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STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Changes in the oral microbiota of new complete denture wearers are the main cause of oral candidiasis. The drawbacks associated with traditional antimycotic therapies, especially drug resistance, have led to the search for potent therapeutic and prophylaxis agents with less harmful effects, including probiotics. However, investigation of the prophylaxis and preventive effects of probiotics on new complete denture wearers are lacking. PURPOSE: The purpose of this randomized clinical trial was to assess the prophylactic efficiency of multistrain probiotics (Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) in combating oral candidiasis in new complete denture wearers. The Candida relapse after 4 weeks of intervention cessation was also evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 50 new maxillary and mandibular complete denture wearers with asymptomatic detectable levels of Candida were enrolled. The participants in the probiotics group received a daily dose of probiotic lozenges for 8 weeks versus placebo tablets taken by those in the placebo group. Collected mouth-rinse samples were microbiologically assessed to count Candida colonies and identify different species at different time intervals: baseline, 2 weeks after denture delivery, 4 and 8 weeks after the beginning of intervention, and 4 weeks postintervention follow-up. Data were assessed by performing the Shapiro-Wilk test to check the normality of the colony count, while the difference in the colony count between timelines was analyzed using the Freidman test followed by multiple comparison tests (α=.05). RESULTS: Two weeks after denture delivery, the Candida load had not risen significantly from the baseline count (P>.05). After the intervention, the probiotics had reduced the Candida count significantly in the fourth week and in subsequent follow-up periods, with the highest decrease observed in the eighth week, recording a median count of (0.00) compared with (2.74) at the baseline level (P<.001). Furthermore, in assessing the differential count of Candida species, a noteworthy decrease was found in the level of the most prevalent Candida albicans in the eighth week, with a relapse noticed in the twelfth week of posttreatment follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Probiotic lozenges had antimycotic efficiency in asymptomatic new complete denture wearers, with short-term extended preventive effects after intervention cessation.

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This article describes a newly designed Prosthetic Auricular Guide (PAG) that allows for accurate planning and positioning of both the auricular implants and the prosthetic auricle. The design aims to provide a cost-effective guiding device for more esthetic ear prostheses which is the patient's main concern. Along with determining the best clinically accepted position of the ear, the device can be used while taking CBCT which allows for the integration of the clinically approved position with the remaining bone for accurate planning of implant positions. Furthermore, the device can be fixed during surgery for accurate transmission of the planned position. The device is also adjustable making it suitable for all patterns of auricular defects, different ages, and even for patients with asymmetric faces.

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Skin overgrowth is a complication that hinders bone-anchored prosthetic ear rehabilitation. In order to accurately transfer the healing skin for prosthetic reconstruction, this article introduces a custom-made autopolymerizing acrylic resin auricular cap (button) through indirect pick up of the metal housing. The caps are secured during the healing stage to shape the skin, preventing surgical edema, swelling, and skin overgrowth in patients suffering from keloid reactions from covering the implant abutments. Since skin height and form are changeable, the caps can be relined directly or indirectly if greater skin compression is required. Moreover, these custom-made caps can be utilized during prosthetic silicone ear fabrication to retain the metal housing.

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Excessive urban construction is primarily driven by uncontrolled population growth, which has serious consequences for the environment, energy, cost, and human life in general when building materials are massively used. In terms of energy and economic efficiency, buildings that make use of sustainable construction materials and technologies perform better. This is because building in an eco-friendly way results in less waste. Agro-industrial by-products and insulating materials are two examples of sustainable materials that have been put to good use in the climate change mitigation effort and to preserve the environment. Precast components are emphasized as a viable option that is suitable for this purpose and may potentially fulfill the need for housing units. Thus, this study investigated the viability of employing agricultural waste consisting of pomegranate peel waste to produce fired clay bricks. Results demonstrated that the optimum amount of pomegranate peel waste was determined to be 15%, and the optimal firing temperature was determined to be 900 °C. The thermal conductivity of all test samples was lower than that of conventional brick. Furthermore, when compared to conventional wall brick, all the tested samples of manufactured brick reduced energy consumption by 17.55% to 33.13% and carbon dioxide emissions by 7.50% to 24.50%. In addition, the economic feasibility of employing each synthetic sample was evaluated by computing the simple payback time (SPP). It was determined that 1.88-10.74 years were required for the brick samples to provide a return on their initial investment. Due to its ability to decrease heat gain, preserve energy, minimize CO2 emissions, and shorten the payback time, burned clay bricks manufactured from pomegranate peel waste are regarded as a feasible building material. Hence, manufactured bricks are usually considered an exceptional contribution to environmental sustainability.

