(C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3225996]“
“Background: This clinical trial was done to evaluate outcomes of the single and double-incision techniques for acute distal biceps tendon repair. We hypothesized that there would be fewer

complications and less short-term pain and disability in the two-incision group, with no measureable differences in outcome at a minimum of one year postoperatively.

Methods: Patients with an acute distal biceps rupture were randomized to either a single-incision repair with use of two suture anchors (n = 47) or a double-incision MK0683 repair with use of transosseous drill holes (n = 44). Patients were followed at three, six, twelve, and twenty-four months postoperatively. The primary outcome was the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) elbow score. Secondary

outcomes included muscle strength, complication rates, and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) and Patient-Rated Elbow Evaluation (PREE) scores.

Results: All patients were male, with no significant differences in the mean age, percentages of dominant hands affected, or Workers’ Compensation cases between groups. There were also LY2606368 no differences in the final outcomes (at two years) between the two groups (p = 0.4 for ASES pain score, p = 0.10 for ASES function score, p = 0.3 for DASH score, and p = 0.4 for PREE score). In addition, there were no differences in isometric extension, pronation, or supination strength at more

than one year. A 10% advantage in final isometric flexion strength was seen in the patients treated with the double-incision technique (104% versus 94% in the single-incision group; p = 0.01). There were no differences in the rate of strength recovery. The single-incision technique was associated GW4869 ic50 with more early transient neurapraxias of the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve (nineteen of forty-seven versus three of forty-three in the double-incision group, p < 0.001). There were four reruptures, all of which were related to patient noncompliance or reinjury during the early postoperative period and appeared to be unrelated to the fixation technique (p = 0.3).

Conclusions: There were no significant differences in outcomes between the single and double-incision distal biceps repair techniques other than a 10% advantage in final flexion strength with the latter. Most complications were minor, with a significantly greater prevalence in the single-incision group.”
“Optical absorption and emission intensities are investigated for Ho3+ in nanocrystalline Ho3+:Y2O3. Room temperature absorption intensities of Ho3+(4f(10)) transitions in synthesized Ho3+:Y2O3 nanocrystals have been analyzed using the Judd-Ofelt (JO) approach to obtain the phenomenological intensity parameters Omega(2), Omega(4), and Omega(6).