The electrification of process industries is one of the main challenges when building a low-carbon society since they consume huge amounts of fossil fuel generating different emissions. Heat pumps are one of the instruments to perform industrial sector of carbon-neutral market players. This paper proposes an approach to improve the economic feasibility of heat pumps within the process plants. Initial energy targeting with Grand Composite Curves was used and supplemented with the detailed design of the evaporator and compressor for different condensation and evaporation pressures. The trade-off between the capital cost of the heat pump and the electricity cost was investigated and optimal configurations were selected. The case study investigates the gas fractioning unit of a polymer plant where three heat pumps were integrated into distillation columns. The results demonstrated that the heat recovery is 174 MW and requires an additional 37.9 MW of electricity to reduce hot utility by 212 MW. The selection of evaporation and condensation pressure of heat pumps allows saving of 21.5 M€/y for 7 years of plant operation.

The effects of anisotropic properties (wettability and roughness) on microgroove surfaces in pool boiling heat transfer using Novec-7100 as a working fluid were experimentally investigated. The idea of introducing the concept of anisotropic wettability in boiling experiments draws inspiration from biphilic surfaces. The investigation is also motivated by two-phase immersion cooling, which involves phase-change heat transfer by using dielectric liquid as a working fluid. Very few studies have focused on the effects of surfaces with anisotropic properties on boiling performance. Thus, this study aims to examine the pool boiling heat transfer performance on surfaces with microgroove-induced anisotropic properties under the saturation condition. A femtosecond laser–texturing method was employed to create microgroove surfaces with different groove spacing. The results indicated that anisotropic properties affected the heat transfer coefficient and critical heat flux. Relative to the plain surface, microgroove surfaces enhanced the heat transfer performance due to the increased number of bubble nucleation sites and higher bubble detachment frequency. An analysis of bubble dynamics under different surface conditions was conducted with the assistance of high-speed images. The microgroove surface with groove spacing of 100 μm maximally increased the BHTC by 37% compared to the plain surface. Finally, the CHF results derived from experiments were compared with related empirical correlations. Good agreement was achieved between the results and the prediction correlation.

Introduction: Heat is a kinetic process whereby energy flows from between two systems; hot-to-cold objects. In oro-dental implantology, conductive heat transfer/(or thermal stress) is a complex physical phenomenon to analyze and consider in treatment planning. Hence, ample research has attempted to measure heat-production to avoid over-heating during bone-cutting and -drilling for titanium (Ti) implant-site preparation and insertion, thereby preventing/minimizing early (as well as delayed) implant-related complications and failure. Objective: Given the low bone-thermal conductivity whereby heat generated by osteotomies is not effectively dissipated and tends to remain within the surrounding tissue (peri-implant), increasing the possibility of thermal-injury; this work attempts to obtain an exact analytical solution of the heat equation under exponential thermal-stress, modeling transient heat transfer and temperature changes in Ti implants upon hot-liquid intake. Materials and Methods: We investigate the impact of the material, the location point along implant length, and the exposure time of the thermal load on temperature changes. Results: Despite its simplicity, the presented solution contains all the physics and reproduces the key features obtained in previous numerical analyses studies. To the best of knowledge, this is the first introduction of the intrinsic time, a “proper” time that characterizes the geometry of the dental implant, where we show, mathematically and graphically, how the interplay between “proper” time and exposure time influences temperature changes in Ti implants, under the suitable initial and boundary conditions. Conclusions: This work aspires to accurately complement the overall clinical diagnostic and treatment plan for enhanced bone-implant interface, implant stability and success rates, whether for immediate or delayed loading strategies.

Electric heating and solid thermal storage system (EHSTSS) is widely used in district clean heating and the flexibility adjustment of combined heat and power (CHP) unit. It has been an effective way to absorb renewable energy. Aiming at the thermal design calculation and experimental verification of EHSTSS, the thermal calculation and the heat transfer characteristics of the EHSTSS are investigated in this paper. Firstly, a thermal calculation method for the EHSTSS is proposed in the paper. The calculation flow and calculation method for key parameters of heating system, heat storage system, heat exchange system and fan-circulating system in the EHSTSS are studied. Then, the instantaneous heat transfer characteristics of the thermal storage system (TSS) in the EHSTSS are analyzed, and the heat transfer process of ESS is simulated by FLUENT software. The uniform temperature distribution in the heat storage and release process of the TSS verifies the good heat transfer characteristics of the EHSTSS. Finally, EHSTSS test verification platform is built, and the historical operation data of the EHSTSS is analyzed. During the heating and release thermal process, the maximum temperature standard deviation of each temperature measurement point is 28.3℃ and 59℃respectively. The correctness of the thermal calculation of the EHSTSS is verified.

The growing market penetration of heat pumps indicates the need for a performance test method which better reflects the dynamic behavior of heat pumps. In this contribution, we developed and implemented a dynamic test method for the evaluation of the seasonal performance of heat pumps by means of laboratory testing. Current standards force the heat pump control inactive by fixing the compressor speed. In contrast, during dynamic testing, the compressor runs unfixed while the heat pump is subjected to a temperature profile. The profile consists of the different outdoor temperatures of a typical heating season based on the average European climate and also includes temperature changes to reflect the dynamic behavior of the heat pump. The seasonal performance can be directly obtained from the measured heating energy and electricity consumption making subsequent data interpolation and recalculation with correction factors obsolete. The method delivers results with high precision and high reproducibility and could be an appropriate method for a fair rating of heat pumps.

The aim of this research involves investigating the elimination of nitrogen ions from groundwater through the application of dynamic permeable reactive barriers (PRB) utilizing A400-nZVI. The aim also implyies determining barrier parameters, as well as assessing the overall retention capacity of nitrogen ions through percolation with a potassium nitrate solution. The research involves obtaining zero valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI), which were synthesized and doped onto an anionic resin support material (A400) through the reduction reaction of ferrous ions with sodium borohydride (NaBH4). This was achieved by preparing a ferrous sulfate solution, contacting it with the ion exchange resin at various solid-liquid mass ratios, and gradually adding sodium borohydride under continuous stirring in an oxygen-free environment to create the A400-nZVI barrier. The outcomes of this study, focusing on the development of permeable reactive barriers composed of nanovalent iron and ion exchangers, demonstrate significant potential in purification processes when appropriately dimensioned. The research specifically evaluated the efficacy of NO3- removal using the A400-nZVI permeable reactive barrier, conducting laboratory tests that simulated a naturally stratified aquifer with high nitrate contamination.

Abstract: Female pelvic floor dysfunction (FPFD) is a series of conditions caused by the displacement or dysfunction of the patient's pelvic organs due to defects, injuries, and deterioration of the pelvic floor supportive structures, with stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse being the most common. The mechanism of pelvic floor dysfunction is complex and not yet fully understood, and is often related to one or more functional abnormalities of muscles, connective tissues, fascia, nerves and blood vessels. Specialized clinicians are often unable to cover the comprehensive medical professional information of various specialties such as gynecology and obstetrics, urology, anus and intestines, imaging, etc., and the systematic and comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of the disease will be limited. The application of artificial intelligence concepts in the medical field not only improves the diagnostic efficiency of physicians, but also provides reference and basis for the development of comprehensive treatment programs. This article follows and draws on the diagnosis and treatment process of pelvic floor dysfunction recommended in various guidelines, incorporates physical therapy techniques into the conventional non-surgical treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction, provides guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction, and briefly introduces the clinical application and value of pelvic floor intelligent diagnosis and treatment in pelvic floor dysfunction.

.Celiac disease (CeD) is a chronic, autoimmune disorder triggered by the ingestion of gluten, affecting around 1% of the global population. It is a multifactorial disease involving both genetics and environ-mental factors. Nowadays, the only available treatment for CeD is a life-long gluten-free diet (GFD), which can cause a significant burden for patients, since symptoms and mucosal injury can persist de-spite apparent compliance with a GFD. That could also lead to psychological consequences and affect the quality of life of these patients. Thankfully, recent advances in understanding the pathogenesis of CeD and the availability of various targets have made it feasible to explore pharmaceutical treatments specific to CeD. Recently, the FDA has highlighted the unmet needs of adult patients on GFD who expe-rience ongoing symptoms attributed to CeD and also show persistent duodenal villous atrophy. This re-view will outline the limitations of a GFD, describe the targets of potential novel treatment of CeD and provide an overview of the primary clinical trials involving oral and injectable agents for a non-dietary treatment of CeD.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a common metabolic disease characterised by insulin resistance and elevated blood glucose levels, affecting millions of people worldwide. T2DM patients with dyslipidaemia have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). A complex interplay of risk factors such as hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, obesity, inflammation and oxidative stress favour the development of atherosclerosis, a central mechanism in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Dyslipidaemia, a hallmark of T2DM, is characterised by elevated triglycerides, decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and the presence of small, dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles, all of which promote atherosclerosis. In this article, we have attempted to present various treatment strategies that include pharmacological interventions such as statins, ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors, fibrates and omega-3 fatty acids. We have also tried to highlight the pivotal role of lifestyle modifications, including physical activity and dietary changes, in improving lipid profiles and overall cardiovascular health in T2DM patients. We have also tried to present the latest clinical guidelines for the management of dyslipidaemia in T2DM patients. In conclusion, the treatment of dyslipidaemia in T2DM patients is of great importance as it lowers lipid particle levels, slows the progression of atherosclerosis and ultimately reduces susceptibility to cardiovascular disease.

The Double U-pipe ground heat exchanger, recognized for its straightforward process, cost-effectiveness, high heat exchange efficiency, and low thermal resistance, stands as the predominant ground heat exchanger type in today's shallow geothermal energy development and utilization. Recent years have seen significant research into the heat transfer influencing factors and heat exchange performance of Double U-pipe ground heat ex-changers via experimental testing methods. Yet, studies integrating numerical simulation with in-situ testing have been less frequent. Drawing on the cylindrical heat source model theory and the outcomes of regional in-situ thermal response tests, this paper develops a Double U-pipe ground heat transfer model by establishing physical, mathematical, and heat transfer geometric models. It assesses the impact of varying inlet temperatures, flow rates, and initial ground temperatures on heat exchange efficiency under heating conditions. The results validate the precision of the double U-pipe ground heat exchanger model based on in-situ testing. They show that enhancing the temperature differential between the inlet and initial temperatures, elevating the initial ground temperature, and moderately increasing the flow rate can boost the system's heat exchange efficiency.

The ability to control the temperature distribution T(t,r) and the rate of temperature change Rt,r inside glasses is important for their microstructuring. The lattice temperature is considered at time t, exceeding the electron-phonon thermalization time, and at a distance r from the center of the model spherical heating zone. In order to describe thermal excitations, the heat capacity of glasses must be considered as a function of time due to its long-term relaxation. A method for analytical calculation of T(t,r) and R(t,r) for glasses with dynamic heat capacity cdyn(t) is proposed. It is shown that during laser microstructuring the local cooling rate -R(t,r) significantly depends on the time dispersion of cdyn(t). It has been established that at the periphery of the model heating zone of the laser beam focus, the local cooling rate can reach more than 1011 K/s. Strong cooling rate gradients were found at the periphery of the heating zone, affecting the microstructure of the material. This effect is significantly enhanced by the time dispersion of cdyn(t). The effect associated with this time dispersion is significant even well above the glass transition temperature Tg, since even short relaxation times of the dynamic heat capacity cdyn(t) are significant.

With the development of energy internet, integrated energy system can effectively reduce carbon emissions and improve the utilization of renewable energy. In this paper, a low-carbon optimal scheduling model of integrated energy system considering heat loss of heat network pipeline is proposed. Based on the study of concentrating solar power (CSP) plant and heat storage tank (HS), an optimal scheduling model is established, which takes system operation cost, environmental pollution and penalty cost of abandoning wind and solar energy as objectives. Through the analysis of example results, it is proved that the model proposed in this paper can achieve the goal of reliable, low-carbon and economic operation of the system. At the same time, it shows that CSP unit can reduce the operation cost of system and increase energy coupling and utilization.

The object of this work is to determine the correlation on the Nusselt number on the individual rows of a four-row tubular finned heat exchanger with continuous fins with a staggered tube arrangement using CFD modelling. Correlations for calculating Darcy-Weisbach friction factors on individual tube rows were also determined. Relationships for the Nusselt number and friction factor derived for the entire exchanger based on CFD modelling were compared with those available in the literature determined using experimental data. The maximum relative differences between the Nusselt number for a four-row exchanger determined experimentally and by CFD modelling are in the range from 22% for a Reynolds number based on a tube's outside diameter of 1,000 to 30% for a Reynolds number of 13,000. The maximum relative differences between the friction factor for a four-row exchanger determined experimentally and by CFD modelling are in the range of 50% for a Reynolds number based on a tube outer diameter of 1,000 to 10% for a Reynolds number of 13,000. The CFD modeling performed shows that in the range of Reynolds numbers based on hydraulic diameters from 150 to 1,400, the Nusselt number for the first row in a four-row finned heat exchanger is about 22% to 15% higher than the average Nusselt number for the entire exchanger. In the range of Reynolds number changes based on hydraulic diameter from 2,800 to 6,000, the Nusselt numbers on the first and second rows of tubes are close to each other. Correlations on Nusselt numbers and friction factors derived for individual tube rows can be used in the design of plate-fin and tube heat exchangers used in equipment such as air-source heat pumps, automotive radiators, air-conditioning systems and in air hot-liquid coolers. In particular, the correlations can be used to select the optimum number of tube rows in the exchanger.

