Is Dynesys dynamic stabilization system superior to posterior lumbar fusion in the treatment of lumbar degenerative diseases?

Dynesys,a pedicle-based dynamic stabilization system,was introduced to overcome some undesirable complications of fusion procedures.Nevertheless,the theoretical advantages of Dynesys over fusion have not been clearly confirmed.The purpose of this editorial was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes of patients who underwent Dynesys system with those who underwent posterior lumbar fusion according to the existing literature and to see if the application of the Dynesys system is superior to the traditional lumbar fusion surgery.According to published clinical reports,the short-term effects of the Dynesys dynamic stabilization system are similar to that of traditional lumbar fusion surgery.Three comparative studies of Dynesys dynamic stabilization and fusion surgery with medium-term follow-up are encouraging.However,the results from four single-treatment-arm and small-sample studies of case series with long-term follow-up were not encouraging.In the present circumstances,it is not possible to conclude that the Dynesys dynamic stabilization system is superior to fusion surgery for lumbar degenerative diseases.

Lumbar disc rehydration in the bridged segment using the BioFlex dynamic stabilization system: A case report and literature review

BACKGROUND In recent years,the mechanical concept of intervertebral disc regeneration has become more and more popular due to the increasing awareness of the importance of preservation of spine movement.Interestingly,there is increasing evidence,however,that dynamic stabilization systems may compensate nonphysiological loads,limit pathological movement,normalize disc height and intradiscal pressure,and provide an adaptive environment for disc regeneration.CASE SUMMARY The patient was a 54-year-old man,who presented with a 10-year history of mechanical back pain,which had become progressively serious and radiated into the left lower limb with numbness 3 mo prior.He had decreased muscle strength(class IV)of the left dorsal extensor and plantar flexor.Magnetic resonance imaging scans showed L3-S1 disc degeneration and L4-L5 disc herniation.Because the patient did not respond to various conservative treatments,he underwent a posterior L4-5 discectomy with fixation of the BioFlex dynamic stabilization system(Bio-Spine,Seoul,Korea).Preoperative symptoms were relieved and lumbar function was markedly improved after the operation.L4-L5 disc rehydration of instrumented segment was noted on magnetic resonance imaging at the 2-year follow-up.CONCLUSION Rehydration of the degenerated disc in our patient indicates that the BioFlex dynamic stabilization system may promote disc regeneration.Further research is needed to provide more evidence to support lumbar disc rehydration in the bridged segment using this system.

Dynamic stabilization of Na atom in an intense pulsed laser field

We investigate theoretically the ionization properties of the valence electron for the alkali metal atom Na in an intense pulsed laser field by solving numerically the time-dependent Schrodinger equation with an accurate l-dependent model potential.By calculating the variations of the ionization probabilities with laser peak intensity for wavelengths ranging from 200 nm to 600 nm,our results present a dynamic stabilization trend for the Na atom initially in its ground state（3 s） and the excited states（3 p and 4 s） exposed to an intense pulsed laser field.Especially a clear ＂window＂ of dynamic stabilization at lower laser intensities and longer wavelengths for the initial state 4 s（the second excited state） is found.By analyzing the time-dependent population distributions of the valence electron in the bound states with the different values of principal quantum number n and orbital quantum number l,we can attribute the dynamic stabilization to the periodic population in the low-excited states since the valence electron oscillates rapidly between the lowly excited states and the continuum states.

Dynesys dynamic stabilization system for the lumbar degenerative disease： a preliminary report from China

