Predictive factors associated with a decline in swallowing function after 2 years were examined in 3,409 Japanese older people aged ≥ 75 years who had undergone a dental checkup in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Participants with normal swallowing function in a baseline survey in April 2018 were followed for 2 years. Swallowing function was assessed by a repetitive saliva swallowing test. After 2 years, 429 participants (13%) who could not swallow at least three times in 30 seconds were diagnosed as having a decline in swallowing function. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed the decline in swallowing function after 2 years was associated with male gender (odds ratio [ORs]: 0.772; 95% confidence interval [CIs]: 0.615–0.969), age ≥ 81 years (presence; ORs: 1.523; 95% CIs: 1.224–1.895), support/care-need certification (presence; ORs: 1.815; 95% CIs: 1.361–2.394), periodontal pocket depth (PPD) ≥ 4 mm (presence; ORs: 1.469; 95% CIs: 1.163–1.856), difficulty in biting hard food (yes; ORs: 1.439; 95% CIs: 1.145–1.808), choking on tea and water (yes; ORs: 2.543; 95% CIs: 2.025–3.193), and dry mouth (yes; ORs: 1.316; 95% CIs: 1.052–1.646) at baseline. Therefore, the dental checkup items associated with a decline in swallowing function after 2 years were a PPD ≥ 4 mm, difficulty in biting hard food, choking on tea and water, and dry mouth. PPD status and confirming to the self-administered questionnaire about biting, choking, and dry mouth may be useful in predicting future decline in swallowing function.

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) and deficit irrigation (DI) play a crucial strategic role in sustaining agricultural yield and reducing water stress in drought prone areas. The study was carried out in 2021-2022 to assess the impact of various PGRs (SA & NAA) & irrigation levels (60% Epan, 80 % Epan, and 100 % Epan) with DI & partial root drying (PRD) irrigation strategies. PGR application boosted fruit yields and demonstrated its significance in reducing water stress by lowering canopy temperature, maintaining higher relative water content in the leaves, modifying stomatal opening, and increasing photosynthetic rate. PGRs were used to assess the increased accumulation of total phenols, flavonoids, and improved antioxidant activity. Results indicated that exogenous use of PGRs like SA+NAA in conjunction with 80% irrigation levels increased fruit yield (31.97 and 40.38%) and water productivity (64.92 and 75.39%) for DI and PRD treatments, respectively. Thus standardizing irrigation and crop management practices including PGR application can be recommended to boost pomegranate productivity particularly in water-scarce environments.

.Various synthetic nematicides are currently used effectively in the control of plant parasitic nematodes. However, these nematicides have adverse effects on humans and the environment. Neem oil is eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic nematicides. The effectiveness of repeated neem oil application in suppressing the root-knot nematodes infestation in figs seedlings was therefore examined in this study, both in its natural form (10 ml/L) and in its nano-emulsion form (5 and 7 ml/L). The recorded reduction parameters of M. incognita were J2/250g soil, galls and egg masses / 5g roots of infected fig seedlings were measured at that time, and the effects of these natural additives were compared with the Fosthiazate (Krenkel 75%EC). The impact of such soil amendments on some typical plant parameters, the total microbial count of soil, and the overall enzymatic activity of the fig rhizosphere were also included. Obtained results revealed that the soil population density of root knot nematode suppressed by 80.3% , reduction of nematode egg masses (60.4%) due to the application of nano-emulsion of neem oil (at 7ml/L). Present work recommend the use of nano-emulsion of neem oil as one of the effective and eco-friendly means to reduce the root- knot nematode on fig .

As a new plant slope protection technology, living stumps can effectively improve slope stability. The current study attemptes to investigate the mechanical characteristics of the root system of living stumps and their reinforcement mechanism on slopes by carrying out a three-dimensional living stump slope modeling test. Using ABS materials, a 3D model of a living elm stump was created by 3D printing and a slope model test was carried out. The reinforcement mechanism of the living stump was studied through a combination of model testing and numerical simulation. The results indicate that, due to the presence of living stumps in the lower and middle parts of the slope, the maximum shear stress area of the soil moved to a deeper direction. The stress state of the soil around the living stump was effectively improved due to the existence of the lateral root system.Living stumps in the lower part of the slope cross the potential sliding surface and transferred the soil shear stress gradually to the root system through root-soil interaction. Moreover, the tap roots and lateral roots of living stumps form a robust spatial structure that bears the shear stress of soil together, thus increasing the stability of the slope.

Background: Recently, minimally invasive access via right-anterolateral mini-thoracotomy (RAMT) has been gaining popularity in cardiac surgery. This approach is also an option for sur-geons performing aortic surgery. Aim of the study is to present our surgical method highlighting the total endoscopic minimally invasive approach via RAMT for replacement of the ascending aorta (AAR) with or without involvement of the aortic root and the aortic valve. Methods: Clini-cal data of 44 patients from three participating institutions with AAR with or without involving the aortic valve or aortic root via RAMT between April 2017 and February 2024 were retrospec-tively analyzed. According to surgical procedure patients were divided in group A with only AAR and group B with concomitant valve or root replacement. Operative time, length of ventila-tion, perioperative outcome, length of intensive care unit (ICU) as well as postoperative hospital stay, and mid- and long-term results were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Mean age was 61.4 ± 10.7 years old with a frequency of male gender (63.6%). Mean cardiopulmonary bypass (CBP) time and aortic cross-clamping time was 94.9 ± 32.5 min. and 63.8 ± 25.9 min., respectively. CPB and aortic clamp time were significantly lower in group A. In the first 24 hours the mean drain-age volume was 790.3 ± 423.6 ml. Re-thoracotomy due to bleeding was zero. Sternotomy could be avoided in all patients. Patients stayed 35.9 ± 23.5 hrs at ICU and were discharged 7.8 ± 3.0 days following surgery from hospital. Mean ventilation time was 5.8 ± 7.6 hrs. All patients survived and 30-day mortality was 0.0%. At a median follow-up time of 18.2 months, all patients were alive. The results were similar in both groups. Conclusions: The full endoscopic RAMT approach with 3D visualization is a safe and feasible technique which can be transferred in the field of aor-tic surgery without compromising surgical quality, postoperative outcomes, or patient safety when performed by an experienced team in a high-volume center.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) poses a significant challenge to global health, with its prevalence projected to rise dramatically by 2045. This narrative review explores the bidirectional relationship between periodontitis (PD) and type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), focusing on cellular and molecular mechanisms derived by the interplay between oral microbiota and the host immune response. A comprehensive search of literature published between 2008 and 2023 was conducted to elucidate the association between these two diseases. Preclinical and clinical evidence suggests a bidirectional relationship, with individuals with T1DM exhibiting heightened susceptibility to periodontitis, and vice versa. The review includes recent findings from human clinical studies, revealing variations in oral microbiota composition in T1DM patients, including increases in certain pathogenic species such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, along with shifts in microbial diversity and abundance. Molecular mechanisms underlying this association involve oxidative stress and dysregulated host immune responses, mediated by inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-8, and MMPs. Furthermore, disruptions in bone turnover markers, such as RANKL and OPG, contribute to periodontal complications in T1DM patients. While preventive measures to manage periodontal complications in T1DM patients may improve overall health outcomes, further research is needed to understand the intricate interactions between oral microbiota, host response, periodontal disease, and systemic health in this population.

This study explores the prediction of concrete compressive strength using machine learning models, aiming to overcome the time-consuming and complex nature of conventional methods. Four models—Artificial Neural Network, Multiple Linear Regression, Support Vector Machine, and Regression Tree—are employed and compared for performance. Evaluation metrics such as Mean Absolute Deviation, Root Mean Square Error, Coefficient of Correlation, and Mean Absolute Percentage Error are used. After preprocessing 1030 samples, the dataset is split into 70% for training and 30% for testing. The ANN model, further divided into training, validation (15%), and testing (15%), outperforms others in accuracy and efficiency. This outcome streamlines compressive strength determination in the construction industry, saving time and simplifying the process.

This study provides a comprehensive comparison of the Peter Chew Sum method and Newton's Sum in Quadratic Root Function Computations. Both methods offer significant advancements by alleviating the need for memorization of multiple formulas. However, when confronted with higher-order quadratic root functions such as the calculation of power 33. Newton's Sum method proves cumbersome due to its requirement of all previous answers for final computation, leading to increased steps and error risks. In contrast, the Peter Chew Sum method simplifies the computational process by requiring only a few previous answers, resulting in a more straightforward series of operations. We contextualize our analysis within the historical progression of mathematical techniques, highlighting the transformative leap represented by the Peter Chew Sum method in quadratic root function computations. Peter Chew Sum addressing the limitations of Newton's Sum , especially concerning higher-order functions such as the calculation of power 256. Furthermore, study demonstrates that the innovative approach of the Peter Chew Sum method not only simplifies complex computations but also fosters enhanced conceptual understanding among students. In conclusion, study findings underscore the profound impact of the Peter Chew Sum method on quadratic root function computations.

Members of the genus Armillaria are widespread forest pathogens against which effective protection has not yet been developed. Due to their longevity and the creation of large-scale cloning of Armillaria individuals, the use of mycoviruses as biocontrol agents (BCAs) against these pathogens could be an effective alternative. This work describes the screening of double-stranded RNA banding patterns as a first approach for potential virus discovery and the use of stranded total RNA-seq for viral detection and characterization in Armillaria spp. collected in the Czech Republic. A total of five single-stranded RNA viruses were detected in Armillaria ostoyae and A. cepistipes, including the first virus of the family Tymoviridae found infecting a member the genus Armillaria and four viruses belonging to the recently described virus group "ambiviruses" with circular ambisense genome organization. Both hammerhead (HHRz) and hairpin (HpRz) ribozymes were detected in all the ambiviricot sequences. Armillaria viruses were compared by phylogenetic analysis and confirmed their specific host by direct RT-PCR, which showed the occurrence of interspecies transmission.

Investigation of oomycete diversity in rice paddies of Fars Province in Iran led to the identification of two new Pythium sensu lato (s.l.) species as Globisporangium izadpanahii sp. nov. and Pythium banihashemianum sp. nov. The identification was based on morphological and physiological features as well as the phylogenetic analysis of nuclear (ITS and βtub) and mitochondrial (cox1 and cox2) loci using Bayesian inference and Maximum Likelihood. A major characteristic of G. izadpanahii was the production of globose hyphal swellings; this species did not produce vesicles and zoospores. The present paper describes formally these two new species and defines their phylogenetic relationships with other congeneric species. According to multiple gene genealogy analysis, G. izadpanahii grouped with other species of Globisporangium in the former clade G of Pythium s.l. and was closely related to both G. nagaii and the recently described G. coniferarum. The second species, designated P. banihashemianum, grouped with other species of Pythium sensu stricto in the former clade B of Pythium s.l. and according to the phylogenetic analysis shared an ancestor with P. plurisporium. In pathogenicity tests on rice seedlings, P. banihashemianum isolates were highly pathogenic causing severe root and crown rot, while G. izadpanahii isolates were not pathogenic.

Keywords: Oral health, diabetes, periodontal disease, caries, periodontitis.

This study aimed to review the dietary risk factors for root caries prevalence in older adults, from socially active people to frail patients. A comprehensive search strategy was used to select studies from PubMed and Scopus databases. Two evalua-tors performed data extraction, screening, and quality assessment independently. Only studies written in English were included. Caries is very common in the elderly, as there are several aggravating factors such as the decrease of the ability to self-care and, by extension, insufficient oral hygiene, a carious diet, limited exposure to fluoride, xero-stomia, gingival recession, limited access to dental care. Root caries is prevalent in the elderly due to gingival recession and root exposure to the oral environment. Dietary risk factors significantly affect root caries prevalence in older adults, including high intake of sugars and an alteration of their composition preference in this age group. Caries risk appears more significant in frail, standardized patients who feed with even softer food or supplements.

Background and Objectives: Trichomonas tenax is a protozoan, participating in the human oral microflora. It is considered as a potential paradontopathogen. This microorganism is also reported in the respiratory tract. We aimed to analyze the available literature about the prevalence of Trichomonas tenax in the population affected by periodontal disease. Materials and Methods: Тhe searching with keywords: ,,Trichomonas tenax” and “periodontal diseases’’ in Scopus, PubMed and ScienceDirect databases was able to identify several systematic reviews and original articles until July 2023. All studies with suffering from periodontal disease people, mentioned year of publication, country, specified detection methods, total number of tested samples as well as the percentage of those infected with Trichomonas tenax were included. Irrelevant articles were excluded. Results: We found 137 studies, but only 64 studies about distribution of Trichomonas tenax in patients with gum disease underwent qualitative analysis. The highest number of studies have been conducted in Iran, Poland and Iraq. Different methods have been used to detect the unicellular organism, each with different specificity and sensitivity. Conclusions: Interest in Trichomonas tenax has grown considerably since 2000. Because of its association with periodontal disease, Trichomonas tenax role in the inflammatory process shouldn’t be overlooked.

Strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora is one of the main diseases of strawberry and significantly impacts the yield and quality of strawberry fruit. There are now no effective control techniques available except for fungicide sprays, which may directly impact consumers. Biological control is becoming an alternative method for the control of plant diseases to replace or decrease the application of traditional synthetic chemical fungicides. Trichoderma is widely used as a biological agent for controlling strawberry root rot. In order to provide resources for screening the highly effective biocontrol fungus for controlling strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora, the biocontrol mechanism,the control effects of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 against strawberry root rot and growth-promoting effects on strawberry seedlings were investigated by plate culture, microscopy observation and root drenching methods.The results showed that CMT10 had obvious competitive, antibiotic and hyperparasitism effects on Neopestalotiopsis clavispora CMGF3. The CMT10 could quickly occupy nutritional space, and the inhibition rates of CMT10 against CMGF3 in confrontation culture on 7 d was 65.49%. The inhibition rates of volatile metabolite and fermentation metabolite produced by CMT10 against CMGF3 were 79.67% and 69.84%, respectively. The mycelium of strain CMT10 can act as hyperparasites by making contacting, winding and penetrating hyphae of CMGF3. Pot experiment showed that the biocontrol efficacy of CMT10 on strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora was 63.00%. CMT10 had obvious promotion effect on strawberry growth, the plant height, root length, total fresh weight, root fresh weight, stem fresh weight and root dry weight, with the promotion rates were 20.09%, 22.39%, 87.11%, 101.58%, 79.82% and 72.33%, respectively. Overall, this study showed the ability of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 to control strawberry root rot and their potential to develop as novel biocontrol agents to replace chemical fungicides for eco-friendly, sustainable agriculture.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) and periodontitis are two chronic diseases that are interconnected. The coexistence of these conditions leads to increased severity of periodontitis and challenges in controlling blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate both the influence of periodontal disease and its treatment in patients with DM in terms of a reduction in glycosylated hemoglobin levels at 3 and 6 months after treatment. Methods: A sequential, nonprobabilistic, controlled, prospective and longitudinal case−control study was carried out at the University Dental Clinic of the Morales Meseguer Hospital in Murcia, Spain. Thirty diabetic patients were divided into two groups: patients with periodontitis (test group) and patients without periodontitis (control group). The periodontal and endocrine-metabolic variables were measured at baseline and at 3 and 6 months after periodontal treatment for both groups. Results: Statistically significant differences were found at 3 and 6 months after periodontal treatment with respect to HbA1c levels in the group of periodontal patients. However, these differences were not observed in the control group. Conclusion: The presence of periodontal disease increased HbA1c levels in patients with DM. Nonsurgical periodontal treatment significantly decreased the degree of periodontal inflammation and the HbA1c level at 3 and 6 months after treatment.

