Recent Articles

In order to verify the effect of heating on the effect of coal seam extraction,based on the theory of elasticity, seepage mechanics and heat transfer,a Thermal-Hydrological-Mechanical coupling model for gas extraction in high temperature field is established.The numerical simulation was carried out in the engineering background of Qinghe coal mine in China.The changes situation of gas pressure and permeability under the conditions of different heating temperature were calculated respectively.The following conclusions are drawn:(1) The coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical model of gas drainage under temperature field is established, and the gas drainage effect under different working conditions is verified by numerical simulation.(2)When the heating temperature is below 453K, the high temperature can increase the permeability of coal seam,but it can not greatly increase the permeability of coal seam, and it has little effect on the reduction of coal seam gas pressure. It shows that the method of increasing coal seam permeability by heating coal can not reach the expected effect.

Climate is one of the most important factors that influence and determine the behavior, abundance and distribution of species, as well as having a strong influence on the ecology of habitats and ecosystems structure. Changes in the behavior, abundance and distribution of species are linked to climate. Diversity and plant species are highly interlinked and the relationship between biodiversity and climate change should be explored from several perspectives. This variety provides the building blocks to adapt to changing environmental conditions which are caused due to climate change. Conserved habitats can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thus helping to address climate change by storing carbon in the plant biomass. Climate is one of the major limiting factors which determine the survival and growth of plants. The conservation and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystem services can play a key role in helping societies to adapt to climate change. Biodiversity is affected by climate change, but biodiversity, through the ecosystem services and function it supports, also makes an important contribution to both climate-change mitigation and adaptation. Maintenance of agro-biodiversity and carbon sequestration through the process of photosynthesis is the two important and complementary environmental services of agro-ecosystems. Climate change affects biodiversity and one of the causes of biodiversity loss. At the same time climate change will accelerate further if biodiversity and ecosystems are not effectively protected. Generally due to the variation of genetic makeup within pants, different plant species diversity plays a great role in climate change adaption and mitigation process.

Kenya Constitution (2010) devolved the management of Early Childhood Development Education (ECE) to county governments. The 2014 County ECE Education Bill mandated the Country Governments with several responsibilities of managing ECE services. These included ensuring: all schools have a functional feeding programme; safety of all children; more teachers are employed to reduce the teacher-pupil ratio; quality assurance services are provided promptly; teachers undertake professional development courses including those of handling learners with special needs; all preschools are registered; and teachers are appropriately remunerated. However, various challenges continue to undermine implementation of ECE programmes at county level. Emile Durkheim’s Structural Functionalism Theory (1858-1971) informed the study and so points out that an institution should be structured in a way that various bodies are put in place so that each functions on behalf of the society. Findings indicate that Uasin Gishu County Government needs to put in more effort in order boost its current ECE provision services.

Introduction: Panniculitis is the inflammation of subcutaneous adipose tissue which is caused by many infectious and inflammatory conditions. It is high time to document panniculitis in the skin lesions with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Sri Lanka. Objectives: This study was performed to assess demographic data and to describe panniculitis in patients with CL. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was done from 2013 to March 2018 at Teaching Hospital Kandy, Sri Lanka. The skin biopsies clinically suspected as CL evaluated histologically for diagnostic or indicative evidence of CL, and patients responded completely to the specific anti-leishmaniasis treatment were taken as the study population. Skin biopsies of 123 patients were assessed in view of dermal granulomata, Leishman-Donovan bodies and panniculitis. Results: The majority of patients were in the age group of 36 to 50 years (N= 36:29.3%: mean=41.64 years: SD18.15 years) and there was a slight female predominance in the study (N=65:52.8%). A majority of skin biopsies revealed Granulomata (N=95: 77.2%). Leishmania Donovan bodies were identified among 43.1% of the lesions (N=53). Though there were 123 patients, only 66 (53.6%) skin biopsies were deeper enough to reveal subcutaneous tissue. A significant amount of skin lesions showed subcutaneous tissue inflammation (N=59:89.39%), predominantly non-granulomatous in morphology (N=44:74.6%). Conclusion: Subcutaneous tissue inflammatory infiltrates in the non-granulomatous morphology is an important feature of the skin biopsies of CL especially in the granulomatous variant of the CL, which can be achieved by a deeper elliptical biopsy.

Sweet Syndrome (SS) (acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis) is an inflammatory disorder characterized by the appearance of painful, edematous, and erythematous papules, plaques, or nodules on the skin. It might also cause fever and internal organs’ involvement. There are three clinical settings in which SS has been described: classical or idiopathic, malignancy-associ¬ated and drug-induced. (1) SS is described in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), and is a rare side effect of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), which causes differentiation of promyelocytes and used in therapy of APL. ATRA may also cause Differentiation Syndrome (DS), previously called retinoic acid syndrome, and there is overlap with SS. (2) There is a limited number of case reports describing SS in association with DS. We present here a case of SS associated with DS in a patient with APL treated with ATRA.

