Assessment of the validity and reliability of a novel dental trauma index.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Traumatic dental injuries (TDI) are one of the most commonly encountered dental health complications. In order to standardize the evaluations and compare the findings of TDI, a carefully defined dental trauma index may serve as a good tool for the correct recording of dental trauma. A new dental trauma index, the Modified Eden & Baysal dental trauma index (MEBTI), has been introduced. It is an expanded index to record soft tissue injuries in addition to dental injuries. The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the MEBDTI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The archival data of 20 patients with different traumatic injuries were selected. A web-based form including the radiographs and photographs of selected cases was created. Following a training session, 12 dentists with a minimum of 10 years of clinical experience were asked to score the cases using the MEBDTI on an online form. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to test the normality. The Kruskal-Wallis Test was used for intergroup comparisons. Inter-observer agreement was investigated by reliability analysis. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate the agreement among observers. The Chi-Square test of independence was used to determine if there is a significant relationship between two nominal variables (p < .05). RESULTS: The rate of correctly assessing the alveolar bone fracture was 96.9% followed by apex maturity (92.7%), root fracture (85.4%), luxation injury (76.5%), crown fracture (76.2%), and soft tissue injury (50%). Considering all parameters, the soft tissue injuries were statistically different in terms of the answers given by the 12 dentists (p < .05). CONCLUSION: The accuracy of the scores of participants was high and in accordance with each other except for the identification of soft tissue injuries. In favor of this novel index, the data on dental trauma cases could be recorded practically and reliably.

Effects of body mass index on the outcomes of percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the the effect of body mass index (BMI) on PNL results and complications with a large number of patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 958 patients were included in the study, who underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy in our clinic between 2008 and 2015. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to their body mass index. Patients with a BMI < 30 kg/m2 were classified as group 1 (n:676) and patients with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 were classified as group 2 (n:282). Achieving stone-free status or having residual stones of ≤ 4 mm were considered as operational success. RESULTS: The mean age was 47.9 years for group 1 and 48.9 years for group 2 patients. At postoperative first month CT analysis, residual stone was not observed in 466 patients (69%) of group 1 and 20 (72%) patients of group 2. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of stone-free status (p=0.348). There was no significant difference between two groups complications. Also, there was no difference between the groups for requiring additional intervention (p=0.924). No other complications were observed in the patients. CONCLUSIONS: BMI does not affect the outcomes of percutaneous nephrolithotomy as well as complication rate.

Fractal analysis for the assessment of trabecular peri-implant alveolar bone using panoramic radiographs.

OBJECTIVES: There is no consensus on the relationship between fractal dimension and trabecular bone complexity. Our aims were to examine the changes in fractal dimension (FD) from peri-implant alveolar bone on digital panoramic radiographs 6 and 12 months after prosthodontic loading and to compare these with baseline values calculated just after loading. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three panoramic radiographs taken from 76 implant patients taken (1) after prosthodontic loading (3 months ± 2 weeks after insertion = baseline), (2) 6 months ± 2 weeks after loading, and (3) 12 months ±2 weeks after loading were considered for the study. Panoramic images were obtained using storage phosphor plates of the Digora PCT system and saved into a computer. Three regions of interest from mesial, distal, and apical areas were selected for each implant on three consecutive panoramic images. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using two-way repeated measures ANOVA, independent t test and paired t test, and pairwise comparisons (P < 0.05). RESULTS: Mean FD values at baseline were 1.202, 1.224, and 1.199 for apical, mesial, and distal areas. The FD values were calculated as 1.121, 1.113, and 1.128 at the 6th month. The differences between values calculated at baseline and the 6th month were statistically significant for all aspects, indicating a significant decrease in FD 6 months after prosthodontic loading (P < 0.05). FD values calculated at the 12th month were 1.121, 1.110, and 1.121 for apical, mesial, and distal aspects, respectively, with no significant differences from corresponding values obtained at the 6th month (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: FD values of trabecular bone around implants 6 months after prosthodontic loading are significantly lower than the baseline values. However, no significant decrease or increase was observed at 12 months, which revealed comparable results with peri-implant alveolar bone at 6 months. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Trabecular bone around successful dental implants exhibits lower fractal dimension values 6 months after prosthodontic loading and displays stable bony microstructure at 12 months of follow-up.

