Decrease In Height Research Articles

The Substitution of Fishmeal with Yeast Culture in the Yellow Catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco) Diet: Growth, Serum Biochemical Indices, and Intestinal and Hepatopancreatic Histology.

Yeast culture is a complex fermentation product consisting of fermentation substrate, yeast cells and their metabolites. This study investigated the potential of yeast culture in replacing fishmeal in the diet of yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco). First, a basal diet was formulated to contain 160 g/kg fishmeal (CON), and then the dietary fishmeal was decreased to 120, 80, 40 and 0 g/kg via yeast culture inclusion, respectively, to form another four isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets (YC-12, YC-8, YC-4 and YC-0). Yellow catfish (3.00 ± 0.10 g) were fed with the above five diets with triplicates per treatment and 40 fish per replicate. After 8 weeks of feeding, the weight gain (WG), protein efficiency rate and protein retention in the YC-12 group and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) in the YC-12 and YC-8 groups showed no significant differences to the CON group (p > 0.05), but the WG in the YC-8, YC-4 and YC-0 groups was significantly lower, and the FCR in the YC-4 and YC-0 groups was significantly higher than in the CON group (p < 0.05). In terms of the whole-body composition, only the crude lipid content in the YC-0 group decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Compared with the CON group, the aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities and D-lactic acid content in the YC-0 group were significantly increased, and the total cholesterol content was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). The activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and alkaline phosphatase, as well as the content of complement C3 and immunoglobulin M, were significantly increased, while the MDA content was significantly reduced in the YC-12 and YC-8 groups (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the intestinal amylase and lipase activity among all the groups (p > 0.05), while the trypsin activity in the YC-12 and YC-8 groups, as well as the diamine oxidase in the YC-4 and YC-0 groups, were significantly higher than those in the CON group (p < 0.05). In the intestine histology, there was a significant decrease in the intestinal villus height in the YC-4 and YC-0 groups as well as in the villus width in the YC-0 group (p < 0.05). In the hepatopancreas histology, lipid droplets appeared in the YC-4 and YC-0 groups, and severe cell vacuolation was observed in the YC-0 group. As a summary, in a practical diet containing 160 g/kg fishmeal, yeast culture can effectively replace 40 g/kg fishmeal without negatively affecting the growth performance, nutrient utilization, serum immune and antioxidant, intestinal and hepatopancreas histology of yellow catfish.

Association of Body Fat Percentage with History pathological in older adults

Objective: to apply a regression equation to estimate the percentage of body fat in older adults. Method: Descriptive, prospective, cross-sectional and correlational study. Sample of 553 older adults, 28.0% of men and 72.0% of women; variables: sex, age, weight, height, WC, BMI, BFPD and BFPR. Results: mean age and similar BMI by sex; weight, height, higher WC in men and higher BFPD and BF´PR in women; weight, height, and BMI decrease with age. Percentage of similar overweight by sex, according to BMI and only in women according to BFPR, the latter associated with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis and neuropsychiatric diseases. The values estimated by the BFPR equation are normally distributed, and the Logistic Regression reveals that the model based on the variables BMI, WC and sex, is reliable, with high sensitivity and specificity, which demonstrates high discriminative power. Conclusion: the equation to estimate the percentage of body fat by regression may be useful to estimate risk in older adults.

Numerical Simulation of Proppant Transport in Major and Branching Fractures Based on CFD-DEM.

