INTRODUCTION A Weil osteotomy with internal fixation can match the preoperative plan by precisely setting the metatarsal length; however 10 to 30% of patients end up experiencing postoperative stiffness. A percutaneous distal metatarsal mini-invasive osteotomy (DMMO) is a purely extra-articular technique; metatarsal length is set automatically upon weight bearing of the foot. The goal of this s...

In a consecutive series of 498 patients with 528 fractures of the femur treated by conventional interlocking intramedullary nailing, 14 fractures of the femoral neck (2.7%) occurred in 13 patients. The fracture of the hip was not apparent either before operation or on the immediate postoperative radiographs. It was diagnosed in the first two weeks after operation in three patients and after thr...

B-vitamins are recognized as essential organic growth factors for many organisms, although little is known about their abundance and distribution in marine ecosystems. Despite their metabolic functions regulating important enzymatic reactions, the methodology to directly measure different B-vitamins in aquatic environments has only recently been developed. Here, we present the first direct meas...

The potential coupling of nitrogen (N2) fixation and sulfate reduction (SR) was explored in sediments of the Peruvian oxygen minimum zone (OMZ). Sediment samples were retrieved by a multiple corer at six stations along a depth transect (70–1025 m water depth) at 12 S, covering anoxic and hypoxic bottom water conditions. Benthic N2 fixation, determined by the acetylene reduction assay, was detec...

The conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into valuable compounds, that is, so-called nitrogen fixation, is gaining increased interest, owing to the essential role in the nitrogen cycle of the biosphere. Plasma technology, and more specifically gliding arc plasma, has great potential in this area, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. Therefore, we developed a detailed chemical kine...

The biomechanical stability of an internal fixation system that uses low-profile modular implants to stabilize individual fracture components was studied in a validated cadaver fracture model that incorporated physiologic muscle forces and wrist motion. Fragment-specific fixation with immediate range of motion was compared with static augmented external fixation in simulated, unstable 3- and 4-...

OBJECTIVE To study the outcome of subtrochanteric hip fractures treated with proximal lateral femur locking plate. METHOD We retrospectively reviewed the clinical results of 48 cases of femoral subtrochanteric fractures treated with proximal lateral femur locking plates from January 2008 to May 2010. The progress of fracture healing, as well as the occurrence of complications, was recorded. T...

Trichodesmium, a colonial cyanobacterium typically associated with tropical waters, was observed between January and April 2014 in the western English Channel. Sequencing of the heterocyst differentiation (hetR) and 16S rRNA genes placed this community within the Clade IV Trichodesmium, an understudied clade previously found only in low numbers in warmer waters. Nitrogen fixation was not detect...

BACKGROUND To compare two different techniques of proximal pin placement for the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures in elderly patients utilizing the Orthofix Pertrochanteric Fixator. METHODS Seventy elderly high-risk patients with an average age of 81 years were treated surgically for intertrochanteric fracture, resulting from a low energy trauma. Patients were randomly divided in two ...

Bioabsorbable fixation devices offer a useful option to treat small bone fractures of the hand if the prerequisite of reliable and stable osteofixation is met. We compared the stabilities of various bioabsorbable fixation devices with metallic fixation devices by using an oblique osteotomy model in radial to ulnar orientation. The 1.5-mm, self-reinforced, poly-L-lactide (SR-PLLA) pins provided ...