Effects of biomass co-pyrolysis and herbaceous plant colonization on the transformation of tailings into soil like substrate.

Enhancing soil organic matter characteristics, ameliorating physical structure, mitigating heavy metal toxicity, and hastening mineral weathering processes are crucial approaches to accomplish the transition of tailings substrate to a soil-like substrate. The incorporation of biomass co-pyrolysis and plant colonization has been established to be a significant factor in soil substrate formation and soil pollutant remediation. Despite this, there is presently an absence of research efforts aimed at synergistically utilizing these two technologies to expedite the process of mining tailings soil substrate formation. The current study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanism of geochemical changes and rapid mineral weathering during the process of transforming tailings substrate into a soil-like substrate, under the combined effects of biomass co-smoldering pyrolysis and plant colonization. The findings of this study suggest that the incorporation of smoldering pyrolysis and plant colonization induces a high-temperature effect and biological effects, which enhance the physical and chemical properties of tailings, while simultaneously accelerating the rate of mineral weathering. Notable improvements include the amelioration of extreme pH levels, nutrient enrichment, the formation of aggregates, and an increase in enzyme activity, all of which collectively demonstrate the successful attainment of tailings substrate reconstruction. Evidence of the accelerated weathering was verified by phase and surface morphology analysis using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Discovered corrosion and fragmentation on the surface of minerals. The weathering resulted in corrosion and fragmentation of the surface of the treated mineral. This study confirms that co-smoldering pyrolysis of biomass, combined with plant colonization, can effectively promote the transformation of tailings into soil-like substrates. This method has can effectively address the key challenges that have previously hindered sustainable development of the mining industry and provides a novel approach for ecological restoration of tailings deposits.

Characteristics and driving forces of the soil microbial community during 35 years of natural restoration in abandoned areas of the Daxin manganese mine, China.

The restoration of mining wastelands, particularly in karst regions contaminated by heavy metals, is an environmental challenge in need of urgent attention. Soil microbes play a vital role in nutrient cycling and ecosystem recovery, yet the long-term evolution of soil microbial communities in such settings remains poorly understood. This study explored the dynamics and influencing factors of soil microbial communities during 35 years of natural restoration in abandoned manganese (Mn) mine areas in Guangxi Province, China. The results revealed that the concentrations of Mn, Cd, Zn, and Cu were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced by 80.4-85.3%, 55.3-70.0%, 21.0-38.1%, and 29.4-49.4%, respectively, in the mid-late restoration periods (R19 and R35) compared with R1. The α diversities of the bacterial and fungal communities significantly increased in the middle-late restoration periods (R19 and R35), indicating increased microbial diversity as restoration progressed. The bacterial community structure exhibited more pronounced changes than did the fungal community structure, with significant shifts observed in dominant phyla such as Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteriota, and Ascomycota. Notably, the relative abundances of Rhizobiales, Burkholderiales, and Hypocreales increased gradually with succession. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that bacterial interactions became stronger over time, whereas interactions between bacteria and fungi weakened. Mantel tests and partial least squares path modeling (PLS‒PM) identified soil pH, heavy metals (Mn, Cd, Zn, and Cu), and nutrients (SOM and TN) as key drivers shaping the microbial community composition. These factors were more strongly correlated with bacterial communities than with fungal communities, underscoring the different responses of microbial groups to environmental changes during natural restoration. These findings enhance our understanding of the ecological processes governing microbial community succession in heavy metal-contaminated soils undergoing natural restoration.

