Shifts in functional traits and interactions patterns of soil methane-cycling communities following forest-to-pasture conversion in the Amazon Basin.

Deforestation threatens the integrity of the Amazon biome and the ecosystem services it provides, including greenhouse gas mitigation. Forest-to-pasture conversion has been shown to alter the flux of methane gas (CH4 ) in Amazonian soils, driving a switch from acting as a sink to a source of atmospheric CH4 . This study aimed to better understand this phenomenon by investigating soil microbial metagenomes, focusing on the taxonomic and functional structure of methane-cycling communities. Metagenomic data from forest and pasture soils were combined with measurements of in situ CH4 fluxes and soil edaphic factors and analysed using multivariate statistical approaches. We found a significantly higher abundance and diversity of methanogens in pasture soils. As inferred by co-occurrence networks, these microorganisms seem to be less interconnected within the soil microbiota in pasture soils. Metabolic traits were also different between land uses, with increased hydrogenotrophic and methylotrophic pathways of methanogenesis in pasture soils. Land-use change also induced shifts in taxonomic and functional traits of methanotrophs, with bacteria harbouring genes encoding the soluble form of methane monooxygenase enzyme (sMMO) depleted in pasture soils. Redundancy analysis and multimodel inference revealed that the shift in methane-cycling communities was associated with high pH, organic matter, soil porosity and micronutrients in pasture soils. These results comprehensively characterize the effect of forest-to-pasture conversion on the microbial communities driving the methane-cycling microorganisms in the Amazon rainforest, which will contribute to the efforts to preserve this important biome.

Fatigue behavior, failure mode, and stress distribution of occlusal veneers: influence of the prosthetic preparation cusp inclinations and the type of restorative material.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of cusp inclination of the prosthetic preparation's occlusal surface and type of restorative material on the fatigue behavior, failure mode, and stress distribution of occlusal veneers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Glass fiber-reinforced epoxy resin prosthetic preparations for occlusal veneers with three different occlusal surface cusp inclination degrees (0°, 15°, and 30°) were produced and assigned into six testing groups (n = 11) according to the cusp inclination (0°, 15°, or 30°) and type of restorative material (lithium disilicate-LD or resin composite-RC). Despite different substrate preparation cusp inclination degrees, the restorations were designed maintaining 30° inclination between the cusps at the occlusal surface and a thickness of 0.7 mm at the central groove region of the restorations to be machined in a CAD/CAM system. After cementation, the specimens were stored for about 7 days (under water at 37 °C), and subsequently submitted to a load to failure test (n = 2) and an intermittent cyclic fatigue test (n = 9) (initial load: 100 N; step size: 50 N; cycles/step: 10,000; loading frequency: 20 Hz; loading piston: 6-mm-diameter stainless steel) until observing cracks. The data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA, Kaplan-Meier, and Mantel-Cox post hoc tests. Finite element analysis (FEA) and fractographic analyses were performed. RESULTS: The fatigue performance of LD and RC occlusal veneers was evaluated based on different prosthetic preparation cusp inclinations. The 0° inclination showed the best fatigue performance for both materials (LD: 944N, RC: 861N), while the 15° and 30° inclinations had lower values (LD: 800N and 533N, RC: 739N and 717N, respectively). The study also found that for a 0° inclination, LD occlusal veneers performed better than RC ones (LD: 944 N > RC: 861N), while for a 30° inclination, RC occlusal veneers had better fatigue performance than LD ones (LD: 533N < RC: 717N). No significant difference was observed between the materials for a 15° inclination (LD: 800N = RC: 739N). The FEA results showed a higher tensile stress concentration on lithium disilicate than on resin composite occlusal veneers. All lithium disilicate occlusal veneers showed radial crack failures, while resin composite occlusal veneers showed Hertzian cone cracks and radial cracks combined. CONCLUSION: Considering mechanical perspective only, RC occlusal veneers should be indicated when prosthetic preparation cusps inclinations are 30°. When 0° prosthetic preparation cusps inclinations are observed, LD occlusal veneers will behave mechanically better. When a 15° cusp inclination is preserved, both restorative materials behave similarly.

