A pilot study investigating the presence of voids in bulk fill flowable composites

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the presence of voids in bulk fill flowable composites. METHODS: This study investigated two well-known bulk-fill flowable composites, Smart Dentin Replacement (SDR) (Dentsply/Caulk, Milford, Germany) and Filtek bulk fill flowable (FBF) (3M ESPE, Minnesota, USA). Three ampules of each material were randomly selected. The ampules were subjected to 3D Micro-CT (General Electric Phoenix V|Tome|X L240) reconstruction in order to assess the presence of any voids within the ampules. RESULTS: Voids were present in all the ampules. The total void percentage for each group of three ampules was found to be SDR : 1.147 % and FBF : 0.0424 %. There was a significant difference between the volume of voids for SDR and FBF, p-value=0.003924. CONCLUSION: Voids were found in the randomly selected samples of bulk-fill flowable composites. This is undesirable and manufacturers should be urged to ensure that no voids are present, or at least are minimized in the ampules of material

Quantitative real time PCR assay for detecting BK virus in serum, plasma and urine.

PosterBK is a non-enveloped virus in the Polyomavirus family, closely related to SV40 and JC virus. Primary infection with BK generally occurs during childhood without specific symptoms, and is widespread in the population, with approximately 80% of adults infected globally. The virus remains latent in the urogenital tract, but can become transplant patients,reactivated. Asymptomatic reactivation and sporadic shedding of BK virus in urine can happen spontaneously in immunocompetant patients

Crystal structure of 2-((1E)-{2-[bis(2-methylbenzylsulfanyl) methylidene]-hydrazin-1-ylidene}methyl)-6-methoxy-phenol

We thank the Department of Chemistry, Universiti Putra Malaysia for facilities. This research was funded by Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and the Malaysian Government under the Geran UPM Scheme (RUGS No. IBT/2013/9419400), the Malaysian Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS No.01–02-13–1344FR) and the ScienceFund under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI 06–01-04-SF1810). ENMY wishes to thank UPM for the award of a Graduate Research Fellowship.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Aprepitant, An Antiemetic Agent, Interferes with Metal Ion Homeostasis of Candida Auris and Displays Potent Synergistic Interactions With Azole Drugs

With the rapid increase in the frequency of azole-resistant species, combination therapy appears to be a promising tool to augment the antifungal activity of azole drugs against resistant Candida species. Here, we report the effect of aprepitant, an antiemetic agent, on the antifungal activities of azole drugs against the multidrug-resistant Candida auris. Aprepitant reduced the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of itraconazole in vitro, by up to eight-folds. Additionally, the aprepitant/itraconazole combination interfered significantly with the biofilm-forming ability of C. auris by 95 ± 0.13%, and significantly disrupted mature biofilms by 52 ± 0.83%, relative to the untreated control. In a Caenorhabditis elegans infection model, the aprepitant/itraconazole combination significantly prolonged the survival of infected nematodes by ~90% (five days postinfection) and reduced the fungal burden by ~92% relative to the untreated control. Further, this novel drug combination displayed broad-spectrum synergistic interactions against other medically important Candida species such as C. albicans, C. krusei, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis (ƩFICI ranged from 0.08 to 0.31). Comparative transcriptomic profiling and mechanistic studies indicated aprepitant/itraconazole interferes significantly with metal ion homeostasis and compromises the ROS detoxification ability of C. auris. This study presents aprepitant as a novel, potent, and broadspectrum azole chemosensitizing agent that warrants further investigation

Evaluation of insulin-like growth factor-I gene polymorphism in Egyptian small ruminant breeds

The genetic improvement of production traits can be developed through marker assisted selection. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is a member of the somatotrophic axis which has a remarkable variation of its biological effect including protein synthesis and skeletal growth. This study aimed to detect the genetic polymorphism of IGF-1 in different Egyptian sheep and goat breeds. The amplified fragments at 320-bp were digested with HaeIII endonuclease and the results show the presence of three different genotypes: CC (15.71%), CG (29.29%) and GG (55.0%). The nucleotide sequence analysis of C and G alleles declared the presence of a single nucleotide polymorphism (C→G) at position 282. The nucleotide sequences of alleles C and G in sheep and goat were submitted to GenBank with the accession number: KX432965, KX432966, KX432967 and KX432968, respectively. In conclusion, a nucleotide substitution (C→G) was detected in IGF-I gene in Egyptian sheep and goat breeds resulting in the presence of three different genotypes; CC, CG and GG. The association of IGF-I polymorphism with different growth trait parameters were reported at significant levels, so, the genetic and SNP variations in IGF-I gene may be a potential molecular marker for growth traits in different Egyptian sheep and goat breeds.Keywords: IGF-1, polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), DNA sequencing, sheep, goa

Levels of certain tumor markers as differential factors between bilharzial and non-biharzial bladder cancer among Egyptian patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background/Objective</p> <p>Bladder cancer is the commonest type of malignant tumors as a result of schistosomaisis which is a major healthy problem in many subtropical developing countries. The aim of this study is to comparatively elucidate the underlying biochemical tumor markers in schistosomal bladder cancer versus non-schistosomal bladder cancer when compared to normal healthy ones.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This work was performed on tissue specimens from total 25 patients and serum samples from total 30 patients versus ten healthy individuals served as control. The investigated parameters in serum are: xanthine oxidase (XO), fructosamine, lactate dehydrogense (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total proteins, essential and non- essential amino acids profile, hydroxyproline, total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-<it>α</it>). In addition, the current investigation also extended to study some markers in tumor bladder tissues including, pyruvate kinase enzyme (PK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Results showed that biharzial bladder cancer patients recored more significant elevation in serum XO, fructosamine, LDH, AST, ALT, hydroxyproline, IgE and TNF-<it>α </it>than in bladder cancer patients when compared to control ones. While, in tissues there were significant increase in PK, LDH, AST & ALT activities of schistosomal bladder cancer than in bladder cancer as compared to control healthy patients.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>It could be concluded that, bilharzial and non-bilharzial bladder cancer showed distinct biochemical profile of tumor development and progression which can be taken into consideration in diagnosis of bladder cancer.</p

