Rehabilitation programmes following arthroscopic meniscectomy in athletes.

The athlete with a meniscal injury can be returned to activity quickly and safely with appropriate treatment and rehabilitation. When injuries occur in the relatively avascular inner zones of the meniscus, partial meniscectomy is usually the treatment of choice. The rehabilitation programme should emphasise decreasing inflammation, restoring motion, increasing strength, and safe return to competition. This can begin preoperatively and progress through a phased programme which allows the athlete to participate in goal setting and advancement. By outlining the different phases of knee rehabilitation, the athlete and support team (coach, parent, trainer, therapist, physician) can progress to and plan appropriate return to sport. During this process, preventive measures for reinjury can be addressed, thereby maximising performance and safety.

Efficacies of Novel N-Halamine Disinfectants against Salmonella and Pseudomonas Species.

Six novel N-halamine compounds of potential importance as disinfectants to the food-processing industry were tested against Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella gallinarum, Salmonella typhimurium, and Pseudomonas fluorescens in aqueous solution. Inactivation times for 10-fold reductions were determined as a function of water quality at pH 6.5 and 25 degrees C. Phenol coefficients for the efficacies of the compounds against S. enteritidis have been reported also. When both stability and efficacy data are considered, as well as cost of production, two compounds, 1,3-dichloro-2,2,5,5-tetramethylimidazolidin-4-one and 1-chloro-2,2,5,5-tetramethylimidazolidin-4-one, offer the greatest potential as biocides for the food-processing industry.

Bactericidal properties of a new water disinfectant.

The N-chloramine compound 3-chloro-4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolidinone (agent I) has been compared with calcium hypochlorite as to its efficacy as a bactericide for the treatment of water. The study included concentration, contact time, pH, temperature, and water quality as controlled variables. The species of bacteria tested were Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Shigella boydii. In general, for highly pure, demand-free water, calcium hypochlorite was the more rapid disinfectant at a given total chlorine concentration, although for water containing a controlled amount of organic load, agent I was the better disinfectant. The differences in efficacy of each of the two disinfectants can be attributed primarily to their different stabilities in water at various controlled conditions.

Antimicrobial activity of N-chloramine compounds.

Cellular mechanisms of action of two representative N-chloramines were studied. Both compounds, 3-chloro-4,4-dimethyl-2-oxazolidinone (I) and N-chlorosuccinimide (III), inhibited bacterial growth and exerted profound inhibition of bacterial DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis at a concentration of 10(-5) M. Enzymes containing sulfhydryl groups generally were significantly inhibited by these chloramines at 10(-4) M. Dihydrofolate reductase, which contains no sulfhydryl groups, also was inhibited but at much higher chloramine concentrations (10(-2) M); ribonuclease, which also contains no sulfhydryl groups, was unaffected. All of these inhibitory effects of the chloramines could be prevented if sulfhydryl-containing reagents (mercaptoethanol or dithiothreitol) were added before or together with the chloramine. Once inhibition was produced by the chloramine, it was not reversible by later addition of the sulfhydryl reagents. These results suggest that these chloramines act at sulfhydryl sites as well as at other sites in both cells and purified enzymes.