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Emission tomographic image reconstruction is an ill-posed problem due to limited and noisy data and various image-degrading effects affecting the data and leads to noisy reconstructions. Explicit regularization, through iterative reconstruction methods, is considered better to compensate for reconstruction-based noise. Local smoothing and edge-preserving regularization methods can reduce reconstruction-based noise. However, these methods produce overly smoothed images or blocky artefacts in the final image because they can only exploit local image properties. Recently, non-local regularization techniques have been introduced, to overcome these problems, by incorporating geometrical global continuity and connectivity present in the objective image. These techniques can overcome drawbacks of local regularization methods; however, they also have certain limitations, such as choice of the regularization function, neighbourhood size or calibration of several empirical parameters involved. This work compares different local and non-local regularization techniques used in emission tomographic imaging in general and emission computed tomography in specific for improved quality of the resultant images.

Objective: To determine the frequency of use of over-the-counter medication among pregnant women, types of medicines, source of information and reason to opts for self-medication., Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Isra University Hospital, Hyderabad, Pakistan, from April 14 to October 14, 2014, and comprised pregnant women who were interviewed face to face. Data was collected on a proforma comprising demographic data, practice of using over-the-counter medications before and during pregnancy, type of medicines, illnesses, knowledge about the medicines, source of recommendation and reason for practicing it. Data was analysed on SPSS 16., Results: The mean age of 351 patients in the study was 26.19±4.82 years (range: 18-45 years).The mean gestational age was 26.28±10.42. Overall, 223(63.5%) patients were using over-the-counter drugs before pregnancy; 128(36.5%) had used them in previous pregnancy; and 133(37.9%) were using them during the current pregnancy. Most common medication used was acetaminophen 58(43.6%), headache was the most common illness 80(60.2%). A total of 103(77.4%) had no knowledge about the medicines., Conclusions: A significant number of pregnant women indulged in the practice of using over-the-counter medication.

Objective: Previous investigations provide evidence of an association of hypogonadism with type 2 diabetes in men, and low testosterone levels have been regarded a risk factor for the disease. Since a strong genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes has been demonstrated, here we investigate a possible tendency towards hypogonadism in young male offspring of diabetic parents., Material and Methods: The study compares 32 male offspring of diabetic parents with 31 male offspring of nondiabetic parents matched by age. The subjects comprised boys (9-17 years) and young adults (19-25 years). Anthropomorphic measurements were made in all subjects. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for glucose and serum concentrations of testosterone (T), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), luteinizing hormone (LH), insulin and leptin were measured by ELISA. Free testosterone (FT) was calculated using T and SHBG levels., Results: Serum T, FT and bioavailable T (BAT) levels in offspring of diabetic parents were significantly lower than those of offspring of nondiabetic parents across all age groups. Mean serum LH levels were also lower in offspring of diabetic parents compared to the controls. Although LH levels in young adults with diabetic parents, tended to be lower than those of age-matched controls but the difference was not statistically significant. Serum insulin and leptin, and insulin resistance measured by HOMA-IR were significantly raised in older offspring of diabetic parents but were within the normal range., Conclusion: Whereas hypogonadism was the only indicator of a possible predisposition to metabolic dysfunction in peripubertal children of diabetic parents, a significant change in other metabolic markers becomes apparent at a more advanced age., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

A multi-centred study was designed to collect dengue epidemiologic data from government and registered private hospitals/clinics and maintained archive of frozen specimens in bio-bank to be used for future dengue epidemic control program, and assess the epidemiology of dengue fever (DF) by evaluating biochemical and oxidative status of patients. ELISA IgM antibodies test was done to confirm DF. From August 2010 to December 2011, 101 confirmed blood samples of DF patients referred to pathology lab of Jinnah Hospital Lahore were subjected to the epidemiologic assessment by evaluating the biochemical and physiological indices and alterations of circulating antioxidants. Clinical features of DF patients and effect of fever on blood components and serum proteins of liver were recorded. The hospital stay in DF, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) showed significant difference. Significant increases in serum alanine amino transferase (ALT) (P=0.000), aspartate amino transferase (AST) (P=0.000), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (P=0.000), malondialdehyde (MDA) along with significant decreases in total protein (TP) (P=0.000), reduced glutathione (GSH) (P=0.000), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) (P=0.000), and sialic acid contents (P=0.016) were observed. A positive correlation existed between bound sialic acid levels, liver enzymes and circulating antioxidants (r=0.656, P=0.016). In the present study, alterations of circulating antioxidants in DF suggest that DF might be a metabolic response to an acute, self-limiting tropical viral infection, and a consequence of the viral inflammatory process.

