scholarly journals Enhancing Fluoride: Clinical Human Studies of Alternatives or Boosters for Caries Management

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (Suppl. 1) ◽  
pp. 22-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margherita Fontana

Dental caries remains a major public health problem, especially for certain high-risk population groups. The goal of this study was to assess the evidence regarding strategies meant to be used as alternatives or booster/supplements to fluoride for caries prevention and management. Articles were selected for inclusion if they had a prospective longitudinal design, with a fluoride control arm, and were conducted in human subjects. Of the included studies, 7/18 studies on calcium-based strategies favored the test product (the majority of studies included exposure of fluoride in all groups). All the arginine studies (8/8) included a combination of arginine and a calcium base, and concluded that this has the potential to significantly boost the performance of fluoride. The remaining included studies focused on the addition of microbial-related strategies to a fluoride-containing vehicle (2 xylitol studies and 1 study using a probiotic milk), and all favored the combination as a booster to fluoride. Thus, the current study did not identify evidence for any strategy to effectively be used as a substitute or alternative to fluoride, but identified some consistent evidence derived from the use of prebiotic strategies (primarily from use of arginine combined with calcium) to support their potential use to boost the mechanism of action of fluoride. Thus, fluoride-based strategies remain the standard for caries prevention and management, with some evidence that boosting the effects of fluoride by the use of prebiotic strategies is a promising possibility.

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 145
Author(s):  
Bathula Surendra ◽  
Muhammad Mujtaba Hashir ◽  
Fahad Salman Al Harbi ◽  
Mohammed Jassim Al Nuwaysir ◽  
Khalid Majed Al Khaldi ◽  
...  

INTRODUCTION: Cancer is a major public health problem. Worldwide, colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of deaths due to cancer in both men and women. Among, Saudi men, CRC is the most common malignancy while it is the third most common among Saudi women. Over, two decades the incidence and deaths due to CRC have been steadily increasing in Saudi Arabia. Regular and timely screening has the potential in reducing the incidence and deaths due to colorectal cancer. The present study is conducted to evaluate the knowledge and awareness about colorectal cancer and its screening among the doctors.OBJECTIVES: To measure the frequency of knowledge and awareness about colorectal cancer and its screening guidelines among doctors in Al-Ahssa.METHODS: A questionnaire based survey of the doctors (Specialists & residents), working in different hospitals and primary health centers under the Ministry of Health in Al Ahssa region, Eastern province, KSA.  Knowledge and awareness about colorectal cancer and its screening among the doctors is evaluated.RESULTS: Over 80% of the doctors knew, screening reduces deaths due to CRC. Only 60% were aware about the risk factors and less than 50% knew the clinical features of CRC. About 60% doctors agreed Colonoscopy is gold standard screening test. While, less than 60% knew the ideal age to initiate screening and the actual interval of screening tests in the standard risk and high-risk population. Fewer than 25% doctors were aware about the American cancer society recommended screening guidelines. Majority of the doctors expressed keen interest to know and receive information about CRC and its screening guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Regular and timely screening reduces deaths due to CRC. There is a need for improving knowledge and awareness of doctors about CRC and its screening. Awareness among the doctors improves uptake of screening by the general and high-risk population.


2003 ◽  
Vol 89 (S1) ◽  
pp. S75-S85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Véronique Coxam

Osteoporosis has become a major public health problem. Because the biggest culprit in the process of bone loss is oestrogen deficiency, hormone replacement therapy remains the mainstay for prevention, but prophylaxis by this means is limited. Phyto-oestrogens deserve special mention because emerging data support the suggestion that these weakly oestrogenic compounds, present in plants, may prevent bone loss associated with the menopause and thus represent a potential alternative therapy for a range of hormone-dependent conditions, including postmenopausal symptoms. A substantial body of work in animal models in the past few years has provided convincing data for significant improvements in bone mass and other endpoints following feeding with soya. Thus, phyto-oestrogens appear to have potential promise for maintaining or modestly improving bone mass of human subjects when consumed at optimal dosages. However, we must appreciate the limits of the information reached before extrapolating to man and we need to gather more data before health professionals can actively advocate the increased consumption of soya. Indeed, it will be important further to characterise the physiological effects of phytooestrogens and their margins of safety.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Tri Indah Winarni ◽  
Farmaditya EP Mundhofir ◽  
Sultana MH Faradz

Background: Intellectual disability (ID) is a major public health problem because the defect, treatment and rehabilitation require long life both medical and socio-economic assessment. Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common cause of inherited X-linked intellectual disabilities (ID) with reduced penetrance. With regards to behavioral and emotional phenotype, FXS commonly mixed up with idiopathic autism. The prevalence is found higher in males compared to females. In accordance with rapid development of diagnosis technique, the prevalence of FXS is defining worldwide including Indonesia using, currently, simple molecular method.Objectives: This study was aimed to diagnose genetic cause of ID and to establish the prevalence of FXS among ID population in Central Java, and Yogyakarta Province.Method: Screening has been performed since 1994 continuously in high risk population (special school with and without autism) using clinical, cytogenetic, and FMR1 gene PCR-based molecular approach. Cascade testing was subjected to the family members with positive result of FXS and many new cases were disclosed in our cohort study.Results: The prevalence of FXS among ID population was calculated to be 1.9% (5/262) in 1994 and 1.7% (9/527) in 2011. Among autism population it was determined to be 6.15% (4/65). Trisomy 21 was found in 14% (74/527) as a major cause of ID.Conclusion: The prevalence of FXS among screened ID population overtime is comparable. 