Linking above and belowground carbon sequestration, soil organic matter properties, and soil health in Brazilian Atlantic Forest restoration.

Forest restoration mitigates climate change by removing CO2 and storing C in terrestrial ecosystems. However, incomplete information on C storage in restored tropical forests often fails to capture the ecosystem's holistic C dynamics. This study provides an integrated assessment of C storage in above to belowground subsystems, its consequences for greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes, and the quantity, quality, and origin of soil organic matter (SOM) in restored Atlantic forests in Brazil. Relations between SOM properties and soil health indicators were also explored. We examined two restorations using tree planting ('active restoration'): an 8-year-old forest with green manure and native trees planted in two rounds, and a 15-year-old forest with native-planted trees in one round without green manure. Restorations were compared to reformed pasture and primary forest sites. We measured C storage in soil layers (0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm), litter, and plants. GHG emissions were assessed using CH4 and CO2 fluxes. SOM quantity was evaluated using C and N, quality using humification index (HLIFS), and origin using δ13C and δ15N. Nine soil health indicators were interrelated with SOM attributes. The primary forest presented the highest C stocks (107.7 Mg C ha-1), followed by 15- and 8-year-old restorations and pasture with 69.8, 55.5, and 41.8 Mg C ha-1, respectively. Soil C stocks from restorations and pasture were 20% lower than primary forest. However, 8- and 15-year-old restorations stored 12.3 and 28.3 Mg ha-1 more aboveground C than pasture. The younger forest had δ13C and δ15N values of 2.1 and 1.7‰, respectively, lower than the 15-year-old forest, indicating more C derived from C3 plants and biological N fixation. Both restorations and pasture had at least 34% higher HLIFS in deeper soil layers (10-30 cm) than primary forest, indicating a lack of labile SOM. Native and 15-year-old forests exhibited higher soil methane influx (141.1 and 61.9 µg m-2 h-1). Forests outperformed pasture in most soil health indicators, with 69% of their variance explained by SOM properties. However, SOM quantity and quality regeneration in both restorations approached the pristine forest state only in the top 10 cm layer, while deeper soil retained agricultural degradation legacies. In conclusion, active restoration of the Atlantic Forest is a superior approach compared to pasture reform for GHG mitigation. Nonetheless, the development of restoration techniques to facilitate labile C input into deeper soil layers (>10 cm) is needed to further improve soil multifunctionality and long-term C storage.

Increased soil moisture intensifies the impacts of forest-to-pasture conversion on methane emissions and methane-cycling communities in the Eastern Amazon.

Climatic changes are altering precipitation patterns in the Amazon and may influence soil methane (CH4) fluxes due to the differential responses of methanogenic and methanotrophic microorganisms. However, it remains unclear if these climate feedbacks can amplify land-use-related impacts on the CH4 cycle. To better predict the responses of soil CH4-cycling microorganisms and emissions under altered moisture levels in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon, we performed a 30-day microcosm experiment manipulating the moisture content (original moisture; 60%, 80%, and 100% of field capacity - FC) of forest and pasture soils. Gas samples were collected periodically for gas chromatography analysis, and methanogenic archaeal and methanotrophic bacterial communities were assessed using quantitative PCR and metagenomics. Positive and negative daily CH4 fluxes were observed for forest and pasture, indicating that these soils can act as both CH4 sources and sinks. Cumulative emissions and the abundance of methanogenesis-related genes and taxonomic groups were affected by land use, moisture, and their interaction. Pasture soils at 100% FC had the highest abundance of methanogens and CH4 emissions, 22 times higher than forest soils under the same treatment. Higher ratios of methanogens to methanotrophs were found in pasture than in forest soils, even at field capacity conditions. Land use and moisture were significant factors influencing the composition of methanogenic and methanotrophic communities. The diversity and evenness of methanogens did not change throughout the experiment. In contrast, methanotrophs exhibited the highest diversity and evenness in pasture soils at 100% FC. Taken together, our results suggest that increased moisture exacerbates soil CH4 emissions and microbial responses driven by land-use change in the Amazon. This is the first report on the microbial CH4 cycle in Amazonian upland soils that combined one-month gas measurements with advanced molecular methods.

