2,025 research outputs found
Normal plantar weight distribution pattern and its variations with change of functional position and its comparison with patients of knee osteoarthritis
Early osteoarthritic changes at the knee result in altered plantar weightdistribution pattern during stand, minisquat, squat and one leg stand positions. To study and quantify these plantar weight distribution variations with changes in static functional position, a cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 202 subjects, 92 healthy people (control group) and 110 with early knee osteoarthritis, participated in the study. The plantar weight distribution and its variations with change in functional position wereassessed using footplate, while the functional disability status was assessed using WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index) & CIFKAS (Composite Indian Functional Knee Assessment Scale). The participants were allocated into two groups i.e. group-1 and group-2. The participants in group-1 had no knee complaint and those in group-2 had diagnosis of early knee osteoarthritis. Independent test was used for the statistical analysis. Significant difference between the groups was observed for the percentage plantar weight (load) distribution during stand (p value <.001 to .005), minisquat (p value <.001 to .022), left leg stand (p value <.001 to .003) and right leg stand (p value <.001 to .008) and Pain &functional disability status on WOMAC & CIFKAS (p value <.001). It was concluded that the knowledge of this altered plantar weight distribution and its variation with change in functional position can serve as a guiding tool for formulating an effective context-specific intervention strategy for managing pain and functional disability in knee osteoarthritis.KEY WORDS: Knee osteoarthritis; Footplate; Functional position; Functional Disability; Plantar weight distributio
The New Fat Higgs: Slimmer and More Attractive
In this paper we increase the MSSM tree level higgs mass bound to a value
that is naturally larger than the LEP-II search constraint by adding to the
superpotential a term, as in the NMSSM, and UV
completing with new strong dynamics {\it before} becomes
non-perturbative. Unlike other models of this type the higgs fields remain
elementary, alleviating the supersymmetric fine-tuning problem while
maintaining unification in a natural way.Comment: 14 pages and 2 figures. Added references and updated argument about
constraints from reheating temperatur
Estimating the effect of healthcare-associated infections on excess length of hospital stay using inverse probability-weighted survival curves
Background: Studies estimating excess length of stay (LOS) attributable to nosocomial infections have failed to address time-varying confounding, likely leading to overestimation of their impact. We present a methodology based on inverse probability–weighted survival curves to address this limitation.
Methods: A case study focusing on intensive care unit–acquired bacteremia using data from 2 general intensive care units (ICUs) from 2 London teaching hospitals were used to illustrate the methodology. The area under the curve of a conventional Kaplan-Meier curve applied to the observed data was compared with that of an inverse probability–weighted Kaplan-Meier curve applied after treating bacteremia as censoring events. Weights were based on the daily probability of acquiring bacteremia. The difference between the observed average LOS and the average LOS that would be observed if all bacteremia cases could be prevented was multiplied by the number of admitted patients to obtain the total excess LOS.
Results: The estimated total number of extra ICU days caused by 666 bacteremia cases was estimated at 2453 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1803–3103) days. The excess number of days was overestimated when ignoring time-varying confounding (2845 [95% CI, 2276–3415]) or when completely ignoring confounding (2838 [95% CI, 2101–3575]).
Conclusions: ICU-acquired bacteremia was associated with a substantial excess LOS. Wider adoption of inverse probability–weighted survival curves or alternative techniques that address time-varying confounding could lead to better informed decision making around nosocomial infections and other time-dependent exposures
On sets of irreducible polynomials closed by composition
Let be a set of monic degree polynomials over a finite field
and let be the compositional semigroup generated by . In this
paper we establish a necessary and sufficient condition for to be
consisting entirely of irreducible polynomials. The condition we deduce depends
on the finite data encoded in a certain graph uniquely determined by the
generating set . Using this machinery we are able both to show
examples of semigroups of irreducible polynomials generated by two degree
polynomials and to give some non-existence results for some of these sets in
infinitely many prime fields satisfying certain arithmetic conditions
A novel multiplex PCR system for the detection of virulence associated genes of E. coli O157:H7 from food system
In view of the importance E. coli serotype 0157:H7 in human diseases, an easy and quick system is desirable to detect toxin producing strains. In this report, we describe standardization of a novel multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (mPCR) assay for simultaneous detection of four important genes associated with the organism E. coli 0157:H7 viz., stx 1, stx 2, eae A, hly A along with an internal amplification control (IAC). The mPCR method developed in the present study is sensitive enough to detect cells as low as 103 CFU ml-1 or g-1 of the food samples. The E. coli 0157:H7 strains having been identified to contain the gene in the mPCR were unequivocally detected positive for the serological and conventional culture method. As E. coli 0157:H7 is qualified as biowarfare agent; this mPCR system is of immense help in detecting them during emergencies of biological war and suspected outbreaks. 