Background Dynesys dynamic stabilization system in 2007. Therefore, it was a new technique for Ch about Dynesys in China. The objective of this study degenerative disease in China. was first implanted in patients in 1994, and introduced to China nese orthopedics and hence necessary to collect clinical data was to report the preliminary results of Dynesys for the lumbar Methods Twenty-seven patients were treated with the Dynesys between July 2007 and January 2009. The diagnosis included degenerative spondylolisthesis （12 cases）, degenerative spinal stenosis （nine cases）, and lumbar intervertebral disc herniation （six cases）. Back pain and leg pain were evaluated using 100-mm visual analog scales （VAS）. The Oswestry Disability Index （ODI） was used to evaluate the patients＇ function. The intervertebral disc height and range of motion at the operative level were taken on radiographs. Results All the patients were followed-up, with an average of （22.40±4.23） months （range 15±32 months）. VAS of back pain and leg pain were improved significantly （P 〈0.05） at foUow-up. The ODI scores were reduced from （62.58±12.01）% preoperatively to （15.01±5.71）% at follow-up （P 〈0.05）. The preoperative mean height of the intervertebral disc was （11.21±1.58） mm （range 8.5±13.8 mm） and mean was （10.10±1.78） mm （range 7.0±13.4 mm） at follow-up （P 〈0.05）. The mean range of motion of the implanted segment was （6.00±1.79）° （range 2.5-9.3°） preoperatively and （5.47±1.27）° （range 2.9±7.8°） at follow-up （P=0.11）. Conclusions The preliminary results of Dynesys for the lumbar degenerative disease in China are similar to the published results of other countries. It can significantly improve the clinic symptoms and preserved motion at the level of implantation. However, the long-term follow-up data need to be collected.

Long-Term Outcome of Dynesys Dynamic Stabilization for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis

Background： Many clinical studies over the past decade have indicated positive outcomes for patients treated with Dynesys dynamic stabilization for lumbar degenerative disease. However, long-term outcomes of Dynesys for lumbar spinal stenosis are rarely reported. The aim of this study was to analyze the long-term clinical and radiologic outcomes for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis treated with Dynesys stabilization. Methods： Thirty-eight patients with lumbar spinal stenosis were treated with Dynesys stabilization from July 2008 to March 2010. The minimal duration of follow-up was 72 months. The patients were divided into stenosis and spondylolisthesis groups according to degenerative spondylolisthesis. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Oswestry Disability Index （ODI） and visual analog scale （VAS）. Radiographic evaluations included range of motion （ROM） and the disc heights of stabilized segments and the upper adjacent segments. We also evaluated the occurrence of radiographic and symptomatic adjacent segment degeneration （ASD）. Results： There were 23 patients in stenosis group and 15 patients in spondylolisthesis group. The ODl scores were significantly improved at the final follow-up evaluation, as compared to the baseline values （ 16.1± 5.7 vs. 57.2 ± 14.2, t = 61.4 l, P 〈 0.01 ）. The VA S scores for back and leg pain were significantly improved from 4.82 ±0.89 and 4.04 ± 0.82 preoperatively to 0.93± 0.61 and 0.54 ± 0.51 postoperatively （t = 6.59, P 〈 0.01, and t = 5.91, P 〈 0.01, respectively）. There were no differences between the two groups with respect to VAS and ODI scores. The ROM of stabilized segments decreased significantly from 7.8°± 2.4° to 4.5° ± 1.5° （t = 7.18, P 〈 0.05）, while the upper adjacent segments increased significantly from 8.3° ± 2.4° to 10.4° ± 2.4° （t = 2.87, P = 0.01）. The change in disc height of stabilized segments was not significant （11.9 ±2.1 preoperatively vs. 12.5 ± 1.5 postoperatively, t = 1.43, P = 0.15）, whereas the decrease in disc height of the upper adjacent segments was significant （12.5 ±2.0 preopcratively vs. 11.0 ± 1.7 postoperatively, t = 2.94, P = 0.01 ）. The occurrence of radiographic and symptomatic ASD was 16% （6/38） and 3% （1/38）, respectively. Conclusions： Decompression and Dynesys stabilization for lumbar stenosis with or without spondylolisthesis showed good long-term clinical and radiographic results. Lumbar stenosis with or without Grade I spondylolisthesis, particularly in patients 〈60 years of age with mild-to-moderate lumbar disc degeneration, would be one of the main indications for the Dynesys system.

