Bullet-induced synovitis as a cause of secondary osteoarthritis of the hip joint: a case report and review of literature

Abstract BACKGROUND: With increasing prevalence of gunshot injuries we are seeing more patients with retained bullet fragments lodged in their bodies. Embedded lead bullets are usually considered inert after their kinetic energy has dissipated hence these are not removed routinely. However, exposure of any foreign body to synovial fluid may lead to rapid degradation and hence result in systemic absorption, causing local and systemic symptoms. We present the case of a thirty year old man who came to our out patient department with a history of progressive, severe hip pain ten years after a gun shot injury to his right hip. CONCLUSION: The common belief that intraarticular bullets should not be removed has no benefit and may result in unwanted long term complications

Antipyretic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of methanol extract of root bark of Acacia jacquemontii Benth (Fabaceae) in experimental animals

Purpose: To investigate the ethnomedicinal claims regarding the use of Acacia jacquemontii Benth. (Fabaceae) in fever, pain and inflammation.Methods: The methanol root bark extract (AJRBM) of the plant was used in the studies. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the extract was carried out according to established methods. Analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities were evaluated using acetic acid-induced writhing, carrageennan-induced rat paw edema and Brewer’s yeast-induced pyrexia models, respectively. The extract was administered at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg. Aspirin (300 mg/kg, p.o.) was used as a reference drug in all models. Normal saline (10 mL/kg p.o.) was used as negative control.Results: Phytochemical screening results indicate the presence of cardioactive glycosides, tannins, flavonoids and saponins. In the acetic acid-induced writhing model, the methanol extract exhibited significant (p < 0.05) analgesic effect with 58.98 % reduction in writhing response at a dose of 100 mg/kg, compared with untreated control group. The extract significantly (p < 0.05) reduced carrageenan-induced edema at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg to 36.84 and 47.36 %, respectively, after 1h of extract administration. The extract exhibited predominantly dose-dependent antipyretic effect in Brewer’s yeast-induced pyrexia model. Maximum reduction in body temperature to 37.07 and 38.29 ºC at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg, respectively, was observed, compared with untreated group (38.90 ºC) after 1 h, but this was not significant (p < 0.05).Conclusion: The plant extract exerts inhibitory effect on peripheral pain stimuli, edema and dosedependent anti-pyrexia, and thus justifies the ethnomedicinal use of Acacia jacquemontii Benth. in the management of pain, fever and inflammation.Keywords: Acacia jacquemontii, Antipyretic, Analgesic, Anti-inflammator

Hybrid CV-CC operation of capacitive deionization in comparison with constant current and constant voltage

This research article published by Taylor & Francis Online, 2016Capacitive deionization (CDI) is a technique used to desalinate saline water by means of electrical potential applied to the electrode along both sides of a spacer channel through which water flows. CDI operates either at constant voltage (CV) or at constant current (CC) operation to desalinate saline water. The purity of the water is the main requirement at the outlet of the cell. The lowest effluent concentration is achieved within a very short time by operating the CDI cell at CV, but after that the effluent concentration continues to increase. On the other hand, in CC, the lowest concentration is achieved later as compared with CV, but once it is achieved it continues to remain constant until the target voltage is reached. In this paper, we combine both CV and CC operation to get the lowest concentration for maximum time during the adsorption process so that more desalinated water is produced. We compare hybrid CV-CC and constant voltage and constant current in terms of effluent concentration, energy consumption per ion removal, water recovery, and water quality by varying operational parameters like cell potential. It was observed that ultrapure water can be produced with hybrid CV-CC operation by systematically varying different process parameters like flow rate and cell potential to get better results

Performance optimization of integrated electrochemical capacitive deionization and reverse electrodialysis model through a series pass desorption process

This research article published by Elsevier, 2017A capacitive deionization (CDI) system is one of the emerging desalination technologies used to purify brackish water. It is an electrochemical technology that uses electrically charged porous electrodes to remove salt ions from water. In this study, we developed a process model by integrating CDI with reverse electrodialysis (RED) for the production of pure water and energy. RED is a power generation technology that uses the mixing entropy of water with high and low salt concentrations. Desalination with low energy consumption and high water recovery (WR) was a design preference for this integrated electrochemical model. CDI system was optimized with a series four pass reverse current desorption (RCD) method to achieve WR of almost 96.7% that was previously 50–80% on average. Moreover, an artificial salinity gradient was also produced for RED to generate energy through this four-pass RCD method of CDI. The concentration gain ratio (CGR), WR of CDI, and power density of RED was numerically assessed with different number of desorption passes and for CDI desorption current. WR and CGR value in CDI increased to 96% and 25, respectively, with the increase of number of desorption passes to four. Two stage RED cell system is used to get energy from salinity gradient produced through CDI. Energy consumption of 1.5 kJ/l for pure water production was reduced to 0.58 kJ/l with this purposed integrated four-pass CDI-RED system. This integrated electrochemical system reduced desalination energy consumption as well reducing environmental pollution with an eco-friendly, renewable power generation method and a reduction in the CDI disposal concentration

