METHODS: Twenty-five typically developing children and 25 children with Down syndrome aged between 12 and 36 months were involved in this study. They were recruited from an early intervention center and various kindergartens from the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Their play skills were assessed using the Symbolic Play Test Second Edition, and information about their vocabulary was obtained through the MacArthur Bates Communicative Development Inventories that was filled out by their parents.
RESULTS: There was a significant difference in the vocabulary and symbolic play scores of children with Down syndrome compared with typically developing children. There was also a positive correlation between symbolic play scores and receptive and expressive vocabulary scores for both groups of children.
CONCLUSION: When providing intervention, speech-language pathologists need to promote the development of symbolic play in addition to language, given the association between the two. They should also look into introducing an augmentative and alternative communication system to the children who demonstrate age-appropriate symbolic play skills but have trouble with symbolic language production.
Materials and methods: This cohort study included 280 patients (male = 226, female = 54) scheduled for primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Interrelationships between quadruple semitendinosus (ST) graft and anthropometric parameters (age, sex, height, weight, and BMI) were assessed using Pearson Correlation test and regression analysis. Difference among gender was analysed using Mann Whitney and t test. The observed graft diameter was also compared with the literature using Bland - Altman plot.
Results: Mean age of cohort was 29 years (range, 17-50 years), mean height was 1.69m (range, 1.6-1.9m), mean weight was 75 kg (range, 50-116kg) and mean BMI was 26kg/m2 (range 16.65-40.40kg/m2). Mean quadruple length of harvested ST graft was 7cm (7.1±0.6 cm, range, 5.6-8.8cm) and mean diameter was 8mm (8.2±0.8mm, range, 6.5-10mm). Only height and weight were significantly correlated with graft length and diameter in both sex (p value <0.05). Female, compared to male, had significantly smaller (p<0.0001) and thinner graft (p<0.0001). There was a strong agreement between the literature and our observed graft diameter, but with an overestimated graft diameter in 18.5% of the cases.
Conclusion: Among anthropometric parameter, only height and weight had moderate positive correlation with graft diameter. Males had longer and wider ST graft in contrast to age-matched female group.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was performed. Primary maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth of 1,800 children aged between 2 years and 6 years, who attended 20 pre-schools in National Capital Region Delhi, India, were examined by a single examiner, and a questionnaire was filled in person by the parent/guardian. Andreasen's classification was used to classify the traumatic injuries. The Chi-square test was used to statistically analyze the variation in traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) with age and gender. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the influence of independent variables on the occurrence of TDIs.
RESULTS: The prevalence of TDIs was 17%. Significant and highly significant differences were found between boys and girls for cause and location of trauma (p < 0.05) and tooth type involved (p < 0.001) with boys being more prone to such injuries. The commonest cause of injury was due to falls and the location was playground. The teeth most commonly affected were the maxillary central incisors (36.9%) followed by maxillary lateral incisors (3.3%), and the least affected were the maxillary and mandibular canines (0.3%).
CONCLUSION: The prevalence of traumatic injuries to the anterior teeth in 2- to 6-year-old children in National Capital Region of Delhi, India, was 17%. There is a need to run educational programs to increase parents' awareness of the risks of dental trauma and emphasize preventive measures.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Parents should be made aware of the widespread prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of trauma to primary dentition, so that they can seek appropriate care timely. The time elapsed between injury and dental care is of utmost importance.
METHODS: A cross-sectional, self-reported, web-based questionnaire was conducted among 500 adults between February and March 2020. Questionnaire items pertained to the knowledge and attitudes toward liver-related health and diseases.
RESULTS: Half of the respondents were aged ≥35 years and 52.0% were males. Gaps in knowledge included the lack of awareness of different types of hepatitis, including the potential transmission risks and complications of HBV and HCV. About half acknowledged liver fibrosis and cirrhosis as key determinants of liver-related disease progression. A higher proportion rightly recognized the diagnostic test for HCV (40.8%) than HBV (30.0%) despite more being aware of HBV than HCV. Less than one-third were aware of the risk factors, screening tests, and complications of NAFLD. Despite the majority (92.8%) agreeing that regular screening was important for liver health, only 67.0% attended recent health screening and one-fifth were unlikely to seek medical consultation upon exposure to viral hepatitis risk factors. Reasons for this low urgency included the perception of being healthy, cost-related concerns, and societal discrimination.
CONCLUSION: Robust education efforts are needed to raise awareness and empower the community with knowledge of liver-related diseases, particularly viral hepatitis and NAFLD in Malaysia.
