Preventing Adverse Outcomes for Bereaved Youth: Indirect Effects From a Randomized Trial of the Family Bereavement Program on Fear of Abandonment, Grief, and Mental Health.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether the self-system belief of fear of abandonment mediated the effects of intervention-induced change in 2 protective factors-positive parenting and adaptive coping-and one risk factor-stressful events-on youth mental health problems and maladaptive grief. This study extends prior research on fear of abandonment in youth who experience parental death by examining pathways through which a program reduced fear of abandonment and, in turn, affected subsequent pathways to child mental health problems in the context of a randomized experiment. METHODS: This is a secondary data analysis study. We used data from the 4-wave longitudinal 2-arm parallel randomized controlled trial of the Family Bereavement Program conducted between 1996 and 1999 in a large city in the Southwestern United States. The sample consisted of 244 offspring between 8 and 16 at the pretest. They were assessed again at posttest, 11-month follow-up, and 6-year follow-up. Offspring, caregivers, and teachers provided data. RESULTS: Mediation analyses indicated that intervention-induced reductions in stressful events were prospectively associated with a lower fear of abandonment. For girls, fear of abandonment was related to self-reported maladaptive grief and teacher-reported internalizing problems 6 years later. CONCLUSIONS: This study extends prior research on the relation between intervention-induced changes in risk and protective factors and improvements in outcomes of bereaved youth. The findings support the reduction of stressful events as a key proximal target of prevention programs for bereaved children.

Prevalence of Oral Submucous Fibrosis, Its Correlation of Clinical Grading to Various Habit Factors among Patients of Bihar: A Cross Sectional Study.

Aim: To find out the prevalence of OSMF and its Co-relation of clinical grading to various habit factors (time span of habit practiced in years, repetition of habit practiced per day, time of habit practiced in minutes per use). Method: This descriptive, cross-sectional survey was carried out and close ended questionnaire was used for data collection. Demographic details like gender & age and different tissue exploiting habits like, chewing gutkha, chewing areca nut, chewing panmasala with or without tobacco, plain tobacco, mawa, smoking, alcohol was recorded. Also, duration of habit in years, repetition of habit per day, time of habit per use & site of involvement was recorded. Results: Among 5297 patients examined at OPD, 120 were diagnosed with OSMF. The present study found no statistical relation between age, gender & OSMF. The present study concluded that majority 83 (69.17%) of the OSMF patients are guthka user and buccal mucosa was most affected site. OSMF was more prevalent in patients who practiced the habit for more than 15 years. Conclusion: Among the OSMF patients, guthka was most commonly practiced & buccal mucosa was most commonly involved. Duration and frequency of consumption were significantly associated with severity of OSMF.

Effects of a preventive parenting intervention for bereaved families on the intergenerational transmission of parenting attitudes: Mediating processes.

This study evaluated whether the Family Bereavement Program (FBP), a prevention program for parentally bereaved families, improved parenting attitudes toward parental warmth and physical punishment in young adult offspring 15 years after participation and identified mediational cascade pathways. One hundred fifty-six parents and their 244 offspring participated. Data were collected at pretest (ages 8-16), posttest, and six- and 15-year follow-ups. Ethnicity of offspring was: 67% non-Hispanic Caucasian, 16% Hispanic, 7% African American, 3% Native American, 1% Asian or Pacific Islander, and 6% other; 54% were males. There was a direct effect of the FBP on attitudes toward physical punishment; offspring in the FBP had less favorable attitudes toward physical punishment. There were also indirect effects of the FBP on parenting attitudes. The results supported a cascade effects model in which intervention-induced improvements in parental warmth led to fewer externalizing problems in adolescence/emerging adulthood, which in turn led to less favorable attitudes toward physical punishment. In addition, intervention-induced improvements in parental warmth led to improvements in anxious romantic attachment in mid-to-late adolescence/emerging adulthood, which led to more favorable attitudes toward parental warmth in emerging/young adulthood. These findings suggest that the effects of relatively brief prevention programs may persist into subsequent generations.

