Early Feeding Practices and Body Mass Index Z-Score among Saudi Preschoolers: A Cross-Sectional Study

ObjectivesTo characterize early feeding practices among mothers in Saudi Arabia and examine their associations with child birthweight and BMI z-score (BMIz) at preschool. Study DesignCross-sectional study. MethodsMother-child dyads (n=209) were recruited from different preschools around the city of Jeddah. Mothers completed the study questionnaire over the telephone and preschoolers’ anthropometric measurements were objectively measured. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize early feeding practices. Bivariate analyses and linear regression were used to examine the association of early feeding practices with child birthweight and BMIz at preschool. ResultsThe majority of mothers (92.3%) initiated breastfeeding, with an average duration of 9.34 months (SD= 8.04). About half of the mothers reported that they have offered fruit juice and/or date syrup-milk mixture in a baby bottle (52.2% and 45.9% respectively), with an average duration of 11.5 months (SD= 7.73) and 5.90 months (SD= 6.13), respectively. Children who were offered fruit juice and/or date syrup-milk mixture in a baby bottle had significantly lower birthweights compared to children who were not (M= 2.79, SD= 0.59 vs. M= 3.06, SD=0.69, P< 0.01 and M= 2.79, SD= 0.67 vs. M= 3.03, SD=0.62, P< 0.01, respectively). There was a negative association between introducing fruit juice in a baby bottle and child BMIz at preschool (b: 0.18, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.83, -0.11); This association was not significant after adjusting for child birthweight and other covariates (b: -0.10, 95% CI: -0.64, 0.09). ConclusionLongitudinal and interventions studies are needed to inform counseling guidelines and community campaigns in order to improve early feeding practices in the region.

The Erosive Potential of Acidic Candies: An Ex Vivo Study

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the erosive potential of saliva on dental enamel sucking the acidic candies, and their effects on the pH, titratable acidity (TA) and buffering capacity (β) of saliva. Methodology: Human enamel specimens (n = 216) were randomly in 17 acidic candy groups and one negative control (paraffin wax) group. Three human volunteers sucked each candy for 5 min while spitting into a covered and chilled vial. The pH, TA and β were measured immediately after the saliva collection. For erosive challenge, each specimen was immersed in saliva at room temperature for 120 min without agitation. The erosion was measured by surface microhardness (SMH) tester and with 3D non-contact optical profilometer for depth of surface loos (DSL). Percentage of SMH change (%SMHC) was calculated. ANOVA followed by Tukey test and Pearson correlation were performed (α=0.05). Results: All candies lowered saliva pH below 5.5, and produced significant DSL (P<0.05) and %SMHC (P<0.01) on enamel, when compared to negative control. The Baby bottle Pop candy presented the lowest erosive potential. No significant differences were observed in DSL between all candies and the negative control, except for the PicoSitos candy. However, for the %SMHC almost all the candies were significantly different from negative control. Correlations were observed between the pH and TA and β, between TA and β, and between the %SMHC and DSL variables (P<0.05). Conclusion: Acidic candies can lower the saliva pH, hindering its buffering effect. The DSL and %SMHC analysis showed enamel dissolution with all candies investigated.

EFFECTIVENESS OF AWARENESS PROGRAM ON THE ETIOLOGY OF EARLYCHILDHOOD CARIES AMONG THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN IN SULLIA.

Introduction: Early childhood caries is one of the most prevalent, infectious, biolm-mediated, and transmissible childhood diseases with longterm progression and developmental implications that affect children worldwide. also Also known as baby bottle caries, baby bottle tooth decay, nursing bottle caries, nursing caries or rampant caries. , describes dental caries affecting children aged 0–71 months. For an effective prevention of early childhood caries, conducting a caries risk assessment and providing parental education within 6 months (but no longer than 12 months) of the child's rst tooth eruption is recommended and the theme of this project was to form a multidisciplinary team collaboration and create awareness to work in collaboration to prevent early childhood caries. Methods:All the multiple stakeholders in the care giving of infants and toddlers children are were involved in this awareness program, . . questionnaires Questionnaires relevant to the awareness were customized after validation to include all the proven etiologic factors that are proven to be etiologic to for early childhood caries in children. A total of 300 participants including mothers of infants, dental and medical students, gynecologist, pediatricians, pedodontist and asha ASHA workers were all evaluated assessed for awareness of etiologic factors and they were then educated with powerpoint presentations and video presentations on the etiologic factors and how to prevent early childhood caries. The post lecture sensitization was evaluated & compared by the post session questionnaires.Post test questionnaire was used to assess effectiveness of intervention. Results: A statistically signicant improvement (p < 0.05) was observed in the post awareness test scores for knowledge, attitude& practices of participantsthan the pre awareness test score. Compared to the pre awareness group results 75 (25%) there was signicant improvement in the post awareness group 269 (89.7%) was noted.The overall distribution of the post awareness session excellentscores were 89.7% and results were statistically signicant. Conclusion: Awareness is he mainstay in prevention of any diseases and early childhood caries being one of the devastating diseases that burdens the child and the parents physically, mentally, semotionally and nancially along with tooth pain, dental abscess, cellulitis and tooth loss leading to psychological impact ,speech disorders and spread of dental cries to permanent tooth needs to be stopped. As prevention is better than cure this kind of workshopscomprehensive interventetnions like these involving all the stakeholders of a child health will denitely empower them with more knowledge and skill to educate the mother and child to take precautions to prevent the diseases like early childhood caries.

