FeONPs alleviate cadmium toxicity in Solanum melongena through improved morpho-anatomical and physiological attributes, along with oxidative stress and antioxidant defense regulations.

In this study, various constraints of Cd toxicity on growth, morpho-anatomical characters along with physiological and biochemical metabolic processes of Solanum melongena L. plants were analyzed. Conversely, ameliorative role of iron oxide nanoparticles (FeONPs) was examined against Cd stress. For this purpose, the following treatments were applied in completely randomized fashion; 3 mM CdCl2 solution applied with irrigation water, 40 and 80 ppm solutions of FeONPs applied via foliar spray. Regarding the results, Cd caused oxidative damage to plants' photosynthetic machinery, resulting in elevated levels of stress-markers like malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and electrolytic leakage (EL) along with slight increase in antioxidants activities, including glutathione (GsH), ascorbate (AsA), catalases (CAT), peroxidases (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and ascorbate peroxidases (APX). Also, high Cd level in plants disturb ions homeostasis and reduced essential minerals uptake, including Ca and K. This ultimately reduced growth and development of S. melongena plants. In contrast, FeONPs supplementations improved antioxidants (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) defenses which in turn limited ROS generation and lowered the oxidative damage to photosynthetic machinery. Furthermore, it maintained ionic balance resulting in enhanced uptake of Ca and K nutrients which are necessary for photosynthesis, hence also improved photosynthesis rate of S. melongena plants. Overall, FeONPs foliar spray effectively mitigated Cd toxicity imposed on S. melongena plants.

Application of CuNPs and AMF alleviates arsenic stress by encompassing reduced arsenic uptake through metabolomics and ionomics alterations in Elymus sibiricus.

Recent studies have exhibited a very promising role of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) in mitigation of abiotic stresses in plants. Arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi (AMF) assisted plants to trigger their defense mechanism against abiotic stresses. Arsenic (As) is a non-essential and injurious heavy-metal contaminant. Current research work was designed to elucidate role of CuNPs (100, 200 and 300 mM) and a commercial inoculum of Glomus species (Clonex® Root Maximizer) either alone or in combination (CuNPs + Clonex) on physiology, growth, and stress alleviation mechanisms of E. sibiricus growing in As spiked soils (0, 50, and 100 mg Kg- 1 soil). Arsenic induced oxidative stress, enhanced biosynthesis of hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxidation and methylglyoxal (MG) in E. sibiricus. Moreover, As-phytotoxicity reduced photosynthetic activities and growth of plants. Results showed that individual and combined treatments, CuNPs (100 mM) as well as soil inoculation of AMF significantly enhanced root growth and shoot growth by declining As content in root tissues and shoot tissues in As polluted soils. E. sibiricus plants treated with CuNPs (100 mM) and/or AMF alleviated As induced phytotoxicity through upregulating the activity of antioxidative enzymes such as catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) besides the biosynthesis of non-enzymatic antioxidants including phytochelatin (PC) and glutathione (GSH). In brief, supplementation of CuNPs (100 mM) alone or in combination with AMF reduced As uptake and alleviated the As-phytotoxicity in E. sibiricus by inducing stress tolerance mechanism resulting in the improvement of the plant growth parameters.

Foliar application of salicylic acid improved morpho-anatomical features of potato by irrigating with wastewater.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of using drain water as a source of irrigation and its effects along with salicylic acid on morphological, anatomical, physico-chemical as well as yield attributes of potato. For this study, potato tubers were grown in pots and irrigated with different concentrations of drain water. Salicylic acid treatments vis. 0, 0.5 and 1.0 mM were applied foliarly. Pre- and post-harvest analysis was carried out to determine different attributes of soil, water and plants after 60 days. RESULTS: The growth of potato plant was increased as the concentration of SA increased through increasing shoot length, fresh/dry weight and tuber number/plant. In this research work, plant respond to overcome metal stresses by up regulating antioxidant defense system such as, peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase) by application of highest treatment of SA when irrigated with 6% drain water. Plants accumulated the highest concentrations of Cd, Cr, and Pb in the leaves when treated with 1 mM of SA, compared to other plant parts. It was observed that photosynthetic pigment enhanced in 6% drain water treated plants when applied with 1mM SA as compared to control. An increase in epidermis and cortical cell thickness, as well as stomatal closure, was observed, helping to maintain water loss under stress conditions. CONCLUSIONS: According to these results, it can be suggested that SA is potent signaling molecule can play an essential role in maintaining potato growth when irrigated with drain water containing heavy metals through stimulating metal up take and up regulation of antioxidant enzymes.

