Radiological and functional assessment of indications for operative treatment in patients with long bone metastases

Background. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the risk of fractures in long bones with metastases based on intact cortical bone index (ICBI) and functional assessment.
Material and methods. We evaluate radiograms of 36 (25 fractures) and 86 patients (56 fractures) with the upper and lower extremity metastases, respectively. We measured on radiograms intact cortical bone index (ICBI) using the schedule K-G/K-J x100%, where is K-shaft diameter, G-size of destruction, J-bone marrow diameter above or below the metastases. We asses the extremity function by the ability to elevate and abduct it straight.
Results. We found that fracture occurs if the ICBI is lower than 46% and 40% in upper and lower extremity, respectively. 7 (5,7%) patients develop fracture despite higher ICBI. If the metastases are located in upper part of the femur and humerus and he/she can not elevate or abduct the extremity the fracture inevitably occurs.
Conclusions. Counting the ICBI and simple functional assessment allows to predict fracture in 94,3% of patients with long bone metastases.     

Effect of Co Substitution and Thermo-Magnetic Treatment on the Structure and Induced Magnetic Anisotropy of Fe84.5−xCoxNb5B8.5P2 Nanocrystalline Alloys

In the present work, we investigated in detail the thermal/crystallization behavior and magnetic properties of materials with Fe_84.5-xCo_xNb₅B_8.5P₂ (x = 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 at.%) composition. The amorphous ribbons were manufactured on a semi-industrial scale by the melt-spinning technique. The subsequent nanocrystallization processes were carried out under different conditions (with/without magnetic field). The comprehensive studies have been carried out using differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffractometry, transmission electron microscopy, hysteresis loop analyses, vibrating sample magnetometry and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Moreover, the frequency (up to 300 kHz) dependence of power losses and permeability at a magnetic induction up to 0.9 T was investigated. On the basis of some of the results obtained, we calculated the values of the activation energies and the induced magnetic anisotropies. The X-ray diffraction results confirm the surface crystallization effect previously observed for phosphorous-containing alloys. The in situ microscopic observations of crystallization describe this process in detail in accordance with the calorimetry results. Furthermore, the effect of Co content on the phase composition and the influence of annealing in an external magnetic field on magnetic properties, including the orientation of the magnetic spins, have been studied using various magnetic techniques. Finally, nanocrystalline Fe_64.5Co₂₀Nb₅B_8.5P₂ cores were prepared after transverse thermo-magnetic heat treatment and installed in industrially available portable heating equipment.     

Comparison of Failure for Thin-Walled Composite Columns

The novelty of this paper, in relation to other thematically similar research papers, is the comparison of the failure phenomenon on two composite profiles with different cross-sections, using known experimental techniques and advanced numerical models of composite material failure. This paper presents an analysis of the failure of thin-walled structures made of composite materials with top-hat and channel cross-sections. Both experimental investigations and numerical simulations using the finite element method (FEM) are applied in this paper. Tests were conducted on thin-walled short columns manufactured of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) material. The experimental specimens were made using the autoclave technique and thus showed very good strength properties, low porosity and high surface smoothness. Tests were carried out in axial compression of composite profiles over the full range of loading—up to total failure. During the experimental study, the post-buckling equilibrium paths were registered, with the simultaneous use of a Zwick Z100 universal testing machine (UTM) and equipment for measuring acoustic emission signals. Numerical simulations used composite material damage models such as progressive failure analysis (PFA) and cohesive zone model (CZM). The analysis of the behavior of thin-walled structures subjected to axial compression allowed the evaluation of stability with an in-depth assessment of the failure of the composite material. A significant effect of the research was, among others, determination of the phenomenon of damage initiation, delamination and loss of load-carrying capacity. The obtained results show the high qualitative and quantitative agreement of the failure phenomenon. The dominant form of failure occurred at the end sections of the composite columns. The delamination phenomenon was observed mainly on the outer flanges of the structure.     

Polymerization of 2'-fluoro- and 2'-O-methyl-dNTPs by human DNA polymerase alpha, polymerase gamma, and primase

Studies were undertaken to assess the ability of human polymerase alpha (pol alpha) and polymerase gamma (pol gamma) to incorporate 2'-fluoro- and 2'-O-methyldeoxynucleotides into DNA. In vitro DNA synthesis systems were used to detect incorporation and determine K(m) and V(max) for 2'-FdATP, 2'-FdUTP, 2'-FdCTP, 2'-FdGTP, 2'-O-MedATP, 2'-O-MedCTP, 2'-O-MedGTP, 2'-O-MedUTP, dUTP, UTP, and FIAUTP, in addition to normal deoxynucleotides. Pol alpha incorporated all 2'-FdNTPs except 2'-FdATP, but not 2'-O-MedNTPs. Pol gamma incorporated all 2'-FdNTPs, but not 2'-O-MedNTPs. In general, 2'-fluorine substitution decreased V(max)/K(m) 2'-FdUTP. Because kinetics of insertion of pol alpha can be affected by the nature of the primer, we examined the ability of pol alpha to polymerize 2'-fluoro- and 2'-O-MedATP and dGTP when elongating a primer synthesized by DNA primase. Under these conditions, both 2'-FdATP and 2'-FdGTP were polymerized, but 2'-O-MedATP and 2'-O-MedGTP were not. Primase alone could not readily polymerize these analogs into RNA primers. Previous studies showed that 2'-deoxy-2'-fluorocytosine (2'-FdC) is incorporated by several non-human DNA polymerases. The current studies showed that human polymerases can polymerize numerous 2'-FdNTPs but cannot polymerize 2'-O-MedNTPs.     

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Prevention recommendations

Etiology of sudden infant death syndrome still remains unknown. However, the risk factors are established and serve as a base for creating the recommendations for infants' sleep safety and SIDS prevention.     

Could the day hospital wards be a possibility of reducing treatment costs in psychiatry?

The aim of the article is a presentation of the possible manner in which cost reduction of psychiatric treatment could be achieved by introducing a day hospital system. Based on literature, a similar improvement in clinical and social outcome between both partial and full hospitalization was shown. The comparison of costs in the studied models of treatment demonstrated a probable level of savings assessed at 20-30% for the day treatment. The presented data obtained from the epidemiologic registry of Lower Silesian district showed a significant increase of hospital admissions of mostly non-psychotic patients--the most cost-saving group of mental dysfunctions while treated in a day hospital. As the cited articles concerned, studies conducted in other countries where the economic environment differs from the Polish one--there is a need of cost comparison between day hospital and inpatient treatment in the country.     

History of treatment of bone tumours in Poland

Authors showed the most important events in orthopedic oncology development in Poland. "Biologic resectio" introduced in Poland by prof. Adam Gruca and continued by prof. Tadeusz Witwicki was mainly ineffective but started malignant tumors operative treatment without amputation. In Lublin Orthopedic Clinic from 1980 year wide resections - reconstructions of neoplasmatic bone were performed. Bone Tumors Registry was created in Oncology Institute in Warsaw. There were annual Registry conferences had miningfull role in bone tumors evaluation and treatment. Bone tumors are treated after Lublin Clinic in Warsaw Clinics, Poznań, Szczecin, Gdańsk Orthopedic Clinics and Bone tumors Department in Piekary Slaskie. Oncologic problems in orthopedics were showed on Polish Traumatoogy Symposiums in Cracow 1974 and Lublin 1996.