Body Mass Index and Related Risk Factor of Sinusitis Among Adults in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a widespread condition worldwide that is leading to a significant burden on society in terms of healthcare consumption and productivity loss. Multiple risk factors have been implicated in the pathogenesis of CRS, such as nasal allergies, bronchial asthma, smoking, nasal polyps, and immune system-related diseases. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of CRS, the most common risk factors, and the association between diabetes, body mass index (BMI), and CRS in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted through random sampling that included 3602 participants from different regions of Saudi Arabia from November 2022 to January 2023. Electronic questionnaires were used for data collection. RESULTS: A total of 3602 individuals responded to our questionnaires; 948 (26.3%) were diagnosed by physicians as having chronic rhinosinusitis, and 75.1% were females. The majority (41.5%) were between the ages of 18 and 28 years. We found that smoking was significantly associated with sinusitis (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.23-5.69) (p value 0.003) and that obesity was also significantly associated with sinusitis, 17.0% of persons with sinusitis were obese class I (BMI 30-35 kg/m2); 7.8% were obese class II (BMI>35 kg/m2); and 29.4% were overweight, whereas 45.8% were of normal weight. All percentages differ significantly from persons with normal weight (p value = 0.000). The most common risk factors for sinusitis were nasal allergies (44.4%), stuffy nose (22.8%), and deviation of the nasal septum (19.2%). All percentages differ significantly from persons without comorbidity (p value = 0.000). CONCLUSION: The present study showed a slight increase in the prevalence of CRS in Saudi Arabia, which is attributable to increased exposure to allergens. The most common risk factors were nasal allergies, nasal blockage, deviation of the nasal septum, and asthma. There was a significant correlation between CRS and BMI in the form of increased prevalence in overweight and obese compared to normal-weight individuals.

Temporal regulation of neural diversity in Drosophila and vertebrates.

The generation of neuronal diversity involves temporal patterning mechanisms by which a given progenitor sequentially produces multiple cell types. Several parallels are evident between the brain development programs of Drosophila and vertebrates, such as the successive emergence of specific cell types and the use of combinations of transcription factors to specify cell fates. Furthermore, cell-extrinsic cues such as hormones and signaling pathways have also been shown to be regulatory modules of temporal patterning. Recently, transcriptomic and epigenomic studies using large single-cell sequencing datasets have provided insights into the transcriptional dynamics of neurogenesis in the Drosophila and mammalian central nervous systems. We review these commonalities in the specification of neuronal identity and highlight the conserved or convergent strategies of brain development by discussing temporal patterning mechanisms found in flies and vertebrates.

Study of human knowledge and attitude toward urban birds in Faisalabad city, Pakistan / Estudo do conhecimento humano e da atitude em relação às aves urbanas na cidade de Faisalabad, Paquistão

Abstract Birds are very valuable indicators of species richness and endemic patterns in a specified ecosystem, which eventually help the scientist to measure the environmental degradation. The aim of present study was to know human knowledge and attitude toward urban birds in Faisalabad city, Pakistan. The study conducted in four consecutive months: November 2019 to February 2020. Population of birds was noted from eight residential towns of Faisalabad city, data were collected through questionnaire. Faisalabad has a reasonably large population of birds and present data show that, there is a significant difference between favorite bird of residential areas and institutions. The pigeon received the most likeness in bird population among residential area residents, while the myna received the least. The most popular bird in Faisalabad institutions was the sparrow, while the least popular bird was the common myna. Bird adaptation percentage of residential areas and institutional areas of Faisalabad was the highest for parrot and sparrow respectively. People in residential areas and institutions, on the other hand, adapted least to common myna. It is concluded that people of the study area like birds and offered food and high population of birds are present in study area.

