Marine Tar Residues: a Review

Abstract Marine tar residues originate from natural and anthropogenic oil releases into the ocean environment and are formed after liquid petroleum is transformed by weathering, sedimentation, and other processes. Tar balls, tar mats, and tar patties are common examples of marine tar residues and can range in size from millimeters in diameter (tar balls) to several meters in length and width (tar mats). These residues can remain in the ocean envi-ronment indefinitely, decomposing or becoming buried in the sea floor. However, in many cases, they are transported ashore via currents and waves where they pose a concern to coastal recreation activities, the seafood industry and may have negative effects on wildlife. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on marine tar residue formation, transport, degradation, and distribution. Methods of detection and removal of marine tar residues and their possible ecological effects are discussed, in addition to topics of marine tar research that warrant further investigation. Emphasis is placed on ben-thic tar residues, with a focus on the remnants of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in particular, which are still affecting the northern Gulf of Mexico shores years after the leaking submarine well was capped

The Impact of Data Management on the Achievable Dose and Efficiency of Mammography and Radiography During the COVID-19 Era: A Facility-Based Cohort Study

Tarek Mohammed Hegazi,* Abdulaziz Mohammad AlSharydah,* Iba Alfawaz, Afnan Fahad Al-Muhanna, Sarah Yousef Faisal Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology Department, King Fahd Hospital of the University, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Al-Khobar City, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Tarek Mohammed Hegazi, Chairperson of the Radiology Department, King Fahd Hospital of the University, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Khobar City, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, Tel +966-0138966877 (EXT: 2007), Email [email protected]: To evaluate the impact of using computational data management resources and analytical software on radiation doses in mammography and radiography during the COVID-19 pandemic, develop departmental diagnostic reference levels (DRLs), and describe achievable doses (ADs) for mammography and radiography based on measured dose parameters.Patients and Methods: This ambispective cohort study enrolled 795 and 12,115 patients who underwent mammography and radiography, respectively, at the King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar City, Saudi Arabia between May 25 and November 4, 2021. Demographic data were acquired from patients’ electronic medical charts. Data on mammographic and radiographic dose determinants were acquired from the data management software. Based on the time when the data management software was operational in the institute, the study was divided into the pre-implementation and post-implementation phases. Continuous and categorical variables were compared between the two phases using an unpaired t-test and the chi-square test.Results: The median accumulated average glandular dose (AGD; a mammographic dose determinant) in the post-implementation phase was three-fold higher than that in the pre-implementation phase. The average mammographic exposure time in the post-implementation phase was 16.3 ms shorter than that in the pre-implementation phase. Furthermore, the median values of the dose area product ([DAP], a radiographic dose determinant) were 9.72 and 19.4 cGycm2 in the pre-implementation and post-implementation phases, respectively.Conclusion: Although the data management software used in this study helped reduce the radiation exposure time by 16.3 ms in mammography, its impact on the mean accumulated AGD was unfavorable. Similarly, radiographic exposure indices, including DAP, tube voltage, tube current, and exposure time, were not significantly different after the data management software was implemented. Close monitoring of patient radiation doses in mammography and radiography, and dose reduction will become possible if imaging facilities use DRLs and ADs via automated systems.Keywords: average glandular dose, entrance skin dose, dose area product, radiograph, mammogra

Diffuse idiopathic hyperplasia of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in a child

Unilateral diffuse or localized enlargement of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) is an event commonly seen in infancy, and is popularly known as ‘sternocleidomastoid tumor’. The condition, which usually spontaneously resolves with or without physiotherapy, is due to a hematoma following a difficult labor. The muscle regains its elasticity and complete function. In some infants it resolves with fibromatous changes in the muscle leading to shortening, fibrosis and finally culminating in torticollis. We describe a case of idiopathic diffuse enlargement of unilateral SCM in a 12-year-old child without any functional compromise or torticollis. The histopathological and clinical characteristics differentiating it from more commonly described sternocleidomastoid tumor or fibromatosis coli are described. We believe this is the first case report of idiopathic hyperplasia of SCM