Reduction In Depth Research Articles

Innovative Honey-Based Product and Its Beneficial Effects Measured by Modern Biophysical and Imaging Skin Techniques

Background: Honey is widely recognized for its potential benefits in skincare, yet its incorporation into formulations is challenging due to its stickiness. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of hand creams with varying concentrations of multifloral honey (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% w/w) on skin parameters and to assess their application characteristics. Methods: A total of 24 volunteers were divided into two groups, each receiving a blinded pair of creams (0%/10% or 5%/15% honey) to apply on their left and right hands. Instrumental methods (Corneometer®, Tewameter®, Cutometer®, Visioscan®, and Visioline®) were used to measure skin parameters at the baseline, 15 min after the first application, and after 4 weeks of regular use. Sensory characteristics were evaluated through participant questionnaires. Results: After 4 weeks, honey-infused creams showed notable improvements in skin moisturization (up to 29.7%), smoothness (up to 21.3%), wrinkle area reduction (up to 21.4%), and mean wrinkle depth reduction (up to 11.7%). Among these, the increases in moisturization and reductions in wrinkle depth were statistically significant compared to the placebo. The sensory evaluations revealed no significant differences between formulations, highlighting the vehicle’s effectiveness in minimizing the stickiness typically associated with honey. Conclusions: This study highlights the efficacy of honey-enriched hand creams in enhancing skin parameters over time while maintaining favorable sensory characteristics. These findings support the use of honey in dermatological formulations and provide insights into overcoming its formulation challenges.

Topographic Evaluation of the Remineralizing Potential of Biomimetic Scaffolds on Enamel White Spot Lesions: An InVitro Study.

The modern approach to managing noncavitated white spot lesions (WSLs) emphasizes noninvasive strategies and biomimetic remineralization. Biomimetic scaffolds are designed to regenerate dental tissues rather than simply repair them. This study aimed to assess lesion depth, enamel structure, and the elemental composition of artificially induced WSLs after treatment with biomimetic remineralization techniques. Ninety-six freshly extracted anterior teeth, free from caries or enamel defects and extracted due to periodontal disease, were used. White spot lesions were induced on the labial surfaces, and the samples were divided into three groups based on the remineralizing agent: Group I, treated with casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP), which served as the positive control; Group II, treated with self-assembling peptide P11-4 (SAP-P11-4); and Group III, treated with phosphorylated nano-chitosan (Pchi-ACP). Enamel topography was analyzed at baseline and after treatment using polarized light microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Statistical analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, and Dunn's post hoc test (p = 0.05). The Kruskal-Wallis test indicated a significant difference in remineralization potential among the groups. Pchi-ACP showed the greatest reduction in lesion depth (62.65%), demonstrating significant subsurface enamel remineralization. This group also exhibited a smooth, regular enamel surface with shallow linear depressions. Elemental analysis confirmed successful calcium phosphate precipitation in Pchi-ACP, indicating a trend toward enamel regeneration. Pchi-ACP represents a promising biomimetic and minimally invasive approach for treating early WSLs, signifying a transition toward regenerative dentistry. (SAP-P11-4), while effective, was less successful than phosphorylated nano-chitosan but outperformed (CPP-ACP). Pchi-ACP demonstrates significant potential for minimally invasive treatment of early noncavitated carious lesions. By preserving natural tooth structure, this approach could greatly enhance oral health outcomes in the long term.

Retrospective Study on Orthodontic Gingival Recession Correction Using Clear Aligners

