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Background: The most common inherited illness, thalassemia, is thought to have a detrimental effect on public health, particularly in endemic areas. Children with beta thalassemia disease have several mutations. Prevention and premarital examination are still the most effective measures to lessen the burden of beta thalassemia., Objectives: This study primarily aimed to determine the beta thalassemia carriers in relatives of beta thalassemia major children, the role of gene study in the confirmation of beta thalassemia trait diagnosis, and to detect the genetic defect in the relatives of beta thalassemia major children., Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted on 109 healthy children, aged between six months and 18 years, who were the relatives (second and fourth degree) of beta thalassemia major cases., Results: Gene screening, using the amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) polymerase chain reaction (PCR), covered the most common 22 alleles in the Mediterranean region, and was successful in detecting 61.5% of beta-globin chain mutations of studied participants, in addition to high prevalence (34.8%) of beta thalassemia carriers among the relatives of beta thalassemia children., Conclusion: The beta thalassemia carrier rate was found to be highly prevalent among relatives of beta thalassemia major children. Despite the accuracy of gene screening in the detection of beta thalassemia carriers, the use of the most common 22 alleles can only detect 61.5% of carriers; hence, the value of tested gene study is still limited in the detection of carrier rates., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University issued approval 04-2023-10006. Written informed consents were taken from parents with an explanation of the benefits of the study, risks expected, and suggested treatment for each case. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Elasheer et al.)

Introduction: Streptococcusmutans and lactobacilli are most important bacteria in the pathogenesis of dental caries. Cariogenic microflora has been associated to the primary caregiver transmission and sugary diets., (This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Aim: Resin-modified glass ionomer cement tends to shrink due to polymerization of the resin component. Additionally, they are more prone to syneresis and imbibition during the setting process. This in vitro study evaluates the impact of chitosan, a biopolymer that is, both biomaterial and biocompatible, on the strength of dentin bonding and compares it with ACTIVA Bio-ACTIVE Restorative. The present study was aimed to assess the impact of including chitosan into Fuji II on the shear bond strength between. the restoration material and tooth dentin, in contrast to Bioactiva in permanent teeth., Materials and Methods: A total of 30 premolar teeth were recently extracted. The study involved three distinct sample groups. Group 1 (10 teeth) is the negative control (Fuji II), Group 2 (10 teeth) is the positive control (ACTIVA Bio-ACTIVE Restorative), and Group 3 (10 teeth) is treated with a mixture of Chitosan and Fuji II (CH-Fuji II). Each tooth's buccal and palatal cusps were eliminated to achieve a horizontal surface. Using a periodontal probe, 1.5 mm from the mesial pit to the mesial marginal ridge were removed. Restoration was implemented in all groups following manufacturer directions. Thermocycling the teeth by immersing them in a water bath with temperatures ranging from 5°C to 55°C (± 1-2°C) for 30 s (500 cycles). Each sample was attached to the universal testing machine's jig at a cross-head speed of 1 mm/min. Shear force was used until breakage, and the bond's adhesive strength was then calculated. Statistical analysis using ANOVA with Dunnett's T3 post hoc test. Results were significant at P < 0.05., Results: Statistically significant difference was present between Chitosan and Fuji II and between Chitosan and Activa by reducing the shear bond strength., Conclusions: Addition of chitosan to Fuji II had a negative effect on the shear bond with a significant difference while Activa and Fuji II exhibited favorable shear bond strength., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of International Society of Preventive and Community Dentistry.)

The present study aimed at evaluating the mechanical performance under bending loads of circular hollow sections of steel. Different bending tests have been carried out by applying two-point loads, to determine and examine the effects of the diameter, the thickness of the section, and the span of the beam on the performance of the steel tube. The effects of square opening and variation in the number of openings on the performance of these sections have also been examined. Ten samples of hollow circular beams of varying thickness (2 mm, 3 mm, and 6 mm), varying diameter (76.2 mm, 101.6 mm, and 219 mm), and varying span (1000 mm, 1500 mm, and 2000 mm) were fabricated and tested for pre-failure and post-failure stages. The dimensions of the reference specimen considered were 3 mm in thickness, 101.6 mm in diameter, and 1500 mm in span. The results have shown that on increasing the section thickness by 200%, ductility and bearing strength were enhanced by 58.04% and 81.75%, respectively. Meanwhile, decreasing the section thickness by 67%, ductility and bearing strength were reduced by 64.86% and 38.87%, respectively. Moreover, on increasing the specimen diameter and on decreasing span, a significant increase in bearing strength and stiffness was observed; however, ductility was reduced. Meanwhile, on increasing the span of the specimen, all the parameters observed, i.e., bearing strength, stiffness, and ductility, decreased. On observing the ultimate strength of each specimen with square opening, the ultimate strength was reduced by 17.88%, 19.71%, and 14.23% for one, two-, and three-square openings, respectively. Moreover, the ductility was significantly reduced by 72.40%, 67.71%, and 60.88% for one, two-, and three-square openings/apertures, respectively, and led to the sudden failure of these specimens. The local buckling failure dominated for specimens having a D/t ratio more than 50 and showed very negligible levels of ovalization of the cross-section. Local buckling failure was observed to be prevented after providing the circular rings in the specimen, since bearing strength increased compared with the specimen without rings.