The aim of the study was to compare the standard baseline imaging, with extended radiological staging. To assess our hypothesis, we performed a prospective, single-centre study which included 132 participants recruited between October 2015 and March 2020. Descriptive statistics, the Friedman and chi-squared tests were performed and p < 0.05 was considered significant. Patients were grouped into two cohorts, CT scan cohort (n=87) and PET-CT cohort (n=43). In the first group the originally determined disease stage changed in 36.8 % of cases, in second group in 51.2 %. The consistency between assessment of axillary lymph nodes by imaging (cN) and the postoperative pathology report (pN) was evaluated. In most cases, clinical and pathological evaluation of involved nodes was consistent, for CT scan the result was χ2(1) = 18.98; p < 0.001, for PET-CT the result was χ2(1) = 6.41; p = 0.03. Highly customized radiation therapy defined as dose boost within the involved lymph nodes, not covered by surgeon, was applied in nine patients.

MRI is the gold standard for treatment response assessment in glioblastoma. However, there is no consensus regarding the optimal interval for MRI follow-up during standard treatment. Moreover, reliable assessment of treatment response is hindered by the occurrence of pseudoprogression. It is unknown if a radiological follow-up strategy with 2-3 months intervals actually benefits patients and how it influences clinical decision making about continuation or discontinuation of treatment. This study assessed the consequences of scheduled follow-up scans (post-chemoradiotherapy [post-CCRT], after 3 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy [TMZ3/6], after completion of treatment [TMZ6/6]) and unscheduled scans on treatment decisions during standard concomitant and adjuvant treatment in glioblastoma patients. Additionally, we evaluated how often follow-up scans resulted in diagnostic uncertainty (tumor progression versus pseudoprogression), and whether perfusion MRI improved clinical decision making. Scheduled follow-up scans during standard treatment in glioblastoma patients rarely resulted in early termination of treatment (2.3% post-CCRT, 3.2% TMZ3/6, and 7.8% TMZ6/6), but introduced diagnostic uncertainty in 27.7% of cases. Unscheduled scans resulted in more major treatment consequences (30%; p<0.001). Perfusion MRI caused less diagnostic uncertainty (p=0.021) but did not influence treatment consequences (p=0.871). This study does not support the current pragmatic follow-up strategy and suggests a more tailored follow-up approach.

An essential metric for determining the efficacy of tuberculosis (TB) control programs is the evaluation of TB treatment outcomes. Assessing treatment outcomes is fundamental to facilitating the End TB Strategy set target. Clinic records from 457 patients with DR-TB were examined for data collection while 101 patients were followed up prospectively. Data were analyzed using Stata version 17.0. The odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated to check the association between variables. P ≤ 0.05 was con-sidered statistically significant. Of the 427 participants, 65.8% had successful treatment whilst 34.2% had unsuccessful TB treatment. A total of 61.2% and 39% of the HIV-positive and HIV-negative participants had a successful TB treatment whilst 66% and 34% of both HIV-negative and positive participants had unsuccessful TB treatment. From 101 patients that were followed up, smokers had longer treatment outcomes compared to non-smokers. In the study with HIV/TB co-infection, men predominated. HIV and tuberculosis co-infection made therapy difficult with unfavorable effects on TB management. The treatment success rate (65.8%) is lower than the WHO threshold standard with a high proportion of patients lost to follow-up. The co-infection of tuberculosis and HIV resulted in undesirable treatment outcomes. Strengthening TB surveillance and control is recommended.

VarroMed® is a soft acaricide registered for honey bees on the European Union market since 2017 for Varroa control. Researchers involved were partners of different countries of the Varroa control task force of COLOSS Association. Our goal was to evaluate performances (acaricide efficacy and toxic effects on honey bees) of VarroMed® in different climatic conditions. Our results in the tested apiaries showed an efficacy ranging from 71.2 to 89.3 % in summer/autumn, and from 71.8 % to 95.6 % in winter. No toxic effects on bees were observed, except in one apiary, where severe cold climatic conditions played a crucial role. The treatment could be efficiently applied in brood right as well as in broodless colonies. Integrated pest management (IPM) recommendations for bee-keepers are provided in order to apply the best Varroa control protocol.

This paper investigates a numerical code coupling technique to tackle multi-physics and multi-scale simulations using state-of-the-art software packages that typically address some specific modeling domain. The coupling considers the in-house FEM code, FEMuS, and the FVM code OpenFOAM, by exploiting the MED library from the SALOME platform. The present approach is tested on a buoyancy-driven fluid flow within a square cavity, where the buoyancy force constitutes the coupling term. In uncoupled scenarios, momentum and temperature equations are solved both in FEM and FVM codes without data exchange. In the coupled setting, only the OpenFOAM velocity and the FEMuS temperature fields are solved separately and shared at each time step (or vice versa). The MED library handles the coupling with the addition of suitable ad-hoc data structures that perform the field transfer between codes. Different Rayleigh numbers are investigated, comparing the outcomes of coupled and uncoupled cases with reference literature results. Additionally, a boundary data transfer application is presented to extend the capabilities of the coupling algorithm to coupled applications with separate domains. In this problem, the two domains share interfaces and boundary values on specific fields as fluxes are exchanged between the two numerical codes.

Heat stress results in significant economic losses to the poultry industry. Genetics plays an important role in chickens adapting to the warming environment. Physiological parameters, including hematochemical parameters, change in response to heat stress in chickens. To explore the genetics of heat stress resilience in chickens, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted using Hy-Line Brown (HLB) layer chicks treated with either high ambient temperature or combined high temperature and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection. Hematochemical parameters were measured during three treatment phases: acute heat stress, chronic heat stress, and chronic heat stress combined with NDV infection. Significant changes in blood parameters were recorded for 11 parameters across the three treatments. The GWAS revealed 39 significant SNPs (P < 0.05) for 7 parameters, located on Gallus gallus chromosomes (GGA) 1, 3, 4, 6, 11, and 12. The significant genomic regions were further investigated to examine if the genes within the regions were associated with the corresponding traits under heat stress. A candidate gene list including genes in the identified genomic regions that were also differentially expressed in chicken tissues under heat stress was generated. Understanding the correlation between genetic variants and resilience to heat stress is an important step in improving heat tolerance in poultry.

Hay and straw are commonly used materials in agriculture. They are organic materials and therefore flammable. This article examines the behaviour of hay and straw when exposed to radiant heat. The objective of this study is to experimentally determine the ignition temperature of hay and straw under the influence of radiant heat. The research investigates the effects of sample type (hay and straw) and sample quantity on the thermal degradation process, temperature increase within the samples, and ignition temperature of the samples as a function of time. The ignition temperature of hay was determined to be higher (407°C) compared to straw (380°C). The results did not demonstrate a significant correlation between sample type and the thermal degradation process or the ignition temperature of hay and straw.

Anode bonding is a widely used method for fabricating devices with suspended structures, and this approach is often combined with deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) for releasing the device. However, the DRIE process with a glass substrate can potentially cause two critical issues: heat accumulation on the suspended surface and charging effects resulting from the reflection of charged particles from the glass substrate. In particular, for torsional bars with narrow width, the heat accumulated on the suspended surface may not dissipate efficiently, leading to photoresist burning and subsequently resulting in the fracture of the torsional bars. Moreover, once etching is finished through the silicon diaphragm, the glass surface becomes charged, and incoming ions are reflected towards the back of the silicon, resulting in the etching of the back surface. To address these issues, we proposed a method of growing silicon oxide on the back of the device layer. By designing, simulating, and fabricating electrostatic torsional micromirrors with common cavity silicon-on-glass (SOG) structures, we successfully validated the feasibility of this approach. This approach ensures effective heat dissipation on the suspended surface, even when the structure is over-etched for an extended period, and enables the complete etching of torsional bars without adverse effects due to the overheating problem. Additionally, the oxide layer can block ions from reaching the glass surface, thus avoiding the charging effect commonly observed in SOG structures during DRIE.

Space shuttle has been a hall mark of American space program since its inception. Despite its temporary shutdown few years ago, with the recent interest in space exploration which includes revitalizing human outpost in microgravity and transportation required to build it, realize other experiments (e.g. in space telescopes, in space manufacturing) and interplanetary voyages, it has regained attention. Its superior design, manufacturing, materials, performance, durability, and efficiency place it among the best, in fact, the only effort by mankind to build a reusable craft horizontally, launch vertically like a rocket and fly back like a plane. Various requirements emerge during its design (thermal, fluid, acoustics, vibration and structural) and design of its main engine (Aerojet Rocketdyne RS 25) which requires considerable attention, heat transfer being most important. This facilitated and necessitated use of various types of heat exchangers such as single coil, heat pipe, built in internal heat exchanger (IHEX), external heat exchanger (EHEX), condensing heat exchanger (CHEX), Interface heat exchangers (InHEX), regenerative heat exchanger (RHEX) and compact heat exchangers (CoHEX), change, manipulate and optimize their configurations in piping and instrumentation diagrams (PIDs). In this short narrative, an effort has been made to summarize them, and their developments over time with a focus on the application, design, manufacturing, materials, and performance (in service and final operation).

The purpose of this study is to check out the involvement of entropy in Mpemba effect. Provided that preheating of the water the cooling duration is reduced, we theoretically show that water gains more entropy when warmed and re-cooled to the original temperature.

Fermenter is a vessel that maintains optimum environment for the development of significant microorganism used in large scale fermentation process and the commercial production of products like Alcoholic beverages, Enzymes, Antibiotics, Organic acids etc. The fermenter aims to produce biological product like vaccines and hormones, it is necessary to monitor and control the different parameters like external and internal mass transfer, heat transfer, fluid velocity, shear stress, agitation speed, aeration rate, cooling rate or heating intensity, and the feeding rate, nutrients, base or acid valve. Fermentation in the fermenter are accomplished in several configuration and these simple configurations are batch, fed-batch and continuous fermentation process. Fermentation process is carried out in small or large size fermenter depending on product quantity. The selection of the suitable process depends on the fermentation kinetics, type of microorganism used and process economic aspects. Improved modelling tools, reactor operation and reactor design in bioreactor is because of mass transfer behavior and it is important for reaction rate maximizing, throughput rates optimization and cost minimizing. The fermenter design, fermentation process, types of the fermenter that are used in industries and heat and mass transfer in fermenter is discussed.

In the present paper, laminar forced convection nanofluid flows in a uniformly heated horizontal tube were revisited by direct numerical simulations. Single and two-phase models were employed with constant and temperature-dependent properties. Comparisons with experimental data showed that the mixture model performs better than the single-phase model in the all cases studied. Temperature-dependent fluid properties also resulted in a better prediction of the thermal field. A particular attention was paid to the grid arrangement. The two-phase model was used then confidently to investigate the influence of the nanoparticle size on the heat and fluid flow with a particular emphasis on the sedimentation process. Four nanoparticle diameters were considered: 10, 42, 100 and 200 nm for both copper-water and alumina/water nanofluids. For the largest diameter dnp = 200 nm, the Cu nanoparticles were more sedimented by around 80 %, while the Al₂O₃ nanoparticles sedimented only by 2.5 %. Besides, it was found that increasing the Reynolds number improved the heat transfer rate, while it decreased the friction factor allowing the nanoparticles to stay more dispersed in the base fluid. The effect of nanoparticle type on the heat transfer coefficient was also investigated for six different water-based nanofluids. Results showed that the Cu-water nanofluid achieved the highest heat transfer coefficient, followed by C, Al₂O₃, CuO, TiO₂, and SiO₂, respectively. All results were presented and discussed for four different values of the concentration in nanoparticles, namely φ = 0, 0.6, 1 and 1.6%. Empirical correlations for the friction coefficient and the average Nusselt number were also provided summarizing all the presented results.

