Can the prevalence of dental caries be used as an indicator of the quality of dental services? a cross-sectional study among children in Almadinah Almunawwarah, KSA

Objectives: To report on the caries status and utilization of dental services of 6- and 12- year-old children

Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in four primary schools during January through March 2013. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected by using an interview-based questionnaire and a clinical oral examination. Clinical oral examination recorded caries status using the decayed [D/d], missing [M/m] and filled [F/f] index; Decayed, Missing and Filled Index [DMFT]

Results: Of a total of 384 students, 330 responded [response rate of 86%]. Two thirds [65%] of participants were females and they had significantly more caries [p < 0.05] in both primary and permanent dentitions as compared to males. The mean DMFT for 6-year-old and 12-year-old children were 4.9 and 1.3, respectively. The prevalence of caries amongst 6-year-old children was reported to be 86% and that for 12-year-old was 68%. All respondents reported using a toothbrush and 20% claimed to visit a dentist regularly. Those who did not regularly visit a dentist had 78% prevalence of caries and they suggested "fear" [29%] and "no reason to visit a dentist" [20%] as reasons for not visiting a dentist. Of those who recently visited dentists, 69% were diagnosed with caries and the most common treatment modalities received were medication [50%] and oral hygiene instructions [19%]

Conclusion: The prevalence of dental caries in this cohort of children was similar to that of earlier studies done in the KSA. The utilization of dental services remained fairly low and those children who did attend dental clinics primarily received preventive services

Key role players in health care quality: who are they and what do they think? An experience from Saudi Arabia

The aim of this study in Medina city in 2009 was to identify key role players who influence the healthcare system and to assess their views regarding the improvement of the quality of health care in Saudi Arabia. In a qualitative, cross-sectional study data were collected from focus group discussions and analysed using a content analysis approach. Key role players were chosen based on their previous experience in providing feedback in health care-related areas: representatives from organizations, interest groups, departments, the media, other governmental organizations and members of the public who actively worked with the Department of Health. The topics discussed were: health and community; health and media; planning for health; female staff views; role of the private health sector; and the role of other governmental agencies. The discussions highlighted the importance of improvement of health facility infrastructure, the implementation of staff training and education, the initiation of quality assurance and safety standards and the extension of the scope of primary care and community health educational programmes.

Biological activity resulting from exposure to aquatic environmental genotoxic pollutants in northern Egypt

We estimated pollution in Lake Edku and the Mediterranean Sea, El-Maadiya Region, with 3 aromatic amines [1-naphthylamine, 2-naphthylamine and benzidine] in the muscle tissue of fish. There were marked seasonal variations in the aromatic amine levels. We also determined oxidative stress [blood glutathione, and catalase activity] and genotoxic effects [chromosomal aberrations and urinary metabolites] in fishermen from each area. The fishermen suffered from oxidative stress and had high levels of the urinary metabolite sulfanilamide [mean [microg/mg creatinine]: Lake Edku 20.7, Mediterranean 14.5, controls 5.3]. Frequencies for total chromosomal aberrations were significantly raised in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of fishermen in both areas [frequency [per 100 metaphases]: Mediterranean 67, Lake Edku 45, controls 14]

Effects of age, gender, folate and vitamin B[12] satus on DNA Damage

A number of host risk factors affecting back ground rates of chromosomal damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes was undertaken into a view to aid in the evaluation of these factors. To determine the effect of age, gender, smoking, vitamin B[12] and folic acid serum level on DNA damage as measured by micronucleus frequency in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Followed by an intervention study to determine whether supplementation with folic acid and vitamin B[12] could alter the micronucleus index. Cytokinesis block micronucleus [CBMN] technique was perftrmed on 36 healthy volunteers; 17 males [mean age 43.47years] of them 19.4% smokers and 19 females [mean age 45 years]. The effect of the studied factors on base line level of MN was evaluated. The dietary intervention involve supplementation with a daily dose of 2000 micro g folic acid and 25 micro g vitamin B[12] [10 times RDI] over a period of 2 months. The study showed that: [i] The frequency of micronuclei was positively correlated with age [r=0.809, P=0.00] and that the correlation was more pronounced among females [r=0.842, P=0.00] than males [r=0.800, P=0.00]. [ii] Gender has no effect on MN frequency [P=0.287], as well as smoking [P 0.185]. [iii] MN frequency was negatively correlated with serum folic acid [r=-0.469, P=0.004], and serum vitamin B[12] [r=-0.590, P 0.00]. After vitamin supplementation MN frequency was significantly reduced [P=0.00], this reduction was more. significant in persons with high initial MN frequency [r=-0.531, P=0.001], and was significantly negatively correlated with serum vitamin B[12] [r=-0.480, P=0.003] and serum folic acid [r=-0.345, P=0.039]. [i] There is an age related increase in MN frequency [ii] Supplementation with 2000 micro g folic acid and 25 micro g vitamin B[12] in tablets is sufficient to minimize MN frequency. Thus it appears that dietary intake above the RDI of these vitamins could be of particular importance in genomic stability, for which ageing is a contributing factor

