Change In Position Research Articles

Study on economic design and construction program of steel-hybrid combined girder bridge

In order to make full use of steel tensile and concrete compressive properties, combined beam cross-section stress-strain distribution characteristics and cross-section characteristics and loading procedures are closely related. At present, the cross-section form of I-beam combined with concrete panel is widely used, and the strength of the upper flange of the steel beam of the supported combined beam and the strength of the concrete panel of the unsupported combined beam have not been fully utilized. Through the theoretical analysis of different loading methods of combined beam strain stress distribution, so as to optimize the cross-section form, the proposed supported combined beam using the lower inverted T-shaped cross-section combined with the form of concrete panels, in the given actual engineering cases can obtain a higher elastic ultimate bearing capacity and can save 9.5% of the amount of steel. The unsupported loading method of I-beam combination beams can use lower grade concrete for better economy. Making full use of the neutral axis position change to design the combined beam cross-section is operable, inverted T-shaped steel beams combined with concrete panel combined beams is a way to save steel and reduce the construction of welded joints, with significant economic benefits.

On the ability to study regional hydrometeorological changes using GPS and GRACE measurements

Recently, an ongoing rise in temperature for both land and ocean areas is recorded resulting from the Earth’s warming climate. As a result, droughts we observe are getting more frequent, longer and more severe, exerting sustained impacts on humans, ecosystems leading to famine, poverty, mass migration, or agricultural and economic losses. The changes in climate are successfully monitored by analyzing Total Water Storage (TWS). For years, TWS has been successfully determined using geodetic techniques, such as gravity field variations observed by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) missions or station position changes monitored by the Global Positioning System (GPS). As well, geodetic-derived data can be applied successfully to study of hydrometeorological events. To quantify droughts characteristics at different temporal and spatial scales, we recalculate the vertical displacements to Drought Severity Indices (DSI). We find that DSI based on GPS and GRACE are positively correlated at over 80% of stations around the world, highlighting both Americas and Europe as the most correlated areas. To validate results, we compare DSI based on GPS/GRACE with the Global Land Water Storage (GLWS) hydrological model, the traditional climate indices, and temperature anomalies. We show that GPS-DSIs are strongly temporally consistent with both the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Soil Moisture Index (SMI) climate indices at 85% of stations, indicating weakly correlated areas at mid-latitudes. We further show a high potential of geodetic data to assess drought characteristics within climate zones as well as global studies. We note that moderate conditions dominate for all climate zones, for which dry moderate conditions are observed for 40% of the months analyzed. As a result, we note warning conditions at least 52% of global stations with extreme drying DSI trends above a value of 2–3 per year. We note that the global water changes are dominated by 9 month droughts at over 72% of stations, indicating the average drought duration around 12, 14, and 15 months for GPS-, GRACE-, and GLWS-DSI, respectively. The obtained results from geodetic measurements more reliably characterize the type and phase of drought, as well as how these droughts cascade into freshwater, enabling appropriate mitigation strategies.

Changes in the position of the inferior alveolar nerve after sagittal split ramus osteotomy and its effect on postoperative neurosensory disturbances

Aim of the studyTo analyze the positional changes of the inferior alveolar nerve after sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) and assess the impact of these changes on postoperative sensory nerve disturbances. Material and methodsPreoperative and postoperative (one year) spiral CT scans were used to categorize the inferior alveolar nerve into the extended side (n = 30) and retrogressive side (n = 30). Measurement software was used to observe and measure positional changes of the mandibular nerve canal, followed by a comparative analysis. ResultsPost-surgical analysis revealed that the inferior alveolar nerve was displaced laterally and superiorly on the extended side, and medially and inferiorly on the retrogressive side, with statistically significant differences (p<0.05). Correlation analysis demonstrated a significant association between nerve displacement in the first molar region and sensory nerve impairment (p<0.05). ConclusionSignificant positional changes in the inferior alveolar nerve were observed post-surgery, particularly on the extended migration side, with these changes being correlated with the occurrence of neurological symptoms.

The proposal and calculation method of the annular domain weight function for the electromagnetic flowmeter under annular conductivity distribution

Researching on the characteristic of weight function distribution under non-uniform conductivity distribution is of significant importance for expanding the engineering applications of electromagnetic flowmeter. In this paper, the characteristic of weight function distribution is firstly explored for annular conductivity distribution where the center and outer ring are both conductive. The research results indicate an important finding that the average value of the weight function within any small annular domain of the center or outer ring remains constant as the radial position changes. Therefore, the concept of ‘annular domain weight function’ is then innovatively proposed. Furthermore, the relationship is studied between the ratio of the annular domain weight function of the center and outer ring and the annular feature parameters. Ultimately, the correlations are obtained for calculating the annular domain weight functions of the center and outer ring.

