Vibrio cholerae and changing of microbial resistance patterns in Sistan and Balouchestan province

Cholera is a diarrheal disease in tropical regions that exclusively affects humans. This study conducted to compare changes in antibiotic resistance patterns in 2011with that of the period of 2008-2010 on cholera patients in the area covered by Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. In this descriptive study, rectal swab samples within Blair working environment of all suspected patients of each region were sent to the laboratory of each region and diagnostic procedures were performed, and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing [AST] was performed trough distribution methods on agar disk. Disks were prepared from Iranian Padtan Teb Company and the results were evaluated and reported using NCCLS table and the other experimental antimicrobial susceptibility determination tables. In this study, antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on 81 positive samples including Ogawa or Inaba during 4 years. The samples in 2008, 2009 and 2010 followed a similar susceptibility pattern and all these samples were resistant to co-trimoxazole, nalidixic acid and ampicillin, had intermediate sensitivity to furazolidone, were sensitive to tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, erythromycin and susceptibility pattern of cases in 2011 included sensitivity to erythromycin and ciprofloxacin and have shown no sensitivity to doxycycline and tetracycline and halo of their lack of growth were placed in the intermediate range. Vast border between the province and Afghanistan and Pakistan and inevitability of the occurrence of regional cholera epidemics may cause a serious problem in control of the possible epidemics and recalls the need to perform drug sensitivity tests during epidemics before any remedial action more than ever.

study on preference and practices of women regarding place of delivery

This was a cross-sectional study in Basra, and involved 353 women who had recently given birth drawn from health care institutions. The main objective was to determine the factors that helped determine the women's choice of place of delivery: hospital or home. Only 16.1% delivered at home, while 83.9% delivered in hospital. The main reasons for choosing hospital delivery were safety and security [96.6% of the women], better hygiene [66.6%] and because of medical advice [63.2%]. The main reasons for the choice of home delivery were social support and privacy [98.2%]. The women were consistent in their choice of delivery place across different pregnancies [previous, present and future]

Impact of operator on determining functional parameters of nuclear medicine procedures

The study was designed to assess the significance of the interoperator variability in theestimation of functional parameters forfour nuclear medicine procedures. Three nuclear medicine technologists with varying years of experience processed the following randomly selected 20 cases with diverse functions of each study type: renography, renal cortical scans, myocardial perfusion gated single-photon emission computed tomography [MP-GSPECT] and gated blood pool ventriculography [GBPV]. The technologists used the same standard processing routines and were blinded to the results of each other. The means of the values and the means of differences calculated case by case were statistically analyzed by one-way ANOVA. The values were further analyzed using Pearson correlation. The range of the mean values and standard deviation of relative renal function obtained by the three technologists were 50.65 +/- 3.9 to 50.92 +/- 4.4% for renography, 51.43 +/- 8.4 to 51.55 +/- 8.8% for renal cortical scans, 57.40 +/- 14.3 to 58.30 +/- 14.9% for left ventricular ejection fraction from MP-GSPECT and 54.80 +/- 12.8 to 55.10 +/- 13.1% for GBPV. The difference was not statistically significant, p > 0.9. The values showed a high correlation of more than 0.95. Calculated case by case, the mean of differences +/- SD was found to range from 0.42 +/- 0.36% in renal cortical scans to 1.35 +/- 0.87% in MP-GSPECT with a maximum difference of 4.00%. The difference was not statistically significant, p >0.19. The estimated functional parameters were repro ducible and operator independent as long as the standard processing instructions were followed

Chemical characterization and antibacterial activity of black tea extract components

Aqueous extracts of black tea exhibited antimicrobial activity against wide range of bacteria. In this investigation the antimicrobially active components of this extract were identified and characterized. The minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC] for each one was determined. The active components of tile aqueous extract were identified and Characterized. The minimal inhibitory centration [MIC] for each was determined Tannic acid, theophylline, caffeine and theobromine were isolated by thin layer Chromatography [TLC] and purified by silica gel column. MIC was assessed by using agar dilution method. Broad spectrum activity of three components excluding theobromine against gram negative and selective gram-positive organism was observed. Tannic acid showed the greatest potency with MIC of 160 ng/ml. whereas the .MIC of theophylline and caffeine was 2.5 mg/ml and 10mg respectively

Low energy continuous wave diode laser apparatus orthodontic therapy

A low-energy Galium - Aluminum Arsenide [Ga-Al-As] semiconductor pulsed diode laser [P.W] of 904 nanometer wavelength, 1000 Hertz repetition rate, 6 watt peak power and 100 miliwatt average output power was manufactured to be used for orthodontic therapy purposes, of that stimulating the proliferation of bone cells [osteoblasts and osteoclasts] and periodontal ligament cells [fibroblasts] and consequently accelerating the orthodontic movement

Consanguinity and its effect on major congenital malformations.

