Conductive Polymer-Inorganic Polythiophene/Cd0.5Zn0.5S Heterojunction with Apace Charge Separation and Strong Light Absorption for Boosting Photocatalytic Activity.

In order to utilize the synergistic effect between a conductive polymer and an inorganic semiconductor to efficaciously enhance charge transfer and solve the problem of unsatisfactory performance of a single photocatalyst, thiophene (Th) was polymerized on the Cd0.5Zn0.5S nanoparticle surface to prepare a conductive polymer-inorganic polythiophene/Cd0.5Zn0.5S (PTh/CZS) heterostructrue through a simple in situ oxidation polymerization for the first time. The as-prepared PTh/CZS heterostructures significantly improved photocatalytic TCH degradation and hydrogen production activities. Especially, the 15PTh/CZS sample exhibited the optimal hydrogen production rate (18.45 mmol g-1 h-1), which was 2.51 times higher than pure Cd0.5Zn0.5S nanoparticles. In addition, 15PTh/CZS also showed very fast and efficient photodegradation ability for degrading 88% of TCH in 25 min. Moreover, the degradation rate (0.06229 min-1) was five times more than that of Cd0.5Zn0.5S. The π-π* transition characteristics, high optical absorption coefficient, wide absorption wavelength of PTh, the tight contact interface, and synergistic effect of PTh and Cd0.5Zn0.5S efficiently boosted charge transfer rate and increased the light absorption of PTh/CZS photocatalysts, which greatly enhanced the photocatalytic abilities. Besides, the mechanism of improved photocatalytic activities for TCH degradation and H2 production was also carefully proposed. Undoubtedly, this work would provide new insights into coupling conductive polymers to inorganic photocatalysts for achieving multifunctional applications in the field of photocatalysis.

Significantly Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance of the g-C3N4/Sulfur-Vacancy-Containing Zn3In2S6 Heterostructure for Photocatalytic H2 and H2O2 Generation by Coupling Defects with Heterojunction Engineering.

Light-driven splitting of water to produce H2 and reduction of molecular oxygen to synthesize H2O2 from water are the emerging environmentally friendly methods for converting solar energy into green energy and chemicals. In this paper, vacancy defect and heterojunction engineering effectively adjusted the conduction band position of Zn3In2S6, enriched the electron density, broadened the optical absorption range, increased the specific surface area, and accelerated the charge carrier transfer and separation of g-C3N4/sulfur-vacancy-containing Zn3In2S6 (CN/Vs-ZIS) heterostructures. As a result, all of the CN/Vs-ZIS heterostructures possessed greatly enhanced photocatalytic activities and the optimized sample 2CN/Vs-ZIS exhibited the highest visible-light photocatalytic performance. The rate of generation of H2 of 2CN/Vs-ZIS under visible light (λ > 420 nm) was 6.55 mmol g-1 h-1, which was 1.76 and 6.06 times higher than those of Vs-Zn3In2S6 and g-C3N4, respectively, and the apparent quantum yield (AQY) was 18.6% at 420 nm. Meanwhile, the 2 h yield of H2O2 of 2CN/Vs-ZIS was 792.02 µM, ∼4.72 and ∼6.04 times higher than those of pure Vs-Zn3In2S6 and g-C3N4, respectively. The enhanced reaction mechanisms for the production of photocatalytic H2 and H2O2 were also investigated. This work undoubtedly demonstrates that the synergistic effects of defect and heterojunction engineering will be the great promise for improving the photocatalytic efficiency of Zn3In2S6-based materials.

Morphology-engineered carbon quantum dots embedded on octahedral CdIn2S4 for enhanced photocatalytic activity towards pollutant degradation and hydrogen evolution.

