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Patients with cancer are known to have a poor prognosis when infected with SARS-CoV-2 infection. We aimed in this study to assess health outcomes in COVID-19 patients with different cancers in comparison to non-cancer COVID-19 patients from different centers in the United States (US). We evaluated medical records of 1,943 COVID-19 Cancer patients from 3 hospitals admitted between December 2019 to October 2021 and compared them with non-cancer COVID-19 patients. Among 1,943 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, 18.7% (n=364) have an active or previous history of cancer. Among these 364 cancer patients, 222 were African Americans (61.7%) and 121 were Caucasians (33.2%). Cancer patients had significantly longer hospitalization compared to controls (8.24 vs 6.7 days). Overall, Lung cancer is associated with high mortality. Patients with a previous history of cancer were more prone to death (p=0.04) than active cancer patients. In univariate and multivariate analyses, predictors of death among cancer patients were male sex, older age, presence of dyspnea, elevated troponin, elevated AST (0.001) and ALT (0.05), low albumin (p=0.04) and mechanical ventilation (p=0.001). Patients with a previous history of cancer were more prone to death when compared to active cancer COVID-19 patients. Early recognition of cancer COVID-19 patients death-associated risk factors can help determine appropriate treatment and management plans for better prognosis and outcome.

Aim of the study — to evaluate our own experience of the use of non-modular tapered stems in revision hip arthroplasty to determine the incidence and causes of repeated revisions, functional outcomes, and factors associated with subsidence of non-modular tapered stems. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed the results of using 78 non-modular tapered stems. The average follow-up period was 5.1 years. Results. There were repeated revisions accompanied by the removal of non-modular tapered stems in 14 (17.9%) cases. Significant subsidence was observed in 5 (6.4%) cases. Bicortical contact less than 2.0 cm (p = 0.017) was a risk factor for subsidence of non-modular tapered stems. The risk of having a bicortical contact of less than 2 cm was higher in patients with type IV femoral defect (p = 0.048). An improvement in functional parameters was found. Patients with significant subsidence of non-modular tapered stems had worse functional outcomes compared to patients without significant subsidence. Conclusions. The use of non-modular tapered stems in revision hip arthroplasty shows good results in terms of repeated revision rates and functional outcomes. Periprosthetic infection and aseptic loosening were the most frequent causes of repeated revisions with removal of non-modular tapered stems. All patients with significant subsidence of non-modular tapered stems underwent repeated revision due to aseptic loosening. Bicortical contact less than 2.0 cm was a risk factor for significant subsidence of non-modular tapered stems. The risk of bicortical contact less than 2.0 cm was higher in patients with type IV femoral defects. Therefore, it is recommended to use non-modular tapered stems with caution or consider other hip reconstruction options in this type of defect.

Background. The number of surgeries on the musculoskeletal system is increasing every year. Along with the increasing access to orthopedic care, the number of patients with orthopedic infection, the etiological agents of which can be from various taxonomic groups, is also increasing. Staphylococcus aureus and different types of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS), including S. epidermidis and S. lugdunensis, together are the causative agents in 70% of cases. Aim of the study — to analyze the dynamics of the microbial spectrum isolated from patients of the septic surgery department for the period from 2011 to 2022. Methods. We performed a retrospective analysis of the microbial spectrum isolated from patients who were treated in the septic surgery department from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2022. The leading pathogens were microorganisms whose share in the spectrum exceeded 3.5%. Of the isolated pathogens, 48.8% were the only etiological agents, and microbial associations were detected in 51.2% of the isolated pathogens. Results. A total of 10,327 bacteria strains were identified over the 12-year period. The leading microorganisms causing orthopedic infection were Staphylococcus spp., Enterococcus spp., Propionibacterium spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Corynebacterium spp., Streptococcus spp., Klebsiella spp. and Acinetobacter spp. In the dynamics of isolated pathogens during the analyzed period, several trends were determined: a decrease in the shares of S. aureus, Enterococcus spp., P. aeruginosa, Acinetobacter spp. and an increase in the shares of CoNS and Corynebacterium spp. Conclusion. During 12 years, in the microbial spectrum of orthopedic infection in patients of the septic surgery department of our Center, Gram-positive bacteria, in the majority representatives of the genus Staphylococcus, prevailed. At the same time, a significant decrease in the share of S. aureus strains and an increase in the frequency of isolation of various species of CoNS were registered. A significant decrease in the number of non-fermenting Gram-negative bacteria was also revealed.