Dental students' knowledge of characteristics and management of oral complications of cancer therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to investigate the level of Turkish senior dental students' knowledge regarding the orodental complications and their treatment methods of cancer patients. STUDY DESIGN: A 15-item questionnaire which was obtained from National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research that contained information about the orodental complications of the cancer therapy and the dentists' role to provide their treatment protocols was used. Seventy-seven senior dental students answered the questionnaire and the replies were analyzed with stratified and logistic data analyses. RESULTS: Overall, correct replies ranged from 5.2 to 98.7 %. The students knew the basic knowledge of the complications of cancer therapy; however, they failed to answer to the questions (ranging between 1.3 and 94.8 %) about the required clinical practices. The respondents preferred not to answer the questions about the prophylactic measures dentist shall take during a precancer treatment oral evaluation (9.1 %), management of pain in cancer treatment (6.5 %), and necessary considerations before a dental procedure in a chemotherapy patient (3.9 %). The multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that gender had no statistically significant effect on the correct or false answers to the questions (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results disclosed that dental students' knowledge about oral complications of cancer therapy and the modalities to manage these complications vary. Reevaluation of current undergraduate curricula and continuing education for graduates might address the gaps identified and an educational program about oral and dental management of patients who are to receive/receiving/have received cancer therapy can be prepared and augmented into dental curriculum.

The limitations of the clinical oral examination in detecting dysplastic oral lesions and oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The clinical oral examination (COE) is the criterion standard for the initial detection of oral lesions that harbor dysplasia or oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) at an early stage when they are most treatable. The authors conducted a systematic review to assess the effectiveness of the COE in predicting histologic diagnosis of dysplasia or OSCC. METHODS: The authors conducted automated searches of PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and the Cochrane Library from 1966 through 2010 for randomized controlled trials and observational studies that included the terms "oral mucosal lesion screening" and "oral lesions." They determined the quality (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic odds ratio) of selected studies by using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. RESULTS: The overall diagnostic odds ratio was 6.1 (95% confidence interval, 2.1-17.6); therefore, the COE was considered to have poor overall performance as a diagnostic method for predicting dysplasia and OSCC. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: On the basis of the available literature, the authors determined that a COE of mucosal lesions generally is not predictive of histologic diagnosis. The fact that OSCCs often are diagnosed at an advanced stage of disease indicates the need for improving the COE and for developing adjuncts to help detect and diagnose oral mucosal lesions.

The Use of Toothpastes Containing Different Formulations of Fluoride and Bioglass on Bleached Enamel.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the application of toothpaste either containing calcium sodium phospho-silicate bioglass (NovaMin) or calcium fluorosilicate bioglass (BioMinF) on the surface mineral composition and morphology of enamel after bleaching procedure. Methods: Thirty extracted noncarious human teeth were allocated into five groups (n = 6). Group 1: Bleaching using 40% hydrogen peroxide (HP) and fluoridated toothpaste containing bioactive glass (1450 ppm fluoride). Group 2: Bleaching using 40%HP and toothpaste containing calcium fluorosilicate bioglass (540 ppm fluoride). Group 3: Bleaching using 40%HP and fluoridated toothpaste (1450 ppm fluoride). Group 4: Bleaching alone using 40%HP. Group 5: Negative control with distilled water alone. The surface morphology was evaluated using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM). The concentration of elements as atomic percentages were determined by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). Results: This laboratory-based study reported that SPM and SEM detected minor changes on the surfaces of all toothpaste-treated enamel samples (Groups 1-3) after 45 days. Bioactive glass deposits were observed on enamel surfaces in Groups 1 and 2, whilst the bleaching-alone samples (Group 4) had rough enamel surfaces. XPS reported that toothpaste containing calcium fluorosilicate bioglass (Group 2) had a high atomic% of calcium and phosphate, whilst silicon values were high in the toothpaste containing bioactive glass and 1450 ppm fluoride (Group 1) after bleaching procedure when compared to other groups (p < 0.05). In addition, EDS detected the highest %F in Groups 1, 2 and 5. Conclusions: Within the limitations of this laboratory-based study, there was no significant decrease in the Ca%, P% values and surface properties of enamel after the bleaching procedure following the use of different formulations of toothpastes for a period of 45 days. However, the Ca% and P% values were significantly high for the toothpaste containing calcium fluorosilicate bioglass (BioMinF) on the bleached enamel. Clinical relevance: The bleaching process can provide optimum aesthetic outcomes, but the effect of peroxides on hard tissues is still in question. Toothpastes containing different formulations of fluoride and bioactive glass might have the potential to prevent mineral loss on bleached enamel. However, further laboratory-based studies and controlled double-blind randomised clinical trials are required to interpret the effects of toothpastes with different fluoride and bioactive glass formulations on enamel surfaces following bleaching procedures.

