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During the past decades, with the increasing demands in lightweight structural materials, Mg alloys with low density and high performance have been extensively investigated and partly applied in some industries. Especially when rare earth (RE) elements are added as major alloying elements to Mg alloys, the alloy strength and creep resistance are greatly improved, which have promoted several series of Mg-RE alloys. This paper reviews the progress and developments of high-performance Mg-RE alloys in recent years with emphasis on cast alloys. The main contents include the alloy design, melt purification, grain refinement, castability, novel liquid casting and semisolid forming approaches, and the industrial applications or trials made of Mg-RE alloys. The review will provide insights for future developments of new alloys, techniques and applications of Mg alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tenderness of meat is under complex genetic determinism, being studied extensively in the last couple of years on various cattle breeds with respect to genetic variations associated with the trait. Only few of studied loci had major effect on tenderness, with calpains m and µ and calpastatin loci receiving special attention. Calpains m and µ intervene in the post-mortem proteolysis of myofibrils, being in direct relationship with their inhibitor – the calpastatin. The presence of potential Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms on intron 19 of the calpastatin gene (CAST) in mixed cattle breed (meat & milk/Romanian Spotted breed, Simmental type) and specialized meat breed (Angus) were investigated in this study. DNA samples from two cattle breeds were used to determine the SNP polymorphisms in the 552 bp fragment of the 19th intron of the CAST gene. The presence of mutations was investigated by testing the modifications occurring in BshF1 (GGCC) and RsaI (GTAC) restriction enzyme’s sites. All individuals analysed have had the same electrophoretic profile suggesting that no genuine mutations occurred in both restriction enzyme’s sites of CAST gene (BTA7) from the Bos taurus populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zbornik Odsjeka za Povijesne Znanosti. Zavoda za Povijesne i Društvene Znanosti is the property of Hrvatska Akademija Znanosti i Umjetnosti, Zavod za Povijesne i Drustvene Znanosti 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.)

Porosity is one of the major problems in casting operations and there are several discussions in the literature about the porosity formation in aluminum castings. Bifilms are the defects that are introduced into the melt by turbulence. They can be detected with reduced pressure test and presented numerically by measuring bifilm index. The measure of bifilm index is the sum of total oxide length given in millimeters from the cross-section of reduced pressure test sample solidified under 0.01 MPa. In this work, low pressure die casting (LPDC) unit was built in an attempt to enhance the producibility rate. The unit consists of a pump housing that was placed inside the melt in the melting furnace where the pressure was applied instead of the whole melt surface. It was observed that the melt quality of A356 alloy was deteriorated over time which had led to higher porosity. This was attributed to the increased oxide thickness of the bifilm by the consumption of air in between the folded oxides. A relationship was found between bifilm index and pore formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of ECR- Studies in Conservation & Restoration / Estudos de Conservação e Restauro is the property of ECR- Studies in Conservation & Restoration 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.)

Objective: To verify horizontal jaw relations using anatomical marks on a cast and evaluate the efficiency and accuracy of the test on checking the horizontal relation. Methods: A total of 200 patients with a loss of posterior occlusion were recruited. After casts were made and the horizontal jaw relation was recorded, the pterygomaxillary notch and retromolar pad were identified bilaterally on the maxillary and mandibular casts. On each cast, a vertical line was drawn to bisect the anatomical landmarks and the distance between the two vertical lines was measured. Using the result of the wax try-in appointment and the corresponding measurements, a diagnostic test was conducted. A receiver operating curve was created and the maximum horizontal distance between bisecting points that still obtained correct jaw relations was determined to be a criterion. The accuracy of the test to verify horizontal jaw relations was evaluated. Results: The area under the curve of the receiver operating curve was 0.833 (P < 0.05). With a maximum Youden index, the d value threshold was 1.0 mm. Using 1.0 mm as a criterion to check the horizontal relation, the sensitivity of the test was 0.76 and the specificity was 0.93. The kappa value for different researchers was calculated to be 0.79 (P < 0.05). The intraexaminer 1 reliability gave a kappa value of 0.76 (P < 0.05), and intraexaminer 2 gave a value of 0.81 (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The test for verifying the accuracy of horizontal jaw relations is reliable. If horizontal distance is measured as greater than 1.0 mm at the jaw relation record appointment, the recorded horizontal jaw relationship may be wrong and need to be reexamined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This in vitro study was designed to investigate whether conventionally produced casts and printed casts for prosthodontic purposes show comparable full-arch accuracy; a ceramic reference cast with inlay and crown preparations was fabricated. Ten gypsum casts were fabricated from conventional silicone elastomeric impressions. Ten digital impressions [IOS] of the reference cast were obtained by an intraoral scanner to fabricate 3D-printed resin casts. The ceramic reference cast, the gypsum, and the printed casts were digitized by an industrial structured light scanner (ILS) and provided as stl files. To evaluate absolute mean trueness values, the digitized gypsum casts [CON], digitized printed casts [PRINT], and [IOS] were superimposed with the digitized ceramic reference cast [REF]. Additionally, each [IOS] scan was compared with its corresponding [PRINT]. The precision was calculated for [CON], [IOS], and [PRINT]. The Mann–Whitney U test for independent samples and the Wilcoxon test for connected samples were performed (p ≤ 0.05). As absolute mean deviation trueness values were obtained: 69 ± 24 µm for [REF]-[CON], 33 ± 4 µm for [REF]-[PRINT], and 19 ± 3 µm for [REF]-[IOS]. The superimposition [IOS]-[PRINT] revealed 38 ± 6 µm. The precision was 74 ± 22 µm for [CON], 32 ± 10 µm for [PRINT], and 15 ± 4 µm for [IOS]. With respect to the workflow, the trueness values of [REF]-[CON] and [REF]-[PRINT] differed significantly. Within the digital workflow, [REF]-[PRINT], [REF]-[IOS], and [IOS]-[PRINT], all values differed significantly. Within the limitations of the study, digital impression and printed cast fabrication were more accurate and reproducible than the conventional workflow.

It is necessary for cast alloys possessing sufficient plasticity to be subjected to deforming progresses for the improvement of mechanical properties. Developing as-cast magnesium alloys with appreciated plasticity is therefore important to the variety of wrought magnesium alloys and the enlargement of their applications. In this paper, the research progresses of Mg-Al, Mg-Li, Mg-Zn and Mg-RE (rare earth) series magnesium alloys are enclosed, as well as the effects of casting processes. The plasticity enhancement of as-cast magnesium alloys was mainly attributed to the combination of the grain refinement and the second phases introduced by alloying elements, and microalloying with several alloying elements was more favorited. Heat treatment, rapid cooling casting and external electromagnetic field were also beneficial to mechanical properties and worth to be promoted in industrial engineering.

Abstract Background Although dental caries is a globally widespread disease, there is no consensus regarding the method that should be used for their detection. In recent decades, a variety of new methods have been proposed for measuring caries in a population. Three caries detection methods, the decayed, missing and filled (DMF) index, the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) and the Caries Assessment Spectrum and Treatment (CAST), were compared to provide information to guide future method choices. Methods This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study in which three methods were used to measure caries in students, staff and their dependents at UNEB (State University of Bahia), Salvador, Brazil. We compared the mean application time of each method and the frequencies obtained by each method using the following indicators: the most severe caries lesion per individual; the mean number of missing, filled and decayed teeth; and the disease extent. Results The mean time taken to apply the DMF was 3.8 min; for ICDAS, it took 8.9 min, and for CAST, 4.7 min. When calculating the indicator the most severe caries lesion per individual, the prevalence rates were as follows: 28.1% for DMF, 84.0% for ICDAS and 75.0% for CAST. The mean numbers of decayed, missing and filled teeth were 6.0 according to the DMF, 6.2 according to ICDAS and 5.9 according to CAST. When the disease extension indicator was used, the following percentages of teeth were affected by caries: DMF 22.12%, ICDAS 49.11% and CAST 33.2%. Conclusions The DMF underestimated the occurrence of caries lesions in individuals but was the fastest method to apply. ICDAS obtained detailed information regarding lesion severity, but it was a time-consuming method and difficult to analyse. CAST described disease distributions very well and identified lesion severities and preventive and curative needs in the examined group, and the time required to apply CAST was similar to that of the DMF.

Históricamente el oro ha sido usado debido a las especiales propiedades que posee, entre las que se pueden resaltar su resistencia a medios agresivos (por ser altamente inerte), su buena conducción térmica y eléctrica, y porque además presenta un color llamativo. Sus principales aplicaciones se han dado en áreas como la economía (en el uso de monedas), en joyería, en electrónica y en odontología. Con el fin de mejorar las propiedades que presenta el oro, se fabrican aleaciones de éste con otros metales. Dentro de las nuevas aleaciones que se están desarrollando, se encuentra el sistema de aleaciones Au-Fe. En esta investigación se pretende profundizar en el estudio de la microestructura de las aleaciones Au-Fe y Au-Fe-Co, para lo cual, se fabricaron aleaciones base oro aleadas con 25% (p/p) Fe y se han comparado a nivel de estructura y conformabilidad con la aleación Au-24.5Fe-0.5Co (% p/p), con el fin de determinar la influencia de este último aleante (el cobalto). Las aleaciones se obtuvieron en horno de inducción con atmósfera controlada de argón, utilizando crisoles conductores revestidos con silicato de zirconio. Las muestras se caracterizaron en tres diferentes procesos: as-cast con tratamiento térmico a temperaturas de 900°C a una y tres horas respectivamente y as-cast centrifugada. Los resultados de conformabilidad al finalizar el proceso son 62% de deformación (en laminador) para la aleación Au-24.5Fe-0.5Co contra el 23% para el sistema Au-25Fe para las muestras obtenidas as-cast y con tratamiento térmico a 900°C por 1 hora. Las muestras as-cast centrifugadas presentaron una deformación de 75% con fractura dúctil en Au-25Fe y de 82% sin fractura en Au-24.5Fe-0.5Co. El anterior resultado es satisfactorio para el sistema con adición de cobalto, lo cual es altamente benéfico para diversas aplicaciones, sobretodo la joyería.

Background: Forearm diaphyseal fractures constitute around 6% of all other children's fractures. Despite conservative management is proven and gold standard but still operative management is on rise. Aims and Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome in conservative and surgical management of both-bone forearm fractures in children. Materials and Methods: This prospective study was conducted in children aged 3–12 years. Clinical and radiological features, time for union, angular correction over a period of management, and functional outcome were assessed. Data were entered and analyzed with Epi Info software. Results: There were 48 males (72.7%) and 18 (27.3%) females, with a mean age of 85 months (±29.7). In the present study, 34 (51.2%) at middle third was the most common site of diaphyseal fracture followed by distal third 28 (42.2) and proximal one-third. Conclusion: Fractures treated conservatively had greater healing potential and faster healing, whereas functional outcome was comparable in both conservatively and surgically treated patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although fracture displacement in children is easily treated by cast wedging, no data on pain associated with the procedure are available. We hypothesized that there is no clinically relevant difference in pain before and after cast wedging in children between 3 and 12 years of age. Patients and Methods: This international, multicenter, prospective, observational study included 68 children (39 male, 29 female) aged 3 to 12 years (median age 8 years) with forearm fractures. Cast wedging was performed 5 to 10 days after the injury. Before starting the procedure, we administered a single oral dose of sodium metamizole (10 mg/kg body weight), and the children inhaled a nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture (50%/50%) during the wedging procedure. Pain was rated on a visual analog scale (VAS) 5 to 10 min before incision of the cast as well as 3 to 5 min and 30 min (maximum remembered pain) after inhalation stop. The degree of bending was judged either by the surgeon or was determined on the basis of first signs of pain expressed by the patient. We assessed the effectiveness of the procedure by obtaining X-ray images in two planes after 3 to 9 days. Results: Among the 68 patients, median VAS score before cast wedging was 0. This increased to a score of 1 (p = 0.015) at 3 to 5 min after the procedure. Median VAS score for the maximum remembered pain measured after 30 min was 0. Median differences in angulation between proximal and distal bone fragments before and after the intervention were 0° (p < 0.0001) in the a.p. view and 8.4° (p < 0.0001) in the lateral view. Conclusion: Cast wedging improved the position of forearm fracture fragments at the expense of minimal short-term pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Forearm fractures are one of the top three most common fractures in children. Treatment often includes immobilizing the arm in a cast extending above the elbow to help maintain fracture reduction and alignment. Complications from circumferential casting can occur including swelling in the forearm that can lead to neurovascular complications. About 16% of children require splitting of the cast to relieve the increased pressure. Our study investigates the impact the location of the split has on cast bending stiffness in an above elbow cast model.Methods: A Sawbones© pediatric forearm model was used for application of a hybrid plaster-fiberglass cast to simulate treatment of a pediatric forearm fracture. The plaster was allowed to set for 20 minutes followed by application of a single fiberglass layer. The casts set for at least 24 hours and were then left intact or split along one of their 4 axes. Once categorized, the casts were subjected to biomechanical testing using an Instron ElectroPlus 10000 with a 3-point bending set up. The casts were tested until failure, and the load versus displacement curves were analyzed. Each category of casts was tested five times from both a volar and dorsal direction.Results: When loaded dorsal to volar, intact casts were significantly stiffer than those split along the dorsal, radial, or volar surfaces (p=0.0062, 0.0267, 0.0024 respectively). There was no significant difference when comparing one axis of longitudinal split to another. Intact casts showed a significantly higher load to failure than those split along the radial border (p=0.0168). When loaded volar to dorsal, intact casts were significantly stiffer than those split along any axis. Intact casts showed a significantly higher maximum load to failure than those split along the radial or ulnar border (p=0.0247, 0.0112 respectively).Conclusion: Consideration should be given to splitting above elbow casts along the volar or dorsal surface, as those split along the radial or ulnar border tend to have lower maximum load to failure.Clinical Relevance: To analyze the effect of splitting an above elbow cast on bending stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effect of a modified tray design on the accuracy of implant impressions in comparison with the non-splinted and splinted impression techniques. Two titanium frameworks were produced to fit two parallel implants and two divergent implants with a 15o angle. According to the frameworks employed, two acrylic resin master models were fabricated. For each model, 10 impressions were taken with every technique. The maximum framework principal strain was calculated for every generated cast. For the parallel implant model, the strains of the non-splinted (118.4 με), splinted (89.0 με), and modified tray design impression (49.4 με) techniques were statistically similar (P = 0.16). For the divergent implant model, all the impression techniques showed a considerably higher strain than the parallel implant model. The splinted (287.0 με) and the modified (262.9 με) tray design impression techniques showed similar strains for the divergent implant model, which were significantly less than the strains for the non-splinted impression (518.0 με) technique (P < 0.05). Therefore, for two parallel implants, all the impression techniques exhibited similar accuracy. When angulation existed between the implants, the splinted and the modified tray design impression techniques were more accurate than the non-splinted impression technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article advances the thesis that Hagar's statement in Gen. 21.16, 'Let me not look upon the death of the child', is not so much a despairing whimper of resignation as it is a cohortative prayer for divine intervention. Accordingly, the 'casting' of her son under a bush is not an act of exposure, but a signal of the child's availability for adoption. Attending to the vocabulary and syntax of Hagar's ordeal, then, we understand the scene to represent the enactment of Ishmael's name, 'God hears'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The '8.12' Tianjin Port fire and explosion are an extraordinarily major accident that involved hazardous chemicals, resulting in 165 fatalities, 798 injuries, and a direct economic loss of 6.866 billion yuan. This study introduced causal analysis based on systems theoretic accident model and process (STAMP) (CAST) to identify the key controllers in the control structure, and the control and feedback relationships among them. By using CAST, this study not only identified the traditional human and organizational factors within the physical company which are responsible for the operation process, but also identified the outside factors within the public political structure which are responsible for the public safety and security. In this study, the safety and security of hazardous chemical accident are integrated into a unified framework in which the key difference between safety and security in the intention of the actors is reframed as a general loss prevention problem. This study shows the applicability of the CAST approach in the analysis of hazardous chemical accidents and provides different perspectives and methods to develop safety and security interventions in a hazardous chemical accident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Forearm and distal radius fractures are among the most common fractures in children. Many fractures are definitively treated with closed reduction and casting, however, the risk for re-displacement is high (7% to 39%). Proper cast application and the three-point moulding technique are modifiable factors that improve the ability of a cast to maintain the fracture reduction. Many providers univalve the cast to accommodate swelling. This study describes how the location of the univalve cut impacts the pressure at threepoint mould sites for a typical dorsally displaced distal radius fracture. Methods We placed nine force-sensing resistors on an arm model to collect pressure data at the three-point mould sites. Sensory inputs were sampled at 15 Hz. Cast padding and a three-point moulded short arm fibreglass cast was applied. The cast was then univalved on the dorsal, volar, radial or ulnar aspect. Pressure recordings were obtained throughout the procedure. Results A total of 24 casts were analyzed. Casts univalved in the sagittal plane (dorsal or volar surface) retained up to 16% more pressure across the three moulding sites compared with casts univalved in the coronal plane (radial or ulnar border). Conclusion Maintaining pressure at the three-point mould prevents loss of reduction at the fracture site. This study shows that univalving the cast dorsally or volarly results in less pressure loss at moulding sites. This should improve the chances of maintaining fracture reductions when compared with radial or ulnar cuts in the cast. Sagittal plane univalving of forearm casts is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Hydrobiology is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Hydrobiology 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.)

Background: Trophic ulcers secondary to leprosy pose a great stigma to patients and remain a challenge to the treating dermatologists. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) introduces growth factors directly into the wound and aids in rapid healing. The role of PRP in the treatment of trophic ulcers in leprosy patients has not yet been established by randomized controlled trials.Aims: To study the effectiveness and safety of autologous PRP therapy with total contact casting versus total contact casting alone in the treatment of trophic ulcers in leprosy.Methods: In an observer-blind, randomized (1:1) controlled study, 118 patients were enrolled. PRP was prepared by the manual double-spin method (1600 rpm for 10 min followed by 4000 rpm for 10 min). After wound bed preparation, activated PRP was injected intra- and perilesionally, and platelet-poor plasma gel was applied over the ulcer bed. Occlusive dressings and total contact casting were then applied in Group A, and only total contact casting was applied in Group B. The same procedure was repeated every 2 weeks for 8 weeks.Results: In all, 56 patients were analyzable in Group A and 52 in Group B. The surface area of the ulcer decreased significantly from first follow-up onward in both the groups (P < 0.001 in both the groups). Intergroup comparison showed that the reduction in the surface area of the ulcer was significantly more in Group A than in Group B from the first follow-up onward (P = 0.038) and the difference was maintained till the fifth follow-up (P < 0.001). At the end of the study, 91.10 ± 9.65% ulcer surface area reduction had occurred in Group A, whereas it was 79.77 ± 17.91% in Group B (P < 0.001). Trophic ulcers healed completely more often in paucibacillary leprosy patients (P < 0.001) and in those with a lower initial surface area of the ulcer (P < 0.001).Limitation: Short duration of treatment (8 weeks).Conclusion: PRP combined with total contact casting accelerates the healing of trophic ulcers of leprosy and is more effective than total contact casting alone. Complete remission is more likely to occur when the duration and surface area of ulcer are less and in the paucibacillary spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY Decline in length of stay is of growing interest for patients, doctors and health insurances. The aim of our study was to assess the safety and length of stay after omission of casting, start of early mobilization and implementation of functional discharge criteria after total elbow arthroplasty (TEA). MATERIAL AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed all patients' records who received a Coonrad-Morrey TEA in the period from January 1st, 2011 to December 31st, 2018. From these records, indications, demographic information and complications were derived. Length of stay was calculated from the hospital administration. Patients were divided in three groups to evaluate the two changes in post-operative care. RESULTS In total 125 patients receiving 126 Coonrad-Morrey TEAs were included with a mean length of stay of 5.5 days (range 2- 23) for the entire group. Omitting a post-operative cast led to decline in length of stay from 6.2 to 5.4 days (p < 0.001). Introduction of functional discharge criteria in August 2017 declined mean length of stay to 3.8 days (p < 0.001). The surgical technique (triceps-on versus triceps-off) was not a confounder (p = 0.20). Range of motion after one year was not significantly different between groups. DISCUSSION The length of stay declined after omission of a cast, and declined further after introducing functional discharge criteria. Since no higher complication rates were observed, the shortening of length of stay appears to be safe. This is in line with other fast-track programs, i.e. for hip and knee arthroplasty. The surgical technique used were not a confounder for the shortened length of stay, which further adds to the safety of the functional discharge criteria. CONCLUSIONS Omitting a cast and splint as regular post-operative treatment reduced the length of stay significantly without leading to more complications. Introduction of functional discharge criteria lowered the length of stay further without more complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responding to Desmond S. King and Rogers M. Smith's 2005 article, "Racial Orders in American Political Development" and new scholarship tracing racial fluidity, this article argues for an evolving "patchwork" of state and local legal-political formations regulating slavery and citizenship in the period 1790-1860. By 1840, this decentralized form of nation-building had generated six distinct regional orders from Upper New England to the Lower South. The patchwork was further complicated by three different versions of triracialism: a recognized "brown" mulatto caste in southern seaboard enclaves; dozens of local peoples ("triracial isolates") across the south and Mid-Atlantic, each claiming a peculiar identity other than black, white, or red; finally, that, with considerable regularity, white southerners recognized some people as "not-white" but also not-black. The essay concludes by arguing that, for African Americans, this exceptional heterogeneity provided multiple escape hatches from the subordination imposed by white supremacy, fostering a worldly politics that transcended all borders, local, state, and national. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To show up in an exercise activity a five-year-old mare was injured in left hind limb when being transferred by horse tow truck. Nevertheless, was carried to the sport club. The natural vital signs were recognized in physical examination. No weighing on injured limb was reported. In radiological evaluation the second and fourth proximal metatarsal fracture had been oblique and closed. No ligament and tendon damages were ever claimed through ultrasonography survey. A day after limb splinting and temporary plaster casting, through general anesthesia the plaster was taken off the damaged limb. For the second time, plastering the damaged limb was fulfilled, after 20 minutes' traction was applied. Plaster removing occurred after 8 weeks and the patient had no full weighing on involved limb with a moderate lameness as well. Thus the horse was recommended to meet physiotherapy with hoof trimming for 8 weeks. Perfect weighing with no lameness was reported after 16 weeks past from fracture occurrence. To fix a limb in splint bone fracture, plaster casting is an easy and more practical method for field condition, in comparison to others. To monitor the process of success, radiological evaluation is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Dimensional accuracy of impressions is crucial to the quality of fixed restorations. This accuracy can be highly affected by the type of core and impression materials. This study aimed to assess the effect of different core materials on dimensional accuracy of two silicone impression materials. Materials and Methods: In this in vitro study, three master core models were fabricated of amalgam, composite resin, and nickel--chromium. Of each model, 30 impressions were taken; 15 with additional and 15 with condensational silicone impression material. The accuracy of impressions of the three core materials was assessed by measuring two linear dimensions and one vertical dimension on the stone casts. Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed with two-way analysis of variance and Scheffe post hoc test (α = 0.05). Results: Accuracy of the three measured dimensions was significantly affected by both the impression and core materials (P < 0.05). Additional silicone was significantly more accurate in linear dimensions, and impressions of the amalgam core were significantly more accurate than other cores in linear dimensions. Conclusion: Additional silicone impression material had more detail reproduction, and the impressions of amalgam core were more accurate than the composite and nickel--chromium core materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) has published evidence-based guidelines on the prevention and management of diabetic foot disease since 1999. This guideline is on the use of offloading interventions to promote the healing of foot ulcers in people with diabetes and updates the previous IWGDF guideline. We followed the GRADE methodology to devise clinical questions and critically important outcomes in the PICO format, to conduct a systematic review of the medical-scientific literature, and to write recommendations and their rationale. The recommendations are based on the quality of evidence found in the systematic review, expert opinion where evidence was not available, and a weighing of the benefits and harms, patient preferences, feasibility and applicability, and costs related to the intervention. For healing a neuropathic plantar forefoot or midfoot ulcer in a person with diabetes, we recommend that a nonremovable knee-high offloading device is the first choice of offloading treatment. A removable knee-high and removable ankle-high offloading device are to be considered as the second- and third-choice offloading treatment, respectively, if contraindications or patient intolerance to nonremovable offloading exist. Appropriately, fitting footwear combined with felted foam can be considered as the fourth-choice offloading treatment. If non-surgical offloading fails, we recommend to consider surgical offloading interventions for healing metatarsal head and digital ulcers. We have added new recommendations for the use of offloading treatment for healing ulcers that are complicated with infection or ischaemia and for healing plantar heel ulcers. Offloading is arguably the most important of multiple interventions needed to heal a neuropathic plantar foot ulcer in a person with diabetes. Following these recommendations will help health care professionals and teams provide better care for diabetic patients who have a foot ulcer and are at risk for infection, hospitalization, and amputation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular and compound specific isotope compositions of apolar lipids were characterized in soil mesocosms incubated for 1 year with or without 13C-labelled plant residues and earthworms, in order to investigate, at the molecular scale, the effect of earthworms on the fate of organic matter (OM) in soils. Molecular and isotope composition of long chain alkanes in casts confirmed that earthworms preferentially ingest soil fractions rich in plant debris. Apolar lipid specific isotope composition allowed calculation of the proportion of carbon derived from the labelled residues (Clab). Casts displayed higher Clab values than surrounding soil while soil without earthworm exhibited intermediate Clab. The odd-over-even predominance (OEP) of alkanes suggested they are probably less degraded in casts than in the surrounding soil. Taken together, OEP and Clab values suggested that besides high incorporation of plant residues, earthworms may also favor the preservation of plant apolar lipids in their casts. Additionally, chain length and isotope pattern of alkanes further suggested root lipids were probably less degraded than shoot lipids. High 13C-incorporation level for the bacterial biomarker hopene provided evidence for intense recycling of plant OM and suggested further contribution of bacterial necromass to soil OM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presynaptic active zone cytomatrix proteins are essential elements of neurotransmitter release machinery that govern neural transmission. Among active zone proteins, cytomatrix at the active zone-associated structural protein (CAST) is known to regulate active zone size in retinal photoreceptors and neurotransmitter release by recruiting Ca2+ channels at various synapses. However, the role of ELKS—a protein from the same family as CAST—and the synergistic roles of CAST/ELKS have not been thoroughly investigated, particularly with regard to mouse behavior. Here, we generated ELKS conditional KO in mouse forebrain synapses by crossing ELKS flox mice with a CaMKII promoter-induced Cre line. Results showed that CAST is dominant at these synapses and that ELKS can support CAST function, but is less effective in the ELKS single KO. Pups of CAST/ELKS double KO in the forebrain were born in Mendelian rations but resulted in eventual death right after the birth. Anatomically, the forebrain neuronal compositions of CAST KO and CAST/ELKS double KO mice were indistinguishable, and the sensory neural network from whiskers on the face was identified as barrelette-like patches in the spinal trigeminal nucleus. Therefore, depletion of CAST and ELKS disrupts neurotransmission from sensory to motor networks, which can lead to deficits in exploration and failure to suckle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unconventional materials such as composite, ceramic and mineral materials can be used, along with other technical materials, in various fields of technology. The most diverse processes and technologies can be applied to them in order to obtain finished parts, thus reducing the consumption of expensive and deficient materials. Basalt, which belongs to the category of mineral materials, can be processed by melting and recrystallization, sintering or basaltization. As a result of these processes and processing technologies, basalt improves its main mechanical, physical and chemical characteristics, becoming resistant to temperatures between 4000 ... 6000C, mechanical shocks and corrosion. Under these conditions, basalt can also be used advantageously in the construction of the resistance structures of certain engines, especially for combustion chambers and nozzles, along with other materials already used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the application of restorations and fixed dental prostheses to molars by computer-aided design-computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) with composite resin has been increasing. Titanium and titanium alloy having a high tissue affinity and good biocompatibility are suitable for cases where CAD/CAM fabrications are inadequate, such as allergic reaction to metal. Many studies have reported methods of production with titanium and titanium alloys. The purpose of this review is to survey the clinical application of titanium and titanium alloy restorations and fixed dental prostheses with various fabrication systems. A literature search in PubMed was performed for various fabrication systems of titanium and titanium alloy from 2010 through 2019. The search keywords were "titanium", "titanium alloy", "CAD/CAM", "cast", "fabrication system", "marginal gap", "internal gap", and "clinical performance". Only relevant studies are summarized and discussed in this review. With any fabrication system, titanium and titanium alloy restorations and fixed dental prostheses fabricated with various systems were within the clinically acceptable ranges of marginal gap and internal fit. Additionally, these restorations were considered to have less effect on the periodontal issues. Although metal–ceramic restoration has clinical performance problems, such as ceramic fracture, fabrications with only titanium and titanium alloy were reported to have good clinical performance. Regardless of the fabrication system, titanium and titanium alloy restorations and fixed dental prostheses can be applied clinically. Titanium and titanium alloys are thought to be a promising alternative to the dental metals currently used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The elevation of the plantar loading has been implicated in the etiology of plantar foot ulceration in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) and peripheral neuropathy. Many strategies are used to reduce this load which are regarded as critical for ulceration healing and commonly called offloading. Objective: The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of the use of a removable cast walker (RCW) in the healing of diabetic neuropathic planter foot ulcerations. Materials and Methods: Twenty-nine adult diabetic patients attending Al-Faiyha General Hospital, Basrah city in Iraq, participated in this cross-sectional (randomized selection) prospective study between August 2014 and September 2015. We relied on clinical features for survey a diabetic neuropathy of affected foot and we proved the diagnosis by nerve conduction study. Assessment of vascularity was done clinically and by Doppler ultrasound study. Surgical debridement was done, and the participants were instructed to wear a RCW on the 2nd day post operation. Follow-up was performed weekly, and the outcome was assessed by complete wound healing. Results: Twenty-nine patients were included in our study and follow-up program. The mean duration of the neuropathic nonischemic ulcers was 7.1 ± 4.3 months. The healing rate was 62.5%, and we found that the total percentage of healing of the ulcers with 1A and 2A classes was 69.0% with a mean duration of 8.45 ± 2.2 weeks. In addition, we observed that the percentage of patients with diabetic neuropathic foot ulceration with an obvious forefoot deformity was 56.5% of all forefoot ulcers, with a healing rate of 76.9%, whereas those without an obvious foot deformity was 43.5% with a healing rate of 80%. Conclusion: RCW is an effective method in the treatment of diabetic neuropathic nonischemic foot ulceration. The healing rate of the ulceration by using this method of offloading mainly depends on the site of planter foot ulcer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To examine the influence of the accuracy of fit on mouthguard retention in relation to mouthguard outline location. Materials and Methods: Mouthguards were fabricated on a fully dentate maxillary cast with 4-mm-thick ethylene vinyl acetate sheets using a welldried cast (VD) and on a wet cast (VW) with a vacuum-forming machine. Mouthguards were also made with a pressure-forming machine (P). The mouthguard outline was set at 4 mm from the cervical margin (control, C), the palatal outline was set at the cervical margin (Pa), and the buccal outline was extended to the buccal fold (Bu). A dislodging force perpendicular to the occlusal plane was applied at the first molar on the universal testing machine. Results were analyzed using ANOVA with Scheffe's test (P < .05). Results: Using the VW, the retentive forces were statistically smaller at Pa compared to C or Bu (C: 58 ± 17 gf, Pa: 36 ± 7 gf, Bu: 50 ± 8 gf) (P < .05). There were no statistical differences between VD (C: 116 ± 27 gf, Pa: 86 ± 15 gf, Bu: 92 ± 7 gf and group P (C: 133 ± 31 gf, Pa: 139 ± 24 gf, Bu: 136 ± 17 gf). Conclusions: The results indicate that mouthguard retention is closely related to the accuracy of fit at the cervical undercut area rather than the outline location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Commercially pure Mg and Mg alloys melt were degassed by an ultrasonic method. • The acoustic cavitation plays an important role in the USD for molten Mg. • The computer tomography was used to study the porosity level for pure Mg alloys. • The increase in temperature does not always contribute to the degassing of the melt. This paper describes ultrasonic degassing (USD) in commercial pure magnesium (CP-Mg), AZ31 and AZ61 Mg alloy. In this study, the efficiency of degassing under different ultrasonic parameters is evaluated by porosity volume and computer tomography (CT), and the mechanism of USD is further discussed. The results indicate that ultrasonic power, processing time and melt temperature strongly affect the degassing efficiency. Under suitable ultrasonic conditions, USD is an efficient method to reduce porosity formation in CP-Mg and its alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Unmodified eutectic Si particles have diverse multi-faceted morphologies. • The transformation of eutectic Si particles has a morphological dependence. • The molecular dynamics simulation of solution treatment was carried out. The morphological features of unmodified eutectic Si microstructure before and after solution treatment were revealed by the deep etching technique with a hypoeutectic Al-Si casting alloy as the study material. Before the solution treatment, the unmodified eutectic Si particles showed multi-faceted morphological features such as sheet-like, parallel hexahedral, truncated pyramidal, triangular platelet-like, octahedral, etc. After the six-hour solution treatment, the eutectic Si particles exhibit non-faceted morphological features such as spheroidal, cylindrical, and edge rounding. In addition, the edge rounding transformation of the octahedral Si particle during the holding process of solution treatment is visualised in combination with the molecular dynamics simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Functionally graded unidirectionally solidified (FGDS) Al-33Cu eutectic alloy was produced. • The mean interlamellar spacing and the volume fraction of eutectic Al 2 Cu were controlled in centrifugal casting. • The hardness of FGDS Al-33Cu eutectic alloy gradually decreased from 183 HB to 155 HB in 75 mm section length. To produce a functionally graded and directionally solidified (FGDS) structure, an Al-33Cu eutectic alloy has been centrifugally cast into a bar-shaped steel mold using a vacuum centrifugal casting system. Uni-dimensional cooling was performed to obtain directional solidification. Microstructural characterizations were carried out on the longitudinally sectioned cast bar along the solidification direction. Results showed that the Al 2 Cu eutectic lamellar spacing varied between 0.32 µm and 1 µm from the outer region to the inner region of the cast bars along a 75 mm distance. Centrifugal casting has resulted in microsegregation of copper concentration in a range between 55.8 % and 53.9 % from the outer region to the inner region, respectively. Similarly, the volume fraction of the Al 2 Cu eutectic has also varied between 45.3 % and 53.7 %. This leads to a significant variation in the hardness of the FGDS Al-33Cu eutectic alloy from 183 HB to 155 HB from the outer region towards the inner region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new casting method for processing copper alloy bonding wires was proposed. The microstructure evolution process of melt-extracted copper alloy wires was analyzed. The causes of the formation of non-uniform microstructures were analyzed. [Display omitted] Copper alloy wires are regarded as essential for bonding in semiconductor packaging. However, the existing single-crystal copper wires are susceptible to oxidize, resulting in connection failure. And the current production process of multi-pass cold-drawing is complicated. In this study, nickel-aluminum-bronze (NAB) alloy wires by the melt-extracted method were investigated to avoid the problems mentioned above. The results showed that the microstructure of the copper alloy wire differs depending on the region. The nano-Ni 3 Al phase precipitates on the lath martensitic β' phase in the concave area, while the interior of the copper alloy wires contains a large number of reflection-twin of the β' phase. As the melt-extracted process continues, the cooling speed increases until the formation of the stable lamellar α w + β' structure. These results will shed new light on the formation mechanism of copper alloy bonding wires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Borides have been found to play a significant role in determining the mechanical properties of cast TiAl alloys. In order to investigate the influence of cooling rate on the morphology and structure of borides, SEM and HRTEM techniques were utilized to analyze borides in Ti-43Al-4 Nb-1Mo-0.5B (at%) cast plates with varying thicknesses. A higher cooling rate was observed to result in the formation of elongated, curvy borides with high aspect ratios, increased planar faults, and complex structures consisting of a combination of B2 phase and various boride phases. Conversely, a slower cooling rate yielded shorter bar-shaped borides with fewer planar faults. This variation in boride morphology can be attributed to the differing thicknesses of the solute-rich layer, where the eutectic reaction occurs, at the solidification front during fast and slow cooling processes. The B f -TiB with a habit plane of (010) was identified as the dominant phase at all cooling rates. Borides in the [100] and [001] directions demonstrated a faster growth rate compared to those in the [010] direction. Additionally, HRTEM results indicated the presence of TiB 2 while Ti 3 B 4 was absent. This can be explained by the limited phase region of Ti 3 B 4 in both the binary Ti-B and ternary Ti-Al-B phase diagrams, which is the smallest among all phases. These findings enhance the understanding of how cooling rate influences the morphology and structure of borides in TiAl alloys, thus providing insights for optimizing alloy design and manufacturing processes. [Display omitted] • Borides varied from long curvy to short bar with decreasing cooling rate. • Borides in TNM-0.5B alloy mainly consist of Bf-TiB and B2. • Change of the solute-rich layer thickness causes variation of boride morphologies. • Existence of TiB2 confirms the peritectic reaction between varied boride phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A third of all fractures in childhood occur at the wrist level due to falling on an open hand. Torus fractures without separation in the cortex in which integrity is not disturbed result from thick periost and bone elasticity in children. Several studies have shown that in torus fractures, plaster immobilization and long-term follow-up are not necessary. This study aims to draw attention to unnecessary long-term immobilization, labor loss, and radiation exposure in distal radius torus fractures. It was found that patients admitted to the emergency room, between January 2019 and April 2020, with upper extremity trauma had torus fractures overlooked by retrospective x-ray examinations. Age, gender, the affected side, pain, function, and complications of patients with distal radius torus fractures were recorded by phone or face-to-face interviews. Of the 111 patients in the study, 20 (18.0%) stated that they re-admitted to the hospital due to pain and 6 (5.4%) due to joint mobility limitations. It was observed that all of the patients who were re-admitted to the hospital were evaluated by repetition of x-ray examinations, and a long arm splint was applied to all of them. It was understood that none of the remaining 85 patients were admitted to the hospital again for this reason, and none of them completed this healing process without using plaster-splint without limiting their functionality. None of the patients had pain and loss of function big enough to affect their daily activities. None of the 111 patients who were able to come for re-examination had joint movement loss, elastic deformation, and cosmetic defects. No patient was asked to have an x-ray again because it would be unnecessary. Long-term immobilization, circular plaster application, and serial x-ray controls constitute unnecessary loss of labor and patient exposure in distal radius torus fractures. Treatment of distal radius torus fractures that do not have a heavy load exposure, such as lower extremity, should be done with elastic bandages with short-term follow-up and by addressing the concerns of the patient's family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In this study, we compared the results of bandaging and casting in patients with first- and second-degree sprain of lateral ankle ligaments. Methods: The was a randomized clinical trial study on 88 patients with ankle sprain referring to Alzahra hospital, Isfahan City, Iran, during 2015-2016; all of them met inclusion criteria. We then recorded the data by case-taking and examination based on the prepared checklist. Patients were randomly divided into two groups receiving early mobilization and cast immobilization, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and statistical tests using SPSS software at the significance level of P < 0.05. Findings: After two weeks, mean pain was reduced in the first group (31.2 ± 1.2) compared to the second group (48.6 ± 2.4), showing a significant difference (P < 0.05). Average range of motion in the ankle was 28.08 ± 1.20 in the first and 21.30 ± 2.10 in the second group after two weeks, indicating a significant increase in the first group as compared to the second one (P < 0.05). Conclusion: In the first- and second-degree sprain of lateral ankle ligaments, bandaging performs better than casting in decreasing pain and swelling and improving the range of motion of the joint.

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between some genotypic characteristics of purebred Turkish Grey Cattle (TGC) and beef tenderness characteristics. There is a linear relationship between meat tenderness and the increasing calcium activity after slaughtering. Calpastatin (CAST) is a neutral protease inhibitor of Calpain (CAPN1) in mammalian tissues. The three polymorphic places in the CAST and the CAPN1 genes in cattle (UoG-CAST, CAPN1 316 and 4751) are known as the markers of beef quality. The relationship between the tenderness traits of the longissimus dorsi (LD) and the 3 beef quality markers (3 SNPs) in pure TGC have been investigated and discussed. PCR-RFLP and ARMS-PCR methods were utilized to identify the genotypes. In order to determine the water holding capacity (WHC), cooking loss (CL) and the shear force (SF), samples extracted from LD were probed. The average and standard error SF of a two-year-old TCG bred in extensive conditions was 4.339±0.217 kg for the heifers and 4.689±0.569 kg for bulls. Both alleles of the UoG-CAST (C/G), the CAPN1 316 (C/G) and the CAPN1 4751(C/T) polymorphisms in the samples were observed. The average SF of 3.943±0.441 kg/cm2, 4.537±1.666 kg, and 3.869 ±0.721 kg were used for the CAST-CC, the CAPN1 4751-CC and the CAPN1 316-GC, respectively in order to cut the muscle fibers of the genotypes that have a positive effect on tenderness. No cattle of the CAPN1 316-CC genotype was identified among the samples. The average and standart error WHC, CL and SF values for the entire sample including heifers and bulls were found as 11.693±0.761%, 26.952±0.636%, and 4.483±0.252 kg, respectively. In conclusion, the presence of genetic variation in specific SNP markers of beef tenderness in purebred TGC can contribute to the process of raising TGC with more tender meat.