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (5) ◽  
pp. 1653 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iratxe Macías ◽  
Natividad Alcorta-Sevillano ◽  
Clara I. Rodríguez ◽  
Arantza Infante

Osteoporosis, the most common chronic metabolic bone disease, is characterized by low bone mass and increased bone fragility. Nowadays more than 200 million individuals are suffering from osteoporosis and still the number of affected people is dramatically increasing due to an aging population and longer life, representing a major public health problem. Current osteoporosis treatments are mainly designed to decrease bone resorption, presenting serious adverse effects that limit their safety for long-term use. Numerous studies with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have helped to increase the knowledge regarding the mechanisms that underlie the progression of osteoporosis. Emerging clinical and molecular evidence suggests that inflammation exerts a significant influence on bone turnover, thereby on osteoporosis. In this regard, MSCs have proven to possess broad immunoregulatory capabilities, modulating both adaptive and innate immunity. Here, we will discuss the role that MSCs play in the etiopathology of osteoporosis and their potential use for the treatment of this disease.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 3169
Author(s):  
Porfirio Alonso Ruiz-Hurtado ◽  
Leticia Garduño-Siciliano ◽  
Pilar Domínguez-Verano ◽  
Daniela Balderas-Cordero ◽  
Gustavo Gorgua-Jiménez ◽  
...  

Gastric ulcer disease induced by the consumption of NSAIDs is a major public health problem. The therapy used for its treatment causes adverse effects in the patient. Propolis is a natural product that has been used for the treatments of different diseases around the world. Nevertheless, there is little information about the activity of propolis in gastric ulcers caused by treatment with NSAIDs. Therefore, this review evaluates and compares the gastroprotective potential of propolis and its function against NSAID-induced gastric ulcers, for which a systematic search was carried out in the PubMed and ScienceDirect databases. The main criteria were articles that report the gastroprotective activity of propolis against the damage produced by NSAIDs in the gastric mucosa. Gastroprotection was related to the antioxidant, antisecretory, and cytoprotective effects, as well as the phenolic compounds present in the chemical composition of propolis. However, most of the studies used different doses of NSAIDs and propolis and evaluated different parameters. Propolis has proven to be a good alternative for the treatment of gastric ulcer disease. However, future studies should be carried out to identify the compounds responsible for these effects and to determine their potential use in people.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kalyan Stoychev ◽  
Emilia Dimitrova ◽  
Vladimir Nakov ◽  
Maya Stoimenova-Popova ◽  
Petranka Chumpalova ◽  
...  

Introduction: Suicide is a major public health problem but factors determining suicide risk are still unclear. Studies in this field in Bulgaria are limited, especially on a regional level.Methods: By a cross-sectional design, we accessed the medical records of all psychiatric patients committed suicide over a 10-year period (2009–2018) in one major administrative region of Bulgaria. A statistical analysis was performed of the association between age of suicide as an indirect yet measurable expression of the underlying suicidal diathesis and a number of socio-demographic and clinical characteristics.Results: Seventy-seven of 281 suicides (28%) had psychiatric records. Most common diagnoses were mood disorders (44%), followed by schizophrenia (27%), anxiety disorders (10%), substance use disorders (9%) and organic conditions (8%). Male gender, single/divorced marital status, early illness onset, co-occurring substance misuse and lower educational attainment (for patients aged below 70) were significantly associated with earlier age of suicide whereas past suicide attempts and psychiatric hospitalizations, comorbid somatic conditions and unemployment showed insignificant association. Substantial proportion of patients (60%) had contacted psychiatric service in the year preceding suicide, with nearly half of these encounters being within 30 days of the accident.Conclusion: Severe mental disorders are major suicide risk factor with additional contribution of certain socio-demographic and illness-related characteristics. Monitoring for suicidality must be constant in chronic psychiatric patients. Registration of suicide cases in Bulgaria needs improvement in terms of information concerning mental health. More studies with larger samples and longitudinal design are needed to further elucidate distal and proximal suicide risk factors.


