Successful Treatment of Acute Invasive Rhino-Orbito-Cerebral Mucormycosis Associated with COVID -19: Case Report and Literature Review

Background and Aim: Mortality associated with post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rhino-orbital cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) is an evolving concern. Association of COVID-19, corticosteroid therapy, and uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (DM) are considered predisposing factors for ROCM. We present two cases of successful treatment leading to patient survival for post-COVID-19, stage 4c-ROCM. Case Presentation: Two middle-aged men with poorly controlled DM were referred to our hospital for post-COVID-19 ROCM. They had received intravenous antivirals and dexamethasone as treatment in a primary center. Both patients had unilateral oculofacial pain and swelling followed by acute visual loss, unilateral proptosis, facial palsy, and trigeminal hypoesthesia. A computed tomography scan revealed opacity and bony erosion of paranasal sinuses (PNS). Obtained specimens confirmed mucormycosis agent on histopathological examination. After the failure of conservative treatments, retrobulbar injections of liposomal-amphotericin B, PNS debridement, and orbital exenteration, both patients developed blurred consciousness owing to the extension of the infection into the intracranial cavity. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed a right frontal lobe abscess in case 1 and a left frontal sinus abscess and involvement in case 2. Both underwent transcranial debridement and resection of necrotic tissue and drainage of the abscess. At follow-up, the patients were in good condition, and the fungal cultures were negative for mucormycosis agents. Conclusion: ROCM may be a complication of COVID-19 in high-risk patients. Control of the patient’s underlying systemic condition and prompt treatment with antifungal agents, along with timely aggressive resection of cerebral abscess and necrotic paranasal tissues, are the mainstays of management for ROCM

Using Space Radiation Shielding Made of Polyethylene instead of Aluminum in GEO Orbit in order to Reduce Weight

One of the damaging factors for the proper functioning of telecommunication payloads are high energy ionizing particles in space, which the use of proper shield is a way to deal with it. In the design of protection, several factors, such as the type of part and the amount of weight acceptable for the payload.etc.must be taken into consideration. In recent years, in order to reduce the costs of construction and launch, the use of non-space components has been favored.Therefore, the use of shields with the suitable material in with radiation resistance, with respect to the weight budget considerations, will be one of the important challenges .In this paper, the aim is to investigate the methods of reducing the weight budget considering with respect to the radiation damage of ionizing dose. In this regard, a five-year technology development mission in the GEO orbit has been predicted, and the results of simulations and testing of aluminum and polyethylene shielding to check ionizing dose damage, according to the initial and reference weight budget, have been presented and compared. The analysis and evaluation of the test results using polyethylene protection shows a 17.21 percentage reduction between the two external and internal radiation meters