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Grapevine leaves are utilized worldwide in a vast range of traditional cuisines. As their price and flavor differ from kind to kind, recognizing various species of grapevine leaves is becoming an essential task. In addition, the differentiation between grapevine leaf types by human sense is difficult and time-consuming. Thus, building a machine learning model to automate the grapevine leaf classification is highly beneficial. Therefore, this is the primary focus of this work. This paper uses a CNN-based model to classify grape leaves by adapting DenseNet201. This study investigates the impact of layer freezing on the performance of DenseNet201 throughout the fine-tuning process. This work used a public dataset consist of 500 images with 5 different classes (100 images per class). Several data augmentation methods used to expand the training set. The proposed CNN model, named DenseNet-30, outperformed the existing grape leaf classification work that the dataset borrowed from by achieving 98% overall accuracy.

Bile duct injury (BDI) is a severe and sometimes life-threatening complication of cholecystectomy. Several series have described a 0.5% to 0.6% incidence of BDI during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We received an emergency call from the operating theater by the surgery team to assess an iatrogenic BDI in a 58-year-old man with cirrhosis who presented for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. After many trials by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) the guide wire passed to the peritoneal cavity and failed to pass proximally. Laparoscopy resumed, and the surgeon tried to pass the flexible guide wire proximally unsuccessfully. Then, a decision to hold the sphincterotome by laparoscopy and passing it proximally in harmony with ERCP was taken, which was successful. A regular ERCP with 10F plastic stent insertion was carried out, and the perforation was secured by the inserted stent without any further surgical intervention. Laparoscopy-assisted ERCP may give new insights into the immediate repair of iatrogenic bile duct injuries.

Background Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain cancer that typically results in death in the first 15 months after diagnosis. There have been limited advances in finding new treatments for GBM. In this study, we investigated molecular differences between patients with extremely short (≤ 9 months, Short term survivors, STS) and long survival (≥ 36 months, Long term survivors, LTS). Methods Patients were selected from an in-house cohort (GLIOTRAIN-cohort), using defined inclusion criteria (Karnofsky score > 70; age Results Transcriptomic analysis of tumour samples identified cilium gene signatures as enriched in LTS. Moreover, Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the presence of cilia in the tumours of LTS. Notably, reverse phase protein array analysis (RPPA) demonstrated increased phosphorylated GAB1 (Y627), SRC (Y527), BCL2 (S70) and RAF (S338) protein expression in STS compared to LTS. Next, we identified 25 unique master regulators (MR) and 13 transcription factors (TFs) belonging to ontologies of integrin signalling and cell cycle to be upregulated in STS. Conclusion Overall, comparison of STS and LTS GBM patients, identifies novel biomarkers and potential actionable therapeutic targets for the management of GBM. Graphical abstract

Background:Strategies to modulate the tumor microenvironment (TME) have opened new therapeutic avenues with dramatic yet heterogeneous intertumoral efficacy in multiple cancers, including glioblastomas (GBMs). Therefore, investigating molecular actors of TME may help understand the interactions between tumor cells and TME. Immune checkpoint proteins such as a Cluster of Differentiation 80 (CD80) and CD86 are expressed on the surface of tumor cells and infiltrative tumor lymphocytes. However, their expression and prognostic value in GBM microenvironment are still unclear.Methods:In this study, we investigated, in a retrospective local discovery cohort and a validation TCGA dataset, expression of CD80 and CD86 at mRNA level and their prognostic significance in response to standard of care. Furthermore, CD80 and CD86 at the protein level were investigated in the discovery cohort.Results:Both CD80 and CD86 are expressed heterogeneously in the TME at mRNA and protein levels. In a univariate analysis, the mRNA expression of CD80 and CD86 was not significantly correlated with OS in both local OncoNeuroTek dataset and TCGA datasets. CD80 and CD86 mRNA high expression was significantly associated with shorter progression free survival (PFS) (p < 0.05). These findings were validated using the TCGA cohort; higher CD80 and CD86 expressions were correlated with shorter PFS (p < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, CD86 mRNA expression was an independent prognostic factor for PFS in the TCGA dataset only (p < 0.05).Conclusion:CD86 could be used as a potential biomarker for the prognosis of GBM patients treated with immunotherapy; however, additional studies are needed to validate these findings.

