Mathematical analysis of mixed convective stagnation point flow over extendable porous riga plate with aggregation and joule heating effects.

It is still not quite apparent how suspended nanoparticles improve heat transmission. Multiple investigations have demonstrated that the aggregation of nanoparticles is a critical step in improving the thermal conductivity of nanofluids. However, the thermal conductivity of the nanofluid would be greatly affected by the fractal dimension of the nanoparticle aggregation. The purpose of this research is to learn how nanoparticle aggregation, joule heating, and a heat source affect the behavior of an ethylene glycol-based nanofluid as it flows over a permeable, heated, stretched vertical Riga plate and through a porous medium. Numerical solutions to the present mathematical model were obtained using Mathematica's Runge-Kutta (RK-IV) with shooting technique. In the stagnation point flow next to a permeable, heated, extending Riga plate, heat transfer processes and interrupted flow phenomena are defined and illustrated by diagrams in the proposed mixed convection, joule heating, and suction variables along a boundary surface. Data visualizations showed how different variables affected temperature and velocity distributions, skin friction coefficient, and the local Nusselt number. The rates of heat transmission and skin friction increased when the values of the suction parameters were raised. The temperature profile and the Nusselt number both rose because of the heat source setting. The increase in skin friction caused by changing the nanoparticle volume fraction from φ=0.0 to φ=0.01 for the without aggregation model was about 7.2% for the case of opposing flow area (λ=-1.0) and 7.5% for the case of aiding flow region (λ=1.0). With the aggregation model, the heat transfer rate decreases by approximately 3.6% for cases with opposing flow regions (λ=-1.0) and 3.7% for cases with assisting flow regions (λ=1.0), depending on the nanoparticle volume fraction and ranging from φ=0.0 to φ=0.01, respectively. Recent findings were validated by comparing them to previously published findings for the same setting. There was substantial agreement between the two sets finding.

Analysis of Monkeypox viral infection with human to animal transmission via a fractional and Fractal-fractional operators with power law kernel.

Monkeypox (MPX) is a global public health concern. This infectious disease affects people all over the world, not just those in West and Central Africa. Various approaches have been used to study epidemiology, the source of infection, and patterns of transmission of MPX. In this article, we analyze the dynamics of MPX using a fractional mathematical model with a power law kernel. The human-to-animal transmission is considered in the model formulation. The fractional model is further reformulated via a generalized fractal-fractional differential operator in the Caputo sense. The basic mathematical including the existence and uniqueness of both fractional and fractal-fractional problems are provided using fixed points theorems. A numerical scheme for the proposed model is obtained using an efficient iterative method. Moreover, detailed simulation results are shown for different fractional orders in the first stage. Finally, a number of graphical results of fractal-fractional MPX transmission models are presented showing the combined effect of fractal and fractional orders on model dynamics. The resulting simulations conclude that the new fractal-fractional operator added more biological insight into the dynamics of illness.

Impacts of fertilization management strategies on improved sorghums varieties in smallholder farming systems in Mali: Productivity and profitability differences.

Sorghum is an important cereal crop cultivated by smallholder farmers of Mali, contributing significantly to their food demand and security. The study evaluated different fertilization strategies that combined organic and inorganic fertilizer applications with three sorghum varieties. The experiments were conducted over three cropping seasons (2017-2019) in three sites (Bamako, Bougouni, and Koutiala respectively) within the Sudanian region of Mali. Our results showed a significant effect of season, variety, and fertilization strategies on grain and stalk yields. Grain yield increased by 8-40% in Koutiala, 11-53% in Bougouni, and 44-110% in Bamako while the average stalk yield was above 5000 kg ha-1 with fertilized treatment compared to unfertilized treatment in the three sites. Fadda performed the best variety, mean grain yield was 23% and 42% higher than that of Soumba and Tieble, respectively. Similarly, there was a progressive increase in grain yield with an increasing level of poultry manure (PM) from 0 to 150 g/hill and cattle manure (CM) from 0 to 100 g/hill. However, the application of 100 g/hill of CM and PM plus 3 g/hill of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) increased yield by 8% and 12% respectively compared to only CM or PM treatments. The results further revealed higher yield gain by 51% (Bamako), 57% (Koutiala), and 42% (Bougouni) for T10-[PM (100 g/hill) + Micro-D_DAP (3 g/hill)] equivalent to 73 kgNha-1 than others (T2-T9), but not proportionate to the highest value-cost ratio (VCR). Radar charts used to visualize sustainable intensification (SI) performance in the three domains (productivity, profitability, and environment) showed that the environmental variable has a direct influence on productivity, meanwhile profitability across the strategies ranged from low to moderate value across sites and different fertilizer strategies. Our study, therefore, recommends the use of multiple-choice fertilizer strategies includingT2-CM (50 g/hill)+PM(50 g/hill), T5-DAP-Micro-D (3 g/hill), T6-DAP41:46:00 and T9-PM(50 g/hill) alongside with improved sorghum varieties tested, for higher productivity and profitability across the region.

