Letter to the editor, "High intensity aerobic exercise improves bimanual coordination of grasping forces in Parkinson's disease".

We have read with utmost interest the article entitled, "High intensity aerobic exercise improves bimanual coordination of grasping forces in Parkinson's disease" by Jansen et al. They have highlighted the importance and feasibility of providing high intensity aerobic exercise on improving the bimanual coordination of grasping forces for the patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). We would like to highlight few methodological and statistical issues with the study for more effective use of the study results among the medical fraternity involved in rehabilitating the patients with PD.

Infection in cirrhosis: A prospective study.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections in cirrhosis are associated with poor outcomes. We attempted a prospective study on infections in patients with cirrhosis evaluating microbiology of these infections and how outcomes depended on factors like bacterial resistance, appropriate antibiotics, stage of liver disease and whether outcomes were significantly different from patients who did not have infections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective evaluation involving one hundred and fifty nine patients with cirrhosis who were admitted at Peerless Hospitex Hospital and Research Center, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, during a 24 month period. One hundred and nineteen of these patients either had an infection at the time of admission or developed infection during hospitalization. Forty patients did not have an infection at admission and did not acquire infection while admitted. Data was collected about demographics, etiology of cirrhosis, liver and renal function and microbiology. RESULTS: Infections were community acquired in 27.7% of patients, healthcare associated in 52.9% and nosocomial in 19.3%. Gram negative bacilli (Escherichia coli 47.4% Klebsiella pneumoniae 23%) were common. 84.9% of enterobacteriaceae produced ESBL, AmpC or Carbapenemases. Spontaneous bacteria peritonitis (SBP) and urinary tract infection (UTI) were the most common sites of infection. In hospital mortality was 21.9%. Non-survivors had higher MELD (26 vs 19, p<0.001) and CTP scores (11.7 vs 10.3, p<0.001). The control group had lower MELD (16.65 vs. 20.8, p<0.001) and CTP scores (9.25 vs 10.59, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: MDR infections are common in patients with cirrhosis and have serious implications for treatment and outcomes.

Intense blue upconversion emission and intrinsic optical bistability in Tm3+/Yb3+/Zn2+ tridoped YVO4 phosphors.

Tm3+/Yb3+/Zn2+:yttrium metavanadate (YVO4) phosphors prepared through chemical coprecipitation and the solid state reaction method have been structurally characterized by an x-ray diffraction (XRD) study. Photoluminescence study of the developed phosphors under ultraviolet (UV) and near infrared (NIR) excitation has been performed. The excitation spectrum of the tetragonal zircon type YVO4 phosphors corresponding to the emission at ∼476 nm exhibits a broad excitation peak in the 250-350 nm region, which is due to charge distribution in the [Formula: see text] group. Under 980 nm CW diode laser excitation, enhancements of about ∼3000 times and ∼40 times have been observed for the blue band in the tridoped Tm3+Yb3+Zn2+:YVO4 phosphors compared to those of the Tm3+:YVO4 singly and Tm3+/Yb3+:YVO4 codoped phosphors, respectively. A downconversion (DC) emission study shows an enhancement of about ∼50 times for the blue band in the tridoped phosphors compared to that of the singly doped phosphors. Optical bistability (OB) behavior of the developed phosphors has been also investigated upon 980 nm excitation. The calculated Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage (CIE) color coordinates lie in the blue region with 96.5% color purity under 980 nm excitation, having a color temperature of ∼3400 K. Our observations show that the developed phosphors may be suitably used in dual mode luminescence spectroscopy, display devices, and UV LED chips.

Photoluminescence study in Ho3+/Tm3+/Yb3+/Li+:Gd2(MoO4)3 nanophosphors for near white light emitting diode and security ink applications.

Ho3+/Yb3+/Tm3+/Li+:Gd2(MoO4)3 nanophosphors successfully synthesised via solid state reaction method have been structurally and optically characterised. Under 980 nm diode laser excitation the nanophosphors emit intense blue, green, red and NIR emissions peaking at ∼476 nm, ∼543 nm, ∼646 nm and ∼798 nm corresponding to the 1G4 â†’ 3H6 (Tm3+), 5F4, 5S2 â†’ 5I8 (Ho3+), 5F 5  â†’ 5I8 (Ho3+) and 3H4 â†’ 3H6 (Tm3+) transitions respectively. The upconversion emission intensity enhancement in the Ho3+-Yb3+-Tm3+-Li+:Gd2(MoO4)3 nanophosphors for the green band is found to be ∼367, ∼50 and ∼9 times compared to the singly Ho3+ doped, Ho3+-Yb3+ co-doped and Ho3+-Yb3+-Tm3+ tri-doped Gd2(MoO4)3 nanophosphors. The enhancement observed has been explained on the basis of energy transfer process and local field modifications around the rare earth ions. The energy transfer efficiency ∼5% is determined in the tridoped nanophosphors. The interaction involved between rare earth ions for energy transfer process is found to be dipole-dipole type. On changing the Tm3+ ions concentration the colour emitted from the tridoped nanophosphors is tuned from near white to blue region. In the tridoped nanophosphors, on varying the pump power the colour tunability has been observed.