Congenital lumbar hernia in association with carpus equina varus.

A rare case of congenital lumbar hernia associated with carpus equina varus is described in a week old baby. The treatment is described with limited review of the literature.     

Effects of Salvadora persica extracts on mice exploratory locomotion activities

The effects of Salvadora persica extracts on mice exploratory locomotor activities and stereotype movements have been determined. Mice injected with Salvadora persica extracts showed significantly low exploratory locomotor activity. The total distance travelled by naive mice injected with saline, during the first 5 min of introduction into an activity cage (Session 1) was 1007 +/- 105 cm/5 min, in contrast to 800 +/- 75, 540 +/- 100 and 330 +/- 55 cm/5 min for naive mice injected i.p. with 5.7, 14.3 and 28.6 ml/kg Salvadora persica extract. The exploratory locomotion of Salvadora persica treated mice declined faster than that of the controls. Mice injected with Salvadora persica extract also showed a significantly lower number of stereotype movements (P less than 0.05). The stereotype movements of the control was 175 +/- 5 movements/5 min and 90 +/- 10, 118 +/- 15 and 35 +/- 11 for mice injected with 5.7, 14.3 and 28.6 ml/kg, Salvadora persica extract, respectively.     

维药硬尖神香草中熊果酸的薄层鉴别方法研究

目的:以熊果酸为对照品,建立新疆维吾尔药材硬尖神香草的薄层色谱鉴别方法。方法:收集两个产地8个批次的硬尖神香草生药材,根据2010版《中国药典》附录VI B(薄层色谱法)中相关项下方法进行薄层鉴别,以熊果酸作为对照品,考察不同展开系统、显色剂、温度、湿度、点样量和不同厂家硅胶板对尖神香草中熊果酸薄层鉴别的影响,从中选出维药硬尖神香草中熊果酸薄层鉴别的最佳条件。结果:吸取供试品溶液和对照品溶液各3μl点于青岛海洋化工有限公司产高效硅胶板上,在三氯甲烷-丙酮(12∶1)系统中展开,喷以10%硫酸乙醇显色,供试品与熊果酸对照品在同样的位置显紫色的斑点,所得的薄层色谱分离效果较好。结论:研究建立的硬尖神香草药材中熊果酸的薄层鉴别方法操作简便,重现性好,专属性强,可以用于维吾尔药硬尖神香草的质量控制。     

Inhibition of protein synthesis by trimethyltin

The effects of trimethyltin chloride (TMT) on protein synthesis, measured as the incorporation of [3H]valine into trichloroacetic acid-precipitable material, were investigated in mice. One hour after intraperitoneal administration of a 3.0 mg/kg dose, TMT decreased brain protein synthesis by 47% and also caused a significant decrease (4.2 degrees C) in body temperature. When hypothermia was prevented by maintaining the animals at 35 degrees C, TMT decreased protein synthesis by 20%. Twenty-four hours following administration of TMT, protein synthesis was decreased in brain and liver; however, only a reduction of brain protein synthesis was observed at 48 hr. No hypothermia was present at either time point. A regional study in brain showed that at 24 and 48 hr after TMT administration, protein synthesis was decreased by 18-23% in cerebral cortex and hippocampus but not in cerebellum. TMT also inhibited protein synthesis in vitro in mouse brain homogenates with an IC50 of about 100 microM. Neither SnCl2, nor dimethyltin or monomethyltin had any effect on protein synthesis in vitro. These results suggest that, as for other neurotoxicants such as methyl mercury or acrylamide, inhibition of protein synthesis might be involved in TMT neurotoxicity.     

Psychometric Properties of Osteoporosis Knowledge Tool and Self-Management Behaviours Among Malaysian Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Osteoporosis is a major growing public health problem and it is clear that much needs to be done to bridge the gap between patients and practitioners. However, the educator must have a valid and reliable tool to evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching and learning that are done. Osteoporosis Knowledge Tool (OKT) provides an important strategy for healthcare professionals to start early intervention for patients who are at risk of osteoporosis. The aims of this study were to translate and examine the psychometric properties of the Malaysian version of the Osteoporosis Knowledge Tool (OKT-M) among 250 type 2 diabetes patients and to assess factors that affect diabetic patients’ osteoporosis knowledge. The OKT English version was translated and validated using the internationally accepted and recommended methodology. The sensitivity and specificity of OKT-M was calculated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The face and content validity showed acceptable results. Internal consistency, test–retest reliability, mean difficulty factor and discriminatory power values were 0.72, 0.83, 0.47 ± 0.16 and 0.96, respectively. The cut-off point of the OKT-M to predict osteoporosis/osteopenia was 14 with optimal sensitivity (84.1 %) and specificity (85.5 %). Regression analysis revealed that health belief, self-efficacy and some demographic data had an impact on the OKT-M. The findings of this validation study indicate that the OKT-M is a reliable and valid tool with good psychometric properties in the Malaysian setting. The OKT-M is an appropriate tool for application in clinical setting to identify patients need for a bone health-promoting intervention regarding lifestyle behaviour changes.     

Efficacy and tolerance of praziquantel in patients with Schistosoma mansoni infection and Symmers' fibrosis: a field study in the Sudan

Ultrasonography was used in a village in the Gezira-Managil scheme in the Sudan to identify patients with Symmers' fibrosis. In a random sample from patients with active Schistosoma mansoni infection, 238 patients were found to have no liver involvement while 59 had Symmers' periportal fibrosis. Patients were treated with a single dose of 40 mg/kg body weight of praziquantel. Six months after dosing, 51% and 58% were cured of the infection with 81% and 84% reduction in egg burden in the Symmers' and non-Symmers' patients, respectively. The drug was equally well tolerated by the two groups. It is concluded that patients with Symmers' fibrosis respond to praziquantel and tolerate the drug in a similar manner to patients without Symmers'.