Spinal Manipulation and Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization Care for a 4-Year-Old Patient with Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum

The purpose of this case study is to describe the chiropractic care of a 4-year-old male patient with agenesis of the corpus callosum. Methods: Chiropractic care plan consisted of weekly appointments with the inclusion of at-home exercises coupled with academic intervention of physical and occupational therapies and assistive gait devices. Functional changes were monitored via objective clinic findings, independent clinical examination, and parental observation. Results: Agitated flexion contracted non-weight bearing child with gastrointestinal dysfunction and developmentally shunted growth responds to co-managed chiropractic care. Focus on aiding structural balance helped improve the weight bearing movement and mobility, physical calmness and contentment, emotional and verbal communication, as well as gastointestinal function. Discussion: This therapeutic approach decreased aberrant posture and enhanced quality of life. Conclusion: Chiropractic care in combination with academic intervention improved this child’s postural abnormalities, attitude, and cognitive development warranting consideration in subsequent care investigation.

Dynamic stability analysis of porous functionally graded beams under hygro-thermal loading using nonlocal strain gradient integral model

We present a study on the dynamic stability of porous functionally graded(PFG)beams under hygro-thermal loading.The variations of the properties of the beams across the beam thicknesses are described by the power-law model.Unlike most studies on this topic,we consider both the bending deformation of the beams and the hygro-thermal load as size-dependent,simultaneously,by adopting the equivalent differential forms of the well-posed nonlocal strain gradient integral theory(NSGIT)which are strictly equipped with a set of constitutive boundary conditions(CBCs),and through which both the stiffness-hardening and stiffness-softening effects of the structures can be observed with the length-scale parameters changed.All the variables presented in the differential problem formulation are discretized.The numerical solution of the dynamic instability region(DIR)of various bounded beams is then developed via the generalized differential quadrature method(GDQM).After verifying the present formulation and results,we examine the effects of different parameters such as the nonlocal/gradient length-scale parameters,the static force factor,the functionally graded(FG)parameter,and the porosity parameter on the DIR.Furthermore,the influence of considering the size-dependent hygro-thermal load is also presented.

Influence of unsupported sleepers on the dynamic stability of ballasted bed based on wheelset impact tests

The unsupported sleeper can change the load characteristics of ballast particles and thus affect the dynamic stability of a ballasted bed.In this work,a laboratory test was constructed on a ballasted track containing unsupported sleepers.The ballasted track was excited by a wheelset,and the influence of unsupported sleepers on the dynamic stability of a ballasted bed was studied.The results show that the main frequency of the sleeper vibration appeared at 670 Hz,and the first-order rigid vibration mode at the frequency of 101 Hz had a significant effect on the condition without the unsupported sleeper.When the sleepers were continuously unsupported,the vibration damping effect of ballasted bed within the frequency range of 0–450 Hz was better than that at higher frequencies.Within the frequency range of 70–250 Hz,the vibration damping effect of the ballasted bed with unsupported sleepers was better than that without the unsupported sleeper.Owing to the excitation from the wheelset impact,the lateral resistance of the ballasted bed with unsupported sleepers whose hanging heights were 30,60,and 90 mm increased by 37.43%,12.25%,and 18.23%,respectively,while the lateral resistance of the ballasted bed without the unsupported sleeper remained basically unchanged.The unsupported sleeper could increase the difference in the quality of the ballasted bed between two adjacent sleepers.In addition,test results show that the hanging height of the unsupported sleeper had little effect on the lateral resistance of a ballasted bed without external excitation,but had an obvious effect on the rate of change of the lateral resistance of a ballasted bed and the acceleration amplitude of the sleeper vibration under the wheelset impact.

Impulsive dynamics and stabilization of a single wheel robot

The impulsive motion of a dynamically stabilized robot—Gyrover, which is a single-wheel gyroscopically stabilized robot is studied. A method based on the D’Alembert-Lagrange principle is proposed to develop the impulsive dynamic model of the single wheel robot. This method that can be used to find ways to investigate a single wheel mobile robot rolling on a rough terrain is tested using the experimental platform Gyrover. The conditions of falling over without actuators are addressed. Simulations that validate the analysis are provided as well.

