SummaryTo find an association between smoking and the development of myocardial infarction in male patients above forty years of age presenting at the echocardiology department of Sudan heart center Khartoum.A prospective cohort study was carried out at the echocardiography department of Sudan Heart Center in Khartoum-Sudan between July 2012 and June 2014. The study population comprised a total of 168 adult male patients who underwent cardiac ultrasound scanning.Out of a total of 144 cases, 65% (94) of patients were smokers, 74% of the 94 cases smoked for more than 10 years, and 26% of the 94 cases smoked for less than 10 years.With this study it was concluded that smoking is a risk factor for the development of myocardial infarction. This study showed that patients with myocardial infarction are more likely to have a past history of smoking.

The aim of this study was to assess the performance of 60 Co-teletherapy unit at Radiation and Isotopes Center in Khartoum, using the common tools used for quality control (Front pointer, Graphic paper, Pin, Non-screen film, meter and Check plate). The collected and analyzed data revealed that: there was a difference between the calculated theoretical field size (FS) and the measured one relative to the change of SSD; and the average FS shift was 0.9 cm relative to the standard one, while the machine isocenter was almost fixed at 0˚ with a shift of 0.003 cm, which was within the standard limit (0.2 cm). The diaphragm isocenter showed a shift of ±0.36 cm (i.e. in clock and anti clock wise) in average relative to standard limit (±0.3 cm) and the couch vertical isocenter (CVI) relative to the SSD changes was exceeded the standard limit (0.2 cm) by a factor of 0.9 cm. Also the SSD determined by the optical distance indicator was greater than the actual SSD (determined by Front pointer and measured by scale meter) by an average of 0.8 cm; which exceeded the limit (0.3 cm) by an average factor of 0.5 cm. The study also showed that the penumbra profile (1.5 cm) was less than the actual specified for 60 Co-teletherapy machine, while the radiation beam was so homogeneous across the field size.

Dosimetry is a field of increasing importance in diagnostic radiology. There has been a realization among healthcare professionals that the dose of radiation received by patients via modern medical X-ray examinations could induce acute damage to the skin and eyes. The present study highlights the synthesis of polyvinyl alcohol/nitro blue tetrazolium nanocomposite films (PVA/NBT) for radiation detection depending on chromic, optical, chemical and morphologic changes. First, we synthesized the nanocomposite film-based PVA doped with NBT and the different parameters of the preparation procedure were optimized. Then The films were exposed to different low X-ray doses on the scale of mGy level (0, 2, 4, 10 and 20 mGy). The sensitivity and the performance of the made composite films were evaluated via different characterization methods. Indeed, the response curve based on UV-Vis absorptions revealed a linear increase in absorbance with increased radiation doses (R = 0.998). FTIR analysis showed a clear chemical modification in recorded spectra after irradiation. X-ray diffraction assessment revealed clear structural changes in crystallinity after ionization treatment. SEM analysis showed a clear morphological modification of PVA/NBT films after irradiation. In addition, the prepared PVA/NBT films exhibited excellent pre- and post-irradiation stability in dark and light. Finally, the quantitative colorimetry study confirmed the performance of the prepared films and the different colorimetric coordinates, the total color difference (∆E) and the color strength (K/S) showed a linear increase with increasing X-ray doses. The made nanocomposite PVA/NBT film might offer promising potential for an effective highly sensitive medical dosimeter applied for very low doses in X-ray diagnostic radiology.

