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Background: This study investigated the prevalence and morphology of C‐shaped and non‐C‐shaped root canal systems in permanent mandibular first (PM1) and second (PM2) premolars using retrospective analysis of cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans, and panoramic radiographs. Methods: CBCT scans from 2000 patients were screened for the presence of premolars with C‐shaped canals and then assessed at three axial levels to determine the canal classification. The teeth were also assessed for Vertucci configuration, number of roots, and radicular grooves. Pre‐existing panoramic radiographs were evaluated to identify features specific to PM1/2 with multiple canals or C‐shaped anatomy. Results: A total of 1576 PM1 and 1424 PM2 from 880 patients were evaluated. The overall prevalence of C‐shaped canals was 2.2% (3.3% PM1, 1.0% PM2), with 49 (5.6%) patients presenting with at least one C‐shaped mandibular premolar. There were 2.3 ± 0.6 and 2.4 ± 0.5 different classifiable cross‐sections per tooth for PM1 and PM2, respectively. The sudden disappearance or bifurcation of a canal on panoramic radiographs was associated with the presence of multiple canals (P < 0.001) or C‐shaped anatomy (P = 0.03). Conclusions: There was substantial variation in cross‐sectional anatomy within and between C‐shaped premolars, which will affect endodontic treatment planning. © 2023 Australian Dental Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global food security is at risk due to climate change and outdated agricultural technology. The application of readily available technology and input management increased the food supply by 10 to 30 percent, raising a need for alternative farming practices. Furthermore, this study designed, developed, tested, and evaluated an automated, solar-powered aeroponics structure for plant cultivation and monitoring. A research and development approach was used, adapting the iterative model with its four phases: design (planning the prototype), development (creating program logic and assembling components), testing (functionality testing), and evaluation (assessing strengths and weaknesses of the prototype), creating a manageable and flexible workflow, allowing the researchers to incorporate changes based on ongoing feedback. The researchers constructed a prototype with three (3) main components: a growing chamber, a control panel, and a water reservoir. This system was programmed to read and transmit sensor data to the cloud for monitoring. Testing confirmed the functionality of all parts, and evaluation revealed the prototype to be both user-friendly and adaptable to user preferences. In conclusion, the aeroponics structure's high ratings in functionality, acceptability, and adaptability demonstrate a well-performing and user-friendly prototype. This aeroponics system offers a promising and efficient way to advance agricultural practices through its high adaptability to a wide range of conditions. Farmers will be able to modify the aeroponics structure to grow a variety of crops, including vegetables, as it advances. Moreover, the system requires less manual labor due to its automated features, making it an efficient and convenient agricultural innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The risk factors of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in patients with de novo Parkinson’s disease (PD) remain unclear. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare motor and non-motor symptoms between de novo patients with PD with and without MCI. Moreover, detailed relationships between each cognitive deficit and other clinical characteristics in de novo patients with PD were investigated. Consecutive patients with de novo PD were retrospectively enrolled in this study. Motor symptoms were assessed using the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part-III and the Hoehn and Yahr (HY) stage. Non-motor symptoms including depression, anxiety, fatigue, and autonomic dysfunction were measured using representative questionnaires. Motor symptoms, depression, and dysautonomia were associated with MCI in de novo patients with PD. Compared with the non-MCI group with PD, the MCI group with PD had higher scores of UPDRS-III, HY stage, depression, and dysautonomia, but not fatigue or anxiety. Both UPDRS-III and HY stage were significantly linked to all cognitive deficits except attention. Logistic regression analysis showed that depression was associated with memory, visuospatial, and executive impairment, and dysautonomia was related to visuospatial and executive impairment. The results of this study suggest that cognitive impairment in PD might have a different relationship pattern to the motor and some non-motor symptoms.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the detailed characteristics of dizziness in patients with de novo Parkinson’s disease (PD) and the clinical implications of dizziness. Methods: Ninety-three people with de novo PD were enrolled between July 2017 and August 2022 for this retrospective study. Using each representative scale, various motor and non-motor symptoms were assessed. In addition, clinical manifestations of dizziness in those patients, including its presence, type, frequency, and duration of occurrence, were investigated. Results: Thirty-nine patients with de novo PD reported dizziness, with presyncope being the most common (38%). The most common frequency was several times a week (51%). The most common duration was a few seconds (67%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that dizziness was more common in women than in men {odds ratio (OR): 3.3601, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0820–10.4351, p = 0.0361}. Dizziness was significantly related to non-motor symptoms of low global cognition (OR: 0.8372, 95% CI: 0.7285–0.9622, p = 0.0123) and severe autonomic dysfunction (OR: 1.1112, 95% CI: 1.0297–1.1991, p = 0.0067). A post-hoc analysis revealed that dizziness was only associated with cardiovascular dysautonomia (adjusted OR: 10.2377, 95% CI: 3.3053–31.7098, p < 0.0001) among several domains of dysautonomia. Conclusions: About 42% of patients with de novo PD complained of dizziness. The occurrence of dizziness in those people was highly associated with female gender women, cognitive impairment, and cardiovascular dysautonomia. These results suggest that clinicians should pay close attention when patients with PD complain of dizziness.

Background: Complaining of dizziness is common in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) even at the early phase of the disease. Therefore, regarding motor or non-motor symptoms, clinical implication of subjective dizziness in early Parkinsonian patients is needed to be explored. Methods: Eighty patients diagnosed with early PD (defined by disease duration of five years or less) were retrospectively enrolled for the study. Dizziness handicap inventory (DHI), the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) Functional Level Scale (FLS), and clinical features of parkinsonian motor and non-motor symptoms using representative measurements. Results: Through simple and multiple linear regression analyses, we found that both DHI and FLS were significantly and positively correlated with postural instability/gait disorder (PIGD) score but negatively with the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) score. Conclusions: We found that subjective dizziness in patients with early PD was related to not only axial symptoms of PIGD, but also global cognitive function of MoCA. Further research is required to confirm our results.

