Metastatic tumour of the hand - Three new cases and a literature review.

Metastatic tumours of the hand are rare, and therefore, is the subject of only a few publications in the literature. We report on three new cases along with a retrospective and descriptive study with file and literature analysis dating from 1900 to 2017, which reported on 337 studies. To perform the statistical analysis, ordinary lease square regression was used to group the metastases into distal phalanx, proximal/middle phalanx, thumb, hand and carpus. We found 564 metastases at the hand for a total of 482 patients. Of the reported cases, 60% were male. The average age was 59 years. The main primary cancers were lung cancer (40%), followed by gastrointestinal (19%), genito-urinary (13%), gynaecological (11%) and ear, nose and throat (6%) cancers. The mean survival time was 7.2 months. Fifty-nine per cent was bone metastasis, 18% tissue metastasis and 3% cutaneous metastasis. In 20% of cases, the type of metastasis was not mentioned. Of all the tissue metastases, 47 (54%) were subungual and in that group, the thumb was the finger most commonly affected. Overall, metastases most commonly appeared in the distal phalanx, which can be explained by a greater vascularisation as well as microtraumatisms. Survival was independent of the epidemiological criteria and of the location and type of metastasis. Patients with primary urological cancer lived on average 3 months longer than patients with other types of primary cancers.

Surface Proximity Effect, Imprint Memory of Ferroelectric Twins, and Tweed in the Paraelectric Phase of BaTiO3.

We have used energy-filtered photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) at the photoemission threshold to carry out a microscopic scale characterization of the surface charge and domain structure of the (001) surface in BaTiO3. Signatures of ferroelectric and ferroelastic domains, and tweed, dominate the surface structure of BaTiO3 at room temperature. The surface ferroic signatures are maintained on heating to temperature (~550 K), well above the transition temperature (393 K). This surface proximity effect provides the mechanism for memory of the bulk ferroelectric domain arrangement up to 150 K above TC and thus can be considered as a robust fingerprint of the ferroelectric state near the surface. Self-reversal of polarization is observed for the tweed below TC and for the surface domains above TC. Annealing at higher temperature triggers the dynamic tweed which in turn allows a full reorganization of the ferroic domain configuration.

Indium selenide: an insight into electronic band structure and surface excitations.

We have investigated the electronic response of single crystals of indium selenide by means of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy and density functional theory. The loss spectrum of indium selenide shows the direct free exciton at ~1.3 eV and several other peaks, which do not exhibit dispersion with the momentum. The joint analysis of the experimental band structure and the density of states indicates that spectral features in the loss function are strictly related to single-particle transitions. These excitations cannot be considered as fully coherent plasmons and they are damped even in the optical limit, i.e. for small momenta. The comparison of the calculated symmetry-projected density of states with electron energy loss spectra enables the assignment of the spectral features to transitions between specific electronic states. Furthermore, the effects of ambient gases on the band structure and on the loss function have been probed.

Villonodular synovitis of the ankle. Analysis of the risk of recurrence.

INTRODUCTION: Villonodular synovitis (VNS) is a rare disease with an incidence of 1.8 per 1,000,000 inhabitants. VNS of the ankle has seldom been described and evaluated given its extreme rarity (2.5% of VNS cases). It presents an 11% recurrence rate. We report a continuous retrospective series with the main objective of clinically and radiologically evaluating these ankles searching for any risk factors of recurrence. At revision the study's main endpoint was the existence of local recurrence (radiological and clinical) and the secondary endpoint was the existence of tibiotalar osteoarthritis. The working hypothesis was that recurrence could be subclinical, warranting systematic imaging studies during follow-up. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was retrospective, conducted on seven patients (six males) whose mean age was 42 years treated over a period of 9 years (two diffuse forms and five localized forms). The initial treatment consisted in synovectomy via the conventional approach. Four patients also received adjuvant isotopic synoviorthesis treatment. The revision was clinical (MMTS, AOFAS, and OMAS scores) and radiological (standard and MRI) to evaluate the joint after-effects and search for recurrence. RESULTS: Six patients were seen at a mean 6.5 years of follow-up. One case of early recurrence (4 years) was noted, with a major clinical manifestation because it was associated with joint destruction requiring arthrodesis, and one case of late asymptomatic recurrence (9 years), diagnosed radiologically on the follow-up MRI. The functional results remained good at follow-up (MMTS 77%, AOFAS 71, OMAS 71). Five of the six patients returned to their daily activities. At revision, no sign of osteoarthritis was observed. No risk factor for recurrence was demonstrated. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: The hypothesis was confirmed with the existence of asymptomatic recurrence at revision, underscoring the value of systematic MRI at follow-up. Other than major joint destruction, the prognosis remains good even in case of recurrence. The literature emphasizes the existence of an initial diffuse form and partial surgical resection as risk factors of recurrence. None of the reports in the literature has proven that adjuvant treatment, whose modalities do not meet with consensus, reduces this risk. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Retrospective series, level IV.

[Bony avulsion of the extensor carpi radialis longus tendon from the base of the second metacarpal: A rare injury]. / Abrissfraktur der Extensor-carpi-radialis-longus-Sehne von der Basis des Metakarpale II: Eine seltene Verletzung.

We report on a 19-year-old male patient with a rare injury: a basis fracture of the second metacarpal with avulsion of the extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL) tendon. The patient was treated with open reduction and internal plate fixation of the fragment. The functional results after 10 months of follow-up were pronation/supination 90/0/90° (90/0/90°), extension/flexion 70/0/70° (70/0/70°) radial/ulnar duction 20/0/40° (25/0/40°), bilateral grip strength was 115 kPa. The patient suffered no pain at all. The Mayo wrist score reached 100 points. Radiologically, the fracture was consolidated.Consistent diagnostics and surgical therapy lead to functional and radiological recovery following fracture of the second metacarpal base with avulsion of the extensor carpi radialis longus tendon.

The nature of the Fe-graphene interface at the nanometer level.

The emerging fields of graphene-based magnetic and spintronic devices require a deep understanding of the interface between graphene and ferromagnetic metals. This paper reports a detailed investigation at the nanometer level of the Fe-graphene interface carried out by angle-resolved photoemission, high-resolution photoemission from core levels, near edge X-ray absorption fine structure, scanning tunnelling microscopy and spin polarized density functional theory calculations. Quasi-free-standing graphene was grown on Pt(111), and the iron film was either deposited atop or intercalated beneath graphene. Calculations and experimental results show that iron strongly modifies the graphene band structure and lifts its π band spin degeneracy.

Optoelectrochemical biorecognition by optically transparent highly conductive graphene-modified fluorine-doped tin oxide substrates.

Both optical and electrochemical graphene-based sensors have gone through rapid development, reaching high sensitivity at low cost and with fast response time. However, the complex validating biochemical operations, needed for their consistent use, currently limits their effective application. We propose an integration strategy for optoelectrochemical detection that overcomes previous limitations of these sensors used separately. We develop an optoelectrochemical sensor for aptamer-mediated protein detection based on few-layer graphene immobilization on selectively modified fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates. Our results show that the electrochemical properties of graphene-modified FTO samples are suitable for complex biological detection due to the stability and inertness of the engineered electrodic interface. In addition, few-layer immobilization of graphene sheets through electrostatic linkage with an electrochemically grafted FTO surface allows obtaining an optically accessible and highly conductive platform. As a proof of concept, we used insulin as the target molecule to reveal in solution. Because of its transparency and low sampling volume (a few microliters), our sensing unit can be easily integrated in lab-on-a-chip cell culture systems for effectively monitoring subnanomolar concentrations of proteins relevant for biomedical applications.