Strong yet ductile nanolamellar high-entropy alloys by additive manufacturing.

Additive manufacturing produces net-shaped components layer by layer for engineering applications1-7. The additive manufacture of metal alloys by laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) involves large temperature gradients and rapid cooling2,6, which enables microstructural refinement at the nanoscale to achieve high strength. However, high-strength nanostructured alloys produced by laser additive manufacturing often have limited ductility3. Here we use L-PBF to print dual-phase nanolamellar high-entropy alloys (HEAs) of AlCoCrFeNi2.1 that exhibit a combination of a high yield strength of about 1.3 gigapascals and a large uniform elongation of about 14 per cent, which surpasses those of other state-of-the-art additively manufactured metal alloys. The high yield strength stems from the strong strengthening effects of the dual-phase structures that consist of alternating face-centred cubic and body-centred cubic nanolamellae; the body-centred cubic nanolamellae exhibit higher strengths and higher hardening rates than the face-centred cubic nanolamellae. The large tensile ductility arises owing to the high work-hardening capability of the as-printed hierarchical microstructures in the form of dual-phase nanolamellae embedded in microscale eutectic colonies, which have nearly random orientations to promote isotropic mechanical properties. The mechanistic insights into the deformation behaviour of additively manufactured HEAs have broad implications for the development of hierarchical, dual- and multi-phase, nanostructured alloys with exceptional mechanical properties.

Greenhouse cultivation enhances pesticide bioaccumulation in cowpeas following repeated spraying.

Understanding pesticide residue patterns in crops is important for ensuring human health. However, data on residue accumulation and distribution in cowpeas grown in the greenhouse and open field are lacking. Our results suggest that acetamiprid, chlorantraniliprole, cyromazine, and thiamethoxam residues in greenhouse cowpeas were 1.03-15.32 times higher than those in open field cowpeas. Moreover, repeated spraying contributed to the accumulation of pesticide residues in cowpeas. Clothianidin, a thiamethoxam metabolite, was detected at 1.04-86.00 µg/kg in cowpeas. Pesticide residues in old cowpeas were higher than those in tender cowpeas, and the lower half of the plants had higher pesticide residues than did the upper half. Moreover, pesticide residues differed between the upper and lower halves of the same cowpea pod. Chronic and acute dietary risk assessments indicated that the human health risk was within acceptable levels of cowpea consumption. Given their high residue levels and potential accumulation, pesticides in cowpeas should be continuously assessed.

[Gualou Xiebai Banxia Decoction treats type 2 diabetes mellitus combined with acute myocardial infarction via chemerin/ CMKLR1/PPARα signaling pathway].

This study aims to investigate the effects of Gualou Xiebai Banxia Decoction(GXBD) on type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) combined with acute myocardial infarction(AMI) in rats via chemerin/chemokine-like receptor 1(CMKLR1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α(PPARα) signaling pathway, and to explore the mechanism of GXBD in alleviating glucose and lipid metabolism disorders. The SD rats were randomized into control, model, positive control, and low-and high-dose GXBD groups. The rat model of T2DM was established by administration with high-fat emulsion(HFE) by gavage and intraperitoneal injection with streptozotocin, and then coronary artery ligation was performed to induce AMI. The control and model groups were administrated with the equal volume of normal saline, and other groups were administrated with corresponding drugs by gavage. Changes in relevant metabolic indicators were assessed by ELISA and biochemical assays, and the protein levels of chemerin, CMKLR1, and PPARα in the liver, abdominal fat, and heart were determined by Western blot. The results showed that GXBD alleviated the myocardial damage and reduced the levels of blood lipids, myocardial enzymes, and inflammatory cytokines, while it did not lead to significant changes in blood glucose. Compared with the model group, GXBD down-regulated the expression of chemerin in peripheral blood and up-regulated the expression of cyclic adenosine monophosphate(cAMP) and protein kinase A(PKA) in the liver. After treatment with GXBD, the protein levels of chemerin and CMKLR1 in the liver, abdominal fat, and heart were down-regulated, while the protein levels of PPARα in the liver and abdominal fat were up-regulated. In conclusion, GXBD significantly ameliorated the disorders of glycolipid metabolism in the T2DM-AMI model by regulating the chemerin/CMKLR1/PPARα signaling pathway to exert a protective effect on the damaged myocardium. This study provides a theoretical basis for further clinical study of GXBD against T2DM-AMI and is a manifestation of TCM treatment of phlegm and turbidity causing obstruction at the protein level.

