Horizontal Width Research Articles

A line scanning monitoring method for conveyor belt deviation using point cloud

Abstract A precise conveyor belt deviation monitoring method using line array point cloud data is proposed and demonstrated, which can ensure the healthy running of the conveyor system. The point cloud data characterizing the surface of the conveyor belt is collected in a line scanning way. Then, using a unique soft extraction method that weighted fusing three key features (cross-sectional variation, belt’s horizontal width, and previous frame) to process this data, the edge information of the conveyor belt can be accurately and robustly identified in real-time. Furthermore, the point cloud processing mode enables a belt-segmented deviation analysis method based on a standard sequence query. This can accurately determine the offset value and deviation trend of the conveyor belt, thereby achieving early warning of deviation faults. Experimental results show that the belt edge identification precision can reach 0.3 mm, and an early warning can be provided at least 57 m before the occurrence of a belt deviation fault. This belt deviation monitoring method can be widely applied in various working environments, especially in harsh conditions like mines and ports. It also has potential applications in automated production lines within Industry 4.0.

Acquired Ankyloblepharon Correction Using Ocular Surface and Tarsal Mucous Membrane Grafting in Cicatrizing Ocular Surface Diseases

Purpose: To report the long-term surgical outcomes of acquired ankyloblepharon correction using mucous membrane graft. Methods: Five eyes of 4 patients (median age, 19 years) with acquired ankyloblepharon were managed using eyelid splitting and mucous membrane graft anchored to the recti muscles on the bulbar surface in the respective quadrant and onto the bare tarsal surface. Outcome measures include a change in the palpebral fissure width, ability to fit scleral contact lenses, visual acuity, and cosmesis. Results: The underlying etiologies of ankyloblepharon were chronic Stevens-Johnson syndrome (n = 3), and chemical injury (n = 2). All 5 eyes had conjunctival shortening, and 3 had severe dry eyes (median Schirmer 4.5 mm). Four eyes had limbal stem cell deficiency. The median horizontal palpebral fissure width improved to 22 mm from 8 mm. This single-staged surgical technique allowed for fornix formation and prosthetic replacement of the ocular surface ecosystem lens fitting in all 5 eyes. Median logMAR visual acuity improved from 2.1 to 0.7 following ankyloblepharon release, prosthetic replacement of the ocular surface ecosystem lens fitting in 4 eyes, and keratoprosthesis in 1 eye. Repeat mucous membrane graft for recurrent symblepharon in 1 quadrant was required in 2 eyes where complete 360 degrees bulbar and tarsal conjunctiva loss were present preoperatively. At the median follow-up period of 27 months, all patients reported better cosmesis and had no symblepharon recurrence following repeat surgery in 2 eyes and single surgery in 3 eyes. The donor site healed well without any complications. No mitomycin C or symblepharon ring was used. Conclusion: Ocular surface and adnexal reconstruction using bulbar and tarsal mucous membrane grafts help visually rehabilitate patients with acquired ankyloblepharon secondary to cicatrizing ocular surface disorders.

The grouting plugging mechanism of layered jointed rock mass considering the time-varying yield stress of grout

Slurry retention in fractures decreases after grouting is completed and the pressure supply is stopped, which affects the grouting sealing effect and prevents or restrains the occurrence of such adverse conditions. Based on the time-varying yield stress of grout, a theoretical analysis model of grouting diffusion decay is established, the decay height variation function and the minimum pressure stabilisation time calculation formula are derived, and the sealing mechanism of a jointed rock mass with multiple joints is studied. Moreover, a 3D visualisation laboratory test device for grouting diffusion decay of a jointed rock mass with layers was developed to analyse the diffusion and decay process of grout with different water-cement (W/C) ratios visually, and the correctness of the theoretical model was verified. The results show that: (1) the W/C ratio of grout should not be greater than 2, otherwise it is difficult for grout to remain in the cracks; (2) a large fissure opening easily spreads grout but is not conducive to the retention of grout; and (3) the time of stable pressure determines the retention rate of the slurry in the crack. When the horizontal crack opening width is 3 mm and the W/C ratio of the slurry is 1, the minimum stable pressure time to achieve a better sealing effect is 810 s. The research results can be used to reasonably plan the grouting time and improve the grouting efficiency to ensure the grouting effect, which is crucial for improving the theoretical system of grouting technology.

