Introduction: Emerging infectious diseases pose threats to the general human population including recipients of blood transfusions and health care workers. Dengue is an expanding problem in tropical and subtropical regions. It is now the most frequent arboviral disease in the world, with an estimated 100 million cases of dengue fever annually, 250,000 cases of dengue hemorrhagic fever, and 25,000 deaths per year (1). Materials & Methods: A total of 459 blood serum samples were collected from suspected patients of dengue fever, aged 10 to 65 years, from different parts of the city, at two different Pathological Laboratories of the city and were subjected to hematological, biochemical and serological analysis using standard laboratory procedures including Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the determination of Dengue specific IgG and IgM antibodies. Results: Out of 459 blood samples 289 (63%) were confirmed as having significant dengue IgM antibody titer and dengue IgG antibody titer in 193 (42%) patients. Conclusion: This paper discusses the need of an appropriate framework for approaching the environmental control of Dengue virus/Dengue Fever/Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever with reference to the current situation of the flooding and flood related disasters in a resource limited country such as Pakistan. This is the time to evoke a sense of moral indignation at unnecessary suffering and for the leadership to mobilize human will power and resources to take on the task of controlling emerging infectious diseases like malaria and dengue.

Introduction: Quantification of muscle strength is an essential component of assessment and treatment in rehabilitation. Considering the measurement of the muscle strength, mostly two methods are used. They are qualitative and quantitative measures. Maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), measured using dynamometer and manual muscle testing (MMT) are the most common measurement techniques used in the clinical and research setting. Objectives: This study's aim was to observe, if greater activity is produced using mechanical instruments for torque measurements (since the resistance is adjusted to subject's maximum capacity) or if tests, position of MMT, and resistance offered by trained physiotherapist are effective. We compared the IEMG (Integrated electromyography) output between manual and mechanical testing during maximal voluntary isometric contraction. Subjects and Methods: Forty normal healthy subjects including 20 males and 20 females were selected for the study. The measuring system comprises an EMG (Noraxon USA, INC, Scottsdale, Arizona) and ®HUR 5340 (Kokkola, Finland) leg extension/curl computer controlled machine for isometric evaluating peak torque. MVIC of the Vastus medialis oblique (VMO), Vastus lateralis (VL), Rectus femoris (RF), Semitendinosis (ST) and Biceps Femoris (BF) were measured from dominant leg using SEMG and then subjects were seated on HUR with hip flexed and chest, pelvis, thigh stabilized. The axis of rotation of HUR aligned with the joint axis and moment arm is fixed for every subject. Each subject performed maximal contraction of 10sec at 60°of test angle to get the peak torque and myoelectrical activity are also recorded while performing the same. Result: Paired t-test analysis were used to see the difference between MMT and HUR IEMG amplitude and the results show significance difference(p<.05) for each muscle when comparing between the EMG amplitude between MMT and HUR. Conclusion: HUR system has very good reliability in measuring muscle strength of the knee extensors and flexors as compared to the MMT, suggesting that it will be useful in clinical applications, especially for professional athletes or physically powerful populations.

Objectives: The methanolic extract of the leaves of Bombax buonopozense was screened for antidiarrheal effects. Materials and methods: The extract was evaluated for castor oil- induced diarrhoea and enteropooling as well as intestinal transit in rats. Results: Bombax buonopozense significantly (p<0.05) and dose-dependently reduced frequency of stooling in castor oil-induced diarrhoea, castor oil- induced enteropooling and intestinal motility in rats. The oral LD₅₀ values obtained were greater than 5000 mg/kg in mice. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the methanolic extract of the leaves of B. buonopozense may contain some biologically active ingredients that are active for the treatment of diarrhoea in Nigerian herbal traditional medicine.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. In the absence of optimal rhythm control therapy, due to lack of satisfaction of currently available membrane-acting antiarrhythmics and limited availability of ablative therapy, upstream therapies to prevent atrial fibrillation are emerging as a new pharmacologic strategy. Long chain n-3 (omega-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) from fish have been suggested to account for these benefits. Multiple observational, clinical, and experimental studies have shown that regular fish consumption has a favorable effect on preventing AF. Experimental studies have shown a potential antiarrhythmic, antifibrotic and antiinflammatory effect of PUFAs on atrial tissues. This effect on the atrial substrate will lower atrial tissue vulnerability for development of atrial fibrillation. Recent prospective studies regarding the preventive benefit of PUFAs on post open-heart surgery AF showed mixed results. The purpose of this treatise is to review available studies of PUFA effects on AF and outline benefits of the PUFAs as an upstream therapy to prevent AF.

Genitourinary Tuberculosis (TB) is a rare extra pulmonary manifestation of TB. We report a patient who presented with right flank pain and weight loss. Imaging revealed a solid mass at the lower pole of the right kidney. A partial nephrectomy was performed and histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of pseudo-tumoral renal tuberculosis. Patient had a good outcome after antituberculous therapy. This form of TB must be considered in the differential diagnosis of renal mass particularly in areas where TB is endemic.

Many different criteria and pacing maneuvers exist to determine the etiology of a narrow QRS complex tachycardia (NCT). This report describes a case of NCT wherein the initial conflicting findings at the time of the EP study were then clarified by the development of left bundle branch block and prolongation of ventriculoatrial conduction time confirming the diagnosis of a left sided accessory pathway. The accessory pathway was then successfully ablated.

Objectives: To evaluate the practical knowledge of final year medical students as it relates to care of patients with diabetes. Methods: A convenient sample of 325 students (2006) from the Faculty of Medicine at Al-Fateh University, Tripoli, Libya was studied. An Arabic “Short Diabetes Knowledge Test” consisting of 24 multiple choice questions (14 general questions and 10 questions specific to insulin-treatment issues) was used. Results: The mean total score was 76.7% [18.4/24 (range 9-24)], 71.4% [10.0/14 (range 4-10)] for the general questions and 85% [8.5/10 (range 4-10)] for insulin-treatment related questions. The highest scores (>90% correct) were related to clinical management issues such as hypoglycemia, insulin-dosing, driving, and complications. Whereas, the lowest scores (<50% correct) were in four questions related to dietary education. Conclusions: This information should be helpful in planning the diabetes curriculum for medical students.