Correction to: Demineralized bone matrix and hydroxyapatite/tri-calcium phosphate mixture for bone healing in rats.

The first name of one author is missing in the published article. The correct abbreviation: H.C. Gemalmaz.

Increased accumulation of Tl-201 in monostotic Paget's disease of the patella: evaluation with quantitative analysis.

Monostotic Paget's disease of the patella was detected with Tc-99m MDP and Tl-201 scans. Diffuse intense uptake of MDP in the left patella was observed on the blood-pool and late phases of the bone scan. Tl-201 imaging was performed to differentiate a malignant process and showed diffuse marked accumulation at the same site. Semiquantitative analysis of the patella region on both Tc-99m MDP and Tl-201 scans did not support a diagnosis of cancer. Radiographs showed the features of Paget's disease of the bone. Findings of a pathologic evaluation were compatible with the diagnosis of osteitis deformans. This case represents the unusual skeletal involvement of monostotic Paget's disease of the bone in the patella. Tl-201 accumulation in the Paget's lesion was suggested to be caused by increased metabolic activity of the lesion but was not indicative of a malignant process.

Caracterización del desempeño profesional evaluativo de la información estadística en estudiantes de Medicina / Characterization of the assessable professional performance of statistical information in medical students

El Ministerio de Salud Pública cubano ha otorgado especial importancia al tema relacionado con el desempeño profesional evaluativo de la información estadística en los profesionales de la salud, pero una revisión bibliográfica permitió constatar el insuficiente debate pedagógico encaminado a diagnosticar su estado actual para proponer alternativas que permitan su formación y desarrollo en los estudiantes. Este artículo tiene como objetivo caracterizar el desempeño profesional evaluativo de la información estadística en estudiantes de Medicina. Los resultados obtenidos con la aplicación de métodos y técnicas de investigación, tales como encuestas, test de conocimientos permitieron confirmar que ese desempeño actualmente se expresa a un nivel insatisfactorio de actuación. Se concluyó buscar formas más efectivas para su logro en estudiantes de Medicina.

The Cuban Ministry of Public Health has given special importance to the subject of professional assessment of statistical information in the area of public health; however, a bibliographic review allowed authors to prove pedagogical debate unsatisfactory. The review was aimed at diagnosing its current state and therefore provide alternatives that allow its formation and development in medical students. The objective of the article is to characterize the assessable professional performance of statistical information in medical students. The results achieved through the application of research methods and techniques such as surveys and knowledge tests enabled to confirm that, nowadays, professional performance is below satisfactory performance levels. As a result, newer and more effective ways of achieving it in medical students will be searched for.

¿Cómo potenciar desde la enseñanza-aprendizaje del contenido estadístico la motivación profesional del estudiante de Medicina? / How to enhance professional motivation of medical students in the teaching-learning process of statistical content?

Introducción: En la carrera de Medicina se evidencia desmotivación por parte del estudiante hacía la enseñanza-aprendizaje del contenido estadístico. Esa situación incide negativamente en la motivación profesional de los mismos porque repercute en la calidad de la prestación de los servicios en salud. Objetivo: Estimular la motivación profesional del estudiante de Medicina desde el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje del contenido estadístico. Material y Métodos:Se realizó una intervención pedagógica entre los meses de septiembre de 2015 a julio de 2016, en la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Camagüey. Para ello, se seleccionó de manera directa, una muestra integrada por 105 estudiantes, a quienes se les aplicó una entrevista individual y la técnica de la composición; posteriormente se trabajó con ellos empleando diversas actividades y al final se aplicó una encuesta. La información obtenida se procesó de forma automatizada y se utilizaron medidas de resumen para estadística descriptiva. Resultados: Se observó el avance positivo en la percepción estudiantil acerca de la importancia y necesidad del aprendizaje del contenido estadístico para la futura profesión; así como el interés en su uso en las diversas áreas o campos de actuación profesional. Conclusiones: La aplicación de actividades integradoras que vinculan el contenido estadístico con la labor asistencial, gerencial e investigativa de la profesión médica favorece la potenciación de la motivación profesional en los estudiantes de Medicina(AU)

Introduction: Students´ lack of motivation in the teaching-learning process of statistical content is evidenced in the medical studies. This situation goes on negatively on their professional motivation since it has an effect on the quality of the health care services. Objective:To encourage professional motivation of medical students in the teaching-learning process of the statistical content. Material and methods: A pedagogical intervention was carried out in the University of Medical Sciences of Camaguey from September 2015 to July 2016. For it, a sample composed of 105 students was selected directly, to whom both an individual interview and the composition technique were applied; later, different activities were involved in carrying out the work with all of them to finally apply a survey. The information obtained was processed automatically, and summary measures were used for descriptive statistics. Results:A positive advance was observed in the students´ perceptions regarding the importance and need of learning statistical content for their future profession, as well as their interest in its use in different areas or fields of professional activity. Conclusions:The implementation of integrating activities that link statistical content with interest, management and investigative work in the medical profession promotes professional motivation in medical students(AU)

Demineralized bone matrix and hydroxyapatite/tri-calcium phosphate mixture for bone healing in rats.