Resumo Os pássaros são indicadores muito valiosos da riqueza de espécies e padrões endêmicos em um determinado ecossistema, o que acaba ajudando o cientista a medir a degradação ambiental. O objetivo do presente estudo foi conhecer o conhecimento humano e a atitude em relação às aves urbanas na cidade de Faisalabad, Paquistão. O estudo foi conduzido em quatro meses consecutivos: novembro de 2019 a fevereiro de 2020. A população de pássaros foi observada em oito cidades residenciais da cidade de Faisalabad, os dados foram coletados por meio de questionário. Faisalabad tem uma população razoavelmente grande de pássaros, e os dados atuais mostram que há uma diferença significativa entre as aves favoritas de áreas residenciais e instituições. O pombo recebeu mais semelhanças na população de pássaros entre os residentes de áreas residenciais, enquanto o myna recebeu menos. A ave mais popular nas instituições de Faisalabad era o pardal, enquanto a ave menos popular era o myna comum. A porcentagem de adaptação de pássaros em áreas residenciais e institucionais de Faisalabad foi a mais alta para papagaios e pardais, respectivamente. As pessoas em áreas residenciais e instituições, por outro lado, se adaptaram menos ao myna comum. Conclui-se que pessoas da área de estudo como pássaros e alimentos oferecidos e alta população de pássaros estão presentes na área de estudo.

Study of human knowledge and attitude toward urban birds in Faisalabad city, Pakistan / Estudo do conhecimento humano e da atitude em relação às aves urbanas na cidade de Faisalabad, Paquistão

Birds are very valuable indicators of species richness and endemic patterns in a specified ecosystem, which eventually help the scientist to measure the environmental degradation. The aim of present study was to know human knowledge and attitude toward urban birds in Faisalabad city, Pakistan. The study conducted in four consecutive months: November 2019 to February 2020. Population of birds was noted from eight residential towns of Faisalabad city, data were collected through questionnaire. Faisalabad has a reasonably large population of birds and present data show that, there is a significant difference between favorite bird of residential areas and institutions. The pigeon received the most likeness in bird population among residential area residents, while the myna received the least. The most popular bird in Faisalabad institutions was the sparrow, while the least popular bird was the common myna. Bird adaptation percentage of residential areas and institutional areas of Faisalabad was the highest for parrot and sparrow respectively. People in residential areas and institutions, on the other hand, adapted least to common myna. It is concluded that people of the study area like birds and offered food and high population of birds are present in study area.

Os pássaros são indicadores muito valiosos da riqueza de espécies e padrões endêmicos em um determinado ecossistema, o que acaba ajudando o cientista a medir a degradação ambiental. O objetivo do presente estudo foi conhecer o conhecimento humano e a atitude em relação às aves urbanas na cidade de Faisalabad, Paquistão. O estudo foi conduzido em quatro meses consecutivos: novembro de 2019 a fevereiro de 2020. A população de pássaros foi observada em oito cidades residenciais da cidade de Faisalabad, os dados foram coletados por meio de questionário. Faisalabad tem uma população razoavelmente grande de pássaros, e os dados atuais mostram que há uma diferença significativa entre as aves favoritas de áreas residenciais e instituições. O pombo recebeu mais semelhanças na população de pássaros entre os residentes de áreas residenciais, enquanto o myna recebeu menos. A ave mais popular nas instituições de Faisalabad era o pardal, enquanto a ave menos popular era o myna comum. A porcentagem de adaptação de pássaros em áreas residenciais e institucionais de Faisalabad foi a mais alta para papagaios e pardais, respectivamente. As pessoas em áreas residenciais e instituições, por outro lado, se adaptaram menos ao myna comum. Conclui-se que pessoas da área de estudo como pássaros e alimentos oferecidos e alta população de pássaros estão presentes na área de estudo.

Study of human knowledge and attitude toward urban birds in Faisalabad city, Pakistan

Abstract Birds are very valuable indicators of species richness and endemic patterns in a specified ecosystem, which eventually help the scientist to measure the environmental degradation. The aim of present study was to know human knowledge and attitude toward urban birds in Faisalabad city, Pakistan. The study conducted in four consecutive months: November 2019 to February 2020. Population of birds was noted from eight residential towns of Faisalabad city, data were collected through questionnaire. Faisalabad has a reasonably large population of birds and present data show that, there is a significant difference between favorite bird of residential areas and institutions. The pigeon received the most likeness in bird population among residential area residents, while the myna received the least. The most popular bird in Faisalabad institutions was the sparrow, while the least popular bird was the common myna. Bird adaptation percentage of residential areas and institutional areas of Faisalabad was the highest for parrot and sparrow respectively. People in residential areas and institutions, on the other hand, adapted least to common myna. It is concluded that people of the study area like birds and offered food and high population of birds are present in study area.