Temperature distribution characteristics of linear fires in utility tunnels under the influence of sealing ratios and vertical positions of the fire source

This study delves into two key factors affecting fire development process and longitudinal ceiling temperature attenuation characteristics in a utility tunnel: the sealing ratios and the vertical positions of the linear fire source. The evolution process of linear fire is typically divided into five stages. In the stable combustion stage, the flame height at the end of the liner fire source is observed to be higher than that at the center. During the rapid loss stage of mass, the mass loss rate peaks and then stabilizes for a period of time, the maximum peak growth rate is 1.35 (the fire source is located at position 02), the duration shortens as the distance between the liner fire source and the ceiling decreases and the sealing ratio increases. When the sealing ratio is 100 %, the maximum temperature growth rate is 2.25 with the change of fire source position. The ceiling temperature in the upper part of the linear fire zone is lower in the center and higher on both sides, however, the distribution is asymmetric. A mathematical model of longitudinal ceiling temperature attenuation is established. The results may provide guidance for the control of linear fires in long-narrow confined spaces.

First-principles calculation of the effects of In doping on η-Cu6Sn5 structure, elastic anisotropy, electronic properties and fracture toughness

During the welding and service stages, the anisotropy of Cu6Sn5 between tin solder / Cu solder joints will lead to abnormal grain growth and fracture of Cu6Sn5, which will eventually lead to solder joint failure, so it is very important to study the alloying element indium (In) to reduce the anisotropy of Cu6Sn5. The effects of indium doping on the crystal structure, electronic structure and mechanical properties of η-Cu6Sn5 have been studied systematically by means of first-principles density functional theory. Through calculation, it is found that with the change of indium doping position, the crystal structure is slightly deformed, but remains stable. Indium doping changes the electronic structure of η-Cu6Sn5, and a new bonding peak is formed by the hybridization of Cu-d and In-s around -5.9eV. In addition, indium doping can significantly increase the mechanical properties of η-Cu6Sn5, including elastic modulus and hardness. Indium significantly reduces the anisotropy of η-Cu6Sn5, and the anisotropy decreases by nearly 80% at most. At the same time, the addition of indium can increase the fracture toughness of η-Cu6Sn5.

내적 심상의 은유적 풍경 작업을 통한 감정 소통 경험에 대한 자전적 내러티브 탐구

This study analyzes the experience and meaning of emotional communication through metaphorical landscape work as an expression of inner images through autobiographical narrative inquiry. I’m PhD candidate in art therapy, and majored in painting at university and graduate school. The subject of my work was a landscape of human inner and emotions, which was named 'a metaphorical landscape', and was described and organized in detail through a master's thesis. In my master's thesis, which I looked into at after completing my doctoral course and preparing to work in parallel with art therapy again, I came to recognize the change in perspective and position of an artist dealing with emotions. In order to reveal the experience of metaphorical landscape work and grasp its meaning, three themes were derived: 'artist who brings out emotions', 'artist standing side by side with emotions', and 'artist who crosses emotions'. By analyzing the experience of metaphorical expression of self-image through art, this study attempted to raise fundamental questions about the expressiveness of art and its function as a place of empathy and communication.

In-situ monitoring of clamp-repair-induced displacements in the submarine pipeline using a MEMS accelerometer array: A sea trial

The positioning and displacement monitoring of submarine pipelines is crucial for delivering operational feedback and early warning during its external structural repair processes, particularly in turbid sea areas reliant on diver operations. However, conventional numerical simulation and engineering geophysical techniques are unable to obtain real-time state data amidst repairs. In this study, we develop a monitoring system based on Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems accelerometer arrays (MEMS-AA) to capture positional and displacement changes in the pipeline. By employing a positioning ring to connect the MEMS-AA with the pipeline, the spatial attitude changes in the MEMS-AA can accurately reflect the displacement of the pipeline. Moreover, a novel method is introduced to reconstruct the spatial attitude of the MEMS-AA, which solves the rotation matrix by the three-axis components of the accelerometer in the gravity field utilizing the greedy search algorithm. Through simulations, we validated the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method under the influence of varying ocean noises. The sea trials conducted in Hangzhou Bay demonstrate that our monitoring system can successfully capture real-time pipeline displacement associated with repair operations, providing valuable guidance for engineering operations to ensure the structural integrity of the pipeline.

