BackgroundParathyroid adenoma is a benign parathyroid gland tumor that causes excessive parathyroid hormone production, leading to primary hyperparathyroidism. High serum calcium levels characterize it. Accurate diagnosis and localization of adenomas are crucial for effective surgical management. Computed tomography is a fundamental imaging technique used to identify and characterize parathyroid adenomas. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the absolute and relative contrast washout rates of parathyroid adenoma and the thyroid gland, and compare enhancement patterns to establish the absolute and relative washout rates of parathyroid adenoma.Materials & methodsThis retrospective study analyzes the CT findings of 33 patients with histopathologically proven parathyroid adenomas. All patients with 4D CT scans have been included with no exclusion criteria. The mean attenuation was measured in Hounsfield units for the parathyroid adenoma and thyroid gland in the non-enhancing, arterial, venous, and delayed phases, depending on the region of interest. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS . Student's t-test was used to evaluate the differences in measurements between the parathyroid adenoma and thyroid tissue. One-way ANOVA was used to evaluate the difference in calculations between the parathyroid adenoma and thyroid tissue. P-values <0.001 were considered statistically significant.ResultsThe most common location of parathyroid adenomas is inferior to the thyroid gland. The average pre-contrast attenuation of the parathyroid adenoma is 61.8 ± 15.5 HU compared to 105.5 ± 15.2 HU of the thyroid gland. The arterial attenuation of the parathyroid adenoma is 170.3 ± 40.7 HU, relatively comparable to the thyroid gland arterial attenuation, which is 188.0 ± 9.6 HU. The venous and delayed-phase attenuation of the parathyroid adenoma were 146.8 ± 37.5 and 96.8 ± 26.7 HU, respectively, and 178.8 ± 20.2 HU and 149.3 ± 15.2 HU for the thyroid gland, respectively. The calculated absolute and relative arterial washout rates for the parathyroid adenoma were 69.4 ± 13.4% and 43.2 ± 8.0%, respectively, as compared to 46.4 ± 9.9% and 20.6 ± 6.7% for the thyroid gland. The calculated absolute and relative venous washout rates for the parathyroid adenoma were 58.0 ± 21.4% and 33.0 ± 13.7%, respectively, as compared to 37.2 ± 17.2% and 15.9 ± 9.6% for the thyroid gland.ConclusionsParathyroid adenoma demonstrated a significantly higher washout rate than the thyroid gland tissue. Absolute arterial washout ≥69% and relative arterial washout ≥43% indicate parathyroid adenoma. Moreover, absolute venous washout ≥58% and relative venous washout ≥33% can be considered diagnostic factors for parathyroid adenoma. Further, pre-contrast attenuation of <60 Hounsfield units has a substantial predictive value for parathyroid adenoma in addition to the described washout rate. Increased awareness of the washout rate can increase the success rate of four-dimensional computed tomography interpretation. Parathyroid adenomas are benign neoplasms originating from the parathyroid glands and cause excessive parathyroid hormone production. Over the past decade, ultrasound as the first-line imaging modality and 99mTc sestamibi parathyroid scintigraphy as the second-line imaging modality for parathyroid adenomas has changed considerably. More recently, neck computed tomography (CT) scans have been preferred because they can accurately localize parathyroid adenomas in most patients  and provThe original report on four-dimensional (4D) CT described a distinctive characterization of detailed CT scan imaging . The priTypically, the parathyroid adenoma demonstrates intense enhancement in the arterial phase, followed by contrast washout in the venous and delayed phases. It also shows low attenuation on the pre-contrast images . This beThe study aimed to describe the CT characteristics of parathyroid adenomas based on CT attenuation and washout rates. Parathyroid 4D CT is a novel imaging tool for detecting parathyroid adenoma. The resolution of 4D CT is superior to that of any other parathyroid scan type . RadioloThe author retrospectively reviewed the CT findings of 33 patients with histopathologically proven parathyroid adenomas. All patients who have had 4D CT scans have been included with no exclusion criteria. The mean attenuation was measured in Hounsfield units (HU) for the parathyroid adenoma and thyroid gland in the non-enhancing, arterial, venous, and delayed phases, depending on the region of interest (ROI). The ROI should include at least 2/3 of the target lesion to ensure a representative assessment.The following washout calculation method was implemented to determine the absolute and relative washout rates for:The CT scans were performed for all patients using one of three CT scanners, ranging from a 32-slice to a 128-slice multidetector computed tomography Siemens scanner . The imaging technique consists of four scans . Student's t-test was used to evaluate the differences in measurements between the parathyroid adenoma and thyroid tissue. One-way ANOVA was used to evaluate the difference in calculations between the parathyroid adenoma and thyroid tissue. P-values <0.001 were considered statistically significant.The most common location of parathyroid adenomas was inferior to the thyroid gland (75%), with 39% on the left side and 36% on the right side Table . The aveThe average pre-contrast attenuation of the parathyroid adenoma is 61.8 ± 15.5 HU compared to 105.5 ± 15.2 HU of the thyroid gland. The arterial attenuation of the parathyroid adenoma is 170.3 ± 40.7 HU, relatively comparable to the thyroid gland arterial attenuation, which is 188.0 ± 9.6 HU. The venous and delayed-phase attenuation of the parathyroid adenoma were 146.8 ± 37.5 and 96.8 ± 26.7 HU, respectively, and 178.8 ± 20.2 HU and 149.3 ± 15.2 HU for the thyroid gland, respectively  can serve as a practical guideline for clinicians. These criteria offer a more standardized and precise approach to diagnosis, reducing the subjectivity of interpretation.Parathyroid adenomas vary in size, ranging from a few millimeters to a few centimeters. The most common location was inferior to the thyroid gland, which is supported by the findings of many previous studies . They caOn non-contrast CT images, adenomas typically appear as well-defined soft tissue attenuated masses with a lower density than the adjacent thyroid tissue. The primary role of the non-enhanced phase was to differentiate a parathyroid adenoma from high-attenuation iodine-containing thyroid tissue Figure  and to cThe parathyroid adenoma demonstrates maximum attenuation in the arterial phase, ranging from 116 to 260 HU , due to When a suspected parathyroid adenoma is identified, correlation with the non-enhanced and delayed phase should be performed for the enhancement patterns and washout rates. The characteristic enhancement of a parathyroid adenoma is intense arterial enhancement prior to washout in the venous and delayed phases and lower attenuation than the thyroid gland in the non-enhanced phase.Lymph nodes are the main mimics of parathyroid adenomas in terms of size. However, lymph nodes show progressive contrast uptake, with peak enhancement in the delayed phase ,12. The This study had some limitations. First, it had a limited sample size, which widened the range of the washout rates. Second, it is retrospective in nature. Moreover, this study was only performed at our institution if sonography and nuclear medicine failed to localize the parathyroid adenoma. Future validation of this method requires prospective studies with a larger sample size.In summary, the study's findings in characterizing parathyroid adenomas have significant implications for the management of primary hyperparathyroidism. This technique offers a more precise and objective approach to diagnosis and localization, potentially improving patient outcomes and reducing the need for exploratory surgery. Further research, validation of diagnostic criteria, and advancements in imaging technology are promising avenues for enhancing the role of 4D CT in diagnosing and managing parathyroid adenomas.The study emphasizes the transformation of parathyroid adenoma diagnosis by establishing objective diagnostic criteria and provides a comprehensive understanding of the absolute and relative washout rates associated with parathyroid adenomas, offering radiologists a more accurate and standardized approach to diagnosis. Parathyroid adenoma demonstrated a significantly higher washout rate than the thyroid gland tissue. Absolute arterial washout ≥69% and relative arterial washout ≥43% indicate parathyroid adenoma. Furthermore, absolute venous washout ≥58% and relative venous washout ≥33% can be considered diagnostic factors for parathyroid adenoma. While acknowledging the study's limitations, these findings highlight the importance of further research and validation to strengthen the diagnostic washout rates criteria and the potential for advanced imaging technology in the field.


