Nevin Manimala

J Mother Child. 2021 Jan 29;22(2):123-127. doi: 10.34763/devperiodmed.20182202.123127.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Fecal elastase-1 (E-1) levels in infants and young children may be expected to differ from those in adults and older children because of the immaturity of the gastrointestinal tract and the specificity of their diet. Despite the availability of data describing E-1 levels in the stools of preterm infants, older children, adults and subjects with malabsorption, there is still a lack of data regarding E-1 in healthy infants and toddlers.The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate fecal E-1 concentrations in infants and children from 1 up to 24 months of age.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: E-1 was measured in 160 healthy subjects aged 1-24 months (8 groups of 20: aged 1-3, 4-6 months, etc.) using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS: Fecal E-1 concentrations ranged from 200 to 1695 μg/g of feces. No child had a fecal E-1 level below 200 μg/g of feces. Fecal E-1 concentrations did not significantly differ between age groups. However, fecal E-1 levels in the first 3 months were lower than in the second year of life (1-3 months vs 13-24 months, p=0.0230). A statistically significant correlation between the E-1 concentration and age was found (p=0.0007, r=0.2639; however, it does not affect the cut-off level of the reference values). The trend was rather exponential. Fecal E-1 values reached a plateau around the age of 6-10 months.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study has shown that the fecal E-1 test can be reliably applied in infants and toddlers to confirm normal exocrine pancreatic function. However, within the first months of life fecal E-1 concentrations may be lower than later in life.

PMID:33742967 | DOI:10.34763/devperiodmed.20182202.123127

J Mother Child. 2021 Jan 29;22(2):144-152. doi: 10.34763/devperiodmed.20182202.144152.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To study the impact of vitamin D supplementation on vitamin D concentration in plasma, calcium urinary excretion and bone density in patients with urolithiasis in the course of idiopathic hypercalciuria and with a low vitamin D level.

MATERIALS AND METHOD: Prospective analysis concerning 28 patients (16 boys, 12 girls) aged 6-14 years (average 10.4) in terms of urinary calcium excretion (mg/kg/day and Ca/Creatinine ratio in morning urine sample), 25OHD blood level after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of individually recommended doses of vitamin D supplementation (400 IU or 800 IU). The doses were determined on the basis of 25 (OH) D deficiency. The children were on a normocalcemic diet.The bone mineral density of the patients was assessed before and after 12 months of vitamin D use at the aforementioned doses.

RESULTS: There was no statistically significant correlation between 25 (OH) D plasma concentration and urinary calcium excretion measured on Ca /Creatinine ratio in daily urine collection and Ca/Creatinine ratio in the morning urine sample.No statistically significant change in calcium excretion was noted (measured by calciuria in daily urine collection and the calcium to creatinine ratio in the morning urine sample). A statistically significant increase in vitamin D plasma concentration was observed. Improvement in bone mineral density was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation of vitamin D in the children with idiopathic hypercalciuria and urolithiasis who were examined seems to be safe. The decision to start treatment and the selection of the vitamin D dose should be considered individually.Patients with urolithiasis should be carefully monitored for calcium/phosphate metabolism parameters and the activity of the disease.Supplementation of low doses vitamin D in the children examined did not improve bone mineral density.

PMID:33742960 | DOI:10.34763/devperiodmed.20182202.144152

Huan Jing Ke Xue. 2021 Mar 8;42(3):1333-1342. doi: 10.13227/j.hjkx.202006177.

ABSTRACT

In order to comprehensively assess the emission status of air pollutes from domestic waste treatment plants in mainland China, the basic statistical information of 31 provinces and cities in China was systematically collected and collated. The emission factor method was adopted to establish the 2016 list of air pollutants for the harmless treatment of domestic garbage in mainland China. The results showed that in 2016, the total amount of CH₄, VOCs, NH₃, TSP, PM₁₀, and PM_2.5 gaseous pollutants discharged from domestic waste landfills was 3472084.50, 185117.10, 66.45, 54.94, 25.99, and 3.92 t, respectively. The total amount of CH₄, SO₂, NO_x, NH₃, VOCs, CO, TSP, PM₁₀,PM_2.5, and BC of gaseous pollutants discharged from incineration facilities was 25389.10, 6419.30, 70923.84, 221.36, 435.33, 3025.19, 221.36, 221.36, 2.21, and 2.86 t, respectively. Through the analysis of solid waste treatment sources, partial, and temporal distribution characteristics of air pollutants, and the proportion of incineration plants in the provinces and municipalities to the number of household harmless waste treatment plants, it was determined that the total amount of gaseous pollutants discharged from domestic waste incineration sources and landfill sources had an upward trend during the period 2010-2016. In 2016, domestic landfill treatment was the most important waste treatment method in China, and mainly concentrated in areas with moderate population density and large land resources, such as central and western regions. Domestic waste incineration treatment facilities are mainly concentrated in developed cities in the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region.