Therapeutic antibodies targeting immune checkpoints have shown limited efficacy in clinical trials in glioblastoma (GBM) patients. Ultrasound-mediated blood-brain barrier opening (UMBO) using low-intensity pulsed ultrasound improved drug delivery to the brain. We explored the safety and the efficacy of UMBO plus immune checkpoint inhibitors in preclinical models of GBM. A Blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening was performed using a 1 MHz preclinical ultrasound system in combination with 10µl/g microbubbles. Brain penetration of immune checkpoint inhibitors was determined, and immune cell populations were evaluated using flow cytometry. The impact of repeated treatments on survival was determined. In syngeneic GL261-bearing immunocompetent mice, we showed that UMBO safely and repeatedly open the BBB. BBB opening was confirmed visually and microscopically using Evans’s blue dye and magnetic resonance imaging. UMBO plus anti-PDL-1 was associated with a significant improvement of the overall survival compared to anti-PD-L1 alone. Using mass spectroscopy, we showed that the penetration of therapeutic antibodies can be increased when delivered intravenously compared to non-sonicated brains. Furthermore, we observed an enhancement of activated microglia percentage when combined with anti-PD-L1. Here, we report that the combination of UMBO and anti-PD-L1 dramatically increases GL261-bearing mice's survival compared to their counterparts treated with anti-PD-L1 alone. Our study highlights the BBB as a limitation to overcome to increase the efficacy of anti-PD-L1 in GBM and supports clinical trials combining UMBO and in GBM patients.

Addressing the mechanical mismatch between biological tissue and traditional electronic materials remains a major challenge in bioelectronics. While rigidity of such materials limits biocompatibility, supramolecular polymer networks can harmoniously interface with biological tissues as they are soft, wet, and stretchable. Here, an electrically conductive supramolecular polymer network that simultaneously exhibits both electronic and ionic conductivity while maintaining tissue-mimetic mechanical properties, providing an ideal electronic interface with the human body, is introduced. Rational design of an ultrahigh affinity host-guest ternary complex led to binding affinities (10

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of adhesive sonic agitation on resin-dentin micro-tensile bond strength (µTBS) and interfacial morphology at the gingival wall of class-II cavity preparation. Seventy-two molars with prepared class-II cavities were divided into six groups (n = 12) according to the bonding mode; etch-and-rinse (ER) or self-etch (SE) and application protocol of the universal adhesive (UA) employed (Clearfil Universal Bond Quick, Kuraray Noritake); following the manufacturer instructions (MI), manual agitation for 20 s (20s), or sonic agitation for 20 s using a modified sonic micro-brush mounted on EndoActivator device, Dentsply Sirona, (sonic). Restored teeth were sectioned into resin-dentin beams and slaps and µTBS was evaluated at 1 week (1w) and after thermocycling (10k). µTBS data were analyzed using the linear mixed-effects modeling with specific contrast (p 0.05). The resin-dentin interfacial morphology was evaluated using a scanning electron microscope. Adhesive sonic agitation resulted in significantly higher µTBS means in both ER and SE modes, compared to MI group. The µTBS of MI group showed significant reduction upon aging when applied in SE mode. Sonic agitation was associated with enhanced adhesive infiltration into dentin specially in ER mode. Sonic agitation of UA using modified sonic micro-brush attached to EndoActivator device significantly improved the resin-dentin µTBS and interfacial morphology at the gingival wall of class-II cavity preparation.

To determine the bonding effectiveness of experimental 2-step universal adhesives (UAs) to high C-factor class-I cavity-bottom dentin and to assess the potential bond-strength contribution of an additional flowable composite layer.Three experimental 2-step UA formulations, involving the application of a 10-MDP-based primer followed by a hydrophobic adhesive resin with a 15-to-20-µm film thickness and differing only for filler, referred to as BZF-21 (silica and bioglass filler), BZF-29 (silica filler) and BZF-29_hv (higher silica-filler loading resulting in a higher viscosity), all prepared by GC, along with three representative commercial adhesives, Clearfil SE Bond 2 (C-SE2, Kuraray Noritake), G-Premio Bond (G-PrB, GC) and OptiBond FL (Opti-FL, Kerr), were comparatively investigated for their 'immediate' and 'aged' (50,000 thermocycles) micro-tensile bond strength (μTBS), when applied either in etch-and-rinse (ER) or self-etch (SE) mode, to high C-factor class-I cavity-bottom dentin (n = 10; 10 experimental groups). Four additional experimental groups involved the extra application of the flowable composite G-ænial Universal Flo (GC), employed as an intermediate liner in combination with the adhesives BZF-29 and G-PrB and again applied both in ER or SE mode. Statistical analysis was performed using linear mixed-effects (LME) modelling and linear regression analysis (p 0.05).All 2-step UAs performed similarly when compared to the gold-standard ER Opti-FL and SE C-SE2 adhesives, except for the aged μTBS of BZF-29_hv applied in ER mode, and significantly outperformed the 1-step UA G-PrB. Significant reduction in μTBS upon aging was only recorded for 2-step UAs applied in ER mode. The extra flowable composite layer significantly improved G-PrB's μTBS.The experimental 2-step UAs revealed favorable bonding performance in the challenging high C-factor class-I cavity model, comparable to that of the multi-step gold-standard ER and SE adhesives and superior to that of the 1-step UA investigated. An additionally applied flowable composite layer compensated for the lower bonding effectiveness of the 1-step UA in the high C-factor cavity model.

