Silver diamine fluoride with delayed restoration reduces tooth discoloration

IntroductionThe standard treatment for caries is to apply silver diamine fluoride (SDF) to the tooth, followed by a composite resin or glass ionomer cement restoration (GIC). Tooth discolouration is an adverse effect of SDF. The aims of this study were to (1) determine whether applying a composite compared to a GIC restoration after SDF to caries-infected teeth results in less discoloration, and (2) determine whether immediate or delayed restoration application is associated with less discoloration.MethodsSixty samples of caries-infected teeth were divided into five groups: (1) control (SDF alone), (2) SDF plus immediate composite restoration, (3) SDF plus immediate GIC restoration, (4) SDF plus delayed composite restoration, and (5) SDF plus delayed GIC restoration. The delay between SDF and restoration for groups 4 and 5 was two weeks. Tooth color was measured at three sites for each sample at baseline before SDF application and at multiple times.ResultsWhen comparing the change between baseline color to the color at the last time measurement in all groups, we found that Group 4 (17.4 ± 4.3) and Group 5 (14.4 ± 5.3) changed the least compared to baseline and were not statistically significantly different from each other.ConclusionUnder laboratory conditions, delaying application of restoration for two weeks after SDF to samples of caries-infected teeth significantly reduced discoloration, with neither composite nor GIC being superior. If these findings are confirmed in a clinical setting, delaying restoration by two weeks could provide an inexpensive oral health strategy to reduce the negative aesthetic impact associated with SDF.     

A Multidimensional Data Acquisition as a Preliminary Step to the Secondary Prevention of the Loss of Autonomy for Patients with Traumatic Injury and Stroke: An AMISIA Pilot Study

BackgroundThe aim of our study was to conduct an ad hoc data collection in healthy adults with the intention of extracting individual profiles to study the ability to effectively monitor one's health by extracting relevant indicators. As “each patient is a unique case”, AMISIA (Defi CNRS AUTON project) proposes an integrated approach, combining medical health devices, information technology, and human factors to provide patients, health care actors and family caregivers with both the best incentives and a high degree of monitoring.MethodWe conducted a data collection experiment in Limoges with 61 participants at the Limoges University. Data were biographic elements, socio-economic profiles, cognitive performance (Corsi test results), a psychological battery (anxiety, fatigue, sleep), posture and gait measurement with 4 Imus and a Wii-balance board, and finally physical activity during a week at home (Armband sensors).ResultsFor the Corsi virtual walking test, the median memory span for Group A was significantly less (p<0.001) than for Group B. Step count and active energy expenditure were significantly higher in Group B (p<0.05). A multiple regression analysis showed that gender, active energy expenditure, fatigue and tendency to play video games account for 41% of the memory span variance.ConclusionWe have shown that encouraging physical activity can be based on the knowledge of many parameters, such as weight, age, gender and other bio-psycho-social parameters that must also be included in the model.     

Phytophthora species repeatedly introduced in Northern California through restoration projects can spread into adjacent sites

This study investigates whether Phytophthora species may have been repeatedly introduced in natural habitats through restoration projects. Six plant species across five research locations in three counties within the San Francisco Bay Area were tested for pathogen infection of stems, roots and for rhizosphere infestation at failing restoration sites. Where possible, the same hosts were evaluated in one neighboring un-restored site disturbed by the presence of culverts, drainages or trails that also intersected the restoration site, and in a naturally regenerated and undisturbed control site. Although native or endemic pathogens were isolated from all three types of sites, Phytophthora species were never isolated from control undisturbed sites. Statistical analyses confirmed that percentage of positive Phytophthora isolations was significantly higher in restoration sites and adjoining disturbed sites than in control sites. Presence of Phytophthora species was correlated with disease symptoms, plant death and lack of regeneration. Furthermore, six of eight Phytophthora species isolated in the field had previously been reported from plant production facilities providing stock for habitat restoration. To our knowledge, this is the first controlled survey linking the presence of entire Phytophthora species assemblages to failing restoration projects and to the plant production facilities that provide plant stock for restoration, while showing that Phytophthora species are absent in neighboring undisturbed sites. This study further proves that these pathogens are spreading from restoration sites through disturbance pathways.