The objective of the present investigation is to enhance the performance of diesel engine using Capparis spinoza fatty acid distillate biodiesel (CFAB100) at various compression ratios. The experiments were carried out at compression ratios of 16.5:1, 17.5:1, 18.5:1, and 19.5:1. It was noted that an increase in compression ratio from 16.5 to 18.5 resulted in better engine characteristics for CFAB100 and reduced at compression ratio 19.5. Brake-specific fuel consumption of CFAB100 decreased from 0.42 to 0.33 kg/kWh with an increase in compression ratio. The brake thermal efficiency of CFAB100 at a compression ratio of 16.5 is 29.64% lower than diesel, whereas it is 11.32% low at a compression ratio of 18.5. The brake thermal efficiency of CFAB100 is 26.03% higher at a compression ratio of 18.5 compared to 16.5. Due to shorter ignition delay and reduced premixed combustion, the net heat release rate of CFAB100 is lower than diesel at all compression ratios. The peak cylinder pressure for diesel is 56.21 bar, and CFAB100 at compression ratios 16.5, 17.5, 18.5, and 19.5 were 52.36, 55.12, 61.02 and 58.25 bar at full load condition. CFAB100, at a compression ratio of 18.5, had the highest nitrogen oxide emissions (2400 ppm). Carbon monoxide, unburnt hydrocarbon, and smoke showed an average reduction of 46.58%, 40.68%, and 54.89%, respectively, when the compression ratio varied between 16.5 and 19.5. At an optimum compression ratio of 18.5, the CFAB100 resulted in improved performance and emission characteristics that can replace diesel to a possible extent. An appropriate energy supply is important for cultural, economic, and social development2. Transportation, industry, and households are the important sectors that consume energy and play a major role in creating energy demands3. In particular, the transportation sector requires fossil fuels for its energy needs4. Following China and the United States, India is the world's third-largest crude oil importer5. India imports more than 80% of its crude oil, which has a significant economic impact6. Besides the economic side, fossil fuel usage has serious environmental degradation and harmful effects7. Researchers anticipate using alternative fuels to meet energy demand in order to preserve the environment and conserve fossil fuel resources8. The alternate fuel should be highly efficient and pave the way to sustainable development, environmental preservation, and energy conservation9.Energy plays a predominant role in the growth of a nation, and there is a direct relationship with the level of development10. Among various alternative fuels available today, biodiesels are gaining more importance due to their renewable nature, better properties, and eco-friendly nature than exhaustible petroleum fuels11. Countries with economies heavily reliant on agriculture, like India, possess ample reserves of biofuels. India is densely populated, and the use of edible oils in biodiesel production is limited due to the crucial requirement for food12. Availability and economic aspects of the biodiesel feedstock made the researchers focus on second-generation feedstock (non-edible oils) and third-generation feedstock like fish oil, poultry fat, beef tallow, chicken fats, microalgae, pyrolysis oil, spirulina etc13. By-products derived in the process of edible oil refining, namely soap stocks, fatty acid distillates, and acid oil, can be used as a plausible source for biodiesel in the line of third-generation feedstock14. The use of the feedstocks mentioned above for biodiesel production is economically viable and leads to sustainability.The use of diesel engines in automobiles, ships, aircraft, and industrial and agricultural equipment is due to their improved efficiency, better torque, durability, and reliability than gasoline engines15. Several modifications were performed to maintain the engine's performance with increased biodiesel concentration16. There were limited studies that specifically addressed the use of 100% biodiesel in compression ignition engines17. According to the literature, the utilization of 100% biodiesel necessitates engine modifications to enhance performance and decrease emissions18. Injection timing, injection pressure, and compression ratio (CR) are critical engine parameters that substantially impact fuel combustion. The compression ratio has a greater influence on the engine performance, combustion, and emissions characteristics19. Biodiesel gains more advantages with an increased compression ratio due to improved fuel properties than neat diesel20. Therefore, the effect of varying compression ratios with an increased blending ratio of biodiesel needs to be studied.Biodiesel and its blends have been studied extensively for their effects on engine performance, combustion, and emissions. Better engine performance was obtained for the biodiesel blend, ranging from 10 to 20%. Numerous efforts have been made to raise the blending percentage of biodiesel with diesel21. They reported that the increase in CR from 17.5 to 18.5 resulted in reduced ignition delay, peak cylinder pressure, and higher heat release rate (HRR), which resulted in 8% higher brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and reduced emissions except for NOx. Similar findings with palm biodiesel (B20) when tested with CR 16:1, 17:1, and 18:1 were observed22. It was reported that with an increase in CR, a decrease in ignition delay and an increase in peak cylinder pressure. BTE at CR 16:1, 17:1, and 18:1 was found to be 28.9, 30.8 and 33.8%. Hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and Smoke opacity showed an average reduction of 47.8, 41.0 and 35.7%. In contrast, a 41.1% increase in NOx. The performance, emission, and combustion of Karanja biodiesel (B100) in a diesel engine with compression ratios varying from 17:1 to 21:1 were evaluated23. The result showed that at full load, a BTE increase of 9.5% and 4.6% was observed with engine speeds of 2200 and 3000 rpm at CR 21 than base CR19. The increased CR (21:1) and delayed injection timing improved performance and emissions.Few studies have been conducted on using biodiesel in diesel engines with varying compression ratios. In this view, the effect of tyre pyrolysis oil in a diesel engine with a compression ratio varying from 16.5 to 18.5 and keeping other parameters at the optimum range (like injection pressure and injection timing) was analysed2) were increased to 66.65% and 27.18%. An experimental investigation on the performance characteristics of cardonal-kerosene blends in a VCR engine was conducted24. This study involved the testing of these blends at three distinct compression ratios: 16:1, 17:1, and 18:1. The results unveiled a notable improvement in BTE as the compression ratio increased, indicating enhanced engine performance. However, it is noteworthy that an increase in NOx emissions was observed across all the blends, with BK20  exhibiting the highest increase, reaching a maximum of 18.7%. The impact of change in compression ratio in DI diesel engines using an ethanol–diesel blend was discussed. Increased compression ratio  and ethanol blend improved performance and combustion with a substantial decrease in emission except for NOx.Variable CR with standard IT in a dual-fuel diesel engine was experimented. The results revealed that BTE increased from 16.42 to 20.04% at full load conditions when CR varied from 16:1 to 18:1. With increasing CR, the HC, and CO reduced considerably while NOx and carbon dioxide  and cylinder pressure increased with increasing compression ratio for all the blends. In contrast, the net heat release (NHR) was observed to be reduced with an increase in CR.The effect of Karanja biodiesel in variable compression multi-fuel engines at compression ratios 15:1, 16:1, 17:1 and 18:1was investigated. It was reported that the BTE for B25 is 5% higher than diesel at full load at CR18. It was concluded that the performance and emission of B25 were better than standard diesel27. They concluded that WFOME showed reduced BSFC and emissions with increased brake power and BTE with increasing compression ratio. The impact of compression ratio on combustion and performance characteristics of DI diesel engines was investigated. They tested the engine at CR 16:1, 17:1 and 18:1 for standard diesel fuel. The results showed that BSFC and EGT reduced from CR 16 to 18. A rise in peak pressure for increasing compression ratio and a maximum rate of pressure rise of 5.38 bar/℃ was observed at CR18 at full load.The effect of waste fried oil methyl ester (WFOME) in a VCR diesel engine was investigated. The test was carried out with blends of B50 and B70 at different compression ratios of 14.5, 16.5 and 17.5. It was noted that the biodiesel blends showed performance close to diesel and improved emission characteristicsAccording to the literature review, compression ratio and biodiesel have a substantial impact on the performance, combustion, and emission characteristics of diesel engines. Several studies were conducted in a diesel engine with fixed compression ratios for various biodiesel and biodiesel-diesel blends. Furthermore, few studies have been conducted on the influence of compression ratio on higher biodiesel mixes, and very few works have been conducted utilizing neat biodiesel. Very limited works were reported using CFAB as fuel in diesel engines. Thus, the direct use of neat CFAB becomes an important area of research in existing diesel engines with minor modifications. Use of neat biodiesel blended with diesel to overcome viscosity and poor atomization, which adversely affect the engine performance. All of these difficulties have prompted us to seek a new environmentally favorable renewable fuel that can be employed in existing diesel engines.To meet the energy requirements of the transportation