53 research outputs found
Hypertension in a young boy: an energy drink effect
No full textAbstract Background Use of energy drinks has significantly increased in recent times. Besides athletes, teenagers and students are among the most common consumers. However, popularity is also increasing among the younger and older age groups. Most of the users believe that they are a good source of instant energy and are unaware of its high Caffeine content resulting in harmful effects on health. Case presentation We report the case of a young boy who presented with palpitations and high blood pressure as a result of energy drinks usage. He had been consuming a “Sting” energy drink on regular basis while studying for long hours during his O’ level Exams. His medical examination revealed Sinus tachycardia and high blood pressure. Rest of the examination and lab workup was within normal limits. His pulse and blood pressure returned to normal range after discontinuing Sting usage. Conclusion Several studies have reported numerous health hazards including cardiac effects associated with energy drinks. Warning labeling should be done on these drinks regulating the content of Caffeine and its harmful effects on health.</p
Characterization of spliceosome assembly in cyanidioschyzon merolae.
No full textPre-mRNA splicing is the removal of intervening sequences from pre-messenger RNA in a reaction catalyzed by the spliceosome, which contains five small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) and more than 100 proteins. Assembly of the spliceosome occurs in a highly ordered manner, making the spliceosome a very complex and dynamic particle. The spliceosome has been studied in yeast and humans but a simpler system would simplify splicing studies. Cyanidioschyzon merolae (Cm) has been shown to have a simpler spliceosome. The goal of this study was to characterize the Cm spliceosome beginning with the question of how large it is. To measure the size of the Cm spliceosome I used glycerol gradient centrifugation and assembly gels to study the assembly pathways. Lastly an attempt was made to study the components of Cm spliceosome by developing an assay in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) where small molecule inhibitors were used to stall the spliceososme, which could then be purified and its composition studied. --Leaf ii.The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b197654
Laughing with an Iranian American Woman: Firoozeh Dumas\u27s Memoirs and the (Cross-) Cultural Work of Humor
No full textThis essay critically analyzes Firoozeh Dumas\u27s humorous memoirs and situates them in the multiple contexts of post-9/11 Muslim American responses to Islamophobia, women\u27s humor, and Iranian American women\u27s life writing. Drawing on philosophical, feminist, ethnic, and contemporary scientific theories of humor and the methods of literary criticism, the author argues that Dumas employs the beneficial and inclusive (not malign and exclusive) positive mode of humorous personal storytelling to build connection through laughter via the emotional and cognitive shifts structurally central to humor. Dumas addresses multiple audiences and engages in important (cross-) cultural work in a particularly fraught political and cultural climate of anti-Muslim sentiment and tense Iran-U.S. relations
Effect of Intravenous Phloroglucinol Injections upon duration of Active First Stage of Labor
No full textObjective: In our part of the world poverty and illiteracy has adversely affected our core objective of pregnancy i.e. healthy mother and healthy child. Exploring the role of a routinely used drug in reducing the duration of labor could be a breakthrough. Present study was planned accordingly to evaluate the effect of phloroglucinol (PHL).
Materials and Methods: It was a Randomized controlled trial conducted at Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Combined Military Hospital, Bahawalpur from January 2019 to June 2019. This study included 60 cases of age 18 to 40 years, having singleton pregnancy and in active first stage of uncomplicated labor. Patients with history of multiple pregnancies, obstetrical and surgical complications and cardiorespiratory diseases were excluded. The cases were placed randomly into Group A & Group B and given intravenous PHL and a placebo respectively. After this, duration of the first stage of labor was recorded in minutes from when there was 3-4 cm cervical dilatation with regular uterine contractions to complete cervical dilation i.e. 10 cm and descent of the presenting fetal part.
Results: Mean duration of active first stage of labor in experimental group A (230.20 ± 52.96 minutes) was significantly higher than that of control group B (345.30 ± 50.57 minutes).