The second part of an interdisciplinary expert consensus on tissue banking is presented. An analysis and attempt was made to systematize some of the terms and definitions used by tissue bank specialists in the process of their work and presented in the Federal laws and orders of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation regulating medical activities in the field of tissue donation and their clinical use.

Khalid Mehmood,1 Aamir Suhail,2 Pradeep Kautish,3 Muhammad Mohsin Hakeem,4 Md Rashid5 1Research Center of Hubei Micro & Small Enterprises Development, School of Economics and Management, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Management and Leadership, Business School, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Guadalajara, Mexico; 3Department of Marketing, Institute of Management, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, India; 4NUCB Business School, Nagoya University of Commerce and Business, Nagoya, Japan; 5Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, IndiaCorrespondence: Md Rashid, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India, Email rashidgeog@gmail.com Pradeep Kautish, Institute of Management, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, India, Email pradeep.kautish@nirmauni.ac.inPurpose: The overuse of internet-based technologies as a means of coping with the stress they generate has resulted in an alarming level of addiction, adversely impacting the quality of life and overall health of younger individuals. This social detachment, in turn, contributes to both physical and mental health deterioration. The potential remedy for this predicament lies in the application of social support as an antidote to internet addiction. In this context, our present study employs the Stress-Strain-Outcome model to explore the indirect effects of internet addiction and the moderating role of social support in relation to the influence of technostress on the quality of life of adults.Methods: We adopted a time-lagged design to collect data from university graduates and evaluated our study hypotheses using Mplus.Results: Our empirical findings highlight the significant influence of technostress on internet addiction, with the latter significantly mediating the relationship between technostress and quality of life. Furthermore, our results reveal that social support effectively moderates the indirect effects of technostress on quality of life through its impact on internet addiction.Conclusion: These findings can help researchers and educators better understand the underlying mechanisms between technostress and quality of life with social support as the silver lining. This form of social support holds the potential not only to alleviate internet addiction but also to positively enhance the quality of life and overall wellbeing of individuals facing these challenges. The implications of these findings and avenues for future research are also discussed.Keywords: internet addiction, quality of life, social support, technostress, social media, moderation-mediation

Spiny keratoderma is a rare skin condition that presents on the palmar and plantar surfaces of the hands and/or feet. This condition is difficult to appreciate under ambient lighting but can be both physically and emotionally distressing to patients. Furthermore, because of the association with various neoplasms and systemic diseases, timely diagnosis and appropriate follow-up is of importance. We evaluate a case of spiny keratoderma in a patient with recently diagnosed hypothyroidism and emphasize the importance of proper lighting during a dermatology-focused physical examination. The patient's palmar lesions were only appreciable under LED light and with physical examination. A biopsy of the lesions confirmed the diagnosis of spiny keratoderma.

Intraventricular schwannomas are extremely rare, typically benign tumors originating from Schwann cells, which are not normally found within the ventricular system. Their presence challenges conventional understanding of tumor origins and complicates diagnosis and management. We report the case of a 19-year-old female presenting with a drop attack and headache, with no significant medical history. MRI revealed a heterogeneously enhancing lesion in the right lateral ventricle. Differential diagnoses included malignant tumors; however, histopathological examination post-surgical resection confirmed an intraventricular schwannoma. Postoperative outcomes were favorable, with successful CSF diversion via a right occipital ventriculoperitoneal shunt for isolated right temporal hydrocephalus. This case is notable for its atypical presentation in a young patient, challenging the conventional understanding that intraventricular schwannomas primarily affect older individuals. In addition, the correct diagnosis and successful management of a rare intraventricular schwannoma underscores the importance of considering this rare diagnosis in patients with nonspecific neurological symptoms and intraventricular lesions. This case, alongside the literature review, enriches the body of evidence on intraventricular schwannomas, highlighting the critical role of surgical intervention and the need for a comprehensive diagnostic approach.

