Gaps in appropriate use of treatment strategies in osteoarthritis

Optimal management of osteoarthritis (OA) requires a combination of therapies, with behavioral (e.g., exercise and weight management) and rehabilitative components at the core, accompanied by pharmacological treatments and, in later stages, consideration of joint replacement surgery. Although multiple sets of OA treatment guidelines have been developed, there are gaps in the implementation of these recommendations. Key areas of concern include the underuse of exercise, weight management, and other behavioral and rehabilitation strategies as well as the overuse of opioid analgesics. In this review, we describe the major categories of treatment strategies for OA, including self-management, physical activity, weight management, physical therapy and other rehabilitative therapies, pharmacotherapies, and joint replacement surgery. For each category, we discuss the current evidence base to report on appropriate use, data regarding adherence to treatment recommendations, and potential approaches to optimize use. © 201

EXAFS spectroscopic studies of uranium(VI) oxide precipitates

We have investigated the structures of U(VI) oxides precipitated from room temperature aqueous solutions at low ionic strength as a function of pH. Using the uranium L{sub III} - edge extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) as a probe of the local structure around the uranium, a trend is observed whereby the axial oxygen bond lengths from the uranyl groups increase from 1.80 {Angstrom} at pH=7 to 1.86 {Angstrom} at pH=11. A concomitant decrease in the equatorial oxygen and nearest-neighbor uranium bond lengths also occurs with increasing pH. Expansion of the linear O=U=O group is seen directly at the L{sub III} absorption edge where multiple scattering resonances systematically shift in energy. EXAFS curve-fitting analysis on these precipitates and a sample of synthetic schoepite indicate that the structure of the species formed at pH=7 is similar to the structure of schoepite. At pH=11, the precipitate structure is similar to that of a uranate

Montecarlo simulation of the role of defects as the melting mechanism

We study in this paper the melting transition of a crystal of fcc structure with the Lennard-Jones potential, by using isobaric-isothermal Monte Carlo simulations. Local and collective updates are sequentially used to optimize the convergence. We show the important role played by defects in the melting mechanism in favor of modern melting theories.Comment: 6 page, 10 figures included. Corrected version to appear in Phys. Rev.

Towards the first linkage map of the Didymella rabiei genome.

A genetic map was developed for the ascomycete Didymella rabiei (Kovachevski) v. Arx (anamorph: Ascochyta rabiei Pass. Labr.), the causal agent of Ascochyta blight in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). The map was generated with 77 F1 progeny derived from crossing an isolate from the U.S.A. and an isolate from Syria. A total of 232 DAF (DNA AmplificationFingerprinting) primers and 37 STMS (Sequence-Tagged Microsatellite Site) primer pairs were tested for polymorphism between the parental isolates; 50 markers were mapped, 36 DAFs and 14 STMSs. These markers cover 261.4cM in ten linkage groups. Nineteen markers remained unlinked. Significant deviation from the expected 1:1 segregation ratios was observed for only two markers (Prob. of x2 <0.05). The implications of our results on ploidy level of the asexual spores are discussed

On Aharonov-Casher bound states

In this work bound states for the Aharonov-Casher problem are considered. According to Hagen's work on the exact equivalence between spin-1/2 Aharonov-Bohm and Aharonov-Casher effects, is known that the $\boldsymbol{\nabla}\cdot\mathbf{E}$ term cannot be neglected in the Hamiltonian if the spin of particle is considered. This term leads to the existence of a singular potential at the origin. By modeling the problem by boundary conditions at the origin which arises by the self-adjoint extension of the Hamiltonian, we derive for the first time an expression for the bound state energy of the Aharonov-Casher problem. As an application, we consider the Aharonov-Casher plus a two-dimensional harmonic oscillator. We derive the expression for the harmonic oscillator energies and compare it with the expression obtained in the case without singularity. At the end, an approach for determination of the self-adjoint extension parameter is given. In our approach, the parameter is obtained essentially in terms of physics of the problem.Comment: 11 pages, matches published versio