PMID:33742930 | DOI:10.13227/j.hjkx.202006177

Huan Jing Ke Xue. 2021 Mar 8;42(3):1315-1327. doi: 10.13227/j.hjkx.202007131.

ABSTRACT

Lan-Bai Metropolitan Area in Gansu province is an important heavy-industry base with the highest level of total air pollutant emissions in Northwest China. It is significant to study the high-resolution pollutant emission inventory to forecast regional air quality and to simulate pollutant emission reduction, as well as provide early warnings and forecasts, and to control air pollution. Taking Lanzhou and Baiyin as the main research areas, this study established the gridded emission inventories of seven major criteria air pollutants in the Lan-Bai Metropolitan Area based on emission data and statistical yearbooks of 2015-2016. The spatial pollution characteristics and emission source contributions were also studied. The results showed that the total annual emissions of seven major criteria air pollutants in the Lan-Bai Metropolitan Area were as followings:NO_x 2.22×10⁵ t, NH₃ 4.53×10⁴t, VOCs 7.74×10⁴t, CO 5.62×10⁵ t, PM₁₀ 4.95×10⁵ t, PM_2.5 1.91×10⁵ t, and SO₂ 1.37×10⁵ t. Among them, annual CO emissions were the highest, while the annual emissions of NH₃ were the lowest. The comparison of this gridded emission inventories with the Peking and Tsinghua University’s MEIC inventories, found that the consistency of the three inventories for traffic source was relatively high, but for the total emissions and industrial source emissions of CO, a 30%-40% difference was found when compared with emissions in the Peking and Tsinghua University’s inventories. The main differences were from the collected emission factors and the different resolution and years for collected data. The industrial non-combustion process sources, accounting for the largest proportion, were mainly concentrated in urban areas for the other six major criteria air pollutants except for NH₃. The main contributing sources of NH₃ were from the use of nitrogen fertilizers and livestock emissions, so its spatial pollution distribution was mainly affected by farmland distribution and other factors. It can be concluded that countermeasures, such as controlling industrial non-combustion process sources, integrating high-quality and high-efficiency power supply, using clean energy, strict dust emission control on construction sites and industrial production facilities, as well as urban greening could effectively reduce the emissions of six major criteria air pollutants including NO_x, VOCs, CO, PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and SO₂ in the Lan-Bai Metropolitan Area. The reduction of NH₃ emission mainly depends on reducing the use of nitrogen fertilizer and controlling livestock emissions in the rural regions of Lan-Bai Metropolitan Area. This paper also used Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis to evaluate uncertainty in the gridded emission inventories, in which the maximum uncertainty was -31%-30% for NH₃, the uncertainty of CO at -18%-16% was minimal. Therefore, the overall credibility was high for the established gridded emission inventories in this study.

PMID:33742928 | DOI:10.13227/j.hjkx.202007131

Huan Jing Ke Xue. 2021 Mar 8;42(3):1255-1267. doi: 10.13227/j.hjkx.202005225.

ABSTRACT

The assessment of residents’ health and economic benefits of PM_2.5 pollution control is of great significance for the promotion of regional environmental air pollution monitoring, warning, and prevention. This paper utilized Poisson regression relative risk models and environmental value assessment methods to assess the health risks and economic benefits of PM_2.5 pollution control in the 16 municipal districts of Beijing from 2016 to 2019 after reaching the secondary standard limit of 35 μg·m^-3. The results showed that PM_2.5 concentrations, various health effects, economic benefits, and per capita economic health benefits in all 16 districts showed a downward trend. Specifically, PM_2.5 concentrations dropped from 73 μg·m^-3 in 2016 to 42 μg·m^-3 in 2019 at an average annual rate of 16.75%. The total number of healthy beneficiaries from PM_2.5 pollution control dropped from 439985 cases in 2016 (95% confidence interval (CI):183987, 653476) to 77288 cases in 2019 (95% confidence interval (CI):30483, 120905) at an average annual rate of approximately 42.67%. The share of health economic benefits in GDP dropped from 3.16% (95% confidence interval (CI):1.10%, 4.73%) to 0.55% (95% confidence interval (CI):0.18%, 0.88%), and the per capita health economic benefit dropped from 3727.61 yuan (95% confidence interval (CI):1303.24, 5592.18) to 906.58 yuan (95% confidence interval (CI):295.14, 1438.27). Due to differences in PM_2.5 concentrations, population number and density, and economic values of unit health endpoints, the results of the health economic benefit analysis, proportion of GDP, and per capita benefits varied between the 16 districts. Among these, Fengtai, Tongzhou, and Daxing show much higher values than others, indicating relatively high health and economic benefits from pollution control.

