Irregular Discharge Research Articles

Widespread hyperexcitability of nociceptor somata outlasts enhanced avoidance behavior after incision injury.

Nociceptors with somata in dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) readily switch from an electrically silent state to a hyperactive state of tonic, nonaccommodating, low-frequency, irregular discharge of action potentials (APs). Spontaneous activity (SA) during this state is present in vivo in rats months after spinal cord injury (SCI) and has been causally linked to SCI pain. Intrinsically generated SA and, more generally, ongoing activity (OA) are induced by various neuropathic conditions in rats, mice, and humans and are retained in nociceptor somata after dissociation and culturing, providing a powerful tool for investigating its mechanisms and functions. The present study shows that long-lasting hyperexcitability that can generate OA during modest depolarization in probable nociceptors dissociated from DRGs of male and female rats is induced by plantar incision injury. OA occurred when the soma was artificially depolarized to a level within the normal range of membrane potentials where large, transient depolarizing spontaneous fluctuations (DSFs) can approach AP threshold. This hyperexcitability persisted for at least 3 weeks, whereas behavioral indicators of affective pain-hind paw guarding and increased avoidance of a noxious substrate in an operant conflict test-persisted for 1 week or less. The most consistent electrophysiological alteration associated with OA was enhancement of DSFs. An unexpected discovery after plantar incisions was hyperexcitability in neurons from thoracic DRGs that innervate dermatomes distant from the injured tissue. Potential in vivo functions of widespread, low-frequency nociceptor OA consistent with these and other findings are to contribute to hyperalgesic priming and to drive anxiety-related hypervigilance.

Evaluating and identifying changes in the rate of unplanned discharge among Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities providing substance use disorder residential care

IntroductionQuality improvement (QI) methods play a critical role in ensuring that patients receive high-quality and timely care. Healthcare systems should use valid and reliable measures to inform QI efforts. Mental health settings including substance use disorder (SUD) residential programs have been slow to develop and incorporate quality measurement into routine practice. Unplanned discharge is of particular concern because this event is associated with harm including suicide. Healthcare systems require criteria that they can use to operationalize unplanned discharge as a quality measure in SUD residential programs. MethodsThe study included all discharges from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) residential SUD programs between 2018 and 2022. The study calculated crude and adjusted rates of irregular discharge. The study used the first two years of observation (2018–2019) in a logistic regression model to determine the parameter estimates for three important covariates, age, risk for homelessness, and principal diagnosis. The study tested permutations of bin size (N) and days (D) per bin to identify a single set of parameters to enable small and large facilities to have sufficient power to detect out-of-control processes (i.e., significant worsening or improvement in rates). Aligned with standard nomenclature, the study calculated the control limits based on three standard deviations (SD). Values that fell above or below three SD were statistically significant. ResultsThe cohort included 56 facilities (26,361 discharges). Irregular discharge was associated with younger age (18–40 years) and a principal diagnosis of a drug use disorder. Testing parameter values of 100 discharges (N) over 120 days (D) would yield enough power to detect modest relative changes to the irregular discharge rate for small and large facilities while testing frequently enough to make the evaluations temporally relevant. Because secular trends such as staff changes over time will impact results, the quality control method should allow for real-time feedback to those most proximal to the event. ConclusionsThe study created a set of parameters and a methodology that residential SUD programs can use to operationalize unplanned discharge locally. These data could assist programs in conducting QI work to address unplanned discharge and related harms.

Bacterial Vaginosis and Its Associated Factor Among Pregnant Women Receiving Prenatal Care at Bonga Gebretsadik Shoawo General Hospital, South West Ethiopia

