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Motivated by climate change, increasing industrialization, and energy reliability concerns, the smart grid is set to revolutionize traditional power systems. Moreover, the exponential annual rise in number of grid-connected users and emerging key players - for example, electric vehicles - strain the limited radio resources, which stresses the need for novel and scalable resource management techniques. Digital twin is a cutting-edge virtualization technology that has shown great potential by offering solutions for inherent bottlenecks in traditional wireless networks. In this article, we set the stage for various roles digital twinning can fulfill by optimizing congested radio resources in a proactive and resilient smart grid. Digital twins can help smart grid networks through real-time monitoring, advanced precise modeling, and efficient radio resource allocation for normal operations and service restoration following unexpected events. However, reliable real-time communications, intricate abstraction abilities, interoperability with other smart grid technologies, robust computing capabilities, and resilient security schemes are some open challenges for future work on digital twins.

Lignocellulosic materials are generally considered hydrophilic due to the high density of hydroxyl groups. The use of lignocellulosic materials in hydrophobic systems thus require surface modification. Therefore, in this study, cellulose (MCC) and sawdust (SD) have been pretreated with ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl) prior to surface modification with cationic surfactant, hexadecyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The effect of BMIMCl pretreatment prior to surface modification has been investigated. Crystallinity, functional group changes, morphology and thermal stability of the sawdust and cellulose upon BMIMCl pretreatment and surface modification have been studied using x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). XRD results showed that the structure of lignocellulosic materials became more amorphous upon pretreatment with BMIMCl. FTIR results indicated that the modification of lignocellulosic is more efficient in BMIMCl-pretreated samples. Percentage of decomposition is higher for the BMIMCl-pretreated and CTAB modified samples.

Many mucocutaneous conditions affect the skin and oral cavity. Common conditions include lichen planus, pemphigus, and pemphigoid. This case report shows an atypical presentation of a mucocutaneous condition wherein histopathology was required for definitive diagnosis and treatment. A 51‐year‐old African American male self‐reported to a private periodontal practice with a chief complaint of sporadic painful oral lesions of about 2 months duration. The patient also reported painful throat lesions. He had been previously treated for a sore throat followed by unspecified inflammation of the epiglottis. Clinical examination revealed diffuse bilateral eye redness, numerous intraoral ulcerations on soft and hard palate and floor of the mouth with trouble swallowing. Oral and ocular presentation suggested a differential diagnosis of cicatricial pemphigoid. Pemphigoid and lichen planus were also considered. Ophthalmologic exam revealed only allergies and no other abnormality. Soft tissue biopsies showed intraepithelial separation between the spinous layer and basement membrane. Direct and indirect immunofluorescence showed strong immunoglobulin G and moderate C3 reactivity confirming a diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris (PV). A rheumatologist initially treated the patient with a daily combination regimen of methylprednisolone and mycophenolate mofetil. Lesions improved after a few weeks on the regimen. Reduction of medications resulted in return of oral and throat lesions. Resumption of the regimen resulted in lesion remission. Azathioprine replaced the mycophenolate mofetil, and then was gradually stopped after methylprednisolone cessation. Lesions have not reappeared for 1 year. This case illustrates that early diagnosis of mucocutaneous lesions leads to proper treatment and possible remission.

Introduction:This report reviews relevant literature on foreign bodies identified with cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) and documents a rare case of a foreign body that was serendipitously identified during routine implant treatment planning. Case Presentation:The literature shows a frequent occurrence of incidental findings with CBCT. This case documents incidental findings in the maxillary sinus and external auditory canal that were identified during routine CBCT used for implant treatment planning. The finding in the maxillary sinus was diagnosed as a mucous retention pseudocyst that did not require treatment. The finding in the external auditory canal was diagnosed as a foreign body (remnant of a cotton swab). Removal of the foreign body was prompted because of its presumed association with chronic headaches that were unresolved. Removal of the foreign body alleviated the chronic headaches, and implant placement proceeded uneventfully. Conclusions:This review and case underscore the importance of a thorough review of the entire tomographic image volume. Using advanced technology for treatment creates new responsibilities and places more liability on providers not to overlook findings that may be significant to the patient's health.

