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Background: Posterior lumbar fusion (PLF) is frequently considered for various spinal pathologies. While many outcome metrics have been assessed, to our knowledge, there has yet to be literature specifically investigating inpatient falls (IPFs) and its risk factors. Methods: Adult patients who underwent single-level PLF were abstracted from the 2010–Q1 2022 M161Ortho PearlDiver Database. Patients who had an IPF were determined based on administrative coding. Various patient variables were extracted and variables independently associated with IPFs were assessed with multivariate logistic regression. Incidence of secondary injuries and cost incurred related to the IPF were determined. Results: Of the 342,890 patients who underwent PLF, IPF was identified for 4,379 (1.4%). Independent predictors of an IPF in decreasing odds ratio (OR) order were those with: active psychosis (OR=3.35), active delirium (OR=2.83), history of falling (OR=2.47), commercial insurance (OR=1.59 relative to Medicare), Medicaid insurance (OR=1.47 relative to Medicare), dementia (OR=1.17), older age (OR=1.12 per decade), alcohol use disorder (O=1.11), higher comorbidity (OR=1.08 per Elixhauser comorbidity index point) (p

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a widely used plastic that accounts for almost 18 % of global polymer production and is non-biodegradable, making it a major cause of environmental pollution. Innovative solutions are needed to address PET waste management and reduce its impact. This study aims to investigate the impact of adding PET, on the engineering characteristics of a Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA-20) mixture. Laboratory tests were conducted to assess the volumetric and mechanical properties of asphalt mixes containing different proportions of PET as fine and filler (ranging from 0 % to 30 %) by volume of aggregates. The results show that the PET incorporation into the asphalt mixture has significantly improved the performance. The addition of PET (fine and filler) to asphalt mixtures significantly increases their resilient modulus (MR). The mixtures containing 10 % PET as fine and filler are 20 % and 22 % higher in MR than the control mixture. Moreover, the moisture assessment shows that the PET mixture has a higher tensile strength ratio (TSR) value of 85.9 % and 83.90 % for Fine-10 and Filler-20, thus meeting the AASHTO requirement of ≥80 %. The utilization of PET as aggregate replacement significantly improves the permanent deformation characteristics of asphalt mixtures by decreasing permanent strain. The Fine-20 and Filler-20 revealed promising results by reducing the strain to 0.92 % and 0.81 %. Also, the enhancement in the creep stiffness modulus with 216 and 244 MPa. Furthermore, the addition of PET up to a concentration of 20 % had a beneficial effect on the fatigue response of mixtures. For instance, the failure cycles of the Filler-20 and Fine-10 are 23,231 and 17,521 cycles at a load of 2250 N, whereas the control mixture only endures 8581 failure cycles. In conclusion, PET addition significantly improves SMA properties, promoting waste material utilization in the pavement industry.

BackgroundTotal hip arthroplasty (THA) is a common procedure following which postoperative visits are important to optimize outcomes. The associated global billing period includes the 90 postoperative days (or approximately 13 weeks), during which professional billing is included with the surgery itself. The current study assessed clinical practice patterns relative to the global billing period.MethodsUsing the PearlDiver M91Ortho dataset, the incidence and timing of Evaluation and Management (E&M) codes in the 26 weeks following THA were assessed. The follow-up visits within and beyond the global billing period, and those conducted by surgeons versus non-surgeon advanced practice providers (APPs) were determined.Results77,843 THAs were identified. Follow-up visits peaked at postoperative weeks 3, 7, and 14. The greatest week-to-week variation in the number of follow-ups was from weeks 13 to 14 immediately following the global billing period (representing a greater than 4-fold increase in visits.) During the first 13 postop weeks, 73.8% of patients were seen by orthopedic surgeons (as opposed to APPs). In the following 13 weeks, a significantly greater percentage of visits were with surgeons (86.8%, pConclusionsFollowing the THA global billing period, there was marked increase in the number of follow-ups and transition to a greater percentage being performed by the surgeons. These results provide interesting insight into the potential impact of the billing structure on how practice is pursued.

