Associations between school-based fluoride mouth-rinse program, medical-dental expense subsidy policy, and children's oral health in Japan: an ecological study.

BACKGROUND: Dental caries are a common non-communicable disease among children. As a public health measure at the prefectural level, school-based fluoride mouth-rinse (S-FMR) program, medical/dental expense subsidy policies, and other factors may reduce the incidence of dental caries and tooth loss. Prefectures focusing on promoting oral health policies may promote both, but the interaction effect of implementing both subsidy policies and S-FMR at the prefectural level on caries prevention has not yet been examined. METHODS: We conducted an ecological study using two-wave panel data, prefecture-level aggregated data in Japan for 2016 and 2018. Coefficient and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for the dependent variables for oral health using mixed-effects linear regression analysis adjusted for possible confounders. Two dependent variables were used; the standardized claim ratio (SCR) of deciduous tooth extraction and 12-year-olds' decayed, missing, or filled permanent teeth (DMFT). Four independent variables were S-FMR, the SCR of dental sealants, prefectural income per person, and subsidy policy in three models: co-payment until children enter elementary school (n = 23), no co-payment until children enter elementary school (n = 7), and co-payment continuing beyond elementary school (n = 17). The effects of six interaction terms, each representing a unique pairing from the four independent variables, were individually calculated. RESULTS: S-FMR was negatively associated with the SCR of deciduous tooth extractions and DMFT (coefficient = -0.11, 95% CI -0.20; -0.01 and coefficient = -0.003, 95% CI -0.005; -0.001, respectively). No co-payment until children enter elementary school was positively associated with the SCR of deciduous tooth extraction compared to co-payment until children enter elementary school(coefficient = 11.42, 95% CI 3.29; 19.55). SCR of dental sealants was positively associated with the SCR of deciduous tooth extractions (coefficient = 0.12, 95% CI 0.06; 0.19) but negatively associated with DMFT (coefficient = -0.001, 95% CI -0.003; -0.0001). Per capita prefectural income was positively associated with the SCR of deciduous tooth extractions(coefficient = 0.01, 95% CI 0.001; 0.02). No interaction was found between S-FMR and the subsidy policy at both outcomes. CONCLUSION: High S-FMR utilization and no co-payment until children enter elementary school were associated with fewer deciduous tooth extractions. Also, S-FMR and dental sealant were associated with decreased DMFT.

A universal approach for sensitive and rapid detection of different pathogenic bacteria based on aptasensor-assisted SERS technique.

An assembled-aptasensor based on Fe3O4@Au@Ag nanocomposites grafting onto the gold foil was prepared, which can be developed into a universal approach for sensitive and rapid detection of various pathogenic bacteria, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), and Shigella flexneri (S. flexneri). Firstly, the gold foil paper was modified with thiolated capture probe and SERS tag in proportion, and at the same time, the specific thiolated aptamer probe for corresponding pathogenic bacteria was fixed with Fe3O4@Au@Ag nanocomposites. An obvious Raman signal can be subsequently increased about 106 times by the external electromagnetic field enhancement at the "hot spots" caused by the hybridization of aptamer and capture probe. But in the presence of target pathogenic bacteria, Raman intensity will decrease as Fe3O4@Au@Ag nanocomposites are dissociated from gold foil. Thus, all of the concentrations of the six kinds of pathogenic bacteria both in PBS and liquorice extract showed an obvious negative linear correlation with the Raman intensity of SERS tag in the range of 10-107 CFU/mL with detection limits were all lower than 10 CFU/mL. And there was no significant difference between our method and the plate counting method. Besides, the assembled-aptasensor had superior specific recognition ability even in the mixed interfering bacteria. Our study showed that this assembled-aptasensor had good specific detection ability to a variety of foodborne pathogens based on magnetic field-assisted SERS technique, which can be used for rapid and sensitive detection of a variety of pathogens in complex substrates.

General Approach to Produce Nanostructured Binary Transition Metal Selenides as High-Performance Sodium Ion Battery Anodes.

Multiple transition metals containing chalcogenides have recently drawn boosted attraction as anodes for sodium ion batteries (SIBs). Their greatly enhanced electrochemical performances can be attributed to the superior intrinsic conductivities and richer redox reactions, comparative to mono metal chalcogenides. To employ various binary metals comprising selenides (B-TMSs) for SIBs, discovery of a simplistic, scalable and universal synthesis approach is highly desirable. Herein, a simple, facile, and comprehensive strategy to produce various combinations of nanostructured B-TMSs is presented. As a proof of concept, optimized, high surface area bearing, and hierarchical nanosheets of iron-nickel selenide (FNSe), iron-cobalt selenide, and nickel-cobalt selenide are produced and employed in SIBs. These B-TMSs exhibit adequately high energy capacities, excellent rate capabilities, and an extraordinarily stable life of 2600 cycles. As far as it is known, it is the first work to discuss sodium storage of FNSe, so various in situ and ex situ battery analyses are carried out to probe the sodium storage mechanism. When employed in sodium full batteries, these B-TMSs present reasonably high reversible specific capacities even after 100 cycles. Overall, the presented strategy will pave the way for facile synthesis of numerous binary transition metal chalcogenides that are the potential materials for energy storage and conversion systems.

Should HIV testing for all pregnant women continue? Cost-effectiveness of universal antenatal testing compared to focused approaches across high to very low HIV prevalence settings.

INTRODUCTION: HIV testing is the entry point for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Decreasing external funding for the HIV response in some low- and middle-income countries has triggered the question of whether a focused approach to HIV testing targeting pregnant women in high-burden areas should be considered. This study aimed at determining and comparing the cost-effectiveness of universal and focused HIV testing approaches for pregnant women across high to very low HIV prevalence settings. METHODS: We conducted a modelling analysis on health and cost outcomes of HIV testing for pregnant women using four country-based case scenarios (Namibia, Kenya, Haiti and Viet Nam) to illustrate high, intermediate, low and very low HIV prevalence settings. We used subnational prevalence data to divide each country into high-, medium- and low-burden areas, and modelled different antenatal and testing coverage in each. RESULTS: When HIV testing services were only focused in high-burden areas within a country, mother-to-child transmission rates remained high ranging from 18 to 23%, resulting in a 25 to 69% increase in new paediatric HIV infections and increased future treatment costs for children. Universal HIV testing was found to be dominant (i.e. more QALYs gained with less cost) compared to focused approaches in the Namibia, Kenya and Haiti scenarios. The universal approach was also very cost-effective compared to focused approaches, with $ 125 per quality-adjusted life years gained in the Viet Nam-based scenario of very low HIV prevalence. Sensitivity analysis further supported the findings. CONCLUSIONS: Universal approach to antenatal HIV testing achieves the best health outcomes and is cost-saving or cost-effective in the long term across the range of HIV prevalence settings. It is further a prerequisite for quality maternal and child healthcare and for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.