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STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) milled titanium bars have shown good clinically acceptable passive fit and definitive marginal fit; however, investigations into the passive fit and definitive marginal fit of prefabricated CAD-CAM milled titanium bars are lacking. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare and evaluate the passive fit and definitive marginal fit of prefabricated and conventional CAD-CAM milled titanium bars. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 10 polyurethane radiopaque anatomic completely edentulous mandibular models had implants (Biohorizons) placed in the left and right canine and second premolar positions using a 3-dimensionally printed fully guided surgical guide. For the conventional bars, impressions were made, and casts were scanned and exported to a software program (exocad 3.0). For the prefabricated bars, the surgical plans were exported from the software program directly. The Sheffield test was used to evaluate the passive fit of the bars, and marginal fit was evaluated with a scanning electron microscope at ×50 magnification. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to determine that the data were normally distributed; the data are presented using mean and standard deviation. Group comparisons were made with the independent t test (α=.05). RESULTS: The passive and marginal fit of the conventional bars was better than that of the prefabricated bars. The mean ±standard deviation values for passive fit were 75.2 ±13.7 µm for conventional bars and 94.7 ±16.0 µm for prefabricated bars (P<.001). A statistically significant difference (P<.001) was also found between the marginal fit of the conventional bars 18.7 ±6.1 µm and the prefabricated bars 56.3 ±13.0 µm. CONCLUSIONS: Conventional CAD-CAM milled titanium bars had a better passive and marginal fit than prefabricated CAD-CAM milled titanium bars; however, both had clinically acceptable passive fit ranging from 75.2 to 94.7 µm and definitive marginal fit ranging from 18.7 to 56.3 µm.

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Coumarin is highly distributed in nature, notably in higher plants. The biological features of coumarin include antibacterial, anticancer and antioxidant effects. It is well known that metal ions present in complexes accelerate the drug action and the efficacy of organic therapeutic agents. The main aim of the current study is the synthesis of different complexes of the interaction between ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CIP) and coumarin derivative 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin (HMC) with Zr(IV). The chelates of CIP with Zr(IV) were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, melting point, conductance measurements, spectroscopic techniques involving IR, UV-Vis, 1H NMR, and thermal behavior (TG-DTG) in the presence of HMC, dimethylformamide (DMF), pyridine (Py), and triethylamine (Et3N). Results of molar conductivity tests showed that the new synthesized complexes are electrolytes with a 1:1 or 1:2 electrolyte ratio, with the chloride ions functioning as counter ions. According to IR spectra, CIP acts as a neutral bidentate ligand with Zr(IV) through one carboxylato oxygen and the carbonyl group, HMC as a monodentate through the carbonyl group, and DMF through the oxygen atom of the carbonyl group and the N atom of Py and Et3N. The thermal behavior of the complexes was carefully investigated using TG and DTG techniques. TG findings signal that water molecules are found as hydrated and coordinated. The thermal decomposition mechanisms proposed for CIP, HMC, and Zr(IV) complexes are discussed and the activation energies (Ea), Gibbs free energies (∆G*), entropies (∆S*), and enthalpies (∆H*) of thermal decomposition reactions have been calculated using Coats-Redfern (CR) and Horowitz-Metzeger (HM) methods. The studied complexes were tested against some human pathogens and phytopathogens, including three Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, B. cereus, Brevibacterium otitidis) and three Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichiacoli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae), and compared to the free CIP and HMC parent compounds.

