Short-term efficacy of physical interventions in osteoarthritic knee pain. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo-controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Treatment efficacy of physical agents in osteoarthritis of the knee (OAK) pain has been largely unknown, and this systematic review was aimed at assessing their short-term efficacies for pain relief. METHODS: Systematic review with meta-analysis of efficacy within 1-4 weeks and at follow up at 1-12 weeks after the end of treatment. RESULTS: 36 randomised placebo-controlled trials (RCTs) were identified with 2434 patients where 1391 patients received active treatment. 33 trials satisfied three or more out of five methodological criteria (Jadad scale). The patient sample had a mean age of 65.1 years and mean baseline pain of 62.9 mm on a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS). Within 4 weeks of the commencement of treatment manual acupuncture, static magnets and ultrasound therapies did not offer statistically significant short-term pain relief over placebo. Pulsed electromagnetic fields offered a small reduction in pain of 6.9 mm [95% CI: 2.2 to 11.6] (n = 487). Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS, including interferential currents), electro-acupuncture (EA) and low level laser therapy (LLLT) offered clinically relevant pain relieving effects of 18.8 mm [95% CI: 9.6 to 28.1] (n = 414), 21.9 mm [95% CI: 17.3 to 26.5] (n = 73) and 17.7 mm [95% CI: 8.1 to 27.3] (n = 343) on VAS respectively versus placebo control. In a subgroup analysis of trials with assumed optimal doses, short-term efficacy increased to 22.2 mm [95% CI: 18.1 to 26.3] for TENS, and 24.2 mm [95% CI: 17.3 to 31.3] for LLLT on VAS. Follow-up data up to 12 weeks were sparse, but positive effects seemed to persist for at least 4 weeks after the course of LLLT, EA and TENS treatment was stopped. CONCLUSION: TENS, EA and LLLT administered with optimal doses in an intensive 2-4 week treatment regimen, seem to offer clinically relevant short-term pain relief for OAK

SAMSABC results for workforce scheduling and balancing problem in sub-assembly lines with limited buffers

SAMSABC results for workforce scheduling and balancing problem in sub-assembly lines with limited buffer

Benchmarks for workforce scheduling and balancing problem in sub-assembly lines with limited buffers

Benchmark problems for the paper titled as "A novel artificial bee colony algorithm for the workforce scheduling and balancing problem in sub-assembly lines with limited buffers"

Numerical Modeling of Torch Design for Plasma Atomization

In this study, internal geometry of a non-transferred plasma torch was investigated for plasma atomization. Numerical analysis was performed by a computational fluid dynamics approach for the plasma jet formation. Gas velocity and temperature distribution at the plasma jet formed outside of the torch is very important for plasma atomization. In terms of achieving high jet temperature and jet velocity the internal geometry is the most important factor that affects the efficiency of the atomization. In a high-efficiency plasma torch, the gas velocity and temperature must be as high as possible at the plasma jet. For this reason, the effect of gas flow rate and current value on the gas velocity and temperature in the plasma jet is investigated parametrically. Numerical solutions of the calculated fluid dynamics are given and analysis results are given to determine the most suitable working conditions. The results showed that the internal geometry has significant effect on the plasma jet temperature and velocity at the outside of the torch