Changes In Width Research Articles

Ovarian artery Doppler velocimetry effects after myoinositol and lipoic acid therapy in PCOs patients

Background: Polycistic ovary syndrome (PCOs) is one of the most common endocrine and metabolic disorders in premenopausal women. This is the second part of an extended report regarding the significant effects of the therapy based on an Alfa Lipoic Acid (ALA)/Myoinositol (Myo) combined drug on adnexal parameters, as assessed by ultrasound technique. Methods: A prospective cohort trial. Data regarded thirty four italian nulliparous women considered for the study, control cases were chosen from an initial group of sixty-nine healthy women group paired by age and nulliparous status. Patients underwent a Myoinositol plus ALA regimen twice a day in a continued fashion in a twenty four months period. Ultrasound examinations were coincident with the fifth day of menstrual period and were set as follows: Time 0 (first evaluation), Time 12 (after twelve months) and finally Time 24 (after 24 months). Results: The mean age was 31.4 years old. Results regarding any significant change in the endometrial width, number of follicles, and the ovarian volumes within the time of the trial, showed no significant changes in the intervals considered. Conversely, the parameters dealing with color Doppler velocimetry waves of the ovarian arteries showed a significant decreasing trend, considering the first values and after 12 and 24 months. Conclusions: Considering a consistent and significant decrease in ovarian arteries resistance, we may hypothesize that Inositol plus ALA therapy may block the vascular effects of hyperadrogenism, maybe playing a role in the anti oxidant and anti inflammatory pathways

Design and Parameter Optimization of Zero Position Code Considering Diffraction Based on Deep Learning Generative Adversarial Networks

Absolute measurement has consistently been the primary focus in the development of precision linear and angular displacement measurements. The scheme design of binary zero position codes is an important factor for absolute measurement. Designing and optimizing high-bit zero position codes with over 100 bits face considerable challenges. Simultaneously, the working parameters of zero position codes [unit code width (b), distance (d), and yaw angle (α)] remarkably affect their post-installation performance, particularly in absolute positioning and limit code application in multi-degree-of-freedom measurement schemes. This study addresses these challenges by proposing a design method for zero position codes that considers diffraction based on generative adversarial networks and aims to explore a design with increased efficiency and accuracy as well as optimization for high-bit zero position codes. Additionally, the tolerance range of zero positioning performance for each working parameter is examined. By leveraging the adversarial network structure, this study generates the optimization of a 150-bit code and processes the tests of the zero position code by using simulation results. The following working parameter ranges for code design are recommended on the basis of theoretical and experimental results: b greater than 10 μm, d and α within 1000 μm and 3490 μrad, and avoidance of intervals with sharp changes in the full width at half maximum. The proposed code design and parameter optimization lay a solid foundation for research and engineering applications in absolute measurement field and have considerable potential for generalization and wide applicability.

Experimental study on wear failure of spindle hook teeth of cotton picker

Introduction: The wear failure of spindle will lead to a decrease in cotton harvesting rate of the cotton picker during field operation and serious wastage.Method: Three types of spindle samples at different installation positions and working areas were obtained through field experiments to explore the wear failure law of spindle hook teeth of cotton picker during field operation. Hardness of hook tooth coating and substrate of spindles were tested, surface and cross-section microstructure of the spindle hook teeth were characterized, and wear area and width of the spindle hook teeth were extracted.Results: Results showed that the hardness of the hook tooth coating is evidently higher than that of the substrate; the average coating hardness of the No. 3 spindle hook teeth reaches the maximum at 1033.6 HV0.1; defects, such as microcracks and micropores, exist in the coating of the three types of spindle hook teeth; and the thickness of the coating is between 70 and 130 μm. The wear area of spindle hook tooth changes exponentially and the wear width changes linearly with the increase of field operation area at the same installation position. The wear area and width of the spindle hook teeth gradually increase with the decrease of the installation height and the wear change of the hook teeth is negatively correlated with the installation height in the same field operation area.Discussion: The wear failure of spindle hook tooth is mainly caused by abrasive, fatigue, and oxidation wear. The results of this study can provide a reference for improving the wear resistance of spindle hook teeth.

