Conventional Irrigation Techniques Research Articles

Effect of Agricultural activities on Surface water quality of Kolthur and Sampambole Lakes of Medchal Malkajgiri district, Telangana India

One essential natural resource for the existence of all ecosystems on Earth is water. Conventional irrigation techniques and the overuse of fertilizers for high product yields are the main source of contamination in a catchment’s surface water. Chemical fertilizers such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium (NPK), urea and manure are widely applied on agricultural farm lands to improve crop yield thereby compromising the quality of the water sources. Phosphorus is an important nutrient for plant growth. In aquatic systems, a lack of phosphorus often limits aquatic plant growth. Excess phosphorus is usually considered to be a pollutant. The present study focuses on the effects of agriculture on two Lakes i.e., Kolthur Lake and Sampambole Lake of Medchal-Malkajgiri district of Telangana by assessing the NPK and physico-chemical parameters. A total of eight and six samples were collected during the pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon season from Kolthur and Sampambole Lakes respectively. The study is done to assess the nitrates, phosphates and potassium levels in these Lakes to understand the effect on surface water upon fertilizer application. The parameters, pH, TA, TH, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl– and F–, all the samples in all the three seasons were found to be in the accepted limits of the BIS standard values. The other parameters which determine the water pollution due to agricultural activities are the turbidity, total dissolved solids, potassium, nitrates, phosphates, dissolved oxygen and biological oxygen demand were found to be exceeding the BIS standards, in majority of the samples. It was clearly observed that the intense agricultural practices have increased the nitrate and phosphate concentrations as well as other dissolved ions in both the Lakes.

Continuous planting of euhalophyte Suaeda salsa enhances microbial diversity and multifunctionality of saline soil.

Halophyte-based remediation emerges as a novel strategy for ameliorating saline soils, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional leaching methods. While bioremediation is recognized for its ability to energize soil fertility and structure, the complex interplays among plant traits, soil functions, and soil microbial diversity remain greatly unknown. Here, we conducted a 5-year field experiment involving the continuous cultivation of the annual halophyte Suaeda salsa in saline soils to explore soil microbial diversity and their relationships with plant traits and soil functions. Our findings demonstrate that a decline in soil salinity corresponded with increases in the biomass and seed yield of S. salsa, which sustained a consistent seed oil content of approximately 22% across various salinity levels. Significantly, prolonged cultivation of halophytes substantially augmented soil microbial diversity, particularly from the third year of cultivation. Moreover, we identified positive associations between soil multifunctionality, seed yield, and taxonomic richness within a pivotal microbial network module. Soils enriched with taxa from this module showed enhanced multifunctionality and greater seed yields, correlating with the presence of functional genes implicated in nitrogen fixation and nitrification. Genomic analysis suggests that these taxa have elevated gene copy numbers of crucial functional genes related to nutrient cycling. Overall, our study emphasizes that the continuous cultivation of S. salsa enhances soil microbial diversity and recovers soil multifunctionality, expanding the understanding of plant-soil-microbe feedback in bioremediation.IMPORTANCEThe restoration of saline soils utilizing euhalophytes offers a viable alternative to conventional irrigation techniques for salt abatement and soil quality enhancement. The ongoing cultivation of the annual Suaeda salsa and its associated plant traits, soil microbial diversity, and functionalities are, however, largely underexplored. Our investigation sheds light on these dynamics, revealing that cultivation of S. salsa sustains robust plant productivity while fostering soil microbial diversity and multifunctionality. Notably, the links between enhanced soil multifunctionality, increased seed yield, and network-dependent taxa were found, emphasizing the importance of key microbial taxa linked with functional genes vital to nitrogen fixation and nitrification. These findings introduce a novel understanding of the role of soil microbes in bioremediation and advance our knowledge of the ecological processes that are vital for the rehabilitation of saline environments.

Ontology-Based Smart Irrigation System: Enhancing Agricultural Water Management

An Ontology-Based Smart Irrigation System is presented in this research with the goal of improving agricultural water management. The main issue discussed is the inefficiency of conventional irrigation techniques, which results in water waste and lower crop yields. The process used entails creating an ontology, which includes defining concepts, establishing relationships, identifying domains, and populating the ontology. In order to facilitate real-time monitoring and decision-making, the irrigation system also incorporates sensors, actuators, and data processing algorithms. The main conclusions show that the ontology-based approach boosts crop output, encourages sustainable farming practices, and enhances water consumption efficiency. The findings of this study imply that ontology-based smart irrigation systems present a viable way to deal with the problems associated with water scarcity, improve agricultural output, and reduce their negative effects on the environment. The research adds to the expanding corpus of information on intelligent irrigation systems and emphasizes the significance of implementing cutting-edge technologies for agriculture's sustainable water management.

