Objective:To determine the effect of gender and physical activity on internet addiction in medical students.Methods:In this cross sectional, analytical study Young’s internet addiction test questionnaire was distributed to 350 MBBS students of Army Medical College, Rawalpindi. The study was conducted from January to May 2015. A dichotomous response from students regarding physical activity was obtained which was verified from the sports department of the institution. Based upon total score, internet addiction was categorized as no addiction if the score was less than or equal to 49, moderate addiction when the score was 50 to 79 and severe when the score was 80 to 100.Results:Out of 322 respondents 175 (54.3%) were males and 147 (42.7%) females with a mean age of 19.27±1.01 years. Total internet addiction score and frequency of internet addiction were similar between males and females (37.71±11.9 vs 38.63±14.00, p=0.18 and 25 vs 29, p=0.20). However, total score and frequency of internet addiction were higher in students lacking physical activity as compared to those with regular physical activity (40.37±15.05 vs 36.38±11.76, p=0.01 and 30 vs 24, p=0.01).Conclusion:Internet addiction is unrelated to gender however it is inversely related to physical activity.

ABSTRACT… Objectives:To observe the effect of lipid lowering by atorvastatin administration on platelet reactivity by measuring serum beta thromboglobulin concentration in male and female Sprague Dawley rats. Study Design: Randomized control trial (RCT). Place of study: The study was conducted at Physiology department, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi. Animal handling, obesity induction, drug administration and sample collection were done at National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad and biochemical assays were performed at Centre for Research in Experimental and Applied Medicine (CREAM), Army Medical College, Rawalpindi. Period: 12 months. Material and Methods: Ninety healthy Sprague Dawley (male and female) rats were randomly selected and divided into three equal groups. Group I rats (normal control) were given normal chow diet for three weeks. Group II rats (obese control) were given high fat diet for three weeks to induce obesity. Group III rats (obese treated) were given atorvastatin for three weeks in a dose of 10 mg/kg/day orally by gavage method after obesity induction. Terminal blood sampling was done at the end of the study by intra-cardiac puncture. Blood was centrifuged to obtain serum and serum beta thromboglobulin was measured by using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant assay. Results: There was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in serum B-TG concentration in obese rats as compared to normal control rats. Atorvastatin administration to obese rats significantly (p < 0.05) reduced serum B-TG concentration. Conclusions: Obesity increases and statin administration decreases platelet reactivity in high fat diet induced obese Sprague Dawley rats as reflected by serum B-TG concentration. Key words:High fat diet, obesity, beta thromboglobulin, statins, platelet reactivity. Article Citation: Shabbir F, Hussain MM, Khan S, Rajput TA. Lipid lowering by statin; effect of administration on beta thromboglobulin; a marker of platelet reactivity in high fat diet induced obese male and female sprague dawley rats. Professional Med J 2017;24(5):745-750.

Islamabad over a period of 12 months. Methodology: Ninety healthy Sprague Dawley rats divided into three equal groups. Group I (n=30) were healthy controls, group II (n=30) were made obese and group III (n=30) were obese treated (atorvastatin 10 mg/kg/day orally by gavage method for three weeks). Body weight was recorded thrice weekly, lipid profile was measured by colorimetric method on microlab and homocysteine and TXA2 were measured by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay. Results: Serum low density lipoproteins and TXA2 decreased after three weeks of atorvastatin administration, elevated HCY concentration in obese hyperlipidemic rats however was not significantly affected. Conclusion: Atorvastatin apart from lowering lipid levels in the body also reduces TXA 2 concentration which is a vasoprotective. Elevated HCY concentration which is deleterious to the endothelium however is not affected.

and was completed in 12 months. Material and Methods: This study included two hundred and twelve HCV infected patients, treated with IFN-α-2b 6MU thrice weekly plus ribavirin 1000-1200 mg daily for 24 weeks duration. The subjects were divided into two groups of 152 HCV mono-infected and 60 HCV/HBV co-infected patients. Pretreatment biochemical factors, EVR and SVR were compared between two groups. Results: There is no significant difference between the proportions of HCV monoinfected versus HCV/HBV co-infected patients with ALT & AST levels before interferon therapy. The analysis by intention to treat exhibit EVR of 75% and 60% among co-infected and monoinfected patients respectively (p = 0.038). Similarly, SVR of 50% and 45% was observed in HCV/ HBV co-infected and mono-infected patients (p = 0.489). Conclusions: HCV/HBV co-infected and HCV mono-infected patients had similar biochemical characteristics with significant lower HCV-RNA titer in mono-infected patients. HCV/HBV co-infected patients showed higher EVR and SVR rates to interferon-alpha/ribavirin combination therapy as compare to mono-infected patients. The most possible factors responsible for favorable response rate in co-infected patients would be due to positive host immune reaction and reciprocal viral interaction.

ABSTRACT… Objectives:To study the effect of maternal high-fat, high-cholesterol diet on the lipid profiles of rat offspring. Study Design: Randomized control trial (RCT). Place and duration of study: Department of Biochemistry, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi in collaboration with Chemical Pathology Laboratory (CPL), Army Medical College, Rawalpindi and National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad. The study was completed in six months. Material and Methods: Sixty adult female albino rats of Sprague-Dawley strain were divided into two groups of 30 each. Male rats of the same strain were used for breeding. Ten days before expected mating experimental group was shifted to a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet, keeping the control group on normal rat diet. Lipid profiles of pregnant dams of both groups were done at day 20 of gestation. Offspring of both groups from weaning onwards were fed the normal rat diet. One male and one female offspring from each litter of both groups (30 male and 30 females from each group) were selected and their lipid profiles were evaluated at post-weaning and adult stage. Results: At day 20 of gestation, high-fat and cholesterol fed dams showed highly significant increase in TC, LDL-c, HDL-c and LDL-c / HDL-c ratio than the control dams (p < 0.01). Maternal high-fat, high-cholesterol diet was found to raise some parameters of lipid profiles of the offspring. Conclusions: Maternal high fat and cholesterol diet in pregnancy and lactation causes hyperlipidaemia in the rat offspring. Key words:High-Fat Diet, Cholesterol, Maternal Nutrition, Lipid Profile, Offspring. Article Citation: Javed A, Khan S, Shabbir F, Rajput TA, Naveed AK. Lipid Profile; Effect of maternal high-fat, high-cholesterol diet; on the lipid profile of post-weaning and adult rat offspring.