Replacement Method Research Articles

Efficacy of the Direct Anterior Chamber Air Replacement Method During Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty.

This study aimed to describe a novel technique of direct anterior chamber (AC) air replacement (DACAR) for the management of Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) in postvitrectomized eyes and eyes with previous glaucoma surgery. DACAR was performed after a corneal donor graft was transplanted through a wound using the pull-through technique. DACAR involves stabilizing the graft with forceps while introducing air into the AC via an infusion cannula to ensure complete air exchange. The air was maintained in the AC at all times using a vitrectomy machine. The air pressure was maintained at 30 mm Hg for 15 minutes. The DACAR technique was performed in 34 patients, and conventional pull-through technique DSAEK was performed in 32 high-risk patients. The DACAR group had shorter DSAEK surgical procedures (P = 0.009) and a lower incidence of corneal graft detachment in the early postoperative period (P < 0.001) than the conventional DSAEK group. DACAR is performed in patients having previously undergone vitrectomy or glaucoma surgery to prevent corneal graft detachment during the early postoperative period and to reduce the length of surgery.

Use of vascular access methods for hemodialysis in Serbia: Results from SerbVasc registry.

In many countries, hemodialysis is still the most common method of renal replacement. Significant regional variations exist in creating and maintaining vascular access for hemodialysis. Therefore, analyzing national registries with vascular access data is essential for developing effective national treatment strategies. The Serbian national vascular surgery registry was established as part of the VascuNet collaboration network in 2019. The registry comprehensively records vascular procedures across Serbia, including those related to vascular access for hemodialysis. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of different vascular access methods for hemodialysis in Serbia, focusing on both new and prevalent patients and examining demographic differences and risk factors. The data were collected from the vascular accesses section of the SerbVasc registry over a 3-year observational period, focusing on the following aspects: number of incident and prevalent patients with types of vascular access, as well as comparison of patients with arteriovenous fistulas (AVF), arteriovenous grafts (AVG), central venous catheters (CVC), and tCVC based on age, gender, smoking, and comorbidities. There were total of 1024 incident hemodialysis patients. AVF was created in 219 patients (21.4%), AVG in 5 patients (0.5%), and tCVC in 150 patients (14.6%), while hemodialysis via CVC was initiated in 650 (63.5%) patients. The total number of permanent vascular accesses for HD was 1402, comprising 686 (48.9%) distal AFVs, 220 (15.7%) proximal AVFs, 91 (6.4%) AVGs, and 405 (28.8%) tCVCs. The prevalence of current smoking was highest in the tCVC (48.3%) and lowest in the dAVF group (18.40%). The percentage of patients starting hemodialysis with AVF remains suboptimal. tCVC is used substantially as first and permanent access, particularly among older patients.

Genetic Algorithm-Enhanced Direct Method in Protein Crystallography.

Direct methods based on iterative projection algorithms can determine protein crystal structures directly from X-ray diffraction data without prior structural information. However, traditional direct methods often converge to local minima during electron density iteration, leading to reconstruction failure. Here, we present an enhanced direct method incorporating genetic algorithms for electron density modification in real space. The method features customized selection, crossover, and mutation strategies; premature convergence prevention; and efficient message passing interface (MPI) parallelization. We systematically tested the method on 15 protein structures from different space groups with diffraction resolutions of 1.35∼2.5 Å. The test cases included high-solvent-content structures, high-resolution structures with medium solvent content, and structures with low solvent content and non-crystallographic symmetry (NCS). Results showed that the enhanced method significantly improved success rates from below 30% to nearly 100%, with average phase errors reduced below 40°. The reconstructed electron density maps were of sufficient quality for automated model building. This method provides an effective alternative for solving structures that are difficult to predict accurately by AlphaFold3 or challenging to solve by molecular replacement and experimental phasing methods. The implementation is available on Github.