Endodontic treatments are performed to avoid extractions and maintain the natural dentition. Root canal treatments are undertaken to eliminate or prevent an infection within the root canal system. Chemical and mechanical root canal debridement are the main methods used in endo-dontics to remove necrotic tissue, microorganisms, and microbial byproducts from the canal. However, to date there is no objective method to clinically determine the proper root canal disin-fection level and thus proceed with the obturation. Clinicians just rely on their experience and habits or can trust in empirical methods such as the insertion of paper cones inside the channel and then check their appearance after the removal. Even in the in vitro and ex vivo scientific stud-ies there is no objective method to analyze and compare the efficacy of different endodontic chemo-mechanical techniques and materials. The most frequently used method is to visually an-alyze some areas with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), even if the resulting images are hardly quantifiable and could greatly vary according to the analyzed area. A new device to clin-ically test the cleanliness of a root canal and display the result in an objective score was recently developed. The device analyzes the luminescence generated by an enzyme cycling method that process the adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine mono-phosphate (AMP) present in organic residues. The aim of the present in vitro study was to test the efficacy and reliability of this novel device in a controlled in vitro environment, before using it in clinical practice.

The increased cultivation of high THC-containing Cannabis sativa L. (cannabis), particularly in greenhouses, has resulted in a greater incidence of diseases and molds that can negatively affect the growth and quality of the crop. Among them, the most important diseases are root rots (Fusarium and Pythium spp.), Botrytis bud rot (Botrytis cinerea), powdery mildew (Golovinomyces ambrosiae), cannabis stunt disease (caused by Hop latent viroid), and a range of microbes that reduce post-harvest quality. An integrated management approach to reduce the impact of these diseases/microbes requires combining different approaches that target the reproduction, spread and survival of the associated pathogens, many of which can occur on the same plant simultaneously. These approaches will be discussed in the context of developing an integrated plan to manage the important pathogens of greenhouse-grown cannabis at different stages of plant development. These stages include maintenance of stock plants, propagation through cuttings, vegetative growth of plants, and flowering. The cultivation of cannabis genotypes with tolerance or resistance to various pathogens is a very important approach, followed by the maintenance of pathogen-free stock plants. When combined with cultural approaches (sanitation, management of irrigation, and monitoring for diseases) and environmental approaches (greenhouse climate modification), a significant reduction in pathogen development and spread can be achieved. The use of preventive applications of microbial biological control agents and reduced risk biorational products can also reduce disease development at all stages of production in jurisdictions where they are registered for use. The combined use of promising strategies for integrated disease management on cannabis plants during greenhouse production will be reviewed. Future areas for research are identified.

Beneficial microorganisms promote plant growth through different mechanisms, such as the production of plant hormones, the synthesis of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase (ACCD), or, through volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emission. There are numerous studies describing a biostimulant action mediated by VOCs released by bacteria and filamentous fungi. However, in soil yeasts, research in this regard is still incipient. In a previous study, we present the stimulatory action of Solicoccozyma aeria YCPUC79 on tomato seedling growth by inoculating the rootzone with this yeast. The positive effect of S. aeria was related to the synthesis of indole acetic acid (IAA) and the presence of ACCD activity by the yeast. In the present study, we evaluated whether S. aeria is capable of emitting VOCs with biostimulant activity. For this, an experiment was conducted to test the release of VOCs in four treatments: S. aeria (Sa), tomato seedlings (T), tomato seedlings sharing the ambient with S. aeria but with no physical contact (TSa) plus a control with no yeast nor tomato seedlings (C). Tomato seedlings exposed to S. aeria in-oculum (TSa) presented 1.2-fold shorter main roots but increased the number of lateral roots by 80% compared to T. Regarding the analysis of VOCs, 59 compounds were identified excluding those found in the control treatment. These compounds represent twelve chemical families, in-cluding alcohols, esters, furans, hydrocarbons, ketones and terpenes. The treatment TSa shows an increased abundance of ketones, alcohols, esters, sulfur-containing compounds, and pyrazines in comparison to T treatment. Three compounds (butyl hept-4-yl ester-phthalic acid, (E)1.3-pentadiene and 1-propenylthiol) were exclusively present in the TSa treatment. This study provides, for the first time, information on a soil yeast capable of promoting the production of lateral roots in tomato through VOCs.

An exposition is undertaken to reveal the significant impact of the time-dependent root parameter, on the stability of Pointwise Stationary Fluid Flow Approximation (PSFFA) model of the non-stationary queueing system. This opens new grounds to stability analysis of non-stationary queueing systems. Potential PSFFA applications of IoT are highlighted.

The aim of the study was to examine the influence of different irrigation protocols on the shear bond strength (SBS) of self-adhesive resin composite cement (SARC) to primed radicular dentin. Radicular dentin slabs (N=58) were sectioned from extracted intact third molars, embedded in acrylate, polished, and randomly assigned to five experimental groups (N=8-12) and one control group, CG (N=8). Irrigation solutions used were sodium hypochlorite (H), ethylene-diamine-tetra acetic acid (EDTA), etidronic acid with hypochlorite (HEDP), saline solution (SS), and chlorhexi-dine (CHX). Each experimental group underwent different irrigation protocol for two minutes: 1) H/EDTA/H, 2) HEDP, 3) H/EDTA/CHX, 4)H/EDTA/SS, and 5) HEDP/SS. The CG samples were not treated with any irrigation solution. After drying, adhesive enhancing primer (AEP) and du-al-curing SARC were applied to the radicular dentin using molds corresponding to the Ultra Tester. Specimens were stored at 37°C in distilled water and fractured in shear mode after 10 days. The results were analyzed using the ANOVA statistical test and Post-hoc Games-Howell test, α=0.05. CG exhibited the highest SBS. Except for HEDP and HEDP/SS, all experimental groups showed significantly lower SBS compared to the control group (p< 0.05). HEDP seems to be ad-equate solution for root canal cleaning before dentin priming and fiber post cementation with self-adhesive resin cement. Cleaning protocols with H, EDTA and CHX cause a significant de-crease in bond strength.

It has been more than a century since Erlang published his paper in 1909. The classical queueing system for the M/D/c queue has been investigated by many authors. The key is to find the roots of an equation using explicit or numerical methods. We present an alternate form of explicit solution(s) of this/these root(s) using the Lambert-W function in this paper. In addition, the unsaturated probabilities of the number of customers in the system is derived explicitly in terms of this/these root(s). Finally, the mean number of customers in the system and the mean queueing delay are obtained from these probabilities. The exact queueing delay formula for the M/D/c queue is expressed in closed-form in terms of the root(s). Numerical results show that they are in excellent agreement with the numerical results published by Seelen, Tijms and Van Hoorn.

Segmental bone defects caused by trauma, infection, tumor resection or osteoporotic fractures present significant surgical treatment challenges. Host bone autograft is considered the gold standard to restore function but comes with the cost of harvest site comorbidity. Allograft bone is a secondary option but has its own limitations in incorporation with host bone as well as cost. Therefore, developing new bone tissue engineering strategies to treat bone defects is critically needed. In the past three decades, the use of stem cells delivered with different scaffolds or growth factors for bone tissue engineering has made tremendous progress. Many varieties of stem cells have been isolated from different tissues for use in bone tissue engineering. This review summarizes the progress in using different postnatal stem cells including bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, muscle-derived stem cells, adipose-derived stem cells, dental pulp stem cells/periodontal ligament stem cells, periosteum stem cells, umbilical cord-derived stem cells, peripheral blood stem cells and urine-derived stem cells for bone tissue engineering and repair. This review also summarizes the progress using exosomes or extracellular vesicles delivered with various scaffolds for bone repair. The advantages and disadvantages of each type of stem cell are also discussed and explained in detail. It is hopeful in the future that these preclinical results will translate into new therapies for bone defect repair.

A recent study reported that micro-osteoperforations (MOPs) accelerated tooth movement by activating alveolar bone remodeling. However, very little is known about the relationship between MOPs and external apical root resorption during orthodontic treatment. In this study, in order to investigate the mechanism which MOPs accelerate tooth movement without exacerbating the progression of root resorption, we measured the volume of resorbed root, and performed the immunostaining for the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end-labelling method (TUNEL) exposed MOPs during rat experimental tooth movement. Male Wistar rats (11 week old) were divided into 3 groups: 10-g orthodontic force (optimal force) applied to the maxillary first molar (optimal force: OF group), 50-g orthodontic force application (heavy force: HF group) and 10-g force application plus 3 small perforations of the cortical plate (OF+MOPs group). On days 1, 4, 7, 10 and 14 after force application, the tooth movement and root volume were investigated by micro-computed tomography. Furthermore, the expression levels of apoptotic cells in pressure sides of periodontal ligament (PDL) and surround hard tissues were determined by TUNEL staining. The OF+MOP group exhibited a 1.8-fold increase in tooth movement on days 7, 10 and 14 compared with the OF group. On days 14, the HF group had a higher volume of root loss than the OF and OF+MOP groups. On the same day, the number of TUNEL-positive cells in the HF group increased at the root (cementum) site whereas that in the OF group increased at the alveolar bone site. Furthermore, that in the OF + MOP group increased at the alveolar bone site compared with the OF group. These results suggest that MOPs accelerate orthodontic tooth movement without exacerbating the progression of root resorption.

Expansins (EXPs) which are the essential components of plant cell wall function as relaxation factors to directly promote turgor-driven expansion of cell wall and control plant growth and development and diverse environmental stress responses. A lot of EXPs genes have been widely identified and characterized in numerous plant species, but not in sweetpotato. In the present study, a total of 59 EXPs genes that unevenly distributed onto 14 of 15 chromosomes were identified from sweetpotato genome, and segmental and tandem duplications were exhibited to act as dominant functions in IbEXPs diversity. Phylogenetic analysis exhibited that IbEXPs members were clustered into four subfamilies according to EXPs in Arabidopsis and rice and the regularity of motif, domain and gene structures was in accordance with the subfamily classification. The collinearity analysis between IbEXPs and related homologous sequences in 9 plants provided the phylogenetic insights of EXPs gene family. Cis-element analysis futhrer revealed the potential roles of IbEXPs in sweetpotato development and stress responses. Evidence from RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analysis of eight selected IbEXPs genes displayed their various tissue specificity in different tissues, and their transcripts were varyingly induced or suppressed under multiple hormone treatments (ABA, SA, JA and ACC) and abiotic stresses (low and high temperature). These results supply worthy foundations to further comprehensively investigate the exact functions of IbEXPs genes, and multiple members may function as promising regulators to control plant development and enhance the stress resistance of transgenic plants.

This review explores the field of retreatment strategies for the cases filled with calcium silicate-based root canal sealers. Since the introduction of calcium silicate-based materials in dentistry, calcium silicate-based root canal sealers have become popular among dentists because of their biocom- patibility, bioactivity, and sealing ability. Therefore, effective retreatment strategies are indispensable. This article aims to identify the challenges associated with the removal of calcium silicate-based sealers itself and gutta-percha with the sealers during retreatment, evaluate current techniques and materials, and provide future directions for research in this field. Regarding the strategies of removal of root canal sealers, calcium silicate-based sealers are still relatively new materials for clinicians compared with the traditional sealers such as epoxy- or eugenol-based sealers. First, no clinically established solvents have been reported. Second, calcium silicate-based sealers are currently utilized by clinicians in either cold sealer-based technique or warm vertical condensation technique. Third, the setting process of calcium silicate-based sealers generates byproducts primarily calcium hydroxide and secondarily hydroxyapatite, which could interact with dentine. Lastly, there is a lack of clinical studies evaluating the efficacy of retreatment protocols for teeth filled with calcium silicate-based sealers. Therefore, it is important to investigate chemo-mechanical properties of calcium silicate- based sealers itself and their reactions to solvents and/or mechanical instruments, and identify the interfacial properties of calcium silicate-based sealers in respect to dentine and gutta-percha. In addition, researchers in clinical field need to actively gather and report data on retreatments of teeth filled with calcium silicate-based sealers.

Phase change refers to the process of maturation and transition from the juvenile to the adult stage. In response to this shift, certain species like chestnut lose the ability to form adventitious roots, thereby hindering the successful micropropagation of adult plants. While auxin is the main hormone involved in adventitious root formation, other hormones, such as ethylene, are also thought to play a role in its induction and development. In this study, experiments were carried out to determine the effects of ethylene on the induction and growth of adventitious roots. The analysis was performed in two types of chestnut microshoots derived from the same tree, a juvenile-like line with high rooting ability derived from basal shoots (P2BS) and a line derived from crown branches (P2CR) with low rooting responses. By means of the application of compounds to modify ethylene content or inhibit its signalling, the potential involvement of this hormone in the in-duction of adventitious roots was analyzed. Our results show that ethylene can modify the rooting competence of mature shoots, while the response in juvenile material was barely affected. To further characterize the molecular reasons underlying this maturation-derived shift in behaviour, specific gene expression analyses were developed. Findings suggest that several mechanisms, including ethylene signalling, auxin transport and epigenetic modifications, relate to the modu-lation of the rooting ability of mature chestnut microshoots and their recalcitrant behaviour.

(1) Background: Non-surgical endodontic treatment has been repeatedly shown to be clinically successful, however, clinical data are scarce. This practice-based retrospective clinical study aimed to investigate endodontic outcome over 40 years and to identify relevant factors from clinical protocols. (2) Methods: Two experienced dental practitioners in two different private dental practices treated 174 patients with 243 teeth from 1969 to 1993. After obturation, either a new restoration (amalgam, resin composite, glass-ionomer cement), or re-cementation of pre-existing prosthetic restorations or its renewal followed. Metal posts (operator A) or screws (operator B) were inserted when indicated. The primary outcome (tooth survival) was achieved when the endodontically treated tooth was in situ, painless and in full function. Secondary outcome was to investigate the impact of potential prognostic factors on survival rates. (3) Results: Overall mean 40-years survival was 56.1% of all treated teeth after 40 years of clinical service resulting in an annual failure rate of 1.1%. Most investigated clinical factors (Jaw, tooth position, number of intracanal dressings, post/screw placement, sex) had no significant influence on survival. Among postendodontic restorations, resin composite was advantageous. (4) Conclusions: Even with materials and techniques from the 1970’s and 1980’s, successful root canal treatment was achievable. Except postendodontic restorations, most of the evaluated factors had no significant influence on clinical long-term survival of root-canal treated teeth.

This paper details a design optimization on a hardware accelerator for an on-board real-time SAR imaging system using the Backprojection algorithm, focusing on algorithm-specific approximations intended to reduce the overhead introduced by intensive functions such as the square root, sine, and cosine functions. The main novelty of this work is that new approximations were investigated so that the final image retains high quality regardless of the error in the approximation function. This paper revisits existing approximation methods, such as linear interpolation, polynomial approximation using the Vandermonde matrix, and Chebyshev polynomials, and compares their performance on the algorithm. Results demonstrate that it is possible to maintain the image quality with an SSIM above 0.99 with less 93% LUTs for the square root and less 88% LUTs for the sine and cosine functions using polynomial approximation with the Vandermonde matrix when compared to the HLS baseline functions.

