Geographic Disparities in Access to Certified Hand Therapists in the United States.

Purpose: Access to a certified hand therapist (CHT) enhances postoperative functional outcomes and reduces morbidity in complex hand surgery and in traumatic injuries that necessitate targeted rehabilitation. However, CHTs are unequally distributed across regions, resulting in access disparities. This study investigated the accessibility of CHT services in the United States by analyzing physical proximity to CHTs and estimated associated personal ground transportation costs.

Neurodegenerative Conditions in the Geriatric Population Increase Risk of Distal Radius Fracture: A Nationwide Study.

Purpose: Rising prevalence of geriatric neurodegenerative conditions calls for urgency to characterize common injuries in these populations for adequate targeted injury prevention. Although distal radius fracture (DRF) is common in older populations because of age-related decline, the current study aimed to report on associations between neurodegenerative conditions and DRF incidence in this senior cohort.

Methods: Data used in this study came from Epic Cosmos, a community collaboration of health systems representing more than 227,000,000 patient records from more than 1,301 hospitals and 28,600 clinics.

Label-Free and Microplate-Based Dissection of Glycan-Virus Interactions Using Polymer-Tethered Glyconanoparticles.

Influenza viruses use haemagglutinins (HA) to target host sialic acids in the respiratory tract as do other pathogens, including coronaviruses, which engage using spike protein. The host adaptation of the HA protein, which leads to the accumulation of mutations, is a key descriptor of individual influenza strains, which aids zoonosis and is crucial in vaccine development. How each strain targets glycans is crucial to understanding function, designing new therapies, and optimizing candidates for vaccine development.

Obesity as a Risk Factor for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Independent of Diabetes Mellitus: A Nationwide Study.

Purpose: Although the relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is well documented because of diabetic neuropathic complications, a relationship specific to CTS and obesity has not yet been identified on a population level. The current study seeks to compare CTS prevalence between obese and nonobese patients and examine relationships among obesity, DM, and CTS.

Methods: Data used in this study came from Epic Cosmos, a community collaboration of health systems representing over 227,000,000 patient records from over 1,301 hospitals and 28,600 clinics.

Statewide Prevalence of Congenital Hand Anomalies: A 6-Year Review of Patients Presenting to Mississippi's Only Children's Hospital.

Background: Incidence and prevalence data for congenital upper extremity anomalies in the literature are scarce due to lack of reporting requirements, absence of a centralized database, and insufficient referral networks. As the state's only pediatric hospital and congenital hand clinic, the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) is uniquely positioned to report the per capita rate of congenital upper extremity anomalies.

Methods: Pediatric patients presenting from 2015 to 2020 were identified using International Classification of Diseases codes in the UMMC electronic medical record.

Novel Technique for Single-Site, Ultrasound-Guided Release of the Cubital Tunnel: An Anatomic Feasibility Study.

Introduction: Current management via open dissection for cubital tunnel syndrome is efficacious; however, it can lead to lengthy recovery. Sonography can be utilized in open dissections for cubital tunnel syndrome to minimize incision lengths, but it has garnered interest in cadaveric studies for achieving entirely minimally invasive decompressions.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the feasibility of sonography in diagnosing cubital tunnel syndrome and propose a minimally invasive approach to decompression using a commercially available ultrasound-guided device, leveraging its success in carpal tunnel syndrome management.

Handling the Challenges: Access to Certified Hand Therapy in Mississippi.

Objectives: Access to a certified hand therapist (CHT) plays a crucial role in enhancing postsurgical functional outcomes and reducing morbidity in complex hand surgery and trauma cases. Unfortunately, the availability of CHTs is uneven across regions, particularly in less populous states such as Mississippi. The financial and time-related burdens of traveling to a CHT to receive appropriate rehabilitation care affects patients recovering from hand surgery and hand trauma.

A Tunable Hydrogel Platform Based on Platinum-Containing Polymeric Arsenicals.

Platinum and arsenic (e.g., cisplatin, AsO) have been used extensively in modern medicine due to their strong anticancer and antimicrobial activities.

Glycopolymer-Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles for the Detection of Western Diamondback Rattlesnake () Venom.