One of the most frequent causes of irregular vaginal discharge in pregnant women is bacterial vaginosis (BV), which is characterized by a rise of various anaerobic bacteria and a decrease in important bacteria, the lactobacilli. The variation in the prevalence and its contributing causes among various populations, and nations is well known. Hence, in this study, the prevalence and characteristics associated with BV in pregnant women were determined. Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on pregnant women who visited the obstetric and gynecological units at Bonga general hospital in Bonga, south west Ethiopia. Nugent’s scoring method was used for the diagnosis of BV. The prevalence of BV was 19.7% (48/244) [95% CI 17.2–23.2]. Vaginal douching with soap was significantly linked to BV in women (AOR, 3.6; 95% CI: 1.4–9.1). Pregnant women with vaginal discharge and with a foul-smelling odor were four times more likely to have BV (AOR, 4.2; 95% CI: 1.7–10.3; p = 0.001). Furthermore, women who had multiple sexual partners were three times more likely to get BV. It was noted that pregnant women in this study had a high prevalence of BV. We revealed that the majority of women with BV had vaginal discharge and an unpleasant odor. We were able to verify the association between BV in pregnant women with multiple sexual partners and women who practiced vaginal douching with soap. Therefore, additional research may be required to validate and assess the reason for this correlation. Planning a preventive approach for BV that discourages vaginal douching with soap and multiple sexual partners during pregnancy may reduce the prevalence of BV.

Analysis of Hydrogen Combustion in a Spark Ignition Research Engine with a Barrier Discharge Igniter

Hydrogen fuel is gaining particular attention in internal combustion engines. In addition to zero-carbon emissions, major advantages relate to its combustion characteristics, which allow a significant increase in thermal efficiency under ultra-lean operation and with very low NOx levels. The ignition system is one of the main technology enablers, as it determines the capability to control ultra-lean operations, avoid backfire phenomena, and/or reduce the risks of abnormal combustions. The latter results from hydrogen’s low ignition energy and it is associated with factors like high-temperature residuals, hot spots, and irregular spark plug discharge. The ACIS gen 2-Barrier Discharge Igniter excels in accelerating the initial flame growth speed by the generation of non-equilibrium low-temperature plasma, a strong ignition promoter for the combined action of kinetic and thermal effects. Moreover, its volumetric discharge facilitates combustion initiation on a wide region, in contrast to the localized ignition of traditional spark systems. In this work we present for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, experimental results showing the performance of a hydrogen engine with a low-temperature plasma discharge. Tests were conducted on a single-cylinder research engine, achieving ultra-lean conditions with cycle-to-cycle variability results below 2.5%. The analysis indicates that the H2-BDI combined solution is capable of accelerating the evolution of the flame front compared to traditional spark plugs, leading to a significant reduction in the cycle-to-cycle variability. A meticulous adjustment of the BDI control parameters further enhances igniter performance and contributes to a deeper understanding of the innovative approach proposed in this study.

Characterization and Proposal of Technologies for The Treatment of Domestic Sewage in Ilha Grande Bay – RJ

Objective: To characterize the situation of sanitary wastewater discharge in the hydrographic basins draining into the Baía da Ilha Grande (BIG) and to propose wastewater treatment alternatives based on the literature on decentralized solutions. Theoretical framework: The BIG has been experiencing negative environmental impacts due to the urbanization process in the region, mainly due to the irregular discharge of domestic wastewater into the environment. Method: The methodology was developed in two stages, with stage 1 involving data collection from available data in the 2017 Wastewater Atlas, and stage 2 focusing on identifying the most appropriate treatment technologies for this study from the fifteen options evaluated. Results and conclusion: The characterization revealed that municipalities within the BIG are already using decentralized solutions for domestic wastewater treatment, albeit below the national average coverage rates (18-54%). The five most promising technologies identified were Septic Tanks, Compact UASB, Biodigesters, Compartmentalized Anaerobic Reactors, and Integrated Biosystems. It is concluded that the communities have a sanitation deficit and show potential for implementing decentralized solutions. Implications of the research: The study helped develop strategies for decision-makers to select the most appropriate wastewater treatment technologies to meet local needs. It also served as a model for scientific studies in other locations. Originality/value: This study aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6, by presenting decentralized solutions as a promising pathway to universalizing household wastewater treatment in developing countries.

Analysis of 30-day hospital readmissions and related risk factors for COVID-19 patients with myocarditis hospitalized in the United States during 2020

