Absolute Ranging with Time Delay Interferometry for Space-Borne Gravitational Wave Detection.

In future space-borne gravitational wave (GW) detectors, time delay interferometry (TDI) will be utilized to reduce the overwhelming noise, including the laser frequency noise and the clock noise etc., by time shifting and recombining the data streams in post-processing. The successful operation of TDI relies on absolute inter-satellite ranging with meter-level precision. In this work, we numerically and experimentally demonstrate a strategy for inter-satellite distance measurement. The distances can be coarsely determined using the technique of arm-locking ranging with a large non-ambiguity range, and subsequently TDI can be used for precise distance measurement (TDI ranging) by finding the minimum value of the power of the residual noises. The measurement principle is introduced. We carry out the numerical simulations, and the results show millimeter-level precision. Further, we perform the experimental verifications based on the fiber link, and the distances can be measured with better than 0.05 m uncertainty, which can well satisfy the requirement of time delay interferometry.

The adaptability, distribution, ecological function and restoration application of biological soil crusts on metal tailings: A critical review.

A large amount of metal tailings causes many environmental issues. Thus, the techniques for their ecological restoration have garnered extensive attention. However, they are still in the exploratory stage. Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are a coherent layer comprising photoautotrophic organisms, heterotrophic organisms and soil particles. They are crucial in global terrestrial ecosystems and play an equal importance in metal tailings. We summarized the existing knowledge on BSCs growing on metal tailings. The main photosynthetic organisms (cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algae, lichens, and mosses) of BSCs exhibit a high heavy metal(loid) (HM) tolerance. BSCs also have a strong adaptability to other adverse conditions in tailings, such as poor structure, acidification, and infertility. The literature about tailing BSCs has been rapidly increasing, particularly after 2022. The extensive literature confirms that the BSCs distributed on metal tailings, including all major types of metal tailings in different climatic regisions, are common. BSCs perform various ecological functions in tailings, including HM stress reduction, soil structure improvement, soil nutrient increase, biogeochemical cycle enhancement, and microbial community restoration. They interact and accelerate revegetation of tailings (at least in the temperate zone) and soil formation. Restoring tailings by accelerating/inducing BSC formation (e.g., resource augmentation and inoculation) has also attracted attention and achieved small-scale on-site application. However, some knowledge gaps still exist. The potential areas for further research include the relation between BSCs and HMs, large-scale quantification of tailing BSCs, application of emerging biological techniques, controlled laboratory experiments, and other restoration applications.

Effect of metacognitive therapy on depression in patients with chronic disease: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic diseases have a high prevalence worldwide, and patients with chronic diseases often suffer from depression, leading to a poor prognosis and a low quality of life. Metacognitive therapy is a transdiagnostic psychotherapy intervention focused on thinking patterns, with the advantages of reliable implementation effect, short intervention period and low cost. It can help patients change negative metacognition, alleviate depression symptoms, and has a higher implementation value compared with other cognitive interventions. Therefore, metacognitive therapy may be an effective way to improve the mental health of patients with chronic diseases. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: CNKI, Wanfang Database, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, Sinomed, PubMed, SCOPUS, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science and PsycINFO will be used to select the eligible studies. As a supplement, websites (eg, the Chinese Clinical Registry, ClinicalTrials.gov) will be searched and grey literature will be included. The heterogeneity and methodological quality of the eligible studies will be independently screened and extracted by two experienced reviewers. All the data synthesis and analysis (drawing forest plots, subgroup analysis and sensitive analysis) will be conducted using RevMan 5.4.1. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This article is a literature review that does not include patients' identifiable information. Therefore, ethical approval is not required in this protocol. The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis will be published in a peer-reviewed journal as well as presentations at relevant conferences. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023411105.

In silico genome-wide analysis of homeodomain-leucine zipper transcription factors in Cannabis sativa L.

