No abstract

BackgroundIndia has millions of tobacco users. It is the leading cause of deaths due to oral cancer and hence needs effective strategies to curb it. Hence the aim of present study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of Oral Health Education (OHE) and Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) in tobacco cessation.Material and MethodsThe clinical trial consisted of Manohar Lal Kapoor (MLK) factory workers (n= 40) giving history of tobacco consumption (smoking/smokeless) within past 30 days. They were randomized into OHE (n=20) and NRT (n=20) groups. Baseline evaluation (demographic, smoking/ smokeless behaviour) was done. Fagerstrom test was used for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and to assess nicotine addiction level. Follow up was done at an interval of 1week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months and 3 months to assess the reduction in the mean FTND score. “Nano-CheckTM Rapid Nicotine test” was used for the qualitative detection of cotinine in human urine. Appropriate statistical analysis was performed (Paired and Unpaired t test).ResultsIn both OHE and NRT group there was a significant reduction (p< 0.00001) in mean Fagerstrom score at every follow up but when both the groups were compared mean Fagerstrom score reduction was more in NRT than OHE at all time interval though it was not statistically significant (p>0.05).ConclusionsNRT is better than OHE when both the groups were compared. However, it was found that any intervention given to tobacco users either NRT or OHE is helpful for the patients in the process of quitting tobacco. Key words:Tobacco cessation, nicotine replacement therapy, oral health education, fagerstrom test, urine cotinine.

Introduction: Tobacco is the greatest disease-producing product which is known to man and it is a primary cause of many oral diseases and adverse oral conditions. This study was conducted to bring the behavioural changes and to educate individuals about the harmful effects of tobacco. Method: Subjects reporting to the tobacco cessation centre of the Department of Public Health Dentistry and giving a history of tobacco consumption (smoking/smokeless) within past 30 day period were randomized into 2 groups: cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) group (study group) and Basic health education (BHE) group (control group). Baseline evaluation (of demographic parameters, smoking/ smokeless behaviour) was done and Fagerstrom's test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) was used to assess subjects' nicotine addiction levels. Follow up was done at intervals of 2 weeks and 4 weeks to assess the reduction in the mean FTND score. Appropriate statistical analysis was performed (Paired and Unpaired t-test).Results: Of all the subjects who reported to the department, 40 subjects were recruited in the study. A majority of the subjects were males who belonged to rural areas, who had completed high school and most of them had consumed more than 10 sachets of pan masala daily, for an average of 10 years. In both CBT and BHE groups, significant reductions in mean Fagerstrom scores at 1st and 2nd follow ups from baseline and between 1st and 2nd follow ups were seen. But when both groups were compared, reductions in mean Fagerstrom scores were found to be more in CBT group than in BHE group at all time intervals, though it was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Any intervention given to tobacco users from either CBT or BHE groups, helped the patients in quitting habit of tobacco.

PurposeTaurine (2-aminoethane sulfonic acid; C2H7NO3S) is a nonprotein sulfur-containing β-amino acid present in nearly all mammalian tissues and the most ubiquitous free endogenous biomolecule in human cells. Taurine is commonly known as a conditionally essential amino acid because taurine is one of the few amino acids that are not incorporated in protein synthesis. The purpose of this study is to review the existing articles related to taurine and to give an account how useful is taurine to the different body systems. In this thorough overview, taurine is covered in terms of its essentiality, sources, advantages for neonates and the elderly, the effects of taurine deficiency, and the safety and toxicity of taurine supplements.Design/methodology/approachThis is a narrative review into the subject matter. Published articles were searched on different portals like PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Google Scholar, PubChem etc. The authors also evaluated the availability of taurine in commercially available energy drinks.FindingsThis comprehensive review, presents the potential clinical benefits and functional properties of taurine as a conditionally essential amino acid. Energy drinks containing taurine (and their concentration) are also reported in this review.Originality/valueThis is the first data that the authors are aware of that shows taurine content in a variety of energy drinks on the market.

A series of thiourea ligand , N-N'- diphenyl thiourea [I] [DPTH], N-phenyl-N'-[2-phenoyl] thiourea [II] [PPTH], N-phenyl-N'-[2-chlorophenyl] thiourea III [PCPTH], N-phenyl-N'- [5-chloro-2-methyl phenyl] thiourea IV [PCMPTH] and N- phenyl -N'-(5-chloro-2-methoxy phenyl) thiourea V (PCMTPTH) and their transition metal complexes of the type ML2 and ML2 Cl2 have been synthesized by reacting phenyl isothiocyanate with substituted aniline and transition metal salts. These newly synthesized ligands and their complexes were characterized by elemental and spectral studies. Based upon these studies it was revealed that in all the cases metal is coordinated through suphur group of thioamide of ligands. In case of nickel complexes, the nickel is coordinated to both oxygen and sulphur. In all the complexes metal is tetra coordinated forming a square planer geometry.