     

Rare charophytes in Scotland's coastal saline lagoons

Summary

Recently collected data comparing the distribution and performance of the rare lagoonal charophyte Lamprothamnium papulosum across a number of UK coastal lagoon sites, including nine sites in the Western Isles, is presented. The surveys revealed that the species occurred over a wide range of salinities but was absent from sites with high phosphorus concentrations. The sites in the Western Isles held the most extensive populations and were least threatened by nutrient pollution. The discovery of two other endangered and vulnerable charophytes of brackish water, Tolypella nidifica and Chara baltica, at two of the Western Isles sites further highlights the importance of Scotland's saline lagoon resource. The use of the autoecological data on salinity and nutrient conditions for supporting Biodiversity Action Plan implementation for Lamprothamnium papulosum and for saline lagoon conservation in general is considered. Status summaries for all the charophyte species of brackish water recorded in Scotland are also provided.     

不同修复方式对儿童乳牙牙体缺损的疗效和安全性比较

目的:探讨不同修复方式对儿童乳牙牙体缺损修复的治疗效果和安全性。方法:选择2011年1月至2015年1月在我院因牙体缺损严重无法填充修复的乳牙牙体缺损患儿67例。将所有患者随机分为三组,记为A组(22例)、B组(22例)和C组(23例)。A组患儿进行金属预成冠修复,B组患儿进行铸瓷嵌体修复,C组患儿进行银汞合金充填修复。随访18个月,比较3组患儿的治疗效果和不良反应的发生情况。结果:C组患儿随访期间发生牙痛6例,食物嵌塞、修复体和牙体之间出现裂缝的患儿各5例,牙龈充血3例,继发龋2例;B组患儿发生牙痛3例,食物嵌塞、牙龈充血、修复体和牙体之间出现裂缝以及继发龋等各1例;A组患儿发生疼痛和食物嵌塞各2例,牙龈充血1例。A组和B组患儿以上不良事件的发生率明显低于C组(P0.05),A组发生不良事件的发生率低于B组,但是差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:应用金属预成冠修复和铸瓷嵌体修复儿童乳牙牙体缺损较银汞合金充填修复具有更好的临床效果,且安全性更高。     

The changing status of the Chalkhill Blue butterfly <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polyommatus coridon</Emphasis> in the UK: the impacts of conservation policies and environmental factors

The Chalkhill Blue Polyommatus coridon is a widespread butterfly of lowland calcareous grassland in southern Britain and is considered a good indicator of habitat condition. Polyommatus coridon has been identified as a Species of Conservation Concern in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan due to a greater than 25% decline in range size since the 1950s, with losses due to the combined effects of habitat destruction, agricultural intensification and neglect. Analysis of annual butterfly monitoring data (transects) collected at 161 sites from 1981 to 2000 show a three-fold population recovery had occurred. The increases were at established sites, with no re-colonisations or range expansion detected. The 1980s population increase coincided with increases across the species range in stock and rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus grazing, as well as greater protection and management of sites through protected areas and nature reserves. During the 1990s agri-environment schemes were thought to be the main conservation and policy mechanism driving the favourable conservation status of P. coridon, by facilitating appropriate habitat restoration and management. Weather played a part in the species recovery, with warm, but wet summers associated with increases in abundance. The research provides strong evidence of an important conservation success with the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, with implications for other specialist biodiversity.     

A Qualitative Model For Inundation Studies In Archeological Research And Resource Conservation:An Example From Arkansas

Abstract

Federal and state flood control and water resource management projects are exposing an ever increasing number of archeological sites to long term inundation in reservoirs. The effectsof this inundation on the submerged archeological context is not well understood, handicapping the archeologists in their attempts to mitigate the effects of these projects on this portion of the cultural resource base as required by recent federal legislation. This paper pointsout the inadequacy of our present knowledge, cites the need for research, and proposes a model as a basis for research into the. effects of inundation on archeological sites.     

