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Background: Intralesional corticosteroid administration (ICA) is a first-line treatment for keloids. However, its clinical results are still highly variable and often suboptimal. Treatment results may strongly be influenced by various operator-dependent factors. The aim of this study was to map the details of ICA in keloids described in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), hence presenting the scientific practice of a first-line treatment for keloids in the best available evidence. Summary: A systematic search was performed on PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, and CENTRAL. Eligible studies were RCTs including patients with keloids treated with intralesional corticosteroids. Treatment and study design-related data were charted on a predefined form. Thirty-eight RCTs were included for data extraction. Triamcinolone acetonide was used in 37 (97.4%) studies. Dosing per cm2 could only be compared among ten (26%) studies and varied from 1 to 20 mg. The maximum dose per session varied from 20 to 80 mg. Local anesthetics were administered in seven (20%) RCTs. Treatment intervals varied from weekly to monthly, with 4 weeks most frequently (50%) used. Needle size was reported in eleven (29%) studies and varied from 26 to 30-gauge. Syringe size was specified in four (11%) studies, being 1 mL. The injection level was described in eleven (29%) studies. Blanching as endpoint was reported in ten (26%) studies. Outcome measures varied widely, from height, surface area, or volume, to Vancouver Scar Scale, Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale, pain and itch scores, patient satisfaction, and different efficacy rates. Only six studies had a follow-up of ≥6 months. Recurrence was identified in two studies with 18 weeks and 1 year of follow-up. Adverse events were reported in 23 (61%) studies.

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness causing a high degree of disability. First- and second-generation antipsychotics (FGAs and SGAs) represent key resources for its acute and long-term management. Since a poor adherence to oral treatments may negatively impact the course of the disorder, long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) are often used to reduce clinical relapses. Notwithstanding their potential beneficial features, LAIs use in clinical practice remains somewhat hampered by the limited amount of relevant systematic information. This review thus aims at providing a clinical, practical guidance for the use of LAIs in the treatment of schizophrenia. We synthetized main information on indications, dosage, and administration of LAIs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or in EU countries, as well as evidence from the most recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Currently available information, though heterogeneous, shows that LAIs can prevent relapses and rehospitalizations, improving clinical outcomes and favouring sustained remission among people with schizophrenia. The use of SGA LAIs is supported by more robust evidence than FGA LAIs. Along with their positive impact on the prevention of treatment discontinuation, some LAIs might also enhance individual global functioning and quality of life, without additional adverse events or health-care costs, as compared with oral antipsychotics. Although which LAIs can be considered a first-choice option, as well as their superiority over oral antipsychotics, remain unclear issues, this review offers a comprehensive overview of information available on the use of LAIs for people with schizophrenia, providing clinicians with practical guidance in terms of efficacy and acceptability of single agents. Literature gaps and future research needs are also described.

Objective There are concerns that local corticosteroid injections may increase the risk of COVID-19 infection because of the immunosuppressive effect of corticosteroids. This study aimed to examine the relationship between local corticosteroid injections and the risk of COVID-19 infection. Design The date and type of procedure as well as the dose and type of corticosteroids used in patients who underwent local corticosteroid injections within 1 yr after the first COVID-19 case in the country were examined retrospectively and recorded. Patients who did not receive corticosteroids were included in the control group. Coronavirus disease 2019 infection histories of all patients were recorded. Results There was no significant difference between the patients who received local corticosteroids and the control group in terms of the incidence of COVID-19 infections, and the number of patients who needed hospitalization or intensive care treatment. In addition, it was found that the administration of two injections, the type of procedure performed, and the dose and type of steroids were not associated with the incidence or severity of COVID-19 infections. Conclusions It has been shown that local corticosteroid injections are not associated with the incidence of COVID-19 infections and the number of patients who need hospitalization or intensive care treatment due to COVID-19.

Insufficient vascularization is a recurring cause of impaired pedicled skin flap healing. The administration of adipose tissue-derived stromal cells' (ASCs') secretome is a novel approach to augment vascularization. Yet, the secretome comprised of soluble factors that require a sustained-release vehicle to increase residence time. We hypothesized that administration of a hydrogel derived from decellularized extracellular matrix (ECM) of porcine skin with bound trophic factors from ASCs enhances skin flap viability and wound repair in a rat model. Porcine skin was decellularized and pepsin-digested to form a hydrogel at 37°C. Conditioned medium (CMe) of human ASC was collected, concentrated 20-fold, and mixed with the hydrogel. Sixty Wistar rats were included. A dorsal skin flap (caudal based) of 3 × 10 cm was elevated for topical application of DMEM (group I), a prehydrogel with or without ASC CMe (groups II and III), or ASC CMe (group IV). After 7, 14, and 28 days, perfusion was measured, and skin flaps were harvested for wound healing assessment and immunohistochemical analysis. Decellularized skin ECM hydrogel contained negligible amounts of DNA (11.6 ± 0.6 ng/mg), was noncytotoxic and well tolerated by rats. Irrespective of ASC secretome, ECM hydrogel application resulted macroscopically and microscopically in similar dermal wound healing in terms of proliferation, immune response, and matrix remodeling as the control group. However, ASC CMe alone increased vessel density after 7 days. Porcine skin-derived ECM hydrogels loaded with ASC secretome are noncytotoxic but demand optimization to significantly augment wound healing of skin flaps.

Due to its advantages, the air lift pump has many applications in real life. Therefore, the present study is dealing with the effect of some parameters on the air lift pump performance. The present study is a continuation of a program started years ago by the fluid mechanics group in Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University. Beginning by validating the obtained results of the experiment set-up by comparing these experimental results with international accepted sets of data. After that the present experiments shed some lights on the inlet injection region of the air lift pump due to the significant effect of its initial conditions on the pump efficiency. Thus the study directed towards investigating the effect of some parameters including the inlet restrictor resistance, the injection direction and the injector riser diameter. The upward injection technique shows higher peak efficiency of 34.7% compared to 29.7% and 28.9% for downward and side injection respectively while the larger injector inner diameter shows maximum water capacity of 928 kg/h. compared to 823 kg/h. water mass flow rate for the smaller inner diameter injector. In all the above experimental tests, flow visualization is used extensively giving a good agreement with well recognized flow pattern map.

The active SCR aftertreatment system is one of the most crucial technology for the NOx reduction of diesel engines. One of the essential parameters of this technology is the urea spray performance on the catalyst.This study presents an experimental and numerical investigation of urea spray behavior used in the heavy-duty diesel engine\"s selective catalytic reduction (SCR) aftertreatment systems. The custom test rig is designed and built to simulate exhaust aftertreatment systems of heavyduty diesel vehicles. Urea injector parameters were observed in this test rig with optic windows for spray and flow visualization. This test rig is available to simulate diesel engines in the sense of exhaust mass flow rate, temperature and spray control unit. The discussion is made about the effects of droplet size of spray and velocity distribution upon flow characterization.A detailed assessment of the numerical model was presented, and validation was carried out for different interest measurement locations. The predicted droplet size distributions, breakup performance, and velocities are numerically and correlated with the experimental data. The validated model is subsequently used to study the urea-flow mixing dynamics to develop a urea mixer numerically. Test results show that smaller droplets enhance the mixing and thus catalyst efficiency. Mixer design performance can be assessed numerically in the droplet size break up based on the developed criteria called mixer performance criteria. Upstream and downstream of the mixer, droplet size can be extracted from the simulation, and different mixer designs can be compared in terms of the breakup performance.(c) 2021 THE AUTHORS. Published by Elsevier BV on behalf of Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/

Objective: High-risk behaviors among MSM have continually made this group susceptible to HIV and other STIs. Therefore, the study seeks to assess the prevalence of high-risk behaviors among MSM in Nigeria. Methodology: This quantitative descriptive cross-sectional survey examined the high-risk behaviors among MSM. The study was conducted in the state's three local government areas using a multistage cluster sampling technique. Data collection was done using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire, and analysis was performed with IBM-SPSS version 25.0. Result: A significant number, 91.2% (114) of MSM in Benue State, had anal sex but mostly without protection, 75.2% (94). However, 108 (94.7%) used lubricants during anal sex, particularly those with multiple sexual partners (79, 63.2%). Also, 66 (52.8%) used/inject drugs. Sexual health was also challenging as 110 (88.0%) had been diagnosed with STIs. Most participants with STIs (118, 94.3%) said their sexual partner infected them. A substantial proportion, 16 (76.2%) of MSM aged 18-20 years, were using or injecting drugs, likewise, those aged 21-25 years (14, 63.6%) (p