A sintered wick was formed in a heat pipe through the process of sintering a mixture of copper powder with particle sizes of 100㎛ and 200㎛, mixed with a pore-forming agent. On application to the heat pipes. The thermal resistance of heat pipes containing a sintered wick was calculated for different tilting angles (0°, 45°, and 90°) according to the type of powder, thickness of the sintered wick, and the filling ratio of the working fluid. The heat transfer efficiencies were evaluated through temperature tests. The capillary force, which is closely related to heat transfer efficiency, is determined by the effective pore radius resulting from the sintering of the copper powder. Furthermore, it was observed that the heat transfer performance of the heat pipe was at its best when the working fluid filling ratio was 30%. Additionally, the width of the wick was found to have a direct correlation with the heat transfer performance.

Finnish government's carbon neutrality goal by 2035 requires integration of renewable energy sources into the power grid. Considering the stochasticity of these resources, additional sources of flexibility are necessary to balance supply and demand in the power grid. District heating network (DHN) operators in Finland plan to shut down fossil-fuel-based combined heat and power plants and electrify heating systems by deploying heat pumps (HPs) and electric boilers. Techno-economic analysis and optimal operation of DHN-connected HPs and electric boilers in providing ancillary balancing services considering the 15-minute granularity in the balancing markets in Finland were investigated. The objective was to maximize the potential revenue for DHN operators gained from the day-ahead electricity market and frequency containment reserve (FCR) balancing markets. Three inter-connected DHNs in the Helsinki metropolitan area were optimized considering the reference year 2019 and each operator's decarbonization strategies for 2025. HPs could gain the highest profit from FCR-D up-regulation market, while the electric boiler may gain considerable profits from FCR-D down-regulation market. Compared to other balancing markets studied, the FCR-N market had a limited profit margin. Sensitivity analysis indicated that spot electricity prices and CO2 emission allowance prices have a significant impact on the profit from balancing markets.

The performance of ground heat exchangers systems depends on the knowledge of the thermal parameters of the ground like thermal conductivity, thermal capacity and diffusivity. The knowledge of these parameters often requires quite accurate experimental analysis, known under the name of Thermal Response Test (TRT). In this paper, after a general analysis of the various available types of TRT and the study of the theoretical basics of the method, the perspective of the definition of a simplified routine method of analysis based on the combination of a particular version of TRT and the routine geotechnical tests for the characterization of soil stratigraphy and of the ground characteristics, mandatory before the construction of a new buildings, even if limited to quite short drilling depth (lower than 30 m). The idea of developing TRT in connection with geotechnical test activity has the objective of promoting a widespread use of in-situ experimental analysis and of reducing TRT costs and time duration of the experimental analysis. The considerations exposed in the present paper lead to reconsider a particular variety of the TRT in particular the version known as Thermal Response Test while Drilling (TRTWD).

Pituitary adenomas are benign brain tumors that pose a heavy burden on patients worldwide. However, the local burden of disease is yet to be established due to scarcity of data. In line with this, this study aims to present the challenges and gaps in the treatment of pituitary adenomas in the Philippines. A scoping review of available relevant literature on epidemiology, clinical experience with treatment, health financing, and healthcare delivery system based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-analysis guidelines extension for Scoping Reviews was conducted. The scarcity of updated local clinical data, inequity of distribution of resources, inadequate government support, and lack of affordable diagnostic testing, medications and neurosurgical procedures are the factors that hinder provision of adequate care of pituitary adenomas in the Philippines. There are notable treatment gaps in the management of pituitary adenomas in the Philippines, which may be addressed by strengthening universal healthcare. Strategies to address these gaps were proposed, including improving public-private insurance coverage, increasing manpower, enhancing accessibility to resources, and spreading more awareness.

Introduction: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are low-incidence tumors whose clinical and histopathological factors are associated with adverse oncological outcomes. This study evaluated prognostic factors (PF) associated with tumor recurrence and overall survival (OS) in patients diagnosed with STS of the extremities, treated at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INC), Bogotá, Colombia. Materials and methods: An analytical observational study of a historical cohort was carried out, including patients diagnosed with STS and managed surgically in the Functional Unit for Breast and Soft Tissue Tumors of the INC from January 2008 to December 2018. Results: A total of 227 patients were included; 74.5% had tumors greater than 5 cm. Most patients (29.1%) were in stage IIIB at diagnosis. Age was associated with higher mortality (HR=1.01; CI95%: 1–1.02; p=0.048); tumor persistence at admission to the INC (HR=2.34; CI95%: 1.25–4.35; p=0.007), and histologic grade III (HR=5.36; CI95%: 2.29–12.56; p=<0.001) showed statistical significance in the multivariate analysis for recurrence of any type, as were the PFs associated with a higher risk of local recurrence (HR=2.85; CI95%: 1.23–6.57; p=0.014 and HR=6.09; CI95%: 2.03–18.2; p=0.001), respectively. Tumor size (HR=1.03; CI95%: 1–1.06; p=0.015) and histologic grade III (HR=4.53; CI95%: 1.42–14.49; p=0.011) were associated with a higher risk of distant recurrence. Conclusion: This cohort showed that in addition to histologic grade and tumor size, tumor persistence at the time of admission has an impact on disease recurrence, so STS should be managed by a multidisciplinary team with experience in this pathology in high-volume reference centers.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common congenital infection worldwide, affecting between 0.7% and 1% of all live births. Approximately 11% of infected newborns are symptomatic at birth, and between 30% and 40% of these are at risk of developing long-term neurological sequelae. Until recently, the lack of an effective treatment did not justify universal testing of pregnant women. In recent years, however, valacyclovir at a dose of 8 g/day has been shown to be effective in preventing vertical transmission, and ganciclovir has been shown to be effective in preventing long-term sequelae in the treatment of symptomatic neonates. The aim of this article is to review congenital CMV infection, from its epidemiology to its treatment, using the most recent studies in the literature, and to help in the decision to modify protocols for universal testing of pregnant women according to the possibilities of each locality.

Borreliosis is a widely spreading bacterial infection caused by corkscrew-shaped spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi transmitted via the bite of an infected tick. The disease manifests in three stages: early localized, early disseminated, and late stages. Clinical symptoms range from non-specific erythema migrans, fever, fatigue, etc. to system-specific features like carditis, peripheral nerve palsy, etc. The diagnosis mainly relies on clinical findings and serologic testing is done for disease confirmation. The treatment of Lyme disease is an antibiotic with doxycycline as the primary choice. Prophylactic doxycycline is given under specific criteria. Here, we describe a case of a 64-year-old Indian male diagnosed with Lyme disease.

In a pre-post-treatment design, this feasibility study examines the effects of twelve weekly online Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement (ATM) lessons on somatosensory tinnitus (ST), which is often associated with physical issues like neck pain. Two professional Feldenkrais teachers led online ATM lessons in two groups for a total of seventeen participants. Before and after treatment, we assessed tinnitus distress (using the Tinnitus Questionnaire, TQ), interoceptive awareness, and the short WHO quality-of-life questionnaire. We collected weekly changes in tinnitus severity (using the Tinnitus Functional Index, TFI) and neck pain (using the Neck Bournemouth Questionnaire), and assessed state anxiety and perceived tinnitus intensity directly before and after each ATM. Importantly, we found a significant reduction in tinnitus distress along with significant individual differences. Linear mixed-model analyses further suggest an overall decrease in tinnitus severity and neck pain over time. Notably, individual reductions in TFI correlated with reduced neck pain, and reductions in TQ correlated with increased interoceptive awareness. Although this study is limited in patient number, it provides valuable information about the characteristics of patients with ST and suggests a new method to reduce neck pain and perceived tinnitus in the comfort of patients’ homes. However, further studies are necessary to verify these results and to compare the effectiveness with conventional therapy approaches.

Protein synthesis has been a very rich target for developing classes of drugs to control prokaryotic and eukaryotic pathogens. Despite the development of new drug formulations, treating human cutaneous and visceral Leishmaniasis still needs significant improvement due to considerable side effects and low adherence to the usual treatment regimen. In this work, we show that the di-substituted urea-derived compound I-17 is effective in inhibiting the promastigote forms and intracellular amastigotes of the Leishmania (L.) amazonensis and L. infantum species, in addition to exhibiting low macrophage cytotoxicity. We also show a potential immunomodulatory effect of I-17 in infected macrophages, which exhibited increased expression of inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS2) and Nitric Oxide (NO) production. Our data suggest that I-17 and new derivatives of this compound may be helpful in developing new drugs for treating leishmaniasis.

Probiotics are now being looked at as a possible addition to cancer treatments in both study and clinical settings. This study tries to give an overview of probiotic research as it relates to cancer, with a focus on how it might help avoid cancer, treat it, and improve the health of cancer patients. We look at developmental studies that use cell culture and animal models to look at how well probiotics work in cancer. We focus on how probiotics change the immune system, inflammation, and gut bacteria. The results of clinical studies that looked at probiotics as an add-on therapy for cancer patients are looked at to see how they affected the treatment success, side effects, and quality of life of the patients. We look at the possible benefits of probiotics for certain types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and stomach tumors. We also find the best probiotic strains for each type of cancer. We also look at the synergistic benefits of combining probiotics with standard cancer treatments like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy to improve the effectiveness of treatment and lower side effects. Lastly, we talk about the present problems and future directions of probiotic research for cancer. We focus on personalized methods, ideal doses and treatment plans, finding signs of treatment success, and making probiotic-based therapies. By learning more about how probiotics could be used to treat cancer, we can create personalized, successful, and well-tolerated probiotic treatments to improve cancer outcomes.

Immunology is a branch of medicine that studies the immune system and its pathology. There are known scientific informations, that in medical immunology specific tests performed in the laboratory for diagnosis. In addition good to mention that allergies include medical diagnostic methods such as blood tests. Also there are used for detection the presence and the levels of IgE antibodies. These antibodies are produced by the human immune system in contact with certain allergens. Examples of allergens include for example pollen, house dust, some herbs or molds, some animals and certain foods. If a person has an allergy, their immune system overreacts to an allergen by producing antibodies, called Immunoglobulin E (IgE). Currently within the present describtion aim to discuss some aspects reffering to fungal allergen and mold allergy diagnosis, in a briefly following steps of our purposed shortly review.

The patellofemoral joint (PFJ) is a complex articulation between the patella and the femur, in-volved in the extensor mechanism of the knee. Patellofemoral disorders can be classified into ob-jective patellar instability, potential patellar instability, and patellofemoral pain syndrome. An-atomical factors such as trochlear dysplasia, patella alta, and tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance contribute to instability. Patellofemoral instability can result in various types of dislocations, and the frequency of dislocation can be categorized as recurrent, habitual, or per-manent. Primary patellar dislocation requires diagnostic framing, including physical examina-tion and imaging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is essential for assessing the extent of damage, such as bone bruises, osteochondral fractures, and medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) rupture. Treatment options for primary dislocation include urgent surgery for oste-ochondral fragments or conservative treatment for cases without lesions. Follow-up after treat-ment involves imaging screening and assessing principal and secondary factors of instability. Detecting and addressing these factors is crucial for preventing recurrent dislocations and opti-mizing patient outcomes.

Objective: to create a set of eligibility criteria for the use of MHT in non-gynecological cancer patients. Methods: We searched all articles published in peer-reviewed journals up to March 2021. The PICOS standards were used and the selection criteria as follows: menopausal women of any age with non-gynecological and non-breast cancer receiving HMT, any MHT preparation (oestrogens alone or combined with a progestogen, tibolone or tissue selective oestrogen complex) or any route of administration (oral, transdermal, vaginal or intra-nasal), recurrence and mortality, randomized controlled trials, and related extension studies or follow-up reports. Results: Women colorectal cancer survivors who use MHT have a lower risk of death from any cause than those survivors who do not use MHT. Women Skin Melanoma Survivors Using MHT Have Longer Survival than Non-MHT Survivors. There is no evidence that women lung cancer survivors who use MHT have a different survival rates than those survivors who do not use MHT. Conclusion: MHT is safe in women who have suffered from colorectal, lung or skin melanoma cancers The study was registered at www.prospero.org (CRD42020166658)

Today, enterococci (mainly Enterococcus faecalis) are one of the main causes of infective endocarditis in the world, generally affecting an elderly and fragile population, with a high mortality rate. enterococci are intrinsically resistant to many commonly used antimicrobial agents. All enterococci exhibit decreased susceptibility to penicillin and ampicillin, as well as high-level resistance to most cephalosporins and all semi-synthetic penicillins, as the result of expression of low-affinity penicillin-binding proteins, that precludes an unacceptable number of therapeutic failures with monotherapy with these drugs. For years, the synergistic combination of penicillins and aminoglycosides was the cornerstone of treatment, but the emergence of strains with high resistance to aminoglycosides led to the search for new alternatives, such as dual beta-lactam therapy. The development of multi-drug resistant strains of Enterococcus faecium is a matter of considerable concern due to its probable spread to E. faecalis and have forced the search of new alternatives with the combination of daptomycin, fosfomycin or tigecycline. Some of them have scarce clinical experience and others are still under investigation and will be analyzed in this review. In addition, the need for prolonged treatment (6-8 weeks) to avoid relapses has led to the consideration of viable options such as outpatient parenteral therapies or long-acting administrations with the new lipoglycopeptides (dalbavancin or oritavancin), and sequential oral treatments, which will also be discussed.

