[Challenge of limb care after violence and war with a special focus on imaging procedures].

Background: Injury patterns in the area of the extremities following violence and war harbor many special features and require special attention. Destructive and complex defect injuries are often present, which necessitate elaborate and special reconstruction approaches, predominantly as part of a staged and multistaged procedure.

Research Question: In this context, special attention must be paid to the diagnostic options as an essential aspect, as a clear diagnosis means that targeted treatment steps can be planned and implemented.

Visualization of Activated Area on Polymers for Evaluation of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jets.

The treatment of a polymer surface using an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) causes a local increase of the surface free energy (SFE). The plasma-treated zone can be visualized with the use of a test ink and quantitatively evaluated. However, the inked area is shrinking with time.

Geriatric Pharmacology: An Update.

An aging worldwide population demands that anesthesiologists consider geriatrics a unique subset of patients requiring customization of practice. This article reviews the current literature investigating physiologic changes of the elderly that affect pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Changes in drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion are discussed as well as the ultimate effects of medications.

miR-27b-mediated suppression of aquaporin-11 expression in hepatocytes reduces HCV genomic RNA levels but not viral titers.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have gained much attention as cellular factors regulating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. miR-27b has been shown to regulate HCV infection in the hepatocytes via various mechanisms that have not been fully elucidated. In this study, therefore, we examined the mechanisms of miR-27b-mediated regulation of HCV infection.

Voxel-wise deviations from healthy aging for the detection of region-specific atrophy.

The identification of pathological atrophy in MRI scans requires specialized training, which is scarce outside dedicated centers. We sought to investigate the clinical usefulness of computer-generated representations of local grey matter (GM) loss or increased volume of cerebral fluids (CSF) as normalized deviations (z-scores) from healthy aging to either aid human visual readings or directly detect pathological atrophy. Two experienced neuroradiologists rated atrophy in 30 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), 30 patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), 30 with dementia due to Lewy-body disease (LBD) and 30 healthy controls (HC) on a three-point scale in 10 anatomical regions as reference gold standard.

Quadriceps Strength in Patients With Isolated Cartilage Defects of the Knee: Results of Isokinetic Strength Measurements and Their Correlation With Clinical and Functional Results.

Background: Recent studies have found a significant deficit of maximum quadriceps strength after autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) of the knee. However, it is unclear whether muscular strength deficits in patients with cartilage damage exist prior to operative treatment.

Purpose: To isokinetically test maximum quadriceps muscle strength and quantify the impact of possible strength deficits on functional and clinical test results.

[Practicing veterinarians' perception of bovine ringworm as herd health problem].

Objective: Bovine ringworm (tinea) is generally described as a disease occurring regularly in cattle. Actual data are rare, whereas the disease is regularly reported in case reports. To eradicate bovine ringworm, perception as well as measures, including hygiene and disinfection, are required.

Adaptive working memory training improved brain function in human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive patients.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an adaptive working memory (WM) training (WMT) program, the corresponding neural correlates, and LMX1A-rs4657412 polymorphism on the adaptive WMT, in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) participants compared to seronegative (SN) controls.

Methods: A total of 201 of 206 qualified participants completed baseline assessments before randomization to 25 sessions of adaptive WMT or nonadaptive WMT. A total of 74 of 76 (34 HIV, 42 SN) completed adaptive WMT and all 40 completed nonadaptive WMT (20 HIV, 20 SN) and were assessed after 1 month, and 55 adaptive WMT participants were also assessed after 6 months.

Analysis of Postoperative Thoracolumbar Spine Infections in a Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial Using the Centers for Disease Control Surgical Site Infection Criteria.

Introduction: Wound infections following spinal surgery place a high toll on both the patient and the healthcare system. Although several large series studies have examined the incidence and distribution of spinal wound infection, the applicability of these studies varies greatly since nearly every study is either retrospective and/or lacks standard inclusion criteria for defining surgical site infection. To address this void, we present results from prospectively gathered thoracolumbar spine surgery data for which the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) criteria were stringently applied to define a surgical site infection (SSI).

Brain Microstructure and Impulsivity Differ between Current and Past Methamphetamine Users.

Methamphetamine (Meth) use disorder continues to be highly prevalent worldwide. Meth users have higher impulsivity and brain abnormalities that may be different between current and past Meth users. The current study assessed impulsivity and depressive symptoms in 94 participants (27 current Meth users, 32 past Meth users and 35 non-drug user controls).

Delayed early developmental trajectories of white matter tracts of functional pathways in preterm-born infants: Longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging data.

Probabilistic maps of white matter pathways related to motor, somatosensory, auditory, visual, and limbic functions, and major white matter tracts (the corpus callosum, the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, and the middle cerebellar peduncle) were applied to evaluate the developmental trajectories of these tracts, using longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) obtained in term-born and preterm-born healthy infants. Nineteen term-born and 30 preterm-born infants completed MR scans at three time points: Time-point 1, 41.6±2.