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively compare efficacy and safety between intradiscal injection of a gelified ethanol product and tubular discectomy in the treatment of intervertebral disk herniation. A bi-central institutional database research identified forty (40) patients suffering from symptomatic contained disc herniation. Nucleolysis Group included 20 patients [mean 50.05 ± 9.27 years-of-age (male/female 14/6–70/30%)] and Surgery Group included 20 patients [mean 48.45 ± 14.53 years-of-age, (male/female 12/8–60/40%)]. Primary outcome was overall 12-month improvement over baseline in leg pain (NVS units). Procedural technical outcomes were recorded, and adverse events were evaluated at all follow-up intervals. CIRSE classification system was used for complications’ reporting. Mean pre-operative pain score in Nucleolysis Group was 7.95 ± 0.94 reduced to 1.25 ± 1.11 at month 1 and 0.45 ± 0.75 NVS units at year 1. Mean pre-operative pain score in Surgery Group was 7.65 ± 1.13 reduced to 1.55 ± 1.79 at month 1 and 0.70 ± 1.38 NVS units at year 1. Pain decrease was statistically significant after both procedures (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between pain reduction in both groups (p = 0.347). The decrease differences of the pain effect upon general activities, sleeping, socializing, walking, and enjoying life in the follow-up period between the two groups were not statistically significant. No complications were noted in both groups. Results from the current study report that intradiscal injection of a gelified ethanol and tubular discectomy were equally effective on terms of efficacy and safety for the treatment of symptomatic lumbar intervertebral disc herniation regarding the 12-month mean leg pain improvement. Both achieved similar rapid significant clinical improvement persisting throughout follow-up period.

High-diodicity inlets seem like an ideal candidate for minimizing pressure losses duringreactant injection in Rotating Detonation Combustors (RDC) while offering a higher resistanceto backflow. In this study, the effect of a diode geometry in an RDC air injector is investigatedexperimentally and numerically. Different geometries based on the Tesla valve are implementedin the air injector and tested under non-reacting conditions. The effect of the diode geometryon pressure losses in both flow directions and on the diodicity is investigated. It is observed thatthe diode feature only minimally affects the forward pressure loss while showing an increasedpressure loss for the reverse flow of up to approximately 45% at high mass fluxes. Key geometricparameters of thechosen diode geometry for increasing the diodicity are identified throughoutthis study. A parallel numerical study of a representative diode geometry offers insight on theflow structure for both flow directions. For the forward flow a pair of counter-rotating vorticesis formed inside the diode feature while for the reverse flow a single vortex is formed.

Long-acting antipsychotic injections require that psychiatric nurses choose the proper injection site and technique to avoid harming patients. This research conducted a mixed-method study to examine the long-acting injectable antipsychotic (LAI) knowledge, practice, and administrative barriers in a sample of 269 psychiatric nurses from 3 public psychiatric hospitals in Taiwan. Self-report questionnaires showed female nurses exhibiting higher scores and older nurses demonstrating more knowledge. The dorsogluteal (DG) site was the most widely used for injections, with 57.6% of nurses using the Z-track method. Qualitative data analysis was performed on 20 psychiatric nurses who chose the DG site as their preferred injection site. There were two key themes. The first was a gap between the nurses’ knowledge of LAI administration and their actual practice. The second needed more confidence and training in using the ventrogluteal injection site. These results highlight the need for continued education and training to improve LAI practice among psychiatric nurses.

En el presente documento se encuentra el desarrollo de una pasantía empresarial como opción de grado aspirando al título de ingeniero civil. El informe contiene la compilación del trabajo realizado durante seis meses desempeñando el cargo como auxiliar de residente civil en un proyecto de mitigación del riesgo, más específicamente la construcción de pantallas ancladas en los sectores del Sagrado Corazón y Altos del Tejar en el municipio de Girón. En el escrito se encuentra la descripción de cada función que fue asignada al auxiliar civil, en donde la mayoría hace parte a la supervisión y control de las actividades en campo y unas pocas labores administrativas, principalmente las labores se concentraban en la supervisión del proceso constructivo desde las perforaciones hasta el izaje y tensionamiento llevando siempre un control adecuado en base a las especificaciones técnicas del proyecto de obra. In this document, the development of a business internship as a degree option aspiring to the title of civil engineer is presented. The report contains a compilation of the work carried out during six months performing the position as a civil assistant in a risk mitigation project, more specifically the construction of anchored screens in the Sagrado Corazón and Altos del Tejar sectors in the municipality of Girón. In the document, the description of each function that was assigned to the civil assistant is presented, where the majority is part of the supervision and control of field activities and a few administrative tasks, mainly the tasks were focused in the supervision of the construction process. from drilling to hoisting and tensioning, always carrying adequate control based on the technical specifications of the work project. Ingeniero Civil http://www.ustabuca.edu.co/ustabmanga/presentacion Pregrado

The aim of the work was to assess the possibility of utilizing the waste generated in the injection molding process for the production of new products based on polyamide 6 reinforced with glass fiber. The manufactured samples were prepared with the addition of 5, 10, 15, and 100 wt.% regrind from the runner system. The impact strength, tensile strength, and hardness of injection products were obtained directly and were assessed after conditioning in distilled water for 24 h. Moreover, the structure of the tested materials was assessed using the FTIR method and their thermal properties using the DSC method. The results of the tests confirm that the addition of regrind up to 15 wt.% to virgin polyamide does not adversely affect its impact strength, tensile strength, and hardness. The water-conditioned materials showed higher values of impact strength but lower values of tensile strength and Young’s modulus at a higher elongation at break. The obtained results are important due to the assumptions of the circular economy and the minimization of the amount of waste and material losses during the injection process.

Background Intralesional corticosteroid administration (ICA) is a first-line treatment for keloids. However, its clinical results are still highly variable and often suboptimal. Treatment results may strongly be influenced by various operator dependent factors. The aim of this study is to map the details of ICA in keloids described in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), hence presenting the scientific practice of a first-line treatment for keloids in the best available evidence. Summary A systematic search was performed on PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE and CENTRAL. Eligible studies were RCTs including patients with keloids treated with intralesional corticosteroids. Treatment and study design related data were charted on a predefined form. Thirty-eight RCTs were included for data extraction. Triamcinolone acetonide was used in 37 (97.4%) studies. Dosing per cm2 could only be compared among ten (26%) studies, and varied from 1 to 20 mg. The maximum dose per session varied from 20 to 80 mg. Anesthetics were administered locally and orally in seven and one RCT(s). Treatment intervals varied from weekly to monthly, with four weeks most frequently (50%) used. Needle size was reported in eleven (29%) studies and varied from 26 to 30-gauge. Syringe size was specified in four (11%) studies, being 1 mL. The injection level was described in eleven (29%) studies. Blanching as endpoint was reported in ten (26%) studies. Outcome measures varied widely, from height, surface area or volume, to Vancouver Scar Scale, Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale, pain and itch scores, patient satisfaction and different efficacy rates. Only six studies had a follow-up of ≥6 months. Recurrence was identified in two studies with 18 weeks and 1 year of follow-up. Adverse events were reported in 25 (66%) studies. Key messages There is incomplete reporting and substantial heterogeneity in many aspects of ICA and study design among RCTs. This scoping review underscores the urgent need for standardization of treatment protocol and study design to enhance and uniform research conduct among keloid studies.

The native bursa is a structure lined by synovium located adjacent to a joint which may serve to decrease friction between the tendons and overlying bone or skin. This extra-articular structure can become inflamed resulting in bursitis. Steroid injections have proven to be an effective method of treating bursal pathology in various anatomic locations. Performing these procedures requires a thorough understanding of relevant anatomy, proper technique, and expected outcomes. Ultrasound is a useful tool for pre procedure diagnostic evaluation and optimizing needle position during these procedures while avoiding adjacent structures. The purpose of this article is to review core principles of ultrasound-guided musculoskeletal procedures involving bursae throughout the upper and lower extremities.

