Comparison of Two Manual Therapy Techniques in Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Manual therapy techniques are part of physiotherapy treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) which are classified into two groups including nerve mobilization and mechanical interface mobilization. The aim of the study was to find which manual therapy method-technique directed to mechanical interface and nerve mobilization–has superior beneficial effects on clinical and electrophysiological findings in conservative management of patients with CTS. Methods: Thirty patients with CTS participated into two groups namely: mechanical interface and nerve mobilization in this randomized clinical trial. The intervention was performed three times weekly for 4 weeks. Mechanical interface mobilization was directed to structures around the median nerve at the forearm and wrist. Techniques of median nerve gliding and tension were used in the nerve mobilization group. The outcome measures included visual analogue scale (VAS), symptom severity scale (SSS), hand functional status scale (FSS) and motor and sensory distal latencies of median nerve. Paired t-test and ANCOVA were used for statistical analysis. Results: At the end of the 4th week of the treatment, the mean of VAS, SSS and FSS significantly improved in both groups (p<0.05), but the difference was not significant between the two groups (P>0.05). Although the mean of motor and sensory distal latencies of median nerve at the end of the treatment period only improved in the nerve mobilization group (p<0.05), the difference was not significant between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: Mechanical interface mobilization and nerve mobilization techniques are not superior to each other in reducing pain and improving hand symptoms and functional status

Manual therapy in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome in diabetic patients: A randomized clinical trial

Background: Generally, conservative interventions including physiotherapy modalities and manual therapy have been recommended in the management of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), but this subject has not been studied in diabetic patients with CTS. Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of manual therapy on diabetic patients with CTS. Methods: Thirty diabetic patients with CTS were randomly divided into two equal groups: modality group and manual therapy group. Participants in the modality group received transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and therapeutic ultrasound (US) and patients in the manual therapy group received manual techniques for the median nerve and its surrounding structures. Interventions were applied 3 times weekly for 4 weeks in both groups. Visual analogue scale (VAS), symptom severity scale (SSS), functional status scale (FSS) and median neurodynamic test (MNT) were evaluated before and after the interventions in both groups. Paired t-test and independent t-test were used for statistical analysis. Results: Paired t-test revealed that all of the outcome measures had a significant change in the manual therapy group, whereas only the VAS and SSS changed significantly in the modality group at the end of 4 weeks. Independent t-test showed that the variables of SSS, FSS and MNT in the manual therapy group improved significantly greater than the modality group. Conclusions: Manual therapy techniques applied to mechanical interface of the median nerve and nerve mobilization possess more appropriate and valuable effects on hand difficulties than modalities in diabetic patients with CTS

Nanoconfined 2LiBH4eMgH2eTiCl3 in carbon aerogel scaffold for reversible hydrogen storage

Nanoconfinement of 2LiBH4–MgH2–TiCl3 in resorcinol–formaldehyde carbon aerogel scaffold (RF–CAS) for reversible hydrogen storage applications is proposed. RF–CAS is encapsulated with approximately 1.6 wt. % TiCl3 by solution impregnation technique, and it is further nanoconfined with bulk 2LiBH4–MgH2 via melt infiltration. Faster dehydrogenation kinetics is obtained after TiCl3 impregnation, for example, nanoconfined 2LiBH4–MgH2–TiCl3 requires ∼1 and 4.5 h, respectively, to release 95% of the total hydrogen content during the 1st and 2nd cycles, while nanoconfined 2LiBH4–MgH2 (∼2.5 and 7 h, respectively) and bulk material (∼23 and 22 h, respectively) take considerably longer. Moreover, 95–98.6% of the theoretical H2 storage capacity (3.6–3.75 wt. % H2) is reproduced after four hydrogen release and uptake cycles of the nanoconfined 2LiBH4–MgH2–TiCl3. The reversibility of this hydrogen storage material is confirmed by the formation of LiBH4 and MgH2 after rehydrogenation using FTIR and SR-PXD techniques, respectively.Fil: Gosalawit Utke, Rapee. Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht; Alemania. Suranaree University of Technology; TailandiaFil: Milanese, Chiara. Università degli studi di Pavia; ItaliaFil: Javadian, Payam. University Aarhus; DinamarcaFil: Jepsen, Julian. Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht; AlemaniaFil: Laipple, Daniel. Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht; AlemaniaFil: Karmi, Fahim. Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht; AlemaniaFil: Puszkiel, Julián Atilio. Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht; Alemania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Jensen, Torben R.. University Aarhus; DinamarcaFil: Marini, Amedeo. Università degli studi di Pavia; ItaliaFil: Klassen, Thomas. Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht; AlemaniaFil: Dornheim, Martin. Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht; Alemani

