Sequestration of an Azo Dye by a Potential Biosorbent: Characterization of Biosorbent, Adsorption Isotherm and Adsorption Kinetic Studies.

This study explores the detailed characterization of a biosorbent (Hen Feather) and its efficient use in eradicating the azo dye Metanil Yellow (MY) from its aqueous solutions. Effects of a range of experimental parameters, including pH, initial dye concentration, biosorbent dosage and contact time on the adsorption, were studied. A detailed physical and chemical characterization of the biosorbent was made using SEM, XRD, XPS and FTIR. During the optimization of adsorption parameters, the highest dye uptake of almost 99% was recorded at pH 2, dye concentration 2 × 10-5 M, 0.05 g of biosorbent and a contact period of 75 min. Various adsorption isotherm models were studied to gather different adsorption and thermodynamic parameters. The linearity of the Langmuir, Freundlich and D-R adsorption isotherms indicate homogeneous, multilayer chemisorption with high adsorption affinity between the dye and biosorbent. Values of the changes in the Gibbs free energy (ΔG°) and the enthalpy (ΔH°) of the adsorption process have been calculated, these values indicate that it is a spontaneous and endothermic process. Kinetics of the adsorption were also measured, and it was established that the adsorption of MY over Hen Feather follows a pseudo-second-order kinetic model at temperatures 30, 40 and 50 °C. The findings of this investigation clearly indicate that the studied biosorbent exhibits a high affinity towards the dye (MY), and it can be effectively, economically and efficiently used to sequestrate and eradicate MY from its aqueous solutions.

Delayed myelopathy in a child following organic phosphate poisoning.

We report a rare manifestation of delayed organophosphate (OP) poisoning in a male patient in his early childhood. After initially presenting with a cholinergic crisis after OP exposure, the patient returned 3 weeks later with paraparesis and difficulty with bladder control. The results of the MRI of the spine and brain as well as the nerve conduction studies were normal. Myelopathy induced by OP poisoning should be considered in any patient with a history of OP exposure and a presentation of paraparesis. At most recent follow-up, the patient had full bladder control and could walk without assistance. However, he demonstrated circumduction while walking with upper motor neuron signs. Furthermore, he had mild Achilles tendon contractures on both sides. To enable early detection, neurologists and paediatricians should be aware of this uncommon complication of OP poisoning which may influence neurological outcome.

Pediatric Malignant Pelvic Paraganglioma-A Diagnostic and Surgical Challenge.

Pheochromocytoma are chromaffin cell-derived tumors that have an exceptionally high genetic predisposition. The presentation of extra-adrenal and pelvic paraganglioma (PGL) in children is uncommon. Due to the relative rarity, PGL tumors' presentation and disease behavior may vary. Genetic testing, imaging, and biochemical investigation are employed to diagnose PGL. Surgical resection with preoperative angioembolization has been practiced in alleviating the burden of torrential intraoperative bleeding.

Validation of the supinator fat pad sign in radial head and neck fractures.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the displacement of the supinator fat pad in radial head and neck fractures and to validate its significance. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred two adult patients from the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham, United Kingdom and Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman with confirmed radial head and/or neck fractures were included. Fractures were classified using the Mason-Johnston classification. The displacement of the supinator fat pad from the radius was measured on anterior-posterior (AP) and lateral radiographs and correlated to fracture classification. RESULTS: The supinator fat pad was on average displaced by 10.6 mm and 13.8 mm from the radius on AP and lateral radiographs, respectively. The displacement of the fat pad progressively increased between non-displaced (Mason I) and severely comminuted (Mason III) fractures on both the AP (10.25 to 14.25 mm) and lateral (12.70 to 16.00 mm) projections. The progression of displacement on AP (p = 0.016) and on lateral (p = 0.007) projections was statistically significant. Fracture dislocation was not associated with increased fat pad displacement. CONCLUSION: The supinator fat pad sign is a useful adjunct in the assessment of radial head and neck fractures.

A comprehensive review on the metal-based green valorized nanocomposite for the remediation of emerging colored organic waste.

