A bibliometric analysis of Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology: Fifty years of publications

OBJECTIVES

In celebration of the journal's 50th anniversary, the aim of the study was to review the whole collection of Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology (CDOE) publications from 1973 to 2022 and provide a complete overview of the main publication characteristics.

METHODS

The study used bibliometric techniques such as performance and science mapping analysis of 3428 articles extracted from the Scopus database. The data were analysed using the 'Bibliometrix' package in R. The journal's scientific production was examined, along with the yearly citation count, the distribution of publications based on authors, the corresponding author's country and affiliation and citation count, citing source and keywords. Bibliometric network maps were constructed to determine the conceptual, intellectual and social collaborative structure over the past 50 years. The trending research topics and themes were identified.

RESULTS

The total number of articles and average citations has increased over the years. D Locker, AJ Spencer, A Sheiham and WM Thomson were the most frequently published authors, and PE Petersen, GD Slade and AI Ismail published papers with the highest citations. The most published countries were the United States, United Kingdom, Brazil and Canada, frequently engaging in collaborative efforts. The most common keywords used were 'dental caries', 'oral epidemiology' and 'oral health'. The trending topics were healthcare and health disparities, social determinants of health, systematic review and health inequalities. Epidemiology, oral health and disparities were highly researched areas.

CONCLUSION

This bibliometric study reviews CDOE's significant contribution to dental public health by identifying key research trends, themes, influential authors and collaborations. The findings provide insights into the need to increase publications from developing countries, improve gender diversity in authorship and broaden the scope of research themes.

Commercializing equitable, accessible oral microbiome transplantation therapy

Chronic oral diseases, such as caries and periodontal disease, may, in future, be treated by oral microbiome transplant (OMT) technology. OMT therapy would involve collecting a donor oral microbiome and transplanting into a recipient to either prevent or treat oral diseases linked to a change (i.e., dysbiosis) in the oral microbiome. Given the great promise of this technology, we must consider the ethical and practical implications of how it is developed to maximise its accessibility and affordability. Here, we examine ways that OMT technology might be commercialized in the context of equity and accessibility in both clinical or do-it-yourself settings. We do this while assuming that the technology can be developed for humans in ways that are safe and effective at the individual and population-levels. We highlight the need for OMT therapy to be 1) cost-effective, 2) understood by end users and clinicians, 3) easy to access even in rural or remote communities, and 4) providing donors equitable compensation for their microbiomes. These key elements will only be achieved through partnerships between scientists, clinicians, investors and stakeholders throughout development. Therefore, proper acknowledgement and equitable evaluation of contributions in this team will also be critical to ensuring that this technology can be globally accessed. While OMT is likely to reshape how we prevent or treat oral disease, consciously guiding its development toward equity and accessibility to all people may significantly aid in improving health for those without access to dental care.

Oral microbiome research from a public health perspective and implications for oral health

Advancing oral microbiome research has revealed the association between oral microbiome composition and oral disease. However, much of the research has predominantly focused on comparing health and disease conditions, overlooking the potential dental public health implications. This article examines the evolution of oral microbial research from inception, advancement, and current knowledge of health-associated microbiota. Specifically, we focus on two key aspects: the impact of lifestyle and environmental factors on the oral microbiome and using the oral microbes as a therapeutic modality. The complex interaction of host intrinsic, environmental, and lifestyle factors affects the occurrence and development of the oral microbiota. The article highlights the need for ongoing research that embraces population diversity to promote health equity in oral health research and integrate public health practices into microbiome-based research. The implication of population-level interventions and targeted approaches harnessing the oral microbiome as an intervention, such as oral microbiome transplantation, should be further explored.

Single parent adoption in India: Mental health and legal perspectives and the way forward

Single parent adoption (SPA) is a relatively new construct worldwide and in India. The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, has laid down criteria for adoption in general and SPA in particular, in conjunction with the Juvenile Justice Act (Care and Protection of Children), 2015. There is scant literature on this topic of SPA, more so in India, that looks into the various psychological nuances of SPA from a mental health professional's (MHP) perspective. This review paper aims to assess SPA from the perspective of a MHP that will focus on its various legal nuances as well as the psychological connotations attached to it. For this, a search strategy was employed that included a thorough literature search from two databases (PubMed and Google Scholar) with relevant keywords related to the topic. The various legal issues pertaining to SPA in the current scenario, the psychological issues and challenges faced by single parents, the behavioral outcomes of adoptees who are adopted by single parents, and ways to deal with the various obstacles of SPA are discussed.

Gender inequities in dental research publications: Findings from 20 years

BACKGROUND

The first steps towards gender equity in science are measuring the magnitude of inequity and increasing awareness of the problem.

OBJECTIVES

To describe trends in gender disparities in first and last authorship in the most cited dental publications and general dental literature over a 20-year period.

METHODS

Articles and bibliometric data were retrieved from the Scopus database for the period 1996 to 2015. Two groups of 1000 articles each were retrieved: a random sample and another sample of top-cited articles for each year. The gender of the first and last author of each publication was manually identified. When this was not possible, we used an online software platform (https://genderize.io/). Descriptive analyses identified the proportion of women first and last authors in both samples, stratifying by dental discipline and geographic region. Trends were ascertained by frequency metrics across years. Gender disparity was observed in both first and last authorship, with a larger gap being observed in the top-cited sample.