Not just a methane source: Amazonian floodplain sediments harbour a high diversity of methanotrophs with different metabolic capabilities.

The Amazonian floodplain forests are dynamic ecosystems of great importance for the regional hydrological and biogeochemical cycles and function as a significant CH4 source contributing to the global carbon balance. Unique geochemical factors may drive the microbial community composition and, consequently, affect CH4 emissions across floodplain areas. Here, we report the in situ composition of CH4 cycling microbial communities in Amazonian floodplain sediments. We considered how abiotic factors may affect the microbial community composition and, more specifically, CH4 cycling groups. We collected sediment samples during wet and dry seasons from three different types of floodplain forests, along with upland forest soil samples, from the Eastern Amazon, Brazil. We used high-resolution sequencing of archaeal and bacterial 16S rRNA genes combined with real-time PCR to quantify Archaea and Bacteria, as well as key functional genes indicative of the presence of methanogenic (mcrA) and methanotrophic (pmoA) microorganisms. Methanogens were found to be present in high abundance in floodplain sediments, and they seem to resist the dramatic environmental changes between flooded and nonflooded conditions. Methanotrophs known to use different pathways to oxidise CH4 were detected, including anaerobic archaeal and bacterial taxa, indicating that a wide metabolic diversity may be harboured in this highly variable environment. The floodplain environmental variability, which is affected by the river origin, drives not only the sediment chemistry but also the composition of the microbial communities. These environmental changes seem also to affect the pools of methanotrophs occupying distinct niches. Understanding these shifts in the methanotrophic communities could improve our comprehension of the CH4 emissions in the region.

Fatigue failure load of feldspathic ceramic crowns after hydrofluoric acid etching at different concentrations.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Hydrofluoric acid etching modifies the cementation surface of ceramic restorations, which is the same surface where failure is initiated. Information regarding the influence of hydrofluoric acid etching on the cyclic loads to failure of ceramic crowns is lacking. PURPOSE: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the influence of different hydrofluoric acid concentrations on the fatigue failure loads of feldspathic ceramic crowns. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighty feldspathic ceramic crowns were cemented with resin cement to identical simplified complete crown preparations machined in a dentin-like polymer. The preparations were etched with 10% hydrofluoric acid for 60 seconds and received a primer coating. Before cementation, the intaglio of the ceramic crowns was treated with 1 of 4 surface conditionings (n=20): nonconditioned (control, CTRL), or etched for 60 seconds with different hydrofluoric acid concentrations: 1% (HF1), 5% (HF5), and 10% (HF10). A silane coupling agent was applied on this surface of all crowns, which were cemented to the preparations. Each crown was cyclically loaded in water with a G10 epoxy-glass piston positioned in the center of the occlusal surface. Fatigue failure loads of ceramic crowns were obtained by the staircase approach after 500000 cycles at 20 Hz. Mean failure loads were analyzed by 1-way ANOVA and the Tukey test (α=.05). RESULTS: Mean failure loads of groups CTRL (245.0 ±15.1 N), HF1 (242.5 ±24.7 N), and HF10 (255.7 ±53.8 N) were statistically similar (P>.05), while that of the HF5 group (216.7 ±22.5 N) was significantly lower (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: HF5 acid had a negative effect on the fatigue loads of the tested feldspathic ceramic crowns, while HF1 and HF10 acids did not change the fatigue resistance.

