Proper Control Measures Research Articles

Control of Corrosion of Carbon Steel in Sea Water by Polyaniline/Epoxy-(graphene)-Based Double-Layered Smart Coatings

Carbon steel (CS) is the preferred construction material in most industries due to its cost-effectiveness and unique mechanical properties. However, CS is susceptible to corrosion, and it thus requires the application of proper corrosion control measures to lengthen its service life. With regards to the oil and gas industry, the pipelines used to transport the oil and gas from the offshore production well are exposed to two main forms of the corrosive environment: the saltwater that surrounds the pipeline's outer wall, and the acidic corrosive environment that attacks the inner pipeline wall, especially during the oil and gas reservoir service such as the acidizing procedure for enhancing oil recovery (EOR). The most common method employed to protect the pipeline's outer wall is the application of protective coatings. However, many of the currently used coatings are not effective for extended periods of service. Therefore, there is a need to develop coatings with improved anti-corrosive properties, which could have an extended service life and, if damaged/compromised, could counterbalance the damage by acting as smart coatings.To address the outer-wallcorrosion of carbon steel pipelines exposed to a simulated sea environment (3.5wt.% NaCl), two types of coatings were developed and characterized in our laboratory: (i) a composite double-layered anti-corrosive coating based on the inner electrically-conductive polyaniline (PANI) layer doped with graphene oxide (GO) synthesized electrochemically directly on the CS surface, and on the outer commercial epoxy coating, and (ii) a smart double-layered coating based on the inner PANI layer electrochemically formed on the CS surface and doped with sodium caprylate (SC) and sodium dodecyl sulphonate (SDS) as a corrosion inhibitor mixture, and the outer commercial epoxy coating.The use of the double-layer PANI/GO/epoxy coating resulted in significantly better long-term anti-corrosive properties in the protection of CS surface in 3.5 wt.% NaCl. The coating maintained its protection efficiency over two months of constant exposure to the corrosive electrolyte (Figure 1). The excellent corrosion protection properties of the coating were prescribed solely to the presence of the underlying PANI/GO layer, which represents a high barrier for the transport of hydrated corrosive ions to the CS surface, through the combined action of charge (passive oxide film formation), surface energy (hydrophobicity), and blocking mechanisms.The smart double-layered coating based on the inner PANI layer doped with SC+SDS and the outer epoxy layer yielded a hydrophobic surface and good adhesion to CS. When damaged to allow penetration of the corrosive electrolyte through it to reach the CS surface, it relatively quickly (within one day) recovered its anti-corrosive properties, as a consequence of the potential-driven release of SC+SDS from the PANI layer and its adsorption on the exposed CS surface, and it then continued to offer high corrosion protection during the remaining 29 days of exposure in aqueous 3.5 wt.% NaCl, in comparison with the undoped coating that failed rather quickly (within 4 hours), Figure 2. Figure 1

Light curing infection control barriers: do some types jeopardize the concept of conventional bulk-fill composites?

