Retention Loss Research Articles

One-Year Multicenter Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing OT Equator® and Locator Attachments to Retain an Early Loaded Implant Overdenture on Two Implants.

This investigation aimed to compare the effectiveness of the OT Equator® (Rhein, Bologna, Italy) and the Locator attachment systems used to retain early loaded implant-retained overdentures. This study was designed as a multicenter randomised controlled trial of parallel groups. After implant placement, the patients were randomised to receive OT Equator® attachments in the test group or Locator attachments in the control group. The outcome measures were implant and prosthetic success and survival rates, any biological and technical complication, marginal bone loss, patients' satisfaction, and periodontal parameters. Overall, 42 patients were consecutively enrolled and treated. One implant was lost in the control group, while no implants were lost in the test group. No prostheses failed in both groups. Only a few complications were experienced in both groups. The main was represented by loss of retention of the attachments (retentive caps). The OT Equator® attachment showed statistically lower periodontal parameters. In conclusion, both attachment systems were suitable for overdenture implant retention.

Comparative assessment of retention loss of Locator and OT Equator attachment in implant-supported overdentures: A literature review

Comparative assessment of retention loss of Locator and OT Equator attachment in implant-supported overdentures: A literature review

- PEMBUATAN PAPAN PARTIKEL DARI LIMBAH PENGGERGAJIAN JENIS MERANTI (Shorea spp.) DENGAN FORMULASI BAHAN PENGHAMBAT API (Manufacture Of Particle Board From Sawmill Waste Type Meranti (Shorea spp.) With Formulation of Fire Resistance Materials)

This research is about the manufacture of particle board from waste Meranti wood shavings treated with fire retardants, we know that wood is a combustible material, therefore to improve the quality of wood processing, especially its resistance to fire, the purpose of this study is to identify and analyze particle board resistance to fire by treating different flame retardants. This research uses three treatments, namely by providing three different flame retardants, namely Sodium Silicate, Ammonium Sulfate and Borax. Analyzed by Completely Randomized Design (CRD), each treatment sample was made with 10 replications. The results of this study indicate that the value of water content in general ranges from 14.323% to 15.718%. The density value is between 0.620 gr/cm³ to 0.715gr/cm³. Thickness development value between 7,167% to 13,500%. The elasticity value is between 8427 kgf/cm2 to 23655 kgf/cm2. The fracture strength value is between 98 kgf/cm2 to 160 kgf/cm2. And the value of burning retention or weight loss is between 33.97% to 80.83%. The effectiveness of the flame retardant material has not been achieved at the 2002 ASTM E69 standard, it is hoped that this research will be continued by increasing the concentration of the flame retardant material so that the effectiveness value can reach the 2002 ASTM E69 standard, which is > 7.5. And further research by providing fire retardant treatment is given during the process of mixing particles and adhesives on particle boards so that the cavities and wood cell walls are blocked by the presence of Urea Formaldehyde adhesive which fills the same section.

Retention Model and Express Retention Test of Ferroelectric HfO2 -Based Memory

Ferroelectric hafnium oxide films are one of the most promising functional materials for a new generation of nonvolatile memory for data storage because of a number of excellent performance features, including nanosecond speed, high endurance, low power consumption, full scalability, and perfect compatibility with Si technology. However, the commercialization of this memory is hindered by its limited retention time, which still does not meet the 10-year electronics-industry standard. To date, much effort has been focused on the improvement of retention via material and interface engineering. Meanwhile, the evaluation and comparison of engineering results have been hampered, since there is still no unified retention test. Indeed, a specific feature of the retention performance is that it cannot be measured directly, because 10 years is required to measure the actual polarization loss. In this paper, we present a physical model that predicts the retention loss in ${\mathrm{Hf}\mathrm{O}}_{2}$-based memory during long-term information storage. The time-dependent polarization loss originates from the phenomenon of polarization imprint, which consists in the temporal development of a preferential polarization state in a poled ferroelectric. For high reliability of the retention calculation, the model takes into account the specific features of imprint evolution in the ferroelectric material ${\mathrm{Hf}\mathrm{O}}_{2}$. Among these is the origin of the imprint in this material, which consists in the interplay of two physical mechanisms, specifically, charge injection into interface traps and migration of mobile charged defects across the functional layer. The second property of ${\mathrm{Hf}\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ taken into account is the different rates of imprint evolution in two types of ${\mathrm{Hf}\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ film that exist within each memory cell. These two types of film originate from two populations of domains that appear during crystallization of the ${\mathrm{Hf}\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ and persist during the whole lifetime of the memory cell. The high accuracy of the retention model makes it possible to implement an express retention test, i.e., to predict the retention time in record short time (1 h) for any particular sample, whereas usually a retention test takes at least several days. For ${\mathrm{Hf}}_{0.5}{\mathrm{Zr}}_{0.5}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$-based capacitors, the retention model shows excellent agreement with experimental results. The proposed model can serve not only for the implementation of this express retention test, but also as a tool for intelligent material engineering in the field of nonvolatile ferroelectric memory.