In recent years, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and CdIn2S4 have considered as the representatives of the most potential photocatalysts applied in the field of photocatalysis for efficiently solving energy shortage and environmental pollution. In this work, a novel CQDs hybridized CdIn2S4 (CQDs/CIS) heterostructure with 2D nanosheet/3D nanooctahedra morphology was successfully fabricated by a simple in-situ solvothermal method. Most interestingly, the morphology of hybrid gradually evolved from 3D octahedron to 2D nanosheet with the increase of CQDs. This unique 2D/3D structure and synergistic effect between CQDs and CdIn2S4 increased the multi-dimensional active reaction sites and enhanced the quantum yield and the separation efficiency of photogenerated electron pairs. Therefore, CQDs/CIS hybrids showed excellent photocatalytic activities of H2 generation, RhB and TCH degradation. Especially, CQDs/CIS-3 heterostructure presented the highest photocatalytic efficiency and its hydrogen generation activity (956.79 µmol g-1 h-1) was 7.57-fold improvement by contrast with pure CdIn2S4 (126.35 µmol g-1 h-1). Moreover, RhB and TCH degradation rate constants of CQDs/CIS-3 were about 8.14 and 2.32 times higher than those of CdIn2S4, respectively. Furthermore, the effect of CQDs on the evolution of heterostructure morphology and photocatalytic mechanism were also proposed. This research work would offer useful enlightenment for elucidating the affect of CQDs on the morphology evolution and construction of CQDs-based hybrid with excellent performances for H2 production and pollutant removal.

A molecularly imprinted polymer placed on the surface of graphene oxide and doped with Mn(II)-doped ZnS quantum dots for selective fluorometric determination of acrylamide.

A polymer imprinted with acrylamide (AM-MIP) was synthesized on the surface of graphene oxide by surface polymerization of propionamide (serving as a dummy template), methacrylic acid (as the functional monomer) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (the cross-linker). ZnS quantum dots (QDs) doped with Mn(II) ions were added to the AM-MIP to act as fluorescence source. The AM-MIP was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction, suggesting that the imprinted layer was successfully grafted onto graphene oxide. The fluorescence of the doped QDs is quenched when loading the AM-MIP with acrylamide (AM), and the quenching effect is much stronger than the non-imprinted polymer (AM-NIP). Quenching follows Stern-Volmer kinetics. The combination of imprinting and fluorometric detection offer AM-IIP capability to accumulate trace AM before direct determination, omitting desorption and separation or other methods. The excitation and emission spectra of AM-MIP peak at 325 nm and 601 nm, respectively. Under optimal conditions, fluorescence drops linearly in the 0.5-60 µmol·L-1 acrylamide concentration range, and the detection limit is 0.17 µmol·L-1. The method has been applied to the determination of AM in spiked water samples and gave recoveries in the range from 100.2 to 104.5%, with relative standard deviations in the 1.9 to 3.9% range. In our perception, the AM-MIP presented here is a promising fluorescent probe for the detection of trace acrylamide in food. Graphical abstract Schematic of the preparation of graphene oxide coated with a molecularly imprinted polymer doped with Mn(II)-doped ZnS quantum dots. Propionamide serves as a dummy template. Acrylamide acts as a quencher of fluorescence, and this effect is used for its selective fluorometric determination.

Tailor-made ion-imprinted polymer based on functionalized graphene oxide for the preconcentration and determination of trace copper in food samples.

A tailor-made Cu(II) ion-imprinted polymer based on large-surface-area graphene oxide sheets has been synthesized for the preconcentration and determination of trace copper from food samples by solid-phase extraction. Attributed to the ultrahigh surface area and hydrophilicity of graphene oxide, the Cu(II) ion-imprinted polymer prepared by the surface ion-imprinting technique exhibited a high binding capacity and a fast adsorption rate under the optimized experimental conditions. In the static adsorption experiments, the maximum adsorption capacity of Cu(II) ion-imprinted polymer is 109.38 mg/g at 25°C, which is much higher than that of the nonimprinted polymer (32.12 mg/g). Meanwhile, the adsorption is very rapid and equilibrium is reached after approximately 30 min. The adsorption mechanism is found to follow Langmuir adsorption model and the pseudo-second-order adsorption process. The Cu(II) ion-imprinted polymer was used for extracting and detecting Cu(II) in food samples combined with graphite flame atomic adsorption spectrometry with high recoveries in the range of 97.6-103.3%. The relative standard deviation and limit of detection of the method were evaluated as 1.2% and 0.37 µg/L, respectively. The results showed that the novel absorbent can be utilized as an effective material for the selective enrichment and determination of Cu(II) from food samples.

