Evaluation of BCG vaccination: an intervention study in Rail Region, Saudi Arabia

Inspection of 300 infants attending a primary health care (PHC) center at Hail region showed that 18.8% of children failed to develop BCG reations. This directed attention to inspect the process of vaccination at hospitals in which 80% of deliveries and BCG vaccination took place. Defects in the process of vaccination and cold chain system were noticed. Reorganization of the process of vaccination in addition to training the staff responsible for vaccination were done. A survey was followed to evaluate failure of BCG vaccination before and after the intervention. We checked 4145 infants two to twelve months of age, for any reaction at the site of BCG vaccination. After intervention vaccination failure dropped from 20.4% to 4.9% for infants vaccinated in hospitals (p = 0.00001), and from 7.9% to 3.2% for those vaccinated in health centers (p = 0.01). Moreover, before intervention success of BCG vaccination was significantly higher in PHC centers (92.1%) than in hospitals (79.6%). This difference became insignificant after intervention because success of BCG vaccination in hospitals has increased up to 95.1% compared to 96.8% in health centers. Inspection of all infants for BCG reaction is continued as a part of routine work at PHC centers, and re-vaccination of those who failed to develop reation to BCG is conducted without any reported complications.     

Anthropometric measurements and body composition of selected national athletes

This study was conducted to determine the anthropometric measurements and body composition of selected national athletes. A total of 84 male athletes from 10 different types of sports and 24 female athletes from 5 types of sports were studied. The height and body weight of subjects were measured using the SEGA weighing balance with height attachment. Skinfold thickness measurements were taken using the Harpenden Calipers at 4 sites (biceps, triceps, subscapular and suprailiac). Percentage of body fat was calculated from the sum of 4 measurements of skinfold thickness. Based on body mass index (BMI), most of the male (68 subjects or 81%) and female (19 subjects or 79%) athletes were classified as normal. The percentage average body fat for both male and female athletes were 13.8 ± 4.5% and 24.7 ± 5.3%, respectively. The male and female athletes also had lower percentage of body fat when compared to non-athletes, however these athletes had slightly higher percentage of body fat when compared to those in selected countries.     

Effect of isolation rearing on 5-HT agonist-induced responses in the rat

Rats were reared from weaning (21 days of age) either in isolation or in social groups of five for 30 days and were then tested for spontaneous locomotor activity and 7 days later for 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) agonist-induced behaviour. Isolation-reared animals displayed locomotor hyperactivity when placed in a novel environment. 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeODMT) (2 mg/kg IP) and 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propyl-amino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) (0.32 mg/kg SC) elicited various components of the 5-HT behavioural syndrome in both groups of animals, with forepaw treading and flat body posture being significantly more pronounced in isolation-reared animals. 1-(2,5-Dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI) (2.5 mg/kg IP), a 5-HT₂ selective agonist, produced a significantly greater number of back muscle contractions in isolation-reared animals but there was no difference between the two groups in the number of wet-dog shakes produced. Forepaw treading and flat body posture are thought to be mediated by 5-HT_1A receptor activation, and stimulation of this receptor by either 5-MeODMT or 8-OH-DPAT produced greater responding in isolation-reared rats, suggesting supersensitivity of the post-synaptic 5-HT_1A receptor. Wet-dog shakes are thought to be mediated by 5-HT₂ and other (none-5-HT) receptors while back muscle contractions have been shown to be mediated by 5-HT₂ receptors, indicating that there is also an increase in 5-HT₂ receptor responsiveness in the socially-isolated animals. In general, the results indicate post-synaptic 5-HT receptor supersensitivity in isolation-reared rats and these receptor changes may be involved in the behavioural profile observed in such rats.     

Study of the microstructure of renal stones: Uric acid and calcium oxalate

This paper represents the results of experimental study on the microstructure of uric acid and calcium oxalate crystallites in renal stones. The size distribution parameters and morphological characteristics of the microcrystals forming the stone were determined using SEM and image analysing system. Information on the fabric of the renal stones examined indicates that the mean volume diameter is 15.5 m for uric acid and 32 m for calcium oxalate stones. The polydispersity index , the shape factor , and the distribution of particle shape show close similarity. Quantitative studies on stone microstructure could furnish valuable information on stone genesis.This work was supported by the Kidney Foundation and by the Medical Research Council of Canada.     

Haemoptysis in healthy children due to unsuspected foreign body

Abstract: Haemoptysis in otherwise healthy children is an uncommon event. Two cases of massive haemoptysis, subsequently requiring lobectomy, are discussed. In each case, foreign vegetable matter was identified despite previously normal bronchoscopy and minimal changes on chest radiograph.     