A Study on Sensitivity Improvement of the Fiber Optic Acoustic Sensing System Based on Sagnac Interference.

A new pickup structure was introduced and modified to improve the resolution of the linear Sagnac optical fiber acoustic sensing system. The maximum strains corresponding to the material, diameter, wall thickness, and height of the pickups were analyzed by simulation. An aluminum cylinder with a diameter of 110 mm, a wall thickness of 3 mm, and a height of 120 mm was chosen as the basic pickup. A four-groove pickup with a vertical width of 80 mm and a horizontal width of 20 mm was introduced to improve the sensitivity of the system. The experiments showed that the average peak-to-peak sensitivity of the four-groove pickup increased by 215.54% to 106.806 mV/Pa. The improved pickup can be applied in areas to monitor the situation of invasion of the Sagnac optical fiber acoustic sensing system.

Local delivery of pamidronate with collagen matrix mitigates buccal bone resorption following immediate implant placement - An experimental invivo study.

The aim of this experimental invivo pilot study was to evaluate the effect of the local delivery of pamidronate within a collagen membrane on the changes in the buccal soft and hard tissue dimensions at the time of immediate implant placement and whether this effect was influenced by the placement of bone substitutes. In six beagle dogs, the distal roots of the third and fourth premolars were extracted, and immediate implants were placed. Treatment groups were randomly allocated to each socket: (i) covering the buccal bone with pamidronate-soaked collagen membrane (BP group), (ii) filling the gap defect with synthetic bone substitute (BS group), (iii) filling the gap defect with synthetic bone substitute and covering the buccal bone with pamidronate soaked collagen membrane (BP/BS group), (iv) no treatment (control group). Intraoral scanning was performed immediately after the surgery and at 20 weeks. Histomorphometric and micro-computed tomography (CT) outcomes were evaluated at 20 weeks. The micro CT analysis demonstrated that the BP group showed no apparent difference in vertical bone level with residual mesial root area, while control group showed significant buccal bone resorption at the implant site. The histomorphometric analysis demonstrated that the vertical bone level of buccal plate was significantly differed between the BP and control group (0.34 ± 0.93 and 1.27 ± 0.56 mm, respectively; p = .041). There was no statistically significant difference in the horizontal ridge width (HRW 1, 2, 3) among the groups. Also, the thickness, height and buccal contours of the soft tissue did not reveal significant changes among the groups. The local delivery of pamidronate to the outer surface of the buccal wall at the time of immediate implant placement effectively limits buccal bone resorption. The results from the present investigation should be interpreted with caution, as well as its clinical translatability. Further investigation is needed to understand the pamidronate binding and releasing kinetic, as well as the ideal carrier of this drug for its topical application.

Evaluation and comparison of autologous particulate dentin with demineralized freeze dried bone allograft in ridge preservation procedures - a prospective clinical study.

To compare effectiveness of Autologous Particulate Dentin (APD) with Demineralized Freeze-Dried Bone Allograft (DFDBA) in ridge preservation, using radiographic and clinical parameters. Thirty subjects with indication of mandibular posterior teeth extraction were randomly assigned to either test or control group. After atraumatic extraction, ridge preservation was performed using APD or DFDBA mixed with i-PRF in test and control groups respectively. Both groups had sockets sealed with A-PRF membrane. Clinical parameters (plaque, gingival and healing indices) and radiographic parameters (vertical ridge height, horizontal ridge width) were assessed at baseline and 6 months using CBCT. Statistical analysis was performed using an independent t-test to compare clinical and radiographic parameters between the groups. Both groups had significant decreases in ridge dimensions over 6 months (p < 0.001). The test group showed less reduction in ridge dimensions than control group at 6 months (p < 0.001). Mean change in vertical height was not significant (1.37 ± 1.32, 1.7311 ± 0.563), but in horizontal ridge width (1.3120 ± 1.13, 1.8093 ± 1.16) was significantly different between test and control groups respectively. There was no statistical difference in clinical parameters between the groups at 6 months (p > 0.001). APD grafts resulted in significant improvements in radiographic parameters, specifically in vertical ridge height and horizontal ridge width, compared to DFDBA group. Autologous particulate dentin is a promising, versatile substitute for regenerative procedures. While more research on its long-term efficacy and application is needed, current evidence suggests it could significantly improve patient care and outcomes.

