Assessing Home Environment for Early Child Development in Pakistan

Family environment plays a very important role in early child development and the availability of stimulating material in the early years of a child's life is crucial for optimising development. The Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) inventory is one of the most widely used measures to assess the quality and quantity of support and stimulation provided for children at home. This cross-sectional study aims to measure the existing situation of home environment with respect to child development using the HOME scale in two communities of Pakistan: TandoJam (Sindh) and Mastung (Baluchistan). From December 2009 until May 2010, all mothers with children from birth to age three were recruited for the study. Data on the home environment were collected from a cohort of 1,097 children using the Infant and Toddler HOME (IT-HOME) scale, further distributed over six subscales. Frequency distributions of all responses and mean and standard deviation for all subscales were calculated. The mean ± standard deviation age of study children was 16.6 ± 12.1 months. Overall, the mean score on the HOME scale was 31.7 ± 7.2 and 29.7 ± 6.9 in TandoJam and Mastung respectively. On a subscale level, about one-half of the families in TandoJam and three-quarters in Mastung scored in the lowest quarter category on the Learning Material subscale, whereas 41% of families in Mastung and 18% of families in TandoJam were in the lowest quarter on the Organization subscale. On the remaining three scales (Responsivity, Involvement and Variety) at least 50% of families scored in the upper quarter category. In conclusion, considerable evidence is available showing that poor home environment retards intellectual growth. The HOME inventory identified up to 23% of young children in the lowest quarter category who are potentially at risk of developmental delays. There is a need to develop culturally acceptable, evidence-based parenting interventions to improve the home environment.     

Age-related learning and memory deficits in rats: role of altered brain neurotransmitters,acetylcholinesterase activity and changes in antioxidant defense system

Oxidative stress from generation of increased reactive oxygen species or free radicals of oxygen has been reported to play an important role in the aging. To investigate the relationship between the oxidative stress and memory decline during aging, we have determined the level of lipid peroxidation, activities of antioxidant enzymes, and activity of acetylcholine esterase (AChE) in brain and plasma as well as biogenic amine levels in brain from Albino–Wistar rats at age of 4 and 24 months. The results showed that the level of lipid peroxidation in the brain and plasma was significantly higher in older than that in the young rats. The activities of antioxidant enzymes displayed an age-dependent decline in both brain and plasma. Glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities were found to be significantly decreased in brain and plasma of aged rats. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) was also significantly decreased in plasma of aged rats; however, a decreased tendency (non-significant) of SOD in brain was also observed. AChE activity in brain and plasma was significantly decreased in aged rats. Learning and memory of rats in the present study was assessed by Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Elevated plus Maze (EPM) test. Short-term memory and long-term memory was impaired significantly in older rats, which was evident by a significant increase in the latency time in MWM and increase in transfer latency in EPM. Moreover, a marked decrease in biogenic amines (NA, DA, and 5-HT) was also found in the brain of aged rats. In conclusion, our data suggest that increased oxidative stress, decline of antioxidant enzyme activities, altered AChE activity, and decreased biogenic amines level in the brain of aged rats may potentially be involved in diminished memory function.     

Enhancing the efficacy of fluocinolone acetonide by encapsulating with PLGA nanoparticles and conjugating with linear PEG polymer

Abstract

Fluocinolone acetonide (FA), a glucocorticoid is used to treat inflammation in the posterior segment of the eye. Due to short half-life and body clearance, it will not be able to give therapeutic effect for long time with a single injection. Formulating FA nanoparticles (NPs) or PEG conjugates can be an effective way to overcome these disadvantages. We prepared two formulations, FA loaded in PLGA nanoparticles (NPs-FA) and FA conjugated to linear PEG (PEG-FA). The NPs-FA were characterised for size and zeta potential using particle size analyser and shape and morphology by using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The amount of drug loaded per mg of NPs and in-vitro release of FA from NPs were calculated using reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). NPs synthesis was optimized with factorial and Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Chemically synthesized PEG-FA conjugates were characterized using H-NMR and purity of the conjugate was analysed using RP-HPLC. Visualization of cellular uptake of NPs was done by coumarin-6 loaded NPs under fluorescent microscope. RAW 264.7 macrophages were treated with NPs-FA and PEG-FA conjugates to study their effectiveness in inhibiting TNF-α levels compared to free FA treatment. Stability test confirmed that FA is more stable within NPs than in free form. Particle size and zeta potential were found to be 183.6?±?12.47nm and ?25.6?±?4.4mV, respectively. 149.58?±?11.3µg of FA was encapsulated per mg of NPs and 61?µg of FA was present per mg of PEG-FA conjugate. In vitro drug release study showed a sustained release of FA from the NPs for a period of 30?days. Fluorescent microscope images showed uptake of NPs by RAW 264.7 cells. TNF-α assay confirmed that substantial inhibition of TNF-α levels from both formulations compared to free FA. From the results, we conclude that new formulations will greatly reduce drug dosage and frequency of administration for long term treatment of inflammation in posterior part of the eye.     

Dietary cancer risk from conditional cancerogens in produce of livestock fed on species of spurge (Euphorbiaceae)

Special procedures were developed to investigate poisonous milk of lactating goats fed experimentally on aerial parts of the herb Euphorbia peplus L. In extracts of the milk, weakly irritant in the mouse-ear assay, three diterpene ester toxins were detected by techniques of high-performance liquid chromatography. They are of the ingenane structural type: Euphorbia␣factor Pel (ingenol 20-acetate 3-angelate), Euphorbia factor Pe2 (20-deoxyingenol 3-angelate) and Euphorbia factor␣Pe4 (20-deoxyingenol-6α,7α-epoxide 3-angelate). From goats milk collected 15 days after cessation of the experimental feeding period, extracts were completely free of diterpene ester toxins. The toxins polluting the milk are identical to diterpene ester entities occurring in the aerial parts of E. peplus. Of these, Euphorbia factors Pe1 and Pe2 are known as promoters of tumors of mouse skin. Apart from the toxic Euphorbia factors, the non-toxic parent alcohol ingenol was also detected in the milk. It is absent in the plant, and may have been generated metabolically from a certain portion of the toxic diterpene esters picked up by the goats from their fodder. The results presented here provide, for the first time, data for a novel interpretation of the locally high incidence of esophageal cancer observed in certain areas in the Caspian littoral of Iran, associated with a greater consumption of goat's (and sheep's) milk. Received: 4 August 1997 / Accepted: 3 February 1998     

Estimation of fluoride concentration in drinking water and common beverages in United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Objective

To assess fluoride concentration in drinking water which include tap water of 4 emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman plus bottled water, commonly available soft drinks & juices in United Arab Emirates.

Intraocular involvement of Mantle cell lymphoma: A case report and literature review

Lymphomatous involvement of the ocular adnexal region (OAR) is generally rare; however, it constitutes the most common ocular malignancy. Most cases of ocular adnexal lymphomas are extra nodal marginal zone B cell lymphomas. Mantle cell lymphoma involvement (MCL) of the OAR is a less common presentation compared with other lymphomas and it has been reported anecdotally. Studies have suggested an association of OAR involvement with poor prognosis. Here, we report the case of a 61 year old man who started experiencing conjunctival erythema which was followed by development of bilateral proptosis. The diagnosis of Stage IV Mantle cell lymphoma with OAR involvement was confirmed 5 months after patient onset of symptomatology. He underwent treatment with systemic chemotherapy, which was followed by high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic cell transplant. He is currently day +100 from his transplant and is in complete remission. A review of the literature regarding ocular involvement of MCL is also summarized.