Radiological risk analysis of sediment from Kutubdia Island, Bangladesh due to natural and anthropogenic radionuclides

To assess the environmental radioactivity levels and hence to determine the population exposure in Kutubdia Island, Bangladesh the sediment samples were analyzed by using gamma ray spectrometry. In those sediment samples the average activity concentration of natural radionuclides [238]U, [232]Th and [40]K were found 15.39+/-1.67, 38.35+/-0.76 and 475.51+/-21.15 Bq/kg respectively. The activity concentration of [238]U and [232]Th were less than the world average. But the activity concentration of 40K was higher than the world average values. These results were used to calculate the radiological hazard parameters like radium equivalent activities [Ra[eq]], representative level index [I[gammar]]. Due to natural radionuclides in sediment, the effective annual outdoor dose in the study area was 0.07 mSv; which is within the accepted range of 0.07 mSv. The average value of radium equivalent activities [Ra[eq]] and representative level index [Igr] were found to be 128.03+/-12.08 Bq/Kg and 0.96+/-0.09 Bq/Kg which were greater than the world average. The anthropogenic radionuclide [137]Cs was also found in few samples. The average activity concentration of [137]Cs was 1.64+/-0.20 Bq/kg which is lower than the world average. The obtained experimental data of this research work would be useful to assess the population exposure from radionuclides in sediment as well as base line data of natural radioactivity in this island

Waiting time for emergency surgeries in a tertiary care public hospital - a performance audit

To find out the waiting time for emergency surgeries and to identify causes responsible for this delay in a tertiary care public hospital.Settings: Surgical Unit IV, Civil Hospital, Karachi.Patients and Patients admitted through emergency for immediate emergency operations during the month of November and December, 2003 were included in the study. For data collection a proforma was made which included diagnosis, operation performed, time of planning immediate surgery, time of surgery, causes responsible for delay apart from demographic information.Main outcome measures: Waiting time for emergency surgeries, different causes responsible for the delay. A total of 45 patients were enrolled in the audit study. Majority of patients 14 [31.1%] were suffering from acute appendicitis. 33 [73.3%] of patients had to wait for more than 3 hours before their emergency surgery. Major cause of this delay in 33.6% of patients was due to surgical team doctor's inefficiency. In 7 [21.2%] patients surgery was delayed due to late night admission and in 6 [18.1%] due to non-availability of cross matched blood. In 5 [15.1%] patients surgery was delayed due to unavoidable causes like busy theatre and arrival of more serious patients. A substantial number of patients needing emergency surgery waited too long for the surgical management. Majority of delays were due to causes which can be addressed to improve the patients care

Role of serum zinc and copper in health and disease

The study included 637 controls [healthy individuals, males:females, 335:302] and 1403 patients [males:females, 699:704] of various diseases. Serum levels of Zinc and Copper were estimated on atomic absorption spectrophotometer [GBC-902] and were compared to their controls. The present study is done by compiling the data of all these studies to evaluate the role of serum Zinc and Copper in health and disease. It was observed that the mean serum zinc level was significantly decreased in pregnancy, acne vulgaris, bum, oral sub mucous fibrosis and malignancy. The mean serum zinc was increased in epilepsy, vitiligo, urolithiasis, primary hypertension and non malignant prostatic disorders. Mean serum copper was significantly increased in pregnancy, thoracic surgery, ischemic heart disease, primary hypertension, oral sub mucous fibrosis and malignancy and it was decreased in epilepsy, burn and prostatic disorders

Absorption of non heme iron in typical and standard meals using extrinsically Labelled iron 59 fe

