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Machine tool vibrations play a significant role in hindering productivity during machining. The growing vibrations accelerate tool wear and chipping, cause a poor wave surface finish, and may damage the spindle bearing. Some research showed that tribological properties such as friction factors can have obvious influences on the topography of rough surfaces and the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of machine tool systems. Therefore, studying the vibration friction dynamic characteristics on the normal contact stiffness (NCS) of joints of CNC machine tools is absolutely necessary for improving the machining accuracy and precision of the whole system. The study results of NCS of joints of the CNC and the friction coefficient are discussed in this paper. The model of NCS based on fractal parameters was obtained. The models of deformations of the rough surfaces and contact surfaces were deduced. The results showed that the NCS based on the calculation method considering the elastic–plastic deformation of the asperity is much higher in precision than the methods considering only elastic or plastic deformation separately. The observations this paper described suggest that in the CNC machine tools system, higher D and G and higher friction coefficients lead to higher normal contact stresses (NCSs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Integrating trees into agricultural landscapes can provide climate mitigation and improves soil fertility, biodiversity habitat, water quality, water flow, and human health, but these benefits must be achieved without reducing agriculture yields. Prior estimates of carbon dioxide (CO2) removal potential from increasing tree cover in agriculture assumed a moderate level of woody biomass can be integrated without reducing agricultural production. Instead, we used a Delphi expert elicitation to estimate maximum tree covers for 53 regional cropping and grazing system categories while safeguarding agricultural yields. Comparing these values to baselines and applying spatially explicit tree carbon accumulation rates, we develop global maps of the additional CO2 removal potential of Tree Cover in Agriculture. We present here the first global spatially explicit datasets calibrated to regional grazing and croplands, estimating opportunities to increase tree cover without reducing yields, therefore avoiding a major cost barrier to restoration: the opportunity cost of CO2 removal at the expense of agriculture yields. Results The global estimated maximum technical CO2 removal potential is split between croplands (1.86 PgCO2 yr− 1) and grazing lands (1.45 PgCO2 yr− 1), with large variances. Tropical/subtropical biomes account for 54% of cropland (2.82 MgCO2 ha− 1 yr− 1, SD = 0.45) and 73% of grazing land potential (1.54 MgCO2 ha− 1 yr− 1, SD = 0.47). Potentials seem to be driven by two characteristics: the opportunity for increase in tree cover and bioclimatic factors affecting CO2 removal rates. Conclusions We find that increasing tree cover in 2.6 billion hectares of agricultural landscapes may remove up to 3.3 billion tons of CO2 per year – more than the global annual emissions from cars. These Natural Climate Solutions could achieve the Bonn Challenge and add 793 million trees to agricultural landscapes. This is significant for global climate mitigation efforts because it represents a large, relatively inexpensive, additional CO2 removal opportunity that works within agricultural landscapes and has low economic and social barriers to rapid global scaling. There is an urgent need for policy and incentive systems to encourage the adoption of these practices.

