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Introduction: The neck and parapharyngeal space are one of the most vital regions in the body, encompassing multiple major blood vessels, nerves, spine and the airway itself. Lateral neck masses that present to an ENT practitioner may not only include a wide variety of differentials, but may present as emergencies in case of an airway compromise. In such situations, decision making and arriving at the diagnosis becomes important not only from a curative perspective but also from a lifesaving one. Here we discuss a few cases of lateral neck masses that had presented to us with unusual presentation or had a rare diagnosis, along with the line of management that was followed. Cases: We present a case of a giant pleomorphic adenoma presenting with stridor, an adult onset cystic hygroma, a schwannoma presenting with dyspnea, an isolated infiltrating lipoma and 2 other cases of schwannoma. Conclusion: Tumours of the neck and parapharyngeal region have a wide variety as this region contains almost every kind of tissue. Diagnosis of any lesion should be done with caution, using the appropriate history, examination and investigative tools available. Not only the common presentation, but also outliers and uncommon presentations of common tumours should be kept in mind.

Docosanol is the only US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved over-the-counter topical product for treating recurrent oral-facial herpes simplex labialis. Validated analytical methods for docosanol are required to demonstrate the bioequivalence of docosanol topical products. A gas chromatography/selected ion monitoring mode mass spectrometry (GC/SIM-MS) method was developed and validated for docosanol determination in biological samples. Docosanol and isopropyl palmitate (internal standard) were separated on a high-polarity GC capillary column with (88% cyanopropy)aryl-polysiloxane employed as the stationary phase. The ions of m/z 83 and 256 were selected to monitor docosanol and isopropyl palmitate, respectively; the total run time was 20 min. The GC/SIM-MS method was validated in accordance with US FDA guidelines, and the results met the US FDA acceptance criteria. The docosanol calibration standards were linear in the 100–10000 ng/mL concentration range (R2>0.994). The recoveries for docosanol from the receptor fluid and skin homogenates were >93.2% and >95.8%, respectively. The validated method was successfully applied to analyze ex vivo human cadaver skin permeation samples. On applying Abreva® cream tube and Abreva® cream pump, the amount of docosanol that penetrated human cadaver skin at 48 h was 21.5 ± 7.01 and 24.0 ± 6.95 ng/mg, respectively. Accordingly, we concluded that the validated GC/SIM-MS was sensitive, specific, and suitable for quantifying docosanol as a quality control tool. This method can be used for routine analysis as a cost-effective alternative to other techniques.

Magnetic resonance enterography [MRE] and intestinal ultrasound [IUS] have developed rapidly in the past few decades, emerging as the primary non-invasive options for both diagnosing and monitoring Crohn's disease [CD]. In this review, we evaluate the pertinent data relating to the use of MRE and IUS in CD. We summarise the key imaging features of CD activity, highlight their increasing role in both the clinical and the research settings, and discuss how these modalities fit within the diagnostic pathway. We discuss how they can be used to assess disease activity and treatment responsiveness, including the emergence of activity scores for standardised reporting. Additionally, we address areas of controversy such as the use of contrast agents, the role of diffusion-weighted imaging, and point-of-care ultrasound. We also highlight exciting new developments, including the applications of artificial intelligence. Finally, we provide suggestions for future research priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Neurogenic tumors are the second most common parapharyngeal space (PPS) lesions, with schwannoma being the most common neurogenic tumor seen. PPS tumors account for 0.5% of all head-and-neck masses, and most surgeons might not encounter it in their lifetime. Anatomical complexity and histological diversity of PPS pose various diagnostic and treatment challenges. Relevant literature about lesions of this space is growing but is still limited. Aims: The aim of our study was to evaluate neurogenic tumors of PPS and their management over a period of 5 years. Settings and Design: A retrospective study was conducted in our institution for a duration of 5 years from January 2014 to December 2018. Materials and Methods: Clinical features were analyzed. All patients were subjected to radio imaging-contrast-enhanced computerized tomography and contrast magnetic resonance imaging, and findings were noted. After imaging, patients were subject to fine-needle aspiration cytology. Transcervical approach was used for 11 cases and endoscopic-assisted transoral transpharyngeal approach (EATA) used for 4 cases. Results: A total of 27 patients with PPS tumors were evaluated and treated. The incidence of neurogenic tumors was 55.5% (15 cases). Out of the 15 patients with neurogenic tumors, 11 cases were schwannomas, 1 case was vagal neurofibroma, and 3 cases were paragangliomas from the carotid body. Conclusions: Neurogenic tumors of PPS are more common than traditionally thought. Neck swellings and oropharyngeal masses are the most common presenting features. FNAC is a very useful tool to establish a preoperative cytological diagnosis. Both external approach and EATA are effective approaches, provided that careful patient selection is done.

