Intradiploic epidermoid cyst overlying the torcula: A surgical challenge

Intradiploic tumours are rare, slow growing tumours that can present in many different ways, including a painless lump, tenderness, headache and rarely with focal neurological signs. The authors present the case of a gentleman in whom the tumour presented in an unusual location and presented a surgical challenge. The major take home message from this case report is that an epidermoid cyst overlying the torcula is to be approached with great caution and care and is without doubt a surgical challenge

Impact of today\u27s media on university student\u27s body image in Pakistan: a conservative, developing country\u27s perspective

Background: Living in a world greatly controlled by mass media makes it impossible to escape its pervading influence. As media in Pakistan has been free in the true sense of the word for only a few years, its impact on individuals is yet to be assessed. Our study aims to be the first to look at the effect media has on the body image of university students in a conservative, developing country like Pakistan. Also, we introduced the novel concept of body image dissatisfaction as being both negative and positive. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 7 private universities over a period of two weeks in the city of Karachi, Pakistan\u27s largest and most populous city. Convenience sampling was used to select both male and female undergraduate students aged between 18 and 25 and a sample size of 783 was calculated. Results: Of the 784 final respondents, 376 (48%) were males and 408 (52%) females. The mean age of males was 20.77 (+/-1.85) years and females was 20.38 (+/-1.63) years. Out of these, 358 (45.6%) respondents had a positive BID (body image dissatisfaction) score while 426 (54.4%) had a negative BID score. Of the respondents who had positive BID scores, 93 (24.7%) were male and 265 (65.0%) were female. Of the respondents with a negative BID score, 283 (75.3%) were male and 143 (35.0%) were female. The results for BID vs. media exposure were similar in both high and low peer pressure groups. Low media exposure meant positive BID scores and vice versa in both groups (p \u3c 0.0001) showing a statistically significant association between high media exposure and negative body image dissatisfaction. Finally, we looked at the association between gender and image dissatisfaction. Again a statistically significant association was found between positive body image dissatisfaction and female gender and negative body image dissatisfaction and male gender (p \u3c 0.0001). Conclusions: Our study confirmed the tendency of the media to have an overall negative effect on individuals\u27 body image. A striking feature of our study, however, was the finding that negative body image dissatisfaction was found to be more prevalent in males as compared to females. Likewise, positive BID scores were more prevalent amongst females

Palinopsia from a posteriorly placed glioma - an insight into its possible causes

Palinopsia is a distortion of processing in the visual system in which images persist or recur after the visual stimulus has been removed. It is a dysfunction of the association areas at the junction of temporal, occipital and parietal lobes and can be triggered by any lesion or dysfunction in this region. Here, the authors report the case of a Patient with a glioma involving this region of the brain, who presented with palinopsia that subsequently disappeared once the tumour was surgically debulked. In the few cases of palinopsia that have been published so far, no such case has ever been reported. Furthermore, we took an insight into this rare and elusive phenomenon\u27s causes and suggested Bayesian inference as a possible cause. The authors also mentioned visual evoked potentials as a useful test to be considered in future palinoptic Patients

Impact of today's media on university student's body image in Pakistan: a conservative, developing country's perspective

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Living in a world greatly controlled by mass media makes it impossible to escape its pervading influence. As media in Pakistan has been free in the true sense of the word for only a few years, its impact on individuals is yet to be assessed. Our study aims to be the first to look at the effect media has on the body image of university students in a conservative, developing country like Pakistan. Also, we introduced the novel concept of body image dissatisfaction as being both negative and positive.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional study was conducted among 7 private universities over a period of two weeks in the city of Karachi, Pakistan's largest and most populous city. Convenience sampling was used to select both male and female undergraduate students aged between 18 and 25 and a sample size of 783 was calculated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 784 final respondents, 376 (48%) were males and 408 (52%) females. The mean age of males was 20.77 (+/- 1.85) years and females was 20.38 (+/- 1.63) years. Out of these, 358 (45.6%) respondents had a positive BID (body image dissatisfaction) score while 426 (54.4%) had a negative BID score. Of the respondents who had positive BID scores, 93 (24.7%) were male and 265 (65.0%) were female. Of the respondents with a negative BID score, 283 (75.3%) were male and 143 (35.0%) were female. The results for BID vs. media exposure were similar in both high and low peer pressure groups. Low media exposure meant positive BID scores and vice versa in both groups (p < 0.0001) showing a statistically significant association between high media exposure and negative body image dissatisfaction. Finally, we looked at the association between gender and image dissatisfaction. Again a statistically significant association was found between positive body image dissatisfaction and female gender and negative body image dissatisfaction and male gender (p < 0.0001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our study confirmed the tendency of the media to have an overall negative effect on individuals' body image. A striking feature of our study, however, was the finding that negative body image dissatisfaction was found to be more prevalent in males as compared to females. Likewise, positive BID scores were more prevalent amongst females.</p

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) biomass in Malaysia: The present and future prospects

Oil palm industry is the largest contributor of biomass in Malaysia. Oil palm biomass are constantly generated in large quantities annually with a small fraction being converted into value added product while a large percentage are left underutilized. Several researchers have reported the various technologies available for the conversion of oil palm biomass into useful bio-products, including bio-fuel, biogas, bio-fertilizers, bio-composite and briquettes. In general, these technologies are either underutilized or inadequate for full conversion of these abundantly available biomass, hence, there is an urgent need for upgrading of such technologies. This review article highlights the availability of oil palm biomass in Malaysia, the chemical compositions, as well as a brief description of current technologies for converting oil palm biomass into value added products. The review also outlines a summary of the various products obtained from oil palm biomass. Steps to achieve maximum utilization of biomass from oil palm industry are also proposed