Effect of Hydrofluoric Acid Concentration on Resin Adhesion to a Feldspathic Ceramic.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of different concentrations of hydrofluoric acid (HF) on the contact angle and the resin bond strength durability to feldspathic ceramic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To evaluate the contact angles of distilled water on etched feldspathic ceramic, 25 specimens (12×10×2.4 mm) of VitaBlocks Mark II were used, divided into 5 groups (n=5): one unconditioned control (UC) group with no ceramic surface treatment, and 4 other groups that were etched for 60 s with different concentrations of HF: 1% (HF1), 3% (HF3), 5% (HF5) and 10% (HF10). The bond testing utilized 40 ceramic blocks (12×10×4 mm) that were fabricated and subjected to the same surface treatments as previously mentioned (excluding the control). The etched surfaces were silanized and resin cement was applied. After 24 h, the blocks were sectioned to produce bar specimens that were divided into two groups, non-aged (immediate testing) and aged (storage for 230 days+12,000 thermocycles at 5°C and 55°C), and subjected to microtensile testing (µTBS). Micromorphogical analysis of the treated surfaces was also performed (atomic force and scanning electron microscopy). One-way ANOVA and Tukey's tests were applied for data analysis. RESULTS: UC had the highest contact angle (61.4°), whereas HF10 showed the lowest contact angle (17.5°). In non-aged conditions, different acids promoted statistically similar bond strengths (14.2 to 15.7 MPa) (p>0.05); in terms of bond durability, only the bond strength of the HF1 group presented a statistically significant decrease comparing before and after aging (14.5 to 10.2 MPa). CONCLUSION: When etched with 3%, 5%, or 10% hydrofluoric acid, the ceramic tested showed stable resin adhesion after long-term aging.

Co-inoculations of bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi often drive additive plant growth responses.

Controlled greenhouse studies have shown the numerous ways that soil microbes can impact plant growth and development. However, natural soil communities are highly complex, and plants interact with many bacterial and fungal taxa simultaneously. Due to logistical challenges associated with manipulating more complex microbiome communities, how microbial communities impact emergent patterns of plant growth therefore remains poorly understood. For instance, do the interactions between bacteria and fungi generally yield additive (i.e. sum of their parts) or nonadditive, higher order plant growth responses? Without this information, our ability to accurately predict plant responses to microbial inoculants is weakened. To address these issues, we conducted a meta-analysis to determine the type (additive or higher-order, nonadditive interactions), frequency, direction (positive or negative), and strength that bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi (arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal) have on six phenotypic plant growth responses. Our results demonstrate that co-inoculations of bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi tend to have positive additive effects on many commonly reported plant responses. However, ectomycorrhizal plant shoot height responds positively and nonadditively to co-inoculations of bacteria and ectomycorrhizal fungi, and the strength of additive effects also differs between mycorrhizae type. These findings suggest that inferences from greenhouse studies likely scale to more complex field settings and that inoculating plants with diverse, beneficial microbes is a sound strategy to support plant growth.

Methane-cycling microbial communities from Amazon floodplains and upland forests respond differently to simulated climate change scenarios.

Seasonal floodplains in the Amazon basin are important sources of methane (CH4), while upland forests are known for their sink capacity. Climate change effects, including shifts in rainfall patterns and rising temperatures, may alter the functionality of soil microbial communities, leading to uncertain changes in CH4 cycling dynamics. To investigate the microbial feedback under climate change scenarios, we performed a microcosm experiment using soils from two floodplains (i.e., Amazonas and Tapajós rivers) and one upland forest. We employed a two-factorial experimental design comprising flooding (with non-flooded control) and temperature (at 27 °C and 30 °C, representing a 3 °C increase) as variables. We assessed prokaryotic community dynamics over 30 days using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and qPCR. These data were integrated with chemical properties, CH4 fluxes, and isotopic values and signatures. In the floodplains, temperature changes did not significantly affect the overall microbial composition and CH4 fluxes. CH4 emissions and uptake in response to flooding and non-flooding conditions, respectively, were observed in the floodplain soils. By contrast, in the upland forest, the higher temperature caused a sink-to-source shift under flooding conditions and reduced CH4 sink capability under dry conditions. The upland soil microbial communities also changed in response to increased temperature, with a higher percentage of specialist microbes observed. Floodplains showed higher total and relative abundances of methanogenic and methanotrophic microbes compared to forest soils. Isotopic data from some flooded samples from the Amazonas river floodplain indicated CH4 oxidation metabolism. This floodplain also showed a high relative abundance of aerobic and anaerobic CH4 oxidizing Bacteria and Archaea. Taken together, our data indicate that CH4 cycle dynamics and microbial communities in Amazonian floodplain and upland forest soils may respond differently to climate change effects. We also highlight the potential role of CH4 oxidation pathways in mitigating CH4 emissions in Amazonian floodplains.

