Taping Technique Research Articles

Surgical margin mapping for lentigo maligna and lentigo maligna melanoma: traditional technique (visual inspection with dermoscopy) versus combined paper tape and reflectance confocal microscopy technique.

The detection of subclinical margin in lentigo maligna/lentigo maligna melanoma (LM/LMM) can be challenging for the dermatologist. Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) enables to observe in vivo atypical melanocytes beyond the clinical margins. The aim of this study is to establish which of these methods (clinical examination and dermoscopy versus "Paper tape - RCM") is more precise to define the lesion margin and to reduce the number of re-intervention and overtreatments in cosmetically sensitive areas. Fifty-seven cases of LM/LMM were analyzed during 2016-2022. Pre-surgical mapping procedures in 32 lesions were effectuated with dermatoscopy. Furthermore, pre-surgical mapping procedures in 25 lesions were effectuated with RCM and paper tape. RCM method's accuracy to detect subclinical margins was 92.0%. In 24 of 25 cases, the lesions were excised completely during the first intervention. In 20 of 32 cases analyzed with dermoscopy, a second surgical intervention was effectuated. The RCM paper method allows us to delineate subclinical margin more accurately and reduce overtreatment, especially in sensitive areas, such as the face and neck.

Amount of Residual Cement at the Margin of Implant-Supported Crowns Cemented Using the Polytetrafluoroethylene Tape, Replica Technique, and Conventional Cementation Technique

Background: This study compared the amount of residual cement at the margin of implant-supported crowns cemented using the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tape, replica technique, and conventional cementation technique. Methods: In this in vitro experimental study, a mandibular model underwent full-arch scanning. The right first molar tooth was eliminated on the scan using Exocad software, and a regular implant analog was modelled using the Exocad model creator. The designed abutment was then printed. The implant analog was fixed in place with acrylic resin and scanned using a scan body. A full-zirconia custom abutment was then designed by Exocad. Abutments were fabricated using zirconia and sintered. Twenty-seven resin crowns were fabricated for the abutments, and their fit was assessed. Nine crowns were conventionally cemented by filling half of the crown space with cement, 9 crowns were cemented using PTFE tape, and the remaining 9 were first placed on a resin replica and then cemented on the abutments. The residual cement was weighed using a digital scale, and the groups were compared by one-way ANOVA and LSD test (α=0.05). Results: The amount of residual cement was significantly different among the three groups, indicating that the amount of residual cement was the highest in conventional cementation, and the lowest in the replica group (P < 0.05). Pairwise comparisons showed significant differences between all groups (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The replica technique followed by the PTFE tape resulted in the minimum amount of residual cement at the margin of implant-supported cement-retained crowns and are preferred for use in the clinical setting.

Investigation of new application technique named star taping in patellofemoral pain: a randomized, single-blind, and placebo-controlled study

Purpose Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is characterized by pain around the patella during functional actıvıty. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the new method of applying the patellar Kinesio taping (KT). Materials and methods Participants with PFP were randomly assigned to a Kinesio star taping (n = 14), placebo taping (n = 12), or control group (n = 13). Knee pain intensity during activity, resting, at night-time and during buckling were measured using the visual analogue scale under both KT, placebo taping, and home exercising before and after six weeks. Oedema, performance, knee function, and muscle strength were assessed with circumferential measurement, the Kujala questionnaire, vertical jumps, a 10-step down test, squat test, triple jump test, respectively, in all groups before and after taping. Results Decreases were detected in pain in each group (p < 0.05) but there were no differences in pain during activity, and buckling in the three groups before and after taping (p > 0.05). Performances and knee functions showed similar results in all groups before and after taping (p > 0.05). The outcomes of all tapings showed that there were no differences between the groups in terms of oedema (p > 0.05), the knee functions (p > 0.05), and muscles strength on the affected and unaffected sides, there were no significant differences between inter and intra groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions A 6-week new technique star taping together with home-based exercises have similar effects with placebo taping and home exercise groups on oedema, pain, performance, function in PFP. The effects of star taping technique may be determined in future studies as long- and short-term in different types of injuries.

