Suction Technique Research Articles

Enhancing Efficiency in Meniscal Repair: A Novel In-House Vacuum Suction Technique for Suture Loading in Long Hollow Needles and Devices

Enhancing Efficiency in Meniscal Repair: A Novel In-House Vacuum Suction Technique for Suture Loading in Long Hollow Needles and Devices

Aerosol mitigation in upper airway surgery

BackgroundAerosol generating procedures pose a risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and comprise a large percentage of cases performed in otolaryngology. An optimal method to mitigate this hazard does not currently exist. This study examined methods to mitigate surgical aerosols from the operating room. MethodsUtilizing an intubation manikin (Nasco Healthcare) and particle counter (Sensirion SPS30), a series of electrocautery-induced aerosols containing particles 0.5–10 μm in diameter were measured. Three different mitigation strategies were tested: intraoral (Yankauer, suction Bovie pencil (SBP)), extraoral (smoke evacuator system (SES)), and their combinations. ResultsSES was effective compared to controls, but inferior to intraoral mitigation strategies (p < 0.0001). Combining SES with any intraoral mitigation strategy did not enhance mitigation efficiency, and in some comparisons led to inferior performance (SBP vs SBP-SES, p < 0.05). Comparison of intraoral mitigation strategies found no statistically significant differences between techniques, although SBP was found to have the lowest overall level of particles. ConclusionsIntraoral suction techniques are recommended for aerosol mitigation. Extraoral SES use alone is insufficient for aerosol mitigation, and may be counterproductive when used with intraoral suction techniques. Further research is needed to determine the optimal mitigation strategy for intraoperative surgical aerosols.

Operative outcomes 24 hours after retrograde intrarenal surgery for solitary renal calculi using a flexible and navigable suction ureteral access sheath. A prospective global multicenter study by the European Association of Urology Section on Urolithiasis.

Suction techniques showed potential to improve outcomes of retrograde intra-renal surgery (RIRS). We assessed the 24-hour stone-free rate (SFR) and complications after RIRS using flexible and navigable suction ureteral access sheaths (FANS-UAS). Sixteen centers prospectively contributed to data (August 2023-October 2023). Inclusion criteria: age ≥18 years, single renal stone, pre and 24-hour post-RIRS CT scan. Exclusion criteria were: ureteral stone, anomalous kidney, multiple stones. SFR was divided into: 1) grade A - no fragments; 2) grade B - fragments ≤2 mm; 3) grade C - fragments 2.1-4 mm; and 4) grade D - fragments >4 mm. A multivariable logistic regression analysis model was performed to assess factors associated with the odds of having grade A stone-free status. Data are expressed as median (interquartile range), absolute numbers and frequencies, odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence interval (CI). One hundred forty-two patients with a median age of 52 years (40-61) were enrolled. 61.3% were males. Median stone volume was 1165 mm3 (656-1936). Median operative time was 48.5 (36.25-71.75) min. Transient fever (37°C-37.5°C) occurred in 10 (7%) patients. No sepsis case occurred. 96.5% of patients were stone-free (Grade A+B). Grade A SFR was 52.8%. All patients were discharged within 48 hours. Bone window (OR 3.156 95% CI 1.177-9.130, P=0.027) was the only factor significantly associated with higher odds of 100% SFR, while stone volume (OR 0.999, 95% CI 0.999-1.000, P=0.007) was significantly associated with lower odds. Imaging and clinical evidence demonstrate excellent perioperative outcomes just 24 hours post RIRS with FANS-UAS. The technique demonstrates a good safety profile, ability for immediate high SFR, and a low rate of infective complications.

Application of Box-Behnken design with RSM to predict the heat transfer performance of thermo-magnetic convection of hybrid nanofluid inside a novel oval-shaped annulus enclosure

The study of flow around a stationary or rotating circular cylinder holds substantial importance in numerous engineering disciplines, including building, bridge, and structural engineering. This knowledge is utilized to manage flow-induced vibrations, implement blowing or suction techniques, control moving surfaces, and develop acoustic thrusters and synthetic jets. The current aims to analyze the numerical and RSM optimization with Box–Behnken design (BBD) for the buoyancy driven convective flow and heat management features of Magneto Fe3O4−MWCNTs/water hybrid nanofluid filled inside a novel oval-shaped annulus enclosure with concentric hot circular cylinder. The water used as base fluid and iron oxide and Multiwall carbon nanotubes as nanoparticles. The finite element method is employed to solve numerically the coupled equations. The RSM optimization with Box–Behnken design (BBD) is applied to optimize the heat transfer rate across different three factors. The stream lines, isotherms and line graphs are design for different flow parameters effect. The results indicated that heat transfer is enhanced by using of hybrid nanofluid. The velocity is reduced via increment in Hartmann number. The local Nusselt number is increases with increment in the values of the Rayleigh number. Furthermore the Heat transfer rate is boosted up with increases the concentration of nanoparticles.

