The fate of Böhler's angle in conservatively-treated displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures

Purpose: Although the predictive value of Böhler's angle on outcome remains subject of debate, the initial angle at the time of trauma still guides treatment. Changes in Böhler's angle during follow-up are frequently reported following surgical treatment of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures (DIACF). The aim of the present study was to determine the changes in Böhler's angle as a measure of secondary fracture displacement following conservative management of DIACF. Methods: Thirty-eight patients with a total of 44 displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures treated conservatively with a minimum of two lateral radiographs during follow-up were analysed. Böhler's angle at different follow-up times was measured by three observers. The change in angle was compared with the angle at trauma, and influence of trauma mechanism and common calcaneal fracture classifications were determined. Results: The results showed a significant decline over time of the Böhler's angle in conservatively-treated patients of more than 11° on average at a mean follow-up of 29.2 weeks. This decrease was not related to gender, the initial angle, or the Essex-Lopresti or Sanders classification. A statistically significantly higher decrease was detected in high energetic trauma compared with low energetic trauma. Conclusion: The conservative treatment of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures is still a viable option, yet a significant secondary displacement in time should be taken into account, as reflected in a decrease of Böhler's angle of 11° up to one year following trauma

A low power, high performance BiCMOS MIMO/diversity direct conversion transceiver IC for WiBro/WiMAX (802.16e)

This paper describes a dual signal path (MIMO) low power, high performance direct conversion WiBro/WiMAX 802.16 e radio transceiver optimized for mobile applications and for coexistence with co-located cellular and WLAN/Bluetooth systems. The direct-conversion transceiver is designed to be very flexible in respect of biasing and programmability, both to allow power consumption to be traded adaptively versus performance, and flexibility for any changes in the new transmission standard. Signal loopback and transmit power detection techniques are used in conjunction with the baseband modem processor to calibrate transmitter LO leakage and the transceiver and receiver IQ imbalances. The receiver achieves a noise figure (NF) of less than 2.5 dB over an operational frequency range of 2.3-2.7 GHz, and the gain is tunable from 0 dB to 97 dB in 1 dB steps. The maximum linear transmit power is 2.5 dBm and the transmit gain can be digitally controlled over a 75 dB range. The transceiver is fabricated in a 0.25 mum SiGe BiCMOS process and consumes 65/103 mA from a 2.8 V supply in OFDMA Rx/Tx modes, respectivel