Superimposing digital arch scans onto cone beam computed tomography scans with metallic artifacts by applying a radiopaque occlusal registration material: A chairside dental technique.

Precise alignment between digital arch scans and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans is a crucial step in computer-aided implant planning and placement. However, clinicians frequently encounter challenges during this process when imaging patients with existing metal restorations or orthodontic devices, as these can introduce metallic artifacts on CBCT scans that lead to alignment deviations. The presented technique describes a straightforward approach using a radiopaque occlusal registration material as a radiographic marker to facilitate the alignment between digital arch scans and CBCT scans with metallic artifacts. This technique simplifies the clinical workflow by eliminating the need for additional radiographic templates or specialized devices, offering a cost-effective option for clinicians.

Sensitive and on-Site Detection of Staphylococcus aureus Based on CRISPR/Cas 13a-Assisted Chemiluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer.

Developing a specific, sensitive, rapid, and on-site method for detecting pathogenic bacteria in food samples is critical to ensuring public safety. This article demonstrates a CRISPR/Cas13a system and a chemiluminescence resonance energy transfer (CRET) (CRISPR/Cas 13a-assisted CRET)-based strategy for sensitive and on-site detection of pathogenic bacteria in real samples. Once the hybrid double strand of aptamerS. aureus-cRNA recognizes the target model bacteria of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), the released cRNA would bind with CRISPR/Cas 13a to form a complex of cRNA-CRISPR/Cas 13a, which could cleave the RNA molecule in the detecting probe of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) modified-gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) linked by RNA (AuNPs-RNA-HRP), resulting in an enhanced chemiluminescence signal due to the CRET "OFF" phenomenon after introducing the chemiluminescence substrate of luminol. The CRISPR/Cas 13a-assisted CRET strategy successfully detected S. aureus in drinking water and milk with detection limits of 20 and 30 cfu/mL, respectively, within the recovery of 90.07-105.50%. Furthermore, after integrating with an immunochromatographic test strip (ICTS), the CRISPR/Cas 13a-assisted CRET strategy achieved the on-site detection of as low as 102 cfu/mL of S. aureus in drinking water and milk via a smartphone, which is about 10 times lower than that in the previously reported AuNPs-based colorimetric ICTS, demonstrating a convenient and sensitive detection method for S. aureus in real samples.

Sagittal balance parameters measurement on cervical spine MR images based on superpixel segmentation.

Introduction: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is essential in diagnosing cervical spondylosis, providing detailed visualization of osseous and soft tissue structures in the cervical spine. However, manual measurements hinder the assessment of cervical spine sagittal balance, leading to time-consuming and error-prone processes. This study presents the Pyramid DBSCAN Simple Linear Iterative Cluster (PDB-SLIC), an automated segmentation algorithm for vertebral bodies in T2-weighted MR images, aiming to streamline sagittal balance assessment for spinal surgeons. Method: PDB-SLIC combines the SLIC superpixel segmentation algorithm with DBSCAN clustering and underwent rigorous testing using an extensive dataset of T2-weighted mid-sagittal MR images from 4,258 patients across ten hospitals in China. The efficacy of PDB-SLIC was compared against other algorithms and networks in terms of superpixel segmentation quality and vertebral body segmentation accuracy. Validation included a comparative analysis of manual and automated measurements of cervical sagittal parameters and scrutiny of PDB-SLIC's measurement stability across diverse hospital settings and MR scanning machines. Result: PDB-SLIC outperforms other algorithms in vertebral body segmentation quality, with high accuracy, recall, and Jaccard index. Minimal error deviation was observed compared to manual measurements, with correlation coefficients exceeding 95%. PDB-SLIC demonstrated commendable performance in processing cervical spine T2-weighted MR images from various hospital settings, MRI machines, and patient demographics. Discussion: The PDB-SLIC algorithm emerges as an accurate, objective, and efficient tool for evaluating cervical spine sagittal balance, providing valuable assistance to spinal surgeons in preoperative assessment, surgical strategy formulation, and prognostic inference. Additionally, it facilitates comprehensive measurement of sagittal balance parameters across diverse patient cohorts, contributing to the establishment of normative standards for cervical spine MR imaging.

Trueness evaluation of three intraoral scanners for the recording of maximal intercuspal position.

