Therapeutic properties of meswak chewing sticks: A review

Meswak “a chewing stick” usually 15 cm long and 1 cm in diameter is taken from the roots or young twigs of Salvadora persica L. Meswak has been used in folk medicine for a very long time for different medical condition treatments. The cultural and religious use of meswak for dental hygiene is still wildly spread, throughout parts of Asia, Africa, and Middle East, and because of its wide distribution. Clinical studies comparing adult habitual meswak users and habitual toothbrush users have shown better periodontal status in meswak users. However, the beneficial effects of meswak in respect of oral hygiene and dental health are partly due to its mechanical action and pharmacological actions. Different studies conclude that the values of these sticks are probably due to their different chemical components and ways of cleaning mechanisms. Previous literature reveals that meswak has strong antimicrobial (antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral) and pharmacological (hypoglycemic, anti-platelet aggregation, anti-ulcer, and anti-oxidative) activities. The use of meswak has been recommended by Islam. Actually, meswak was known before Islam, but Islam added a religious prospective to the use of meswak. It is endowed by several characteristics supporting its use. In view of such facts, the ecology, geographical distribution, and the chemical constituents of the plant have been investigated time by time by several researchers. The therapeutic aspects of meswak and its important role in plaque control, gingival recession, tooth wear, bleeding gums, and periodontal health as well as its availability and cheap cost factor may be the major reasons for its recommendation by world health organization. The present review concludes the biology of meswak tree and cultural value of meswak with reference to current literature.Keywords: Meswak, folk medicine, Islam, dental, oral hygiene, antimicrobial, revie

Ethnobotany, Pharmacology and Chemistry of Salvadora persica L. A Review

Salvadora persica L., commonly known as the miswak tree, occurs in shrub savannah from northwestern India to Africa. This review discusses the current knowledge of traditional uses, chemistry, and biological effects of this species. The ethno botanical literature reveal it as a versatile medicinal plant used to treat different human and livestock ailments. Several different classes of compounds were previously isolated from various parts of S. persica of which the main groups are Tri-Methyamin, Salvadrin, Chloride, Fluoride,Silica, Sulfur, Mustard, Vitamin C and a small amount of Saponine Tanin. Various types of preparations, extracts and individual compounds derived from this species have been found to possess a broad spectrum of pharmacological effects as well as on different biochemical processes and physiological functions including hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, and sedative, and effects in addition to be against gingival irritation. Moreover, the extracts and preparations from the plant, which are hopefully safe, exhibited various additional biological effects e.g. antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifever, anti-ulcerogenic, anti-caries, antiperiopathic activities. The results of data analysis on the chemical, pharmacological and toxicological characteristics of S. persica support the view that this species has beneficial therapeutic properties and indicate its potential as an effective adaptogenic herbal remedy

A Data Path Quality Estimation Based on Delay Time Using Probes

Abstract- In most of the network data transformation sender nodes choose the link depends on link quality that implies sender could not much concentrate on the traffic and data loss. So this paper mainly focus on both data loss and queuing delay to identify most congested link in a network. Identifying the existence of a dominant congested link is useful for traffic engineering. It also helps us understand and model the dynamics of the network since the behavior of a network with a dominant congested link differs dramatically from one with multiple congested links. The network data congested mainly made by the router overhead and the intruder path selection; by consider these things here introduce a congested identification method by combining hypothesis test with model based approach. Here developing parameter inference algorithms for hidden Markov model and Markov model with a hidden dimension to infer this virtual delay. The process is more efficient than the existing methods and can implement in future for secure high throughput achieving group communication. Index Terms- bottleneck link, dominant congested link, end– end inference, hidden Markov model (HMM), markov model with a hidden dimension (MMHD). M I

Comparison of serum tumor necrosis factor-α levels in rheumatoid arthritis individuals with and without chronic periodontitis: A biochemical study

Background: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is indicated to play a major function in chronic inflammatory disorders. Objective: To assess and compare the cytokine level (TNF-α) in the serum of chronic periodontitis (CP), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), RA with CP, and healthy volunteers. Materials and Methods: This original research was carried out on 80 participants, divided into Group-I 20 RA patients, Group-II 20 CP patients, Group III 20 RA with CP (RA + CP), and Group IV 20 healthy volunteers. Clinical periodontal and rheumatological parameters were assessed in all the four groups. Blood serum samples have been collected from all individuals and investigated for levels of TNF-α by mean of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: TNF-α level were remarkably elevated in the RA+CP group (30.5±2.2) followed by RA group (17.9 ± 3.6), and CP group (11.9 ± 0.96) when compared with the controls (5.5 ± 3.3). The results showed a statistical signifi cance of P < 0.001. Correlation was not observed on comparision of clinical periodontal parameters and Rheumatological parameters with TNF-α levels. Conclusion: The outcome of this present research revealed the presence of higher levels of TNF-α in individuals with RA with CP in our samples

