Parents in the anesthetic induction room: the preferences of parents in Kuwait

Toascertain whether the parents in Kuwait desire to be present during the induction of anesthesia in their children and to obtain the parents’ views on factors associated with such presence. The parents of 80 children scheduled for surgery under general anesthesia were given asked to complete a questionnaire. An overwhelming 88.75% of parents wished to he present in the anesthetic room during induction. Parents in Kuwait should he allowed to be present during the induction of anesthesia in their child. Protocols should be drafted accordingly and must include other child-friendly measures to reduce anxiety among parents and children in Kuwait.

Parents in the anesthetic induction room: the preferences of parents in Kuwait

OBJECTIVE

To ascertain whether the parents in Kuwait desire to be present during the induction of anesthesia in their children and to obtain the parents' views on factors associated with such presence.

METHODS

The parents of 80 children scheduled for surgery under general anesthesia were given asked to complete a questionnaire.

RESULTS

An overwhelming 88.75% of parents wished to he present in the anesthetic room during induction.

CONCLUSIONS

Parents in Kuwait should he allowed to be present during the induction of anesthesia in their child. Protocols should be drafted accordingly and must include other child-friendly measures to reduce anxiety among parents and children in Kuwait.

Two new flavonoids from Retama raetam

Two new flavones were isolated from the aerial parts of Retama raetam subsp. raetam. Their structures were established as luteolin 4'-O-neohesperidoside (1) and 5,4'-dihydroxy-(3",4"-dihydro-3", 4"-dihydroxy)-2",2"-dimethylpyrano-(5",6":7,8)-flavone (2) by means of spectroscopic methods. Also present was ephedroidin (4',5, 7-trihydroxy-8-(2-hydroxy-3-butenyl)-flavone).

New flavonoids from Avicennia marina

In addition to luteolin 7-O-methylether, chrysoeriol 7-O-glucoside and isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside, the methanol extract of the aerial parts of Avicennia marina yielded two new flavonoids identified as luteolin 7-O-methylether 3'-O-beta-D-glucoside and its galactoside analogue 2.

Quercetin triglycoside from Capparis spinosa

In addition to rutin, quercetin 3-O-glucoside and quercetin 3-O-glucoside-7-O-rhamnoside, the methanolic extract of the aerial parts of Capparis spinosa yielded the new flavonoid quercetin 3-O-[6'"-alpha-L-rhamnosyl-6"-beta-D-glucosyl]-beta-D-glucoside (1).

Four flavonoid glycosides from Peganum harmala

The aerial parts of Peganum harmala yielded four new flavonoids: acacetin 7-O-rhamnoside, 7-O-[6"-O-glucosyl-2"-O-(3'''-acetylrhamnosyl)glucoside and 7-O-(2'''-O-rhamnosyl-2"-O-glucosylglucoside), and the glycoflavone 2'''-O-rhamnosyl-2"-O-glucosylcytisoside.

Biochemical changes associated with acute phosphorus poisoning (in humans)

1. Thirty patients with acute phosphorus poisoning (APP) were chosen from the poison control centre, Cairo (PCCC), Ain Shams University, and classified into three groups according to the amount of ingested inorganic phosphorus (Pi). 2. Group I recorded high mortality rate (90%) with liver failure as a main cause of death. This group also showed hepatorenal failure, hypoglycemia and severe effect on the heart function. 3. Groups II and III recorded no mortality, but their patients showed an effect on the liver, which was severe in group II and mild in group III.

Antibacterial activity of selected tropones and tropolones

The antibacterial activity of 33 substituted and unsubstituted seven-member ring tropones and tropolones was examined on 14 reference strains representing Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. It was shown that the chemical character and position of the substituent plays a distinct role in the biological activity of investigated compounds. Depending on the substituent the antibacterial effect may be either increased or diminished. C-1 thio and C-2 nitro derivatives of tropone are significantly more active than tropone. The dibenzotropone derivatives display no antibacterial activity. Hydroxymethyl derivatives of tropolone are more active than tropolone, while hydroxy-, isopropyl-, methyl- as well as tropolone acetates are equipotent.

New inhibitors for aminoglycoside-adenylyltransferase

Two hydroxymethyltropolones and two tropolone acetate derivatives were found to inhibit an aminoglycoside-adenylyltranferase in a gentamicin-resistant Escherichia coli strain. The inhibitory effect of tropolones depends on the nature of the aminoglycoside antibiotic subject to adenylation. Combinations of hydroxymethyltropolones with tobramycin were more active compared with tropolone acetates against gentamicin-resistant strains displaying adenylyltransferase activity. On the contrary a combination of the investigated acetate with gentamicin was of lower activity. It could be shown that these inhibitors inhibit, to a varying degree, the transfer of radioactive ATP to different aminoglycoside molecules.

UDP-Glucose: Cyanidin 3-O-glucosyltransferase from cell cultures of Haplopappus gracilis

From cell cultures of Haplopappus gracilis, an enzyme, catalyzing the glucosylation of cyanidin at the 3 position using uridine diphosphate-D-glucose (UDPG) as glucosyl-donor, has been isolated and purified 50-fold. The enzyme was not specific for cyanidin alone, but also glucosylated other anthocyanidins and flavonols in position 3. However, apigenin, luteolin, naringenin and dihydroquercetin were not glucosylated. The reaction has an optimum pH of approximately 8, and the apparent K m values for UDPG and cyanidin were 0.5 and 0.33 mM respectively. The enzyme reaction is strongly inhibited by cyanidin (above 0.25 mM).