Influence of immediate and delayed post space preparation on sealing ability of resilon.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of immediate and delayed post space preparation on the sealing ability of a new root canal filling material. STUDY DESIGN: Seventy-two extracted teeth were prepared and obturated with gutta-percha/AH-Plus and Resilon/Epiphany sealer by the lateral compaction technique. The teeth were divided randomly into 4 groups, and the post space was prepared either immediately after filling or after the obturated teeth had been stored in saline at 37 degrees C for a week. Leakage was determined by a fluid-transport device. RESULTS: The results showed that immediate post space preparation of the Resilon/Epiphany-filled group had a mean leakage value of 0.81 microL/h, whereas the delayed preparation had a mean leakage value of 0.75 microL/h. No difference (P > .05) in microleakage was found between gutta-percha/AH-Plus and Resilon/Epiphany-filled groups after immediate preparation. There was significant difference between gutta-percha/AH-Plus and Resilon/Epiphany groups in the delayed post space preparation (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Epiphany/Resilon obturation achieved better sealing than gutta-percha/AH-Plus at the apical end, especially in delayed post space preparation when mechanical techniques were used.     

Prevalence of childhood asthma and allergic diseases in Ankara, Turkey

Kalyoncu AF, Selçuk ZT, Karakoca Y, Emri AS, Çöplü L, Şahin AA, Bariş YI. Prevalence of childhood asthma and allergic diseases in Ankara, Turkey.
The first epidemiologic survey of the prevalence of childhood asthma and other allergic disease in Ankara, Turkey, was done in May 1992. A questionnaire on factors influencing the atopic status and allergic symptoms was distributed to parents of 1226 children aged 6-12 years. In this questionnaire, parents were asked to give information about physician-diagnosed asthma and atopic dermatitis (AD), and self-reported wheezing and rhinoconjunctivitis (perennial or seasonal). The overall response rate was 85 % and included 502 boys (48.5%) and 534 girls (51.5%). The lifetime prevalences of asthma, wheezing, rhinoconjunctivitis, and AD were 17.4%, 23.3%, 28%, and 6.1%, respectively, and the reported prevalences for the last 12 months were 8.3%, 11.9%, 15.4%, and 4%, respectively. Asthma and other allergic disease had been recognized in 23.2% of the children during the last year; in half of these, more than one disease was present. Eight percent of the families kept pet animals; 95.4% of children had been breast-fed, of whom 61% for more than 6 months; and at least one person smoked at home in the case of 73.9% of children. Some health insurance was available to 72.8% of the families. Cumulative prevalences of wheezing, rhinoconjunctivitis, and AD were significantly associated with the presence of pets, passive smoking at home, and absence of health insurance. The prevalence of asthma was not affected by any of these factors except atopic family history. In conclusion, asthma and other allergic diseases constitute a major health problem for schoolchildren in Ankara.     

When is the right time to take an emergency surgery decision in Mechanical Intestinal Obstruction?

Background/Objective: Ischemia is a leading cause of morbidity in Mechanical Intestinal Obstruction (MIO) in which the timing of decisions of whether to proceed to surgical or conservative treatment is critical in emergency departments (ED). While advanced technological options are available, patients may be negatively affected by the application of contrast agents or radiation. The use of ultrasound is limited because of the air in the intestines does not allow a good field of vision. While biomarkers can be considered as a good alternative option at this point. In the present study we examine the effect of hemogram and blood gas parameters on early surgical decision-making in MIO patients.MethodInvolved in this observational prospective study were 264 patients diagnosed with MIO who presented to the Department of Emergency Medicine, Ataturk Research and Training Hospital, Katip Celebi University between February 2018 and February 2019. Contrast-enhanced tomography (CECT) and laboratory results of the patients were recorded. Pathology reports of the patients who underwent surgery were collected. Laboratory data were analyzed by comparing CECT and pathology reports.ResultsIn a ROC analysis of the laboratory values of the patients who were diagnosed with ileus, the sensitivity was calculated as 80% and the specificity was 57.7 in values above WBC>10.75 (10⁹/L), 96.6%, and the specificity was 31.1% in N/L > 2.9. For intestinal ischemia, the cut-off values were WBC> 12.6 and N/L > 3.2, Lactate >2.8 mmol/L and B.E < -3.6 mmol/L.ConclusionDiagnoses of ileus are based on the results examinations and imaging methods. More data are needed to support decisions on the timing of surgery in ED. WBC, N/L, Lactate and Base Excess indicate an ischemic segment. When the parameters are evaluated together, they strongly support early surgical decision-making regarding the treatment of intestinal ischemia.     