Background. It is known that the outcomes of patients treatment with periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) are significantly influenced by the state of the patient’s body, the nature of the pathogen, the state of tissues in the area of the infectious focus and the treatment tactics. However, topographic and anatomical features of the blood supply to the knee and hip joints, as well as the volume of soft tissues, can affect the spectrum of pathogens, manifestations of the infectious process and, as a consequence, the effectiveness of treatment. The aim of the study was to conduct a comparative analysis of the somatic status of patients, the etiology of the infectious process and the effectiveness of treatment of PJI depending on its localization. Methods. A single-center retrospective study was conducted. The cases of 337 patients were studied — 119 patients with knee and 218 patients with hip PJI who underwent treatment with a two-stage technique during the period from 2007 to 2017. A comparative analysis of the PJI pathogens structure and concomitant pathology between patients with hip and knee PJI was carried out. The frequency of infection relief in the groups following the first stage was counted. Results. Recurrence was diagnosed four times more frequently in patients with hip PJI compared to knee PJI. Risk factors for recurrence were gram-negative pathogens, microbial associations, and fistulous forms of the infectious process. Localization of the infectious process in the hip area was associated with a statistically significant greater volume of blood loss during the prolonged debridement surgery. Conclusion. Recurrences of PJI occur more frequently in the hip area compared to the knee joint. Further analysis of critical factors in recurrence development is necessary for potential intervention.

Background. Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is one of the most common causes of pain syndrome and limited mobility in the hip joint among young and middle-aged individuals. The aims of this study: 1) To evaluate the impact of the type of hip joint deformity in patients with FAI on treatment outcomes; 2) To identify the type of hip joint deformity that is optimal for correction using arthroscopy; 3) To determine the impact of the acetabular structure in conditions of borderline dysplasia on the treatment outcome. Methods. A retrospective uncontrolled single-center study was conducted, including 121 patients (135 hip joints), among them 49 (40.5%) women and 72 (59.5%) men. Patients were divided into four groups based on the type of deformity. The first group included 33 (24.4%) joints with cam-type FAI, the second group — 72 (53.4%) joints with mixed-type, the third group — 17 (12.6%) joints with dysplasia (LCEA-O25°) and cam-type deformity of the femoral head-neck junction, and the fourth group — 13 (9.6%) joints with a combination of dysplasia, cam-type deformity, and retroversion of the acetabulum. All patients underwent physical examination and radiographic diagnostics. In patients with borderline dysplasia, the version of the acetabulum was additionally assessed. The iHOT-33 and HOS scales were used to evaluate the preoperative status and postoperative results. Results. The best treatment outcome was achieved in the first group of patients, which was statistically significantly different from the results in the third group. The treatment outcomes in the second group of patients did not show statistically significant differences from the first group according to the HOS questionnaire, but differed according to the iHOT-33 scale. The treatment outcomes in the fourth group of patients were almost indistinguishable on the iHOT-33 scale from the first group and on the HOS scale from the second group. In the third group, a statistically significant result on the HOS-Sport subscale was achieved in only 30% of patients, while in other groups it was not less than 58%. Other scales showed a slight superiority of treatment results in the first and fourth groups compared to the second and third groups. In the first years after surgery, all groups of patients showed a significant improvement in sports activity, but after 2 years, there was a tendency for a decrease in patients in the second and third groups. Conclusion. The highest results of arthroscopic treatment were shown by patients in the first group with isolated cam-type deformity, slightly worse were results by patients in the second group (with mixed-type). In patients with borderline dysplasia, the effectiveness of arthroscopy depended on the structure of the anterior wall of the acetabulum. The worst result was observed in patients with borderline dysplasia and insufficiently developed anterior wall of the acetabulum — in that group of patients, it is worth preferring isolated periacetabular osteotomy or in combination with arthroscopy.