Ectomycorrhizal fungi alter soil food webs and the functional potential of bacterial communities.

Most of Earth's trees rely on critical soil nutrients that ectomycorrhizal fungi (EcMF) liberate and provide, and all of Earth's land plants associate with bacteria that help them survive in nature. Yet, our understanding of how the presence of EcMF modifies soil bacterial communities, soil food webs, and root chemistry requires direct experimental evidence to comprehend the effects that EcMF may generate in the belowground plant microbiome. To this end, we grew Pinus muricata plants in soils that were either inoculated with EcMF and native forest bacterial communities or only native bacterial communities. We then profiled the soil bacterial communities, applied metabolomics and lipidomics, and linked omics data sets to understand how the presence of EcMF modifies belowground biogeochemistry, bacterial community structure, and their functional potential. We found that the presence of EcMF (i) enriches soil bacteria linked to enhanced plant growth in nature, (ii) alters the quantity and composition of lipid and non-lipid soil metabolites, and (iii) modifies plant root chemistry toward pathogen suppression, enzymatic conservation, and reactive oxygen species scavenging. Using this multi-omic approach, we therefore show that this widespread fungal symbiosis may be a common factor for structuring soil food webs.IMPORTANCEUnderstanding how soil microbes interact with one another and their host plant will help us combat the negative effects that climate change has on terrestrial ecosystems. Unfortunately, we lack a clear understanding of how the presence of ectomycorrhizal fungi (EcMF)-one of the most dominant soil microbial groups on Earth-shapes belowground organic resources and the composition of bacterial communities. To address this knowledge gap, we profiled lipid and non-lipid metabolites in soils and plant roots, characterized soil bacterial communities, and compared soils amended either with or without EcMF. Our results show that the presence of EcMF changes soil organic resource availability, impacts the proliferation of different bacterial communities (in terms of both type and potential function), and primes plant root chemistry for pathogen suppression and energy conservation. Our findings therefore provide much-needed insight into how two of the most dominant soil microbial groups interact with one another and with their host plant.

Preventing bad behavior in academia.

We gave young scientists this prompt: Describe one change to scientific policy or culture that would substantially decrease incidents of scientific misconduct or other unethical behavior.

Effect of the region of the CAD/CAM block on the flexural strength and structural reliability of restorative materials.

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether the region (internal or external) of the CAD/CAM block influences the mechanical performance of restorative materials. Blocks of different CAD/CAM materials (Composites: KAV - Katana Avencia; LULT - LULT Ultimate; Ceramics: ENAM - Vita Enamic; NICE - N!CE; EMP - IPS Empress CAD; VMII - Vita Mark II; EMAX - IPS e.max CAD) were selected, and direct resin composite blocks (APX - Clearfil AP-X; FSUP - Filtek Supreme) were built using the incremental technique on a mold from one of the CAD/CAM blocks. All blocks were sectioned into bar-shaped specimens (1 × 1 × 14 mm), which were separated into two groups according to the region of the block (inside or outside). 3-point bending tests were performed following ISO 6872:2015 and flexural strength data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests (p < 0.05). Weibull module and characteristic strength were also calculated. In general, the mean flexural strength values were not statistically different (p > 0.05) between the inside and outside regions of each material, except for LULT (inside > outside) and EMAX (outside > inside). Comparing the materials, a similar strength (only discrete variations) was observed for inside, outside or merged (inside and outside data assembled together) regions: EMAX > KAV = LULT > NICE = APX > EMP = ENAM = VMII ≥ FSUP (merged condition). Characteristic strength at 63.2% failure probability and at 5% failure probability generally corroborates such observations. There were no statistical differences for Weibull module data (inside, outside, or merged), except for KAV and NICE (outside > inside). Thus, the region from where the restoration is milled within the CAD/CAM block generally does not influence the mechanical performance hereof (flexural strength, failure probability, risk of premature failures, and mechanical reliability) of the material, except for LULT and EMAX.