Conclusion: This study concluded that intravenous PHL has efficiently reduced the duration of active first stage of labor in these randomly selected nulliparous and multiparous women. PHL is a useful drug serving the purpose of a spasmolytic, analgesic and labor augmentation at the same time
The Prevalence & Severity of Depression in patients with chronic obstructive airway disease
No full textObjective: To determine the Prevalence & Severity of depression in Chronic Obstructive Airway Diseases (COPD) patients.
Background: Chronic Obstructive Airway Disease is a chronic heterogeneous disease that is also progressive. Depression is a common entity in chronic diseases. COPD causes long-term respiratory symptoms and depression is commonly found in these patients. The symptoms of these two diseases are overlapping and depression in COPD patients’ needs to be diagnosed and adequately treated. Untreated patients lead to poor control of respiratory symptoms and further deterioration of the illness. Our study aimed to determine prevalence and severity of depression in COPD patients using HAM-D score.
Material and Methods: This study was conducted in Medicine & Pulmonology OPD, Fuji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi from August 2019 to February 2021. Using a cross sectional study design, a total of 169 cases of COPD were recruited and tested for the presence of absence of depression using the HAM-D rating scale and observations were recorded.
Results: Total 169 patients recruited in this study with female & male percentage of 59% and 47% respectively. The Mean duration of illness was 11.5 years ± 6.48. The incidence of Anxiety & Depression was high (45% and 36%) in moderate to severe disease with total prevalence of 54 % among participants in the study.
Conclusion: Anxiety & depression is commonly prevalent in COPD patients. Female patients are found to have more psychological disturbance irrespective to their COPD severity. Psychological impairment must be carefully evaluated in patients having COPD.
Colonizing Kashmir: state-building under Indian occupation Colonizing Kashmir: state-building under Indian occupation , by Hafsa Kanjwal, Stanford, Stanford University Press, 2023, xiii + 366 pp., $32, ISBN 978-1-5036-3603-3
No full textKashmiri life is expendable for the Indian state. While the love for the land is close to national imaginaries, the people have been subjected to decades of abuse and violence, and infringement of their basic human rights. In this book, Hafsa Kanjwal delves into the history of Kashmir, tracing the role of two pivotal political figures – Sheikh Abdullah (1947–1953) and Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad (1953–1963) – and their relationship with the Indian project of state-building in Kashmir. The author characterizes this as the ‘politics of life’ (9), where the Indian government and client regimes in Kashmir have normalized occupation with the propagation of ‘development, empowerment and progress’ along with bureaucratic integration and the forging of affective intimate relationships with the people of the state. However, the politics of life and appeals to emotions did not mean that there was an absence of coercive measures used by the Indian state to shape conforming and confronting subjectivities
Mortality in Patients with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Lower and Higher Decaf Scores
No full textBackground: To determine diagnostic accuracy of DECAF score in predicting mortality in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease having DECAF score <4 and within 7 days of hospital admission keeping actual mortality as gold standard. Methods: In this cross sectional validation study, 146 Patients with COPD were selected from emergency and OPD of Fauji Foundation Hospital Rawalpindi presenting with signs and symptoms of acute exacerbation of COPD from 15 may 2017-15 Nov. 2017.The procedure began after taking informed consent of the patients. Clinical features documented and investigations were sent. The expense of all the tests was borne by the hospital administration and not the patient. A specially designed Performa was used for data collection. RESULTS: Mean age (years) in the study is 64.90+0.93. Patients with DECAF score of 1, 2 and 3 are (2.7+26+35.6 =64.3) are 64 %. The cases with DECAF score of 4 are 26.7% and the cases with DECAF score of 5 and 6 are 8.9%. DECAF score versus mortality with different age groups and duration of smoking gave reasonably high values of sensitivity and, specificity. Also the PPV and NPV values are appropriate. The minimum diagnostic accuracy is 71.23% indicating that this test is appropriate in predicting the true status of the cases.CONCLUSION: The study concludes that DECAF score is a useful predictor of mortality in patients admitted with acute exacerbation of COPD. Patients admitted in hospital with high DECAF score of should be admitted in intensive care unit because they may require invasive ventilation due to respiratory failure and high mortality. KEYWORDS: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, acute e
