Evaluation of jaw bone changes in patients with asthma using inhaled corticosteroids with mandibular radiomorphometric indices on dental panoramic radiographs

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) are an effective drug commonly used in asthma treatment. It is known that osteoporotic changes can occur secondary to steroid usage, depending on dosage and duration. The aim of this study was to compare radiomorphometric indices and fractal dimension on panoramic images of patients with asthma using ICSs and healthy controls. A total of 66 dental panoramic radiographs (DPRs) taken from 32 patients with asthma using ICSs and 34 healthy individuals were evaluated in this retrospective study. Panoramic mandibular index inferior and superior (PMI-i,PMI-s), mandibular cortical width (MCW), gonial index (GI), antegonial index (AI), mandibular cortical index (MCI), and fractal dimension analysis (FDA) were measured on DPRs. PMI-s (p=0.02), MCW (p<0.001), GI (p<0.001) and AI (p<0.001) values were significantly lower in the group of the asthma using ICSs than control group. However, the PMI-i (p ?0.05) measurement, the MCI (p ?0.05) and FDA values distribution were similar in both groups. The use of ICSs in asthma patients can affect bone quality. The evaluation of PMI-s, MCW, GI, and AI on DPR can help determine the effect of this drug on the jawbones in the early period and select dental and surgical treatment plans appropriately

The Investigation of Risk-Taking Behavior in Adolescents in Terms of Attachment Styles and Social Problem-Solving

The aim of this study is to examine the risk-taking behavior of adolescents in terms of attachment styles and social problem-solving. The study group consists of 637 students from 9th, 10th and 11th grade, as 276 female (43.2%) and 361 male (56.7%). In order to collect data in the study, the Delinquent Behavior Scale, the Relationship Scale, the Social Problem-Solving Scale and Personal Information Form are used. Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Technique and multidimensional hierarchical regression analysis are used to analyze the data. A positive correlation is found between delinquent behaviors of adolescents and preoccupied style, which is a sub-dimension of attachment styles. While there is a positive and significant relationship between adolescents' delinquent behaviors and negative problem orientation, which is a sub-dimension of social problem-solving, impulsive/careless style and avoidance style; there is a significant negative correlation between delinquent behaviors and rational problem-solving sub-dimension. Research results reveal that preoccupied style, rational problem-solving and avoidance style sub-dimensions are predictors of risk-taking behaviors

Effects of ultrasonically activated irrigants with or without surfactant on smear layer removal after post space preparation

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of different NaOCl and EDTA formulations with/without ultrasonic use on smear layer removal and root canal surface characteristics after post space preparation. Study design: After post space preparations, forty-six teeth were subjected to different post space irrigation regimes; G1, 17% EDTA; G2, 17% EDTA+Ultrasonic activation; G3, EDTA-T; G4, EDTA-T+Ultrasonic activation; G5, NaOCl; G6, NaOCl+Ultrasonic activation. Specimens were examined under scanning electron microscope and scored for debris and smear layer removal and dentinal tubule opening and statistically analyzed with Kruskal Wallis and Dunn's test. Significance value was set at p<0.05. Results: EDTA and EDTA-T groups showed significantly better efficiency than the other groups in the each parts of the samples in terms of smear layer removal (p<0.05). In terms of dentinal tubule opening, EDTA, EDTA+Ultrasonic and EDTA-T groups had significantly better efficacy than the other groups in the middle and coronal parts of the samples (p<0.05). Conclusions: Ultrasonic activation did not significantly improve the efficiency of the irrigants

Caregiver Burden in Chronic Diseases

Duration of human life has been substantially increased in the last fifty years. Survivals of diseases have been prolonged through the advances in medicine. Together with these gratifying consequences, there appeared novel difficulties to cope with. Furthermore developments including globalization, industrialization and transition from rural to urban life occurred during the last century; so family units became smaller and numbers of members on employment in family units increased. As a result numbers of family members to undertake the responsibility of care decreased. As a concept, caregiver burden expresses physical, psychosocial and financial reactions during the course of care providing. Distinct factors including structures of social, cultural and family units and health care systems may affect conditions of care. Caregiver’s age, gender, ethnicity, education, relationship with the patient, attitude towards providing care, financial situation, coping abilities, her own health, beliefs, social support and cultural pattern are the personal factors that are related to perception of caregiver burden. Burden of care giving is geared to differential aspects of care needs. For instance care needs of physically disabled and medical care requiring patients with spinal cord injuries may differ from care needs of chronic psychiatric disorders, demented patients in advanced age of their lives or cancer patients in terminal periods. Strain due to care giving may differ as a result of properties of care demands. It is aimed to review the burden of caregivers in different medical and psychiatric care requiring conditions and to introduce differential aspects of caregiver burden in these different conditions

The interrelations of radiologic findings and mechanical ventilation in community acquired pneumonia patients admitted to the intensive care unit: a multicentre retrospective study

BACKGROUND: We evaluated patients admitted to the intensive care units with the diagnosis of community acquired pneumonia (CAP) regarding initial radiographic findings. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective study was held. Chest x ray (CXR) and computerized tomography (CT) findings and also their associations with the need of ventilator support were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 388 patients were enrolled. Consolidation was the main finding on CXR (89%) and CT (80%) examinations. Of all, 45% had multi-lobar involvement. Bilateral involvement was found in 40% and 44% on CXR and CT respectively. Abscesses and cavitations were rarely found. The highest correlation between CT and CXR findings was observed for interstitial involvement. More than 80% of patients needed ventilator support. Noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) requirement was seen to be more common in those with multi-lobar involvement on CXR as 2.4-fold and consolidation on CT as 47-fold compared with those who do not have these findings. Invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) need increased 8-fold in patients with multi-lobar involvement on CT. CONCLUSION: CXR and CT findings correlate up to a limit in terms of interstitial involvement but not in high percentages in other findings. CAP patients who are admitted to the ICU are severe cases frequently requiring ventilator support. Initial CT and CXR findings may indicate the need for ventilator support, but the assumed ongoing real practice is important and the value of radiologic evaluation beyond clinical findings to predict the mechanical ventilation need is subject for further evaluation with large patient series

The Investigation of the Antioxidative Properties of the Synthetic Organoselenium Compounds in Liver Tissue of Rat with Histological and Biochemical Analyses

Background: Oxidative stress is described as the formation of toxic effect due to the deficiency of cellular antioxidative level toward the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The excess production of ROS or the decrease in the antioxidative defense system could be the cause for oxidative stress. 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) that is known to be the major cause the increment in lipid peroxidation level and the oxidative damage in the rat liver. As a fundamental trace elements, selenium as a part of anti-oxidative defense system is responsible for the immune system as part of enzymes in defense system. Methods: Organoselenium compounds [1-isopropyl-3- methylbenzimidazole-2-selenone (Se I ) and 1, 3-di-pmethoxybenzylpyrimidine- 2-selenone (Se II)] that were prepared in the laboratories. The effects of synthetic organoselenium compounds (Se I and Se II) against DMBA-induced changes in levels of some [catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and glutathione reductase (GR) activities and total glutathione (GSH), malonedialdehyde (MDA)] parameters in rat liver were investigated. Histopathological changes in the liver tissues of rats were examined by light microscopy. Results: Because the selenium has an anti-oxidative properties toward the damaged induced cells, organoselenium compounds prepared in our laboratories, Se I and Se II, have tested for chemically induced rat liver tissues. The results showed that endogen antioxidant enzymatic activities changes and the preventing of oxidative damage in lipid peroxidation are important findings in vivo of this research. Conclusion: Various changes were observed in liver tissue of rats in the all experimental groups