BACKGROUND: Mouth corners are an essential part of the centro-facial area for perception of attractiveness and emotions. Downturned mouth corners are a result of aging or have a congenital origin. Different mouth corner lifting techniques are described in the literature.OBJECTIVES: This review was performed to systematically assess and compare invasive and non-invasive mouth corner lifting techniques and their effectiveness, patient satisfaction and adverse effects.METHODS: MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE and The Cochrane Central Register of controlled trials databases were searched for clinical and observational studies published in peer-reviewed academic journals with abstracts available (searched from May 18, 2019, to December 18, 2021). Outcomes of interest were aesthetic mouth corner lifting techniques, the degree of lift as well as the longevity of the lifting effect, patient satisfaction and adverse effects. Techniques were subdivided in invasive techniques and non-invasive techniques.RESULTS: Eleven out of 968 studies were included in the qualitative analysis. In general, surgical techniques seem to have a better mouth corner lifting effect in comparison to non-surgical techniques; however, objective evidence is weak, and surgery inevitably results in a scar. Reported patient satisfaction was good for both surgical and non-surgical techniques and no severe complications have been described.CONCLUSIONS: Surgical techniques seem to have a better lifting effect on mouth corners than non-surgical techniques. Nevertheless, objective evidence is weak, and a scar is inevitable.

Local lactate accumulation greatly hinders tissue repair and regeneration under ischemic condition. Herein, an injectable microsphere (MS@MCL) for local lactate exhaustion was constructed by grafting manganese dioxide (MnO2) -lactate oxidase (LOX) composite nanozyme on microfluidic hyaluronic acid methacrylate (HAMA) microspheres via chemical bonds, achieving a long-term oxygen-promoted lactate exhaustion effect and a long half-life in vivo. The uniform and porous microspheres synthesized by microfluidic technology is beneficial to in situ injection therapy and improving encapsulation efficiency. Furthermore, chemical grafting into HAMA microspheres through amide reactions promoted local enzymatic concentration and activity enhancement. It was showed that the MS@MCL eliminated oxidative and inflammatory stress and promoted extracellular matrix metabolism and cell survival when co-cultured with nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) in vitro. In the rat degenerative intervertebral disc model caused by lactate injection, MS@MCL showed a long-term therapeutic effect in reducing intervertebral height narrowing and preventing extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation as well as inflammatory damage in vivo. Altogether, this study confirms that this nanozyme-functionalized injectable MS@MCL effectively improves the regenerative and reparative effect in ischemic tissues by disposing of enriched lactate in local microenvironment.

Background Mouth corners are an essential part of the centrofacial area for perception of attractiveness and emotions. Downturned mouth corners are a result of aging or have a congenital origin. Different mouth corner lifting techniques are described in the literature. Objectives This review was performed to systematically assess and compare invasive and noninvasive mouth corner lifting techniques and their effectiveness, patient satisfaction, and adverse effects. Methods MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE (OvidSP), and the Cochrane Central Register of controlled trials databases were searched for clinical and observational studies published in peer-reviewed academic journals with abstracts available (searched from May 18, 2019, to December 18, 2021). Outcomes of interest were aesthetic mouth corner lifting techniques, the degree of lift as well as the longevity of the lifting effect, patient satisfaction, and adverse effects. Techniques were subdivided in invasive techniques and noninvasive techniques. Results Out of 968 studies found from the search, 11 were included in the qualitative analysis. In general, surgical techniques seem to have a better mouth corner lifting effect than nonsurgical techniques; however, objective evidence is weak, and surgery inevitably results in a scar. Reported patient satisfaction was good for both surgical and nonsurgical techniques and no severe complications have been described. Conclusions Surgical techniques seem to have a better lifting effect on mouth corners than nonsurgical techniques. Nevertheless, objective evidence is weak, and a scar is inevitable. Level of Evidence: 4

The blood-brain barrier significantly limits effective drug delivery to central nervous system (CNS) targets. The recently characterized glymphatic system offers a perivascular highway for intrathecally (i.t.) administered drugs to reach deep brain structures. Although periarterial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) influx and concomitant brain drug delivery can be enhanced by pharmacological or hyperosmotic interventions, their effects on drug delivery to the spinal cord, an important target for many drugs, have not been addressed. Hence, we studied in rats whether enhancement of periarterial flow by systemic hypertonic solution might be utilized to enhance spinal delivery and efficacy of i.t. morphine. We also studied whether the hyperosmolar intervention affects brain or cerebrospinal fluid drug concentrations after systemic administration. Periarterial CSF influx was enhanced by intraperitoneal injection of hypertonic saline (HTS, 5.8%, 20 ml/kg, 40 mOsm/kg). The antinociceptive effects of morphine were characterized, using tail flick, hot plate and paw pressure tests. Drug concentrations in serum, tissue and microdialysis samples were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Compared with isotonic solution, HTS increased concentrations of spinal i.t. administered morphine by 240% at the administration level (T13-L1) at 60 min and increased the antinociceptive effect of morphine in tail flick, hot plate, and paw pressure tests. HTS also independently increased hot plate and paw pressure latencies but had no effect in the tail flick test. HTS transiently increased the penetration of intravenous morphine into the lateral ventricle, but not into the hippocampus. In conclusion, acute systemic hyperosmolality is a promising intervention for enhanced spinal delivery of i.t. administered morphine. The relevance of this intervention should be expanded to other i.t. drugs and brought to clinical trials.

mRNA has the potential to be the next generation drug for tissue restoration in regenerative medicine. The variety of mRNAs that could be synthesized with the aim of increasing the expression of any required protein offers new opportunities. However, the intrinsic immunogenicity and lack of stability of mRNA has long restricted the potential of mRNA therapeutics. Fortunately, considerable progress has been made on synthetic mRNA modifications and relevant purification steps that have overcome these limitations. However, there remains a lack of efficient mRNA delivery strategies. Additionally, mRNA may need to be administered in situ via three-dimensional biomaterials. These materials, also known as transcript-activated matrices, require further consideration in terms of mRNA loading and release, immunogenicity, and other features. In this article, various limiting factors in mRNA synthesis, vector formulation, and local delivery to tissues are highlighted together with current developments and the future outlook for mRNA therapeutics in tissue regeneration.

Aim: Standardization of an optimal treatment protocol for vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) correlated with duplex kidney systems remains controversial. In this study, we reviewed our experience in endoscopic subureteric injection to correct reflux in duplex systems with documented indications, in an aim to confirm its position as an alternative means of open surgery. Materials and Methods: The hospital records of complete renal duplex system patients who had experienced endoscopic subureteric injection for VUR between 2009 and 2018 were reviewed. The indications for the amelioration of VUR included breakthrough urinary tract infection (UTI) along with the presence of renal scarring. Results: A total of 24 patients (18 girls, 6 boys) with refluxing renal duplex systems were included in the study. The mean age at first injection was 46.4 +/- 28.8 months (5-160) and the mean duration of follow-up was 47.25 +/- 27.7 months. The success rate with the initial injection was 83.3% (20/24). The mean volume of material injected was 0.68 +/- 0.49 mL per duplex system. Conclusion: Management of reflux in duplex systems is still controversial with insufficient data. Our results suggest that endoscopic management should be considered as an alternative to open ureteral reimplantation in refluxing duplex renal collecting systems. Major open surgery and accompanying discomfort can be avoided by an endoscopic injection which can be performed as an outpatient procedure in most of the reflux patients with duplex system who have an indication for surgical management.

We discuss the preparation of Polypyrrole and Polylactic Polyacid (PPy/PLA) based blends and the subsequent investigation of their antibacterial properties. After being molded through injection processing, the blends were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Impedance Spectroscopy (IS), contact angle, thermogravimetry (TGA), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of PPy chains and the IS results indicated that the blends prepared with a 50% mass fraction of PPy have a conductive character. While the SEM images reveal the presence of small cracks on the surface of the samples, DMA analyses show that a decrease in their mechanical strength occurs in the 50°C-60°C range, with the blend with a 50% PPy load exhibiting the greater resistance and being able to withstand temperatures of the order of 120°C. The TGA degradation profile varies according to the amount of polypyrrole present in the blends, with those containing 50% PPy being able to retain about 32% of the polypyrrole mass at 600°C. The antibacterial activity tests done with the injected blends reveal that while no inhibition halo was formed for the Escherichia coli bacterium, the growth of Staphylococcus aureus is inhibited in the 50% PPy blend.

