Reducing The Risk Of ACL Injury In Female Athletes

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is located behind the kneecap (patella) and connects the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia). Stabilizing the knee joint is the primary responsibility of the ACL. Injuries that affect the ACL are three to five times more common in females than males. This is a result of anatomical, biomechanical, strength, and hormonal differences. The probability of potentially devastating tears to the ACL may be reduced in female athletes by an alternative warm-up program that focuses on muscle flexibility, strength, motor skill, and balance enhancement. Once the ACL has been torn, it becomes impossible to reattach or stitch the ligament back together.  The blood supply in this area of the body is diminished and the tissue becomes nonviable. Reconstruction of the ACL involves attaching the ligament to another tendon from the hamstring, just below the knee. Although reconstruction and treatment of ACL injuries are available, much unnecessary pain, money, and time may be wasted during these procedures. It is important to be aware of the prevention methods available to reduce the possibility of potentially devastating tears to the ACL. These prevention methods include proper warm-up and avoiding activities that cause pain. Other preventive measures include incorporating balance exercises along with stretching and strengthening muscles near the ACL. Appropriate rest and recovery time are other important factors that may prevent ACL injuries. Quality footwear, strapping, or taping may provide an additional level of support to the knee joint and ACL. &nbsp

Patellar Tendinopathy: Knee Pain Relate To Jumper’s Knee

here are common symptoms that are associated with “Jumper’s Knee”, such as pain, aching, and swelling on the lower side of the Patella on the anterior surface of the knee. Addition symptoms may include weakness and cramping of the knee joint. There are common remedies to treat "Jumper’s Knee”, such as rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Anti-inflammatory medicine, such as Aleve, Advil, or Motrin, may be appropriate in the early stages of injury. If the symptoms are left untreated, the final result may be knee surgery. A patient returning to play after diagnoses and treatment for “Jumpers Knee” should apply heat to the knee for 10 or 15 minutes before starting physical activity. Following physical activity, apply ice for 10 to 15 minutes (Donohue, 2008). Conservative treatments assist the healing process and keep Patellar Tendinopathy at bay for more than 90% of cases (Vulpiani, 2007). Along with becoming knowledgeable regarding remedies to relieve symptoms of minor “Jumper’s Knee”, it is important to know the stages of Patellar Tendinopathy. Knowledge of the warning signs and stages may assist in the avoidance of advancing the condition of Patellar Tendinopathy. Knowing the cause of Patellar Tendinopathy, the five stages, warning signs, and risk factors may assist in the process of diagnosing the injury for faster and more effective treatment. Being able to utilize the correct treatment for a particular stage of “Jumpers Knee” reduces downtime and assists the athletic trainers and doctors in the process of prescribing levels of physical activity.

The Effects Of Caffeine On Athletic Performance

Athletes who use caffeine before exercising or competition may be upgrading themselves more than they realize.  Caffeine is classified as a stimulant and is the most commonly used drug in the world.  Caffeine has the same affects that amphetamines and cocaine have, just to a lesser degree.  Caffeine crosses the membranes of all the body’s tissues.  It can exert effects on the central nervous system and the peripheral tissues that result in physiological effects.  Studies have shown that caffeine improves performance in a variety of different activities.  This stimulant has been shown to be a powerful ergogenic aid that is beneficial in athletic training and performance.  Caffeine has been found to increase speed and power, improve the length of training, and assist the athlete in resisting fatigue.  Caffeine has been found to stimulate the brain, which contributes to clearer thinking and ability to concentrate more intensely on the task at hand.  Studies have shown that up to 25% of athlete’s ages 11-18 years old have used caffeine in an effort to increase their athletic performances.  Because of caffeine’s effect on the body and its ability to increase an athlete’s performance, Olympic Committees have debated on whether caffeine should be tested before the Olympic Games

