Survey of electronic patient record systems in dental schools

Cork University Dental School & Hospital (CUDSH) is seeking to move from traditional Paper-Based Records (PBR) to an Electronic Patient Record (EPR). The objective of this study was to develop an online questionnaire for the worldwide distribution to Dental Schools to identify their choice of EPR with the anticipation of these data informing the EPR choice for CUDSH. A google forms questionnaire was developed for distribution by email. The questionnaire asked respondents to provide brief demographic details as well as their EPR and associated IT software choice of EPR. The questionnaire was piloted internally before being distributed. The distribution list derived from web searches of Dental Schools affiliated with IADR, Dental Schools Council (UK & Ireland) and through personal contacts. A total of 23 respondents completed the questionnaire and 7 used PBR only. The UK and Ireland formed the main geographical area within the EU and of 14 responses, only 6 EU institutes used an EPR with Salud (n=3; 50%) and Carestream R4 (n=3, 50%) equal in popularity. In North America (NA) there were 4 responses with all reporting the use of an EPR; Axium (n=3, 75%) and Epic (n=1, 25%). Other geographic areas included Africa (1), Asia (2), Oceania (1), and South America (1) who generally reported locally produced bespoke software packages or had PBR only, the exception being Singapore Dental School who use Titanium. Based on a small number of respondants, the most popular EPRs used in the EU (primarily UK and Ireland) are Salud and Carestream R4 and in NA is Axium. A large proportion of EU respondants remain using PBR with all NA respondants using an EPR. The diversity of the responses suggest that no single EPR provider has the IT solution to suit all Dental Schools/Hospitals and may reflect the requirement for further software development

Cuproptosis-Related lncRNA Gene Signature Establishes a Prognostic Model of Gastric Adenocarcinoma and Evaluate the Effect of Antineoplastic Drugs

Background: One of the most frequent malignancies of the digestive system is stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD). Recent research has demonstrated how cuproptosis (copper-dependent cell death) differs from other cell death mechanisms that were previously understood. Cuproptosis regulation in tumor cells could be a brand-new treatment strategy. Our goal was to create a cuproptosis-related lncRNA signature. Additionally, in order to evaluate the possible immunotherapeutic advantages and drug sensitivity, we attempted to study the association between these lncRNAs and the tumor immune microenvironment of STAD tumors. Methods: The TCGA database was accessed to download the RNA sequencing data, genetic mutations, and clinical profiles for TCGA STAD. To locate lncRNAs related to cuproptosis and build risk-prognosis models, three techniques were used: co-expression network analysis, Cox-regression techniques, and LASSO techniques. Additionally, an integrated methodology was used to validate the models’ predictive capabilities. Then, using GO and KEGG analysis, we discovered the variations in biological functions between each group. The link between the risk score and various medications for STAD treatment was estimated using the tumor mutational load (TMB) and tumor immune dysfunction and rejection (TIDE) scores. Result: We gathered 22 genes linked to cuproptosis based on the prior literature. Six lncRNAs related to cuproptosis were used to create a prognostic marker (AC016394.2, AC023511.1, AC147067.2, AL590705.3, HAGLR, and LINC01094). After that, the patients were split into high-risk and low-risk groups. A statistically significant difference in overall survival between the two groups was visible in the survival curves. The risk score was demonstrated to be an independent factor affecting the prognosis by both univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Different risk scores were substantially related to the various immunological states of STAD patients, as further evidenced by immune cell infiltration and ssGSEA analysis. The two groups had differing burdens of tumor mutations. In addition, immunotherapy was more effective for STAD patients in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group, and risk scores for STAD were substantially connected with medication sensitivity. Conclusions: We discovered a marker for six cuproptosis-associated lncRNAs linked to STAD as prognostic predictors, which may be useful biomarkers for risk stratification, evaluation of possible immunotherapy, and assessment of treatment sensitivity for STAD

Integrated Evaluation of the Water Deficit Irrigation Scheme of Indigowoad Root under Mulched Drip Irrigation in Arid Regions of Northwest China Based on the Improved TOPSIS Method