Background and Objectives: Our study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of ClearCorrect® clear aligners (The Straumann Group) in improving gingival recession, which developed following prior fixed orthodontic treatment. The specific objectives were to assess changes in recession severity in patients with orthodontic gingival recessions following aligner therapy and to determine whether the initial severity of recession influenced improvement rates across three categories—mild (RT1), moderate (RT2), and severe (RT3)—as defined by the Cairo classification. Materials and Methods: Fifty-six patients with gingival recession from previous orthodontic treatment received aligner therapy for seven to twelve months, focusing on 146 recession sites, primarily in the lower anterior region. Recession severity was classified and tracked as RT1, RT2, and RT3. Statistical analyses, including a Chi-square test, assessed improvement rates across these categories. Results: Among severe recessions (RT3), 52% showed no improvement, while 48% exhibited some improvement, with 16% improving to RT1. In the moderate group (RT2), 63% improved to RT1, and 16% resolved. The mild group (RT1) showed a 58% reduction in recession depth. Chi-square testing confirmed a statistically significant difference in improvement rates across the three groups (p = 1.44 × 10−7). Conclusions: Clear aligners may contribute to gingival recession improvement, particularly in mild and moderate cases (RT1 and RT2), though severe cases (RT3) show a more limited response.

Combination of Enamel Matrix Derivatives with Bone Graft vs Bone Graft Alone in the Treatment of Periodontal Intrabony and Furcation Defects: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

To compare the clinical performance of the combination of enamel matrix derivatives and bone substitutes (EMD+BG) with bone substitutes (BG) alone in the surgical treatment of periodontal intrabony and furcation defects. Electronic databases (Medline, Embase and Web of Science) were searched for randomised controlled trials in humans that investigated the combination of EMD+BG vs BG alone in either intrabony or furcation defects with a minimal follow-up of 6 months. A random-effect meta-analysis was conducted according to the type of defect (intrabony or furcation defects) and the follow-up time (6 or ≥ 12 months). From a total of 1583 entries, 9 randomised controlled clinical trials (RCTs) were retrieved and included in the qualitative and quantitative synthesis. All of them were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis detected an additional clinical attachment level (CAL) gain in intrabony defects treated with EMD+BG compared to BG alone in studies with ≥ 12-month follow-up (mean difference = 0.67 mm, 95% CI [0.44 ; 0.90], p 0.00001). No additional benefit was found in furcation defects in terms of CAL gain or probing depth (PD) reduction. The addition of EMD may improve the clinical outcomes of intrabony defects treated with bone substitutes. These findings may support the use of this combined therapy, particularly in large and non-contained defects.

Qudit-based quantum simulation of fermionic systems

Model Hamiltonians described by fermionic operators are ubiquitous in physics and chemistry, but the quantum simulation of their properties is challenging on near-term quantum computers. Indeed, for any problem with more than two connected neighbors, standard mappings of fermions on qubits lead to many-body operators whose size increases with the size of the problem, quickly making the simulation unfeasible on noisy devices. Here we consider an alternative mapping based on qudits and the auxiliary fermion method, which leads to a significant reduction in the circuit depth and in the number of computational units to be controlled. These advantages increase for highly connected target Hamiltonians, such as lattices with long-range interactions or the molecular systems investigated in quantum chemistry. We numerically test our approach on qudits encoded in molecular spins, by performing the quantum simulation of a fermionic model on a small cluster. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Numerical and experimental study on local scour in front of OWC-BWS under waves

In this paper, a system of an oscillating water column wave energy converter integrated with a vertical breakwater (OWC- BWS) was established, and the scour mechanism in front of OWC-BWS under wave actions was studied by laboratory scale experiments and gas-liquid-particle flow numerical simulation, respectively. The experiment investigates the comparison of scour test results between a conventional vertical breakwater and OWC-BWS. It shows that compared to a vertical breakwater without an OWC, the local scour phenomenon in front of the OWC-BWS was effectively mitigated (test results showed a 46.7% reduction in the maximum scour depth). For numerical simulation, a scour model under wave actions was established for further research on the local scour mechanism in front of the OWC-BWS. It was found that the local scour topography of an OWC-BWS is different from that of a vertical breakwater. The OWC device effectively weakens the scour in front of the OWC-BWS, which is because the flow field in front of the OWC-BWS shows frequent generation and shedding of vortexes. In addition, as a crucial part of the OWC-BWS, the effect of PTO was also studied, which found that the maximum equilibrium scour depth was significantly influenced under different PTO.

