Novel data-acquisition technologies have revolutionized the study of natural systems, allowing the massive collection of information in situ and remotely. Merging these technologies improves the ...understanding of complex hydrological interactions, such as those of wetland–aquifer systems, and facilitates their conservation and management. This paper presents the combination of UAV technology with water level dataloggers for the study of a coastal temporary wetland linked to an underlying sandy aquifer and influenced by the tidal regime. Wetland morphology was defined using UAV imagery and SfM algorithms during the dry period. The DTM (6.9 cm resolution) was used to generate a flood model, which was subsequently validated with an orthophoto from a wet period. This information was combined with water stage records at 10-min intervals from a network of dataloggers to infer the water balance of the wetland and the transfers to the aquifer. Inflows into the pond were around 6200 m3 (40% direct precipitation over the pond, 60% surface runoff). Outputs equalled the inputs (41% direct evaporation from water surface, 59% transfers into the aquifer). The proposed methodology has demonstrated its suitability to unravel complex wetland–aquifer interactions and to provide reliable estimations of the elements of the water balance.
•Modern LED sources produce changes in color and whiteness of natural teeth.•Some LED illuminants recommended by CIE generate perceptible color shifts.•LED illuminants produce color shifts in very ...different directions of color space.•Color differences for pairs of teeth are almost independent of illuminants.•Whiteness differences for pairs of teeth are almost independent of illuminants.
To evaluate color and whiteness changes of natural teeth under nine white LED illuminants recently proposed by CIE.
From spectral reflectance factors of 36 caries-free upper central incisors, corresponding colors under illuminant D65 and CIE 1931 standard colorimetric observer were computed for all tested illuminants, using the chromatic adaptation transform CAT16. Color differences (CIELAB and CIEDE2000 units) and whiteness (WID and WIO indices) from teeth illuminated by CIE standard illuminants (D65 and A) and white LED illuminants were calculated. The appearance of 630 pairs of teeth under all illuminants was also evaluated.
Color gamuts from 36 teeth under tested illuminants showed similar volume and shape in CIELAB color space, but their centers of gravity changed in many different directions with respect to colors under D65 or A illuminants: Considering colors under D65/A, color shifts produced by white LED illuminants were in the ranges 2.0–8.6/1.1–7.0 CIELAB units (1.4–8.2/0.6–6.8 CIEDE2000 units). Average WID and WIO values for the 36 teeth under different illuminants ranged from −5.8 to +19.3 and from −7.7 to +11.1, respectively. Considering 630 pairs of teeth, average color differences (mainly lightness differences) were below 0.5 CIELAB units (0.3 CIEDE2000 units), and average whiteness differences ranged from 8.1 to 10.7 for WID (23.4–25.1 for WIO).
Using CIE LED illuminants, most changes in color and whiteness for individual teeth were above typical threshold values of perceptibility and acceptability in dentistry. However, considering pairs of teeth, the average color and whiteness differences under all tested illuminants were very similar.
•Exist perceptible differences in color and translucency among layers of material.•Luminosity and saturation values decreases towards the incisal layer for all shades.•Translucency increases from ...cervical to incisal layers for all shades evaluated.•Shade of underlying tissues should be considered when selecting this material.
To evaluate color, translucency parameter and optical properties (scattering (S), absorption (K) and transmittance (T)) of a multi-color polymer-infiltrated ceramic-network (PICN) material.
Samples of shades 1M1-HT, 1M2-HT, 2M2-HT, 3M2-HT, and 4M2-HT from VITA ENAMIC® multiColor (E-MC) High Translucent were fabricated (n = 3). CAD-CAM blocks were cut and polished to 1.00 ± 0.01 mm of thickness. Diffuse reflectance and color coordinates were measured against white and black backgrounds, using a calibrated spectroradiometer, CIE D65 illuminant and the CIE 45°/0° geometry. Color and translucency differences were evaluated using 50:50% perceptibility (PT and TPT) and 50:50% acceptability (AT and TAT) thresholds. S and K coefficients and T were calculated using Kubelka–Munk’s equations. Data was statistically analyzed using Kruskal–Wallis, Mann–Whitney tests, and VAF coefficient.
Mean C* and b* values increased from incisal to cervical layers with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). In general, ΔE00 between sequential layers were above PT for all shades. In addition, translucency parameter (TP) increased from cervical to incisal and ΔTP00 values were greater than TPT00 and lower than TAT00 between all sequential layers. Layers from all shades showed similar spectral behavior for S (97.4% ≤ VAF), K (85.0% ≤ VAF) coefficients and T (95.3% ≤ VAF). However, these values presented significant differences (p < 0.05) from cervical to incisal layers.