BackgroundUsing infection control barriers (ICBs) on light curing units (LCUs) became mandatory to achieve proper infection control measures without jeopardizing the integrity of the restorations, especially at deeper layers. This study explored the effect of two ICBs on the irradiance of the LCU, as well as the degree of conversion (DC) and flexural strength (FS) of two types of bulk-fill composites. Water vapor permeability (WVP) of both barriers was also assessed to evaluate the capability of such barriers to prevent transmission of blood and saliva droplets and aerosols.MethodsTwo bulk-fill composites (X-tra fil and Tetric N- ceram) and two ICBs (Pinnacle Cure sleeve and Sanita wrapping film) were used in this study. Light irradiance was recorded per experimental condition using spectroradiometer. For DC and FS, specimens of 4 mm thickness were prepared. Each specimen was composed of two separable upper and lower layers of thickness 2 mm. DC and FS were measured using Infra-red spectroscopy and three-point loading test respectively. WVP was investigated using the cup method. Means and standard deviations were calculated, and the data were statistically analyzed using factorial analysis of variance test (α = 0.05).ResultsLight irradiance showed highest values using no ICBs and lowest values using Pinnacle curing sleeve. Both bulk-fill composites showed higher DC mean values without ICBs and when using Sanita wrapping film for both upper and lower layers of the specimens compared to Pinnacle curing sleeve. The upper layers of composite specimens showed higher DC compared to lower layers for all experimental conditions. Both ICBs had no adverse effect on FS of both composites’ upper layers. Pinnacle sleeve significantly reduced FS of both composites’ lower layers. X-tra fil showed higher DC and FS compared to Tetric N-Ceram for all experimental conditions. Regarding WVP; the wrapping film showed higher WVP compared to the curing sleeve.ConclusionsSanita wrapping film can be used as a successful ICB, without jeopardizing the concept of bulk-fill composites. Pinnacle cure sleeve can be considered an effective ICB, however its influence on properties and serviceability of bulk-fill composites remains questionable.

Augmented Reality Control based Energy Management System for Residence

Introduction: The roots of virtual reality (VR) go back to the work of Ivan Sutherland in the 1960s. At the time, virtual reality showed promise in universities and labs, peaking in the early 1990s at a stable level. The latest form of IoT is merging with the Internet of Everything (IOE). Using this technology, users can access any device, device, and machine in the environment through any middleware application or system. In recent years, smart speakers have become a common commercial method for controlling household appliances, solving some of the problems of remote control. For example, speech recognition is difficult in noisy environments and is minimized using noise cancellation. It also takes a long time to determine the current state of the device as the user need to request or issue a command to the smart speaker and need to wait for a response. The evaluation of prototype system found, using a device with gestures and interacting with a virtual 3D device instead of a real device was acceptable in terms of usability. In this article, the Unity and Vuforia are used to create an AR-based IoT virtual switch that can control any device connected to a LAN controller via HTTP requests. Methods: The system is made experimental with the Augmented Reality (AR), the virtual communication system is designed instead of physical mode. It provide the real time based image for active control of Energy management. It consist of virtual switches, it supports the AR based power control system. Results: The proposed system are made evaluated and tested under various load conditions. The virtual image consist of virtual switches to make real time control of power equipment. The proposed system achieve the latency of about 0.06 sec. Conclusion: The advancement in day today activities required with AR based energy management system with proper control measures. The designed system is supportive for such mechanism. The further system is proposed to make more energy saving concept for enhancement in proposed work.

A colorimetric reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification method targeting the L452R mutation to detect the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2

The rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has triggered global difficulties for both individuals and economies, with new variants continuing to emerge. The Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 remains most prevalent worldwide, and it affects the efficacy of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. Expedited testing to detect the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 and monitor viral transmission is necessary. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a colorimetric reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) technique targeting the L452R mutation in the S gene for the specific detection of the Delta variant. In the test, positivity was indicated as a color change from purple to yellow. The assay’s 95% limit of detection was 57 copies per reaction for the L452R (U1355G)-specific standard plasmid. Using 126 clinical samples, our assay displayed 100% specificity, 97.06% sensitivity, and 98.41% accuracy in identifying the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 compared to real-time RT-PCR. To our knowledge, this is the first colorimetric RT-LAMP assay that can differentiate the Delta variant from its generic SARS-CoV-2, enabling it as an approach for studying COVID-19 demography and facilitating proper effective control measure establishment to fight against the reemerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 in the future.

First Report of Phialocephala bamuru Causing Root Rot on Hard Fescue (Festuca brevipila) in the United States.

