Comparing antioxidant capacity and vitamin C values between umbilical cord and maternal blood plasma and those in newborns with hypoxia

Oxygen intoxication plays an important role in the pathogenesis of some fetal diseases such as encephalopathy, ischemia and hypoxia. Antioxidants can reduce oxidative damage in newborns. The object of this research was measuring total value of antioxidant and vitamin C in blood sample of pregnant women before delivery, and also in umbilical cord blood of their newborn, and repeating these measurements 48 hours after birth in newborns with hypoxia and controlling group. The sample included 32 healthy pregnant women presented for delivery and also their newborns. The total values of antioxidant and vitamin C in plasma were measured by staining methods. There was no statistical meaningful difference in total values of antioxidants and vitamin C in women's blood and their newborn's cord blood. Also total values of antioxidant and vitamin C meaningfully increased in newborns with hypoxia after 48 hours. total values of antioxidant and vitamin C in blood plasma of newborn, increases in oxidative damage as a defense mechanism

Final test analysis of post graduate medical residents

Multiple choice questions are the most frequent test for medical students. It is important to analysis the overall response to individual questions in the test. The aim of this study is to analyse questions of post graduate medical residency tests. Final annual local [Hamadan medical school] and national tests given to three Residency groups including 17 Obstetrics and gynecology tests, 7 pediatrics and 12 internal medicine in 2004 were studied. In local tests residents answered to 148, 150 and 144 and in national tests to ISO MCQS. Questions were evaluated regarding cognitive domain level, Difficultly index and Discriminative index and finally to evaluate the optimal, proper acceptable and "must omitted" questions. Questions of local Obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics and internal medicine tests evaluated the "recall" level in 72%, 72% and 51% and in national tests 71%, 35% and 19%, respectively. Questions with Discriminative indices of 0.7 of more [proper] were 3 and 5% in Obstetrics and gynecology 3.5% and 1% in pediatrics and 1% in local and national tests. Proper difficulty indices [30-70] were shown in 53% and 54% in Obstetrics and gynecology, 34% and 43% in pediatrics and 40% and 42% in internal medicine. Generally evaluating, "must omitted" questions in local and national test were 76% in Obstetrics and gynecology, 81% and 79% in pediatrics and 91% and 85% in internal medicine. The most common causes making the questions to be considered "must omitted" in internal test were negative, zero or less than 0.2 Discriminative indices. Test analysis of final annual local [Hamadan medical school] and national test of Obstetrics and gynecology, Pediatrics and internal medicine residency programs in 2004 revealed that most of the questions are planned in "recall" level, harbor improper Discriminative indices, Difficulty indices and generally evaluating are "must omitted"

Plain CT scan in neonatal convulsion

Convulsion is the commonest neurologic manifestation in neonatal period. History taking, physical examination and primary paraclinical data leads to the differential diagnosis. Evaluation of brain's underlying diseases is important in the prognosis, but using anti convulsive therapy, ultrasonography and Plain CT scan also play significant roles. This is descriptive, cross-sectional study performed over 80 neonates with seizures admitted to NICU during one year. The history, physical examination para-clinical and radiological findings were collected in check-list forms and analyzed statistically using SPSS and exact X[2]-test. Sixty five% of neonates had abnormal findings in brain CT scan, such as hypoxic ischemic encephalography [27.5%], intracranial hemorrhage [21.2%], brain dysgenesis [10%], metabolic causes [23.7%], and combination of all [22.5%]. Most of the neonates with abnormal CT scan had seizure, during 24-72 hours of age. Most of the neonates with seizures who had abnormal CT scan, had it during first 24-72 hours of age, which statistically was meaningful [P < 0.05]. As asphyxia and birth trauma were important underlying causes of seizures, improvement of obstetric access and safety of delivery and proper neonatal care should be considered

[Survey of clinical and para-clinical findings in children with acute appendicitis]

Background: The acute appendicitis is the most common surgical intervention and urgency during the pediatric age group. The most important challenge is the problem of diagnosis. The aim of this study is survey of clinical presentation, laboratory data in acute appendicitis confirmed by pathology and comparing with those who had normal pathology

Methods: This is a cross-sectional description study on 140 children less than 16 years of age who had appendectomy at Shahid-Mobasher Kashani and Ekbatan Hospitals in Hamedan. All clinical and paraclinical data were collected by checklists and analyzed statistically by SPSS

Results: 105 patients [75%] had pathologic findings and 35 patients [25%] had normal appendices. There were statistically significant association [P<0.05] between the frequency of appendicitis with sex, vomiting, RLQ pain, leukocytosis and shifting to left in peripheral blood smear

Conclusion: Because of high rate of appendectomy with negative pathologic finding, in suspected cases, the proper history, frequent clinical examination, close observation, and other modalities as graded compression sonography. CT scan and laparoscopy should be considered