Long-term motor and functional disability following cerebral dysfunction remains a major global rehabilitation challenge despite advances in conventional physiotherapy approaches. Therefore, it is of interest to synthesise existing evidence on neuroplasticity and technology- based physiotherapy interventions for cerebral dysfunction and to evaluate their mechanistic foundations, clinical effectiveness and translational potential. Technology-based modalities such as robotic exoskeletons, VR systems, BCIs and non-invasive neuro-stimulation enhance cortical reorganisation, motor relearning and functional independence compared with traditional physiotherapy. Neuroplasticity- driven and technology-assisted physiotherapy represent a paradigm shift in the management of cerebral dysfunction, as evidenced by large- scale randomised controlled trials. Technology-assisted physiotherapy increases the neurorehabilitation outcomes regarding stroke, traumatic brain injury and cerebral palsy.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease is an important cause of chronic liver disease in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, with advanced hepatic fibrosis substantially increasing liver-related morbidity and mortality. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate the 120 patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease to determine the prevalence of advanced hepatic fibrosis and assess the diagnostic performance of non-invasive fibrosis scores. Hepatic fibrosis was assessed using transient elastography and compared with the NAFLD Fibrosis Score and Fibrosis-4 index, alongside clinical, biochemical and imaging parameters. The study was designed to assess whether these non-invasive scores can reliably identify advanced hepatic fibrosis in routine diabetic care, particularly where liver biopsy is impractical. Thus, data shows that evaluating accessible non-invasive strategies for identifying advanced hepatic fibrosis in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.
Restoring periodontal attachment in intrabony defects remains unpredictable with conventional therapy. Mesenchymal stem cells, including PDLSCs, DPSCs and GMSCs, aid repair through differentiation, paracrine signaling and immune regulation. Transcriptomic and single-cell RNA sequencing analyses show osteogenic and angiogenic drivers, including RUNX2, BMP2 and PDGFRA-positive lineages. Extracellular vesicle profiling and multi-omics integration, aided by machine learning, are refining biomarkers and cell-free protocols. Thus, molecular signatures with clinical outcomes through standardized pipelines points toward personalized periodontal regeneration.
Poor oral hygiene among adolescents remains a major public health concern due to inadequate plaque control and unhealthy oral hygiene practices. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate the effectiveness of Motivational Interviewing (MI) versus Standard Oral Health Education (SOHE) among 148 adolescents aged 13–18 years. Clinical outcomes, including OHI-S, Plaque Index and Gingival Index, were assessed at baseline and 3 months using ANCOVA. Motivational interviewing achieved significantly greater improvements in oral hygiene indices and brushing behaviours than SOHE, with an adjusted OHI-S mean difference of −0.38 (95% CI: −0.55 to −0.21; p<0.001). Thus, data shows that a brief, school-embedded MI program outperforms standard education in translating oral health knowledge into sustained behavioural practice among adolescents, offering a scalable model for school-based prevention programs.
The human gut microbiome evolved with diverse, fiber-rich ancestral diets, whereas modern western diets promote microbial dysbiosis and metabolic diseases. Therefore, it is of interest to examine the effect traditional tribal diets on gut microbial composition and function. Diets rich in microbiota-accessible carbohydrates, wild plants, fermented foods and ancient grains enhance microbial diversity, short-chain fatty acid production and gut barrier integrity. Thus, data shows ancestral diets as a promising strategy for restoring gut health and preventing non-communicable diseases.
Skeletal maturation assessment is important in orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning because chronological age alone does not reliably reflect growth status. Hence, this cross-sectional observational study evaluated 100 orthodontic patients aged 8–18 years using lateral cephalograms for cervical vertebral maturation staging and birth records for chronological age. A strong positive correlation was found between skeletal maturation stages and chronological age (r = 0.82, p < 0.001), with females maturing earlier than males and significant differences in mean chronological age across CVM stages. Data shows that skeletal maturation indicators are reliable tools for assessing biological maturity and growth potential in orthodontic patients. Thus, we support the use of CVM staging as a practical and dependable method for identifying optimal timing for growth modification and comprehensive orthodontic treatment.
Elder abuse is an underreported concern among urban elderly populations in India. Therefore, it is of interest to assess the mistreatment prevalence and coping strategies among elderly individuals in Chennai. Higher mistreatment was associated with age above 70 years, retirement and assistive device use. Better coping was associated with higher education, income and assistive device use. Thus, targeted interventions are needed to reduce elder abuse and strengthen resilience among elderly individuals.
Periodontal intrabony defects require regenerative approaches and platelet-rich fibrin formulations can deliver growth factors while stabilizing particulate graft material. Therefore, it is of interest to compare the autologous sticky bone with a leukocyte platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) block in 30 intrabony defect sites randomized equally between the two treatments and assessed clinically and by CBCT. Probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level were recorded at baseline, 3 months and 6 months, while crestal level and bone fill were evaluated at baseline and 6 months. Both groups showed significant improvements in gingival index, probing depth and attachment level over time, with comparable intrabony defect reduction, bone fill and crestal-level changes and no significant intergroup differences. Sticky bone and L-PRF block therefore produced similar six-month clinical and radiographic improvements in the treatment of intrabony periodontal defects.