A Receiver Position Estimation Method Based on LSTM for Multi-Transmitter Single-Receiver Wireless Power Transfer Systems

The multi-transmitter single-receiver wireless power transfer (MTSR-WPT) system has good tolerance for coil misalignment because the magnetic fields generated by multiple transmitters can be shaped to adapt to position changes in the receiver coil. In order to achieve magnetic field shaping of the MTSR-WPT system and increase power transfer efficiency, accurately estimating the position of the receiver coil is a key issue that needs to be addressed. In this article, a receiver position estimation method based on long short-term memory (LSTM) is proposed, which utilizes a data-driven approach to establish a neural network model. By learning the relationship between the measured time-series voltage data of the transmitter coils and the position of the receiver coil, the proposed model can achieve accurate position estimation of the receiver. Compared with previous works, the proposed method does not require communication between the transmitter and receiver, which is conducive to simplifying the system structure and reducing costs. In addition, the proposed LSTM-based method requires less derivation of complex formulas and the internal mechanism analysis of the system. Finally, a MTSR-WPT prototype is built to verify the proposed method. The experimental results show that the proposed LSTM-based method can achieve high-accuracy position estimation of the receiver. When the receiver moves within a range of 160 mm × 160 mm, the average error between the estimated receiver coil position using the proposed method and the actual receiver coil position is less than 2.40 mm.

The effect of the oxygen dangling on the thermoelectric properties of organic Thienoisoindigo single-molecule junction.

Theoretical investigation for thermoelectric characteristics of organic Thienoisoindigo single-molecule is carried out using the first-principles calculations based on the density functional theory. It reveals that modifying the position or removing oxygen atoms significantly alters the thermoelectric properties. Transmission coefficient calculations show that the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) dominates across all molecular configurations. Repositioning oxygen atoms increases the bandgap from 1.14 to 1.53 eV, while the complete removal of oxygen further increases to 1.8 eV. This change leads to the disruption of constructive quantum interference, which is replaced by destructive one. The electrical conductance is similarly affected by changes in oxygen atom positioning, with values shifting from 1.06 to 1.63. Molecules without oxygen atoms exhibit lower conductance compared to those with dangling oxygen, resulting in reduced semiconductor-like behavior and enhanced insulating properties. The Seebeck coefficient remains stable at 2.99 V/K when oxygen atoms are repositioned. However, the removal of one oxygen atom changes the coefficient to a positive value (290.14 V/K), causing the molecule to transition from n-type to p-type behavior. The complete absence of oxygen atoms returns the Seebeck coefficient to a negative value ( 256.08 V/K), switching the molecule back to n-type conduction. This investigation was achieved by applying the SIESTA software through density functional theory (DFT) computations. To account for exchange and correlation effects, we use a double-zeta polarized (DZP) basis set in conjunction with the generalized gradient approximation (GGA-PBE) to determine the ideal ground-state atomic locations. By combining the Hamiltonian of each system with the quantum transport code GOLLUM, we can calculate the transmission coefficient, projected density of states, electrical conductance, and Seebeck coefficient to examine the thermoelectric characteristics of the molecular junction.

Evaluation of post-operative foveal location and microstructural changes after pars plana vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment using enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography

BackgroundPatients who had successful rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) surgery often complained of metamorphopsia due to postoperative fovea displacement and alteration of the foveal microstructure. The papillo-foveal distance (PFD) is correlated bilaterally. Therefore, PFD from the fellow healthy eye could be used to determine the change of foveal position in eyes with successful RRD repair. Ultra-high-resolution optical coherence tomography (UHR-OCT) could explain incomplete visual recovery by demonstrating foveal misalignment and changes in foveal microstructure. The rationale of the study is to assess the changes in the foveal location and microstructural layers after successful retinal reattachment and correlate them with visual dysfunction.Patients and methodsA prospective interventional cross-sectional controlled study included patients who had successful retinal reattachment and complained of defective vision or metamorphopsia. The primary outcome measure is to evaluate the post-operative foveal location. The secondary outcome measures are the assessment of metamorphopsia, the evaluation of the foveal microstructural changes, and the correlation between foveal shift, metamorphopsia, foveal microstructure, and visual function. We used a standard Amsler chart to detect subjective metamorphopsia and a modified Amsler chart to quantify metamorphopsia. We used the enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) to detect changes in PFD and the foveal microstructure. p < 0.05.ResultsThe study included 50 study eyes and 50 control eyes. The male gender constituted 70%. The mean age was 53 years. The mean baseline BCVA was 0.001. The incidence of foveal displacement was 70%. Disorganized retinal inner layers (DRIL) occurred in 56% of eyes, and disorganized retinal outer layers (DROL) occurred in 72% of eyes. The mean postoperative BCVA was 0.3. The subjective metamorphopsia was mild in 39%, moderate in 24%, severe in 33%, and very severe in 3% of eyes. The mean quantitative metamorphopsia was 587 mm. PVR correlated significantly with the foveal shift. DROL correlated significantly with subjective metamorphopsia. There was a statistically significant difference between subjective metamorphopsia and quantitative metamorphopsia.ConclusionFoveal displacement and metamorphopsia after successful retinal reattachment pose significant morbidity. UHR-OCT is pivotal in evaluating the anatomical outcome after successful retinal re-attachment surgery and its relation to visual function.

Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the role of CBCT in rectal cancer radiotherapy.

Verifying patients' position and internal anatomical changes are important steps in the radiotherapy of rectal cancer. Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is an advanced imaging method that allows for the quantification of these modifications, ensuring the delivery of radiation dose to the tumor volume, while protecting surrounding organs at risk. The aim of this review is to discuss and analyze the benefits offered by this method of imaging on board the linear accelerator. In view of this, a systematic search of the scientific literature in the Medline/PubMed database was performed for publications over the last decade, with 20 articles found to be relevant for this study. To highlight the benefits of this imaging technique in rectal cancer, the frequency of CBCT use, identification of tumor volume and organs at risk on CBCT images, quantification of the movement of these organs and tumor volume, analysis of positioning errors as well as evaluation of dosimetric parameters were analyzed.

Machine Vision-Based Real-Time Monitoring of Bridge Incremental Launching Method.

With the wide application of the incremental launching method in bridges, the demand for real-time monitoring of launching displacement during bridge incremental launching construction has emerged. In this paper, we propose a machine vision-based real-time monitoring method for the forward displacement and lateral offset of bridge incremental launching in which the linear shape of the bottom surface of the girder is a straight line. The method designs a kind of cross target, and realizes efficient detection, recognition, and tracking of multiple targets during the dynamic process of beam incremental launching by training a YOLOv5 target detection model and a DeepSORT multi-target tracking model. Then, based on the convex packet detection and K-means clustering algorithm, the pixel coordinates of the center point of each target are calculated, and the position change of the beam is monitored according to the change in the center-point coordinates of the targets. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified by comparing the accuracy of the total station and the method through laboratory simulation tests and on-site real-bridge testing.

Unsedated or On-Demand Minimally Sedated Water-Aided Outpatient Colonoscopy in Colorectal Cancer Screening and Surveillance: A Step Forward or Backward? Experience from Daily Practice in a Regional (Nonacademic) Hospital.

Background: By using optimal insertion techniques with water infusion and dynamic position changes, pain during colonoscopy is greatly reduced and the procedures can usually be performed without sedation. We investigated whether the excellent results with water-aided colonoscopy reported by experts are reproducible in daily practice in a regional hospital. Methods: During the year 2023, 500 consecutive outpatients 50-75 years old presenting for colorectal cancer screening and surveillance could choose between unsedated or on-demand minimally sedated colonoscopy, moderate sedation with midazolam, or deep sedation with propofol. A total of 57% opted for unsedated colonoscopy, and of those patients, 250 consecutive patients were included. The primary outcome was the feasibility of the procedure. Cecal intubation rate (CIR), pain scores, use of midazolam, and willingness to repeat future procedures in the same way were registered periprocedural. Additional outcomes were cecal intubation time (CIT), detection rate of lesions, polyp resection rate, rate of adequate bowel preparation, and volume of water aspirated during insertion. Results: 250 consecutive sedation-free or on-demand minimally sedated water-based colonoscopies were analyzed. The CIR was 98%. A total of 96.5% completed without sedation and 5% of the procedures were perceived as moderately painful, but none had severe pain. The willingness to repeat was 97%. The mean CIT was 8.2 min. Conclusions: Using water-aided insertion techniques, comfortable sedation-free, or on-demand minimally sedated colonoscopy in daily practice in a regional hospital is feasible in the vast majority of patients presenting for colorectal cancer screening and surveillance, and the willingness to repeat is very high.

An In Vivo Comparison of Trueness and Precision of Two Novel Methods for Improving Edentulous Full Arch Implant Scanning Accuracy: A Pilot Study.