Evaluating the effects of two different kinesiology taping techniques on shoulder pain and function in patients with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a group of inherited connective tissue disorders which predominantly affects women and has a prevalence as high as 1 in 5,000 individuals. Hypermobile EDS (hEDS) is the most common subtype of EDS and is characterized by multi-joint pain, particularly in large joints such as the shoulder. Physical therapy is often utilized to address the pain, physical impairments, and functional loss in patients with EDS. Kinesiology Tape (KT) is an intervention commonly used by physical therapists for treating shoulder pain and dysfunction. Studies related to the effectiveness of KT in patients with shoulder pain is equivocal and there are a lack of studies specifically studying the effects of KT in an EDS population. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and short-term effects of two different KT techniques on shoulder pain and function in individuals with hEDS and shoulder pain. Participants were recruited from EDS support groups in the New England area of the United States; were diagnosed with hEDS by their physician; and had shoulder pain. Baseline demographic information was obtained for each participant followed by completion of 4 patient reported outcome (PRO) measures: the Upper Extremity Functional Index, QuickDASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, & Hand), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, and the Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index. Current pain level, average pain over the past 24 h, and worst pain over the past 24 h were recorded using the numeric pain rating scale (NPRS). Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either an experimental shoulder KT procedure or a control shoulder taping. Immediately after taping, the NPRS was reassessed. Subjects then returned 48 h later to repeat the NPRS and PRO measures. There was no significant difference between the experimental and control tape groups for any outcome measure. There was a significant improvement from pre-taping to 48-hours post taping for each of the 4 PRO measures with large effect sizes (p < 0.001; ƞ p 2 = .517-.719). Likewise, average, and worst pain over the last 24 h significantly improved with large effect sizes over the same period (p = 0.005; ƞ p 2 = .225 and p < 0.001; ƞ p 2 = .382, respectively). Current NPRS levels significantly improved from pre-tape to immediately post-tape (p = .023, ƞ p 2 = .131) and was maintained through the 48-hour follow up, although no further improvement was seen. KT is an inexpensive and relatively safe intervention that is easy to apply and can offer temporary improvements in pain and function for patients with EDS and shoulder pain.

Computer Simulations of End-Tapering Anchorages of EBR FRP-Strengthened Prestressed Concrete Slabs at Service Conditions.

This article examines numerically the behavior of prestressed reinforced concrete slabs strengthened with externally bonded reinforcement (EBR) consisting of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) sheets. The non-linear finite element (FE) program Abaqus® is used to model EBR FRP-strengthened prestressed concrete slabs tested previously in four-point bending. After the calibration of the computational models, a parametric study is then conducted to assess the influence of the FRP axial stiffness (thickness and modulus of elasticity) on the interfacial normal and shear stresses. The numerical analysis results show that increasing the thickness or the elastic modulus of the FRP strengthening affects the efficiency of the FRP bonding and makes it susceptible to earlier debonding failures. A tapering technique is proposed in wet lay-up applications since multiple FRP layers are often required. It is shown that by gradually decreasing the thickness of the FRP strengthening, the concentration of stress along the plate end can be reduced, and thus, the overall strengthening performance is maximized. The tapering is successful in reducing the bond stress concentrations by up to 15%, which can be sufficient to prevent concrete rip-off and peel-off debonding failure modes. This article contributes towards a better understanding of the debonding phenomena in FRP-strengthened elements in flexure and towards the development of more efficient computational tools to analyze such structures.

Comparison of Two Thoracic Kinesio-Taping Techniques on Pulmonary Function, Oxygen Saturation, and Exercise Capacity in COPD Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Context: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), though a disease of the lung, the extrapulmonary manifestations contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality. Aim: This study aims to evaluate and compare the effects of two different thoracic kinesio taping techniques on pulmonary function, oxygen saturation, and exercise capacity in patients with COPD. Settings and Design: A randomized clinical trial was conducted across tertiary health-care hospitals in Belagavi, Karnataka. Subjects and Methods: A total of 42 participants aged 30–65 years (51.58 ± 10.21 years) participated in the study. All participants underwent baseline evaluations for pulmonary function, oxygen saturation, and exercise capacity, following which they were randomly allocated to one of the two intervention groups. Both groups, Group A (diaphragmatic taping) and Group B (intercostal muscle taping), were given intervention for 15 days, with the applied tape changed on every 3rd day. Postintervention evaluation was performed on the 15th day. Statistical Analysis: Mann–Whitney test was used for between-group comparison, and the Wilcoxon test was used for within-group comparison. Results: A significant improvement was noted in all parameters in Group A except forced expiratory volume in 6 s (FEV6) (P = 0.47) and FEV1/FEV6 (P = 0.301) ratio when compared with preintervention values. In Group B, all the parameters showed a significant improvement compared to preintervention values. The between-group comparison showed that only FEV1/FEV6 (P = 0.018) ratio showed a significant improvement. Conclusion: There is no significant difference between diaphragmatic taping and intercostal muscle taping technique. It was noted that both the techniques were equally effective in improving pulmonary function, oxygen saturation, and exercise capacity in COPD patients. Hence, thoracic kinesio taping, in addition to conventional physiotherapy treatment, can help in achieving better patient outcomes.

