Group Ia Research Articles

Comparison of bond strength of different lingual retainer wires: An study

: Bonded retainers are extensively used after orthodontic treatment to maintain the achieved results. However, bond failure in the retainer system is a frequently observed problem, resulting in the loss of retainer function, leading to relapse.: The purpose of this in-vitro study was to compare the shear bond strength of different wire-composite combinations.: 144 extracted human premolars in pairs were divided into 6 groups of 12 samples each. The orthodontic retainer wires used were Flat woven wire (Leone), Dead soft retention wire (Ortho Classic USA) and two stranded twisted Leone ligature wire (0.018”). The composite that was used was Transbond XT adhesive (3M Unitek) and Enlight Light Cure Adhesive (Ormco). Retainer wires were bonded on the lingual surfaces of the teeth. 72 samples were subjected to debonding with a chisel head in a universal testing machine INSTRON. Comparisons of the means of shear bond strength values were made with one way ANOVA & Tukey’s Post Hoc test.: Maximum shear bond strength was observed in group IA (Leone flat woven wire with Transbond XT). There was a statistically significant difference in the shear bond strength of different retainer wires.: Compared to other wire composite combinations, maximum shear bond strength was observed in Leone flat woven wire with Transbond XT composite. Therefore, it could be the wire-composite combination of choice for the bonded lingual retainer.

10-Year Impact of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Leaflet Design (Intra- Versus Supra-Annular) in Mortality and Hemodynamic Performance.

BackgroundThe impact of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) leaflet design on long-term device performance is still unknown. This study sought to compare the clinical and hemodynamic outcomes of intra- (IA) versus supra-annular (SA) TAVR designs up-to 10-years following implantation.MethodsConsecutive patients with at least 5-years follow-up following TAVR for severe symptomatic aortic stenosis from June 2007 to December 2016 were included. Bioprosthetic valve failure (BVF) and hemodynamic valve deterioration (HVD) were defined according to VARC-3 updated definitions and estimated using cumulative incidence function to account for the competing risk of death.ResultsA total of 604 patients (82 years; 53% female) were analyzed and divided into IA (482) and SA (122) groups. Overall survival rates at 10-years were similar (IA 15%, 95%CI: 10–22; SA 11%, 95%CI: 6–20; p = 0.21). Compared to the SA TAVR, mean transaortic gradients were significantly higher and increased over time in the IA group. IA TAVRs showed higher 10-year cumulative incidences of BVF (IA 8% vs. SA 1%, p = 0.02) and severe HVD (IA 5% vs. SA 1%, p = 0.05). The occurrence of BVF and HVD in the IA group occurred primarily in the smallest TAVR devices (20–23-mm). After excluding these sizes, the cumulative incidences of BVF (IA 5% vs. SA 1%, p = 0.40) and severe HVD (IA 2% vs. SA 1%, p = 0.11) were similar.ConclusionIn this study, TAVR leaflet design had no impact on survival at 10-years. IA devices showed higher transaortic gradients and cumulative incidences of HVD and BVF predominantly occurring in the smallest valve sizes.

Red propolis reduces inflammation in cyclophosphamide-induced hemorrhagic cystitis in rats.

Introduction. Cyclophosphamide (CP) is used to treat malignant neoplasias and control autoimmune diseases. Still, one of its metabolites, acrolein, is toxic to the urothelium and can lead to hemorrhagic cystitis and severe discomfort.Objective. To evaluate the ability of red propolis to prevent and treat CP-induced hemorrhagic cystitis in rats.Materials and methods. Red propolis was extracted in 1% gum arabic and administered subcutaneously (sc). In the first experiment, groups IA, IIA, and IIIA and groups IB, IIB, and IIIB received water, gum arabic (GA), or propolis, respectively, for 30 days. Then water (controls) or CP (treatment) was administered i.p. In the second experiment, groups IVA, VA, and VIA received water i.p. while groups IVB, VB, and VIB received CP i.p. This was followed by 5 injections at 2-hour intervals with either water, GA, or propolis. Bladder tissue was examined according to Gray’s criteria.Results. The total inflammatory histology score was significantly smaller in group VIB (11.33 ± 2.07). Mild inflammation predominated in group VIB while most of the animals in group IVB had severe inflammation (p=0.0375). Ulcers were predominantly multiple in Groups IVA and VB but rare or absent in Group VIB (p=0.0118). Urothelial cells were mostly absent in groups IVB and VB and present/normal in group VIB (p=0.0052). Fibrin was abundant in groups IVB and VA but mostly absent in group VIB (p=0.0273).Conclusions. Red propolis can reduce inflammation in CP-induced hemorrhagic cystitis in rats.

