Influence of Omega 3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Phase Angle Values of People Living with HIV/AIDS with Lipodystrophy Secondary to Antiretroviral Therapy: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Objective: The measurement of phase angles is an important monitoring parameter and supplementation with omega-3 could promote benefits by modulating the electrical potential of membranes and increasing body cell mass. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on the phase angle of people living with HIV/AIDS. Methods: In this study, 63 individuals of all genders who were undergoing outpatient follow-up and showed lipodystrophy due to highly active antiretroviral therapy were analyzed. Our sample consisted of two groups, one that received supplementation containing 2550 mg of omega-3/day (1080 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid and 720 mg of docosahexaenoic acid) for three months (n = 32) and another that underwent nutrition guidance (n = 31). Phase angle and body cell mass were assessed for both groups and compared at the beginning of research (T0) and after our intervention (T1) for each group separately. Results: Phase angle averaged 6.45° ± 1.06 SD. The comparison between T0 and T1 showed a significant increase in phase angle and body cell mass, whereas the guidance group showed a decrease in body cell mass at T1 in relation to T0, with a significant p-value. Variance in phase angle between moments showed significant values between T0 and T1 in the supplementation group for all genders. Conclusion: Omega-3 positively modulated patients phase angle and body cell mass, but we emphasize the need for other studies that can solidify knowledge about supplementation dosage and intervention time.

Identification of the BTA8 gene reveals the contribution of natural variation to tiller angle in rice

Plant architecture is a collection of major agronomic traits that determines rice grain production,and it is mainly influenced by tillering,tiller angle,plant height and panicle morphology(Wang and Li 2006).Tiller angle is one of the critical components that determines rice plant architecture,which in turn influences grain yield mainly due to its large impact on plant density(Wang et al.2022).

Visualizing the Local Twist Angle Variation within and between Domains of Twisted Bilayer Graphene

Moirésuperlattices in twisted two-dimensional materials have emerged as ideal platforms for engineering quantum phenomena,which are highly sensitive to twist angles,including both the global value and the spatial inhomogeneity.However,only a few methods provide spatial-resolved information for characterizing local twist angle distribution.

Experimental Study of Local Scour Around Four Piles Under Different Attack Angles and Gap Ratios

In an effort to investigate and quantify the patterns of local scour,researchers embarked on an in-depth study using a systematic experimental approach.The research focused on the effects of local scour around a set of four piles,each subjected to different hydromechanical conditions.In particular,this study aimed to determine how different attack angles—the angles at which the water flow impinges on the piles,and gap ratios—the ratios of the spacing between the piles to their diameters,influence the extent and nature of scour.A comprehensive series of 35 carefully designed experiments were orchestrated,each designed to dissect the nuances in how the gap ratio and attack angle might contribute to changes in the local scour observed at the base of pile groups.During these experimental trials,a wealth of local scour data were collected to support the analysis.These data included precise topographic profiles of the sediment bed around the pile groups,as well as detailed scour time histories showing the evolution of scour at strategic feature points throughout the test procedure.The analysis of the experimental data provided interesting insights.The study revealed that the interplay between the gap ratio and the attack angle had a pronounced influence on the scouring dynamics of the pile groups.One of the key observations was that the initial phases of scour,particularly within the first hour of water flow exposure,were characterized by a sharp increase in the scour depth occurring immediately in front of the piles.After this initial rapid development,the scour depth transitioned to a more gradual change rate.In contrast,the scour topography around the piles continuously evolved.This suggests that sediment displacement and the associated sculpting of the seabed around pile foundations are sustained and progressive processes,altering the underwater landscape over time.The results of this empirical investigation have significant implications for the design and construction of offshore multi-pile foundations,providing a critical reference for engineers and designers to estimate the expected scour depth around such structures,which is an integral part of decisions regarding foundation design,selection of structural materials,and implementation of scour protection measures.