This research investigated the effect of branching fracture, proppant, and fracturing fluid on proppant transport based on the CFD-DEM coupling model. The obtained results show that the balance height of embankment in the major fracture decreases gradually with increasing angle between major and branching fractures, while it increases gradually in the branching fracture. This is because the additional resistance of fracturing fluid flow at the joint increases with increasing angle, leading to the decrease of the fracturing fluid velocity. The proppant is prone to settling in branching fractures, resulting in the increase of embankment height in the branching fracture. At angles of 45, 60, and 90°, as the diameter of the proppant increases from 0.8 to 1.1 mm, the balance height of embankment increases slightly in the major fracture, while it decreases in the branching fracture. The frictional resistance of the fracture wall enhances the difficulty of large proppant entering the branching fracture, resulting in a decrease in the amount of proppant entering the branching fracture and a decrease of the balance height of embankment in the branching fracture. In the low-viscosity fracturing fluid, the proppant quickly deposits at the bottom of the fracture as it enters the fracture. Improving the viscosity of the fracturing fluid can significantly enhance its ability to transport the proppant. The proppant is less likely to quickly settle in high-viscosity fracturing fluids, especially when the fracturing fluid viscosity exceeds 50 mPa·s.

Properties of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC) Prepared with Binary and Ternary Blended Calcined Clay and Steel Slag

The recent emphasis on sustainable development in the construction industry has made it essential to develop construction and building materials that are not only affordable, but have minimal negative impact on the environment. This study investigates the valorisation of steel slag, which is mostly considered to be a waste material in several parts of the world, by blending with calcined impure kaolinitic clay to partially replace ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in the preparation of self-compacting concrete (SCC). OPC was substituted with steel slag at a constant level of 10%, whereas calcined clay replaced OPC at varying levels, ranging from 10 to 30% in a ternary blended mix. The hardened properties evaluated include compressive and flexural strengths. Samples containing only calcined clay showed a lower fluidity, which was significantly improved when steel slag was added to the mix. SCC containing 10% steel slag and 20% calcined clay obtained 28 days compressive strength, which was 3.6% higher than the reference cement concrete. An XRD analysis revealed a significant decrease in the peak heights of portlandite in mixtures containing steel slag and calcined clay, regardless of their replacement percentage. Generally, all the blended cement samples performed appreciably in resisting sulphate attack. The results of this study demonstrate that using steel slag and calcined clay together can significantly improve the fresh and hardened properties of SCC without compromising its mechanical properties.

Electrochemical Analysis for Total Alkalinity of Water by the Measurement of Cathodic Prepeak of Quinone Caused by Surplus Acid.

In this study, an electrochemical analysis, coupled with the concept of back neutralization titration and the voltammetric determination of surplus acid, is proposed for determining the total alkalinity of water samples. When linear sweep voltammetry of 3,5-di-tert-butyl-1,2-benzoquinone (DBBQ) with H2SO4 in a water and ethanol (44 : 56, v/v) mixture was carried out using a bare glassy carbon working electrode, a cathodic prepeak of DBBQ caused by H2SO4 was observed on the voltammogram at a more positive potential than when compared with the original cathodic peak of DBBQ. When similar voltammetry was carried out in the presence of Na2CO3 and H2SO4, the cathodic prepeak height of DBBQ was decreased with an increase in the Na2CO3 concentration. The decrease of the cathodic prepeak height of DBBQ was found to be linearly related to the Na2CO3 concentration ranging from 0.025 to 2.5 mM (r2 = 0.998). The total equivalent concentrations of inorganic bases in samples of mineral water and tap water were determined, and then the results were converted to the total alkalinities of the water samples (mg/L CaCO3). The total alkalinities of the water samples determined by the present electrochemical analysis were essentially the same compared with those by the neutralization titration method. From these results, we were able to demonstrate that the present electrochemical analysis with accuracy and precision could be applied to determine the total alkalinity, which is one of the indicators to examine water quality. The present electrochemical analysis would contribute to achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of #6 and #14.

