Category: Nevin Manimala

Environ Toxicol Chem. 2025 Jan 20:vgaf021. doi: 10.1093/etojnl/vgaf021. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Polymer-coated fertilizers, widely used in rice cultivation in Japan, contribute to reactive nitrogen management and agricultural productivity but are a source of microplastics in the environment. Here, we investigated microplastics derived from polymer-coated fertilizer (microcapsule) runoff in Japanese paddy fields at 38 sites to quantitatively assess the behavior of microcapsules in paddy fields, and to estimate the total amount of runoff and accumulation in Japan. We also examined the factors causing variations in the amount of runoff among paddy fields. Between 61 and 100% of microcapsule runoff during the irrigation period occurred between puddling and rice transplanting, with concentrations ranging from 2 to 482 mg/m2 in paddy fields. Water management practices and wind direction and speed explained the difference in runoff between plots. The total amount of microcapsules discharged from Japanese paddy fields during the irrigation season was estimated to be between 17 and 6,291 t (median 1,157 t) from the loads obtained in this study. According to fertilizer statistics and our results, total microcapsule accumulation on agricultural land in Japan was estimated to be 75,623 t. These results suggest that paddy fields in Japan will remain a long-term source of marine microplastics.

PMID:39832270 | DOI:10.1093/etojnl/vgaf021

Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 2025 Jan 20:twaf004. doi: 10.1093/dmfr/twaf004. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this technical report was to assess whether the “Radiological Report” tool within the Artificial Intelligence (AI) software Diagnocat can achieve a satisfactory level of performance comparable to that of experienced dentomaxillofacial radiologists in interpreting cone-beam CT scans.

METHODS: Ten cone-beam CT scans were carefully selected and analyzed using the AI tool, and they were also evaluated by two dentomaxillofacial radiologists. Observations related to tooth numeration, alterations in dental crowns, roots, and periodontal tissues were documented and subsequently compared to the AI findings. Kappa statistics, along with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals, were calculated to ascertain the degree of agreement.

RESULTS: The agreement between the AI tool and the radiologists ranged from substantial to nearly perfect for identifying teeth, determining the number of roots and canals, assessing crown conditions, and detecting endodontic treatments. However, for tasks such as classifying bone loss, identifying posts, evaluating the quality of fillings, and appraising the situation of periodontal spaces, the agreement was deemed slight.

CONCLUSIONS: The “radiological report” tool of the Diagnocat demonstrates satisfactory performance in reliably identifying teeth, roots, canals, assessing crown conditions, and detecting endodontic treatment. However, further investigations are needed to evaluate the tool’s effectiveness in diagnosing posts, assessing the condition and quality of fillings, and determining the status of periodontal spaces.

PMID:39832268 | DOI:10.1093/dmfr/twaf004

Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 2025 Jan 20:twaf006. doi: 10.1093/dmfr/twaf006. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop an automated method for generating clearer, well-aligned panoramic views by creating an optimized three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction zone centered on the teeth. The approach focused on achieving high contrast and clarity in key dental features, including tooth roots, morphology, and periapical lesions, by applying a 3D U-Net deep learning model to generate an arch surface and align the panoramic view.

METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed anonymized cone-beam CT (CBCT) scans from 312 patients (mean age 40 years; range 10-78; 41.3% male, 58.7% female). A 3D U-Net deep learning model segmented the jaw and dentition, facilitating panoramic view generation. During preprocessing, CBCT scans were binarized, and a cylindrical reconstruction method aligned the arch along a straight coordinate system, reducing data size for efficient processing. The 3D U-Net segmented the jaw and dentition in two steps, after which the panoramic view was reconstructed using 3D spline curves fitted to the arch, defining the optimal 3D reconstruction zone. This ensured the panoramic view captured essential anatomical details with high contrast and clarity. To evaluate performance, we compared contrast between tooth roots and alveolar bone and assessed intersection over union (IoU) values for tooth shapes and periapical lesions (#42, #44, #46) relative to the conventional method, demonstrating enhanced clarity and improved visualization of critical dental structures.

