Cadaveric-biomechanical study on medial retinaculum: its stabilising role for the patella against lateral dislocation

Background: The aim of this study was to analyse the biomechanical role of medial retinaculum, as a stabilising factor against lateral patellar dislocation. Materials and methods: This cadaveric-biomechanical study included the patellae of 10 cadaveric knees, which were surgically exposed and the medial retinaculum of each one was located. A stable 24.51 N force was applied to the four parts of the quadriceps, and an increasing lateral displacing force was applied to the patella, up to 5 mm dislocation. The study was repeated for 0o, 45o, and 90o of knee flexion, with the medial retinaculum intact and dissected. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used for data analysis. A p value < 0.05 was considered as statistical significant. Results: After the dissection of medial retinaculum, the lateral displacement force was lower at every angle of knee flexion (p = 0.005, p = 0.007, p = 0.005, respectively). The lateral displacement force increased as the flexion angle increased (p = 0.005), regardless of medial retinaculum integrity. Conclusions: Medial retinaculum acts as a stabilising factor for the patella, against its lateral dislocation in lower flexion angles. Therefore, methods of surgical reinforcement or repair of medial retinaculum could provide protection againstrecurrent patellar dislocation

Removal of phosphate from aqueous solutions by adsorption onto Ca(OH)2 treated natural clinoptilolite

Phosphorus (P) recovery from wastewater is of great interest especially when the loaded adsorbent can be used in the agriculture as slow-release fertilizer. The application depends on environmental concerns related to the chemical modification of the adsorbent and the release of toxic compounds from the loaded material to the soil or the water during adsorption. The present work focused on the phosphate (PO4-P) removal from aqueous solutions under low P concentrations (0.5–10mg/L) by using Ca(OH)2-pretreated natural zeolite (CaT-Z). As activation agent, Ca(OH)2 presents benefits in terms of pretreatment costs and environmental impact of the applied adsorbent. The pretreatment of natural zeolite (clinoptilolite) with 0.25mol/L Ca(OH)2 led to an increase of P removal from 1.7 to 97.6% at initial P concentration of 10mg/L, pH 7 and 298K. Low residual concentrations of 81–238μg P/L were achieved at 298K rendering CaT-Z a promising sorbent for tertiary wastewater treatment. At 200mg P/L, the adsorption capacity was 7.57mg P/g CaT-Z. The P removal efficiency was pH-independent suggesting a beneficial use of CaT-Z under acidic and alkaline conditions. Adsorption was found to be an endothermic and slow process reaching equilibrium after 120h, whereas the half of the PO4-P was adsorbed in the first 8h. The applied kinetic models showed that both film and intraparticle diffusion contributed to phosphate removal. Phosphate sorption decreased in the presence of the anionic surfactant SDS, Fe2+, HCO3−, acetate and citrate anion. The predominant mechanisms of ligand exchange and Ca-P surface precipitation were confirmed by the IR-ATR and SEM-EDS analyses, respectively

Terapia do cone de ouvido para controle de medo e ansiedade em cães: efeito no comportamento e parâmetros clínicos

