A clinical trial on topical effect of probiotics on oral Streptococcus mutans counts in children.

BACKGROUND: Probiotics compete with the cariogenic oral bacteria like Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) for carbohydrates resulting in substrate depletion and reduction in the number of S. mutans. AIM: The evaluation of topical effect of short-term application of Probiotic formulation on S. mutans counts in plaque of 7-12 years old children with decayed, missing, filled teeth (dmft/DMFT) score 2-5. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A registered randomized clinical trial (Clinical Trials Registry of India/ICMR - CTRI/2019/09/021205) was conducted on 7-12 years medium risk 10 children with dmft/DMFT score 2-5, where an innovative probiotic formulation (prepared from capsule) was applied for 6 consecutive days, on teeth and pre/post plaque samples were evaluated for S. mutans count on mitis salivarius agar. RESULTS: There was statistically significant and drastic reduction from 608,200 to 6600 (>90%) in the S. mutans count in plaque after the application of probiotic solution for a short period of time (6 days). CONCLUSION: Short-term application of probiotics can be used as an alternate topical preventive therapy to reduce the count of S. mutans effectively in oral cavity/plaque. Hence, probiotic can be used as topical caries preventive agent.

Post-COVID Public Health Surveillance and Privacy Expectations in the United States: Scenario-Based Interview Study.

BACKGROUND: Smartphone-based apps designed and deployed to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic may become infrastructure for postpandemic public health surveillance in the United States. Through the lenses of privacy concerns and user expectations of digital pandemic mitigation techniques, we identified possible long-term sociotechnical implications of such an infrastructure. OBJECTIVE: We explored how people in the United States perceive the possible routinization of pandemic tracking apps for public health surveillance in general. Our interdisciplinary analysis focused on the interplay between privacy concerns, data practices of surveillance capitalism, and trust in health care providers. We conducted this analysis to achieve a richer understanding of the sociotechnical issues raised by the deployment and use of technology for pandemic mitigation. METHODS: We conducted scenario-based, semistructured interviews (n=19) with adults in the United States. The interviews focused on how people perceive the short- and long-term privacy concerns associated with a fictional smart thermometer app deployed to mitigate the "outbreak of a contagious disease." In order to elicit future-oriented discussions, the scenario indicated that the app would continue functioning "after the disease outbreak has dissipated." We analyzed interview transcripts using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: In the context of pandemic mitigation technology, including app-based tracking, people perceive a core trade-off between public health and personal privacy. People tend to rationalize this trade-off by invoking the concept of "the greater good." The interplay between the trade-off and rationalization forms the core of sociotechnical issues that pandemic mitigation technologies raise. Participants routinely expected that data collected through apps related to public health would be shared with unknown third parties for the financial gain of the app makers. This expectation suggests a perceived alignment between an app-based infrastructure for public health surveillance and the broader economics of surveillance capitalism. Our results highlight unintended and unexpected sociotechnical impacts of routinizing app-based tracking on postpandemic life, which are rationalized by invoking a nebulous concept of the greater good. CONCLUSIONS: While technologies such as app-based tracking could be useful for pandemic mitigation and preparedness, the routinization of such apps as a form of public health surveillance may have broader, unintentional sociotechnical implications for individuals and the societies in which they live. Although technology has the potential to increase the efficacy of pandemic mitigation, it exists within a broader network of sociotechnical concerns. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the long-term implications of pandemic mitigation technologies beyond the immediate needs of addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Potential negative consequences include the erosion of patient trust in health care systems and providers, grounded in concerns about privacy violations and overly broad surveillance.

Cordifolioside: potent inhibitor against Mpro of SARS-CoV-2 and immunomodulatory through human TGF-ß and TNF-α.

Therapeutic options for SARS-CoV-2 are limited merely to the symptoms or repurposed drugs and non-specific interventions to promote the human immune system. In the present study, chromatographic and in silico approaches were implemented to identify bioactive compounds which might play pivotal role as inhibitor for SARS-CoV-2 and human immunomodulator (TGF-ß and TNF-α). Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers was evaluated for phenolic composition and explored for bioactive compounds by high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). Furthermore, the bioactive compounds such as cordifolioside, berberine, and magnoflorine were appraised as human immunomodulatory and potent inhibitor against Main Protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 through multiple docking strategies. Cordifolioside formed six stable H-bonds with His41, Ser144, Cys145, His163, His164, and Glu166 of Mpro of SARS-CoV-2, which displayed a significant role in the viral replication/transcription during infection acting towards the common conserved binding cleft among all strains of coronavirus. Overall, the study emphasized that the proposed cordifolioside might use for future investigations, which hold as a promising scaffold for developing anti-COVID-19 drug and reduce human cytokine storm.

