Category: Nevin Manimala

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2022 Oct 12. doi: 10.1007/s11356-022-23481-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

In the present study, the performance of facile hybrid sequential chemical treatments of titanomagnetite concentrate (TC), alkaline leaching, and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) modification has been evaluated for the removal of crystal violet (CV), malachite green (MG), and methylene blue (MB) cationic dyes. The physical and chemical properties of samples were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), N₂ adsorption-desorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. Moreover, dye removal in the batch system was investigated by evaluating adsorbent dosage, contact time, initial dye concentration, pH of the solution, temperature, electrolyte concentration, adsorption isotherm, kinetic, and thermodynamic. The results showed that the maximum adsorption capacity was obtained at SDS concentration of 6 mM, NaOH concentration of 9 M, the temperature of 160 °C, solid/liquid ratio of 4 g/100 mL, and the process duration of 24 h. In the alkaline leaching process, forming the Na₂TiO₃ phase with sharp and high energy points can be improved the adsorption properties. Accordingly, the adsorption capacity and removal efficiency attained 19.84, 18.64, and 19.66 mg/g and 99.21, 93.24, and 98.31% for CV, MG, and MB, respectively. Furthermore, the dye removal followed pseudo-second-order (R² = 0.9990) and Freundlich (R² = 0.9970) models. The evaluation of thermodynamic parameters indicated the endothermic (∆H° = 110.91 J/mol) and spontaneous nature (ΔG˚ < 0) of the adsorption process. This study concluded that the modified TC had a potential ability for application in textile wastewater treatment.

PMID:36223025 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-022-23481-z

Behav Res Methods. 2022 Oct 12. doi: 10.3758/s13428-022-01971-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Currently, the design standards for single-case experimental designs (SCEDs) are based on validity considerations as prescribed by the What Works Clearinghouse. However, there is a need for design considerations such as power based on statistical analyses. We compute and derive power using computations for (AB)^k designs with multiple cases which are common in SCEDs. Our computations show that effect size has the maximum impact on power followed by the number of subjects and then the number of phase reversals. An effect size of 0.75 or higher, at least one set of phase reversals (i.e., where k > 1), and at least three subjects showed high power. The latter two conditions agree with current standards about either having at least an ABAB design or a multiple baseline design with three subjects to meet design standards. An effect size of 0.75 or higher is not uncommon in SCEDs either. Autocorrelations, the number of time-points per phase, and intraclass correlations had a smaller but non-negligible impact on power. In sum, power analyses in the present study show that conditions to meet power requirements are not unreasonable in SCEDs. The software code to compute power is available on GitHub for the use of the reader.

PMID:36223007 | DOI:10.3758/s13428-022-01971-9

Support Care Cancer. 2022 Oct 12. doi: 10.1007/s00520-022-07371-1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Cancer is one of the most prevalent diseases and is recognized as a global problem that is currently showing a growing trend. Cancer is one of the most stressful circumstances that a person may experience. Given how the mental state of patients with depression and anxiety may have a negative impact on their experience with cancer, this study was conducted with the aim to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression in cancer patients in Iran.

METHODS: This study was conducted using a systematic review method and based on the guideline Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020). The studies used were searched for via databases, Scopus, Web of Science (WOS), Google Scholar, SID, Magiran, and using keywords related to anxiety, depression, and cancer. After extracting the required data, statistical analysis was performed based on the random model and using the second version of Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software.

RESULTS: In a review of 24 studies with a sample size of 3225 people, the overall prevalence of depression in cancer patients in Iran was reported to be 50.1% (95% CI: 40.6-59.6). Additionally, in a review of 15 studies with a sample size of 2009, the overall prevalence of anxiety in cancer patients in Iran was reported to be 40.9% (95% CI: 30.9-51.6). The highest reported prevalence of depression in cancer patients in Iran according to the Beck questionnaire is 64.6 (95% CI: 48.2-78.1). Specifically, the highest prevalence of depression was reported in patients with breast cancer with a prevalence of 66 (95% CI: 50.9-78.4). The highest prevalence of anxiety in patients with cancer in Iran according to the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale was 49.2 (95% CI: 18.9-80.1). Comparatively, the highest prevalence of anxiety in patients with breast cancer was reported to be 53.2 (95% CI: 25.8-78.7).