Resumo Os pássaros são indicadores muito valiosos da riqueza de espécies e padrões endêmicos em um determinado ecossistema, o que acaba ajudando o cientista a medir a degradação ambiental. O objetivo do presente estudo foi conhecer o conhecimento humano e a atitude em relação às aves urbanas na cidade de Faisalabad, Paquistão. O estudo foi conduzido em quatro meses consecutivos: novembro de 2019 a fevereiro de 2020. A população de pássaros foi observada em oito cidades residenciais da cidade de Faisalabad, os dados foram coletados por meio de questionário. Faisalabad tem uma população razoavelmente grande de pássaros, e os dados atuais mostram que há uma diferença significativa entre as aves favoritas de áreas residenciais e instituições. O pombo recebeu mais semelhanças na população de pássaros entre os residentes de áreas residenciais, enquanto o myna recebeu menos. A ave mais popular nas instituições de Faisalabad era o pardal, enquanto a ave menos popular era o myna comum. A porcentagem de adaptação de pássaros em áreas residenciais e institucionais de Faisalabad foi a mais alta para papagaios e pardais, respectivamente. As pessoas em áreas residenciais e instituições, por outro lado, se adaptaram menos ao myna comum. Conclui-se que pessoas da área de estudo como pássaros e alimentos oferecidos e alta população de pássaros estão presentes na área de estudo.

Room-temperature atomic layer deposition of SiO2 on microcracked ZrO2 layers.

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (Y-SZ) has become a reliable material option to restore severely compromised teeth. Y-SZ materials are prone to low-temperature degradation (LTD), which generates a tetragonal-to-monoclinic (t-m) transformed, porous layer. We suggest that room-temperature atomic layer deposition (RT-ALD) could be used for the infiltration and deposition of nanoscale SiO2 film over this layer, creating a protective hybrid surface against further degradation by LTD. This study investigated the potential of developing a Y-SZ transformed layer under controlled conditions for the infiltration of silica using RT-ALD, aiming to develop a hybrid zirconia-silica interface, and to investigate the effect of silica deposition/infiltration via RT-ALD on the surface roughness and wettability of zirconia-based materials. Sintered specimens (14 mm × 4 mm x 2 mm) were prepared from four different Y-SZ materials (n = 40): low translucency 3 mol % Y-SZ (3Y-LT; Ceramill ZI, Amann Girrbach); high translucency 4 mol % Y-SZ (4Y-HT; Ceramill Zolid); and two high translucency 5 mol % Y-SZ (5Y-HT - Lava Esthetic, 3M; 5Y-SHT - Ceramill Zolid, FX white). Specimens were exposed to hydrothermal treatment (HTT) to develop similar depths of crystalline changes. RT-ALD was used to deposit a thin film of silica (SiO2). Surface roughness and wettability analyses were performed to investigate the effect of treatment (HTT and RT-ALD) and material on Y-SZ surface properties, and data was analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD (p < 0.05). RT-ALD and HTT-RT-ALD treated specimens of 3Y-LT and 5Y-HT materials were exposed to further hydrothermal aging (HA) and the surface was characterized by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). There was a significant interaction effect of material and treatment (HTT and RT-ALD) on roughness (p = 0.02), and surface wettability (p < 0.001). Silica deposition via RT-ALD resulted in a significant increase in surface roughness of all materials tested, while surface wettability was either improved or not changed based on the material type and HTT exposure. Nanofilms of SiO2 were successfully deposited on Y-SZ materials and infiltrated 3Y-LT zirconia.