Van Neck-Odelberg Disease: A Rare Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Pain in groin without any history of trauma or positive clinical findings of infection or stress fracture in ischiopubic ramus poses challenges in diagnosis of the condition in prepubertal age. "Osteochondrosis of ischiopubic synchondrosis (IPS)" also called as "Van Neck-Odelberg" disease. Left leg dominant patient presented with pain in groin and limping with left leg dominance. Differential diagnosis - such as stress fractures, osteomyelitis, tuberculosis, post-traumatic osteolysis, or any neoplasia - is need be ruled out to arrive at diagnosis. The literature is reviewed with modern technologies for diagnosis of the same. CASE REPORT: A 12-year-old, left limb dominant boy with tenderness in the right groin as the only clinical finding and sclerotic shadow over ischiopubic region on X-ray posed a challenge for diagnosis. With further studies by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis was done. Hence, we are presenting a case labeled as Van Neck-Odelberg disease. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of Van Neck-Odelberg disease is a challenging diagnosis. Other conditions such as post-traumatic osteolysis, osteomyelitis, and stress fractures in prepubertal age need to be ruled out. Clinical symptoms must be present to label it as osteochondritis of IPS on radiographs as unilateral delayed fusion of the same is a physiological process in asymptomatic cases.

Clinical investigation of periodontal ligament distraction osteogenesis for rapid orthodontic canine retraction.

AIMS: To investigate rapid canine distalisation by periodontal ligament distraction and to determine the effects of periodontal ligament distraction on the canine root and pulpal vitality. METHODS: The sample consisted of 16 upper canines in eight patients who required first premolar extractions. The upper first premolars were extracted and the interseptal bone distal to each canine was thinned and undermined surgically. Custom-built distractors were placed and activated immediately to distract the canines into the extraction spaces. Radiographs were taken before canine distraction and at regular intervals thereafter. The upper canine pulps were tested with an electronic pulp tester before and after the distraction and the canines were examined on the post-distraction radiographs for evidence of apical and lateral root resorption. RESULTS: The canines were retracted to proximal contact with the second premolars in 20.33 +/- 1.87 days. The average amount of retraction was 5.25 mm and the canines tipped distally 15.33 degrees. Although the upper molars did not move mesially, they extruded almost 1 mm. Root resorption was minimal and there was no deterioration in pulp vitality. CONCLUSION: Canines can be rapidly retracted by periodontal ligament distraction without complications. However, the efficacy of the method depends upon the surgical procedure, which is technique sensitive. Resistance offered by the interseptal bone distal to the apex of the canine was thought to be the reason for the canine tipping during distraction.

Mini-implant anchorage for en-masse retraction of maxillary anterior teeth: a clinical cephalometric study.

INTRODUCTION: This study was conducted to determine the efficiency of mini-implants as intraoral anchorage units for en-masse retraction of the 6 maxillary anterior teeth when the first premolars are extracted compared with conventional methods of anchorage reinforcement. METHODS: Thirty patients requiring high anchorage after extraction of the maxillary first premolars were selected for this study. They were divided into 2 groups of 15 each. In the first group (G1), mini-implants were used for en-masse retraction; in the second group (G2), conventional methods of anchorage preservation were followed. Horizontal, vertical, and angular positions of the maxillary first molar and central incisor were evaluated cephalometrically before and after orthodontic retraction. RESULTS: The maxillary first molars in the G1 patients showed net distal movement of 0.55 mm, and mesial movement of 1.95 mm was found in G2. The differences were statistically significant. Distal tipping of the first molar of -0.13 degrees+/-3.63 degrees was seen in G1, and mesial tipping of 3.7 degrees+/-3.9 degrees was observed in G2. No significant differences were found in the rates of incisor retraction between the 2 groups. However, G1 showed more than 2 mm of incisor intrusion; this was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Mini-implants are efficient for intraoral anchorage reinforcement for en-masse retraction and intrusion of maxillary anterior teeth. No anchorage loss was seen in either the horizontal or the vertical direction in G1 when compared with G2. However, a statistically significant decrease in intermolar width was noted in G1.

Treatment effects of mini-implants for en-masse retraction of anterior teeth in bialveolar dental protrusion patients: a randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to quantify the treatment effects of en-masse retraction of anterior teeth with mini-implants as anchor units in bialveolar dental protrusion patients undergoing extraction of all 4 first premolars. METHODS: A total of 40 patients (mean age, 17.5 years; SD, 3.2 years) were randomly assigned either to group 1 (G1), anterior space closure with mini-implants as anchor units, or group 2 (G2), anterior space closure with conventional methods of anchorage (without mini-implants). Skeletal, dental, and soft-tissue changes were analyzed in both groups on lateral cephalograms taken before retraction and after space closure. RESULTS: Student paired and unpaired t tests were used to analyze the treatment changes in the 2 groups. For the skeletal parameters, a statistically significant decrease in the facial vertical dimensions was seen in G1, but the variables in G2 showed no significant differences (P >0.05). Anchorage loss, in both the horizontal and vertical directions, was noted in G2, whereas G1 showed distalization (anchorage gain) and intrusion of molars. Although the soft-tissue response was variable, facial convexity angle, nasolabial angle, and lower lip protrusion had greater changes in G1. No differences were found in the amount of upper lip retraction between the groups (P >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Mini-implants provided absolute anchorage to allow greater skeletal, dental, and esthetic changes in patients requiring maximum anterior retraction, when compared with other conventional methods of space closure. The treatment changes were favorable. However, no differences in the mean retraction time were noted between the 2 groups.