Background: This retrospective in vivo study evaluated the trueness and precision of two digital intraoral scanners-Dentsply Sirona Primescan and Medit i900-, both with and without two variants of the novel Scan Ladder aids, and compared their performance to a new intraoral photogrammetry scanner (Shining 3D Elite). Methods: Data from ten edentulous patients, previously collected during routine clinical treatment, were analyzed using a master STL generated from traditional impression casts as the reference. A custom positional change calculator and comprehensive statistical analysis were used to assess scanner accuracy. Results: The findings demonstrated that the use of the Scan Ladder significantly enhanced the overall accuracy of both intraoral scanners, showing no statistically significant differences when compared to the intraoral photogrammetry system. Conclusions: These results indicate that the Scan Ladder improves the performance of conventional intraoral scanners and suggests that the Shining 3D Elite intraoral photogrammetry scanner is a reliable alternative to extraoral photogrammetry for edentulous cases. Further research, with a larger and more diverse cohort, is warranted to validate and expand upon these findings.

Comparison of treatment effects of herbst and advansync appliances on hyoid bone position and cervical posture in skeletal class II malocclusion – A prospective randomized clinical trial

Mandibular retrusion is the most common cause of Class II Division 1 malocclusion, which needs correction of the underlying skeletal discrepancy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the Hyoid bone position and cervical posture changes following treatment with two fixed functional appliances - Herbst and Advansync (Ormco, Orange, CA, USA) appliances in skeletal Class II malocclusion using pre and post treatment lateral cephalograms.For this randomized controlled trial,40 patients(21males and 19 females) were divided into two groups Group I, Herbst Appliance group (mean age: 12.6 +/- 0.67 years) and Group II, Advansync group (mean age: 12.8 +/- 0.66yrs). Pre and post-treatment (after appliance therapy of 8 months duration) lateral cephalograms were evaluated using Planmeca Romexis software 5.0.0.R version for hyoid bone position and cervical posture changes. The Hyoid bone had displaced anteriorly by 1.64 mm in Group I and in Group II by 1.97 mm. There was downward displacement of hyoid bone by 1.73 mm in Group I and 2.03 mm in Group II with reference to the Frankfort horizontal (FH) plane. The Mandibular plane-Odontoid process tangent angle used for determining upper cervical posture decreased by 7.13 in Group I, while by 0.33in Group II. This study concluded that both Herbst and Advansync appliances showed an improvement in hyoid bone position and the cervical posture while Advansync appliance demonstrated greater uprighting of cervical posture which was statistically significant.

Stacking-order independent inter-layer charge transfer in MBE-grown MoSe2 and WSe2 heterostructures

MoSe2/WSe2 heterostructure is gaining significant research interest due to its unique electrical and optical properties, making them suitable for various advanced applications. This work focuses on inter-layer charge transfer effects on MBE-grown MoSe2 and WSe2 heterostructures. Bilayer (BL)-MoSe2/BL-WSe2 and BL-WSe2/BL-MoSe2 have been grown over a c-plane sapphire substrate using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Different characterization techniques including Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) confirm the phase, composition, surface morphology, and crystalline quality of the films, respectively. The band diagram using Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, XPS core level spectra, XPS valence band spectra and surface work function shows that individual MoSe2 and WSe2 BLs grown over c-plane sapphire are n-type and p-type semiconductors, respectively. This study shows that when the individual BLs form MoSe2/WSe2 and WSe2/MoSe2 heterostructures, a unidirectional electron transfer occurs from the WSe2 to MoSe2, which is independent of WSe2 and MoSe2 stacking order. As a result, the Fermi level position changes for both the materials in their heterostructures, which makes MoSe2 more n-type semiconductor and WSe2 more p-type semiconductor. MoSe2/WSe2 and WSe2/MoSe2 heterostructures show a type II band alignment with a conduction band offset of 0.57 eV and a valance band offset of 0.51 eV These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the interfacial charge transfer effects and design of MoSe2 and WSe2 heterostructures for potential device applications.

Comparison of Refractive Outcomes After Phacoemulsification and Combined 25-Gauge Phacovitrectomy with Implantation of Plate-Haptic Toric Intraocular Lenses.