Treatment For Common Running/Walking Foot Injuries

Whether you are a weekend warrior or a serious athlete, most runners fear the possibility of being injured.  For those who are physically active or stand on their feet all day, healthy feet are important Highly conditioned runners spend many hours performing foot maintenance to prevent unnecessary injuries.  Some of the common foot injuries are: Plantar Fasciitis, Metatarsal Stress Fractures, blisters, Metatarsalgia, Morton’s Syndrome, Turf Toe, and Sesamoiditis. Most runners realize that shoes wear from the inside out.  Runners should frequently check the inside of the shoe.  Attention should focus on the pads of the insole, stitching, toe, heel, and instep areas. Properly lacing the shoe strings may save wear and tear on the shoes and feet. RICE (rest-ice-compression-elevation) treatments are a very important part of healthy foot maintenance and treatment; treatments should be done sooner rather than later. Many running problems may be prevented by focusing attention on your feet. Frequently inspect ones feet before and after running or walking.  Foot pain is not normal when running or walking; seek medical assistance as soon as possible. If your goal is to enjoy running for a lifetime, it is sometimes more important to use your head than your feet. If you want to run tomorrow, take care of your feet today

Common Runners/Walkers Foot Injuries

This is my 35th year of running most days a year. That was correct most days a year not a week. Running is my first priority each day.  Developing a routine will assist those who want exercise to become a habit.  After I awake I drink a glass of water and a cup of coffee then my dog “Jazz” and I hit the streets for a 3-4 mile run. Later in the day, we walk one to two miles after going to the gym to lift weights. I will admit that I am very addicted to running and working out.  I enjoy the physical, psychological, and health benefits. This paper will focus on common foot injuries. There are several foot injuries that runners or walkers may suffer. Most of the injuries on that list may result from overuse.  Other problems of the foot maybe related to chronic injuries that develop over a period of time.  According to Mike Walden, a former teacher of sports injuries, sports massage, and sports science, “the average runner has between 37-56% risks of injury during the course of a year’s training.” (Walden 2005) Plantar fasciitis, metatarsal stress fractures, metatarsalgia, blisters, turf toe, and Morton’s neuroma will be the focus of this paper

Pyruvate Oxidase of \u3ci\u3eStreptococcus pneumoniae\u3c/i\u3e Contributes to Penumolysin Release

Background Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the leading causes of community acquired pneumonia and acute otitis media. Certain aspects of S. pneumoniae’s virulence are dependent upon expression and release of the protein toxin pneumolysin (PLY) and upon the activity of the peroxide-producing enzyme, pyruvate oxidase (SpxB). We investigated the possible synergy of these two proteins and identified that release of PLY is enhanced by expression of SpxB prior to stationary phase growth. Results Mutants lacking the \u3c\u3espxB gene were defective in PLY release and complementation of spxB restored PLY release. This was demonstrated by cytotoxic effects of sterile filtered supernatants upon epithelial cells and red blood cells. Additionally, peroxide production appeared to contribute to the mechanism of PLY release since a significant correlation was found between peroxide production and PLY release among a panel of clinical isolates. Exogenous addition of H2O2 failed to induce PLY release and catalase supplementation prevented PLY release in some strains, indicating peroxide may exert its effect intracellularly or in a strain-dependent manner. SpxB expression did not trigger bacterial cell death or LytA-dependent autolysis, but did predispose cells to deoxycholate lysis. Conclusions Here we demonstrate a novel link between spxB expression and PLY release. These findings link liberation of PLY toxin to oxygen availability and pneumococcal metabolism

Toward a Quantitative Estimate of Future Heat Wave Mortality under Global Climate Change

Background: Climate change is anticipated to affect human health by changing the distribution of known risk factors. Heat waves have had debilitating effects on human mortality, and global climate models predict an increase in the frequency and severity of heat waves. The extent to which climate change will harm human health through changes in the distribution of heat waves and the sources of uncertainty in estimating these effects have not been studied extensively. Objectives: We estimated the future excess mortality attributable to heat waves under global climate change for a major U.S. city. Methods: We used a database comprising daily data from 1987 through 2005 on mortality from all nonaccidental causes, ambient levels of particulate matter and ozone, temperature, and dew point temperature for the city of Chicago, Illinois. We estimated the associations between heat waves and mortality in Chicago using Poisson regression models. Results: Under three different climate change scenarios for 2081–2100 and in the absence of adaptation, the city of Chicago could experience between 166 and 2,217 excess deaths per year attributable to heat waves, based on estimates from seven global climate models. We noted considerable variability in the projections of annual heat wave mortality; the largest source of variation was the choice of climate model. Conclusions: The impact of future heat waves on human health will likely be profound, and significant gains can be expected by lowering future carbon dioxide emissions