The Glycine soja cytochrome P450 gene GsCYP82C4 confers alkaline tolerance by promoting reactive oxygen species scavenging.

Recent studies have demonstrated the crucial role of Cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs) in the production of secondary metabolites, phytohormones and antioxidants in plants. However, their functional characterization specifically under alkaline stress remains elusive. CYP82C4 was the key gene screened from a family of wild soybean CYPs in our previous studies. The aim of this present study was to clone the Glycine soja GsCYP82C4 gene and characterize its functions in Arabidopsis and Glycine max. The results showed that the GsCYP82C4 gene displayed a high expression in different plant tissues at mature stages compared to young stages. Further, higher temporal expression of the GsCYP82C4 gene was noted at 6, 12 and 24 h time points after alkali treatment in leaves compared to roots. In addition, overexpression of GsCYP82C4 improved alkaline stress tolerance in Arabidopsis via increased root lengths and fresh biomass and strengthened the antioxidant defense system via a reduction in superoxide radicals in transgenic lines compared to wild type (WT) and atcyp82c4 mutants. Further, the expression levels of stress-related marker genes were up-regulated in GsCYP82C4 OX lines under alkali stress. The functional analysis of GsCYP82C4 overexpression in soybean displayed better hairy root growth, increased fresh weight, higher antioxidant enzyme activities and reduced lipid peroxidation rates in OX lines compared to the soybean WT (K599) line. In total, our study displayed positive roles of GsCYP82C4 overexpression in both Arabidopsis and Glycine max to alleviate alkaline stress via altering expression abundance of stress responsive genes, stronger roots, higher antioxidant enzyme activities as well as reduced rates of lipid peroxidation and superoxide radicals.

Alleviation potential of green-synthesized selenium nanoparticles for cadmium stress in Solanum lycopersicum L: modulation of secondary metabolites and physiochemical attributes.

KEY MESSAGE: Selenium nanoparticles reduce cadmium absorption in tomato roots, mitigating heavy metal effects. SeNPs can efficiently help to enhance growth, yield, and biomolecule markers in cadmium-stressed tomato plants. In the present study, the effects of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were investigated on the tomato plants grown in cadmium-contaminated soil. Nanoparticles were synthesized using water extract of Nigella sativa and were characterized for their size and shape. Two application methods (foliar spray and soil drench) with nanoparticle concentrations of 0, 100, and 300 mg/L were used to observe their effects on cadmium-stressed plants. Growth, yield, biochemical, and stress parameters were studied. Results showed that SeNPs positively affected plant growth, mitigating the negative effects of cadmium stress. Shoot length (SL), root length (RL), number of branches (NB), number of leaves per plant (NL), and leaf area (LA) were significantly reduced by cadmium stress but enhanced by 45, 51, 506, 208, and 82%, respectively, by soil drench treatment of SeNPs. Similarly, SeNPs increased the fruit yield (> 100%) and fruit weight (> 100%), and decreased the days to fruit initiation in tomato plants. Pigments were also positively affected by the SeNPs, particularly in foliar treatment. Lycopene content was also enhanced by the addition of NPs (75%). Furthermore, the addition of SeNPs improved the ascorbic acid, protein, phenolic, flavonoid, and proline contents of the tomato plants under cadmium stress, whereas stress enzymes also showed enhanced activities under cadmium stress. It is concluded from the present study that the addition of selenium nanoparticles enhanced the growth and yield of Cd-stressed plants by reducing the absorption of cadmium and increasing the stress management of plants.

Synthesis and Characterization of Short α and ß-Mixed Peptides with Excellent Anti-Lipase Activities.

