Comparison of the linear dimensional accuracy of denture bases cured the by conventional method and by the new press technique

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the linear dimensional accuracy of denture bases processed with the conventional heat-polymerization technique and the Rafael and Saide (RS) tension system, taking a multidirectional approach. Materials and Methods: Twenty standard edentulous maxillary casts were randomly assigned into two groups. A uniform denture base of 1.5 mm thickness was fabricated in wax and later processed by two methods: Group I acrylic resin flasked with the conventional technique and Group II acrylic resin flasked with the RS tension system. The dimensional accuracy was assessed using traveling microscope. Results: The linear dimensional changes that occurred between the dentures produced with the new press method and the conventional method were statistically insignificant and ranged from 0.002 to 0.11. The dimensionally stable areas were the canines and the most unstable was the posterior palate. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the maximum linear dimensional change occurs around the molars and palatal segment, with the most stable areas being the canines. There was no significant linear dimensional change of the dentures processed between the conventional and the new press technique

A CGE-ML approach to analysing india’s free trade agreements

India has set an ambitious export target of US$0.5 trillion by 2025 and US$1 trillion by 2030 from US$291 billion in 2021 as part of its Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign. Since India opened up its economy in 1991, India has concluded several bilateral and regional free trade agreements. India signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the United Arab Emirates in February 2022 and Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) with Australia in April 2022. India is in the process of concluding trade agreements with the UK, the European Union, Canada, Israel and GCC countries. This article estimates the impact of all the above mentioned FTAs on India’s GDP and its components with an increased emphasis on its exports using a computable general equilibrium framework and machine learning techniques. The analysis estimates that the FTAs will boost India’s GDP by 4.10$109.096 billion in 2030 and the exports increase by 16.73% or US$46.08 billion. The exports from India to UAE, Australia, UK, European Union, Canada, Israel and GCC countries are estimated to increase by US$67.312 billion by 2030. This increase is relatively higher than the increase in aggregate exports of India suggesting a trade diversion from countries that are not part of the FTAs toward the seven countries with which India is anticipated to sign an FTA.</p

Sexual Dysfunction Among Adolescent and Young Adult Men Diagnosed with Cancer

Purpose: Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients frequently demonstrate sexual dysfunction; however, there is a lack of data quantifying the severity and frequency.Methods: Males aged 18-39 years, diagnosed with cancer of any kind and who were scheduled to begin, were actively receiving, or had completed cancer treatment within 6 months, were offered validated surveys during their oncology appointment. These surveys included the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-6), Masturbation Erection Index (MEI), 36-Item Short Form Survey, and 5-point Likert scales to assess their desire and ability to engage in sex and masturbation.Results: Forty subjects completed the IIEF survey with a mean score of 17.7 +/- 11, erectile dysfunction (ED) prevalence accordingly was 58%. Thirty-eight subjects completed the MEI with a mean score of 25.3 +/- 5.3, ED prevalence was again 58%. Age and IIEF scores demonstrated a statistically significant (p 30%: chemotherapy demonstrated the highest prevalence at 64% (mean IIEF 17), whereas radiation therapy had the lowest prevalence at 33% (mean IIEF 23).Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among male AYA patients undergoing treatment for cancer is high. AYA oncologists should discuss potential sexual health concerns when treating this population. The exact cause of ED (non-organic vs. organic) within this group should be explored further

A late neolithic expansion of Y chromosomal haplogroup O2a1-M95 from east to west

The origin and dispersal of Y-Chromosomal haplogroup O2a1-M95, distributed across the Austro Asiatic speaking belt of East and South Asia, are yet to be fully understood. Various studies have suggested either an East Indian or Southeast Asian origin of O2a1-M95. We addressed the issue of antiquity and dispersal of O2a1-M95 by sampling 8748 men from India, Laos, and China and compared them to 3307 samples from other intervening regions taken from the literature. Analyses of haplogroup frequency and Y-STR data on a total 2413 O2a1-M95 chromosomes revealed that the Laos samples possessed the highest frequencies of O2a1-M95 (74% with &gt;0.5) and its ancestral haplogroups (O2*-P31, O*-M175) as well as a higher proportion of samples with 14STR-median haplotype (17 samples in 14 populations), deep coalescence time (5.7 ± 0.3 Kya) and consorted O2a1-M95 expansion evidenced from STR evolution. All these suggested Laos to carry a deep antiquity of O2a1-M95 among the study regions. A serial decrease in expansion time from east to west: 5.7 ± 0.3 Kya in Laos, 5.2 ± 0.6 in Northeast India, and 4.3 ± 0.2 in East India, suggested a late Neolithic east to west spread of the lineage O2a1-M95 from Laos

Prevalence and Pattern of Geographic Atrophy in Asia: The Asian Eye Epidemiology Consortium

Purpose: Although there have been many population-based studies of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), only limited information is available in Asia on the epidemiology of geographic atrophy (GA). We aimed to determine the prevalence and patterns of GA through an analysis of multiple studies conducted within the Asian Eye Epidemiology Consortium (AEEC). Design: Cross-sectional meta-analyses. Participants: A total of 97 213 individuals aged 40 years and older. Methods: Data from 22 population-based studies from countries belonging to the AEEC were included. In all studies, AMD was defined on the basis of standardized grading systems. Geographic atrophy was defined as an area of pallor in the fundus with visibility of the underlying choroidal blood vessels and sharply defined borders. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed to estimate overall and age-, gender-, and region-specific pooled prevalence of GA. Main Outcome Measures: Prevalence of GA per 1000 persons. Results: The mean age was 60.8 ± 10.0 years, and 42 673 (43.9%) were male. Overall, a total of 223 individuals (0.2%) had GA. The pooled overall prevalence of GA was 1.57 per 1000 persons (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–2.10), which was 3 times less than that of neovascular AMD of 5.20 per 1000 persons (95% CI, 3.97–6.43). Compared with those aged 50 to 59 years, the prevalence of GA increased from 0.34 per 1000 persons (95% CI, 0.07–0.62) to 2.90 per 1000 persons (95% CI, 1.55–4.25) in those aged ≥70 years. The GA prevalence per 1000 persons was similar between urban (2.22; 95% CI, 1.22–3.23) and rural residents (1.33; 95% CI, 0.70–1.96). Geographic atrophy was more prevalent in South Asia (based on studies from India and Nepal, 3.82 per 1000 persons; 95% CI, 1.72–5.93) compared with East Asia (based on studies from China, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan, and the Singapore Chinese Eye Study, 0.76 per 1000 persons; 95% CI, 0.31–1.22, P = 0.005). Conclusions: Geographic atrophy is uncommon in Asian populations compared with those of European ancestry. Even within Asia, geographic differences in GA prevalence were seen. The findings of this meta-analysis suggest that better dissection of risk factors in the Asian population for GA may provide insights into the biological pathways that drive these late-stage manifestations, thus suggesting better targets for prevention