Knee instruments and rating scales designed to measure outcomes

In this article, the knee instruments and rating scales that are designed to measure outcomes are revised. Although the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form can be used as a general knee measure, no instrument is currently universally applicable across the spectrum of knee disorders and patient groups. Clinicians and researchers looking to use a patient-based score for measurement of outcomes must consider the specific patient population in which it has been evaluated. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index is recommended for the evaluation of treatment effect in persons with osteoarthritis (OA). This is a generic health status questionnaire that contains 36 items, is widely used, and easy to complete. The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire evaluates the functional status and quality of life (QoL) of patients with any type of knee injury who are at increased risk of developing OA; i.e., patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, meniscus injury, or chondral injury. So far, the KOOS questionnaire has been validated for several orthopedic procedures such as total knee arthroplasty, ACL reconstruction, and meniscectomy. The utilization of QoL questionnaires is crucial to the adequate assessment of a number of orthopedic procedures of the knee. The questionnaires are generally well accepted by the patients and open up new perspectives in the analysis of prognostic factors for optimal QoL of patients undergoing knee surgery

Effect of initial C/N

Ekinci, Kamil/0000-0002-7083-5199Composting plants should be operated at a high degradation rate in order to lower their capital and operational costs. Initial C/N ratio is one of the most influential factors on the composting process. This study aimed to determine the impacts of initial C/N ratio on operational composting parameters of two-phase olive mill pomace with separated dairy manure. Five initial C/N ratios ranging from 29.43 to 43.33 were examined using fifteen 100 L cylindrical reactors. The highest decomposition rate was estimated at 0.02 day(-1)with the C/N ratio of 34.49. The maximum relative heat generation was obtained with the C/N ratio of 36.07. The C/N ratio of approximately equal to 33 reduced the composting cost of process-based total airflow supplied per dry matter and organic matter loss. The maximum throughput capacity was obtained when the compost blend had the C/N ratio of approximately equal to 37.24. It was concluded that operating the composting of two-phase olive mill waste, separated dairy manure, and straw with the boundary of the initial C/N ratios between 33 and 37 was recommended.Scientific and Technological Research Council of TurkeyTurkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [KAMAG111G055/111G149]Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, Grant/Award Number: KAMAG111G055/111G14