Disease associated balanced chromosome rearrangements-report on 12 cases

The population frequency of familial disease balanced chromosome rearrangement with discordance for an abnormal phenotype is unknown. De novo balanced chromosome rearrangements are present in approximately 1:2000 newborn. The increased frequency of associated diseases may be due to truncation, inactivation or overexpression of specific genes. Uniparental disomy [UPD] has also been implicated. We report on 12 cases with apparently balanced chromosome rearrangements with abnormal phenotypes, 8 familial [5 families] and 4 de novo. Maternal inheritance accounted for 7/8 cases. The rearrangements included reciprocal translations in 8 cases, Robertsonian translocation in 2 cases and pericentric inversion in 2 cases. Apparently balanced rearrangements in general, represent an interpretational and counseling dilemma when detected in cases with abnormal phenotypes and/or mental retardation

Evaluation of genetic damage in human lymphocytes of women using oral contraceptives

The genotoxic effect of low dose oral contraceptive pills on the frequency of chromosomal aberrations [CA] and sister chromatid exchange [SCE] was investigated on 43 healthy females classified as; 15 women received pills containing 150 microg desogesterel and 30 microg ethinyl estradiol, 14 women received pills containing 250 microg Norgestamine and 35 microg ethinyl estradiol and 14 women received pills containing 75 microg gestodene and 30 microg ethinyl estradiol. The pills were taken orally as a single daily usage in a monthly cycle of 3 weeks and one week off during twelve consecutive menstrual cycles. Also 15 healthy women with regular menstrual cycle not receiving any hormonal therapy were included as a control. There was no statistically significant difference in CA, SCE when healthy women were compared with women taking oral contraceptive pills [p>0.05]. Also no statistically significant difference was detected when comparing between the 3 different types of oral contraceptives [p>0.05]. Our data suggest that the 3 types of oral contraceptive pills used during twelve consecutive menstrual cycles do not induce chromosomal aberrations or sister chromatid exchange in peripheral blood lymphocytes of women

BRCA1 [l85 del AG] mutation among Egyptian breast cancer female patients

This study was conducted to estimate the frequency of BRCA1 [1 85delAG] mutation among Egyptian female patients with breast cancer. Forty selected female patients with breast cancer, 80 of their female relatives and 10 healthy females as a control group were included in this study. Result: The age of onset of breast cancer was below 40 years in 25 [62.5%] patients and above 40 years in 15 [37.5%] patients.There were significant differences among the patients regarding the age at menarche before 13 years [P=0.011, P<0.05], onset of breast cancer [P=0.000, P<0.001], parity [P=0.000, P<0.001], first delivery before 30 years of age [P=0.04, P<0.05], breast feeding [P=0.002, P<0.05], and positive family history [P=0.000, P<0.001]. The frequency of BRCA1 [1 85delAG] mutation was found among 10% of the patients group .Eight percent of patients with early onset below 40 years and 13.5% of patients with onset after 40 years were heterozygotes for the mutation. Three percent of patients with unilateral breast cancer, 40% of patients with bilateral breast cancer and 50% of patients with breast ovarian cancer were carrying the mutation. Our results indicated that breast ovarian cancer and bilateral breast cancer patients were likely to have BRCA1 [l85delAG] mutation than in unilateral breast cancer

Cytogenetic profile of Down syndrome in Alexandria, Egypt

During 1992-2001, 673 Down syndrome patients were referred to the Department of Human Genetics in Alexandria. Regular [free] trisomy 21 constituted 95.4% of cases; Robertsonian translocation 2.7%; and mosaicism 0.7%. In 8 cases, regular trisomy 21 was associated with structural or numerical chromosome anomalies. Translocation was parentally inherited for 33.3% of cases and maternal transmission was twice as common as paternal. Two translocated Down syndrome fetuses were diagnosed prenatally in at [14;21] carrier mother. Mean maternal age was high in regular trisomy 21 [38.2 years] but not in translocation [25.3 years]. There was an excess of males in all groups except the mosaic group where the male:female ratio was 0.67. Cytogenetic investigations assist in patient management and family counselling