Prosthodontic Management of Patients with Flabby Ridges Using Different Impression Techniques: A Case Series

Fabrication of complete dentures in clinically compromised cases such as “flabby ridge” is a challenging task for the dentist.A flabby ridge is a superficial area of mobile soft tissue which develops when hyperplastic soft tissue replaces the alveolarbone. During impression making using the conventional impression technique force is exerted resulting in distortion ofthe mobile tissue and thus leading to loss of retention, stability, and support of the denture. To overcome these difficultiesmany modified impression techniques have been proposed that help to record the fibrous tissues in undistorted form. Thisarticle presents three case reports for prosthodontic management of patients with flabby ridges using different impressiontechniques.

Mechanisms of instability retention for ferroelectric field effect transistors with HfZrO2 gate stack scaling down

Instability threshold voltage (VT) with retention loss of read-after-write is a critical issue with fundamental physics for ferroelectric field effect transistors (FeFETs) scaling down under high-speed operation. The mechanisms including charge trapping and depolarization field (Edep) are discovered and related to surface potential and coercive field (EC). The trapped charge can be effectively detrapped by opposite polarity stimulation and validated by technology computer-aided design modeling. In addition, the Edep is revealed to be serious with ferroelectric HfZrO2 (FE-HZO) thin-down due to the unstable low-VT state at a gate voltage (VG) of 0 V. The tunable base voltage (Vbase) compensates the Edep-based polarization degradation. A stable low-VT read-after-write for a 5-nm-thick HZO FeFET is experimentally demonstrated by the opposite polarity detrapping scheme hybrid with a Vbase optimization simultaneously for a wide range of delay times from 10−7 to 102 s. This result provides the feasibility for scaling down FeFETs for nonvolatile memory applications in the future.

The Effect of the Digital Manufacturing Technique, Preparation Taper, and Cement Type on the Retention of Aged Anterior Provisional Crowns: An In Vitro Study

A well-made provisional fixed prosthesis must present as a preview of the future prosthesis and may also augment the health of the abutments and periodontium. Provisional restorations have been prepared chairside with polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) since time immemorial. CAD/CAM additive and subtractive technologies have revolutionized the fabrication of interim restorations in dental clinics. The current literature lacks substantial data about retention of provisional crowns manufactured using Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) additive and subtractive techniques with various temporary cements. This in vitro study aims to assess and compare the retention of temporary/provisional anterior crowns based on the combined effect of different digital manufacturing techniques, preparation tapers, and the temporary cements used for cementation. Two maxillary right central incisor typodont teeth were prepared to receive all-ceramic crowns, one with a 10-degree taper and the other with a 20-degree taper. Forty 3D-printed working models with the 10° taper and forty working models with the 20° taper were prepared to receive the temporary crowns. Forty temporary crowns were 3D-printed and forty crowns were milled (20 from each taper group). Kerr Temp-Bond NE conventional cement and Kerr Temp-Bond clear cement were used for cementation in the two groups. The number of samples per test group was 10. All samples were thermocycled and subjected to a universal testing machine to measure the pull-off force until retention loss (N) under tension with a crosshead speed of 5 mm/min. The pull-off force was highest for group 8, i.e., 3D-printed crowns with a 20° taper and cemented with Kerr Temp-Bond clear cement, followed by groups 6, 7, 4, 5, 3, and 2. Group 1, i.e., milled crowns with 10° taper cemented with Kerr Temp-Bond NE conventional cement, exhibited the lowest pull-off retentive force. The clinical selection of long-term provisional crowns fabricated using 3D-printing technology, prepared with 10° or 20° tapers, and cemented with clear cement, is the most favorable in terms of the retention of provisional crowns. 3D-printed provisional crowns can be used as an alternative to conventional and CAD/CAM-milled crowns for long-term provisionalization.