Objectives: To compare intraocular lens (IOL) position and refractive outcomes between eyes that underwent sole phacoemulsification with those that underwent combined 25-gauge phacovitrectomy with a plate-haptic toric IOL implantation. Methods: This retrospective study included 60 eyes of 60 patients. Of these, 30 eyes underwent 25-gauge phacovitrectomy, while the other 30 eyes received phacoemulsification alone. In both groups, a plate-haptic toric intraocular lens (AT Torbi 709M, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG) was implanted. The main outcome measures were the refractive outcome, the refraction prediction error (PE), the difference in the postoperative anatomical lens position (ALP) change, and rotational stability. Results: The mean spherical equivalent decreased considerably from -2 ± 4.4 diopters (D) to -0.6 ± 1.4 D after phacovitrectomy (p = 0.05) and -0.7 D ± 5.5 D to -0.1 ± 1.1 D after phacoemulsification (p = 0.5). The prediction error (PE) was comparable between the two groups for all formulas (Haigis-T: p = 0.8, Barrett TK Toric: p = 0.8, Z CALC: p = 0.7). No significant difference in absolute ALP change and postoperative rotational stability was observed between the phacovitrectomy and phacoemulsification group (1.4 mm vs. 1.4 mm, p = 0.96; 2.9° vs. 2.1°, p = 0.5). Conclusions: The implantation of plate-haptic toric IOLs in the combined phacovitrectomy group resulted in refraction and IOL positioning outcomes comparable to those in the phacoemulsification-only group.

Effect of maxillary molars distalization using clear aligners and fixed orthodontic appliances on the positional and dimensional temporomandibular joint parameters: a three-dimensional comparative study

ObjectiveThe use of clear aligners (CAs) for orthodontic treatment has substantially increased in recent decades. However, limited empirical evidence exists regarding their potential effects on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The aim of this study was to assess the effect of maxillary molar distalization on the positional and dimensional TMJ parameters between CAs and conventional fixed orthodontic appliances (FAs) in skeletal class II malocclusion.MethodsThis is a retrospective cohort study examined 70 adult patients with skeletal class II malocclusion with similar baseline characteristics based on American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) discrepancy index scores. The patients were treated by maxillary distalization movement by CAs or FAs, of which there were two equal groups of 35 patients were included in each group. CBCTs on TMJs were performed before and after treatment through Anatomage Invivo Dental 6.0. The measured parameters included inclination, position, condyle and articular fossa dimensions, and the volumetric joint spaces.ResultsIn both groups, linear measurements of the maxillary molar position revealed significant improvement after treatment (P < 0.001). Regarding TMJ parameters, intra-group comparisons revealed significant changes in FA group in the anterioposterior condylar inclination and condylar position across the three planes. Additionally, the pretreatment-centric condylar position in the glenoid fossa was 45.7% and 40% in the CA and FA groups, respectively. After treatment, these percentages changed to 51.4% and 31.4%, respectively. In inter-group comparisons, significant changes were noted in the mediolateral condylar position, which was more inward in the FA group than the CA group.ConclusionThe FA group had more significant dimensional and positional changes in the mandibular condyle than the CA group; nevertheless, the changes are considered clinically negligible.

Heat-sensitive moxibustion combined with medication for orthostatic hypotension of yang-qi deficiency in the elderly: a randomized controlled trial

To observe the effect of heat-sensitive moxibustion combined with medication on orthostatic hypotension (OH) of yang -qi deficiency in the elderly. Sixty elderly patients with OH of yang -qi deficiency were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases, 1 case dropped out) and a control group (30 cases). The patients in the control group were treated with oral midodrine hydrochloride tablets, 2.5 mg each time and twice daily, while the patients in the observation group were treated with heat-sensitive moxibustion in addition to the treatment in the control group. Acupoints selected included Dazhui (GV 14), Fengfu (GV 16), and Baihui (GV 20), with each session lasting 30-40 min, once daily. Both groups were treated for 4 weeks. Blood pressure in the supine and standing positions, as well as the decrease of blood pressure when the position changing from supine to standing, were measured before treatment and after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment. Clinical efficacy was also evaluated. After 4 weeks of treatment, both groups showed an increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in both the supine and standing positions (P<0.05), and the decrease in SBP and DBP when the position changing from supine to standing was reduced (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the observation group had higher SBP and DBP in both positions and a smaller decrease in SBP and DBP when the position changing from supine to standing (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 96.6% (28/29) in the observation group, which was higher than 70.0% (21/30) in the control group (P<0.05). Heat-sensitive moxibustion combined with medication could increase the blood pressure in both supine and standing position, and decrease the reducing of blood pressure when the position changing from supine to standing in elderly patients with OH of yang-qi deficiency.