Management and Prognostic Factors for Delayed Reconstruction of Neglected Posterior Shoulder Fracture-Dislocation

Introduction: Posterior fracture-dislocations of the shoulder are rare conditions. Misdiagnosis can occur in 50% - 80% of the patients. Due to the size of the lesion, stability of the joint could not be achieved with transfer of subscapular tendon or tuberosity. Case Presentation: A 54-year-old male patient was referred to our hospital with a neglected posterior shoulder fracture-dislocation. Functional results of the patient, and technical informations were explained in this case report. The reverse Hill-Sachs lesion involved 40% of the articular surface. Depressed and malunited fragment was elevated, and fixated to the humeral head. Conclusions: Glenohumeral joint reduction with reconstruction of the humeral head seems to be possible even in a neglected locked posterior shoulder fracture-dislocation. If the depressed osteochondral fragment is still spheric, signs of the avascular necrosis are absent on CT, and malunion of the fragment has occurred, it is quite possible to reconstruct the head. Although results of the case are good, it is worthwhile to follow these patients for long-term complications

The Timing Noise of PSR 0823+26, PSR 1706-16, PSR 1749-28, PSR 2021+51 and The Anomalous Braking Indices

We have investigated the stability of the pulse frequency second derivatives ($\ddot \nu$) of PSR 0823+26, PSR 1706-16, PSR 1749-28, PSR 2021+51 which show significant quadratic trends in their pulse frequency histories in order to determine whether the observed second derivatives are secular or they arise as part of noise processes. We have used TOA data extending to more than three decades which are the longest time spans ever taken into account in pulse timing analyses. We investigated the stability of pulse frequency second derivative in the framework of low resolution noise power spectra (Deeter 1984) estimated from the residuals of pulse frequency and TOA data. We have found that the $\ddot \nu$ terms of these sources arise from the red torque noise in the fluctuations of pulse frequency derivatives which may originate from the external torques from the magnetosphere of pulsar

A stitch in time: Efficient computation of genomic DNA melting bubbles

Background: It is of biological interest to make genome-wide predictions of the locations of DNA melting bubbles using statistical mechanics models. Computationally, this poses the challenge that a generic search through all combinations of bubble starts and ends is quadratic. Results: An efficient algorithm is described, which shows that the time complexity of the task is O(NlogN) rather than quadratic. The algorithm exploits that bubble lengths may be limited, but without a prior assumption of a maximal bubble length. No approximations, such as windowing, have been introduced to reduce the time complexity. More than just finding the bubbles, the algorithm produces a stitch profile, which is a probabilistic graphical model of bubbles and helical regions. The algorithm applies a probability peak finding method based on a hierarchical analysis of the energy barriers in the Poland-Scheraga model. Conclusions: Exact and fast computation of genomic stitch profiles is thus feasible. Sequences of several megabases have been computed, only limited by computer memory. Possible applications are the genome-wide comparisons of bubbles with promotors, TSS, viral integration sites, and other melting-related regions.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figure

Extended antenatal antiretroviral use correlates with improved infant outcomes throughout the first year of life

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of extended antenatal triple antiretroviral therapy (ART) on infant outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study using pooled data from health clinics in Malawi and Mozambique from July 2005 to December 2009. METHODS: Computerized records of 3273 HIV-infected pregnant women accessing Drug Resource Enhancement Against AIDS and Malnutrition centers were reviewed. ART regimens consisted of nevirapine-based HAART as of 14-25 weeks gestation until 6 months postpartum. Infant infection was determined at 1, 6 and 12 months of age by branched DNA. RESULTS: A total of 3071 pregnancies resulted in 3148 live births. Lost to follow-up, infant deaths and HIV-1 infection rates at 1 and 12 months were 1.3 and 11.5, 0.8 and 6.7 and 0.8 and 2.0, respectively. Infant HIV-1-free survival at 12 months was 92.5%. Mother-to-child transmission and/or infant deaths correlated with length of maternal antenatal ART by multivariate analysis at 1, 6 and 12 months: 14% in women with more than 30 days of triple antenatal ART and 6.9% in mothers receiving at least 90 days of antenatal ART, P = 0.001. Fifty percent of 54 episodes of transmission occurred in women with higher CD4 cell counts (>350 cells/μl). Infant mortality was 67/1000, lower than background rates (78-100/1000). Growth failure (weight-for-age Z score <-2) was present in 8% of infants around birth, 6% at 6 months, 23% at 12 months (lower than country-specific rates). CONCLUSION: Extended antenatal ART is protective against adverse infant outcomes up to 12 months of age even in children born to mothers with higher CD4 cell counts. PMID: 2088528

Discerning Aggregation in Homogeneous Ensembles: A General Description of Photon Counting Spectroscopy in Diffusing Systems

In order to discern aggregation in solutions, we present a quantum mechanical analog of the photon statistics from fluorescent molecules diffusing through a focused beam. A generating functional is developed to fully describe the experimental physical system as well as the statistics. Histograms of the measured time delay between photon counts are fit by an analytical solution describing the static as well as diffusing regimes. To determine empirical fitting parameters, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy is used in parallel to the photon counting. For expedient analysis, we find that the distribution's deviation from a single Poisson shows a difference between two single fluor moments or a double fluor aggregate of the same total intensities. Initial studies were performed on fixed-state aggregates limited to dimerization. However preliminary results on reactive species suggest that the method can be used to characterize any aggregating system.Comment: 30 pages, 5 figure