The incidence of congenital malformations was studied in total of 7135 births, still births and minor abnormalities were excluded, the total number of cases was 72, the incidence was 10.091/ 1000 live births, these cases represent 16% of admissions to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Central nervous system and multiple malformations represent the commonest type. The rate of consanguineous marriages among parent of malformed babies was significantly higher than that in normal control group [64%, 48% respectively] [p<0.001]coefficient of inbreeding among controls and malformed babies was 0.024 and 0.027. Consanguineous marriages was high among all types of congenital malformations except that of extremities, first cousin marriages represent the closet and commonest type of inbreeding among congenital malformations and control group. Parity and prematurity rate were high among families of congenital malformations than control group these rate were significantly increased with consanguineous marriages, abortion rate was higher in congenital malformations but consanguinity does not increase this rate, mean birth weight in malformed babies was lower than that in the control in both consanguineous and non consanguineous. Mean maternal age of malformed babies is slightly higher than that of control, this mean shows no significant difference in both consanguineous marriages and non consanguineous marriages

Risk factors in young male Iraqi patients with acute myocardial infarction

One hundred patients, aged 40 years or less, who survived acute myocardial infarction [AMI] were compared with a similar number of control patients angiographically free from coronary artery disease [CAD], with an effort to study the prevalence of common risk factors of CAD i.e. obesity, smoking; hypertension diabetes hypercholestraemia and family history. Results showed that among young AMI patients smoking. was the most prevalent risk factor, more so in diabetics: It was a significant risk factor in the young irrespective of the duration or nature of smoking habit

Partial trisomy of chromosome 18 [Pter-q11]

Partial trisomy for the short arm and the proximal region of the long arm of chromosome 18 was observed in a 2-year-old female. The trisomy appeared de novo as a free metacenteric chromosome. The main clinical features observed were failure to thrive, downward slanting palpebral fissures, pointed nose, small mouth, and bilateral single palmar creases with clenched hands. The patient's phenotype shows less serious anomalies than trisomy 18 and differs from other types of partial trisomy 18. We believe this patient supports previous reports that there is a critical segment of the chromosome responsible for typical phenotype of the trisomy 18

origin of alchemy and of the tantric cult in India an etymological approach

The Chinese and the Aryans both forced the aged to retire as ascetics in a forest. Here they needed drugs to strengthen the body as also to prolong life. The Chinese finally selected gold to preserve the body and peach to increase life-span. The Chinese god of longevity emerges from the peach. This establishes a regular cult of longevity. In peach the active principle was redness. It was believed that Blood is soul and Redness soul-concentrate. That is why peach, being red at the core, became a source of longevity. Later on red minerals were preferred. These were red and further heat-stable thereby superior to drugs of vegetable origin. Here came Tan, cinnabar, as superior to peach. Then gold and cinnabar, the two Simples, became the best drugs-of-longevity. This marks the antecedent of alchemy which started by synthesizing red-gold, or colloidal gold. As gold it preserved the body while its redness prolonged life. It was prepared by rubbing gold granules with the juice of a herb of longevity. According to its make-up it was called Chin-I or gold-cum-herbal juice; Chin = Gold and "I" = Plant Juice. In Fukin dialect Chin-I =KimIya. Pre-Islamic Arabs, bringing Chinese silk for Alexandrian market, came to learn of KimIya as drug, that rejuvenates and prolongs