Evaluation of the knowledge and attitudes about dental practices of Turkish parents who visited the pedodontics clinic in Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate parents' knowledge and attitudes about dental practices who visited a pedodontics clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: In the present work, data were collected via questionnaires from 475 parents who brought their children (between 0 and 14 years old) to our clinic for routine pedodontic examinations. The data obtained were analyzed using Microsoft Excel. Frequency and percentage values of answers to questions were obtained. RESULTS: The majority of the participants (67.9%) indicated sufficient knowledge about COVID-19. Although 75% of parents were fearful and worried about the possibility of contracting virus during admission to the hospital, it was observed that 92% of them highly counted on the measures taken by their dentists and 72% did not hesitate to take their children to dentists during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of the present study, it has been shown that despite the increased level of parents' knowledge about the pandemic, it was evident that anxiety and fear were present when visiting hospitals/clinics as a result of the possible transmission due to the high number of COVID-19 cases. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct further studies on how to increase public awareness of the transmission routes of aerosols released during dental treatments.

Twenty-Four-Month Clinical Comparison of Two Bulk-Fill and a Microhybrid Composite Restorations in Class II Cavities.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical performance of two bulk-fill composite resins in Class II cavities for up to twenty-four months. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total 75 Class II restorations were made in 25 patients using two nanohybrid bulk-fill resin composites and a microhybrid composite. The restorations were evaluated at baseline and at 6, 12, and 24 months, using U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) criteria. The restoration groups were compared using the Pearson chi-square test, and the Cochran Q-test was used to compare the changes across different time points within restorative materials (p⟨0.05). RESULTS: Two patients who did not attend the appointments were excluded from the study, so 23 patients were evaluated with a 92% recall rate; at the end of the two-year follow-up, 66 restorations were evaluated. Three restorations underwent endodontic treatment and were deemed failures. The overall success rate was 96%. There were statistically significant differences between the three restorative resins in terms of color match parameter (p⟨0.05). No differences were observed between the restorative resins in terms of other criteria (p⟩0.05). CONCLUSIONS: During the two-year follow-up period, the three composite resins showed similar clinical performance except for the color match parameter.

Case study on prediction of remaining methane potential of landfilled municipal solid waste by statistical analysis of waste composition data.

Main objective of this study was to develop a statistical model for easier and faster Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) prediction of landfilled municipal solid waste by analyzing waste composition of excavated samples from 12 sampling points and three waste depths representing different landfilling ages of closed and active sections of a sanitary landfill site located in Istanbul, Turkey. Results of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were used as a decision support tool to evaluation and describe the waste composition variables. Four principal component were extracted describing 76% of data set variance. The most effective components were determined as PCB, PO, T, D, W, FM, moisture and BMP for the data set. Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) models were built by original compositional data and transformed data to determine differences. It was observed that even residual plots were better for transformed data the R(2) and Adjusted R(2) values were not improved significantly. The best preliminary BMP prediction models consisted of D, W, T and FM waste fractions for both versions of regressions. Adjusted R(2) values of the raw and transformed models were determined as 0.69 and 0.57, respectively.

Characterization of primary and permanent teeth using terahertz spectroscopy.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse teeth samples by using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) system that was developed in the laboratory to measure the properties of sliced teeth sections in transmission mode. METHODS: Using home-built THz-TDS system, we analysed a total of 25 teeth samples (9 primary and 16 permanent teeth). For transmission measurements, the refractive index and absorptive properties of the teeth sections were calculated. Difference between groups was tested using Mann-Whitney U-test statistics at the specific frequency of 0.5 THz, which was at the midpoint of the bandwidth. Median and minimum-maximum values were given as descriptive statistics. Type-I error rate was taken as α = 0.05. RESULTS: Median refractive index values for permanent and primary teeth were found to be 2.53 and 2.54, respectively. Median absorption coefficient values for permanent and primary teeth were found to be 26.29 and 29.67, respectively. Median refractive index values for both healthy and carious teeth were found to be 2.54. Median absorption coefficient values for healthy and carious teeth were found to be 26.52 and 27.13, respectively. Although higher median absorption coefficient values were found for primary and carious teeth than those of permanent and healthy teeth, the differences were insignificant (p > 0.05). In addition, no statistical differences were found for refractive index values among different groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: THz imaging has the potential to be used in assessing dental structures.

Trace elements and toxic heavy metals play a role in Buerger disease and atherosclerotic peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to define the roles of trace elements and toxic heavy metals in Buerger disease and atherosclerotic peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). METHODS: Seventy-five subjects who were identical in demographic charecteristics were selected for the study; 25 with Buerger disease, 25 with PAOD, 25 healthy volunteers. Serum selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe),whole blood cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), erythrocyte glutathione (GSH), erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), erythrocyte and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured. RESULTS: Serum Se and Zn levels were significantly low in patients with Buerger disease compared to patients with PAOD and controls (P<0.001 and P<0.001 respectively). Serum levels of Fe and Zn were also significantly low in patients with PAOD compared to controls (p<0.001 and p<0.05 respectively). In contrast, Cu and Pb levels in Buerger disease group were significantly high compared to PAOD and control groups (P<0.001 and P<0.001 respectively). Erythrocyte GSH and GSH-Px levels were significantly lower in patients with Buerger disease compared to patients with PAOD and controls (P<0.001 and P<0.001 respectively), while erythrocyte and plasma MDA levels were significantly higher (P<0.001 and P<0.001 respectively). CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that the levels of trace elments and toxic heavy metals and oxidative stress influence the disease process in Buerger disease more than PAOD.

Serine protease inhibitor aprotinin ameliorates renal injury in a rat model of ischemia-perfusion injury.

BACKGROUND: Renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury may occur after renal transplantation, thoracoabdominal aortic surgery, and renal artery interventions. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effects of aprotinin on tissue protection against I/R injury in a rat model. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a potent antioxidant, was also tested to assess the experimental model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four rats were categorized into 3 groups of 8 rats each: those receiving isotonic sodium chloride solution (control group); NAC, 150 mg/kg; and aprotinin, 40,000 KIU/kg. The animals underwent unilateral nephrectomy after 60 minutes of warm ischemia and 60 minutes of reperfusion of the kidney. Malondialdehyde, a lipid peroxidation marker, and antioxidant glutathione levels were measured in the kidney parenchyma. Tissue samples were obtained for histologic analysis. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the NAC group demonstrated significantly low levels of malondialdehyde (P = .04) and high levels of glutathione (P = .01). At histopathologic analysis, less acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and cellular swelling was noted in the NAC group (P = .002 and P = .005, respectively). In the aprotinin group, histopathologic analysis revealed less tissue damage in terms of ATN (P < .001, cellular swelling (P < .001), and vacuolysis (P = .002). Compared with the NAC group, ATN (P = .01), vacuolysis (P = .04), and congestion (P = .05) were significantly less in the aprotinin group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that administration of aprotinin attenuates renal I/R injury. This observation has potential application for kidney preservation for transplantation, for aortic surgery, and for renal artery interventions by protecting cells from free radical damage.