Environmental Risk Factors of Bronchial Asthma among Primary Schoolchildren in Abu Dhabi City

The aim of this study was to describe the current epidemiological pattern of bronchial asthma among the schoolchildren aged 7-12 years old in 60 government primary schools at Abu Dhabi city -UAE. The analytical cross-section design (ACSD) was chosen as a suitable method to investigate the exposure variables (environmental risk factors) and prevalence of bronchial asthma simultaneously in a representative samples. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by the parents of the school children to collect information regarding bronchial asthma, other related allergic conditions and family history of respiratory allergy. Analyses of the effect of the different socio-demographic variables and clinical history data of 3521 cases have been done. Out of which 503 (14.28%) asthmatic cases have been found. The socio-demographic data finding that father\u27s educational level were preparatory education (35.8%) of asthmatic and (31.7%) of non-asthmatic cases with significant difference was found (P\u3c0.05). Asthmatic male were higher (54.67%) than non-asthmatic male (47.75%) and statistical significant difference was found to be (P\u3c0.05). While asthmatic female were lower (45.53%) than non-asthmatic (52.2%) statistical significant difference was found (P\u3c0.05). Maternal asthma was higher among the asthmatic group (15%) than non-asthmatic (10.3%) a statistical significant difference was found between these two groups (P\u3c0.05). History of asthmatic father\u27s (11.9%) had the strongest associations with childhood asthma than non-asthmatic (8.2%). and the difference was found to be (P\u3c0.05). Frequency of allergic rhinitis symptoms was significantly higher in asthmatic children (7.9%) than non-asthmatic (1.8%). And their relationship was also significant difference (p\u3c0.05).Indoor pollution (smoking) is a risk of development of bronchial asthma among the studied cases exhibited that father\u27s smoking (56%) among the asthmatic and (37.9%) of non-asthmatic cases with a significant difference was found (p\u3c0.05). The finding support the hypothesis that environmental risk factors, socio-demographic and family history may be had strong association factors of asthma. The research had provided a good amount of quality data that can be of great advantage for school health programs as well as for research and development. More comparative and community-based studies are needed to determine the differences among the various geographical areas of UAE and ethnic groups. A detailed genetic study and a modified health education system are required in this region. Health care and school-health delivery system needs exhaustive assessmen

Aspirin Prophylaxis for the Prevention of Thrombosis: Expectations and Limitations

Platelets play a very important role in the pathogenesis of acute vascular events leading to thrombosis of the coronary and cerebral arteries. Blockage of these arteries leading to regional ischemia of heart and brain tissues precipitate heart attacks and stroke. Acetyl salicylic acid (Aspirin) has been the drug of choice for over half a century for the primary and secondary prophylaxis of thrombotic events. In spite of its extensive use as an antiplatelet drug for the prevention of vascular thrombosis, there is considerable concern about the degree of protection it offers, to patients under aspirin therapy. In this paper, we explain the phenomenon of aspirin resistance, discuss the limitations of aspirin therapy, and suggest methods to monitor “at-risk” individuals. Ability to monitor and determine at risk patients will provide opportunities for the clinicians to customize antiplatelet therapies

Optimising Wound Closure Following a Fasciotomy: A narrative review

Compartment syndrome is a surgical emergency that could be resolved by a fasciotomy. However, performing substantial skin incisions may lead to life-threatening complications. This narrative review aimed to present the available methods of wound closure and preferential factors for using each technique. Viable and noninfected wounds were most often treated by gradual approximation techniques, such as the simple or modified shoelace technique, the prepositioned intracutaneous suture or several commercially-available mechanical devices. In addition, applying negative pressure therapy was found to be feasible, particularly when combined with approximation techniques. Skin grafting was reserved for severely-dehiscent wounds while other non-invasive approaches were considered for other subsets of patients with inadvisable surgical interventions. Treatment decision should be made in view of the patient’s condition, ease of application, availability of resources, cost of treatment and aesthetic outcomes.Keywords: Compartment Syndrome; Fasciotomy; Wound Closure Techniques; Negative-Pressure Wound Therapy

First Observations on the Mushroom in Mountain Area of Iraqi Kurdistan Region

Based on the collections made for mushroom between 1996-2010 in mountain areas in Sulaimani and Erbil Governorate especially in Soran, Joman, Sedakan districts Qandil and Zalm areas upto more than 3000 m.a.s.l. A total of 34 species in 23 genera, 17 families and 7 orders belong to woody and fleshy species were identified at the first time in Iraq

