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Background and Aims: Ensuring the long-term stability of orthodontic treatments and preventing tooth relapse remains a significant challenge in orthodontics, often addressed through the extended use of retainers. Given the pivotal role of retainers' physical and mechanical properties in this regard, this study aimed to investigate the tensile strength, flexural strength, and deflection of three distinct types of fixed orthodontic retainers. Materials and Methods: In this laboratory study, each group comprised 12 samples of twisted, flat, and coaxial retainer wires, each measuring 8 mm in length. These samples were affixed onto the polyethylene blocks using cyanoacrylate adhesive and subsequently subjected to compressive loads using a universal testing machine. The maximum bending strength and deflection rate were recorded from stress-strain diagrams. To evaluate the tensile strength, the identical samples underwent tensile loading. Statistical analysis was performed utilizing SPSS software, employing analysis of variance tests to compare data between groups. Results: Significant differences were observed in the bending strength (P=0.004), deflection (P<0.001), and tensile strength (P<0.001) among the investigated retainer wires. The flat retainer wire exhibited the highest bending strength, averaging 822.876±136.07 MPa, while the coaxial retainer wire showed the lowest, with an average of 673.65±73.35 MPa. Regarding deflection, the flat retainer wire displayed the highest average at 4.04±0.6 mm, surpassing the other two types of retainers. However, the tensile strength of the twisted retainer wires, averaging 699.7±83.46 MPa, exceeded that of both the flat and coaxial retainer wires. Conclusion: The flat retainer wires demonstrated the highest bending and deflection strength, while the twisted retainer wires exhibited the highest tensile strength. Overall, the bending strength, deflection, and tensile strength of the 3-strand twisted and flat retainer wires outperformed those of the 5-strand coaxial retainer wires, increased flexural and tensile strengths imply a higher resistance of the wires to the forces induced by harder and more viscous foodstuffs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Currently, anterior‐only (AO), posterior‐only, and combined anterior–posterior spinal fusions are common strategies for treating cervical kyphosis in patients with neurofibromatosis‐1 NF‐1. Nevertheless, the choice of surgical strategy remains a topic of controversy. The aim of our study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of anterior decompression and spinal reconstruction for the treatment of cervical kyphosis in patients with NF‐1. Methods Twelve patients with NF‐1‐associated cervical kyphotic deformity were reviewed retrospectively between January 2010 and April 2020. All patients underwent AO correction and reconstruction. The X‐ray was followed up in all these patients to assess the preoperative and postoperative local kyphosis angle (LKA), the global kyphosis angle (GKA), the sagittal vertical axis, and the T1 slope. The visual analog scale score, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, and neck disability index (NDI) score were used to evaluate the improvement inclinical symptoms. The results of the difference in improvement from preoperatively to the final follow‐up assessment were assessed using a paired t‐test or Mann–Whitney U‐test. Results The LKA and GKA decreased from the preoperative average of 64.42 (range, 38–86) and 35.50 (range, 10–81) to an average of 16.83 (range, −2 to 46) and 4.25 (range, −22 to 39) postoperatively, respectively. The average correction rates of the LKA and GKA were 76.11% and 111.97%, respectively. All patients had achieved satisfactory relief of neurological symptoms (p

Abstract: Aim: Bond failure can compromise the clinical efficacy and duration of orthodontic treatment. A decemented bracket can lengthen the course of treatment by about 0.6 months. This study aimed to compare the adhesive remnant index (ARI) and shear bond strength of different metal bracket bases on artificially aged human teeth. Materials and Methods: In this experimental in vitro , prospective, cross-sectional study, thirty-six human premolars were cemented with three types of metal bracket base designs: Group 1 had a laser-structured base, Group 2 had a mesh base, and Group 3 had a base with retention grooves. All groups were bonded with Transbond XT light-curing resin. Shear strength testing was performed, and the ARI was evaluated. The parametric one-factor analysis of variance test and Tukey's post hoc test were used for the comparison of shear bond strength, and the effect size was also evaluated with eta squared. In addition, the Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare the ARI of the three groups on an ordinal scale. All statistics were set at a significance of P < 0.05. Results: The ARI scores did not exhibit any statistically significant differences (P = 0.163). Nevertheless, the three groups exhibited statistically significant differences in shear bond strength, with an effect size of 69% (P < 0.001). The mesh base bracket had the lowest average (9.9 ± 2.6 MPa) (P < 0.001), while the laser-structured base bracket had the greatest average (19.1 ± 3.0 MPa) (P = 0.006). Conclusion: The variation in shear bond strength was influenced by 69% due to the type of the metal bracket base used. Laser-structured and mesh-based brackets had the highest and lowest shear strength, respectively. All bases left a similar ARI on the tooth enamel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Currently, anterior‐only (AO), posterior‐only, and combined anterior–posterior spinal fusions are common strategies for treating cervical kyphosis in patients with neurofibromatosis‐1 NF‐1. Nevertheless, the choice of surgical strategy remains a topic of controversy. The aim of our study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of anterior decompression and spinal reconstruction for the treatment of cervical kyphosis in patients with NF‐1. Methods: Twelve patients with NF‐1‐associated cervical kyphotic deformity were reviewed retrospectively between January 2010 and April 2020. All patients underwent AO correction and reconstruction. The X‐ray was followed up in all these patients to assess the preoperative and postoperative local kyphosis angle (LKA), the global kyphosis angle (GKA), the sagittal vertical axis, and the T1 slope. The visual analog scale score, Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, and neck disability index (NDI) score were used to evaluate the improvement inclinical symptoms. The results of the difference in improvement from preoperatively to the final follow‐up assessment were assessed using a paired t‐test or Mann–Whitney U‐test. Results: The LKA and GKA decreased from the preoperative average of 64.42 (range, 38–86) and 35.50 (range, 10–81) to an average of 16.83 (range, −2 to 46) and 4.25 (range, −22 to 39) postoperatively, respectively. The average correction rates of the LKA and GKA were 76.11% and 111.97%, respectively. All patients had achieved satisfactory relief of neurological symptoms (p < 0.01). JOA scores were improved from 10.42 (range, 8–16) preoperatively to 15.25 (range, 11–18) at final follow‐up (p < 0.01). NDI scores were decreased from an average of 23.25 (range, 16–34) preoperatively to an average of 7.08 (range, 3–15) at the final follow‐up (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Anterior‐only correction and reconstruction is a safe and effective method for correcting cervical kyphosis in NF‐1 patients. In fixed cervical kyphosis cases, preoperative skull traction should also be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background External apical root resorption (EARR) is a frequently observed adverse event in patients undergoing fixed appliance therapy. Assessing the patients’ risk during treatment is important, as certain factors are assumed to be associated with an increased likelihood of occurrence. However, their predictive value remains limited, making evidence-based clinical decision-making challenging for orthodontists. To address this issue, the Dutch Association of Orthodontists (NvVO) developed a clinical practice guideline (CPG) for EARR in accordance with the AGREE II instrument (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II) in 2018. The aim of this study is to get insight into the actual utilization and the practical implementation of the guideline among orthodontists. The hypothesis to be tested was that after its introduction, clinical practice for EARR has changed towards the recommendations in the CPG. Objective To investigate the use of the 2018 clinical practice guidelines for EARR among orthodontists 3 years after its introduction. Methods A questionnaire using a 7-point Likert scale was developed concerning four domains of EARR described in the guideline. The questionnaire was piloted, finalised, and then distributed digitally among Dutch orthodontists. REDCap was used for data collection, starting with an invitation email in June 2021, followed by two reminders. Effect was tested by the Mann–Whitney U test, and the influence of demographic variables was analysed. Results Questionnaires were sent out to all 275 and completed by 133 (response rate 48%); N = 59 females and N = 73 males were included; 81% had their training in the Netherlands, 89% had ≥ 6 years of work experience, and 89% worked in private orthodontic practice. One hundred thirty orthodontists (98.5%) reported changes in clinical practice. The biggest positive change in clinical behaviour regarding EARR occurred if EARR was diagnosed during treatment. Sex, clinical experience, country of specialist training, and working environment of the respondents did not affect clinical practices regarding EARR. Conclusions This questionnaire demonstrated that, 3 years after introduction of the guideline, orthodontists improved their self-reported clinical practices to a more standardised management of root resorption. None of the demographic predictors had a significant effect on the results.