Assessment of Effectiveness and Safety of Aspiration-Assisted Nephrostomic Access Sheaths in PCNL and Intrarenal Pressures Evaluation: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Background: Different suction-assisted nephrostomic sheaths have been developed for percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Objectives: (1) To examine PCNL techniques performed with different aspiration-assisted sheaths (Clear Petra® sheath, Superperc, SuperminiPCNL, and a miniPCNL patented sheath), with specific regard to effectiveness and safety outcomes in adult and paediatric patients; (2) to extrapolate intrarenal pressure (IRP) data during these procedures. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Relevant articles up to 8 February 2024 were included. Results: Twenty-five studies were selected, thirteen retrospective and twelve prospective. The use of four different aspirating sheaths for miniPCNL was reported: Clear Petra® sheath, Superperc, SuperminiPCNL, and a miniPCNL patented sheath. Stone free rates (SFRs) across techniques ranged from 71.3% to 100%, and complication rates from 1.5% to 38.9%. Infectious complication rates varied from 0 to 27.8% and bleeding complication rates from 0 to 8.9%. Most complications were low grade ones. The trend among studies comparing aspiration- and non-aspiration-assisted miniPCNL was towards equivalent or better SFRs and lower overall infectious and bleeding complication rates in suction techniques. Operation time was consistently lower in suction procedures, with a mean shortening of the procedural time of 19 min. Seven studies reported IRP values during suction miniPCNL. Two studies reported satisfactory SFRs and adequate safety profiles in paediatric patient cohorts. Conclusions: MiniPCNL with aspirating sheaths appears to be safe and effective in both adult and paediatric patients. A trend towards a reduction of overall infectious and bleeding complications with respect to non-suction procedures is evident, with comparable or better SFRs and consistently shorter operative times. The IRP profile seems to be safe with the aid of aspirating sheaths. However, high quality evidence on this topic is still lacking.

Passive control of the condensing flows in the three-dimensional steam turbine blade using a suction technique

A great amount of thermodynamic losses and mechanical damages in industrial equipment occur due to the condensation phenomenon and two-phase flows in such equipment. In this study, supercooled vapor suction has been passively used in the 3D (three-dimensional) steam turbine stationary blade. Supercooled vapor suction is one of the techniques used in turbines for resisting corrosion and erosion. For the supercooled flow suction, the design is as follows: an embedded channel inside the turbine blade in the nucleation zone, which has the utmost non-equilibrium mode; furthermore, the impacts of the location and surface of the channels devised in the turbine blade for supercooled vapor suction on the following parameters have been investigated: the two-phase flow, the suction ratio, condensation losses, erosion ratio, the average droplet growth, and kinetic energy. Based on the results, in the optimal case (case F), the condensation losses, erosion ratio, average droplet radius, and kinetic energy decrease by 3%, 24%, 6.5%, and 2%, respectively; also, the suction ratio is 3.6%. The present research reveals that the supercooled vapor suction, due to a decrease in the surface necessary for the condensation, decreases turbine blade corrosion and erosion. This fact can provide the turbine designers with beneficial information.

Clinical Efficacy Analysis of Circumferential Upper Arm Liposuction with Double Incision: A Study of 496 Cases.

