Safe Interval Research Articles

Deep Learning-Assisted Label-Free Parallel Cell Sorting with Digital Microfluidics.

Sorting specific cells from heterogeneous samples is important for research and clinical applications. In this work, a novel label-free cell sorting method is presented that integrates deep learning image recognition with microfluidic manipulation to differentiate cells based on morphology. Using an Active-Matrix Digital Microfluidics (AM-DMF) platform, the YOLOv8 object detection model ensures precise droplet classification, and the Safe Interval Path Planning algorithm manages multi-target, collision-free droplet path planning. Simulations and experiments revealed that detection model precision, concentration ratios, and sorting cycles significantly affect recovery rates and purity. With HeLa cells and polystyrene beads as samples, the method achieved 98.5% sorting precision, 96.49% purity, and an 80% recovery over three cycles. After a series of experimental validations, this method can also be used to sort HeLa cells from red blood cells, cancer cells from white blood cells (represented by HeLa and Jurkat cells), and differentiate white blood cell subtypes (represented by HL-60 cells and Jurkat cells). Cells sorted using this method can be lysed directly on chip within their hosting droplets, ensuring minimal sample loss and suitability for downstream bioanalysis. This innovative AM-DMF cell sorting technique holds significant potential to advance diagnostics, therapeutics, and fundamental research in cell biology.

Multi-Agent Collaborative Path Planning Algorithm with Multiple Meeting Points

Traditional multi-agent path planning algorithms often lead to path overlap and excessive energy consumption when dealing with cooperative tasks due to the single-agent-single-task configuration. For this reason, the “many-to-one” cooperative planning method has been proposed, which, although improved, still faces challenges in the vast search space for meeting points and unreasonable task handover locations. This paper proposes the Cooperative Dynamic Priority Safe Interval Path Planning with a multi-meeting-point and single-meeting-point solving mode switching (Co-DPSIPPms) algorithm to achieve multi-agent path planning with task handovers at multiple or single meeting points. First, the initial priority is set based on the positional relationships among agents within the cooperative group, and the improved Fermat point method is used to locate multiple meeting points quickly. Second, considering that agents must pick up sub-tasks or conduct task handovers midway, a segmented path planning strategy is proposed to ensure that cooperative agents can efficiently and accurately complete task handovers. Finally, an automatic switching strategy between multi-meeting-point and single-meeting-point solving modes is designed to ensure the algorithm’s success rate. Tests show that Co-DPSIPPms outperforms existing algorithms in 1-to-1 and m-to-1 cooperative tasks, demonstrating its efficiency and practicality.

MT-SIPP: An Efficient Collision-Free Multi-Chain Robot Path Planning Algorithm

Compared to traditional multi-robot path planning problems, multi-chain robot path planning (MCRPP) is more challenging because it must account for collisions between robot units and between the bodies of a chain and the leading unit during towing. To address MCRPP more efficiently, we propose a novel algorithm called Multi-Train Safe Interval Path Planning (MT-SIPP). Based on safe interval path planning principles, we categorize conflicts in the multi-train planning process into three types: travel conflicts, waiting conflicts, and station conflicts. To handle travel conflicts, we use an improved k-robust method to ensure trains avoid collisions with other trains during movement. To resolve waiting conflicts, we apply a time correction method to ensure the safety of positions occupied by trains during waiting periods. To address station conflicts, we introduce node constraints to prevent other trains from occupying the station positions of trains that have reached their target stations and are stopped. Experimental results on three benchmark maps show that the MT-SIPP algorithm achieves about a 30% improvement in solution success rate and nearly a 50% increase in the maximum number of solvable instances compared to existing methods. These results confirm the effectiveness of MT-SIPP in addressing the challenges of MCRPP.

Dissipation and residue of triadimefon in Rosa roxburghii

Rosa roxburghii (R. roxburghii) is a unique, edible, medicinal fruit rich in vitamin C found in Southwest China. Triadimefon (TDF) is a triazole fungicide that is widely used to control powdery mildew in R. roxburghii. To assess the safety of TDF in R. roxburghii, an LC-MS/MS method was developed for the simultaneous quantification of TDF and its major metabolite, triadimenol (TDN) in R. roxburghii. Both TDF and TDN showed high correlation coefficients (>0.999) for the solvent- and matrix-matched calibrations. The recovery rates of TDF and TDN in R. roxburghii ranged from 90.18% to 100.42%, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.25%–9.22%. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.01 mg·kg−1. The half-life of TDF in R. roxburghii was between 2.74 and 3.07 days, with terminal residues ranging from < LOQ to 1.84 mg·kg−1. Recommended maximum residue limits (MRLs) and safe pre-harvest intervals (PHIs) for TDF in R. roxburghii were 0.5 mg·kg−1 and 21 days, respectively. This study provides essential data for TDF’s safe and judicious use in R. roxburghii production.

