Insertion Method Research Articles

Metodologi Pendidikan Islam: Memahami Konsep Dasar Dan Perannya Dalam Meminimalisir Pengaruh Buruk Perkembangan Teknologi

The rapid of technological developments has brought about many influences, both positive and negative. Also in education, technology has provided many benefits to the course of the learning process, such as bringing up innovative ways of learning and varied learning media that support the effectiveness and efficiency of achieving learning goals. However, tecnological developments surely have a negative effect on education such as the excessive use of gadgets for playing games which affect the decreased student’s focus learning. Education has an important role in providing students with understanding of how to use technology properly. In the course of education regarding the use of technology, it is necessary to have an appropriate teaching method. Therefore this artcle aims to reveal the basic concept of Islamic education methodology and its role in reducing negatif influence of technological developments. As for the research’s type used in this article is library research. The result of this research is a description of the basic concept methodology education, either general education or Islamic education. This research revealed how the important role of Islamic education methodology in reducing the negative influence of technological developments as one of the important components in achieving Islamic educational goals. On the some educational methods, either general education or Islamic eduation is obtained the the appropriate method to be used for reducing the negative influence of technological development, among other: methods of lectures, demonstration method, insert method, method of matching, and method of advice.

Penentuan Rute Distribusi Feasible untuk Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows dengan Metode Sequential Insertion Pada CV. Hagia Mitra Mandiri

CV. Hagia Mitra Mandiri is a company that distributes black queen bee honey products. Problems faced by CV. Hagia Mitra Mandiri in the distribution of its products, namely that the company has not yet planned product delivery routes to various customers of bitter black queen bee honey in the Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Bekasi and Karawang areas. As a result, product delivery routes often exceed customer working hours, which can make delivery schedules less than optimal in terms of distance, travel time and delivery costs. This research aims to design the route that each vehicle must take according to the user's working hours, with the aim of optimizing the total travel distance. The method used is the sequential insertion algorithm method to solve the Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows problem model. The sequential insertion method is used to plan proposed distribution routes by considering travel distance, travel time and transportation costs. The research results show that there are differences in the proposed route from the initial route. The proposed route resulting from the calculation of the sequential insertion algorithm method produces the best distance, namely 307 km with a savings ratio of 18.13%, a comparison of total transportation cost savings of Rp. 58,758 and the difference in fuel usage is 7.55 liters. The total travel time is 667 minutes and the total travel time ratio is 9.01%.

The low‐cost inhomogeneous multi‐section flat lens antenna with minimum F over D design in Ku‐band

AbstractThis article uses the ray inserting method to design a low‐cost inhomogeneous lens in the Ku‐band. The focal length to the diametre ratio of the designed lens is 0.45, which is lower than most designed lenses in this area. Also, no approximation is considered to yield the refractive index profile. The refractive index changes from the centre to the sides have been made in two sections to limit the maximum calculated refractive index of the structure to the Plexiglass refractive index. The designed lens proposed a good match to the source and surroundings. The theoretical design is validated by the finite difference time domain scheme and full‐wave simulation. The lens structure is realised and fabricated on a multilayer Plexiglass sheet. The results of simulations and experiments indicate good performances of the designed lens in the wide frequency bandwidth.

A Novel Therapeutic Method in Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease.

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD/GORD) is a chronic condition in which gastric acid flows backwards up into the esophagus, causing heart burn and a higher disposition to esophageal cancer. The reflux is caused by impairment of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). Over the past century gastro-esophageal reflux has become the principal gastrointestinal condition of our time. The proton pump inhibitor class of drugs is effective in ameliorating the symptoms of reflux. The cost of investigation of patients in Europe is €100 billion per annum. The cost in days lost from work is €100 billion per annum in Europe. The global cost is 3 times this amount. The proposed device for treating gastro-esophageal reflux is a biodegradable valve that is placed non surgically in the esophago-gastric junction to prevent reflux from the stomach to the esophagus. 50 simulator studies were performed with the patented device to elucidate the most consistent method of insertion and fixation in a human like simulator. The simulator was designed to replicate the normal human gastro-esophageal anatomy and characteristics. Four animal insertions were performed under ethical regulation at Amsterdam Medical Centre, Netherlands. Three cadaveric experiments were performed at Hackensack University Hospital, New Jersey, USA, to verify the positive outcomes of the simulator studies. Successful outcomes of simulator studies and cadaveric experiments allowed the design freeze of a NoReflux device for treating gastro-esophageal reflux disease.