The gradient in color and translucency of this novel CAD-CAM multi-color PICN material can assist dental technicians and dentists to reach greater esthetics than the pre-existing CAD-CAM monolithicmaterials.
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•H2 plasma removes oxygen groups but not the sulfonyl and sulfonic groups.•Water treatment + H2 plasma treatment removes 60% of oxygen and 100% of sulfur.•This methodology removes as ...much oxygen as NaBH4 but is simpler, faster and cleaner.•The oxygen remaining after H2 plasma reduction forms labile surface groups.•Three GOs were tested rendering similar results.
We report the reduction of GO by hydrogen cold plasma as an effective alternative to the usual chemical (with harsh reducing agents) or physical (through high-temperature treatments) methods. The hydrogen plasma is generated through microwave radiation and the reduction is performed barely above room temperature, avoiding structural degradation of the graphene oxide. Three commercial GOs, with several oxygen and sulfur contents, have been used in this study. As a consequence of the exposure to the hydrogen plasma, the oxygen content is decreased in large extent while sulfur is scarcely removed. Thus a two-stage methodology consisting of a simple water treatment under reflux conditions of GO (to remove sulfur) and further treatment with H2 plasma is proposed. The combination of both steps allows the total elimination of sulfur while achieving very high degrees of reduction, lowering the initial oxygen content by more than 60%. These degrees of reduction are comparable to those obtained when the reduction is carried out by using the standard procedure with NaBH4 on the same materials. The reduction with hydrogen plasma clearly shows advantages over the conventional reduction procedures due to its simplicity: no chemicals or high temperatures are needed, and the procedure is very fast.
The selective functionalization of carbon nanotube surfaces is crucial for many potential applications of these materials. For this purpose several oxidants, among other substances, are used. The aim ...is to reach a large degree of functionalization which depends on the oxidant character of the reagent. For this reason the functionalization of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by treatment with ozone in basic solution is studied. At basic pHs, ozone results into hydroxyl radicals whose reduction potential is very high (E° = 3.06 V). The results have been compared to those obtained by ozone in gas phase and with cold oxygen plasma. The oxidation with ozone in basic solution seems to be kinetically restricted. As a consequence, the degree of oxidation in this medium is smaller than this of ozone gas, in spite of the larger oxidation capacity of the former. The oxygen-containing groups fixed by these two treatments are mainly attached to defects of the nanotubes. Moreover, no modification of the graphene layers and no porosity result from these treatments. The oxygen plasma treatment stands out in the content of oxygen groups fixed to the MWCNTs, as it is by far more effective, although some of these groups have relatively low thermal stability. Nevertheless, this treatment mainly fixes the oxygen groups on the walls of the nanotubes.
Backgound
In the workup of follicular lymphoma (FL), bone marrow biopsy (BMB) assessment is a key component of FLIPI and FLIPI2, the most widely used outcome scores. During the previous decade, ...several studies explored the role of FDG‐PET/CT for detecting nodal and extranodal disease, with only one large study comparing both techniques.
Methods
The aim of our study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and the prognostic impact of both procedures in a retrospective cohort of 299 FL patients with both tests performed at diagnosis. In order to avoid a collinearity bias, FLIPI2 was deconstructed in its founding parameters, and the bone marrow involvement (BMI) parameter separately included as: a positive BMB, a positive PET/CT, the combined “PET/CT and BMB positive” or “PET/CT or BMB positive”. These variables were also confronted independently with the POD24 in 233 patients treated with intensive regimens.
Results
In the total cohort, bone marrow was involved in 124 and 60 patients by BMB and PET/CT, respectively. In terms of overall survival, age > 60 y.o. and the combined “PET/CT or BMB positive” achieved statistical independence as a prognostic factor. In patients treated with an intensive regimen, only the combined “PET/CT or BMB positive” added prognostic value for a shorter overall survival, when confronted with the POD24.
Conclusion
Our results show that in FL both BMB and PET/CT should be considered at diagnosis, as their combined assessment provides independent prognostic value in the context of the most widely use clinical scores.
