Advanced Algorithm for Reliable Quantification of the Geometry and Printability of Printed Patterns.

In nanoparticle-based printed electronic devices, the printability of the patterns constituting the device are crucial factors. Although many studies have investigated the printability of patterns, only a few have analyzed and established international standards for measuring the dimensions and printability of shape patterns. This study introduces an advanced algorithm for accurate measurement of the geometry and printability of shape patterns to establish an international standard for pattern dimensions and printability. The algorithm involves three core concepts: extraction of edges of printed patterns and identification of pixel positions, identification of reference edges via the best-fitting of the shape pattern, and calculation of different pixel positions of edges related to reference edges. This method enables the measurement of the pattern geometry and printability, including edge waviness and widening, while considering all pixels comprising the edges of the patterns. The study results revealed that the rectangle and circle patterns exhibited an average widening of 3.55% and a maximum deviation of 1.58%, based on an average of 1662 data points. This indicates that the algorithm has potential applications in real-time pattern quality evaluation, process optimization using statistical or AI-based methods, and foundation of International Electrotechnical Commission standards for shape patterns.

Toxicological and molecular adverse effect of Illicium verum fruit constituents toward Bradysia procera.

BACKGROUND: Bradysia procera, a ginseng stem fungus gnat, is one of the most serious insect pests of Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng), causing significant damage to plant growth. The goal of this study was to determine the toxicity and mechanism of action of phenylpropanoids (trans-anethole and estragole) isolated from the methanol extract and hydrodistillate of Illicium verum fruit against third-instar larvae and eggs of Bradysia procera. RESULTS: The filter-paper mortality bioassay revealed that estragole [median lethal concentration (LC50 ) = 4.68 g/cm2 ] has a significant fumigant effect, followed by trans-anethole (LC50 = 43.92 g/cm2 ). However, estragole had the lowest toxic effect when compared to commercially available insecticides. After 7 days, estragole and trans-anethole at 75 g/cm2 inhibited egg hatchability up to 97% and 93%, respectively. At 0.09 g/cm2 , insecticides had an inhibitory effect on egg-hatching ability ranging from 88% to 94%. Furthermore, in both closed and open containers, these active constituents were able to consistently induce vapor-phased toxicity. Both estragole and trans-anethole have the ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which is involved in neurotransmitter function. However, the active constituent estragole from I. verum fruit acted as a potent AChE inhibitor and had a slightly lower effect on cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP) than octopamine alone. CONCLUSION: This finding suggests that estragole may influence Bradysia procera neurotransmitter function via both the AChE and octopaminergic receptors. More research is needed to demonstrate the potential applications of I. verum fruit-derived products as potential larvicides and ovicides for Bradysia procera population control. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Analysis of the Risk Factors for Unfavorable Radiologic Outcomes after Fusion Surgery in Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture : What Amount of Postoperative Thoracolumbar Kyphosis Correction is Reasonable?

OBJECTIVE: The aims in the management of thoracolumbar spinal fractures are not only to restore vertebral column stability, but also to obtain acceptable alignment of the thoracolumbar junction (T-L junction) to prevent complications. However, insufficient surgical correction of the thoracolumbar spine would be likely to cause late progression of abnormal kyphosis. Therefore, we identified the surgical factors that affected unfavorable radiologic outcomes of the thoracolumbar spine after surgery. METHODS: This study was conducted in a single institution from January 2007 to December 2013. A total of 98 patients with unstable thoracolumbar spine fracture were included. In these patients, fixation was done through transpedicular screws with rods by three surgical patterns. We reviewed digital radiographs and analyzed the images preoperatively and postoperatively during follow-up visits to compare the change of the thoracolumbar Cobb angle with radiologic parameters and clinical outcomes. The unfavorable radiologic group was defined as the patients who were measured as having greater than 20 degrees of thoracolumbar Cobb angle on the last follow-up, or who underwent kyphotic progression of thoracolumbar Cobb angle greater than 10 degrees from the immediate postoperative state to final follow-up, or who had overt instrument failure with/without additional surgery. We assessed the risk factors that affected the unfavorable radiologic outcomes. RESULTS: We had 43 patients with unfavorable radiologic outcomes, including 35 abnormal thoracolumbar alignments and 14 instrumental failures with/without additional surgery. The multivariate logistic regression test showed that immediate postoperative T-L junction Cobb angle less than 10.5 degrees was a statistically significant risk factor, as well as the presence of osteoporosis (p=0.017 and 0.049, respectively). CONCLUSION: Insufficient correction of thoracolumbar kyphosis was considered to be a major factor of an unfavorable radiological outcome. The spinal surgeon should consider that having a T-L junction Cobb angle larger than 10.5 degrees immediately after surgery could result in an unfavorable radiological outcome, which is related to a poor clinical outcome.