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of depression and anxiety among cancer patients in Iran, in particular patients with breast cancer, is significantly higher than in other parts of the world. The prevalence found in our study was even higher than the reported number by studies that have examined the disorder globally. Therefore, it is of great urgency for health system policymakers to work to improve the current situation.

PMID:36222976 | DOI:10.1007/s00520-022-07371-1

J Urban Health. 2022 Oct 12. doi: 10.1007/s11524-022-00687-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Food environments of urban informal settlements are likely drivers of dietary intake among residents of such settlements. Yet, few attempts have been made to describe them. The objective of this study was to characterize the food environment of a densely-populated informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya according to the obesogenic properties and spatial distribution of its food vendors. In July-August 2019, we identified food vendors in the settlement and classified them into obesogenic risk categories based on the types of food that they sold. We calculated descriptive statistics and assessed clustering according to obesogenic risk using Ripley’s K function. Foods most commonly sold among the 456 vendors in the analytic sample were sweets/confectionary (29% of vendors), raw vegetables (28%), fried starches (23%), and fruits (21%). Forty-four percent of vendors were classified as low-risk, protective; 34% as high-risk, non-protective; 16% as low-risk, non-protective; and 6% as high-risk, protective. The mean distance (95% confidence interval) to the nearest vendor of the same obesogenic risk category was 26 m (21, 31) for vendors in the low-risk, protective group; 29 m (25, 33) in the high-risk, non-protective group; 114 m (88, 139) in the high-risk, protective group; and 43 m (30, 56) in the low-risk, non-protective group. Clustering was significant for all obesogenic risk groups except for the high-risk, protective. Our findings indicate a duality of obesogenic and anti-obesogenic foods in this environment. Clustering of obesogenic foods highlights the need for local officials to take action to increase access to health-promoting foods throughout informal settlements.

PMID:36222974 | DOI:10.1007/s11524-022-00687-7

J Neural Transm (Vienna). 2022 Oct 12. doi: 10.1007/s00702-022-02547-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Prior studies indicate more severe brainstem cholinergic deficits in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) compared to Parkinson’s disease (PD), but the extent and topography of subcortical deficits remains poorly understood. The objective of this study is to investigate differential cholinergic systems changes in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP, n = 8) versus Parkinson’s disease (PD, n = 107) and older controls (n = 19) using vesicular acetylcholine transporter [¹⁸F]-fluoroethoxybenzovesamicol (FEOBV) positron emission tomography (PET). A whole-brain voxel-based PET analysis using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) software (SPM12) for inter-group comparisons using parametric [¹⁸F]-FEOBV DVR images. Voxel-based analyses showed lower FEOBV binding in the tectum, metathalamus, epithalamus, pulvinar, bilateral frontal opercula, anterior insulae, superior temporal pole, anterior cingulum, some striatal subregions, lower brainstem, and cerebellum in PSP versus PD (p < 0.05; false discovery rate-corrected). More severe and diffuse reductions were present in PSP vs controls. Higher frequency of midbrain cholinergic losses was seen in PSP compared to the PD participants using 5th percentile normative cut-off values (χ² = 4.12, p < 0.05). When compared to PD, these findings suggested disease-specific cholinergic vulnerability in the tectum, striatal cholinergic interneurons, and projections from the pedunculopontine nucleus, medial vestibular nucleus, and the cholinergic forebrain in PSP.