The Short-Term Effect of Dynamic Tape versus the Low-Dye Taping Technique in Plantar Fasciitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Plantar fasciitis is a painful disorder that affects the plantar fascia of the foot, with a multifactorial aetiology. Dorsal flexion deficiency in the ankle is a risk factor for it. The provisional use of taping is described as part of conservative treatment. Dynamic Tape® is a type of tape that, adhered to muscles, allows for potential elastic energy to accumulate and dissipate later, optimizing its function. Therefore, it can offer immediate benefits while the patient awaits definitive treatment depending on the cause. To verify the effectiveness of Dynamic Tape® and the low-dye taping technique on pain intensity, ankle range of motion, and foot posture index. A randomised, double-blind clinical trial was conducted. A total of 57 subjects from the Clinical Podiatry Area of the University of Seville (Spain), clinically diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, were randomized into two groups. For one week, in the gastrocnemius-Achilles-plantar system, one group was treated with Dynamic Tape® and another group with low-dye taping. Pain, degrees of movement of dorsal flexion, and the foot posture index were measured in both groups before the intervention and one week after the intervention. A repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to explore the differences between groups. Significant differences in the decrease in pain intensity using Dynamic Tape® were found when comparing the treatments (p = 0.015) and the foot posture index was more normal in low-dye taping (p < 0.001). In both cases, the treatment showed similar behaviour with respect to the dorsal flexion ankle movement. The effectiveness of Dynamic Tape®, compared to that of the low-dye taping, has a major benefit with regard to pain intensity from fasciitis, although it does not produce changes in the ankle range of motion and foot posture index. Consequently, Dynamic Tape® can be considered a taping technique with beneficial effects on pain intensity in the provisional approach to plantar fasciitis.

AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF BELL’S PALSY: A CASE STUDY

Introduction: Vatavyadhi is considered one of Mahagada. Ardita vata is one among the vatavyadhi, which may be correlated to Bell’s palsy due to the resemblance of signs and symptoms like deviation of angle of the mouth, decreased function of the affected muscle, numbness or pain in the affected side of the face. Bell’s palsy is the most common unilateral lower motor neuron facial palsy that usually develops spontaneously. Bell’s palsy is around 23 per 100,000 people per year, and it affects men and women equally, with a peak incidence between the age group 10-40 years. Ardita can be successfully managed with Ayurvedic treatment, viz. Nasya karma, Murdhni taila, Karnapurana, Snehana Svedana. Materials and method: A 49-year-old male patient complained of deviation of the angle of the mouth towards the left side and was unable to close the right eye for four days was reported to Panchakarma OPD of Alva’s Ayurveda Medical College and hospital, Moodbidri. Snehana, Svedana, Nasya karma and Murdhni taila were selected, along with internal medications and Kinesio taping. The duration and outcome of the treatments were recorded. Result: The patient recovered markedly with the treatment. Conclusion: Ardita can be managed successfully with various Panchakarma measures, internal medications, and the taping technique.

The Immediate Effect of Kinesiotaping on Handgrip Strength in Young, Healthy Men

Introduction: Kinesiotaping is a typical method used in physical therapy. It has the potential to boost muscle strength and performance when used properly The aim of the study is to determine the immediate effect of 35% tension Kinesiotaping on handgrip strength in healthy males. Methods: The study involved 60 healthy males (physical therapy students) between the ages of 20 and 23. The participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: the tension Kinesiotaping group (tKT), undergoing taping at a 35%tension, or the control group, receiving the identical taping technique but without tension. All participants' handgrip strength was measured using a hand-held dynamometre. The measurements were taken before and after taping for 30 minutes. Results: Only in the tension Kinesiotaping group was there substantial improvement in handgrip strength (tKT). There were no significant differences in the control group before and after 30 minutes (p=0.970), but significant results were noted in the tKT group after applying kinesiotape with a 35% tension (p&lt;0.001). Conclusions: In healthy males, Kinesiotaping with a 35% tension causes an immediate increase in handgrip strength.