A meta-analysis comparing the 2.0-mm locking plate system with the 2.0-mm nonlocking plate system in treatment of mandible fractures.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of the 2.0-mm locking miniplate/screw system in comparison with the 2.0-mm nonlocking miniplate/screw system in treatment of mandible fractures. METHODS: Articles published until March 2013 were searched in the PubMed and EMBASE electronic databases. Eligible studies were restricted to comparative controlled trials. RESULTS: Four studies with 220 patients and 420 fracture sites were enrolled into the analysis. The results showed that there were no significant differences in overall complications (odds ratio [OR], 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.24-1.36; P = 0.21), postoperative infection (OR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.13-1.41, P = 0.17), and postoperative pain (P > 0.05) when comparing 2.0-mm locking miniplates with 2.0-mm nonlocking miniplates in treating mandible fractures. However, the use of 2.0-mm locking miniplates had a lower postoperative maxillomandibular fixation (MMF) rate than the use of 2.0-mm nonlocking miniplates (OR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.08-0.41; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Mandible fractures treated with 2.0-mm locking miniplates and nonlocking 2.0-mm miniplates present similar short-term complication rates, and the low postoperative maxillomandibular fixation rate of using 2.0-mm locking miniplates also indicates that the 2.0-mm locking miniplate has a promising application in treatment of mandibular fractures.

Clinical application of Er:YAG laser and traditional dental turbine in caries removal in children.

This study compares the clinical efficacy of erbium-doped:yttrium-aluminium-garnet (Er:YAG) laser and traditional dental turbine in caries removal in children. The study cohort comprised 78 children aged 5 to 10 years with caries in two symmetrical maxillary molars. Different carious sides of the same child were randomly divided into control and observed sides. For each child, the caries on the control side were treated with a traditional dental turbine, while the observed side was treated with an Er:YAG laser. The study evaluated the use of anesthetics, pain levels, tooth hypersensitivity and the occurrence and severity of tooth fractures during caries removal with different methods. Additionally, the clinical anxiety and cooperative behavior of the children were observed. The time required for caries removal and cavity preparation by both methods was recorded, and the success rate of treatment was assessed after one year of follow-up. The results indicated a significant reduction in the use of anesthetics, pain and the incidence and severity of tooth hypersensitivity with the use of Er:YAG laser (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found in the occurrence of tooth fractures between the two groups (p > 0.05). The children treated with Er:YAG laser demonstrated better clinical anxiety levels and cooperative behavior. However, the time required for cavity preparation was longer with the use of Er:YAG laser (p < 0.05). After a 12-month follow-up, there was no significant difference in the success rate of treatment between the two groups (p > 0.05). In conclusion, compared to the traditional dental turbine, the use of Er:YAG laser improves treatment comfort and cooperation in children with caries and reduces the need for intraoperative anesthetics.

Indium oxide-based Z-scheme hollow core-shell heterostructure with rich sulfur-vacancy for highly efficient light-driven splitting of water to produce clean energy.

