Effect of Tannic Acid and Quercetin Antioxidants on Bond Strength of Resin Cement to Dentin after Internal Bleaching.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the influence of tannic acid and quercetin on the immediate microshear bond strength (µSBS) of two resin cements to dentin after internal bleaching. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The access cavity in eighty extracted maxillary incisors was internally bleached except the control groups. The labial surfaces were ground to expose a flat dentin surface. The specimens were randomly divided into eight groups (n=10) as follows: 1) Control/Dou; Doulink without bleaching, 2) Bl/Dou; Bleaching+Doulink, 3) Bl+Ta/ Dou; Bleaching+Tannic acid+Doulink, 4) Bl+Qu/Dou;Bleaching+Quercetin+Doulink, 5) Control/ PSA; Panavia SA without bleaching, 6) Bl/PSA;Bleaching+Panavia SA, 7) Bl+Ta/ PSA; Bleaching+Tannic acid+Panavia SA, 8) Bl+Qu+PSA; Bleaching+Quercetin+Panavia SA. After 24 hours, the µSBS of the specimens was tested and the obtained data were analyzed with two-way ANOVA and Tamhane test (p⟨0.05). RESULTS: The µSBS of Doulink groups were higher than the PSA groups (p⟨0.001). The µSBS of Bl+Ta/Dou and Bl+Qu/ Dou groups did not differ from Bl/Dou (p⟩0.05). The µSBS of Bl+Ta/PSA group was statistically significantly higher than the Bl/PSA group (p⟨0.001). There was no significant difference between µSBS of Bl+Qu/PSA and Bl/PSA groups (p=0.39). CONCLUSIONS: TA partially reversed the negative influence of internal bleaching on the µSBS of Panavia SA while quercetin did not increase the bond strength of both resin cements.

Comparing the mechanical properties, microstructure, texture and in-vitro degradation behavior of TNTZ/nano-fluorapatite composite and TNTZ bioalloy.

The present study deals with (i) the fabrication of the composite surface layer of Ti-29Nb-13Ta-4.6Zr/nano-fluorapatite through friction stir processing, (ii) clarifying the correlation of microstructure and texture with in-vitro degradation behavior and bioactivity of fabricated nano-biocomposite, and (iii) comparing the mechanical and functional properties of nano composite whit those obtained for TNTZ bio-alloy. The results indicated that increasing the number of deformation passes effectively refines the microstructure, leading to the average grain sizes of less than 5 µm. The texture of the material was also evolved in the presence of the nano particles where the grains reorient along <111> direction in contrast to the <101>-oriented grains in the starting microstructure. In-vitro bioactivity of the processed samples was measured after being immersed in simulated body fluid solution for various duration up to 30 days. Enhanced corrosion resistance and bio-mineralization of nanocomposite surface layer was discussed relying on the occurrence of grain refinement, substructure development and evolution of texture components along <101> direction. Assessment of the mechanical properties of the fabricated composites and as-received material also indicated the positive effect of the applied processing route and the presence of nano particles.

Pachyonychia congenita: a case report of a successful treatment with rosuvastatin in a patient with a KRT6A mutation.

Pachyonychia congenita (PC) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by nail dystrophy and palmoplantar keratoderma with severe plantar pain affecting quality of life. There is no effective treatment. Heterozygous mutations in the keratin genes KRT6A, KRT6B, KRT6C, KRT16 and KRT17 have been reported as a cause of PC. Herein we present a female patient with an amino acid substitution mutation in KRT6A (c.1381G>A, p.Glu461Lys in exon 7) and classic features of PC associated with oral leucokeratosis and follicular hyperkeratosis. We also demonstrate successful treatment of the patient with rosuvastatin. A 3.6-mm reduction in plantar callosity thickness was demonstrated by sonography. Our patient also experienced significant pain relief that allowed her to increase physical activity (Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index score dropped nine points following treatment). Collectively, these improvements suggest that rosuvastatin may offer a promising treatment for PC. What's already known about this topic? Pachyonychia congenita (PC) is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by nail dystrophy and painful plantar keratoderma. Keratolytics, emollients, retinoids and steroids have been used for treatment but with limited benefits. What does this study add? A patient with PC who had a KRT6A mutation was treated with rosuvastatin with significant improvement in plantar hyperkeratosis and pain. Statins could be a promising treatment for PC with long-term safety, but further studies are needed.

Alopecia areata: a review of disease pathogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Alopecia areata is a disorder that results in nonscarring hair loss. The psychological impact can be significant, leading to feelings of depression and social isolation. Objectives In this article, we seek to review the pathophysiological mechanisms proposed in recent years in a narrative fashion. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE and Scopus for articles related to alopecia areata, with a particular emphasis on its pathogenesis. RESULTS: The main theory of alopecia areata pathogenesis is that it is an autoimmune phenomenon resulting from a disruption in hair follicle immune privilege. What causes this breakdown is an issue of debate. Some believe that a stressed hair follicle environment triggers antigen presentation, while others blame a dysregulation in the central immune system entangling the follicles. Evidence for the latter theory is provided by animal studies, as well investigations around the AIRE gene. Different immune-cell lines including plasmacytoid dendritic cells, natural killer cells and T cells, along with key molecules such as interferon-γ, interleukin-15, MICA and NKG2D, have been identified as contributing to the autoimmune process. CONCLUSIONS: Alopecia areata remains incurable, although it has been studied for years. Available treatment options at best are beneficial for milder cases, and the rate of relapse is high. Understanding the exact mechanisms of hair loss in alopecia areata is therefore of utmost importance to help identify potential therapeutic targets.

Iran health system reform plan methodology.