Kinesio taping for ankle sprain in youth athlete: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:Ankle sprain is considered a major problem that may hinder youth athletes’ athletic development because it will lead to ongoing dysfunction, reoccurrence of ankle sprain, chronic ankle instability, and posttraumatic osteoarthritis. Kinesio taping (KT) is a therapeutic taping technique that has been widely used in the treatment of various ankle issues including sprained ankles and in the prevention of ankle sprains. It can not only provide the injured ankle with support during the rehabilitation phase, but also enhance the ankle stability during activity. However, the available evidence regarding its effectiveness in the treatment and prevention of ankle sprain is inconsistent. Therefore, a systematic review will help clinicians and coaches better understand the application of KT in clinical and training practices. This study is to systematically review the literature on the use of KT to improve outcomes including ankle function, proprioception, and pain and to evaluate the effectiveness of KT in the treatment and prevention of ankle sprain injuries.Methods:A comprehensive electronic search of the literature will be undertaken in the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Cochrane library, Web of Science and Scopus from 1979 to August 2022. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale will be used to assess the methodological quality of all included studies and RevMan 5.3 (Copenhagen, The Nordic Cochrane Centre) for the data analysis.Results:This study will provide a standardized evaluation and comparison for effects of KT on the treatment and prevention of ankle sprains in youth athletes.Conclusion:This review will provide the evidence of the effectiveness of KT used in the treatment and prevention of ankle sprain in youth athletes. This review will also provide directions and recommendations for future research and clinical practices targeting treatment and prevention of ankle sprains in youth athletes.

Relationship between the number of fiber tapers and the temperature characteristics of sensing structure

A fiber taper temperature sensing structure based on liquid crystal-filled capillary tube was proposed. The distance of the optical fiber taper was kept at a constant, and the relationship between the temperature sensitivity of the sensing structure and the number of fiber taper was studied. The fiber one-taper, two-tapers and three-tapers were prepared using the fused taper technique, and were embedded in three capillaries filled with the liquid crystal. The light signal was divided into two beams on one side of the fiber taper. Two beams were transmitted forward in the liquid crystal and the fiber taper, then coupled on the other side of fiber taper to form the interference spectrum. The lengths of each taper and the multi-mode optical fiber between two tapers are 625 μm and 280 μm. The sensitivities of the fiber sensors based on one-taper, two-tapers and three-tapers are 181.62 pm/℃, 361.70 pm/℃ and 625.22 pm/℃, respectively. The fiber temperature sensing structure based on the three-tapers has the highest sensitivity.

Design of a High-Efficiency Ka-Band TWT Power Amplifier for Radar Applications

The design of a high-efficiency traveling-wave tube (TWT) based on a nonconventional folded waveguide slow wave structure (FW-SWS) operating over 34–36 GHz for naval and ground Ka-band radars is presented. The ridge-vane-loaded FW structure allows a good compromise between high interaction impedance and wide bandwidth along with a low weight required for aircraft radar applications and a simple planar manufacturing process structure. Small-signal simulations are performed with a custom interaction impedance evaluation program. The CST suite 2021 3-D electromagnetic simulation code is used for the prediction of the dispersion diagram. Starting from a sensitivity analysis of the FW in terms of width, a high electronic efficiency value of 14.6% is obtained with a reduction in the width of 0.1 mm. To further improve electronic efficiency, a negative phase-velocity step tapering technique is applied and a value of 15.4% from 34 to 36 GHz is obtained. Finally, under an optimized beam voltage and a current of 21 kV and 550 mA, respectively, a peak value of the output power of approximately 1.7 kW and an output power of 800 W with a duty cycle of 12% over the frequency band are obtained. Measurement results of the interaction impedance of a ridge-vane-loaded FWG structure composed of a ten-period high-conductivity oxygen-free copper carried out according to the Langerstrom perturbation method confirm the goodness of the simulation results.

Cultural Efforts to Maintain Environmental Sustainability: A Study of the Pragmatics of Politeness on Ethical Planks in Rural Sunda

This study examines politeness utterances implemented with manaa kanban (ethics plank) in Sundanese society. In Japanese culture, this method is intended as a medium for giving specific directions and instructions. In the context of this research, the Kanban method has a pragmatic goal of motivating people to care about cleanliness and natural beauty. It is also an effort to regenerate Sundanese politeness discourses as a way of life for the people of West Java, which has always been instilled and contains noble values. Methods The research was conducted through field observations, searching for data from respondents using taping techniques. The theory used is pragmatics related to the principle of politeness, the relationship between speakers and their speech, as well as soft Japanese expressions (kanwa hyougen). This research was conducted in Sayang village, Subang, West Java. The results of the study revealed that in some places, there were no garbage disposal facilities, and there were trees that were used as promotional media for certain interests.

