METHODS: This current study involved two steps, where forward translation, backward translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and test of a pre-final version of the ROF scale were conducted in the first step. Content validity, face validity, and construct validity of the ROF scale were performed in five stages. This study enlisted the help of eight experts to create the ROF scale in the Kannada language. Moreover, 50 patients participated by responding to a variety of Likert scale and numeric scale questionnaires that surveyed the intention of measuring the ROF scale. The content validity and face validity were assessed by using the index prepared for the content validity and face validity, respectively, along with mean and standard deviation (SD). The correlation between the Kannada version of the ROF measure and a numerical rating scale-facial rating scale (NRS-FRS) was assessed by the Pearson's correlation coefficient (PCC). Moreover, a comparison of the mean value of ROF and NRS-FRS was performed by the paired t-test.
RESULTS: The Kannada version of the ROF scale was prepared after getting consensus from all the experts. The fatigue questionnaire met a high level of expert content validity (0.93) and showed that most experts opined high relevance (1.00) for measuring dental fatigue. The fatigue questionnaire meets a high level of response in face validity (0.92) based on the face validity indices. PCC showed a high level of construct validity (r = 0.819) of the ROF scale. No significant difference (P = 0.858) was observed between ROF and NRS-FRS by the paired t-test.
CONCLUSION: The Kannada version of the ROF scale is a valid tool to assess dental fatigue.
METHODS: OSDI validation studies were identified through a PubMed / MEDLINE and Google Scholar search spanning the 27 years since the establishment of the OSDI, using the broad term "Ocular Surface Disease Index-12 questions" and keywords that is "ocular surface disease index-12," "translation and validation," "transcultural validation," "development," "cross-cultural adaptation," and "reliability and validity." We included original studies that validated the translated version of the OSDI in various languages, presenting the key findings with a focus on reliability and repeatability outcomes.
RESULTS: Thirteen full-text articles were thoroughly reviewed, including those identified through targeted keyword searches and the reference lists of these studies. The papers examined the translation of the English version of the OSDI-12 questionnaire into nine languages: Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Chilean Spanish, Japanese, Filipino, Farsi, Bahasa Melayu, and Brazilian Portuguese. Key details regarding the development, translation, and validation phases were summarized. Most of the included studies adhered to standard guidelines throughout the translation process to create a final version of the OSDI questionnaire. This was followed by clinical validation of the final translated version. The majority of the translated versions were assessed for internal consistency, reliability, test-retest repeatability, and discriminant validity.
CONCLUSIONS: The original English version of the OSDI was translated into validated versions to achieve a final version in nine different languages. The majority of the translated versions demonstrated high reproducibility and reliability. The different language versions of the questionnaire removed language barriers in informing the eye-care community, evaluating DES, and assisting physicians in advising and managing their patients more suitably. Therefore, the validated versions of OSDI can be used as tools for clinical practice and DES research. Validating the OSDI questionnaire in various languages is essential to eliminate the language barrier in the assessment of dry eye disease.
