bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Dynamics Investigation of the Effect of Shear during Extrusion on the Permeation Behavior of CH4 in High-Density Polyethylene
Authors: Li Hongxia , Yang Tianyang , Guo Xuewen , Wu Yupeng , Yan Jun , Lu Qingzhen
Published: September 2023

Deep-water flexible composite pipes have been widely employed in the domain of deep-water oil and gas transportation, and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is used to seal the inner sheath of internal oil and gas media containing H2S and CH4, due to its favorable barrier properties and mechanical properties. The morphological evolution of HDPE during the extrusion process exerts a direct impact on the material’s barrier properties. The grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) approach and the molecular dynamics (MD) method were coupled in this study to examine the morphological evolution of HDPE under various shear rates as well as the penetration of methane (CH4) in HDPE under various shear rates. The results indicate that with an increase in shear rate, the HDPE undergoes decoupling, leading to the formation of a densely arranged, rigidly oriented structure. Gas solubility and diffusion coefficients exhibit an initial increase followed by a subsequent reduction as the shear rate increases, which corresponds to the evolution of microscopic morphology. The current simulation can effectively forecast the microscopic morphology and material permeability coefficient and provide valuable insights for enhancing the barrier effectiveness of the inner sheath.
Risk Evaluation Method Based on Fault Propagation and Diffusion
Authors: Mu Liming , Zhang Yingzhi , Zhang Qiyan
Published: September 2023

The high reliability demand of the machining center emphasizes the accuracy of the fault risk evaluation. In the traditional fault risk evaluation research of the machining center, the influence of fault mode is mostly based on subjective recommendation or does not consider the propagation and diffusion of fault, which makes the risk evaluation results different from the real situation. Therefore, this paper presents a framework to evaluate the fault risk for machining center components. A certain type of machining center is considered as a case study. The fault mode frequency ratio of components is calculated by fault mode analysis. The fault rate calculation is conducted based on the Johnson method. Considering that different fault modes have different influences on fault propagation breadth and depth, the hypergraph theory is used to build a hypernetwork model. The propagation and diffusion influence degree are defined to describe the propagation and diffusion process of faults. Then, the comprehensive influence degree of fault mode is calculated. The risk evaluation is realized by considering the component fault rate, fault mode frequency ratio, and the comprehensive influence degree of fault mode. The method proposed in this paper can provide a reference for the formulation of risk strategies for the machining center.
CAGNet: A Multi-Scale Convolutional Attention Method for Glass Detection Based on Transformer
Authors: Hu Xiaohang , Gao Rui , Yang Seungjun , Cho Kyungeun
Published: September 2023

Glass plays a vital role in several fields, making its accurate detection crucial. Proper detection prevents misjudgments, reduces noise from reflections, and ensures optimal performance in other computer vision tasks. However, the prevalent usage of glass in daily applications poses unique challenges for computer vision. This study introduces a novel convolutional attention glass segmentation network (CAGNet) predicated on a transformer architecture customized for image glass detection. Based on the foundation of our prior study, CAGNet minimizes the number of training cycles and iterations, resulting in enhanced performance and efficiency. CAGNet is built upon the strategic design and integration of two types of convolutional attention mechanisms coupled with a transformer head applied for comprehensive feature analysis and fusion. To further augment segmentation precision, the network incorporates a custom edge-weighting scheme to optimize glass detection within images. Comparative studies and rigorous testing demonstrate that CAGNet outperforms several leading methodologies in glass detection, exhibiting robustness across a diverse range of conditions. Specifically, the IOU metric improves by 0.26% compared to that in our previous study and presents a 0.92% enhancement over those of other state-of-the-art methods.
Comparison of Thermophilic–Mesophilic and Mesophilic–Thermophilic Two-Phase High-Solid Sludge Anaerobic Digestion at Different Inoculation Proportions: Digestion Performance and Microbial Diversity
Authors: Wang Tianfeng , Wang Jie , Pu Jiajia , Bai Chengxiang , Peng Cheng , Shi Hailong , Wu Ruoyu , Xu Ziying , Zhang Yuqian , Luo Dan , Yang Linhai , Zhang Qingfang
Published: September 2023

This study investigated the performance of thermophilic–mesophilic (T-M) and mesophilic–thermophilic (M-T) two-phase sludge anaerobic digestion at different inoculation proportions after a change in digestion temperature. After temperature change, the pH, total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), free ammonia nitrogen (FAN), solubility chemical oxygen demand (SCOD), and total alkalinity (TA) levels of two-phase digesters were between thermophilic control digesters and mesophilic control digesters. However, the volatile fatty acid (VFA) levels of two-phase digesters were higher than those of thermophilic or mesophilic control digesters. The bacteria communities of M-T two-phase digesters were more diverse than those of T-M. After a change in digestion temperature, the bacterial community was dominated by Coprothermobacter. After a change of digestion temperature, the relative abundance (RA) of Methanobacterium, Methanosaeta, and Methanospirillum of M-T two-phase digesters was higher than that of T-M two-phase digesters. In comparison, the RA of Methanosarcina of T-M two-phase digesters was higher than that of M-T two-phase digesters. The ultimate methane yields of thermophilic control digesters were greater than those of mesophilic control digesters. Nevertheless, the ultimate methane yield levels of M-T two-phase digesters were greater than those of T-M two-phase digesters. The ultimate methane yields of all two-phase digesters presented an earlier increase and later decrease trend with the increasing inoculation proportion. Optimal methane production condition was achieved when 15% of sludge (T-M15) was inoculated under mesophilic–thermophilic conditions, which promoted 123.6% (based on mesophilic control) or 27.4% (based on thermophilic control). An optimal inoculation proportion (about 15%) balanced the number and activity of methanogens of high-solid sludge anaerobic digestion.
Protective Application of Chinese Herbal Compounds and Formulae in Intestinal Inflammation in Humans and Animals
Authors: Yang Yang , Xiao Gang , Cheng Pi , Zeng Jianguo , Liu Yisong
Published: September 2023

