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Context: Light of recent global upheavals, including volatile oil prices, the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, and the COVID-19 pandemic this study delves into their profound impact on the import and export dynamics of global foodstuffs. With rising staple food prices reminiscent of the 2010-2011 global food crisis, understanding these shifts comprehensively is imperative. Objective: Our objective is to evaluate this impact by examining six independent variables (year, month, Brent crude oil, COVID-19, the Russo-Ukrainian conflict) alongside six food indicators as dependent variables. Employing Pearson's correlation, linear regression, and seasonal autoregressive integrated moving averages (SARIMA), we scrutinize intricate relationships among these variables. Results and conclusions: Our findings reveal varying degrees of association, notably highlighting a robust correlation between Brent crude oil and food indicators. Linear regression analysis suggests a positive influence of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, Brent oil on food price indices, and COVID-19. Furthermore, integrating SARIMA enhances predictive accuracy, offering insights into future projections. Significance: Finally, this research has a significant role in providing a valuable analysis into the intricate dynamics of global food pricing, informing decision-making amidst global challenges and bridging critical gaps in prior research on forecasting food price indices.
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INTRODUCTION: Dental education involves teaching and assessing the acquisition of verifiable domains that require superior psychomotor, communication, and cognitive skills. Evolving technologies and methods of assessment could enhance student's learning environment and improve tutor assessment experience. The aim of this study was to review the current body of research and evaluate the effectiveness of various methods of assessments in improving learning and performance in preclinical and clinical dental practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A search strategy was implemented using electronic search in major databases. The following key terms, clinical skills, preclinical, dental students, and assessment, were included in the search. Two reviewers independently screened all the articles retrieved following very specific inclusion criteria. RESULTS: The initial search generated 5371 articles and 24 articles were selected for review and data extraction. Cohen's kappa coefficient was used to measure interrater agreement and a score of 94.7% was obtained. CONCLUSION: Preclinical assessment is an effective tool for promoting skills transfer to clinical phase. Early psychomotor skills assessment is valuable. It allows early intervention in the learning process and assists in effective utilization of learning resources. Technology-enhanced assessment systems allow better patient simulation, enhance learning and self-assessment experiences, and improve performance evaluation. However, these systems serve as an adjunct to conventional assessment methods. Further research should aim at calibrating and integrating these systems to optimize students learning and performance.
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Cognitive decline is one of the major causes of disability among the aging population. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between oral health parameters (number of teeth, chewing ability, and presence of a denture) and cognitive function in the elderly across the UAE. Fifty persons (age ≥ 60; 71.26 ± 10.23) were enrolled in the study. Cognitive status was assessed using the standardized mini-mental state examination (SMMSE) and accordingly, cognitively normal subjects scoring ≥24 were considered as the control group and cognitively impaired individuals scoring ≤23 were considered as the low scoring group. Chewing ability was examined, number of teeth was noted, and demographical data was collected. The results of this pilot study showed that individuals with low SMMSE scores were significantly less educated (P < 0.01) and had fewer number of remaining teeth (P < 0.05) and impaired chewing ability (P < 0.05). These results demonstrate a significant link between the number of teeth, chewing ability, and cognitive function. However, this pilot study had its limitations and was the first of its kind in the UAE and Gulf region; therefore, future research addressing the limitations is needed to further explore this association.