Abstract: Abstract Background The study aims to analyze the effectiveness of nonsurgical re‐instrumentation of residual pockets as step 3 of periodontal therapy and the stability of treatment outcomes at 18 months. Methods The study sample consisted of 489 patients diagnosed and treated nonsurgically for periodontitis. After a 6‐month evaluation, residual pockets (≥5 mm) were re‐instrumented. A final examination was performed at 18 months. Participants were categorized by treatment outcome at 6 months: (A) No residual pockets ≥5 mm, (B) Residual pockets 5–6 mm, or (C) Residual pockets ≥7 mm. The primary outcome was pocket closure (≤4 mm). Logistic regression models were built to evaluate the effectiveness of re‐instrumentation and stability of initial outcomes at 18 months. Results Re‐instrumentation of pockets 5 to 6 mm resulted in pocket closure of around 39% in groups B and C. The corresponding result at sites with deeper residual pocketing (probing pocket depth [PPD] ≥7 mm) was 28%. Combining hand and ultrasonic instrumentation was more effective than each alone. Healed sites (6 months) were more likely to remain closed in group A (80%) than in groups B (50%) and C (40%). The logistic regression revealed that the stability of outcomes of step 1 and step 2 therapy was influenced by PPD at baseline, tobacco smoking, age, and type of tooth. Conclusions At step 3, nonsurgical re‐instrumentation can effectively improve periodontal health conditions. Treatment decisions after nonsurgical therapy should be based on residual probing depth, overall healing response, and patient behavior. The stability of clinical results was influenced by disease severity and the effectiveness of step 2 therapy. Plain Language Summary This study examined the effectiveness of nonsurgical re‐treatment of residual pockets (periodontal pockets not healed) after initial therapy and the stability of treatment outcomes to 18 months. The study involved 489 patients with periodontitis (loss of tooth‐supporting structures) treated in general dental practice. Residual pockets were re‐treated after examination at 6 months. A final examination was performed at 18 months. Treatment of residual gingival pockets was more successful in moderately diseased pockets compared with the most severely diseased pockets. Clinical results achieved in patients with a mild form of periodontitis were better in terms of stability compared with patients suffering from moderate and severe periodontitis. The success of nonsurgical periodontal treatment was influenced by the severity of periodontitis at the study start, the type of tooth affected, the age of the patient, and whether the patient was a smoker or not.

Abstract: Abstract Detecting shielded special nuclear material, such as nuclear explosives, is a difficult challenge pursued by non-proliferation, anti-terrorism, and nuclear security programs worldwide. Interrogation with intense fast-neutron pulses is a promising method to characterize concealed nuclear material rapidly but is limited by suitable source availability and proven instrumentation. In this study we have pioneered a demonstration of such an interrogation method using a high-intensity, short-pulse, laser-driven neutron source that offers potential benefits compared to conventional neutron sources. The measurement results reported here represent the first experimental demonstration of this interrogation approach on enriched uranium items and demonstrate the feasibility of a precise measurement using realistic nuclear materials, representative of field scenarios, even with just a single laser-driven neutron pulse. Bright pulsed sources can overcome the nuisance background of items with strong internal neutron sources, improving analytical power, while single-shot assay is attractive in high-throughput situations where time is at a premium. The science and technology of this type of neutron production is developing rapidly, and we anticipate that practical mobile interrogation systems will become available based on the detection concepts demonstrated here to meet the growing measurement needs.

Abstract: The evolution of shoulder arthroplasty has seen transformative advancements to improve precision, minimize complications, and optimize functional outcomes. Patient-specific instrumentation and navigation systems are pivotal innovations that improve surgical accuracy and enable tailored approaches for complex anatomy. These tools also impact preoperative planning and decision-making, contributing to more efficient procedures and reduced intraoperative errors. Emerging technologies, including augmented reality, virtual reality, and robotic surgery, introduce novel opportunities for preoperative visualization, intraoperative guidance, and interactive training. These technologies demonstrate significant potential for improving guidewire placement accuracy, providing real-time procedural assistance, and transforming orthopedic education through immersive and efficient training platforms. While promising, these innovations require further research to validate their long-term efficacy and establish standardized protocols for broader clinical adoption. This review highlights current advancements and challenges, emphasizing the capability of these technologies to enhance patient care and advance shoulder arthroplasty.

