International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences

International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences ISSN 2167-0404  Vol. 10(1), pp. 001-010, January, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Conservative Hindu reactions to non-heterosexual rights in India

Stephen J. Hunt

Department of Health and Applied Social Sciences, University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. E-Mail: [email protected]: 0117 344 2295.

Accepted 09 August, 209

Abstract

India, often celebrated as the largest democracy in the world and, despite observable ‘modernist’ trends and secularizing trajectories, remains a deeply religious culture displaying entrenched attitudes towards traditional family life and sexual conduct. In 2009, homosexuality was legalised by the High Court of the nation’s capital, Delhi. Although the repeal of the law prohibiting homosexual behaviour, instigated in 1860 during the British colonial period, only applied throughout the territory of the nation’s capital city, the reversal compelled India’s government to either appeal the verdict to the Supreme Court or nullify it. The ruling landmark brought to a head conflicting views of the legality and legitimacy of non-heterosexuality and, more broadly, symbolized the ongoing contestation between ‘progressive’ and ‘traditionalist’ elements in Indian society. This paper explores conservative Hindu responses in particular to non-heterosexual rights. It attempt to show that the current reaction by such constituencies displays inherently problematic posturing and even contradictions which are expressed through both religious and political discourse.

Key words: AIDS/HIV, Hinduism, India, lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered (LGBT) sexualities, modernization, nationalism.

International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences ISSN 2167-0404 Vol. 8 (4), pp. 001-010, April, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of absorption enhancers on nasal delivery of basic fibroblast growth factor

Feng Chengcheng, Shao Xiayan, Zhang Chi, Liu Qingfeng, Chen Jie, Shen Yehong, Zhang Qizhi* and Jiang Xinguo

Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, People's Republic of China.

Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education and PLA, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, People's Republic of China

Accepted 08 January, 2019

Abstract

The present study was to screen an optimal absorption enhancer for enhancing the nasal absorption of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), a promising therapeutic agent to neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, four absorption enhancers including chitosan, sodium caprate, poly-L-arginine (poly-L-Arg, 92.0 kDa) and dimethyl- -cyclodextrin were chosen to evaluate their toxicity using in situ toad palate model and in vitro Calu -3 cell model. Transport study of bFGF across Calu-3 cell monolayers in the absence or presence of chitosan was performed to determine the optimal concentration of chitosan. Pharmacokinetics study was conducted to monitor changes in the blood concentration of bFGF following nasal administration of bFGF solution with or without 0.5% (w/v) chitoson, in comparison with intravenous administration of bFGF alone. Of the absorption enhancers tested, chitosan at the concentration of 0.25 and 0.5% showed little toxicity to nasal cilia and Calu-3 cells, and exerted reversible effect on the reduction of transepithelial electrical resistance. Transport study showed that the apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) value was increased by about 16- and 2-fold, respectively with addition of 0.5 and 0.25% chitosan, compared with bFGF solution alone. Following nasal administration to rats, the formulation containing 0.5% chitosan significantly enhanced the absorption of bFGF with an area under curve (AUC_0-120min) nearly 1.4-fold that of bFGF solution (p<0.05). The absolute bioavailability of bFGF after intranasal administration was 5.35 and 7.53% for bFGF alone and 0.5% chitosan group, respectively. These results indicated that 0.5% chitosan is a safe and effective absorption enhancer for intranasal delivery of bFGF.

Key words: Basic fibroblast growth factor, absorption enhancer, chitosan, toxicity, pharmacokinetics, intranasal delivery.

International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences ISSN 2167-0404 Vol. 8 (4), pp. 001-006, April, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Modulation of monoamines and amino-acids neurotransmitters in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of female senile rats by ginger and lipoic acid

Hoda G. Hegazy¹ and Elham H. A. Ali²*

¹Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

²Women College for Arts, Science and Education, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

Accepted 07 January, 2019

Abstract

Brain aging is the major risk factor for common neurodegenerative diseases. Free radicals are involved in neurodegenerative disorders such as aging. Several neural systems are affected in aging. Neurotransmitters exhibited a marked alteration in different regions of the brain as part of the normal aging process. In the present study, age-related changes in the levels of monoamines and amino-acids neurotransmitters in normal female senile rats and the effect of oral administration of two antioxidants lipoic acid (LA) and ginger for 30 days accumulation on the neurotransmitters in the brain areas (hippocampus and cerebral cortex) is investigated. The levels of hippocampal monoamines [norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin 5-HT] and cortical dopamine (DA) and 5- HT were increased after administration of LA while, no significant differences were found in cortical monoamines compared with senile female rats. On the other hand, the levels of hippocampal DA, 5- HT and NE were increased after administration of ginger while, no statistical difference were found in cortical monoamines after administration of ginger compared with the adult ones. Furthermore, the effect of LA and ginger on the amino-acid profile in female senile rats was impressive. There were significant and remarkable increases in hippocampal glutamic, aspartic, GABA and cortical glutamic, aspartic, glycine and alanine compared with the levels of senile female rats. Ginger supplementation showed increased the amino-acids in the hippocampus (glutamic, aspartic, GABA and alanine) significantly as well as cortical aspartic, glycine, GABA and alanine compared with the normal senile female rats. In conclusion, LA and ginger may have shown a significant ameliorative value in counteracting age induced deficiency in some brain areas of female aged rats via modulating the investigating monoamines and amino acids in the brain cortex and hippocampus.