Every 5 minutes, 50 people are bitten by a snake worldwide; four will be permanently disabled and one will die. Most approaches to treating and diagnosing snake envenomation, a World Health Organization (WHO)-neglected tropical disease, rely on antibody-based solutions derived from animals or cell culture. Here, we present the first proof of concept for a glycopolymer-based ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) assay to detect snake venom, specifically Western Diamondback Rattlesnake () venom.

Impact of Co-Reactants in Atomic Layer Deposition of High-κ Dielectrics on Monolayer Molybdenum Disulfide.

The integration of single-layer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) in nanoscale field-effect transistor devices requires the deposition of a high dielectric constant (high-κ) material to act as the gate dielectric. Traditional thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) is commonly used to deposit dielectrics on three-dimensional substrates, but ALD of high-κ materials on monolayer TMDCs is more challenging. Thermal ALD with water (HO) co-reactant often results in incomplete and nonuniform dielectric growth on atomically thin TMDCs, owing to a chemically inert basal plane.

Fe-2,5-furandicarboxylate Metal Organic Frameworks with Rare Building Blocks and a Ligand that can be Biomass-Derived as Effective Catalysts for Selective Nitroarene Reduction.

We report two three-dimensional metal-organic frameworks constructed from Fe and the ligand, 2,5-furandicarboxylate (FDC) that can be derived from biomass. One contains an unprecedented infinite-rod-shaped building unit, and the other is the first crystalline framework of FDC that contains solely iron in the metal nodes. The materials are formed as microcrystals and their structures are determined using 3D-electron diffraction with the bulk confirmed by powder XRD.

Single-Stage Coverage of Exposed Critical Structures With Intact Decellularized Fish Skin and Simultaneous Epidermal Autograft Application: The "Sandwich" Technique.

Coverage of exposed tendon and bone in upper-extremity injuries presents a reconstructive challenge, often requiring staged procedures or complex microsurgical reconstruction techniques. We present a case series using a single-stage approach with intact decellularized fish skin graft laminated with a simultaneous split-thickness skin autograft. This technique aims to reduce the number of surgeries and decrease time to complete healing.

A Comprehensive Review of Topography and Axon Counts in Upper-Extremity Peripheral Nerves: A Guide for Neurotization.

Purpose: Currently, no comprehensive database detailing topography and axon counts exists. This study aims to review the axon counts and topography of the major peripheral motor nerves of the upper extremity to allow for optimal surgical planning for peripheral nerve reconstruction via neurotization.

Methods: Peer-reviewed journal articles were identified through PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and CENTRAL.

Back to the Anatomy Lab to Redefine the Pulley System of the Thumb: Is There an A0 Pulley?

Background: There are various anatomical descriptions of the pulley system of the fingers and thumb. The A0 pulley, often referred to as palmar aponeurosis of the fingers, is of keen interest, especially regarding surgical release of the A1 pulley for trigger finger; however, there has been no anatomical description of the A0 pulley in the thumb.

Methods: Twenty-four cadaveric thumbs were dissected to expose the entire pulley system.

Selective Electrocatalytic Production of Formic Acid from Plastic Waste Using a Nickel Metal-Organic Framework Constructed from a Biomass-Derived Ligand.

A novel nickel-based metal organic framework (MOF) [Ni(FDC)(CHOH)(HO)](HO) (UOW-6) utilizing biomass-derived 2,5-furan dicarboxylate (FDC) as a ligand is reported as an electrocatalyst for anodic ethylene glycol (EG) oxidation with cathodic hydrogen evolution. The MOF structure was analyzed using single crystal X-ray-diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and thermodiffractometry, to establish its structure and verify phase purity. The material was dropcast on carbon fiber paper as a catalyst, and by using a three-electrode system, UOW-6 requires only 1.

Cerium-Organic Framework UiO-66(Ce) as a Support for Nanoparticulate Gold for Use in Oxidation Catalysis.

An optimised synthesis of the metal-organic framework (MOF) UiO-66(Ce) is reported using a modulator-free route, yielding ~5 g of material with high crystallinity and 22 % ligand defect. Two methods are developed for loading gold nanoparticles onto the MOF. The first uses a double-solvent method to introduce HAuCl onto UiO-66(Ce), followed by reduction under 5 % H in N, while the second is a novel one-pot method where HAuCl is added to the synthesis mixture, forming Au nanoparticles within the pores of the UiO-66(Ce) during crystallisation.