Indicators of stress hematopoiesis in the blood predict COVID-19 progression in patients over 65 years old

ABSTRACT Objectives Advanced age is a well-established risk factor for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Exacerbated inflammation affects multiple organs, among which hematopoiesis responds by increased output of various cells. We aimed to determine the association between COVID-19 progression and large immature cell (LIC) counts, changes in erythrocyte and platelet distribution widths (RDW, PDW) with reference to patients’ age. Methods A total of 755 patients with complete blood cell (CBC) analysis in the first 24 h of hospitalization were enrolled. Patients were divided into two groups: under and above 65 years of age. Results The LIC counts were different in both groups (p < 0.003). However, only the senior patients had markedly different values of RDW and PDW (p < 0.001). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis provided increased LIC (AUC = 0.600), RDW (AUC = 0.609), PDW (AUC = 0.556), and platelet to LIC ratio (AUC = 0.634) as significant in discriminating outcome in the older group. Importantly, these results were not repeated in the younger patients. In the elderly, the progression was predicted with LIC cut-off at ≥ 0.305 × 109/L (OR = 3.166) and RDW over 12.15% (OR = 2.081). Discussion Aging is characterized by a decline in immunological competence with a compromised control of inflammation leading to a proinflammatory state. This background together with the actions of pathogens may lead to emergency myelopoiesis. Conclusion Our results point to the important differences between age groups regarding CBC-related parameters of stress hematopoiesis during severe infection. Higher LIC, RDW and PDW levels were reliable in the early identification of COVID-19 progression only in the elderly.

Surface wettability-induced modulations of droplet breakup in a bifurcated microchannel

We explore the dynamics of droplet propagation and subsequent disintegration in a symmetric bifurcating Y-microchannel by varying the wettability characteristics of one of the daughter channels while maintaining the wettability of the other constant. The temporal evolution of the droplet is numerically investigated using the phase-field method. Based on the neck-width evolution, the droplet bifurcation phenomenon has been divided into three separate stages, namely, squeezing, transition, and pinch-off. During the squeezing stage, the rate of change of neck width increases as the wettability angle decreases, while an opposite trend is observed at the pinch-off stage, leading to almost identical breakup time for the droplet regardless of the wettability angle. We identify pertinent regimes of droplet breakup, such as symmetric breakup, asymmetric breakup, no-breakup upper channel, no-breakup lower channel, and spreading regime, over wide ranges of capillary numbers (Ca) and viscosity ratio (μr). Our study indicates that an increase in the relative influence of viscous force (high Ca) reduces the droplet's wettability effect. The same pattern is obtained when the viscosity of the droplet is increased in relation to the viscosity of the carrier fluid. In contrast, for low Ca flows, the relatively strong interfacial tension favors the wettability characteristics of the surface, resulting in a dominance of non-breakup regimes. The regime plots proposed in this paper depict the roles of Ca and μr on various breakup regimes in detail. Such regime diagrams may emerge as fundamental design basis of microfluidic devices in diverse applications, such as biopharmaceuticals, microreactors, and food processing.

The effect of reducing dietary energy on performance, intestinal morphology and intestinal peptide and amino acid transporters in broiler chicks

AbstractBackgroundPrevious research has investigated the impact of different factors such as gender and age of birds, protein and amino acid levels, protein origin and the physical form of the diet, on the mRNA expression of intestinal peptides and amino acid transporters. Nevertheless, there have been no attempts to examine the impact of dietary energy density on the mRNA abundance of intestinal amino acid and peptide transporters in humans or animals. This is the first reported case in both humans and animals.ObjectivesThis experiment aimed to evaluate the influence of two levels of metabolizable energy ([ME]; 2950 and 2850 kcal ME/kg diet) on performance and jejunal morphology and mRNA expression of amino acid (B0AT, b0,+AT, CAT1 and y+LAT1) and peptide (PepT1) transporters in broiler chickens during the starter period (0–10 days of age).MethodsTwo hundred and seventy day‐old male Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments with nine replicates and fifteen birds in each replicate. At 10 days of age, the outcome variables were measured, which included the assessment of the mRNA abundance of PepT1, b0,+AT, B0AT, y+LAT1 and CAT1 in the jejunal section using real‐time PCR.ResultsThe findings of this study revealed no significant impact of the dietary treatments on feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and the jejunal mRNA abundance of PepT1, CAT1 and y+LAT1 (p &gt; 0.05). However, a reduction in dietary ME level from 2950 to 2850 kcal ME/kg diet resulted in a decrease in the mRNA level of B0AT and b0,+AT (p ≤ 0.05). The reduction in dietary energy level did not lead to any significant changes in villus width, villus height, crypt depth, villus surface area and villus height to crypt depth ratio (p &gt; 0.05).ConclusionThe results demonstrated that decreasing dietary energy density may alter the expression of amino acid transporters in the intestine while having no impact on the growth performance and morphometric structure of the intestine.