EIN ALTKROATISCHES GRABERFELD AUF DEM BERGE SPAS BEI KNIN

Autor objavljuje rezultate istraživanja starohrvatske nekropole na brdu Spasu kod Knina (otkriveno ukupno 228 grobova). Na temelju prikupljenih podataka tijekom višegodišnjih arheoloških istraživanja i sprovedene analize grobne arhitekture, pogrebnih običaja i grobnih nalaza utvrđeno je vrijeme ukopavanja na toj nekropoli i uputilo na mogući prostorni smještaj naselja kojemu je to groblje pripadalo. Završna razmatranja objelodanjenih grobnih nalaza otkrivaju niz novih spoznaja o gospoda.stvenim mogućnostima stanovništva, njihov kulturni i duhovni život u 9, 10. i 11. stoljeću. Osim starohrvatskih grobova na Spasu su otkopani i temeljni ostaci arhitekture, za koje se utvrdilo da pripadaju rimskom naselju, vjerojatno ostacima stare Ninie, odnosno Curcuma. Sve to popraćeno je obilnom dokumentacijskom građom i katalogom grobova.Westlich der Stadt Knin erstreckt sich der Berg Spas. Auf seinem siidlichen Teil erhebt sich die mittelalterliche Festung Knin, und an den nord lichen Teil schlieBt sich das Hochplateau des Berges Spas an, das im horizontalen Querschnitt cinE\u27 birnentormige Form hat. Spas ist anfangs des 18. lahrhunderts durch einen kiinstlichen Durchstich von der Festung getrennt worden. Im nordlichen, breitesten Teil des Plateaus wurde ein altkroatisches Graberfeld entdeckt, mit insgesamt 228 Grabern. Das erforsci1te Gebiet umfaBt etwa 1200 m2 Oberflache. Es wurden neben Grabern auch Fundamente von Bauwerken aus vorktoatischer Zeit gefunden, was bezeugt, daB es sich hier um eine komplexe archaologische Fundstatte handelt. Im ersten Teil seiner Abhandlung beschreibt. der Verfasser die Lage des Fundortes, seine strategische Bedeutung, und den geschichtlichen Ablauf der Forschungen an diesem Ort. AuBerdem erwahnt er unter anderen bedeutenden Funden auch die Entdeckung von Fundamenten von Bauwerken , fUr die er aufgrund von Fragmenten steinernen Skulpturen, Ziegeln und Fragmenten von KeramikgefaBen festelIen konnte, daB sie einer romisehen Ansiedlung angehorten. Durch Suchgrabung wurde festgestelIt, daB die Reste dieser Bauwerke sich auch auf den iibrigen Teil des Plateaus erstrecken, der bis jetzt nicht erforscht worden ist. Diese Entdeckungen, zusammen mit einem groBen, schon friiher untersuchten Graberfeld am ostlichen FuBe dieses Berges, genannt »Greblje«, sind ein starkes Argumentfi.ir die Annahme jener Forscher, die der Meinung sind, daB die alte, antike Stadtsiedlung Ninia, die von der Schriftstellern der Antike erwahnt wird , sich an der SteIle der heutigen Stadt Knin befunden hatte, beziehungsweise an der Stelle ihrer Festung und der Wallburg Spas. Im siidostlichen Teil des ausgegrabenen Graberfeldes hat man ziemlich groBe Schuttablagerungen gefunden, unter denen sich auch Stiicke von Mortel mit Farbresten befanden. An dieser Stelle und in ihrer unmittelbaren Nahe wurden einige steinerne Fragmente mit vorromanischer F1echtwerkplastik gefunden , die zu Kircheneinrichtungsgegenstanden aus dem 9. oder 10. lh. gehorten. Die erwahnten Funde weisen mjt Sicherheit darauf hin, daB sich an eben dieser Stelle, wo man den Schutt gefunden hat, eine altkroatische Kirche befunden hatte, der die gefundenen Fragmente angehorten. Da sich von diesem Kirchenbau auch nicht der