This study aims to evaluate the effect of ear cone therapy in dogs for the control of fear and anxiety, specifically on behavioral aspects and clinical parameters. In addition, 13 dogs with behavior associated with fear and anxiety were submitted to sessions of application of ear cone therapy, which occurred weekly, during four weeks. At each session, the dogs were clinically evaluated. During anamnesis, were asked about the frequency and intensity of unwanted behavior associated with fear and anxiety presented by dogs during the week prior to the session. Then, a complete physical examination of the dogs was performed and the clinical parameters were measured before the application of ear cone therapy (M1), and immediately after the session (M2). Both the most frequent behaviors, present ?60% of dogs (tremor, excessive vocalization, self-destructive behavior and aggressiveness), and the less frequent (excessive salivation, urination and defecation at inappropriate times and places, and destructive behavior) were observed reductions in frequency and/or intensity.  Heart and respiratory rates showed a reduction between moments, while the other parameters vary little or did not vary, being within normal limits for the canine species. Ear cone therapy proved satisfactory in several aspects, presenting reduced heart and respiratory rates, as well as behavioral changes related to the feeling of fear of animals, providing a momentary relaxation in more than 65% of the dogs studied.Objetivou-se com esse estudo avaliar o efeito da terapia do cone de ouvido em cães para o controle do medo e ansiedade, especificamente sobre aspectos comportamentais e parâmetros clínicos. Assim, 13 cães com comportamento associado ao medo e ansiedade foram submetidos a sessões de aplicação de terapia do cone de ouvido, que ocorreu semanalmente, durante quatro semanas. A cada sessão, os cães foram avaliados clinicamente. Durante a anamnese, os tutores responderam um questionário sobre a frequência e intensidade do comportamento indesejado associado ao medo e ansiedade apresentados pelos cães durante a semana anterior à sessão. Em seguida, realizou-se exame físico completo dos cães e os parâmetros clínicos foram mensurados antes da aplicação da terapia (M1), e imediatamente após a sessão (M2). Tanto nos comportamentos mais frequentes, presentes ?60% dos cães (tremor, vocalização excessiva, comportamento autodestrutivo e agressividade), quanto nos menos frequentes (salivação excessiva, urinação e defecação em momentos e locais inadequados e comportamento destrutivo) foram observadas reduções em frequência e/ou intensidade. As frequências cardíaca e respiratória apresentaram redução entre os momentos, enquanto os outros parâmetros variam pouco ou não variaram, estando dentro dos limites normais para a espécie canina. A terapia do cone de ouvido mostrou-se satisfatória em diversos aspectos, apresentando redução das frequências cardíaca e respiratória, bem como mudanças comportamentais relacionadas à sensação de medo dos animais, proporcionando um relaxamento momentâneo em mais de 65% dos cães estudados

Terapia do cone de ouvido para controle de medo e ansiedade em cães: efeito no comportamento e parâmetros clínicos

Objetivou-se com esse estudo avaliar o efeito da terapia do cone de ouvido em cães para o controle do medo e ansiedade, especificamente sobre aspectos comportamentais e parâmetros clínicos. Assim, 13 cães com comportamento associado ao medo e ansiedade foram submetidos a sessões de aplicação de terapia do cone de ouvido, que ocorreu semanalmente, durante quatro semanas. A cada sessão, os cães foram avaliados clinicamente. Durante a anamnese, os tutores responderam um questionário sobre a frequência e intensidade do comportamento indesejado associado ao medo e ansiedade apresentados pelos cães durante a semana anterior à sessão. Em seguida, realizou-se exame físico completo dos cães e os parâmetros clínicos foram mensurados antes da aplicação da terapia (M1), e imediatamente após a sessão (M2). Tanto nos comportamentos mais frequentes, presentes ?60% dos cães (tremor, vocalização excessiva, comportamento autodestrutivo e agressividade), quanto nos menos frequentes (salivação excessiva, urinação e defecação em momentos e locais inadequados e comportamento destrutivo) foram observadas reduções em frequência e/ou intensidade. As frequências cardíaca e respiratória apresentaram redução entre os momentos, enquanto os outros parâmetros variam pouco ou não variaram, estando dentro dos limites normais para a espécie canina. A terapia do cone de ouvido mostrou-se satisfatória em diversos aspectos, apresentando redução das frequências cardíaca e respiratória, bem como mudanças comportamentais relacionadas à sensação de medo dos animais, proporcionando um relaxamento momentâneo em mais de 65% dos cães estudados

Phosphate removal by Ca(OH)2-treated natural minerals : experimental and modeling studies

Adsorption of phosphate phosphorus (PO4-P) from wastewater onto eco-friendly geosorbents has gained great attention aiming at recovering an essential nutrient for crop production. Notably, the literature on PO4-P adsorption kinetics is limited to the application of either empirical reaction-based models lacking a physical significance or over-simplified diffusion-based models frequently used outside their applicability area. In this study, equilibrium and kinetic experiments are presented under a wide range of phosphate concentrations (50-500 mg P/L) using sustainable and low-cost modified adsorbents. The kinetics of PO4-P adsorption from aqueous solutions onto Ca(OH)2-treated zeolite (CaT-Z) and bentonite (CaT-B) was analyzed by a dimensionless two-phase homogeneous surface diffusion model (TP-HSDM) assuming constant diffusivity and coupled with the double selectivity isotherm model (DSM). The TP-HSDM fit to the data at four initial P concentrations (50, 100, 200 and 300 mg/L) resulted in an average relative error of 14.6% and 17.4% from the experimental data for CaT-Z and CaT-B, respectively. The average surface diffusion coefficient (Ds) ranged from 2.5 × 10-10 to 8.7 × 10-10 cm2/s for CaT-Z and from 1.6 × 10-10 to 4.78 × 10-9 cm2/s for CaT-B. The external mass transfer coefficient (kf) ranged from 2.72 × 10-4 to 8.38 × 10-4 cm/s for CaT-Z and from 5.63 × 10-4 to 2.24 × 10-3 cm/s for CaT-B. The dimensionless Biot (Bi) number exhibited values in the order of magnitude of 105 indicating that intraparticle diffusion is the controlling mass transfer mechanism for both materials

Anatomic study and biomechanic analysis of the medial retinaculum of the knee and its relation to patella dislocation

Background: Lateral patellar dislocation is a frequent injury in childhood and adolescence. During patella dislocation, soft-tissue structures, such as medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL), medial patellomeniscal ligament (MPML), medial patellotibial ligament (MPTL) medial retinaculum (MR) and vastus medialis obliquus muscle fibers (VMO), are usually injured, leading usually to recurrent dislocations. The first dislocation is usually treated conservatively with some exceptions, such as the presence of osteochondral fragments. Recurrent and chronic dislocations are usually treated by medial structures repair. Patello-femoral joint is a system of stabilising factors. The most important is MPFL contributing up to 50-60% to the stability of the patella. MPML contributes up to 24%, while MPTL and MR contribute up to 13%. As far as MR is concerned, a few cadaveric studies have been published, regarding its contribution to the stability of the patella and methods of surgical reinforcement of it, such as reefing, plasty, imbrication, plication, thermal shrinkage, arthroscopic or not. Other important stabilising factors of the patella are the depth of the trochlear groove (trochlear dysplasia), the height of the patella (patella alta), TT-TG distance, Q-angle, the anteversion of the femur and the increased external rotation of the tibia. Objectives: To analyse the biomechanical role of medial retinaculum, as a stabilising factor against lateral patellar dislocation, for several flexion angles of the knee joint. Study Design & Methods: The patellae of fifty cadaveric knees were surgically exposed and the medial retinaculum of each one was located and marked. A stable 24,51N force was applied to the four parts of the quadriceps muscle and an increasing lateral displacing force was applied to the patella, using ethibond stich, up to 5mm dislocation. The study was repeated for 0°, 45°, 90° of knee flexion, with medial retinaculum intact and dissected. The lateral displacement force was measured using a dynamometer. Wilcoxon singed rank test was used for data analysis. A p value <0,05 was considered as statistical significant. Results: After the dissection of medial retinaculum, the lateral displacement force was lower in every angle of knee flexion (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001 respectively). The lateral displacement force increased as the flexion angle increased (p<0.001), regardless of medial retinaculum integrity. Conclusions: Medial retinaculum acts as a stabilising factor to the patella, against its lateral dislocation in lower flexion angles. Therefore, methods of surgical reinforcement or repair of medial retinaculum, usually combined with other structures reinforcement of relaxation, could provide protection against recurrent patellar dislocation.Εισαγωγή: Το εξάρθρηµα της επιγονατίδας αποτελεί ένα συχνό τραυµατισµό στα παιδιά και τους έφηβους, κυρίως θήλεα, και χαρακτηρίζεται από την προς τα έξω παρεκτόπιση της επιγονατίδας, η οποία ακολουθείται συνήθως από αυτόµατη ανάταξη. Το πρώτο επεισόδιο αντιµετωπίζεται συνήθως συντηρητικά, µε κάποιες εξαιρέσεις όπως η ύπαρξη ελεύθερου σώµατος στην άρθρωση, ενώ τα καθέξιν εξαρθρήµατα αντιµετωπίζονται χειρουργικά. Κατά τη διάρκεια του εξαρθρήµατος, τα µαλακά µόρια που περιβάλλουν την επιγονατίδα τραυµατίζονται. Οι βασικές αυτές δοµές σταθεροποίησης είναι ο έσω επιγονατιδοµηριαίος σύνδεσµος (MPFL), ο οποίος αποτελεί τον κύριο παράγοντα σταθερότητας, µε συµβολή έως 50-60% στην σταθερότητα της επιγονατίδας, ενώ άλλοι λιγότεροσηµαντικοί παράγοντες είναι ο έσω επιγονατιδοµηνισκικός σύνδεσµος (MPML), µε συµβολή έως 24% και ο έσω επιγονατιδοκνηµιαίος σύνδεσµος (MPTL) µε συµβολή έως 13%. Ο έσω πλατύς µυς (VMO) παίζει βασικό ρόλο στην σταθεροποίηση της επιγονατίδας, ενώ η συµβολή του έσω καθεκτικού συνδέσµου της επιγονατίδας (MR) υπολογίζεται περί το 13%. Η συµβολή της αλληλεπίδρασης των οστών βρέθηκε ότι είναι πολύ σηµαντική, κυρίως µετά τις 30° κάµψης του γόνατος, συνεπώς ανατοµικές παραλλαγές, όπως η δυσπλαστική τροχιλία (trochlear dysplasia), η υψηλή θέση τηςεπιγονατίδας (patella alta), η αυξηµένη απόσταση κνηµιαίου κυρτώµατος- τροχιλιακής εντοµής (TT-TG distance) και διάφορες στροφικές παραµορφώσεις (αυξηµένο anteversion του µηριαίου οστού, αυξηµένη έξω στροφή της κνήµης), προκαλούν αστάθεια στην επιγονατιδοµηριαια άρθρωση.Σκοπός: Να αναλύσουµε τον εµβιοµηχανικό ρόλο του έσω καθεκτικού συνδέσµου της επιγονατίδας, στην σταθεροποίηση της στην άρθρωση του γόνατος και στην προστασία που προσφέρει όσον αφορά το εξάρθρηµα της, σε διάφορες γωνίες λειτουργικής κάµψης του γόνατος. Υλικό & Μέθοδοι:Χρησιµοποιήθηκαν πενήντα πτωµατικά γόνατα, χωρίς προηγούµενη γνωστή παθολογία ή ανατοµική παραλλαγή, στα οποία µετά από χειρουργική παρασκευή, µετρήθηκε η δύναµη, µέσω ισχυρών ραµµάτων ethibond και χρήση ηλεκτρονικού δυναµοµέτρου, που απαιτείται για την παρεκτόπιση της επιγονατίδας προς τα έξω κατά 5mm, σε διάφορες γωνίες κάµψης του γόνατος (0°-45°-90°), µε τον έσω καθεκτικό σύνδεσµο ακέραιο και διατµηµένο. Παράλληλα ασκούνταν δύναµη 24.51Newton στις 4 µοίρες του τετρακέφαλου µυός. Η στατιστική ανάλυση έγινε µε το Wilcoxon singed rank test (SPSS, version 24, Chicago-USA). P value<0,05 θεωρήθηκε στατιστικά σηµαντική. Αποτέλεσµα:Η δύναµη που παρεκτοπίζει την επιγονατίδα προς τα έξω, µειώνεται µε τη διατοµή του έσω καθεκτικού συνδέσµου, µε το γόνατο σε 0°, 45°, 90° κάµψη (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001 αντίστοιχα). Επίσης παρατηρούµε ότι η δύναµη παρεκτόπισης αυξάνεται µε τη κάµψη του γόνατος, µε ακέραιο και µη ακέραιο έσω καθεκτικό σύνδεσµο (p<0.001). Συµπεράσµατα: Ο έσω καθεκτικός σύνδεσµος της επιγονατίδας συµβάλλει στη σταθεροποίηση της στην άρθρωση, κυρίως µε τογόνατο σε έκταση και λιγότερο σε κάµψη, οπότε εκεί προστίθενται και άλλοι παράγοντες σταθερότητας, όπως για παράδειγµα η επαφή της επιγονατίδας µε την πρόσθια επιφάνεια του µηριαίου οστού. Άρα συµβάλλει στη σταθεροποίηση της επιγονατίδας και προλαµβάνει το εξάρθρηµα της, όντας ακέραιος, κάνοντας σαφές ότι µέθοδοι ενίσχυσης του, σε συνδυασµό µε την αποκατάσταση και των υπόλοιπων βασικών σταθεροποιητών της άρθρωσης (MPFL) ή/και τη διευθέτηση ανατοµικών παραλλαγών (δυσπλαστική τροχιλία, υψηλή θέση επιγονατίδας, αυξηµένηTT- TG απόσταση) προλαµβάνουν εξαρθρήµατα της σε διάφορες περιπτώσεις ασθενών