Metal Hydrides as Energy Storage for Concentrated Solar Thermal Applications

Hydrogen storage properties of LiBH4 may be changed by interaction with other complex hydrides due to an intimate interaction between the respective alkaline metals and boron which facilitate a relatively larger hydrogen storage capacity. The cyclic stability of the following binary complex hydride systems LiBH4-Ca(BH4)2, LiBH4-NaBH4 and LiBH4-NaAlH4 shows significant reversibility and due to their relative high gravimetric H2 storage capacity and specific heat storage capacity, they may potentially act as heat storage materials

Destabilization of lithium hydride and the thermodynamic assessment of the Li-Al-H system for solar thermal energy storage

© 2016 The Royal Society of Chemistry. Lithium hydride destabilised with aluminium, LiH-Al (1:1 mole ratio) was systematically studied and its suitability as a thermal energy storage system in Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) applications was assessed. Pressure composition isotherms (PCI) measured between 506 °C and 652 °C were conducted to investigate the thermodynamics of H2 release. Above the peritectic temperature (596 °C) of LiAl, PCI measurements were not consistently reproducible, possibly due to the presence of a molten phase. However, below 596 °C, the hydrogen desorption enthalpy and entropy of LiH-Al was ?Hdes = 96.8 kJ (mol H2)-1 and ?Sdes = 114.3 J (K mol H2)-1, respectively LiH(s) at 956 °C, ?Hdes = 133.0 kJ (mol H2)-1 and ?Sdes = 110.0 J (K mol H2)-1. Compared to pure LiH, the Li-Al-H system has a reduced operating temperature (1 bar H2 pressure at T ~ 574 °C) that, combined with favourable attributes such as high reversibility, good kinetics and negligible hysteresis, makes the Li-Al-H system a potential candidate for solar thermal energy storage applications. Compared to pure LiH, the addition of Al can reduce the cost of the raw materials by up to 44%. This cost reduction is insufficient for next generation CSP but highlights the potential to improve the properties and cost of high temperature hydrides via destabilisation

Hydrogen storage properties of nanoconfined LiBH4–Ca(BH4)2

The hydrogen storage properties of the eutectic melting metal borohydrides, 0.7LiBH4–0.3Ca(BH4)2, nanoconfined in two carbon aerogel scaffolds with different surface areas and pore volumes (pristine and CO2-activated) are presented and compared to the bulk properties. The temperature of hydrogen release investigated by temperature programmed desorption mass spectroscopy is reduced by 83 °C for nanoconfined LiBH4–Ca(BH4)2 in the pristine scaffold and by 95 °C in the CO2-activated scaffold, compared to that of the bulk. This corresponds to apparent activation energies, EA, of 204, 156 and 130 kJ/mol. Several cycles of reversible, continuous release and uptake of hydrogen is investigated by the Sieverts' method. Nanoconfined LiBH4–Ca(BH4)2 in the CO2-activated scaffolds demonstrate high degree of stability, releasing 80% and 73% of the original hydrogen content in the second and third hydrogen release cycle, respectively. However most importantly, this study shows that CO2-activated carbon aerogel, CA-6, is more stabile against reaction with the metal hydride and a lower amount of borates and oxides are formed during melt infiltration and hydrogen release and uptake cycling. We conclude that the CO2-activated scaffold is more inert, provides faster kinetics and higher stability over several cycles of hydrogen release and uptake and has the potential to provide useful hydrogen storage densities in the range ~12 wt% H2

Hydrogen Storage Properties of Nanoconfined LiBH₄–Mg₂NiH₄ Reactive Hydride Composites

LiBH₄–Mg₂NiH₄ reactive hydride composites have been nanoconfined into two types of mesoporous carbons: a templated carbon with ordered small pores of ∼4 nm and a carbon aerogel with pores size of ∼30 nm. In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction has revealed the formation of the MgNi_2.5B₂ compound during dehydrogenation at 300 °C and 5 bar of H₂ pressure. The hydrogen desorption from nanoconfined LiBH₄–Mg₂NiH₄ shows a single-step reaction at around 300 °C, as observed by mass spectroscopy coupled with thermogravimetric analysis. A synergistic effect is suggested, which facilitates lower hydrogen release than previously reported nanoconfined systems. Effective nanoconfinement provides faster kinetics of hydrogen release. Nevertheless, LiBH₄–Mg₂NiH₄ shows progressive loss of capacity during cycling

2LiBH4–MgH2–0.13TiCl4 confined in nanoporous structure of carbon aerogel scaffold for reversible hydrogen storage