Retention Improvement of HZO-Based Ferroelectric Capacitors with TiO2 Insets.

The influence of the bottom TiO2 interfacial layer grown by atomic layer deposition on the ferroelectric properties of the TiN/Hf0.5Zr0.5O2/TiN capacitors is systematically investigated. We show that the integration of the TiO2 layer leads to an increase in the polar orthorhombic phase content in the Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 film. In addition, the crystalline structure of the Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 film is highly dependent on the thickness of the TiO2 inset, with monoclinic phase stabilization after the increase of TiO2 thickness. Special attention in this work is given to the key reliability parameters-retention and endurance. We demonstrate that the integration of the TiO2 inset induces valuable retention improvement. Using a novel approach to the depolarization measurements, we show that the depolarization contribution to the retention loss is insignificant, which leaves the imprint effect as the root of the retention loss in TiN/TiO2/Hf0.5Zr0.5O2/TiN devices. We believe that the integration of the insulator interfacial layer suppresses the scavenging effect from the bottom TiN electrode, leading to a decrease in the oxygen vacancy content in the Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 film, which is the main reason for imprint mitigation. At the same time, although the observed retention improvement is very promising for the upcoming technological integration, the field cycling testing revealed the endurance limitations linked to the phase transitions in the TiO2 layer and the rise of the effective electric field applied to the Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 film.

Novel p.G250A Mutation Associated with Chronic Pancreatitis Highlights Misfolding-Prone Region in Carboxypeptidase A1 (CPA1).

Inborn mutations in the digestive protease carboxypeptidase A1 (CPA1) gene may be associated with hereditary and idiopathic chronic pancreatitis (CP). Pathogenic mutations, such as p.N256K, cause intracellular retention and reduced secretion of CPA1, accompanied by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, suggesting that mutation-induced misfolding underlies the phenotype. Here, we report the novel p.G250A CPA1 mutation found in a young patient with CP. Functional properties of the p.G250A mutation were identical to those of the p.N256K mutation, confirming its pathogenic nature. We noted that both mutations are in a catalytically important loop of CPA1 that is stabilized by the Cys248-Cys271 disulfide bond. Mutation of either or both Cys residues to Ala resulted in misfolding, as judged by the loss of CPA1 secretion and intracellular retention. We re-analyzed seven previously reported CPA1 mutations that affect this loop and found that all exhibited reduced secretion and caused ER stress of varying degrees. The magnitude of ER stress was proportional to the secretion defect. Replacing the naturally occurring mutations with Ala (e.g., p.V251A for p.V251M) restored secretion, with the notable exception of p.N256A. We conclude that the disulfide-stabilized loop of CPA1 is prone to mutation-induced misfolding, in most cases due to the disruptive nature of the newly introduced side chain. We propose that disease-causing CPA1 mutations exhibit abolished or markedly reduced secretion with pronounced ER stress, whereas CPA1 mutations with milder misfolding phenotypes may be associated with lower disease risk or may not be pathogenic at all.