Longevity and risk factors of CAD-CAM manufactured implant-supported all-ceramic crowns - A prospective, multi-center, practice-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this prospective, multi-center, practice-based cohort study was to analyze factors associated with the success of implant supported all-ceramic single-unit crowns, made by computer-aided-design/computer-aided-manufacturing (CAD-CAM). METHODS: All-ceramic crowns placed in a private practice-based research network (Ceramic Success Analysis, AG Keramik) were analyzed. Data from 567patients with CAD-CAM implant supported all-ceramic crowns placed between 2008-2023 by 54dentists were evaluated. Firstly, all crowns with at least one follow-up control were included (n = 907). Secondly, all crowns being followed up for ≥ 5years and all failures were included (n = 151). At the latest follow-up visit, crowns were considered as successful (not failed) if they were still in function without the need for additional therapy. Multi-level Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the association between a range of predictors and time of success. RESULTS: Within a mean follow-up period (SD) of 2.5 (2)years (first scenario) and 6.2 (1.2)years (second scenario) [maximum:12years], 27crowns failed (annual failure rate [AFR]:0.74 %). The main failure types were decementation, (n = 11), fracture of the ceramic (n = 4) or Ti-Base (n = 4). In 5-year-scenario, crowns fabricated in the laboratory had 26times lower failure rate than those fabricated chairside (95 %CI:0.0-0.7;p = 0.038). Furthermore, the use of a silane (HR:0.051;95 %CI:0.0-0.5;p = 0.014) and etching of the ceramic (HR:0.053;95 %CI:0.0-0.8;p = 0.035) resulted in a significantly higher risk for failure than their non-use. SIGNIFICANCE: For CAD-CAM manufactured implant supported all-ceramic crowns, high success rates were found in up to 12-year evaluation. Furthermore, after 5years, no patient-or implant-level factors, but operative-level factor (i.e.fabrication method, use of silane/etching) were significantly associated with failure. The study was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS-ID: DRKS00020271).

Impact of climate warming on soil microbial communities during the restoration of the inner Mongolian desert steppe.

Introduction: Grazer exclosure is widely regarded as an effective measure for restoring degraded grasslands, having positive effects on soil microbial diversity. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that global surface temperatures will increase by 1.5-4.5°C by the end of the 21st century, which may affect restoration practices for degraded grasslands. This inevitability highlights the urgent need to study the effect of temperature on grassland soil microbial communities, given their critical ecological functions. Methods: Here, we assessed the effects of heavy grazing (control), grazer exclosure, and grazer exclosure plus warming by 1.5°C on soil microbial community diversity and network properties as well as their relationships to soil physicochemical properties. Results and discussion: Our results showed that grazer closure increased soil microbial richness relative to heavy grazing controls. Specifically, bacterial richness increased by 7.9%, fungal richness increased by 20.2%, and the number of fungal network nodes and edges increased without altering network complexity and stability. By contrast, grazer exclosure plus warming decreased bacterial richness by 9.2% and network complexity by 12.4% compared to heavy grazing controls, while increasing fungal network complexity by 25.8%. Grazer exclosure without warming increased soil ammonium nitrogen content, while warming increased soil nitrate nitrogen content. Soil pH and organic carbon were not affected by either exclosure strategy, but nitrate nitrogen was the dominant soil factor explaining changes in bacterial communities. Conclusion: Our findings show that grazer exclosure increases soil microbial diversity which are effective soil restoration measures for degraded desert steppe, but this effect is weakened under warming conditions. Thus, global climate change should be considered when formulating restoration measures for degraded grasslands.

Optimizing mangrove afforestation: Mollusc biodiversity comparisons reveal optimal mudflat-mangrove area ratio.

In recent decades, mangrove wetlands globally have suffered from human activities and climate change, leading to issues like area reduction, degraded ecological functions and declining biodiversity. Restoration efforts, primarily through mangrove afforestation (i.e. mangrove plantation in mudflats), have been widespread, yet they often overlook the significance of unvegetated mudflats. In addition, under the condition that the total area of suitable mudflats is limited, the problem of what is the threshold of mangrove forests and unvegetated mudflats to better protect mangrove biodiversity has not been solved. Therefore, this study conducted a field survey of molluscs in mangrove wetlands in Hainan Island in China and explored the relative importance of mangroves and unvegetated mudflats through taxonomic alpha diversity and functional diversity. The results showed that (1) mollusc abundance of unvegetated mudflats was notably higher than this of mangrove forests, and the species richness, functional richness and functional vulnerability were significantly lower than those of mangrove forests; (2) the abundance and functional vulnerability of molluscs were mainly affected by sediment properties (pH, interstitial water salinity, median diameter, total nitrogen, C/N ratio), while the species richness and functional richness of molluscs were primarily influenced by vegetation structure (plant density); and (3) retaining at least 20% of the unvegetated mudflat area could well protect the biodiversity of mangrove wetlands. To our knowledge, our study is the first to propose the proportion of mangrove forests and unvegetated mudflats on the basis of benthic biodiversity, providing theoretical support and decision-making reference for mangrove protection and restoration.

Effects of different soil and water conservation measures on plant functional traits in the Loess Plateau.

