Nevin Manimala

Water Res. 2021 Nov 1;207:117828. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117828. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Microplastic contamination in reservoirs is receiving increasing attention worldwide. However, a holistic understanding of the occurrence, drivers, and potential risks of microplastics in reservoirs is lacking. Building on a systematic review and meta-analysis of 30 existing publications, we construct a global microplastic dataset consisting of 440 collected samples from 43 reservoirs worldwide which we analyze through a framework of Data processing and Multivariate statistics (DM). The purpose is to provide comprehensive understanding of the drivers and mechanisms of microplastic pollution in reservoirs considering three different aspects: geographical distribution, driving forces, and ecological risks. We found that microplastic abundance varied greatly in reservoirs ranging over 2-6 orders of magnitude. Small-sized microplastics (< 1 mm) accounted for more than 60% of the total microplastics found in reservoirs worldwide. The most frequently detected colors, shapes, and polymer types were transparent, fibers, and polypropylene (polyester within aquatic organisms), respectively. Geographic location, seasonal variation and land-use type were main factors influencing microplastic abundance. Detection was also dependent on analytical methods, demonstrating the need for reliable and standardized methods. Interaction of these factors enhanced effects on microplastic distribution. Microplastics morphological characteristics and their main drivers differed between environmental media (water and sediment) and were more diverse in waters compared to sediments. Similarity in microplastic morphologies decreased with increasing geographic distance within the same media. In terms of risks, microplastic pollution and potential ecological risk levels are high in reservoirs and current policies to mitigate microplastic pollution are insufficient. Based on the DM framework, we identified temperate/subtropical reservoirs in Asia as potential high-risk areas and offer recommendations for analytical methods to detect microplastics in waters and sediments. This framework can be extended and applied to other multi-scale and multi-attribute contaminants, providing effective theoretical guidance for reservoir ecosystems pollution control and management.

PMID:34753090 | DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2021.117828

Comput Biol Med. 2021 Nov 3;139:105011. doi: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.105011. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Analysing local texture and generating features are two key issues for automatic cancer detection in mammographic images. Recent researches have shown that deep neural networks provide a promising alternative to hand-driven features which suffer from curse of dimensionality and low accuracy rates. However, large and balanced training data are foremost requirements for deep learning-based models and these data are not always available publicly. In this work, we propose a fully-automated method for breast cancer diagnosis that performs training using small sets of data. Feature extraction from mammographic images is performed using a genetic-programming-based descriptor that exploits statistics on a local binary pattern-like local distribution defined in each pixel. The effectiveness of the suggested method is demonstrated on two challenging datasets, (1) the digital database for screening mammography and (2) the mammographic image analysis society digital mammogram database, for content-based image retrieval as well as for abnormality/malignancy classification. The experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms or achieves comparable results with deep learning-based methods even those with transfer learning and/or data-augmentation.

PMID:34753080 | DOI:10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.105011

J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2021 Oct 26;74:101690. doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2021.101690. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The tendency of people with schizophrenia to gather insufficient information before making decisions or jumping to conclusions has been repeatedly reported. However, criticism has also been expressed regarding the ecological validity of this finding. Here we present the results obtained by a group of people with schizophrenia and a control group in a non-probabilistic task that requires obtaining items of information before interpreting an ambiguous social situation.

METHODS: Patients with schizophrenia (n = 48) and controls (n = 44) aged 18-50 years participated in the study. All subjects completed the Beads Task and the modified Social Information Preference Task.

RESULTS: Patients with schizophrenia showed a statistically significant tendency to jump to conclusions, including in the proposed novel social task. Unlike other studies, we were unable to find a relationship between this bias and greater severity of psychotic symptoms.

LIMITATIONS: We did not include patients with high levels of psychotic symptoms or a clinical control group.

CONCLUSIONS: The tendency to jump to conclusions in schizophrenia could be present in everyday interpersonal situations.

PMID:34753052 | DOI:10.1016/j.jbtep.2021.101690

J Biomech. 2021 Oct 29;130:110847. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110847. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Obtaining biomechanical properties of biological tissues for simulation purposes or graft developments is time and resource consuming. The number of samples required for biomechanical tests could be reduced if the load-deformation properties of a given tissue layer could be estimated from adjacent layers or if the biomechanical parameters were unaffected by age, bodyside, sex or post-mortem interval. This study investigates for the first time potential correlations of multiple super-imposed tissue layers using the temporal region of the human head as an area of broad interest in biomechanical modelling. Spearman correlations between biomechanical properties of the scalp, muscle fascia, muscle, bone and dura mater from up to 83 chemically unfixed cadavers were investigated. The association with age, sex and post-mortem interval was assessed. The results revealed sporadic correlations between the corresponding layers, such as the maximum force (r = 0.43) and ultimate tensile strength (r = 0.33) between scalp and muscle. Side- and age-dependence of the biomechanical properties were different between the tissue types. Strain at maximum force of fascia (r = -0.37) and elastic modulus of temporal muscle (r = 0.26) weakly correlated with post-mortem interval. Only strain at maximum force of scalp differed significantly between sexes. Uniaxial biomechanical properties of individual head tissue layers can thus not be estimated solely based on adjacent layers. Therefore, correlations between the tissues’ biomechanical properties, anthropometric data and post-mortem interval need to be established independently for each layer. Sex seems not to be a relevant influencing factor for the passive tissue mechanics of the here investigated temporal head tissue layers.