TCSE: A Target Cell States Elimination Coding Strategy for Highly Reliable Data Storage Based on 3-D nand Flash Memory

With the wide application of NAND flash storage systems in read-intensive memory, the corresponding reliability enhancement strategies for mitigating read disturb become the focus of investigations in recent years. The prior investigations have reported the strategies based on data modulation and verified their effectiveness in mitigating retention loss. The most significant advantage of these strategies is that they can often achieve significant reliability enhancement effect with great read performance, since they are usually based on asymmetric coding. This feature means that they have the potential to be ideal reliability enhancement strategies for read-intensive memory applications. To propose a universal and highly reliable data storage strategy, this article first observes the error modes at the cell-state level under the reliability stresses of retention loss and read disturb with floating-gate (FG) 3-D triple-level (TLC) NAND flash, and then proposes a target cell states elimination (TCSE) coding strategy for further restraining bit errors. In addition, this article for the first time reports the extra bit errors generated in the decoding process of the storage strategies based on data modulation, and defines the concept of transfer factor (TF) for evaluation. By using the proposed TCSE, the experimental results show that the overall bit error rate (BER) can be reduced by 80%–90% on average, compared with the raw random data pattern.

Factors influencing retention and durability of attachments for overdentures – adverse effects of cleansings, pH, and temperature: A systematic review

AimThe objective of this systematic review is to show the current state of the art on which type of attachment loses retention the most and has reduced durability and which factor causes these problems the most. Material and methodsThis review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and MetaAnalysis (PRISMA) guidelines and it was registered with the Open Science Framework (OSF) (osf.io/2e3q5). The databases used for the electronic search of articles were Pubmed, Science Direct, Embase, and Scopus. Articles were selected by 2 independent reviewers according to the inclusion criteria. The risk of bias was analyzed by using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) adapted quasi-experimental study evaluation tool. ResultsThe studies included in this review indicate that the use of cleansing solutions, high temperatures, and a more acidic pH decrease the durability of the attachments, mainly due to the loss of retention that occurs in different models and materials of the attachments, which requires their replacement in a shorter period. ConclusionOf all the factors studied, the cleansing solutions proved to be the factor that most altered attachment retention. Different saliva compositions did not influence retention values. Aging changes retention values for attachments, mostly with loss of values.

Effect of Cumulative Ionizing Radiation on Flexural Strength, Flexural Modulus, and Elasticity Modulus of Dentin in Unerupted Human Third Molars

PurposeThis in vitro study aimed to investigate the changes in mechanical properties in dentin of third molars after radiation therapy using variable doses and frequencies. Methods and MaterialsRectangular cross sectioned dentin hemisections (N = 60, n = 15 per group; >7 × 4 × 1.2 mm) were prepared using extracted third molars. After cleansing and storage in artificial saliva, random distribution was performed to 2 irradiation settings, namely AB or CD (A, 30 single doses of irradiation [2 Gy each] for 6 weeks; B, control group of A; C, 3 single doses of irradiation [9 Gy each]; and D, control group of C). Various parameters (fracture strength/maximal force, flexural strength, and elasticity modulus) were assessed using a universal Testing Machine (ZwickRoell). The effect of irradiation on dentin morphology was evaluated by histology, scanning electron microscopy, and immunohistochemistry. Statistical analysis was performed using 2-way analysis of variance and paired and unpaired t tests at a significance level of 5%. ResultsSignificance could be found considering the maximal force applied to failure when the irradiated groups were compared with their control groups (A/B, P < .0001; C/D, P = .008). Flexural strength was significantly higher in the irradiated group A compared with control group B (P < .001) and for the irradiated groups A and C (P = .022) compared with each other. Cumulative radiation with low irradiation doses (30 single doses; 2 Gy) and single irradiation with high doses (3 single doses; 9 Gy) make the tooth substance more prone to fracture, lowering the maximal force. The flexural strength decreases when cumulative irradiation is applied, but not after single irradiation. The elasticity modulus showed no alteration after irradiation treatment. ConclusionsIrradiation therapy affects the prospective adhesion of dentin and the bond strength of future restorations, potentially leading to an increased risk of tooth fracture and retention loss in dental reconstructions.

A Clinician's View of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome.