Hand Infections in End-Stage Renal Disease-Consider Tumoral Calcinosis.

Tumoral calcinosis (TC) is a rare condition defined by the accumulation of calcium salts in soft tissues surrounding joints, most commonly large joints. Chronic joint inflammation in the setting of local hyperphosphatemia leads to interruption and dysfunction of tissue repair and generates breakdown products that subsequently calcify and accumulate. We present a case of a 42-year-old man with a history of end-stage renal disease on dialysis presenting to the clinic with a painless digital mass of his right long finger at the proximal interphalangeal joint.

High-Throughput Combinatorial Analysis of the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Nanoscale Lithium Metal Plating.

The development of Li metal batteries requires a detailed understanding of complex nucleation and growth processes during electrodeposition. techniques offer a framework to study these phenomena by visualizing structural dynamics that can inform the design of uniform plating morphologies. Herein, we combine scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) with interference reflection microscopy (IRM) for a comprehensive investigation of Li nucleation and growth on lithiophilic thin-film gold electrodes.

Surgical Management of Iatrogenic Mercury Poisoning From Subcutaneous Injection Into the Arm.

Background: Mercury, an element with threats of severe toxic insult to humans and no biological function, has a surprisingly extensive record of human exposure. Regardless of hesitancies toward its harmfulness, it has been historically identified with an almost supernatural power to provide protection from evil and sickness, give good fortune, lend aid in athletic undertakings, or even allow one to achieve immortality. Mercury poisoning is an iatrogenic disease even today as people attempt to achieve these effects through volitional injections into their body by practitioners.

Scope of practice of oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgeons: a public perception survey.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the public's perception of the scope of practice for oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgeons (OFPRS).

Methods: A 49-question survey was distributed by Qualtrics to a panel similar to the US demographic composition. Responses collected underwent bivariate statistical analysis.

Nanostructured Niobium and Titanium Carbonitrides as Electrocatalyst Supports.

Nanostructured niobium-titanium carbonitrides, (Nb,Ti)CN, with the cubic-rock salt structure are prepared without the use of reactive gases via thermal treatment (700-1200 °C) under nitrogen of mixtures of guanidine carbonate and ammonium niobate (V) oxalate hydrate, with addition of ammonium titanyl oxalate monohydrate as a titanium source. The bulk structure and chemical composition of the materials are characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and powder neutron diffraction, elemental homogeneity is studied using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) mapping using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and surface chemical analysis is examined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Nanoscale crystallites of between 10 and 50 nm are observed by TEM, where EDS reveals the homogeneity of metal distribution for the mixed-metal materials.

The Role of Surgery to Relieve Symptomatic Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma Refractory to Medical Treatments.

Though mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), it has no curative treatment. The aim of current topical and systemic treatment is centered around relieving symptoms and optimizing disease-free time. The use of surgical management to achieve the same goals of symptomatic reduction is not well described in the current literature.

The Evolution of Hand Injuries at a State's Only Level I Trauma Center: A Look From the 1980s Through the Global Pandemic.

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate any changes to hand trauma in the past three decades and through the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that improved consumer safety regulations, changes in access to care, and the impact of a global pandemic, among other variables, have significantly influenced the mechanisms and treatment of hand injuries between the 1980s, 2010s (pre-COVID-19), and 2020s (post-COVID-19).

Methods: A retrospective single-center review was performed at the only level I trauma center in Mississippi, identifying all hand trauma consultations between 2012-2019 and 2020-2021, compared to aggregated data from 1989.

Final 1-Year Results of the TUTOR Randomized Trial Comparing Carpal Tunnel Release with Ultrasound Guidance to Mini-open Technique.

Background: Studies comparing carpal tunnel release with ultrasound guidance (CTR-US) to mini-open CTR (mOCTR) are limited. This randomized trial compared the efficacy and safety of these techniques.

Methods: In this multicenter randomized trial, patients were randomized (2:1) to unilateral CTR-US or mOCTR.

Plastic Surgery: Beware the Candle Burning at Both Ends.

Background: Plastic surgery dates back to 800 BC, where forehead flaps were used to reconstruct noses in India. Today, it is one of the most romanticized fields in medicine. Due to the influence of social media, there has never been a larger spotlight.