Efficacy of autologous platelet concentrate products for alveolar preservation: A meta-analysis.

The purpose of the study was to systematically evaluate the efficacy of autologous platelet concentrate products in the preservation of the alveolar ridge after tooth extraction through meta-analysis and provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application of autologous platelet concentrates to reduce alveolar bone resorption. This study conducted a meta-analysis of clinical trials between 2013 and 2023, focusing on autologous platelet concentrate products (e.g., PRP, PRF, CGF, and PRCF) used for alveolar ridge preservation after tooth extraction. The analysis included 122 articles and 371 extraction sockets. All statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager version 5.4. Results indicate that these platelet concentrates effectively reduced changes in horizontal width 1 mm below the alveolar crest and vertical socket height. They also promoted a higher percentage of new bone formation in extraction sockets compared with control groups. However, they did not significantly prevent horizontal bone resorption at 3 and 5 mm below the alveolar crest. In conclusion, autologous platelet concentrates are useful for alveolar ridge preservation, but larger clinical studies are needed to confirm these findings due to the relatively small sample size in this study.

Development of Leaf Area Model in Chokeberry Plant Grown in Different Irrigation Water Quality

Chokeberry is a berry fruit species that has grown in the world in a few decades, and it is used in many fields, especially in the pharmaceutical industry. There needs to be a study examining the relationship between leaf area and irrigation water quality in this species, whose cultivation has started to increase. In this study, which was carried out between 2021 and 2022, the effects of irrigation water quality on leaf area in 1-year-old chokeberry plants of the 'Viking' variety grown in peat and soil media were determined. Irrigation water with 0.65 dS m-1 (Control), 2dS m-1, 4dS m-1, 8dS m-1, and 10dS m-1 electrical conductivity were used in the study. A model was developed in this study to estimate leaf area (LA) using leaf width (W) and leaf length (L) values to determine leaf area. The proposed prediction model was determined as "LA=2.86+4.448×W+0.33×L2-1.496×L " (R2= 0.99). Three-dimensional graphs of the developed models were drawn, and the changes in leaf width, length, and leaf area values against irrigation water salinity were determined. As a result, it was determined that there was a negative relationship between the electrical conductivity of irrigation water and leaf width, length, and area values.

Characterizing longshore transport potential and divergence of drift to inform beach loss trends

Beach loss is a growing global challenge that threatens the safety of coastal communities, the health of coastal ecosystems, recreational amenities, and regional economies dependent on tourism. Spatial gradients in longshore sediment transport, or divergence of drift (DoD), is a primary driver of beach width change over multi-annual time scales, but the response of any particular beach can be challenging to characterize and predict. Here we present a new method to characterize DoD using a non-uniform segmentation of the coastline informed by the spatial distribution of longshore transport potential, including the location of physical barriers identified using satellite imagery, and both maxima and reversals in longshore transport potential derived from nearshore wave data. The method demonstrates improved capacity to predict beach width trends at sandy beaches compared to methods that rely on a uniform segmentation of the coastline. In an application to southern California where satellite data documents two decades of beach width change, the non-uniform segmentation method correctly predicts the sign of beach trends at 93% of transects within a littoral cell and achieves a linear correlation between DoD and beach width trends exceeding 0.8. Moreover, we find that a minimum of five years of data are required to establish consistently strong correlations between DoD and beach width changes. Conversely, use of a uniform segmentation is shown to be unreliable for estimating beach width trends due to strong sensitivities to shoreline segment size. This work shows the potential to leverage nearshore wave data and satellite-based beach width data for improved characterization of shoreline dynamics relevant to beach erosion management.