In situ calibrated angle between the quantization axis and the propagating direction of the light field for trapping neutral atoms

The recently developed magic-intensity trapping technique of neutral atoms efficiently mitigates the detrimental effect of light shifts on atomic qubits and substantially enhances the coherence time. This technique relies on applying a bias magnetic field precisely parallel to the wave vector of a circularly polarized trapping laser field. However, due to the presence of the vector light shift experienced by the trapped atoms, it is challenging to precisely define a parallel magnetic field, especially at a low bias magnetic field strength, for the magic-intensity trapping of85Rb qubits. In this work, we present a method to calibrate the angle between the bias magnetic field and the trapping laser field with the compensating magnetic fields in the other two directions orthogonal to the bias magnetic field direction. Experimentally, with a constantdepth trap and a fixed bias magnetic field, we measure the respective resonant frequencies of the atomic qubits in a linearly polarized trap and a circularly polarized one via the conventional microwave Rabi spectra with different compensating magnetic fields and obtain the corresponding total magnetic fields via the respective resonant frequencies using the Breit–Rabi formula. With known total magnetic fields, the angle is a function of the other two compensating magnetic fields.Finally, the projection value of the angle on either of the directions orthogonal to the bias magnetic field direction can be reduced to 0(4)° by applying specific compensating magnetic fields. The measurement error is mainly attributed to the fluctuation of atomic temperature. Moreover, it also demonstrates that, even for a small angle, the effect is strong enough to cause large decoherence of Rabi oscillation in a magic-intensity trap. Although the compensation method demonstrated here is explored for the magic-intensity trapping technique, it can be applied to a variety of similar precision measurements with trapped neutral atoms.

Suicide risk in juvenile open angle glaucoma patients

AIM:To investigate the association between juvenile open angle glaucoma(JOAG)and mental health among Koreans.METHODS:This study used nationally representative data from the 8th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHANES)2021.Glaucoma diagnosis followed the International Society of Geographical and Epidemiological Ophthalmology criteria based on glaucomatous structural defects,visual field defects,corrected vision,and intraocular pressure.As outcomes,suicidal behaviors,psychiatric counseling,and depression were evaluated through mental health questionnaires.Odds ratios(ORs)with 95%confidence intervals(CIs)were estimated using logistic regression models,adjusting for covariates.RESULTS:Among 7090 participants,3446 met the inclusion criteria for analysis,and 88(2.6%)were diagnosed with open angle glaucoma(OAG).After adjusting for age,sex,and best-corrected visual acuity(VA),participants with OAG were revealed to have significantly higher odds of suicidal behaviors(i.e.,ideation,planning,or attempts)compared with those without OAG(OR:2.70;95%CI:1.12-6.54;P=0.028).This association remained significant after further adjustments for socioeconomic status,lifestyle factors,and presence of chronic conditions(P=0.031 and 0.035,respectively).However,there was no significant difference for the other two outcomes,psychiatric counseling and depression.An age-stratified analysis revealed a stronger association between OAG and suicidal behaviors in younger JOAG participants(<40y)than in older OAG participants(≥40y;OR:3.80 vs 2.22;95%CI:0.79-18.22 vs 0.56-8.80,respectively).CONCLUSION:OAG patients show a higher risk of suicidal behaviors than those without glaucoma particularly in JOAG patients.