Establishment of a new vault prediction formula after implantable collamer lens implantation based on factor analysis of multi-modal ophthalmic parameters of anterior and posterior chamber.

To establish a novel vault prediction formula after implantable collamer lens (ICL) implantation that considers both anterior and posterior chamber characteristics with multi-modal parameters. A total of 103 and 65 eyes were included in the development and validation groups, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis was performed using data from optical coherence tomography and ultrasound biomicroscopy in the development group to synthesise summative factors with different clinical significance. Dominant original metrics with heavy loadings on significant factors (absolute value of the loading coefficient >0.5) were screened for multivariate linear regression models using a stepwise method. The newly derived formula was evaluated and compared to the NK and KS formulas in the validation group. Six factors (anterior chamber angle, horizontal width, lens, iris, iridociliary complex and ciliary body) were generated after dimension reduction via factor analysis. Factors 2 (horizontal width), 3 (lens), and 5 (iridociliary complex) had a significant influence on the vault. When dominant metrics on these factors were screened for further model building, ICL size, anterior chamber width, crystalline lens rise, iris curvature, and iris-ciliary process distance were retained in the final formula, with an adjusted R2 of 0.698, a median absolute error of 81.97 mm, and a root-mean-square error of 103.35 mm. Multiple intraocular components, including the lens, iris, and ciliary body, play important roles in vault determination. The new formula exhibits good accuracy for vault predictions and ICL size recommendations.

PDE6A-Associated Retinitis Pigmentosa, Clinical Characteristics, Genetics, and Natural History

To analyze the genetics, clinical characteristics, and natural history of PDE6A-associated retinitis pigmentosa. Retrospective, longitudinal, observational cohort study. Patients with molecularly confirmed PDE6A-associated retinal dystrophy in a single tertiary referral center. Review of medical records and retinal imaging, including fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging and spectral-domain OCT. Genetic results were reviewed, and the detected variants were assessed. Molecular genetic testing, clinical findings including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), qualitative and quantitative retinal imaging analysis. Sixteen patients (32 eyes) were identified and evaluated longitudinally. Genetic analysis identified 14 variants in the PDE6A gene, including 8 novel variants. The mean age (± standard deviation, range) was 34.8 years (± 17.4, 12-76) at baseline, with a mean follow-up time of 4.8 years. Best-corrected visual acuity was 0.45 ± 0.45 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) (range 0.0-1.6) at baseline and 0.65 ± 0.7 logMAR (range 0.0-2.3) at the last visit. Best-corrected visual acuity was similar among eyes in 88% of patients. A hyperautofluorescent ring was observed on FAF in 50% and 43.8% of the eyes at baseline and follow-up visit, respectively, with a mean area of 9.7 ± 4.5 mm2 at baseline and mean of 8.6 ± 4.8 mm2 at the follow-up visit. Mean horizontal ellipsoid zone width (EZW) at baseline was 1765 ± 1093 μm, which decreased to 1580 ± 1077 μm at follow-up. Eighteen eyes exhibited cystoid macular edema at baseline (56%), and 17 eyes (53%) at follow-up. There were statistically significant changes during the follow-up period in terms of BCVA, hyperautofluorescent ring area, and the EZW. This study highlights the natural history of PDE6A-retinopathy. Most patients in this cohort had mild BCVA loss, and slowly progressive disease, based on FAF and OCT measurements. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Association of Peri-Implant Mucosa Dimensions With Emergence Profile Angles of the Implant Prosthesis.