Remediation of IT issues encoded into domain-specific or user-defined alerts occurring in cloud environments and customer ecosystems in a vast majority of cases suffers from accurate recommendations which could be timely supplied for recovery of performance degradations. That, of course, is hard to realize through furnishing those abnormality definitions with an appropriate expert knowledge which varies from one environment to another. At the same time, in a large proportion of support cases, the reported problems under Global Support Services (GSS) or Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) treatment ultimately go down to the product teams making them waste costly development hours on investigating self-monitoring metrics of our solutions. Therefore, the mean-time-to-resolution (MTTR) rates of problems/alerts are significantly impacted from lack of a systematic approach towards adopting AI Ops. That would imply building, maintaining, and continuously improving/annotating a data store of insights that ML models are trained and generalized across the whole customer base and corporate cloud services. Our ongoing study is in line with such a vision and validates an approach that learns the alert resolution patterns in such a global setting and explains them using interpretable AI methodologies. The knowledge store of causative rules is then applied in predicting potential sources of the application degradation reflected in an active alert instance. In this communication, we share our experiences with a prototype solution and up to date analysis demonstrating how root conditions are discovered with a high accuracy for a specific type of problem. It is validated against the historical data of resolutions performed by heavy manual development efforts. We also offer a Dempster-Shafer theory-based rule verification framework for experts as a what-if analysis tool to test their hypotheses about underlying environment.

Delivery systems of the biologically active substance such as proanthocyanidins (PCAN) produced through the electrospinning method were designed using a blend of poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) and poly[(R,S)-3-hydroxybutyrate]. The research involved the structural and thermal characteristics of the developed electrospun three-dimensional fiber matrix, as well as hydrolytic degradation tests performed on them. Additionally, the release profile of PCAN from the electrospun nonwoven was determined using UV–VIS spectroscopy. Approximately 30% of PCAN was released from the tested electrospun nonwoven during the initial 15-20 days of incubation. The chemical structure of water-soluble oligomers that were formed after the hydrolytic degradation of the developed delivery system was identified through electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Oligomers of lactic acid and OLAGA oligocopolyester, as well as oligo-3-hydroxybutyrate terminated with hydroxyl and carboxyl end groups, were recognized as degradation products released into the water during the incubation time. It was also demonstrated that variations in the degradation rate of individual mat components influenced the degradation pattern, and the number of formed oligomers. The obtained results suggest that the incorporation of proanthocyanidins into the system slowed down the hydrolytic degradation process of the poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide)/poly[(R,S)-3-hydroxybutyrate] three-dimensional fiber matrix. In addition, in vitro cytotoxicity and antimicrobial studies advocate the use of PCAN for biomedical applications with promising antimicrobial activity.

Crown gall (Agrobacterium tumefaciens), crown/root rot (Phytophthora spp.), root lesion disease (Pratylenchus vulnus), and tree vigor are key traits affecting productivity and quality of walnuts in California. Non-inoculated hybrid rootstocks were analyzed by RNA-seq to examine pre-formed factors affecting these traits. Enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes revealed that increased expression of cell wall biogenesis-related genes plays a key role in susceptibility to A. tumefaciens, Phytophthora spp., increased vigor, but not P. vulnus. Analysis of the predicted subcellular loci of the encoded proteins revealed that many gene products associated with vigor and susceptibility were targeted to the plasma membrane and extracellular space, connecting these traits to sustaining barrier function. We observed that RNA processing and splicing, along with predicted nuclear targeting, were associated with resistance to A. tumefaciens, Phytophthora spp., low vigor, but not P. vulnus. Four genes within the J. microcarpa QTL region for resistance to A. tumefaciens and Phytophthora spp. were represented among our transcripts, with two of the genes being differentially expressed in association with resistance to A. tumefaciens and decreased vigor. No differential expression related to Phytophthora spp. or P. vulnus traits was observed in this region. Additionally, the J. microcarpa haplotype expressed more transcripts associated with resistance to A. tumefaciens, Phytophthora spp., and low vigor, but not P. vulnus than the J. regia haplotype. We also report unique and shared hormone and defense responses associated with each trait. This research suggests a link between cell wall biogenesis, vigor, and critical root diseases of walnut.

The aim of the scoping review was to map out studies that compared the effect of smoking tobacco and smokeless tobacco on periodontal health. The review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) framework. The search for articles was conducted in five electronic databases namely: Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, Medline, and PubMed. The search yielded two eligible articles for full-text screening. The two studies were cross-sectional in design, conducted in India and they both used bivariate analysis for comparison of the effects of tobacco smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco on the health of the periodontium without adjusting for confounders. The two studies used 10 measures to assess the health of the periodontium namely: Periodontal probing depth, clinical attachment level, gingival index, and periodontal index, plaque index score, debris index score, calculus index score, gingival inflammation, bleeding on probing and pocket depth. Periodontal probing depth, periodontal index, calculus index score and pocket depth worse for tobacco smoking when compared with smokeless tobacco users. Both studies seem to concur on worse pocket depths for tobacco smokers than for users of smokeless tobacco.

Fusarium spp. are commonly associated with the root rot complex of soybean (Glycine max). Previous surveys identified six common Fusarium species from Manitoba, including F. oxysporum, F. redolens, F. graminearum, F. solani, F. avenaceum and F. acuminatum. This study aimed to determine their pathogenicity, assess host resistance and evaluate the genetic diversity of Fusarium spp. isolated from Canada. Pathogenicity was tested on two cultivars, ‘Akras’ (moderate resistance) and ‘B150Y1’ (susceptible), under greenhouse conditions. The virulence of the fungal isolates varied, with root rot severities ranging from 1.5 to 3.3 on a 0-4 scale. The six species were used to screen a panel of 20 Canadian soybean cultivars for resistance in a greenhouse. Cluster and principal component analyses were conducted based on the same traits as for the pathogenicity study. Two of the cultivars, ‘P15T46R2’ and ‘B150Y1’, were consistently found to be tolerant to F. oxysporum, F. redolens, F. graminearum and F. solani. To investigate the incidence and prevalence of Fusarium spp. in Canada, fungi were isolated from 106 soybean fields surveyed across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec. Two-hundred twenty-one Fusarium isolates were identified, with phylogenetic analyses indicating diversity of the isolates in the major soybean production regions of Canada.

This study employed e-Vol DX cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) software to assess dentin remnants in the furcation area of mesial canals in mandibular molars during root canal retreatment (RCR). Four groups (Reciproc®, ProTaper Next®, Race Evo®, Protaper Gold®) were subjected to RCR, and CBCT images were captured before (T1) and after (T2) treatment. Measurements of remaining dentin thickness at 1 mm and 3 mm below the furcation were scrutinized. Results revealed no significant differences in mean thicknesses of mesiobuccal (MB) and mesiolingual (ML) canals at 1 mm and 3 mm from the furcation pre-treatment (T1). Post-treatment (T2) showed analogous findings, with no significant differences in mean thicknesses. However, disparities surfaced between MB and ML canals at both distances, both before and after retreatment. In essence, the evaluated instruments exhibited safety in RCR, implying their appropriateness for use in critical areas of mandibular molars without inducing excessive wear. This study underscores the instruments' reliability in navigating danger zones during RCR, contributing valuable insights for dental practitioners handling complex root canal scenarios in mandibular molars.

Background: As long-lived organisms, urban trees often encounter development and redevelopment activities in close proximity during their lifespans. These activities can damage tree roots, often through methods like root severing during trenching or excavation. Methods: In 2017, we simulated trenching damage on mature Quercus virginiana Mill. trees at three different distances from the base (3x, 6x, and 12x the stem diameter). After five years, we revisited these trees to assess root regrowth based on the cut root's cross-sectional area (CSA) and distance from the base. Results: We observed regrowth in all but 38 (6.7%) of the 557 cut roots revisited. The lack of regrowth in some roots was not associated with our original treatments, the CSA of the roots at the time of trenching, or distance between the cut root end and the trunk (minimum P-value = 0.841). On average, the observed CSA of the regrowth was 22.2% of the original root's CSA. Only our original trenching treatments significantly predicted the level of regrowth observed five years after pruning (P-value = 0.024). Discoloration due to root pruning was minimal. Conclusion: In summary, our findings indicate that root systems require many years to recover from trenching damage. Increasing the distance between trenching activities and trees may have a minor effect on root regrowth but primarily helps reduce initial stress on the tree.

Boeremia exigua var. exigua is a recurrent pathogen causing root rot in industrial chicory. Currently, there is no chemical or varietal control for this disease, and thus management strategies need to be developed. This study determined the biocontrol effect of strains of Pseudomonas protegens bacteria with antimicrobial compounds on the fungus B. exigua var. exigua under in vitro, in vivo and field conditions. In addition, root colonization by these bacteria was estimated by molecular analysis. Eighteen isolates of Pseudomonas spp were evaluated and the strains that showed the greatest in vitro inhibition of fungal mycelial growth (mm), Ca10A and ChB7, were selected. Inoculation with the strain ChB7 showed less severity (necrotic area) under in vivo conditions (root trials) compared to the control inoculated with the pathogen (P≤0.05). The molecular analysis revealed that root colonization of plants grown in pots was equal or greater than 70%. Similar levels were observed in the field trials conducted in Selva Negra and Canteras experimental stations (2015-16 season), with values ranging from 85.7 to 70.5% and from 75.0 to 79.5%, respectively. Regarding yield (ton ha-1), values were higher in the treatments inoculated with strains Ca10A and ChB7 (P≤0.05) in both experimental sites, while a lower incidence and severity of root rot were observed in Selva Negra. These results suggest that the Chilean strains of P. protegens are a promising tool for the control of root diseases in industrial chicory.

Studies suggest that chronic psychological stress can lead to oral health deterioration, alter the immune response, and possibly contribute to increased inflammation, which can impact the physiological healing of periodontal tissues. This cross-sectional study seeks to assess and improve clinical understanding regarding the relationship between perceived stress, mindfulness, and periodontal health. A total of 203 people were analysed from December 2022 to June 2023. The Periodontal Screening and Recording (PSR), score and Bleeding Index (GBI), and Plaque Control Record (PCR) of every patient were registered. Subsequently, participants completed the Sheldon Cohen Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Mind-fulness Awareness Attention Scale (MAAS) questionnaires. The collected data was analysed statistically, and correlations and dependencies were evaluated. The p-value was 0.004265 in Welch's t-test to assess the relationship between MAAS and the variable's presence or absence of periodontitis, highlighting that patients with periodontitis have significantly different MAAS scores compared to patients unaffected by periodontitis. The Pearson correlations between GBI and perceived stress, PCR and perceived stress, and PCR and MAAS resulted in p-values of 2.2-16, 3.925-8, and 2.468-8, respectively, indicating a statistically significant correlation in this case. Despite the limitations, the findings of this study suggest a significant relationship between psychological stress, mindfulness and periodontal tissue health. Clinical trials are necessary to incorporate the assessment of a patient’s psychological status as a new valuable tool in the management of periodontal health.

Increasing CO2 concentration ([CO2]) in atmosphere decreases mineral nutrients concentration in crops whereas increasing water use efficiency (WUE) especially in drought conditions. Partial root-zone irrigation (PRI) could stimulate soil nutrient mineralization and improve crop nutrient status. Yet the effect of PRI combined with elevated CO2 concentration (e[CO2]) on the element stoichiometry of tomato leaves remains unknown. This study was to investigate the responses of leaf mineral nutrients status and element stoichiometric ratio in tomato grown at PRI exposed to e[CO2]. Tomato plants (cv. Ailsa Craig) were grown in pots in climate-controlled growth chambers with ambient [CO2] (a[CO2], 400ppm) and elevated [CO2] (e[CO2] 800ppm), respectively. Three irrigation regimes (IR) i.e. full irrigation (FI), deficit irrigation (DI) and partial root-zone irrigation (PRI) were applied to tomato plants at flowering stage. The result showed that plants exposed to both reduced irrigations had a similar biomass, an enhanced root growth including greater root to shoot ratio (R/S), root length (RL), surface area (RS), volume (RV) and specific length (RSL), and an improved WUE under e[CO2]. Compared to a[CO2], e[CO2] growth environment resulted in a similar leaf [C], [K] and [Mg], leaf C/K and C/Mg, increased leaf [Ca], [S] and leaf C/N, C/P and N/P, but decreased leaf [N], [P], leaf C/Ca, C/S and N/K at PRI. Additionally, under e[CO2], PRI showed an increase in leaf [C], [N] and [S], no decrease in leaf [K], Ca], [Mg], [S] and [15N], but a decrease in leaf C/N and C/S as compared with FI. Conclusively, PRI had the ability to alleviate the negative effects on mineral nutrient concentrations and maintain or improve most leaf element stoichiometric ratios under e[CO2]. Therefore PRI would be a practicable irrigation for optimizing WUE and nutrient status in tomato leaves in a future freshwater-limited and higher CO2 environment.

Introduction: Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory granulomatous disease that can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract. It is characterized by various extraintestinal manifestations (EIM), of which oral manifestations (OM) are often possible. One of the possible OM is periodontal disease (PD) a chronic inflammatory condition of the supporting tissues of the teeth. This study aimed to show the existence of a mutual relationship between the clinical activity of PD and the clinical and endoscopic activity of CD. Materials and methods: Using one clinical and two endoscopic indexes for the assessment of CD activity and clinical attachment loss (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), pocket probing depth (PPD) and radiographic bone loss (RDL) on dental panoramic tomogram to assess PD in CD patients. Results: A total of 38 patients underwent the entire study process, of which 20 patients with CD and 18 patients with CD and PD. Considering all CD activity scores, there were 26 patients with active disease, and half of them had PD, and 85.7% of operated patients had active CD. Values of CAL, PPD, BOP and RBL were higher in active CD than remission, except BOP when compared to CDAI score which was higher in remission of CD. Discussion and conclusion: The results of this study indicate that there is a connection between the activity of CD and the worse condition of the supporting tissues of the gums in the oral cavity which is important to keep in mind the necessity of referring patients with CD to a dentist for timely and adequate therapeutic measures.

Irrigation is crucial in cleaning and disinfection of the root canal system, because endodontic instruments are unable to reach a large part of the root canal system (isthmuses, accessory canals, apical ramifications) and bacteria that can reside. Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is currently used as irrigant in root canal therapies for its non-specific protheolytic and antimicrobial properties, but undesirable effects may be observed especially when used near the terminus of apical foramen. This study aims to evaluate antimicrobial properties of Thyme Essential Oil (TEO) used alone or in combination with NaOCl against different bacterial strains, especially Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus mutans. TEO non-cytotoxic concentration (9,28mg/mL) showed antimicrobial properties comparable to NaOCl after 1min of contact, both in presence of organic material (6% sheep blood). Moreover, the combination of TEO and NaOCl did not compromise their individual antimicrobial properties at the same time of contact. These data suggest that TEO could be used as antimicrobial irrigant in root canal therapies in association with NaOCl, to reduce concentration of NaOCl and its undesirable side effects. Due to the absence of cytotoxic effects at tested dilution, TEO could be safely used also near the terminus of apical foramen for its cytocompatibility.