RESULTS: The proposed method outperformed the conventional approach, showing significant improvements in the contrast between tooth roots and alveolar bone, particularly for tooth #42. It also demonstrated higher IoU values in tooth morphology comparisons, indicating superior shape alignment. Additionally, when evaluating periapical lesions, our method achieved higher performance with thinner layers, resulting in several statistically significant outcomes. Specifically, average pixel values within lesions were higher for certain layer thicknesses, demonstrating enhanced visibility of lesion boundaries and better visualization.

CONCLUSIONS: The fully automated AI-based panoramic view generation method successfully created a 3D reconstruction zone centered on the teeth, enabling consistent observation of dental and surrounding tissue structures with high contrast across reconstruction widths. By accurately segmenting the dental arch and defining the optimal reconstruction zone, this method shows significant advantages in detecting pathological changes, potentially reducing clinician fatigue during interpretation while enhancing clinical decision-making accuracy. Future research will focus on further developing and testing this approach to ensure robust performance across diverse patient cases with varied dental and maxillofacial structures, thereby increasing the model’s utility in clinical settings.

ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: This study introduces a novel method for achieving clearer, well-aligned panoramic views focused on the dentition, providing significant improvements over conventional methods.

PMID:39832267 | DOI:10.1093/dmfr/twaf006

Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 2025 Jan 20:twaf007. doi: 10.1093/dmfr/twaf007. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Due to the increasing use of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in dentistry and considering the effects of radiation on radiosensitive organs, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of shielding on absorbed dose of eyes, thyroid and breasts in scans conducted with different parameters using two different fields of view (FOV).

METHODS: Dose measurements were calculated on a tissue-equivalent female phantom by repeating each scanning parameter three times and placing at least two thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) on each organ, with the averages then taken. The same CBCT scans were performed in two different FOV with shielding including thyroid collar, radiation safety glasses and lead apron and without shielding. The differences between them were analyzed statistically. Descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon test were used for data analysis.

RESULTS: The difference between measurements with and without shielding was statistically significant for all scans (p < 0.001). The dose reduction associated with the use of shielding ranged from 26.81% to 52.95%. The dose related to the FOV has shown a significant increase, ranging from 8.30% to 623.54%, due to both the variation in the area affected by the primary beam on the organs and changes in the amount of radiation.

CONCLUSION: There are significant differences in the absorbed dose depending on shielding and FOV usage. Therefore, the CBCT imaging protocol should be optimized by the operator, and special attention should be paid to the use of thyroid collars and radiation safety glasses, considering their effects on image quality.

PMID:39832266 | DOI:10.1093/dmfr/twaf007

Nurs Open. 2025 Jan;12(1):e70131. doi: 10.1002/nop2.70131.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To assess the knowledge, attitudes and engagement of nursing interns regarding fall prevention activities during their internship within hospital settings.

DESIGN: This study used a cross-sectional design.

METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational study. A convenience sample of 187 nursing interns was recruited from three hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was administered to the participants to collect data on their demographics, knowledge, attitudes and engagement in fall prevention. The collected data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

RESULTS: The participants exhibited insufficient knowledge, relatively negative attitudes and acceptable fall prevention engagement. There was a low-to-moderate positive association only between attitude and fall prevention engagement. Moreover, hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that attitude was the only predictor for fall prevention engagement.

CONCLUSION: Fall prevention is an important subject that needs more attention from nursing programmes in universities and preceptorship programmes in hospitals to enhance nursing interns’ attitudes, knowledge and practices in this regard.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The findings of this research could be beneficial for clinical coordinators and faculty members to enhance nursing interns’ engagement in preventing falls among at-risk patients.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Participants were not involved in the design, conduct, reporting or dissemination of this research.

PMID:39832264 | DOI:10.1002/nop2.70131

J Infect Dev Ctries. 2024 Dec 30;18(12):1909-1915. doi: 10.3855/jidc.19794.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Appropriate antibiotic use requires using the right antibiotic, at the right dose, for the right duration, and at the right time. Drug-resistant diseases cause numerous deaths globally a year, and antibiotic stewardship is a cornerstone in fighting antibiotic resistance. This study focuses on tracking the antibiotic prescribing practices in Palestine and improving future antibiotic prescribing.