Background Despite extensive research on COVID-19 and its association with myocarditis, limited data are available on readmission rates for this subset of patients. Thirty-day hospital readmission rate is an established quality metric that is associated with increased mortality and cost. Methods This retrospective analysis utilized the Nationwide Readmission Database for the year 2020 to evaluate 30-day hospital readmission rates, risk factors, and clinical outcomes among COVID-19 patients who presented with myocarditis at their index hospitalization. Results Our analysis revealed that 1) the 30-day all-cause hospital readmission rate for patients initially hospitalized with COVID-19 and myocarditis was 11.7%; 2) after multivariate adjustment, the primary predictor of readmission for COVID-19 patients with myocarditis was discharge against medical advice; 3) COVID-19 patients with myocarditis who required readmission had a higher proportion of older patients and Medicare beneficiaries; 4) the most common diagnoses at readmission were COVID-19, sepsis, congestive heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, and pneumonia; and 5) readmitted patients were more likely to require renal replacement therapy during their index hospitalization. Conclusion This study underscores the importance of optimizing discharge plans, preventing irregular discharges through shared decision-making, and ensuring robust post-hospital follow-up for patients with COVID-19 and myocarditis at index admission.

Validation Methods for the Ammonia Removal of an Air Scrubber on a Poultry House Using the Acid Use and the Process Water Nitrogen Balance

Highlights Acid use in an acid air scrubber predicts the ammonia removal of an air scrubber. Nitrogen balance of process and discharge water in an air scrubber predicts ammonia removal of an air scrubber. Long-term monitoring of acid use and/or the nitrogen balance can validate the ammonia reduction of an air scrubber. The two validation methods can support local authorities in granting environmental permits and enforcement. Abstract. Ensured ammonia reduction by novel technologies and guaranteed low ammonia emission from livestock houses is essential for the granting and monitoring of legal permits. This study focuses on methods to underpin the long-term effectiveness of an air scrubber and was done in a commercial poultry house. The measured ammonia removal by an air scrubber with ammonia sensors (method 1) was compared to the acid use for ammonia binding (method 2) and the nitrogen balance over the process water (method 3). Also, the effect of the length of the time period used for the comparison was evaluated, as was the effect of the spatial variation of the ammonia concentration in the house. The overall weekly data showed a clear linear relation between method 1 on the one hand and methods 2 and 3 on the other hand, with regression coefficients close to 1 and a variation of +/- 20% on a 4-weekly basis. The 4-weekly data showed a clearly reduced variation compared to weekly data, due to leveling out of the impact of irregular time events like acid dosage and water discharge. The barn emission assessed by method 1 was significantly (12%) influenced by the spatial aerial concentration differences of ammonia in the house. Taking this into account, method 2 overestimated the emission reduction of method 1 with 16.8% and method 3 was in good agreement with method 1. For method 2, a revised value for acid use per kg of ammonia binding needs to be substantiated in further research. Possible measurement errors influenced calculated ammonia removal with a maximum of +/-2%, but the relative effect on remaining emissions was larger with +/- 15% for method 3. This study shows that monitoring acid use and/or the nitrogen balance can validate the ammonia reduction of air scrubbers and the remaining ammonia emission and support local authorities in granting environmental permits and their enforcement. Keywords: Acid, Air scrubber, Ammonia, Nitrogen balance, Poultry.

Effects of continuous and pulse lead exposure on the swimming behavior of tadpoles revealed by brain-gut axis analysis

Lead (Pb) is present in aquatic environments with a continuous or pulse form due to the regular or irregular discharge of wastewater. These two modes of exposure result in different toxicological effects on aquatic animals. To compare the effects of Pb exposure mode on the swimming behavior of amphibian larvae, this study proposed a combination method to examine the brain-gut axis (gut bacteria, histopathology, metabolomics, and ethology) in order to evaluate the ecotoxic differences in Pelophylax nigromaculatus tadpoles (Gs 21–28) when exposed to continuous (CE100) versus pulse exposure (PE100) of environmental concentrations of Pb (100 μg/L). The results showed that: 1) CE100 significantly decreased the movement distance and swimming activity of the tadpoles compared to PE100 and the control, while there were no significant differences between the control group and PE100. 2) At the phyla level, compared to PE100, CE100 treatment significantly decreased the abundance of Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes and increased the abundance of Fusobacteria in the gut. At the genus level, compared to PE100, CE100 significantly increased the abundance of U114 and decreased the abundance of Anaerorhabdus, Exiguobacterium and Microbacterium. 3) Compared to PE100, CE100 changed the metabolites of the brain-gut axis pathway, such as quinolinic acid, L-valine, L-dopa, L-histidine, urocanic acid, L-threonine, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), L-glutamate (Glu), acetylcholine (Ach), L-tyrosine (Tyr), L-tryptophan (Trp), and levodopa (DOPA). 4) CE100 and PE100 played a repressive role in the histidine metabolism and tyrosine metabolism pathways and played a promoting role in the purine metabolism and pyrimidine metabolism pathways. This study provides a method for evaluating the toxic effects of heavy metal exposure via two different exposure modes (pulse versus continuous) which tadpoles may encounter in the natural environment from a combined study examining the brain-gut axis.