Crafting an inorganic semiconductor heterojunction with defect engineering and morphology modulation is a strategic approach to produce clean energy by the highly efficient light-driven splitting of water. In this paper, a novel Z-scheme sulfur-vacancy containing Zn3In2S6 (Vs-Zn3In2S6) nanosheets/In2O3 hollow hexagonal prisms heterostructrue (Vs-ZIS6INO) was firstly constructed by an oil bath method, in which Vs-Zn3In2S6 nanosheets grew on the surfaces of In2O3 hollow hexagonal prisms to form a hollow core-shell structure. The obtained Vs-ZIS6INO heterostructrue exhibited much enhanced activity of the production of H2 and H2O2 by the light-driven water splitting. In particular, under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm), the rate of generation of H2 of Vs-ZIS6INO sample containing 30 wt% Vs-Zn3In2S6 (30Vs-ZIS6INO) could reach 3721 µmol g-1h-1, which was 87 and 6 times higher than those of Zn3In2S6 (43 µmol g-1h-1) and Vs-Zn3In2S6 (586 µmol g-1h-1), respectively. Meanwhile, 30Vs-ZIS6INO could exhibit the rate of H2O2 production of 483 µmol g-1h-1 through the dual pathways of indirect 2e- oxygen reduction (ORR) and water oxidation (WOR) without adding any sacrifice agents, far exceeding In2O3 (7 µmol g-1h-1) and Vs-Zn3In2S6 (58 µmol g-1h-1). The excellent photocatalytic activities of H2 and H2O2 generations of Vs-ZIS6INO sample might result from the synergistic effect of the sulfur vacancy, hollow core-shell structure, and Z-scheme heterostructure, which accelerated the electron delocalization, enhanced the absorption and conversion of solar energy, reduced the carrier diffusion distance, and ensured high REDOX ability. In addition, the possible photocatalytic mechanisms for the production of H2 and H2O2 were discussed in detail. This study provided a new idea and reference for constructing the novel and efficient inorganic semiconductor heterostructures by coordinating vacancy defect and morphology design to adequately utilize water splitting for the production of clean energy.

[Clinical effect of simultaneous implantation and maxillary sinus floor elevation with or without bone graft].

PURPOSE: To investigate the difference of osteogenic effect and stability of maxillary sinus implants 6 months after maxillary sinus elevation with or without bone grafting. METHODS: A total of 150 patients with maxillary sinus floor lift and simultaneous implantation in Lishui People's Hospital from December 2019 to December 2021 were divided into group A (internal maxillary sinus lift + bone grafting) and group B (internal lift without bone grafting). Preoperative and postoperative CBCT data and implant stability of all patients were measured and analyzed to compare whether there were differences in clinical efficacy between the two groups. SPSS 25.0 software package was used for data analysis. RESULTS: A total of 199 implants were implanted, the implant retention rate was 97.6% in group A and 95.7% in group B one year after surgery, with no significant difference between the two groups(P＞0.05). There was no significant difference in residual bone height(RBH) and gray scale value (HU) between the two groups before and 6 months after operation (P＞0.05). There was no significant difference in ISQ value between the two groups during operation and 6 months after operation(P＞0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In cases with the remaining alveolar bone height of 3～8 mm and the planned lifting height of 3～4 mm, maxillary sinus floor lifting procedure achieved good clinical results in both groups with or without bone grafting, which indicated that bone grafting had little effect on retention rate and stability of the implants.

Cost-effectiveness of cytomegalovirus vaccination for females in China: A decision-analytical Markov study.

BACKGROUND: The global burden of disease caused by congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is high. Previous modeling studies have suggested that CMV vaccination may be cost-effective in developed countries. Congenital CMV infection is more likely driven by maternal non-primary infection in China. We aimed to measure the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of population-level CMV vaccination in Chinese females. METHODS: A decision tree Markov model was developed to simulate potential CMV vaccination strategies in a multi-cohort setting, with a population size of 1,000,000 each for the infant, adolescent (10-year-old) and young adult (20-year-old) cohorts. The hypothetical vaccines were assumed to have 50% efficacy, 20 years of protection, 70% coverage, at a price of US$120/dose for base-case analysis. Costs and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were discounted by 3% per year and the vaccination would be considered cost-effective if an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was lower than 2021 Chinese per capita GDP (US$12,500). FINDINGS: For the pre-infection (PRI) vaccine efficacy type, the adolescent strategy was the most cost-effective, with an ICER of US$12,213 (12,134 to 12,291) pre DALY averted, compared with the next best strategy (young adult strategy). For pre- and post-infection (P&PI) efficacy type, the young adult strategy was the most cost-effective as it was cost-saving. In one-way analysis varying the PRI vaccine price, the infant strategy, adolescent strategy and the young adult strategy would be a dominant strategy over others if the vaccine cost ≤US$60, US$61-121 and US$122-251 per dose respectively. In contrast, the young adult strategy continued to be the preferred strategy until the P&PI vaccine price exceeded US$226/dose. Our main results were robust under a wide variety of sensitivity analyses and scenario analyses. INTERPRETATION: CMV vaccination for females would be cost-effective and even cost-saving in China. Our findings had public health implications for control of CMV diseases.

