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Well-being of the Indian elderly is presently a concern in the urban Indian society due to the gradual decline in the capacity of the family to serve as care-givers for their elderly members. Holistic improvement in the lives of the Indian elderly requires an understanding of the varied aspects which they perceive to influence their lives. The concept of perceived Quality of life (QoL) deals with an individual’s assessment of varied aspects influencing their well-being. Considering the role of social and economic backgrounds on the perception of QoL, this paper identifies the factors which the Indian elderly from varied backgrounds associate with their perceived QoL. Using interviews with 83 elderly residents of Kolkata, India, this paper identifies 58 factors for eight broad domains, which influence the perceived QoL of Indian elderly. The findings from the present research will help in the formulation of an index for measuring QoL, which can subsequently facilitate the preparation of policy guidelines for the improvement of QoL of elderly, especially the QoL of Indian elderly.

Context: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the centering ability and canal transportation of TruNatomy, OneCurve, and Jizai file systems to assess their performance in oval-shaped canals using cone-beam computed tomography imaging. Materials and Methods: Forty-two fully formed single-rooted mandibular premolars were selected with a buccolingual canal size 2–2.5 times the mesiodistal size at 5 mm from the apex, with 0°–10° canal curvature with a 5–6 mm radius, at 5 mm from the apex. The teeth were divided into three groups (n = 14) and prepared with TruNatomy, OneCurve, and Jizai files based on the manufacturer's instructions. Cone-beam computed tomographic images were taken before and after instrumentation. The canal transportation and centering ability was calculated at 3, 6, and 9 mm from the apex in both mesiodistal and buccolingual directions. Statistical Analysis: Intergroup comparison was done using Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. Intragroup comparison was done using Freidman test. A comparison of categorical variables was done using the Chi-square test. Results: The results obtained did not present any statistically significant difference between the three groups, with TruNatomy and OneCurve showing relatively lesser canal transportation and better centering ratio when compared to the Jizai file system. Conclusions: It can, therefore, be concluded that all three systems used in the study are capable of safely preparing root canals with minimal errors.

Context: Sodium hypochlorite is the most widely used irrigant in endodontic practice, but it has various disadvantages. Literature has shown that herbal products such as Propolis, Azadirachta indica (AI), Triphala, Curcuma longa, and Morinda citrifolia (MC) possess good antimicrobial properties and thus can be used as potential endodontic irrigants. Aim: To evaluate and compare the antimicrobial activity of five herbal extracts, i.e., Propolis, AI, Triphala, C. longa, and MC with that of 2.5% sodium hypochlorite against Enterococcus faecalis. Materials and Methods: E. faecalis American Type Culture Collection 21292 was inoculated onto brain heart infusion agar plate. Discs impregnated with herbal medicaments were placed on the inoculated plates and incubated at 37C aerobically for 24 h and growth inhibition zones were measured. Statistical Analysis: Mean zone of inhibition in descending order was found as sodium hypochlorite > Propolis > AI > Triphala > C. longa = MC > ethanol. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance which showed a significant difference in the zone of inhibition of sodium hypochlorite and Propolis (P < 0.001). Results: Propolis showed highest zone of inhibition among all the herbal extracts next to sodium hypochlorite. Conclusion: Propolis and AI have significant antimicrobial activity against E. faecalis.

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to comparatively evaluate the accuracy of iRoot, iPex II, and Propex pixi apex locator using histological sections as the gold standard. Materials and Methods: Thirty patients indicated for extraction of single-rooted permanent teeth with single canal system were selected. Working lengths (WLs) of teeth were determined using iRoot, iPex II, and Propex pixi. Teeth were then extracted, and the files were reintroduced to the anatomic apex to measure anatomic canal length (ACL) and fixed at the ACL using flowable composite. The apical 4 mm of the roots were longitudinally shaved away to visualize the canal under a stereomicroscope at ×24 magnification. Digital photographs were evaluated to measure the distance between the major diameter and minor diameter. Thus, the WL, that is, the minor diameter length (MDL) was ascertained. Results: Measurements of mean WLs within +-0.5 mm of minor diameter were 90% acceptable for iRoot, 86.66% for iPex II, and 80% for Propex pixi when compared with mean MDL as obtained from the histological sections. Conclusions: All apex locators have been shown to produce acceptable level of accuracy which clearly indicates their reliability in determining the WL.