Limited water resources and low water productivity limit the sustainable development of agriculture in northwest China. In this study, drip irrigation under plastic film was used to achieve an optimal water deficit irrigation (WDI) scheme for the cultivation of indigowoad root (Isatis tinctoria L.). Field water control experiments were conducted in 2016 and 2017. Evaluation of WDI schemes was carried out by considering five indices: water consumption, yield, water use efficiency (WUE), indigo, and (R,S)-goitrin. To enhance the reliability of results, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and entropy weight method (EWM) were adopted to calculate the combined weight of the evaluation index. Finally, an improved technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) that integrated AHP–EWM weights was used to construct a unified, comprehensive evaluation model of indigowoad root under mulched drip irrigation that would produce high yield while saving water. The evaluation results indicated that mild WD (specifically, the V1G1 treatment) was continuously exerted during the vegetative and fleshy root growth periods, which enhanced the WUE and improved the quality of indigowoad root to a certain extent without significantly reducing the yield. These results provide a scientific basis for irrigation of indigowoad in northwest China and other areas with a similar environment

Analysis of Land Use Change Drivers and Simulation of Different Future Scenarios: Taking Shanxi Province of China as an Example

This study analyzed change and spatial patterns of land use in Shanxi from 2000 to 2020. The drivers of land use and cover change (LUCC) in cultivated lands, forest lands, grasslands, and rural construction areas were explored from four dimensions, including population, natural environment, location traffic, and economic development. The CA-Markov model was used to simulate the scenarios of natural growth (NG), ecological protection (EP), economic development (ED), food security (FS), ecological protection–economic development (EP-ED), and ecological protection–food security (EP-FS) in 2030. The results indicated that: (1) The conversion to built-up areas primarily dominated the LUCC processes, and their expansion was mainly to the detriment of the cultivated lands and grasslands during 2000–2020. (2) From 2000 to 2020, population, economy, and land productivity were the main factors of LUCC; the interaction of drivers for the increase of cultivated lands, forest lands, grasslands, and rural construction areas showed enhancement. (3) Under the NG, ED, and EP-ED scenarios, the rural construction areas would have increased significantly, while under the FS and EP-FS scenarios, the cultivated lands would only just have increased. These future land use scenarios can inform decision-makers to make sound decisions that balance socio-economic, ecological, and food security benefits

Economic Evaluation of Drought Resistance Measures for Maize Seed Production Based on TOPSIS Model and Combination Weighting Optimization

In order to optimize the appropriate drought resistance measures in the implementation of high-efficiency and intensive production of maize seed, in 2018 and 2019, maize cultivation experiments with different drought resistance measures were carried out in the arid area of northwest China, including water retention agent (SA), white plastic film mulch (WF), black plastic film mulch (BF), straw mulch (SM), and open ground flat seed as control (CK). A total of five treatments were conducted. Ten specific indicators contained four types of attributes, namely the yield, quality, water use efficiency (WUE), and economic benefit of maize seed production, aimed at constructing a multilevel evaluation system. To improve the reliability of evaluation results, subjective and objective weights of indexes were calculated using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and entropy weight method (EWM), respectively. Then, based on the integrated weighting method of game theory (GT), the combined weights of subjective and objective unity were obtained. Finally, with the help of the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), a comprehensive benefit evaluation model was established to screen out the optimal drought resistance measures. Compared with CK, different drought resistance measures significantly improved the grain quality of seeds-production corn, and the average annual yield and WUE of black and white film treatments were improved by 49.57% and 42.97% and by 65.67% and 58.21%, respectively. This proved that black film mulching (BF) could significantly increase the yield and WUE of maize seed production and effectively improve grain quality, which could be used as the best drought-resistant cultivation mode for maize seed planting in Hexi and similar areas

Photosynthetic Characteristics and Yield Response of Isatis indigotica to Regulated Deficit Irrigation in a Cold and Arid Environment