Background: Integrating trees into agricultural landscapes can provide climate mitigation and improves soil fertility, biodiversity habitat, water quality, water flow, and human health, but these benefits must be achieved without reducing agriculture yields. Prior estimates of carbon dioxide (CO2) removal potential from increasing tree cover in agriculture assumed a moderate level of woody biomass can be integrated without reducing agricultural production. Instead, we used a Delphi expert elicitation to estimate maximum tree covers for 53 regional cropping and grazing system categories while safeguarding agricultural yields. Comparing these values to baselines and applying spatially explicit tree carbon accumulation rates, we develop global maps of the additional CO2 removal potential of Tree Cover in Agriculture. We present here the first global spatially explicit datasets calibrated to regional grazing and croplands, estimating opportunities to increase tree cover without reducing yields, therefore avoiding a major cost barrier to restoration: the opportunity cost of CO2 removal at the expense of agriculture yields. Results: The global estimated maximum technical CO2 removal potential is split between croplands (1.86 PgCO2 yr− 1) and grazing lands (1.45 PgCO2 yr− 1), with large variances. Tropical/subtropical biomes account for 54% of cropland (2.82 MgCO2 ha− 1 yr− 1, SD = 0.45) and 73% of grazing land potential (1.54 MgCO2 ha− 1 yr− 1, SD = 0.47). Potentials seem to be driven by two characteristics: the opportunity for increase in tree cover and bioclimatic factors affecting CO2 removal rates. Conclusions: We find that increasing tree cover in 2.6 billion hectares of agricultural landscapes may remove up to 3.3 billion tons of CO2 per year – more than the global annual emissions from cars. These Natural Climate Solutions could achieve the Bonn Challenge and add 793 million trees to agricultural landscapes. This is significant for global climate mitigation efforts because it represents a large, relatively inexpensive, additional CO2 removal opportunity that works within agricultural landscapes and has low economic and social barriers to rapid global scaling. There is an urgent need for policy and incentive systems to encourage the adoption of these practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the correlation between classification and electrophysiology of polyneuropathy, organmegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein, skin changes syndrome (POEMS)-related peripheral neuropathy (PN). Methods: We analyzed the data of 30 POEMS patients admitted to Zhongshan Hospital affiliated with Fudan University between February 2017 and February 2023. The degree of PN was determined according to its classification. All three groups of patients underwent neuroelectromyography, and the nerve conduction velocity and amplitude of the three groups were analyzed. Results: The compound motor active potentials (CMAP) of the peroneal, tibial, and ulnar nerves decreased significantly with increasing disease grade, and the motor conduction velocity of the peroneal, median, and tibial nerves decreased significantly in grade 3 compared with grade 1 and 2. The action potential of sensory nerves (sensory nerve action potential) and the conduction speed of sensory impulses (sensory conduction velocity (SCV) in the sural nerve in grade 3 were significantly lower than those in grades 1 and 2. Linear regression analysis showed that there was a linear correlation between CMAP of peroneal nerve and vascular endothelial growth factor. The SCV of the ulnar nerve significantly correlated with the course of the disease. Discussion: Neuroelectromyography can effectively evaluate the degree of PN in patients with POEMS, providing a reliable reference for further clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iris N van Doorn,1 Filip Eftimov,1 Luuk Wieske,1,2 Ivo N van Schaik,1,3 Camiel Verhamme1 1Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience and University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, the Netherlands; 2Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Sint Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands; 3Sanquin Blood Supply Foundation, Amsterdam, the NetherlandsCorrespondence: Camiel Verhamme, Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Amsterdam Neuroscience and University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, 1105AZ, the Netherlands, Email c.verhamme@amsterdamumc.nlAbstract: Diagnosing Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP) poses numerous challenges. The heterogeneous presentations of CIDP variants, its mimics, and the complexity of interpreting electrodiagnostic criteria are just a few of the many reasons for misdiagnoses. Early recognition and treatment are important to reduce the risk of irreversible axonal damage, which may lead to permanent disability. The diagnosis of CIDP is based on a combination of clinical symptoms, nerve conduction study findings that indicate demyelination, and other supportive criteria. In 2021, the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) and the Peripheral Nerve Society (PNS) published a revision on the most widely adopted guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of CIDP. This updated guideline now includes clinical and electrodiagnostic criteria for CIDP variants (previously termed atypical CIDP), updated supportive criteria, and sensory criteria as an integral part of the electrodiagnostic criteria. Due to its many rules and exceptions, this guideline is complex and misinterpretation of nerve conduction study findings remain common. CIDP is treatable with intravenous immunoglobulins, corticosteroids, and plasma exchange. The choice of therapy should be tailored to the individual patient’s situation, taking into account the severity of symptoms, potential side effects, patient autonomy, and past treatments. Treatment responses should be evaluated as objectively as possible using disability and impairment scales. Applying these outcome measures consistently in clinical practice aids in recognizing the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of a treatment and facilitates timely consideration of alternative diagnoses or treatments. This review provides an overview of the current perspectives on the diagnostic process and first-line treatments for managing the disease.Keywords: CIDP, treatment, diagnosis, NCS, imaging

Zinc telluride (ZnTe) nanocrystals (NCs) have generated the interest of researchers as an electrode material in hybrid light emitting devices (HLEDs) due to its potentially high capacity. However, due to the restricted fundamental charging capacity of the electrode materials, the available energy of existing nanomaterial light emitting devices remains enough for a wide range of applications. In this research, ZnTe nanocrystals were synthesized using Nd: YAG laser at energy 600 mJ by 150 pulse number to form a battery device out of ITO/ZnTe/TPD/Ni. The spectra of the ZnTe NCs were assessed using ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) and photoluminescence (PL). The results proved that the synthesized NCs were nanocrystalline structures. The energy gap (Eg) within ZnTe NCs regarded as (PL) spectrum has been identified to be about 3.6 eV. ZnTe NCs produced via laser ablation enhance the functionality of the HLEDs by increasing the carrier's charge mobility and, as a further benefit, by facilitating recombination processes inside ZnTe NCs with TPD organic polymer. In addition to lighting at 3V, current-voltage (I-V) specifications establish suitable environment as well as formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hardware implementations of networked control systems (NCS) are still rarely found in various research publications so that technical issues, such as how to measure random delay and substitute it into the control equation, still need to be studied further. This study is therefore aimed to compare the performance of NCS based on the used protocol in the ethernet network, i.e. user datagram protocol (UDP) or transmission control protocol (TCP), by applying it in room temperature plant. In this study, the controlled plant is influenced by the fan speed, heating, and window position plant. The heating plant is employed as the main control, while the others are set as sub-plants. The three plants use proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller where they are regulated by fuzzy logic as the master control unit (MCU). The MCU and three PID controllers are located in the master terminal unit (MTU) while the actuators and sensors are located in the three different remote terminal units (RTU). The verification experiment shows that there is no overshoot on TCP-based NCS, while UDP has 0.725%. For the risetime, the response on UDP is faster than TCP (110.22 as compared to 138.18 s). The same thing also happened to the settling time, where the time with UDP was 101.86 s and 128.44 s for TCP.

For the next generation of photovoltaic devices, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) appear as a good choice because they are simple and convert energy to electricity very efficiently. Recent years have seen a great deal of interest in organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites due to their exceptional optoelectronic properties. Nonetheless, additional commercialization of the Pb element is still restricted by its inevitable toxicity. To address the instability and toxicity of the lead hybrid perovskite, it is imperative to produce entirely inorganic lead-free perovskite nanocrystals. Cs4CuSb2Cl12 offers promising qualities and strong stability against light, heat, and humidity to overcome these drawbacks. It possesses an efficient photo-generated carrier and good carrier mobility. In this study, a lead-free perovskite solar cell with the novel configuration of FTO/WS2/Cs4CuSb2Cl12/CuSbS2/Ni has been optimized using SCAPS-1D simulation software and investigates the potential of Cs4CuSb2Cl12 nanocrystal solar cell. The impact of different characteristics of charge transport materials on Cs4CuSb2Cl12 nanocrystal solar cells has been reported. Additionally, the study computationally optimizes the thickness of perovskite layer, doping concentration, defect density, and other input parameters to propose an effective PSC with power conversion efficiency of 23.10 %, Voc of 1.1675V, and FF of 83.33 %.