The impact of Al/Cr ratio on the oxidation kinetics of Y-doped AlCoCrFeNi high-entropy alloys at 1100 °C

Y/Hf-doped AlCoCrFeNi high-entropy alloys stand out for their potential application in high temperature coatings. Thereinto, both Cr and Al are crucial for improving oxidation properties. However, simultaneously increasing the content of Al and Cr is not advisable, since it can significantly reduce the ductility/toughness of the coating. In this research, we proposed an equivalent replacement method of Al and Cr, namely, tuning Al/Cr ratio (ACR), to enhance the elevated-temperature oxidation resistance of AlCoCrFeNi alloys. This strategy was verified by the 1000 h/1100 °C oxidation tests of three Y-doped AlCoCrFeNi alloys with different ACRs of 0.78, 0.58 and 0.41. The test results indicated an elusive transformation of oxidation rate occurred on these alloys, that the alloy with lowest ACR exhibited an initially higher oxidation rate but a lower oxidation rate over an extended period, in comparison to those higher ACR alloys. The underlying oxidation mechanisms were uncovered using microscopic techniques and thermodynamics calculations. The initial higher oxidation rate was ascribed to the rapid growth of spinel oxides, while the extended slower oxidation process was attributed to the resulting Al2O3 scale with larger grain sizes. Thermodynamic assessment revealed that larger Al2O3 grains corresponding to fewer grain boundaries decreased the diffusion coefficient of oxygen in Al2O3 scale. Our research is of both theoretical and industrial importance for clarifying the high temperature oxidation mechanism of Y-doped AlCoCrFeNi alloys and enhancing the oxidation resistance in multicomponent alloy systems.

Replacement Strategy for Aging Nuclear Power Instrumentation and Control Equipment Based on Life Margin

The instrumentation and control (I&C) equipment in nuclear power plants gradually ages and becomes obsolete with increased operation time. Its performance deteriorates, and the probability of its failure also increases gradually. The failure of I&C equipment may directly lead to the degradation of the control or protection functions, reducing the reliability and safety margin required by the design. This will hurt the safety and stable operation of nuclear power plants. Therefore, an aging I&C management/replacement strategy is necessary to control and minimize this problem. In this regard, this paper establishes a module lifetime evaluation model described by a composite probability density function for modules composed of multiple components. On this basis, we have developed a multi-objective aging replacement optimization model aimed at high reliability, economy, and feasibility, and propose an equipment aging replacement optimization calculation method based on the linear-weighted discrete state transition algorithm. The procedure is verified by the application of data from nuclear power engineering. The results show that the proposed aging replacement strategy and method can significantly reduce computational difficulty, improve equipment reliability, and lower aging replacement costs.

Study on Preparation and Thermophysical Properties of Binary Paraffin Phase Change Concrete

The binary phase change paraffin (BP) was prepared using the melt blending method, followed by adsorption and encapsulation to produce the phase change aggregate. Phase change concrete was subsequently prepared using the volumetric replacement method. The study examined the thermal properties of BP, along with the semi-adiabatic temperature rise and thermal conductivity of the phase change concrete at different replacement rates. The results indicate that BP exhibits two plateau regions, with phase change intervals varying according to the mass ratio. The high-temperature phase change interval ranges from 18.3 °C to 47.3 °C, while the low-temperature phase change interval ranges from 0.1 °C to 4.6 °C. When the mass ratio of 48# paraffin to 5# paraffin is 7:3, the peak phase change temperatures are 2.58 °C and 44.52 °C, with corresponding enthalpies of 66.52 J/g and 102.63 J/g, respectively. The addition of phase change aggregate effectively reduces the hydration temperature rise of concrete, slows the rate of temperature increase, and decreases the thermal conductivity. The semi-adiabatic temperature rise curve of the phase change concrete exhibits an "S"-shaped variation over time, with the composite exponential function providing a more accurate representation of this process.

Reliability analysis of submarine slopes in hydrate extraction by depressurization-assisted replacement

As an extension of CO2 replacement method, the depressurization-assisted replacement method can improve extraction efficiency. For these two methods, this paper takes the hole GMGS2-08 as a case study. By integrating infinite slope model and random field theory, this text analyses the impact of three factors on the slope safety, such as the strength differences from different hydrate types and saturations, the strength discounting due to the earthquake, and the seismic addition force. And, the impact degree of the three factors increases in sequence. In the non-stationary random field, this paper sets cohesion (c), friction angle (φ), unit weight (γ) and reduction coefficient (ξ) as four random variables. There is found that the correlation between the c and φ, the cohesion variability, the friction angle variability, the reduction coefficient variability, the cohesion trendiness, the friction angle trendiness, and the unit weight trendiness have a more important impact on the failure probability (P f) of submarine slops. When the P f is about 65%, the safety factors with different slopes angles are around 1.05, despite the different effects of seismic forces and strength discounting. The combined analysis of safety factor and the P f can offer excellent early warning for safe hydrate extraction.