A support vector machine-based algorithm to identify bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis throughout the mandibular bone by using cone beam computerized tomography images.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop an algorithm to distinguish the patients with bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (BRONJ) from healthy controls using CBCT images by evaluating both trabecular and cortical bone changes through the whole body of the mandibular bone. METHODS: Patient data set was created from axial CBCT images of 7 BRONJ patients (28 slices) and 8 healthy controls (27 slices). The healthy bone of healthy controls, bone sclerosis of BRONJ patients, bone necrosis of BRONJ patients, and normal appearing bone of BRONJ patients (NBP) were labeled on CBCT images by three maxillofacial radiologists. Proposed algorithm had preparation and background cancellation, mandibular bone segmentation and centerline determination, spatial transformation of gray values, and classification steps. RESULTS: Significant differences between the statistical moments (mean, variance, skewness, kurtosis, standard error, median, mode and coefficient of variance) of healthy and diseased (bone sclerosis and necrosis) groups were observed (p = 0.000, p < 0.05). Also, variations were noted between healthy controls and NBP of BRONJ patients (p = 0.000, p < 0.05).The statistical moments were utilized to develop the algorithm which has resulted with accuracy of 0.999, sensitivity of 0.998, specificity of 0.998, precision of 1, recall of 0.998, AUC of 1, and F1 score of 0.999 in identification of BRONJ patients from healthy ones. CONCLUSION: The proposed algorithm differentiated the mandibular bones of the healthy and the BRONJ patients with high accuracy in the present test sample.

Evaluation of the quality of life in the university of third age students: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper was to determine the quality of life (QoL) and related factors in university of third age (U3A) students, as well as to compare the QoL between those who participated in education and those who did not. METHODS: Two hundred seventy-one people aged 60 and over who are students at Ege U3A, were included in this cross-sectional study. Demographic data of participants were collected through a pre-prepared form. Data on the QoL of individuals were collected through the short form of the WHO QoL Scale (WHOQOL-BREF). RESULTS: A total of 271 participants were included in this study. 82.2% (n = 221) of the research group were women. In U3A, 65.3% (n = 177) of the individuals were former students. The highest value was found in the psychological and general health sub-parameter with 75.0%, and the lowest value in the social relations sub-parameters with 66.7%. The scores of sub-parameters of social environment were significantly higher in men than in women (p < 0.001, respectively). The physical health scores of the former students were higher than those of the new students (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: It was determined that the QoL of U3A students was higher among males, those with higher education levels, and those who were married, as well as that the QoL of the individuals participating in the U3A training was positive in the physical health sub-dimension. There is a need for future studies in which pre- and post-training evaluations will be conducted to determine the impact of the U3A training program.

Relationship between COVID-19 and Male Sexual Dysfunction; A Prospective, Multicentric Study.

