How to Read a Book in Five Minutes?

When you are engaged in a research thesis, you will normally have to understand a great deal of published material of various kinds. If you attempt literally to read all of this it will take you ages. Most likely, you simply will not have the time to do so on top of all of your other plans and responsibilities. So, you will have to be much more selective in your reading of most of it. For example, is it possible? Can you read a books, reports and articles quickly and effectively for research purposes? Can you get to the gist of the argument and pull out the material or details you want within minutes

Minimal excision technique for epidermoid (sebaceous) cysts

This issue of eMedRef provides information to clinicians on the indications, procedures and follow up for the minimal excision technique for epidermoid (sebaceous) cysts

Informativeness of St14 VNTR Polymorphic Marker in the Carrier Detection of Hemophilia A

Hemophilia A is the most common hereditary severe disorder of blood clotting. In families affected with hemophilia, genetic analysis provides opportunities to prevent recurrence of the disease. This study establishes a diagnostic strategy for carrier-ship determination in Pakistani population using an extragenic polymorphic marker for the first time. The analysis of St14 VNTR (DXS52) was carried out by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), in order to determine its informativeness in terms of heterozygosity in Pakistani population. This may be a milestone for further analysis of other polymorphic markers for carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis of hemophilia. Seventy eight blood samples (Hemophiliac = 23, Normal = 55) from 15 families were analyzed for determining informativeness of St14 VNTR in carrier detection of hemophilia A. A total of nine alleles (2400, 2100, 1750, 1690, 1630, 1570, 1390, 1300, 1220 bp) was detected in the pool of subjects. 19 out of 40 females were found to be carriers with respect to the St14 VNTR polymorphic marker. The marker was informative in 73.33% of families. The expected heterozygosity rate of the St14 VNTR was 0.86 while the observed heterozygosity was 0.7. This shows that St14 VNTR is 70% informative in our population, allowing it to be a useful marker in carrier detection, as informativeness is the direct reflection of heterozygosity of a polymorphic marker

Y Chromosome Microdeletions in Pakistani Infertile Men

Objective: To determine the prevalence of Y chromosome microdeletions in Pakistani idiopathic infertile men, using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Patients and Methods: A case control study was conducted on the infertile male patients attending OPD’s of Aziz Medical Hospital and National Center for Fertility Control, Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center (JPMC), Karachi. A total of 220 primary infertile men, of which 150 (68.2%) had azoospermia, 40 (18.2%) had severe oligozoospermia and 30 (13.6%) had oligozoospermia and 220 fertile men as control group were studied. Six sequence-tagged sites: sY84 and sY86 for AZFa, sY127 and sY134 for AZFb, and sY254 and sY255 for AZFc were used for amplification of the azoospermia factor region of Y chromosome according to the recommendations of European Academy of Andrology and the European Quality Monitoring Network Group. Results: Yq microdeletions were found in (12) 5.45% cases, while none in the control group (p =<0.007). All the microdeletions were found in azoospermics 12/150 (8.0%). Among patients with microdeletions, the AZFa region was found to be deleted in 1 (8.33%), AZFb in 2 (16.67%), AZFc in 6 (50%), AZFb+c in 2 (16.67%) and complete AZF deletions in 1 (8.33%) patients. Identification of Y chromosome microdeletions in Pakistani infertile males was found to have significant diagnostic and prognostic value and provides useful information for genetic counseling in patients choosing assisted reproductive treatment

GASTROPROTECTIVE POTENTIAL OF LASIA SPINOSA IN ALBINO RATS

Objective: The intent of the present study was to assess the gastroprotective impact of Lasia spinosa leaf ethanolic concentrate (LSEE) by method of Indomethacin and Cold Restrain stress induced Ulcers in Albino rats. Lasia spinosa is a plant found in Assam on rough slope top of dry deciduous timberlands.Methods: Indomethacin 5mg/kg body weight p. o; for five days and Cold restraint stress models, were utilized for actuating gastric ulcers in rats. Biochemical parameters such as Glutathione, Malondialdehyde, acidity, Gastric volume, gastric pH were determined in order to assess the gastro protective activity of LSEE in both the models.Results: Treatment of rats with Indomethacin and subjecting them to Cold restraint stress (CRS) elevated the levels of Gastric volume, acidity, Glutathione, Malondialdehyde and gastric pH in negative control group in comparison with normal group. The elevated levels were significantly reversed when treated with standard drug Ranitidine 50 mg/kg body weight p. o; and Lasia spinosa leaf ethanolic extracts (LSEE).Conclusion: All in all it can be expressed that Lasia spinosa leaf ethanolic concentrates demonstrated a critical inversion of ulcerative parameters. It could be imagined that it applies its action because of the vicinity of flavonoids which have been accounted for to secure the mucosa by development of a defensive layer.Â

Diagnostic Utility of Ultrasound in Acute Appendicitis in Correlation with Total Leukocyte Count

