Prevalence and Correlates of Low Back Pain in Primary Care: What Are the Contributing Factors in a Rapidly Developing Country

Abdulbari Bener,Elnour Elnaeim Dafeeah,Khalid Alnaqbi 대한척추외과학회 2014 Asian Spine Journal Vol.8 No.3

Study Design: Cross-sectional. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) in the primary care setting with emphasis on the socio-demographic contributing factors and impact of LBP on lifestyle habits. Overview of Literature: LBP is one of the most common medical conditions seen in the Primary Health Care Clinic. Methods: A representative sample of 2,600 patients were approached and 1,829 subjects agreed to participate in this study (70.0%). Data on socio-demographic characteristics, life style habits and type of treatment were collected through a questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of LBP in the study sample was 56.5% (95% confidence interval, 54.2–58.8). LBP was more prevalent among women (53.9%) compared to men (46.1%). There was significant difference between male and female patients of LBP in terms of ethnicity (p <0.001), marital status (p =0.010), occupation (p <0.001), monthly household income (p =0.004), and cigarette/sheesha smokers (p <0.001). The percentages of different aspects of functional disabilities were statistically significantly higher among females compared to male patients with LBP. Almost a quarter of female patients with LBP (26%) and 18% male patients with LBP reported pain in the arms and legs (p =0.002). In addition, gastrointestinal complaints such as abdominal pain and food intolerance were significantly higher among female patients with LBP as compared to males (31% vs. 24.6%, p =0.018; and 25% vs. 18%, p =0.008, respectively). Complaints about headache and fainting were also significantly higher among female patients as compared to male LBP patients (43% vs. 36%, p =0.029; and 26% vs. 20%, p =0.016, respectively). The multivariate logistic regression revealed that being female, prolonged standing, prolonged sitting, heavy weight lifting, weakness in the legs, regular exercise, and cigarette/sheesh a smoking had a significant effect on the presence of LBP. Conclusions: LBP is highly prevalent among both genders and in older age. Also, weakness in the legs, smoking, prolonged standing and sitting had a significant effect on LBP. Furthermore, the current study findings support the fact that LBP continues to be an important clinical, social and economic, burden and a public health problem affecting the population of the entire world.

Production of activated carbon derived from agricultural by-products via microwave-induced chemical activation: a review

Ahmad Abdulbari A.,Al-Raggad Marwan,Shareef Noama 한국탄소학회 2021 Carbon Letters Vol.31 No.5

Biomass of agricultural waste is getting increasing attention all over the world as it is a kind of renewable, abundantly available, low cost, and environmentally friendly resource. Preparation of activated carbon from agricultural waste via microwave-assisted chemical agent activation. The porosity, surface area, and functional and surface chemistry were featured by means of low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, Scanning Electron Microscopy, (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The best conditions resulted in activated carbon with adsorption capacity of 517.5 mg/g and carbon yield of 80.99%. The activated carbons from carbonized tobacco stem with K2CO3 activation by microwave radiation is highest of surface area, and total pore volume corresponded to 2557 m2 /g, and 1.647 cm3 /g, respectively, with a high contribution of mesopores, microwave power of 700 W, and irradiation time of 30 min. The results of the review showed that chemical activation could develop both microporosity and mesoporosity. The fndings support the potential to prepare high surface area and micropore-activated carbon from agricultural waste by microwave-induced chemical activation.

Going against the flow—A review of non-additive means of drag reduction

Hayder A. Abdulbari,R.M. Yunus,N.H. Abdurahman,A. Charles 한국공업화학회 2013 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.19 No.1

The conventional mainstream method of polymer additives for reducing drag in pipes is disadvantageous from certain environmental perspectives. This paper aims to go against the flow by challenging the widespread preference for using polymeric and surfactant-based drag reducers and discusses the performance of five alternative methods that do not involve polymer additives: riblets, dimples,oscillating walls, compliant surfaces, and microbubbles. The hypothetical mechanisms involved, success of each approach, relevant stages of development, important findings, and possible avenue for future research are discussed. The results obtained in this paper have exposed the potentials of new drag reduction technologies.

