To examine the effect of using Virtual Reality distraction on salivary cortisol levels in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) during routine dental treatments. A randomized cross-over study was designed and children with a known diagnosis of ASD, between 8 and 15 years of age, requiring routine, non-invasive dental treatments, were recruited. They were divided into 2 groups (group 1 and group 2) and scheduled for dental treatments using conventional behavior management and/or VR distraction techniques in their first and second dental visit, accordingly.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFusarium ear rot (FER) and Gibberella ear rot (GER) caused by Fusarium species are major diseases affecting maize production in Ethiopia. In addition to reducing quality and yield, these fungi can produce mycotoxins that contaminate maize kernels and, thereby, pose health hazards to humans and livestock. A survey was conducted in 10 administrative zones of Ethiopia within the major maize-growing regions of the country to identify the species of Fusarium associated with ear rot.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMaize lethal necrosis (MLN), which is caused by maize chlorotic mottle virus along with a potyvirus, has threatened the food security of smallholders in sub-Saharan Africa. Mutations in eukaryotic translation initiation factors (eIFs), which also facilitate virus genome translation, are known to confer variable resistance against viruses. Following phylogenetic analysis, we selected two eIF4E proteins from maize as the most likely candidates to facilitate MLN infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: To compare the diagnostic performance of microbiological culture and 16S/18S rRNA gene polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-Sanger sequencing for infectious keratitis (IK) and to analyse the effect of clinical disease severity on test performance and inter-test concordance.
Methods: This was a three-arm, diagnostic cross-sectional study. We included all eligible patients who presented with presumed bacterial/fungal keratitis to the Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK, between June 2021 and September 2022.