Sleep Quality and Cancer-Related Fatigue in Patients with Cancer.

Introduction: Sleep problems and fatigue are common symptoms reported by cancer patients. In this study, the researchers used a specialized tool to measure fatigue in cancer patients and its relationship with sleep quality in Yazd, Iran. Methods: This descriptive correlational study included 149 cancer patients (age range: over 18 years) referred to Shahid Sadoughi Hospital in Yazd, Iran. Data were collected by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Cancer-Related Fatigue Questionnaire. A PSQI score of ≥5 indicated a poor sleep. Data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 13.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA), Pearson's correlation, t test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and linear regression. Results: The mean (SD) PSQI score of patients was 13 (4.85) out of 21. About 69.3% of patients had a poor sleep quality. While the mean (SD) of sleep duration was 5.57 (0.54) hours, it was 69.44 (46.58) minutes for sleep latency. Also, with increasing the mean of sleep quality, the mean of fatigue significantly increased (P < 0.001, R=0.63). Conclusion: According to the results, there was a relationship between the sleep quality and fatigue in cancer patients, so that patients with better sleep quality had less fatigue.

Effect of Chemical and Mechanical Degradation on Surface Roughness, Topography, Gloss, and Polish Retention of Three Composites Polished with Five Polishing Systems.

Objective: Finishing and polishing (F/P) of composites is a fundamental step influencing the clinical service of restorations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different F/P systems on surface roughness, gloss, and polish retention of composite resins. Materials and Methods: One-hundred and five disc-shaped specimens (4×4 mm) were made from nanofilled, microhybrid, and microfilled composites (n=35). The specimens were divided into five subgroups (n=7) for F/P with Sof-Lex (4-step), Shofu (4-step), Cosmedent (3-step), Diacomp Composite-Pro (2-step), and Opti1Step systems. The surface roughness values (Ra and Rz) were measured before and after pH-cycling and simulated toothbrushing. Surface topography was assessed by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) at three magnifications. For assessment of surface gloss, 45 rectangular specimens (10×8×2 mm) were fabricated from three composites (n=15) and randomly allocated to five subgroups (n=3). Surface gloss was measured before and after aging. The mean values were calculated and analyzed by two-way ANOVA, Tukey, and t-test. Level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: The composite type had no significant effect on surface roughness (P>0.05); however, the type of F/P system significantly affected it (P<0.05). The pH-cycling and simulated toothbrushing had no significant effect on gloss or polish retention of the three composites (P>0.05). Conclusion: Type of F/P system had a greater effect on surface roughness and gloss of composite resins than the type of composite.

The chicken hypersensitive site-4 insulator cannot fully shield the murine phosphoglycerate kinase-1 promoter from integration site effects in transgenic mice.

Differential expression of transgenes in transgenic animals is one of the main drawbacks of pronuclear injection. To overwhelm this issue, the genetic constructs are equipped with insulators. In this study, the consensus of exerting chicken hypersensitive site-4 (cHS4) insulator was examined on the shield of phosphoglycerate kinase-1 (Pgk-1) promoter from the surrounding chromatin in transgenic mice. The PGK-EGFP cassette was flanked by insertion of three copies of the cHS4 insulators. Mouse zygotes' microinjection by the constructed cassette was resulted in the birth of nine transgenic founders (F0). Copy-number-dependent expression of the EGFP was investigated in the transgenic F1 offspring by fluorometry and real-time PCR. They showed no correlation between the expression level of transgene and gene copy number among the transgenic lines. Moreover, dissection of the EGFP-expressing mice revealed heterogeneous expression of the EGFP in the different organs. In conclusion, for the first time, these findings indicated that the cHS4 sequence is not a perfect insulator to fully protect the Pgk-1 promoter from the side effects of integration site in transgenic mice and it needs probably to some additional elements of the cHS4 locus to reach this goal.

Occupations and the Risk of Bladder Cancer in Yazd Province: A Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer is the most common cancer of the urinary tract, with known occupational causes. The most effective way to prevent occupational cancers of the urinary tract is to prevent exposure to known carcinogens. OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between occupation and the risk of bladder cancer. METHODS: This case-control study was performed on 200 patients with bladder cancer and 200 healthy individuals in Yazd. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire and based on interviews with patients and controls. RESULTS: The mean age of cases and controls were 61.5 (SD 13.6) and 61.5 (13.3) years, respectively. Level of education, type of occupation, family history of bladder cancer in the first-degree relatives, and history of chronic and recurrent urinary tract infection, kidney and bladder stones, and using hair dye, were considered the main predictors for bladder cancer. CONCLUSION: There was a significant difference between cases and controls in terms of type of occupation. The risk of bladder cancer was higher among those working in high-risk occupations-metal working, textile, driving, farming, and construction.

A retrospective clinical evaluation of success rate in endodontic-treated premolars restored with composite resin and fiber reinforced composite posts.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the survival rate and causes of failure of quartz fiber posts used to restore endodontically treated teeth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight patients with endodontically treated premolar and anterior teeth that were then restored with a coronoradicular quartz fiber post and extensive composite resin restorations were selected for participation in the study. The age of the restorations ranged from 1 to 6 years. Survival probabilities of the restorations as well as causes of failures were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier analysis and the Logistic regression (α = 0.05). RESULTS: The overall cumulative survival rate (48.8%) was determined, while the survival probabilities after 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 years of service were 88.37%, 60.95%, 45.71%, 32.65%, and 0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The survival probability of endodontically treated teeth restored with a quartz fiber post and composite restorations is associated with the dental arch.