Bone has a sophisticated architecture characterized by a hierarchical organization, starting at the sub-micrometre level. Thus, the analysis of the mechanical and structural properties of bone at ...this scale is essential to understand the relationship between its physiology, physical properties and chemical composition. Here, we unveil the potential of Brillouin-Raman microspectroscopy (BRaMS), an emerging correlative optical approach that can simultaneously assess bone mechanics and chemistry with micrometric resolution. Correlative hyperspectral imaging, performed on a human diaphyseal ring, reveals a complex microarchitecture that is reflected in extremely rich and informative spectra. An innovative method for mechanical properties analysis is proposed, mapping the intermixing of soft and hard tissue areas and revealing the coexistence of regions involved in remodelling processes, nutrient transportation and structural support. The mineralized regions appear elastically inhomogeneous, resembling the pattern of the osteons' lamellae, while Raman and energy-dispersive X-ray images through scanning electron microscopy show an overall uniform distribution of the mineral content, suggesting that other structural factors are responsible for lamellar micromechanical heterogeneity. These results, besides giving an important insight into cortical bone tissue properties, highlight the potential of BRaMS to access the origin of anisotropic mechanical properties, which are almost ubiquitous in other biological tissues.
Background
Bilateral unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) may be performed as one- or two-stage procedure. Previous reports suggest that UKA provides a more rapid functional recovery than total ...knee arthroplasty. However, little data exist on whether bilateral UKA can be performed without increasing the perioperative risk compared with unilateral cases.
Methods
We retrospectively compared 51 patients treated between January 2014 and March 2017 with single-stage UKA (group A) with 51 patients who underwent unilateral procedure (group B) to evaluate perioperative complications. We noted no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of gender, age and body mass index.
Results
Patients who underwent single-stage bilateral UKA had longer operating room time with respect to single procedure (93.2 min vs. 50.7 min). However, the bilateral group had a shorter cumulative operating room time (93.2 min) compared to the unilateral group (101.5 min) with a statistically significant difference (
p
< 0.05). Average hemoglobin loss at discharge was 3.1 points for group A and 2.4 for group B, with a statistically significant difference (
p
< 0.05).
Conclusion
Our results demonstrated that bilateral simultaneous UKA does not increase the risk for perioperative complications. Total blood loss at discharge is statistically higher in bilateral UKA rather than unilateral UKA; however, cumulative hemoglobin loss is statistically lower in bilateral group. Patients can benefit from a single hospital admission and anesthetic time, while the shorter total inpatient stay and lower blood loss can reduce hospital costs in cases of bilateral surgery.
Level of evidence IV
Retrospective study.
Recent findings about zonal displacements of the Pacific warm pool required a notable modification of the delayed action oscillator theory, the current leading theory for the El Niño-Southern ...Oscillation (ENSO). Simulations with a linearized coupled ocean-atmosphere model resulted in 3- to 6-year ENSO-like oscillations, with many of the variable model parameters found to be very close to their observed values. This simple model suggests that ocean processes that are ignored or underestimated in the delayed action oscillator theory, such as zonal current convergence, zonal advection of sea surface temperature, and equatorial wave reflection from the eastern ocean boundary, are fundamental to the development of the ENSO, in particular to its manifestations in the central equatorial Pacific.
In‐plane bandgap engineering of dilute nitrides by spatially delimited hydrogen irradiation (left, microphotoluminescence image of GaAsN) or displacement (right, cathodoluminescence image of ...hydrogenated GaAsN) is reported.
Historically, cow selection criteria were developed for conventional milking systems that have regular milking intervals (MI). However, in automatic milking systems (AMS), there is variability in MI ...within and between cows. These sources of variability provide an opportunity to identify cows with high daily milk yield (DY) and long MI. An extended MI (longer than 16 h in pasture-based systems) has a negative effect on DY. Cows that tolerate extended MI and maintain high DY can be considered more efficient than cows with low DY and long MI, or with high DY but short MI, thereby improving robotic system use. Knowledge of the behavior and parameters of lactation curves of cows in AMS could help farmers to identify cows with a specific lactational phenotype. The objective of this study was to identify individual cows with high DY and long MI within herds, which could reflect increased tolerance to milk accumulation under AMS. A database containing records for 773,483 milking events for one year (July 2016–June 2017) from 4 pasture-based AMS farms was used. Lactation curves within each herd were fitted using several mixed models including fixed effects for the parameters of the lactation curve and random cow effects. Predicted curves of average DY according to parity (multiparous and primiparous) were obtained. The best linear unbiased prediction of the random cow effect allowed us to categorize lactations as having either high or low milk production. The median MI of each lactation was then used to categorize cows as having either short or long MI. Daily yield at the peak of lactation, days to peak and 305-d cumulative milk production were used to compare the effect of DY and MI categories, as well as the DY × MI interaction. Milk production by multiparous and primiparous cows with high DY and long MI was between 35 and 45% higher than that of the low DY and short MI. From all lactations analyzed, the incidence of animals with high DY and long MI across farms was 7.5%. We have identified and quantified a new, AMS-specific, phenotype (the combination of a relatively higher DY with relatively longer MI) with potential to increase use of AMS units. Identifying more efficient animals should help generate new approaches for differential management and for selecting cows in AMS.
•The presence of at least on health problem in dairy cattle negatively affected milk production at peak and 305d cumulative milk production.•Cows with health disorders during the third lactation ...required more inseminations.•Healthy cows remained in the herd 45 days longer than cows with at least one disease.•There is a high risk of health disorders in dairy cattle at the early stage of lactation.•Clinical disease effects on lactation were not limited to the period of disease progress.
In dairy herds, cattle experience different health disorders, and their occurrence during lactation may cause important economic losses. The systematic analysis of productive and health records allows us to identify the risk factors of greatest negative incidence on profitability in commercial dairy farms. The aim of this work was to estimate the effects of clinical diseases on the productive and reproductive performance of dairy cattle. A total of 15,423 lactations (≥3rd lactations) were analyzed; data involved records of three years obtained from 21 commercial dairy farms randomly selected from the main milk-producing provinces in Argentina. Lactations were classified as “with” (WD) or “without” (WOD) clinical diseases. The parameters production at peak (Ppeak) and 305-d cumulative milk production (305DY) were estimated and lactation curves were fitted using the MilkBot model. Statistical differences were found between lactations with at least one clinical disease (305DY 9,861.3 kg; Ppeak 39.5 kg/d) and those WOD (305DY 10,013.6 kg; Ppeak 40.2 kg/d). The reproductive indicators days open and days to culling were derived from survival analysis. Days open showed that 50% of cows with at least one clinical disease became pregnant 181 days (95% CI = 177; 185) after parturition, whereas in cows without clinical disease, pregnancy occurred on average 126 days (95% CI= 121; 132) after parturition. Furthermore, for days to culling, 50% of the diseased cows exhibited a culling time of 518 days (95%CI = 508; 527), whereas healthy cows remained in the herd for a longer period, on average 563 days (95% CI= 541; 586). The results suggest significant residual effects, i.e. the consequences of clinical disease are not limited to the period of disease progress, but extend to periods after the clinical resolution of the disease.
There is a wide evidence that Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) as well as Psoriasis (Ps) lead to significant health problems and interfere with the patient quality of life (QoL). Even though a validated ...questionnaire for Ps is available, no questionnaire for PsA is currently present in literature. The aim of our work has been to confirm the efficacy of our original questionnaire as well as to validate it, through the comparison with other existing recognised and accepted questionnaires, such as MOF-SF36, HAQ, McGill Pain Questionnaire, and Zeung Self-Rating Depression and Anxiety Scales.
We have realized a questionnaire for PsA (Psoriatic Arthritis Impact Questionnaire, PAIP), in terms of psychological and rheumatological evaluation, QoL, social and economic assets.
The statistical comparisons between PAIP and the accepted questionnaires (see above) confirm that PAIP is widely validated and represents a useful tool suitable for clinical evaluation and management of patients with PsA.
The indexes of the correlation among the different parts of PAIP and the other questionnaires have shown positive correlations. Moreover, PAIP presents a dedicated unit for the economical and therapeutic parameters, The short time for compilation (15 minutes), the easy of comprehension of the questions, and - above all - the validation of PAIP, make our questionnaire a useful tool, suitable for the clinical management of the patients with PsA.
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