The purpose of this article is to improve recognition and treatment of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. It is well known that Korsakoff syndrome is a chronic amnesia resulting from unrecognized or undertreated Wernicke encephalopathy and is caused by thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency. The clinical presentation of thiamine deficiency includes loss of appetite, dizziness, tachycardia, and urinary bladder retention. These symptoms can be attributed to anticholinergic autonomic dysfunction, as well as confusion or delirium, which is part of the classic triad of Wernicke encephalopathy. Severe concomitant infections including sepsis of unknown origin are common during the Wernicke phase. These infections can be prodromal signs of severe thiamine deficiency, as has been shown in select case descriptions which present infections and lactic acidosis. The clinical symptoms of Wernicke delirium commonly arise within a few days before or during hospitalization and may occur as part of a refeeding syndrome. Wernicke encephalopathy is mostly related to alcohol addiction, but can also occur in other conditions, such as bariatric surgery, hyperemesis gravidarum, and anorexia nervosa. Alcohol related Wernicke encephalopathy may be identified by the presence of a delirium in malnourished alcoholic patients who have trouble walking. The onset of non-alcohol-related Wernicke encephalopathy is often characterized by vomiting, weight loss, and symptoms such as visual complaints due to optic neuropathy in thiamine deficiency. Regarding thiamine therapy, patients with hypomagnesemia may fail to respond to thiamine. This may especially be the case in the context of alcohol withdrawal or in adverse side effects of proton pump inhibitors combined with diuretics. Clinician awareness of the clinical significance of Wernicke delirium, urinary bladder retention, comorbid infections, refeeding syndrome, and hypomagnesemia may contribute to the recognition and treatment of the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

The Impact of intra-abdominal Pressure on Perioperative Outcomes in Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

The aim of the study is to analyze the impact of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) on perioperative outcomes in robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). We searched the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Science, Embase, and CNKI databases systematically, and the retrieval date was from the inception of the databases to April 2022. Randomized controlled trials on high intraabdominal pressure (HIAP) and low intraabdominal pressure (LIAP) in RARP were included. The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager software (version 5.3). Six studies involving 2,271 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with patients who experienced HIAP, those who experienced LIAP had a lower incidence of postoperative ileus (POI) (risk ratio (RR): 0.42; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.24 to 0.72; p = 0.002). However, there were no significant differences in hematoma (RR 2.22; 95% CI, 0.61 to 8.15; p = 0.23), positive margin rate (RR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.84 to 1.32; p = 0.64), urinary retention (RR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.51 to 1.94; p = 0.98), operative time (mean difference (MD), -0.36; 95% CI, -12.24 to 6.12; p = 0.51), or intraoperative blood loss (MD, -21.80; 95% CI, -55.28 to 11.68; p = 0.20) among patients undergoing LIAP and HIAP. Our study of published trials indicates that using LIAP during RARP may reduce the incidence of POI, and there were no differences in terms of hematoma, positive margin rate, urinary retention, operative time, or intraoperative blood loss.

Axial and Nonaxial Retention Forces of Different Designs of Milled Bar Attachments for Maxillary Implant Overdentures: An In Vitro Study.

To compare the axial and nonaxial retention forces of different milled bar attachment designs for maxillary implant overdentures. Four implants were placed in the canine and second premolar areas of an edentulous maxillary ridge model and connected to a cobalt-chromium milled bar either with or without Locator attachments. According to the type of bar and overlying housing, the following groups (n = 10 each) were investigated: group 1 (MWM) = milled bar without attachments and metal housing; group 2 (MWP) = milled bar without attachments and PEEK housing; group 3 (MAM) = milled bar with Locator attachments and metal housing; and group 4 (MAP) = milled bar with Locator attachments and PEEK housing. Axial and nonaxial (anterior, posterior, and lateral) retention forces were measured both at baseline and after wear simulation, then compared between groups and dislodging directions. MAM showed the highest axial (53.20 ± 2.28 N) and nonaxial (anterior [33.80 ± 1.48 N], posterior [37.60 ± 2.07 N], and lateral [34.40 ± 1.67 N]) retention forces at baseline, followed by MAP, then MWM, and MWP (P < .001). MAP showed the highest axial (42.80 ± 2.28 N) and nonaxial (anterior [24.00 ± 1.58 N], posterior [29.40 ± 2.07 N], and lateral [27.80 ± 1.64 N]) retention forces after wear simulation, followed by MAM, then MWP, and finally MWM (P < .001). MAM showed the highest axial (25.25 ± 2.45 N) and nonaxial (anterior [28.29 ± 4.03 N], posterior [24.40 ± 3.25 N], and lateral [25.55 ± 1.65 N]) retention loss, followed by MWM, then MAP, and finally MWP (P < .001). For all groups, the highest retention forces were noted with axial dislodging, followed by posterior dislodging, then lateral dislodging, and finally vertical dislodging (P < .001). Milled bars with PEEK housings and Locator attachments for maxillary implant overdentures were associated with the highest axial and nonaxial retention forces after wear simulation, while milled bars with metal housing and no attachments showed the lowest forces. Milled bars with metal housing and attachments showed the highest retention loss, while milled bars with PEEK housing with no attachments showed retention gain.