Monkeypox virus was named so because of its detection in monkeys in 1958. It belongs to the same family as smallpox and chickenpox viruses. There had been numerous outbreaks of this malady initially in the African continent and other parts of the world. The simultaneous spread in nineteen countries in 2022 has raised some serious concerns.Monkeypox is no more a rare disease and has the potential for bioweapon use. We discuss the various ways to prevent its spread, treatment options available, diagnosis, and differentiation from other closely related diseases. We also discuss if the present outbreak could be a bioattack or if this disease is here to stay.The literature suggests that we can effectively manage Monkeypox because of the availability of drugs and vaccination against smallpox. There is also a need for active surveillance against the new resistant recombinant viral strains. The possibility of this outbreak being a bioattack seems remote, although there are questions about the transmission which still need to be answered.

In this work, we demonstrate that cutting diamond crystals with a laser (532 nm wavelength, 0.5 mJ energy, 200 ns pulse duration at 15 kHz) produces a ≲20nm thick surface layer with magnetic order at room temperature. We have measured the magnetic moment with a SQUID magnetometer of six natural and six CVD diamond crystals of different size, nitrogen content and surface orientations. A robust ferromagnetic response at 300 K is observed only for crystals that were cut with the laser along the (100) surface orientation. The magnetic signals are much weaker for the (110) and negligible for the (111) orientations. We attribute the magnetic order to the disordered graphite layer produced by the laser at the diamond surface. The ferromagnetic signal vanished after chemical etching or after moderate temperature annealing. The obtained results indicate that laser treatment of diamond may pave the way to create ferromagnetic spots at its surface.

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) is widely used for studying proteins and protein-containing objects. However, it is employed most frequently as a qualitative method rather than a quantitative one. In this paper, we show the feasibility of routine digital image acquisition and mathematical processing of electrophoregrams for protein quantification. Both the well-studied model protein molecules (bovine serum albumin) and more complex real-world protein-based products (casein-containing isolate for sports nutrition), which were subjected to mechanical activation in a planetary ball mill to obtain samples characterized by different protein denaturation degrees, were used as study objects. Protein quantification in the mechanically activated samples was carried out. The degree of destruction of individual protein was shown to be higher compared to that of protein-containing mixture after mechanical treatment for an identical amount of time. The methodological approach used in this study can serve as guidance for other researchers who would like to use electrophoresis for protein quantification both in individual form and in protein mixtures. The findings prove that photographic imaging of gels followed by mathematical data processing can be applied for analyzing the electrophoretic data.

One of the biggest threats we face globally is the emergence of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria, which runs in parallel with a lack in the development of new antimicrobials. Among these AMR bacteria, pathogens belonging to the ESKAPE group can be highlighted (Enterococcus spp, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter spp) due to their profile of drug resistance and virulence. Therefore, innovative lines of treatment must be developed for these bacteria. In this review, we summarize the different strategies for the treatment and study of molecular mechanisms of AMR in the ESKAPE pathogens based on the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins' technologies: loss of plasmid or cellular viability, random mutation or gene deletion as well directed mutations that lead to a gene's loss of function.

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a growing global concern, threatening human and environ-mental health, particularly among urban populations. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are thought to be “hotspots” for antibiotic resistance dissemination. The conditions of WWTPs, in conjunction with the persistence of commonly used antibiotics, may favor the selection and trans-fer of resistance genes among bacterial populations. WWTPs provide an important ecological niche to examine the spread of antibiotic resistance. We used heterotrophic plate count methods to identify phenotypically resistant cultivable portions of these bacterial communities and charac-terized the composition of the culturable subset of these populations. Resistant taxa were more abundant in raw sewage and wastewater before the biological aeration treatment stage. While some antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) were detectable downstream of treated wastewater re-lease, these organisms are not enriched relative to effluent-free upstream water, indicating effi-cient removal during treatment. Combined culture-dependent and culture-independent analyses revealed a stark difference in community composition between culturable fractions and the envi-ronmental source material, irrespective of culturing conditions. Higher proportions of the envi-ronmental populations were recovered than predicted by the widely accepted 1% culturability paradigm. These results represent baseline abundance and compositional data for ARB commu-nities for reference in future studies addressing the dissemination of antibiotic resistance associ-ated with urban wastewater treatment ecosystems.

Application of native PGPR as bio inoculant is an alternative sustainable agricultural practice to enhance crop productivity, grain quality, and soil fertility. In this view, a study was to examine the effect of either individual or consortium PGPR inoculation on growth, yield, and grain nutrient uptake of two teff varieties. The pot experiment was carried out in (CRD) three replication and 10 treatments. The PGPR inoculants used in this study were Pseudomonas fluorescens biotype G, Enterobacter cloacae ss disolvens, and Serratia marcescens ss marcescen and their consortium. Dukem and Magna varieties were used in this study. The results of the analysis of variance showed significant differences (P ≤ 0.001) among the treatment and most of the agronomic traits except number of fertile tillers and also significant different (P ≤ 0.01) for grain P and N uptake. The variety was significantly affected grain Mg, Zn and Fe uptake at 5 % probability level and did not significantly influence all agronomic traits of the two varieties. Furthermore, interaction effects of two factors (TM*VT) were significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) for plant height and panicle length. Individual treatments mean comparison results showed that inoculation of native PGPR consortium significantly affected most of the PGP traits at (P ≤ 0.05). The maximum traits like plant height (189cm), panicle length (66.7cm), shoot dry biomass (9.98g), root dry biomass (2.90g) and grain yield per plant (4.55g) were observed from Dz-01-196. It could be concluded that the consortium of native PGPR inoculants for plant growth, yield and grain nutrient uptake improvement performed better than their individual strain.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are the mostly seen mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal system. This rare tumor in duodenum is seen 5%. The diagnosis and treatment is hard because of its rarity and location. Case: A 63-year-old man with a solid mass at the third part of the duodenum, and local segmental resection of the tumor was performed. The histopathology was reported as gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the duodenum with negative surgical margins. Discussion: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors at the duodenum are seen rarely. They can be asymptomatic or may involve symptoms of upper GI bleeding and abdominal pain at presentation. Because of the misleading clinical presentation the differential diagnosis may be difficult. Tumors less than 2 cm can be followed by endoscopic ultrasound. Local segmental resection with 1cm clear margin is the treatment choice.

Introduction In sacubitril-valsartan (sacub/v), the effects of an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) exerted by valsartan are strengthened by the addition of sacubitril, an inhibitor of neutral endopeptidases. PARADIGM - HF study proved this association to be superior to enalapril in reducing both all-cause death and cardiovascular mortality, as well as heart failure (HF) hospitalizations in patients with cardiac insufficiency and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction( HFREF) belonging to NYHA class II-IV. To test whether even in our experience sacub/v is associated with favorable outcomes concerning mortality and morbidity, an outpatient small population of HFREF patients was retrospectively studied, of whom one third was treated with sacub/v instead of conventional therapy with ACE -inhibitors or ARBs. Methods A retrospective cohort study was carried out to assess the effects of sacub/v in addition to beta-blocker and mineral receptor antagonist (MRA) in a group of HFREF patients in NYHA classes II-III compared with conventional therapy (comprising ACE inhibitor or ARB added to beta-blocker plus a MRA) administered in a second group of HFREF patients with comparable clinical features retrospectively enrolled as controls. In the two groups, the therapeutic regimen was established in accordance with the preferences of the treating physician. Additionally, in both groups, evidence-based drug therapy was supplemented by the adjunct of a loop diuretic, usually furosemide, at variable doses. The primary outcomes of interest were all-cause death and HF hospitalizations. Safety outcomes were symptomatic hypotension, angioedema, hyperkalemia and worsening renal function. Results Mortality at six months was 6.8% in patients under therapy with sacub/v versus 34% in those treated with conventional therapy (odds ratio[OR] = 0.14; 95% CI: 0.04-0.49). Moreover, HF hospitalizations in the observation period considered were 4.5% in sacub/v group versus 59% in the conventional therapy group (OR = 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01–0.14). Safety outcomes included in our study (angioedema, hyperkalemia, hypotension and worsening renal function) showed a comparable profile in the two groups, with evidence of good tolerability of sacub/v , except for the side - effect " hypotension" (PAS < 100 mm Hg) , found in 15.9% of patients under sacub/v versus 5.7% reported in controls (OR = 3.14; 95% CI: 0.94–10.55). Conclusions In our experience, sacub/v has yielded a strong protection against both all-cause death and HF hospitalizations at six months , in the absence of significant noxious side effects. Nevertheless, considering the retrospective character of the study and the relatively exiguous sample size, further post marketing observational studies would be desirable . In particular, studies aiming at exploring safety of the new pharmacologic principle, namely mainly focusing on hypotension and angioedema, are warranted, in order to validate further this very efficacious molecule for therapy of chronic HF, especially stable HFREF in NYHA classes II-III.

Thin film transistors (TFTs) using In-Ga-Zn Oxide (IGZO) as active layer and the gate insulator was treated with NH3 plasma and N2O plasma, respectively, which is fabricated on flexible PI substrate in this work. The performance of IGZO TFTs with different plasma species and treatment time are investigated and compared. The experiment results show that the plasma species and treatment time play an important role in the threshold voltage, field-effect mobility, Ion/Ioff ratio, sub-threshold swing (SS) and bias stress stability of the devices. The TFT with a 10 seconds NH3 plasma treatment shows the best performance; specifically, threshold voltage of 0.34 V, field-effect mobility of 15.97 cm2/Vs, Ion/Ioff ratio of 6.33×107, and sub-threshold swing of 0.36 V/dec. The proposed flexible IGZO-TFTs in this paper can be used as driving devices in the next-generation flexible displays.

Although suicide is a major public health issue worldwide, we understand little of the onset and development of suicidal behavior. Suicidal behavior is argued to be the end result of the complex interaction between psychological, social and biological factors. Epidemiological studies resulted in a range of risk factors for suicidal behavior, but we do not yet understand how their interaction increases the risk for suicidal behavior. A new approach called network analysis can help us better understand this process as it allows to visualize and quantify complex association between many different symptoms or risk factors. A network analysis of data contain information on suicidal patients can help us understand how risk factors interact and how their interaction is related to suicidal thoughts and behaviour. A network perspective has been successfully applied to the field of depression and psychosis, but not yet to the field of suicidology. In this theoretical article, I will introduce the concept of network analysis to the field of suicide prevention, and offer directions for future applications and studies.

In response to the growing need for efficient energy conversion technologies, this pa-per introduces an innovative Tubular Thermoelectric Generator (TTEG), specifically de-signed for high-efficiency conversion of waste heat into electrical energy. Unlike conven-tional flat plate thermoelectric generators (FTEGs), the TTEG incorporates full-ring ther-moelectric elements within a tubular layout, offering a novel approach to thermal energy recovery from fluid-based systems. This design significantly enhances the heat transfer capabilities, thereby improving the efficiency of energy conversion. Comprehensive simulations and analyses form the core of this study, where the per-formance of the TTEG is rigorously compared with traditional FTEGs. These comparisons highlight the advantages of the tubular design in terms of energy conversion efficiency and practical applicability in various scenarios. The findings reveal that the TTEG not only outperforms its flat plate counterparts but also presents a scalable and adaptable so-lution for waste heat recovery in a wide range of industrial and automotive applications. This research contributes to the field of energy science and technology by presenting a detailed experimental setup, complete with reproducible procedures and results. It opens new pathways for the development of more sustainable and efficient energy conversion systems, aligning with the goal of harnessing renewable and sustainable energy sources. The potential applications of this technology in enhancing energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact are vast, making it a significant step forward in the quest for clean and sustainable energy solutions.

Lyme disease is a highly prevalent tick-borne infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes in North America and Eurasia. Diagnosis of the early disease remains difficult with the currently approved serological tests in the absence of noticeable tick bite or erythema migrans due to presentation of non-specific symptoms and the absence of antibodies early in infection. Furthermore, it is difficult to distinguish persistence of disease and reinfection in the endemic regions. If not treated early, infection spreads throughout the body and affects most organs with disease manifestations including arthritis, musculoskeletal pain, neuroborreliosis and acrodermatitis chronicum atrophicans. Although most patients recover after antibiotic treatment, ~10-12% of show recurrence of symptoms known as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS). Various causes of PTLDS are not well-defined; however, the spirochete persisters, antigenic debris, dysregulation of immunological response in individuals or a combination of these factors are proposed to result in continuation of Lyme disease manifestations. Based on these considerations, this review highlights currently employed treatment approaches with antimicrobials and vaccines being tried for prevention of B. burgdorferi infection. We also summarize combinatorial approaches that could be employed to alleviate symptoms to improve the quality of life of the individuals suffering from long Lyme disease.

