Brookite TiO2 as an active photocatalyst for photoconversion of plastic wastes to acetic acid and simultaneous hydrogen production: Comparison with anatase and rutile.

Photoreforming is a clean photocatalytic technology for simultaneous plastic waste degradation and hydrogen fuel production, but there are still limited active and stable catalysts for this process. This work introduces the brookite polymorph of TiO2 as an active photocatalyst for photoreforming with an activity higher than anatase and rutile polymorphs for both hydrogen production and plastic degradation. Commercial brookite successfully converts polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic to acetic acid under light. The high activity of brookite is attributed to good charge separation, slow decay and moderate electron trap energy, which lead to a higher generation of hydrogen and hydroxyl radicals and accordingly enhanced photo-oxidation of PET plastic. These results introduce brookite as a stable and active catalyst for the photoconversion of water contaminated with microplastics to value-added organic compounds and hydrogen.

A Review of Classification, Diagnosis, and Management of Hydrocele.

This article summarizes and updates a number of issues related to hydrocele including anatomy, embryology, classification, etiology, clinical manifestations, imaging findings, and management. Hydrocele is an abnormal collection of serous fluid between the parietal and visceral layers arising from the mesothelial lining of the tunica vaginalis that surrounds the testis and spermatic cord directly. Hydroceles result from an imbalance of secretion and reabsorption of fluid from the tunica vaginalis. Hydroceles can be divided into two types as primary and secondary. The diagnosis should be based on medical history, clinical manifestations, and imaging studies. Understanding the causes and types of hydroceles is useful for accurately diagnosing and treatment strategy. Hydroceles can be managed by conservative treatment, fluid aspiration, or hydrocelectomy.

Traumatic rupture of congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation mimicking traumatic pulmonary pseudocyst: a case report.

Thoracic trauma is commonly encountered in daily clinical practice; however, blunt thoracic trauma in patients with congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) is rare. CCAM rupture denotes a broad spectrum of manifestations on imaging and may be misdiagnosed as many other conditions. Consequently, this leads to inaccurate treatment and poor patient outcomes. We report the case of a girl with the initial diagnosis of a cavitary lung lesion that was likely a traumatic pulmonary pseudocyst or CCAM. The patient received medical therapy for 20 days; however, her condition did not improve. Subsequently, she underwent right lower lobectomy. Ruptured CCAM was confirmed during surgery and with histopathology. No complications occurred postoperatively, and the patient made a good recovery.

Pituitary Apoplexy and Subdural Hematoma after Caesarean Section.

Pituitary apoplexy can occur postpartum, and subdural hematoma following epidural anesthesia is a rare complication. Cooccurrence of these two complications is extremely rare and has not been previously reported in the literature. In this article, we present a case of pituitary apoplexy along with intracranial subdural hematoma happening two days after spinal anesthesia for cesarean section. The patient presented with peripheral facial nerve paralysis accompanied by headache, eye pain, and blurred vision and was diagnosed by imaging modalities. The patient made a good recovery with conservative treatment without serious health events.

Origin of novel coronavirus causing COVID-19: A computational biology study using artificial intelligence.

Origin of the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2) has been intensely debated in the scientific community since the first infected cases were detected in December 2019. The disease has caused a global pandemic, leading to deaths of thousands of people across the world and thus finding origin of this novel coronavirus is important in responding and controlling the pandemic. Recent research results suggest that bats or pangolins might be the hosts for SARS-CoV-2 based on comparative studies using its genomic sequences. This paper investigates the SARS-CoV-2 origin by using artificial intelligence (AI)-based unsupervised learning algorithms and raw genomic sequences of the virus. More than 300 genome sequences of COVID-19 infected cases collected from different countries are explored and analysed using unsupervised clustering methods. The results obtained from various AI-enabled experiments using clustering algorithms demonstrate that all examined SARS-CoV-2 genomes belong to a cluster that also contains bat and pangolin coronavirus genomes. This provides evidence strongly supporting scientific hypotheses that bats and pangolins are probable hosts for SARS-CoV-2. At the whole genome analysis level, our findings also indicate that bats are more likely the hosts for the COVID-19 virus than pangolins.

Pelvic schwannoma in an adult male.

Schwannomas are benign nerve sheath tumors that are generally encapsulated and commonly detected in the head, neck, and mediastinal regions. Schwannomas localizing in the pelvis are extremely rare and tend to be asymptomatic initially due to slow growth rate. Schwannomas may be misdiagnosed as urologic or gynecologic tumors. Pelvic schwannomas are typically solitary, large, and well-circumscribed masses in the retroperitoneum or presacral areas. Other imaging characteristics are cystic degeneration, repeated hemorrhages, and calcifications. Calcification patterns can be punctate, speckled, curvilinear, or along the walls of the masses. We report a young man with a pelvic schwannoma with typical imaging features.