The primary aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between prosthesis design and peri-implant mucosa dimensions and morphology. The secondary aim was to investigate associations between mucosal dimensions and the presence of mucositis. Forty-seven patients with 103 posterior bone level implants underwent clinical and radiographic examination, including cone beam computer tomography and intraoral optical scanning. Three-dimensional models for each implant and peri-implant mucosa were constructed. Vertical mucosa height (TH), horizontal mucosa width at implant platform (TW), and 1.5 mm coronal of the platform (TW1.5), as well as mucosal emergence angle (MEA),deep angle (DA), and total contour angle (TA) were measured at six sites for each implant. There was a consistent correlation between peri-implant mucosa width and height (β = 0.217, p < 0.001), with the width consistently surpassing height by a factor of 1.4-2.1. All three angles (MEA, DA, TA) were negatively associated with mucosa height (p < 0.001), while DA was negatively associated with mucosa width (TW1.5) (p < 0.001, β = -0.02, 95% CI: -0.03, -0.01). There was a significant negative association between bleeding on probing (BoP) and mucosa width at platform (OR 0.903, 95% CI: 0.818-0.997, p = 0.043) and 1.5 coronal (OR 0.877,95% CI: 0.778-0.989, p = 0.033). Implants with less than half sites positive for BoP (0-2/6) had significantly higher mucosa height (OR 3.51, 95% CI: 1.72-7.14,p = 0.001). Prosthesis design can influence the dimensions of the peri-implant mucosa, with wider emergence profile angles associated with reduced peri-implant mucosa height. In particular, a wider deep angle is associated with reduced mucosa width in posterior sites. Reduced peri-implant mucosa height and width are associated with more signs of inflammation. Registered in Thai Clinical Trials Registry: http://www.thaiclinicaltrials.org/show/TCTR20220204002.

Theoretical method for predicting the failure mode of reinforced concrete shear walls subjected to axial tension and cyclic lateral loads

Reinforced concrete shear walls may exhibit various failure modes when subjected to combined axial tension-flexure-shear loads. This study developed a theoretical method for predicting the failure mode of RC walls subjected to combined axial tension and cyclic lateral loads, in which the force-displacement response curve was compared to the predicted flexural, shear and sliding strength capacity curves. The formulas for calculating the axial elongation and horizontal crack widths of tensile RC walls were proposed, and the influence of these two aspects was fully considered in the estimation of shear strength and sliding strength degradation. The proposed method was validated against test data of ten RC wall specimens which underwent various failure modes, including flexural, shear, sliding, flexural-sliding, and shear-sliding failure modes. Comparisons between experimental and theoretical results indicated that the proposed method predicted the failure modes and lateral strength with acceptable accuracy. As the proposed method accurately estimated the shear and sliding strength degradation, it provided the insights on the shifting of dominated behaviors (e.g., flexural- or shear-dominated behavior to sliding-dominated behavior). Finally, strength design formulas specified in Chinese, US and European codes were verified against test data. The flexural strength of RC walls was reasonably estimated by the JGJ 3–2010 (Chinese code), ACI 318–19 (US code) and Eurocode 8 (European code) design formulas. Among the three codes, JGJ 3–2010 provided a more reasonable estimate on shear strength of tensile RC walls than the other two codes.

Impact of Invisalign® first system on molar width and incisor torque in malocclusion during the mixed dentition period.

In orthodontic treatment of patients during the mixed dentition period, arch expansion and opening deep overbite are one of the objectives to achieve proper alignment of the teeth and correction of sagittal and vertical discrepancies. However, the expected outcomes of most therapeutic regimens are not clear, making it impossible to standardize early treatment effects. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the impact of the Invisalign® First System on the dental arch circumference and incisor inclination in patients during the mixed dentition period. A total of 21 children during the mixed dentition period (10 females and 11 males, with an average age of 8.76 years) were included in this study. The patients received non-extraction treatment through Invisalign® First System clear aligners, and no other auxiliary devices were used except Invisalign® accessories. Subsequently, the cooperation degree of patients during treatment and the oral measurement parameters at the beginning (T1) and the end (T2) of treatment were collected. All patients showed moderate/good cooperation degree during treatment. Besides, horizontal width of the maxillary first molar increased significantly; the designed arch expansion was 4.1 mm (±1.4 mm), while the actual arch expansion was 3.0 mm (±1.7 mm). Furthermore, the torque expression rate of upper anterior teeth reached 56.53%. Invisalign® First System clear aligners can effectively correct the teeth of patients during the mixed dentition period, widen the circumference of dental arch, and control the torque of incisors.

Comparison of Three-Dimensional Bone Changes in Socket Shield Technique Versus Immediate Implant Placement – A Non-Randomized Clinical Trial

ABSTRACT Aim: The present study assessed the three-dimensional bone loss, at three different levels, around implants placed immediately after extraction using the socket shield method versus immediate implant placement. Materials and Methods: A non-randomized clinical trial was conducted in 30 cases divided into two groups: socket shield method and immediate implant placement (15 cases each). Horizontal bone width (HBW) (at three different levels from baseline) and vertical bone level (VBL) (mesial and distal surfaces of the implant) were measured preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively by using cone beam computed tomography and radio visio graphy. Results: The mean difference at 2-mm and 8-mm HBW from the baseline was better in the socket shield technique, although the results were not significant. Significant results were found in Levene’s test for equality of error variances. The VBL was significant at both the distal and mesial surfaces of the implant. Conclusion: The socket shield approach demonstrated promising clinical outcomes in preserving alveolar ridge morphology. It can be utilized as a substitute for the typical instantaneous implant placement in the aesthetic zone.

