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Avulsion fractures of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) are a rare, but serious, knee pathology. Early surgical treatment is regarded as necessary to maintain knee stability. Recommended management involves open reduction with internal fixation through a posterior approach. However, open surgeries are associated with a greater risk of complications. Current data suggest excellent outcomes for arthroscopic-assisted fixation, with a low complication rate. The purpose of this technical note is to present an all-arthroscopic PCL distal reattachment with extracortical fixation technique. This technique provides precise fracture reduction, is easily reproducible, and is relatively safe to treat PCL tibial avulsion fractures.

Tibial plateau fracture treatment remains challenging for orthopaedic surgeons around the world, especially in case of type III fractures according to the Schatzker classification, which are a pure depression of the lateral tibial plateau. Whereas open surgical procedures are associated with increased soft-tissue trauma because of the extent of the surgical approach and do not always allow for proper visualization of the fracture site, arthroscopic-assisted surgeries have been proven to have benefits over the former in terms of minimizing soft-tissue trauma, improved visual control of the fracture reduction, and the time of recovery. Most arthroscopic techniques, however, require using fluoroscopy. We present an all-arthroscopic procedure for Schatzker type III lateral tibial plateau fractures with using a trans-septal portal for visualization, which does not demand fluoroscopy.

As the anatomy and biomechanics of the posterolateral corner (PLC) of the knee have become better understood, the importance of the PLC's proper function has become a more frequently raised subject. Misdiagnosed chronic posterolateral instability may lead to serious consequences, including cruciate ligament reconstruction graft failure. It has been proved that high-grade PLC injuries need to be treated operatively. Surgical approaches vary, and techniques are still developing. Considering avoidance of an extended surgical approach and minimizing the risk of common peroneal nerve or popliteal artery injuries, we developed the minimally invasive, arthroscopic-assisted, anatomic PLC reconstruction.

The injuries of the posterolateral corner (PLC) of the knee often remain misdiagnosed. Because most structures in this anatomical region have low potential to heal, the posterolateral rotational instability results in a deterioration in patient quality of life, impaired biomechanics of the knee, and increased tension on other ligaments and the meniscus. Many open and a few arthroscopic techniques have been developed to repair or reconstruct the damaged structures of the PLC. Creating an additional midlateral arthroscopic portal on the lateral side of the knee was the key to developing the technique to recreate a static stabilizer against external rotational instability of the PLC by fixing the popliteus tendon as a native, vascularized material to the tibia.

The metabolic response of prohexadione-Ca (Pro-Ca) treated cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) leaves to Pseudomonas syringae pv. lachrymans (Psl) was analyzed at the local and systemic levels. The activities of antioxidant enzymes such as ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) utilizing guaiacol and syringaldazine as well as lipid peroxide level were studied. Observed changes in these parameters were compared to the response induced by benzotiadiazole (BTH) treatment after Psl infection. Cucumber plants pretreatment (priming) with Pro-Ca similarly to BTH priming enhanced the defense response of cucumber leaves to subsequent bacterial infection as shown by the suppression of disease development in comparison to the untreated plants. Pro-Ca priming changed the examined parameters in both pathogen-inoculated leaves and systemic (uninfected) ones depending on Pro-Ca concentration used. However, these changes were pronounced especially in the direct inoculated leaves. In the systemic leaves Pro-Ca pretreatment induced different changes profile in examined parameters than BTH. Obtained results suggested that Pro-Ca as BTH affect the pro-antioxidative metabolism under Psl infection conditions but in a different way. BTH induced mainly APX while Pro-Ca APX and CAT. Strong influence of Pro-Ca on both examined types of POX was also found. The POX utilizing syringaldazine activity indicted that in all examined variants Psl infection affected the lignifications of cell wall. Although the physiological significance of examined pro-antioxidative reactions at the local and systemic levels remains to be elucidated, the presented results support for the first time the protective role of Pro-Ca in defense response of cucumber against P. syringae pv. lachrymans.

Theoretical calculations of the m-acetotoluidide and m-thioacetotoluidide isolated molecules were performed by using density functional theory (DFT) method at B3LYP/6–311++G (d,p) and B3LYP/6–311++G (3df,2pd) basis set levels. The Hirshfeld surfaces analysis and FT-IR and FT-Raman spectroscopy studies have been reported. The geometrical parameters of the title amide and thioamide are in a good agreement with the XRD experiment. The vibrational frequencies were calculated and scaled, and subsequently values have been compared with the experimental Infrared and Raman spectra. The observed and calculated frequencies are found to be in good agreement. The analysis of the Hirshfeld surface has been well correlated to the spectroscopic studies. Additionally, the highest occupied molecular orbital energy ( E HOMO ), lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy ( E LUMO ) and the energy gap between E HOMO and E LUMO ( ΔE HOMO–LUMO ) have been calculated.

