Articles

This review underscores the transformative impact of Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) on modern engineering, emphasizing its role in advancing sustainable and efficient technological solutions. The CAE industry is further analyzed, focusing on market trends and future directions. The CAE market is projected to grow significantly in the next five years in industries like automotive, aerospace, and energy, especially with the rapid advancements in High-Performance Computing (HPC), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Digital Twin technologies that enhance real-time optimization and predictive capabilities, thus fostering innovation in sustainable product design and performance. Lastly, this review presents KYAMOS Software and its state-of-the-art CAE solutions for tackling high-demand engineering problems, mainly concerning green technologies.

Introduction: Behçet’s disease is a rare, systemic, inflammatory condition that primarily affects young adults. It is characterized by a variety of clinical manifestations. However, neurological and cardiac presentations remain uncommon and often delayed in diagnosis. This disease can lead to severe complications, such as ischemic strokes and myocarditis, highlighting the systemic and complex nature of the condition.Case presentation: A 27-year-old patient was hospitalized after experiencing an ischemic stroke and myocarditis, which revealed Behçet’s disease. He had a history of oral and cutaneous ulcers, without a prior diagnosis of Behçet. Upon admission, brain imaging confirmed an ischemic stroke, and echocardiography and cardiac MRI showed acute myocarditis. Biological tests confirmed elevated systemic inflammation, which guided the treatment plan. The initial treatment included corticosteroids, immunosuppressors (azathioprine), and cardioprotective therapy. The patient showed significant clinical improvements, although mild deficits persist.Discussion: Myocarditis in Behçet’s disease is a rare but severe manifestation resulting from inflammation of the heart walls, often associated with other systemic vascular involvement. Although less common than oral or cutaneous ulcers, myocarditis can lead to acute heart dysfunction and even heart failure if not treated promptly. It is generally caused by an excessive inflammatory response, often associated with immune system activation, which affects the coronary circulation and damages the cardiac muscle. Treatment for myocarditis in this context relies on high-dose corticosteroids to control inflammation, followed by long-term immunosuppressive medications like azathioprine. While the initial treatment often leads to a rapid improvement in cardiac function, the risk of long-term complications, such as dilated cardiomyopathy or heart failure, remains high. Close follow-up is therefore essential to prevent these complications and optimize the long-term cardiac prognosis of patients with this rare disease.Conclusion: The progression of myocarditis in Behçet’s disease can be favorable if diagnosed and treated early, with significant improvement in cardiac function achieved through the use of corticosteroids and immunosuppressive therapy. However, the long-term prognosis remains uncertain due to the risk of chronic cardiac complications, such as dilated cardiomyopathy or heart failure.

Retracing the evolution of Mineralocorticoid Receptors (MR) obliges us to take an instructive as well as fascinating leap back in time. This journey teaches us that the relationship between MRs and what we consider their natural ligand, aldosterone, has not always been an exclusive one. MRs operated for a very long time in the oceans and, in any case, in an aquatic environment, stimulated by ligands other than aldosterone, and exercising functions that we still do not know well but which were certainly different from those they currently perform in terrestrial vertebrates, where they maintain normal sodium and body fluids. The history of MRs was initially intertwined with that of female sexual hormones, in particular with progesterone, which was one of the first agonists for MRs, before becoming, with the transition to the terrestrial environment, an important antagonist. This initial intertwining could be the cause of the sexual dimorphism that can be glimpsed when these receptors are overstimulated, as emerges from many experimental studies and some clinical data and/or when antagonistic drugs for these receptors are studied. This must be taken into account in the planning of clinical studies, especially randomized controlled trials, in which the presence of the two sexes must always be well balanced and in the interpretation of the results which must always be performed being well aware of the gender of participants. This does not always happen, however.

Anaplastic Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma is a very rare tumor of the Central Nervous System (CNS). BRAFV600E mutation is a common mutation in pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma. We present a 52-year-old male patient who underwent total resection due to a temporal lobe mass. The primary tumor in the temporal lobe was given postoperative radiotherapy. During follow-up, genetically and histologically proven metastasis was detected in the paraspinal region. The adjuvant RT was given to metastasis after surgery. The patient, who used the combination of dabrafenib and trametinib after recurrence, is being monitored in remission.

Alginate, a naturally occurring biopolymer extracted from brown algae, presents a promising avenue for developing sustainable and efficient membranes for wastewater treatment. This review comprehensively examines recent advancements in the fabrication, modification, and application of alginate-based membranes for effective water purification. The paper delves into various fabrication techniques, including casting, electrospinning, and 3D printing, which influence the structural and functional properties of the resulting alginate membranes. To enhance performance, strategies such as crosslinking, incorporation of porogens, and surface functionalization are employed. These modifications optimize crucial properties like mechanical strength, porosity, selectivity, and antifouling resistance. Furthermore, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) has emerged as a valuable tool for systematically optimizing fabrication parameters, enabling researchers to identify optimal conditions for achieving desired membrane characteristics. The integration of alginate membranes with biological treatment processes, such as phycoremediation (utilizing microalgae) and mycoremediation (employing fungi), offers a synergistic approach to enhance wastewater treatment efficiency. By immobilizing these microorganisms within the alginate matrix, their bioremediation capabilities are amplified, leading to improved pollutant degradation and nutrient removal. In conclusion, alginate-based membranes demonstrate significant potential as a sustainable and effective technology for wastewater treatment. Continued research and development, focusing on optimizing fabrication processes and exploring innovative integration strategies with biological systems, will further advance the application of alginate membranes in addressing the pressing global challenge of water pollution.