This paper examines the quantitative and qualitative situation of the current fixed and mobile Internet and its expected future. It provides a detailed insight into the past, present, and future of the Internet along with the development of technology and the problems that have arisen in accessing and using broadband Internet. First, the number of users and penetration rate of the Internet, the various types of services in different countries, the ranking of countries in terms of the mean and median download and upload Internet data speeds, Internet data volume, and number and location of data centers in the world are presented. The second task introduces and details twelve performance evaluation metrics for broadband Internet access. Third, different wired and wireless Internet technologies are introduced and compared based on data rate, coverage, type of infrastructure, and their advantages and disadvantages. Based on the technical and functional criteria, in the fourth work, two popular wired and wireless Internet platforms, one based on optical fiber and the other based on the 5G cellular network, are compared in the world in general and Australia in particular. Moreover, this paper has a look at Starlink as the latest satellite Internet candidate, especially for rural and remote areas. The fifth task outlines the latest technologies and emerging broadband Internet-based services and applications in the spotlight. Sixthly, it focuses on three problems in the future Internet in the world, namely the digital divide due to the different qualities of available Internet and new Internet-based services and applications of emerging technologies, the impact of the Internet on social interactions, and hacking and insecurity on the Internet. Finally, some solutions to these problems are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: External apical root resorption (EARR) is a frequently observed adverse event in patients undergoing fixed appliance therapy. Assessing the patients' risk during treatment is important, as certain factors are assumed to be associated with an increased likelihood of occurrence. However, their predictive value remains limited, making evidence-based clinical decision-making challenging for orthodontists. To address this issue, the Dutch Association of Orthodontists (NvVO) developed a clinical practice guideline (CPG) for EARR in accordance with the AGREE II instrument (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II) in 2018. The aim of this study is to get insight into the actual utilization and the practical implementation of the guideline among orthodontists. The hypothesis to be tested was that after its introduction, clinical practice for EARR has changed towards the recommendations in the CPG. Objective: To investigate the use of the 2018 clinical practice guidelines for EARR among orthodontists 3 years after its introduction. Methods: A questionnaire using a 7-point Likert scale was developed concerning four domains of EARR described in the guideline. The questionnaire was piloted, finalised, and then distributed digitally among Dutch orthodontists. REDCap was used for data collection, starting with an invitation email in June 2021, followed by two reminders. Effect was tested by the Mann–Whitney U test, and the influence of demographic variables was analysed. Results: Questionnaires were sent out to all 275 and completed by 133 (response rate 48%); N = 59 females and N = 73 males were included; 81% had their training in the Netherlands, 89% had ≥ 6 years of work experience, and 89% worked in private orthodontic practice. One hundred thirty orthodontists (98.5%) reported changes in clinical practice. The biggest positive change in clinical behaviour regarding EARR occurred if EARR was diagnosed during treatment. Sex, clinical experience, country of specialist training, and working environment of the respondents did not affect clinical practices regarding EARR. Conclusions: This questionnaire demonstrated that, 3 years after introduction of the guideline, orthodontists improved their self-reported clinical practices to a more standardised management of root resorption. None of the demographic predictors had a significant effect on the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess inter- and intrarater reliability and agreement for measurements of root lengths using multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) examinations. Furthermore, to determine whether using MPR from different CBCT machines was a reliable and reproducible method for assessment of root length during orthodontic treatment of adolescents. Materials and methods: A total of 40 CBCT examinations obtained before, during and after orthodontic treatment of 14 adolescents, with fixed appliances from a multicentre randomised controlled trial, were used. All roots from the incisors to the first molars were measured by two independent raters and in accordance with a protocol preceded by a multi-step calibration. Reliability was assessed by intra class correlation (ICC). Agreement was assessed by measurement error according to the Dahlberg formula and Bland–Altman plot. Results: The number of repeated measurements varied from 436 to 474 for the different timepoints. Good to excellent inter- and intrarater reliability for different tooth groups and timepoints were shown. Measurement error for inter- and intrarater agreement varied between 0.41 mm and 0.77 mm. The Bland–Altman plot with 95% limits of agreement varied between +1.43 mm and −2.01 mm for different tooth groups and timepoints. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that CBCT using MPR from different machines is a reproducible method for measuring root length during different phases of orthodontic treatment. When interpreting root shortening measurements in CBCT using MPR for clinical or research purposes, values below 2 mm should be approached with caution, as they may contain measurement errors.