BACKGROUND: Sexual function is an excellent marker of psychological, systemic, and specifically vascular performance. Endothelial dysfunction is the main determinant of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms. Considering the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological and sexual functions, we hypothesized potential differences and underlying factors if there is any erectile function and premature ejaculation status of male patients with COVID-19 by comparing both with the control group. METHODS: Hospitalized male patients diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia were evaluated. Male patients who applied to the Urology outpatient clinic were the control group. All participants completed the International Index of Erectile Function Form-15 (IIEF-15) and gave information regarding their premature ejaculation (PE) status if present. COVID-19 patients were called by phone to fill in the IIEF-15. Their PE status was questioned on the 45th and 90th days after discharge. The following parameters were in the data records: Age, comorbidity, length of hospital stay, treatment, oxygen saturation, pulmonary involvement, white blood cell (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, fibrinogen, D-dimer, and sedimentation values. RESULTS: The study had 253 participants, including 168 COVID-19 patients and 85 volunteers as the control group. The number of PE cases was less, whereas erectile dysfunction (ED) cases were more in the COVID-19 patient group in comparison to the control group in the pre-pandemic period (p = 0.00) (p = 0.00). In the post-pandemic period, PE developed in 13 more COVID-19 patients on the 45th and 90th days (p = 0.00). The IIEF-15 scores of COVID-19 patients decreased by 4-point in the short term and by 3-point in the long term (p = 0.002). Age and sedimentation were responsible for the difference in PE status. On the other hand, comorbidity, length of hospital stay, treatment type, WBC, D-dimer, ferritin, CRP levels, and pulmonary infiltration were responsible for the difference in ED. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our findings, we can say that we have enough evidence to suspect COVID-19 sequelae can affect male sexual health. After the pandemic, male patients with andrological problems should have enough time to feel more comfortable and their organic and psychogenic conditions should be optimized.

Laparoscopic surgery experience does not influence oncological and functional results of robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Surgery is one of the treatment alternatives for prostate cancer, and robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) has become the new trend in the past decade. There is no consensus yet for surgeons who will perform RALP whether they need to be trained or experienced in laparoscopy. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the surgeon's laparoscopy experience in the perioperative and postoperative results of RALP patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Patients who underwent RALP were retrospectively screened. The first 20 cases done by surgeons in both groups and 40 cases in total were included in the study. Surgeons with laparoscopy training were designated as group 1, and surgeons without laparoscopy training were designated as group 2. Patient's age, preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) value, prostate biopsy pathology, radical prostatectomy pathology, surgical margin positivity, extracapsular extension, and seminal vesicle invasion status, blood transfusion rate, operation time, length of hospital stay, and 1-year follow-up potency and urinary incontinence rates were compared. RESULTS: There was no difference between the two groups in terms of age, preoperative PSA, preoperative biopsy results, blood transfusion rates, operation times, and the length of hospital stay of the patients. When the postoperative oncological and functional results of the patients were examined, there was no difference between the two groups in the prostatectomy pathology (p = 0.895), extracapsular extension (pT3a) (p = 0.519), positive surgical margin (pSM) (p = 0.723), and seminal vesicle invasion (pT3b) (p = 0.756). Potency and urinary incontinence rates were similar in both groups at the end of one year follow-up (p = 0.327, 0.500 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Based on our study, it is clearly seen that regardless of the surgeon's experience of laparoscopy, it can be safely preferred when looking at the oncological and functional results of RALP.

Toluidine blue color perception in identification of oral mucosal lesions.

The objective of this study is to examine observer agreement on the rank of the color tones after toluidine blue staining of a mucosal lesion. Cohort study with repeated measures is the design of the study. Twenty observers ranked and scored 8 specified areas on the color images of a lesion before and after toluidine blue application in two sessions. Inter and intra-observer variations were analyzed with Cohen's kappa. The L* (the black-white axis), a* (red-green axis), and b* (yellow-blue axis) values were measured and set as the gold standards. Intra and inter-observer agreements were к = 0.86 and к = 0.854. All color parameters were effective on the color ranking order (pL* = 0.00, pa* = 0.007, pb* = 0.00), although L* and b* were more effective on the ranking of the samples than a*. Areas that appeared pale blue visually had a significant blue component, but the observers were confused with the effect of whiteness of the area in clinical decision making.