Multiple choice results are inherently probabilistic outcomes, as correct responses reflect a combination of knowledge and guessing, while incorrect responses additionally reflect blunder, a confidently committed mistake. To objectively resolve knowledge from responses in an MC test structure, we evaluated probabilistic models that explicitly account for guessing, knowledge, and blunder using eight assessments (>9,000 responses) from an undergraduate biotechnology curriculum. A Bayesian implementation of the models, aimed at assessing their robustness to prior beliefs in examinee knowledge, showed that explicit estimators of knowledge are markedly sensitive to prior beliefs with scores as sole input. To overcome this limitation, we examined self-ranked confidence as a proxy knowledge indicator. For our test set, three levels of confidence resolved test performance. Responses rated as least confident were correct more frequently than expected from random selection, reflecting partial knowledge, but were balanced by blunder among the most confident responses. By translating evidence-based guessing and blunder rates to pass marks that statistically qualify a desired level of examinee knowledge, our approach finds practical utility in test analysis and design.

Studying the history of minorities in Iraq has been an important field of interest for many scholars. This study (The Role of British diplomats in Yazidis Affairs in Iraq1932- 1939) is an attempt to present and analyze the role of the British diplomats towards the affairs relating to Yazidi minority in Iraq during a very important period in the latter’s cotemporary history. The Yazidis who had been living in Sinjar a sub-district of Mosul in northern Iraq had been in continuous conflict with Ottoman authorities . This was partly due to their refusal to perform mandatory military service, (compulsory conscription,) and paying taxes. Ottoman campaigns were conducted against them to subjugate them by force to Ottoman rule. This was the reason for their isolating themselves in the mountainous area far from the city center. When British had developed an influence in Iraq an opportunity was presented to the Yazidis to defend themselves. Their leaders asked British authorities to defend their interests and to help them get rid of the oppression of the Ottomans. For the purpose of establishing British influence among the Yazidis , the former called the Yazidi leaders to hold a conference and issue a plea to the British authorities in Iraq to include them under British protection. Britain was planning to set up a Yazidi princedom in Sinjar to serve as a buffer between Iraq and Syria, kipping Frances away from oil field.

Background. According to the analysis of large arthroplasty registers we have noted the increase in the use of non-cemented implants, because the latter shows the same results of implant survival as well as cemented implants. On the other hand, they can affect the quality of the bone around the implant in different ways. These components differ in shape, length, and surface properties. According to the analysis of the arthroplasty register of the Vreden National Medical Research Center of Traumatology and Orthopedics, a significant decrease of the Alloclassic femoral stem using can be noted. In parallel the use of its SL-PLUS MIA modification has increased significantly. Aims of the study: 1) to determine the influence of changes in the design of the Zweymüller-type femoral stem on midterm and long-term outcomes and its survival; 2) to identify the characteristics of adaptive remodeling of periprosthetic bone tissue around these femoral stems; 3) to determine risk factors for aseptic loosening of these femoral stems. Methods. 492 cases of hip arthroplasty using the Alloclassic and SL-PLUS MIA femoral stems were observed, with an average follow-up 78.6 months. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the type of femoral stem. The assessment the hip articulation condition was carried out using the HHS and OHS. The intensity of the pain syndrome was assessed by VAS, and the level of patient’s satisfaction. The dynamic analysis of X-rays was also performed visually. Results. A significant improvement in clinical and functional results was observed according to the HHS and OHS in both groups of patients, regardless of the type of femoral stem. Analysis of X-rays over time showed differences in the behavior of these two femoral component models. The radiolucent lines around the femoral stem are absent in SL-PLUS MIA group, in Alloclassic stem group radiolucent lines are present even at a minimal period (12 months). We also found that a tight fit of Zweymüller femoral stems in the distal shaft is a risk factor for severe stress-shielding syndrome, especially in the funnel channels. But ceteris paribus, a distal tight fit of SL-PLUS MIA stems despite similar geometry of the distal part does not lead to such frequent manifestation of severe stress shielding. Conclusion. The change in Zweymüller stem design from Alloclassic to SL-PLUS MIA improved the nature of adaptive remodeling in the periprosthetic area of the femur. It may improve the long-term results of primary hip arthroplasty, but these differences require closer observation.