HD-Zip (Homeodomain-Leucine Zipper) is a family of transcription factors unique to higher plants and plays a vital role in plant growth and development. Increasing research results show that HD-Zip transcription factors are widely involved in many life processes in plants. However, the HD-Zip transcription factor for cannabis, a valuable crop, has not yet been identified. The sequence characteristics, chromosome localization, system evolution, conservative motif, gene structure, and gene expression of the HD-Zip transcription factor in the cannabis genome were systematically studied. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to verify its function. The results showed that cannabis contained 33 HD-Zip gene members. The number of amino acids is 136-849aa, the isoelectric point is 4.54-9.04, and the molecular weight is 23264.32-93147.87Da. Many cis-acting elements are corresponding to hormone and abiotic stress in the HD-Zip family promoter area of cannabis. Sequencing of the transcriptome at 5 tissue sites of hemp, stems, leaves, bracts, and seeds showed similar levels of expression of 33 members of the HD-Zip gene family at 5 tissue sites. Bioinformatics results show that HD-Zip expression is tissue-specific and may be influenced by hormones and environmental factors. This lays a foundation for further research on the gene function of HD-Zip.

Single-cell RNA sequencing unveils tumor heterogeneity and immune microenvironment between subungual and plantar melanoma.

Acral melanoma (AM) is a subtype of melanoma with high prevalence in East Asians. AM is characterized by greater aggressiveness and lower survival rates. However, there are still fewer studies on immune mechanisms of AM especially subungual melanoma (SM) versus non-subungual melanoma (NSM). In order to explore tumor heterogeneity and immune microenvironment in different subtypes of AM, we applied single-cell RNA sequencing to 24,789 single cells isolated from the SM and plantar melanoma (PM) patients. Aspects of tumor heterogeneity, melanocytes from PM and SM had significant differences in gene expression, CNV and pathways in which tumor-associated such as NF-kb and Wnt were involved. Regarding the immune microenvironment, PM contained more fibroblasts and T/NK cells. The EPHA3-EFNA1 axis was expressed only in cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) and melanocytes of PM, and the TIGIT-NECTIN2 axis was expressed in both AM subtypes of T/NK cells and melanocytes. Altogether, our study helps to elucidate the tumor heterogeneity in AM subpopulations and provides potential therapeutic targets for clinical research.

Major influencing factors identification and probabilistic health risk assessment of soil potentially toxic elements pollution in coal and metal mines across China: A systematic review.

Deposition of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in soils due to different types of mining activities has been an increasingly important concern worldwide. Quantitative differences of soil PTEs contamination and related health risk among typical mines remain unclear. Herein, data from 110 coal mines and 168 metal mines across China were analyzed based on 265 published literatures to evaluate pollution characteristics, spatial distribution, and probabilistic health risks of soil PTEs. The results showed that PTE levels in soil from both mine types significantly exceeded background values. The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) revealed metal-mine soil pollution levels exceeded those of coal mines, with average Igeo values for Cd, Hg, As, Pb, Cu, and Zn being 3.02-15.60 times higher. Spearman correlation and redundancy analysis identified natural and anthropogenic factors affecting soil PTE contamination in both mine types. Mining activities posed a significant carcinogenic risk, with metal-mine soils showing a total carcinogenic risk an order of magnitude higher than in coal-mine soils. This study provides policymakers a quantitative foundation for developing differentiated strategies for sustainable remediation and risk-based management of PTEs in typical mining soils.

A Retrospective Study: Clinical Characteristics and Lifestyle Analysis of Chinese Senile Gluteal Dermatosis Patients.

Purpose: To summarize the clinical, histopathological and therapeutic features of senile gluteal dermatosis. Patients and Methods: Retrospective analysis of 230 cases who visited the outpatient clinic of Hangzhou No. 3 People's Hospital for skin lesions on the buttocks and hips from 2018.8-2023.8 were included in the study, basic clinical information was collected, and they were subjected to physical examination of the buttocks and hips, and 36 cases were senile gluteal dermatosis, of which 7 underwent histopathological biopsy. Results: A total of 230 patients were included, of which 36 were diagnosed with geriatric buttock dermatosis, with a mean age of (84.2±12.6) years, mean body mass index of (21.7±3.8) kg/m2, and a male to female ratio of 2:1. There was a significant correlation between the occurrence of the disease and age, gender, body mass index, sedentary time, type of chair used, and hypertension (P<0.05). The severity of the lesions may be associated with longer sitting time and prolonged use of bamboo chairs (P<0.05). Histopathologic changes were not specific. The skin lesions could subside after general treatment such as improvement of lifestyle, use of pressure-reducing air mattresses, salicylic acid cream, and moisturizing creams. Conclusion: Senile gluteal dermatosis is a common senile physical dermatosis, mainly manifested as brownish scaly plaques, erythema and crusted ulcers, which can often be cured under reasonable treatment.

