Income inequality and population health in Islamic countries

OBJECTIVES

To undertake a fresh examination of the relationship between income inequality and population health for a group of Islamic countries using recent information derived from data resource sites from the World Bank and Islamic countries.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional data on different measures of income distribution (prosperity, health care, women's role and environment) and indicators of population health were used to illuminate this issue.

METHODS

The relationship between income inequality and population health for a group of Islamic countries was tested using recent information derived from data resource sites from the World Bank and Islamic countries. After consideration of previous studies, seven dependent variables were determined and tested in six equation formats.

RESULTS

According to the equations, the urban population percentage and gross domestic product are the most important significant variables that affect life expectancy and the infant mortality rate in Islamic countries. The income distribution coefficient, regardless of the type of measure, was almost insignificant in all equations.

CONCLUSIONS

In selected Islamic countries, income level has a positive effect on population health, but the level of income distribution is not significant. Among the other dependent variables (e.g. different measures of income distribution, health care, role of women and environment), only environment and education had significant effects. Most of the Islamic countries studied are considered to be poorly developed.

Biosorption of copper from wastewater by activated carbon preparation from alga Sargassum sp

In this study, the batch removal of copper(II) ions from an aqueous solution and wastewater using marine brown alga Sargassum sp. was investigated. Activated carbon prepared from Sargassum sp. by acid decomposition was also used for the removal of copper from the aqueous solution and wastewater. Activated carbon-prepared marine algae were used as a low-cost sorbent. The effect of pH, biosorption time, adsorbent dose and metal ion concentration were considered. The most effective pH was found to be 4.0. The biosorption capacities were pH dependent on the solution and the maximum uptake for copper with initial concentrations of 70, 100 and 150 mg L(-1) at pH 4.0 were obtained as 95.68, 95.09 and 94.83%, respectively. Total metal ion biosorption occurs within 2 h. The equilibrium adsorption data are fitted to Lomgmuir and Frendlich isotherm models. Both models represent the experimental data satisfactorily. The adsorption follows second-order kinetics. This study shows that the use of activated carbon is a valuable material for the removal of copper from aqueous solutions and wastewater, and a better substitute for use in activated marine brown algae.

Treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome with clonidine and chloral hydrate

AIM

The objective of this retrospective study is to compare the medical treatment of neonatal narcotic abstinence syndrome with clonidine and chloral hydrate with the commonly used combination therapy of morphine and phenobarbital.

METHODS

From 1998 to 2008, a total of 133 newborns suffering from neonatal narcotic abstinence syndrome were treated at our clinic. All of these patients were born to mothers who had received methadone substitution for drug addiction during the course of pregnancy.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine patients received clonidine and chloral hydrate, and 64 patients were treated with morphine and phenobarbital for abstinence syndrome. The duration of treatment was significantly shorter in the clonidine/chloral hydrate group (median: 14 days vs. 35 days). Correspondingly, the period of hospitalization was also considerably shorter in the clonidine/chloral hydrate group (median: 32 days vs. 44 days). In addition, patients in the clonidine/chloral hydrate group exhibited markedly reduced withdrawal symptoms.

CONCLUSION

This study suggests that a treatment of neonatal abstinence syndrome with clonidine in omission of opiates is possible without causing short-term adverse cardiovascular effects. Considering the retrospective design of the study, controlled and prospective trials are needed.

Evaluation of carcinogenic potential of 17alpha-ethinylestradiol in a host-mediated in vivo/in vitro assay system

A host-mediated assay system for detection of the transforming activity of different chemical carcinogens on peritoneal macrophages has been previously established. Directly, as well as indirectly acting carcinogenic substances administered intraperitoneally to NMRI mice could be examined in this way. Resident macrophages were recovered by peritoneal lavage from treated and untreated mice and cultured in soft agar. After 5-6 days normal and transformed cells could be distinguished. By the use of this system an immortalized macrophage-like cell line was derived from the peritoneal cells of NMRI mice treated with 17alpha-ethinylestradiol. This cell line enabled us to perform additional investigations on the underlying molecular effects of 17alpha-ethinylestradiol, such as detection of the transformation specific polypeptides as surrogate markers for transformation. The investigation reported here describes the cell-transforming and oncogenic potential of 17alpha-ethinylestradiol.

Tumorigenic potential and the molecular mechanism of the carcinogenic effect exerted by 2-nitroanisole

The host-mediated in vitro/in vivo assay system was used to evaluate the tumorigenic potential of the aromatic nitro compound 2-nitroanisole (2-NA). After intraperitoneal administration of the compound, resident macrophages were recovered by peritoneal lavage from treated and untreated mice and cultured in soft agar. 2-NA was shown to be carcinogenic, and the tumorigenic potential was evaluated. Additionally, by establishment of a transformed peritoneal macrophage cell line, the underlying molecular mechanism of 2-NA's carcinogenic effect was studied.

[Use of transthoracic 3D-echocardiography in congenital heart disease]

3D-echocardiography using a matrix array transducer was performed in 112 patients. In 98 patients (87.5 %) we were able to acquire adequate 3D-data. The mean time for the 3D-examination was 5.5 min. In valve lesions, septal defects and complex cyanotic heart disease 3D-echocardiography was a confident and helpful innovation for better assessment of the intracardiac morphology in pediatric patients. We conclude that 3D-echocardiography is a useful addition to the conventional 2D-echocardiography.