Clinical esthetic comparison between monolithic high-translucency multilayer zirconia and traditional veneered zirconia for single implant restoration in maxillary esthetic areas: Prosthetic and patient-centered outcomes.

Background/purpose: Clinical esthetic evidence for the performance of monolithic high-translucency multilayer zirconia is lacking. The aim of this study was to compare monolithic high-translucency multilayer zirconia with traditional veneered zirconia in clinical situation. Material and methods: A total of 30 participants who were provided with both monolithic zirconia crowns (Group 1) and traditional veneered crowns (Group 2) for single implant restoration in maxillary esthetic areas were enrolled. Patients' subjective outcome (Visual Analog Scale, VAS) were recorded. Photos were taken and then evaluated by 9 evaluators with Pink and White Esthetic Score (WES). Wilcoxon signed rank test was used for comparison between Group 1 and Group 2 in VAS, WES and five variables in WES. Kendall's coefficient of concordance test was used to calculate inter-rater reliability of WES variables. Spearman correlation was used to analyze association between patients' outcome and evaluators' scores. Results: There was no significant difference in patients' subjective outcome between monolithic zirconia and traditional veneered crowns: overall VAS were 9.0 (8.0-9.0) and 9.0 (8.5-9.5), respectively (P > 0.05). However, in professional view, significant difference between Group 1 and Group 2 in WES was observed: 7.5 (6.0-8.0) and 8.0 (6.5-8.5), respectively (P < 0.05). Kendall's test showed, among WES variables, translucency demonstrated the highest agreement. Professionally reported evaluations did not correlate with patient-reported outcomes (Spearman correlation were 0.246 and 0.224 for Group 1 and Group 2, respectively). Conclusion: Within the limitation of this study, it can be concluded that monolithic high-translucency multilayer zirconia restoration might be a treatment modality.

[Effect of rat allogeneic BMSCs-Bio-Oss-bFGF compound on tooth extraction healing: a micro-CT study].

PRUPOSE: To investigate the effect of a compound of BMSCs-Bio-Oss-bFGF on microstructure of extraction sockets in rats. METHODS: Bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were isolated from bone marrow of 3-week SD rats by adherent method. Maxillary posterior teeth of 36 6-week SD rats were extracted and materials were implanted into sockets according to grouping. The rats were divided into 4 groups: compound group with implanting BMSCs-Bio-Oss-bFGF compound, powder group with implanting Bio-Oss, BMSCs group with implanting BMSCs, and control group without implanting any materials. The sockets were scanned by micro-CT 4 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks after implantation. Two-way ANOVA was used to assess whether there was significant difference between groups with GraphPad Prism 6.0 software package. RESULTS: There was no significant difference among groups in bone mineral density (BMD), trabecular separation(Tb.Sp), trabecular thickness(Tb.Th), degree of anisotropy(DA), and trabecular number(Tb.N) 4 weeks after implantation. By 12 weeks, BMD of compound group was significantly greater than those of BMSCs group, powder group and control group (P＜0.05), and significantly greater than those of powder group and control group at 24 weeks (P＜0.05). Tb.Th of compound group was significantly greater than that of BMSCs group at 12 and 24 weeks(P＜0.05). DA had no significant difference among groups at 4, 12, and 24 weeks (P＞0.05). Tb.Sp of compound group was significantly smaller than those of powder group, BMSCs group and control group at 24 weeks(P＜0.05). Tb.N of compound group was significantly greater than those of BMSCs group and control group(P＜0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The compound of rat allogeneic BMSCs-Bio-Oss-bFGF improves socket healing.