Biomechanical Testing of a Novel Device for Sutureless Nerve Repair.

Suboptimal nerve end alignment achieved with conventional nerve repair techniques may contribute to poor clinical outcomes. In this study, we introduce Nerve Tape®, a novel nerve repair device that integrates flexible columns of Nitinol microhooks within a biologic backing to entubulate, align, and secure approximated nerve ends. This study compares the repair strength of Nerve Tape with that of conventional microsuture repairs. Thirty small (2 mm) and 30 large (7 mm) diameter human cadaveric nerves were transected and repaired utilizing Nerve Tape or appropriate microsuture technique. Biomechanical testing was performed using a horizontal tensile tester. The repaired nerves were loaded until failure at a distraction rate of 40 mm/min, and the maximum failure load was determined. In the small nerve groups, the load-to-failure for Nerve Tape repairs (2.33 ± 0.66 N) was significantly higher than for suture repairs (1.22 ± 0.52 N; p < 0.05). In the large nerve groups, no significant difference in load-to-failure was found between Nerve Tape (7.45 ± 2.66 N) and suture repairs (5.82 ± 1.59 N: p = 0.12). Suture repairs tended to fail by rupture, whereas Nerve Tape failures resulted from microhook pullout. Nerve Tape is a novel nerve coaptation device that provides mechanical repair strength equal or greater to clinically relevant microsuture repairs.

Prevalence and genetic analysis of Enterobius vermicularis in schoolchildren in lower northern Thailand.

Enterobius vermicularis, a nematode parasite with a global distribution causes enterobiasis in schoolchildren and is considered a neglected parasite. An understanding of the prevalence and genetic diversity of enterobiasis is crucial for appropriate control measures. Therefore, the objectives of this research were to study the prevalence and genetic diversity of E. vermicularis in schoolchildren from lower northern Thailand, based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequences. Using the scotch tape technique, 7.4% (188/2544) of schoolchildren from 21 primary schools were found positive for E. vermicularis eggs, which is a relatively low infection rate. Phylogenetic trees of partial COI sequences (397bp) revealed similar topologies using maximum likelihood (ML) and neighbor-joining (NJ) methods and identified E. vermicularis type A (105 sequences) and B (1 sequence). Haplotype network analysis of the COI sequences demonstrated a high haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.9028). In contrast, phylogenetic analysts of a 343bp region of the ITS2 locus (52 sequences) revealed a monophyletic group. More sequence analyses of E. vermicularis from humans and other hosts in Thailand are necessary to better understand the genetic diversity of this parasite.

Минимально инвазивная техника против открытой хирургии при молоткообразной деформации второго пальца: сравнение результатов

Introduction The use of minimally invasive techniques is of utmost importance to future developments of foot and ankle surgery requiring largescale clinical randomized studies. This retrospective study is based on a comparison of the classical open and minimally invasive techniques. Material and methods The review included 65 hammertoe surgical cases (76 feet) treated with minimally invasive approach and postoperative strapping and taping techniques (group A, n = 39) and with open procedure using transarticular wire fixation (group B, n = 37) . Open surgical procedures were performed for the first metatarsal at the same time for all patients. The mean follow-up period was 15.3 ± 2.8 months. The mean age of patients was 62.8 ± 10.2 years. Results The follow-up protocol included a survey, physical examination, assessment of pain, function and treatment satisfaction (AOFAS, VAS FA, PGIC) and radiographic estimation of fusion. A floating toe was a common complication. Discussion Minimally invasive technique was demonstrated to be a less safe approach (risks associated with burr manipulations and surgeon skills) and more effective (minor and moderate pain in the postoperative period, lower risk of infection, attainment of personal anatomicity and early loading without internal fixation, extended indications with no need for use of surgical tourniquet) demonstrating adequate radiographic and clinical results and high patient satisfaction. The technique promotes patient's comfort and willingness to cooperate due to the lack of internal fixation and has a high intraoperative radiation load compared to other methods. Conclusion Minimally invasive technique has demonstrated good results and can be advocated for extensive orthopaedic practice with its ow n niche of application.

