: Biliary diseases during pregnancy are not uncommon and are frequently due to cholelithiasis. Choledochal cyst during pregnancy is rare. The management of biliary pathologies during pregnancy poses a challenge as the window of opportunity to carry out any interventions with minimal risk is small.

INTRODUCTIONWe conducted a biomechanical study comparing cerclage wiring using a power tool with the traditional manual method.

MATERIALS AND METHODSOur study consisted of 4 experimental arms based on the method of fixation and diameter of wires. The 4 arms were: 1) power tool method using 0.8 mm cerclage wires, 2) power tool method using 1.0 mm cerclage wires, 3) conventional manual method using 0.8 mm cerclage wires, and 4) conventional manual method using 1.0 mm cerclage wires. Synthetic femur bones were employed in our study. Six specimens were prepared for each arm. Each specimen was cut lengthwise and pressure sensors were placed in between. For the power tool method, while maintaining tension, wires were coiled using the Colibri power tool until just before secondary coiling occurred. For the conventional manual method, each specimen was compressed by plier twisting for 10 rounds, while maintaining tension. Cerclaging and data recording was done thrice for each specimen, giving a total of 18 readings per arm. Peak and steady-state forces were recorded.

RESULTSThere was no significant difference between the peak forces recorded between the power drill and manual methods. The steady-state forces achieved using the power tool method were significantly higher than that achieved in the manual fixation method (0.8 mm wires: 54.89N vs 27.26N, P = 0.037; 1.0 mm wires: 71.59N vs 39.66N, P = 0.025).

CONCLUSIONThe power tool method achieved a superior steady-state force of compression across the fracture site for both 0.8 mm and 1 mm wires.

Biomechanical Phenomena ; Bone Wires ; Femur ; surgery ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Humans ; Models, Anatomic

INTRODUCTIONHyperfamiliarity, a phenomenon in which feelings of familiarity are evoked by novel stimuli, is well described in epilepsy and the lesioned brain. Abnormality of familiarity in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have also been described in the literature, but more from a neuropsychological approach perspective. Currently, there is a lack of study on the real-life experience of familiarity abnormality in dementia and MCI. Our aim was to compare the occurrence of hyperfamiliarity among dementia and MCI.

MATERIALS AND METHODSWe recruited 73 participants, 29 with AD, 10 with vascular dementia, 7 with MCI and 27 healthy controls, and administered a questionnaire to assess hyperfamiliarity frequency.

RESULTSHyperfamiliarity was observed in real-life in cognitive impairment, but was unrelated to its severity or underlying aetiology.

CONCLUSIONThis study highlights the similar rate of occurrence of hyperfamiliarity in the daily life of individuals with cognitive impairment. Future research should examine neuropsychological correlations and mechanisms that contribute to such observations.

Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alzheimer Disease ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Case-Control Studies ; Cognitive Dysfunction ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Dementia ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Dementia, Vascular ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recognition (Psychology) ; Severity of Illness Index ; Singapore