Quantitative evaluation method of rockburst prevention effect for anchoring rock masses around deep-buried tunnels

Anchoring rock masses is a commonly applied measure to prevent rockburst, whereas many deep tunnels still encountered rockburst after anchoring with rockbolts. Currently, the absence of suitable evaluation methods impedes the timely grasp and improvement of the rockburst prevention effect. This paper first investigates the alterations of rockburst pit depths before and after anchoring in three deep tunnels. The results indicate that the potential rockburst pit (PRP) depth exhibits two mitigation trends, i.e., “From small to none” and “From large to small”. Subsequently, the analysis model of PRP depth after anchoring and the quantitative evaluation method of prevention effect are presented. In this method, the evaluation of prevention effect is based on the decrease rate of PRP depth after anchoring, which is calculated after obtaining parameters associated with rock mass properties, geostress, excavation damage and rockbolts. Furthermore, the variation of PRP depth after anchoring and the rockburst prevention effect under different excavation damage and rockbolt parameters are quantitatively analyzed. It is found that the prevention effect is negatively correlated with excavation damage. Specifically, when the damage is minor, a smaller PRP depth is observed, and the rock mass strength is significantly enhanced after anchoring, leading to a noticeable shallowing or even disappearance of PRPs. In such cases, relying solely on anchor support can achieve good prevention effects. Conversely, when excavation damage is severe, the reduction in PRP depth after anchoring is quite limited, necessitating the implementation of more measures. In addition, the application of large-diameter and densely spaced rockbolts contributes to diminishing the PRP depth and improving the prevention effect.

Adjunctive therapy for root coverage with concentrated growth factor versus platelet-rich fibrin membranes: a systematic review and bayesian network meta-analysis.

To assess the differences between adjunctive therapy with Concentrated Growth Factor (CGF), Platelet-rich Fibrin (PRF) membranes, and available control groups in the clinical outcomes of root coverage. Randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) were identified in Pubmed/Medline, Scopus, and ISI Web of Science databases to assess the treatments after 6 months using a Bayesian random-effect network meta-analysis (NMA) framework regarding reduction in pocket depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), recession depth (RD), and width (RW), as well as, keratinized tissue width (KTW) and thickness (KTT) gain, and complete (CRC) and mean (MRC) root coverage percentages. Thirty-two RCTs were included, from which 27, 18, 12, eight, one, and one studies investigated PRF, connective tissue graft (CTG), flap alone, CGF, enamel matrix derivative (EMD), and dehydrated amniotic membrane, respectively. Thirty studies comprising CTG and flap-alone arms other than CGF and PRF were added to NMA. No significant difference has been found between CGF and PRF; however, CGF have a higher probability of being a better treatment than PRF in PD, CAL, and RW reduction and KTW gain, and PRF has a higher probability for being better in MRC, CRC, KTT gain, and RD reduction. PRF was significantly superior to flap-alone in terms of KTT gain and RD reduction. CGF had the highest probability of being the best treatment in PD and RW reduction, but in other outcomes, CTG was superior. PRF was significantly superior to flap-alone in terms of KTT gain and RD reduction. Both adjunctive CGF and PRF demonstrated improvements regarding root coverage outcomes. Although there is no significant difference between PRF and CGF, these two membranes might have different impacts on different outcomes. Further studies are required for a more comprehensive conclusion, especially on CGF. CTG is recommended for achieving ideal results in root coverage procedure. Since PRF and CGF both have a higher probability for being superior to flap alone, both could be suggested in cases which less than ideal outcomes are acceptable and minimization of patient discomfort is necessary.