Bio-polymers for improving liquid flow in pipelines—A review and future work opportunities

Hayder A. Abdulbari,Ainoon Shabirin,H.N. Abdurrahman 한국공업화학회 2014 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.20 No.4

Several decades following Tom’s discoveries on polymeric drag reducing agents (DRA) continue to see research efforts to produce robust and shear-stable DRA. Most efforts revolve around established artificial polymers, but questions have been raised recently about their environmental impact and safety. As such, a large number of researchers are looking into natural materials especially bio-polymers as substitutes. Several bio-polymers are found to exhibit drag reducing capabilities in aqueous media. All these factors suggest that bio-polymers would make a suitable alternative to artificial DRAs. This paper aims to present several works to-date on bio-polymer DRAs, and expose new possibilities.

Fracture resistance of CAD-CAM all-ceramic surveyed crowns with different occlusal rest seat designs

Chaturvedi, Saurabh,Alqahtani, Turki,Alsolami, Saleh,Alqahtani, Abdulbari,Das, Gotam,Alsubaiy, Ebrahim The Korean Academy of Prosthodonitics 2021 The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics Vol.13 No.1

Purpose. To investigate the fracture resistance of monolithic CAD-CAM all-ceramic surveyed crowns with two different occlusal rest seat designs. Materials and Methods. Two maxillary first premolar were prepared for all-ceramic surveyed crowns with wide (2/3rd of buccolingual width of an unprepared tooth) or narrow (1/3rd of buccolingual width of an unprepared tooth) disto-occlusal rest seat (ORS) designs. Eighty monolithic CAD-CAM all-ceramic surveyed crowns were prepared and divided into 4 groups - Group CR, Composite resin material as a control; Group LDS, Lithium disilicate based material; Group ZIPS, zirconia-material (IPS ZirCAD); and Group ZLHT, zirconia- material (CeramillZolidht+). Crowns were cemented on an epoxy resin die with adhesive resin cement. The fracture resistance of crowns was tested with the universal machine. Univariate regression analysis was used. Results. The mean ± standard deviation of maximum failure force values varied from 3476.10 ± 285.97 N for the narrow ORS subgroup of group ZIPS to 687.89 ± 167.63 N for the wide ORS subgroup of group CR. The mean ± standard deviation of maximum force was 1075 ± 77.0 N for group CR, 1309.3 ± 283.9 N for group LDS, 3476.1 ± 285.97 N for group ZIPS, and 2666.7 ± 228.21 N for group ZLHT, with narrow occlusal rest seat design. The results of the intergroup comparison showed significant differences in fracture strength with various material groups and occlusal rest seat designs (P<.001). Conclusion. The zirconia-based all-ceramic surveyed crowns fractured at more than double the load of Lithium disilicate based crowns. The crowns with narrow base occlusal rest seat design had statistically significantly higher fracture resistance than surveyed crowns with wide occlusal rest seat design. The use of narrow occlusal rest seat design in CAD-CAM all ceramic surveyed crowns provides higher fracture resistance, and therefore narrow occlusal rest design can be used for providing esthetics with high strength.

Original Article : Evaluation of Hemifield Sector Analysis Protocol in Multifocal Visual Evoked Potential Objective Perimetry for the Diagnosis and Early Detection of Glaucomatous Field Defects

( Mohammad F Mousa ),( Robert P Cubbidge ),( Fatima Al Mansouri ),( Abdulbari Bener ) 대한안과학회 2014 Korean Journal of Ophthalmology Vol.28 No.1

Purpose: Multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP) is a newly introduced method used for objective visual field assessment. Several analysis protocols have been tested to identify early visual field losses in glaucoma patients using the mfVEP technique, some were successful in detection of field defects, which were comparable to the standard automated perimetry (SAP) visual field assessment, and others were not very informative and needed more adjustment and research work. In this study we implemented a novel analysis approach and evaluated its validity and whether it could be used effectively for early detection of visual field defects in glaucoma. Methods: Three groups were tested in this study; normal controls (38 eyes), glaucoma patients (36 eyes) and glauco-ma suspect patients (38 eyes). All subjects had a two standard Humphrey field analyzer (HFA) test 24-2 and a sin-gle mfVEP test undertaken in one session. Analysis of the mfVEP results was done using the new analysis protocol; the hemifield sector analysis (HSA) protocol. Analysis of the HFA was done using the standard grading system. Results: Analysis of mfVEP results showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the three groups in the mean signal to noise ratio (ANOVA test, p < 0.001 with a 95% confidence interval). The differ-ence between superior and inferior hemispheres in all subjects were statistically significant in the glaucoma patient group in all 11 sectors (t-test, p < 0.001), partially significant in 5 / 11 (t-test, p < 0.01), and no statistical difference in most sectors of the normal group (1 / 11 sectors was significant, t-test, p < 0.9). Sensitivity and specificity of the HSA protocol in detecting glaucoma was 97% and 86%, respectively, and for glaucoma sus-pect patients the values were 89% and 79%, respectively. Conclusions: The new HSA protocol used in the mfVEP testing can be applied to detect glaucomatous visual field defects in both glaucoma and glaucoma suspect patients. Using this protocol can provide information about focal visual field differences across the horizontal midline, which can be utilized to differentiate between glaucoma and normal subjects. Sensitivity and specificity of the mfVEP test showed very promising results and correlated with other anatomical changes in glaucoma field loss.