Oxidative stress, resulting from an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidant defence mechanisms, contributes to the pathogenesis of several systemic and oral diseases, while yoga has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological intervention to improve oxidative balance. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate the salivary antioxidant levels in 60 healthy adults (20–40 years), including 30 regular yoga practitioners and 30 age-matched non-practitioners, using unstimulated saliva samples analysed for Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), Uric Acid, Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Catalase through standard spectrophotometric assays. Statistical analysis using an independent sample t-test showed significantly higher levels of all antioxidant parameters among yoga practitioners compared with non-practitioners (p < 0.001). Thus, data shows that regular yoga practice is associated with enhanced salivary antioxidant activity and reduced oxidative stress.
With the growing elderly population, traumatic dental injuries are emerging as an important public health concern because they are associated with falls, systemic disease, balance problems and poor oral health. This case-control study included 20 elderly cases with traumatic dental injuries and 20 age- and sex-matched controls without injuries to evaluate risk factors using a structured questionnaire and clinical examination. Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed significant associations between traumatic dental injuries and history of falls, visual impairment, polypharmacy, impaired mobility, osteoporosis and denture instability. Falls were the most common cause, the maxillary anterior teeth were most frequently affected and crown fracture was the predominant injury pattern. This study identifies modifiable geriatric risk factors for traumatic dental injuries and supports fall prevention, oral health promotion and regular dental review to reduce injury burden in older adults.
Hydatidiform mole is the most common form of gestational trophoblastic disease and requires careful post-evacuation surveillance to enable early detection of persistent gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (PGTN). This retrospective observational study included 330 patients with histopathologically confirmed hydatidiform mole who underwent uterine evacuation, with demographic, clinical, pathological and serial serum β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) follow-up data retrieved from hospital records. Most patients were aged 21–30 years (51.8%), presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding (83.6%), had pre-evacuation β-hCG levels ≥100,000 mIU/mL (66.1%) and underwent suction evacuation (71.5%). Serum β-hCG normalised in 289 (87.6%) patients, whereas 41 (12.4%) developed PGTN, of whom 70.7% were diagnosed within 6 months and 80.5% responded to single-agent chemotherapy; higher pre-evacuation β-hCG levels were associated with persistent disease. Thus, serial β-hCG surveillance following evacuation remains an effective strategy for early detection of PGTN and timely initiation of chemotherapy, leading to favourable clinical outcomes.
Femoral shaft fractures are commonly treated with intramedullary nailing, but delayed union remains a concern and nail dynamization is a simple procedure that promotes fracture healing by improving the mechanical environment. This prospective observational study was conducted at NITOR, Dhaka, Bangladesh from March 2019 to August 2019 and March 2022 to March 2024, including 24 patients with delayed union following intramedullary nailing for femoral diaphyseal fractures who underwent dynamization. Data on age, sex, smoking status, fracture type (AO classification) and reduction method were analyzed; the mean age was 29.6ą8.9 years, 87% were male, 37.5% were smokers, 62.5% were nonsmokers, fracture types included 37.5% AO 32A and 62.5% AO 32B and open and closed reduction were performed in 62.5% and 37.5% of patients, respectively. Smoking was identified as a significant predictor of non-union after femoral nail dynamization, while fracture characteristics, including AO fracture type and reduction method, also influenced fracture union. Thus, data shows that smoking and fracture characteristics should be considered when predicting fracture healing after femoral nail dynamization.
Endodontic–periodontal lesions are complex conditions in which both endodontic and periodontal disease coexist, potentially compromising tooth prognosis if not diagnosed and managed properly. Hence, this retrospective study evaluated 100 patients treated between 2020 and 2025 at a tertiary dental care institution to determine treatment success, survival and failure rates, along with prognostic factors. Clinical records and radiographs were analyzed for age, gender, smoking, diabetes, lesion type, pocket depth, mobility, furcation involvement, bone loss, treatment sequence and coronal restoration quality, with outcomes classified after at least 12 months of follow-up. Healing was observed in 61% of cases, survival in 24% and failure in 15%, while better outcomes were associated with mild periodontal destruction, absence of furcation involvement, adequate coronal restoration and early endodontic intervention. Thus, we show that prognosis in endodontic–periodontal lesions is driven mainly by periodontal severity, systemic health and treatment quality, underscoring the value of early diagnosis and multidisciplinary planning.
Pediatric intestinal obstruction is a surgical emergency in which delayed treatment increases morbidity and mortality. Therefore, it is of interest to compare the outcome of early and delayed intervention in 126 children treated between 2019 and 2024. Early intervention within 24 hours significantly reduced bowel gangrene, bowel resection, surgical site infection and mortality. Children receiving early treatment also had a significantly shorter hospital stay than those managed after 24 hours. Thus, timely resuscitation and early operative or non-operative management improve clinical outcomes in pediatric intestinal obstruction.