Kalanchoe pinnata is a widely recognized medicinal plant known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study explores its in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, highlighting its potential for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications. The research innovatively assesses its bioactive components using DPPH radical scavenging, nitric oxide inhibition assays, and phenolic content analysis. Results demonstrated significant antioxidant activity with IC50 values comparable to ascorbic acid, along with notable anti-inflammatory effects via nitric oxide inhibition. These findings emphasize Kalanchoe pinnata’s potential as a source for developing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory therapeutics. Further investigation into bioactive compound isolation and mechanistic pathways is recommended to clarify its pharmacological efficacy.

Objective: To investigate the clinical significance of preoperative lower extremity venography in patients with varicose veins.Methods: From February 2019 to July 2023, 498 patients (583 diseased lower limbs) with lower limb varicose veins as the first symptom were selected and admitted to the Seventh People’s Hospital of Chongqing. Paracentesis of the deep veins of the lower extremities was performed in all affected limbs to observe the morphology of the deep veins from the ankle to the pelvis, the patency of the deep veins, and the reflux of contrast medium when the patients performed the Valsalva manoeuvre. The aetiology of varicose veins was analysed according to the imaging manifestations and individualised treatment plans were formulated according to the different aetiologies.Results: The imaging success rate of 583 diseased lower limbs was 100%, of which 285 (48.9%) were primary lower limb deep vein valve insufficiency, 186 (32%) were simple superficial varicose veins, 63 (10. 8%) were iliac vein compression syndromes, 41 (5%) were post-thrombotic syndromes of the deep veins of the lower limbs and the others (primary deep vein avascularity of the lower limbs, bifemoral venous malformations, congenital varicose vein osteohypertrophy syndrome, tumour compression, etc.) 8 articles (1.37%).Conclusion: The advantages of lower extremity deep vein bypass angiography are simple operation, low trauma, and high specificity, which can help to diagnose the aetiology of lower extremity varicose veins and guide the clinical treatment.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a significant public health issue with a rising prevalence globally. Diabetic kidney disease (DKD), a leading cause of CKD, necessitates improved biomarkers for early detection and effective management. Traditional markers such as serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and albuminuria have notable limitations in sensitivity and specificity, especially for early detection. Fetuin-A, specifically its post-translationally modified form (PTM-Fetuin-A), has emerged as a potential novel biomarker for DKD. This study evaluates PTM-Fetuin-A in a cohort of Bulgarian patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, assessing its correlation with traditional markers such as albuminuria and eGFR. Significant correlations were observed between PTM-Fetuin-A and these indicators (e.g., Pearson’s r = 0.447, p = 0.025 for albuminuria), highlighting its ability to detect early kidney function decline. Furthermore, PTM-Fetuin-A demonstrated potential as a non-invasive tool for identifying normoalbuminuric DKD, addressing gaps left by conventional biomarkers. By offering additional prognostic value, PTM-Fetuin-A could improve the early diagnosis and clinical management of diabetic patients, reducing the burden of CKD.

Double-Positive Patients (DPPs), characterized by the simultaneous presence of Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody (ANCA) and anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane (anti-GBM) antibodies, represent a rare subset in systemic vasculitis. We present two cases of DPPs with renal involvement and review the existing literature to elucidate the clinical characteristics, histopathological findings, management strategies, and prognostic outcomes associated with this condition. Both cases exhibited renal involvement with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, requiring renal replacement therapy. Renal biopsies confirmed crescentic glomerulonephritis with features of both anti-GBM disease and ANCA-associated vasculitis. Management included high-dose glucocorticoids, cyclophosphamide, and consideration of plasma exchanges. Double-positive ANCA and anti-GBM vasculitis pose challenges in management and prognosis. Further research is essential to improve therapeutic strategies for this rare and heterogeneous condition.

The spin of a physical object is a vector which is held by the self-rotation axis of the object. Spin measures the intensity of the self-rotation of the object around its axis. The sudden and forceful, but direct contact of two bodies is known as collision. The collision is supposed to be perfectly elastic. Newton stated the law of universal attraction. The formula of Biot & Savart is unavoidable if we are interested by electromagnetism; this formula led to the famous equations of Maxwell. Curiously, this formula includes a vector product which may seem quite unusual. An electric current, which flows in an electric wire, creates, by induction, another current of small particles, all around the wire. The colors are intensities of reflections, due to the self-rotation of atoms of the colored objects. The stars novas are due to sudden appearance of storms of space winds, which strike the stars, and which make them self-rotate faster and then it became brighter.