Abstract: The energy consumption of a structure is largely determined by the thermo-physical properties of its envelope. The thermal conductivity of the materials composing the envelopes is among the most important properties to be determined. However, this value has not been precisely defined in-situ for the straw material. Despite the fact that several studies have been conducted to quantify this value, yet disparate findings have been reported. For a more in-depth understanding of the thermal behavior of building components, experimental measurements are essential. Therefore, a protracted experimental campaign was carried out on a newly built structure in northern France under real weather and occupation conditions. Temperature, relative humidity and flux sensors were implanted through the wall and wheat straw bale thickness to understand hygrothermal behavior transfers and heat flow profiles changes along the whole monitored period. The instrumentation and data processing were compliant with the heat flow meter extended average method, a modified version of the ISO 9869-1 standardized approach. The experiment's results are satisfactory; when comparing the measured values using the extended average method with the theoretically calculated value, a good agreement was obtained, with a deviation of 4.66 %. The extended average method has proven to be an accurate and reliable in-situ measuring approach for determining the effective thermal conductivity of wheat straw bales at various temperatures and moisture levels. • Review on the straw bales thermal conductivities values and correlations. • Outlining the experimental campaign's procedures and values assessment. • Monitoring of temperature humidity and heat flux in a straw wall for 41 months. • Comparison of the measured values at different temperature and moisture levels. • A reliable measurement technique for estimating the effective thermal conductivity.

Abstract: Microblading has undergone many advances from instrumentation to the technique. Microblading pen is a specialized instrument that holds the microblading needle. Microblading can be performed using artery forceps to cut down the cost of the procedure.

Abstract: The work deals with handling of systems modelling, simulation knowledge and the processor and particular processor core overload issue. Programming environment LabVIEW was designed for this field of measuring, analysis and data acquisition. It is a highly productive development environment that engineers and scientists use for graphical programming and unprecedented hardware integration. The environment is predominantly designed to simulation, managing and parameter and other factor measuring. By this graphical program we are able to analyses and consequently display the results on the output interconnection. The environment LabVIEW is applied to the computer processor overload issue in this work. The result is direct technological virtual instrumentation of overload representation in the real time. Finally this instrumentation is more simple, transparent and especially more effective than a foregoing hardware solutions. By the block diagram design it is possible to monitor the processor and its core overload. Consequently these measurements are recorded into the text file and display writer in the percentage value in certain time interval.

Abstract: This retrospective study aimed to investigate the incidence and risk factors for surgical site infection (SSI) following instrumentation for degenerative lumbar spinal diseases, and to develop a predictive nomogram model. Patients who underwent posterior instrumentation for degenerative lumbar spinal diseases between January 2020 and December 2022 with a minimum 12-month follow-up were included. Patients were classified as having an SSI or not, and differences in demographics, clinical data, and laboratory indicators were compared. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify independent risk factors, and a nomogram was constructed to visualize the results. The study included 1,462 patients (687 men, 775 women) with a mean age of 52.9 ± 13.7 years and 53 patients (3.5%) developed an SSI. Multivariate analysis identified several risk factors for SSI: higher ASA class (III or IV vs I or II, OR = 2.362; 95%CI, 1.312 to 4.249), surgery involving sacral vertebrae (OR = 2.319; 95%CI, 1.242 to 4.330), open surgery compared to minimally invasive surgery (OR = 3.081; 95%CI, 1.701 to 5.581), prolonged surgical time (per hour increase, OR = 1.482; 95%CI, 1.017 to 2.160), and preoperative hemoglobin < 100 g/L (OR = 4.962; 95%CI, 1.728 to 6.943). The nomogram model demonstrated good discrimination, with a C-index of 0.743 (95% CI: 0.682-0.804), which remained robust at 0.722 after 1,000 bootstrap verifications. The calibration curve indicated the predicted SSI probability aligned well with the actual probability. This study found a moderate 3.5% SSI rate following instrumentation for degenerative lumbar spinal diseases and identified several risk factors. These findings can inform preoperative patient counseling, risk assessment, and the development of personalized strategies to mitigate SSI.

