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BACKGROUND: Balloon-assisted kyphoplasty (BAK) is a minimally invasive procedure to treat vertebral compression fractures (VCF). BAK not only restores vertebral height and corrects kyphotic deformity by cement augmentation, but it also may alter spinal biomechanics, leading to subsequent adjacent level VCFs. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the timing, location, and incidence of new VCFs following BAK and identify the risk factors associated with their occurrence. STUDY DESIGN: Single-institution observational study. METHODS: A prospectively collected cohort of 1,318 patients who underwent BAK by a single-surgeon from 2001 through 2022 was analyzed. The patients had pain that was unresponsive to nonsurgical management and a VCF secondary to osteoporosis, trauma, or neoplasm. The time between the index and subsequent fracture, fracture level, number of initial fractures, age, body mass index (BMI), tobacco use, and chronic corticosteroid use were recorded. RESULTS: Of 1,318 patients, 204 (15.5%) patients underwent a second BAK procedure an average of 373 days following BAK (range: 2-3,235 days). Third, fourth, and fifth procedures were less common (45, 12, and 6 patients, respectively). A total of 142 patients (69.6%) developed a subsequent fracture adjacent to the index level; adjacent and remote level fractures developed at different times (mean: 282 vs 581 days, P = 0.001). Patients treated for multiple VCFs in a single surgery were more likely to develop subsequent VCFs (P = 0.024) and at adjacent levels (P = 0.007). Subsequent VCFs were associated with older age (P < 0.001), women (P = 0.045), osteoporosis (P < 0.001), and chronic corticosteroid use (P < 0.001). A subgroup analysis of 812 (61.6%) patients who underwent BAK for degenerative indications revealed that osteoporosis (b = 0.09; 95% CI, 0.03-0.16; P = 0.005) and chronic corticosteroid use (b = 0.06; 95% CI, 0-0.11; P = 0.055) were associated with adjacent level fracture. For the entire cohort, almost every patient treated for both a thoracic and lumbar fracture (92.3%) developed an adjacent level second fracture (P = 0.005). LIMITATIONS: The true incidence of post-BAK fractures may be underestimated as surveillance is not routine in asymptomatic or osteoporotic patients. CONCLUSIONS: Symptomatic post-BAK VCFs are infrequent and may occur long after the initial procedure. Nearly two-thirds of subsequent fractures in our study occurred adjacent to the initially treated level; almost every patient who suffered thoracic and lumbar fractures at the same time developed an adjacent level second fracture. Additionally, osteoporosis and chronic corticosteroid use were associated with adjacent level fractures in patients who underwent surgery for degenerative indications.

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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate efficacy, safety, and adherence to using adjustable compression wraps (ACWs) for upper limb volume control in women with breast cancer-related lymphedema. DESIGN AND SETTING: Randomized controlled trial at a reference hospital for breast cancer treatment in Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: Women in control phase of the breast cancer-related lymphedema. INTERVENTIONS: Compared use of ACWs versus compressive mesh. MAIN MEASURES: Evaluated before treatment, at 30 days, and 6 months after initiating therapy. The primary outcome was the change in excess limb volume. Secondary outcomes included adherence, incidence of adverse events, functionality, quality of life, and hand grip. Statistical analysis involved calculating the effect size (ES) with a 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: Were included 71 women with mean excess limb volume of 321.79 mL (±194.98). In the 30-day analysis (Time 1), a reduction of 37.6 mL in volume was observed only in the ACW group (p = .041, ES 0.20), with improved functionality (p = .013, ES 0.22). In the six months analysis (Time 2), the compressive mesh group increased by 2.48% in volume (p = .023, ES 0.26) and demonstrated improvement functionality (p = .036, ES 0.27). Mild adverse events and satisfactory adherence were observed. However, in the intergroup comparison, no statistically significant difference was observed for any evaluated outcome-excess volume, incidence of adverse events, adherence, hand grip, quality of life, and functionality between the groups (p > .05) at both times. CONCLUSIONS: Both compression therapies achieved satisfactory adherence, were safe, effective and equivalent for controlling limb volume in breast cancer-related lymphedema.

