Plant Diversity in an Intensively Cultivated Vineyard Agroecosystem (Langhe, North-West Italy)

In areas of intensive agriculture, wild plant species are confined to field margins, thus they play a role inprotecting biodiversity. The aim of the present study was to assess plant diversity in an area of intensiveviticulture and to evaluate, for the first time, the impact of field margins on vineyard flora biodiversity. Thestudy was conducted in North-West Italy, were five categories of floristic lists in vineyard-margin pairs weresampled and compared. Five margins were identified: grass-covered (A) and bare (B) headlands, small (C)and wide (D) woodlands, and shrub and herbaceous (E) areas. Two hundred and fifty-two taxa were found,although only 19 were widespread. Differences among categories emerged, highlighting the high floristiccomplexity of the sites surrounded by wide wooded areas (D). The findings suggest an influence of marginsize, in addition to margin type, on the floristic richness of the vineyard. Moreover, an inverse relationshipbetween species richness and both the presence of Poaceae and the degree of soil grass coverage emerged.Enhancing biodiversity, at landscape and field level, by the appropriate management of cover crops andecological infrastructures, within and around vineyards, could be a strategy in sustainable viticulture.The increase in plant species richness is not an end in itself, but it might help to promote biodiversity atdifferent trophic levels

Influence of heat-treatment on torsional resistance to fracture of Nickel-Titanium endodontic instruments

AbstractOver the past 3 decades, Nickel-Titanium (NiTi) instruments have become an important part of the armamentarium for shaping phase of root canal treatment. NiTi endodontic files have increased flexibility and strength compared with stainless steel instruments, but they seem to be vulnerable to fracture in clinical situations. Many variables might contribute to file separation, but the 2 main causes are cyclic fatigue and torsional stress. Heat treatment (thermal processing) is one of the most fundamental approaches toward adjusting the transition temperatures of NiTi alloys and affecting the fatigue and torsional resistance of NiTi endodontic files. In recent years, novel thermo-mechanical processing and manufacturing technologies such as controlled memory wire (CM-wire), M-Wire and electrical discharge machining (EDM) have been developed to optimize the microstructure of NiTi alloys and their mechanical properties. Aim of this work was to investigate the torsional resistance (maximum torque load, and angular rotation) of NiTi instruments made by different thermo-mechanical and manufacturing processes.One-hundred new Hyflex EDM One- File (#25/0.08, CM-wire and EDM process), WaveOne Primary (#25/0.08, M-wire), ProTaper Next X2 (#25/0.06, M-wire), Hyflex CM (#25/0.06, CM-wire) and F6 SkyTaper(#25/0.06, conventional NiTi) files were used. Torque and angle of rotation at failure of new instruments (n = 20) were measured using a torsiometer according to ISO 3630-1 for each brand. Data were analyzed using the analysis of variance test and the Student- Newman-Keuls test for multiple comparisons. The fracture surface of each fragment was examined with a scanning electron microscope.Files made by CM wire size #25, 0.06 taper (Hyflex CM) showed same torque load and angular rotation to fracture than conventional NiTi (F6 SkyTaper) (P > .05); instead CM files (manufacturing by grinding or EDM process) recorded lower maximum torque load (P .05) but significantly higher angular rotation (P < .05) to fracture than M-wire instruments size #25, 0.06 taper (ProTaper Next).Hyflex EDM One-File and Hyflex CM have same torque load and angular rotation to fracture than F6 SkyTaper due to the higher flexibility and cross-sectional area of CM files tested than conventional NiTi one.Moreover CM files showed lower torque load and higher angular rotation to fracture than M-wire instruments due to the flexibility of CM alloy. M-wire instruments showed same torque load but significantly lower angular rotation than conventional NiTi files due to the same flexibility and higher cross-sectional area of the files tested

Normotensive offspring with non-dipper hypertensive parents have abnormal sleep pattern.

The objective of this study was to determine whether abnormal microstructure of sleep in non-dipper hypertensive patients was present in their offspring. Subjects included 11 normotensive offspring of non-dipper hypertensive parents (FH + ND), 6 of dipper hypertensive parents (FH + D) and 5 of normotensive parents (Controls). We measured blood pressure beat-to-beat by Finapres and all stages of sleep by polysomnographically recording simultaneously during spontaneous nocturnal sleep. We analysed blood pressure pattern for 4-min long random periods while the subjects were awake and during all stages of sleep; sleep efficiency (SE), sleep latency (SL), delta-sleep latency (delta-SL), REM sleep latency (REM-SL), Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4 and REM duration and percentage values, and microstructural aspects of sleep (arousal and microarousal temporization and features). FH + D and controls showed a fall in blood pressure greater than 10% in all stages of NREM sleep and in the FH + ND blood pressure fall in less than 10% of waking values in all NREM stages. REM sleep and heart rate were similar in the three groups during all stages of sleep. FH + ND showed the same number of arousals but more microarousals than FH + D and controls (p < 0.0001). Microarousals induced several stage shifts through lighter sleep. For this reason, FH + ND spent more time in stage 2 than FH + D and controls. In conclusion, offspring of non-dipper hypertension parents showed a greater number of microarousals than the other two groups