Intestinal inflammation is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder with uncertain pathophysiology and causation that has significantly impacted both the physical and mental health of both people and animals. An increasing body of research has demonstrated the critical role of cellular signaling pathways in initiating and managing intestinal inflammation. This review focuses on the interactions of three cellular signaling pathways (TLR4/NF-κB, PI3K-AKT, MAPKs) with immunity and gut microbiota to explain the possible pathogenesis of intestinal inflammation. Traditional medicinal drugs frequently have drawbacks and negative side effects. This paper also summarizes the pharmacological mechanism and application of Chinese herbal compounds (Berberine, Sanguinarine, Astragalus polysaccharide, Curcumin, and Cannabinoids) and formulae (Wumei Wan, Gegen-Qinlian decoction, Banxia xiexin decoction) against intestinal inflammation. We show that the herbal compounds and formulae may influence the interactions among cell signaling pathways, immune function, and gut microbiota in humans and animals, exerting their immunomodulatory capacity and anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. This demonstrates their strong potential to improve gut inflammation. We aim to promote herbal medicine and apply it to multispecies animals to achieve better health.
Development of a New Benzofuran–Pyrazole–Pyridine-Based Molecule for the Management of Osteoarthritis
Authors: Abd El-Karim Somaia S. , Mahmoud Ahlam H. , Al-Mokaddem Asmaa K. , Ibrahim Noha E. , Alkahtani Hamad M. , Zen Amer Alhaj , Anwar Manal M.
Published: September 2023

Osteoarthritis is a substantial burden for patients with the disease. The known medications for the disease target the mitigation of the disease’s symptoms. So, drug development for the management of osteoarthritis represents an important challenge in the medical field. This work is based on the development of a new benzofuran–pyrazole–pyridine-based compound 8 with potential anti-inflammatory and anti-osteoarthritis properties. Microanalytical and spectral data confirmed the chemical structure of compound 8. The biological assays indicated that compound 8 produces multifunctional activity as an anti-osteoarthritic candidate via inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators, including RANTES, CRP, COMP, CK, and LPO in OA rats. Histopathological and pharmacokinetic studies confirmed the safety profile of the latter molecule. Accordingly, compound 8 is considered a promising anti-osteoarthritis agent and deserves deeper investigation in future trials.
Modified Mixed-Integer Linear Programming Formulation Implemented in Microsoft Excel to Synthesize a Heat Exchanger Network with Multiple Utilities to Compare Process Flowsheets
Authors: Revelo Maria F. , Tuza Pablo V.
Published: September 2023

In the present work, a modified mixed-integer linear programming model was implemented in Microsoft Excel® and minimized using the Solver tool to obtain information to devise a heat exchanger network with multiple utilities from a set of hot and cold streams and selected utilities by hand. Regarding the mixed-integer linear programming problem, the summation of utility energy was added to the model, and this energy was equal to that from the Temperature Interval method and the Grand Composite Curve. Moreover, feasible temperature ranges for heat exchange were considered according to the second law of thermodynamics. Also, the last two temperature intervals from the rank-ordered ones were assigned for water energy balances. An energy balance was introduced into the algorithm for each interval between its temperature and the process pinch temperature in the case of the boiler-feed water. Seven stream sets collected from the literature were used for the mixed-integer linear programming formulation testing, and six of them are presented in this article. Because of boiler-feed water generation and the low cost of utilities, the annualized cost of a heat exchanger network with multiple utilities can be lower than that of a network without multiple utilities.
Effect of Lateral Trajectory on Two-Phase Flow in Horizontal Shale Gas Wells
Authors: Yang Jian , Chen Jiaxiao , Peng Yang , Li Bochun
Published: September 2023

Horizontal gas wells are one of the key technologies for the production of shale gas reservoirs. Compared with conventional gas reservoirs, horizontal shale gas wells have ultra-long and complex lateral sections. Overall, toe-up, toe-down, and horizontal trajectories will be exhibited in the lateral section. The statistical results of field production data indicate that the lateral trajectory has a significant impact on the estimated ultimate recovery. However, the mechanism has not yet been fully revealed owing to the complicated two-phase flow in lateral pipes. Therefore, taking horizontal shale gas wells’ lateral section as the research object, we designed our experimental parameter ranges based on horizontal shale gas wells in the Changning shale gas field. Simulation experimental tests were conducted on the pipe with an inclined angle from −15° to 15° to analyze the effects of different gas velocities, liquid velocities, and pipe inclinations on flow patterns and liquid holdup. Based on our observations and measurements, we evaluated the flow pattern prediction methods and drew a new flow pattern map for pipes with an inclined angle from −15° to 15°. Based on the momentum conservations between the gas and liquid phases and measured liquid holdup data, a new liquid holdup model was established in the pipes with inclined angle from −15° to 15°. Experimental and field-measured data were collected to verify the new method’s accuracy.
The Laozi’s Ideal State: Nostalgia, Utopia, State of Nature
Authors: Stamatov Aleksandar
Published: September 2023

