Efficacy of intraarticular hyaluronic acid in patients with osteoarthritis—a prospective clinical trial

AbstractAim The goal of this study was to determine whether or not the intraarticular administration of hyaluronic acid can improve functional parameters, such as isokinetic muscle strength or total work and clinical test results in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.Method As part of a prospective, controlled study 43 patients with osteoarthritic changes of both knees (radiographic Kellgren stage II–III) were followed in a right/left comparison. The influence of intraarticularly injected hyaluronic acid (20mg hyaluronic acid/2ml Hyalart®) on functional and clinical parameters was analysed. We used the isokinetic system Cybex 600 for measuring maximal isokinetic muscle strength and total work. A total of 20 males and 23 females fulfilled the inclusion criteria with an age between 55–78 years and underwent five injections of hyaluronic acid (one injection per week). The injected knee represented the treatment group, while the contralateral knee served as the control.Results The maximum peak torque of the knee extensors in the treatment group was measured between 57±26.15/32.33±19.63Nm prior to the injections and 77.17±32.54/47.83±21.43Nm following the hyaluronic acid therapy (P< 0.01). The analysis of the knee flexors at angular velocities of 60°/s and 180°/s revealed values of 40.44±21.58/22.89±16.64Nm and 53.55±24.26/34.05±17.37Nm (P< 0.01) respectively. The evaluation of the total work of the knee flexors and extensors revealed a significant difference (P< 0.01) between the treatment and control group. The Lequesne score was reduced from 13.57±1.88 prior to the injections to 7.94±2.53 after the treatment (P< 0.01). The pain score was documented with the help of a visual analog scale. The VAS values were reduced at rest from 3.83±1.72cm to 1.36±1.42cm and during weight bearing from 7.57±1.34cm to 3.75±1.32cm in the treatment group (P< 0.01).Conclusions This controlled prospective clinical trial confirmed that 5 weekly intraarticular injections of HA (Hyalart®) in patients with OA of the knee provide pain relief and functional improvements. Copyright 2002 OsteoArthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Mitigating the negative impacts of tall wind turbines on bats: Vertical activity profiles and relationships to wind speed.

Wind turbines represent a source of hazard for bats, especially through collision with rotor blades. With increasing technical development, tall turbines (rotor-swept zone 50-150 m above ground level) are becoming widespread, yet we lack quantitative information about species active at these heights, which impedes proposing targeted mitigation recommendations for bat-friendly turbine operation. We investigated vertical activity profiles of a bat assemblage, and their relationships to wind speed, within a major valley of the European Alps where tall wind turbines are being deployed. To monitor bat activity we installed automatic recorders at sequentially increasing heights from ground level up to 65 m, with the goal to determine species-specific vertical activity profiles and to link them to wind speed. Bat call sequences were analysed with an automatic algorithm, paying particular attention to mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis and Myotis blythii) and the European free-tailed bat (Tadarida teniotis), three locally rare species. The most often recorded bats were the Common pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) and Savi's pipistrelle (Hypsugo savii). Mouse-eared bats were rarely recorded, and mostly just above ground, appearing out of risk of collision. T. teniotis had a more evenly distributed vertical activity profile, often being active at rotor level, but its activity at that height ceased above 5 ms-1 wind speed. Overall bat activity in the rotor-swept zone declined with increasing wind speed, dropping below 5% above 5.4 ms-1. Collision risk could be drastically reduced if nocturnal operation of tall wind turbines would be restricted to wind speeds above 5 ms-1. Such measure should be implemented year-round because T. teniotis remains active in winter. This operational restriction is likely to cause only small energy production losses at these tall wind turbines, although further analyses are needed to assess these losses precisely

Institutional maintenance of macroeconomic equilibrium and well-being

Goodwill component changes the pricing mechanism and gives the production of knowledge marketable character, complementing its with cognitive component. The paper substantiates the need to institute a regulated competitive market order as the search strategy of social sustainable balance consolidated on the basis of the reproduction cognitive capital process

GABA-enhanced collective behavior in neuronal axons underlies persistent gamma-frequency oscillations

Gamma (30–80 Hz) oscillations occur in mammalian electroencephalogram in a manner that indicates cognitive relevance. In vitro models of gamma oscillations demonstrate two forms of oscillation: one occurring transiently and driven by discrete afferent input and the second occurring persistently in response to activation of excitatory metabotropic receptors. The mechanism underlying persistent gamma oscillations has been suggested to involve gap-junctional communication between axons of principal neurons, but the precise relationship between this neuronal activity and the gamma oscillation has remained elusive. Here we demonstrate that gamma oscillations coexist with high-frequency oscillations (>90 Hz). High-frequency oscillations can be generated in the axonal plexus even when it is physically isolated from pyramidal cell bodies. They were enhanced in networks by nonsomatic -aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor activation, were modulated by perisomatic GABAA receptor-mediated synaptic input to principal cells, and provided the phasic input to interneurons required to generate persistent gamma-frequency oscillations. The data suggest that high-frequency oscillations occurred as a consequence of random activity within the axonal plexus. Interneurons provide a mechanism by which this random activity is both amplified and organized into a coherent network rhythm

Система стабилизации выходного напряжения дизель-генераторной установки

Произведен расчёт электрооборудования дизель-генераторной установки (ДГУ). Проведено моделирование динамических режимов работы ДГУ.The electric equipment of the diesel-generator set (DGU) has been calculated. Modeling of the dynamic operating modes of the DGU is carried out

Анализ и разработка способов повышения эффективности работы Томской ГРЭС-2 в летний период

Одно из главных направлений повышения эффективности топливоиспользования на ТЭС – внутристанционная оптимизация режимов паротурбинных установок. Оптимизация режимов абсолютно эффективна, так как в этом случае достигается значительная экономия топлива без дополнительных капитальных вложений. В данной работе предполагается повышение эффективности Томской ГРЭС-2 в летний период, за счёт оптимизации режимов работы и снятия ограничений установленной мощности при увеличении объёмов отпускаемой тепловой энергии внешним потребителям.One of the main directions of improving the efficiency of fuel use at TPP is the internal optimization of the modes of steam turbine plants. Optimization of modes is absolutely effective, since in this case significant fuel savings are achieved without additional capital investments. In this work, it is planned to increase the efficiency of the Tomsk ГРЭС-2 in the summer, due to the optimization of operating modes and the removal of restrictions on the installed power with an increase in the volume of thermal energy available to external consumers

Применение концепции «бирюзовых компаний» при реализации проекта

Объектом исследования является (ются) ГК «ЛАМА». Цель работы - применение концепции «бирюзовых компаний» при реализации проекта В процессе исследования проводились: в первой главе были рассмотрены теоретические подходы к концепции «бирюзовых организаци»; во второй главе была представлена характеристика предприятия и проведен анализ проекта «регулярное промо» в департаменте маркетинга ГК «ЛАМА»; третья глава была посвящена применению концепции «бирюзовых компаний» при реализации проекта «регулярное промо».The object of study is (are) the group of companies "LAMA". Purpose - the concept of "turquoise companies" with the implementation of the project In process studies were conducted: the first Chapter discussed the theoretical approaches to the concept of "turquoise."; in the second Chapter were presented characteristics of the enterprise and the analysis of the project "regular" promo at the marketing Department of group of companies "LAMA"; the third Chapter was devoted to the application of the concept of "turquoise companies" with the implementation of the project "regular"promo

A versatile latex-based route furnishing polymer/carbon nanofiller composites

No abstract