Coagulopathy, cytokine release, platelet hyperactivity and endothelial activation are regarded as potential major contributors to COVID-19 morbidity. Complement activation might provide a bridge linking these factors in severe COVID-19 illness. In this study, we investigated the prognostic significance of selected complement factors in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19 infection. The study included 300 hospitalized adults with severe COVID-19 infection. Complement factors (C3, C3a, C4, sC5b-9) were assessed by commercial ELISA kits. Outcome parameters included mortality, intensive care unit admission and duration of hospital stay. It was found that survivors had significantly higher serum C3 (median (IQR): 128.5 (116.3–141.0) mg/dL vs 98.0 (70.0–112.8) mg/dL, p

ispartof: ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES vol:9 issue:7 status: published

OBJECTIVE: Incorporating silane-coupling agent into universal adhesives (UAs) to simplify adhesive luting of glass-ceramic restorations appeared ineffective due to silane's instability in an acidic aqueous solution. This study aimed to evaluate new silane technology added to an experimental UA to be bonded to glass ceramics without separate prior silanization. METHODS: Combined silane technology, consisting of 3-(aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) and γ-methacryloxypropyltriethoxysilane (γMPTES), was incorporated into an experimental UA formulation, being referred to as ADH-XTE (3M Oral Care). Immediate and aged shear bond strength (SBS) of ADH-XTE onto as-milled ('AM'), tribochemical silica-coated ('TSC'), HF-etched ('HF'), and mirror-polished ('MP') glass-ceramic CAD/CAM blocks (IPS e.max CAD) with/without separate silanization was measured (n = 10/group). The control adhesives included Scotchbond Universal ('SBU') and Scotchbond 1 XT ('SB1-XT'). The glass-ceramic surface topography and the fractography of the SBS-debonded specimens were observed by SEM. RESULTS: Without separate prior silanization, the experimental UA ADH-XTE, containing combined APTES/γMPTES silane technology, significantly outperformed the glass-ceramic bonding efficiency of its silane-containing SBU precursor, while it performed equally effective as SBU applied with prior silanization. Upon aging, significant reduction in SBS was recorded when ADH-XTE was bonded to TSC glass-ceramic surfaces (p < 0.05), while not to HF ones. Notably, the lowest SBS was obtained when the UAs were bonded to AM and MP glass-ceramic surfaces, in particular when applied without separate prior silanization (p < 0.05). SIGNIFICANCE: The glass-ceramic bonding capacity of the new combined APTES/γMPTES silane-containing UA ADH-XTE surpassed that of its SBU precursor. HF etching remains needed to durably bond to glass-ceramics. ispartof: DENTAL MATERIALS vol:37 issue:5 pages:894-904 ispartof: location:England status: published

Newly discovered Erwinia amylovora phages PEar1, PEar2, PEar4 and PEar6 were isolated from three different orchards in North Tunisia to study their potential as biocontrol agents. Illumina sequencing revealed that the PEar viruses carry a single-strand DNA genome between 6608 and 6801 nucleotides and belong to the Inoviridae, making them the first described filamentous phages of E. amylovora. Interestingly, phage-infected cells show a decreased swimming and swarming motility and a cocktail of the four phages can significantly reduce infection of E. amylovora in a pear bioassay, potentially making them suitable candidates for phage biocontrol. ispartof: MICROORGANISMS vol:8 issue:11 ispartof: location:Switzerland status: published

Universal adhesives (UAs) are applied in 2-step etch-and-rinse (2-ER) or 1-step self-etch (1-SE) mode. This study investigated whether three UAs could benefit from a highly filled extra bonding layer (EBL), turning them into 3-ER and 2-SE UAs, respectively, thus also compensating for the commonly thin film thickness of UAs.Microtensile bond strength (μTBS) to bur-cut dentin of Clearfil Universal Bond Quick (C-UBq, Kuraray Noritake), G-Premio Bond (G-PrB, GC) and PrimeBond Active (PBa, Dentsply Sirona), applied in ER and SE mode without/with the adhesive resin (EBL) of OptiBond FL (Opti-FL_ar, Kerr), was compared to that of the 3-ERa OptiBond FL (Opti-FL; Kerr), which was also employed in 2-SE mode. As a cross reference, the SE primer of Clearfil SE Bond 2 (Kuraray Noritake) was combined with Opti-FL_ar (C-SE2/Opti-FL) and again applied in 2-SE and 3-ER mode. μTBS was measured after 1 month of water storage (37°C) and additional 25,000 and 50,000 thermocycles (TC). All μTBS were statistically analyzed using three different linear mixed-effects models with specific contrasts (p0.05).Overall, the four parameters (adhesive, bonding mode, aging, EBL) significantly influenced μTBS. G-PrB and PBa benefited from EBL when applied in both ER and SE bonding modes. In ER mode, PBa generally revealed the highest µTBS; C-UBq presented an intermediate and G-PrB the lowest µTBS. No significant differences were found between different bonding modes. C-SE2/Opti-FL outperformed Opti-FL in 3-ER and 2-SE_1 month/25k.The overall benefit of EBL on the 1-month and TC-aged bonding efficacy differed for the different UAs tested.