Soybean response to preplant application of auxin herbicides at different soil textures

Glyphosate-resistant or tolerant broadleaves are often controlled using auxin herbicides before soybean planting. However, a safe interval is essential prior soybean planting, depending on soil properties. In the literature, there is little information about auxin herbicides on the behavior of auxin herbicide at different soil texture. Two soil residual bioassays were conducted in a greenhouse to evaluate response to soybean to preplant applications of 2,4-D and dicamba at different soil textures. Herbicides were applied 28, 21, 14, 7, 3 and 0 days before soybean planting (DBP) and the soil texture consisted 15, 35 and 60 % clay. The residual activity was determined through the injury, plant height and dry weight of soybean at 28 DBP. Soil residues from 2,4-D was less deleterious to soybean than dicamba. The herbicides injury is reduced in clayey soil. Shorter intervals of herbicide application increased the injury and reduce height and dry weight of soybean. Soil texture not influence on height and dry weight from 2,4-D. Dicamba caused high injuries in medium soil compared to clayey and sandy soil, and clayey soil revealed cause lower effect on height and dry weight of soybean. The 2,4-D application in clayey soil reduces the interval to soybean planting, but soil texture not influence on initial soybean development. The 2,4-D application in clayey soil reduces soybean injury, but soil texture not influence on initial soybean development. Up to the 28-days interval, there are no indications of soil texture effect on the herbicide dissipation security for soybean planting.

Safety of carfentrazone‐ethyl following application of bensulide to creeping bentgrass putting greens

AbstractGolf course superintendents may use bensulide to control annual grassy weeds and carfentrazone‐ethyl (CE) to control silvery‐thread moss (Bryum argenteum Hedw.) in creeping bentgrass putting greens. Creeping bentgrass injury has been reported if CE is applied soon after treatment with bensulide and the safe application interval varies as much as 68 days. Our goal was to improve the precision of recommendations for safe application of CE following bensulide, considering both CE rate and timing. We used a factorial treatment structure that included (1) bensulide or no bensulide, (2) three rates of CE, and (3) nine CE application timings in 2018 and 2019 at locations in Nebraska and Ohio. Because of limited effects in 2018, different CE rates and application timings were used in 2019. Significant creeping bentgrass injury was only observed at 6.7 or 13.4 fl oz acre−1 rates of CE that were applied within 3 days of applying bensulide. Even the 13.4 fl oz acre−1 rate (a 2× rate) of CE did not injure creeping bentgrass when applied at least 7 days after applying bensulide. The 2.0 fl oz acre−1 rate of CE never injured creeping bentgrass, even when applied the same day as bensulide. Cultivar, management, and environmental differences may influence whether subsequent application of bensulide and CE injures creeping bentgrass. Based on the environmental/cultural conditions and cultivars used in this research, golf course superintendents should expect little to no injury when CE is applied at least 1 week after applying bensulide.

Residue behavior and consumer risk assessment of spirotetramat and chlorpyrifos on cabbage heads and cropped soil.

A field experiment following good agricultural practices was laid out to study the dissipation of spirotetramat (90 g a.i. ha-1 and 180 g a.i. ha-1) and chlorpyrifos (400 g a.i. ha-1 and 800 g a.i. ha-1) on cabbage heads and soil. Samples were processed using quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method for residue estimation of spirotetramat and chlorpyrifos, which were further detected using HPLC-PDA and GC-FPD respectively. The residues of spirotetramat on cabbage heads reached below detection limit (BDL) (< 0.05 mg kg-1) on 7th and 10th day and for chlorpyrifos, BDL (< 0.01 mg kg-1) was achieved on 10th and 15th day for X and 2X dose, respectively. On 20th day after second spray, residues in soil were found to be BDL for both the pesticides. Half-life of spirotetramat and chlorpyrifos was found to be 3 and 2 days, respectively while a safe pre-harvest interval (PHI) of 9 days for spirotetramat and 10 days for chlorpyrifos is suggested on cabbage. The dietary risk assessment studies for various age groups of Indian population, ascertained safety of treated cabbage heads for consumption, as current study revealed that hazard quotient (HQ) < 1 and theoretical maximum dietary intake (TMDI) < maximum permissible intake (MPI) for both the pesticides at respective PHI.