Characterization of Fritillariae cirrhosae bulbus from multiple sources by potential Q-marker based on metabolomics and network pharmacology.

RATIONALE: Fritillaria cirrhosae bulbus (BFC), a typical traditional Chinese medicine with multiple botanical sources, has been used for relieving cough and reducing sputum. Studies have shown that there were obvious differences in the chemical compositions and clinical efficacy of different sources of BFC. How to characterise BFC from botanical sources accurately and quickly is vital for drug quality evaluation and clinical applications. METHODS: In the present study, an integrated strategy of plant metabolomics combined with the target network pharmacology was developed to characterise BFC. Plant metabolomics analysis was performed to screen out the chemical markers of six species of BFC. Then, target network pharmacology was applied to explore the relationship between chemical markers and related diseases. Finally, potential Q-markers for species characterization were selected by combined analysis of plant metabolomics and the target network pharmacology. RESULTS: A total of 67 Fritillaria alkaloid compounds were identified. Six species showed clear characterization by multivariate statistical analysis, resulting in 12 chemical markers. Meanwhile, a total of nine components related to asthma were screened out based on the target network pharmacology. Taking content difference and pharmacological activity into consideration, nine constituents were selected as potential Q-markers. CONCLUSION: The method developed provided not only a standard protocol for characterising different species of BFC directly, but also an effective approach for multisource medicines discrimination.

Identification of two galectin-4 proteins (PcGal4-L and PcGal4-L-CRD) and their function in AMP expression in Procambarus clarkii.

Galectins, a family of lectins that bind to ß-galactoside, possess conserved carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs) and play a crucial role in recognizing and eliminating pathogens in invertebrates. Two galectin-4 genes (PcGal4) isoforms, named PcGal4-L and PcGal4-L-CRD, were cloned from the cDNA library of Procambarus clarkia in our study. PcGal4-L contains an open reading frame (ORF, 1089 bp), which encodes a protein consisting of 362 amino acids including a single CRD and six low complexity regions. The full-length cDNA of PcGal4-L-CRD contains a 483 bp ORF that encodes a protein of 160 amino acids, with a single CRD and a low-complexity region. The difference between the two PcGal4 isoforms is that PcGal4-L has 202 additional amino acids after the CRD compared to the PcGal4-L-CRD. These two isoforms are grouped together with other galectins from crustaceans through phylogenetic analysis. Further study revealed that total PcGal4 (including PcGal4-L and PcGal4-L-CRD) was primarily expressed in the muscle, gills and intestine. The mRNA levels of total PcGal4 in gills and hemocytes were significantly induced after challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila. Both recombinant PcGal4-L and its spliced isoform, PcGal4-L-CRD, could directly bind to lipopolysaccharides, peptidoglycan and five tested microorganisms, inducing a wide spectrum of microbial agglutination. The spliced isoform PcGal4-L-CRD showed a stronger binding ability than PcGal4-L. In addition, when the PcGal4 was knockdown, transcriptions of seven antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) genes (ALF5, ALF6, ALF8, CRU1, CRU2, CRU3 and CRU4) in gills and seven AMPs genes (ALF5, ALF6, ALF8, ALF9, CRU1, CRU3 and CRU4) in hemocytes were significantly decreased. Meanwhile, the survival rate of P. clarkii decreased in the PcGal4-dsRNA group. In summary, these results indicate that PcGal4 can mediate the innate immunity in P. clarkii by bacterial recognition and agglutination, as well as regulating AMP expression, thus recognition and understanding of the functions of galectin in crustaceans in immune resistance.

An integrative method based on UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS combined with metabolomics to authenticate Isodon rubescens.