Circular hollow steel tube columns are widely used in high-rise buildings and bridges due to their ductility and lower weight compared to reinforced concrete. The use of this type of steel section has several advantages over using reinforced concrete members. The present study investigates the bending behavior of steel circular hollow sections when subjected to bending loads. The variations in material characteristics with regard to position along the cross-section of a steel tube member is first considered in this experimental study, providing for a more accurate definition of the material behavior in the model. A supported beam tested by two-point loads is the loading type that is used to study the bending performance of steel tubes. Ten circular hollow beam specimens were prepared and tested up to and post the failure stage with the following dimensions: thickness (2, 3, and 6 mm), diameter (76.2, 101.6, and 219 mm), and span (1000, 1500, and 2000 mm). A finite element analysis has been conducted for these ten specimens using the ANSYS program. The finite element model is compared to experimentally obtained data to verify that both local and global behaviors are correctly considered. The load-deflection results of this analysis showed a good agreement with the experimental results. A parametric study also was performed that considered two variables, which were the effect of the presence of circular rings and the change of opening location in the length direction on the specimens' behavior. This study showed that the presence of the circular rings in the specimen led to an increase in its ultimate strength (of 53.24%) compared with the non-presence of these rings. In contrast, the presence of openings at 30, 40, and 50% from the specimen length reduced the strength capacity by 8.76, 14.23, and 17.88%, respectively.

Objective: The current study aims to evaluate a simple method for sonographic measurement of the fetal biacromial diameter for prediction of fetal macrosomia in term pregnancy., Materials and Methods: The current study was a single center prospective observational study conducted in a tertiary University Hospital from January 2015 to May 2017. We included all consecutive term (37-42 weeks) pregnant women presented to the labor ward for delivery. Ultrasound parameters were measured as biparietal diameter, head circumference, transverse thoracic diameter, mid arm diameter, abdominal circumference, femur length, estimated fetal weight, and amniotic fluid index. The proposed ultrasound formula "Youssef's formula" to measure the fetal biacromial diameter is: [Transverse thoracic diameter +2 × midarm diameter]. The accuracy of proposed formula was compared to the actual biacromial diameter of the newborn after delivery. The primary outcome of the study was accuracy of sonographic measurement of fetal biacromial diameter in prediction of fetal macrosomia in terms of sensitivity and specificity Results: The study included 600 participants; 49 (8.2%) of them delivered a macrosomic neonates and 551 (91.8%) delivered average weight neonates. There was no statistical significant difference between the proposed fetal biacromial diameter measured by ultrasound and the actual neonatal biacromial diameter measured after birth (p = .192). The area under the curve (AUC) for prediction of macrosomia at birth based on the fetal biacromial diameter and the abdominal circumference was 0.987 and 0.989, respectively, on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Using the biacromial diameter cutoff of 15.4 cm has a PPV for prediction of macrosomia (88.4%) and 96.4% sensitivity with overall accuracy of 97%. Similarly, with the abdominal circumference (AC) cutoff of 35.5 cm, the PPV for prediction of macrosomia (87.7%) and 96.4% sensitivity with overall accuracy of 96.83%. No statistical significant difference between both of them was observed for prediction of fetal macrosomia (p = .841) Conclusions: The sonographic measurement of fetal biacromial diameter seems to be a new simple and accurate method for prediction of fetal macrosomia and shoulder dystocia at birth.

Rationale: Sepsis is a leading cause of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions worldwide and a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Limited data exist regarding the outcomes and functional status among survivors of severe sepsis and septic shock., Objectives: This study aimed to determine the functional status among survivors of severe sepsis and septic shock a year after hospital discharge., Methods: Adult patients admitted between April 2007 and March 2010 to the medical-surgical ICU of a tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia, were included in this study. The ICU database was investigated for patients with a diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock. Survival status was determined based on hospital discharge. Patients who required re-admission, stayed in ICU for less than 24 hours, had incomplete data were all excluded. Survivors were interviewed through phone calls to determine their functional status one-year post-hospital discharge using Karnofsky performance status scale., Results: A total of 209 patients met the eligibility criteria. We found that 38 (18.1%) patients had severe disability before admission, whereas 109 (52.2%) patients were with severe disability or died one-year post-hospital discharge. Only one-third of the survivors had good functional status one-year post-discharge (no/mild disability). After adjustment of baseline variables, age [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01-1.04] and pre-sepsis functional status of severe disability (aOR = 50.9, 95% CI = 6.82-379.3) were found to be independent predictors of functional status of severe disability one-year post-hospital discharge among survivors., Conclusions: We found that only one-third of the survivors of severe sepsis and septic shock had good functional status one-year post-discharge (no/mild disability). Age and pre-sepsis severe disability were the factors that highly predicted the level of functional status one-year post-hospital discharge.