Solubility and dissolution kinetics of sulfur and sulfides in electrolyte solvents for lithium-sulfur and sodium-sulfur batteries.

In this study, we monitor the dissolution of sulfur and sulfides in electrolyte solvents for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) and sodium-sulfur (Na-S) batteries. The first aim of this research is to assemble a comprehensive set of data on solubilities and dissolution kinetics that may be used in the simulation of battery cycling. The investigation also offers important insights to address key bottlenecks in the development and commercialization of metal-sulfur batteries, including the incomplete dissolution of sulfur in discharge and insoluble low-order sulfides in charge, the probability of shuttling of soluble polysulfides, and the pausing of the redox reactions in precipitated low order sulfides depending on their degree of solid state. The tested materials include sulfur, lithium sulfides Li2Sx, x = 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8, and sodium sulfides Na2Sx, x = 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8, dissolved in two alternative electrolyte solvents: DOL:DME 1:1 v/v and TEGDME. The determined properties of the solute dissolution in the solvent include saturation concentration, mass transfer coefficient, and diffusion coefficient of the solvent in the solid solute. In general, the DOL:DME system offers high solubility in Li-S batteries and TEGDME offers the highest solubility in Na-S batteries. Low solubility sulfides are Li2S2 and Li2S for the Li-S batteries, and Na2S3, Na2S2, and Na2S for the Na-S batteries. However, it is noted that Na2S3 dissolves fast in TEGDME and also TEGDME diffuses fast into Na2S3, offering the possibility of a swollen Na2S3 structure in which Na+ ions might diffuse and continue the redox reactions in a semisolid state.

The Correlation Between Autistic Childhood Disorders and the Development of Anxiety and Depression in Adults: A Systematic Review.

Children with autism spectrum disorder significantly suffer from other mental conditions, including anxiety and depression, compared to the general population. This continues to have a significant effect till adulthood. This study aimed at determining if there is a correlation between autism disorder in childhood and the development of anxiety and depression in adulthood and if behavioral therapy for children with this disorder reduces the likelihood of developing anxiety and depression as an adult.  Three major databases were searched: EMBASE, Google Scholar, and PubMed, using specific search terms. Studies were selected according to population, exposure, comparison, condition or outcome(s) of interest, study design, and context. Overall, there are five articles relevant to this systematic review synthesis; all were observational studies. Our study shows psychiatric disorders like anxiety and depression could be related to autism spectrum disorder and early behavioral intervention could be beneficial and reduce the need for anxiety and depression medication.

Forced convection of non-darcy flow of ethylene glycol conveying copper(II) oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles subject to lorentz force on wedges: Non-newtonian casson model.

The topic of two-dimensional steady laminar MHD boundary layer flow across a wedge with non-Newtonian hybrid nanoliquid (CuO-TiO2/C2H6O2) with viscous dissipation and radiation is taken into consideration. The controlling partial differential equations have been converted to non-linear higher-order ordinary differential equations using the appropriate similarity transformations. It is demonstrated that a number of thermo-physical characteristics govern the transmuted model. The issue is then mathematically resolved. When the method's accuracy is compared to results that have already been published, an excellent agreement is found. While the thermal distribution increases with an increase in Eckert number, radiation and porosity parameters, the velocity distribution decreases as porosity increases.

A Comprehensive Review on the Effects of Humor in Patients With Depression.

Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. Although there are known, effective treatments for depression, people in low- and middle-income areas experience multiple barriers which limit their ability to receive adequate treatment. Some known barriers to effective care include a lack of resources, lack of trained healthcare providers, and social stigma associated with mental disorders and this creates gaps in mental health care and the need for more treatment modalities and adjuvant therapies to address these gaps. This review article was conducted using the scale for the assessment of non-systematic review articles (SANRA). We searched three databases; EMBASE, PubMed (MEDLINE), and Google Scholar using specified search terms. We had a total of nine articles with sample sizes ranging from 37 to 1551, and the age of participants ranged from 23 to 93 years. Articles were diverse in race and geographical locations. The articles were derived from cross-sectional studies, randomized studies, and experimental studies, and they focused on the relationship between humor and depression, and the reduced risk of depression in the study population. The articles identified different aspects of the relationship between humor and depression. The willingness of patients with depression to recognize or participate in humor could be defective resulting in abnormal social interactions such as withdrawal. However, there was some significant influence of humor or its styles on patients with depression either mitigating depressive symptoms or having no impact at all.

Multifunctional titanium dioxide nanoparticles biofabricated via phytosynthetic route using extracts of Cola nitida: antimicrobial, dye degradation, antioxidant and anticoagulant activities.

First study of phytosynthesis of TiO2 NPs using the leaf (KL), pod (KP), seed (KS) and seed shell (KSS) extracts of kola nut tree (Cola nitida) is herein reported. The TiO2 NPs were characterized and evaluated for their antimicrobial, dye degradation, antioxidant and anticoagulant activities. The nearly spherical-shaped particles had λmax of 272.5-275.0 nm with size range of 25.00-191.41 nm. FTIR analysis displayed prominent peaks at 3446.79, 1639.49 and 1382.96 cm-1, indicating the involvement of phenolic compounds and proteins in the phytosynthesis of TiO2 NPs. Both SAED and XRD showed bioformation of crystalline anatase TiO2 NPs which inhibited multidrug-drug resistant bacteria and toxigenic fungi. The catalytic activities of the particles were profound, with degradation of malachite green by 83.48-86.28 % without exposure to UV-irradiation, scavenging of DPPH and H2O2by 51.19-60.08 %, and 78.45-99.23 % respectively. The particles as well prevented the coagulation of human blood. In addition to the antimicrobial and dye-degrading activities, we report for the first time the H2O2 scavenging and anticoagulant activities of TiO2 NPs, showing that the particles can be useful for catalytic and biomedical applications.

Entropy optimized MHD 3D nanomaterial of non-Newtonian fluid: A combined approach to good absorber of solar energy and intensification of heat transport.

BACKGROUND: The present work provides important insights regarding three dimensional unsteady magnetohydrodynamic flow and entropy generation of micropolar Casson Cross nanofluid subject to nonlinear thermal radiation and chemical reaction. The Buongiorno's nanofluid model featured with Brownian movement and thermophoresis is considered. Realistic aspects namely convective boundary condition, viscous dissipation and joule heating are introduced. The present problem is modeled by momentum, temperature, microrotation and nanoparticles concentration equations. METHOD: The non-dimensional highly nonlinear differential equations are solved numerically via shooting iteration technique together with 4th order Runge-Kutta integration scheme. RESULTS: The current study imparts a reasonable, pragmatic and realistic approach to a good absorber of solar energy. In addition, strong and visionary profiles of velocity, microrotation, temperature, nanoparticles concentration, entropy generation rate and Bejan number for concern nanofluids are presented. Besides, intensive physical interpretation of the involved thermophycal parameters has been well-addressed. CONCLUSIONS: The present investigation shows that strengthening of Weissenberg number uplifts the axial as well transverse fluid velocities while that of Hartmann number turns out to be a reverse trend. Furthermore, heat and mass transfer rates exhibit ascending and descending trends for intensified Brownian motion and thermophoresis respectively. Improved thermal boundary layer due to the upgrading temperature ratio parameter is another outcome of the current analysis.

Pulmonary functions in Egyptian children with transfusion-dependent ß-thalassemia.