Photovoltaic shading devices (PVSDs) have the dual function of providing shade and generating electricity, which can reduce building energy consumption and improve indoor daylighting levels. This study adopts a parametric performance design method and establishes a one-click simulation process by using the Grasshopper platform and Ladybugtools. The research focuses on the effect of dynamic PVSDs on daylighting and energy consumption in an office building in Qingdao. The optimal configuration of PVSDs for each month under three dynamic strategies (rotation, sliding, and hybrid) is determined here. Additionally, different control strategies and fixed PVSDs are compared to clarify the impact of various control strategies on daylighting and energy consumption. The findings reveal that, compared to no shading, dynamic PVSDs in the rotation strategy, sliding strategy, and hybrid strategy can achieve energy savings of 32.13%, 47.22%, and 50.38%, respectively. They can also increase the annual average UDI by 1.39%, 2.8%, and 3.1%, respectively. Dynamic PVSDs can significantly reduce the energy consumption of office buildings in Qingdao while improving indoor daylighting levels. A flexible control strategy that adapts to climate change can significantly improve building performance. This research can provide theoretical, methodological, and data support for the application of the PVSD in cold-climate regions in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Many orthodontic patients request dental bleaching during orthodontic treatment to achieve a faster aesthetic resolution, however, no attention has been paid to the inflammatory processes that can occur when both therapies are indicated together. So, this clinical trial evaluated the inflammatory parameters and color alterations associated with dental bleaching in patients wearing a fixed orthodontic appliance. Methods Thirty individuals aged between 18 and 40 years were equally and randomly allocated into three groups: FOA (fixed orthodontic appliance), BLE (dental bleaching), and FOA + BLE (fixed orthodontic appliance + dental bleaching). The orthodontic appliances and the bleaching procedures were performed in the maxillary premolars and molars. For dental bleaching a 35% hydrogen peroxide was used. The gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and nitric oxide (NO-) levels were evaluated at different time-points. Color evaluation was performed using an Easyshade spectrophotometer at baseline (FOA, FOA + BLE, BLE), one month after (FOA + BLE) and 21 days after appliance removing (FOA + BLE and FOA groups), in each tooth bleached. The ANOVA and Tukey’s tests, with a significance level of 5%, were used for statistical analysis. Results The GCF volume in the FOA + BLE and FOA groups significantly increased at the time points evaluated (p 0.05). On the other hand, NO- levels significantly decreased during dental bleaching with or without fixed orthodontic appliances (FOA + BLE and BLE groups; p 0.05). Significant changes in color were observed in the FOA + BLE and BLE groups compared to in the FOA group (p

We argue that in analyzing panel-data econometric models, researchers rely excessively on statistical criteria to determine model specification, treating it primarily as a matter of statistical inference. This inferential emphasis is most obvious in the common practice of using statistical tests (e.g., the Hausman test) to choose between fixed- and random-effects specifications, often ignoring the assumptions underpinning these tests. For instance, the Hausman test depends on the true within-panel (longitudinal) and between-panel (cross-sectional) parameters being equal. This assumption is often not justified, because longitudinal and cross-sectional variances and covariances may manifest different underpinning mechanisms. In addition to different mechanisms often resulting in different variables determining within and between effects, within and between variables may also have different meanings. To help researchers make theoretically informed choices, we formulate five questions that can guide researchers to think of model specification in a theoretically rigorous way. We examine these issues with examples from both general management and operations management research. Importantly, we argue that addressing the questions regarding model specification must involve primarily theoretical and contextual judgment, not statistical tests.

Cooperative None Orthogonal Multiple Access (C-NOMA) is a promising approach for 5G and beyond communication networks. Users will benefit from the full bandwidth of the channel without time constraints. NOMA’s features are incomplete without efficient power allocation that ensures power distribution among users fairly. Integrating power management (allocation) with Cooperative-NOMA (C-NOMA) may improve the system metrics. In addition, a physical layer security (PLS) is added to make the process of sending and receiving safe, and the system works in an integrated manner, preventing any interrupting or eavesdropping inside or outside the network. This paper demonstrates the user and channel performance of C-NOMA with Amplify-and-forward (AF) and Decode-and-forward (DF) approaches. The analysis is performed by varying the power allocation techniques to derive the best system configurations. The simulation results confirmed the analytic findings and showed that the proposed system outperforms orthogonal multiple access (OMA), conventional NOMA, and conventional cooperative NOMA, enhancing the performance metrics in terms of throughput, sum rate, and outage probability. The bit-error-rate (BER) of the far user can be identical to that of the near user if power allocation is properly set. All techniques excelled except for the fixed power allocation, which had the same BER. The Channel capacity and outage probability were also considered. A slight variation in the channel capacity in all the experiments for different numbers of users was found. The generalized power allocation for AF and DF models had the optimum channel capacity close to 14 bps/Hz. Moreover, far users always had a higher outage probability than near users and channels, and generalized power allocation was the highest outage probability technique when the transmit power was close to (4 dB).

Background: Many orthodontic patients request dental bleaching during orthodontic treatment to achieve a faster aesthetic resolution, however, no attention has been paid to the inflammatory processes that can occur when both therapies are indicated together. So, this clinical trial evaluated the inflammatory parameters and color alterations associated with dental bleaching in patients wearing a fixed orthodontic appliance. Methods: Thirty individuals aged between 18 and 40 years were equally and randomly allocated into three groups: FOA (fixed orthodontic appliance), BLE (dental bleaching), and FOA + BLE (fixed orthodontic appliance + dental bleaching). The orthodontic appliances and the bleaching procedures were performed in the maxillary premolars and molars. For dental bleaching a 35% hydrogen peroxide was used. The gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and nitric oxide (NO-) levels were evaluated at different time-points. Color evaluation was performed using an Easyshade spectrophotometer at baseline (FOA, FOA + BLE, BLE), one month after (FOA + BLE) and 21 days after appliance removing (FOA + BLE and FOA groups), in each tooth bleached. The ANOVA and Tukey's tests, with a significance level of 5%, were used for statistical analysis. Results: The GCF volume in the FOA + BLE and FOA groups significantly increased at the time points evaluated (p < 0.001); however, this did not occur in the BLE group (p > 0.05). On the other hand, NO- levels significantly decreased during dental bleaching with or without fixed orthodontic appliances (FOA + BLE and BLE groups; p < 0.05), while no significant changes were observed in the FOA group (p > 0.05). Significant changes in color were observed in the FOA + BLE and BLE groups compared to in the FOA group (p < 0.01). However, the presence of fixed orthodontic appliance (FOA + BLE) negatively affected the bleaching efficacy compared to BLE group (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Dental bleaching did not increase the inflammatory parameters in patients wearing fixed orthodontic appliance. However, in the presence of orthodontic appliances, the bleaching efficacy was lower than that of bleaching teeth without orthodontic appliances. Trial registration: RBR-3sqsh8 (first trial registration: 09/07/2018). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy has gained increasing importance in today's world and become a viable primary energy source in the recent decade. Solar radiation obtained by the solar surface is highly affected by its orientation, azimuth, and tilt angles. Therefore, in this study, the performances of the fixed-axis system, one-axis, and two-axis solar tracking systems are investigated to enable maximal solar radiation in solar systems to be installed in Antalya by using climatic and latitude data provided by NASA. Furthermore, the optimal tilt angles are determined by examining the values of angles for which the total solar radiation falling on the tilted surface is maximal. The case study and measurement data investigations are conducted for the four districts of Antalya. The obtained radiation values throughout the year for one-axis and two-axis solar tracking systems are compared to an annual fixed system for evaluating the existing solar potential in Antalya province. Besides all these, solar system cost analyses including the average payback period for residential, commercial, and large-scale solar systems based on LCOE are investigated. The proposed methodology can be implemented for performance and cost analysis of the solar potential in a certain location of Türkiye and extended to any place in the world.

