The Value of Androgen Measures for Diagnosing Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in an Unselected Population.

Objective: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is diagnosed by a combination of three features: hyperandrogenism (biochemical and/or clinical), ovulatory dysfunction, and polycystic ovarian morphology, usually detected by ultrasonography. Our study aimed to determine the need for androgen measurements by using hirsutism to establish hyperandrogenism for diagnosing PCOS in a medically unbiased population.

Materials And Methods: We utilized a pre-existing cohort of unselected (medically unbiased) females aged 18-45 years.

Effects of chemical & biological warfare agent decontaminants on trace survival: Impact on DNA profiling from blood and saliva.

Forensic investigations following incidents involving chemical or biological agents present considerable challenges. Understanding the possibilities and limitations can aid in determining the most suitable procedures and enhancing the recovery of useful traces in these complex situations. This work complements previously published results on the effects of decontaminants on fingermarks deposited on glass.

Highest Achievable Outcomes for Adult Spinal Deformity Corrective Surgery: Does Frailty Severity Exert a Ceiling Effect?

Study Design: Retrospective single-center study.

Objective: To assess the influence of frailty on optimal outcome following ASD corrective surgery.

Summary Of Background Data: Frailty is a determining factor in outcomes after ASD surgery and may exert a ceiling effect on the best possible outcome.

Risk of spinal surgery among individuals who have been re-vascularized for coronary artery disease.

Hypothesis: Revascularization is a more effective intervention to reduce future postop complications.

Methods: Patients undergoing elective spine fusion surgery were isolated in the PearlDiver database. Patients were stratified by having previous history of vascular stenting (Stent), coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), and no previous heart procedure (No-HP).

Cost Benefit of Implementation of Risk Stratification Models for Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery.

Study Design/setting: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Assess the extent to which defined risk factors of adverse events are drivers of cost-utility in spinal deformity (ASD) surgery.

Methods: ASD patients with 2-year (2Y) data were included.

Nanocellulose aerogels as 3D amyloid templates.

Proteins in solution tend to coat solid surfaces upon exposure. Depending on the nature of the surface, the environmental conditions, and the nature of the protein these adsorbed proteins may self-assemble into ordered, fibre-like structures called amyloids. Nanoparticulate surfaces, with their high surface to volume ratio, are particularly favourable to amyloid formation.

Trends in usage of navigation and robotic assistance in elective spine surgeries: a study of 105,212 cases from 2007 to 2015.

Objective: Identify trends of navigation and robotic-assisted elective spine surgeries.

Methods: Elective spine surgery patients between 2007 and 2015 in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) were isolated by ICD-9 codes for Navigation [Nav] or Robotic [Rob]-Assisted surgery. Basic demographics and surgical variables were identified via chi-squared and t tests.

2D foam film coating of antimicrobial lysozyme amyloid fibrils onto cellulose nanopapers.

Amyloid fibrils made from inexpensive hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) are bio-based, bio-degradable and bio-compatible colloids with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, making them an attractive alternative to existing small-molecule antibiotics. Their surface activity leads to the formation of 2D foam films within a loop, similar to soap films when blowing bubbles. The stability of the foam was optimized by screening concentration and pH, which also revealed that the HEWL amyloid foams were actually stabilized by unconverted peptides unable to undergo amyloid self-assembly rather than the fibrils themselves.

Concurrent Presence of Thoracolumbar Scoliosis and Chiari Malformation: Is Operative Risk Magnified?

Study Design: Retrospective review of Kids' Inpatient Database (KID).

Purpose: Identify the risks and complications associated with surgery in adolescents diagnosed with Chiari and scoliosis.

Overview Of Literature: Scoliosis is frequently associated with Chiari malformation (CM).

Nanocomposites of cellulose nanofibers incorporated with carvacrol via stabilizing octenyl succinic anhydride-modified ɛ-polylysine.

Food packaging plays an extremely important role in the global food chain, allowing for products to be shipped across long distances without spoiling. However, there is an increased need to both reduce plastic waste caused by traditional single-use plastic packaging and improve the overall functionality of packaging materials to extend shelf-life even further. Herein, we investigate composite mixtures based on cellulose nanofibers and carvacrol via stabilizing octenyl-succinic anhydride-modified epsilon polylysine (MɛPL-CNF) for active food packaging applications.

Factors Influencing Maintenance of Alignment and Functional Improvement Following Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery: A 3-Year Outcome Analysis.

Study Design: This was a retrospective review.

Objective: To assess the factors contributing to durability of surgical results following adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery.

Summary Of Background: Factors contributing to the long-term sustainability of ASD correction are currently undefined.

Amyloid fibril-nanocellulose interactions and self-assembly.

Amyloid fibrils from inexpensive food proteins and nanocellulose are renewable and biodegradable materials with broad ranging applications, such as water purification, bioplastics and biomaterials. To improve the mechanical properties of hybrid amyloid-nanocellulose materials, their colloidal interactions need to be understood and tuned. A combination of turbidity and zeta potential measurements, rheology and atomic force microscopy point to the importance of electrostatic interactions.

External Validation of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Calculator Utilizing a Single Institutional Experience for Adult Spinal Deformity Corrective Surgery.

Background: Identify the external applicability of the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) risk calculator in the setting of adult spinal deformity (ASD) and subsets of patients based on deformity and frailty status.

Methods: ASD patients were isolated in our single-center database and analyzed for the shared predictive variables displayed in the NSQIP calculator. Patients were stratified by frailty (not frail <0.

Failure to Normalize Risk Profile of Spine Fusion Patients With Coronary Artery Disease Previously Treated With Percutaneous Stent Revascularization.