Machine tool vibrations play a significant role in hindering productivity during machining. The growing vibrations accelerate tool wear and chipping, cause a poor wave surface finish, and may damage the spindle bearing. Some research showed that tribological properties such as friction factors can have obvious influences on the topography of rough surfaces and the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of machine tool systems. Therefore, studying the vibration friction dynamic characteristics on the normal contact stiffness (NCS) of joints of CNC machine tools is absolutely necessary for improving the machining accuracy and precision of the whole system. The study results of NCS of joints of the CNC and the friction coefficient are discussed in this paper. The model of NCS based on fractal parameters was obtained. The models of deformations of the rough surfaces and contact surfaces were deduced. The results showed that the NCS based on the calculation method considering the elastic–plastic deformation of the asperity is much higher in precision than the methods considering only elastic or plastic deformation separately. The observations this paper described suggest that in the CNC machine tools system, higher D and G and higher friction coefficients lead to higher normal contact stresses (NCSs).

Background Cervical radiculopathy is defined as a pathological process affecting the cervical nerve root(s). Electromyography (EMG), nerve conduction studies (NCS), and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) are frequently used to evaluate spinal cord and nerve root function. Objective To evaluate the sensitivity of different SEP components in detecting cervical nerve root lesions, as well as to test the NCS, and EMG, in patients with cervical radiculopathy. Methods In this case control study, 41 patients with cervical radiculopathy and 40 healthy volunteers took part. Sensory and motor NCS of the ulnar and median nerves, EMG of the deltoid, biceps brachii, and abductor brevis, and SSEP of the median nerve were performed on each participant. Results There was no difference in the motor and sensory NCS data between the study groups. The EMG of the muscles under investigation differed significantly between the two groups in terms of both duration and amplitude, with the exception of the abductor brevis muscle, which did not exhibit any differences. SEP data indicates that the patient's N9, N13, P14, and N20 latencies were all increased, as well as the patient's N13-N9, N20-N13, and N20-N9 interpeak latencies. The N13 and P14 latencies exhibited the highest sensitivity and specificity. Conclusion SEPs are more sensitive in identifying mild posterior column dysfunction in patients with cervical radiculopathy, which is at least imperceptible on routine NCS. SEP testing is an essential adjunctive diagnostic method for evaluating the spinal cord and nerve roots electrophysiologically. The N13 and P14 components have the highest sensitivity and specificity when comparing the patient and control groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrophenol compounds (NCs) in surface waters will produce chlorinated halonitromethanes (Cl-HNMs) because of their reactions with chlorine disinfectants, while the coexisting ions influence Cl-HNMs formation. This study explored the effects of ammonia (NH 4 +) and nitrate (NO 3 -) on the Cl-HNMs formation from various NCs during UV/post-chlorination. As a result, NO 3 - enhanced Cl-HNMs formed from most NCs, and NH 4 + inhibited that from all NCs. The production of Cl-HNMs from most NCs was promoted with increasing NO 3 - concentration but decreased with increasing NH 4 + concentrations. Whatever NH 4 + or NO 3 - was present, increasing free chlorine dosage and initial NCs concentrations facilitated Cl-HNMs formation, and alkaline pH decreased Cl-HNMs yields. Nevertheless, increasing UV fluence enhanced Cl-HNMs production from the NCs except for 2-amino-3- and 2-methyl-3-nitrophenol. For the Cl-HNMs formation mechanisms, NH 4 + converted free chlorine to chloramine, and NO 3 - induced reactive nitrogen species (RNS) production under UV irradiation. Moreover, NO 3 - could promote toxicities of Cl-HNMs generated from most NCs, while NH 4 + decreased that from all NCs. Finally, more complicated phenomena of Cl-HNMs production and toxicities were observed in two actual waters with the addition of NH 4 + and NO 3 -. This study can provide a new understanding of Cl-HNMs production with the participation of NH 4 + and NO 3 - and can also help decrease Cl-HNMs production