Effect of Plano-Valgus Foot on Lower-Extremity Kinematics and Spatiotemporal Gait Parameters in Children of Age 5–9

Aim of the study was to see how a definition of the flexible flat foot (FFF) influences the results of gait evaluation in a group of 49 children with clinically established FFF. Objective gait analysis was performed using VICON system with Kistler force platforms. The gait parameters were compared between healthy feet and FFF using two classifications: in static and dynamic conditions. In static condition, the ink footprints with Clarke’s graphics were used for classification, and in dynamic condition, the Arch Index from Emed pedobarograph while walking was used for classification. When the type of the foot was based on Clarke’s graphics, no statistically significant differences were found. When the division was done according to the Arch Index, statistically significant differences between flat feet and normal feet groups were found for normalized gait speed, normalized cadence, pelvic rotation, ankle range of motion in sagittal plane, range of motion of foot progression, and two parameters of a vertical component of the ground reaction force: FZ2 (middle of stance phase) and FZ3 (push-off). Some statically flat feet function well during walking due to dynamic correction mechanisms.

Transnasal Surgical Treatment Of Patients With A Fracture Of The Medial Wall Of The Orbit

The article presents the method of transnasal surgical treatment of patients with a fracture of the medial wall of the orbit using the Volkov elevator as a repositioning tool and an iodine tampon as a fixation material, which allows efficient fixation of the medial orbit wall fragments and its soft tissue components, allowing to reduce the trauma of surgical intervention, to restore the eyeball position, and to eliminate the cause of emphysema and dynamic correction of postoperative diplopia in one-time operation.

The first experience of anterior dynamic correction of scoliosis in adolescents with complete growth and adults: surgical technique and immediate results

Objective. To describe the technique of anterior scoliosis correction in patients with completed growth and to analyze immediate results of its application.Material and Methods. Study design: retrospective clinical series. Level of evidence IV (D). A retrospective analysis of clinical and radiological data of 19 patients aged 13–44 years, who underwent anterior dynamic correction of typical idiopathic scoliosis, was performed. Patients were divided into groups as follows: Group 1 (Lenke type 1 scoliosis) – 8 patients; Group 2 (Lenke 3) – 4 patients; and Group 3 (Lenke 5) – 7 patients. When analyzing clinical and radiological data, the age was taken into account; the deformity magnitude before and after surgery, and correction angle, were studied; and intraoperative blood loss, the number of fixed levels, duration of surgery and hospital stay length were evaluated. The functional status was assessed using the VAS and the SRS-22 questionnaire. Control examinations were carried out before and after surgery as well as at 4–6 weeks and 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. The search for statistically significant differences was carried out between all groups in pairs: between groups 1 and 2, 2 and 3, and 1 and 3. Statistical analysis was conducted using Mann – Whitney U-test. The SRS-22 and VAS data were processed using the Wilcoxon W-test.Results. The number of dynamically fixed levels varied from 6 to 12. The most proximal level of fixation was T5, the most distal – L4. The average time of surgery was 181 ± 28 minutes for transthoracic access and 198 ± 34 minutes for thoracophrenolumbotomy. The average length of hospital stay was 7.2 ± 1.5 days. In the intergroup comparison of indicators of age, mean angle of deformity before and after surgery, mean angle of correction and blood loss between groups with Lenke 1 and 3 scoliosis, no statistically significant differences were found. Comparison of the same indicators for groups with Lenke 1 and 5 scoliosis showed significant differences in the angles of deformity after surgery and in the number of fixed levels (p = 0.024 and p = 0.006, respectively). There were also no statistical differences between types 1 and 5. At 3 months after surgery the average SRS-22 score for all patients was 4.0 ± 0.42 (from 3.00 to 4.95). The VAS score changed from 6.9 ± 1.5 (4.0–9.0) before surgery to 4.4 ± 1.6 (1.0–7.0) which indicates the effectiveness of the treatment in the short term.Conclusion. Analysis of the immediate results of anterior dynamic correction of Lenke type 1, 3 and 5 scoliotic deformities in physically active young adults showed positive primary effectiveness in terms of VAS and SRS-22, which makes it possible to recommend this technique for use in the presented cohort of patients. The method is effective for all studied types of scoliosis, with a greater efficiency in Lenke types 1 and 5. Further evaluation of long-term results on a larger clinical material will allow developing more precise indications and an algorithm for application of the method.

Dynamic Correction of the Influence of Long Measuring Path Irregularity in Antenna Tests

This article investigates the influence of random microwave discontinuities on the characteristics of long transmission paths. This is most important for dynamic measuring stands, accompanied by multiple space movement of long transmission paths with their bending or twisting during the measurement process. In modern active electronically scanned arrays this issue also becomes relevant, due to increased requirements for the accuracy of beam shaping. The aim of this study is to develop a theoretical background and perform experimental verification for taking into account the effect of random microwave discontinuities on the transmission path characteristics. A method for correcting the effect of such irregularities is considered based on electrical length control by measuring the input reflection coefficient. Relations for the magnitude and phase of the path’s input reflection coefficient depending on the S-parameters of a long four-terminal network terminated with mismatched load are obtained and plotted. Using theory of sensitivity, the mathematical expressions of conditions were obtained to achieve maximum accuracy of measuring the electrical length of a long microwave path. The possibility of dynamic error correction in antenna measurements with a long test path caused by random microwave irregularities along it has been experimentally proved.

