The phosphorylation of serine in enamelin is essential for murine amelogenesis.

Amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) is an inherited developmental enamel defect affecting tooth masticatory function, esthetic appearance, and the well-being of patients. As one of the major enamel matrix proteins (EMPs), enamelin (ENAM) has three serines located in Ser-x-Glu (S-x-E) motifs, which are potential phosphorylation sites for the Golgi casein kinase FAM20C. Defects in FAM20C have similarly been associated with AI.

Detection and Quantitation of Label-Retaining Cells in Mouse Incisors using a 3D Reconstruction Approach after Tissue Clearing.

The murine incisor is an organ that grows continuously throughout the lifespan of the mouse. The epithelial and mesenchymal stem cells residing in the proximal tissues of incisors give rise to progeny that will differentiate into ameloblasts, odontoblasts, and pulp fibroblasts. These cells are crucial in supporting the sustained turnover of incisor tissues, making the murine incisor an excellent model for studying the homeostasis of adult stem cells.

FAM20B-catalyzed glycosaminoglycans control murine tooth number by restricting FGFR2b signaling.

Background: The formation of supernumerary teeth is an excellent model for studying the molecular mechanisms that control stem/progenitor cell homeostasis needed to generate a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues. Although multiple growth factors and transcriptional factors have been associated with supernumerary tooth formation, the regulatory inputs of extracellular matrix in this regenerative process remains poorly understood.

Results: In this study, we present evidence that disrupting glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the dental epithelium of mice by inactivating FAM20B, a xylose kinase essential for GAG assembly, leads to supernumerary tooth formation in a pattern reminiscent of replacement teeth.

Usability and acceptability of an automated respiratory rate counter to assess childhood pneumonia in Nepal.

Aim: Pneumonia is the leading cause of child death after the neonatal period, resulting from late care seeking and inappropriate treatment. Diagnosis involves counting respiratory rate (RR); however, RR counting remains challenging for health workers and miscounting, and misclassification of RR is common. We evaluated the usability of a new automated RR counter, the Philips Children's Respiratory Monitor (ChARM), to Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs), and its acceptability to FCHVs and caregivers in Nepal.

The performance and yield of tuberculosis testing algorithms using microscopy, chest x-ray, and Xpert MTB/RIF.

Setting: The introduction of Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) and renewed interest in chest x-ray (CXR) for tuberculosis testing has provided additional choices to the smear-based diagnostic algorithms used by TB programs previously. More programmatic data is needed to better understand the implications of possible approaches.

Objective: We sought to evaluate how different testing algorithms using microscopy, Xpert and CXR impacted the number of people detected with TB in a district hospital in Nepal.

Predictors of micronutrient powder (MNP) knowledge, coverage, and consumption during the scale-up of an integrated infant and young child feeding (IYCF-MNP) programme in Nepal.

Large-scale programmes using micronutrient powders (MNPs) may not achieve maximum impact due to limited/inappropriate MNP coverage, consumption, and use. We identify predictors of MNP coverage, maternal knowledge of appropriate use, and child MNP consumption in Nepal. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2,578 mother-child pairs representative of children 6-23 months in two districts that were part of the post-pilot, scale-up of an integrated infant and young child feeding-MNP (IYCF-MNP) programme.

Nepal Scale up Chlorhexidine as Part of Essential Newborn Care: Country Experience.

Chlorhexidine is a broad-spectrum antiseptic, effective on gram positive and gram negative bacteria as well as some viruses, having strong skin binding effect. Randomized controlled trials conducted in South Asian countries have proven that the use of chlorhexidine (4% weight/weight) for cord care can reduce neonatal mortality and prevent severe cord infections. Between 2011 and 2017, Nepal completed nationwide scale-up of the use of chlorhexidine by integrating with ongoing maternal and neonatal health programs, under the leadership of the Child Health Division.

Free Newborn Care Services: A New Initiative in Nepal.

Background: Nepal has made a significant progress in reducing child mortality. However, the annual rate of reduction in neonatal mortality is not satisfactory. As safeguarded by constitution of Nepal and to address neonatal mortality due to poverty and inequity, government has introduced free newborn care (FNC) package.

Changes in growth, anaemia, and iron deficiency among children aged 6-23 months in two districts in Nepal that were part of the post-pilot scale-up of an integrated infant and young child feeding and micronutrient powder intervention.

There is limited research on integrated infant and young child feeding (IYCF) and micronutrient powders (MNPs) programmes operating at scale, despite widespread implementation. This study uses cross-sectional baseline (n = 2,542) and endline (n = 2,578) surveys representative of children 6-23 months in two districts in Nepal that were part of a post-pilot scale-up of a IYCF-MNP programme. Multivariable log-binomial regression models were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) for stunting (length-for-age z-score <-2), wasting (weight-for-length z-score <-2), underweight (weight-for-age z-score <-2), anaemia (altitude-adjusted haemoglobin <110 μg/L), moderate or severe anaemia (altitude-adjusted haemoglobin <100 g/L), iron deficiency (inflammation-adjusted ferritin <12 μg/L), and iron deficiency anaemia (iron deficiency + anaemia [IDA]) at endline versus baseline and also to compare children in the endline survey based on frequency of mothers' interactions with female community health volunteers (FCHVs; >1× per month or monthly vs.

Implementation of a psychosocial support package for people receiving treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Nepal: A feasibility and acceptability study.

Background And Objectives: People receiving treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) have high rates of depression. Psychosocial support in general, and treatments for depression in particular, form an important but neglected area of patient-centred care, and a key pillar in the global End TB strategy. We assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a psychosocial support package for people receiving treatment for MDR-TB in Nepal.

Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Practices Improved in 2 Districts in Nepal during the Scale-Up of an Integrated IYCF and Micronutrient Powder Program.

Background: Three-quarters of the ≥50 programs that use micronutrient powders (MNPs) integrate MNPs into infant and young child feeding (IYCF) programs, with limited research on impacts on IYCF practices.

Objective: This study assessed changes in IYCF practices in 2 districts in Nepal that were part of a post-pilot scale-up of an integrated IYCF-MNP program.

Methods: This analysis used cross-sectional surveys ( = 2543 and 2578 for baseline and endline) representative of children aged 6-23 mo and their mothers in 2 districts where an IYCF program added MNP distributions through female community health volunteers (FCHVs) and health workers (HWs).

Trends and predictors of appropriate complementary feeding practices in Nepal: An analysis of national household survey data collected between 2001 and 2014.

There is evidence that suboptimal complementary feeding contributes to poor child growth. However, little is known about time trends and determinants of complementary feeding in Nepal, where the prevalence of child undernutrition remains unacceptably high. The objective of the study was to examine the trends and predictors of suboptimal complementary feeding in Nepali children aged 6-23 months using nationally representative data collected from 2001 to 2014.

Scaling up quality improvement intervention for perinatal care in Nepal (NePeriQIP); study protocol of a cluster randomised trial.

Introduction: Nepal Perinatal Quality Improvement Project (NePeriQIP) intends to scale up a quality improvement (QI) intervention for perinatal care according to WHO/National guidelines in hospitals of Nepal using the existing health system structures. The intervention builds on previous research on the implementation of Helping Babies Breathe-quality improvement cycle in a tertiary healthcare setting in Nepal. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of this scaled-up intervention on perinatal health outcomes.