METHOD: A web-based questionnaire was developed to obtain information about SLPs' practises during assessment, planning and treatment.
RESULT: A total of 53 SLPs completed the questionnaire. When assessing the children, participants either always or usually involved parents, suggesting that they understood the importance of family involvement in services provided. When planning goals, the SLPs relied mostly on their clinical experience and less on research evidence. Participants reported that, most often, they employed a one-to-one approach when providing treatment. There was, however, great variation in the frequency of treatment provided, reflecting the different workplaces of participants.
CONCLUSION: Generally, findings from this study indicated that some practises employed by Malaysian SLPs when managing children with SLD in the DLS are on par with the best practise guidelines, but there is still room for improvement in certain areas such as team collaboration and evidence-based practise. Clinical and research implications are discussed.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The influx of immune cells, release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and subsequent accumulation of synovial fluid (swelling) and pain manifest into the disease. The present study used CFA induced Balb/c mice model and treated them intraperitoneally with andrographolide and dexamethasone (used as a positive control) on alternate days for six days. After 6 days, blood and peritoneal macrophages were collected to evaluate the expression of various arthritic markers and paw edema was measured on all days.
RESULTS: The in vitro and ex vivo experiments showed that andrographolide treated animal group had reduced paw edema, cell cytotoxicity and nitric oxide production than dexamethasone treated animal group. Further, the study revealed the mechanistic role of andrographolide in treatment of arthritis by suppressing battery of molecules like COX-2, NF-κB, p-p38, CD40, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 involved in arthritis.
CONCLUSION: The study showed the potent anti-arthritic effects of andrographolide and warrants further investigations on andrographolide for the development of safe and effective anti-arthritic drug.
Materials and methods: Root canal exudates of 30 patients were tested against MTA Fillapex (Angelus), Metapex (BioMed), zinc oxide eugenol (Deepak Enterprise), Endomethasone (Septodont), Endoflas FS (Sanlor Laboratories), MTA (Angelus) (positive control), and glycerine (negative control). Children with failed endodontic cases were included in the study. Tube dilution and agar diffusion methods were used to check the antifungal efficacy of the root canal sealers. In tube dilution method, 24-well culture plates containing freshly mixed material along with Candida albicans were used. Wells containing MTA (Angelus) along with Sabouraud dextrose agar and Candida albicans served as positive control while glycerine along with Sabouraud dextrose agar and Candida albicans served as negative control. All plates were incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. Growth of the fungi was monitored after 24 hours by the presence of the turbidity. The samples were recultured to test the experimental material using agar well diffusion method, and the Petri plates were incubated for 24 hours and 72 hours. Zone of inhibition was measured after respective time period. Paired t test was used for the data analysis.
Results: It was seen in tube dilution method Endomethasone showed least turbidity while maximum was shown by Metapex; similar results were seen in case of agar well diffusion method in which largest zone of inhibition was shown by Endomethasone while smallest was by Metapex.
Conclusion: It was concluded that Endomethasone showed maximum efficacy against Candida albicans as compared to Metapex.
How to cite this article: Singh S, Srivastava B, Gupta K, et al. Comparative Evaluation of Antifungal Efficacy of Five Root Canal Sealers against Clinical Isolates of Candida albicans: A Microbiological Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2020;13(2):119-123.
Methods: A total of 40 healthy pedodontic subjects (aged 8-15 years) were recruited in the present study. They were equally divided into Group A (fixed orthodontic group) and Group B (removable orthodontic group) with 20 subjects each. 1.5 mL of saliva per subject was obtained before 3 and 6 months after treatment. Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique was used for measurement of Salivary IgA levels.
Results: Group A and B both showed significant rise in S-IgA levels 3 months and 6 months post active orthodontic treatment. Mean value of S-IgA 3 months post treatment in the saliva of children in group B and group A were (144.27 ± 5.32) and (164.0 ± 3.23) μg/ml respectively. While mean value of S-IgA after 6 months of treatment in group B and group A were (149.8 ± 6.02) and (166.4 ± 3.65) μg/ml respectively.
Conclusion: Salivary Immunoglobulin A level values were significantly higher statistically in both group A and group B post active orthodontic treatment than before. The results however, showed that Group A (fixed orthodontic group) showed statistically significant higher levels of S-IgA than Group B (removable orthodontic group). Active orthodontic treatment triggered a stronger stimulus for oral secretory immunity, hence the increase in levels were detected. There is a significant positive correlation between S-IgA and active fixed as well as removable orthodontic treatment. Orthodontic treatment is hence a local immunogenic factor.