Genuine regional drugs have played a vital role in clinical use for a long time. There are differences in traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) from different regions based on their chemical composition. Differences in chemical composition may lead to deviations in therapeutic effects. To our knowledge, to date, there are no effective methods for distinguishing genuine regional drugs based on the differences in their chemical composition. Therefore, establishing an analytical platform for distinguishing the compounds used in TCM from various geographical locations is essential. In this work, an integrated platform based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS combined with plant metabolomics approach was established for comprehensively distinguishing genuine regional drugs. Isodon rubescens (Hemsl.) Hara, a widely used herbal medicine of China, was chosen for this study and 24 samples from four geographical locations in China were collected. A total of 60 ent-kaurane diterpenoids were tentatively identified, and then the samples from four geographical origins were distinguished using PCA (principal component analysis) and PLS-DA (partial least squares discrimination analysis). Different compounds were identified among the samples collected from the four geographical locations, and 12 of them were regarded as marker compounds responsible for the distinction. Our study highlights the essence and predictive ability of metabolomics in detecting minute differences in the same varieties of TCM samples based on the levels and compositions of their metabolites. These results showed that the analysis using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS combined with metabolomics could be applied to distinguish the geographical origins and varieties of TCM.

A Capacitively-Fed Inverted-F Antenna for Displacement Detection in Structural Health Monitoring.

This paper presents a capacitive displacement sensor based on a capacitively fed inverted-F antenna (CFIFA) for displacement detection. The sensor is composed of a grounded L-shape patch and a rectangular upper patch, forming a capacitor between them. The asymmetric dipole model is adopted to explain the frequency shift and current distribution of the proposed antenna sensor at its first-order resonance. The numerical simulation of the CFIFA using the Ansoft high-frequency structure simulator (HFSS) software is carried out to optimize the dimensional parameters, allowing the antenna to perform better. Two sets of CFIFAs are fabricated and tested for verification. Results show that the CFIFA has a good linear relationship between its first resonant frequency and the relative displacement, and is capable of a long range of displacement measuring.

Long-Range Displacement Meters Based on Chipped Circular Patch Antenna.

This paper presents a passive wireless long-range displacement sensor that is based on the circular patch antenna, and the detecting range of the sensor can be customized. The sensor consists of a chipped circular antenna with two opened rectangular windows, a substrate, and a ground plate with a sloping channel. No bonding between the antenna and the ground plate allows for the chipped antenna to slide along the sloping channel. The channel will drive the current flow on the plate once the chip is activated, increasing the effective electrical length and, consequently, decreasing the resonant frequency of the circular antenna. The sensing mechanism equates the measuring displacement to the relative movement of the antenna with respect to the ground that achieves the measurement of long-range displacement and, thus, the proposed sensor can avoid stress damage to the antenna due to excessive deformation. Three different range sensors were simulated in the the Ansoft high frequency structure simulator (HFSS). The results show that the resonance frequency of the antenna has a linear relationship with the varying chute depth beneath the chip. Three sensors were fabricated, and the experimental results also validated that the sensitivity of the sensor can be adjusted.

Dissipation of Emamectin Benzoate Residues in Rice and Rice-Growing Environments.

The experiment developed the ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS/MS) method for testing emamectin benzoate, and studied the metabolism of emamectin benzoate in rice plants and rice-growing environments via application of this testing method. The dissipation curve of emamectin benzoate standard substance was good at 0.5-200 µg L-1, and its correlation coefficient was greater than 0.99. In the concentration range of 0.1-50 µg kg-1, the average recovery rate of plants, soil, and field water was 82 %-102 %, and relative standard deviation (RSD) was between 0.3 % and 15.9 %. Half-lives in rice plants and soil were 0.8-2.8 days and 1.9-3.8 days, respectively, and emamectin benzoate was not detected in rice or rice hull. The experiment showed that emamectin benzoate is harmless to human health at the concentration recommended by the manufacturer.

Determination and risk assessment of sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in vegetables.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a group of organic environmental pollutants posing a potential risk to human health. This study was constructed to investigate the presence of 16 PAHs in six commonly consumed vegetables collected from the markets in Shandong, China by a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, safe (QuEChERS)-based extraction method coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Our results showed that the vegetables were polluted with PAHs at an alarming level, of which celery contained the highest total concentration of PAHs (Σ16 PAH), whereas cucumbers contained the lowest Σ16 PAH. Besides, the dietary exposure of PAHs was assessed in these vegetables based on the maximum Σ16 PAH. The results showed that the populations in Shandong were exposed to 23-213 ng/d of PAHs through these six vegetables, suggesting that vegetables are the major sources of PAHs in the diet. Hence, it is necessary to monitor the PAH levels in vegetables. Our study provides guidance for future legislative actions regarding PAH levels in vegetables in China.

Residues and dissipation kinetics of carbendazim and diethofencarb in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and intake risk assessment.