In cases where the upper arm exhibits an irregular cylindrical appearance with subcutaneous fat concentrated primarily in the posterior lateral aspect, traditional localized fat suction techniques may lead to uneven or disharmonious results when addressing this concern. Many practitioners have turned to circumferential fat suction methods using multi-incision approaches to ensure effective results and fat removal. However, these methods often involve numerous incisions and complex procedures, necessitating the development of new, more efficient surgical techniques. We collected and screened patients who underwent upper arm circumferential liposuction with a double incision technique at our hospital from October 2020 to February 2023. A total of 496 cases were included in our retrospective analysis, in which we examined factors such as the length of surgery, arm circumference before and after surgery, subcutaneous tissue thickness before and after surgery, fat suction volume, postoperative satisfaction, and postoperative complications of the patients. The average length of surgery was 71.7min. 458 cases (92.3%) showed significant improvement, 23 cases (4.6%) reported satisfaction, and 10 cases (2.0%) were essentially satisfied. Additionally, 339 cases (68.3%) experienced an improvement in skin laxity. Four cases (0.8%) developed localized hard nodules with slight tenderness in the early postoperative period, which resolved without special treatment after observation and follow-up for 1-3months. Three cases (0.6%) reported localized pain or numbness, and they were given oral medication. Their symptoms disappeared after 1-3months of observation and follow-up. Three cases (0.6%) had localized pain or numbness, and their symptoms disappeared. All of these cases improved and resolved after onemonth of taking mecobalamin tablets. There were also three cases (0.6%) with mild pigmentation of the incision and two cases (0.4%) with mild limitation of unilateral upper arm abduction movement. However, upper arm activities were not affected after threemonths to oneyear of follow-up. No serious complications were reported, resulting in an overall satisfaction rate of 99.0%. The double incision upper arm liposuction is safe, effective, time-saving, with high satisfaction and fewer complications, and is worthy of clinical popularization and application. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these evidence-based medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Evaluation of Streamline on Aerofoil with Suction Hole in Wind Tunnel

This study looks into the impact of pressure suction holes in the NACA 0012 airfoil on aerodynamic performance. The goal is to use wind tunnel tests to compute the lift and drag forces for the NACA 0012 airfoil with suction holes at various air speeds and angles of attack. The relationship between air speed, angle of attack, drag coefficient, and lift coefficient will be determined by analysing the obtained data. The goal of the research is to better understand the flow patterns and variations in streamlines of the NACA 0012 airfoil at different velocity and attack angles. The test model will use the NACA 0012 airfoil, which is recognised for its symmetrical shape. Suction holes, varying from one to four, will be installed to provide insight into the influence of pressure suction on the boundary layer and streamline behaviour of the airfoil. The study will be carried out in a low-speed wind tunnel within the Fluid Mechanics laboratory, with the streamlines visualised using a smoke generator. This study is significant because it contributes to our understanding of flow characteristics, pressure distributions, and boundary layer control in aerodynamic design. It also provides excellent exposure to wind tunnel testing procedures, aviation industry practises, and continuing airfoil design research. This study adds to the body of knowledge on optimising airfoil performance by evaluating the effect of pressure suction holes on the NACA 0012 airfoil. The findings will be useful to researchers, aerodynamic enthusiasts, and aviation experts, allowing them to further investigate the potential benefits of pressure suction techniques in improving airfoil efficiency and performance.

Current status of care for patients with tracheostomy among nurses at Thai Binh Provincial general Hospital and some associated factors in 2023

Objective: To describe the current status of care for patients with tracheostomy at Thai Binh Provincial General Hospital and some related factors. Research subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study of over 110 visits for each procedure of chest percussion and sputum suction in nursing care of patients with tracheostomy. The assessment scale is based on the procedure issued by the Ministry of Health. The chi-square test was used to identify factors related to the current status of care for patients with tracheostomy. Results: The practice rate achieving the technique of chest percussion and sputum suction was 35.5% and 81.8%, respectively. The rate of nurses with bachelor’s degrees, and care &lt; 5 nurses/day satisfactorily practice in the technique of chest percussion is higher than the group of nurses with college degree and cared for ≥ 5 patients/day with ORs of 3.25 and 3.06, respectively. The nursing group is ≥ 30 years old, working experience &gt; 10 years, experience in caring for tracheostomy patients &gt; 10 years and number of training participations &gt; 1 time passed the practice of sputum suction technique higher than the remaining nursing group with OR of 7.91; 4.71; 4.71 and 4.44 respectively. This difference is statistically significant with p &lt; 0.05. Conclusion: The prorpotion of nurses practice satisfactorily the sputum suction technique is relatively high (81.8%), but it is too low with the chest percussion technique (35.5%). There are a number of factors related to percussion technique, including qualifications and the number of patients cared for per day. Some factors related to practicing the sputum suction technique are age, working experience, caring time for tracheostomy patients, and number of training session. Nurses need to pay attention to compliance with technical procedures, especially nurses aged &lt; 30 years old, low qualifications, short working time and rarely participates in training.