RESULTS

Women led 28.4% and 20.3% of articles in the random and top-cited samples, respectively. A similar pattern was observed for the last authorship group (22.1% and 16.1%, respectively). An increasing trend in the proportion of articles led by women over time was observed in both samples. This increase was larger in the top-cited sample (from 15.0% in 1996-2000 to 25.1% in 2015) than in the random sample (from 26.3% in 1996-2000 to 33.2% in 2011).

CONCLUSIONS

Clear gender disparities in dental research publications in the last 20 years were identified in both general and top-cited manuscripts, across dental disciplines, across countries, across first and last authorship, and over time. It is paramount that actions are taken to attract, retain and promote women in science, as well as to monitor and ensure progress towards gender equity.

The Global Prevalence and Severity of Dental Caries among Racially Minoritized Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Racially minoritized children often bear a greater burden of dental caries, but the overall magnitude of racial gaps in oral health and their underlying factors are unknown. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to fill these knowledge gaps. We compared racially minoritized (E) children aged 5-11 years (P) with same-age privileged groups (C) to determine the magnitude and correlates of racial inequities in dental caries (O) in observational studies (S). Using the PICOS selection criteria, a targeted search was performed from inception to December 1, 2021, in nine major electronic databases and an online web search for additional grey literature. The primary outcome measures were caries severity, as assessed by mean decayed, missing, and filled teeth (dmft) among children and untreated dental caries prevalence (d > 0%). The meta-analysis used the random-effects model to calculate standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Subgroup analysis, tests for heterogeneity (I2, Galbraith plot), leave-one-out sensitivity analysis, cumulative analysis, and publication bias (Egger's test and funnel plots) tests were carried out. The New Castle Ottawa scale was used to assess risk of bias. This review was registered with PROSPERO, CRD42021282771. A total of 75 publications were included in the descriptive analysis. The SMD of dmft score was higher by 2.30 (95% CI: 0.45, 4.15), and the prevalence of untreated dental caries was 23% (95% CI: 16, 31) higher among racially minoritized children, compared to privileged groups. Cumulative analysis showed worsening caries outcomes for racially marginalized children over time and larger inequities in dmft among high-income countries. Our study highlights the high caries burden among minoritized children globally by estimating overall trends and comparing against factors including time, country, and world income. The large magnitude of these inequities, combined with empirical evidence on the oral health impacts of racism and other forms of oppression, reinforce that oral health equity can only be achieved with social and political changes at a global level.

Psychosis Unmasking a Diagnosis of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: a Case Report

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder that affects multiple organs. Neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) can manifest with a multitude of neurological and psychiatric symptoms. Psychosis is a rare NPSLE manifestation that can occur at any phase of the illness; 21% of SLE-related psychosis cases occur at the onset of SLE, but the evidence base for this is lacking. We report a case of acute-onset psychosis in a woman that led to a diagnosis of SLE, which was substantiated by physical evaluation and laboratory assessments. Assessment of acute-onset psychosis requires consideration of all differential diagnoses, especially in the presence of atypical features. This case also underscores the importance of physical examination and laboratory investigations in psychosis.

Superior Interfacial Contact Yields Efficient Electron Transfer Rate and Enhanced Solar Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation in M/C3N4 Schottky Junctions

Various literature studies (Table 6) have reported that dispersion of metal nanoparticles (NPs) on graphitic carbon nitride g-C3N4 (M/CN) has considerably improved the photocatalytic hydrogen yield. It is understood that metal NPs create active sites on the surface of CN and act as a cocatalyst. However, the precise changes induced by different metal NPs on the surface of CN still elude us. Here, we report a thorough understanding and comparison of the morphology, metal-support interactions, interfacial charge transfer kinetics, and band characteristics in different M/CN (M = Pt, Pd, Au, Ag, Cu) correlated with photocatalytic activity. Among all metals, Pt/CN was found to be the best performer both under sunlight and UV-visible irradiation. Under sunlight, maximum H2@ 2.7 mmol/h/g was observed over Pt/CN followed by Pd/CN > Au/CN > Ag/CN > Cu/CN ≈ CN. The present study revealed that among all metals, Pt formed superior interfacial contact with g-C3N4 as compared to other metals. The maximum Schottky barrier height (Φb,Pt) of 0.66 V was observed at Pt/CN followed by Φb,Au/CN (0.46 V) and Φb,Pd/CN (0.05 V). The presence of electron-deficient Pt in Pt-XPS, decrease in the intensity of d-DOS of Pt near the Fermi level in VB-XPS, increase in CB tail states, and cathodic shift in Vfb in MS plots sufficiently confirmed strong metal-support interactions in Pt/CN. Due to the SPR effect, Au and Ag NPs suffered from agglomeration and poor dispersion during photodeposition. Finely dispersed Pt NPs (2-4 nm, 53% dispersion) successfully competed with shallow/deep trap states and drove the photogenerated electrons to active metallic sites in a drastically reduced time period as investigated by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. Typically, an interfacial electron transfer rate, KIET,avg, of 2.5 × 1010 s-1 was observed for Pt/CN, while 0.087 × 1010 s-1 was observed in Au/CN. Band alignment/potentials at M/CN Schottky junctions were derived and most favorable in Pt/CN with CB tail states much above the water reduction potential; however, in the case of Pd, these extend much below the H+/H2 potential and hence behave like deep trap states. Thus, in Pd/CN (τ0 = 4200 ps, 49%) and Ag/CN (3870 ps, 53%), electron deep trapping dominates over charge transfer to active sites. The present study will help in designing futuristic new cocatalyst-photocatalyst systems.

