The Effect of Different Obturation Techniques on the Sealing Ability of Root Canal Filling Materials.

Background: The performance of root canal filling materials in sealing is crucial for the effectiveness of endodontic procedures as it prevents the escape of microorganisms and guarantees the durability of the treatment.

Materials And Methods: The present investigation included the preparation of 90 human single-rooted teeth using a standardized process. These teeth were then randomly separated into three groups (n = 30) according to the obturation technique: Group A (Lateral Compaction), Group B (Thermafil), and Group C (Continuous Wave of Condensation).

Visual hermeneutics as a tool to introduce empathy and core physician attributes in doctor-patient relationship for first-year medical undergraduate students.

Background: The doctor-patient relationship is essential for effective patient care, yet medical education often neglects to nurture the quality such as empathy during the initial years of training. Doctor-patient relationship is one of the modules taught in first year as part of mandatory AETCOM (Attitude, Ethics, and Communication) course in the undergraduate Indian medical curriculum. Hermeneutics, a method of interpretation, can play a vital role in introducing observational and reflective thinking skills.

1D topological photonic crystal based nanosensor for tuberculosis detection.

In this study, we present a nanosized biosensor based on the photobiological properties of one-dimensional (1D) topological photonic crystals (PCs). A topological structure had been designed by combining two PC structures (PC 1 and PC 2) comprised of functional material layers, Si and SiO. These two, PC 1 and PC 2, differ in terms of the thickness and arrangement of these dielectric materials.

Embryos from Prepubertal Hyperglycemic Female Mice Respond Differentially to Oxygen Tension In Vitro.

Reduced oxygen during embryo culture in human ART prevents embryo oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is also the major mechanism by which maternal diabetes impairs embryonic development. This study employed induced hyperglycemia prepubertal mice to mimic childhood diabetes to understand the effects of varying oxygen tension during in vitro embryonic development.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Oxidative Stress and Premature Aging in Children With Nutritional Rickets.

Objectives: To assess the mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and premature aging in children with nutritional rickets.

Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled children aged 6 months - 5 years with nutritional rickets attending a tertiary care hospital between January 2021 and August 2022. Mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and premature aging were assessed by measuring the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content, total antioxidant status (TAOS) and telomere length (TL) in 40 children with nutritional rickets and 40 age- and sex- matched healthy children without rickets (controls).

EXAMINATION OF THE INCIDENCE OF POOR SLEEP QUALITY AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED FOR POOR SLEEP DURING THE VARIOUS PHASES OF PREGNANCIES.

Objective - to measure poor sleep quality, its components, and the variables that contribute to it in a cohort of pregnant women across time. Four hundred and eighty-six strong singleton pregnancies were collected ahead of the fourteenth gestational week. Data on poor sleep quality were gathered before pregnancy and analyzed five distinct times in each trimester and six months after delivery.

Correlates of post-traumatic growth among persons bereaved from cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Recent research identified that cancer bereavement can lead to post-traumatic growth (PTG). Although PTG and its correlates are well explored in cancer patients and survivors, persons bereaved from cancer have received scant attention. Therefore, the present review attempts to identify the correlates of PTG among persons bereaved from cancer.

CKAP5 stabilizes CENP-E at kinetochores by regulating microtubule-chromosome attachments.

Stabilization of microtubule plus end-directed kinesin CENP-E at the metaphase kinetochores is important for chromosome alignment, but its mechanism remains unclear. Here, we show that CKAP5, a conserved microtubule plus tip protein, regulates CENP-E at kinetochores in human cells. Depletion of CKAP5 impairs CENP-E localization at kinetochores at the metaphase plate and results in increased kinetochore-microtubule stability and attachment errors.

Development and Testing of an Electronic Diabetes Diary Integrated With a Hospital Information System for Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the leading noncommunicable diseases that require diabetes self-management (DSM) practices. This study proposes to develop a customized mobile health (mHealth) app integrated with a hospital information system (HIS) to enable real-time, two-way transfer of information between the patient and physician. The captured information in the electronic health record will facilitate physicians to have a chronological account of the patient's diabetes history and enable tweaking of the treatment.

Standardizing Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling of Postmortem Brain Using Bard Monopty Needle in Newborns with Neurological Injury.

Introduction: Minimally invasive tissue sampling of the brain in newborns using the Bard Monopty needle helps to diagnose various neurological conditions by obtaining relevant brain cores. We designed a modified procedure to provide maximum diagnostic utility in brain tissue biopsies.

Method: Twenty newborns underwent postmortem minimally invasive tissue sampling of the brain through the anterior fontanelle and posterior approach, using the engraved lines on the needle labeled from mark 0 to 13.

Caring burden and quality of life among the caregivers of people living with dementia - a cross-sectional study in Udupi district of Karnataka.

Dementia is a chronic disorder of the brain that affects cognitive performance. The caregivers of individuals with dementia experience a greater burden that affects their Quality of Life (QoL). This cross-sectional study conducted in India was designed to assess the caring burden and QoL among the caregivers of people with dementia, as well as to ascertain the relationship between QoL scores and burden.

Impacts of recent rainfall changes on agricultural productivity and water resources within the Southern Western Ghats of Kerala, India.

Significant changes in rainfall patterns are critical to agriculture, and the dependency of cropping systems on rainfall variability would engender appropriate farming practices and agriculture policies for a climate-resilient agriculture system. This study analyses the significance of rainfall variability on agriculture productivity in the Wayanad district of Kerala (India) using time series data on rainfall (1989-2019) and crop yield (2000-2019). The spatial variability of rainfall patterns reveals a dichotomy between the rain gauge stations in the northern and southern parts of the region.