Tight coupling of cell width to nucleoid structure in Escherichia coli

Cell dimensions of rod-shaped bacteria such as Escherichia coli are connected to mass growth and chromosome replication. During their interdivision cycle (τ min), cells enlarge by elongation only, but at faster growth in richer media, they are also wider. Changes in width W upon nutritional shift-up (shortening τ) occur during the division process. The elusive signal directing the mechanism for W determination is likely related to the tightly linked duplications of the nucleoid (DNA) and the sacculus (peptidoglycan), the only two structures (macromolecules) existing in a single copy that are coupled, temporally and spatially. Six known parameters related to the nucleoid structure and replication are reasonable candidates to convey such a signal, all simple functions of the key number of replication positions n(=C/τ), the ratio between the rates of growth (τ−1) and of replication (C−1). The current analysis of available literature-recorded data discovered that, of these, nucleoid complexity NC[=(2n−1)/(n×ln2)] is by far the most likely parameter affecting cell width W. The exceedingly high correlations found between these two seemingly unrelated measures (NC and W) indicate that coupling between them is of major importance to the species’ survival. As an exciting corollary, to the best of our knowledge, a new, indirect approach to estimate DNA replication rate is revealed. Potential involvement of DNA topoisomerases in W determination is also proposed and discussed.

Improved Design of PCB Coil for Magnetically Coupled Wireless Power Transfer

In recent years, wireless power transfer (WPT) has progressed rapidly in both theory and commercialization. However, existing research into WPT coil design for low-power devices to mitigate the coil offset is limited. A dual-layer printed circuit board (PCB) structure is proposed in this paper to mitigate the coil offset while retaining manufacturing simplicity for practical uses. Specifically, the impacts of key geometric parameters on the coil quality factor and coupling coefficient are analyzed through models and simulations. Equivalent PCB coils were formed for mutual inductance models, and four basic compensation circuits were analyzed. The impacts of changes in coil thickness, line width, turn spacing, and number of turns on the quality factor of PCB coils were analyzed with a fixed outer diameter of the coil. Eleven types of PCB coils were manufactured to verify the simulation results. The offset transmission efficiency can reach 46.6% with an output power of 14.4 W. The PCB coil with improved design could offer remarkable improvements in the WPT system for low-power electronic devices.

Numerical modeling of the temperature distribution and melt flow in dissimilar fiber laser welding of duplex stainless steel 2205 and low alloy steel

The research outlined in this paper pertains to the computational modeling and experimental investigation of laser keyhole welding between duplex stainless steel 2205 and low carbon steel (A516). A crucial aspect of keyhole welding entails predicting the phase transition behavior of the materials involved. The vaporized metal generates a recoil pressure and distorts the interface between the liquid and vapor phases, thus forming a vapor capillary. A multiphysics model employing the finite volume method was proposed to achieve a highly accurate simulation of the temperature and velocity fields. The findings demonstrate that the resulting weld bead relies heavily on the keyhole's structural characteristics. Additionally, analysis of the temperature distribution at a specific temporal and spatial point reveals that duplex stainless steel exhibits elevated temperatures owing to low thermal penetration at a distance of 5 mm from the juncture of the two components compared to A516. The numerical simulation results were in good agreement with experimental results for prediction of temperature filed and melt flow that have impact on weld bead and melt pool geometry. The weld bead width changes according to variation of welding speed and laser power has been in good agreement with the temperature distribution at upper surface of the workpiece extracted from simulation results. The melt pool geometry predicted from the simulation results (melt flow and temperature field) has been in good agreement with the melt pool geometry of the experiment. The temperature distribution from simulation results has a good correlation with the microstructural changes of the melt pool region according to the melting, solidification and temperature gradient at the melt pool region and adjacent HAZ of base metals.