The transaxillary concept for minimally invasive isolated aortic valve replacement: results of 1000 consecutive patients.

The transaxillary concept for minimally invasive cardiac surgery-aortic valve replacement is a new and versatile approach with nearly no visible scars. Due to its novelty, available data in literature are scarce. This study reports clinical outcomes of 1000 consecutive patients. Between 2019 and 2023, 4394 patients underwent elective isolated aortic valve procedures, with 2958 (67.5%) transcatheter aortic valve implantation's and 1436 patients surgical aortic valve replacement's (32.5%). Within this period, 1st consecutive 1000 transaxillary isolated minimally invasive cardiac surgery-aortic valve replacement were enrolled. Endocarditis, redo's or combined procedures were excluded. Mean age was 67.9 ± 8.3 years, STS-PROM 1.39 ± 2.89% and EuroScore II 1.65 ± 1.12%. Use of the transaxillary access increased from 18.7% (2019) to 97.8% (2023). Mean procedure time was 127 ± 31 min, and average cross-clamp time was 43 ± 14 min. Used prostheses were rapid deployment (81.1%), sutured biologic (14.5%) or sutured mechanical valves (4.1%). Conversion rate was 1.9%. No patient died intraoperatively. Thirty-day major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event was 1.9% including 0.9% mortality, 0.8% perioperative stroke and 0.6% myocardial infarction. Multivariate factors for major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event are intraoperative conversion [OR 1.08 (1.00-1.16); P = 0.04], intraoperative transfusions [OR 1.21 (1.07-1.38); P < 0.01] and respiratory failure [OR 1.39 (1.30-1.49); P < 0.01]. Corresponding factors for mortality are diabetes on insulin [OR 1.02 (1.00-1.04); P = 0.03], pure aortic regurgitation for primary indication [OR 1.03 (1.01-1.05); P < 0.01], intraoperative conversion [OR 1.11 (1.07-1.16); P < 0.01], renal failure [OR 1.08 (1.05-1.10); P < 0.01] and respiratory failure [OR 1.22 (1.17-1.26); P < 0.01]. Transaxillary minimally invasive cardiac surgery-aortic valve replacement is a safe, effective and cosmetically convincing method for surgical aortic valve replacement, having the potential for >95.0% minimally invasive cardiac surgery rate in selected patients.

ORR Activity of Ru@Pt/C Core-Shell Nanosheets with a Flat Two-Dimensional Structure

