Search

Alendronate are widely used in the treatment of bone disorders characterized by inhibit osteoclast-mediated bone resorption such as Paget's disease, fibrous dysplasia, myeloma, bone metastases and osteoporosis. In recent studies alendronate improves proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts, thereby facilitating for bone regeneration. The disadvantages of this class are their poor bioavailability and side effects on oral and intravenous application such as stomach irritation and osteonecrosis in jaw. Thus, local treatment of alendronate is needed in order to achieve high concentration of drug. Bovine hydroxyapatite-gelatin scaffold with alendronate was studied. Glutaraldehyde was used as cross-linking agent, increase the characteristics of this scaffold. The objectives of this study were to manufacture and characterize alendronate scaffold using bovine hydroxyapatite-gelatin and crosslinked by glutaraldehyde. Preparation of cross-linked bovine hydroxyapatite-gelatin and alendronate scaffold with different concentration of glutaraldehyde (0.00, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00%). The scaffolds were characterized for compressive strength, porosity, density, swelling ratio, in vitro degradation, and cytotoxicity (the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay, shorted as MTT assay). Bovine hydroxyapatite-gelatin-alendronate scaffold cross-linked with glutaraldehyde showed lower density than without glutaraldehyde. As glutaraldehyde concentration increased, porosity also increased. Eventually, it reduced compressive strength. Swelling ratio and in vitro degradation was negatively dependent on glutaraldehyde concentration. In addition, the scaffold has a good safety by MTT assay. Bovine hydroxyapatite-gelatin-alendronate scaffold was fabricated with various concentrations of glutaraldehyde. The presence of glutaraldehyde on bovine hydroxyapatite-gelatin-alendronate is safe and suitable candidate scaffold for bone regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomaterials are widely used as drug delivery systems targeting bone tissue, such as to treat bone infectious disease. However, the addition of drugs to biomaterials weakens their mechanical properties. Crosslinkers are compounds that improve the mechanical properties of biomaterials. This study aims to determine the effect of glutaraldehyde (GTA) as a crosslinker on the characteristics of bovine hydroxyapatite-gelatin-based bone scaffold with gentamicin as antibiotics (BHA-GEL-GEN-GTA). BHA-GEL-GEN-GTA scaffold with GTA solid content ranging from 0.1 to 1.4 wt% was made by direct compression. The compressive strength test was carried out using autograph. Scaffold degradation test was carried out by dissolving the scaffolds in PBS. Scaffold toxicity was performed by MTT assay using BHK-21 fibroblast cells. There was a significant difference in the scaffolds' compressive strength due to differences in GTA volume. Scaffold crosslinked using GTA with solid content 0.1 and 0.2 wt% in 2 mL solution had higher compressive strength than those in 1 mL solution. Furthermore, GTA with solid content 0.6, 1, 1.2, and 1.4 wt% showed higher compressive strength than those without GTA. Degradation test results showed that GTA increased the percentage of weight loss and swelling of the scaffold. The scaffold exhibited a nontoxic profile in MTT assay. GTA with optimum solid content shows great compressive strength, stable swelling profile with low percentage of scaffold's weight loss, and is considered as nontoxic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of parenthood. It highlights the prospective of parents on having children. It discusses moral risks and benefits of parentalism. It also reports on transformative experience of parents and its influence on future and relationship of parents and their children.

World Health Organization mentioned that there were 200 million people in the world suffered from osteoporosis in 2013 and half of them has bone fractures. Hydroxyapatite as a bioactive material was explored as a substitute for bone defect or osteoporosis. The conventional bone filler was lack of the ability to let the filler to fill the irregular defect due to osteoporosis. Thus, a new method was introduced called an injectable bone substitute. While the bone filler performs its function to stabilize the mechanical property of the defected bone, the addition of a drug, such as an alendronate, would be beneficial. The injectable bone substitute (IBS) based on hydroxyapatite-gelatin was synthesized with the addition of alendronate. The Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) result showed a bond formation of hydroxyapatite and gelatin by shifting of carboxyl group wavenumber from 1332,72 cm-1 to 1559-1543 cm-1 from gelatin with Ca2+ from hydroxyapatite. The IBS viscosity was (38.7±0.53) dPa.s and was able to be extruded from the syringe. The IBS could become suspension again after sedimentation and did not change the pH of SBF solution. The IBS was precipitated with a suitable substrate. The cytotoxicity test showed that the samples were non-toxic. The results of IBS characterizations demonstrated that it has potential to be used as a bone filler as well as drug delivery system to the bone defect due to osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, an integration of the sensor-based technology to learning science is required in order to improve the quality of science teaching especially for the better physical measurement quality. The utilization of sensor technology embedded with Arduino TM programming can handle the problem of the real-time data recording. For example, in a conventional time-dependent physics experiment conducted at schools, the students commonly input the data with the help of a ticker timer or a stopwatch manually. However, some physics experiments studying the time-dependent physical changes cannot be run well. In this case, the heat transfer phenomena including a conduction, a convection, and a radiation cannot be explored except we have the device to identify the time-dependent heat changes during the investigation. Thus, a novel educational lab kit investigating the heat transfer will be proposed. The time-dependent measurement employsMAX6675K temperature sensors-based Arduino TM micro controller. The temperature changes at certain positions along a rod can be investigated while the rod is being heated. Interestingly, the result shows the good tendencies of time-dependent