Effect of various volume syringes on solution delivery time using conventional irrigation technique in 0.04 tapered preparations of single straight root canals

Introduction: The important aspect of endodontic treatment is root canal irrigation. Although agitation systems proved to have enhanced irrigant wall interactions, syringe needle-based delivery systems still play a significant role during the preparatory phases of root canal treatment. The current study aimed to evaluate the time taken for the irrigant delivery during conventional syringe irrigation using different volume syringes in different root canal preparations. Materials and Methods: Two hundred extracted single-rooted premolars with approximately round canals were randomly instrumented to preferred apical preparation sizes using 0.4 tapered Hyflex-CM rotary Ni-Ti instruments and randomly divided as follows: Group I, instrumentation to size 40, 0.04 taper (n = 50); Group II, instrumentation to size 30, 0.04 taper (n = 50); Group III, instrumentation to size 25, 0.04 taper (n = 50); and Group IV, instrumentation to size 20, 0.04 taper (n = 50). Fifty operators were chosen for the experimentation. They were asked to irrigate the prepared specimens using different volume syringes. The entire irrigant delivery time was recorded by a head nurse using a stopwatch, and the values were calibrated and statistically analyzed. Results: Group I recorded significantly lesser time for irrigant delivery during manual syringe needle irrigation (P = 0.005) compared to other groups. Conclusion: Irrigation delivery time was less in 40/0.04 taper preparations, using 1 ml volume syringes.

The Impact of Laser-Activated and Conventional Irrigation Techniques on Sealer Penetration into Dentinal Tubules.

Objective: The present study was aimed at comparing the efficacy of 1-hydroxyethylidene-1, 1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) by using various final irrigation techniques on penetration of sealer. Background: Traditional irrigation of root canals with a syringe limits the ability of sealer penetration. Various irrigants and activation techniques, including sonic and ultrasonic devices and various kinds of lasers, have been introduced to improve penetration of sealers into dentinal tubules. Methods: One hundred mandibular premolars were selected. Final irrigation was performed with HEDP or EDTA by conventional syringe irrigation (CI), EndoActivator (EA), passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), photon-induced photoacoustic streaming (PIPS), and shock wave-enhanced emission photoacoustic streaming (SWEEPS) methods (n = 10). After obturation of root canals with the EndoSequence BC Sealer, samples were evaluated using a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), which enabled measurement of the maximum depth, percentage, and penetration area. Tests performed for analysis included the Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: In the EA method, the penetration percentage achieved using HEDP was significantly higher than EDTA at both sections (p < 0.05). Irrespective of the final irrigation solution employed, the PUI, PIPS, and SWEEPS techniques exhibited greater tubule penetration values compared with the CI and EA techniques (p < 0.05). Conclusions: HEDP and EDTA showed similar effects on the amount of penetrated sealer into the dentinal tubules, and the PUI, PIPS and SWEEPS methods provided enhanced EndoSequence BC Sealer penetration compared with the CI and EA methods. This study was approved by the Near East University institutional review board (#2020/86-1225).

Conventional vs ultrasonic irrigation - which leads to less post-operative pain?

Data sources Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov and OpenGrey databases were systematically searched to find studies comparing post-operative pain experienced following root canal treatment with ultrasonic and conventional irrigation (up to May 2021). Hand searching of selected journals was also performed.Study selection Randomised controlled trials assessing post-operative pain experienced following primary non-surgical root canal treatment using conventional versus ultrasonic irrigation were screened. Exclusion criteria included an unsuitable follow-up period, systemic disease among the participants, severe pain, acute apical abscess diagnoses and fewer than 12 patients per trial arm. English language only studies were included. Two reviewers independently screened the studies and disagreements were resolved by consulting a third reviewer.Data extraction and synthesis Data extracted included tooth type, root type, pre-operative diagnosis, pain recording, time of pain recording, number of patients requiring analgesics and study conclusions. Meta-analyses of different post-operative time periods (6h, 24h, 48h, 72h and 7 days) were performed using a fixed-effects model to obtain a mean difference (with 95% confidence intervals) for post-operative pain. Heterogeneity between studies was evaluated using the I2 statistic. Quality assessment of the included studies was performed according to the Cochrane Collaboration protocol for randomised controlled trials. Publication bias was assessed using a funnel plot and modified via the 'trim-and-fill' method.Results A total of six articles were included in the systematic review, of which four were included in the meta-analysis. Overall risk of bias was deemed to be 'low' with one study presenting an unclear risk with respect to selection bias. Meta-analysis demonstrated that ultrasonic agitation significantly reduced post-operative pain compared to conventional irrigation at 6, 24 and 48 hours (p <0.05) but no significant differences were found at later time points.Conclusions Ultrasonic irrigation may lead to less post-operative pain compared to conventional irrigation techniques; however, the evidence base is limited and further research is needed to support these findings.

