Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) is a non-invasive and the latest form of therapy used in the treatment of non oncological diseases as well as cancers of various types and locations. The aim of this study was to systematically review and assess the efficacy of PBMT in managing oral lichen planus (OLP) compared to the interventions. A systematic review and meta-analysis were implemented according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. An electronic search using PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane was conducted to retrieve relevant studies published until June 2023. The outcomes evaluated included the reduction in pain score and clinical severity scores (Prospero No CRD42023428626). A total of eight studies were identified for qualitative synthesis. The pooled analysis incorporating six studies revealed that there are no significant differences for both mean pain score (mean difference [MD] = 0.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.51, 0.93) as well as clinical score (MD = -0.08, 95% CI = -0.4, 0.25) between PBMT and comparison groups. Subgroup analysis based on corticosteroids as controls showed that there was no significant difference in mean reduction in pain score between PBMT and topical steroids (MD = 0.38, 95% CI = -0.54, 1.31). PBMT is as effective as other interventions in the treatment of OLP, though not superior, and can be a promising alternative treatment for cases resistant to steroids or when steroids are contraindicated. Further studies are recommended to standardize the optimal settings for the treatment of OLP.
Membranes are a promising technology for bulk CO2 separation from natural gas mixtures due to their numerous advantages. Despite the numerous fundamental studies on creating better quality membrane efficiency, scaling up the research work for field testing requires huge efforts. The challenge is to ensure the stability of the membrane throughout the operation while maintaining its high performance. This review addresses the key challenges in the application of polymeric technology for CO2 separation, focusing on plasticization and aging. A brief introduction to the properties and limitations of the current commercial polymeric membrane is first deliberated. The effect of each plasticizer component in natural gas towards membrane performance and the relationship between operating conditions and the membrane efficiency are discussed in this review. The recent technological advancements and techniques to overcome the plasticization and aging issues covering polymer modification, high free-volume polymers, polymer blending and facilitated transport membranes (FTMs) have been highlighted. We also give our perspectives on a few main features of research related to polymeric membranes and the way forwards. Upcoming research must emphasize mixed gas with CO2 including minor condensable contaminants as per real natural gas, to determine the competitive sorption effect on CO2 permeability and membrane selectivity. The effects of pore blocking, plasticization and aging should be given particular attention to cater for large-scale applications.