Objective: Recent research demonstrating concurrent associations between mental disorders and peptic ulcers has renewed interest in links between psychological factors and ulcers. However, little is known about associations between temporally prior mental disorders and subsequent ulcer onset. Nor has the potentially confounding role of childhood adversities been explored. The objective of this study was to examine associations between a wide range of temporally prior DSM-IV mental disorders and subsequent onset of ulcer, without and with adjustment for mental disorder comorbidity and childhood adversities., Methods: Face-to-face household surveys conducted in 19 countries (n=52,095; person years=2,096,486). The Composite International Diagnostic Interview retrospectively assessed lifetime prevalence and age at onset of 16 DSM-IV mental disorders. Peptic ulcer onset was assessed in the same interview by self-report of physician's diagnosis and year of diagnosis. Survival analyses estimated associations between first onset of mental disorders and subsequent ulcer onset., Results: After comorbidity and sociodemographic adjustment, depression, social phobia, specific phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, intermittent explosive disorder, alcohol and drug abuse disorders were significantly associated with ulcer onset (ORs 1.3-1.6). Increasing number of lifetime mental disorders was associated with ulcer onset in a dose-response fashion. These associations were only slightly attenuated by adjustment for childhood adversities., Conclusions: A wide range of mental disorders were linked with the self-report of subsequent peptic ulcer onset. These associations require confirmation in prospective designs, but are suggestive of a role for mental disorders in contributing to ulcer vulnerability, possibly through abnormalities in the physiological stress response associated with mental disorders., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The bis-guanidyl compound H(2)C{hpp}(2) (hppH = 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidine) coordinates to palladium(ii) as a neutral, chelating N,N'-bidentate ligand. Structural analysis of PdMeCl(H(2)C{hpp}(2)) shows a non-planar metallacycle that is twisted relative to the square plane of the metal and an "anagostic" interaction with a C-H from the bridging methylene group. Generation of the cationic palladium complex, [PdCl(H(2)C{hpp}(2))][OTf] was achieved by halide abstraction from the dichloride PdCl(2)(H(2)C{hpp}(2)) using NaOTf. The product was identified as a mixture of different species in solution; in the solid-state, the molecular structure is dimeric, consisting of the mu,mu'-dichlorobridged dication. The new bis-guanidyl compound H(2)C{tbo}(2) (Htbo = 1,4,6-triaza-bicyclo[3.3.0]oct-4-ene) was synthesized, and structurally characterized. Coordination of this compound at palladium dichloride was accompanied by ionization of the Pd-Cl bond, and formation of the dication [Pd(H(2)C{tbo}(2))(2)][Cl](2). Structural analysis shows a significant reduction in the twisting of this ligand.

Partial deprotonation of the bicyclic guanidine 1,4,6-triazabicyclo[3.3.0]oct-4-ene (Htbo) is achieved using (n)BuLi. Isolation of the resulting lithium salts has resulted in the structural characterization of the mixed anion complex {[Li(tbo)(VIII)(tboH)](2)}(infinity) (where -H = 1-(2-aminoethyl)-2-imidazolidinethione) and the partially deprotonated salt Li(6)(tbo)(6)(Htbo)(3), 1b. The neutral guanidine Htbo reacts cleanly with AlMe(3) and ZnMe(2) to afford the organometallic complexes [Al(tbo)Me(2)](2) [2](2), and Zn(3)(tbo)(4)Me(2) (3). Structural characterization of these compounds enables comparison between the {5:5}-bicyclic system, [tbo](-), and the previously reported {6:6}-bicyclic system, [hpp](-) (where hppH = 1,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-2H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidine). Results indicate that delocalization within the [tbo](-) anion is restricted to the CN(2) amidinate component, with retention of electron density in the non-bonding nitrogen lone-pair. These conclusions are supported by a DFT analysis of the neutral guanidines, Htbo and hppH.

Five patients, three males and two females, with angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy (AIL) are described. The two who received steroids had no response and died 2 and 6 months later. The three patients who received vincristine, adriamycin and prednisolone (VAP) went into remission early and are still in remission with a follow-up of 22-35 months. It is concluded that VAP is effective therapy in AIL.