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic utility of ultrasound (US) in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in correlation with totalleukocyte count (TLC).Materials and Methods: This cross sectional comparative study was conducted at the Radiology and Pathology Departmentsof CMH Lahore from 1st February 2007 to 31st January 2008. A total of 125 suspectedpatientsof appendicitis were included inthe study through non-probability purposive sampling. They all underwent US evaluation and laboratory assessment (TLC).Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of US findings and TLC werecalculated keeping surgical findings and histopathology of the removed appendix as gold standard whenever appendecectomywas carried out.Results:Among 62 patients finally proven to be suffering from acute appendicitis US correctly diagnosed the same in 55 (89%),whereas a normal appendix was visualized in 30 (48%) out of the remaining 63 non – appendicitis patients. The most accurateappendiceal finding for appendicitis was adiameter of 6 mm or larger, with a sensitivity of 96%, specificity of 97%,NPV of98%, and PPV of 98%.The lack of visualization of the appendixwith US had a NPV of 82%. An increase in TLC had a PPVof 66%, whereas normal TLC had a NPV of 73% whereas those of US were 96% and 90% respectively. By utilizing US as anadjunct to clinical evaluation, negative appendectomy rate was lessened to 3.2%.Conclusion: US have better diagnostic utility than TLC in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis

Toe-tourniquet syndrome: A rare potentially devastating entity

Toe-tourniquet syndrome is a rare and commonly misdiagnosed condition caused by a hair or a fiber wrapped around digits (fingers and toes). A four months baby girl who was crying and presented with redness and swelling at her 2nd and 3rd toes of right foot. Child had red and swollen 2nd and 3rd toes of right foot with hair end protruding through wounds. Constricting hairs were cut and removed. Toetourniquet syndrome is a rare entity which is caused by hair wrapped around a toe or a digit. Diagnosis is mostly clinical. In order to prevent this condition to happen, education of parents and clinicians is a cornerstone

Assessing the Perception of Academicians about Organizational and Personal Aspects of Job Stress and Performance: A Qualitative Study

Performance of academicians negatively associated with job stress and many other factors most obvious are institutional and personal characteristics of academia. Academia performs assigned tasks within their position and expected roles at universities. Qualitative research study was conducted to assess the perception of academicians about organizational and personal aspects. A purposive sample of 60 participants as academia heads and academia (teachers) from eight public sector universities were targeted. Semi-structured face to face and telephonic interviews were conducted by using interview guide/checklist with open statements for getting different perception and working experience of academia heads as (Deans, Department Heads, InCharge), and of academia (teachers). Data were recorded in the form of mobile recorder and written notes. Transcripts were written and thematic analysis was used to analyze the data for important themes relevant to research objectives. Results of research shows that academia heads assign different tasks to academia, sometime oppose the interest of academia, may create stressful situation. Academia heads have diverse responsibilities to take part in different activities to obtain institutional goals, based on their domain, also face some stress. It was suggested that academia heads must assign work according to academia interest; knowledge and domain, also need to take investigate reasons of disappointment among academia. Work overload and autonomy need urgent concentration

Comparative bioavailability analysis of oral alendronate sodium formulations in Pakistan

Alendronate sodium, a bisphosphonate drug, it is used to treat osteoporosis and other bone diseases. The present study was designed to conduct comparative bioavailability analysis of oral formulations of alendronate sodium through an open-label, randomized, 2-sequence, 2-period crossover study. Healthy adult male Pakistani volunteers received a single 70 mg dose of the test or reference formulation of alendronate sodium followed by a 7 day washout period. Plasma drug concentrations were determined using a validated HPLC post column fluorescence derivatization method. AUC0-t, AUC0-8, Cmax and Tmax were determined by non-compartmental analysis and were found within the permitted range of 80% to 125% set by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Results show that both in vitro and in vivo assays of all test brands were within the specification of the US Pharmacopoeial limits and were statistically bioequivalent. No adverse events were reported in this study

Bioinformatics: A Way Forward to Explore “Plant Omics”

Bioinformatics, a computer-assisted science aiming at managing a huge volume of genomic data, is an emerging discipline that combines the power of computers, mathematical algorithms, and statistical concepts to solve multiple genetic/biological puzzles. This science has progressed parallel to the evolution of genome-sequencing tools, for example, the next-generation sequencing technologies, that resulted in arranging and analyzing the genome-sequencing information of large genomes. Synergism of “plant omics” and bioinformatics set a firm foundation for deducing ancestral karyotype of multiple plant families, predicting genes, etc. Second, the huge genomic data can be assembled to acquire maximum information from a voluminous “omics” data. The science of bioinformatics is handicapped due to lack of appropriate computational procedures in assembling sequencing reads of the homologs occurring in complex genomes like cotton (2n = 4x = 52), wheat (2n = 6x = 42), etc., and shortage of multidisciplinary-oriented trained manpower. In addition, the rapid expansion of sequencing data restricts the potential of acquisitioning, storing, distributing, and analyzing the genomic information. In future, inventions of high-tech computational tools and skills together with improved biological expertise would provide better insight into the genomes, and this information would be helpful in sustaining crop productivities on this planet