Performance and environmental sustainability studies on a dual-fuel IC engine working with producer gas of variable calorific values from rural biomass.

Decentralized power generation using renewable gaseous biofuels faces challenges due to their inconsistent quality and availability. Mixing producer gas (PG) with diesel as a secondary fuel is a promising option, but the non-stable calorific value (CV) of PG from different biomasses poses a serious problem for the efficient operation of a dual-fuel engine. This study aims to examine how the CV of PG from various biomasses affects a 3.75-kW dual-fuel IC engine's performance. The experimental facility, which has a dual-fuel engine and a 115-kW thermal gasifier, tested the blends of diesel and PG from different biomasses. We chose biomass based on its availability and PG's CV of 3.4, 4.4, 5.2, and 6.3 MJ/Nm3. For this range of CV, the efficiency, energy consumption, and fuel replacement of a dual-fuel engine vary between 20.9 and 26.6%, 17.3 and 13.5 MJ/kWh, and 10.8 and 76.9%, respectively. Furthermore, the blend with the maximum CV of PG had a 69.64% lower specific diesel consumption and an 86% higher diesel replacement rate than the blend with the lowest CV of PG. In terms of emission characteristics, the comparison showed a 2.02-7.06% reduction in NOx and a 4.05-55.6% increase in hydrocarbons (HCs) for the tested conditions. The overall observations demonstrated that a significant enhancement in a dual-fuel engine's performance is possible with a higher CV of PG. However, the emissions trade-offs demand additional optimization studies, as well as case-based research, in order to integrate renewable energy and emission management in smaller-scale applications across more geographies.

Case report: Awake craniotomy during pregnancy for resection of glioblastoma.

Few cases have been reported of the diagnosis and treatment of glioblastoma (GB) during pregnancy. Subsequently, surgical, medical, and obstetrical management of complicated primary central nervous system malignancy in antepartum and postpartum patients remains under-investigated. The authors report the case of a 24-year-old female patient who developed generalized tonic-clonic seizures and focal neurologic deficits. MRI imaging (3T Skyra, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) revealed an intracranial mass suspicious for malignant tumor and surgical resection under awake sedation was scheduled. The patient was incidentally found to be in her first trimester of pregnancy. Using neuronavigation, neurophysiologic monitoring, and conscious sedation the tumor was debulked successfully and histopathologic analysis confirmed giant cell glioblastoma, WHO Grade IV, 1p/19q intact, IDH wild-type, with NF1 p.Y2285fs and RB1 p.S318fs somatic mutations. Post-surgical oncologic management continued with fractioned radiotherapy and use of the Optune® device. The patient underwent uncomplicated cesarean section at 34-weeks gestation, the child remains healthy and the patient remains disease-disease free at 1-year. Thus, this case presents an approach to management of complicated GBM during first trimester pregnancy.

Eustachian valve myxoma: a rare cause of Budd-Chiari syndrome.

Budd-Chiari syndrome caused by right atrial myxomas are extremely rare. We report the case of a patient who presented with chronic liver disease who upon consequent investigation was found to have a mass occupying the right atrium and ventricle consistent with cardiac tumour. Intraoperatively, a giant mass was removed from the right atrium with the tumour stalk originating from the Eustachian valve. Histologic findings were consistent with myxoma.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Inferior Vena Cava and Right Atrium Tumor Thrombus.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the leading causes of cancer and cancer related deaths worldwide. Metastasis of HCC into the cardiac cavity is mostly caused by direct tumor thrombus invasion through the major hepatic veins and of vena cava inferior with continuous extension into the right cardiac cavity. Right heart metastasis without invasion of inferior vena cava (IVC), which may be caused by haematogenous spread of cancer cells, is rarely reported. We report a case of HCC with IVC and right atrium (RA) thrombus in a patient who presented to us with decompensated cardiac failure. Strikingly, the patient was young and with negative serum HBsAg, and anti-HCV results. Our case highlights a rare presentation of metastatic intracardiac tumor thrombus involving the RA in advanced HCC without any symptoms of cardiac failure, and henceforth, the role of screening echocardiography for all patients with advanced HCC especially with vena caval involvement to rule out intracardiac thrombus.

Supraorbital Craniotomy for Sellar Solitary Fibrous Tumor: Operative Technique and Literature Review.

OBJECTIVE: Solitary fibrous tumors (SFT) are rare, locally aggressive, mesenchymal neoplasms that pose both diagnostic and operative challenges. In this review of the literature, data were collected from all previously described sellar and suprasellar SFTs to date, with special attention paid to presenting symptoms, surgical technique performed, recurrence status, and adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy, among others. METHODS: A review of prior sellar and suprasellar SFTs was performed. Eleven cases of SFTs in the sellar and suprasellar regions were identified. We considered age and sex, along with case-specific information, such as presenting symptoms, surgical approach taken, number of resections, recurrence information, and adjuvant therapy. RESULTS: All cases including ours presented with visual deficits, ranging from blurry vision to complete bilateral visual loss. Endocrine hormonal abnormalities occurred in nearly all patients (90%.) Craniotomy was performed more often than endonasal transsphenoidal resection of tumors, 42% versus 33%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: SFTs are slow-growing fibroblastic mesenchymal neoplasms that comprise <2% of all intracranial tumors. They are even more infrequently found in the sellar/suprasellar region, with our case being the 12th reported case of such and the first only to use supraorbital craniotomy as a resection strategy. Multimodal therapy consisting of safe gross total resection, radiosurgery, and/or chemotherapy provides the best possible results for these rare and locally aggressive entities.