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Posterior interosseous nerve syndrome is the most frequent syndrome of radial nerve compression, with the arcade of Frohse being the main site of compression. Its symptoms include difficulties in finger and wrist extension with possible radial deviation. Herein, we present a case of posterior interosseous syndrome caused by a schwannoma, a type of neurological tumor.

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Objective: To describe the accuracy of HealthVCF, a software product that uses artificial intelligence, in the detection of incidental moderate-to-severe vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) on chest and abdominal computed tomography scans. Materials and Methods: We included a consecutive sample of 899 chest and abdominal computed tomography scans of patients 51-99 years of age. Scans were retrospectively evaluated by the software and by two specialists in musculoskeletal imaging for the presence of VCFs with vertebral body height loss > 25%. We compared the software analysis with that of a general radiologist, using the evaluation of the two specialists as the reference. Results: The software showed a diagnostic accuracy of 89.6% (95% CI: 87.4-91.5%) for moderate-to-severe VCFs, with a sensitivity of 73.8%, a specificity of 92.7%, and a negative predictive value of 94.8%. Among the 145 positive scans detected by the software, the general radiologist failed to report the fractures in 62 (42.8%), and the algorithm detected additional fractures in 38 of those scans. Conclusion: The software has good accuracy for the detection of moderate-to-severe VCFs, with high specificity, and can increase the opportunistic detection rate of VCFs by radiologists who do not specialize in musculoskeletal imaging.

Objetivo: Descrever a acurácia do software HealthVCF na detecção incidental de fraturas compressivas de corpos vertebrais moderadas a graves em exames de tomografia computadorizada do tórax e abdome. Materiais e Métodos: Foram incluídos 899 exames consecutivos de pacientes com idades entre 51 e 99 anos. As imagens foram retrospectivamente avaliadas pelo software e por dois radiologistas especializados em musculoesquelético que investigaram fraturas compressivas de corpos vertebrais com perda da altura somática > 25%. A análise comparativa foi realizada entre o software e um radiologista geral, usando a avaliação do especialista como referência. Resultados: O software apresentou uma acurácia de 89,6% (IC 95%: 87,4­91,5%) para fraturas compressivas moderadas a graves, com sensibilidade de 73,8%, especificidade de 92,7% e valor preditivo negativo de 94,8%. Entre as 145 tomografias positivas detectadas pelo software, o radiologista geral deixou de relatar as fraturas em 62 (42,8%) e o algoritmo detectou fraturas adicionais em 38 dessas tomografias. Conclusão: O software possui boa acurácia na detecção de fraturas compressivas moderadas a graves, com alta especificidade, podendo aumentar a taxa de detecção oportunística dessas fraturas por radiologistas não especializados em musculoesquelético.

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This study evaluated bond strength of glass fiber posts to root dentin using push-out (PO) and diametral compression (DC), testing glycolic acid as a conditioner and varying dentin moisture. An additional aim was to test whether DC can be an alternative test to PO for bond strength assessment. Eighty bovine teeth were divided into eight groups (n = 10) defined by the use of either 37% glycolic acid or 37% phosphoric acid (PA) on moist or wet dentin before bonding with either Adapter SingleBond/RelyX ARC or One Step Plus/Duo-Link Bisco. Each tooth provided discs with an internal diameter of 2 mm, external diameter of 5 mm, and height of 2 mm, which underwent PO and DC. Finite element analysis (FEA) was carried out on 3D models. When analyzing PO results through linear regression, the highest values of bond strength were observed using glycolic acid on wet dentin in the cervical and middle thirds of the teeth. Analyzing DC results, the only statistical influence on values was the dental thirds. The scatterplot of the DC results and the PO bond strength values indicated no relationship between the results of the two tests (r = 0.03; p = 0.64). PO test detected more sensitive changes in bond strength values than DC.