Departments of Gastrointestinal and Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan A peritoneal loose body (PLB) is tissue completely separated from other intraperitoneal organs. It is rare and usually found incidentally during laparotomy, examination, or autopsy. PLBs are usually located free in the peritoneal cavity and not in the extraperitoneal space. They are thought to originate when epiploic appendices are released into the abdominal cavity after ischemic necrosis. We report a case of a giant PLB outside the peritoneal cavity, adjacent to the rectovesical excavation, that was identified preoperatively in an asymptomatic 83-year-old man undergoing evaluation for cholecystolithiasis. Computed tomography revealed a mass with well-defined margins in the rectovesical excavation. The mass (diameter, 60 mm) consisted of a calcified core and peripheral soft tissue and did not appear to invade adjacent organs. Although there were no symptoms or tumor growth over time, we scheduled a laparoscopic extraction for definitive diagnosis. On laparoscopic exploration, a white ovoid mass was found in the rectovesical excavation; there was no invasion of adjacent organs. We diagnosed a giant PLB. Postoperative recovery was uneventful. Most PLBs are asymptomatic and do not require surgery, except when symptoms are present, when the PLB is large, or when malignancy is suspected. PLB is rarely extraperitoneal and is usually freely mobile; however, in our patient, it was fixed and outside the abdominal cavity, near the rectovesical fossa. Although it could not be diagnosed preoperatively as being extraperitoneal, imaging findings were typical of PLB; thus, it was possible to remove the mass laparoscopically without bowel resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Successful rehabilitation of a dentition having a poor prognosis with implant-supported fixed prosthesis is a multi-stage process involving an edentulous period before prosthetic rehabilitation of the patient. The period of transformation from natural teeth to fixed implant prosthesis is sometimes not accepted by the patients. This concept has been in clinical use since 1998. This treatment is cost-effective and time-saving in order to rehabilitate patients with an interim prosthesis in which 4 implants were placed two placed vertically in the anterior region and two placed up to an angle of 45 degrees in the posterior region. Purpose: To evaluate Knowledge, Attitude and Practice among Dental practitioners about the "All on four" Concept of Dental implants practicing in Pimpri Chinchwad, Pune, Maharashtra, India. Methods: This quantitative-type descriptive survey was conducted between February to April 2022 in Pimpri Chinchwad, Pune, Maharashtra, India. A self-designed, pre-tested and validated questionnaire assessing the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice among Dental practitioners about the "All on four" Concept of Dental implants. Data were collected and entered into a spreadsheet (Excel 2010: Microsoft office) and analyzed using SPSS software (version 19-SPSS Inc. Chicago, IL, USA). Results: All 205 participants responded. When asked if dental practitioners considered the "All on four" concept a viable option 74.1% of practitioners (152) agreed while about 25.9% of practitioners (53) did not agree on the same Conclusion: Despite the presence of knowledge and attitude among dental practitioners the presence of practice among practitioners seems to be insufficient towards the "All on Four Implant" Concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic shading devices (PVSDs) have the dual function of providing shade and generating electricity, which can reduce building energy consumption and improve indoor daylighting levels. This study adopts a parametric performance design method and establishes a one-click simulation process by using the Grasshopper platform and Ladybugtools. The research focuses on the effect of dynamic PVSDs on daylighting and energy consumption in an office building in Qingdao. The optimal configuration of PVSDs for each month under three dynamic strategies (rotation, sliding, and hybrid) is determined here. Additionally, different control strategies and fixed PVSDs are compared to clarify the impact of various control strategies on daylighting and energy consumption. The findings reveal that, compared to no shading, dynamic PVSDs in the rotation strategy, sliding strategy, and hybrid strategy can achieve energy savings of 32.13%, 47.22%, and 50.38%, respectively. They can also increase the annual average UDI by 1.39%, 2.8%, and 3.1%, respectively. Dynamic PVSDs can significantly reduce the energy consumption of office buildings in Qingdao while improving indoor daylighting levels. A flexible control strategy that adapts to climate change can significantly improve building performance. This research can provide theoretical, methodological, and data support for the application of the PVSD in cold-climate regions in China.

PurposeTo determine the proportion of treatment-experienced eyes with exudative age-related macular degeneration successfully treated with every-4-week aflibercept that can be kept dry on fixed every-8-week aflibercept injections (maintenance).MethodsIn this retrospective chart review, we evaluated our cohort of patients treated with a treatment paradigm for CNV in AMD. Initially, patients were treated with bevacizumab or ranibizumab and switched to every-4-week aflibercept when therapeutic responses were not durable or were suboptimal. Maintenance every-8-week therapy was initiated when the retina was completely dry on every-4-week aflibercept therapy. The primary outcome measure was recurrence of exudation on optical coherence tomography (OCT) during maintenance.ResultsThirty-six eyes of 31 consecutive patients with median age of 79 years (range, 65-89) were included. Maintenance was started after a median of 34 (range, 8-88) injections. Recurrence was observed in 20 eyes (55%). Of these, 11 eyes (31%) reactivated at 8 weeks. Median time to failure of maintenance schedule was 40 weeks by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Baseline demographic and anatomic characteristics were not associated with failure of maintenance schedule.ConclusionIn treatment-experienced eyes that respond completely to every-4-week aflibercept, maintenance therapy with every-8-week injections can only temporarily maintain anatomic success with the majority of eyes developing recurring activity. This regimen fails early in one third of eyes and has a median effective duration of 40 weeks. Aflibercept appears to be inadequate to maintain control of exudation in most eyes in at least half of eyes undergoing long-term therapy.