Nanomaterials: Solutions to Water-Concomitant Challenges

Plenty of fresh water resources are still inaccessible for human use. Calamities such as pollution, climate change, and global warming pose serious threats to the fresh water system. Although many naturally and synthetically grown materials have been taken up to resolve these issues, there is still plenty of room for enhancements in technology and material perspectives to maximize resources and to minimize harm. Considering the challenges related to the purification of water, materials in the form of nanofiber membranes and nanomaterials have made tremendous contributions to water purification and filtration. Nanofiber membranes made of synthetic polymer nanofibers, ceramic membranes etc., metal oxides in various morphologies, and carbonaceous materials were explored in relation to waste removal from water. In this review, we have discussed a few key materials that have shown effectiveness in removing pollutants from waste water, enabling solutions to existing problems in obtaining clean drinking water

In situ polymerization of PVDF-HEMA polymers: Electrospun membranes with improved flux and antifouling properties for water filtration

10.1038/pj.2013.79Polymer Journal463167-174POLJ

Hydrogeochemistry and groundwater quality assessment of the multilayered aquifer in Lower Kelantan Basin, Kelantan, Malaysia

Continual expansion of population density, urbanization, agriculture, and industry in most parts of the world has increased the generation of pollution, which contributes to the deterioration of surface water quality. This causes the dependence on groundwater sources for their daily needs to accumulate day by day, which raises concerns about their quality and hydrogeochemistry. This study was carried out to increase understanding of the geological setup and assess the groundwater hydrogeochemical characteristics of the multilayered aquifers in Lower Kelantan Basin. Based on lithological data correlation of exploration wells, the study area can be divided into three main aquifers: shallow, intermediate and deep aquifers. From these three aquifers, 101 groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for various parameters. The results showed that pH values in the shallow, intermediate and deep aquifers were generally acidic to slightly alkaline. The sequences of major cations and anions were Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+ > K+ and HCO3− > Cl− > SO42− > CO32−, respectively. In the intermediate aquifer, the influence of ancient seawater was the primary factor that contributed to the elevated values of electrical conductivity (EC), Cl− and total dissolved solids (TDS). The main facies in the shallow aquifer were Ca–HCO3 and Na–HCO3 water types. The water types were dominated by Na–Cl and Na–HCO3 in the intermediate aquifer and by Na–HCO3 in the deep aquifer. The Gibbs diagram reveals that the majority of groundwater samples belonged to the deep aquifer and fell in the rock dominance zone. Shallow aquifer samples mostly fell in the rainfall zone, suggesting that this aquifer is affected by anthropogenic activities. In contrast, the results suggest that the deep aquifer is heavily influenced by natural processes

SARS-CoV-2 vaccination modelling for safe surgery to save lives: data from an international prospective cohort study

Background: Preoperative SARS-CoV-2 vaccination could support safer elective surgery. Vaccine numbers are limited so this study aimed to inform their prioritization by modelling. Methods: The primary outcome was the number needed to vaccinate (NNV) to prevent one COVID-19-related death in 1 year. NNVs were based on postoperative SARS-CoV-2 rates and mortality in an international cohort study (surgical patients), and community SARS-CoV-2 incidence and case fatality data (general population). NNV estimates were stratified by age (18-49, 50-69, 70 or more years) and type of surgery. Best- and worst-case scenarios were used to describe uncertainty. Results: NNVs were more favourable in surgical patients than the general population. The most favourable NNVs were in patients aged 70 years or more needing cancer surgery (351; best case 196, worst case 816) or non-cancer surgery (733; best case 407, worst case 1664). Both exceeded the NNV in the general population (1840; best case 1196, worst case 3066). NNVs for surgical patients remained favourable at a range of SARS-CoV-2 incidence rates in sensitivity analysis modelling. Globally, prioritizing preoperative vaccination of patients needing elective surgery ahead of the general population could prevent an additional 58 687 (best case 115 007, worst case 20 177) COVID-19-related deaths in 1 year. Conclusion: As global roll out of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination proceeds, patients needing elective surgery should be prioritized ahead of the general population