Effects of Inhaled Brevetoxins in Allergic Airways: Toxin–Allergen Interactions and Pharmacologic Intervention

During a Florida red tide, brevetoxins produced by the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis become aerosolized and cause airway symptoms in humans, especially in those with pre-existing airway disease (e.g., asthma). To understand these toxin-induced airway effects, we used sheep with airway hypersensitivity to Ascaris suum antigen as a surrogate for asthmatic patients and studied changes in pulmonary airflow resistance (R(L)) after inhalation challenge with lysed cultures of K. brevis (crude brevetoxins). Studies were done without and with clinically available drugs to determine which might prevent/reverse these effects. Crude brevetoxins (20 breaths at 100 pg/mL; n = 5) increased R (L) 128 ± 6% (mean ± SE) over baseline. This bronchoconstriction was significantly reduced (% inhibition) after pretreatment with the glucocorticosteroid budesonide (49%), the β (2) adrenergic agent albuterol (71%), the anticholinergic agent atropine (58%), and the histamine H(1)-antagonist diphenhydramine (47%). The protection afforded by atropine and diphenhydramine suggests that both cholinergic (vagal) and H(1)-mediated pathways contribute to the bronchoconstriction. The response to cutaneous toxin injection was also histamine mediated. Thus, the airway and skin data support the hypothesis that toxin activates mast cells in vivo. Albuterol given immediately after toxin challenge rapidly reversed the bronchoconstriction. Toxin inhalation increased airway kinins, and the response to inhaled toxin was enhanced after allergen challenge. Both factors could contribute to the increased sensitivity of asthmatic patients to toxin exposure. We conclude that K. brevis aerosols are potent airway constrictors. Clinically available drugs may be used to prevent or provide therapeutic relief for affected individuals

Prevalence of Gingivitis in Patients Undergoing Orthodontic Treatment Between Age Group Of 25-35 Years - A Retrospective Study

Malocclusion is the misalignment or incorrect relation between the teeth and the dental arches. It is one of the leading causes of progression towards poor oral hygiene. Fixed orthodontic treatment is preferred and the most common method for treating malocclusions. Fixed appliances such as brackets, bands, or fixed retention may complicate optimal oral hygiene, and this may result in accumulation of dental plaque and gingival inflammation. S. mutans is the most common bacteria seen in the gingival sulcus. Prevention can be done by adequate oral prophylaxis prior to the commencement of orthodontic treatment. Thus the aim of the study is to assess the prevalence of gingivitis in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment between age 25-35 years. Evaluation of patients reported to saveetha dental college for the purpose of undergoing orthodontic treatment were chosen. 463 Patients data records were collected and descriptive statistics was done using SPSS software version 23 and the results obtained were tabulated and statistically analysed using the chi square test. It is observed that patients who developed gingivitis during orthodontic treatment belong to the age group of 25-30 years (56.16%) and 30- 35 years (16.41%) and the results are statistically significant (p<0.05). Males (39.96%) were commonly affected with gingivitis when compared to females (32.61). Thus it is important to understand the importance of the maintenance of oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment and patients should be made aware about the consequences of the ignorance to adopt adequate oral hygiene measures

Retrospective Study on Amount of Local Anaesthesia Used in Extraction of Mandibular Third Molar Impaction Based on Winters Classification

 Local anaesthesia are most commonly used drugs in dentistry. The required dose of local anaesthesia is based on factors like age, weight, systemic illness etc. Failure to administer the right amount may lead to adverse effects. Mandibular third molar is a common tooth to get impacted and due to which discomfort,pain and also caries in adjacent teeth occurs.Thus the aim of the study is to determine the amount of local anesthesia used in extraction of mandibular third molar. Evaluation of 634 patients reported to saveetha dental college for extraction of mandibular third molar. Data was collected from dental archiving software and the results were statistically analysed. From the results obtained, we can observe that impactions which use 0-2ml of local anaesthesia are mesioangular(28.01%), Distoangular impaction (8.79%), Horizontal impaction(21.01%), vertical impaction (6.35%), and impactions which use 3-5 ml are mesioangular(12.87%), Distoangular impaction (5.37%), Horizontal impaction(12.21%), vertical impaction (3.58%) and impactions which use 6-10 ml are mesioangular(1.30%), vertical impaction (0.33%) and the type of impaction which uses more amount of local anaesthesia was found to be mesioangular impaction but the results obtained are found to be statistically not significant(p>0.05). According to the age distribution, patients who use 0-2 ml of local anaesthesia belong to the age group of 17-25 years (23.78%), 26-35 years(28.50%), 36-45 years(8.41%), 45- 65 years(3.75%) and patients who use 3-5ml of local anaesthesia belong to the age group of 17-25 years (12.87%), 26-35 years(15.64%), 36-45 years(4.56%), 45-65 years(0.98%) and the patients of age group 17-25 years use maximum dose of local anaesthesia but the results obtained are statistically insignificant (p>0.05). Within the limits of the study, we can conclude that mesioangular impaction is the common impaction that uses a maximum dose of 6-10 ml and age groups of 26-35 years use more LA upto 5ml and ages 17-25 years use a maximum of 6-10 ml