The investigations based on kinetic improvement and reaction mechanisms during melt infiltration, dehydrogenation, and rehydrogenation of nanoconfined 2LiBH4-MgH2-0.13TiCl4 in carbon aerogel scaffold (CAS) are proposed. It is found that TiCl4 and LiBH4 are successfully nanoconfined in CAS, while MgH2 proceeds partially. In the same temperature (25-500ºC) and time (0?5 h at constant temperature) ranges nanoconfined 2LiBH4-MgH2-0.13TiCl4 dehydrogenates completely 99% of theoretical H2 storage capacity, while that of nanoconfined 2LiBH4?MgH2 is only 94%. Nanoconfined 2LiBH4-MgH2-0.13TiCl4 performs three-step dehydrogenation at 140, 240, and 380ºC. Onset (the first-step) dehydrogenation temperature (140ºC), significantly lower than those of nanoconfined sample of 2LiBH4-MgH2 and 2LiBH4-MgH2-TiCl3 (DT = 140 and 110ºC, respectively) is in agreement with the decomposition of eutectic LiBH4-Mg(BH4)2 and lithium?titanium borohydride. For the second and third steps (240 and 380ºC),decompositions of LiBH4 destabilized by LiCl solvation and MgH2 are accomplished, respectively. In conclusion, dehydrogenation products are B, Mg, LiH, and TiH. Reversibility of nanoconfined 2LiBH4-MgH2-0.13TiCl4 sample is confirmed by the recovery of LiBH4 after rehydrogenation together with the formation of [B12H12] derivatives. The superior kinetics during the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th cycles of nanoconfined2LiBH4-MgH2-0.13TiCl4 to the nanoconfined 2LiBH4-MgH2 can be due to the formations of Ti-MgH2 alloys (Mg0.25Ti0.75H2 and Mg6TiH2) during the 1st rehydrogenation.Fil: Gosalawit Utke, Rapee. Institute of Materials Research; Alemania. Suranaree University of Technology; TailandiaFil: Milanese, Chiara. University of Pavia; ItaliaFil: Javadian, Payam. University of Aarhus; DinamarcaFil: Girella, Alessandro. University of Pavia; ItaliaFil: Laipple, Daniel. Institute of Materials Research; AlemaniaFil: Puszkiel, Julián Atilio. Institute of Materials Research; Alemania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Cattaneo, Alice S.. University of Aarhus; DinamarcaFil: Ferrara, Chiara. University of Aarhus; DinamarcaFil: Wittayakhun, Jatuporn. Suranaree University of Technology; TailandiaFil: Skibsted, Jørgen. University of Aarhus; DinamarcaFil: Jensen, Torben R.. University of Aarhus; DinamarcaFil: Marini, Amedeo. University of Pavia; ItaliaFil: Klassen, Thomas. Institute of Materials Research; AlemaniaFil: Dornheim, Martin. Institute of Materials Research; Alemani

Nanoconfined NaAlH₄: Determination of Distinct Prolific Effects from Pore Size, Crystallite Size, and Surface Interactions

Nanoconfinement is a new method to improve the hydrogen storage properties for metal hydrides. A systematic study of melt-infiltrated NaAlH₄ in resorcinol formaldehyde carbon aerogels with pore sizes of <i>D</i>_max = 4, 7, 10, 13, 19, 22, 26, 39 and >100 nm is presented. A linear correlation between pore size and crystalline domain size is observed using PXD. The distinct effects from pore size, crystallite size, and interfacial contact between NaAlH₄ and carbon aerogel on hydrogen release and uptake properties are investigated. In situ synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction shows that formation of crystalline NaAlH₄ nanoparticles only occurs in the nanoporous scaffolds (4 < <i>D</i>_max < 100 nm). The hydrogen desorption kinetics are significantly improved by confinement in the macroporous scaffold (<i>D</i>_max > 100 nm) as compared to bulk NaAlH₄, i.e., reduction of the temperature for maximum hydrogen release rate of Δ<i>T</i>_max = −90 °C. Additional improvement is induced by reducing the pore sizes in the range 7 ≤ <i>D</i>_max ≤ 39 nm and thereby the NaAlH₄ crystallite sizes, but this effect is small (Δ<i>T</i>_max = −12 to −16 °C) relative to the catalytic effects induced by the aerogel surface. Sieverts’ measurements reveal similar stability and preserved reversible hydrogen storage capacity after four hydrogen release and uptake cycles for both nano- (<i>D</i>_max = 13 nm) and macroporous scaffolds (<i>D</i>_max > 100 nm) of ∼53% of the original capacity. The results suggests that a significant contribution to the observed improvements of kinetics and reversibility by nanoconfinement of NaAlH₄ in carbon aerogels can be assigned to the catalytic properties of the scaffold surfaces and a minor contribution arises from nanoconfinement and reduction of the pore size in the range of 39–7 nm