Social Acceptability and Health Concerns of Smoking and Vaping Among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: This study aimed to assess tobacco and vaping habits among university students, exploring awareness of university policies, attitudes, and behaviors related to smoking and vaping.

Methods: An online questionnaire was distributed among students from various universities, including institutions in Pakistan, covering demographics, smoking and vaping behaviors, awareness of policies, and beliefs. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, Binomial tests, Chi-square tests, and logistic regression.

Efficacy of Oxy-Ionic Solutions With Varying pH Levels Against Streptococcus mutans In Vitro.

Background Chlorhexidine (CHX) is a widely used antimicrobial agent known for its ability to inhibit cariogenic bacteria, reduce plaque formation, neutralize acidity, and promote remineralization. However, the effectiveness of oxy-ionic solutions at different pH levels as an alternative antimicrobial treatment requires further exploration. This study aims to compare the antimicrobial effects of oxy-ionic solutions at various pH levels with those of CHX and fluoride.

Risk factors and approaches for detection of the silent culprit in periodontal disease: A narrative review.

Introduction: Periodontal disease is the inflammation of the periodontium tissues surrounding the teeth, potentially leading to loss of tooth attachment. In individuals with periodontal disease, the presence of , a parasitic protozoan of the oral cavity has been observed and its frequency tends to rise as the disease progresses.

Methods: A literature search was conducted in the online databases of PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus using the combination of keywords: "" AND "periodontal disease" OR "gum disease", OR "oral disease" OR "periodontitis".

Physicochemical Characterization of Thermally Processed Goose Bone Ash for Bone Regeneration.

Goose bone is traditionally applied for many ailments including bone fractures. Goose bone that consists of calcium phosphate plays a major role in bone regeneration. In this study, the production of goose bone ash (GBA) was translated from a traditional process into one of a laboratory scale via thermal and mechanical methods.

Plasma-derived exosomal miRNA as potential biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of vector-borne diseases: A review.

Early disease diagnosis is critical for better management and treatment outcome of patients. Therefore, diagnostic methods should ideally be accurate, consistent, easy to perform at low cost and preferably non-invasive. In recent years, various biomarkers have been studied for the detection of cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, infectious diseases, diabetes mellitus and malignancies.

MicroRNA and Their Potential Role in Conjunctival Disorders.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are the small noncoding RNA molecules which regulate target gene expression posttranscriptionally. They are known to regulate key cellular processes like inflammation, cell differentiation, cell proliferation, and cell apoptosis across various ocular diseases. Due to their easier access, recent focus has been laid on the investigation of miRNA expression and their involvement in several conjunctival diseases.

MicroRNA Profiling of the Tears of Children With Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis.

Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a chronic conjunctival inflammatory condition that typically affects children. Extracellular microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules, the expression of which is reported to regulate cellular processes implicated in several eye diseases. The aim of this preliminary study is to identify the miRNA expression profile in the tears of children with VKC controls, and to statistically evaluate these miRNAs as potential diagnostic biomarkers of VKC.

Salivary Exosomes: From Waste to Promising Periodontitis Treatment.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory condition that causes tooth loss by destroying the supporting components of the teeth. In most cases, it is difficult to diagnose early and results in severe phases of the disease. Given their endogenous origins, exosomes, which are rich in peptides, lipids, and nucleic acids, have emerged as a cell-free therapeutic approach with low immunogenicity and increased safety.

Evaluation of TNF-α and IL-6 in saliva among diabetic retinopathy patients in East Coast Malaysia.

Objective: To compare tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) and interleukin (IL)-6 levels in saliva between different stages of diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2018 and November 2020. This study included diabetes mellitus (DM) patients with no DR, non-proliferative DR (NPDR), and proliferative DR (PDR).

Plasma- and Saliva Exosome Profile Reveals a Distinct MicroRNA Signature in Chronic Periodontitis.

Chronic periodontitis (CP) is an oral cavity disease arising from chronic inflammation of the periodontal tissues. Exosomes are lipid vesicles that are enriched in specific microRNAs (miRNAs), potentially providing a disease-specific diagnostic signature. To assess the value of exosomal miRNAs as biomarkers for CP, 8 plasma- and 8 salivary-exosomal miRNAs samples were profiled using Agilent platform (comparative study).

Non-Exosomal and Exosomal Circulatory MicroRNAs: Which Are More Valid as Biomarkers?

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small non-coding RNAs with approximately 19-25 nucleotides that are involved in regulating a range of developmental and physiological processes. Non-exosomal circulating and exosomal miRNAs have also been proposed to be useful in diagnostics as biomarkers for diseases and different types of cancer. In this review, the quantity of miRNAs and of reliable experimental data analyses of miRNAs that come from exosomal and non-exosomal sources are discussed from the perspective of their use as biomarkers for cancer and other diseases, including viral infections, nervous system disorders, cardiovascular disorders, and diabetes.

Compressive force inhibits adipogenesis through COX-2-mediated down-regulation of PPARgamma2 and C/EBPalpha.

Various mechanical stimuli affect differentiation of mesoderm-derived cells such as osteoblasts or myoblasts, suggesting that adipogenesis may also be influenced by mechanical stimulation. However, effects of mechanical stimuli on adipogenesis are scarcely known. Compressive force was applied to a human preadipocyte cell line, SGBS.

Expression of p18(INK4C) is down-regulated in human pituitary adenomas.

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors represented by the INK4 family comprising p16(INK4A), p15(INK4B), p18(INK4C), and p19(INK4D) are regulators of the cell cycle shown to be aberrant in many types of cancer. Mice lacking p18(Ink4c) exhibit a series of phenotypes including the development of widespread organomegaly and pituitary adenomas. The objective of our study is to examine the role of p18(INK4C) in the pathogenesis of human pituitary tumors.