PMID:34753030 | DOI:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2021.110847

Knee. 2021 Nov 6;33:334-341. doi: 10.1016/j.knee.2021.10.017. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Anterior knee pain is an important complication after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). One possible contributor is the elevation of the joint line, known as pseudo-patella baja (PPB). Limited research has been conducted regarding this condition impacting TKA management. This study aims to evaluate the incidence, identify possible related factors and assess PPB clinical repercussions.

METHODS: A total of 813 consecutive TKAs were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were submitted to the same surgical procedure and information regarding TKA characteristics was collected. Lateral postoperative knee radiographs were analyzed using the modified Insall-Salvati Ratio and the Blackburne-Peel Index. A clinical evaluation was conducted on 112 knees where the Oxford Knee and Kujala Scores were applied. Range of motion was evaluated, and knee pain was assessed using the numeric pain rating scale, in addition to analgesic consumption.

RESULTS: A cohort of 612 knees was analyzed, of which 64 knees developed PPB (10.5% incidence). Statistically significant differences were found for advance components sizes (femoral P = 0.026 and tibial P < 0.001), polyethylene thickness (P < 0.001) and patients’ height (P = 0.022) with smaller implant sizes, greater insert thicknesses and lower height showing an association with PPB. The PPB group had a significantly lower median Kujala score (P = 0.011), higher frequency of flexion contracture and of anterior knee pain (P = 0.039).

CONCLUSION: PPB has a clinical relevance that should not be overlooked. Its prevention through the recreation of the natural position of the joint line and correct choice of implant sizes and polyethylene thickness is of major importance and should always be considered.

PMID:34753025 | DOI:10.1016/j.knee.2021.10.017

Midwifery. 2021 Oct 28;104:103184. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2021.103184. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Positive prenatal attachment facilitates parental role adaptation and psychological adjustment during pregnancy, which is a significant predictor of postpartum attachment. The objective of this systematic review was to examine the effect of psychoeducation interventions on prenatal attachment of pregnant women and their partners.

DESIGN: Systematic literature searches of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were conducted from January 2000 to January 2021, using databases: CINAHL, Embase, Medline, PsycInfo, PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trial and through hand-searching. Studies were independently selected by two reviewers, who also assessed the methodological quality of the included studies using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Narrative synthesis was conducted due to the significant clinical and methodological heterogeneity.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen studies met the eligibility criteria for this review, among which 11 studies focused on pregnant women and four studies on their partners.

FINDINGS: The psychoeducation interventions in the included studies showed consistent favorable effects on prenatal attachment. Nine out of the 11 included studies showed statistical significant effects on maternal fetal attachment. Three out of the four studies reported significant effects favoring paternal fetal attachment.

KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The preliminary evidence suggests that psychoeducation interventions have potential favorable effects on maternal fetal attachment and can enhance paternal fetal attachment. However, more studies are needed for investigating the effects of psychoeducation on paternal fetal attachment and for enhancing the validity of the evidence. Our review recommends that healthcare professionals to include psychoeducation as a part of their prenatal care for promoting prenatal attachment. Common characteristics of the interventions could act as references when designing psychoeducation programs for enhancing prenatal attachment.

PMID:34753018 | DOI:10.1016/j.midw.2021.103184

World Neurosurg. 2021 Nov 2;157:125-134. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.10.091. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Scientometrics is a subfield of bibliometrics that statistically analyzes publications trends. The aim of this initial study was to investigate trends in the 6 major neurosurgical journals from the last 10 years.

METHODS: We searched Web of Science and Scopus for articles published in Neurosurgery, Journal of Neurosurgery, Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, Operative Neurosurgery, and World Neurosurgery from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2020. Statistically analyzed parameters included national and continental distribution of articles, population density, density of neurosurgeons per 100,000 inhabitants, national per capita GDP, and national literacy rates. Bibliometric parameters assessed included total number of articles, H-indices, absolute/average number of citations per article, and article types.

RESULTS: A total of 39,239 articles were published in the 6 journals. Journal of Neurosurgery and Neurosurgery had the strongest source impact. The most productive year was 2019 with 6811 published articles. Corresponding authors from the USA, China, Japan, Western Europe, and Turkey were the most productive. Articles published by authors from the USA received the majority of citations. Publication numbers increased in proportion with increases in country population, literacy rate, per capita GDP, and neurosurgeon density. The highest number of articles were published in 2016, and the fewest were published in 2020.

