Molecular characterization of aviadenovirus serotypes and pathogenicity of the identified adenovirus in broiler chickens

Inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) is an economically significant viral disease that primarily affects broiler chickens. At least 12 different aviadenovirus serotypes are responsible for causing IBH. This study aimed to use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and phylogenetic analysis to characterize fowl adenovirus isolates that were in circulation from 2019 to 2021 and investigate the pathogenicity of the isolated strains in commercial broiler chickens. Suspected liver samples were molecularly identified using hexon gene targeting by PCR, and viruses were isolated using chick embryo liver cell culture. For serotype identification, the fowl adenovirus-positive samples were subjected to hexon gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The pathogenicity of two isolates was tested in commercial chickens via the oral route. The phylogenetic analysis of the hexon gene showed that the isolated viruses clustered with serotype 8a species E. On testing the pathogenicity of the isolates based on necropsy and histopathological examination, no mortality was observed; however, lesions were observed in the liver, kidney, heart, pancreas, bursa, and lung specimens with intermittent virus shedding at different time points throughout the experimental period. Further research on the likelihood of vaccine production is warranted to limit disease-related losses

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

The Cholecystectomy As A Day Case (CAAD) Score: A Validated Score of Preoperative Predictors of Successful Day-Case Cholecystectomy Using the CholeS Data Set

Background Day-case surgery is associated with significant patient and cost benefits. However, only 43% of cholecystectomy patients are discharged home the same day. One hypothesis is day-case cholecystectomy rates, defined as patients discharged the same day as their operation, may be improved by better assessment of patients using standard preoperative variables. Methods Data were extracted from a prospectively collected data set of cholecystectomy patients from 166 UK and Irish hospitals (CholeS). Cholecystectomies performed as elective procedures were divided into main (75%) and validation (25%) data sets. Preoperative predictors were identified, and a risk score of failed day case was devised using multivariate logistic regression. Receiver operating curve analysis was used to validate the score in the validation data set. Results Of the 7426 elective cholecystectomies performed, 49% of these were discharged home the same day. Same-day discharge following cholecystectomy was less likely with older patients (OR 0.18, 95% CI 0.15–0.23), higher ASA scores (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.15–0.23), complicated cholelithiasis (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.48), male gender (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.58–0.74), previous acute gallstone-related admissions (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.48–0.60) and preoperative endoscopic intervention (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.34–0.47). The CAAD score was developed using these variables. When applied to the validation subgroup, a CAAD score of ≤5 was associated with 80.8% successful day-case cholecystectomy compared with 19.2% associated with a CAAD score >5 (p < 0.001). Conclusions The CAAD score which utilises data readily available from clinic letters and electronic sources can predict same-day discharges following cholecystectomy

Numerical Prediction Of Ice Crystal Growth Due To Film Flowing Down A Vertical Cooled Plate

A finite volume numerical code has been developed to numerically represent the rate of ice crystal growth in a laminar falling film flowing down a cooled vertical plate. The governing energy equation contains the phase energy as the source term. Enhancement of heat transfer due to suspended ice crystals is accounted for in the use of effective values of thermal conductivity, viscosity, thermal difiusivity, and specific heat as function of volumetric concentration of ice crystals in the falling film. Nusselt number, overall heat transfer coefficient between the fluid and cooled plate, and ice crystal growth rate were calculated for different film thickness with and without axial diffusion. Nusselt number and ice crystal growth rates were found to be dependent on film thickness. Axial diffusion effects were found to be negligible for larger film thickness (large flow rate).35733744Ahuja, A.S., Augmentation of Heat Transport in Laminar Flow of Polystyrene Suspensions -I. Experiment and Results (1975) Journal of Applied Physics, 46, pp. 3408-3416Burns, A.S., Stickler, L.A., Stewart, W.E., Solidification of an Aqueous Salt Solution in a Circular Cylinder (1992) ASME Transactions. J. Heat Transfer, 114, pp. 30-33Charunyakorn, P., Sengupta, S., Roy, S.K., Forced Convection Heat Transfer in Microencapsulated Phase-Change Marterial Slurries: Flow in Circular Duct (1991) Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 34, pp. 819-832Fang, L.J., Cheung, F.B., Linehan, J.H., Pedersen, D.R., Selective Freezing of a Dilute Salt Solution on a Cold Surface (1984) Journal of Heat Transfer, 106, pp. 385-393Hale, D.V., Hoover, M.J., O'Neil, M.J., (1971) Phase-change Materials Handbook, , NASA CR-61363Hart, R., Thornton, F., Microencapsulation of Phase-Change Materials (1982) Final Report Contract No. 82-80, , Department of Energy, OhioKasza, K.E., Chen, M.M., Improvement of the Performance of Solar Energy or Waste Heat Utilization Systems by Using Phase-Change Slurry as an Enhanced Heat-Transfer Storage Fluid (1985) Journal of Solar Energy Engineering, 107, pp. 229-236Leal, L.G., On the Effective Conductivity of Dilute Suspension of Spherical Drops in the Limit of Low Particle Peclet Number (1973) Chem. Engng. Commun, 1, pp. 21-31Levich, V.G., (1962) Physiochemical Hydrodynamics, pp. 669-672. , Engle-wood Cliffs, NJNir, A., Acrivos, A., The Effective Thermal Conductivity of Sheared Suspensions (1976) J. Fluid Mech., 78, pp. 33-48Rutgers, I.R., Relative Viscosity of Suspensions of Rigid Spheres in Neotonian Liquids (1962) Rheologica Acta, 2 (4), pp. 305-348Patankar, S., (1980) Numerical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow, , Hemisphere Publishing Co., New YorkSohn, C.W., Chen, M.M., Heat Transfer Enhancement in Laminar Slurry Pipe Flows with Power Law Thermal Conductivities (1984) Journal of Heat Transfer, 106, pp. 539-542Stewart Jr., W.E., Kaupang, R.L., Tharp, C.G., Wendland, R.D., Stickler, L.A., An Approximate Numerical Model of Falling-Film Ice Crystal Growth for Cool Thermal Energy Storage (1993) ASHRAE Transactions Research, 99 (PART I), pp. 347-354Vand, V., Viscosity of Solutions and Suspensions (1948) J. Phys. Coll. Chem., 52, pp. 300-32