Comparing the Accuracy of Radiography and Sonography in Detection of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Diagnostic Study

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative disorder occurring in elderly people. Radiography and sonography are convenient techniques to detect diverse pathological features of knee OA. BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative disorder occurring in older people. Radiography and sonography are convenient techniques to detect diverse pathological features of knee OA. AIM: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of radiography and sonography in the detection of diverse features of knee OA. METHODS: In a prospective cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study, 50 consecutive patients with suspected knee OA (40 women and 10 men, mean age 41.2 ± 6.1 years), referred to the rheumatology clinic of the Shohada Hospital of Khorramabad. All obtained magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), radiographic and sonography images were evaluated by two radiologists and rheumatologist with sufficient expertise in degenerative knee disorders. MRI has been considered as a gold standard test in evaluating other tests. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values (PPV), negative predictive values (NPV) and accuracy with 95% confidence intervals of radiography and sonography in the diagnosis of knee OA were calculated. RESULTS: Prevalence of the marginal osteophyte, geode and decreased joint thickness were significantly higher in patients with age > 40 years compared to ≤ 40 years (P ˂ 0.05). The incidence of diverse features of knee OA was not significantly different in terms of the patient’s gender, except for decreased joint space. The specificity of radiography was higher than its sensitivity. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that both radiography and sonography are useful imaging modalities, especially to diagnosis the positive cases of knee OA. The specificity of radiography is higher than to its sensitivity for all pathological features of knee OA. The sensitivity of sonography to detect some features of knee OA such as decreased joint thickness is considerably higher than radiography. &nbsp

Studi komparatif putusan Pengadilan Agama Palangka Raya dan Putusan Pengadilan Agama Pasuruan tentang penentuan nafkah anak pasca perceraian ”

Latar belakang penelitian ini ialah Putusan Pengadilan Agama Palangka Raya dan Putusan Pengadilan Agama Pasuruan tentang penentuan nafkah anak pasca percerian. Fokus penelitian ini tentang Kronologis pengajuan kasus Penentuan Nafkah Anak Pasca Perceraian di Pengadilan Agama Palangka raya dan Pengadilan Agama Pasuruan, Pertimbangan hakim dalam memutuskan perkara penentuan nafkah anak di Pengadilan Agama palangka Raya dan Pengadilan Agama Pasuruan dan hasil putusan Pengadilan Agama Palangka Raya dengan Pengadilan Agama Pasuruan. Metodologi penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan penelitian normatif, melalui studi kasus putusan Pengadilan Agama Palangka Raya dan Pengadilan Agama Pasuruan, teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan metode dokumentasi kemudian diolah dan dianalisis menggunakan metode deskriptif komparatif. Hasil Penelitian ini adalah Kronologis Perkara yang terdapat dalam Putusan Pengadilan Agama Palangka Raya adalah para pihak penggugat Ita Puspita sari (Penggugat) dengan Arif Budiman (Tergugat), Penggugat meminta penentuan nafkah anak pasca perceraian sebesar Rp. 25.000.000 perbulan. Sedangkan Kronologis yang terdapat dalam putusan Pengadilan Agama Pasuruan terkait permohonan Nafkah anak adalah Rp. 1.000.000 perbulan. Pertimbangan Hakim Pengadilan Agama Palangka Raya dalam menentukan Nafkah Anak Pasca Perceraian bahwa putusan Pengadilan Agama Palangka Raya menolak permintaan Penggugat terhadap nafkah anak sebesar Rp. 25.000.000 perbulan dengan alasan tidak ada bukti yang konkrit menunjukkan bahwa penghasilan suami diatas Rp. 75.000.000 perbulan, dan menetapkan bahwa nafkah anak sebesar Rp. 4.000.000 Perbulan. Sedangkan Pengadilan Agama Pasuruan dalam menentukan Nafkah Anak Pasca Perceraian sesuai dengan permohonan Penggugat sebesar Rp. 1.000.000 perbulan dengan alasan bahwa rincian penghasilan gajih sesuai dengan apa yang di tuturkan oleh Penggugat. Hasil Putusan Pengadilan Agama Palangka Raya dan Putusan Pengadilan Agama Pasuruan dalam Menentukan Nafkah Anak Pasca Perceraian bahwa kedua Pengadila Agama tersebut, sama-sama menerima Penentuan Nafkah Anak Pasca Perceraian, hanya saja besaran jumlah nominal dari uang yang di berikan perbulannya tidak sama karena penghasilan masing-masing pihak tergugat berbeda. ABSTRACT The background of this research is the Decision of the Palangka Raya Religion Court and the Decision of the Pasuruan Religion Court concerning the determination of the livelihood of post-divorce children. The focus of this research is on the Chronology of the submission of cases of Determination of Children 's Welfare in Post-Divorce at the Palangka Raya Religious Court and the Pasuruan Religious Court, Judges' consideration in deciding the case for determining the child's livelihood in the Palangka Raya Religious Court and the Pasuruan Religious Court and the Palangka Raya Religious Court decision with the Pasuruan Religious Court . This research methodology uses a normative research approach, through case studies of the decisions of the Palangka Raya Religious Court and the Pauruan Religious Court, data collection techniques using documentation methods are then processed and analyzed by using comparative descriptive methods. The results of this study are the Chronology of Cases contained in the Decision of the Palangka Raya Religion Court are the plaintiffs Ita Puspita sari (Plaintiff) with Arif Budiman (Defendant), the Plaintiff requested the determination of the livelihood of children after divorce amounting to Rp. 25,000,000 permonth. Whereas the Chronology contained in the decision of the Pasuruan Religion Court regarding the application for the living children of children is Rp. 1,000,000 per month. Consideration of Palangka Raya Religious Court Judges in determining the livelihood of post-divorce children that the decision of the Palangka Raya Religion Court rejected the Plaintiff's request for the child's livelihood of Rp. 25,000,000 permonth on the grounds that there is no concrete evidence to show that the husband's occupation is above Rp. 75,000,000 permonth, and stipulates that the child's livelihood is Rp. 4,000,000 Permonth. Whereas the Pasuruan Religious Court in determining the Income of Post-Divorced Children in accordance with the Plaintiff's request amounting to Rp. 1,000,000 permonth on the grounds that the details of income are in accordance with what was said by the Plaintiff. Results of the Palangka Raya Religious Court Decision and the Decision of the Pasuruan Religious Court in Determining the Post-Divorce Children 's Lives that the two Religious Courts, both received the Determination of the Post-Divorced Children' s Welfare, only that the nominal amount of money given permonth is not the same because of income each defendant is different

