Accuracy of vertebral puncture in percutaneous vertebroplasty

Purpose To clarify the accuracy of vertebral puncture of the vertebral tertile area needling (VETERAN) method puncturing the pedicle superimposed on one-third of the width between the lateral vertebral line to the contralateral medial lamina line compared with Cathelin-needle-assisted puncture (CAP) method puncturing using the Cathelin needle as a guide in percutaneous vertebroplasty. Materials and methods 449 punctures by CAP method and 125 punctures by VETERAN method were enrolled. We compared the puncture accuracy of both methods. We estimated a vertebral estimated tilting ratio (VET-ratio) defined as ratio of the distance between the lateral vertebral line and the contralateral medial laminal line to the distance between the vertebral lateral line and the puncture point measured by computed tomography. We also estimated the procedural items and clinical outcomes. Results VETERAN method with 100% of punctures within safe zone (cortical breaches within 2 mm) had significantly higher accuracy than CAP method with 97.8% (p < 0.01) for the 2 mm incremental evaluation. No cases with a VET-ratio of 36% or less had cortical breaches. VETERAN method had shorter operative time per puncture (p < 0.01) and exposure time per puncture (p < 0.05). Conclusion VETERAN method reduced the occurrence of the inaccurate puncture, operative times, and exposure times. A VET-ratio with 36% or less is associated with a safe puncture using VETERAN method.

COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN (CAP) DALAM PENATAAN KAWASAN KUMUH DARI PERSPEKTIF GOOD URBAN GOVERNANCE: SEBUAH TINJAUAN LITERATUR

Urban slums is one of the main issues that developing countries discussed nowadays, whether to eliminate slums area or through sustainable development policies and official rental housing policies. One of the method is the CAP method as a way to build a community that could take actions in accordance with problems, needs and potential resources. However, the CAP method requires a good governance because it involves government, citizens, social and private organizations. Through a literature study approach, this research expects to obtain a framework and relevant theory to the implementation of the Community Action Plan (CAP) in the slum area management with the perspective of good urban governance. The analysis results shows that the CAP can be implemented for management of slums area through the stages of preparation, social environmental mapping, and approval of the CAP and a new layout map. However, the implementation must confirm four domains of constrains to assess a good urban governance, such: responsibility, accountability, representation, access, strength, legitimacy and effectiveness. This results in governance that is not only responsive and effective, but also resilient, reliable and balanced.

Covariate Assisted Principal regression for covariance matrix outcomes

Summary In this study, we consider the problem of regressing covariance matrices on associated covariates. Our goal is to use covariates to explain variation in covariance matrices across units. As such, we introduce Covariate Assisted Principal (CAP) regression, an optimization-based method for identifying components associated with the covariates using a generalized linear model approach. We develop computationally efficient algorithms to jointly search for common linear projections of the covariance matrices, as well as the regression coefficients. Under the assumption that all the covariance matrices share identical eigencomponents, we establish the asymptotic properties. In simulation studies, our CAP method shows higher accuracy and robustness in coefficient estimation over competing methods. In an example resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study of healthy adults, CAP identifies human brain network changes associated with subject demographics.

Do we Always Practice What we Preach? Real Vampires’ Fears of Coming out of the Coffin to Social Workers and Helping Professionals

Helping professionals in multiple disciplines, including social workers, are commonly taught to embrace human diversity, think critically, empower clients, and respect client self-determination. Indeed, much of clinical practice with clients is predicated on such professional values, which are important to the establishment of a strong therapeutic alliance and an effective treatment outcome. This study applies qualitative measures, such as an open-ended questionnaire and creative analytic practice (CAP) strategy in the form of poetic representation, to provide insights into how people with a specific nontraditional identity, that of “real vampire,” feel about disclosing this salient identity to helping professionals within a clinical context. As a CAP method, poetic representation is valuable in acknowledging participants’ subjective realities and preserving emotional intensity in participants’ responses. Results suggest that nearly all participants were distrustful of social workers and helping professionals and preferred to “stay in the coffin” for fear of being misunderstood, labeled, and potentially having to face severe repercussions to their lives.

Research of Focal Mechanism and Focal Depth of Qilian, Qinghai Ms5.2 Earthquake

This paper selects the waveform records of 16 broadband digital seismic stations in the regional seismic network of Gansu province, Qinghai province, and Sichuan province involved inversion, use CAP focal mechanism solution method to calculate the Ms 5.2 earthquake which occurred in Qilian County, Qinghai Province, November 23, 2015. Obtained the focal mechanism solution of this earthquake is a strike-slip fault with thrust property. The inversion results show the optimal double couple solution is nodal plane I: The strike is 112°, the dip, 51.7°; and the rake, 24.5°. Nodal plane II: The strike is 7°, the dip, 71°; and the rake, 139°. Earthquake moment magnitude is Mw5.2 and the optimal depth solution is 8km, which is consistent with the results of IGP-CEA. We calculate focal depth with the arrival time difference between sPn and Pn phases, the results is 6.6km, which agree with the CAP method results and verify the feasibility of this method.

Rare Primary Esophageal Paget’s Disease Diagnosed on a Large Bloc Specimen Obtained by Endoscopic Mucosal Resection

Primary esophageal Paget’s disease is rare. Only a few case reports have described the intraepithelial papillary capillary loop (IPCL) pattern obtained by magnified Narrow Band Imaging (M-NBI) endoscopy in this rare pathology. This report highlights the usefulness of M-NBI and the successful diagnosis using a large bloc specimen obtained by endoscopic mucosal resection with the cap method (EMR−c). A 53-year-old man was referred to endoscopic examination for dysphagia. The endoscopic image revealed a ring-shaped scarring of the esophagus suggestive for eosinophilic esophagitis. The IPCL pattern by M-NBI endoscopy showed an inflammatory pattern, and the entire epithelium of the esophagus was not stained by Lugol iodine spraying. Based on six biopsies randomly performed, a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma was diagnosed. Since the M-NBI pattern and the histology were completely different, EMR−c was performed to obtain large bloc specimens for a more detailed diagnosis. The pathological findings revealed extensive Paget’s cells infiltration into the epithelium and multifocal invasion from the mucosa to the submucosal layer with adenocarcinoma. In conclusion, a large bloc specimen by EMR-c might be more useful than a small biopsy for an accurate diagnosis of the rare esophageal Paget’s disease.Key words: – – .Abbreviations: EMR−c: endoscopic mucosal resection with cap method; IPCL: intraepithelial papillary capillary loop; LVLs: Lugol-voiding lesions; M-NBI: magnified Narrow Band Imaging; PET-CT: Positron-Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography.

A Circuit-Model-Navigated Design Process and Efficiency Estimation for Short-Circuited Self-Excited EBG Resonator Antenna

The paper presents a circuit model for the computationally efficient design of a planar Short-Circuited Self-Excited EBG Resonator Antenna (SC SE-EBG-RA). To this purpose, the same circuit model previously presented for the Open-Circuited version of the antenna is modified to be applicable to the SC version. Detailed HFSS modeling and simulation corroborate the accuracy of the model in predicting the antenna resonance. The efficiency of the designed antenna is calculated by a simulated Wheeler Cap Method (WCM) and is compared with the standard efficiency given by the numerical analyzer. The EM modeling is arranged so as to incorporate the effects of the SMA connector, discontinuities, and the WC, emulating a real WC measurement and yielding a high degree of confidence in the results. Overall, a small antenna sized0.34λ×0.30λ×0.03λwith 93% verified efficiency is achieved, which is also compiled with affordable manufacturing processes.