METHODOLOGY: Data from prescriptions of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics was collected from the Health Department of Ramallah and Al-Bireh clinics between January 1 to March 31, 2020. The prescriptions were divided into three categories according to the diagnosis status: unwritten, unspecific, and precise diagnosis. The precise prescriptions were further divided into two categories: appropriate or inappropriate indication. Only appropriate prescriptions were candidates for the assessment of dose and duration appropriateness.

RESULTS: The percentages of the three categories of diagnosis precise, unspecific, and unwritten were 23.4%, 20.4%, and 56.2%, respectively. The percentage of appropriate prescriptions was 16.2%. Azithromycin was the most over-utilized antibiotic, followed by co-amoxiclav (amoxicillin/clavulanic acid). Amoxicillin and co-trimoxazole (trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) were under-prescribed. All the prescriptions indicated for urinary tract infections (UTIs) were inappropriate.

CONCLUSIONS: Most prescriptions were not candidates for analysis due to missing diagnosis. Amoxicillin, co-amoxiclav, cefuroxime, azithromycin, and ciprofloxacin were the most commonly prescribed antibiotics and were mostly indicated for pharyngitis. The duration of all sinusitis regimens was inappropriate. More rational antibiotic use in the Department of Health could be achieved by improving documentation, following updated guidelines, choosing cost-effective agents, and keeping track of local resistance patterns and antibiograms.

PMID:39832250 | DOI:10.3855/jidc.19794

J Infect Dev Ctries. 2024 Dec 30;18(12):1899-1908. doi: 10.3855/jidc.19592.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Antimicrobial resistance remains a global threat with increasing morbidity and mortality rates. The aim of this study was to identify the antimicrobial resistance trends among ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.) isolated from clinical samples at a Health Practice and Research Hospital over five years.

METHODOLOGY: Microbiological diagnosis utilized classical culture methods and automated systems. Antimicrobial susceptibility analysis was conducted using BD Phoenix, adhering to European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) standards.

RESULTS: A total of 15,272 clinical strains of ESKAPE pathogens were identified in this study. The most frequently isolated pathogens among ESKAPE were K. pneumoniae (3.938, 27.79%), Acinetobacter baumannii (3,013, 19.73%) and Enterococcus faecium (2,966, 19.24%). Bacterial strains were isolated predominantly from urine (3,263, 21.37%), followed by blood cultures (3,099, 20.29%). ESKAPE pathogens were most commonly found in internal intensive care units (4,758, 31.16%), followed by surgical intensive care units (4,000, 26.19%). Reduced resistance rates were observed for most antibiotics against Enterococcus faecium and Staphylococcus aureus. The vancomycin resistance rate for Enterococcus faecium was 18.48%, and the methicillin resistance rate for Staphylococcus aureus was 44.87%. A concerning trend of increasing antimicrobial resistance was noted in Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.

CONCLUSIONS: The alarming rise in antimicrobial resistance among Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Klebsiella pneumoniae is a significant concern. The high rates of antimicrobial resistance observed in ESKAPE pathogens underscore the urgent need for improvement in antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention and control programs.

PMID:39832249 | DOI:10.3855/jidc.19592

J Infect Dev Ctries. 2024 Dec 30;18(12):1846-1854. doi: 10.3855/jidc.19368.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Post-COVID-19 syndrome refers to the occurrence of symptoms lasting more than 4 weeks in individuals who have recovered from COVID-19. This study aims to investigate the post-COVID-19 symptoms in healthcare professionals.

METHODOLOGY: This descriptive study included 166 healthcare professionals who had tested positive for COVID-19 via PCR at least four weeks prior and subsequently presented to the Family Medicine Clinic at Pamukkale University Training and Research Hospital. Participants` demographic data, medical history, COVID-19 history and ongoing or newly emerged complaints and symptoms were evaluated, and physical examinations were carried out and recorded on a patient information form. Blood tests were conducted, and the results were analyzed.