Ulcerative colitis amongst the Saudis: six-year experience from Al-Madina region

Ulcerative Colitis is now being recognized amongst the Arabs. After consideration of the clinical, endoscopic and histopathological data, 80 Saudi patients out of 1,182, were diagnosed as ulcerative colitis. There were 47 males and 33 females. The age ranged between two and 90 years [mean 36.5 years]. Endoscopically, the disease was limited to the rectum in 22.5%, rectum and sigmoid in 30%, extended up to the splenic flexure in 27.5% and beyond the splenic flexure in 20% of the patients. Our data supports the recent observation that ulcerative colitis is not uncommon in this part of the world. There are differences in the extent of disease and the presence of local complications, between our patients and those in the high incidence areas

Spectrophotometric determination of mequitazine

Two simple and sensitive spectrophotometric assay procedures were described for the determination of mequitazine. The first was based on the reaction of the drug with aconitic anhydride to give a red colored product measurable at 547 nm. The second depended on the oxidation of the drug with sodium nitroprusside in the presence of concentrated HCl to give a violet color with a maximum absorbance at 569 nm. Optimization of the experimental conditions was described. The proposed methods were applied to the determination of mequitazine in tablet form

Spectrophotometric determination of amoxicillin and cefadroxil using 3-methyl-2bencothiazolone hydrazone hydrochloride

A spectrophotometric method was described for the determination of amoxycillin and cefadroxil. The method was based on the reaction of these drugs with 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolone hydrazone hydrochloride [MBTH] in the presence of cerric ammonium sulfate. The colored products were estimated spectrophotometrically at 530 nm and 511 nm for amoxycillin and cefadroxil, respectively. Beer's Law was valid over the concentration range 10-50 mug ml -1. The method was applied successfully to the analysis of dosage forms. Relative st and ard deviations for the assay of both drugs in commercial preparations were less than 1%

New colorimetric method for determination of isoniazid and hydralazine hydrochloride

A simple sensitive and facile colorimetric method for quantitative determination of isoniazid and hydralazine hydrochloride is developed. The method is based on the formation of Tris [o-phenanthroline] iron [II] complex [ferroin] upon reaction of isoniazid or hydralazine with an iron [III]-o-phenanthroline mixture in sodium acetate-acetic acid buffer

Derivative spectrophotometric and colorimetric determination of minoxidil

Two simple sensitive and accurate methods for the quantitative determination of minoxidil in pure and tablet forms are described. One method is based on recording the first and second derivative curves of minoxidil using the peak-height technique. The other is based on the reaction of minoxidil with 7, 7, 8, 8- tetracyanoquinondimethane [TCNQ] with the formation of stable and highly colored product exhibiting maximum absorption at 842 nm. The two methods are applied to the determination of minoxidil in pure and tablet form with a coefficient of variation less than 1%

Volumetric determination of piroxicam in presence of degradation product

An indirect volumetric method for the determination of piroxicam is developed. It depends on the reaction of piroxicam with a measured excess of ammonium-cerric-sulfate in sulfuric acid medium. The excess cerric is back titrated with st and ard ammonium ferrous sulfate using ferroin as indicator. The molar ratio of the reactants was determined to be one drug to four ammonium-cerric-sulfate. The method was successfully applied for the determination of piroxicam in pharmaceutical preparations. The presence of 2-aminopyridine, the degradation drug product, did not interfere with the accurate determination of piroxicam. The validity of the method was checked using the st and ard addition technique

Quantitative determination of cimetidine and ranitidine using n-bromosuccinimide [NBS]

A simple and accurate titrimetric method was developed for the determination of cimetidine and ranitidine. It involved direct titration of the mentioned drugs with NBS using methyl red as indicator. The stoichiometry for each drug was ascertained. The reaction pathways and products between NBS, cimetidine and ranitidine hydrochloride were suggested. The method was applied successfully for the determination of the investigated drugs in their pharmaceutical dosage forms. The validity of the method was checked by applying the st and ard addition technique. Compared with the official USP XXII assay of cimetidine, the method is simple, rapid and highly sensitive

relation between infantile colic and cow's milk protein intolerance in formula-fed infants

Infantile colic is one of the most frequent problems to occur in the first few months after birth. To determine the relationship between infantile colic and cow's milk protein intolerance [CMPI] in formula-fed infants, 70 infants with severe colic were selected among 160 colicky infants. There was a remission of symptoms in 47 infants [67.1%] when cow's milk formula was replaced by soy formula and two successive challenges caused the recurrence of symptoms in all these infants. Positive family history of atopy was detected in 10 infants with CMP-related colic and in one infant with non-CMP related colic. Twenty two infants [46.8%] with CMP-related colic and one infant [4%] with non-CMP-related colic developed alimentary food intolerance after about one year follow-up period. Since most-cases of severe colic in formula fed infants are caused by CMPI, a change of formula and introduction of CMP-free diet should be the first therapeutic approach, and the possibility of development of other alimentary intolerance at a later age necessitates a careful alimentary follow-up of these infants