Aim: The aim of this review was to systematically assess and report the effectiveness of chlorhexidine (CHX) mouthwash in preventing plaque accumulation and gingivitis in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. Material and Methods: The review was prepared according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guidelines and registered under PROSPERO database (CRD42020170776). Four electronic databases were systematically searched along with a complimentary manual search of orthodontic journals until June 2022. Only Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) reporting on antiplaque and antigingivitis efficacy of Chlorhexidine mouthwash compared with placebo or control in orthodontic patients were included. Risk of bias assessment was done using Cochrane ROB-2. Quantitative analysis (Random-Effects Model and Standard Mean Difference (SMD)) with 95 % confidence interval was used. Results: Six RCTs were included for qualitative analysis and four were included for quantitative analysis with a total of 211 participants. Out of six studies, 3 were judged to have a low risk of bias, two had some concerns and one of them had high risk of bias. Random effects meta-analysis performed for anti-plaque effect reported a significant reduction of -1.2 SMD for CHX at 4 to 6 weeks with low heterogeneity (I2-35%). The anti-gingivitis effect at 4 to 6 weeks was significant for CHX with a SMD of -1.03 and a moderate heterogeneity (I2-65%). Conclusion: On analyzing the available evidence a moderate level of certainty supports a short-term reduction in plaque accumulation and gingivitis in orthodontic patients subjected to rinsing with chlorhexidine oral rinse.

AMMI analysis of 21 malt barley genotypes evaluated at nine locations of north western plains zone revealed highly significant variation due to environments (61.8%), G x E interactions (19.5%) and genotypes (8.2%). Further, interaction effects were partitioned into seven interactions principal components. AMMI stability Value measures (ASV1 and ASV) had considered first two interaction principal components and based on 54.1% of total interaction variations had recommended (PL926, PL931, RD2849) and (BH1036, PL931, RD2849) malt barley genotypes respectively. Modified AMMI Stability Values measures (MASV1 and MASV) had exploited nearly 97.6% of total interaction variations, based on which BH1036, DWRB219, RD2849 and BH1036, DWRB219, PL926 malt barley genotypes were identified for stable yield performance. Geometric Mean (GM) based on BLUP effects of genotypes yield was in favour of DWRB219, BH1036 and DWRB221 while corresponding to Harmonic Mean of yield values, DWRB219, BH1036, DWRB221 genotypes would be of choice. Relative Performance of Genotypic Values (RPGV) favored DWRB219, BH1036 , DWRB221 barley genotypes and Harmonic Mean of Relative Performance of Genotypic Value (HMRPGV) measure favoured DWRB219, BH1036, DWRB220 malt genotypes. Non parametric composite measure, NPi (1) , suggested that UPB1097, RD3029, DWRB218 were suitable, whereas DWRB219, RD3029, G4 genotypes would be preferable as per values NPi (2) while NPi (3) identified DWRB219, BH1036, DWRB160. The composite measure NPi (4) found DWRB219, BH1036, DWRB160 as genotypes of choice for this zone. Measures MASV, MASV1, Si 1, Si 3, Si 4, Si 5,Si 6 ,Si 7, Si 2, NPi (1), ASV and ASV1 accounted more in first principal component, whereas NPi (2), NPi (3), NPi (4), Average, GM, HM, Mean, PRVG, HMPRVG were major contributors for second principal component. Small cluster of standard deviation (Stdev) with CV, IPC4 and IPC7 were placed in second quadrant. Smallest cluster of IPC1 and IPC6 was also observed in this quadrant. Large cluster comprised of NPi (1), Si 2 ,Si 5 Si 2 ,Si 5 ,Si 6 with ASV and ASV1. Measures GM, HM, PRVG and HMPRVG considered random effects of genotypes grouped with average and placed in last quadrant while adjacent cluster of NPi (2), NPi (3), and NPi (4) observed in same quadrant. Close association among the AMMI analysis based measures had been observed with adaptability measures based on BLUP effects of malt barley genotypes in the present study based on the Biplot analysis while considering first two principal components.

Solar energy has gained increasing importance in today's world and become a viable primary energy source in the recent decade. Solar radiation obtained by the solar surface is highly affected by its orientation, azimuth, and tilt angles. Therefore, in this study, the performances of the fixed-axis system, one-axis, and two-axis solar tracking systems are investigated to enable maximal solar radiation in solar systems to be installed in Antalya by using climatic and latitude data provided by NASA. Furthermore, the optimal tilt angles are determined by examining the values of angles for which the total solar radiation falling on the tilted surface is maximal. The case study and measurement data investigations are conducted for the four districts of Antalya. The obtained radiation values throughout the year for one-axis and two-axis solar tracking systems are compared to an annual fixed system for evaluating the existing solar potential in Antalya province. Besides all these, solar system cost analyses including the average payback period for residential, commercial, and large-scale solar systems based on LCOE are investigated. The proposed methodology can be implemented for performance and cost analysis of the solar potential in a certain location of Türkiye and extended to any place in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: To investigate whether fixed functional therapy for mandibular advancement with the Forsus™ appliance would produce any changes in the cervical spine posture. Materials and Methods: This prospective clinical exploratory study was conducted on 12 patients (six females and six males) with a mean age of 15 ± 1.3 years, having mandibular retrusion, Class II malocclusion, who were treated with the Forsus™ appliance. Lateral cephalogram was taken twice, once at the baseline (T1) before the commencement of the treatment and once following termination of fixed functional treatment (T2). Eleven measurements representing the vertical and the sagittal craniofacial proportions, and the head posture, were taken into account. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. The variations between before and after treatment measurements were collated using paired t-test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: No significant differences were noticed in the angle linking the horizontal lines of the head and the superior crest of the spinal column before and after the treatment, with P = 0.73. The cervical curvature angle also failed to show any significant difference with P = 0.14. Conclusion: Fixed functional therapy with the Forsus™ device resulted in dentoalveolar and soft tissue alterations alone but did not alter the cervical spine posture.

All smart parking management systems (SPMS) have incorporated the dynamic pricing into its features and capabilities. The collection of parking fees on a corresponding spot has been dependent on either its time- or space-value, with most SPMS utilizing temporal-based parking fee collection. However, little to no study has been conducted to assess or evaluate these pricing schemes according to its friendliness and economics towards both parkers and business operators. In this work, we evaluate two current temporal- and three proposed spatiotemporal-based dynamic parking pricing methods by computing their social optimum range and economic effects to both users and parking management entities. Our extensive analysis utilizing both empirical mobility traces and driver parking duration behavior provide important insights in the current pricing setups and present necessary adjustments in improving parking fee collection that contribute to societal benefits.

Copyright of Adab Al-Kufa is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Two features of the century-old policy goal of promoting universal telephone service in the United States have been enduring. Policymakers have focused on (1) wireline telephone (and more recently, fixed-line broadband) services and (2) households. The widespread adoption of mobile telephones compels a fresh examination of this focus. We construct a new measure of universal connectivity which accounts for consumers’ choices of communications technologies and for their geographic mobility over the course of the day. This measure, in turn, compels a conceptual and empirical investigation of the determinants of mobile telephone diffusion within families. Our estimations of intra-household demand for mobile service permit us to develop simulations that estimate the economic impact of modernizing a key element of existing universal service policy (viz., the Lifeline Program) to reflect the goal of improving individual connectivity. We find that a policy expansion from a single subsidy per household to multiple subsidies per eligible household members would increase mobile subscriptions by 2.25 million and Lifeline costs by $250 million.

The adsorption of copper, iron and nickel ions from an aqueous solution using Makoro granite clay brick waste through batch and fixed – bed column modes was investigated. The adsorbent was characterised using X-Ray Fluorescence, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric Analysis, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). XRD results revealed crystalline peaks of Quartz (51.28 %) and mullite (23.40%) in fresh and loaded adsorbent with unnotable changes before and after adsorption. SEM images indicate the presence of micro pores and irregularly distributed surfaces. Batch kinetic maximum adsorption capacities for iron, copper, and nickel are 7.60, 6.70 and 6.20 mg g−1 media respectively with 60 min as the optimum time. The maximum adsorption capacities at adsorbent dosage of 5 g L−1 were 10.0, 7.60 and 7.20 mg L−1 for iron, copper and nickel ions. The corresponding adsorption capabilities from the fixed-bed column reactor were 2.23, 2.22 and 0.74 mg g−1 media respectively. The thermodynamics parameters of enthalpy change (ΔH) were 5.21, 9.32 and 5.22 kJ mol−1 respectively for Copper, iron and nickel ions and the corresponding entropy change (ΔS) were -0.04, -0.05 and -0.03 kJmol−1K−1respectively and the process being non-spontaneous and exothermic. Thomas and Yoon-Nelson models yielded similar low coefficient of determination (R2) values (0.06 and 0.07) for copper and iron ions. Further investigations such as the use of real wastewater, competition of anions and further media characterisation and modifications are recommended.

In order to point out the parallels between orthodontic techniques with fixed appliances and transparent aligners, this study proposed to review the scientific literature on removable orthodontic aligners versus fixed orthodontic appliances. Articles from 2005 to 2021 were selected, using the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials and OpenGrey databases. The articles addressed issues such as pain, periodontal health, hygiene, microbiota, root resorption, quality of life and treatment effectiveness. Aligners showed greater acceptability by patients and clear advantages in relation to pain, hygiene, quality of life, root resorption and periodontal health, being inferior to fixed orthodontic appliances in terms of effectiveness and speech capacity.

Introduction: Dental malocclusion is a public health problem and orthodontics is the specialty in charge of diagnosing and treating it, aesthetic brackets are an alternative, the costs are varied, which makes its precision doubtful. Objective: Evaluate the measurement and geometry of the slot of three brands of aesthetic brackets and verify their precision. Material and Methods: Twenty-four aesthetic Roth prescription 0.022” slot polycrystalline ceramic brackets were evaluated in three brands: American Orthodontics (United States), Morelli (Brazil) and Class One (China). Eight samples were measured per group in a specialized laboratory certified in measurement and calibration, the measurements of internal and external height were verified, per mesial and distal; and the parallelism of the slot of each bracket. The results were processed with SPSS 22 and tests of variance (ANOVA), Tukey and Student's t were used. Results: The measurements of the brackets' grooves do not correspond to the measurements announced by the manufacturers, these are greater, however, American Orthodontics is within the tolerance range (p

(1) This study aimed to do a longitudinal validation of the psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics questionnaire (PIDAQ) and determine its minimal important difference (MID) following orthodontic treatment; (2) 42 adolescents (11 to 18 years old) were recruited for treatment with fixed appliances and the participants answered the Malaysian PIDAQ prior to treatment (T0), mid-treatment (T1), and post-treatment (T2), plus a global health transition scale at T1 and T2. Data analyses included repeated measures ANOVA and paired sample t-tests. Test–retest was administered 2 to 6 weeks from T0; (3) The final sample comprised 37 subjects (response rate = 88.1%). The 95% limits of agreement were −10.3 to 8.5 points. In the anchor-based approach, those who experienced the smallest changes by reporting their dental aesthetics as "a little improved" had an insignificant PIDAQ score change of −5.3 at T1. At T2, the PIDAQ scores of those in this category were reduced significantly (mean change = −26.2; effect size (ES) = 1.0; p = 0.34). In the distribution-based approach, standardized PIDAQ scores were significantly reduced, with medium (0.7) to large (1.5) ES at T1 and T2, respectively; (4) The PIDAQ can detect orthodontic-related changes in patients' psychosocial well-being. The post-treatment MID is 26 scale points with large ES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The form of religious government as one of the most challenging issues in the field of Islamic political thought has always been disputed. Scholars who accept the interference of religion in politics and even believe that religion has made some recommendations about the foundations and principles of the government, they do not hold similar ideas on the form of government. On the one hand, some believe that the form of the government is the same as other elements of politics and identified by God Almighty as fixed and not variable. On the other hand, others hold the belief that God has not commented on the form of government and has remained silent on this matter. Both groups have relied on some evidence to prove their claims more particularly the evidence provided by the holy Quran on the Prophet’ government, which indicates that whether God has presented the pyramidal structure of power for religious government or that God has not done so and does not consider any specific form for the government. This article, using ijtihadi interpretive method as well as historical narrations and quotations, have tried to judge between these two views and reached the conclusion that there is no evidence of the stability of the form of government and its fixed pyramid structure in the story of the prophets in the holy Quran, and it is not possible to prove this claim.

Background: To investigate whether fixed functional therapy for mandibular advancement with the Forsus™ appliance would produce any changes in the cervical spine posture.Materials and Methods: This prospective clinical exploratory study was conducted on 12 patients (six females and six males) with a mean age of 15 ± 1.3 years, having mandibular retrusion, Class II malocclusion, who were treated with the Forsus™ appliance. Lateral cephalogram was taken twice, once at the baseline (T1) before the commencement of the treatment and once following termination of fixed functional treatment (T2). Eleven measurements representing the vertical and the sagittal craniofacial proportions, and the head posture, were taken into account. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22. The variations between before and after treatment measurements were collated using paired t-test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: No significant differences were noticed in the angle linking the horizontal lines of the head and the superior crest of the spinal column before and after the treatment, with P = 0.73. The cervical curvature angle also failed to show any significant difference with P = 0.14.Conclusion: Fixed functional therapy with the Forsus™ device resulted in dentoalveolar and soft tissue alterations alone but did not alter the cervical spine posture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the constant search for a harmonic smile, the level of demand and the expectations of patients become high, enabling the development of new materials and dental techniques that aim at more conservative procedures and more and more predictable results aesthetically. Techniques with Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAD / CAM) have occupied a prominent place in Dentistry. This is due to the fact that computer aided design or computer aided manufacturing offers a restoration method that lowers the risk of human error and provides highly aesthetic results in a reduced clinical time, albeit at relatively high costs. The objective of the present study is to present, through a clinical case report, an aesthetic rehabilitation through the practical application of the CAD / CAM system. With the completion of the case, it was possible to observe aesthetic improvement through the preparation of the anterior ceramic crowns and improvement of the occlusal condition with the manufacture of a removable upper prosthesis, which enables greater durability of the ceramic crowns, as it better distributes the occlusal loads among the elements, avoiding excessive loads at the site of new indirect restorations. This case report was carried out in two dental sessions, achieving patient aesthetic satisfaction. It has a short-term follow-up, therefore, cases with long-term follow-up are necessary to prove the success of this technique. The high technological cost can be considered a limitation, but there is a notable advance in Dentistry to improve the quality of treatment in extremely short periods.

New indirect bonding technologies have assumed an important role in Orthodontics to obtain increasingly accurate clinical results in or-thodontic treatments. With the development of means of obtaining and manipulating digital images, the possibility to carry out orthodon-tic planning in the virtual environment arose, simulating the desired result, as well as the best positioning of orthodontic accessories on teeth to achieve this goal. The possibility of three-dimensional printing using CAD/CAM technology allowed the guide for the transfer of bra-ckets, in indirect bonding, to be made directly in the software after di-gital planning of their position. Currently, some companies have made programs available or offered the possibility of executing digital plan-ning, customized brackets, personalized arches and guides for indirect bonding. This article aims to perform a literature review, gathering recent information on indirect bonding using the CAD/CAM system in relation to bonding accuracy and time of orthodontic treatment. It is concluded that the indirect bonding using CAD/CAM systems presents reliability in relation to the precision of the positioning of brackets. Regarding the treatment time, several studies suggest that it was reduced with the method, however, the variety of existing tech-niques and software, in addition to the diversity of scientific methods, indicate the need for further investigations. Despite this, indirect digi-tal bonding has proved to be an interesting option to be incorporated into orthodontic treatment.

Objectives: To assess inter- and intrarater reliability and agreement for measurements of root lengths using multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) examinations.Furthermore, to determine whether using MPR from different CBCT machines was a reliable and reproducible method for assessment of root length during orthodontic treatment of adolescents., Materials and Methods: A total of 40 CBCT examinations obtained before, during and after orthodontic treatment of 14 adolescents, with fixed appliances from a multicentre randomised controlled trial, were used. All roots from the incisors to the first molars were measured by two independent raters and in accordance with a protocol preceded by a multi-step calibration. Reliability was assessed by intra class correlation (ICC). Agreement was assessed by measurement error according to the Dahlberg formula and Bland-Altman plot., Results: The number of repeated measurements varied from 436 to 474 for the different timepoints. Good to excellent inter- and intrarater reliability for different tooth groups and timepoints were shown. Measurement error for inter- and intrarater agreement varied between 0.41 mm and 0.77 mm. The Bland-Altman plot with 95% limits of agreement varied between +1.43 mm and -2.01 mm for different tooth groups and timepoints., Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that CBCT using MPR from different machines is a reproducible method for measuring root length during different phases of orthodontic treatment. When interpreting root shortening measurements in CBCT using MPR for clinical or research purposes, values below 2 mm should be approached with caution, as they may contain measurement errors., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest or financial interest to declare., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Copyright of Adab Al-Kufa is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

PurposeThe study aims to evaluate clinically the thickness of the alveolar ridge mucosa underneath a zirconia implant-supported restoration with a modified ovate pontic.Materials and methodsSixty-five patients, 32 women and 33 men (mean age: 65.5 years; range 38-81), were included. A total of 383 implants (303 in the maxilla; 80 in the mandible), supporting 81 full or partial fixed dental prostheses (65 in the maxilla; 16 in the mandible), were either cement- or screw-retained. Three years after loading, a total of 219 pontic sites (153 in the maxilla; 66 in the mandible) were measured, and the thickness of the alveolar ridge mucosa between the prosthetic surface and the underlying bone crest were recorded.ResultsThe overall implant and prosthesis survival rates at 3 years were 98.7% and 100%, respectively. No implant complications were reported, scoring a cumulative implant success rate of 100%. In the maxilla, the overall mean thickness of the alveolar ridge mucosa was 2.32 ± 0.57 mm. In the mandible, the overall mean thickness of the alveolar ridge mucosa was 2.20 ± 0.62 mm. There was no statistical difference between the overall mean values in the maxilla and mandible (p = .471).ConclusionThis radiologic retrospective study suggests the existence of a physiological barrier, named prosthetic biological width, underneath a novel pontic-designed restoration.

PurposeThe study aims to evaluate clinically the thickness of the alveolar ridge mucosa underneath a zirconia implant-supported restoration with a modified ovate pontic.Materials and methodsSixty-five patients, 32 women and 33 men (mean age: 65.5 years; range 38-81), were included. A total of 383 implants (303 in the maxilla; 80 in the mandible), supporting 81 full or partial fixed dental prostheses (65 in the maxilla; 16 in the mandible), were either cement- or screw-retained. Three years after loading, a total of 219 pontic sites (153 in the maxilla; 66 in the mandible) were measured, and the thickness of the alveolar ridge mucosa between the prosthetic surface and the underlying bone crest were recorded.ResultsThe overall implant and prosthesis survival rates at 3 years were 98.7% and 100%, respectively. No implant complications were reported, scoring a cumulative implant success rate of 100%. In the maxilla, the overall mean thickness of the alveolar ridge mucosa was 2.32 ± 0.57 mm. In the mandible, the overall mean thickness of the alveolar ridge mucosa was 2.20 ± 0.62 mm. There was no statistical difference between the overall mean values in the maxilla and mandible (p = .471).ConclusionThis radiologic retrospective study suggests the existence of a physiological barrier, named prosthetic biological width, underneath a novel pontic-designed restoration.