BACKGROUND: In ß-thalassemia, there are varying degrees of ineffective haematopoiesis, intermittent haemolysis and iron overload. Excess iron is deposited in organs such as the heart, the liver, the endocrine glands and the lungs. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the pulmonary functions in asymptomatic beta thalassemic children on regular transfusion therapy and their relation to iron overload. METHODS: The study included 50 transfusion-dependent ß-thalassemic children and 50 apparently healthy children as control. All children had undergone pulmonary function tests (spirometry, lung volumes and diffusion capacities). In addition, test to determine the mean serum ferritin of the last 2 years and pre-transfusion haemoglobin and chest radiograph and echocardiography were performed for the thalassemic children only. RESULTS: A total of 70% of the thalassemic children had diffusion impairment, whereas 34% of them had associated restrictive abnormality. Thalassemic children with serum ferritin >2500 ng mL-1 had significantly lower values of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume at one second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEFR), total lung capacity (TLC) and diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO) (P < 0·05). Only diffusion impairment had a significant positive correlation with serum ferritin level. Restrictive impairment had significant positive correlations with age, duration of blood transfusion and serum ferritin level and a significant negative correlation with duration of chelation (P < 0·05). Having a serum ferritin >2500 ng mL-1 was the only predicting factor for diffusion impairment and the strongest predicting factor for restrictive dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Despite being asymptomatic, the majority of thalassemic children in this study suffered from diffusion impairment either alone or in combination with restrictive dysfunction. These pulmonary dysfunctions correlated significantly with body iron stores measured by serum ferritin.

'True Day Case' Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in a High-Volume Specialist Unit and Review of Factors Contributing to Unexpected Overnight Stay.

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the gold standard treatment for gallstones. British Association of Day Case Surgery recommends at least 60% of LCs be performed as day cases. The aim of this study was to assess our rate of true day case LCs and review factors preventing same-day discharge. METHODS: We prospectively collected data of all elective LCs performed in a district general hospital over 32 months. RESULTS: 500 patients underwent LC during this period; 438 (88.2%) patients were planned day cases and 59 patients (11.8%) planned overnight stays. Of the planned day cases, 75.8% (n=332) were discharged on the same day and 106 (24.2%) had unexpected overnight stay (UOS). Most patients with BMI >35 and ASA3 planned day case patients were successfully discharged. Drain insertion, longer operations, and late recovery departure were the main reasons for UOS. There were more complications in this group compared to day cases. CONCLUSIONS: This unit has a high 'true day case' rate of 75.8%. High BMI and ASA3 should not be absolute contraindications to day case surgery. The majority of unexpected overnight stays are unavoidable but may be reduced by patient selection, stringent preoperative assessment, operation scheduling, and reduction in unnecessary drain insertion.

Influence of Imidacloprid and Horticultural Oil on Spider Abundance on Eastern Hemlock in the Southern Appalachians.

Hemlock woolly adelgid, Adelges tsugae Annand (Hemiptera: Adelgidae), is an exotic pest of eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière (Pinales: Pinaceae), in the eastern United States. Two commonly used insecticides to manage adelgid are imidacloprid, a systemic neonicotinoid insecticide, and horticultural oil, a refined petroleum oil foliar spray. We have investigated the influence of imidacloprid and horticultural oil on spider abundance at different canopy strata in eastern hemlock. In total, 2,084 spiders representing 11 families were collected from the canopies of eastern hemlock. In beat-sheet and direct observation samples, the families Theridiidae, Araneidae, Salticidae, and Anyphaenidae were the most abundant. Significantly higher numbers of spiders were recorded on untreated control trees compared with trees treated with imidacloprid using soil drench and soil injection applications. Spider abundance in trees injected with imidacloprid and horticultural oil applications did not significantly differ from control trees. Spider abundance was significantly greater in the top and middle strata of the canopy than in the bottom stratum, where imidacloprid concentrations were the highest. Regression analysis showed that spider abundance was inversely associated with imidacloprid concentration. This research demonstrates that imidacloprid, when applied with selected methods, has the potential to result in reductions of spider densities at different strata. However, slight reductions in spider abundance may be an acceptable short-term ecological impact compared with the loss of an untreated hemlock and all the associated ecological benefits that it provides. Future studies should include investigations of long-term impact of imidacloprid on spiders associated with eastern hemlock.

