A Questionnaire-Based study to assess Health Care Providers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding Oral Health and Oral Care for Hospitalized patients at St Giles Psychiatric Hospital in Fiji

@#A mental disorder is a pattern of behavior or thought that causes severe suffering or impairs one's ability to function. Due to their inability to lead a regular life, mentally challenged people have been found to have poor oral health. The aim of this study was to assess health care providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding oral health care of hospitalized patients at St Giles Psychiatric Hospital in Fiji. A cross-sectional survey design was employed in which 29 health care providers completed a questionnaire that collected socio-demographic information, knowledge, attitude and practices regarding oral health maintenance and care of psychiatric patients. Results revealed that all participants (100%), had knowledge on oral health and oral hygiene practices. However, only 9 nurses (50%) and 5 ward orderlies (63%) reported practicing oral hygiene for in – patients. In fact, 5 (17%) respondents did not view oral hygiene as an important aspect in their patients’ health. All participants (100%) reported unavailability of oral hygiene aids and absence of frequent dental visits, as a key barrier in the oral health care of patients. The results emphasize on the need for a formal training program for health care providers, and clear policies and guidelines about oral health care of hospitalized patients must be instituted.

Phytomedicines as potential inhibitors of β amyloid aggregation: significance to Alzheimer's disease / 中国天然药物

Throughout the history of drug development, plants have been an important source for the discovery of novel therapeutically active compounds for many diseases. The ethnopharmacological approach has provided several leads to identify potential new drugs from plant sources, including those for memory disorders. For the treatment of Alzheimer's disease the drug discovery focus shifted from cholinesterase inhibitors, to other targets primarily based on two key neuropathological hallmarks, namely the hyperphosphorylation of the tau protein resulting in the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), and the increased formation and aggregation of amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) derived from amyloid precursor protein (APP). The present article aims to provide a comprehensive literature survey of plants and their constituents that have been tested for Aβ aggregation, thus possibly relieving several features of Alzheimer's disease (AD).