Search Results (5)

Background/Objectives: The long-term clinical success of dental luting cements largely depends on their mechanical performance. This study systematically compared six commonly used definitive dental cements by assessing key mechanical characteristics such as compressive strength and fatigue resistance. Methods: The tested materials included Adhesor Zinc Phosphate (AphC), Harvard Zinc Phosphate (HphC), polycarboxylate cement (CaC), glass ionomer cement (GIC), resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC), and resin cement (ReC). Both static and dynamic compressive load tests were performed using an Instron ElectroPuls E3000 dynamic testing instrument. During static testing, 77 samples were subjected to an increasing load up to 1500 N. Dynamic tests on 78 samples involved cyclic loading over seven phases from 50 N to 1600 N, with 1500 cycles per phase at 10 Hz. Results: Static load results indicated that GIC, CaC, and phosphate cements exhibited similar performance and were significantly weaker compared to RMGIC and ReC. In the dynamic fatigue tests, most ReC and RMGIC samples maintained integrity throughout the entire protocol, demonstrating markedly superior mechanical reliability. Finite element analysis (FEA) further confirmed the experimental observations, revealing more homogenous stress distribution and lower peak stresses in ReC and RMGIC compared with the conventional cements. Conclusions: Overall, the resin-based and resin-modified glass ionomer cements showed the highest compressive strength and fatigue resistance, indicating superior long-term mechanical stability compared to the conventional cements. These findings support the clinical use of resin-based cements as reliable luting agents for definitive fixation in high-load prosthodontic applications. Full article

This article explores the significance of context in defining death, particularly through the lens of the Harvard definition and the critiques offered by Josef Seifert. The Harvard definition, established in 1968, is examined within its medical context, highlighting how it reflects pragmatic interests and raises critical questions about the boundaries between life and death. Seifert’s critiques focus on the reductionist nature of equating personhood with consciousness, emphasizing the need for a broader understanding of life indicators beyond mere physiological functions. The article also discusses the social implications of medicalization in the dying process. Furthermore, it addresses the challenges posed by the cessation of brain function as a criterion for death, contrasting it with more observable signs of life such as breathing and heartbeat. Ultimately, the article argues for a more nuanced understanding of death that incorporates social, cultural, and ethical dimensions, advocating for ongoing dialogue and potential revisions of death definitions to reflect the complexities of human experience. This comprehensive approach aims to bridge the gap between medical definitions and the lived realities of individuals facing death. Full article

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), beginning in December 2019, has spread worldwide, leading to the death of millions. Owing to the absence of definitive treatment, vaccination against COVID-19 emerged as an effective strategy against the spread of the pandemic. Acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine has advanced considerably, and vaccine-related research has significantly increased over the past three years. This study aimed to evaluate the content and external characteristics of COVID-19 vaccine-related literature for tracking research trends related to the global COVID-19 vaccine with the means of bibliometrics and visualization maps. A total of 18,285 records in 3499 journals were retrieved in the Web of Science Core Collection database and included in the final analysis. China was the first to focus on COVID-19 vaccine research, while European and American countries started late but developed rapidly. The USA and the UK are the top contributors to COVID-19 vaccine development, with the largest number of publications. The University of Washington and Harvard Medical School were the leading institutions, while Krammer, F. from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai was the author most active and influential to the topic. The New England Journal of Medicine had the highest number of citations and the highest TLS, and was the most cited and influential journal in the field of COVID-19 vaccine research. COVID-19 vaccine research topics and hotspots focused on populations’ attitudes towards vaccination, immunity-related information analysis of spike proteins, the effectiveness and side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, and the public management of epidemic transmission. The findings of this study provide the global status, research hotspots and potential trends in the field of COVID-19 vaccine research, which will assist researchers in mastering the knowledge structure, and evaluating and guiding future developmental directions of COVID-19 vaccine Full article

This study explores the present state of teaching Interfaith/Interreligious Relations at universities in the Arab Middle East. First, it considers the definition and various approaches to teaching Interfaith Relations by leading proponents of Interreligious Studies in the West such as Oddbjørn Leirvik and Marianne Moyaert within a theoretical framework that is sensitive to the Arab Middle Eastern context. It explores several key factors in Arab society that have prevented the teaching of Interfaith Relations in universities. The discussion then turns to the unique Dar Al-Kalima University (Palestine) Interreligious Dialogue Inter-Regional Curriculum initiative and its significance for teaching Interfaith Relations in the university. Finally, the study examines the case study method of teaching developed by Diana Eck at Harvard University, which can be adapted to a Middle Eastern context and offers two unique case studies for university teachers. Full article

Proponents of capital punishment in the United States frequently cite the evolution from electrocution and hanging to lethal injection as an indication that the evolving standards of decency exhibited by such a transition demonstrate a respect for human dignity. This essay examines that claim by evaluating two standards for assessing whether an act comports with accepted definitions of human dignity: a personal-achievement model, based on work by economist Amartya Sen of Harvard University, and a universal and intrinsic approach to human dignity articulated by criminologist Robert Johnson of the American University. We evaluate Sen’s capabilities model through the lens of a condemned prisoner’s ability to achieve self-defined goals. We then assess Johnson’s claim that preserving human dignity requires an elimination of the death penalty, irrespective of any prisoner’s ability to lead a restricted, albeit goal-directed, existence. Full article