Introduction: This empirical study investigates the impact of two distinct mathematical problem-solving methods – the Algebraic Formula Method and the Newton Sum Method – on enhancing ChatGPT's competence in effectively solving quadratic root functions. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into mathematical problem-solving has paved the way for innovative approaches. In this study, we delve into the Algebraic Formula Method and the Newton Sum Method, essential techniques for solving quadratic root functions. We aim to showcase the profound influence of these methods on ChatGPT's capacity to excel in solving quadratic equations. Evidence Through concrete evidence, we demonstrate ChatGPT's adept utilization of the Newton Sum Method for quadratic root function calculations. While ChatGPT can compute quadratic root functions of the form α^15 + β^15 using this method, its proficiency in using algebraic formula methods typically extends only up to α^4 + β^4. This marked discrepancy underscores the pivotal role that different methods play in amplifying the AI system's mathematical capabilities Result The results of this study provide concrete evidence of ChatGPT's superior utilization of the Newton Sum Method for calculating quadratic root functions. The model adeptly computes expressions of the form α^15 + β^15 using this method, while its proficiency using algebraic formula methods is generally limited to α^4 + β^4. This striking discrepancy underscores the transformative impact that different methods can have on elevating the AI system's mathematical prowess. Conclusion :Pushing Boundaries: Pioneering Novel Maths Approaches for Overcoming Limitations in AIThis study serves as an illuminating testament to the significance of pioneering innovative methodologies, rules, theorems, or formulas to surmount the current limitations in AI systems like ChatGPT. These innovative pursuits hold the key to unlocking the untapped potential that lies within, propelling AI systems to greater heights of proficiency. In essence, they offer a strategic pathway towards expanding the capabilities of AI and pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved. Discussion The outcomes derived from this study underscore the significant influence wielded by the method selection in augmenting the mathematical competencies of ChatGPT. Particularly noteworthy is the application of the Newton Sum Method, which surfaces as a compelling exemplar. This method serves as a pivotal conduit through which the model surpasses its prior constraints, allowing it to venture into the realm of calculations entailing higher exponents. Implications and Future Research: These findings not only contribute to AI's mathematical competencies but also emphasize the need for pioneering new methods, rules, theorems, or formulas to further enhance AI systems like ChatGPT. Future research could explore the development of novel mathematical techniques tailored to AI systems, thus expanding their capabilities across diverse problem-solving domains.

The continuous growth of roots depends on their ability to maintain a balanced ratio between cell production and cell differentiation at the tip. This process was reported to be regulated by the hormonal balance of cytokinin and auxin. However, other important regulators, such as plant folates, have also been reported to play a regulatory role. In this study, we investigated the impact of the folate precursor PABA on root development. Using pharmacological, genetic, and imaging approaches, we show that the growth of Arabidopsis thaliana roots is repressed by either supplementing the growth medium with PABA or overexpressing the PABA synthesis gene GAT-ADCS. This is associated with a smaller root meristem size, which consists of fewer cells. Conversely, reducing the levels of free root endogenous PABA results in longer roots with extended meristems and increased cell numbers. We provide evidence that PABA represses Arabidopsis root growth in a folate-independent manner and likely acts through two mechanisms: (i) the G2/M transition of cell division in the root apical meristem and (ii) promoting premature cell differentiation in the transition zone. These data collectively suggest that PABA plays a role in Arabidopsis root growth at the point where cell division and cell differentiation intersect.

Castanea sativa Mill., an indigenous species of the mountainous Gabala region of Azerbaijan, where its local variety is now facing the danger of extinction. The preservation of this variety of European chestnut requires the development of effective strategies for reliable in vitro regeneration systems as an alternative to traditional methods, which has become the main objective of this study. In solving this problem, the generally accepted technique of micro-multiplication of axillary shoots was mainly used. First, a phased sterilization of was carried out using liquid soap, Previkur fungicide and mercury (II) chloride. DKW (Driver and Kuniyuki Walnut) nutrient medium was used for germination of explants, into which growth stimulants BAP (Benzilamunapurine), IBA (Indole - 3 butyric acid), IAA (Indole Acetic acid), NAA (Naphthalene Acetic Acid) and GA3 (Gibberelic acid) were introduced in various combinations and quantities. The test of the above-mentioned sterilization model revealed significant shortcomings in terms of the acceptability of the results obtained (16-77%). It was also found that the germination of explants takes 14 days and it is better to conduct it in a DKW environment containing hormones BAP (0.6 mg), IBA (0.1 mg) and GA3 (0.1 mg) / 1 L DKW. A mixture of BAP (0.1mg) + IBA (0.35 mg) is more suitable for the reproduction of grown explants + GA3 (0.2 mg) / 1 l DKW (the result is 3 new micro-plants for each explant), and for good root formation (it takes 30 days) – a mixture of IBA 1.0 mg + NAA 0.5 mg + IAA 0.5 mg / l L DKW. After the shoots have acquired a certain length (at least 1.5 cm), it is required to transfer them for 22 days to a DKW medium containing IBA (1 mg), IAA (0.5 mg) and NAA(0.5 mg) / l L DKW so that the root splitting process begins and ends.

Bare slope instability is a prevalent concern. The root system of, herbaceous vegetation enhances the shear strength of shallow–slope soil. Indoor experiments were conducted on rootless undisturbed soil (RUS) and undisturbed soil with a root system (USRS) using a triaxial compression apparatus to analyze the slope stability of composite soil with a Tagetes erecta root system. Significance tests and correlation analysis of the factors affecting shear performance were conducted using R software. The slope reinforcement, effect by the plant root system was simulated under 24 working conditions using the MIDAS finite element method. The results revealed the influence of the–root content (RC), moisture content (MC), and stress on the shear strength of USRS, the contribution degree, and the variables’ influences on slope stability. Both RUS and USRS exhibited strain hardening during shearing. The internal friction angle (φ) and cohesion (c) of USRS were negatively and positively correlated with the RC and MC (root burial depth), respectively, and a good fit was obtained for the relationship. The maximum deviatoric stress during shear failure was 1.29 times higher for USRS than for RUS. The RC (root depth) was positively correlated with the slope safety coefficient and the slope of the line under different working conditions, whereas the slope gradient was negatively correlated with the slope safety coefficient. The reinforcement effect by the root system resulted in a 13.2% increase in the safety coefficient and improved stability of slopes with a gradient larger than 1.5%. This article investigated the mechanism of the root–soil system and, the effects of different influencing factors on the shear strength of the soil, and slope stability. The findings provide new insights into shallow slope stability in practical slope protection projects.

Jasmonates (JAs), including jasmonic acid (JA) and its biologically active derivative JA-Ile, are lipid-derived plant signalling molecules. They govern plant responses to stresses, such as wounding and insect herbivory. Wounding elicits a rapid increase of JA and JA-Ile levels as well as the expression of JAR1, coding for the enzyme involved in JA-Ile biosynthesis. Endogenous increase and application of JAs, such as MeJA, a JA methylester, result in increased defence levels, often accompanied by diminished growth. The function of jarin-1 in Arabidopsis thaliana was assessed. To investigate whether jarin-1 does function similarly in other plants, we tested this in Medicago truncatula, Solanum lycopersicum, and Brassica nigra seedlings in a root growth inhibition assay. Application of jarin-1 alleviated the inhibition of root growth after MeJA application in M. truncatula seedlings, proving that jarin-1 is biologically active in M. truncatula. Jarin-1 did not show, however, a similar effect in S. lycopersicum and B. nigra seedlings treated with MeJA. Even JA-Ile levels were not affected by application of jarin-1 in wounded leaf disks from S. lycopersicum. Based on these results, we conclude that the effect of jarin-1 is highly species-specific. Researchers intending to use jarin-1 for studying the function of JAR1 or JA-Ile in their model plants, must test its functionality before use.

This study assessed the associations between host genetic variants and subgingival microbiota in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS); 103 patients with MetS underwent medical and periodontal examinations and had blood and subgingival plaque samples taken. DNA was extracted and processed (assessing a panel of selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) first (hypothesis-testing), and then expanding to a discovery phase. The subgingival plaque microbiome from these patients was profiled. Analysis of associations between host genetic and microbial factors was performed, stratified for periodontal diagnosis. Specific SNPs within RUNX2, CAMTA1 and VDR genes were associated with diversity metrics, with no genome-wide associations detected for periodontitis severity or Mets components at p&lt;10-7. Severe periodontitis was associated with pathogenetic genera and species. Some SNPs correlated with specific bacterial genera, as well as with microbial taxa, notably VDR (rs12717991) with Streptococcus mutans and RUNX2 (rs3749863) with Porphyromonas gingivalis. This is the first study exploring the role of host genotype variation in subgingival microbial dysbiosis in patients with MetS and periodontitis. In conclusion, variation in host genotypes may play a role in the dysregulated immune responses characterizing periodontitis and thus the oral microbiome, suggesting that systemic health-associated host traits further interact with oral health and microbiome.

Phosphorus (P) deficiency is a major constraint limiting sustainable rice cultivation in sub-Saharan Africa—partly due to the deeply weathered soils that have low pH and contain high P-fixing Fe and Al oxides. Soil texture also affects P availability and use efficiency. In this study, we evaluated the combined effect of soil texture (sand, clay loam, and clay) and P treatments (P-dipping and two other P fertilizer levels) on growth of NERICA 4 rice in the initial growth stages. In a factorial experiment, we measured the interaction effects of soil texture and P treatments on shoot parameters and root morphology. Both treatments had significant interaction effects on all measured parameters, except shoot biomass, and affected the photosynthetic rate, with the highest mean values obtained under clay loam soil texture and P-dipping treatment, respectively. The treatments also affected rice root morphology. In a striking contrast, whereas mean root length under clay was significantly higher than that under clay loam texture, mean shoot P uptake under clay loam soil was significantly higher than that under clay soil texture. The interactive effect of soil texture and P-dipping influenced NERICA 4 shoot and root physiological and morphological characteristics under clay loam soil texture.

Commercial formulates of beneficial microbes have been used to enrich the rhizosphere microbiome of tomato plants grown in pots located in a glasshouse. These plants have been subjected to attacks by soil-borne parasites, such as root-knot nematodes (RKNs), and herbivores, such as the miner insect Tuta absoluta. The development of both parasites and the symptoms of their parasitism were restricted in these plants with respect to plants left untreated. A mixture, named in the text as Myco, containing plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), opportunistic biocontrol fungi (BCF), and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) was more effective in limiting pest damages than a formulate containing the sole AMF (Ozor). Therefore, Myco-treated plants inoculated with RKNs were taken as a model to further study which biocontrol agent (BCA) was specifically responsible of plant immunization and the molecular pathways exploited to achieve such an immunization. The PGPR contained in Myco were not able to reduce nematode infection, rather, they worsened symptoms on plants, compared with those observed on untreated plants. When plants were treated with suspensions of Bacillus subtilis at concentrations similar to those provided with Myco and then inoculated with RKNs, infection was actually more severe than that on untreated plants. Therefore, it was argued that both BCF and AMFwere the microorganisms that, colonizing roots, synergistically stimulate plant immune system against RKNs. Beneficial fungi lowered the activities of the defense supporting enzymes endochitinases and β-1,3-glucanase to be able to colonize the roots. However, as early as three days after nematode inoculation, these enzyme activities, and the expression of the encoding pathogenesis related genes (PR-2, PR-3) were found to be enhanced in roots with respect to not inoculated plants, thus indicating that plants had been primed against RKNs. Addition of paclobutrazol, which reduced salicylic acid (SA) levels in cells, and of diphenyliodonium chloride, which inhibits superoxides generation, completely abolished the repressive effect of Myco on nematode infection and presumably plant immune reaction. Inhibitors of copper enzymes and of the alternative cyanide-resistant respiration did not significantly alter resistance induction by Myco. When Myco-treated plants were subjected to a moderate water stress and inoculated with nematodes, they retained numbers of developed individuals in the roots similar to those present in regularly watered plants, in contrast to what occurred in roots of untreated stressed plants that hosted very few individuals because of poor nutrient availability.

The aim of the study was to analyze the oral etiology of patients with odontogenic sinusitis (ODS）and to compare the differences in demographic data, clinical symptoms, extent of sinus involvement, bone penetration of the maxillary sinus floor (MSF) between different etiologies. A retrospective investigation was conducted on 103 patients with ODS recruited from Beijing Tongren Hospital. All enrolled patients underwent sinus CT, nasal endoscopy, and oral examination. A comparison of the patients' clinical symptoms, extent of involvement of the sinuses, and bone resorption of the MSF according to odontogenic etiologies was conducted. Follow-up was based on symptoms, clinical examination. The most common odontogenic etiologies were endo-periodontal lesions (EPL. 49.5%), apical periodontitis (AP, 32.0%) and periodontitis (PE, 8.7%). There were statistically significant differences in age (P=0.002), sex (P=0.036), inflammation involving the ethmoid sinus (P=0.037), and bone penetration of the MSF (P<0.001) between the AP, EPL, and PE groups. There were no significant differences in sinusitis symptoms (P>0.005) among patients with different odontogenic etiologies. In conclusion, EPL is a neglected oral etiology with a destructive effect on the bone of the MSF, and Should receive more attention in diagnosis and treatment.

With the escalating water scarcity in agriculture, a novel water-saving technique has emerged: drip irrigation with plastic-film mulch (DI). Root function is crucial for sustaining rice production, and understanding its response to DI is essential. However, few studies have evaluated root systems in rice varietals and examined which kind of root system contributes to improving rice grain yield and water productivity in DI. To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted a two-year field experiment comparing two irrigation systems: continuous flooding (CF) and DI. We analyzed their effectiveness with four rice varieties, including upland, F1 lowland, animal feed lowland, and lowland varieties. Vertical root distribution, root bleed-ing rate, photosynthetic-associated parameters, water productivity, and yield performance were analyzed. In our study, the average grain yield of varieties in the DI system (6.4t/ha) was equivalent to those in the CF system (6.6 t/ha). Compared to CF, DI demonstrated significant water-saving potential, saving approximately 35% of the total water supplied, resulting in higher water productivity. Among the varieties, the deep-root weight of the upland variety significantly increased by 51%. The deep-root ratio was positively correlated to transpiration rate, grain yield, and water productivity, which suggested that it contributed to high transpiration, thus maintaining a high carbon assimilation rate resulting in high yield and water productivity. Therefore, deep roots deserve consideration as a trait potentially corresponding to high yield under DI.