PMID:33742923 | DOI:10.13227/j.hjkx.202005225

Huan Jing Ke Xue. 2021 Mar 8;42(3):1205-1214. doi: 10.13227/j.hjkx.202007249.

ABSTRACT

A series of strict control measures were imposed in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in early 2020 to control the spread of COVID-19. These measures have led to a reduction of anthropogenic air pollutants, providing an opportunity to observe the contribution of human activities to local air pollution. In this study, the control period was divided into four stages:the before, early, middle, and later stages. Based on a variety of data including meteorological, traffic, and industrial manufacturing datasets, statistical methods were combined with spatial analysis to evaluate changes in air pollution and associated human impacts during each stage. In addition, suggestions are made for further regional air pollution control in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area. Key results are as follows:① Overall, the AQI and the concentrations of six air pollutants, especially SO₂, PM₁₀, and NO₂, were lower during control period than during the equivalent period in 2019 (reductions of 26.5%, 24.3%, and 16.9%, respectively). From the before to later stages, pollutants (except O₃) showed a downward trend while O₃ increased significantly during the before stage (by 76.2%) and the growth rate slowed during the middle and later stages; ②During the prior stage, Beijing experienced two periods with heavy air pollution days as a result of the local accumulation of pollutants, secondary transformation, and regional transport. The concentration of PM_2.5 in February was nearly 60% lower than in February 2014 under similar meteorological conditions in Beijing; ③ Following an increase in traffic volume and industrial activity, changes in air pollutants tended to be stable or slightly increase during the middle and later stages of the control period. The grey relation coefficients between thermal radiation intensity anomalies and the main pollutants in heavy industrial cities were greater than 0.6, which means that the control of industrial emissions remains key to controlling air pollution.

PMID:33742918 | DOI:10.13227/j.hjkx.202007249

Huan Jing Ke Xue. 2021 Mar 8;42(3):1166-1176. doi: 10.13227/j.hjkx.202007200.

ABSTRACT

A total of 86 soil samples, 86 corn kernel samples, 50 tailings samples, and 33 ore rock samples were collected in reclaimed land and surrounding areas of typical vanadium-titanium magnetite tailings located in the Chengde Central Region and analyzed for 14 elements (P, Fe, Cu, Ni, Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn, Hg, Ti, Mn, and Mo) and speciation of heavy metals. This study investigated the bioaccumulation and translocation characteristics of heavy metals in a soil-maize system based on a descriptive statistical analysis, a geological accumulative index, bioconcentration factors, and a redundancy analysis. The results showed that the average accumulation index of surface soil followed an order of P > Cu > Fe₂O₃ > Cr > Ti > V > Ni > Mn > Cd > Zn > Mo > As > Pb > Hg, while the accumulation level of heavy metals was generally categorized as either no accumulation or moderate accumulation. Compared to China’s soil environmental quality standard risk screening values (GB15618-2018), the over-standard rates of Cr and Cu were 2.32% and 1.16%, respectively. The content of Fe, Ti, As, Pb, and Mn in the corn kernels of the tailings and surrounding areas was relatively high, and the content of Mo, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Cr in the control area was relatively high. The over-standard rates of Ni, Zn, and Cu in the corn kernels were 13.61%, 13.23%, and 5.17% respectively, according to China’s national food safety standard limits for contaminants in food (GB 2762-2017). The bioconcentration factors of Fe, Ti, As, Pb, and Mn in the corn kernels of the tailings and the surrounding areas were relatively higher, while the bioconcentration factors of Mo, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Cr were lower than in control area. The bioactive components of Cd accounted for 50.17%, which was the highest, followed by Ni, Zn, and Cu with average ratios of 13.61%, 13.23%, and 5.17%, respectively. Compared to the control area, the Pb, As and Hg elements in the soil samples of the reclaimed land showed a lower total amount but a higher bioavailability content and soil pH value, while the Cu and Hg elements showed a higher total amount but lower bioavailability content and soil pH value. These differences in total heavy metal concentrations, bioavailability amounts, and soil pH values made the bioconcentration intensity of As and Pb in the tailings reservoir and surrounding area relatively higher. When studying the ecological risk of heavy metal pollution or determining the remediation target value of reclaimed land in a mine tailings reservoir and the soil around the mine area, the bioavailable state limit of heavy metals should be should be taken into account as the evaluation standard.