Moisture-Dependent Physical and Aerodynamics Properties of Cowpea Seeds

This study focuses on the significant impact of moisture content on the engineering properties of cowpea seeds, which is vital for designing effective agricultural tools, equipment, and machines. We specifically examined two cowpea seed varieties, SAMPEA-16 and SAMPEA-14, across different moisture levels (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30% wb). Our findings show distinct variations in the physical characteristics of these seeds as the moisture content changes. For both SAMPEA-16 and SAMPEA-14, we observed changes in average length, width, and thickness at each moisture level. At moisture contents ranging from 10% to 30% wb, the dimensions for SAMPEA-16 were 11.20 mm by 9.10 mm by 8.61 mm, gradually changing to 10.60 mm by 8.80 mm by 8.50 mm, and for SAMPEA-14, they ranged from 8.30 mm by 6.50 mm by 6.50 mm to 8.40 mm by 6.50 mm by 6.40 mm. Significantly, the 1000 seed mass for SAMPEA-16 increased from 302.30 g to 404.80 g within the 15% to 30% moisture range, while the sphericity varied from 0.849 to 0.877. For SAMPEA-14, similar trends were observed with the sphericity shifting from 0.848 to 0.852. Additionally, the true density for SAMPEA-14 and SAMPEA-16 changed from 1034.12 kg m-³ to 1074.40 kg m-³ and 1089.61 kg m-³ to 1116.87 kg m-3, respectively. Another notable finding is the increase in the angle of repose with moisture content. For SAMPEA-16, it rose from 22.40˚ to 30.23˚, and for SAMPEA-14, from 23.22˚ to 34.28˚, as moisture content increased from 10% to 30%. Furthermore, the terminal velocity for both varieties increased with moisture, with SAMPEA-14 ranging from 4.92 to 5.25, and SAMPEA-16 from 5.72 to 6.16, at 10% to 25% moisture content. The insights from this study are crucial for the design of agricultural machinery, processing units, and storage facilities, aiming to enhance the quality and quantity of cowpea produce.

Comparison of the effects on facial soft tissues produced by rapid and slow maxillary expansion using stereophotogrammetry: a randomized clinical trial

ObjectiveTo compare the effects on facial soft tissues produced by maxillary expansion generated by rapid maxillary expansion (RME) versus slow maxillary expansion (SME).Materials and methodsPatients in the mixed dentition were included with a transverse discrepancy between the two arches of at least 3 mm. A conventional RME screw was compared to a new expansion screw (Leaf expander) designed to produce SME. Both screws were incorporated in a fixed expander. The primary outcome was the difference of the facial tissue changes in the nasal area measured on facial 3D images captured immediately before application of the expander (T0) and after one year of retention, immediately after the expander removal (T1). Secondary outcomes were soft tissue changes of other facial regions (mouth, lips, and chin). Analysis of covariance was used for statistical analysis.ResultsFourteen patients were allocated to the RME group, and 14 patients were allocated to the SME group. There were no dropouts. Nasal width change showed a difference between the two groups (1.3 mm greater in the RME group, 95% CI from 0.4 to 2.2, P = 0.005). Also, intercanthal width showed a difference between treatments (0.7 mm greater in the RME group, 95% CI from 0.0 to 1.3, P = 0.044). Nasal columella width, mouth width, nasal tip angle, upper lip angle, and lower lip angle did not show any statistically significant differences. The Y-axis (anterior–posterior) components of the nasal landmark showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups (0.5 mm of forward displacement greater in the RME group, 95% CI from 0.0 to 1.2, P = 0.040). Also, Z-axis (superior-inferior) components of the lower lip landmark was statistically significant (0.9 mm of downward displacement in favor of the RME group, 95% CI from 0.1 to 1.7, P = 0.027). All the other comparisons of the three-dimensional assessments were not statistically significant.ConclusionsRME produced significant facial soft tissue changes when compared to SME. RME induced greater increases in both nasal and intercanthal widths (1.3 mm and 0.7 mm, respectively). These findings, though statistically significant, probably are not clinically relevant.Trial registration ISRCTN, ISRCTN18263886. Registered 8 November 2016, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN18263886?q=Franchi&filters=&sort=&offset=2&totalResults=2&page=1&pageSize=10

MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS MAINTAIN ARTICULAR STABILIZATION AND PROMOTE ENDOGENOUS CARTILAGE REPAIR AFTER HIGH TIBIAL OSTEOTOMY: A SECOND-LOOK ARTHROSCOPY STUDY

Varus malalignment increases the susceptibility of cartilage to mechanical overloading, which stimulates catabolic metabolism to break down the extracellular matrix and lead to osteoarthritis (OA). The altered mechanical axis from the hip, knee to ankle leads to knee joint pain and ensuing cartilage wear and deterioration, which impact millions of the aged population. Stabilization of the remaining damaged cartilage, and prevention of further deterioration, could provide immense clinical utility and prolong joint function. Our previous work showed that high tibial osteotomy (HTO) could shift the mechanical stress from an imbalanced status to a neutral alignment. However, the underlying mechanisms of endogenous cartilage stabilization after HTO remain unclear. We hypothesize that cartilage-resident mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) dampen damaged cartilage injury and promote endogenous repair in a varus malaligned knee. The goal of this study is to further examine whether HTO-mediated off-loading would affect human cartilage-resident MSCs' anabolic and catabolic metabolism. This study was approved by IACUC at Xi'an Jiaotong University. Patients with medial compartment OA (52.75±6.85 yrs, left knee 18, right knee 20) underwent open-wedge HTO by the same surgeons at one single academic sports medicine center. Clinical data was documented by the Epic HIS between the dates of April 2019 and April 2022 and radiographic images were collected with a minimum of 12 months of follow-up. Medial compartment OA with/without medial meniscus injury patients with unilateral Kellgren /Lawrence grade 3–4 was confirmed by X-ray. All incisions of the lower extremity healed well after the HTO operation without incision infection. Joint space width (JSW) was measured by uploading to ImageJ software. The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) toolkit was applied to assess the pain level. Outerbridge scores were obtained from a second-look arthroscopic examination. RNA was extracted to quantify catabolic targets and pro-inflammatory genes (QiaGen). Student's t test for two group comparisons and ANOVA analysis for differences between more than 2 groups were utilized. To understand the role of mechanical loading-induced cartilage repair, we measured the serial changes of joint space width (JSW) after HTO for assessing the state of the cartilage stabilization. Our data showed that HTO increased the JSW, decreased the VAS score and improved the KOOS score significantly. We further scored cartilage lesion severity using the Outerbridge classification under a second-look arthroscopic examination while removing the HTO plate. It showed the cartilage lesion area decreased significantly, the full thickness of cartilage increased and mechanical strength was better compared to the pre-HTO baseline. HTO dampened medial tibiofemoral cartilage degeneration and accelerate cartilage repair from Outerbridge grade 2 to 3 to Outerbridge 0 to 1 compared to untreated varus OA. It suggested that physical loading was involved in HTO-induced cartilage regeneration. Given that HTO surgery increases joint space width and creates a physical loading environment, we hypothesize that HTO could increase cartilage composition and collagen accumulation. Consistent with our observation, a group of cartilage-resident MSCs was identified. Our data further showed decreased expression of RUNX2, COL10 and increased SOX9 in MSCs at the RNA level, indicating that catabolic activities were halted during mechanical off-loading. To understand the role of cartilage-resident MSCs in cartilage repair in a biophysical environment, we investigated the differentiation potential of MSCs under 3-dimensional mechanical loading conditions. The physical loading inhibited catabolic markers (IL-1 and IL-6) and increased anabolic markers (SOX9, COL2).Knee-preserved HTO intervention alleviates varus malalignment-related knee joint pain, improves daily and recreation function, and repairs degenerated cartilage of medial compartment OA. The off-loading effect of HTO may allow the mechanoregulation of cartilage repair through the differentiation of endogenous cartilage-derived MSCs.