Vibro-fluidization of cohesive particles

The paper assesses the behavior of cohesive Geldart C-type particles, when fluidized by air with the aid of vibration. Together with their poor flowability and irregular hopper discharge, bubbling fluidization is very difficult to achieve due to the possible particle agglomeration and gas channeling. When trying to fluidize cohesive particles, the gas drag force cannot break the inter-particle bonds. Despite all these handling and operation problems, ultrafine particles of micron- or nanosize are increasingly applied in industrial processes. To disrupt the stable gas channels and cracks, a mechanical vibration is one of the easier and preferred methods to improve the fluidity of the cohesive particles. In the present study, several 2 to 40 μm particles were used. A comparison with Geldart A-type particles was also made. Experimental results were used to validate a more fundamental approach based upon the balance of forces acting on the particles. This resulted in a new delineation of the Geldart C/A boundary where the critical transition particle size for particles of given absolute density, ρp, Hamaker constant, H, and inter-particle distance, z0, decreases with an increasing vibration intensity, I, according to dcrit2ρp=8.03Hz021+Ig.

Advanced cervical stump cancer after laparoscopic subtotal hysterectomy: a case report of imaging, laparoscopic staging and treatment approach

BackgroundAdvanced cancer of the cervical stump, occurring years after a laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy (LASH), is a rare but serious clinical condition. Many patients who undergo a LASH are unaware of this possible complication. Upon diagnosis of advanced cervical stump cancer, a holistic approach including imaging, laparoscopic surgery and multimodal oncological therapy is required.Case presentationA 58-year-old patient presented to our department with the suspicion of advanced cervical stump cancer eight years after LASH. She reported pelvic pain, irregular vaginal bleedings and irregular discharge. Gynaecological examination revealed a locally advanced tumor of the uterine cervix with suspicion of infiltration of the left parametria and bladder. After thorough diagnostic imaging and laparoscopic staging, the tumor stage was determined as FIGO IIIB and the patient was treated with combined radiochemotherapy. The patient presented with tumor recurrence 5 months after the completion of therapy and she is currently being treated with multichemotherapy and immunotherapy regimens as palliative treatment.ConclusionPatients should be made aware about the risk of cervical stump carcinoma after LASH and the necessity for regular screening. Cervical cancer after LASH is often diagnosed at advanced stages and the treatment requires an interdisciplinary approach.

An Analysis of Irregular Discharges From Residential Treatment Programs in the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

Veteran populations are frequently diagnosed with mental health conditions such as substance use disorder and PTSD. These conditions are associated with adverse outcomes including a higher risk of suicide. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has designed a robust mental health system to address these concerns. Veterans can access mental health treatment in acute inpatient, residential, and outpatient settings. Residential programs play an important role in meeting the needs of veterans who need more structure and support. Residential specialty types in the VHA include general mental health, substance use disorder, PTSD, and homeless/work programs. These programs are affiliated with a DVA facility (i.e., medical center). Although residential care can improve outcomes, there is evidence that some patients are discharged from these settings before achieving the program endpoint. These unplanned discharges are referred to using language such as against medical advice, self-discharge, or irregular discharge. Concerningly, unplanned discharges are associated with patient harm including death by suicide. Although there is some initial evidence to locate factors that predict irregular discharge in VHA residential programs, no work has been done to examine features associated with irregular discharge in each residential specialty. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who were discharged from VHA residential treatment programs between January 2018 and September 2022. We included the following covariates: Principal diagnosis, gender, age, race/ethnicity, number of physical health conditions, number of mental health diagnostic categories, marital status, risk of homelessness, urbanicity, and service connection. We considered two discharge types: Regular and irregular. We used logistic regression to determine the odds of irregular discharge using models stratified by bed specialty as well as combined odds ratios and 95% CIs across program specialties. The primary purposes are to identify factors that predict irregular discharge and to determine if the factors are consistent across bed specialties. In a secondary analysis, we calculated facility-level adjusted rates of irregular discharge, limiting to facilities with at least 50 discharges. We identified the amount of residual variation that exists between facilities after adjusting for patient factors. A total of 279 residential programs (78,588 patients representing 124,632 discharges) were included in the analysis. Substance use disorder and homeless/work programs were the most common specialty types. Both in the overall and stratified analyses, the number of mental health diagnostic categories and younger age were predictors of irregular discharge. In the facility analysis, there was substantial variation in irregular discharge rates across residential specialties even after adjusting for all patient factors. For example, PTSD programs had a mean adjusted irregular discharge rate of 15.3% (SD: 7.4; range: 2.1-31.2; coefficient of variation: 48.4%). Irregular discharge is a key concern in VHA residential care. Patient characteristics do not account for all of the observed variation in rates across residential specialty types. There is a need to develop specialty-specific measures of irregular discharge to learn about system-level factors that contribute to irregular discharge. These data can inform strategies to avoid harms associated with irregular discharge.