In today's era, "green" synthesis is an emerging research trend. It has gained widespread attention owing to its dynamic behavior, reliability, simplicity, sustainability, and environment friendly approach for fabricating various nanomaterials. Green fabrication of metal/metal oxides nanomaterials, hybrid materials, and other metal-based nanocomposite can be utilized to remove toxic colored aqueous pollutants. Nanomaterials synthesized by using green approach is considered to be the significant tool to minimize unwanted or harmful by-products otherwise released from traditional synthesis methods. Various kinds of biosynthesized nanomaterials, such as animal waste and plant-based, have been successfully applied and well documented in the literature. However, their application part, especially for the cure of colored organic polluted water, has not been reported as a single review article. Therefore, the current work aims to assemble reports on using novel biosynthesized green metal-based nanomaterials to exclude harmful dyes from polluted water.

Study on the biodegradability improvement of 2,4 dinitrophenol in wastewater using advanced oxidation/reduction process with UV/SO3/ZnO.

2,4-Dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) is a toxic compound that is widely used in many industrial and agricultural processes. This compound has low biodegradability in the environment due to its aromatic structure, and it is unsuccessfully eliminated by other chemical methods. Therefore, in this study, an integrated oxidation and reduction method was used to remove 2,4-DNP from the aqueous medium, in order to simultaneously use the benefits of oxidizing and reducing radicals in 2,4-DNP degradation. 2,4-DNP degradation was modeled by response surface methodology (RSM) and central composite design (CCD). According to the results obtained from RSM, the optimal values for the studied parameters were obtained at pH = 8.9, time = 25 min, ZnO dose = 0.78 g/L, SO3 = 1.89 mmolL-1 and 2,4-DNP concentration = 5 mg/L. Also, the removal efficiency with the integrated process was 3 to 4 times higher than the advanced oxidation or advanced reduction processes alone. Analysis of the data showed that at the time of the study, 2,4-DNP had been converted to linear hydrocarbons, and increased periods of time were required for complete mineralization. A decrease in the first-order model rate constant (kobs) and an increase in 2,4-DNP degradation rate (robs) were observed at higher DNP concentrations.

Spontaneous Near Fatal Hemorrhage into Neurofibromatosis Type 1 Lesion in the Scalp.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) (von Recklinghausen's disease) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by café-au-lait spots, pigmented hamartomas of the iris, and multiple neurofibromas. Patients can present with hemorrhage secondary to trauma or rarely with spontaneous hemorrhage, both of which can be lethal and life-threatening. We report a 14-year-old girl with a rapidly expanding hematoma in a rare presentation of spontaneous bleed into the NF1 lesion in her scalp. Soon after presentation, she went into hemorrhagic shock. Emergency coiling of the left maxillary artery and branches successfully arrested the bleeding, while resuscitation reversed the hemorrhagic shock.

Evaluation of Diagnostic Value of SPECT/CT Imaging in Post-radioiodine Therapy in Thyroid Cancer.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the value of single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging in well-differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) after radioiodine (I-131) ablation/therapy for clinical staging and risk stratification. It also aimed to determine whether SPECT/CT would change the management plan or predict the clinical outcomes of DTC patients. Methods: A total of 78 DTC patients underwent first post radioiodine therapy "Whole body iodine-131 scintigraphy (WBS) along with SPECT/CT" at the Department of Radiology and Molecular imaging, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, between January 2014 and August 2017. Differences between WBS and SPECT/CT, change in clinical staging, risk stratification and management were recorded. The clinical outcome at 6-12 months was recorded. A generalised McNemar test was used to assess disagreement between WBS and SPECT/CT. Results: According to the American Thyroid Association (ATA) risk stratification, the sample showed low (35.8%), intermediate (53.8%) and high-risk groups (10.2%) on WBS, which changed to 44.8%, 38.4% and 16.6%, respectively, on SPECT/CT imaging. Overall change in risk stratification was noted in 16.7% and TNM stage in 11.5% of patients after SPECT/CT imaging. SPECT/CT changed the therapeutic plan and clinical outcome in 19.2% of patients. Conclusion: SPECT/CT allows better detection and characterisation of metastatic lymph nodes and distant metastasis in DTC patients compared to WBS imaging alone. It alters TNM staging, ATA risk classification and management in a significant number of patients. It is recommended that SPECT/CT should be done routinely along with WBS in well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

A novel, eco-friendly bio-nanocomposite (Alg-Cst/Kal) for the adsorptive removal of crystal violet dye from its aqueous solutions.

