Perceptions Of Dental Stress And Social Support Among Malaysian Dental Students

Objective: To explore the association between socialsupport and stress levels in preclinical and clinical dentalstudents in Malaysia. Method: A cross sectional surveyof dental undergraduate students was conducted at theFaculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, UniversitiKebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Sains Malaysia.Stress was measured using the Dental Environment Stress(DES) questionnaire. A DES-32 item was used to measurestress for the clinical students and DES-16 item for thepreclinical students. Four questions were used to measuresocial support. The total stress scores were standardizedfor comparison purposes. Results: A total of 357 (79.7%)preclinical and 417 (71.8%) clinical undergraduate dentalstudents responded to the questionnaires. The clinicalstudents experienced higher stress [mean standardizedDES score = 72.63, SD = 10.64] than preclinical students[mean standardized DES score = 70.19, SD=12.01]. Thetwo most stressful items reported by preclinical studentswere “fear of failing” and “examination and grades”.Among clinical students, the two most stressful items relatedto academic were “completing course requirement” and“fear of failing course” and items related to clinical sessionwere “fear of being barred due to the clinical schedule”and “patients late or absent”. Multiple regression analysesrevealed that low stress levels among preclinical studentswere significantly associated to a lot of contact withstudents of the same course. Conclusion: To some extent,social support does play a role in explaining differences inperceived stress, in particular among preclinical students.

Root canal treatment in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia Dental Clinic – a 5-year retrospective study

Root canal treatment (RCT) requires high level of technical skills of the dentist. Its outcome is an important part of evidencebased practice and become the basis of treatment planning and prognostic considerations. Adequate removal of micro-organisms and prevention of recolonization of residual micro-organisms through the placement of root filling with satisfactory coronal seal ensures success. This retrospective record review study aimed to investigate the practices of RCT in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) Dental Clinic, Kota Bharu, Kelantan. It involved 333 randomly selected patient records at the HUSM Record Unit. Data was obtained by careful analyses of daily treatment progress sheets and analyzed using SPSS version 12.0. A total of 2996 RCT cases were seen and 59.8% of patients were females. The age range of patients varied from 14 to 64 years. The maxillary anterior teeth were most commonly treated (52.6%). Most operators (99.1%) used step-back technique and 97.6% used files to prepare root canals. The most commonly used material for obturation and sealing was gutta-percha and epoxy resin-based sealer (AH26). About 82.9% used calcium hydroxide as intra-canal medication. About 25.5% of cases had no periapical pathology, 65.8% with pre-existing periapical radiolucencies healed in 1-3 months whereas 2.1% of cases with periapical pathology eventually healed after a year. About 6.9% cases failed after retreatment. The number of radiographs taken was two to four pieces. RCT is a useful intervention to maintain longevity of teeth. Decision making and current updates of methods and materials are essential among practitioners as well as administrators to ensure success.

Serum changes of gonadotropins in some metabolic diseases and their in associated impotence

Serum FSH, prolactin and LH were measured in 12 diabetic and 12 uremic male patients. These gonadotropins were also measured in 12 male healthy individuals who constituted the control group of this study.The mean basal levels of serum LH and FSH in uremic patients were significantly increased than that of the control group. They were non- significantly decreased in diabetic patients. The mean baseal level of serum prolactin was highly significantly increased in uremic patients as compared to the control group.While in the diabetic group it was non- significantly increased than that of the control group. The possible relation of these changes to the explanation of impotence suffered by diabetic and uremic patients was discussed

Role of prolactin metabolism in bilharzial hepatic fibrosis associated with sexual disturbances

Serum prolactin levels were assayed in 20 male patients with bilharzial liver fibrosis Also, LH and FSH were measured. Twelve male individuals with no known diseases which affect pituitary hormones constituted the control group Cases with hyperprolactinaemia [>20mg/ml] and associated with sexual disturbances [18 patients] were treated with bromocriptine [2.5mg tds for one month]. After treatment, serum prolactin levels were reassayed with revaluation of sexual disturbances. The treated cases showed improvement of the reproductive state in the form of increased libido and improved potency.This could be attributed to the significant decrease of serum prolactin levels to within reference ranges

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic pattern of urinary and serum proteins in some chronic renal diseases