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a high value horticultural crop in Kenya. Nutritionally, the crop is rich in niacin, carotene, thiamine, and vitamin C. Mwea in Kirinyaga County is one of the major tomato growing areas in Kenya. Tomato production in Kenya is hindered by losses due to diseases caused by pathogens that include plant parasitic nematodes (PPN). Among the plant parasitic nematodes, the root-knot nematode (RKN) is the most predominant in Mwea. This study investigated the soil parameters that influence the distribution of the RKN for the purpose of mapping their distribution. This is important since it ensures that nematicide application is only to specific sites where these nematodes are found thereby saving on input costs as well as protecting the environment. The study consisted of surveys conducted in geo-referenced tomato production fields in seven (7) tomato production sites in Tebere and Mwea. Sampling was done in a stratified random manner in both rainfed and irrigated tomato production fields in both dry and rainy seasons for determination of the spatial and temporal distribution of nematodes, respectively. Nematode extraction was done using the centrifugal floatation technique and identification done to genera level using morphological features. Soil characteristics determining PPN distribution patterns in tomato production fields of Mwea were measured using standard methods. Soil parameters measured included soil pH, electrical conductivity, elevation and soil texture. The PPN incidence and diversity was determined using the Shannon-Weiner species diversity index. Detrended canonical correspondence analysis (DCCA) was performed to interpret and summarize major patterns of variation within the soil variable data and to estimate the ability of each soil variable to reflect variance in the entire PPN data set. Fourteen (14) genera of nematodes were identified with the diversity between 0.6 and 1.2. RKN distribution differed significantly (p<0.05) among the sites. Among the soil samples analyzed, 81% were positive for RKN infestation. There was an insignificant difference (p>0.05) between nematode densities in the dry and rainy seasons. Rainfed fields exhibited a significantly higher (p<0.05) RKN population densities compared to irrigated fields. The study established a great variability in the soil parameters in the area. The RKN distribution pattern, density and abundance were inversely correlated (p<0.05) with the soil pH and positively correlated (p<0.05) with soil EC. Based on the inverse relationship between soil pH and RKN distribution in the Mwea ecosystem, maps of nematode distribution and soil pH were developed. This enables the possibility of a site specific system for management of RKN

Cotton is an important plant since it provides raw materials for various in-dustry bracnhes. Even though cotton is generally tolerant of drought, it is af-fected negatively by long-term drought stress. This experiment was conduct-ed according to a completed randomized plots trial design with 3 replications to determine the upland cotton genotype’s reactions against drought under controlled conditions in the 2022 year. All genotypes were watered with 80 mL-1 of water (100% irrigation, Field capacity) until three true leaves ap-peared. After this period water stress was applied at limited irrigation of 75% (60 mL-1), 50% (40 mL-1), and 25% (20 mL-1) of field capacity. After the trial terminated at 52. Days, the cv. G56, elit line G44, G5, and commercial variety G86 genotype, respectively resulted in the highest Root Length (RL), and the G76 genotype resulted in the lowest RL followed by G41 and G35 elite lines. G1 cultivar showed the highest Root Fresh Weight (RFW), followed by G56, G44, G86, G51, and G88, respectively. The lowest RFW was also obtained in elite lines G76 and G41. The third drought morphological marker, the Num-ber of Lateral Roots (NLRs), was the highest in G44, followed by G86, Cv. G56, elite lines G13 and G5 genotype. The lowest NLRs value was obtained in genotype G47 and G76. The highest RDW means was obtained in elite line G5, followed by Cv. G56, elite line G44, G75 and cv. G90, while the lowes RDW mean obtained in elite line G76, G35, and local varieties G20 and G61. In the SL marker, the highest averages were recorded for genotypes G35, G15, G26, G67, and G56, respectively. In the SFW marker, the highest averages were observed in genotypes G15, G52, G60, G31, and G68, respectively. The lowest SL values were observed in genotypes G91, G72, G32, and G22. Simi-larly, the lowest SFW values were found in genotypes G83, G2, G75, and G91. In another shoot drought marker, Shoot Dry Weight (SDW), the highest val-ues were obtained in genotypes G35, G52, G57, G41, and G60, respectively. Conversely, the lowest SDW values were observed in genotypes G65, G91, G4, G20, and G22. In conclusion, the commercial varieties with high averages in roots, namely G86, G56, G88, and G90, and the genotypes G67, G20, G60, and G57 showing tolerance in shoots, are suggested to be potential parent plants for developing cotton varieties resistant to drought. Using the culti-vars found tolerant in the current study as parents in a drought-tolerant vari-ety development Marker-assisted selection (MAS) plant breeding program will increase the chance of success in reaching the target after genetic diversi-ty analyses are performed. It is highly recommended to continue the plant breeding program with the G44, G30, G19, G1, G5, G75, G35, G15, G52, G29, and G76 genotypes which show high tolerance in both root and shoot sys-tems.

(1)Background: The prognosis of orthodontic treatment for a patient with impacted canine teeth can be affected by many factors and understanding some of the characteristics of impacted teeth can increase the effectiveness and reduce the duration of treatment. This study aims to explore the effects of positions and dentoalveolar morphological characteristics of impacted maxillary canines on the prognosis of orthodontic treatment. (2)Methods: In this study, a total of 46 adolescent individuals were divided into 3 groups: CC(no impaction), BC(unilateral maxillary buccal canine impaction), and PC(unilateral maxillary palatal canine impaction). The impacted canine and adjacent teeth were evaluated in terms of position, angulation, inclination, MD and BL widths, root length, dilaceration angle, root resorption. (3)Results: The mean values of U3Ang and U3/U2 angles were statistically significantly higher in the BC and PC groups(p&lt;0.001). The mean values of U2RL(U3root length) and U3RD (U3root dilaceration) angle were statistically significantly lower in the BC and PC groups. (4)Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that shorter lengths and reduced volumes of the maxillary lateral incisors may lead to the ectopic eruption of canines. The higher canine angulations in the PC group make treatment more difficult and increase the degree of root resorption.

Recurrent infections after root canal treatments often involve Enterococcus faecalis, a microorganism closely associated with therapy failures due to its biofilm production, survival in nutrient-deprived conditions, and antibiotic tolerance. Essential oils (EOs), which display anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antibacterial properties, exhibit inhibitory effects on the growth of many microorganisms including E. faecalis. This study assessed the in vitro efficacy of combining antibiotics (Gentamicin 1.5mg/ml, Streptomycin 2.5 mg/ml, Ampicillin 5 mg/ml, and Kanamycin 2.5 mg/ml) with Cinnamon (1.25% to 5%) or Clove (25% to 50%) EOs using disk diffusion tests. Disks were treated with EOs-only, antibiotics-only, or EO-antibiotic combinations, placed on BEA agar plates, incubated for 24 hours, and zones of inhibition were measured against E. faecalis. Results showed robust growth inhibition by cinnamon and clove EOs across all tested concentrations. Furthermore, there were synergistic antimicrobial effects when gentamicin, streptomycin and kanamycin were combined with 2.5% and 50% concentrations of cinnamon and clove EOs, respectively, leading to significant growth inhibition of E. faecalis by 139% to 193% compared to using antibiotics or EOs alone. Clove EO showed positive synergism with three antibiotics (gentamicin, streptomycin, and kanamycin) whereas cinnamon EO showed synergism with two antibiotics (streptomycin and kanamycin). These findings suggest that combining cinnamon and clove EOs with aminoglycoside antibiotics can significantly reduce the expansion of E. faecalis compared to antibiotics alone. Further in vivo studies should determine the safety, efficacy, and treatment duration, with the potential to reduce antibiotic dosages and associated toxicity while preventing recurrent infections.

This work explores the significance of toothbrushing in maintaining optimal oral health, delving into its benefits, proper techniques, and types of toothbrushes. The primary cause of caries, periodontal diseases, and halitosis is oral biofilm development. One of the most fundamental practices in maintaining oral health is toothbrushing. Studies have confirmed that mechanical procedures for controlling plaque and toothbrushing, in particular, significantly decrease plaque accumulation. The significance of teeth brushing in preventing dental caries has been well-acknowledged for a considerable period. Dentists recommend brushing twice daily for at least two min to ensure thorough cleaning. Unfortunately, precise guidelines from dental associations are often missing. Authors mention that two min of brushing are insufficient for significant plaque removal; plaque removal increases with augmented brushing time, with maximum removal at 180 s. Multiple studies have documented that engaging in the practice of brushing one’s teeth twice a day has a preventive impact. Various toothbrush designs, including both manual and electric options, have been created to improve the elimination of dental biofilm and reduce the accumulation and persistence of bacteria. In conclusion, toothbrushing is a simple yet incredibly important practice for maintaining oral health. The benefits extend beyond just a bright smile, encompassing caries, gum disease, halitosis prevention, and the preservation of tooth enamel. Adhering to proper toothbrushing techniques, selecting the right toothbrush, and understanding the connection between oral health and overall well-being can lead to a healthier life. To foster favorable toothbrushing behaviors among the population, dental practitioners and public health experts must know the factors that influence toothbrushing habits.

Abstract: Type A acute aortic dissection is a serious condition within the acute aortic syndromes that demands immediate treatment. Despite advancements in diagnostic and referral pathways, the survival rate post-surgery currently sits at almost 20%. Our objective was to pinpoint clinical indicators for mortality and morbidity, particularly raised arterial lactate as a key factor for negative outcomes. Methods: All patients referred to the three cardiovascular centres between January 2005 and December 2022 were included in the study. The inclusion criteria required the presence of a lesion involving the ascending aorta, symptoms within 7 days of surgery, and referral for primary surgical repair of TAAAD based on recommendations, with consideration for other concomitant major cardiac surgical procedures needed during TAAAD and retrograde extension of TAAAD. We conducted an analysis of both continuous and categorical variables and utilized predictive mean matching to fill in missing numeric features. For missing binary variables, we used logistic regression to impute values. We specifically targeted early postoperative mortality and employed LASSO regression to minimize potential collinearity of over-fitting variables and variables measured from the same patient. Results: 633 patients were recruited for the study, out of which 449 patients had complete preoperative arterial lactate data. The average age of the patients was 64 years, and 304 patients were male (67.6%). The crude early postoperative mortality rate was 24.5% (110 out of 449 patients). The mortality rate did not show any significant difference when comparing conservative and extensive surgeries. However, malperfusion had a significant impact on mortality [48/131 (36.6%) vs 62/318 (19.5%), p<0.001]. Preoperative arterial lactates were significantly elevated in patients with malperfusion. The optimal prognostic threshold of arterial lactate for predicting early postoperative mortality in our cohort was ≥ 2.6 mmol/L. Conclusion: The arterial lactate concentration in patients referred for TAAAD is an independent factor for both operative mortality and postoperative complications. In addition to mortality, patients with an upper arterial lactate cut-off of ≥2.6 mmol/L face significant risks of VA ECMO and the need for dialysis within the first 48 hours after surgery. To improve recognition and facilitate rapid transfer and surgical treatment protocol, more diligent efforts are required in the management of malperfusion in TAAAD.

Throughout the world, salinity is a major environmental issue that limits agricultural productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. In addition, climate change is the most important reason for the salinization of agricultural soils in the world, so it is now essential to find solutions to increase salinity tolerance in plants. This study investigated the potential of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation to enhance the growth and yield performances of flax under different salinity levels by conducting a pot experiment. The experiment was laid out in a two-factor completely randomized design including AMF inoculation (AMF+: with and AMF-: without inoculation) and irrigation water salinity (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM NaCl). According to the results, it is evident that salt stress caused negative physiological effects, including limited growth, reduced photosynthesis, and decreased nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) content in shoots and roots of flax plants. Moreover, mycorrhizal association improved the salt tolerance of the plants by increasing chlorophyll content, enhancing N and P shoot and root contents, and consequently yield parameters, such as seed, and stem fiber yield, particularly at moderate salt concentrations (50 and 100 mM NaCl). As a result of using AMF, flax plants grown under salt stress exhibited tolerance, suggesting that AMF could be applied in saline environments to maintain ecological stability.

Minirhizotron tubes were installed to monitor root growth dynamics of mature Shiraz grapevines in a rootstock trial established in the hot climate Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The vertical root distribution and seasonal root growth dynamics of Shiraz on own-roots and Shiraz grafted on the rootstocks Ramsey, 140 Ruggeri and Schwarzmann was studied for five seasons across a seven-year period to a depth of 60 cm. New root production was significantly influenced by genotype, soil depth, season, growth stage and year. Soil moisture and soil tem-perature were monitored at 10, 30 and 60 cm in the last two seasons. Soil moisture at 30 cm and soil temperature at all three depths were significant predictors of root growth. New root numbers were significantly higher in 140 Ruggeri than the other rootstocks. To the depth studied, 140 Ruggeri roots were evenly distributed from the topsoil down, whereas the majority of roots of Schwarzmann and Shiraz were located at intermediate depths in the 10-40 cm ad 20-40 cm zones respectively, while Ramsey roots were found at 20 cm or below. Depending on genotype, root growth occurred across several phenological stages but tended to peak at flowering. In some years we observed root growth in early and late winter at rates exceeding that of autumn, and this was associated with warmer temperatures during this period. Overall, seasonal rooting dynamics were responsive to abiotic factors but dominated by genotype.

Background: The biofilm-forming bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is primarily responsible for periodontal disorders, which continue to be a global health issue. Despite the widespread use of antibiotics like metronidazole, other potent therapeutic a crucial quorum sensing molecule implicated in the formation of P. gingivalis biofilm. Approaches are now being explored due to the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance. Objective: In particular, chemicals from Symphytum Officinale (S) and Panax Ginseng (G) plants will be examined in this study to assess if they have the ability to inhibit biofilm and to prevent the development of acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs), a quorum sensing molecule. Materials and Methods: With Metronidazole serving as a control, the antibacterial effects of these substances (Symphytum Officinale and Panax Ginseng) were examined against a standard strain and a clinical isolate of P. gingivalis. Dilutions of these plant extracts were used either alone (G+S) or in conjunction with metronidazole (G+S+F), to assess their antibacterial activity using antibacterial susceptibility test (inhibition zone), biofilm inhibition and disruption assay (optical density) and quorum sensing inhibition assay (AHL). Results: The combinations of Symphytum officinale, Panax Ginseng and metronidazole (S+G+F) showed the maximum effectiveness with highest zone of inhibition (25.000±0.001 mm) and biofilm inhibition (98.46%), and were comparable to G+S (inhibition zone of 24.341±0.593 mm and biofilm inhibition of 97.76%), and significantly different in the degree of biofilm inhibition with different treatment scenarios. Additionally, the plant's extracts and combinations are specific concentrations had a significant effect on the suppression of the generation of AHL (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: According to preliminary research, these plant-derived substances, especially when paired with metronidazole, significantly inhibited the growth of P. gingivalis biofilm providing valuable information for the development of innovative therapeutic approaches for periodontitis and other biofilm-associated illnesses.

: There remains no acquiescence that confirms the extent to which unemployment and entrepreneurship influence each other in developing countries. Thus, an incessant invite for further debate attracted the need to assess the relationship between unemployment and entrepreneurship in terms of business formation in Namibia Given that, this study examines the relationship between unemployment and entrepreneurial activities in Namibia. Time series data were collected from the World Bank database to investigate the relationship between unemployment and entrepreneurship in Namibia. Unit root test was conducted using both the Augmented Dickey-Fuller test and the Phillips-Perron test to measure stationarity of the data and found all the variables to have no unit root after the first difference. Thus, we employed the Johansen-Juselius test of cointegration, and the results revealed the absence of a long-run relationship between the variables. Hence, we performed a vector autoregressive (VAR) model to estimate the short-run relationships and found that Namibia exhibit both the refugee and Schumpeter effects. Finally, the direction of causality between the variables was measured using the Pairwise Granger causality test and the results revealed that none of the variables was proven to granger cause the other, concluding that they are all independent of each other. Therefore, in pursuit of unemployment mitigation, we recommend policymakers to focus on other aspects beyond entrepreneurship when devising policies without jeopardizing the ease of business start-up procedures. This will incentivize entrepreneurial activities, which can eventually address other macroeconomic issues beyond unemployment.

