Mohamedcarson8954
Dental composites are commonly used to restore teeth. However, to ensure adequate physical properties and biocompatibility, they require sufficient light intensity with the help of light curing units (LCU). This study aimed to evaluate the type and intensity of LCU being used in the dental setups of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Dental clinics were visited and the type of the LCU was noted. Three consecutive intensity measurements were taken using a radiometer. For Quartz tungsten halogen (QTH) LCU, a light intensity below 300mW/cm2 was considered unsatisfactory, while for light-emitting diode (LED) LCU, a reading below 600mW/cm2 was considered unsatisfactory. To analyse the difference between the output intensities of the two LCU, Mann-Whitney U test was used (p<0.05), while Fisher's Exact test was used for the association between the type of LCU and clinical acceptability of output intensity.
A total of 96 LCU were evaluated, out of which, eight were QTH and 88 were LED. A total of 16.7% LCU were considered unsatisfactory. Amongst them, 62.5% QTH had intensity less than 300mW/cm2, while for LED, 12.5% had intensity below 600mW/cm2. The mean intensity for LED was statistically significant compared to QTH LCU (p<0.05). A statistically significant association existed between the type of LCU and their intensity (p<0.05).
A trend towards the use of LED LCU in the dental setups of Islamabad and Rawalpindi was observed. LED LCU showed greater mean light intensity than QTH LCU. Periodic evaluation of LCU using radiometers is suggested to ensure optimal intensity output.
A trend towards the use of LED LCU in the dental setups of Islamabad and Rawalpindi was observed. LED LCU showed greater mean light intensity than QTH LCU. Periodic evaluation of LCU using radiometers is suggested to ensure optimal intensity output.
Availability of essential medicines is one of the most important universal human right. For one third of the world, unavailability of essential medicines remains a major problem. The objective of this study is to authenticate the availability of essential medicines along with the storage conditions at primary healthcare level, district central warehouses and private pharmacies in the rural areas.
A community based cross-sectional survey was conducted in five districts of Punjab, Pakistan. Data was collected retrospectively and prospectively, by World Health Organization (WHO) tool, Operational Package for Assessing, Monitoring and Evaluating Country Pharmaceutical Situations.
On an average availability of essential medicines in primary healthcare, private pharmacies, and warehouses were 90.32±1.78 (SD), 82.83±2.75 (SD) and 96±0.83 (SD), respectively. Stock out duration of essential medicines in primary healthcare and district central warehouses were 11.56±4.08 (SD) and 10.24±5.95 (SD) respectively. Expired medicines were not found. Storage conditions of medicines in store room in PHC, private pharmacies and district central warehouses were 75.76±1.53(SD), 73.33±2.16 (SD), and 82.0±2.48 (SD) respectively. Storage conditions of dispensing room in PHC and private pharmacies were 66.06±2.52 (SD) and 39.65±4.25 (SD) respectively.
Availability of essential medicines was below WHO standards. Medicines were found to be stocked out. No expired medicine was found on shelves. Storage conditions of medicines were poor.
Availability of essential medicines was below WHO standards. Medicines were found to be stocked out. No expired medicine was found on shelves. Storage conditions of medicines were poor.
Diabetes mellitus has become a major emerging health concern. Its burden, estimated to be 451 million in 2017, has been projected to rise to 693 million by 2045. This will bring a rise in the prevalence of its associated complications. There is a wide spectrum of non-diabetic renal disease (NDRD) known to be present in diabetic patients with variable prevalence. However, the majority of diabetes mellitus (DM) patients with renal disease are yet not biopsied and the diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy (DN) is presumed on clinical grounds.
It is a retrospective cross-sectional study. We selected a total of 126 cases of renal biopsies with a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Demographic data was collected from the medical records and pathology reports while all cases were evaluated by reviewing the archived slides.
Patients were categorized into group 1 with isolated NDRD, group 2 showing NDRD mixed with DN and group 3 with isolated DN. Thirty-four (27%) cases had isolated NDRD (group 1), 14 (11%) had NDRD mixed with DN and 78 (62%) patients had isolated DN. NDRD, either alone or in combination with DN, was found to be present in 48 patients with an overall prevalence of 38%.
Our study concludes that NDRD is frequent in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Renal biopsy remains the key diagnostic tool in such cases, providing crucial information for proper management of the underlying pathology.
Our study concludes that NDRD is frequent in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Renal biopsy remains the key diagnostic tool in such cases, providing crucial information for proper management of the underlying pathology.
Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged as one of the leading causes of multidrug resistant nosocomial infections worldwide. It is able to survive in hospital environment and build up diverse resistance mechanisms making it difficult to treat with current antibiotics. Objective It was to determine the frequency and patterns of Acinetobacter baumannii in intensive care units (ICU) settings.
