Secular Trends in Preterm Birth Rates: Uncovering the Primary Challenge for Perinatal Medicine in Greece.

Introduction: Preterm labour is a serious pregnancy complication that is the primary cause of infant mortality, with detrimental impacts on the offspring and the mother in the short as well as the long term. This study aims to comprehensively present the time trends of national preterm birth rates (PBRs) in Greece.

Methods: Official national data regarding live births in Greece were acquired from the Hellenic Statistical Authority, and the annual total PBR and rates for gestational age groups were computed per 100 total live births spanning from 1980 to 2022.

Survey data on public perceptions towards flying cars and flying taxi services.

An online survey was conducted to evaluate public perceptions towards an emerging transportation technology, namely the flying car, which is expected to join the existing traffic fleet within the following decades. Responses from 692 survey participants were collected. Approximately 84% of the participants were from the United States, and the remaining 16% were from the rest of the world.

Karyotyping and Chromosomal Microarray Analysis in Women Requesting Amniocentesis for Isolated Sonographic Soft Markers or Advanced Maternal Age.

Background: Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) has gained acceptance in prenatal diagnosis, gradually replacing the traditional cytogenetic analysis following amniocentesis or chorionic villi sampling due to its higher resolution than traditional cytogenetics.

Objctive: The present study investigated the prevalence of major and sub-chromosomal abnormalities in fetuses with isolated ultrasound findings during routine anatomy scan or pregnancies of advanced maternal age after maternal request without medical indication.

Methods: Total number of 126 cases were included in total, consisted of two groups; the first group with isolated sonographic soft markers (84 fetuses) and the second group of advanced maternal age (42 fetuses).

Inhibition versus activation of canonical Wnt-signaling, to promote chondrogenic differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells. A review.

Canonical Wnt signaling regulation is essential for controlling stemness and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). However, the mechanism through which canonical Wnt-dependent MSC lineage commitment leads to chondrogenesis is controversial. Some studies hypothesize that inhibition of canonical Wnt signaling induces MSC chondrogenic differentiation, while others support that the pathway should be activated to achieve MSC chondrogenesis.

Do High Visibility Enforcement programs affect aggressive driving behavior? An empirical analysis using Naturalistic Driving Study data.

This paper investigates the effect of High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) programs on different types of aggressive driving behavior, namely, speeding, tailgating, unsafe lane changes and 'other' aggressive driving behavior types (occurrence of not-yielding right-of-way and red light or stop signs violations). For this purpose, the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS) data are used, which include forward-facing videos and time series information with regard to trips conducted at or near the locations of HVE implementation. To capture the intensity and duration of speeding and tailgating, scaled metrics are developed.

Analysis of stationary and dynamic factors affecting highway accident occurrence: A dynamic correlated grouped random parameters binary logit approach.

Traditional accident analysis typically explores non-time-varying (stationary) factors that affect accident occurrence on roadway segments. However, the impact of time-varying (dynamic) factors is not thoroughly investigated. This paper seeks to simultaneously identify pre-crash stationary and dynamic factors of accident occurrence, while accounting for unobserved heterogeneity.

Posterior subdeltoid and external rotators preserving approach for reduction and fixation of displaced extra-articular fractures of the scapula.

Background: Operative management of scapular body fractures, when indicated, typically involves extensive exposure through a posterior approach. We present our experience with a deltoid preserving approach that allows excellent exposure of the fracture lines for reduction and fixation while minimizing muscle detachment and overall tissue trauma.

Technique: Exposure of the scapula was obtained through a posterior incision.

Intra-abdominal and intra-pelvic complications following operations around the hip: causes and management-a review of the literature.

Although successful and well-established procedures, hip operations whether elective or trauma are coupled with a variety of complications. Among the most uncommon complications are injuries to intra-abdominal or intra-pelvic organs which could prove potentially life-threatening. While there are various reports of such injuries in the literature, we aimed to perform a systematic review in order to examine the causes and relationships between intra-abdominal and intra-pelvic complications and the mechanism of injury, the pattern of presentation, identification, the course of management and outcomes.

Survivorship of a Porous Tantalum Monoblock Acetabular Component in Primary Hip Arthroplasty With a Mean Follow-Up of 18 Years.

Background: The use of porous tantalum for the acetabular component in primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) has demonstrated excellent short-term and midterm results. However, long-term data are scarce. The purpose of this prospective study is to report the long-term clinical and radiologic outcome following use of an uncemented porous tantalum acetabular component in primary THA with a minimum follow-up of 17.

Results from the surgical resection of severe heterotopic ossification of the hip: a case series of 26 patients.

Introduction: Surgical resection of heterotopic ossification (HO) around the hip joint is often challenging. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcomes following surgical resection of Brooker's type III and IV HO of the hip.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical and radiological data, between November 2006 and January 2013, of all patients who underwent surgical resection of severe HO of the hip.

Latissimus Dorsi Transfer in Posterior Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears.