Key words: Ginger, lipoic acid, senile, monoamines neurotransmitters, amino acids, cortex, hippocampus.

International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences ISSN 2167-0404 Vol. 9 (3), pp. 001-005, March, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research paper

A study on surgical stress of total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) under the same conditions

Motoi F.K, Jude O. Kesuit and James I.K

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan.

Accepted 14 September, 2018

Abstract

This study aims to clarify the difference between surgical stress of total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) under the same conditions through blood transfusion and ischemic extremity. Body temperature, white blood cell (WBC) count, the level of C- reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured for eleven patients undergoing THA and eight patients undergoing TKA. All the patients who underwent THA and TKA received a transfusion of 2 units of autologous blood but no transfusion with homologous blood, and the TKA surgery was performed without an air tourniquet. The first day after the surgery, there was no significant difference between the THA and TKA with respect to body temperature and CRP. However, there was a significant difference between the THA and TKA in WBC count (p < 0.05) and IL- 6 (p < 0.01) on the first day after the surgery. In addition, there was a significant difference between the THA and TKA in IL-6 (p < 0.05) and CRP level (p < 0.05) on the seventh day after the surgery. The surgical stress of TKA was significantly larger than the surgical stress of THA. There may be more potential complications in the patients who underwent TKA than those who underwent THA.

Key words: Cytokine, surgical stress, total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty.

International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences ISSN 2167-0404 Vol. 9 (3), pp. 001-005, March, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Papers

A study on the impact of foot and hand massage on postoperative pain and sedative drug use in cardiac surgery patients

Maif J.S*, Nsarr G.G and Eriel K.l

Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

Accepted 19 September, 2018

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effects of foot and hand massage on postoperative pain and sedative drug use in cardiac surgery patients. One of the most important problems and complaint that have been experienced by patients who are influenced by surgery is the pain. Physiological responses to pain create harmful effects on the body recovery after cardiac surgery, and they routinely report mild to moderate pain even though sedative drugs have been administered. This study was a clinical trial performed in the intensive care cardiac unit (ICCU) and cardiac surgery ward of Gollestan hospital, dependent on Jondishapour University of Medical Sciences in Ahwaz city, Iran. Sixty-five patients were selected based on aim and randomly assigned to either control (n = 33) or massage group (n = 32). The massage group received a 20 min foot and hand massage (each extremity 5 min) and control group rested in bed and researcher was near them for 20 min. Pain intensity measured by visual analogue scale and other variables were measured by check list before and after intervention in two groups. There was statistically significant difference on the pain intensity and type, and amount of sedative drug used between the two groups after intervention (massage) (p-value = 0.000). According to the obtained findings, first and second hypothesis were approved, and the pain was reduced by hand and foot massage. Our study supports the effectiveness of massage in postoperative cardiac surgical pain.

Key words: Foot and hand massage, cardiac surgery, pain.

International Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences ISSN 2167-0404 Vol. 9 (2), pp. 001-004, February, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Screening of microbial contamination of radiographic films in order to avoid cross infection in maxillofacial surgery clinics

Mohammed A.O, Jamil M.B, Ayman J. Halawani and Sultan A.Al-Hebshi

Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dar Al Uloom University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Accepted 15 August, 2018

Abstract

Radiographic investigation in maxillofacial surgery is a vital procedure in minor as well as major surgical procedures in dentistry and in this Department, for example, both analog and digital radiography is used. Patient files are usually transferred from one clinic to another according to the patient appointments and most dentists and surgeons routinely handle these files before treating patients. Since radiographic films are not subjected to disinfection a variety of bacteria may be transferred from the oral cavity to these films and then to other patients via process of cross infection. Although most dental clinics are currently moving to digital technology even the use of this approach may lead to cross contamination, since the sensors and phosphor plates used in digital radiographs are also not generally autoclavable. The aim of the work described in this study was therefore to screen radiographic films used at the Maxillofacial Surgery clinics in the College of Dentistry, King Saud University for contamination with potentially pathogenic bacteria and fungi. A total of 447 radiographs films including periapical, occlusal and orthopantomograms (OPG) from patients treated at the clinics of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, King Saud University were collected in sterile plastic bags and screened for bacterial contamination. All films were swabbed using sterile swab sticks and bacteria were then identified using standard laboratory procedures. After identification of the contaminant bacteria, data were analyzed using SPSS software. The qualitative assessment of the tested samples showed that all tested radiographic films samples were contaminated with bacteria. Staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus 33.8% and coagulase negative Staphylococcus epidermidis 18.1%) were the most frequently isolated bacteria, although species of Streptococcus (3.6%) and Bacillus (3.6%) were also isolated; only 23.5% of the tested films were contaminated with fungi, mainly Aspergillus niger. This study demonstrates that radiographic films can be a source of cross infection in dental clinics and since these films are not subjected to any disinfection there is a need for the application of strict hygiene measures during their handling in order to avoid cross infection of microorganisms from these films.

Key words: Radiographs, cross infection, maxillofacial.