The role of preoperative MRI in endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal hypophysectomy of pituitary adenoma.

The trans-sphenoidal approach, commonly used for removing pituitary adenomas, has become a widely accepted and successful method. In recent years, the endoscopic trans-sphenoidal technique has emerged as a minimally invasive surgical approach for pituitary adenoma removal. The majority of pituitary adenomas exhibit a soft consistency and can be successfully extracted with aspiration and curettage using the trans-sphenoidal approach. However, a subset of around 5-15% of these adenomas possess a solid and fibrous texture. The occurrence of firm and fibrous adenomas is relatively common; unfortunately, there are no reliable predictors to identify them preoperatively. The ability to forecast the reliability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) holds promise for improving prior preparation and impacts the extent of resection. A cross-sectional analysis of the investigation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in relation to cancer histology was performed on 68 patients who had endoscopic trans-nasal excision for nonfunctional adenomas. The determination of an intensity ratio was performed by employing quantitative estimates of MRI signal intensity obtained from both the adenoma and pons. During the surgical procedure, a series of sequential-graded procedures were used for the removal of tumours with varying consistencies. Softer tumours were addressed using the Suction technique (R1), while tumours of intermediate consistency were treated using curettes (R2). In order to evaluate the fibrotic content of firmer tumours, the utilization of Cavitron Ultrasound Surgical Aspirator(CUSA), and/or other micro-instruments (R3) was employed, with the histologic collagen fraction being quantified. In order to investigate and analyse the data, a statistical analysis was conducted. A predictive relationship between resection category and both intensity ratio, and collagen percentage was noted. The primary objective of this study was to determine the appropriate cutoff criteria for clinical utilization, as well as to investigate the association between intensity ratios and collagen percentage. Tumors with ratios ≤ 1.6 on the T2-weighted image and collagen content > 5.3% required more meticulous and sharp dissection for resection. The utilization of MRI analysis may offer some assistance, but not conclusive, in the prediction of tumour consistency.

Comparison of diagnostic outcomes, safety, and cost of Franseen-tip 19G versus 22G needles for endoscopic ultrasound-guided liver biopsies.

Background and study aims Favorable outcomes were noted with refinement in newer endoscopic ultrasound-guided liver biopsy (EUS-LB) needle tips. Still, the overall usefulness and benefit are yet to be well explored. Patients and methods This was a retrospective analysis of patients with EUS-LB (Franseen-tip 19G versus 22G FNB needle) over 2 years. EUS-LB was obtained in a one-pass, two-actuation, modified wet suction technique. Diagnostic yield, fragmentation rate, aggregate specimen length (AL), number of complete portal tracts (CPT), length of longest intact core (LIC), adverse events (AEs) (early), and cost of the procedure (1USD = 82 INR) were compared. Results Fifty-four patients (33 [61.1%], female) successfully underwent EUS-LB with a median age of 46 years (interquartile range [IQR] 34-54); the majority 32 (59.2%) underwent 19G biopsies. There was a significantly increased median (IQR) AL in the 19G compared with 22G (20 mm [19-21] vs. 15 [14-15], P < 0.001), respectively. Similarly, significantly lengthier median LIC and CPT were seen, respectively. A nonsignificant diagnostic yield was noted (100% vs. 90.9%, P = 0.082), respectively. The fragmentation rate was higher in 22G FNB needles (36.4% [95% CI 16-56] vs. 12.5% [95% CI 1-24], respectively; P = 0.038). Seven patients (12.9%) had mild AEs with no difference between groups. The average procedure cost with 19G was INR 63000 (768$), and with 22G needle was INR 54500 (664$). Conclusions The Franseen-tip 19G outperforms 22G with a significantly lower fragmentation rate, longer AL, LIC, and a higher number of CPT with a marginal increase in the procedure cost, without any difference in diagnostic yield and safety.