Background Intra-articular injections are widely used for conservative treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, rigorous data are lacking regarding the comparative therapeutic effectiveness of these injections.Purpose The aim of this study was to compare clinical outcomes after intra-articular injections of glucocorticoid, hyaluronic acid, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), or placebo in patients with mild or moderate OA of the knee.Materials and Methods In a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, single-center trial, we randomly assigned knees with early- to middle-stage knee OA (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 1-3) to an intra-articular injection with one of these substances: glucocorticoid, hyaluronic acid, PRP, or placebo. Primary outcome was pain reduction within 6 months after the injection, assessed with the numeric rating scale (NRS; range, 0-100). Secondary outcome parameters included WOMAC scores, Tegner Activity Scale, knee mobility, and adverse events. Finally, a linear mixed-effects model was calculated and corrected for possible patient and covariate effects.Results One hundred twenty knees (30 knees per treatment group) in 95 patients (41 female) were included in the final analysis. The median age of patients was 60 years (interquartile range, 54.0-68.0). There was no evidence that the drug effects of primary and secondary outcome parameters differed over time. The median pain at baseline was 32.5 (interquartile range, 15.00-50.00) on NRS. The changes in pain level during the first 6 months compared with baseline were small (within +/- 5 points on NRS), whereas the intrapatient variability was large between -20 and +20 points. Secondary outcome parameters did not differ significantly among the groups. Kellgren-Lawrence grade did not have a statistically significant effect on pain reduction (P = 0.61).Conclusions There is no evidence that knee injections with glucocorticoid, PRP, or hyaluronic acid have superior short- or long-term effects in patients with low pain level at baseline and early- to middle-stage knee OA when compared with placebo., Investigative Radiology, 58 (5), ISSN:0020-9996, ISSN:1536-0210

Lactococcus petauri is an important emergent bacterial pathogen of salmonids in the USA. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the protection conferred to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) against L. petauri by formalin-killed vaccines in immersion and injectable forms, as well as the enhanced protection afforded by booster vaccination. In the first challenge, fish were immunized via intracoelomic injection (IC) or immersion (Imm) routes alone. Approximately 418 degree days (Temperature in degree Celsius × days post-immunization) (dd) Imm, or 622 dd IC post-vaccination, fish were challenged via IC with wild-type L. petauri. In the second experiment, initial Imm vaccination was followed by booster vaccination via Imm or IC routes 273 dd post-immunization along with appropriate PBS controls. The various vaccination protocol efficacies were evaluated by challenging fish with L. petauri by cohabitation with diseased fish 399 dd post-booster administration. A relative percent survival (RPS) of 89.5% and 28% was recorded in the IC and Imm single immunization treatments, respectively. In the second study, an RPS of 97.5%, 10.2%, 2.6% and −10.1% plus approximately 0%, 50%, 20%, and 30% bacterial persistence was recorded in the Imm immunized + IC boosted, Imm immunized + mock IC boosted, Imm immunized + Imm boosted, and Imm immunized + mock Imm boosted treatments, respectively. Only the Imm immunized + IC injection boosted treatments provided significant protection when compared to unvaccinated and challenged treatments (p < 0.05). In conclusion, although both Imm and IC vaccines appear safe for trout, the inactivated Imm vaccines seem to provide only mild and temporary protection against lactococcosis; whereas IC immunized trout develop a significantly stronger protective response in both challenges.

With the aim of CO2 emissions reduction in the maritime sector, dual fuel engines operating on natural gas are the most prominent technical and commercially available solution. A promising variant is the two-stroke high-pressure natural gas injection engine, utilizing diesel pilot fuel injection for ignition of the gaseous fuel while being able to operate in diesel-only mode. In this study, a comparative analysis of the performance and the combustion mechanism of dual fuel and diesel mode for this engine type is conducted using experimental data. Studies based on measurements conducted on actual scale are limited in the literature due to the engines’ sheer size not allowing lab testing. The analysis was conducted using measurements acquired during the factory acceptance tests involving conventional operating data and cylinder pressure data acquired using a piezoelectric sensor. In terms of the mean pressure and temperature, only minor differences were found. The specific fuel consumption was improved under low load operation for the dual fuel mode by 1.8%, while a small increase of 1.2% was found near full load. Differences were found in the combustion process from 25 to 75% load with considerably faster premixed and diffusion combustion for the dual fuel mode leading to a 6–8% decrease in combustion duration. Despite the combustion process differences, the performance under dual fuel operation was overall close to that of conventional diesel with an acceptable 1.5% efficiency reduction on average. This confirms that modern dual fuel marine engines can achieve the performance standards of conventional ones while benefiting from low-carbon fuel use to reduce CO2 emissions.

Weak soils must be stabilized to meet technical specifications so that the constructions may be installed without massive settlements. Soil stabilization has become one of the most helpful options for this. In the 1970s and 1980s, admixture-based ground remediation developed in Japan. It is less compressible and has a lower permeability coefficient than the original soil after treatment. One of the oldest and most common ways to improve soil is to add admixtures of chemical materials such as cement, lime or/and quicklime, bitumen, and oil. Soil cement is a substance that is created by mixing cement with soil. In the mid-1970s, Sweden and Japan concurrently developed the conventional approach described as deep mixing. Cementitious or other materials are mixed into the soil in this in-situ treatment method. The deep mixing may inject using a jet grouting approach where erosion and mixing of weak soils in situ using a fluid jet. The injection strategies are a viable soil enhancement technique for fragile soils. Methods may use to safeguard piling structures. End-bearing pile repairs that used jet grouting required a robust and rigid framework to distribute the stresses of the grouted pile evenly. Since it can be applied to any soil, jet grouting is an excellent method for safeguarding pile foundations. The ground qualities may improve via chemical stabilization, which involves putting chemicals into the soil. Additives often used in asphalt mixtures include cement, lime, fly ash, and asphalt. Some of these are sodium silicates, acrylamides, N-methylolacrylamides, polyurethanes, epoxy resin, aminoplast, phenoplast, and lignosulfonate, the most common chemicals utilized in chemical manufacturing today. This study has presented field and laboratory analysis of the characteristics of the injection, and the results suggest an improvement before and after the injection. However, numerous elements must be considered for soil enhancement, including the aim, desired soil strength, toxicity, and rheology.

Utiskivanje ugljikovog dioksida u iscrpljena naftna ležišta je u praksi već dokazano rješenje za povećanje iscrpka preostale nafte u ležištu, a u posljednje vrijeme sve se više razmatra mogućnost trajnog zadržavanja određenog dijela utisnutog CO2 s ciljem smanjenja emisija. U ovom radu opisani su ključni čimbenici koji utječu na učinkovitost navedenih procesa, a provedena je i studija za procjenu potencijala povećanja iscrpka nafte i skladištenja ugljikovog dioksida hrvatskog eksploatacijskog polja Dravske depresije. Za potrebe rada korišteni su program Petrel RE, Eclipse 300 simulator i stvarni 3D model polja. Rezultati računalnih simulacija - različiti WAG omjeri, količine plina, udaljenosti bušotina te koncentracije polimera, razmatrani su za određivanje potencijalno najučinkovitijih strategija povećanja iscrpka i skladištenja CO2., Injection of carbon dioxide into depleted oil reservoirs is already a proven solution for increasing oil recovery, and most recently, the possibility of permanently retaining a portion of the injected CO2 to reduce emissions, has gained traction. The key factors influencing the efficiency of the above mentioned processes are described in this thesis, and a study was also conducted to assess the potential for increasing oil recovery and carbon dioxide storage in the Croatian Drava Depression exploitation field. For the purpose of this Master's Thesis, the Petrel RE program, the Eclipse 300 simulator, and the actual 3D reservoir model were used. Computer simulation results - various WAG ratios, rates of gas and water injection, well distances, and polymer concentrations - were considered to determine the potentially most effective oil recovery and CO2 sequestration strategies.