Among the various statements related to the political philosophy of the Laozi《老子》, Chapter 80 is distinguished by its particular depiction of what may be dubbed an ideal state. By examining the viewpoints of various authors in both English and Chinese works, the chapter will be analyzed and compared with three concepts independently discussed in political philosophy: (1) the call for returning to the past, also referred to as nostalgia; (2) utopianism; and (3) the state of nature. It is probably more than evident that the ideal state is at least reminiscent of these theories. Despite the possible and hypothetical similarities, however, this article will attempt to show that it is acceptable to claim that there is neither sufficient evidence nor support for the argument that the Laozi advocates returning to the past, proposes utopia, or describes a state of nature, and, moreover, that some of its statements are not completely adequate for such interpretations. The thesis that this article will support is that the ideal state is only a metaphorical description of a better world.
Spatio-Temporal Evolution and Optimization of Ecospatial Networks in County Areas Based on Ecological Risk Assessment: Taking Dalian Pulandian District as an Example
Authors: Qu Ming , Xu Dawei
Published: September 2023

The ecological security of a county is the basis for guaranteeing sustainable socio-economic development in the process of new urbanization, as well as the key to maintaining the rational functioning of natural ecosystems in urban and rural areas, and the primary prerequisite for satisfying the ecosystem service functions enjoyed by urban and rural residents. This study takes Pulandian, an estuary county with low mountains, hills, plains, and beach lands, as an example, and comprehensively applies various methods such as the model of driving–pressure–state–impact–response (DPSIR), the mainstream model of minimum cumulative resistance (MCR), the model of morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA), and the circuit theoretical model to assess the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of the ecological spatial network of Pulandian District from 1990 to 2020 and evaluate its ecological risk from the socio-economic and environmental perspectives to provide a basis for the construction of ecological resistance surfaces. On this basis, an ecospatial network optimization model was constructed to reduce ecological risk and meet ecological security requirements. The results showed that the ecological space showed an upward trend of increasing, then decreasing, and then increasing in the area during the 30-year period, but there was serious fragmentation in the low area of the northeastern river valley, the low-hill plain area in the central part of the county, and the coastal area in the southeastern part of the county. High-resistance radiation centered on townships with high urbanization breaks the original ecological spatial network gradient, resulting in the absence of ecological corridors in large areas of the central and southeastern regions. Therefore, seven new ecological source sites were added for the central and southern portions of the study area, and the number of optimized ecological corridors increased from 47 to 66. In addition, we established an ecosystem consisting of an ecological barrier, an ecological coastal zone, multiple ecological corridors, and multiple ecological sites as an optimization system. This is of great scientific value and practical significance to provide reference for optimizing the ecological spatial network in Pulandian District of Dalian, to promote coastal ecological protection and construction, and to promote regional construction and sustainable development.
Jerk Parameter and Modified Theory
Authors: Sofuoğlu Değer , Beesham Aroonkumar
Published: September 2023

The accelerated expansion of the universe during recent times is well known in cosmology, whereas during early times, there was decelerated expansion. The ΛCDM model is consistent with most observations, but there are some issues with it. In addition, the transition from early deceleration to late-time acceleration cannot be explained by general relativity. Hence, it is worthwhile to examine modified gravity theories to explain this transition and to get a better understanding of dark energy. In this work, dark energy in modified f(R,T) gravity is investigated, where R is the Ricci scalar and T is the trace of the energy momentum tensor. Normally, the simplest form of f(R,T) is used, viz., f(R)=R+λT. In this work, the more complicated form f(R,T)=R+RT is investigated in Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker spacetime. This form has not been well studied. Since the jerk parameter in general relativity is constant and j=1, in order to have as small a departure from general relativity as possible, the jerk parameter j=1 is also assumed here. This enables the complete solution for the scale factor to be found. One of these forms is used for a complete analysis and is compared with the usually studied form f(R,T)=R+RT. The solution can also be broken down into a power-law form at early times (deceleration) and an exponential form at late times (acceleration), which makes the analysis simpler. Surprisingly, each of these forms is also a solution to the differential equation j=1 (though they are not solutions to the general solution). The energy conditions are also studied, and plots are provided. It is shown that viable models can be obtained without the need for the introduction of a cosmological constant, which reduces to the ΛCDM at late times.
Release Episodes of Electrons and Protons in Solar Energetic Particle Events
Authors: Kolympiris Vasilis , Papaioannou Athanasios , Kouloumvakos Athanasios , Daglis Ioannis A. , Anastasiadis Anastasios
Published: September 2023