Development of a Bacterial Enzyme-Based Biosensor for the Detection and Quantification of Selenate.

An enzymatic biosensor has been developed for the determination of selenate (SeO4 2- ), in which selenate reductase (SeR) is chemically attached to a gold disk electrode by lipoic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester as linker, allowing the catalytic reduction of the SeO4 2- to SeO3 2- . Modification of the gold electrode was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS), and electrochemistry. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) measurements were performed in different buffers for selenate determination. Under optimum conditions, the calibration curve was linear over the range 7.0-3900.0 µg L-1 with limits of detection and quantification of 4.97 and 15.56 µg L-1 , respectively. The possible interference of the relevant oxyanions SO4 2- , NO3 - , NO2 - , PO4 3- and AsO4 3- in the determination of SeO4 2- was studied. Finally, the proposed biosensor was used to determine SeO4 2- with recovery between 95.2 and 102.4 % in different real water samples.

Study of human knowledge and attitude toward urban birds in Faisalabad city, Pakistan.

Birds are very valuable indicators of species richness and endemic patterns in a specified ecosystem, which eventually help the scientist to measure the environmental degradation. The aim of present study was to know human knowledge and attitude toward urban birds in Faisalabad city, Pakistan. The study conducted in four consecutive months: November 2019 to February 2020. Population of birds was noted from eight residential towns of Faisalabad city, data were collected through questionnaire. Faisalabad has a reasonably large population of birds and present data show that, there is a significant difference between favorite bird of residential areas and institutions. The pigeon received the most likeness in bird population among residential area residents, while the myna received the least. The most popular bird in Faisalabad institutions was the sparrow, while the least popular bird was the common myna. Bird adaptation percentage of residential areas and institutional areas of Faisalabad was the highest for parrot and sparrow respectively. People in residential areas and institutions, on the other hand, adapted least to common myna. It is concluded that people of the study area like birds and offered food and high population of birds are present in study area.

Mineral carbonation for serpentine mitigation in nickel processing: a step towards industrial carbon capture and storage.

A proof-of-concept for the carbonation-assisted processing of ultramafic nickel ores is presented. Carbonation converts serpentine, the primary gangue or undesirable mineral, to magnesite. It prevents slime coating of fine gangue minerals on pentlandite, the main nickel-bearing mineral, during froth flotation, and improves nickel recovery and concentrate grade. Additionally, CO2 is captured and stored in the form of solid carbonates, thus removing it from the atmosphere. Microflotation experiments demonstrated improved nickel recovery (61.2 to 87.4 wt%) and concentrate grade (20.6 to 24.7 wt%) in carbonated vs. uncarbonated systems. The mechanism behind the improved nickel flotation was investigated by zeta potential measurements, optical imaging microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. These analyses confirmed the absence of slime coating in the carbonated system under the flotation conditions tested. Finally, a preliminary techno-economic analysis was performed to evaluate the cost metrics of incorporating carbonation into nickel mineral processing.

Radiological evaluation of lacrimal apparatus injury after functional endoscopic sinus surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of nasolacrimal duct injury after functional endoscopic sinus surgery radiologically, using computed tomography. METHODS: Fifty patients of either sex who underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery were evaluated for nasolacrimal duct injury by computed tomography. Computed tomography was conducted pre-operatively, and post-operatively at the end of four weeks, and nasolacrimal duct injury was analysed. RESULTS: The prevalence of nasolacrimal duct injury dehiscence was 1.16 per cent, with a similar incidence of 1.16 per cent for nasolacrimal duct injury post-operatively. However, no cases of symptomatic nasolacrimal duct injury were recorded. CONCLUSION: Computed tomography scan is an effective, non-invasive method to evaluate nasolacrimal duct injury following functional endoscopic sinus surgery, in accordance with evidence-based medicine.

Safety and Efficacy of Suprachoroidal Injection of Triamcinolone in Treating Macular Edema Secondary to Noninfectious Uveitis.

