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Aim: To digitally evaluate the marginal adaptation of different types of all‐ceramic crowns on two different marginal configurations such as Shoulder and Chamfer of the prepared teeth. Methods: The marginal fit of the crown specimens on the model of the prepared teeth were assessed using the dual scan replica technique. Two plastic teeth were prepared; one having a Shoulder finishing line (A), while the other with a Chamfer finish line (B). Three types of different all‐ceramic crowns, layered zirconia, monolithic zirconia, and pressed lithium disilicate, were fabricated for each prepared tooth (A) and (B). Measurements for assessing the marginal discrepancy were done on four designated points on the mesial, distal, buccal, and palatal surface of the superimposed image. Results: The average marginal gap was the largest in the layered zirconia group, followed by monolithic zirconia, while pressed lithium disilicate crowns showed the least marginal gaps. Crowns with Chamfer finish lines were better fitting (less marginal gap) than the shoulder finish lines across all the groups. Conclusions: Chamfer finish lines produced better fitting restorations, and heat‐pressed lithium disilicate crowns showed better adaptation at the margins than both layered zirconia and monolithic zirconia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional drug delivery system has serious limitations. These limitations can be overcome by using the smart materials to produce an effective drug delivery system. Corn starch cross-linked chitosan using potassium persulfate as an accelerator with different ratios of corn starch/chitosan blends were prepared as smart materials for drug delivery system. The hydroxyurea drug was loaded in smart materials blends to evaluate the efficacy of new materials on therapy of Rhabdomyosarcoma cancer cell line (RD). The FT-IR results revealed that the reaction was occurred between blends materials (starch/chitosan). SEM tests illustrated that the different morphologies were obtained in blend films surface. The rate of drug release was sensitive to pH and significantly increased at pH 2.2 as compared to pH 7.4. Furthermore, the percentage of swelling was higher in acidic solution than in neutral solution. It was concluded that the starch/chitosan smart materials may be suitable for medical applications like drug delivery system to RD cell line as confirmed by the availability and morphology test of RD cell line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dengue fever, a neglected tropical disease, exhibits a total seroprevalence of 27% in Sudan. During the recent outbreak, medical students actively participated in health education and community outreach programs. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of medical students regarding Dengue Fever (DF) during its current outbreak in Sudan., Design and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving medical students from more than 15 Sudanese universities, encompassing 11 states. Data collection took place between October 23 and November 10, 2023, utilizing a Google Form questionnaire. A convenient sampling technique was employed to reach students due to its accessibility and feasibility during the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Correlation and regression analyses were used to identify predictors of KAP and establish associations between KAP domains and socio-demographic factors., Results: Of 694 medical students, 11% reported a previous infection with DF. Among the participants, 58% demonstrated good knowledge, 74.1% exhibited a positive attitude, and less than half (46.7%) demonstrated good preventive practices. There was a positive correlation between knowledge and attitude levels with the practice level ( p  < 0.001). Gender, age, and previous DF infection emerged as significant predictors ( p  < 0.05) of the overall KAP level in multiple logistic regression., Conclusions: Our study revealed a commendable level of knowledge and attitude but a suboptimal level of practice regarding DF among medical students. This inadequacy in practice, particularly among medical students who are expected to set an example, is concerning and warrants further investigation., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2024.)