A novel ice particle-fixed abrasive tool (IPFAT) was designed and manufactured in this paper. The uniformity of abrasives distribution in the IPFAT was tested. Using three kinds of IPFAT, which contains α-Al2O3 particles whose mean particle sizes are 5 μm, 1.289 μm, and 0.328 μm respectively; single crystal germanium wafers were lapped and then polished. The results show that the distribution of abrasives in the IPFAT is uniform and the IPFAT has the ability of self-sharpening. With the increased lap and polishing time, the surface roughness of the single crystal germanium wafers decreases linearly and the materials remove rate (MRR) basically remains invariable. After polishing with a 0.328 μm α-Al2O3 IPFAT, the surface roughness of the single crystal germanium wafer is 85 nm within 500 μm × 500 μm and the surface is even without obvious undulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immediately loaded implant prostheses have been used to successfully rehabilitate completely edentulous arches. Risk factors for successful treatment have not included involuntary mandibular movements. The treatment was completed on a patient with a history of neuroleptic medications who had remaining mandibular teeth extracted and then developed involuntary mandibular movements. The patient was dissatisfied with a mandibular removable prosthesis and wanted a fixed prosthesis. The immediate implant loading of a complete arch fixed prosthesis was delivered, and the patient lost 3 of the 6 implants. The patient continued to have problems with her definitive prostheses as the symptoms of her involuntary mandibular movements worsened.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the effect of bone-borne expansion (BBE) and tooth-borne expansion (TBE) in patients with maxillary constriction. Methods: Electronic databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, were searched up to February 2019. Eligible clinical trials and cohort studies that studied the effects of bone-borne and tooth-borne expansion appliances on patients with constricted maxilla were selected. The study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were independently performed by two authors. Then, the random-effects meta-analysis and post-hoc heterogeneity tests were performed. Results: In the end, four studies were included in the present meta-analysis (i.e., a randomized clinical trial, two prospective controlled clinical trials, and a cohort study) that collected data from 117 patients. The mean differences between TBE and BBE were 0.38 mm and -0.28 mm for premolar and molar apices, 0.67 mm and 1.18 mm for premolar and molar crowns, 0.19 mm and 0.17 mm for alveolar bone in premolar and molar areas, and -0.61 mm and 0.02 mm for nasal and maxillary bones, respectively. Moreover, the differences between TBE and BBE for dental angulation were 3.84◦ and 1.52◦ for left and right molars, as well as 4.85◦ and 3.46◦ for left and right premolars, respectively. Conclusion: The BBE appliances do not have any advantages over tooth-borne devices with regard to the amount of skeletal or dental expansion; however, it seems to produce less tipping in posterior teeth.

Consensus problems in multi agent systems (MAS) are theoretical aspect convergence of doubly stochastic quadratic operators. This work has presented the dynamic classifications of extreme doubly stochastic quadratic operators (EDSQOs) on finite-dimensional simplex (FDS) based on the limit behaviour of the trajectories. The limit behaviour of the trajectories of EDSQOs, on FDS is either in state of convergence, or fixed or periodic. This paper aimed at examining the behaviour of these states. The paper modelled the states and proves theoretically the characteristics of each state. The results indicate that convergence operators converge to the centre $\left( {\frac{1}{m}} \right) $, and EDSQOs point are fixed with two or more points whereas periodic states exhibit sinusoidal behaviour. This work has contributed in understanding the limit of EDSQOs of the exterior initial points as fixed and periodic points developed spread attribute toward a fixed point.

Functional Appliances Are Used Worldwide And Are Most Effective In The Treatment Of Class Ii Malocclusion. They Are Also Used To Achieve Posterior Extrusion To Correct Deep Bites. The Aim Of The Study Was To Assess The Number Of Patients Undergoing Growth Modification With Different Types Of Functional Appliances And The Age Group Which Has The Highest Frequency Of Functional Appliance Usage. The Study Has Been Carried During An One-Year Period (June 2019 To April 2020) On 34 Patients Who Used Functional Appliances. Data Was Collected From An Electronic Dental Record Consisting Of All Orthodontic Diagnosis Case Sheets Which Were Reviewed And Pre-Adolescents And Adolescents In The Age Group Between 8-17 Years Were Chosen For The Study. All Relevant Datas Obtained From The Record System Were Exported To Spss Software And Results Were Obtained Using Chi Square Test. The Findings Of Our Study Demonstrated That Patients Who Had Undergone Removable Functional Appliance Therapy (69.70 %) Were Comparatively Higher Than The Ones Who Had Undergone Treatment With Fixed Functional Appliances (30.30 %). Majority Of Male Patients Had Undergone Removable Functional Appliance Therapy. 42.42 % Of Patients Were In The Age Group Of 8-12 Years (P Value >0.05) Statistically Not Significant. The Study Concludes That The Majority Of The Patients Have Undergone Removable Functional Appliance Therapy As Compared To Treatment With Fixed Functional Appliances But The Study Was Not Statistically Significant.(P Value >0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim. A large number of studies have been conducted on the survival rate of ceramic single tooth restorations, but few studies have discussed the influence of the number of restoration surfaces on their survival rate. This study aimed to evaluate the survival rate of ceramic inlay and onlay restorations in posterior teeth with one-surface or multi-surface after a 10-year follow-up. Methods. PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Wanfang databases were searched for articles published by July 31, 2016. Randomized controlled trials and non-randomized trials were collected and patients with posterior teeth defect were included. Publication bias and sensitivity analysis were also assessed. Results. Five studies comprising 6,720 cases were included in this meta-analysis. The results indicated that the survival rate of ceramic inlay and onlay restorations with two-surface was significantly higher than that of onesurface restorations (within 10 years) [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.11; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.33-3.36, p = 0.002], and the survival rate of three-surface restorations was higher than that of two-surface ones (HR = 2.50; 95% CI = 1.36-4.59, p = 0.003). Conclusion. The current meta-analysis shows that the increase in the ceramic inlay and onlay restoration surfaces increases their survival rate within a 10-year period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of Suresmile® lingual therapy on torque, tip, and rotations measures through digital evaluation of planning and post-treatment digital models. Material and Methods: A sample of 12 Caucasian adult patients (4 men; mean age 30.6 years ± 3.9 and 8 women; mean age 31.4 years ± 4.5) treated with the Suresmile® lingual orthodontic technique was retrospectively selected, regardless of the type of malocclusion. Digital planning was performed with Suresmile® software, while lingual therapy was accomplished with interactive self-ligating lingual brackets and customized Suresmile® arches. First, digital models of planning and post-treatment digital models were compared using VAM software (and the discrepancies were analyzed through MANOVA and four multivariate. Then, Tukey and Bonferroni's post-hoc tests are performed. Results: The accuracy average values are 60.11 ± 27.67% for torque, 53.52 ± 27.37% for tip and 59.19 ± 26.42% for rotation, while for inaccuracy values are 2.72° ± 2.23° for torque, 2.98° ± 2.16° for tip and 3.58° ± 3.29° for rotation. No significant differences have been recorded evaluating different sectors of both arches. Conclusion: This retrospective preliminary study highlight how overcorrections, especially in the Suresmile lingual technique, should be performed during orthodontic planning. Moreover, the study gets bases for further, more structured future studies that should involve larger and more homogeneous samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]