Category: Nevin Manimala

J Voice. 2021 Sep 27:S0892-1997(21)00257-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.07.016. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: SOVTE has been widely used in voice clinic. Estimates of time to perform the technique with a flexible latex tube are still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the immediate effect of flexible latex tube immersed in water on amateur singers after 1, 3, 5 and 7 minutes, considering: (a) the singers’ self-assessment regarding voice and vocal effort; (b) acoustic parameters; and (c) auditory-perceptual parameters of voice quality.

METHODS: Twenty nine amateur singers (14 women and 15 men) performed the exercise with latex tube (35 cm X 0.9 cm) in one 1-minute set and three 2-minute sets. Data collection was conducted before and immediately after each set using sustained emission of vowel [a].

RESULTS: Women and men were considered separately. Vocal self-assessment showed a statistically significant increase in negative sensations after 7 minutes of exercise for women. Auditory-perceptual analysis indicated voices were perceived more often as “equal” comparing pre exercise with first minute set and more often as “better” in the third and fifth minutes comparing with pre exercise only for women. The other parameters showed no significance.

CONCLUSIONS: The exercise with flexible latex tube in amateur singers promoted improvement in vocal quality after 3 and 5 minutes for women. Also, the women presented significant negative sensations after 7 minutes. Immediate effect on the analyzed parameters was not observed in men.

PMID:34593290 | DOI:10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.07.016

An Bras Dermatol. 2021 Sep 15:S0365-0596(21)00229-4. doi: 10.1016/j.abd.2021.05.006. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Although COVID-19 pandemic significantly induces mortality, many of the patients who recovered present with other medical problems such as alopecias. Telogen effluvium is a common alopecia that is usually related to previous events such as acute febrile diseases, including COVID-19.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the characteristics of telogen effluvium in COVID-19.

METHOD: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 526 patients with documented telogen effluvium that recovered from COVID-19. Demographic data, concurrent alopecia, associated diseases, and COVID-19 severity were recorded. Data were analyzed by appropriate statistical methods.

RESULTS: The mean age of the 526 patients (410 females, 116 males) was 30.97 ± 9.592 years, with 7.65 ± 1.739 weeks of mean time of alopecia onset. In our patients vitamin D deficiency (24.3%), androgenetic alopecia (78.2%), and grade III disease severity were the most common findings. Alopecia onset was significantly earlier in the younger age group, females, in hypothyroidism, and more severe coronavirus infection. Higher grade coronavirus infection was significantly seen in males, higher ages, earlier onset, and androgenic alopecia.

STUDY LIMITATIONS: Performing a single-center study and considering limited variables.

CONCLUSION: Although Coronavirus 2 infection can be an important factor in telogen effluvium induction, other factors such as associated diseases, drug intake and emotional stress may also be involved. In the cases of early onset of alopecia, concomitant diseases such as hypothyroidism and severe coronavirus infections can occur, thus, the presence of various factors in telogen effluvium induction should be considered.

PMID:34593265 | DOI:10.1016/j.abd.2021.05.006

J Formos Med Assoc. 2021 Sep 27:S0929-6646(21)00435-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jfma.2021.09.013. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: To evaluate whether a shorter length (20 cm) of C-UCM has potential benefits, compared to immediate cord clamping (ICC), in very preterm babies.

METHODS: Inborn preterm infants less than 30 weeks of gestational age (GA) were randomly assigned to the 20-cm C-UMC and ICC groups. The primary outcome was the need for packed red blood cell (pRBC) transfusion before the 21st day of life. The secondary outcomes were short- and long-term outcomes related to premature birth.

RESULTS: Seventy-six neonates were randomized to the two groups. GA were 27.2 ± 1.8 and 27.5 ± 1.7 weeks (p = 0.389) and birth weights were 987 ± 269 and 1023 ± 313 g (p = 0.601) in the 20-cm C-UCM and ICC groups, respectively. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of the need for pRBC transfusion before the 21st day of life (59.4% versus 71.8%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.311, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.090-1.079). An increased prevalence of late-onset sepsis was observed in the 20-cm C-UCM group compared to the ICC group (21.6% versus 5.1%, aOR 5.434, 95% CI 1.033-23.580). The mortality rates were 13.5% and 2.6% in the 20-cm C-UCM and ICC groups, respectively (aOR 5.339, 95% CI 0.563-50.626). The neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years of corrected age between the groups were also not statistically significant.