Apart from producing high bond strength to tooth enamel and dentin, a dental adhesive with biotherapeutic potential is clinically desirable, aiming to further improve tooth restoration longevity. In this laboratory study, an experimental two-step universal adhesive, referred to as Exp_2UA, applicable in both the etch-and-rinse (E&R) and self-etch (SE) modes and combining a primer, containing 10-methacryloyloxydecyldihydrogen phosphate as a functional monomer with chemical binding potential to hydroxyapatite, with a bioglass-containing hydrophobic adhesive resin, was multifactorially investigated. In addition to primary property assessment, including measurement of bond strength, water sorption, solubility, and polymerization efficiency, the resultant adhesive-dentin interface was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the filler composition was analyzed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and the bioactive potential of the adhesive was estimated by measuring the long-term ion release and assessing its antienzymatic and antibacterial potential. Four representative commercial adhesives were used as reference/controls. Application in both the E&R and SE modes resulted in a durable bonding performance to dentin, as evidenced by favorable 1 year aged bond strength data and a tight interfacial ultrastructure that, as examined by TEM, remained ultramorphologically unaltered upon 1 year of water storage aging. TEM revealed a 20 μm thick hydrophobic adhesive layer with a homogeneous bioglass filler distribution. Adequate polymerization conversion resulted in extremely low water sorption and solubility. In situ zymography revealed reduced endogenous proteolytic activity, while Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation was inhibited. In conclusion, the three-/two-step E&R/SE Exp_2UA combines the high bonding potential and bond degradation resistance with long-term ion release, rendering the adhesive antienzymatic and antibacterial potential. ispartof: ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES vol:12 issue:27 pages:30120-30135 ispartof: location:United States status: published

Objective As frequently added to adhesives, the mono-functional monomer 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) acts as co-solvent and improves surface wetting. Nevertheless, HEMA promotes watersorption and hydrolysis at adhesive interfaces, affecting bond durability to dentin. This study investigated if two acrylamide co-monomer alternatives could replace HEMA in experimental adhesive-resin formulations as part of 3/2-step universal adhesives applied, respectively, in etch-and-rinse (E&R) and self-etch (SE) bonding modes. Methods Upon priming dentin with the 10-MDP-based Clearfil SE Bond 2’ primer (‘C-SE2p’; Kuraray Noritake), three experimental adhesive resins, consisting of 50 wt.% Bis-GMA, 15 wt.% TEGDMA, and either 35 wt.% diethyl acrylamide (‘DEAA’), hydroxyethyl acrylamide (‘HEAA’) or HEMA (‘HEMA+’), were applied. The control HEMA-free adhesive resin contained 60 wt.% Bis-GMA and 40 wt.% TEGDMA (‘HEMA−’). All adhesives were evaluated for ‘immediate’ and ‘aged’ micro-tensile bond strength (μTBS) to dentin upon, respectively, 1-week (1w) and 6-month (6m) water storage, TEM adhesive-dentin interfacial interaction, 24-h and 6m three-point bending, contact-angle wetting, viscosity and watersorption. Results Linear mixed-effects model statistics revealed significantly better bonding performance of the adhesives applied in E&R than SE mode, except for DEAA_1w, with the highest μTBSs recorded for DEAA and HEMA− applied in SE mode. In E&R mode, aging did not significantly reduce DEAA’s μTBS. Best wetting on primed dentin was recorded for HEMA+, significantly better than DEAA, further HEAA and HEMA−, these directly related to their viscosity. HEAA absorbed significantly more water than all other adhesive-resin formulations. HEMA−>DEAA>HEAA>HEMA+ was the significant order for 6m bending strength. Conclusions The acrylamide co-monomer DEAA could replace HEMA, while HEAA not. ispartof: Dental Materials vol:37 issue:1 pages:30-47 ispartof: location:England status: published