Pluronic Induced Interparticle Attraction and Re-entrant Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation in Charged Silica Nanoparticle Suspensions

Tuning surface properties of nanoparticles by introducing charge, surface functionalization, or polymer grafting is central to their stability and applications. Here, we show that introducing non-DLVO forces like steric and hydrophobic effects in charged silica nanoparticle suspensions through interaction with a nonionic surfactant brings about interesting modulations in their interparticle interaction and phase behavior. The Ludox TM-40 negatively charged silica suspensions thus exhibit liquid-liquid phase separation driven by the onset of interparticle attraction in the system in the presence of the triblock copolymer Pluronic P123. The observed phase separations are thermoresponsive in nature, as they are associated with lower consolute temperatures and a re-entrant behavior as a function of temperature. The nanoparticle-Pluronic system thus undergoes transformation from one-phase to two-phase and then back to one-phase with monotonic increase in temperature. Evolution of the interparticle interaction in the composite system is investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), small angle neutron scattering (SANS), zeta potential, rheological, and fluorescence spectroscopy studies. Zeta potential studies show that the charge interaction in the system is partially mitigated through adsorption of a Pluronic micellar layer on the nanoparticle surfaces. Contrast-matching SANS studies suggest that hydrophobic interactions between the adsorbed micellar layer bring about the onset of interparticle attraction in the system. The results are unique and not reported hitherto in charged silica nanoparticle systems.

Provision of Dental Care to Indigenous South Australians and Impacts on Improved General Health: Study Protocol

BACKGROUND

Indigenous South Australians carry a disproportionate burden of dental diseases, with approximately 80 percent of Indigenous adults having both periodontal disease and dental caries. The chronic inflammatory nature of many dental conditions means there are widespread systemic impacts, particularly on type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease. Evidence suggests there are barriers experienced by Indigenous South Australians in accessing timely and culturally safe dental care. This study aims to: (1) elicit the views of Indigenous South Australians regarding their perspectives of what comprises culturally safe dental care; (2) provide such dental care and; (3) assess any changes in both oral and general health using point-of-care testing following receipt of timely, comprehensive and culturally safe dental care.

METHODS/DESIGN

This mixed-methods study will involve qualitative interviews and an intervention without randomisation. The qualitative component will comprise seeking perspectives of Indigenous South Australians regarding what culturally safe dental care means for them. For the intervention component, participants will take part in oral epidemiological examinations at baseline and 12-month follow-up (after receipt of dental care), which will include collection of saliva, plaque and calculus, as well as completion of a self-report questionnaire. The primary outcome measures-changes in type 2 diabetes (HbA1c), cardiovascular disease (CRP) and chronic kidney disease (ACR)-will be obtained by blood/urine spot from a finger prick/urine collection at baseline and 12-month follow-up via point-of-care testing.

RESULTS

Participant recruitment will commence in July 2022. The first results are expected to be submitted for publication one year after recruitment begins.

DISCUSSION

The project will have a number of important outcomes, including increased understanding of what culturally safe dental care means for Indigenous South Australians, the delivery of such care, and empirical evidence of how culturally safe dental care leads to better prognosis for chronic diseases linked with poor oral health. This will be important for health services planning, especially in the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation sector, where the management of dental diseases in a culturally safe manner for better chronic disease outcomes is currently insufficiently understood, planned and budgeted for.

Prevalence of periodontal disease among Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations: protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Indigenous populations globally experience worse oral health than their non-Indigenous counterpart. Globally, the occurrence of periodontal diseases such as gingivitis and chronic periodontitis is high among Indigenous people. This systematic review aims to quantify, at a global level, the prevalence of periodontal disease among Indigenous populations compared to non-Indigenous populations.

METHODS

This review will only consider studies that have reported the prevalence (%) of periodontal disease among Indigenous and compared against non-Indigenous populations. Studies that have no comparative population or data only on one particular population or lack of data on periodontal clinical assessment will be excluded. An electronic search will be conducted using keywords and appropriate MeSH terms across several databases capturing both published and unpublished articles. The search will be conducted from the time of database inception to February 2021. After the initial search, duplicates will be removed, and the remaining titles and abstracts will be assessed for eligibility. The full text of eligible studies will be assessed by two independent reviewers who will also complete the critical appraisals and data extraction. Outcomes measures would be the mean prevalence (%) and standard deviation of periodontal disease among Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. From the selected studies, we will conduct a random-effects meta-analysis using standardized mean difference as the effect measure. Forest plots will be used for the visualization of differences in the prevalence of periodontitis. A subgroup analysis will be conducted based on the definition of periodontitis, age, publication type, and geographical location. Heterogeneity among studies will be assessed by I² and chi-square test. Egger's test and funnel plots will be used to assess publication bias.