Background: End-stage ankle osteoarthritis is a condition that can be treated with ankle arthrodesis (AA) or total ankle arthroplasty (TAA). The goal of this study is to estimate the 2016-2017 United States’ utilization of TAA and AA in specific ambulatory settings and delineate patient and hospital factors associated with the selection of TAA vs AA for treatment of ankle osteoarthritis. Methods: TAA and AA procedures performed for ankle osteoarthritis were identified in the 2016-2017 Nationwide Ambulatory Surgery Sample (NASS) Database. Notably, the NASS database only examines instances of ambulatory surgery encounters at hospital-owned facilities. As such, instances of TAA and AA performed at privately owned or freestanding ambulatory surgical centers or those performed inpatient are excluded from this analysis. Cases were weighted using nationally representative discharge weights. Univariate analyses and a combined multiple logistic regression model were used to compare demographic, hospital-related, and socioeconomic factors associated with TAA vs AA. Results: In total, 6577 cases were identified, which represents 9072 cases after weighting. Of these, TAA was performed for 2233 (24.6%). Based on the logistic regression model, several factors were associated with increased utilization of TAA vs AA. With regard to patient factors, older patients were more likely to undergo TAA, as well as females. Conversely, patients with a higher comorbidity burden were less likely to receive TAA over AA. With regard to socioeconomic factors, urban teaching and urban nonteaching hospitals were significantly more likely to use TAA compared to rural hospitals. Similarly, privately insured patients and those with a median household income of $71 000 or more were also more likely to receive TAA over AA. Private hospitals (“not-for-profit” and “investor-owned”) were significantly more likely to offer TAA over AA. Conclusion: Using a large nationally representative cohort, the current data revealed that during 2016-2017, 24.6% of operatively treated cases of end-stage ankle osteoarthritis in the ambulatory setting are treated with TAA. Associations between socioeconomic and hospital-level factors with TAA utilization suggest that nonclinical factors may influence surgical treatment choice for ankle osteoarthritis. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective cohort study.

Category: Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: Total ankle replacement (TAR) surgery has steadily increased in recent decades. The aim of the current study was to investigate the evolving burden of revision surgery and risk factors and timing of revision or implant removal. We hypothesized that there has been an increase in revision TAR and explant surgeries in the past decade and that younger age and higher comorbidity burden are risk factors for revision and explant. Methods: Using the 2010-2020 PearlDiver M151Ortho dataset, this retrospective cohort study identified primary TAR, TAR revision, and TAR explant patients. This is a large national database containing billing claims information on over 151 million patients in the United States across all payer types and sites of care. Patient factors investigated included age, sex, and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI, a longitudinal measure of patient comorbidity burden generated using ICD-9 and ICD-10 diagnosis codes). Annual incidence for primary and revision TAR, and explant were recorded. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine independent risk factors for revision TAR or explant relative to primary TAR. For explants, the eventual intervention by two years was analyzed. Ten-year timing and survival to revision or explant surgery following patient-matched unilateral TAR were characterized. Results: Over the study period, there were 10,531 primary, 1,218 revision, and 1,735 explant TARs (increasing by 310%, 398%, and 9.6%, respectively). Independent predictors of revision TAR included: younger age (odds ratio [OR] 1.29 per decade decrease) and higher ECI (OR 1.23 per 2-point increase) (p < 0.0001 for both). Independent predictors of explant surgery included: younger age (OR 1.80 per decade decrease, p< 0.0001), female sex (OR 1.17, p=0.0011), and higher ECI (OR 1.35 per 2-point increase, p< 0.0001). Explanted patients went on to arthrodesis (37.7%), amputation (26.1%), revision TAR (14.7%), or no identified procedure/other procedures (21.5%) within the subsequent two years. The 10-year implant survival rate following primary TAR was 91.8%. 73% and 83% of revisions and explants occurred in the first three years following index TAR, respectively. Conclusion: The burden of TAR revision has grown substantially over the past decade. Younger age, female sex, and higher patient comorbidity burden were associated with increased risk of revision or explant surgery. If explant is pursued, most went on to arthrodesis or amputation. These results suggest that care should be taken in patient selection for TAR to minimize the occurrence of revision and explant surgery. Treatment algorithms should be modified to optimize outcomes among patients who undergo explant or revision surgery.