Soil and water conservation measures (SWCM) have wide-ranging effects on vegetation and soil, and their effects on the ecosystem are multifaceted, with complex mechanisms. While numerous studies have focused on the impact of such measures on soil, the improvement of plant functional traits is a major factor in the ecological recovery of the Loess Plateau. This survey extensively investigated no measure plots, vegetation measure plots, and engineering measure plots in the Loess Plateau. The impact of SWCM on plant functional traits was investigated using structural equation modeling. We examined six plant functional traits-leaf dry weight (LD), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf tissue density (LTD), leaf total phosphorus (LTP), leaf total nitrogen (LTN), and leaf volume (LV)-correlated with resource acquisition and allocation. In 122 plots, we explored the effects of measures, soil, diversity, and community structure on the weighted average of plant functional traits. The findings showed substantial positive correlations between LD and SLA, LD and LV, SLA and LV, SLA and LTP, and LTP and LTN. LTD has a substantial negative correlation with LD, LTD with SLA, and LTD with LV. SWCM limits diversity, and the mechanisms by which it affects plant functional traits vary. In the structural equation model (SEM) of vegetation measures, improving community structure enhances plant functional traits, but soil factors have the greatest influence on plant functional traits in SEM engineering measures. Plant functional trait differences on the Loess Plateau result are due to differential plant responses to diverse soil properties and community structure. Vegetation measures enhance the chemical properties of plant functional traits, while engineering measures improve physical properties. The study provides a theoretical foundation for vegetation restoration and management following the implementation of diverse SWCM.

Immediate Insertion and Restoration of a Single Implant to Replace Two Adjacent Periodontally Compromised Lower Incisors: A Technique Report with up-to-8 Years Follow-up.

PURPOSE: The study investigated the cumulative survival rate (CSR) and marginal bone loss (MBL) of single implants immediately placed and restored with two-unit cantilevered fixed dental prostheses after extraction of two adjacent mandibular incisors with a compromised periodontal condition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients in need of extraction and replacement of two adjacent mandibular incisors due to advanced periodontal loss of attachment were treated consecutively. Following a flapless procedure, a single implant was inserted at the time of extraction in one of the two fresh alveoli sockets and immediately restored with a screw retained two-unit provisional FDP. The area of extraction was grafted using xenograft particulate material. Peri-implant soft tissue and hard tissue condition at the last follow-up appointment, marginal bone loss at the last follow-up appointment at least 1 year after the delivery of the final prosthesis, and the final aesthetic result were evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty patients were recruited between January 2014 and December 2019 in a single private practice and each received single implants and immediate provisional restoration with a two-unit cantilevered fixed dental prosthesis. Patients were followed for 22 to 94 months (average follow-up = 4 years) and none of the implants failed resulting in 100% CSR. Cumulative MBL -measured using the VixWin Platinum software -was 1.08 +/- 0.35. A lower MBL was observed in the presence of platform switching (0.63 +/- 0.11 mm) compared to the absence of platform switching (1.27 +/- 0.20 mm). CONCLUSIONS: The preliminary results obtained from this study suggest that patients in need of replacing two adjacent periodontally compromised mandibular incisors can be treated with an immediately inserted and restored single implant.

Response of Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Six Desert Shrubs to Different Moisture Levels under Greenhouse Conditions.

Moisture is the most important environmental factor limiting seed regeneration of shrubs in desert areas. Therefore, understanding the effects of moisture changes on seed germination, morphological and physiological traits of shrubs is essential for vegetation restoration in desert areas. In March to June 2023, in a greenhouse using the potting method, we tested the effects of soil moisture changes (5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%) on seed germination and seedling growth of six desert shrubs (Zygophyllum xanthoxylum, Nitraria sibirica, Calligonum mongolicum, Corethrodendron scoparium, Caragana korshinskii, and Corethrodendron fruticosu). Results showed that (1) seed germination percent and vigor index were significantly higher at 15 and 20% soil moisture content than at 5 and 10%; (2) shoot length, primary root length, specific leaf area and biomass of seedlings were significantly higher in the 15% and 20% soil moisture content treatments than in the 5% and 10% treatments; (3) superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and soluble protein content (SP) decreased with decreasing soil water content, while peroxidase activity (POD) and catalase activity (CAT) showed a decreasing and then increasing trend with increasing soil water content; (4) the six seeds and seedling of shrubs were ranked in order of their survivability in response to changes in soil moisture: Caragana korshinskii > Zygophyllum xanthoxylum > Calligonum mongolicum > Corethrodendron scoparium > Corethrodendron fruticosu > Nitraria sibirica. Our study shows that shrub seedlings respond to water changes by regulating morphological and physiological traits together. More importantly, we found that C. korshinskii, Z. xanthoxylum and C. mongolicum were more survivable when coping with water deficit or extreme precipitation. The results of the study may provide a reference for the selection and cultivation of similar shrubs in desert areas under frequent extreme droughts in the future.