Traumatic Kidney in a Patient With Unilateral Renal Cystic Disease.

Renal trauma occurring in patients with unilateral renal cystic disease (URCD) is extremely rare. Unilateral renal cystic disease is benign, nonprogressive, nonfamilial, nonencapsulated, and unrelated to cysts in other organs. It should be differentiated from autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) parenthesis, multicystic dysplastic kidney disease, multiple renal simple cysts, and cystic renal neoplasms. We report a case of a 15-year-old male with URCD admitted to the hospital sustaining blunt trauma to his right flank after a motor vehicle crash. Final diagnosis in this case was renal injury in a URCD patient. The patient was treated conservatively and subsequently discharged. Unilateral renal cystic disease can be diagnosed and followed by a combination of imaging methods and functional studies. The management of URCD is conservative. Although the disease is stable, nephrectomy may occasionally be indicated when there is a strong suspicion for malignancy.

Levofloxacin degradation under visible-LED photo-catalyzing by a novel ternary Fe-ZnO/WO3 nanocomposite.

As semiconductor photocatalysts showing their efficient redox ability upon illumination, new development of materials to enhance the pollution degradation is gaining popularity, especially on their oxidation ability. In this study, a highly stable ternary Fe-ZnO/WO3 nanocomposite photocatalyst has been synthesized in order to improve charge transfer of photocatalytic oxidation under 30W LED light (425-470 nm) to efficiency degrade the Levofloxacin (LVF) in the solution. This catalyst was characterized and analyzed by XRD, FE-SEM, HR-TEM, X-ray XPS, UPS, PL, TRPL, LSV, EIS, and Photocurrent. Various important factors for the photodegradation were investigated, including Fe content, initial LVF concentration, catalyst dosage, and solution pH. The optimal conditions were Fe 1.0 wt%, LVF 10 mg L-1, Fe-ZnO/WO3 dosage 0.5 g L-1, and pH 7 for LVF photodegradation up to 96% with a kinetic rate constant of 0.0342 min-1 and were stable in photodegradation efficiency (90%) after five test cycles. In the visible LED light, the activation bandgap was estimated to be 2.75 eV with high electron-hole pair separation and charge transfer from Fe-ZnO to WO3 that could enhance the generation of active species of •OH. Moreover, the more effective charge separation of Fe-ZnO/WO3 were confirmed by lower PL intensity and longer charge carrier lifetime. Fe-ZnO/WO3 also demonstrated the excellent electrochemical properties with high photocurrent and small resistance. For the LVF degradation, 3 possible pathways were proposed with 12 intermediate products. This study demonstrated that the synthesized Fe-ZnO/WO3 could serve as a reliable visible-light responsive photocatalysts with the potential for degrading antibiotics in solution.

Rasmussen's encephalitis with persistent epilepsy in a young man.

Rasmussen's encephalitis (RE) is an uncommon cause of the seizure. Important key findings of RE include intractable seizure activity in children, progressive atrophy of the involved hemisphere, and small hemisphere with the large ventricle.

Balo's Concentric Sclerosis Mimicking Tumor on Magnetic Resonance Imaging in a Young Patient.

Balo's concentric sclerosis (BCS) is a rare demyelinating disease known as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) lesion type III. It is a disease of the white matter of the brain characterized by a round lesion with variable concentric myelinated and demyelinated layers, appearing as "onion bulb." We present a case of BCS and discuss the imaging findings and management strategies of this disease. A 26-y-old male developed headache, weakness, and numbness of limbs. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed concentric lamellar like demyelinating lesions at the subcortical regions. The patient's neurological symptoms were consistent with the MRI findings.

Diffuse Gallbladder Adenomyomatosis with an Inflammatory Complication in an Adult.

Gallbladder adenomyomatosis (GA) is a benign alteration of the gallbladder wall. There are three types involved: segmental, fundal, and diffuse pattern; the last type is very rare. Ultrasound is the imaging method of choice for diagnosing that shows Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses with cholesterol deposition creating comet-tail artifacts. Asymptomatic GA does not require surgery in case there are no malignant lesions defined by imaging diagnosis. We present the rare case of a 51-year-old man who was admitted to hospital due to abdominal pain concomitant with inflammatory syndrome. Imaging and histological findings were appropriate to diagnose diffuse GA and complication of cholecystitis.

Improved Synthesis of Ag/SiO2 Colloidal Nanocomposites and Their Antibacterial Activity Against Ralstonia solanacearum 15.