life. The Arabs acquired this drug and the name Kim-Iya entered Arabic as Kimiya. That was soon after 200 B.C., when China became an Empire and encouraged foreign trade. Arabs landed in the West on the Egyptian coast, west of Red Sea. Here Copts took the goods and finally transported them to Alexandria. Copts also came to learn of Kimiya drugs and transliterated Kimiya = Chemeia pronouncing it as the Arabs did. From the Copts the Greeks took it over. About 200 A.D. Indians, also went to Alexandria and with them came the ascetics bringing heir Rasayana drugs. During Rigvedic times Aryans, as hunters, zeeded an energizer to make them fatigue-proof. Ephedra or Soma was the herb of which the juice became an energizing and euphoriant rink. Soma later became panacea, a drug of rejuvenation and the plant was used to resurrect the dead and was finally deified as god Soma. When Aryans came to India and took to agriculture they did not need an anti-fatigue drug but the ascetics did require one. In India ephedra was not available so that the ascetics substituled ephedra by' other herbal drugs. These were called Rasayana. Rasayana further signified the art of rejuvenation-cumresurrection. Then to the Greeks at Alexandria, Chemeia and Rasayana,, both kinds of drugs were available, and both promised rejuvenation-cum-longevity. Indians being there Rasayana was literally translated as Chumeia. Rasa = Chemos = Juice, Ayana = Vehicle, but Eia [Greek] = Belonging to. Hence Chumeia = Belonging to Juice, Juice, or Juice-incorporate. Since Kim-Iya = Gold-cum-Juice, Rasayana and Chemia, carried Plant-juice as Herbal-soul as the active principle. Alchemy at Alexandria began as a cult of longevity using herbal drugs as Medicine-of-life. Early Greek alchemy never speaks of gold, much less of a gold-making art. The Chinese who had been using gold and cinnabar as Simples later synthesized red-gold, Chin-I, as explained above. This was brick rect. It was improved upon by Chin-Tan, Cinnabar-gold, which was blood-red. It was synthesized by taking mercury, sulphur and gold and subjecting them to sublimation when the resultant becamesynthetic cinnabar with traces of gold. Then according to its makeup it was called Chin-Tan, Chin = Gold and Tan = Cinnabar. It proved to be the ideal drug which needed no further improvement. If in Chin-I, plant-juice was the active principle in Chin-Tan, Redness of cinnabar was the soul and the active principle. By now the art alchemy had fully developed and was named Tan-Chueh, the art of longevity. Mercurials being far more powerful than vegetable drugs made an appeal and entered Indian medicine. The art of preparing mercurials, Tan-Chueh, was adapted in Sanskrit. Tan, cinnabar, was retained and Chueh, meaning Art, was substituted. The Sanskrit name became Tan-Tra; Tan = Cinnabar and Tra = Protector. TanTra meant, mercurials which are protector of life-span. It is a connotative designation indicating what the drugs were expected to achieve. That there is a treatise called China Tantra goes to show the Chinese origin of the Tantric cult. Now Tan carries two meanings. As concrete it is Cinnabar, as abstract Longevity. In the term Pancha-Tantra, Tan = Longevity. Pancha likewise is both concrete and abstract. As concrete, it means Five, as abstract, Essence. There are five cosmic elements, the Essence of the universe. Here five corresponds to Essence. Pancha-Tantra then means, Essentials of protecting life when it becomes long. The name Panchatantra has been dated 300 B.C. so that the Tantric cult must be dated 400 B.C. or even earlier. Alchemy degenerated as the art of synthesizing gold. Its psychogenesis can be explained. Ordinary man loves life for the happiness and pleasures it offers. There is no love of life for life's sake. Such love is inoculated in man when he comes to love wealth or better gold. Then the aspirant hoping to synthesize gold becomes a candidate of longevity. There is a long way to making gold and one anxious to see that day correspondingly hopes to live long enough for that day. Hope of making gold is thus traced to the subconscious love to live long