A cross sectional study was carried out in the Department of Microbiology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi, from 1st July 2017 to 30th June 2019. A total of 603 non-duplicate clinical specimens were received from intensive care units. Specimens yielding growth of multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, were evaluated as per standard protocol. The antimicrobial sensitivity testing was performed as per Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute guidelines (2017-2018).
Among Acinetobacter baumannii (310 isolates), 5% were multidrug resistant, 93% extensively drug resistant and 1% pan drug resistant. Percial stewardship and restricted use of polymyxin can play a significant role in reducing health care burden.
Psychotic symptoms in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients are a problem in medicine. The efficacy of the vitamin B12 on the treatment of the psychotic symptoms of the AD patients in the association with antipsychotic drugs Quetiapine and Risperidone, was evaluated in this Study.
The effects of vitamin B12 along with two other drugs were studied on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Clinical Global Impression (CGI), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) in 47 AD patients with psychotic symptoms, including 4 groups, psychotic AD patients treated with Risperidone, Risperidone plus vitamin B12, Quetiapine and Quetiapine plus vitamin B12 .
The results showed that Quetiapine improved all of the psychotic criteria, while Quetiapine plus vitamin B12 had better results on BPRS after 2 weeks, VAS score and MMSE. Risperidone also improves all of the criteria except MMSE and drug efficacy index, while, vitamin B12 neutralize the effects of the Risperidone on the BPRS, VAS, and severity of illness.
Due to these results, Quetiapine is the preferred antipsychotics drug and Vitamin B12 plays an effective role in treatment as an adjunct therapy.
Due to these results, Quetiapine is the preferred antipsychotics drug and Vitamin B12 plays an effective role in treatment as an adjunct therapy.
The global pandemic of COVID-19 has led to unprecedented psychological stress on frontline health professionals. The objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of perceived stress and its association with having children among physicians in Al Madinah city, Saudi Arabia, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A web-based analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among the physicians working in Al-Madina, Saudi Arabia. Physicians living in Madina city were invited to participate in this survey by using an online questionnaire that consisted of socio-demographic information, and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) 10 items questionnaire. The outcome measure was perceived stress score and levels among participants, while exposure factors were having children and the number of children of each participant.
Low, moderate and high levels of perceived stress were found in 39.3%, 56.4% and 4.3% of the physicians, respectively. 53.6% of those physicians who have children, had significant moderate perceived stress as compared to 93.3% of those who do not have any children (odds ratio (OR) = 0.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.01-0.65, p=0.004). There was an inversed significant correlation between the number of children a participant had and the perceived stress scale score (R = -0.21, p=0.026).
COVID-19 pandemic resulted in perceived stress among physicians in Saudi Arabia, mostly moderate level. Having children was found to be a protective factor.
COVID-19 pandemic resulted in perceived stress among physicians in Saudi Arabia, mostly moderate level. Having children was found to be a protective factor.
The second premolar is one of the teeth which are crucial both aesthetically as well as functionally and one of the most commonly endodontically treated tooth. Aim of the study was to assess the number of canals in maxillary second premolar by clinical and radiographic evaluation in Pakistani sub population. It was a cross sectional study conducted in Endodontic Department of Rehmat Memorial Dental Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad, from January 2019 to January 2020.
One hundred and five patients were selected for the study, based on nonprobability sampling technique. All patients were examined clinically by exploration of pulp chamber followed by intra oral peri-apical radiograph to verify the clinical exploration of canals.
One hundred and five patients (46 males (43.8%) and 59 females (56.2%) were selected for the study. Out of total 105 patients 47 (44.8%) had one canal and 58 (55.2%) had two canals. Out of 46 males 25 (54.3%) had two canals and out of 59 females 33 (56.9%) had two canals. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference (p=0.1871) of canals arrangements between genders.
Clinicians should be careful whenever doing root canal treatment of maxillary second premolars because of the extreme variability of the anatomy of those teeth, there is always risk of missing the second canal. Frequency of two canals was high, which is not age or gender dependant.
Clinicians should be careful whenever doing root canal treatment of maxillary second premolars because of the extreme variability of the anatomy of those teeth, there is always risk of missing the second canal. Frequency of two canals was high, which is not age or gender dependant.
Novel Corona Virus took the world by storm under the name of COVID-19, metamorphosing the whole health care structure and alienating what we the medical community considered normalcy. The sudden unexpected need for social distancing resulted in dire dependency on imaging for expert diagnosis and management. The purpose of the present study is to describe in-depth strategies that were taken by radiology department at our hospital as a part of a coordinated hospital system-wide response in managing workflow of patients presenting to our hospital for various medical and surgical semi-urgent/urgent indications requiring hospital admission. This article may assist and provide guidance for preparation and management for other radiology departments in the early stages or in dire need of providing services in a secure environment, especially in low-income countries such as ours, while maintaining the quality of radiological reports, dealing with increased workloads. It was a descriptive qualitative study, conducted at Shifa international hospital, Radiology Department, from 28 March to 5 June 2020.