Musculoskeletal pain can adversely affect the health, productivity and professional performance of dental practitioners. Therefore, it is of interest to assess cervical and lumbar pain and associated risk factors among Saudi dental practitioners. A cross-sectional online survey collected demographic, occupational, ergonomic and musculoskeletal data from 273 participants. Cervical and lumbar pain affected 42.5% and 49.8%; 52.4% used ergonomics, yet 59.7% reported bending or twisting. Thus, data shows a substantial occupational burden and emphasise targeted ergonomic training, posture correction and workplace modifications.
The bonding between pulp capping materials and overlying restorative materials is a key factor in the success of vital pulp therapy. The introduction of bioactive and resin-based restorative materials has made it important to assess the compatibility with the most used pulp capping materials like TheraCal LC, Bio dentine and Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA). Therefore, it is of interest to compare the shear bond strength of four different restorative materials (Bio-glass restorative glass ionomer cement, fiber reinforced composite, universal croma composite with nano fillers, resin modified glass ionomer cement) bonded to the above pulp capping materials. Acrylic blocks were prepared in total 120 blocks were divided into 12 groups. Shear bond strength tests were conducted on the specimens with a universal testing machine and failure mode analysis was performed under a stereomicroscope. Thus, this data will help clinicians to choose the best combinations of materials for better clinical results.
Adolescent tobacco use remains a preventable public health problem because early initiation increases nicotine dependence and exposes the oral mucosa to carcinogenic and irritant products before adulthood. Therefore, it is of interest to compare tobacco use patterns and oral mucosal lesions among 600 adolescents aged 13-17 years from urban and rural schools. Data were collected using a structured tobacco-use questionnaire and standardized oral examination; associations were tested using chi-square test, independent t-test and multivariable logistic regression. Current tobacco use was higher in rural adolescents than urban adolescents (17.3% versus 10.0%, p=0.009), with smokeless tobacco predominating in the rural group; oral mucosal lesions were detected in 12.7% of participants and were significantly more common among tobacco users than non-users (38.8% versus 8.5%, p<0.001). Rural residence, male sex, smokeless tobacco use, higher frequency of use and longer duration of habit were independent predictors of oral mucosal lesions, emphasizing the need for school-centered tobacco prevention and early oral screening in both urban and rural settings.
Thin gingival phenotype increases susceptibility to gingival recession and aesthetic compromise, while predictable minimally invasive approaches for phenotype enhancement remain limited. Sixty adults with thin gingival phenotype (GT <1.5 mm) were randomized to i-PRF alone or i-PRF+ microneedling (MN), with gingival thickness, keratinized tissue width, plaque index and BOP% measured at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Data were analyzed using appropriate parametric/non-parametric tests, repeated-measures ANOVA and Bonferroni correction (α=0.05). Both treatments significantly improved GT, KTW, PI and BOP%. i-PRF+MN produced a greater GT gain (Δ0.58 mm vs Δ0.42 mm; p<0.001); keratinized tissue width gains were similar. Thus, adjunctive microneedling with i-PRF offers superior gingival thickness augmentation as a minimally invasive option.
Root-end filling materials must provide an effective apical seal to minimize microleakage and support periapical healing. Therefore, it is of interest to compare the sealing ability of ProRoot MTA, MTA Angelus and Safe Endo Biostructure MTA Putty as retrograde filling materials using dye penetration and stereomicroscopic analysis. Thirty extracted human mandibular premolars were instrumented, obturated, subjected to root-end resection and ultrasonic retrograde cavity preparation and randomly allocated to three groups (n = 10) according to the retrograde filling material used, followed by immersion in 2% methylene blue dye and evaluation of linear dye penetration under a stereomicroscope. Intergroup comparisons were performed using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post-hoc test. ProRoot MTA showed significantly lower dye penetration than MTA Angelus and Safe Endo Biostructure MTA Putty (p < 0.001), whereas no statistically significant difference was observed between MTA Angelus and Safe Endo Biostructure MTA Putty (p = 0.799). Thus, data shows that ProRoot MTA showed the best apical sealing ability among the materials evaluated and may be considered a more effective retrograde filling material for minimizing microleakage.
The association between dental calcification stages and skeletal maturity is important for estimating chronological age and growth status in children and adolescents. This cross-sectional in vivo study included patients aged 8 to 17 years and assessed dental age using Demirjian’s staging on orthopantomograms and skeletal age using cervical vertebral maturation on lateral cephalograms. A highly significant positive correlation was found between CVMI stages, chronological age, and Demirjian estimated dental age in both sexes (p < 0.001). The first premolar in females (r = 0.816) and the second premolar in males (r = 0.843) were the strongest individual predictors of skeletal maturity, while the second molar also showed reliable stage-wise utility. Thus, we document specific dental calcification stages that can serve as practical clinical indicators of skeletal maturation and growth phase assessment.