Background: Total ankle replacement (TAR) surgery has increased in recent decades. The aim of this study was to investigate the evolving burden of revision surgery and risk factors and timing of revision or explant. Methods: Using the 2010 to 2020 PearlDiver M151Ortho data set, this retrospective cohort study identified primary TAR, TAR revision, and TAR explant patients via Current Procedural Terminology ( CPT ) and International Classification of Disease Procedural ( ICD-P ) codes. This database contains billing claims information across all payers and sites of care in the United States. Patient factors investigated included age, sex, and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI). Annual incidence for primary TAR was normalized per 100 000 covered lives in the data set for each year of study and recorded. Annual incidence of revision TAR and explant were normalized per 100 TARs performed for each year of study. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine independent risk factors for revision TAR or explant. For explants, the eventual intervention by 2 years was analyzed. Ten-year timing and survival to revision or explant surgery following unilateral TAR were characterized. Results: A total of 10 531 primary, 1218 revision, and 1735 explant TARs were identified. After normalization, TAR utilization increased by 284% from 2010 to 2020, annual TAR revisions rose 28%, and annual TAR explants decreased 65%. Independent predictors of revision TAR were younger age (odds ratio [OR] 1.29 per decade decrease) and higher ECI (OR 1.23 per 2-point increase). Independent predictors of explant included younger age (OR 1.80 per decade decrease), female sex (OR 1.17), and higher ECI (OR 1.35 per 2-point increase). The 10-year implant survival rate was 91.8%, of which 73% of revisions and 83% of explants occurred in the first 3 years following index TAR. Conclusion: TAR utilization has grown substantially over the past decade, with minimal increases in the annual rate of revision surgery with respect to index procedures performed. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective cohort study.

This study summarised the recent achievement in developing fiber reinforced geopolymer concrete. The factor of replacing Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) which is due to the emission of carbon dioxide that pollutes the environment globally is well discussed. The introduction towards metakaolin is presented. Besides, the current research trend involved in geopolymer also has been reviewed for the current 20 years to study the interest of researchers over the world by year. Factors that contribute to the frequency of geopolymer research are carried out which are cost, design, and the practicality of the application for geopolymer concrete. Besides, the importance of steel fibers addition to the geopolymer concrete is also well discussed. The fundamental towards metakaolin has been introduced including the source of raw material, which is calcined kaolin, calcined temperature, chemical composition, geopolymerisation process, and other properties. Alkali activators which are mixing solution between sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium silicate (Na2SiO3) have been reviewed. The mechanical properties of fibers reinforced metakaolin-based geopolymer concrete which is compressive and flexural are thoroughly reviewed. The compressive and flexural strength of fiber-reinforced metakaolin geopolymer concrete shows some improvement to the addition of steel fibers. The reviews in this field demonstrate that reinforcement of metakaolin geopolymer concrete by steel fibers shows improvement in mechanical performance.

Background: Physical therapy (PT) following total ankle replacement (TAR) is often considered, but guidelines for its use are not standardized. Although patient factors may dictate recommendations, this retrospective cohort study aims to characterize baseline utilization practices to set the stage for establishing generalizable recommendations. Methods: TAR patients were identified from the 2010-2019 M91 Ortho PearlDiver data set based on administrative coding. Patient factors were extracted, including age, sex, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI), region of the country in which patients’ surgery was performed (Midwest, Northeast, South, West), and insurance plan (commercial, Medicaid, Medicare). The incidence, timing, and frequency of home or outpatient PT utilization in the 90 days following TAR were identified. Inpatient PT was not captured. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses allowed identification of predictive factors for PT utilization. Results: Of 5412 TAR patients identified, postoperative PT services were used by 2453 (45.3%). Most PT was outpatient (38.3% of the study population) compared to home (4.1% of the study population). Weekly utilization of PT was greatest in the first week following surgery (17.7% of PT visits) and thereafter followed a roughly bell-shaped curve, with utilization greatest at 7 weeks following surgery (14.9% of PT visits). Independent predictors of PT utilization following TAR included having surgery performed in the Midwest (relative to the South, OR 1.37, P < .0001), Northeast (OR 1.20, P = .0217), or West (OR 1.26, P < .0021) and having commercial (relative to Medicare, OR 1.87, P < .0001) or Medicaid insurance (OR 1.46, P = .0239). Conclusion: Of 5412 TAR patients, 42.5% used PT within 90 days of surgery. PT utilization was highest in the first and seventh weeks following surgery, and demographic predictors of PT use were defined. Through identification of timing and predictors of PT utilization following TAR, PT care pathways may be better defined. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective cohort study.