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Is it really better to print everything, including software models, or is it better to view them on screen? With the ever increasing complexity of software systems, software modeling is integral to software development. Software models facilitate and automate many activities during development, such as code and test case generation. However, a core goal of software modeling is to communicate and collaborate. Software models are presented to team members on many mediums and two of the most common mediums are paper and computer screens. Reading from paper or screen is ostensibly considered to have the same effect on model comprehension. However, the literature on text reading has indicated that the reading experiences can be very different which in turn effects various metrics related to reader performance. This paper reports on an experiment that was conducted to investigate the effect of reading software models on paper in comparison with reading them on a computer screen with respect to cognitive effectiveness. Cognitive effectiveness here refers to the ease by which a model reader can read a model. The experiment used a total of 74 software engineering students as subjects. The experiment results provide strong evidence that displaying diagrams on a screen allows subjects to read them quicker. There is also evidence that indicates that on screen viewing induces fewer reading errors.

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String of vanadium (IV), zirconium (IV), palladium (II), platinum (IV) and uranium (VI) chelates of 2-cyano-2-[(2-nitrophenyl)hydrazono]thioacetamide (Cnphta) were prepared and characterized by physicochemical, spectroscopic and thermal analyses. The formulae of the isolated solid complexes were assigned as [VO(Cnphta)2 (H2 O)]SO4 ⋅ 5H2 O (1), [ZrO(Cnphta)2 (H2 O)]Cl2 ⋅ 4H2 O (2), [Pd(Cnphta)2 ]Cl2 (3), [Pt(Cnphta)2 Cl2 ]Cl2 (4) and [UO2 (Cnphta)2 ](NO3 )2 ⋅ 5H2 O (5). The infrared assignments clearly showed that Cnphta ligand coordinated as a bidentate feature through the hydrazono nitrogen and the thioacetamide nitrogen for V(IV), Zr(IV) and U(VI) but displayed different behavior for Pd(II) and Pt(IV). Results of the molar conductivities measurements showed that the metal complexes were electrolytes in contrast with Cnphta ligand. The interpretation, mathematical analysis and evaluation of kinetic parameters were also carried out. In addition, the studied ligand and its new chelates were tested for their antimicrobial activity against some human or phytopathogenic microorganisms. The new metal complexes explicated promising antibacterial activity against all tested bacteria especially Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. Regarding the antifungal activity, all metal complexes were able to inhibit the mycelium growth of both tested pathogenic fungi. In particular Zr(IV) and Pt(IV) complexes showed the highest significant fungicidal effect against A. fumigatus similar to positive control.

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PURPOSE: To investigate for the first time in Egypt and the Middle East the relationship between a specific gene and the presence of severely resorbed edentulous mandibular ridges in a sample of the Egyptian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 50 subjects divided into case and control groups according to the residual ridge height. Saliva was used as a convenient source of DNA in the dental clinic. A certain genetic variation (1772C>T) in an important gene related to bone healing (hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha [HIF1-α] gene) was selected. The genetic variation 1772C>T is a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) that occurs when corresponding sequences of DNA from different individuals differ at one base. Then, we have 2 forms of the gene (2 alleles): C and T. SNPs typically have 3 genotypes; in this study, they are the CC, CT, and TT genotypes. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was the method performed for genotyping. The statistical significance of the results was evaluated by the Chi-square test and Fisher Exact test. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference in the distribution of the TT genotype between both groups was detected with p-value = 0.049. There was also a difference in the distribution of the CC and CT genotypes, but it was not statistically significant, since the p-values were 0.733 and 0.145, respectively. The T alleles were more abundant in the case group, while the control group showed more frequency of the C allele with no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: The TT genotype of the 1772C>T polymorphism of HIF1-α gene is related to the presence of severely atrophied residual ridges in completely edentulous Egyptians. This can be used as a marker to predict the future condition of the ridge using saliva samples. Further studies on larger scale are recommended.