Acute primary angle closure during the Omicron outbreak

AIM:To investigate Omicron’s impact on clinical presentation of acute primary angle closure(APAC)in China.METHODS:A consecutive case series with historical controls was conducted at Shenzhen Eye Hospital,the largest specialized hospital in Shenzhen,China.Medical records from a two-month period during the Omicron pandemic(December 1,2022,to January 31,2023)were compared with records from two control groups(12/2018–1/2019 and 12/2021–1/2022)before pandemic.Patients with APAC were included,and the prevalence of APAC and demographic characteristics in Omicron-infected and noninfected patients were compared.RESULTS:Seventy-one(23.43%)out of 303 patients were diagnosed with APAC in the pandemic cohort,which was 2.98 and 2.61 times higher than that in control cohorts(7.87%in 2019,8.96%in 2022,P<0.001).The pandemic cohort has significantly higher Omicron-infected rate(78.87%vs 0 vs 0;P<0.001),lower proportion of glaucoma history(16.90%vs 42.86%vs 41.67%,P=0.005),higher surgical rate(95.77%vs 83.33%vs 78.57%,P=0.024),higher total medical costs and larger pupil diameter(5.63±0.15 vs 4.68±0.15 vs 4.69±0.22 mm,P<0.01).In 83%Omicron-infected patients,ocular symptoms appeared within 3d after systemic symptoms onset.In multivariate analysis,Omicron infection(P<0.001)was the only independent predictor of pupil diameter.CONCLUSION:In the Omicron epidemic in China,there is an increase of prevalence and severity of APAC,particularly focusing on the first 3d following infection.

Experimental Study on the Variation of Optical Imaging Characteristics with Zenith Angle due to Internal Solitary Waves in Sunglint

Internal solitary waves(ISWs)change the roughness of the sea surface,thus producing dark and bright bands in optical images.However,reasons for changes in imaging characteristics with the solar zenith angle remain unclear.In this paper,the optical imaging pattern of ISWs in sunglint under different zenith angles of the light source is investigated by collecting optical images of ISWs through physical simulation.The experiment involves setting 10 zenith angles of the light source,which are divided into area a the optical images of ISWs in the three areas show dark-bright mode,single bright band,and bright-dark mode,which are consistent with those observed by optical remote sensing.In addition,this study analyzed the percentage of the dark and bright areas of the bands and the change in the relative gray difference and found changes in both areas under different zenith angles of the light source.The MODIS and ASAR images display a similar brightness-darkness distance of the same ISWs.Therefore,the relationship between the brightness-darkness distance and the characteristic half-width of ISWs is determined in accordance with the eKdV theory and the imaging mechanism of ISWs of the SAR image.Overall,the relationship between them in the experiment is almost consistent with the theoretical result.

Fine mapping of two recessive genes TaFLA1 and TaSPL8 controlling flag leaf angle in bread wheat

Flag leaf angle is one of the key target traits in high yield wheat breeding.A smaller flag leaf angle reduces shading and enables plants to grow at a higher density,which increases yield.Here we identified a mutant,je0407,with an 84.34%-89.35%smaller flag leaf angle compared with the wild type.The mutant also had an abnormal lamina joint and no ligule or auricle.Genetic analysis indicated that the ligule was controlled by two recessive genes,which were mapped to chromosomes 2AS and 2DL.The mutant allele on chromosome 2AS was named Tafla1b,and it was fine mapped to a 1 Mb physical interval.The mutant allele on chr.2DL was identified as Taspl8b,a novel allele of TaSPL8 with a missense mutation in the second exon,which was used to develop a cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence marker.F3 and F4 lines derived from crosses between Jing411 and je0407 were genotyped to investigate interactions between the Tafla1b and Taspl8b alleles.Plants with the Tafla1b/Taspl8a genotype had 58.41%-82.76%smaller flag leaf angles,6.4%-24.9%shorter spikes,and a greater spikelet density(0.382 more spikelets per cm)compared with the wild type.Plants with the Tafla1a/Taspl8b genotype had 52.62%-82.24%smaller flag leaf angles and no differences in plant height or spikelet density compared with the wild type.Tafla1b/Taspl8b plants produced erect leaves with an abnormal lamina joint.The two alleles had dosage effects on ligule formation and flag leaf angle,but no significant effect on thousand-grain weight.The mutant alleles provide novel resources for improvement of wheat plant architecture.