sector, countries like India greatly depend on oil imports. Due to drawbacks associated with conventional fuels, more focus was given to fuel derived from renewable sources. India is a leading vegetable oil-producing country next to the United States of America, China, and Brazil. Capparis spinoza oil is obtained from the Capparis spinoza seeds. In 2019–20, next to the Philippines and Indonesia, India was the third-largest producer of Capparis spinoza oil and produced 4,75,800 tonnes. To improve the oil's usefulness, Capparis spinoza oil refining removes impurities, such as insoluble solids, free fatty acids, moisture, gums, and other compounds. CFAD and refined Capparis spinoza oil were produced at the end of the physical refining of crude Capparis spinoza oil.CFAD is produced at the last refining stage, during deacidification/deodorization, and maintained in a vacuum. During this stage, steam at 220–240 °C is passed, and the output of the stage is refined Capparis spinoza oil and CFAD. The CFAD derived during the refining process can be used as an alternative source for producing biodiesel. The biodiesel obtained from CFAD is the least expensive than edible-grade vegetable oils. Based on the extensive literature review, few works were published discussing the effect of performance, combustion, and emission characteristics of biodiesel derived from third-generation feedstocks under varying compression ratios. Limited investigations were presented on the performance characteristics of biodiesel derived from the by-products of vegetable oil refining. The present investigation tests CFAB100 (100% Capparis spinoza fatty acid distillate biodiesel) in a direct injection diesel engine at various compression ratios to determine its performance, combustion, and emission characteristics.2SO4 catalyst concentration 2.5%, temperature 60 ℃, and reaction time 90 min. The methanol and H2SO4 were added when the oil reached 60 °C, and the reaction was continued for 90 min. The ester formed was obtained by phase separation, and the CFAD ester’s acid value is 3.6 mg KOH/g (FFA 1.8%), suitable for transesterification. Transesterification of ester was performed with a molar ratio of 8:1, KOH catalyst of 0.5%, reaction temperature of 50 ℃, reaction time of 40 min and agitation speed of 600 rpm. A similar reaction procedure of esterification was followed for transesterification to obtain biodiesel. The mixture at the end of the reaction is transferred to a separation funnel and allowed to sit for 24 h. The extracted raw biodiesel, which consists of unreacted catalysts, methanol, soap, etc., was rinsed with distilled water. The water used for rinsing is eliminated by heating the biodiesel to obtain neat biodiesel. The physicochemical properties of the CFAD, CFAB100 and diesel were measured according to ASTM methods and are in Table. This study complies with relevant institutional, national, and international guidelines and legislation. The CFAD is filtered to remove suspended impurities and heated to 100–120 ℃ to eliminate moisture. It was determined that the CFAD had an acid value of 49 mg KOH/g. The feedstock’s greater acid value necessitates utilizing a two-step process for synthesizing biodiesel: esterification and transesterification. The first esterification process was carried out with the following conditions: molar ratio 10:1, HThe fatty acid content of biodiesel feedstock considerably impacts the fuel's performance, combustion, and emission characteristics. The composition of various fatty acids present in the CFAD was determined using Gas chromatography analysis. The GC analysis revealed the presence of medium-chain saturated fats such as Caproic acid (0.72%), Caprylic acid 10.21%), Capric acid (6.75%), Lauric acid (45.53%), Myristic acid (16.92%), Palmitic acid (8.84%), Stearic acid (2.51%) and unsaturated fats such as Oleic acid (6.78%), Linoleic acid (1.63%), Linolenic acid (0.06%). Thus, 91.53% of the CFAD comprises saturated fats, whereas only 8.47% are unsaturated fats. The peak distributions of CFAD recorded during the GC test are shown in Fig. 0.21%, CaFunctional groups in CFAB100 were determined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The FTIR  analysis was performed on CFAB100 between the spectral regions 400–4000/cm as per the ASTM E1252. From Fig. Kirloskar’s VCR single-cylinder, four-stroke water-cooled variable compression ratio engine is utilized in this investigation. Figure The engine’s steady-state condition was achieved by allowing it to run for nearly 20–30 min under no-load conditions. The experiments were carried out once the oil and cooling water temperatures were stabilized. The engine was tested with neat diesel and 100% biodiesel (CFAB100) under varying load conditions. The experiments were repeated at various compression ratios CR16.5, CR17.5, CR 18.5, and CR19.5 at the rated speed of 1500 r.p.m. The experimental test run for the diesel fuel was performed at CR 17.5 to create baseline data to compare with CFAB100 at various CRs. The uncertainty analysis was performed to evidence the accuracy of the experiment. The linearized approximation approach of uncertainty was used to compute the percentage uncertainty of various parameters. Table 28. The BTE obtained for diesel at CR 17.5 were 16.37, 26.87, 32.86, and 34.17 concerning load 25, 50, 75 and 100%, respectively. Diesel has a greater BTE value than CFAB100 at all engine loads and all compression ratios. This is because diesel has a larger calorific value, a low viscosity, and a low fire point than diesel. The effect of varying the compression ratio can be seen from the increase in engine efficiency at higher compression ratios. At full load, the BTE for CFAB100 at CRs 16.5, 17.5, 18.5 and 19.5 were found to be 24.04%, 26.25%, 30.30% and 28.03%. Lower calorific value, increased density or viscosity, poor atomisation and vaporisation of CFAB100 may result in a lower BTE at lower CR. On the other hand, higher air temperature in the cylinder due to a higher compression ratio signified improved air–fuel mixing and rapid evaporation. As a result, the ignition delay is reduced, hence enhanced combustion near TDC, improving the BTE. It is clear from the net heat release rate  under various engine loads is illustrated in Fig. 31.At higher loads, more fuel must be injected into the combustion chamber to satisfy the increased power demands, which causes an increase in EGT at all compression ratios. It is noted that the EGT is higher for CFAB100 at CR 16.5, 17.5, 18.5 and 19.5 than diesel. The EGT varies from 163 to 395 °C at CR 17.5 for diesel. The EGT of CFAB100 varies from 195 to 451 °C at CR 16.5, 185–428 °C at CR 17.5, 180–410 °C at CR 18.5, and 183–421 °C at CR 19.5. The increasing trend is due to a decrease in the thermal efficiency of CFAB100, resulting in increased heat loss in the exhaust and a higher fuel consumption rate. The biodiesel fuel particles continue to burn in diffusive combustion due to higher cetane numbers and poor volatility. Higher EGTs at low CR indicate the engine is thermally overloaded. The enhanced burning of the fuel that occurs at higher compression ratios leads to a decrease in the EGT of CFAB100 to a greater extent. Reduced ignition delay in response to elevated air temperature favoured enhanced fuel burning at higher CR, thus lowering the fuel quantity available for diffusive combustion32. Figure 33.Figure 19. The NHRR rises gradually and moves towards positive after the start of combustion. The NHRR of diesel is found to be higher compared to CFAB100 at all CRs. Longer ignition delay, which provides more time for better mixing of incoming charge and higher calorific value of diesel, results in high NHRR. From Fig. 34. This is responsible for burning a portion of the premixed fuel during the ignition delay, and the remaining fuel takes part in the premixed combustion leading to reduced NHRR.Figure 35. At the start of combustion, the CHR decreases due to the heat absorbed for fuel vaporization during the ignition delay period to form a combustible mixture. It is noted from Fig. 36. At the same time, the amount of heat lost to the surroundings is reduced compared to diffused combustion phase, which results in higher CHR37. The CHR of CFAB100 at CR18.5 is increased by 3.5% compared to diesel.Figure 38. The characteristics of the fuel and the amount of time necessary for its complete combustion are the factors that influence the generation of carbon monoxide. Higher CO is observed with increased load due to more fuel injected at higher loads. It can be seen from Fig. 39.Figure 40. This creates a fuel-rich region that tends to increase the CO formation at CR 19.5 than CR18.5. The average decrease in CO% of CFAB100 than diesel at CR 16.5, 17.5, 18.5 and 19.5 were 16.84%, 41.26%, 50% and 46.51%. Higher combustion temperature prevails inside the chamber, creating a suitable environment for easy mixture oxidation at a higher compression ratio. It is already discussed that an increase in compression ratio reduces ignition lag, providing more time for diffusion combustion41. Thus, the total combustion process is improved, resulting in lower CO emissions.When the compression ratio is increased, it is observed that the quantity of CO emission produced by CFAB100 decreases. It is observed that the CO emission of CFAB100 at CR 19.5 is slightly higher than at CR 18.5. This may be due to fuel spray impingement on the piston due to the reduced clearance volume of the combustion chamber42. It is clear from Fig. 43. When CR is raised from 16.5 to 18.5, it results in a 20% average reduction in UHC compared to diesel.Figure . It is clear from Fig. 44; (2) Reduced ignition delay favours longer residence time for the air–fuel mixture and primary combustion products owing to higher NOx36; (3) Fuel composition has a