The Influence of Thermomechanical Conditions on the Hot Ductility of Continuously Cast Microalloyed Steels.

Continuous casting is the most common method for producing steel into semi-finished shapes like billets or slabs. Throughout this process, steel experiences mechanical and thermal stresses, which influence its mechanical properties. During continuous casting, decreased formability in steel components leads to crack formation and failure. One reason for this phenomenon is the appearance of the soft ferrite phase during cooling. However, it is unclear under which conditions this ferrite is detrimental to the formability. In the present research, we investigated what microstructural changes decrease the formability of microalloyed steels during continuous casting. We studied the hot compression behaviour of microalloyed steel over temperatures ranging from 650 °C to 1100 °C and strain rates of 0.1 s-1 to 0.001 s-1 using a Gleeble 3800® (Dynamic Systems Inc, Poestenkill, NY, USA) device. We examined microstructural changes at various deformation conditions using microscopy. Furthermore, we implemented a physically-based model to describe the deformation of austenite and ferrite. The model describes the work hardening and dynamic restoration mechanisms, i.e., discontinuous dynamic recrystallisation in austenite and dynamic recovery in ferrite and austenite. The model considers the stress, strain, and strain rate distribution between phases by describing the dynamic phase transformation during the deformation in iso-work conditions. Increasing the strain rate below the transformation temperature improves hot ductility by reducing dynamic recovery and strain concentration in ferrite. Due to limited grain boundary sliding, the hot ductility improves at lower temperatures (<750 °C). In the single-phase domain, dynamic recrystallisation improves the hot ductility provided that fracture occurs at strains in which dynamic recrystallisation advances. However, at very low strain rates, the ductility decreases due to prolonged time for grain boundary sliding and crack propagation.

Effect of sequential nursing care combined with communication intervention on visual recovery and pain after cataract ultrasound emulsification.

BACKGROUND: Cataracts are a common ophthalmic disease and postoperative vision recovery is crucial to patient quality of life. Rational and efficient care models play an important role in promoting vision recovery. AIM: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of procedural nursing care combined with communication intervention in vision recovery after cataract ultrasound emulsification. METHODS: A randomized controlled study was conducted on 100 patients with cataracts who underwent ultrasound emulsification surgery. They were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group received procedural nursing combined with Connect, Introduce, Communicate, Ask, Respond, Exit (CICARE) communication intervention, whereas the control group received conventional nursing. The effectiveness of the nursing model was assessed by comparing differences in vision recovery, pain scores, and mental health status between the two groups. RESULTS: It was found that over time the visual acuity of patients in both groups gradually recovered and patients in the experimental group had lower pain scores and superior mental health status than the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Procedural nursing combined with CICARE communication intervention has positive effects on vision recovery in patients after cataract ultrasound emulsification.

Historical land use changes lead to massive loss of soil carbon stocks in a recovering, semiarid mangrove.

Land use changes lead to substantial releases of carbon from the soil into the atmosphere. In carbon-rich ecosystems, like mangrove forests, this carbon loss may be more intense. This study evaluated soil carbon stocks in a mangrove area historically impacted by salt farming, which is under ecosystem recovery, in the semiarid coast of Northeastern Brazil. The neotropical mangrove sites in the Pacoti River showed marked spatial variability in soil density, texture, organic carbon concentration, nitrogen, and stable isotope signatures (δ13C and δ15N) among sampled sites. Carbon stocks in the top meter layer ranged from only 12 Mg C ha-1 (degraded area) to 283 Mg C ha-1 (preserved Rhizophora mangle stands). The carbon stocks in the well-preserved sites are close to the national and global average, highlighting the importance of semiarid mangroves as efficient carbon sinks and emphasizing the urgency for protection and restoration in light of the ongoing climate emergency.