Category: Arthroscopy; Ankle Introduction/Purpose: Emergency department (ED) visits following total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) may impact patient satisfaction and healthcare cost. Elucidating the timing of and risk factors for ED visits in this patient population might help facilitate targeted risk reduction strategies. Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized data from the 2010 to 2019 M91Ortho PearlDiver administrative dataset to identify patients who underwent TAA with at least 90 days of follow-up. Patient factors were extracted including: age, sex, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI), region of the country in which their procedure was performed (midwest, northeast, south, west), and insurance plan (commercial, Medicaid, Medicare). The incidence, timing, frequency, and primary diagnoses for 90-day postoperative ED visits were identified and interpreted in the context of one-year postoperative ED visit baseline data. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine risk factors for such ED visits. Results: Of 7,600 TAA patients identified, 743 (9.8%) visited the ED within 90 days of their procedure. Of those who visited the ED, one ED visit was reported for 571 patients, two for 117 patients, three for 26 patients, and four or more visits for 29 patients. 37.2% of all ED visits occurred within two weeks following surgery; weekly visits returned to within 0.5% of the population baseline by three weeks after surgery. 90-day readmissions were identified for 289 patients (3.80%) of the cohort. Multivariate analysis revealed several predictors of ED utilization following TAA: younger age (odds ratio (OR) 1.40 per decade decrease), female sex (OR 1.18), higher ECI (OR 1.36 per 2-point increase), and Medicaid coverage (OR 2.74; 1.92-3.90 relative to Medicare) (p < 0.05 each). Regarding reasons for ED visits, surgical site issues were identified for 74.4%, with the most common reason being surgical site pain (60.4%). Conclusion: Of 7,600 TAA patients, 9.8% returned to the ED within 90 days of surgery, with predisposing demographic actors identified. The highest incidence for these ED visits was in the first two postoperative weeks, with surgical site pain being the most common reason. By identifying the timing, predisposing factors, and reasons for ED visits following TAA, targeted care pathways should be able to be adjusted to minimize their occurrence, improve patient experience, and minimize health care utilization/costs.

Category: Ankle; Arthroscopy; Other Introduction/Purpose: Physical therapy (PT) following total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is often considered, but guidelines for its use are not standardized. While there may be patient factors that dictate recommendations, establishing a baseline of utilization practices may set the stage for establishing generalizable recommendations. Methods: This retrospective cohort study employed data from the 2010 to 2019 M91Ortho PearlDiver administrative dataset. Those undergoing TAA were identified based on coding, and patient factors were extracted, including: age, sex, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI), region of the country in which patients' surgery was performed (midwest, northeast, south, west), and insurance plan (commercial, Medicaid, Medicare). The incidence, timing, and frequency of PT utilization in the 90-days following TAA were identified as occurring at home or in an outpatient setting. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses allowed the identification of predictive factors for PT utilization. Results: Of 6,563 TAA patients identified, 2788 (42.5%) utilized postoperative PT services. Most services were done as an outpatient (63.4%), compared to at home (6.1%). Weekly utilization of PT was greatest in the first week following surgery (17.7% of those who utilized PT) and thereafter followed a roughly bell-shaped curve of utilization with the greatest incidence at seven weeks following surgery (14.9% of those who utilized PT). Multivariate analysis identified multiple predictors of PT utilization following TAA, including: older age (odds ratio [OR] 1.23 per decade increase, p < 0.0001), higher ECI (OR 1.03 per 2-point increase, p = 0.0383), having surgery performed in the midwest, northeast, or western US (relative to the South OR 1.43, p < 0.0001; 1.20, p = 0.0109; and 1.32, p < 0.0001, respectively), and having commercial or Medicaid insurance coverage (relative to Medicare OR 1.96, p < 0.0001 and 1.62, p = 0.0006, respectively). Conclusion: Of 6,563 TAA patients, 42.5% utilized PT within 90 days of surgery. PT utilization was highest in the first- and seventh weeks following surgery, and demographic predictors of PT use were defined. Through identification of timing and predictors of PT utilization following TAA, algorithms for PT usage may be better defined and consistently employed.