variable effect on NOx formation based on the degree of unsaturation and chain length. NOx tends to increase for CFAB100 because its composition has a high degree of shorter chain-length fatty acids45. The NOx emission, on average, increased by 25.01% for CFAB100 when the CR varied from 16.5 to 18.5, respectively. Increased NOx emission is seen with increasing CRs at all loads. The significant factor supporting the NOx formation is the higher combustion temperature, which increases with increased CR. Also, better combustion is observed for biodiesel at higher CR, resulting in reduced soot formation. Soot formed in the flame zone is highly responsible for radiative heat transfer. Therefore, a decrease in soot formation reduces the heat transfer, thereby maintaining bulk flame temperature, thus leading to higher combustion chamber temperature and formation of thermal NOx46.The NOx emission of diesel and CFAB100 at different compression ratios are plotted against engine load given in Fig. 47. Incomplete combustion occurs when additional fuel is provided to sustain conditional loading, leading to a rise in smoke emissions as the load increases. The biodiesel at different compression ratios produced lesser smoke, as seen in Fig. 48. This supports the oxidation of carbon to carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide instead of participating in the reactions of soot formation. Also, the methyl ester fuel has no aromatic contents, reducing the formation of solid carbon (soot). Smoke emission decreases by 30% on average at CR 18.5 compared to CR 16.5; this indicates that increasing the compression ratio reduces smoke emission. Clearance volume reduces as the compression ratio increases, causing the temperature and pressure in the combustion chamber to increase. This favors better fuel atomization, evaporation and quick combustion resulting in better combustion, thereby reducing smoke emission49.Figure The CFAB100’s BTE improved as the compression ratio increased. BTE of CFAB100 at CR 18.5 is 30.30%, which is 26.03% higher compared to CR 16.5 at full load. At the same time, CFAB100 at CR18.5 is 11.32% less than diesel at CR17.5.CFAB100 has a higher BSFC than diesel because of its lower heating value. The highest BSFC value is recorded for CFAB100 at CR 16.5 (1.80 kg/kWh), whereas diesel at CR17.5 showed a lower value (1.29 kg/kWh) Average reduction of 29.59% BSFC is observed when CR varied from 16.5 to 18.5 for CFAB100.It was observed that the EGT of the CFAB100 is greater under all operation conditions than diesel. The maximum temperatures are observed for CFAB100 at CR 16.5 because of the burning of biodiesel fuel particles during controlled combustion.The combustion of biodiesel fuel started earlier, with an increase in CR from 16.5 to 19.5. The in-cylinder pressure at CR18.5 is maximum due to shorter ignition delay, high in-cylinder temperature, and burning of more fuel in premixed combustion.NHRR values lowered due to enhanced in-cylinder temperature and pressure corresponding to higher CRs. The maximum NHRR values obtained were 47.41 J/°CA, 42.71 J/°CA, 37.38 J/°CA and 39.52 J/°CA for CR 16.5, 17.5, 18.5 and 19.5 respectively.The CO, UHC, and smoke opacity showed an average reduction of 51.58%, 47.39%, and 60.89% when CR varied from 16.5 to 18.5 with CFAB100 against that of diesel. However, the average increase in NOx is 34.32%.In the present study performance, the VCR diesel engine’s combustion and exhaust emission characteristics under varying loading conditions with diesel and CFAB100 were discussed. Improvement in engine characteristics was observed for CFAB100 when CR varied from 16.5 to 18.5 and declined on further increasing the CR to 19.5. The conclusions derived based on the test results are given below,From the above results, it is concluded that increasing the compression ratio has improved the performance, combustion, and emission characteristics of Capparis spinoza fatty acid distillate biodiesel and is comparable with diesel. To use CFAB100 as fuel for a diesel engine, it is advisable to choose a compression ratio of 18.5 for improved performance and emission characteristics.


Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A376, 20170126. (Published online 6 March 2018) (https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2017.0126).. 1Equation (5.7) based on reference [59] unfortunately includes a number of errors. Firstly, in reference [59], the equivalent equation in the main body of the paper, equation (45), appears without the reduced Hubble constant squared  —There was a factor of 3 missing from the right-hand side of equation (39), which yields a factor 3 in equation (45). —The numerical coefficient in equation (45) should have been 0.687, not 0.68. —The value quoted for  Incorporating these changes, and multiplying both sides by The remainder of the issues are corrected in the Erratum to reference [59]:As source modelling has improved since this paper was originally published, the interested reader is encouraged to compare the formulae in this paper with more recent results.I apologise for any confusion caused.


Canine circovirus (CanineCV) is a virus associated with respiratory and digestive diseases in dogs and often occurs in coinfections with other pathogens, thereby aggravating the symptoms of infected dogs. CanineCV was first reported in the United States in 2012. Subsequently, it was reported among dogs in Europe, Asia, and South America. To investigate the prevalence of CanineCV in dogs in China, 331 dog samples were collected in this study. The PCR results showed that 9.06%  of the dog samples were CanineCV positive. CanineCV has also been detected in some carnivorous wild animals, indicating the potential risk of cross-species transmission of this virus. And, cats are also one of the most common pets in our daily lives, who is close contact with dogs. Thus, this study first investigated the prevalence of CanineCV in cats. The PCR results showed that 3.42%  of the cat samples were CanineCV positive. Moreover, 14 canine-derived CanineCV whole genomes and the first cat-derived CanineCV whole genome were obtained in this study. Rep and Cap are the major nonstructural proteins and structural proteins of CanineCV, respectively. In nucleic acid homology analyses, these 15 CanineCV strains showed a high degree of variation in Rep (85.9 ~ 99%) and Cap (85.6 ~ 100%). In phylogenetic analyses, the 15 CanineCV strains clustered into 3 different genotypes . Among them, the first cat-derived CanineCV belonged to CanineCV-3. In addition, 4 genetic recombination events were predicted in these 15 CanineCV strains, occurring in multiple regions of the genome. In conclusion, this study is the first to provide evidence of CanineCV infection in cats and successfully obtained the first whole genome of cat-derived CanineCV. The complex circulation and high prevalence of CanineCV among dogs and cats emphasize the importance of continuous monitoring of this virus in various animal species. Circoviccessful .CanineCV was first identified among dogs in the United States in 2012 . Subsequ2.2.1.From November 2021 to September 2022, a total of 740 samples were collected from 331 dogs  and 409 cats  in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Foshan, and Zhengzhou in China. Essential background data on the animals were also documented. The samples were stored at −80°C until processing. Each sample was collected after permission was obtained from the owner, and the procedures met the requirements of the Experimental Animal Welfare Ethics Committee of South China Agricultural University.2.2.Nasal swabs and fecal samples: The samples were vortexed for 20 s and then centrifuged at 4°C and 12,000 r/min for 10 min, and the supernatant was transferred to a 1.5 mL centrifuge tube. Blood samples were centrifuged at 4°C and 4,000 r/min for 10 min, and the supernatant was transferred to a 1.5 mL centrifuge tube. All samples were stored at −80°C.2.3.To detect CanineCV and the DNA virus associated with it, total viral nucleic acid was extracted from clinical samples. Nucleic acid was extracted using a RaPure Virus DNA/RNA Kit  according to the manufacturer’s instructions. To detect CanineCV-associated RNA viruses, the extracted viral nucleic acids were reverse-transcribed. cDNA of CanineCV-positive samples was obtained using 5 × ABScript III RT Mix  according to the manufacturer’s instructions.2.4.First, CanineCV was detected using primers reported in previous research (q-Rep218F 5′-GTTCGCCGWTGGTGCTT and q-Rep218R 5′-CCCGAGCAGGCTCAAAAT) . The ampOther viral pathogens were also detected using specific primers and PCR programs, as previously reported . All pri2.5.According to the detected results, CanineCV-positive samples were selected to perform amplification of the full-length CanineCV genome. First, based on rolling circle amplification (RCA), Phi29 DNA Polymerase  was used to amplify the CanineCV genomes in the samples . Subsequ2.6.p-distance model). Statistical support was provided by 1,000 bootstrap replicates. Other circoviruses were selected as an outgroup to determine the roots of the evolutionary tree.Nucleotide sequences were edited using the BioEdit program and aligned by the ClustalW method. Homology analysis was performed with the DNAStar software package (MegAlign). The obtained complete genomes were aligned with 199 reference sequences of CanineCV and 13 reference sequences of other circoviruses in the GenBank database using the MAFFT algorithm.2.7.p value <0.05. The recombinant breakpoints were confirmed using SimPlot, with a sliding window of 200 bp (step:10 bp). And phylogenetic analysis was used for further verification.RDP (version 4) was used to analyze the whole genomes of all CanineCV strains that had been aligned with MAFFT, and all sequences were