Synthesis, characterization and in vitro antiproliferative effects of isosteviol derivatives.

Nineteen isosteviol derivatives were designed and synthesized by C-16, C-19 and D-ring modifications of isosteviol. These compounds were screened for their cytotoxic activities against Hela and A549 cells in vitro. Among them, the inhibitory effect of compounds 3b and 16 on Hela cells was comparable to that of the positive control gefitinib, and the compounds 3b (IC50=7.84 ± 0.84 µM) and 7a (IC50=6.89 ± 0.33 µM) exhibited significant cytotoxicity superior to gefitinib (IC50=11.02 ± 3.27 µM) against A549 cells.

Morphological and Molecular Changes during Limb Regeneration of the Exopalaemon carinicauda.

With the increase in breeding density of Exopalaemon carinicauda, appendage breakage may occur, which seriously affects survival and economic benefits. To study the limb regeneration process of E. carinicauda, we induced autotomy of the pereopods. After a period of time, wound swelling disappeared, the pigment gradually accumulated, and a tawny film subsequently formed in the wound. The healing period of the wound occurred 24 h after autotomy, and the blastema formation stage occurred 48 h after autotomy. After 4 days of cutting, the limb buds began to differentiate, grow, and expand rapidly, and this process lasted approximately 15 days. Microscopic observations revealed significant changes in the type and number of associated cells including outer epithelial cells, granulocytes, embryonic cells, columnar epidermal cells, elongated cells, and blastoma cells, during the process from limb fracture to regeneration. A comparative transcriptome analysis identified 1415 genes differentially expressed between the J0h (0 h post autotomy) and J18h (18 h post autotomy), and 3952 and 4366 differentially expressed genes for J0 and J14d (14 days post autotomy) and J18h and J14d, respectively. Some of these genes may be related to muscle growth or molting, as indicated by the presence of troponin C, chitinase, actin, innexin, and cathepsin L. As a functional gene involved in epidermal formation, the mRNA expression level of the innexin inx2 in the pereopod of E. carinicauda changed significantly in the experimental groups (p < 0.05). The results of this study contribute to existing knowledge of regeneration mechanisms in crustaceans.

Bone-Differentiation-Associated Circ-Spen Regulates Death of Mouse Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Inhibiting Apoptosis and Promoting Autophagy.

The role of estrogen receptor ß (ERß) in bone health is closely associated with its function in vivo, and ERß-/- mice have been widely utilized to explore the related influences. In this study, ERß-/- female mice were established to investigate the differential expression of circular RNAs (circRNAs) by RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq). Among these circRNAs, mmu_circ_0011379 (named Circ-Spen) exhibited high expression in ERß-/- female mice. However, the precise mechanism by which Circ-Spen regulates bone health remained unclear. This study identified Circ-Spen as a positive regulator of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (mBMSC) viability. The expression of Circ-Spen was markedly increased in ERß-/- mice femurs tested by RT-qPCR. Moreover, Circ-Spen exhibited an enhanced expression during the bone formation process of mBMSCs. Qualitative experiments also demonstrated that Circ-Spen possessed a circular structure and was localized within the nucleus of mBMSCs. Functionally, it inhibited apoptosis via caspase-3, BCL-2, and BAX, while also promoting autophagy through BECN1 and P62 in mBMSCs tested by MTT assays, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Western blotting. These findings reveal the potential of targeting Circ-Spen as a promising therapeutic strategy for rejuvenating senescent mBMSCs and enhancing the efficiency of mBMSC transplantation, which lays the foundation for advancements in the field of bone therapy.

Identification and genetic diversity analysis of broomrape in Xinjiang, China.