Patients who have undergone surgery in early life may be at elevated risk for neuropathic pain in later life. The risk factors for this susceptibility are not fully understood. Here, we used a mouse chronic pain model to test the hypothesis that early exposure to general anesthetic (GA) causes cellular and molecular alterations in dorsal spinal cord (DSC) and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) that produces a predisposition to neuropathic pain via an upregulation of the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Mice were exposed to isoflurane at postnatal day 7 (P7) and underwent spared nerve injury at P28 which causes chronic pain. Selected groups were treated with rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor, for eight weeks. Behavioral tests show early isoflurane exposure enhances susceptibility to chronic pain, and rapamycin treatment improves outcomes. Immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and q-PCR indicates that isoflurane upregulates mTOR expression and neural activity in DSC and DRG. Accompanying upregulation of mTOR and rapamycin-reversible changes in chronic pain-associated markers, including N-cadherin, cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), purinergic P2Y12 receptor, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in DSC; and connexin 43, phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK), GFAP, Iba1 in DRG, were observed. We conclude that early GA exposure alters the development of pain circuits such that mice are subsequently more vulnerable to chronic neuropathic pain states.

The present analysis deals with the study of the $f(Q, T )$ theory of gravity which was recently considered by many cosmologists. In this theory of gravity, the action is taken as an arbitrary function $f(Q, T )$ where $Q$ is non-metricity and $T$ is the trace of energy-momentum tensor for matter fluid. In this study, we have taken three different forms of the function $f(Q, T )$ as $f(Q,T)=a_1Q+a_2 T$ and $f(Q,T)=a_3 Q^2+a_4 T$ and discussed some physical properties of the same. Also, we have obtained the various cosmological parameters towards Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-walker (FLRW) Universe by defining the transit form of scale factor which yields the Hubble parameter in redshift form as $H(z)=\frac{H_{0}}{(\lambda+1)} \left(\lambda+ (1+z)^{\delta}\right)$. %We have obtained the approx best-fit values of model parameters using the least square method for observational constraints on available datasets like Hubble dataset $H(z)$, Supernova dataset SNe-Ia, etc., by applying the Root Mean Squared Error formula (RMSE). By applying the Root Mean Squared Error formula (RMSE), we were able to determine the approximate best-fit values of model parameters using the least square approach for observational constraints on the datasets Hubble dataset $H(z)$, Supernova dataset SNe-Ia, etc. We have observed that the deceleration parameter $q(z)$ exhibits a signature-flipping (transition) point within the range $0.623 \le z_{0} \le 1.668$ through which it changes its phase from the decelerated to the accelerated expanding universe with $\omega = -1$ at $z=-1$ for the approximate best-fit values of the model parameters. %For obtained approx best-fit values of model parameters we have observed that the deceleration parameter $q(z)$ shows a signature-flipping (transition) point within the range $0.623 \le z_{0} \le 1.668$ through which it changes its phase from decelerated to the accelerated expanding universe with $\omega = -1$ at $z=-1$.

Unlike trees, shrubs (i.e., multiple-stemmed woody plants) do not need evenly spaced large diameter structural roots and thus can spread further per unit belowground biomass. We therefore hypothesized that compared to trees, shrubs respond more to asymmetric distributions of nutrients and reach nutrient-rich patches of soil faster and with less below-ground biomass. To test these hypotheses we planted individual seedlings of shrubs (Cornus racemosa, Rhus glabra, and Viburnum dentatum) and trees (Acer rubrum, Betula populifera, and Fraxinus americana) in the centers of sand-filled rectangular boxes. In one direction we created stepwise gradients of increasing soil nutrients with slow-release fertilizer; in the other direction no fertilizer was added. Seedlings were harvested when their first root reached the plexiglass-covered fertilized end of their box; time taken as well as above- and below-ground biomass by nutrient segment were determined. There were no consistent differences between the shrubs and trees in belowground architectural plasticity (= ratio of biomass in fertilized and unfertilized volumes of soil) or in the rate and efficiency of lateral growth. Interspecific variation appeared more related to edaphic characteristics of the native habitats than to growth form. The fastest and most efficient roots were produced by the shrub (R. glabra) and the tree (B. populifolia) that are characteristic of poor soils. Root foraging by R. glabra was also facilitated by rapid rhizomatous expansion. The tested shrubs and trees did not consistently differ in nutrient foraging efficiencies or rates but further study is warranted with larger plants and more species.

Ledge formation presents a significant challenge in endodontic treatment. Yet, there is still a lack of educational tooth models for hands-on practice. This study aimed to create and evaluate a tooth model for ledge management practice. A natural tooth with curved roots was collected for scientific use under ethics committee approval. Following initial root canal preparation, the tooth was scanned using micro-computed tomography (μCT) and 3D reconstructed. A K-file, created via computer-aided design (CAD), was partly inserted into the root canal wall of the 3D-reconstructed tooth. By subtracting the K-file from the tooth, a tooth model with a root canal ledge was produced. The models were then 3D printed for a hands-on workshop. A seven-item Likert scale questionnaire was administered to 20 postgraduate students and 10 endodontists to assess the model's quality and training effectiveness. The feedback from both students and experts was positive, with no statistically significant differences found between the two groups (p &gt; 0.05). This novel tooth model is expected to address the existing gap in endodontic education and provide benefits for dental practitioners in future applications.

The adaptation of plants to biotic and abiotic stress depends on their abilities to sense their surroundings and to generate and transmit corresponding signals to different parts of their body that can evoke changes necessary for optimizing growth and defense. Light has been shown to be one of the key environmental factors that modulate the physiology of both plants and animals via the diverse photoreceptors found in them. Both plants and animals contain a large repertoire of intra- and intercellular signals molecules that include organic and inorganic. One such molecule is a neurotransmitter, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a non-protein amino acid, that rapidly accumulates in plant tissues in response to biotic and abiotic stress and regulates plant growth. Lots of research has been done on GABA in plants for slightly more than half a century now: Its discovery in plant tissues was immediately followed by physiological and biochemical studies. Thereafter molecular-genetics era of cloning the genes encoding the GABA shunt enzymes and transporters, and recombinant expression and purification of the enzymes in vitro to elucidate their regulatory properties and substrate specificity was established. Recently the discovery of the first bona fide GABA target proteins in plants, the ALMTs suggest that GABA indeed could be one of the signaling molecules in plants. All this research did not address in detail the relationship between light and GABA. To better understand the role of GABA in relation to light we set up six light conditions to investigate the changes in the hypocotyl and root growth in Arabidopsis thaliana under different light conditions, including total light, total dark, light blocker, gradient light, shoot dark, shoot dark with blocker. We treated the seedlings with 3-MPA, a GABA inhibitor, using different concentrations grown under different light conditions between 24 to 96 h. Our results show that both the root and hypocotyl are modulated by GABA when grown under different light conditions. These results clearly suggest a link in the signaling pathway of GABA with photoreceptor signaling pathways.

miRNAs are major regulators of eukaryotic gene expression, host immunity, and play an important role in the inflammation-mediated pathways in periodontal disease (PD) pathogenesis. Expanding our previous observation with the global miRNA profiling using partial human mouth microbes and lack of in vivo studies involving oral spirochete Treponema denticola induced miRNAs, this study was designed to delineate the global miRNA expression kinetics during progression of periodontitis in mice infected with T. denticola by using NanoString nCounter® miRNA panels. All the T. denticola-infected male and female mice at 8- and 16 weeks demonstrated bacterial colonization (100%) on the gingival surface, and an increase in alveolar bone resorption (p &lt; 0.0001). A total of 70 miRNAs with at least 1.0-fold differential expression/regulation (DE) miRNAs (26 upregulated and 44 downregulated) were identified. nCounter miRNA expression profiling identified 13 upregulated miRNAs (e.g. miR-133a, miR-378) and 25 downregulated miRNAs (e.g. miR-375, miR-34b-5p) in T. denticola-infected mice mandibles during 8-weeks infection whereas 13 upregulated miRNAs (e.g. miR-486, miR-126-5p) and 19 downregulated miRNAs (miR-2135, miR-142-3p) were observed during 16- weeks of infection. One miRNA (miR-126-5p) showed significant difference between 8-and 16-weeks of infection. Interestingly, miR-126-5p has been presented as a potential biomarker in patients with periodontitis and coronary artery disease. Among the 13 upregulated miRNAs, miR-486, miR-126-3p, miR-126-5p were reported in human gingival plaques samples with periodontitis. KEGG analysis revealed various functional pathways of DE miRNAs such as bacterial invasion of epithelial cells, Ras signaling, Fc gamma R- mediated phagocytosis, osteoclast differentiation, adherens signaling and ubiquitin mediated proteolysis. This is the first study of DE miRNAs in mice mandibles at different time-points of T. denticola infection and the combination of three specific miRNAs miR-486, miR-126-3p, miR-126-5p may serve as an invasive biomarker of T. denticola in PD. These miRNAs may have significant role in PD pathogenesis and establishes a link between miRNA, periodontitis, and systemic diseases.

The root system plays an irreplaceable role in plant growth. Its improvement can increase crop productivity. However, such system is still mysterious for us. The underlying mechanism has not been fully uncovered. The investigation on proteins related to the root system is an important means to complete this task. In the previous time, lack of root-related proteins makes it impossible to adopt machine learning methods for designing efficient models for the discovery of novel root-related proteins. Recently, a public database on root-related proteins was set up and machine learning methods can be applied in this field. In this study, we proposed a machine learning based model, named Graph-Root, for identification of root-related proteins. The features derived from protein sequences and one network were extracted, where the former features were processed by graph convolutional neural network and multi-head attention, and the later features abstracted the linkage between proteins. These features were fed into the fully connected layer to make prediction. The 5-fold cross-validation and independent tests suggested its good performance. It also outperformed the only one previous model, SVM-Root. Furthermore, the importance of each feature type and component in the proposed model was investigated.

: An innovative and stable probiotics-containing mucoadhesive gel (AL0020), integrated with botanical extracts, has been developed to rebalance the dysbiosis associated with periodontal diseases. Tau-Marin gel was tested against some pathogenic bacteria, belonging to the so-called "red complex", recognized as the most important pathogens in plaque specimens, adherent to the epithelial lining of periodontal pockets. A detailed physico-chemical profile of AL0020 and its in vitro efficacy in protecting activity against pathogenic bacteria as well as soothing or irritative effect on gingival epithelium were reported. Moreover, a clinical-dermatological trial on 20 volunteers using the product once a day for 30 days was also performed.

Background: The important periodontal disease pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis produces large biofilms that increase its pathogenicity. Finding natural antimicrobial agents is crucial because of the rise in antibiotic resistance. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if plant extracts such as Symphytum officinale (S) and Panax ginseng (G) were effective against P. gingivalis separately and in combination with a common antibiotic Metronidazole (F). Materials and Procedures: Six different dilutions were produced the plant extracts and antibiotic separately and in combination with G and F and S and F using two-fold serial dilution technique. To evaluate the effects of these substances biofilm inhibition experiments were conducted. Plaque samples were collected from periodontitis patients to isolate P. gingivalis and standard strain of P. gingivalis (ATCC 33277) were bought. Additionally, Acylated Homoserine Lactones (AHLs) detection was carried out to look for any activity that would interfere with quorum sensing. GraphPad prism was used for statistical analysis with p value &lt; 0.05. Results: The combinations of Symphytum Officinale and Metronidazole (S+F) showed the maximum effectiveness in biofilm inhibition (98.7%), which was better than G+F (98.2%) with substantial variations in biofilm inhibition levels in different treatment regimes. Notably, the isolate from the patient was more active than the standard strain. Additionally, the plant extracts and their combinations at particular dilutions had notable inhibitory effects on the generation of AHL (p &lt;0.05). Conclusion: The study highlights the possibility of Symphytum Officinale and Panax Ginseng as effective treatments for P. gingivalis biofilm and AHLs, both on their own and in combination with Metronidazole. These organic substances may open the door to cutting-edge methods of treating periodontal disorders.

Plant roots host various microorganisms around and inside their roots, known as the root microbiome. To become healthy and productive, plants should keep under surveillance niches around the roots to recognize disease-causing microbes and similarly exploit the services of beneficial microorganisms in nutrient acquisition, stress mitigation and growth promotion. Here we presented the communication strategies between plant roots and root-associated microbes in improving plant growth and yield. Understanding how plant root and root-associated microbes communicate is vital in designing ecofriendly strategies for targeted disease suppression and improved plant growth that will help in sustainable agriculture.

Phoenixin-14 (PNX) - a bioactive peptide recently discovered in the rat brain, is highly conserved among many animal species: rodents (rat, mouse), pig, dog as well as humans. In rodents, PNX is expressed in areas responsible for the transmission of sensory information dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons, where it is present at relatively high levels and may preferentially suppress visceral pain. However, so far the presence of PNX has not been investigated in DRG in pigs, a species which, due to its anatomical and histological similarity to humans, is considered a better model for biomedical studies than rodents. The present study aimed to investigate the immunoreactivity of PNX in the DRG of the domestic pig. The collected spinal ganglia from the cervical (C), thoracic (Th), lumbar (L) and sacral (S) sections were transversely divided into serial sections of 10 μm thickness. DRG sections from each level of the spinal cord were double-labeled immunohistochemically using antibodies to PNX in a mixture with antibodies to: cocaine and amphetamine related transcript (CART), calretinin (CRT), calcytonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), galanin (GAL), nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), pituitary adenylate cyclase-acrivating polypeptide (PACAP), substance P (SP) or somatostatin (SOM), respectively. Immunohistochemical studies revealed PNX immunoreactivity in approximately 20% of nerve cells in all DRG examined, highlighting mainly the presence of the peptide in cells of small diameter (approximately 74% of all PNX-positive neurons found). Double labeling of DRG sections showed that PNX-immunopositive neurons stained also for CGRP (96.1%), SP (88.5%), nNOS (52.1%), GAL (20.7%), CRT (10.05%), PACAP (7.4%), CART (5.1%), or SOM (4.7%). Our research revealed for the first time the presence of the new peptide PNX in the sensory ganglia of the domestic pig, its co-localization with other important neurotransmitters involved in sensory transmission and its percentage distribution in ganglion domains. The exact function of PNX in DRG is not yet known, however, the high degree of co-localization of this peptide with the main nociceptive transmitters SP and CGRP may indicate its function in modulation of pain transmission.

Porphyromonas spp. are oral anaerobic Gram-negative bacteria that form black-pigmented colonies on blood agar and produce volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methyl mercaptan (CH3SH), and dimethyl sulfide ((CH3)2S), which cause halitosis and the destruction of periodontal tissues. P. gulae is considered the main pathogen involved in periodontal disease in dogs. However, the characteristics of the VSCs produced by P. gulae are unknown. In the present study, VSCs were measured in 26 isolates of P. gulae and some isolates of the other Porphyromonas spp. obtained from the oral cavities of dogs with periodontal disease using an in vitro assay with an Oral ChromaTM gas chromatograph. The results demonstrated that P. gulae was able to produce large amounts of H2S and CH3SH, and the dominant one was CH3SH (CH3SH/H2S was approximately 2.2). Other Porphyromonas spp. that were also obtained from the oral cavities of dogs with periodontal disease indicated the similar levels of production of H2S and CH3SH to those of P. gulae. It is strongly suggested that the high levels of H2S and CH3SH in P. gulae and other Porphyromonas spp. contribute to halitosis and the destruction of periodontal tissues during the progression of periodontal disease in dogs.