OBJECTIVES: This clinical study aimed to assess the trueness of three intraoral scanners for the recor-ding of the maximal intercuspal position (MIP) to provide a reference for clinical practice. METHODS: Ten participants with good occlusal relationship and healthy temporomandibular joint were recruited. For the control group, facebow transferring procedures were performed, and bite registrations at the MIP were used to transfer maxillary and mandibular casts to a mechanical articulator, which were then scanned with a laboratory scanner to obtain digital cast data. For the experimental groups, three intraoral scanners (Trios 3, Carestream 3600, and Aoralscan 3) were used to obtain digital casts of the participants at the MIP following the scanning workflows endorsed by the corresponding manufacturers. Subsequently, measurement points were marked on the control group's digital casts at the central incisors, canines, and first molars, and corresponding distances between these points on the maxillary and mandibular casts were measured to calculate the sum of measured distances (DA). Distances between measurement points in the incisor (DI), canine (DC), and first molar (DM) regions were also calculated. The control group's maxillary and mandibular digital casts with the added measurement points were aligned with the experimental group's casts, and DA, DI, DC, and DM values of the aligned control casts were determined. Statistical analysis was performed on DA, DI, DC, and DM obtained from both the control and experimental groups to evaluate the trueness of the three intraoral scanners for the recording of MIP. RESULTS: In the control group, DA, DI, DC, and DM values were (39.58±6.40), (13.64±3.58), (14.91±2.85), and (11.03±1.56) mm. The Trios 3 group had values of (38.99±6.60), (13.42±3.66), (14.55±2.87), and (11.03±1.69) mm. The Carestream 3600 group showed values of (38.57±6.36), (13.56±3.68), (14.45±2.85), and (10.55±1.41) mm, while the Aoralscan 3 group had values of (38.16±5.69), (13.03±3.54), (14.23±2.59), and (10.90±1.54) mm. Analysis of variance revealed no statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups for overall deviation DA (P=0.96), as well as local deviations DI (P=0.98), DC (P=0.96), and DM (P=0.89). CONCLUSIONS: With standardized scanning protocols, the three intraoral scanners demonstrated comparable trueness to traditional methods in recording MIP, fulfilling clinical requirements.

Digital cross-mounting of intraoral scan casts from a virtual articulator to a mechanical articulator by using a custom transfer plate: A dental technique.

With the development of digital dental technologies, a complete digital workflow without using physical casts has become possible. However, for certain clinical and dental laboratory procedures, especially in complex rehabilitation treatments, physically mounted casts in an ideal location in a mechanical articulator are still necessary for treatment planning and restoration fabrication. This technique report describes a digital approach to fabricating a custom transfer plate to cross mount intraoral scan casts from a virtual articulator to the corresponding mechanical articulator. This technique eliminates the need for conventional physical facebow transfer processes and offers a straightforward approach to integrating virtual procedures with analog workflows.

An investigation into the present status and influencing factors of nurse retention in grade-a tertiary general hospitals in Shanxi Province within the framework of the magnet hospital concept.

BACKGROUND: The attrition of nursing staff significantly contributes to the shortage of healthcare professionals. This study entailed an examination of the propensity of nurses to sustain employment within Grade-A tertiary general hospitals and the various influencing factors. METHODS: A total of 2,457 nurses from three grade-A tertiary general hospitals were surveyed. The survey instruments included a general information questionnaire, a scale measuring their willingness to continue working, and a Chinese version of the Magnet Hospital Factor scale. RESULTS: The scores of the willingness to continue working scale and the Magnet Hospital Factor scale were 21.53 ± 4.52 and 145.46 ± 25.82, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the scores of willingness of nurses to continue working across various factors, including the department, age, marital status, family location, length of service as nurses, professional title, position, and employment type, upon comparison (P < 0.001). The correlation analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between the willingness of nurses to continue working and the magnet hospital factors, with a correlation coefficient of 0.523 (P < 0.01). Regression analysis showed that department, length of service as nurses, professional title, position, average monthly income, number of night shifts, medical care relationship, educational support, and nursing manager support among the magnet hospital factors were important predictors of willingness to continue working (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The willingness of nurses to continue working in grade-A tertiary general hospitals in Shanxi Province was determined to be at an upper-middle level. The magnet status of grade-A tertiary general hospitals needs to be improved, and there are many factors that influenced willingness of nurses to continue working. To cultivate a more favorable environment and bolster nurse recruitment and retention, all healthcare institutions should strive to establish a magnet nursing environment, thereby fostering the robust development of the nursing team.