Dissipation behaviors and residues of carbendazim and diethofencarb in combination in tomato were investigated. The half-lives were 2.1-3.4 days for carbendazim, and 1.8-3.2 days for diethofencarb at a dose of 1.5 times of the recommended dosage. The residues of carbendazim and diethofencarb were below the maximum residue limits (MRLs) in China one day after application of the combination. The ultimate residues were significantly lower than the maximum permissible intake (MPI) in China at the recommended high dose for both child and adult. The values of the maximum dietary exposure for carbendazim and diethofencarb were 0.26 and 0.27 mg per person per day, respectively. The theoretical maximum daily intake (TMDI) values for carbendazim and diethofencarb were 1.5 and 0.5 mg/day, respectively. The dietary exposure was lower than the MPI, which indicates the harvested tomato samples under the experimental conditions (open field) are safe for human consumption at the recommended high dosage of the wettable powder.

Many-Body Expansion-Based Quantum Mechanical Force Field for Cyclotrimethylene Trinitramine under High Pressure.

RDX undergoes pressures of approximately 30-50 GPa during detonation, leading to significant changes in intermolecular interactions. Accurately describing these interactions is crucial for understanding the energy transfer in the detonation process. To address this, this work introduces a many-body expansion-based quantum mechanical force field (MB-QMFF) to accurately describe RDX's intermolecular interactions under high pressures. Using MB-QMFF, we evaluated various density functionals and found that the M062X functional with GD3 dispersion correction provided the highest accuracy. Regarding intermolecular forces, two-body interactions were the most significant, with three-body interactions being negligible. Additionally, we investigated intermolecular energy variations at different densities (or pressures). The results clearly demonstrate an accurate description of intermolecular interactions by the MB-QMFF scheme. Therefore, we believe that the MB-QMFF scheme can serve as a foundation for the development of RDX-specific force fields and pave the way for future studies on the detonation process of RDX.

Application value of a hybrid tracer during sentinel lymph node biopsy for head and neck malignancies: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

To address the limitations of conventional sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), a novel hybrid tracer (indocyanine green [ICG]-99mTc-nanocolloid) has been developed. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the differences between the novel hybrid tracer and conventional methods using ICG or radioisotope (RI) for SLNB in head and neck malignancies. This study was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42023409127). PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched. This study included raw data on the number of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) identified using different modalities during surgery for head and neck malignancies. The identification rate of SLNs was the main outcome of interest. Prognostic data and complication rate cannot be deduced from this article. The heterogeneity test (I2) determined the use of a fixed- or random-effects model for the pooled risk ratio (RR). Overall, 1275 studies were screened, of which 11 met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. In SLN identification of head and neck malignancies, ICG-99mTc-nanocolloid was superior to ICG or RI. In the subgroup analyses, the detection rates of ICG and RI tracers in SLNB were comparable, regardless of the device, tumor type, or tumor stage. In conclusion, in SLN identification of head and neck malignancies, the use of ICG-99mTc-nanocolloid is superior to the single technique of ICG or RI. This study suggests that Hospitals using ICG or RI may find it beneficial to change their practice to ICG-99mTc-nanocolloid, especially in the head and neck area, owing to its superior effectiveness.

Dissipation, accumulation, distribution and risk assessment of fungicides in greenhouse and open-field cowpeas.

Pesticide residues in cowpeas have raised worldwide concern. However, only a few studies have focused on pesticide accumulation and distribution in greenhouse and open-field cowpeas. Field trial results suggest that difenoconazole, dimethomorph, thifluzamide and pyraclostrobin dissipated faster in open fields (mean half-lives, 1.72-1.99 days) than in greenhouses (2.09-3.55 days); moreover, fungicide residues in greenhouse cowpeas were 0.84-8.19 times higher than those in the open-field cowpeas. All fungicides accumulated in the greenhouse and open-field cowpeas after repeated spraying. Fungicide residues in old cowpeas were higher than those in tender cowpeas, and residues in the upper halves of cowpea pods were higher than those in the lower halves. In addition, cowpeas distributed in the lower halves of the plants had higher fungicide residues. Our findings suggest that greenhouse cultivation contributed to the pesticide residues in cowpeas after repeated spraying, although the levels of dietary health risks remained acceptable under both cultivation scenarios.

