Effects of vibration forces on maxillary expansion and orthodontic tooth movement

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)Vibration forces (VF) have been shown to alter the formative and resorptive activities of bone. Studies have investigated the use of VF in applications such as the treatment of osteoporosis, bone fracture healing and implant osteointegration with favorable results. In dentistry, orthodontic tooth movement and maxillary suture expansion are common procedures typically requiring prolonged treatment durations with high relapse rates. We hypothesized that local, intermittent VF applications can enhance bone formation during rapid maxillary expansion and accelerate orthodontic tooth movement. Moreover, we also investigated expression of periostin/OSF-2, an adhesion molecule implicated in the formation of bone during maxillary suture expansion. Our results showed that intermittent VF significantly increased bone volume density of the expended palatal bone but limited the amount of palatal expansion and mineral apposition rate at the suture margins. Also, intermittent VF forces did not show statistically significant acceleration of orthodontic tooth movement but significantly enhanced bone volume density of the interradicular bone after tooth movement. Maxillary expansion was also shown to induce the expression of periostin which was proportional to the magnitude of the expansion force with increased bone mineral deposition

Development and evaluation of self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems for oral delivery of indomethacin

In this study, indomethacin-loaded self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) were developed in liquid, solid and carrier-mediated formulations in order to improve the solubility of this model poorly water soluble drug. Liquid SNEDDS based on Capryol™ 90 (oil phase), Cremophor® RH 40 (surfactant) and Transcutol® HP (co-surfactant) were thermodynamically stable and produced clear nanoemulsions upon dilution. Optimized liquid formulations were transformed into solid SNEDDS by adsorption onto the inert carriers Syloid® XDP 3150, Neusilin® US2 and Florite® PS-200. Ratios of adsorbent: liquid SNEDDS of 1:1.5 and 1:2 resulted in solid SNEDDS formulations that exhibited fair to passable powder flow properties. Carrier-based solid SNEDDS formulations were developed using the solid self-emulsifying carriers Gelucire® 44/14 and Gelucire® 48/16 and prepared by hot melt extrusion. The absorbent-based solid SNEDDS maintained the self-nanoemulsification properties of the original liquid SNEDDS formulations, with solid state analysis suggesting that the drug had remained in a dissolved state within these formulations. Similarly, physical characterization of the carrier-based solid SNEDDS formulations indicated that the drug was molecularly dispersed within the system and that the self-nanoemulsifying properties of the carrier were unchanged. The only exception was those formulations prepared at the highest drug: carrier ratio (3: 10). For both absorbent-based and carrier-based solid SNEDDS, the in vitro dissolution efficiency was significantly higher than that obtained for the pure drug. However, incorporation of adsorbents into Gelucire®-based solid SNEDDS formulations resulted in reduced dissolution of the drug. Gelucire®48/16-based solid SNEDDS prepared at 50oC were more physically stable to storage at 30oC/75% RH for 6 months than formulations processed at 40oC, suggesting that complete melting of the carrier during manufacture is essential for production of physically stable formulations. Overall, a range of liquid, solid and carrier-based SNEDDS formulations were successfully developed and offer useful alternatives to improving the solubility of poorly water-soluble drugs

Traumatic spinal injuries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: a study of associated injuries, management and mortality

Introduction: traumatic spinal fracture is a painful and disabling injury associated with poor long-term functional outcome. The objective of the present study was to assess the frequency of spinal fractures in road traffic accident (RTA) victims, their management, mortality rate and associated injuries. This study reveals and adds useful insights to the literature from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in terms of incidence of RTA-related spinal fractures, including their management and mortality rate. Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted at King Khalid Hospital and Prince Sultan Center for Health Services (KKH & PSCHS) in AlKharj, KSA from September 2016 to June 2017. A total of 120 patients suffering from spinal/vertebral fractures due to RTAs were included in this study. The data was collected from patients' charts, including age, gender, region or distribution of the spinal fracture, associated fractures, number of fractures, degrees of shock, admission to intensive care unit (ICU), treatment modalities, along with the management of spinal fractures, days of hospital stay, referral and discharges or deaths. Results: the mean age of patients was 29.21. The most common anatomic region of the fracture was the cervical region (35%). Injuries associated with traumatic spinal fracture were predominated by clavicular fractures. More than half of the victims (58.30%) had a cervical brace applied before leaving the hospital. 29.20% patients required posterior stabilization with pedicle screws. Anterior corpectomy, grafting and plating was done to 4.30% patients. Conclusion: traumatic spinal fractures require prompt diagnosis and timely management in order to improve the outcome

Factors Influencing Attitudes of Female Students towards Gardening: A Case Study

The study aimed at assessing attitudes of female undergraduate students toward participating in gardening activities and determining factors influencing participation using a descriptive-analytic research by a surveying approach. The statistical population consisted of 433 female students enrolled in various disciplines at the three branches of the College of Science and Humanities at the Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia during the academic year 2016/2017. Out of the total population, some 90 students were selected randomly. A well-designed and pre-tested questionnaire was administrated as a research tool. Results of the study revealed that 42.2% of the target females were with positive attitude towards gardening and were agreed to get involved in the gardening activities, 30% students remained neutral whereas some 27.8% students showed a negative attitude towards agricultural work. The findings showed that there was a significant difference between agreed and disagreed female students regarding their participation in the gardening activities in terms of owning or renting a flower gift store (t= 3.8, p>0.01). Correlation analysis showed the significant relationships between participation in gardening activities, and type of residence (r = 0.86), ownership of residence (r = 0.82), father's occupation (r = 0.71) and place of residence (r = 0.53). It was concluded that the female students living in the owned houses and villas in rural areas and their father’s job were related to agriculture had more favourable attitudes toward their participation in the gardening activities. Based on the results of the study, it is recommended that curriculums must include field tours to equip the female students with skills needed in their practical lives and that stimulate their interest towards different agricultural issues.Keywords:Attitudes, Female Students, University Education, Gardening Activities, Participation.