Background: Total ankle replacement (TAR) utilization in the United States has steeply increased in recent decades. Emergency department (ED) visits following TAR impacts patient satisfaction and health care costs and warrant exploration. Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized the 2010 to 2019 M91Ortho PearlDiver data set to identify TAR patients with at least 90 days of follow-up. PearlDiver contains billing claims data across all sites of care throughout the United States for all indications for care. Patient factors extracted included age, sex, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI), region of the country in which surgery was performed, insurance plan, and postoperative hospital length of stay. Ninety-day postoperative ED visit incidence, timing, frequency, and primary diagnoses were identified and compared to 1-year postoperative ED visit baseline data. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine risk factors for ED visits. Results: Of 5930 TAR patients identified, ED visits within 90 days were noted for 497 (8.4%) patients. Of all ED visits, 32.0% occurred within 2 weeks following surgery. Multivariate analysis revealed several predictors of ED utilization: younger age (odds ratio [OR] 1.35 per decade decrease), female sex (OR 1.20), higher ECI (OR 1.32 per 2-point increase), TAR performed in the western US (OR 1.34), and Medicaid coverage (OR 2.70; 1.71-4.22 relative to Medicare) ( P < .05 each). Surgical site issues comprised 78.0% of ED visits, with surgical site pain (57.0%) as the most common problem. Conclusion: Of 5930 TAR patients, 8.4% returned to the ED within 90 days of surgery, with predisposing demographic factors identified. The highest incidence of ED visits was in the first 2 postoperative weeks, and surgical site pain was the most common reason. Pain management pathways following TAR should be able to be adjusted to minimize the occurrence of postoperative ED visits, thereby improving patient experiences and decreasing health care utilization/costs. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective cohort study.

Abstract Background Cushing’s syndrome occurs due to overproduction of cortisol from adrenal glands. Endogenous hypercortisolemia can occur secondary to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) dependent as well as independent causes. The presence of non-specific symptoms and signs contributes to a delay in diagnosis. Early identification and prompt definitive management is crucial. It is important to be alert about the post-operative complications including multiple thrombotic phenomena, which can add to the mortality. We report a case of Cushing’s disease in a young female managed with trans-sphenoidal surgery, followed by a challenging post-operative period complicated with multiple thrombotic phenomena, ultimately succumbed. Case presentation A 32-year-old Sri Lankan female presented with overt features of Cushing’s syndrome and diagnosed to have ACTH dependent Cushing’s disease with pituitary microadenoma. She underwent trans-sphenoidal surgery, following which she developed fatal multiple complications including diverticular rupture and ischemic colitis, needing hemicolectomy, followed by a parieto-occipital infarction. Conclusion This case highlights important and aggressive complications associated with Cushing’s syndrome giving rise to a challenging post-operative course. Diverticular rupture had been described in association with hypercortisolemia and this case adds to the existing literature. Post-operative ischemic colitis and stroke which contributed to the death of this patient could have been due to the procoagulant state associated with Cushing’s syndrome, with a high risk during the immediate post-operative period. This emphasizes the need to consider post-operative thromboprophylaxis in patients undergoing surgery for Cushing’s syndrome.

Over four decades, researchers have extensively focused on bonding flexible pavement layers. Scholars have concentrated on the partial or complete lack of interlayer bonding between asphalt layers, which is the primary cause of premature pavement failures, such as cracking, rutting, slippage of wearing courses, and decline in pavement life. These defects are observed within the high horizontal force areas owing to increased speed, braking, and sharp angles when entering or exiting highways and the variations in paving materials, traffic load, and climatic factors. Various studies have investigated the debonding of flexible pavements, and test methods have been developed to find effective solutions. This review is aimed at summarising and discussing certain factors influencing shear strength performance, such as tack coat material, surface characteristics of multi-layer construction of flexible pavements, and different mechanical shear tests. First, bonding in the interface zone area and its Effect on the shear strength performance is reviewed. Subsequently, the types of materials and construction methods and their effects on the bonding quality of the interface zone area are clarified. Finally, the linear relationships between certain effects and the Ability of nanofibers to improve the emulsion properties are discussed. However, no agreement on the optimum tack coat could be obtained owing to the variety of surfaces. Hence, a milling surface is recommended for higher shear strength. The shear test is the most used method for verifying the interlayer bonding strengths, and continuous research endeavours are recommended to analyse debonding in multi-layer asphalt pavements.

Rubberized asphalt is known for its elastic deformation recovery and good resilience in response to loads owing to the elastic characteristics of tire rubber powder. There are several methods for the prediction of the stiffness modulus of asphalt mixtures. However, there are limited studies on predicting the stiffness modulus incorporating both wet and dry rubberization methods based on the available methods of Asphalt Institute (AI) and IDOT (Illinois department of transportation). In this research, Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) mixtures were modified with truck tire rubber powder (TRP) with two different processes: SMA-WP (SMA mixtures modified in the wet process) and SMA-DP (SMA mixtures modified in the dry process). In both methods, 3%, 6%, and 9% of TRP were used for modification, and the performance of the control and modified mixtures was evaluated under indirect tensile strength (ITS) and indirect tensile stiffness modulus (ITSM) tests. Finally, the results of ITSM were compared to predicted resilient modulus based on the Asphalt Institute (AI) and Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). The experiments revealed that SMA-DP mixes have higher ITS than SMA-WP. At the same time, both methods showed a decrease in ITS as TRP content increases. Furthermore, the SMA-WP samples showed a lower phase angle than SMA-DP samples, indicating higher elasticity for the mixtures. In addition, SMA-WP showed lower horizontal deformation than SMA-DP, which helps reduce rutting on the surface layer. Finally, the prediction results showed that the IDOT method could not predict the Stiffness Modulus, while the AI method was more accurate and can be used for prediction.