Contamination of zirconia restorations before cementation can impair the resin–zirconia bonding durability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of human saliva or blood decontamination with 10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate (10-MDP)-containing cleaner on the resin–zirconia shear bond strength (SBS). Methods: A total of 220 zirconia specimens were prepared and air-abraded and randomly distributed into 11 groups (n = 20 per group). Except for the control group (no contamination), zirconia specimens were contaminated with either human saliva (five groups) or blood (five groups), and then subjected to one of five cleaning methods: water rinsing, 38% phosphoric acid etchant (Pulpdent Corp., Watertown, MA, USA), 70% isopropanol alcohol (Avalon Pharma, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), Ivoclean (Ivoclar Vivadent, Schaan, Lichtenstein) and Katana Cleaner (Kuraray Noritake, Tokyo, Japan). The resin–zirconia SBS was tested at 24 h and after thermocycling (10 k cycles). Three-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test were utilized to analyze the SBS data. Failure modes were evaluated using a scanning electron microscope. Results: Both blood and saliva significantly affected resin–zirconia SBS as contaminants. After thermocycling, there was no statistically significant difference between SBS obtained after decontamination with the Katana Cleaner (blood, 6.026 ± 2.805 MPa; saliva, 5.206 ± 2.212 MPa) or Ivoclean (blood, 7.08 ± 3.309 MPa; saliva, 6.297 ± 3.083 MPa), and the control group (no contamination, 7.479 ± 3.64 MPa). Adhesive and mixed failures were the most frequent among the tested groups. Conclusion: Both 10-MDP-containing cleaner (Katana Cleaner) and zirconium oxide-containing cleaner (Ivoclean) could eliminate the negative effect of saliva and blood contamination on resin–zirconia SBS.

The material structure and chemical elemental composition of a new self-adhesive composite hybrid were investigated. The bonding performance when applied on flat (FLAT) vs high C-factor class-I cavity-bottom (CAVITY) dentin and in light-cure (LC) vs self-cure (SC) mode was determined.The self-adhesive bulk-fill composite Surefil One (Su-O; Dentsply Sirona) was compared with the resin-modified glass-ionomer Fuji II LC Improved (Fuji2LC; GC) and the ion-releasing alkasite material Cention N (CentionN; Ivoclar Vivadent). The material structure was examined with SEM and TEM, while the chemical elemental composition was analyzed using EDS. The immediate and aged microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of Su-O_LC/SC was compared to that of Fuji2LC applied without any pre-treatment, and to that of CentionN applied following bonding with Adhese Universal (AU) (Ivoclar Vivadent) in self-etch mode (AU/CentionN). All restorative materials were bonded onto FLAT and CAVITY dentin. Statistical analysis was performed with the Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test.EDS analysis revealed that Su-O was richer in C and P than the reference restorative materials. Applied to FLAT dentin, the significantly highest immediate and aged μTBS were recorded for AU/CentionN, which were not significantly different only from Su-O_LC. Applied to CAVITY dentin, the significantly highest immediate μTBS was recorded for AU/CentionN, which did not differ significantly only from Su-O_SC. Su-O_LC bonded to CAVITY dentin suffered from a high incidence of pre-test failures.While Su-O_LC bonded effectively and durably to FLAT dentin, Su-O_SC bonded more favorably than Su-O_LC in class-I cavities, which was probably related to shrinkage stress variously challenging the respective bond.

