Caries experience of Egyptian adolescents: does the atraumatic restorative treatment approach offer a solution?

Contains fulltext : 95704.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence and severity of dental caries amongst Egyptian adolescents and the prevalence of carious lesions treatable through the atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) approach. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Using a convenient sample procedure, two secondary schools with a dental clinic were selected (967 students, average age: 13.7 +/- 0.8 years, range: 12-15). Dental caries was diagnosed using the ART caries criteria, and plaque and calculus were assessed using the Green and Vermillion criteria amongst students grades 1-3 in the dental clinic by 3 calibrated examiners. The effect of the independent variables gender, age, tooth surface, jaw side (left or right) and type of jaw (mandible/maxilla) on dependent caries experience variables and D(2) and D(3) variables were tested using ANOVA. RESULTS: The prevalence of dental caries including enamel lesion (D(2)MFT) amongst the 967 students was 51.4% and that of dental caries excluding enamel lesions (D(3)MFT) was 38.1%. The mean D(2)MFT and D(3)MFT scores were 1.5 and 0.8, respectively. The percentage of teeth filled and extracted was low. Female students had statistically significantly higher mean D(3)MFT/S and D(2)MFT/S scores than males (p < 0.0001). The prevalence of cavitated carious lesions (D(3)) treatable through ART was 48% for score 2 and 28% for score 3. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the cavitated lesions were found untreated despite the presence of a dental clinic and a dentist on the school premises. The majority of cavitated lesions without pulp involvement could be treated using the preventive and restorative components of the ART approach

Modal split evaluation of a maritime container terminal

Maritime container terminals are playing a growing role within global transport chains. As intermodal nodes between sea traffic flows and inland distribution, they are very important to shipping lines. The current trend of moving towards economies of scale in regard to mother vessels is also having a tremendous impact on seaport operations and hinterland transportation in terms of ‘call size’. This paper deals with the study of multimodal container flows at an Italian maritime terminal, focusing the attention on the performance of road and rail connections. In this framework, the current modal unbalance generates heavy problems of congestion and compromises the overall terminal competitiveness. This paper applies a discrete event simulation approach, in order to evaluate the feasibility of an alternative and more balanced scenario achievable in a short-mid-term perspective. Our goal is to enhance the performance of rail connections, without proposing the realisation of a new railway line which is only attainable in the long run, but trying to exploit to the full the available endowment of assets through a deep operational restructuring. Simulation runs performed in this perspective revealed the adequacy of such an approach and demonstrated the successful effects of a modal re-equilibrium. Maritime Economics & Logistics (2009) 11, 77–97. doi:10.1057/mel.2008.22

Simulation Modelling of Ship-Berth Link With Priority Service

Simulation of the logistics activities related to the arrival, berthing, service and departure processes of ships in container ports can be carried out for different goals such as design of ship-berth link, increase productivity and efficiency of quay cranes, analysis and planning of operations at the ship-berth link, etc. These logistics activities are particularly complex and very costly since they require the combined use of expensive infrastructure capacities especially berths and quay cranes. Ship-berth link as a main port link is required to serve ships as quickly as possible. Thus, in order to successfully design and develop ship-berth link in a container port and utilise it as efficiently as possible, it is necessary to develop a simulation model that will support decision-making processes of terminal managers. The results, analysis and conclusions given in this paper are intended to provide guidance on achieving time efficiency and accuracy in the modelling of ship-berth link and calibration of ship-berth link simulation models for Pusan East Container Terminal (PECT). Maritime Economics & Logistics (2005) 7, 316–335. doi:10.1057/palgrave.mel.9100141

Evaluation and screening of mRNA S100A genes as serological biomarkers in different stages of bladder cancer in Egypt

Calcium-binding proteins S100A are multifunctional proteins that show altered expression in various diseases and cancers. This study aimed at validating an easier and less time-consuming technique to evaluate the value of combined use of messenger RNA (mRNA) S100A genes in comparison and combination with voided urine cytology in detection of bladder cancer patients. Blood and urine specimens were collected from patients (n = 120) with histologically confirmed bladder carcinoma who are classified according to bladder cancer stage into four groups and from healthy volunteers (n = 30). Histopathology examination, bilharzias antibody detection, urine cytology, and mRNA expression of S100A genes were estimated for all subjects by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results indicate that each of the investigated S100A genes can be used as diagnostic marker for bladder cancer. Both S100A4 and S100A6 can be used to differentiate between different stages of bladder cancer. S100A7 can be used for the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma. Both S100A8 and S100A9 can be used for detection of invasive bladder carcinoma while S100A11 can be used for early detection of superficial bladder carcinoma. The overall sensitivity and specificity for the studied S100A genes ranged from 73 to 90 and 84 to 92, respectively. The combined use of urine cytology with the investigated S100A genes increased sensitivity from 56 % up to a range of 87-96 %. In conclusion, serum S100A genes can be useful as potential serological biomarkers for bladder cancer, and combined use of urine cytology with S100A genes can improve the sensitivity for detection of bladder cancer