Circadian rhythms of the organism functions cause its adaptation to changes in environmental lighting. The pineal gland is a key regulator of the circadian rhythms of the immune system. The thymus, its central organ, is the source of some hormones, in particular, the highly active thymic serum factor / thymulin. Therefore, the issues of age-related changes in the circadian intra-immune relationships with thymus involvement and the possibility of melatonin influence not only on the above links but also on the glucocorticoids hormones with adaptive effect require an in-depth analysis. Discussed are the literature data and our own findings how age-related changes in the circadian rhythms of thymus endocrine and adrenal gland glucocorticoid functions are linked with the melatonin-forming function of the pineal gland in healthy animals of different species (mice, rats, rabbits) and humans. The similar manifestations of the above interactions in healthy animals and humans demonstrate the biological significance of the pineal gland for the supporting circadian rhythms of the thymus and adrenal gland functions in the adult organism. The correlation of age-related changes in circadian rhythmicity of pineal gland in healthy animals and human, on the one hand, with the thymus and adrenal glands, on the other hand, has been demonstrated. In addition, the decrease of age-related disorders in the thymulin and glucocorticoid blood levels under the influence of pineal gland factors (melatonin and peptides) was shown. Thus, (a) the thymus endocrine function does not completely disappear in the old organisms and it responds to the effects of melatonin and peptide factors of the pineal gland and (b) age-related pineal gland desynchronosis has pathogenic significance for the formation of circadian disturbances in the thymus hormones and glucocorticoids.

Goblet Cell Carcinoid (GCC) is a rare, low grade malignancy, and GCC presenting as a small bowel obstruction (SBO) is incredibly rare. Hereby, we presenting a 68-year-old male presented to our Emergency Department with a one-day history of right sided abdominal pain, distention and vomiting, he had no previous abdominal surgery and had no significant other medical problem. Abdominal Computed Tomography (CT) demonstrated a high grade, closed loop small bowel obstruction involving the terminal segment of the ileum, and a low-density appendiceal nodule. He had laparoscopy converted to open caecectomy, the histology, confirmed the diagnosis of Goblet Cell Carcinoid of the appendix, eventually he had right hemicolectomy, progressed well, and made a good post-operative recovery, discharged home. As presentation of GCC of the appendix with sbo is a very rare incidence, we discussed this through a case report with its immunohistochemical, behavioral features, presentation and treatment options.

Pigeon pea is a perennial tropical crop primarily grown in Asia and Africa, and its seeds are consumed as a rich source of protein and carbohydrates both in fresh and dried forms. It has been used as an important part of the folk and traditional medicine in India, China, and South America to prevent and treat various human diseases. This crop has been successfully grown in some southeastern states but still considered as a novel pulse here in the US with the majority of the work focused on its non-consumable parts like leaves, stems, and roots. Literature studies indicate that pigeon pea has the potential to prevent and treat many human diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia, measles, hepatitis, yellow fever, ulcers, diabetes, and certain forms of cancer. Nutritionally along with protein and fiber, it has a decent number of health-promoting phytochemicals. Foremost phytochemicals found in pigeon pea seeds are phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and phytic acid. These minor components predominately exhibit antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory activities. It is an excellent source of inexpensive plant-based protein. Some studies describe the bioactive role of protein fractions, especially as an antihyperglycemic factor. Seeds are the edible and non-perishable part of this crop with the feasibility of addition in food products. Functional properties of the pigeon pea flour make it a suitable ingredient for food products like bread, pasta, and nutritional bars which can make it a gluten-free substitute for cereals.

Hypokalemia is a common finding in hospitalized patients. In most cases the cause will be obvious. However, in a subgroup of patients the cause is occasionally uncertain and establishing the diagnosis may present difficulties and can become a challenge. In such cases, measurement of urinary indices e.g. trans-tubular potassium gradient [TTKG] and random urine potassium/creatinine concentrations along with blood acid/base parameters and assessment of urinary excretion of potassium, chloride, calcium and creatinine have been employed in the differential diagnosis. TTKG and urine potassium/creatinine ratio are used as a rapid appropriate index of potassium excretion and to establish a proper diagnosis and management in this medical emergency. It helps to differentiate between hypokalemia caused by redistribution or renal potassium wasting. Urinary chloride excretion and urinary calcium/creatinine ratio in conjunction with plasma acid/base values, aldosterone, renin and cortisol values are used for narrowing the differential diagnosis of refractory hypokalemia. Conclusions: Calculating the trans-tubular potassium concentration gradient, urinary potassium/creatinine ratio, urinary chloride excretion and urinary calcium/creatinine ratio in conjunction with plasma acid/base values provided simple and reliable tests for differential diagnosis of causes of refractory hypokalemia and to provide a proper management in the intensive care unit and in the emergency until advanced further tests to be done.

Epithelioid hemangioma (EH) is a rare benign tumor involving the blood vessels and surrounding epithelioid cells. Epitheloid hemangioma, also called histiocytoid hemangioma, angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALHE), is a very rare benign tumor in maxillofacial region. There is a controversy in regards to correct diagnosis of an epithelioid hemangioma (EH), particularly when arising in skeletal locations, because of aggressive clinical characteristics, including multifocal presentation and occasional lymph node involvement. Specifically, its distinction from epithelioid hemangio-endothelioma (EHE) has been controversial. In literature we did not find a case where EH involves maxilla. However, there are few cases reported in which EH involved maxillary sinus and nasal cavity. We will present a case of 21 year old male, who came to our Department with a lesion in frontal maxillary region. He underwent surgery four times, wide excision, and with four different histopathology results. The last result was ephiteloid hemangioma with metaplastic bone formation – a very rare benign lesion in oral region, but clinically with very aggressive nature.