La toxicomanie est un phénomène social évolutif. Les drogues d’aujourd’hui étaient les médicaments d’autrefois. Depuis la société a évolué ainsi que l’usage des substances psychoactives. Je souhaiterais aller au-delà des idées reçues et des prescriptions. La substance psychoactive que nous étudierons plus en détail est l’héroïne.La première partie de ce travail est centrée sur l’héroïne, cette « fameuse » drogue qui touche n’importe quel milieu social et ethnie. Tout d’abord commercialisée par les laboratoires pharmaceutiques puis retirée du marché, elle est à l’origine des toxicomanies. Sont évoqués tous les paramètres pharmacologiques la concernant ainsi que les effets néfastes que cela peut engendrer. Nous aborderons la prévention associée à la réduction des risques et des dommages. Dans un second temps, nous nous concentrerons sur la commercialisation des traitements de substitution à l’héroïne. Ces traitements sont la clé d’une insertion dans un système de soin ainsi qu’une insertion sociale pour les usagers.Dans une troisième partie, nous développerons le mésusage des traitements de substitution que je délivre quotidiennement. Le mésusage signifie « mauvais usage ». L’administration est faite par voie intra veineuse au lieu de pers os et de terribles conséquences en découle. Pour finir, nous verrons tout ce qui est mis en place pour aider ces patients que ce soit des associations aux structures spécialisées ou de la coordination entre professionnels de santé à l’alliance thérapeutique avec les usagers. L’objectif de ce travail était de montrer la réalité au comptoir que nous pharmaciens d’officine pouvons vivre au quotidien. Les anciens héroïnomanes peuvent détourner leur traitement de substitution de leur usage principal. C’est une substitution pharmacologique et non comportementale. C’est pourquoi nous nous devons de diffuser des messages de prévention concernant la réduction des risques et des dommages liés à l’injectable. La distribution de matériels stériles et le non partage du matériel sont indispensables pour lutter contre les maladies transmissibles comme le VIH et les Hépatites. Des rappels à prodiguer comme la filtration et le changement de point d’injection peuvent empêcher des abcès et des infections pouvant aller jusqu’à l’amputation.

The collection of gravitational waves (GWs) that are either too weak or too numerous to be individually resolved is commonly referred to as the gravitational-wave background (GWB). A confident detection and model-driven characterization of such a signal will provide invaluable information about the evolution of the Universe and the population of GW sources within it. We present a new, user-friendly Python--based package for gravitational-wave data analysis to search for an isotropic GWB in ground--based interferometer data. We employ cross-correlation spectra of GW detector pairs to construct an optimal estimator of the Gaussian and isotropic GWB, and Bayesian parameter estimation to constrain GWB models. The modularity and clarity of the code allow for both a shallow learning curve and flexibility in adjusting the analysis to one's own needs. We describe the individual modules which make up {\tt pygwb}, following the traditional steps of stochastic analyses carried out within the LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA Collaboration. We then describe the built-in pipeline which combines the different modules and validate it with both mock data and real GW data from the O3 Advanced LIGO and Virgo observing run. We successfully recover all mock data injections and reproduce published results., 32 pages, 14 figures

Resorbable tissue fillers for aesthetic purposes can induce severe complications including product migration, late swelling, and inflammatory reactions. The relation between product characteristics and adverse effects is not well understood. We hypothesized that the degree of cross-linking hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers was associated with the occurrence of adverse effects. Five experimental HA preparations similar to HA fillers were synthesized with an increasing degree of cross-linking. Furthermore, a series of commercial fillers (Perfectha®) was obtained that differ in degradation time based on the size of their particulate HA components. Cytotoxic responses and cytokine production by human THP-1-derived macrophages exposed to extracts of the evaluated resorbable HA fillers were absent to minimal. Gene expression analysis of the HA-exposed macrophages revealed the responses related to cell cycle control and immune reactivity. Our results could not confirm the hypothesis that the level of cross-linking in our experimental HA fillers or the particulate size of commercial HA fillers is related to the induced biological responses. However, the evaluation of cytokine induction and gene expression in macrophages after biomaterial exposure presents promising opportunities for the development of methods to identify cellular processes that may be predictive for biomaterial-induced responses in patients.

Ovaries are central to development, fertility, and reproduction of women. A particularly interesting feature of ovaries is their accelerated aging compared to other tissues, leading to loss of function far before other organs senesce. The limited pool of ovarian follicles is generated before birth and once exhausted, menopause will inevitably commence around the age of 50 years marking the end of fertility. Yet, there are reports suggesting the presence of germline stem cells and neo-oogenesis in adult human ovaries. These observations have fueled a long debate, created experimental fertility treatments, and opened business opportunities. Our recent analysis of cell types in the ovarian cortex of women of fertile age could not find evidence of germline stem cells. Like before, our work has been met with critique suggesting methodological shortcomings. We agree that excellence starts with methods and welcome discussion on the pros and cons of different protocols. In this commentary, we discuss the recent re-interpretation of our work.

Non

Background Autologous facial fat grafting has gained popularity in recent years and is considered to be safe. This paper presents the case of a patient who died due to massive cerebral microfat embolism after facial fat grafting. Objectives The aim of this study was to raise awareness and provide more evidence on the prevention and treatment of this potentially lethal complication of facial fat grafting. Methods A detailed report was made of the case. Two online databases were searched for similar cases of facial fat embolism resulting in neurologic and/or visual symptoms. Thereafter a literature search was conducted to verify the etiology, current treatment options, and preventive measures. Results Forty-nine cases with similar events were found in the literature. The most common injected area was the glabella (36.1%), and an average of 16.7 mL fat was injected. The main complications were visual impairment, with 88.5% of cases resulting in permanent monocular blindness, and neurologic symptoms, some of which never fully recovered. Including the present patient, 7 cases were fatal. Fat embolism can occur in the veins and arteries of the face. Two possible pathways for fat embolism exist: the macroscopic, mechanical pathway with immediate signs, and the microscopic, biochemical pathway with delayed symptoms. Mechanical embolectomy and corticosteroids are suggested treatment options but evidence for their efficacy is lacking. Several different preventive measures are described. Conclusions Although facial fat grafting is considered a safe procedure, one should be aware of the risk of fat embolism. Underreporting of this adverse event is likely. With no effective treatment and often detrimental outcomes, preventive measures are of utmost importance to improve patient safety. Level of Evidence: 4

Kumutnart Chanprapaph, Cherrin Pomsoong, Chaninan Kositkuljorn, Poonkiat Suchonwanit Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, ThailandCorrespondence: Poonkiat SuchonwanitDivision of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, 270 Rama VI Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, ThailandTel +66-2-2011141Fax +66-2-201-1211 Ext 4Email poonkiat@hotmail.comIntroduction: Intramuscular corticosteroids (IMC) have gained popularity for the treatment of severe alopecia areata (AA) in recent years; however, evidence on their efficacy and safety is still limited.Objective: To evaluate the efficacy, relapse rate, and tolerability of IMC in the treatment of AA, as well as factors associated with treatment outcomes.Methods: Time-to-event analysis was performed on patients with severe, extensive, or rapidly progressive AA receiving IMC. The IMC regimen comprised triamcinolone acetonide 20– 40 mg/mL injected every 4– 6 weeks. The evaluated outcomes included initial (25% regrowth), significant (75% regrowth), and complete hair regrowth (100% regrowth). Relapse and adverse events were also noted. Factors associated with treatment outcomes and relapse were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model.Results: A total of 101 patients were eligible for analysis. Significant hair regrowth was obtained in 80.2% of the patients (n = 81), in a median time of 3.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.9– 4.4). Complete hair regrowth was achieved in 48.5% of the subjects (n = 49), and relapse was observed in 47.5% (n = 48). Acneiform eruption was the most common adverse effect. Multivariable analysis revealed that nail involvement was a negative predictor of significant hair regrowth (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.04, 95% CI = 0.01– 0.55; P = 0.015), whereas duration of AA longer than 6 months was associated with disease recurrence (adjusted HR = 4.02, 95% CI = 1.52– 4.66; P = 0.005).Conclusion: This study demonstrated the efficacy and safety of IMC in the treatment of severe or active AA; however, the relapse rate remained relatively high after discontinuation of the therapy. Nail involvement was a negative predictor of significant hair regrowth, while disease duration longer than 6 months predicted AA relapse.Keywords: acute diffuse and total alopecia, alopecia totalis, alopecia universalis, hair loss, injection, systemic

Highlights • Hyaluronic acid (HA) is an implantable rectum spacer used to decrease rectal radiation dose in prostate cancer radiotherapy. • Hyaluronidase (HAS) is an enzyme that degrades HA, when wrongly positioned. • A ratio of HA:HAS of 1:2 has already a decrease of half of volume on the 2nd day., Aim To determine a dose response relationship of disintegration of a hyaluronic acid (HA) and hyaluronidase (HAS) used in prostate cancer radiotherapy. Materials and methods Five in-vitro models are applicated with 3 ml (ml) HA. For dissolution varying doses of HAS were used: 6 ml, 3 ml, 1.5 ml, and 0 ml. One ml contains 150 International Units (IU). Each HAS was added with saline till the complementary amount of 6 ml. One phantom was solely implanted with a HA 3 ml acting as a control. Length, width and height were measured on different time points: 1st day 4 times, 2nd day 3 times, third day 2 times, and then once daily during one week, with a final measurement 2 weeks after implantation. The experiments were performed in duplicate to exclude variations and confirm the results. Results The fastest dissolution was observed with the highest concentration of HAS, already observed at the first time point 2 h after implantation, with volume decrease of 50% on the second day, and less than 1 ml residue (33%) on day 4. The 2 other concentrations of HAS also showed a volume decrease, with less than 2 ml (66%) on day 4. All the applied quantities of HAS are observed with a residue of less than 1 ml after 7 days. After 14 days the control phantom and the saline filled one remains on steady state volume (3 ml). Conclusions A dose response was observed by HAS injection: highest volumes of HAS dissolute most swiftly. Using a ratio of HA:HAS of 1:2 results in a decrease to half of initial volume within 24 h. This is of special interest when used in clinical practice following erroneous positioning, and dissolution is urgently needed.