CONCLUSION: A 20-cm C-UCM showed no effect on reducing the incidence of pRBC transfusion in preterm babies with GA less than 30 weeks compared with ICC in this small-scale randomized controlled trial.

PMID:34593275 | DOI:10.1016/j.jfma.2021.09.013

Transplant Proc. 2021 Sep 27:S0041-1345(21)00619-9. doi: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2021.06.031. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune liver diseases (ALDs) (primary biliary cholangitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis [PSC], autoimmune hepatitis [AIH]) can present extrahepatic autoimmune manifestations, the most frequent being inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), autoimmune thyroid disease, and Sjögren syndrome (SS).

METHODS: Retrospective study of patients who have undergone liver transplant (LT) with post-LT follow-up of at least 2 years. Descriptive analysis of clinical variables and overall and graft survival.

RESULTS: ALD was an infrequent indication for LT (68 of 835, 8%), 39 primary biliary cholangitis, 17 AIH, and 12 PSC; 56 were women. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) pre-LT Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score was 17 (5.4). The mean (SD) age of LT recipients at LT was 40 (21) years. A total of 27 patients presented extrahepatic autoimmune diseases. The most frequent was IBD in 7 patients, preferentially in patients with PSC (10/12), followed by Sjögren syndrome and autoimmune thyroid disease. IBD was present in 12 patients: 8 ulcerative colitis (6 PSC and 2 AIH overlap syndrome), 2 Crohn disease both PSC, and another 2 PSC and IBD without conclusive diagnosis (neither for ulcerative colitis nor Crohn disease). Five presented IBD de novo post-LT; the other 7 debuted before LT. In 3 of these 7 patients with pre-LT IBD, the disease went into remission after LT. Colectomy was necessary in 3 patients. No statistically significant findings were found in the survival analysis.

CONCLUSIONS: ALD is an infrequent reason for LT. Extrahepatic autoimmune diseases are associated in these patients, with IBD being the most frequent. IBD presents a torpid course but does not impact overall survival.

PMID:34593249 | DOI:10.1016/j.transproceed.2021.06.031

Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2021 Sep 27:S0889-5406(21)00406-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2020.05.024. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to compare the 2 most commonly used methods for assessing facial pleasantness, the Likert scale and the visual analog scale (VAS).

METHODS: For assessing facial pleasantness, an album was assembled containing the front and profile view facial photographs of 10 patients (5 females, 5 males) who sought orthodontic treatment representing each of the different sagittal and vertical facial discrepancies (straight profile, convex profile, concave profile, long faces, and short faces). The facial pleasantness of the patients was judged by 3 groups of 90 evaluators (47 females and 43 males): 30 orthodontists (mean age, 32.41 years), 30 oral maxillofacial surgeons (mean age, 36.83 years), and 30 laypeople (mean age, 36.83 years). The evaluators judged the facial pleasantness using VAS and a 5-point Likert scale. At the end of the evaluation, the evaluators completed a questionnaire about their preferred scale. Analysis of variance and Tukey and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare the data from VAS and Likert scale, respectively. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to estimate the correlation between the 2 scales. Fisher transformation and z-statistic were used to estimate the correlation among the evaluator groups. In all tests, a 5% statistical significance level was adopted.

RESULTS: Both scales presented similar answers; only VAS values for the scores of pleasant and very pleasant according to the Likert scale could not be distinct. Most evaluators preferred the Likert scale as they found it easier to convey their opinion than VAS.

CONCLUSIONS: Although both scales can be used to assess facial pleasantness, the Likert scale seems more appropriate as the evaluators preferred it because of its simplicity.