PMID:36222971 | DOI:10.1007/s00702-022-02547-9

Immunol Res. 2022 Oct 12. doi: 10.1007/s12026-022-09312-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with immune dysregulation, severe respiratory failure, and multiple organ dysfunction caused by a cytokine storm involving high blood levels of ferritin and IL-18. Furthermore, there is a resemblance between COVID-19 and macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) characterized by high concentrations of soluble CD163 (sCD163) receptor and IL-18. High levels of ferritin, IL-18, and sCD163 receptor are associated with “hyperferritinemic syndrome”, a family of diseases that appears to include COVID-19. In this retrospective cohort study, we tested the association and intercorrelations in the serum levels of ferritin, sCD163, and IL-18 and their impact on the prognosis of COVID-19. We analyzed data of 70 hospitalized patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The levels of sCD163, ferritin, and IL-18 were measured and the correlation of these parameters with the respiratory deterioration and overall 30-day survival was assessed. Among the 70 patients, 60 survived 30 days from hospitalization. There were substantial differences between the subjects who were alive following 30 days compared to those who expired. The differences were referring to lymphocyte and leukocyte count, CRP, D-dimer, ferritin, sCD163, and IL-18. Results showed high levels of IL-18 (median, 444 pg/mL in the survival group compared with 916 pg/mL in the mortality group, p-value 8.54 × 10-2), a statistically significant rise in levels of ferritin (median, 484 ng/mL in the survival group compared with 1004 ng/mL in the mortality group p-value, 7.94 × 10-3), and an elevated value of in sCD163 (mean, 559 ng/mL in the survival group compared with 840 ng/mL in the mortality group, p-value 1.68 × 10-2). There was no significant correlation between the rise of ferritin and the levels sCD163 or IL-18. Taken together, sCD163, ferritin, and IL-18 were found to correlate with the severity of COVID-19 infection. Although these markers are associated with COVID-19 and might contribute to the cytokine storm, no intercorrelation was found among them. It cannot be excluded though that the results depend on the timing of sampling, assuming that they play distinct roles in different stages of the disease course. The data represented herein may provide clinical benefit in improving our understanding of the pathological course of the disease. Furthermore, measuring these biomarkers during the disease progression may help target them at the right time and refine the decision-making regarding the requirement for hospitalization.

PMID:36222965 | DOI:10.1007/s12026-022-09312-w

Clin Oral Investig. 2022 Oct 12. doi: 10.1007/s00784-022-04749-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this double-blind and split-mouth randomized controlled clinical trial was to evaluate the clinical success of the placement technique (bulk-filling and incremental techniques) of a bulk-fill resin composite in Class II carious lesions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two different bulk-fill resin composites, X-tra fil (Voco) and Filtek Bulk Fill (3M ESPE), were used in the bulk-filling and incremental techniques for 20 patients. The study was carried out in 4 groups, with 20 restorations in each group. Restorations were appraised at baseline, 6-month, 2-year, and 4-year recall. World Dental Federation (FDI) and the US Public Health Service (USPHS) criteria were used in the evaluations. The Friedman, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for the statistical analysis.

RESULTS: At the end of year 4, there was no loss of restoration in any group. According to the USPHS and FDI criteria, there was a difference in the baseline and 4-year in marginal adaptation and marginal discoloration of the restorations (P < 0.05). When Filtek-Bulk was placed as an incremental technique, there was a minor fracture in four restorations (P > 0.05). In addition, Filtek-Bulk showed a color change according to the results based on both the USPHS and FDI criteria (P < 0.05). The difference between the two placement techniques of each resin composite was not significant at the year 4 recall when all criteria were evaluated (P ˃ 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: The 4-year clinical success of the evaluated bulk-fill composites is not dependent on the placement technique used.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study can help clinicians choose which technique (bulk fill and incremental techniques) bulk-fill composites can be used.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: US National Library of Medicine, www.

CLINICALTRIALS: gov , ID: NCT04565860 Registered on 10/09/2020. Clinical Evaluation of Bulk-fill resin Composites in Class II Restorations.