Evidence that the nitrergic neurotransmitter and endothelium-derived relaxing factor might be S-nitrosothiols in the mouse corpus cavernosum

The effects of thimerosal, a sulfhydryl oxidizing agent on nitrergic, endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxations were investigated to examine the possibility that the nitrergic neurotransmitter and endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) could be S-nitrosothiol or free nitric oxide (NO) in the isolated mouse corpus cavernosum. Thimerosal (5 x 10(-6)-2 x 10(-5) M) inhibited or almost abolished electrical field stimulation--(EFS, 30V, 0.5 ms, 15 sec, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 Hz), acetylcholine--(ACh, 5 x 10(-8)-1.25 x 10(-6) M), glyceryl trinitrate--(GTN, 3 x 10(-7)-3 x 10(-6) M), and S-nitrosoglutathione--(GSNO, 5 x 10(-6)-1.25 x 10(-4) M) induced relaxations. Thiomerosal inhibition seems to be specific to L-arginine NO pathways since it had no effect on acidified sodium nitrite--(10(-4)-5 x 10(-4) M), photoactivated sodium nitrite--(2 x 10(-4) M), isoprenaline--(10(-6) M), or papaverine--(10(-4) M) elicited relaxations. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of thimerosal on the nitrergic, ACh- or GTN-induced relaxations were partly reversed by sulfhydryl-containing compounds, L-cysteine (10(-3) M), dithiothreitol (10(-3) M), or glutathione (10(-3) M). However L-methionine (10(-3) M), which contains a methyl group on the sulphur atom, failed to restore the thimerosal inhibition. Thimerosal did not change the contraction produced by 10(-4) M NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester. These findings indicate that the nitrergic neurotransmitter as well as EDRF may not be free NO but NO-transferring molecules, probably S-nitrosothiols, in the mouse corpus cavernosum.     

Sertraline inhibits the contractile responses to noradrenaline, KCl and electrical field stimulation of rat isolated vas deferens

1. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sertraline, a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor, on contractile responses to noradrenaline (NA), KCl, serotonin (5-HT) and electrical field stimulation of rat isolated vas deferens. 2. Pre-treatment with 10(-4) M sertraline showed inhibitory effects on responses to NA, KCl, 5-HT and electrical field stimulation, while pre-treatment with 10(-6) and 10(-5) M sertraline caused potentiation of responses to NA (10(-7) and 10(-6) M). 3. A voltage-dependent calcium channel activator, Bay K 8644, restored the inhibited responses when sertraline was washed out of the organ bath, although restoration could not be seen when sertraline was not removed. 4. The inhibition of the contractile responses by sertraline pre-treatment may be via a mechanism through calcium channels which is additional to the selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitory effect of sertraline.     

The effects of paroxetine on rat isolated vas deferens.

The aim of the present study is to evaluate whether paroxetine (a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor) can modify the contractile responses of isolated vas deferens. Some contractile agents, potassium chloride (KCl), adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), noradrenaline (NA), and electrical field stimulation (EFS) caused contractions both in epididymal and prostatic portions of vas deferens. Paroxetine (PX) in concentrations 10(-7) and 10(-6)M potentiated the contractions to KCl and ATP only in epididymal portion but in higher concentrations (10(-5) and 10(-4)M) inhibited the responses in both portions. NA responses were inhibited by PX in all concentrations used, both in prostatic and epididymal portions. Prazosin (PR), an alpha adrenergic receptor blocking agent, inhibited PX-induced potentiation observed for higher concentrations of KCl. PR also inhibited PX-induced potentiation on the responses to ATP in epididymal portion. Pretreatment with PX (10(-7) to 10(-6)M) increased the contractions to EFS but in 10(-5) and 10(-4)M concentrations inhibited them. Even though the preparations were washed out, the inhibited responses of contractile agents could not be restored. After a washout period for PX, when Bay K 8644 (calcium channel activator) was added to the bath medium, the contractile responses to KCl were partially restored. In calcium-free medium, KCl caused contractions in concentrations higher than 80 mM with lower amplitudes which were not affected by PX. Reserpinization did not change the inhibitory pattern of PX's effect on exogenously applied NA in all concentrations tested. In reserpinized rats, the potentiation caused by PX in exogenously applied ATP responses was not observed. In conclusion, we can say that PX has two different effects: inhibition and potentiation of contractions to various agonists. The inhibitory effect of the drug can be explained by a calcium channel blocking activity. The potentiating effect of the drug is mainly related to its presynaptic action, such as NA re-uptake inhibitory effect.