Introduction: To evaluate the incidence of microcrack formation canal preparation with two rotary nickel-titanium systems Mtwo and ProTaper Next along with the self-adjusting file system. Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty mandibular premolar teeth were selected. Standardized access cavities were prepared and the canals were manually prepared up to size 20 after coronal preflaring. The teeth were divided into three experimental groups and one control group (n = 30). Group 1: The canals were prepared using Mtwo rotary files. Group 2: The canals were prepared with ProTaper Next files. Group 3: The canals were prepared with self-adjusting files. Group 4: The canals were unprepared and used as a control. The roots were sectioned horizontally 3, 6, and 9 mm from the apex and examined under a scanning electron microscope to check for the presence of microcracks. The Pearson's Chi-square test was applied. Results: The highest incidence of microcracks were associated with the ProTaper Next group, 80% (P = 0.00), followed by the Mtwo group, 70% (P = 0.000), and the least number of microcracks was noted in the self-adjusting file group, 10% (P = 0.068). No significant difference was found between the ProTaper Next and Mtwo groups (P = 0.368) while a significant difference was observed between the ProTaper Next and self-adjusting file groups (P = 0.000) as well as the Mtwo and self-adjusting file groups (P = 0.000). Conclusion: All nickel-titanium rotary instrument systems were associated with microcracks. However, the self-adjusting file system had significantly fewer microcracks when compared with the Mtwo and ProTaper Next.

Aim: The aim of this study is to compare the incidence of postoperative pain using the ProTaper Next (PTN), WaveOne Gold (WOG), and Self-Adjusting File (SAF) systems. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and fourteen patients with irreversible pulpitis were selected for single-visit endodontics. The teeth were blindly assigned to three groups based on the instrumentation system used: Group A (PTN), Group B (WOG), and Group C (SAF). Participants were asked to note the incidence of the pre- and postoperative pain on a visual analog scale at different time intervals. Paired t-test and one-way ANOVA were used along with post hoc Tukey's test. Results: The greatest mean pain in Group A (PTN) and Group B (WOG) was found to be maximum in the first 24 h with a significant reduction in pain at the subsequent observation time points of 48 h, 72 h, and 7 days. Group C (SAF) showed minimum pain followed by Group B followed by Group A which showed comparatively higher pain scores even at the end of 7 days. Conclusions: In single-visit endodontics, SAF system may prove to be a better system compared with PTN and WOG as it produces minimal postoperative pain, thus improving the overall acceptance of endodontic treatment.

Aim: The study aimed to evaluate and compare the push-out bond strength of gutta-percha using AH plus, Endosequence BC, and Roeko seal sealer with lateral condensation and thermoplasticized obturation technique. Materials and Methods: Sixty single-rooted premolars were instrumented and samples were randomly assigned into three groups based on the sealer used (Group A-AH Plus, Group B-Endosequence BC, Group C-Roeko Seal) which were further divided into two subgroups-A1, B1, and C1 were obturated by the lateral condensation technique and A2, B2, and C2 using the thermoplasticized technique. Each sample was sectioned horizontally using a diamond disc, representing apical, middle, and coronal thirds, respectively. Root segments were then mounted on an acrylic block, and push-out bond strength of each sample was tested using the universal testing machine. Statistical Analysis: One-way ANOVA, Tukey's test, and unpaired t-test. Results: For mandibular premolar teeth with a single canal using lateral condensation technique, the highest push-out bond strength was found in the A1 group (7.30 ± 0.61 MPa) at the apical level. While using the thermoplasticized technique, the highest push-out bond strength was found in the B2 group (3.71 ± 0.81 MPa) at the apical level. Overall results showed that the lateral condensation technique showed significantly higher push-out bond strength than thermoplasticized technique (P < 0.028). Conclusions: The push-out bond strength of AH Plus sealer was higher than the Endosequence BC sealer and Roeko seal sealer. Lateral condensation technique has shown higher push-out bond strength than the thermoplasticized technique.