Universal Testing Apparatus Implementing Various Repetitive Mechanical Deformations to Evaluate the Reliability of Flexible Electronic Devices.

A requirement of flexible electronic devices is that they maintain their electrical performance during and after repetitive mechanical deformation. Accordingly, in this study, a universal test apparatus is developed for in-situ electrical conductivity measurements for flexible electrodes that are capable of applying various mechanical deformations such as bending, twisting, shearing, sliding, stretching, and complex modes consisting of two simultaneous deformations. A novel method of deforming the specimen in an arc to induce uniform bending stress in single and alternating directions is also proposed with a mathematically derived control method. As an example of the arc bending method, the changes in the resistance of the printed radio frequency identification (RFID) tag antennas were measured by applying repetitive inner bending, outer bending, and alternating inner-outer bending. After 5000 cycles, the increases in resistance of the specimens that were subjected to inner or outer bending only were under 30%; however, specimens that were subjected to alternating inner-outer bending showed an increase of 135% in resistance. It is critical that the reliability of flexible electronic devices under various mechanical deformations be determined before they can be commercialized. The proposed testing apparatus can readily provide various deformations that will be useful to inform the design of device shapes and structures to accommodate deformations during use.

Surfer's Myelopathy : Case Series and Literature Review.

Three male patients diagnosed with surfer's myelopathy (19-30 years) were admitted to our hospital. All three patients were novice surfers showing a typical clinical course of rapid progression of paraplegia following the onset of back pain. Typical history and magnetic resonance imaging features indicated the diagnosis of surfer's myelopathy. Two patients received high-dose steroid therapy and the other was treated with induced hypertension. One patient treated with induced hypertension showed almost full recovery; however, two patients who received high-dose steroid therapy remained completely paraplegic and required catheterization for bladder and bowel dysfunction despite months of rehabilitation. Our case series demonstrates the potentially devastating neurological outcome of surfer's myelopathy; however, early recovery in the initial 24-72 hours of presentation can occur in some patients, which is in accordance with previous reports. Ischemic insult to the spinal cord is thought to play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of surfer's myelopathy. Treatment recommendations include hydration, induced hypertension, early spinal angiography with intra-arterial intervention, intravenous tissue plasminogen activator, and high-dose steroid therapy; however, there is no standardized treatment option available. Early recovery appears to be important for long-term neurological outcome. Induced hypertension for initial treatment can be helpful for improving spinal cord perfusion; therefore, it is important for early and long-term neurological recovery. Education and awareness are essential for preventing surfer's myelopathy and avoiding further deterioration of neurological function.

Cadaveric device-injected very high-viscosity cement during vertebroplasty.

INTRODUCTION: Cement extravasation during vertebroplasty (VP) is the most commonly reported complication. Cement viscosity is considered the single most important predictor of the risk of extravasation. Certainly, injecting high-viscosity cement (HVC) is difficult to utilize in real practice. We invented a new device capable of injecting high-viscosity with ease and at a distance to avoid radiation. The aim of this study is to confirm the efficacy and safety of the new device on cadaveric vertebrae. METHODOLOGY: A 126 osteoporotic vertebral bodies were harvested from cadavers. Eighty vertebrae were included in the study. Computer-randomization software was used to allocate specimens over two main groups, Conventional VP and New Device. Both groups were further subdivided into two subgroups; high-viscosity and low-viscosity. A custom device was used on each vertebra to induce a compression fracture. RESULTS: Injecting HVC was associated with a lower leakage volume compared with low-viscosity cement. HVC was associated with no leakage into the spinal canal. It was also associated with a low incidence of vascular extravasation (P < 0.001). The mean volume of cement leakage in the low-viscosity group was 0.23 and 0.15 cc, for the Conventional VP and New Device, respectively. In both groups, the most common site for leakage was the vertebral end plate, which was exhibited more in the low-viscosity group (71.5%) compared with the high-viscosity group (42.5%). The preset target amount of cement to be injected was reached in 99% of the time when injecting HVC with the New Device, compared with 62% using the Conventional VP. In both groups, there was no correlation between the amount of cement injected and the amount of leakage. CONCLUSION: The new device is capable of injecting HVC easily, with a lower incidence of cement leakage. It also minimized the risk of radiation exposure to the surgeon.