Abstract Background Although patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were shown to have an increased risk of thrombosis, no thrombosis risk assessment scoring system has been developed for AML patients. The Khorana Risk Score (KRS), which has been widely used for thrombosis risk assessment in the clinical setting, was developed on the basis of solid tumor data and has not been validated among AML patients. This study aims to validate the use of the KRS as a thrombosis risk-scoring system among patients with AML. Methods Using data from H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institution’s Total Cancer Care Research Study, we retrospectively identified patients who were histologically confirmed with AML from 2000 to 2018. Clinical and laboratory variables at the time of AML diagnosis were characterized and analyzed. The thrombotic event rate was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Results A total of 867 AML patients were included in the analysis. The median age at AML diagnosis was 75 years (range, 51–96), and the majority were male (65%, n = 565). A total of 22% (n = 191), 51% (n = 445), 24% (n = 207), and 3% (n = 24) of patients had a KRS of 0, 1, 2, and 3, respectively. A total of 42 thrombotic events (3% [n = 6/191] with a KRS of 1; 5% [n = 23/445] with a KRS of 2; 6.3% [n = 13/207] with a KRS of 3) were observed, with a median follow-up of 3 months (range, 0.1–307). There was no statistical difference in the risk of thrombosis between these groups (P = .1949). Conclusions Although there was an increased risk of thrombosis associated with a higher KRS among AML patients with a KRS of 1 to 3, the difference was not statistically significant. Furthermore, only a few patients were found to have a KRS > 3, and this was largely due to pancytopenia, which is commonly associated with AML. These results indicate the need for a better thrombotic risk-scoring system for AML patients.

No abstract available

End TB strategy by the WHO suggest active screening of high-risk populations for tuberculosis (TB) to improve case detection. Present study generates evidence for the effectiveness of screening patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) for Pulmonary TB (PTB). A study was conducted among 4548 systematically recruited patients over 45 years attending DM clinic at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka. The study units followed an algorithm specifying TB symptom and risk factor screening for all, followed by investigations and clinical assessments for those indicated. Bacteriologically confirmed or clinically diagnosed PTB were presented as proportions with 95% CI. Mean (SD) age was 62·5 (29·1) years. Among patients who completed all indicated steps of algorithm, 3500 (76·9%) were investigated and 127 (2·8%) underwent clinical assessment. Proportion of bacteriologically confirmed PTB patients was 0·1% (n = 6,95%CI = 0·0-0·3%). None were detected clinically. Analysis revealed PTB detection rates among males aged ≥60 years with HbA1c ≥ 8 to be 0·4% (n = 2, 95%CI = 0·0-1·4%). The study concludes that active screening for PTB among all DM patients at clinic settings in Sri Lanka, to be non-effective measure to enhance TB case finding. However, the sub-category of diabetic males with uncontrolled diabetics who are over 60 years of age is recommended as an option to consider for active screening for PTB.

Abstract Background Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is a rare genetic disorder of bone marrow failure inherited in an X-linked, autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive pattern. It has a wide array of clinical features and patients may be cared for by many medical sub specialties. The typical clinical features consist of lacy reticular skin pigmentation, nail dystrophy and oral leukoplakia. As the disease advances, patients may develop progressive bone marrow failure, pulmonary fibrosis, oesophageal stenosis, urethral stenosis, liver cirrhosis as well as haematological and solid malignancies. Several genes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of dyskeratosis congenita, with the dyskerin pseudouridine synthase 1 (DKC1) gene mutations being the X-linked recessive gene. Case presentation Herein, we report a 31-year-old male with history of recurrent febrile episodes who was found to have reticulate skin pigmentation interspersed with hypopigmented macules involving the face, neck and extremities, hyperkeratosis of palms and soles, nail dystrophy, leukoplakia of the tongue, premature graying of hair, watery eyes and dental caries. Several of his male relatives, including two maternal uncles and three maternal cousins were affected with a similar type of disease condition. Pedigree analysis suggested a possible X-linked pattern of inheritance. Genetic testing in the proband showed a novel hemizygous, non-synonymous likely pathogenic variant [NM_001363.4: c.1054A > G: p.Thr352Ala] in the PUA domain of the DKC1 gene. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction for relative telomere length measurements performed in the proband showed that he had very short telomeres [0.38, compared to a control median of 0.71 (range 0.44–1.19)], which is consistent with the DC diagnosis. Co-segregation analysis of the novel mutation and telomere length measurements in the extended family members could not be performed as they were unwilling to provide consent for testing. Conclusions The novel variant detected in the DKC1 gene adds further to the existing scientific literature on the genotype-phenotype correlation of DC, and has important implications for the clinical and molecular characterization of the disease.