Solid spent nuclear fuel from nuclear power plants has 3.4% fission products (80-160amu), contributing to over 99.8% radioactivity. On the other hand, liquid high-level radioactive waste (HLRW) from spent fuel reprocessing has 98.9% bulk elements (0-60amu) with 0.1% radioactivity. A separation mechanism on the mass categories as groups presents unique opportunities in managing HLRW for the long term with a considerable cost reduction. This paper proposes a thermal plasma-based separation system incorporating atmospheric pressure plasma torches for HLRW mass separation into low-resolution mass groups. Several engineering issues, such as waste preparation, waste injection into the plasma and waste collecting after mass separation, need to be addressed. Using COMSOL Multiphysics simulation, the generic system can be studied using noble gas mass separation and further analyze the mass filter capabilities. This paper provides the history of plasma-based mass separation. Functional modelling of a thermal plasma mass separation system is proposed under atmospheric pressure. Finally, aspects of mass separation simulation using noble gas Argon and Helium inside the plasma mass separation system were studied in COMSOL Multiphysics.

We have suggested earlier a new sustainable method for permafrost thermal stabilization that combines passive screening of solar radiation and precipitation with active solar-powered cooling of the near-surface soil layer thus preventing heat penetration in depth. Feasibility of this method has been shown by calculations, but needed experimental proof. In this article, we are presenting the results of soil temperature measurements obtained at the experimental implementation of this method outside of the permafrost area which actually meant higher thermal loads than in Polar Regions. We have shown that near-surface soil layer is kept frozen during the whole summer, even at air temperatures exceeding +30°C. Therefore, the method has been experimentally proven to be capable of sustaining soil frozen even in more extreme conditions than expected in permafrost areas. In addition to usual building and structure thermal stabilization, the method could be used to prevent the development of thermokarst, gas emission craters, and landslides; greenhouse gases, chemical, and biological pollution from the upper thawing layers at least in the area of human activities; protection against coastal erosion; and permafrost restoration after wildfires. Using commercially widely available components, the technology can be scaled up for virtually any size objects.

The design complexity of the new generation of civil aero-engines results in higher demands on engines’ components, higher component temperature, higher heat generation, and, finally, critical thermal management issues. This paper will propose a methodological approach to create physics-based models for heat loads developed by sources as well as a systematic sensitivity analysis to identify the effects of design parameters on the thermal behaviour of civil aero-engines. The ranges and levels of heat loads generated by heat sources (e.g., accessory gearbox, bearing, pumps, etc.) and heat absorption capacity of heat sinks (e.g., engine fuel, oil, and air) are discussed systematically. The practical research challenges for thermal management system design and development for the new and next generation of turbofan engines will then be addressed through a sensitivity analysis of the heat load values as well as the heat sinks flow rates. The potential solutions for thermal performance enhancements of propulsion systems will be proposed and discussed accordingly.

Regeneratively cooled scramjet has already been successfully verified as propulsion device for hypersonic vehicle. As a result, dynamic process of flow and heat transfer in cooling channel is commonly occurred which may bring hazard and control difficulties for scramjet. To study transient flow and heat transfer process in cooling channel, a dynamic numerical model is established. Dynamic characteristics of flow and heat transfer under different conditions are calculated and discussed, which includes change of inlet fuel mass flow, heat flux and pressure working conditions. Results show that stable time of cooling channel outlet fuel temperature is related to the change rate of inlet mass flow and heat flux. The stable time of outlet fuel temperature under heat flux decreasing working conditions are about 12.5 s. The initial response of working pressure fluctuation will lead to fuel temperature fluctuation, which has little effect on wall temperature.

Background: Musculoskeletal pain is a non-negligible multifaceted condition affecting more than 30% of the global population. Superficial heat therapy (HT) through increasing tissues temperatures plays a role in increasing local metabolism and function and relieving pain. Knee pain and sports represent two relevant fields of superficial HT application. Methods: In the present paper a panel of experts performed a narrative review of the literature regarding the role of superficial HT in the management of knee pain and sport activities. Results: According to the reviewed literature, HT represents a therapeutic option in the management of musculoskeletal pain due to three main effects: pain relief, promotion of healing and return to normal function and activity. Moreover, HT plays a role in sport activities both before and after exercise. Before performing sports, HT helps in preparing muscles for performance. After performing sports, it is capable to promote recovery and healing pathways. Combining and sequencing superficial heat and cold therapy represent an interesting topic of study. Overall, application of heat wraps for superficial HT can be considered safe. Conclusions: Despite being an ancient method, HT shows to be a potentially beneficial and safe option in the management of several conditions including KP and sports. The key in the application of superficial HT is a multimodal and multidisciplinary approach.

This paper proposes a simulation technique for investigating the battery thermal management system based direct refrigerant cooling (BTMS-DRC). It employs finite element method for a combined-conduction-convection heat transfer to predict the module temperature and to prove the temperature uniformity. The refrigerant side cooling is based on the two-phase flow evaporation which is represented by the convection heat transfer (flow evaporation) under a certain refrigerant saturation temperature. The battery heat generation is modeled as the constant heat flux. The main module is modeled as the conduction heat transfer. The real BTMS-DRC is constructed for experimentation with the test bench which is based on the dual-evaporators vapour compression refrigeration system. The simulated result is validated with the experimental results to ensure the correction of the modelling. The simulation also investigates the impact of the heat generation, convection heat transfer coefficient, refrigerant saturation temperature, and thermal conductivity on the module temperature and temperature uniformity. It is found that the simulated results agree well with the experimental results. The errors are around 2.9 - 7.2% throughout the specified working conditions. Overall, the proposed technique can be used as a design tool for further developing the BTMS-DRC.

Geothermal energy is likely to be a significant contributor in achieving sustainable energy goals and net-zero emissions targets. Within geothermal power plants, heat exchangers play a critical role in harnessing this renewable energy source. However, these heat exchangers encounter significant challenges when exposed to geothermal fluids, including erosion, corrosion, and scaling, which adversely affects their performance and longevity. The current review focuses on surface engineering techniques, particularly coatings, as a highly effective and economically viable solution to address these challenges in geothermal heat exchangers. The review begins by providing an overview of geothermal energy, its significance in the context of sustainability and the important role played by heat exchangers in geothermal power generation, followed by the challenges and their impact on heat exchangers. The subsequent section focuses on surface engineering by coatings and its types employed to enhance the performance of heat exchangers. In the final part, the reader is presented with an overview of the challenges associated with the application of coatings in geothermal heat exchangers and potential future directions in this field. This review offers a detailed understanding of the critical role coatings play in improving the efficiency and service life of heat exchangers in geothermal power plants.

Is HSP-27 an emerging marker of good prognosis in septic shock patients – a pilot study Objective To estimate the value of serum changes of C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, presepsin, heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio in assessing the prognosis in patients with septic shock (SS) treated in intensive care unit. Methods The SS was diagnosed and treated in accordance with the guidelines of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign. 37 selected adult patients with SS were included. Serum concentrations of biomarkers were measured at admission and daily for 4 consecutive days (time points T0,T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively). The mortality rate was determined 28 days after admission. Patients were divided into survivor and non-survivor groups according to their mortality. The differences between the levels of biomarkers at the T0 and T4 time points were analyzed. Results The mean value of the SOFA score on admission was 11.7 ± 2.7, and the APACHE II scale 29.9 ± 6.85. Nine patients died. Univariate logistic analysis revealed that changes between T0 and T4 time points of presepsin, procalcytonin, and HSP27 were associated with prognosis. A multivariate Cox analysis showed that an increase in HSP27 on T4 was the only independent predictor of good prognosis in SS patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for HSP27 was 0.785. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the mortality was lower (p=0.014) in patients who had an increase in HSP27 on T4 compared to those whose serum HSP27 did not increase on T4. Conclusions The increase of HSP27 level on the 4th day predicts favorable outcome in SS patients.

The heritage of ancient buildings is an important part of the world's history and culture, which has an extremely rich historical-cultural value and artistic research value. Beijing has a large number of palace ancient buildings, and because of the age of their construction, many of them have problems of varying degrees of peeling and mold on the inner surfaces of the envelope. To solve the problems of the damp and moldy interior of palace buildings, a mathematical model of indoor heat and moisture transfer was established based on a wooden palace ancient building in Beijing. Through the indoor mold distribution validation model, the effects of outdoor humidity, soil moisture, wall humidity, and other factors on the indoor heat and moisture transfer of ancient buildings were simulated and analyzed by using the control variables method. The results showed that the molds were distributed at the indoor corners and floors, and the simulation of indoor humidity match the measured humidity. Thus, the simulation results were consistent with the actual situation. The variable trend of the relative humidity of the indoor environment with the outdoor humidity is inconsistent from plane to plane, i.e. it increases or remains constant with the increase of the outdoor humidity. The indoor ambient relative humidity increased with increasing the wall humidity. And the indoor average temperature is 23.3 ℃ and indoor relative humidity ranged between 90.9 % to 92.44 %. Soil moisture and wall humidity were the main factors affecting the indoor environmental relative humidity.

Demand for development of the convergence industry, research studies on electrical conductivity, thermal characteristics, semiconductors, motors, and batteries using special materials have come to the fore. Meanwhile, molybdenum (Mo) exhibits relatively small inorganic qualities, and the thermal conductivity rate is applied to various fields. In this study, in-depth characteristics were considered regarding the concentration of thermal characteristics, IR car terminal characteristics, and IR ve-hicles. This study calculated each phase temperature of the molybdenum sputtered specimens in the steady state according to the heat transfer theory. When the molybdenum-sputtered fabric’s metal layer pointed to the outside air, the heat transfer rate (Q) was high at 5748.3W, In contrast, if the molybdenum sputtered film’s metal layer of the pointed toward the heat source, the heat transfer rate (Q) was low at 187.1W. As a result of measuring the IR transmittance, the infrared transmit-tance of the molybdenum sputtering-treated sample was significantly reduced compared to the untreated sample. In the case of untreated samples, the transmittance ranged from 92.7 to 42.0%. When only the cross part was treated with molybdenum sputtering and the molybdenum surface was directed toward the IR irradiator, the IR transmittance was 66.8~0.7%. It is believed that the molybdenum sputtering polyamide samples produced in this study can be applied to multifunc-tional military wear, biosignal detection sensors, semiconductor products, batteries, etc., by utilizing excellent electrical properties, stealth functions, IR blocking properties, and lightness for infrared thermal imaging detectors.

Thin-wall heat pipe is an efficient heat transfer component, which has been widely used in the field of heat dissipation of high-power electronic equipment in recent years. In this study, the orange peel morphology defect of thin-wall heat pipes after bending deformation was analyzed both for the macro 3D profile and for the micro-formation mechanism. The results show that after high temperature sintering treatment, the matrix grains of heat pipe are coarsened seriously and formed a strong Goss texture, while a certain annealing twins with the unique Copper orientation are retained. The distribution of Schmid factor value subjected to the uniaxial stress indicate the inhomogeneity of intergranular deformation exist among the annealing twins and matrix grains. The annealing twin exhibit a “hard-oriented” component during the deformation; thus, it plays a role as barrier and hinder the slipping of dislocation. As the strain accumulates, part of the annealing twins may protrude from the surface of heat pipe, forming a large-scale fluctuation of the surface as the so called the “orange peel” morphology. The 3D profile shows the bulged twins mostly perpendicular to the drawing direction, with about 200-300μm in width and 10-20μm in height.

A quantum Otto engine with a single ion harmonic oscillator as its working substance is studied for an adiabatic operation at high and low temperature limits. Using the universal optimization method, the heat engine is effectively optimized and found to yield better working conditions in some ranges of temperature ratios. Accordingly, the figure of merit, ψ, is found to be greater than unity in the range: 0&lt;β2β1≤0.12; showing that the heat engine performs better in the optimized condition than in the maximum power working condition. ψ is determined to be less than one in the range 0.12≤β2β1≤0.35 under the same temperature limit ; depicting that the maximum power working condition is preferred to the optimized working condition. On the other hand, in the low temperature limit, the figure of merit, ψ, is found to be greater than unity in the range 3.7&lt;ω1ω2≤18; revealing that optimized working condition is better than the maximum power working condition for the heat engine. In the same temperature limit, ψ is found to be less than one in the range 0≤ω1ω2≤3.7; showing that maximum power working condition is preferred to the optimized one. For the model of heat engine studied, in some ranges of temperature ratio, it is found to work better in the optimized condition, whereas in the other ranges it performs better under the maximum power working condition. So, it is possible to switch the engine between the two conditions depending on one’s need.

