An assertion and alignment correction framework for large scale knowledge bases

Various knowledge bases (KBs) have been constructed via information extraction from encyclopedias, text and tables, as well as alignment of multiple sources. Their usefulness and usability is often limited by quality issues. One common issue is the presence of erroneous assertions and alignments, often caused by lexical or semantic confusion. We study the problem of correcting such assertions and alignments, and present a general correction framework which combines lexical matching, context-aware sub-KB extraction, semantic embedding, soft constraint mining and semantic consistency checking. The framework is evaluated with one set of literal assertions from DBpedia, one set of entity assertions from an enterprise medical KB, and one set of mapping assertions from a music KB constructed by integrating Wikidata, Discogs and MusicBrainz. It has achieved promising results, with a correction rate (i.e., the ratio of the target assertions/alignments that are corrected with right substitutes) of 70.1 %, 60.9 % and 71.8 %, respectively.

Increased patellar bone tracer uptake in preoperative SPECT/CT before medial opening high tibial osteotomy correlates with inferior clinical outcome

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate whether specific bone tracer uptake (BTU) patterns on preoperative SPECT/CT could predict which patients with varus alignment and medial overload would particularly benefit from medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO). It was the hypothesis that an increased preoperative BTU relative to the reference BTU of the femur on SPECT/CT in the lateral and patellar compartments of the knee are predictive factors for inferior clinical outcome and that the clinical outcome correlates with the extent of alignment correction. Methods Twenty-three knees from 22 patients who underwent MOWHTO for medial compartment overload were investigated preoperatively using Tc-99m-SPECT/CT. BTU was quantified and localised to specific joint areas according to a previously validated scheme. Pre- and postoperative mechanical alignment was measured. Clinical outcome was assessed at a median of 24 months (range 11–30) after MOWHTO by collecting the WOMAC score. Results Significant correlations between BTU in the patellar area and the total WOMAC score and its subcategories pain and stiffness were found. Thus, BTU in the 1sPat area (superior lateral patellar compartment) correlated with total WOMAC (rho = 0.43, p = 0.04), pain subcategory (rho = 0.43, p = 0.04), and stiffness subcategory (rho = 0.59, p = 0.003). No significant correlations were found between alignment correction, age, gender and WOMAC. Conclusion This study highlights the role of preoperative SPECT in modern knee surgery to obtain information about the loading pattern on different compartments of the knee. Despite the limited number of participants, the present study shows that a preoperative SPECT/CT scan can help the treating surgeons to identify patients who may be at risk of inferior clinical outcome if an MOWHTO is considered, as an elevated BTU in the patellar region on preoperative SPECT/CT appears to be a potential risk factor for postoperative pain and stiffness. Level of evidence Level III.

Poor Correction Capacity of Preexisting Ankle Valgus Deformity after Total Knee Arthroplasty

This study investigated the differences in ankle alignment changes after TKA in patients with varying preexisting ankle deformities. We retrospectively examined 90 knees with osteoarthritis and varus deformity in 78 patients who underwent TKA. Preoperative and postoperative radiographic parameters were analyzed. According to their preexisting ankle deformity, patients were assigned to the valgus or varus group. Overall, 14 (15.6%) cases were of preoperative valgus ankle deformity; the remainder were of preoperative varus ankle deformity. Hip–knee–ankle angle (HKA), tibial plafond–ground angle (PGA), and talus–ground angle (TGA) all exhibited significant correction in both groups; however, tibial plafond–talus angle (PTA) and superior space of ankle joint (SS) only changed in the varus group. The median PTA and SS significantly decreased from 1.2° to 0.3° (p < 0.001) and increased from 2.5 to 2.6 mm (p = 0.013), respectively. Notably, ∆PTA positively correlated with ∆HKA in the varus group (r = 0.247, p = 0.032) but not in the valgus group. Between-group differences in postoperative PTA (p < 0.001) and ∆PTA (p < 0.001) were significant. The degree of ankle alignment correction after TKA differed between patients with preexisting varus and valgus ankle deformities. TKA could not effectively correct the preexisting ankle valgus malalignment.

The radiographic assessments of spino-pelvic compensation using IoT-based real-time ischial pressure adjustment: clinical research study

Background: In malalignment syndrome, the spino-pelvic alignment correction with foot orthotics can be applied only to a standing position in the coronal plane. Considering the fact that the average time Koreans spend sitting in a chair is 7.5 hours per day, studies on spino-pelvic correction in sitting position is needed. The purpose of this study is to investigate the pressure changes and radiographic assessment of spino-pelvic alignment using a chair equipped with a height-adjustable seat-plate.Methods: Experiments were conducted on 30 research participants. The inclusion criteria for the participants were as follows: The volunteers of nonstructural malignment syndrome with shoulder height differences (SHDs) or iliac flea height differences (ICHDs) greater than 5 mm in radiographic images excluding participants with structural deformity. All participants were subjected to measure buttocks interface pressure while seated using a smart chair in three consecutive steps: (1) on initial seated, (2) on balancing seated, and then (3) on 1hr balancing seated. Radiographically, the five spino-pelvic parameters such as SHD, ICHD, LLD, POA, and coronal imbalance were analyzed to investigate the effect of pelvic imbalance compensation on spino-pelvic alignment.Results: Pelvic imbalance was compensated with seat plate height adjustment in average of 3.6 ± 1.8 mm, so that the pressure discrepancy improvement between buttocks from 36.4 ± 32.3 on initial seated to 15.7 ± 20.3 on balancing, 12.7 ± 10.9 on 1hr balancing seated (Ω, p=0.008). The radiographic changes before and after pelvic imbalance compensation demonstrated a statistically significant improvements of spino-pelvic parameters on sitting and standing: at the average value of -0.9 to -0.8 and 9.5 to 2.5, SHD and ICHD, respectively (mm, p=0.005, 0.037) and -3.0 to -1.0, 1.8 to 0.8, and 0.8 to 0.1, SHD, ICHD, and LLD, respectively (mm, p=0.005, 0.016, 0.033).Conclusions: Spino-pelvic malalignment can be improved by individually customized pelvic compensation using balanced seat plate height adjustments under the real-time pressure sensing and monitoring on the buttocks while seated.

Supplemental Material: Regional chronostratigraphic synthesis of the Cenomanian-Turonian Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (OAE2) interval, Western Interior Basin (USA): New Re-Os chemostratigraphy and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology

(1) Complete Ar geochronology data, bentonite correlations, and collection in Kaiparowits Plateau, Cenomanian-Turonian boundary age calculations, core photos and description of hiatuses, and Angus Core depth scale alignment correction. (2) Time scale tables for cores.