Introduction  One of the leading causes of blindness throughout the world is uveitis, which predominantly results in the feared complication of macular edema. We report the safety and efficacy of suprachoroidal injection of triamcinolone acetonide in the treatment of macular edema secondary to noninfectious uveitis.  Methodology  This prospective, nonrandomized interventional study was conducted at Layton Rahmatullah Benevolent Trust (LRBT) Eye Hospital, Lahore, from August 2019 till July 2020. All individuals older than 18 years, nonpregnant females with a central macular thickness of >320 µm were included. Those patients with uncontrolled diabetes, immunodeficiency, or any other disease mandating systemic corticosteroid use were excluded. All patients had a detailed ocular exam one week before the treatment, and 0.1 ml of triamcinolone acetonide 40 mg/ml was injected using a 30-G hollow needle into the suprachoroidal space. After the injection, an eye patch was applied and the patient was observed for three hours. All data were documented in a preformed proforma.  Results A total of 30 patients were included in the study with a mean age of 38.1 ± 9.48 years. Statistically significant differences were found between central macular thickness at presentation and at one and three months of the procedure, i.e., 569.60 ± 170.396, 266.77 ± 73.127, and 208.27 ± 37.292 µm, respectively. A similar difference was observed when comparing visual acuity at baseline to visual acuity at one and three months of the procedure (p < 0.001).  Conclusion  The current study indicates that a single dose of suprachoroidal injection of triamcinolone acetonide for the treatment of macular edema secondary to uveitis is safe and efficacious. No rise in intraocular pressure (IOP) was observed during the study period. Significant improvements in central macular thickness and visual acuity as well as tolerability and safety of the treatment were seen in our study. Further larger-scale studies are needed to ascertain the long-term benefits of the suprachoroidal triamcinolone acetonide.

Neurotoxic Reactive Astrocytes Drive Neuronal Death after Retinal Injury.

Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease that features the death of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the retina, often as a result of prolonged increases in intraocular pressure. We show that preventing the formation of neuroinflammatory reactive astrocytes prevents the death of RGCs normally seen in a mouse model of glaucoma. Furthermore, we show that these spared RGCs are electrophysiologically functional and thus still have potential value for the function and regeneration of the retina. Finally, we demonstrate that the death of RGCs depends on a combination of both an injury to the neurons and the presence of reactive astrocytes, suggesting a model that may explain why reactive astrocytes are toxic only in some circumstances. Altogether, these findings highlight reactive astrocytes as drivers of RGC death in a chronic neurodegenerative disease of the eye.

Persisters of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis: A Common Phenomenon and Different Behavior Profiles.

Persisters of infectious agents are capable of surviving antibiotic treatment so the emergence of these subpopulations need to be overcome. In this study, we aimed to isolate, characterize and inhibit persister subpopulation in two clinical isolates Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis. Different behavior profiles between the two isolates could be observed. The results of dose-dependent killing curve revealed that 2.3% (Klebsiella pneumoniae) versus 1.3% (Proteus mirabilis) persister cells could be recovered using 500 and 30 ug/ml ciprofloxacin, respectively. Upon resuscitation, persister cells exhibited only 65% versus 30% percentage growth and 5 versus 7 times cell elongation relative to Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis, respectively. The levels of persister cells to ciprofloxacin of Klebsiella pneumoniae were dramatically decreased by about 79, 92, 97 and 83% in average by pre-exposure to hyperosmotic stress, temperature, different pHs, and hydrogen peroxide, respectively, while those of Proteus mirabilis were minimally decreased with corresponding reduction percentages of about 12%, 24 & 25%, and 0%. Regarding combating persisters, Klebsiella pneumoniae showed different response as compared to Proteus mirabilis. Among the tested sugars, the highest reduction of Klebsiella pneumoniae persister cells was obtained with pre-priming with sucrose while for Proteus mirabilis persister cells, the highest reduction was obtained with pre-priming with glucose. Using sodium salicylate with ciprofloxacin could eradicate persisters of Klebsiella pneumoniae at any tested concentration while for Proteus mirabilis it caused some reduction in persister cells at certain concentrations. Complete eradication of persisters was obtained by combining silver nitrate with ciprofloxacin for each test isolate.

