Ameloplasty is counterproductive in reducing microleakage around Resin Modified Glass Ionomer and Resin based fissure sealants.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the microleakage around resin modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) based sealants and flowable resin based sealants placed with or without ameloplasty in extracted human teeth. METHODS: This in-vitro experimental study was conducted at the Operative Dentistry Department, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan from June 2017 to December 2018. Sixty extracted human molars and premolars were assigned to four groups (n=15) each, according to the type of fissure sealant (flowable resin based sealant or resin modified glass ionomer based sealant) used and either placed with or without ameloplasty. Specimens were thermocycled and then immersed in 1% methylene blue for 24 hours. Specimens were then sectioned and examined using stereo-microscope (50X) for microleakage that was scored on an ordinal scale. Mann-Whitney U test and Ordinal regression were applied. Level of significance kept at 0.05. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference (p-value <0.001) between the two sealant types for the microleakage scores. Sealants placed with ameloplasty demonstrated significantly higher microleakage values (p-value <0.001). CONCLUSION: Microleakage was found to be more pronounced in RMGIC based sealants compared to the resin based sealants. Ameloplasty resulted in higher leakage around the sealants irrespective of the chemistry of material.

Development of the motivational interviewing for loved ones skills assessment (MILO-SA).

AIM: Expressed emotion of family members is a key target for intervention for bettering psychosocial outcomes for transitional-age youth experiencing mental health crises. Motivational Interviewing for Loved Ones (MILO) seeks to reduce expressed emotion by teaching parents motivational interviewing skills such as taking a non-judgmental stance, exploring their loved one's thoughts and feelings, expressing optimism and confidence, and avoiding taking an expert role. This report details the creation of the Motivational Interviewing for Loved Ones- Skills Assessment (MILO-SA), its psychometric properties, and convergent validity with other measures of motivational interviewing adeptness. METHODS: Our sample (n = 54) consisted of baseline assessments from parents participating in a pilot study of MILO. Parents were assessed for baseline knowledge of motivational interviewing as well as MILO skills with the MILO-SA and a traditional assessment clinician application of motivational interviewing skills. RESULTS: We found that the MILO-SA displayed high interrater reliability (k = 0.81), and convergent validity with motivational interviewing knowledge (r = 0.32) as well as traditional assessments of clinician adeptness applying motivational interviewing skills (r = 0.67). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the MILO-SA has strong psychometric properties and is a useful tool for assessing parent acquisition of motivational interviewing skills. Specifically, the MILO-SA can be used in future studies focused on teaching non-clinicians motivational interviewing skills.

Hematological and biochemical parameters as diagnostic and prognostic markers in SARS-COV-2 infected patients of Pakistan: a retrospective comparative analysis.

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate alteration in blood parameters and their association with the presence, severity, and mortality of COVID-19 patients as the data on hematological abnormalities associated with the Pakistani COVID-19 patients is limited.Methodology: A double-centered, hospital-based comparative retrospective case study was conducted, to include all the admitted patients (n = 317) having COVID-19 Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive. The control group (n = 157) tested negative for COVID-19.Results: Of 317 admitted cases, the majority were males n = 198 (62.5%). Associated comorbidities, lower lymphocytes, platelets, and higher White blood cells, neutrophil, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were found in COVID-19 cases as compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001 for all). The biochemical parameters of cases including Ferritin, D-Dimer, CRP, IL-6, LDH, ALT, AST, and APTT also showed a statistically significant difference compared with standard values (p < 0.001 for all). However, their comparison with a severity level of the severe and non-severe groups showed significance for WBCs, neutrophils, NLR (p < 0.001 for all), and PLR (p = 0.06) only. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that NLR had the highest area under curve (0.84) followed by 1/lymphocyte (0.82), neutrophils (0.74), PLR (0.67),1/platelets (0.68) and WBC's (0.65). Comparison of cases and controls with recommended cut-off values derived from sensitivity and 1-specificity was also done (p < 0.001).Conclusion: Monitoring all the hematological and biochemical parameters including novel hemograms NLR, PLR can aid clinicians to identify potentially severe cases at early stages and initiate effective management in time which may reduce the overall mortality of COVID-19 patients.