Dissipation kinetics, residue level, and risk assessment of chlorantraniliprole in Rosa roxburghii and its residue removal using household decontamination technique

Rosa roxburghii (R. roxburghii) is edible and medicinal fruit rich in vitamin C. Residues and potentially ecological risks of chlorantraniliprole (CAP) in the R. roxburghii orchard have aroused concern considering its extensive use for controlling oriental fruit moth, aphid, and whitefly of R. roxburghii. In this study, an effective UPLC–MS/MS method was developed for quantitation of CAP in R. roxburghii and soil using modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) dispersive solid-phase extraction with average recoveries of 73.89–96.63% and a relative standard deviation of &lt;15%. Dissipation dynamics and terminal residue trials under the field conditions in 2021 and 2022 showed that half-lives of CAP in R. roxburghii (2.64–2.70 days) were shorter than those in soil (3.58–3.80 days), and its terminal residues in R. roxburghii and soil were 0.034–0.818 mg kg-1 and 0.003–0.015 mg kg-1, respectively. Long-term dietary and soil ecological risk assessments indicated that the risk quotient was significantly less than 100%, meaning that the use of CAP on R. roxburghii at the recommended dosage was safe to consumers and soil ecology system, and that maximum residue limits (MRLs) and safe pre-harvest intervals of CAP in R. roxburghii were recommended as 0.7 mg kg-1 and 14 days, respectively. Removal experiments of CAP residues from R. roxburghii using simple household processing approaches exhibit that 2% baking soda water had the highest removal efficiency (56.04–60.33%). This study provides the basic data for establishing MRL, the safe and rational use of CAP in R. roxburghii production as well as the household decontamination prior to consumption of R. roxburghii fruits.

Swarm Division-Based Aircraft Velocity Obstacle Optimization Considering Low-Carbon Emissions

In the pursuit of sustainable aviation, this paper presents an innovative approach that adopts a swarm division strategy to enhance and refine the velocity obstacle (VO) method, guided by a low-carbon principle. A dynamic elliptical protection zone model forms the core of this innovative approach. Specifically, this dynamic elliptical protection zone is created based on the difference in aircraft velocity, and a swarm division strategy is introduced in this process. Initially, aircraft that share the same route and type, and have similar velocities and distances, are grouped into swarms. Then, the characteristics of the swarms, such as mass points, velocities, and protection zones, are recorded. Second, the collision cone (CC) between swarms is established, and planar geometrical analysis is used to determine the optimal relief velocity and heading of aircraft on the low-carbon objective while ensuring a safe interval between aircraft in the swarm during the relief period. Additionally, a swarm control algorithm is utilized to adjust the velocity of the aircraft by a small margin. Finally, simulation experiments are conducted using Python, revealing that the swarm relief efficiency of the enhanced VO method sees a notable increase of over 33%. Concurrently, the need for adjustments decreases by an average of 32.78%, while fuel savings reach as high as 70.18%. The strategy is real-time and operational, significantly reduces the air traffic controller (ATC) workload, improves flight efficiency and safety, and contributes positively to the reduction in carbon emissions, which is beneficial for the environment.

Design and analysis of a dual-rope crawler rope-climbing robot

Abstract. A rope-climbing robot (RCR) can reciprocate on a rope. To address the problems of poor load capacity and adaptability of the existing RCR, this study designs a dual-rope crawler type RCR, which can be used as a new type of transportation equipment in hilly, mountainous, and plateau areas. The crawler rope-climbing mechanism is a combination of a chain drive and the rope-climbing foot. Innovatively applying the parabolic theory of overhead rope to kinematically analyze the rope-climbing robot system, the robot motion trajectory model and the tilt angle equation are established. To establish the safe working interval of the rope-climbing robot, the influence of machine load and rope span on robot tilt angle is compared. Furthermore, research on the dynamic characteristics of the rope-climbing robot is carried out, establishing a time-varying system model of the dynamic tension of the rope in the rope-climbing robot system and analyzing the effects of speed and load on the dynamic tension of the rope and system stability. Finally, the prototype test results show that the RCR operates stably and has good load capacity and barrier-crossing capability.