The study of the influence of the nanoparticle volume fraction and aspect ratio of microchannels on the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics of nanofluids in microchannels is important in the optimal design of heat dissipation systems with high heat flux. In this work, the computational fluid dynamics method was adopted to simulate the flow and heat transfer characteristics of two types of water–Al2O3 nanofluids with two different volume fractions and five types of microchannel heat sinks with different aspect ratios. Results showed that increasing the nanoparticle volume fraction reduced the average temperature of the liquid–solid heat transfer surface and thereby improved the heat transfer capacity of the nanofluids. Meanwhile, the increase of the nanoparticle volume fraction led to a considerable increase in the pumping power of the system. Changing the aspect ratio of the microchannel effectively improved the heat transfer capacity of the heat sink. Moreover, increasing the aspect ratio effectively reduced the average temperature of the heating surface of the heat sink without significantly increasing the flow resistance loss. When the aspect ratio exceeded 30, the heat transfer coefficient did not increase with the increase of the aspect ratio. The results of this work may offer guiding significance for the optimal design of high heat flux microchannel heat sinks.

Photosynthesis is a pivotal process that determines the synthesis of carbohydrates required for sustaining growth under normal or stress situation. Stress exposure reduces the photosynthetic potential owing to the excess synthesis of reactive oxygen species that disturb the proper functioning of photosynthetic apparatus. This decreased photosynthesis is associated with disturbances in carbohydrate metabolism resulting in reduced growth under stress. We evaluated the importance of melatonin in reducing heat stress-induced severity in wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.). The plants were subjected to 25 ˚C (optimum temperature) or 40 ˚C (heat stress) for 15 days at 6 hours time duration and then developed the plants for 30 days. Heat stress led to oxidative stress with increased production of TBARS and H2O2 content and reduced accrual of total soluble sugars, starch and carbohydrate metabolism enzymes which are reflected in reduced photosynthesis. Application of melatonin not only reduced oxidative stress through lowering TBARS and H2O2 content, through augmenting the activity of antioxidative enzymes but also increased the photosynthesis in plant and carbohydrate metabolism that is needed to provide energy and carbon skeleton to the developing plant under stress. However, the increase in these parameters with melatonin was mediated via hydrogen sulfide (H2S), as the inhibition of H2S by hypotaurine (HT; H2S inhibitor) reversed the ameliorative effect of melatonin. This suggests a crosstalk of melatonin and H2S in protecting heat stress-induced photosynthetic inhibition via regulation of carbohydrate metabolism.

Demolished concrete and plastic waste are two increasingly aggravating problems. In this study, a novel method was proposed to simultaneously recycle concrete and plastic wastes by compacting concrete and plastic powders together under pressure and temperature. The influence of compression pressure and temperature as well as the mixture proportion on the bending strength of specimens was investigated. The results showed that pressure and temperature had a positive effect on the specimen strength; however, the molding temperature should not exceed the melting temperature of plastic. The proportion of plastic had a minimal effect on the bending strength of the specimen when plastic accounted for 25%–75% of the overall mass of the test piece.

The calculation of the isobaric heat capacities of the liquid and solid phase of molecules at 298.15 K is presented, applying a universal computer algorithm based on the atom-groups additivity method, using refined atom groups. The atom groups are defined as the molecules' constituting atoms and their immediate neighbourhood. In addition, the hydroxy group of alcohols are further subdivided to take account of the different intermolecular interactions of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols. The evaluation of the groups' contributions has been carried out by means of a fast Gauss-Seidel fitting calculus using experimental data from literature. Plausibility has been tested immediately after each fitting calculation using a 10-fold cross-validation procedure. For the heat capacity of liquids, the respective goodness of fit of the direct (R2) and the cross-validation calculations (Q2) of 0.998 and 0.9975, and the respective standard deviations of 8.2 and 9.16 J/mol/K, together with a medium absolute percentage deviation (MAPD) of 2.69%, based on the experimental data of 1133 compounds, proves the excellent predictive applicability of the present method. The statistical values for the heat capacity of solids are only slightly inferior: for R2 and Q2, the respective values are 0.9915 and 0.9875, the respective standard deviations are 12.19 and 14.13 J/mol/K and the MAPD is 4.65%, based on 732 solids. The predicted heat capacities for a series of liquid and solid compounds has been directly compared to those received by a complementary method based on the "true" molecular volume [1] and their deviations elucidated.

Drying food involves complex physical atmospheric mechanisms with non-linear relations from the air-food interactions and those relations are strongly dependent on the moisture contents and the type of food. Such dependence makes it complex to design suitable dryers dedicated to a single drying process. To streamline the design of a novel compact food-drying machine, a heat pump dryer component design optimization algorithm was developed as a subprogram of a Computer Aided Engineering tool. The algorithm requires inputting food and air properties, the volume of the drying container and the technical specifications of the heat-pump off-the shelf components. The heat required to dehumidify the food supplied by the heat exchange process from condenser to evaporator, and the compressor’s requirements (refrigerant mass flow rate and operating pressures) are then calculated. Compressors can then be selected based in the volume and type of food to be dried. The algorithm is shown via a flow chart to guide the user through 3 different stages: Changes in drying air properties, Heat flow within dryer and Product moisture content. Example results of how different compressors are selected for different type of produces and quantities (Agaricus Blazei mushroom with 3 different moisture contents or fish from Thunnini tribe) conclude this article.

Heating systems such as heat pump and combined heat and power cycle systems (CHP) are representing a key component in the future smart grid. Their capability to couple the electricity and heat sector promises a massive potential to the energy transition. Hence, these systems are continuously studied numerical and experimental to quantify their potential and develop optimal control methods. Although numerical simulations provide time and cost-effective solution for system development and optimization, they are exposed to several uncertainties. Hardware in the loop (HiL) system enables system validation and evaluation under different real-life dynamic constraints and boundary conditions. In this paper, a HiL system of heat pump testbed is presented. This system is used to present two case studies. In the first case, the conventional heat pump testbed operation method is compared to the HiL operation method. Energetic and dynamic analyses are performed to quantify the added value of the HiL and its necessity for dynamics analysis. The second case, the HiL testbed is used to validate the heat pump operation in a single family house participating in a local energy market. It enables not only the dynamics of the heat pump and the space heating circuit to be validated but also the building room temperature. The energetic analysis indicated a deviation of 2% and 5% for heat generation and electricity consumption of the heat pump, respectively. The model dynamics emphasized the model capability to present the dynamics of a real system with a temporal distortion of 3%.

In this work, we experimentally investigate mass and heat transport phenomena in a modular device while converting a solution salinity difference into a temperature difference. Operations occur under fixed total ambient pressure and without mechanical moving parts, thus realizing a fully static conversion. Provided that a constant salinity gradient can be imposed, the proposed device is able to generate a steady cooling capacity. Here, we purposely operate with environmentally benign and easily accessible sodium chloride water solutions only. A numerical model is finally elaborated, validated and used to explore a wider range of possible device configurations and operating conditions.

While the majority of previous studies assessing pain-related variables in psychopaths used electric shocks, little is known about the effectiveness of alternative pain-inducing methods to increase emotional responses such as fear and anxiety. A small sample of healthy undergraduate men (N = 15) was recruited to assess the effectiveness of a heat stimulus to induce pain in an immediate versus delayed punishment paradigm. Although pain catastrophizing, anxiety, and threat of pain did not increase throughout the experiment, participants experienced a significant increase of fear of pain and pain intensity, indicating that the heat stimulus was effective in inducing pain. Furthermore, subjects were slower in initiating the pain stimulus during the first five trials, but no time difference was found during the 15 remaining trials. No correlation was found between psychopathic traits and pain-related variables, with the exception of inconsistent results within the Fearless Dominance factor. Findings are discussed in terms of improvement for a larger scale study involving psychopathic individuals.

The urban heat island (UHI) and its intensity is one of the phenomena that are of determining importance for the comfort of living in cities and their sustainable development in the face of deepening climate change. The study is objectively difficult due to the large dynamics like land cover and the considerable diversity of land use patterns in urban areas. Various approaches and methods are used in research practice, based both on ground measurements and in the use of remote methods and satellite information. However, most of these approaches provide information with problematic spatial and temporal resolution, making them difficult to apply for sustainable urban planning purposes, which require adequate information provision. This paper presents the results of the application of thermal photogrammetry based on the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), combined with geographic information systems (GIS), in the study of surface urban heat island intensity (SUHI), at the local level for the largest housing complex in Bulgaria - Lyulin district of the capital of Sofia city. The studies were carried out during a heat wave in July 2023. A difference of 16.5oC was found between locations with SUHI occurrence and suburban areas. The information benefits of locally addressed data and their direct applicability are discussed to support decision-making processes in the planning and management of urban areas, including their climate adaptation and sustainable development.

Hip fractures are the most frequently treated fractures in the world. Of these, intertrochanteric fractures (ITFs) account for almost 50%. After surgical fixation of ITFs, nonunion is rare. Nonunions are commonly produced from mal-reduction (in varus) and/or inadequate stability of the bone-implant construct and/or fatigue failure of the implants. Other causes of nonunion include posteromedial comminution and osteoporosis. The published incidence of ITF nonunion is 1%-2%. Mechanical complications of ITFs include cut-out, excessive shortening of the proximal femur, delayed union, nonunion, early implant fracture, nail toggle and cut through/medial migration. That is why a fundamental goal in the treatment of ITFs is to achieve stable fixation in osteoporotic bone, allowing early weight bearing. Intraoperative determination of fracture stability is essential. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) clinical practice guidelines for the management of intertrochanteric fractures (ITF) in patients older than 55 years are the following: 1) In patients with stable ITF, the use of either a sliding hip screw (SHS) or a cephalomedullary nail (CMN) is advised (strong strength of evidence). 2) In patients with reverse obliquity fractures, a CMN is recommended (strong strength of evidence). 3) Patients with unstable ITF should be treated with a CMN (strong strength of evidence). 4) In patients with ITF, a short or long CMN may be considered (limited strength of evidence).

Crystalline silver thin layers were obtained by high-energy pulsed laser ablation without heating of the deposition substrate. The fluid Plateau-Rayleigh (PRI), Rayleigh – Taylor (RTI) and Richtmyer – Meshkov (RMI) instabilities, as well as crown splash induced during pulsed laser deposition (PLD) in high energy regime, resulting in ring and pearl shaped structures, offer the benefit of increased sorption surface. These morphological structures obtained for the silver thin layers make them of interest for catalytic applications. The study presented with this work addresses both the fundamental and applied issues on the morphological structures obtained for the silver thin layer and their catalytic function in organic processes. In this sense, the catalytic action of the thin silver layer was highlighted by modifications of the Reactive Blue 21 dye (C.I.) in aqueous solution with sodium bicarbonate. Specific investigations and analyzes were carried out by electron microscopy and elemental analysis (SEM-EDX), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and profilometry, mass spectrometry, ablation plasma diagnosis, diffractograms (XRD), as well as IR spectroscopy (FTIR). In addition to the experimental investigation and analyzes, simulation of the ionization energy threshold was conducted in COMSOL for complementary evaluation on the involved processes and phenomena.

A drug repositioning effort supported the possible use of the anti-HIV drug etravirine as a treatment for Friedreich Ataxia (FRDA). Etravirine increases frataxin protein and corrects the biochemical defects in cells derived from FRDA patients. Because of these findings, and since etravirine displays a favorable safety profile, we conducted this pilot open-label phase 2 clinical trial assessing the safety and potential efficacy of etravirine in FRDA patients. Thirty-five patients were stratified into 3 severity groups and randomized to etravirine 200 mg/day or 400 mg/day. They were treated for 4 months. Efficacy endpoints were represented by changes in peak oxygen uptake and workload as measured by incremental exercise test, SARA score, cardiac measures, measures of QoL and disability. Data were collected 4 months before the start of the treatment (T-4), at the start (T0), at the end (T4) and 4 months after the termination of the treatment (T+4). Etravirine was well tolerated. Etravirine completely stopped the progression of the SARA score during the 4-months treatment period, compared to the 4 months pre and post treatment. It increased peak workload, while the improvement of peak oxygen uptake was not statistically significant. No changes in the cardiac measures were observed. Health and QoL measures showed a worsening at the suspension of the drug. In this open trial etravirine significantly improved neurological function and was generally safe and reasonably tolerated. This suggests that etravirine represents a potential therapeutic agent in FRDA deserving testing in a randomized placebo controlled clinical trial.

