Radiographic knee osteoarthritis in ex-elite table tennis players

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Table tennis involves adoption of the semi-flexed knee and asymmetrical torsional trunk movements creating rotational torques on the knee joint which may predispose players to osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. This study aims to compare radiographic signs of knee OA and associated functional levels in ex-elite male table tennis players and control subjects.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Study participants were 22 ex-elite male table tennis players (mean age 56.64 ± 5.17 years) with 10 years of involvement at the professional level and 22 non-athletic males (mean age 55.63 ± 4.08 years) recruited from the general population. A set of three radiographs taken from each knee were evaluated by an experienced radiologist using the Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) scale (0-4) to determine radiographic levels of OA severity. The intercondylar distance was taken as a measure of lower limb angulation. Participants also completed the pain, stiffness, and physical function categories of the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) 3.1 questionnaire.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results showed 78.3% of the ex-elite table tennis players and 36.3% of controls had varying signs of radiographic knee OA with a significant difference in the prevalence levels of definite radiographic OA (KL scale > 2) found between the two groups (<it>P </it>≤ 0.001). Based on the WOMAC scores, 68.2% of the ex-elite table tennis players reported symptoms of knee pain compared with 27.3% of the controls (<it>p </it>= 0.02) though no significant differences were identified in the mean physical function or stiffness scores between the two groups. In terms of knee alignment, 73.7% of the ex-elite athletes and 32% of the control group had signs of altered lower limb alignment (genu varum) (<it>p </it>= 0.01). Statistical differences were found in subjects categorized as having radiographic signs of OA and altered lower limb alignment (<it>p </it>= 0.03).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Ex-elite table tennis players were found to have increased levels of radiological signs of OA in the knee joint though this did not transpire through to altered levels of physical disability or knee stiffness in these players when compared with subjects from the general population suggesting that function in these players is not severely impacted upon.</p

Investigation of the prevalence of genes conferring resistance to carbapenems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from burn patients

Azar Dokht Khosravi,1,2 Shahab Taee,3 Aram Asarehzadegan Dezfuli,1 Hossein Meghdadi,2 Fatemeh Shafie21Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Health Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; 2Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; 3Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Yasouj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yasouj, IranBackground and aim: Currently, the rate of hospital-acquired infections due to drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains shows an increasing trend and remains one of the principal reasons for mortalilty in burn patients. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of genes conferring resistance to carbapenems in P. aeruginosa isolates from burn patients.Methods: A total of 50 P. aeruginosa isolates were tested for antibiotic susceptibility and presence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) isolates, using phenotypic tests. Screening for genes conferring resistance to carbapenems was investigated by multiplex PCR method.Results: Susceptibility testing demonstrated the highest resistance against amikacin, ceftazidime (n=44/88% each), and gentamicin (84%), while colistin sulfate was the most effective antibiotic. The rate of MDR and XDR isolates was revealed as 50% and 40% respectively. We detected the following carbapenemase genes: blaNDM (32%), followed by blaOXA-48 (18%), and blaBIC-1 (14%). This study revealed a high antibiotic resistance in P. aeruginosa isolates with a total of 40% and 50% MDR and XDR isolates respectively, and 70% carbapenem resistance. The prevalence of carbapenem conferring genes tested among carbapenem-resistant isolates was demonstrated as 65.7%.Conclusion: Due&nbsp;to the prevalence of P. aeroginosa strains carrying blaOXA-48 and blaNDM genes in our hospital, more attention and implementation of effective control measures against nosocomial infection are recommended.Keywords: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, carbapenems, encoding genes, antibiotics, drug susceptibility tes

Transient electroluminescence in a para-hexaphenyl based multilayer device

An organic blue light emitting device (OLED) is investigated in terms of transientelectroluminescence (EL) and current characteristic. The driving voltage pulse mode is varied with respect to amplitude and pulse duration covering the range of 1ms to 250 ms. The OLED performance is studied with respect to response times, EL output and current densities. It is further demonstrated that reverse biasing the device prior to the driving voltage pulse increases the external quantum yield by up to 25% by virtue of depleting space charge carriers and charge filled trap site

Donor-acceptor heterojunction solar cells based on perylene dimide and perylene bisbenzimidazole

European Conference on Hybrid and Organic Solar Cells (ECHOS 06) -- JUN 28-30, 2006 -- Paris, FRANCEWOS: 000243397900004We have fabricated heterojunction solar cells comprising active layers of perylene diimide (PDI) or perylene bisbenzimidazole (CONPER, conjugated perylene dye) as electron acceptor and ZnPC as donor. Bilayer solar cells were produced by successive evaporation of zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPC) and perylene diimide (PDI) or perylene bisbenzimidazole (CONPER) on glass substrates coated with indium doped tin oxide. Active layers with different thickness were evaporated. The bilayer cells were characterized under simulated AM 1.5 illumination (100 mW/cm(2)). The best results were obtained for the device structure of ITO/PEDOT/ZnPC (40 nm)/perylene bisbenzimidazole (60 nm)/Al (70 nm)