Obesity is a source of significant pathologies and deadly diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. One of the most intriguing strategies in the hunt for new anti-obesity medications is the inhibition of pancreatic lipase (PL). This study presents a novel application of short α and ß-mixed peptides as pancreatic lipase inhibitors. These peptides were synthesized in the solution phase and characterized using FTIR and 1H-NMR. L-proline is present in a high percentage of natural anti-lipase peptides and was used as a ß-amino acid in this study to enhance anti-lipase activity and proteolytic stability. Moreover, L-α-proline was converted to ß-amino acid derivatives using the Arndt-Eistert method with the advantage of stereo control at the α-carbon. The synthesized peptides with anti-lipase activity are N-Boc-ß-Pro-Gly-OBz (93%), N-Boc-O-Bz-Tyr-ß-Pro-ß-Pro-Gly-OBz (92%), N-Boc-O-Bz-Tyr-ß-Pro-COOH (91%), N-Boc-Phe-ß-Pro-OCH3 (90%), and N-Boc-O-Bz-Tyr-ß-Pro-OCH3 (89%). These peptides may function as lead molecules for further modification to more significant molecules, which can help control obesity.

Evaluation of the trueness and precision of conventional impressions versus digital scans for the all-on-four treatment in the maxillary arch: An in vitro study.

PURPOSE: To compare the accuracy of digitizing conventional impressions to intraoral surface scans for all-on-four treatment in the maxillary arch. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An edentulous maxillary arch model with four implants placed in an all-on-four design was fabricated. Intraoral surface scans (n = 10) were obtained using an intraoral scanner after scan body insertion. For conventional polyvinylsiloxane impressions of the model, implant copings were inserted into the implant fixation for implant level, opened tray impressions (n = 10). The model and conventional impressions were digitized to obtain digital files. A reference file was created using a laboratory-scanned conventional standard tessellation language (STL) file with analog to scan the body using exocad software. STL datasets from the two digital and conventional impression groups were superimposed with reference files to assess the 3D deviations. Two-way ANOVA and paired-samples t-test was performed to assess the difference in trueness and examine the effects of impression technique and implant angulation on the deviation amount. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the conventional impression and intraoral surface scan groups F(1, 76) = 2.705, p = 0.104. No significant differences were found between conventional straight and digital straight implants and between conventional and digital tilted implants F(1, 76) = .041, p = 0.841. No significant differences were found between conventional straight and conventional tilted implants p = 0.07 and between digital straight and digital tilted implants p = 0.08. CONCLUSION: Digital scans were more accurate than conventional impressions. The digital straight implants were more accurate than the conventional straight implants, and the digital tilted implants were more accurate than the conventional tilted implants, with higher accuracy for digital straight implants.

Exploring the interaction of myricetin with human alpha-2-macroglobulin: biophysical and in-silico analysis.

Myricetin (MYR) is a bioactive secondary metabolite found in plants that is recognized for its nutraceutical value and is an essential constituent of various foods and beverages. It is reported to exhibit a plethora of activities, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory. Alpha-2-macroglobulin (α2M) is a major plasma anti-proteinase that can inhibit proteinases of both human and non-human origin, regardless of their specificity and catalytic mechanism. Here, we explored the interaction of MYR-α2M using various biochemical and biophysical techniques. It was found that the interaction of MYR brings subtle change in its anti-proteolytic potential and thereby alters its structure and function, as can be seen from absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopy. UV spectroscopy of α2M in presence of MYR indicated the occurrence of hyperchromism, suggesting complex formation. Fluorescence spectroscopy reveals that MYR reduces the fluorescence intensity of native α2M with a shift in the wavelength maxima. At 318.15 K, MYR binds to α2M with a binding constant of 2.4 × 103 M-1, which indicates significant binding. The ΔG value was found to be - 7.56 kcal mol-1 at 298.15 K, suggesting the interaction to be spontaneous and thermodynamically favorable. The secondary structure of α2M does not involve any major change as was confirmed by CD analysis. The molecular docking indicates that Asp-146, Ser-172, Glu-174, and Tyr-180 were the key residues involved in α2M-MYR complex formation. This study contributes to our understanding of the function and mechanism of protein and flavonoid binding by providing a molecular basis of the interaction between MYR and α2M.

Unveiling the Potential of B3O3 Nanoflake as Effective Transporter for the Antiviral Drug Favipiravir: Density Functional Theory Analysis.