BACKGROUND: As a holoparasitic weed, broomrape has seriously threatened the production of economically important crops, such as melon, watermelon, processed tomato, and sunflower, in Xinjiang in recent years. However, the distribution and genetic diversity of broomrape populations in Xinjiang are not clear at present, which hinders their prevention and control. The purpose of this study was to identify the main species and the genetic differentiation structure of the broomrape population in Xinjiang. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the present study, 93 samples from different geographic regions of Xinjiang were collected to identify the species based on ITS and plastid rps2 regions, and the samples were also used to analyze the genetic diversity based on ISSR markers. The results showed that broomrape is not monophyletic in Xinjiang and consists of two major clades (Orobanche cf. aegyptiaca and O. cernua) and three subclades (O. cf. aegyptiaca var. tch, O. cf. aegyptiaca var. klz, and O. cernua.var. alt) based on phylogenetic analysis. Furthermore, the results of the genetic diversity analysis indicated that the average polymorphic information content and marker index were high values of 0.58 and 7.38, respectively, showing the efficiency of the ISSR markers in detecting polymorphism among the broomrape population studied. Additionally, the 11 selected primers produced 154 repeatable polymorphic bands, of which 150 were polymorphic. The genetic diversity of the samples was 37.19% within populations and 62.81% among the populations, indicating that the main genetic differentiation occurred among the populations. There was less gene exchange between populations, with a gene flow index (Nm) of 0.2961 (< 1). The UPGMA dendrogram indicated that most populations with similar geographical conditions and hosts were clustered first, and then all samples were separated into two major groups and seven subclusters. CONCLUSION: The broomrapes are mainly O. cf. aegyptiaca and O. cernua in Xinjiang, which were separated into two major groups and seven subclusters based on ISSR markers. Our results provide a theoretical basis for breeding broomrape-resistant varieties.

Inhibition of biofouling by in-situ grown zwitterionic hydrogel nanolayer on membrane surface in ultralow-pressurized ultrafiltration process.

Ultralow-pressurized ultrafiltration membrane process with low energy consumption is promising in surface water purification. However, membrane fouling and low selectivity are significant barriers for the wide application of this process. Herein, an ultrathin zwitterionic hydrogel nanolayer was in-situ grown on polysulfone ultrafiltration membrane surface through interfacially-initiated free radical polymerization. The hydrogel-modified membrane possessed improved biological fouling resistance during the dynamic filtration process (bovine serum albumin, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus), comparing with commercial polysulfone membrane. The enhanced biofouling resistance ability of zwitterionic hydrogel nanolayer was derived from the foulant repulsion of hydration shell and the bactericidal effect of quaternary ammonium, according to the results of foulant-membrane interaction energy analyses and antibacterial performances. In surface water treatment, the zwitterionic hydrogel layer inhibited biofouling and resulted in the formation of a loose and thin biofilm. In addition, the hydrogel-modified membrane possessed 22% improvement in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal and 134% increasement in stable water flux, compared to commercial polysulfone membrane. The in-situ grown zwitterionic hydrogel nanolayer on membrane surface offers a prospectively alternative for biofouling control in ultralow-pressurized membrane process.

Cloning and Expression Analysis of Key Enzyme Gene CoGPPS Involved in Iridoid Glycoside Synthesis in Cornus officinalis.

Cornus iridoid glycosides (CIGs), including loganin and morroniside, are the main active components of Cornus officinalis. As one of the key enzymes in the biosynthesis of CIGs, geranyl pyrophosphate synthase (GPPS) catalyzes the formation of geranyl pyrophosphate, which is the direct precursor of CIGs. In this study, the C. officinalis geranyl pyrophosphate synthase (CoGPPS) sequence was cloned from C. officinalis and analyzed. The cDNA sequence of the CoGPPS gene was 915 bp (GenBank No. OR725699). Phylogenetic analysis showed that CoGPPS was closely related to the GPPS sequence of Actinidia chinensis and Camellia sinensis, but relatively distantly related to Paeonia lactiflora and Tripterygium wilfordii. Results from the quantitative real-time PCR showed the spatiotemporal expression pattern of CoGPPS; that is, CoGPPS was specifically expressed in the fruits. Subcellular localization assay proved that CoGPPS was specifically found in chloroplasts. Loganin and morroniside contents in the tissues were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography, and both compounds were found to be at higher levels in the fruits than in leaves. Thus, this study laid the foundation for further studies on the synthetic pathway of CIGs.