Polymers have been used for many years to control the mobility of injected water and increase the rate of oil extraction from unconventional reservoirs. Polymer flossing improves the volume of the broom, reduces the finger effect, creates channels, and delays water breakage. The combination of these processes has the potential to increase oil production and reduce production costs. To carry out this process, various polymers are used alone or in combination with surfactants and alkalis. In this study, a new type of polymer called FLOPPAM 3630 has been used to investigate the overload of very heavy oil reservoirs. For this purpose, six polymer solutions with different concentrations were made, and stability tests on shear rate, time, and temperature were performed. The polymer's stability results indicate that it is stable under other shear rate, temperature, and time passage conditions. As a result, this polymer is a suitable candidate for conducting silicification tests in reservoir temperature conditions. Then three more suitable polymer solutions were selected, and the polymer was polished. The results showed that the solution with a concentration of 1000 ppm has the best yield of about 40%. The reason for the good efficiency of this concentration is that the surface and vertical sweepers are higher than the other concentrations. Also, the difference in efficiency between less than 1000 and 2000 ppm is greater because it is more economical, and its injectability is easier to use with less concentration. Furthermore, the oil efficiency of this type of polymer in sandblasting is higher than that of other polymers tested under these conditions, making its use more economical.

Kumutnart Chanprapaph, Cherrin Pomsoong, Chaninan Kositkuljorn, Poonkiat Suchonwanit Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, ThailandCorrespondence: Poonkiat SuchonwanitDivision of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, 270 Rama VI Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, ThailandTel +66-2-2011141Fax +66-2-201-1211 Ext 4Email poonkiat@hotmail.comIntroduction: Intramuscular corticosteroids (IMC) have gained popularity for the treatment of severe alopecia areata (AA) in recent years; however, evidence on their efficacy and safety is still limited.Objective: To evaluate the efficacy, relapse rate, and tolerability of IMC in the treatment of AA, as well as factors associated with treatment outcomes.Methods: Time-to-event analysis was performed on patients with severe, extensive, or rapidly progressive AA receiving IMC. The IMC regimen comprised triamcinolone acetonide 20– 40 mg/mL injected every 4– 6 weeks. The evaluated outcomes included initial (25% regrowth), significant (75% regrowth), and complete hair regrowth (100% regrowth). Relapse and adverse events were also noted. Factors associated with treatment outcomes and relapse were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model.Results: A total of 101 patients were eligible for analysis. Significant hair regrowth was obtained in 80.2% of the patients (n = 81), in a median time of 3.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.9– 4.4). Complete hair regrowth was achieved in 48.5% of the subjects (n = 49), and relapse was observed in 47.5% (n = 48). Acneiform eruption was the most common adverse effect. Multivariable analysis revealed that nail involvement was a negative predictor of significant hair regrowth (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] = 0.04, 95% CI = 0.01– 0.55; P = 0.015), whereas duration of AA longer than 6 months was associated with disease recurrence (adjusted HR = 4.02, 95% CI = 1.52– 4.66; P = 0.005).Conclusion: This study demonstrated the efficacy and safety of IMC in the treatment of severe or active AA; however, the relapse rate remained relatively high after discontinuation of the therapy. Nail involvement was a negative predictor of significant hair regrowth, while disease duration longer than 6 months predicted AA relapse.Keywords: acute diffuse and total alopecia, alopecia totalis, alopecia universalis, hair loss, injection, systemic

Objectives: In this study, the objective was to evaluate the intramuscular injections administered to patients admitted to a family health center with sociodemographic characteristics. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional, analytical and, retrospective file review study. The sample population was formed by patients who had intramuscular injections administered between the dates of January 01, 2017 - and December 31, 2019. A total of 5648 injections for 2059 adults/children were evaluated. The data set was analyzed using SPSS 17.0 (IBM, USA) statistical package program. Results: An average of 2.74 injections per person was administered. The rate of myorelaxant injection administration was higher among women (p

Study design Systematic Review Objective To evaluate the efficacy of available treatment options for patients with persistent coccydynia through a systematic review. Methods Original peer-reviewed publications on treatment for coccydynia were identified using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines by performing a literature search of relevant databases, from their inception to January 17, 2020, combined with other sources. Data on extracted treatment outcome was pooled based on treatment categories to allow for meta-analysis. All outcomes relevant to the treatment efficacy of coccydynia were extracted. No single measure of outcome was consistently present among the included studies. Numeric Rating Scale, (NRS, 0–10) for pain was used as the primary outcome measure. Studies with treatment outcome on adult patients with chronic primary coccydynia were considered eligible. Results A total of 1980 patients across 64 studies were identified: five randomized controlled trials, one experimental study, one quasi-experimental study, 11 prospective observational studies, 45 retrospective studies and unpublished data from the DaneSpine registry. The greatest improvement in pain was achieved by patients who underwent radiofrequency therapy (RFT, mean Visual Analog Scale (VAS) decreased by 5.11 cm). A similar mean improvement was achieved from Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT, 5.06), Coccygectomy (4.86) and Injection (4.22). Although improved, the mean change was less for those who received Ganglion block (2.98), Stretching/Manipulation (2.19) and Conservative/Usual Care (1.69). Conclusion This study highlights the progressive nature of treatment for coccydynia, starting with noninvasive methods before considering coccygectomy. Non-surgical management provides pain relief for many patients. Coccygectomy is by far the most thoroughly investigated treatment option and may be beneficial for refractory cases. Future randomized controlled trials should be conducted with an aim to compare the efficacy of interventional therapies amongst each other and to coccygectomy.

Many works of both Ukrainian scientists and foreign are devoted to the study of the prevention of iron deficiency anemia in piglets as one of the most common non-communicable diseases of pigs. However, the development of new effective antianemic drugs is still relevant today. We have previously proposed a scheme for the prevention of iron deficiency anemia, based on intramuscular parallel administration of solutions of iron (IV) clatrochelate and cyanocobalaminе to pregnant sows 14 and 7 days before the expected farrowing. This scheme was effective in the absence of stillbirth and clinical signs of anemia in piglets. The aim of our next study was to investigate the content of iron in the milk of sows using iron (IV) clatrochelate during pregnancy. To achieve this goal, 2 groups of sows (hybrids of Landrace and Great White breeds) were formed during their pregnancy and kept with suckling piglets - control and experimental, 5 animals in each. Sows in the experimental group were injected twice (14 and 7 days before expected farrowing) with 10 ml of 10% iron (IV) clatrochelate solution and cyanocobalaminе solution (at the dose recommended by official instructions) twice during pregnancy. Sows of the control group were injected with isotonic sodium chloride solution in conventional doses. During the experiment, the sows of the experimental group during pregnancy (after drug administration) and during the feeding of piglets did not differ in behavior and general condition from the sows of the control group. The study of the dynamics of hemoglobin and morphological parameters of the blood of sows in the control and experimental groups did not reveal significant differences. The content of iron in colostrum / milk of sows of the experimental group during the first seven days after administration was significantly higher compared to the control: 1 day 1.5 times, 4 days 2.1 times and 7 days 2.8 times. Therefore, the proposed scheme for the prevention of iron deficiency anemia in piglets is highly efficientand based on the intake of iron with colostrum/milk of sows. Key words: anemia, injection, macrobicyclic complex, prophylaxis, pigs, cyanocobalaminе.