Flame Characteristic Of Premix Combustion Of Jatropha Curcas Oil And Cotton Seed The Addition Of Various Magnetic Field Directions

This study investigates an effects of various magnetic fieldsdirection on flames characteristic of premix combustions. Research is important as a reserve a fossil fuel using environmental friendly vegetable oil.Jatrophacurcas oil is mixed with cotton seeds (50% blend) as fuel.Experimentare carried out on cylindrical type burner. Vegetable oils were loaded on boiler, then heated on LPG stoves, while air was obtained from the compressor. Grade N52 nickel neodymium magnets atintensitymagnetic fieldsof 1.1 T were used in this study. The combustion characteristics are identified from the flame image and the temperature signal at the burner tip. The flame image is recorded using a video camera at highspeed, 120 frames per second. This research found that the magnetic field of an attractive produces a brighter, wider, and more stable flame compared to a repulsive magnet and without. The magnetic field changes the orientation of the hydrocarbon from the para state to the ortho state, so that it tends to break down the fuel molecules resulting in more complete and faster combustion causing the flame temperature to increase, but the flame height decreases.

Comparison of necrotic enteritis effects on growth performance and intestinal health in two different meat-type chicken strains Athens Canadian Random Bred and Cobb 500

Chickens have undergone genetic improvements in the past few decades to maximize growth efficiency. However, necrotic enteritis (NE), an enteric disease primarily caused by C. perfringens, remains a significant problem in poultry production. A study investigated the differences in intestinal health between the nonselected meat-type chicken Athens Canadian Random Bred (ACRB) and the modern meat-type Cobb 500 broilers (Cobb) when challenged with experimental NE. The study utilized a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, consisting of two main effects of chicken strain and NE challenge model (nonchallenged control, NC; NE challenge with 2,500/12,500 Eimeria maxima oocysts + 1 × 109C. perfringens, NE2.5/NE12.5). A total of 432 fourteen-day-old male ACRB and Cobb were used until 22 d (8 d postinoculation with E. maxima on d 14, dpi), and the chickens were euthanized on 6 and 8 dpi for the analysis. All data were statistically analyzed using a two-way ANOVA, and Student's t-test or Tukey's HSD test was applied when P < 0.05. The NE12.5 group showed significant decreases in growth performance and relative growth performance from d 14 to 20, regardless of chicken strain (P < 0.01). The ACRB group exhibited significant decreases in relative body weight and relative body weight gain compared to the Cobb group from d 14 to 22 (P < 0.01). On 6 and 8 dpi, both NE challenge groups showed significant decreases in intestinal villus height to crypt depth ratio, jejunal goblet cell count, and jejunal MUC2 and LEAP2 expression (P < 0.01). Additionally, the NE12.5 group had significantly higher intestinal NE lesion score, intestinal permeability, fecal E. maxima oocyst count, intestinal C. perfringens count, and jejunal IFNγ and CCL4 expression compared to the NC group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, NE negatively impacts growth performance and intestinal health in broilers, parameters regardless of the strain.

Experimental and numerical investigation into burning rate and fire plume characteristic of pool fire with plate obstacle

Pool fire is a common type of fire accident in the petrochemical industry, which often causes significant casualties and property damage. In most real fire scenarios involving the interaction between pool fire and obstacles, the surrounding obstacles would impact the development of the pool fire significantly, altering the results of fire risk assessment. To address these knowledge gaps, a comprehensive experimental and numerical analysis was conducted to explore the pool fire behavior with plate obstacle. The results show that as the obstacle height decreases or diameter increases gradually, the average burning rate increases obviously. The temperature and flow fields were obtained through numerical simulation, and indentified as three distinct patterns. It was found that the vortices formed near the obstacles facilitate the mixing of air and fuel vapor, thereby changing the fire plume behavior. In addition, the classical model for the plume centerline temperature was modified for pool fire with plate obstacle. This work enhances understanding of pool fire behavior with plate obstacles, which directly contribute to mitigating fire damage and improving energy application safety.