The DREAM model's effectiveness in health promotion of AIDS patients in Africa

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a holistic model for treating people living with AIDS in Africa; the model aims to improve knowledge about AIDS prevention and care, increase trust in the health centre, impact behaviour, and promote a high level of adherence to HAART. The study took place in the context of the DREAM (Drug Resource Enhancement against AIDS and Malnutrition) programme in Mozambique, designed by the Community of Sant'Egidio to treat HIV patients in Africa. It provides patients with free anti-retroviral drugs, laboratory tests (including viral load), home care and nutritional support. This is a prospective study involving 531 patients over a 12-month period. The patients, predominantly poor and with a low level of education, demonstrated a good level of knowledge about AIDS (more than 90% know how it is transmitted) and trust in the treatment, with a relatively small percentage turning to traditional healers. Overall the patients had a low level of engaging in risky sexual behaviour and a very good level of adherence to HAART (69.5% of the 531 subjects had a pill count higher than 95%). The positive results of the programme's educational initiatives were confirmed with the patients' good clinical results

Bubble dynamics in DNA

The formation of local denaturation zones (bubbles) in double-stranded DNA is an important example for conformational changes of biological macromolecules. We study the dynamics of bubble formation in terms of a Fokker-Planck equation for the probability density to find a bubble of size n base pairs at time t, on the basis of the free energy in the Poland-Scheraga model. Characteristic bubble closing and opening times can be determined from the corresponding first passage time problem, and are sensitive to the specific parameters entering the model. A multistate unzipping model with constant rates recently applied to DNA breathing dynamics [G. Altan-Bonnet et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 138101 (2003)] emerges as a limiting case.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure

Phylogeny and S1 Gene Variation of Infectious Bronchitis Virus Detected in Broilers and Layers in Turkey

Citation: Yilmaz, H., Altan, E., Cizmecigil, U. Y., Gurel, A., Ozturk, G. Y., Bamac, O. E., . . . Turan, N. (2016). Phylogeny and S1 Gene Variation of Infectious Bronchitis Virus Detected in Broilers and Layers in Turkey. Avian Diseases, 60(3), 596-602. doi:10.1637/11346-120915-Reg.1The avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus (AvCoV-IBV) is recognized as an important global pathogen because new variants are a continuous threat to the poultry industry worldwide. This study investigates the genetic origin and diversity of AvCoV-IBV by analysis of the S1 sequence derived from 49 broiler flocks and 14 layer flocks in different regions of Turkey. AvCoV-IBV RNA was detected in 41 (83.6%) broiler flocks and nine (64.2%) of the layer flocks by TaqMan real-time RT-PCR. In addition, AvCoV-IBV RNA was detected in the tracheas 27/30 (90%), lungs 31/49 (62.2%), caecal tonsils 7/22 (31.8%), and kidneys 4/49 (8.1%) of broiler flocks examined. Pathologic lesions, hemorrhages, and mononuclear infiltrations were predominantly observed in tracheas and to a lesser extent in the lungs and a few in kidneys. A phylogenetic tree based on partial S1 sequences of the detected AvCoV-IBVs (including isolates) revealed that 1) viruses detected in five broiler flocks were similar to the IBV vaccines Ma5, H120, M41; 2) viruses detected in 24 broiler flocks were similar to those previously reported from Turkey and to Israel variant-2 strains; 3) viruses detected in seven layer flocks were different from those found in any of the broiler flocks but similar to viruses previously reported from Iran, India, and China (similar to Israel variant-1 and 4/91 serotypes); and 4) that the AVCoV-IBV, Israeli variant-2 strain, found to be circulating in Turkey appears to be undergoing molecular evolution. In conclusion, genetically different AvCoV-IBV strains, including vaccine-like strains, based on their partial S1 sequence, are circulating in broiler and layer chicken flocks in Turkey and the Israeli variant-2 strain is undergoing evolution. © 2016 American Association of Avian Pathologists

What is not known is not aimed for — Understanding staff knowledge and readiness to embrace sustainable and healthy food.

To mitigate the adverse effects of excessive consumption of animal proteins on both the environment and human well-being, a transition is needed toward plant-based proteins. Such a shift requires a change in eating behaviours, both at home and elsewhere. Focusing on hospitality and leisure settings, the aim of this study is threefold: firstly, to evaluate the alignment between the organisational policies and support mechanisms on one side and employees’ beliefs and daily experiences towards healthy and sustainable food on the other; secondly, to explore the staff’s readiness to embrace the protein transition using the stages of change model; and thirdly, to outline the prerequisites needed to ensure that employees show healthy and sustainable food behaviour drawing upon the COM-B model (motivation, opportunity, and capability for behavioural interventions) and the behaviour change wheel. Findings from a multi-case-study approach, which utilises a combination of research methods, suggest that employees across all cases exhibit a limited degree of readiness. Moreover, while the motivation to shift toward more healthy and sustainable food is high, capability and opportunity are rated low. To address this, various intervention strategies tailored to the context of hospitality and leisure are proposed that are pertinent to the cases under investigation