An approach for determination of lateral limit angle in kinematic planar sliding analysis for rock slopes

Planar sliding is one of the frequently observed types of failure in rock slopes.Kinematic analysis is a classic and widely used method to examine the potential failure modes in rock masses.The accuracy of planar sliding kinematic analysis is significantly influenced by the value assigned to the lateral limit angleγlim.However,the assignment ofγlim is currently used generally based on an empirical criterion.This study aims to propose an approach for determining the value ofγlim in deterministic and probabilistic kinematic planar sliding analysis.A new perspective is presented to reveal thatγlim essentially influences the probability of forming a potential planar sliding block.The procedure to calculate this probability is introduced using the block theory method.It is found that the probability is correlated with the number of discontinuity sets presented in rock masses.Thus,different values ofγlim for rock masses with different sets of discontinuities are recommended in both probabilistic and deterministic planar sliding kinematic analyses;whereas a fixed value ofγlim is commonly assigned to different types of rock masses in traditional method.Finally,an engineering case was used to compare the proposed and traditional kinematic analysis methods.The error rates of the traditional method vary from 45%to 119%,while that of the proposed method ranges between 1%and 17%.Therefore,it is likely that the proposed method is superior to the traditional one.

A highly sensitive fluorescent probe RN-NA reveals peroxynitrite as a novel biomarker for primary open angle glaucoma

AIM:To directly quantify peroxynitrite(ONOO-)using a highly sensitive fluorescence resonance energy transfer probe RN-NA,investigate the association between ONOOand primary open angle glaucoma(POAG),and clarify whether RN-NA could be used as a potential tool for POAG diagnosis.METHODS:Plasma and aqueous humor(AH)samples were collected from POAG patients(n=100,age:59.70±6.87y)and age-related cataract(ARC)patients(n=100,age:61.15±4.60y)admitted to our hospital.Next,RN-NA was used to detect ONOO-in plasma and AH samples,and the relationship between ONOO-level and POAG was analyzed using binary logistic regression.Besides,Pearson correlation analysis was applied to characterize the correlation of the levels of ONOO-with the patients’age,intraocular pressure(IOP),and mean deviation of visual field testing.The ONOO-scavenger MnTMPyP was employed to treat the 3-morpholinosyndnomine(SIN-1)-induced ocular hypertension in mice(n=7,6-8wk).Finally,the IOP and ONOO-in both eyes were measured 30min after the last drug treatment.RESULTS:ONOO-levels of AH and plasma were significantly higher in the POAG group than in the ARC group(P<0.01).Additionally,ONOO-levels were closely correlated with POAG in a binary logistic regression analysis[odds ratio(OR)=1.008,95%confidence interval(CI):1.002-1.013,P<0.01 for AH;OR=1.004,95%CI:1.002-1.006,P<0.001 for plasma].Pearson correlation analysis showed that ONOO-levels in AH or plasma were positively associated with visual field defects(R=0.51,P<0.01 for AH;R=0.45,P<0.001 for plasma),and ONOO-levels in plasma and AH were correlated in the POAG group(R=0.69,P<0.001).However,administering MnTMPyP to mouse eyes reversed the elevated IOP caused by SIN-1(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:ONOO-levels in AH and plasma,detected by RN-NA,are significantly related to POAG and positively correlated with visual field defects in POAG patients.Hence,ONOO-is a potential biomarker of POAG,especially advanced POAG.Besides,anti-nitration compounds may be novel ocular hypotensive agents based on the animal study.

Blade Wrap Angle Impact on Centrifugal Pump Performance:Entropy Generation and Fluid-Structure Interaction Analysis