Osteoporotic vertebral fracture is the most common fracture from osteoporosis, and are largely undiagnosed due to the mostly asymptomatic nature of the condition. It increases the risk of subsequent fractures and contributes to societal burden. Risk factors for osteoporotic fractures are found in the WHO fracture risk assessment model and used as a tool for monitoring bone health. Vertebral fractures are diagnosed from anteroposterior and lateral spine radiographs and are confirmed with an approximate loss of 20% vertebral height as compared to adjacent vertebrae. One of the most used grading for vertebral fractures is the SQ grading. Mild vertebral fractures could easily be misdiagnosed due to some peculiarities of the vertebral column. CT scan is useful for planning surgical intervention while an MRI scan can provide information about the recency of the fracture and rule out cancer-related fractures. Management depends on the severity of the fracture which could range from conservative management to surgical vertebral augmentation and decompression. Bisphosphonates are used to treat osteoporosis in acute and long-term management of fractures. Osteoimmunological therapies such as denosumab and romosozumab are new therapeutic interventions for osteoporosis while there are many other potential treatment options. Precision medicine provides an individualized treatment approach while regenerative medicine utilizes mesenchymal stem cells for fracture repair.

The consumption of foods with fiber and phenolic compounds can be part of treating obesity through interaction with the gastrointestinal tract. Treatment with common bean leaves (BL) for obesity was evaluated in mice on a high-fat, high-fructose diet (HFFD). The proximal and phytochemical characterization of BL was determined. Obesity was induced with a HFFD for 14 weeks. Immediately after, the animals were supplemented with BL (10%) or standard diet (SD) as a strategy to seem a healthy diet (12 additional weeks). Changes in body composi-tion, lipid profile, and intestinal integrity were analyzed. BL contained 27.2% dietary fiber, total phenolics (475.04 mg/100 g), and saponins (2.2 mg/100 g). The VAT consumption of the BL group decreased by 52% compared to the HFFD group. Additionally, triglyceride concentrations were 23% lower in the BL consumption group compared to the HFFD group. The improvement in lipid profile was attributed to the (1.77-fold) higher fecal lipid excretion in the BL consumption group compared to the HFFD group. Likewise, pancreatic lipase decreased by 29%. Furthermore, BL supplementation reduced the level of IL-6 (4.4-fold) and FITC-dextran in serum by 50% compared with that in the HFFD group. Metabolic endotoxemia was inhibited after BL supplementation (-33%) compared to the HFFD group. BL consumption as a treatment in obese mice reduces adipose tissue accumulation and improves the lipid profile. Furthermore, we report for the first time that BL consumption improves intestinal integrity.

This research investigates the difference on the products obtained through two hydrothermal carbonization treatments. Our aim is to synthesize metal-free, carbon-based catalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) to serve as efficient and cost-effective alternatives to plati-num-based catalysts. Catalysts synthesized using the traditional hydrothermal approach exhibit a higher electrocatalytic activity for ORR in alkaline media, despite a more energy-intensive pro-duction process. The superior performance is attributed to differences in particle morphology and to the chemical composition of the particle surfaces. The presence of functional groups on the surfaces of catalysts obtained via traditional approach significantly enhances ORR activity by fa-cilitating deprotonation reactions in an alkaline environment. Our research aims to be a reference for future investigations, shifting the focus to the fine-tuning of surface chemical compositions and morphologies of metal-free catalysts to enhance ORR activity.

Microbial community succession in raw milk determines its quality and storage period. In this study, carbon dioxide (CO2) at 2000 ppm was used to treat raw milk to investigate the mechanism of extending the shelf life of raw milk by CO2 treatment from the viewpoint of microbial colonies and metabolites. The results showed that the shelf life of CO2-treated raw milk was extended to 16 days at 4 ℃, while that of the control raw milk was only 6 days. Microbiomics analysis identified 221 Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) in raw milk, and the alpha diversity of microbial communities increased (P < 0.05) with the extension of storage time. Among them, Pseudomonas, Actinobacteria and Serratia were the major microbial genus responsible for the deterioration of raw milk, with a percentage of 85.7%. A combined metagenomics and metabolomics analysis revealed that microorganisms altered the levels of metabolites, such as pyruvic acid, glutamic acid, 5'- cmp, arginine, 2-propenoic acid, and phenylalanine in the raw milk through metabolic activities, such as ABC transporters, pyrimidine metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism, and reduced the shelf life of the raw milk. CO2 treatment prolonged the shelf life of the raw milk by inhibiting the abundance of Gram-negative aerobic bacteria, such as Acinetobacter guillouiae, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Serratia liquefaciens and Pseudomonas simiae.

Background The evolution of treatment patterns in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) warrants investigation into the impact of patients’ adherence to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment on visual outcomes. This retrospective, non-randomized, non-comparative study aimed to investigate real-world adherence to anti-VEGF treatment. Methods Patients (eyes) (≥ 50 years) with a diagnosis of nAMD who had a first injection of aflibercept or ranibizumab between January 2016 and December 2018 and 12 months of follow-up were included. Visual acuity (VA; logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution letters) and duration of injection intervals were recorded. Adherence was defined as < 20% of visits deviating from the schedule by ≥ 14 days. Results Overall, 133 patient eyes were included: 129 adherent, 4 non-adherent. Mean (± standard deviation) baseline VA was 57.0 (± 23.6) and 53.8 (± 35.3) letters in adherent and non-adherent patient eyes, respectively. Mean change in VA by month 12 was higher in adherent (6.3 letters) than non-adherent patient eyes (−11 letters). In non-adherent patient eyes, no improvement in VA was recorded following completion of the loading period (month 3). Compared with the previous visit, adherent visits were associated with a mean increase in VA of 0.67 letters and non-adherent visits with a decrease of 2.30 letters. Conclusions These results emphasize the importance of adherence to appropriate dosing regimens to optimize visual outcomes in patients with nAMD.

InGaN-based red micro light-emitting diodes (µLEDs) of different sizes prepared in this work. The red GaN epilayers were grown on a 4-inch sapphire substrate through metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). Etching, sidewall treatment, and p- and n- contact deposition was involved in the fabrication process. Initially, the etching process would cause undesirable damages to the GaN sidewalls, which leads to an increase in leakage current. Hence, we employed KOH wet treatment to rectify the defects on the sidewalls and conducted a comparative and systematic analysis on electrical as well as optical properties. We observed that the µLEDs with a size of 5µm exhibited substantial leakage current, which was effectively mitigated by the application of KOH wet treatment. In terms of optical performance, the arrays with KOH demonstrated improved Light Output Power (LOP). Additionally, while photoelectric performance exhibited a decline with increasing current density, the devices treated with KOH consistently outperformed their counterparts in terms of optoelectronic efficiency. It is noteworthy that the optimized devices displayed enhanced photoelectric characteristics without significantly altering their original peak wavelength and FWHM. Our findings point to the elimination of surface non-radiative recombination by KOH wet treatment, thereby enhancing the performance of small-sized red µLEDs which has significant potential in realizing full-color micro-displays in near-eye projection applications.

Few clinical factors can help predict spontaneous culture conversion (SCC) in patients with Mycobacterium avium complex-pulmonary disease (MAC-PD). We retrospectively classified 373 MPD patients who had undergone watchful waiting without antibiotics according to the so-called ‘body mass index (BMI), age, cavity, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and sex (BACES)’ severity. We evaluated whether lower severity is associated with a higher rate of SCC. Of 373 patients, 153 (41%) achieved SCC without antibiotics during a median follow-up of 48.1 months. There was a trend toward a higher SCC rate in patients with lower BACES severity: 48% (87/183), 37% (58/157), and 24% (8/33) in the mild, moderate, and severe BACES groups, respectively. In addition, a favorable outcome, defined as maintaining SCC or having two consecutive negative sputum cultures until the last follow-up date, was also more common in patients with lower BACES severity with 53% (97/183), 34% (54/157), and 18% (6/33) in the mild, moderate, and severe BACES groups, respectively. In multivariate analysis, moderate (hazard ratio [HR]=0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.44 – 0.91; p = 0.013) and severe BACES (HR 0.37; 95% CI 0.16 – 0.90; p = 0.028) had a significantly negative impact on favorable outcomes compared to mild BACES. Lower BACES severity may be associated with SCC in MAC-PD patients.

Serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) levels can increase in nontuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) and the levels correlate with disease activity. We compared the clinical characteristics of NTM-PD patients with and without elevated CA19-9 levels and evaluated its association with the antibiotic response in a retrospective study of NTM-PD patients diagnosed between January 1994 and December 2020. We analyzed 1,112 patients who had serum CA19-9 measured: 322 with elevated CA19-9 and 790 with normal CA19-9. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher in the elevated CA19-9 group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.029, respectively). The 1-year culture conversion rate after antibiotics did not differ between the elevated (n = 206) and normal (n = 377) CA19-9 groups (80% vs. 72%, p = 0.055). Analysis of a subset of 434 patients revealed that current smoking, bronchiectasis, acid-fast bacilli smear positivity, and the M. abscessus strain significantly reduced microbiological cure rates. Serum CA 19-9 levels did not have a significant association with microbiological cure in a multivariate analysis. These findings suggest that the role of serum CA19-9 in predicting antibiotic treatment outcomes is limited, and that elevated CA19-9 does not necessarily indicate a poor outcome.

Many of the current strategies for removing pollutants from water are based on nanomaterials and 18nanotechnology. Lower values of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5) and Chemical Oxygen De- 19 mand (COD) in water results in reduction in the amount of oxidizable pollutants. We present a study 20 on the reduction of COD and BOD5in water from Wadi El Bey River (Tunisia), using magnetite na- 21 noparticles (MNPs) and magnetic fields. The COD and BOD5 removal reached values higher than 22 50% after 60 min, with optimum efficiency at pH values of ≈8 and for MNPs concentrations of 1 g/L. 23 The use of a permanent magnetic field (0.33 T) showed an increase of COD and BOD5 removal from 2461% to 76% and from 63% to 78%, respectively. This enhancement is discussed in terms of the MNPs 25coagulation induced by the magnetic field and the adsorption of ionic species onto the MNPs sur- 26face due to Fe3O4 affinity.

Algologists and neurologists play a significant role in management of headache. The study aimed to compare the headache management approaches of algologist and neurologists and evaluate the impact of telehealth education on their practices. A questionnaire was developed and sent to algologists and neurologists through social media and email. Demographic information, diagnostic and treatment approaches to a headache case, and the impact of telehealth education were evaluated 82 algologists and 97 neurologists completed the survey. There was no significant difference between diagnosis. However, the examination methods differed, with the neurologists relying on history and the algologists suggesting further investigations. Both groups agreed on the application of prophylaxis treatment, with botulinum toxin administration and classical prophylactic agents being accepted in both groups. The newest preventive treatment method was used more frequently in the Neurologists. Participants reported that online meetings had a positive impact on their daily practices, with 48% stating that they were reflected in their practice. Those who attended online meetings marked more up- to-date treatment options such as CGRP antagonists and Botulinum toxin. The study showed that algologists and neurologists had similar approaches to headache management, with differences in examination methods and the use of newer preventive treatment methods. Telehealth education had a positive impact on the participants, improving their knowledge of up-to-date treatment options.

Treatment of the ADHD types (hyperactive-impulsive, inattentive, and combined) in children has rarely been studied separately, although their prognostic courses differ widely. In addition, data show that improvements in hyperactivity/impulsivity are hard to achieve. Thus, we focused on treatments tailored for hyperactivity/impulsivity. We examined meta-analyses and systematic reviews within the inter- and intra-individual treatments and found that psychoeducation and training for parents, school-based interventions, reinforcement strategies, and neurofeedback consistently showed small to moderate effect sizes in reducing hyperactivity/impulsivity in children. Conversely, emotional self-regulation, social skills, and cognitive trainings showed unsatisfactory results. In summary, we found that the quality of usual care can be surpassed when the designated interventions are purposefully combined into a multimodal treatment program.

Since first described by Dr. Tomisaku Kawasaki in 1967, the clinical diagnosis of Kawasaki disease (KD) has remained relatively unchanged. However, studies since then have suggested that diagnoses using only that original clinical criteria may lead to underdiagnosis. In this review, updated KD diagnostic methods, diagnostic methods for “atypical” KD, diagnostic pitfalls, and other differential diagnoses are discussed. Peripheral blood eosinophil showed important in distinguishing KD from febrile children. We review herein the current literature regarding new biomarkers, scoring systems, and microRNA panels that may aid in the diagnosis of KD, the importance of eosinophil and treatment updates.

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a very rare and potentially life-threatening genetic disease characterized by low levels of C1-INH inhibitor esterase and involving recurrent attacks of non-pruritic angioedema that do not leave subcutaneous or mucosal wells without the presence of hives. It occurs worldwide in 1 in 50,000 to 150,000 individuals and accounts for approximately 2% of clinical angioedema. It affects both sexes equally and can affect all races without ethnic differences. Methods: We conducted a review in Pubmed regarding this disease using keywords such as: hereditary angioedema, guideline, treatment, prophylaxis, management. Results: We analysed 195 articles and we focused our study on 17 reviews about type I of HAE published in English in the last 10 years. Conclusions: Screening among the family members of affected individuals (even if symptoms are absent) is mandatory, since it is a life-threatening condition. Moreover, advances in diagnosis and management have significantly improved the outcomes and quality of life of patients with hereditary angioedema.

