A chromosome-scale reference genome assembly of the great sand eel, Hyperoplus lanceolatus.

Despite increasing sequencing efforts, numerous fish families still lack a reference genome, which complicates genetic research. One such understudied family is the sand lances (Ammodytidae, literally: "sand burrower"), a globally distributed clade of over 30 fish species that tend to avoid tidal currents by burrowing into the sand. Here, we present the first annotated chromosome-level genome assembly of the great sand eel (Hyperoplus lanceolatus). The genome assembly was generated using Oxford Nanopore Technologies long sequencing reads and Illumina short reads for polishing. The final assembly has a total length of 808.5 Mbp, of which 97.1% were anchored into 24 chromosome-scale scaffolds using proximity-ligation scaffolding. It is highly contiguous with a scaffold and contig N50 of 33.7 and 31.3 Mbp, respectively, and has a BUSCO completeness score of 96.9%. The presented genome assembly is a valuable resource for future studies of sand lances, as this family is of great ecological and commercial importance and may also contribute to studies aiming to resolve the suprafamiliar taxonomy of bony fishes.

Effect of an endodontic e-learning application on students' performance during their first root canal treatment on real patients: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: E-learning has found its way into dental teaching in general and endodontic teaching in particular. The present study aimed to implement a newly developed multimedia learning application and assess its effect on students' first root canal treatment on real patients. With the COVID-19 outbreak, the application's performance was investigated during the pandemic. METHODS: A total of 138 students in the initial clinical endodontic course participated in this study. The control group (n = 49) followed the traditional curriculum, including practice on artificial teeth and face-to-face teaching events. In addition to the traditional curriculum, test group 1 (n = 54) had access to an endodontic e-learning application containing videos demonstrating artificial teeth and patient cases. With the COVID-19 outbreak, test group 2 (n = 35) had no face-to-face teaching; however, endodontic patient treatments were included. The quality of students' first root canal treatment on real patients was compared using performance and radiographic assessment items. Statistical analysis was done using Kruskal-Wallis and chi-squared tests. Test groups received a questionnaire to assess the learning application. Test group 2 also completed a COVID-19-specific survey to measure students' perceptions of how the pandemic affected their endodontic education. RESULTS: The results of endodontic treatments were significantly better for test group 1 (P < 0.001) and 2 (P < 0.001) than for the control group. Likewise, there were significantly fewer treatment errors in test group 1 (P < 0.001) and 2 (P < 0.001). No significant differences were found between test groups 1 and 2. Students of the test groups positively evaluated the e-learning application. Students of test group 2 expressed their fear of negative impacts on their course performance. CONCLUSION: The e-learning application was well-received and seemed to improve endodontic education. The results imply that the quality of education may be maintained by implementing e-learning to compensate for face-to-face teaching. As no difference was found between online and face-to-face teaching, students' and lecturers' concerns that endodontic education is suffering because of the pandemic may be eased.

Evaluation of new endodontic tooth models in clinical education from the perspective of students and demonstrators.

BACKGROUND: The quality of root canal treatments performed by undergraduate students is often unsatisfactory questioning the current methods of teaching. Based on treatment errors made by students participating the endodontic courses at RWTH Aachen University (Germany), new radiopaque artificial root canal treatment models (DRSK RCT; incisor, premolar, molar) were designed and developed. The aim of the study was to evaluate these models by groups of students and demonstrators. METHODS: A total number of 60 students and seven demonstrators from a single institution (RWTH Aachen) participated in this study. They performed endodontic treatments on either initial versions of the DRSK RCT or modified versions. The initial versions were evaluated by students (n = 25) and demonstrators (n = 7). The obtained questionnaire was conducted as 7-point Likert-Scale covering the topics material properties, feeling while performing exercises and perception of its closeness to reality via 19 items (students) and 21 items (demonstrators). According to the evaluations several alterations were applied to the DRSK RCT, the whole study was repeated and evaluated by different students (n = 35) and the same demonstrators (n = 7). Additionally, the demonstrators blindly evaluated the quality of root canal treatments performed by the students (n = 35) on the modified DRSK RCT. Comparisons between the initial versions and the modified versions were calculated using Chi-squared tests. RESULTS: Students as well as demonstrators positively evaluated both variants of the DRSK RCT with especially high ratings in the overall evaluation. Students' rating of the pulp anatomy significantly increased from 5.4 ± 1.1 (mean ± SD) to 5.9 ± 0.9 (mean ± SD; p < 0.05) for the modified model. Likewise, students felt that the ability to flare root canals improved after alterations have been applied. Ratings significantly increased from 4.8 ± 1.6 (mean ± SD) to 5.6 ± 1.0 (mean ± SD; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results indicate that the DRSK RCT is a promising candidate to be used as an alternative to extracted teeth or as an additional tool for improving dental education. However, some limitations of our analysis have to be considered.

Tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis as a limb salvage procedure for complex hindfoot deformities.

INTRODUCTION: Tibiocalcaneal (TC) arthrodesis is a limb salvage method for patients with severe deformities combined with necrosis and/or luxation of the talus. The aim of this study was to examine the clinical and radiological outcome of TC arthrodesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study identified 12 patients with luxation and/or necrosis of the talus, due to charcot neuroarthropathy (83.3 %) or traumatic injuries (16.7 %). All patients underwent TC arthrodesis by an external fixator or nail arthrodesis. The mean follow up was 18 (6-36) months with a mean age of 51.3 (30-66) years. The data were collected using the AOFAS score as well as clinical and radiological examination during regular follow up. RESULTS: Seven (58.3 %) patients were treated with an external fixator, four (33.3 %) with nail arthrodesis and one (8.3 %) patient rejected both fixation methods. Four (100 %) patients achieved radiological and clinical bone union after nail arthrodesis and four (57.1 %) patients after external fixation. Three (42.9 %) patients treated by an external fixator showed a radiological moderate bone fusion, but a stable, asymptomatic non-union. One (8.3 %) case ended up in transfemoral amputation. Eleven patients (91.7 %) regained independent mobilization. The mean AOFAS score improved from 24.3 preoperatively to 66.7 postoperatively (p < 0.05). The postoperative satisfaction rate was good to excellent in 83.3 %. CONCLUSION: TC arthrodesis is a promising and effective method for the treatment of severe ankle deformities with talus luxation. It allows patient's return to mobility with good to excellent patient satisfaction.

Establishment of a Dissolution Test System for the Biorelevant Characterization of Esophageal Applied Dosage Forms.

There is a high demand for drug delivery systems that enable local therapy of esophageal diseases such as eosinophilic esophagitis. For the development of such drug delivery systems, suitable in vitro test procedures are needed that allow a biorelevant characterization of dosage forms. With the help of the new test system presented in this thesis it is now possible to simulate the application site esophagus and to characterize the dissolution behavior of esophageal applied drug delivery systems under special consideration of physiological parameters like salivary flow rate, intensity of peristalsis, and posture of the patient. In this work, the dissolution of mucoadhesive films for esophageal application with the new device was investigated and compared to the results obtained with the compendial standard device (USP 2 apparatus). The results show that the novel test system is a promising tool for the early evaluation of locally applied oral formulations for esophageal application.

Midterm results from the TRAVIATA registry: treatment of thoracic aortic disease with the valiant stent graft.

PURPOSE: To assess early and midterm outcomes after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) with the Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft. METHODS: Data were reviewed retrospectively for 92 patients (69 men; mean age 65+/-14.5 years) who underwent TEVAR in 52.2% elective and 47.8% urgent/emergent procedures for treatment of 56 degenerative aneurysms, 32 aortic dissections, and 4 traumatic injuries at 4 German centers between June 2005 and March 2008. RESULTS: The technical success rate was 86.9%. Through 30 days, there were 3 (3.3%) deaths. Periprocedural complications included endoleak (n = 6), systemic complications (n = 6), arterial rupture or dissection (n = 6), device-related complications (n = 5), retrograde aortic dissection (n = 1), aortic rupture (n = 1), spinal cord ischemia (n = 1), and stroke (n = 1). Cumulative survival was 95.5% at 1 year, 87.4% at 2 years, and 76.4% at 3 years. The rate of aneurysm-related mortality was 2.2% (n = 2). For aneurysm and dissection patients, respectively, the rates of major complications were 9.3% and 15.6%, and secondary procedures were required in 7.4% and 12.5%. Type I endoleaks were detected in 4 aneurysm and 2 dissection patients, and graft migration occurred in 1 patient each from the aneurysm and dissection groups. No patients were converted to open surgery during follow-up. Aortic diameter reduction >5 mm was confirmed for 58.4% of patients overall. CONCLUSION: The high technical and clinical success, the low all-cause and aneurysm-related mortality, the negligible rates of neurological complications and spinal cord ischemia, and the low incidence of endoleak support the safety and effectiveness of TEVAR with the Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft. However, some deployment-related complications could be avoided by enhancements of the deployment mechanism.