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SUMMARY: The objective of this study was to analyze the potential for compression of the median nerve (MN) caused by the bicipital aponeurosis (BA), the humeral and ulnar heads of the pronator teres muscle (PTM) and the arcade of the flexor digitorum superficialis muscle (FDS) in recently deceased cadavers. In this analysis 20 forearms of 10 recently deceased adult male cadavers were dissected. Dissections were performed in the institution's autopsy room or anatomy laboratory. The short and long heads of the biceps brachii muscle, as well as the BA were identified in all upper upper limbs. The BA received contribution from the short and long heads of the biceps brachii muscle. In 12 upper limbs the BA was wide and thickened and in 8 it was supported by the MN. In 5 upper limbs, the BA was wide but not very thick, and in 3 it was narrow and not very thick. We identified the existence of the FDS muscle arcade in all dissected upper limbs. A fibrous arcade was identified in 4 forearms, a muscular arcade in 14 and a transparent arcade in 2 upper limbs. In all of them, we recorded that the arcade was in contact with the MN. We recorded the humeral and ulnar heads of the PTM in all dissected upper limbs, with the presence of fibrous beams between them along their entire length. The MN was positioned between the humeral and ulnar heads of the PTM in all upper limbs. In eight upper limbs (40 %), we identified that the BA had thickness and contact with the MN with the potential to cause its compression. Compression between the humeral and ulnar heads of the PTM by the fibrous connections has the potential to cause nerve compression in all upper limbs (100 %). We did not identify that the anatomical structure of the FDS arcade had the potential to cause compression in the MN.

El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la potencial compresión del nervio mediano (NM) causado por la aponeurosis bicipital (AB), las cabezas humeral y cubital del músculo pronador redondo (MPR) y la arcada del músculo flexor superficial de los dedos (MFS). En este análisis se diseccionaron 20 antebrazos de 10 cadáveres masculinos de individuos adultos fallecidos recientemente. Las disecciones se realizaron en la sala de autopsias o en el laboratorio de anatomía de la Institución. En todos los miembros superiores se identificaron las cabezas corta y larga del músculo bíceps braquial, así como la AB. La AB recibió contribución de las cabezas corta y larga del músculo bíceps braquial. En 12 miembros superiores la AB era ancha y engrosada y en 8 estaba sostenida por el NM. En 5 miembros superiores la AB era ancha pero poco gruesa, y en 3 era estrecha y de menor grosor. Identificamos la existencia de la arcada muscular MFS en todos los miembros superiores disecados. Se identificó una arcada fibrosa en 4 antebrazos, una arcada muscular en 14 y una arcada delgada y transparente en 2 miembros superiores. En todos ellos registramos que la arcada estaba en contacto con el NM. Registramos las cabezas humeral y cubital del MPR en todos los miembros superiores disecados, con presencia de haces fibrosos entre ellas en toda su longitud. El NM estaba situado entre las cabezas humeral y cubital del MPR en todos los miembros superiores. En ocho miembros superiores (40 %), identificamos que la AB era gruesa y tenía contacto con el NM con potencial para causar su compresión. La compresión entre las cabezas humeral y ulnar del MPR, por las conexiones fibrosas, tiene el potencial de causar compresión nerviosa en todos los miembros superiores (100 %). No identificamos que la estructura anatómica de la arcada MFS tuviera el potencial de causar compresión del NM.