Comparison of Apically Extruded Debris Associated with Different Irrigation Techniques after Removal of Intracanal Medicaments

This study aimed to compare the effect of XP-endo Finisher file (XPF), passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) and conventional irrigation technique using side-vented needle (SVN) on the amount of apically extruded debris after the removal of calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2 and double antibiotic paste (DAP). Materials and Methods: Sixty extracted human mandibular premolars were used. After decronation, all canals were prepared up to the ProTaper Next X4 file (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland). After dryness, teeth were randomly assigned into 2 groups (n=30) according to the Type of intracanal medication used; Ca(OH)2 and DAP then incubated at 37 °C and 100% humidity. After one week, Samples in each group were randomly assigned to 3 subgroups (n=10) according to the method used for medicament removal: XPF, PUI and SVN. Debris extruded during the removal procedure were collected into pre-weighed Eppendorf tubes then left to dry in an incubator at 37°C for 15 days. The amount of extruded debris was assessed with an analytical balance and calculated by subtracting the initial weight from the final weight of the tube. Data were statistically analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U test. Results: there was no statistically significant difference regarding the amount of apically extruded debris after using the three irrigation techniques in removal of both Ca(OH)2 and DAP (P-value = 0.141, Effect size = 0.160) and (P-value = 0.237, Effect size = 0.073) respectively. Conclusions: Neither XPF nor PUI increase the risk of intracanal medicament extrusion beyond the apex.

Micro-cleanliness of Hard Tissue Debris After Advanced Irrigation and Comparison Between EndoVac and XP-endo Finisher: A Microcomputed Tomographic Study.

ABSTRACTIntroduction:Conventional irrigation techniques do not remove debris adequately. The remaining tissue debris cause infection inside the root canal and may also affect the seal of the root canal. The study aimed to compare the ability of EndoVac (EV) with XP-endo finisher (XPF) in debris removal using micro-CT analysis.Materials and Methods:We used 12 lower first permanent molar human teeth for this study. The root canals were instrumented using a small TF adaptive system. Then, the volume of debris was calculated. Teeth were divided into two groups, according to advanced irrigation methods, with six teeth per group: EV group and XPF group. The volume of debris was calculated again. The paired-sample t-test was used to compare the volume of the debris before and after the use of advanced irrigation methods with the statistical significance of P < 0.05. The percentage of debris reduction was also calculated.Results:Both EV and XPF showed a significant decrease of debris in the mesial canals (P < 0.05), whereas EV only showed a significant reduction of debris in the distal canals.Conclusion:Both EV and XPF were able to significantly reduce debris after instrumentation in the mesial canals of lower first mandibular molars.Clinical Significance:The study provides insight into the recent advanced methods used in debris removal and canal disinfection.

Efficacy of Laser Photoacoustic Streaming in Paediatric Root Canal Disinfection - An Ex-Vivo Study.