Turfgrasses are susceptible to a wide variety of ectotrophic root-infecting (ERI) fungi that cause root rot (Tredway et al., 2023). Among the root rot diseases, fairway patch, caused by Phialocephala bamuru P.T.W. Wong & C. Dong sp. nov., was recently identified and characterized in Australia infecting bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) and kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) grass (Wong et al., 2015). Symptoms begin as small, 5-10 cm diameter patches of yellowed turf that may coalesce into larger areas of diseased grass. A characteristic sign of fairway patch is roots colonized by dark brown to black, ectotrophic mycelium. In June 2020, many tan colored, irregular-shaped patches ranging from 10-30 cm in diameter developed on a hard fescue (Festuca brevipila) cultivar 'Beacon' turfgrass field in North Brunswick, New Jersey, USA. The centers of these patches later died and became sunken or filled in partially by recovering hard fescue. The patches grew into tan irregular-shaped rings with diameters up to 3 m by Aug 2023. Symptoms were indicative of a root disease. Five 'Beacon' hard fescue soil cores at the interface of the symptomatic and non-symptomatic area were sampled in Aug 2023. Root and crown samples were observed under a dissecting microscope and dark ectotrophic hyphae were observed on both. Roots with visible ectotrophic mycelium were removed, rinsed in sterile water three times, cut into 5 mm pieces, and plated onto 10% potato dextrose agar amended with streptomycin and gentamicin at 100 mg/L (PDA+). The plates were incubated at 25°C in the dark for 5 days. The most abundant colonies being characteristic long, septate hyphae that were hyaline at the edge and dark brown to black in the center and resembled the fungus described in Wong et al., 2015. These colonies were subcultured onto PDA+ medium and selected for molecular identification. Other less abundant colonies could be identified using morphology after subcultured and had no record being pathogenic to turfgrass. To confirm the isolate's identity, its internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was amplified in PCR using the ITS1F/ITS4 primers (Bellemain et al., 2010). The amplicon was then sequenced with both ITS1 and ITS4 primers by Sanger sequencing. Sequences were assembled (GenBank #PP000819). The consensus sequence was then BLASTn analyzed with default settings, and the result showed 99.64% sequence identity with P. bamuru (GenBank #MG195534.1). Koch's postulate was conducted in an environmentally controlled growth chamber. Six healthy 'Beacon' hard fescue plugs were sampled from the field. Three of the six plugs (treatment) were each inoculated with P. bamuru by placing 20 g of P. bamuru colonized millets beneath and around the plug before filling the pots with sand. The other three plugs (control) received the same treatment except the P. bamuru colonized millets were autoclaved. The pots were incubated in the growth chamber with a 16 h light period and 25/20°C day/night temperatures. Symptoms resembling those observed in the field appeared on the treatment pots after 21 days of incubation while the control pots remained healthy. The roots from the treatment pots were examined under the dissecting microscope to confirm the colonization of P. bamuru on the roots, and P. bamuru was reisolated and confirmed using the aforementioned morphological traits and molecular assays (GenBank #PP000820). This is the first report of a turfgrass root rot disease caused by P. bamuru in the United States. Further epidemiological, disease ecological, and pathogen biological studies are required to clarify the importance of this disease in the United States and establish proper disease containment or control measures.

Prevention of central venous line associated bloodstream infections- A literature review

Hospital-acquired infections, particularly Central Venous Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSIs), are a noteworthy concern in intensive care units (ICUs). CLABSIs not only extend hospital stays but also increase healthcare costs and pose serious threats to patients' well-being. This narrative literature review explores the evidence-based strategies for the prevention of CLABSIs in critical care settings. It emphasizes the importance of proper infection control measures, such as hand hygiene, maximal barrier precautions, and chlorhexidine skin preparation, to reduce the risk of infection. The choice of catheter insertion site, duration of catheter use, and nurse-patient ratios are also discussed as crucial factors in CLABSI prevention. Additionally, post-insertion care, including daily bathing with chlorhexidine, catheter patency maintenance, and dressing changes, is highlighted. The review underscores the need for healthcare workers to adhere to best practices and guidelines to minimize CLABSI rates, ultimately enhancing patient safety and reducing healthcare burdens. The findings emphasize the significance of informed practices in preventing CLABSIs and the potential for improved patient outcomes with their implementation.

