While applying linear models to human systems and their elements has improved our understanding of their structure and function, such models often fall short of explaining experimental results or predicting future abnormalities in complex nonlinear systems. Starting from the fact that the periodontium is a complex system in the body, this paper demonstrates possible reflection of chaos theory a...

T here is not much data available on Turkish medicine before the acceptance of the Islamic religion. Medical history goes back to the eighth century, the time of the Uygurs and Orhun Turks. During this period surgeons from neighboring countries had an influence on Turkish medicine and some written data were established. Physicians were educated in hospitals in a “master-knight” relation. When l...

There is a lack of data on tobacco use in the Syrian Arab Republic. This cross-sectional questionnaire survey estimated the prevalence of smoking among university students in Damascus and identified factors related to smoking. Among the 583 respondents, the overall prevalence of cigarette smoking was 20.8%. The mean age of smokers [25 (SD 2.2) years] was significantly higher than non-smokers [2...

he sickle cell hemoglobinopathy is a major public health problem in some parts of the world. Hemoglobin S is the most common clinically significant variant Hb. Hemoglobin S is most common in Africa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the Mediterranean Basin.1 Sickle cell trait (HbAS) results in no detectable abnormality under normal circumstances although it is easily diagnosed by specific in...

This study investigated the association between dietary patterns and oral health in primary-school children from Damascus. A total of 504 children aged 6-12 years were enrolled and food frequency questionnaires were distributed to their guardians to evaluate food consumption. Dental health was evaluated by gingival index and presence of untreated dental caries. Consumption of food groups was lo...

Rhodotorula yeasts were isolated from various local sources in Damascus, Syria, during 2012 and 2013. Fifty isolates (23 from leaves trees, 13 from different soils, 6 from different meats, 6 from dairy products, 1 pickle and 1 traditional sweet) were identified using API 20C AUX system. Isolated yeasts were classified into three Rhodotorula species: R. mucilaginosa, R. glutinis and R. minuta re...