How does the occlusal contact region influence the mechanical fatigue performance and fracture region of monolithic lithium disilicate ceramic crowns?

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the effect of the occlusal contact region on the mechanical fatigue performance and on the fracture region of monolithic lithium disilicate ceramic crowns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Monolithic lithium disilicate ceramic crowns were machined in a CAD/CAM system and adhesively luted onto glass-fiber reinforced epoxy resin preparations with resin cement. The crowns were divided into three groups (n = 16) according to load application region (cusp tip: restricted to cusp tips; cusp plane: restricted to cuspal inclined plane; or mixed: associating tip cusp and cuspal inclined plane). The specimens were submitted to a cyclic fatigue test (initial load: 200 N; step-size: 100 N; cycles/step: 20,000; loading frequency: 20 Hz; load applicator: 6 mm or 40 mm diameter stainless steel) until observing cracks (1st outcome) and fracture (2nd outcome). The data were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier + Mantel-Cox post-hoc tests for both outcomes (cracks and fracture). Finite element analysis (FEA), occlusal contact region, contact radii measurements, and fractographic analyzes were performed. RESULTS: The mixed group presented worse fatigue mechanical behavior (550 N / 85.000 cycles) compared to the cuspal inclined plane group (656 N / 111,250 cycles) (p < 0.05) for the first crack outcome, while the cusp tip group was similar to both groups (588 N / 97,500 cycles) (p > 0.05). The mixed group had the worst fatigue behavior (1413 N / 253,029 cycles) in relation to the other groups (Cusp tip: 1644 N / 293,312 cycles; Cuspal inclined plane: 1631 N / 295,174 cycles) considering the crown fracture outcome (p < 0.05). FEA showed higher tensile stress concentration areas just below the load application region. In addition, loading on the cuspal inclined plane induced a higher tensile stress concentration in the groove region. The most prevalent type of crown fracture was the wall fracture. Groove fracture was observed in 50% of the loading specimens exclusively on the cuspal inclined plane. CONCLUSION: Load application on distinct occlusal contact regions affects the stress distribution pattern and consequently the mechanical fatigue performance and fracture region of the monolithic lithium disilicate ceramic crowns. A combination of loading at distinct regions is recommended to promote better evaluation of the fatigue behavior of a restored set.

Soil microbes under threat in the Amazon Rainforest.

Soil microorganisms are sensitive indicators of land-use and climate change in the Amazon, revealing shifts in important processes such as greenhouse gas (GHG) production, but they have been overlooked in conservation and management initiatives. Integrating soil biodiversity with other disciplines while expanding sampling efforts and targeted microbial groups is crucially needed.

Ceramic surface conditioning, resin cement viscosity, and aging relationships affect the load-bearing capacity under fatigue of bonded glass-ceramics.

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of ceramic surface treatments, resin cement viscosities, and storage regimens on the fatigue performance of bonded glass-ceramics (lithium disilicate, LD; feldspathic, FEL). Ceramic discs (Ø = 10 mm; thickness = 1.5 mm) were allocated into eight groups per ceramic (n = 15), considering three factors: "ceramic surface treatment" in two levels - 5% hydrofluoric acid etching and silane-based coupling agent application (HF), or self-etching ceramic primer (E&P); "resin cement viscosity" in two levels - in high or low viscosity; and "storage regimen" in two levels - baseline, 24 h to 5 days; or aging, 180 days + 25,000 thermal cycles. Adhesive luting was performed onto glass fiber-reinforced epoxy resin discs (Ø = 10 mm; thickness = 2 mm) and the bonded assemblies were subjected to cyclic fatigue tests: initial load = 200 N; step-size = 25 N (FEL) and 50 N (LD); 10,000 cycles/step; 20 Hz. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) inspections were performed. Regarding the LD ceramic, the fatigue behavior was reduced after aging for HF_HIGH and E&P_LOW conditions, while stable performance was observed for HF_LOW and E&P_HIGH. Regarding the FEL results, aging negatively affected HF_HIGH, E&P_HIGH, and E&P_LOW, being that only the HF_LOW condition presented a stable behavior. The failure initiated from defects on the etched surface of the ceramics, where the cross-sectional analysis commonly revealed unfilled areas. Long-term aging might induce a decrease in mechanical behavior. The 'ceramic microstructure/surface conditioning/resin cement viscosity relationships' modulate the fatigue performance of lithium disilicate and feldspathic glass-ceramics.