Plastic injection molding is widely used in many industrial applications. Plastic products are mostly used as disposable parts or as portable parts for fast replacements in many devices and machines. However, mass production is always adopted as an ideal method to cover the huge demands and customers’ needs. The problems of warpage due to thermal stresses, non-uniform pressure distribution around cavities, shrinkage, sticking and overall products quality are some of the important challenges. The main objective of this work is to analyze the stress distribution around the cavities during the molding and demolding to avoid their effects on the product quality. Moreover, diagnosing the critical pressure points around and overall the cavity projection area, which is subjected to high pressure will help to determine the optimum pressure distribution and ensure filling all cavities at the same time, which is another significant objective. Computer-aided design (CAD) and CATIA V5R20 are adopted for design and modeling procedures. The computer-aided engineering (CAE) commercial software ABAQUS 6141 has been dedicated as finite element simulation packages for the analysis of this process. Simulation results show that stress distribution over the cavities depends on both pressure and temperature gradient over the contact surfaces and can be considered as the main affecting factor. The acceptable ranges of the cavity stresses were determined according to the following values: the cavity and core region temperature of 55–65 °C, filling time of 10–20 s, ejection pressure 0.85 % of injection pressure, and holding time of 10–15 s. Also, theoretical results reveal that the uniform pressure and temperature distribution can be controlled by adjusting the cavities layout, runner, and gate size. Moreover, the simulation process shows that it is possible to facilitate and identify many difficulties during the process and modify the prototype to evaluate the overall manufacturability before further investing in tooling. Furthermore, it is also concluded that tooling iterations will be minimized according to the design of the selected process, Литье пластмасс под давлением широко используется во многих отраслях промышленности. Изделия из пластика в основном используются в качестве одноразовых или портативных деталей для быстрой замены во многих устройствах и машинах. Однако массовое производство всегда рассматривается как идеальный метод удовлетворения огромных требований и потребностей клиентов. Одними из основных проблем являются деформации из-за термических напряжений, неравномерное распределение давления по полостям, усадка, прилипание и общее качество изделий. Основной целью данной работы является анализ распределения напряжений вокруг полостей во время формования и извлечения из формы для устранения их влияния на качество продукции. Кроме того, диагностика критических точек давления вокруг и в целом области выступа полости, которая подвергается воздействию высокого давления, позволяет определить оптимальное распределение давления и одновременно обеспечить заполнение всех полостей, что является еще одной важной задачей. Для проектирования и моделирования используются системы автоматизированного проектирования (САПР) и CATIA V5R20. Для анализа этого процесса, было разработано коммерческое программное обеспечение автоматизированного проектирования (CAE) ABAQUS 6141 в качестве пакетов моделирования методом конечных элементов. Результаты моделирования показывают, что распределение напряжений по полостям зависит как от давления, так и от градиента температуры по контактным поверхностям и может рассматриваться как основной влияющий фактор. Допустимые диапазоны напряжений в полости определялись по следующим значениям: температура полости и области сердцевины 55 –65 °C, время заполнения 10–20 с, давление выталкивания 0,85% от давления литья и время выдержки 10–15 с. Кроме того, теоретические результаты показывают возможность управления равномерностью распределения давления и температуры путем регулирования расположения полостей, размера литника и затвора. Более того, процесс моделирования показывает, что для оценки общей технологичности перед дальнейшими инвестициями в оснастку возможно выявить и облегчить многие трудности в процессе и модифицировать прототип. Кроме того, можно сделать вывод, что количество итераций оснастки будет сведено к минимуму в соответствии со схемой выбранного процесса, Лиття пластмас під тиском широко використовується в багатьох галузях промисловості. Вироби з пластику в основному використовуються в якості одноразових або портативних деталей для швидкої заміни в багатьох пристроях і машинах. Однак масове виробництво завжди розглядається як ідеальний метод задоволення величезних вимог і потреб клієнтів. Одними з основних проблем є деформації через термічні напруження, нерівномірний розподіл тиску по порожнинах, усадка, прилипання та загальна якість виробів. Основною метою даної роботи є аналіз розподілу напруг навколо порожнин під час формування та вилучення з форми для усунення їхнього впливу на якість продукції. Крім того, діагностика критичних точок тиску навколо і в цілому області виступу порожнини, яка піддається впливу високого тиску, дозволяє визначити оптимальний розподіл тиску і одночасно забезпечити заповнення всіх порожнин, що є ще одним важливим завданням. Для проектування та моделювання використовуються системи автоматизованого проектування (САПР) та CATIA V5R20. Для аналізу цього процесу, було розроблено комерційне програмне забезпечення автоматизованого проектування (CAE) ABAQUS 6141 в якості пакетів моделювання методом кінцевих елементів. Результати моделювання показують, що розподіл напруг по порожнинах залежить як від тиску, так і від градієнта температури по контактних поверхнях і може розглядатися як основний фактор впливу. Допустимі діапазони напруг в порожнині визначалися за такими значеннями: температура порожнини та області серцевини 55–65 °C, час заповнення 10–20 с, тиск виштовхування 0,85% від тиску лиття і час витримки 10–15 с. Крім того, теоретичні результати показують можливість управління рівномірністю розподілу тиску і температури шляхом регулювання розташування порожнин, розміру литника та затвора. Більш того, процес моделювання показує, що для оцінки загальної технологічності перед подальшими інвестиціями в оснащення можливо виявити і полегшити багато труднощів в процесі та модифікувати прототип. Крім того, можна зробити висновок, що кількість ітерацій оснащення буде зведено до мінімуму відповідно до схеми обраного процесу

Background Solar retinopathy is a disease that causes photochemical toxicity in the retinal fovea tissues, leading to an acute decrease of vision. Case presentation This case report is an interventional case of an asymptomatic 17-year-old Caucasian female with a history of suddenly decreased vision due to solar retinopathy. The patient was managed with a custom-made needle injection of triamcinolone acetonide in the suprachoroidal space. Four months post suprachoroidal injection showed an anatomical and functional improvement in the ellipsoid zone layer through optical coherence tomography signal reappearance. In addition, the best-corrected visual acuity had improved from 0.1 to 1.0 on the Snellen chart with the disappearance of the scotoma. However, there was a mild increase in intraocular pressure after this procedure, controlled with topical hypertensive eye drops. Conclusion Suprachoroidal triamcinolone acetonide injection using a custom-made needle showed both functional and anatomical improvement of macular changes post-solar retinopathy, with acceptable safety outcomes in a young female.

This article is devoted to detection of advanced techniques of malicious input parameter injections and web application firewall (WAF) bypass. The authors have proposed a hierarchical model for detection rules definition, which allows to edit different fragments separately. This model has been implemented with the usage of Backus-Naur form and ANTLR4 (generator of parsers and lexers). The solution has been tested using some popular web application scanners. The testing environment has been created with Python3. The results of research have been compared with the corresponding ones for the existing open source solution – libinjection. The main accent has been made to SQL injcetions and Cross-Site Scripting attacks.

Reconstituted hydrogels based on the self-assembly of acid-solubilized collagen molecules have been extensively used as in vitro models and precursors in biofabrication processes. This study investigated the effect of fibrillization pH—ranging from 4 to 11—on real-time rheological property changes during the gelation of collagen hydrogels and its interplay with the properties of subsequently biofabricated dense collagen matrices generated via automated gel aspiration-ejection (GAE). A contactless, nondestructive technique was used to characterize the temporal progression in shear storage modulus (G’, or stiffness) during collagen gelation. There was a relative increase in G′ of the hydrogels from 36 to 900 Pa with an increase in gelation pH. Automated GAE, which simultaneously imparts collagen fibrillar compaction and alignment, was then applied to these precursor collagen hydrogels to biofabricate native extracellular matrix-like densified gels. In line with viscoelastic properties, only hydrogels fibrillized in the 6.5 < pH ≤ 10 range could be densified via GAE. There was an increase in both fibrillar density and alignment in the GAE-derived matrices with an increase in gelation pH. These factors, combined with a higher G′ in the alkaline precursor hydrogels, led to a significant increase in the micro-compressive modulus of GAE-densified gels of pH 9 and 10. Furthermore, NIH/3T3 fibroblast-seeded GAE-derived matrices densified from gels fibrillized in the pH range of 7 to 10 exhibited low cell mortality with >80% viability. It is anticipated that the results of this study can be potentially applicable to other hydrogel systems, as well as biofabrication techniques involving needles or nozzles, such as injection and bioprinting.