Comparison Of The Adaptability Of Two Fissure Sealants In Various Tooth Fissure Morphology Patterns: An In Vitro Experimental Study.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to compare the adaptation of resin-based sealants with that of Resin modified glass ionome-based sealants in various tooth fissure morphologies. METHODS: It was an in vitro experimental study done at the Dow University and NED University, Karachi, Pakistan. Ten extracted human molars were randomly assigned to two groups, (n=5) each. Fissure sealant material (Resin based sealant or resin modified glass ionomer-based sealant) was applied on the occlusal surface of the tooth according to manufacturer's recommendations. Specimens were thermocycled and then sectioned into three longitudinal parts in the bucco- lingual direction. Specimens were examined using scanning electron microscope for the adaptation of the sealant in the occlusal fissure. Mann-Whitney -U test and Kruskall-Wallis test were applied to compare the adaptability scores of sealant materials in the tooth fissure. Level of significance was kept at 0.05. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the adaptability scores among U-shaped (p-value=0.35), V-shaped (p-value=0.89), IK-shaped (p-value=0.52), I-shaped (p-value- =0.41) and Y-shaped (p-value=1.00) fissure patterns. Similarly, there were no significant differences observed between the resin-based sealant (p-value=0.95) versus RMGIC based sealant (p-value=0.63) for the adaptability scores in various tooth fissure morphologies. CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference was found between resin-based sealants and resin modified glass ionomerbased sealants for the adaptation in various tooth fissure patterns.

Comparison of Retrograde, Primary and Secondary Bonding Materials with Tooth Substance.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the microleakage of MTA (mineral trioxide aggregate) and resin-modified GIC (glass ionomer vitremer) as retrograde endodontic material. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Operative Department of DIIKIOHS (DUHS) and NED University, Karachi, from February to June 2014. METHODOLOGY: Forty human anterior teeth were divided into four groups. Each tooth was endodontically treated. Apical cavity preparations were performed on all teeth. The retropreparations were filled either with MTA (Group 1), Vitremer (Group 2), or only covered with nail polish (Group 3). The root surfaces of the first three groups were coated with nail polish. In Group 4 (positive control), neither retrograde filling was placed nor the nail polish was applied. The teeth were then suspended in 2% methylene blue dye solution for 10 days at 37°C. Sections were made along the long axis of teeth to determine the depth of linear dye penetration. Using Mann-Whitney test the comparison, p-value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: MTA had no significant difference in apical dye leakage (p = 0.122) than did the vitremer. CONCLUSION: MTA is equivalent to vitremer in preventing microleakage when used as retrograde filling material.

Micromechanical Intervention in Sandwich Restoration.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the sealing ability of two different types of Glass Ionomer Cements (GICs) used for sandwich restorations and assess the effect of acid etching of GIC on microleakage at GIC-resin composite interface. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Operative, DIEKIOHS (DUHS) and NED University, Karachi, from February to June 2011. METHODOLOGY: Eighty cavities were prepared on the proximal surfaces of 40 permanent human premolars (2 cavities per tooth), assigned to 4 groups (n=20) and restored as follows: Group CIE - Conventional GIC (CI) was applied onto the axial and cervical cavity walls, allowed setting for 5 minutes and acid etched (E) along the cavity margins with 37% phosphoric acid for 15 seconds, washed for 30 seconds and dried; the adhesive system was applied and light cured for 10 seconds, completing the restoration with composite resin light cured for 40 seconds; Group CIN - same as Group CIE, except for acid etching of the CI surface; Group RME - same as CIE, but using a resin modified GIC (RMGIC); Group RMN - same as Group RME, except for acid etching of the RMGIC surface. Specimens were soaked in 1% methylene blue dye solution at 37ºC for 24 hours, rinsed under running water for 15 minutes, bisected mesiodistally and dye penetration was measured following the ISO/TS 11405-2003 standard. Kruskal Wallis and post Hoc tests significant differences in the microleakage among all the four groups. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the two groups of GICs (RMGIC and CI, p=0.001). There was no significant difference in between the two sub-groups that is between CIN and CIE (p=0.656), and between Groups RME and RMN (p=0.995). CONCLUSION: Phosphoric acid etching of GIC, prior to the placement of composite resin, does not improve the sealing ability of sandwich restorations. RMGIC was more effective in preventing dye penetration at the GIC-resin composite dentine interfaces than CI.