Calculating Thermodynamic Factors for Diffusion Using the Continuous Fractional Component Monte Carlo Method.

Thermodynamic factors for diffusion connect the Fick and Maxwell-Stefan diffusion coefficients used to quantify mass transfer. Activity coefficient models or equations of state can be fitted to experimental or simulation data, from which thermodynamic factors can be obtained by differentiation. The accuracy of thermodynamic factors determined using indirect routes is dictated by the specific choice of an activity coefficient model or an equation of state. The Permuted Widom's Test Particle Insertion (PWTPI) method developed by Balaji et al. enables direct determination of thermodynamic factors in binary and multicomponent systems. For highly dense systems, for example, typical liquids, it is well known that molecular test insertion methods fail. In this article, we use the Continuous Fractional Component Monte Carlo (CFCMC) method to directly calculate thermodynamic factors by adopting the PWTPI method. The CFCMC method uses fractional molecules whose interactions with their surrounding molecules are modulated by a coupling parameter. Even in highly dense systems, the CFCMC method efficiently handles molecule insertions and removals, overcoming the limitations of the PWTPI method. We show excellent agreement between the results of the PWTPI and CFCMC methods for the calculation of thermodynamic factors in binary systems of Lennard-Jones molecules and ternary systems of Weeks-Chandler-Andersen molecules. The CFCMC method applied to calculate the thermodynamic factors of realistic molecular systems consisting of binary mixtures of carbon dioxide and hydrogen agrees well with the NIST REFPROP database. Our study highlights the effectiveness of the CFCMC method in determining thermodynamic factors for diffusion, even in densely packed systems, using relatively small numbers of molecules.

Application of B-ultrasound for localization and its impact on first-attempt success rates of nasogastric tube insertion in critically ill patients.

The objective of this study is to explore the application effect of B-ultrasound positioning in assisting nasointestinal tube implantation in critically ill patients. This study is a retrospective study. In this study, 90 cases of severe patients with nasointestinal tube implantation were included. According to the different ways of nasointestinal tube insertion received by patients, 61 patients with conventional blind insertion methods were included in the blind insertion group, and 29 patients with conventional methods and B-ultrasound assisted positioning were included in the B-ultrasound positioning group. The general clinical data, success rate of catheterization, catheterization time, pyloric passage rate, and target nutritional value time of the 2 groups were compared. The changes of the 2 groups after catheterization were compared by SOFA and APACHE II. The contents of albumin and lymphocyte count were compared between the 2 groups before and after catheterization. The time of target nutritional value of the patients of the B-ultrasound positioning group was markedly decreased comparing with the patients of the blind insertion group. The index of catheterization time of the patients between the blind insertion group and B-ultrasound positioning group had no obvious contrast. The APACHE II score and SOFA score of the patients of the B-ultrasound positioning group were obviously lower than the blind insertion group. The contents of lymphocyte count of the patients of the B-ultrasound positioning group were markedly increased comparing with the patients of the blind insertion group after catheterization, but the contents of albumin content had no obvious change. The scores of respiratory system, circulatory system, nervous system, and urinary system in the B-ultrasound positioning group were significantly higher than those in the blind insertion group, while the COPT scores were significantly lower than those in the blind insertion group. B-ultrasound assisted nasointestinal tube implantation is well tolerated in critically ill patients, and can effectively ameliorate the nutritional status and of the ill patients.