Physical modeling of long-term dynamic characteristics of the subgrade for medium-low-speed maglevs

To investigate the dynamic characteristics and long-term dynamic stability of the new subgrade structure of medium-low-speed(MLS)maglevs,cyclic vibration tests were performed under natural and rainfall conditions,and the dynamic response of the subgrade structure was monitored.The dynamic response attenuation characteristics along the depth direction of the subgrade were compared,and the distribution characteristics of the dynamic stress on the surface of the subgrade along the longitudinal direction of the line were analyzed.The critical dynamic stress and cumulative deformation were used as indicators to evaluate the long-term dynamic stability of the subgrade.Results show that water has a certain effect on the dynamic characteristics of the subgrade,and the dynamic stress and acceleration increase with the water content.With the dowel steel structure set between the rail-bearing beams,stress concentration at the end of the loaded beam can be prevented,and the diffusion distance of the dynamic stress along the longitudinal direction increases.The dynamic stress measured in the subgrade bed range is less than 1/5 of the critical dynamic stress.The postconstruction settlement of the subgrade after similarity ratio conversion is 3.94 mm and 7.72 mm under natural and rainfall conditions,respectively,and both values are less than the 30 mm limit,indicating that the MLS maglev subgrade structure has good long-term dynamic stability.

A Sufficient Statistical Test for Dynamic Stability

In the existing Statistics and Econometrics literature, there does not exist a statistical test which may test for all kinds of roots of the characteristic polynomial leading to an unstable dynamic response, i.e., positive and negative real unit roots, complex unit roots and the roots lying inside the unit circle. This paper develops a test which is sufficient to prove dynamic stability (in the context of roots of the characteristic polynomial) of a univariate as well as a multivariate time series without having a structural break. It covers all roots (positive and negative real unit roots, complex unit roots and the roots inside the unit circle whether single or multiple) which may lead to an unstable dynamic response. Furthermore, it also indicates the number of roots causing instability in the time series. The test is much simpler in its application as compared to the existing tests as the series is strictly stationary under the null (C01, C12).

Adjacent segment disease following Dynesys stabilization for lumbar disorders:A case series of mid-and long-term follow-ups

BACKGROUND Radiologic adjacent segment degeneration(ASDeg)can occur after spinal surgery.Adjacent segment disease(ASDis)is defined as the development of new clinical symptoms corresponding to radiographic changes adjacent to the level of previous spinal surgery.Greater pre-existing ASDeg is generally considered to result in more severe ASDis;nonetheless,whether the ASDeg status before index surgery influences the postoperative risk of revision surgery due to ASDis warrants investigation.AIM To identify possible risk factors for ASDis and verify the concept that greater preexisting ASDeg leads to more severe ASDis.METHODS Data from 212 patients who underwent posterior decompression with Dynesys stabilization from January 2006 to June 2016 were retrospectively analyzed.Patients who underwent surgery for ASDis were categorized as group A(n=13),whereas those who did not were classified as group B(n=199).Survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare the modified Pfirrmann grade,University of California-Los Angeles grade,body mass index,number of Dynesys-instrumented levels,and age.RESULTS The mean time of reoperation was 7.22(1.65–11.84)years in group A,and the mean follow-up period was 6.09(0.10–12.76)years in group B.No significant difference in reoperation risk was observed:Modified Pfirrmann grade 3 vs 4(P=0.53)or 4 vs 5(P=0.46)for the upper adjacent disc,University of California-Los Angeles grade 2 vs 3 for the upper adjacent segment(P=0.66),age of<60 vs>60 years(P=0.9),body mass index<25 vs>25 kg/m2(P=0.3),and sex(P=0.8).CONCLUSION Greater preexisting upper ASDeg was not associated with a higher rate of reoperation for ASDis after Dynesys surgery.Being overweight tended to increase reoperation risk after Dynesys surgery for ASDis.

Trajectory planning for multi-robot coordinated towing system based on stability

Given the unconstrained characteristics of the multi-robot coordinated towing system,the rope can only provide a unidirectional constraint force to the suspended object,which leads to the weak ability of the system to resist external disturbances and makes it difficult to control the trajectory of the suspended object.Based on the kinematics and statics of the multi-robot coordinated towing system with fixed base,the dynamic model of the system is established by using the Newton-Euler equations and the Udwadia-Kalaba equations.To plan the trajectories with high stability and strong control,trajectory planning is performed by combining the dynamics and stability of the towing system.Based on the dynamic stability of the motion trajectory of the suspended object,the stability of the suspended object is effectively improved through online real-time planning and offline manual adjustment.The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by comparing the motion stability of the suspended object before and after planning.The results provide a foundation for the motion planning and coordinated control of the towing system.

