Febrile ulceronecrotic Mucha-Habermann disease during pregnancy: A case report.

Febrile ulceronecrotic Mucha-Habermann disease (FUMHD) is a rare and severe form of 'pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta', with a progressive and potentially fatal course. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no reported case of FUMDH during pregnancy before. Due to life-threatening nature of the disease and the lack of evidence-based treatment, management of FUMHD in pregnancy is a therapeutic challenge. Additionally, some of the drugs that are effective in the treatment are contraindicated in pregnancy. Herein, we report a 27-year-old woman diagnosed with FUMHD in her 19th week of pregnancy and treated with ceftriaxone and erythromycin.

Palate size and shape in schizophrenia.

The palate is considered typical of the structures in which schizophrenia-related minor physical anomalies may occur. In this study, we aimed to compare the dimensions and form of palate in patients with schizophrenia with nonpsychiatric controls in a blinded manner. Dental stone casts of 127 patients with schizophrenia and 127 controls were prepared from impressions of the maxillary dental arch. Palate dimensions were measured on the stone casts using a digital caliper and palatometer. Palate length did not differ significantly between the groups, but there was a significant difference in palate width and depth, which were significantly higher in the schizophrenia group. As a result of using multivariate analysis for assessing independent risk factors affecting patients with schizophrenia, furrowed palate shape, palate width, and ellipsoid maxillary dental arch shape were found to be significant. This study also revealed that patients with schizophrenia demonstrate certain gender-related predilections in the differences of palate parameters compared to same-sex controls. As the palate develops in conjunction with both the face and brain, our study findings can significantly contribute to the assumption that there might be structural abnormalities of the palate that could represent specific markers of embryological dysmorphogenesis underlying schizophrenia.

Glutathione-S-Transferase Variants are not Associated With Increased Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Turkish Familial Mediterranean Fever Patients.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in patients diagnosed with Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) and investigate whether there is a relationship between glutathione-S-transferase (GST) gene polymorphisms and CIMT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty FMF patients (17 males, 43 females; mean age: 31.43±11.36 years; range 18 to 45 years) and 60 healthy controls (22 males, 38 females; mean age: 29.8±5.82 years; range 18 to 40 years) were enrolled in this study. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism methods were carried out to assess GST polymorphisms. CIMT was measured by carotid ultrasonography. Biochemical parameters were also evaluated using biochemical methods. RESULTS: Right and left CIMT of FMF patients were statistically significantly higher than that of control group (CIMT right p=0.001 and CIMT left: p=0.033). There was no significant association in terms of GST polymorphisms between FMF and control groups. No significant association was observed between GST polymorphisms and CIMT. Low density lipoprotein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and fibrinogen levels were significantly higher in the patient group (p<0.05). The difference between groups was not significant in terms of other biochemical parameters (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Although no significant association was observed between GST polymorphisms and CIMT in FMF patients and controls, CIMT was statistically significantly higher in FMF patients compared to controls.

Impact of levosimendan on right ventricular functions by using novel tissue Doppler derived indices in patients with ischaemic left ventricular failure.

BACKGROUND: Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction complicates advanced left ventricular (LV) heart failure (HF) and contributes to a poor prognosis. Levosimendan is a positive inotropic agent improving cardiac contractility without increasing myocardial oxygen consumption in HF. AIM: To evaluate the effect of levosimendan therapy on RV systolic function, by using derived tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in patients with ischaemic HF. METHODS: The study consisted of 30 patients with HF who were admitted to our hospital due to new onset of decompensated HF, having LV ejection fraction < 40%, with functional status class III-IV, according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA). TDI-derived systolic velocities of tricuspid annulus (isovolumic myocardial acceleration [IVA], peak myocardial velocity during isovolumic contraction [IVV], peak systolic velocity during ejection period [Sa]) and diastolic indices (early [Ea] and late diastolic [Aa] velocities, Ea/Aa, E/Ea ratios and myocardial performance index [Tei index]) were measured. 72 hours after treatment, all measurements were re-evaluated. RESULTS: Considering TDI-derived systolic indices of the RV, IVA and IVV increased significantly, whereas Tei index decreased, after the therapy. Also, there was a significant decrease in serum levels of B-type natriuretic peptide. No significant change was observed in TDI derived diastolic indices of the RV. CONCLUSIONS: Levosimendan improves RV systolic function as expressed by TDI-derived parameters in patients with acutedecompensated HF.

