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Dental implants have been a routine part of dental practice for many years and are performed by a variety of practitioners with different backgrounds and training. This paper will outline the principles and practical surgical aspects of 'simple' implant placement against a background of our current understanding of the literature that informs our surgical procedures. Implants need to be placed in a restoratively suitable position surrounded by sufficient bone, draped in adequate keratinised soft tissue and sufficiently separated from one another and the adjacent teeth. Practically, while the above principles apply, there are nuances based on the local situation, adjacent teeth and restorative needs which will be considered in this paper. Surgery for the placement of implants needs a practitioner with adequate surgical training and experience and who understands the biological aspects and restorative needs of each clinical situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pigmented skin lesions (PSLs) pose medical and esthetic challenges for those affected. PSLs can cause skin cancers, particularly melanoma, which can be life‐threatening. Detecting and treating melanoma early can reduce mortality rates. Dermoscopic imaging offers a noninvasive and cost‐effective technique for examining PSLs. However, the lack of standardized colors, image capture settings, and artifacts makes accurate analysis challenging. Computer‐aided diagnosis (CAD) using deep learning models, such as convolutional neural networks (CNNs), has shown promise by automatically extracting features from medical images. Nevertheless, enhancing the CNN models' performance remains challenging, notably concerning sensitivity. Materials and methods: In this study, we aim to enhance the classification performance of selected pretrained CNNs. We use the 2019 ISIC dataset, which presents eight disease classes. To achieve this goal, two methods are applied: resolution of the dataset imbalance challenge through augmentation and optimization of the training hyperparameters via Bayesian tuning. Results: The performance improvement was observed for all tested pretrained CNNs. The Inception‐V3 model achieved the best performance compared to similar results, with an accuracy of 96.40% and an AUC of 0.98. Conclusion: According to the study, classification performance was significantly enhanced by augmentation and Bayesian hyperparameter tuning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining whether an autonomous self‐driving agent is in the middle of an intersection can be extremely difficult when relying on visual input taken from a single camera. In such a problem setting, a wider range of views is essential, which drives us to use three cameras positioned in the front, left, and right of an agent for better intersection recognition. However, collecting adequate training data with three cameras poses several practical difficulties; hence, we propose using data collected from one camera to train a three‐camera model, which would enable us to more easily compile a variety of training data to endow our model with improved generalizability. In this work, we provide three separate fusion methods (feature, early, and late) of combining the information from three cameras. Extensive pedestrian‐view intersection classification experiments show that our feature fusion model provides an area under the curve and F1‐score of 82.00 and 46.48, respectively, which considerably outperforms contemporary three‐ and one‐camera models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The purpose of the present paper was to investigate the efficacy of augmentation of clomipramine (CMI) by tandospirone in 36 untreated outpatients with major depressive disorder. Twelve patients were treated with CMI and tandospirone (T group), 12 with CMI and diazepam (D group) and 12 with CMI alone (C group) for 6 weeks. No statistically significant differences in the percentage improvement of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (17 items; HDRS-17) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (14 items; HARS-14) scores were shown among the three treatment groups. However, at 2 weeks, the percentage improvement of HDRS-17 score in the T group tended to be higher than that in the D and C groups, although there was no statistically significant difference among the three treatment groups. No change in plasma prolactin level or adverse events was induced by the addition of tandospirone. These results suggest that 6 weeks of treatment with tandospirone or diazepam was not effective for augmentation of CMI in major depressive disorder patients. However, augmentation of antidepressants by tandospirone administration for a few weeks might induce early expression of antidepressive effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Translocated populations often show vigorous initial dynamics but eventually collapse. Modeling tools that incorporate basic ecological knowledge and allow for propagation of uncertainty can help identify potential risks. Here, we use Bayesian Integral Projection Models to estimate population growth rates (λs), associated elasticities, and extinction risks for the endangered Dicerandra christmanii. Our study compared natural populations in gaps (open areas) within the shrub matrix and roadsides, unoccupied gaps augmented with transplants, and introduced populations. These populations experienced different management, including prescribed fires, and had different initial conditions. Augmented gaps showed lower means but similar variation in λs as natural gaps. Yet, simulations indicate that augmentations can delay quasi‐extinction (40% of simulations) by 4 years at the population level. Introduced populations showed higher means and variation in λs as wild gaps. While