Advances in analytical techniques for assessing volatile organic compounds in pulse crops: a comprehensive review

Pulse crops, including beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils, are vital sources of protein, fiber, and essential nutrients worldwide. They serve not only as staple foods but also as key components of sustainable agricultural practices, contributing to soil fertility through nitrogen fixation and enhancing overall productivity. However, pulse crops face numerous abiotic and biotic stresses mainly insect pest attack and pathogen invasion, which pose significant threats to pulse crops, impacting both production and food security. To overcome these challenges, plants have evolved diverse defense mechanisms, including the emission of specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These volatiles play crucial roles in plant communication, protection, and real-time health status indication. Monitoring VOCs offers a promising approach for early detection of pest infestations or pathogen infections, enabling the grower to take early action and decide on the proper control measure to minimize losses. The identification of plant-emitted VOCs requires robust and sensitive analytical techniques such as gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, which are the mainly used techniques for in pulse crops studies. However, traditional methods have limitations, prompting the need for advanced, portable, and real-time detection alternatives, such as gas-sensing technologies. This paper provides a comprehensive review of VOC measuring methods, including extraction, separation, and analytical techniques, focusing on their application in pulse crops. Recent advancements in gas-sensing technologies are also discussed, highlighting their potential in enhancing crop protection and agricultural sustainability.

Nursing Burnout to Infection Prevention and Control Measures Inpatient

Health is very important for a person’s life to be able to carry out daily activities comfortably. Hospitals as health service providers for the community play an important role in maximizing the level of health of a community, but conditions in the field show that not a few people who seek treatment at hospitals have the opportunity to get new diseases that have not been suffered before or HAIs (Healthcare Associated Infections). The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between nurse burnout to infection prevention and control measures inpatient room of X Kuningan Hospital. This research used a descriptive-analytic research method with a cross-sectional approach. Total sampling was 75 subjects. The results of the chi-square test obtained a p-value <0,05 (0,002), which means that there was a relationship between nurse burnout and infection prevention and control measures. The recommendation from this study is that hospital managers need to improve the quality of nurses by supervising and preventing burnout on nurses to take proper infection prevention and control (PPI) measures.

USE OF NANO SILICA AND COIR FIBER TO STRENGTHEN THE ENGINEERING PROPERTIES OF CLAYEY SOIL

One of the problematic soils is expansive soil, which has a strong tendency to shrink when dried and to inflate when its moisture level changes. In India, expansive soils made up of clays are referred to as black cotton soils. The alternating swell-shrink tendency of expansive soils results in foundation structures, including buildings and earth retaining wall pavements, to become distressed. For geotechnical engineers, comprehending the behavior of expansive soil and implementing the proper control measures has been a challenging challenge. A lot of study is being done to develop solutions for soils that produce black cotton. This review study uses the soil index and engineering features to examine the behavior of clayey soil stabilized with different proportions of Nano silica and Coir Fiber. Coir is a naturally occurring, biodegradable material that is widely accessible in several coastal and southern regions of India. Nano silica is a type of filler material that increases ductility without compromising strength. With less swelling potential, the generated nano silica functioned as a hydraulic binder. In expansive soils, coir fiber and nano silica are combined for the goal of sustainable development. As part of this comparison study, laboratory tests including Atterberg's limit, Compaction test, CBR test, and UCS test were performed for both modified and unmodified clayey soil. In this work, expansive soil was stabilized using Nano silica and Coir Fiber. Coir Fiber was fixed at 3.5%, after that Nano silica was changed to 2%, 4%, and 6%. Key Words: Compaction test, CBR, UCS, Coir Fiber, Nano Silica