Syringomyelia can be associated with multiple etiologies. The treatment of the underlying causes is the first-line therapy, however, a direct approach to the syrinx is accepted as rescue treatment. Any direct intervention on the syrinx requires a myelotomy, posing a significant risk of iatrogenic spinal cord (SC) injury. Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) is crucial to detect and prevent surgically induced damage in neural SC pathways. We retrospectively reviewed the perioperative and intraoperative neurophysiological data and perioperative neurological examinations in ten cases of syringomyelia surgery. All monitored modalities remained stable throughout the surgery in six cases, correlating with no new postoperative neurological deficits. In two patients, significant transitory attenuation, or loss of motor evoked potentials (MEPs), were observed and recovered after a corrective surgical maneuver, with no new postoperative deficit. In two cases, a significant MEP decrement was noted, which lasted until the end of the surgery and was associated with postoperative weakness. A transitory train of neurotonic electromyography (EMG) discharges was reported in one case, the surgical plan was adjusted and the patient showed no postoperative deficit. The dorsal nerve roots were stimulated and identified in the seven cases where the myelotomy was performed via the dorsal root entry zone. Dorsal column mapping guided the myelotomy entry zone in four cases. In conclusion, multimodal IONM is feasible and reliable and may help prevent iatrogenic SC injury during syringomyelia surgery.

The mechanisms underlying the de novo regeneration of adventitious roots are still poorly understood, particularly in trees. In this study, we developed a system for studying different modulators of adventitious rooting (AR) at physiological and molecular levels by using for the first time leaves excised from chestnut microshoots. The rooting response of leaves was ontogenetic-stage dependent, and similar to that of the original microshoots. Initiation of root primordia and root development were inhibited by application of N-1-naphthyl-phthalamic acid (NPA), although the effect of this inhibitor of auxin polar transport (PAT) depended on the timing of application. Expression of CsSCL1, an auxin-inducible gene in juvenile and mature shoots during AR, was upregulated by auxin only in rooting-competent leaves during the novo root organogenesis and the expression was reduced by the NPA treatment. This inhibitory effect on gene expression was detected during reprograming of rooting competent cells towards root initials in response to auxin, indicating that PAT-mediated upregulation of CsSCL1 is required in the initial steps of AR in chestnut leaves. The localized expression of CsSCL1 in the quiescent center (QC) also suggests a role for this gene in the maintenance of meristematic competence and root radial patterning.

It is well-established that plants are sessile and photoautotrophic organisms that rely on light throughout their entire life cycle. Light quality (spectral composition) is especially important as it provides energy for photosynthesis and influences signaling pathways that regulate plant devel-opment in the complex process of photomorphogenesis. During past years, significant progress has been made in the physiological and biochemical effects of light quality on crops. However, understanding how light quality modulates plant growth and development remains a complex challenge. In this review, we provide an overview of the role of light quality in regulating early development of plants, encompassing processes such as seed germination, seedling de-etiolation, and seedling establishment. These insights can be harnessed to improve production planning and crop quality by producing high-quality seedlings in plant factories and improving the theoretical framework for modern agriculture.

We sought to evaluate the effects of non-surgical periodontal treatment (NSPT) on periodontal clinical parameters, systemic blood pressure (BP) and plasma levels of systemic inflammation markers in patients with combined refractory arterial hypertension (RAH) and stage III grade B periodontitis. Twenty-seven participants with RAH and periodontitis received NSPT. The analyzed clinical parameters were probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), and plaque index (PI). An assessment was performed for systemic BP, complete blood count, coagulogram, creatinine measurement, C-reactive protein (CRP), glycated hemoglobin, cholesterol, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamate pyruvic transaminase, waist-hip ratio, and body mass index. In the follow-up period, twenty-two patients were evaluated at baseline and after 90 and 180 days. The data were submitted to statistical analysis (α=0.05%). As expected, the clinical results showed a significant improvement in the percentages of PI, BOP, PD and CAL, which were statistically significant at 90 and 180 days (p&lt;0.0001). Importantly, NSPT significantly reduced the blood level of CRP (p&lt;0.02). However, no significant reduction in BP parameters was noted in the evaluated follow-up periods. NSPT, despite the benefits in periodontal clinical parameters, reduced the plasma level of CRP but not the BP in patients with combined RAH and periodontitis.

The TGACG motif-binding factor1 (TGA1) transcription factor, a significant protein in the bZIP transcription factor family, exhibits a myriad of functions, contributes to numerous biological events, and holds substantial application potential. In this study, our analysis revealed a diverse range of photoregulatory and hormone regulatory elements within the MtTGA1 promoter region. The expression profile of MtTGA1 indicated its highest expression in the root, with its regulation influenced by SA, ABA, BR, and GA. Under salt stress conditions, transgenic plants demonstrated significantly longer root lengths and heightened activities of antioxidant enzymes such as ascorbic acid catalase (APX), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in their roots and leaves compared to control plants. Simultaneously, the levels of endogenous hormones ABA and BR escalated in transgenic plants, with a marked change in the morphology of their leaf cells. Transcriptome analysis identified a total of 193 differentially expressed genes, implicating a wide array of biological processes. Furthermore, we found that MtTGA1 is able to interact with Medicago truncatula SPX domain containing protein 1 (SPX1). In conclusion, the MtTGA1 transcription factor plays a crucial role in enhancing salt tolerance, which provides new insights for improving plant survival under salt stress conditions.

Many techniques have been and are being made to find alternatives to water-saving practices. Among them, Partial root drying (PRD), one of the effective approaches, plays a major role in reducing the harmful effects of water deficit stress. An experiment was carried out using irrigation strategies [I1 (100% full irrigation “FI”), I2 (75%FI), I3 (50%FI), and I4 (PRD (50%FI)] and soil organic mulch [L0 (Zero layer organic soil mulch” control”), L1 (Single layer organic soil mulch), L2 (Two layers of organic soil mulch), and L3 (Three layers of organic soil mulch)] to inspect the impact of those treatments for increasing yield, water productivity and saving energy under arid region conditions. To meet the study's objective, two field experiments were carried out at a private farm. Our results demonstrated a general decrease in water stress and salt accumulation inside root-zone area with PRD with L3. The PRD strategy increased fruit yields by 3.7 and 7.3% and water productivity by 51.9 and 53.1% compared with I1 during 2020/2021 and 2021/2022, respectively, while reducing the applied irrigation water by 50 %. The PRD strategy showed superior results in increasing mango yield and water productivity. In general, PRD can be used as good technique to save water and energy up to 50% and enhance productivity along with using organic mulching, ultimately improving mango yield under arid climatic regions. It may prove a good adaptation strategy for current and future water shortage scenarios of climate change.

Objective. The primary aim of this 6-month randomized, controlled, blinded clinical pilot study was to compare the percent root coverage obtained using an acellular dermal matrix allograft (ADM) and a coronally positioned tunnel (CPT) technique with two different suturing techniques. Materials and Methods. Sixteen patients with at least one Miller Class I or II recession defect ≥ 3 mm were randomly selected to receive a CPT with ADM using either two independent continuous sling sutures to secure the graft and the soft tissue separately (SEP) or a single continuous sling suture to secure both the graft and the soft tissue together (TOG) in the test group. Percent defect coverage, predictability of achieving 100% root coverage, keratinized tissue width, and attachment levels were assessed. Results. Both TOG and SEP suturing techniques achieved a significant amount of defect coverage, 83 vs. 85%, respectively, with no significant differences between groups. The predictability of achieving complete defect coverage was 63% for both groups. All maxillary sites had 100% coverage. There was a statistically significant gain of keratinized tissue for the TOG (1.1 ± 0.9 mm), while the SEP group gained only minimal amount (0.2 ± 0.8 mm). Conclusions. The single sling, for simultaneous suturing of the soft tissue and acellular dermal matrix, worked as well as two sling sutures used separately for the soft tissue and ADM. Suturing time was reduced by about 50% for the single sling group indicating a significant clinical advantage for the patient and surgeon.

At present, aeroponic control is mainly regulated according to the environmental factors of aeroponics, such as the temperature, humidity, light intensity, carbon dioxide concentration, pH, and electrical conductivity (EC) of the nutrient solution. There is a lack of knowledge available in the literature for an aeroponic control system for plant growth information as the primary feedback signal. Therefore, a fuzzy logic-controlled aeroponics system was developed for the growth of lettuce as a feedback signal. After designing, the effectiveness test of system was performed with experiment having three treatments T1 (180C), T2 (220C) and without control (CK). The results show an increasing trend in shoot length, root length, and shoot area over time in all treatments. In terms of shoot area, the maximum of 345 cm² was observed in the T1 treatment, while the CK treatment had a minimum of 241.8 cm². Statistical analysis indicated that the T1 and T2 treatments were not significantly different, but both were significantly different from the CK treatment. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of the fuzzy logic control system and an 18°C nutrient solution temperature, resulting in improved lettuce growth and reduced root-to-shoot ratio. The findings suggest the potential of using fuzzy logic control in aeroponics for optimized cultivation outcomes.

Barnyardgrass (Echinochloa spp.) is a prevalent type of weed in rice fields worldwide. Despite the growing knowledge concerning allelopathic interference with barnyardgrass, little is understood regarding the competitive mechanisms between allelopathic rice and herbicide-resistant barnyardgrass at the plant physiological level. In this context, a hydroponic system was employed to investigate the root morphological traits and different phytohormones levels of two rice cultivars, i.e., the allelopathic rice cultivar “PI312777” (PI) and the non-allelopathic rice cultivar “Lemont” (LE), when co-planted with quinclorac-resistant and -susceptible barnyardgrass, respectively. The results showed that the shoot and root biomass were greater in the allelopathic rice cultivar. Moreover, the treatments at the two time points induced an increase in shoot and root biomass of PI when subjected to barnyardgrass stress. In terms of root morphology, PI exhibited significantly higher fine-root length in diameters &lt;0.5 mm, a greater number of root tips, and longer root tips compared to LE. In addition, the levels of different plant hormones, including auxin (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), and salicylic acid (SA), known for their diverse adaptation strategies to biotic stress, were analysed. The response to quinclorac-resistant barnyardgrass stress was consistent in terms of the content of well-known stress-related hormones, namely SA and JA. The accumulation of SA and JA was observed in both rice cultivars under the stress of quinclorac-resistant barnyardgrass, with higher contents of these hormones in PI than that in LE. The most significant change was observed in IAA and ABA contents in rice, which decreased significantly from 7 days to 14 days under co-culture stress. Additionally, PI contained higher levels of IAA and ABA than LE in the presence of barnyardgrass stress. This research may aid in the development of strategies for reducing the environmental impact of herbicides through the prudent selection of non-chemical herbicide control tactics.

Keywords: Pulp cell, Periodontal cell, Micro-Arc Oxidation (MAO), Sever Plastic deformation (SPD), Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP), AlamarBlue, ELISA, trypsin

Oral diseases remain a major health problem worldwide, with the World Health Organisation reporting that oral health neglect affects almost half of the world’s population. Quorum sensing molecules (QSMs) influence oral biofilms in various ways with knowledge of direct oral QSM-host interaction being limited, and such studies could provide more insight into the cross-kingdom communication occurring during oral disease development. This review aims to explore the literature on oral QSM-host interaction and to highlight areas of advancement in this field. QSM CSP-1 produced by Gram-positive oral bacteria was found to interact with T2R receptors, activating NF-kB signalling and leading to remodeling of the cytoskeleton. AI-2 in the oral cavity was found in various studies to elicit an inflammatory response in specific oral cells. Overall AHL detection methods remain an area for development, through which greater understanding of oral QSMs’ influence on host cells can be achieved. In conclusion, from the current literature it can be inferred that that QSMs are utilised by host cells to detect bacterial presence and in the majority of cases elicit an immune response towards the environmental QSMs. This may provide a base to target QSMs as novel treatment of oral diseases.

Periodontal diseases significantly impact about half of the global population, and their treatment often encompasses relieving symptoms as well as regenerating the destroyed tissues. Revolu-tionary research in the management of periodontal disease includes biomaterials, a boon to re-generative dentistry owing to their excellent biological properties, non-toxic, an-ti-inflammatory, biocompatible, biodegradable, and adhesion. This study aimed to fabricate an injectable fucoidan containing chitosan hydrogel and prove its effectiveness in periodontal bone regeneration. The injectable hydrogel was prepared using the sol-gel method and loaded into 2ml syringes. 40 periodontitis patients with bony defects were recruited and randomized into two groups, to re-ceive fucoidan-chitosan hydrogel and concentrated growth factor, respectively. Customized acrylic stents were used to guide the hydrogel placement into the defect site. Post-surgical changes in clinical parameters were assessed at 3, 6 and 9 months to appreciate the soft & hard tissue changes using repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni’s posthoc test. Significance was kept at 5%. The fucoidan-chitosan hydrogel exhibited significantly lower probing depth values and a higher mean reduction in clinical attachment level as compared to the CGF group at the end of 3 and 6 months (p<0.05). The mean defect fills in the fucoidan-chitosan group was 1.20 at the end of 9 months (p<0.001). The presence of fucoidan in the hydrogel significantly contributed to bone re-generation in humans, thus strengthening its potential in tissue engi-neering. Fucoidan- Chitosan will be a promising biomaterial for bone tissue regeneration.

A tricalcium silicate nanoparticle-containing cement (NPC) was developed to overcome the disadvantages of existing mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) dental materials. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of NPC on the osteogenic differentiation of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPLFs) in vitro, and on the healing of furcal perforations created experimentally in rat molars in vivo, in comparison to MTA. The in vitro studies performed the following assays; pH measurement using a pH meter, the release of calcium ions using a calcium assay kit, cell attachment and morphology using SEM, cell proliferation using a coulter counter, marker expression using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and cell mineralized deposit formation using Alizarin Red S (ARS) staining. In the in vivo studies, MTA and NPC were used to fill the rat molar perforations. Rat molars were processed at 7, 14 and 28 days for analysis of inflammatory processes using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, immunohistochemical staining of Runx2 and tartrate-resistant acid phosphate (TRAP) staining. The results demonstrate that the nanoparticle size distribution of NPC is critical for osteogenic potential at an earlier stage compared to MTA. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanism of action of NPC in osteogenic differentiation.

As indicated by standards of modern dentistry, the essence of endodontic treatment is chemo-mechanical disinfection of root canal system. The infected tooth should be eradicated of microorganisms and sealed tight with biocompatible materials. Vital element of this process is irrigation of canals with designated solutions as well as their activation. This review article summarizes various techniques of activation of irrigants for endodontic treatment and compares them. Results were gathered using PubMed and Google Scholar databases by searching keywords: irrigation, activation, sodium hypochlorite, irrigation protocols.

The aim of this systematic scoping review was to provide scientific evidence on the efficacy and methods of application of hyaluronic acid in the coverage of gingival recessions in terms of recession depth (RD) reduction, clinical attachment level (CAL) gain, probing depth (PD). An electronic search of the literature on the main databases was conducted. Initially, 405 articles were identified. Finally, 4 studies were included after the review process. It was not possible to perform a meta-analysis of the articles selected because of the differences among the surgical treatments and commercial formulations and compositions of hyaluronic acid. Both randomized controlled trials in this research examined Recession Type 1 gingival treated with coronally advanced flap. Recessions were treated with either modified coronally advanced tunnel or laterally closed tunnel combined with subepithelial connective tissue graft and hyaluronic acid (HA) in all case series. The studies analyzed no significant variation was found in PD variable. The results of RD reduction are in accordance with the literature. Modifications of CAL are connected to variations of RD. HA seems to improve the clinical outcomes of the described surgical treatment.