Knowledge, Awareness and Practice of Opioid Analgesics in Dental Management Among Undergraduates- A Questionnaire Based Study

 Opioid analgesics are prescribed by dentists either as an adjunct or as a definitive treatment for pain management and also for some common dental diseases in which they can relieve pain when used appropriately. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the preferred analgesic agent by the majority of dentists when compared with opioid analgesics, because they inhibit inflammatory reactions in addition to providing analgesia. The appropriate and inappropriate use of opioid analgesics can lead to serious adverse drug events and these drugs have the potential to be misused and abused including overdose. The study was conducted among the dental undergraduates. Data collection was done by the use of online questionnaire forms that had 13 questions regarding the use of opioid analgesics in dental management. Google form was used for data collection from the surveyors.Statistical test was run using chi- square test with statistical analysis software SPSS version 23 by IBM. From the results of the study we can observe that 57% of the participants do not prescribe opioid analgesics to their patients. 62% of the participants have known that opioids can be used as a medication to relieve pain after a dental treatment. 65% of the participants consider tramadol hydrochloride to be the safest drug, 19% consider hydrocodone as the safest drug and 16% consider codeine as the safest drug among all the opioids and the results were statistically not significant. Higher interest was observed among the interns(34%) to prescribe opioids to their patients post dental treatment and the results were statistically significant. Thus it can be concluded that opioids when used in appropriate doses in the supervision of the dentist can reduce the side effects and produce excellent analgesic effect in dental management

Incidence of Allergy to Antibiotics During the Period Of 2019-2020- A Retrospective Study

The prescribing of antibiotics by dental practitioners has become an important aspect of dental practice. For this reason, antibiotics account for the vast majority of medicines prescribed by dentists. Allergy to antibiotics is a rare phenomenon which can occur from any group of drugs, such drugs should be avoided as possible and alternative drugs should be prescribed. The aim of the study is to analyse the incidence of antibiotic allergy during 2019-2020. Evaluation of 126 reports of patients reported to saveetha dental college and hospitals were analysed and the results were statistically analysed and tabulated using chi square test. intraoperative photographs were checked for cross verification. Out of 126 subjects, in the age group of 1-30 years, 15 patients(11.90%) were allergic to antibiotics and 21 patients(16.67%) were clinically healthy and in the age group of 31-60 years, 39 patients(30.95%) were allergic to antibiotics and 36 patients (28.57%) were clinically healthy. and in the age group of 61-80 years, 7 patients(5.56%) were allergic to antibiotics and 8 patients (6.35%) were clinically healthy. Among the 126 patients, 64 patients were males in which 33 patients were allergic to antibiotics(26.19%%) and 31 patients were healthy(24.60%). 62 patients were females in which 28 patients were allergic to antibiotics(22.22%) and 34 patients were healthy(26.98%) and the results obtained were statistically insignificant (P>0.05). Within the limits of this study of antibiotic allergy, incidence in males were higher and majority of the patients of the age group of 31- 60 years were allergic to antibiotics

Prevalence Of Traumatic Dental Injuries In Presence Of Oral Habits Among Preschoolers -an Institutional Based Retrospective Study.

Traumatic dental injuries are most frequent during the first 10 years of life, it decreases with increase in age, and are very rarely seen after the age of 30. Etiologic factors are very much linked to falls due to accidents or steps are the most common cause of oral injuries. The management of traumatic dental injuries to the primary teeth differs from that used for permanent dentition. There is a close relationship between the apex of the root of the injured primary tooth and the underlying permanent tooth germ. Thus the aim of the study is to analyse the prevalence of traumatic dental injuries in primary teeth among children in the age group of 1- 6 years. A retrospective analysis was done using dental archiving software present in the department of pedodontics where patients intraoperative photographs were checked for cross verification. The graphs and tables were done using SPSS software version 23 and chi square test was done. The results of the study showed that higher prevalence of traumatic dental injury was seen in females (25%) when compared to males (p>0.05), statistically not significant. Subjects with avulsion(33.33%) had oral habits of mouth breathing and subjects took minimum 1 day (16.67%) to report for treatment (p>0.05) statistically not significant

Performance of a Large-Area GEM Detector Prototype for the Upgrade of the CMS Muon Endcap System

Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) technology is being considered for the forward muon upgrade of the CMS experiment in Phase 2 of the CERN LHC. Its first implementation is planned for the GE1/1 system in the $1.5 < \mid\eta\mid < 2.2$ region of the muon endcap mainly to control muon level-1 trigger rates after the second long LHC shutdown. A GE1/1 triple-GEM detector is read out by 3,072 radial strips with 455 $\mu$rad pitch arranged in eight $\eta$-sectors. We assembled a full-size GE1/1 prototype of 1m length at Florida Tech and tested it in 20-120 GeV hadron beams at Fermilab using Ar/CO$_{2}$ 70:30 and the RD51 scalable readout system. Four small GEM detectors with 2-D readout and an average measured azimuthal resolution of 36 $\mu$rad provided precise reference tracks. Construction of this largest GEM detector built to-date is described. Strip cluster parameters, detection efficiency, and spatial resolution are studied with position and high voltage scans. The plateau detection efficiency is [97.1 $\pm$ 0.2 (stat)]\%. The azimuthal resolution is found to be [123.5 $\pm$ 1.6 (stat)] $\mu$rad when operating in the center of the efficiency plateau and using full pulse height information. The resolution can be slightly improved by $\sim$ 10 $\mu$rad when correcting for the bias due to discrete readout strips. The CMS upgrade design calls for readout electronics with binary hit output. When strip clusters are formed correspondingly without charge-weighting and with fixed hit thresholds, a position resolution of [136.8 $\pm$ 2.5 stat] $\mu$rad is measured, consistent with the expected resolution of strip-pitch/$\sqrt{12}$ = 131.3 $\mu$rad. Other $\eta$-sectors of the detector show similar response and performance.Comment: 8 pages, 32 figures, submitted to Proc. 2014 IEEE Nucl. Sci. Symposium, Seattle, WA, reference adde

Quality control and beam test of GEM detectors for future upgrades of the CMS muon high rate region at the LHC

Gas Electron Multipliers (GEM) are a proven position sensitive gas detector technology which nowadays is becoming more widely used in High Energy Physics. GEMs offer an excellent spatial resolution and a high particle rate capability, with a close to 100% detection efficiency. In view of the high luminosity phase of the CERN Large Hadron Collider, these aforementioned features make GEMs suitable candidates for the future upgrades of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector. In particular, the CMS GEM Collaboration proposes to cover the high-eta region of the muon system with large-area triple-GEM detectors, which have the ability to provide robust and redundant tracking and triggering functions. In this contribution, after a general introduction and overview of the project, the construction of full-size trapezoidal triple-GEM prototypes will be described in more detail. The procedures for the quality control of the GEM foils, including gain uniformity measurements with an x-ray source will be presented. In the past few years, several CMS triple-GEM prototype detectors were operated with test beams at the CERN SPS. The results of these test beam campaigns will be summarised

Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Strategies for Agronomic Crops

Climate change is a serious threat to agriculture and food security. Extreme weather conditions and changing patterns of precipitation lead to a decrease in the crop productivity. High temperatures and uncertain rainfall decrease the grain yield of crops by reducing the length of growing period. Future projections show that temperature would be increased by 2.5°C up to 2050. The projected rise in temperature would cause the high frequent and prolong heat waves that can decline the crop production. The rise in temperature results in huge reduction in yield of agronomic crops. Sustaining the crop production under changing climate is a key challenge. Therefore, adaptation measures are required to reduce the climate vulnerabilities. The adverse effect of climate change can be mitigated by developing heat tolerant cultivars and some modification in current production technologies. The development of adaptation strategies in context of changing climate provides the useful information for the stakeholders such as researchers, academia, and farmers in mitigating the negative effects of climate change

Estimation of the Healthcare Waste Generation During COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh

COVID-19 pandemic-borne wastes imposed a severe threat to human lives as well as the total environment. Improper handling of these wastes increases the possibility of future transmission. Therefore, immediate actions are required from both local and international authorities to mitigate the amount of waste generation and ensure proper disposal of these wastes, especially for low-income and developing countries where solid waste management is challenging. In this study, an attempt is made to estimate healthcare waste generated during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. This study includes infected, ICU, deceased, isolated and quarantined patients as the primary sources of medical waste. Results showed that COVID-19 medical waste from these patients was 658.08 tons in March 2020 and increased to 16164.74 tons in April 2021. A top portion of these wastes was generated from infected and quarantined patients. Based on survey data, approximate daily usage of face masks and hand gloves is also determined. Probable waste generation from COVID-19 confirmatory tests and vaccination has been simulated. Finally, several guidelines are provided to ensure the country\u27s proper disposal and management of COVID-related wastes