Biofilm-producing and carbapenems-resistant Escherichia coli nosocomial uropathogens: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesThis cross-sectional study aims to determine the incidence and potential risk factors associated with biofilm-producing uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) nosocomial strains from a tertiary care hospital and to examine the prospective correlation between biofilm generation and antibiotic resistance phenotypes and genotypes.MethodsA total of 130 UPEC nosocomial isolates were identified, their biofilm formation was quantified using a modified microtiter plate assay, and their antibiotic susceptibilities were assessed utilizing the disc diffusion method. Isolates were then subjected to PCR assays targeting blaKPC, blaVIM, blaIMP, and blaOXA48 genes.ResultsOver half of the isolates (n = 76, 58.5%) were biofilm producers. Among 17 carbapenem-resistant isolates, 6 (42.9%) isolates harbored the blaOXA48 gene, and only 1 (9.1%) isolate was positive for the blaVIM gene. Prior antibiotic therapy (aOR 15.782, p 0.000) and diabetes mellitus DM (aOR 11.222, p 0.016) were the significant risk factors associated with biofilm production, as determined by logistic regression analysis of the data. In addition, gentamicin resistance was the only statistically significant antibiotic resistance pattern associated with biofilm production (aOR 9.113, p 0.02).ConclusionsThe findings of this study emphasize the significance of implementing proper infection control measures to avoid the horizontal spread of biofilm formation and associated antimicrobial resistance patterns among UPEC nosocomial strains.

Complete genome characterization of foot-and-mouth disease virus My-466 belonging to the novel lineage O/ME-SA/SA-2018

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), the causative agent of the foot-and-mouth disease of cattle population possesses a rapid evolutionary rate. In Bangladesh, the first circulation of the O/ME-SA/SA-2018 lineage as a novel sublineage, MYMBD21 was reported from our laboratory. The first whole genome sequence of an isolate, BAN/MY/My-466/2021 (shortly named My-466) of the SA-2018 lineage is characterized and represented in this study. The genome is 8216 nucleotides long with 6996 nucleotides open reading frame flanked by 5ꞌ UTR (1–1100) and 3ꞌ UTR (8097–8216). VP1 was found to be highly variable among the structural proteins with crucial mutations in the major antigenic region, G-H loop. Structural variations of the VP1 against both field and proposed local vaccine strains were evidenced by the G-H loop displacement in a superimposed 3D model. The complete genome information of the isolate would be valuable for undertaking proper control measures needed to limit the spread of the newly emerged FMDV strain.

Risk Factors and Environmental Preventive Actions for Aspergillosis in Patients with Hematological Malignancies.

(1) Background: Aspergillus spp. is a widely distributed filamentous fungus in the environment due to its high sporulation capacity. Currently, invasive aspergillosis (IA) is the most common invasive fungal infection in patients with hematologic malignancies, with high rates of mortality and morbidity. The multifactorial nature of the disease requires appropriate risk stratification to enable the most appropriate preventive measures to be adapted and implemented according to the characteristics of the patient. In this sense, the present research aims to identify recent risk factors and environmental control measures against invasive aspergillosis to establish preventive actions to reduce the incidence of invasive aspergillosis in hospitals. (2) Methods: We conducted a qualitative systematic review of the scientific literature on environmental risk factors and preventive measures for invasive aspergillosis in patients with hematologic malignancies. The Medline, Cochrane, and Scopus databases were consulted, following the PRISMA and STROBE guidelines. (3) Results: Adequate implementation of environmental control measures is presented as the most efficient intervention in terms of prevention to decrease the incidence of invasive aspergillosis in hospitals. Neutropenia, fungal contamination, insufficient environmental control measures in hospital and home settings, length of hospital stay, and anemia, are identified as independent risk factors. We show that HEPA, LAF, and Plasmair® systems are suitable methods to reduce the concentration of airborne fungal spores. Antifungal prophylaxis did not significantly influence IA reduction in our study. (4) Conclusions: Proper professional training and environmental control measures in hospitals are essential for the prevention of invasive aspergillosis. We should optimize risk stratification for patients with hematologic malignancies. Antifungal prophylaxis should be complementary to environmental control measures and should never be substituted for the latter. Studies should also be undertaken to evaluate the efficiency of environmental control measures against IA at patients' homes.