Analysis of Inertia Effect on Axisymmetric Squeeze Flow of Slightly Viscoelastic Fluid Film between Two Disks by Recursive Approach

In this study, we analyzed the inertia effect on the axisymmetric squeeze flow of slightly viscoelastic fluid film between two disks. A system of nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) in cylindrical coordinates, along with nonhomogenous boundary conditions, illustrates the phenomenon of fluid flow caused by squeezing with the inertia effect. The Langlois recursive approach was applied to obtain the analytical solution of the system having a stream function, axial and radial velocities, pressure distribution, normal and tangential stresses and normal squeeze force. These flow variables are also portrayed graphically to describe the effects of the Reynolds number and slightly viscoelastic parameter. The results show that by increasing the Reynolds number, the velocity profile decreases, and both the pressure distribution and shear stresses increase. Moreover, there is a small increase in normal squeeze force. When the slightly viscoelastic parameter approaches zero, the obtained solution of flow variables matches with the classical results. This study can be applied to understand the mechanism of load-bearing features in thrust bearings and in arthrodial human joint (knee and hip) diseases.Basque Government Grants IT1555-22 and KK-2022/00090; and MCIN/AEI 269.10.13039/501100011033 for Grant PID2021-1235430B-C21/C22

Effective extraction of cephalosporin C from whole fermentation broth of Acremonium chrysogenum utilizing aqueous two phase systems

The downstream processing of biotechnological products from fermentation broth is an important step of production and development of cost effective, efficient downstream processing of many biotechnological products. The present study was conducted by employing aqueous two phase systems (ATPSs) for the extraction of cephalosporin C (CPC) from whole fermentation broth of Acremonium chrysogenum. The biphasic system was prepared by mixing equal aliquots of 15% w/w polyethylene glycol (PEG) 3350 with 15% (NH4)2SO4. The effects of pH, neutral salts, temperature and centrifugal force on partitioning in ATPS to develop efficient extraction system for recovery of CPC from fermentation broth were also examined. The extraction efficiency was improved by enhancing the centrifugal force. Similarly centrifugation for 12.5 min also gave the maximum extraction. Improvement in the recovery yield was also observed by the addition of 0.1% NaCl. The concentration of CPC was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Slight modifications in the mobile phase from 10 to 5% MeOH improved CPC resolution. Further development of more inexpensive systems for extraction can be the future target of research.Keywords: Cephalosporin C, Acremonium chrysogenum, fermentation, aqueous two phase system (ATPS

On the Feature Selection Methods and Reject Option Classifiers for Robust Cancer Prediction

Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality across the globe. Approximately 9.6 million people are estimated to have died due to cancer disease in 2019. Accurate and early prediction of cancer can assist healthcare professionals to devise timely therapeutic innervations to control sufferings and the risk of mortality. Generally, a machine learning (ML) based predictive system in healthcare uses data (genetic profile or clinical parameters) and learning algorithms to predict target values for cancer detection. However, optimization of predictive accuracy is an important endeavor for accurate decision making. Reject Option (RO) classifiers have been used to improve the predictive accuracy of classifiers for cancer like complex problems. In a gene profile all of the features are not important and should be shaved off. ML offers different techniques with their own methodology for feature selection (FS) and the classification results are dependent on the datasets each having its own distribution and features. Therefore, both FS methods and ML algorithms with RO need to be considered for robust classification. The main objective of this study is to optimize three parameters (learning algorithm, FS method and rejection rate) for robust cancer prediction rather than considering two traditional parameters (learning algorithm and rejection rate). The analysis of different FS methods (including t-Test, Las Vegas Filter (LVF), Relief, and Information Gain (IG)) and RO classifiers on different rejection thresholds is performed to investigate the robust predictability of cancer. The three cancer datasets (Colon cancer, Leukemia and Breast cancer) were reduced using different FS methods and each of them were used to analyze the predictability of cancer using different RO classifiers. The results reveal that for each dataset predictive accuracies of RO classifiers were different for different FS methods. The findings based on proposed scheme indicate that, the ML algorithms along with their dependence on suitable FS methods need to be taken into consideration for accurate prediction