Correlation Between N-Demethyl Imatinib Trough Concentration and Serious Adverse Reactions in Patients with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Imatinib is the first-line treatment for gastrointestinal stromal tumors; however, the clinical prognosis and adverse reactions of patients vary owing to individualized discrepancies in plasma exposure. To determine the safe interval for steady-state plasma trough concentrations (C min ) of imatinib and its active metabolite, N-demethyl imatinib (NDI), 328 plasma samples from 273 patients treated with imatinib were retrospectively analyzed. Imatinib C min and NDI C min were tested, and adverse reactions were recorded. The association between imatinib C min , NDI C min , and serious adverse reactions was evaluated. The C min range of imatinib was 209.5-4950.0 ng/mL, with the mean value and SD of 1491.8 ± 731.4 ng/mL. The C min range of NDI was 80.0-2390.0 ng/mL with the mean value and SD of 610.8 ± 281.5 ng/mL. NDI C min was positively correlated with imatinib C min , whereas the ratio of NDI C min to imatinib C min (NDI C min /imatinib C min ) was negatively correlated with imatinib C min . Univariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the treatment objective, daily dose, imatinib C min , NDI C min , and imatinib C min + NDI C min were significantly associated with serious adverse reactions. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that NDI C min was an independent risk factor for serious adverse reactions, with a threshold of 665 ng/mL. NDI C min was an independent risk factor for serious adverse reactions, with a threshold of 665 ng/mL. Monitoring NDI C min was beneficial for the rational application of imatinib and individualized treatment of patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

Unified Approach for Damping Rate of Transient Laminar Flow: Experiments, Computational Fluid Dynamics, and One-Dimensional, and Global Models

Abstract Pipe networks exhibit complex geometries and are equipped with electromechanical devices capable of generating hydraulic transients. Most of these devices are remotely controlled and managed through an integrated system that prioritizes network demands. This implies that potential hazardous pressure peaks, that may occur during each operation, may need to be taken into account. Consequently, when multiple operations take place in a short time interval, transient pressure waves, generated in different parts of the network and traveling back and forward, overlap and can be larger than the design maximum pressure. To address this concern, it is essential to evaluate the pressure-damping rate of critical maneuvers and to identify a “safe” time interval between maneuvers to prevent the risk of inappropriate pressure waves overlapping. With the aim of analyzing the damping rate of closure maneuvers, both numerical and laboratory experiments have been executed for a laminar flow in a reservoir-pipe-valve system. In this context, a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics, a one-dimensional and global model, the latter based on a sinusoidal function, have been used. Guidelines are then presented for identifying the safe time interval between maneuvers.

In Silico Validation of Personalized Safe Intervals for Carbohydrate Counting Errors.

For patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), accurate carbohydrate counting (CC) is essential for successful blood glucose regulation. Unfortunately, mistakes are common and may lead to an incorrect dosage of prandial insulin. In this work, we aim to demonstrate that each person has their own limits for CC errors, which can be computed using patient-specific data. To validate the proposed method, we tested it using several scenarios to investigate the effect of different CC errors on postprandial blood glucose. Virtual subjects from the T1DM Simulator were used in a clinical trial involving 450 meals over 90 days, all following the same daily meal plan but with different intervals for CC errors near, below, and above the limit computed for each patient. The results show that CC errors within personalized limits led to acceptable postprandial glycemic fluctuations. In contrast, experiments where 50% and 97.5% of the meals present a CC error outside the computed safe interval revealed a pronounced degradation of the time in range. Given these results, we consider the proposed method for obtaining personalized limits for CC errors an excellent starting point for an initial assessment of patients' capabilities in CC and to provide appropriate ongoing education.

Process evaluation of postpartum contraceptive service delivery in Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia in 2020