A Simplified GBR Treatment and Evaluation of Posterior Seibert Class I Ridge Defects via Bio-collagen and Platelet-Rich Fibrin: A Retrospective Study.

Classical guided bone regeneration (GBR) treatments can achieve favorable clinical results for ridge defects. However, extensive bone augmentation in the non-esthetic area in the posterior region for minor ridge defects is unnecessary. Therefore, this study used a collagen and Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) mixture for bone augmentation on minor posterior ridge defects and evaluated the effects. 22 Seibert Class I ridge defects were treated with BC and covered with a PRF membrane (simplified guided bone regeneration, simplified GBR) and other 22 were treated with Bio-Oss and covered with Bio-Gide (classical GBR). Cone-beam computed tomography imaging was conducted 6months post-surgery to compare the ridge's horizontal width (HW) and buccal ridge's horizontal width to assess the osteogenic effect. In addition, the buccal ridge contour morphology was studied and classified. The buccal ridge contour of simplified GBR was Type A in 14 cases, Type B in 7 cases, and Type C in 1 case and it of classical GBR was Type A in 11 cases, Type B in 8 cases, and Type C in 3 cases. The mean HW significantly increased by 1.50mm of simplified GBR treatment, while it increased by 1.83mm in classical GBR treatment. The combined use of BC and PRF had a significant effect on bone augmentation and this treatment exhibited promising clinical results for correcting posterior Seibert Class I ridge defects. The morphological classification of the reconstructive effect in this study can be utilized in future clinical work.

Determining Asymmetry Thresholds in Anophthalmia/Microphthalmia Using a Three-dimensional Animated Model.

Congenital microphthalmia and anophthalmia are rare development disorders with underdevelopment of the orbital region, resulting in asymmetry of the face. No clear guidelines exist to determine when these deviations are acceptable. The face of a healthy 6-year-old child was three-dimensionally scanned. On this scan, we modeled various incremental degrees of facial asymmetries using three-dimensional modeling software. We modeled for smaller palpebral fissures, sunken eyes, and downward displacement of the eye. We also tested whether adjusting the vertical palpebral fissure height in relation to the horizontal palpebral fissure width affected perception. A total of 22 videos were created in which the model turned the head horizontally and vertically. We created a questionnaire asking raters how acceptable the face is, on a linear scale from 0 to 10. Results showed a correlation between the degree of asymmetry and the acceptability score of the raters. Enophthalmos of ≥6 mm, palpebral fissure width ≤79% compared with the other eye, and 2 mm or more downward displacement of the eye resulted in a significant different acceptability score. The desire for correction was strongly increased when these thresholds were exceeded. Adjusting the vertical palpebral fissure height to the horizontal palpebral fissure width resulted in a worse acceptability score. A unilateral sunken eye (enophthalmos) of 6 mm or more, asymmetric horizontal palpebral fissure length of ≤79%, and a lower position of one eye of more than 2 mm resulted in unacceptable judgment. These data can be used to evaluate treatment outcome in children treated for congenital microphthalmia and anophthalmia.

