Differences in Reporting of Violence and Deliberate Self Harm Related Injuries to Health and Police Authorities, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Background: The aim of study was to assess differences in reporting of violence and deliberate self harm (DSH) related injuries to police and emergency department (ED) in an urban town of Pakistan. Methods/Principal Findings: Study setting was Rawalpindi city of 1.6 million inhabitants. Incidences of violence and DSH related injuries and deaths were estimated from record linkage of police and ED data. These were then compared to reported figures in both datasets. All persons reporting violence and DSH related injury to the police station, the public hospital\u27s ED, or both in Rawalpindi city from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008 were included. In Rawalpindi city, 1 016 intentional injury victims reported to police whereas 3 012 reported to ED. Comparing violence related fatality estimates (N = 56, 95% CI: 46–64), police reported 75.0% and ED reported 42.8% of them. Comparing violence related injury estimates (N = 7 990, 95% CI: 7 322–8 565), police reported 12.1% and ED reported 33.2% of them. Comparing DSH related fatality estimates (N = 17, 95% CI: 4–30), police reported 17.7% and ED reported 47.1% of them. Comparing DSH related injury estimates (N = 809, 95% CI: 101–1 516), police reported 0.5% and ED reported 39.9% of them. Conclusion: In Rawalpindi city, police records were more likely to be complete for violence related deaths as compared to injuries due to same mechanism. As compared to ED, police reported DSH related injuries and deaths far less than those due to other types of violence

Fall-related injuries in a low-income setting: Results from a pilot injury surveillance system in Rawalpindi, Pakistan

AbstractThis study assessed the characteristics and emergency care outcomes of fall-related injuries in Pakistan. This study included all fall-related injury cases presenting to emergency departments (EDs) of the three teaching hospitals in Rawalpindi city from July 2007 to June 2008. Out of 62,530 injury cases, 43.4% (N=27,109) were due to falls. Children (0–15years) accounted for about two out of five of all fall-related injuries. Compared with women aged 16–45years, more men of the same age group presented with fall-related injuries (50% vs. 42%); however, compared with men aged 45years or more, about twice as many women of the same age group presented with fall-related injuries (16% vs. 9%, P<0.001). For each reported death due to falls (n=57), 43 more were admitted (n=2443, 9%), and another 423 were discharged from the EDs (n=24,142, 91%). Factors associated with death or inpatient admission were: aged 0–15years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.35), aged 45years or more (aOR=1.94), male gender (aOR=1.15), falls occurring at home (aOR=3.38), in markets (aOR=1.43), on work sites (aOR=4.80), and during playing activities (aOR=1.68). This ED-based surveillance study indicated that fall prevention interventions in Pakistan should target children, older adult women, homes, and work sites

Incidences of deaths and injuries due to intentional injury type and mechanism in Rawalpindi city, (Jul 2007–Jun 2008).

<p>*Ascertainment rate (observed/estimate*100).</p><p>**Proportion matched (matched/aggregate*100).</p>†<p>Except deliberate self harm.</p>‡<p>Confidence intervals not estimated.</p

Map of Rawalpindi city consisting of 46 union councils.

<p>(Source: city district government web site).</p

Four-Year Study on Acute Poisoning Cases Admitted to a Tertiary Hospital in Bangladesh: Emerging Trend of Poisoning in Commuters