MR-based coronary artery blood velocity measurements in patients without coronary artery disease

To evaluate the feasibility of MR-based coronary blood velocity measurements (MRvenc) in patients without coronary artery disease (CAD). Eighty-three patients with angiographically excluded CAD received MRvenc of the proximal segments of both coronary arteries (CAs). Using a retrospectively ECG-gated breath-hold phase-contrast FLASH sequence with high temporal resolution, flow data were technically acquirable in 137/166 (83%) CAs. Quantification and analysis of blood velocities in systole and diastole of both CAs were performed. Biphasic velocity profiles were found in 83/100 CAs. Median systolic and diastolic velocities differed significantly in LCA (19 cm/s, 24 cm/s; P<0.0001) and RCAs (14 cm/s, 16 cm/s; P<0.01). The diastolic/systolic velocity ratio was calculated in LCAs and RCAs with a median of 1.3 and 1.1, respectively. The velocity profiles of the remaining CAs were monophasic (17 CAs) or revealed severe alterations of the physiologic velocity profile with reduced flow undulations and steady velocities (37 CAs). Optimized clinical MRvenc is feasible to quantify blood velocities in the CAs. Potential indications are (1) non-invasive monitoring of patients after aortic valve reconstruction as well as (2) detection of asymptomatic CAD patients.

A Giant Rhabdomyoma with Left Ventricular Inflow Occlusion and Univentricular Physiology

During a routine prenatal ultrasound a huge tumor was diagnosed located in the left ventricle and left atrium with complete obstruction of the left ventricular inflow tract. On the first day of life, urgent surgical intervention was necessary because of progressive heart failure with univentricular physiology. Intraoperatively, the tumor mass was found to originate from the left ventricular wall, reaching into the left atrium. Histological examination revealed a rhabdomyoma.

Erstellung von Referenzwerten für die MRT-basierte Flussmessung im Truncus pulmonalis bei gesunden Kindern und Jugendlichen

PURPOSE

To provide reference values for MRI-based flow measurements in the main pulmonary artery in healthy children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In 98 healthy children (age: 3 - 17 years, median: 11 years), the main pulmonary artery was examined using MRI-based flow measurements with high temporal resolution (9.6 ms per cardiac phase).

RESULTS

The acceleration time revealed a distinct age dependency and varied between 90 and 155 ms (mean: 124 ms +/- 14). The relative acceleration time (related to the RR-interval) varied between 12.7 and 27 % (mean: 18 % +/- 2.6). The mean values and the standard deviations for the determined values were as follows: cardiac output (5.4 l/min +/- 1.4), cardiac output normalized to the body surface area (4.2 [l/min]/m(2) +/- 0.8), average systolic flow velocity (66 cm/s +/- 12), maximum systolic flow (309 ml/s +/- 79), mean flow (110 ml/s +/- 30), distensibility of the wall of the main pulmonary artery (79 % +/- 26), peak velocity (96 cm/s +/- 15), pressure gradient along the pulmonary valve (3.8 mm Hg +/- 1.2), stroke volume (63.2 ml +/- 17.9), acceleration volume (23.7 ml +/- 8.7), maximum acceleration of flow (4924 ml/s(2) +/- 1431), and reverse volume (0.2 ml +/- 0.3).

CONCLUSIONS

The acquired values of reference are applicable to all pediatric patients and serve as a framework for the communication between the radiologist and the pediatric cardiologists. High temporal resolution of the measurement sequence is mandatory. Noticeable deviations of these values should induce additional (probably invasive) evaluation.

Peritoneal macrophages from 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol-treated NMRI mice secrete transformation-specific low molecular weight proteins

Analysis of protein secretion was performed for a macrophage-like cell line, which was established from the peritoneal cells of NMRI mice treated with 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol. The protein secretion pattern was investigated by computerized analysis of high resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) and compared to that of control macrophages, intraperitoneally activated by bacterial lipopolysaccharide. The transformed cells encode a number of low molecular weight proteins (10-20 kDa), which were not observed in control cells under identical experimental conditions. In conclusion the transformation of peritoneal macrophages by 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol leads to an upregulation of polypeptides, in particular of low molecular weight proteins. A high similarity between the induced low molecular weight protein secretion by macrophages of 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol-treated and that of 2,3,7,8-tetrabromodibenzo-p-dioxin-treated mice was found.

Cell transforming and oncogenic activity of 2,3,7,8--tetrachloro--and 2,3,7,8 tetrabromodibenzo-p-dioxin

We have developed a host-mediated assay system for detection of the transforming activity of chemical carcinogens on peritoneal macrophages, directly, as well as indirectly acting carcinogenic substances administered intraperitoneally to NMRI mice could be examined in this way. Resident macrophages were recovered by peritoneal lavage from treated and untreated mice and cultured in soft agar. After 5-6 days normal and transformed cells could be distinguished. Statistical analysis comparing cells from 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-dioxin (TCDD)-treated animals with those from control mice proved that the test is positive at least on a significance level of 5%, using the t-test. TCDD revealed a cell-transforming potential that showed a dose-dependent response in this host-mediated assay. The co-carcinogenic activity of TCDD was established in experiments with diphenylhydantoin. Low doses of diphenylhydantoin which did not exhibit any transforming potential in our system gained a high oncogenic potential by the simultaneous administration of low doses of TCDD, which also had no transforming activity. We have compared the cell transforming potential of TCDD with its bromo analog TBrDD. The cell transforming potential of TCDD is 7 times that of TBrDD. We have succeeded in establishing a permanent cell lined from mice treated with TBrDD. The oncogenicity of this cell line was tested in athymic nu/nu mice. Animals treated subcutaneously with these cells (1 x 10(6) cells) developed tumors at the injection site. Using monospecific antibodies to tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), we have found that TCDD stimulates the secretion of TNF-alpha. The experimental data reported here lead to the conclusion that TCDD has a carcinogenic as well as a co-carcinogenic activity and has the property to induce TNF-alpha.