Automatic colorization of non-enhanced brain CT images for clinical diagnosis

Background: The frequent use of brain computed tomography (CT) scans in emergency settings necessitates accurate reporting of CT results as quickly as possible. Conventional CT scans produce grayscale images, requiring window width and center level changes, resulting in a need for time-consuming interpretation by experienced radiologists. This study aimed to design a novel software application for automatic smart colorization of conventional brain CT images and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy, visual quality, ease of diagnosis, and reporting time for color CT images compared to conventional grayscale CT images. Materials and Methods: First, we designed an application that converted non-enhanced grayscale brain CT images into color images according to the Hounsfield unit value of different tissues (e.g., brain, fat, bone, fluid, air) with minimal noise so that all brain tissues could be evaluated using one window level. This process took less than one second, without the need for high-end systems. Next, 75 printed images (25 unprocessed grayscale CT, 25 processed color CT, and 25 magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) from 25 patients with hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke were read by two experienced radiologists. The radiologists scored the CT images from each patient (unprocessed grayscale and processed color) on a ten-point scale for visual quality and ease of diagnosis compared to the MRI image. Results: The mean visual quality score was 18% higher and the mean ease of diagnosis score was 23% higher for colorized images than for grayscale images (both P < 0.001). Statistically, there were no significant differences in the diagnostic accuracy or reporting time between color and grayscale images. Conclusion: This is the first study to report automatic smart colorization of non-enhanced brain CT images, producing high-quality colorized images with better visual quality and ease of diagnosis compared to grayscale CT. This low-cost solution can be widely applied in clinical settings, regardless of minimal facility or resource availability. &nbsp

Step Up Corparation : Portable Ladder / Aiman Hanifi Radzuan ...[et al.]