Five-year survival of class II restorations with and without base bulk-fill composite: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the survival of class II composite restorations in premolars and molars with and without base bulk-fill composite in general dental practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected data from the electronic patient files of the Public Dental Services in the City of Oulu, Finland. The timespan of data collection was from August 15th, 2002, to August 9th, 2018. The data consisted of class II composite restorations both with and without base bulk-fill composite. We compared the survival of these restorations using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, the log-rank test, survival rates, and the Wilcoxon signed ranks test. RESULTS: We observed 297 restorations in 96 patients. The five-year survival rates for restorations with and without base bulk-fill composite were comparable in premolars (77.5% and 77.4%, respectively) but different in molars (69.9% and 57.8%, respectively, p = 0.069). In molars, the restorations with base bulk-fill composite exhibited a higher survival rate in 14 patients, whereas in 11 patients the restorations without base bulk-fill composites exhibited a higher survival rate. In 24 patients the survival rates were similar for restorations with and without the base bulk-fill composite (p = 0.246). CONCLUSIONS: The restorations with and without base bulk-fill composite had similar longevity. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Base bulk-fill composites are safe to use in general practice due to their similar survival rates compared to conventional composites.

RT-CBAM: Refined Transformer Combined with Convolutional Block Attention Module for Underwater Image Restoration.

Recently, transformers have demonstrated notable improvements in natural advanced visual tasks. In the field of computer vision, transformer networks are beginning to supplant conventional convolutional neural networks (CNNs) due to their global receptive field and adaptability. Although transformers excel in capturing global features, they lag behind CNNs in handling fine local features, especially when dealing with underwater images containing complex and delicate structures. In order to tackle this challenge, we propose a refined transformer model by improving the feature blocks (dilated transformer block) to more accurately compute attention weights, enhancing the capture of both local and global features. Subsequently, a self-supervised method (a local and global blind-patch network) is embedded in the bottleneck layer, which can aggregate local and global information to enhance detail recovery and improve texture restoration quality. Additionally, we introduce a multi-scale convolutional block attention module (MSCBAM) to connect encoder and decoder features; this module enhances the feature representation of color channels, aiding in the restoration of color information in images. We plan to deploy this deep learning model onto the sensors of underwater robots for real-world underwater image-processing and ocean exploration tasks. Our model is named the refined transformer combined with convolutional block attention module (RT-CBAM). This study compares two traditional methods and six deep learning methods, and our approach achieved the best results in terms of detail processing and color restoration.

Shading and Water Addition Alleviate the Elemental Limitations of the Early Restoration Community in a Stressful Environment.

Shading and water addition are essential management measures to improve seed germination and early seedling survival; however, little is known about their effects on leaf stoichiometry and nutrient status. We established 90 plant communities with shading and water addition gradients on a rocky hill; leaves of their dominant woody plant species were collected to measure elemental concentrations, and then, stoichiometric variation and nutrient status were analysed. The results showed that the overall effects of shading and water addition significantly altered the concentrations and ratios of nutrient elements; shading largely affected leaf K and P, while water addition mainly affected leaf N and P. The interactions between shading and water addition were significant for most species but disappeared at the community level. Consequently, the nutrient status in leaves was improved by promoting the concentrations and balances of nutrient elements. However, the responses to shading and water addition were marked by species-specific differences, with some plants forming a sensitive group and others distinguished by conservatism. Our findings show that management of the physical environment could improve nutrient element utilization in leaves and alleviate the nutrient limitations. For our site conditions, mild shading (25-35%) and adequate water addition (30 L·m-2) in the early stage of vegetation restoration is recommended to advance community assembly by improving nutrient physiology, directly diminishing the stress of water scarcity and excessive irradiation. These findings explore the underlying mechanisms of shading and water addition that could promote community development and provide guidance for restoration practice.

Five-year clinical follow-up of bulk-fill restorative materials in class II restorations.