Polydatin alleviates high-fat diet induced atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice by autophagic restoration

BackgroundPolydatin has been reported to possess remarkable anti-atherosclerotic activities. However, there are different opinions on its regulatory mechanisms. It remains unclear whether the anti-atherosclerotic mechanism of polydatin is related to its autophagic restoration or not. The aim of this study was to explore the question.MethodsUsing atherosclerotic model induced by high-fat diet in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice, the investigation was performed with polydatin alone or in combination with autophagic inhibitor or inducer intervention. Inhibitory sites of polydatin to PI3K were identified by molecular docking.ResultsPolydatin can significantly inhibit PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway proteins expression, improve autophagic dysfunction and reduce atherosclerotic lesions. These effects could be antagonized and reinforced by adding autophagic inhibitor and inducer, respectively. Inhibitory sites of polydatin to PI3K were found to be ASP-810, SER-854, VAL-851, LEU-807, SER-774, LYS-802, ASP-933, SER-919, ASN-920, PHE-930, MEF-922, GLN-859 of PI3Kα.ConclusionsThe mechanism of polydatin to alleviate atherosclerotic lesions was achieved by autophagic restoration.     

Book reviews

Summary

Work fulfilling actions and research specified in the Biodiversity Action Plan for SaxÍfraga hirculus is described. Two recovery sites have been set up in suitable mires situated within 3 km of lost sites.

Seeds from two of the three remaining N. Scottish sites germinated readily, and plants were successfully propagated in a garden. Transplanting to the first recovery site began in 1996 and to the second in 2000. Transplants survived well and increased in size, with some flowering. Direct sowing of seeds to the recovery sites was less successful, with poor survival and very slow growth of seedlings. Competition from resident mire plants is thought to control the performance of the transplants, growth being most checked in hummocks of Sphagnum warnstorfii. Ideally transplants should have c. 100 cm² basal area.     

Fish use of restored mangroves matches that in natural mangroves regardless of forest age

The loss and degradation of mangrove forests have triggered global restoration efforts to support biodiversity and ecosystem services, including fish stock enhancement. As mangrove restoration accelerates, it is important to evaluate outcomes for species that play functional roles in ecosystems and support services, yet this remains a clear knowledge gap. There is remarkably little information, for example, about how fish use of mangroves varies as restored vegetation matures, hampering efforts to include fisheries benefits in natural capital assessments of restoration. We used unbaited underwater cameras within two distinct zones of mangrove forests—fringe and interior—at five pairs of restored-natural mangrove sites of increasing age from restoration in southeast Queensland, Australia. We used deep learning to automatically extract data for the four most common species: yellowfin bream (Acanthopagrus australis), sea mullet (Mugil cephalus), common toadfish (Tetractenos hamiltoni), and common silverbiddy (Gerres subfasciatus). The abundance of these species varied among sites and zones, but was equal or greater in restored sites compared to paired natural sites. Despite younger restored sites having dramatically lower structural vegetation complexity, abundances did not increase with restoration site maturity. Furthermore, while yellowfin bream and sea mullet were more abundant in the fringe zone, we observed similarities in how fish used fringe and interior zones across all sites. Our paired, space-for-time design provides a powerful test of restoration outcomes for fish, highlighting that even newly restored sites with immature vegetation are readily utilized by key fish species.     

Status and distribution of European Nightjars Caprimulgus europaeus in the UK in 2004

Capsule The population of Nightjars in the UK increased by over 36% between 1992 and 2004.

Aims To determine the population size and distribution of Nightjars in the UK and examine associations with forestry and heathland habitat features.

