MyMedR

Displaying all 7 publications

Abstract:

Sort:

Fulltext Exploring cyberchondria and worry about health among individuals with no diagnosed medical condition

Akhtar M, Fatima T

J Pak Med Assoc, 2020 Jan;70(1):90-95.
PMID: 31954030 DOI: 10.5455/JPMA.8682

Objective: To study the phenomenon of cyberchondria and related worries about health among individuals without any diagnosed medical condition. .
METHODS: The survey-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from January to July 2018 in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan, and comprised graduates of either gender aged at least 35 years with access to internet and means of use, and with no current diagnosed medical condition. The self-reporting Cyberchondria Severity Scale was used data-collection along with a demographic sheet. SPSS 21 was used for data analysis.
RESULTS: Of the 150 subjects, 90(60%) were men and 60(40%) were women. A total of 40(26.6%) subjects had low level of cyberchondria, while 35(23.3%) experienced a higher level of it. Mean scores of men on total CSS were slightly higher than those of women (p>0.05). Men also scored higher on compulsion, distress, excessiveness and reassurance subsclaes (p>0.05 each), whereas women scored slightly higherthan men on 'mistrust of medical profession' subscale (p>0.05). No significant gender differences werefound on cyberchondria and its subscales (p>0.05 each).
CONCLUSIONS: Doctors / health professionals may benefit from the findings by focussing on their patients who use internet as a major source of medical information.
Zinc: A precious trace element for oral health care?

Fatima T, Haji Abdul Rahim ZB, Lin CW, Qamar Z

J Pak Med Assoc, 2016 Aug;66(8):1019-1023.
PMID: 27524540

This review will discuss the importance of Zinc in the maintenance of oral health. Zinc (Zn) is a trace element of valuable importance. In the oral cavity, it is naturally present at various sites such as dental plaque, dental hard tissues and saliva. It is proven to be effective against common prevalent oral health problems such as dental caries, gingivitis, periodontitis and malodour. It is being used in various oral health care products to control the formation of dental plaque and inhibiting the formation of dental calculus. It has the potential to sustain and maintain its elevated concentrations for a longer time particularly in the dental plaque and saliva on delivery from the mouth rinses and toothpastes. It has been reported that low concentrations of zinc have the capability to reduce dissolution and promote remineralization under caries simulating conditions. Most importantly low Zn2+ levels in the serum are useful as a tumour marker. Thus taking a note of its potentials, it can be concluded that zinc is a precious element for the maintenance of oral health.
Influence of trace elements on dental enamel properties: A review

Qamar Z, Haji Abdul Rahim ZB, Chew HP, Fatima T

J Pak Med Assoc, 2017 Jan;67(1):116-120.
PMID: 28065967

Dental enamel, an avascular, irreparable, outermost and protective layer of the human clinical crown has a potential to withstand the physico-chemical effects and forces. These properties are being regulated by a unique association among elements occurring in the crystallites setup of human dental enamel. Calcium and phosphate are the major components (hydroxyapatite) in addition to some trace elements which have a profound effect on enamel. The current review was planned to determine the aptitude of various trace elements to substitute and their influence on human dental enamel in terms of physical and chemical properties.
Community Safety Behavior in Response to Coronavirus Pandemic

Khan R, Fatima T, Ramayah T, Awan TM, Kayani ZK

Illn Crises Loss, 2023 Jan;31(1):73-99.
PMID: 36605779 DOI: 10.1177/10541373211033962