Wireless sensor networks have attracted attention from a diverse set of researchers, due to the unique combination of distributed, resource and data processing constraints. However, until now, the lack of real sensor network deployments have resulted in ad-hoc assumptions on a wide range of issues including topology characteristics and data distribution. As deployments of sensor networks become more widespread [1, 2], many of these assumptions need to be revisited. This paper deals with the fundamental issue of spatio-temporal irregularity in sensor networks We make the case for the existence of such irregular spatio-temporal sampling, and show that it impacts many performance issues in sensor networks. For instance, data aggregation schemes provide inaccurate results, compression efficiency is dramatically reduced, data storage skews storage load among nodes and incurs significantly greater routing overhead. To mitigate the impact of irregularity, we outline a spectrum of solutions. For data aggregation and compression, we propose the use of spatial interpolation of data (first suggested by Ganeriwal et al in [3]) and temporal signal segmentation followed by alignment. To reduce the cost of data-centric storage and routing, we propose the use of virtualization, and boundary detection.

Abstract Background Chest pain is one of the common presenting symptoms encountered in an emergency department. Prompt history taking and careful clinical examination do help to differentiate cardiac chest pain from other causes. Mondor’s disease is a rare cause of chest pain which is often underdiagnosed due to lack of awareness. Mondor’s disease is a condition characterized by thrombophlebitis of the superficial veins of breast and anterior chest wall. The diagnosis is often made clinically. Case presentation Here we report a case of a 37-year-old Sri Lankan Tamil woman who presented with chest pain and was clinically diagnosed as having Mondor’s disease after a physical examination, which was confirmed with demonstration of thrombophlebitis by ultrasound scan imaging. Although it is a self-limiting condition, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used in the treatment to hasten recovery in addition to giving reassurance. Conclusions Mondor’s disease is not considered a differential diagnosis for chest pain due to lack of awareness of this medical condition. Creating awareness of this condition via this case would help to cut down unnecessary investigations and valuable time spent in emergency departments, and it helps to identify a serious underlying cause especially carcinoma of the breast at its early stage.

Geopolymer concrete has the potential to replace ordinary Portland cement which can reduce carbon dioxide emission to the environment. The addition of different amounts of steel fibers, as well as different types of end-shape fibers, could alter the performance of geopolymer concrete. The source of aluminosilicate (fly ash) used in the production of geopolymer concrete may lead to a different result. This study focuses on the comparison between Malaysian fly ash geopolymer concrete with the addition of hooked steel fibers and geopolymer concrete with the addition of straight-end steel fibers to the physical and mechanical properties. Malaysian fly ash was first characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to identify the chemical composition. The sample of steel fiber reinforced geopolymer concrete was produced by mixing fly ash, alkali activators, aggregates, and specific amounts of hook or straight steel fibers. The steel fibers addition for both types of fibers are 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0% by volume percentage. The samples were cured at room temperature. The physical properties (slump, density, and water absorption) of reinforced geopolymer concrete were studied. Meanwhile, a mechanical performance which is compressive, as well as the flexural strength was studied. The results show that the pattern in physical properties of geopolymer concrete for both types of fibers addition is almost similar where the slump is decreased with density and water absorption is increased with the increasing amount of fibers addition. However, the addition of hook steel fiber to the geopolymer concrete produced a lower slump than the addition of straight steel fibers. Meanwhile, the addition of hook steel fiber to the geopolymer concrete shows a higher density and water absorption compared to the sample with the addition of straight steel fibers. However, the difference is not significant. Besides, samples with the addition of hook steel fibers give better performance for compressive and flexural strength compared to the samples with the addition of straight steel fibers where the highest is at 1.0% of fibers addition.