Methods A volunteer survey was supported by professional cover in remote parts of Wales, and areas of Dorset and lowland Scotland. Two visits to allocated 1-km squares were made between late May and mid-July. Each surveyor recorded the locations of calling males onto maps and the occurrence of habitat categories within 50 m of each Nightjar registration.

Results Observers surveyed 3264 1-km squares in 2004 and, on average, 78% of the target habitat (90% in southern England). The total number of males counted was 4131 (range 3850–4414), adjusted to 4606 (95% CL ± 913) to account for unsurveyed habitat. The adjusted total represented a 36% increase in 12 years. Nightjars were recorded in 275 10-km squares in 2004, a 2.6% increase since 1992. However, there was evidence of population decline and range contractions in northwest Britain, including north Wales, northwest England and in Scotland. In 2004, 57% of Nightjars were associated with forest plantations (similar to 1992) and 59% with heathland (slightly higher than in 1992).

Conclusion National objectives for Nightjar conservation (UK Biodiversity Action Plan: UKBAP) were reached in respect of population size and stability, but the target for a 5% range increase by 2003 was not met. The continued increase in the national population is probably attributable to habitat protection, management and restoration of heathlands, and the continued availability of clear-fell/young plantations in conifer forests. Management and/or protection/restoration/re-creation of these key habitats remains critical for the long-term objectives of UKBAP. The issue of providing foraging habitats, perhaps via agri-environment schemes, is also raised.     

Distinguishing the effects of vegetation restoration on runoff and sediment generation on simulated rainfall on the hillslopes of the loess plateau of China

Aims

Since the 1970s, extensive croplands were converted to forest and pasture lands to control severe soil erosion on the Loess Plateau of China. We quantify the direct and indirect effects of vegetation restoration on runoff and sediment yield on hillslopes in the field to improve environmental governance.

Methods

An artificial rainfall experiment at a rainfall intensity of 120 mm h⁻¹ and a slope gradient of 22° were used to distinguish the effects of vegetation restoration on runoff and sediment yield.

Results

Compared to the farmland slopes, vegetation restoration directly prolonged the time-to-runoff by 140%, reduced the runoff rate by 20%, and increased the soil infiltration capacity by 15%. Vegetation restoration indirectly delayed the time-to-runoff by 120%, reduced the runoff rate and sediment yield rate by 50% and 94%, respectively, and increased the soil infiltration capacity by 58% on the hillslopes with vegetation restoration.

Conclusions

The direct effects of vegetation restoration on runoff and sediment yield were lower than its indirect impacts. Vegetation cover, decreases in soil bulk density, and increases in belowground root biomasses and > 0.25 mm aggregate stability were the primary causes of runoff and sediment yield reduction on the slopes with vegetation restoration.

     

Glycemia Management and Cardiovascular Risk in Type 2 Diabetes: An Evolving Perspective

ObjectiveTo review recent glycemia trials focused on reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in patients with type 2 diabetes and to describe how the results of these studies have altered our approach to the management of glycemia in patients with diabetes.MethodsResults of some of the previous as well as recent trials, including the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD), Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease (ADVANCE), and Veterans Affairs Diabetes Trial (VADT), are reviewed.ResultsThe results demonstrate that the establishment of glycemia (hemoglobin A1c) goals in patients with type 2 diabetes aimed at reducing CVD events is complex, should be highly individualized, and should probably be varied depending on the duration of diabetes as well as the presence or absence of CVD and microvascular complications.ConclusionResults of the ACCORD, ADVANCE, and VADT studies have considerably increased our knowledge and refined our approach to establishing glycemia goals in patients with type 2 diabetes. In patients with recently recognized diabetes with no prior CVD events, glycemic control to normal or near-normal levels appears to be effective in preventing CVD events and mortality. In patients with established diabetes (8 to 10 or more years) and recognized CVD, however, glycemic control to normal or near-normal levels does not reduce the risk of further CVD events or mortality. Importantly, strict control of all known risk factors for CVD and microvascular complications by aggressive management of hypertension, dyslipidemia, and glycemia, use of aspirin, and cessation of smoking in patients with type 2 diabetes has proved to be highly beneficial. (Endocr Pract. 2008;14:639-643)     