Influence of seagrass meadow length on beach morphodynamics: An experimental study

A novel flume experiment was conducted to compare the sheltering effect of surrogate seagrass meadows of two different lengths against a bare beach (benchmark). The analyses focused on assessing the impact of meadow cross-shore extent on wave height attenuation, behaviour of wave orbital velocity components, sediment transport, and shoreline erosion. Throughout the tests conducted in the large-scale CIEM wave flume at LIM/UPC Barcelona, meadow density and submergence ratio remained constant, while irregular waves were run over an initial 1:15 sand beach profile. In both meadow layouts, a persistent decrease in wave height from the offshore area in front of the meadow to the breaking zone was found. This reduction was directly correlated with the length of the seagrass meadow. As a result of the reduction in wave energy, less erosion occurred at the shoreline in accordance with the decrease in wave height. The mean velocities exhibited changes in the velocity profile from the meadow area to the immediate zone behind the meadow, a phenomenon not observed in more onshoreward positions. Orbital velocities displayed a reduction exclusively for the long meadow case. This decrease was persistent up to the breaking zone. As a consequence of these changes, the long meadow layout led to a decrease in the volume of sediment transport and a breaker bar closer to the shoreline. The short meadow layout resulted in a higher volume of sediment transport compared to the long meadow layout, although still less than the benchmark layout. Furthermore, in the short meadow layout, the final bar was situated in a location similar to that observed in the benchmark layout.

Macroscopic and microscopic characterization of term placentas from nutritionally restricted goats

The aim of this study was to describe the morphological, macroscopic, and microscopic characteristics in term placentas of goats, nutritionally restricted in the prepubertal period and during the second and third of pregnancy gestation. Samples were collected from the placentas of goats separated into 3 treatments: control (C) n= 9; prepubertal feed restriction (PPFR) n = 5; pregnancy feed restriction (PFR) n=5. The placental cellular structure was studied using Masson's trichrome staining. The ultrastructural analysis was performed by high-resolution light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The present study revealed the effect of prepubertal and gestational feed restriction on macroscopic and microscopic characteristics in goat placentas with decreases in cotyledonary weight, height, and size in placentas from nutritionally restricted goats in both groups, PPFR and PFR. The smaller size and the change in the shape of the cotyledons could suggest compensatory mechanisms for prepubertal and gestational feed restriction to ensure placental and kid development.

Structural, electronic and thermoelectric properties of monolayer TiSe2.

In this work the first-principles calculations of the structural, electronic and thermoelectric properties of monolayer TiSe2 are presented. The optimized lattice parameter of monolayer TiSe2 shows excellent agreement with the experimental value. The computed band structure and density of states calculations predict metallic nature of monolayer TiSe2 with overlapping of 0.44eV between the lowest conduction band and top valance band at high symmetry point M. The position of pseudogap formed by Ti-3d orbitals near the Fermi level confirms the mechanical stability of monolayer TiSe2. Due to the influence of positive strain (tensile strain), the Ti-Se bond length increases and the layer height decreases. The applied tensile strain changes the metallic nature of TiSe2 into a semiconductor with opening of bandgap. It has also been observed that the positions of conduction band minima and valance band maxima change with strain. The charge analysis shows that charge transfer from Ti to Se atom increases when tensile strain is applied, while an opposite trend is observed with compression. The computed thermoelectric coefficientsi.e. Seeback coefficient, power factor and figure of merit are in good agreement with the experimental data.The temperature dependence of these coefficientsis also reported. The density functional theory based calculations are reported employing the PBE-GGA ansatz using the plane wave-pseudopotential method embodied in the Quantum ESPRESSO package. The self-consistent field calculations are performed over a dense Monkhorst-Pack net of 12 × 12 × 1k-points. The energy convergence criteria for the self-consistent field calculation were set to 10-6 Ry/atom with a cutoff energy of 90 Ry. The thermoelectric properties are computed by combining the band structure calculations with the Boltzmann transport equation using Boltztrap2 peckage.

Association between smoking and height loss in Japanese workers: A retrospective study.