Stall control on the wind turbine airfoil via the single and dual-channel of combining bowing and suction technique

Based on the single-channel jet control strategy with a suction slot on the upper surface and injection slots near the trailing edge on the lower surface, proposed in this work is a novel flow control technique, known as the dual-channel jet, which amalgamates the beneficial aspects of leading-edge suction and a suction slot positioned downstream of the airfoil's maximum thickness position. To demonstrate the superior aerodynamic characteristics of the dual-channel over the single-channel, comprehensive comparisons of three distinct control strategies are made with two jet momentum coefficients employed on the S809 airfoils. Simulations using Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes with a transitional SST turbulence model are performed, showing that the position of a suction slot in the single-channel significantly impacts its ability to inhibit separation, while the dual-channel jet facilitates a fuller boundary layer velocity profile and a posterior shift in the stagnation point, outperforming the single-channel approach in removing low-momentum fluid and increasing the airfoil virtual camber. In the case with a jet strength of 0.004 and pitching oscillation, compared to the clean airfoil, the dual-channel achieves a remarkable 84.21 % increase in the lift coefficient at 18.1°, and the control efficiency can further be enhanced with the momentum coefficient increased.

Wall-Climbing Robots: Optimising Adsorption and Novel Suction Techniques

Wall-Climbing Robots: Optimising Adsorption and Novel Suction Techniques

Dry suction versus wet suction technique of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy for diagnosis of solid pancreatic lesions: study protocol of a multicenter randomized controlled non-inferiority trial

BackgroundStudies have shown that the wet suction technique in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) generates better histological diagnostic accuracy and specimen quality than the dry suction technique. However, conclusions of wet suction on the diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) are still controversial. Besides, the optimal number of passes for EUS-FNB has not been determined. We aimed to design a large multicenter randomized trial to compare the diagnostic accuracy of dry suction versus wet suction technique in solid pancreatic lesions (SPLs) using 22G Franseen needles and determine the optimal number of passes required for EUS-FNB.MethodsThis is a multi-center open-label, randomized controlled non-inferiority trial with two parallel groups. Two hundred patients with SPLs will undergo EUS-FNB using 22G Franseen needles in 4 tertiary hospitals in China and will be randomly assigned to the dry suction group and wet suction group in a ratio of 1:1. The primary endpoint is diagnostic accuracy. Secondary endpoints include the optimal number of needle passes, sensitivity, specificity, specimen quality, cytological diagnoses, time of the procedure, and incidence of complications.DiscussionThis study has been designed to determine (i) whether EUS-FNB using 22G Franseen needle with dry suction is non-inferior to wet suction in terms of diagnostic accuracy and (ii) the optimal number of passes during EUS-FNB of SPLs using 22G Franseen needle.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05549856. Registered on September 22, 2022.

The effect of location and method of tooth preparation on aerosol and splatter mitigation

Abstract Objectives: This study investigated the influence of tooth position within the quadrant and method of tooth preparation on aerosol and splatter reduction by suction techniques. Materials and methods: Using four suction techniques, tooth preparation was done using fast handpiece and combined air and water spray on tooth #28, #29 and #30. Splatter, aerosol and total sound generated were recorded. Two-way analysis of variance and posthoc pairwise comparisons compared amount of aerosol, spatter and total sound among suction techniques, tooth location and method of preparation. Results: There were statistically significant more splatter (P &lt; 0.000) for tooth preparation with air and water spray compared with high-speed handpiece for all suction techniques, but no significant difference in aerosol and total sound (P &gt; 0.05) was recorded. A significant reduction in environmental splatter during tooth preparation of the distal tooth #30 by all suction methods was observed compared with tooth #28. However, there was no significant difference in the amount of face shield, chest, right arm and left arm splatter, aerosol and total sound based on tooth location. Overall, the prototype suction device had statistically significant less environmental splatter (P &lt; 0.001) and aerosol (P = 0.004) than the conventional HVE device. Conclusions: The method of tooth preparation affected splatter mitigation by suction techniques but had no influence on aerosol mitigation. Mitigation of environmental splatter by suction techniques was affected by tooth position within the arch. The prototype suction device reduced environmental spatter and aerosol more than the conventional HVE device. Clinical Significance: The variations observed in aerosol and splatter mitigation based on tooth preparation methods and tooth location provides evidence for adjunctive means of reducing risk of direct transmission of infection in the dental practice such as combining strategies of protective equipment, improved room ventilation and use of air filtration system.