Assessment of the oral health seeking behavior of patients with premalignant lesions.

BACKGROUND: Before choosing/visiting any dental facility for their treatment, patients consider several factors. These factors may be related to the patient or service provider. The health-seeking behavior of a society defines how health services are used. AIMS: To assess the health seeking behavior of patients with premalignant lesions. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A cross sectional study using questionnaire was done among the patients who consulted in the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, of age 18 and above suffering from precancerous lesions. The questionnaire included 25 close-ended questions which collected information about the demographic details, oral hygiene habits, oral health issues, deleterious habits. The responses were either on dichotomous scale (yes and no) or on the frequency habits. A total of 218 subjects were included in the study. The data were analyzed using the Chi-square test. The acceptable level of significance was reduced to P < 0.05. RESULT: Slightly over 50% of study participants visited the dentist for their dental problems. Most of the participants visited dental clinic whenever needed. Maximum positive health seeking behavior is seen in fourth and fifth decade and minimum seen in second and third decade. CONCLUSION: The oral premalignant lesions have high chances of transformation into malignancies. The progression of these lesions can be prevented by stopping the progression at an early stage and thus instilling positive health seeking behavior serves as an important key to it.

Age and Gender Differences in COVID 19 Morbidity and Mortality in Nepal.

Background The global health community has emphasized the importance of reporting epidemiological data by age and sex groups in the COVID-19 pandemic. However, age and sex disaggregated data of COVID-19 cases and deaths are rarely reported. Such data are very crucial for public to make truly informed choices about their own diseases risk and also for governments for public policy response. Objective To assess age and gender difference among COVID-19 cases and deaths in Nepal. Method This is a retrospective study which uses public data on COVID-19 cases and deaths released by Ministry of Health and Population, Government of Nepal from January to November, 2020. The data analysis was carried out using SPPS software version 26. Result Nepal reported 233,452 confirmed cases and 1,566 deaths of COVID-19 from 23 January 2020 to 30 November 2020. We found statistically significant differences on COVID-19 cases by age and gender in Nepal with higher number of cases among males of economically active age groups (20-60 years). Similarly, we found significant difference in COVID-19 mortality with more death occurred among male group compared to female group and with highest number of deaths among the people of above 60 years. Furthermore, we found differences in cases and deaths among provinces. Conclusion The age and gender differences in COVID cases and deaths in Nepal indicates needs of considering age and sex groups seriously while planning for testing, case management and vaccination against COVID-19 infections in Nepal.

Prevalence of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment needs among 12-15 years old school children in Patna, Eastern India.

CONTEXT: The people around the world are concerned about the aesthetic oral-facial structures as it is more important in interpersonal interactions and dictates vocal, physical, and emotional communication. AIMS: The present study was conducted to assess the severity of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment need among 12-15-year-old school children of Patna, Eastern India. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional study design was used to assess the severity of malocclusion using Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI) index among 12-15-year-old school-going children. METHODS AND MATERIAL: A specially prepared and pretested format, exclusively designed for recording all the required and relevant general information and other clinical findings was used in the study. The sample size consisted of 902 children from middle schools (Government and Private) in Patna. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Chi-square test was done for the categorical data to compare differences between two independent groups. Data were presented as Mean ± SD and "P" value of less than 0.05 was accepted as indicating significance. RESULTS: Around 5.3% had a DAI score of ≤25 which signifies that there is "no abnormality or may have minor malocclusion"; 15.3% had a DAI score of 26-30 which signifies that there is "definite malocclusion"; 6% had a DAI score of 31-35 which signifies that there is "severe malocclusion" and 4% had a DAI score of ≥36 which signifies that there is "very severe or handicapping malocclusion". The finding was more commonly seen among 14 years age group. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded from the present study that the prevalence of malocclusion is reasonable high in this part of the region, and it is very important to bring in more awareness at the school level as primary prevention can be the most effective tool in control this menace.