[Colorimetric evaluation of cercon zirconia and metal ceramic restorations in two thicknesses of veneering porcelain]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of zirconia and base metal cores on the color of restorations. Furthermore, the effect of different backings on the color of cercon zirconia was evaluated. The specimens were Cercon zirconia and metal ceramic discs with "high Au" and "base metal" alloys. Cercon zirconia discs were veneered with veneering shade of A2 and two thickness of porcelain [0.7 mm, 1.2 mm]. There were 3 discs in each group. Metal ceramic discs were made of "nickel-chromium" alloy [Verobond] and "high Au" alloy [World 89] and two shades [A2, A3.5] and two thicknesses of veneering porcelain. 3 types of backing [high Au, nickel-chromium and A3 shade composite] were made for Cercon zirconia discs. Spectrophotometric evaluation of zirconia discs [on 3 backings] and metal ceramic discs was done. One-way ANOVA and Tukey tests were used for data analysis. There were no significant differences between the amounts of L*, a*, b* for Cercon zirconia on different backings [P>0.05]. In comparison between different core groups, a* was significantly higher in metal ceramic groups compared with that of zirconia groups [P<0.05]. Cercon zirconia can completely mask the underlying backing

Evaluation of an interferon-gamma release assay in young contacts of active tuberculosis cases

In a cross-sectional study in a hospital in Tehran in 2006-08 the QuantiFERON[Registered]-TB interferon-gamma release assay [QTB] was compared with the tuberculin skin test [TST] in 59 young people [aged<20 years] with close contact with immunocompetent cases of proven pulmonary tuberculosis. After 1 year follow-up 10 subjects had progressed to tuberculosis disease and received treatment; TST was positive in 30% and QTB in 100%. Of the 49 non-progressive subjects, TST was positive in 10.4% and QTB in 16.3%. The agreement between TST and QTB assay in non-progressive subjects was poor [Kappa=0.43]. False positive and false negative rates for TST were 40.0% and 9.3% respectively; positive and predictive values were 60.0% and 90.7%. We suggest adding the interferon assay to the skin test in the decision to perform chest X-ray or to start chemoprophylaxis at least in younger subjects [aged<20 years]

[Evaluation of the association of NOD2 gene polymorphisms with the occurrence of GVHD in acute myelogenous leukemia patients]

Graft-versus-host disease [GVHD] is one of life-threatening post-transplantation complications. Several recent studies have described a significant correlation between transplantation outcome and three single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs] in the NOD2 gene. This study was conducted to evaluate the association of NOD2 gene polymorphisms with the occurrence of GVHD in acute myelogenous leukemia patients who underwent HSCT from their HLA-matched sibling donors. We examined retrospectively NOD2 genotypes by PCR-SSP both in 124 patients who underwent HSCT and in their donors; then, the association of the genetic polymorphisms on acute and chronic GVHD was evaluated. Median follow up of patients was 40 months [range of 28-77 months]. Statistical analyses were performed using Chi-square test and SPSS software. Mutation incidence were the same between donors and recipients as 12.1%. In three of the patient-donor pairs [2.4%] SNPs occurred in both resulting in an overall frequency of 21.8% in patient-donor pairs. There weren't any significant differences between aGVHD and cGVHD incidence rates when donor/recipient pairs with SNPs were compared with the pairs without SNPs. aGVHD and cGVHD incidence rates in the former pairs were 52% and 56% and in the latter pairs 50.5% and 55%, respectively. No impact of NOD2 SNPs on incidence of acute and chronic GVHD was observed. Further studies are required to ascertain whether the findings of this study can be extended to other disease groups. In addition, further studies are required to identify the relevance of other SNPs

[Color preferences for nurses' uniform from nurses, hospitalized 5-12 years old children and parents' perspectives]