Non-invasive detection of fecal protein kinase C betaII and zeta messenger RNA: putative biomarkers for colon cancer

We have developed a non-invasive method utilizing feces, containing sloughed colonocytes, as a sensitive technique for detecting diagnostic colonic biomarkers. In this study, we used the rat colon carcinogenesis model to determine if changes in fecal protein kinase C (PKC) expression have predictive value in monitoring the neoplastic process. Weanling rats were injected with saline or azoxymethane (AOM) and 36 weeks later fecal samples and mucosa were collected, poly A+ RNA isolated, and quantitative RT-PCR performed using primers to PKC betaII and zeta. Fecal PKC betaII and zeta mRNA levels were altered by the presence of a tumor, with tumor-bearing animals having a 3-fold higher (P < 0.05) PKC betaII expression as compared with animals without tumors. In addition, AOM-injection increased mucosal PKC betaII mRNA expression compared with saline controls. No effect of tumor incidence on mucosal PKC betaII expression was observed. In contrast, fecal PKC zeta expression was 2.5-fold lower (P < 0.05) in animals injected with azoxymethane versus saline. Since tumor incidence exerts a reciprocal effect on fecal PKC betaII and zeta mRNA expression, data were also expressed as the ratio between PKC betaII and zeta. The isozyme ratio was strongly related to tumor incidence, i.e. ratio for animals with tumors was 2.18 +/- 1.25, animals without tumors was 0.50 +/- 0.16, P = 0.025. We demonstrate that the expression of fecal PKC betaII and zeta may serve as a noninvasive marker for development of colon tumors. A sensitive technique for the detection of colon cancer is of importance since early diagnosis can substantially reduce mortality.      

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding in Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Malaysia

Despite advancements in endoscopy and pharmacology in the treatment of peptic ulcer disease the overall mortality has remained constant at 10% for the past four decades. The aim of this study was to determine the age, gender, racial distribution, incidence and causes of endoscopically diagnosed cases of upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleeding to summarise treatments undertaken and to report their outcome. A prospective study of UGI bleeding in 128 patients was performed in two surgical wards of Kuala Lumpur Hospital, involving both elective and emergency admissions. The study group comprised of 113 (88.2%) males and 15 (11.7%) females. The mean age was 51.9 years (range 14 to 85 years) and 37.5% (48 of 128 patients) were older than 60 years. The Indian race was over-represented in all disease categories. Smoking (50.1%), alcohol consumption (37.5%), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (17.2%), traditional remedies (5.5%), anti-coagulants (2.3%) and steroids (0.8%) were among the risk factors reported. Common presenting symptoms and signs included malaena (68.8%), haematemesis (59.4%) and fresh per rectal bleeding (33.6%). The commonest causes of UGI bleeding were duodenal ulcer (32%), gastric ulcer (29.7%), erosions (duodenal and gastric) (21.9%), oesophageal varices (10.9%) and malignancy (3.9%). UGI bleeding was treated non-surgically in 90.6% of cases. Blood transfusions were required in 62.6% (67/107) of peptic ulcer disease patients. Surgical intervention for bleeding peptic ulcer occurred in around 10% of cases and involved under-running of the bleeding vessel in most high risk duodenal and gastric ulcer patients. The overall mortality from bleeding peptic ulcer disease was 4.7%. Six patients died from torrential UGI haemorrhage soon after presentation, without the establishment of a cause. Active resuscitative protocols, early endoscopy, more aggressive interventional therapy, early surgery by more senior surgeons, increasing intensive care unit beds and more active participation of multidisciplinary teams in co-ordinating management are among remedial measures advocated. Broader educational preventive strategies should target the causes of UGI bleeding.     

The effect of chronic restraint stress and sulfite on visual evoked potentials (VEPs): relation to lipid peroxidation.

Stress and sulfite can stimulate numerous pathways leading to an increased production of free radicals which generate a peroxidation cascade producing lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, DNA damage and cell death, and contribute to the occurrence of pathologic conditions. The purpose of our study was to investigate the effects of stress and sulfite on visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and to examine the relationship between lipid peroxidation and VEP changes. Forty male wistar rats, aged three months were used. They were equally divided into four groups: control (C), the group exposed to restraint stress (R), the group treated with sulfite (S) and the group exposed to stress and treated with sulfite (RS). Chronic restraint stress was applied for 21 days (1h/day) and sodium metabisulfite (520 mg/kg/day) was given by gavage for the same period. All latencies of VEP components were prolonged in the R, S and RS groups with respect to the C group. Brain and retina TBARS levels were found to be increased in those groups compared to the C group. Our results strongly suggest that the latency prolongations of all VEP components may have resulted from the enhancement of lipid peroxidation. Correlation analysis between brain and retina TBARS levels and VEP latencies also support this conclusion. Our data in regard to latency prolongations of all VEP components in the stress group exposed to sulfite, reflected an additive effect of sulfite toxicity on VEP components. Therefore it could be suggested that chronic exposure to stress and sulfite together is associated with a considerable health risk.