Harmonic models and molecular dynamics simulations of isomorph behavior of Lennard-Jones fluids: Excess entropy and high temperature limiting behavior

Henchman’s approximate harmonic model of liquids is extended to predict the thermodynamic behavior along lines of constant excess entropy (“isomorphs”) in the liquid and supercritical fluid regimes of the Lennard-Jones (LJ) potential phase diagram. Simple analytic expressions based on harmonic cell models of fluids are derived for the isomorph lines, one accurate version of which only requires as input parameters the average repulsive and attractive parts of the potential energy per particle at a single reference state point on the isomorph. The new harmonic cell routes for generating the isomorph lines are compared with those predicted by the literature molecular dynamics (MD) methods, the small step MD method giving typically the best agreement over a wide density and temperature range. Four routes to calculate the excess entropy in the MD simulations are compared, which includes employing Henchman’s formulation, Widom’s particle insertion method, thermodynamic integration, and parameterized LJ equations of state. The thermodynamic integration method proves to be the most computationally efficient. The excess entropy is resolved into contributions from the repulsive and attractive parts of the potential. The repulsive and attractive components of the potential energy, excess Helmholtz free energy, and excess entropy along a fluid isomorph are predicted to vary as ∼T−1/2 in the high temperature limit by an extension of classical inverse power potential perturbation theory statistical mechanics, trends that are confirmed by the MD simulations.

End-to-end validation of fiducial tracking accuracy in robotic radiosurgery using MRI-only simulation imaging.

Image-guided radiation-therapy (IGRT)-based robotic radiosurgery using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-only simulation could allow for improved target definition with highly conformal radiotherapy treatments. Fiducial marker (FM)-based alignment is used with robotic radiosurgery treatments of sites such as the prostate because it aids in accurate target localization. Synthetic CT (sCT) images are generated in the MRI-only workflow but FMs used for IGRT appear as signal voids in MRIs and do not appear in MR-generated sCTs, hindering the ability to use sCTs for fiducial-based IGRT. In this study we evaluate the fiducial tracking accuracy for a novel artificial fiducial insertion method in sCT images that allows for fiducial marker tracking in robotic radiosurgery, using MRI-only simulation imaging (MRI-only workflow). Artificial fiducial markers were inserted into sCT images at the site of the real marker implantation as visible in MRI. Two phantoms were used in this study. A custom anthropomorphic pelvis phantom was designed to validate the tracking accuracy for a variety of artificial fiducials in an MRI-only workflow. A head phantom containing a hidden target and orthogonal film pair inserts was used to perform end-to-end tests of artificial fiducial configurations inserted in sCT images. The setup and end-to-end targeting accuracy of the MRI-only workflow were compared to the computed tomography (CT)-based standard. Each phantom had six FMs implanted with a minimum spacing of 2cm. For each phantom a bulk-density sCT was generated, and artificial FMs were inserted at the implantation location. Several methods of FM insertion were tested including: (1) replacing HU with a fixed value (10000HU) (voxel-burned); (2) using a representative fiducial image derived from a linear combination of fiducial templates (composite-fiducial); (3) computationally simulating FM signal voids using a digital phantom containing FMs and inserting the corresponding signal void into sCT images (simulated-fiducial). All tests were performed on a CyberKnife system (Accuray, Sunnyvale, CA). Treatment plans and digital-reconstructed-radiographs were generated from the original CT and sCTs with embedded fiducials and used to align the phantom on the treatment couch. Differences in the initial phantom alignment (3D translations/rotations) and tracking parameters between CT-based plans and sCT-based plans were analyzed. End-to-end plans for both scenarios were generated and analyzed following our clinical protocol. For all plans, the fiducial tracking algorithm was able to identify the fiducial locations. The mean FM-extraction uncertainty for the composite and simulated FMs was below 48% for fiducials in both the anthropomorphic pelvis and end-to-end phantoms, which is below the 70% treatment uncertainty threshold. The total targeting error was within tolerance (<0.95mm) for end-to-end tests of sCT images with the composite and head-on simulated FMs (0.26, 0.44, and 0.35mm for the composite fiducial in sCT, head-on simulated fiducial in sCT, and fiducials in original CT, respectively. MRI-only simulation for robotic radiosurgery could potentially improve treatment accuracy and reduce planning margins. Our study has shown that using a composite-derived or simulated FM in conjunction with sCT images, MRI-only workflow can provide clinically acceptable setup accuracy in line with CT-based standards for FM-based robotic radiosurgery.

