Sleep Patterns and Associated Insomnia in Junior and Senior Medical Students: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Introduction Appropriate quality and quantity of sleep are critical for good mental health, optimal body functioning, memory consolidation, and other cognitive processes. Objectives To evaluate the sleeping patterns of medical students in Saudi Arabia and their relationships with psychological distress. Methods This was a cross-sectional, self-administered, questionnaire-based study. The study included medical students from a university in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) were used to evaluate the prevalence and burden of inadequate sleep quality and insomnia in the participants. Results The majority of the participants was women (76.6%). Furthermore, most participants (96.2%) were aged between 18 and 24 years old, while 54.4% of the participants were in their senior year. According to the AIS scores (mean: 15.85 ± 4.52), 98.7% of the participants exhibited insomnia symptoms. The PSQI scores (mean: 9.53 ± 5.67) revealed that 70.5% of the participants had poor sleep quality. Students in their fundamental and junior years had significantly higher percentages of insomnia symptoms and poor sleep quality compared with students in their senior years. Conclusion The prevalence of insomnia and poor sleep quality is high among medical students. Therefore, appropriate strategies for early detection and intervention are warranted.

Distúrbios alimentares e seus fatores genéticos: revisão de literatura / Eating disorders and their genetic factors: literature review / Trastornos alimentarios y sus factores genéticos: revisión de la literatura

Diversas condições psiquiátricas apresentam influência de fatores genéticos, e dentre essas condições encontram-se os distúrbios alimentares: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa e transtorno de compulsão alimentar. Os distúrbios previamente citados apresentam influência genética ligadas à hereditariedade, sendo que cada um deles apresenta características distintas quanto às suas manifestações clínicas, tratamento e diagnóstico. A importância da investigação deste tema e seu objetivo relaciona-se com o propósito de contribuir para elucidar quanto às características gerais dos principais distúrbios alimentares e seus fatores genéticos através da: etiologia, sinais e sintomas, diagnóstico e tratamento e que venha a possibilitar, futuramente, novos estudos com resultados para novas medidas terapêuticas. Como base da pesquisa, foi levantada a seguinte problemática: "Quais as características gerais dos principais distúrbios psiquiátricos, etiologia, sinais e sintomas, diagnóstico e tratamento?". Portanto, realizou- se uma uma busca ativa através dos descritores: "transtorno de compulsão alimentar"; "distúrbios alimentares"; "bulimia nervosa" e "anorexia nervosa", adquiriu-se material pelas fontes: SciELO, ELSEVIER, GOOGLE ACADÊMICO, PUBMED, MEDSCAPE e pelo periódico Arquivos e Ciências da Saúde da UNIPAR. Com isso, foi adquirido material suficiente para concluir a influência genética perante tais distúrbios, além de elucidar suas principais características, tendo assim caráter educativo e científico.

Several psychiatric conditions have genetic factors influence, and among these conditions are eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. The previously mentioned disorders have a genetic influence linked to heredity, each one of them having different characteristics as to their clinical manifestations, treatment and diagnosis. The importance of research on this topic and its objective is related to the purpose of contributing to elucidate the general characteristics of the main eating disorders and their genetic factors through: etiology, signs and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment and that will make possible, in the future, new studies with results for new therapeutic measures. As a basis for the research, the following issue was raised: "What are the general characteristics of the main psychiatric disorders, etiology, signs and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment?". Therefore, an active search was carried out through the descriptors: "binge eating disorder"; "eating disorders"; " nervous bulimia" and " nervous anorexia", material was acquired by the sources: SciELO, ELSEVIER, GOOGLE ACADEMIC, PUBMED, MEDSCAPE and by UNIPAR's Archives and Health Sciences. With this, sufficient material was acquired to conclude the genetic influence in the face of such disturbances, besides elucidating its main characteristics, thus having an educational and scientific character.