Machine Learning-Based Gray-Level Co-Occurrence Matrix (GLCM) Models for Predicting the Depth of Myometrial Invasion in Patients with Stage I Endometrial Cancer.

PurposeDeep myometrial invasion (DMI) is an independent high-risk factor for lymph node metastasis and a prognostic risk factor in early-stage endometrial cancer (EC-I) patients. Thus, we developed a machine learning (ML) assistant model, which can accurately help define the surgical area.Methods348 consecutive EC-I patients with the pathological diagnosis were recruited in the tertiary medical centre between January 1, 2012, and October 31, 2021. Five ML-assisted models were developed using two-step estimation methods from the candidate gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM). Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), decision curve analysis (DCA), and clinical impact curve (CIC) were prepared to evaluate the robustness and clinical practicality of each model.ResultsOur analysis identified several significant differences between the stage IA and IB groups. The top seven-candidate factors included correlation all direction offset1, correlation angle0 offset1, correlation angle45 offset1, correlation angle90 offset1, ID moment all direction offset1, ID moment angle0 offset1, and ID moment angle45 offset1. The areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) of the random forest classifier (RFC) model, support vector machine (SVM), eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), artificial neural network (ANN), and decision tree (DT) ranged from 0.765 to 0.877 in the training set and from 0.716 to 0.862 in the testing set, respectively. Among the five machine algorithms, RFC obtained the optimal prediction efficiency using correlation angle0 offset1, correlation angle45 offset1, correlation angle90 offset1, correlation all direction offset1, ID moment angle0 offset1, and ID moment angle45 offset1, and ID moment angle90 offset1, respectively.ConclusionOur ML-based prediction model combined with GLCM parameters assessed the risk of DMI in EC-I patients, especially RFC, which helped distinguish stage IA and IB EC patients. This new predictive model based on supervised learning can be used to establish personalized treatment strategies.

Serine Hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) Gene Family in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): Identification, Evolution, and Expression Analysis

Serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) plays a vital role in one-carbon metabolic, photorespiration, and various stress responses. However, the genome-wide analysis has not been performed in wheat. In this study, a total of 12 TaSHMT genes were identified in wheat and classified into groups Ⅰa, Ⅰb, and Ⅱb. TaSHMT genes in each group shared similar conserved domain distributions. Chromosomal location, synteny, and cis-elements analysis of TaSHMTs were also analyzed. Real-time PCR results indicated that most TaSHMT genes were mainly expressed in leaves and stems during the wheat seedling stage. Most TaSHMT genes could respond to various abiotic stress. The growth of yeast cells expressing TaSHMT2.1 was inhibited under salt and dehydration stress. Moreover, the gene ontology (GO) annotation and protein interaction of TaSHMT genes were analyzed. These results increase our understanding of SHMT genes and provide robust candidate genes for further functional investigations aimed at crop improvement.

Genome-wide analysis of cowpea NAC transcription factor family elucidating the genetic & molecular relationships that interface stress and growth regulatory signals

Being a key transcriptional mediator of stress and growth responses, NAC transcription factors hold the paramount potential to develop climate-smart pulse crops. Despite their seminal role, they are yet unexplored in many important orphan legumes like cowpea. The recent availability of a comprehensive reference genome motivated us to investigate and assess the functional importance of the remarkable NAC family in cowpea for sustainable crop research. This study identified 130 NAC proteins in cowpea, namely VuNAC01-130, classified into 8 phylogenetic groups. 27 cowpea-specific members were clustered as a distinct clade with no close orthologs from other species, implicating novel functions. VuNAC proteins carried multipartite nuclear signals and unique transactivation regions with conserved patterns. 18 proteins were associated with non-NAC chimeric domains. The genes owned a unique promoter architecture encompassing pyrimidine-rich elements. The family manifested prominent segmental and tandem chromosomal duplication resulting in numerous stress-responsive members and large paralogous groups. The promoter and interactome analysis revealed multi-tier regulation through light, hormone, and transcription factors (NAC/MYB/WRKY/ERF and Dof/TCP), suggesting a cross-talk between stress and growth-regulating signals. Besides, the TFs were associated with metabolic processes such as trehalose and folate synthesis, carbohydrate transport, lipid signaling, and electron transfer. Comparatively, ATAF-like members (Group Ia) would be the most promising candidates to develop climate-smart crops with improved stress adaptation and agronomic traits by translational approach, due to their predicted functional versatility.