RESULTS: The most common post-COVID-19 symptoms and complaints observed in our study were difficulty in performing daily activities (32.5%; n = 54), fatigue (26.5%; n = 44), forgetfulness (25.9%; n = 43) and weakness (24.1%; n = 40), respectively. Smoking, alcohol use, hospitalization, the need for oxygen support and having comorbidities such as asthma, diabetes, hypertension and rheumatism were found to be associated with various post-acute symptoms. Post-acute symptoms were most frequently observed in individuals vaccinated with Sinovac (38.5%), followed by those who were unvaccinated (35.7%). Least symptoms were seen in individuals vaccinated with only Biontech (15.4%).

CONCLUSIONS: The most common post-COVID-19 symptoms observed in our study were difficulty in performing daily activities, fatigue, forgetfulness and weakness. Having comorbidities was found to be associated with various post-COVID-19 symptoms.

PMID:39832242 | DOI:10.3855/jidc.19368

J Food Sci. 2025 Jan;90(1):e70015. doi: 10.1111/1750-3841.70015.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to investigate the potential hypoglycemic mechanism of red ginseng acidic polysaccharides (RGAP) from the perspective of fatty acid (FA) regulation. A high-glucose/high-fat diet in conjunction with streptozotocin administration was employed to establish type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rat models, and their fecal FAs were detected using the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method. RGAP treatment alleviated the polyphagia, polydipsia, weight loss, and hyperglycemia observed in T2DM rats. FA profile was disturbed by T2DM modeling, and 11 marker FAs were selected from statistical analysis, whose intensities were reversely changed by RGAP administration. Among these marker FAs, short-chain FAs were negatively correlated with the fasting blood glucose (FBG) level, while positive correlations were observed between long-chain FA and the FBG level. Combined with the metabolite-enzyme-gene network analysis, we inferred that the mechanistic mechanism RGAP on T2DM may be associated with the regulation of FA metabolism and inflammation-related signaling pathways. This study confirmed the regulatory effect of RGAP on fecal FA, which can provide a scientific basis and new ideas for developing red ginseng as a functional food for supplementary treatment of T2DM.

PMID:39832227 | DOI:10.1111/1750-3841.70015

Europace. 2024 Dec 26;27(1):euae211. doi: 10.1093/europace/euae211.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: Trials on integrated care for atrial fibrillation (AF) showed mixed results in different AF populations using various approaches. The multicentre, randomized AF-EduCare trial evaluated the effect of targeted patient education on unplanned cardiovascular outcomes.

METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients willing to participate were randomly assigned to in-person education, online education, or standard care (SC) and followed for minimum 18 months. Education focused on four aspects of integrated AF care: (i) knowledge on AF and oral anticoagulation; (ii) reinforcement of medication adherence; (iii) awareness about risk factors; and (iv) reachability for AF-related questions. The primary endpoint was the composite of cumulative events of unplanned cardiovascular hospitalizations and consultations, emergency department visits for cardiovascular reasons, and cardiovascular death. A total of 1038 patients (69.8 ± 9.2 years) were followed up for 26.9 ± 9.4 months. Education (both in-person and online) significantly improved AF-related knowledge compared to SC (P < 0.001), increased patient awareness about risk factors, led to high medication adherence, and encouraged patients to ask health-related questions. However, in-person education did not show an effect on the primary outcome compared to SC [HR 1.02 (0.91-1.14); P = 0.80] that was also not the case when comparing online education vs. SC [HR 1.18 (0.95-1.46), P = 0.65]. Exploratory subgroup analyses showed a heterogeneous effect over the centres, but a positive impact of in-person education in patients with asymptomatic AF, being 70 years old or younger, and without a history of heart failure.

CONCLUSION: AF-EduCare showed that intensive targeted patient education did not lead to less unplanned cardiovascular events in the AF patient population as a whole, although subgroups might benefit.

PMID:39832209 | DOI:10.1093/europace/euae211