RETRACTED: A study of the attitudes of the teacher educators towards secondary school teacher education programme in Pakistan

This article has been retracted at the request of the Author. Please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy).Reason: This article was not presented at the 2010 World Conference on Educational Sciences and therefore should not have been included in this issue

SEPARATION AND ANALYSIS OF PRESERVATIVES IN SKINCARE CREAMS BY HIGH TEMPERATURE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY AND SUBCRITICAL WATER CHROMATOGRAPHY

Preservatives are chemicals with antimicrobial activity commonly added to foods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics in order to prolong products' shelf life and to protect the consumer from potential infection. Parabens, the most widely used preservatives worldwide are a family of alkyl esters of para-hydroxybenzoic acid. The most widely marketed para-hydroxybenzoic acid esters are methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl parabens. Their microbial activity increases as the alkyl chain increases. Parabens are reported to have weak estrogen-like properties. According to Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR), limit up to 0.4% (single paraben) or up to 0.8% (mixtures of parabens) can be added to the cosmetic products. Therefore, to monitor the levels of preservatives in cosmetic products is important.  High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is the most commonly used separation and analysis technique for the determination of preservative in skincare creams. HPLC involves a consumption of large quantities of organic solvents in the mobile phase. These HPLC organic solvents are toxic, expensive for purchasing as well as their proper disposal.   At ambient temperature, water is too polar to serve as a sole chromatographic solvent. Fortunately, at elevated temperatures and under moderate pressures, the polarity of water significantly decreases and liquid water behaves more like an organic solvent. Thus, high-temperature water can mimic organic solvent-water mixtures used in HPLC to achieve liquid chromatographic separation.   The goal of this research is to develop high temperature liquid chromatography (HTLC) and subcritical water chromatography (SBWC) methods for the separation and analysis of preservatives in skincare creams to either reduce or completely eliminate the consumption of the harmful organic solvents used in traditional HPLC. A ZirChrom®-DiamondBond-C18 column was used in this study to carry out the separation of preservatives. Preservatives studied include benzyl alcohol, 2-phenoxyethanol, methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl paraben. Quantitative analysis of preservatives in three Olay® skincare creams was achieved by HTLC and SBWC. The recoveries obtained by HTLC and SBWC are efficient. The major advantage of HTLC and SBWC techniques is the reduction or elimination of organic solvents used in traditional HPLC.  M.S

Comparison of haemodynamic effects of lateral and sitting positions during induction of spinal anaesthesia for elective caesarean section

Background: Spinal anaesthesia avoids the problems associated with general anaesthesia such as airway manipulation, polypharmacy, postoperative respiratory problems, and cognitive dysfunction. It can be given in lateral and sitting positions. The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of induction position for spinal anaesthesia in elective caesarean section on hemodynamic, sensory and motor block characteristics and patient satisfaction.Methods: 120 ASA physical status I and II patients undergoing elective caesarean section were randomized to receive spinal anaesthesia in the lateral position or the sitting position. Hyperbaric bupivacaine (0.5%) was injected into the spinal space while the patients were either in sitting or lateral position at L3-L4 level. Effects on hemodynamic parameters, sensory block and motor block characteristics and patient satisfaction were analysed.Results: Demographic characteristics did not seem to have any impact on the overall outcome of the study. Induction position for spinal anaesthesia does not affect the hemodynamic parameters and incidence of side effects when adequate preloading is done. There was no statistically significant difference in the sensory level and motor level achieved. However lateral position appears to be more comfortable than sitting position (P <0.001).Conclusions: Inducing position for spinal anaesthesia did not affect haemodynamic stability and block characteristics in both the groups except that patients feel more comfortable in lateral position

Peri-ictal Water Drinking in an Omani Patient with Bilateral Mesial Temporal Sclerosis

Peri-ictal water drinking (PIWD) is a rare vegetative manifestation of temporal lobe epilepsy without a definite lateralization value. We report a case of PIWD in a 22-year-old Omani man with post-concussion syndrome and epilepsy presented to a tertiary care hospital in Muscat, Oman in 2021 for evaluation of paroxysmal events. His behaviour of PIWD was misinterpreted by his family until characterized in the epilepsy-monitoring unit as a manifestation of epilepsy that was treated medically. To our knowledge, this is the second reported case in our region. Keywords: Peri-ictal water drinking, Ictal Spitting, Epilepsy, Autonomic