Water resource scarcity is an important factor restricting the sustainable development of agriculture in Northwest China. Regulated deficit irrigation can conserve water while maintaining high crop yields. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of regulated deficit irrigation on the photosynthetic characteristics, yield, and water use efficiency of woad (Isatis indigotica) under mulched drip irrigation from 2017 to 2019 in a cold and arid area of the Hexi Oasis irrigation region, China. Sufficient water was supplied during the seedling stage. The control consisted of adequate water supplied during the other growth stages, whereas mild, moderate, and severe water deficits were imposed during the vegetative growth period, and a mild and moderate water deficit was imposed during the fleshy root growth stage. A mild water deficit was imposed during the fleshy root maturity period. The results showed that the net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance under moderate and severe water deficit were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased compared with the control, respectively, during the vegetative growth period. The economic yield of mild water deficit during the vegetative growth and mild water deficit during the vegetative growth and fleshy root growth did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) from that of the control. Other treatments caused a 6.74–17.74% reduction in the economic yield of woad. The water use efficiency and irrigation water use efficiency were the highest in the mild water deficit during the vegetative growth period and the fleshy root growth period. Therefore, the application of a continuous mild deficit from the vegetative growth stage to the fleshy root growth stage with sufficient water supplied during other growth periods is recommended as the optimal irrigation regime for maximum yield, water use efficiency, and water-saving of woad

Photosynthetic Characteristics and Yield Response of <i>Isatis indigotica</i> to Regulated Deficit Irrigation in a Cold and Arid Environment

Water resource scarcity is an important factor restricting the sustainable development of agriculture in Northwest China. Regulated deficit irrigation can conserve water while maintaining high crop yields. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of regulated deficit irrigation on the photosynthetic characteristics, yield, and water use efficiency of woad (Isatis indigotica) under mulched drip irrigation from 2017 to 2019 in a cold and arid area of the Hexi Oasis irrigation region, China. Sufficient water was supplied during the seedling stage. The control consisted of adequate water supplied during the other growth stages, whereas mild, moderate, and severe water deficits were imposed during the vegetative growth period, and a mild and moderate water deficit was imposed during the fleshy root growth stage. A mild water deficit was imposed during the fleshy root maturity period. The results showed that the net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance under moderate and severe water deficit were significantly (p p > 0.05) from that of the control. Other treatments caused a 6.74–17.74% reduction in the economic yield of woad. The water use efficiency and irrigation water use efficiency were the highest in the mild water deficit during the vegetative growth period and the fleshy root growth period. Therefore, the application of a continuous mild deficit from the vegetative growth stage to the fleshy root growth stage with sufficient water supplied during other growth periods is recommended as the optimal irrigation regime for maximum yield, water use efficiency, and water-saving of woad

Postharvest residual soil nutrients and yield of spring wheat under water deficit in arid northwest China

In areas where two crops are grown per year or three crops every 2 years, the status of residual soil nutrients after the harvest of the first crop is critical to the crop to be grown immediately after, while the postharvest soil nutrient status can be influenced by irrigation applied to the test crop. This study determined the effect of various soil water treatments applied to the test crop on the status of postharvest residual soil nutrient pools in an arid environment. Spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was grown as test crop under conditions of full- (as control), high-, moderate-, and low-water conditions during jointing, booting-heading, and grain filling stages, in 2003 and 2004. Compared to the control, grain yield and water use efficiency (WUE) were significantly increased by subjecting the wheat crop to moderate-water conditions during various growth stages, and low-water conditions at jointing stage in both years. Soil C at harvest decreased linearly with increased grain yield of the test crop. Moderate- to high-water conditions during jointing stage resulted in 12-24% greater soil C in the top 40cm depth in 2003, with a marginal difference in 2004. Water treatments impacted the status of residual soil nutrients in 2003; soil total N and available soil P in the top 40cm depth were significantly higher in low- to moderate-water treatments compared to the control, while in 2004 significantly higher total N and P, available N, P and K were found only in the top 20cm depth. Increased yield of wheat test crop with moderate-water resulted in increased postharvest residual soil nutrients, whereas the ratios of C/N, C/P, and C/K were largely influenced by years and were less related to water treatments. We conclude that the determination of postharvest soil C and nutrient elements may provide useful information in monitoring potential changes of soil nutrient status over time in the intensified cropping systems, and that the recommendation of fertilization for the crop to be grown immediately following the first crop can be established by simply analyzing the productivity of the first crop without intensive measurements of soil nutrients.Water availability Spring wheat Soil organic C Residual soil nutrients Growth stages C/N ratio