Energy drinks consumption practices among medical students of a Private sector University of Karachi, Pakistan
No full textConsumption of energy drinks has become popular among students and athletes over the past few years. To explore the phenomenon, a cross-sectional survey was conducted through a self-administered pilot-tested questionnaire. Frequency of energy drinks consumption was found to be 121(52%) in a sample of 233 medical students. Red bull was the most common brand consumed 101(43%). The major reasons reported for its usage were to gain/replenish energy by 36(15.4%), and studying for examination by 34(14.6%). Television was reported as the major source of information 153(66%) followed by friends 113(48%). There was a high frequency of energy drinks\u27 consumption among medical students of a private university. There is a strong need to create awareness regarding these drinks, especially among adolescents and teenagers
Correlation Between FEV1 (Forced Expiratory Volume in First Second) and Pulmonary Arterial Pressure among Patients of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
No full textBackground: To determine the relationship of Forced Expiratory Volume in first second (FEV1) with pulmonary arterial pressure among patients with chronic obstructive airway disease.Methods: In this cross sectional study 276 patients, using -0.17 correlation between FEV1 and pulmonary artery pressure with 95% confidence level and 80% power of test, were enrolled . All patients 40 years or above, diagnosed with COPD of minimum duration 3 years were included. Doppler Echocardiography for the measurement of pulmonary arterial pressure was done. All the patients were also subjected to spirometery for the measurement of forced expiratory volume in one second. Spearman’s RANK correlation test was applied to see the relationship between FEV1 and pulmonary arterial pressure. P value of < 0.05 was considered significant.Results: Mean age was 63.94+10.11 years. Mean duration of COPD was 13.19+5.15 years. The mean FEV1 (percent predicted) was 32.84+13.43. Among these 276 patients, 133 (48%) patients had Pulmonary Hypertension (PH). The mean PAP was 61.99 + 14.33. The correlation was calculated between FEV1 and PAP by using Pearson Correlation Coefficient and was found to be –0.406 (p=0.000).Conclusion: Increase in severity of COPD (as measured by falling FEV1) is strongly correlated with increasing severity of pulmonary artery pressure and thus warrants echocardiographic screening of COPD cases with mild to very serious disease
Comparison of the Efficacy of Duloxetine Versus Pregabalin for Pain Relief of Neuropathy in Diabetics
No full textBackground: Neuropathy is a common complication in diabetic patients with clinical manifestations of feet and hands paresthesia, pain in the lower legs, and a burning sensation in the soles. A wide variety of medications are used for diabetic neuropathy with varying degrees of pain relief reported. The study objective was to compare the efficacy of duloxetine versus pregabalin for pain relief of neuropathy in diabetics.
Methods: The study was a six-week, single-blind, Randomized Controlled Trial conducted at HBS Medical and Dental College and Hospital in Islamabad. Patients were randomly designated to either of the groups (A or B) with 50 participants in each group. Group A received 150mg of pregabalin twice a day while group B received 60mg of duloxetine once a day. Pain relief was the primary outcome which was considered as a ≥ 50% decrease in pain score on the Visual Analog Scale at 6 weeks from baseline.
Results: A total of 100 diabetic patients were registered in the study. The mean age in groups A&B was 48.36 and 50.56 SD± 6.64) years respectively. The majority of the study population were males 39 (78%) and 42 (84%) in both groups. A total of 66% (n=33) in Group A and 74% (n=37) of the patients in Group B achieved pain relief. A comparison of the pain relief achieved between the two groups showed no statistical significance (p-value 0.383).
Conclusion: The study revealed that duloxetine and pregabalin are both efficacious in terms of pain relief for diabetic neuropathy in our population
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