Luminescence properties of Tb-doped SrAl4O7

In this research terbium-doped strontium aluminate SrAl4O7 samples were synthesized using solid-state synthesis method. X-Ray powder diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements were applied for sample characterization. All of them exhibited yellowish-green emission with highest peak at 542 ​nm attributable to 5D4 →7F5 transition. The highest emission intensity was observed in Sr0.98Al4O7:Tb0.02 sample while higher doping levels resulted in decrease of the PL intensities due to concentration quenching. Samples with additional IA group ions for charge compensation were also prepared and their PL properties were measured.

Study of Selenoprotein P as a Marker of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapeutic Intervention Outcome

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma is the main public health issue on a global scale, and its diagnosis remains difficult. HCC is now believed to be a common malignancy and a foremost cause of death in Egypt, owing to the high prevalence of cirrhosis associated with chronic HCV. Its incidence has increased in recent years, and it is expected that there will be continuous a rise in the number of occurrences. This study aimed to evaluate the role of serum selenoprotein P as a marker for diagnosis and follow up of therapeutic intervention outcome in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
 Methods: This was a prospective study that took place in Tropical medicine department, Tanta university. Seventy patients with cirrhosis of the liver were included, either with or without hepatocellular carcinoma. The studied patients were divided into group I A of 20 HCC patients who underwent HCC therapeutic intervention, those patients were evaluated before and after their therapeutic intervention, group I B of 25 HCC patients who did not undergo HCC therapeutic intervention as unsuitable and group II of 25 patients with liver cirrhosis as controls
 Results: Selenoprotein P was decreased significantly in group IB than group IA and group II (P <0.001) and was significantly decreased in group IA than group II (P <0.001). At cut-off <11 ng/ml selenoprotein P can differentiate between HCC and liver cirrhosis with 80% sensitivity, 76% specificity, 85.7% PPV, 67.9% NPV and 0.851 AUC. After therapeutic intervention, increased serum level of selenoprotein P can be an indicator of good response to treatment. While decreased serum selenoprotein P level can be an indicator of poor response (P <0.001).
 Conclusions: Serum selenoprotein P could be useful as a possible diagnostic biomarker for HCC. Detecting that biomarker in serum is a simple, non-invasive procedure that is more realistic than measuring it in tissue samples procured only through procedures that are invasive. Selenoprotein P could be used as a predictive marker of better therapeutic intervention outcome in hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Additionally, our findings imply that Se may be utilised as a supportive treatment for HCC by influencing the level of selenoprotein P.

Quality of life and psychoemotional status in patients with external genital endometriosis

Introduction. Chronic pain syndrome with external genital endometriosis (EGE) causes profound psychoemotional changes, anxiety disorders, decreased physical and social activity, general well-being and mood, sexual dysfunction, and as a consequence, deteriorated quality of patients' life.Aim: to study an influence of psychoemotional disorders on the quality of life of women with painful and painless forms of EGE.Material and Methods. There were enrolled 160 patients (110 women with painful and 50 with painless forms of EGE) of reproductive age with laparoscopically and morphologically verified diagnosis, according to the Revised American Fertility Society score (R-AFS) classification. Pain syndrome and psychoemotional status were assessed using various quality of life assessment questionnaires: Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Endometriosis Health Profile-30 (EHP-30), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). After surgical treatment, 8 patients refused to participate in the work (6 with painful form of EGE and 2 with painless form). Thus, 152 women passed all stages of the study. The patients were divided into 4 groups depending on the presence and/or absence of pain syndrome and tactics of the rehabilitation period ("active" or "passive"): group IA consisted of 49 (47.1 %) women with pain syndrome and "active" rehabilitation; group IБ – 55 (52.9 %) women with pain syndrome and "passive" rehabilitation tactics; group IIA – 23 (47.9 %) patients without pain syndrome and with "active" rehabilitation; group IIБ – 25 (52.1 %) patients without pain syndrome and with "passive" rehabilitation tactics.Results. It was found that painful vs. painless form of EGE differs by a more severe course of the disease and markedly decreased quality of life. In a comparative analysis of the four groups it was noted that women with "active" tactics of rehabilitation measures (IA and IIA) had a decrease in pain syndrome, improved emotional, social and sexual activity, decreased depression and anxiety scores as compared to the patients (IБ and IIБ) who underwent a set of rehabilitation measures within the National clinical guidelines.Conclusion. Timely diagnostics and correction of psychoemotional disorders will allow to develop a differentiated approach to provide specialized medical and psychological care and improve the quality of life of patients with EGE.