Crisis ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annie Mino ◽  
Arnaud Bousquet ◽  
Barbara Broers

The high mortality rate among drug users, which is partly due to the HIV epidemic and partly due to drug-related accidental deaths and suicides, presents a major public health problem. Knowing more about prevalence, incidence, and risk factors is important for the development of rational preventive and therapeutic programs. This article attempts to give an overview of studies of the relations between substance abuse, suicidal ideation, suicide, and drug-related death. Research in this field is hampered by the absence of clear definitions, and results of studies are rarely comparable. There is, however, consensus about suicidal ideation being a risk factor for suicide attempts and suicide. Suicidal ideation is also a predictor of suicide, especially among drug users. It is correlated with an absence of family support, with the severity of the psychosocial dysfunctioning, and with multi-drug abuse, but also with requests for treatment. Every clinical examination of a drug user, not only of those who are depressed, should address the possible presence of suicidal ideation, as well as its intensity and duration.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 197-201
Author(s):  
Mir M Hassan Bullo ◽  
Mirza Amir Baig ◽  
Jawad Faisal Malik ◽  
Ejaz Ahmad Khan ◽  
Muazam Abbas Ranjha ◽  
...  

Background: Measles is highly contagious vaccine preventable disease (VPD), and a major public health problem considered as leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries like Pakistan. An outbreak of measles was reported in Sharifabad Islamabad on 15th of April 2017, and an investigation was launched to assess the magnitude of outbreak, evaluate risk factors and recommend control measures. Methods: A comprehensive house to house active case search along with vaccine coverage survey was conducted from April 19-22, 2017. A case was defined as "onset of maculopapular rash with fever in a resident of Sharifabad with at least one of the following signs/ symptoms, Coryza, Conjunctivitis, Cough, Otitis media or Pneumonia present in between 19 March to 22nd April 2017". Four age & sex matched controls were selected from the neighborhood. Data was collected through interview method using structured questionnaire and vaccination coverage was determined by using Epi survey form. Blood samples were sent for laboratory confirmation. Results: A total of eight cases were identified through active case finding while three were reported by local practitioner. Mean age of cases were 20 months (range 8-36 months). Severely affected age-group was 1-2 years with attack rate of 46%. Around two-third (64%) of cases and a few (16%) of controls were unvaccinated against measles. Contact with measles patient [OR 25.2, CI 3.9-160.1, P=0.00], unvaccinated children [OR 9.2 CI 2.12-40.4, P=0.000], social misconception regarding vaccination [OR 7.8 CI 1.42-42.6, P=0.00], and distance from healthcare facility [OR 5.7 CI 1.15-28.35, P=0.02] were significant risk factors. Vaccine efficacy was 90%. Conclusion: Main reasons of the outbreak were contact with the cases, and low vaccination status. We recommended comprehensive measles vaccination and community awareness sessions. On our recommendations district health authority Islamabad carried out mop up of whole area.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 513
Author(s):  
Rakhshan .

Mosquitoes are vectors of many pathogens which causes serious human diseases like Malaria, Filariasis, Japanese encephalitis, Dengue fever, Chikungunya, Yellow fever and Zika virus which constitute a major public health problem globally. Mosquito borne diseases cause high level of economic impact all over the world and result in millions of death every year. They infect around 700,000,000 people annually worldwide and 40,000,000 only in India. The continuous use of synthetic pesticides to control vector mosquitoes has caused physiological resistance, toxic effect on human health, environmental pollution and addition to these, its adverse effects can be observed on non-target organisms. Synthetic chemical pesticides have been proved to be effective, but overall in last 5 decades indiscriminate use of synthetic pesticides against vector borne disease control have originated several ecological issues due to their residual accumulation and development of resistance in target vectors and their chronic effects.


2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-91
Author(s):  
Z Rahman ◽  
KK Karmaker ◽  
M Ahmed ◽  
M Aziz ◽  
S Chowdhury ◽  
...  

Hypertension is a major public health problem. Despite the increasing awareness of hypertension and its implications among patients and treating physicians, the prevalence of resistant hypertension    remains high.Resistant hypertension define as blood pressure that remains elevated above treatment goals despite administration of an optimal three drug regimen that include a diuretic1 The prevalence of resistant    hypertension is projected to increase, owing to the aging population and increasing trends in obesity, sleep apnea, and chronic kidney disease. It is estimated that at least 10% of all patients with hypertension are resistant to existing drugs. Management of resistant hypertension must begin with  a careful evaluation of the patient to confirm the diagnosis and exclude factors associated with “pseudo-resistance,” such as improper BP measurement technique, the white-coat effect, and poor patient adherence to life-style and/or antihypertensive medications. Despite the use of the appropriate dose and type of diuretic to overcome the management of resistant hypertension, we can’t achieve our goal. But there is at least two devices namely Baroreflex Activation Therapy and Catheter-based  renal sympathetic denervation make the new hope for the patient with resistant hypertension DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/cardio.v5i1.12278 Cardiovasc. j. 2012; 5(1): 81-91


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