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This paper explores the issues of caste and casteism in the U.S. as described by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson in her 2020 book Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents. Wilkerson argues that a caste system not only exists in the U.S. but operates as a hidden force affecting social inequality. The paper draws on Wilkersons work to explore caste as an analytical concept. It begins by defining caste and casteism in contrast with racism, the eight pillars of a caste system, the consequences of casteism, and the psychological drivers of casteism. The paper then applies to concept of caste to understanding power, dentistry, and oral health inequality. The paper concludes by emphasizing that the concept of caste and its relationship to oral health inequality must be understood it if we want to create real social change.

ObjectivesThe RASopathies are a group of syndromes that have in common germline mutations in genes that encode components of the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and have been a focus of study to understand the role of this pathway in development and disease. These syndromes include Noonan syndrome (NS), Noonan syndrome with multiple lentigines (NSML or LEOPARD syndrome), neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), Costello syndrome (CS), cardio-facio-cutaneous (CFC) syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1-like syndrome (NFLS or Legius syndrome) and capillary malformation-arteriovenous malformation syndrome (CM-AVM). These disorders affect multiple systems, including the craniofacial complex. Although the craniofacial features have been well described and can aid in clinical diagnosis, the dental phenotypes have not been analysed in detail for each of the RASopathies. In this review, we summarize the clinical features of the RASopathies, highlighting the reported craniofacial and dental findings.MethodsReview of the literature.ResultsEach of the RASopathies reviewed, caused by mutations in genes that encode different proteins in the Ras pathway, have unique and overlapping craniofacial and dental characteristics.ConclusionsCareful description of craniofacial and dental features of the RASopathies can provide information for dental clinicians treating these individuals and can also give insight into the role of Ras signalling in craniofacial development.

Cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome (CFC) is a RASopathy that is characterized by craniofacial, dermatologic, gastrointestinal, ocular, cardiac, and neurologic anomalies. CFC is caused by activating mutations in the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway that is downstream of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling. RTK signaling is known to play a central role in craniofacial and dental development, but to date, no studies have systematically examined individuals with CFC to define key craniofacial and dental features. To fill this critical gap in our knowledge, we evaluated the craniofacial and dental phenotype of a large cohort (n = 32) of CFC individuals who attended the 2009 and 2011 CFC International Family Conferences. We quantified common craniofacial features in CFC which include macrocephaly, bitemporal narrowing, convex facial profile, and hypoplastic supraorbital ridges. In addition, there is a characteristic dental phenotype in CFC syndrome that includes malocclusion with open bite, posterior crossbite, and a high-arched palate. This thorough evaluation of the craniofacial and dental phenotype in CFC individuals provides a step forward in our understanding of the role of RTK/MAPK signaling in human craniofacial development and will aid clinicians who treat patients with CFC.

Background: Dentists have an ethical responsibility to provide treatment to HIV-infected patients, particularly because oral lesions are common among these patients. However, there are no official guidelines about how to treat people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or how to screen for potentially infectious people. It is obvious that having adequate knowledge about HIV/AIDS enhances the doctors' confidence in their ability to manage the infected patients. The present study was conducted to assess the self-reported knowledge and attitude of private dental practitioners towards the treatment of HIV/AIDS-infected individuals. Methods: The present study was a questionnaire-based study which explored the factors associated with the 'self-reported knowledge and attitude of private dental practitioners towards the treatment of HIV/AIDS-infected individuals'. Results: The willingness to treat patients with HIV was found to be 52.8% among the dental practitioners in the present study, but the majority (54.8%) of the dentists thought that treating an HIV patient would have an effect on the other patients' attitude in receiving treatment/dental care from them. Also, the majority (42.6%) of the dentists thought that infection control procedures necessary for the treatment of the patients with HIV were not a financial burden for the practice. Conclusion: The level of dental practitioners' knowledge regarding HIV and AIDS was found to be average in the present study. The dental school curriculum must be updated and improved in order to enhance the knowledge of students as well teachers about the treatment of HIV/AIDS-infected individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Reserve Bank of India has put 11 public sector banks under prompt corrective action and is planning to put three more where public sector banks constitute 68.9% of the total asset of the Indian banking industry based on 2018 figures; this raises a genuine concern for the financial health of the Indian banking sector as a whole. Under these considerations, this study is conducted to estimate the survival of banks based on ownership and size and uses the Cox proportional hazards model. This study has not found any significant difference in the failure risk of both public and private sector banks based on ownership. However, the study found a significant difference in the failure risk of banks based on size. The smaller banks are indeed at a higher risk of failure than larger banks. The findings of this study can be used to create an early warning system for smaller banks in India.

