418 research outputs found
Knee moments of anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed and control participants during normal and inclined walking
Objectives: Prior injury to the knee, particularly
anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, is known to
predispose one to premature osteoarthritis (OA). The
study sought to explore if there was a biomechanical
rationale for this process by investigating changes in
external knee moments between people with a
history of ACL injury and uninjured participants
during walking: (1) on different surface inclines and
(2) at different speeds. In addition we assessed
functional differences between the groups.
Participants: 12 participants who had undergone
ACL reconstruction (ACLR) and 12 volunteers with
no history of knee trauma or injury were recruited
into this study. Peak knee flexion and adduction
moments were assessed during flat (normal and
slow speed), uphill and downhill walking using an
inclined walkway with an embedded Kistler Force
plate, and a ten-camera Vicon motion capture
system. Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome
Score (KOOS) was used to assess function.
Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was
used to examine statistical differences in gait and
KOOS outcomes.
Results: No significant difference was observed in
the peak knee adduction moment between ACLR and
control participants, however, in further analysis,
MANOVA revealed that ACLR participants with an
additional meniscal tear or collateral ligament
damage (7 participants) had a significantly higher
adduction moment (0.33±0.12 Nm/kg m) when
compared with those with isolated ACLR
(5 participants, 0.1±0.057 Nm/kg m) during gait at
their normal speed ( p<0.05). A similar (nonsignificant)
trend was seen during slow, uphill and
downhill gait.
Conclusions: Participants with an isolated ACLR
had a reduced adductor moment rather an increased
moment, thus questioning prior theories on OA
development. In contrast, those participants who
had sustained associated trauma to other key knee
structures were observed to have an increased
adduction moment. Additional injury concurrent
with an ACL rupture may lead to a higher
predisposition to osteoarthritis than isolated ACL
deficiency alone
A Case Series Highlighting the Relative Frequencies of the Common, Uncommon and Atypical/Unusual Hematological Findings on Bone Marrow Examination in Cases of Visceral Leishmaniasis
Introduction: Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy still remains as one of the vital tests for confirmation of diagnosis of visceral Leishmaniasis. The aim of the present study is to assess the relative frequency of common, uncommon and atypical hematological findings in cases of Visceral Leishmaniasis. Materials & Methods: A total of 16 cases of Leishmaniasis diagnosed on Bone marrow examination over a period of two years (2008-2010), were retrieved from the archives and the peripheral blood smear, bone marrow aspiration smears and trephine biopsies were examined for the common, uncommon and atypical features as described in the literature. Results: Out of the total of 16 cases, 10 were pediatric and 6 adult cases. The common findings like pancytopenia, peripheral blood monocytosis, increased histiocytes on aspirate smears and granulomas on biopsies were noted in 12/16 (75%), 9/16 (56.25%), 13/16 (81.2%) and 11/16 (69%) cases respectively. Amongst the uncommon findings, hemophagocytosis was noted in 12/ 16 (75%) cases, plasma cells with inclusions in 6/16 (37.5%) and LD bodies in cells other than histiocytes in 4/16 (25%) cases. The atypical findings included organism aggregates noted in 9/16 (56%) cases, Pelger-Heut cells seen in 4/16 (25%) cases and increased focal vascularity on biopsies in 10/16 (62.5%) cases. The average parasite density (APD) on smears was 3+ and the range of positivity was 1+ to 5+. Conclusion: The knowledge of these morphological clues can assist us in searching for LD bodies and correctly diagnosing the condition without excessive dependence on unnecessary and sophisticated tests
Secretion of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin by non-small cell lung cancer: a case report
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>We describe a case of non-small cell lung cancer that was found to stain positive for beta-human chorionic gonadotropin on immunohistochemistry. Only a few case reports have described lung cancers that secrete beta-human chorionic gonadotropin.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 68-year-old Caucasian man presented with symptoms of weakness, fatigue and weight loss for the past two months. On examination, he was found to have generalized lymphadenopathy, and radiologic workup revealed numerous metastases in the lungs, liver and kidneys. Biopsy of the supraclavicular lymph node revealed metastatic large cell lung cancer with beta-human chorionic gonadotropin hormone positivity. The serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin level was 11,286 mIU/ml (upper limit of normal, 0.5 mIU/ml in non-pregnant females). He was diagnosed with stage 4 lung non-small cell lung cancer. The patient refused chemotherapy. He was discharged home with hospice care.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The markedly elevated serum values of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin initially prompted the medical team to investigate germinal tumors. In the presence of a negative testicular ultrasound, workup was performed to find an extratesticular source of the tumor. Finally, the diagnosis was made with a tissue biopsy. This case illustrates that atypical markers can be seen in many cancers, emphasizing the role of immunohistochemistry and tissue biopsy in establishing the diagnosis.</p
Quantum oscillations from Fermi arcs
