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This study examined the relationship between eye-tracking speed and sight interpretation (SI) primarily through the recording of eye-tracking-based target domain (TD) fixation. First, the 9-point track calibration was created for a non-invasive investigation. Second, in less than 30s, the participants finished the SI output of the preheated materials, and the instructor assigned the subjects 10 points based on the SI standard, and the teacher scored the subjects according to the SI standard (10 points). Finally, following eye rest, the subjects took 45s to finish the formal SI on the test experimental items. This study explores the relationship between the average speed of eye-tracking TD and SI performance and then gains insights into the effects of meta-emotional, emotional, and cognitive factors on the speed of eye-tracking TD and argues that corresponding speed, emotional, and cognitive strategies should be adopted to obtain the SI speed of eye-tracking TD. Eye tracking rate is affected by meta-emotions and emotions. Too slow or fast eye tracking speed highlights the brain’s inertial cognition of SL information and overspeed cognition, void cognition, and negative-effect cognition. Abnormal eye tracking TD rate is an essential factor causing low SI scores of interpreters.

Sample preparation is an important procedure for atomic force microscope (AFM) studies. However, flexible virus particles have a tendency to aggregate together and are easily compressed during sample preparation or by AFM tip that subsequently hamper studying of virus by AFM. Herein, low concentration chemical reagent of glutaraldehyde (2%, v/v) is pre-mixed in virus suspension that facilitates the dispersion and observation of recombinant serotype 2 adeno-associated virus particles deposited on mica surface with little deformation.

An AO type C2 distal radius fracture was simulated in a cadaver model by creating a metaphyseal defect of 5 mm and an intra-articular defect of 2 mm. Five different methods of plate osteosynthesis were tested biomechanically in each of six fresh cadaveric hands. Biomechanical testing suggested that cement augmented plating plus screws in the distal fragment was the strongest. Dorsal and volar plating plus screws on both sides of the distal fragment had the same effect of restoring stiffness and load transmission pattern as fixation with double plating plus volar screws alone. Fixation with plating plus dorsal screws was significantly weaker than these three methods, and double buttress plating with no screws in the distal fragments was the weakest.

We report a case of injury, simultaneous fractures of scaphoid, distal radius and radial head. It was treated by fixation operatively, and then early active range of motion exercise was started.

Background: The purpose of this study is to compare the outcome of the conical fully threaded headless screw to that of a smooth shaft headless screw in a series of scaphoid nonunions requiring screw fixation to determine if screw design had an influence on union rates.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 104 cases of surgically treated scaphoid nonunions. After eliminating cases with our exclusion criteria, the study cohort had 40 cases for analysis. A comparison and analysis of union rates was undertaken between the fully threaded Acutrak 2 mini screw and the smooth shaft Herbert screw.

Results: Overall union rate for screw fixation was 88%. The fully threaded conical screw fixation had a significantly lower union rate of 50% compared to 97% for the smooth shaft screws.

Conclusions: Our data revealed that the fully threaded conical screws were associated with significantly lower union rate compared to the smooth shaft Herbert type screws.

This study involves a comparative biomechanics of facet joints (FJ) versus lateral mass (LM) screw insertion technique in the human cadaveric lower cervical spine (C3, C4, C5 and C6). The objective of this study is to understand the promising usage of the facet joint insertion technique and to determine the pullout strength of FJ insertion technique for posterior cervical fixation system. A total of 52 disarticulated human vertebrae (C3–C6) were used in this study. DEXA scan was carried out on all specimens before testing. Cortical screws of 3.5 mm and 4.0 mm were used for both FJ and LM techniques, which were subjected to uniaxial load. From the study made so far, the facet joint technique performed well based on the pullout strength values obtained. Having addressed the main concern on screw perforation of lateral mass technique, this facet joint technique not only demonstrated a significantly higher pullout resistance but it is also a relatively low risk surgical procedure.