Hierarchical Sb2S3/ZnIn2S4 core-shell heterostructure for highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production and pollutant degradation.

In this work, a novel hierarchical 1D/2D core/shell Sb2S3-ZnIn2S4 (SB-ZIS) heterostructure with highly efficient photocatalytic activities for both hydrogen production from water and organic pollutant degradation was designed and fabricated via a simple one-step hydrothermal method. The as-prepared SB-ZIS heterostructure, where ZnIn2S4 nanosheets uniformly grew onto Sb2S3 nanorod to form a tight and large intimate contacted interface, was conducive to improve the absorption capacity of light, increase the surface area, shorten the distance of electronic transmission channels and accelerate the separation and migration of photogenerated carriers. As a result, the presented SB-ZIS composites demonstrated significantly enhanced photocatalytic performances for H2 generation and Tetracycline Hydrochloride (TCH) photodegradation. The photocatalytic H2 production rate of optimal SB-ZIS-2 sample (1685.14 µmol·g-1·h-1) was about 12.24 times as large as that of pure ZnIn2S4 (137.63 µmol·g-1·h-1). The apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) at 420 nm was up to 3.8%. In addition, the highest rate constant for TCH removal (0.514 h-1) was 20.3 and 2.89 times larger than those of pure Sb2S3 and Znln2S4, respectively. The possible reaction routes of TCH and the photocatalytic reaction mechanism of SB-ZIS sample were also discussed in detail. This work will provide some useful information for the development of dual-functional Sb2S3-based type I core-shell heterostructure with an efficient photocatalytic activity for solving environmental pollution and producing clean hydrogen energy.

Harvesting mechanical energy for hydrogen generation by piezoelectric metal-organic frameworks.

Piezocatalysis, the process of directly converting mechanical energy into chemical energy, has emerged as a promising alternative strategy for green H2 production. Nevertheless, conventional inorganic piezoelectric materials suffer from limited structural tailorability and small surface area, which greatly impedes their mechanically driven catalytic efficiency. Herein, we design and fabricate a novel UiO-66(Zr)-F4 metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheet for piezocatalytic water splitting, with the highest H2 evolution rate reaching 178.5 µmol g-1 within 5 h under ultrasonic vibration excitation (110 W, 40 kHz), far exceeding that of the original UiO-66 host. A reduced bandgap from 2.78 to 2.43 eV is achieved after introducing a fluorinated ligand. Piezoresponse force microscopy measurements demonstrate a much stronger piezoelectric response for UiO-66(Zr)-F4, which may result from the polarity of the introduced fluorinated ligand. This work highlights the potential of MOF-based porous piezoelectric nanomaterials in harvesting mechanical energy to drive chemical reactions such as water splitting.

Assessment of Hearing Screening Combined With Limited and Expanded Genetic Screening for Newborns in Nantong, China.