The safety and efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound-guided portal pressure gradient measurement with concomitant endoscopic ultrasound-guided liver biopsy: a systematic review

IntroductionPortal hypertension (PH) is a complication of advanced liver disease. Traditionally, PH has been quantified using hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) through an indirect transjugular approach requiring ionizing radiation exposure. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided porto-systemic pressure gradient (EUS-PPG) measurement is an emerging alternative, minimally invasive technique that provides direct portal pressure measurement. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of EUS-PPG measurement and concomitant EUS-guided liver biopsy (EUS-LB) in patients with chronic liver disease.MethodsThe preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses method was used. A PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and CINAHL search for terms “endoscopic ultrasound,” “EUS,” and “portal pressure gradient” was used to identify qualifying studies. Eligible studies included those which were published before 2022, reporting outcomes of EUS-PPG measurement, simultaneous EUS-LB if applicable, and adverse events rate. Risk of bias was assessed by Egger’s test. Results were synthesized using I2 to test heterogeneity.ResultsFour published studies including 147 patients met inclusion criteria, with mean age 59.6 years, 59% male. Indications for EUS-PPG measurement were history of chronic liver disease or suspected cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, alcohol associated liver disease, hepatic sinusoidal obstruction or Budd Chiari syndrome. The pooled technical success rate of EUS-PPG measurements was 98.61% with 95% confidence interval of 95.20% - 99.82%. A 25-gauge needle was used in 92% (135/147) of patients. EUS-PPG measurement was performed through a transgastric approach in all 147 (100%) patients using a compact manometer with pressure transducer and non-compressible tubing. The mean PPG was 10.07 (range 6.44 – 13.70) mmHg. Ninety-five patients underwent simultaneous EUS-LB using 19G needle with wet suction technique. Technical success rate of EUS-LB was 100% and specimen was adequate in 99% (94/95) patients to establish histological diagnosis. There were no major life-threatening complications of the EUS-PPG procedure. Predominant adverse events were abdominal pain 6.1% (9/147) and sore throat 5.4% (8/147).ConclusionEUS-PPG measurement is safe and useful in providing an assessment of portal pressure in patients with chronic liver disease. Future studies are needed to evaluate whether there is consistent correlation between EUS-PPG measurements and histologic fibrosis stage by liver biopsy.

Discovering the fish fauna of a lagoon from the southeast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, using DNA barcodes

Background Aquatic ecosystems in the tropics are typically environments with a high species richness of fishes. These systems are also among the most vulnerable in the world, threatening the overall biodiversity of tropical regions. As a first step, it is important to enumerate the species in any ecosystem to promote its conservation. This study aims to inventory the ichthyofauna in the Chile Verde Lagoon, Quintana Roo, on the Yucatan Peninsula, a system fortunately well protected in Mexico, based on faunal surveys backed up with mtDNA barcodes. Methods We collected larvae, juveniles, and adults of fishes in the lagoon with a variety of sampling gear targeting various life stages. Species were identified using both morphology and DNA barcodes. The abundance of species and ichthyoplankton biomass (wet weight, suction technique) were calculated from 43 samples. Results We collected 197 adult and juvenile fishes and 3,722 larvae, of which 306 specimens were DNA-sequenced with a success rate of 96.7%. We identified 13 families, 24 genera, and 27 species in our inventory. The species number was estimated to comprise 75% of the potential total richness using the Chao 1 richness estimator. Clupeids and gobiids accounted for 87.9% of the total abundance of fishes, and, together with cyprinodontids, also accounted for the highest ichthyoplankton biomass. Conclusion Adult and juvenile fishes were identified by morphology and meristic values, however larvae required DNA barcoding to identify species. The high biomass and abundance of larvae of clupeids, gobiids and cyprinodontids suggests that the Chile Verde Lagoon may be important for reproduction of these species in the region. Microgobius microlepis, a marine goby species, is reported for the first time in an inland oligohaline system. This study provides a basis for future environmental assessment and biomonitoring of the Chile Verde Lagoon in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.

Intercomparison of detection and quantification methods for methane emissions from the natural gas distribution network in Hamburg, Germany