This study investigated the bonding efficacy of a new so-called self-adhesive composite hybrid onto flat (FLAT) and high C-factor class-I cavity-bottom (CAVITY) dentin.The immediate and aged (50,000 thermocycles) microtensile bond strength (μTBS) to FLAT and CAVITY dentin of the experimental self-adhesive bulk-fill restorative (K-0180 ASAR pilot [ASAR-pilot], Dentsply Sirona) was compared to that of two universal adhesives applied in self-etch mode and combined with a bulk-fill composite (PrimeBond Elect/QuiXfil [PBe/QuiXF], PrimeBond Active/QuiXfil [PBa/QuiXF], both Dentsply Sirona), two pre-conditioned materials (Activa Bioactive-Restorative [Activa], Pulpdent; Fuji II LC Improved [Fuji2LC], GC); and one bulk-fill glass-hybrid restorative (Equia Forte Fil [EquiaF], GC). Statistically significant differences were recorded using Welch's ANOVA with Games-Howell contrast (p0.05).No significant difference in immediate μTBS was recorded when the restorative materials were applied onto FLAT dentin, except for Activa_FLAT and EquiaF_FLAT. When bonded to CAVITY dentin, the significantly highest μTBS was recorded for Fuji2LC_CAVITY (layer filled), and was not significantly different only from PBa/QuiXF_CAVITY. Upon aging, the highest μTBS to flat dentin was achieved by ASAR-pilot_FLAT, which was not significantly different from PBe/QuiXF_FLAT and Fuji2LC_FLAT. No significant difference between immediate and aged μTBS was recorded for ASAR-pilot when bonded onto FLAT or CAVITY dentin; the latter, however, was associated with low bond strength.Favorable bonding performance was found for the new self-adhesive bulk-fill composite hybrid ASAR-pilot when bonded to flat dentin. However, much lower bond strength was recorded when ASAR-pilot was bonded to high C-factor cavity-bottom dentin.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to measure the microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of a new universal adhesive (UA) bonded to dentin following a quick bonding mode. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experimental UA 'SKB-100,' now commercialized as Clearfil Universal Bond Quick ('C-UBq'; Kuraray Noritake), was investigated, with Scotchbond Universal ('SBU'; 3M Oral Care) and the two-step self-etch (SE) adhesive Clearfil SE Bond 2 ('C-SE2'; Kuraray Noritake) serving as references. The adhesives were employed separately in etch&rinse (E&R) and SE modes on each tooth half following a split-tooth design and following their respective instructions for use, except for C-UBq that besides the manufacturer's instructed quick bonding mode was also applied and left untouched for 20 s prior to light curing ('C-UBq_20s') and for C-SE2 that was also applied in the E&R mode. μTBS of half of the specimens was measured upon 1 week (1w), with the other half tested after 6-month (6m) storage in distilled water at 37 °C. Data were statistically analyzed using linear mixed-effects modeling and three-way ANOVA (p < 0.05). The adhesive-dentin interfaces were ultrastructurally characterized by TEM. RESULTS: C-UBq revealed a significantly lower μTBS than C-SE2. The highest μTBS was recorded for C-UBq_20s_1w and C-SE2_1w, both when applied in E&R mode. However, μTBS of C-UBq_20s significantly decreased upon aging in both modes. C-SE2 presented the significantly highest 'aged' μTBS. CONCLUSION: C-UBq applied in the quick bonding mode did not underperform to the UAs applied for 20 s. Superior bonding effectiveness was achieved by C-SE2 in SE and E&R bonding modes. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Extended application time of C-UBq improved solely its immediate but not aged bonding effectiveness. ispartof: CLINICAL ORAL INVESTIGATIONS vol:24 issue:8 pages:2837-2851 ispartof: location:Germany status: published

OBJECTIVE: Enamel bond durability of three new alternative etchants combined with three representative adhesives was determined. METHODS: The 'immediate' and 'aged' micro-tensile bond strength (μTBS) of the 3-step etch&rinse adhesive OptiBond FL ('O-FL', Kerr), 2-step self-etch (SE) adhesive Clearfil SE Bond 2 ('C-SE2', Kuraray Noritake) and universal adhesive Adhese Universal ('ADU', Ivoclar Vivadent) were measured when bonded to enamel following either a proprietary organic acid-containing Enamel Conditioner ('EC', Shofu), a phosphoric-acid monomer-containing Multi Etchant ('ME', Yamakin: 10-methacryloyloxy tetraethylene glycol dihydrogenphosphate or MTEGP), or a metal salt-based ZON etchant ('ZON', Ivoclar Vivadent: ZrO(NO3)2). All alternative etchants were used in replacement of phosphoric acid, the latter (K-Etchant, Kuraray Noritake) also used with O-FL and ADU, in addition to C-SE2 that was solely used in SE mode (controls). The enamel-etching patterns and de-bonded fracture surfaces were examined by SEM, while the interfaces with enamel were ultra-morphologically characterized by TEM. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference in immediate and aged μTBS, obtained by combining the three alternative etchants with the three adhesives, was recorded as compared with the respective controls, except for ME combined with O-FL. Upon aging, significant reduction in μTBS was recorded for the ME/C-SE2 and ME/ADU combinations. The percentage of adhesive failures increased with aging. SEM revealed similar etching patterns produced by EC and ZON as by classic phosphoric-acid etching, for which also numerous micro-resin tags at the adhesive-enamel interface were disclosed. SIGNIFICANCE: Durable bonding to enamel was generally obtained for all etchant/adhesive combinations with the exception of the ME/O-FL combination. ispartof: DENTAL MATERIALS vol:35 issue:10 pages:1415-1429 ispartof: location:England status: published