Background:Various techniques have been employed to enhance the root canal disinfection rate using sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) as an irrigant. Photon initiated photo-acoustic streaming using lasers is a newer method of endodontic disinfection.Aim:The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the efficacy of photo-initiated photoacoustic streaming and conventional irrigation technique using 2.5% NaOCl for root canal disinfection in primary teeth.Setting and Design:Laboratory setting and ex-vivo design.Materials and Methods:Twenty extracted primary teeth were selected in which Enterococcus faecalis incubation was done in the root canals and bacterial counts were obtained before the intervention. The teeth were randomly allocated into two groups. Group I samples were irrigated with conventional syringe method using 2.5% NaOCl and Group II samples were irrigated using photon-initiated photo-acoustic streaming method with erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser (wavelength - 2940 nm). Postintervention samples were obtained, and bacterial colony count was done. Wilcoxon Signed- Ranks Test and Mann–Whitney test were applied to test the intragroup and intergroup differences in the bacterial counts. Results:Postintervention results showed no bacterial growth in the canals irrigated using Laser (P = 0.004) whereas, fewer bacterial colonies were observed in NaOCl group (P = 0.005). There was statistically significantly higher reduction in E. faecalis counts in Laser Activated irrigation (LAI) group compared to NaOCl group (P < 0.05).Conclusion:Total elimination of E. faecalis counts was obtained by the use of laser activated NaOCl irrigation in the infected root canals, hence, it can be considered as an effective method for pediatric endodontic disinfection.

Comparative Evaluation of Different Irrigation Techniques with Conventional Irrigation Technique for the Removal of Double Antibiotic Paste from Root Canal-An in vitro study

Complete removal of infection, rendering root canal free of an organism is the prime aim of endodontic treatment. It cannot be achieved alone by biomechanical preparation due to the complexity of root canal treatment. Therefore the use of intracanal medicament is a must. The antibiotic paste is frequently used intracanal medicament, usually in regenerative cases. Hence the aim of the is to compare different irrigation technique for removal of double antibiotic paste from root canal through a stereomicroscope. 36 single-rooted were standardized to root length of 12mm then instrumented by Protaper rotary file up to size F4. Irrigation was done using sodium hypochlorite in between instrument change. The root canal was dried using paper point and filled by DAP and then randomly allocated to 3 groups(n=12) according to irrigation system used: conventional syringe irrigation (CSI), Passive ultrasonic irrigation(PUI), EndoVac (EV). Roots were then longitudinally sectioned using the diamond disk and studied under a stereomicroscope using a scoring scale. Data were evaluated using one way ANOVA and Tukey test. Among all experimental group CSI was least efficient. PUI and EV showed greater efficiency but no significant difference between PUI and EV, but a significant difference between CSI and PUI, EV (p&amp;lt; 0.05). Use of irrigation activation system results in efficient removal of DAP compared to CSI.

Secondary Macronutrients Up-Take, Root Development, and Chlorophyll Content of Local Rice Varieties Grown under System of Rice Intensification (SRI) vs. Conventional Methods

A System of Rice Intensification (SRI) create optimal conditions with transplanting widely spaced young single seedlings, organic fertilizer amendment, and water management. In Indonesia the water for irrigating rice is limited, especially in the dry season. An Intermittent irrigation method of rice cultivation aims to reduce water requirements. In Indonesia local rice varieties have the potential to produce high-yielding rice with the intermittent irrigation method to meet food needs. The study aims to determine the suitability of SRI and conventional irrigation techniques on local rice varieties. The research conducted the field experimental with 4 x 2 factorial design, arranged in a Randomized Completely Block Design with three replications. The first factor was rice varieties, which consisted of 4 varieties, i.e., Rojolele, Cianjur, Mentikwangi and Ciherang. The second factor was the method of irrigation consisting of two kinds, i.e., intermittent irrigation and continuous flooding. Analysis of variance and Duncan's Multiple Range Test at α=5% was used. The results showed that rice variety and irrigation were significantly interacts to the secondary macronutrient absorption and root development. Rojolele with SRI irrigation has higher secondary macronutrient absorption than the Cianjur and Mentikwangi. Calcium nutrient absorption of Rojolele and Ciherang with SRI irrigation was higher than other varieties, whereas Magnesium nutrient absorption of Rojolele with SRI irrigation was higher than Ciherang, Cianjur, and Mentikwangi. Rojolele with SRI irrigation had higher Sulfur nutrient absorption than Cianjur and Mentikwangi. In Rojolele and Ciherang, intermittent irrigation SRI produced longer roots at harvest and more wide root surface area than conventional irrigation, but on Mentikwangi, conventional irrigation produced longer roots and more wide root surface area than intermittent SRI irrigation. The chlorophyll b content of the Cianjur and Mentikwangi were greater than Rojolele. The yield of Cianjur was higher than Ciherang's variety.

Antibacterial Ability of Sodium Hypochlorite Heated in the Canals of Infected Teeth: An Ex Vivo Study.