In this study, urinary and serum proteins in control, CRF and nephrotic groups are fractionated into 11 fractions arranged from the anodal side on polyacrylamide gel electrophoressis. Statistical analysis of the results revealed that: 1- In chronic renal failure group, both quantitative and qualitative changes in serum and urinary proteins occur. There is a very highly significant increase in urinary total proteins, F1[1] F[5] and F[6] as well as a highly significant increase in urinary F4 and a significant increase in urinary F[2]. On the other hand there is a highly significant decrease in serum total proteins and F6. Also, there is a highly significant decrease in F[2] and F[6]. On the other hand, there is a highIy significant increase in serum F1 and F9. F10 and F11 are present only in CRF group but not in control or nephrotic groups. 2- In nephrotic group, there is a very highly significant increase in urinary total proteins, F1, F3, F5 and F6 as well as a highly significant increase in F[2]. The urinary protein F7, F8 and F9 are present in nephrotic group but F[10] and F[11] are absent. As for serum, there is a very highly significant decrease in serum total proteins. F[2] and F[6]. a highly significant decrease in F[5] and a significant increase in F9 and absence of F[10] and F11 which are present in CRF group only. 3 In CRF group, there is a highly significant increase in serum F 1, which may be B2 microglobulin and may be of value in the genesis of symptoms in CRF. 4 Considering urinary F3, which is most probably transferrin, it showed a very highly significant increase in nephrotic group, but insignificant change in CRF group. So, it may be considered as an indicator for pathological glomerular proteinuria. 5 As regards urinary F4 which is most probably B-globulin, it showed a highly significant increase in CRF group but insignificant change in nephrotic group. This may be of value in diagnosis and differntiation between CRF and nephrotic syndrome.6- F7, F8 and F9 are most probably IgM. These fractions are present in urine of CRF and nephrotic group, but absent in urine of control group because they can not pass through the normal glomerular membrane. 7- There is a highly significant increase in serum F9 in CRF group. This fraction is of a large molecular weight and essentially unfilterable and may have a role in the genesis of renal failure symptoms. It is concluded that fraction of urinary as well as serum proteins by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis may be of high value in diagnosis and prognosis of renal disease status. The increase in urinary F3 is an indicator of glomerular proteinuria which occurs in nephrotic syndrome and the increase in urinary F4 is an indicator of tubular proteinuria and may be of diagnostic value in chronic renal failure

Effect of chronic exposure to ammonia on hormonal profile in human and expermental rats

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of chronic exposure to ammonia on the endocrine profile of a group of 22 subjects living in the vicinity of a fertilizer factory for over 5 years. Eight subjects living away from the factory constituted the control group. Also, the effects of ammonia exposure were studied in 10 rats exposed to ammonia at a fixed and constant concentration of 262 +/- 10 mg/m3 for 30 days. Eight rats not exposed to ammonia constituted the control group. The changes of the hormonal profile of the studied groups were more prominant in the animal group than in the human group especially as regards thyroid function tests. This points to the importance of hormonal follow up for those facing long-term periods of exposure to ammonia especially as regards thyroid function tests

Correlation between copper, zinc and sorbitol dehydrogenase activity in seminal plasma as a biological marker for spermatogenesis in male infertility

It is pointed out that some profound disorders developing in the infertile testis affect mainly the germinal cells. Degeneration of these cells, as recently reported, was associated with affection of sorbitol dehydrogenase [SDH] activity in seminal plasma. The objective of this study was to identify the alterations of SDH activities as well as the possible relationship between zinc and copper level versus SDH activities in human semen specimens with different sperm parameters. Our data show that the decrease of spermatozoal count and reduce motility in infertile specimens was accompanied by a significant decrease [<0.001] in both SDH activities and zinc levels. A significant increase [<0.001] was also noted in copper levels when compared to normospermic group. A positive correlation was found between SDH activity and zinc level [+ 0.61] and between SDH activity and copper levels [+0.51] in normospermic population. At the same time no correlation was found between SDH activity and trace elements studied in infertile men [Oligoathenoatheno and azospermia]. We can conclude that SDH could serve as a useful biochemical make for assessing testicular function and spermatogenesis in infertile men. Also this enzyme has no relation with zinc, copper levels in seminal plasma, of such population

Biochemical effects of some commonly used legumes on alloxan diabetic rats

The present work was undertaken in an attempt to investigate the effect of long use of some selected legumes on fasting blood glucose level and blood lipid pattern in alloxan diabetic rats. Feeding diet containing termis and helba to diabetic rats for one month induced significant decrease in fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and low density lipoprotein levels with a high significant increase in high density lipoprotein level. From the present study, it is concluded that eating termis and helba mixture before breakfast every morning leads to improvement of fasting blood glucose level and blood lipid pattern of alloxan diabetic rats. And it is a good habit for the diabetic patients to take a mixture of termis and helba everymorning before breakfast