METHODS: Using forecasts of major drivers of health such as the Socio-demographic Index (SDI; a composite measure of lag-distributed income per capita, mean years of education, and total fertility under 25 years of age) and the full set of risk factor exposures captured by GBD, we provide cause-specific forecasts of mortality, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) by age and sex from 2022 to 2050 for 204 countries and territories, 21 GBD regions, seven super-regions, and the world. All analyses were done at the cause-specific level so that only risk factors deemed causal by the GBD comparative risk assessment influenced future trajectories of mortality for each disease. Cause-specific mortality was modelled using mixed-effects models with SDI and time as the main covariates, and the combined impact of causal risk factors as an offset in the model. At the all-cause mortality level, we captured unexplained variation by modelling residuals with an autoregressive integrated moving average model with drift attenuation. These all-cause forecasts constrained the cause-specific forecasts at successively deeper levels of the GBD cause hierarchy using cascading mortality models, thus ensuring a robust estimate of cause-specific mortality. For non-fatal measures (eg, low back pain), incidence and prevalence were forecasted from mixed-effects models with SDI as the main covariate, and YLDs were computed from the resulting prevalence forecasts and average disability weights from GBD. Alternative future scenarios were constructed by replacing appropriate reference trajectories for risk factors with hypothetical trajectories of gradual elimination of risk factor exposure from current levels to 2050. The scenarios were constructed from various sets of risk factors: environmental risks (Safer Environment scenario), risks associated with communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases (CMNNs; Improved Childhood Nutrition and Vaccination scenario), risks associated with major non-communicable diseases (NCDs; Improved Behavioural and Metabolic Risks scenario), and the combined effects of these three scenarios. Using the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways climate scenarios SSP2-4.5 as reference and SSP1-1.9 as an optimistic alternative in the Safer Environment scenario, we accounted for climate change impact on health by using the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change temperature forecasts and published trajectories of ambient air pollution for the same two scenarios. Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy were computed using standard methods. The forecasting framework includes computing the age-sex-specific future population for each location and separately for each scenario. 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) for each individual future estimate were derived from the 2·5th and 97·5th percentiles of distributions generated from propagating 500 draws through the multistage computational pipeline.
FINDINGS: In the reference scenario forecast, global and super-regional life expectancy increased from 2022 to 2050, but improvement was at a slower pace than in the three decades preceding the COVID-19 pandemic (beginning in 2020). Gains in future life expectancy were forecasted to be greatest in super-regions with comparatively low life expectancies (such as sub-Saharan Africa) compared with super-regions with higher life expectancies (such as the high-income super-region), leading to a trend towards convergence in life expectancy across locations between now and 2050. At the super-region level, forecasted healthy life expectancy patterns were similar to those of life expectancies. Forecasts for the reference scenario found that health will improve in the coming decades, with all-cause age-standardised DALY rates decreasing in every GBD super-region. The total DALY burden measured in counts, however, will increase in every super-region, largely a function of population ageing and growth. We also forecasted that both DALY counts and age-standardised DALY rates will continue to shift from CMNNs to NCDs, with the most pronounced shifts occurring in sub-Saharan Africa (60·1% [95% UI 56·8-63·1] of DALYs were from CMNNs in 2022 compared with 35·8% [31·0-45·0] in 2050) and south Asia (31·7% [29·2-34·1] to 15·5% [13·7-17·5]). This shift is reflected in the leading global causes of DALYs, with the top four causes in 2050 being ischaemic heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, compared with 2022, with ischaemic heart disease, neonatal disorders, stroke, and lower respiratory infections at the top. The global proportion of DALYs due to YLDs likewise increased from 33·8% (27·4-40·3) to 41·1% (33·9-48·1) from 2022 to 2050, demonstrating an important shift in overall disease burden towards morbidity and away from premature death. The largest shift of this kind was forecasted for sub-Saharan Africa, from 20·1% (15·6-25·3) of DALYs due to YLDs in 2022 to 35·6% (26·5-43·0) in 2050. In the assessment of alternative future scenarios, the combined effects of the scenarios (Safer Environment, Improved Childhood Nutrition and Vaccination, and Improved Behavioural and Metabolic Risks scenarios) demonstrated an important decrease in the global burden of DALYs in 2050 of 15·4% (13·5-17·5) compared with the reference scenario, with decreases across super-regions ranging from 10·4% (9·7-11·3) in the high-income super-region to 23·9% (20·7-27·3) in north Africa and the Middle East. The Safer Environment scenario had its largest decrease in sub-Saharan Africa (5·2% [3·5-6·8]), the Improved Behavioural and Metabolic Risks scenario in north Africa and the Middle East (23·2% [20·2-26·5]), and the Improved Nutrition and Vaccination scenario in sub-Saharan Africa (2·0% [-0·6 to 3·6]).