The centrifugal pump is a prevalent power equipment widely used in different engineering patterns,and the impeller blade wrap angle significantly impacts its performance.A numerical investigation was conducted to analyze the influence of the blade wrap angle on flow characteristics and energy distribution of a centrifugal pump evaluated as a low specific speed with a value of 69.This study investigates six impellermodels that possess varying blade wrap angles(95°,105°,115°,125°,135°,and 145°)that were created while maintaining the same volute and other geometrical characteristics.The investigation of energy loss was conducted to evaluate the values of total and entropy generation rates(TEG,EGR).The fluid-structure interaction was considered numerically using the software tools ANSYS Fluent and ANSYSWorkbench.The elastic structural dynamic equation was used to estimate the structural response,while the shear stress transport k–ωturbulence model was utilized for the fluid domain modeling.The findings suggest that the blade wrap angle has a significant influence on the efficiency of the pump.The impeller featuring a blade wrap angle of 145°exhibits higher efficiency,with a notable increase of 3.76%relative to the original model.Variations in the blade wrap angle impact the energy loss,shaft power,and pump head.The model with a 145°angle exhibited a maximum equivalent stress of 14.8MPa and a total deformation of 0.084 mm.The results provide valuable insights into the intricate flow mechanism of the centrifugal pump,particularly when considering various blade wrap angles.

Effect of Nozzle Inclination Angle on Fuel-Air Mixing and Combustion in a Heavy Fuel Engine

Heavy-fuel engines are widely used in UAVs(Unmanned Autonomous Vehicles)because of their reliability and high-power density.In this study,a combustion model for an in-cylinder direct injection engine has been imple-mented using the AVL FIRE software.The effects of the angle of nozzle inclination on fuel evaporation,mixture distribution,and combustion in the engine cylinder have been systematically studied at 5500 r/min and consider-ing full load cruise conditions.According to the results,as the angle of nozzle inclination increases,the maximum combustion explosion pressure in the cylinderfirst increases and then it decreases.When the angle of nozzle incli-nation is less than 45°,the quality of the mixture in the cylinder and the combustion performance can be improved by increasing the angle.When the angle of nozzle inclination is greater than 45°,however,the mixture unevenness increases slightly with the angle,leading to a deterioration of the combustion performances.When the angle of nozzle inclination is between 35°and 55°,the overall combustion performance of the engine is rela-tively good.When the angle of nozzle inclination is 45°,the combustion chamber’s geometry and the cylinder’s airflow are well matched with the fuel spray,and the mixture quality is the best.Compared with 25°,the peak heat release rate increases by 20%,and the maximum combustion burst pressure increases by 5.5%.

On the effect of pitch and yaw angles in oblique impacts of smallcaliber projectiles

A terminal ballistic analysis of the effects of 7.62 mm × 51 AP P80 rounds on inclined high-strength armor steel plates is the focus of the presented study.The findings of an instrumented ballistic testing combined with 3D advanced numerical simulations performed using the IMPETUS Afea? software yielded the conclusions.The experimental verification proved that slight differences in the pitch-andyaw angles of a projectile upon an impact caused different damage types to the projectile’s core.The residual velocities predicted numerically were close to the experimental values and the calculated core deviations were in satisfactory agreement with the experimental results.An extended matrix of the core deviation angles with combinations of pitch-and-yaw upon impact angles was subsequently built on the basis of the numerical study.The presented experimental and numerical investigation examined thoroughly the influence of the initial pitch and yaw angles on the after-perforation projectile’s performance.

Coupled DEM-FDM analyses of the effects of falling rock’s shape and impact angle on response of granular cushion and rock shed

Rock shed is an effective protection measure against rockfall.To investigate the influences of falling rock’s shape and impact angle on the impact effect of the cushioned rock shed,a modeling approach for a rock shed with a cushion layer using PFC-FLAC.The granular cushion is modeled as an aggregate of discrete non-cohesion particles,while the concrete plate and the beam are modeled as zones.The falling rock with different sphericities and impact angles is modeled as a rigid assembly.The numerical model is validated by comparing the simulation results with experimental and numerical results from previous literature.This model is applied to analyze the effects of rock shape and impact angle on the dynamic interaction effects between falling rock and cushioned rock shed,including the impact force,transmitted bottom force,penetration depth,and plate deflection.The numerical results show that the variation in the falling rock’s shape has different effects on the falling rock with different impact angles.These findings could support rock shed design by revealing the limitations of the assumptions in the past research,which may result in unsafe rock sheds for some rockfall cases.