E3-ubiquitin ligase, FBXW7 regulates mitotic progression by targeting BubR1 for ubiquitin-mediated degradation.

Faithful chromosome segregation requires correct attachment of kinetochores with the spindle microtubules. Erroneously-attached kinetochores recruit proteins to activate Spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), which senses the errors and signals cells to delay anaphase progression for error correction. Temporal control of the levels of SAC activating-proteins is critical for checkpoint activation and silencing, but its mechanism is not fully understood.

Nutrition morbidity interactions in pre-school children.

Background & Objectives: Research studies in the 1970s reported that in pre-school children, undernutrition increased the risk of infections and infections aggravated undernutrition. Over decades, there has been a reduction in prevalence of undernutrition and improvement in access to healthcare for treatment of infections. A mixed longitudinal study was undertaken to assess whether over time there were any changes from the earlier reported effect of undernutrition prior to infection on the risk of morbidity and effect of morbidity on nutritional status in pre-school children.

Understanding the economic burden of cancer care and the utility of health insurance: An exploratory cross-sectional study in a tertiary care hospital in Karnataka, India.

Background: Families and caregivers of cancer patients experience significant financial challenges associated with out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures.

Objectives: This study aims to assess the OOP expenditure and its impact on the livelihood of patients and families, associated with receiving cancer care from a teaching hospital in Karnataka.

Materials And Methods: It focuses on understanding health insurance use and its effects on OOP expenses for cancer care based on data obtained from 271 patients receiving treatment for more than 6 months.

Use of sensitivity-enhanced nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy equipped with a 1.7-mm cryogenically cooled micro-coil probe in identifying human sperm intracellular metabolites.

Context: The clinical value of human sperm metabolites has not been established due to the technical complexity in detecting these metabolites when sperm numbers are low.

Aims: To detect endogenous intracellular metabolites in fresh and post-thaw human spermatozoa using 800MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy equipped with a 1.7-mm cryo-probe.

Influence of home-based pulmonary rehabilitation program among people with interstitial lung disease: A pre-post study.

Introduction: Access to interstitial lung disease programs may not be available in rural settings. Home-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programs have been proposed as an alternative to hospital-based programs.

Method: Forty participants with ILD underwent a structured unsupervised home-based pulmonary rehabilitation program from September 2020 to September 2022.

A Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial Evaluates the Efficacy of Alternative Herbal Mouthwashes.

Introduction: The removal of dental plaque is the primary step in achieving good oral hygiene. Mechanical plaque removal measures have questionable efficacy in inaccessible areas and proximal aspects of the oral cavity. Out of the several types of mouthwash available, chlorhexidine (CHX) is regarded as the gold standard, but considering its adverse effects, herbal alternatives are being sought after.

Yogic Spirituality and Positive Psychology vis-à-vis the Mental Health of Adolescents During COVID-19.

COVID-19 ushered in a period of uncertainty and insecurity. It has affected the mental well-being of all, but certain groups are more vulnerable, including adolescents. Adolescence is a period of transition from childhood to adulthood in which the mental domain is still developing.

Factors influencing tobacco use behaviour initiation - From the perspective of the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation- Behaviour (COM-B) Model.

Introduction: Non-communicable diseases such as ischemic heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases are the leading causes of death worldwide, and are associated with tobacco use. The ultimate goal of health professionals and researchers working to combat smoking's extremely harmful health effects is to prevent smoking initiation. Nearly 5500 new smokers are added each day, for a total of almost 2 million new smokers each year.

Predictors for oesophageal candidiasis in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Background And Aim: Oesophageal candidiasis (OC) is one of the most common infections among patients with liver cirrhosis. The present study evaluates the potential predictors for OC among liver cirrhosis patients.

Methodology: This retrospective study was conducted in the tertiary care centre of coastal Karnataka from January 2016 to April 2022.

Correlation between depth of subarachnoid space in the lumbar region estimated by Stocker's formula, ultrasound, and depth of needle insertion: A prospective observational study.

Background And Aims: The main challenge in administration of spinal anesthesia in patients is the unpredictability of the exact skin to subarachnoid space depth (SSD). Approximation of SSD and needle length comes at the expense of patient comfort and multiple attempts increases complications. Our study aimed to evaluate the validity of Stocker's formula to estimate SSD in comparison to ultrasonography and depth of needle insertion.

Kinetochore-microtubule attachment in human cells is regulated by the interaction of a conserved motif of Ska1 with EB1.

The kinetochore establishes the linkage between chromosomes and the spindle microtubule plus ends during mitosis. In vertebrates, the spindle-kinetochore-associated (Ska1,2,3) complex stabilizes kinetochore attachment with the microtubule plus ends, but how Ska is recruited to and stabilized at the kinetochore-microtubule interface is not understood. Here, our results show that interaction of Ska1 with the general microtubule plus end-associated protein EB1 through a conserved motif regulates Ska recruitment to kinetochores in human cells.

What Contributes to COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy? A Systematic Review of the Psychological Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy.

Vaccine hesitancy plays a crucial role in worldwide pandemic-control efforts. The multifaceted nature of vaccine hesitancy entails many psychological factors that are widely discussed in the literature, although few studies specifically compile these factors. Thus, this systematic review aims to synthesize the psychological factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy.