Integrirana geomorfološka analiza prednostnega habitata sredozemskega občasnega ribnika: vrtača Lago del Capraro (polotok Salento, Italija)

The Lago del Capraro doline (Salento peninsula, southern Italy), a valuable Mediterranean Temporary Pond (MTP), has been investigated aiming to define its geomorphological features and to collect data about the local hydraulic regime. At the bottom of the Lago del Capraro doline, in fact, a small temporary pond appears soon after major precipitation events as that one of autumn 2013. The morphological survey shows that this solution doline is placed on a karst plain surface stretching at about 70 m of altitude; the doline has an elliptical shape with the major axis 130 m long whereas the length of the minor axis is about 100 m. It shows a flat bottom, placed at about 65 m above m.s.l., due to the presence of a colluvial sandy clays filling, bordered by steep limestone slopes about 5 m high. Geophysical surveys and a cone dynamic penetrometer test allowed a detailed geological model to be realized. In particular, ERT and seismic refraction models revealed the geometry and the thickness of doline filling deposits as well as the preferential infiltration zones of surface waters. Interestingly, the cone penetrometer test reveals that resistance decreases downward in the filling lower part, most likely because of the active solution process at the doline bottom. The results of this study suggest an increase of surface water infiltration at doline bottom in the next future so that the development of a pond will be an increasingly rare event, partly compensated by the clustering of rainy periods during autumn months as expected in the future by climate models.Cilj raziskovanja vrtače Lago del Capraro (polotok Salento, južna Italija), dragocenega sredozemskega občasnega ribnika, je bil opredeliti njene geomorfološke značilnosti in zbrati podatke o lokalnem vodnem režimu. Na dnu vrtače Lago del Capraro kmalu po večjih padavinah, kot so bile jeseni 2013, nastane majhen začasni bazen. Iz morfološke raziskave je razvidno, da je ta vrtača na površini kraškega ravnika, ki se razteza na približno 70 m nadmorske višine, vrtača ima eliptično obliko, njena glavna os meri 130 m, krajša os pa meri približno 100 m. Ima ravno dno, ta je na približno 65 m nadmorske višine in ga tvori koluvialni nanos peščene gline, nad njim pa se vzpenjajo strma apnenčasta pobočja, visoka približno 5 m. Geofizikalne raziskave in preiskava z dinamičnim konusnim penetrometrom so omogočile izdelavo podrobnega geološkega modela. Natančneje, geoelektrična tomografija in seizmična refrakcija sta razkrili geometrijo in debelino sedimentov vrtače ter prednostna območja infiltracije površinskih voda. Zanimivo je, da preiskava s konusnim penetrometrom razkriva, da se mehanska odpornost v spodnjem delu nanosa zmanjšuje navzdol, najverjetneje zaradi aktivnega procesa raztapljanja na dnu vrtače. Rezultati te študije kažejo, da se bo v prihodnje povečala infiltracija površinskih voda na dnu vrtače, tako da bo pojav ujete vode vse redkejši dogodek, tega bo delno nadomestilo združevanje deževnih obdobij v jesenskih mesecih, kot se v prihodnosti pričakuje na podlagi podnebnih modelov

In Situ Growth of Mg-Fe Layered Double Hydroxides (LDH) Film on Titanium Dental Implant Substrates for pH Regulation in Oral Environments

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) consist of two-dimensional, positively charged lamellar structures with the ability to host various anions in the interlayer spaces, which grants them unique properties and tunable characteristics. LDHs, a class of versatile inorganic compounds, have recently emerged as promising candidates for enhancing osseointegration. A suitable alkaline microenvironment is thought to be beneficial for stimulating osteoblasts’ differentiation (responsible for bone matrix formation) while suppressing osteoclast generation (responsible for bone matrix disintegration). LDHs are prone to adjusting their alkalinity and thus offering us the chance to study how pH affects cellular behavior. LDHs can indeed modulate the local pH, inflammatory responses, and oxidative stress levels, factors that profoundly influence the behavior of osteogenic cells and their interactions with the implant surface. Herein, we deposited Mg–Fe LDH films on titanium substrates for dental implants. The modified Ti substrates was more alkaline in comparison to the bare ones, with a pH higher than 8 after hydrolysis in an aqueous environment

Hybrid Funnel Technique: A Novel Approach for Implant Site Preparation: A Pilot Study.

(1) Background: Different techniques and tools have been developed for implant site preparation. In this clinical scenario, Hybrid Funnel Technique (HFT), a novel osteotomy procedure, has been proposed. (2) Aim: The aim of this retrospective observational study was to consider the different responses to compression of the histological bony compartments (cancellus and cortical). HFT involves the use of multiple drills for the cortical layer preparation and of an osteotome for the osteocompaction of the cancellous bone. (3) Materials and Methods: Following computer-supported implant planning and guided surgery, 10 osteotomies with HFT were performed and 10 implants with the same length and diameter were placed in seven healthy and no daily smoking patients. Periapical X-ray and intraoral photographs were performed at baseline and after 12 months of follow-up to evaluate marginal bone level (MBL) changes and aesthetic results obtained from implant prosthetic rehabilitation. (4) Results: At 1 year of follow-up, 100% of the implants were successfully integrated, MBL change mean value was 0.17 mm ± 0.21. No differences in terms of MBL were noted between thin and thick biotypes. Pink esthetic score (PES) and white esthetic score (WES), assessed one year after definitive restoration placement, were 7.5 ± 2.3 and 8.5 ± 1.1, respectively. (5) Conclusions: Based on the findings of this preliminary clinical study, HFT has led to stability of peri-implant tissues and could represent a reliable technique for surgical preparation of the implant site

