Fracture healing following high energy tibial trauma: Ilizarov versus Taylor Spatial Frame

Introduction: The optimal treatment of high energy tibial fractures remains controversial and a challenging orthopaedic problem. The role of external fi xators for all these tibial fractures has been shown to be crucial. Methods: A fi ve-year consecutive series was reviewed retrospectively, identifying two treatment groups: Ilizarov and Taylor Spatial Frame (TSF; Smith & Nephew, Memphis, TN, US). Fracture healing time was the primary outcome measure. Results: A total of 112 patients (85 Ilizarov, 37 TSF) were identifi ed for the review with a mean age of 45 years. This was higher in women (57 years) than in men (41 years). There was no signifi cant difference between frame types (p=0.83). The median healing time was 163 days in both groups. There was no signifi cant difference in healing time between smokers and non-smokers (180 vs 165 days respectively, p=0.07), open or closed fractures (p=0.13) or age and healing time (Spearman's r=0.12, p=0.18). There was no incidence of non-union or re-fracture following frame removal in either group. Conclusions: Despite the assumption of the rigid construct of the TSF, the median time to union was similar to that of the Ilizarov frame and the TSF therefore can play a signifi cant role in complex tibial fractures

EXPRESSION. OF HYBRID VIGOUR AND DOMINANCE IN INTERVARIETAL CROSSES OF COTTON

Level of hybrid vigour and dominance estimates for six quantitative and qualitative parameters were examined in intervarietal crosses of nine cultivars of cotton. Results demonstrated that the parents and their F 1 hybrids differed significantly (P < 0.01) for all the traits studied indicating manifestation of heterosis for all the traits in at least one or more crosses. Highest average heterosis (32.41%), heterobeltiosis (16.37%) and dominance estimates (4.93) were found for number of bolls per plant. The extent of heterotic effects was appreciably influenced by the hybrid genotype, the direction of cross and the trait concerned. The cross Qalandri x Allepo-I may be selected as the superior hybrid combination which could be exploited in cotton breeding programme for developing new high yielding cotton varieties for commercial production

The Devastating 2022 M6.2 Afghanistan Earthquake: Challenges, Processes, and Implications

On June 21st, a Mw6.2 earthquake struck the Afghan-Pakistan-border-region, situated within the India-Asia collision. Thousand thirty-nine deaths were reported, making the earthquake the deadliest of 2022. We investigate the event\u27s rupture processes by combining seismological and geodetic observations, aiming to understand what made it that fatal. Our Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar-constrained slip-model and regional moment-tensor inversion, confirmed through field observations, reveal a sinistral rupture with maximum slip of 1.8 m at 5 km depth on a N20°E striking, sub-vertical fault. We suggest that not only external factors (event-time, building stock) but fault-specific factors made the event excessively destructive. Surface rupture was favored by the rock foliation, coinciding with the fault strike. The distribution of Peak-Ground-Velocity was governed by the sub-vertical fault. Maximum slip was large compared to other events globally and might have resulted in peak-frequencies coinciding with resonance-frequencies of the local buildings and demonstrates the devastating impact of moderate-size earthquakes

PCA-based lung motion model

Organ motion induced by respiration may cause clinically significant targeting errors and greatly degrade the effectiveness of conformal radiotherapy. It is therefore crucial to be able to model respiratory motion accurately. A recently proposed lung motion model based on principal component analysis (PCA) has been shown to be promising on a few patients. However, there is still a need to understand the underlying reason why it works. In this paper, we present a much deeper and detailed analysis of the PCA-based lung motion model. We provide the theoretical justification of the effectiveness of PCA in modeling lung motion. We also prove that under certain conditions, the PCA motion model is equivalent to 5D motion model, which is based on physiology and anatomy of the lung. The modeling power of PCA model was tested on clinical data and the average 3D error was found to be below 1 mm.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure. submitted to International Conference on the use of Computers in Radiation Therapy 201

Rheological Behaviors of Waste Polyethylene Modified Asphalt Binder: Statistical Analysis of Interlaboratory Testing Results