A novel isophorone-based NIR fluorescent and colormetric probe for Al3+ sensing and its application for living cells and plants imaging.

In this paper, an isophorone-based NIR fluorescent and colormetric probe BDDH for Al3+ was synthesized and characterized, it showed highly selectivity and sensitivity through significant fluorescence enhancement and visible color change towards Al3+. The job plot confirmed that the binding ratio of BDDH with Al3+ was 1:1. Furthermore, the limit of detection (LOD) of Al3+ was determined to be 4.01 × 10-8 M. Moreover, BDDH was successfully applicated in identification of Al3+ in the different water samples, cell imaging in alive MCF-7 cells and plant imaging in soybean roots.

Sedimentary characteristics of ion-adsorption rare earth elements and assessment of their resource reuse potential due to soil and water erosion in western Fujian.

With severe soil and water erosion, the crucial ion-adsorption rare earth elements (REEs) have attracted much global attention. REEs play a vital role in tracing material sources and exploring sedimentary characteristics due to their unique and stable geochemistry properties. In the present work, three representational possible redeposition areas in western Fujian were selected as the study areas. The geochemical characteristics of REEs in the sediments of the study areas were evaluated to elucidate that REEs are the products of soil and water erosion and to assess their redeposition characteristics. In the research results, the properties of the parent rocks shown in the samples, together with the negative correlation between the content of REEs in the samples and altitude as well as the relief degree on the land surface (RDLS), fully indicate that the sediments in the study areas are the products of migration caused by soil erosion and redeposition in the downstream areas. At the same time, according to the widely applicable standard of rare earth resources exploitation, that is the boundary grade of ion-adsorption rare earth ore in southern China (∑REE = 500 mg·kg-1), we found that the content of REEs in the study areas was close to or exceeded this standard, and the maximum ∑REE of Guozhai Reservoir (869.11 mg·kg-1) was much larger than this standard. Therefore, the redeposited rare earth in Changting Country has high reuse potential under the current scarce resources.

Evaluation of the accuracy of a fully digital method of measuring sagittal condylar inclination.

OBJECTIVES: This clinical study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of a fully digital technique for measuring sagittal condylar inclination (SCI), as well as validating whether differences existed between the left and right SCI values of the same participant, to provide a reference for clinical practice. METHODS: Ten participants with good occlusal relationship and normal temporomandibular joint were recruited. Three methods were used to measure the SCI values of the participants, namely, A (mechanical facebow transferring and mechanical articulator-based measuring method with physical protrusive interocclusal registration), B (face scan-based virtual facebow and virtual articulator-based measuring method with digital protrusive interocclusal registration), and C (jaw motion tracking system-based measuring method). With the group subjected to methods A and C as the control, the SCI values obtained by the three methods were statistically analyzed. The left and right SCI values of the same participant were also compared. RESULTS: The left and right SCI values measured by method A were 41.70°±7.09° and 42.80°±8.62°, those by method B were 35.09°±12.49° and 37.63°±12.10°, and those by method C were 39.43°±8.72° and 38.45°±6.91°. No significant difference existed among the SCI values measured by the three methods (P>0.05). Meanwhile, no statistical difference existed between the SCI values on the left and right sides of the same participant (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The accuracy of the virtual facebow and digital protrusive occlusal registration based SCI measuring method was the same as that of mechanical facebow based and jaw motion tracking system-based methods. The SCI values on the left and right sides of the same participant were similar. Clinically, an appropriate SCI measurement and setting strategy can be selected based on the actual situations.

Design, Synthesis, and Biological Activity of Novel Phenyltriazolinone PPO Inhibitors Containing Five-Membered Heterocycles.

Protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO, EC 1.3.3.4) catalyzes the oxidation of protoporphyrinogen IX to protoporphyrin IX, which is a key step in the synthesis of porphyrins in vivo. PPO inhibitors use protoporphyrinogen oxidase as the target and block the biosynthesis process of porphyrin by inhibiting the activity of the enzyme, eventually leading to plant death. In this paper, phenyl triazolinone was used as the parent structure, and the five-membered heterocycle with good herbicidal activity was introduced by using the principle of substructure splicing. According to the principle of bioisosterism, the sulfur atoms on the thiophene ring were replaced with oxygen atoms. Finally, 33 phenyl triazolinones and their derivatives were designed and synthesized, and their characterizations and biological activities were investigated. The in vitro PPO inhibitory activity and greenhouse herbicidal activity of 33 target compounds were determined, and compound D4 with better activity was screened out. The crop safety determination, field weeding effect determination, weeding spectrum determination, and crop metabolism study were carried out. The results showed that compound D4 showed good safety to corn, soybean, wheat, and peanut but poor selectivity to cotton. The field weeding effect of this compound is comparable to that of the commercial herbicide sulfentrazone. The herbicidal spectrum experiment showed that compound D4 had a wide herbicidal spectrum and a good growth inhibition effect on dicotyledonous weeds. Molecular docking results showed that compound D4 forms a hydrogen bond with amino acid residue Arg-98 in the tobacco mitochondria (mtPPO)-active pocket and forms two π-π stacking interactions with Phe-392. This indicates that compound D4 has stronger PPO inhibitory activity. This indicates that compound D4 has wide prospects for development.

[Urinary protein and renal pathological features in children with immunoglobulin A vasculitis with nephritis and hypercoagulability]. / 儿童IgAè¡€ç®¡ç‚Žè‚¾ç‚Žä¼´é«˜å‡çŠ¶æ€çš„å°¿è›‹ç™½å’Œè‚¾è„ç— ç†ç‰¹å¾åˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: To study the association of hypercoagulability with urinary protein and renal pathological damage in children with immunoglobulin A vasculitis with nephritis (IgAVN). METHODS: Based on the results of coagulation function, 349 children with IgAVN were divided into a hypercoagulability group consisting of 52 children and a non-hypercoagulability group consisting of 297 children. Urinary protein and renal pathological features were compared between the two groups, and the factors influencing the formation of hypercoagulability in children with IgAVN were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with the non-hypercoagulability group, the hypercoagulability group had significantly higher levels of urinary erythrocyte count, 24-hour urinary protein, urinary protein/creatinine, urinary immunoglobulin G/creatinine, and urinary N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosaminidase (P<0.05). The hypercoagulability group also had a significantly higher proportion of children with a renal pathological grade of III-IV, diffuse mesangial proliferation, capillary endothelial cell proliferation, or >25% crescent formation (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that capillary endothelial cell proliferation and glomerular crescent formation >25% were associated with the formation of hypercoagulability in children with IgAVN (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The renal injury in IgAVN children with hypercoagulability is more severe, with greater than 25% crescent formation and increased proliferation of glomerular endothelial cells being important contributing factors that exacerbate the hypercoagulable state in IgAVN.

Dynamical interplay between superconductivity and pseudogap in cuprates as revealed by terahertz third-harmonic generation spectroscopy.

We report on nonlinear terahertz third-harmonic generation (THG) measurements on YBa2Cu3O6+x thin films. Different from conventional superconductors, the THG signal starts to appear in the normal state, which is consistent with the crossover temperature T* of pseudogap over broad doping levels. Upon lowering the temperature, the THG signal shows an anomaly just below Tc in the optimally doped sample. Notably, we observe a beat pattern directly in the measured real-time waveform of the THG signal. We elaborate that the Higgs mode, which develops below Tc, couples to the mode already developed below T*, resulting in an energy level splitting. However, this coupling effect is not evident in underdoped samples. We explore different potential explanations for the observed phenomena. Our research offers valuable insight into the interplay between superconductivity and pseudogap.

A digital approach to fabricating a custom holder for the attachment of a mandibular sensor of an optical jaw motion tracking system: A dental technique.

A digital approach to fabricating a custom holder to attach a mandibular sensor of an optical jaw motion tracking system is described. Typically, jaw motion tracking systems come with standard holders. However, additional chairside time is still required to adapt the holder's arm to the individual arch and securely attach the holder to the mandibular teeth. Moreover, the placement of the standard holder is problematic in patients with a deep vertical overlap or with short clinical crowns. This technique offers a digital approach to designing and fabricating a custom holder in situations where standard holders cannot be efficiently attached. The custom holder is designed to accommodate the available space without interfering with the occlusion, thereby minimizing the time needed to attach the holder and optimizing the workflow for clinical jaw motion tracking.

Acupuncture for primary insomnia: Effectiveness, safety, mechanisms and recommendations for clinical practice.