Stable retention in SrTiO3/SrRuO3 heterostructure-based memristive devices

The switching dynamics in memristive devices resembles biological synapses, which makes these devices promising candidates for the development of artificial neural networks. The retention of the synaptic weight is a key parameter in performing artificial intelligent tasks, particularly the inference process. However, many memristive devices show retention loss over time, especially the oxide device with switching behavior caused by oxygen migration. In this work, we report a memristive device based on the structure of Pt/SrTiO3/SrRuO3, which greatly improves the retention time of the device. Based on the investigation of the electrical transport mechanism and interface microstructure, the retention improvement in present devices is due to the restriction of oxygen vacancy migration through the SRO-rich interface layer formed on the surface of the SrRuO3 bottom electrode. Given the patternable bottom electrode, linear conductance modulation, and excellent performance in neural network simulation, the present device has shown great potential for hardware neuromorphic computing applications.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Retention and Oxidative Stability of Spray-Dried Chia–Fish-Oil-Prepared Microcapsules

Background: Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids that the body cannot create itself; thus, they must be obtained from functional foods. Therefore, the food processing industries are becoming more interested in the production of omega-3 enriched food products, as consumers and healthcare organizations are increasingly demanding functional foods with minimal fatty acid loss and higher oxidative stability. Moreover, the stability of long-chain, polyunsaturated fatty acids in functional foods is a major challenge for the food processing industries. Therefore, the spray drying method was used to prepare spray-dried microcapsules (SDMs) with the minimum loss of, and more stable, fatty acids. Methods: In this study, emulsion blends of chia seed oil (CSO, 50%) and fish oil (FO, 50%) were spray-dried using varied operating conditions, including the inlet air temperature (IAT) (125, 140, 155, 170, and 185 °C), wall material (WM) (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25%), pump speed (PS) (3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 mL/min), and needle speed (NS) (3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 S). Results: The maximum loss of ALA in the spray-dried microcapsules (SDMs) was observed (9.90 ± 0.40%) at 170 °C, and the minimum loss was 4.18 ± 0.20% in run order 9. A similar trend was observed in the maximum retention loss of EPA and DHA (9.71 ± 0.39% and 9.77 ± 0.39%) at a high temperature of 170 °C, while the minimum losses of EPA and DHA were observed in run order 9. Furthermore, the maximum peroxide value (PV) of the SDMs was observed at a lower temperature of 140 °C (1.45 ± 0.19 meq O2/kg), and the minimum PV was 1.33 ± 0.16 meq O2/kg. Conclusions: Overall, based on the results, we concluded that the oxidative stability of the SDMs was improved and that it can be used as a fortifying agent in the processing of many food products.