Bullet-induced synovitis as a cause of secondary osteoarthritis of the hip joint: A case report and review of literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>With increasing prevalence of gunshot injuries we are seeing more patients with retained bullet fragments lodged in their bodies. Embedded lead bullets are usually considered inert after their kinetic energy has dissipated hence these are not removed routinely. However, exposure of any foreign body to synovial fluid may lead to rapid degradation and hence result in systemic absorption, causing local and systemic symptoms. We present the case of a thirty year old man who came to our out patient department with a history of progressive, severe hip pain ten years after a gun shot injury to his right hip.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The common belief that intraarticular bullets should not be removed has no benefit and may result in unwanted long term complications.</p

Enhancing maize growth and resilience to environmental stress with biochar, gibberellic acid and rhizobacteria

BackgroundZea mays (maize) is a globally significant cereal crop with diverse applications in food, feed, and industrial products. However, maize cultivation is often challenged by environmental stressors such as heavy metal toxicity and drought stress (DS). Heavy metals like cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) can accumulate in soil through industrial activities and improper waste disposal, posing significant threats to plant growth and development. Drought stress further exacerbates these challenges by limiting water availability and affecting physiological processes in plants. This study explores the impact of Cd and Pb toxicity, as well as DS, on maize growth and development, and investigates the potential mitigating effects of various treatments, including gibberellic acid (GA3), biochar (BC), rhizobacteria (RB), and their combinations.MethodsThe experiment involved maize plants subjected to different stress conditions: cadmium (Cd) at concentrations of 0, 6, and 12 ppm, lead (Pb) at 0 and 400 ppm, and drought stress (DS). Treatments included the application of 10 ppm GA3, 0.75% BC, a combined treatment of 10 ppm GA3 and 0.75% BC, rhizobacteria (RB), and a combined treatment of 0.5% BC and RB. The study measured germination rates, shoot and root lengths, and biochemical parameters such as shoot and root protein, phenolics, and chlorophyll contents under these conditions.ResultsIn the absence of Cd stress (0 Cd), the application of 10 ppm GA3 and 0.75% BC significantly enhanced germination rates by 72% and 76%, respectively, compared to the control, with the combined treatment exhibiting the highest enhancement of 86%. Under Cd stress (6 ppm Cd), GA3 and BC individually improved germination by 54% and 57%, respectively, with the combined treatment showing the largest increase of 63%. Drought stress influenced germination, with notable improvements observed with the application of 0.5% BC (50% increase) and RB (49% increase). Similar trends were observed in shoot and root lengths, where the combined treatment of GA3 and BC resulted in the most significant improvements. The treatments positively influenced shoot and root protein, phenolics, and chlorophyll contents, particularly under stress conditions.ConclusionThese findings highlight the potential of combined treatments, such as the application of GA3 and BC or BC with RB, in alleviating the adverse effects of heavy metals (Cd and Pb) and drought stress in maize cultivation. The combined treatments not only improved germination rates but also significantly enhanced shoot and root growth, as well as important biochemical parameters under stress conditions. This suggests that GA3 and BC, alone or in combination with RB, can play a crucial role in enhancing maize resilience to environmental stressors. The study highlights the importance of exploring sustainable agricultural practices to mitigate the impacts of heavy metal toxicity and drought stress. Future research should focus on long-term field trials to validate these findings and further investigate the mechanistic pathways involved in stress mitigation by these amendments, as well as their economic feasibility and environmental impact on a larger scale to ensure their practical applicability in real-world agricultural settings

Impact of magnetic field on the stability of the CMS GE1/1 GEM detector operation

The Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detectors of the GE1/1 station of the CMS experiment have been operated in the CMS magnetic field for the first time on the 7$^{th}$ of October 2021. During the magnetic field ramps, several discharge phenomena were observed, leading to instability in the GEM High Voltage (HV) power system. In order to reproduce the behavior, it was decided to conduct a dedicated test at the CERN North Area with the Goliath magnet, using four GE1/1 spare chambers. The test consisted in studying the characteristics of discharge events that occurred in different detector configurations and external conditions. Multiple magnetic field ramps were performed in sequence: patterns in the evolution of the discharge rates were observed with these data. The goal of this test is the understanding of the experimental conditions inducing discharges and short circuits in a GEM foil. The results of this test lead to the development of procedure for the optimal operation and performance of GEM detectors in the CMS experiment during the magnet ramps. Another important result is the estimation of the probability of short circuit generation, at 68 % confidence level, p$_{short}$$^{HV}$ $^{OFF}$ = 0.42$^{-0.35+0.94}$% with detector HV OFF and p$_{short}$$^{HV}$ $^{OFF}$ < 0.49% with the HV ON. These numbers are specific for the detectors used during this test, but they provide a first quantitative indication on the phenomenon, and a point of comparison for future studies adopting the same procedure