While formation and growth of particles in the troposphere have been extensively studied in the past two decades, very limited efforts have been devoted to understanding these in the stratosphere. Here we use both Cosmics Leaving OUtdoor Droplets (CLOUD) laboratory measurements taken under very low temperatures (205–223 K) and Atmospheric Tomography Mission (ATom) in situ observations of particle number size distributions (PNSDs) down to 3 nm to constrain nucleation mechanisms and to evaluate model-simulated particle size distributions in the lowermost stratosphere (LMS). We show that the binary homogenous nucleation (BHN) scheme used in most of the existing stratospheric aerosol injection (a proposed method of solar radiation modification) modeling studies overpredicts the nucleation rates by 3–4 orders of magnitude (when compared to CLOUD data) and particle number concentrations in the background LMS by a factor ∼ 2–4 (when compared to ATom data). Based on a recently developed kinetic nucleation model, which gives rates of both ion-mediated nucleation (IMN) and BHN at low temperatures in good agreement with CLOUD measurements, both BHN and IMN occur in the stratosphere. However, IMN rates are generally more than 1 order of magnitude higher than BHN rates and thus dominate nucleation in the background stratosphere. In the Southern Hemisphere (SH) LMS with minimum influence of anthropogenic emissions, our analysis shows that ATom-measured PNSDs generally have four apparent modes. The model captures reasonably well the two modes (Aitken mode and the first accumulation mode) with the highest number concentrations and size-dependent standard deviations. However, the model misses an apparent second accumulation mode peaking around 300–400 nm, which is in the size range important for aerosol direct radiative forcing. The bimodal structure of accumulation mode particles has also been observed in the stratosphere well above tropopause and in the volcano-perturbed stratosphere. We suggest that this bimodal structure may be caused by the effect of charges on coagulation and growth, which is not yet considered in any existing models and may be important in the stratosphere due to high ionization rates and the long lifetime of aerosols. Considering the importance of accurate PNSDs for projecting a realistic radiation forcing response to stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), it is essential to understand and incorporate such potentially important processes in SAI model simulations and to carry out further research to find out what other processes the present models might have missed.

Synthetic hydrogels composed of polymer pore frames are commonly used in medicine, from pharmacologically targeted drug delivery to the creation of bioengineering constructions used in implantation surgery. Among various possible materials, the most common are poly-[N(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide] (pHPMA) derivatives. One of the pHPMA derivatives is biocompatible hydrogel, NeuroGel. Upon contact with nervous tissue, the NeuroGel’s structure can support the chemical and physiological conditions of the tissue necessary for the growth of native cells. Owing to the different pore diameters in the hydrogel, not only macromolecules, but also cells can migrate. This study evaluated the differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) into neurons, as well as the effectiveness of using this biofabricated system in spinal cord injury in vivo. The hydrogel was populated with BMSCs by injection or rehydration. After cultivation, these fragments (hydrogel + BMSCs) were implanted into the injured rat spinal cord. Fragments were immunostained before implantation and seven months after implantation. During cultivation with the hydrogel, both variants (injection/rehydration) of the BMSCs culture retained their viability and demonstrated a significant number of Ki-67-positive cells, indicating the preservation of their proliferative activity. In hydrogel fragments, BMSCs also maintained their viability during the period of cocultivation and were Ki-67-positive, but in significantly fewer numbers than in the cell culture. In addition, in fragments of hydrogel with grafted BMSCs, both by the injection or rehydration versions, we observed a significant number up to 57%–63.5% of NeuN-positive cells. These results suggest that the heterogeneous pHPMA hydrogel promotes neuronal differentiation of bone marrow-derived stromal cells. Furthermore, these data demonstrate the possible use of NeuroGel implants with grafted BMSCs for implantation into damaged areas of the spinal cord, with subsequent nerve fiber germination, nerve cell regeneration, and damaged segment restoration.

Testing, verification and validation of sensors, components and systems is vital in the early-stage development of new cars with computer-in-the-car architecture. This can be done with the help of the existing technique, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing which, in the close loop testing case, consists of four main parts: Real-Time Simulation Platform, Sensor Simulation PC, Interface Unit (IU), and unit under test which is, for instance, a Vehicle Computing Unit (VCU). The purpose of this degree project is to research and develop a proof of concept for in-house development of an image injection solution (IIS) on the IU in the HIL testing environment. A proof of concept could confirm that editing, customizing, and having full control of the IU is a possibility. This project was initiated by Volvo Cars to optimize the use of the HIL testing environment currently available, making the environment more changeable and controllable while the IIS remains a static system. The IU is an MPSoC/FPGA based design that uses primarily Xilinx hardware and software (Vivado/Vitis) to achieve the necessary requirements for image injection in the HIL testing environment. It consists of three stages in series: input, image processing, and output. The whole project was divided in three parts based on the three stages and carried out at Volvo Cars in cooperation by three students, respectively. The author of this thesis was responsible for the output stage, where the main goal was to find a solution for converting, preferably, AXI4 RAW12 image data into data on CSI2 format. This CSI2 data can then be used as input to serializers, which in turn transmit the data via fiber-optic cable on GMSL2 format to the VCU. Associated with the output stage, extensive simulations and hardware tests have been done on a preliminary solution that partially worked on the hardware, producing signals in parts of the design that could be read and analyzed. However, a final definite solution that fully functions on the hardware has not been found, because the work is at the initial phase of an advanced and very complex project. Presented in this thesis is: important theory regarding, for example, protocols CSI2, AXI4, GMSL2, etc., appropriate hardware selection for an IIS in HIL (FPGA, MPSoC, FMC, etc.), simulations of AXI4 and CSI2 signals, comparisons of those simulations with the hardware signals of an implemented design, and more. The outcome was heavily dependent on getting a certain hardware (TEF0010) to transmit the GMSL2 data. Since the wrong card was provided, this was the main problem that hindered the thesis from reaching a fully functioning implementation. However, these results provide a solid foundation for future work related to image injection in a HIL environment.

Concrete overlays have proven to be an effective maintenance treatment as they slow de-icing chemical and water penetration into the original deck surface. Typically, due to vibration, structural flexibility, and weak bond between the concrete overlay and deck concrete potentially due to poor construction, de-bonding develops at the boundary between the original deck and overlay. This de-bonding creates voids, providing reservoir for chloride laden water to fill after it penetrates cracks in the surface. Displacing this liquid solution and filling these cracks with epoxy helps reduce freeze/thaw cycling and reduces spalling. The epoxy material protects the bridge deck from moisture and helps support the overlay and prevent it from failing under traffic loads. This leads to an extension of the asset life span and life cycle cost benefit increase. Overall, the bridge infrastructure performance improves significantly with greater mobility and less traffic interruptions due to repairs to bridges on our roadway infrastructures. Epoxy injection helps extends the service life of bridge decks and reduces the need for emergency bridge deck patching and as a result improves safety of road users. Epoxy injection has been added to INDOT’s Maintenance Work Performance Standards during the course of this study.

В статье освещена проблема прокладки нефте- и газопроводов в условиях береговой линии в непосредственной близости от водных объектов – рек, ручьев, болот. Традиционные способы предполагают использование для данных целей больших объемов дорогостоящего привозного щебня или песчано-гравийной смеси. Альтернативой является укрепление илистых и глинистых грунтов (супесей, суглинков) инъекцией щелочных и сульфатных активаторов в непосредственной близости от прокладываемых трубопроводов, что существенно снижает затраты на земляные работы и транспортировку материалов. Лабораторные испытания подтверждают соответствие физико-механических и эксплуатационных характеристик, закрепленных щелочной и сульфатной активизацией глинистых грунтов (прочность на сжатие, модуль упругости, водостойкость) требованиям нормативно-технической документации., The article covers the problem of the oil and gas pipelines laying in coastline conditions right next to the water features – rivers, stream, and swamp. Traditional approaches involve the use of large volumes of expensive imported crushed stone or sand-gravel mix for these purposes. The alternative way is to strengthen mud and clay soils (sandy loam, clay loam) by injection of alkaline and sulfate activators right next to the pipelines being laid, which significantly reduces the cost of excavation procedure and material transportation. Laboratory tests confirm the compliance of physical, mechanical and operational characteristics fixed by alkaline and sulfate activation of clay soils (compressive strength, elastic modulus, water resistance) with the requirements of regulatory and technical documentation.

Dear Editor,We have read with great interest the article by Mislovic et al.1 The authors used a new terminology named Lateral Erector Spinae Plane Block (LESPB) with this manuscript. They reported that due to the anatomical variation caused by previous spinal surgery, it is impossible to visualize the transverse process (TP). So, the authors decided to move the probe laterally until it shows the thoracic rib and deposits the local anesthetic after contacting the rib instead of the TP. In addition, they named this block LESPB.