When a metal is subjected to strong magnetic field B nearly all measurable
quantities exhibit oscillations periodic in 1/B. Such quantum oscillations
represent a canonical probe of the defining aspect of a metal, its Fermi
surface (FS). In this study we establish a new mechanism for quantum
oscillations which requires only finite segments of a FS to exist. Oscillations
periodic in 1/B occur if the FS segments are terminated by a pairing gap. Our
results reconcile the recent breakthrough experiments showing quantum
oscillations in a cuprate superconductor YBCO, with a well-established result
of many angle resolved photoemission (ARPES) studies which consistently
indicate "Fermi arcs" -- truncated segments of a Fermi surface -- in the normal
state of the cuprates.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure
Comparative study of the stability of bimatoprost 0.03% and latanoprost 0.005%: A patient-use study
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The stability of ophthalmic preparations in multidose containers is influenced by the preservative as well as the stability of the active ingredient. Unstable drugs may require refrigeration to preserve their active ingredient level and they are more likely to degrade over time, therefore becoming more susceptible to degradation based on patient mishandling. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of molecular degradation that occurs in bimatoprost and latanoprost in a patient-use setting.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was an open-label, laboratory evaluation of the relative stability of bimatoprost and latanoprost. Patients presently using bimatoprost (n = 31) or latanoprost (n = 34) were identified at 2 clinical sites in Brazil. Patients were instructed to use and store their drops as usual and return all used medication bottles between day 28 and day 34 after opening.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Bimatoprost demonstrated no degradation, but latanoprost degraded at various levels. The mean age of bimatoprost was 43.0 ± 3.4 days and the mean age of latanoprost was 43.9 ± 2.8 days (P = .072). The mean percentage of labeled concentration was 103.7% in the bimatoprost bottles and 88.1% in the latanoprost bottles (P < 001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study showed that bimatoprost maintained â„100% concentration throughout the study period while latanoprost did not.</p
A QTL study on late leaf spot and rust revealed one major QTL for molecular breeding for rust resistance in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)
Late leaf spot (LLS) and rust are two major foliar diseases of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) that often occur together leading to 50â70% yield loss in the crop. A total of 268 recombinant inbred lines of a mapping population TAG 24Â ĂÂ GPBD 4 segregating for LLS and rust were used to undertake quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis. Phenotyping of the population was carried out under artificial disease epiphytotics. Positive correlations between different stages, high to very high heritability and independent nature of inheritance between both the diseases were observed. Parental genotypes were screened with 1,089 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, of which 67 (6.15%) were found polymorphic. Segregation data obtained for these markers facilitated development of partial linkage map (14 linkage groups) with 56 SSR loci. Composite interval mapping (CIM) undertaken on genotyping and phenotyping data yielded 11 QTLs for LLS (explaining 1.70â6.50% phenotypic variation) in three environments and 12 QTLs for rust (explaining 1.70â55.20% phenotypic variation). Interestingly a major QTL associated with rust (QTLrust01), contributing 6.90â55.20% variation, was identified by both CIM and single marker analysis (SMA). A candidate SSR marker (IPAHM 103) linked with this QTL was validated using a wide range of resistant/susceptible breeding lines as well as progeny lines of another mapping population (TG 26Â ĂÂ GPBD 4). Therefore, this marker should be useful for introgressing the major QTL for rust in desired lines/varieties of groundnut through marker-assisted backcrossing
Infrared vibrational spectroscopy: a rapid and novel diagnostic and monitoring tool for cystinuria
Cystinuria is the commonest inherited cause of nephrolithiasis (~1% in adults; ~6% in children) and is the result of impaired cystine reabsorption in the renal proximal tubule. Cystine is poorly soluble in urine with a solubility of ~1âmM and can readily form microcrystals that lead to cystine stone formation, especially at low urine pH. Diagnosis of cystinuria is made typically by ion-exchange chromatography (IEC) detection and quantitation, which is slow, laboursome and costly. More rapid and frequent monitoring of urinary cystine concentration would significantly improve the diagnosis and clinical management of cystinuria. We used attenuated total reflection - Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) to detect and quantitate insoluble cystine in 22 cystinuric and 5 healthy control urine samples. Creatinine concentration was also determined by ATR-FTIR to adjust for urinary concentration/dilution. Urine was centrifuged, the insoluble fraction re-suspended in 5âÎŒL water and dried on the ATR prism. Cystine was quantitated using its 1296 cmâ1 absorption band and levels matched with parallel measurements made using IEC. ATR-FTIR afforded a rapid and inexpensive method of detecting and quantitating insoluble urinary cystine. This proof-of-concept study provides a basis for developing a high-throughput, cost-effective diagnostic method for cystinuria, and for point-of-care clinical monitoring
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