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The current study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of Willems, Cameriere’s and Greulich and Pyle method in age estimation among a sample of Egyptian children aged 8–16 years based on analysis of 140 panoramic dental X-ray and hand-wrist radiographs (70 girls and 70 boys). Using Willems method, the mean dental age underestimated chronological age by (0.20 ± 0.91 years) for boys and by (0.24 ± 1.33 year) for girls; these differences were not statistically significant. Also, Cameriere’s method underestimated chronological age in both sexes by mean difference of (1.10 ± 1.22 year) in boys and (1.13 ± 1.31 year) in girls; these differences were statistically significant. Regarding Greulich and Pyle atlas, the mean of skeletal age was overestimated when compared to the real age in boys with a mean difference (0.04 ± 0.86 year). In girls; the age was underestimated by a mean difference of (0.15 ± 1.32 years) when compared to chronological age; these differences were not statistically significant. Comparing the two dental methods, the mean absolute error using Willems method was less than one year (0.94 and 0.96 years) in boys and girls respectively, while in Cameriere’s method, it was more than one year in both groups. Moreover; the mean absolute error using Greulich and Pyle atlas was less than two years (1.02 and 1.38 years) in boys and girls respectively. Since Willems and the atlas methods were more accurate, the combination of both of them could be used for age estimation in the Egyptian population.

Background: Lack of diagnosis and reporting of child maltreatment are important problems worldwide. Aims: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of physicians in Alexandria University teaching hospitals about the diagnosis and reporting of child maltreatment cases. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at three hospitals. All physicians working regularly in emergency units were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire. Data collected included sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge of and formal training on child maltreatment, attitude to dealing with child maltreatment, and experience of child maltreatment cases and reporting behaviour. Results: A total of 90 physicians were included in the study. Only 11% correctly identified all the signs of child maltreatment and 29% correctly answered all questions on the social indicators of maltreatment. Only 41% of the participants had a good knowledge score ([greater than or equal to] 75%) on child maltreatment. Longer work experience (P = 0.019) and older age (P = 0.039) were associated with better knowledge. Of 249 suspected cases of child maltreatment that the physicians reported they had experienced, only 36% were reported. Formal training on child maltreatment (P < 0.001) and older age (P = 0.006) were associated with physicians' reporting behaviour. Over half (56%) of the participants thought their workplaces did not provide them with procedures to follow if they suspected child maltreatment. Conclusion: Physicians' knowledge of the signs and social indicators of child maltreatment was unsatisfactory. Clinical training and education are needed to improve their ability to diagnosis and report cases of child maltreatment. Keywords: child abuse, physicians, knowledge, university hospitals, Egypt

Purpose. Osteoporosis is a progressive systematic skeletal illness characterized by low bone mineral density and susceptibility to fracture caused by bone resorption. Aim of the Study. This study intended to evaluate the possible role of emdogain in combination with calcitonin on the healing of surgically induced mandibular defects performed on osteoporotic rats. Materials and Methods. Forty healthy female white albino rats were included in this study and divided into four groups. In group I (negative control), 10 rats received a vehicle injection after which a unilateral mandibular defect was created in each rat of all groups. Three groups were subjected to induction of osteoporosis by subcutaneous injection of 0.1 mg/kg/day dexamethasone for 60 days. In group II, rats were kept without treatment. In group III, rats were treated with daily intramuscular injection of 2.5 IU/kg of synthetic salmon calcitonin. In group IV, rats were handled as group III, and the created cavity was filled with emdogain. Rats were euthanized at 2nd and 4th week postsurgically. Hematoxylin and eosin, Masson’s trichrome, NF-κB (nuclear factor of activated B cells), and immunohistochemical stains were used, followed by statistical analysis. Results. Group I showed normal stages of bone defects healing. Group II revealed the formation of granulation tissue with dilated blood vessels, while groups III and IV showed enhanced bone healing and proper collagen fibers. The percentage area of newly formed collagen fibers was significantly higher in group IV at 2nd week (13.96 ± 0.020%) and 4th week (16.95 ± 0.024%) than in group II (8.75 ± 0.015% and 10.29 ± 0.015%, respectively) and group III (12.93 ± 0.015% and 14.61 ± 0.021%, respectively), but was lower than that in group I (15.75 ± 0.015% and 17.49 ± 0.015%, respectively). Conclusion. The local application of emdogain combined with systemically injected calcitonin improves bone healing in surgically induced bone defects in osteoporotic rats.