Two-dimensional metal nanosheets with atomic-level thickness have garnered widespread attention as electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The unique two-dimensional structure of nanosheets results in high atomic utilization and large specific surface area, while also exhibiting high durability, which is a significant characteristic of nanosheets.1 However, the specific activity of monometallic nanosheets still does not meet the requirements of electrocatalysts for widespread commercialization of polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Core-shell structures hold promises to enhance the catalyst activity and durability. We have synthesized core-shell Ru@Pt/C nanosheets by sequentially depositing Pt atomic layers on the surface of metallic Ru nanosheets using the Surface Limited Redox Replacement (SLRR) method (Figure 1).2 The Ru@Pt nanosheets exhibited 4 times higher ORR mass activity compared to commercial Pt nanoparticles. Such core-shell nanosheets serves as model catalysts for understanding the structure-property relationship in metal nanosheets. However, as the thickness of the shell increases, the roughness increased due to inhomogeneous deposition owing to the microstructure of the carbon support. In this study, core-shell Ru@Pt nanosheets with a flat surface architecture was synthesized by utilizing freeze-drying (FD) to suppress the deformation of the core Ru nanosheets. Ruthenium oxide nanosheets (RuO2(ns)) were exfoliated from a layered ruthenic acid. The RuO2(ns) colloid was mixed with carbon black and the mixture was freeze-dried to obtain RuO2(ns)/C-FD. RuO2(ns)/C-FD was reduced to metallic ruthenium nanosheets (Ru(ns)/C-FD) under H2 gas flow at 200 oC. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image of RuO2(ns)/C-FD and the electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) of Ru(ns)/C-FD indicated the preservation of the flat morphology of the nanosheets on the carbon support. A flat Pt shell layer was uniformly deposited on the Ru(ns) core by SLRR. A monolayer of Cu was deposited on Ru(ns)/C-FD via Underpotential Deposition (UPD). UPD-Cu was then replaced with Pt. Coulometric measurements after UPD indicated an increase in charge of about 1.5 times the previous value, suggesting that 0.5 layers of Pt shell were deposited on the surface of Ru(ns) during each SLRR synthesis. Through repeatedly applying this SLRR process, Ru@Pt-nML(ns)/C-FD (n represents the number of Pt atomic layers) was synthesized. The roughness factor (RF) for Ru@Pt-nML(ns)/C-FD (n = 1.5, 2.5, 3.5), defined as the ratio of experimental ECSA values to theoretical ones, was 0.78, 1.25, 1.23, respectively. On the contrary, the RF for Ru@Pt-nML(ns)/C-120 °C (n = 1.5, 2.5, 3.5), prepared by thermal drying was 0.72, 1.85, 2.96, respectiely.2 The restraint of RF increase in Ru@Pt-nML(ns)/C-FD is attributed to the flat surface structures of Ru(ns)/C-FD which was achieved by suppressing the deformation of the core nanosheets through freeze-drying. The ORR activity in O2-sat. 0.1 M HClO4 was evaluated using a rotating disk electrode. The mass activity for Ru@Pt-3.5ML(ns)/C-FD was only 1/2 of that Pt/C. This can be attributed to its lower ECSA caused by the flat surface, leading to a decrease in mass activity. The specific activities for Ru@Pt-nML(ns)/C-FD (n = 1.5, 2.5, 3.5) were 150, 356, 1033 μA cm-2, respectively. The initial low activity is due to the electronic effect from the Ru core. Ru@Pt-3.5ML(ns)/C-FDexhibited specific activities close to that of pure Pt nanoparticles.(1) D. Takimoto, W. Sugimoto, Q. Yuan, N. Takao, T. Itoh, T. V. T. Duy, T. Ohwaki and H. Imai, ACS Appl. Nano Mater., 2, 5743 (2019).(2) D. Takimoto, T. Ohnishi, J. Nutariya, Z. Shen, Y. Ayato, D. Mochizuki, A. Demortière, A. Boulineau and W. Sugimoto, J. Catal., 345, 207 (2017). Figure 1

Bipolar Hydrogen Production from Electrocatalytic Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Biorenewable Furfural in Membrane-Less Electrolyzers

Water electrolysis has been considered a green process for hydrogen production. Conventional electrolysis is limited by the sluggish anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER), leading to high energy input. In addition, the temporal spatial coupling of the production of H2 and O2 can cause issues associated with safety, economic feasibility, and system flexibility. Herein, we reported our work on replacing OER with an electrocatalytic oxidative dehydrogenation (EOD) of biomass-derived furfural for bipolar H2 production (from both cathode and anode) at low electrolytic cell voltages and high current densities. Experimental and DFT studies suggested a reasonable barrier for C-H dissociation on Cu surface, mainly through the diol intermediate, with the potential-dependent competition with Cannizzaro reaction. We revealed that EOD on metallic Cu surface was linked to an autocatalytic Cu oxides reduction by aldehydes along with H2 evolution. The EOD kinetics and durability was further enhanced by a porous CuAg catalyst prepared by a galvanic replacement method. We engineered a bipolar H2 production system using membrane-electrode assembly-based flow cells to facilitate mass transport, achieving a combined faradaic efficiency (FE) of ~200% to H2 and the maximum H2 partial current density of 248 and 390 mA/cm2 at cell voltages of 0.4 V and 0.6 V, respectively. We further studied other CuM (M= Pt, Pd, Au) bimetallic catalysts for EOD reaction, and found that dispersing Pt into Cu (CuPt) exhibited a unique synergistic effect for furfural EOD possibly via efficient C-H cleavage on Cu and favorable furfural binding on Pt. The CuPt anode-based flow electrolyzer has achieved a higher current density of 498 mA/cm2 at a low cell voltage of 0.6 V and FE of >80% to H2. Inexpensive dialysis membranes and non-noble metal HER catalysts are possibly used for bipolar H2 production, which provides an alternative approach for distributed manufacturing of green hydrogen and carbon chemicals in the future.

