Dietary effects of soy and citrus flavonoid on antioxidation and microbial quality of meat in broilers

The current study investigated dietary effects of soy genistein (SG) and citrus hesperidin (CH) on microbial spoilage and antioxidant quality of chicken meat. Broilers were divided to six treatment groups: control (C), SG and CH, supplemented with 5 mg of SG and 20 mg of CH per kg of feed, respectively, and SGCH1, SGCH2 and SGCH3, supplemented with 5, 10 or 20 mg of SG + CH (1:4) per kg of feed respectively. Both SG and CH reduced (p < .01) the microbial load of spoilage organisms in breast meat at 0 and 15 days of refrigeration. Hepatic and muscle total antioxidant and superoxide dismutase activities, and crude protein contents were generally improved (p < .05), whereas hepatic malondialdehyde concentration and muscle fat was decreased (p < .01) by the dietary treatments. In conclusion, soy genistein and CH supplementation could improve meat composition, antioxidant and microbial quality of broilers meat.

Beta blocker eye drops related airway obstruction

OBJECTIVE

To assess the awareness among chest physicians, ophthalmologists and patients about use of eye drops with particular reference to beta blockers such as timolol as an agent of aggravating breathlessness in predisposed subjects.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

METHOD

A survey of 20 chest physicians, 20 ophthalmologists and 200 patients suffering from obstructive airway disease was conducted in 2 hospitals and a welfare center of Karachi from August to September 1997.

RESULTS

The results indicate that ophthalmologists showed more awareness than chest physicians regarding use of beta blocker eye drops by patients with obstructive airways disease (p = 0.004). Patient awareness was low as well.

CONCLUSION

There is a need to update doctors and educate general public about the side effects of beta blocker eye drops in patients with obstructive airway disease.

Why physicians and lay people smoke and how can it be reduced?

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to find out the level of knowledge the physicians and lay people have pertaining to the effect of cigarettes, why certain physicians smoke and what measures could be applied to reduce the rate of smoking.

METHODS

A questionnaire was administered to the one hundred physicians who smoke, one hundred non-smoking physicians and one hundred lay people who smoke to determine their attitude towards this addition. Subjects were chosen using convenience sampling. The physicians were picked from six hospitals of Karachi.

RESULTS

When the smoking physicians were asked what could motivate them to stop smoking, majority of them said that an occurrence of a smoking related illness would. Majority of the physicians who do not smoke felt that individual will was the greatest force keeping them from smoking. When asked how smoking can be reduced in Pakistan, majority of the physicians, both smoking and non-smoking, favoured mass health education. Lay smokers expressed marked ignorance about deleterious effects of cigarette smoke. Like smoking physicians, majority of them said that occurrence of an illness related to smoking would effectively motivate them to stop smoking.

CONCLUSION

Based on this survey we conclude that mass health education and enforcement of the ban on smoking in public places will effectively reduce the number of smokers. There is a need to educate physicians and the general public about the cardiac and carcinogenic effects of smoking.

Anaemia in pregnancy--its cause in the underprivileged class of Karachi

A prospective study of the frequency and type of anaemia amongst poor urban parturients of Karachi was done. It was performed at 2 large teaching hospitals over the time span January to September, 1990. Out of 318 women studied, 104 (32.7%) were anaemic (Hb levels < 10gm/dl). The type of anaemia was assessed. Iron deficiency predominated and was seen amongst 63.5% of the anaemic population. There was an even distribution of other kinds of anaemia amongst the remainder of the population.

Grandmultiparity: a continuing problem in developing countries

Four hundred and thirty-one grandmultiparae and 1,070 less parous women who delivered at Civil Hospital, Karachi over a 2-year period (Jan. 1982 to Dec. 1983) have been reviewed retrospectively. The purpose was to estimate the incidence of grandmultiparity at this hospital and compare the incidence of obstetric and medical complications in the grandmultiparae with the less parous women. A higher incidence of anaemia, spontaneous abortions, abruptio placentae, postpartum haemorrhage, spontaneous uterine rupture and fetal loss was found in the grandmultiparae compared with other parturients. The grandmultipara continues to be a "high-risk" obstetric problem.

Successful supervised ambulatory management of tuberculosis treatment failures

Twenty-one patients with long histories of failed treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis, most of whom were recalcitrant in taking medications, were treated on a primarily ambulatory basis with various antituberculosis drugs. Supervision ensured that medication was taken. Convenient, personalized, comprehensive medical care and social services were provided without cost to patients during the early phase of treatment. Management during the continuation phase was unsupervised. Fourteen patients had drug-resistant tuberculosis and 16 were either alcohol or opiate abusers. Treatment success was achieved in 19 of 21 patients with a mean follow-up of 26 months. Two patients failed to achieve a sputum-negative status for Mycobacterium tuberculosis.