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Penile Mondor disease (MD) is a palpable, painful, subcutaneous induration resulting from thrombosis of the superficial dorsal penile vein. In this report, we present a 53-year-old case of Mondor disease following prolonged, vigorous sexual activity. He had engaged in sexual activity the previous night after taking sildenafil. Physical examination revealed penile swelling and tenderness over the protruding dorsal penile vein with no evidence of penile fracture. An in-color Doppler ultrasound was promptly performed, revealing hyperechoic thrombosis in the dilated superficial dorsal penile vein accompanied by soft tissue swelling and the absence of a detectable flow signal within the thrombotic lesion. The patient was diagnosed with penile Mondor disease. The patient received conservative treatment. This case highlights the association between prolonged vigorous sexual activity, oral sildenafil uses and the development of penile Mondor disease.

Objective: To determine the utilization of barley and parsley for managing urolithiasis among the Saudi Arabian population. Methods: This is a prospective cross-sectional survey-based study. The survey comprised questions about the use of barley, parsley, and other therapies for managing urolithiasis. A WhatsApp® message with the link to the study survey was sent out to family, friends, patients, and other acquaintances residing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Results: A total of 1014 respondents completed the survey, of which 44.8% indicated that they utilized barley, 38.3% stated that they used parsley, and 4.2% indicated that they utilized other non-medical remedies to treat or prevent kidney stones. In contrast, only 29.5% stated that they utilized potassium citrate and/or magnesium citrate, and only 14.4% indicated that they consumed greater amounts of water to treat or prevent kidney stones. Conclusion: Our study findings indicate that among the Saudi Arabian population, non-conventional therapies such as barley and parsley are more commonly utilized for managing urolithiasis rather than established therapies such as increasing water intake and the use of potassium-citrate/ magnesium-citrate. There is a need to conduct large-scale clinical studies to evaluate the efficacy and safety of barley, parsley, and other non-conventional therapies for treating urolithiasis.

Abstract. Background. Atypical Congenital Obstructive Urethral Lesions (ACOUL) are uncommon causes of urethral obstruction in children. They include Cobb’s collar or Moorman’s ring, Type III posterior urethral valve (PUV), congenital urethral narrowing and anterior urethral valves. This study is aimed to evaluate the knowledge and current practice amongst clinicians attending to ACOUL. An international online case based questionnaire was performed. Materials and methods. A survey was administered to members of international urological societies. It included 22 clinical questions on cases with ACOUL (14 questions suitable for statistical analysis) using cases of Type I PUV as controls. Two sets of paired questions evaluated change in opinion(s) after additional information was provided. Results. One hundred twenty-one participants responded with 71% reporting exposure of less than 5 cases per annum. In questions regarding diagnosis between 11.6% (14/121) and 21.5% (26/121) of participants identified the ACOUL as PUV. Among them, 66% of respondents agreed on ACOUL’s causative role in urethral obstruction. Gini coefficient was consistently lower for ACOUL compared to PUV: diagnosis (mean 0.33 vs. 0.44) and prognosis (0.23 vs. 0.43). High intra-rater concordance (kappa 0.420.57) was observed for paired questions–a mean of 5.79% (7.44% and 4.13% for questions 10 and 12, 16 and 17, respectively) of participants changed their answers from an alternate diagnosis to the correct diagnosis of ACOUL after viewing endoscopic images. High variation in management of ACOUL was noted (Gini 0.51). Conclusions. This global snapshot survey identified substantial inconsistency among clinicians dealing with ACOUL. Although rarely encountered in clinical practice, better overall education of ACOUL is warranted.

Bilateral supernumerary kidneys and associated urinary stone disease are rarely seen in clinical practice, and only three cases have been reported in the literature to date. We report a 15-year-old male patient having a bilateral supernumerary kidney with an obstructive left ureteric stone successfully managed with retrograde intrarenal surgery. Stones in such anomalous kidneys pose a challenge for the urologist, and imaging is essential for surgical intervention planning. RIRS with holmium laser lithotripsy is a safe and effective treatment with a high single-stage stone-free rate and low complication rate in experienced hands.