Importance: Early identification and intervention for newborns with hearing loss (HL) may lead to improved physiological and social-emotional outcomes. The current newborn hearing screening is generally beneficial but improvements can be made. Objective: To assess feasibility and evaluate utility of a modified genetic and hearing screening program for newborn infants. Design, Setting, and Participants: This population-based cohort study used a 4-stage genetic and hearing screening program at 6 local hospitals in Nantong city, China. Participants were newborn infants born between January 2016 and June 2020 from the Han population. Statistical analysis was performed from April 1 to May 1, 2021. Exposures: Limited genetic screening for 15 variants in 4 common HL-associated genes and newborn hearing screening (NHS) were offered concurrently to all newborns. Hearing rescreening and/or diagnostic tests were provided for infants with evidence of HL on NHS or genetic variants on screening. Expanded genetic tests for a broader range of genes were targeted to infants with HL with negative results of limited genetic tests. Main Outcomes and Measures: The detection capability for infants with hearing impairment who passed conventional hearing screening, as well as infants with normal hearing at risk of late-onset HL due to genetic susceptibility. Results: Among a total of 35 930 infants, 32 512 infants completed the follow-up and were included for analysis. Among the infants included in the analysis, all were from the Han population in China and 52.3% (16 988) were male. The modified genetic and hearing screening program revealed 142 cases of HL and 1299 cases of genetic variation. The limited genetic screening helped identify 31 infants who passed newborn hearing screening, reducing time for diagnosis and intervention; 425 infants with normal hearing with pathogenic SLC26A4 variation and 92 infants with MT-RNR1 variation were at risk for enlarged vestibular aqueduct and aminoglycoside-induced ototoxicity respectively, indicating early aversive or preventive management. Conclusions and Relevance: This study found that performing modified genetic and hearing screening in newborns was feasible and provides evidence that the program could identify additional subgroups of infants who need early intervention. These findings suggest an advantage for universal adoption of such a practice.

Intra- and inter-observer agreements in detecting peri-implant bone defects between periapical radiography and cone beam computed tomography: A clinical study.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Information regarding agreements between periapical radiograph (PA) and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in detecting peri-implant defect is still scarce. The aim of this clinical study was to compare agreements between PA and CBCT in detecting peri-implant bone defect. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective clinical study enrolled 32 patients with both PA and CBCT filmed right after implant placement. Four modalities were used for film reading: PA1 (original), PA2 (enhanced brightness/contrast), CBCT1 (selected axial and mesial-distal direction images) and CBCT2 (all data with software). 2 experienced and 2 inexperienced observers scored all films. Intra- and inter-observer agreements were estimated with Cohen's kappa coefficient. Categorized agreements were compared and differences among four modalities were calculated. RESULTS: Agreements of PA were better than CBCT when detecting peri-implant bone defects in inter-observer agreements (median kappa 0.471 vs. 0.192; p = 0.016). Moreover, agreements in experienced observers were better than inexperienced observers (median kappa 0.883 vs. 0.567; p < 0.001). There was significant difference among four modalities except for experienced observer 2 (p = 0.218). CONCLUSION: Agreements of PA are better than CBCT when detecting peri-implant bone defects, especially for inter-observer agreements. Experienced observers are more consistent in assessment than inexperienced ones.

[TAN Bayesian network modeling of online learning decision making of dental undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic].

PURPOSE: To perceive the dental undergraduate's policy of coping with online learning and their decision-making laws during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: For dental undergraduate students from the 2016 grade to 2018 grade of Lishui University, two prospective questionnaire surveys were conducted before the online course starting and four weeks later. SPSS Modeler18.0 software was used to screen, review, and analyze the data. TAN (tree augmented naive) Bayesian network models were utilized to analyze and predict variables. Indicators like the overall prediction accuracy, receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve), and area under the ROC curve(AUC value) were applied to evaluate the model's predicting performances. RESULTS: The case score of each survey was 422 and 382, and the Cronbach's α coefficients of internal consistency were 0.91 and 0.82. Among the decision-making variables in the aspect of "whether to preview online learning materials", the top-two variables were "looking forward to the semester beginning" and "the validity of the network materials". In speaking of "whether the online courses meet the offline course standards", the top-three variables were "the rhythm of lecturing on live or in recorded videos", "how many online tasks', and" the data frame and organization". The overall prediction accuracy of each constructed TAN Bayesian network model was 89.42% and 87.82%, and their AUC values were 0.75 and 0.93, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: To truly make online courses comparable to the off-line curriculum, teachers should fully understand how the students cope with their online learning at first. Then, only by perceiving and recognizing the students' expectations for education, by efficiently preparing and organizing online materials with all-round, clearly-structured, vivid, comprehensible contents and moderate difficult tasks, by well interacting with students through different websites and social media, can we truly achieve " ongoing learning with suspended class".