Progressive Changes in the Neuroretinal Rim and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer in Glaucoma: Impact of Baseline Values and Floor Effects

ObjectiveTo determine whether more severe baseline damage impedes measurement of minimum rim width (MRW) and peripapillary retinal nerve fibre thickness (RNFLT) change in glaucoma patients because of a floor effect. DesignProspective longitudinal cohort study in a hospital-based setting. SubjectsThe study included patients with open-angle glaucoma and healthy control subjects. Participants had at least 5 years of follow-up with optical coherence tomography every 6 months. MethodsBaseline global and sectorial MRW and RNFLT values were classified as within normal limits, borderline, or outside normal limits based on reference normative values. Regression analysis was used to determine the magnitude and significance of MRW and RNFLT change. Additionally, the follow-up period for each participant was divided into two equal halves (1st and 2nd periods) to determine whether there was attenuation of MRW and RNFLT change with follow-up time. Main Outcomes MeasuresRates of global and sectoral MRW and RNFLT changes (slopes). ResultsA total of 97 patients with glaucoma (median age, 70.3 years) and 42 healthy subjects (median age, 64.8 years) were followed for a median of 6.9 years and 7.0 years, respectively. The median mean deviation of visual field test for glaucoma patients was -4.30 dB (interquartile range: -7.81 to -2.06 dB, range: -20.68 to 1.37 dB). Statistically significant changes in global and sectoral MRW and RNFLT were detected across all baseline classifications, however, there was tendency for less change with increasing baseline damage. In glaucoma patients, RNFLT slopes, but not MRW slopes, were significantly more positive (less change) in the 2nd period compared to the 1st. There were also no differences in either MRW or RNFLT slopes in the 1st and 2nd periods in healthy subjects. Conclusions and RelevanceSignificant MRW and RNFLT changes were detected at all levels of baseline damage. However, an attenuation in the rate of RNFLT change compared to MRW indicate an earlier floor effect in RNFLT measurements globally and in equivalent sectors. Because the axonal component of these measurements should be equivalent, our results suggest important differences in tissue remodelling at the level of the optic nerve head and peripapillary retina.

Width effects on bilayer graphene nanoribbon polarons.

Recent progress in nanoelectronics suggests that stacking armchair graphene nanoribbons (AGNRs) into bilayer systems can generate materials with emergent quasiparticle properties. In this context, the impact of width changes is especially relevant. However, its effect on charged carriers remains elusive. In this work, we investigate the effect of width and interlayer interaction changes on polaron states via a hybrid Hamiltonian that couples the electronic and lattice interactions. Results show the rising of two interlayer polarons: the non-symmetric and the symmetric. The coupling strength needed to induce the transition between states depends on the nanoribbon width, being at the most extreme case of ≈174 meV. Electronic properties such as the coupling strength threshold, carrier size, and gap are shown to respect the AGNR width family 3p, 3p + 1, and 3p + 2 rule. The findings demonstrate that strong interlayer interaction simultaneously delocalizes the carriers and reduces the gap up to 0.6 eV. Additionally, it is found that some layers are more prone to share charge, indicating a potential heterogeneous stacking where a particular electronic pathway is favored. The results present an encouraging prospect for integrating AGNR bilayers in future flexible electronics.

Changes in the arch width and buccal corridor after fixed orthodontic treatment with Damon self-ligating system: premolar extraction vs. non-extraction.

Extraction vs. non-extraction is a crucial decision in orthodontic therapy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the changes in the dental arch width and buccal corridor after orthodontic treatment using extraction and non-extraction therapy with Damon self-ligating system. This retrospective study consisted of 35 patients (20 female and 15 male patients with median age of 12.5 years), treated by extracting 4 or 2 premolars, and 37 patients (16 female and 21 male patients with the median age of 12.8 years), treated without premolar extraction. Both groups were treated with Damon self-ligating system. Plaster models before (T0) and after (T1) treatment were measured, and the arch width values were determined at the level of the first molars, second premolars, canines and palatal rugae. Buccal corridor width was measured using the extraoral images at T0 and T1. Paired t-test was used for the analysis of the normally distributed data, and Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney U test was used for the data with non-normal distribution. Values of p<0.05 were set as statistically significant. The upper intercanine width increased significantly in both groups (p<0.01). In the non-extraction group, the arch width increased significantly in the maxillary second premolar and first molar region (p<0.01) as well as in the region of the canines (p=0.04), second premolars (p=0.01) and first molars (p<0.01) of the mandible. The buccal corridor decreased significantly in the non-extraction group (p<0.01). Premolar extraction in combination with Damon self-ligating system did not lead to reduction of the dental arch width in the maxilla, nor did it increase the size of the buccal corridors.