The purpose of this study is to explore the behavior and lifestyle of individuals in response to the coronavirus that the safety behavior of people in the coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic. Hence, the study integrates the theory of planned behavior and the health belief model to understand the behavioral change in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The current study is qualitative therefore, a survey-based online questionnaire was used for data collection from university students and staff (faculty and nonfaculty) residing in top-tier cities of Pakistan, nonprobability convenient sampling was used to approach the audience. A two-stage approach was used to test the model using partial least square (variance-based structural equation modeling). The reliability and validity of the measurement model indicate that the data is reliable and valid. Outcomes prove all the relationships as proposed by the study, except for the impact of perceived barriers on intention and individual safety behavior. Perceived barriers act as obstacles that abstain individuals from following the standard operating procedures. The research agenda provides new insights into the fields of marketing, health care, consumer behavior, and behavioral studies. It contributes to the existing literature in the field of social marketing by studying the behavior and changes in the behavior of people in the global pandemic.
Fulltext Relationship Between Problematic Social Media Usage and Employee Depression: A Moderated Mediation Model of Mindfulness and Fear of COVID-19

Majeed M, Irshad M, Fatima T, Khan J, Hassan MM

Front Psychol, 2020;11:557987.
PMID: 33391075 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.557987

Social media plays a significant role in modern life, but excessive use of it during the COVID-19 pandemic has become a source of concern. Supported by the conservation of resources theory, the current study extends the literature on problematic social media usage during COVID-19 by investigating its association with emotional and mental health outcomes. In a moderated mediation model, this study proposes that problematic social media use by workers during COVID-19 is linked to fear of COVID-19, which is further associated with depression. The current study tested trait mindfulness as an important personal resource that may be associated with reduced fear of COVID-19 despite problematic social media use. The study collected temporally separate data to avoid common method bias. Pakistani employees (N = 267) working in different organizations completed a series of survey questionnaires. The results supported the moderated mediation model, showing that problematic social media use during the current pandemic is linked to fear of COVID-19 and depression among employees. Furthermore, trait mindfulness was found to be an important buffer, reducing the negative indirect association between problematic social media use and depression through fear of COVID-19. These results offer implications for practitioners. The limitations of this study and future research directions are also discussed.
Fulltext Potential of silver against human colon cancer: (synthesis, characterization and crystal structures of xylyl (Ortho, meta, &Para) linked bis-benzimidazolium salts and Ag(I)-NHC complexes: In vitro anticancer studies)

Iqbal MA, Haque RA, Nasri SF, Majid AA, Ahamed MB, Farsi E, et al.

Chem Cent J, 2013;7(1):27.
PMID: 23391345 DOI: 10.1186/1752-153X-7-27

Since the first successful synthesis of Ag(I)-N-heterocyclic carbene complex in 1993, this class of compounds has been extensively used for transmetallation reactions where the direct synthesis using other metal ions was either difficult or impossible. Initially, silver(I)-NHC complexes were tested for their catalytic potential but could not get fame because of lower potential compare to other competent compounds in this field; however, these compounds proved to have vital antimicrobial activities. These encouraging biomedical applications further convinced researchers to test these compounds against cancer. The current work has been carried out with this aim.
Design, synthesis, in vitro Evaluation and docking studies on dihydropyrimidine-based urease inhibitors

Iftikhar F, Ali Y, Ahmad Kiani F, Fahad Hassan S, Fatima T, Khan A, et al.

Bioorg Chem, 2017 10;74:53-65.
PMID: 28753459 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2017.07.003

In our previous report, we have identified 3,4-dihydropyrimidine scaffold as promising class of urease inhibitor in a structure based virtual screen (SBVS) experiment. In present study, we attempted to optimize the scaffold by varying C-5 substituent. The elongation of the C-5 chain was achieved by the reaction of C-5 ester with hydrazine leading to C-5 carbohydrazides which were further used as building blocks for the synthesis of fifteen new compounds having diverse moieties. A significantly higher in vitro urease inhibitory activity with IC50 values in submicromolar range was observed for semithiocarbazide derivatives (4a-c, 0.58-0.79µM) and isatin Schiff base derivative 5a (0.23µM). Docking analysis suggests that the synthesized compounds were anchored well in the catalytic site and extending to the entrance of binding pocket and thus restrict the mobility of the flap by interacting with its key amino acid residues. The overall results of urease inhibition have shown that these compounds can be further optimized and developed as lead urease inhibitors.