Capture Efficiency Analysis in the Circular Restricted Three-body Problem

Temporary capture efficiency is studied in the framework of the circular restricted three-body problem in two steps.First, a non-uniform distribution of test particles around the secondary's orbit is obtained by fully accounting the secondary's gravitational influence. Second, the capture efficiency is computed based on the non-uniform distribution. Several factors influencing the result are discussed. By studying the capture efficiency in the circular restricted three-body problem of different mass ratios, a power-law relation between the capture efficiency(p) and the mass ratio(μ) is established, which is given by p ≈ 0.27 × μ^(0.53), within the range of 3.0035 ×10^(-6)≤ μ ≤ 3.0034 × 10^(-5). Taking the Sun–Earth system as an example, the influence from the orbit eccentricity of the secondary on the non-uniform distribution and the capture efficiency is studied. Our studies find that the secondary's orbit eccentricity has a negative influence on the capture efficiency.

Dynamic flight stability of hovering insects

The equations of motion of an insect with flapping wings are derived and then simplified to that of a flying body using the ＂rigid body＂ assumption. On the basis of the simplified equations of motion, the longitudinal dynamic flight stability of four insects （hoverfly, cranefly, dronefly and hawkmoth） in hovering flight is studied （the mass of the insects ranging from 11 to 1,648 mg and wingbeat frequency from 26 to 157Hz）. The method of computational fluid dynamics is used to compute the aerodynamic derivatives and the techniques of eigenvalue and eigenvector analysis are used to solve the equations of motion. The validity of the ＂rigid body＂ assumption is tested and how differences in size and wing kinematics influence the applicability of the ＂rigid body＂ assumption is investigated. The primary findings are： （1） For insects considered in the present study and those with relatively high wingbeat frequency （hoverfly, drone fly and bumblebee）, the ＂rigid body＂ assumption is reasonable, and for those with relatively low wingbeat frequency （cranefly and howkmoth）, the applicability of the ＂rigid body＂ assumption is questionable. （2） The same three natural modes of motion as those reported recently for a bumblebee are identified, i.e., one unstable oscillatory mode, one stable fast subsidence mode and one stable slow subsidence mode. （3） Approximate analytical expressions of the eigenvalues, which give physical insight into the genesis of the natural modes of motion, are derived. The expressions identify the speed derivative Mu （pitching moment produced by unit horizontal speed） as the primary source of the unstable oscillatory mode and the stable fast subsidence mode and Zw （vertical force produced by unit vertical speed） as the primary source of the stable slow subsidence mode.

Real-time Tire Parameters Observer for Vehicle Dynamics Stability Control

The performance of the vehicle dynamics stability control system（DSC） is dominated by the accurate estimation of tire forces in real-time.The characteristics of tire forces are determined by tire dynamic states and parameters,which vary in an obviously large scope along with different working conditions.Currently,there have been many methods based on the nonlinear observer to estimate the tire force and dynamic parameters,but they were only used in off-line analysis because of the computation complexity and the dynamics differences of four tires in the steering maneuver conditions were not considered properly.This paper develops a novel algorithm to observe tire parameters in real-time controller for DSC.The algorithm is based on the sensor-fusion technology with the signals of DSC sensors,and the tire parameters are estimated during a set of maneuver courses.The calibrated tire parameters in the control cycle are treated as the elementary states for vehicle dynamics observation,in which the errors between the calculated and the measured vehicle dynamics are used as the correcting factors for the tire parameter observing process.The test process with a given acceleration following a straight line is used to validate the estimation method of the longitudinal stiffness;while the test process with a given steering angle is used to validate the estimated value of the cornering stiffness.The ground test result shows that the proposed algorithm can estimate the tire stiffness accurately with an acceptable computation cost for real-time controller only using DSC sensor signal.The proposed algorithm can be an efficient algorithm for estimating the tire dynamic parameters in vehicle dynamics stability control system,and can be used to improve the robustness of the DSC controller.