Поддержка принятия решений в управлении контингентом образовательного учреждения на основе Business Intelligence

There are a number of strategic tasks in the system of higher education, the solution of which by traditional methods is not possible or very difficult. One of these tasks is the management of the contingent of students. The complexity of this process is determined by the requirement that the university fulfill various key indicators while ensuring the quality of education. The aim of the study is to improve the process of students’ contingent management of the educational institution based on data management. Universities accumulate huge number of various information, the analysis of which is able to provide the decision-making based on data but not on intuition. The analysis of large information array is not possible without the usage of modern products and technologies related to Business Intelligence. This paper sets out the task of creating a decision support system (DSS) for contingent management, a range of questions is described, to which this system will quickly give answers and help an analyst or the head of a university in making decisions. As the research methods used, the methodology for creating a DSS with a description of the main results of each stage, as well as methods of statistical data analysis, is used. The DSS introduction to the daily activities of Higher education institution allows getting the rapid response to changes in academic achievement, forecasting contingent retention and potential budget losses, assessing the number of vacancies and qualitative performance. The system allows the rector of the university to monitor the dynamics of the main indicators on a weekly basis and gives an idea of the university from the founder’s point of view. Further research is aimed at developing the information system by adding advisory functions, as well as expanding the range of questions that the system is able to give a quick answer to – evaluating the activities of the teaching staff by key indicators, estimating the costs of implementing one or another area of training, and others.

A 5-year retrospective study of computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing ceramic endocrowns in endodontically treated posterior teeth

Objective: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) ceramic endocrowns in endodontically treated posterior teeth after five years by a retrospective study. Methods: Patients who received CAD/CAM ceramic endocrowns after endodontically treatment in Department of Endodontics, School of Stomatology, The Fourth Military Medical University between January 2016 and June 2017 were invited for this clinical study. Clinical performance was evaluated in the aspect of color match, anatomic form,marginal adaptation, restoration integrity and secondary caries. Survival rate of the restorations was calculated by the use of Kaplan-Meier method. Log-rank test was applied as well for the sake of analyzing the effect of tooth position, sex and materials to the survival rate of the restorations. Results: Seventy-four patients, 25 men and 49 women with age of (38.8±10.2) years, participated in this study for a total of 101 CAD/CAM ceramic endocrowns after observation period of (62.8±12.0) months. There were 8 failed cases among 101 restorations, 5 were loss of retention, 2 were ceramic fracture and 1 was secondary caries respectively. In particular, 93% (89/96) restorations got score A on anatomic form and 95% (91/96) restorations got score A on marginal adaptation, while 38% (36/96) restorations showed the good color match compared with the abutment teeth. The estimated cumulative survival rate of CAD/CAM ceramic endocrowns in endodontically treated posterior teeth after 5 years was 93.0% (95%CI: 87.9%-98.1%). The single-factor Log-rank analysis demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference in the survival rate of CAD/CAM ceramic endocrowns among men and women, premolars and molars, position in the dental arch, or different materials (χ²<0.01, P=0.957; χ²=0.64, P=0.422; χ²=0.69, P=0.407; χ²=0.88, P=0.349). Conclusions: Based on this clinical study, the clinical performance of CAD/CAM ceramic endocrowns in endodontically treated posterior teeth after five years is reliable, which could be a general option to restore nonvital teeth.

Impact of Ferroelectric Layer Thickness on Reliability of Back‐End‐of‐Line‐Compatible Hafnium Zirconium Oxide Films

Due to its ferroelectricity, hafnium oxide has attracted a lot of attention for ferroelectric memory devices. Amongst different dopant elements, zirconium is found to be beneficial due to the relatively low crystallization temperature of hafnium‐zirconium‐oxide (HZO), thus it is back‐end‐of‐line (BEoL) compatible. The thickness of HZO has a significant impact on ferroelectric device reliability. High operation temperatures and high endurance are important criteria depending on the application. Herein, various HZO thicknesses (7, 8, and 10 nm) in MFM (metal‐ferroelectric‐metal) capacitors are investigated at varying operation temperatures (25 to 175 °C) at varying electric fields (±3 to ±5.4 MV cm−1) with respect to polarization, leakage current, endurance, and retention. 7 nm HZO showed promising results with an endurance of 107 cycles, with a low leakage current density, and almost no retention loss after 10 years. Extrapolated results at operation conditions (±2 MV cm−1 and 10 MHz) showed an endurance of 1010 cycles.