Indragopa, a red arachnid, as an aphrodisiac drug in India, with the significance of the names arya, indra and indragopa

Indra-gopa in Sanskrit, Birbhuti in Hindustani, is Trombidium grandissimum, an arachnid with eight legs while insects have only six. Due to its red color it has been mistaken as the cochineal which is imported from Mexico and never found in India. As drug it is an aphrodisiac used orally and externally. The name Indragopa for a red creature signifies protege of the red god Indra who is fire-god, god of red-Dawn, the Eastern-sky god

Creation as a schematized phenomenon explaining its imitation by alchemy

Creation began with creative energy. Energy expanding produced a trace of frozen energy, as matter, whence arose energy-cum-matter as a homogeneous mixture, like Smoke. Its further development separated matter and energy, each with a trace of the other. Matter having been produced in the midst of energy incorporated a trace of impact energy. Thus matter in its make-up was frozen energy-plus-impact energy. At the same time energy, due to expansion, continuously produced forms of frozen energy which remained within the main energy. Accordingly the created forms, as matter or as energy, were dual-natured. One such form of matter contained just enough energy for it to grow double in size and then separate into two. This gives the schematized idea of cell-division thereby of reproductively. The alchemist tried to produce a dual natured substance, which being rich in energy or soul, could donate it to prolong human life. Only a living substance can make its accepter live longer. His preparations were then living substances. Now blood was soul and redness soul-concentrate. The one substance as red as blood was cinnabar which became the ideal single drug to prolong life. Now a weak and decrepit body was threat to life. Hence gold, as fire-proof substance, came to make the corporeal system immune to all deterioration. Then the ideal drug of longevity had to contain gold to preserve the body, to which redness was to be added to prolong life. At first gold and a herbal drug of longevity were used to produce red-gold or red colloidal gold as a single drug. It was considered live-gold. But it was only brick red, while the ideal drug was to be blood-red. Accordingly sulphur, mercury and gold were subjected to sublimation when the resultant became blood-red vermilion or synthetic cinnabar, with a trace of gold. This marks the apogee of alchemy as art and it was cinnabar-gold. Here cinnabar is soul, being sublimable without leaving any residium, and its redness was like that of blood, further recognized as soul. Then to claim that live-gold was produced and later that cinnabar-gold was a living substance, with redness as soul, in each case with soul as the active principle, was to imitate creation. To explain creation as phenomenon it has been, schematized to facilitate our understanding it. Creative energy produced Prime Matter and this quick enough for both to co-exist. There resulted an intimate homogeneous mixture of energy and matter, like Smoke, which became the precursor of creation proper. This earliest stage is called Thai-Chi, meaning, the absolute, an entity conceivable but unknowable. Later expansion of energy produced clear forms of matter and of energy which remained together. Soon energy produced impact upon matter which was energized and each began to react with the other. Here the positive initiating power was called Yang and the negative or receptive Yin. By their mutual activity they became productive and gave rise to five cosmic elements which finally constituted the whole universe including man himself. Creation of entities, merely having definite forms, was conceived as having life. It means that there were inorganic forms like a crystal of alum 4.vhich could only grow and later organic life-forms which could grow and reproduce. It really means growth is life and more so reproductively is life. Creative energy began by producing the first cosmic element. This is clearly seen in Indian Cosmology where Akasha, is equated with Brahma. Then the content of Akasha which is the equivalent of Aether=Cosmic soul. With this background we can consider the nature of the first Chinese Cosmic element. As content it was to be Cosmic soul and its container the first Cosmic element as a life-form. Now as declared the first Cosmic element is Tree, with its content as Air. These two have to be duly interpreted. The idea is to represent the first element as the essence of creation or endowed with creative power. Now creation can be symbolized by a life-form and the Chinese selected Tree being tangible as such a symbol. The first Cosmic elements Indian and Chinese would be Akasha=Tree and their contents Aether Air. Then with Akasha=Brahma, and Akasha Tree, logically Tree Brahma. Then the content of the Cosmic element Tree, which is Air=Cosmic soul. Now once life is created there must be conditions to sustain it. These conditions are four, Heat, Moisture, Cold and Dryness. In Chinese Cosmology, the content and the Cosmic element, as the container, in each case would 'be. Heat Fire, Moisture = Earth, Cold = Water and Dryness = Metal. These have been duly numbered in item IV, fig. 1. Chinese cosmology treats universe as a life-form and its first element, Tree, incorporates life, while the other four elements represent conditions essential to life. The universe has become a living macrocosm having been magnified microcosm, essentially man. Both are living entities, micro and macrocosm

Systems of alchemy and their associated deities: Hermes, Shiva and Tso-chun

Primitive life shows high mortality and limited life-span. Human nature craves for longevity when man reaches ripe old age. Accordingly there arose beliefs in drugs of longevity, in water-of-life, in tree-of-life and others. These became gifts of gods assuring their efficacy. In China peach was such a fruit and the god of longevity, Shou-Hsing, emerged from it. Later they prepared the first synthetic drug, known to history. Gold was taken as fireproof substance to preserve the body into which was incorporated the juice of a perennial plant to prolong human life when the resultant, as herbo-golden complex, became the best drug to preserve the body and to prolong life. According to its make up the drug was named Chin-I, literally gold-cum-herbal juice. It was red colloidal gold. It became elixir of life, the philosophers' stone. It laid the foundation of alchemy when its antecedent had been the use of "simples" or single natural substances. Claiming to be superior to any single substance, as drug of longevity Chin-I and its art alchemy reached Alexandria as also India. To recognize the superiority of alchemical drugs is to understand how alchemy could spread all over. Now an agent that can prolong life must start with rejuvenation never allowing one to remain old and approach death. Hence drugs of longevity were primarily drugs of rejuvenation. In India Rasayana drugs were designed to rejuvenate the aged but were herbal. Later came mercurial which were Chinese in origin. The Egyptians knew no drug of longevity nor the use of gold as drug. The Greeks of Alexandria heartily welcomed Chinese alchemy brought over by Arab traders. Chin-I, mean while Arabic zed as Kimiya, was transliterated as Chemeia but pronounced exactly as the Arabs did. Thus began Greek alchemy. Now a drug that confers longevity can only do so by infusing more soul. This cannot be credited to a material agent like a drug. Hence there had to be gods associated with each system of longevity. In China herbalism had the god, Shou-Hsing and alchemy proper the god, Tso-Chun, the god-of-the kitchen or of the furnace. Among the Greeks herbalism had its god Asklepios while alchemy was associated with god Hermes. In India herbalism had god Soma while, alchemy proper god Shiva. Thus drugs of longevity became the gifts of gods both of herbal and alchemical drugs. Associating the names of deities helped to believe that the drugs are really effective. Ritualism finally strengthened "faith cure" and made the drugs popular. .Man's belief in longevity was thus secured. Hermes and Shiva each was a phallus-god thereby believed to possess Creative power. A proper name like Rama-lingam means "Rama, the deified creative power". Likewise a phallus god became deified creative power and thereby patron of art that makes drugs to promote fertility and longevity by infusing soul as creative power