To measure microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of universal adhesives immediately and after 6-month aging, with or without an additional adhesive layer applied on a separately light-cured or non-light-cured universal adhesive.Eighty human third molars were randomly assigned to 8 experimental groups. The universal adhesives Clearfil Universal Bond (Kuraray Noritake) and Single Bond Universal (3M Oral Care) were used in self-etch mode (following the manufacturer's directions), and either light cured or not before application of an extra hydrophobic adhesive layer (Clearfil SE Bond bond, Kuraray Noritake). The two-step self-etch adhesives Clearfil SE Bond (Kuraray Noritake) and OptiBond XTR (Kerr) were used as references. After composite buildups were bonded to mid-coronal occlusal dentin surfaces, the specimens were stored in water (37°C/24 h) and sectioned into microspecimens (0.96 ± 0.04 mm2). Half of the specimens were immediately subjected to μTBS testing (1.0 mm/min), while the other half was stored in water (37°C) for 6 months prior to testing. Failure analysis was performed using stereomicroscopy and SEM. Data were analyzed with two-way repeated measures ANOVA, Tukey's and paired t-tests (p = 0.05).The immediate μTBS was similar for the universal adhesives when applied following the different application strategies (p0.05). Application of an extra layer of hydrophobic adhesive improved the aged μTBS of the universal adhesives, which was statistically significant when the universal adhesives were first light cured (p0.05). The reference adhesives Clearfil SE Bond and OptiBond XTR exhibited a significantly higher immediate and aged μTBS to dentin than did the universal adhesives (p0.05).The bond durability of universal adhesives, applied in self-etch mode, was found to benefit from the application of an extra hydrophobic adhesive layer when the universal adhesives were first light cured.

Background Despite the established role of the Pap smear test (PST) in prevention and early detection of cervical cancer, it is still rarely practiced in Sudan. Many challenges hinder the establishment of an effective cervical cancer screening program, including socio-cultural factors. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of Sudanese women with regard to the Pap smear test and cervical cancer. Materials and methods A total of 500 married women aged 14 to 58 years were recruited from obstetric clinics, hospitals and universities in Khartoum in 2014. Data were collected using a standardized, pretested questionnaire that inquired socio-demographic characteristics and their KAP about cervical cancer and the PST. Results More than 52% of participating women were above 30 years of age, and the majority (78.8%) were university degree holders. A total of 486 (97.2 %) of participants were resident in urban areas of Khartoum State. However about 48% of the respondents had never heard about PST, and only 15.8% of the participants had undergone a Pap smear test previously; 46.6% (233/500) knew that the human papilloma virus (HPV) was the causative agent, but only 39.2% (196/500) had heard about HPV vaccination, and only 11.4% (57/500) had received the vaccine. However 68% of the respondents agreed to do Pap smear if properly informed about the test and 75.4% of the respondents agreed to participate in a cervical cancer screening program. Conclusions Despite a high educational level, less than half of our participants had accurate knowledge about cervical cancer, HPV, and cervical cancer screening. Health education about cervical cancer, HPV and sexually transmitted infections and the role of PST in cervical cancer prevention are crucial when designing interventions aimed at improving cervical cancer screening for Sudanese women.

Purpose: This in vitro study was designed to compare the effects of oxygen plasma and sandblasting treatment of the surface of titanium implant abutments on retention of implant-supported fixed prostheses using eugenol-free provisional cement and surface topography. Cement failure mode and elemental composition were surveyed. Materials and Methods: Thirty implant abutments were used. They were divided into three groups (n = 10 implants) according to the surface treatment made (no treatment, sandblasting with 50 μm Al2O3, and oxygen plasma). Thirty metal copings were fabricated with an occlusal metal O-ring and cemented using eugenol-free cement. The tensile bond strength was recorded using a universal testing machine, cement failure was recorded, surface topography was determined using the optical method, and elemental composition was determined using energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Data from all the groups were compared with a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA; P < .05) and Tukey test. Results: The mean values of tensile bond strength of metal copings bonded to three implant-abutment surface groups with either control, sandblasting, or oxygen plasma were 138.8 ± 10.2, 261.3 ± 20.6, and 264.7 ± 12.8 N, respectively. The cements failed adhesively in the control and oxygen plasma groups and cohesively for sandblasting. The mean values of surface roughness were 1.1 ± 0.2, 2.3 ± 0.5, and 1.0 ± 0.1, respectively. The oxygen plasma-treated group evidenced a decreased level of C and increased levels of O2. Conclusion: The retention of cast crown copings to titanium implant abutments using eugenol-free provisional cement in the sandblasting and oxygen plasma groups was more improved than in the control group.

Phytochemical investigation of the ethyl acetate extract of the leaves of Juniperus procera growing in south Saudi Arabia Enemas region led to the isolation of a new flavonoid using different chromatographic methods (i.e. paper, thin layer and column chromatography). The isolated flavonoid was identified and established by m.p., 1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR, UV and MS spectral analysis. The isolated compound was identified as 3′,4′,3,7-tetrahydroxyflavone.