Characteristics of air exposure in welding workshop workers

Welding activities contribute to Indoor Air Pollution (IAP), and without proper control measures, they can pose health risks to workers. The goal of this research is to analyze indoor air quality, including CO, CO2, humidity, temperature, Total Suspended Particulate (TSP), and heavy metal composition, during 8 hours of welding activities. This study employed an experimental method using personal dust monitoring equipment worn by workers during 8 hour welding shifts. Environmental parameters such as CO2, CO, temperature, and humidity were measured using Si-AQ Pro. The results indicated that CO2, CO, temperature, and humidity concentrations in location 1 were higher than in location 2 but remained below the permissible exposure limits based on occupational health and safety regulations (Minister of Manpower and Transmigration Regulation No. 13/Year/x/2011) for carbon monoxide. The dominant heavy metal exposures during welding were Fe and Zn, with other heavy metals including Al, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Pb. These nine heavy metals remained below the ACGIH threshold limits. In conclusion, preventive measures such as improved ventilation can effectively reduce indoor air pollutant concentrations.

Nonstandard Computational and Bifurcation Analysis of the Rabies Epidemic Model

This paper aims to investigate some new dynamics of a new model describing the rabies virus dynamics, taking into account the effect of proper vaccination. The model’s population is divided into three main compartments, namely, susceptible S(t), infected I(t), and recovered R(t) individuals. The model is formulated and then the equilibrium points of the model are found. The local and global stabilities of equilibrium points of the proposed model are investigated where conditions of stability are attained in terms of key parameters in the model. Bifurcation analysis is performed for the possible occurrence of codimension‐one bifurcations in the model. In addition, bifurcation surfaces are plotted in the space of parameters in the model. For the numerical verification, a nonstandard finite difference method is adapted for solving the model and the accurate results of numerical simulations are depicted to reveal the dynamics of the model. The method provides realistic data for the model and these data can be used to predict the spread of the virus and to provide insight into proper procedures and control measures that can be taken.

Molecular Profile of Metallo-β-Lactamase Producing Bacterial Isolates from Clinical Samples; South-South Nigeria Perspective

One of the major clinical problems regarding β-lactam antibiotics resistance is attributed to metallo-beta-lactamases (MβL), which are a group of enzymes that is a subset of beta- lactamases belonging to group B of the Ambler classification, which causes hydrolysis of carbapenems. The study was conducted to check the prevalence of MβL and its genes (IMP, VIM, and NDM) among Gram-negative isolates. Methods. 312 clinical samples (urine and wound) were cultured, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the conventional disk diffusion method. MβL-phenotypic detection was uncovered by standard bacteriological techniques, MβL genes were amplified using pre-determined conditions set on an AB19700 Applied Biosystem thermal cycler. Results. 157 (56.1%) Gram-negative and 123 (43.9%) Gram-positive were isolated. Escherichia coli 32 (11.4%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 32 (11.4%) were the most predominant. Providencia stuartii 3 (1.1%), Klebsiella ornitholytica 2 (0.7%), and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia 1 (0.4%) were some of the less predominant isolates. Imipenem and Ertapenem were the most sensitive, while Gentamicin, Amoxicillin-Clavulanate, and Ceftriaxone were the most resistant. Twelve species (7.6%) were identified as MβL producers. The VIM gene (12: 100%) was the predominant gene, followed by the NDM gene (6: 50%) and the IMP gene (2: 16.7%). Conclusions. The detection of blaVIM, blaNDM, and blaIMP genes in South-south Uyo is really worrisome, and proper infectious control measures should be taken in order to prevent outbreaks of MβL-producing Gram-negative bacteria isolated in Uyo, South South Nigeria.

Ilizarov Fixator-Assisted Management of Neglected Femur Fractures by Open Intramedullary Nailing: A Case Series.

