Reply to Discussion of “The Case for the Median Fragment Size as a Better Fragment Size Descriptor than the Mean” by Finn Ouchterlony, Rock Mech. Rock Eng., published online 15 March 2015

Abstract Introduction This study aimed to describe the involvement of the lesser sigmoid notch in fractures to the coronoid process. We hypothesized that injuries to the lateral aspect of the coronoid process regularly involve the annular ligament insertion at the anterior lesser sigmoid notch. Material and Methods Patients treated for a coronoid process fracture at our institution between 06/2011 and 07/2018 were included. We excluded patients < 18 years, patients with arthritic changes or previous operative treatment to the elbow, and patients with concomitant injuries to the proximal ulna. In patients with involvement of the lesser sigmoid notch, the coronoid height and fragment size (anteroposterior, mediolateral, and craniocaudal) were measured. Results Seventy-two patients (mean age: 47 years ± 17.6) could be included in the study. Twenty-one patients (29.2%) had a fracture involving the lateral sigmoid notch. The mean anteroposterior fragment length was 7 ± 1.6 mm. The fragment affected a mean of 43 ± 10.8% of the coronoid height. The mean mediolateral size of the fragment was 10 ± 5.0 mm, and the mean cranio-caudal size was 7 ± 2.7 mm. Conclusion Coronoid fractures regularly include the lesser sigmoid notch. These injuries possibly affect the anterior annular ligament insertion which is important for the stability of the proximal radioulnar joint and varus stability of the elbow.

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Factors Affecting the Clinical Outcomes of Surgically Treated Ankle Fractures Associated with the Posterior Malleolar Fragment

Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association ◽

10.7547/18-184 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 111 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Mehmet Kuyumcu ◽

Emre Bilgin ◽

Hasan Bombacı

Keyword(s):

Clinical Outcomes ◽

Fragment Size ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Ankle Fractures ◽

Foot And Ankle ◽

Ankle Osteoarthritis ◽

Posterior Malleolus ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Functional Scores ◽

The Mean

Background This study was performed to determine the factors that influence the clinical outcomes of surgically treated ankle fractures associated with the posterior malleolus (PM). Methods We evaluated 42 fractures of 42 patients. Posterior malleolus fracture size was calculated using computed tomography. Posterior malleolar fractures with a size less than 10% were left nonfixated. The decision for larger fragments was performed using fluoroscopy following the fixation of other components. If the joint was found to be congruent, the PM was left nonfixated. Otherwise, the PM was reduced and fixated. Clinical outcomes were evaluated based on Weber, Freiburg, and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society scores. Ankle osteoarthritis was determined according to the Canadian Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society classification. The effect of PM fixation, age, PM fragment size, waiting period before surgery, presence of ankle dislocation, and number of injured malleoli on clinical outcomes were assessed. Statistical significance was set at a value of P < .05. Results The mean patients age was 48.5 ± 14.9 years (range, 20–84 years) and the mean follow-up was 23.7 ± 8.6 months (range, 12–56 months). Fixation of the PM was performed solely in 12 patients. Postoperative displacement of the PM and articular step were less than 2 mm in all fractures. Statistically significant worse outcomes were demonstrated based on functional scores in the patients with a PM size greater than or equal to 25% (P = .042, P = .038, and P = .048, respectively) and in patients aged 60 years or older (P = .005, P = .007, and P = .018, respectively). However, there was no significant difference between functional scores and the other factors. Ankle osteoarthritis was observed at a higher rate in patients with PM size greater than or equal to 25% and in patients aged 60 years or older. Conclusions Clinical outcomes of the patients are mainly influenced by the patient's age and PM fragment size. However, if the tibiotalar joint is congruent, comparable results can be obtained in PM fixated or nonfixated patients.

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The Die Punch Fragment: Analysis of Fragment Geometry and Need for Fixation

Journal of Hand and Microsurgery ◽

10.1055/s-0040-1712328 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sezai Özkan ◽

Svenna H. W. L. Verhiel ◽

Samantha A. Jayasinghe ◽

Chaitanya S. Mudgal

Keyword(s):

Fragment Size ◽

Distal Radioulnar Joint ◽

Dorsal Approach ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Locked Plating ◽