Study on the stress and deformation characteristics of ultra-deep soft rock tunnel under complex geological conditions

Under asymmetric three-dimensional high in-situ stress and high pore water pressure, tunnels are subjected to complex stress conditions, making them susceptible to failure and posing a threat to water conveyance safety. This study focuses on a large-scale cross-basin water diversion tunnel from Datong river into Huangshui river, which characterized by ultra-deep and complex geological conditions. Based on the field measurement data, a parameter inversion method considering the deformation of tunnel surrounding rock at multiple characteristic points is proposed. Additionally, considering the fluid-structure interaction effects under the influence of asymmetrical three-dimensional high in-situ stress and high pore water pressure, the stress-deformation characteristics of the soft rock tunnel are studied, and the damage evolution characteristics of the surrounding rock under different in-situ stresses and pore water pressures are analyzed. The results manifest that intense mutual extrusion of the surrounding rock, leading to volumetric compression, is the primary cause of the formation of stress concentration and excess pore water pressure. Additionally, the maximum deformation and the most likely location for gushing water both occur at the tunnel’s waist. After the implementation of segment support measures, the deformation control effect on the surrounding rock is remarkable. Notably, the reduction in damage depth across various characteristic locations due to segment support shows minimal variation. However, in terms of the reduction in disturbance depth, the tunnel waist significantly outperforms the top and bottom positions. The damage depth of the tunnel surrounding rock is positively correlated with both in-situ stress and pore water pressure, but it is more significantly influenced by in-situ stress than by pore water pressure. These findings can offer some valuable insights and guidance for future similar tunnel construction project.

Effect of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Periodontal Inflammation and Pocket Depth Reduction

ABSTRACT Background: Chronic inflammation of the tooth’s supporting tissues is known as periodontal disease. It causes pockets to develop, attachments to break, and eventually the loss of teeth. Because of their well-known anti-inflammatory qualities, omega-3 fatty acids have been recommended as an additional therapy for periodontal inflammation. Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled study of 60 individuals suffering from persistent periodontitis was carried out. Two groups of participants were randomly assigned: The test group (n = 30) got conventional periodontal treatment with omega-3 fatty acid supplementation (1000 mg/day), while the control group (n = 30) received normal periodontal therapy alone. Measurements of periodontal parameters were made at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months after therapy, including bleeding on probing (BOP) and pocket depth. Paired t-tests and analysis of variance were used in the statistical analysis to determine the significance of the group differences. Results: Participants in the test group showed a greater reduction in probing pocket depth (PPD) and BOP at both 3 and 6 months. Specifically, the mean PPD decreased from 5.4 ± 0.7 mm to 3.0 ± 0.4 mm, and BOP reduced from 71.2 ± 14.5% to 28.3 ± 9.2% in the test group, with both outcomes showing statistically significant differences compared to the control group (P < 0.01). Conclusion: In individuals with chronic periodontitis, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation dramatically improves the decrease of periodontal pocket depth and inflammation when administered as an adjuvant to regular periodontal treatment.

Artificial intelligence with counseling on the treatment outcomes and quality of life in periodontitis patients.

To evaluate the effects of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted dental monitoring (DM) with and without health counseling on the treatment outcomes and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of patients with periodontitis. Patients with periodontitis were randomly assigned to either an AI group (AI group, n=28), an AI and health counseling group (AIHC group, n=27), or a control group (n=27). All patients underwent nonsurgical periodontal treatment. Patients in the AI and AIHC groups underwent additional AI-assisted DM and AI-assisted DM with oral health counseling, respectively, for 6 months. Data on OHRQoL and periodontal measures were collected at baseline and follow-ups. At 3 months of follow-up, the AI and AIHC groups exhibited a significantly greater reduction in probing pocket depth (mean diff: -0.5 and -0.7) and clinical attachment level (mean diff: -0.5 and -0.6) compared with the control group. At 6 months of follow-up, the AI and AIHC groups exhibited a significantly greater improvement in OHRQoL (mean diff: -4.5 and -4.7) compared with the control group. At 3-month follow-up, the AIHC group exhibited a greater improvement in plaque index (mean diff: -0.2) and OHRQoL (mean diff: -4.3) compared with the AI group. AI-assisted DM can be used to remind patients with periodontitis of their oral hygiene at home and effectively improve their periodontal measures and long-term OHRQoL. Gum disease is a common problem, but new technology could help. In this study, researchers looked at how AI affects gum health and quality of life (QoL). The researchers divided participants into 3 groups. One group used an AI system to monitor their gums at home. Another used AI plus got health advice. The third did not use any special technology. After 3 and 6 months, the AI groups had healthier gums, with less deep pockets and better gum attachment, compared to the group without AI. The group that also got health advice saw even greater improvements, like cleaner teeth and a bigger boost to their QoL. This is exciting because gum disease is tricky to manage alone. The AI system seems to help by reminding people to care for their teeth and gums. With expert guidance, the AI becomes an even more powerful tool for improving long-term oral health and well-being. This study shows how new technologies like AI could transform how we approach common health problems. By providing personalized support, AI can empower people to better manage their own health, leading to better outcomes.

Assessment of the self-healing capacity of PVA fiber-reinforced composites by chloride permeability and stiffness recovery

This paper investigates the intrinsic ability of PVA fiber-reinforced cementitious composites to re-establish the durability properties of the uncracked state. Comparative chloride penetration tests are used as a direct measure to quantify the effect of self-healing on the chloride penetration resistance after cracking. Two different composites with cement to fly ash ratios of 1:1.5 and 1:2.0 were studied under the influence of healing periods of up to 28 days. After inducing cracks between 100 and 120 μm, samples were exposed to chlorides for 72 h and the resulting chloride penetration depth was compared to the unhealed state. Based on this procedure, a durability recovery index was proposed to quantify the material’s ability to re-establish its function as a protective layer after cracking. Results show that after 14 days of self-healing, chloride penetration through cracks was reduced between 81% and 99%. An extended healing period of 28 days leads to further reduction of the penetration depth to 84%–100%, indicating that most of the reaction takes place within the first 14 days of healing. While the stiffness recovery analysis showed that increasing cement content by 20% correlated with the formation of stronger healing products, no significant difference was found regarding crack closure.

Dental Hygienists' Influence on Oral Health Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavioural of Patients and Effectiveness on Improving Patients' Periodontal Status-Evaluations of a Hospital Based Oral Hygiene Training Program in China.

To evaluate the possibility of integrating dental hygienists (DHs) into the dental field in China, and investigate its effectiveness on improving patients' knowledge, attitudes, self-care behaviours as well as their periodontal status. A hospital-based oral hygiene training program was developed at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital's (SRRSH) Dental Clinic with the support of two registered DHs from Loma Linda University in California. A questionnaire evaluating oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviours was conducted in patients who visited SRRSH's Dental Clinic. Scores of oral health knowledge and proportions of positive oral health attitudes and favourable self-care behaviours were estimated between patients treated and not treated by DHs (DH group and NDH group). The improvements in patients' periodontal conditions following non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) administered by DHs at the Dental Clinic of SRRSH, as assessed through the measurement of periodontal pocket depths and the incidence of bleeding upon probing. Patients in DH group exhibited relatively better results in several aspects of oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviours, compared to those in NDH group. Moreover, NPST performed by DHs significantly improved the periodontal status of the patients, with a remarkably reduction in periodontal pocket depth and bleeding on probing. Integrating DHs into SRRSH's Dental Clinic showed effectiveness in enhancing patients' oral health knowledge, attitudes, behaviours and succeeded in improving patients' periodontal status. This program demonstrated that incorporating DHs into dental care team is not only practical but also enhances the value of the dental workforce in China.

Mechanical performance of laser powder bed fused Ti-6Al-4V: The influence of filter condition and part location

Deteriorated filter condition in laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) systems may negatively impact shield gas flow, causing inadequate spatter particle/plume removal, leading to laser beam attenuation and reduction in melt pool depth, and potentially causing more frequent formation of volumetric defects. This work investigated the effects of filter condition and part location on the micro-/defect-structure and mechanical behavior, including tensile and fatigue, of Ti-6Al-4V parts fabricated by L-PBF. Interestingly, within the manufacturer recommended service intervals, no specific effect of filter condition could be observed on the micro-/defect-structure or the mechanical behavior of the fabricated parts. However, the parts’ defect-structures were affected by their location, with ones located near the center of the build plate having less porosity than the ones located away. Although these defects did not affect the tensile properties, they frequently observed to initiate fatigue cracks (the critical defects sizes were often in the range of a few tens of micrometers). Therefore, their sensitivity to location resulted in the location dependence of the fatigue behavior.