temperature changes due to the conduction phenomena. The effects of the cross-section area and the rod length will be explored. It is believed that this design is suitable for the students and the teachers to be implemented at school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilization of comb pen shell waste containing chitin and chitosan, having the qualities like absorbance, thickener, stabilizer, filler, ediblefilm etc. Which can be used in the industry of medicine, cosmetics, paint, food, sewage treatment, adhesives, paper, and fertilizer. The purpose of this study is to determine the characteristics of chitosan from the comb pen shell (Atrina pectinata)in the process of deproteinization. The results showed that the higher concentration of NaOH used increase deacetylation rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteochondroma (OC) is one of the most common bony lesions of the skeleton. It is rare in the maxillofacial region and reported infrequently in the literature. This lesion is considered the most common of benign tumors of the temporomandibular joint. It is usually associated with the coronoid, followed by the condyloid process. OC can affect any bone formed from cartilage and can arise spontaneously or as a result of osseous trauma. It usually protrudes from the surface of bone and is covered with cartilage. Most condylar OCs present as progressive limitation of mandibular movements, facial asymmetry, malocclusion, pain, and deviation in mouth opening. Extraoral approaches to the OCs, which are usually located on the medial pole of the condyle, provide ease of accessibility, although there is an inherent likelihood of damage to the facial nerve and scarring. The use of a transoral endoscope-assisted conservative approach for the removal of OCs produces the desired favorable esthetic and functional results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the efficacy, advantages, and disadvantages of cyanoacrylate glue (Iso Amyl 2-Cyanoacrylate) for sutureless wound closure after surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molars. Materials and methods Fifty patients with bilaterally symmetrical impacted mandibular third molars were studied in this controlled clinical trial. On the control side closure after surgical removal of third molar was done with conventional sutures and with cyanoacrylate glue on the study side. Results The data analysis showed that the severity of postoperative pain with cyanoacrylate glue method was less significant than with suturing on the 1st, 2nd, and 7th day after surgery whereas postoperative bleeding and swelling with cyanoacrylate glue method were less significant than with suturing on the 1st postoperative day. Conclusion This study suggested that the efficacy of both, cyanoacrylate glue and suturing, was similar in wound healing, but the use of cyanoacrylate glue showed better hemostasis, decreased pain and swelling and was expeditious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to investigate the effect of ivermectin on mortality in patients with COVID-19. A comprehensive systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Clinicaltrials.gov from the inception of databases up until April 9, 2021. The intervention group was ivermectin and the control group was standard of care or placebo. The primary outcome was mortality reported as risk ratio (RR). There were 9 RCTs comprising of 1788 patients included in this meta-analysis. Ivermectin was associated with decreased mortality (RR 0.39 [95% 0.20–0.74], p = 0.004; I2: 58.2%, p = 0.051). Subgroup analysis in patients with severe COVID-19 showed borderline statistical significance towards mortality reduction (RR 0.42 [95% 0.18–1.00], p = 0.052; I2: 68.3, p = 0.013). The benefit of ivermectin and mortality was reduced by hypertension (RR 1.08 [95% CI 1.03–1.13], p = 0.001); but was not influenced by age (p = 0.657), sex (p = 0.466), diabetes (p = 0.429). Sensitivity analysis using fixed-effect model showed that ivermectin decreased mortality in general (RR 0.43 [95% CI 0.29–0.62], p < 0.001) and severe COVID-19 subgroup (RR 0.48 [95% CI 0.32–0.72], p < 0.001). Ivermectin was associated with decreased mortality in COVID-19 with a low certainty of evidence. Further adequately powered double-blinded placebo-controlled RCTs are required for definite conclusion. • Ivermectin was associated with decreased mortality in patients with COVID-19. • The certainty of evidence for mortality reduction was low. • The benefit of ivermectin and mortality was reduced by hypertension. • The fact that most of the included studies were preprint is an important limitation. • Well-designed RCTs with adequate sample size are required for definite conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common condition treated with biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic medicines (bDMARDs). However, many patients exhibit resistance, necessitating the use of machine learning models to predict remissions in patients treated with bDMARDs, thereby reducing healthcare costs and minimizing negative effects., Objective: The study aims to develop machine learning models using data from the Kuwait Registry for Rheumatic Diseases (KRRD) to identify clinical characteristics predictive of remission in RA patients treated with biologics., Methods: The study collected follow-up data from 1,968 patients treated with bDMARDs from four public hospitals in Kuwait from 2013 to 2022. Machine learning techniques like lasso, ridge, support vector machine, random forest, XGBoost, and Shapley additive explanation were used to predict remission at a 1-year follow-up., Results: The study used the Shapley plot in explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) to analyze the effects of predictors on remission prognosis across different types of bDMARDs. Top clinical features were identified for patients treated with bDMARDs, each associated with specific mean SHAP values. The findings highlight the importance of clinical assessments and specific treatments in shaping treatment outcomes., Conclusion: The proposed machine learning model system effectively identifies clinical features predicting remission in bDMARDs, potentially improving treatment efficacy in rheumatoid arthritis patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Alsaber, Al-Herz, Alawadhi, Doush, Setiya, AL-Sultan, Saleh, Al-Awadhi, Hasan, Al-Kandari, Mokaddem, Ghanem, Attia, Hussain, AlHadhood, Ali, Tarakmeh, Aldabie, AlKadi and Alhajeri.)