BackgroundApical periodontitis is caused by bacteria present in the root canal space. The removal of the infection is crucial to obtain healing. Canal irrigation is among one of the most important steps in eliminating bacteria. Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is still the preferred irrigant due to its disinfecting and pulpal dissolution abilities. Heating NaOCl improves those abilities. However, the ability of intracanal heated NaOCl to kill bacteria has not yet been evaluated.ObjectivesThis study compared the disinfecting ability of different irrigation regimens using NaOCl with and without sonic and ultrasonic agitation, and with and without intracanal heating of NaOCl.MethodsThe canals of extracted mandibular premolars were prepared, sterilized and infected with E. faecalis for 28 days. The canals were then assigned to eight groups of 10 teeth depending on the NaOCl irrigation protocol. Group CONV: conventional irrigation with syringe and needle; Group END: NaOCl sonic agitation with EndoActivator; Group EDD: NaOCl sonic agitation with EDDY; Group PUI: NaOCl passive ultrasonic agitation; Group H: intracanal heating of NaOCl; Groups END-H, EDD-H and PUI-H: NaOCl agitation with EndoActivator, EDDY and passive ultrasound, respectively, followed by intracanal heating of NaOCl. The canals were sampled before (S1) and after (S2) the different irrigation protocols were performed, the colony-forming units were counted and the percentage of bacteria reduction was calculated for each group.ResultsThe number of bacteria decreased significantly for the different protocols (p < 0.001). The groups with NaOCl intracanal heating reduced bacteria significantly more than the other groups (p < 0.001). Five S2 samples in group H were free of bacteria. All of the S2 samples in the groups with NaOCl sonic and ultrasonic agitation followed by NaOCl heating were free of bacteria. Intracanal heating of NaOCl was more effective in killing bacteria than conventional irrigation, and sonic or passive ultrasonic agitation of NaOCl.ConclusionsIntracanal heating of NaOCl has the potential to be used as an adjunct to root canal irrigation in order to increase bacterial reduction in comparison to the conventional irrigation techniques involving sonic or ultrasonic agitation. Agitation of NaOCl followed by intracanal warming of the solution seems to be very promising in eliminating bacteria from infected root canals.

WEB BASED SMART IRRIGATION SYSTEM USING RASPBERRY PI

The major population of India mainly depends upon Agriculture. Nowadays the ground water levels are also decreased due to global warming and uncertain rain fall. The conventional irrigation techniques have some problems like farmer should visit the field regularly even at night, then he may face some hazards like snake bite, electric shock and etc. In this paper a web based smart irrigation system using Raspberry Pi is implemented. The proposed system checks the temperature and moisture content present in the soil. The motor is also automatically controlled ON and OFF, when the 3-phase supply is present in the field and also with the flow of water. The acquired temperature and moisture content of the soil are sent to Raspberry Pi using nRF24L01 transceiver. Raspberry Pi posts the received values on the webpage. When we enter the acquired parameter values in the soil test blogs, the webpage shows the suggestions of pesticides and crops that need to be taken by the farmer to increase the yield. The system can reduce the water consumption and wastage of water

A prospective comparative study of efficacy of pulse jet irrigation and conventional irrigation techniques in prevention of surgical site infections in laparotomy wounds

Background: Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) are infections of tissues, organs or spaces exposed by surgeons during performance of an invasive procedure and continue to be a major source of morbidity following operative procedures. Wound irrigation is the steady flow of a solution across an open wound surface meant to remove cellular debris and surface pathogens contained in wound exudates or residue from topically applied wound care products.Methods: This prospective comparative study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of Pressurized Pulse Irrigation (PPI) and Standard Irrigation Technique (SIT) in laparotomy wounds. Duration of the study was for a period of 12 months and included 100 consecutive patients undergoing laparotomy.Results: 13% of patients who underwent laparotomy had SSI out of which 9 patients had superficial infection only. 8% of 50 patients who had PPI developed SSI, whereas 18% of those who underwent SIT had SSI. Though PPI had less incidence of SSI, statistically it was insignificant.Conclusions: The study showed a decrease in the incidence of postoperative SSI in both elective and emergency laparotomy wounds irrigated with PPI compared to SIT, though the study was statistically insignificant since the p value was less than 0.005 with a odds ratio of 2.52. The study results suggested that there was decrease in the incidence of SSI in PPI patients and also that it decreases the postoperative stay, morbidity and cost.