The effect of hydronephrosis grade on stone-free rate in retrograde intrarenal stone surgery with flexible ureterorenoscopy.

OBJECTIVE: Hydronephrosis, which may be caused by kidney stones in the collecting system, may induce permanent flank pain and damage to kidney function. In this study, we aimed to examine whether the presence of hydronephrosis in the patient has an effect on the stone-free rates in flexible ureterorenoscopy (FURS) applications. METHOD: The study was carried out retrospectively with 164 patients. Stone size was calculated as volume in computed tomography. Preoperative patient demographic data, radiographic stone characteristics, operational findings, complication status and postoperative 1st month results were recorded. RESULT: The mean stone-free rate was found to be 61.5%. It was determined that age, gender, side, number, size and the Hounsfield Unit of the stone, the presence of preoperative extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) history and the presence of hydronephrosis and its degree did not affect the stone-free rate. However, it was concluded that preoperative percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) application and prolonged operation time were found to affect statistically significant stone-free rate. In addition, '2' was found to be the cut-off value for hydronephrosis in the receiver operating characteristic analysis. CONCLUSION: The presence of preoperative hydronephrosis does not decrease the success of FURS. However, it can be expected that the success of FURS will decrease as grade 2 or more severe grade of hydronephrosis. Therefore, we think that other treatment modalities such as ESWL and PNL should be prioritized in patients with grade 2 and more severe grade of hydronephrosis.

The effect of the type of surgery performed due to prostate cancer on preoperative patient anxiety, a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Anxiety level in prostate cancer patients is common due to the increase in the incidence of prostate cancer diagnosis. We aimed to search for answers to the following questions such as whether there is preoperative anxiety in patients who will be operated for prostate cancer, what are the risk factors that may cause disease-induced anxiety and the type of surgery especially does robotic surgery reduce patient anxiety. METHOD: The patients who were taken into operation were divided into 2 groups as Open Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy-Group 1 and Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy-Group 2. Age, active surveillance history, preoperative prostate spesific antigen (PSA) level, prostate biopsy pathology result, time between prostate biopsy and operation, state and trait anxiety scores of these patients were recorded. RESULT: The study was conducted with a total of 149 patients; 61 patients in Group 1 and 88 patients in Group 2. The presence of active surveillance history, time between prostate biopsy and operation and state and trait anxiety levels were not found to be significant between both groups. However, it was concluded that the patients in Group 2 were significantly younger and operated with lower PSA and Gleason scores. The type of surgery had no effect on anxiety levels. CONCLUSION: Preoperative information about the surgical procedure was found to be an effective factor in reducing anxiety. Regardless of the type of surgery we recommend that patients' anxiety should be reduced by explaining the surgical procedure to patients enough and in a way that they can understand.

Determining Candida spp. incidence in denture wearers.

The aim of this study was to determine Candida spp. incidence in the oral cavity of denture wearers and characterize predisposing factors in denture-related stomatitis (DRS). Three groups of denture wearers and a control group were evaluated for DRS according to Newton's classification. The amount of yeast in saliva and the presence of yeast on mucosal surfaces were determined by phenotyping methods, and the impact of some risk factors on candidal carriage was evaluated. The development of DRS is most common in complete prosthesis users. When the count of yeast in saliva is >or=400 cfu/ml, the frequency of DRS is increased. In individuals who develop DRS, the most frequently encountered species that was identified as C. albicans. Prosthetic hygiene was related to the intensity of candidal growth and the development of DRS. C. albicans live as saprophyte in the oral cavity. But, it is capable of causing infection if there are predisposing conditions related to the host. Usage of removable prosthesis may cause these microorganisms to gain pathogenicity.