This article investigated the effect of waste polyethylene (PE) on the modified asphalt binders' rheological behavior from a statistical point of view. The interlaboratory testing results from the RILEM Technical Committee 279 Valorization of Waste and Secondary Materials for Roads Task Group 1 were used for this purpose. First, an unaged 70/100 penetration graded neat binder was selected as the reference material. Next, a single 5 % content of waste PE additives (PE-pellets and PE-shreds) was mixed with a 95 % neat binder to prepare two PE modified binders. Then, dynamic shear rheometer-based temperature-frequency sweep tests were performed over a wide range of temperatures and frequencies to evaluate the rheological properties of these three binders. Different rheological behaviors were observed in the isochronal plots at high temperatures. Based on a reproducibility precision requirement proposed for phase angle, 28 degrees C was set as the transition temperature across the rheological behaviors. Next, according to the three rheological behaviors defined in a previous study by the authors, statistical analysis was introduced to identify sensitive rheological parameters and determine the thresholds. Results indicate that the phase angle measured above 28 degrees C and 1.59 Hz can be used as a sensitive parameter to discriminate the three rheological behaviors of PE modified binders. The thresholds among different behaviors were also calculated as an example for phase angle measured at the highest common testing temperature of 70 degrees C. Additional experimental evaluations on more types of PE modified binders, especially at intermediate and high temperatures, are recommended to better understand their influence on the rheological behavior of PE modified binders

First results on Martian carbon monoxide from Herschel/HIFI observations

We report on the initial analysis of Herschel/HIFI carbon monoxide (CO) observations of the Martian atmosphere performed between 11 and 16 April 2010. We selected the (7-6) rotational transitions of the isotopes ^{13}CO at 771 GHz and C^{18}O at 768 GHz in order to retrieve the mean vertical profile of temperature and the mean volume mixing ratio of carbon monoxide. The derived temperature profile agrees within less than 5 K with general circulation model (GCM) predictions up to an altitude of 45 km, however, show about 12-15 K lower values at 60 km. The CO mixing ratio was determined as 980 \pm 150 ppm, in agreement with the 900 ppm derived from Herschel/SPIRE observations in November 2009.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics (special issue on HIFI first results); minor changes to match published versio

Molecular testing for the clinical diagnosis of fibrolamellar carcinoma.

Fibrolamellar carcinoma has a distinctive morphology and immunophenotype, including cytokeratin 7 and CD68 co-expression. Despite the distinct findings, accurate diagnosis of fibrolamellar carcinoma continues to be a challenge. Recently, fibrolamellar carcinomas were found to harbor a characteristic somatic gene fusion, DNAJB1-PRKACA. A break-apart fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay was designed to detect this fusion event and to examine its diagnostic performance in a large, multicenter, multinational study. Cases initially classified as fibrolamellar carcinoma based on histological features were reviewed from 124 patients. Upon central review, 104 of the 124 cases were classified histologically as typical of fibrolamellar carcinoma, 12 cases as 'possible fibrolamellar carcinoma' and 8 cases as 'unlikely to be fibrolamellar carcinoma'. PRKACA FISH was positive for rearrangement in 102 of 103 (99%) typical fibrolamellar carcinomas, 9 of 12 'possible fibrolamellar carcinomas' and 0 of 8 cases 'unlikely to be fibrolamellar carcinomas'. Within the morphologically typical group of fibrolamellar carcinomas, two tumors with unusual FISH patterns were also identified. Both cases had the fusion gene DNAJB1-PRKACA, but one also had amplification of the fusion gene and one had heterozygous deletion of the normal PRKACA locus. In addition, 88 conventional hepatocellular carcinomas were evaluated with PRKACA FISH and all were negative. These findings demonstrate that FISH for the PRKACA rearrangement is a clinically useful tool to confirm the diagnosis of fibrolamellar carcinoma, with high sensitivity and specificity. A diagnosis of fibrolamellar carcinoma is more accurate when based on morphology plus confirmatory testing than when based on morphology alone

Molecular profiling of signet ring cell colorectal cancer provides a strong rationale for genomic targeted and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies

We would like to thank all patients whose samples were used in this study. We are also thankful to the Northern Ireland Biobank and Grampian Biorepository for providing us with tissue blocks and patient data; and Dr HG Coleman (Queen’s University Belfast) for her advice on statistical analyses. This work has been carried out with financial support from Cancer Research UK (grant: C11512/A18067), Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre Network (grant: C36697/A15590 from Cancer Research UK and the NI Health and Social Care Research and Development Division), the Sean Crummey Memorial Fund and the Tom Simms Memorial Fund. The Northern Ireland Biobank is funded by HSC Research and Development Division of the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland and Cancer Research UK through the Belfast CRUK Centre and the Northern Ireland Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre; additional support was received from Friends of the Cancer Centre. The Northern Ireland Molecular Pathology Laboratory which is responsible for creating resources for the Northern Ireland Biobank has received funding from Cancer Research UK, Friends of the Cancer Centre and Sean Crummey Foundation.Peer reviewedPublisher PD