PMID:34593260 | DOI:10.1016/j.ajodo.2020.05.024

J Dairy Sci. 2021 Sep 27:S0022-0302(21)00897-3. doi: 10.3168/jds.2020-20091. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Body condition score (BCS) and disease records are commonly available in dairy operations. However, the effect of BCS changes (ΔBCS) considering specific health profiles has not been investigated extensively. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of different levels of ΔBCS on fertility, milk yield, and survival of Holstein cows diagnosed with reproductive disorders (REP; dystocia, twins, retained fetal membranes, metritis, and clinical endometritis), other health disorders (OTH; subclinical ketosis, left displaced abomasum, lameness, clinical mastitis, and respiratory disease), or with no disease events (HLT) within 40 days in milk (DIM). Data included lactation information from 11,733 cows calving between November 2012 and October 2014 in 16 herds across 4 geographical regions in the United States (Northeast, Midwest, Southwest, Southeast). Cows were evaluated for BCS at 5 ± 3 DIM (BCS5) and at 40 ± 3 DIM (BCS40) and the difference between BCS40 and BCS5 was classified as excessive loss of BCS (EL; ΔBCS ≤-0.75), moderate loss (ML; ΔBCS = -0.5 to -0.25), no change (NC; ΔBCS = 0), or gain of BCS (GN; ΔBCS ≥0.25). Multivariable logistic regression was used for assessing potential associations between the outcomes of interest and ΔBCS and health. The effect of the interaction term ΔBCS by health group was not statistically significant for any of the study outcomes. The odds of resumption of ovarian cyclicity (ROC), in GN, NC, and ML cows were 1.94 (95% CI: 1.57-2.40), 1.59 (1.28-1.97), and 1.27 (1.10-1.47) times greater than the odds of ROC in EL cows, respectively. The odds of pregnancy at 150 DIM (P150) in GN cows were 1.61 (1.20-2.17) times greater than the odds of P150 in EL cows. Cows with REP or OTH disorders had smaller odds of ROC compared with HLT cows [REP: OR = 0.65 (0.56-0.76) and OTH: OR = 0.79 (0.68-0.92)]. For pregnancy outcomes, REP cows had smaller odds of pregnancy at the first artificial insemination compared with HLT cows [0.70 (0.58-0.84)]. Similarly, REP cows had smaller odds of being diagnosed pregnant by 150 and 305 DIM compared with HLT cows [P150: 0.73 (0.59-0.87), P305: 0.58 (0.49-0.69)]. Overall, average daily milk within the first 90 DIM was greater in EL (39.5 ± 1.13 kg/d) and ML (38.9 ± 1.11 kg/dl) cows than in NC (37.8 ± 1.12 kg/d) and GN (36.2 ± 1.12 kg/d) cows. On the other hand, average daily milk within the first 90 DIM was lower in REP (37.0 ± 1.11 kg/d) cows compared with OTH (38.7 ± 1.12 kg/d) and HLT cows (38.6 ± 1.11 kg/d). The magnitude of ΔBCS and the health status of early lactation cows should be considered when assessing subsequent cow performance and survival.

PMID:34593229 | DOI:10.3168/jds.2020-20091

Dent Mater. 2021 Sep 27:S0109-5641(21)00269-4. doi: 10.1016/j.dental.2021.09.014. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the bond strength between eroded and sound permanent enamel and dentin and to assess whether bonding performance (immediate and after aging) differs between etch&rinse and self-etch adhesives and can be improved by surface pretreatment prior to bonding.

METHODS: Electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, CENTRAL, LILACS, BBO) were searched by two reviewers. Random-effect meta-analyses were performed to compare bond strength to sound and eroded dental hard tissues without and with surface pretreatment prior to bonding, respectively. The effect of adhesive mode (etch&rinse vs. self-etch) and aging (immediate vs. aged) was compared using subgroup analyses. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran’s Q and I²-statistic. Funnel plots and Egger’s regression intercept tests were used to evaluate publication bias. Quality and risk of bias of included studies were also assessed.

RESULTS: Fourty-seven studies (45 in vitro, 2 in situ) were included in the systematic review and meta-analyses. Erosion impairs bond strength to dentin (p < 0.001; mean difference: -10.2 MPa [95%CI: -11.9 to -8.6 MPa]), but not to enamel (p = 0.260). Surface pretreatment measures removing or stabilizing the collagenous matrix can improve dentin bond strength (maximum mean difference: +12.4 MPa). Etch&rinse and self-etch adhesives did not perform significantly different on eroded enamel (p = 0.208) and dentin (p = 0.353). The majority of studies (32 of 47) presented a medium risk of bias.

SIGNIFICANCE: Data from in vitro and in situ studies showed that erosion impairs dentin bonding of etch&rinse and self-etch adhesives and makes surface pretreatment prior to bonding of composite restorations necessary.