The influence of bonding agents on the decision to replace composite restorations.

UNLABELLED: This in vitro study evaluated the validity of the decision to replace of a restoration based upon the radiolucent zone beneath a resin composite. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Class II cavities were prepared on the approximal surfaces of 40 molars. The teeth were divided into four groups. Clearfil SE Bond, PQ1 or Single Bond was applied in the experimental groups. No bonding agent was used in the control group. Following the restorations, digital radiographs were obtained and independently evaluated by two oral radiologists and two specialists in restorative dentistry to determine the need for replacement. The coronal portions of the teeth were then sectioned and the interfaces between the restorations and cavity walls were examined using an optical light microscope. Possible adhesive pooling and voids were examined under a light microscope. Inter-examiner reliability was evaluated with the Cohen's kappa (kappa) test. Sensitivity, specificity and negative and positive predictive values were calculated. Kruskal-Wallis, followed by the Mann-Whitney U-test, determined differences among the pooling thicknesses of the different adhesives. RESULTS: Various sensitivity and specificity degrees were obtained from the groups in which different adhesive systems were used. The PQ1 adhesive system was the best for identifying well-adapted restorations with the highest true non-replacement diagnosis (TND = 0.70). Clearfil SE Bond had the highest false positive scores. Adhesive pooling was significantly different in the experimental groups of the current study (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Replacement decisions for a resin composite restoration based upon digital images frequently resulted in false-positive or negative decisions.

Detection of seasonal variations in surface water quality using discriminant analysis.

In the study, discriminant analysis (DA) was applied to water quality data set monitored in winter and summer months along 3 years to investigate seasonal variations of Tahtali Reservoir water quality. The variables were divided into two categories as "parameters naturally found in surface waters--Al, Fe, Mn, F, Ba, Cl, and SO(4)" and "pollutants-biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and NO(3)". Linear discriminant functions were calculated to distinguish between winter and summer samples. Results revealed that water quality variables (naturally found in surface water and also pollutants) were distinctly different between two seasons. Seasonal changes of water quality caused by anthropogenic activities should be taken into consideration by the water managers especially in summer seasons in which higher concentrations were observed. The study showed that DA can be applied successfully to establish the seasonal variation in surface water quality and make it possible to design a future temporal sampling strategy in an optimal manner.

Determination of potential allergenic fungal flora and its clinical reflection in suburban elementary schools in Izmir.

In this research, in order to determine mean fungus counts, indoor and outdoor air samples were taken in five elementary school buildings located in the city center of Seferihisar, Izmir (45 km from Izmir) within a 1-year period between March and April 2004, and between January and February 2005 representing similar climatic characteristics. Five samples, three from three classes where 5-8, 10-12, and 12-15 age group students attended, one from the corridors, and one from outside the buildings in all the schools, were taken for each period. Within the period of the study, in indoor and outdoor air samples, 7,122 microfungus colonies were counted. Sixty-four species were identified that belong to 17 genera as a result of the identification of isolates obtained. Skin prick tests were applied to 55 out of a total of 117 teachers by the clinicians. According to these test results, 24 teachers were sensitive to at least one agent. Results revealed that, in terms of mold counts, the difference between the schools and the difference between the times (periods) were statistically significant (p < 0.05).

Effects of saliva and nasal secretion on some physical properties of four different resin materials.