Background:Evidence has shown some improved clinical outcomes and morbidity reduction with the use of lasers for non‐surgical periodontal therapy due to ablation, vaporization, hemostasis, and field sterilization. The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate and compare studies involving lasers as monotherapy or adjunctive to surgical periodontal treatment. Methods:Electronic and manual searches were conducted by two independent reviewers in several databases for articles written in English up to December 2014. Articles were included in this review if they reported outcomes of surgical periodontal therapy with and without the use of lasers. The primary outcome was probing depth (PD), and secondary outcomes were measured changes in clinical factors such as clinical attachment level (CAL) and gingival recession (GR). For the comparative studies included, the pooled weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of each variable were calculated using random‐effects meta‐analysis. Results:Eight and nine articles were included in the quantitative and qualitative analyses, respectively. Although low‐to‐moderate risk of bias was detected, high heterogeneity among studies was found. In flap surgery with or without laser treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in primary outcome. Similarly, in guided tissue regeneration (GTR)/enamel matrix derivative (EMD) with and without laser treatment, the WMD of PD was negligible; however, the GTR/EMD group showed better outcomes (P= 0.005) than the laser group. Regarding the secondary outcomes, in the flap surgery group, the WMD of CAL gain was 1.34 mm, and the WMD of GR was −0.24 mm; no significant difference was detected between groups. In GTR/EMD with and without laser treatment, the WMD of CAL gain was 0.10 mm and the WMD of recession was −0.18 mm; again, no significant difference was detected between groups. Conclusions:The available evidence is insufficient to support the effectiveness of dental lasers as an adjunct to resective or regenerative surgical periodontal therapy. However, precautions must be exercised when interpreting the results of this study because of the small sample size and high heterogeneity among studies.

Contexte. Bien que la cause de la scoliose idiopathique de l'adolescence reste myste´rieuse, il a e´te´ de´montre´ que l'ablation de la glande pine´ale est suivie chez le poulet de l'apparition d'une scoliose. Or, la me´latonine est la seule hormone produite par la glande pine´ale. Objectif. Mesurer la me´latonine se´rique chez des adolescents souffrant de scoliose idiopathique. Me´thodes. La me´latonine se´rique a e´te´ dose´e a` une seule reprise, a` midi, chez 20 adolescents souffrant de scoliose idiopathique et chez 10 fre`res et sœurs normaux. Chez les malades, l'a^ge moyen e´tait de 14,3 ans et l'angle de Cobb moyen de 54,5° (extre^mes 20°-110°). L'a^ge moyen e´tait de 14 ans dans le groupe te´moin. Re´sultats. La me´latonine se´rique e´tait significativement plus basse chez les malades (moyenne : 7,7 pg/mL ; extre^mes : 4 a` 13 pg/ml) que chez les te´moins (moyenne: 29,9 pg/mL ; extre^mes : 19,3 a` 46 pg/mL) ( p < 0,00001). Les 12 malades ope´re´s avaient une me´latonine´mie moyenne de 8,1 pg/ml, contre 7,2 pg/ml chez les malades non ope´re´s ( p et coefficient de re´gression non significatifs). La me´latonine´mie n'e´tait pas significativement corre´le´e a` l'angle de Cobb (coefficient de re´gression, 0,18 ; p < 0,44). Conclusion. Nos re´sultats sont compatibles avec un ro^le de la me´latonine dans la pathoge´nie de la scoliose idiopathique.

Reporting and evaluating a general pediatric unit experience with a simplified protocol based on clinical signs stated on admission used to classify cases of periorbital cellulitis in potential high- and low-risk complication groups.

Forty weanling male Sprague rats were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments, copper-deficient (9.0 μmol/kg diet) and copper-adequate (102.2 μmol/kg diet). After 7 wk of treatment, reductions in body weight and hematocrit, and an increase in relative heart weight, were observed in the copper-deficient rats. Plasma VLDL, LDL and HDL were isolated by ultracentrifugation and Sepharose column chromatography. In copper-deficient rats, the percent composition of protein was reduced by one-half, and triglyceride was increased by 1.6- and 2.7-fold in LDL and VLDL fractions, respectively. In VLDL, the marked increase in triglyceride was compensated by at least a 75% decrease in percent composition of cholesterol and phospholipids as a result of copper deficiency. No treatment difference in percent composition of HDL components was detected. When the data were expressed as the amount present in the vascular pool corrected for body weight, the plasma pool size of protein, triglyceride, phospholipid and cholesterol of LDL and HDL were increased twofold or more by copper deficiency. In VLDL, a sixfold increase in triglyceride, a 36% reduction in cholesterol, and no change in phospholipid and protein pool size were observed in copper-deficient rats. These data suggest that copper deficiency may enlarge the particle size but not particle number of VLDL, increase both particle size and number of LDL, and elevate particle number but not size of HDL.

The present study was conducted to provide the anthropometric measurements and energy intake of male university students. Edible plate waste was assessed. A total of 90 male students participated in the anthropometric study. Meal and edible plate waste were analyzed for their contents of moisture, crude protein, crude lipid, ash and fiber. Total carbohydrates were calculated by difference. Total served meals and edible plate waste were assessed quantitively using a weight technique. Total energy intake was 85% of the RDA. The students had higher intakes of protein and fat and lower intakes of carbohydrate than the recommended levels. The collected data showed that plate waste was influenced by the timing of the meal. Plate waste was higher for dinner (39.74%) and lower for lunch (22.67%).

This study examined the influence of dietary copper status on the in vivohepatic fatty acid synthesis and the incorporation of nascent fatty acids into various hepatic lipid classes. Fifty weanling male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to two dietary treatments, copper deficient (5.4 nmol/g of diet) and copper adequate (102 nmol/g of diet). After 7 weeks of treatment, rats were injected with 0.111 MBq of [1-14C] acetate (1.85 GBq/mM)/100 g body wt through the femoral vein. Five rats from each treatment were sacrificed at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 min after injection. Radioactivities of nascent fatty acid samples were used to determine relative rates of fatty acid synthesis and their assembly into triacylglycerols and phospholipids. Linear increases were observed up to 12 min after injection for total hepatic fatty acid synthesis and their assembly into triacylglycerols and phospholipids for both treatments. In addition, 46% and 30% of total fatty acid synthesized were assembled into triacylglycerols and phospholipids, respectively, for both groups. Furthermore, hepatic fatty acid synthesis and assembly into triacylglycerols and phospholipids were enhanced more than 2-fold by copper deficiency when the data were expressed as per liver per 100 g body weight.

•Cooperatives possess uniqueness that potentially lead to different schematic of performance understanding•Performance is one of the most argued concepts that never been agreed solidly by various researchers.•The articulation of performance definition for those cooperatives revolved around efficiency (do things right) and effectiveness (do the right things).•Smallholders’ cooperative performance concept can be summarized as “ability to conduct the process of basic management tasks in efficient and effective manner; & conforming expectation of the members and basic rules.•The identity as co-operative has shaped the performance scopes and behaviors.

Thirty-two meniscal tears in 32 patients were repaired using biodegradable meniscus arrows. The tears were fixed arthroscopically using an all-inside technique. Ten patients had a simultaneous anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The period of follow-up was an average of 25 (10–40) months. Twenty-six patients were clinically stable and asymptomatic at follow-up. Six patients were considered clinically unstable and all had associated ACL reconstruction and required a repeat arthroscopy. Two meniscal repairs failed to heal, and the broken meniscus arrow was retrieved arthroscopically 6 months after the primary operation. In four cases the meniscal tear healed completely (two cases) or partially. Otherwise, there were no objective signs of complications. The use of meniscus arrows is a simple, safe, and reliable method for repair of properly selected meniscal tears. 32 déchirures méniscales chez 32 malades ont été réparées en utilisant des ancres méniscales biodégradables. Les déchirures ont été réparées par arthroscopie utilisant une technique tout intérieure. 10 malades avaient une reconstruction simultanée du LCA. La période de suivi était en moyenne 25 (10–40) mois. 26 malades étaient cliniquement stables et sans symptôme au dernier examen. 6 malades ont été considérés cliniquement instables et tous avaient une reconstruction associé du LCA avec nécessité de plusieurs arthroscopies. 2 réparations ont échoué et l'ancre cassée a été enlevée 6 mois après l'opération initiale. Dans 4 cas la déchirure méniscale a complètement guéri (2 cas) ou partiellement. Il n'y a pas eu d'autre complication. L'usage des ancres méniscales est une méthode simple, sûre et fiable pour la réparation des déchirures méniscales correctement sélectionnées.