We analyzed a sample of 21 solar energetic particle (SEP) events with clear signatures in both near-relativistic electrons and high-energy protons spanning over ∼2.5 solar cycles from 1997 to 2016. We employed velocity dispersion analysis (VDA) for protons and fractional VDA (FVDA) for electrons, as well as time shifting analysis (TSA) in order to identify the solar release times (SRTs) of the electrons. We found that, for the majority of the events (62%), a simultaneous release was observed, while, for 14% of the events, electrons were released later than protons (i.e., delayed electrons); for 24% of the events, the opposite result was found (i.e., delayed protons). We found that the path length (L) traveled by the protons and electrons was not related to the aforementioned categorization. Moreover, we show that, in the case of simultaneous SEP events, protons and electrons are being released in close connection to type III and type II bursts, while the opposite is the case for delayed events. In addition, we demonstrate that, for the simultaneous events, both the proton and the electron release are established in heights < 5RS and that, especially for the well-connected simultaneous events, there is a co-occurrence of the type II burst with the release time of the particles.
Multimodal treatment of glomus jugular tumours
Authors: Stoica F. , Popescu G. , Paslaru Francesca , Gheorghiu Anamaria , Paslaru A.C. , Apostol M. , Zaharia M.C. , Gorgan R.M.
Published: September 2023

Glomus jugulare tumours are extremely rare, slow-growing, hypervascular tumours that arise within the jugular foramen of the temporal bone and frequently involve the lower cranial nerves. We performed a retrospective study for patients treated between January 2005 and December 2019, reviewing clinical and radiological data for 91 cases of glomus jugulare tumours. Data were available for 91 patients presenting with 96 tumours. Surgery was 1st intention of treatment for 13 cases, the endovascular approach was 1st intention for 6 cases and GKRS was primarily performed in 72 cases. Combined treatment options were used in 19 cases. The median age at the time of treatment was of 57 years. The tumour volume varied between 0.5 and 73.4 cm3 with a median value of 8.3 cm3. For the cases treated with GKRS, the peripheral dose ranged between 8 and 35 Gy on the 35% to 65% isodose, with a median of 14 Gy on the 45% isodose. The average follow-up was 38 months with a maximum of 94 and consisted of contrast-enhanced MRI every six months in the first year after the procedure and every 1 to 2 years afterwards. Overall tumour control rate was of 95.6% using multimodal treatment options for glomus jugulare tumours. Multimodal treatment for glomus jugulare tumours offers the patient the chance for the best possible outcome and long-term survivability. Individual treatment approach for this kind of very rare head and neck tumour (0,6% of all head and neck tumours) is recommended to choose the best risk-versus-benefit treatment option.
Clinical outcomes and satisfaction in patients after lumbar microdiscectomy
Authors: Chaulagain Dipak , Smolanka Volodymyr , Smolanka Andriy , Havryliv Taras , Sechko Alexandr
Published: September 2023

Introduction: Lumbar disc herniation is a common cause of low back and radicular pain. Microdiscectomy is the recommended surgical technique for herniated lumbar discs at the moment. It has great success rates and little postoperative morbidity. We aimed to assess the clinical result and patient satisfaction of micro-discectomy in lumbar disc herniation patients.
Methodology: This is a prospective observational hospital-based research of 26 patients who had micro-discectomy at the Regional Clinical Center of Neurosurgery and Neurology in Uzhhorod, Ukraine, during August and September 2021. The research excluded patients with recurrent prolapsed intervertebral discs, multiple level herniated discs, and disc surgery requiring stability. During surgery, the kind of prolapsed intervertebral disc, its level, and the duration of the procedure were recorded. Additionally, we recorded the duration of the patient's hospital stay and any complications. The visual analogue scale (VAS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and the MacNab score questionnaires were used to measure pain, disability, and patient satisfaction, respectively.
Result: All procedures were performed on a single level using micro-discectomy. The mean age of the study population was 45.69 years. Micro-discectomy surgeries were performed in less than an hour in 69.2% of cases. The most often seen lumbar prolapsed intervertebral disc occurred at the L4-L5 level (57.7%). The most often seen kinds of prolapse were disc extrusion (30.8%) and disc sequestration (26.9%). The mean length of stay in the hospital was 3.96 days. After surgery, 57.7% of patients received an excellent rating on the Macnab's scale. There was a statistically significant difference between pre- and postoperative VAS and ODI scores (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Overall 65.4% of patients had no postoperative complications. In these instances, a proper surgical technique might help avoid problems. Our findings demand additional investigation with bigger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods.
Cervicomedullary junction intramedullary hemangioblastoma
Authors: Popescu G. , Paslaru Francesca , Gheorghiu Anamaria , Paslaru A.C. , Apostol M. , Zaharia M.C. , Popescu M. , Gorgan R.M.
Published: September 2023