Height loss is reported to be an independent risk factor for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Smoking, which is responsible for a considerable proportion of deaths due to any cause, is also associated with lumbar disc degeneration, a major risk factor for height loss. Therefore, smoking could be an independent risk factor for height loss. To clarify the association between smoking status and height loss, a retrospective study with 8,984 (5,518 men and 3,466 women) Japanese workers was conducted. The present study population comprised 9,681 workers aged 40-74 years who participated in annual medical examinations between 2011 and 2017 (baseline). Subjects without a height measurement during 2012-2018 (endpoint) were excluded from the analysis (n = 697). Height loss was defined as being in the highest quartile of annul height decrease (1.48 mm/year for men and 1.79 mm/year for women). Independent of known cardiovascular risk factors, smoking was positively associated with height loss among men but not among women. With never smokers as the referent group, the adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) was 1.15 (0.98, 1.35) for former smokers and 1.24 (1.05, 1.46) for current smokers among men, respectively. Among women, the corresponding values were 0.98 (0.79, 1.21) and 0.90 (0.71, 1.16), respectively. Since height loss and smoking are independent risk factors for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, these results help clarify the mechanisms underlying the association between height loss and mortality risk.

Ion beam processing of DNA origami nanostructures.

DNA origami nanostructures are emerging as a bottom-up nanopatterning approach. Direct combination of this approach with top-down nanotechnology, such as ion beams, has not been considered because of the soft nature of the DNA material. Here we demonstrate that the shape of 2D DNA origami nanostructures deposited on Si substrates is well preserved upon irradiation by ion beams, modeling ion implantation, lithography, and sputtering conditions. Structural changes in 2D DNA origami nanostructures deposited on Si are analyzed using AFM imaging. The observed effects on DNA origami include structure height decrease or increase upon fast heavy ion irradiation in vacuum and in air, respectively. Slow- and medium-energy heavy ion irradiation results in the cutting of the nanostructures or crater formation with ion-induced damage in the 10 nm range around the primary ion track. In all these cases, the designed shape of the 2D origami nanostructure remains unperturbed. Present stability and nature of damages on DNA origami nanostructures enable fusion of DNA origami advantages such as shape and positioning control into novel ion beam nanofabrication approaches.

Analysis of pre-operative factors affecting vault after posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens implantation

Objective: To analyze the early changes in vault height and its influencing factors after implantation of posterior chamber phakic intraocular lenses (pIOL). Methods: A retrospective case series study was conducted, including patients who underwent pIOL implantation at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, from September 2020 to August 2021, and completed a 3-month follow-up. Data were collected from myopic or myopic astigmatism patients. Preoperative ocular examinations, including Pentacam anterior segment analysis system, Sirius anterior segment analysis system, ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM), and IOLMaster optical biometry, were performed to measure parameters such as refractive power, corneal curvature, corneal horizontal diameter, anterior chamber volume, anterior chamber depth, pupil diameter, sulcus-to-sulcus diameter (STS), and lens thickness. The degree and position of implanted pIOL, as well as vault height measured by anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively, were recorded. Statistical analyses were conducted using repeated measures analysis of variance, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results: A total of 314 patients (314 eyes) were included, with 52 male (16.56%) and 262 female (83.44%) patients, and an average age of (26.44±4.60) years. The preoperative equivalent spherical power was (-8.09±2.41) D. Postoperative vault heights at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months were (671.88±273.02) μm, (652.26±272.21) μm, (615.08±259.69) μm, and (591.14±250.71) μm, respectively, with statistically significant differences among groups (P<0.001). Eyes with vault height>750 μm showed a greater decrease in early postoperative vault height (P<0.001). The eyes implanted with 12.1 mm pIOL had the lowest postoperative vault height, while those with 13.2 mm had the highest (P>0.05). Factors correlated with vault height at 1 day postoperatively included corneal horizontal diameter, anterior chamber depth, preoperative cylinder power, angle degree, lens thickness, and pIOL cylinder power. Factors correlated with vault height at 3 months postoperatively included corneal horizontal diameter, anterior chamber depth, preoperative cylinder power, anterior chamber volume, angle degree, lens thickness, axial length, pIOL spherical and cylinder power. Factors associated with changes in early postoperative vault height included corneal curvature K2, anterior chamber depth, anterior chamber volume, pupil diameter, horizontal STS, vertical STS, axial length, and preoperative spherical power (all P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that lens thickness significantly influenced vault height at 1 day postoperatively, anterior chamber volume significantly influenced vault height at 3 months postoperatively, and pupil diameter significantly influenced changes in early postoperative vault height (all P<0.05). Conclusions: Vault height after pIOL implantation is unstable in the early postoperative period and gradually decreases within 3 months. A higher baseline vault height is associated with a greater decrease. Anterior chamber volume, pupil diameter, and lens thickness are influencing factors on vault height during the first 3 months postoperatively.

