Dental health and oral health-related quality of life in children with congenital bleeding disorders.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dental and some other aspects of oral health status of young patients with congenital bleeding disorders (CBD) and the impact of these on their quality of life (OHR-QoL) compared with controls. DMFS-dmfs (Decayed, Missed, Filled Tooth surfaces in permanent and primary teeth) scores, Simplified oral hygiene index, occurance of hypoplasia of first permanent molars, Temporomandibular joint dysfunction and occlusion of 46 CBD patients at the age range of 2-15 years and 46 of other children as control were compared, and the impact of their oral health situation on quality of life was also investigated. Data were analysed by chi-square, t-test and Pearson correlation. Patients were significantly more caries-free with less decayed teeth in primary-permanent dentition (P = 0.03, t = -2.17).The mean scores of OHR-QoL of CBD patients and controls were not significantly different. Oral Bleeding was the significant variable in relation to 'oral health-related quality of life' in CBD groups (Pearson correlation, r = -0.56, P = 0.000). OHR-QoL in the control group was related to dmfs score (r = -0.392, P = 0.011) and male gender (r = -0.329, P = 0.026). Congenital bleeding disorder CBD patients were found to have a better dental health situation in primary dentition compared with controls; however, their 'oral health-related quality of life' was similar. Oral bleeding was the only significant factor related to OHR-QoL in CBD. It shows an overall importance of development of comprehensive care centres for CBD as the main cause of this achievement.

[New criteria and quality of health care services in the governorate of Monastir, Tunisia]. / Les nouveaux critères et la qualité des services de soins de santé dans le gouvernorat de Monastir (Tunisie).

In 2005 new quality criteria (7 items) were introduced for services provided to mother and child under the national perinatality programme. We evaluated this new version in a descriptive study conducted among a random sample of 400 parturient women from Monastir governorate. Mean age was 29.3 (SD 5) years and 42% were primipara. Although prenatal care was adequate in terms of number of antenatal visits for 82.5% of women, for only 21% were all 7 quality criteria fulfilled. The rates of caesarean section and premature birth were significantly higher in women who received quality care (P < 0.05). In logistic regression analysis, age and parity were the only factors independently associated with the quality of care. Additional efforts are needed to ensure good maternal and infant quality of care.

Cytotoxicity of Kuwait weathered lake crude oil on rat hepatocytes: a histological and ultrastructural study.

In the present study, the cytotoxic effects of Kuwaiti weathered crude oil and a potent carcinogen (DMBA) on rat liver cells were examined by light and electron microscopy at each of 4 sampling periods after the start of low dosing (0.5 and 0.2 mg/kg) of feed. Such effects were compared with those of olive oil and uncontaminated food-exposed controls. The results confirm a pronounced cell damage which statistically not significant (p < 0.05). In crude oil, the organelle changes were variable and highly comparable to that of DMBA. The nuclei were mostly disintegrated while the cell showed demarcation of cytoplasmic vacuolization, lipid augmentation, and mitochondrial aberrations. The latter showed a remarkable association with the rough endoplasmic reticulum and lipid droplets, and appeared as decayed and diffused structures within the cell matrix. There was no comparable changes in the hepatocytes of animals fed with uncontaminated food except for the formation of lipid droplets in the olive oil-fed groups. Although the animals food was contaminated with Kuwaiti weathered oil formed in 1991 were exposed to extreme seasonal temperatures, yet the residues of such oil led to severe histopathological alterations in the liver cells which were similar to those of DMBA-treated cells. There is the need to pay attention to potential hazardous effects of the crude oil on environments.

Antimicrobial activity of 20 plants used in folkloric medicine in the Palestinian area.

Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of 20 Palestinian plant species used in folk medicine were investigated for their antimicrobial activities against five bacterial species (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and one yeast (Candida albicans). The plants showed 90% of antimicrobial activity, with significant difference in activity between the different plants. The most antimicrobially active plants were Phagnalon rupestre and Micromeria nervosa, whereas, the least active plant was Ziziphus spina-christi. Only ten of the tested plant extracts were active against C. albicans, with the most active from M. nervosa and Inula viscosa and the least active from Ruscus aculeatus. Of all extracts the ethanolic extract of M. nervosa was the most active, whereas, the aqueous extract of Phagnalon rupestre was the most active of all aqueous extracts tested. The ethanolic extracts (70%) showed activity against both Gram positive and negative bacteria and 40% of these extracts showed anticandidal activity, whereas, 50% of the aqueous extracts showed antibacterial activity and 20% of these extracts showed anticandidal activity.