A retrospective study of infantile-onset Takayasu arteritis: experience from a tertiary referral center in China.

Objective: Takayasu artery (TAK) is a chronic inflammatory disease that mainly affects the aorta and its major branches and is rarely reported in infants. We aimed to summarize the clinical features of infant TA (I-TA) in a tertiary care center. Methods: We performed a retrospective study involving 10 infants diagnosed with TAK. A comprehensive evaluation of clinical, laboratory, radiographic features, disease activity, treatment and outcomes was carried out. Results: A consecutive cohort was composed of 8 girls and 2 boys, with an age at diagnosis of 11.1 (1.7-36) months. The median time to diagnosis and the average time to follow-up were 9.5 days (2-235 days) and 10.9 (1-21) months, respectively. The most common initial manifestations were malaise (80%), fever (70%), hypertension (50%) and rash (30%). The mean Pediatric Vasculitis Activity Score (PVAS), Takayasu Clinical Activity Score (ITAS-2010) and ITAS-A scores were 2.8/63, 2.6/51, and 5.6/54, respectively. All patients had aberrant laboratory parameters. The most common lesions were in the thoracic aorta (60%) and abdominal aorta (60%). Corticosteroids combined with cyclophosphamide followed by long-term mycophenolate mofetil were initiated in most cases (70%). Biologics were attempted in 5 cases. Mortality was 40%. Conclusions: It is challenging to diagnose TAK in infants in a timely manner. Considering the more vessels involved, more severe inflammation and higher mortality, aggressive treatment is warranted in infants. GCs and CYC treatment seem to be effective.

An asymmetrical flavylium based probe with large Stokes shift and near infrared emission for highly sensitive detecting and visualizing cellular drug induced H2S fluctuations.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been recognized as an important gaseous signaling molecule in living systems, and is of great significance in many pathological and physiological processes. Misregulation of endogenous H2S is implicated in various diseases in the neuronal, gastrointestinal, circulatory, and endocrine systems. Fluorescent probe with large Stokes shift and near infrared emission, is ideal candidate for imaging applications to prevent excitation scattering, autofluorescence interference, matrix absorption caused signal loss, and sample destruction. In this study, a dual-side expansion approach was performed to develop spectra tunable hydroxyl functional flavylium derivative named HN8 with enlarged Stokes shift of 81 nm, lengthened emission of 671 nm, satisfied quantum yield of 0.23, and good fluorescence enhancement factor of 14.3-fold. Moreover, based on HN8, the screened probe HN8DNP displayed 225-fold fluorescence enhancement containing linear correlations to H2S from 0 to 50 µM with good limit of detection (LOD) of 0.31 µM. Therefore, HN8DNP was then applied for imaging exogenous H2S and drug induced enzymatic H2S generation in living cells with satisfied results, revealing the relationship between intracellular H2S levels and related enzyme activities. In a word, the present work provided a potential fluorescence probe for highly selective and sensitive detecting H2S in vitro and in living cells. And the promising dual-side expansion strategy for regulation optical feature of traditional fluorophore may meet the increasing requirements of sensing and imaging applications.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Jacobaea cannabifolia.

Jacobaea cannabifolia is a widely used medicinal plant. The total length of the chloroplast genome was 151,390 bp, and it comprised a large single-copy (LSC, 83,432 bp) region, a small single-copy (SSC, 18,304 bp) region, and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs, 49,654 bp). A total of 130 coding genes were annotated, including 88 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 34 tRNA genes. A phylogenetic tree was showed that J. cannabifolia and other species of the same genus clustered together.

A Taguchi-STIRPAT input-output model for unveiling the pathways of reducing household carbon emissions under dual-carbon target-A case study of Fujian province.

