STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Poor wettability of denture relining materials may lead to retention problems and patient discomfort. PURPOSE: Purpose of this study is to compare and evaluate wettability of nine denture relining materials using contact angle measurements under air and water storage over time. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Nine denture relining materials were investigated in this study. Two heat-curing polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) denture base materials: Vertex RS, Lang, one self-curing polyethyl-methacrylate (PEMA) chairside reline resin: Rebase II, six silicone relining materials: Mucopren soft, Mucosoft, Mollosil(R) plus, Sofreliner Touch, GC Reline(TM) Ultrasoft, Silagum automix comfort were used in this experiment. Contact angles were measured using high-resolution drop shape analysis system (DSA 10-MK2, KRUESS, Germany) under three conditions (in air after setting, 1 hour water storage, and 24 hours water storage). Nine materials were classified into three groups according to material composition (Group 1: PMMA, Group 2: PEMA, Group 3: Silicone). Mean values of contact angles were compared using independent samples t-test and one-way ANOVA, followed by a Scheffe's post hoc analysis (alpha= 0.01). RESULTS: Contact angles of materials tested after air and water storage increased in the following order: Group 1 (PMMA), Group 2 (PEMA), Group 3 (Silicone). Heat-cured acrylic denture base resins had more wettability than silicone relining materials. Lang had the highest wettability after 24 hours of water storage. Silicone relining materials had lower wettability due to their hydrophobicity. Wettability of all denture relining materials, except Rebase II and Mollosil(R) plus, increased after 24 hours of water storage. CONCLUSIONS: Conventional heat-cured resin showed the highest wettability, therefore, it can be suggested that heat-cured acrylic resin is material of choice for denture relining materials.
Denture Bases ; Denture Rebasing ; Dentures ; Humans ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Retention (Psychology) ; Silicones ; Water ; Wettability

Astrocytes primarily maintain physiological brain homeostasis. However, under various pathological conditions, they can undergo morphological, transcriptomic, and functional transformations, collectively referred to as reactive astrogliosis.Recent studies have accumulated lines of evidence that reactive astrogliosis plays a crucial role in the pathology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In particular, monoamine oxidase B, a mitochondrial enzyme mainly expressed in astrocytes, significantly contributes to neuronal dysfunction and neurodegeneration in AD brains. Moreover, it has been reported that reactive astrogliosis precedes other pathological hallmarks such as amyloid-beta plaque deposition and tau tangle formation in AD.Due to the early onset and profound impact of reactive astrocytes on pathology, there have been extensive efforts in the past decade to visualize these cells in the brains of AD patients using positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. In this review, we summarize the recent studies regarding the essential pathological importance of reactive astrocytes in AD and their application as a target for PET imaging.

Purpose: To analyze the overall knowledge and attitude of healthcare providers regarding coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine recommendations for pregnant women and factors affecting these opinions in Korea. Methods: We conducted a nationwide survey study of obstetricians and gynecologists registered in the Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The knowledge, attitude, and factors affecting COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant women were investigated. Results: Among 258 participants, 182 (70.5%) answered that they recommended COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women, while 76 (29.5%) answered that they did not. The administrative district of the physician's healthcare center and knowledge regarding adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine were factors affecting opinions on vaccine recommendation. Physicians working in metropolitan cities were 7.3 times more likely to recommend COVID-19 vaccination to pregnant women than those working in Seoul. Physicians aware of the COVID-19 vaccine safety profiles in pregnant women were 25.36 times more likely to recommend vaccines than those who were not. A significantly higher proportion of the recommended group provided vaccine information to pregnant women compared to the nonrecommended group and also recommended booster shot vaccination. Guidelines from academic societies (70.9%) and from government and public centers (64.8%) were important factors in the recommendation group, while additional study results (57.1%) were important factors in the nonrecommendation group. This information will be useful for future reference regarding vaccine recommendations. Conclusion Providing guidelines and recent data regarding COVID-19 vaccination in pregnant populations to healthcare providers will promote obstetricians and gynecologists to recommend vaccination to pregnant patients and will thereby contribute to achieving herd immunity in Korea.