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Background: Daily toothbrushing and flossing are easy, effective and low-cost practices for removing the microbial dental plaque, which is an important factor in the development of caries and periodontal disease. Aim: The objective of this study is evaluation of oral health behaviors in a group of students from an Iranian university . Materials and Methods: This descriptive analytical cross-sectional study was carried out on 1736 Iranian students (1230 non-medical sciences students and 506 medical sciences students). Subjects were randomly selected. The students were asked to fill out a self-completion questionnaire about daily oral health behavior. Statistical Analysis Used: The chi-square test was used for evaluation of oral health behaviors and relationship between students′ oral hygiene behavior and educational levels. Results : There was no difference between the frequencies of tooth brushing in the students of two universities. Medical sciences students used dental floss more than non-medical sciences students, which was a significant difference ( P = 0.000). There was no significant difference in toothbrushing frequency among the students with different levels of education. But the students of doctorate and masters degrees used dental floss significantly more than those of bachelor or associate degrees ( P = 0.000). Conclusions: This study showed that the level of self oral care among Iranian students is at a lower level than in industrialized countries.

Magnesium (Mg)-based alloys are biodegradable metallic biomaterials that show promise in minimizing the risks of permanent metallic implants. However, their clinical applications are restricted due to their rapid in vivo degradation and low surface hemocompatibilities. Surface modifications are critically important for controlling the corrosion rates of Mg-based alloys and improving their hemocompatibilities. In the present study, two heparinization methods were developed to simultaneously increase the corrosion resistance and hemocompatibility of the AZ31 Mg alloy. In the first method, the surface of the AZ31 alloy was modified by alkali–heat treatment and then aminolyzed by 3-amino propyltriethoxy silane (APTES), a self-assembly molecule, and heparin was grafted onto the aminolyzed surface. In the second method, before heparinization, polyamidoamine dendrimers (PAMAM4-4) were grafted onto the aminolyzed surface with APTES to increase the number of surface functional groups, and heparinization was subsequently performed. The presence of a peak with a wavelength of about 1560 cm−1 in the FTIR spectrum for the sample modified with APTES and dendrimers indicated aminolysis of the surface. The results indicated that the corrosion resistance of the Mg alloy was significantly improved as a result of the formation of a passive layer following the alkali–heat treatment. The results obtained from a potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) test showed that the corrosion current in the uncoated sample decreased from 25 µA to 3.7 µA in the alkali–heat-treated sample. The corrosion current density was reduced by 14 and 50 times in samples treated with the self-assembly molecules, APTES and dendrimers, respectively. After heparinization, the clotting time for pristine Mg was greatly improved. Clotting time increased from 480 s for the pristine Mg sample to 630 s for the APTES- and heparin-modified samples and to 715 s for the PAMAM- and heparin-modified samples. Cell culture data showed a slight improvement in the cell-supporting behavior of the modified samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A laser profilometry technique was upgraded to detect underwater bed level evolution with a laser and a single camera for highly transient laboratory experiments. The proposed procedure is simple, but achieves a similar performance as that met by more complex and expensive methods. This technique was applied to a dam-break test case over a mobile bed in a channel with a 90° bend, for which water and bed levels were both continuously recorded at five different places. Photogrammetry was then used to reconstruct the final topography, whose main features could be explained by analysing only a few appropriately chosen linear bed profiles. This cheap, simple, flexible and accurate method thus proves to be an interesting alternative to more complex methods for morphodynamics investigations in the case of fast transient flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature and use meta-analysis to investigate whether chlorhexidine (CHX) application after acid etching as an adjunct treatment has any influence on the immediate and delayed bond strength to primary dentin. Materials and Methods: In this review, PubMed, ISI (all data bases), Scopus and Cochrane were searched according to the selected keywords up to April 30, 2018. The full texts of all published articles that met our primary inclusion criteria were obtained. The studies were analyzed in two parts: in vitro studies that evaluated the effect of CHX application during the bonding procedures (application after acid etching) on immediate and delay dentin bond strength of resin-dentin interface. Results: The initial search yielded 214 publications, of which 8 were selected after thorough methodological assessment. None of the clinical studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Our results indicated that in comparison to the control group, CHX significantly reduced immediate resin-dentin bond strength (P=0.043). These values were increased after aging (P<0.001). Conclusion: Based on this invitro Meta-analysis CHX application, improve resindentin bond strength durability in primary teeth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network-on-chip (NoC) is commonly used in modern many-core systems due to their high bandwidth and flexibility. As the manufacturing process keeps scaling, the reliability challenge in NoCs increases as well. The error correction code (ECC) is widely adopted in error correction NoCs to improve the data correctness. At the same time, extra stages are introduced in the router pipeline to improve the error correction capability. As a result, conventional error correction routers suffer from high network latency. Motivated by this limitation, i.e., we remove the