Preoperative Grading of Glioma Using Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast MRI: Relative Cerebral Blood Volume Analysis of Intra-tumoural and Peri-tumoural Tissue.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the usefulness of intra-tumor and peri-tumoral relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) in preoperative glioma grading. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 21 patients with histopathologically confirmed glioma were included. Imaging was achieved on a 1.5T MRI scanner. Dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MRI was performed using T2* weighted gradient echo-planner imaging (EPI). Multiple regions of interest (ROIs) have been drawn in the hotspots regions, the highest ROI has been selected to represent the rCBV of each intra-tumoral and peri-tumoral regions. Based on histopathology, tumors were subdivided into low grade and high grade. Receiver operating characteristic analysis (ROC) of rCBV, of both intra-tumoral and peri-tumoral regions, was performed to find cut-off values between high and low-grade tumors. The resulting sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy were calculated. RESULTS: Based on the histopathology, high-grade glioma (HGG) represented 76.2% whereas low-grade glioma (LGG) represented 23.8%. Both intra-tumoral and peri-tumoral rCBV of HGG were significantly higher than those of LGG. A cut-off value >2.9 for intra-tumoral rCBV provided sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 80%, 100%, and 85.7% respectively to differentiate between HGG and LGG. Additionally, the cut-off value >0.7 for peri-tumoral rCBV provided sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 100%, 66.6%, and 90.5% respectively to differentiate between HGG and LGG. CONCLUSION: rCBV of each of intra-tumoral and peri-tumoral rCBV are significantly reliable for the preoperative distinction between HGG and LGG. Combined intra-tumoral and peri-tumoral rCBV provides overall better diagnostic accuracy and helps to decrease the invasive intervention for non-surgical candidates.

Pancreatic allograft thrombosis: Suggestion for a CT grading system and management algorithm.

Pancreatic allograft thrombosis (PAT) remains the leading cause of nonimmunologic graft failure. Here, we propose a new computed tomography (CT) grading system of PAT to identify risk factors for allograft loss and outline a management algorithm by retrospective review of consecutive pancreatic transplantations between 2009 and 2014. Triple-phase CT scans were graded independently by 2 radiologists as grade 0, no thrombosis; grade 1, peripheral thrombosis; grade 2, intermediate non-occlusive thrombosis; and grade 3, central occlusive thrombosis. Twenty-four (23.3%) of 103 recipients were diagnosed with PAT (including grade 1). Three (2.9%) grafts were lost due to portal vein thrombosis. On multivariate analysis, pancreas after simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation/solitary pancreatic transplantation, acute rejection, and CT findings of peripancreatic edema and/or inflammatory change were significant risk factors for PAT. Retrospective review of CT scans revealed more grade 1 and 2 thromboses than were initially reported. There was no significant difference in graft or patient survival, postoperative stay, or morbidity of recipients with grade 1 or 2 thrombosis who were or were not anticoagulated. Our data suggest that therapeutic anticoagulation is not necessary for grade 1 and 2 arterial and grade 1 venous thrombosis. The proposed grading system can assist clinicians in decision-making and provide standardized reporting for future studies.

Design for Deconstruction (DfD): Critical success factors for diverting end-of-life waste from landfills.

The aim of this paper is to identify Critical Success Factors (CSF) needed for effective material recovery through Design for Deconstruction (DfD). The research approach employed in this paper is based on a sequential exploratory mixed method strategy. After a thorough review of literature and conducting four Focus Group Discussion (FGDs), 43 DfD factors were identified and put together in a questionnaire survey. Data analyses include Cronbach's alpha reliability analysis, mean testing using significance index, and exploratory factor analysis. The result of the factor analysis reveals that an underlying factor structure of five DfD factors groups that include 'stringent legislation and policy', 'deconstruction design process and competencies', 'design for material recovery', 'design for material reuse', and 'design for building flexibility'. These groups of DfD factor groups show that the requirements for DfD goes beyond technical competencies and that non-technical factors such as stringent legislation and policy and design process and competency for deconstruction are key in designing deconstructable buildings. Paying attention to the factors identified in all of these categories will help to tackle impediments that could hinder the effectiveness of DfD. The results of this study would help design and project managers to understand areas of possible improvement in employing DfD as a strategy for diverting waste from landfills.

Critical management practices influencing on-site waste minimization in construction projects.

As a result of increasing recognition of effective site management as the strategic approach for achieving the required performance in construction projects, this study seeks to identify the key site management practices that are requisite for construction waste minimization. A mixed methods approach, involving field study and survey research were used as means of data collection. After confirmation of construct validity and reliability of scale, data analysis was carried out through a combination of Kruskal-Wallis test, descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis. The study suggests that site management functions could significantly reduce waste generation through strict adherence to project drawings, and by ensuring fewer or no design changes during construction process. Provision of waste skips for specific materials and maximisation of on-site reuse of materials are also found to be among the key factors for engendering waste minimization. The result of factor analysis suggests four factors underlying on-site waste management practices with 96.093% of total variance. These measures include contractual provisions for waste minimization, waste segregation, maximisation of materials reuse and effective logistic management. Strategies through which each of the underlying measures could be achieved are further discussed in the paper. Findings of this study would assist construction site managers and other site operatives in reducing waste generated by construction activities.