Tomographic assessment of bone changes in atrophic maxilla treated by split-crest technique and dental implants with platelet-rich fibrin and NanoBone® versus platelet-rich fibrin alone: Randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThis study evaluated the clinical benefits of adding NanoBone® with split-crest technique and simultaneous implant placement covered with platelet-rich fibrin membrane in horizontally deficient maxillary ridges in terms of crestal and horizontal bone changes and patient morbidity.MethodsForty patients indicated for maxillary ridge splitting and simultaneous implant placement were assigned randomly to the study groups: control group (Platelet Rich Fibrin membrane) and test group (Platelet Rich Fibrin membrane + Nanobone®). The Cone Beam Computed Tomography Fusion technique was utilized to assess crestal and horizontal bone changes after five months of the surgical procedure. Patient morbidity was recorded for one week post-surgical.ResultsFive months post-surgical, buccal crestal bone resorption was 1.26 ± 0.58 mm for the control group and 1.14 ± 0.63 mm for the test group. Lingual crestal bone resorption was 1.40 ± 0.66 mm for the control group and 1.47 ± 0.68 mm for the test group. Horizontal bone width gain was 1.46 ± 0.44 mm for the control group and 1.29 ± 0.73 mm for the test group. There was no significant statistical difference between study groups regarding crestal and horizontal bone changes and patient morbidity.ConclusionsThe tomographic assessment of NanoBone® addition in this study resulted in no statistically significant difference between study groups regarding crestal and horizontal bone changes and patient morbidity. More randomized controlled clinical trials on gap fill comparing different bone grafting materials versus no grafting should be conducted.Clinicaltrials.gov registration numberNCT02836678, 13th January 2017.

Double layer graft technique for horizontal alveolar ridge augmentation with staged implant placement: radiographic histological and implant stability analysis–a case report

IntroductionHorizontal ridge augmentation of a deficient alveolar bone site is performed either simultaneously with implant placement or in a staged approach prior to implant insertion. There are several available strategies for the augmentation of alveolar ridge deficiencies, including guided bone regeneration (GBR) through the use of barrier membranes. The success of the GBR approach mainly depends on the exclusion of soft tissue cells during bone remodeling.Case presentationA healthy 25-year-old male patient presented with a missing upper left central incisor after clinical and radiographic examination, the site showed a class III defect horizontal atrophy. The procedure performed was the horizontal alveolar ridge augmentation using resorbable pericardium membrane with double layer graft technique (DLT) where autogenous bone placed as a first layer of the graft followed by xenograft as a second layer, the membrane was fixed with titanium pins. A cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was performed before, immediately and 6 month following the surgery. After 6 months during implant placement, a core biopsy specimen was retrieved, stored and prepared for histological evaluation, with assessment of primary implant stability. The radiographic analysis showed a horizontal width gain of about 4 mm, at 6 month following implant placement, the implant was successfully osteointegrated with stability assessment also done after 6 months from placement.ConclusionDLT was successfully used for horizontal alveolar ridge augmentation, thus allowing a prosthetically driven implant placement. More cases assessing implant survival and success are needed to confirm the results of this case report.

Insulator Extraction from UAV LiDAR Point Cloud Based on Multi-Type and Multi-Scale Feature Histogram

Insulators are key components to ensure the normal operation of power facilities in transmission corridors. Existing insulator identification methods mainly use image data and lack the acquisition of three-dimensional information. This paper proposes an efficient insulator extraction method based on UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) LiDAR (light detection and ranging) point cloud, using five histogram features: horizontal density (HD), horizontal void (HV), horizontal width (HW), vertical width (VW) and vertical void (VV). Firstly, a voxel-based method is employed to roughly extract power lines and pylons from the original point cloud. Secondly, the VV histogram is used to categorize the pylons into suspension and tension types, and the HD histogram is used to locate the tower crossarm and further refine the roughly extracted powerlines. Then, for the suspension tower, insulators are segmented based on the HV histogram and HD difference histogram. For the tension tower, the HW histogram is used to recognize the jumper conductor (JC) and transmission conductor (TC) from the power line. The HW histogram and VW histogram are used to extract the tension insulator in the TC and suspension insulator in the JC, respectively. Finally, considering the problem of setting a suitable grid width when constructing the feature histogram, an adaptive method of multi-scale histograms is proposed to refine the extraction result. Two 220 kV long transmission lines are used for the validation, and the overall object-based accuracy for suspension and tension towers are 100% and 97.3%, respectively. Compared with the point feature-based method, the mean F1 score of the proposed method improved by 0.3, and the runtime for each tower is within 2 s.

Concentrated growth factor and collagen as barrier materials in alveolar ridge preservation for posterior teeth: a prospective cohort study with one-year follow-up.