Facial scanning technologies in the era of digital workflow: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

PURPOSE The aim of this network meta-analysis is to evaluate the accuracy of various face-scanning technologies in the market, with respect to the different dimensions of space (x, y, and z axes). Furthermore, attention will be paid to the type of technologies currently used and to the best practices for high-quality scan acquisition. MATERIAL AND METHODS The review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines and its updates. A thorough search was performed using the digital databases MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials by entering research lines or various combinations of free words. The main keywords used during the search process were "photogrammetry", "laser scanner", "optical scanner", "3D, and "face". RESULTS None of the included technologies significantly deviated from direct anthropometry. The obtained mean differences in the distances between the considered landmarks range from 1.10 to -1.74 mm. CONCLUSION Limiting the movements of the patient and scanner allows for more accurate facial scans with all the technologies involved. Active technologies such as laser scanners (LS), structured light (SL), and infrared structured light (ISL) have accuracy comparable to that of static stereophotogrammetry while being more cost-effective and less time-consuming

Analysis of the common genetic component of large-vessel vasculitides through a meta- Immunochip strategy

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu's arteritis (TAK) are major forms of large-vessel vasculitis (LVV) that share clinical features. To evaluate their genetic similarities, we analysed Immunochip genotyping data from 1,434 LVV patients and 3,814 unaffected controls. Genetic pleiotropy was also estimated. The HLA region harboured the main disease-specific associations. GCA was mostly associated with class II genes (HLA-DRB1/HLA-DQA1) whereas TAK was mostly associated with class I genes (HLA-B/MICA). Both the statistical significance and effect size of the HLA signals were considerably reduced in the cross-disease meta-analysis in comparison with the analysis of GCA and TAK separately. Consequently, no significant genetic correlation between these two diseases was observed when HLA variants were tested. Outside the HLA region, only one polymorphism located nearby the IL12B gene surpassed the study-wide significance threshold in the meta-analysis of the discovery datasets (rs755374, P?=?7.54E-07; ORGCA?=?1.19, ORTAK?=?1.50). This marker was confirmed as novel GCA risk factor using four additional cohorts (PGCA?=?5.52E-04, ORGCA?=?1.16). Taken together, our results provide evidence of strong genetic differences between GCA and TAK in the HLA. Outside this region, common susceptibility factors were suggested, especially within the IL12B locus

A Large-Scale Genetic Analysis Reveals a Strong Contribution of the HLA Class II Region to Giant Cell Arteritis Susceptibility

We conducted a large-scale genetic analysis on giant cell arteritis (GCA), a polygenic immune-mediated vasculitis. A case-control cohort, comprising 1,651 case subjects with GCA and 15,306 unrelated control subjects from six different countries of European ancestry, was genotyped by the Immunochip array. We also imputed HLA data with a previously validated imputation method to perform a more comprehensive analysis of this genomic region. The strongest association signals were observed in the HLA region, with rs477515 representing the highest peak (p = 4.05 × 10−40, OR = 1.73). A multivariate model including class II amino acids of HLA-DRβ1 and HLA-DQα1 and one class I amino acid of HLA-B explained most of the HLA association with GCA, consistent with previously reported associations of classical HLA alleles like HLA-DRB1∗04. An omnibus test on polymorphic amino acid positions highlighted DRβ1 13 (p = 4.08 × 10−43) and HLA-DQα1 47 (p = 4.02 × 10−46), 56, and 76 (both p = 1.84 × 10−45) as relevant positions for disease susceptibility. Outside the HLA region, the most significant loci included PTPN22 (rs2476601, p = 1.73 × 10−6, OR = 1.38), LRRC32 (rs10160518, p = 4.39 × 10−6, OR = 1.20), and REL (rs115674477, p = 1.10 × 10−5, OR = 1.63). Our study provides evidence of a strong contribution of HLA class I and II molecules to susceptibility to GCA. In the non-HLA region, we confirmed a key role for the functional PTPN22 rs2476601 variant and proposed other putative risk loci for GCA involved in Th1, Th17, and Treg cell function

Clinical Outcome of Fully Digital Workflow for Single-Implant-Supported Crowns: A Retrospective Clinical Study

A digital workflow by means of intraoral scanners and computer tomography has been used in dental implantology, allowing clinicians to be potentially more accurate and precise. Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD-CAM) and 3D models facilitate the process from treatment planning to the surgical procedure, up to the implant placement and final prosthesis. The aim of the present retrospective study was to evaluate a fully digital workflow for single-tooth implant rehabilitation. A total of 19 patients (22 implants) were included in the present study, with a mean follow-up time of 2 years. A fully digital workflow was performed on each patient through the planning, design and printing of a surgical guide, following a digital impression made with an intraoral scanner, computer-tomography-guided implant placement and, finally, with the delivery of a CAD-CAM crown. The two-year follow-up results were satisfactory in terms of the aesthetic yield and precision of the prosthesis. In single-implant-supported restorations, due to digital protocols and digital planning, a reduced number of clinical sessions was registered and the treatment plan results were more predictable. Future studies are needed to understand the application of fully digital protocols in cases of partially or totally edentulous patients