In this study, for the first time, boron oxide nanoflake is analyzed as drug carrier for favipiravir using computational studies. The thermodynamic stability of the boron oxide and favipiravir justifies the strong interaction between both species. Four orientations are investigated for the interaction between the favipiravir and the B3O3 nanoflake. The Eint of the most stable orientation is -26.98 kcal/mol, whereas the counterpoise-corrected energy is -22.59 kcal/mol. Noncovalent interaction index (NCI) and quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) analyses are performed to obtain insights about the behavior and the types of interactions that occur between B3O3 nanoflake and favipiravir. The results indicate the presence of hydrogen bonding between the hydrogen in the favipiravir and the oxygen in the B3O3 nanoflake in the most stable complex (FAV@B3O3-C1). The electronic properties are investigated through frontier molecular orbital analysis, dipole moments and chemical reactivity descriptors. These parameters showed the significant activity of B3O3 for favipiravir. NBO charge analysis transfer illustrated the charge transfer between the two species, and UV-VIS analysis confirmed the electronic excitation. Our work suggested a suitable drug carrier system for the antiviral drug favipiravir, which can be considered by the experimentalist for better drug delivery systems.

Impact of Au144 metal clusters on the structural and inhibitory mechanism of Aß42 peptide: A theoretical approach.

One of the main causes for Alzheimer disease is the abnormal self-assembly of the amyloid-beta (Aß) peptide, which in turn forms a toxic ß-rich aggregation. A recent study suggests that gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) can inhibit the Aß aggregation. Nevertheless, the effects of AuNPs on Aß peptide system are still ambiguous and needs exploration that is more detailed. Molecular dynamics simulations have been carried out to investigate the aggregation mechanism of Aß42 peptide for 500 ns. During simulation, C-terminus regions of Met 35-Ala42 residues exhibits ß-sheet conformations. Meanwhile, the Au144MC coordination induces substantial α-helical character, both α-helix and 310-helix structure at 0-500ns, in the region of Asp1-Arg5 and Val36-Ile41 residues. The Au144MC strongly coordinates with Asp1, Ala2, Glu3, Phe4, Asp7, Tyr10 and Gln15 residues that plays the significant effects to loss the ß-sheet geometry in the N-terminal region and it converted into random α-helix, turn and bend conformation. On comparing the RMSF of the Aß42 peptide and Aß42-Au144MC complex shows that the coordination of Au144MC results in greater rigidity of the Aß42 peptide backbone regions with exemptions for the Asp1, Ala2, Glu3, Leu34, Ile41 and Ala42 residues due to the strong binding between the metal cluster and the CHC (Leu17-Ala21) region. The structural stability of the Aß42 peptide and Aß42-Au144MC complex is enhanced by the several intermolecular and intramolecular interactions and it was visibly revealed in the H-bond. From the above results, it is very evident that the Au144MC can be used as inhibitor agent for the oligomerization of Aß42.

Statistical optimization of silver nanoparticle synthesis by green tea extract and its efficacy on colorimetric detection of mercury from industrial waste water.

For the optimization of silver nanoparticle production, a central composite design was used with three parameters: AgNO3 concentration, green tea extract concentration, and temperature at three different levels. The size of the synthesized silver nanoparticle, its UV absorbance, zeta potential, and polydispersity index were set as the response parameters. Silver nanoparticles obtained in the optimization process were characterized and its efficacy on colorimetric detection of mercury was evaluated. The response variables were significant for the factors analyzed, and each variable had a significant model (P < 0.05). The ideal conditions were: 1 mM AgNO3, 0.5% green tea extract, and 80 °C temperature. To analyze the produced AgNPs under certain ideal conditions, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used. The UV-visible spectra of AgNPs revealed an absorption maxima at 424 nm. The XRD pattern reveals a significant diffraction peak at 38.25°, 44.26°, 64.43°, and 77.49°, which corresponds to the (111), (200), (220), and (311) planes of polycrystalline face-centered cubic (fcc) silver, respectively. The TEM and SEM analyses confirmed that the particles were spherical, and dynamic light scattering study determined the average diameter of AgNPs to be 77.4 nm. The AgNPs have a zeta potential of -62.6 mV, as determined by the zeta sizer analysis. The AgNPs detects mercury at a micromolar concentration. Furthermore, the environmentally friendly generated AgNPs were used to detect mercury in a colorimetric method that was effectively employed for analytical detection of Hg2+ ions in an aqueous environment for the purpose of practical application.

Bandgap and visible-light-induced photocatalytic performance and dye degradation of silver doped HAp/TiO2 nanocomposite by sol-gel method and its antimicrobial activity.

