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For posterior pilon fractures, the posterior approach (PA) is widely used but has its limitations. The transfibular approach (TFA) has been adopted to treat posterior malleolar fractures for the advantage of direct visual confirmation of the reduction status intraoperatively, yet the report of its application on posterior pilon fractures is rare. This study aims to compare TFA with PA in terms of their corresponding reduction quality.Clinical data of 85 posterior pilon fracture patients treated via PA (n = 62) or TFA (n = 23) were retrospectively reviewed. Radiographic and clinical assessments, including articular step-off or gap, syndesmosis reduction quality, signs of ankle arthritis, the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score, visual analogue scale (VAS), ankle stability, and the active range of motion (ROM) of the ankle, were all evaluated by two readers independently.The total incidence of step-off or gap ≥ 1 mm was significantly higher in the PA group (35.5%) than in the TFA group (8.7%, p = 0.015). In all the patients, step-off ≥ 1 mm was identified as an independent risk factor for the development of arthritis and a lower AOFAS score (p0.001). No significant difference was found in ROM and complication incidence between the two groups. Ankle instability was found in neither group during the follow-up.TFA could offer a way to intraoperatively evaluate the reduction status with direct visual confirmation and, thereby, might improve the results of reduction for posterior pilon fractures.Level III.

Supplemental Material for Steroid-loaded reconstituted high-density lipoprotein nanocarrier: A new treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus by Ye Yu, Xuesong Liu, Xinyi Ma, Gan Jiang, Qingxiang Song, Ruru Guo, Suli Wang, Xiaoling Gao and Liangjing Lu in Journal of Biomaterials Applications.

Cr-activated phosphor-converted light sources have attracted widespread attention in various applications based on Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. Unfortunately, Cr ions usually face the issue of multivalence and typically exist in valence...

PURPOSE: Pure ankle dislocation without associated fracture is extremely rare. The current study reports eight cases of this type of injury, aiming to add some new material to the published data and present our clinical experience. METHODS: Six open and two closed posteromedial tibiotalar dislocations without associated fractures treated in our department from 2015 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Emergent reduction was performed for all patients followed by an average of 6 weeks of immobilization with external fixators in open cases and a short leg cast in closed cases. No patients underwent ligament or capsule repair except one case. The clinical data were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: At a mean follow-up of 33 months (range 13–61), the average AOFAS score was 91 (range 78–100) with five ankles rated as excellent and three rated as good. All of the eight patients returned to their prior daily life and the two closed patients with sports injuries resumed pre-injury activity level. The average range of motion (ROM) loss of the ankles was 9 degrees for plantarflexion and 3 degrees for dorsiflexion. Complications included superficial infection, moderate ankle stiffness, ankle degenerative change and residual numbness. None of the eight patients showed obvious ankle instability. CONCLUSION: Pure ankle dislocation without associated fracture is a rare injury. Emergent reduction, appropriate wound care in open injuries and proper joint stabilisation with a cast or external fixator provide good clinical results and could be the mainstay of treatment.

The self-etherification of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 5,5′(oxy-bis(methylene))bis-2-furfural (OBMF) was investigated on ZSM-5, MCM-22, beta and hierarchical micro–mesoporous ZSM-5 (HMZ) catalysts. The hierarchically structured zeolites exhibited a superior intrinsic activity and good resistance to carbonaceous deposit; the latter could be ascribed to the lower mass transfer barrier in the mesopores of the HMZ catalysts. The structure–activity correlation showed that the catalytic activity mainly originated from one or several specific Bronsted acid sites, providing key clues to design efficient zeolite catalysts for producing OBMF.

Severe calcaneal malunion is a clinical conundrum for the difficulty of calcaneal reconstruction without soft tissue complications. The aim of this study is to introduce the treatment strategy and preliminary results of staged Illizarov distraction histogenesis and corrective reconstruction for severe malunion of calcaneal fractures.From June 2014 to May 2020, 14 patients with severe calcaneal malunion treated with the staged strategy were retrospectively analyzed. At the first stage, calcaneal osteotomy and external fixation with Ilizarov frame were performed. The restoration of the approximate configuration of calcaneus and the expansion of contractural soft tissue were achieved by gradual calcaneal distraction. At the second stage, corrective reconstruction was performed and autogenous iliac crest bone graft was used. Clinical and radiographic outcomes were evaluated at final follow-up.The average time of Ilizarov distraction and total fixation was 21.4 days and 41.0 days at first-stage treatment. At a mean follow-up of 33.1 months, the average American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle and hindfoot score increased significantly from 24.0 to 72.4 (p 0.01). And the mean visual analogue scale (VAS) score had improved remarkably from 8.2 to 2.4 (p 0.01). Radiographs showed that talocalcaneal height, calcaneal width, calcaneal tuberosity height, hindfoot alignment angle, and talar declination angle were improved to a great extent (p 0.01). Only one patient had minor pin site infection at first-stage treatment and one got superficial wound infection after second-stage surgery. No wound dehiscence, skin necrosis, or deep infection occurred.Staged Ilizarov distraction histogenesis and corrective reconstruction is a safe and effective treatment strategy for reducing soft tissue complications and improving reconstruction results in surgical correction of severe calcaneal malunion.

Wet torrefaction emerges as a potential biomass pretreatment process to enhance the fuel properties of biomass. The present research was aimed to determine the energy-efficient conditions for the w...