Dynamic flight stability of a hovering model insect:lateral motion

The lateral dynamic flight stability of a hovering model insect （dronefly） was studied using the method of computational fluid dynamics to compute the stability derivatives and the techniques of eigenvalue and eigenvector analysis for solving the equations of motion. The main results are as following. （i） Three natural modes of motion were identified： one unstable slow divergence mode （mode 1）, one stable slow oscillatory mode （mode 2）, and one stable fast subsidence mode （mode 3）. Modes 1 and 2 mainly consist of a rotation about the horizontal longitudinal axis （x-axis） and a side translation; mode 3 mainly consists of a rotation about the x-axis and a rotation about the vertical axis. （ii） Approximate analytical expressions of the eigenvalues are derived, which give physical insight into the genesis of the natural modes of motion. （iii） For the unstable divergence mode, td, the time for initial disturbances to double, is about 9 times the wingbeat period （the longitudinal motion of the model insect was shown to be also unstable and td of the longitudinal unstable mode is about 14 times the wingbeat period）. Thus, although the flight is not dynamically stable, the instability does not grow very fast and the insect has enough time to control its wing motion to suppress the disturbances.

Model test and numerical simulation on the dynamic stability of the bedding rock slope under frequent microseisms

Shake table testing was performed to investigate the dynamic stability of a mid-dip bedding rock slope under frequent earthquakes. Then, numerical modelling was established to further study the slope dynamic stability under purely microseisms and the influence of five factors, including seismic amplitude, slope height, slope angle, strata inclination and strata thickness, were considered. The experimental results show that the natural frequency of the slope decreases and damping ratio increases as the earthquake loading times increase. The dynamic strength reduction method is adopted for the stability evaluation of the bedding rock slope in numerical simulation, and the slope stability decreases with the increase of seismic amplitude, increase of slope height, reduction of strata thickness and increase of slope angle. The failure mode of a mid-dip bedding rock slope in the shaking table test is integral slipping along the bedding surface with dipping tensile cracks at the slope rear edge going through the bedding surfaces. In the numerical simulation, the long-term stability of a mid-dip bedding slope is worst under frequent microseisms and the slope is at risk of integral sliding instability, whereas the slope rock mass is more broken than shown in the shaking table test. The research results are of practical significance to better understand the formation mechanism of reservoir landslides and prevent future landslide disasters.

Finite element analysis of dynamic stability of skeletal structures under periodic loading

This paper addresses the dynamic stability problem of columns and frames subjected to axially applied periodic loads. Such a structure can become unstable under certain combinations of amplitudes and frequencies of the imposed load acting on its columns/beams. These are usually shown in the form of plots which describe regions of instability. The finite element method (FEM) is used in this work to analyse dynamic stability problems of columns. Two-noded beam elements are used for this purpose. The periodic loading is decomposed into various harmonics using Fourier series expansion. Computer codes in C++ using object oriented concepts are developed to determine the stability regions of columns subjected to periodic loading. A number of nu-merical examples are presented to illustrate the working of the program. The direct integration of the equations of motions of the discretised system is carried out using Newmark’s method to verify the results.

Mathematical modeling for dynamic stability of sandwich beam with variable mechanical properties of core

The paper is devoted to mathematical modelling of static and dynamic stability of a simply supported three-layered beam with a metal foam core. Mechanical properties of the core vary along the vertical direction. The field of displacements is for- mulated using the classical broken line hypothesis and the proposed nonlinear hypothesis that generalizes the classical one. Using both hypotheses, the strains are determined as well as the stresses of each layer. The kinetic energy, the elastic strain energy, and the work of load are also determined. The system of equations of motion is derived using Hamilton＇s principle. Finally, the system of three equations is reduced to one equation of motion, in particular, the Mathieu equation. The Bubnov-Galerkin method is used to solve the system of equations of motion, and the Runge-Kutta method is used to solve the second-order differential equation. Numerical calculations are done for the chosen family of beams. The critical loads, unstable regions, angular frequencies of the beam, and the static and dynamic equilibrium paths are calculated analytically and verified numerically. The results of this study are presented in the forms of figures and tables.