Fourteencases of NFFspresented to Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar, India, between January 2020 and June 2022 were recruited for the study. After preoperative evaluation and explanation of available treatment options to patients, they were operated on with a two-stage procedure of Ilizarov fixator application, followed by intramedullary interlocking nailing, with a period of gradual distraction in between. They were then followed up for a minimum of 12 months to assess functional and radiological outcomes. The average time for all of the fractures to heal was 25.2weeks. The average knee flexion increased from 28.2degrees before surgery to 87.1degrees after surgery. All 14 patients could walk with complete weight bearing on the operated limb postoperatively after proper pain control measures were taken.The mean Tegner Lysholm knee score was 77.8. There was residual limping in six of the cases, which could be attributed to muscle atrophy and/or shortening in the affected limbs. In three cases, skin blisters were formed due to the acute nature of the distraction, but they all healed with a scab and scar, otherwise uneventfully. The shortening, in 13 cases, came down to 4 cm or less, which was managed with a shoe raise. The one case with a residual 5 cm shortening had a short, limping gait, and it was attributed to an extremely overriding osteopenic femur preoperatively. A two-stage operation with distraction by an Illizarov fixator followed by an intramedullary fixation provides the basic advantage of not having to excise an excessive amount of bone, which may be required in primary open reduction and intramedullary fixation. It also allows the patient to carry on his daily activities as mobilization is not restricted, which is the case in an individual to whom skeletal traction is applied. Hence, in any NFFcase, this algorithm of management can be considered a frontrunner in the comprehensive management of disability and deformity.

Challenges and proposed solutions for optical reading on point-of-need testing systems

A broad spectrum of application fields, including human and animal health, food safety and environmental monitoring, require performing real time, on-field chemical determinations, a concept known as point-of-need testing (PONT). In the case of infectious diseases, it allows for early diagnosis, which usually enables better treatment options for the patient, and permits early outbreak detection and intervention with proper control measures. PONT solutions are usually developed on microfluidic chips, preferably with no extra equipment, as to lower their cost, ease their delivery and portability. However, equipment-free PONT is not always feasible, since off-chip operations (e.g., pumping or heating) might be required and provided by the so-called analyzers. A typical example is the hardware for optical reading, which is the subject of this perspective article. Firstly, the state-of-the-art is briefly analyzed considering the solutions provided by both academy and industry. Special emphasis is made on the smartphone-based approaches that use no additional hardware (add-ons) for optical reading. Smartphones are the straightforward option, since they can replace a number of operations typically done by analyzers. The issues arising from using smartphones without add-ons are classified into variability sources and technical challenges. Finally, a set of methods for dealing with these challenges is proposed and briefly discussed. Simpler systems will be more easily adopted by more users, for a broader range of application cases, and will let PONT be a more powerful tool for improving disease diagnosis and outbreak management.

Bleeding skin lesions in gestating sows of a piglet producing farm in Austria

BackgroundStomoxys calcitrans, the stable fly, occurs in pig producing countries worldwide. While in cattle the impact of this blood sucking insect is quite well described, its role in pig production is poorly investigated. Here we describe a case of a massive stable fly overpopulation in the gestation unit of a piglet producing farm in Austria that resulted in bleeding skin lesions in bitten sows.Case PresentationIn October 2021, the responsible herd veterinarian of the case farm reported of sows in the gestation area presenting with bloody crusts on the whole skin surface of the body and of bleeding skin lesions. 33/55 sows were affected by moderate to severe skin lesions. Reproductive performance decreased during the time of massive stable fly overpopulation. Sows in the gestation unit showed defensive behaviour and at a certain time point resigned and accepted being bitten by stable flies. After controlling the fly population, reproductive performance improved and even exceeded the performance before the massive overgrowth of the stable fly population.ConclusionsStable flies are a serious harm to pigs and should be kept in mind for improved animal health and welfare. Knowledge about the determination of Stomoxys calcitrans and early recognition of an increasing stable fly population in pig farming systems followed by proper insect control measures have to be performed to reduce losses caused by this harming insect.