Hemangioblastoma is a rare, benign, highly vascularized tumour, that usually presents a muriform nodule. The most frequent localization is the posterior cranial fossa. The frequency of this spinal lesion is very low, representing less than 5% of spinal cord tumours. The presentation of hemangioblastoma can widely vary, from a solid tumour to a lesion with a cystic component. We present the case of a 43 years old patient, admitted to our clinic for left hemiparesis, swallowing disorders, and dysphonia. An MRI is performed and it showed a cervicomedullary junction tumour with a solid nodule and an anterior cystic cavity pushing towards the 4th ventricle. The patient underwent surgery for the total removal of the tumour. Post-operative CT confirmed the total ablation of the tumour. The patient is discharged with improved symptomatology. In the last 10 years, in our clinic were admitted 23 cases of hemangioblastoma, 14 males (61% of the patients) and 9 females (39%) with an age at presentation varied from 14 to 78 years (mean 48,2 years). Only 3 patients (13%) out of the 23 had associated von Hippel–Lindau syndrome, with hemangioblastomas also present in other locations. The most common location was the posterior fossa, in 13 cases (56,6%). Headache (69,5%), ataxia (56%) and balance disorders (52%) were the most common symptoms accused by patients. The follow-up varied from 6 to 84 months (mean 20 months). Only one patient died during hospitalization and one tumour recurrence was noted. Most patients improved or remained clinically stable postoperatively.
Clinico-radiological factors affecting visual recovery in pituitary tumours
Authors: Kankane Vivek Kumar , Agrawal Harshit , Iyenger S.N.
Published: September 2023

Objectives: It is a prospective, single institute, observational study: primary outcome measure; factors determining visual field improvement and secondary outcome measure; the relationship between severity of visual impairment and duration of symptoms.

Material and Methods: It is a prospective, single institute, observational study that will be conducted between January 2020 and January 2022 in the department of Neurosurgery at the G. R. Medical College &J.A. Group of Hospitals, Gwalior(M.P.), a tertiary centre in India. All patients were admitted to the neuro-surgery department & operated on basis of a CT Scan of head/MRI findings. Patients with Laboratory findings having hypopituitarism, diabetes insipidus (DI), and hyperprolactinemia and willing to undergo Endocrinological & visual field tests in inclusion criteria. Data obtained from the study will be analyse by using appropriate statistical tests or methods

Results: At present, series most common age presentation (36.7%) between 21-30 years. In our study, of the total patients, 60% were males and 40% were females.  The male to female ratio is 2:1 most common complaint of vision loss and only 50% had hormonal symptoms. In our study 46.7% patients have duration of symptoms < 6 months and 6/6 - 6/24 visual acuity was present in 73.3% patients & 13.3% had optic atrophy(primary/secondary), 43.3%patients had bi-temporal hemianopia.

In our study Suprasellar extension was present in 90% of patients & Vascular invasion was seen in 26.7% of patients.

Conclusion: Good results are seen in patients who have a lesser duration of symptoms, and good pre-operative visual acuity has improved the final visual outcome. Post-operative visual recovery is most promising after 3 months to 1 year of surgery. immediate results of visual recovery should not be expected.  Most patients presented with larger adenomas had poor visual recovery as compared to small adenomas. Patients who underwent endoscopic trans-nasal, trans-sphenoidal resection had better post-operative recovery.
Surgical outcome of endoscopic third ventriculostomy compared to ventriculoperitoneal shunt in non-communicating or obstructive hydrocephalus
Authors: Ali Bushra Tariq , Khizar Ahtesham , Yadav Pradhumna Kumar , Mehtab Hammad , Amjad Madeha , Raina Umer Farooq
Published: September 2023

Objectives: To assess and compare the effectiveness of Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy over Ventriculoperitoneal shunt in terms of rate of revision in non-communicating or obstructive hydrocephalus at a tertiary care centre in a low-middle-income country.
Materials and methods: A Prospective Cohort Study was conducted from January 2019 to December 2020 at PIMS/SZABMU, Islamabad, Pakistan. A total of 104 patients of either gender under the age of 12 years diagnosed with non-communicating/obstructive hydrocephalus were enrolled in this study. They were allocated into two equal groups of 52 by the lottery method. One group underwent Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt (Group I) and another group underwent Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy (Group II). They received routine treatment of one-week postoperative prophylactic broad-spectrum antibiotics. They were discharged on the third postoperative day and were instructed for follow-up on the 4th, 12th and 24th postoperative week. Clinically, successful outcomes were defined as no event occurring during or after the surgery that could result in reoperation or any significant postoperative complication.
Results: There were 55.8% males and 44.2% females in group I while 50.0% males and 50.0% females were in group II. The mean age of Group I was 0.89 years ± 1.5 SD while 2.3 years ± 2.8 SD in group II. During the procedure, the overall complication rate was 0% in group I and 4.1% in group II. In the 4th postoperative week, the overall complication rate was 5.9% in group I and 4.1% in group II. At the 12th postoperative week, the overall complication rate was 17.6% in group I and 2.0% in group II. On the 24th postoperative week, the overall complication rate was 9.8% in group I and none in group II. During the procedure, reoperation was needed in 0% in group I and 4.1% in group II. In the 4th postoperative week, reoperation was needed in 5.9% of patients in group I and 2.0% in group II. In the 12th postoperative week, reoperation was needed in 17.6% of patients in group I and 2.0% in group II. At the 24th postoperative week, reoperation was needed in 9.8% of patients in group I and none in group II. The overall mortality rate was 5.9% in group I and 4.1% in group II.
Conclusion: Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy procedure was found to be better than the Ventriculoperitoneal shunt in terms of reoperation and complication rate at the 4th, 12th and 24th week after the procedure in infants and children with non-communicating/obstructive hydrocephalus.
Cervical carotid artery vasospasm during cerebral angiography
Authors: Ismail Mustafa , N. Abdulqader Muthanna , O. Ahmed Fatimah , Al-Khafaji Aktham O. , Al-Jehani Hosam , Hoz Samer S.
Published: September 2023

