Demineralized dentin matrix promotes gingival healing in alveolar ridge preservation of premolars extracted for orthodontic reason: a split-mouth study

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the efficacy of a demineralized dentin matrix (DDM) in decreasing the initial inflammatory response of the gingiva and facilitating the repair and regeneration of soft tissue in alveolar ridge preservation.MethodsThis clinical study employed a split-mouth design. Fourteen patients with a total of forty-four sites underwent extraction and alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) procedures. A Bilaterally symmetrical extraction operation were conducted on the premolars of each patient. The experimental group received DDM as a graft material for ARP, while the control group underwent natural healing. Within the first month postoperatively, the pain condition, color, and swelling status of the extraction sites were initially assessed at different time points Subsequently, measurements were taken for buccal gingival margin height, buccal-lingual width, extraction socket contour, and the extraction socket area and healing rate were digitally measured. Additionally, Alcian Blue staining was used for histological evaluation of the content during alveolar socket healing.ResultsBoth groups experienced uneventful healing, with no adverse reactions observed at any of the extraction sites. The differences in VAS pain scores between the two groups postoperatively were not statistically significant. In the early stage of gingival tissue healing (3 days postoperatively), there were statistically significant differences in gingival condition and buccal gingival margin height between the two groups. In the later stage of gingival tissue healing (7, 14, and 30 days postoperatively), there were statistically significant differences in buccal-lingual width, extraction socket healing area, and healing rate between the two groups. Furthermore, the histological results from Alcian Blue staining suggested that the experimental group may play a significant role in promoting gingival tissue healing, possibly by regulating inflammatory responses when compared to the control group.ConclusionThe application of DDM in alveolar ridge preservation has been found to diminish initial gingival inflammation after tooth extraction. Additionally, it has shown the ability to accelerate early gingival soft tissue healing and preserve its anatomical contour.Clinical trial registrationchictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2100050650

Allometric Growth Patterns and Ontogenetic Development during Early Larval Stages of <i>Schizothorax waltoni</i> Regan and <i>Percocypris retrodorslis</i> in Southwest China

Due to a sharp decline in resources, Schizothorax waltoni Regan and Percocypris retrodorslis have been listed as wildlife under second-class protection in China. Under culture conditions, the early development and allometric growth patterns of S. waltoni and P. retrodorslis were researched from the hatching stage to 60 DPHs (days post-hatching), and a sampling of ten to fifteen larvae was made every day, followed by measurements with Axio Vision 4.8 software (Carl Zeiss AG, Jena, Germany). Morphological indicators included the anal fin length, the body depth, the body depth at the anus level, the caudal fin length, the dorsal fin length, the eye diameter, the head length, the head depth, the pectoral fin length, the tail length, the trunk length, the snout length, the total length, and the ventral fin length. Based on the morphology development of S. waltoni Regan and P. retrodorslis, four periods of larval growth were identified: pre-flexion larvae at 0–14 DPHs and 0–16 DPHs; flexion larvae at 14–23 DPHs and 16–26 DPHs, post-flexion larvae at 23–50 DPHs and 26–52 DPHs, and the juvenile stage. In newly hatched larvae, most organs and body parts were not differentiated, and they successively developed within 26 DPHs. The depletion of the yolk sac was observed at 23 DPHs and 25 DPHs. Allometric growth mainly occurs in the head and tail regions, indicating that body parts related to feeding and swimming behaviors were more important than the other parts. In addition, the growth pattern shows that the development of organs gives priority to the functions of gill respiration, sensation, exogenous feeding, and swimming. The inflection points of body part growth patterns only appeared before 40 DAH, so future studies should concentrate focus on developing the best feeding from the first feeding to 40 DAH. These outcomes were discussed with regard to the ontogeny of the functional morphology in relation to ecology and aquaculture. It is expected that this research can provide valuable perspectives in species conservation

WeChat-based health education to improve health knowledge in three major infectious diseases among residents: a multicentre case-controlled protocol