The Global Molecular Prevalence of Bartonella spp. in Cats and Dogs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Bartonella species are vector-borne infectious pathogens with a severe impact on animal and human health. This comprehensive systematic review aimed to perform a meta-analysis to evaluate the global impact of this pathogen on pet health. A literature search was performed on electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus) to find relevant peer-reviewed published papers (n = 131). A random-effects model was employed to calculate pooled prevalence estimates, and Q-statistic and I2 index were used to assess the heterogeneity. Based on 20.133 cats and 9.824 dogs, the global prevalence estimates were 15.3% and 3.6%. The heterogeneity was significantly high in both species, with I2 = 95.8%, p-value <0.0001, and I2 = 87.7%, p-value <0.0001 in cats and dogs, respectively. The meta-analysis conducted using location coordinates showed a consistently high prevalence in regions located between latitudes −40 to −30 or latitudes 30–40 in both populations, in agreement with the pure spatial analysis results, which computed significantly high relative risk areas within these region coordinates. When analyzing cat data for other subgroup moderators, Bartonella spp. prevalence was higher in animals of young age (<1 year, p-value = 0.001), with a free roaming lifestyle (p-value <0.0001) and/or having ectoparasite infestation (p-value = 0.004). Globally, among the Bartonella species detected in cats, Bartonella henselae was the most frequent (13.05%), followed by Bartonella clarridgeiae (1.7%) and Bartonella koehlerae (0.11%). When considering Bartonella henselae genotype distribution, high heterogeneity ( p < 0.0001 ) was observed based on geographical subgroups. Dogs displayed infection by Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii (1.1%), B. henselae (1%), Candidatus B. merieuxii (0.9%) and B. rochalimae (0.38%). The present study provides a global picture of the epidemiological distribution of Bartonella spp. in cat and dog populations that may be pivotal for implementing proper preventive and control measures.

Composition and source based aerosol classification using machine learning algorithms

The aerosol particles present in the atmospheric region mainly affect the climate radiative forcing directly by scattering & absorbing the sunlight. Also, it indirectly influences the formation of clouds, precipitation and acts as a considerable uncertainty in assessing Earth's radiation budget. Determination of aerosol type is significant in characterizing the aerosol role in the atmospheric processes, feedback, and climate models. This paper proposes two aerosol classification models, one based on the source and another based on the composition, to classify the aerosols using aerosol optical properties. The source based aerosol classification method helps to identify the sources which cause pollution in a particular region. Based on the results, proper control measures can be taken to reduce pollution. The composition based aerosol classification helps to identify the nature of aerosol types, such as absorbing or non-absorbing. This classification helps to study the climate of the Kanpur region. The aerosol data is taken from AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) for the period 2002–2018 for the Kanpur region. The composition based aerosol classification model uses Single Scattering Albedo (SSA), Angstrom Exponent (AE), and Fine Mode Fraction (FMF) parameters to categorize aerosols based on their composition. The source based aerosol classification model classifies the aerosols based on values of AE and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and describes the source of the aerosol particles. Knowledge of aerosol sources and compositions helps execute policies or controls to reduce aerosol concentrations. Machine learning algorithms, Naïve Bayes, K Nearest Neighbor, Decision Tree, Support Vector Machine, and Random Forest are used to validate classification schemes. The performance analysis of machine learning algorithms is compared using ten different metrics, and the results are also compared with the existing aerosol classification models. The results of the classification show that the source based aerosols of the desert and arid background and the composition based aerosols of types, Mixture Absorbing, Coarse absorbing (Dust), and Black Carbon are dominant over the Kanpur region during the study period considered. The Number of non-absorbing (scattering) type aerosols are least in the study region considered during the study period at all the seasons. It is found that the Random Forest and Decision Tree models outperform the other machine learning models considered and the existing classification models in terms of accuracy (99.55 %) and other performance metrics considered.