Deep Metal-Assisted Chemical Etching Using a Porous Monolithic AgAu Layer to Develop Neutral-Colored Transparent Silicon Photovoltaics

Neutral-colored transparent crystalline silicon photovoltaics (c-Si TPV) was reported as remarkable building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) due to its high efficiency with excellent transmittance. Deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) is required to fabricate this photovoltaics where the microhole-shaped light transmission windows were placed on bare crystalline silicon (c-Si, ca. 200 μm thickness) to transmit all visible wavelengths, which causes both high fabrication cost and the plasma damage on Si surface. A prominent replaceable method is metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) which occurs through the redox reaction at the Si/metal catalyst/etchant solution interfaces because it features simplicity, versatility, and cost-effectiveness. However, the metal catalysts that grow via electroless deposition are deposited as particle-form, which act individually during MACE and induce the uneven MACE, thus yielding a lot of defects on the resultant Si.Here, we report deep MACE using a porous monolithic AgAu layer on c-Si for fabricating c-Si TPV. To prevent the uneven etching of c-Si by Ag particles, the porous monolithic Ag layer is developed by introducing acetonitrile (AN) to enhance the interaction between the c-Si surface and Ag precursor. This results in cooperative motion during MACE, as confirmed by microscopic observation, surface area measurement, and computational simulations. The durability of this Ag catalyst can be further improved by passivation with Au via galvanic replacement (i.e., the porous monolithic AgAu layer), thereby preventing indiscriminate defect generation. Thus, the fabricated c-Si TPV using MACE and a porous monolithic AgAu layer exhibits high performance of 13.0% with 20% neutral-colored transparency, representing results superior to those obtained with samples fabricated by DRIE (11.5%). Figure 1

Fabrication of Pb-Containing PtAu Nanoflowers via Galvanic Replacement Method for Electrocatalytical Oxidation of Methanol.

A Pb-containing PtAu nanoflower electrocatalyst was deposited on the cathode via galvanic replacement reaction in a double-cabin galvanic cell (DCGC) with a Cu plate as the anode, a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) as the cathode, 0.1 M HClO4 aqueous solution as the anolyte, and Pb2+-containing Pt4+ salt and Au3+ salt mixed aqueous solution as the catholyte, respectively, and the electrocatalytic performance of the modified electrode toward methanol oxidation in the alkaline medium was investigated. Electrochemical studies reveal that the stripping of bulk Cu can induce underpotential deposition (UPD) of Pb on Pt during the galvanic replacement reaction, which affects the morphology and composition of Pb-containing PtAu nanoparticles. Under the optimal experimental conditions, a Pb-Pt3Au1/MWCNTs/GCE shows the highest activity and the best stability toward electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol in the alkaline medium, and the Pt active area-normalized specific electrocatalytic activity of Pb-Pt3Au1/MWCNTs/GCE is as high as 59.8 mA cmPt-2. We believe that the method presented here of depositing highly active noble metal nanostructures by galvanic replacement reaction in a DCGC device is expected to be widely applied in the preparation of nanomaterials for their study in fuel cells and electrocatalysis.

Assessing The Impact Of Surgical Approaches On Total HIP Replace-ment Outcomes: A Systematic Review

Total hip replacement is one of the most common and effective orthopedic surgical procedures to reduce pain and improve hip function in patients with severe conditions. This procedure has undergone many advances in the past few decades. However, there is debate among surgeons about which surgical approach is the most optimal to apply. This study aims to systematically assess and compare the outcomes of different surgical approaches in total hip replacement (THR) procedures. The method used in this study was a systematic literature review, in which literature was searched through academic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar using relevant keywords. The collected data were then analyzed through three stages, namely data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results of this study show that each surgical method for total hip replacement has different advantages and disadvantages. The choice of surgical approach should be tailored to each patient's specific condition. Based on a review of the available literature, the anterior approach is often considered superior to the other approaches. The advantages include less surgical trauma, better postoperative pain reduction and a faster rehabilitation process. The anterior approach is considered safe, reliable and effective, and results in lower pain levels compared to other methods

Atomically Tailored Zn-ZIF-8 via RuNi Nanoalloy Replacement for Improved Photocatalytic H2 Evolution.