Osteotomy Correction Angle Cut-off Points Can Guide the Operation to Prevent a Significant Decrease in Patella Height.

Patients who undergo a biplanar ascending medial open-wedge high tibial osteotomy with an excessive correction angle might experience patella infera and even knee pain after surgery. The purpose of this study was to identify the cut-off points for the degree of knee varus correction of open-wedge high tibial osteotomy, which is related to the symptomatic patellar position change. This retrospective study included 124 patients (mean age 61.69 ± 6.28 years; 78 women, 46 men) with varying degrees of varus knee osteoarthritis. All patients had undergone standard biplanar medial open-wedge high tibial osteotomy. They were divided into nine groups according to the change in hip-knee-ankle angle. Plain radiographs and three-dimensional CT images were obtained preoperatively and 18 months postoperatively. Patellar height was assessed using the Caton-Deschamps index, the Insall-Salvati index, and the Blackburne-Peel index. The patellofemoral index and patellar tilt were used to evaluate the degree of horizontal displacement of the patella. The varus correction, medial-proximal tibial angles, joint line convergence angles, and hip-knee-ankle angles were also measured. The subjective score was evaluated using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC). There were significant changes in patella indexes in each group after surgery, among which there was no significant difference in patellar height changes for Groups A to F (p > 0.05), which were significantly lower than those in Group G, H, and I (p < 0.001). The patellar tilt and patellofemoral index also followed the same trend. The improvement in WOMAC scores for Groups G, H, and I was also significantly less for Groups A to F (p < 0.001). The patellar height, patellar tilt, and patellofemoral index all changed significantly in parallel with increasing degrees of osteotomy correction. The cut-off points for correction angle are 12.5° to 13.4°. When the correction angle is larger than this range, the patellar position can be significantly affected. Postoperative patellofemoral joint pain may be related to the changes in patella position.

Study and analysis of the correlation between lumbar spondylolisthesis and Modic changes.

This study aimed to explore the risk factors of Modic changes in lumbar spondylolisthesis. The distribution of Modic changes in different types of lumbar spondylolisthesis, degree of spondylolisthesis, and degree of intervertebral disc degeneration in patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis was observed and analyzed. Statistical analysis was conducted to assess whether intervertebral disc degeneration, local mechanical changes, etc. affect the occurrence of Modic changes. The risk factors of Modic changes in lumbar spondylolisthesis were further illustrated. The age in the lumbar spondylolisthesis with Modic changes group was younger than that in the lumbar spondylolisthesis without Modic changes group, and the bone mineral density was better in the lumbar spondylolisthesis with Modic changes group than that in the lumbar spondylolisthesis without Modic changes group, P < 0.05. The two groups statistically differed in intervertebral disc height (IDH) and disc angle on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In the classification of Modic changes, the incidence of type II was the highest. The incidence of Modic changes is higher in isthmic spondylolisthesis than in degenerative spondylolisthesis. With the aggravation of lumbar spondylolisthesis and intervertebral disc degeneration, the incidence of Modic changes gradually increased. Modic changes are most commonly seen in both the upper and lower endplates. Logistic regression analysis showed that the occurrence of Modic changes in lumbar spondylolisthesis was significantly correlated with IDH, disc angle on MRI, type of spondylolisthesis, degree of spondylolisthesis, and degree of intervertebral disc degeneration, P < 0.05. The occurrence of Modic changes is related to the type of spondylolisthesis, the degree of spondylolisthesis, the degree of disc degeneration, the decrease of intervertebral disc height, and local stress angulation.

