Bilateral symmetry of biomechanical properties in mouse femora.

Bone healing and remodeling are commonly examined in animal models by comparing one femur (experimental) to the contralateral femur (control) with the assumption that they are identical with respect to their biomechanical properties. While past studies have characterized the symmetry in geometrical properties in many types of animal bones, few studies have compared the symmetry in the biomechanical properties. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is symmetry in the mechanical properties of mouse femora.

Health dilemmas at the borders--a global challenge.

The health and safety of border crossers and people who live in border areas are widely neglected. The remoteness of many communities living near international borders makes it difficult to provide them with services, and if a country's border controls are inadequate there is an increased risk from communicable diseases for its entire population. Substance abuse and associated behavioural problems can be more common in border regions for the same reason.

Use of the Pavlik harness for hip displacements. When to abandon treatment.

Seven hundred twenty congenitally dislocated or subluxated hips in 550 patients less than one year old, treated with the Pavlik harness, were retrospectively reviewed. Overall, 11% of the hips proved irreducible by Pavlik harness treatment, 9% had dysplasia at the end of harness treatment, and 5% developed dysplasia by the age of two years two months (average). Fourteen percent of the hips positive for Ortolani's sign, 6% of the hips positive for Barlow's sign, and 2% of the congenitally subluxated hips required open or closed reduction followed by plaster hip spica immobilization.