and shallow acetabular roof. Different ways of management are carried out for [D.D.H.] started by conservative treatment or closed hip spica cast, adductor tenotomy with hip spica, and open reduction, good response found in [66.9%]. Some complication was observed in the way of management like failure and redislocation [19.4%], femoral fracture [2%], a vascular necrosis of head of the femur [11.7%]. Early detection of babies with hip dysphasia can help them to restore normal growth of hip joint, with easy way of management, decrease the chance and need for surgical intervention and decrease the chance of complication and prevent handicapness that result from [D.D.H.]

Characterization and analysis of antifungal activity of soil streptomycetes isolated from north Jordan

A total of 116 different isolates of Streptomyces recovered from 36 soil samples of North Jordan was characterized and bioassayed for their antifungal activity. The isolates were classified according to their microscopic and macroscopic cultural characteristics. The results showed that 41 isolates were active against one or more of the tested fungi with a maximum activity [56%] against Aspergillus niger 1 and a lowest activity [10%] against Torula spp. These different isolates were distributed into three groups according to the diameter of the inhibition zone on the agar plate: Group 1 [18 isolates, 5-15 mm and slightly active], group 2 [14 isolates 16-20 mm and moderately active] and group 3 [9 isolates, 21-35 mm and highly active]. The isolates in group 3 were further grouped into three subgroups and were culturally and morphologically identified. This study suggested the potential of the new isolates as antagonists against several fungi and encourage further investigation in attempt to use Streptomyces spp. as a biological control for soil-born plant-pathogens and to determine factors that favour the growth of Streptomyces strains antagonistic to the soil-born root pathogenic fungi in northern Jordan

Acute effects of a single short exercise on glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels in healthy, diabetic and patients with hyperlipidemia

Plasma glucose, serum triglyceride and serum cholesterol levels were determined before and immediately after a single exposure to short term exercise in normal healthy subjects and in patients with hyperlipidemia and patients with diabetes mellitus. The first group is a control group consisting of 25 male normal subjects with a median age of 44.0 years. The second group consists of 14 male hyperlipidemic paients with a median age of 41.0 years. The third group consists of 14 male diabetic patients with a median age of 44.5 years. The study showed a significant in the triglyceride and cholesterol levels with no change in the glucose levels immediately after exercise in the diabetic group. Although there was a mild increase in the post-exercise levels of these substances in the control group, this increment was statistically not significant. Again, there was a mild rise in the glucose and triglyceride levels and a mild decrease in the cholesterol level in the post exercise period in patients with hyperlipidemia but these changes were statistically not significant

Mineral constituents of health significance of Hazara water supplies

One hundred water samples collected from different water supply sources in Hazara Division were analysed for their mineral constituents. The concentrations of almost all the mineral constituents did not exceed the desirable limits. Fluorides and iodides were either absent in some samples or were in very low concentrations indicating a possible correlation with the mottling of teeth in children and a high incidence of endemic goitre in the hilly areas of Hazara Division