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.

Improving the Rheological Properties of Dough Obtained by Partial Substitution of Wheat Flour with Freeze-Dried Olive Pomace

Mediterranean countries are known for their high-quality olives and the production and consumption of olive oil. Olive pomace (OP), the major by-product of olive oil extraction, is receiving attention for its potential as a functional compound in food products, reflecting its physiology- and health-promoting attributes. This study assessed the physico-chemical characteristics of OP obtained from two Sardinian olive cultivars, Bosana and Semidana, and the effect of OP incorporation on the baking performance of wheat dough. We assessed the rheological parameters, pasting profile, and fermentation of doughs obtained through the partial substitution of wheat flour with OP at 0 (control), 1, 2, 3, and 5%. OP inclusion resulted in significant differences in the studied parameters compared with control samples. Positive effects included a decrease in development time, improved dough stability and storage, and superior loss modulus and gas retention capacity. Negative effects comprised an increase in dough resistance and a decrease in dough development height, gas production, gas retention, pasting profile, stickiness, and elasticity. These differences in the OP dough were due to the interactions between polyphenols and fibre with water and the starch–gluten matrix. This study found improvements in dough characteristics following the substitution of wheat flour with low percentages of OP, especially Semidana at 1%. Although higher percentages of OP would be associated with greater nutritional and health benefits, they resulted in a degradation of the dough’s attributes, producing a gluten-free-like matrix in the final product.

Penggunaan Gigi Tiruan pada Lansia dengan Obstructive Sleep Apnea

A person who has reached the elderly stage will have an experienced degenerative process that causes several disorders. Changes in the masticatory function due to the loss of the remaining teeth can cause a transformation not only in the mastication system but also in the upper airway system of respiration. This is due to orofacial deformation, tongue retraction while in the resting position, occlusal vertical dimension changes, and a decrease in facial height. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a sleep breathing disorder with 17 % prevalence rate in adults and increases up to 49% in the elderly stage. A complete denture can be a rehabilitative treatment option for the elderly OSA patient. Wearing dentures during sleep is against the principles of dentistry because it can cause the tongue to be positioned posteriorly. However, people, mostly women, still wears denture while sleeping. This might further increase the obstruction of upper airway system.

Analysis of clinical changes and magnetic resonance imaging features of 37 patients with temporomandibular joint disc condylar complex with anterior disc displacement without reduction.

This study aims to investigate clinical outcomes, imaging changes, and age differences with regard to temporomandibular joint disc condylar complex with anterior disc displacement without reduction (ADDWoR). A total of 37 patients (45 lateral joints) with ADDWoR who were admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Zheng Zhou University from January 2016 to June 2023 were selected. The patients were composed of 4 males and 33 females and had an average age of 23.5 years. The average course of the disease was 14.4 months. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were collected at the end of initial diagnosis and follow-up, and the length and thickness of the articular disc, the angle of the disc condyle, and the height of the condyle were measured. The statistical significance of the changes was assessed using SPSS 25.0 software package. At the end of follow-up, disc displacement in three patients (three lateral joints) was healed. Approximately 48.4% of the patients felt that limitation of mandibular movement was not alleviated; 58.3% of patients reported that pain during mouth opening was not reduced; 54.5% reported pain while chewing; 33.3% of the patients showed facial deviation, and only one showed remission. The mean disk-condyle angle increased from 61.63° to 67.81°. The average length of articular disc shortened from 8.20 mm to 7.27 mm, and the height of the condyle significantly decreased from 23.17 mm to 22.76 mm (P<0.05). The absorption ratio of the condyle increased, and no significant differences in the changes of joint soft and hard tissues between the adolescent and adult groups (P>0.05). In different age groups of patients with ADDWoR, clinical symptoms cannot be completely relieved. The disc is anteriorly displaced and shortens, condylar height decreases, and secondary facial asymmetry and mandibular retraction occur.