Background: Vasospasm occurs commonly in the intracranial arteries as a complication of subarachnoid haemorrhage. On the other hand, extracranial Internal carotid artery (ICA) vasospasm is scarce, and it may occur due to mechanical manipulation during cerebral angiography. We report a case of cervical carotid artery vasospasm during diagnostic cerebral angiography, which caused anterior cerebral artery territory hypoperfusion, to discuss potential risk factors.
Case description: For a 22-year-old female with a ten-year history of epilepsy on multiple drugs, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed frontal periventricular developmental venous anomaly. Diagnostic catheter cerebral angiography was used to better identify the vascular abnormality. In the procedure, extra steps were performed, including instruments being sterilized with CIDEX® OPA Solution (phthalaldehyde as the active ingredient), the reuse of the set including the catheters more than twice or triple times, and cold temperature of normal saline that was used in the flushing procedure. Under conscious sedation, the procedure went uneventful until the catheterization of the left carotid artery was performed, where severe vasospasm was noticed in the extracranial ICA, followed by cessation of flow in the ipsilateral ACA. Pulling the catheter to a more proximal location in the extracranial ICA was performed to alleviate the vasospasm. It took twelve minutes for the circulation to be restored, and that was under continuous irrigation and flushing. The patient did not develop any symptoms throughout the procedure or post-procedural course.
Conclusion: Chemical irritation from the sterilizing agent and reuse of the catheters could cause extracranial ICA vasospasm.
Ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery in a Nigerian city
Authors: Udoffa Secundus Ukpong , Oga Stephen Agbomhekhe , Aduloju Folafoluwa Ayokunle , Kanu Okezie Obasi
Published: September 2023

Introduction. Improvements in surgical techniques and advancements in antibiotic management have significantly reduced the complications associated with Ventriculoperitoneal Shunting which is still the most common procedure for the treatment of hydrocephalus. These complications are believed to be highest in Low and middle-income countries due to delayed presentation to care facilities. The authors report our experience of managing paediatric hydrocephalus in an institution with evolving Neurosurgical practice in North Central Nigeria.
Material and methods. We retrospectively reviewed all cases of VP shunting from 2011 to 2018 taking into consideration the demographics, aetiologies of hydrocephalus, length of hospital stay, postoperative morbidity and mortality, and overall outcome. Complications sought included, Surgical Site infections, shunt exposure, obstruction or any other cause of shunt malfunction. The minimum follow-up period was 24 months
Results. There were 27 VPS procedures done in 25 patients of whom 15 were males and 10 females (M:F ratio of 1.5:1). The age range was 8 days to 9 years with a median age of 5 months. Of the 25 cases, 24 (96%) were non-tumoral in origin comprising 17 congenital and 7 acquired hydrocephalus. At 2 years post shunt insertion, 21 (84%) of the 25 initial cases were still functional. The total complication rate was 28%, comprising Surgical Site infection, shunt exposure, shunt obstruction, seizure, and one death, There were 3 (12%) shunt failures from shunt obstruction (2) and shunt exposure (1).
Conclusion
With meticulous control of the surgical environment and improved experience in ventriculoperitoneal shunting, the complication rate can be significantly reduced. There is a need to increase the awareness of the population to the availability of care for seemingly hopeless conditions. The burden of the cost of care on individuals should be lightened through better health insurance coverage.
Mobilization of the temporal pole as integrated step in microsurgical clipping of pure posteriorly directed posterior communicating artery aneurysm
Authors: Ismail Mustafa , Alsaadi Salima B. , Badr Muslim Mousa , Al-Dhahi Mohammed , Abdulameer Aanab O. , Abdulsada Alkawthar M. , Al-Khafaji Aktham O. , Hoz Samer S.
Published: September 2023

A pure posteriorly posterior communicating artery (PCoA) aneurysm represents a surgical challenge. This is mainly when there is a need for good exposure of the aneurysmal neck, sac, PCoA, and anterior choroidal arteries. Ruptured pure posteriorly directed PCoA aneurysm imposes significantly extra challenge as the surgeon undergoes dissection through a tight brain. Even with measures commonly used to attain brain relaxation like the lumbar drain and cisternal fenestration.
Here, we describe a technique for posterior temporal pole mobilization (TPM) as an integrated part of microsurgical clipping of ruptured pure posteriorly directed PCoA aneurysms. This technique is implicated in twenty-three successive cases of ruptured PCoA aneurysms in the neurosurgery teaching hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, with no reported complications.
Surgical outcome of pineal region lesions in paediatric population
Authors: Kumar Pankaj , Bodeliwala Shaam , Pandey Sharad , Singh Daljit , Singh Hukum , Jagetia Anita , Srivastava A.K. , Kumar Anil , Nagar Vikas , Pandey Sharad
Published: September 2023