This article is devoted to the results of in-depth analysis of the system of binary-oppositional structures in DNA n-plet alphabets and their algebraic-matrix representations. These results show that the molecular complementary replication of DNA strands is accompanied by the presence of an algebraic version of the principle "like begets like" in matrix representations of DNA alphabets having internal structures. This algebraic version is based on binary-oppositional structures in the genetic molecular system, which can be represented by binary numbers and corresponding matrices of DNA alphabets. The received results allow thinking that the phenomenon "like begets like" (or a complementary replication in a wide sense) is systemic in the genetic organization and is connected with algebraic features of biological organization. Correspondingly, the biological principle "like begets like" can be additionally modeled by algebraic-matrix methods and approaches. Such algebra-matrix modeling of the genetic coding system gives new ways for studying and understanding the key role of the named principle in genetic and other inherited physiological complexes. On this way, the author discovered general rules of stochastic organization of information binary sequences of genomic DNAs of eukaryotes and prokaryotes. The presented rules are connected with information dichotomies of probabilities and corresponding fractal-like trees of probabilities, which fundamentally differ from constructional dichotomies in biological bodies. The received phenomenological data and rules lead to new biological ideas.

Plant roots have significant effects on the soil erosion rates, since they can strongly change the soil detachment capacity (Dc). This study quantifies Dc at different flow rates in soils with Alnus subcordata species, compared to three other species (Brachythecium plumose, Gleditsia caspica and Sambucus ebulus species) in the Saravan forest park and develops regression equations for predicting Dc. Undisturbed samples collected from soils with the four tree species and subjected to five slopes (from 4.3 to 38.3%) and five water discharges (from 0.28 to 0.71 l m−1 s−1) using a hydraulic flume. The results showed that Dc was significantly lower in soils with Alnus subcordata species compared to Brachythecium plumose, Gleditsia caspica and Sambucus ebulus species, as the consequence of the changes in the root characteristics, so that Dc was negatively correlated with root weight density, root length and root biomass. The unit stream power had high accuracy for predicting Dc for all of the studied species. The lowest value of rill erodibility (Kr) was obtained in soils with Alnus subcordata species using regression relationship between the Dc and the shear stress of the soil. This experiment helped to show the importance of plant roots in reducing the soil detachment rates and provided a contribution in understanding the choice of appropriate species for soil conservation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought marked changes worldwide to the management of airborne infectious diseases. It sparked the development of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and pharmacotherapeutics to prevent infection and increase the survival rate during the acute viral phase and the comorbidities associated with COVID-19. Periodontal disease may increase the morbidity and perhaps the mortality of a COVID-19 infection. However, the molecular interaction between periodontitis and COVID-19 infection remains undetermined. A potential pathogenic co-morbidity may involve periodontal pathogenic release of destructive cytokines in the highly inflamed connective tissue and risk for COVID-19. Additional biomarkers such as C-reactive proteins appear to play a role for risk and pathogenesis of COVID-19. The potential of herpesviruses, especially as it is related to aggressive periodontitis may also be a comorbidity for COVID-19. This paper reviews available evidence on the bidirectional association between periodontitis and COVID-19.

Root crops grow in the soil deeply and bond with soil closely, which results in that the process of the separation between soil and root becomes the most difficult during the harvesting processes. In order to harvest root crops efficiently, the mechanical harvesting has become the main developing trend. However, high power and high damage rate are still occurred when mechanical harvester gets in touch with the roots. In this paper, we review the research of the development and evaluation of the mechanical harvesting of root crops and its performance optimization on the past years. The process of soil separation mainly consists in the initial separation between root and the ground and further separation between root and adhered soil. In general, the soil-cutting operation in the initial separation and the sieving mechanism in the further separation require high draught and power. And the dramatic friction, impact, pressure and so on, which happen in the components and soil-roots, are the key reasons to lead to root damage. The optimization of harvesting methods and parameters, including the digging shovel shape, working conditions, vibration, and screening way, is more significant in improving the harvesting performance. But there are still some limitations in the research and application of the mechanical harvester for root crops. Future research is suggested to focus on the development of the soil break-up when the digging shovel cutting soil, the insight into the interaction between soil and roots by different external compression loads, and the long-term studies to verify the high-efficiency and low-damage performances of mechanical harvester in practical application.

Background: Dental avulsion is the most serious dentoalveolar traumas because its management requires immediate reimplantation to maintain the periodontal ligament. The success of the treatment depends largely on the appropriate storage medium that ensures the viability of the periodontal cells. The purpose of this review was to identify the most efficient media to store and transport avulsed permanent teeth, according to the viability of the periodontal ligament cells. Methods: The Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed electronically searched using the keywords “Storage media”; “Avulsed teeth”; and “Periodontal ligament”. The inclusion criteria were in vitro studies and articles published in English. The exclusion criteria were literature reviews, studies in primary teeth, studies in animals, and cell culture studies. Results: Hank’s saline solution and honey were equally effective, maintaining a cell viability rate of 98.89% and 96.43%, respectively, over a period of 3 hours. Ringer’s lactate solution maintained the viability of 906.40 viable cells/mm3 at 1 hour. Propolis maintained the viability of 285,000 cells/mm3 at 45 minutes, and the Neem extract maintained a cell viability rate of 88% at 30 minutes. Conclusions: Hank’s saline solution is the most effective storage medium for maintaining the viability of periodontal cells in avulsed teeth.

Periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PdLFs) exert important functions in oral tissue and bone remodeling following mechanical forces, which are specifically applied during orthodontic tooth movement (OTM). Located between the teeth and the alveolar bone, mechanical stress activates the mechanomodulatory functions of PdLFs including the regulation of local inflammation and activation of further bone-remodeling cells. Previous studies suggested the growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) as important pro-inflammatory regulator during the PdLFs mechanoresponse. However, the precise mechanism remains to be clarified, as GDF15 may act both intracrine and by receptor binding, potentially also in an autocrine manner. The extent to which PdLFs are susceptible to extracellular GDF15 has not yet been investigated. Thus, our study aims to examine the influence of GDF15 exposure on cellular properties of PdLFs and their mechanoresponse, which seems particularly relevant regarding disease- and aging-associated elevated GDF15 serum levels. Therefore, in addition to investigating potential GDF15 receptors, we analyzed its impact on proliferation, survival, senescence, and differentiation of human PdLFs, demonstrating a pro-osteogenic effect upon long-term stimulation. Furthermore, we detected an altered force-related inflammation and impaired osteoclast differentiation. Overall, our data suggest a major impact of extracellular GDF15 on PdLFs differentiation and their mechanoresponse.

The use of allometric tools allows estimating the biomass of a plant species with greater precision. Tree roots are the least studied part of the vegetation due to the difficulty in obtaining complete root systems. For this reason, the objective was to generate an allometric model to estimate the amount of biomass accumulated in the root system of Abies religiosa trees in El Chico National Park, Hidalgo. For this purpose, 61 trees of A. religiosa were extracted from 0.06 to 3.56 m in height, using a backpack sprayer of pressurized water that detached the soil from the root. The response variable was root fresh weight and the independent variables were height, diameter and age+1, according to the fit of the models tested. Diameter was the variable with the best fit (r2 = 0.95 ± 0.04), obtaining the following equation PFR = (20.918 + D (2.4475)). The allometric model accurately estimates the below-ground biomass contained in the roots, which will allow us to obtain the complete biomass of an A. religiosa forest by having access to data on both the aerial and root components.

Drought stress is a major production constraint in crops globally. Crop wild relatives are important source of resistance and tolerance for both biotic and abiotic stresses, respectively. A breeding program was initiated to introgress drought tolerance in sunflower through hybridization between the wild species Helianthus argophyllus and the cultigen pool of H. annuus. Selection was carried out in the F2 to F5 segregating populations for high cuticular waxes, smaller leaf area, single heading and high oil content. The selected F5 breeding lines were compared with non-adapted elite sunflower germplasm in a replicated randomized complete block research project using different water treatments comparing fully irrigated (T0), with 75 (T1), 50 (T2) and 25% (T3) irrigation treatments. The comparison between the two types of germplasm showed that drought tolerant breeding lines had comparatively lesser decreases in leaf area, shoot weight and root shoot ratio 10 under the various drought treatments. Leaf area of the drought selected F5 lines were smaller than that of the elite germplasm under controlled irrigated treatments, but they maintained their leaf area under the drought treatments. Several drought resistant promising lines D-2, D-5, and D-27 were identified and showed high leaf area, great root length and increase root to shoot ratio under the highest stressed treatments (T3). Some of the lines could be directly used for the development of drought tolerant hybrids. Combining ability test indicated D-27 (F7) as good general combiner for seed yield plant−1 and oil contents when mated with male line RSIN.82. These hybrids could help to minimize seed yield losses due to water stress and to achieve profitable cultivation of sunflower in 18 arid regions of Pakistan.

The oral cavity is environment to a diverse range of organisms that make up an essential element of the human microbiota. There are 50-1000 kinds of microorganisms capable of colonizing the mouth. The entamoeba parasites have at minimum 7 species (E. histolytica, E. dispar, E. moshkovskii, E. coli, E. polecki E. hartmann, E. gingivalis). These parasites are parasitic single-celled organisms and Entamoeba gingivalis was the first amoeba to be described in 1849 that was capable of existing in humans. It was shown that only Entamoeba gingivalis is able to colonize the oral cavity. The aim of this study was to evaluate prevalence of E. Gingivalis in periodontal disease using two electronic database search engines. In order to have a broader view of the subject, a comprehensive manual search was conducted on these content aggregators and the initial search resulted in 277 articles using the keywords „Entamoeba gingivalis”, „periodontitis”, „E. gingivalis”, „periodontal disease”, „prevalence”, and „incidence”, in different combinations. The results showed that 755 cases were infected with Entamoeba gingivalis out of a total number of 1,729 patients diagnosed with periodontal disease indicating a global prevalence of 43%. When comparing different stages of periodontal diseases results revealed that the prevalence in patients with gingivitis was 58% while in periodontitis group the prevalence was 44%. Overall prevalence of Entamoeba Gingivalis based on gender was 43 % in female patients whilst in male patients was 47%. Based on the results it can be concluded that the higher incidence of Entamoeba Gingivalis in people with periodontal disease compared to healthy people is more than just a sign of the disease; it may also be linked to the severity of the condition and its propensity to progress.

Even after debridement and chemical root canal preparation, multispecies bacterial biofilms can still be found in root canals and dentinal tubules. This demonstrates the necessity of using suitable antibacterial endodontic sealers. Due to their well-known biological qualities, calcium silicate based root canal sealers or “bioceramic’ sealers have recently been launched and can be successful in endodontic procedures. This study's objective was to compare the impact of CerasealR, Total Fill BC SealerR, Bio-C SealerR, AH Plus BioceramicR, K-biocerR and SealiteR on the elimination of a multispecies’ endodontic biofilm at 3, 7 and 14 days. Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Candida Albicans and Proteus Mirabilis were cultured on specific agars and later grown in Brain Heart Infusion broth on hydroxyapatite discs pretreated with collagen type 1 and incubated for 18 days. The resulting biofilm was then placed on a 10mm round shaped blotting paper set on a metallic net in a 6cm petri dish with an orthodontic bend filled with the calcium silicate based root canal sealer in direct contact with the biofilm. In all tested groups, the total bacterial count has significantly decreased between day 3 and day 14 (P<0.05) with no statistically significant differences among the different sealers’ groups at all time points. Sealite group was capable of decreasing the Candida Albicans count significantly between day 3 and day 14 (P<0.05) in comparison with the bioceramic groups. All sealers had antibacterial activity against the multispecies biofilm between day 3 and day 14.

At the time of tillage, properties of the soil change, thereby changing the conditions of crop development and ultimately their productivity and quality. The effect of non-inversion tillage or no till on faba bean development is stills not widely investigated. For this reason, investigations of tillage systems from deep and shallow ploughing, chiselling, disking to no tillage were tested in Vytautas Magnus University, Agriculture Academy, Lithuania. The results showed that different tillage methods had less influence on faba bean development than meteorological conditions during the growing seasons. Soil chiselling generally showed better faba bean canopy development rates than other treatments. Faba bean roots developed somewhat better in not tilled plots. Vegetative conditions had a significant influence on faba bean development indicators. The effects of vegetative conditions during all four years of the experimentation were significantly different from each other. This shows that, due to rapid climate change, the conditions of each vegetative season become unique and require precise attention.

Effect of wireworm-damaged lettuce roots on antioxidative defence system (ascorbate-glutathione cycle, photosynthetic pigments) and movement of insect/slug parasitic nematodes towards determined root exudates was studied in a glasshouse experiment. Lettuce seedlings were grown in a substrate soil in the absence/presence of wireworms (Elateridae). Determination of antioxidants and photosynthetic pigments were analysed. Volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted from lettuce roots were investigated by GC-MS. Herbivore induced root compounds, namely 2,4-nonadienal, glutathione and ascorbic acid, were selected for a chemotaxis assay with nematodes Steinernema feltiae, S. carpocapsae, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, P. papillosa, and O. myriophilus. Root pests negatively affected photosynthetic pigment contents even before the appearance of visible symptoms, as protective pigments responded to the presence of reactive oxygene species (ROS). Using lettuce as a model plant, we recognised ascorbate-glutathione system as a redox hub in defense response against wireworms and analysed its role in root-exudate mediated chemotaxis of nematodes. Infected plants also demostrated increased levels of volatile 2,4-nonadienal. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs, S. feltiae, S. carpocapsae, and H. bacteriophora) proved to be more mobile than parasitic nematodes O. myriophilus and P. papillosa towards chemotaxis compounds. Among them 2,4 – nonadienal repelled all tested nematodes. Most exudates that are involved in belowground tritrophic interactions remain unknown but an increasing effort is being made in this field of research. Understanding more of these complex interactions would not only allow a better understanding of the rhizosphere but could also offer ecologically sound alternatives in pest management of agricultural systems.

Nitrogen (N) strongly affects plant growth and metabolism. For shikonin biosynthesis, although the ammonium toxicity phenomenon has been reported, the effects of nitrogen on the shikonin synthesis remains obscure. In this study, we carried out four different concentrations of NH4+ treatments on Arnebia euchroma hairy roots (AEHR) to clarify the influence of NH4+ on the growth and shikonin accumulation in A. euchroma and the possible mechanism. The results showed that compared with the 0% NH4+ treatment (only nitrate as nitrogen source), 10% NH4+ treatment increased the fresh weight and the dry weight of AEHR, and promoted the synthesis of shikonins; 20% NH4+ treatment started to show the inhibition effects on growth and shikonin accumulation of AEHR and 30% NH4+ treatment exhibited the strongest inhibition effects. With increased percentage of NH4+, AEHRs became shorter and thicker with more branches. To further elucidate the mechanism, we analyzed the time-course of nitrogen assimilation, gene expression level of key enzymes involved in the shikonin biosynthesis pathway, and contents of various endogenous hormones under NH4+ toxicity condition. Results indicated that auxin and cytokinin might regulate the growth and architecture of AEHR under NH4+ toxicity, and jasmonate level was reduced along with the inhibition of shikonin biosynthesis. This first comprehensive investigation into the effects of ammonium/nitrate ratio on shikonin biosynthesis not only provided valuable data for optimizing the in vitro culture and shikonin production in A. euchroma, but also suggested potential fertilizer strategies for its cultivation.