The Effect of Type of Femoral Component Fixation on Mortality and Morbidity after Hip Hemiarthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

HSS Journal ® - Hip hemiarthroplasty is a well-established treatment of displaced femoral neck fracture, although debate exists over whether cemented or uncemented fixation is superior....     

The insulin‐like growth factor system and sarcomas

Sarcomas are a diverse group of malignant mesenchymal tumours arising from bone and soft tissues. The identification of critical cellular signalling pathways in sarcomas is an important issue for the development of new targeted therapies. This review highlights the experimental and clinical evidence supporting the role of the insulin‐like growth factor (IGF) signalling system in the cellular transformation and progression of several types of sarcoma, including rhabdomyosarcoma, synovial sarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma and osteosarcoma. Preclinical data suggest that the IGF system could be a promising target for therapy in these sarcomas. Currently, therapies interrupting IGF signalling have been or are being developed. In recent phase 1 clinical studies with humanized monoclonal antibodies directed against IGF receptor type 1 (IGF‐1R), objective tumour responses were observed in several patients with Ewing's sarcoma, encouraging further clinical testing in Ewing's sarcoma and other sarcoma (sub)types. Moreover, the occasional occurrence of paraneoplastic hypoglycaemia as a result of the secretion of incompletely processed forms of pro‐IGF‐II by sarcomas is discussed. Copyright © 2008 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nuchal cord: impact of umbilical artery Doppler indices on intrapartum and neonatal outcomes: a prospective cohort study

Background/objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of a more biologic parameter for evaluation of the effect of nuchal cord tightness; the study of blood flow in the umbilical arteries of nuchal cord using Doppler ultrasonography.

Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted at Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital, Cairo, Egypt in the period between August 2015 and August 2017. Hundred primigravidas were recruited with nuchal cord diagnosed by Doppler ultrasonography; whereas the rest of the study population was included in the “Control group”. Doppler velocimetry study was then performed on a free-floating loop of the umbilical cord and Doppler indices were calculated. Both groups were followed up during labor: intrapartum events, mode of delivery, and neonatal outcome were recorded.

Results: Intrapartum fetal heart rate abnormalities were significantly more common in the nuchal cord group compared to the control group. The overall cardiotocography category was significantly more commonly reflecting abnormal fetal heart rate patterns in the nuchal cord group compared to the control group with 46.74% of the nuchal group patients falling within the “suspicious – pathological – need urgent intervention” categories. Intervention rate was significantly higher in the nuchal cord group than the control group (33.69 versus 21.84%). Moreover, incidence of intrapartum fetal heart rate abnormalities and intervention rate were significantly higher in the nuchal cord with abnormal Doppler subgroup compared to both nuchal cord with normal Doppler subgroup and the control group; with a calculated number needed to harm of 2.11.

Conclusions: In view of these results, it might be concluded that umbilical cord tightness affecting fetal hemodynamics (expressed by changes in umbilical artery Doppler) might be a determinate factor affecting the intrapartum course.     

松质骨中两种纵波的传播特性分析

基于松质骨的层状模型，利用Schoenberg理论分析了松质骨中两种纵波(快纵波和慢纵波)的传播特性；并在理论和实验上详细分析了骨小梁方向与传播方向间的夹角对松质骨中快纵波和慢纵波传播特性的影响。分析结果表明，当超声波平行于骨小梁入射时，松质骨中两种纵波都传播，入射角度在60度附近时，松质骨中两种纵波的相速度曲线有一个转折点，入射角度在60度以上，角度越大时，骨髓和骨小梁耦合得越紧，因此阻止了慢纵波的传播，而只有快纵波传播。     

藏汉民族线粒体基因组全序列的比较研究

目的 以藏汉民族线粒体基因组全序列为基础,进行Haplogroup构建和系统发生分析,在全序列水平上比较核苷酸的变异,阐释可能的变异机制和蕴含的生物学意义.方法 采用Applied Biosystems 3730DNA自动测序仪分别对40名藏族和50名汉族的标本进行线粒体DNA序列测定,应用phredPhrap 16.0软件进行全序列拼接,并以rCRS(revised Cambridge Reference Sequence)为标准与测定序列进行比对分析;根据MTTO-MAP的标准,通过Network方法进行Haplogroup构建和系统发生的分析,并结合其它方法对产生的数据进行深入解读.结果 数据分析结果显示:在系统发生上,藏汉民族90个线粒体DNA序列归类到13个Haplogroups,除M9以外,其它各Haplogroup出现频率之间比较差异无统计学意义;通过两个民族的线粒体DNA全序列比对,发现21个分布频率有统计学意义的变异位点,其中的5个为新变异位点;另外,对D-Loop区的5个突变位点进行了单倍型构建,90个标本可分为2种Supertype,发现在藏汉民族之间Supertypel和Supertype 2的分布频率均有统计学意义.结论 藏汉民族在种族起源和系统发生上具有较近的母系遗传关系;在全序列有统计学意义的位点究竟是适应性或者中性选择,抑或是一种病理性突变尚需深入的探讨.     