Effect of Freshwater Discharge From Estuary Dam on Residual Circulation in Bifurcated Channel

AbstractThe residual structure of the inner part of the Yeongsan River estuary has been reported to be a multi‐layer vertical structure, unlike the two‐layer vertical structure of a typical estuary, due to irregular freshwater discharge. The inner estuary has a main channel connected to the open sea, and a bifurcated channel system (sub‐channel) in its central part, which can affect the residual current. In this study, field observations of three‐dimensional velocity and salinity were conducted to understand the discharge effects on the residual current at bifurcated channels. The residual flows were estimated using least‐squares harmonic analysis. The relative contributions of advection acceleration and friction terms to nonlinear effects were evaluated using along‐channel momentum balance. In the absence of freshwater discharge, the flow patterns were dominated by tidal dynamics in the sub‐channel rather than the main channel, whereas most flow patterns during freshwater discharge were dominated by near‐surface strong velocity in the main channel. A multi‐layer vertical residual structure was observed during the non‐discharge period in the main channel, which was caused by the insertion of upstream residual flow from the sub‐channel. Nonlinear effects occurred at the bifurcation point of the two channels. During the non‐discharge period, the advection term was most dominant, whereas the vertical friction term was dominant during the discharge period. Moreover, the magnitude of the horizontal friction term was larger than that of the advection term. Therefore, freshwater discharge can lead to an increase in the friction term, which in turn can markedly affect the residual circulation.

Application of Space–Sky–Earth Integration Technology with UAVs in Risk Identification of Tailings Ponds

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) tilt photography technology has gradually become a new technical means of disaster risk identification. This technology combines UAVs, satellite remote sensing, and ground online monitoring systems to establish an integrated space–sky–Earth system that can be used for tailings pond risk identification. With the use of this system for visual interpretation, water body identification, and monitoring data analysis, multiple types of monitoring parameters of a typical tailings pond in China, such as the seepage line and surface deformation, were obtained. Moreover, intelligent fusion analysis was performed of multisource data to outline the problems affecting tailings safety in the process of elevation expansion and irregular ore discharge of the tailings pond. Warning values of different levels were obtained to assess the overall safety condition of the tailings pond, and the proposed technology was verified. The research results could provide a new basis for accurate evaluation of the running state of tailings ponds and offer an effective remote monitoring means for tailings pond enterprises and supervisory departments.

Bioactive self-healing hydrogel based on tannic acid modified gold nano-crosslinker as an injectable brain implant for treating Parkinson’s disease

BackgroundParkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common long-term neurodegenerative diseases. Current treatments for PD are mostly based on surgery and medication because of the limitation and challenges in selecting proper biomaterials. In this study, an injectable bioactive hydrogel based on novel tannic acid crosslinker was developed to treat PD.MethodsThe oxidized tannic acid modified gold nano-crosslinker was synthesized and used to effectively crosslink chitosan for preparation of the bioactive self-healing hydrogel. The crosslinking density, conductivity, self-healing ability, and injectability of the hydrogel were characterized. Abilities of the hydrogel to promote the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs) were assessed in vitro. Anti-inflammatory property was analyzed on J774A.1 macrophages. The hydrogel was injected in the PD rat model for evaluation of the motor function recovery, electrophysiological performance improvement, and histological repair.ResultsThe hydrogel exhibited self-healing property and 34G (~ 80 μm) needle injectability. NSCs grown in the hydrogel displayed long-term proliferation and differentiation toward neurons in vitro. Besides, the hydrogel owned strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidative capabilities to rescue inflamed NSCs (~ 90%). Brain injection of the bioactive hydrogel recovered the motor function of PD rats. Electrophysiological measurements showed evident alleviation of irregular discharge of nerve cells in the subthalamic nucleus of PD rats administered with the hydrogel. Histological examination confirmed that the hydrogel alone significantly increased the density of tyrosine hydroxylase positive neurons and fibers as well as reduced inflammation, with a high efficacy similar to drug-loaded hydrogel.ConclusionThe new bioactive hydrogel serves as an effective brain injectable implant to treat PD and a promising biomaterial for developing novel strategies to treat brain diseases.Graphical

Prediction of Seizure in the EEG Signal with Time Aware Recurrent Neural Network

The human brain's actions are reflected by the significant physiological data relying on the Electroencephalogram (EEG), which is utilized in the detection of epileptic seizures and the diagnosis of epilepsy. The visual inspection process of a vast quantity of EEG data by any human expert is time-consuming and the judgemental process may vary or be inconsistent among the physician. Hence, an automated process in detection and diagnosis is initiated by utilizing deep learning approaches. The Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is incorporated to correctly recognize the irregular inter-ictal discharges as non-seizures, but could not detect the ictal state and slower oscillations. To improve the performance of CNN for detecting seizures' ictal state and slower oscillations, Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) is combined with the CNN model. An RNN evokes every processed information via time and it assists in the prediction of time series data. The processed feature in RNN remembers the preceding input information which is Long Short Term Memory (LSTM). The investigational outcome of the proposed Time Aware CNN and Recurrent Neural Network (TA-CNN-RNN) attained effective classification accuracy. The experiments analysis exhibits that the TA-CNN-RNN achieves an accuracy of 89%, 88.6%, and 88.7% on CHB-MIT-EEG, Bonn-iEEG, and VIRGO-EEG databases, respectively compared to the Entropy+LSSVM, LBP+KNN and P-one-class SVM methods for epilepsy detection.

Review on rewiring of microalgal strategies for the heavy metal remediation - A metal specific logistics and tactics

Phycoremediation of heavy metals are gaining much attention and becoming an emerging practice for the metal removal in diverse environmental matrices. Still, the physicochemical state of metal polluted sites is often found to be complex and haphazard in nature due to the irregular discharge of wastes, that leads to the lack of conjecture on the application of microalgae for the metal bioremediation. Besides, the foresaid issues might be eventually ended up with futile effect to the polluted site. Therefore, this review is mainly focusing on interpretative assessment on pre-existing microalgal strategies and their merits and demerits for selected metal removal by microalgae through various process such as natural attenuation, nutritional amendment, chemical pretreatment, metal specific modification, immobilization and amalgamation, customization of genetic elements and integrative remediation approaches. Thus, this review provides the ideal knowledge for choosing an efficient metal remediation tactics based on the state of polluted environment. Also, this in-depth description would provide the speculative knowledge of counteractive action required for pass-over the barriers and obstacles during implementation. In addition, the most common metal removal mechanism of microalgae by adsorption was comparatively investigated with different metals through the principal component analysis by grouping various factor such as pH, temperature, initial metal concentration, adsorption capacity, removal efficiency, contact time in different microalgae. Conclusively, the suitable strategies for different heavy metals removal and addressing the complications along with their solution is comprehensively deliberated for metal removal mechanism in microalgae.

Primary lymphoma of the uterine cervix: a clinicopathologic study of 13 cases with review of additional 54 cases in the literature.