Introduction Diagnostic algorithms are used for detection of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) including sampling for histological evaluation (HE). The purpose was to assess the diagnostic significance of emergency HE of fresh-frozen intraoperative biomaterial as part of preoperative PJI screening of patients undergoing revision total knee arthroplasty (RTKA). Material and methods The prospective study included 83 patients who were admitted to two trauma and orthopaedic centers for RTKA. The European Bone and Joint Infection Society 2021 (EBJIS21) algorithm was used to detect PJI of the knee joint. The diagnostic value of screening PJI with/without regard to the results of an emergency HE was compared with the results of a microbiological study (MBI) of all types of biomaterials obtained from each patient. Subanalysis was additionally performed in patients with aseptic instability and antimicrobial spacer. Results Pathomorphological examination of freshly frozen and paraffin-embedded tissues showed the difference of 7.2 %, which did not significantly affect the interpretation of the results (p > 0.05). Diagnostically significant pathogens were identified in 83.3 % of cases with PJI confirmed by emergency HE (p < 0.001). A positive emergency HE result increased the chances of isolating diagnostically significant organisms by 34 times (95 % confidence interval (CI): 4.721 – 244.859) as compared with negative HE cases. The proportion of detected cases with emergency HE included in the screening increased from 2.4 to 8.4 %. The inclusion of emergency HE in the screening improved the diagnostic value both in the general cohort of patients and in the subanalysis of comparison groups due to a two-fold increase in sensitivity. Conclusion Relevance of the emergency HE results and the PJI criteria should be considered as a significant prognostic factor for an infectious process, however, this technique should be used only in a complex algorithm for PJI detection. Poor outcomes in 18.2 % of cases of probable PJI necessitated a change in the approach to managing this cohort of patients.

Background. Today in our country, the follow-up of patients after arthroplasty is carried out in accordance with clinical guidelines, the wording of which is based on monographs from 2006, 2008, and 2014, in addition, clinical guidelines for follow-up do not take into account the results of treatment assessed by the patient himself. The purpose of this study was to examine existing systems and develop a proprietary follow-up system for patients after hip and knee arthroplasty. Results. A review of the literature revealed that follow-up of patients after arthroplasty is an unsolved problem, within which there is low coverage, reluctance or forgetfulness of the asymptomatic patient, the problem of accessibility of medical examinations, and an excessive financial burden on the health care system. Since 2022, fixed recommendations for follow-up after arthroplasty have been used in the clinical practice of our center in discharge epicrisis. Recommendations for the frequency of follow-up were formulated by experts based on a comprehensive review of the literature and their own experience. In the first three months, 221 hip and 235 knee evaluation questionnaires were collected through the proposed mechanism, with a progressive increase in the number of questionnaires based on weekly monitoring data. Conclusion. Unfortunately, the outpatient clinic system is not always able to provide qualitative monitoring of patients after arthroplasty due to various reasons, therefore, in our opinion, the implementation of the mechanism of remote monitoring of patients will allow detecting various complications at the stage of early diagnosis, which will contribute to prompt solution of these problems. The remote monitoring system is also an important source of scientific data.