Association of thyroid status with hemoglobin levels in pregnancy
Background: The association of hemoglobin levels with thyroid status in pregnancy was not studied in detail. Therefore, in this study, we assessed the levels of hemoglobin, thyroid function and its association with hemoglobin levels in first trimester of pregnancy.Methods: Fifty pregnant women who didn’t start any supplementation were recruited from the obstetrics and gynecology outpatient department. Fifty age matched controls were recruited from the residents and staff of the hospital. Thyroid profile and hemoglobin levels were measured in both the groups. The association was seen between hemoglobin levels and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels.Results: The hemoglobin levels are significantly low in first trimester pregnant women. Further, the increased TSH levels are negatively correlated with low hemoglobin levels.Conclusions: Screening of hemoglobin levels in first trimester itself will be beneficial to prevent the complications of pregnancy. Further, hypothyroidism also present and associated with reduced hemoglobin. So, early diagnosis of these deficiencies will be useful to start giving supplements to avoid unwanted effects in pregnancy
Features of the fluctuation -electromagnetic interaction between a small conducting particle and polarizable medium
For the first time, new important features of the fluctuation electromagnetic
interaction between a small conducting particle and a smooth surface of
polarizable medium (both dielectric and metallic) are worked out. The particle
is characterized by classical electric and magnetic polarizabilities. The
temperature dependence and retardation effects are explicitly taken into
account. The resulting interaction force between a metallic particle and the
surface of metal proves to be determined to great extent by magnetic coupling
and reveals specific dependences on distance, temperature, particle radius and
material properties of contacting materials. Numerical estimations are given in
the case of a Cu particle above a smooth Cu substrate at different particle
radius and temperature of the system.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure
Equivariant map superalgebras
Suppose a group acts on a scheme and a Lie superalgebra
. The corresponding equivariant map superalgebra is the Lie
superalgebra of equivariant regular maps from to . We
classify the irreducible finite dimensional modules for these superalgebras
under the assumptions that the coordinate ring of is finitely generated,
is finite abelian and acts freely on the rational points of , and
is a basic classical Lie superalgebra (or ,
, if is trivial). We show that they are all (tensor products
of) generalized evaluation modules and are parameterized by a certain set of
equivariant finitely supported maps defined on . Furthermore, in the case
that the even part of is semisimple, we show that all such
modules are in fact (tensor products of) evaluation modules. On the other hand,
if the even part of is not semisimple (more generally, if
is of type I), we introduce a natural generalization of Kac
modules and show that all irreducible finite dimensional modules are quotients
of these. As a special case, our results give the first classification of the
irreducible finite dimensional modules for twisted loop superalgebras.Comment: 27 pages. v2: Section numbering changed to match published version.
Other minor corrections. v3: Minor corrections (see change log at end of
introduction
Our experience of management of sub trochanteric fractures of femur by proximal femoral nail
Background: Sub trochanteric fractures of the femur remain some of the most challenging fractures. Most of the fractures result from trivial fall in the elderly; while in the younger age group, it's mainly due to road traffic accidents. Operative management is the preferred treatment. This study is intended to assess the outcome of the intramedullary fixation of sub trochanteric fractures with Proximal Femoral Nail (PFN).Methods: This study is a prospective, uncontrolled study of 40 cases of sub trochanteric fracture of femur admitted to a tertiary level hospital between August 2011 and November 2013; and treated with proximal femoral nails. Adults with recent sub trochanteric fracture of femur were included in this study; while patients less than eighteen years of age, pathologic fractures, periprosthetic fractures, and old neglected fractures were excluded from the study.  Results: In our study of 40 cases, there were 28 male and 12 female patients with mean age of 51.43 years (range 22-87 years). Based on Seinsheimer’s classification, type IIIA fractures accounted for majority (32.5%) of the cases. majority of patients, i.e. 35% (n=14) showed union at 20 weeks after surgery. Cases were followed up and assessed according to the Harris hip scoring system (Modified).The outcome was good to excellent in 82.9% cases.  Conclusions: From our study we conclude that PFN is a reliable minimally invasive implant for sub trochanteric fractures, with good to excellent functional outcome in the majority of cases. Â
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