Microbial communities inhabiting the human body play a crucial role in protecting the host against pathogens and inflammation. Disruptions to the microbial composition can lead to various health issues. Microbial transfer therapy (MTT) has emerged as a potential treatment option to address such issues. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is the most widely used form of MTT and has been successful in treating several diseases. Another form of MTT is vaginal microbiota transplantation (VMT), which involves transferring vaginal microbiota from a healthy female donor to a diseased patient's vaginal cavity with the goal of restoring normal vaginal microbial composition. However, VMT has not been extensively studied due to safety concerns and a lack of research. This paper explores the therapeutic mechanisms of VMT and discusses future perspectives. Further research is necessary to advance the clinical applications and techniques of VMT.

The human body is inhabited by unique microbial communities that protect and regulate the host against pathogens and inflammation. To address issues related to disrupted microbial composition, microbial transfer therapy (MTT) has emerged as a potential treatment option. The most popular form of MTT is fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), which has been successful in treating various diseases. Another emerging form of MTT is vaginal microbiota transplantation (VMT), transferring of the vaginal microbiota from a healthy female donor to a diseased patient's vaginal cavity, which aims to restore normal vaginal microbial composition. However, VMT is vastly unexplored due to safety concerns and lack of research. This paper explores the mechanisms involved in VMT's therapeutic effect and discusses future perspectives. Further research is needed to advance VMT's clinical applications and techniques.

Background: Gingival enlargement is defined as an abnormal overgrowth of gingival tissues. A case of a 34–year–old female presenting with maxillary chronic inflammatory gingival enlargement associated with a nickel wire allergy is reported here. Replacement of the wire, good oral hygiene therapy and surgical therapy was carried out to provide a good aesthetic outcome. Histopathological evaluation was done of the excised specimen. There is only one similar case reported in literature to the best of our knowledge and ours is the second case. Result: A Histopathological diagnosis of inflammatory fibrous hyperplasia was established. No recurrence was reported at the end of 1 year. Conclusion: The patient should be made aware of the allergy at the initial visit and oral hygiene instructions should be reinforced at every visit. The significance of patient compliance during and following therapy as an important factor in the success of treatment.

Despite the relative scarcity of studies focusing on pharmacotherapy in aphasia, there is evidence in the literature indicating that remediation of language disorders via pharmaceutical agents could be a promising aphasia treatment option. Among the various agents used to treat chronic aphasic deficits, cholinergic drugs have provided interesting results. In the current review, we focused on published reports investigating the impact of acetylcholine on language and further cognitive disturbances. It has been suggested that acetylcholine plays an important role in neuroplasticity and is related to several aspects of cognition, such as memory and attention. Moreover, cholinergic input is diffused to a wide network of cortical areas, which have been associated with language sub-processes. This could be a possible explanation for the positive reported outcomes of cholinergic drugs in aphasia recovery, and specifically in distinct language processes, such as naming and comprehension, as well as overall communication competence. However, evidence with regard to functional alterations in specific brain areas after pharmacotherapy is rather limited. Finally, despite the positive results derived from the relevant studies, cholinergic pharmacotherapy treatment in post-stroke aphasia has not been widely implemented. The present review aims to provide an overview of the existing literature in cholinergic pharmacotherapy interventions in post-stroke aphasia, following an integrated approach by converging evidence from neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and neuropsychology.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an emerging therapeutic option for a variety of diseases, which is characterized as transferring fecal microorganisms from a healthy donor into the intestinal tract of a diseased receipt. In human clinics, FMT has been used for treating diseases for decades with promising results. In recent years, veterinary specialists adapted FMT in canine patients, however, compared to humans, canine FMT is more inclined to research purposes than practical applications in most cases due to safety concerns. Therefore, in order to facilitate the application of fecal transplant therapy in dogs, in this paper, we aimed to review recent application of FMT in canine clinical treatments as well as possible mechanisms that are involved in the process of therapeutic effect of FMT.

Male breast cancers are uncommon, as men account for less than 1 percent of all breast carcinomas. Among the predisposing risk factors for male breast cancer, the following appear to be significant: a) breast/chest radiation exposure, b) estrogen use, diseases associated with hyper-estrogenism, such as cirrhosis or Klinefelter syndrome, and c) family health history. Furthermore, there are clear familial tendencies, with a higher incidence among men who have a large number of female relatives with breast cancer and d) major inheritance susceptibility. Moreover, in families with BRCA mutations, there is an increased risk of male breast cancer, although the risk appears to be greater with inherited BRCA2 mutations than with inherited BRCA1 mutations. Due to diagnostic delays, male breast cancer is more likely to present at an advanced stage. A core biopsy or a fine needle aspiration must be performed to confirm suspicious findings. Infiltrating ductal cancer is the most prevalent form of male breast cancer, while invasive lobular carcinoma is extremely uncommon. Male breast cancer is almost always positive for hormone receptors. A worse prognosis is associated with a more advanced stage at diagnosis for men with breast cancer. And randomized controlled trials which recruit both female and male patients should be developed in order to gain more consistent data on the optimal clinical approach.

Salivarian trypanosomes are extracellular parasites causing anthroponotic and zoonotic infections. Anti-parasite vaccination in considered the only sustainable method for global trypanosomosis control. Unfortunately, not a single field applicable vaccine solution has been successful so far. Active destruction of the host’s adaptive immune system by trypanosomes is believed to contribute to this problem. Here we show Trypanosome brucei brucei infection results in the lasting obliteration of immunological memory, including vaccine-induced memory against non-related pathogens. Using the well-established DTPa vaccine model in combination with a T. b. brucei infection and diminazene diaceturate anti-parasite treatment scheme, our result demonstrate that while the latter ensured the full recovery from the T. b. brucei infection, it failed to restore an efficacious anti-pertussis vaccine recall response. DTPa vaccine failure coincided with a shift in the IgG1/IgG2a anti-pertussis antibody ratio in favor of the latter, and a striking impact on all spleen immune cell populations. Interestingly, an increased plasma IFNy level in DTPa vaccinated trypanosome infected mice did result in a temporary antibody-independent improvement of early-stage trypanosomosis control. In conclusion, our results are the first to show that trypanosome inflicted immune damage is permanent, and is not restored by successful anti-parasite treatment.

Randomized clinical trials represent the gold standard in therapeutic research. Nevertheless, observational cohorts of patients treated for multidrug-resistant (MDR) or rifampin-resistant (RR) tuberculosis (TB) also play an important role in generating evidence to guide MDR/RR TB Generally, summary exposure classifications (e.g., ‘ever versus never’, ‘exposed at baseline’) have been used to characterize drug exposure, in the absence of detailed longitudinal data on MDR-TB regimen These summary classifications, along with an absence of data on covariates that change throughout the course of treatment, constrain researchers’ ability to answer the most relevant questions while accounting for known This paper highlights the importance of regimen changes in improving inference from observational studies of longer MDR-TB treatment regimens and offers an overview of the data and analytic strategies required to do

BACKGROUND: From March to April 2020, Spain was the center of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, particularly Madrid with approximately 30% of the cases in Spain. The aim of this study is to report the suspected serious adverse drug reactions (SADRs) in COVID-19 patients versus non-COVID-19 patients detected by the prospective pharmacovigilance program based on automatic laboratory signals (ALSs) in the hospital (PPLSH) during that period. We also compared the results with the suspected SADRs detected during the same period for 2019. METHODS: All ALSs that reflected potential SADRs (including neutropenia, pancytopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, eosinophilia, leukocytes in cerebrospinal fluid, hepatitis, pancreatitis, acute kidney injury, rhabdomyolysis and hyponatremia were prospectively monitored in hospitalized patients during the study periods. We analyzed the incidence and the distribution of causative drugs for the COVID-19 patients. RESULTS: The incidence rate of SADRs detected in the COVID-19 patients was 760.63 (95% CI 707.89–816.01) per 10,000 patients, 4.75-fold higher than the SADR rate for non-COVID-19 patients (160.15 per 10,000 patients,95% CI 137.09–186.80), and 5.84-fold higher than the SADR rate detected for the same period in 2019 (130.19 per 10,000 patients, 95% CI 109.53–154.36). The most frequently related drugs were tocilizumab (59.84%), dexketoprofen (13.93%), azithromycin (8.43%), lopinavir-ritonavir (7.35%), dexamethasone (7.62%), and chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine (6.91%). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence rate of SADRs detected by the PPSLH in patients with COVID-19 was 4.75-fold higher than that of the non-COVID-19 patients. Caution is recommended when using medications for COVID-19 patients, especially drugs that are hepatotoxic, myotoxic, and those that induce thromboembolic events.

This preprint is focused in the presence of plastics and microplastics in food. We will discuss how many we eat, and how they arrive to the food, and why. We will treat many other things, such as the waste treatment in Europe and in Spain, with updated data; how much plastic waste is generated; what are microplastics and how they are analyzed, I will tell about the experience we have at the University of Alicante (UA); how they can be removed and we will estimate how many we eat over the course of a year.

According to current literature and preliminary data, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) seems potentially effective in the treatment of patients with Covid-19 pneumonia. The concentrations of HCQ in lungs might be well above that of plasma. Most likely, this property of HCQ provides effective drug concentrations in lungs. HCQ has a gradual onset of action in the treatment of rheumatic diseases. This could be valid for the treatment of Covid-19 pneumonia. It was suggested that regular HCQ administration in animals for a certain time might result in gradual accumulation of HCQ in tissues. Reduced perfusion, somewhat distorted architecture of lung tissue, edema and, suggested gradual accumulation of HCQ in lung tissue might cause reduced HCQ concentrations in pneumonic areas of the lungs in Covid-19 pneumonia. Patients with Covid-19 pneumonia and extensive lung involvement might have less HCQ concentrations in their lungs than patients having limited lung involvement. Furthermore, patients with Covid-19 pneumonia and extensive lung involvement might have more viral load than patients having limited lung involvement. That’s why treatment of patients with advanced Covid-19 pneumonia using HCQ might result in treatment failure, however HCQ might be effective in the treatment of patients with mild and moderate Covid-19 pneumonia. Using HCQ in Covid-19 pneumonia prophylaxis seems logical since providing enough accumulation of HCQ in the healthy lungs, before the arrival of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, might prevent Covid-19 pneumonia. However, the purpose of this paper is not to recommend using or not using HCQ for the treatment or for the prophylaxis of Covid-19 pneumonia. The purpose of this paper is only to try to bring a new perspective on the role of HCQ in the treatment or in the prophylaxis of Covid-19 pneumonia. This paper proposes only hypotheses, which need further researches to be confirmed.

Background and Objective: China has managed to control the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) with confinement measurements and treatment strategies, while other countries are struggling to contain the spread. This study discusses the guidelines related to COVID-19 in China in order to provide important references for other countries in the fight against COVID-19. Methods: Chinese guidelines relevant to COVID-19 were systematically searched via the China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, YiMaiTong database, and World Health Organization (WHO) COVID-19 database on March 20^th, 2020. Guideline information was extracted, including date of publication, source, objectives and the target population. Guidelines specific to the pharmacological treatment of COVID-19 were further investigated to identify the types of antivirus drugs recommended and to report on how treatment recommendations for COVID-19 have evolved overtime. Results: A total of 114 guidelines were identified, of which 87 were national guidelines and 27 were regional guidelines. The scope of included guidelines consisted of: the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19, the management of hospital departments and specific diseases during the outbreak of COVID-19. Sixty-four of the included guidelines targeted all COVID-19 patients, while the remaining guidelines concentrated on special patient populations (i.e., geriatric population, pediatric population, and pregnant population) or patients with coexisting diseases. Twenty-three guidelines focused on the pharmacological treatments for all COVID-19 patients. Interferon, Lopinavir/Ritonavir, Ribavirin, Chloroquine, and Umifenovir represented the most recommended antivirus drugs. With the emergence of encouraging results from preclinical and preliminary clinical studies, Chloroquine Phosphate was recommended in the national Diagnosis and Treatment Protocol for Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (6^th version) on February 19^th, 2020. Thereafter, more detailed guidelines regarding the adjustment of dosage regimens and the monitoring of adverse events of Chloroquine Phosphate were published. To date, 8 Chinese guidelines have recommended Chloroquine Phosphate or Hydroxychloroquine as mainstream antivirus drug for the treatment of COVID-19. Conclusions: China has generated a plethora of guidelines covering almost all aspects of COVID-19. Chloroquine, as one widely affordable treatment, holds great potential to become the gold standard choice as more clinical evidence is shared by researchers from China as well as other countries.