Introduction. Pineal region pathologies are heterogenous, spectrum ranging from benign, infective to malignant in nature such as parenchymal, germ cell, glial, melanomas, metastatic, tubercular, etc. These lesions are commoner in the pediatric age group and have a variable outcome. The goal of this study is to present our experience regarding the surgical outcomes of pineal region lesions in the paediatric population.
Objective. The objective of this study is to access the surgical outcome of  pineal region lesions in the paediatric population
Methods and Material. Eighty cases of pineal region lesions in the paediatric population (upto 15 years of age)  operated in the neurosurgery department, G.B Pant Hospital New Delhi via either  Occipital transtentorial or Supracerebellar Infratentorial approaches were retrospectively analyzed.
Results. There were four main groups of lesions with pineal parenchymal tumours (35 cases) being the commonest. Glial tumours were the next most common contributing 29 cases. Germ cell tumours comprise 7 and miscellaneous 9 cases.
The outcome showed graded improvement with the extent of tumour removal and 57 patients(71.25%) improved following surgery. The clinical status of 20 patients(25%) remained unchanged and 3(3.75%)  deteriorated from their pre-operative status. 3 patients(3.75%) died in the immediate post-operative period and 11(13.75%) died due to recurrent disease.
Conclusion. A graded increase in survival was noted with increasing the degree of resection and postoperative adjuvant therapy in malignant pineal tumours whereas benign pineal lesions can be managed with surgery. Pure germinomas are the only tumour for which the survival rate was unrelated to extent of tumour resection.
Pitfalls in the diagnosis of glioblastoma
Authors: Dorin Bica , Poeata Ion
Published: September 2023

Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most dreadful human cancers having a literature-reported median of life of 14 months with maximal treatment. The correct diagnosis is of crucial importance for the best chances of treatment. Misdiagnosis is uncommon, but seen in daily practice, and leads to important delays for patients. This paper will discuss the delays found in glioblastoma diagnosis in a series of 60 newly diagnosed patients. Four out of 60 patients had a delay of more than 6 weeks of treatment initiation, as at first imaging, GBM was not suspected as a diagnosis.
Autologous versus synthetic cranioplasty
Authors: Zafar Arif , Strickland Samantha , Achawal Shailendra
Published: September 2023

Background. Cranioplasty has been described in history as far back as the 16th century. The use of autologous cranioplasty has been published since 1821 and is still under practice today worldwide. Recent evidence however has suggested increased complication and revision rates with the use of autologous bone. We compared our results of autologous cranioplasty versus synthetic material.
Methods. A retrospective study was carried out of cranioplasty procedures at our unit between August 2009 and March 2018. Bone flaps were placed in a sterile sealed plastic container and stored at -81 degrees. Swabs and bone chips were used for cultures and bone flap disposed if positive. On re-implantation, the bone was thawed at room temperature and soaked in gentamicin. Synthetic cranioplasties were constructed using thin-slice CT to design a custom flap for each patient.
Results. 144 cranioplasties were studied. 51 own bone and 93 synthetic. The average delay in cranioplasty was 286 days (Range 16 – 1264 days). The overall complication rate for all 144 cranioplasties was 20.8%; Autologous 31.4% and synthetic 15.1%; p 0.031. Bone flap infection rate overall for all 144 cases was 9.7% - Autologous 11.8% and Synthetic 8.6%; p 0.565. The revision rate was found to be 13.2% overall; 23.5% for autologous and 7.5% for synthetic. The difference in revision rate was found to be statistically significant (p 0.01).
Conclusion. Revision rate and overall complication rate were higher in the own bone group with P<0.05. There was no difference in infection. Our results mirror recent publications and should be considered when undertaking a cranioplasty.
An insight into artificial intelligence and its role in neurosurgery
Authors: Khizar Ahtesham
Published: September 2023

To acquire a wide range of technical skills, neurosurgeons undergo extensive and drawn-out training. Additionally, neurosurgery necessitates a significant amount of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative clinical data collection, decision-making, care, and recovery. The significance of artificial intelligence in neurosurgery has significantly increased during the past ten years. The potential of artificial intelligence to improve diagnostic and prognostic outcomes in neurosurgery is quite promising. It is important to clinical therapy because it helps neurosurgeons make crucial decisions during surgical interventions to improve patient outcomes and it enhances their abilities to give patients the finest interventional and non-interventional care possible. Furthermore, the acquisition, processing, and storage of clinical and experimental data are all greatly influenced by artificial intelligence. Its application in neurosurgery can lower surgical care expenses and offer top-notch medical treatment to a larger population. This article examines the use of artificial intelligence in preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care for both interventional and non-interventional aspects of neurosurgery, including diagnosis, clinical decision-making, surgical operation, prognosis, data collection, and research in the field.
The first and foremost unilateral pallidothalamic tractotomy done in India for Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Chamraj Sanjiv , Srinivasan Sharan
Published: September 2023