MP-3 microperimeter in early primary open angle glaucoma with a new pattern

AIM:To investigate macular microperimetry in patients with early primary open angle glaucoma(POAG)using a new custom-made pattern,and analyze the characteristics of macular sensitivity.METHODS:This case-control study included 38 patients with POAG,who were divided into pre-perimetric glaucoma(18 eyes of 18 patients),early-stage(20 eyes of 20 patients),and control(20 eyes of 20 patients)groups.All subjects underwent standard 24-2 humphrey visual field test.An MP-3 microperimeter with a new custom-made pattern(28 testing points distributed in four quadrants,covering the central 10°of the retina)was used to evaluate macular sensitivity.Ganglion cell complex(GCC)thicknesses were examined using an RS-3000 Advance OCT system.The features of structure and function were analysed per quadrant.RESULTS:The pre-perimetric glaucoma group had significantly lower inferior hemifield macular sensitivity compared to controls(P<0.05).The early-stage POAG group had significantly lower average,inferior hemifield,inferonasal,and inferotemporal mean sensitivities compared to the pre-perimetric glaucoma group(P<0.05),and lower macular sensitivity in all sectors compared to controls(P<0.05).Regarding GCC thickness,all sectors in the early-stage POAG group became thinner compared to those in controls(P<0.05);whereas all sectors in the early-stage POAG group,except the superonasal quadrant,became thinner compared to those in the pre-perimetric glaucoma group(P<0.05).Macular sensitivity and GCC thickness were significantly associated in each sector.The inferotemporal quadrant had the highest correlation coefficients(0.840).The structure-function relationship for the inferonasal and inferotemporal sectors was stronger compared to the corresponding superior sectors.CONCLUSION:Microperimetry reveals variations in macular sensitivity in patients with early glaucoma earlier than conventional perimetry,particularly in pre-perimetric glaucoma cases in which it might be undetectable by conventional methods.The new custom-made pattern may improve the accuracy of microperimetry by enhancing point arrangement and reducing fatigue effects.Macular sensitivity measured by MP-3 with this pattern shows statistically significant structural and functional associations with the thicknesses of the GCC.

Intraocular pressure and gonioscopic findings in primary angle-closure disease in India—a big data study

AIM:To describe the gonioscopic profile and intraocular pressure(IOP)in primary angle-closure(PAC)disease in patients presenting to a tertiary eye care network in India.METHODS:A cross-sectional hospital-based study that included 31484 new patients presenting between 2011 and 2021.Patients with a clinical diagnosis of PAC/suspect/glaucoma were included.The data was collected from an electronic medical record system.RESULTS:PAC glaucoma(PACG)(47.55%)was the most common diagnosis followed by PAC(39.49%)and PAC suspect(PACS;12.96%).Female preponderance(54.6%)was noted with higher mean age at presentation among males(P<0.0001).PACS and PAC showed the highest prevalence in 6th decade but PACG was higher at 7th decade.The probability of angle opening was 95.93%,90.32%and 63.36%in PACS,PAC and PACG eyes respectively post peripheral iridotomy(PI).Plateau iris syndrome(PIS)was noted in 252 eyes and all showed post dilated rise of IOP.A post dilated IOP rise was also noted with 8.86%,33.95%and 57.19%eyes with PACS,PAC and PACG respectively with IOP rise between 6-8 mm Hg across the disease spectrum.CONCLUSION:The superior quadrant is the narrowest angle and difficult to open with indentation and post PI.The probability of angle opening is less in PIS especially the complete variety along with post dilated IOP rise.The post dilated IOP rise in angle closure eyes warrants a careful dilatation,especially with PIS.