Rapid hydrothermal green synthesis of core-shell-shaped NiCo2O4@MoS2/RGO ternary composites for high-performance electrode materials

RGO-based composites possess great potential as materials for supercapacitors owing to their remarkable properties such as high specific surface area and electrical conductivity. Herein, this work presents an investigation on ternary composite electrode materials composed of RGO, NiCo2O4, and MoS2. The chemical insertion method was employed to overcome the issue of RGO layer repacking. By means of a rapid green hydrothermal synthesis approach, conductive MoS2/RGO substrates were successfully fabricated, and subsequently, NiCo2O4@MoS2/RGO core–shell-shaped composites were prepared using the MoS2/RGO substrates. The ternary NiCo2O4@MoS2/RGO composites were composed of uniformly distributed conductive MoS2/RGO substrates embedded with NiCo2O4 core microspheres. Remarkably, the NiCo2O4@MoS2/RGO composites, used as electrode materials in supercapacitors, exhibited an exceptional specific capacitance of 946 F g-1 at 1 A g-1, improved rate capacity, and demonstrated outstanding electrochemical stability while maintaining 87.3 % retention after 5000 consecutive charge–discharge cycles. The exceptional integrated performance of these composites renders them promising electrode materials for electrochemical supercapacitors.

Open versus Transcutaneous (Ultrasound-Guided and Based on Anatomic Landmarks) Tunneled Venous Access to the Right Internal Jugular Vein in Children: A Prospective Single-Center Study.

The purpose of this study was to compare the immediate and long-term complications that are associated with the utilized techniques for the insertion of indwelling central venous catheters, that is the open surgical technique, the ultrasound-guided technique, and the transcutaneous technique based on external anatomical landmarks in the right internal jugular vein, to a pediatric population. This was a prospective randomized trial based on a pediatric patient population under 16 years of age of a tertiary pediatric-oncological hospital. The procedure was performed by a medical team with varying experience regarding the percutaneous and open insertion methods. We studied the outcome of our procedure, based on the immediate and delayed complication rate, as well as the needed time in order to complete the procedure and mean duration of line use. The patients that were inserted in our protocol were divided into three subgroups based on the selected technique for the insertion of the central venous catheter. A total number of 88 insertions (25.4%) (out of 346) were based on the technique that was using external anatomical landmarks, 121 insertions were based on the ultrasound-guided transcutaneous technique (34.9%), whereas in 137 cases (39.5%) the open surgical technique was preferred. All cases that were related to catheter re-insertion were excluded from our study. We performed a statistical analysis regarding the catheter dwell time between the three subgroups of patients and no significant difference was recorded. Moreover, the development of thrombosis was investigated, and we noted that a higher percentage of this complication was related to the transcutaneous external landmark and open surgical technique. Also, the incidence of infection was taken into consideration, which manifested an increased incidence when the transcutaneous technique based on external landmarks was used. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous insertion was considered to be a safe and effective technique for the insertion of central venous catheters. Our study also demonstrated a decrease in operating times when performed by operators with increasing expertise, increased preservation of the diameter of the venous lumen, and no increase in complication rates when the ultrasound-guided technique was selected.