Silver doped hydroxyapatite and titanium oxide nanocomposites have been obtained by sol-gel techniques with novel antimicrobial activities for biomedical applications. The synthesis of Ca10-X AgX (PO4)6(OH)2 along with titanium oxide nanoparticles with XAg = 0 (HAp/TiO2), 0.1, 0.25 and 0.5 (Ag:HAp/TiO2-NCS) was performed. The developed crystalline phase was characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the morphological features were executed via scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM). The HAp/TiO2 and silver doped HAp/TiO2 nanocomposites were spherical grains, with needle and flower-like structures. XRD examination revealed the crystalline phases of HAp/TiO2 and Ag-doped HAp/TiO2 nanocomposites. The crystallite size of HAp/TiO2 and Ag-doped HAp/TiO2 nanocomposites determined from the XRD pattern was ranged between 16 nm and 20 nm. The FTIR analysis confirms the presence of stretching and vibrational peaks for the presence of silver doped HAp/TiO2. The EDAX analysis showed the existence of major elements of HAp/TiO2 and Ag-HAp/TiO2 nanostructured composites. HAp/TiO2 and silver doped HAp/TiO2 were active against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria such as, E. coli (MTCC 443), S. typhi (MTCC 733), and S. aureus (MTCC 3160). The photocatalytic absorption spectrum implied an increased absorption rate of methylene blue by HAp/TiO2 and silver doped HAp/TiO2 nanocomposites. The photocatalytic activity revealed that 50% Ag doped HAp/TiO2 optimally improved photocatalytic activity.

Photocatalytic degradation of organic synthetic dyes and textile dyeing waste water by Al and F co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles.

Textile wastewater threatens people health by alluring diseases and revealing public existing close to the waste to the dangerous products within. Because waste causes a risk to the environment and people, waste management making is the main challenge of the municipal world. Environmental process such as toxic dye degradation can be stepped up through photochemical process such as visible light induced catalytic degradation. Here, the successful synthesis of co-doping of Al and F into TiO2 nanoparticles (Al-F∕TiO2 NPs) by solid state reaction method comprising different proportions of co-dopants is evaluated for the applications of degrading organic synthetic dyes and textile dyeing waste water. Influence of co-dopants was studied in their optical, structural, compositional, morphological and vibrational properties. The average crystallite size of Al-F∕TiO2 NPs was found as 15 nm.FTIR and UV-vis spectrum confirmed F and Al atoms were incorporated into the TiO2 lattice.The absorption edges slightly moved to shorter wavelength by increasing level of dopants and this specifies the control of optical absorption of TiO2 by the incorporation of F and Al3+ ions.The EDS spectrum indicates the purity of the samples. The highest zone of inhibition for the prepared nanoparticles over Staphylococcus aureus reached to 22 mm. The rate constant (kapp) value of MB, MO and textile waste water is 0.0138/min, 0.0174/min and 0.0139/min for the prepared nanoparticles respectively. The study of photocatalytic degradation of visible light assisted MB, MO and real textile waste water by Al-F∕TiO2 NPs revealed that the prepared nanoparticles act as ideal catalyst by tuning the concentration of co-dopants in TiO2.

Synthesis and characterization of ZnGa2O4 composites and its photocatalytic properties for energy applications.

ZnGa2O4 nanocomposites have been widely used for photocatalytic degradation of industrial dyes. In this work, ZnGa2O4 was synthesized from zinc sulphate heptahydrate ZnSO4.10H2O and Gallium (III) oxide (Ga2O3) by hydrothermal method. As prepared, ZnGa2O4 nanocomposites was used as a photocatalyst degradation of three organic dyes rhodamine-B, methylene blue, and methyl orange, under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. The ZnGa2O4 nanocomposites structure, morphology, size and optical properties were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy (FT-Raman), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopes (TEM) and photoluminescence spectra (PL). Moreover, the results explained the rate-controlling mechanisms of the dye degradation process followed by second-order kinetics. After 100 min of adsorption kinetic models, the decomposition of rhodamine-B (7.2 Ct mg/L, 5.2 Ct mg/L, and 4.1 Ct mg/L), methylene blue (42.8 qt mg/g, 44.8 qt mg/g, and 45.9 qt mg/g), and methyl orange (42.8 qe mg/g, 44.8 qe mg/g, and 45.9 qe mg/g) respectively. This investigation study offers a promising method to design more efficient ZnGa2O4 nanocomposites based photocatalytic degradation of industrial organic dyes.

