<p>The purpose of the present study was to compare the marginal integrity of resin modified glass ionomer cement with that of resin sealant, <em>in vitro</em>. Forty artificial pit and fissure cavities were prepared in occlusal surface of extracted premolar teeth by using ¼ round carbide bur. Cavities were condensed with artificial organic debris followed by cleaning with prophylaxis pumice brush and paste and then separated into two treatment groups. In Group A, 15 fissure cavities were sealed by resin sealant and in Group B, 15 fissure cavities were sealed by resin modified glass ionomer sealant. These specimens were subjected to thermo-cycling followed by dye penetration test. The remaining 5 cavities from each group were analyzed for debris score by the SEM. The results of the microleakage test showed that the efficacy of preventing microleakage of samples sealed by resin modified glass ionomer sealant was higher than the samples sealed by resin sealant. However, no significant differences were found. It can be concluded that use of resin modified glass ionomer sealant is a good alternative for sealing pits and fissures.</p>

Background: As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to escalate, it is important to identify the prognostic factors related to increased mortality and disease severity. To assess the possible associations of vitamin D level with disease severity and survival, we studied 248 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in a single center in a prospective observational study from October 2020 to May 2021 in Tehran, Iran. Methods: Patients who had a record of their 25-hydroxyvitamin D level measured in the previous year before testing positive with COVID-19 were included. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was measured upon admission in COVID-19 patients. The associations between clinical outcomes of patients and 25-hydroxyvitamin D level were assessed by adjusting for potential confounders and estimating a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: The median (interquartile range) age of patients was 60 years (44–74 years), and 53% were male. The median serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level prior to admission decreased with increasing COVID-19 severity (P=0.009). Similar findings were obtained when comparing median serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D on admission between moderate and severe patients (P=0.014). A univariate logistic regression model showed that vitamin D deficiency prior to COVID-19 was associated with a significant increase in the odds of mortality (odds ratio, 2.01; P=0.041). The Multivariate Cox model showed that vitamin D deficiency on admission was associated with a significant increase in risk for mortality (hazard ratio, 2.35; P=0.019).Conclusions: Based on our results, it is likely that deficient vitamin D status is associated with increased mortality in COVID-19 patients. Thus, evaluating vitamin D level in COVID-19 patients is warranted.

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Background. Inconsistent findings have been reported for associations between dietary indices and bacterial vaginosis (BV). The aim of this study was to examine the association of dietary glycemic index (DGI), glycemic load (DGL), insulin index (DII), and insulin load (DIL) with BV among Iranian women. Methods. The current case-control study consisted of 144 new cases of BV and 151 controls. The diagnosis of BV was made based on the Amsel criterion in hospital clinics in Tehran, Iran, from November 2020 until June 2021. DGI, DGL, DII, and DIL were calculated from a validated semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. The association between dietary carbohydrate indices and odds of BV were assessed adjusting for potential confounders through an estimation of two multivariate regression models. Results. The multivariate adjusted odds ratio (OR) comparing the highest tertile of dietary DGI and DGL with the lower tertile was 2.99 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.47–6.81; P trend = 0.003 ) and 4.01 (95% CI: 1.22–5.91; P trend = 0.029 ), respectively. In a fully adjusted model, the top tertile of dietary fiber compared to the bottom was associated with 88% (95% CI: 0.14-0.33) lower odds of BV ( P trend < 0.001 ). DII and DIL were not significantly associated with odds of BV in both crude and adjusted regression models. Conclusion. The findings support the hypothesis of moderate, direct associations between DGI or DGL and BV. Also, a diet high in fiber decreases odds of BV.

Background: Malnutrition is a potentially costly problem in critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationships between the Onodera's prognostic nutritional index (OPNI) and intestinal permeability and between OPNI and systemic inflammation in critically ill patients.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the general ICU of a university-affiliated hospita l. A total of 162 ICU-hospitalized adult patients admitted between May 2018 and December 2019, was in cluded in the study sample. The OPNI was calculated at admission and categorized as ≤40 or >40. We ass essed plasma endotoxin and zonulin concentrations as markers of intestinal permeability as well as serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) as markers of systemic inflammatio n upon admission under stringent conditions. The relationships between these markers and OPNI were ass essed after adjusting for potential confounders through estimation of a binary logistic regression model.Results: Median (interquartile range) hs-CRP, IL-6 zonulin, and endotoxin were significantly greater in t he low OPNI subgroup than in the high OPNI subgroup (all P<0.05). Multivariate analyses showed signifi cant association between serum IL-6 (odds ratio [OR], 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64-0.96), ser um hs-CRP (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.53-0.92), plasma endotoxin (OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.72-0.93), and plasm a zonulin (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.75-0.98) levels with OPNI in the overall population. Conclusions:Our results provide evidence that higher plasma endotoxin, zonulin, IL-6, and hs-CRP level s are associated with progressively lower OPNI in mixed ICU populations, particularly in surgical ICU pa tients.