Child maltreatment (CM) is not always documented or reported, and as such, estimates of the prevalence of violence against children are inaccurate while true rates remain unknown. Researchers have established that phy¬sicians have unsatisfactory knowledge, attitudes, and re¬port of CM. The purpose of the present research is to assess the magnitude of CM within the Alexandria Governorate and to formulate a simple graphical guideline for physicians to follow in CM cases. A list was adopted from World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines to record known and suspected CM cases to assess the magnitude of the problem within the governorate and how CM cases are being managed; the checklist was then modified according to the available data. Three hundred ninety-six children had been exposed to different forms of CM in 2019 according to official docu¬mentation, mostly boys. In most cases, danger had been confirmed, and a single person was the most common perpetrator. Investigations were conducted in most of the cases, and most of the child victims received psycholog- ical support. In terms of prognosis, the child's circum¬stances improved in most cases. Our research revealed that child neglect was the most common form of CM reported in Alexandria, with more boys being exposed than girls. A familiar person was the alleged perpetrator in most of the studied cases, mainly a parent. Cases were managed through multidisciplinary approaches, with the coordination of many agencies and continuous follow-up for most victims.

Introduction. Asherman syndrome (AS) is a symptomatic intrauterine adhesion caused by endometrial basal layer fibrosis as a result of either uterine cavity surgery or infection leading to many complications. There is a concern to repair the injured tissues by using bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs). We aimed in this study to develop an animal model of AS and evaluate the anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects of BM-MSCs in this model through histological, immunohistochemical, and morphometric studies. Material and methods. Forty-two adult female adult albino rats were divided into (i) donor group composed of 2 rats used for isolation and propagation of BM-MSCs, and (ii) experimental groups: 40 rats equally divided into 4 groups: GpI (control), GpII (AS model), GpIII (BM-MSCs-treated AS rats), GpIV (untreated AS rats). Histological staining and immunohistochemical (IHC) detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and nuclear factor-kappa beta (NF-kB) were performed. The results were evaluated by morphometric and statistical analysis. Results. Significant endometrial thinning, fibrosis, and degeneration of the endometrial epithelium with a significant decrease in PCNA and VEGF immunoexpression and a significant increase in NF-kB immunoexpression were detected in GpII and GpIV groups. These changes were substantially reversed in BM-MSCs-treated animals. Conclusions: BM-MSCs treatment resulted in substantial improvement of intrauterine adhesion in the rat model of Asherman syndrome. (Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica 2020, Vol. 58, No. 3, 208-218)

Occupational exposure to antimony has gained much interest when specific toxic effects were noticed among workers processing antimony. Thus, the aim of the present work was to investigate the potential DNA oxidative damage occurring among Egyptian workers occupationally exposed to antimony trioxide. The study was conducted on 25 subjects exposed to antimony trioxide while working in the polymerization process of polyester in Misrayon and Polyester Fiber Company, KafrEldawwar, Beheira, Egypt. Urinary antimony levels were assessed using inductive coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and considered as a biological exposure index. DNA damage and total oxidant capacity (TOC) were assessed using ELISA. DNA damage was detected in the form of increased apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites among antimony trioxide-exposed workers compared to control subjects, but it could not be explained by oxidative mechanisms due to lack of significant correlation between DNA damage and measured TOC. Antimony trioxide might have a genotoxic impact on occupationally exposed workers which could not be attributed to oxidative stress in the studied cases.