OBJECTIVE: Aim of this study was to evaluate possible effects of saliva and nasal secretion on some physical properties, such as sorption, solubility, surface hardness and colour change on four different resin-based materials over a certain time period. METHODS: A total of 128 disc-shaped specimens with a diameter of 50 mm and thickness of 0.5 mm were tested to evaluate sorption and solubility (ISO-1567). The specimens were stored in different solutions prior to testing. Surface hardness measurements were performed by using a Vickers hardness testing machine. A total of 20 cylinder-shaped test specimens with a diameter of 13 mm and thickness of 1 mm were prepared to evaluate colour change (ΔE). Analysis of variance was used to determine significant differences among groups. Paired t and Tukey Post-Hoc tests were performed to investigate significant differences among subgroups at all time intervals (p<0.05). RESULTS: It was found that while the percentage absorption value at T7 (7 days) of the A groups stored in artificial saliva+nasal secretion were the highest (0.057±0.119), the percentage absorption value at T15 (15 days) of the D groups stored in artificial nasal secretion were the lowest (0.013±0.09). Besides, it was found that the percentage solubility value at T30 (30 days) of VLC groups stored in artificial nasal secretion were the highest (0.016±0.003), and the percentage solubility value at T1(1 day) of the D groups stored in distilled water were the lowest (0.01±0.02). While the highest hardness value was of T0 (Dry) in group H (36.19±1.35), the lowest hardness value was of T0 in group D (9.83±2.48). When ΔE values analysed for each group, VLC group showed the highest values (23.78±5.05) (p<0.05), group D showed the lowest values (9.06±2.82) in time (between the T0 and T30). CONCLUSION: The new polyamide resin was observed to show better physical properties when compared with other materials.

Effect of rectal mucosa cleansing on acute prostatitis during prostate biopsy: A randomized prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Infectious complications after transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUS-PB) can range from asymptomatic bacteriuria and febrile or non-febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) to sepsis. Cleaning of rectal mucosa with topical antiseptics such as povidone iodine or chlorhexidine before the procedure are alternative prophylaxis methods. We aimed to investigate the effects of these two different topical antiseptic agents on infectious complications and their superiority to each other. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted with 200 patients. Rectal mucosa cleansings were performed in 50 patients with povidone iodine and 49 patients with chlorhexidine. The remaining 101 patients did not receive any antiseptic treatment. The results were examined according to the hospital admissions or hospitalization for the first 30 days after the procedure due to UTI, body temperature >38.5°C, sepsis, hematuria, rectal bleeding, and urinary retention. RESULTS: The mean age of study population was 63.3±7.26 years, and the mean prostate specific antigen value was 13.96±29.5 ng/mL. Acute prostatitis occurred in 14 patients (7%), 9 of whom were hospitalized due to sepsis after TRUS-PB. Statistically significant less acute prostatitis was observed in those patients who were treated with topical rectal antisepsis (topical rectal antisepsis 2% vs. no rectal antisepsis 12.1%, p=0.01). Chlorhexidine and povidone iodine were not superior to each other in terms of inhibiting the development of acute prostatitis (chlorhexidine 2% vs. povidone iodine 2%, p=1.00). CONCLUSION: Rectal mucosal cleansing with chlorhexidine or povidone iodine before TRUS-PB prevented the development of sepsis due to acute prostatitis. We recommend that this effective method, which is easy to apply, cheap, reliable, easily tolerated should be used in all prostate biopsy practice.

Enhanced topical delivery of terbinafine hydrochloride with chitosan hydrogels.

Chitosan-based carriers have important potential applications for the administration of drugs. In the present study, topical gel formulations of terbinafine hydrochloride (T-HCl) were prepared using different types of chitosan at different molecular weight, and the antifungal inhibitory activity was evaluated to suggest an effective formulation for the treatment of fungal infections. The characteristics of gel formulations were determined with viscosity measurements and texture profile analysis. Stability studies were performed at different temperatures during 3 months. The ex vivo permeation properties were studied through rat skin by using Franz diffusion cells. The antifungal inhibitory activity of formulations on Candida species and filamentous fungi was also examined with agar-cup method. The microbiological assay was found suitable for determination of in vitro antifungal activity of T-HCl. A marketed product was used to compare the results. The antifungal activity of T-HCl significantly increased when it was introduced into the chitosan gels. A higher drug release and the highest zone of inhibition were obtained from gels prepared with the lowest molecular weight chitosan (Protasan UP CL 213) compared to that of other chitosan gels and marketed product. These results indicated the advantages of the suggested formulations for topical antifungal therapy against Candida species and filamentous fungi.