Residue changes, degradation, processing factors and their relation between physicochemical properties of pesticides in peanuts during multiproduct processing.

This study systematically investigates the residue changes, processing factors (PFs), and relation between the physicochemical properties of pesticides during peanut processing. Results revealed that peeling, washing, and boiling treatments removed partial or substantial pesticide residues from peanuts with PFs of 0.29-1.10 (most <1). By contrast, pesticides appeared to be partially concentrated during roasting, stir-frying, and deep-frying peanuts with PFs of 0.16-1.25. During oil pressing, 13 of the 28 pesticides were concentrated in the peanut oil (PF range: 1.06-2.01) and 25 of the pesticides were concentrated in the peanut meal (1.07-1.46). Physicochemical parameters such as octanol-water partition coefficient, degradation point, molecular weight, and melting point showed significant correlations with PFs during processing. Notably, log Kow exhibited strong positive correlations with the PFs of boiling, roasting, and oil pressing. Overall, this study describes the fate of pesticides during multiproduct processing, providing guidance to promote the healthy consumption of peanuts for human health.

Multimodal data integration using machine learning to predict the risk of clear cell renal cancer metastasis: a retrospective multicentre study.

PURPOSE: To develop and validate a predictive combined model for metastasis in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) by integrating multimodal data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, the clinical and imaging data (CT and ultrasound) of patients with ccRCC confirmed by pathology from three tertiary hospitals in different regions were collected from January 2013 to January 2023. We developed three models, including a clinical model, a radiomics model, and a combined model. The performance of the model was determined based on its discriminative power and clinical utility. The evaluation indicators included area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) value, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value and decision curve analysis (DCA) curve. RESULTS: A total of 251 patients were evaluated. Patients (n = 166) from Shandong University Qilu Hospital (Jinan) were divided into the training cohort, of which 50 patients developed metastases; patients (n = 37) from Shandong University Qilu Hospital (Qingdao) were used as internal testing, of which 15 patients developed metastases; patients (n = 48) from Changzhou Second People's Hospital were used as external testing, of which 13 patients developed metastases. In the training set, the combined model showed the highest performance (AUC, 0.924) in predicting lymph node metastasis (LNM), while the clinical and radiomics models both had AUCs of 0.845 and 0.870, respectively. In the internal testing, the combined model had the highest performance (AUC, 0.877) for predicting LNM, while the AUCs of the clinical and radiomics models were 0.726 and 0.836, respectively. In the external testing, the combined model had the highest performance (AUC, 0.849) for predicting LNM, while the AUCs of the clinical and radiomics models were 0.708 and 0.804, respectively. The DCA curve showed that the combined model had a significant prediction probability in predicting the risk of LNM in ccRCC patients compared with the clinical model or the radiomics model. CONCLUSION: The combined model was superior to the clinical and radiomics models in predicting LNM in ccRCC patients.

Sub-regional Radiomics Analysis for Predicting Metastasis Risk in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common malignant neoplasm affecting the kidney, exhibiting a dismal prognosis in metastatic instances. Elucidating the composition of ccRCC holds promise for the discovery of highly sensitive biomarkers. Our objective was to utilize habitat imaging techniques and integrate multimodal data to precisely predict the risk of metastasis, ultimately enabling early intervention and enhancing patient survival rates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on a cohort of 263 patients with ccRCC from three hospitals between April 2013 and March 2021. Preoperative CT images, ultrasound images, and clinical data were comprehensively analyzed. Patients from two campuses of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University were assigned to the training dataset, while the third hospital served as the independent testing dataset. A robust consensus clustering method was used to classify the primary tumor space into distinct sub-regions (i.e., habitats) using contrast-enhanced CT images. Radiomic features were extracted from these tumor sub-regions and subsequently reduced to identify meaningful features for constructing a predictive model for ccRCC metastasis risk assessment. In addition, the potential value of radiomics in predicting ccRCC metastasis risk was explored by integrating ultrasound image features and clinical data to construct and compare alternative models. RESULTS: In this study, we performed k-means clustering within the tumor region to generate three distinct tumor subregions. We quantified the Hounsfiled Unit (HU) value, volume fraction, and distribution of high- and low-risk groups in each subregion. Our investigation focused on 252 patients with Habitat1 + Habitat3 to assess the discriminative power of these two subregions. We then developed a risk prediction model for ccRCC metastasis risk classification based on radiomic features extracted from CT and ultrasound images, and clinical data. The Combined model and the CT_Habitat3 model showed AUC values of 0.935 [95%CI: 0.902-0.968] and 0.934 [95%CI: 0.902-0.966], respectively, in the training dataset, while in the independent testing dataset, they achieved AUC values of 0.891 [95%CI: 0.794-0.988] and 0.903 [95%CI: 0.819-0.987], respectively. CONCLUSION: We have identified a non-invasive imaging predictor and the proposed sub-regional radiomics model can accurately predict the risk of metastasis in ccRCC. This predictive tool has potential for clinical application to refine individualized treatment strategies for patients with ccRCC.