in practical applications. [Display omitted] • Ammonia (NH 4 +) inhibited chlorinated halonitromethanes (Cl-HNMs) formation. • Nitrate (NO 3 -) enhanced Cl-HNMs formation from most nitrophenol compounds (NCs). • NH 4 + and NO 3 - affected the reaction mechanisms of Cl-HNMs formed from NCs. • NO 3 - increased the toxicity of Cl-HNMs, while NH 4 + decreased it. • NH 4 + and NO 3 - complicated Cl-HNMs formation and toxicity in real waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Non-centrifugal raw cane sugar (NRCS) is a minimally processed sugarcane derivative. • Two climatic and maturation conditions and two sugarcane varieties were assessed. • The mineral trajectory during sugarcane processing is shown. • Soil fertilization planning influences the mineral composition of the NRCS. • The NRCS nutritional profile can be predicted to contribute to food security. Non-centrifugal raw cane sugar (NRCS) is a minimally processed product from sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L). This product contains phytochemical and nutritional compounds that benefit human health. Despite these advantages, NRCS commercialization is hindered by a lack of knowledge about its composition and, consequently, the absence of quality standards. Studies associating the nutritional composition of sugarcane varieties and their genuine products have not yet been found in the literature, and understanding this relationship can help establish quality standards for this product. Therefore, this study evaluated the mineral nutritional composition of genuine derivative NRCS produced from two sugarcane varieties obtained under different agronomic conditions at two stages of maturation to verify the relationships between raw material and the product. The obtained sugarcanes, juices, and bagasse, as well as the produced sugars, were analyzed for mineral content, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, sulfur, iron, manganese, copper, and zinc, using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Most mineral constituents of sugarcane are in the juice in direct proportions to those in raw sugarcane. Thus, minimally processed food derivatives have nutritional characteristics equivalent to the raw materials. Consumption of NRCS contributes to meeting daily requirements for essential nutrients such as magnesium, copper, potassium, and manganese. For manganese, 25 g of NRCS, like the one produced in this study, can fulfill 22 to 76 % of an adult male's daily mineral requirements. The variation observed in the four NRCS samples, obtained from the same sugarcane variety under different maturation and agronomic conditions, was 250 %. This variation makes establishing quality parameters for mineral or ash content difficult. Therefore, setting mineral content levels for NRCS is inappropriate, as this parameter naturally depends on the raw material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrophenol compounds (NCs) have high formation potentials of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in water disinfection processes, however, the reaction mechanisms of DBPs formed from different NCs are not elucidated clearly. Herein, nitrobenzene, phenol, and six representative NCs were used to explore the formation mechanisms of chlorinated DBPs (Cl-DBPs) during chlor(am)ination and UV/post-chlor(am)ination. Consequently, the coexistence of nitro and hydroxy groups in NCs facilitated the electrophilic substitution to produce intermediates of Cl-DBPs, and the different positions of nitro and hydroxy groups also induced different yields and formation mechanisms of Cl-DBPs during the chlorination and UV/post-chlorination processes. Besides, the amino, chlorine, and methyl groups significantly influenced the formation mechanisms of Cl-DBPs during the chlorination and UV/post-chlorination processes. Furthermore, the total Cl-DBPs yields from the six NCs followed a decreasing order of 2-chloro-3-nitrophenol, 3-nitrophenol, 2-methyl-3-nitrophenol, 2-amino-4-nitrophenol, 2-nitrophenol, and 4-nitrophenol during chlorination and UV/post-chlorination. However, the total Cl-DBPs yields from the six NCs during chloramination and UV/post-chloramination followed a quite different order, which might be caused by additional reaction mechanisms, e.g., nucleophilic substitution or addition might occur to NCs in the presence of monochloramine (NH 2 Cl). This work can offer deep insights into the reaction mechanisms of Cl-DBPs from NCs during the chlor(am)ination and UV/post-chlor(am)ination processes. [Display omitted] • Nitrophenol compounds (NCs) with different structures induced different DBPs yields. • The coexistence of nitro and hydroxy groups facilitated chlorine substitution to NCs. • The positions of nitro and hydroxy groups in NCs affected chlorine substitution. • Amino, chlorine, and methyl groups affected the formation mechanisms of Cl-DBPs. • The reactivities of NCs with chloramine were lower than those with chlorine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cupric ions (Cu2+) are ubiquitous in surface waters and can influence disinfection byproducts (DBPs) formation in water disinfection processes. This work explored the effects of Cu2+ on chlorinated DBPs (Cl-DBPs) formation from six representative nitrophenol compounds (NCs) during UV irradiation followed by a subsequent chlorination (i.e., UV/post-chlorination), and the results showed Cu2+ enhanced chlorinated halonitromethane (Cl-HNMs) formation from five NCs (besides 2-methyl-3-nitrophenol) and dichloroacetonitrile (DCAN) and trichloromethane (TCM) formation from six NCs. Nevertheless, excessive Cu2+ might reduce Cl-DBPs formation. Increasing UV fluences displayed different influences on total Cl-DBPs formation from different NCs, and increasing chlorine dosages and NCs concentrations enhanced that. Moreover, a relatively low pH (5.8) or high pH (7.8) might control the yields of total Cl-DBPs produced from different NCs. Notably, Cu2+ enhanced Cl-DBPs formation from NCs during UV/post-chlorination mainly through the catalytic effect on nitro-benzoquinone production and the conversion of Cl-DBPs from nitro-benzoquinone. Additionally, Cu2+ could increase the toxicity of total Cl-DBPs produced from five NCs besides 2-methyl-3-nitrophenol. Finally, the impacts of Cu2+ on Cl-DBPs formation and toxicity in real waters were quite different from those in simulated waters. This study is conducive to further understanding how Cu2+ affected Cl-DBPs formation and toxicity in chlorine disinfection processes and controlling Cl-DBPs formation in copper containing water. [Display omitted] • Cu2+ enhanced Cl-DBPs formation from the five NCs besides 2-methyl-3-nitrophenol. • Cu2+ could catalyze the formation of intermediates of Cl-DBPs from NCs. • Cu2+ increased the toxicity of total Cl-DBPs formed from most NCs. • Cu2+ showed complicated influences on Cl-HNMs formation and toxicity in real waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel Tb x Bi 1-x FeO 3 nanoparticles decorated over carbon nanotubes were synthesized. • XRD analysis confirmed the structure of synthesized samples. • Tb x Bi 1-x FeO 3 /CNT showed 63.5 % degradation of crystal violet. • Tb x Bi 1-x FeO 3 nano-particles decorated on CNTs demonstrated synergistic effect of photocatalytic activity and adsorption. This study aims to investigate the usage of Tb x Bi 1-x FeO 3 (x = 0.0, 0.020) composite with CNTs as photocatalyst for the photodegradation of pendimethalin and crystal violet dye. Using the wet chemical and ultra-sonication method, uniformly sized BiFeO 3 , Tb-doped BiFeO 3, and Tb-doped BiFeO 3 /CNT composite samples were prepared. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) were utilized for characterization purpose. The crystallite size of the BiFeO 3 particles with cubic spinel structure was observed to be 25.2 nm. Following the pseudo-first-order kinetics, the as-synthesized photocatalyst was found to have excellent photocatalytic degradation efficiency for the degradation of crystal violet and pendimethalin. Tb-BiFeO 3 /CNTs degrade pendimethalin by 55% and crystal violet by 63.5% with better rate constants than its counterparts. The better photocatalytic activity was displayed via Tb- BiFeO 3 /CNT composite than other prepared samples due to the incorporation of CNTs which provides greater surface area for photodegradation of harmful pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a condition characterized by acute and progressive weakness that impacts the limbs, facial muscles, and bulbar muscles due to acute polyneuro-radiculopathy. Typically, an infection that results in immune-mediated nerve dysfunction is what starts the disease. Patients often encounter paresthesia or discomfort before progressing to muscle weakness, initially in the lower extremities (which may include some proximal components) and subsequently in the upper extremities. The features of polyneuropathy identified during electrophysiology tests, bolstered by evidence of acquired demyelination in the nerve conduction study (NCS), support the clinical diagnosis of GBS. In peripheral neuropathies, NCS often reveals abnormalities