METHODS: A case-control study was carried out among patients with CSOM (cases) and controls were those with no ear pathology. The presence of CSOM was made through a medical history and otoscopic examination. Allergen testing was done by the skin prick test.
RESULTS: In all 124 subjects were recruited in this study with equal number of the cases and controls. The commonest positive reaction in the skin prick test in both groups was to house dust mites. Among CSOM cases, half (50%) of them had an allergy to Blomia tropicalis and 48.4% to Dermatophagoides while in the control group, 27.4% to Dermatophagoides and 25.8% to B. tropicalis. There were significant associations between CSOM and allergy to B. tropicalis (p=0.005), Dermatophagoides (p=0.016) and Felis domesticus (p=0.040). The prevalence of allergy at 95% confidence interval (95%CI) in CSOM and control groups were demonstrated as 59.7% (95%CI: 47.5, 71.9) and 30.6 % (95%CI: 19.1, 42.1) respectively. There was a significant association between allergy and CSOM (p=0.001).
CONCLUSION: Indoor allergens are the most prevalent in our environment and therefore good control may difficult to achieve. The hypersensitivity states of the subject are likely to have a role in the pathogenesis of CSOM especially in the tropical countries where allergy occurs perennially.
Methods: Thirty patients (25 females, 5 males; mean age, 22.66 ± 3.27 years) who presented with moderate crowding of the upper labial segment and underwent extraction-based fixed appliance treatment were recruited. They were randomly allocated to receive adjunctive therapy with MOPs (n = 15) or treatment with fixed appliances only (control group; n = 15). EARR was measured from long-cone periapical radiographs taken at the start and the sixth month of treatment. A correction factor for the enlargement difference was used to calculate EARR. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and repeated-measures analysis of variance.
Results: The mean root lengths of 168 teeth were measured and showed no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) after six months of fixed appliance treatment in the MOP (mean difference [MD] = 0.13 mm; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.10-0.35) and control group (MD = 0.14 mm; 95% CI = -0.10-0.37). Most of the roots in the MOP and control groups (42.86% and 52.38%, respectively) showed only mild resorption. Less than 8% of the roots in both groups (7.14% in the MOP group and 4.76% in the control group) showed moderate resorption.
Conclusions: Acceleration of orthodontic tooth movement with adjunctive MOPs therapy during the alignment phase does not exacerbate EARR in patients with moderate crowding of the upper labial segment in comparison with controls.
Methods: A quasi-experimental design was conducted. The intervention and control groups consisted of 66 nurses randomly selected from the Tumpat and Pasir Mas districts, respectively, in Kelantan. The intervention group received an antenatal-exercise counseling module, and the control group performed counseling based on self-reading. Knowledge and self-efficacy were assessed at the baseline and at week 4. Analysis of variance and repeated measure analysis of covariance were performed using SPSS.
Results: There was a significant difference in the knowledge scores [estimated marginal mean (95% confidence interval, CI): 33.9 (33.29, 34.53) versus 27.4 (26.52, 28.29); P < 0.001)] and the self-efficacy scores [estimated marginal mean (95% CI): 31.3 (30.55, 32.03) versus 27.4 (26.03, 28.74); P = 0.005)] between intervention and control groups at week 4 after adjusting for duration of practice and formal training.
Conclusion: The antenatal-exercise counseling module is recommended for use in routine counseling in health centers to promote healthy lifestyles among pregnant women.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: About 20 quails were divided into three groups (n=8 for Groups A and B; n=4 for the control group). The quails in the Groups A and B were infected via intraocular route with 0.03 ml of 103.5 ELD50 and 107.0 ELD50 of NDV strain IBS 002, respectively, while the control group received 1× phosphate-buffered saline. Cloacal swabs and necropsy were taken on day 7 post-infection for all quails were subjected to one-step reverse transcription real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) for detection of virus and examination for gross pathological lesion, respectively. Blood serums of infected quails were taken on day 10, 14, and 21 post-day infections and were subjected for hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay.
RESULTS: Depression and ruffled feathers, trachea rales, leg paralysis, and torticollis were shown in some of the quails in both infected groups. Based on statistical analysis, there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in clinical signs between the infected groups. The results for RT-qPCR were found to be negative for all groups, and no gross pathological lesions of organs observed for quails in both infected groups. Trachea, proventriculus, and cecal tonsil were taken for the detection of NDV by RT-qPCR, and some of the organ samples showed positive detection of virus in both infected groups. HI assay showed an increase in mean titers of antibody across time and between infected groups.
CONCLUSION: In summary, Japanese quails are susceptible to genotype VII NDV based on parameters assessed.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This interventional experimental study was conducted on nine Dio UFII implants with hybrid sandblasted and acid-etched (SLA) surface treatments, divided equally into three groups. Control group A samples were not given UV irradiation, while groups B and C samples were given UVA (382 nm, 25 mWcm2) and UVC (260 nm, 15 mWcm2) irradiation, respectively. The atomic ratio of carbon, titanium, and oxygen was compared through XPS.
RESULTS: Mean carbon-to-titanium ratio and C1 peaks considerably increased in Group A compared to those in experimental Groups B and C. The intensity of Ti2p and O1s peaks was more pronounced for group C compared to that for groups A and B.
CONCLUSIONS: Although the decrease in surface hydrocarbons was the same in both UV-treated groups, the peak intensity of oxygen increased in the UVC-treated group. Thus, it can be concluded that compared with UVA irradiation, UVC irradiation has the potential to induce more hydrophilicity on SLA-coated implants.
METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN: A randomized controlled study was conducted on obese women with high breast adiposity (<0.1 Sm-1), aged 40-60 years in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Subjects were assigned to intervention (n=16) and control group (n=15). Intervention group received a home based health education package with close monitoring weekly, personal diet consultation and physical training in group. Assessment was ascertained at three time points; baseline, weeks 8 and 16. Outcome measures were the energy intake, physical activity, body composition, blood tests, blood biomarkers and electrical impedance tomography (EIT) quantitative values. Analyses were done using 2-way repeated measures ANOVA.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: All subjects completed the program without any drop-out. The HSI group had 100% compliance towards the intervention program; their energy intake was reduced for approximately 35% and their activity score was increased for approximately 11%. A significant interaction effect was found in body weight, body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol/HDL, vitamin C intake and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) (p<0.05). Interestingly, their EIT extremum values were also significantly increased indicating a reduction of breast adiposity. The intervention program was successful in improving body composition, physical activities, MMP9 and breast adipose tissue composition.