Low Loss Ultra-Small Core Pitch All-Fiber Fan-In/Fan-Out Device For Coupled-Core Multicore Fibers

We designed and fabricated all-fiber fan-in/fan-out (FI/FO) devices using a fused taper technique for square lattice structure coupled-core multicore fiber (CC-MCF). A vanishing core bridge fiber with a diameter of 80 μm was tailor-designed to minimize both the mode field mismatch and the required tapering ratio at the same time. In experiment, we succeeded in fabricating FI/FO devices with a core pitch as small as 17 μm and achieving practically low insertion losses of 1.43 dB and 2.28 dB for fan-in and fan-out devices, respectively. The fabricated FI/FO devices can well multiplex and demultiplex 1550 nm light into and out from the CC-MCF without obvious total power fluctuation even when an external perturbation is intentionally imposed on the CC-MCF. The proposed FI/FO device is very useful for both the study and application of CC-MCFs which usually have ultra-small core pitches.

Comparison of Kinesiotaping and Rigid Taping on Trapezitis Induced due to Rounded Shoulder Posture in Desk Job Workers

Background and purpose: Kinesio-taping and Rigid taping technique both have been showed improvement in trapezitis induced due to rounded shoulder posture. The objective of the study was to find out the comparative effectiveness of kinesio-taping and rigid taping in trapezitis induced due to rounded shoulder posture in desk job workers. Method: This study was an Experimental study design. The samples were selected on the basis of Convenient sampling with random allocation of samples. 50 subjects were selected, in the age ranging from 20-50 years were assigned into two groups; Group A kinesio taping technique (25 subjects) and Group B rigid taping technique (25 subjects) for 2 weeks with 3 days per week, Pain was measured using Numerical pain rating scale (NPRS) and neck disability was assessed using Neck disability index (NDI). Both scales were taken pre intervention and post intervention at the end of two week. Results: Result of the present study demonstrated that both the interventions in group-A and group-B were found to be individually effective in treating subjects having Trapezitis induced due to rounded shoulder posture in reducing pain and disability. Conclusion: The present study concludes that both the interventions of Kinesio taping and rigid taping was individually effective in trapezitis induce due to rounded shoulder posture in desk job workers. It is also concluded that both the intervention techniques effective in decreasing the pain and disability. however, while compared the post test outcomes in between the groups, there was no much difference in reduction of pain and disability of the subjects. Implication: kinesio taping and rigid taping is effective in improving pain, disability in trapezitis induced due to rounded shoulder posture. Keywords: kinesio taping, rigid taping, neck disability index, numerical pain rating scale.

Linearly polarized ytterbium laser enabled by an antiresonant hollow-core fiber inline polarizer.

We report a linearly polarized ytterbium-doped fiber (YDF) laser cavity configured by integrating an antiresonant hollow-core fiber-based inline polarizer. The 5-cm-long compact fiber polarizer was fusion spliced to a commercial large-mode-area, polarization-maintaining YDF. Near-diffraction-limited linearly polarized signal output with a polarization extinction ratio of > 21 dB was achieved for up to 25 W of power that was limited only by the available pump power. The performance of the hollow-core fiber polarizer was found to be temperature insensitive, which obviates the need for the precise temperature control required in all-fiber, high-power polarized laser cavities employing crossed fiber Bragg gratings. We used the tapering technique to scale down the geometry of the polarizing fiber and shift its operating wavelength by ∼100 nm, which makes it an attractive candidate for a variety of fiber laser applications.

Effect of Ultrasound Therapy and Cryotherapy over Taping Technique in Patients with Acute Lateral Ankle Sprain

The sudden twisting of ankle which overstretches the ligaments to torn or sprain around the ankle joint can lead to pain and swelling. Pain and swelling is one of the major causes of concern in patients with acute lateral ankle sprain while performing physical and daily activity. The study aim was to find the effect of ultrasound therapy and cryotherapy over taping technique among patients with acute lateral ankle sprain. A total of 30 subjects with acute lateral ankle sprain participated in this study. Group A was given ultrasound therapy with cryotherapy for 30 minutes; Group B was given taping technique additional to ultrasound and cryotherapy. Pre and post test was done after 10 sessions of treatment. The outcome was measured for the participants by VAS score. Student’s t-test, Mann Whitney test, Wilcoxon signed rank test were used to analyze data in this study. Group A and B have shown significant improvement after treatment. Comparative study found Group B, had significant changes by ultrasound therapy, cryotherapy and ankle taping technique over the Group A with P&lt;0.001, on reducing pain, swelling and improving earlier active performance. On the basis of the result, the study concluded that treatment with cryotherapy, ultrasound therapy and taping technique is better compared with cryotherapy and ultrasound therapy, and has more effect in reducing pain, swelling and improving earlier active physical performance.