Effect of Ag doped MnO2 nanostructures suitable for wastewater treatment and other environmental pollutant applications.

A modest sol-gel method has been employed to prepare the pure and Ag doped MnO2 nanoparticles and methodologically studied their physical, morphological, and photosensitive properties through XRD, TEM, EDAX, Raman, UV, PL and N2 adsorption - desorption study. Tetragonal crystalline arrangement with spherical nanoparticles was found out through XRD and TEM studies. The EDAX studies further supported that formation Ag in the MnO2 crystal matrix. The bandgap energy of Ag doped MnO2 was absorbed through UV spectra. Photo -generated recombination process and surface related defects were further recognized by PL spectra. Through visible light irradiation, the photo - degradation of methyl orange (MO) and phenol dye solutions were observed. The optimum condition of (10 wt% of Ag) Ag doped MnO2 catalyst showed tremendous photocatalytic efficiency towards MO than phenol under same experimental study.

Pollutant removal from cheese processing effluent using effective indigenous natural scavengers.

The goal of this study was to come up with an efficient method for treating cheese production wastewater. Because the effluent has a higher concentration of organic and inorganic materials, the indigenous microbial treatment process was used to effectively remove total dissolved solids (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and color without the addition of any nutrients. The indigenous microorganisms were tested for color, TDS, and COD elimination by growing them in "nutrient broth medium" loaded with different amounts of cheese effluent. The isolates were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing, and the results revealed that strain 1 was Enterobacter cloacae, strain 2 was Lactococcus garvieae, and strains 3 and 4 were Bacillus cereus and Bacillus mycoides, respectively. After 36 h of incubation, the data were evaluated. Among all the microbes, E. cloacae reduced TDS and COD from the effluent the most (80 ± 0.2% and 87 ± 0.4% COD, respectively). When compared to individual species, consortia were more efficient (86 ± 0.2% TDS and 90 ± 0.3% COD). On treatment, the correlation coefficient "r" for TDS and COD elimination was found to be 1, resulting in a positive linear connection. The current study suggests that microbial therapies are both effective and environmentally beneficial.

ACCURACY OF INTRAORAL SCANNERS VERSUS TRADITIONAL IMPRESSIONS: A RAPID UMBRELLA REVIEW.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to (1) report the trueness and precision of intraoral scanning (IOS) in dentistry based on recent secondary sources and to (2) appraise the reporting quality of the titles and abstracts of the included literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This rapid overview searched the PubMed/Medline and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in March 2021 to identify reviews reporting on the accuracy of IOS. The reference list from the eligible studies was also screened for identification of other potentially eligible studies. The inclusion criteria consisted of English language systematic reviews or meta-analyses published between 2019 and 2021. The exclusion criteria were primary studies, narrative review, and extraoral scanners. The assessment of reporting quality of abstracts of systematic reviews was performed using the reporting checklist PRISMA extension for Abstracts (PRISMA-A). This was a self-funded research project. RESULTS: Out of the full text screened 25 records, 11 reviews were included. Most studies supported the IOS approach being as precise and accurate as the conventional one. Only one study significantly favored the conventional approach over the IOS, and two studies abstained from making a recommendation. The IOS was significantly superior to the traditional technique in terms of patient preference and time efficiency. After applying PRISMA-A, recommendations for improvements on titles and abstracts of future reviews of IOS and conventional impressions are provided. CONCLUSION: Laboratory data indicated similar accuracy between IOS and conventional impressions, whereas clinical data found the same in less than 4-unit fixed dental prostheses. For more extensive definitive fixed solutions or removable prostheses, the conventional approach is recommended. IOS was superior in terms of patient preference and time reduction. More clinical trials are required to determine the clinical effectiveness of incorporating IOS in broader scenarios. Better quality of reporting secondary sources abstract is advised.

Bite Force and Occlusal Patterns in the Mixed Dentition of Children with Down Syndrome.

