Chondroprotective Effects Of Intra-Articular Hyaluronic Acid And Triamcinolone In Murine Model Of Osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis is a heterogeneous disease of joints that affects mainly older population. Definitive cure of osteoarthritis is still undiscovered. This study was designed to evaluate and compare the chondroprotective effects of hyaluronic acid and triamcinolone in murine model of osteoarthritis. METHODS: This Laboratory based experimental study was carried out in Pharmacology Department, Army Medical College Rawalpindi, from April-June 2019. Osteoarthritis was induced by medial menisectomy and anterior cruciate ligament resectioning of knee joints of twenty-four rats which were then divided into three groups with eight rats in each. Group I, II and III were named control, hyaluronic acid and triamcinolone groups respectively, which were given intra-articular injections of these drugs once weekly for four consecutive weeks and then gait pattern was scored. Animals were sacrificed thereafter and samples were collected for histopathological analysis. RESULTS: Comparison of gait score of control, hyaluronic acid and triamcinolone groups exhibited a p value of <0.01 while intergroup comparison between group I and II, group I and III and group II and III depicted p-value of <0.001, 0.016 and 0.003 respectively. Likewise, collective histopathological analysis of the three groups showed p-value of <0.01 while intergroup comparison of group I and II, group I and III and group II and III showed p-value of <0.001 for all. CONCLUSIONS: Comparison of control group with treatment groups proved chondroprotective effects of hyaluronic acid and triamcinolone. Additionally, hyaluronic acid proved to provide better chondroprotection as compared to triamcinolone.

Magnetohydrodynamic bioconvective flow of Williamson nanofluid containing gyrotactic microorganisms subjected to thermal radiation and Newtonian conditions.

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) bioconvective flow of Williamson nanomaterial in frame of gyrotactic microorganisms is addressed. Nanomaterial characterizes gyrotactic microorganism. Bioconvection is generated by buoyancy forces in the communication of nanoparticles and motile microorganisms. The use of gyrotactic microorganisms into nanofluid here is just to stabilize the nanoparticles to suspend due to a phenomenon called bioconvection. Newtonian conditions for thermal, solutal and motile microorganism are employed. The transformed nonlinear systems of momentum, energy, nanoparticles concentration and motile microorganisms density are solved numerically through the bvp4c technique. Significance of various variables on physical quantities is explained graphically.

Regional Influences on Nutritional Iodine Status of Pregnant Women in Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to iodine deficiency. Considering the rural-urban disparities in nutritional status in Pakistan, this study aimed to assess regional influences on nutritional iodine status of pregnant women in Pakistan. METHODS: Data were collected from 1246 pregnant women in all trimesters of pregnancy who visited antenatal clinics for routine checkups in five Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province districts. Information concerning iodized salt intake and knowledge of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) was obtained through an interview questionnaire. Goiter and urinary iodine concentration (UIC) levels were assessed by the palpation method and Sandell-Kolthoff reaction, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was used to quantify associations between residence (rural-urban), pregnancy trimester, and previous pregnancy outcomes with knowledge about IDD, iodized salt intake, presence of goiter, and UIC <150 µg/L. RESULTS: Among study participants, 87.7% had no knowledge about IDD, and only 21.0% were consuming iodized salt. Goiter was present in 25.5% of the women. The median UIC level was 131 µg/L, and 41.3% of study participants had a UIC ≥150 µg/L. There were no significant differences between pregnant women from rural and urban settings in regions with a solid socioeconomic status with respect to knowledge about IDD, iodized salt intake, iodine deficiency, and goiter prevalence. Urban-rural differences were observed only in socioeconomically disadvantaged districts. Only pregnant women living in the Lakki Marwat district had higher odds of having knowledge of IDD and iodized salt intake than those from rural regions. Trimesters of pregnancy and previous pregnancy outcomes had no significant effect on the outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS: Relative to a national nutrition survey conducted in Pakistan in 2011, the results from this study indicate that UIC levels remained stable with mild iodine deficiency, whereas rates of goiter and iodized salt intake remained high and low, respectively, especially in rural areas. Rural-urban disparities were observed only in socioeconomically disadvantaged districts, and these disparities limit the effectiveness of the IDD prevention program in rural areas in Pakistan. Thus, implementation of mandatory salt iodization requires improvement, and program effectiveness should be continuously monitored to prevent adverse health effects of iodine deficiency during pregnancy.

