This study aims to measure anatomical data of the capitate bone, develop an external fixator for treating late-stage osteonecrosis of lunate through Ilizarov technique, and evaluate its biomechanical ...performance. We selected eight wrist joint specimens to measure various parameters of the capitate bone, including its length, the distance from the junction of capitate head and body to the proximal end, as well as the width of its proximal head and distal body. Additionally, we measured these same indicators in 107 patients who had undergone wrist X-ray examination. Based on our measurements, we categorized the capitate bone into two groups and designed two types of capitate bone Ilizarov external fixator (CIEF) for it. Then, we compared it with the orthofix external fixator (OEF) through dynamic fatigue biomechanical experiments and pull-out resistance experiments. The results of the measurement revealed two categories of general patterns in the capitate bone. The first type maintains a consistent longitudinal axis between the proximal and distal ends. The second type is characterized by its proximal end being close to the radial side and its distal end being close to the ulnar side. In the dynamic tensile fatigue test, CIEF-A and CIEF-B had smaller maximum displacement values compared to the OEF (P < 0.05). In the anti-pull-out experiment, both CIEF-A and CIEF-B exhibited higher maximum pull-out force than the OEF (P < 0.05). CIFE is a treatment for advanced osteonecrosis of the lunate bone. It is specifically designed to align with the anatomical characteristics of the capitate bone, providing excellent biomechanical properties and a simple clinical procedure. However, additional clinical experiments are needed to confirm its effectiveness in the future.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The growing developments in vehicular networks and vehicular Internet services have yielded a variety of computation-intensive applications, resulting in great pressure on vehicles equipped with ...limited computation resources. The cloud/ edge-based service, which enables in-motion vehicles to actively offload computation tasks to cloud/ edge servers, has provided a promising approach to address the intensive computation burden. However, due to the possibility of disclosing private data, offloading computation tasks suffers from potential eavesdropping attacks. In this article, we focus on the eavesdropping attack when vehicular users (VUs) deliver computation tasks to cloud/edge servers over radio frequency channels. We take the tool of physical layer security and investigate resource management for secrecy provisioning when the VUs offload computation tasks. We then discuss three promising technologies, including non-orthogonal multiple access, multi-access assisted computation offloading, and mobility- and delay-aware offloading, which facilitate the enhancement of secrecy against the eavesdropping attack. Finally, as a detailed example of the multi-access assisted computation offloading, we present a case study on the optimal dual-connectivity-assisted computation task offloading with secrecy provisioning and show the performance of the proposed computation offloading.
Abstract
Background
Maintaining effective reduction and firm fixation in inferior pole patellar fractures is a highly challenging task. There are various treatment methods available; although ...tension-band wiring combined with cerclage wiring (TBWC) is the mainstream approach, its effectiveness is limited. Herein, we propose and evaluate a new technique called candy box (CB), based on separate vertical wiring (SVW), for the treatment of inferior pole patellar fractures. Specifically, we provide biomechanical evidence for its clinical application.
Methods
Five fixation models were built: SVW combined with cerclage wiring (SVWC); TBWC; modified SVW with the middle (MSVW-A) or upper (MSVW-B) 1/3 of the steel wire reserved, and CB. A finite element analysis was performed to compare the displacement and stress under 100-N, 200-N, 300-N, 400-N and 500-N force loads. Three-dimensional printing technology was utilized to create fracture models, and the average displacement of each model group was compared under a 500-N force.
Results
The results of the finite element analysis indicate that CB technology exhibits significantly lower maximum displacement, bone stress, and wire stress compared to that with other technologies under different loads. Additionally, in biomechanical experiments, the average force displacement in the CB group was significantly smaller than that with other methods under a 500-N force (P < 0.05).