allergeringste Rest einer Mauer erhalten hat, kann man nur schlieBen, daB die Kirche bis zu den Grundmauern zerstort worden war, und daB ihre Steine als Baurnaterial fUr die Mauern der nahegelegenen Festung verwendet wurden. Der zwei te Teil dieser Abhandlung enthalt den Katalog der Grabarchitektur und ihres lnventars. Hier findet man kurz gefaBt die wichtigsten Angaben i.iber jedes cinzeIne Grab und die osteologischen Funde, sowie eine genaue Beschreibung der Grabbeigaben. Der dritte Teil behandelt die allgemeinen Merkmale des Graberfeldes. Wegen der ungi.instigen Bodenstruktur, sowie der Fundamente der Bauwerke, besitzt das Graberfeld nicht die Merkmale von Reihengrabern, Die Graber sind sehr verschiedenartig orientiert, und liegen in allen Richtungen; der groBte Teil der Graber war trotzdem richtjg orientiert, in der Richtung Osten-Westen (103 Graber) . In den meisten Grabern befand sich nur ein Verstorbener, manchmal jedoch auch mehrere. Die gefundenen osteologischen Reste bestatigen, daB das Graberfeld einer Siedlung zugehorig; mit einer gleich groBen Anzahl von bestatteten Mannern , Frauern und Kindern. Die Graber waren meistens aus behauener Rauhwacke , aus unregelmaBigen Steinplatten oder aus Bruchsteinen gebaut. Die behauene Rauhwacke ftir die Graber stammte wahrscheinlich von den eingesttirzten Bauwerken in der nahen Umgebung. Weiterhin analysiert der Verfasser die Grabfunde, meistens Schmuck, und zwar Ohrringe und Ringe. Indem er die typologischen Besonderheiten der einzelnen Gegenstande genau beurteilt, und sie mit analogem Material aus den tibrigen altkroatischen und anderen Graberfeldern vergleicht, kommt er zu Schltissen ber die Herkunft und\u27 Datierung der Funde. Mehr Aufmerksamkeit schenkt der Verfasser den Ohrringen vom Typ mit drei Beeren und zwar deshalb, weil in letzter Zeit versucht wurde, fast alle entwickelteren Varianten dieses Typs, die in Grabern auf dem Gebiet des altkroatisches Staates gefunden worden waren, von allen tibrigen Ohrringen die ebenfalls auf diesem Gebiet gefunden wurden, zu trennen. [ndem er auf das Problem der Datierung und Herkunft der Ohrringe mit drei Beeren eingeht, versuchte der Verfasser aufgrund einer Reihe sicherer Tatsachen und Hinweise darauf hinzuweisen, daB dieser Typ von Ohrringen, beziehungsweise die starker entwickelten Varianten , nicht von den tibrigen Typenvarianten altkroatischer Ohrringe isoliert werden dtirfen, die auf dem Gebiet des dalmatinischen Kroatiens gefunden worden waren , und die meistens in die Zeit vom Beginn des 9. bis zum Ende des 11. lahrhunderts datiert werden. Er machte ebenfalls darauf aufmerksam, daB samtliche Typen von altkroatischen Ohrringen, und so auch die entwickelteren Varianten von Ohrringen mit drei Beeren, die aus Grabern des Mutterlandes stammen, aus einheimischen Goldschmiedewerkstatten stammen , und daB sie als Ganzes eine altkroatische Kulturgruppe bilden. AuBer seinen Vermutungen tiber die Lage und GroBe der Ansiedlung, zu der das Graberfeld auf dem Berge Spas gehorte, ist der Verfasser im Ganzen der Meinun~, daB das Graberfeld auf Spas dem Zeitraum des frtihfeudalen kroatischen Staates angehorte, d. h., daB das Graberfeld sei t dem Anfang des 9. Jahrhunderts bestanden hatte und kontinuierlich bis zum Ende des ll. Jahrhunderts fortdauerte

