Wave scattering on lattice structures involving an array of cracks.

Scattering of waves as a result of a vertical array of equally spaced cracks on a square lattice is studied. The convenience of Floquet periodicity reduces the study to that of scattering of a specific wave-mode from a single crack in a waveguide. The discrete Green's function, for the waveguide, is used to obtain the semi-analytical solution for the scattering problem in the case of finite cracks whereas the limiting case of semi-infinite cracks is tackled by an application of the Wiener-Hopf technique.

Discrete scattering by a pair of parallel defects.

Scattering of a time-harmonic anti-plane shear wave due to either a pair of crack tips or a pair of rigid constraint tips on square lattice is considered. The two problems correspond to the so-called zero-offset case of scattering due to a pair of identical Sommerfeld screens. The peculiar structural symmetry allows the reduction of coupled equations to two scalar Wiener-Hopf equations and a total of four geometrically reduced problems on lattice half-plane.

A study of association between regulatory polymorphism in the IL-10 gene promoter region and acute viral hepatitis, and acute liver failure.

Background: The level of inflammatory cytokine Interleukin (IL)-10 is increased in patients infected with hepatitis-related acute liver failure (ALF), and this was thought to be because of the regulatory polymorphism in the IL-10 gene promoter region. The present study was designed to analyze the possible association between IL-10 gene promoter polymorphism and acute viral hepatitis (AVH), and ALF. An attempt was made to quantify IL-10 levels at admission, during the hospital stay, and at the final outcome to study its relationship with liver injury among patients with AVH, ALF, and controls.

Delayed presentation of congenital diaphragmatic hernia presenting with intrathoracic gastric volvulus: a case report and review.

Acute gastric volvulus associated with congenital diaphragmatic hernia is an unusual surgical emergency and its presentation in adulthood is extremely rare. Gastric volvulus is an uncommon condition which is difficult to diagnose and treat. This case describes a middle aged man presenting with post-traumatic acute abdomen and finally being diagnosed as a case of gastric volvulus due to congenital diaphragmatic hernia which was till now asymptomatic and undiagnosed.

Hepatic myelopathy in a patient with decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis and portal colopathy.

Cirrhotic or hepatic myelopathy is a rare neurological complication of chronic liver disease usually seen in adults and presents as a progressive pure motor spastic paraparesis which is usually associated with overt liver failure and a surgical or spontaneous systemic portocaval shunt. We describe the development of progressive spastic paraparesis, in a patient with alcoholic cirrhosis with portal hypertension and portal colopathy who presented with the first episode of hepatic encephalopathy. The patient had not undergone any shunt procedure.