In this study, we developed a solid-state atomic replacement method for metal catalysts, enabling the exchange of metal atoms between single atoms and nanoalloys to create new combinations of nanoalloys and single atoms. We observed that partial metal interchange occurred between the RuNi nanoalloy and Zn from the zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) on a carbon-nitrogen framework (CNF) at a high temperature of 900 °C, leading to the creation of RuZn nanoparticles and single nickel atoms (Ni-CN). Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analyses revealed that Ni is atomically dispersed within (RuZn)/Ni-CN. This finding confirms the migration of Zn and Ni during the pyrolysis of the RuNi@ZIF-8 precursor, providing definitive evidence of atomic replacement. Due to the synergistic influence of RuZn nanocrystals and Ni-CN, the resulting (RuZn)/Ni-CN multisite catalyst exhibited superior hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) ability compared to the conventional nanoalloy-based catalysts. Density functional theory calculations revealed that the integration of the (RuZn)n cluster on Ni surrounded with different N-coordinated carbon structures enhanced HER activity with the optimized (RuZn)n/NiN2C2 catalyst exhibiting a low ΔGH and improved electron charge redistribution, thereby promoting favorable hydrogen adsorption. Our findings provide valuable insights into the design and optimization of photocatalysts through atomic-level engineering, opening new avenues for efficient and sustainable energy conversion technologies.

Deep Learning-Driven Virtual Furniture Replacement Using GANs and Spatial Transformer Networks

This study proposes a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN)-based method for virtual furniture replacement within indoor scenes. The proposed method addresses the challenge of accurately positioning new furniture in an indoor space by combining image reconstruction with geometric matching through combining spatial transformer networks and GANs. The system leverages deep learning architectures like Mask R-CNN for executing image segmentation and generating masks, and it employs DeepLabv3+, EdgeConnect algorithms, and ST-GAN networks for carrying out virtual furniture replacement. With the proposed system, furniture shoppers can obtain a virtual shopping experience, providing an easier way to understand the aesthetic effects of furniture rearrangement without putting in effort to physically move furniture. The proposed system has practical applications in the furnishing industry and interior design practices, providing a cost-effective and efficient alternative to physical furniture replacement. The results indicate that the proposed method achieves accurate positioning of new furniture in indoor scenes with minimal distortion or displacement. The proposed system is limited to 2D front-view images of furniture and indoor scenes. Future work would involve synthesizing 3D scenes and expanding the system to replace furniture images photographed from different angles. This would enhance the efficiency and practicality of the proposed system for virtual furniture replacement in indoor scenes.

Successful experience of hip arthroplasty with a unipolar endoprosthesis

Introduction. Fractures of the femoral neck occupy a significant place in traumatology and orthopedics and represent a serious pathological problem. Without surgical treatment, this pathology leads to complications and death of the patient within a year. Hip replacement is the choice of treatment method that allows the injured patient to be mobilized as early as possible. This promotes and has a positive effect on the timing and effectiveness of rehabilitation measures and minimizes the risk of developing possible complications. The purpose of this publication is to demonstrate the successful experience of treating a patient with a fracture of the right femoral neck with displacement of fragments using endoprosthetics. Materials and methods. To write the article, we used medical documentation data from a trauma hospital, the results of instrumental research and dynamic observation of the patient. A search was also carried out in the open electronic scientific databases PubMed of the US National Electronic Medical Library and the databases of the Russian scientific electronic library elibrary, using keywords and phrases: Results. Endoprosthesis replacement of the hip joint with a unipolar endoprosthesis was performed. On the sixth day after the surgical intervention, the patient was discharged in satisfactory condition for outpatient treatment by a traumatologist at his place of residence. The wound and sutures have no signs of inflammation, sensitivity and blood supply to the limb are preserved. The patient moves independently using a walker. Discussion. Analyzing the results of surgical treatment in the described clinical case, we can conclude that the method of hip replacement is highly effective in elderly people. Conclusion. Endoprosthesis replacement surgery is low-traumatic and allows the patient to be mobilized early. Our experience allows us to believe that treatment with endoprosthetics is effective for fractures of the femoral neck and allows us to achieve positive results in the early stages.

Evaluation of three acetabular measurement methods for total hip replacement in dogs.

To compare three measurement methods for acetabular sizing and evaluate the influence of osteoarthritis (OA) on the accuracy of measurements. Observational study. Radiographic images of 73 hip joints from 60 dogs with cementless cups. Radiographs were anonymized and measured independently by three observers. One observer measured 12 sets of radiographs three times. A best-fit acetabular circle (AC) and cranial-caudal acetabular line (AL) were measured on ventral-dorsal (VD) radiographic view and open leg lateral (OLL) view. A best-fit femoral head circle (FHC) was measured on VD, OLL, and craniocaudal horizontal beam (CCHB) views. Two observers scored the OA in each hip joint. Intra- and interobserver consistency and repeatability and bias relative to implanted cup size were calculated and analyzed. Intraobserver consistency and repeatability were excellent for all measurements. Interobserver consistency was excellent (ICC > 0.9) for ACVD and ACOLL and was good (0.75 < ICC ≤ 0.9) for all other methods. Bias was small for AC and AL measurements (range, -0.46 to 0.45 mm) and large for FHC measurements (-3.58 to -2.42 mm). OA score significantly influenced bias for all acetabular measurement methods (p < 0.05). All acetabular measurement methods were highly consistent within an observer. Interobserver consistency was highest for ACVD and ACOLL. FHC measurements underestimated cup size. Higher OA scores decreased the accuracy of all acetabular measurement methods. Superimposing a circle on the acetabulum seen on VD radiographic view accurately measures the acetabulum before cementless cup placement.

