External laryngeal manipulation done by the laryngoscopist makes the best laryngeal view for intubation

External laryngeal manipulation [ELM] is used to get better laryngeal view during direct laryngoscopy. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that ELM done by the intubating anesthetist [laryngoscopist] offers the best laryngeal view for tracheal intubation. A total of 160 patients underwent different surgical procedures were included in this study. Percentage of glottic opening [POGO] score and Cormack and Lehane scale were used as outcome measures for comparison between different laryngoscopic views. Four views were described; basic laryngoscopic view and then views after ELM done by the assistant, by the laryngoscopist and fi nally by the assistant after the guidance from the laryngoscopist respectively. The last three views compared with the basic laryngoscopic view. ELM done by the laryngoscopist or by the assistant after guidance from the laryngoscopist showed significant improvement of Cormack grades and POGO scores compared with basic laryngoscopic view. Number of patients with Cormack grade1 increased from 39 after direct laryngoscopy to 97 and 96 patients [P < 0.001 by Fisher's exact test], after ELM done by the laryngoscopist and that done by the assistant after guidance from the anesthetist respectively. Furthermore, the number of patients with POGO scores of 100% increased from 39 after direct laryngoscopy to 78 and 61 [P < 0.01] patients after ELM done by the laryngoscopist and that done by the assistant after guidance from the anesthetist respectively. It appeared from this study that ELM done by the anesthetist makes the best laryngeal view for tracheal intubation

Value of assessment of arterial carboxy -hemoglobinconcentration in monitoring chronicobstructive pulmonary disease

To assess the usefulness of measuring arterial carboxy-haemoglobin [Hb -Co%] level in monitoring the disease activity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]. We measured FVC, FEVl, FEVl/ FVC%, PaO2, PaCO2 and arterial Hb-CO% in 51 patients with COPD and 50 control subjects. Hb-CO% in patients at stable conditions were higher than those in control subjects [p<0.01]. Furthermore, the Hb-CO% concentrations in patients at the exacerbations [p<0.01] were higher than those at the stable conditions. Hb-CO% concentrations in patients at stage II were higher than those in patients at stage I, in patients at stage III were higher than those in patients at stage II and in patients at stage IV were higher than those in patients at stage III at the stable conditions and exacerbations. Hb-CO% inversely correlated with the arterial blood partial oxygen pressure and FEVl. These findings suggest that Hb-CO% is an inflammatory marker and could be used not only for monitoring of COPD, but also can determine the stage of the disease. This means that we can predict the disease state in patients with COPD bydoing arterial blood gas [Hb-CO%]

Bioactive secondary metabolites from some fungal spp.

In the course of our search for bioactive metabolites from terrestrial fungi, the antimicrobial and chemical screening of 20 fungal strains were studied at different cultural periods. The GC-MS analysis of the most interesting fungal extracts; Fusarium equiseti

enicillium brevicompactum, and Geotrichum candidum revealed the presence of twenty one, nineteen and twenty seven compounds, respectively, containing divers halogenated, nitrogenous, oxygenated and sulphur compounds. A large-scale fermentation of Penicillium brevicompactum afforded the two juvenile hormone biosynthesis inhibitors; 2-[5-heptenyl]-6,7,8,8 a-tetrahydro-3-methyl- 4H-pyrrolo [2,1-b] oxazin-4-one [1], brevioxime [2] along with [3R,4R] 3,4,6,8- tetrahydroxy-3-methyl-dihydroisocoumarin [3]. The Structures of the isolated compounds were assigned by intensive studies of NMR and MS spectra

Antibiotic prophylaxis before vs after cord clamping during cesarean section: reflection on maternal and neonatal sepsis

To compare rate of infection among c-sectioned women who were administered a single antibiotic dose before cord claming to those administered the same dose after cord claming. To determine the rate of early and late sepsis/infection among their born infants. A randomized double blinded clinical trial of 80 women undergoing cesarean section. The study compared 2 groups of c-sectioned women, both groups were administered a single dose of Ampicilin/sublactam. Group I n=40 was administered the antibiotics before cord clamping [BCC] and group II n=40 after cord clamping [ACC]. Follow up of both mothers after delivery and their born infants continued for 6 weeks. Wound infection occurred among 5% in group I compared to 12.5% in group II, while urinary tract infection occurred among 2.5% in group I compared to 5% in group II, P=0.42 and P0.56 respectively. Two cases of positive blood cultures were detected among the ACC group compared to one case of the BCC group. A mean CRP of 4.3?3.7 was reported among infants of group I [BCC], compared to 13.8 +/- 2.5 among infants of group II [ACC], p<.05. treatment for sepsis based on clinical suspicion and pneumonia among infants born to mothers of the ACC group was more frequent compared to the BCC group. Conclusion: there was a trend of decreased rate of infection among both mothers and infants if the mothers received prophylaxis antibiotics before cord clamping during c-section

Inhibition of posterior capsule opacification after extracapsular cataract extraction by 5-fluorouracil in rabbits

This work was designed to study the effect of 5-fluorouracil on prevention of posterior capsule opacification after extra-capsular cataract extraction as well as it's effect. On the corneal endothelium and uveal tissue. The study was done on 30 eyes of 15 pigmented rabbits with the left eye as a control, while the right eyes were irrigated with three different concentrations of 5-fluorouracil dividing them into 3 groups. The first group was irrigated with 50 mg/15-fluorouracil, the second group was irrigated with 40 mg/15-fluorouracil and the third group was irrigated with 30 mg/15-fluorouracil [5 -FU]. Postoperative follow up was done for 2 month and the study revealed a statistically significant reduction of the posterior opacification. Also the ocular complications were least with the lowest concentration of 5-fluorouracil