To study the bioavailibility of nonheme iron from standard and test meals in Pakistani adults and to determine iron absorption using extrinsically tagged iron 59Fe. Nonheme iron absorption was measured from standard and test meals in ten healthy individuals. Total calories, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, ascorbic acid, total iron, phytate and ascorbic acid content were determined in both meals. Retention of iron was detected by whole body counting using gamma counter before and after administration of standard, test meals and reference dose. Iron absorption with test meal was 13% and after adjustment with serum ferritin and reference dose was 16.5% and 14% respectively. The absorption of standard meal was 6.7% which after adjustment with serum ferritin and reference dose was 8.8% and 6.9% respectively. The iron and ascorbic acid content of test meal was 6.5 mg and 5.7 mg respectively while phytate phosphorus content was 114 mg. The iron and ascorbic acid content of standard meal was 1.3 mg and 2.4 mg respectively while phytate phosphorus content was 137 mg. This evaluated absorption from one of the typical Pakistani diet compared to the standard meal was better. This shows that there are some other physiological factors that lead to iron deficiency anemia in Pakistan

Comparison of myocardial perfusion imaging studies with technetium 99' tetrofosmin and coronary angiography findings in non-diabetic and diabetic patients of ischemic heart disease

The main objective of this study was to compare the results of myocardial perfusion imaging studies with Tc99' tetrofosmin and coronary angiography finding in non-diabetic and diabetic patients of ischemic heart disease. This study compared the results of Single Photon Emission Computed Tomographic [SPECT] imaging with technetium-99m tetrofosmin with those of coronary angiography findings in non-diabetic and diabetic patients of ischemic heart disease. Total 35 patients were included in this study and divided in to two groups, the diabetic group and non-diabetic group. Out of 35 patients 18 were were non-diabetics and 17 were diabetics. All the patients underwent stress/rest imaging with technetium tetrofosmin and coronary angiopgraphy. SPECT images were divided in to five segments per patients and >= 70% occlusion of coronary artery were considered to be significant. In comparison with nondiabetic from diabetics, the diabetics have significant number of reversible ischemia in anterior wall [p=0.023] although the angiography findings showed no significant difference in the severity of disease in left anterior descending coronary artery that is the main coronary artery to supply the anterior wall. This shows that due to diffuse disease in diabetics the severity of disease could not be assessed correctly by coronary angiography because due to diffuse nature of disease there is a lack of normal lumen for comparison. Therefore in diabetics myocardial perfusion imaging is more informative as compared to non-diabetics

Left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] determination in post myocardial infarction patients. A comparison of gated blood pool [GBP] ventriculography and contrast ventriculography

To compare the efficacy of gated blood pool versus contrast ventriculography [Gold standard] for determination of ejection fraction in post myocardial infarction patients. Patients and Gated blood pool imaging [BPI] was performed by gated blood pool radionuclide ventriculography or MUGA in 30 patients within 48 hours after single plane [RAO-30] contrast ventriculography. Statistical analysis was done by student "t-test" [unpaired] and by Pearson's correlation co-efficient. Result: There was no significance difference in their mean ejection fraction [44.04 +/- 11.93 Vs 48.46 ' 12.78%, P = NS] and has statistically significant correlation [r=0.86, P=0.171] GBP ventriculography can therefore be utilized accurately for determination of ejection fraction for prognostic and diagnostic evaluation of post myocardial infarction patients

study of pentobarbitone-methoxsalen interaction in rats

Experiments carried out to study pentobarbitonemethoxsalen interaction in rats. The study was conducted on adult albino rats [150-250 g, either sex] in two phases. In phase I, methoxsalen was administered [5, 10 and 15 mg/kg i.p. x 5 days] and pentobarbitone was administered [30 mg/kg i.p.] 24 hours after the last dose of methoxsalen. In phase II, methoxsalen was administered [10 mg/kg p.o. x two weeks] and pentobarbitone was administered [in dose of 15, 20 and 30 mg/kg i.p.] 24 hrs after the last dose of methoxsalen, CNS activity such as pinna, sound and righting reflex were observed. In phase I, pentobarbitone caused CNS depression in methoxsalen treated and control groups. In phase II, pentobarbitone in dose of 15, 20 and 30 mg/kg in methoxsalen treated rats also caused CNS depression in dose dependent manner. The action of pentobarbitone was potentiated in methoxsalen treated rats hence barbiturates whenever indicated in patients on methoxsalen, should be used with caution