One of the most difficult features of rigor mortis to explain is the great variation in the interval between death and the first signs of stiffening in the muscles. This study was conducted with an objective to determine the order of appearance of rigor mortis in different body parts and its relation to age, built and season. Earliest onset of rigor mortis was seen in 1-2 hours after death with maximal onset interval being 4-5 hours. Most of the cases showed onset of rigor mortis in eyelids in 3-4 hours, jaws in 4-5 hours, neck muscles in 6-7 hours, upper limbs in 8-9 hours, lower limbs in 10-11 hours, finger &toes in 11-12 hours. Children and elderly had early onset, development and passing off of rigor mortis as compared to adults. Thin-built persons also had early onset, development and passing off of rigor mortis as compared to well-built persons. Summers showed early onset, development and passing off of rigor mortis as compared to winters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College & Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. The study included 50 cases of fatal two wheeler accidents. The profile of fatal two wheeler accidental cases had been recorded and the data, thus collected, was analyzed statistically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College & Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. Total 602 dead bodies were brought for postmortem examination in year 2008, out of which, 334cases were road traffic accident deaths which accounted for 55.48%. This study included 100 cases. Most common injuries were abrasions (86%) followed by lacerations (75%). and contusion (58%). Incised wounds were found in only 2% of cases. Most common site involved was head and face (85%) followed by lower limb (65%), upper limb (54%), chest (48%) and abdomen (36%). Head injury was the dominant cause of death (57%) followed by abdominal injuries (19%) and thoracic injuries (7%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The retrospective study was undertaken to focus light upon the pattern and injury severity score of fatal blunt thoracoabdominal injuries in relation to various factors in the Patiala region. Atleast 100 cases were taken for this. The objective of the study was to find out the pattern of blunt thoraco-abdominal trauma in Patiala region as regards the sex ratio, the type of blunt trauma, and cause of death of victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College & Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, Punjab. This study included 50 cases of fatal two wheeler accidents details of which had been recorded to their pattern and distribution of injuries. According to the type of vehicles involved in these accidents, the maximum number of accidents was due to two wheeler vehicles (scooter/motorcycle) which had the involvement of heavy and light four wheeler vehicles in the most road side accidents. As for regional injuries, head/face injuries dominated the cause of deaths in fatal accidents, followed by limb injuries. Maximum deaths occurred due to fracture injuries followed by abrasions, leading to haemorrhage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The findings suggestive of advancing age in adults include fusion of skull sutures, sternum, pubic symphysis, arcus senilis, elasticity of skin in sun protected areas, evidence of osteoarthritis, gingival shrinkage, greying and thinning of hair, cataracts, kyphosis, etc. In this study, the frequency and size of arcus senilis were found to be positively associated with age, but provided no useful guide to the determination of age. Age should be estimated through physical examination; life history, matching local or national events with personal milestones; and existing nonformal documents. Individual ageing features have a poor positive predictive value for age, but in combination, are suggestive of advancing age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine Government Medical College & Rajindra hospital Patiala. This study included 50 cases of fatal two wheeler accidents details of which had been recorded regarding the pattern and distribution of injuries. The data thus collected was analyzed statistically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College & Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. Total 602 dead bodies were brought for postmortem examination in year 2008, out of which, 334cases were road traffic accident deaths which accounted for 55.48%. This study included 100 cases. The most common age group involved in fatal road traffic accidents was 21-30 years. Males outnumbered females in the ratio of 12.5:1. Two third of all the cases were in the age group of 11-40 years in both the sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]