Herein, we report the synthesis of a novel bio-nanocomposite (Alg-Cst/Kal) for the effective removal of the dye "Crystal Violet" from its aqueous solutions. In order to observe the surface morphology and functional groups, the bio-nanocomposite was characterized using various techniques such as SEM, EDX, TEM, FTIR, XRD, and TGA. The effect of parameters like contact time, pH, concentration and temperature on the adsorption of the dye over adsorbent has been studied in detail. The dye - adsorbent system has been tested over various isotherm models and found to follow the Freundlich adsorption isotherm model at 303 K. The developed bio-nanocomposite material exhibits an excellent adsorption toward Crystal Violet with a maximum adsorption capacity of 169.49 mg.g-1. The experimental data has been further validated by applying various kinetic models and the pseudo-second order kinetic model was the best suited model. The calculated rate constant values ranged from 0.0046 to 0.0204 g.mg-1.min-1 for different dye concentrations. The positive values of change in enthalpy, ΔH° (9.765 kJ.mol-1) and change in entropy, ΔS° (0.0565 kJ.mol-1.K-1) obtained through thermodynamic studies demonstrate the endothermic nature and spontaneity of the adsorption process, respectively. The adsorption capacity of the adsorbent for the removal of the Crystal Violet dye was also compared with other adsorbents and found maximum. Novelty statement A novel bio-nanocomposite is synthesized by modifying the biopolymer alginate, cysteine and mixing the clay, kaolinite (Kal). The adsorption abilities of the material was tested the on the cationic hazardous dye, Crystal Violet. The material is novel and no attempt has so far been made to examine its batch adsorption abilities to remove hazardous dyes from the wastewater. The results are highly encouraging as out of all the adsorbents tested so far highest adsorption of the dye is observed in the present studies.

Radiological and Embryological Relevance of Persistent Sciatic Arteries: A Rare Presentation.

Persistent sciatic artery (PSA) is an extremely rare condition that is present in around 0.05% of the population and is commonly associated with many complications. The management is conservative or through surgical intervention and depends on the type of complication. The case presented is of a 40-year-old man who complained of persistent pain in the buttock region. On radiology, bilateral PSAs were observed exiting through the infra-pyriformis compartment of the greater sciatic foramen accompanying the sciatic nerve. The femoral artery and the external iliac artery are small in caliber. In this case report, we discuss the underlying embryology that might have led to the persistence of this vessel with illustrations and the abnormal radiological pattern of this anomaly. Increased awareness of PSA can improve patient care and prevent potentially hazardous complications during hip and renal transplant surgery.

Complications and Management of Totally Implantable Central Venous Access Ports in Cancer Patients at a University Hospital in Oman.

OBJECTIVES: Totally implantable central venous access ports (port-a-caths) are increasingly used for the safe administration of chemotherapy; however, their use is associated with complications. This study reviews patterns of complications, reasons for premature removal and the duration of the use of port-a-caths in patients receiving cancer treatment at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) and compares the infection rate with the literature and the researchers' experiences. METHODS: This retrospective follow-up study included patients who had received cancer treatment through a port-a-cath and were admitted to SQUH between January 2007 and April 2019. Demographic features, underlying diagnosis, clinical stage, treatment, duration of use and the cause of premature removal of the port-a-cath were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 516 port-a-caths were inserted in 482 cancer patients. The majority of devices were implanted by interventional radiologists (n = 459; 89.0%) and the right internal jugular vein was most frequently accessed (n = 396; 76.7%). The mean indwelling time of a port-a-cath was 288 days (range: 3-1,872 days) for patients with complications and 550 days (range: 7-3,123 days) for patients without complications. Port-a-cath-related infection was the main complication (n = 63; 12.2%). Patient age, gender, treatment intent, underlying diagnosis, clinical stage, chemotherapy regimen, number of treatment courses, operator implanting the port, the type of micro-organism isolated from the port-a-cath and body mass index were significant factors affecting catheter indwelling time (P <0.05). On multivariate analysis, however, none of the factors was found to be significant. CONCLUSION: Infection was the most common complication necessitating port-a-cath removal. The infection rate was much lower than the researchers' previous experience and compares favorably with several published reports.