Expression profile of Ki-67 in OSMF and its possible correlation with clinical and histological features

Oral submucous fibrosis(OSMF) is a potentially malignant disorder (PMDs) with characteristic epithelial and connective tissue changes and regarded as possessing a high degree of malignant potential. Epithelial dysplasia is an important marker of malignant development from PMDs. Because agreement among oral pathologists is poor regarding lesional diagnosis, Ki-67 as a proliferative marker may have a place in objectively characterizing dysplasia in tissue specimens. The study groups included 60 patients diagnosed with OSMF based on history and clinical examination. After obtaining the details in regard to habits and clinical manifestations, the subjects were divided into Group IA and Group IB (very early and early stages-Group I A, moderate and advanced stages-Group I B). 30 subjects without an OSMF-negative control group and 30 patients of SCC-positive control. Biopsy was taken and subjected for H&E staining and IHC analysis of Ki-67. The mean count of Ki-67 was determined in OSMF cases with dysplasia and without dysplasia by using t test, mean value of Ki-67 in with dysplasia (37.41) was higher than that of without dysplasia (28.41) with no significant difference (p value = 0.0810).

Expression profile of Ki-67 in OSMF and its possible correlation with clinical and histological features

Background: Oral submucous fibrosis(OSMF) is a potentially malignant disorder (PMDs) with characteristic epithelial and connective tissue changes and regarded as possessing a high degree of malignant potential. Epithelial dysplasia is an important marker of malignant development from PMDs. Because agreement among oral pathologists is poor regarding lesional diagnosis, Ki-67 as a proliferative marker may have a place in objectively characterizing dysplasia in tissue specimens. Material & Methods: The study groups included 60 patients diagnosed with OSMF based on history and clinical examination. After obtaining the details in regard to habits and clinical manifestations, the subjects were divided into Group IA and Group IB (very early and early stages-Group I A, moderate and advanced stages-Group I B). 30 subjects without an OSMF-negative control group and 30 patients of SCC-positive control. Biopsy was taken and subjected for H&E staining and IHC analysis of Ki-67. Results: The mean count of Ki-67 was determined in OSMF cases with dysplasia and without dysplasia by using t test, mean value of Ki-67 in with dysplasia (37.41) was higher than that of without dysplasia (28.41) with no significant difference (p value = 0.0810).

Clinical Assessment of Neuroinflammatory Markers and Antioxidants in Neonates with Hyperbilirubinemia and Their Association with Acute Bilirubin Encephalopathy.