Conclusions
CB technology has the potential to overcome the limitations of current techniques due to its superior biomechanical characteristics. By incorporating early functional exercise and ensuring strong internal fixation, patient prognosis could be enhanced. However, further clinical trials are needed to fully evaluate the therapeutic effects of CB technology.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Introduction 68 Ga labeled DOTA-Ibandronate ( 68 Ga-DOTA-IBA) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), is a novel bone-targeting imaging tracer and promising diagnostic method for ...bone metastases detection. Therefore, this study aimed to compare 68 Ga-DOTA-IBA PET/CT to the 99m Tc-MDP whole-body bone scan (WBBS) for detecting bone metastases in breast cancer (BC). Materials and methods In this prospective study, 45 women with BC underwent imaging via 68 Ga-DOTA-IBA PET/CT and 99m Tc-MDP WBBS. Clinical and demographic information as well as BC imaging features were recorded. The two methods were compared in terms of their detection rate for bone metastases and the number of lesions. Results The 45 women were aged 53.5 ± 11.0 years. The bone metastases detection rate with 68 Ga-DOTA-IBA PET/CT was 100% (45/45) and with 99m Tc-MDP WBBS was 95.6% (43/45). A total of 546 bone metastases lesions were detected. The lesion detection rate using 68 Ga-DOTA-IBA PET/CT was 100% (546/546) and using 99m Tc-MDP WBBS was 67.8% (370/546). More lesions were found at each site via 68 Ga-DOTA-IBA than via 99m Tc-MDP WBBS. Conclusions 68 Ga-DOTA-IBA PET/CT is a more sensitive method than 99m Tc-MDP WBBS for assessing bone metastases in BC and may therefore represent a useful imaging technique for bone metastases, while offering a visual basis for 177 Lu-DOTA-IBA diagnosis and therapy response assessments for BC. Further validation using a broader study cohort is warranted to confirm these findings. Clinical trial registration https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=170163 , identifier ChiCTR2200064487.
Future smart grid (SG) has been considered a complex and advanced power system, where energy consumers are connected not only to the traditional energy retailers (e.g., the utility companies), but ...also to some local energy networks for bidirectional energy trading opportunities. This paper aims to investigate a hybrid energy trading market that is comprised of an external utility company and a local trading market managed by a local trading center (LTC). The existence of local energy market provides new opportunities for the energy consumers and the distributed energy sellers to perform the local energy trading in a cooperative manner such that they all can benefit. This paper first quantifies the respective benefits of the energy consumers and the sellers from the local trading and then investigates how they can optimize their benefits by controlling their energy scheduling in response to the LTC's pricing. Two different types of the LTC are considered: 1) the nonprofit-oriented LTC, which solely aims at benefiting the energy consumers and the sellers; and 2) the profit-oriented LTC, which aims at maximizing its own profit while guaranteeing the required benefit for each consumer and seller. For each type of the LTC, the optimal trading problem is formulated and the associated algorithm is further proposed to efficiently find the LTC's optimal price, as well as the optimal energy scheduling for each consumer and seller. Numerical results are provided to validate the benefits of the hybrid energy trading market and the performance of the proposed algorithms.
We aimed to explore the potential role of omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acids on acne vulgaris by modulating gut microbiota.
We randomly divided the untreated acne patients into two groups with or without ω-3 ...fatty acids intervention for 12 weeks. The Sprague Dawley (SD) rats with acne model were given isotretinoin, ω-3 fatty acids or their combination respectively. Then the colonic contents samples of the drug intervention SD rats were transferred to the pseudo sterile rats with acne model. The severity of the disease was assessed by the Global Acne Grading System (GAGS) score of the patients, and the swelling rate of auricle and the pathological section of the rat with acne model. The 16S rDNA gene sequencing was performed to detect the alteration of the gut microbiota.
ω-3 fatty acids could increase the diversity of the gut microbiota and regulate the flora structure positively both in the patients and rats, increase the abundance of butyric acid producing bacteria and GAGS score in the patients, and alleviate the inflammation and comedones of rats.
Supplementation of ω-3 fatty acids could alleviate the inflammation of acne vulgaris by increasing the abundance of butyric acid producing bacteria.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This paper aims at quantifying the value of a lifetime-constrained battery energy storage system (BESS) operated by a consumer who faces fluctuating electricity prices. We define the lifetime of the ...BESS as the serving duration within which the BESSs capacity stays above a certain threshold of its initial capacity and define the value of the BESS as the total peak-shaving value within its entire lifetime. Under the assumption that the price dynamics are Markovian, we show that maximizing the average value of the BESS can be formulated as a stochastic shortest path (SSP) problem, and the average lifetime corresponds to the average number of steps before being absorbed in the SSP problem. We propose an efficient parallel value iteration algorithm to solve the proposed SSP problem with guarantees of achieving optimality and a fast convergence. We also derive a closed form expression for the average lifetime based on the principle of an embedded absorbing Markov chain. We validate our model and algorithm on a practical BESS via real price data sets from two different markets. Comparison of the computational efficiency between the standard Gauss-Seidel value iteration and our parallel algorithm is also illustrated through extensive simulation.