in nerve conduction parameters. A specific pattern observed in the sensory nerve conduction study (SNCS), referred to as "sural sparing," signifies that the sural nerve, located near the calf muscles, remains relatively unaffected compared to other sensory nerves. Very few studies have been conducted to investigate improvements in sensory nerve conduction (SNC) parameters before and after intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), offering limited clinical correlation for the recovery and prognosis of the disease. The study aimed to observe the NCS parameters of the sensory nerves in both the upper and lower limbs, before and after the infusion of IVIG., Methodology: This study was an observational investigation conducted in the neurophysiology laboratory of the Physiology Department at a rural medical college in central India. Fifty clinically diagnosed cases of GBS aged between 18 and 60 years were referred from the Department of Medicine to the Physiology Department for conducting the NCS. Basic sociodemographic information, along with clinical history, was collected. Subsequently, the RMS EMG EP Mark-II machine was employed to examine the sensory nerve action potentials (SNAPs), such as amplitude (in mV) and conduction velocity (in ms), of the sensory nerves in both the upper and lower limbs before and after IVIG infusion. The IVIG infusion occurs within one week of clinically diagnosing GBS. Following an initial NCS, a second NCS follow-up study was conducted one week after the IVIG infusion to analyze the changing trend in sensory nerves., Results: Upon analysis, no significant correlation was observed between the pre- and post-IVIG SNAPs of the median and ulnar nerves. However, the sural nerve conduction velocity's p-value of 0.033 demonstrated statistical significance, suggesting that the sural nerve is comparatively spared, confirming sural sparing. However, the SNAP of the sensory nerves in GBS patients showed a significant improvement overall, and only NCS quantified the percentage of improvement., Conclusion: According to the study, the NCS of sensory nerves showed a positive change in the parameters examined before and after the infusion of IVIG. This underscores the timely intervention of GBS with IVIG, and conducting the sensory conduction study diligently will enhance knowledge about the recovery period. Additionally, it supports the treating physician in making informed interventions based on the results post-IVIG infusion. This enhancement in the sensory nerves can only be quantified through NCS., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, A et al.)

Objective: Lymphedema is a chronic condition caused by impaired lymphatic fluid drainage, resulting in progressive edema. The current mainstay of lymphedema therapy consists of conservative therapy and surgical therapy. In this systematic review, we investigated the novel role of biomaterials in clinical lymphedema therapy and assessed their objective outcomes and the complication rate associated with their use., Methods: Studies were identified through systematic review using the Embase and PubMed/MEDLINE databases. Only original articles reporting the use of biomaterials for clinical lymphedema therapy were included. The primary outcome measure was the objective reduction in limb volume after biomaterial use. The secondary outcome measure was the assessment of biomaterial safety., Results: A total of 354 articles were identified in the first search, of which 10 met our inclusion criteria. These articles described the use of two biomaterials, nanofibrillar collagen scaffolds (NCSs) and silicone tubes (STs), for the treatment of lymphedema. NCS implantation showed an average excess limb volume reduction of 1% to 10.7% and clear evidence of lymphangiogenesis on imaging. No complications were 7documented after NCS implantation. ST implantation showed an average limb volume reduction of 700 to 887 mL and limb circumference reduction of 3.1 to 8 cm in patients with advanced stage lymphedema. Of 177 patients treated with ST implantation, only 11 (6.2%) developed local inflammation., Conclusions: Both NCS and ST implantation showed promising limb volume reduction; however, with the scarce literature available, additional research is needed to determine their effectiveness. Both demonstrated good safety profiles, with no complications after NCS implantation and a complication rate equivalent to other similar implants for ST implantation., Competing Interests: Disclosures None., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)