There is a growing movement towards more casual uniforms within pediatric Nursing. The study aimed at assessing the color preferences of nurses, parents and children regarding nurses' uniform in selected university hospitals of Tehran City. A cross sectional study was conducted. Through non-randomized convenient sampling, 365 pediatric nurses, 744 pediatric patients and 480 parents, drawn from selected university hospitals of Tehran City were recruited to the study, during one year since 2007, summer. Data were collected using a questionnaire consisting demographic data and two questions regarding the participants' color preferences. Five photos showing a nurse with different uniform colors [pink, white, light blue, dark blue and colorful] while checking a child's pulse were used. Descriptive and inferential statistics [analysis of variance with repeated measurement, chi-square and Cochran's test] were used to analysis the data by SPSS software [version 11.5]. Female children and their parents reported pink color as their first choice [45.2 and 45.6% respectively] while boys preferred light blue [31.4%]. The first choice of nurses was dark blue [42.2%] which 10.6% of mothers and 17.6% of girls liked it as well [P<0.001]. Nurses with less than ten years of nursing experience, preferred dark blue [49.1 vs. 32.9%; P=0.002]. Fathers preferences of colors were not statistically significant [P=0.017]. Pink and light blue were most preferred by children and their parents to dark blue of nurses. The study recommends changing the color of nurses'uniforms in pediatric wards, considering children and their parents' perspectives

[Effect of parents' shift work on strengths and behavioral problems of their children, aged 7-12 years old, among shift workers of private and university hospitals in Tehran city]

Shift work and rotational shift schedule interrupt interaction of the parents with their children. As shift workers [nurses, midwives, enrolled nurses, nurse aid and operating rooms' technicians] are obliged to have shift words, the present study designed to assess the effects of their shift word on strengths and behavioral problems of their children, aged 7-12 years among shift workers of private and university hospitals in Tehran city. Using a cross sectional study design, 489 shift workers drawn from private and university hospitals in Tehran city were selected along with their children's teachers. Data were collected using Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ], specific to parents and teachers including scales of emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship problems and prosocial behaviors. All statistics were computed by the SPSS software using chi-square, logistic regression [stepwise method], and spearman and ANOVA tests. No significant relationships were found between parents' shift with strengths and difficulties problems of their children based on their self-reported questionnaire. It was revealed that some of demographic factors have significant correlations with the scales such as number of children and their gender with conduct problems, parents educational level, gender, their shift work schedule, history of physical/psychiatric diseases of children with emotional symptoms and parents' educational degree with hyperactivity/inattention, parents' gender. History of morning-evening and evening-night and rotational shifts with peer relationship problems and finally parents' gender and history of rotational shifts with prosocial behaviors. The study didn't demonstrate impact of shift work on behavioral problems of shift workers' children. However, behavioral and emotional problems of the children were correlated with some of their parents' demographic and job related factors which calls for considering it among shift workers of nursing profession

[Correlation between P53, P63 expression and HPV infection with staging and grading of oral squamous cell carcinoma]

Squamous cell carcinoma is the eighth common cancer and forms 94% of oral malignancies. Nowadays, many molecular and genetic changes have been known to affect tumoral behavior which might be good for drug production and gene therapy. It has been known that mutated P53, overexpression of P63 as an oncogene and HPV infection are correlated with clinicopathological behavior of oral squamous cell carcinoma [OSCC] and it's prognosis and overall survival rate. The aim of this study is to determine the correlation between the expression of P53, P63 and HPV infection with oral squamous cell carcinoma and it's clinical staging and microscopical grading. Forty paraffin blocks with diagnosis of OSCC were collected from the pathology department, Shahid Beheshti School of Dentistry and the Department of general pathology, Taleghani hospital. Immunohistochemical staining was performed with antibodies against P53 and P63 and for detection of high risk types of HPV [HPVI6, 18] polymerized chain reaction [PCR] was used. Spearman correlation test was used for data analyzing. In this analytical cross-sectional study, we found significant correlation between P53 total score and staging [P=0.0001] and P53 total score and grading [P=0.013]. There was also significant correlation between P63 proportional score and grading [P=0.049]. HPV 16 also had significant correlation with P53 total score [P=0.003]. The mean nuclear staining of P53 was 33.04 +/- 25.66% [01=24.94-41.14] and P 63 was 39.25 +/- 19.35 [CI 33.13-45.37]. HPV frequency was 40% [HPV 16=20% and HPV18=7.5%]. There was no significant correlation between P63 and HPV infection [P>0.05]. We concluded that P63 could be a diagnostic marker for grading of OSCC and P53 and P63 expression might have some role in progression of OSCC and its clinicopathological behavior. Presence of HPV especially HPV 16 may be regarded as a risk factor in OSCC