Vacuum-Assisted Closure in the Management of Degloving Soft Tissue Injury: A Case Report.

We report the case of a patient with an extensive degloving injury to his right foot involving severe subcutaneous soft tissue disruption and contamination. The initial treatment consisted of debridement, which was kept to a minimum, copious irrigation, primary wound closure at a few sites, and coverage of the remaining skin defects with vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) dressings. After a few weeks of VAC therapy for wound bed preparation, definitive coverage with a meshed skin graft was possible.

Probabilistic maps of the white matter tracts with known associated functions on the neonatal brain atlas: Application to evaluate longitudinal developmental trajectories in term-born and preterm-born infants.

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been widely used to investigate the development of the neonatal and infant brain, and deviations related to various diseases or medical conditions like preterm birth. In this study, we created a probabilistic map of fiber pathways with known associated functions, on a published neonatal multimodal atlas. The pathways-of-interest include the superficial white matter (SWM) fibers just beneath the specific cytoarchitectonically defined cortical areas, which were difficult to evaluate with existing DTI analysis methods.

[Detection of Coxiella burnetii in dairy cattle bulk tank milk and single tank milk samples by confirmatory testing].

Q fever is a worldwide zoonotic disease caused by the pathogen Coxiella (C.) burnetii. A wide range of animal species is susceptible to this intracellular bacterium with great importance in ruminants.

Appropriateness of Twenty-four-Hour Antibiotic Prophylaxis After Spinal Surgery in Which a Drain Is Utilized: A Prospective Randomized Study.

Background: Wound drains that are left in place for a prolonged period of time have a higher rate of bacterial contamination. Following spinal surgery, a drain is often left in place for a longer period of time if it maintains a high output. Given the major consequences of an infection following spinal surgery and the lack of data with regard to the use of antibiotics and drains, we performed a study of patients with a drain following spinal surgery to compare infection rates between those who were treated with antibiotics for twenty-four hours and those who received antibiotics for the duration for which the drain was in place.

An observational study of inflammation in the central nervous system in patients with bipolar disorder.

Objectives: The potential influence of infections and immunological changes on the aetiology and pathogenesis of bipolar disorder (BD) has been discussed. Our aim was to detect intrathecal specific antibody synthesis against the neurotropic infectious agents that have previously been linked to BD.

Methods: Paired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples from 40 patients with BD were analysed using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect the concentration of antibodies against the following neurotropic infectious pathogens: Toxoplasma gondii (T.

Locking-plate osteosynthesis versus intramedullary nailing for fixation of olecranon fractures: a biomechanical study.

Purpose: Intramedullary nailing and locked plating for fixation of olecranon fractures has recently gained popularity. However, these two new technologies have not been compared for their biomechanical efficacy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical stability of two newly designed fracture fixation devices for treating olecranon fractures during dynamic continuous loading: the ION intramedullary locking nail and the LCP precontoured locking compression plate.

Cost analysis of anterior-posterior circumferential fusion and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.

Background Context: Although lumbar interbody fusion has long been a common procedure in the practice of spine surgery, focus on the technological development has produced the relatively new procedure of transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). This procedure is often available to surgeons as an alternative to anterior-posterior circumferential fusion (AP fusion), and both procedures have been demonstrated to be clinically equivalent at up to 5 years after surgery. In the context of clinical equipoise, it is unknown which procedure is more economically advantageous.

Retrospective cost analysis of cervical laminectomy and fusion versus cervical laminoplasty in the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

Background: Cervical laminoplasty (CLP) and posterior cervical laminectomy and fusion (CLF) are well-established surgical procedures used in the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). In situations of clinical equipoise, an influential factor in procedural decision making could be the economic effect of the chosen procedure. The object of this study is to compare and analyze the total hospital costs and charges pertaining to patients undergoing CLP or CLF for the treatment of CSM.

Cost-utility analysis modeling at 2-year follow-up for cervical disc arthroplasty versus anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: A single-center contribution to the randomized controlled trial.

Background: Patients with cervical disc herniations resulting in radiculopathy or myelopathy from single level disease have traditionally been treated with Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF), yet Cervical Disc Arthroplasty (CDA) is a new alternative. Expert suggestion of reduced adjacent segment degeneration is a promising future result of CDA. A cost-utility analysis of these procedures with long-term follow-up has not been previously reported.

Validity of Cobb angle measurements using digitally photographed radiographs.

Background Context: Advances in technology are influencing the way that medical information is archived and shared. Considering that an estimated two-thirds of the world has little or no orthopedic care, high demand exists for adequate consultation regarding diagnostic images in orthopedic specialties.

Purpose: To validate the use of photographed scoliosis films for the accurate interpretation of Cobb angles.