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Abstract Objective Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) requires further understanding. Thus, the present study aimed to analyze if pre- and intraoperative factors may be related to the development of CRPS in the postoperative period. Methods We reviewed 1,183 medical records of patients undergoing forearm and hand surgeries from 2015 to 2021. The data of interest, that is, diagnosis, incisions, synthesis material, and anesthesia, were collected, tabulated, and statistically analyzed, with subsequent calculation of the odds ratios. Results Most patients were female, aged between 30 and 59 years, and sought the service electively (67% of the cases). The diagnoses included soft tissue trauma (43%), bone trauma (31.6%), and compressive syndromes (25.5%). During this period, 45 (3.8%) subjects developed CRPS. The statistical analysis showed that the chance of developing CRPS is twice as high in patients with compressive syndrome, especially carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), which represented most surgeries performed in our service (24%). Two or more incisions occurred in 7.6% of the cases, which tripled the chance of developing postoperative CRPS. Gender, age, use pf synthetic material, type of anesthesia type did not statistically increase the risk of developing postoperative CRPS. Conclusion In short, the incidence of CRPS is low; however, it is critical to know and recognize the risk factors for prevention and active screening in the postoperative period.

Resumo Objetivo A síndrome da dor regional complexa (SDRC) precisa ser mais bem compreendida. Assim, este estudo objetiva analisar se fatores pré e intraoperatórios poderiam estar relacionados ao desenvolvimento de SDRC no pós-operatório. Métodos Foram revisados 1.183 prontuários de pacientes submetidos a cirurgias no antebraço e na mão entre 2015 e 2021. Os dados de interesse, como diagnóstico, incisões, material de síntese e anestesia realizada, foram coletados, tabulados e submetidos a testes estatísticos com posterior cálculo da razão de chances. Resultados A maioria dos pacientes era do gênero feminino, com idade entre 30 e 59 anos, que buscaram o serviço de forma eletiva (67% dos casos). Os diagnósticos agrupados de forma geral foram: traumas de partes moles (43%), traumas ósseos (31,6%) e síndromes compressivas (25,5%). Durante esse período, 45 pacientes (3,8%) evoluíram com SDRC. A análise estatística mostrou que a chance de desenvolver SDRC é duas vezes maior em pacientes com síndrome compressiva, especialmente a síndrome do túnel do carpo (STC), que representou a maioria dos cirurgias realizadas em nosso serviço (24%). Em 7,6% dos casos, foram realizadas duas ou mais incisões, o que triplicou a possibilidade de SDRC pósoperatória. Gênero, idade, uso de material de síntese, ou tipo de anestesia não aumentaram estatisticamente o risco de SDRC no pós-operatório. Conclusão Em suma, a incidência de SDRC é baixa, mas é importante conhecer e reconhecer os fatores de risco para a prevenção e a busca ativa no pós-operatório.

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Objective Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) requires further understanding. Thus, the present study aimed to analyze if pre- and intraoperative factors may be related to the development of CRPS in the postoperative period. Methods We reviewed 1,183 medical records of patients undergoing forearm and hand surgeries from 2015 to 2021. The data of interest, that is, diagnosis, incisions, synthesis material, and anesthesia, were collected, tabulated, and statistically analyzed, with subsequent calculation of the odds ratios. Results Most patients were female, aged between 30 and 59 years, and sought the service electively (67% of the cases). The diagnoses included soft tissue trauma (43%), bone trauma (31.6%), and compressive syndromes (25.5%). During this period, 45 (3.8%) subjects developed CRPS. The statistical analysis showed that the chance of developing CRPS is twice as high in patients with compressive syndrome, especially carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), which represented most surgeries performed in our service (24%). Two or more incisions occurred in 7.6% of the cases, which tripled the chance of developing postoperative CRPS. Gender, age, use pf synthetic material, type of anesthesia type did not statistically increase the risk of developing postoperative CRPS. Conclusion In short, the incidence of CRPS is low; however, it is critical to know and recognize the risk factors for prevention and active screening in the postoperative period.

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The main goal of this study is the comparison of different reinforcement architectures on the low-velocity impact behavior of green composites. The study includes the comparison of unidirectional, basket weave, and twill weave flax/PLA composites, they are subjected to unidirectional tensile tests, drop-weight impact tests, and after-impact compression tests. Results show that the unidirectional composite demonstrates superior tensile strength and initial modulus due to reduced fiber crimp, while basket weave exhibits the highest energy absorption capability and strain capacity attributed to its higher fiber-weight ratio and fiber crimp. Unidirectional composite also shows a larger impacted damage area compared to basket weave and twill weave, attributed to its internal architecture. Residual compressive strength across all composites decreased by 40% compared to the reference sample. However, the reduction in stiffness after impact was different, UD/PLA composite stiffness was reduced by 30% while the reduction in BW/PLA and T/PLA composites was about 20%.