Assessment of Suitable Areas for Home Gardens for Irrigation Potential, Water Availability, and Water-Lifting Technologies

The study was conducted in Lake Tana Basin of Ethiopia to assess potentially irrigable areas for home gardens, water availability, and feasibility of water-lifting technologies. A GIS-based Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) technique was applied to access the potential of surface and groundwater sources for irrigation. The factors affecting irrigation practice were identified and feasibility of water-lifting technologies was evaluated. Pairwise method and expert’s opinion were used to assign weights for each factor. The result showed that about 345,000 ha and 135,000 ha of land were found suitable for irrigation from the surface and groundwater sources, respectively. The rivers could address about 1–1.2% of the irrigable land during dry season without water storage structure whereas groundwater could address about 2.2–2.4% of the irrigable land, both using conventional irrigation techniques. If the seven major dams within the basin were considered, surface water potential would be increased and satisfy about 21% of the irrigable land. If rainwater harvesting techniques were used, about 76% of the basin would be suitable for irrigation. The potential of surface and groundwater was evaluated with respect to water requirements of dominant crops in the region. On the other hand, rope pump and deep well piston hand pump were found with relatively the most (26%) and the least (9%) applicable low-cost water-lifting technologies in the basin.

Comparisons by microcomputed tomography of the efficiency of different irrigation techniques for removing dentinal debris from artificial grooves.

Aim:The aim of this study was compare the capacity of different irrigation protocols for debris removal from artificial grooves and assess the effectiveness of Easy Clean used in different kinematics by means of micro-CT.Methodology:Fifty acrylic prototyped maxillary incisors were instrumented and included in a muffle. The specimens were longitudinally sectioned, and a longitudinal groove was made on the inner surface of the root canal in one of hemisections, and the dentin debris was inserted into the grooves. The specimens were divided into five groups (n = 10): G1: Conventional with open-ended needle; G2: Conventional with double side-vented needle; G3: Easy Clean in reciprocating movement; G4: Easy clean in continuous rotation (ECCR); and G5: Passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI). All specimens were scanned using microcomputed tomography before and after the irrigation technique and calculated the volume (mm3) of dentin debris. The paired t-test and post hoc Tukey test were the statistical tests used, with significance set at 5%.Results:There were no significant difference (P > 0.05) between PUI and ECCR. ECCR was significantly (P < 0.05) more effective than the groups of conventional irrigation techniques.Conclusions:PUI and ECCR favored the removal of a larger volume of dentin debris from the groove.

Monitoring soil salinity via remote sensing technology under data scarce conditions: A case study from Turkey

Due to its negative impacts on land productivity and plant growth, soil salinization is a significant problem particularly in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Among the natural factors of soil salinization, parent materials including high amount of salts and minerals in soil structure, known as primary salinization, can be addressed. Conventional irrigation techniques and poor drainage systems are predominant human-induced activities that result in secondary salinization. Countries with especially dryland environment, face difficulty in providing adequate food for their rapidly increasing population since each year lots of cultivated land are abandoned due to adverse effects of primary and secondary soil salinization. Therefore, monitoring, mapping and predicting soil salinization is of utmost importance regarding lessening and/or preventing further increase in soil salinity through some protective measures. The subject of concern becomes even more pronounced particularly in agricultural lands as is the case in the vicinity of Tuz (Salt) Lake Region in Turkey. This research focuses mainly on multi-temporal monitoring of Tuz Lake Region in order to track changes in areas of salty spots in years 1990, 2002, 2006, 2011 and 2015. A total number of 25 Landsat-5 TM and Landsat-8 images obtained between 1990 and 2015 were analysed in this study. Field electrical conductivity (EC) measurements for 322 soil samples in year 2002 were checked; and 28 of these samples were selected for generating salinity maps representing areas in the vicinity of the lake. All satellite images were radiometrically and atmospherically corrected prior to classification. Following the pre-processing step, five soil salinity indices were applied on all satellite images. 28 soil samples were then overlaid on images in order to extract the exact index values related to soil samples and regression approach was used to relate satellite image-derived salinity indices and field measurements. Linear and exponential regression analyses were conducted separately as the next step for all indices based on data gathered in 2002. Salinity index (SI) 1=B1*B3 showed the best result with R2 value of 0.93 and 0.83 for exponential and linear regression analysis, respectively. Salinity maps for years 1990, 2006, 2011 and 2015 were further produced utilizing the exponential and linear regression expressions attained for year 2002. Besides, this study detected land cover changes in the area from year 2000–2006, and from 2006 to 2012 by using CORINE land cover data to analyse the possible relationships between land cover change and salinity changes.