Application of Tribology Concept in Dental Composites Field: A Scoping Review

Tribology is the discipline concerning the application of friction, lubrication, and wear concepts of interacting surfaces in relative motion. A growing interest has developed in tribology application in medical biomaterials, such as resin composites used in restorative dentistry. Yet, the keywords “tribology” and “biotribology” are little applied in the pertinent publications. The aim of this scoping review was to offer an overview of tribology application in dental composites research and to identify knowledge gaps and address future research. A literature search was conducted on Pubmed and Scopus databases and the studies investigating the tribological behavior of resin composites were included for qualitative synthesis. The majority of studies on dental tribology were published in the research areas of mechanical engineering/nanotechnology and differed in several methodological aspects. The preponderant engineering approach and the lack of standardized testing make the laboratory findings poorly informative for clinicians. Future research should focus on the tribological behavior of dental materials composites by means of an integrated approach, i.e., engineering and clinical, for improving development and advancement in this field of research

Influence of NiTi wire diameter on cyclic and torsional fatigue resistance of different heat-treated endodontic instruments

We compared the mechanical properties of 2Shape mini TS2 (Micro-Mega, Besançon, France) obtained from 1.0 diameter nickel-titanium (NiTi) wires and 2Shape TS2 from 1.2 diameter nickel-titanium (NiTi) wires differently thermally treated at room and body temperature. We used 120 NiTi TS2 1.0 and TS2 1.2 files made from controlled memory (CM) wire and T-wire (n = 10). Cyclic fatigue resistance was tested by recording the number of cycles to fracture (NCF) at room and body temperatures using a customized testing device. Maximum torque and angle of rotation at failure were recorded, according to ISO 3630-1. Data were analyzed by a two-way ANOVA (p &lt; 0.05). The CM-wire files had significantly higher NCFs at both temperatures, independent of wire dimensions. Testing at body temperature negatively affected cyclic fatigue of all files. The 1.0-mm diameter T-wire instruments showed higher NCF than the 1.2-mm diameter, whereas no significant differences emerged between the two CM wires at either temperature. The maximum torque was not significantly different across files. The TS2 CM-wire files showed significantly higher angular rotation to fracture than T-wire files. The TS2 CM-wire prototypes showed higher cyclic fatigue resistance than T-wire prototypes, regardless of wire size, exhibiting suitable torsional properties. Torsional behavior appears to not be affected by NiTi wire size

Comparative evaluation of the penetration depth into dentinal tubules of three endodontic irrigants

This study aimed to examine the penetration depth into dentinal tubules of some chelating agents. The 17% EDTA and two preparations containing surfactants (Smear Clear, Bioakt Endo) were tested. Surface tension and liquid viscosity were measured using a Dynamic Contact Angle Analyzer and a Haake rotational rheometer. To measure the penetration depth inside dentinal tubules, thirty maxillary central incisors were selected from a pool of extracted human permanent teeth and allocated to three experimental groups (10 samples each), as well as were mechanically shaped and cleansed with 5.25% NaOCl, followed by each of the chelators being labeled with 0.1 wt % Rhodamine B according to final irrigation protocol established. The samples were embedded in an epoxy resin, after which 200 μm thick transverse sections were obtained at 2, 5, and 8 mm from the apex with a saw microtome. The specimens were then observed using a confocal laser microscope (CLSM) and the penetration of the labeled solution was measured in every third of each sample. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA or Kruskal–Wallis tests according to the distribution of data, evaluated with the Shapiro–Wilk normality test. Viscosity and surface tension tests have shown that BioAKT Endo has the lowest values compared to EDTA and Smear Clear. The medium penetration depth did not significantly differ among the three irrigants, while it increased considerably from the apical to the coronal level in all groups. Additionally, the maximum penetration depth increased significantly from the apical to coronal level, while among groups, BioAKT Endo showed the highest values at the apical and middle level compared to the other irrigants. No significant differences were observed among the three groups in medium and maximum penetration depths when the entire root was considered. New irrigants containing surfactants show reduced surface tension and, in one case (BioAKT Endo), viscosity. The lowering of the surface tension allows for better penetration of liquids into dentinal tubules than EDTA alone, thus improving the cleaning of the root canal system

Effect of autoclave sterilisation and heat activated sodium hypochlorite irrigation on the performance of nickel-titanium rotary files against cyclic fatigue

The present study aims to assess the impact of heat-activated sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and/or autoclave sterilisation on the cyclic fatigue resistance (CFR) of heat-treated nickel-titanium rotary files used in root canal treatment. The CFR of One Curve (OC) files was evaluated under the following conditions: as received (Group 1; control), immersion in NaOCl at 23 ± 1ºC (Group 2), immersion in NaOCl at 60 ± 1ºC (Group 3), autoclave sterilisation at 135 1ºC (Group 4), combined treatment of autoclave sterilisation and immersion in NaOCl at 23 ± 1ºC (Group 5), and combined treatment of autoclave sterilisation and immersion in NaOCl at 60 ± 1ºC (Group 6). A simulated root canal in a zirconia block was utilised to test the performance of the files. All the types of treatments resulted in significant reductions in fracture resistance of the OC files. Immersion of the files in NaOCl at 23ºC revealed the smallest reduction, while combined treatment of autoclaving and immersion in NaOCl at 60ºC caused the greatest reduction. Autoclave sterilisation or exposure of OC files to 2.5% NaOCl adversely affect the cyclic fatigue life and increasing solution temperature or combined treatment caused additionally significant reduction in CFR