Improving understanding of carbon stock characteristics of Eucalyptus and Acacia trees in southern China through litter layer and woody debris.

Surveying the quality and quantity of carbon stock in litter layer and woody debris of Eucalyptus and Acacia plantations is critical in understanding their carbon pools. Here, the focus of the present study was on a number of Eucalyptus and Acacia plantations of different stand aged in the Pearl River Delta region of southern China. The plantation type proved to be a crucial driver of the carbon concentration in litter layer and woody debris, with Acacia exhibiting a superior ability to Eucalyptus to accumulate carbon with stand age in both these materials. The relative contribution of the litter layer and woody debris to the carbon stock of the ecosystem was also significantly higher under mature Acacia (8% and 7%, respectively) than that under mature Eucalyptus (4% and 1%, respectively). Most of the carbon stock within the litter layer was present in the leaf debris. The carbon stock in woody debris was mainly contained in the components within the 10-20 cm diameter class during the primary decay stage, represented as snags in middle-aged and mature Acacia, and as logs for mature Eucalyptus, respectively. The results indicate that both plantation type and stand age influence the characteristics of carbon stored in litter layer and woody debris significantly.

Hydrogen peroxide-induced growth of hierarchical Ni3S2 nanorod/sheet arrays for high performance supercapacitors.

The rational design and simple synthesis of high performance electrodes are important aspects of energy storage fields. However, it is difficult to determine a facile preparation method to obtain hierarchical Ni3S2 nanorod/sheet arrays. Herein, hydrogen peroxide-induced growth by the hydrothermal method is used to fabricate the hierarchical Ni3S2 nanorod/sheet arrays on nickel foam substrates. Hydrogen peroxide can accelerate the hydrolysis of Na2S2O3 to release sulfur ions and then induce formation of the hierarchical nanorod/sheet. The one-dimensional nanorod skeleton acting as high-speed electron transfer channels can support the nanosheets. The two-dimensional nanosheets can provide abundant active edge sites and protect the backbone from electrochemical corrosion. The hierarchical structure integrates the advantages of sufficient active sites, effective protection and high-speed electron transfer. The electrode based on the Ni3S2 nanorod/sheet delivers a high specific capacitance of 6.87 F cm-2 at 2 mV s-1 (6.24 F cm-2 at 5 mA cm-2) and long cycling stability (85.7% capacitance retention at 15 mA cm-2 after 3000 cycles). The asymmetric supercapacitor gains a high energy density of 1.16 mWh cm-3 at 15.00 W cm-3. The hierarchical Ni3S2 nanorod/sheet arrays are expected to be candidates for the electrodes of practical supercapacitors.

Electrolyte additive induced fast-charge/slow-discharge process: Potassium ferricyanide and potassium persulfate for CoO-based supercapacitors.

The electrolyte additives of potassium ferricyanide and potassium persulfate can ensure that CoO-supercapacitors achieve a fast charge/slow discharge and long cycling stability. The redox couple of Fe(CN)63-/Fe(CN)64- can induce S2O82- to produce the sulfate radical ( [Formula: see text] ). Strong oxidizing species, including S2O82-, Fe(CN)63- and [Formula: see text] , can accelerate oxidation of the CoO electrode surface from Co2+ to Co3+ in the charge process. The additives can achieve a good synergistic effect on accelerating CoO oxidation during the charge process. In a three-electrode cell, a CoO electrode with electrolyte additives achieves a fast-charge and slow-discharge time of 939 s and 1699 s at a current density of 1 A g-1, respectively. The capacitance retention can be maintained at 84.5% after 10,000 cycles at a current density of 5 A g-1. As a supercapacitor, the device can achieve a fast-charge and slow-discharge time of 156 s and 191 s at a current density of 1 A g-1, respectively. The capacitance retention can be maintained at 85.5% after 10,000 cycles at a current density of 5 A g-1.