Primary lymphoma of the uterine cervix (LUCX) is extremely rare, and its diagnosis is challenging. However, its clinicopathological features have not been well characterized. Thirteen primary LUCX patients were retrospectively studied, and 54 patients from the literature were reviewed. Primary LUCX was identified in 0.22% (13/6000) of patients with uterine cervical malignancies in our institution. The patients' median age was 51years (range: 22-85years). All patients had a bulk of neoplasms in the uterine cervix. The median tumour diameter was 6cm (range: 1.5-10cm). Approximately 78.0% (39/50) of the patients initially presented with irregular vaginal bleeding or discharge. Moreover, 86.7% (39/45) had Ann Arbor stage I or II. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified, was the most common type, accounting for 85.0% (57/67) of primary LUCX cases. Follicular lymphoma (7.5%, 5/67), extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (4.5%, 3/67), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), blastoid variant (1.5%, 1/67), and peripheral T-cell lymphoma (1.5%, 1/67) were occasionally observed. Three patients (7.1%, 3/42) with DLBCL, NOS died from the disease during the follow-up period. Their 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 93.5%. The patient with MCL, blastoid variant in our present cohort died of the disease 33months after diagnosis. Primary LUCX is an extremely rare condition. The clinical symptoms are non-specific. DLBCL, NOS is the most common histologic type, showing a favourable outcome with accurate diagnosis and timely and optimal treatment.

Utilization of the Microbiological Profile of Symptomatic Vaginal Discharge in Rural Reproductive-Age Women

Women frequently report an irregular vaginal discharge, which can be caused by vaginal pathogens such as bacterial vaginosis, candidiasis, and trichomoniasis. The research objective was to ascertain the microbiological composition of symptomatic vaginal discharge in rural areas and the use of this information for treating genital tract infections. The current research was carried out over the course of a year, from Jan 2022 to June 2022, among sexually active females of reproductive age between 18 and 40 years, who visited the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at the Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar. Out of 120 women who had symptomatic vaginal secretions, 62 patients (51.67%) were in the 18–28 age range, followed by 39 patients (32.5%) in the 29–39 age range, and 19 patients (15.83%) in the 40–45 age range. Chlamydia trachomatis and Candida were discovered in 21 and 26 women, respectively, accounting for 17.5% and 21.67% of infections, but bacterial vaginosis infections were common in women (n=59), representing approximately 49.16% of scenarios. The majority of the patients (n=62; 51.67% and n=29; 24.16%) exhibited homogeneous and mucopurulent discharge respectively. Low socioeconomic class, premature sexual activity, and recognized genetic factors for unusual vaginal secretions, are one of the important risk factors that cause mortality in women in the form of lack of self, reduced work time, more hospital visits, and miscarriage. To assess the potential health benefits, thorough economic studies must be conducted after these experiments. It can assist doctors in implementing the proper antimicrobial therapy to treat these illnesses, avoid long-term complications, as well as avoid overdiagnosis and the emergence of antibiotic resistance.

Effects of current rate on electrically exploding aluminum wires in argon gas

The electrically exploding wires (EEWs) method is a low-cost, high-efficiency method for nanoparticle preparation. The current parameter is a determining factor of EEWs’ characteristics and nanoparticles’ size distribution. This paper systematically investigates the effects of the current rate on the resistive stage and diffusion process of EEWs in argon gas. The electrical measurement indicated that EEWs tend to transform from current-pause mode to direct-breakdown mode as the current rate increases. Deposited energy increases with the current rate approximately linearly due to improved power and overheating limits. Spatial inhomogeneities include residual cores, irregular discharge channels, local hot spots, and stratification structures. The residual core is formed because of the rivalry between the vaporized part and the condensed wire core. Increasing the current rate suppresses the above-mentioned inhomogeneities and accelerates diffusion.

Subthalamic nucleus stabilizes movements by reducing neural spike variability in monkey basal ganglia

The subthalamic nucleus projects to the external and internal pallidum, the modulatory and output nuclei of the basal ganglia, respectively, and plays an indispensable role in controlling voluntary movements. However, the precise mechanism by which the subthalamic nucleus controls pallidal activity and movements remains elusive. Here, we utilize chemogenetics to reversibly reduce neural activity of the motor subregion of the subthalamic nucleus in three macaque monkeys (Macaca fuscata, both sexes) during a reaching task. Systemic administration of chemogenetic ligands prolongs movement time and increases spike train variability in the pallidum, but only slightly affects firing rate modulations. Across-trial analyses reveal that the irregular discharges in the pallidum coincides with prolonged movement time. Reduction of subthalamic activity also induces excessive abnormal movements in the contralateral forelimb, which are preceded by subthalamic and pallidal phasic activity changes. Our results suggest that the subthalamic nucleus stabilizes pallidal spike trains and achieves stable movements.