Comparison of Standard and Lateral Methods of Laryngeal Mask Airway Insertion in the Management of Pediatrics Airway

Background: The Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA) has traditionally become an alternative device for airway management. This clinical trial compared two standard and lateral techniques in inserting laryngeal masks in pediatric airway management.&#x0D; Methods: This single-blind clinical trial study was conducted on pediatrics aged 2-6 years who were candidates for elective inguinal herniorrhaphy with ASA I and II under general anesthesia. The pediatrics were randomly assigned to either the standard or lateral methods according to the random number table. The time required to insert LMA and airway pressure as well as the number of attempts to insert in both groups were measured. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25; the significance level was less than 0.05.&#x0D; Results: Chest movement and mean airway pressure had no significant difference in both groups (p&gt;0.05). The mean LMA insertion time in the lateral and standard methods was 22.94±7.89 and 65±15.27 seconds, respectively (p=0.001). There was no case of mucosal damage in the lateral method, but ten children had mucosal damage in the standard technique (p=0.001). In the lateral method, LMA was inserted for the first time in 32 pediatrics (94.1%) and two pediatrics (5.9%) in the second time but in the standard group, LMA was inserted in the second time in 11 pediatrics (32.4%) (p=0.006).&#x0D; Conclusion: The lateral method for inserting LMA is practically easy, requires less effort, and has the least complications. Another advantage of the lateral method compared to the standard technique is that inserting a finger into the pharyngeal cavity is unnecessary.

An adaptive steganography insertion technique based on wavelet transform

Over the past few decades, there have been several successful methods developed for steganography. One popular technique is the insertion method, which is favored for its simplicity and ability to hold a reasonable amount of hidden data. This study introduces an adaptive insertion technique based on the two-dimensional discrete Haar filter (2D DHF). The technique involves transforming the cover image into the wavelet domain using 2D DWT and selecting a predetermined number of coefficients to embed the binary secret message. The selection process is carried out by analyzing the cover image in two non-orthogonal domains: 2D discrete cosine transform and 2D DHF. An adaptive algorithm is employed to minimize the impact on the unrepresented parts of the cover image. The algorithm determines the weights of each coefficient in each domain, and coefficients with low weights are chosen for embedding. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, samples from the BOSSbase and custom databases are used. The technique’s performance is measured using three metrics: mean squared error (MSE), peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), and structural similarity index (SSIM). Additionally, a visual inspection by humans is conducted to assess the resulting image. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms recently reported methods in terms of MSE, PSNR, SSIM, and visual quality.

Inserting a Neuropixels probe into awake monkey cortex: two probes, two methods

BackgroundNeuropixels probes have revolutionized neurophysiological studies in the rodent, but inserting these probes through the much thicker primate dura remains a challenge. New methodsHere we describe two methods we have developed for the insertion of two types of Neuropixels probes acutely into the awake macaque monkey cortex. For the fine rodent probe (Neuropixels 1.0, IMEC), which is unable to pierce native primate dura, we developed a dural-eyelet method to insert the probe repeatedly without breakage. For the thicker short NHP probe (Neuropixels NP1010), we developed an artificial dura system to insert the probe. Results and comparison with existing methodsWe have now conducted successful experiments in 3 animals across 7 recording chambers with the procedures described here and have achieved recordings with similar yields over several months in each case. ConclusionWe hope that our hardware, surgical preparation, methods for insertion and methods for removal of broken probe parts are of value to primate physiologists everywhere.

High-performance triphylite-NaFePO4 synthesized by solvothermal sodium insertion process for sodium-ion batteries

Triphylite-NaFePO4 has attracted considerable attention for utilization in sodium-ion batteries on account of its highest theoretical capacity amongst polyanionic type compounds. Herein, we propose an innovative solvothermal sodium insertion method, for the first time to synthesize triphylite-NaFePO4, wherein ethanol is employed as a reducing agent. Triphylite-NaFePO4 shows optimal electrochemical performance of 125.40, 109.53, 90.11, 70.97, and 54.63 mAh/g at 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, and 2C, respectively. In addition, the capacity retention rate is 91.41 % following a total of 100 cycles at 0.1C. Therefore, this novel solvothermal sodium insertion method provides a reference pathway for the preparation of triphylite-NaFePO4.

Evaluation of the Impact of Calcium Silicate-Based Sealer Insertion Technique on Root Canal Obturation Quality: A Micro-Computed Tomography Study.