Good Clinical Success Rates Are Seen 5 Years After Meniscal Repair in Patients Regularly Undertaking Extreme Flexion.

PURPOSE: To report the functional and radiologic outcomes of meniscal repair healing in a cohort of patients with a high demand for loaded extreme flexion angles after undergoing meniscal repair. METHODS: We performed a retrospective clinical and radiologic evaluation of patients who perform extreme knee flexion activities on a daily basis at a minimum follow-up of 2 years after meniscal repair. International Knee Documentation Committee, Lysholm, and Tegner scores were obtained, and clinical examinations and radiologic (magnetic resonance imaging and radiography) evaluations were performed. RESULTS: Of 47 eligible patients, 39 patients (40 knees) were available for review with an average follow-up time of 5 years (range, 2-9 years). The average age was 26.7 years (range, 19-39 years); 38 patients were men. The average time from injury to surgery was 20.9 months (range, 3 days to 120 months). Associated anterior cruciate ligament injury was present in 31 knees, but only 20 underwent simultaneous anterior cruciate ligament surgery. The mean International Knee Documentation Committee score was 88.9 (range, 53-99). The mean Lysholm score was 90.9 (range, 48-100). The mean Tegner activity level dropped from 6.18 before injury to 5.51 at the time of evaluation. According to the Barrett criteria for clinical outcomes, complete healing was observed in 29 of 40 knees (72.5%). There was a statistically significant correlation between the functional outcomes and the clinical outcomes (P = .008). On magnetic resonance imaging, 22 of 38 knees (57.9%) showed completely healed menisci. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that loaded deep knee flexion may be safe after a period of restricted rehabilitation, and clinical and radiologic tissue healing is independent of the overall functional outcome. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, case series with subgroup analysis.

Removal of caffeine, nicotine and amoxicillin from (waste)waters by various adsorbents. A review.

The fast growth in the anthropogenic activities, that involve a wide use of pharmaceuticals, has led to the appearance of new toxic and hazardous chemical compounds, called "emerging pollutants", which could cause unpredictable consequences to the ecosystems. The current review is focused on emerging pollutants occurring in food or air and include caffeine and nicotine, as well as on pharmaceuticals, in particular amoxicillin, and the concerns caused by its wide usage for medical purposes. This review, for the first time, analyzes and discusses the potential risks and implications of caffeine, nicotine and amoxicillin as emerging environmental pollutants, a field that remains underrepresented to date. Both caffeine and nicotine belong to life style compounds, while pharmaceutical amoxicillin is one of the very popular ß-lactam antibiotics used to take care of human and animal infections. The review covers the toxic effect caused by caffeine, nicotine and amoxicillin on humans and animals and describes some of the main adsorbents utilized for their removal (e.g., grape stalk, tea waste, wheat grains, bentonite, activated carbon, acid and base modified grape slurry wastes, graphene oxides, modified graphene oxides, zeolites, etc.). The isotherm and kinetic models for the analysis of caffeine, nicotine and amoxicillin adsorption by different adsorbents are presented. The impact of pH, temperature, adsorbent dosage and thermodynamic studies were deeply analyzed. The review also discusses the mechanism of adsorption for the above-mentioned emerging pollutants, which includes π-π interaction, cation-π bonding, electron-donor and electron-acceptor forces, van der Waals forces, electrostatic interactions, etc. The present review has a potential value for chemists, ecologists, toxicologists, environmental engineers, and other professionals that are involved in environmental protection.

Multidetector CT in Vascular Injuries Resulting from Pelvic Fractures: A Primer for Diagnostic Radiologists.