Can an Anchored Cage be Substituted for an Anterior Cervical Plate and Screw for Single-Level Anterior Cervical Fusion Surgery?: Prediction of Poor Candidates Through a Review of Early Clinical and Radiologic Outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN: This is a case series of device failure patients. OBJECTIVE: To identify poor candidates for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) using an anchored cage. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: An anchored cage has been used as an alternative implant for ACDF surgery because of ease of use, relatively acceptable fusion rate, and lower risk of plate-related complications, including dysphagia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of 36 patients who underwent ACDF using an anchored cage between January 2012 and December 2013. The initial diagnoses included 8 traumatic soft disk herniations without posterior ligamentous complex injury, 25 degenerative soft disk herniations, 1 degenerative foraminal stenosis, 1 traumatic soft disk herniation after reducing a unilaterally dislocated facet joint, and 1 subluxation of a previously implanted cervical artificial disk. We encountered 5 cases with poor outcomes and performed 3 revisions on the index level. We reviewed the clinical and radiologic data for 31 patients with reasonable outcomes and reviewed the failed 5 cases separately. RESULTS: Among the 31 patients with reasonable outcomes, all the clinical parameters improved. For the radiologic outcomes, 10 cases of cage subsidence occurred and no patient experienced instability.Among the 5 patients with poor outcomes, 1 patient had traumatic soft disk herniation and a reduced unilaterally dislocated facet joint, 1 patient had subluxation of a previously implanted cervical artificial disk, and 3 patients had degenerative soft disk herniation and poor bone quality. Although 3 patients required revision surgeries, 2 patients showed only radiologic failures without revision. CONCLUSIONS: We analyzed the short-term outcomes of ACDF using an anchored cage and observed 5 patients with poor outcomes among 36 patients. We recommend the use of a single anchored cage for patients with definite evidence of posterior column stability and healthy bone. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3.

Large exotropia after retrobulbar anesthesia.

A 67-year-old woman complained of horizontal diplopia shortly following bilateral cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation performed under retrobulbar anesthesia. Retrobulbar anesthesia was administered at an inferotemporal injection site using 1 cc lidocaine hydrochloride 2% mixed with bupivacaine hydrochloride 0.5%. The initial ophthalmologic evaluation showed a 12-prism diopter (PD) exotropia, and ocular motility evaluation revealed marked limitation of adduction without vertical limitation. One year after cataract surgery, the exodeviation increased up to 60 PD. The patient underwent an 8.0-mm recession of the right lateral rectus and a 6.0-mm recession of the left lateral rectus. Both lateral rectus muscles were biopsied, and biopsy revealed dense fibrous connective tissue without viable muscular cells. The lateral rectus muscle might be injured by retrobulbar anesthesia, and it could induce large exotropia.

Effects of Partial Substitution of Lean Meat with Pork Backfat or Canola Oil on Sensory Properties of Korean Traditional Meat Patties (Tteokgalbi).

Korean traditional meat patties (Tteokgalbi) were prepared by replacing part of the lean meat content with either pork backfat or canola oil and the effect of substitution on sensory quality of the meat patties was investigated. Compared to the control patties, pork-loin Tteokgalbi with 10% pork backfat or 10% canola oil had significantly higher overall acceptability and higher perceived intensity of meat flavor, sweetness, umami, and oiliness. The pork-loin patties containing 10% fat also had lower perceived firmness, toughness, and chalkiness of than the control Tteokgalbi. The chicken breast Tteokgalbi with 10% canola oil had the lowest perceived firmness and chalkiness (control > pork backfat > canola oil). No significant difference was noted in the overall acceptability of chicken breast patties with 10% pork backfat and those with 10% canola oil. These results indicate that substituting 10% of lean meat of Tteokgalbi with fat improved the sensory acceptability of the product for Korean customers regardless of the lean meat and/or fat source used in the patties. Lean meat patties formulated with a limited amount of vegetable oil such as canola oil can be a healthy option for Korean consumers by providing desirable fatty acid profiles without sacrificing sensory quality of the product.