extra pipeline stages delicately introduced for error correction. We propose an error correction router, called error corrector and detector relocation router (ECDR2), whose architecture optimizes the pipeline flow of the router. As a result, it can achieve both low latency and high error correction.Experimental results show that, compared with the baseline design, ECDR2 obtains 13.67 and 39.4 percent less average latency under the uniform traffic pattern and Dedup benchmark, respectively, in an 8 × 8 mesh NoC. The circuit area of ECR is also 7.9 percent less than that of the baseline design under 45-nm technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy sector is experiencing a revolution that is fuelled by a multitude of factors. Among them are the aging grid system, the need for cleaner energy and the increasing demands on energy sector. The demand-response program is an advanced feature in smart grid that strives to match suppliers to their demands using price-based and incentive programs. The objective of the work is to analyse the performance of the load shedding technique using dynamic pricing algorithm. The system was designed using multi-agent system (MAS) for a DC microgrid capable of real-time monitoring and controlling of power using price-based demand-response program. As a proof of concept, the system was implemented using intelligent physical agents, Java Agent Development Framework (JADE), and agent simulation platform (REPAST) with two residential houses (non-critical loads) and one hospital (critical load). The architecture has been implemented using embedded devices, relays, and sensors to control the operations of load shedding and energy trading in residential areas that have no access to electricity. The measured results show that the system can shed the load with the latency of less than 600 ms, and energy cost saving with an individual houses by 80% of the total cost with 2USD per day. The outcome of the studies demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed multi-agent approach for real-time operation of a microgrid and the implementation of demand-response program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 3‐Hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl‐CoA (HMG‐CoA) synthase 2 gene (HMGCS2) encodes a mitochondrial enzyme catalyzing the first reaction of ketogenesis metabolic pathway which provides lipid‐derived energy for various organs during times of carbohydrate deprivation, such as fasting. Mutations in this gene are responsible for HMG‐CoA synthase deficiency (HMGCSD). The aim of present study was to investigate the association of mutation in the HMGCS2 gene with HMGCSD in a patient with atypical symptoms. Methods: The clinical and genetic features of an 8‐months‐old girl with HMGCSD were evaluated. Molecular genetic testing was conducted using whole‐exome sequencing (WES) in order to identify potential disease‐causing mutation. The WES finding was confirmed by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the target sequence carried out for the patient and her parents. The PCR products were subjected to direct sequencing using forward and reverse specific primers corresponding to the HMGCS2 gene. Results: A novel homozygous missense mutation (c.266G>A p.Gly89Asp) was detected in the HMGCS2 gene. Sanger sequencing along with co‐segregation analysis of all family members confirmed this novel pathogenic germline mutation. The mutant gene was found to be pathogenic by bioinformatics analysis. Conclusion: To our best knowledge, this is the first report of HMGCSD in Iran which would expand our knowledge about the mutational spectrum of the HMGCS2 gene and the phenotype variations of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purposes: The purposes of this prospective trial were to: (1) compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes of three restorative methods —modified atraumatic restorative treatment (mART), the Hall technique (HT), and stainless steel crown (SSC)—in primary molars with multi-surface carious lesions; and (2) assess child behavior throughout these treatments. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial (RCT), 123 primary molars in four- to nine-year-old children were randomly divided into treatment groups (HT, mART, and SSC). Variables, including signs of failure, treatment time, child’s discomfort, child’s behavior, and canine overbite relationship in HT, were recorded immediately after the treatment and at six- and 12-month recalls. Results: Failures occurred most significantly for mART at all recalls (P=0.001). The treatment time was significantly higher in SSC. There was no significant difference in the child-assessment of discomfort (P=0.814). The child’s behavior, as evaluated by the dentist, however, was significantly better for the SSC group. Alterations to the canine overbite relationship of HT decreased significantly during recalls (P<0.001). Conclusions: The high success and shorter treatment time of the Hall technique support its consideration as an alternative to the conventional technique for the treatment of carious primary teeth with multisurface lesions. The results for modified atraumatic restorative treatment were not as satisfying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve high reliability in on-chip networks, it is necessary to test the network continuously with Built-in Self-Tests (BIST) so that the faults can be detected quickly and the number of affected packets can be minimized. However, BIST causes significant performance loss due to data dependencies. We propose EsyTest, a comprehensive test strategy with minimized influence on system performance. EsyTest tests the data path and the control path separately. The data path test starts periodically, but the actual test performs in the free time slots to avoid deactivating the router for testing. A reconfigurable router architecture and an adaptive fault-tolerant routing algorithm are proposed to guarantee the access to the processing core when the associated router is under test. During the whole test procedure of the network, all processing cores are accessible, and thus the system performance is maintained during the test. At the same time, EsyTest provides a full test coverage for the NoC and a better hardware compatibility comparing with the existing test strategies. Under