INTERPRETATION: Globally, life expectancy and age-standardised disease burden were forecasted to improve between 2022 and 2050, with the majority of the burden continuing to shift from CMNNs to NCDs. That said, continued progress on reducing the CMNN disease burden will be dependent on maintaining investment in and policy emphasis on CMNN disease prevention and treatment. Mostly due to growth and ageing of populations, the number of deaths and DALYs due to all causes combined will generally increase. By constructing alternative future scenarios wherein certain risk exposures are eliminated by 2050, we have shown that opportunities exist to substantially improve health outcomes in the future through concerted efforts to prevent exposure to well established risk factors and to expand access to key health interventions.
FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
CASE SELECTION: Participants were non-dental students and staff of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Campus, selected through convenience sampling. They met specific inclusion criteria, such as being systemically healthy, having ≥20 teeth, and having a Basic Periodontal Examination score of 0, 1, or 2, with no periodontal pockets greater than 5.5 mm.
DATA ANALYSIS: Clinical outcomes were measured using the Plaque Index (PI) and Periodontal Inflamed Surface Area (PISA) at baseline, one-, and three-weeks post-intervention. Data analysis was performed using mixed-model analysis of variance for continuous variables and Fisher's exact test for categorical variables.
RESULTS: All three groups showed significant improvements in plaque levels and severity of gingivitis from baseline to three weeks post-intervention. The MCS group demonstrated a significant improvement in mean PISA values of the anterior teeth compared to the MTB and STB groups. However, there was no significant difference in plaque level reduction or overall gingivitis severity among the three groups. This indicates that when used correctly, Salvadora persica toothbrushes and chewing sticks are as effective as standard toothbrushes in plaque control and gingival health.
CONCLUSIONS: The study concludes that both Salvadora persica toothbrushes and chewing sticks can serve as effective alternatives to the standard toothbrush for plaque control and gingival health. This showcases the beneficial anti-plaque and anti-gingivitis properties of Salvadora persica. However, the effectiveness of these oral hygiene tools is contingent upon the correct usage techniques.
METHODS: This study utilized a 1:2 case-control design, analyzing data from the E-dengue system database and medical records from January 2015 to December 2022, involving 219 participants (73 dengue fatalities as cases and 146 recovered patients as controls). Dengue deaths were confirmed by the Penang State Mortality Review Committee, and controls were randomly selected from laboratory-confirmed dengue cases. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software, including descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariable logistic regression to identify predictors of dengue mortality, with variables included in the multivariable model if p
OBJECTIVE: This systematic review explores the impact of different types of cannabidiol on AD, unveiling their neuroprotective mechanisms.
METHODS: The research used PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases with keywords like "Alzheimer's disease" and "Cannabidiol." Studies were evaluated based on title, abstract, and relevance to treating AD with CBD. No restrictions on research type or publication year. Excluded were hypothesis papers, reviews, books, unavailable articles, etc.
RESULTS: Microsoft Excel identified 551 articles, with 92 included in the study, but only 22 were thoroughly evaluated. In-vivo and in-silico studies indicate that CBD may disrupt Aβ42, reduce pro-inflammatory molecule release, prevent reactive oxygen species formation, inhibit lipid oxidation, and counteract Aβ-induced increases in intracellular calcium, thereby protecting neurons from apoptosis.
CONCLUSIONS: In summary, the study indicates that CBD and its analogs reduce the production of Aβ42. Overall, these findings support the potential of CBD in alleviating the underlying pathology and symptoms associated with AD, underscoring the crucial need for further rigorous scientific investigation to elucidate the therapeutic applications and mechanisms of CBD in AD.
OBJECTIVE: It was hypothesised that RL congeners will be distributed differently at different temperature, which caused the produced RL to have different properties. This brought about the idea of a tailored production of RL for specific application through temperature control. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the distribution of RLs congeners by B. thailandensis E264 in response to different temperatures.
METHODOLOGY: B. thailandensis E264 was grown at three different temperatures (25 °C, 30 °C, and 37 °C) for nine days and subjected to metabolomic analysis using liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QToF-MS).