PMID:34593245 | DOI:10.1016/j.dental.2021.09.014

J Dairy Sci. 2021 Sep 27:S0022-0302(21)00909-7. doi: 10.3168/jds.2021-20812. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of “grass-fed” labeled food products on the market has increased in recent years, often commanding a premium price. To date, the majority of methods used for the authentication of grass-fed source products are driven by auditing and inspection of farm records. As such, the ability to verify grass-fed source claims to ensure consumer confidence will be important in the future. Mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy is widely used in the dairy industry as a rapid method for the routine monitoring of individual herd milk composition and quality. Further harnessing the data from individual spectra offers a promising and readily implementable strategy to authenticate the milk source at both farm and processor levels. Herein, a comprehensive comparison of the robustness, specificity, and accuracy of 11 machine-learning statistical analysis methods were tested for the discrimination of grass-fed versus non-grass-fed milks based on the MIR spectra of 4,320 milk samples collected from cows on pasture or indoor total mixed ration-based feeding systems over a 3-yr period. Linear discriminant analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were demonstrated to offer the greatest level of accuracy for the prediction of cow diet from MIR spectra. Parsimonious strategies for the selection of the most discriminating wavelengths within the spectra are also highlighted.

PMID:34593222 | DOI:10.3168/jds.2021-20812

J Dairy Sci. 2021 Sep 27:S0022-0302(21)00903-6. doi: 10.3168/jds.2021-20589. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Conscious consumerism is growing, along with consumer demand for socially conscious dairy products or dairy alternatives. To successfully position dairy products (especially conventional dairy) in this changing marketplace, dairy producers and processors must understand how to strategically use both on- and off-package messaging aligned with consumer perceptions. However, consumer perception of attributes such as sustainable, natural, and healthy is complex, and varies between product categories as well as among products within a category. The objective of this study was to characterize consumer definitions of the terms sustainable, natural, and healthy as they pertain to dried dairy ingredients. To meet this objective, we conducted an online survey with 3 maximum difference scaling exercises to determine the importance of 63 label claims to consumer definitions of the terms sustainable, natural, and healthy. The role of priming with dried ingredient processing information on consumer perception of these terms was also explored. Within the dried dairy ingredients category, there is extensive cognitive overlap between the terms sustainable, natural, and healthy. Priming did not affect consumer definitions of any of these terms. Certification-related claims were considered among the least important claims for consumer definitions of sustainable, natural, and healthy, whereas claims that were simple to read and visualize were considered among the most important. Claims related to animal welfare and happiness or simple, minimal ingredients and processing were considered by consumers to be important for all 3 terms. For each of these terms, there was a cluster of consumers who defined the term primarily by simple ingredients and minimal processing, and another cluster who defined the term primarily by happy cows and conscious farming practices. The terms sustainable and healthy each had a third, unique consumer cluster. This third definition cluster defined sustainability primarily by environmental effects, whereas this cluster defined healthy primarily in fitness and nutrition terms. Age and to a lesser extent, gender, affected importance placed on these 3 terms and also affected definition of the term. Understanding these consumer definitions provides insight on how to formulate marketing and educational messaging to speak to each consumer segment.

PMID:34593227 | DOI:10.3168/jds.2021-20589

J Environ Sci (China). 2021 Dec;110:150-159. doi: 10.1016/j.jes.2021.03.035. Epub 2021 May 24.

ABSTRACT

Environmental impact of pollutants can be analyzed effectively by acquiring fish behavioral signals in water with biological behavior sensors. However, a variety of factors, such as the complexity of biological organisms themselves, the device error and the environmental noise, may compromise the accuracy and timeliness of model predictions. The current methods lack prior knowledge about the fish behavioral signals corresponding to characteristic pollutants, and in the event of a pollutant invasion, the fish behavioral signals are poorly discriminated. Therefore, we propose a novel method based on Bayesian sequential, which utilizes multi-channel prior knowledge to calculate the outlier sequence based on wavelet feature followed by calculating the anomaly probability of observed values. Furthermore, the relationship between the anomaly probability and toxicity is analyzed in order to achieve forewarning effectively. At last, our algorithm for fish toxicity detection is verified by integrating the data on laboratory acceptance of characteristic pollutants. The results show that only one false positive occurred in the six experiments, the present algorithm is effective in suppressing false positives and negatives, which increases the reliability of toxicity detections, and thereby has certain applicability and universality in engineering applications.

PMID:34593186 | DOI:10.1016/j.jes.2021.03.035