PURPOSE: Hydroxyapatite/tri-calcium phosphate (HA/TCP) mixture is an osteoconductive material used as a bone graft substitute, and demineralised bone matrix (DBM) is an osteoinductive material. A combination of DBM and HA/TCP mixture would probably create a composite with both osteoconductive and osteoinductive properties. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the combination of DBM and HA/TCP mixture on healing of rat radius segmental defects. METHODS: Twenty-four adult male Wistar rats were used. Bilateral radial defects were created in each animal. Radial defects were implanted with DBM, HA/TCP mixture and a combination of both substances. Control defects were left unfilled. Ten weeks after implantation, the animals were sacrificed, and the radii were evaluated by radiograhic and histopathological studies. RESULTS: The use of DBM alone demonstrated improved healing on radiographic and histological studies compared to other groups and the control group. There were no differences between the other two groups and the control group. CONCLUSION: The DBM group showed the best healing response. Combined use of DBM and HA/TCP mixture did not improve bone healing, and the osteoinductive properties of DBM were inhibited by HA/TCP mixture.

Treatment of segmental bone defects in rats by the stimulation of bone marrow osteo-progenitor cells with prostaglandin E2.

An alternative to bone grafting is engineered osteo-conductive material that carries osteo-progenitor cells with osteo-stimulant factors impregnated on a malleable osteo-conductive material. We used bone marrow stem cells as the source of osteo-progenitor cells and stimulated them with prostaglandin E2 using demineralised bone matrix as a carrier. We treated 35 skeletally mature male Wistar albino rats with segmentary radial bone defects using five different treatment groups. Group I received no treatment; the remaining four groups all received a mixture of bone marrow and demineralised bone matrix. In group III, a copolymer was added. In group IV, prostaglandin E2 and in group V prostaglandin E2 within a copolymer was added to the mixture. Eight weeks after the surgical procedure, the rats were sacrificed. Radiological and histological evaluation of the radial bone showed that while there was no significant healing in groups I, II and III, there was a significant healing response in groups IV and V.

Footprint and radiographic analysis of the feet.

There is controversy concerning the definition and measurement of the medial longitudinal arch of the foot. Various techniques are reported to assess the medial arch height, including radiographic measurements and footprint analysis, which are the most commonly used methods. Some authors define footprint analysis as unreliable for measuring the arch height. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between radiologically measured angles and the arch index obtained from footprint analyses in 38 children with flexible pes planus. A positive correlation of arch index was found between lateral talo-horizontal and lateral talo-first metatarsal angles (p < 0.05). These angles have been used by some authors to describe the height of the medial longitudinal arch of the foot. This study demonstrated that footprint analysis could be used effectively for screening studies and at individual office examinations.

Supracondylar process syndrome.

Supracondylar process syndrome of the humerus has received little attention in the orthopaedic literature. This case report presents a patient with this condition.

Prostaglandin E2 activity in the synovial-like membrane.

The events leading to aseptic loosening of total hip prostheses occur within the synovial-like membrane that forms around the prosthetic components. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) activity in this membrane is believed to be one of the factors that cause aseptic loosening. In this study, the authors investigated the correlation between grades of loosening and levels of PGE2-like activity in the membranes surrounding the implants in 14 patients in which total hip arthroplasty revisions were performed. The membranes of patients with high degrees of loosening demonstrated high levels of PGE2-like activity (P < .01). Among the many factors contributing to loosening of total hip arthroplasties, PGE2 appears to have an important role with its bone-resorbing properties.

Relevance of mangled extremity severity score to compartment syndromes.

This study investigated the relevance of a mangled extremity severity score (MESS) to the evaluation of intracompartmental pressure in injured patients. We measured intracompartmental pressures with a modification of the Whitesides method and compared these values with MESS in 27 patients after trauma. For 5 of them fasciotomy was necessary to relieve high intracompartmental pressures. In our series MESS seemed to correlate with intracompartmental pressure values (r = 0.733, P < 0.05). We conclude that the MESS system provides objective criteria in determining the risk of a compartment syndrome.

Indium-111 octreotide scintigraphy in patients with bone tumours of the extremities.

Radiolabelled somatostatin analogues are of potential value in the imaging of somatostatin receptor-positive tumours. Recently, somatostatin receptors have been demonstrated in the osteoblast precursor cells. In this preliminary study, we evaluated the uptake characteristics of indium-111 octreotide in two benign and two malignant bone tumours. Tracer accumulation was observed in all four cases, and overall lesion to background ratio (mean+/-SD) was 2. 74+/-0.84 and 2.98+/-1.49 at 4 h and 24 h, respectively. There was no clear relationship between 111In-octreotide accumulation and the benign or malignant nature of the tumour. In one patient, tracer uptake was inhibited by unlabelled octreotide administration. These results suggest that 111In-octreotide can be taken up by benign and malignant bone tumours. The inhibition of tumour uptake by treatment with cold octreotide supports the concept that specific uptake mechanisms are responsible for 111In-octreotide deposition by bone tumours.