Effect of Achieving Sustained SDAI Remission on Erosion Healing in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis - A One-year Prospective HR-pQCT Study

Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease with progressive joint destruction. High-resolution peripheral quantitative CT (HR-pQCT) is a novel technique for detailed bone microstructure analysis allowing volumetric assessment of bone erosions. While most patients demonstrating little baseline joint damage on radiography in the early stage of RA, whether achieving simple disease activity index (SDAI) remission can lead to better structural outcome is to be confirmed. Methods Patients with ERA were recruited and treated to the target of simple disease activity index (SDAI) remission using a standardized algorithm. One hundred patients who received the one-year tight-control treatment were grouped by achieving SDAI sustained LDA [SDAI [Formula: see text] at 6, 9 and 12 months (sLDA group) or not (non-sLDA group). HR-pQCT of the second to fourth metacarpophalangeal joints were performed at baseline, month 6 and one-year. Erosion volume and marginal bone mineral density (BMD) were measured. On an individual patient basis, erosion progression was defined as at least one erosion showing (1) an increase in erosion volume exceeding the smallest detectable change [SDC] (0.08 mm 3) AND (2) a decrease in marginal BMD exceeding SDC (7.8 mmHA/cm 3). Erosion healing was defined as at least one erosion showing (1) a reduction in erosion volume greater than SDC AND an increase in BMD exceeding SDC OR complete disappearance of the lesion AND (2) the absence of any erosion progression. Results Fourteen patients (12.8%) achieved sustained SDAI remission from 6-12 months (SDI group). After 12 months, a significant reduction in erosion volume and marginal osteosclerosis was observed in both groups. The SDI group showed a lower incidence of erosion progression (increase in volume [Formula: see text]0.08mm 3 and decrease in marginal osteosclerosis [Formula: see text]7.8mg HA/cm 3 : 0% vs 16%, p=0.135) and exhibited a higher rate of erosion healing (56% vs 29%, p=0.083) compared with the non-SDI group. In the GEE model, patients in the SDI group showed a higher likelihood of erosion healing (OR: 2.976, 95% CI: 1.0 - 8.9, p=0.050). The changes in erosion depth and width were similar between two groups. Conclusion Achieving sustained SDAI remission could improve erosion healing and limit erosion progression in patients with ERA.

High Speed Video Observations of Vocal Fold Kinematics While Playing a Clarinet.

In this pilot study, flexible high-speed video (HSV) technology with synchronized audio is used to visualize vocal fold behavior in a wind instrumentalist. Specifically, this study aims to contribute to describing the vocal fold behavior of a professional clarinet musician playing varying tones and melodies. Vocal folds of a healthy 26-year-old professional clarinet musician were recorded utilizing a HSV camera coupled to a flexible endoscope, which allowed the synchronous recording of audio with vocal fold movement at the onset, playing, and offset of playing. Two raters experienced with analyzing vocal folds described vocal fold motion of each sample. Samples were processed through a software model to determine the vocal fold movement relative to their position at rest. Digital kymograms (DKGs) were additionally obtained to visualize vocal fold micromovements throughout each sample. At the onset of playing, the raters observed the vocal folds moving to a paramedian position. Vocal fold adduction varied according to the task performed and ranged from 58% to 77% of the original resting glottis width. The calculated changes in glottis width and DKGs were consistent with the descriptions by the raters. This study demonstrates the utility of flexible HSV in observing vocal fold motion before, during, and after events other than sustained phonation. The incomplete adducted vocal fold postures observed while playing the clarinet not only differ from phonation but also differ depending on task. These various postures may contribute to voice fatigue in wind instrumentalists or to various disorders experienced during their careers.