Load-displacement behavior of sacroiliac joints

We measured the load-displacement behavior of both single and paired sacroiliac (SI) joints in fresh cadaver specimens obtained from eight adults between the ages of 59 and 74 years. With both ilia fixed, static test loads were applied to the center of the sacrum along and about axes parallel and normal to the superior S1 endplate. Test forces up to 294 N were applied in the superior, inferior, anterior, posterior, and lateral directions. Moments up to 42 N-m were applied in flexion, extension, lateral bending, and axial torsion. Displacement of the center of the sacrum were measured 60 s after each load increment was applied, using dial gauges and an optical lever system. The tests were then repeated with only one ilium fixed. Finally, the three-dimensional location and overall geometry of each SI joint were measured. For an isolated left joint at the maximum test loads, the mean (SD) sacral displacements in the direction of the force ranged from 0.76 mm (1.41) in the medial to 2.74 mm (1.07) in the anterior direction. The mean rotations in the direction of the moments ranged from 1.40° (0.71) in right lateral bending to 6.21° (3.29) in clockwise axial torsion viewed from above. We also examined load-displacement behavior under larger loads. Single sacroiliac joints resisted loads from 500 to 1440 N, and from 42 to 160 N-m without over failure.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/50378/1/1100050112_ftp.pd

Awareness and use of intertrochanteric osteotomies in current clinical practice. An international survey

Current literature shows that intertrochanteric osteotomies can produce excellent results in selected hip disorders in specific groups of patients. However, it appears that this surgical option is considered an historical one that has no role to play in modern practice. In order to examine current awareness of and views on intertrochanteric osteotomies among international hip surgeons, an online survey was carried out. The survey consisted of a set of questions regarding current clinical practice and awareness of osteotomies. The second part of the survey consisted of five clinical cases and sought to elicit views on preoperative radiological investigations and preferred (surgical) treatments. The results of our survey showed that most of these experts believe that intertrochanteric osteotomies should still be performed in selected cases. Only 56% perform intertrochanteric osteotomies themselves and of those, only 11% perform more than five per year. The responses to the cases show that about 30–40% recommend intertrochanteric osteotomies in young symptomatic patients. This survey shows that the role of intertrochanteric osteotomies is declining in clinical practice

Analysis of data security from online data-taking to publication in ATLAS at CERN

This thesis focuses on two main objectives. The first is remote access to online data taking systems at ATLAS experiment in CERN. The thesis, after assessment of current situation and recognising areas of possible improvements, suggests the improvements to the ATLAS environment in form of disabling direct access to online data taking systems from the internet and using VPN to access ATLAS network, suggesting different account management and access policies and proposing different authentication scheme where multi factor authentication is used. The second one is data rights management and data control of ATLAS measured and calculated data. System of downloading data to local stations makes really hard to enforce any restrictions. However, it is necessary to keep this option, and so development of data rights management solution is suggested, because no commercial or open source alternatives are available for this format of the data. This data rights management solutions encrypts data which leave ATLAS servers and so request for decryption key must be made towards ATLAS when those data are accessed. Assessment of current situation in both main objectives reveals that the greatest problem is in use of uncontrolled personal stations and so all security precautions must be taken on side of ATLAS