This study develops a novel Taguchi-STIRPAT input-output (TSIO) model for exploring pathways to reduce carbon emission from the perspective of household consumption, through incorporating input-output model (IOM), Taguchi design (TD), and STIRPAT model. TSIO can not only identify the main factors (carbon emission intensity, consumption structure, per capita consumption, and population) and evaluate their effects on indirect household carbon emissions (IHC), but also predict IHC from a long-term perspective to achieve the dual-carbon target. TSIO is then applied to Fujian province (China), where multiple scenarios related to multiple factors with multiple levels are examined. Results reveal that (i) among all sectors, the highest contributors to IHC are residence (RES), followed by food, cigarettes, and drinks (FCD), and transport and communication (TC); it is suggested that the government can consider market mechanism to control these high-carbon emission consumption behaviors; (ii) the decline in the share of RES consumption has the largest effect on rural and urban IHC; the share of RES consumption is considered to be a key factor in predicting carbon emissions; (iii) under the optimal scenario, IHC would peak in 2025 and decrease to 10.07 × 106 ton in 2060; this scenario can effectively mitigate household carbon emissions by reducing carbon emission intensity and the share of RES consumption; at the same time, it can ensure a sustained increase in per capita consumption. The results unveil the pathways of household carbon reduction under the dual-carbon target in Fujian province and suggest the local government should adopt policies (such as taxation and financial incentives) to limit residential consumptions with high carbon emission intensity.

Phototherapy for age-related brain diseases: Challenges, successes and future.

Brain diseases present a significant obstacle to both global health and economic progress, owing to their elusive pathogenesis and the limited effectiveness of pharmaceutical interventions. Phototherapy has emerged as a promising non-invasive therapeutic modality for addressing age-related brain disorders, including stroke, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and Parkinson's disease (PD), among others. This review examines the recent progressions in phototherapeutic interventions. Firstly, the article elucidates the various wavelengths of visible light that possess the capability to penetrate the skin and skull, as well as the pathways of light stimulation, encompassing the eyes, skin, veins, and skull. Secondly, it deliberates on the molecular mechanisms of visible light on photosensitive proteins, within the context of brain disorders and other molecular pathways of light modulation. Lastly, the practical application of phototherapy in diverse clinical neurological disorders is indicated. Additionally, this review presents novel approaches that combine phototherapy and pharmacological interventions. Moreover, it outlines the limitations of phototherapeutics and proposes innovative strategies to improve the treatment of cerebral disorders.

Effectiveness of typodont, quail egg and virtual simulation for ultrasonic periodontal scaling teaching among pre-clinical students: a randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of three different techniques, namely virtual simulation technology (VS), traditional pathological typodont (TT), and quail egg (QE), in pre-clinical training of periodontal ultrasonic scaling. It also aimed to propose an integrated teaching approach for ultrasonic scaling teaching. METHODS: This single-blind randomized multi-arm trial enrolled 108 fourth-year students from Guanghua School of Stomatology at Sun Yat-sen University. The participants were randomly, evenly assigned to VS, TT, or QE group. First, the participants received theoretical review on ultrasonic scaling and demonstrative teaching. Then in the 90-minute operation training by group, students used traditional typodont equipped in head-simulators, raw quail eggs, or scaling module of the UniDental VS system respectively. Then all participants practiced on pathological models for 30 min. In the final operation examination, participants were instructed to remove the supra- and sub-gingival calculi pre-set on designated teeth by ultrasonic scalers within 30 min. Their performances were evaluated by residual calculus rate and a multi-perspective scoring scale. After the examination, questionnaires were provided to assess the teaching effects of each method and the fidelity of VS. Statistical analysis was carried out using one-way, two-way ANOVA, and multiple t-test. RESULTS: Students in VS group had significant higher total test scores than QE group (87.89 ± 6.81, 83.53 ± 8.14) and TT group (85.03 ± 6.81). VS group scored higher in several dimensional comparisons with the other two groups, especially in difficult situations. QE group had higher scores particularly in force application and supra-gingival scaling. TT group scored the highest in pivot stability practice and body position training. Students gave higher scores when assessing the fidelity of VS than experienced teachers. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the importance of specialized pre-clinical training on ultrasonic scaling for dental students. The methods adopted in current study (VS, TT and QE) each offered unique advantages in education, which can be combined to create an integrative teaching procedure. This procedure aims to provide an effective, advisable and normative pre-clinical training procedure for ultrasonic scaling. By utilizing the strengths of each method, dental educators can deliver high-quality training and ensure that students are well-prepared for clinical practice.