A full comprehension of colorimetric relationships within and between teeth is key for aesthetic success of a dental restoration. In this sense, hyperspectral imaging can provide point-wise reliable ...measurements of the tooth surface, which can serve for this purpose. The aim of this study was to use a hyperspectral imaging system for the colorimetric characterization of 4 in-vivo maxillary anterior teeth and to cross-check the results with similar studies carried out with other measuring systems in order to validate the proposed capturing protocol. Hyperspectral reflectance images (Specim IQ), of the upper central (UCI) and lateral incisors (ULI), were captured on 30 participants. CIE-L*a*b* values were calculated for the incisal (I), middle (M) and cervical (C) third of each target tooth. ΔEab* and ΔE00 total color differences were computed between different tooth areas and adjacent teeth, and evaluated according to the perceptibility (PT) and acceptability (AT) thresholds for dentistry. Non-perceptible color differences were found between UCIs and ULIs. Mean color differences between UCI and ULI exceeded AT (ΔEab* = 7.39–7.42; ΔE00 = 5.71–5.74) in all cases. Large chromatic variations between I, M and C areas of the same tooth were registered (ΔEab* = 5.01–6.07 and ΔE00 = 4.07–5.03; ΔEab* = 5.80–8.16 and ΔE00 = 4.37–5.15; and ΔEab* = 5.42–5.92 and ΔE00 = 3.87–4.16 between C and M, C and I and M and I, respectively). The use of a hyperspectral camera has proven to be a reliable and effective method for color evaluation of in-vivo natural teeth.
Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been proposed as type 2 diabetes biomarkers, and they may be a more sensitive way to predict development of the disease than the currently used tools. Our aim was ...to identify whether circulating miRNAs, added to clinical and biochemical markers, yielded better potential for predicting type 2 diabetes. The study included 462 non-diabetic patients at baseline in the CORDIOPREV study. After a median follow-up of 60 months, 107 of them developed type 2 diabetes. Plasma levels of 24 miRNAs were measured at baseline by qRT-PCR, and other strong biomarkers to predict diabetes were determined. The ROC analysis identified 9 miRNAs, which, added to HbA1c, have a greater predictive value in early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (AUC = 0.8342) than HbA1c alone (AUC = 0.6950). The miRNA and HbA1c-based model did not improve when the FINDRISC was included (AUC = 0.8293). Cox regression analyses showed that patients with low miR-103, miR-28-3p, miR-29a, and miR-9 and high miR-30a-5p and miR-150 circulating levels have a higher risk of disease (HR = 11.27; 95% CI = 2.61–48.65). Our results suggest that circulating miRNAs could potentially be used as a new tool for predicting the development of type 2 diabetes in clinical practice.
Supplementation with β-alanine is becoming a common practice in high-performance athletes. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of a one-week high-dose β-alanine loading ...phase employing a sustained-release powder on preserving the time-trial performance capacity of world tour cyclists during overreaching training. Per day, 20 g of sustained-release β-alanine was administered during one week (7 days) of intensive team training camp in a randomised balanced placebo-controlled parallel trial design, with six participants in each β-alanine (BA) or placebo (PLA) group. A 10-min time trial (10′ TT) was carried out to analyse performance and biochemical variables. Anthropometry, paresthesia, and adverse event data were also collected. Power-based relative training load was quantified. Compared to placebo, the BA improved mean power (6.21%, 37.23 W; 95% CI: 3.98–70.48 W, p = 0.046), distance travelled (2.16%, p = 0.046) and total work (4.85%, p = 0.046) without differences in cadence (p = 0.506) or RPE. Lactate (p = 0.036) and anion gap (p = 0.047) were also higher in the BA group, without differences in pH or Bicarbonate. High daily and single doses were well tolerated. One-week high-dose β-alanine loading with a sustained-release powder blend can help attenuate 10′ TT performance losses of world tour cyclists due to intensive training.
Self-perceived health has been used as a good estimator of health status and receiving affection can be a determining factor for good self-perceived health. The aim of the present study was to assess ...whether lack of social support (measured through Duke scale, which ranges from 11 to 55) was associated with poorer health status measured as self-perceived health, and whether that association was different between women and men. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the 2017 Spanish National Health Survey. A descriptive study was performed, and logistic regression models were applied using self-perceived health as a dependent variable. Mean Duke score was 47.6 for men and 47.9 for women (
= 0.016). Moreover, 36.3% of women and 27.6% of men reported poor self-perceived health (
< 0.001). The multivariate analysis revealed that lower scores in Duke-UNC social support scale were associated with poorer health status. That association was higher in women than in men. Poor self-perceived health was also associated with low level of education and obesity, especially among women. There was gender inequality as regards health status associated with lack of social support. These results can help design prevention strategies to improve health.
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