The use of facemasks by the general population to prevent transmission of Covid 19 infection: A systematic review.

BackgroundThe pandemic of COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a serious worldwide public health emergency. This systematic review aims to summarize the available evidence regarding the role of face mask in community settings in slowing the spread of respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. MethodsThe preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used for this review. Literature search using PUBMED, Google Scholar and Cochrane database was performed using Medical subject heading (MeSH) words from the year 2000-2020. The articles focused on the use of masks and N95 respirators in healthcare workers were excluded. ResultsA total of 305 records were identified, out of which 14 articles were included in the review based upon quality and eligibility criteria. All the articles mentioned about role of face masks in preventing the spread of respiratory viruses like influenza, SARS and SARS-CoV-2, in the community or experimental setting. Studies also suggested that early initiation of face mask usage was more effective. Masks were also reported to be more effective in viruses which transmit easily from asymptomatic individuals, as is now known in SARS-CoV-2. ConclusionTheoretical, experimental and clinical evidence suggested that usage of face masks in general population offered significant benefit in preventing the spread of respiratory viruses especially in the pandemic situation, but its utility is limited by inconsistent adherence to mask usage.

Modified Endoscopic Ultrasound Needle to Obtain Histological Core Tissue Samples: A Retrospective Analysis

Background/Aims@#Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine-needle aspiration is very effective for providing specimens for cytological evaluation. However, the ability to provide sufficient tissue for histological evaluation has been challenging due to the technical limitations of dedicated core biopsy needles. Recently, a modified EUS needle has been introduced to obtain tissue core samples for histological analysis. We aimed to determine (1) its ability to obtain specimens for histological assessment and (2) the diagnostic accuracy of EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) using this needle. @*Methods@#We retrospectively analyzed consecutive cases of FNB using modified EUS needles for 342 lesions in 303 patients. The cytology and histological specimens were analyzed. Diagnostic accuracy was calculated. @*Results@#Adequate cytological and histological assessment was possible in 293/342 (86%) and 264/342 (77%) lesions, respectively. Diagnostic accuracy of the cytological specimen was 294/342 (86%) versus 254/342 (74%) for the histological specimen (p<0.01). Diagnostic accuracy of the combined cytological and histological assessment was 323/342 (94.4%), which was significantly higher than that of both histology alone (p<0.001) and cytology alone (p=0.001). @*Conclusions@#EUS-FNB with the modified EUS needle provided histologic tissue cores in the majority of cases and achieved excellent diagnostic accuracy with few needle passes.

Bidi smoking: an underestimated issue of Indian society.

OBJECTIVE: Bidi smoking has always been an under-talked issue of Indian society. Bidis are rolled in tendu leaves which are non porous and have low combustibility due to which they affect the smoker's lungs even more. In spite of the increased toxicology associated with bidis, they are often ignored. The reason for this can be attributed to their home-made production, decreased taxation and the greater prevalence of bidis in rural areas. Since bidis are rolled and packed at home, packaging does not have any warnings about the harmful effects of bidi smoking. Many cases of smoking-associated cancer have been recorded in the country lately. This raises a concern about the economic balance of the nation, as to whether there is a revenue generation with tax on the sale of tobacco or if there is an economic loss due to the various diseases that result from bidi smoking.

Screening for oral cancer.

Oral cancer is considered as a serious health problem resulting in high morbidity and mortality. Early detection and prevention play a key role in controlling the burden of oral cancer worldwide. The five-year survival rate of oral cancer still remains low and delayed diagnosis is considered as one of the major reasons. This increases the demand for oral screening. Currently, screening of oral cancer is largely based on visual examination. Various evidence strongly suggest the validity of visual inspection in reducing mortality in patients at risk for oral cancer. Simple visual examination is accompanied with adjunctive techniques for subjective interpretation of dysplastic changes. These include toluidine blue staining, brush biopsy, chemiluminescence and tissue autofluorescence. This review highlights the efficacy of various diagnostic methods in screening of oral cancer.

Management of an Anophthalmic Patient by the Fabrication of Custom Made Ocular Prosthesis

The loss or disfigurement of a body parts specially that pertaining to the face has a deep psychological and social impact on the patient. After enucleation, evisceration or exteneration of the eye, the aim of an ocular prosthesis should be to restore the natural appearance, install confidence and a sense social acceptability in the patient. Custom made prosthesis has several advantages over the stock eye prosthesis. This article illustrates rehabilitation of the enucleated right eye of a patient with a custom made ocular prosthesis.

Oral Implant Imaging: A Review

Selecting an appropriate implant imaging technique has become a challenging task since the advent of advanced imaging modalities, and many of these are used for implant imaging. On imaging, the modality should not only consider the anatomy but should also provide dimensional accuracy. Many dentists use the conventional method, mostly orthopantograph (OPG), in their routine practice of implant placement. However, because of the drawbacks associated with OPG, higher technologies, such as computed tomography (CT) and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), are better accepted. These help improve image sharpness and reduce distortion. These techniques are not used widely due to the cost effect. Therefore, to decide on the type of imaging technique, all associated advantages and disadvantages should be considered, which will be broadly discussed in this review.

Oral Health of Stone Mine Workers of Jodhpur City, Rajasthan, India

BACKGROUND: Occupational injuries cause major health problems, which the developed, developing, and underdeveloped nations worldwide are facing today. The present study aimed to assess dental caries, periodontal health of stone mine workers, and the relationship between wasting diseases and the years of working experience. METHODS: The study population comprised 510 men, selected based on the stratified cluster sampling procedure. Clinical oral examinations were carried out, and periodontal disease, dental caries, and wasting diseases were recorded. RESULTS: Workers were in the age group of 17-56 years; the prevalence of dental caries in the workers was found to be 74%, with a mean decayed, missing, filled teeth index of 2.89. A periodontal pocket of more than 6 mm was observed in 6% of the workers. CONCLUSION: The oral health of mine workers is in a poor state; steps should be taken so as to provide basic medical and dental care facilities.