Ag/SiO2 colloidal nanocomposites (NCs) were prepared through the semi-continuous chemical reduction of silver ions on a silica surface; NaBH4 was used as a primary reducing agent, while carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) served as a secondary reductant and a stabilizer at low temperature. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of an average diameter of 3.89±0.18 nm were uniformly and densely dispersed on the SiO2 surface, forming 218.6-nm-sized Ag/SiO2 NCs. The zeta potential of the Ag/SiO2 NCs (-92.6 mV) was more negative than that of silica (-24 mV), indicating their high long-term stability. Furthermore, their proposed formation mechanism was confirmed via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Then, the bactericidal effect of the Ag/SiO2 was evaluated based on their minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Ralstonia solanacearum 15 (R. solanacearum 15); it was 62.5 ppm, much lower than that of conventional AgNPs (500 ppm). Therefore, these highly stable Ag/SiO2 colloidal NCs with more effective antibacterial activity than conventional AgNPs are a promising nanopesticide in agriculture.

A Rare Case of Diffuse Subependymal Periventricular Metastases from Small Cell Lung Carcinoma.

Small cell lung cancer, whose essence is neuroendocrine tumors, makes up proximately 14-20% of all lung cancer circumstances. Compared to non-small cell lung cancer, its clinical manifestation seems more positive and has a tendency to disseminate earlier in the process of its natural past. About 10% of patients present with brain metastases at the time of provisional diagnosis and sometimes all along the course of their disease, there will be 40-50% of developed brain metastases in addition. Although metastases in the brain parenchyma are often found in patients with advanced lung cancer, periventricular metastases are rare. We report one case of diffuse subependymal periventricular metastases from small cell carcinoma of the lung.

A Case of Arteriovenous Fistula After Kidney Trauma Mimicking Tumor.

Renal arteriovenous fistulas are rare complications of kidney injury that are usually caused by penetrating or blunt abdominal trauma, percutaneous or open biopsy, or surgery. We report a case of renal arteriovenous fistula after blunt abdominal trauma of a male patient who had traffic accidents. Computed tomography images show arteriovenous fistula lesion mimicking the tumor of the renal pelvis. Through this case, we present how to identify and avoid being confused in diagnosis as well as introduce its clinical manifestations, imaging, and treatment.

Cytotoxic and Anti-Plasmodial Activities of Stephania dielsiana Y.C. Wu Extracts and the Isolated Compounds.

Natural products remain a viable source of novel therapeutics, and as detection and extraction techniques improve, we can identify more molecules from a broader set of plant tissues. The aim of this study was an investigation of the cytotoxic and anti-plasmodial activities of the methanol extract from Stephania dielsiana Y.C. Wu leaves and its isolated compounds. Our study led to the isolation of seven alkaloids, among which oxostephanine (1) is the most active against several cancer cell lines including HeLa, MDA-MB231, MDA-MB-468, MCF-7, and non-cancer cell lines, such as 184B5 and MCF10A, with IC50 values ranging from 1.66 to 4.35 µM. Morever, oxostephanine (1) is on average two-fold more active against cancer cells than stephanine (3), having a similar chemical structure. Cells treated with oxostephanine (1) are arrested at G2/M cell cycle, followed by the formation of aneuploidy and apoptotic cell death. The G2/M arrest appears to be due, at least in part, to the inactivation of Aurora kinases, which is implicated in the onset and progression of many forms of human cancer. An in-silico molecular modeling study suggests that oxostephanine (1) binds to the ATP binding pocket of Aurora kinases to inactivate their activities. Unlike oxostephanine (1), thailandine (2) is highly effective against only the triple-negative MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells. However, it showed excellent selectivity against the cancer cell line when compared to its effects on non-cancer cells. Furthermore, thailandine (2) showed excellent anti-plasmodial activity against both chloroquine-susceptible 3D7 and chloroquine-resistant W2 Plasmodium falciparum strains. The structure-activity relationship of isolated compound was also discussed in this study. The results of this study support the traditional use of Stephania dielsiana Y.C. Wu and the lead molecules identified can be further optimized for the development of highly effective and safe anti-cancer and anti-plasmodial drugs.

Avoidance of general anesthesia for circumcision in infants under 6 months of age using a modified Plastibell technique.