Association of IL4R single-nucleotide polymorphisms with rheumatoid nodules in African Americans with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract Introduction To determine whether IL4R single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs1805010 (I50V) and rs1801275 (Q551R), which have been associated with disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients of European ancestry, relate to the presence of rheumatoid nodules and radiographic erosions in African Americans. Methods Two IL4R SNPs, rs1805010 and rs1801275, were genotyped in 749 patients from the Consortium for Longitudinal Evaluation of African-Americans with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (CLEAR) registries. End points were rheumatoid nodules defined as present either by physical examination or by chest radiography and radiographic erosions (radiographs of hands/wrists and feet were scored using the modified Sharp/van der Heijde system). Statistical analyses were performed by using logistic regression modeling adjusted for confounding factors. Results Of the 749 patients with RA, 156 (20.8%) had rheumatoid nodules, with a mean age of 47.0 years, 84.6% female gender, and median disease duration of 1.9 years. Of the 461 patients with available radiographic data, 185 (40.1%) had erosions (score >0); their mean age was 46.7 years; 83.3% were women; and median disease duration was 1.5 years. Patients positive for HLA-DRB1 shared epitope (SE) and autoantibodies (rheumatoid factor (RF) or anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP)) had a higher risk of developing rheumatoid nodules in the presence of the AA and AG alleles of rs1801275 (odds ratio (OR)adj = 8.08 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.60-40.89), P = 0.01 and ORadj = 2.97 (95% CI, 1.08 to 8.17), P = 0.04, respectively). Likewise, patients positive for the HLA-DRB1 SE and RF alone had a higher risk of developing rheumatoid nodules in presence of the AA and AG alleles of rs1801275 (ORadj = 8.45 (95% CI, 1.57 to 45.44), P = 0.01, and ORadj = 3.57 (95% CI, 1.18 to 10.76), P = 0.02, respectively) and in the presence of AA allele of rs1805010 (ORadj = 4.52 (95% CI, 1.20 to 17.03), P = 0.03). No significant association was found between IL4R and radiographic erosions or disease susceptibility, although our statistical power was limited by relatively small numbers of cases and controls. Conclusions We found that IL4R SNPs, rs1801275 and rs1805010, are associated with rheumatoid nodules in autoantibody-positive African-American RA patients with at least one HLA-DRB1 allele encoding the SE. These findings highlight the need for analysis of genetic factors associated with clinical RA phenotypes in different racial/ethnic populations

Transit agency intergovernmental agreements: Commn issues and solutions

Transit agencies often require intergovernmental agreements (IGAs), a commonly used method for transit agencies to contract with other governmental units—large and small—for a variety of purposes and projects, and memoranda of understanding (MOUs), an arrangement with other local jurisdictions, state governments, agencies, and other transit entities in connection with land acquisition, construction projects, bus and rail operations, partnerships, third-party responsibilities (e.g., local match), and other matters. Many of these IGAs and MOUs are relatively straightforward, but some can involve intensive and time-consuming drafting and negotiation over sophisticated, transit-relevant issues. To avoid “reinventing the wheel” and to help assure that useful innovations in other jurisdictions are not overlooked, this project panel decided that transit agencies, in general, and particularly attorneys can benefit from identification of useful examples of transit-relevant issues and how they have been addressed in past IGAs and MOUs. The objectives of this project are to 1) discuss legal principles that distinguish IGAs and MOUs from other types of agreements, including consideration of specific federal and state laws that may apply; 2) obtain and review examples of IGAs and MOUs from transit agencies addressing such general areas; 3) provide links and references to enable access to the complete IGAs and MOUs; 4) within each general area, analyze common, transit-relevant legal issues that arise; 5) discuss specific examples including lessons learned; 6) provide samples of provisions successfully addressing such issues; and 7) provide a checklist of standard issues to address in IGAs and MOUs. With approximately 119 of these agreements included on the enclosed CD-ROM, CRP-CD-122, and a checklist of items to follow when developing an agreement, this digest should be of interest to state and local legislators, transit managers, board members, state and local administrative officials, attorneys, and financial and policy officials from these units of government