Fragment Analysis ◽

Number Of Patients ◽

Preoperative Ct ◽

Type C ◽

The Mean

Abstract Introduction Die punch (DP) fragments are among the most common fracture fragments to lose reduction after volar locked plating of articular distal radius fractures (DRFs). We aimed to report the number of patients in our institution who had a computed tomography (CT)-confirmed DP fragment and who had open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) through a dorsal approach; to report the length of the radioulnar portion of the DP fragment relative to the total distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) length; and to identify if an association exists between this length and the choice for a volar versus a dorsal operative approach to the DP fragment. Materials and Methods We performed measurements on the preoperative CT scans of 94 skeletally mature patients with a DP fragment. We also collected data related to their demographics, injury, and treatment. Of the 94 patients in this study, 84 (89%) had AO type C fractures. Results Thirteen out of 94 patients (14%) who had ORIF of their DRF with a DP fragment had a separate dorsal incision. The mean proportion of the DP fragment length relative to the total DRUJ length was 0.51 ± 0.19. There was no association between the length of the DP fragment and volar versus dorsal approach. Conclusion DP fragment size is not an indicator of the need for or use of a dorsal approach in DRF fixation. Level of Evidence This is a Level IV,—retrospective study.

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PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTS OF BLAST DESIGN FACTORS ON FRAGMENTATION AT LAFARGE KANTHAN LIMESTONE QUARRY, CHEMOR, PERAK

ASEAN Engineering Journal ◽

10.11113/aej.v10.16598 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Shaib Abdulazeez Shehu ◽

Mohd Hazizan Mohd Hashim ◽

Nur Aliah Hazirah Awang Kechik

Keyword(s):

Compressive Strength ◽

Correlation Coefficient ◽

Uniaxial Compressive Strength ◽

Fragment Size ◽

Design Parameters ◽

Stiffness Ratio ◽

Blast Design ◽

Powder Factor ◽

Controllable Factors ◽

The Mean

The results of blasting affect every other downstream operation in quarrying and mining process. Factors influencing blast results can be classified as either controllable or non-controllable. If desired fragmentation is to be obtained, the controllable factors (blast geometry and explosive properties) must be sufficiently designed to match the non-controllable ones (geological factors and legislative constraints). This study investigates the influence of blast design parameters on rock fragmentation. Six different blast designs were studied and analyzed. Rock samples were obtained from each face to evaluate the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS). Images of muck pile were captured using suitable digital camera. The images were uploaded into the WipFrag software to analyze the fragmentation resulting from the blasting. The particle size distribution of each blast was obtained, and the mean fragment size correlated with the blast design parameters. The percentage cumulative passing for gyratory crusher with the feed size of 1500 mm ranges between 92.8 to 100%. The stiffness ratio, powder factor and uniaxial compressive strength have high correlation with mean fragment size. The stiffness ratio increases with mean fragment size with a correlation coefficient of 0.89. The mean fragment size becomes finer with increase in powder factor with a correlation coefficient of 0.76. Powder factor also has a high correlation with the uniaxial compressive strength of the rock. The higher the uniaxial compressive strength of rock, the higher the powder factor needed for a specified fragment size. In this study, spacing to burden ratio has a very weak correlation with the fragment size. All the studied blast events produced good fragmentation with a uniformity index varying from 2.097 to 2.525.

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Short Note: Internal Size Standard for Microsatellite Genotyping

Silvae Genetica ◽

10.1515/sg-2009-0012 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 58 (1-6) ◽

pp. 94-96

Author(s):

Chin Hong Ng ◽

S. L. Lee ◽

K. K. S. Ng

Keyword(s):

Fragment Size ◽

Short Note ◽

Microsatellite Genotyping ◽

Taq Dna Polymerase ◽

Nucleotide Addition ◽

Size Standard ◽

The Mean ◽

The Cost ◽

House Production ◽

Commercial Size

AbstractThe in-house production of fluorescently labelledinternal size standard offers the advantage of cost savingover the commercial size standard in microsatellitegenotyping. Based on the reported in-house internal sizestandard protocol, we have improved the method by generating21 DNA fragments (in a standard named as HM-400) with each size similar to that of the commercialsize standard. The consistent amplification of the correctfragment size was optimised via primer modulationfor non-templated nucleotide addition by Taq DNA polymerase.A total of six microsatellite loci were used toassess the accuracy of HM-400 and the mean standarddeviation of the size data was 0.19. The differencesbetween the fragment size means for samples sizedusing HM-400 and commercial size standard were smallwith an average of 0.29 bp. The production cost of HM-400 was only 10% of the cost of commercial size standard.