Background:The pattern of poisoning has a regional variability. This study was carried out to describe the epidemiological profile of acute poisoning in northeastern Bangladesh and to evaluate the mortality. Methods:In this retrospective cross-sectional study, medical records of poisoned patients treated at department of medicine of Sylhet M.A.G. Osmani Medical College Hospital, Sylhet, Bangladesh during 1st January 2008 to 31st December 2011 were reviewed. Patients aged 10 years and above with diagnosis of acute poisoning were included. Data collected were gender, age, place of residence, type of poison and intention of poisoning. Results:A total of 4435 (58.7% men) were included. Patients aged 21 to 30 years were the most common age group involved with poisoning (41.6%). The majority of patients (55.4%) lived in rural areas. Commuter poisoning (43.3%) was the most frequently occurring type of poisoning in both men and women in all 4 years followed by OP poisoning (25.7%). Men were found to be significantly more affected in commuter, organophosphate and alcohol poisoning (P < 0.001). Intention of poisoning in the greatest number of patients (54.5%) was suicidal followed by 1919 patients (43.3%) who were poisoned by homicidal/stupefying intents. Among the homicidal cases, men were significantly more victimized (67% vs. 33%, P < 0.001). Overall, 224 patients (5.1%) died. The highest number of deaths was due to OP poisoning (46.9%) followed by commuter poisoning (45.5%). Case fatality rate was the highest in the snakebite victims (23.3%) followed by alcohol poisoning (11.4%). Conclusion:Commuter or travel-related poisoning is an emerging public health threat in this part of Bangladesh. Public awareness should be raised and school-based educational programs should be emphasized regarding the commuter poisoning and the consequence of accepting and eating food from strangers

Food-induced anaphylaxis: causes, risk factors and clinical management

Globally, food processing patterns are becoming more sophisticated and modernized for meeting abrupt increase in demand of allegen free food. The stance of availability of allergens free food is a rather hectic task to implement and consumers most probably become prone to them. Anaphylaxis is a serious health-related syndrome due to the adverse response of immune system. It aggravates by the consumption of foods that contain allergens by ultimately activating basophils and mast cells. There are more or less ten prominent foods that trigger anaphylaxis after the ingestion. Hence, avoiding allergen-containing food can limit the proliferation of anaphylaxis. In this article, the occurrence of allergic reactions with respect to sex disparities, most probable food allergens, diagnostic approaches and its management are discussed

Comparative study of physicochemical and hedonic response of ginger rhizome and leaves enriched patties

International audienceThe present investigation was an attempt to compare the phytoceutic potential of ginger rhizome and ginger leaves of the Suravi variety. For this purpose, both rhizome and leaves were dried and used for the preparation of patties. After that, patties were assessed for colour tonality, texture, total phenolic content and hedonic response such as colour, taste, flavour, texture and overall acceptability. The results depicted that L* and b* values changed significantly during the storage interval; however, b* value was also affected by treatments whilst L* and a* values did not impart any momentous effect. For texture, the highest value was observed for patties with ginger rhizome powder (0.067 ± 0.0032 N) followed by patties with ginger leaf powder (0.060 ± 0.0029 N) and then control patties (0.057 ± 0.0026 N). For total phenolic content (TPC), maximum phenolic contents were observed as 84.80 ± 3.31 mg GAE 100 g–1 in treatment T2 followed by 75.68 ± 2.95 mg GAE 100 g–1 in T1 and 61.70 ± 2.41 mg GAE 100 g–1 in T0. For hedonic response, all the parameters changed significantly during the storage interval; however, flavour, taste and overall acceptability changed momentously with treatments. The findings of the current investigation demonstrated that ginger leaves have a higher antioxidant potential as compared to the ginger rhizome and control patties, and they should be incorporated into food products

Molecular simulation studies of 3,3′-Diindolylmethane as a Potent MicroRNA-21 Antagonist

Objective: In recent decades, the overexpression of microRNA-21 (miR-21) is found to be progressively linked with many diseases such as different types of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and inflammation. Thereby, it has become an attractive target for pharmacological and genetic modulation in various diseases, and also for overcoming the resistance to chemotherapy in several cancers. Here, in this study, the role of molecular therapeutics of 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) has been investigated for its ability to bind with the precursor miRNA as a target of miR-21 (hsa-mir-21), which may alter the catalyzation process of dicer, a RNase III enzyme, involved in miRNA transcription. Methods: In this context, the present study describes the potential binding and the structure alteration properties of DIM to precursor miR-21 (pre-miR-21) through Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics simulation techniques. Results: As a corollary, DIM formed both non-bonded and covalent interactions with the bases of pre-miR, while covalent interaction with guanine in the 6th position was found to be consensus in molecular dynamics simulation. Furthermore, the stability of both DIM and pre-miR-21 was found to be inversely correlated to each other in binding condition. Conclusion: This result indicates that DIM can be used in target-based therapy and also as a lead for further development of potent small molecule miRNA antagonist