Varios trastornos psiquiátricos tienen factores genéticos que influyen, y entre estos trastornos se encuentran los trastornos de la alimentación: anorexia nerviosa, bulimia nerviosa y trastorno por atracón. Los trastornos mencionados tienen una influencia genética vinculada a la herencia, cada uno de ellos con características diferentes en cuanto a sus manifestaciones clínicas, tratamiento y diagnóstico. La importancia de la investigación sobre este tema y su objetivo se relaciona con el propósito de contribuir a dilucidar las características generales de los principales trastornos de la conducta alimentaria y sus factores genéticos a través de: etiología, signos y síntomas, diagnóstico y tratamiento y que posibilitarán, en el futuro, nuevos estudios con resultados para nuevas medidas terapéuticas. Como base para la investigación se planteó la siguiente cuestión: "¿Cuáles son las características generales de los principales trastornos psiquiátricos, etiología, signos y síntomas, diagnóstico y tratamiento?". Por lo anterior, se realizó una búsqueda activa a través de los descriptores: "trastorno por atracón"; "trastornos de la conducta alimentaria"; "bulimia nerviosa" y "anorexia nerviosa", material adquirido por las fuentes: SciELO, ELSEVIER, GOOGLE ACADEMIC, PUBMED, MEDSCAPE y por Archivos y Ciencias de la Salud de UNIPAR. Con ello, se adquirió material suficiente para concluir la influencia genética ante tales alteraciones, además de dilucidar sus principales características, teniendo así un carácter educativo y científico.

Frequency of tori in patients seen at prosthodontics department of Islamabad dental hospital

Tori are benign growths of new bone in the mouth. The bony prominences go unobserved for a long period of time in the oral cavity due to their painless and benign nature. These are usually noticed during fabrication of a prosthesis as they affect the management of partially and completely edentulous patients. The occurrence of tori vary in populations and between genders. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of torus palatinus and torus mandibularis seen in patients who visited Prosthodontics department of Islamabad Dental Hospital and to find out their gender predominance and variations among the sizes. A total of 278 patients over a period of 4 months were assessed. The results showed that maxillary tori were present in 7.6% of patients and mandibular tori were present in 0.3%. Among these 59% were females and 41% were males. The most frequent age group for tori was of 46-50 years

Awareness regarding implant supported dental prosthesis; a survey in tertiary care set up

Objective: This research was aimed to assess the awareness and attitude regarding implant-retained prosthesis as the most advanced option for tooth replacement amongst residents of Karachi visiting tertiary care centre

Methodology: This cross-sectional survey was conducted in the department of Prosthodontics at Bahria University Dental Hospital, Karachi. Undertaking the demographic characteristics of patients, the objective was to determine the awareness and attitude toward implant supported prosthesis

Results: Amongst 380 responses retrieved, 9.8% of respondents were aware about the dental implant treatment. While correlating awareness with demographics features, awareness statistically increased with educational level [p= 0.00] and occupational category[p=0.01] of the participants. The friends and relative s[40.5%] were the main source of information regarding dental implant treatment modality. 54.1% were unwilling to undergo treatment with dental implant whereas high cost [55.2%]was the major limiting factor for implant treatment. 64.9% demanded dental insurance for getting the treatment. 45.9% had no knowledge regarding maintenance of implant supported prosthesis .73.0% had no idea regarding longevity of dental implant where as 86.5% were unaware of it's impact on systemic health

Conclusion: The overall awareness regarding implant supported prosthesis was found to be minimal. This underlines the need of efforts and measures that should be made to raise the awareness and thus alter attitude towards dental implant therapy. Expensive rates [55.2%] was found to be the major limiting factor that should be relieved in the form of health insurance policies, especially in the developing countries like ours

Risk factors of male osteoporosis

Osteoporosis [OP] is a growing health problem not only in women but also in men. Significant risk factors of OP include previous fragility fractures, hypogonadism, low calcium intake and use of bone resorbing medications amongst others. To find out risk factors in the induction of osteoporosis in apparently healthy Egyptian males. This study was carried out on one hundred apparently healthy men. Their age ranged from 30-65 years with a mean +/- SD of [44.65 +/- 8.3]. All of them were recruited from the workers of Assiut University Hospital during a period of one year. Complete clinical history included occupational history, smoking habits, physical activity and calcium intake. Complete clinical examination was performed. Laboratory investigations included serum calcium, phosphorus and osteocalcin. Bone Mineral Density [BMD] was measured with calcaneal ultrasound. Sixty three percent of participants were normal BMD, 37% had BMD, 26% were osteopenic and 11% were osteoporotic. Smoking was a strong predictor of BMD. A significant positive correlation was found between BMD and physical activity, body mass index, serum calcium and osteocalcin. Osteoporosis is not only a disease of females, but also it is a disease of males. Smoking, physical inactivity and low body index are significant risk factors. Low serum calcium, low serum osteocalcin and high serum phosphorus are biochemical risk factors of OP in males

