In Vitro Effects of Four Porcelain Surface Treatment Methods on Adhesion of Lactobacilli Acidophilus

Objective: Adhesion of Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) to dental porcelain surface may lead to gingival inflammation and secondary caries. Surface roughness is among the factors affecting this adhesion. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of four different  surface treatment methods on adhesion of L. acidophilus to dental porcelain.Methods: Sixty specimens (3x10mm) were fabricated of Noritake porcelain and divided into 4 groups (n=15) treated with one of the following four surface finishing techniques:    1. Auto-glazing;2. Over-glazing; 3. Polishing with Kenda kit and 4. No surface treatment (non-glazed specimens). Specimens were inoculated with bacterial suspension containing 1x106colony forming units per milliliter (CFU/mL) and L. acidophilus adhesion to the surfaces was evaluated using a spectrophotometer. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD test.Results: The mean bacterial adhesion was 0.1440 (0.00429) to auto-glazed specimens, 0.0750 (0.00256) to over-glazed specimens, 0.1800 (0.00325) to polished specimens and 0.7064 (0.00408) to the non-glazed specimens. The differences in this regard among groups were statistically significant (p<0.001).Conclusion: Over-glazed specimens caused the lowest and non-glazed specimens caused the highest bacterial adhesion. The glazed surfaces caused less adhesion than the polished surface

Study on Reaction Conditions in Whole Cell Biocatalyst Methanolysis of Pretreated Used Cooking Oil

Abstract: Biodiesel fuel (fatty acid methyl esters; FAMEs) can be produced by methanolysis of waste edible oil with a whole cell biocatalyst which is an attractive alternative to fossil fuel because it is produced from renewable resources. Utilizing whole cell biocatalyst instead of free or immobilized enzyme is a potential approach to reduce the cost of catalyst in lipase-catalyzed biodiesel production. Rhizopus oryzae (R. oryzae) PTCC 5174 cells were cultured with polyurethane foam biomass support particles (BSPs) and the cells immobilized within BSPs were used for the methanolysis of pretreated used cooking oil (UCO) for biodiesel production in this research. UCO is the residue from the kitchen, restaurant and food industries which promotes environmental pollution and human health risks. The inhibitory effect of undissolved methanol on lipase activity was eliminated by stepwise addition of methanol to the reaction mixture. The optimum conditions for the reaction were as follows: 50 BSPs, molar ratio of methanol to UCO 3:1, 15.54% (wt) water (in the form of buffer phosphate with pH= 6.8) based on UCO weight and temperature 35°C in three-step addition of methanol. The maximum methyl ester yield of 98.4% was obtained after 72 h of reaction in a shaken Erlenmeyer at mentioned conditions

Injury burden in individuals aged 50 years or older in the Eastern Mediterranean region, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: Injury poses a major threat to health and longevity in adults aged 50 years or older. The increased life expectancy in the Eastern Mediterranean region warrants a further understanding of the ageing population's inevitable changing health demands and challenges. We aimed to examine injury-related morbidity and mortality among adults aged 50 years or older in 22 Eastern Mediterranean countries. Methods: Drawing on data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, we categorised the population into adults aged 50–69 years and adults aged 70 years and older. We examined estimates for transport injuries, self-harm injuries, and unintentional injuries for both age groups, with sex differences reported, and analysed the percentage changes from 1990 to 2019. We reported injury-related mortality rates and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). The Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and the Healthcare Access and Quality (HAQ) Index were used to better understand the association of socioeconomic factors and health-care system performance, respectively, with injuries and health status in older people. Healthy life expectancy (HALE) was compared with injury-related deaths and DALYs and to the SDI and HAQ Index to understand the effect of injuries on healthy ageing. Finally, risk factors for injury deaths between 1990 and 2019 were assessed. 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) are given for all estimates. Findings: Estimated injury mortality rates in the Eastern Mediterranean region exceeded the global rates in 2019, with higher injury mortality rates in males than in females for both age groups. Transport injuries were the leading cause of deaths in adults aged 50–69 years (43·0 [95% UI 31·0–51·8] per 100 000 population) and in adults aged 70 years or older (66·2 [52·5–75·5] per 100 000 population), closely followed by conflict and terrorism for both age groups (10·2 [9·3–11·3] deaths per 100 000 population for 50–69 years and 45·7 [41·5–50·3] deaths per 100 000 population for ≥70 years). The highest annual percentage change in mortality rates due to injury was observed in Afghanistan among people aged 70 years or older (400·4% increase; mortality rate 1109·7 [1017·7–1214·7] per 100 000 population). The leading cause of DALYs was transport injuries for people aged 50–69 years (1798·8 [1394·1–2116·0] per 100 000 population) and unintentional injuries for those aged 70 years or older (2013·2 [1682·2–2408·7] per 100 000 population). The estimates for HALE at 50 years and at 70 years in the Eastern Mediterranean region were lower than global estimates. Eastern Mediterranean countries with the lowest SDIs and HAQ Index values had high prevalence of injury DALYs and ranked the lowest for HALE at 50 years of age and HALE at 70 years. The leading injury mortality risk factors were occupational exposure in people aged 50–69 years and low bone mineral density in those aged 70 years or older. Interpretation: Injuries still pose a real threat to people aged 50 years or older living in the Eastern Mediterranean region, mainly due to transport and violence-related injuries. Dedicated efforts should be implemented to devise injury prevention strategies that are appropriate for older adults and cost-effective injury programmes tailored to the needs and resources of local health-care systems, and to curtail injury-associated risk and promote healthy ageing. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation