bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Management of urological dysfunction in pediatric patients with spinal dysraphism: review of the literature
Authors: Amarante Matthew A. , Shrensel Jeffrey A. , Tomei Krystal L. , Carmel Peter W. , Gandhi Chirag D.
Published: October 2012

An intact, fully functional spine is the result of a complex sequence of embryological events involving both nervous and musculoskeletal system precursors. Deviations from this highly ordered system can result in congenital abnormalities ranging from clinically insignificant cosmetic changes to CNS malformations that are incompatible with life. Closure of the neural tube, which is believed to be the embryological event gone awry in these cases, is complete by just 28 days' gestation, often before pregnancy is detected. Although progress has been made to help prevent neural tube defects in the children of those attempting to conceive, these congenital deformities unfortunately continue to affect a startling number of infants worldwide each year. Furthermore, the precise mechanisms governing closure of the neural tube and how they might be interrupted remain elusive. What is known is that there are a large number of individuals who must deal with congenital spine dysraphism and the clinical sequelae on a daily basis. Bladder and urinary dysfunction are frequently encountered, and urological care is a critical, often neglected, component in the lifelong multidisciplinary approach to treatment. Although many treatment strategies have been devised, a need remains for evidence-based interventions, analysis of quality of life, and preemptive education of both caregivers and patients as they grow older. Pediatric neurosurgeons in particular have the unique opportunity to address these issues, often in the first few days of life and throughout pre- and postoperative evaluation. With proper management instituted at birth, many patients could potentially delay or avoid the potential urological complications resulting from congenital neurogenic bladder.
The supply of marine biological specimens (principally animals) for teaching and research in Great Britain from the nineteenth century until today
Authors: Moore P. G.
Published: October 2012

The nineteenth-century growth of biology, particularly as developed in Germany, was focused initially on morphology and anatomy. In Britain, the growth of biology followed T. H. Huxley's principle of teaching the characters of certain plants and animals selected as types of vegetable and animal organization, which brought demands for marine specimens for dissection. The history of the provision of such material in Britain is investigated, particularly apropos of the Marine Station at Millport. Supplementary information is presented on the equally long-standing specimen trade at Plymouth and on two small commercial concerns that supplied marine specimens (from the Isle of Luing and Shoreham-by-Sea). The demise of the specimen-supply trade in Britain in recent decades has resulted from curriculum changes in schools and universities no longer requiring students to do dissections (relating also to Health and Safety concerns about formalin-preserved material); and biology departments that can often no longer, as a result of financial stringency, afford the “luxury” of supplying students with the range of practical experiences that previous generations once valued so highly. The concern among some students about the ethics, or religious strictures, surrounding dissection is acknowledged. The need for biological conservation is stressed, as too, the need for awareness of the risks posed by alien species introduced into foreign ecosystems via international trade in live marine organisms.
Richard Frederick Deckert (1878–1971), Florida naturalist and natural history artist
Authors: Kabat Alan R.
Published: October 2012

Richard Deckert (born in Germany in 1878, immigrated to New York in 1887, died in Florida in 1971) was a polymath with great enthusiasm and wide ranging interests in natural history. His collections and publications did much to document the reptiles, amphibians, and land snails of Florida. His contributions to natural history illustration were equally important, as his carefully detailed line drawings and water colour paintings delineated the intricate details of snails, fishes, amphibians, and reptiles (particularly snakes and turtles), as well as fossil vertebrates, and were used in a wide range of systematic publications. Deckert also contributed to the modernization of fish taxidermy, leading to the current methods for creating lifelike fish mounts. This paper documents his scientific and artistic work.
Eight microsatellite markers for the bulbous buttercup Ranunculus bulbosus (Ranunculaceae)
Authors: Matter Philippe , Pluess Andrea R. , Ghazoul Jaboury , Kettle Chris J.
Published: October 2012

• Premise of the study: Pollen dispersal is a key biological process enabling plant populations to maintain genetic connectivity. Direct estimates of pollen dispersal using paternity assignment or correlated paternity estimates require highly variable genetic markers, of which microsatellites are the markers of choice.

• Methods and Results: Eight species‐specific microsatellites have been developed for Ranunculus bulbosus, combining classical enrichment methods with 454 sequencing. These markers have been used in paternity analysis as well as in pollen‐pool analyses and proven to be highly polymorphic (seven to 63 alleles in the largest population studied). An excess of homozygotes in six loci indicate the presence of null alleles.

• Conclusions: These markers are the first microsatellites isolated and tested on R. bulbosus and provide a useful tool for population genetic studies in this common grassland herb.
Antifreeze glycopeptide diastereomers
Authors: Nagel Lilly , Budke Carsten , Dreyer Axel , Koop Thomas , Sewald Norbert
Published: October 2012

Antifreeze glycopeptides (AFGPs) are a special class of biological antifreeze agents, which possess the property to inhibit ice growth in the body fluids of arctic and antarctic fish and, thus, enable life under these harsh conditions. AFGPs are composed of 4–55 tripeptide units -Ala-Ala-Thr- glycosylated at the threonine side chains. Despite the structural homology among all the fish species, divergence regarding the composition of the amino acids occurs in peptides from natural sources. Although AFGPs were discovered in the early 1960s, the adsorption mechanism of these macromolecules to the surface of the ice crystals has not yet been fully elucidated. Two AFGP diastereomers containing different amino acid configurations were synthesized to study the influence of amino acid stereochemistry on conformation and antifreeze activity. For this purpose, peptides containing monosaccharide-substituted allo-L- and D-threonine building blocks were assembled by solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS). The retro-inverso AFGP analogue contained all amino acids in D-configuration, while the allo-L-diastereomer was composed of L-amino acids, like native AFGPs, with replacement of L-threonine by its allo-L-diastereomer. Both glycopeptides were analyzed regarding their conformational properties, by circular dichroism (CD), and their ability to inhibit ice recrystallization in microphysical experiments.
CHANGES AFFECTING GENERALIZATION OF LAND COVER FEATURES IN A SMALLER SCALE
Authors: Papšienė Lina , Papšys Kęstutis
Published: October 2012

Reference spatial data sets represent the least changing natural and anthropogenic features of terrine. As a rule, such data are stored in different scales and most frequently updated consequently starting with a spatial data set of a larger scale (usually base scale) thus later performing an update of data in smaller scales. The generalization of features in a larger scale is one of the major processes employed in the creation and update of spatial data of a smaller scale. In order to effectively carry out works, it is recommended to use automatic procedures and generalization only in those cases when changes in features are significant, i.e. affect the update of features in a smaller scale. The article discusses the relation between changes in polygon features (identify land cover territories in a base spatial data set) and different generalization processes as well as the evaluation of significance of likely changes.
SIMULATION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD PROPAGATION GENERATED BY RADIO WAVES FROM ANTENNAS FOR MOBILE CELLULAR COMMUNICATIONS
Authors: Stankevičius Žilvinas
Published: October 2012

The methods frequently employed for predicting the intensity of an electromagnetic field in urban localities are based on empirically established factors. In order to predict the intensity of the electromagnetic field in an adjacent transmitter zone and on building facade flats, the method of simulating of direct visibility rays seems to be a suitable tool. With reference to the introduced method, the article describes the offered algorithm applied for performing experimental calculations. Also, the method of monitoring has been based on the calculated values of the intensity of the electromagnetic field.
Getting Under the Skin of Adverse Drug Reactions
Authors: Hempel Carolyn , Martin Craig
Published: October 2012

Cutaneous drug reactions are among the most commonly reported adverse drug reactions. Drugs prescribed by orthopedic surgeons, such as antibiotics, opiates, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are common offenders. Cutaneous drug reactions can range from those that are common, mild nuisances to those that are rare, severe, and life-threatening. Medications should be considered part of a differential diagnosis for any dermatologic condition. It is important to recognize the different clinical features and common drugs that are related to each type of reaction. This review characterizes the different forms of cutaneous drug reactions and the clinical features, proposed mechanisms, and drugs frequently associated with each.
Measured Flexion Following Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Mai Kenny T. , Verioti Christopher A. , Hardwick Mary E. , Ezzet Kace A. , Copp Steven N. , Colwell Clifford W.
Published: October 2012

Postoperative flexion is an important factor in the outcome of total knee arthroplasty. Although normal activities of daily living require a minimum of 105° to 110° of flexion, patients from non-Western cultures often engage in activities such as kneeling and squatting that require higher flexion. The desire to achieve greater flexion serves as the driving force for prosthetic modifications, including high-flexion designs. Techniques used to measure knee flexion and knee position during measurement are not often described or are different depending on the examiner. The purpose of this study was to compare active (self) and passive (assisted) flexion after successful total knee arthroplasty for 5 prostheses (2 standard and 3 high-flexion) using clinical (goniometer) and radiographic (true lateral radiograph) measurement techniques by different independent examiners.

At a mean follow-up of 2.7 years (range, 1–5.6 years), a total of 108 patients (144 total knee arthroplasties) had completed the study. Mean postoperative active flexion was 111° clinically and 109° radiographically for the standard designs and 114° clinically and 117° radiographically for the high-flexion designs. Adding passive flexion increased flexion to 115° clinically and 117° radiographically for the standard designs and 119° clinically and 124° radiographically for the high-flexion designs. Flexion differences between the 2 measurement techniques (active vs passive and clinically vs radiographically) were statistically significant (
P
<.05). These findings demonstrate the importance of describing how flexion is measured in studies and understanding how the method of measurement can affect the findings.
Incidence of Venous Thromboembolism in Fractures Around and Below the Knee With Physical Prophylaxis
Authors: Niikura Takahiro , Lee Sang Yang , Oe Keisuke , Koh Akihiro , Koga Takaaki , Dogaki Yoshihiro , Okumachi Etsuko , Sakai Yoshitada , Akisue Toshihiro , Kuroda Ryosuke , Kurosaka Masahiro
Published: October 2012

Fractures occurring at the distal part of the lower extremities are recognized to have a relatively lower risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE); however, few detailed reports exist on the subject. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of VTE in fractures around and below the knee. Overall, 109 consecutive patients with fractures around and below the knee who were surgically treated at the authors’ hospital were analyzed retrospectively. Physical prophylaxis was performed in all patients. Until April 2009, VTE screening was performed by contrast-enhanced computed tomography or ultrasonography when the D-dimer value did not decline predictably, exceeded 20 μg/mL 5 days after trauma and surgery, or increased above 20 μg/mL after a period of decline. After April 2009, ultrasonography was routinely performed pre- and postoperatively irrespective of the D-dimer value. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on the absence or presence of accompanying injuries, including head, chest, abdominal, or spinal injury and other fractures of the pelvis and lower extremities. Overall, VTE and pulmonary thromboembolism were detected in 28 (25.7%) patients and 5 (4.6%) patients, respectively. All cases were asymptomatic. The VTE incidence rates were 8.6% (former screening) and 40% (newer screening) in patients with isolated fractures and 25% (former screening) and 41.7% (newer screening) in patients with accompanying injuries. The pulmonary thromboembolism incidence rates were 2.9% (former screening) and 0% (newer screening) in patients with isolated fractures and 3.2% (former screening) and 25.0% (newer screening) in patients with accompanying injuries. Surgeons should be vigilant for symptoms of VTE in patients with fractures occurring at the distal part of the lower extremities.
Excision of Radial Head Fractures With Medially Displaced Fragments Using 2 Incisions: The Nutcracker Effect
Authors: Muzaffar Nasir , Bhat Aejaz , Shah Nissar
Published: October 2012

Marginal radial head fractures with displaced fragments are relatively common, especially when associated with a concomitant posterior elbow dislocation. The separated fragments are usually displaced forward and outward into the lateral part of the elbow or proximally in the elbow joint. Ulnar displacement of the separated fragments has been described in few cases, and in most of them treatment consisted of excision of the entire radial head.

This article present a case series of 4 Mason type 3 radial head fractures with medially displaced fragments that had to be excised via a separate medial incision. Surgery was performed using 2 incisions, the standard Kocher and a medial incision; complete radial head excision was performed. Clinical and radiological assessment was done for all cases. Pain and range of motion at 2 years and any evidence of heterotrophic ossification were assessed. All patients had some degree of flexion deformity at final follow-up. One patient had some loss of rotation. No heterotrophic ossification existed in any patient. The authors postulate that the medial displacement may have been due to a nutcracker effect that caused the medial portion of the radial head to be compressed between the capitellum and the radial shaft and lateral part of the radial head. Such injuries are rare, and postoperative loss of flexion should be expected. Posterior elbow dislocation may not be present in all cases.
Outcome of a Dynamic Neutralization System for the Spine
Authors: Sapkas George , Mavrogenis Andreas F. , Starantzis Konstantinos A. , Soultanis Konstantinos , Kokkalis Zinon T. , Papagelopoulos Panayiotis J.
Published: October 2012

One hundred fourteen patients (66 men and 48 women; mean age, 49 years) underwent spine stabilization using a dynamic neutralization system between January 1999 and August 2010 for degenerative disk disease, spinal instability, or spinal stenosis. Mean follow-up was 6.8 years (range, 1–11 years). Seven patients were lost to follow-up. Radiological examination and clinical evaluation, including the Oswestry Disability Index, the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, and patient satisfaction, were performed.

Mean Oswestry Disability Index score improved from 57% (severe disability) preoperatively to 22% (moderate disability) postoperatively. Mean Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire score improved from 52% preoperatively to 35% postoperatively; 79 (74%) patients declared themselves very satisfied with the end result of the operation. Postoperatively, 27 (25%) patients experienced complications, including screw loosening (n=22), infection (n=2), back (n=5) and leg (n=2) pain, and endplate vertebral fracture (n=1). Three patients with screw loosening, 2 with deep infection, and 1 with severe persistent back and leg pain underwent rigid spine arthrodesis.

Dynamic neutralization systems can be considered for degenerative disk disease, spinal instability, and stenosis. Patient satisfaction with the procedure is excellent. However, in the long term, the complication rate, most commonly screw loosening, is high and reoperations are common. In this setting, long-term follow-up is recommended, and the use of this system should be reconsidered.
Malignant Soft Tissue Tumors of the Biceps Muscle Mistaken for Proximal Biceps Tendon Rupture
Authors: Tantisricharoenkul Gof , Tan Eric W. , Fayad Laura M. , McCarthy Edward F. , McFarland Edward G.
Published: October 2012

Tears of the proximal long head of the biceps tendon are among the most common tendon tears in the body. In most cases, the diagnosis is easily determined based on the history and physical examination. However, malignant soft tissue tumors can simulate proximal biceps tendon tears. Although tumors simulating tears of the distal biceps tendon at the elbow have been reported, to the authors’ knowledge, no previous cases of tumors simulating or being mistaken for proximal biceps tendon tears have been reported.

This article describes 2 cases of malignant sarcomas initially mistaken for tears of the long head of the biceps tendon. In the first case, a 62-year-old woman developed swelling in her arm after feeling a twinge in her shoulder. A magnetic resonance imaging scan was misread as a biceps tendon tear and not treated by the examining physician. In the second case, a mass appeared with little trauma in the brachium of a 70-year-old man. On physical examination, the mass was hard to palpation. In each case, biopsy revealed a soft tissue sarcoma. Both patients underwent wide excision with radiation and are currently disease free. These 2 cases emphasize the importance of obtaining a good history and of performing a thorough shoulder and arm examination in patients with deformities consistent with tears of the long head of the biceps tendon.
Bilateral Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in a 9-year-old Boy With Acromicric Dysplasia
Authors: Buluc Levent , Selek Ozgur , Aranay Yasemin
Published: October 2012

Acromicric dysplasia is a skeletal dysplasia that is characterized by short stature, short hands and feet, typical facial dysmorphism, normal mental development, and characteristic hand radiology. Carpal tunnel syndrome may be seen in adults with acromicric dysplasia; however, to the authors’ knowledge, it has not been reported in pediatric patients. This article describes a 9-year old boy with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and acromicric dysplasia treated operatively. No recurrences occurred during 1 year of postoperative follow-up.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a rare disease in childhood. The etiologic factors of carpal tunnel syndrome include trauma (especially distal radius epiphysealis), overuse, genetic or metabolic disorders, space-occupying lesions in the carpal tunnel, hemophilia, congenital anomalies, adverse effect of growth hormone replacement therapy, and idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome. Acromicric dysplasia should be considered in the etiology of childhood carpal tunnel syndrome.

The surgical outcome of carpal tunnel syndrome is good with early diagnosis and treatment. However, in the case of skeletal dysplasia, the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome may be delayed due to anomalies of the hand and due to the child’s difficulty in expressing symptoms. Because of the delay in diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome in patients with skeletal dysplasia, the treatment outcomes may not be promising. Electrophysiologic studies should be performed early when the clinical signs are positive.
Successful Surgical and Medical Treatment of
Rhizopus
Osteomyelitis Following Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Authors: Vashi Nikita , Avedian Raffi , Brown Janice , Arai Sally
Published: October 2012

Mucormycosis has been reported in otherwise healthy individuals; however, it is primarily seen in immunocompromised patients, such as those with diabetes mellitus, malignancy, or chronic graft-versus-host disease, and has a high mortality rate. Because most cases of mucormycosis are associated with contiguous rhinocerebral infection, only 5 cases of isolated musculoskeletal
Rhizopus
infection have been reported in the literature. One patient underwent hematopoietic cell transplant, which resulted in a fatal outcome.

This article describes the successful treatment of isolated
Rhizopus
osteomyelitis in a patient who underwent hematopoietic cell transplant using a combined surgical and medical approach. A 33-year-old woman with pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia underwent hematopoietic cell transplant with few complications but developed chronic graft-versus-host disease 8 months posttransplant. She was treated with high-dose steroids for 6 weeks before she was admitted for severe right tibial pain in the absence of trauma. Early detection, aggressive therapies, and a multidisciplinary surgical and medical team allowed for the microbiologically confirmed resolution of the infection. Treatment included multiagent antimicrobial therapy with amphotericin B, daptomycin, and ertapenem. Several surgical irrigation and debridement procedures were also performed, with the eventual placement of amphotericin-impregnated polymethylmethacrylate cement beads and small fragment titanium screws. The patient continued taking postoperative antifungal treatment for 7 months after discharge. Six months following the discontinuation of antifungal therapy, the team’s multidisciplinary approach achieved a continued resolution of the patient’s infection and a return to a fully ambulatory and radiographically proven recovery without limb loss.
Computed Tomography Assessment of Image-free Navigation-assisted Cup Placement in THA in an Asian Population
Authors: Kim Tae-Hoon , Lee Suk-Ha , Yang Jae-Hyuk , Oh Kwang-Jun
Published: October 2012

The authors hypothesized that an image-free navigation system would be more accurate than postoperative 3-dimensional (3-D) reconstructed computed tomography (CT) for acetabular cup inclination and anteversion during total hip arthroplasty (THA) in an Asian population. Eighty-one THAs were performed in 72 patients using the OrthoPilot image-free navigation system (B. Braun Aesculap, Tuttlingen, Germany). Cup placement position was measured by postoperative 3-D CT and compared with intraoperative navigation data. The discrepancies between the navigation data and the 3-D CT data were analyzed, as well as the correlation factors that affected the discrepancies. The discrepancies between the navigation data and the 3-D CT data were −1.5°±7.1° (
P
=.04) for anteversion and −1.1°±7.6° (
P
=.02) for inclination. The accuracy and precision of the anteversion discrepancies were 5.6°±4.4° and 3.2°, respectively. The accuracy and precision of the inclination discrepancies were 4.5°±4.4° and 2.8°, respectively. Five (6%) outliers existed in terms of the safe zones of anteversion and inclination. The main correlated factor among the pelvic geometry was tilt rather than rotation and obliquity of the bony anterior pelvic plane.

In an Asian population, the calculated accuracy and precision of acetabular cup inclination and anteversion during THA were more reliable and the outliers were reduced using the OrthoPilot navigation system. However, discrepancies existed between intraoperative navigation data and postoperative 3-D CT data. The pelvic geometry of biometrical factors influenced the discrepancies in the navigation data.
Assessing Whether Preoperative Templates and Planning Can Replace Intraoperative Computer-assisted Surgery Measurements in Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Lionberger David R. , Pandit Talati Payal
Published: October 2012

It is incumbent on the orthopedic community to assess current technologies available to predict the size of implants used for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and whether they can accurately represent what will be visualized by surgeons intraoperatively. This study highlights the traditional practice of TKA by applying digitization software to streamline existing knowledge preoperatively in an effort to more accurately dimension the implants. The primary goal of the study was to assess the predictive value of a digitized templating system for TKA. The secondary goal was to ascertain whether varus, valgus, and flexion deformities were accurately predicted to intraoperative measures using computer-assisted surgery.

Forty-three patients were prospectively assessed using standard-of-care 36-inch anteroposterior evaluations for determining mechanical angle and flexion contractures. Simultaneously, traditional radiographs were used as a sizing tool for the digitized software program. Statistical evaluation was completed by 2-tailed
t
test with incorporation of a varied window of acceptance (±3° and ±2° in mechanical angle and flexion contracture measurements, respectively). This study showed a poor correlation between the predictive value of the digitization software; just one-third of the cases were accurately predicted.
Computer-assisted Total Knee Arthroplasty After Prior Femoral Fracture Without Hardware Removal
Authors: Manzotti Alfonso , Chemello Cesare , Pullen Chris , Cerveri Pietro , Confalonieri Norberto
Published: October 2012

This study presents a consecutive series of patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) after prior distal femoral fracture without hardware removal. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of computer-assisted TKA in patients with posttraumatic arthritis, specifically those with retained hardware after prior distal femoral fracture. The study group included a consecutive series of 16 patients who had developed posttraumatic knee arthritis after a distal femoral fracture with retention of hardware (group A). Patients in the study group were matched with patients who had undergone a computer-assisted TKA using the same implant and software (group B). The indication for TKA in all group B patients was atraumatic arthritis, and surgery was performed during the same period as that in the study group. Patients were matched for age, sex, preoperative range of motion, preoperative severity of arthritis, type and grade of deformity, and implant features. No statistically significant differences existed between the 2 study groups in terms of operative time, duration of hospital stay, or intra- and postoperative complications. At last follow-up, no statistically significant differences existed in Knee Society Scores and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index scores. Implant alignment and radiological parameters were similar in both groups. This study demonstrated that posttraumatic knee arthritis after prior distal femoral fracture can be safely managed using a computer-assisted TKA without hardware removal. Comparison between the study group and a matched group with atraumatic arthritis showed similar postoperative results and complication rates.
Total Knee Arthroplasty Kinematics May Be Assessed Using Computer Modeling: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Mihalko William M. , Williams John L.
Published: October 2012

The next generational leap in computer navigation will hopefully aid surgeons in personalizing surgical techniques to patients’ individual anatomical variables to optimize outcomes. To effectively use the information obtained in the operating room, a multitude of kinematic variables must be conveyed to the orthopedic surgeon in a usable and coherent manner. This study used an intraoperative navigation system to record passive knee kinematics after a total knee arthroplastyperformed. The clinical measures were taken via research software with the ability to record kinematic data in 10-second intervals.

The data from 10 consecutive clinical cases were averaged, and the translation (anterior/posterior) and rotation (internal/external) were recorded and compared from 0° to 100° of flexion to allow for comparison with the previously recorded computer model. Model and clinical curves compared favorably, with less than 1° rotational and 1.5-mm differences, on average.

The comparison of information and analyses were reviewed to indicate how they might be interpreted in the operating room for future use during surgery to allow a more personalized approach to improving functional outcomes after total knee arthroplasty.
Femur Positioning in Navigated Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Pfitzner Tilman , Röhner Eric , Preininger Bernd , Perka Carsten , Matziolis Georg
Published: October 2012

Navigated total knee arthroplasty (TKA) results in better restoration of neutral mechanical axis than does the conventional technique. Nevertheless, coronal malalignment has not been eliminated. It is yet unknown whether errors in implant positioning occur more on the femoral side, more on the tibial side, or equally on both sides. The hypothesis of this study was that a predominance of coronal component malalignment exists on the tibial side in navigated tibia-first TKA.

Fifty-seven consecutive navigated (OrthoPilot; B. Braun Aesculap, Tuttlingen, Germany) TKAs were included in this retrospective study. Pre- and postoperative digital whole-leg standing radiographs were analyzed. Coronal alignment was measured for the whole leg pre- and postoperatively. Lateral distal femur angle and medial proximal tibia angle were analyzed on the preoperative radiographs. On the postoperative radiographs, coronal alignment of the femoral and tibial components were measured separately in reference to the tibial and femoral mechanical axis. The coronal alignment improved from 8.2°±3.7° preoperatively to 1.1°±1.2° postoperatively, with 5 (8%) outliers outside the 3° window. The femoral component was malaligned (0.6°±0.6°), whereas the tibial component showed a significantly higher deviation from the mechanical axis of 1.0°±1.1° (
P
=.009).

The femoral component was positioned more precisely than the tibial component. The latter influences gap management in the tibia-first technique and may thereby have a relevant effect on joint stability. Accuracy of the surgical technique and differences in the mathematical algorithm for the determination of landmarks are possible reasons for the difference in precision between the femoral and tibial component positioning.
Construcción, reconstrucción y consolidación del desaparecido Grupo Escolar “Francisco Giner de los Ríos” de Alicante (España)
Authors: Pérez-del-Hoyo R. , Ferreiro J. I.
Published: October 2012

La demolición del Grupo Escolar “Francisco Giner de los Ríos” supuso una pérdida incuestionable para la ciudad de Alicante (España), desapareciendo uno de los más relevantes ejemplos racionalistas, símbolo de modernidad y del desarrollo que en materia de enseñanza significó en la ciudad el “Plan de Construcción de Escuelas y Ordenación Escolar” de 1931.

Con el fin de contribuir a subsanar el vacío documental que antecedió su demolición, el presente artículo muestra los resultados del estudio de las fases determinantes de la historia del edificio: proyecto (1933), construcción (1934-1935), reconstrucción y consolidación (1943-1944).

Se concluyen las causas que originaron la ruina del inmueble, el alcance y magnitud de los daños y las avanzadas técnicas empleadas en su recuperación, prestando especial interés a las intervenciones de cimentación y consolidación del terreno, pilotajes e inyecciones de cemento, prácticas de relevancia internacional en el periodo de posguerra en España y Segunda Guerra Mundial.
Test de charge de la durabilité urbaine : Le cas de « l’écoquartier exemplaire » de la zone de l’Union (Nord, France)
Authors: Lejeune Caroline , Villalba Bruno
Published: October 2012

L’Union, ancien territoire industriel, espace intercommunal des villes de Tourcoing, Roubaix, Wattrelos, fait l’objet d’une réhabilitation urbaine sur un territoire en situation de précarité. Désigné dans les années 2000, pôle d’excellence économique de Lille Métropole Communauté Urbaine (LMCU), il est élu écoquartier pilote de la métropole lilloise en 2006 conformément à l’application de l’Agenda 21 communautaire. L’intégration de la durabilité sur un territoire paupérisé permet de se saisir des modalités d’adaptation d’un projet urbain à la crise écologique. De quelle manière la planification stratégique de l’écoquartier tient-elle compte des seuils d’irréversibilité de la crise écologique? Les politiques publiques territoriales d’aménagement intègrent-elle l’incertitude et l’urgence environnementale dans l’adaptation urbaine des modes de vies? Le test de charge sur la durabilité urbaine du territoire contribuera à évaluer un certain nombre de tensions (participative, sociale, écologique, territoriales) dans la capacité du territoire à résister au choc écologique.
Évolution des politiques publiques dans le Delta du Sénégal : les réponses organisationnelles et spatiales au désengagement de la SAED
Authors: Dia Souleymane
Published: October 2012

Cet article se propose de mobiliser les outils théoriques de l’économie de proximité pour montrer comment des évolutions dans les politiques publiques ont enclenché dans le Delta du Sénégal des dynamiques organisationnelles et spatiales sur la toile de fond de fortes inégalités. Il examine le rôle des coordinations comme réponses collectives et concertées face aux risques de conflits d’usage dans le contexte de désengagement de la Société d’Aménagement et d’Exploitation des terres du Delta (SAED). Il souligne au passage les inégalités entre espaces hérités des choix antérieurs de la SAED et perpétués par les actions collectives.
OntoClippy
Authors: Dahlem Nikolai
Published: October 2012

In this article, the author describes OntoClippy, a tool-supported methodology for the user-friendly design and creation of ontologies. Existing ontology design methodologies and tools are targeted at experts and not suitable for users without a background in formal logic. Therefore, this research develops a methodology and a supporting tool to facilitate the acceptance of ontologies by a wider audience. In this article, the author positions the approach with respect to the current state of the art, formulates the basic principles of the methodology, presents its formal grounding, and describes its phases in detail. To demonstrate the viability of our approach, the author performs a comparative evaluation. The experiment is described, as well as real-world applications of the approach.
Combining Supervised Learning Techniques to Key-Phrase Extraction for Biomedical Full-Text
Authors: Qi Yanliang , Song Min , Yoon Suk-Chung , deVersterre Lori
Published: October 2012

Key-phrase extraction plays a useful a role in research areas of Information Systems (IS) like digital libraries. Short metadata like key phrases are beneficial for searchers to understand the concepts found in the documents. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of different supervised learning techniques on biomedical full-text: Sequential Minimal Optimization (SMO) and K-Nearest Neighbor, both of which could be embedded inside an information system for document search. The authors use these techniques to extract key phrases from PubMed and evaluate the performance of these systems using the holdout validation method. This paper compares different classifier techniques and performance differences between the full-text and it’s abstract. Compared with the authors’ previous work, which investigated the performance of Naïve Bayes, Linear Regression and SVM(reg1/2), this paper finds that SVMreg-1 performs best in key-phrase extraction for full-text, whereas Naïve Bayes performs best for abstracts. These techniques should be considered for use in information system search functionality. Additional research issues also are identified.
Self Adaptive Particle Swarm Optimization for Efficient Virtual Machine Provisioning in Cloud
Authors: Jeyarani R. , Nagaveni N. , Ram R. Vasanth
Published: October 2012

Cloud Computing provides dynamic leasing of server capabilities as a scalable, virtualized service to end users. The discussed work focuses on Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) model where custom Virtual Machines (VM) are launched in appropriate servers available in a data-center. The context of the environment is a large scale, heterogeneous and dynamic resource pool. Nonlinear variation in the availability of processing elements, memory size, storage capacity, and bandwidth causes resource dynamics apart from the sporadic nature of workload. The major challenge is to map a set of VM instances onto a set of servers from a dynamic resource pool so the total incremental power drawn upon the mapping is minimal and does not compromise the performance objectives. This paper proposes a novel Self Adaptive Particle Swarm Optimization (SAPSO) algorithm to solve the intractable nature of the above challenge. The proposed approach promptly detects and efficiently tracks the changing optimum that represents target servers for VM placement. The experimental results of SAPSO was compared with Multi-Strategy Ensemble Particle Swarm Optimization (MEPSO) and the results show that SAPSO outperforms the latter for power aware adaptive VM provisioning in a large scale, heterogeneous and dynamic cloud environment.
A Dynamically Optimized Fluctuation Smoothing Rule for Scheduling Jobs in a Wafer Fabrication Factory
Authors: Chen Toly
Published: October 2012

This paper presents a dynamically optimized fluctuation smoothing rule to improve the performance of scheduling jobs in a wafer fabrication factory. The rule has been modified from the four-factor bi-criteria nonlinear fluctuation smoothing (4f-biNFS) rule, by dynamically adjusting factors. Some properties of the dynamically optimized fluctuation smoothing rule were also discussed theoretically. In addition, production simulation was also applied to generate some test data for evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed methodology. According to the experimental results, the proposed methodology was better than some existing approaches to reduce the average cycle time and cycle time standard deviation. The results also showed that it was possible to improve the performance of one without sacrificing the other performance metrics.
Technology of Education and Music Teaching
Authors: Agostini Roberto
Published: October 2012

This chapter discusses the relationship between education technologies and music teaching with reference to four activities developed in an Italian middle school as part of the project of experimentation “Classi2.0.” This project aimed to enhance the ability to perform songs in ensemble and offer experience in the practice of arranging. It also sought to strengthen rhythmic competences, and offer experience in composing rhythms using digital sequencers while also stimulating critical reflections on the musical taste of the class. Furthermore the project sought to provoke critical reflection on media and youth consumption practices.
A “Bottega Didattica” for an Inclusive School
Authors: Genito Lanfranco
Published: October 2012

For several years, in Naples (Italy), a project-workshop addressed to students and teachers of different educational levels has taken place: it is the Bottega della Comunicazione e della Didattica, where the educational activities refer both to the pedagogical experiences that have contributed to the renewal of school from the end of World War II till the ’70s, and to research and studies, which, in recent years, have been developed in the field of psychology and pedagogy and the coming of digital culture in our lives.The main purpose is to contribute to significantly modify the processing mode of knowledge, trying to make the process of teaching / learning more exciting, more engaging, and more responsive to the demands of the knowledge society in Europe.
Cooperative E-Learning in the Multilingual and Multicultural School
Authors: Bishop Jonathan
Published: October 2012

The Classroom 2.0 initiative is one of the most fundamental reforms to the way education is performed across the European Union. Starting its life at the Digital Classroom of Tomorrow (DCOT) Project in Wales, the initiative has shown that concepts like electronic individual education programmes (eIEPs) and the electronic twinning of schools (eTwinning) can play an important role in enhancing learning outcomes for school age learners. This chapter presents a review of the impact of the original Classroom 2.0 Project – DCOT – and explores some of the technical issues essential to the project’s success across Europe.
The “Little Readers’ Circle”
Authors: Costa Cecilia , Zezlina Elena
Published: October 2012

The “Little Readers’ Circle” was born as an attempt to encourage reading in a class of young adolescents. One of the authors worked in a middle school that served a socially and economically weak area in the North of Italy. The class, in its first year at the school, was composed of 11-to-12-year-olds. Over the course of a school year, one hour a week was spent sharing what had been read at home, presenting books that had been particularly loved, writing quotes on a dedicated poster, reading out favourite passages. Thanks to a well-organised school library and to enthusiastic support staff, all children could access books, some of them reading three books a month. Many even subscribed to the City Library to be able to continue reading over school holidays.
RESCUE
Authors: Favaretto Alida , De Monte Iola , Billotta Carmela
Published: October 2012

The RESCUE project (Retention in Secondary education: a European Network), carried out within the VETPRO mobility action funded by the E.U. Programme “Lifelong Learning,” has implemented the school-family alliance under a new European dimension. Parents, headmasters, teachers from two vocational schools in Treviso, psychologists, and a voluntary organization for educational support have been involved in a mobility entailing a visit to some highly reputed European schools. The project has intended to explore innovative practices apt to improve the concept of joint responsibility among all the members of the school community, with a special focus on retention (seen as the contrast to the drop-out problem), namely on the permanence of the students within the training cycles until attainment of adequate educational levels.
Storytelling in Intercultural Education
Authors: Bruno Rosa Tiziana
Published: October 2012

Storytelling is often employed as a teaching method. If storytelling is not used properly, however, teachers run the risk of banality and of delivering meaning-poor content. The author believes that storytelling in an intercultural context must privilege the aspects of relations and creativity. As a consequence, she started a narration practice entitled “Creative Writing Relay.” Schools and public bodies collaborated in this project; this spanned different country and continents, allowed for the creation of coexistence (a sort of conviviality) of differences workshops and for the forging of significant relations between children from different places. The site of the exchange was virtual, thanks to a purpose-built virtual environment. The results were positive: the children developed an ability to appreciate the relativity of different and distant points of view, acquired an interest in other cultures, and discovered new alphabets; in fact, they started to appreciate that differences can be an opportunity for enrichment.
Strategies and Technologies for the Future Success of Students at School
Authors: Macchia S. , Bossolasco D. , Fornasero A.
Published: October 2012

The reasons why drop out in the EU countries is so widespread are different in places and contexts. The Member States have therefore undertaken to identify the triggers and implement effective policy choices. In this chapter, the authors show, even in a local context, how wrong choices made by pupils at the end of middle school are one of the causes of school/educational failure. In order to get in front of all this, the authors’ school has applied for a method three years, improved day by day and supported by new technologies, which stimulates and guides the students towards a rational and informed choice about their future employment / training.
Legality, Citizenship, and the Constitution in the Earthquake Area
Authors: Venti Angelo , Iovenitti Cristina
Published: October 2012

Libera (associations, numbers, and names against criminal organizations) and Liberainformazione, following the earthquake of 6 April 2009 that devastated the city of L’Aquila, have created a local chapter of “Libera L’Aquila,” and journalists and local volunteers are engaged in investigations of criminal infiltration in the management of the emergency and reconstruction and also in the training courses for legal education and active citizenship in secondary schools located in the earthquake area. The project is divided into three sessions for each group, and the topics relate mainly to the analysis of democratic values and constitutional principles, social antimafia and mafia roots, the value of memory and the meaning of the common good, the role of information and the active participation of citizens functional to the redevelopment of the whole area. The experience, unique of its kind in this area, is ongoing and continuously evolving.
The GeoGebra Institute of Torino, Italy
Authors: Robutti Ornella
Published: October 2012

This chapter is focused on the GeoGebra Institute of Torino, Italy (http://www.geogebra.unito.it/), founded in July 2010 at the Dipartimento di Matematica dell’Università di Torino (http://www.dm.unito.it) and operating under the auspices of the human resources of the association La Casa degli Insegnanti (http://www.lacasadegliinsegnanti.it/PORTALE/), which is in charge of organising courses for teachers. GeoGebra is a dynamic geometry software that has had a large diffusion in educational and academic institutions in recent years. This wide diffusion opens new fields of research in mathematics education, in continuity with other software of the same kind, such as Cabri-Géomètre or The Geometer’s Sketchpad. The main research questions deal with teaching practice, pedagogical and methodological choices, teacher education, and teaching/learning experiments at different school levels. Furthermore, several issues relating to the learning of mathematics with GeoGebra, in the context of research and teaching practice are highlighted.
Role Teacher
Authors: Favaretto Alida , De Monte Iola , Billotta Carmela
Published: October 2012

The ROLE TEACHER project (“The New Role of the Teacher in Competence Based Education”) has mainly dealt in the important subject of the teachers’ in/-training needed to conform to the European standards in educational matters. The promoters have sought to voice clear concepts relevant to the new role of the teachers in relation to their competences and strategies to be used for achieving successful changes in their job. In the two years’ life of the project (2009/2011), six meetings have taken place in the five partner countries (Poland, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Scotland) on the following topics: presentation of the educational context and goals from each partner, the teachers’ competences needed for an effective performance, the teacher as a coach and specialist, the teacher as a professional, and dissemination of the project.