Background: Defining an intraoperative radiographic view to best determine the radial styloid screw position in locked volar plating of distal radius fractures may improve fixation and aid in decreasing cortical penetration and implant complication. We used a cadaveric model to demonstrate a reproducible, oblique radiographic view to identify the radial styloid screw position. Methods: Nine fresh-frozen elbow-to-fingertip cadavers were used for this study. A 2.4-mm variable angle volar distal radius locking plate was applied to the distal radius. A Kirschner wire (K-wire) was inserted into the radial styloid through the plate. Placement of the K-wire through the tip of the styloid at the cortical edge was confirmed through a separate radial incision. A second K-wire was placed through the radius shaft into the ulna to aid in angular measurements. Live fluoroscopic imaging was used as the forearm was brought from full 90° of supination toward neutral. Once the K-wire was abutting the cortical edge, rotation ceased, and a goniometer was used to measure the angle of forearm rotation. This was repeated for a total of 3 repetitions on each specimen. Results: The average angle of supination best depicting the position of the radial styloid screw was 68.5° (range = 64.3°-70.5°). Conclusions: Radial styloid screw fixation in locked volar plating of distal radius fractures increases the ultimate strength to failure, but screw penetration and tendon irritation can occur. The 70° supinated oblique intraoperative view provides the most accurate evaluation of the position of the radial styloid screw.

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Peatlands throughout the boreal forest are expected to experience changes in precipitation, evapotranspiration and temperature due to climate change. Correspondingly, changes in hydrologic regimes could lead to increased drought and occurrence of wildfire. Fire management agencies require information about near-real time wildfire vulnerability in boreal peatlands. Remote sensing tools (e.g., NDVI, NDII) to monitor changing wildfire vulnerability focus on monitoring changes in vascular vegetation and are not necessarily applicable to moss-dominated peatlands. We use time series analysis of Sentinel-1 SAR backscatter data to compare the trends in peatlands that have burned to unburned peatlands and show that the Theil-Sen slopes of seasonally decomposed SAR backscatter reflects prolonged drought conditions that can lead to burning. Seasonally decomposed Sentinel-2 NDVI and NDII were also tested but no statistical differences were found between burned and unburned peatlands. Overall, we found that 6 months prior to a wildfire the slope of seasonally decomposed Sentinel-1 VV SAR backscatter was significantly different in burned and unburned peatlands, and can be used to spatially identify fire vulnerability and identify fire-prone areas.

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