BackgroundPostpartum contraceptives during the first year after delivery is a key service for women to prevent unintended pregnancy and reduce the risk of maternal and child mortality by ensuring safe birth intervals. This process evaluation aimed to assess the availability, compliance, and accommodation of Post-Partum Contraceptives (PPC) and the experience of women’s contraception in the first 12 months postpartum in Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (ACSH).MethodsA case study evaluation design with a mixed method was employed from February 16/2020 to Mar 30, 2020. Direct observations, 12-month document reviews, and key informant interviews were conducted. The quantitative data were entered into Epi-Data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, variables with < 0.05 p-values and Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) were used to declare the association. The qualitative data were transcribed, translated, coded, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The overall process of program implementation was measured based on pre-determined judgmental criteria.ResultFrom the total of charts reviewed 302 only 188 (62.3%) postpartum mothers used any method within 12 months of the postpartum period out of which only 27.1% mothers used of long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC). The overall evaluation of postpartum contraceptives was 84.1% (V/good). Notable gaps observed in this study were poor provision of information in relation to methods given, poor technical performance in following the aseptic procedure, poor utilization of postpartum family planning guidelines and clinical checklists for counseling, and poor use of information education materials compared to the national standards. Residence, number of stillbirths or neonatal loss, counseling status of family planning during ANC visits, and maternal counseling status of family planning during postnatal care visits were factors associated with PPC.ConclusionThe overall postpartum contraceptive service delivery in ACSH was V/good compared to the national family planning guideline standards. With the notable gaps identified, specific recommendations were suggested to different responsible bodies.

Safe Interval Path Planning with Kinodynamic Constraints

Safe Interval Path Planning (SIPP) is a powerful algorithm for solving a single-agent pathfinding problem where the agent is confined to a graph and certain vertices/edges of this graph are blocked at certain time intervals due to dynamic obstacles that populate the environment. The original SIPP algorithm relies on the assumption that the agent is able to stop instantaneously. However, this assumption often does not hold in practice, e.g. a mobile robot moving at a cruising speed cannot stop immediately but rather requires gradual deceleration to a full stop that takes time. In other words, the robot is subject to kinodynamic constraints. Unfortunately, as we show in this work, in such a case, the original SIPP is incomplete. To this end, we introduce a novel variant of SIPP that is provably complete and optimal for planning with acceleration/deceleration. In the experimental evaluation, we show that the key property of the original SIPP still holds for the modified version: it performs much fewer expansions compared to A* and, as a result, is notably faster.

Multi-agent planning and coordination for automated aircraft ground handling

Inspired by the vision of fully autonomous airside operations at Schiphol airport, this study aims to contribute to the short-term goal of automated aircraft ground handling. In this research, we design and evaluate a multi-agent system for planning of automated ground handling. There are two main components in the system: task allocation optimization and multi-agent path planning. To allocate tasks to ground support equipment (GSE) vehicles, an auction mechanism inspired by temporal sequential single item (TeSSI) auction is proposed. Ground handling tasks scheduling for GSE vehicles is modeled as several single-vehicle pickup and delivery optimization problems (SPDP), and the values of the objective functions are used to generate bids for GSE vehicle agents in the auction. Prioritized safe interval path planning for large agents (LA-SIPP) is used to plan collision-free paths for GSE vehicle agents in the model to execute tasks. The aim is to increase the success rates of allocating tasks and finding collision free paths without causing flight delays, given the limited resources such as a small number of available GSE vehicles, time windows constraints and conflicting interests of different agents. Due to the results, even for the instances with frequent flights and the most limited resources, the success rates of allocation and path planning were higher than 81% and 98%, respectively. Furthermore, periodic task allocation and path planning of the ground handling tasks for flights in three aircraft stands during a planning time window of the day, as well as replanning in case of disruptions were performed in a short CPU time. There is a lack of research dealing with the complete process of ground handling, since existing studies concerning the automation of ground handling operations involve fleet assignment or task scheduling models without an integration of detailed path planning. Our main contribution is to present a framework that combines task allocation and path planning for automation of ground handling operations and provides solutions using a multi-agent perspective.

ADAPTABILIDADE E ESTABILIDADE DE CULTIVARES DE AVEIA À REDUÇÃO DO USO DE FUNGICIDA COM PRODUTIVIDADE SATISFATÓRIA

Purpose: The objective of the study is to identify oat cultivars with satisfactory productivity and adaptability to reduced use of fungicide concomitant with the longest interval between the last application and grain harvest, in the recommendation of biotype more adjusted to agroecological management. Method/design/approach: The study was developed in 2018, 2019, in Augusto Pestana, RS, Brazil. The experimental design was a randomized block with three replications in a 23 x 5 factorial, for 23 Brazilian oat cultivars and 5 fungicide use conditions, applied on the time scale every 15 days cumulatively: control (no application); one application 60 days after emergence (DAE); two applications at 60, 75 DAE; three applications at 60, 75, 90 DAE and four applications at 60, 75, 90, 105 DAE. Results and conclusion: Experimental strategies with the analysis of adaptability and stability help to identify oat cultivars that are more resilient to the absence or reduction of fungicide use, promoting more sustainable management. The cultivars URS Brava and URS Altiva present satisfactory productivity with adaptability to the absence or reduced use of fungicide, providing a safe interval from the last application to the grain harvest, with the indication for agroecological management. It is necessary to promote food security based on new scenarios, including the environment, technology, economy and society. Originality/value: Unprecedented study seeking to reduce the use of fungicidal pesticides to control oat diseases using adaptability and stability models, providing opportunities for the analysis of different scenarios to identify cultivars more suited to agroecological management.