DISCUSSION

Our systematic review and meta-analysis will facilitate an increased understanding of the magnitude of periodontal disease inequalities that exist globally for Indigenous populations through pooled prevalence estimates. The findings will be helpful to design selective targeted preventive and interventional strategies for periodontal disease for reducing oral health inequalities at a global level.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42020188531.

Where are race-based oral health inequities bound? Protocol for a systematic review on interventions to tackle racial injustice in dental outcomes

BACKGROUND

Only three literature reviews have assessed the impact of interventions on the reduction of racial inequities in general health to date; none has drawn from attempts at promoting racial oral health equity. This protocol aims to increase transparency and reduce the potential for bias of an ongoing systematic review conceived to answer the following questions: Are there any interventions to mitigate racial oral health inequities or improve the oral health of racially marginalized groups? If so, how successful have they been at promoting racial oral health equity? How do conclusions of previous reviews change by taking the findings of oral health interventions into account?

METHODS

Reviewed studies must deploy interventions to reduce racial gaps or promote the oral health of groups oppressed along ancestral and/or cultural lines. We will analyze randomized clinical trials, natural experiments, pre-post studies, and observational investigations that emulate controlled experiments by assessing interactions between race and potentially health-enhancing interventions. Either clinically assessed or self-reported oral health outcomes will be considered by searching for original studies in MEDLINE, LILACS, PsycInfo, SciELO, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase from their earliest records to March 2022. Upon examining abstracts of conference proceedings, trial registries, reports of related stakeholder organizations, as well as contacting researchers for unpublished data, we will identify studies in the grey literature. If possible, we will carry out a meta-analysis with subgroup and sensitivity analysis, including formal meta-regression, to address potential heterogeneity and inconsistency among selected studies.

DISCUSSION

Conducting a systematic review of interventions to mitigate racial oral health inequities is crucial for determining which initiatives work best and under which conditions they succeed. Such knowledge will help consolidate an evidence base that may be used to inform policy and practice against persistent and pervasive racial inequities in general and oral health.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

This protocol has been registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews, under the identification number CRD42021261450 .

A Global Perspective of Racial-Ethnic Inequities in Dental Caries: Protocol of Systematic Review

Though current evidence suggests that racial-ethnic inequities in dental caries persist over time and across space, their magnitude is currently unknown from a global perspective. This systematic review aims to quantify the magnitude of racial/ethnic inequities in dental caries and to deconstruct the different taxonomies/concepts/methods used for racial/ethnic categorization across different populations/nations. This review has been registered in PROSPERO; CRD42021282771. An electronic search of all relevant databases will be conducted until December 2021 for both published and unpublished literature. Studies will be eligible if they include data on the prevalence or severity of dental caries assessed by the decayed, missing, filled teeth index (DMFT), according to indicators of race-ethnicity. A narrative synthesis of included studies and a random-effects meta-analysis will be conducted. Forest plots will be constructed to assess the difference in effect size for the occurrence of dental caries. Study quality will be determined via the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the GRADE approach will be used for assessing the quality of evidence. This systematic review will enhance knowledge of the magnitude of racial/ethnic inequities in dental caries globally by providing important benchmark data on which to base interventions to mitigate the problem and to visualize the effects of racism on oral health.

Butylated hydroxytoluene (bht) improves the post-thaw semen quality in low-dose sperm cryopreservation in murrah buffalo bull

BACKGROUND

Cryopreservation is an important technique for the long-term storage of semen for artificial insemination (AI). Buffalo spermatozoa are sensitive to cryopreservation procedures because of the presence of a high amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the plasma membrane.

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of different concentrations of BHT on the quality of Murrah buffalo bull semen for low-dose cryopreservation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Semen was collected from four high fertile Murrah buffalo bulls (6 ejaculates each) using an artificial vagina. A total of 24 ejaculates were collected from each bull twice a week using an artificial vagina. Every sample was split into four parts: Control without additives; and three treatments with BHT at 0.5 mM, 1 mM or 2 mM. Semen was cryopreserved at low-dose sperm cryopreservation of 20, 15, 10 and 5 million sperm per aliquot after supplementation of BHT. Semen samples were evaluated for fresh, pre-freeze and post-thaw stages.

RESULTS

There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in sperm quality parameters, such as progressive motility (%), viability (%), HOST response (%), acrosome integrity (%) and post-thaw motility, with the addition of 0.5-1 mM BHT.

CONCLUSION

The addition of BHT in Murrah buffalo semen improves the low dose cryopreservation quality in a dose-dependent manner. doi.org/10.54680/fr23110110612.

Development and characterization of an oral microbiome transplant among Australians for the treatment of dental caries and periodontal disease: A study protocol

BACKGROUND

Oral microbiome transplantation (OMT) is a novel concept of introducing health-associated oral microbiota into the oral cavity of a diseased patient. The premise is to reverse the state of oral dysbiosis, and restore the ecological balance to maintain a stable homeostasis with the host immune system. This study will assess the effectiveness, feasibility, and safety of OMT using an interdisciplinary approach.