Pelvic vascular injuries are typically caused by high-energy trauma. The majority of these injuries are caused by motor vehicle collisions, and the rest are caused by falls and industrial or crush injuries. Pelvic vascular injuries are frequently associated with pelvic ring disruption and have a high mortality rate due to shock as a result of pelvic bleeding. Morbidity and mortality resulting from pelvic vascular injury are due to pelvic hemorrhage and resultant exsanguination, which is potentially treatable and reversible if it is diagnosed early with multidetector CT and treated promptly. The pelvic bleeding source can be arterial, venous, or osseous, and differentiating an arterial (high-pressure) bleed from a venous-osseous (low-pressure) bleed is of paramount importance in stratification for treatment. Low-pressure venous and osseous bleeds are initially treated with a pelvic binder or external fixation, while high-pressure arterial bleeds require angioembolization or surgical pelvic packing. Definitive treatment of the pelvic ring disruption includes open or closed reduction and internal fixation. Multidetector CT is important in the trauma setting to assess and characterize pelvic vascular injuries with multiphasic acquisition in the arterial and venous phases, which allows differentiation of the common vascular injury patterns. This article reviews the anatomy of the pelvic vessels and the pelvic vascular territory; discusses the multidetector CT protocols used in diagnosis and characterization of pelvic vascular injury; and describes the spectrum of pelvic vascular injuries, the differentiation of common injury patterns, mimics, and imaging pitfalls. Online supplemental material is available for this article. ©RSNA, 2019 See discussion on this article by Dreizin.

In Silico Target Identification and Validation for Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activity of Selective Phytochemicals

Abstract Phytochemicals present in plant extract include a number of biological active compounds which have shown promising antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in many animal studies. Present knowledge about the biochemical interactions of these compounds present in phytochemical extracts and target enzymes or proteins responsible for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity is limited. Present work is an attempt to identify and validate possible biological targets as enzymes or proteins involved in these targeted studies using molecular docking as computational method. IMPPAT: Indian Medicinal Plants, Photochemistry and Therapeutics (a curated database) has been used to retrieve various phytochemicals derived from selected plants which includes Carica papaya, Citrus limon, Curcuma longa, Dalbergia sissoo and Punica granatum. These phytochemicals are further evaluated using molecular docking against three enzymes involved in antioxidant activity which includes Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and Catalase (CAT). Cyclooxigenase-2 (COX-2) has been tested for anti-inflammatory activity of these phytochemicals. Gliadin (Triticum aestivum), Tea Extract (Punica granatum), Hesperidin (Citrus limon), Terrestribisamide (Triticum aestivum), Vitamin P (Carica papaya) and 1,2,6-Trigalloylglucose (Punica granatum) are few phytochemicals which has shown promising binding affinities towards target proteins or enzymes Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and Catalase (CAT) and cyclooxigenase-2 (COX-2).

Primary Gastric Yolk Sac Tumour.

Primary gastric yolk tumours are extremely rare. We report a 52-year-old male who presented to the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, in 2017 after having undergone a gastrectomy abroad due to a suspected poorly-differentiated adenocarcinoma. The patient subsequently returned to Oman to receive chemotherapy. However, while undergoing chemotherapy, an abdominal computed tomography scan revealed a lobulated mesenteric mass. Microscopic examination of the resected lesion confirmed a diagnosis of a yolk sac tumour. The mass was diffusely positive for α-fetoprotein (AFP) and a gastric carcinoma stain was negative. Gastrectomy slides from the patient's previous surgery were examined retrospectively. The morphology was typical for a yolk sac tumour and was negative for epithelial markers. An AFP stain showed diffuse immunoreactivity. Thus, the patient was deemed to have had a primary gastric yolk sac tumour which had later metastasised to the mesocolon. Germ cell tumour protocols were initiated and the patient responded well to treatment.

Corrigendum: Influence of Landmarks on Wayfinding and Brain Connectivity in Immersive Virtual Reality Environment.

[This corrects the article on p. 1220 in vol. 8, PMID: 28775698.].