Introduction As childhood mortality from infectious diseases falls across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the burden of disease attributed to surgical conditions is increasing. However, limited data exist on paediatric surgical outcomes in SSA. We compared the outcomes of five common paediatric surgical conditions in SSA with published benchmark data from high-income countries (HICs).Methods A multicentre, international, prospective cohort study was undertaken in hospitals providing paediatric surgical care across SSA. Data were collected on consecutive children (birth to 16 years), presenting with gastroschisis, anorectal malformation, intussusception, appendicitis or inguinal hernia, over a minimum of 1 month, between October 2016 and April 2017. Participating hospitals completed a survey on their resources available for paediatric surgery.The primary outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality. Mortality in SSA was compared with published benchmark mortality in HICs using χ2 analysis. Generalised linear mixed models were used to identify patient-level and hospital-level factors affecting mortality. A p

We extend theoretical perspectives of critical listening and storying with undergraduate researchers of Color as they conducted a Youth Participatory Action Research inquiry. Undergraduate researchers designed, analyzed, and shared findings of their photovoice project examining their transition experiences to a PwI. We asked: what literacy activities do undergraduate researchers of Color enact during the photovoice project; and how are undergraduate researchers’ literacy activities shaping and, in turn, shaped by contexts of relationality? We conceptually frame our work as extending notions of quilting across African Diaspora women’s communities. We discuss how undergraduate co-researchers enact literacies of relationality while examining transition experiences of first-year students of Color. This stance-taking considers how educational communities including teachers, teacher educators, education researchers, and student affairs educators may meaningfully incorporate knowledge, perspectives, and questions of preservice teachers of Color, which are an integral part of transition experiences of undergraduate researchers and future teachers.

Injuries represent a global public health threat and that threat is disproportionally felt especially in low and middle income countries (LMICs) that experience 90% of global mortality from injury. Few LMICs have robust datasets describing patient injuries and injury care. Objective: To develop a hospital-based trauma registry in an urban hospital in Lusaka, Zambia to assess patterns of injury, transport methods and duration, injury severity, outcomes and hospital resource utilisation. Methods: From September 2011 to February 2012, all injured patients presenting to the Surgical Emergency Centre at University Teaching Hospital (UTH) were prospectively enrolled in an observational study to describe the epidemiology and the circumstances of injury of patients presenting to UTH, a 1400 bed urban hospital which is the primary trauma centre for Lusaka. Data on injured patients were collected by trained staff 24 h/day including: circumstances of trauma, transport method and time, injury type and location, vital signs on arrival, and disposition. Additional data regarding length of stay, HIV testing, operative procedures, use of blood products, and 30-day vital status were recorded for admitted patients. Results: A total of 3498 patients were enrolled in the trauma registry. Patients were primarily male (71.8%), young (median age 24 years), and the majority arrived by private vehicle (51.8%) or public transport (37.1%). The most common reported mechanisms of injury were falls (26.3%), road traffic accidents (25.6%) and assault (20.0%). Hospital resource utilisation data were available for 863 of the 1769 (48.7%) admitted patients. Of these, 661 (76.6%) had X-rays, 468 (57.5%) had a surgical procedure performed, 390 (45.2%) underwent HIV testing, and 50 (5.8%) received blood products. The case fatality rate was 3%. Conclusion: Limited dataset trauma registries can capture important epidemiologic data that can characterise injury care, identify patterns of injury, and inform hospital-based intervention strategies in Zambia.

• Proportion of Brahman genetics in yearling crossbred heifers is associated negatively with puberty attainment. • Reproductive tract scores measured prior to the breeding season determine the reproductive performance of heifers. • Pregnancy rates of heifers submitted to estrous synchronization regimen is not improved by imposing induction treatment. Number of pubertal heifers at time of breeding season initiation is a primary determinant to pregnancy success during the breeding season. It was hypothesized that pre-breeding progesterone (P 4) supplementation (induction) would increase the number of heifers pubertal at the time of imposing estrous synchronization treatment regimens and P/AI. Yearling, Bos indicus -influenced (n = 577) or Bos indicus (n = 174) heifers were or were not treated with P 4 (CIDR and Non-CIDR, respectively) for 10 d starting on D-23 (D0 = TAI). Presence of a CL on D-33 or D-23 was considered to indicate heifers were pubertal. On D-13, there was a PGF analogue administered. On D-9, there was treatment with GnRH analogue, 6d-CIDR and PGF. There were inseminations based on estrus (D-2 to D0) or TAI on D0 for non-estrous animals. There were 5.2 % and 62.9 % purebred and crossbred heifers pubertal, respectively. Proportion of prepubertal crossbred than purebred heifers with CL on D-3 was greater as a result of imposing the pubertal induction regimen (P < 0.05 and P > 0.10, respectively). Regardless of puberty status, proportion of heifers in estrus prior to AI in the CIDR group was similar to the heifers of the Non-CIDR group for crossbreds and purebreds. Similarly, P/AI of CIDR group was similar to the Non-CIDR group for crossbreds and purebreds. In summary, imposing the pubertal induction regimen hastened attainment of puberty in yearling crossbred, but not purebred heifers. Puberty induction did not affect estrous response, neither fertility after imposing an estrous synchronization treatment regimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]