Hydrogen has become an essential element in the pursuit of sustainable and clean energy solutions. Especially with the fast-paced advancement in demand, supply, and policy environment, its impact on hybrid renewable energy (HRE) management is becoming increasingly relevant. Efficient energy consumption, cost reduction, and enhanced user comfort are now critical factors in energy optimization. The production of green hydrogen, which is generated through water electrolysis using renewable energy sources (RES), has shown great potential as a sustainable energy solution. It offers several advantages, such as zero greenhouse gas emissions, high energy density, and versatile applications. This paper presents a detailed study on the power management and control of a hybrid renewable system (HRES) equipped with a diesel generator (DG) as a backup power source. The main objectives of the hybrid system are to satisfy the load power demand, ensure the most efficient use of the HRES, and keep the battery bank charged to prevent blackouts and extend the battery's life. To guarantee the system's reliability, the DG should be sized to meet the peak load demand when the RES generates less electricity than the load demand. This study explores the feasibility of modified versions of the load following and cycle charging control strategies to overcome the limitations of managing generation and storage systems' operations in different operating modes and to enhance the performance of an HRES with a DG that supplies electricity to a small and remote location. The proposed method not only maximizes the use of RES production but also enables multi-energy source management under different power generation and load demand scenarios. The study's outcomes demonstrate the feasibility of this proposed power dispatch strategy in a remote location environment. The paper includes a detailed discussion of overall control, mathematical models, energy storage in the battery model, and energy dispatching based on load following. To design and simulate the hybrid model system, MATLAB-SIMULINK is used, and the results are analyzed to identify the appropriate operation requirements, component selection, and energy management of the hybrid renewable energy system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bayesian decision theory is a framework for making decisions that are expected to have the best outcomes based on available data. Dynamo is a paradigm that applies Bayesian decision theory to Test & Evaluation (T&E). It provides capabilities to visualize how knowledge of a system under test is updated as test results arrive, to assess the ways in which this knowledge could be refined under various test plans, and to recommend the test decisions with the best potential for furthering stakeholder priorities. Dynamo stands for Dynamic knowledge + Moneyball. Dynamic knowledge refers to the management of the various forms of uncertainty associated with T&E. This knowledge is updated in real time and is leveraged to provide various analytic capabilities. Moneyball refers to optimization criteria that express stakeholder priorities and testing costs in a common currency to facilitate testing decisions that provide the most “bang for the buck.” This article discusses the principles behind the Dynamo paradigm and the progression of capabilities it provides for T&E as it is deployed in three phases. It ends with a simple example that illustrates how the impetus to test is generated at decision boundaries in knowledge space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CSVT) encompasses a spectrum of disorders involving thrombosis of the cerebral venous system. As shown by previous epidemiological studies, the prevalence of cerebral sinovenous thrombosis is 4– 7 cases per million people. Nephrotic syndrome was very rarely associated with thrombosis cerebral veins or sinuses. Hypercoagulability and thrombotic complications in nephrotic syndrome are most commonly seen in deep veins of the lower extremities and renal veins. Our case highlights a unique scenario in which cerebral sinovenous thrombosis was the initial presentation of nephrotic syndrome in a patient that was not an important past medical or surgical problem. The patient was brought to the emergency department with severe headache, vomiting, altered mental status, and generalized body swelling. Laboratory results showed proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia and hyperlipidemia. Non-contrast brain CT demonstrated hemorrhagic venous infarct associated with vasogenic edema. A subsequent brain MR venogram demonstrated occlusion of superior sagittal and right transverse sinuses. She was managed with low molecular weight heparin and intervenous corticosteroids then shifted to rivaroxaban and oral steroids, respectively, which resulted in massive clinical improvement and resolution of thrombus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the use of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) for decompressive purposes in biliary obstruction in Somalia. The Mogadishu Somali Turkey Training and Research Hospital is the only interventional radiology facility center in Somalia, and prior to its opening in 2014, biliary procedures were done surgically or patients had to go abroad for treatment. The article presents the results of 25 PTBD procedures performed at the hospital, with minor complications occurring in 5 cases. The study concludes that interventional radiology significantly improves the quality of life for individuals with obstructive jaundice in low-resource countries like Somalia. [Extracted from the article]