Abstract. In August and September 2020, three different measurement methods for quantifying methane (CH4) emissions from leaks in urban gas distribution networks were applied and compared in Hamburg, Germany: the “mobile”, “tracer release”, and “suction” methods. The mobile and tracer release methods determine emission rates to the atmosphere from measurements of CH4 mole fractions in the ambient air, and the tracer release method also includes measurement of a gaseous tracer. The suction method determines emission rates by pumping air out of the ground using soil probes that are placed above the suspected leak location. The quantitative intercomparison of the emission rates from the three methods at a small number of locations is challenging because of limitations of the different methods at different types of leak locations. The mobile method was designed to rapidly quantify the average or total emission rate of many gas leaks in a city, but it yields a large emission rate uncertainty for individual leak locations. Emission rates determined for individual leak locations with the tracer release technique are more precise because the simultaneous measurement of the tracer released at a known rate at the emission source eliminates many of the uncertainties encountered with the mobile method. Nevertheless, care must be taken to properly collocate the tracer release and the leak emission points to avoid biases in emission rate estimates. The suction method could not be completed or applied at locations with widespread subsurface CH4 accumulation or due to safety measures. While the number of gas leak locations in this study is small, we observe a correlation between leak emission rate and subsurface accumulation. Wide accumulation places leaks into a safety category that requires immediate repair so that the suction method cannot be applied to these larger leaks in routine operation. This introduces a sampling bias for the suction method in this study towards the low-emission leaks, which do not require immediate repair measures. Given that this study is based on random sampling, such a sampling bias may also exist for the suction method outside of this study. While an investigation of the causal relationship between safety category and leak size is beyond the scope of this study, on average higher emission rates were observed from all three measurement-based quantification methods for leaks with higher safety priority compared to the leaks with lower safety concern. The leak locations where the suction method could not be applied were the biggest emitters, as confirmed by the emission rate quantifications using mobile and tracer methods and an engineering method based on the leak's diameter, pipeline overpressure, and depth at which the pipeline is buried. The corresponding sampling bias for the suction technique led to a low bias in derived emission rates in this study. It is important that future studies using the suction method account for any leaks not quantifiable with this method in order to avoid biases, especially when used to inform emission inventories.

Soil total suction sensing using fiber-optic technology

Measurement of the soil water suction is important for investigating geotechnical problems and mitigating associated risks; however, conventional high-range suction measurement techniques have some limitations for accurate, long-term, and quasi-distributed suction measurement in the field. Fiber-optic humidity sensors provide a viable solution due to their unique properties. Here, we present a novel microfabricated fiber-optic suction sensor for measuring the suction of water in unsaturated soils. We evaluated the performance of the sensor on four bentonite–sand mixtures by comparing it with two laboratory suction measurement methods (chill-mirror hygrometer, salt solution vapor equilibrium) and a capacitive relative humidity sensor. We determined that this sensor has a measurement range of 5–300 MPa with a root mean square error of less than 3.5 MPa, and a response time of 2–9 min over the tested suction variation range (6.5–80.5 MPa). The results of the evaporation model test showed that three fiber-optic sensors installed at different depths of bentonite could effectively capture changes in temperature, relative humidity in soil pores, and total suction during evaporation. Together, these results demonstrate the great potential of the fiber-optic suction sensor for in-situ, long-term, and quasi-distributed suction monitoring.

Risk Factors and Interpretation of Inconclusive Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in the Diagnosis of Solid Pancreatic Lesions.

The inconclusive cytological findings of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) remain a major clinical challenge and often lead to treatment delays. Patients who had undergone EUS-FNA sampling for solid pancreas lesions between 2014 and 2021 were retrospectively enrolled. The "atypical" and "non-diagnostic" categories of the Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology System were considered inconclusive and the "negative for malignancy" category of malignancy was suspected clinically. We determined the frequency and predictors of inconclusive cytological finding. A total of 473 first EUS-FNA samples were included, of which 108 cases (22.83%) were inconclusive. Significant increases in the odds of inconclusive cytological findings were observed for lesions with a benign final diagnosis (OR 11.20; 95% CI 6.56-19.54, p < 0.001) as well as with the use of 25 G FNA needles (OR 2.12; 95% CI 1.09-4.01, p = 0.023) compared to 22 G needles. Furthermore, the use of a single EUS-FNA technique compared to the combined use of slow-pull and standard suction techniques (OR 1.70; 95% CI 1.06-2.70, p = 0.027) and less than three punctures per procedure led to an elevation in the risk of inconclusive cytology (OR 2.49; 95% CI 1.49-4.14, p < 0.001). Risk reduction in inconclusive cytology findings was observed in lesions between 2-4 cm (OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.23-0.68, p = 0.001) and >4 cm (OR 0.16; 95% CI 0.08-0.31, p < 0.001) compared to lesions ≤2 cm. The more than two punctures per EUS-FNA sampling with larger-diameter needle (19 G or 22 G) using the slow-pull and standard suction techniques in combination may decrease the probability of inconclusive cytological findings.