Cyclic fatigue tests on non-anatomic specimens of dental ceramic materials: A scoping review.

The aim of the present scoping review was to identify and discuss the methods, testing parameters, and characteristics used to induce cyclic fatigue on non-anatomic dental ceramic specimens. In vitro studies written in English which evaluated commercially-available non-anatomic dental ceramic specimens subjected to mechanical cyclic fatigue were selected. The search was performed in the PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases. The initial search yielded 1,636 articles, of which 81 were included. Based on the collected data, most of the included studies evaluated dental ceramic specimens cemented to supporting substrate (n= 42; 51.9%); used step-stress (n= 35; 42.2%) accelerated fatigue test, loading frequencies above 10 Hz (n= 31, 35.6%), stainless steel (n = 28, 32.6%) load applicator with spherical shaped tip 40 mm diameter (n= 25, 30.9%); applied only axial loads (n= 77, 95.1%); and considered a wet testing environment (n= 65, 78.3%). The definition of test geometry, method, and testing parameters must be cautiously considered according to the study objective and the scenario that is simulated. Accelerated fatigue tests, load frequencies up to 20 Hz, a 40 mm stainless steel spherical load applicator and a wet testing environment are the major common defined parameters presented in the existing literature. More studies exploring the influence of such factors on fatigue mechanism are necessary.

Metagenome-Assembled Genomes from Amazonian Soil Microbial Consortia.

Here, we report 17 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) recovered from microbial consortia of forest and pasture soils in the Brazilian Eastern Amazon. The bacterial MAGs have the potential to act in important ecological processes, including carbohydrate degradation and sulfur and nitrogen cycling.

Do resin cement viscosity and ceramic surface etching influence the fatigue performance of bonded lithium disilicate glass-ceramic crowns?

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of a resin cement in high and low viscosity and distinct conditioning of the intaglio surface of lithium disilicate glass-ceramic crowns on fatigue performance of the crowns. METHODS: Prosthetic preparations (full-crown) in resin epoxy and crowns in lithium disilicate glass-ceramic were machined and allocated considering 2 factors (n = 10): "surface treatment" (HF - 5% hydrofluoric acid etching, followed by silane application; or E&P-self-etching ceramic primer) and "resin cement" (high or low viscosity). The preparations were etched with 10% hydrofluoric acid and an adhesive was applied. The intaglio surfaces of the ceramic crowns were treated as aforementioned (HF or E&P) and luted with high or low viscosity. The bonded sets were subjected to fatigue testing (step-stress approach: initial load of 200 N, step-size of 50 N, 10,000 cycles/step, 20 Hz) and complementary analyses (fractographic, topographic, and cross-sectional bonded interfacial zone analyses) were performed. RESULTS: Treatment with HF and silane with high viscosity resin cement (955 N/156,000 cycles) and E&P with low viscosity resin cement (1090 N/183,000 cycles) showed the best fatigue performance (statistical similarity between them). The failures originated from defects of the cement-ceramic interface, and the HF treatment induced a more pronounced topographical alteration. SIGNIFICANCE: Distinct topographical patterns from the HF and E&P treatments induced better fatigue results for the specific viscosity of the resin cement. Therefore, the fatigue performance depended on the existing topography, type of intaglio surface's defects/irregularities after surface treatment, and how the luting agent filled the irregularities.

Genome-resolved metagenomics reveals novel archaeal and bacterial genomes from Amazonian forest and pasture soils.