Background Heroin’s systemic effects relative to addicts’ characteristics have not been fully investigated. The frequencies of dopamine and α-fetoprotein and the coincidence of toxoplasmosis were assessed. Method The study involved 49 drug addicts and 48 healthy controls. Personal history was taken. Anti- Toxoplasma IgG and IgM, dopamine, and α-fetoprotein in serum were measured using ELISA. Results Overall, 59.2% were ˃ 30 -years- old, 91.8% were low-educated, 85.7% had craftwork, 28.6% had a positive family history, and 49.0% used the intravenous route. Compared to healthy controls, a higher prevalence of Toxoplasma Ig G, significant dopamine reduction, and relatively increased α-fetoprotein were observed. Positive Toxoplasma Ig M serum levels were not recorded, and only 2 patients had equivocal levels. Among addicts, Toxoplasma-IgG levels were equivocal and positive in 18- to 30-year-olds and low-educated, equivocal in craftworkers (33.3%), positive in mental work (28.6%), with insignificant frequencies of relapses. Smoking duration and heroin consumption, all administration routes, and positive family history had relatively higher frequencies of negative anti- Toxoplasma IgG. Higher frequencies of abnormal α-fetoprotein were present in above-thirties addicts, craftwork, number of relapses, the number of cigarettes, early onset, longer duration, amount of heroin, positive family history, and combined routes of administration. Frequencies of decreased dopamine were in above-thirties addicts, graduates, craftworkers, lower relapses, and increased cigarette and substance use. Toxoplasma IgG and Ig M serum levels are inversely correlated with the respective duration and onset of smoking. The number of cigarettes positively correlated with α-fetoprotein. Dopamine correlated inversely with α-fetoprotein. Conclusion Higher past exposure to T. gondii was observed among drug addicts, which tended to be chronic latent, not active disease. Toxoplasmosis and altered dopamine and α-fetoprotein serum levels are potentially affected by age, social status, and cigarette consumption. Dopamine and α-fetoprotein alterations are coincident with increased heroin use.

A novel anionic nanostructured cellulose derivate was prepared through the coupling of TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers with 3-aminopropyl sulfonic acid (3-APSA). 3-APSA grafting was variously investigated by FT-IR spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, confirming a high reaction degree. The surface morphology investigated via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a more uniform organization of the nanofibers after the 3-APSA coupling, with improvements in terms of fiber packing and pore interconnectivity. This peculiar morphology contributes to improving methylene blue (MB) adsorption and removal efficiency at different operating conditions (pH, initial time, and initial concentration). The results indicated a maximum adsorption capacity of 526 mg/g in the case of 3-APSA grafted nanofibers, over 30% more than that of non-grafted ones (370 mg/g), which confirm a relevant effect of chemical modification on the adsorbent properties of cellulose nanofibers. The adsorption kinetics and isotherms of the current adsorbents match with the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models. This study suggests the use of chemical grafting via 3-APSA is a reliable and facile post-treatment to design bio-sustainable and reusable nanofibers to be used as high-performance adsorbent materials in water pollutant remediation.

Background Rapid technological progress has made robotics (R) and artificial intelligence (AI) essential components of our everyday existence. In addition, robots designed for dental applications have been created. This study aimed to assess Egyptian dental students’ Knowledge, perception, and attitude toward the role of robotics and AI in dental practices. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted involving 204 Egyptian students from the Faculty of Dentistry at October University for Modern Sciences and Arts. The electronic link to the questionnaire was created using Google Forms and distributed to the students via email. The questionnaire included 26 questions that assessed the students’ knowledge, perception, and attitude toward the role of R and AI in Dentistry. Results A total of 85.8% of students were familiar with the concepts of R and AI. Among them, 66.2% demonstrated a good understanding of the applications of R and AI in dentistry, while 59.3% showed a positive attitude towards these technologies. Dental students perceived the use of R and AI favorably, particularly in dental implants and CAD/CAM technologies, with 80.6% and 82.3% expressing approval, respectively. However, 66.9% opposed the idea of replacing dentists with these technologies. Additionally, 75% expressed a desire to learn more about R and AI in the future. Conclusions Dental students possess a good understanding of and positive attitudes toward the use of R and AI in diagnosis and interpretation. They believe that AI can play an active role in various aspects of dental practice. However, they express uncertainty about the possibility of AI and robotics replacing dentists.