Bleaching and skin-lightening practice among female students in South India: A cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Bleaching with skin-lightening preparations is a common practice in our society. Particularly, a practice simply known as "bleaching"-referring to application of skin-lightening chemicals including ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, and hypochlorite, repeated at intervals, as a salon-based or home-based procedure appears wide-spread among young females in India. However, there is limited medical literature on "bleaching."

AIMS

We aimed to estimate the prevalence of "bleaching" among female students of our campus and to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding "bleaching" in the same population.

METHODS

A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was conducted among the female students of the campus following a presurvey focus group discussion with a representative group. A pilot survey conducted to standardize the survey questionnaire showed a high reliability (Cronbach's alpha > 0.7). Descriptive statistical methods were used to assess survey results, and frequencies were presented as percentages.

RESULTS

A total of 880 valid responses were analyzed (age group 17-30 years, mean age-20.24 years). 34.77% had done "bleaching" at least once. 63.8% of respondents did not know the ingredients, and 40.5% did not know about the side effects of "bleaching." 60.06% of those who bleached had experienced an adverse effect. 58.18% respondents knew about "bleaching" from friends/relatives and 17% from parlors. Only 2.3% respondents had consulted a dermatologist, and only 22.8% had used sunscreens. Top motivation to bleach was to lighten facial hairs (19.5%), for a "lighter" complexion (15.1%) and achieve "glow" before a function (15.2%).

CONCLUSION

Facial skin and hair "bleaching" is common in our society, and awareness regarding "bleaching" is low even among educated youth.

P3419Independent effects of visceral, subcutaneous and liver fat, and fat-free mass on cardiometabolic risk factors in teenagers

Acknowledgement/Funding

Alexander Jones is funded by a British Heart Foundation Intermediate Clinical Research Fellowship (FS/18/22/33479)

PET imaging demonstrates histone deacetylase target engagement and clarifies brain penetrance of known and novel small molecule inhibitors in rat

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes have been demonstrated as critical components in maintaining chromatin homeostasis, CNS development, and normal brain function. Evidence in mouse models links HDAC expression to learning, memory, and mood-related behaviors; small molecule HDAC inhibitor tool compounds have been used to demonstrate the importance of specific HDAC subtypes in modulating CNS-disease-related behaviors in rodents. So far, no direct evidence exists to understand the quantitative changes in HDAC target engagement that are necessary to alter biochemistry and behavior in a living animal. Understanding the relationship between target engagement and in vivo effect is essential in refining new ways to alleviate disease. We describe here, using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of rat brain, the in vivo target engagement of a subset of class I/IIb HDAC enzymes implicated in CNS-disease (HDAC subtypes 1, 2, 3, and 6). We found marked differences in the brain penetrance of tool compounds from the hydroxamate and benzamide HDAC inhibitor classes and resolved a novel, highly brain penetrant benzamide, CN147, chronic treatment with which resulted in an antidepressant-like effect in a rat behavioral test. Our work highlights a new translational path for understanding the molecular and behavioral consequences of HDAC target engagement.

Earlier recovery of platelet function after discontinuation of treatment with ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel in patients with high antiplatelet responses

BACKGROUND

The rate of recovery of platelet function after discontinuation of P2Y(12) inhibitors depends on the reversibility of the antiplatelet effect and the extent of the on-treatment response. P2Y(12) inhibition increases the bleeding risk in patients requiring surgery.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate recovery of platelet function after discontinuation of ticagrelor vs. clopidogrel in stable coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with high levels of platelet inhibition (HPI) during the ONSET/OFFSET study.

METHODS

Patients received aspirin 75-100 mg per day and either ticagrelor 90 mg twice-daily or clopidogrel 75 mg daily for 6 weeks. This subanalysis included patients with HPI after the last dose of maintenance therapy, defined as: inhibition of platelet aggregation (IPA) > 75% 4 h post-dose (ADP 20 μm, final extent); < 120 P2Y(12) reaction units 8 h post-dose (VerifyNow P2Y(12) assay); or platelet reactivity index < 50% 8 h post-dose (VASP-P assay).

RESULTS

IPA > 75% was observed in 39 out of 47 ticagrelor-treated and 17 out of 44 clopidogrel-treated patients. The rate of offset of IPA over 4-72 h was greater with ticagrelor (IPA %/hour slope: -1.11 vs. -0.67 for clopidogrel; P < 0.0001). Mean IPA was significantly lower with ticagrelor than clopidogrel between 48 and 168 h post-dose (P < 0.01). Similar findings were observed with the other assays. The average time for IPA to decline from 30% to 10% was 50.8 h with ticagrelor vs. 110.4 h with clopidogrel.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with HPI, recovery of platelet function was more rapid after discontinuation of ticagrelor than clopidogrel leading to significantly greater platelet reactivity by 48 h after the last dose in the ticagrelor group.

Survey of dental fees charged by dentists in Singapore

A survey on dental fees was conducted among all private dental clinics registered with the Medical Audit and Accreditation Unit of the Ministry of Health in Singapore. Replies were received from 74 dental clinics. Analysis of results showed that there was a general increase in the median of fees charged in 1998 compared to the fees listed in the Minimum Fee Schedule issued by the Singapore Dental Association in 1994. 93% of the respondents indicated that there is a need to revise the Minimum Fee Schedule.

Survey on the need and expectations of a fee schedule among members of the Singapore Dental Association

A survey was conducted among Singapore Dental Association (SDA) members to determine the demand for a fee schedule, the nature of the schedule, and the possible methods of implementing it. The survey revealed that the majority wanted a fee schedule and wanted it enforced. It was commonly perceived that a fee schedule would help to raise the standards of dentistry.