PMID:36222961 | DOI:10.1007/s00784-022-04749-7

Clin Oral Investig. 2022 Oct 12. doi: 10.1007/s00784-022-04737-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to evaluate the color adjustment potential (CAP-I, CAP-V) of different single-shade resin composites.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The shades of 40 human incisors were determined using a spectrophotometer, with the teeth divided into four groups of the same shade (n = 10). The following single-shade resin composites were tested: Omnichroma, Charisma Diamond One, Vittra Unique, and Essentia Universal. The specimens were prepared as “dual” and “single.” Standardized cavity preparations (diameter, 7 mm; depth, 2 mm) were prepared in human incisor teeth and then restored for dual specimens. Composite duplicates of human incisors were prepared with resin composites for single specimens (n = 10). The color match of these specimens to that of unrestored human incisors was compared, and the color difference (ΔE*) was calculated. Independent observers conducted a visual evaluation of the specimens and scored them. CAP-I and CAP-V values were determined. A one-way analysis of variance test was used for statistical analysis (p < 0.05).

RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the CAP-V and CAP-I values of the tested single-shade resin composites (p > 0.05). All the materials tested had acceptable color-matching potential.

CONCLUSIONS: In terms of color matching, there were no significant differences between the different tooth shades of all the tested resin composites.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Single-shade resin composites have acceptable CAP. The use of single-shade resin composites can reduce in-chair clinical times by minimizing the time spent on shade selection.

PMID:36222960 | DOI:10.1007/s00784-022-04737-x

Int J Biometeorol. 2022 Oct 12. doi: 10.1007/s00484-022-02383-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Urolithiasis was a global disease and it was more common in southern China. This study looked into the association between daily temperature and urolithiasis hospital admissions in Ganzhou, a large prefecture-level city in southern China. In Ganzhou City from 2016 to 2019, a total of 60,881 hospitalized cases for urolithiasis from 69 hospitals and meteorological data were gathered. The effect of high ambient temperature on urolithiasis hospital admissions was estimated using a distributed lag nonlinear model. Stratified analysis was done to examine sex differences. The study found that in Ganzhou of China, the exposure-response curves approximated a “J” shape which across genders were basically similar. The maximum lag effect occurred on the second day after high temperatures for males but on the third day for females. Compared to the 10 °C reference temperature and considering the cumulative lag effect of 10 days, the relative risks of the daily mean temperature at the 95th percentile on the total, male, and female hospital admissions for urolithiasis were 2.026 (95% CI: 1.628, 2.521), 2.041 (95% CI: 1.603, 2.598), and 2.030 (95% CI: 1.552, 2.655), respectively, but the relative risks between sex were not statistically significant (p = 0.977). Urolithiasis morbidity risk in China could be exacerbated by high temperatures. The effect of high temperature on urolithiasis was similar across genders.

PMID:36222915 | DOI:10.1007/s00484-022-02383-2

Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2022 Oct 12. doi: 10.1007/s00167-022-07181-2. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Supervised learning is the most common form of machine learning utilized in medical research. It is used to predict outcomes of interest or classify positive and/or negative cases with a known ground truth. Supervised learning describes a spectrum of techniques, ranging from traditional regression modeling to more complex tree boosting, which are becoming increasingly prevalent as the focus on “big data” develops. While these tools are becoming increasingly popular and powerful, there is a paucity of literature available that describe the strengths and limitations of these different modeling techniques. Typically, there is no formal training for health care professionals in the use of machine learning models. As machine learning applications throughout medicine increase, it is important that physicians and other health care professionals better understand the processes underlying application of these techniques. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of commonly used supervised learning techniques with recent case examples within the orthopedic literature. An additional goal is to address disparities in the understanding of these methods to improve communication within and between research teams.

PMID:36222893 | DOI:10.1007/s00167-022-07181-2