the PARSEC benchmark and different test frequencies, the execution time increases less than 5 percent at the cost of 9.9 percent more area and 4.6 percent more power in comparison with the execution where no test procedure is applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D integration opens up new opportunities for future multiprocessor chips by enabling fast and highly scalable 3D Network-on-Chip (NoC) topologies. However, in an aim to reduce the cost of Through-silicon via (TSV), partially vertically connected NoCs, in which only a few vertical TSV links are available, have been gaining relevance. To reliably route packets under such conditions, we introduce a lightweight, efficient and highly resilient adaptive routing algorithm targeting partially vertically connected 3D-NoCs named First-Last. It requires a very low number of virtual channels (VCs) to achieve deadlock-freedom (2 VCs in the East and North directions and 1 VC in all other directions), and guarantees packet delivery as long as one healthy TSV connecting all layers is available anywhere in the network. An improved version of our algorithm, named Enhanced-First-Last is also introduced and shown to dramatically improve performance under low TSV availability while still using less virtual channels than state-of-the-art algorithms. A comprehensive evaluation of the cost and performance of our algorithms is performed to demonstrate their merits with respects to existing solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2D-NoCs have been the mainstream approach used to interconnect multi-core systems. 3D-NoCs have emerged to compensate for deficiencies of 2D-NoCs such as long latency and power overhead. A low-latency routing algorithm for 3D-NoC is designed to accommodate high-speed communication between cores. Both simulation and analytical models are applied to estimate the communication latency of NoCs. Generally, simulations are time-consuming and slow down the design process. Analytical models provide, within a fraction of the time, nearly accurate results which can be used by simulation to fine-tune the design. In this paper, a high performance and adaptive routing algorithm has been proposed for partially connected 3D-NoCs. Latency of the routing algorithm under different traffic patterns, different number of elevators and different elevator assignment mechanisms are reported. An analytical model, tailored to the adaptivity of the algorithm and under low traffic scenarios, has been developed and the results have been verified by simulation. According to the results, simulation and analytical results are consistent within a 10 percent margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate the dentin bond strength of etch-and-rinse and self-etch adhesives to primary teeth. In this study, PubMed, ISI (all databases), Scopus, and Cochrane Database were searched according to the selected keywords up to May 11, 2016. The full texts of published articles that appeared to meet the primary criteria for inclusion in this study were obtained. Due to the variation in the methods used, the studies were divided into 2 groups: Group 1 – studies that evaluated the micro-tensile bond strengths (MTBSs) of two-step etch-and-rinse adhesives and two-step self-etch adhesives and Group 2 – studies that evaluated the MTBSs of two-step etch-and-rinse adhesives and one-step self-etch adhesives. The initial search yielded 1447 publications. After a methodological assessment, 8 publications were selected. The results of this study showed that the MTBS of the etch-and-rinse adhesives and the two-step self-etch adhesives were similar (P = 0.34), and both were significantly higher than that of the one-step self-etch adhesive (P = 0.001). This meta-analysis showed that the application of two-step self-etch adhesives performs well when used for primary dentin and can be used to save time in pediatric dentistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D ICs can take advantage of a scalable communication platform, commonly referred to as the Networks-on-Chip (NoC). In the basic form of 3D-NoC, all routers are vertically connected. Partially connected 3D-NoC has emerged because of physical limitations of using vertical links. Routing is of great importance in such partially connected architectures. A high-performance, fault-tolerant and adaptive routing strategy with respect to the communication flow among the cores is crucial while freedom from livelock and deadlock has to be guaranteed. In this paper we introduce a new routing algorithm for partially connected 3D-NoCs. The routing algorithm is adaptive and tolerates the faults on vertical links as compared to the predesigned routing algorithms. Our results show a $40-50\%$ improvement in the fraction of intact inter-level communications when the fault tolerant algorithm is used. This routing algorithm is light-weight and has only one virtual channel along the $Y$ dimension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve high reliability in on-chip networks, it is necessary to test the network as frequently as possible to detect physical failures before they lead to system-level failures. A main obstacle is that the circuit under test has to be isolated, resulting in network cuts and packet blockage which limit the testing frequency. To address this issue, we propose a comprehensive network-level approach which could test multiple routers simultaneously at high speed without blocking or dropping packets. We first introduce a reconfigurable router architecture allowing the cores to keep their connections with the network while the routers are under test. A deadlock-free and highly adaptive routing algorithm is proposed to support reconfigurations for testing. In addition, a testing sequence is defined to allow testing multiple routers to avoid dropping of packets. A procedure is proposed to control the behavior of the affected packets during the transition of a router from the normal to the testing mode and vice versa. This approach neither interrupts the execution of applications nor has a significant impact on the execution time. Experiments with the PARSEC benchmarks on an 8$\times$ 8 NoC-based chip multiprocessors show only 3 percent execution time increase with four routers simultaneously under test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]