CONCLUSIONS: Geographic trends in the diversity of neurosurgical publications sustained its steady increase in most developed counties. Simultaneously, the publication gap between developed and developing countries has remained stagnant.

PMID:34753011 | DOI:10.1016/j.wneu.2021.10.091

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2021 Oct 4;608(Pt 2):1857-1867. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.09.175. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study quantified the interfacial forces associated with end-grafted, statistical (AB) co-polymers of sulfobetaine methacrylate (SBMA) and oligoethylene glycol methacrylate (OEGMA) (poly(SBMA-co-OEGMA)). Surface force apparatus measurements compared forces between mica and end-grafted copolymers containing 0, 40, or 80 mol% SBMA. Studies compared forces measured at low grafting density (weakly overlapping chains) and at high density (brushes). At high density, the range of repulsive forces did not change significantly with increasing SBMA content. By contrast, at low density, both the range and the amplitude of the repulsion increased with the percentage of SBMA in the chains. The ionic strength dependence of the film thickness and repulsive forces increased similarly with SBMA content, reflecting the increasing influence of charged monomers and their interactions with ions in solution. The forces could be described by models of simple polymers in good solvent. However, the forces and fitted model parameters change continuously with the SBMA content. The latter behavior suggests that ethyene glycol and sulfobetaine behave as non-interacting, miscible monomers that contribute independently to the interfacial forces. The results suggest that molecular scale properties of statistical poly (SBMA-co-OEGMA) films can be readily tuned by simple variation of the monomer ratios.

PMID:34752975 | DOI:10.1016/j.jcis.2021.09.175

Waste Manag. 2021 Nov 6;136:337-347. doi: 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.10.020. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Research on recycling has advanced across different disciplines, although the current knowledge about recycling behaviors at the corporate level remains elusive. While most studies on recycling are focused on households, there is no indication that people who recycle at home engage in similar behavior when at work. To understand how to facilitate recycling at work, this study investigates recycling behavior at work and its antecedents. The study adopts a sequential exploratory mixed method (MM) approach as its methodological framework, using semi-structured interviews and statistical analysis through structural equation modelling (SEM). According to the findings, factors such as types and volumes of waste, responsibility/accountability, personal control, recycling schemes, institutional supports, and group harmony contribute to recycling behavior in organizational settings. The study demonstrates contextual attributes’ contribution, particularly organizational support and social context of recycling to employees’ recycling behavior. For recycling to be normative at the corporate level, this MM study argues for the need to harmonize schemes within and across contexts. There is a need to install similar recycling schemes and facilities within and across waste generation contexts to reduce the recycling complexity and maintain consistency in recycling behavior. This study’s findings could assist waste planners and policymakers in designing effective waste management schemes that would contribute to the circular economy initiatives. We further discussed the implication of the study.

PMID:34752973 | DOI:10.1016/j.wasman.2021.10.020

Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2021 Oct;57(5):850-857. doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.21.07301-9.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: This paper updates and summarizes the current evidence informing rehabilitation of patients with COVID-19 and/or describing the consequences of the disease and its treatment.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Studies published from May 1^st to June 30^th, 2021 were selected, excluding descriptive studies and expert opinions. Papers were categorized according to study design, research question, COVID-19 phase, limitations of functioning of rehabilitation interest, and type of rehabilitation service involved. From this edition, we improved the quality assessment using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklists for observational studies and the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for randomized-controlled clinical trials (RCTs).

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Twenty-five, out of 3699 papers, were included. They were three RCTs, 13 cross-sectional studies and nine cohort studies. Twenty studies reported data on symptom prevalence (N.=13) or disease natural history (N.=7); and five studies reported intervention effectiveness at the individual level. All study participants were COVID survivors and 48% of studies collected information on participants 6 months or longer after COVID-19 onset. The most frequent risks of bias for RCTs concerned weaknesses in allocation concealment, blinding of therapists, and lack of intention-to-treat analysis. Most analytical studies failed to identify or deal with confounders, describe or deal with dropouts or eventually perform an appropriate statistical analysis.

CONCLUSIONS: Most studies in this updated review targeted the prevalence of limitations of functioning of rehabilitation interest in COVID-19 survivors. This is similar to past review findings; however, data in the new studies was collected at longer follow-up periods (up to one year after symptom onset) and in larger samples of participants. More RCTs and analytical observational studies are available, but the methodological quality of recently published studies is low. There is a need for good quality intervention efficacy and effectiveness studies to complement the rapidly expanding evidence from observational studies.

PMID:34749491 | DOI:10.23736/S1973-9087.21.07301-9