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BACKGROUND: Tunisian pulmonary functional laboratories accept the default settings for reference equations (European Respiratory Society/European Community for Steel and Coal (ERS/ECSC1983) offered by the manufacturer even though adult Tunisian reference equations (Tunisian1995) are available. OBJECTIVE: To compare the spirometric profile of Tunisian subjects, according to the two reference equations. POPULATION AND METHODS: Spirometric data were recorded from 1192 consecutive spirometry procedures in adults aged 18-60 years. Reference values and lower limits of normality (LLN) were calculated using the two reference equations. Applied definitions: large airway obstructive ventilatory defect (LAOVD): ratio between the 1st second expiratory volume and forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) < LLN. Small AOVD (SAOVD): FEV1/FVC > LLN and FVC > LLN and maximal midexpiratory flow < LLN. Tendency through a restrictive ventilatory defect (TRVD): FEV1 and FVC < LLN. The spirometric profile, according the two reference equations, was determined. RESULTS: Using Tunisian1995 reference equations, 34%, 7%, 37% and 19% of spirometry records were interpreted as normal, and as having, LAOVD, SAOVD and TRVD, respectively. Using ERS/ECSC1983 reference equations, 85%, 3%, 9% and 2% of spirometry records were interpreted as normal, and as having, LAOVD, SAOVD and TRVD, respectively. Using the ERS/ECSC1983 reference equations, misclassification was worse for LAOVD, for SAOVD and for TRVD, respectively, 68%, 94% and 89%. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that the use of the old Caucasian reference equations resulted in misinterpretation of spirometry data in a significant proportion of subjects. This could result in inappropriate diagnosis and/or management.

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BACKGROUND: The applicability of the recent multi-ethnic reference equations derived by the ERS Global Lung Initiative (ERS/GLI) in interpreting spirometry data in North African adult subjects has not been studied. OBJECTIVE: To ascertain how well the recent ERS/GLI reference equations fit contemporary adult Tunisian spirometric data. POPULATION AND METHODS: Spirometric data were recorded from 1192 consecutive spirometry procedures in adults aged 18-60 years. Reference values and lower limits of normality (LLN) were calculated using the local and the ERS/GLI reference equations. Applied definitions: large airway obstructive ventilatory defect (LAOVD): FEV1/FVC < LLN. Tendency to a restrictive ventilatory defect (TRVD): FEV1 and FVC < LLN and FEV1/FVC ≥ LLN. The spirometric profile, according to the two reference equations, was determined. Z-scores for spirometry from North African healthy subjects (n = 489) were calculated. If the average Z-score deviated by <± 0.5 from the overall mean, the ERS/GLI reference equations would be considered as reflective of contemporary Tunisian spirometry. RESULTS: Using Tunisian reference equations, 71.31%, 6.71% and 19.04% of spirometry records were interpreted as normal, and as having, LAOVD and TRVD, respectively. Using the ERS/GLI reference equations, these figures were respectively, 85.82%, 4.19% and 8.39%. The mean ± SD Z-scores for the contemporary healthy North African subject's data were -0.55 ± 0.87 for FEV1, -0.62 ± 0.86 for FVC and 0.10 ± 0.73 for FEV1/FVC. CONCLUSION: The present study don't recommend the use of the recent ERS/GLI reference equations to interpret spirometry in North African adult population.

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The new complexes of moxifloxacin (MOX), with Ti(IV), Y(III), Pd(II) and Ce(IV) have been synthesized. These complexes were then characterized by melting point, magnetic studies and spectroscopic techniques involving infrared spectra (IR), UV-Vis, (1)H NMR. C, H, N and halogen elemental analysis and thermal behavior of complexes also investigated. The results suggested that the molar ratio for all complexes is M: MOX=1:2 where moxifloxacin acts as a bidentate via one of the oxygen atoms of the carboxylate group and through the ring carbonyl group and the complexes have the following formula [Ti(MOX)(2)](SO(4))(2)·7H(2)O, [Y(MOX)(2)Cl(2)]Cl·12H(2)O, [Pd(MOX)(2)(H(2)O)(2)]Cl(2)·6H(2)O and [Ce(MOX)(2)](SO(4))(2)·2H(2)O. The activation energies, E*, enthalpies, ΔH*, entropies, ΔS* and Gibbs free energies, ΔG*, of the thermal decomposition reactions have been derived from thermogravimetric (TGA) and differential thermogravimetric (DrTG) curves, using Coats-Redfern (CR) and Horowitz-Metzger (HM) methods. The antimicrobial activity of these complexes has been evaluated against three Gram-positive and three Gram-negative bacteria and compared with the reference drug moxifloxacin. The antibacterial activity of Ti(IV) complex is significant for E. coli K32 and highly significant for S. aureus K1, B. subtilis K22, Br. otitidis K76, P. aeruginosa SW1 and K. oxytoca K42 compared with free moxifloxacin.

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