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of concentrated growth factor (CGF) membrane and collagen as barrier materials in sealing the alveolar socket in alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) in the posterior region during a one-year follow-up. A total of 24 patients who underwent ARP in the posterior region were selected for inclusion and randomly assigned to the CGF group (12 cases) and Collagen group (12 cases). The patients in both groups underwent extraction of posterior teeth. The extraction sockets were filled with a bone substitute to the level of the pre-extraction buccal and lingual or palatal alveolar bone plates. The wounds in the CGF group were closed with a fabricated CGF overlaying the upper edge of the bone substitute material, whereas those in the Collagen group were closed with Bio-Oss Collagen. The implants were placed after 6 months. The evaluation was based on implant retention, re-grafting rate, and vertical and horizontal alveolar ridge bone volume changes measured by cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 28.0 software. No patient withdrew throughout the follow-up period. No implant failure and no severe peri-implant or mucosal soft tissue complications were observed. Six months after the operation, the degree of vertical alveolar ridge height resorption in the CGF group was lower than that in the Collagen group (P<0.05). There were no statistically difference between the groups at 1 year after the operation (P>0.05). The amount of bone reduction in horizontal alveolar ridge width showed no difference between the groups at 6 months and 1 year after surgery (P>0.05). CGF membrane and Bio-Oss Collagen as barrier materials for posterior ARP inhibited reduction in alveolar ridge bone mass.

Light spectrum affects growth, metabolite profile, and resistance against fungal phytopathogens of Solanum lycopersicum L. seedlings

Tomato is a widely cultivated and economically important crop worldwide. This study aimed to test the effect of light spectra used in indoor cultivation on the growth, biochemical profile, and resistance of Solanum lycopersicum ‘Bawole Serce’ seedlings against Alternaria alternata, Alternaria solani and Botrytis cinerea. During the phase of first leaf emergence, the seedlings were transferred to a semi-sterile growth room with a controlled environment (20°C, 18-h photoperiod, 50 μmol · m−2 · s−1 PPFD, 65% RH) for a 3-week cultivation period. Five light treatments differing in red/blue (R/B) light ratio were tested: I (LED tube; R/B 5.55), II (fluorescent tube; R/B 0.72), III (fluorescent tube; R/B 1.19), IV (LED panel; R/B 0.51), V (LED panel; R/B 0.20). The best parameters in terms of shoot length, shoot fresh and dry weights, and number of leaves were obtained in treatment I, in contrast to IV and V. Plants from treatments IV and V had the smallest leaf area, perimeter, vertical length, and horizontal width. As for the root system, the highest fresh weight, area, length of the longest root, total length, and the number of root tips and forks were found in treatments I and II. The least developed root systems were observed in IV and V. The greatest chlorophyll, carotenoids and anthocyanins accumulation was enhanced by treatment II. Treatments I−III stimulated the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds. The highest superoxide dismutase activity was detected in plants from treatments I and II. As for A. alternata and A. solani, the level of disease symptoms was significantly higher for treatments IV and V than for I-III. The highest/lowest level of B. cinerea infection was found in treatments II/I, respectively. The least susceptible to infection by all tested pathogens were leaves from treatment I. Light spectrum composition is of practical importance for tomato seedling production.

Morphological and structural characteristics of preferential flow and its influencing factors on colluvial deposits of Benggang

AbstractPreferential flow plays a vital role in infiltration processes in structured soil. However, knowledge of preferential flow in colluvial deposits of Benggang remains limited. In this study, three typical colluvial deposits with different formation times were selected. The formation times of colluvial deposits A, B and C increased in sequence. Water infiltration in colluvial soil was visualized through Brilliant Blue dye experiments (a total of 90 photos from the dyed soil profiles). The dye morphological characteristics of preferential flow were analysed, and the influencing factors were explored. The dye morphological parameters confirmed the occurrence of preferential flow in the colluvial deposits. The dye coverage of colluvial deposit A was the greatest (61.12%), followed by colluvial deposits B (50.41%) and C (46.81%). The matrix flow depth, preferential flow fraction and length index of colluvial deposits A and B were greater than those of colluvial deposit C. Preferential flow was more notable in colluvial deposits A and B than in colluvial deposit C. The migration process of dyed water varied spatially. There were more preferential flow paths at a 10 cm horizontal width. In addition to the bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity, the soil particle composition, especially the gravel content (r = 0.740), was closely related to the observed dye coverage. According to the principal component analysis results, the soil particle composition imposed the greatest influence on the formation of preferential flow in the colluvial deposits, with a contribution of 45.24%. The results provide a theoretical reference for explaining the mechanism of soil infiltration processes and a systematic basis for the treatment of colluvial deposits.