Digital-analog counterdiabatic quantum optimization with trapped ions

Abstract We introduce a hardware-specific, problem-dependent digital-analog quantum algorithm of a counterdiabatic quantum dynamics tailored for optimization problems. Specifically, we focus on trapped-ion architectures, taking advantage from global Mølmer–Sørensen gates as the analog interactions complemented by digital gates, both of which are available in the state-of-the-art technologies. We show an optimal configuration of analog blocks and digital steps leading to a substantial reduction in circuit depth compared to the purely digital approach. This implies that, using the proposed encoding, we can address larger optimization problem instances, requiring more qubits, while preserving the coherence time of current devices. Furthermore, we study the minimum gate fidelity required by the analog blocks to outperform the purely digital simulation, finding that it is below the best fidelity reported in the literature. To validate the performance of the digital-analog encoding, we tackle the maximum independent set problem, showing that it requires fewer resources compared to the digital case. This hybrid co-design approach paves the way towards quantum advantage for efficient solutions of quantum optimization problems.

Joint guarantee rate index assessment of the contribution of agricultural water-saving measures to river ecological flow in water shortage areas

Reconciling higher ecological water demands and economic purposes with finite freshwater resources remains one of the great management dilemmas. Low water efficiency and large water consumption in agricultural irrigation hinder the protection of river ecological flow in the water shortage areas of Northwest China. By analyzing the surplus and shortage of river ecological protection targets, the intensity guarantee rate index is innovatively proposed to quantitatively evaluate the important contribution of improved water-saving measures for river flow restoration. It compensates for the shortcomings of the duration guarantee rate index in evaluation that may mask ecological problems. Considering ecological baseflow, fish species, and landscape water demand, the ecological flow interval (6.00–12.42 m3/s) was determined. Three scenarios are highlighted for different typical years and irrigation regimes in combination with planting structure adjustment and irrigation water utilization coefficient. In 75 %, 90 %, and 95 % typical years, the maximum total annual water-savings (Scenario 3) are 57.3, 57.1, and 87.2 million m3 (sufficient irrigation); 32.2, 33.9, and 35.5 million m3 (deficit irrigation) respectively. The guarantee degree of river ecological flow under both irrigation regimes increased from the previous 65.6 % to a maximum of 91.7 % and 81.2 %. The increase in the daily guarantee rate and decrease in the intensity guarantee rate under the aforementioned three scenarios indicate a reduction of damage depth and duration of ecological flow. By using a quantitative study, it is pointed out that improving agricultural water-saving is a reasonable and necessary way to protect the river flow.

Enhancing sustainability in concrete construction: Utilizing copper slag for improved properties of geopolymer concrete

Geopolymer concrete (GPC), utilizing aluminosilicate precursor materials as binders, stands as an eco-friendly alternative to Portland cement concrete. These precursors commonly include natural resources like metakaolin, volcanic ash, and industrial solid waste such as fly ash (FA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS). However, despite not utilizing cement, GPC still faces environmental challenges due to the use of natural aggregates, leading to resource depletion. To mitigate this issue, researchers have explored replacing natural aggregates with waste materials, aiding both resource conservation and waste management. Copper slag (CS) is one such waste material with potential as fine aggregate in GPC. This study conducts a comprehensive evaluation of FA-GGBFS-based GPC incorporating CS as fine aggregate, revealing notable enhancements in transport, durability, and strength properties. The optimal replacement of 60 % natural sand with CS in GPC resulted in a 20–25 % increase in compressive strength, a 10–15 % improvement in slake durability, an 18–40 % reduction in water absorption, a 30–39 % decrease in permeable voids, and a 26–47 % reduction in depth of wear, all in comparison to the control specimen made with natural sand only. Thus, incorporating CS as a fine aggregate in GPC is recommended as an effective approach to enhance mechanical performance and durability, while contributing to sustainable construction practices.

