Magnet-Retained closed bulb hollow obturator and orbital prosthesis for patient with maxillectomy and orbital exenteration following COVID-Associated mucormycosis.

The rehabilitation of facial deformities is a challenging endeavour that necessitates customising the procedure for each patient. Significant physical and psychological impacts might arise as a result of the deformity in the orofacial region. Post-COVID rhino-orbital mucormycosis has led to rise in extraoral and intraoral defects since 2020. To avoid further surgery, an economical maxillofacial prosthesis is an excellent choice as it is aesthetic, durable, long-lasting and retentive. This case report describes the prosthetic rehabilitation of the patient with post-COVID mucormycosis maxillectomy and orbital exenteration using a magnet-retained closed bulb hollow acrylic obturator and room-temperature vulcanising silicone orbital prosthesis. To enhance retention, a spectacle and medical-grade adhesive were also used.

Post maxillectomy rehabilitation and amelioration of quality of life of post-COVID rhinocerebral mucormycosis patients using obturator: A case series.

Mucormycosis, a rare fungal infection seen in diabetes, is now very frequent owing to the deadly triad of COVID-19 infection, diabetes, and rampant use of corticosteroids. Early diagnosis and treatment can reduce the mortality and morbidity of this lethal fungal infection. Treatment principles may include antifungal agents along with surgical debridement or resection. The surgically removed palate can have a devastating effect on the appearance and speech of the patient. Obturators allow patients to eat and drink without any suspicion of food entering the oroantral cavities/pharynx during mastication. This case series presented the prosthodontic rehabilitation of nine post-COVID rhinocerebral mucormycosis-infected patients with complete or partial defects.

Oil price and the automobile industry: Dynamic connectedness and portfolio implications with downside risk

The paper examines the interactions of downside risks between crude oil and the automobile sector through the employment of Diebold and Yilmaz (2012) and Diebold and Yılmaz (2014) framework in a static and time-varying perspective. The network connectedness is found to intensify during the periods of the Global Financial Crisis (2007-09) and the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-21). Crude oil remains a net receiver of downside risks along with the automobile firms such as FAW and SAIC while Daimler, BMW, and Renault are the prominent transmitters of downside risk in the network. Further, we find that the net pairwise spillover of downside risk of oil on automobile stocks is time-variant. The risk diversification strategies using optimal portfolios that minimise VaR95, CVaR95, and maximise quadratic utility gains are constructed with oil futures contracts and evaluated for their hedging efficiency and net utility gains. The overall hedging efficiency and net utility gains are highest during the Global Financial crisis period, followed by COVID-19, the post-crisis, and the pre-crisis periods. The findings hold significance for investors, fund managers, and policymakers.

Quantile dependencies and connectedness between stock and precious metals markets

The paper examines the frequency-based interlinkages between stock indices and precious metals at extreme and median quantiles. It employs the quantile cross-spectral approach (Baruník and Kley, 2019) and the novel frequency quantile connectedness analysis (Chatziantoniou et al., 2021) to a sample of stocks and precious metals returns. The results show that the interdependence between equity indices and precious metals markets is contingent on the state of the market (bear, bull, or normal) and the horizon of frequency domains. Of all precious metals, the diversification benefits from gold, followed by silver, are consistently the highest for SP500 and STOXX50 and the least with palladium in most cases. The same holds when we investigate the diversification potential of precious metals for industrial sectors in the US and UK. A quantile frequency connectedness approach reveals that the diversification potential of precious metals diminishes in the long frequency horizon as coherence with stock indices becomes highly positive. The connectedness between stock indices and precious metals is high during market extremities but dampens as the market attains stability. At the same time, connectedness increases during periods of financial turmoil across all frequencies. We also document a change in the diversification role of precious metals during COVID-19.

Shared care for children with cancer in India through social and healthcare partnerships during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID pandemic posed a challenge for the tertiary centers to continue treatment. Some tertiary centers were designated as COVID-only hospitals, making it difficult for existing childhood cancer patients to continue their treatment at those centres. The need for shared care in childhood cancer was perceived by Cankids and its partnering childhood cancer-treating centers in North and East India. AIM: We aim to show how Cankids upscaled its shared care model to ensure that COVID designated hospitals connected with other hospitals who have to continue to provide care to childhood cancer patients in the pandemic and thus ensured the continuation of treatment for these patients. METHODS AND RESULT: The need assessment of the beneficiaries was done in discussion with the hospital of origin and destination hospital. The need for shared care was also discussed with the families and consent was taken before shifting their children. Cankids with the help of advisors identified cases of high risk that need immediate attention, proactive regular monitoring, and help in care planning with the perspective and recommendation of the multiple providers. The shared care unit came forward with reasonable and discounted packages for treatment. There was a total of five hospitals requiring shared care, and 55 children were supported from April to November 2020. The median age was 8 years and their hospital of origin are in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Delhi. The expenditure on the treatment of the 55 patients was INR 61 61 636 ($ 84 843), with a median of INR 41765 (IQR 19491-174 129) on each patient. Total 291 trips for the transport were arranged and all the patients combined stayed 174 days at Cankids accommodation facility. CONCLUSION: The shared care helped the patients access standard treatment and reduce the financial burden.