RESULTS: The findings indicated that temperature significantly affected the metabolomic distribution of B. thailandensis E264, with mono-rhamno-mono-lipid and mono-rhamno-di-lipid being the predominant metabolites at 37 °C and 30 °C, with relative abundances of 64.1% and 65.3%, respectively. In comparison, di-rhamno-di-lipid was detected at 25 °C with an overall relative abundance of 77.7%.
CONCLUSION: This investigation showed that changing the cultivation temperature of the non-pathogenic B. thailandensis E264 produces diverse rhamnolipid congeners, which could enable the targeted synthesis of specific RLs for various applications and increase the market value of biosurfactants.
METHODS: We conducted 29 in-depth interviews with stakeholders between April 2022 and February 2023. Thematic analysis was conducted, and results were organised by major COVID-19 public health measures: (1) movement restrictions, (2) non-pharmaceutical interventions, (3) COVID-19 screening and testing and (4) quarantine, isolation and hospitalisations.
RESULTS: Migrants encountered difficulties complying with the movement control orders due to livelihood crises and a lack of understanding of regulations. Financial constraints hindered migrants' ability to purchase quality face masks, and they lacked the comprehension of the importance of non-pharmaceutical interventions for disease prevention. In the absence of government intervention, non-governmental organisations and international organisations played an important role in providing essential food aid, health information, face masks and hygiene products, and other services to migrants. Despite encouragement to seek testing and treatment, migrants were deterred by fear of immigration enforcement and unaffordable fees. Overcrowded living conditions made physical distancing, isolation and quarantine challenging. Many avoided government-designated quarantine centres due to financial constraints and fear of arrest. Delayed medical treatment may have resulted in high COVID-19 mortality among migrants.
CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted significant health disparities experienced by migrants in Malaysia, including the double health and livelihood crises, and limited access to essential health information, resources, healthcare and social protection. Urgent reforms are needed to ensure migrant-inclusive health policies, enhance outbreak preparedness and prevent unnecessary suffering and deaths among migrants during both pandemic and non-pandemic periods.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 16 Wistar rat models of acute pulp injury were prepared and divided into two groups, treatment and control, 8 with each. In the treatment group, we applied a pulp-capping material using G-CH-TEOS-Ca (OH) 2 and Ca(OH) 2. On the 1 st and 3 rd days, rats were sacrificed. Tissue samples from 4 rats in each group were processed for histological preparation. COX-2, PGP 9.5, and TNF-α were observed using immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, and neutrophil numbers were observed using hematoxylin-eosin staining. Image analysis of COX-2, PGP 9.5, and TNF-α expression was performed using ImageJ software.
RESULTS: The results showed a decrease in COX-2 expression, but not significantly while PGP 9.5 and TNF-α expression were significantly higher than those in the control group. Neutrophil numbers were lower in the treatment group than in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant.
CONCLUSION: The G-CH-TEOS-Ca (OH) 2 composite material may have potential as an exposed pulp medicament by reducing inflammation (COX-2 expression and number of neutrophils) and increasing the regeneration factor (TNF-α expression) and nerve (PGP 9.5 expression).
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-eight female rats (Sprague Dawley) were divided into donor and recipient groups, with donors further divided into seven subgroups, including negative control, Cd-exposed, EBN-treated, and EDTA-treated groups. Embryos from donors were transferred to recipient rats, with EBN and Cd administered for 4 weeks and EDTA given only in the last 5 days for the donor group.
RESULTS: Results showed significant differences in pregnancy rates and blastocyst quality. EBN at 120 mg/kg BW led to higher blastocyst production and better quality compared to Cd-exposed groups. The highest pregnancy rates in recipient groups correlated with the highest blastocyst scores from donors.
CONCLUSION: EBN at 120 mg/kg demonstrated significant protection against Cd toxicity and its effect on pregnancy rates, embryo production, quality, and pre- and post-embryo transfer, surpassing the effects of both 90 mg/kg EBN and EDTA. This study provides empirical evidence in support of the conventional belief in the positive impact of EBN on female reproduction.