Restless leg syndrome in multiple sclerosis: a case–control study

ObjectivesThis study assessed the prevalence of restless leg syndrome (RLS) among patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) and the association between RLS and MS disease duration, sleep disturbance, and daytime fatigue.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we interviewed 123 patients via phone calls using preset questionnaires containing the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG) diagnostic criteria, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) diagnostic criteria validated in both Arabic and English. The prevalence of RLS in MS was compared to a group of healthy controls.ResultsThe prevalence of RLS in pwMS, defined by meeting all four requirements included in the IRLSSG diagnostic criteria, was 30.3% compared to 8.3% in the control group. About 27.3% had mild RLS, 36.4% presented with moderate, and the remaining had severe or very severe symptoms. Patients with MS who experience RLS had a 2.8 times higher risk of fatigue compared to pwMS without RLS. pwMS with RLS had worse sleep quality, with a mean difference of 0.64 in the global PSQI score. Sleep disturbance and latency had the most significant impact on sleep quality.ConclusionThe prevalence of RLS among MS patients was significantly higher compared to the control group. We recommend educating neurologists and general physicians to increase their awareness of the increasing prevalence of RLS and its association with fatigue and sleep disturbance in patients with MS

Consequences of cathepsin C inactivation for membrane exposure of proteinase 3, the target antigen in autoimmune vasculitis

Membrane-bound proteinase 3 (PR3(m)) is the main target antigen of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA) in granulomatosis with polyangiitis, a systemic small-vessel vasculitis. Binding of ANCA to PR3(m) triggers neutrophil activation with the secretion of enzymatically active PR3 and related neutrophil serine proteases, thereby contributing to vascular damage. PR3 and related proteases are activated from pro-forms by the lysosomal cysteine protease cathepsin C (CatC) during neutrophil maturation. We hypothesized that pharmacological inhibition of CatC provides an effective measure to reduce PR3(m) and therefore has implications as a novel therapeutic approach in granulomatosis with polyangiitis. We first studied neutrophilic PR3 from 24 patients with Papillon-Lefevre syndrome (PLS), a genetic form of CatC deficiency. PLS neutrophil lysates showed a largely reduced but still detectable (0.5-4%) PR3 activity when compared with healthy control cells. Despite extremely low levels of cellular PR3, the amount of constitutive PR3(m) expressed on the surface of quiescent neutrophils and the typical bimodal membrane distribution pattern were similar to what was observed in healthy neutrophils. However, following cell activation, there was no significant increase in the total amount of PR3(m) on PLS neutrophils, whereas the total amount of PR3(m) on healthy neutrophils was significantly increased. We then explored the effect of pharmacological CatC inhibition on PR3 stability in normal neutrophils using a potent cell-permeable CatC inhibitor and a CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cell model. Human CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cells were treated with the inhibitor during neutrophil differentiation over 10 days. We observed strong reductions in PR3(m), cellular PR3 protein, and proteolytic PR3 activity, whereas neutrophil differentiation was not compromised

Innovative silicon detectors for dosimetry in external beam radiotherapy

Silicon diodes have been widely used in radiation therapy quality assurance applications because they have a number of attractive qualities, including real-time feedback (compared to film), high spatial resolution, high linearity, radiation hardness and a small size (compared to ionisation chambers). This work describes three dosimetry systems based on silicon detectors that were developed and manufactured at the Centre for Medical Radiation Physics for Quality Assurance in external beam radiation therapy. The first part of this study is focused on the characterisation of a single pad detector based on a p-type silicon epitaxial layer, used to assemble a 2-D array of diodes, named MagicPlate-121, for dosimetry and fluence measurement of MV photon beams. The single detector has been tested in terms of radiation hardness and its radiation damage mechanism simulated by Technology CAD modelling. The epitaxial detectors were readout by the TERA, application-specific integrated circuit chip designed for ion chambers. The detector showed unusual total dose radiation response as a function of the irradiation dose, and also showed stabilization of the response within ±2.5% for 12 kGy of gamma irradiation dose (Co-60). The photoneutron radiation damage was also tested and showed a decreased response within 0.5%/100 Gy. The EPI detector demonstrated high radiation hardness for used in clinical quality assurance (QA)

Investigating the awareness of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure and practice in Saudi Arabia

This study investigates the awareness of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosure and practice in Saudi Arabia by investigating how Saudi stakeholders perceieve CSR and the extent of CSR reporting practices among Saudi listed companies, particularly investing how internal and external stakeholders understand CSR and its disclosure. Furthermore this study explores the integration of CSR within Saudi Listed Companies' corporate policies and strategies and the dimensions that affect it, including the local culture, religion, regulation and governance characteristics. Semi-structured interview were used to ascertain the perspectives of CSR among different stakeholders concerning the different dimensions, and content analysis technique was used to analyse annual reports concerning the extent of CSR disclosure. Listed Companies' corporate policies and strategies were explored by both semi-structured interview and content analysis. Overall, it was found the the CSR concept become understandable and there is a development of perspective of CSR in Saudi Arabia. This research also show the CSR disclosure by Saudi listed companies is driven by legitimacy theory. The findings also show the level of of CSR disclosure in Saudi Listed Companies has been increasing recently, particularly during the last six years, with increasing integration in companies' policy and strategy. Furthermore, 'culture' was rated as the greatest contributing factor to CSR in Saudi Arabia