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Automated large-volume extraction of circulating, cell-free DNA to improve the sensitivity of tumor biomarker detection.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2012.30.30_suppl.19 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 30 (30_suppl) ◽

pp. 19-19

Author(s):

Annette Nocon ◽

Martin Horlitz ◽

Markus Sprenger-Haussels

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Particles ◽

Fragment Size ◽

Tumor Biomarker ◽

Biomarker Detection ◽

The European Union ◽

Cell Free Dna ◽

Extraction Protocol ◽

Free Dna ◽

The Mean ◽

Circulating Cell Free Dna

19 Background: Because of its low concentration and high degree of fragmentation, the extraction and detection of tumor-derived circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) is technically challenging. An optimized ccfDNA extraction method was developed and evaluated by comparison to an existing extraction protocol running on the QIAsymphony instrument and to a manual reference. Methods: 5mlEDTA plasma from healthy donors (with IRB approval) was processed. ccfDNA was bound to magnetic particles with novel surface chemistry and recovered in 150µl. As an alternative method, the “Virus cell-free 1000 protocol” using the QIAsymphony Virus/Pathogen Midi Kit was modified for the processing of higher sample volumes. ccfDNA was extracted from 4ml plasma and eluted in 90µl. The QIAamp Circulating Nucleic Acid (CNA) Kit served as a reference. ccfDNA yield was quantified by qPCR (66bp within the 18S rDNA). To determine the DNA fragment size-dependent recovery, another qPCR assay was run, quantifying four target sequences of different lengths within the APP gene. 5ml plasma was processed and eluted in 150µl. Results: The mean ccfDNA recovery (18S 66bp target; compared to the QIAamp CNA Kit) was 87% (N=6; +/-46%) for the newly developed automated extraction chemistry and 85% (N=6; +/-8%) for the modified extraction protocol. For the APP assay, ratios between the copy numbers of different target sizes were calculated. The mean ratios were: 67/476bp = 11 (N=12; +/-6.2), 180/476bp = 8.1 (N=12; +/-3.6) and 67/180bp = 1.4 (N=12; +/-0.3). Conclusions: The automated protocol versions led to an overall similar ccfDNA recovery compared to the QIAamp CNA Kit. Using the new extraction chemistry a generally improved recovery of tumor-derived circulating DNA is possible. This improvement leads to a higher sensitivity of tumor biomarker detection, which is, besides a high specificity, very important for the use of tumor biomarkers as non-invasive tool in cancer diagnosis and prognosis. The applications presented here are for research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. This work has received funding from the European Union FP7 Programme under grant agreement no. 222916, SPIDIA project ( www.spidia.eu ).

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Survival of fossils under extreme shocks induced by hypervelocity impacts

Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences ◽

10.1098/rsta.2013.0190 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 372 (2023) ◽

pp. 20130190 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

M. J. Burchell ◽

K. H. McDermott ◽

M. C. Price ◽

L. J. Yolland

Keyword(s):

Peak Pressure ◽

Fragment Size ◽

Hypervelocity Impact ◽

The Moon ◽

Hypervelocity Impacts ◽

The Earth ◽

Giant Impacts ◽

The Mean ◽

Peak Pressures ◽

Impact Experiments

Experimental data are shown for survival of fossilized diatoms undergoing shocks in the GPa range. The results were obtained from hypervelocity impact experiments which fired fossilized diatoms frozen in ice into water targets. After the shots, the material recovered from the target water was inspected for diatom fossils. Nine shots were carried out, at speeds from 0.388 to 5.34 km s −1 , corresponding to mean peak pressures of 0.2–19 GPa. In all cases, fragmented fossilized diatoms were recovered, but both the mean and the maximum fragment size decreased with increasing impact speed and hence peak pressure. Examples of intact diatoms were found after the impacts, even in some of the higher speed shots, but their frequency and size decreased significantly at the higher speeds. This is the first demonstration that fossils can survive and be transferred from projectile to target in hypervelocity impacts, implying that it is possible that, as suggested by other authors, terrestrial rocks ejected from the Earth by giant impacts from space, and which then strike the Moon, may successfully transfer terrestrial fossils to the Moon.

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Rheology of two-dimensional crushable granular materials

EPJ Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/epjconf/202124907007 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 249 ◽

pp. 07007

Author(s):

Haruto Ishikawa ◽

Satoshi Takada ◽

Yuji Matsumoto

Keyword(s):

Shear Stress ◽

Shear Rate ◽

Discrete Element Method ◽

Granular Materials ◽

Power Law ◽

Fragment Size ◽

Two Dimensional ◽

Fragment Size Distribution ◽

Mean Size ◽

The Mean

The rheology of two-dimensional crushable granular materials under shear is numerically studied using the discrete element method. We find that the mean fragment size changes as the shear strain increases while the shear stress is almost independent of this mean size. The fragment size distribution is found to follow a power law. In particular, the exponent in the intermediate fragment size regime becomes approximately – 11/6, which is almost independent of the shear rate.

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