Little is known about why and how biomechanics govern the hypothesis that three-Lag-Screw (3LS) fixation is a preferred therapeutic technique. A series models of surgical internal-fixation for femoral neck fractures of Pauwells-II will be constructed by an innovative approach of finite element so as to determine the most stable fixation by comparison of their biomechanical performance. Seventeen sets of CT scanned femora were imported onto Mimics extracting 3D models; these specimens were transferred to Geomagic Studio for a simulative osteotomy and kyrtograph; then, they underwent UG to fit simulative solid models; three sorts of internal fixators were expressed virtually by Pro-Engineer. Processed by Hypermesh, all compartments were assembled onto three systems actually as “Dynamic hip screw (DHS), 3LS and DHS+LS”. Eventually, numerical models of Finite Elemental Analysis (FEA) were exported to AnSys for solution. Three models for fixtures of Pauwells-II were established, validated and analyzed with the following findings: Femoral-shaft stress for $c$(3LS) is the least; Internal-fixator stress (MPa) for $a(\mathrm{\text{DHS}})=196.97>b(\mathrm{\text{DHS}}+\mathrm{\text{LS}})=88.37>c(3\mathrm{\text{LS}})=63.81$; Integral stress (MPa) for $a(\mathrm{\text{DHS}})=195.35>b(\mathrm{\text{DHS}}+\mathrm{\text{LS}})=86.72>c(3\mathrm{\text{LS}})=64.60$; displacement of femoral head (mm) for a$(\mathrm{\text{DHS}})=1.068>c(3\mathrm{\text{LS}})=1.010>b$(DHS+LS) = 0.735; displacement of femoral shaft (mm) for $c(3\mathrm{\text{LS}})=0.714>a(\mathrm{\text{DHS}})=0.533>b(\mathrm{\text{DHS+LS}})=0.475$; and displacement of fixators for $c(3\mathrm{\text{LS}})=0.982>a(\mathrm{\text{DHS}})=0.973>b(\mathrm{\text{DHS}}+\mathrm{\text{LS}})=0.706$. Mechanical comparisons for other femoral parks are insignificantly different, and these data can be abstracted as follows: the stress of 3LS-system was checked to be the least, and an interfragmentary displacement of DHS+LS assemblages was assessed to be the least”. A 3LS-system should be recommended to clinically optimize a Pauwells-II facture; if treated by this therapeutic fixation, breakage of fixators or secondary fracture is supposed to occur rarely. The strength of this study is that it was performed by a computer-aided simulation, allowing for design of a preoperative strategy that could provide acute correction and decrease procedure time, without harming to humans or animals.

The human visual system observes and understands a scene/image by making a series of fixations. Every "fixation point" lies inside a particular region of arbitrary shape and size in the scene which can either be an object or just a part of it. We define as a basic segmentation problem the task of segmenting that region containing the "fixation point". Segmenting the region containing the fixation is equivalent to finding the enclosing contour — a connected set of boundary edge fragments in the edge map of the scene — around the fixation. This enclosing contour should be a depth boundary.

We present here a novel algorithm that finds this bounding contour and achieves the segmentation of one object, given the fixation. The proposed segmentation framework combines monocular cues (color/intensity/texture) with stereo and/or motion, in a cue independent manner. The semantic robots of the immediate future will be able to use this algorithm to automatically find objects in any environment. The capability of automatically segmenting objects in their visual field can bring the visual processing to the next level. Our approach is different from current approaches. While existing work attempts to segment the whole scene at once into many areas, we segment only one image region, specifically the one containing the fixation point. Experiments with real imagery collected by our active robot and from the known databases¹ demonstrate the promise of the approach.

Background: Surgical fixation using intramedullary headless screws (IHS) is a relatively new technique for metacarpal fracture repair. However, there are very few studies investigating the outcomes of this procedure. We present the surgical and functional outcomes of a consecutive series of 30 metacarpal fractures treated by a single surgeon over a 2.5-year period using IHS.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 30 metacarpal fractures in 27 patients who underwent IHS fixation from March 2016 to October 2018. There were 29 fractures of the metacarpal neck and 1 was to the metacarpal head. All fractures underwent the procedure by a single operating surgeon. Individual joint movements along with total active movement (TAM) was measured at postoperative follow-up appointments 4–8 weeks after surgery. Fracture healing was confirmed with plain radio-graphs. Patients were also recalled in March 2019 for their latest functional measurements. A QuickDASH (disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand) questionnaire was used to assess for any residual functional disability.

Results: All fractures healed within acceptable radiological parameters with no mal-unions or rotational deformities. The average TAM at initial follow-up was 245°, which improved to 264° at the March 2019 review. All patients returned to work in an average of 6 weeks. The final functional QuickDASH score was an average of 2.9/100 (range 0–18.2). 2/27 patients required further surgery for stiffness before regaining excellent TAM. No patient required metalwork removal. There were no other complications.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that IHS fixation is an effective alternative technique for the treatment of metacarpal fractures. It is a relatively simple procedure, which provides good stable fixation, allowing for early mobilisation. It has few complications and does not routinely require removal of the implant.