downloaded from GenBank. Recombination events were considered only if they were detected by at least four of seven programs  with a 3.3.1.p value of pearson chi-square test was 0.012 (χ2 = 6.354) and Phi was 0.226 (p = 0.012), respectively. The result suggested a positive association between CanineCV and canine diarrhea and respiratory disease. The correlation coefficient of CanineCV and feline diarrhea and respiratory disease was 0.086. The p value of pearson chi-square test was 0.3 (χ2 = 1.074) and Phi was 0.086 (p = 0.3), respectively. The result suggested no association between CanineCV and feline diarrhea and respiratory disease.PCR detection showed that the prevalence of CanineCV was 9.06%  in dogs and 3.42%  in cats. The prevalence of CanineCV was 25.45%  among dogs with diarrheic or respiratory symptoms; the prevalence among healthy dogs was 8.7% . The prevalence of CanineCV was 3.64%  among cats with diarrheic or respiratory symptoms, whereas it was 1.11%  among healthy cats , 3. ThesOf all positive samples, 46.67% (14/30) dog-positive samples were coinfected with other canine pathogens (CPV-2 or CCoV or CaCV); 35.71% (5/14) cat-positive samples were coinfected with FPV.3.2.Fifteen full genomes of CanineCV strains were obtained, as amplified from 9 positive samples: isolates SH1, SH2, SH3, GZ1, GZ2, GZ3, GZ4, GZ5, GZ6, GZ7, GZ8, GZ9, FS1, FS2, and FS3 (GenBank ID OP575971-OP575985), with GZ9 being amplified from a cat sample named 44.All 15 CanineCV genomes were 2063 nt in length, consistent with most CanineCV strains in the GenBank database. Sequence analysis revealed a nucleotide composition of 52 ~ 53% GC and 47 ~ 48% AT in these CanineCV strains. Nucleic acid Homology analysis showed that the 15 CanineCV strains shared 86.6% ~ 100% identity and 82.1% ~ 99.3% identity with published sequences in GenBank . Moreove3.3.The NJ phylogenetic tree was constructed based on CanineCV whole genomes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all CanineCV strains segregated into 5 clades, corresponding to 5 genotypes . The Can3.4.Four potential recombination events with a transferred fragment ranging in size from 11.3% ~ 61.6% of the genome were detected using RDP4 software , and the4.CanineCV has been discovered in dogs and some carnivorous wild animals. In this study, the prevalence of CanineCV was 25.45%  among dogs with diarrheic or respiratory symptoms; the prevalence among healthy dogs was 8.7% . The high prevalence of CanineCV among dogs is consistent with previous reports from Iran and Thailand . Our preThe CanineCV prevalence in animals with diarrhea or respiratory symptoms was higher than that in healthy animals, which is consistent with previous studies . MoreoveCanineCV is divided into five genotypes  based on the whole genome . The CanSeveral circoviruses, including CanineCV, have undergone genetic recombination during evolution . Four poIn conclusion, this study is the first to provide evidence of CanineCV infection in cats and successfully obtained the first whole genome of cat-derived CanineCV. The complex circulation and high prevalence of CanineCV among dogs and cats emphasize the importance of continuous monitoring of this virus in various animal species.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/. Accession numbers are OP575971-OP575985.The datasets presented in this study can be found in online repositories. The name of the repository/repositories can be found at: The animal studies were approved by the Experimental Animal Welfare Ethics Committee of South China Agricultural University. The studies were conducted in accordance with the local legislation and institutional requirements. Written informed consent was obtained from the owners for the participation of their animals in this study.XX and YL participated in writing original draft and writing–review and editing. XX, YL, FX, and XH performed the experiments. SL and PZ contributed to conceptualization, methodology, validation, resources, writing–review and editing, supervision, and funding acquisition. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation Guangdong province (2023A1515012171 and 2022A1515010733) and Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology Bureau (SL2022A04J00674).The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.


Telework is a work organization in which a task that could have been performed on the employer’s worksite is performed by an employee outside of these offices, using information and communication technologies. COVID-19 pandemic has strengthened digitalization as the result of social distancing and lockdown. However, teleworking can lead to different risks for employees mental health.Evaluation of the psychosocial impact of telework during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in TunisiaDescriptive cross-sectional study carried out from17 to 22 May 2021. It included workers who teleworked during the first lockdown. The data collection was performed with a self-administered online questionnaire specifying the socio-medical, occupational and psychosocial characteristics.A total of 612 teleworkers were included. The mean age was 33±6.9 years. Sex ratio (M/F) was 0.32. The main sectors of activity were telecommunications and information technology (31.6%), legal and financial services (19%) and administration and organizations (16.5%). The teleworkers were operating in the private sector in 91.6% of the cases. Teleworking had been practiced before the health confinement by 55.6% of the cases and 86.3% had never received teleworking training. Psychosocial repercussions were noticed among 92.2%. During confinement, teleworkers reported a mood sadness in 36.4%, persistent anxiety in 27.8% and constant exhaustion in 43.3%. Sleep disorders were reported by 65.5%. They were difficulty in getting to sleep in 42.5% and a difficult morning awakening in 51.8%. The absence of work organization was significantly correlated with mood sadness (p<0.001), chronic anxiety (p=0.01), sleep disorders (p=0.03), and constant exhaustion (p=0.001). Spending breaks in front of the television and on social networks was significantly correlated with sadness of mood (p=0.04), anxiety (p=0.009), and sleep disorders (p=0.04).Psychological impact of teleworking during health confinement at the COVID-19 pandemic was significant. Therefore, the role of the occupational physician is important in the detection and the prevention of health consequences.None Declared


Emydomyces testavorans is an onygenalean keratinophilic fungus associated with shell and skin lesions in freshwater aquatic turtles. The genome sequence presented here includes five contigs  and a 92.2-kb mitochondrial genome. The nuclear genome predicted 7,550 genes. Emydomyces testavorans  is associated with disease in free-ranging and captive freshwater aquatic turtles (E. testavorans isolate 16-2883 was collected from a western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata) in the state of Washington, USA, in 2016. The culture was deposited in the American Type Culture Collection under accession number TSD-145. Taxonomic identification and the associated genetic sequences, methods for in vitro cultivation, and MIC values for antifungal drugs were published previously  until colonies developed (approximately 14 days).E. testavorans cells were collected by centrifugation at 3,000 × g. Multiple 50-mL flask cultures were processed to collect enough genomic DNA for sequencing efforts.Twenty milliliters of TKM  were placed in a 50-mL sterile, glass Erlenmeyer flask with a loosened screw top cap. A fungal colony was scraped from the TKM stock plate and placed into the liquid medium. The flask was incubated at room temperature without shaking for 14 days. N50 of 11,112 bases.Genomic DNA was extracted using a zymolyase-based protocol . DNA wasSequence reads were filtered to retain 75% of those with a minimum length of 15,000 nt  with a total length of 31,798,767 bp and a GC content of 40.2%. Telomeric repeats (TTAGGG) were present on the ends of the contigs except for the 3′ end of the 9.6 and 5.1 Mb fragments and the 5′ end of the 4.5 Mb fragment. Presently, the BUSCO v5.3.2  was use


The objective of the study is to evaluate the effect of food safety and hygiene course on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of dietetics students. A repeated measure pre/post-intervention study was used to assess the knowledge, attitudes, andself-reported practices regarding food safety and hygiene among undergraduate dietetics students (n = 63) enrolled in a course on food safety and hygiene in Saudi Arabia. Students were asked to complete an online questionnaire divided into five sectionsthat covered key food-safety concepts before and at the end of the course to determine changes in these variables. Overall, students’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices improved significantly after attending the course on food safety and hygiene. Scoresfor total knowledge increased from 16.51±2.60 before the course to 20.60±2.01 after it (p < 0.001). The total score for attitudes improved from 9.16±1.43 before the course to 9.92±0.27 after it (p < 0.001). The total scorefor practices increased from 11.0±3.10 before the course to 14.78±3.41 after it (p < 0.001).The course on food safety and hygiene helped to improve the knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices of food safety by dietetics students. Food safety is an important aspect of community health and disease prevention . DietitiSeveral studies have determined the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of food safety for university students from different backgrounds. Scholars found that students had a relatively low level of knowledge of food safety-11. StudThis was a repeated-measure pre/post-intervention study conducted in two consecutive academic years (7-1-2019 to 22-4-2019 and 20-1-2020 to 27-4-2020). The study protocol was approved by the Biomedical Ethics Research Committee (No. 453-21) at King AbdulazizUniversity. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.The participants in this study were female second-year undergraduate students in clinical nutrition (n = 63) enrolled on a course on food safety and hygiene at King Abdulaziz University. Students were informed about the purpose of our study and asked tocomplete a questionnaire on two occasions: before the intervention (before the first lesson of the course) and after the intervention (after the last lesson of the course).The questionnaire was adapted from a validated study  with somDescriptive statistics were applied in the form of frequencies and percentages for categorical data, mean and standard deviation for quantitative data. The McNemar test was applied for nominal data to find a change in proportion for paired data. The pairedt-test was applied to test for the difference in the mean value of a continuous variable before and after the educational intervention. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was employed to test the scores for the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of food safetybefore and after the course. P < 0.05 was significant. Data were analysed using SPSS 25 .The study cohort comprised 63 unmarried female students. Their age ranged between 19 years and 26 years . Their participation in preparing food improved after the course in food safety and hygiene, whereby the percentage ofstudents preparing food increased from 79.4% to 85.7%, but this difference was not significant.With regard to food poisoning, Table 1 shows that before the course 58.7% of students knew that microorganisms may not be destroyed in a refrigerator or freezer. However, this percentage increased to 96.8% after the course. Also, before the course, 39.7% ofstudents could recognize that keeping a prepared salad at room temperature for >2 h may result in food poisoning, and this percentage increased to 74.6% after the course. The percentage of students who could recognize that thawing frozen food at roomtemperature and refreezing frozen food after thawing may cause food poisoning increased from 25.4% and 61.9% before the course to 57.1% and 66.7% after the course, respectively. The percentage of students who knew that inadequately reheated food leftovers andinadequately boiled raw milk may cause food poisoning increased from 42.9% before the course to 79.4% and 65.1% after it, respectively. The percentage of students who could recognize that food contaminated with poisoning bacteria does not always look and tasteabnormal increased as a result of the course from 63.5% to 74.6%. Overall, the knowledge of students regarding food poisoning improved significantly (p < 0.001) after the course (7.76±1.71 versus 9.9±1.43). With respect to food handling, beforethe course 73%, 69.8%, 52.4%, 82.5%, and 49.2% of students knew that it is safer to cook food quantities for ≤1 day, prepared food should not be kept >2 h outside a refrigerator, food purchased first should be consumed first, hot food should not be storedimmediately in a refrigerator, and that raw meat should be stored on the lowest shelf of a refrigerator, respectively. However, after the course, these percentages increased to 92.1%, 93.7%, 73%, 85%, and 98.4%, respectively. Overall, the knowledge of studentsregarding food handling improved significantly (p < 0.001) after the course (3.27±1.05 versus 4.43±0.71). Knowledge of the students that people presenting with diarrhea, vomiting, influenza, or sore throat should not prepare food increased from63.5% before the course to 100% after it. Also, knowledge that nails on hands should be unvarnished to prepare food safely increased from 49.2% before the course to 63.5% after the course. The percentage of students who knew that apparently healthy people maycontaminate food with food-poisoning microorganisms increased from 54% before the course to 84.1% after it (Table 1 - see PDF). Overall, the knowledge of students regarding personal hygiene improved significantly (p < 0.001) after the course(5.48±1.06 versus 6.27±0.90). The total score for knowledge increased as a result of the course from 16.51±2.60 to 20.60±2.01 (p < 0.001).Improvement in the response of students to all attitude-based statements towards food safety was observed except for the statement of "I am willing to obtain more food safety knowledge" because the response remained identical after the course (Table 2 - see PDF).The greatest improvements were observed concerning the statements of "Improper storage of foods may cause food poisoning" and "It is necessary to check the temperature settings of chillers and freezers regularly to reduce the risk of food poisoning" because thepercentage of students agreeing increased from 84.1% before the course to 98.4% after it. The total score for attitudes towards food safety increased as a result of the course from 9.16±1.43 to 9.92±0.27 (p < 0.001).All items of purchasing and storage practices improved after the course (Table 3 - see PDF). The greatest improvement was observed regarding the practice of storing raw meat or poultry on the bottom shelf of a refrigerator (33.3% to 74.6%). Comparing answersbefore and after the course, the practice of consuming food purchased first increased from 41.3% to 58.7%, not storing cooked food while still hot in a refrigerator increased from 54% to 71.4%, and storing cleaning chemicals separately from foods and utensilsincreased from 79.4% to 96.8%. Overall, the practices of purchasing and storage of food improved significantly (p < 0.001) after the course (3.51±1.26 versus 4.65±1.23). Improvements in practices were observed with regard to all items of thepreparation and cooking of food after the course (Table 3 - see PDF). The greatest improvement was observed with regard to thawing frozen food of animal origin in a refrigerator (22.2% before the course and 58.7% after the course), followed by the practice ofnever leaving cooked food on a kitchen counter for >2 h (from 15.9% to 47.6%) and the practice of never refreezing thawed frozen food (28.6% to 60.3%). Overall, the practices of the preparation and cooking of food improved significantly (p < 0.001) afterthe course (2.0±1.19 versus 3.46±1.70). A slight improvement was observed with regard to the practice of cleaning the utensils and equipment used for food preparation with water and detergent (from 82.5% before the course to 87.3% after it) andalways drying utensils and equipment (from 58.7% before the course to 69.8% after it). Overall, the practice of cleaning the utensils and equipment used for food preparation improved slightly from 1.84±0.88 before the course to 1.87±0.79 after thecourse, but this difference was not significant. Improvements were observed regarding the practices of never preparing food if suffering from diarrhoea, vomiting, influenza, or a sore throat (from 33.3% before the course to 69.8% after it), always washing handsbefore food preparation (from 77.8% before the course to 90.5% after it), always washing hands using warm water and soap (from 76.2% before the course to 92.1% after it), and always rubbing fingertips between fingers and the wrist during hand washing (from 42.9%before the course to 76.2% after it) (Table 3 - see PDF). Overall, the practices of personal hygiene improved significantly (p < 0.001) after the course (3.65±1.11 versus 4.79±1.12). The total score for practices increased as a result of thecourse from 11.0±3.10 to 14.78±3.41 (p < 0.001).A significant positive correlation between the scores for the knowledge and practices of food safety was observed before the course (Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) = 0.449, p < 0.001). A significant positive correlation was observed between scoresfor the knowledge and attitudes towards food safety before the course . However, there was no significant correlation between the scores for the knowledge and attitudes of food safety  or scores for the knowledgeand practices of food safety  after the course.This interventional study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of food safety of undergraduate dietetics students before and after attending a course on food safety and hygiene. It was demonstrated in this study that the overall knowledge,attitudes, and practices of food safety of dietetics students improved significantly after the course (p < 0.001). This finding supports the result of a similar study conducted by Yarrow et al.  on univeOur study had three main limitations. First, the questionnaire was measuring key aspects of the course content, whereas in the future it could be designed to measure broader content . Second, the study was self-reporting, which might have led to biases because respondents may not have self-reflected their actions while answering. Third, our findings relate to undergraduate dietetics students in SaudiArabia: students from other countries could respond differently.The course on food safety and hygiene helped to improve the knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices of food safety by dietetics students. Educators should consider an effective plan for education of food safety for dietetics students to promotedeeper understanding of the food-safety needs of the public . Future research could include students' observations before and after a course to discover if changes in attitudes and practices translate into appropriatefood-safety practices in real-world conditions. This study was completed before the coronavirus 2019 pandemic, and future research is required to discover the impact of this pandemic on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of food safety and hygiene.