First cancer statistics report from Hazara division.

BACKGROUND: 'Cancer' is on rise globally. Cancer registry is vital for policy making, resource allocation, progress tracking and overall cancer control. In Pakistan, cancer prevention, screening and standardised clinical trials, as well as quality assurance through surveillance are badly hampered due to the lack of a National Cancer Registry. For Pakistan a well-integrated system of Cancer Registry is need of the day. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted on the hospital records at the Oncology Department of Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad from year 2007-12. Data were collected tIhrough a standard data capture form with a final figure of 555 patients. The malignancies were diagnosed clinically and histopathologically at different laboratories of Pakistan. RESULTS: Among these cases, 54.08% were male and 45.92% female. Incidence of cancer in patients below 14 years age was 8.47% and 91.53% above 14 years. Majority (31.95%) cases were from Mansehra followed by Abbottabad with 27.08% and Haripur 14.26% cases. Leukaemias were at top with 15.14% cases followed by breast carcinoma (13.69%), Lymphomas (12.07%), ovarian carcinomas (8.65%), and gastric carcinoma and skin cancers with 2.70% each. Among men, the highest incidence was of Hodgkin's lymphoma (14.9%) followed by lymphocytic Ieukaemia (14.3%). Prostate cancer was seen in 8.3% male patients. Another 5.7% patients had lung cancer. In women, the highest incidence was carcinoma breast (19.7%) followed by ovarian carcinoma (13.4%), leukaemia (9.7%), and Hodgkin's lymphoma (4.3%). CONCLUSION: A variety of cancers are prevalent in the indigent population. Record-keeping in wards is sub-optimal. Commonest cancers in the area have slight differences with rest of the country.

Isolation of medical students: communication barrier and its effect on career.

BACKGROUND: Communication barriers affect student-student interaction and student-patient interaction. This study is aimed at exploring the social, cultural and academic spheres where medical students feel getting isolated. METHOD: Questionnaire based cross-sectional survey was undertaken at Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad in the month of July, 2013. Cluster sampling technique was employed. RESULTS: Linguistic problems in the college greatly affected medical students. Female medical student are comparatively more affected. These problems were less common in 1st year and most common in 3rd year where clinical classes are started. There are distinct gender based problems in communicating among male and female student with as many as 37.2% reported feeling difficulty in communicating with students of opposite gender. However this difficulty in communication gradually faded on proceeding from 1st year towards final year. About frank interaction with opposite gender, 65.9% students felt that society had negative impact upon it. While communicating with patients of opposite gender, almost a quarter of students (27.3%) reported facing difficulties, 56.9% students reported to have abject apathy towards the colleagues of opposite gender. CONCLUSION: Linguistic issues, gender discrimination, negative impact of society and lack of concern for fellow colleagues is affecting student-student interaction and student-patient interaction. There is need to create student friendly environment.

Knowledge, attitude and practice for breast cancer risk factors and screening modalities in staff nurses of Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the commonest cancer modality in female worldwide. Avoiding the risk factors can reduce its incidence and adhering to screening and early detection can reduce its mortality. A sufficient knowledge regarding the risk factors and screening modalities is therefore essential. We assessed the knowledge level about these parameters in our staff nurses. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire survey was performed. Knowledge regarding the risk factors and screening modalities were categorised into good, fair, poor and very poor categories. RESULTS: Knowledge regarding most of the factors was found to be fair. A few things were termed as good knowledge like role of breast-feeding in protecting against breast cancer. Practice regarding the screening modalities was not satisfactory. Only a few nurses had good knowledge of the risk factors and screening modalities. Practice of the Screening modalities was also poor. CONCLUSION: There is a need to improve the nursing curriculum, training at the workplace and motivate them for screening practices. They should be encouraged to talk to their patients and their female attendants about prevention and early detection of breast cancer.