Objective: To assess the oxidant and antioxidant status in neonates with and without hyperbilirubinemia and their association with early manifestations of acute bilirubin encephalopathy (ABE), in addition to eliciting the possible oxidative effects of phototherapy. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted with 104 full-term newborns at Menoufia University Hospitals from January 2020 to January 2021 to help resolve the debate regarding whether bilirubin is an antioxidant. The cases group (Group I) included 52 full-term newborns (37–40 weeks) with hyperbilirubinemia during the neonatal period, while the control group (Group II) included 52 healthy, full-term age and sex-matched newborns who did not have hyperbilirubinemia. The cases group was further subdivided into Group Ia (n = 12), which included newborns who presented with neurological manifestations suggesting early ABE, and Group Ib (n = 40), which included newborns with no signs suggestive of ABE. All newborns were subjected to clinical and neurological examinations, as well as laboratory investigations. Results: Comparing the specific biological markers between the Group 1 subgroups before phototherapy, the mean plasma levels of prostaglandin-Em, prostaglandin E2, and TSB were significantly higher in Subgroup I(a) (all p < 0.05). After phototherapy, Subgroup I(a) patients had significantly higher levels of prostaglandin-Em, DSB, and TSB (p < 0.05). The biological marker levels improved after phototherapy in terms of TAC (0.811 vs. 0.903), MDA (8.18 vs. 5.13), prostaglandin-Em (37.47 vs. 27.23), prostaglandin E2 (81.09 vs. 31.49), DSB (1.21 vs. 0.55), and TSB (16.63 vs. 8.26; p-value < 0.05). Conclusion: Our study showed that an elevated level of serum bilirubin increases oxidative stress and decreases antioxidant capacity. The reduction in bilirubin levels by phototherapy is associated with a decrease in oxidative stress markers (MDA, PGEm, and PGE2) and an upsurge in TAC, highlighting the absence of oxidative stress effects arising from phototherapy. Neonates with neurological manifestations suggesting ABE had higher levels of oxidative stress markers and lower levels of total antioxidant capacity than those without.

MicroRNA 21 and microRNA 10b: early diagnostic biomarkers of breast cancer in Egyptian females

BackgroundBreast cancer (BC) is one of the most prevalent cancers in developing and developed countries among women worldwide. Mammography is one of the superior methods for BC detection, but it carries up to 20% false-negative results, especially in early cases. Histological examination of tissue biopsies and fine-needle aspiration cytology are invasive techniques. Hence, minimally invasive markers are needed for the improved detection of BC. microRNAs, small, noncoding, single-stranded RNAs functioning as tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes, are attractive biomarkers for early detection. This study aimed to examine the serum levels of miR21 and miR10b in patients with BC especially in the early stages compared to healthy controls to evaluate their potential use as BC biomarkers.MethodsThis study included 90 females who were divided into two groups. Group I included 70 patients with BC and was subdivided into group Ia with 40 nonmetastatic BC patients and group Ib with 30 metastatic BC patients. Group II included 20 apparently healthy females as a control group. Serum miR21 and miR10b as biomarkers and miR16 as a housekeeping gene were evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction.ResultsThe median levels of miR10b and miR21 were statistically significantly upregulated in the sera of patients with BC compared to healthy controls (P = 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses demonstrated that serum levels of miR10b and miR21 were useful biomarkers for distinguishing between patients with BC and the control group, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.991 with 97.1% sensitivity and 100% specificity at a cutoff of 3.1 for miR10b and an AUC of 0.965 with 95.7% sensitivity and 85% specificity at a cutoff of 1.7 for miR21. Regarding the early stages of BC, the median levels of the fold change of serum miR21 and miR10b were statistically significantly higher in patients with BC (stages I and IIa) than in the control group (P < 0.001).ConclusionsBoth miR21 and miR10b have valuable diagnostic roles in detecting the early stages of BC.

Effects of Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in Reducing Pain in Patients with Temporomandibular Disorders: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are primarily characterized by pain as well as issues concerning the proper functioning of individual elements of the stomatognathic system. The aim of the study was to assess the safety and efficacy of physical exercise, with or without radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (rESWT), in patients with TMD. Eligible patients were adults (≥18 years) with diagnosed myofascial pain with or without mouth opening limitation (Group Ia, Ib) based on the Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (DC/TMD). Enrolled patients (n = 15) were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive physical exercise combined with rESWT (n = 8) or sham rESWT (n = 7) for four weeks. The primary endpoint was the pain intensity measured by a visual analogue scale (VAS). The secondary endpoints were muscle activity and function assessed through the surface electromyography evaluation of the anterior temporalis and the masseter muscles. The rESWT group (mean age: 28.50 ± 8.85 years) showed a statistically significant pain reduction (VAS Right side: ΔT0-T1 MD = −3.00; p = 0.023, Left side: ΔT0-T1, MD = 3.57, p = 0.021), whereas patients in the sham WBV group (mean age: 30.71 ± 8.98 years), did not reach statistical significance (VAS: Right side: ΔT0-T1 MD = 1.00, p = 0.155; Left side: ΔT0-T1 MD = 1.25 SE = 0.25, p = 0.094). Concurrently, muscle activity and performance significantly improved in the active rESWT group, with an improvement in the percentage of the overlapping coefficient (POC) compared to the control group. No dropouts and no side effects were recorded. Taken together, the findings of this pilot RCT suggested that rESWT combined with physical therapy could be effective in relieving pain and improving function in muscle-related TMD patients.

PECULIARITIES OF THE VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY AND ITS INFLUENCE ON LIPID EXCHANGE INDICATORS IN PATIENTS WITH NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE IN COMBINATION WITH OSTEOARTHROSIS

The analysis of lipid metabolism indicators (total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high and low density lipoproteins (HDL, LDL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and vitamin D level (25 (OH) D) by enzyme immunoassay was carried out ) in 75 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in combination with osteoarthritis (OA), depending on the stage of NAFLD. The patients were divided as follows: Group IA - 24 (57.1%) patients with non-alcoholic fatty hepatosis (NAFH), IIB - 18 (42.9%) patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH); Group II (comparison group) - 33 (44.0%) patients with OA without NAFLD. All patients showed a decrease in the level of 25 (OH) D, which is more pronounced, with a combination of NAFLC and OA, especially at the stage of steatohepatitis: insufficiency and deficiency of vitamin 25 (OH) D were found in 46 (61.33%) and 29 (38.66%) cases in both groups of patients, respectively (p &lt;0.05). In patients of group II, the 25 (OH) D level was (26.41 ± 1.04) ng/ml, which was lower than in healthy subjects on 27.18% (p &lt;0.05); deficiency of vitamin D was found in 21 (63.63%) cases, deficiency - in 12 (36.36%) cases. A reduced level of vitamin 25 (OH) D is combined with lipid metabolism disorders, as indicated by inverse correlations between the level of total cholesterol, triglycerides and the level of 25 (OH) D. When assessing the indicators of the lipid spectrum of the blood, a significant increase in the level of TC by 44.08% (group IA), 61.62% (group IB) and 24.88% (group II), respectively, compared with healthy persons (p &lt;0,05). The level of TG in patients with NASH was 2.37 times higher than in healthy people (p&lt;0.05); 2.12 times compared with patients with OA (p1&lt;0.05) and 1.3 times compared with patients with IA group (p2&lt;0.05). The content of low density lipoproteins (LDL) in patients of group IA was 1.8 times higher than in healthy patients; in the IB group - 2.02 times; in the second group - 1.07 times (p&lt;0.05). In patients with IB group with NASH, the level of LDL cholesterol was 89.12% higher than in patients with OA (p1&lt;0.05). In contrast, high density lipoproteins (HDL) were lowest in patients with NASH. Comparing this indicator with the level in healthy people, it was reduced by 35.34% (IA group) (p&lt;0.05); by 42.24% (IB group) (p&lt;0.05) and by 17.24% (group II) (p&lt;0.05). In patients with NAFH and NASH, the level of HDL was reduced by 21.87% and 30.20%, respectively, compared with the level of patients with OA (p1&lt;0.05). In NASH, this indicator tended to decrease compared with patients with NAFL (p2&lt;0.05). We found a significant increase of AST level at 1.7; at 3.8; at 1.3 times in IA; IB and II groups, respectively, compared with healthy persons (p&lt;0.05). In the presence of NASH, the AST level was higher than in patients with OA at 2.8 times (p1&lt;0.05), in the presence of NAFH – at 2.2 times (p1&lt;0.05). A similar direction of changes was found in the analysis of ALT activity, which was more pronounced in patients with NASH (p&lt;0.05). In particular, in patients with NASH, an inverse correlation was found between the level of TC and 25 (OH) D (r = -0.7885, p = 0.0008) and an inverse correlation between the level of TG and 25 (OH) D (r = -0.6814, p = 0.0004). An inverse correlation was established between the serum level of vitamin 25 (OH) D and indicators of the functional state of the liver (AST and ALT) in patients with NAFLD in combination with OA (r = -0.7687, p = 0.0007) і (r = -0, 7882, p = 0.0006), respectively.

