Symptomatic Medial Exostosis of the Great Toe Distal Phalanx: A Complication Due to Over-correction Following Akin Osteotomy for Hallux Valgus Repair

The authors present the case of a 54-year-old female who developed a painful compression lesion localized to the medial aspect of the base of the distal phalanx of the great toe as a complication of hallux valgus surgery. Preoperative radiographic evaluation of the patient's foot revealed the first ray to be longer than the second, a 12 degrees first intermetatarsal angle, a 33 degrees hallux abductus angle, and an exostosis at the medial aspect of the base of the hallux that was not considered by the surgeon to be important. Correction of the hallux valgus deformity was performed with a combination of scarf and Akin osteotomies, and the intermetatarsal and hallux abductus angles reduced to 2 degrees and 8 degrees , respectively. By 2 months postoperative, the patient was complaining of pain at the medial aspect of the distal phalanx of the hallux associated with shoe pressure. The pain correlated both clinically and radiologically with the exostosis at the base of the distal phalanx, and had become symptomatic only after the hallux had been operatively realigned. At 6 months postoperative, percutaneous exostectomy was undertaken to remove the exostosis. Pain relief was complete, thereafter, and after 2 years of postoperative follow-up the patient remained pain free. The clinical importance of a medial exostosis localized to the base of the distal phalanx of the hallux must be taken into consideration whenever hallux valgus correction is undertaken, and this is particularly important whenever an Akin osteotomy is being considered. Level of Clinical Evidence: 4

Rare Events and Scale--Invariant Dynamics of Perturbations in Delayed Dynamical Systems

We study the dynamics of perturbations in time delayed dynamical systems. Using a suitable space-time coordinate transformation, we find that the time evolution of the linearized perturbations (Lyapunov vector) can be mapped to the linear Zhang surface growth model [Y.-C. Zhang, J. Phys. France {\bf 51}, 2129 (1990)], which is known to describe surface roughening driven by power-law distributed noise. As a consequence, Lyapunov vector dynamics is dominated by rare random events that lead to non-Gaussian fluctuations and multiscaling properties.Comment: Final version to appear in Phys. Rev. Lett., 4 pages, 3 eps fig

Interaction of 8 He with 208Pb at near-barrier energies: 4 He and 6 He production

Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness-FPA-2010-22131-CO2-01 (FINURA) y FPA2013-47327-C2-1-RMinistry of Science and Higher Education of Poland-N202 033637National Science Centre of Poland-2013/08/M/ST2/00257 (LEA-COPIGAL) y 2014/14/M/ST2/00738 (COPIN-INFN Collaboration)European Science Foundation-EUI2009-04163432 (EUROGENESIS

Crystallization-Driven Supramolecular Gelation of Poly(vinyl alcohol) by a Small Catechol Derivative

Catechol-containing molecules have been recognized as versatile building blocks for polymer structures with tailor-made functional properties. While catechol chemistry via metal-ligand coordination, boronate complexation, and oxidation-driven covalent bonds has been well examined in the past, the hydrogen bonding ability of these intriguing molecules has been dismissed. In this research, we investigated the gelation of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) triggered by the crystallization of a 3,4-dihydroxy-catechol in water. Strong hydrogen bond interactions between PVA and catechol groups afforded supramolecular hydrogels with near-covalent elastic moduli, yet dynamic, exhibiting reversible gel-to-sol phase transitions around 50-60 °C. We studied the impact of the catechol derivative concentration on the gelation kinetics and physicochemical properties of these dynamic materials. Isothermal experiments revealed that heterogeneous crystallization governs the gelation kinetics. Moreover, because of the quasi-permanent cross-links within the supramolecular polymer network, these hydrogels benefit from ultrastretchability (∼600%) and high toughness (900 kJ·m-3). Our gelation approach is expected to expand the toolbox of catechol chemistry, opening up new avenues in designing dynamic soft materials with facile control over the phase transition, mechanics, and viscoelastic properties.Fil: Bonafe Allende, Juan Cruz. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Schmarsow, Ruth Noemí. Universidad del País Vasco; España. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Matxinandiarena, Eider. Universidad del País Vasco; EspañaFil: García Schejtman, Sergio David. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Coronado, Eduardo A.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Físico-química de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Alvarezigarzabal, Cecilia I.. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería de Procesos y Química Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Picchio, Matías Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Industria Química; Argentina. Universidad del País Vasco; EspañaFil: Müller, Alejandro J.. Universidad del País Vasco; Españ

Luminosity distance for Born-Infeld electromagnetic waves propagating in a cosmological magnetic background

Born-Infeld electromagnetic waves interacting with a static magnetic background are studied in an expanding universe. The non-linear character of Born-Infeld electrodynamics modifies the relation between the energy flux and the distance to the source, which gains a new dependence on the redshift that is governed by the background field. We compute the luminosity distance as a function of the redshift and compare with Maxwellian curves for supernovae type Ia.Comment: 7 Pages, 4 figures. Extended introduction and some clarifications in sections 2 and 3. Version to be published in JCA

Analysis of the geometrical influence of ring-opening samples on arterial circumferential residual stress reconstruction

This work consists of analyzing the impact of geometrical features (thickness and curvature) on the estimation of circumferential residual stresses in arteries. For this purpose, a specific sample of lamb abdominal artery is chosen for analysis and, through computational tools based on Python libraries, the stress-free geometry is captured after the ring opening test. Numerical simulations are then used to reconstruct the sample in order to estimate the circumferential residual stresses. Then, four stress-free geometry models are analyzed: an ideal geometry, i.e., constant curvature and thickness; a constant curvature and variable thickness geometry; a variable curvature and constant thickness geometry; and a variable curvature and thickness geometry. The numerical results show that models perform well from a geometric point of view, where the most different feature was the closed outer perimeter that differs about 14% from the closed real sample. As far as residual stress is concerned, differences up to 198% were found in more realistic models taking a constant curvature and thickness model as reference. Thus, the analysis of a realistic geometry with highly variable curvature and thickness can introduce, compared to an idealized geometry, significant differences in the estimation of residual stresses. This could indicate that the characterization of arterial residual stresses is not sufficient when considering only the opening angle and, therefore, it is also necessary to incorporate more geometrical variables

Biodiversity Assessment and Geographical Affinities of Discards in Clam Fisheries in the Atlantic–Mediterranean Transition (Northern Alboran Sea)

This study focused on the assessment and quantification of discards generated by clam fisheries along the northern Alboran Sea (western Mediterranean). Discard samples (n = 278) were collected throughout one year on board nine commercial vessels. A total of 129 species were identified, mostly represented by molluscs (72 spp.), arthropods (20 spp.) and echinoderms (12 spp.). Molluscs dominated in terms of abundance (67.5%) and biomass (94.2%). The superfamily Paguroidea (i.e. hermit crabs), together with undersized target individuals, were the most abundant taxa. The abundance and biomass of discards displayed significant maximum values in winter, which could be partly related to biotic factors including population dynamics of some dominant species. Multivariate analyses indicated the presence of different assemblages related to the targeted bivalve species, reflecting the transition between a fine surface-sands biocoenosis exposed to wave action and a well-sorted fine sands biocoenosis below 5 m depth. Analysis of biogeographical affinities showed that most discarded species (73.2%) have an extensive Atlantic range, whereas 7.1% have a restricted distribution within the Mediterranean. The presence of subtropical species highlights the uniqueness of this area (the Atlantic–Mediterranean transition) in European seas. The usefulness of discard analysis for biodiversity assessment is discussed.Postprin

The nature of plasmon excitations in hole-doped cuprate superconductors

High Tc superconductors show a rich variety of phases associated with their charge degrees of freedom. Valence charges can give rise to charge ordering or acoustic plasmons in these layered cuprate superconductors. While charge ordering has been observed for both hole- and electron-doped cuprates, acoustic plasmons have only been found in electron-doped materials. Here, we use resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) to observe the presence of acoustic plasmons in two families of hole-doped cuprate superconductors [La2-xSrxCuO4 (LSCO) and Bi2Sr1.6La0.4CuO6+d (Bi2201)], crucially completing the picture. Interestingly, in contrast to the quasi-static charge ordering which manifests at both Cu and O sites, the observed acoustic plasmons are predominantly associated with the O sites, revealing a unique dichotomy in the behaviour of valence charges in hole-doped cuprates.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures + Supplementary Informatio

From local monitoring to a broad‐scale viability assessment: a case study for the Bonelli's Eagle in western Europe

Population viability analysis (PVA) has become a basic tool of current conservation practice. However, if not accounted for properly, the uncertainties inherent to PVA predictions can decrease the reliability of this type of analysis. In the present study, we performed a PVA of the whole western European population (France, Portugal, and Spain) of the endangered Bonelli's Eagle (Aquila fasciata), in which we thoroughly explored the consequences of uncertainty in population processes and parameters on PVA predictions. First, we estimated key vital rates (survival, fertility, recruitment, and dispersal rates) using monitoring, ringing, and bibliographic data from the period 1990-2009 from 12 populations found throughout the studied geographic range. Second, we evaluated the uncertainty about model structure (i.e., the assumed processes that govern individual fates and population dynamics) by comparing the observed growth rates of the studied populations with model predictions for the same period. Third, using the model structures suggested in the previous step, we assessed the viability of both the local populations and the overall population. Finally, we analyzed the effects of model and parameter uncertainty on PVA predictions. Our results strongly support the idea that all local populations in western Europe belong to a single, spatially structured population operating as a source-sink system, whereby the populations in the south of the Iberian Peninsula act as sources and, thanks to dispersal, sustain all other local populations, which would otherwise decline. Predictions regarding population dynamics varied considerably, and models assuming more constrained dispersal predicted more pessimistic population trends than models assuming greater dispersal. Model predictions accounting for parameter uncertainty revealed a marked increase in the risk of population declines over the next 50 years. Sensitivity analyses indicated that adult and pre‐adult survival are the chief vital rates regulating these populations, and thus, the conservation efforts aimed at improving these survival rates should be strengthened in order to guarantee the long‐term viability of the European populations of this endangered species. Overall, the study provides a framework for the implementation of multi‐site PVAs and highlights the importance of dispersal processes in shaping the population dynamics of long‐lived birds distributed across heterogeneous landscapes

Study of the break-up channel in 11Li+208Pb collisions at energies around the Coulomb barrier

We present a study of 11Li+208 Pb collisions at energies around the Coulomb barrier (Elab = 24.3 and 29.8 MeV), measured at the post-accelerated beam facility, ISAC II, at TRIUMF (Vancouver, Canada). A remarkably large yield of 9Li has been observed, a result that is attributed to the weak binding of the 11Li nucleus. The angular distribution of this 9Li yield, relative to the elastic one, has been analysed in terms of first-order semiclassical calculations as well as four-body and three-body Continuum-Discretized Coupled-Channels (CDCC) calculations, based on a three-body and di-neutron model of the 11Li nucleus, respectively. The calculations reproduce well the trend of the data and support the existence of a large concentration of B (E1) strength at very low excitation energies. The connection of this large B (E1) with a possible low-lying dipole resonance is discussed