Pre-NELA vs NELA - has anything changed, or is it just an audit exercise?

BACKGROUND Following evidence suggestive of high mortality following emergency laparotomies, the National Emergency Laparotomy Audit (NELA) was set up, highlighting key standards in emergency service provision. Our aim was to compare our NHS trust's adherence to these recommendations immediately prior to, and following, the launch of NELA, and to compare patient outcome. METHODS This was a retrospective study of patients who underwent an emergency laparotomy over the course of 6 months - 3 months either side of the initiation of NELA. RESULTS There were 44 patients before the initiation of NELA (pre-NELA, PN group) and 55 in the first 3 months of NELA (N group). We saw a significant increase in the proportion of patients whose decision to operate was made by the consultant: 75.0% in the PN group vs 100% in N group (subsequent data presented in this order) (P < 0.001). The presence of a consultant surgeon (75.0% vs 83.6%, P = 0.321) and anaesthetist (100.0% vs 90.9%, P = 0.064) in theatres were comparable in both groups. Risk stratification based on Portsmouth Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality and Morbidity (P-POSSUM) score showed no difference in high-risk patients in both groups (47.7% vs 36.4%, P = 0.306). With the NELA initiative, however, significantly more patients were admitted directly from theatres to the critical care unit, when compared with the pre-NELA period (9.1% vs 27.3%, P = 0.038). This also reflected a significant reduction in unexpected escalation to a higher level of care during this period (10.0% vs 0%, P = 0.036). Significantly more patients had uneventful recovery in the NELA period (52.3 vs 76.4%, P = 0.018), although there was no difference in 30-day mortality between the groups (2.3% vs 7.3%, P = 0.378). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated a greater degree of consultant involvement in the decision to operate during NELA. More high-risk patients have been identified preoperatively with diligent risk assessment and, hence, have been proactively admitted to critical care units following laparotomy, which may account for the significant reduction in unexpected escalation to level 2 or level 3 care and thus in overall better patient outcomes.

Microfilaria in a thyroid nodule discovered by fine needle aspiration cytology.

Filariasis is a major health problem in tropical countries, including India. The disease is endemic all over India, especially in Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Gujarat. A heavy parasitic load may appear in the blood, urine with chyle, and at times in scrotal aspirates. It is very unusual to find microfilaria in thyroid aspirate. Here, we present a rare case in which microfilaria was found during fine needle aspiration cytology of a solitary thyroid nodule.

Two cases of small bowel obstruction secondary to a swallowed potato.

Bowel obstruction due to bezoars (compaction of ingested material within the gastrointestinal tract) is a rare, but well documented occurrence. In this paper, we present two cases of potato-induced small bowel obstruction. Both patients were approximately 50 years old and had cerebral palsy and learning disabilities, respectively. They presented with abdominal pain and bilious vomiting, with no medical or surgical history. Diagnosis of small bowel obstruction was confirmed by CT prior to taking the patients to the operating theatre, where whole potatoes were found to be obstructing each patient's bowel lumen. Both patients underwent laparotomy with enterotomy and removal of the potato. They both made a good recovery. Through a literature review of bezoar-induced bowel obstruction, these cases highlight important diagnostic and management principles.

Delay in diagnosis and lessons learnt from a case of abdominal wall abscess caused by fishbone perforation.

Complications following foreign body (FB) ingestion are an uncommon clinical problem. A 59-year-old man presented with a 4-week history of left iliac fossa pain and 1 episode of dark red blood mixed with stools. Inflammatory markers were elevated, and computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis showed an ill defined abdominal wall inflammatory collection in close contact with the small bowel loops. He was treated with antibiotics, and follow-up CT, colonoscopy and small bowel enema were mostly unremarkable. The patient presented again ten months later with left iliac fossa cellulitis and fever. Multiplanar CT (the patient's fourth scan) demonstrated a 10cm abdominal wall collection with a linear hyperdense structure in the collection. The radiologists suspected a FB and on close scrutiny of the previous scans, they noted it to have been present on all of them. A targeted incision led to the removal of a 3cm fishbone from the collection. This case highlights the need to consider the possibility of a FB being the underlying cause in any unexplained intra-abdominal or abdominal wall inflammatory process so that the diagnosis is made in a timely manner.