Primary insomnia (PI) is an increasing concern in modern society. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia is the first-line recommendation, yet limited availability and cost impede its widespread use. While hypnotics are frequently used, balancing their benefits against the risk of adverse events poses challenges. This review summarizes the clinical and preclinical evidence of acupuncture as a treatment for PI, discussing its potential mechanisms and role in reliving insomnia. Clinical trials show that acupuncture improves subjective sleep quality, fatigue, cognitive impairments, and emotional symptoms with minimal adverse events. It also positively impacts objective sleep processes, including prolonging total sleep time, improving sleep efficiency, reducing sleep onset latency and wake after sleep onset, and enhancing sleep architecture/structure, including increasing N3% and REM%, and decreasing N1%. However, methodological shortcomings in some trials diminish the overall quality of evidence. Animal studies suggest that acupuncture restores circadian rhythms in sleep-deprived rodents and improves their performance in behavioral tests, possibly mediated by various clinical variables and pathways. These may involve neurotransmitters, brain-derived neurotrophic factors, inflammatory cytokines, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, gut microbiota, and other cellular events. While the existing findings support acupuncture as a promising therapeutic strategy for PI, additional high-quality trials are required to validate its benefits.

[Association between maternal zinc intake and preterm birth in Gansu Province in 2010-2012].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association between maternal dietary zinc levels at different stages and preterm birth. METHODS: The subjects were from the 2010-2012 birth cohort of Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Gansu Province, and a total of 10 179 pregnant women were included in the final study. Dietary information before and during pregnancy was collected through semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and daily zinc intake in each period was estimated according to the frequency of consumption and portion size of food items using the Chinese Standard Tables of Food Consumption. Logistic regression was used to analyze the OR value of preterm birth under different maternal dietary zinc levels. RESULTS: The detection rate of preterm birth was 10.0%, of which 81.8% were moderate preterm, 18.3% were very preterm, 33.2% were medically indicated preterm and 66.8% were spontaneous preterm birth. After adjusting for general conditions such as maternal age, education level, and history of preterm birth, compared with the group with the highest zinc intake before and during pregnancy, those with low zinc intake before or during pregnancy had a significantly higher risk of moderate, very, and spontaneous preterm birth. After further controlled of folic acid and fiber intake during pregnancy, compared with the group with the highest zinc intake before and during pregnancy, the risk of very preterm birth(OR=2.04, 95%CI 1.07-3.90) and spontaneous preterm birth(OR=1.38, 95%CI 1.01-1.88) was significantly increased in those with the lowest zinc intake during the third trimester. For pregnant women aged≥30 years(OR=1.55, 95%CI 1.12-2.13) and normal or less normal weight gain during pregnancy(OR=1.51, 95%CI 1.15-1.97), insufficient zinc intake was significantly associated with preterm birth. CONCLUSION: Maternal low dietary zinc intake during the third trimester was associated with very premature and spontaneous preterm birth.

Identifying complementary and alternative medicine recommendations for anxiety treatment and care: a systematic review and critical assessment of comprehensive clinical practice guidelines.

Background: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are used to guide decision-making, especially regarding complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies that are unfamiliar to orthodox healthcare providers. This systematic review aimed to critically review and summarise CAM recommendations associated with anxiety management included in the existing CPGs. Methods: Seven databases, websites of six international guidelines developing institutions, and the National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health website were systematically searched. Their reporting and methodological quality were evaluated using the Reporting Items for practice Guidelines in Healthcare checklist and the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (2nd version) instrument, respectively. Results: Ten CPGs were included, with reporting rates between 51.4 and 88.6%. Seven of these were of moderate to high methodological quality. Seventeen CAM modalities were implicated, involving phytotherapeutics, mind-body practice, art therapy, and homeopathy. Applied relaxation was included in 70% CPGs, which varied in degree of support for its use in the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder. There were few recommendations for other therapies/products. Light therapy was not recommended for use in generalised anxiety disorder, and St John's wort and mindfulness were not recommended for use in social anxiety disorder in individual guidelines. Recommendations for the applicability of other therapies/products for treating a specific anxiety disorder were commonly graded as "unclear, unambiguous, or uncertain". No CAM recommendations were provided for separation anxiety disorder, specific phobia or selective mutism. Conclusion: Available guidelines are limited in providing logically explained graded CAM recommendations for anxiety treatment and care. A lack of high-quality evidence and multidisciplinary consultation during the guideline development are two major reasons. High quality and reliable clinical evidence and the engagement of a range of interdisciplinary stakeholders are needed for future CPG development and updating. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022373694, identifier CRD42022373694.