METHODS/DESIGN

To find donors suitable for microbial transplantation, supragingival plaque samples will be collected from 600 healthy participants. Each sample (200μL) will subsequently be examined in two ways: 1) 100μL of the sample will undergo high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and shotgun sequencing to identify the composition and characterisation of a healthy supragingival microbiome, 2) the remaining 100μL of the plaque sample will be mixed with 25% artificial saliva medium and inoculated into a specialised in-vitro flow cell model containing a hydroxyapatite disk. To obtain sufficient donor plaque, the samples would be grown for 14 days and further analysed microscopically and sequenced to examine and confirm the growth and survival of the microbiota. Samples with the healthiest microbiota would then be incorporated in a hydrogel delivery vehicle to enable transplantation of the donor oral microbiota. The third step would be to test the effectiveness of OMT in caries and periodontitis animal models for efficacy and safety for the treatment of oral diseases.

DISCUSSION

If OMTs are found to be successful, it can form a new treatment method for common oral diseases such as dental caries and periodontitis. OMTs may have the potential to modulate the oral microbiota and shift the ecological imbalances to a healthier state.

Prevalence of dental caries among Indigenous populations compared to non-Indigenous populations: a quantitative systematic review protocol

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review is to evaluate if the prevalence of dental caries is higher among Indigenous populations compared to non-Indigenous populations.

INTRODUCTION

Globally, Indigenous populations have experienced substantial inequalities in health, including oral health care, when compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. Indigenous populations experience a higher prevalence of dental caries, but most of this data has been collected from convenience samples not involving non-Indigenous groups. This review will highlight differences in the prevalence of dental caries globally among Indigenous groups compared to non-Indigenous groups.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

The systematic review will include all studies that have compared the prevalence of dental caries (% of decayed teeth>0) and dental caries experience (mean score of decayed, missing, filled teeth) among Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations across all ages.

METHODS

Initially, articles will be searched in MEDLINE, followed by a more comprehensive search on Scopus, EBSCO (Dentistry and Oral Sciences Sources), Cochrane Database, and OpenGrey. The search will be conducted independently by two reviewers from database inception to September 2020. A reference list will be made identifying all eligible studies. Titles and abstracts will be reviewed, as well as the full text of articles that meet the inclusion criteria. To assess methodological quality, a standardized critical appraisal checklist for studies reporting prevalence will be selected, followed by standardized data extraction using the JBI tool. The results from included studies will be analyzed using JBI SUMARI.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER

PROSPERO CRD42020204311.

Periodontal disease inequities among Indigenous populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The prevalence of periodontal disease varies considerably between Indigenous and general populations. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the global prevalence of periodontal disease among Indigenous populations in comparison with non-Indigenous populations. A systematic electronic search of databases and grey literature sources was conducted of all records through to February 2021. Study selection criteria included original data that reported the prevalence of periodontal diseases among an Indigenous population and compared with a non-Indigenous population, without any restriction on age, sex, language or geographical location. Critical appraisal was conducted with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tool for prevalence studies. A random-effects model using standardised mean difference (SMD) as the effect measure was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of periodontitis. Subgroup analysis of study location and publication source was also performed. Publication bias was assessed using Egger's test, and funnel plots were used for visualisation. A total of 19 articles were included for descriptive and meta-analysis. The overall prevalence of periodontitis was 35% (95% CI: 0.18, 0.52) higher among the Indigenous population than the non-Indigenous population. The pooled prevalence of periodontitis was consistently higher among the Indigenous populations when stratified according to periodontitis definition employed, study location and publication source. Indigenous populations have a higher prevalence of periodontitis than non-Indigenous populations. To decrease oral health inequities, more emphasis should be given to oral health promotion and specific culturally safe interventions working in partnership with Indigenous populations.

Unusual Growth and Hydration Characteristics of Oil Solubilized Micelles in Aqueous Pluronic Systems

Lipophile induced modulations of self-assembly characteristics in aqueous Pluronic systems merit attention because of wide-ranging uses of Pluronics as solubilizing agents of lipophilic substances. In this paper, we report unusual evolutions of structural and hydration properties in lavender essential oil (LO) solubilized Pluronic P85 aqueous micellar systems as a function of micellar volume fraction and temperature. Our DLS, SANS, and viscometry studies show that the spherical-to-wormlike micellar structural transition observed in 1% P85 solutions upon solubilization of LO quite unexpectedly gets suppressed with increased P85 concentration to ≥5%. Detailed SANS studies reveal that the core sizes of the oil solubilized micelles cannot attain the threshold value required for the onset of structural transition at higher copolymer concentrations due to their progressive shrinking with an increase in P85 concentration. Oil solubilized P85 solutions show two cloud points and very interestingly exhibit micellar growth upon cooling to their lower cloud points. Steady state fluorescence studies explain this based on increasing dehydration of micellar corona with a decrease in temperature, very much opposite to what is observed in pure aqueous Pluronic systems. The results give new insight into viscous flow properties and low temperature storage possibilities of oil solubilized aqueous Pluronic systems.

