Joint effects of gas bubbles and solid particles on sonochemical inhibition in sonicated aqueous solutions.

Wastewater is a multicomponent and multiphase mixture. Gas bubbles and solid particles in the dispersed phase influence sonochemical efficiency during ultrasonic treatment of wastewater, sometimes unfavorably; however, the influencing factors and mechanisms remain unclear. In this paper, the influence of argon gas bubbles (1.2 mm) and monodisperse silica particles (0.1 mm) on sonochemical effects in an aqueous system using a horn-type reactor (20 kHz) is reported. Triiodide formation decreased with an increase in the volume fraction of either or both phases. The two phases started inhibiting sonoreactions as the total volume fraction approached 3.0-4.0 vol% compared to pure water. The effect of the gas-to-solid ratio is also considered. We propose an acoustic attenuation model, which incorporates the scattering effect of solid particles and the thermal effect of gas bubbles. The agreement between the modeling and experimental results demonstrates that the two phases are jointly responsible for sonochemical inhibition by increasing ultrasound attenuation. This enhances the understanding of sonochemistry in gas-solid-liquid systems and helps regulate gases and solids in sonochemical reactors.

Severe Symptomatic Epidural Hematoma Following Percutaneous Endoscopic Unilateral Laminectomy for Bilateral Decompression (Endo-ULBD)-Series Report and Management Strategies.

OBJECTIVES: Severe symptomatic epidural hematoma (SSEH) is one of the most severe complications following percutaneous endoscopic unilateral laminectomy for bilateral decompression (Endo-ULBD). Considering that this technique has been performed for a short time, no detailed reports have been recently published. Thus, it is critical to gain a better understanding of SSEH occurring in its postoperative period with regard to its incidence, possible causes, outcome, etc., in order to identify relevant management strategies. METHODS: Patients with spinal stenosis who had undergone Endo-ULBD in our department from May 2019 to May 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Of which, patients with postoperative epidural hematoma were followed-up. The preoperative and postoperative physical conditions of each patient were recorded, and the information related to hematoma removal surgery was recorded in detail. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI), and the results were classified into "excellent," "good," "fair," or "poor" based on the modified MacNab criteria. The incidence of hematoma with different factors was calculated, and a bar graph was used to compare the difference of the indexes related to hematoma removal between cases, and a line graph was used to reflect the trend of the outcome of each patient within 6 months to evaluate the effect of the treatment. RESULTS: A total of 461 patients with spinal stenosis who underwent Endo-ULBD were enrolled in the study. SSEH occurred in four cases, with an incidence rate of 0.87% (4/461). All these four patients underwent decompression of multiple segments, and three of them had a history of hypertension comorbid with diabetes. Notably, one patient had a past history of hypertension and coronary artery disease and was on postoperative low molecular heparin due to lower extremity venous thrombosis. According to the conditions of the four patients, three types of treatment were used. And with timely treatment, all patients recovered well. CONCLUSION: Despite being a minimally invasive technique, postoperative epidural hematoma remains a severe complication of Endo-ULBD. Therefore, during percutaneous endoscopic surgery, it is essential to enhance the comprehensive perioperative management of patients with Endo-ULBD. Signs related to postoperative hematoma must be recognized and promptly managed. If necessary, satisfactory results can be achieved by using percutaneous endoscopy along the original surgical channel to remove the hematoma.

Combining Mendelian Randomization Analysis and 3D-QSAR to Investigate the Effectiveness of a New Series of Hydroxyquinolines in Osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) represents a persistent degenerative joint ailment. As OA advances, profound joint pain coupled with diminished joint function inflicts substantial physical distress and psychological strain on patients. Presently, pharmacological solutions for arthritis remain limited, primarily encompassing analgesics and joint replacement surgical procedures. Hence, non-operative strategies to mitigate osteoarthritis progression have captured significant attention in orthopedic research. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to discern a definitive causal linkage between ADAMTS-4/5 and osteoarthritis through Mendelian randomization analysis. Moreover, it seeks to anticipate the therapeutic efficacy of a suite of emergent hydroxyquinolines for osteoarthritis using the Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) methodology. METHODS: Within this study, genetic variants specific to knee osteoarthritis were procured as exposure variables from a genome-wide association study (GWAS). Genetic variant data for ADAMTS-4/5 served as the endpoint to evaluate the causal nexus employing univariate Mendelian randomization. This analysis underpins the hypothesis that ADAMTS-4/5 presents a promising therapeutic target for osteoarthritis management. The suppressive properties of novel hydroxyquinolines against ADAMTS-4/5 were subsequently examined through conformational analyses, underscoring the potential of these compounds as therapeutic candidates for osteoarthritis. RESULTS: IVW outcomes from the Mendelian randomization revealed a significant association of KOA (OR: 1.1675, 95% CI: 1.0003-1.3627, P = 0.0495) with ADAMTS-5. However, KOA (OR: 1.0801, 95% CI: 0.9256-1.2604, P = 0.3278) displayed no evident connection with ADAMTS-4. Notably, the instrumental variables manifested neither heterogeneity nor horizontal pleiotropy. In this research endeavor, 16 pharmacological models were formulated via the CoMSIA method within 3D conformational relationship evaluations. A synergistic interplay of hydrophobic, spatial, and hydrogen-bonded receptor domains emerged as the most predictively potent. The cross-validation coefficient q2 for the optimum model stood at 0.716, with a principal component score of 5, a regression coefficient r2 of 0.971, a standard estimation error of 0.351, and an f-value of 156.951. Such metrics intimate the commendable predictive prowess of our devised CoMSIA models. CONCLUSION: The research unearthed a robust causal interrelation between ADAMTS-5 and osteoarthritis via Mendelian randomization. Furthermore, a credible drug model targeting ADAMTS-5 was constructed. Collectively, these findings illuminate a path forward in the pursuit of target-specific drugs for osteoarthritis management in subsequent investigations.