Privacy preserving record linkage approaches

Privacy-preserving record linkage is a very important task, mostly because of the very sensitive nature of the personal data. The main focus in this task is to find a way to match records from among different organisation data sets or databases without revealing competitive or personal information to non-owners. Towards accomplishing this task, several methods and protocols have been proposed. In this work, we propose a certain methodology for preserving the privacy of various record linkage approaches and we implement, examine and compare four pairs of privacy preserving record linkage methods and protocols. Two of these protocols use n-gram based similarity comparison techniques, the third protocol uses the well known edit distance and the fourth one implements the Jaro-Winkler distance metric. All of the protocols used are enhanced by private key cryptography and hash encoding. This paper presents also a blocking scheme as an extension to the privacy preserving record linkage methodology. Our comparison is backed up by extended experimental evaluation that demonstrates the performance achieved by each of the proposed protocols. Copyright © 2009 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd

Dance North performance of Women's War Too, choreographed by Cheryl Stock, performed by Bradford Leeon and Bernadette Walong, 1992 [picture] /

Part of the collection: Papers of Cheryl Stock.; "Dance North 1992. Women's war too. Bradford Leeon & Bernadette Walong. Choreography: Cheryl Stock. Music: 40's medley. Design: Michael Pearce"--Verso.; Title devised by cataloguer.; Also available in an electronic version via the Internet at: http://nla.gov.au/nla.ms-ms8354-0-4

Non-rigid fixation of the glenoid bone block for patients with recurrent anterior instability and major glenoid bone loss: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: New types of glenoid bone block fixation, involving suture buttons, suture anchors or even implant-free impaction of the graft, have been recently introduced. In contrast to screws which allow for a rigid fixation of the bone block, these alternative procedures provide a non-rigid type of fixation. METHODS: Two reviewers independently conducted the search in a systematic way (according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) using the MEDLINE/PubMed database and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. These databases were queried with the terms &quot;Latarjet&quot; OR &quot;Eden-Hybbinette&quot; OR &quot;bone block&quot; AND &quot;anterior&quot; AND &quot;shoulder&quot; AND &quot;instability.&quot; RESULTS: Eight out of the 325 initial studies were finally chosen according to our inclusion-exclusion criteria. In total, 750 patients were included in this review. The overall anterior instability recurrence rate for patients treated with non-rigid fixation was 2.6%, while the overall rate of non-union or graft osteolysis was 5.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of the graft type, bone block non-rigid fixation showed satisfactory clinical and functional outcomes for the treatment of anterior shoulder instability with substantial glenoid bone deficiency. Furthermore, non-rigid fixation resulted in adequate bone graft healing and osseous incorporation. Lastly, given the relative lack of data, further prospective controlled studies are required to assess bone block non-rigid fixation procedures in comparison with the traditional rigid (with screws) fixation techniques. LEVEL: Systematic review, IV