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The neuropathic compression of the tibial nerve and/or its branches on the medial side of the ankle is called tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS). Patients with TTS presents pain, paresthesia, hypoesthesia, hyperesthesia, muscle cramps or numbness which affects the sole of the foot, the heel, or both. The clinical diagnosis is challenging because of the fairly non-specific and several symptomatology. We demonstrate a case of TTS caused by medial dislocation of the talar bone on the calcaneus bone impacting the tibial nerve diagnosed only by ultrasound with the patient in the standing position.

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Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension is a serious condition that carries a poor prognosis. While exertional dyspnea is the most common symptom, angina like chest pain, most often due to right ventricle ischemia, may occur at advanced stages. We present a patient with pulmonary hypertension symptomatic for dyspnea and angina in whom computed coronary tomography angiography showed compression of the left main coronary artery by a large pulmonary artery aneurysm. Percutaneous coronary intervention and stenting was performed resulting in significant clinical improvement. This case emphasizes the role of different cardiovascular imaging modalities for the diagnosis of rare conditions.

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Vector Quantization (VQ) is a technique with a wide range of applications. For example, it can be used for image compression. The codebook design for VQ has great significance in the quality of the quantized signals and can benefit from the use of swarm intelligence. Initialization of the Linde-Buzo-Gray (LBG) algorithm, which is the most popular VQ codebook design algorithm, is a step that directly influences VQ performance, as the convergence speed and codebook quality depend on the initial codebook. A widely used initialization alternative is random initialization, in which the initial set of codevectors is drawn randomly from the training set. Other initialization methods can lead to a better quality of the designed codebooks. The present work evaluates the impacts of initialization strategies on swarm intelligence algorithms for codebook design in terms of the quality of the designed codebooks, assessed by the quality of the reconstructed images, and in terms of the convergence speed, evaluated by the number of iterations. Initialization strategies consist of a combination of codebooks obtained by initialization algorithms from the literature with codebooks composed of vectors randomly selected from the training set. The possibility of combining different initialization techniques provides new perspectives in the search for the quality of the VQ codebooks. Nine initialization strategies are presented, which are compared with random initialization. Initialization strategies are evaluated on the following algorithms for codebook design based on swarm clustering: modified firefly algorithm-Linde-Buzo-Gray (M-FA-LBG), modified particle swarm optimization-Linde-Buzo-Gray (M-PSO-LBG), modified fish school search-Linde-Buzo-Gray (M-FSS-LBG) and their accelerated versions (M-FA-LBGa, M-PSO-LBGa and M-FSS-LBGa) which are obtained by replacing the LBG with the accelerated LBG algorithm. The simulation results point out to the benefits of the proposed initialization strategies. The results show gains up to 4.43 dB in terms of PSNR for image Clock with M-PSO-LBG codebooks of size 512 and codebook design time savings up to 67.05% for image Clock, with M-FF-LBGa codebooks with size N=512, by using initialization strategies in substitution to Random initialization.

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PURPOSE: The prevalence of metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC) is increasing globally due to advancements in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Whilst surgery can benefit specific patients, the complication rate can reach up to 34%, with limited reporting on their impact in the literature. This study aims to analyse the influence of major complications on the survival of surgically treated MESCC patients. METHODS: Consecutive MESCC patients undergoing surgery and meeting inclusion criteria were selected. Survival duration from decompressive surgery to death was recorded. Perioperative factors influencing survival were documented and analysed. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis at one year compared these factors. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were performed. Additionally, univariate analysis compared complicated and uncomplicated groups. RESULTS: Seventy-five patients were analysed. Median survival for this cohort was 229 days (95% CI 174-365). Surgical complications, low patient performance, and rapid primary tumour growth were significant perioperative variables for survival in multivariate analyses (p < 0.001, p = 0.003, and p = 0.02, respectively) with a hazard ratio of 3.2, 3.6, and 2.1, respectively. Univariate analysis showed no variables associated with complication occurrence. CONCLUSION: In this cohort, major surgical complications, patient performance, and primary tumour growth rate were found to be independent factors affecting one year survival. Thus, prioritizing complication prevention and appropriate patient selection is crucial for optimizing survival in this population.