PURPOSE: Oral function in Down Syndrome (DS) patients has been of interest to clinicians and researchers. This study aimed to evaluate the parameters of occlusal force and pattern of children with Down syndrome (DS) during mixed dentition when compared to age and gender-matched controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty DS and 30 healthy children, aged 7 to 12 years, participated in the evaluation of the parameters of the occlusal pattern and occlusal force distribution analysis. Both groups underwent clinical examination, occlusal force and pattern measurements using a computerized occlusal analysis system (T-Scan 8 occlusal analysis, Tekscan, Inc., S. Boston, MA). Occlusion time, percentage of force distribution, force outliers, center of force target area, center of force trajectory and evaluation of closure arc were compared between the two groups using the Pearson's Chi Square test. RESULTS: Children with DS had more occlusal and vertical malocclusion compared to the control group (p < 0.001). The occlusion time for DS group (0.75 ± 0.7s) was significantly longer than the control group (0.015 ± 0.05s) (p < 0.001). The closure arc for DS group was mostly irregular (53%), while the control group showed ideal closure arc. In control group, the age had a significant influence on the occlusion time, while height, weight, and BMI had a significant influence on the mouth opening. None of these variables had such effect on children with DS. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showed high prevalence of orofacial dysfunction among DS population. The occlusal analysis showed that children with DS had longer occlusion time and a lack of ideal occlusion pattern compared to age matched controls.

Do various personal hygiene habits protect us against influenza-like illness?

BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported an association between improvements in hand hygiene and the reductions in rates of intestinal parasitic diseases. However, only a some have addressed its link to the frequency of influenza-like illness. The current study aimed to find the correlation between personal hygiene habits and the frequency of influenza-like illness. METHODS: A cross-sectional study targeting 3000 participants conducted in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. A systematic random sampling methodology was applied for participant from different part of Riyadh city using a computer generating system. The researcher first started by calling each participant. A full explanation was given to each participant in details (from the purpose of the research, consent to answer the questionnaire, to the explanation of the outcome definition). Each point of the questionnaire was explained to them to make sure they had excellent comprehension, and therefore, respond accurately. Descriptive statistics and Odds Ratio and its 95% confidence intervals were used to determine the association between frequency of influenza-like illness and the studied variables. RESULTS: Two thousand eighty-two (69.4%) completed the questionnaire. The participants who spent 5-10 s in handwashing with soap and rubbing were at increased risk of more frequent influenza-like illness (odds ratio = 1.37, 1.08-1.75). Handwashing with soap and rubbing after handshaking is an independent protective habit against frequent influenza-like illness (adjusted OR = 0.59, 0.37-0.94). CONCLUSION: The decrease of the frequency of influenza-like illness could be done through the following: getting the influenza vaccine annually, washing hands with soap and hand rubbing not less than 15 s after getting out of the bathroom, before and after handshaking and before eating. Soap companies should invent soaps that take less rubbing time to kill bacteria, and subsequently may maximize compliance in the community.

Oral Health Status, Treatment Needs and Oral Health Related Quality of Life among Hearing Impaired Adults in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia.

AIM: The primary objective was to determine the oral health status and treatment needs among hearing-impaired (HI) adults. Second, to assess the relationship between the oral health variables and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) by using General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI)-Ar questionnaire among HI adults in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 146 HI adults between the age groups of 18-21, 22-25, and >25 years were included in the study. A convenient sampling technique was used to obtain the study sample. Oral health condition was recorded by using oral hygiene index-simplified (OHI-S), plaque index (PI), and gingival index (GI). The WHO methodology was used to record dental caries and treatment needs. The Saudi Arabian version of GOHAI-Ar questionnaire was used to gather information with regard to OHRQoL. A sign language expert communicated information between HI and investigator while answering the questionnaire. RESULTS: More than half of the HI had fair OHI-S (55.2%) and PI score (54.2%), while 60.1% of HI had moderate gingival inflammation. The prevalence of dental caries (82.2%) and treatment needs (85.6%) were found to be high. Mean oral hygiene scores between Saudi and non-Saudi nationals [(1.64) vs (1.12), p = 0.041] showed significant differences. Missing and filled teeth showed significant differences across different age groups (p = 0.000). The mean GOHAI-Ar was found to be low (14.44 ± 9.59). Spearman's test showed a significant positive correlation between the GOHAI-Ar score and the toothbrushing method (r = 0.164, p = 0.047). Toothbrushing time, oral hygiene material, last visit to dentist, OHI-S score, PI score, decayed, missing, and decayed missing filled teeth (DMFT) scores were negatively correlated with GOHAI-Ar. Speech was the main concern for the HI. CONCLUSION: There was a fair oral hygiene, moderate gingival inflammation, high caries experience, and treatment needs with low GOHAI-Ar scores indicating poor OHRQoL among HI.