Occipital peripheral nerve stimulation in the management of chronic intractable occipital neuralgia in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Occipital peripheral nerve stimulation is an interventional pain management therapy that provides beneficial results in the treatment of refractory chronic occipital neuralgia. Herein we present a first-of-its-kind case study of a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1 and bilateral occipital neuralgia treated with occipital peripheral nerve stimulation.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 42-year-old Caucasian woman presented with bilateral occipital neuralgia refractory to various conventional treatments, and she was referred for possible treatment with occipital peripheral nerve stimulation. She was found to be a suitable candidate for the procedure, and she underwent implantation of two octapolar stimulating leads and a rechargeable, programmable, implantable generator. The intensity, severity, and frequency of her symptoms resolved by more than 80%, but an infection developed at the implantation site two months after the procedure that required explantation and reimplantation of new stimulating leads three months later. To date she continues to experience symptom resolution of more than 60%.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results demonstrate the significance of peripheral nerve stimulation in the management of refractory occipital neuralgias in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 and the possible role of neurofibromata in the development of occipital neuralgia in these patients.</p

Synthesis of Ammonium-Based Ionic Liquids for the Extraction Process of a Natural Pigment (Betanin)

The use of new synthesized ammonium-based ionic liquids was explored as an alternative to the current process implemented in the betanin extraction from red beet juice, resulting in high yields: 70% and 82%. Betanin is a vegetal pigment that has been applied to a large variety of products in the food industry, which is important, for it can work as a substitute for the red synthetic dyes used nowadays. Additionally, the use of the kosmotropic salt sodium acetate was explored in order to separate the complex formed by the ionic liquid and pigment of interest in a process that combined two techniques: ATPS (aqueous two-phase system) and SOES (salting-out extraction system). The results reveal that the studied techniques could work as a novel process for the extraction of betanin from red beet juice employing ionic liquids, which have not been tested for this purpose in other research

Synthesis of Ammonium-Based Ionic Liquids for the Extraction Process of a Natural Pigment (Betanin)

The use of new synthesized ammonium-based ionic liquids was explored as an alternative to the current process implemented in the betanin extraction from red beet juice, resulting in high yields: 70% and 82%. Betanin is a vegetal pigment that has been applied to a large variety of products in the food industry, which is important, for it can work as a substitute for the red synthetic dyes used nowadays. Additionally, the use of the kosmotropic salt sodium acetate was explored in order to separate the complex formed by the ionic liquid and pigment of interest in a process that combined two techniques: ATPS (aqueous two-phase system) and SOES (salting-out extraction system). The results reveal that the studied techniques could work as a novel process for the extraction of betanin from red beet juice employing ionic liquids, which have not been tested for this purpose in other research.</jats:p