Tissue adhesive indocyanine green-locking granular gel-mediated photothermal therapy combined with checkpoint inhibitor for preventing postsurgical recurrence and metastasis of colorectal cancer.

Developing effective therapy to inhibit postoperative recurrence and metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) is challenging and significant to reduce mortality and morbidity. Here, a granular hydrogel, assembled from gelatin microgels by dialdehyde starch and interpenetrated with in situ polymerized poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate-co-N-isopropylacrylamide) (P(SBMA-co-NIPAM)), is prepared to load and lock Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indocyanine green (ICG) with definite photothermal function and biosafety for photothermal therapy (PTT) combining with checkpoint inhibitor. The presence of P(SBMA-co-NIPAM) endows granular hydrogel with high retention to water-soluble ICG, preventing easy diffusion and rapid scavenging of ICG. The ICG-locking granular hydrogel can be spread and adhered onto the surgery site at wet state in vivo, exerting a persistent and stable PTT effect. Combined with αPD-L1 treatment, ICG-locking granular hydrogel-mediated PTT can eradicate postsurgery residual and metastatic tumors, and prevent long-term tumor recurrence. Further mechanistic studies indicate that combination treatment effectively promotes dendritic cells maturation in lymph nodes, enhances the number and infiltration of CD8+ T and CD4+ T cells in tumor tissue, and improves memory T cell number in spleen, thus activating the antitumor immune response. Overall, ICG-locking gel-mediated PTT is expected to exhibit broad clinical applications in postoperative treatment of cancers, like CRC.

Dynamic changes in cardiac morphology, function, and diffuse myocardial fibrosis duration of diabetes in type 1 and type 2 diabetic mice models using 7.0 T CMR and echocardiography.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Hence, early detection of cardiac changes by imaging is crucial to reducing cardiovascular complications. Purpose: Early detection of cardiac changes is crucial to reducing cardiovascular complications. The study aimed to detect the dynamic change in cardiac morphology, function, and diffuse myocardial fibrosis(DMF) associated with T1DM and T2DM mice models. Materials and methods: 4-week-old C57Bl/6J male mice were randomly divided into control (n=30), T1DM (n=30), and T2DM (n=30) groups. A longitudinal study was conducted every 4 weeks using serial 7.0T CMR and echocardiography imaging. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LV EF), tissue tracking parameters, and DMF were measured by cine CMR and extracellular volume fraction (ECV). Global peak circumferential strain (GCPS), peak systolic strain rate (GCPSSR) values were acquired by CMR feature tracking. LV diastolic function parameter (E/E') was acquired by echocardiography. The correlations between the ECV and cardiac function parameters were assessed by Pearson's test. Results: A total of 6 mice were included every 4 weeks in control, T1DM, and T2DM groups for analysis. Compared to control group, an increase was detected in the LV mass and E/E' ratio, while the values of GCPS, GCPSSR decreased mildly in DM. Compared to T2DM group, GCPS and GCPSSR decreased earlier in T1DM(GCPS 12W,P=0.004; GCPSSR 12W,P=0.04). ECV values showed a significant correlation with GCPS and GCPSSR in DM groups. Moreover, ECV values showed a strong positive correlation with E/E'(T1DM,r=0.757,P<0.001;T2DM, r=0.811,P<0.001). Conclusion: The combination of ECV and cardiac mechanical parameters provide imaging biomakers for pathophysiology, early diagnosis of cardiac morphology, function and early intervention in diabetic cardiomyopathy in the future.

A digital approach to create a virtual implant preliminary cast for the fabrication of a splinted framework and custom open tray for multiple implants impression making: A dental technique.

A digital approach is described for fabricating a splinted framework and custom open tray for the impression of multiple implants based on a virtually created implant cast with the digital prediction of the future impression coping positions. In this technique, impression copings to be used in the definitive impression-making process were digitally scanned and aligned to a preliminary cast using installed protective caps of screw-retained abutments as references, which resulted in a virtual cast that offers information both about the impression coping positions and their surrounding tissues and could allow a splinted framework and custom open tray to be digitally designed and fabricated. Creation of a virtual cast through digital technologies eliminates the traditional manual splinted framework and custom tray fabrication procedures. Additionally, only one set of impression copings and analogs is needed in this technique, thereby reducing treatment time and cost. It also offers a splinted framework and custom open tray with consistent quality.