Background: Practice variation may indicate a lack of evidence to guide management. This study investigated the preferences of operative management of proximal phalangeal fractures in Australian hand surgeons, as well as factors that may account for variations.

Methods: An electronic survey of all members of the Australian Hand Surgery Society was performed. Surgeon demographic factors and surgical preferences were investigated. Three common proximal phalangeal fracture configurations were presented as cases. Potential predictors of management were explored.

Results: A total of 51.9% of active hand surgeons responded. Orthopaedic surgeons were more comfortable with lateral plating and intramedullary screw fixation, while plastic surgeons preferred Kirschner wire (K-wire) fixation. Junior surgeons were more likely to believe that intramedullary screw fixation produced superior results. 53.0% of surgeons in a tertiary environment believed that adequate hand therapy was key (compared to 17.0% of clinicians in a secondary hospital).

Conclusions: There is significant practice variation and a lack of standards in the management of a common clinical problem, as well as a lack of consensus on the evidence underpinning common fixation methods. Further research is needed.

Level of Evidence: Level IV (Therapeutic)

Background: To compare the observed healthcare and societal costs of intramedullary screw (IMS) and plate fixation of extra-articular metacarpal and phalangeal fractures in a contemporary Australian context.

Methods: A retrospective analysis, based on previously published data, was performed utilising information from Australian public and private hospitals, the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Results: Plate fixation demonstrated longer surgical lengths (32 minutes, compared to 25 minutes), greater hardware costs (AUD 1,088 vs. AUD 355), more extended follow-up requirements (6.3 months, compared to 5 months) and higher rates of subsequent hardware removal (24% compared to 4.6%), resulting in an increased healthcare expenditure of AUD 1,519.41 in the public system, and AUD 1,698.59 in the private sector. Wage losses were estimated at AUD 15,515.78 when the fracture cohort is fixed by a plate, and AUD 13,542.43 when using an IMS – a differential of AUD 1,973.35.

Conclusions: There is a substantial saving to both the health system and the patient when using IMS fixation over dorsal plating for the fixation of extra-articular metacarpal and phalangeal fractures.

Level of Evidence: Level III (Cost Utility)

Background: Intramedullary screws (IMS) have become a viable option for metacarpal fracture fixation. To further appraise their utility, this study assessed clinical and patient-reported short- and medium-term outcomes of IMS fixation for extra-articular metacarpal fractures.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed in a series of 32 patients (with a total of 37 fractures) who underwent metacarpal fracture fixation over a 42-month period between January 2020 and July 2023.

Results: Mean time for return to work was 39.8 days; mean time for return to full function was 88.4 days; total active motion was 250.7° (range: 204.9–270.9); Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score was 2.3 (range: 0–22.7); mean visual analogue pain score was 0.9 out of 10 (range: 0–6) and a single complication was observed.

Conclusions: The use of IMS in metacarpal fracture fixation is a practicable surgical option. IMS fixations yields a satisfactory duration for return to function, good postoperative range of movement, modest pain scores and low rates of complications.

Level of Evidence: Level IV (Therapeutic)

Many previous eye-tracking studies were conducted to examine how adult readers process different written languages. Relatively, only few eye-tracking studies have been conducted to observe the reading process of Arab children. This study investigated the influence of orthographic regularity on Saudi elementary grades’ English and Arabic words recognition. The eye movements of 15 grade-four students and 15 grade-six students were recorded while they read words that differ in frequency and regularity. Analysis of the visual information from the word-recognition process shows differences in the students’ eye movements for the two languages. There were statistically significant differences in the total fixation duration and fixation count between the two languages and between both groups. All the students showed longer processing time for English sentences than Arabic ones. However, Arabic-speaking students were influenced by English orthography with more processing difficulty for English irregular words. The visual information shows that more cross-linguistic differences are found in grade-four students’ results. Grade-four students transferred their first language (L1) reading strategies to read English words; however, Arabic reading methods cannot be effectively applied to reading irregular orthographies like English. This explains the increased eye-movement measurements of grade-four students compared to grade-six students, who fixated more on unfamiliar English words. Although orthographic regularity had a major effect on the word-recognition process in this study, the development of the students’ Arabic and English orthographic knowledge affected the progress of their visual word recognition across the two levels.