This study evaluates the 5-year clinical performance of Class II restorations performed with different bulk-fill restorative materials. In the study, Class II restorations performed with Tetric Bulk-Fill (TBF), Filtek Bulk-Fill (FBF), and Equia Forte Fil (EF) were evaluated. One hundred-nineteen restorations were included in the study. Restorations were assessed during the 6th month, 1st, 2nd, and 5th year. Cochran Q, Pearson chi-square, and Fisher-Freeman-Halton tests were used for statistical analysis. In the 5th year, significant differences were observed in terms of retention, color match, marginal adaptation, marginal discoloration, surface texture, and anatomical form in all materials. There was a significant difference between EF and bulk-fill composites only in terms of retention and anatomical form. EF was significantly less successful than bulk-fill composites with regard to retention and anatomical form, but bulk-fill composites have shown similar clinical performance. EF cannot be an alternative to bulk-fill composites for Class II restorations.

Application of Chairside CAD/CAM and Its Influencing Factors among Chinese Dental Practitioners: a Crosssectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the increased use of chairside CAD/CAM among Chinese dental practitioners, and to explore the existing barriers influencing its further application and satisfaction levels. METHODS: A semi-structured questionnaire was developed to gather respondents' demographic information, as well as their experiences and behaviours regarding the implementation of chairside CAD/CAM. A specialised web-based survey system and WeChat were used to display and distribute the final questionnaire. Then, the data were analysed with Chi-square tests and regression analyses to determine the effects of various demographic variables on chairside CAD/ CAM applications. RESULTS: A total of 1,969 questionnaire responses were included in the analyses. Chairside CAD/ CAM systems were used by 36.9% of participants, with a higher usage rate observed among prosthodontists (60.0%) and dental practitioners holding a PhD degree (57.7%). Chairside CAD/ CAM-fabricated prostheses were most commonly used in the posterior maxilla (83.3%) and mandible (86.0%), followed by the anterior maxilla and mandible (63.8% and 48.6%, respectively). Major barriers to further application included high initial investment, frequent updates of equipment and software programs, and a lack of expertise in chairside CAD/CAM usage. CONCLUSION: Most dental practitioners did not use chairside CAD/CAM systems. The application rate was significantly influenced by sex, location, educational background, department and type of healthcare facility. Chairside CAD/CAM users showed limited satisfaction with the aesthetic performance of the fabricated prostheses. To improve the popularity of chairside CAD/CAM systems, especially among dental practitioners lacking advanced academic degrees, it is highly advisable to optimise CAD software programs and offer comprehensive training opportunities.

The clinical effect of different vertebral body height restoration rates after percutaneous kyphoplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effect of different vertebral body heights restoration rate after percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF). METHODS: The patients were divided into two groups according to the height restoration rate of the anterior edge of the vertebral body fracture after PKP operation using X-Ray imaging. The group A was below 80%, and the group B was above 80%. Clinical preoperative and postoperative efficacy (1st day, 1st month, 6th month, and 12th month after surgery) were evaluated according to VAS, Oswestry Disability Index(ODI), Quality of Life Questionnaire of the European Foundation for Osteoporosis(QUALEFFO), and Back Pain Life Disorder Questionnaire(RQD). Simultaneously, the preoperative and postoperative local Cobb angles and changes in the injured vertebrae in the two groups were calculated and analyzed. RESULTS: The postoperative Cobb angle in group A was significantly higher than that in group B. The correction rate in group B was significantly better than that in group A. The VAS, ODI, QUALEFFO, and RQD scores of group B patients were significantly lower than those of patients in group A at each follow-up time point. The correlation coefficients of vertebral body height restoration rate and VAS, ODI, QUALEFFO, and RQD scores at the last follow-up were - 0.607 (P < 0.01), -0.625 (P < 0.01), -0.696 (P < 0.01), and - 0.662 (P < 0.01), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the correlation analysis between the vertebral body height restoration rate and the above clinical efficacy scores show that increasing the vertebral body anterior height restoration rate is beneficial for pain relief and improves the clinical efficacy of patients. Simultaneously, improving the height restoration rate of the anterior edge of the vertebral body and restoring the normal spinal structure is beneficial for reducing the incidence of refracture of the adjacent vertebral body.

The effects of neuron morphology and spatial distribution on the selectivity of dorsal root ganglion stimulation.