This paper presents the results of a laboratory study based, upon evaluating the fatigue characteristics of Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA) Mixtures using different percent of bio-oil produced from pyrolysis process of house hold waste. The indirect tensile fatigue (ITFT) test was used to study fatigue behavior. The fatigue tests were performed at three temperatures (15, 20, and 25°C) using one asphalt binder, 80/100 penetration asphalt. The outcomes demonstrated that the addition of DWBO has slightly lowered the resilient modulus, and reduced the fatigue performance of the SMA Mixtures. For the effect of the temperature on fatigue life of 80/100 bio-binders, it is reasonable to use DWBO in asphalt mixture as an additive in cold to moderate temperature regions. The study shows that the DWBO can be used with petroleum binders in the pavement industry with a percent not exceeding 3% by weight of the base binder.

This research develops a spectral index to automatically extract asphalt road networks named road extraction index (REI). This index uses WorldView-2 (WV-2) imagery, which has high spatial resolution and is multispectral. To determine the best bands for WV-2, field spectral data using a field spectroradiometer were collected. These data were then analyzed statistically. The bands were selected through the methodology of stepwise discriminant analysis. The appropriate WV-2 bands were distinguished from one another as per significant wavelengths. The proposed index is based on this classification. By applying REI to WV-2 imagery, we can extract asphalt roads accurately. Results demonstrate that REI is automated, transferable, and efficient in asphalt road extraction from high-resolution satellite imagery.

It is known that a number of toxic substances produce myocardial injury by several mechanisms involving interruption of coronary blood flow due to stimulation of clotting mechanism and coronary vasospasm. Number of toxic substances may cause direct myocardial toxicity independent of coronary blood flow. Acute myocardial injury due to stings and bites is a rare entity and not well understood. Here we illustrate a case of myocardial injury due to Russell’s viper envenomation.

Aims: SGLT2 inhibitors provide cardiovascular and renal protection in people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Real-world data on their effect on improving glucose and cardiovascular risk factors, and adverse effects in South Asians are limited.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical, demographic, anthropometric and biochemical data among adults with T2DM, commenced on empagliflozin and followed up for at least one month in a diabetes clinic in Colombo.Results: Among 1523 participants (men 49.6 %, age 54.9 (± 10.8) years, diabetes duration 11.5 (± 7.6) years, body mass index 28.2 (± 4.5 kg/m2), over a median follow up of 12 months (range: 1-24 months), reduction in HbA1c, weight, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and urine albumin-creatinine ratio were evident within the first month. Benefits sustained up to two-years (mean changes from baseline: HbA1c - 0.31 (± 1.49), weight - 1.14 (± 4.17), SBP - 3.44 (± 21.75), UACR - 19.84 (± 108.22) follow up. eGFR declined by the third month, returned to baseline by 12th and remained stable over 24 months. Higher baseline HbA1c, weight and SBP predicted greater decline in HbA1c, weight and SBP respectively. Weight reduction independently predicted the SBP reduction. Eighteen participants per 100 patient-years discontinued therapy due to adverse effects: genital mycotic infections and features of hypovolaemia were the commonest. We observed only two events of diabetic ketoacidosis.Conclusions: Empagliflozin effectively improves glucose, weight and SBP and retards progression of renal impairment in South Asians with T2D. Genital mycotic infections and hypovolaemia were the commonest reasons for discontinuation. Careful patient selection and advice can avoid other sinister complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of methanolic extracts of L. edodes and the determination of their total phenolics content. Results: The amount of total phenolics was estimated to be 70.83 mg Gallic Acid Equivalent (GAE) per gram of dry extract. The antioxidant activity of the L. edodes extract was 39.0% at a concentration of 1 mg/mL and was also concentration dependant, with an EC50 value of 4.4 mg/mL. Different groups of animals (Wister albino mice) were administered paracetamol (1 g/kg, p.o.). L. edodes extract at a dose of 200 mg/kg was administered to the paracetamol treated mice for seven days. The effects of L. edodes extract on serum transaminases (SGOT, SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin were measured in the paracetamol-induced hepatotoxic mice. L. edodes extract produced significant (p < 0.05) hepatoprotective effects by decreasing the activity of serum enzymes and bilirubin. Conclusions: From these results, it was suggested that L. edodes extract could perhaps protect liver cells from paracetamol-induced liver damage by its antioxidative effect on hepatocytes, hence diminishing or eliminating the harmful effects of toxic metabolites of paracetamol.