A novel interspinous distraction fusion (ISDF) device has been used to treat lumbar degenerative diseases. As a minimally invasive technique, ISDF differs from the traditional interspinous process distraction devices. Currently, biomechanical studies on ISDF are rare.To investigate the biomechanical properties of the ISDF device (BacFuse) which is used to treat lumbar degenerative diseases.Three-dimensional L3-L5 models were created. The models were divided into four groups: intact (M1), local decompression alone (M2), internal fixation alone (M3) and local decompression combined with internal fixation (M4), based on different surgical procedures. Local laminectomy was performed to resect the lower part of the L4 lamina and the upper part of the L5 lamina at the right lamina of L4/5 in the M2 and M4 groups. After meshing the models elements, Abaqus were used to perform the finite element (FE) analysis. The intervertebral range of motion (ROM) was measured during flexion, extension, left lateral bending, right lateral bending, left rotation and right rotation under a follower load of 400 N with a 7.5Nm moment. The distributions of disc and facet joint stresses were observed and recorded. Spinal vertebral stress was compared, and internal fixation device stress was observed.The ROM of L4/5 in M2 increased in flexion, extension, left lateral bending, right lateral bending, left rotation and right rotation compared with that in M1. In all motion directions, the ROM at L4/5 decreased, and the ROM at L3/4 increased after implantation of the ISDF device in M3 and M4 groups. The disc stress and facet joint stresses in the instrumented segment decreased after implantation of the ISDF device. The spinous process loaded a certain amount of stress in M3 and M4 groups. The spikes of the internal fixation device were loaded with the maximum stress.BacFuse exhibited a reduction in intervertebral ROM, as well as decreased stress on the intervertebral disc and facet joint, while also demonstrating a discernible impact on the upper adjacent segment. Interspinous process distraction (IPD) is a minimally invasive technique that used in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) . The intBacFuse is a novel IPD device used to treat lumbar degenerative diseases . It not However, few biomechanical studies have been conducted on ISDF devices used in lumbar degenerative diseases. Liu et al. reported that three IPD devices  effectively reduced extension, and disc and facet joint stress, using a finite element (FE) analysis . In fact2) was recruited to complete a lumbar spine CT  scan after signing an informed consent form. The CT data  in the DICOM format were stored in Mimics software version 11.0  and converted to a three-dimensional (3D) model. The 3D model was stored into Unigraphics NX (UG) software  to construct the intervertebral disc (IVD) as a 3D digital model. The FE model was constructed after Hypermesh processing to generate the mesh. The material property assignment and contact definition were completed using Abaqus software   and M4 groups (-36.39%) at L4/5. Compared with M1, the ROM of L3/4 was increased in the M2 (+ 2.03%), M3 (+ 0.81%), and M4 (+ 0.41%) groups. In extension, the ROM of L4/5 in M2 increased by 7.14% compared with that in M1. Compared with M1, extension was restricted in the M3 (-75.32%) and M4 (-74.03%) groups at L4/5. In the upper adjacent segment L3/4, the ROM of extension increased in the M2 (+ 14.04%), M3 (+ 7.89%), and M4 (+ 1.75%) groups.In the left lateral bending, the ROM of L4/5 increased by 3.46% in M2, and decreased by 59.65% in M3 and 45.53% in M4. The ROM at L3/4 increased by 5.96% in M2, 5.11% in M3, and 0.15% in M4. In right lateral bending, the ROM of L4/5 increased by 1.78% in M2 compared with that in the intact group, and decreased by 54.90% in M3 and 37.39% in M4. Compared with M1, the ROM of L3/4 decreased by 1.15% in M2 and increased by 1.15% in M3 and M4.In left rotation, the ROM of L4/5 in M2 increased by 1.92%, and decreased by 41.92% in M3 and 23.08% in M4 compared to M1. Compared with M1, the ROM of L3/4 increased by 20.18% in M2, 1.83% in M3, and 2.29% in M4. In right rotation, the ROM of L4/5 in M2 increased by 1.52% compared with that in M1, and decreased by 36.5% in M3 and 21.29% in M4. Compared with M1, the ROM of L3/4 increased by 2.4% in M3 and 4.81% in M4, with no significant change in M2.The maximum Von Mises stresses of the IVDs are shown in Fig. Compared with M1, the upper adjacent IVD stress in M3 increased by 1.5%, 2.9%, 1.3%, 2.7%, 4.4%, and 14% during flexion, extension, left bending, right bending, left rotation, and right rotation, respectively. Compared with M2, the upper adjacent IVD stress in M4 increased by 3%, 5.7%, 6.6%, 5.4%, 9%, 11.9% during flexion, extension, left lateral bending, right lateral bending, left rotation and right rotation, respectively.In the M1 and M2 models, the lateral bending motion increased the facet joint stress on the bending side, whereas the rotation motions did not cause a significant difference between the bilateral facet joints. The facet joint stresses in M2 did not increase after local decompression compared with M1. The facet joint stresses in M3 decreased at L4/5 during flexion, extension, lateral bending and rotation motions compared with those in M1. The facet joint stresses in M4 were significantly decreased in the L4/5 segments during flexion, extension, lateral bending and rotation motions compared with those in M2 Fig. .After implanting the BacFuse, the spinous process was loaded with a certain amount of stress in all motion modes. The spinous process stress at L5 was higher than at L4 for all motion types. The vertebral body stress distribution during flexion motion is presented in Fig. The internal fixation stress distributions in different motion directions are presented in Fig. Traditional IPD devices mainly aim to treat mild to moderate LSS by distracting the interspinous space and enlarging the spinal canal area to relieve the nerve root compression. IPD has shown good clinical efficacy in the early stages of LSS. However, the higher recurrence and revision rates during long-term follow-up have limited its applications , 22. TheIn this FE analysis study, we found that implantation of the ISDF device decreased the intervertebral ROM in flexion-extension, lateral bending, and rotational motions. The ROM in the internal fixation group decreased by 45.27%, 75.32%, 59.65%, 54.90%, 41.92% and 36.5% during flexion, extension, left lateral bending, right lateral bending, left rotation, and right rotation, respectively. This result is consistent with those of a previous study, in which Liu et al. found that the ROM decreased by 40.10%, 74.23%, 30.92%, and 24.39% during flexion, extension, lateral bending, and rotation, respectively, after implantation of the BacFuse. Similar to traditional IPD devices, BacFuse decreases the ROM in extension through the distraction. Previous studies have reported that X-stop and Coflex devices provide flexion-extension stability but have little effect on lateral bending and rotation . BacFuseLocal laminectomy may influence the ROM of the decompressed segment. Wilke et al. reported that the ROM in lateral bending increased by 8% and rotation increased by 18% after laminectomy in a cadaveric biomechanical study . In our The ISDF can reduce the maximum stress of the IVD, especially during flexion, extension, and rotation motions. During flexion, the maximum IVD stress dropped by 27.78%. In extension, the maximum IVD stress dropped by 22.22%. During axial rotation, the maximum IVD stress decreased by 7.14%. Cheng-Chan et al. reported that IVD stresses decreased after implantation of the Coflex rivet in all motion models. The rivet connects the lateral wings and the bony spinous process providing greater stability than the traditional Coflex . A reducFrom the stress cloud diagram, we found that the stress on annulus fibrosus was significantly higher than that on the nucleus pulposus. IVD stress was minimal during extension. The stress on the bending side was higher than that on the non-bending side during lateral bending. Rotational motion caused an increase in contralateral annulus fibrosus stress. A previous study reported that left lateral bending coupled with right rotation , which iThe BacFuse reduced facet joint stress in the motions of flexion, extension, lateral bending and axial rotation. As a fulcrum, the ISDF device redirects force from the facet joint to the interspinous process. Lazaro et al. reported that the IPD reduced the mean facet load by 30% during flexion and 69% during extension in a nondestructive cadaveric flexibility testing .After implantation of the ISDF device, the spinous process loads a certain amount of stress in any motion models. The spinous process bears not only a stretching force but also a compression force. Therefore, there is a risk of spinous process fractures. Different types of IPD devices have different effects on the spinous processes. Liu et al. reported that the maximum spinous stress occurred during extension. With the X-Stop, the L4 spinous process loaded the maximum contact forces, whereas with the Coflex, the L5 spinous process loaded the maximum contact forces . In our After implantation of the BacFuse, the proximal segment ROM and IVD stress increased. This is consistent with the results obtained for other IPD devices. Compared with dynamic IPD devices, static IPD devices have a greater influence on adjacent segments . HoweverThe current FE study has several limitations. First, the model was derived from a lumbar disc herniation patient with slight lumbar degeneration. Most patients with lumbar degenerative diseases are elderly and may also have osteophytes, osteoporosis, and spinal deformities. This model was employed to estimate the general biomechanical characteristics of BacFuse using a straightforward and efficient approach. Second, the link between the spinous process and the spikes of the device was set in close contact during the experiment. In practice, they do not have a close fixation and there is a risk of displacement. Moreover, we did not implant a larger device to deliberately distract the interspinous space based on the idea of ISDF. FE experiments on devices of different sizes will be performed in the future. Last, we used the anatomy of a single subject, so generalizability is limited.BacFuse exhibited a reduction in intervertebral ROM, as well as decreased stress on the intervertebral disc and facet joint, while also demonstrating a discernible impact on the upper adjacent segment.