Calcium silicate-based sealers have gained in popularity over time due to their physicochemical/biological properties and their possible use with single-cone obturation. The single cone technique is a sealer-based obturation and there is still a knowledge gap regarding the potential impact of the sealer insertion method on the root canal-filling quality. Therefore, the aim of this micro-CT study was to assess the impact of the calcium silicate-based sealer insertion technique on void occurrence and on the sealer extrusion following single-cone obturation. Thirty-six single-rooted mandibular premolars with one canal were shaped with Reciproc® R25 (VDW, Munich, Germany) then divided randomly into four groups of nine canals, each depending on the TotalFill® BC Sealer insertion technique used with single cone obturation: injection in the coronal two-thirds (group A); injection in the coronal two-thirds followed by direct sonic activation (group B); injection in the coronal two-thirds followed by indirect ultrasonic activation on tweezers (group C); sealer applied only on the master-cone (control group D). Samples were then scanned using micro-CT for voids and sealer extrusion calculation. Data were statistically analyzed using v.26 IBM; Results: No statistically significant differences were noted between the four groups in terms of voids; nevertheless, sonic activation (group B) followed by ultrasonic activation on the tweezers (group C) showed the best results (p = 0.066). Group D showed significantly less sealer extrusion when compared with group C (p = 0.044), with no statistically significant differences between groups D, A and B (p > 0.05). Despite no significant differences observed between the different sealer placement techniques, the use of sonic and ultrasonic activation might be promising to reduce void occurrence. Further investigations are needed to demonstrate the potential benefit of calcium silicate-based sealer activation especially in wide and oval root canals in order to improve the quality of the single-cone obturation.

Measuring many-body distribution functions in fluids using test-particle insertion.

We derive a hierarchy of equations, which allow a general n-body distribution function to be measured by test-particle insertion of between 1 and n particles. We apply it to measure the pair and three-body distribution functions in a simple fluid using snapshots from Monte Carlo simulations in the grand canonical ensemble. The resulting distribution functions obtained from insertion methods are compared with the conventional distance-histogram method: the insertion approach is shown to overcome the drawbacks of the histogram method, offering enhanced structural resolution and a more straightforward normalization. At high particle densities, the insertion method starts breaking down, which can be delayed by utilizing the underlying hierarchical structure of the insertion method. Our method will be especially useful in characterizing the structure of inhomogeneous fluids and investigating closure approximations in liquid state theory.

Analysis of probability of inserting a hard spherical particle with small diameter in hard-sphere fluid

The probability of inserting, without overlap, a hard spherical particle of diameter σ in a hard-sphere fluid of diameter σ0 and packing fraction η determines its excess chemical potential at infinite dilution, μex(σ, η). In our previous work [R. L. Davidchack and B. B. Laird, J. Chem. Phys. 157, 074701 (2022)], we used Widom’s particle insertion method within molecular dynamics simulations to obtain high precision results for μex(σ, η) with σ/σ0 ≤ 4 and η ≤ 0.5. In the current work, we investigate the behavior of this quantity at small σ. In particular, using the inclusion-exclusion principle, we relate the insertion probability to the hard-sphere fluid distribution functions and thus derive the higher-order terms in the Taylor expansion of μex(σ, η) at σ = 0. We also use direct evaluation of the excluded volume for pairs and triplets of hard spheres to obtain simulation results for μex(σ, η) at σ/σ0 ≤ 0.2247 that are of much higher precision than those obtained earlier with Widom’s method. These results allow us to improve the quality of the small-σ correction in the empirical expression for μex(σ, η) presented in our previous work.