Study’s Novelty/Excerpt • This study investigates the bacteriological safety of ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables in the Gombe metropolis, Nigeria, focusing on their contamination with Salmonella enterica. • It identifies a significant contamination rate of 36% and establishes a strong association between poor handling practices and the presence of Salmonella, providing critical insights into the public health risks posed by these RTE vegetables. • The study's findings on antibiotic sensitivity patterns of Salmonella isolates further highlight the urgent need for targeted health interventions and improved food safety practices to mitigate typhoid transmission in this region. Full Abstract The worldwide twelve-monthly typhoid fever manifestations range amid 16–20 million ailments, ensuing in roughly 600,000 human mortalities, particularly amongst low-income and middle-income nations. Numerous typhoid outbreaks had previously been linked to contaminated vegetables. In the Gombe metropolis of Gombe state, Nigeria, ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables are hawked around and handled using unhygienic methods. Hence, this study aimed to investigate and bridge the knowledge gap regarding the bacteriological safety of these ready-to-eat vegetables and the risk factors for their contamination with Salmonella enterica. A total of 100 samples were sourced from various locations in the Gombe metropolis, homogenized and inoculated on nutrient agar, Salmonella-Shigella agar, and MacConkey agar. Identification was executed by utilizing standard procedures of Gram’s staining and biochemical tests. Antibiotic sensitivity assessment was executed per CLSI guidelines, a questionnaire was utilized to acquire data for ascertaining the association amongst handling and contamination of the RTE vegetable salad, and this data was analyzed using a chi-square test. Findings revealed 36% of the samples were contaminated with Salmonella enterica, which were grey-white on nutrient agar, colorless colonies with black centers on Salmonella-Shigella agar, non-lactose fermenters on MacConkey agar, Gram-negative rod-shaped, motility and catalase positive, indole negative, urease negative, citrate negative, and KIA positive. Sensitivity showed the isolates were 100% sensitive to ofloxacin and chloramphenicol, 100% resistant to ceftazidime, cotrimoxazole, and ceftriaxone, but 95.4% were sensitive and 4.6% resistant to ampicillin. Data analysis revealed a significant association between contamination and some handling practices. The findings in this study have shown that the RTE vegetable salad is a source of public health hazard to the community, and also the information generated by this study can be used to create targeted health interventions against the RTE vegetable salad-transmitted typhoid in Gombe, Nigeria.

Abstract The triple-active bridge (TAB) converter is widely used in various applications due to its high efficiency and power density. However, the high-frequency (HF) transformer coupling between the ports presents challenges for controller design. This article presents a model predictive control (MPC) approach based on single-phase shift modulation for the TAB converter. The developed MPC offers improved transient performance, control flexibility, and precision, ensuring compliance with DC voltage regulations and achieving optimal solutions for port decoupling. The MPC utilizes a cost function to provide robust voltage regulation, and an algorithm based on Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) conditions is developed to derive closed-form solutions for optimal control parameters. To validate the performance of the TAB converter with the proposed MPC control, Typhoon 602 hardware-in-loop (HIL) experimental case study is conducted. Additionally, a comparison with previous works is carried out to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results of the HIL experimental setup and the comparative analysis demonstrate that the developed method is effective, providing faster dynamic characteristics and port power decoupling operation capability.

Abstract This study sought to investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of Sudanese men diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa) to highlight differences in diagnosis among the three major ethnolinguistic groups. A total of 532 patients with confirmed PCa diagnosis through biopsy were enrolled from six medical centers in Sudan. The majority of patients, comprising 84.2% (448/532), were diagnosed with advanced-stage disease, with a Grade group above 3. There were no discernible differences in PCa aggressiveness among the ethnolinguistic groups. However, higher levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were observed in the Niger-Congo group, where 55.2% had PSA values exceeding 50 ng/ml. Patients from this group were also diagnosed at a younger age. In contrast, 90.5% of Afro-Asiatic patients are over 60 years old. Further analysis conducted within an age-matched subgroup of patients (n = 273) revealed a higher incidence of perineural invasion in the Afro-Asiatic group. This research represents the first investigation of PCa across different African ethnic groups and associates a higher incidence of perineural invasion with a specific ethnic group. While recent efforts have been made to establish African-relevant risk models to mitigate PCa health disparities, there remains a need for further investigation into genetically distinct populations within the African continent.