Data-Driven Analysis Of Progressive Design Build In Water And Wastewater Infrastructure Projects

The United States has invested heavily in water and wastewater infrastructure projects to address growing demand and aging systems. To ensure the effective delivery of these projects, agencies are shifting toward alternative delivery methods such as progressive design build (PDB), which has demonstrated accelerated schedule and enhanced cost performance across the literature as well as multiple projects compared to traditional DB. This has raised a need for evaluating PDB\u27s state of adoption and performance in the water and wastewater sector. To this end, the authors: (1) conducted descriptive and statistical analyses of the 21 PDB water and wastewater projects available on the Design-Build Institute of America database evaluating their characteristics and performance metrics; (2) investigated the frequency of materialized risks impacting schedule and cost in these projects; and finally (3) identified the key adoption drivers and challenges for PDB in the water and wastewater sector by triangulating findings from the studied narratives with a literature and practice review. Results revealed that 71% and 57% of the investigated projects were completed on or before the contracted schedules and costs, respectively. From the studied project narratives, owner-led changes and COVID-19 impacts were the most frequently encountered risks. Also, it was shown that project planning and risk management drivers were the most influential causes for PDB adoption, whereas legal and contractual restrictions as well as the owner\u27s mindset and culture-related concerns were the most pressing challenges. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by delivering managerial insights through an aggregated snapshot of PDB implementation in the water and wastewater sector. Ultimately, the provided managerial insights can assist stakeholders in making better-informed decisions by weighing the advantages and challenges of PDB identified in this research against more traditional delivery approaches

R&D Uncertainty in Future Benefits

This paper contributes to the current debate on accounting treatment of R&D expenditures. We considered two different measures of future benefits to a firm, sales revenue and operating cash flows. We provide evidence that R&D expenditures do not generate more uncertain future sales revenue or operating cash flows compared to capital expenditures. In terms of sales revenue, R&D expenditures generate significantly less uncertain future benefits compared to capital expenditures. And in terms of operating cash flows, our results do not provide conclusive evidence that whether R&D expenditures generate more uncertain future benefits than capital expenditures or not

Pain and anxiety management for pediatric dental procedures using various combinations of sedative drugs: A review

AbstractFor fearful and uncooperative children behavioral management techniques are used. In order to control the pain and anxiety in pedodontic patients, pharmacologic sedation, anesthesia and analgesia are commonly used. Midazolam is commonly used as an oral sedation agent in children; it has several features such as safety of use, quick onset and certain degree of amnesia that makes it a desirable sedation agent in children. This review paper discusses various aspects of oral midazolam, ketamine and their combinations in conscious sedation including, advantages of oral route of sedation, pharmacokinetics, range of oral doses, and antagonists for clinical dental treatment procedures

Evaluation of chemopreventive effect of Fumaria indica against N-nitrosodiethylamine and CCl4-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in Wistar rats

AbstractObjectiveTo investigation the chemopreventive potential of Fumaria indica (F. indica) extract (FIE) on N-nitrosodiethylamine and CCl4-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in Wistar rats.MethodsThe experimental animals were divided into six groups (n=6). Hepatocellular carcinoma was induced by single intraperitoneal injection of N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) in normal saline at a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight followed by weekly subcutaneous injections of CCl4(3 mL/kg/week) for 6 weeks, as the promoter of carcinogenic effect. After administration of the carcinogen, 200 and 400 mg/kg of FIE were administered orally once a day throughout the study. At the end of 20 weeks, the body weight, liver weight and relative liver weight were measured. The percentage of nodule incidence and liver cancer markers such as aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT), total bilirubin level (TBL), α-feto protein (AFP) and carcinoembryonic antigen were estimated along with histopathological investigation in experimental groups of rats.ResultsObtained results demonstrated that the cotreatment with FIE significantly prevented the decrease of the body weight and also increased in relative liver weight caused by NDEA. The treatment with FIE significantly reduced the nodule incidence and nodule multiplicity in the rats after NDEA administration. The levels of liver cancer markers such as AST, ALT, ALP, γ-glutamyl transferase, TBL, AFP and carcinoembryonic antigen were substantially increased by NDEA treatment. However, FIE treatment significantly reduced the liver injury and restored the entire liver cancer markers. Histological observations of liver tissues too correlated with the biochemical observations.ConclusionsThese finding powerfully supports that F. indica exert chemopreventive effect by suppressing the tumor burden and restoring the activities of hepatic cancer marker enzymes on NDEA and CCl4-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in Wistar rats