Background: We studied the scientific yield of the medical PhD program at all Danish Universities.Methods: We undertook a retrospective observational study. Three PhD schools in Denmark were included in order to evaluate the postdoctoral research production over more than 18 years through individual publications accessed by PubMed.Results: A total of 2686 PhD-graduates (1995-2013) with a medical background were included according to registries from all PhD schools in Denmark. They had a median age of 35 years (interquartile range (IQR), 32-38) and 53 % were women at the time of graduation. Scientific activity over time was assessed independently of author-rank and inactivity was measured relative to the date of graduation. Factors associated with inactivity were identified using multivariable logistic regression. 88.6 % of the PhD theses were conducted in internal medicine vs. 11.4 % in surgery. During follow-up (median 6.9 years, IQR 3.0-11.7), PubMed data searches identified that 87 (3.4 %) of the PhD graduates had no publication after they graduated from the PhD program, 40 % had 5 or less, and 90 % had 30 or less. The median number of publications per year after PhD graduation was 1.12 (IQR 0.61-1.99) papers per year. About 2/3 of the graduates became inactive after 1 year and approximately 21 % of the graduates remained active during the whole follow-up. Female gender was associated with inactivity: adjusted odds ratio 1.59 (95 % confidence interval 1.24-2.05).Conclusions: The scientific production of Danish medic PhD-graduates was mainly produced around the time of PhD-graduation. After obtaining the PhD-degree the scientific production declines suggesting that scientific advance fails and resources are not harnessed.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the vertical mandibular asymmetry in a group of adult patients with different types of malocclusions, based on Angle's dental classification. Materials and Methods: A sample of 102 patients (age range 19–28) who went for routine orthodontic treatment in the institution were divided into four groups: Class I, 26 patients; Class II/1, 30 patients; Class III, 23 patients; and control group (CG) with normal occlusion, 23 patients. Condylar asymmetry index (CAI), ramal asymmetry index (RAI), condylar-plus-ramal asymmetry index values were measured for all patients on panoramic radiographs. Data were analyzed using Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U-test at the 95% confidence level (P < 0.05). Results: The results of the analysis showed that different occlusal types significantly affected the vertical symmetry of the mandible at the condylar level. Class I and Class II/1 malocclusion groups showed a significant difference in CAI values relative to the CG (P < 0.05, P < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was found between the CG and Class III malocclusion group (P > 0.05). Comparisons between Class II/1 and Class I malocclusions revealed a significant difference in CAI values (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Both Class II/1 and Class I malocclusions patients had significantly higher CAI values compared to CG and Class III group. CAI value was significantly higher in Class II/1 malocclusion compared to Class I malocclusion. Both these malocclusions could act as a predisposing factor for having asymmetric condyles if left untreated.

Reactions of isatin–N–acetylchloride 2 with equivalent amount of hydrazine hydrate gave 2-(2, 3-dioxo-2, 3-dihydro1H-indol-1-yl) acetohydrazide 3 which was then cyclized to give [1, 2, 4] triazino [4, 3-a] indole-3, 10 (2H, 4H)-dione 5 but when 2 reacted with excess of hydrazine hydrate it give 2[(2, 3-bishydrazono)-2, 3-dihydro-1H-indol-1-yl] acetohydrazide 4. Isothiocyanate derivative 6 was prepared from the corresponding acid chloride and ammonium thiocyanate in acetone. The reactions of isothiocyanate with anthranilic acid, glycine, benzoyl glycine, hydrazine hydrate and benzoyl hydrazine were also investigated. The condensation reaction of benzoyl glycine with isothiocyanate in the presence of benzaldehyde gave 16 which was easily cyclized to give 17.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most frequent and aggressive primary cancer of the brain in adults. Despite aggressive therapeutic interventions, the median overall survival is below 18 months after initial diagnosis. The current standard of care for patients with newly diagnosed GBM includes concurrent administration of temozolomide (TMZ) and radiotherapy followed by adjuvant TMZ. Since 2005, TMZ remained the first-line chemotherapy in the treatment of GBM patients with its ability to cross the blood–brain barrier. However, after initial efficacy, GBM cells acquire resistance to TMZ and other chemotherapeutic agents via multiple mechanisms, including the expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) efflux proteins. These transporters not only are involved in normal physiological functions, i.e., physiological cholesterol transport and elimination of toxins, but also play a role in pathological conditions, i.e., chemotherapies drug resistance. In humans, each ABC protein has specific tissue locations and specific functions. In this review, we highlight the role of ABC protein superfamily members ABCB1, ABCC1, and ABCG2 in the resistance of GBM cells to chemotherapy.