Quantifying rainfall in Greenland: a combined observational and modelling approach

This paper estimates rainfall totals at 17 Greenland meteorological stations, subjecting data from in-situ precipitation gauge measurements to seven different precipitation phase schemes to separate rain- and snowfall amounts. To correct the resulting snow/rain fractions for undercatch, we subsequently use a Dynamic Correction Model (DCM) for Automatic Weather Stations (AWS, Pluvio gauges) and a regression analysis correction method for staffed stations (Hellmann gauges). With observations ranging from 5% to 57% for cumulative totals, rainfall accounts for a considerable fraction of total annual precipitation over Greenland’s coastal regions, with the highest rain fraction in the south (Narsarsuaq). Monthly precipitation and rainfall totals are used to evaluate the regional climate model RACMO2.3. The model realistically captures monthly rainfall and total precipitation (R=0.3-0.9), with generally higher correlations for rainfall for which the undercatch correction factors (1.02-1.40) are smaller than those for snowfall (1.27-2.80), and hence the observations more robust. With a horizontal resolution of 5.5 km and simulation period from 1958-present, RACMO2.3 therefore is a useful tool to study spatial and temporal variability of rainfall in Greenland, although further statistical downscaling may be required to resolve the steep rainfall gradients.

METHOD OF MODELING OF A SOCIAL PROFILE USING BIG DATA STRUCTURE TRANSFORMATION OPTIMIZATION

The object of the research are methods and algorithms of optimizing of the Big Data transformation to build a social profile model, the subject of the research are methods of constructing of a social profile. For decision-making person, the problem of scientific methodological and instrumental re-equipment is relevant for the effective fulfillment of a set of managerial tasks and confronting of fundamentally new challenges and threats in society. This task is directly related to the problem of building of a model of the social profile of both the individual and the social group as a whole. Therefore, the problem of optimizing of methods of constructing of a mathematical model of a social profile is certainly relevant. During the research, methods of the mathematical apparatus of graph theory, database theory and the concept of non-relational data stores, Big Data technology, text analytics technologies, parallel data processing methods, methods of neural networks' using, methods of multimedia data analyzing were used. These methods were integrated into the general method, called the method of increasing of the efficiency of constructing of a mathematical model of a social profile. The proposed method improves the adequacy of the social profile model, which will significantly improve and simplify the functioning of information systems for decision-making based on knowledge of the social advantages of certain social groups, which will allow dynamic correction of their behavior. The obtained results of testing the method make it possible to consider it as an effective tool for obtaining of an objective information model of a social portrait of a social group. This is because the correctness of setting and solving of the problem ensured that adequate results were obtained. Unlike the existing ones, the proposed modeling method, which uses an oriented graph, allows to improve significantly the quality and adequacy of this process. Further research should be directed towards the implementation of proposed theoretical developments in real decision-making systems. This will increase the weight of automated decision-making systems for social climate analysis.

Towards distortion-free imaging of the eye

The high power of the eye and optical components used to image it result in “static” distortion, remaining constant across acquired retinal images. In addition, raster-based systems sample points or lines of the image over time, suffering from “dynamic” distortion due to the constant motion of the eye. We recently described an algorithm which corrects for the latter problem but is entirely blind to the former. Here, we describe a new procedure termed “DIOS” (Dewarp Image by Oblique Shift) to remove static distortion of arbitrary type. Much like the dynamic correction method, it relies on locating the same tissue in multiple frames acquired as the eye moves through different gaze positions. Here, the resultant maps of pixel displacement are used to form a sparse system of simultaneous linear equations whose solution gives the common warp seen by all frames. We show that the method successfully handles torsional movement of the eye. We also show that the output of the previously described dynamic correction procedure may be used as input for this new procedure, recovering an image of the tissue that is, in principle, a faithful replica free of any type of distortion. The method could be extended beyond ocular imaging, to any kind of imaging system in which the image can move or be made to move across the detector.

On the Importance of Gauge-Undercatch Correction Factors and Their Impacts on the Global Precipitation Estimates

Precipitation gauges are critical for measuring precipitation rates at regional and global scales and are often used to calibrate precipitation rates estimated from other instruments such as satellites. However, precipitation measured at the gauges is affected by gauge-undercatch that is often larger for solid precipitation. In the present work, two popular gauge-undercatch correction factors are assessed: one utilizes a dynamic correction model and is used in the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC) Monitoring product and the other one employs a fixed climatology and is used in the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) product. How much the choice of correction factors can impact the total estimate of precipitation was quantified over land at seasonal, annual, regional, and global scales. The correction factors are also compared as a function of the environmental variables used in their development, among those are near-surface air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, elevation, and precipitation intensity. Results show that correction factors can increase the annual precipitation rate based on the gauges by ~9.5 % over the global land (excluding Antarctica), although this amount can vary from ~6.3% (in boreal summer) to more than 10% (in boreal winter), depending on the season and the method used for gauge-undercatch correction. Annual variations of correction factors can also be large, so the use of the fixed climatology correction factors requires caution. Given their magnitudes and differences, selection of appropriate correction factors can have important implications in refining the water and energy budget calculations.