re for FMF (ISSF) appears as a suitable and effective tool for the physicians in the follow-up of the disease severity in pediatric FMF patients. • We think that the addition of pathogenic mutations and inheritance model to the ISSF scoring system as important determinants of disease severity, especially when comparing different patients, can be evaluated in future studies.
  Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative condition leading to significant pain, functional limitation, and economic loss. Generalized OA (GOA) is associated with greater morbidity and accounts for 5-25% of total OA cases depending on definition used. This paper aims to determine the frequency and pattern of GOA, compare clinical and laboratory parameters of GOA and non-GOA subjects, then identify independent associations of GOA among Nigerians with knee OA.
 
  A cross-sectional study of 180 knee OA patients with knee and generalized OA defined using ACR criteria. Questionnaire administration was followed by physical examination and appropriate radiographs. Data was summarized using tables and figures. Multivariate regression was done to identify independent GOA associations with statistical significance p<0.05. Ethical approval was obtained for the study.
 
  There were 180 participants with mean age 59.7±9.1 years. Twenty-eight patients (15.6%) had GOA of which 26 were female. The hip/knee/spine patters with the hip/knee/spine pattern most frequent. Nigerians with GOA are predominantly females with a large joint phenotype. Joint stiffness was the only independent association of GOA observed. Key Points • Generalized osteoarthritis occurs in 15.6% of Nigerian patients with knee osteoarthritis.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/Pomalidomide(CC-4047).html  • Females are predominantly affected with a large joint phenotype involving the hip/knee/spine. • Joint stiffness is an independent association of generalized osteoarthritis.Benthic ostracods are deemed as one of the most useful micro-fauna for biomonitoring in shallow marine ecosystem, which are sensitive to environmental changes that can be reflected by their diversity and abundances. The pollution leads to high dominance index and low abundance ostracod communities. Therefore, eighteen sediment samples were collected from Ras Gharib and Quseir sites, along the Red Sea coast, to assess the ostracods response toward the anthropogenic environmental disturbances. Jugosocythereis borchersi, Alocopocythere reticulata, and Loxocorniculum ghardaqensis are the most abundant ostracods in the study localities. To evaluate the linkage between ostracods and contaminated sediments, metal concentrations in the sediments were measured using inductively coupled plasma optical-emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). We observed a significant spatial difference in elemental distribution in sediment samples, and some elements are of higher contributions than the average marine sediment composition. The quantitative analysis of benthic ostracod associations was processed statistically with geochemical data and differentiated the study area into two environments, based on the degrees of contamination. Quseir is encompassing the most contaminated stations. It is characterized by sediments richer in heavy metals, higher silt, and higher organic matter contents. Contaminated environments favor the presence of pollution-tolerant species (e.g., J. borchersi, C. torosa, L. ghardaqensis, G. triebeli, M. striata, A. reticulata, and partly, C. dimorpha). Conversely, Ras Gharib is less polluted with metals and organic matter, and is characterized by pollution-sensitive species (X. rhomboidea). Noteworthy, a low density of ostracods was observed at the expense of the diversity around contaminated stations of the Quseir site.This research work aims to investigate the effect of fuel-borne additives when added to mahua methyl ester (MME) blend operated on common rail direct injection diesel engine. Nanoparticles (Al2O3 and Fe2O3) were chosen with the help of a homogenizer and ultrasonicator as fuel additives at dosing levels of 40, 80, and 120 ppm, respectively, and the biodiesel is prepared by blending 80% diesel and 20% MME. The performance, emission, and combustion characteristics were considered for analysis. The experimental study revealed that while using the Al2O3 nanoparticle additives' blended biodiesel (MME20+AONP120), the number of harmful pollutants like smoke (5.38%), HC (6.39%), carbon monoxide (10.24%), NOx, etc. has reduced to a considerable extent and there was a commendable improvement in the BTE by 8.8% in comparison with MME20. Moreover, MME20+AONP120 blend resulted in high in-cylinder pressure, HRR of about 58.4 bar, and 118 J/0CA, respectively, which are higher than diesel and MME20. So, it can be summarized that when biodiesel and nano additives are blended together, the combustion and performance of the engine were improved considerably and pollutant emissions were decreased.Internal loadings of nutrients play important roles in the eutrophication of shallow lakes. The effective removal of sediments rich in nutrients is of great importance for lake management and the abatement of eutrophication. In this study, grooves were installed in the bottom of Lake Chaohu. Approximately 8.5 months later, the chlorophyll a, organic matter, and total nitrogen contents in the sediment inside the grooves were 1.5-3.0 times, 1.2-1.8 times, and 1.3-1.6 times higher, respectively, than those in the surrounding sediments, and the total phosphorus contents in the bottom grooves were slightly lower than those in the surrounding sediments. The thicknesses of the sediments with high chlorophyll a, organic matter, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus contents in the grooves were 5-15 times greater than those of the surrounding sediments with high pollution contents. Internal pollution was captured in the grooves. The active hydrodynamic process was an important factor related to the effectiveness of this method and is conducive to the transport of polluted sediments to the bottom grooves where they are collected. Bottom grooves have broad application potential for the removal of sediments rich in nutrients from shallow-water lakes; these grooves can be widely used in areas that experience large disturbances from wind waves, have water flows gathering in or entering the lake, or have thin sediments with high pollution contents. This study provides scientific guidance for the control and management of internal pollution in shallow lakes.