Dental Health Inequalities among Indigenous Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to document the disparity in dental caries experiences among indigenous and nonindigenous populations globally by measuring dental caries prevalence and severity. An electronic database (MEDLINE) was initially searched using relevant keywords. This was followed by use of the search string in the following electronic databases: Scopus, EBSCOhost, Cochrane, and Open Grey. Two independent reviewers conducted the study search and screening, quality assessment, and data extraction, which was facilitated using JBI SUMARI software. The primary outcome was the decayed missing filled teeth (DMFT) score and dental caries prevalence. Subgroup analysis was done by country of publication to identify causes of heterogeneity. Forest plots were used with the standardized mean difference (SMD) and publication bias was assessed using the Egger test with funnel plot construction. For the final review, 43 articles were selected and 34 were meta-analyzed. The pooled mean DMFT for both the permanent dentition (SMD = 0.26; 95% CI 0.13-0.39) and deciduous dentition (SMD = 0.67; 95% CI 0.47-0.87) was higher for the Indigenous population than for the general population. Indigenous populations experienced more decayed teeth (SMD = 0.44; 95% CI 0.25-0.62), a slightly higher number of missing teeth (SMD = 0.11< 95% CI -0.05 to 0.26), and lesser filled teeth (SMD = -0.04; 95% CI -0.20 to 0.13) than their nonindigenous counterparts. The prevalence of dental caries (SMD = 0.27; 95% CI 0.13-0.41) was higher among indigenous people. Globally, indigenous populations have a higher caries prevalence and severity than nonindigenous populations. The factors which have led to such inequities need to be examined.

Comparative evidence support better antioxidant efficacy of mitochondrial-targeted (Mitoquinone) than cytosolic (Resveratrol) antioxidant in improving in-vitro sperm functions of cryopreserved buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) semen

The present study compared the effect of mitochondria-targeted (Mitoquinone, MitoQ) and untargeted cytosolic antioxidant (Resveratrol, RESV) supplementation on lipid peroxidation (LPO) and in-vitro sperm functions of cryopreserved buffalo bull semen. To optimize additive's concentration, sperm pellet obtained from twenty-four ejaculates was supplemented with different concentrations of MitoQ (20 nM, 100 nM, 200 nM); and RESV (10 μM, 25 μM, 50 μM) against control in the extender. The post-thaw sperm motility, livability, and membrane integrity were higher (P < 0.05) in 200 nM MitoQ and 50 μM RESV than other concentrations used. In another experiment, sperm pellet from thirty-two ejaculates was supplemented with 200 nM MitoQ and 50 μM RESV in the extender. Pre-freeze and post-thaw progressive motility and livability were higher (P < 0.05) in MitoQ (200 nM) than RESV (50 μM) treatment. MitoQ supplementation improved post-thaw membrane integrity (CFDA-PI) higher (P < 0.05) than RESV, however, hypo-osmotic swelling response observed no improvement with RESV treatment. Post-thaw LPO rate was lower (P < 0.05) and Bovine cervical mucus penetration was higher (P < 0.05) in MitoQ than RESV treatment. In post-thaw semen, MitoQ showed higher (P < 0.05) proportion of acrosome intact (FITC-PNA), live non-apoptotic (P < 0.01) sperm with a higher reduction (P < 0.05) in membrane scrambling. MitoQ improved (P < 0.01) proportion of sperm with high Mitochondrial Membrane Potential and low LPO (P < 0.01) than RESV treatment. In conclusion, improvement in post-thaw in-vitro sperm functions and cryo-tolerance was more evident in MitoQ than RESV supplemented buffalo bull semen. Our study provides a better strategy to mitigate oxidative stress by enhancing mitochondrial antioxidant system with targeted antioxidants than cytosolic antioxidant supplementation.

Effect of locally delivered doxycycline as an adjunct to scaling and root planing in the treatment of periodontitis in smokers: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis

BACKGROUND

Scaling and root planing (SRP) for the treatment of periodontitis may be less effective in some patients. This study evaluated the effectiveness of local doxycycline as an adjunct to SRP among smokers with periodontitis compared to SRP alone in randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

For this systematic review and meta-analysis, PubMed and Scopus databases were searched till November 2018 for English publications. RCTs that compared the effect of local doxycycline adjunct to SRP among smokers with periodontitis were selected. Patient characteristics, disease characteristics, and outcome data on clinical attachment level (CAL) and periodontal probing depth at 1, 3- and 6-month follow-up was extracted. Quality of selected studies was assessed by the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 tool. Random effects model and trial sequential analysis were performed. GRADE approach was used to assess the quality of evidence. P > 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

RESULTS

Five trials were included in the review. Local use of doxycycline as an adjunct to SRP was effective in gain of 1.1 mm (0.47-1.74, P = 0.091) in CAL at 6 months calculated from two studies. The evidence was of low quality, and at least a total of 866 patients are required for conclusiveness.

CONCLUSION

Local doxycycline as an adjunct to SRP significantly improved clinical attachment in smokers with periodontitis and can be recommended. Studies are required with long-term follow-up and patient-related outcome data.

P1409Effectiveness of atrial fibrillation ablation using a contact force stability module with contact force or non-contact force catheter

Funding Acknowledgements

This study was funded by Biosense Webster, Inc.