Checklist and pictorial key to fourth-instar larvae of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) of Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia includes fauna from three zoogeographic regions: the Afrotropical, Oriental, and Palaearctic regions. To study the mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) fauna of these regions in Saudi Arabia, larval collections were made at 15 sites during 2005-2006. Thirty-three species representing nine genera were found. Six species, Anopheles culicifacies Giles s.l., Anopheles subpictus Grassi s.l., Culex arbieeni Salem, Culex simpsoni Theobald, Culex univittatus Theobald, and Ochlerotatus detritus Haliday are reported for the first time for Saudi Arabia. An annotated checklist and an illustrated key to the fourth-instar larvae of the 33 species are presented, along with some remarks about problematic species. Eleven species of genus Anopheles Meigen, five species of tribe Aedini, 13 species of genus Culex L., two species of genus Culiseta Felt, one species of genus Lutzia Theobald, and one species of genus Uranotaenia Lynch Arribátlzaga were recorded during the study.     

The significance of 'anti-HBc only' in the clinical virology laboratory.

BACKGROUND: Isolated detection of hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) in the absence of surface antigen (HBsAg) or antibody (anti-HBs) has been reported, particularly among individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). The significance of this phenomenon is unknown and it is unclear whether all individuals with such serological pattern need further molecular investigations. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of 'anti-HBc only' in samples referred to a clinical virology laboratory and to evaluate its significance and possible mechanisms. STUDY DESIGN: Samples identified as anti-HBc positive (389/4359, 8.9%) during an 11-month period were investigated for HBsAg, anti-HBs, anti-HCV and anti-HIV. 'Anti-HBc only' samples were tested for HBV DNA using a nested qualitative PCR. Viral loads were measured in samples with detectable HBV DNA and the DNA sequences were analysed. RESULTS: Of 379 samples with detectable anti-HBc, 155 (40.9%) were 'anti-HBc only'. HBV DNA was detected in 6/151 (4%), all of which had a viral load <400 copies per ml. Anti-HIV was found in 50/151 (33.1%) and anti-HCV in 14/151 (9.3%). Of these, only one of the HIV infected patients had detectable HBV DNA. Phylogenetic analysis of the HBV surface gene from three patients showed a variety of genotypes (A, E and G). One sequence had a mutation in codon 144, which has previously been reported to give false negative HBsAg results. CONCLUSIONS: 'Anti-HBc only' is a common phenomenon in the clinical virology laboratory but only a small proportion of samples had detectable HBV DNA. The presence of HBsAg mutants with possible false negative HBsAg test result is of concern. Samples with 'anti-HBc only' could be used to monitor the emergence of these mutants.     

An Analytic Model of Subminiature Auditory Sensation System for Sound Source Localization

It is reported that some types of insects have a remarkable ability to detect the direction of an incident sound even though its acoustic sensory organs are in very close proximity each other. Maybe the ears are jointed by a cuticular structure with which the separated motions can be coupled mechanically and thus be magnified. In this paper, a detailed model is setup to describe the principle of this type of localization using a mechanical coupled structure. The transfer functions and the responses of the model in terms of time and frequency are analyzed to describe the mechanism of its ability of directional hearing. This analytical model provides a method to design the experimental model for the predetermined incident sound pressure, and the analysis of this model shows that this structure have the ability to determine the direction of the incident stimulus.     

超声背散射系数评价松质骨状况的可行性研究

目的研究超声背散射信号及其背散射系数（backscatter coefficient,BSC）评价松质骨状况的可行性。方法首先建立了一种蜂窝状的松质骨理论模型,然后将BSC与频率的理论关系和牛胫骨松质骨实验结果进行了比较;最后实验分析了BSC与松质骨表观密度的关系。结果松质骨中超声BSC随入射频率的增加而非线性的增加,理论模型和实验结果是一致的。随松质骨表观密度的增大,BSC增大。结论在用超声评价松质骨状况时,背散射信号具有重要作用,其BSC可用于评价松质骨状况。