Introduction Health literacy (HL) in infectious diseases is inadequate in China. Since the first nationwide survey of HL conducted in China, great efforts have been made. However, the rate of HL in infectious diseases was 16.06% in 2017. In contrast, with an HL rate of 15.85% in 2008, no significant effect was observed over 10 years. With an increasing number of internet users, we aim to assess the effects of WeChat-based health education for the promotion of partial HL-health knowledge in infectious diseases.Methods and analysis A total of 2160 residents aged 15–69 years old will be enrolled in this study. The primary outcome measures will be the rate of health knowledge in infectious disease. The follow-up period is 3 years.Ethics and dissemination The study protocol was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University. The findings of this study will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal

Feeding habits of the cyprinidGymnocypris firmispinatusin the Anning River, China

The feeding habits and prey selection ofGymnocypris firmispinatusin the Anning River were investigated with respect to fish size, season and sex. Gut contents of 305 individuals ranging in size from 57 to 193 mm total length were analyzed, and 16.0% of the guts were found to be empty. The vacuity index indicated that the feeding intensity of the fish roughly followed a seasonal trend, with minimum food intake in winter. However, statistically insignificant variation in the vacuity index was observed between size classes and sexes. Overall, 46 prey taxa belonging to five orders (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Coleoptera and Diptera) were identified in the guts of 141 fish.G. firmispinatusfed almost exclusively on aquatic insects, of whichBaetissp. andSimuliumsp. were the predominant prey species, followed byDiamesasp. andGlossosomasp.G. firmispinatusis a generalist feeder that relies upon a wide trophic spectrum. The multivariate analysis revealed that fish size was the principal factor affecting diet. Small individuals fed primarily on small ephemeropteran larvae and dipteran larvae, whereas larger individuals preferably consumed bigger trichopteran larvae. In terms of its prey,G. firmispinatusshowed strong positive selection for dipteran larvae and trichopteran larvae, and negative selection for ephemeropteran larvae, plecopteran larvae and coleopteran larvae in all seasons. This study provides evidence that the observed diet ofG. firmispinatuscan be explained by prey selection rather than random feeding

Temperature-Resistant Intrinsic High Dielectric Constant Polyimides: More Flexibility of the Dipoles, Larger Permittivity of the Materials

High dielectric constant polymers have been widely studied and concerned in modern industry, and the induction of polar groups has been confirmed to be effective for high permittivity. However, the way of connection of polar groups with the polymer backbone and the mechanism of their effect on the dielectric properties are unclear and rarely reported. In this study, three polyimides (C0-SPI, C1-SPI, and C2-SPI) with the same rigid backbone and different linking groups to the dipoles were designed and synthesized. With their rigid structure, all of the polyimides show excellent thermal stability. With the increase in the flexibility of linking groups, the dielectric constant of C0-SPI, C1-SPI, and C2-SPI enhanced in turn, showing values of 5.6, 6.0, and 6.5 at 100 Hz, respectively. Further studies have shown that the flexibility of polar groups affected the dipole polarization, which was positively related to the dielectric constant. Based on their high permittivity and high temperature resistance, the polyimides exhibited outstanding energy storage capacity even at 200 &deg;C. This discovery reveals the behavior of the dipoles in polymers, providing an effective strategy for the design of high dielectric constant materials

Longitudinal patterns of fish assemblages in relation to environmental factors in the Anning River, China

In order to explore the spatial layout of fish assemblages and their related environmental factors, a survey of species composition was conducted in the Anning River. From 2018 to 2021, 28 sites at 987–2,077 m in altitude were surveyed, gathering 64 species in total, of which 60 were native and 4 were exotic. Fifteen of the species sampled were indigenous to the upper Yangtze River, and two were classified as critically endangered or endangered. Fish communities displayed significant upstream-to-downstream variation. There are two site-groups, one covering upstream and tributaries and the other covering midstream and downstream. The upstream-tributary fish assemblages had a dominance of Nemacheilidae and Schizothoracinae, which are plateau species with habitat preferences for boulders and fast-flowing water. Conversely, the mid-downstream fish assemblages had a dominance of Gobioninae, Cyprininae, Bagridae and Siluridae, which are common river species that prefer slow-flowing water. The spatial patterns of these fish communities were chiefly affected by altitude and substratum composition. The fish assemblage pattern was consistent with the zonation concept because the fish communities changed abruptly and clearly along the upstream–downstream axis. The findings of this study offer a crucial research foundation for comprehending the fish assemblages of mountainous rivers, which will be conducive to biodiversity management and habitat preservation of aquatic species