Clarification of regimes determining sonochemical reactions in solid particle suspensions.

Although there has been extensive research on the factors that influence sonochemical reactions in solid particle suspensions, the role that solid particles play in the process remains unclear. Herein, the effect of monodisperse silica particles (10-100 µm, 0.05-10 vol%) on the sonochemical activity (20 kHz) was investigated using triiodide formation monitoring and luminol tests. The results demonstrate that, in the particle size range considered, the sonochemical yields were enhanced in dilute suspensions (0.05-1 vol%), while further particle addition in semi-dilute suspensions (1-10 vol%) decreased the yields. Two regimes, namely the site-increasing regime and sound-damping regime, are identified in respect of the enhancing and inhibiting effects of the particles, respectively, and their dependence on particle characteristics is analyzed. Both regimes are confirmed based on the cavitation erosion test results or cavitation noise analysis. The clarification of the two regimes provides a better understanding of the dominant factors controlling sonochemistry in the presence of solid particles, as well as a guide for sonochemical efficiency prediction.

Fully endoscopic transforaminal discectomy for thoracolumbar junction disc herniation with or without calcification under general anesthesia: Technical notes and preliminary outcomes.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility, safety, and outcomes of percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal discectomy (PETD) for thoracolumbar junction disc herniation (TLDH) with or without calcification. Methods: This study included 12 patients diagnosed with TLDH with or without calcification who met the inclusion criteria and underwent surgery for PETD from January 2019 to December 2021. The mean patient age, operation time, hospitalization time, time in bed, and complications were recorded. Patients were followed up for at least 9 months. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores for low-back and leg or thoracic radicular pain and modified Japanese Orthopedic Association score (m-JOA) scores were preoperatively evaluated, at 1 day and 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively or at last follow-up. The modified MacNab criteria were used to evaluate clinical efficacy at 12 months postoperatively or at last follow-up. Results: The mean patient age, operation time, hospitalization time, and time in bed were 53 ± 13.9 years, 101.3 ± 9.2 min, 4.5 ± 1.3 days, and 18.0 ± 7.0 h, respectively. The mean VAS scores of low-back and leg or thoracic radicular pain improved from 5.8 ± 1.5 and 6.5 ± 1.4 to 2.0 ± 0.9 and 1.3 ± 0.5, respectively (P < 0.05). The m-JOA score improved from 7.5 ± 1.2 to 10.0 ± 0.7 (P < 0.05). The overall excellent-good rate of the modified MacNab criteria was 83.3%. No severe complications occurred. Conclusion: Fully endoscopic transforaminal discectomy and ventral decompression under general anesthesia is a safe, feasible, effective, and minimally invasive method for treating herniated discs with or without calcification at thoracolumbar junction zone.

Classification of regimes determining ultrasonic cavitation erosion in solid particle suspensions.

Although the factors that influence ultrasonic cavitation erosion in solid particle suspensions have been extensively studied, the role that solid particles play in the cavitation process remains poorly understood. The ultrasonic cavitation erosion of AISI 1045 carbon steel was studied in the presence of monodisperse silica particles (10-100 µm, 0.5-20 vol%) suspended in transformer oil. Based on our results, we propose an overview of the possible influencing mechanisms of particle addition for specific particle sizes and concentrations. Four major regimes, namely a viscosity-enhancing regime (V), a particle-impinging regime (I), a particle-shielding regime (S), and a nuclei-adding regime (A) are identified, and their dependence on suspended particle characteristics is analyzed. The VISA regimes, in essence, reflect the viscous and inertial effects of suspended particles, and the way in which particle-particle interactions and heterogeneous nucleation affect erosion. This regime-based framework provides a better understanding of the dominant factors controlling the erosive wear caused by cavitation in the presence of solid particles, and provides a guide for erosion prediction and prevention.