Bis{4-methylbenzyl 2-[4-(propan-2-yl)benzylidene]hydrazinecarbodithioato-κ2N2,S}nickel(II): crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis

The complete molecule of the title hydrazine carbodithioate complex, [Ni(C19H21N2S2)2], is generated by the application of a centre of inversion. The NiII atom is N,S-chelated by two hydrazinecarbodithioate ligands, which provide a trans-N2S2 donor set that defines a distorted square-planar geometry. The conformation of the five-membered chelate ring is an envelope with the NiII atom being the flap atom. In the crystal, p-tolyl-C—H...π(benzene-iPr), iPr-C—H...π(p-tolyl) and π–π interactions [between p-tolyl rings with inter-centroid distance = 3.8051 (12) Å] help to consolidate the three-dimensional architecture. The analysis of the Hirshfeld surface confirms the importance of H-atom contacts in establishing the packing

A cinnamaldehyde Schiff base ofS-(4-methylbenzyl) dithiocarbazate: crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis and computational study

The title dithiocarbazate ester (I), C18H18N2S2 [systematic name: (E)-4-methylbenzyl 2-[(E)-3-phenylallylidene]hydrazinecarbodithioate, comprises an almost planar central CN2S2 residue [r.m.s. deviation = 0.0131 Å]. The methylene(tolyl-4) group forms a dihedral angle of 72.25 (4)° with the best plane through the remaining non-hydrogen atoms [r.m.s. deviation = 0.0586 Å] so the molecule approximates mirror symmetry with the 4-tolyl group bisected by the plane. The configuration about both double bonds in the N—N=C—C=C chain is E; the chain has an all trans conformation. In the crystal, eight-membered centrosymmetric thioamide synthons, {...HNCS}2, are formed via N—H...S(thione) hydrogen bonds. Connections between the dimers via C—H...π interactions lead to a three-dimensional architecture. A Hirshfeld surface analysis shows that (I) possesses an interaction profile similar to that of a closely related analogue with an S-bound benzyl substituent, (II). Computational chemistry indicates the dimeric species of (II) connected via N—H...S hydrogen bonds is about 0.94 kcal mol−1 more stable than that in (I)

Progesterone utility in the synthesis of steroidal heterocyclic compounds with antitumor activity

One–pot and efficient method for the synthesis of progesteronpyridine 5a-c, 6a-c and 7a,b and/or progesteronpyran derivatives 9a-c and 10a,b by condensation reaction of progesterone 1 with different aldehydes and active methylene compounds in the presence of ammonium acetate or piperidine.  New progesteronopyrimidine derivatives 12a-d and 13a, b were synthesized via interaction of progesterone 1 with urea or thiourea and/or guanidine reagents and aldehyde. Progesterone 1 was examined to synthesize heterocyclic compound 16 containing ?-Lactone chiral carbon via the reaction of hydrazone derivative 14 with phenyl isothiocyanate followed by boiling with chloroacetic acid in benzene. The biological activity of compounds 5a, 5b, 6b, 7a, 9b, 9c, 12a, 12c, and 13a were evaluated as growth inhibitors of the liver and the breast carcinoma human cell line (HEPG2 &amp; MCF7). Compounds 13a, 12a and 7a showed a higher potency than the standard. Key Words: Progesterone, MCR’s (multicomponents reaction), (pyridine, pyran, pyrimidine, ?-Lactone) derivatives, HEPG2 &amp; MCF7

THE ROLE OF SOME OBESITY-RELATED BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN THE INCIDENCE, DIAGNOSIS, AND PROGNOSIS OF POSTMENOPAUSAL BREAST CANCER

Aim: To figure out the association of insulin resistance, serum resistin, insulin, SHBG, and free estradiol with the etiology, diagnosis, and the prognosis of postmenopausal breast cancer. Subjects and Methods: Serum levels of resistin, insulin, SHBG, free E2, glucose, and albumin were assayed in a case-control study of 40 obese postmenopausal breast cancer females and 40 apparently healthy obese postmenopausal controls. Results: Serum levels of resistin, insulin, and free E2 were significantly elevated in breast cancer patients (9.89±0.49, 23.68±2.95 and 9.34±3.02, respectively) compared with controls (8.24±0.63, 13.55±1.31 and 1.01±0.23, respectively). Insulin resistance (IR) was significantly greater in breast cancer patients (7.33±0.95) than controls (3.46±0.37). However, serum SHBG levels were significantly declined in breast cancer patients (42.93± 2.52) compared with controls (64.2±4.89). Serum free E2 had the greatest significant area under the ROC curve, followed by insulin resistance, insulin, SHBG, and resistin. The odds ratio of serum resistin was 4.33 (95% CI=1.69 – 11.06, P=0.002), insulin was 3.66 (95% CI=1.41 – 9.46, P=0.006), insulin resistance was 3.56 (95% CI=1.39 – 9.08, P=0.007), SHBG was 0.25 (95% CI=0.092-0.67, P=0.005), and free E2 was 5.21(95% CI=1.86 –14.52, P=0.002) in breast cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS: From this study, it could be concluded that although insulin resistance, serum resistin, insulin, SHBG, and free E2 may have a role in the incidence and diagnosis of obese postmenopausal breast cancer females, these biochemical parameters cannot be used for the prognosis of these patients. Serum free E2 was the most superior diagnostic marker followed by insulin resistance, insulin, SHBG, and resistin