Amazonian soil microbial communities are known to be affected by the forest-to-pasture conversion, but the identity and metabolic potential of most of their organisms remain poorly characterized. To contribute to the understanding of these communities, here we describe metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) recovered from 12 forest and pasture soil metagenomes of the Brazilian Eastern Amazon. We obtained 11 forest and 30 pasture MAGs (≥50% of completeness and ≤10 % of contamination), distributed among two archaeal and 11 bacterial phyla. The taxonomic classification results suggest that most MAGs may represent potential novel microbial taxa. MAGs selected for further evaluation included members of Acidobacteriota, Actinobacteriota, Desulfobacterota_B, Desulfobacterota_F, Dormibacterota, Eremiobacterota, Halobacteriota, Proteobacteria, and Thermoproteota, thus revealing their roles in carbohydrate degradation and mercury detoxification as well as in the sulphur, nitrogen, and methane cycles. A methane-producing Archaea of the genus Methanosarcina was almost exclusively recovered from pasture soils, which can be linked to a sink-to-source shift after the forest-to-pasture conversion. The novel MAGs constitute an important resource to help us unravel the yet-unknown microbial diversity in Amazonian soils and its functional potential and, consequently, the responses of these microorganisms to land-use change.

Effects of material and piston diameter on the fatigue behavior, failure mode, and stress distribution of feldspathic ceramic simplified restorations.

This study evaluated the influence of the piston material (glass fiber-reinforced epoxy resin or stainless steel) and the piston tip diameter (6 or 40 mm) on the fatigue mechanical behavior, failure mode, and stress distribution of feldspathic ceramic simplified restorations. Pistons were machined in glass fiber-reinforced epoxy resin (ER) and in stainless steel (SS), with active tips simulating the curvature radius of 6- or 40-mm diameter spheres. A total of sixty (N= 60) feldspathic ceramic discs (Ø= 10 mm; thickness= 1.0 mm) were adhesively luted onto supporting substrate discs (Ø= 10 mm; thickness= 2.5 mm) and allocated into 4 groups (n= 15) according to the piston used for fatigue testing: ER_6, ER_40, SS_6, SS_40. Afterwards, the specimens were submitted to the cyclic fatigue test (20 Hz frequency; initial load= 100 N; step= 50 N; 10,000 cycles/step, upon specimen failure detection). The collected data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA (α= 0.05) to verify differences by considering 'piston material' and 'piston diameter' as factors, and their association. In addition, a survival analysis (Kaplan Meier with Mantel-Cox log-rank post-hoc tests) was conducted (α= 0.05). Fractographic and finite element (FEA) analyzes were also performed. 'Piston material' (p= 0.040, F= 4.43) and 'piston diameter' (p < 0.000, F= 563.21) had a significant influence on the fatigue failure load (FFL) and the number of cycles for failure (CFF) values. Feldspathic restorations showed higher FFL and CFF (p < 0.05) when tested with a 40 mm diameter piston compared to a 6 mm diameter piston (ER_40 and SS_40 > ER_6 > SS_6). In relation to the piston material, ER and SS pistons with 40 mm diameter promoted similar fatigue performance (ER_40: 946.67 N/179,333 cycles = SS_40: 936.67 N/177,333 cycles), while 6 mm diameter groups presented different fatigue performance (ER_6: 440 N; 78,000 cycles > SS_6: 353.3 N; 60,667 cycles). Hertzian cone crack failures were only observed in the groups tested with 6 mm pistons, regardless of piston material. Higher stress concentration on the ceramic surface was observed when using 6 mm diameter pistons, whereas the SS_6 group showed a slight increase in stress concentration in comparison to the ER_6 group. The piston diameter showed an influence on the fatigue behavior, failure mode, and stress distribution of feldspathic ceramic simplified restorations. However, the influence of piston material is only observed when 6 mm diameter pistons are used. The 40 mm diameter pistons led to radial crack, being more appropriate for fatigue test of simplified feldspathic ceramic restorations with a thickness ≤ 1 mm. Whilst the 6 mm diameter pistons should be avoided, once tend to induce Hertzian cone crack failures and to underestimate fatigue performance.