Background: Massive rotator cuff tears pose a difficult and complex challenge even for the experienced surgeon; inability to repair these tears by conventional means designates them as irreparable, while management becomes quite taxing. Several operative options have been suggested for the management of such lesions with varying degrees of success, while it is imperative to match patient demands and expectations to the predicted outcome.

Methods: Research articles are examined and key concepts are discussed, in order to provide an evidence based review of the available literature.

A long term clinical outcome of the Medial Pivot Knee Arthroplasty System.

Background: The ideal total knee arthroplasty (TKA) should provide maximum range of motion and functional stability for all desired daily activities and, if possible, to replicate normal knee kinematics and function. The ADVANCE® Medial Pivot (AMP) Knee System was designed with a highly congruent medial compartment and a less conforming lateral compartment to more closely mimic the kinematics of the normal knee and to offer more stability through out of range of motion (ROM). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term clinical and radiographic outcomes of this TKA system.

The necessity to restore the anatomic hip centre in congenital hip disease.

Total hip replacement (THR) is the treatment of choice for the patient suffering from end-stage hip osteoarthritis. In the presence of deformities due to congenital hip disease (CHD), THR is, in most of the cases, a difficult task, since the technique of performing such an operation is demanding and the results could vary. We present our experience and preferred strategies focusing on challenges and surgical techniques associated with reconstructing the dysplastic hip.

Surgical management of congenital torticollis in children older than 7 years with an average 10-year follow-up.

The aim of the present study is to present the results of the surgical management of late presenting cases of congenital muscular torticollis. Between 1990 and 2010, 31 cases of late presenting congenital muscular torticollis were managed surgically in our department. Postoperatively, head halter traction was applied for 10 days; a cervical brace was applied for 5 weeks, followed by a soft one collar for 3 months.

Nerve injuries in total hip arthroplasty with a mini invasive anterior approach.

Purpose: Minimal invasive techniques in total hip arthroplasty (THA) have become increasingly popular during recent years. Despite much debate over the outcome of several minimal invasive techniques, complications arising from the use of anterior minimally invasive surgery (AMIS) for THA on a traction table are not well documented. Our study aims to focus on nerve damage during the AMIS procedure and the possible explanations of these injuries.

THA following deformities due to congenital dislocation of the hip joint.

Total hip replacement is the treatment of choice for the patient suffering from end-stage hip osteoarthritis. Excellent long-term results have been published. In the presence of deformities due to congenital hip dislocation, total hip replacement is, in most of the cases, a difficult task, since the technique of performing such an operation is demanding and the results could vary.

Distant ureteral metastasis from colon adenocarcinoma: report of a case and review of the literature.

Carcinomas arising from organs neighbouring the ureter can directly infiltrate the ureter. Distant ureteral metastasis from colon adenocarcinoma is extremely rare and usually an incidental finding in performed autopsies. We report a case of a right ureteral metastasis in a 65-year-old Caucasian male with a history of rectal cancer for which he had been treated 4 years before.

A two stage re-implantation protocol for the treatment of deep periprosthetic hip infection. Mid to long-term results.

Deep periprosthetic hip infection is a devastating complication. Goal of treatment is infection eradication and durable functional reconstruction. Two-stage re-implantation is the standard of treatment.

A study of factors affecting highway accident rates using the random-parameters tobit model.

A large body of previous literature has used a variety of count-data modeling techniques to study factors that affect the frequency of highway accidents over some time period on roadway segments of a specified length. An alternative approach to this problem views vehicle accident rates (accidents per mile driven) directly instead of their frequencies. Viewing the problem as continuous data instead of count data creates a problem in that roadway segments that do not have any observed accidents over the identified time period create continuous data that are left-censored at zero.

A multivariate tobit analysis of highway accident-injury-severity rates.

Relatively recent research has illustrated the potential that tobit regression has in studying factors that affect vehicle accident rates (accidents per distance traveled) on specific roadway segments. Tobit regression has been used because accident rates on specific roadway segments are continuous data that are left-censored at zero (they are censored because accidents may not be observed on all roadway segments during the period over which data are collected). This censoring may arise from a number of sources, one of which being the possibility that less severe crashes may be under-reported and thus may be less likely to appear in crash databases.

A note on modeling vehicle accident frequencies with random-parameters count models.

In recent years there have been numerous studies that have sought to understand the factors that determine the frequency of accidents on roadway segments over some period of time, using count data models and their variants (negative binomial and zero-inflated models). This study seeks to explore the use of random-parameters count models as another methodological alternative in analyzing accident frequencies. The empirical results show that random-parameters count models have the potential to provide a fuller understanding of the factors determining accident frequencies.

Tobit analysis of vehicle accident rates on interstate highways.

There has been an abundance of research that has used Poisson models and its variants (negative binomial and zero-inflated models) to improve our understanding of the factors that affect accident frequencies on roadway segments. This study explores the application of an alternate method, tobit regression, by viewing vehicle accident rates directly (instead of frequencies) as a continuous variable that is left-censored at zero. Using data from vehicle accidents on Indiana interstates, the estimation results show that many factors relating to pavement condition, roadway geometrics and traffic characteristics significantly affect vehicle accident rates.