OBJECTIVE: For prosthesis users, sensory feedback that appears to come from the missing limb can improve function, confidence, and phantom limb pain. Numerous pre-clinical studies have considered stimulation via penetrating microelectrodes at the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) as a potential approach for somatosensory neuroprostheses. However, to develop clinically translatable neuroprosthetic devices, a less invasive approach, such as stimulation via epineural macroelectrodes, would be preferable. This work explores the feasibility of using such electrodes to deliver focal sensory feedback by examining the mechanisms of selective activation in response to stimulation via epineural electrodes compared with penetrating electrodes. Approach: We developed computational models of the DRG, representing the biophysical properties of the DRG and surrounding tissue to evaluate neural responses to stimulation via penetrating microelectrodes and epineural macroelectrodes. To assess the role of properties such as neuron morphology and spatial arrangement we designed three models, including one that contained only axons (axon only), one with pseudounipolar neurons arranged randomly (random), and one with pseudounipolar neurons placed according to a realistic spatial distribution (realistic). Main results: Our models demonstrate that activation in response to stimulation via epineural electrodes in a realistic model is commonly initiated in the axon initial segment adjacent to the cell body, whereas penetrating electrodes commonly elicit responses in t-junctions and axons. Moreover, we see a wider dynamic range for epineural electrodes compared with penetrating electrodes. This difference appears to be driven by the spatial organization and neuron morphology of the realistic DRG. Significance: We demonstrate that the anatomical features of the DRG make it a potentially effective target for epineural stimulation to deliver focal sensations from the limbs. Specifically, we show that epineural stimulation at the DRG can be highly selective thanks to the neuroanatomical arrangement of the DRG, making this a promising approach for future neuroprosthetic development. .

Clinical behavior and survival of endodontically treated teeth with or without post placement: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Non-vital teeth usually exhibit substantial loss of coronal and radicular tooth structure, and use of posts after root canal treatment is controversial. This review examined whether placement of posts influences clinical behavior and survival probability of endodontically treated teeth (ETT). METHODS: An electronic search, without time restrictions, for publications written in English was undertaken in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Terms related to four main components (endodontically treated teeth, fixed prosthesis, post restoration, and survival rate) were used for the database search strategies. RESULTS: 57 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative analysis. Of the publications chosen for qualitative analysis, 17 clinical studies (11 prospective and 6 retrospective studies) were found to be suitable for quantitative analysis. These studies included 7,278 patients (7,330 ETT), with a mean age ± standard deviation (SD) of 45.46 ± 12.1 years. There was a statistically significant difference in survival rate between ETT with or without posts (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: As compared with teeth with no posts, post placement on ETT may improve clinical performance and survival probability of endodontically treated teeth.

Fast Non-contrast MR Angiography Using a Zigzag Centric ky - kz k-space Trajectory and Exponential Refocusing Flip Angles with Restoration of Longitudinal Magnetization.

PURPOSE: Fresh blood imaging (FBI) utilizes physiological blood signal differences between diastole and systole, causing a long acquisition time. The purpose of this study is to develop a fast FBI technique using a centric ky - kz k-space trajectory (cFBI) and an exponential refocusing flip angle (eFA) scheme with fast longitudinal restoration. METHODS: This study was performed on 8 healthy subjects and 2 patients (peripheral artery disease and vascular disease) with informed consent, using a clinical 3-Tesla MRI scanner. A numeric simulation using extended phase graph (EPG) and phantom studies of eFA were carried out to investigate the restoration of longitudinal signal by lowering refocusing flip angles in later echoes. cFBI was then acquired on healthy subjects at the popliteal artery station to assess the effect of varying high/low flip ratios on the longitudinal restoration effects. In addition, trigger-delays of cFBI were optimized owing to the long acquisition window in zigzag centric ky - kz k-space trajectory. After optimizations, cFBI images were compared against standard FBI (sFBI) images in terms of scan time, motion artifacts, Nyquist N/2 artifacts, blurring, and overall image quality. We also performed two-way repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: cFBI with eFA achieved nearly a 50% scan time reduction compared to sFBI. The high/low flip angle of 180/2 degrees with lower refocusing pulses shows fast longitudinal restoration with the highest blood signals, yet also more sensitive to the background signals. Overall, 180/30 degrees images show reasonable blood signal recovery while minimizing the background signal artifacts. After the trigger delay optimization, maximum intensity projection image of cFBI after systole-diastole subtraction demonstrates less motion and N/2 artifacts than that of sFBI. CONCLUSION: Together with eFA for fast longitudinal signal restoration, the proposed cFBI technique achieved a 2-fold reduction in scan time and improved image quality without major artifacts.