Attitude constraint-based recovery for under-actuated AUVs under vertical plane control during the capture stage

The landed docking method is one of the most widely used underwater recovery methods because it imposes fewer restrictions on AUV configuration and applies to a wide range of applications. During the capture stage, the AUV and the recovery device are in close proximity, and if the attitude of the AUV fluctuates significantly, a collision may occur and cause damage. Existing studies for the common underactuated AUV do not effectively constrain the non-directly controlled degrees of freedom, posing a significant safety risk to the underwater recovery in the capture stage. To address this issue, a vertical plane control strategy that considers the safety interval of non-direct controlled degrees of freedom is proposed to keep the attitude angle within the safety interval during the docking process. To begin, the non-directly controlled AUV's pitching motion is analyzed and simplified to demonstrate that it has input-to-state stability during the capture stage, and an estimate of its uniform ultimate bound is provided so that the motion boundary can be estimated. Then, based on the backstepping method, a thrust-gain-constrained vertical surface control strategy is proposed: for the directly controlled heaving motion and rolling motion, precise control is achieved through a reasonable configuration of control parameters; for the non-directly controlled pitching motion, the thrust-constrained gain is calculated through the ultimate bound so that the force applied to the pitch degrees of freedom of the thruster is constrained and the purpose of indirect control is achieved. Using this strategy, the pitch motion is guaranteed to be inside the safe interval, resulting in accurate, safe, and quick recovery control during the capture stage.

Spinal Reirradiation-Mediated Myelopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Reirradiation of the spine is carried out in 42% of patients who do not respond to treatment or have recurrent pain. However, there are few studies and data on the effect of reirradiation of the spine and the occurrence of acute and chronic side-effects caused by reirradiation, such as myelopathy, in these patients. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the safe dose in terms of biological effective dose (BED), cumulative dose and dose interval between BED1 and BED2 to decrease or prevent myelopathy and pain control in patients undergoing radiation therapy in the spinal cord. A search was carried out using EMBASE, MEDLINE, PUBMED, Google Scholar, Cochrane Collaboration library electronic databases, Magiran, and SID from 2000 to 2022 to recognise qualified studies. In total, 17 primary studies were applied to estimate the pooled effect size. The random effects model showed that the pooled BED in the first stage, the BED in the second stage and the cumulative BED1 and BED2 were estimated at 77.63, 58.35 and 115.34 Gy, respectively. Studies reported on dose interval. The results of a random effects model showed that the pooled interval was estimated at 13.86 months. The meta-analysis revealed that using appropriate BED1 and/or BED2 in a safe interval between the first and second phases of treatment can have an influential role in preventing or reducing the effects of myelopathy and regional control pain in spinal reirradiation.

Do prior intra-articular injections impact on the risk of periprosthetic joint infection in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty? A meta-analysis of the current evidences with a focus on the timing of injection before surgery.

Intra-articular injection is a well-established and increasingly used treatment for the patient with mild-to-moderate hip osteoarthritis. The objectives of this literature review and meta-analysis are to evaluate the effect of prior intra-articular injections on the risk of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) and to try to identify which is the minimum waiting time between hip injection and replacement in order to reduce the risk of infection. The database of PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar and Cochrane Library was systematically and independently searched, according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. To assess the potential risk of bias and the applicability of the evidence found in the primary studies to the review, the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) was used. The statistical analysis was performed by using the software 'R' version 4.2.2. The pooling of data revealed an increased risk of PJI in the injection group that was statistically significative (P = 0.0427). In the attempt to identify a 'safe time interval' between the injection and the elective surgery, we conducted a further subgroup analysis: in the subgroup 0-3 months, we noted an increased risk of PJI after injection. Intra-articular injection is a procedure that may increase the risk of developing periprosthetic infection. This risk is higher if the injection is performed less than 3 months before hip replacement.