Milk secretion being an important way of elimination of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) poses a concern due to potential risk for breastfed infants. This study aims to provide a tool for assessing such risks to infants exposed to OCPs (through accumulation in the mother's body), using calculated individual margins of safety (MoS). Selected OCPs included; p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDE, β-HCH, γ-HCH and HCB which were analysed in 28 samples of maternal milk. The highest intakes were recorded for p,p'-DDE (at 2.90 μg kg(-1)bw d(-1)) whilst the lowest was for γ-HCH, (at 0.019 μg kg(-1)bwd(-1)). For the risk characterisation purposes MoSs were calculated for the compounds for which toxicological reference values (e.g. ADI, TDI) were adopted. The MoS for average ∑DDT concentrations was found to be relatively low (2.82) somewhat similar to that for HCB at 7.08, and for γ-HCH, the MoS was substantially higher at 263.1. This, however does not take into account the extremely high individual concentrations. Thus, it was decided to calculate estimated daily intake (EDI) values based on OCP levels in individual milk samples. MoS levels of1 (meaning unacceptable risk) were noted both for HCB in one sample as well as for ∑DDT in 3 samples indicating likely threats to infant's health. The lowest MoS noted for γ-HCH equalled to 60.6, indicating that this compound was not a threat to the health of any of the breastfed infants from the study group.

In the paper is presented optoelectronic set for controlled, repeatable irradiation of cell lines by low-energy laser and LEDs radiation from the spectral range of tissue transmission window (from 600 nm to 1000 nm). The set allows for an objective selection and control of exposure parameters, allowing a comparison of the results for the variable spectral and energetic parameters of radiation. Using the set it is possible to make an objective diagnosis of the biological medium during the Low Level Light (Laser or LED) Therapy treatment by measuring its absorption spectrum.

The present study's purpose has been to examine the development of the human suprarenal glands (SGs) during the prenatal period. Special attention was paid to sexual dimorphism and the differences between the parameters of the right and left SGs. Specimens were obtained from 187 human fetuses spontaneously aborted between the 4th and 7th months of gestation. The SGs were dissected from the fetuses after an immersion and preservation period of 3-24 months in 9% formalin solution. The mass and linear dimensions of each isolated SG were obtained, and these data revealed a progressive two-fold increase between the 4th and 7th months of gestation. There was a gradual reduction in the ratio of the SG mass to the overall mass of the fetus with a marked decrease evident between the 4th and 5th months. Statistical analysis of both SGs showed significant differences between sexes in the mass and in the thickness of the left SG during the 5th and 6th months of gestation. Differences in the mass and linear dimensions of the left and right SGs were recorded from the 5th month of gestation to the 7th month. The mass and volume of the left SGs were higher than those on the right side. This allometric analysis provides data from a large sample of human fetuses and will later aid in microscopic and ultrasonographic studies.

This paper presents a hardware implementation of a generator of combinations based on parallel algorithm Bincombgen (Kokosinski 1997). Parallel associative algorithm Bincombgen generates, in binary representation, all ( n , k )–combinations in reverse lexicographic order in constant time per combination. Thus, the generation time for producing a single object is independent of parameters n and k . We described the generator in VHDL language. Xilinx WebPack ISE and Xilinx Model-Sim tools were used to carry out implementation and logical simulation. As target devices we chose FPGAs from Xilinx Spartan II family. Concluding the project we report and analyse the usage of chip resources and time parameters of several implementations for a set of n, k variables.

Surface properties of the binary mixed systems of decyl- and dodecylpyridinium chloride or bromide and sodium pentyl- and heptylsulfonate have been investigated. The surface tension of solutions of equimolar mixtures of surfactants and individual surfactants was measured, and the composition of mixed monolayers and surface interaction parameter β were calculated with the regular solution theory. Our results indicate that the properties of mixed films depend on both ionic strength and the kind of added inorganic electrolyte. With the increase of inorganic electrolyte concentration, the content of more surface active ions in the adsorption films enhances and is the highest in the presence of NaI and the smallest when solutions contain NaCl. Mutual interactions in mixed adsorbed films were found to be attractive. However, the strength of interaction weakens with the increase of ionic strength and depends on the kind of inorganic ions in the order: Cl−>Br−>I−.