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common comorbid condition in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Reported outcome studies on the association of baseline CKD and mortality is currently limited., Objectives: To determine the prevalence of chronic kidney disease in patients undergoing TAVR and analyse their overall procedural outcomes., Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted at 43 publicly funded hospitals in Hong Kong. Severe aortic stenosis patients undergoing TAVR between the years 2010 and 2019 were enroled in the study. Two groups were identified according to the presence of baseline chronic kidney disease., Results: A total of 499 patients (228, 58.6% men) were enroled in the study. Baseline hypertension was more prevalent in patients with CKD (82.8%; P =0.003). As for primary end-points, mortality rates of CKD patients were significantly higher compared to non-CKD patients (10% vs. 4.1%; P =0.04%). Gout and hypertension were found to be significantly associated with CRF. Patients with gout were nearly six times more likely to have CRF than those without gout (odds ratio = 5.96, 95% CI = 3.12-11.29, P <0.001). Patients with hypertension had three times the likelihood of having CRF compared to those without hypertension (odds ratio=2.83, 95% CI=1.45-6.08, P =0.004)., Conclusion: In patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR, baseline CKD significantly contributes to mortality outcomes at long-term follow up., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest exists for any author on this manuscript.Sponsorships or competing interests that may be relevant to content are disclosed at the end of this article., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, autoimmune disease that mostly affects the synovial joints. It has been hypothesized that dietary and other environmental and lifestyle factors contribute to the development of RA and its severity., Objective: The present study aims to measure the effect of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) on the disease activity scores (DAS28) among patients with RA., Methods: Adult patients who satisfied the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria for RA from major hospitals in Kuwait were evaluated. A cross-sectional study conducted on 754 RA patients visits aged (21-79) years. Patients were evaluated using the DAS28. Patients' levels of adherence to the MedDiet are assessed using a validated 14-item Questionnaire (paper or web-based). The data was analyzed using both multivariate and univariate statistics. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the statistical relationship between MedDiet and RA disease activity., Results: The finding suggests that a MedDiet can have a positive impact on DAS28 among patients with RA. In the DAS28 cohort (DAS28 < 3.2, DAS28 ≥ 3.2), several Mediterranean survey components showed statistically significant differences. Patients with a Mediterranean score ≤ 5 was more likely to have hazard effects for DAS28 than those with a Mediterranean score of ≥10 (HR = 0.17, CI [0.08-0.37], p < .001). The finding shows that, Mediterranean levels ≤5, on biologics treatment, CRP, and patient global assessment were significantly associated with overall survival. Additionally, the MedDiet was found to be a significant predictor of DAS28 in the random forest decision tree plot, along with tender, RF, and creatinine. MedDiet patients had a lower DAS28 score than others., Conclusion: The findings suggest that optimal drug treatment and a restrictive diet can help to improve DAS28 score for patients with RA. More patients in the cohort DAS28 <3.2 used olive oil, servings of vegetables, fruits, and legumes. In contrast, more patients in the cohort DAS28 ≥ 3.2 consumed red meat, butter, sweetened or soft drinks, cakes, cookies, or biscuits, and tomato sauce., (© 2023 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune of an unknown etiology. Air pollution has been proposed as one of the possible risk factors associated with disease activity, although has not been extensively studied. In this study, we measured the relationship between exposure to air pollutants and RA activity. Data on RA patients were extracted from the Kuwait Registry for Rheumatic Diseases (KRRD). Disease activity was measured using disease activity score with 28 examined joints (DAS-28) and the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) during their hospital visits from 2013 to 2017. Air pollution was assessed using air pollution components (PM 10 , NO 2 , SO 2 , O 3 , and CO). Air pollution data were obtained from Kuwait Environmental Public Authority (K-EPA) from six different air quality-monitoring stations during the same period. Multiple imputations by the chained equations (MICE) algorithm were applied to estimate missing air pollution data. Patients data were linked with air pollution data according to date and patient governorate address. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and linear regression techniques were employed using STATA software. In total, 1651 RA patients with 9875 follow-up visits were studied. We detected an increased risk of RA using DAS-28 in participants exposed to SO 2 and NO 2 with β = 0 . 003 (95% CI: 0.0004-0.005, p < 0 . 01 ) and β = 0 . 003 (95% CI: 0.002-0.005, p < 0 . 01 ), respectively, but not to PM 10 , O 3 , and CO concentrations. Conclusively, we observed a strong association between air pollution with RA disease activity. This study suggests air pollution as a risk factor for RA and recommends further measures to be taken by the authorities to control this health problem.