Cemented versus uncemented hemiarthroplasty for femoral neck fractures in elderly patients

Background: Controversy still exists regarding using cemented or uncemented hemiarthroplasty for femoral neck fractures in elderly patients. The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness and safety of the two surgical techniques in femoral neck fracture patients over 60 years old.Methods: We searched PUBMED from inception to December 2012 for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Outcomes of interest include postoperative hip function, residue pain, complication rates, mortality, reoperation rate, operation time and intraoperative blood loss. Odds ratios (OR) and weighted mean differences (WMD) from each trial were pooled using random-effects model or fixed-effects model given on the heterogeneity of the included studies.Results: Our control trial involved 132 patients (132 hips) who were eligible for the study. Our results demonstrate that cemented hemiarthroplasty is associated with better postoperative hip function (OR = 0.48, 95% CI, 0.31–0.76; p = 0.002), lower residual pain (OR = 0.43, 95%CI, 0.29–0.64; p<0.0001), less implant-related complications (OR = 0.15, 95%CI, 0.09–0.26; p<0.00001) and longer operation time (WMD = 7.43 min, 95% CI, 5.37–9.49 min; p<0.00001). No significant difference was observed between the two groups in mortality, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications, local complications, general complications, reoperation rate and intraoperative blood loss.Conclusions: Compared with uncemented hemiarthroplasty, the existing evidence indicates that cemented hemiarthroplasty can achieve better hip function, lower residual pain and less implant-related complications with no increased risk of mortality, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications, general complications, local complications and reoperation rate in treating elderly patients with femoral neck fractures

A prospective study of retrograde nailing for distal third femoral shaft fractures

Background: To evaluate the postoperative knee range of motion and results of unreamed retrograde nailing for distal third femoral shaft fractures.Methods: Between June 2019 and June 2021 inclusive, a consecutive series of 20 patients who underwent retrograde nailing were prospectively evaluated. Outcome measures were union time, initiation of weight bearing, deformity and shortening, functional length of the nail, knee function assessed using a modified knee society knee score. Correlations between union time and other variables were also studied.Results: In these patients 18 (90%) of the 20 fractures achieved union, of which 4 underwent dynamisation; the mean union time for the other 18 fractures was 3.1 months. Angular malalignment was present in 2 patients and shortening in 3 others. There was negligible correlation between union time and variables of nail-canal diameter mismatch, functional length of nail, fracture geometry, or initiation of partial weight bearing ambulation. Knee flexion of more than 100 degrees was achieved in 19 patients. 14 patients had anterior knee pain and 7 had instability in early phases of ambulation. By the end of one year, excellent or good scores for pain and function were recorded in 95% and 86% respectively of the 20 patients.Conclusions: In view of such favourable union rates and no significant deterioration in overall knee joint function, at best retrograde nailing is a reliable alternative in the management of selected complicated fractures of the distal femoral shaft

Real-time task attributes and temporal constraints

Real-time tasks need attributes for monitoring their execution and performing recovery actions in case of failures. Temporal constraints are a class of real-time task attributes where the constraints relate the status of the task to temporal entities. Violating temporal constraints can produce consequences of unknown severity. This paper is part of our on-going research on real-time multi agent systems constraints. We discuss the importance of temporal constraints and present a task model that explicitly represents temporal constraints. We also present our preliminary results from our initial implementation in the domain of Meeting Schedules Management involving multiple users assisted by agents

Towards Semantic Interoperability for IT Governance: An Ontological Approach

In today's IT-centric environment, businesses rely more heavily on IT technologies. Organizations are often obliged to satisfy different requirements demanded and imposed by customers, business partners and legal entities. With increasing regulatory requirements, various best practices and standards are phenomenally employed to benchmark organizational adherence to different regulations. In a heterogeneous, multi-regulated, multi-disciplined and global environment, corporations are often required to consult with multiple standards. Interoperability between the standards for heterogeneous compliance management in the forms of semantic data translation and data integration is subsequently required. Semantic translation between standards allows compliance efforts established on a standard to be based on another standard. On the other hand, semantic data integration enables an integrated view of multiple standards. We present in this paper an ontology-based approach to the semantic interoperability problem in the domain of IT governance

Determinants of Corporate Risk Disclosure in Annual Reports of UK Companies

The dissertation was focused on understanding the determinants of corporate risk disclosure in annual reports of UK companies. There were three key objectives to the research: (1) evaluate the determinants of narrative disclosure concerning risk management and internal control in the UK companies that is valuable to policy makers, (2) explain how companies disclose their financial information to various stakeholders – users, employees, government and clients among others, and (3) evaluate the knowledge resulting from the research and identify hints for future regulation and provide an impetus for more empirical research. The dissertation pursued a qualitative research based on secondary research. The summary findings and conclusions include the following: • Understanding motivations of firms in pursuing greater corporate risk disclosure. Firms have different motivations in providing increased disclosure and these include: (1) increased valuation, (2) better pricing of inputs, and (3) target specific investors. • Identifying the possible factors that drive the decisions of firms and which could be similar to own firms. Sector-specific rationale are important and, in the case of financial services firms, providing information on the illiquid assets and the amount written down are important particularly in the near-term where investors are searching for information. • Determine the best course of action related to corporate risk disclosures. Each firm will need to decide on the best course of action but certainly, some of the key principles in terms of disclosures, particularly for corporate risk, include the following: (1) provide increased transparency to the corporate risk management and internal controls processes and systems to provide investors and other stakeholders comfort and understanding, (2) ensure enough relevant information is provided to prevent any market rumours or speculation affect the business, and (3) ensure that the right individuals are in place and have the capability and skills to effectively perform the tasks. The dissertation showed that financial services firms provided greater disclosure of information in their annual reports versus retail sector firms

A simple stereoselective synthesis of (+)-[6]-gingerdiol

A simple stereoselective synthesis of (+)-[6]-gingerdiol has been accomplished starting from vanillin. The synthetic sequence involves Mouroka allylation, diasterioselective iodine induced electrophilic cyclization and ring-opening of an epoxide as the key steps

Theories and Management of Aging: Modern and Ayurveda Perspectives

Aging is a complex phenomenon, a sum total of changes that occur in a living organism with the passage of time and lead to decreasing ability to survive stress, increasing functional impairment and growing probability of death. There are many theories of aging and skin remains the largest organ of the study. Skin aging is described as a consequence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The most common amongst visible signs of skin aging are wrinkles and there are various therapies including antiaging cosmeceuticals, sunscreens, chemical peeling, injectable agents, such as botox, fibrel, autologous fat grafting as also few surgical procedures have been used. Ayurveda, the Indian traditional medicine, describes aging with great details. This review provides modern and Ayurvedic perspectives on theories and management of aging