Implicações psiconeuroimunológicas do estresse no desencadeamento de doenças / Psychoneuroimmunology of stress implications in unchain diseases

Os autores apresentam as correlações do estresse com a patogênese de várias doenças. Antes, expõem os aspectos fundamentais da Psiconeuroimunologia, para uma compreensão das interconexões no complexo microambiente onde ocorrem as influências do estresse. Concluem que, apesar de todas as implicações do estresse na desestruturação da homeostasia imunológica ainda não estarem completamente definidas, e das limitações metodológicas, há consenso de que fatores estressantes propiciam a vulnerabilidade do organismo a determinadas doenças.

The authors introduce the correlations between stress and the pathogenesis of various diseases. Previously, they expose the fundamental factors of Psychoneuroimmunology for the comprehension of the inter-connections in the complex microenvoironment where the influence of stress occurs. They conclude that despite all the implications of stress on the desestruturation of immunologic homeostasy are not already completely defined and despite metodologic limitations, there are a consensus that stressor factors provide vulnerability to the organism concerned to certain disorders.

Efeitos biopsicossociais e psiconeuroimunológicos do câncer sobre pacientes e familiares / Cancer biopsychosocial and psychoneuroimmunologic effects on patients and their families

Durante as duas últimas décadas, têm sido ressaltados os problemas somáticos, psíquicos e sociais de pacientes com câncer, bem como têm sido focalizadas, no âmbito do estudo oncológico, as teorias biopsicossociais e psiconeuroimunológicas. O presente trabalho apresenta consideraçöes clínicas sobre esses aspectos, ressaltando-se o impacto que o câncer provoca sobre os pacientes e seus familiares. O câncer e seus tratamentos constituem uma fonte de estresse, capaz de desencadear desordens de ajustamento nestes indivíduos. A mensuraçäo da qualidade de vida deve ser incorporada aos estudos clínicos, porque a sua inclusäo tende a melhorar as indicaçöes terapêuticas. Os relatos de pacientes sobre sintomas somáticos säo associados, principalmente, às suas preocupaçöes emocionais e sociais mais do que ao seu estado geral de saúde. A equipe responsável pelos pacientes deve compreender a dinâmica envolvida no binômio família-paciente e conhecer a influência que os fatores psicossociais exercem sobre ele. A falha do reconhecimento dessa influência e, conseqüentemente, o prejuízo provocado no suporte psicossocial da família iräo privar os pacientes do conforto, amor, suporte e companheirismo de que eles precisarÝo através do curso da sua doença. Os médicos devem ser capazes de identificar e estimular circunstâncias que facilitem o processo de adaptaçäo de seus pacientes. O tratamento psicológico, em pelo menos alguma extensäo, sempre é benéfico.

Psiconeuroimunologia: aspectos biopsicossociais / Psychoneuroimmunology: biopsychosocial factrs

Este artigo apresenta noçöes fundamentais sobre o background fisiológico para a compreensäo da interaçäo psiconeuroendocrinológica e enfoca os aspectos biopsicossociais existentes em distúrbios depressivos, respiratórios, reumatológicos e neoplásicos. Aborda de forma crítica as citaçöes bibliográficas, demosntrando os possíveis rumos do estudo da psiconeuroimunologia, que certamente potencializaräo a compreensäo dos aspectos epidemiológicos, clínicos, diagnósticos e neurobiológicos, bem como forneceräo noçöes para novas opçöes de tratamentos. Terapias alternativas (hipnose, relaxamento, condicionamentos clássicos, exercícios, exposiçöes a extressores fóbicos, autoconheciemnto e terapias cognitivo-comportamentais) säo um adjunto para a reduçäo da ansiedade e da depressäo. Existem personalidades com potenciais imunossupressores, os quais säo variáveis e dependentes do grau de adaptaçäo do indivíduo a certos impulsos e temores aos choques emocionais e às agressöes do mundo exterior, e que säo plausíveis de, sob intervençöes terapêuticas coadjuvantes, restabelecer a homeostasia psiconeuroimunológica