Strengths and potential pitfalls of hay transfer for ecological restoration revealed by RAD‐seq analysis in floodplain Arabis species

Achieving high intraspecific genetic diversity is a critical goal in ecological restoration as it increases the adaptive potential and long‐term resilience of populations. Thus, we investigated genetic diversity within and between pristine sites in a fossil floodplain and compared it to sites restored by hay transfer between 1997 and 2014. RAD‐seq genotyping revealed that the stenoecious floodplain species Arabis nemorensis is co‐occurring with individuals that, based on ploidy, ITS‐sequencing and morphology, probably belong to the close relative Arabis sagittata, which has a documented preference for dry calcareous grasslands but has not been reported in floodplain meadows. We show that hay transfer maintains genetic diversity for both species. Additionally, in A. sagittata, transfer from multiple genetically isolated pristine sites resulted in restored sites with increased diversity and admixed local genotypes. In A. nemorensis, transfer did not create novel admixture dynamics because genetic diversity between pristine sites was less differentiated. Thus, the effects of hay transfer on genetic diversity also depend on the genetic make‐up of the donor communities of each species, especially when local material is mixed. Our results demonstrate the efficiency of hay transfer for habitat restoration and emphasize the importance of prerestoration characterization of microgeographic patterns of intraspecific diversity of the community to guarantee that restoration practices reach their goal, that is maximize the adaptive potential of the entire restored plant community. Overlooking these patterns may alter the balance between species in the community. Additionally, our comparison of summary statistics obtained from de novo‐ and reference‐based RAD‐seq pipelines shows that the genomic impact of restoration can be reliably monitored in species lacking prior genomic knowledge.     

The halophile vegetation of the sedimentary coast of Lazio (central Tyrrhenian district,Italy)

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the results of a phytosociological survey carried out in the Lazio region (central Italy) to investigate the vegetation and conservation status of brackish habitats. Eighteen vegetation types are described, belonging to 8 alliances, 5 orders and 5 classes of vegetation. A new association and an association previously unrecorded in Italy, both assigned to the Frankenietalia pulverulentae, have been recognized. The occurrence of important floristic and vegetational features, and the potential for the development and restoration of typical ecological sequences suggest the implementation or the enhancement of conservation activities in all of the brackish sites surveyed.     

Machine learning approach to predict protein phosphorylation sites by incorporating evolutionary information

Background  

Most of the existing in silico phosphorylation site prediction systems use machine learning approach that requires preparing a good set of classification data in order to build the classification knowledge. Furthermore, phosphorylation is catalyzed by kinase enzymes and hence the kinase information of the phosphorylated sites has been used as major classification data in most of the existing systems. Since the number of kinase annotations in protein sequences is far less than that of the proteins being sequenced to date, the prediction systems that use the information found from the small clique of kinase annotated proteins can not be considered as completely perfect for predicting outside the clique. Hence the systems are certainly not generalized. In this paper, a novel generalized prediction system, PPRED (Phosphorylation PREDictor) is proposed that ignores the kinase information and only uses the evolutionary information of proteins for classifying phosphorylation sites.     

Synthesis,in vitro and in vivo antitumor and antiviral activity of novel 1-substituted benzimidazole derivatives

Abstract

A novel series of 5-nitro-1H-benzimidazole derivatives substituted at position 1 by heterocyclic rings was synthesized. Cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of the new compounds were tested. Compound 3 was more active than doxorubicin against A-549, HCT-116 and MCF-7. However, compound 3 showed no activity against human liver carcinoma Hep G-2 cell line. Compounds 9 and 17b (E) showed potency near to doxorubicin against the four cell lines. The acute toxicity of compound 9 on liver cancer induced in rats was determined in vivo. Interestingly, it showed restoration activity of liver function and pathology towards normal as compared to the cancer-bearing rats induced by DENA. Compounds 17a (Z), 17b (E) and 18a (Z) were the most promising compounds for their antiviral activity against rotavirus Wa strain.     