EFFECT OF BIOVET AND PROBIOTIC (BM-TECHNOLOGY) ON MILK PRODUCTION IN LACTATING BUFFALOES

This trial was conducted for a period of 90 days at the Livestock Experiment Station, Bahadurnagar, Okara, Pakistan during September - November, 2002. Eighteen lactating buffaloes were divided into three groups A, B and C, with six animals in each group. Animals of Group A were fed a concentrate ration with 2 ml of Biovet per kg of feed, while those of Group B were fed an experimental ration having probiotic 500 gms in 100 kg of concentrate mixture. The Group C animals served as control group. The average daily milk yield was 7.60, 7.39 and 6.15 litres in groups A, B and C, respectively. The corresponding values for milk fat were 7.60, 7.39 and 6.15 percent. The daily feed intakes for concentrate mixture were 4.36, 4.38 and 4.41 kg, while fodder intakes were 35.28, 35.29 and 37.46 kg in respective groups. The values for feed efficiency per kg were 1.70, 1.75 and 2.14 on dry matter basis, 0.197, 0.203 and 0.251 on crude protein basis, while 1.05, 1.08 and 1.35 on TDN basis in Groups A, B and C, respectively. It was also observed that under same feeding and management conditions, the lactating buffaloes supplemented with Biovet (Group A) produced more milk @ 1.45 litres per day, while Group B buffaloes supplemented with probiotic produced 1.22 litres more milk per day than Group C. There was a significant (P<0.05) difference in milk yield between groups A and C, and B and C, while these differences were not significant for average daily feed intake and feed efficiency on crude protein basis. The Biovet (BM-Technology) has favourable effect on milk yield and feed efficiency due to beneficial micro-organisms (BM) and combined function for increased digestibility of concentrate mixture and fodder in lactating buffaloes

Diabetes and Stroke: More than just accelerated atherosclerosis?

Editoria

Total hip replacement in a black hip: a case report and review of literature

Alkaptonuria is a rare metabolic disease leading to the accumulation of a blue-black pigment namely homogentisic acid in the cartilaginous tissue and body fluids giving them a black color. It is an autosomal recessive disease due to the deficiency of the hepatic enzyme oxidase which results in the accumulation of homogentisic acid in the skin, cartilage, and collagenous tissue giving them a black color. Herein we report a case of 65 years old gentleman who presented to our emergency department post domestic fall on his left hip, after which pain and swelling developed around the left hip and he was unable to bear weight with restricted mobility around the same

Eating Epilepsy in Oman : A case series and report on the efficacy of temporal lobectomy

Eating epilepsy (EE), where seizures are triggered by eating, is rare and has not been reported in the Gulf region. In EE, the ictal semiology includes partial or generalised seizures. Focal brain changes on imaging, if present, are often confined to the temporal lobe or perisylvian region. Therapeutic options, especially in those patients who are refractory to pharmacotherapy, have not been well-established. We report a series of five patients with EE from Oman, a country located in the eastern part of the Arabian Gulf region, and highlight the usefulness of temporal lobectomy in one patient who had medically-intractable EE. Surgical intervention could be considered as a potential therapeutic option in carefully selected patients with medically-intractable seizures

Rotating hinge knee as a means of limb salvage in a patient operated on five times for periprosthetic joint infection: from despairs of darkness to lights of joy!

The demand for revision knee arthroplasty is increasing daily with the increase in the number of patients undergoing primary knee arthroplasty. The aim of revision arthroplasty therefore should be the restoration of the mechanical alignment of the limb with the restoration of joint line and biomechanics and these goals should be accomplished with the least possible use of constrained implants which otherwise depends on the degree of bone defects and integrity of collateral ligaments. We have hereby reported a case of a 51-year-old lady operated on five times before who was financially drained, mentally and psychologically depressed with the patient and her relative’s considering amputation of the limb as a last resort

Ethyl 7-(2-chloro­phen­yl)-5-trifluoro­meth­yl-4,7-dihydro-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-6-carboxyl­ate

In the title compound, C15H12ClF3N4O2, the dihydro­pyrimidine ring exhibits an envelope conformation. The dihedral angle between the mean planes of the dihydro­pyrimidine and phenyl rings is 83.94 (6)°. The OCH2CH3 group is disordered over two sites with occupancies of 0.155 (3) and 0.845 (3). The crystal packing is stabilized by inter­molecular N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds