Nanotechnology or nanoscience is the research and development of an applied science at the atomic, molecular, or macromolecular levels (i.e., molecular engineering and manufacturing). Periodontitis is one of the most common diseases involving tooth and it's supporting structures. Management of which is important for improving the quality of life of the patient that has it's impact on the overall health of an individual. With upsurge of various treatment methodologies for the treatment of periodontitis, nanotechnology has evolved as a promising mode of treatment. Applications of nanotechnology in medical and dental fields have only approached the horizon with opportunities and possibilities for the future that can only be limited by our imagination. This paper provides an early glimpse of nanotechnology applications in dentistry and also illustrates the potential of different nanomaterials and their impact on clinical practice.

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Context: Working memory plays a crucial role in determining the overall academic performance of a child irrespective of whether the child is learning disabled or not. Aims: The aim of the study is to explore the cognitive profile of the three categories of children: specific learning disability (SLD), Non-learning disabled (NLD), and scholastically poor children. Settings and Design: In the present study, three groups of children in the age range of 8–11 years studying in three to seventh standard, were selected as the sample for the study. Subjects and Methods: The three categories of children selected are SLD children, NLD children, and children who are scholastically poor. The three categories of children were administered with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV (Indian adaptation) test to analyze the cognitive profile. The cognitive pattern of each group is analyzed and compared. Statistical Analysis: Independent sample t-test was used for statistical analysis. Results and Conclusions: The results show that there is a gross and specific deficit in the domain of working memory among the SLD and scholastically poor children, which indicates that working memory plays a determining role in academic performance.

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Introduction: A substantial number of patients continue to have symptoms even after testing negative for COVID 19. Ours is a single-center, observational, cross-sectional study that describes the prevalent symptoms in patients who have recovered from mild-to-moderate COVID 19 disease. Materials and Methods: In a span of 3 months, from November 2020 to January 2021, we collected self-reported data from all post-COVID patients who consulted the post-COVID 19 outpatient department. Data on the pertinent history related to their diagnosis of COVID-19 disease like the date of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction positive and negative reports and length of stay in hospital were collected. Self-reported data were collected in simple Yes/No format for the presence of common respiratory and general post-COVID-19 symptoms. The final data were analyzed and presented using the using R software version 4.0.2. Results: The mean age of the patients was 42.89 years with majority being from the age group of above 50 years of age. The mean duration of hospital stay was found to be 14 ± 7 days. A higher percentage were admitted for >10 days among all age groups, more predominantly among >60 years of age. Only 5 male patients gave a history of receiving noninvasive ventilation. Significantly a greater number of females complained of fatigue. Other symptoms that were found more commonly in females were headache, loss of hearing, and wheeze. Conclusion: In our study, fatigue is the most common presenting symptoms followed by cough and breathlessness. Further evaluation and regular follow-up required to substantiate this observation.

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The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has specific implications for oral and maxillofacial surgeons due to an accrued risk of exposure to the virus throughout surgical procedures involving the aerodigestive tract. Maxillofacial surgical procedures due to direct contact with oral and nasal mucosa that area unit thought of areas of high risk of infection in virtue of viral charge and great risk of exposure to COVID-19. Maxillofacial surgery represents associate example of a specialty that has had to adapt to the present outbreak, due to the subspecialties of medical specialty and medicine. Considering the numerous sociopolitical things in every country, the oral and maxillofacial surgery model was thought of acceptable to evaluate the safety measures taken by the healthcare establishments.

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Head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the most common malignant tumor of the oral cavity. HNSCC can be treated by surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and sometimes combinations of all these modalities, and among all these modalities, surgery is the most accepted line of treatment. The purpose of cancer surgery is achieving complete resection of the tumor, and its success depends on not leaving any residual neoplastic cell. Despite all the recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of these patients, HNSCC is showing increasingly high recurrence rates. The surgical margins (SMs) or resection margins are the margins or boundaries of resection specimen, which is excised by the surgeon. The goal of this review was to evaluate the significance of SMs in adequate and proper treatment of HNSCC along with minimum recurrence.

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Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was also spread during winter time in December from Wuhan the city of China to worldwide. Various studies conducted throughout the world have indicated the possible relationship between Vitamin D and COVID-19 infection. Aim: This narrative review is designed to support Vitamin D role and its efficacy in managing COVID-19 menace. Materials and Methods: Latest 50 articles for Vitamin D, and COVID-19 relationship and management were scrutinized to summarize this article from data bases of PubMed and Google scholar in English language. Diagrams were created by biorender.com to summarize pictorial relations. Conclusions: Higher mortality is associated with countries of high-level Vitamin D deficiencies. Many studies have found a significant relation between Vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 complications and related comorbidities. It is highly supported by many literature to recommend daily dose of Vitamin D3 10,000 IU/day for a few weeks to rapidly increase 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels above 40–60 ng/mL, in population at higher risk.

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Introduction: Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are chronic health conditions that do not spread from person to person. Once considered the epidemic of the affluent, now they are gripping low- and middle-income countries. Disability caused by NCDs has risen from 21% of the total disease burden in 1990 to 34% by 2019. Major causes include poor nutrition, physical inactivity, unregulated usage of tobacco and alcohol, inaccessible healthcare, and unhealthy environment. Therefore, giving the correct information about the long-term effects of adopting unhealthy habits should be emphasized among adolescents. Objectives: The objective is to study the impact of awareness session on knowledge and attitude regarding NCDs among school-going girls in Ghaziabad city. Materials and Methods: A School-based intervention study was conducted in a selected Government School in Ghaziabad city. A predesigned, semi-structured questionnaire was administered to the students to assess their baseline knowledge and attitude. After the awareness session, the same questionnaire was administered again. The data were compiled and analyzed using MS Excel 2016, and appropriate statistical method like McNemar's test was applied. Results: Among the 216 study participants, 75.9% could differentiate between Communicable and NCDs correctly which increased to 89.8% after the session. Regarding the identification of major NCDs pre- and post-session proportions were 59% and 68%, respectively. The attitude of majority of the students (99%) remained positive from the starting. They believed that these diseases are preventable and lifestyle modifications are protective. Conclusion: Considerable improvement was observed in the awareness levels of the school students regarding NCDs after attending the health awareness session. When correct information is imparted, students develop a positive attitude and are encouraged to develop a healthy lifestyle. Hence, it is recommended that regular awareness sessions should be organized in schools to build a healthy nation.

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Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity is the most common site of head-and-neck carcinoma in India. It grows in the vicinity and penetrates through adjacent anatomical structures; surgical resection of the tumor becomes more challenging in the head-and-neck region. As important anatomical structures are closely packed and to resect the tumor with safe margins being an issue, thus raising specific considerations for reconstruction relative to the extent of resection. The present case describes the management of a 64-year-old man with SCC of the left buccal mucosa, invaded into the skin of the cheek. It was managed surgically, with resection and flap reconstruction in the same sitting done in Santosh Medical College and Hospital, Ghaziabad.

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COVID-19, caused by the novel severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2, emerged in Wuhan, China, in 2019 and has resulted in the current pandemic. The disease continues to pose a major therapeutic challenge. Patient mortality is ultimately caused by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Because interleukin-6 (IL-6) is known to play a key role in inflammation, IL-6 receptor inhibitors such as tocilizumab may potentially treat COVID-19 by attenuating cytokine release. Tocilizumab is a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody that serves as an IL-6 receptor inhibitor. Tocilizumab is beneficial for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune conditions and rheumatoid arthritis, giant cell arteritis, and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis. It is also under used in the treatment of severely ill patients with COVID-19. Patients with moderate-to-severe disease with progressively increasing oxygen requirements, with inadequate response to corticosteroids, and with raised levels of inflammatory markers (MoHFW, June 2020). It is used in dose of 8 mg/kg in 100 ml NS over 60 minutes (maximum dose 800 mg/infusion). It can be repeated once after 12 − 24 hours if needed. Careful monitoring for secondary infection and neutropenia should be done. It is contraindicated in people with HIV, active infections, tuberculosis, active hepatitis, ANC is <2000/mm³ and platelet count <100,000/mm³. We present the first case of our institution in which we administered tocilizumab, a 57-year-old female with moderate-to-severe COVID-19, on the verge of meeting intubation requirements, who needed progressive oxygen support for respiratory distress. The patient was treated with tocilizumab to prevent the cytokine storm. We chose early administration of an IL-6 inhibitor because of the gradually increasing levels of inflammatory markers and her deteriorating respiratory status. The treatment was well-tolerated in conjunction with standard drug therapies for COVID-19 (hydroxychloroquine, tazar, and zinc). The patient subsequently experienced marked improvements in his respiratory symptoms and overall clinical status over the following days. We believe that tocilizumab played a substantial role in her ability to overcome clinical decline, particularly the need for mechanical ventilation. Ultimately, the patient was shifted from the intensive care unit (ICU) and discharged within few days. We highlight the potential of IL-6 inhibitors to prevent the progression of respiratory disease to a point requiring ventilator support. This case underscores the potential importance of early serial measurements of IL-6 and cytokine storm-associated inflammatory markers, such as serum ferritin, D-dimer, and C-reactive protein, in guiding clinical decision-making in the management of patients with suspected COVID-19. The early identification of inflammatory markers should be implemented in the treatment of COVID-19 in order to screen for a primary contributor to mortality − the cytokine storm. This screening, when followed by aggressive early treatment for cytokine storm, may have optimal therapeutic benefits and obviate the need for mechanical ventilation, thereby decreasing mortality. In addition, we review current evidence regarding cytokine release syndrome in COVID-19 and the use of IL-6 receptor inhibition as a therapeutic strategy and examine other reported cases in the literature describing IL-6 antagonist treatment for patients with COVID-19.

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Introduction: Hypertension is an important medical and public health problem both in developed and developing countries. Abnormalities in serum lipid levels (dyslipidemia) are recognized as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and essential hypertension. Lipid profile is earliest marker for coronary heart disease and includes total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), and very LDL (VLDL). The role of lipoprotein (a) (Lp[a]) as an independent biomarker of vascular disease risk has been investigated for more than 20 years, but recently the European Atherosclerosis Society has issued a new consensus statement endorsing routine measurement of Lp(a) among patients with moderate-to-high-risk CVD. The aim of the study is to find out lipid profile and lipoprotein activity in various grades of untreated hypertension. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at a tertiary care setting in Ghaziabad. The study was conducted from February 2017 to February 2018 and 125 subjects were included after the detailed history, physical examination, and inclusion and exclusion criteria. All patients were evaluated for their lipid profile along with Lp(a) and other routine investigations. Results: There was a statistically significant rising level on TC, TG, LDL, VLDL, and Lp(a) (P ≤ 0.0001) excluding HDL statistically not significant (P = 0.343). This study showed that lipid and lipoprotein cholesterol abnormalities exist and even worsen with severity of hypertension. It is important that investigations in patients with hypertension should include lipid profile and lipoprotein. Conclusion: Serum lipid profile can serve as an important marker for screening hypertensive patients for CVD and their early detection can reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In this study, TC, LDL-C, TG, VLDC-C, Lp(a), and body mass index were found to be abnormal in hypertensive patients, but HDL-C did not show any significant variation with hypertension.

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A 38-year-old male presented with multiple, painless, tense, soft-to-firm nodules within the scrotal skin for the past 5 years with a provisional clinical diagnosis of a sebaceous cyst of the scrotum. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was performed from the scrotal lesions. Fine-needle aspiration smears showed amorphous, basophilic, calcified material without any epithelial cells. Hence, a diagnosis of idiopathic calcinosis of the scrotum was suggested. Histopathological examination of the resected specimen reaffirmed the diagnosis. We report this case highlighting the role of FNAC as a tool for preoperative diagnosis of idiopathic scrotal calcinosis.

