Rare localizations of echinococcosis

The author describes 28 observations of rare localizations of the echinococcosis in patients with proved "omission" of the hexacantic embryo of the liver and the lung barrier. It has been established that the spleen is most often affected. The necessity of diagnostication with modern visual technics--echography and KT--has been proved, as well as confirmation of the specificity of the process with the immunological reactions for echinococcosis. The approach for an organ-preserving operation at the spleen localization has been emphasized, stating as well the indications for splenectomy. General theoretical and practical conclusions for the diagnostics and the treatment of these localizations have been made.     

Anaerobic nonclostridial soft-tissue infection

Over the period 1985 through 1994, observations are conducted on forty-eight patients, 35 men and 13 women, with age ranging from 11 to 56 years, presenting anaerobic non-spore-forming infection of the soft tissues (necrotizing fasciitis (3), postinjection nonclostridial myositis (7), crepitant cellulitis in diabetic gangrene (21), neck phlegmon (5), perineal phlegmon (9), and progressive bacterial synergistic gangrene against the background of chronic osteomyelitis (3). Infection development is characterized by local necrotic processes, intoxication, crepitations, fetor, fever, and in part of the patients--septic shock and DIC syndrome. The microbiological study shows presence of anaerobes, as mono- and polyinfection, aerobic-anaerobic associations, and gram-negative aerobes--in one patient alone. Invariably, the general condition is rather serious. Lethality amounting to 12.5 percent is ascribed to the late detection and unspecified and inadequate treatment protocol in the initial period of observation. The treatment is complex: incisions with successive many-staged necrectomies, antibiotics, metronidazole, hyperbaric oxygenation and hemadsorption. If several (2-3) of the aforementioned symptoms are present, evidence of anaerobic flora should be mandatory and purposefully seeked.     

Problems in the treatment of obstructive large-bowel ileus due to tumor origin

It is the purpose of the paper to present a comprehensive literature survey on the updated therapeutic approach to carcinoma of the colon, complicated by obturation ileus. In the past twenty years, colorectal carcinoma ranks first among malignant neoplasms, involving the gastrointestinal tract. During the period reviewed, the morbidity rate shows a nearly 4-to 5-fold increase. A rising incidence of the complicated forms of carcinoma of the colon-with obturation ileus the commonest of them-is likewise recorded. Regarding the treatment of this complication there is no agreement among surgeons in terms of the surgical tactics to be adopted and the scope of operative intervention. There is a great number of diverse problems, still not well enough clarified, relating to performance of one-or two-staged operation, removal of the tumor in the first stage and the like. The views on whether or not the operation should terminate with intestinal passage restoration in the first stage, especially in case of carcinoma located in the left half of the colon, are conflicting.     

The factors determining survivorship in patients with colorectal carcinoma complicated by obstructive ileus of the large intestine

A total of 232 patients with obturation ileus, caused by locally advanced colorectal carcinoma, are operated over a 12-year period (1979-1990). In 160 patients (68.97 per cent) the tumor is located in the colon, and in 72 (31.03 per cent)-in the rectum. The operative interventions performed are distributed as follows: 122 (52.58 per cent) radical, and 110 (47.42 per cent) palliative. There are 84 patients (36.03 per cent) in IV clinical stage. Postoperative lethality among those subjected to radical operation amounts to 25.41 per cent, with leading underlying causes-peritonitis (35.08 per cent) and serious ileus intoxication (21.05 per cent). The survival over 1, 3 and 5-year periods among those radically operated is 74.59, 48.37 and 34.06 per cent, respectively. Histologically differentiated adenocarcinoma is demonstrated in 69.38 per cent, undifferentiated-in 17.50 per cent, and mucinous adenocarcinoma-in 13.12 per cent. The factors with a high prognostic value include: stage of primary tumor development, lymph involvement, type of operative intervention and histological variant of the neoplasm.     

Scalable Pareto set generation for multiobjective co-design problems in water distribution networks: a continuous relaxation approach

In this paper, we study the multiobjective co-design problem of optimal valve placement and operation in water distribution networks, addressing the minimization of average pressure and pressure variability indices. The presented formulation considers nodal pressures, pipe flows and valve locations as decision variables, where binary variables are used to model the placement of control valves. The resulting optimization problem is a multiobjective mixed integer nonlinear optimization problem. As conflicting objectives, average zone pressure and pressure variability can not be simultaneously optimized. Therefore, we present the concept of Pareto optima sets to investigate the trade-offs between the two conflicting objectives and evaluate the best compromise. We focus on the approximation of the Pareto front, the image of the Pareto optima set through the objective functions, using the weighted sum, normal boundary intersection and normalized normal constraint scalarization techniques. Each of the three methods relies on the solution of a series of single-objective optimization problems, which are mixed integer nonlinear programs (MINLPs) in our case. For the solution of each single-objective optimization problem, we implement a relaxation method that solves a sequence of nonlinear programs (NLPs) whose stationary points converge to a stationary point of the original MINLP. The relaxed NLPs have a sparse structure that come from the sparse water network graph constraints. In solving the large number of relaxed NLPs, sparsity is exploited by tailored techniques to improve the performance of the algorithms further and render the approaches scalable for large scale networks. The features of the proposed scalarization approaches are evaluated using a published benchmarking network model.     

A report of an intrathoracic case of hibernoma

The paper describes the synthesis of 6-[4-alkylpiperazinyl-1)phenylamino]-1,2,5-thiadiazolo[3,4-h ]quinolines where methyl (Drug G-1574) and ethyl (Drug G-1569) are alkyls. The two agents are as effective as mebendazole against the larval stage of Echinococcus multilocularis infection. Drug G-1574 has been demonstrated to ensure 100% recovery of spontaneously Hymenolepis nana-infected albino mice given doses 2.5-5 times lower than the effective dose of phenasal (niclosamide).     

Prior Assumptions for Leak Localisation in Water Distribution Networks with Uncertainties

Water Resources Management - Hydraulic model-based leak (burst) localisation in water distribution networks is a challenging problem due to a limited number of hydraulic measurements, a wide range...     

A holistic assessment of discolouration processes in water distribution networks

Reducing discolouration events in aging water supply networks is a major challenge facing water utilities worldwide as they are required to comply with increasingly stringent water quality regulations in a proactive and cost-effective manner. Emerging control methods for dynamic reconfiguration of network topologies could reduce the risk of discolouration by regulating hydrodynamic conditions to facilitate the implementation of self-cleaning networks. This review paper provides a holistic assessment of mechanisms and pathways which govern discolouration processes, associated models and the impact of system hydraulics so that control rules can be formulated. The possible role of biofilms in conditioning the wall-bound cohesive layers is identified and methods for their effective removal are discussed. The information presented identifies key variables and research gaps to facilitate the development of near real-time hydraulic and network topology control for the long-term and proactive management of discolouration risk.