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Introduction: Fear of the unknown causes anxiety in paediatric patients. The use of tell-show-do, along with audiovisual distraction, promotes positive behaviour and reduces anxiety. The use of a Dental Operating Microscope (DOM) as a visual distraction aid provides better cooperation in paediatric patients. Aim: To evaluate the effects of a DOM on anxiety, behaviour, and treatment time during a restorative procedure in paediatric dental patients. Materials and Methods: The present study was a parallel-arm, randomised clinical trial conducted at IGIDS, Puducherry, India, in 2022, over a period of four months. Healthy five to sevenyear-old children on their first dental visit were selected (n=90) and divided into two groups using simple randomisation. Group A: Restoration of teeth without a DOM, and group B: Restoration of teeth using a DOM. Anxiety and behaviour were measured as soon as the child entered the operatory (T1), after tell-show-do for the procedure (T2), after cavity preparation (T3), and after completion of the restoration (T4). Caries removal efficacy and treatment duration were also assessed. The data obtained were statistically analysed using the Chi-square test and independent sample t-test (p

The present study is mainly concerned with the development of cost-efficient composite material utilized to produce one-dimensional manganese oxide (α-MnO2) nanoparticles coated on two-dimensional graphitic carbon nitrides (HT-GCN) as nanocomposite (α-MnO2/HT-GCN) for highly efficient CIP degradation. The α-MnO2 nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by a simple hydrothermal technique before being decorated on HT-GCN (H denotes protonation and T represents thermal-decomposition–graphitic carbon nitride). Tauc plots were used to calculate the band gap values of the photocatalysts α-MnO2 (1.74 eV), GCN (2.84 eV), HT-GCN (2.63 eV), and α-MnO2/HT-GCN (2.31 eV). The mechanism was investigated by various scavengers, particularly isopropanol (•OH) makes a significant role in the photodegradation process. The degradation percentage for ciprofloxacin was 89.2% and the rate of reaction R2 = 0.9913. This study demonstrates a unique method for developing a heterojunction-based nanocomposite of α-MnO2/HT-GCN, which exhibit better light absorption performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive brain disease that causes cognitive impairment in seniors. The beta-amyloid (Aβ) deposition and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles are two pathological hallmarks of AD. The increase of AD hallmarks causes inflammatory response enhancement, reduction of synaptic plasticity, and impaired cognition. The percentage of the aging population is growing along with the number of AD patients; however, effective treatment of AD is still limited. Therefore, developing preventive and therapeutic drugs for AD with fewer adverse side effects is urgently needed. The crude extracts from herbs such as Centella asiatica, Dendrobium catenatum, Litsea cubeba, Nardostachys jatamansi, Convolvulus pluricaulis, Melissa officinalis, Magnolia officinalis, Withania somnifera, and Nigella sativa improved memory performance and reduced inflammation response in various diseases. In addition, herbal blends usually have minimum aversive effects and can be mixed into diet and served as nutritional supplements. Hence, it is promising to develop Chinese herbal extracts to prevent or treat early AD. This review article highlights the currently available treatments of AD and the therapeutic effects of a group of crude extracts from Chinese herbs that can prevent cognitive decline and reduce the excessive inflammatory response. The possible clinical use of these Chinese herbal extracts in AD is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maxillary midline diastema is a self-correcting anomaly which in few conditions may get retained in adolescence stage due to various aetiological factors and correction of which is usually done at permanent dentition stage. The persistence of midline diastema can be predicted in mixed dentition period and necessary management could be provided at the mixed dentition period. This case report is on a novel technique using ’M’ spring to correct the midline diastema in mixed dentition period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6) is expressed throughout the brain, including the hippocampus, where it plays a potential role in synaptic regulation and forming emotional and spatial memories. PRDX6 is predominantly detected in the female mouse's hippocampus; thus, we investigate the effect of the Prdx6 gene on behavioral phenotypes and synaptic functions using female Prdx6 knockout (Prdx6−/−) mice. Our results demonstrate that female Prdx6−/− mice exhibited anxiety-like behavior, enhanced contextual fear memory, and impaired spatial memory. We also found increased, paired–pulse facilitation ratios, and decreased long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampal region of these female Prdx6−/− mice. The present study helps to understand better the PRDX6's role in emotional response and spatial memory formation in female mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive deficits. Two hallmarks of AD that cause chronic inflammation and lead to neuronal dysfunction and damage are tau tangles and amyloid plaques. Microglial cells, the primary immune cells of the central nervous system, maintain a homeostatic active/inactive state via a bidirectional, dynamic communication with neurons. Several studies have revealed that dysregulated microglial activation leads to AD pathology. Therefore, we reviewed the relationship between AD and two important signaling complexes, CX3 chemokine ligand 1 (CX3CL1)/CX3CR1 and ATP/P2X7R, that play critical roles in the regulation of microglial activation. CX3CL1/CX3CR1 is one important signaling which controls the microglia function. Altering this pathway can have opposite effects on amyloid and tau pathology in AD. Another important molecule is P2X7R which involves in the activation of microglia. Over activation of P2X7R is evident in AD pathogenesis. In this review, we discuss influence of the two signaling pathways at different stages of AD pathology as well as the drug candidates that can modulate CX3CL1/CX3CR1 and ATP/P2X7R. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Anthocyanins are water-soluble plant pigments responsible for bright red, purple and blue colours in fruits and vegetables. Extraction of anthocyanins from plant cells becomes an important task closely related to the need of preservation of their bioactivity. Therefore, encapsulation by spray drying is a technique used to retain maximum anthocyanin and colour. Methods: The study was designed to investigate the physical properties of spray drying of Red Amaranthus extract with maltodextrin. The extract was prepared by soaking washed and finely chopped red spinach (Red Amaranthus) leaves in water for 72 h at 4°C of with potable water (solvent), followed by storage at refrigerated condition at 4°C for 72 h. The extract was mixed with maltodextrin solution in three different ratios: 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3. Powder properties were studied for the three different extract and maltodextrin ratios that were fed in the spray dryer. All analyses were conducted in triplicates. Results: The 1:1 ratio retains maximum anthocyanin 93.03 mg/100g of spray dried powder compared to the other ratios; the moisture content of the 1:1 ratio was 0.44% (dry basis). The color chroma value of a* of 1:1 ratio was 26.24 and density was 0.55 g/cm3 whereas the water activity of the sample was 0.62±0.01. By comparing the three ratios, the 1:1 ratio of extract and maltodextrin was the optimum combination for encapsulation of anthocyanin using spray-drying technique. Conclusion: Encapsulation with maltodextrin at 1:1 ratio had a significant impact on retention of anthocyanin and colour in the final product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Julietta Singh uses an epistolary tradition to meditate on pressing challenges in the contemporary moment. She fixates on a resounding theme: how must we break from existing systems to truly center the most vulnerable in our institutions and epistemologies? In a long-form letter to her six-year-old daughter, Singh reflects on queer life and architecture, family trauma, radicalization, and collective mobilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is mainly concerned with the development of cost-efficient composite material utilized to produce one-dimensional manganese oxide (α-MnO 2 ) nanoparticles coated on two-dimensional graphitic carbon nitrides (HT-GCN) as nanocomposite (α-MnO 2 /HT-GCN) for highly efficient CIP degradation. The α-MnO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by a simple hydrothermal technique before being decorated on HT-GCN (H denotes protonation and T represents thermal-decomposition-graphitic carbon nitride). Tauc plots were used to calculate the band gap values of the photocatalysts α-MnO 2 (1.74 eV), GCN (2.84 eV), HT-GCN (2.63 eV), and α-MnO 2 /HT-GCN (2.31 eV). The mechanism was investigated by various scavengers, particularly isopropanol ( • OH) makes a significant role in the photodegradation process. The degradation percentage for ciprofloxacin was 89.2% and the rate of reaction R 2  = 0.9913. This study demonstrates a unique method for developing a heterojunction-based nanocomposite of α-MnO 2 /HT-GCN, which exhibit better light absorption performance., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive brain disease that causes cognitive impairment in seniors. The beta-amyloid (Aβ) deposition and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles are two pathological hallmarks of AD. The increase of AD hallmarks causes inflammatory response enhancement, reduction of synaptic plasticity, and impaired cognition. The percentage of the aging population is growing along with the number of AD patients; however, effective treatment of AD is still limited. Therefore, developing preventive and therapeutic drugs for AD with fewer adverse side effects is urgently needed. The crude extracts from herbs such as Centella asiatica , Dendrobium catenatum , Litsea cubeba , Nardostachys jatamansi , Convolvulus pluricaulis , Melissa officinalis , Magnolia officinalis , Withania somnifera , and Nigella sativa improved memory performance and reduced inflammation response in various diseases. In addition, herbal blends usually have minimum aversive effects and can be mixed into diet and served as nutritional supplements. Hence, it is promising to develop Chinese herbal extracts to prevent or treat early AD. This review article highlights the currently available treatments of AD and the therapeutic effects of a group of crude extracts from Chinese herbs that can prevent cognitive decline and reduce the excessive inflammatory response. The possible clinical use of these Chinese herbal extracts in AD is also discussed., Competing Interests: Prof. Ingrid Y. Liu, an editorial board member at Tzu Chi Med J, had no role in the peer review process of or decision to publish this article. The other authors declared no conflicts of interest in writing this paper., (Copyright: © 2022 Tzu Chi Medical Journal.)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by cognitive deficits. Two hallmarks of AD that cause chronic inflammation and lead to neuronal dysfunction and damage are tau tangles and amyloid plaques. Microglial cells, the primary immune cells of the central nervous system, maintain a homeostatic active/inactive state via a bidirectional, dynamic communication with neurons. Several studies have revealed that dysregulated microglial activation leads to AD pathology. Therefore, we reviewed the relationship between AD and two important signaling complexes, CX3 chemokine ligand 1 (CX3CL1)/CX3CR1 and ATP/P2X 7 R, that play critical roles in the regulation of microglial activation. CX3CL1/CX3CR1 is one important signaling which controls the microglia function. Altering this pathway can have opposite effects on amyloid and tau pathology in AD. Another important molecule is P2X 7 R which involves in the activation of microglia. Over activation of P2X 7 R is evident in AD pathogenesis. In this review, we discuss influence of the two signaling pathways at different stages of AD pathology as well as the drug candidates that can modulate CX3CL1/CX3CR1 and ATP/P2X 7 R., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2021 Tzu Chi Medical Journal.)