Habitat conditions at beaver settlement sites: implications for beaver restoration projects

Recognition that beavers are integral components of stream ecosystems has resulted in an increase in beaver‐mediated habitat restoration projects. Beaver restoration projects are frequently implemented in degraded stream systems with little or no beaver activity. However, selection of restoration sites is often based on habitat suitability research comparing well‐established beaver colonies to unoccupied stream sections or abandoned colonies. Because beavers dramatically alter areas they occupy, assessing habitat conditions at active colonies may over‐emphasize habitat characteristics that are modified by beaver activity. During 2015–2017, we conducted beaver activity surveys on streams in the upper Missouri River watershed in southwest Montana, United States, to investigate habitat selection by beavers starting new colonies in novel areas. We compared new colony locations in unmodified stream segments to unsettled segments to evaluate conditions that promoted colonization. Newly settled stream segments had relatively low gradients (β ± SE = ?0.72 ± 0.27), narrow channels (β = ?1.31 ± 0.46), high channel complexity (β = 0.76 ± 0.42), high canopy cover of woody riparian vegetation (β = 0.56 ± 0.21), and low‐lying areas directly adjacent to the stream (β = 0.36 ± 0.24), where β denotes covariate effect sizes. Habitat selection patterns differed between our new settlement site analysis and an analysis of occupied versus unoccupied stream segments, suggesting that assessing habitat suitability based on active colonies may result in misidentification of suitable site conditions for beaver restoration. Our research provides recommendations for beaver restoration practitioners to select restoration sites that will have the highest probability of successful colony establishment.     

腹腔镜与传统开腹手术对胃癌临床疗效、术后并发症及免疫功能的影响比较

目的:探讨腹腔镜与传统开腹手术治疗胃癌的临床疗效、安全性及对患者免疫功能的影响。方法:选择2012年3月至2014年3月在我院行胃癌D2根治术的胃癌患者92例并随机分为两组,开腹组(A组)44例接受传统开腹手术,腹腔镜组(B组)48例接受腹腔镜辅助胃癌根治术,观察和比较两组患者的手术情况以及手术前后患者免疫功能的变化,比较两组患者围术期不良反应的发生情况及临床疗效。结果:B组患者术中切口长度、出血量明显优于A组患者(P0.05),且B组患者较A组患者术后排气时间以及疼痛缓解情况明显较好(P0.05);两组患者接受手术前后,机体的免疫功能有所变化,B组患者术后24hCD3~+、CD4~+、CD8~+、CD4~+/CD8~+以及NK细胞相对活性等细胞免疫指标明显高于A组(P0.05),体液免疫指标IgM、IgG以及IgA等免疫球蛋白明显高于A组;两组患者术中并发症的发生率差异无统计学意义(P0.05),B组患者术后并发症的发生率与A组比较明显降低,且差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:腹腔镜辅助胃癌D2根治术对胃癌患者术中临床疗效有显著改善作用,可降低对机体免疫功能的影响并提高治疗的安全性。     

Reconstructing parameters of the FitzHugh–Nagumo system from boundary potential measurements

We consider distributed parameter identification problems for the FitzHugh–Nagumo model of electrocardiology. The model describes the evolution of electrical potentials in heart tissues. The mathematical problem is to reconstruct physical parameters of the system through partial knowledge of its solutions on the boundary of the domain. We present a parallel algorithm of Newton–Krylov type that combines Newton’s method for numerical optimization with Krylov subspace solvers for the resulting Karush–Kuhn–Tucker system. We show by numerical simulations that parameter reconstruction can be performed from measurements taken on the boundary of the domain only. We discuss the effects of various model parameters on the quality of reconstructions. Action Editor: David Terman