In this study a large random collection (n=2188) of facultative oligotrophic bacteria, from 90 water samples gathered in three consecutive years (2007-2009) from three different sampling sites of River Mahananda in Siliguri, West Bengal, India, were investigated for the presence of class 1 integrons and sequences of the amplification products. Replica plating method was employed for determining the antibiotic resistance profile of the randomly assorted facultative oligotrophic isolates. Genomic DNA from each isolate was analyzed by PCR for the presence of class 1 integron. Amplicons were cloned and sequenced. Numerical taxonomy and 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses were done to ascertain putative genera of the class 1 integron bearing isolates. Out of 2188 isolates, 1667 (76.19%) were antibiotic-resistant comprising of both single-antibiotic resistance (SAR) and multiple-antibiotic resistant (MAR), and 521 (23.81%) were sensitive to all twelve different antibiotics used in this study. Ninety out of 2188 isolates produced amplicon(s) of varying sizes from 0.15 to 3.45 KB. Chi-square (χ(2)) test revealed that the possession of class 1 integron in sensitive, SAR and MAR is not equally probable at the 1% level of significance. Diverse antibiotic-resistance gene cassettes, aadA1, aadA2, aadA4, aadA5, dfrA1, dfrA5, dfrA7, dfrA12, dfrA16, dfrA17, dfrA28, dfrA30, dfr-IIe, blaIMP-9, aacA4, Ac-6'-Ib, oxa1, oxa10 and arr2 were detected in 64 isolates. The novel cassettes encoding proteins unrelated to any known antibiotic resistance gene function were identified in 26 isolates. Antibiotic-sensitive isolates have a greater propensity to carry gene cassettes unrelated to known antibiotic-resistance genes. The integron-positive isolates under the class Betaproteobacteria comprised of only two genera, Comamonas and Acidovorax of family Comamonadaceae, while isolates under class Gammaproteobacteria fell under the families, Moraxellaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Aeromonadaceae and Enterobacteriaceae. Oligotrophic bacteria are good sources of novel genes as well as potential reservoirs of antibiotic resistance gene casettes.

Population ageing combined with the disintegration of the traditional family structure is leading to increased vulnerability of the older adults, especially in the Southeast Asian countries like India. With decline in physical abilities, the older adults limit their daily activities to the peripheries of their familiar residential environment. Though the Indian older adults vary significantly in their perspective to life and ageing from their western counterparts, explorations of neighborhood parameters required for the well-being of the older adults have been limited in the Indian context. Though recent studies on Indian older adults reveal the emergence of groups of older adults with belief in independence and active ageing, a majority of the older adults in India still hold on to traditional beliefs systems like intergenerational inter-dependence, and disengagement in old age. Since the aim of the present study is to understand the link between neighborhood features and the overall QoL from a holistic approach, the study adopts the qualitative research technique which allows the freedom to explore the concept from varied perspectives. The study collects data through discussions with 83 older adults divided in in nine groups residing in nine different neighborhoods in Kolkata, India. The technique of content analysis was then conducted on the findings from focus group discussions to identify a holistic list of activities and their associated neighborhood infrastructure and attributes, perceived to contribute to the QoL domains of Indian older adults. The findings of this study can be useful to policy makers in formulating design guidelines for the built environment in order to cater to the overall QoL of the older adults.

Review of existing research reveals sporadic explorations of the vast concept of perceived Quality of Life (QoL) of elderly. Assessment of QoL of elderly in South Asian countries have been so far based on measurement models developed on western ideologies. The distinctively dissimilar perspectives and philosophies of the elderly living in South Asian countries seeks for development of QoL models from their perspective. The importance of the neighbourhood environment in the lives of the elderly and the preference of the elderly to age-in-place, also necessitates research on improving the QoL of the elderly in the context of their residential environment. This paper, exploring the perspectives of a group of Indian elderly, describes the stages of identification of a set of factors (components) and a broad set of domains (latent constructs which these factors cater to), influencing perceived QoL of Indian elderly to promote ageing-in-place. The methodology combines qualitative and quantitative research techniques, which includes literature review, followed by focus group discussions and close-ended interviews with Indian elderly from varied socio-demographic backgrounds. The present study, using Principal Component Analysis, identifies seven broad domains and 37 QoL factors influencing perceived QoL of Indian and elderly, which can be further validated on a larger sample for the development of a QoL index. The structure of domains and factors, identified for the Indian elderly varies considerably from that identified from literature. The study concludes with an exploration of the prioritisation of the identified domains among different socio-demographic groups.