Comparative analysis of active period and oxidative stress of DDVP and ginger (Zingiber officinale) oil on Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella Hübner) infesting maize grain

BackgroundIndian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) is a significant pest infesting stored grains, particularly maize. Over time, synthetic insecticides have been employed to control insect. The residual effects posed on non-target organisms have called for replacement of synthetic insecticides with botanicals. This study therefore aimed at comparing the insecticidal consistency and oxidative stress invoked by dichlorvos (DDVP) and the oil extract of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on Indian meal moth infesting maize. Disinfested maize grains were treated with DDVP and ginger oil extract separately. Adults P. interpunctella were introduced to the treated grains daily using complete replacement method. The percentage mortality was calculated daily for 10 d. Furthermore, the oxidative stress caused by DDVP and ginger oil extract on the moth was evaluated by measuring the level of some oxidative stress biomarkers such as glutathione S-transferase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) activity in the exposed insects.ResultsPreliminary results indicated that both DDVP and ginger oil extract exhibited insecticidal properties against Indian meal moth infesting maize. However, the insecticidal (active) period of ginger oil extract was found to be longer than that of DDVP. Nevertheless, DDVP provoked greater oxidative stress in the exposed moth.ConclusionsGinger oil extract and DDVP show potential for controlling Indian meal moth infestations in stored maize. Yet, ginger oil offers a longer-lasting effect on pest suppression and control. Consequently, it could be a replacement or synergistic insecticide with DDVP to provide ecofriendly insecticide application.

Hamming distances of unsaturated orthogonal arrays

Orthogonal arrays (OAs) are applied in the statistical design of experiments, coding theory, cryptography, various types of software testing and quality control and have many connections to other combinatorial designs. The Hamming distances of OAs play a critical role in many areas such as algebraic combinatorics, quantum information theory, and wireless sensor networks. However, the calculation method of Hamming distances is difficult, especially for mixed orthogonal arrays (MOAs), since they rely on constructions or structures of OAs in many cases. In this article, by using the number of coincidences, we find some OAs with high strength and MOAs with strength 2 and 3, whose Hamming distances do not depend on their structures. We also calculate Hamming distances of a series of unsaturated asymmetrical OAs via their construction methods such as deleting columns, the expansive replacement method, and difference schemes.

Digital Models and 3D Biomechanics Analysis in Orthodontics. Part 1: Vector Calculations

Biomechanics is essential for optimizing orthodontic appliances and controlling dental movement. Charles J. Burstone pioneered a three-dimensional (3D) approach in orthodontics, advocating for a shift beyond appliance-focused methods. Initially, biomechanics studies were constrained to two-dimensional (2D) analysis due to the complexities of 3D evaluation. Despite progress in computational tools and digital modeling, orthodontic biomechanics has largely maintained a 2D orientation. This paper advances orthodontic biomechanics into 3D, re-evaluating concepts previously limited to 2D frameworks. A dedicated software, DDP-Ortho (Ortolab, Poland), is introduced to enable orthodontists to analyze and resolve biomechanical challenges in 3D, facilitating appliance designs with precise 3D force systems. The representation and calculation of force vectors and moments in 3D are detailed, emphasizing the inherent complexity absent computational support. Key processes such as vector subtraction and addition, fundamental for assessing and refining orthodontic force systems, are explained. Additionally, the vector split (couple replacement) method, previously described in 2D, is extended to 3D, addressing the unique constraints and challenges of this approach. These tools promise to refine the accuracy and effectiveness of orthodontic treatments, setting the stage to examine the interactions between 3D force systems and dental movement, which will be addressed in a subsequent paper, to broaden the potential of contemporary orthodontic therapy.