Development of electrodeposited nanostructural poly (o-aminophenol) coating as a solid phase microextraction fiber for determination of bisphenol A

In this research nanostructural poly (o-aminophenol) was synthesized by electropolymerization and used for solid phase microextraction procedure (SPME). Thin film of Poly (o-aminophenol) (4 µm thickness) was shaped by sweep potential for 45 min on the surface of stainless steel wire. Polymer was synthesized by potentiostat procedure too. Prepared polymer by sweep potential procedure showed nanostructures on the surface. Acetic anhydride was employed for derivatization of bisphenol A (BPh-A) and analysis of acetylated BPh-A was utilized by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Affecting parameters on derivatization and extraction such as amount of acetic anhydride, stirring rate, temperature, ionic strength and extraction time were optimized. The limit of detection (LOD) and relative standard divisions (RSDs%) were achieved 0.6 µgL-1 and less than 6.8%, respectively under optimized conditions. Finally proposed method was used for extraction of bisphenol A from leaching of baby and drinking water bottles. Relative recovery was achieved 98% for leaching from drinking bottle. In leaching from plastic baby bottle, bisphenol A (BPh-A) was detected in the range 5–15 µg L-1.

Application of Golden Nanoparticles against Streptococcus Mutans for Prevention of Caries Lesions

Background: Dental caries also known as baby bottle tooth decay, is a critical public health problem around the world for which Streptococcus mutans (S.mutans) has been introduced as the main infectious etiology. In the past two decades, nanotechnology has permitted the development of new materials with antimicrobial properties. The aim of this study was to compare the bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects of three golden nanoparticles (SP, NR, and CS) on S.mutans. Methods: To determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and the minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs), a liquid dilution method was applied. Results: All golden nanoparticles (GNPs) showed antimicrobial activity with no statistically significant differences (> 0.05) in MIC or MBC. Conclusion: Our findings revealed that the size and shape of the nanoparticles did not significantly affect the antimicrobial properties of the GNPs. This finding might be useful for achieving important clinical effects with reduced toxicity in the management of early childhood caries in future in vivo studies.

Re-opening hairdressing salons, barber shops and gyms following COVID-19 lockdown: reducing risks from Legionella species through successful domestic steam disinfection of showerheads

Given the importance of disinfecting showerheads from Legionella species and the lack of instructions as to how to successfully achieve this, the aim of this study was to examine the ability of domestic steam disinfection to successfully disinfect showerheads from Legionella species. Steam disinfection of Legionella pneumophila [n=3; L. pneumophila serogroup 2–15 (wildtype environmental water isolate); L. pneumophila serogroup 1 NCTC11192 (reference strain); L. pneumophila serogroup 1 (wildtype environmental water isolate)], L. erythra (wildtype environmental water isolate) and L. bozemanii CRM11368M (reference strain) were examined in this study. Steam disinfection employing a baby bottle steam disinfector device eradicated all Legionella organisms tested. Steam disinfection, when performed properly under the manufacturer’s instructions, offers a relatively inexpensive, simple, versatile and widely available technology for the elimination of Legionella species from contaminated showerheads. We therefore advocate the employment of such devices to regularly disinfect showerheads and shower tubing in hairdressing salons, barber shops and gyms, as a critical control in the elimination of these organisms from these sources, thereby enhancing customer/client/staff safety.

The challenge of relational referents in early word extensions: Evidence from noun-noun compounds

Young children struggle more with mapping novel words onto relational referents (e.g., verbs) compared to non-relational referents (e.g., nouns). We present further evidence for this notion by investigating children's extensions of noun-noun compounds, which map onto combinations of non-relational referents, i.e., objects (e.g., baby and bottle for baby bottle), and relations (e.g., a bottle FOR babies). We tested two- to five-year-olds’ and adults’ generalisations of novel compounds composed of novel (e.g., kig donka) or familiar (e.g., star hat) nouns that were combined by one of two relations (e.g., donka that has a kig attached (=attachment relation) versus donka that stores a kig (=function relation)). Participants chose between a relational (shared relation) and a non-relational (same colour) match. Results showed a developmental shift from encoding non-relational aspects (colour) towards relations of compound referents, supporting the challenge of relational word referents. Also, attachment relations were more frequently encoded than function relations.

The influence of gestational age at term on breastfeeding: a cohort study

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the effect of the category gestational age at term on breastfeeding in he first hour of life, the duration of exclusive breastfeeding, and practice of breastfeeding twelve months from birth. Method: Single cohort, with a one-year prospective follow-up of 541 children. A hierarchical analysis was performed, with models adjusted per Cox regression, considering critical p < 0.05. Results: During raw analysis there was a statistical difference on breastfeeding in the first hour of life (RR = 1.54; CI 95% = 1.12–2.12; p = 0.008). However, in the final analysis, there was no association between gestational age at term and breastfeeding in the first hour of life, duration of exclusive breastfeeding, and the practice of breastfeeding twelve months from birth. Secondarily, higher age and education, cesarean section, birth at private services, and the need for resuscitation were observed to have a negative influence. Duration of previous pregnancy favored breastfeeding in the first hour of life. Using baby bottle and pacifier was negative for breastfeeding in the first year of life. Conclusion: There was no association between the category gestational age at term and breastfeeding. The association of outcomes pointed out by the scientific literature have been confirmed.