Background. Pallidothalamic tractotomy” can be effective in Parkinson’s disease by exhibiting anti-parkinsonian effects.
Case presentation. The patient was a 53 years old gentleman, having Parkinson’s disease for the last 14 years. The disease onset was on the left side and slowly moved to the right side. He had tremors, slowness of body movements and stiffness of the movements. The first right Pallidotomy was done in January 2019. There was a noticeable improvement in a few weeks. He continued to have symptoms on the right side. The preoperative Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part 3 score in 2019 was 53 while the postoperative score was only 26 showing drastic improvement after right Pallidotomy. After 2 years of the first surgery, a new technique called Pallido Thalamic Tractotomy (PTT), an MRI-guided stereotactic surgery was done on the left side. Tremors reduced gradually by 99% in 3 weeks after surgery. This is the first case of PTT performed on a patient with Parkinson’s disease in India.
Conclusion. PTT is an effective procedure in PD that acts by disconnecting the pallidothalamic tract. Unilateral pallidothalamic tractotomy done on the left side improved contralateral side rigidity, tremors and bradykinesia.
L'occupation de Livourne par les troupes napolitaines et le journal de Daniel de Medina (Ancien du Consistoire du Département de la Méditerranée) février-avril 1814
Authors: Laras Giuseppe
Published: September 2023

Livourne en février-avril 1814, pendant l'occupation par les troupes napolitaines de Murat aux jours de l'écroulement de l'empire napoléonien ; situation vue à travers le Journal de D. de Medina, notable de la communauté israélite de la ville ; texte présenté et édité, accompagné de quarante-six pièces d'archives illustrant les événements en question.
Adolphe Crémieux, l'Alliance Israélite Universelle et les Juifs de Roumanie au début du règne de Carol Hohenzollern Sigmaringen
Authors: Iancu Carol
Published: September 2023

Dans une importante introduction sont présentées les lignes directrices qui ponctuèrent l'histoire des Juifs roumains entre 1848 et 1866. La situation de la communauté juive au début du règne de Carol Hohenzollern Sigmaringen est analysée à travers plusieurs lettres inédites et autographes, envoyées par Adolphe Crémieux, Léonce Lehmann, Eugène Manuel et Moses Montefiore à Emile Picot, secrétaire français du Prince.

Cette correspondance et son étude jettent une lumière nouvelle, d'une part sur la personnalité de celui qui le premier en France au XIXe siècle posa les jalons d'une solidarité juive agissante, et d'autre part sur l'attitude de l'Alliance et l'intérêt porté à la question par trois de ses éminents membres. Elle éclaire également la politique libérale de la France et met en relief le rôle d'Émile Picot. Grâce à Adolphe Crémieux et à l'Alliance israélite universelle qui prennent leur cause en mains, les Juifs roumains sortent de leur obscurité et entrent dans l'orbite du Judaïsme européen.
L'inventaire de la bibliothèque et du mobilier d'un médecin juif d'Aix-en-Provence au milieu du XVe siècle
Authors: Iancu Danièle
Published: September 2023

Le document que nous présentons, extrait des minutes du notaire Jean de Urchis conservées aux Archives départementales des Bouches-du-Rhône, contient l'inventaire après décès des biens mobiliers d' Astruc de Sestiers, médecin juif aixois.

Ce sont surtout ses livres qui, par leur nombre (179 ouvrages) et leur diversité, composent une bibliothèque extrêmement fournie, la plus importante explicitée à ce jour. En effet, les 174 volumes que nous avons pu identifier portent autant sur les disciplines traditionnelles, la littérature talmudique et rabbinique, que sur la philosophie, les sciences (physique, mathématiques, astronomie) ou la médecine qui, elle, est abondamment représentée.

Un tel témoignage de culture et d'érudition, quelque cinquante années avant l'expulsion des Juifs, confirme ce que l'on savait déjà sur la Provence, foyer d'intense vie, d'effervescence et d'échanges intellectuels au Moyen Age.

Miroir des préoccupations spirituelles d'un médecin juif aixois au milieu du xve siècle (1439), ce document a en outre le mérite de nous le situer dans son environnement matériel (ses biens meubles nous sont détaillés) et dans ses relations quotidiennes avec le milieu extérieur (la liste de ses dettes et créances est fournie) ; il constitue une pièce de choix pour l'histoire des mentalités.

D'autres sources nous ont permis la reconstitution en Annexe d'une précieuse généalogie sur la famille d'Astruc de Sestiers.
Methodological approaches to assessing economic security in foreign trade
Authors: Zverev Alexey , Kuznetsova Olga , Mishina Maria , Rebrina Tatiana , Aleshin Evgeny
Published: September 2023

Economic security of foreign trade can be measured through a set of different special indicators with no standardised composition and regulations. The purpose of the study is to analyse the existing methods for assessing the level of economic security in the sphere of foreign trade and to develop an optimal system of indicators for its identification. The research involved scientific publications by national and foreign scholars, official statistical data in the field of Russian export and import as well as the following methods – monography, observation, comparison, economic analysis, analogue and hypothetical modelling. The article assesses various indicators for assessing economic security in foreign trade, applied in Russia and abroad. The authors identified the most informative indicators, proposed a number of threshold requirements for them; included two additional indicators (increment rate of counterfeit goods, share of counterfeit goods in imports), developed a rating-based approach to identify high, average, low, critical and catastrophic levels of economic security in the sphere of export/import operations. Foreign trade is an important activity for any state; however, it involves a number of risks and threats to be carefully assessed and minimised. Therefore, it is necessary to select efficient ways of assessing economic security in foreign trade transactions.