Background: University dental students perceived a higher level of stress prior to the final exam associated with raised salivary alpha-amylase levels which could be considered as a useful noninvasive biomarker for measuring acute stress. Using a Helkimo anamnestic and clinical dysfunction scoring for temporomandibular disorders can give a better insight about the association of this marker and temporomandibular disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluation level of salivary alpha-amylase in stressor students with temporomandibular disorders and the relation between the marker in relation to temporomandibular disorders severity. This might give a better understanding to the role of psychological stress as an etiological factor for developing temporomandibular joint problems. Materials and Methods: A total eighty participants aged between 20 to 24 were recruited for this study. The participants were University dental students under graduate students at final examination period who were examined and gave saliva samples in final examination period. Salivary assay kits as alpha-amylase was used to measure those variable and a Helkimo anamnestic and clinical dysfunction scoring for temporomandibular disorders. Results: The group of participants with stress and temporomandibular disorders showed significantly higher levels of salivary alpha-amylase than the control group, the salivary alpha-amylase has statistically non-significant correlation with Helkimo anamnestic categories (Di-I mild, Di-II moderate and Di-III severe. Salivary alpha-amylase levels show non-significant and weak association with two categories of clinical dysfunction criteria in Helkimo index system, which are Muscle pain and temporomandibular joint pain on palpation. Conclusion: This study concluded that University students perceived a high level of stress before the final examination. Salivary alpha-amylase is now the stress biomarker that is most often used to measure acute stress. Helkimo anamnestic and clinical dysfunction scoring criteria for still the pioneer for measuring a TMD.
This paper proposes a new approach, of Clustering Ultrasound images using the Hybrid Filter (CUHF) to determine the gender of the fetus in the early stages. The possible advantage of CUHF, a better result can be achieved when fuzzy c-mean FCM returns incorrect clusters. The proposed approach is conducted in two steps. Firstly, a preprocessing step to decrease the noise presented in ultrasound images by applying the filters: Local Binary Pattern (LBP), median, median and discrete wavelet (DWT),(median, DWT & LBP) and (median & Laplacian) ML. Secondly, implementing Fuzzy C-Mean (FCM) for clustering the resulted images from the first step. Amongst those filters, Median & Laplace has recorded a better accuracy. Our experimental evaluation on re
... Show MoreGiven the paucity and toxicity of available drugs for leishmaniasis, coupled with the advent of drug resistance, the discovery of new therapies for this neglected tropical disease is recognised as being of the utmost urgency. As such antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been proposed as promising compounds against the causative Leishmania species, insect vector-borne protozoan parasites. Here the AMP temporins A, B and 1Sa have been synthesised and screened for activity against Leishmania mexicana insect stage promastigotes and mammalian stage amastigotes, a significant cause of human cutaneous disease. In contrast to previous studies with other species the activity of these AMPs against L. mexicana amastigotes was low. This suggests that ama
... Show MoreAn integrated GIS-VBA (Geographical Information System – Visual Basic for Application), model is developed for selecting an optimum water harvesting dam location among an available locations in a watershed. The proposed model allows quick and precise estimation of an adopted weighted objective function for each selected location. In addition to that for each location, a different dam height is used as a nominee for optimum selection. The VBA model includes an optimization model with a weighted objective function that includes beneficiary items (positive) , such as the available storage , the dam height allowed by the site as an indicator for the potential of hydroelectric power generation , the rainfall rate as a source of water . In a
... Show MoreThis systematic review aimed to investigate the relation between orthodontic treatment (OT) and the incidence of the gingival black triangle (GBT) after completing treatment with a fixed orthodontic appliance, as well as the associated risk factors and the level of alveolar bone. Electronic and hand searches were conducted in three electronic databases for relevant articles published up to March 2022. Retrieved articles went through a two-step screening procedure, and the risk of bias (RoB) was assessed by the Joanna Briggs Institute checklists. The incidence of GBT after OT was set as the primary outcome, while the secondary outcomes were the risk factors associated with GBT and alveolar bone loss following OT. Out of 421 papers, 5
... Show MoreRwanga (view) movement is a new Kurdish poetry movement. Some poets and modern storywriters published a manifest in 1970. They have made a group of changes in the content and appearance of Kurdish poetry. They were under the influence of western literature schools such as Surrealism, Dadaism and Existentialism. Likewise, the impact of the new Arabic literature that appeared by the end of 1960s on them was obvious as they were imitating such literatures. Nevertheless, the condition of Kurdistan at that time was in need of a new literature to express that new stage. Sherko Bekas was one of those poets who became the dynamo of the poetic movement in which the rebellion spirit was embodied in the modern way of dealing with culture, rhyme, rh
... Show MoreMembrane distillation (MD) is a hopeful desalination technique for brine (salty) water. In this research, Direct Contact Membrane Distillation (DCMD) and Air Gap Membrane Distillation (AGMD) will be used. The sample used is from Shat Al –Arab water (TDS=2430 mg/l). A polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) flat sheet membrane was used as a flat sheet form with a plate and frame cell. Several parameters were studied, such as; operation time, feed temperature, permeate temperature, feed flow rate. The results showed that with time, the flux decreases because of the accumulated fouling and scaling on the membrane surface. Feed temperature and feed flow rate had a positive effect on the permeate flux, while permeate temperatu
... Show MoreTo identify and explore the factors nurses perceive as influencing their knowledge acquisition in relation to diabetes care and its management in Saudi Arabia.
Diabetes continues to pose major healthcare challenges despite advances in diabetes management. Nurses have a crucial role in diabetes care, but diabetes knowledge deficits deter effective collaboration with other healthcare providers in educating patients about diabetes self‐management.
An exploratory descriptive qualitative design.
A total of (25) stool samples were collected from children and adults (2- 4) years old suffering from diarrhea to isolate E. coli strains that produce heat-stable enterotoxin a (STa), and after performing microscopic examination, cultural characterization and biochemical identification only (11) isolates showed positive E. coli. STa activity was estimated by using suckling mouse assay (SMA) and from these (11) isolates only (5) showed STa activity and the one with the highest STa activity was selected for large scale production of STa, which was followed by partial purification using ion-exchange chromatography (normal phase) using DEAE sephadex A-50 column. After purification and determination of protein concentration by using the standard
... Show MoreThis paper proposes a neuro-fuzzy system to model β-glucosidase activity based on the reaction’s pH level and temperature. The developed fuzzy inference system includes two input variables (pH level and temperature) and one output (enzyme activity). The multi-input fuzzy inference system was developed in two stages: first, developing a single input-single output fuzzy inference system for each input variable (pH, temperature) separately, using the robust adaptive network-based fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) approach. The neural network learning techniques were used to tune the membership functions based on previously published experimental data for β-glucosidase. Second, each input’s optimized membership functions from the ANF
... Show MoreDespite the global economic downturn, online e-commerce, especially the sale of counterfeit goods, continues to witness a rise in sales, and one of the important players in e-commerce is the owners of e-commerce auction sites. Although they do not have a direct role in trademark infringement, they still consider them indirectly responsible (secondary liability) for infringing on their trademarks. Thus, many cases have been filed by the owners of the original trademarks (which have been infringed by persons who have sold some of the goods and products that are imitating their marks through some electronic auctions) against the owners of those auctions. In view of the international character of the Internet, in different countries, and despit
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