Psychological and Physiological Relaxation Using Yoga in Patients Undergoing Dental Implant Surgery: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial with Biomarker Assessment.

Scientific evidence on the benefits of yoga among patients undergoing dental implant surgery is sparse. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of performing yoga on the vital signs and salivary cortisol in patients undergoing dental implant surgery. This study was conducted in an outpatient prosthodontics clinic during June-July 2019 as a pilot outcome assessor-blinded randomized trial with parallel design. A total of 20 patients requiring dental implant surgery were divided into two groups, with 10 patients in each group. Control group patients underwent implant surgery without yoga. In the intervention group, patients were trained to perform yoga, which included breathing exercises and meditation practiced for 10 minutes, and then underwent implant surgery. Vital signs (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature) and salivary cortisol were recorded before (baseline) and after (post-surgery) implant surgery in both groups. There was no significant difference in the baseline values between the control and intervention groups. Mean vital sign and salivary cortisol values significantly increased from baseline to post-surgery in the control group. All vital signs except salivary cortisol significantly decreased from baseline to postsurgery in the yoga intervention group. Heart rate and temperature showed significant decreases in postsurgery values between the control and intervention groups. There was no significant correlation between vital signs and salivary cortisol at baseline and postsurgery between the control and intervention groups. This study provides preliminary evidence for the beneficial effects of yoga in reducing anxiety and stress in those undergoing dental implant surgery.

Quantifications of Mandibular Trabecular Bone Microstructure Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography for Age Estimation: A Preliminary Study.

The aim of this study is two-fold: first, to correlate the values for each of the trabecular bone microstructure (TBM) parameters to the individual's chronological age and sex, thereby facilitating the assessment of potential age and sex-related changes in trabecular bone microstructure parameters in the mandible; and second, to quantify the trabecular microstructural parameters in relation to chronological age. Twenty cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) scans were retrieved retrospectively from a database of adult patients with ages ranging in age from 22 to 43 years. In the mandible, the volume of interest included the inter-dental space between the second mandibular premolar and the first mandibular molar, as well as the trabecular space beneath and between the apices. Using the AnalyzeDirect 14.0 software, the DICOM images of CBCT scans were pre-processed, transformed, segmented using a novel semi-automatic threshold-guided method, and quantified. In addition, TBM parameters were derived, and statistical analysis was conducted using a Pearson correlation test with two tails. All parameters exhibited no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) between chronological age and sex. Statistically significant negative correlations were found between Tb. N (r = −0.489), BS/TV (r = −0.527), and chronological age (p = 0.029 and p = 0.017, respectively). Only Tb. N and BS/TV exhibited an inverse relationship with chronological age. Numerous studies have quantified the trabecular architecture of the jaw bones, but none have found a correlation between the quantified trabecular parameters and chronological age. The digital imprints produced by radiographic imaging can serve as biological profiles for data collection.

Perceived risk of infection and death from COVID-19 among community members of low- and middle-income countries: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Risk perceptions of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are considered important as they impact community health behaviors. The aim of this study was to determine the perceived risk of infection and death due to COVID-19 and to assess the factors associated with such risk perceptions among community members in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Africa, Asia, and South America. Methods: An online cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 LMICs in Africa, Asia, and South America from February to May 2021. A questionnaire was utilized to assess the perceived risk of infection and death from COVID-19 and its plausible determinants. A logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with such risk perceptions. Results: A total of 1,646 responses were included in the analysis of the perceived risk of becoming infected and dying from COVID-19. Our data suggested that 36.4% of participants had a high perceived risk of COVID-19 infection, while only 22.4% had a perceived risk of dying from COVID-19. Being a woman, working in healthcare-related sectors, contracting pulmonary disease, knowing people in the immediate social environment who are or have been infected with COVID-19, as well as seeing or reading about individuals infected with COVID-19 on social media or TV were all associated with a higher perceived risk of becoming infected with COVID-19. In addition, being a woman, elderly, having heart disease and pulmonary disease, knowing people in the immediate social environment who are or have been infected with COVID-19, and seeing or reading about individuals infected with COVID-19 on social media or TV had a higher perceived risk of dying from COVID-19. Conclusions: The perceived risk of infection and death due to COVID-19 are relatively low among respondents; this suggests the need to conduct health campaigns to disseminate knowledge and information on the ongoing pandemic.

Antifungal Efficacy of Spice Extracts against Candida albicans: An in vitro study.

BACKGROUND: Candida species are normal commensals and are isolated intra-orally in 17%-75% of healthy individuals and all debilitated people. Eradication of candidiasis is complicated by the emergence of Candida strains that are resistant to the currently used antifungal agents. Plants as remedies are gaining popularity in developed countries. Although many plants have already been investigated against Candida albicans, the search is still to find a long-term prevention or cure for oral candidiasis. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was (1) to evaluate the antifungal activity of black pepper, bay leaf, cinnamon, and cumin against C. albicans and (2) to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of spice extracts against C. albicans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Spices obtained from the local market were dried and powdered. Solvent extracts were obtained by maceration with methanol followed by filtration and evaporation. The antifungal efficacy was assessed using cup-plate diffusion method followed by the determination of MIC by serial tube dilution technique. Statistical analysis was done using one-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey's post hoc test. P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: All the extracts evaluated showed variable degree of inhibition zones against C. albicans with cinnamon showing the highest inhibition (49.3 ± 0.52) mm and also with least MIC against C. albicans (<0.05 mg/ml). CONCLUSION: These results exhibit the antifungal activity of the spice extracts against C. albicans, which may be useful in the treatment of oral candidiasis.