An interdisciplinary approach to the nanomanipulation of SiO2 nanoparticles. Design, fabricationand feasibility

Although some recent developments in nanotechnology made the prospects of a direct mechanical manipulation of micro- or nano-objects quite realistic, there are still several concerns and difficulties that affect such an endeavor. This is probably due to the large base of knowledge that is necessary to approach the problem of handling a nano-object by means of a nano- or micro-device. Therefore, any progress in this field is possible only by means of an integrated and interdisciplinary approach, which takes into account different aspects of the phenomenon. During the actual pioneering phase, there is a certain convenience in handling nano-objects that: (a) have peculiar known characteristics; (b) are easily recognizable, and (c) are interesting to the scientific community. This paper presents the interdisciplinary activities that were necessary to set up an experiment where specifically synthesized SiO2 particles came in contact with the tips of specifically-designed and -fabricated nanomanipulators. SiO2 mesoporous nanoparticles (KCC-1), having a peculiar dendritic structure, have been selected as a suitable nano-object because of the possibility to easily modulate their morphology. The expected contact force has been also calculated by means of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) electro-mechanical simulations

Osteopoikilosis: Report of a patient with associated complex knee injuries and literature review

ABSTRACTIOsteopoikilosis (OPK) is a rare autosomal dominant hereditary disease with a prevalence estimated at 1/50000. Most of the time asymptomatic and benign, it can be misdiagnosed as other osteoblastic bone diseases (such as bone metastases) and lead to unnecessary stress and costly investigation. We report a 15-year-old boy with a complicated knee injury and associated OPK as well as a literature review.KEYWORDS Osteopoikilosis, Multiple sclerotic lesions, sclerosing bone dysplasiainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Evaluation des patients opérés d'une fracture fémorale proximale dans le cadre du programme Fragility Fracture durant la période de confinement belge

Introduction :The management of SARS-CoV-2 infection has completely reformed the medical sector. Between March 14 and May 17 2020, only urgent surgical operations remained, including the management of proximal femoral fractures. The aim of our study is to best qualify this population of surgical patients by evaluating some clinical and epidemiological characteristics and assessing the infection rate. Material and Methods :This is a retrospective, descriptive and mono-centric cohort study, which identifies all Fragility Fracture program patients who had surgery for a proximal femoral fracture between March 14, 2020 and May 17, 2020 in the CHU Tivoli. Overall we defined the population and analyzed clinical and biological characteristics of patients suspected of or suffering from COVID-19, but also patients who developed the infection during hospitalization, compared to patients considered healthy. Finally, we described our deceased cases. Results :We treated 18 proximal femoral fractures during this period. Eight patients were operated following the COVID-19 precautions. Six patients tested positive, 3 on admission and 3 who become infected during their time in hospital. There were no physiological or biological differences between patients on admission. The mortality rate for positive patients was 33%. Conclusion :Unlike other studies, our incidence of proximal femoral fractures did not decrease during this time. These fractures occur in patients with early stage COVID-19, however the mortality rate remains high.SCOPUS: ar.jDecretOANoAutActifinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Arthrite septìque du genou causée par un germe inhabituel: à proposďun cas

Introduction: Osteo-articular infections witPi Streptococcus canis are rare. To our l<nowledge, only one case of septic osteoartiiritis witii S. canis is reported in the scientific literature. Clinical case: We report the case of a 55-year-old patient who presented with left gonalgia without trauma. He was bitten on the leg by his dog a few days earlier. The biological inflammatory syndrome was moderately significant. The complementary explorations allowed to set the diagnosis of septic osteoarthritis. Discussion: Streptococcus canis is mostly known in the veterinary area and only represents 1 % of the streptococcal infections in humans. This germ is mainly responsible of soft tissue infections but can also affect other areas. Conclusion: Septic arthritis with S. canis is a rare condition and is a therapeutic and diagnostic emergency. The puncture is essential before starting the antibiotherapy.SCOPUS: ar.jDecretOANoAutActifinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Psychometric properties of the Cumulated Ambulation Score French translation

AbstractObjective:To examine measurement properties (inter-rater reliability, agreement, validity, and responsiveness) of the Cumulated Ambulation Score French translation in patients with hip fracture.Design:Methodological study.Setting:A 20-bed orthopedic unit and 20-bed geriatric unit.Subjects:About 140 consecutive patients with a mean (SD) age of 83 (12) years.Interventions:The English version of the Cumulated Ambulation Score used to evaluate basic mobility was translated into French following international guidelines. Two raters independently assessed all patients on postoperative days one, two, three, and 30 after a hip fracture surgery. Relative and absolute inter-rater reliability and responsiveness (effect size for improvement from postoperative day two to 30) were evaluated. Convergent validity was analyzed by Spearman’s correlation coefficient comparing the Cumulated Ambulation Score with two other measures on postoperative day two and 30.Main measure:Cumulated Ambulation Score.Results:The weighted Kappa value ranged from 0.89 to 1.0. The standard error of measurement and the smallest real difference of the Cumulated Ambulation Score ranged, respectively, from 0.12 to 0.23 and from 0.32 to 0.6 points, while the effect size reached 1.03 (95% CI 0.87–1.26). There was a strong positive correlation comparing the Cumulated Ambulation Score with the French Tinetti Assessment Tool (r ⩾ 0.83) and the French Mini Motor Test (r ⩾ 0.79).Conclusions:Our findings indicate that the Cumulated Ambulation Score’s French version is a reliable and valid tool to assess patients’ basic mobility with hip fractures.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Efficacy of a topical formulation containing MIA (Melanoma Inhibitory Activity) - Inhibitory peptides in a case of recalcitrant vitiligo in combination with UV exposure

Vitiligo is an acquired chronic pigmentation disorder of the skin. Even if the role of the immune system seems to be well established, new pathogenetic hypothesis are rising in these years. It has been recently suggested by the development of an animal model that a protein called Melanoma Inhibitory Activity (MIA) is involved in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. This protein interacts with the adhesion molecules expressed on the melanocytes causing its detachment from extracellular matrix proteins and creating the depigmented macules. A topical preparation based on oligopeptides able to inhibit the actions of the MIA protein has been introduced to the market, claiming activity on vitiligo