Abstract: I read with great interest the prospective cohort study by Cao et al . comparing their novel patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) system to robotic-assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) [1] . The work demonstrates significant advancements in PSI design. The team’s innovative approach to femoral guide plate fixation addresses a well-known limitation of conventional PSI by utilizing the stable structure of the intercondylar fossa rather than the medial condyle, which is prone to generating osteophytes. Equally impressive is the tibial guide’s triple-anchoring design incorporating the anterior osteophyte, sub-platform bone surface, and plateau topography, which provides exceptional stability. These anatomical insights directly translate to outstanding tibial component accuracy, evidenced by coronal and axial plane RMSE values of 1.5° and 2.6° that surpass prior PSI systems and rival robotic assistance. Particularly noteworthy is the strict ± 2° accuracy threshold adopted for evaluation, which is a rigorous benchmark that underscores the reliability of their methodology. For clinicians seeking precision without robotic infrastructure, this PSI represents a validated, cost-efficient alternative. Notwithstanding these advances, two clinically relevant aspects merit further investigation. First, the femoral sagittal plane accuracy lagged behind robotic outcomes despite out-performing historical PSI data. As the authors appropriately note, this likely stems from the absence of reliable distal femoral landmarks, which is an inherent anatomical challenge requiring novel solutions. Second, while the 4.4% intraoperative prosthesis size adjustment rate is acceptable, the exclusion of 13 patients due to PSI application failures or surgical conversion warrants scrutiny. These cases highlight potential limitations in preoperative planning robustness or guide adaptability. Additionally, as all procedures were performed by a single high-volume UKA specialist, how might outcomes differ for less experienced surgeons? A multi-surgeon trial could

Abstract: Users of remotely sensed Earth optical imagery are increasingly demanding a surface reflectance or surface temperature product instead of the top-of-atmosphere products that have been produced historically. Validating the accuracy of surface products remains a difficult task since it involves assessment across a range of atmospheric profiles, as well as many different land surface types. Thus, the standard approaches from the satellite calibration community do not apply, and new technologies need to be developed. The Big Multi-Agency Campaign (BigMAC) was developed to assess current technologies that might be used for the validation of surface products derived from satellite imagery, with emphasis on Landsat. Conducted in August 2021, in Brookings, SD, USA, a variety of measurement technologies were fielded and assessed for accuracy, precision, and deployability. Each technology exhibited its strengths and weaknesses. Handheld spectroradiometers are capable of surface reflectance measurements with accuracies within the 0.01–0.02 absolute reflectance units, but these are expensive to deploy. Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)-based radiometers have the potential of making measurements with similar accuracy, but these are also difficult to deploy. Mirror-based empirical line methods showed improved accuracy potential, but their deployment also remains an issue. However, there are inexpensive radiometers designed for long-term autonomous use that exhibited good accuracy and precision, in addition to being easy to deploy. Thermal measurement technologies showed an accuracy potential in the 1–2 K range, and some easily deployable instruments are available. The results from the BigMAC indicate that there are technologies available today for conducting operational surface reflectance/temperature measurements, with strong potential for improvements in the future.

Abstract: Complex primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using constrained implants for post-traumatic arthritis (PTA) presents significant surgical challenges and is associated with higher complication rates compared to routine TKA procedures. This study aimed to analyze the demographic characteristics and operative details of patients undergoing complex primary TKA with constrained condylar knee (CCK) implants following intra- or extra-articular peri-knee fractures and to compare short- to medium-term clinical outcomes between three-dimensional (3D)-printed patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) and conventional instrumentation in these procedures. We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent complex primary CCK-TKA for post-traumatic arthritis using either 3D-printed PSI or conventional instrumentation at our institution between January 2015 and December 2020. Demographic data, perioperative parameters, radiographic outcomes, and clinical efficacy measures were compared between the two groups. Complications were recorded, and implant survival rates were calculated. The study included 55 patients with a mean follow-up of 82 months (range 49-109). A notable prevalence of severe preoperative valgus deformity was observed (26/55, 47.27%), and regression analysis identified a history of lateral compartment fracture as an independent risk factor for the development of valgus deformity (OR 6.28, 95% CI 1.40-28.30, P = 0.017). Compared to the conventional group (n = 26), the PSI group (n = 29) demonstrated significantly shorter operative time, reduced blood loss, improved postoperative mechanical alignment, and superior final follow-up scores for range of motion (ROM) and Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee scores. Wound complications occurred in 1 case in the PSI group versus 7 cases in the conventional group. One patient in the conventional group required reoperation due to infection and patellar osteonecrosis. Both groups maintained 100% implant survival (revision-free) at final follow-up. Severe valgus deformity appears to be a key indication for constrained implants in this population, and a history of lateral tibial plateau fracture may contribute to the development of valgus deformity prior to TKA. CCK-TKA proves to be a safe and effective method for managing complex PTA. Our findings suggest that 3D-printed PSI may enhance surgical precision, reduce operative trauma, and improve radiographic and clinical outcomes in the short to medium term compared to conventional techniques.