Objective : The present study was designed to investigate variations in the levels of thyroid hormones (T3, T4) in breast and ovarian cancers patients. Methods : A total 120 subjects were recruited (without thyroid history) divided into three groups; A, B and C. Group A as control with healthy individuals. While group B and group C were consisting of breast cancer and ovarian cancer patient respectively. Blood samples (5 ml) were taken and analyzed to estimate the levels of serum T3 (tri-iodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxin) hormones. R esults : Statistically significant difference (P=0.000* and P=0.017*) was obtained among all groups. A significant increase in T3 (P=0.000*) and T4 (0.005*) levels was observed among breast cancer patients as compared to healthy controls. While for ovarian cancer patients conflicting results were found for T3 and T4 levels in the serum i.e. insignificant difference was found in T3 (P=0.209) and T4 (P=0.050) as compared to control. Our results showed that in the breast cancer and ovarian cancer patients the thyroid hormone (T3 and T4) level has been altered from the normal ranges as compared to the normal healthy individuals. Conclusion : We conclude that hyperthyroidism has profound effects on breast cancer and ovarian cancer cells proliferation.

The purpose of this correspondence is to discuss recent findings related to current trends in airway management and to discuss the utilization rates of video laryngoscopes versus traditional techniques in USA, UK, and Canada. To highlight the increased use of video laryngoscopes in difficult airway situations, data on the use of alternative airway devices at our institution collected from 2008 to 2010 are presented alongside the results of previously published surveys collected from 2002 to 2013.

Congenital leptin deficiency, a rare genetic disorder due to a homozygous mutation in the leptin gene (LEP), is accompanied by extreme obesity and hyperphagia. A number of gastrointestinal hormones have been shown to critically regulate food intake but their physiological role in hyperphagic response in congenital leptin deficiency has not been elucidated. This study is the first to evaluate the fasting and postprandial profiles of gut-derived hormones in homozygous and heterozygous carriers of LEP mutation. The study subjects from two consanguineous families consisted of five homozygous and eight heterozygous carriers of LEP mutation, c.398delG. Ten wild-type normal-weight subjects served as controls. Fasting and 1-h postprandial plasma ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide (GLP) 1, peptide YY (PYY), leptin and insulin levels were measured by immunoassays. Fasting plasma ghrelin levels in homozygotes remained remarkably unchanged following food consumption (P = 0.33) in contrast to a significant decline in heterozygous (P < 0.03) and normal (P < 0.02) subjects. A significant postprandial increase in PYY was observed in heterozygous (P < 0.02) and control subjects (P < 0.01), but not in the homozygous group (P = 0.22). A postprandial rise in GLP-1 levels was significant (P < 0.02) in all groups. Interestingly, fasting leptin levels in heterozygotes were not significantly different from controls and did not change significantly following meal. Our results demonstrate that gut hormones play little or no physiological role in driving the hyperphagic response of leptin-deficient subjects. In contrast, fasting and postprandial levels of gut hormones in heterozygous mutation carriers were comparable to those of normal-weight controls.