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OBJECTIVE: Pelvic venous reflux may be responsible for pelvic venous disorders and/or lower-limb (LL) varicose veins. Ultrasound investigation with Doppler allows a complete study of the entire infra-diaphragmatic venous reservoir. The aim of this study was to guide and standardize the investigation of the pelvic origin of venous reflux in female patients with LL varicose veins. METHODS: In this case-control study, we applied a comprehensive ultrasound investigation protocol, which involved four steps: (1) venous mapping of the lower limbs; (2) transperineal and vulvar approach; (3) transabdominal approach; and (4) transvaginal approach. RESULTS: Forty-four patients in group 1 (patients with LL varicose veins and pelvic escape points [PEPs]) and 35 patients in group 2 (patients with LL varicose veins without PEPs [control group]) were studied, matched by age. The median age was 43 years in both groups. The calculated body mass index was lower in group 1 (23.4 kg/m2) compared with the control group (25.4 kg/m2), and this difference reached statistical significance (P < .001). The presence of pelvic varicose veins (PVs) by transvaginal ultrasound was 86% in group 1 and 31% in group 2. Perineal PEPs were the most prevalent, being found in 35 patients (79.5%), more frequent on the right (57.14%) than on the left (42.85%) and associated with bilateral PVs 65.7% of the time. In group 1, 23 patients (52%) reported recurrent varicose veins vs eight patients (23%) in the control group (P = .008). Regarding the complaint of dyspareunia, a significant difference was identified between the groups (P = .019), being reported in 10 (23%) patients in group 1 vs one patient (2.9%) in the control group. The median diameters in the transabdominal approach of the left gonadal veins were 6.70 mm for group 1 and 4.60 mm for group 2 (P < .001). In patients with PVs in group 1, the median diameter of PEPs at the trans-perineal window was 4.05 mm. In the transvaginal examination, the mean diameter of the veins in the peri uterine region was 8.71 mm on the left and 7.04 mm on the right. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of PEPs by venous mapping demonstrates the pelvic origin of the reflux and its connections with the LL varicose veins. For a more adequate treatment plan, we suggest a complete investigation protocol based on the transabdominal and transvaginal study to rule out venous obstructions, thrombotic or not, and confirm the presence of varicose veins in the pelvic adnexal region.

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The current dataset brings raw compression test information of a vegetable-based polyurethane foam (PUF) exposed to different temperatures over different periods of time. Such experimental dataset can provide researchers with important information in the application of numerical and data-driven simulations. Also, it saves money and time once the experimental part is already available. At total, 90 compression tests were done following the ASTM D1621-16 standard with pictures for digital image correlation (DIC) being simultaneously acquired. The 90 specimens were divided in nine different ageing conditions. The foam was considered transversely isotropic, thus, 10 specimens for each condition were divided in two groups, five specimens for direction 1 and five for direction 3, where direction 3 is the foam expansion direction. The 3D DIC results show longitudinal and transverse strains from virtual extensometers. The results are available in .TRA and .csv files for the tests and DIC outputs, respectively. Also, the dataset brings the pictures used for DIC in .TIF format. It also brings the dimensions of each specimen prior to the test in .txt format. These results provide information for the calculation of major mechanical properties that can be freely used in finite element models for different and creative ways to simulate the ageing process of a vegetable-based PUF.

