Hate versus politics: detection of hate against policy makers in Italian tweets.

Accurate detection of hate speech against politicians, policy making and political ideas is crucial to maintain democracy and free speech. Unfortunately, the amount of labelled data necessary for training models to detect hate speech are limited and domain-dependent. In this paper, we address the issue of classification of hate speech against policy makers from Twitter in Italian, producing the first resource of this type in this language. We collected and annotated 1264 tweets, examined the cases of disagreements between annotators, and performed in-domain and cross-domain hate speech classifications with different features and algorithms. We achieved a performance of ROC AUC 0.83 and analyzed the most predictive attributes, also finding the different language features in the anti-policymakers and anti-immigration domains. Finally, we visualized networks of hashtags to capture the topics used in hateful and normal tweets.

The role of superior capsular approach (SuperPATH) in the treatment of femoral neck fractures with hemiarthroplasty implantation: our experience and review of literature.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE WORK: since 2003, a series of so called 'micro-posterior' approaches have been developed in the orthopaedic surgery to perform total hip replacement. These techniques present several theoretical advantages compared to the classic postero-lateral approach: reduction in blood loss, post-operative pain, and length of stay but also improving functional outcomes. In our hypothesis these goals could also be obtained in patients with femoral neck fractures, especially in the elderly with several comorbidities. METHODS: In our series we performed 50 consecutive cemented hemiarthroplasties through SuperPATH approach. At the latest follow-up (FU) 41 patients were included in the study. Clinical and radiological evaluation was performed before the surgery and at the latest FU using VAS score, Harris Hip Score (HHS) and conventional AP and LL X-rays. RESULTS: We didn't report any intra-operative complication (i.e. periprosthetic fractures, vasculo-nervous injuries or dislocations) or any case with a dysmetria greater than 1 cm. Mean blood transfusion units were 0.8 during surgery (0 - 4) and 1,6 after surgery (0-4). We reported a mean length of stay of 9.7 days (range 7-15) mainly due to our patients' high comorbidity rate. At the last one-year FU no cases of dislocation, infection and clinical or radiographical signs of prosthetic loosening were recorded. All our patients returned to the same activity level before femoral fracture occurred, according to HHS. CONCLUSION: The SuperPATH is a real minimally invasive approach with a low rate of intra- and post-operative complications. It is related to a reduced dislocation rate and potentially to a reduced infection rate compared to the conventional surgical approaches, allowing, furthermore, a faster functional recovery. According to our experience the advantages of this type of approach can be obtained in the trauma field too.

Histological study of atraumatic periprosthetic fractures: does atypical periprosthetic fracture exist?

PURPOSE: Is it possible a correlation between some periprosthetic femoral fractures and atypical fractures? CASE: We present a case of a 77-year-old woman with atypical periprosthetic femoral fracture. The patient had a history of long-term bisphosphonate use. We performed an open reduction, a synthesis of the fracture and a histological exam. The patient stopped the bisphosphonate (BF) therapy. Three months later, before starting the teriparatide treatment, the patient had a re-fracture so we did a second osteosynthesis and began a teriparatide therapy. After six months, the radiography showed a bone healing at the fracture site. RESULT: The histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of atypical femoral fracture. CONCLUSION: At first, the fracture showed a delayed union which led to a new surgery, as often happens in BF-related atypical fractures. Appropriate treatment (BF suspension and teriparatide beginning) permitted fracture healing. The atypical characteristic of the fracture was confirmed by histological exam.Some periprosthetic femoral fractures in patients treated with BF, especially in long time therapies, should be suspected as atypical fractures and a specific medical treatment should be performed, as well as a correct surgical treatment.

Algodystrophy: complex regional pain syndrome and incomplete forms.

The algodystrophy, also known as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), is a painful disease characterized by erythema, edema, functional impairment, sensory and vasomotor disturbance. The diagnosis of CRPS is based solely on clinical signs and symptoms, and for exclusion compared to other forms of chronic pain. There is not a specific diagnostic procedure; careful clinical evaluation and additional test should lead to an accurate diagnosis. There are similar forms of chronic pain known as bone marrow edema syndrome, in which is absent the history of trauma or triggering events and the skin dystrophic changes and vasomotor alterations. These incomplete forms are self-limited, and surgical treatment is generally not needed. It is still controversial, if these forms represent a distinct self-limiting entity or an incomplete variant of CRPS. In painful unexplained conditions such as frozen shoulder, post-operative stiff shoulder or painful knee prosthesis, the algodystrophy, especially in its incomplete forms, could represent the cause.