Comparative evaluation of micro-leakage and shear bond strength between a self adhesive flowable composite resin and self etch based flowable composite restorative material

Background: An in vitro evaluation and comparing the microleakage and shear bond strength between a self- adhesive flowable composite resin (Dyad Flow) and self-etch based flowable composite restorative material ( Nano Filtek Z 350XT) Materials and methods: A total of sixty specimens were prepared from extracted teeth, which were divided into two groups. For microleakage analysis, Group I consisting of thirty teeth which were further divided into two subgroups of fifteen teeth each that is Group IA and Group IB, on which standard class V cavity was prepared and restored with Dyad Flow and Nano Filtek Z 350XT respectively. The prepared specimens were immersed in 0.6% aqueous Rhodamine B dye for 24 hours. The sectioned samples were examined under a Confocal Microscope at 10 X magnification and microleakage scores were analyzed statistically using Mann-Whitney U test. For shear bond strength evaluation, Group II consisting of thirty teeth, which were subdivided into two subgroups of fifteen teeth each that is Group IIA and Group IIB.

The electronic structures and p-type performance of group IA and VA atoms in NiO: A first principles study

Transparent p-type semiconductors attract many researchers' interest because they are widely used in many devices such as solar cells, flat panel displays, and light emitting diodes and in the field of transparent electronics. NiO, as a potential transparent p-type semiconductor, has been studied in experiments. However, the ionization abilities of dopants, such as group IA and VA atoms, have not been confirmed yet. In this work, we utilize the first principles method and fully assess the performance of group IA and VA atom-doped NiO. Electronic structures show that group VA atoms substituting O are deep acceptors, while group IA atoms substituting Ni are optimal acceptors. Compared with the valence band maximum, the transition energy levels ε(0/−) of Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs substituting Ni would converge to 0.087, 0.109, 0.15, 0.14, and 0.31 eV, respectively. Under an O-rich condition, compounds M2O (M = Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs) are promising dopant sources for group IA atoms substituting Ni. In addition, group IA atoms substituting Ni are highly preferred over the interstitial doped configuration. We expect that this work can promote the understanding of the p-type conductivity of NiO and provide significant guidance for their applications in transparent electronics.

Соматичний та репродуктивний анамнез вагітних, які мали ускладнення із групи великих акушерських синдромів

Purpose - to conduct retrospective clinical and statistical analyses of somatic, reproductive history of mowen, with complications from the group of great obstetrical syndromes (GOS). Materials and methods. We conducted retrospective clinical and statistical analyses of somatic and reproductive history of 239 pregnant women (Ist - main group), who had coplications from the group of GOS, who were subdivided into 3 groups: Ia group (n=103) pregnant with severe preeclampsia, Ib group (n=67) pregnant with placenta insufficiency, with clinical manifestation by intrauterine growth retardation syndrome (IUGR); Ic group (n=69) pregnant with preterm delivery with gestational term 22-34 weeks. Control group (CG) was formed by 56 practically healthy pregnant with favourable reproductive history and non complicated course of current pregnancy. Statistical analyses was conducted by using standart programs Microsoft Excel 5.0 and Statistica 6.0. Results. We stated, that in I group the incidence of complicated heredity of cardiovascular pathology was significantly higher: 69 (28.8%) in I group (χ2=5.46, р=0.03, OR=2.79, CI 95% 1.14-6.79), in CG this factor was diagnosed only in 4 (7.1%) of patients. In subgroup Ib (patients with IUGR of 2-3 stage) the incidence of abortions and miscarriages in history was higher: in subgroup Ib these parameters were 0.83 (1.37) and 0.32 (0.59) correponding, and in CG - 0.19 (0.85) and 0.07 (0.42) corresponding (р&lt;0.05). The most reasonable difference compated to CG were diagnosed in patients from Ic subgroup (patients with spontaneous preterm deliveries). The highest incidence of patiens with obesity was diagnosed in subgroups Ia and Ic - 18 (17.5%) and 16 (23.2%), the difference compared to CG clinically significant (р&lt;0.01). A high incidence of anemia was noted in pregnant, especially among the ones with pregnancy complications - in I group anemia was diagnosed in more that half of patients - in 179 (74.8%), in CG - every third - in 18 (32.1%) (χ2=21.48, р&lt;0.01, OR=2.95, CI 95% 1.85-4.71). The data in CG are approximately the same as the incidence of this pathology in population of pregnant women of Ukraine. Diseases, characterized by elevated blood pressure in group I were diagnosed several times higher, compared to CG - 41 (17.1%) compared to 5 (8.9%) (χ2=11.1, р&lt;0.01, OR=6.08, CI 95% 1.84-20.1). In subgroup Ia the incidence of patients with this pathology was the highest - 25.2% (n=26) (χ2=20.78, р&lt;0.01, OR=11.03, CI 95% 3.21-37.9). Results. Peculierities of somatic and reproductive history of pregnant were gisgnosed in pregnant, who had complications grom GOS group that may be high risk factors of significant increase of obstetrical and perinatal complications from materal and fetal side. The usage of routine treatment and prophylactic measures were not effective enough, that is quite convincing reason for making up a new approach for decreasing the incidence and severity of GOS in these patients, and their prophylaxis is a relevant problem of modern obstetrics. The research was conducted according to principles of Declaration of Helsinki. Protocol of research was proved by local ethical committee, mentioned in institution’s work. A informed sonsennt was collected in order to carry out the research. No conflict of interests was declared by the author. Key words: retrospective analys, clinical and statistical analyses, somatic history, reproductive history, great obstetrical syndromes.

