A Comparative Study of Apical Microleakage Using the Conventional Lateral Condensation and Mechanical Lateral Condensation Techniques

INTRODUCTION: This study compared apical dye penetration using lateral condensation technique (LC) and LC technique with a reciprocal handpiece (mechanical lateral condensation or MLC) as a new method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight human extracted straight canine teeth were used. After crown amputation, the teeth were randomly divided into four experimental groups of 10 teeth each and two negative and positive control groups of 4 teeth each. The groups were as follows: IA, 10 obturations completed by operator A using the LC technique; Group IB, 10 obturations completed by operator B using the LC technique; Group IIA, 10 obturations completed by operator A using the MLC technique; and Group IIB, 10 obturations completed by operator B using the MLC technique. All roots were placed in 2% methylene blue dye and centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 3 minutes. Following centrifugation, the roots were cut along their long axis and evaluated under a stereomicroscope to measure the depth of dye penetration. RESULTS: A t-test showed that the teeth which were filled by the MLC technique had less dye penetration in comparison with LC technique (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: This in vitro study illustrates that canals obturated with the MLC technique had superior apical seal than canals filled with the LC technique

Investigating the Effectiveness of English Language Curriculum of Language Institutes in the City of Isfahan

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of English language curriculum of language institutes in the city of Isfahan from lecturers and learners’ perspective. In order to this, a sample of 185 members (including 89 learners and 96 lecturers) has been selected from language institutes in the city of Isfahan through clarified sampling method. In order to investigate face and content validity of the questionnaire, the expert’s of English language curriculum have been asked to review the questionnaire and modify it. The reliability of the questionnaire has been measured through Cronbachs’ Alpha Coefficient. The coefficient was 0.90 for our questionnaire by which reliability of the questionnaire has been confirmed. The research data has been analyzed through both descriptive statistics (including frequencies, percentages, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (including one sample t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, Kolmogorov-Smirinov, two sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and Levin test) have been employed. The results of this study revealed that the extent of English language curriculum was more than average level. In other words, English language curriculum was effective from lecturers and learners’ perspective. Keywords: Evaluation, Goals, Curriculum, Teaching-learning Process, Content

Comparing Efficacy of English Curriculum Components at High Schools vs. English Teaching Institutes in Isfahan, Iran

The present research has attempted to compare English curricula at high school vs.  English teaching institutes. This research has aimed to study and compare components of English curricula from high school teachers and students’ perspectives vs. English language institute instructors and learners’ viewpoints. A descriptive-survey research method was adopted in this study. To select statistical sample, stratified sampling method, proportional to the sample size, was used, and a researcher-made questionnaire involving 49 forced-choice Questions was utilized for data collection. To estimate questionnaire validity, content validity was used, with its reliability coefficient being estimated 0.90 utilizing Alpha Cronbach Coefficient Method. Data obtained from questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics including frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, single-sample T-Test, Pearson Correlation Coefficient tests, Kolmogorov-Smirinov, T-test for two independent samples, Levine’s test, One-path variance analysis. The results showed that, from the perspective of all four groups, all components of English curriculum were effective; however, such curriculum was   more effective at English teaching institutes than at high school settings. Keywords: Curriculum, Goals, Content, Teaching-Learning Process & Evaluatio

Evaluation of analgesic effects of intrathecal eugenol in male rats

زمینه و هدف: اوژنول مهمترین ماده تشکیل دهنده عصاره گیاه میخک (Eugenia caryophylata) است که به طور گسترده در دندانپزشکی جهت تسکین درد و التهاب موضعی استفاده می‌شود. از آنجایی که مطالعه‌ای در زمینه تزریق داخل نخاعی اوژنول از نظر شروع و طول مدت بیدردی انجام نشده است، لذا این مطالعه با هدف ارزیابی اثرات ضددردی تجویز داخل نخاعی اوژنول از نظر شروع و طول مدت اثر آن در موش های صحرایی نر انجام شده است. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه تجربی 51 سر موش صحرایی نر نژاد ویستار در سه گروه اوژنول و سه گروه نرمال سالین قرار گرفتند. 5 روز بعد از کاتتر گذاری در نخاع از ناحیه کمر (تحت بی‌هوشی) اثرات تجویز داخل نخاعی حجم‌های مختلف اوژنول و نرمال سالین (5، 10 و 15 میکرولیتر به ازای هر حیوان) در زمان‌های قبل از کاتترگذاری، قبل از تجویز و 10، 30، 180، 360، 720 و1440 دقیقه بعد از تجویز، روی درد ناشی از قرار دادن دم در آب ºc51 بررسی و مقایسه شد. داده‌ها با استفاده از آزمون آماری ANOVA و آزمون LSD تجزیه و تحلیل شد. یافته‌ها: نتایج این تحقیق نشان داد که عمق و طول مدت بیدردی اوژنول وابسته به دوز بوده و مقادیر بالاتر باعث فلج و بی‌حرکتی طولانی مدت گردید (05/0

Effects of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields during foetal life on adulthood learning in male rat