Design of roll-to-roll printing equipment with multiple printing methods for multi-layer printing.

In this paper, a novel design concept for roll-to-roll printing equipment used for manufacturing printed electronic devices by multi-layer printing is presented. The roll-to-roll printing system mainly consists of printing units for patterning the circuits, tension control components such as feeders, dancers, load cells, register measurement and control units, and the drying units. It has three printing units which allow switching among the gravure, gravure-offset, and flexo printing methods by changing the web path and the placements of the cylinders. Therefore, depending on the application devices and the corresponding inks used, each printing unit can be easily adjusted to the required printing method. The appropriate printing method can be chosen depending on the desired printing properties such as thickness, roughness, and printing quality. To provide an example of the application of the designed printing equipment, we present the results of printing tests showing the variations in the printing properties of the ink for different printing methods.

Long-term Results of Hybrid Total Knee Arthroplasty: Minimum 10-years Follow-up.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the survival rate and long term clinical outcomes of hybrid total knee arthroplasty (TKA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 113 hybrid TKAs (NexGen) in 86 patients that were followed for more than 10 years. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated using revision as an end point. Knee Society Score (KSS) and range of motion were evaluated for clinical assessment and plane radiographs were used to evaluate implant problems. RESULTS: At 11.2 years (range, 10 to 12.2 years) of follow-up on average, 7 knees required revision. The reason for revision was aseptic loosening in 4 knees (1 in femoral and tibial component and 3 in tibial component only) and infection in 3 knees. The survival rate was 93.8% at 12 years for all knees, and 96.5% when septic loosening was excluded. The KSS improved from 29.3 to 91.5 in the Cruciate-Retaining type (CR) and from 21.5 to 90.3 in the posterior stabilizing type (PS) at latest follow-up. The average range of motion was improved from 120.6° to 133.8° in the CR type and 119.5° to 135.5° in the PS type. CONCLUSIONS: Hybrid TKA provides good survival rates and clinical results comparable to cemented TKA.

Printed UHF RFID antennas with high efficiencies using nano-particle silver ink.

One of the most popular targets of conductive ink technology is to print RFID tag antennas. However, the printed RFID antennas, manufactured by conductive silver ink which is generally based on microsized silver particles, have lower conductivity and consequently lower radiation efficiency than those by conventional copper etching method. This work demonstrates nano-particle conductive silver ink that is capable of printing UHF RFID antennas with improved radiation efficiency. Compared with commercial micro-particle silver ink, the solid content of metal is much higher in the proposed nanoparticle silver ink, leading to better electrical properties. Two types of dipole antennas are printed with the proposed nano-particle as well as with commercial micro-particle inks. Also, the same antennas are fabricated by copper etching. With these conductive inks, a straight and a meandered dipole antennas are fabricated and their radiation efficiencies are measured with the Wheeler cap method. Experimental results show that the radiation efficiencies of the antennas based on nanoparticle silver ink are superior to those printed with the micro-particle silver ink, and are comparable to those of popular copper antennas.

Characteristics of an isolated greater tuberosity fracture of the humerus.

BACKGROUND: Most classification systems tend to include isolated greater tuberosity fractures in the group of proximal humeral fractures. The purpose of this study was to elucidate demographic differences between isolated greater tuberosity fractures and the other proximal humeral fractures. METHODS: Altogether, 610 proximal humeral fractures were divided into isolated greater tuberosity fractures of the proximal humerus (group I) and all other proximal humeral fractures (group II). The two groups were analyzed according to their incidence, age and sex distribution, presence of dislocation, and associated chronic medical problems. RESULTS: Group I comprised 18.9% and group II 81.1% off all fractures. The mean age of group I was 42.8 years, and that of group II was 54.2 years. Of the 115 (67.8%) patients in group I, 78 (67.8%) were male. In contrast, most of the group II patients were female (332/495, 67.1%). A higher incidence of glenohumeral dislocation occurred in group I (6.9%) than in group II (3.4%). Of the 495 group II patients, 175 (35.4%) had medical problems, including endocrine, cardiovascular, pulmonary, hepatic, and renal disease, whereas only 15 of the 115 (13%) patients in group I had such problems. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with isolated greater tuberosity fractures of the proximal humerus were different demographically, and their treatment and classification should be considered separately from that for other proximal humeral fractures.