PURPOSE: There is currently no gold standard for the type of analgesia or preferred circumcision technique in infants requiring circumcision after 1 month of age. Our study presents a modified Plastibell circumcision technique, which offers excellent surgical outcomes, and can be performed under local anesthesia until 6 months of age, thereby avoiding the risks of general anesthesia in delayed circumcision. METHODS: This is a retrospective case series of 508 consecutive male infants between 1 and 6 months of age, from one institution, who all underwent circumcision under local anesthesia, performed by the same pediatric surgeon, from 2013 to 2018. The study parameters included postoperative complications such as re-operation for control of hemorrhage, wound infection, circumcision revision, and urethral meatotomy. RESULTS: There were no re-operations for control of hemorrhage, no wound infections, and no circumcision revisions. One patient developed urethral meatal stenosis requiring urethral meatotomy. CONCLUSION: Our modified Plastibell circumcision technique under local anesthesia is a safe and reproducible alternative for infants between 1 and 6 months of age, whose parents desire circumcision and wish to avoid general anesthesia.

Sexual identity, same-same relationships, and health dynamics: New evidence from Australia.

Prior research has found that opposite-sex marital and cohabiting relationships are associated with improvements in health. However, studies examining the health dynamics of same-sex relationships are sparser because few nationally representative longitudinal datasets collect information on adults' sexual identity. Using newly available data on sexual minorities from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, we estimate the effects of Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual (LGB) identification and same-sex relationships on health dynamics. We document two key findings. First, sexual minorities in Australia are more likely to engage in risky health behaviors and report worse health than their heterosexual counterparts. Second, after exploiting the longitudinal nature of the HILDA and accounting for selection into relationships using the dynamic panel approach of Kohn and Averett (2014), we find that while opposite-sex partnerships are associated with a 3 to 7 percentage-point decline in risky health behaviors and improved physical and mental health, the health benefits of same-sex relationships are weaker, particularly for men.

Stephanine from Stephania venosa (Blume) Spreng Showed Effective Antiplasmodial and Anticancer Activities, the Latter by Inducing Apoptosis through the Reverse of Mitotic Exit.

Extracts from the tubers of Stephania venosa (Blum) Spreng growing in Vietnam significantly inhibited cell proliferation against a number of cancer cells including HeLa, MDA-MB231 and MCF-7 cells. A bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of four aporphine and one tetrahydroprotoberberine alkaloids: dehydrocrebanine 1, tetrahydropalmatine 2, stephanine 3, crebanine 4 and O-methylbulbocapnine 5. The characterization of these compounds was based on MS, NMR and published data. A study by structure-bioactivity relationship on these isolates showed that stephanine is the most active compound. Cell biological studies showed that stephanine induces the reverse of mitotic exit, eventually leading to cell death by apoptosis. This data suggests that stephanine has a unique mode of cell-killing activity against cancer cells, which is seldom observed with known synthetic compounds. In addition to its anticancer property, our data from an in vitro study showed that S. venosa also possesses effective antiplasmodial activity and stephanine was also the most interesting compound but is the most cytotoxic with the lowest selectivity index. Copyright © 2017 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada Phytotherapy Research StartCopTextCopyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Chemical Constituents of Chirita drakei.

Chirita drakei Burtt (now accepted as Primzina drakei (B.L.Burtt) Mich.M61ler & A.Weber) is growing on limestone mountain slopes of Ha Long Bay islands in Vietnam. The chemical investigation of the aerial parts of C. drakei led to the isolation and structural elucidation of two new compounds named chiridrakoside A (1) and chiridrakoside B (2) besides twelve known compounds comprising five phenylethanoid glycosides (3-7), two lignans (8, 9), a phenyl propanoid (10), an anthraquinone (11), a furan derivative (12) and two triterpenes (13, 14). All described compounds, except 4, 5 and 11, were obtained for the first time from the genera Chirita or Primulina. The cytotoxic activity of the isolated compounds was evaluated against the four human cancer cell lines KB (mouth epidermal carcinoma), HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma), Lu (lung carcinoma) and MCF7 (breast carcinoma). Epoxyconiferyl alcohol (10) exhibited cytotoxic activity against the tested cell lines (IC50 from 46 to 128 µM).

High School Physical Education Requirements and Youth Body Weight: New Evidence from the YRBS.

Previous research has found that high school physical education (PE) requirements are largely ineffective at reducing youth body weight. However, these studies were forced to rely on cross-state variation in PE requirements to identify their impacts, raising concerns that estimated policy effects may be confounded by state-level unobservables. Using data from the State and National Youth Risk Behavior Surveys and exploiting recent changes in state high school PE laws, we re-examine the effect of PE requirements on body weight. Our estimates show that a one-semester increase in PE requirements is associated with a 10 to 13% increase in minutes per week spent physically active in PE classes, but with no change in net vigorous exercise and little change in youth body weight. We conclude that substitution of in-school for outside-of-school physical activity and small resultant net energy expenditures can explain the absence of body weight effects. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.