Step Up Corporation is the company that manage the business of production of portable ladder . Our portable ladder is different with the ladder available at the market. Our products made by us are using suitable ,material comply with the standards. Actually, this portable ladder has two function where it can be a chair and a ladder. The portable ladder is a quality products because we make the portable ladder by choosing suitable and best material. Thus, the ladder can withstand heavy load and long lasting. The materials selection also important because it is need to avoid from corrosion

Prevalence and Correlates of Hepatitis C Infection among Male Injection Drug Users in Detention, Tehran, Iran

For the benefit of planning for the future care and treatment of people infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and to help guide prevention and control programs, data are needed on HCV seroprevalence and associated risk factors. We conducted a cross-sectional sero-behavioral survey of injection drug users (IDU) detained for mandatory rehabilitation during a police sweep of Tehran, Iran, in early 2006. During the study period, a consecutive sample comprising 454 of 499 (91.0%) men arrested and determined to be IDU by urine test and physical examination consented to a face-to-face interview and blood collection for HCV antibody testing. Overall, HCV prevalence was 80.0% (95% confidence interval (CI) 76.2–83.6). Factors independently associated with HCV infection included history of incarceration (adjusted OR 4.35, 95% CI 1.88–10.08), age of first injection ≤25 years (OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.09–6.82), and history of tattooing (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.05–5.17). HCV prevalence in this population of IDU upon intake to jail was extremely high and possibly approaching saturation. Findings support that incarceration is contributing to the increased spread of HCV infection in Iran and calls for urgent increased availability of HCV treatment, long-term preparation for the care of complications of chronic infection, and rapid scale-up of programs for the primary prevention of parenterally transmitted infections among drug users

Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX : inspiring prophetic leader

Buku ini berisi bunga rampai kesaksian, kesan dan analisis dari para pihak yang pernah bekerja bersama Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX, memduduki jabatan yang sama (menteri dan wapres), memiliki profesi yang terkait dan atau mempunyai pengalaman pribadi bersama Beliau. Buku ini dimaksudkan untuk memaknai Peringatan Satu Abad Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX dan Pengesahan UU Keistimewaan DI Yogyakarta, yang diakui oleh banyak pihak berkat "investasi" Beliau.Jakartaxvii, 461 halaman : ilustrasi ; 24 c

Electrospinning of Polyacrylonitrile Nanofibers and Simulation of Electric Field via Finite Element method

Objective(s): Since the electric field is the main driving force in electrospinning systems, the modeling and analysis of electric field distribution are critical to the nanofibers production. The aim of this study was modeling of the electric field and investigating the various parameters on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers morphology and diameter. Methods: The electric field profile at the nozzle and electrospinning zone was evaluated by Finite Element Method. The morphology and diameter of nanofibers were examined by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: The results of the electric field analysis indicated that the electric field was concentrated at the tip of the nozzle. Moreover, in the spinning direction, the electric field was concentrated at the surface of the spinneret and decayed rapidly toward the surface of the collector. Increasing polymer solution concentration from 7 to 11wt.% led to increasing nanofibers diameter form 77.76 ± 19.44 to 202.42 ± 36.85. Conclusions: Base on our results, it could be concluded that concentration of the electric field at the tip of the nozzle is high and initiates jet and nanofibers formation. PAN nanofibers can be transformed to carbon nanofibers which have various applications in biomedicine

Pachydermoperiostosis in a Patient with Crohn’s Disease: Treatment and Literature Review

Pachydermoperiostosis (PDP) is a rare disorder characterized by pachydermia, digital clubbing, periostitis, and an excess of affected males. It is the primary form of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA) and there are some rare associations of PDP with other disorders. Here we describe a patient with Crohn’s disease associated with PDP. A 26-year-old man, who was a known case of Crohn’s disease, referred with diffuse swelling in the upper and lower limbs and cutis verticis gyrata since 7 years ago. PDP was suspected and endocrinological and radiological studies were conducted for the evaluation of underlying disease. He was prescribed celecoxib, low-dose prednisolone, and pamidronate to control the swelling, periostitis, azathiopurine, and mesalazine according to gastrointestinal involvement. In conclusion, it is important to identify this condition since a misdiagnosis might subject the patient to unnecessary investigations

A Case Report of Small Cell Lung Carcinoma in a Patient with Progressive Diffuse Sclerosis

Connective tissue diseases, including scleroderma, may be associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. The most common type of lung cancer associated with systemic sclerosis is adenocarcinoma or bronchoalveolar carcinoma, and small cell carcinoma is rare. This reports presents a 54-year-old non-smoker woman with a history of scleroderma who was examined due to aggravation of shortness of breath and cough for the last two months. On radiography and CT scan, a mass was seen in the sub pleural area of the upper right lobe of the right lung, and pathological examination showed small cell carcinoma of the lung. Small cell carcinoma is very rare in non-smokers, therefore, it may be associated with interstitial lung tissue disease in scleroderma