Indocyanine Green (ICG) Lymphography Is Superior to Lymphoscintigraphy for Diagnostic Imaging of Early Lymphedema of the Upper Limbs

BACKGROUND: Secondary lymphedema causes swelling in limbs due to lymph retention following lymph node dissection in cancer therapy. Initiation of treatment soon after appearance of edema is very important, but there is no method for early diagnosis of lymphedema. In this study, we compared the utility of four diagnostic imaging methods: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), lymphoscintigraphy, and Indocyanine Green (ICG) lymphography. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between April 2010 and November 2011, we examined 21 female patients (42 arms) with unilateral mild upper limb lymphedema using the four methods. The mean age of the patients was 60.4 years old (35-81 years old). Biopsies of skin and collecting lymphatic vessels were performed in 7 patients who underwent lymphaticovenous anastomosis. RESULTS: The specificity was 1 for all four methods. The sensitivity was 1 in ICG lymphography and MRI, 0.62 in lymphoscintigraphy, and 0.33 in CT. These results show that MRI and ICG lymphography are superior to lymphoscintigraphy or CT for diagnosis of lymphedema. In some cases, biopsy findings suggested abnormalities in skin and lymphatic vessels for which lymphoscintigraphy showed no abnormal findings. ICG lymphography showed a dermal backflow pattern in these cases. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest the importance of dual diagnosis by examination of the lymphatic system using ICG lymphography and evaluation of edema in subcutaneous fat tissue using MRI

Interaction between Engineered Cementitious Composites Lining and Foundation Subsurface Drain

The effect of cyclic loads on the surface profiles of ECC linings cast on foundations comprising crushed stone and compacted soil was investigated. A geotextile was embedded between the crushed stone and ECC lining for some of the samples. After 28 days of water curing, the hardened surfaces were loaded and monitored for roughness and crack development by measuring surface levels and crack widths, respectively. Neither cracking nor significant variations in the lateral profiles were observed on all the samples for all the loads applied. However, significant variations which depended on the foundation types were observed in the vertical profiles. It was concluded that while ECC can resist cracking due to its high strain capacity, its flexibility causes ECC linings to assume the shape of the foundation material, which can increase the surface roughness at certain loading configurations

Diagnostic Assessment in the Wet and Dry Seasons of Simple Weirs Constructed by Small-Scale Farmers in the Northern Region Provinces of Zambia

An intervention recently made in Zambia is the promotion of small-scale irrigation using simple weirs, which aims to encourage small-scale farmers in the country’s rural areas to engage in irrigated food production throughout the dry season. This irrigation method relies on conventional weirs to divert the river’s flow. This study was carried out in three northern region provinces of Zambia between November 2022 and January 2023 to conduct a functional diagnostic assessment of simple weirs during the dry and rainy seasons. In this study, 15 simple weirs were chosen for investigation. The goal of this study was to determine their physical status, identify their problems and scope, and evaluate simple weirs’ potential for river water diversion. According to this study, 26% of the weirs had broken sections and 67% were in excellent condition (being recently maintained and restored). Despite the challenges mentioned earlier, farmers have continued to construct them because they cannot afford to purchase stone or concrete irrigation structures due to the location and/or small-scale area available for irrigation development. Simple weirs may act as a beneficial supplement to irrigation technologies. The use of local building materials and the use of traditional skills is encouraged by this technology