Abstract Rock drilling is an essential operation in mining industries. Temperature at the bit-rock interface plays a major role in the wear rate of the drill bit. This paper primarily focuses on the wear rate of tungsten carbide (WC) drill bit and the interrelationship between temperature and wear rate during rotary drilling operations conducted using a computer numerical control (CNC) machine. The interrelationship between the temperature and wear rate was studied with regard to three types of rock samples, i.e., fine-grained sandstone (FG) of uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) that is 17.83 MPa, medium-grained sandstone (MG) of UCS that is 13.70 MPa, and fine-grained sandstone pink (FGP) of UCS that is 51.67 MPa. Wear rate of the drill bit has been measured using controlled parameters, i.e., drill bit diameter (6, 8, 10, 12, and 16 mm), spindle speed (250, 300, 350, 400, and 450 rpm), and penetration rate (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 mm/min), respectively. Further, a fully instrumented laboratory drilling set-up was utilized. The weight of each bit was measured after the bit reached 30 mm depth in each type of the rock sample. Furthermore, effects of the bit-rock interface temperature and operational parameters on wear rate of the drill bits were examined. The results show that the wear rate of drill bits increased with an increase in temperature for all the bit-rock combinations considered. This is due to the silica content of the rock sample, which leads to an increase in the frictional heat between the bit-rock interfaces. However, in case of medium-grained sandstone, the weight percentage (wt%) of SiO2 is around 7.23 wt%, which presents a very low wear rate coefficient of 6.33×10−2 mg/(N·m). Moreover, the temperature rise during drilling is also minimum, i.e., around 74 °C, in comparison to that of fine-grained sandstone and fine-grained sandstone pink. In addition, this paper develops the relationship between temperature and wear rate characteristics by employing simple linear regression analysis.

Most mechanical systems (in particular, gear transmission system) undergo relative motion which results in increased friction phenomenon (friction coefficient, stresses, and wear rate) and thereby results in loss of efficiency. Mechanical parts undergo relative motion in different geometry configurations and orientations that induce a different state of stress as a result of friction. Till date, attempts are being made to minimize the friction with full sphere pin geometry configuration. The present work focused to reduce the frictional and wear rate, and experiments are conducted with tribo-pairs. i.e., nickel-coated pin surface slide against Al6061 alloy disc. The friction studies are carried out at different loads and geometries of pin surfaces (sphere and hemisphere configured at different orientations such as full sphere and hemisphere configured at 0°, 45°, and 90°) to induce different stress states with reference to sliding directions. Change in the geometry of EN8 pin material and their orientation with reference to sliding direction resulted in a different state of stress. The resulting stress levels were examined under the scanning electron microscope, which revealed the mechanisms of adhesion, abrasion, and extrusion. At a lower magnitude of orientation and load, the extent of asperity breaking lessens and material removal from pin surface decreases. Abrasion wear mechanism was observed corresponding to full sphere configuration on Al 6061 disc, whereas adhesive wear mechanisms are seen with hemisphere pins. The amount of aluminum transfer on pin surface with a hemisphere pin is comparatively more than that of full sphere configuration. At a lower magnitude of state of stress, the mechanism of sliding was dominated by the adhesion effect. At a higher level of state of stress, the mechanism of sliding was dominated by abrasion and extrusion.

Introduction Tonsillectomy is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures worldwide, with the major drawback of significant post operative pain.There is no consensus regarding topical application or local infiltration of anesthetics post operatively to reduce pain. The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of bupivacaine infiltration in the tonsillar fossae after tonsillectomy. Materials and Methods A double-blinded clinical trial was performed on 75 patients undergoing tonsillectomy between January 2019 and January 2020. All patients underwent tonsillectomy under general anesthesia and were then randomly divided into 3 groups of 25 patients each. For Group I, a swab soaked in normal saline was applied to the tonsillar fossae for 5 minutes just before extubation. In Group II, a swab soaked in 5 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine was placed for 5 minutes, while in Group III, 5ml of 0.5% bupivacaine was infiltrated in the tonsillar fossae. The intensity of pain for each group was measured in the immediate post op period, at6 hours, 24 hours and 1 week by Wong Baker Faces Pain Rating Scale. Results There was a significant difference in the mean level of pain between groups I and III in the immediate post op period, at 6 hours and 24 hours. Although the average pain scores of group III were better than those of group II, the results were significant only in the 6 hour post op period. Conclusion To reduce post-tonsillectomy pain,0.5% bupivacaine can be infiltrated into the tonsillar fossa.

This work reports an eco-friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using endophytic bacteria, Cytobacillus firmus isolated from the stem bark of Terminalia arjuna. The synthesis of AgNPs was confirmed by visual observation as a change in color of the bacterial solution impregnated with silver. Further, the morphology of the AgNPs, average size, and presence of elemental silver were characterized by UV–Visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering spectroscopy. The roles of endophytic secondary metabolites in the metal reduction, stabilization, and capping of silver nanoparticles were studied by qualitative FTIR spectral peaks. The antimicrobial ability of AgNPs was evaluated against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria and pearl millet blast disease-causing fungi (Magnoporthe grisea). The biosynthesized AgNPs showed good antibacterial and antifungal activities. AgNPs effectively inhibited the bacterial growth in a dose-dependent manner and presented as good antifungal agents towards the growth of Magnoporthe grisea.