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Context: Specific learning disabilities (SLDs) is a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by normal intelligence, and marked difficulty in academics and scholastic performance, thereby expressing gross discrepancy in the ability and achievement. Children with SLD have a typical cognitive profile. Like among the normal children, variance in the distribution of the intelligence is also observed among the children with SLD. Aims: The present study intends to categorize the children with SLD based on the intelligence quotient (IQ) and compare it with the nonlearning disabled (NLD) and further explore the cognitive profile associated with the respective category of SLD children. Settings and Design: In the present study, three groups of children in the age range of 8 to 12 years studying in 3 to 7^th standard were selected as the sample for the study. Subjects and Methods: Seventy-seven children with SLD and 24 NLD children were tested for their IQ using the Wechsler's Intelligence Scale for children-IV. Seventy-seven children with SLD were categorized into two groups based on their Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ). The results were statistically analyzed and compared. Statistical Analysis: Independent sample t-test was used for the statistical analysis. Results: It was found that 58.4% of children with SLD had the FSIQ below 90 and 41.6% of children with SLD represented with the FSIQ as above 90. Both the groups of SLD children were compared with the NLD group. The significant difference is observed in the cognitive proficiency index (CPI) and general ability index (GAI). The SLD children of FSIQ below 90 had deficits in the domain of CPI and GAI and the SLD children with FSIQ above 90 had deficits in the area of CPI alone. The GAI and CPI of these children were further analyzed to reveal that the SLD children with FSIQ above 90 had difficulty in the area of working memory. Conclusion: The SLD may be represented as two different categories based on the cognitive profile. One category of children with SLD has their problems and difficulties confined to the domain of the working memory, while the other category of children has difficulty in the area of both GAI and CPI indicating difficulty in perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed.

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Few cases of dermatosis neglecta have been reported in the medical literature, although the diagnosis is well-known to dermatologists. It is characterized by dirty brown-grey cutaneous patches and plaques that can simply be eradicated by rubbing with alcohol pads. In most of the cases, it is associated with a local pathology due to which the patient is afraid to clean the area or any debilitating systemic illness which makes the patient incapable of proper cleansing. Herein, we present a mentally normal, obese male with reticulate hyperpigmentation involving the mid scapular region mimicking macular amyloidosis without any underlying local pathology which turned out to be dermatosis neglecta.

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Ankylosing spondylitis has always been a challenge to anesthesiologists due to its multisystem involvement. Both airway management and regional anesthesia administration is quite difficult as vertebral and ligaments fusion makes spine stiff and neck movements difficult. We report a case of a 42-year-old male posted for hemorrhoidectomy with a stiff spine and negligible neck movement. The successful caudal epidural block was administered after failure to reach subarachnoid space in multiple attempts.

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Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is the most common malignant neoplasm of the major salivary glands. It represents 5%–10% of all salivary gland tumors and rarely arises within the jaws. It is the second most common minor salivary gland tumor (12%–40% globally). It mainly occurs in the parotid gland and appears as an asymptomatic swelling in minor salivary glands, mostly on the palate. The treatment protocol of MEC is surgical excision followed by postoperative radiotherapy as in most types of salivary gland malignancies. Here, we present a case of MEC in a male patient aged 65 years with emphasis on the importance of early diagnosis so that the malignant neoplasm can be identified early and treated efficiently.

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Ungual warts are very common benign growths in the dermatological outpatient department that are often tough to treat as they are resistant to available treatments and frequently recur. A variety of therapeutic modalities have been used with varying degrees of success. Intralesional bleomycin has emerged as an effective treatment option for recalcitrant periungual warts with minimal side effects. We report the case of a 22-year-old male with recalcitrant ungual warts which responded dramatically to intralesional bleomycin.

