Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) - validation of a Swedish version

The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) is a self-administered instrument measuring outcome after knee injury at impairment, disability, and handicap level in five subscales. Reliability, validity, and responsiveness of a Swedish version was assessed in 142 patients who underwent arthroscopy because of injury to the menisci, anterior cruciate ligament, or cartilage of the knee. The clinimetric properties were found to be good and comparable to the American version of the KOOS. Comparison to the Short Form-36 and the Lysholm knee scoring scale revealed expected correlations and construct validity. Item by item, symptoms and functional limitations were compared between diagnostic groups. High responsiveness was found three months after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy for all subscales but Activities of Daily Living.     

Endovascular management of carotid-cavernous fistulas

Objective To investigate endovascular treatment of traumatic direct carotid-cavernous fistulas （CCF） and their complications such as pseudoaneurysms. Methods： Over a five-year period, 22 patients with traumatic direct CCFs were treated endovascularly in our institution. Thirteen patients were treated once with the result of CCF occluded, 8 twice and 1 three times. Treatment modalities included balloon occlusion of the CCF, sacrifice of the ipsilateral internal carotid artery with detachable balloon, coll embolization of the cavernous sinus and secondary pseudoaneurysms, and covered-stem management of the pseudoaneurysms. Results All the direct CCFs were successfully managed endovascularly. Four patients developed a pseudoaneurysm after the occlusion of the CCF with an incidence of pseudoaneurysm formation of 18.2% （4/22）. A total number of 8 patients experienced permanent occlusion of the ICA with a rate of ICA occlusion reaching 36.4% （8/22）. Followed up through telephone consultation from 6 months to 5 years, all did well with no recurrence of CCF symptoms and signs. Conclusion Traumatic direct CCFs can be successfully managed with endovascular means. The pseudoaneurysms secondary to the occlusion of the CCFs can be occluded with stent-assisted coiling and implantation of covered stents.     

The acutely limping child

Acute limping may be the result of multiple pathologies in children. The differential diagnosis varies based on the age of the child. Irrespective of age, the initial imaging work-up includes AP and frog leg radiographs of the pelvis and ultrasound; MRI may sometimes be helpful. In children less than 3 years, infections and trauma are most frequent. MRI is the imaging modality of choice when osteomyelitis is clinically suspected. Between the ages of 3 and 10 years, transient synovitis of the hip and Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease are main considerations but infection, inflammation and focal bony lesions are also considered. In children over 10 years, slipped capital femoral epiphysis also is considered.     

Do Balance Board Training Programs Reduce the Risk of Ankle Sprains in Athletes?

Introduction Ankle sprains are the most common musculo-skeletal injury that occurs in athletes,particularly in sports that require jumping and landing on one foot such as soccer,and basketball(1-4).These injuries often result in significant time loss from participation,long-term disability,and have a major impact on health care costs and resources(5-8).     

High Intensity Interval Training:New Insights

KEY POINTS ·High-intensity interval training(HIT)is characterized by repeated sessions of relatively brief，intermittent exercise.often performed with an“a11 out”effort or at an intensity close to that which elicits peak oxygen uptake(i.e.，≥90%of VO2 peak).     

Developmental validation of the PowerPlex(®) ESI 16 and PowerPlex(®) ESI 17 Systems: STR multiplexes for the new European standard

In response to the ENFSI and EDNAP groups’ call for new STR multiplexes for Europe, Promega^® developed a suite of four new DNA profiling kits. This paper describes the developmental validation study performed on the PowerPlex^® ESI 16 (European Standard Investigator 16) and the PowerPlex^® ESI 17 Systems. The PowerPlex^® ESI 16 System combines the 11 loci compatible with the UK National DNA Database^®, contained within the AmpFlSTR^® SGM Plus^® PCR Amplification Kit, with five additional loci: D2S441, D10S1248, D22S1045, D1S1656 and D12S391. The multiplex was designed to reduce the amplicon size of the loci found in the AmpFlSTR^® SGM Plus^® kit. This design facilitates increased robustness and amplification success for the loci used in the national DNA databases created in many countries, when analyzing degraded DNA samples. The PowerPlex^® ESI 17 System amplifies the same loci as the PowerPlex^® ESI 16 System, but with the addition of a primer pair for the SE33 locus. Tests were designed to address the developmental validation guidelines issued by the Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM), and those of the DNA Advisory Board (DAB). Samples processed include DNA mixtures, PCR reactions spiked with inhibitors, a sensitivity series, and 306 United Kingdom donor samples to determine concordance with data generated with the AmpFlSTR^® SGM Plus^® kit. Allele frequencies from 242 white Caucasian samples collected in the United Kingdom are also presented. The PowerPlex^® ESI 16 and ESI 17 Systems are robust and sensitive tools, suitable for the analysis of forensic DNA samples. Full profiles were routinely observed with 62.5 pg of a fully heterozygous single source DNA template. This high level of sensitivity was found to impact on mixture analyses, where 54–86% of unique minor contributor alleles were routinely observed in a 1:19 mixture ratio. Improved sensitivity combined with the robustness afforded by smaller amplicons has substantially improved the quantity of data obtained from degraded samples, and the improved chemistry confers exceptional tolerance to high levels of laboratory prepared inhibitors.     