Residue levels, processing factors and risk assessment of pesticides in ginger from market to table.

Ginger is consumed as a spice and medicine globally. However, pesticide residues in ginger and their residue changes during processing remain poorly understood. Our results demonstrate that clothianidin, carbendazim and imidacloprid were the top detected pesticides in 152 ginger samples with detection rates of 17.11-27.63%, and these pesticides had higher average residues of 44.07-97.63 µg/kg. Although most samples contained low levels of pesticides, 66.45% of the samples were detected with pesticides, and 38.82% were contaminated with 2-5 pesticides. Peeling, washing, boiling and pickling removed different amounts of pesticides from ginger (processing factor range: 0.06-1.56, most <1). By contrast, pesticide residues were concentrated by stir-frying and drying (0.50-6.45, most >1). Pesticide residues were influenced by pesticide physico-chemical parameters involving molecular weight, melting point, degradation point and octanol-water partition coefficient by different ginger processing methods. Chronic and acute dietary risk assessments suggest that dietary exposure to pesticides from ginger consumption was within acceptable levels for the general population. This study sheds light on pesticide residues in ginger from market to processing and is of theoretical and practical value for ensuring ginger quality and safety.

Bond Performance of CFRP Strands to Grouting Admixture for Prestressed Structure and Development of Their Bond-Slip Constitutive Models.

Prestressed concrete structures have witnessed widespread use in building and infrastructure applications during the last two decades due to their high stiffness and strength indices. However, structural failures caused by the corrosion of steel reinforcing bars or strands have proliferated, opening the door for carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) strands as an excellent alternative with high corrosion resistance. The bonding interaction between the CFRP strands and concrete is the fundamental parameter in shaping the structural behaviour of CFRP prestressed concrete structures. In this paper, the bonding behaviour between CFRP strands and concrete with grouting admixture is experimentally investigated based on three groups of standard pull-out tests. The bond strength of CFRP strands was systematically studied and compared against steel strands. The untreated CFRP strands exhibited an inefficient bonding strength with the grouting admixture, equivalent to only 5% compared to steel strands of the same diameter. Surface coating with epoxy quartz sand can significantly improve the anchoring efficiency of CFRP strands up to 14 times compared to the untreated strands, which is approximately as efficient as steel strands. Moreover, the bond-slip curves between CFRP strands and concrete were analysed and were found to be different compared to steel strands. Finally, this study proposed bond-slip constitutive models of CFRP strands with better applicability, using an exponentially damped sine function to fit the residual segment of the curve.

Application of a vascularized bone free flap and survival rate of dental implants after transplantation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: As maxillofacial surgical techniques have advanced, vascularized bone free flap transplantation has become the standard treatment for repairing maxillofacial defects. In this meta-analysis, we summarize the survival rates of implants after VBFF surgery for maxillary and mandibular reconstructions and investigate the factors affecting patient outcomes. METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, and Wanfang databases were searched up to May 31, 2022. The results of the treatment effect are presented as the risk ratio or odds ratio, using 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was calculated at α = 0.05 (two-tailed z tests). RESULTS: 35 studies were included in our analysis. The results revealed a 3-year and 5-year implant survival rate of 95.2% and 85.4% in VBFFs, respectively. The location of jaw defects (maxilla or mandible) or timing of implantation was not found to have a statistically significant influence on the survival rate. However, statistically significant differences were observed in the failure of implants placed in irradiated bone tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Statistically significant differences were not found in the implant survival rate between simultaneous and delayed implantation, or between maxillary and mandibular defects. However, dental implants placed in irradiated flaps tended to have a lower survival rate than those surgically placed in non-irradiated flaps.