Robotic feet modeled after ungulates improve locomotion on soft wet grounds

Locomotion on soft yielding grounds is more complicated and energetically demanding than on hard ground. Wet soft ground (such as mud or snow) is a particularly difficult substance because it dissipates energy when stepping and resists extrusion of the foot. Sinkage in mud forces walkers to make higher steps, thus, to spend more energy. Yet wet yielding terrains are part of the habitat of numerous even-toed ungulates (large mammals with split hooves). We hypothesized that split hooves provide an advantage on wet grounds and investigated the behavior of moose legs on a test rig. We found that split hooves of a moose reduce suction force at extrusion but could not find conclusive evidence that the hoof reduces sinkage. We then continued by designing artificial feet equipped with split-hoof-inspired protuberances and testing them under different conditions. These bio-inspired feet demonstrate an anisotropic behavior enabling reduction of sinkage depth up to 46.3%, suction force by 47.6%, and energy cost of stepping on mud by up to 70.4%. Finally, we mounted these artificial feet on a Go1 quadruped robot moving in mud and observed 38.7% reduction of the mechanical cost of transport and 55.0% increase of speed. Those results help us understand the physics of mud locomotion of animals and design better robots moving on wet terrains. We did not find any disadvantages of the split-hooves-inspired design on hard ground, which suggests that redesigning the feet of quadruped robots improves their overall versatility and efficiency on natural terrains.

The Role of Interleukin-8 in the Estimation of Responsiveness to Steps 1 and 2 of Periodontal Therapy.

To investigate the association between interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and total oral fluid (TOF) and the responsiveness to steps 1 and 2 of periodontal therapy. One-hundred and fifty-nine patients affected by periodontitis received steps 1 and 2 of periodontal therapy. At baseline, TOF and GCF samples were collected and analysed for IL-8 (Il-8TOF/IL-8GCF) using flow cytometry. Therapy outcomes were relative proportions of residual periodontal pockets (PPD%), pocket closure (PC) rates and pocket probing depth (PPD) reductions; these were associated with IL-8TOF/IL-8GCF. High IL-8TOF was significantly associated with higher residual PPD% (p = 0.044) and lower PPD reduction compared to low IL-8TOF (high 0.79 ± 1.20 mm vs. low 1.20 ± 1.20 mm, p < 0.001) in non-smokers, while in smokers high IL-8GCF was related to lower PPD reduction (high 0.62 ± 1.22 mm vs. low 0.84 ± 1.12 mm, p = 0.009). Furthermore, high baseline IL-8TOF was significantly associated with poorer PC rates compared to medium and low concentrations in both non-smokers (high 41% vs. medium 55% vs. low 58%, p < 0.001) and smokers (high 34% vs. medium 44% vs. low 46%, p < 0.001). High IL-8 concentrations at baseline had a significant impact on residual PPD%, PC rates and PPD reduction. The findings suggest that, especially in non-smokers, baseline IL-8 levels collected from the TOF could serve as a component in the estimation of responsiveness to steps 1 and 2 of periodontal therapy.

Precontouring as a Tool to Improve the Laser Powder Bed Fusion Printability of Inconel939 Thin Walls

This work investigates the influence of adding a contour scan prior to hatching (precontouring) on the printability of Inconel 939 thin‐wall sections produced by laser powder bed fusion. Walls with thicknesses ranging from 500 to 1500 μm, manufactured with two hatch scanning parameter sets that give rise to different microstructures and very high density in bulk samples of the same alloy, are investigated. It is shown that, while the texture as well as the grain size and shape is only influenced moderately by the contour scanning strategy, precontouring does lead to a significant reduction of the melt pool depth, an effect that is increasingly pronounced with decreasing wall thickness. This work highlights the role of the precontour scan as a heat sink, shifting the normalized enthalpy input toward lower values and thus limiting the accumulation of excess heat. Precontouring is put forward as a scanning strategy to improve the manufacturability of thin sections.