人体中的镭-226、镭-228、钋-210、铅-210

本文报道了广东阳江高本底地区6名、对照地区8名人尸体的骨²²⁶Ra、²²⁶Ra的浓度以及部分居民内脏器官中。²¹⁰Po、²¹⁰Pb的浓度。结果轰明阳江高本底地区和对照地区居民骨镭-226、镭-228的浓度分别为29.9pCi/kg, 26.9pCi/kgl 8.7pCi/kg, 8.2pCi/kg.由此估算出阳江高本底地区屠民骨中²²⁶Ra、²²⁸Ra的负薄璧及对骨衬、骨髓所产生的剂量当量分别为对照地区民民的3.4倍, 3.3倍。两地区居民内脏器官中^{210Po、210Pb的测定分析铡数较少但仍看出, 高本底地区均明显高于对照地区.}     

Prevalence and severity of hip and groin pain in sub‐elite male football: a cross‐sectional cohort study of 695 players

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to investigate the prevalence of hip and groin pain in sub‐elite male adult football in Denmark and (b) to explore the association between prevalence and duration of hip and groin pain in the previous season with the Copenhagen Hip and Groin Outcome Score (HAGOS) in the beginning of the new season. In total 695 respondents from 40 teams (Division 1–4) were included. Players completed in the beginning of the new season (July–Sept 2011) a self‐reported paper questionnaire on hip and/or groin pain during the previous season and HAGOS. In total 49% (95% CI: 45–52%) reported hip and/or groin pain during the previous season. Of these, 31% (95% CI: 26–36%) reported pain for >6 weeks. Players with the longest duration of pain during the previous season had the lowest HAGOS scores, when assessed at the beginning of the new season, P < 0.001. This study documents that half of sub‐elite male adult football players report pain in the hip and/or groin during a football season. The football players with the longest duration of pain in previous season displayed the lowest HAGOS scores in the beginning of the new season.     

Bronchial stump fistula :treatment with covered retrievable hinged metallic stents-preliminary clinical experience

Objective To evaluate the preliminaily clinical efficacy and retrievability of a retrievable hinged covered metallic stent in the treatment of the bronchial stump fistula （BSF）. Methods Between April 2003 and March 2005, 8 patients with bronchial stump fistula after pneumonectomy or lobectomy were treated with two types （A and B） of retrievable hinged covered metallic stents. Type A stent was placed in 6 patients and type B in 2 under fluoroscopic guidance. The stent was removed with a retrieval set when BSF was healed or complications occurred. Results Stent placement in the bronchial tree was technically successful in all patients, without procedure-related complications. Immediate closure of the BSF was achieved in all patients after the procedure. Stents were removed from all patients but one. Removal of the stents was difficult in two patients due to tissue hyperplasia. Patients were followed up for 6 - 21 months. Placement of the stents remained stable in all patients except one due to severe cough. Permanent closure of BSF was achieved in 7 （87.5%） of 8 patients. Conclusion Use of a retrievable hinged covered expandable metallic stent is a simple, safe, and effective procedure for closure of the BSF. Retrieval of the stent seems to be feasible. （J Intervent Radiol, 2007, 16： 253-257）     

Pratique sportive et oligoéléments: conséquences nutritionnelles

Trace elements are scarce in our body, where as some of them are implicated in various metabolic processes. Regular exercise alters the levels and increases outputs and requirements of some of them. Zinc losses through sweat, urine and feces are increased in response to chronic and acute exercise. Chromium losses, mainly via the urinary tract, increase following training and simple carbohydrate intake, a common situation among sportsmen. Copper losses increase in sweat. Recommended daily allowances are not always satisfied, depending upon the trace element being considered. Zinc and chromium intakes are often marginal, while copper does not seem to be present in sufficient amounts in a high percentage of athletes. It is not the same for manganese, always delivered in sufficient amounts. Selenium intake mainly depends on its rate in the soil, this factor varying the most from one country (and one average diet) to another. So precise recommendations such as three servings of meat per week seem to be justified. Some diets are not adequate towards some trace element intakes, and this abnormality enhances the probability that deficiencies appear. Complex interrelationships enhance or impede supplementation. For instance, copper, zinc and iron inhibit each other's absorption at gut's level. These interrelationships make nutritional strategy harder to implement. Some trace elements (selenium, zinc, copper or manganese — the latter at the mitochondrion level) act as free radical scavengers. Thus increased intakes at appropriate levels may be required. Changes in dietary habits, improving “nutritional density” is one possible strategy. But for some elements, the required amounts are not currently available in our diet. Thus supplementation becomes necessary in some cases. As far as vanadium and silicon are concerned, and though they are implicated in some physiological processes linked to sports, it is not possible to recommend at present precise amounts, even though future research will certainly show that their intake is to be increased.     

Advanced γ ray technology for scanning cargo containers

The shipping industry is striving to increase security for cargo containers without significantly impeding traffic. Three Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) development programs are supporting this effort. SAIC's ICIS system combines SAIC's VACIS^® γ ray imaging, radiation scanning, OCR, elemental analysis and other technologies to scan containers for nuclear materials and other hazards in normal terminal traffic. SAIC's enhanced γ ray detector improves VACIS image resolution by a factor of three. And SAIC's EmptyView software analyzes VACIS images to automatically verify empty containers.