Correlation of technetium 99 M tetrofosmin perfusion imaging with coronary angiography in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease

This study correlated the results of Single Photon Emission Computed Tomographic [SPECT] imaging with technetium-99m tetrofosmin with those of coronary angiography in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. Total 65 patients were included in this study and divided in to two groups, the study group and the control group. 35 patients included in study group and 30 patients in control group. All the patients underwent stress/ rest imaging with technetium tetrofosmin and coronary angiography. SPECT images were divided in to five segments per patient and > 70% occlusion of coronary arteries were considered to be significant. 95 perfusion defects were noted and 70 coronary arteries were involved in diseased process. Left anterior descending artery [LAD] was involved in 70% of cases and right coronary artery [RCA] in 66%. In Tc. Tetrofosmin study the fixed defect was more common in left ventricular apex and reversible ischemia and mixed defect in inferior wall. Regarding sensitivity RCA 87%, LAD 85% and circumflex 70% and specificity 93% in circumflex, 83% in RCA and 75% in LAD and the p-value is <0.01

Screening of newly synthesized piperidinium derivatives for analgesic activity

Two chemically synthesized piperidinium derivatives 1-methyl-1 [4-fluro] phenacy1, 4-hydoxy piperidinium bromide and 1-methyl-1 [3-methoxy] phenacy1 4-hydroxy piperidinium bromide were evaluated for their analgesic activity, in intact albino mice employing tail immersion methods. Both the compounds were administered orally in the doses of 50 mg/kg. The results recorded were compared with pethidine 50 mg/kg, the reference drug. The control animal received only the vehicle orally. Results showed that both the derivatives exhibit a highly significant analgesic activity

Pharmacological evaluation of medicinal plants for their analgesic activity in mice

The selected parts of four medicinal plants, Achillea millefolium, Hibiscus rosasinensis, Linum usitatissimum and Pluckea lanceolata were extracted in absolute methanol to determine their analgesic activity. Analgesic activity was assessed on intact mice by tail flick latency via the tail immersion method. The analgesic activities of these plant extracts were compared with acetylsalicylic acid [300 mg/kg] which was used as the standard drug. Extracts were given orally in doses of 300, 500 and 1000 mg/kg. 0.9% saline was administered to the control group of animals. Results showed that Linum usitatissimum and Pluchea lanceolata possessed highly significant analgesic activity, while Achillea millefolium and Hibiscus rosasinensis did not show any significant effects

Pharmacological evaluation of methanolic extracts of Semecarpus anacardium and Tinosp ora cordifolia for their analgesic activity

Seeds and stem from the two medicinal plants, Semecarpus anacardium and Tinospora cordifolia respectively were extracted in absolute methanol to determine their analgesic activity. The analgesic activity was assessed on intact mice by tail flick latency in tail immersion method. Acetylsalicylic acid 300 mg/kg was used as standard drug. Both plant extracts were given in the doses of 300, 500 and 1000 mg/kg. Control group received 0.9% NaCl [saline] solution. All the solutions were administered orally. Results showed that showed that none of the plants have analgesic activity

Studies on the effects of anti-psychotics on rabbit brain bio-amines

Antipsychotics such as chlorpromazine and haloperidol are used for the treatment of schizophrenic psychosis. These drugs are believed to act by inhibiting dopamine receptors. [Seeman, Chau-wong, Tedesco and Wong 1975]. Role of indoleamines such as tryptophan 5-HT, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid in neuro-transmission is well documented [Brown 1976, Barchas, Berger and Elliot 1977]. In the present study the action of above mentioned antipsychotics are evaluated on brain bioamines in order to establish the mode of action of these drugs [other than blockade of dopamine receptors]. These substances are estimated fluorimeterically, effects of short and long term administration of antipsychotics are studied. Significant changes in levels of brain bioamines have been observed in certain regions of the brain