A total sample size consisting of 150 Diabetic male patients has been investigated by ultrasound system General Electric using gray-scale B-mode imaging with curvilinear transducer 3 MHz to assess the impact of diabetes in kidney morphology and it is distributed in Sudan. The collected data were the patient age, height, weight, kidneys size, ultrasound findings of involved kidneys, and duration of diabetes and residence region. The analyzed data show that the diabetes has been as endemic disease in central Sudan (Khartoum & Jazeera) representing 55% and in the west of Sudan representing 38%. The BMI of diabetic patients has been significantly (R 2 = 0.6) decreasing following aging. The kidney size increases significantly as R 2 = 0.75 and 0.6 for left and right kidney respectively. Their correlation is fitted in the following equations: y = 3.95x + 27.26 and y = 2.41x + 35.12 for the left and right kidney respectively. The impact of duration was a reduction in size significantly as R 2 = 0.61 and 0.55 with a correlation fitted in the following equations: y = −2.22x + 139.9 and y = −1.51x + 96.59 for the left and right kidney respectively. The mean kidney length was (14.5 cm) and the renal cortex in the range of 2 -2.3 cm, the kidneys size were so enlarged as 92.4 ± 11.7 and 121 ± 17.1 for the right and left kidney respectively while in late case of Diabetes, the kidney is more echogenic, atrophied size with loss of corticomedullary differentiation.

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Currently, the uncontrolled exposure of individuals to X-rays during medical examinations represents a substantial danger that threatens both medical professionals and patients. Therefore, radiation dosimetry for low X-ray doses is a very important control of radiation practice in medical diagnostic radiology. In line with this, the current study proposes a valuable dosimeter-based PVA thin film doubly doped with silver nitrate salt and nitro blue tetrazolium dye. The nanocomposite film was prepared via a simple casting method and the different processing parameters were optimized. The performance of radiation detection was evaluated according to optical, chromic, chemical and structural changes after exposure to variable low X-ray doses (0, 2, 4, 10 and 20 mGy). The different film labels exhibited an excellent stability behavior in dark and light upon 30 days of storage. The UV-Vis spectrophotometric study showed a gradual increase in the maximum absorbance as a function of the dose and the corresponding response curve confirmed this linear variation (R = 0.998). A clear structural modification was recorded via X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealing the increase in crystallinity with the level of the dose received by the nanocomposite films. Microscopic surface analysis via SEM assessments revealed a significant morphological change in PVA/Ag+/NBT films exposed to increased radiation doses and typical dendrites growing in needle- or tree-like microstructures appeared with a high X-ray dose. Finally, the nanocomposite films before and after irradiation were evaluated via a spectrocolorimetric study and the different CIELab coordinates, the color difference, as well as the color strength, showed a linear correlation with the intensity of the applied dose. This new dosimeter design could, therefore, provide a promising and efficient alternative for prompt and accurate detection of low X-rays doses in diagnostic radiology.

Synthesis of polyvinyl alcohol and cuprous oxide (PVA/Cu 2 O) films for radiation detection and personal dosimeter based on optical properties,

The aim of the study was to evaluate the behavioral signs of diabetic rats after treatment by Artemisia herba-alba (AHA) and insulin. Method: Based on the induction of diabetes in wistar rats by intraperitoneal (I/P) injection of 60 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ), then treated by AHA as 20 mg (I/P) and insulin subcutaneously (S/C). The samples of rats were: 1) Diabetic control, 2) Injected with insulin, 3) Injected with AHA, 4) Non diabetic rats, which were fostered for 21 day; then weighted and the behavioral tests were conducted. Results: The board hole tests (BHT) showed that: the induced diabetes reduced the cognition of the rats in view of Latency of the First Head Dipping (LFHD) in seconds, number of head dipping (NHD) and duration of head dipping (DHD) by 49.3%, while it's improved in AHA and insulin treated rats by 52% and 69% in average respectively. The exploratory activity reduced in diabetic rats by 36%, while AHA and Insulin treated rats increased by 53% and 72% respectively. The rearing test showed an increase of anxiety among diabetic in form of duration of rearing, number of rearing and time spend in center by 51.7% in average respectively, while the anxiety reduced after treatment by AHA and insulin by 39% and 47.3% in average respectively. Also the diabetes increased the depression state by 106%, while the treatment by AHA and insulin reduced the depression state by 77% and 88% respectively. And VPT showed that: motor impairment occurred in diabetic cases and improved after AHA and insulin treatment.