Assessment of the effect of adhesion boosters on shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets on bleached teeth

Background: The bleaching procedure results in damage to the outer enamel layer by forming porosities, which leads to demineralization and modification in the calcium–phosphate ratio. The present study was conducted to assess the effect of adhesion boosters on shear bond strength (SBS) of orthodontic brackets on bleached teeth. Materials &amp; Methods: 60 maxillary premolars teeth were randomly divided equally into 2 groups. Group I were bleached teeth and group II had non-bleached teeth. Each group was further divided equally into 3 subgroups (n = 10) depending on the type of adhesive booster used (Enhance LC, All-bond 2, and no adhesive booster [control]). Maxillary premolars brackets were bonded. Debonding was done with a universal testing machine, and the SBS was recorded. Results: The mean shear bond strength (MPa) in Group IA was 10.5, in IB was 13.2, in IA was 10.5, in IC was 14.3, in IB was 13.2, in IC was 14.8, in IIA was 9.8, in IIB was 11.2, in IIA was 9.8, in IIC was 12.3, in IIB was 11.2 and in IIC was 12.8. The difference was significant (P&lt; 0.05). Conclusion: Adhesive boosters increased the shear bond strength of both bleached and non-bleached teeth significantly.

AMH CORRELATION WITH ENDOGENOUS HORMONES IN FEMALES: INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

Introduction: AMH is an indicator of functional ovarian reserve, it is used in combination with other biochemical and radiological markers in assessing fertility status in women, selecting candidates for IVF stimulation, predicting menopause, diagnosis and management of PCOS. AMH alone may be considered for a good ovarian reserve, either low or high will give an indication of primary ovarian failure or anovulatory cycles as seen in polycystic ovarian syndrome respectively. With this basic investigation all the other hormones are added on to rule out the spectrum of differential diagnosis and plan IVF treatments. Materials and methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in 38811 female patients 18 to 45 years of age, divided into 2 groups; abnormal AMH (Group I), and normal AMH values (Group II) as per biological reference ranges for age. Group I was further sub divided into Low AMH Group Ia, and High AMH group Ib, (lower and higher than the cut off for age) respectively. FSH, LH, LH/FSH ratio, E2, Progesterone, DHEAS, Free testosterone, FT3, FT4, TSH, and fasting insulin were studied in these groups. Results: Statistical analyses were performed using “R Studio version 1.4.1103”. A two-tailed p value of &lt;0.05 was considered statistically signicant. Kruskal Wallis test was used for comparison of continues variables (Hormones) between the groups. A chi-square categorical test shows statistical signicance of difference in values of FSH, LH, LH/FSH ratio, Free and total testosterone, progesterone, fasting insulin, DHEAS and Free T3. No statistical signicance was seen with Prolactin, TSH, Free T4, and E2. Conclusion:Variation of normal and abnormal AMH levels with endogenous hormones plays a vital role in better interpretation of AMH. FSH, LH, free testosterone, fasting insulin, Free T3, signicantly correlate in patients with Normal AMH levels.