Correlation of Inhibin and Several Antioxidants in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Mehde, Atheer Awad,Mehdi, Wesen Adel,Zainulabdeen, Jwan Abdulmohsin,Abdulbari, Alaa Shawqi Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.12

Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is most common in childhood. Inhibin (a non-steroidal glycoprotein hormone of gonadal origin) can be used as marker of fertility. The current study was conducted to evaluate inhibin levels in ALL patients and to estimate its correlation with some antioxidants in these in comparison with control subjects. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on sixty patients with ALL and thirty children as controls. Fasting blood samples were taken from each subject and analyzed for haemoglobin, serum protein, vitamin E and C, in addition to glutathione and inhibin. Results: The results of the study showed highly significant decreases (p<0.001) in haemoglobin, glutathione and inhibin levels with significant decreases (p<0.05) in serum protein and vitamin E levels for patients group in comparison with controls while there was no significant differences in vitamin C. Moreover, there were significant correlations between inhibin levels and serum protein, glutathione and both vitamins (E and C) in the ALL patient group (r= 0.81, 0.80, 0.77 and 0.69, respectively). Conclusions: The present results indicated infertility in patients with ALL demonstrated by low inhibin level as a consequence of abnormality in anti-oxidative metabolism due to the cancer process. So, it can be suggested the need for routine measurement of inhibin for leukemic patients to estimate the action of hormones of gonadal origin.

Effects of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on Ceruloplasmin Oxidase, Copper and Several Markers of Oxidative Damage, in Children

Mehdi, Wesen Adel,Yusof, Faridah,Mehde, Atheer Awad,Zainulabdeen, Jwan Abdulmohsin,Raus, Raha Ahmed,Abdulbari, Alaa Shawqi Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.13

Background: Acute leukaemia is characterized by fast growth of abnormal clones of haemopoietic precursor cells inside bone marrow leading to undue accumulation in the bone marrow. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common form of childhood cancer. Materials and Methods: The study concerned 50 children diagnosed with ALL (mean age, $8.55{\pm}2.54$) compared to 40 healthy controls (mean age, $8.00{\pm}1.85$). The Hb, serum copper, ceruloplasmin oxidase, advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs), total antioxidant activity (TAA) and protein were measured in all groups.One proteinous component was isolated by gel filtration chromatography from the precipitate produced by polyethylene glycol. Results: Significantly higher levels of AOPP, copper and decrease in total antioxidant activity were noted in the cases. Statistical analysis also showed a significant increase (p<0.01) in the activity of serum ceruloplasmin oxidase in patients with ALL compared to normal subjects .The maximum velocity (Vmax) and Michaelis constant had values of 104.2 U/L and 11.7 mM, respectively. The ${\Delta}H^*$ values for ceruloplasmin oxidase in ALL patients were positive, confirming the reaction to be endothermic. Conclusions: The results from this study showed a significant increase in AOPP, ceruloplasmine oxidase and decrease in total antioxidant activity .These parameters may play a role in development of DNA damage in childhood patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).The ${\Delta}S^*$ and ${\Delta}G^*$ values were negative, these refer that the reaction of ES formation is spontaneous, but needs energy in a so-called endergonic reaction. Also the negative ${\Delta}S^*$ value of ceruloplasmin oxidase indicates that the complex [$ES^*$] is further modulated through increasing structure arrangement.