Background

Catheter ablation is a mainstream treatment option for atrial fibrillation (AF). Recently, contact force (CF) enabled ablation catheters and a stability module were developed to allow for real-time CF sensing and improvement of catheter-tissue stability, which is important for achieving an optimal clinical outcome.  We assessed the relative effectiveness of these new technologies, as well as the optimal CF stability parameters, in a real-world setting.

Purpose

To compare the clinical effectiveness of AF ablations performed with a CF catheter using location stability settings of 2.5 mm maximum distance for 12 s minimum (2.5/12) vs. a non-CF catheter with settings of 3 mm for 7 s (3/7).

Methods

Within 1/14–4/18, 176 de novo AF ablations using either a CF catheter with stability settings of 2.5/12 (n = 92, 5/16–4/18) or a non-CF catheter with stability settings of 3/7 (n = 84, 1/14–3/14) were performed by a single operator at a Canadian medical center. Patients routinely wore 48 hour Holter monitors every three months through the first year. The primary measures of effectiveness were Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival estimates of freedom from AF/atrial tachycardia (AT)/atrial flutter (AFL) recurrence after a 3-month blanking period and reablation.

Results

The CF group was 62.9 ± 10.0 years old, 57.6% male, and 66.3% paroxysmal (PAF). The non-CF group was 61.6 ± 9.9 years old, 63.1% male, and 76.2% PAF. Procedural complications consisted of a single vascular access complication in the non-CF group. The 12-month estimate of freedom from AF/AT/AFL recurrence was 79.4% in the CF group vs. 64.8% in the non-CF group (p = 0.058 for difference in survival over time). 12-month freedom from reablation was 90.4% in the CF group vs. 70.5% in the non-CF group (p = 0.002).

Conclusion

CF ablation with more stringent stability settings of 2.5/12 was more effective than non-CF ablation with stability settings of 3/7, likely attributable to the CF catheter enabling visualization of catheter-tissue contact and the stability module facilitating maintenance of CF stability during ablation.

Abstract Figure.

Determinants of periodontitis among a rural Indian population: A case control study

OBJECTIVES

Identify the determinants of periodontitis in a rural Indian population aged 35-44 years.

BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN

Case-control clinical and questionnaire study in a cluster sample of 50 villages.

METHODS

A total of 3000 persons were screened for the presence of periodontitis using the CDC case definition in full mouth examination. Equal numbers of cases (604 persons with periodontitis) and controls (604 without periodontitis) were recruited and interviewed with a piloted questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate analysis estimated crude and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) respectively with 95% confidence limits.

RESULTS

Six factors were determined by multivariate analysis to predict periodontitis: education less than or equal to twelve years of schooling (aOR=2.51, 95% CI=1.18-5.34), alcohol consumption (aOR= 1.7, 95% CI=1.16-2.49), consuming a non-vegetarian diet (aOR=1.38, 95% CI=1.08-1.76), not drinking milk (aOR=1.7, 95% CI= 1.29-2.24), not using a toothbrush for cleaning of teeth (aOR=2.98, 95% CI =1.71-5.21) and not cleaning teeth at least once a day (aOR=2.13, 95% CI=1.58-2.87).

CONCLUSION

Risk factors for periodontitis in a rural Indian population were identified. Further studies should validate these findings and appropriate recommendations should be developed to decrease the prevalence and burden of periodontitis in this population.

Alcohol consumption is associated with periodontitis. A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether alcohol consumption is associated with the risk of periodontitis.

BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

METHOD

PubMed and Scopus were searched for eligible articles published in English from inception till November 2018. The quality of studies was assessed by the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Pooled odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for the risk of periodontitis associated with highest versus lowest/non-alcohol in a random effects meta-analysis model. Heterogeneity and sensitivity were investigated in meta regression analysis. A funnel plot was used to assess publication bias.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine observational studies were included. One study with two separate datasets was considered as two separate studies for analysis. Alcohol consumption was significantly associated with the presence of periodontitis (OR = 1.26, 95% CI= 1.11-1.41). Significant heterogeneity (I2=71%) was present in the overall analysis, primarily attributable to sampling cross-sectional studies (I2=76.6%). A funnel plot and Egger tests (p=0.0001) suggested the presence of publication bias.

CONCLUSION

Alcohol consumption was associated with increased occurrence of periodontitis and should be considered as a parameter in periodontal risk assessment. Publication bias should be explored in future studies.

An exploratory parallel-group randomised controlled trial of antenatal Guided Self-Help (plus usual care) versus usual care alone for pregnant women with depression: DAWN trial

BACKGROUND

Depression is a common antenatal mental disorder associated with significant maternal morbidity and adverse fetal outcomes. However, there is a lack of research on the effectiveness or cost-effectiveness of psychological interventions for antenatal depression.

METHODS

A parallel-group, exploratory randomised controlled trial across five hospitals. The trial compared Guided Self-Help, modified for pregnancy, plus usual care with usual care alone for pregnant women meeting DSM-IV criteria for mild-moderate depression. The trial objectives were to establish recruitment/follow-up rates, compliance and acceptability, and to provide preliminary evidence of intervention efficacy and cost-effectiveness. The primary outcome of depressive symptoms was assessed by blinded researchers using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale at 14-weeks post-randomisation.

