PAEDIATRIC RETINOBLASTOMA PRESENTATION IN A REGIONAL CANCER CENTRE IN PAKISTAN

Purpose: Retinoblastoma (RB) is a common paediatric intraocular tumour. In the developed world, RB accounts for <5% of all paediatric cancers. In the developing world, RB may comprise about 10–15% of all diagnosed paediatriccancers according to hospital-based retrospective study in India.Methods: Medical records for all diagnoses of RB at our regional cancer centre were retrospectively reviewed from January 2005 to September 2015 after IRB approval.Results: A total of 258 (100%) patient charts were reviewed. More male n = 163 (63.2%) patients were seen than females n = 95 (36.8%). Most patients were diagnosed before the age of 5 years. Positive family history was seenin 20 (7.8%) patients. The total number of bilateral disease was seen in 75 (29.1%) patients and 183 (70.9%) had unilateral diagnoses. Median age at presentation was 24 months for bilateral and 36 months for unilateral disease.Conclusions: The median age at presentation shows a significant delay in the establishment of diagnosis for both unilateral and bilateral RB. Compared to western data, there were a higher number of male patients seen. Financialconstraints, access to primary health care, lack of trained personnel and cultural practices are likely factors, leading to delayed presentation and advanced disease state.Key words: Retinoblastoma, ocular tumours, leukocori

EFFECTS OF AEROBIC EXERCISE PROTOCOL ON HIGH DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN HDL LEVEL AMONG YOUNG ADULTS; AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Purpose: Exercise has paramount significant in the life of individuals. But unfortunately, very few studies have been conducted in Pakistan regarding the effects of exercise upon HDL level. Therefore, the present study was subjected to evaluate the effects of six (06) weeks supervised aerobic exerciseprotocol on High Density Lipoprotein among young adults aged between 35-40 years. Materials: Twenty-Four (24) volunteer untrained young adults from within the Bannu City and allied areas were selected as subjects’ age range between 35- 40 years. Keeping into consideration, the present study was supported with pre and post experimental research method. The six (06) weeks aerobic exercise protocol was used to collect relevant data on the selected dependent variable. The High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) of the subjects were measured with the help of CHOD PAP method. The results were than recorded in figures. The pre and post test data on the selected criterion variables were collected by administering the test as per the standardized procedures before and after the six weeks of the training program. Results: After the aerobic exercise protocol, the subjects of CG exhibited no significant difference in HDL (P>0.05). According to the analyzed data, the P=value was recorded as .709 that is higher than the standard value of 0.05. Upon these data, the researcher found that after the aerobic exercise protocol, no significant difference between exhibited between pre- and post-intervention quantities of HDL of Experimental Group (P>0.05). Conclusions: Based on the analyzed data, it can be interpreted that aerobic exercise helped in increasing HDL of Experimental Group. The increase in HLD is considered as good because the increase in HDL helps in preventing the heart valves from stroke and heart attack

Economic analysis and optimization for bio-hydrogen production from oil palm waste via steam gasification

Biomass steam gasification with in-situ carbon dioxide capture using CaO exhibits good prospects for the production of hydrogen rich gas. In Malaysia, due to abundance of palm waste, it is a good candidate to be used as a feedstock for hydrogen production. The present work focuses on the mathematical modeling of detailed economic analysis and cost minimization of the flowsheet design for hydrogen production from palm waste using MATLAB. The influence of the operating parameters on the economics is performed. It is predicted that hydrogen cost decreasing by increasing both temperature and steam/biomass ratio. Meanwhile, the hydrogen cost increases when increasing sorbent/biomass ratio. Cost minimization solves to give optimum cost of 1.9105 USD/kg with hydrogen purity, hydrogen yield, hydrogen efficiency and thermodynamic efficiency are 79.9 mol%, 17.97 g/hr, 81.47% and 79.85% respectively. The results indicate that this system has the potential to offer low production cost for hydrogen production from palm waste

Parametric study on the heating values of products as via steam gasification of palm waste using CaO as sorbent material

In Malaysia, due to abundance of oil palm waste, it is a good candidate to be used as a feedstock for syngas and hydrogen production. Biomass steam gasification is one of the promising methods for syngas production. This work focuses on the steam gasification with in-situ CO2 capture using CaO as absorbent materials for hydrogen production from palm oil empty fruit bunch (EFB). Three parameters (temperature, steam/biomass ratio and sorbent/biomass ratio) has been studied on the lower heating value (LHV) and higher heating value (HHV) of product gas. The results shows that the current study gives higher value of LHV at lower temperature of 823K. The higher value of LHV is obtained due to the lower concentration of CO2 caused by using CaO as sorbent material. Furthermore, CaO materials enhanced the concentration of concentration of the CO, H2 and CH4 in the product gas. The results are also compared against published data as well

Comparative Analysis of Fly Ash-based Geopolymer Concrete and Ordinary Portland Cement Concrete

In Pakistan, the high year-over-year growth in the construction industry has led to a significant increase in the cost of construction materials, particularly cement. To reduce the cost of construction, alternative materials need to be sought. In Pakistan, approximately one million tons of fly ash are generated each year from coal-fired thermal power stations. A sample of fly ash was obtained from the 125 Megawatts Coal Fired Power Station Lakhra in Khanot, Hyderabad, Sindh Pakistan.A study was conducted on fly ash-based geopolymer concrete, using test data to identify the factors that influence its properties and to develop a simple method for designing geopolymer concrete mixtures. The mix design for fly ash was carried out using the standard ACI method. Various trial mixes were prepared using arbitrary ratios of cementitious materials, fine and coarse aggregates. The compressive strength of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete was 64% and 57% for geopolymer concrete (GPC) after 7 days. At 14 days, the strength of OPC was 83% and 76% for GPC. The strength of OPC reached 97% after 28 days, while GPC reached 91%

CORRELATION OF BODY MASS INDEX WITH SELECTED PHYSICAL FITNESS PARAMETERS AMONG ADOLESCENTS OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation of Body Mass Index and Postural balance, Handgrip Strength, Speed and Agility among school going children (Boys), aging 11 to 15 years from secondary schools of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Studies are evident that the fitness level of today’s youth is becoming center of interest, as 12% of the total population of the world is obese, 33% are suffering from hypertension, and 10% of the adults are diabetic. This scenario is compelling the world leaders and policy makers to focus on enhancing the health and fitness of their youth. The sample of 1595 children (11 to 15years of age) was taken from eight districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The analysis showed mean values of 17.43 + 3.25 kg/m2for BMI, 8.83+ 4.7for postural balance in unipodal support (falls per minute (FPM)), 31.18 + 15.63 for hand grip strength, and 13.51+ 1.22 sec for the 10 x 5m Shuttle Run(SR). BMI was found inversely correlated with FPM (r= -0.049, P=0.039); and SR r= -.141, P< 0.001) and directly correlated with HGS r = .219, P<0.001.The average BMI being a predictor of wellbeing of the sampled population is relatively low for unknown reasons but it has been assumed that the physical development of children as per national education policy has not been properly visualized and poorly implemented, therefore, serious efforts required at national level to review and revisit the entire physical development plan of the children