The nuclear receptor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), is expressed in various cancer cells including breast, prostate, colorectal and cervical examples. An endogenous ligand of PPARγ, 15-deoxy-Δ12,14 prostaglandin J2 (PGJ2), is emerging as a potent anticancer agent but the exact mechanism has not been fully elucidated, especially in breast cancer. The present study compared the anticancer effects of PGJ2 on estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-positive (MCF-7) and ERα-negative (MDA-MB-231) human breast cancer cells. Based on the reported signalling cross-talk between PPARγ and ERα, the effect of the ERα ligand, 17β-estradiol (E2) on the anticancer activities of PGJ2 in both types of cells was also explored. Here we report that PGJ2 inhibited proliferation of both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells by inducing apoptotic cell death with active involvement of mitochondria. The presence of E2 potentiated PGJ2-induced apoptosis in MCF-7, but not in MDA-MB-231 cells. The PPARγ antagonist, GW9662, failed to block PGJ2-induced activities but potentiated its effects in MCF-7 cells, instead. Interestingly, GW9662 also proved capable of inducing apoptotic cell death. It can be concluded that E2 enhances PPARγ-independent anticancer effects of PGJ2 in the presence of its receptor.

Objective: To observe frequency and possible association of tooth loss with prevalent coronary heart disease in Pakistani population., Methodology: Angiographically determined coronary heart disease (CHD) patients of Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Lahore, Pakistan, and healthy individuals were enrolled for status of tooth loss., Results: Nine hundred and thirty six CHD patients and 595 healthy subjects with mean age of 51.9±8.4years were examined. Mean (±SD) tooth loss was significantly (P⩽0.001) higher in cardiac patients (9.8±9.2) than healthy subjects (6.8±6.9) with odds ratio (OR)=1.543 (95%CI=1.985-2.851). Tooth loss was significantly (P⩽0.001) associated with CHD males and females and cardiac patients with diabetes and smoking. After adjustment of age, gender, diabetes and smoking, subjects with CHD were more likely to have higher tooth loss., Conclusion: Tooth loss was significantly associated with prevalent CHD independent of classic risk factors of age, gender, smoking and diabetes in this study sample., (Copyright © 2011 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Each year dengue related infections are rising in tropical countries. There is not enough data available on dermatological manifestations of dengue fever. This study was conducted to investigate prevalence and type of dermatological manifestations of dengue fever (DF). Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF), and Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS)., Methods: A Prospective study was contacted in Department of Medicine, Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, from 3rd Oct to 20th Nov 2010. Specific serological tests for DF were done in all 60 patients admitted with suspected diagnosis of DF, DHF or DSS. Forty-eight confirmed cases were evaluated for age, gender, mucocutaneous features and outcome of the disease., Results: Forty-eight out of 60 patients had positive serology for dengue fever. Male to female ratio was 1.09:1. Their ages ranged 5-68 years with a mean of 31.5 +/- 15.2. DF, DHF and DSS were found in 71%, 19% and 10% respectively. Common dermatological presentations were oral mucous membrane congestion (66.67%), generalised morbiliform rash (64.58%) and eye congestion (64.58%). Purpuric spots along with mucous membrane congestion, generalised morbiliform rash and eyes congestion was observed in 20.83%, 12.5% and 6.25% patients respectively. All except one patient improved clinically. One patient died of respiratory distress and haemorrhage on second day of admission., Conclusion: Dermatological features are significantly noticeable in dengue fever patients. These may help us in early diagnosis and better management of patients.

Kohl, since antiquity has always been given a prime importance in ophthalmology for the protection and treatment of various eye ailments. However, for decades various conflicting reports in the literature have been published relating to Kohl application to eyes being responsible for causing higher blood lead concentration, which may cause lead poisoning. While at the same time, a number of research studies and reports have also been published negating any such links with increased blood lead level upon Kohl (surma) application. In view of the above mentioned facts, this review article is written with the objective to highlight various data from past and present research studies and reports about Kohl, so as to provide valuable information to both the users and the research workers about it's scientific background and effects when applied into eyes. A large number of items and topics (such as Kohl, surma, eye cosmetic, traditional eye preparations, environmental lead pollution, galena, lead sulphide etc.) have been taken into consideration while compiling this review article. In conclusion, the authors of this review article feel that the relation between Kohl and toxicity or increased blood lead concentration upon it's application to eyes as reported elsewhere is likely to be more of theoretical nature rather than a practical health hazard.