RESULTS

620 women were screened, 114 women were eligible and 53 (46.5%) were randomised. 26 women received Guided Self-Help - 18 (69%) attending ≥4 sessions - and 27 usual care; n = 3 women were lost to follow-up (follow-up rate for primary outcome 92%). Women receiving Guided Self-Help reported fewer depressive symptoms at follow-up than women receiving usual care (adjusted effect size -0.64 (95%CI: -1.30, 0.06) p = 0.07). There were no trial-related adverse events. The cost-effectiveness acceptability curve showed the probability of Guided Self-Help being cost-effective compared with usual care ranged from 10 to 50% with a willingness-to-pay range from £0 to £50,000.

CONCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS

Despite intense efforts we did not meet our anticipated recruitment target. However, high levels of acceptability, a lack of adverse events and a trend towards improvements in symptoms of depression post-treatment indicates this intervention is suitable for talking therapy services.

Impact of functional IL-18 polymorphisms on genetic predisposition and diverse clinical manifestations of the disease in Indian SLE patients

Several studies have demonstrated associations between interleukin-18 polymorphisms and risk of systemic lupus erythematosus in different populations except one of Indian origin. We therefore investigated for the influence of interleukin-18 (-1297T/C, -607A/C, -137G/C; + 105A/C) polymorphisms on genetic susceptibility and clinical expression of the disease in Indian systemic lupus erythematosus patients. A total of 200 systemic lupus erythematosus patients and 201 controls were recruited. Genotyping of interleukin-18 polymorphisms were performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Serum interleukin-18 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Interleukin-18 (-1297T/C; -137G/C) polymorphisms showed significant association with genetic susceptibility to the disease in our systemic lupus erythematosus cohort. Stratification analysis revealed -1297CC and -1297C associated with renal involvement (odds ratio = 3.4, correcting p value = 0.0207), (odds ratio = 2.0, correcting p value = 0.0054) respectively. Additionally, -1297C allele frequency was significantly increased in patients with anti-nucleosome antibody (odds ratio = 2.1, correcting p value = 0.0301). Haplotype analysis showed CC haplotype strongly associated with serositis (odds ratio = 9.1, correcting p values = 0.0009) and neurologic involvement (odds ratio = 9.3, correcting p value = 0.0018). We reported a 2.7-fold increase in serum interleukin-18 levels in patients (511.5 ± 242.3 pg/ml) compared to controls (189.4 ± 80.8 pg/ml) ( p < 0.0001). Furthermore, interleukin-18 levels were positively correlated with disease activity ( r = 0.548, p = 0.0001) and renal involvement in the patients with lupus nephritis ( r = 0.569, p < 0.0001). In summary, interleukin-18 polymorphisms elucidated in this study appear to confer genetic susceptibility to the disease and are associated with renal, serositis and neurologic involvement in Indian systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Growth and liver histology of Channa punctatus exposed to a common biofertilizer

Mustard oil cake (MOC) is widely used as biofertilizer in the field of agriculture and aquaculture. Channa punctatus was exposed to 0.42 g.L^-1 sublethal concentration for 4, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Due to such exposure, body growth and histological changes in liver were observed. It was revealed that weight, length and breadth of fish were gradually increased with the days of exposure in compare to control fish, whereas, liver showed an increase in sinusoidal space and lipidosis during early days, followed by a recovery from the stress of MOC on the 28th day.

Ovarian steroid hormone secretion activity examined after supplementation of green tea extract

This study aimed at examining the secretion activity of steroid hormones progesterone and 17beta-estradiol by porcine ovarian granulosa cells after addition of green tea extract. Granulosa cells were incubated with green tea extract (at doses of 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 microg.ml(-1). Another set of cells were incubated with green tea extract at the above doses along with additional supplementation of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) at 10 microg.ml(-1). Release of hormones by granulosa cells was assessed by EIA after 24 h exposure. Secretion of steroid hormones was not affected either by green tea extract alone or after FSH supplementation with green tea extract. Results indicate that ovarian steroidogenesis is not affected by green tea under conditions used in the experiment.

Data collection using open access technology in multicentre operational research involving patient interviews

Conducting multicentre operational research is challenging due to issues related to the logistics of travel, training, supervision, monitoring and troubleshooting support. This is even more burdensome in resource-constrained settings and if the research includes patient interviews. In this article, we describe an innovative model that uses open access tools such as Dropbox, TeamViewer and CamScanner for efficient, quality-assured data collection in an ongoing multicentre operational research study involving record review and patient interviews. The tools used for data collection have been shared for adaptation and use by other researchers.

Comparative efficacy of deltamethrin and chlorpyriphos in bovine ticks in and around Jabalpur

Efficacy of chlorpyriphos (Classic*20, 20% EC) and deltamethrin (Butox^®, 1.25% EC) was assessed by spraying these drugs on cattle and buffaloes which were naturally infested with ticks at the concentration of 2.5 and 2 ml/l, respectively. Results of the study demonstrated the prolonged effect of chlorpyriphos when compared with deltamethrin. Moreover, residual effect of chlorpyriphos remained even after 14 days of treatment with 28.57% animals showing reinfestation, while in deltamethrin treated animals; the tick number started increasing after 14th day of treatment with 50% animals showing reinfestation on 14th day post-treatment.