Impact strength of denture polymethyl methacrylate reinforced with different forms of E-glass fibers.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to determine the reinforcing effect of different forms and concentrations of E-glass fibers on impact strength of denture polymethyl methacrylate. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A total of 91 rectangular specimens (84 specimens for test groups and seven for control group) of a heat-cured acrylic resin were fabricated. The test specimens were prepared by modifying the polymethyl methacrylate with the addition of different concentrations (2.5%, 3%, 4%, 5% by volume) of three types (chopped strand mat, woven and continuous unidirectional fibers) of E-glass fibers. The impact strength was evaluated using the Charpy method. RESULTS: While the 5% continuous glass fiber added test group showed the highest mean impact strength, the lowest value belonged to the 2.5% woven glass fiber containing group. When the impact strength values of chopped strand mat and continuous unidirectional glass fiber added groups at all concentrations were compared with the control group, the differences were statistically significant. The impact strength values of the woven glass fiber added groups at all concentrations were higher than that of the control group. However, the difference was non-significant. CONCLUSION: The impact strength of PMMA was enhanced by including E-glass fibers, increasing parallel with the fiber concentration.

Fatigue resistance of acrylic resin denture base material reinforced with E-glass fibres.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of different forms and concentrations (2.5, 3, 4, 5% by volume) of glass fibres (chopped strand mat, continuous and woven) on fatigue resistance of acrylic denture base resin. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The fatigue resistance was measured by applying repeated three-point bending deflection to the specimens, the cycle frequency of 1.05 g and magnitude of deflection of 2.0 mm. The number of loading cycles needed to cause a fracture in the test specimen was considered the fatigue resistance of the specimen. RESULTS: The results of this study revealed that the addition of three different glass fibre forms at all concentrations to acrylic resin did not produce a statistically significant increase in the fatigue resistance (p ≥ 0.05). This study also revealed that there were significant differences (p < 0.05) between glass fibres forms used concerning the effects on the fatigue resistance. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the woven glass fibres had a definite superiority over the chopped fibres and the continuous fibres in regard to the fatigue resistance of the acrylic denture base resin.

Comparative study of the fatigue strength of five acrylic denture resins.

The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the fatigue resistance of three kinds of heat-polymerized acrylic resins (conventional heat-polymerized, rapid heat-polymerized, high impact acrylic resin), a kind of visible light-cured resin and a kind of self-cured acrylic resin. A total of 60 notched and un-notched specimens (65 mm x 10 mm x 3 mm) were fabricated, 12 from each material. The fatigue resistance was measured by applying repeated three-point bending deflection to the specimens. For statistical analysis, Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn's multiple comparison tests were used. The Kruskal-Wallis test revealed significant differences in the fatigue resistance among some groups (p<0.05). Conventional- and rapid-heat polymerized resins had lower fatigue resistance values than heat-polymerized high impact acrylic resin, but the differences were statistically non-significant according to Dunn's test (p>0.05). High impact acrylic resin was also found to have significantly higher fatigue resistance value than that of self-cured resin and light-cured resin (p<0.05). Further, there was no statistically significant difference between the mean fatigue resistance value of visible light-cured resin and self-cured resin (p>0.05).

Effect of mica and glass on acrylic teeth material's color.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of two different ratios of silanized mica filler and milled glass fiber reinforcement on the color of acrylic denture teeth materials. Ten acrylic resin discs made of acrylic denture teeth material (PMMA) obtained from the manufacturer were used as the control group. Four experimental groups were modified from the control group's PMMA material by adding a ratio of 5% or 10% by weight of silane-treated mica filler or milled glass fibers. Each group consisted of 10 specimens. Measurements were performed using a spectrophotometer CM-2600d, and the color changes were characterized in the Commission Internationale d'Eclairage L*a*b* color space. deltaE* values of 5% mica-, 10% mica-, 5% glass-, and 10% glass-containing sample groups were 2.46, 3.03, 2.16, and 2.59 respectively. There were statistically significant differences in L*, a*, and b* values between the control group and each test group. It was shown that when PMMA denture teeth material was modified with silane-treated mica filler or silane-treated milled glass fibers for the purpose of reinforcement, it would also cause significant changes to the original color of the material.

Immunological status of thalassemia syndrome.

A major cause of morbidity and mortality in thalassemic patients is infections, assumed to be the result of immunological changes. In this study immune functions of peripheral blood lymphocytes have been studied in 38 beta-thalassemia major, 12 beta-thalassemia trait, and 17 healthy children. Results show decrease in CD4+/CD8+ ratios in the beta-thalassemia major group and no difference according to absolute T-lymphocyte numbers and activated T-cell numbers. These results do not correlate with the tendency to infection. No significant difference was found in humoral immunity. The study of other factors in thalassemia is needed to detect those who are more susceptible to infections.