Background: The impact of an initially less invasive cardiac intervention on outcomes of future surgical spine procedures has been understudied; therefore, we sought to investigate the effect of coronary stents on postoperative outcomes in an elective spine fusion cohort.

Methods: Elective spine fusion patients were isolated with International Classification of Diseases-Ninth Edition and current procedural terminology procedure codes in the PearlDiver database. Patients were stratified by number of coronary stents: (1) 1 to 2 stents (ST12); (2) 3 to 4 stents (ST34); (3) no stents.

Predictors of Complication Severity Following Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery: Smoking Rate, Diabetes, and Osteotomy Increase Risk of Severe Adverse Events.

Background: Given the physical and economic burden of complications in spine surgery, reducing the prevalence of perioperative adverse events is a primary concern of both patients and health care professionals. This study aims to identify specific perioperative factors predictive of developing varying grades of postoperative complications in adult spinal deformity (ASD) patients, as assessed by the Clavien-Dindo complication classification (Cc) system.

Methods: Surgical ASD patients ≥18 years were identified in the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program from 2005 to 2015.

The Effects of Global Alignment and Proportionality Scores on Postoperative Outcomes After Adult Spinal Deformity Correction.

Background: Recent studies have suggested achieving global alignment and proportionality (GAP) alignment may influence mechanical complications after adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery.

Objective: To investigate the association between the GAP score and mechanical complications after ASD surgery.

Methods: Patients with ASD with at least 5-level fusion to pelvis and minimum 2-year data were included.

The Colloidal Properties of Nanocellulose.

Nanocelluloses are anisotropic nanoparticles of semicrystalline assemblies of glucan polymers. They have great potential as renewable building blocks in the materials platform of a more sustainable society. As a result, the research on nanocellulose has grown exponentially over the last decades.

Phase Behavior, Self-Assembly, and Adhesive Potential of Cellulose Nanocrystal-Bovine Serum Albumin Amyloid Composites.

Structural organization is ubiquitous throughout nature and contributes to the outstanding mechanical/adhesive performance of organisms including geckoes, barnacles, and crustaceans. Typically, these types of structures are composed of polysaccharide and protein-based building blocks, and therefore, there is significant research interest in using similar building blocks in the fabrication of high-performance synthetic materials. Via evaporation-induced self-assembly, the organization of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) into a chiral nematic regime results in the formation of structured CNC films with prominent mechanical, optical, and photonic properties.

The potential of digital technologies in problem-based forensic learning activities.

Forensic practice is the concluding practical course of the forensic science bachelor program at the School of Criminal Justice of the University of Lausanne. Learning activities are constructed around five main objectives for the resolution of simulated forensic case problems: 1) select relevant traces and items to be collected at the scene and perceive their potential value in the reconstruction process, 2) apply appropriate detection techniques in sequence to obtain clues of good quality, 3) process traces using Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation and Verification (ACE-V) methodology, 4) produce and summarise information in oral and written forms to help an investigation, and 5) work collaboratively to benefit from the diversity of group members. Simulating and supervising realistic activities is a complex task that became more and more challenging with a continuously increasing number of students over the years (from ca.

Controlling lipid crystallization across multiple length scales by directed shear flow.

The crystallization behavior of lipids is relevant in many fields such as adipose tissue formation and regeneration, forensic investigations and food production. Using a lipid model system composed of triacylglycerols, we study the formation of crystalline structures under laminar shear flows across various length scales by polarized light-, scanning electron-, and atomic force microscopy, as well as laser diffraction spectroscopy. The shear rate during crystallization γ̇ influences the acyl-chain length structure and promotes domain growth into the flow direction thereby transforming the crystallites from oblate into prolate particles.

Cervical deformity patients with baseline hyperlordosis or hyperkyphosis differ in surgical treatment and radiographic outcomes.

Background: Patients with symptomatic cervical deformity (CD) requiring surgical correction often present with hyperkyphosis (HK), although patients with hyperlordotic curves may require surgery as well. Few studies have investigated differences in CD corrective surgery with regard to HK and hyperlordosis (HL).

Objective: The objective of the study is to evaluate patterns in treatment for CD patients with baseline (BL) HK and HL and understand how extreme curvature of the spine may influence surgical outcomes.

Improvements in Outcomes and Cost After Adult Spinal Deformity Corrective Surgery Between 2008 and 2019.

Study Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Objective: To assess whether patient outcomes and cost-effectiveness of adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery have improved over the past decade.

Background: Surgery for ASD is an effective intervention, but one that is also associated with large initial healthcare expenditures.

Highest Achievable Outcomes for Patients Undergoing Cervical Deformity Corrective Surgery by Frailty.

Background: Frailty is influential in determining operative outcomes, including complications, in patients with cervical deformity (CD).

Objective: To assess whether frailty status limits the highest achievable outcomes of patients with CD.

Methods: Adult patients with CD with 2-year (2Y) data included.

Trends in Outcomes of a Prospective Consecutively Enrolled Single-Center Adult Cervical Deformity Series.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort.

Objective: The aim was to describe the two-year outcomes for patients undergoing surgical correction of cervical deformity (CD).

Background: Adult CD has been shown to compromise health-related quality of life.

Effects of chemical warfare agent decontaminants on trace survival: Impact on fingermarks deposited on glass.

Following a chemical incident involving chemical warfare agents or more broadly, chemical weapons, there are two possible approaches in dealing with the traditional forensic analysis of contaminated exhibits. The first is to analyze the contaminated items under safe conditions (i.e.