Grafting of Expanded Mesenchymal Stem Cells without Associated Procedure in a Healed Case of Ulna Pseudarthrosis: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: The surgical management of pseudoarthrosis is often a challenge. The use of mesenchymal multipotent cells expanded and manipulated in the laboratory is an interesting treatment of pseudoarthrosis, because they can lead to differentiation into osteocytes and thus the formation of bone tissue. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present a case of a 47-years-old man with isolate ulna fracture, treated with plate and screws and evolved in non-union. The patient underwent an expanded stem cells graft on the site of non-union with a small incision of approximately 3cm, without changing the synthesis system. After one year, the X-ray showed a complete fracture consolidation. DISCUSSION: In our opinion, this case is interesting because it highlights the cellular action that is the only healing factor; it is an important demonstration of the biological action of expanded mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). CONCLUSION: To validate the use of MSCs, it is necessary to perform comparative studies for age, sex, general condition, location, and mechanism of injury as a further clinical validation of the efficiency of this cell line.

Single-Use Instrumentation Technologies in Knee Arthroplasty: State of the Art.

The surgical site contamination and the resulting periprosthetic infections are an important cause of morbidity and socio-economic impact. In total knee arthroplasty, the single-use instrumentation is developed to simplify the surgical procedure, reduce the chance of instrument contamination, improve the operating room efficiency, and reduce overall costs (low cost of instrument washing and sterilization as well as personnel management). Surgical single-use instrumentations on the market are complete with all you need for the surgical procedure-cutting guides, conventional or PSI (patient-specific instrumentation), femoral cutting block, re-cutting block, trials components, alignment rods, inserts, and impactors. In recent years, PSI (patient-specific instrumentation) was introduced. It decreases operative time and blood loss without violating the intramedullary canal. It also allows the surgeon to preoperatively plan the patient's component size, position, and alignment. We reported an average of 30 minutes saved for each surgical procedure, a saving of 60€ for each surgical tray. Moreover, we avoided surgery cancellation or delay due to un-sterile, missing, or dysfunctional instruments. We think that this technology is the first step in developing implants that are entirely customized for each patient, and we believe that it will have a more relevant role in knee surgery in the future.

Giant Schwannoma of the Saphenous Nerve in The Distal Thigh: A Case Report.

CASE: Schwannomas are benign nerve myelin sheath tumors that can occur anywhere in the peripheral nervous system. It is very rare for Schwannomas to become malignant, but surgery is still the principal treatment to eliminate symptoms and to correctly diagnosis the tumor. We report an interesting case of a schwannoma of the saphenous nerve at the distal third of the posteromedial thigh: the patient complained of muscle weakness at left lower limb and vague anteromedial knee pain, mimicking a meniscal tear. Magnetic resonance images of the thigh showed a well-defined and oval mass lesion measuring 8.5 cm x 4.5 cm. Before investigating for a possible meniscal tear, we decided to remove the mass from the thigh, because we felt that it could itself be the cause of the mild pain complained about by the patient. Post-surgery, histological analysis conducted confirmed that this was a benign schwannoma. DISCUSSION: Schwannomas generally can be asymptomatic or present as a mass. The clinical presentation of this rare tumor makes the diagnosis difficult. CONCLUSION: This reported case is particularly interesting because of the rarity of the lesion localization along the course of the saphenous nerve. The combination of the location, and especially the large size of the tumor, led us to believe that there is a correlation with the particular clinical presentation.

Hip replacement in femoral head osteonecrosis: current concepts.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head is a destructive disease that usually affects young adults with high functional demands and can have devastating effects on hip joint. The treatment depends on extent and location of the necrosis lesion and on patient's factors, that suggest disease progression, collapse probability and also implants survival. Non-idiopathic osteonecrosis patients had the worst outcome. There is not a gold standard treatment and frequently it is necessary a multidisciplinary approach. Preservation procedures of the femoral head are the first choice and can be attempted in younger patients without head collapse. Replacement procedure remains the main treatment after failure of preserving procedures and in the late-stage ONFH, involving collapse of the femoral head and degenerative changes to the acetabulum. Resurfacing procedure still has good results but the patient selection is a critical factor. Total hip arthroplasties had historically poor results in patients with osteonecrosis. More recently, reports have shown excellent results, but implant longevity and following revisions are still outstanding problems.

Total hip replacement in osteoarthritis: the role of bone metabolism and its complications.

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common joint disorder. For treatment of hip symptomatic osteoarthritis, when conservative medical therapy has failed, total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a successful orthopaedic procedures that reduces pain and improves function and quality of life. Incidence of osteoarthritis is constantly increasing with raising life expectancy. This aging process also has led to an increasing number of patients with osteoporosis who need hip replacement for osteoarthritis. Osteoporosis have 3 major potential complications in total hip arthroplasty: perioperative fracture, an increased risk of periprosthetic fracture, and late aseptic loosening. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of osteoporosis on total hip replacement procedure outcome and highlight the importance of adequate study of calcium-phosphorus metabolism in patient candidate for hip surgery, and the need to start a suitable therapy to recover the bone mass before surgery. Bone quality of the hip joint has become an important risk factor limiting the durability of THA.