Differential geometry construction of anomalies and topological invariants in various dimensions

In the model of extended non-Abelian tensor gauge fields we have found new metric-independent densities: the exact (2n+3)-forms and their secondary characteristics, the (2n+2)-forms as well as the exact 6n-forms and the corresponding secondary (6n-1)-forms. These forms are the analogs of the Pontryagin densities: the exact 2n-forms and Chern-Simons secondary characteristics, the (2n-1)-forms. The (2n+3)- and 6n-forms are gauge invariant densities, while the (2n+2)- and (6n-1)-forms transform non-trivially under gauge transformations, that we compare with the corresponding transformations of the Chern-Simons secondary characteristics. This construction allows to identify new potential gauge anomalies in various dimensions.Comment: 27 pages, references added, matches published versio

Erasmus Language students in a British University – a case study

Students’ assessment of their academic experience is actively sought by Higher Education institutions, as evidenced in the National Student Survey introduced in 2005. Erasmus students, despite their growing numbers, tend to be excluded from these satisfaction surveys, even though they, too, are primary customers of a University. This study aims to present results from bespoke questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with a sample of Erasmus students studying languages in a British University. These methods allow us insight into the experience of these students and their assessment as a primary customer, with a focus on language learning and teaching, university facilities and student support. It investigates to what extent these factors influence their levels of satisfaction and what costs of adaptation if any, they encounter. Although excellent levels of satisfaction were found, some costs affect their experience. They relate to difficulties in adapting to a learning methodology based on a low number of hours and independent learning and to a guidance and support system seen as too stifling. The results portray this cohort’s British University as a well-equipped and well-meaning but ultimately overbearing institution, which may indicate that minimising costs can eliminate some sources of dissatisfaction

Quantum Theory in Accelerated Frames of Reference

The observational basis of quantum theory in accelerated systems is studied. The extension of Lorentz invariance to accelerated systems via the hypothesis of locality is discussed and the limitations of this hypothesis are pointed out. The nonlocal theory of accelerated observers is briefly described. Moreover, the main observational aspects of Dirac's equation in noninertial frames of reference are presented. The Galilean invariance of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics and the mass superselection rule are examined in the light of the invariance of physical laws under inhomogeneous Lorentz transformations.Comment: 25 pages, no figures, contribution to Springer Lecture Notes in Physics (Proc. SR 2005, Potsdam, Germany, February 13 - 18, 2005

Enhancement of the upper critical field by nonmagnetic impurities in dirty two-gap superconductors

Quasiclassic Uzadel equations for two-band superconductors in the dirty limit with the account of both intraband and interband scattering by nonmagnetic impurities are derived for any anisotropic Fermi surface. From these equations the Ginzburg-Landau equations, and the critical temperature $T_c$ are obtained. An equation for the upper critical field, which determines both the temperature dependence of $H_{c2}(T)$ and the orientational dependence of $H_{c2}(\theta)$ as a function of the angle $\theta$ between ${\bf H}$ and the c-axis is obtained. It is shown that the shape of the $H_{c2}(T)$ curve essentially depends on the ratio of the intraband electron diffusivities $D_1$ and $D_1$, and can be very different from the standard one-gap dirty limit theory. In particular, the value $H_{c2}(0)$ can considerably exceed $0.7T_cdH_{c2}/dT_c$, which can have important consequences for applications of $MgB_2$. A scaling relation is proposed which enables one to obtain the angular dependence of $H_{c2}(\theta)$ from the equation for $H_{c2}$ at ${\bf H}\| c$. It is shown that, depending on the relation between $D_1$ and $D_2$, the ratio of the upper critical field $H_{c2}^\|/H_{c2}^\perp$ for ${\bf H}\| ab$ and ${\bf H}\perp ab$ can both increase and decrease as the temperature decreases. Implications of the obtained results for $MgB_2$ are discussed