Efektivitas Program Pembelajaran Taman Pendidikan Al-Qur’an (TPA) dalam Meningkatkan Kemampuan Membaca Al-Qur’an

TPA as an educational institution should be an effective means for creating critical and creative understanding and become a place for students to develop and direct their potential so that they can become an independent generation. TPA Al-Hikmah, Sidosari Natar Village, South Lampung, in its learning activities, applies the Iqra' teaching method, where this method is considered to have a good acceleration system in mastering the ability to read the Al-Qur'an. However, the problem faced by TPA Al Hikmah is that there is only 4 teaching staff while the number of students reaches hundreds. This research uses a qualitative descriptive approach with a sampling technique using snowball sampling while the data collection techniques used are observation, interviews, and documentation using self-instruments as the main instrument. The results of this research show that improvements in reading the Al-Qur'an can be seen in the application of the CBSA system and direct methods in the teaching and learning process. However, all of this is only a reference for the ustadz/ustadzah at TPA Al-Hikmah, while the success factor that determines the effectiveness of learning at TPA Al-Hikmah in improving students' ability to read the Al-Qur'an lies in the ability of the ustadz/ustadzah in making the assistance and control system more effective. which is good in the private system while still referring to the application of the module system in teaching iqra' so that students get good results in reading the Al-Qur'an. Apart from that, the ustadz/ustadzah at TPA Al-Hikmah vary their teaching methods using the lecture method, the play while learning method, the insert method in the form of stories about good role models, especially in the classical system.

EVALUATION OF THE SELF-DRILLING, SELF-TAPPING SCHANZ PIN THREAD PATTERNS ON THE NEAR CORTEX WHEN INSERTED IN BONE WITHOUT PRE-DRILLING

The external fixator is an invaluable device when treating acute complex trauma and in limb reconstruction. It is therefore important to ensure its efficient and safe application to avoid complications. A lot of research has been done to evaluate the factors around external fixator stability, pin site infections and more is still being done to understand pin loosening. The purpose of this study was to evaluate other factors that may contribute in external fixator pin loosening. The aim was to evaluate if the different Schanz pin insertion techniques contribute to pin loosening.Two tibia diaphyses from two cadavers were each divided into three sections. Three different drilling techniques were repeated in each of the sections. A total of 36 Schanz pins were inserted and a section cut out of the bone in front of the pins was done allowing visual inspection of the pin hole for features of thread stripping. These features were predefined as thread pattern disruption, smoothening and shallow imprint on the cortex.Evidence of pin thread stripping was seen in all of the pin insertion techniques. The first method where the hole was pre-drilled and pin inserted with the drill showed 100% thread stripping. The second method of pre-drilling and hand insertion showed the least amount with 16.7% of pin stripping noted and 66.7% pin thread stripping was observed when inserting the pin with power without pre-drilling the pilot hole using the third method.Different pin insertion techniques result in varying amounts of pin thread stripping. The most amount of thread stripping occurs when a Schanz pin is inserted with power after pre-drilling. This finding, although not measured scientifically, supports the current recommendation of pre-drilling and manual insertion of the pin. In future, more scientific measurement are necessary to quantify these findings and assess their clinical significance.

An optimal method of hydrogel spacer insertion for stereotactic body radiation therapy of prostate cancer.

This study aimed to explore an ideal method for hydrogel spacer insertion by analyzing the efficacy and safety of our originally developed apex expansion method. Overall, 100 patients with low- and intermediate-risk localized prostate cancer treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy were included. A hydrogel spacer was inserted in 64 and 36 patients using the conventional and apex expansion methods, respectively. For dosimetry, we trisected the rectum into the upper rectum, middle rectum, and lower rectum on the sagittal section of magnetic resonance imaging. We compared the dose to each part of the rectum between the two methods using dose-volume histograms. Genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity assessments were conducted until 3months of follow-up. The whole rectal dose in the apex expansion method group was lower than that in the conventional method group, which was significant in all dose regions (V5-V35). Similarly, in the apex expansion method group, the dose to the middle rectum was lower in the low- to high-dose region (V10-V35), and the dose to the lower rectum was lower in the middle- to high-dose region (V15-35). No Grade ≥ 3 toxicity or procedure-related complications were observed. Additionally, Grade 2 genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicities during the treatment showed no significant differences between the two methods. The apex expansion method may be safe and effective in achieving a more efficient rectal dose reduction by expanding the anterior perirectal space in the prostatic apex area.