زمینه و هدف: صنعتی شدن، محیط ما را در معرض میدان های الکترومغناطیسیی قرار داده است که حفاظت در مقابل آنها مشکل به نظر می رسد. در این مطالعه تاثیر امواج الکترومغناطیسی با فرکانس پایین در دوران جنینی بر میزان یادگیری موش صحرایی در زمان بلوغ بررسی شد. روش بررسی: در این مطالعه تجربی، 48 سر موش صحرایی حامله نژاد اسپراگ داولی به 6 گروه 8 تایی شامل گروه کنترل، شاهد و گروه های با فرکانس 5 یا 25 هرتز و شدتهای 50 یا 500 µT تقسیم شدند. مدت زمان تابش 4 ساعت در روز، از 8 تا 12 صبح به صورت مداوم از اولین روز حاملگی تا روز پانزدهم حاملگی بود. پس از زایمان شاخص های یادگیری، وزن بدن، وزن مغز، حجم مغز، نسبت وزن مغز به وزن بدن و چگالی مغز روی فرزندان نر دو ماهه آنها بررسی شد. یادگیری با کمک جعبه شاتل (Shuttle box) به روش یادگیری اجتنابی فعال یک طرفه آزمایش شد و تعداد پاسخ های شرطی و دوره تاخیر پاسخ ها در گروه های مختلف، به کمک آزمون آماری کروسکال والیس مورد تجزیه و تحلیل قرار گرفت. یافته ها: بررسی آماری نتایج نشان داد که فرکانس 25 هرتز و شدت 50 میکروتسلا باعث بهبود یادگیری، کاهش وزن بدن و افزایش نسبت وزن مغز به وزن بدن می شود (05/0

Investigation of daily living situation after retirement, Isfahan, 2000

بازنشستگی یک تحول و انتقال از نقشی به نقش دیگر است. برای اینگونه تحولات فرد نیاز به سازش و تطابق با تغییر نقش دارد. بازنشستگی یک وقفه عمیق را در زندگی فرد بوجود می آورد. او از گذشته خود بریده می شود و با وضعیت جدیدی مواجه می گردد. این پژوهش یک مطالعه توصیفی تحلیلی است که با استفاده از روش نمونه گیری آسان پرسشنامه ها توسط 364 نفر اعضای مراجعه کننده به کانون بازنشستگی کشوری تکمیل گردیده اند. نتایج این پژوهش نشان داد که 41.4 واحدهای مورد پژوهش که درصد قابل توجهی است از نظر وضعیت زندگی روزمره وضعیت مناسب داشته ولی اکثریت آنها یعنی 54.9 وضعیت نسبتا مناسب و 3.7 وضعیت نامطلوب داشتند. آزمون های آماری رابطه معنی داری بین وضعیت زندگی روزمره و جنس، وضعیت سلامتی و وجود برنامه های آمادگی جهت بازنشسته شدن را نشان داد. باتوجه به نتایج پژوهش، وضعیت زندگی روزمره بازنشستگان علیرغم سازماندهی نشدن برنامه های آماده سازی برای بازنشستگی، مناسب می باشد و می توان دلایل دیگر از جمله مهارت های سازمانی، خانوادگی، تاثیرات فرهنگی و اقلیمی را نام برد و این درحالی است که معدودی از بازنشستگان در شرایط نامطلوب زندگی روزمره بسر می برند. آنها در بعضی از جنبه های زندگی روزمره مشکلاتی دارند که اجرای برنامه های آمادگی می تواند در سازگاری آنان نسبت به تغییرات زندگی روزمره متعاقب بازنشستگی موثر باشد

2,5-Bis(pyridinium-2-yl)-3,6-bis­(2-pyrid­yl)pyrazine bis­[tetra­chlorido­aurate(III)]

In the title compound, (C24H18N6)[AuCl4]2, the cation is located on an inversion center. Each of the two independent AuIII ions lies on an inversion center and has a distorted square-planar geometry. In the crystal, inter­molecular C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds, π–π inter­actions [centroid–centroid distances = 3.5548 (16) and 3.7507 (16) Å] and Au⋯π inter­actions [Au⋯centroid distance = 3.6424 (10) Å] are effective in the stabilization of the structure, resulting in the formation of a supra­molecular structure. Intra­molecular N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds are present in the cation

Bis(2,4,6-trimethyl­pyridinium) hexa­chloridoplatinate(IV)

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, (C8H12N)2[PtCl6], contains one independent protonated 2,4,6-trimethyl­pyridinium cation and one half of a centrosymmetric [PtCl6]2− anion. The Pt ion has an almost ideal octa­hedral coordination. In the crystal structure, intra­molecular N—H⋯Cl and inter­molecular C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds result in the formation of a supra­molecular structure

Bis(2,6-dimethyl­pyridinium) hexa­chlorido­platinate(IV)

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, (C7H10N)2[PtCl6], contains one independent protonated 2,6-dimethyl­pyridinium cation and half of a centrosymmetric [PtCl6]2− anion. The Pt atom has an octa­hedral coordination. In the crystal structure, inter­molecular N—H⋯Cl and C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds result in the formation of a supra­molecular structure. There is a π–π contact between the pyridine rings [centroid–centroid distance = 4.235 (1) Å]

