Treatment of post-traumatic degenerative changes of the radio-carpal and distal radio-ulnar joints by combining radius, scaphoid, and lunate (RSL) fusion with ulnar head replacement

Distal radial fractures are a common type of fracture. In the case of intra-articular fractures, they often result in post-traumatic arthrosis. The objective of this study is to describe a novel alternative to the established salvage techniques for the treatment of post-traumatic arthrosis of the radio-carpal and distal radio-ulnar joints (DRUJ). Six patients with radio-carpal and DRUJ arthrosis were treated with a combined radius, scaphoid, and lunate (RSL) arthrodesis and as a Herbert ulnar head prosthesis. Follow-up consisted of both radiographic and functional assessments. Functional measurements were noted both pre- and postoperatively. No non-union or pseudoarthrosis was seen; neither did any of the ulnar head prostheses show loosening. Clinical examination showed an improvement in strength, pain, and range of movement, as well as a decrease in disability. Combining RSL arthrodesis with a Herbert ulnar head prosthesis, which deals with pain while retaining partial wrist movement, can be an alternative to established salvage procedures

Why Functional Pre-Erythrocytic and Bloodstage Malaria Vaccines Fail: A Meta-Analysis of Fully Protective Immunizations and Novel Immunological Model

Background: Clinically protective malaria vaccines consistently fail to protect adults and children in endemic settings, and at best only partially protect infants. Methodology/Principal Findings: We identify and evaluate 1916 immunization studies between 1965-February 2010, and exclude partially or nonprotective results to find 177 completely protective immunization experiments. Detailed reexamination reveals an unexpectedly mundane basis for selective vaccine failure: live malaria parasites in the skin inhibit vaccine function. We next show published molecular and cellular data support a testable, novel model where parasite-host interactions in the skin induce malaria-specific regulatory T cells, and subvert early antigen-specific immunity to parasite-specific immunotolerance. This ensures infection and tolerance to reinfection. Exposure to Plasmodium-infected mosquito bites therefore systematically triggers immunosuppression of endemic vaccine-elicited responses. The extensive vaccine trial data solidly substantiate this model experimentally. Conclusions/Significance: We conclude skinstage-initiated immunosuppression, unassociated with bloodstage parasites, systematically blocks vaccine function in the field. Our model exposes novel molecular and procedural strategies to significantly and quickly increase protective efficacy in both pipeline and currently ineffective malaria vaccines, and forces fundamental reassessment of central precepts determining vaccine development. This has major implications fo

Vampires in the village Žrnovo on the island of Korčula: following an archival document from the 18th century

Središnja tema rada usmjerena je na raščlambu spisa pohranjenog u Državnom arhivu u Mlecima (fond: Capi del Consiglio de’ Dieci: Lettere di Rettori e di altre cariche) koji se odnosi na događaj iz 1748. godine u korčulanskom selu Žrnovo, kada su mještani – vjerujući da su se pojavili vampiri – oskvrnuli nekoliko mjesnih grobova. U radu se podrobno iznose osnovni podaci iz spisa te rečeni događaj analizira u širem društvenom kontekstu i prate se lokalna vjerovanja.The main interest of this essay is the analysis of the document from the State Archive in Venice (file: Capi del Consiglio de’ Dieci: Lettere di Rettori e di altre cariche) which is connected with the episode from 1748 when the inhabitants of the village Žrnove on the island of Korčula in Croatia opened tombs on the local cemetery in the fear of the vampires treating. This essay try to show some social circumstances connected with this event as well as a local vernacular tradition concerning superstitions

Complexes of group 3 metals and lanthanides that contain siloxane-bridged bisaminopyridinato ligands:Synthesis, structure, and application in the ring-opening polymerization of lactones

The reaction of one equivalent of dilithiated O(SiMe2-Ap-H)(2) [Ap-H = -N(2-amino-4-methylpyridine)] (1), generated in situ, with LnCl(3) (Ln = Y, Sm) in THF affords O(SiMe2-Ap)(2)YCl(THF)(2) (2) or O(SiMe2-Ap)(2)SmCl(THF)(3) (3). In contrast, the reaction of one or two equivalents of dilithiated 1, again generated in situ, with LaBr3 in THF affords O(SiMe2-Ap)(2))(2)LaLi(THF)(3) (4). An X-ray structural analysis of 2 and 3 reveal the O(SiMe2-Ap)(2-) ligand to bind in a planar tetradentate manner. Equivalent Sm-N distances in 3 indicate a delocalized binding mode. Compound 2 reacts with Bu4NBH4, NaBH4 or LiCH(SiMe3)(2) to give the corresponding "ate" complexes O(SiMe2-Ap)(2)Y(BH4)Cl(THF) Bu4N (5), O(SiMe2-Ap)(2)Y(BH4)(2)Na(THF)(2) (6) and O(SiMe2-Ap)(2)Y(CH(TMS)(2))(2)Li(THF)(3) (7), respectively. The steric demand of the O(SiMe2-Ap)(2-) ligand is not large enough to stabilize monoalkyl or monoborohydride complexes. Complex 4 has been used as an initiator for the ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone or delta-valerolactone. In both cases an almost linear relation between the monomer-to-initiator ratio and the molecular weight of the obtained polyester is observed. By conducting the polymerization in neat epsilon-caprolactone at room temperature a solid polyester block is formed after 3 min (300000 g.mol(-1), M-w/M-n 2.3)

Complexes of group 3 metals and lanthanides that contain siloxane-bridged bisaminopyridinato ligands:Synthesis, structure, and application in the ring-opening polymerization of lactones

The reaction of one equivalent of dilithiated O(SiMe2-Ap-H)(2) [Ap-H = -N(2-amino-4-methylpyridine)] (1), generated in situ, with LnCl(3) (Ln = Y, Sm) in THF affords O(SiMe2-Ap)(2)YCl(THF)(2) (2) or O(SiMe2-Ap)(2)SmCl(THF)(3) (3). In contrast, the reaction of one or two equivalents of dilithiated 1, again generated in situ, with LaBr3 in THF affords O(SiMe2-Ap)(2))(2)LaLi(THF)(3) (4). An X-ray structural analysis of 2 and 3 reveal the O(SiMe2-Ap)(2-) ligand to bind in a planar tetradentate manner. Equivalent Sm-N distances in 3 indicate a delocalized binding mode. Compound 2 reacts with Bu4NBH4, NaBH4 or LiCH(SiMe3)(2) to give the corresponding "ate" complexes O(SiMe2-Ap)(2)Y(BH4)Cl(THF) Bu4N (5), O(SiMe2-Ap)(2)Y(BH4)(2)Na(THF)(2) (6) and O(SiMe2-Ap)(2)Y(CH(TMS)(2))(2)Li(THF)(3) (7), respectively. The steric demand of the O(SiMe2-Ap)(2-) ligand is not large enough to stabilize monoalkyl or monoborohydride complexes. Complex 4 has been used as an initiator for the ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone or delta-valerolactone. In both cases an almost linear relation between the monomer-to-initiator ratio and the molecular weight of the obtained polyester is observed. By conducting the polymerization in neat epsilon-caprolactone at room temperature a solid polyester block is formed after 3 min (300000 g.mol(-1), M-w/M-n 2.3)

Complexes of group 3 metals and lanthanides that contain siloxane-bridged bisaminopyridinato ligands:Synthesis, structure, and application in the ring-opening polymerization of lactones

The reaction of one equivalent of dilithiated O(SiMe2-Ap-H)(2) [Ap-H = -N(2-amino-4-methylpyridine)] (1), generated in situ, with LnCl(3) (Ln = Y, Sm) in THF affords O(SiMe2-Ap)(2)YCl(THF)(2) (2) or O(SiMe2-Ap)(2)SmCl(THF)(3) (3). In contrast, the reaction of one or two equivalents of dilithiated 1, again generated in situ, with LaBr3 in THF affords O(SiMe2-Ap)(2))(2)LaLi(THF)(3) (4). An X-ray structural analysis of 2 and 3 reveal the O(SiMe2-Ap)(2-) ligand to bind in a planar tetradentate manner. Equivalent Sm-N distances in 3 indicate a delocalized binding mode. Compound 2 reacts with Bu4NBH4, NaBH4 or LiCH(SiMe3)(2) to give the corresponding "ate" complexes O(SiMe2-Ap)(2)Y(BH4)Cl(THF) Bu4N (5), O(SiMe2-Ap)(2)Y(BH4)(2)Na(THF)(2) (6) and O(SiMe2-Ap)(2)Y(CH(TMS)(2))(2)Li(THF)(3) (7), respectively. The steric demand of the O(SiMe2-Ap)(2-) ligand is not large enough to stabilize monoalkyl or monoborohydride complexes. Complex 4 has been used as an initiator for the ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone or delta-valerolactone. In both cases an almost linear relation between the monomer-to-initiator ratio and the molecular weight of the obtained polyester is observed. By conducting the polymerization in neat epsilon-caprolactone at room temperature a solid polyester block is formed after 3 min (300000 g.mol(-1), M-w/M-n 2.3)