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Biodegradable biopolymers from species of the animal kingdom or their byproducts are sustainable as ecological materials due to their abundant supply and compatibility with the environment. The research aims to obtain a biodegradable active material from chitosan, gelatin, and collagen from bocachico scales (Prochilodus magdalenae). Regarding the methodology, films were developed from gelatin, chitosan, and collagen from bocachico scales (Prochilodus magdalenae) at different concentrations using glycerol as a plasticizer and citric acid as a cross-linker. The films were obtained with the hydrated mass processed by compression molding and characterized according to humidity, water solubility, contact angle, mechanical properties, and structural properties. The results of the films showed a hydrophobic characteristic. First, the chitosan-collagen (CS/CO) films showed a yellowish color, while the gelatin-collagen (Gel/CO) films were transparent and less soluble than the gelatin-collagen (Gel/CO) films. Concerning mechanical properties, gelatin films showed higher stiffness and tensile strength than chitosan films. Furthermore, in the morphological analysis, more homogeneous chitosan films were obtained by increasing the concentration of citric acid. In general, chitosan, gelatin, and collagen extracted from the scales of the bocachico (Prochilodus magdalenae) are an alternative in the application of films in the food industry.

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The use of herbal medicine to treat various diseases is becoming increasingly important as an alternative therapy. Numerous plants have been traditionally used for different purposes, including antiparasitic in humans and animals. Diseases caused by gastrointestinal parasites in ruminants, especially by the nematode Haemonchus contortus, cause large economic losses to the producers, whether by complications of the diseases or the cost of treatment. The main way of handling nematodiasis is by administering anthelmintic drugs, but their excessive use has the disadvantage of causing drug resistance; therefore, an alternative is the use of herbal medicine for this purpose. Mesquite (Prosopis spp.) has been used in Mexico to treat gastrointestinal diseases attributed to helminths. The present study aimed to characterize the rheological properties of mesquite flour using the SeDeM Expert System to determine its suitability for tablet production by direct compression. Direct compression technology facilitates the tableting process by reducing manufacturing costs. The results of the present study indicate that mesquite flour can be processed by direct compression. The latter could allow the manufacturing of economic tablets to treat infections by H. contortus in ruminants.

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BACKGROUND: Corticosteroid injections are frequently used in the short-term treatment of musculoskeletal pain, but their use is controversial as repeated exposures to corticosteroids can lead to deleterious effects on musculoskeletal tissue. Ozone injections have been proposed as a possible treatment for musculoskeletal pain; however, their effectiveness has not been compared with corticosteroids. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of ozone injections for reducing pain in individuals with musculoskeletal pain in comparison with corticosteroid injections through a meta-analysis. METHODS: An online systematic search was performed using electronic databases up to September 2023. We searched for studies that compared corticosteroid injections with ozone injections in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain of diverse origins. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included comprising a total of 534 individuals. In the overall pooled analysis, a pain reduction in favor of corticosteroid injections was found in the short term (d= 0.31, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.60, p (z) 0.04, I2 = 32%). In the medium term, no significant differences were found in reducing pain between groups (d=-0.17, 95% CI -0.42 to 0.07, p (z) 0.15, I2 = 0%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that corticosteroids injections are more effective in reducing musculoskeletal pain in the short term, but equally effective in the medium term when compared with ozone injections. Nonetheless, better-quality clinical trials are necessary to corroborate these results.

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Intramedullary fixation has long been popular for fracture fixation in the upper extremity from the shoulder through the carpus. Recently, intramedullary fixation in the hand has gained increasing interest, specifically in the metacarpals and phalanges, corresponding with the development of improved cannulated headless screw technology. Along with the advantages of increased operative speed and less surgical dissection, which can promote rapid healing, many benefits exist, supporting their use despite some drawbacks. This article reviews the background and biomechanics of intramedullary fixation with a specific focus on cannulated headless screws, describes the application and techniques of intramedullary screw fixation in the hand, and details the associated outcomes and costs for metacarpal fractures, phalangeal fractures, and interphalangeal joint arthrodesis.

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