vital rate estimates suggested initial translocation success, time to quasi‐extinction was projected to be 7 years shorter for introductions in gaps than for natural gap populations. These contradictory results are partially explained by the lack of established seed banks in introduced populations, which affected the response of early life stage transitions to a prescribed fire. This study highlights the need to account for site‐specific information in models of population dynamics, including initial conditions and management history, and especially cryptic life stages such as dormant seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species translocations are increasingly common in rare plant conservation. Wild populations can provide basic ecological knowledge to improve their chance of success. In the heavily fragmented Florida scrub, USA, many listed species require translocations to persist, including Dicerandra christmanii. In 1994, we began monitoring the only protected population of D. christmanii growing both in gaps (open areas) within the shrub matrix and on roadsides. In 2010, we augmented this population by adding plants and seeds to unoccupied gaps. In 2012, we introduced plants to a separate protected site to create a new population. We evaluated early translocation success using generalized linear mixed‐effect models of vital rate variation among habitat types. Survival probability increased with size, peaking at 0.6–0.8, and was lowest in augmentations and highest in introductions. Growth increased with plant size across all habitat types, except for the largest adults which experienced senescence. Naturally recruited plants in gaps showed the highest reproduction probability and fecundity at smaller sizes, but larger plants in translocations had the highest fecundity. Yearling recruitment was higher in translocated plants relative to naturally recruited plants in gaps during the initial years following outplanting. Experimental components of translocations also affected outplanting performance with positive effects of fire. These analyses suggest a high potential for translocations to become established and contribute to species recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation translocations have become an important management tool, particularly for large wildlife species such as the lion (Panthera leo). When planning translocations, the genetic background of populations needs to be taken into account; failure to do so risks disrupting existing patterns of genetic variation, ultimately leading to genetic homogenization, and thereby reducing resilience and adaptability of the species. We urge wildlife managers to include knowledge of the genetic background of source/target populations, as well as species‐wide patterns, in any management intervention. We present a hierarchical decision‐making tool in which we list 132 lion populations/lion conservation units and provide information on genetic assignment, uncertainty and suitability for translocation for each source/target combination. By including four levels of suitability, from 'first choice' to 'no option', we provide managers with a range of options. To illustrate the extent of international trade of lions, and the potential disruption of natural patterns of intraspecific diversity, we mined the CITES Trade Database for estimated trade quantities of live individuals imported into lion range states during the past 4 decades. We identified 1056 recorded individuals with a potential risk of interbreeding with wild lions, 772 being captive‐sourced. Scoring each of the records with our decision‐making tool illustrates that only 7% of the translocated individuals were 'first choice' and 73% were 'no option'. We acknowledge that other, nongenetic factors are important in the decision‐making process, and hence a pragmatic approach is needed. A framework in which source/target populations are scored based on suitability is not only relevant to lion, but also to other species of wildlife that are frequently translocated. We hope that the presented overview supports managers to include genetics in future management decisions and contributes towards conservation of the lion in its full diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The addition of a laxative prior to a standard bowel preparation (BP) has shown variable results in efficacy, safety, and tolerability of the BP. This study compared the efficacy and tolerability of a macrogol‐augmented BP (M‐BP) with standard BP for routine colonoscopy in unselected patients. Methods: Adults undergoing outpatient colonoscopy were randomized to either M‐BP (one sachet of macrogol‐based osmotic laxative (MBOL) twice daily for eight doses prior to standard preparation) or BP (split‐dose of polyethylene glycol and sodium picosulfate). Bowel cleansing was assessed using the Ottawa BP scale. Risk factors for poor BP, patient satisfaction, and tolerance were recorded. Results: This randomized trial was stopped due to futility after 14 months; at that point, 92 subjects were randomized to the study arm and 102 to the control arm. M‐BP had a success rate of 71.7% (95% CI: 58.5–82.7%), while the BP had a success rate of 67.7% (95% CI: 54.9–78.8%), with a Pearson χ2 test P‐value of 0.639, which exceeded the cut‐off for futility (0.313). In subgroup analyses, there were statistically significant decreases in the rates of successful BP in patients taking regular opioids and regular laxatives. Both preparations were well tolerated, with no difference between groups (BP – 5.3% and M‐BP – 6.6% P = 0.66). Conclusion: The addition of MBOL prior to a standard BP in unselected subjects does not significantly improve bowel cleanliness at routine colonoscopy. The role of this laxative in patients at high risk of poor preparation warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]