The composition and mutual interactions of the components in anionic–cationic adsorption films have been determined by using a regular solution model for the mixed monolayers. Equimolar mixtures containing sodium nonylsulfonate and decyl- or dodecylpyridinium chloride or bromide have been investigated. The ionic strength of the solutions has been fixed by addition of appropriate amount of inorganic electrolyte (NaCl, NaBr, NaI). It has been found that an increase of the ionic strength and change of the inorganic electrolyte from sodium chloride through bromide to iodide results in a weakness of mutual attraction of the adsorbed components which indicates that these interactions have a mainly electrostatic character. The ionic strength of the solution and the kind of the inorganic electrolyte also distinctly influence the composition of mixed adsorption films. This effect is greater the more different the surface activity is of the mixture components.

An attempt was made to understand how consecutive deliveries and the following lactations have an impact on the organochlorine compound levels detected in human milk. The other goal of the study was to check for a possible dependence between fat content and the levels of the studied compounds in milk samples from the same lactations. 199 milk samples were examined for the presence of p , p ′ -DDT, p , p ′ -DDE, p , p ′ -DDD, α-, β-, γ-HCH and ∑PCBs. Moreover, in 87 milk samples the fat content was additionally determined. This study has indicated that, for the mother with a shorter interval between lactations, mean concentrations of the examined compounds were higher in the milk of the first lactation than that of the second. For the other donor whose second lactation began after 2 years, the mean levels of HCB, β-HCH, p , p ′ -DDD, and PCBs in her milk were higher during the first lactation. At the same time, the concentrations of p , p ′ -DDT and p , p ′ -DDE after the second delivery were slightly higher. The correlation coefficients between the two data sets (fat content in milk, concentrations of the compounds studied in milk) showed no interrelationship between them.

The composition and mutual interaction of the components in anionic-cationic adsorption films have been determined by using a regular solution model for the mixed monolayers. Equimolar mixtures of surfactants that differ markedly in their surface activity (decylpyridinium chloride and sodium butylsulfonate) have been investigated. A marked asymmetry of the composition of mixed adsorption films, as well as mutual attraction of the adsorbed components (negative values of surface interaction parameter beta) have been found in these systems. The effect of the ionic strength and kind of the inorganic electrolyte on the surface interactions is similar, as in the case of mixtures of decylpyridinium chloride and sodium alkylsulfonates with hydrocarbon chains longer than the butyl ones that were previously investigated. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

The regular solution model for mixed monolayers was used to calculate the composition of the anionic–cationic adsorption films and parameters characterizing the mutual interactions between their components. The surfactants forming the mixed monolayers were decylpyridinium chloride and sodium hexylsulfonate. The monolayers under investigation were all adsorbed from equimolar solutions of surfactants. The results obtained show that the composition of the anionic–cationic adsorption films is dependent on the concentration and the kind of inorganic electrolyte present in the solution. The values of surface interaction parameter β , being all negative, show that the adsorbed components attract mutually. It has been observed that the strength of the attraction mentioned is also dependent on the factors given above for the composition of mixed adsorption films. It has also been established that the system examined here behaves, both qualitatively and quantitatively, in very similar manner to the previously investigated mixture of decylpyridinium chloride and sodium octylsulfonate, i.e. of surfactants with the same difference in length of the hydrocarbon chains as examined in this work.

A series of racemic methyl phosphonyl- and phosphorylacetates were hydrolyzed in the presence of porcine liver esterase (PLE) under kinetic resolution conditions to give the corresponding P-chiral phosphonyl- and phosphorylacetic acids and recovered esters in moderate to high enantiomeric purity (up to 95% ee). The Jones PLE active site model was applied to explain the enantioselectivity of this reaction.

The composition and mutual interaction of the components in mixed adsorption films have been determined on the basis of the results of surface tension measurements obtained for solutions of single anionic and cationic surfactants with hydrocarbon chains of the same length (sodium decylsulfonate and decylpyridinium chloride) and their mixtures. An equation analogous to one derived on the basis of a regular solution model, however without the controversial assumption that the excess entropy of mixing is zero, has been used in calculations. Investigations have been made for mixtures of different compositions and for different concentrations of added inorganic electrolyte (NaCl).

The effect of sodium bromide concentration on the simultaneous adsorption of dodecylpyridinium bromide and sodium octylsulfonate on the free surface of their aqueous solutions has been investigated. The composition of the mixed films adsorbed from equimolar solutions has been evaluated on the basis of the Gibbs adsorption equation and by using the regular solution model, it has been stated that this composition depends on the surface tension value and the concentration of added inorganic electrolyte. The same factors influence the value of the surface interaction parameter β; negative values indicate a strong attraction between the adsorbed components. The concentration ratio of both surfactants in the solution significantly influences the composition of anionic-cationic adsorption films and the mutual interactions of their components. A distinct difference in the effects of NaBr and NaCl on the properties of the mixed monolayers has been also found.