BACKGROUND: The Ministry of Health and Medical Education of Iran, along with the country movement towards achievements of Iran's Vision 2025 put compilation of the health system reform plan on its agenda. In this article, we are trying to show the method we used for developing this plan and how this method considered the general condition of the country along with maintaining the standards of scientific and technical programs. All steps of this planning are described in the paper and finally we discuss the techniques and the appropriateness of the method compare with the experience of the other countries.

Health system vision of iran in 2025.

BACKGROUND: Vast changes in disease features and risk factors and influence of demographic, economical, and social trends on health system, makes formulating a long term evolutionary plan, unavoidable. In this regard, to determine health system vision in a long term horizon is a primary stage. METHOD: After narrative and purposeful review of documentaries, major themes of vision statement were determined and its context was organized in a work group consist of selected managers and experts of health system. Final content of the statement was prepared after several sessions of group discussions and receiving ideas of policy makers and experts of health system. RESULTS: Vision statement in evolutionary plan of health system is considered to be :"a progressive community in the course of human prosperity which has attained to a developed level of health standards in the light of the most efficient and equitable health system in visionary region(1) and with the regarding to health in all policies, accountability and innovation". An explanatory context was compiled either to create a complete image of the vision. CONCLUSION: Social values and leaders' strategic goals, and also main orientations are generally mentioned in vision statement. In this statement prosperity and justice are considered as major values and ideals in society of Iran; development and excellence in the region as leaders' strategic goals; and also considering efficiency and equality, health in all policies, and accountability and innovation as main orientations of health system.

Future of health care delivery in iran, opportunities and threats.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of important social and technological trends on health care delivery, in the context of developing "Iran's Health System Reform Plan by 2025". METHODS: A detailed review of the national and international literature was done to identify the main trends affecting health system. To collect the experts' opinions about important trends and their impact on health care delivery, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and semi-structured in-depth interviews techniques were used. The study was based on the STEEP model. Final results were approved in an expert's panel session. RESULTS: The important social and technological trends, affecting health system in Iran in the next 15 years are demographic transition, epidemiologic transition, increasing bio-environmental pollution, increasing slums, increasing private sector partnership in health care delivery, moving toward knowledge-based society, development of information and communication technology, increasing use of high technologies in health system, and development of traditional and alternative medicine. The opportunities and threats resulting from the above mentioned trends were also assessed in this study. CONCLUSION: Increasing healthcare cost due to some trends like demographic and epidemiologic transition and uncontrolled increase in using new technologies in health care is one of the most important threats that the health system will be facing. The opportunities that advancement in technology and moving toward knowledge-based society create are important and should not be ignored.

Chemometrics assisted investigation of variations in infrared spectra of blood samples obtained from women with breast cancer: a new approach for cancer diagnosis.

Fourier transform infrared spectra of blood samples obtained from healthy women and those affected by breast cancer have been analysed statistically. Several spectral differences were detected in the N-H stretching signals of amides I and II bands. The position of alpha-helix and beta-sheet amide I bands would shift in cancerous blood samples during stage development. Investigating the absorbance bands in the Fourier transform infrared spectra during the different stages of cancer, many changes are clearly observed in the intensity of a single band or the absorbance ratio of signals, indicating the changes that would occur in blood ingredients during cancer stages. These observations imply that the information is useful for diagnostic study of breast cancer and malignant abnormalities by infrared spectroscopy of whole blood samples. Finally, linear discriminant analysis was applied for classification of cancer case and normal case blood samples. The accuracy of the proposed method was 97.9%.

Effects of noradrenaline and KCl on peripheral vessels in doxorubicin induced model of heart failure.

The purpose of the work presented here was to investigate the responses mediated by alpha-adrenoceptors and also contractility of vascular smooth muscle in large peripheral vessels following doxorubicin (DXR)-induced heart failure. Cardiac failure was induced by DXR injection. Thirty saline-treated (normal group) and 30 DXR-treated rabbits (1 mg/kg administered intravenously twice weekly for 8 weeks) were studied. Chronic heart failure was confirmed by echocardiography and later also by histopathology. The DXR-treated hearts were subdivided by ejection fraction >40 or <40 into non-failing (control) and failing (test) groups. Animals were sacrificed by overdose with pentobarbitone sodium (i.v. injection). Arteries and veins were carefully removed with as little connective tissue as possible and placed in cold physiological salt solution. The arterial and venous rings were mounted in 10 ml isolated organ baths, maintained at 37 degrees C and gassed with 95% O(2) plus 5% CO(2). The rings were then placed under different resting tensions. After initial application of tension tissues were left to equilibrate for a 60-min period. Then all preparations were contracted with KCl (Krebs solution, Na free and high KCl, 125 mM) and allowed to contract for 5-10 min. Following complete washout with normal Krebs, an additional 30 min equilibration period was allowed. Then cumulative concentration-response curves to noradrenaline (NA) obtained by increasing the concentration of the agonist in half-log increments. In contraction responses to NA the renal artery and aorta were the most sensitive preparations (pD(2) values: 5.75 and 5.36, respectively). Compared with control, in DXR-treated rabbits, maximum response (E(max)) of NA was not modified in the aorta; renal and saphenous arteries, renal and saphenous veins, whereas it was significantly lower in the vena cava. Compared with control rabbits, in DXR-treated rabbits the pD(2) of NA was significantly increased in the thoracic aorta whereas there was no significant difference between groups in the other studied vessels. Contraction to KCl showed no significant difference between two groups. These results suggest that the sympathetic regulation of vascular contraction is impaired by DXR-induced heart failure through reduction in the alpha-adrenoceptors.