Global burden and strength of evidence for 88 risk factors in 204 countries and 811 subnational locations, 1990–2021:a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BackgroundUnderstanding the health consequences associated with exposure to risk factors is necessary to inform public health policy and practice. To systematically quantify the contributions of risk factor exposures to specific health outcomes, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 aims to provide comprehensive estimates of exposure levels, relative health risks, and attributable burden of disease for 88 risk factors in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, from 1990 to 2021.MethodsThe GBD 2021 risk factor analysis used data from 54 561 total distinct sources to produce epidemiological estimates for 88 risk factors and their associated health outcomes for a total of 631 risk–outcome pairs. Pairs were included on the basis of data-driven determination of a risk–outcome association. Age-sex-location-year-specific estimates were generated at global, regional, and national levels. Our approach followed the comparative risk assessment framework predicated on a causal web of hierarchically organised, potentially combinative, modifiable risks. Relative risks (RRs) of a given outcome occurring as a function of risk factor exposure were estimated separately for each risk–outcome pair, and summary exposure values (SEVs), representing risk-weighted exposure prevalence, and theoretical minimum risk exposure levels (TMRELs) were estimated for each risk factor. These estimates were used to calculate the population attributable fraction (PAF; ie, the proportional change in health risk that would occur if exposure to a risk factor were reduced to the TMREL). The product of PAFs and disease burden associated with a given outcome, measured in disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), yielded measures of attributable burden (ie, the proportion of total disease burden attributable to a particular risk factor or combination of risk factors). Adjustments for mediation were applied to account for relationships involving risk factors that act indirectly on outcomes via intermediate risks. Attributable burden estimates were stratified by Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintile and presented as counts, age-standardised rates, and rankings. To complement estimates of RR and attributable burden, newly developed burden of proof risk function (BPRF) methods were applied to yield supplementary, conservative interpretations of risk–outcome associations based on the consistency of underlying evidence, accounting for unexplained heterogeneity between input data from different studies. Estimates reported represent the mean value across 500 draws from the estimate's distribution, with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) calculated as the 2·5th and 97·5th percentile values across the draws.FindingsAmong the specific risk factors analysed for this study, particulate matter air pollution was the leading contributor to the global disease burden in 2021, contributing 8·0% (95% UI 6·7–9·4) of total DALYs, followed by high systolic blood pressure (SBP; 7·8% [6·4–9·2]), smoking (5·7% [4·7–6·8]), low birthweight and short gestation (5·6% [4·8–6·3]), and high fasting plasma glucose (FPG; 5·4% [4·8–6·0]). For younger demographics (ie, those aged 0–4 years and 5–14 years), risks such as low birthweight and short gestation and unsafe water, sanitation, and handwashing (WaSH) were among the leading risk factors, while for older age groups, metabolic risks such as high SBP, high body-mass index (BMI), high FPG, and high LDL cholesterol had a greater impact. From 2000 to 2021, there was an observable shift in global health challenges, marked by a decline in the number of all-age DALYs broadly attributable to behavioural risks (decrease of 20·7% [13·9–27·7]) and environmental and occupational risks (decrease of 22·0% [15·5–28·8]), coupled with a 49·4% (42·3–56·9) increase in DALYs attributable to metabolic risks, all reflecting ageing populations and changing lifestyles on a global scale. Age-standardised global DALY rates attributable to high BMI and high FPG rose considerably (15·7% [9·9–21·7] for high BMI and 7·9% [3·3–12·9] for high FPG) over this period, with exposure to these risks increasing annually at rates of 1·8% (1·6–1·9) for high BMI and 1·3% (1·1–1·5) for high FPG. By contrast, the global risk-attributable burden and exposure to many other risk factors declined, notably for risks such as child growth failure and unsafe water source, with age-standardised attributable DALYs decreasing by 71·5% (64·4–78·8) for child growth failure and 66·3% (60·2–72·0) for unsafe water source. We separated risk factors into three groups according to trajectory over time: those with a decreasing attributable burden, due largely to declining risk exposure (eg, diet high in trans-fat and household air pollution) but also to proportionally smaller child and youth populations (eg, child and maternal malnutrition); those for which the burden increased moderately in spite of declining risk exposure, due largely to population ageing (eg, smoking); and those for which the burden increased considerably due to both increasing risk exposure and population ageing (eg, ambient particulate matter air pollution, high BMI, high FPG, and high SBP).InterpretationSubstantial progress has been made in reducing the global disease burden attributable to a range of risk factors, particularly those related to maternal and child health, WaSH, and household air pollution. Maintaining efforts to minimise the impact of these risk factors, especially in low SDI locations, is necessary to sustain progress. Successes in moderating the smoking-related burden by reducing risk exposure highlight the need to advance policies that reduce exposure to other leading risk factors such as ambient particulate matter air pollution and high SBP. Troubling increases in high FPG, high BMI, and other risk factors related to obesity and metabolic syndrome indicate an urgent need to identify and implement interventions.FundingBill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation.<br/