Implant placement with simultaneous GBR resulted in more gain of buccal soft tissue contour in comparison with implant placement without GBR. Abutment connection increased the contour of the marginal mucosa at the augmented and the nonaugmented sites. GBR procedure contributed more to the contour gain than did the abutment connection. The augmented and the nonaugmented ridges exhibited stable peri-implant mucosal contour over a 3-year period.

Four unknown strains belonging to the genus Arthrobacter were isolated from plateau wildlife on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau of PR China. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the four isolates were separated into two clusters. Cluster I (strains 785T and 208) had the greatest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Arthrobacter citreus (98.6 and 98.7 %, respectively), Arthrobacter luteolus (98.0 and 98.1%, respectively), Arthrobacter gandavensis (97.9 and 98.0 %, respectively) and Arthrobacter koreensis (97.6 and 97.7 %, respectively). Likewise, cluster II (strains J391T and J915) had the highest sequence similarity to Arthrobacter ruber (98.6 and 98.3 %, respectively) and Arthrobacter agilis (98.1 and 97.9  %, respectively). Average nucleotide identity and the digital DNA–DNA hybridization values illustrated that the two type strains, 785T and J391T, represented two separate novel species that are distinct from all currently recognized species in the genus Arthrobacter . These strains had DNA G+C contents of 66.0–66.1 mol% (cluster I) and 68.0 mol% (cluster II). The chemotaxonomic properties of strains 785T and J391T were in line with those of the genus Arthrobacter : anteiso-C15:0 (79.3 and 40.8 %, respectively) as the major cellular fatty acid, MK-8(H2) (65.8 %) or MK-9(H2) (75.6 %) as the predominant respiratory quinone, a polar lipid profile comprising diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, glycolipids and phospholipid, and A3α or A4α as the cell wall peptidoglycan type. On the basis of our results, two novel species in the genus Arthrobacter are proposed, namely Arthrobacter yangruifuii sp. nov. (type strain, 785T=CGMCC 1.16725T=GDMCC 1.1592T=JCM 33491T) and Arthrobacter zhaoguopingii sp. nov. (type strain, J391T=CGMCC 1.17382T=GDMCC 1.1667T=JCM 33841T).

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The aim of this study was to explore the preventive effect and possible mechanisms of transcutaneous electrical acustimulation (TEA) on stroke-induced constipation. A total of 86 ischemic stroke patients were randomly allocated to 2-wk TEA or sham-TEA group. Bowel dairy and Bristol Stool Form Scale were recorded daily. Constipation and dyspeptic symptom assessment was performed at the end of the 14-day treatment. Electrocardiogram was recorded for the assessment of autonomic function. The correlation between autonomic function at admission and stroke severity was assessed. The univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to investigate the risk factors for stroke-induced constipation. The cumulative incidence of stroke-induced constipation was 68.2% at the acute stage. Sympathetic nerve activity at admission was positively correlated with stroke severity ( R = 0.47, P < 0.001). Sympathetic nerve activity and stroke severity were independent risk factors for stroke-induced constipation. TEA decreased cumulative incidence of stroke-induced constipation (42.9 vs. 68.2%, P = 0.029). TEA significantly increased frequency of bowel movements (4.5 vs. 5.5, P = 0.001) and spontaneous bowel movements (3.0 vs. 4.5, P = 0.003) per week. TEA decreased straining defecations (0.2 vs. 0, P < 0.001) and laxative use (1 vs. 0, P < 0.001). TEA improved stool consistency and patients' quality of life ( P < 0.05, resp.). TEA increased vagal activity ( P < 0.001 vs. baseline) and decreased sympathetic activity ( P < 0.001 vs. baseline). Ischemic stroke patients are predisposed to autonomic function imbalance. TEA was effective in the prevention of stroke-induced constipation, and the effect was possibly mediated via the autonomic function. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study illustrated that the brain-gut dysfunction, primarily autonomic function imbalance, was correlated with the stroke-induced constipation. This was the first study to report that transcutaneous electrical acustimulation had a preventive effect on stroke-induced constipation, suggesting a potential novel therapy for bowel problem management. The effect was possibly mediated via the autonomic function.

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