The Use of Different Irrigation Techniques to Decrease Bacterial Loads in Healthy and Diabetic Patients with Asymptomatic Apical Periodontitis.

BACKGROUND:Diabetes mellitus is a multisystem disease which weakens the human’s immunity. Subsequently, it worsens the sequelae of apical periodontitis by raising a fierce bacterial trait due to the impaired host response.AIM:This study aimed to estimate bacterial reduction after using different irrigation techniques in systemically healthy and diabetic patients with asymptomatic apical periodontitis.MATERIAL AND METHODS:Enterococcus faecalis, Peptostreptococcus micros, and Fusobacterium necleatum bacteria were chosen, as they are the most common and prevailing strains found in periodontitis. Bacterial samples were retrieved from necrotic root canals of systemically healthy and diabetic patients, before and after endodontic cleaning and shaping by using two different irrigation techniques; the conventional one and the EndoVac system. Quantitive polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was utilised to detect the reduction in the bacterial count.RESULTS:The EndoVac irrigation system was effective in reducing bacteria, especially Peptostreptococcus micros in the diabetic group when compared to conventional irrigation technique with a statistically significant difference.CONCLUSION:The EndoVac can be considered as a promising tool in combination with irrigant solution to defeat the bacterial colonies living in the root canal system. Additional studies ought to be done to improve the means of bacterial clearance mainly in immune-compromised individuals.

Efficacy of passive ultrasonic irrigation in removing root filling material during endodontic retreatment

Abstract Introduction The aim of endodontic retreatment is to remove the previous root filling materials completely to allow for the subsequent steps of cleaning, canal shaping and filling replacement. Objective To evaluate the efficacy of passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) in the removal of residual root filling material after removing the bulk of the root filling with nickel-titanium rotary instruments. Material and method Eighteen mesial isthmus-containing roots of human mandibular molars were prepared and filled. The root canal filling was removed with the ProTaper Retreatment system and K-files. The specimens were randomized into 2 groups (n = 9), both irrigated with 2.5% NaOCl and 17% EDTA. In the conventional group, an irrigation syringe was used. In the PUI group, the PUI technique was used. The roots were sectioned longitudinally and evaluated under stereomicroscopy. Student’s t test was used to compare groups and the general linear model was used to compare the apical, cervical, and middle root thirds within each group, in regard to the percentages of remaining residual filling material. Result There was no statistically significant intergroup difference, irrespective of which root third was evaluated (P &gt; 0.05). In the PUI group, the apical third showed a significantly higher percentage of residual filling material, in comparison with the cervical (P = 0.038) and middle (P = 0.029) thirds. Conclusion The PUI technique was not more effective than the conventional irrigation technique in removing residual root filling material during endodontic retreatment in root canals with a complex anatomy.

Comparison of Different Irrigation Activation Regimens and Conventional Irrigation Techniques for the Removal of Modified Triple Antibiotic Paste from Root Canals

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of irrigation activation regimens and conventional syringe irrigation technique in the removal of modified triple antibiotic paste (mTAP) from root canal walls. MethodsFifty-six extracted human mandibular premolars were prepared using ProTaper rotary files (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) up to size F4. The root canals were filled with mTAP medicament, and after 21 days, the roots were randomly assigned to 5 groups (n = 10) according to the irrigation regimens used: conventional syringe irrigation (CI), Self-Adjusting File (SAF; ReDent-Nova, Ra'anana, Israel), EndoVac (Discus Dental, Culver City, CA), EndoActivator (Dentsply, Tulsa, OK), and passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI). In 3 teeth, mTAP was not removed (positive controls), and another 3 teeth were not filled with mTAP (negative controls). The roots were sectioned, and the amount of remaining medicament at each root half (n = 20) was evaluated at 30× magnification using a 4-grade scoring system. Data were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. ResultsThere were statistically significant differences among all experimental groups; of which, the CI group was the significantly least efficient in removing mTAP from the root canal (P < .05). At the apical and middle third, the PUI, SAF, EndoVac, and EndoActivator groups removed significantly more mTAP medicament than the CI group (P < .05); however, there were no significant differences between these groups (P > .05). The SAF and PUI showed significantly better performances in removing mTAP from the coronal third (P < .05). ConclusionsThe use of irrigation activation regimens significantly improves the removal of mTAP from root canals when compared with CI.