Patients with mood disorders have the greater frequency of childhood trauma compared with the general population, and adverse childhood experiences can exert a negative impact on their clinical course. Therefore, many studies confirmed the relationship between childhood traumas and the disadvantageous features of the illness course.The aim of this study was to determine the impact of negative childhood experiences on the clinical course of bipolar disorder.It was a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study involving patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and followed in the psychiatric department at the University Hospital of Sfax (Tunisia).Personal information form and Childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ) were used for data acquisition. Euthymia was defined as a score on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) not higher than 14 and by a score on the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) not higher than seven.We included 35 patients. Their mean age was 46.69 ± 12.01 years with a sex ratio (M/F)=0.45.The average onset of bipolar disorder was 28.37±10.26 years and the average disease duration was 18.26 ± 11.55 years.Almost the third of our population had a suicidal attempt (31.42%) and a violence history (28.57%). A family history of bipolar disorder was found in 57.14% of the patients.The patients have been hospitalized at least once in 42.85% of cases.Our patients have presented psychotic symptoms in 51.42% of cases and mixed characteristics in 57.14% of cases.Emotional, physical and sexual abuse were reported by 42.85%, 37.14% , 31,42% of patients, respectively, while 74,28% and 42.85% of patients reported physical neglect and emotional neglect.Early age at illness onset was significantly associated with total CTQ score (p=0.014) and the subtype sexual abuse (p=0.009). The presence of psychotic symptomswas significantly associated with total CTQ score (p=0.003) and emotional neglect (p=0.025). Physical neglect was associated with mixed characteristics (p=0.015). Emotional abuse was associated with a greater number of hospitalisations (p=0.023).Our results suggest that childhood trauma is associated with a more severe course of bipolar illness. Clinical assessment of patients with bipolar disorder should include investigation of exposure to childhood trauma in order to determine appropriate therapeutic strategies.None Declared


A total of 12 mixtures have been prepared and tested for comparison to the reference mortar. The pozzolanic effect of the sand was evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results revealed that the fineness variation from 459 m2/kg to 543 m2/kg resulted in an increase of 20% and 30% in water absorption and compressive strength, respectively. However, increasing the substitution ratio from 10% to 40% led to a 40% decrease in mechanical strength and a 25% increase in water absorption. The statistical analysis of the results demonstrated that both factors under study influenced compressive strength and water absorption. The ANalysis of VAriance (ANOVA) confirmed that the proposed regression equations predict the experimental results. Further studies will investigate both the technical and environmental performances of cement mortars with finely ground silica sand.The environmental impacts of cement manufacturing are becoming a real-time issue that requires attention. This paper investigates the mechanical and physical properties of mortars with finely ground sand as a substitute for cement. The experimental program consisted of three silica sands with a Blaine Specific Surface (BSS) area of 459 m Ramezanianpour et al. [2 content, and the presence of fine fly ash particles. The Kubuqi desert sand powder (North China) improved the early hydration of cement through nucleation, filling, and dilution [The cement industry contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide ,2,3,4. Tlication . Accordilication  tested tlication  conductelication  investiglication  tested alication . Furtherr et al.  observedr et al.  tested gr et al. . Lin et r et al.  have repr et al.  found a r et al. . This imdilution . Indeed,2 emissions [Other studies focused on supplementary materials in cement production  to reducmissions ,20, and missions . In the missions ,23 envirmissions ,25.2 [In this context, finding abundant and alternative pozzolanic materials equivalent to those in use is strategic. Silica sand is one of the most widely available materials around the world. It derives from natural sources and is composed of SiO2 . Quartz 2 ,26). TabDespite its availability, few studies have investigated silica sand and proven a significant gap concerning the sand fineness effect on the mechanical and physical properties of binary mortars. Therefore, this study aims to predict the mechanical and physical behavior of mortars containing silica sand by varying its fineness and cement substitution ratio (SP).3 density and 342 m2/kg Blaine Specific Surface (BSS). Its chemical composition is in In this study, the samples were prepared and manufactured with CEM I 52.5 N Portland cement . The used cement has 3150 kg/m2/kg, 497 m²/kg, and 543 m²/kg BSS  were investigated.Three types of silica sand with 459 mThis study compared four mixtures with 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% cement substitution  to the reference mixture (M0). The hydraulic index (I) of M0  quantified the non-evaporable water (NEW) and the portlandite percentage. Mortar samples were taken from crushed mixture cubes and immersed in acetone to halt hydration and prevent carbonation. After this step, the samples were carefully dried in a desiccator to eliminate residual moisture. Finally, the samples were ground and sieved through an 80 µm mesh sieve to obtain a homogeneous particle size distribution. Equation (1) allows NEW calculation :(1)NEW=WEquation (2) gave the portlandite percentage (CH) :(2)CH=W4f7, Rf28, CS7, and CS28) derive from Equations (3) and (4) [The flexural and compressive strength values at 7 and 28 curing days  , respectImmersion absorption tests were conducted to evaluate the durability of mortars ,40. Afte2/kg, 497 m2/kg, and 543 m2/kg) on A rigorous statistical analysis investigated the influence of two independent variables   to obtait-test (Equation (9)).n is the sample size.The ANalysis Of VAriance (ANOVA) evaluated the components’ contribution to the responses. The statistical significance of the models was assessed using the Fisher test distribution with a 95% confidence level . The facon table . If the The compressive and flexural strengths at 7 and 28 days of the mortars have been investigated according to Equation (10) using the mechanical performance ratio (MPR) .(10)MPR2/kg silica sand implies a 40% decrease in mechanical strength after 90 curing days.M0 and M4-BSS2 have been tested for 90 days. Their compressive strength values are 62 MPa and 39.6 MPa, and their flexural strength values are 8.46 MPa and 4.90 MPa, respectively. Therefore, the highest SP with 497 m2 content concerning BSS is not significant due to the nucleation phenomenon [enomenon ,45.In 2 from 14.55% to 1.19%, respectively –(8) have high correlation coefficients  and their interaction with SC7, SC28, and WA. In this study, critt was 2.306 for t| > critt. However, the Student’s t-test shows that the interaction between BSS (m2/kg) × SP (%) is not significant since |t| < critt. Therefore, the proposed models can predict the sand powder effects on the mechanical and physical properties of mortars.According to The adopted models allow iso-response curves to be drawn based on the independent variables. The main effect plot in 2/kg to 543 m2/kg. Experimental evaluations and statistical data analysis allowed the following conclusions:2/kg decreases the non-evaporable water content from 2.50% to 2.12% and 2.01%, respectively. Moreover, the portlandite content decreased from 4.73% to 4.06% and 4.00% due to the increase in sand fineness.At a young age, the sand BSS does not significantly affect the degree of hydration or amount of portlandite. The increase in sand fineness from 459 to 497 and 543 mIncreasing the substitution ratio from 0% to 40% causes a decrease in the non-evaporable water content from 8.65% to 6.22% due to the dilution effect and the portlandite content from 14.55% to 1.19% due to the sand pozzolanic properties.2/kg to 543 m2/kg and the substitution ratio from 0% to 40% led to an increase in water absorption from 4.38% to 6.85% due to the sand’s specific surface area being higher than cement.The increase in fineness from 459 mThe increase in sand BSS and substitution ratios reduces the volume of cement hydrates and increases porosity and water absorption. Whatever the curing period, the increase in silica sand content causes a decrease in the compressive strength of cement mortars.Despite the increase in sand BSS, all mortars maintain water absorption below 10%, ensuring durable and high-performing properties in aggressive environments.2 value exceeding 0.84 and a 95% confidence interval, confirming the validity of the proposed regression models.The statistical analysis of compression and water absorption results demonstrated a strong correlation between the obtained and predicted outcomes, with an RThe environmental burdens of manufacturing are a challenge faced by cement production companies to offer sustainable cement. This study investigates the mechanical and physical properties of binary mortars with finely ground silica sand as a partial substitute for cement. Thirteen mortars have been investigated by varying four substitution ratios from 0% to 40% and three sand fineness values from 459 mFurther research should be conducted because this study only included three BSS silica sands, and more binary mixtures should be investigated. Other testing procedures should be conducted to analyze the rheological characteristics of mortars through flow, setting times, shrinkage, microstructure, and durability. Moreover, it is suggested to deepen the micro-mechanisms responsible for water absorption. Finally, the life cycle impacts of binary mortars shall be compared to those of the reference material to assess their environmental effectiveness. This approach will result in better knowledge for practical applications.