Corrective Effect of the Angle of Incidence of the Magnetic Field Intensity on the Performance (Series and Shunt Resistances) of a Bifacial Silicon Solar Cell

This article presents a three-dimensional analysis of the impact of the angle of incidence of the magnetic field intensity on the electrical performance (series resistance, shunt resistance) of a bifacial polycrystalline silicon solar cell. The cell is illuminated simultaneously from both sides. The continuity equation for the excess minority carriers is solved at the emitter and at the depth of the base respectively. The analytical expressions for photocurrent density, photovoltage, series resistance and shunt resistance were deduced. Using these expressions, the values of the series and shunt resistances were extracted for different values of the angle of incidence of the magnetic field intensity. The study shows that as the angle of incidence increases, the slopes of the minority carrier density for the two modes of operation of the solar cell decrease. This is explained by a drop in the accumulation of carriers in the area close to the junction due to the fact that the Lorentz force is unable to drive the carriers towards the lateral surfaces due to the weak action of the magnetic field, which tends to cancel out as the incidence angle increases, and consequently a drop in the open circuit photovoltage. This, in turn, reduces the Lorentz force. These results predict that the p-n junction of the solar cell will not heat up. The study also showed a decrease in series resistance as the incidence angle of the magnetic field intensity increased from 0 rad to π/2 rad and an increase in shunt resistance as the incidence angle increased. His behaviour of the electrical parameters when the angle of incidence of the field from 0 rad to π/2 rad shows that the decreasing magnetic field vector tends to be collinear with the electron trajectory. This allows them to cross the junction and participate in the external current. The best orientation for the Lorentz force is zero, in which case the carriers can move easily towards the junction.

Functional Dependence of IM and HV Angle in Hallux Valgus Deformity before and after Operative

Hallux valgus is a relatively common and multifaceted complex deformity of the front part of the foot. It is the result of multiple effects of innate (endogenous) and exogenous etiological factors with different degrees of influence. The degree of hallux valgus deformity is usually assessed by radiological values of hallux valgus (HV) and intermetatarsal (IM) angles. The aim of the paper is to justify the definition of hallux valgus deformity as a function of one angle, (HVA or IMA), and then to determine the functional connection and the most suitable function equalizing the values of the angles IMA and HVA. As hallux valgus is a double angulation deformity, the analytically determined connection between the HVA and IMA angles reduces the study of the deformity to the study of function with one argument, and makes the analysis of deformity changes before and after operative treatment simpler. For the determined connections between the angles, the values of linear proportionality coefficients and regression coefficients of corresponding linear functions of analytical equalization of the value of the IM angle and the degree of deformity for a given value of the HV angle were experimentally determined. The obtained results were checked on a sample of 396 operatively treated hallux valgus deformities. The presented analytical approach and the obtained functional links of IMA and HVA enable quantitative observation of the change in the degree of deformity based on the radiologically determined value of these angles, and the established nonlinear function will be useful for evaluating the expected value of the IM angle and the degree of deformity based only on the measured value of the HV angle. .

Development of a DFN-based probabilistic block theory approach for bench face angle design in open pit mining

In open pit mining,uncontrolled block instabilities have serious social,economic and regulatory consequences,such as casualties,disruption of operation and increased regulation difficulties.For this reason,bench face angle,as one of the controlling parameters associated with block instabilities,should be carefully designed for sustainable mining.This study introduces a discrete fracture network(DFN)-based probabilistic block theory approach for the fast design of the bench face angle.A major advantage is the explicit incorporation of discontinuity size and spatial distribution in the procedure of key blocks testing.The proposed approach was applied to a granite mine in China.First,DFN models were generated from a multi-step modeling procedure to simulate the complex structural characteristics of pit slopes.Then,a modified key blocks searching method was applied to the slope faces modeled,and a cumulative probability of failure was obtained for each sector.Finally,a bench face angle was determined commensurate with an acceptable risk level of stability.The simulation results have shown that the number of hazardous traces exposed on the slope face can be significantly reduced when the suggested bench face angle is adopted,indicating an extremely low risk of uncontrolled block instabilities.