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Modern dentistry aims to facilitate the patient to achieve excellent oral health. An ideal implant prosthesis can not only provide normal muscle activity, thereby improving the functions of mastication, but also improve esthetics profoundly. Among the factors involved to attain good esthetic result with implants, the correct positioning of the implant is one of the most important factors, along with preserving the integrity of gingival margins and interdental papillae. Preserving crestal bone is paramount, while planning for implant placement as it accumulates bacteria and leads to secondary peri-implantitis. Hence, the objective of this review article is to highlight the advantages of platform technique as compared to conventional treatment approach.

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Due to its contagiousness and vaccine-escape mutations, the latest severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant Omicron (B.1.1.529) has sparked worldwide fear. The SARS-CoV-2 variant's critical infectivity and antibody resistance are determined by mutations in the Spike (S) protein receptor-binding domain (RBD). A comprehensive experimental study of Omicron, on the other hand, could take weeks or even months. For a hygienic and healthy work environment and treatment modality, we propose a standard operating protocol and protocols that all dental practitioners and staff should adhere to.

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The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has emerged as one of the deadliest pandemics that humanity has ever seen, affecting almost all countries in the world. The pandemic has taken a severe toll on the almost all realms of the society. The management of the pandemic is further complicated by the emergence of various strains of virus and differing phenotypes of severity in a population. The complex interplay between underlying host factors and evolution of viral strains makes it a daunting task to standardize the treatment protocols across a population. In this context, it is imperative to look into the solutions that the precision medicine may provide us for categorizing patient population, in tailoring treatment and in identifying newer treatment targets. In this review, we discuss the possibilities that precision medicine put forward in tackling COVID-19 pandemic.

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In the majority of health-care organizations including the field of dentistry, biomedical waste (BMW) is becoming a severe concern. All health-care employees must be informed of how to properly dispose of health-care waste and how to handle, segregate, and transport BMW. Proper segregation of BMW is highly essential during these current pandemic times. There is a rapid increase in the spread of infectious diseases, especially in the field of dentistry. COVID currently has a higher spread and affectivity ratio than any other disease since 2019, along with other diseases such as hepatitis and HIV. Without proper disposal of medical waste, there can be no assurance that these diseases will not spread. Hence, there is a need for a safety protocol, which is applied and implemented worldwide and their disposal in a specific guided manner. This article is intended to provide deep insight and to simplify how to categorize and dispose orthodontic BMW.

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Dermatoglyphic Patterns and Skeletal Malocclusion: Dermatoglyphics is the study of the intricate dermal patterns found on the skin of the palmar and plantar surfaces of the hands and feet. The term dermatoglyphics means “skin carving.” He has proven to be of predictive value for both genetic and nongenetic diseases in the medical field. It has been noted that the period of embryonic development for oral and dermal tissues overlaps. Thus, any impact on the development of oral tissues during this period may also represent itself in the dermatoglyphic patterns. Aim: Keeping this in mind, the present study was designed to investigate the correlation between malocclusions and representation in dermatoglyphic patterns. Materials and Methodology: A total of 90 subjects were selected for the study. Thirty cases each of Class I, Class II, and Class III skeletal malocclusions were selected from the age group of 13–18 years of age with permanent molars present. Lateral cephalograms were taken and their dermatoglyphic patterns were recorded by rolling impression technique. The dermatoglyphic data were assessed for different finger ridge patterns and total ridge count (TRC). Results: On comparison of dermatoglyphic patterns between skeletal Class I, II, and III, the skeletal Class I group showed a markedly decreased number of loops and increased TRC. In the skeletal Class II group, we found markedly increased number of loops and markedly decreased TRC. In the skeletal Class III group, we observed a markedly decreased number of arches and increased TRC. Loops were found to be the most predominant pattern in the skeletal Class II and III groups. The mean TRC was found to be increased in the skeletal Class III group, followed by the Class I group and markedly decreased in the skeletal Class II group, which was statistically significant. Conclusion: It is concluded that dermatoglyphics can be used as a screening tool and for the early prediction of skeletal malocclusion at a younger age group. Dermatoglyphics have important practical and clinical implications which can be applied for preventive and interceptive orthodontics among pediatric patients and also for parent counseling.

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