Short-term results of a new self-locking cementless femoral stem: a prospective cohort study of the Lima MasterSL

Background: Total hip arthroplasty is a successful treatment for hip osteoarthritis. Primary and secondary implant fixation is dependent on implant design and plays an important role in the longevity of an implant. In this study, we assessed the self-locking cementless MasterSL femoral stem. Materials and methods: In this single-centre prospective study, 50 consecutive hips with the indication for total hip arthroplasty, who met the inclusion criteria, received the MasterSL stem from LIMA Corporate. Patients had pre- and post-operative clinical and radiological assessment and completed patient-reported outcome measures [Oxford Hip Score (OHS), Harris Hip Score (HHS) and Forgotten Joint Score (FJS)] at the 6-week and 6-, 12- and 24-month mark. Post-operative X-rays were assessed for osteointegration (Engh Score), alignment and subsidence. Results: After 2 years, aseptic survival was 100%. One hip had to be explanted due to early deep infection and was excluded from the study. At 2 years, the patients reported a significant improved HHS and OHS of 95.3 ± 5.8 and 46.1 ± 3.6 (mean ± standard deviation), respectively, compared to preoperatively. The mean ± standard deviation for the FJS was 86.4 ± 18.7 with two-thirds of the patients reporting a score above 85. The mean Engh score is 15.1 ± 5.9 (mean ± standard deviation) with no patient scoring below 1 which suggests good osteointegration in all femoral stems. Conclusions: The MasterSL femoral stem performed well in this short-term follow-up study, with high patient satisfaction and good signs of osteointegration. Long-term follow-up will be necessary to evaluate longevity

Experimental and computational analyses reveal that environmental restrictions shape HIV-1 spread in 3D cultures

Here, using an integrative experimental and computational approach, Imle et al. show how cell motility and density affect HIV cell-associated transmission in a three-dimensional tissue-like culture system of CD4+ T cells and collagen, and how different collagen matrices restrict infection by cell-free virions

Female-biased dispersal in the solitarily foraging slender mongoose, Galerella sanguinea, in the Kalahari

Sex-biased dispersal is common in most mammals, but a female bias is less so and exceptionally rare in solitary mammals. Here we present genetic and observational evidence for strong female-biased dispersal in a solitary foraging small carnivore, the slender mongoose. We suggest that females benefit from dispersal by avoiding kin competition over local resources and inbreeding, while males can benefit from philopatry through kin cooperation leading to an increased success in female defence. The comparison between our observations and those of a previous study in Tanzania suggest that there is ecologically influenced flexibility in dispersal patterns within this species, influencing sex-specific benefits of dispersal and philopatry. Comparing our results with those on the closely related, more social mongoose species in which both sexes commonly disperse suggests that dispersal patterns are linked to a species' social system by the opportunity, or lack of it, in philopatry to obtain unrelated mating partners and gain indirect fitness benefits