Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis related to SARS-CoV-2 infection in a pediatric patient: A case report.

Coronavirus disease 2019 is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); it has recently been associated with several hematologic disorders. A 4-year-old boy who had SARS-CoV-2 10 months prior was admitted to the emergency department of our hospital with seizures. His SARS-CoV-2 IgG II level was 885.7 AU/mL. Neuroimaging with cranial computed tomography after admission showed abnormal images of the venous sinus, but this was not sufficient to diagnose cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. Therefore, magnetic resonance imaging and digital subtraction angiography were conducted, which confirmed the diagnosis. He was treated with thrombectomy and anticoagulation drugs, and the clinical outcomes were satisfactory. Because our patient had a medical history of SARS-CoV-2 and exhibited no other risk factors, we present this case as evidence of a potential association between cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and SARS-CoV-2.

Large-Scale Synthesis of Nanosilica from Silica Sand for Plant Stimulant Applications.

Nanosilica is a versatile nanomaterial suitable as, e.g., drug carriers in medicine, fillers in polymers, and fertilizer/pesticide carriers and potentially a bioavailable source of silicon in agriculture. The enhanced biological activity of nanosilica over quartz sand has been noted before; it is directly related to the altered physicochemical properties of the nanoparticles compared to those of the bulk material. Therefore, it is feasible to use nanosilica as a form of plant stimulant. Nanosilica synthesis is a relatively cheap routine process on the laboratory scale; however, it is not easily scalable. Largely for this reason, studies of nanosilica fertilizers are scarce. This study will focus on industrial-scale silica nanoparticle production and the application of nanosilica as a plant stimulant in maize. A variant of the sol-gel method is used to successfully synthesize nanosilica particles starting from silica sand. The resulting particles are in the size range of 16-37 nm with great purity. The potential of nanosilica as a plant stimulant is demonstrated with the increased quantity and quality of maize crops.

A rare case of fusiform basilar trunk aneurysm.

Aneurysms in the posterior circulation and distal sites are more common among the pediatric population than among adults, with a male predominance. Symptoms of an aneurysm in the posterior circulation can include a stiff neck or severe headache due to a ruptured aneurysm, whereas an unruptured aneurysm can cause mass effects or neurological deficits. However, in children, the complete occlusion of the aneurysm while preserving the flow of the main artery can be difficult to achieve when attempting a stent-assisted coil embolization technique. A 25-month-old girl presented with left hemiparesis and was diagnosed with a basilar artery aneurysm 10 months prior, but she did not receive any specific treatment. No history of trauma and no significant familial history were recorded. Angiography showed a fusiform aneurysm on the basilar artery trunk, which was successfully occluded using stent-assisted coiling following dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin. She was discharged with the complete restoration of motor deficits.