Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary ailment that can cause severe pain and suffering to people who are affected. However, with continued investment in research and treatment options, we can make progress towards improving the lives of those with SCD. Over 40% of patients experience painful vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs), so we must work towards finding solutions and providing support for those living with this condition, These episodes, a hallmark of SCD, significantly contribute to morbidity, mortality, and a diminished quality of life, while also incurring substantial healthcare costs. Chronic pain particularly affects older adolescents and adults with SCD, with over half reporting daily discomfort. Opioid-based analgesics, though still the main form of pain management, have limitations. Their effectiveness is limited, and they come with risks of adverse effects and addiction. Therefore, exploring alternative, for pain management strategies is crucial. This review dives into the potential of pharmacological supplements for this purpose. Deficiency in vitamin D is linked to increased complications in SCD. While evidence suggests vitamin D supplementation might help manage pain in SCD patients, more clinical trials are needed to confirm this benefit and determine the most effective dosage. L-arginine supplementation shows promise in reducing pain and hospital stays, while inhaled nitric oxide has yielded mixed results. Zinc deficiency is common in SCD, and supplementation may decrease infections, improve immunity, and reduce pain crises. Because of their anti-inflammatory qualities, omega-3 fatty acids may lessen the frequency of pain and inflammatory markers. Overall, the evidence for most supplements remains inconclusive, highlighting the need for further clinical research for promising supplements of vitamin D and omega-3, to establish definitive conclusions regarding their efficacy and safety in SCD patients. Exploring combination therapies and tailoring interventions to individual needs may hold promise for comprehensive pain management strategies.
Many water supplies are now contaminated by anthropogenic sources such as domestic and agricultural waste, as well as manufacturing activities, the public's concern about the environmental effects of wastewater contamination has grown. Several traditional wastewater treatment methods, such as chemical coagulation, adsorption, and activated sludge, have been used to eliminate pollution; however, there are several drawbacks, most notably high operating costs, because of its low operating and repair costs, the usage of aerobic waste water treatment as a reductive medium is gaining popularity. Furthermore, it is simple to produce and has a high efficacy and potential to degrade pollu
... Show MoreBackground: Diabetic patients have been reported to be more susceptible to gingivitis and periodontitis than healthy subjects. Many intracellular enzymes like (alkaline phosphatase- (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase- (AST) and alanine aminotransferase- (ALT) that are released outside cells into the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and saliva after destruction of periodontal tissue during periodontitis. This study was conducted to determine the periodontal health status and the levels of salivary enzymes (ALP, AST and ALT) of the study and control groups and to correlate the levels of these enzymes with clinical periodontal parameters in each study group. Subjects, Materials and Methods: One hundred subjects were enrolled in the study, with a
... Show MoreGlobally, the COVID-19 pandemic’s development has presented significant societal and economic challenges. The carriers of COVID-19 transmission have also been identified as asymptomatic infected people. Yet, most epidemic models do not consider their impact when accounting for the disease’s indirect transmission. This study suggested and investigated a mathematical model replicating the spread of coronavirus disease among asymptomatic infected people. A study was conducted on every aspect of the system’s solution. The equilibrium points and the basic reproduction number were computed. The endemic equilibrium point and the disease-free equilibrium point had both undergone local stability analyses. A geometric technique was used
... Show MoreTo investigate the efficacy of polyether‐ether‐ketone (PEEK) wire as a fixed orthodontic retainer, by comparing its performance to other retainer wires and optimizing its adhesion to composite bonding materials.
Retainer wires of 15 mm segments were used, PEEK wires were prepared in cylindrical form with 0.8 mm diameter, and had two surface treatments namely air‐abrasion and conditioning with adhesive system. Three different metallic retainer wires were used for comparison and three tests were performed; two tests measured debonding force and associated wire deflec
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease. Inflammation leads to joint damage and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a measure of inflammation in many diseases. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the usefulness of NLR to detect inflammation in RA, and its correlation to RA disease activity indices and some hematological parameters. A cross-sectional study involving 24 patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are using MTX participated in this study. All patients were clinically evaluated using disease activity score of 28 joints (DAS28) and simplified disease activity index (SDAI), whereas functional disability was assessed by health assessment questionnaire di
... Show MoreBackground :Atherosclerosis is the most
frequent underlying cause of ischemic heart
disease and a major cause of death all over the
world. This study was carried out to analyze and
compare the angiographic findings in patients
with diabetes mellitus versus non diabetics with
coronary heart disease , and to correlate these
findings with some risk factors for coronary
heart disease.
Methods: A total of 100 patients were studied,
50 with diabetes mellitus, and 50 non diabetics.
This study was carried out at Al-Sadr teaching
hospital in Basrah, Southern Iraq during the
period April 2009- September 2009. All patients
were known to have coronary heart disease. Risk
factors for coronary heart disease
Objectives: The demand for orthodontic treatment is nowadays increasing significantly for aesthetic improvement and to correct various kinds of malocclusion, yet the prolonged treatment time remains the main obstacle. This review aimed to demonstrate various orthodontic techniques and highlight the evidence-based successful approaches used for acceleration of orthodontic tooth movement. Materials and Methods: Data and sources of information pertaining to accelerated orthodontic tooth movement premised on English-written articles were searched using electronic databases including Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed and MEDLINE. Results: This review demonstrated the availability of different surgical and non-surgical methods to enhance tooth movem
... Show MoreZainab M. Al-Bahrani Department of Oral Diagnosis, College of Dentistry, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.Corresponding author: Zainab M. Al-Bahra...
The loss of dental hard tissue as a result of odontoclastic activity is known as root resorption. It is unwanted and pathological in permanent teeth. Root resorption may happen within the root canal called internal root resorption or on the outer surface of the root called external root resorption. Regardless of where it occurs, root resorption is irreparable, can cause pain for the patient, necessitates treatment, and in some circumstances, resulting in the early loss of the affected tooth. It might be challenging to precisely diagnose and treat root resorption. There is limited information within literatures on root resorption therefore this review aims to understand the radiological and clinical characteristics of r
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