PMID:33742913 | DOI:10.13227/j.hjkx.202007200

Andrology. 2021 Mar 19. doi: 10.1111/andr.13002. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Automated sperm analysis has wide applications in infertility diagnosis. Existing systems are not able to measure sperm count and both motility and morphology of individual live sperm. Morphology measurement requires invasive staining, making the sperm after morphology measurement not applicable to infertility treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reproducibility and reliability of automated measurement of individual live sperm’s motility and morphology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fresh semen samples were obtained from twenty male partners attending for fertility investigations. The system firstly measured motility for all the sperm within the field of view under a low magnification (20×), then a sperm of interest is selected by the user and automatically relocated by the system after switching to a high magnification (100×) for morphology measurement. Reproducibility of sperm measurements was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficients on consecutive measurement. Reliability of motility and morphology measurement was evaluated by tracking error rate and limits of agreement, respectively, with manual measurement as benchmark.

RESULTS: Measurement of all motility and morphology parameters had intraclass correlation coefficients higher than 0.94. Sperm motility measurement had a tracking error rate of 2.1%. Limit of agreement analysis indicated that automated measurement and manual measurement of sperm morphology were interchangeable. Automated measurement of all morphology parameters was not statistically different from manual measurement, as confirmed by the paired sample t-test.

DISCUSSION: Automated motility and morphology measurement of single sperm revealed high reproducibility and reliability. The system also achieved a high efficiency for motility and morphology measurement. In addition to the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) samples with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), the developed sperm measurement technique is also effective for analyzing semen and washed samples. The system provides a valuable tool for quantitative measurement and selection of single sperm for ICSI. It can also be used for sperm motility and morphology analysis in andrology labs.

PMID:33740840 | DOI:10.1111/andr.13002

Anesthesiology. 2021 Mar 19. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000003745. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pain management is important for ensuring early mobilization after hip arthroplasty; however, the optimal components remain controversial. Recently, the quadratus lumborum block has been proposed as an analgesic option. The current study tested the hypothesis that the posterior quadratus lumborum block combined with multimodal analgesia decreases morphine consumption after hip arthroplasty.

METHODS: This study was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Before general anesthesia, 100 participating patients scheduled for elective total hip arthroplasty were randomly allocated to receive a 30-ml injection posterior to the quadratus lumborum muscle with either 0.33% ropivacaine (n = 50) or normal saline (n = 50). For all patients, multimodal analgesia included systematic administration of acetaminophen, ketoprofen, and a morphine intravenous patient-controlled analgesia. The primary outcome was total intravenous morphine consumption in the first 24 h. Secondary outcomes recorded intraoperative sufentanil consumption; morphine consumption in the postanesthesia care unit; pain scores at extubation and at 2, 6, 12, and 24 h; motor blockade; time to first standing and ambulation; hospital length of stay; and adverse events.

RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the 24-h total morphine consumption (ropivacaine group, median [interquartile range], 13 [7 to 21] versus saline group, 16 [9 to 21] mg; median difference, -1.5; 95% CI, -5 to 2; P = 0.337). Pain scores were not different between the groups (β = -0.4; 95% CI, -0.9 to 0.2; P = 0.199). There was no statistical difference between the two groups in intraoperative sufentanil consumption, morphine consumption in the postanesthesia care unit, motor blockade, times to first standing (median difference, 0.83 h; 95% CI, -1.7 to 3.4; P = 0.690) and ambulation (median difference, -1.85 h; 95% CI, -4.5 to 0.8; P = 0.173), hospital length of stay, and adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS: After elective hip arthroplasty, neither morphine consumption nor pain scores were reduced by the addition of a posterior quadratus lumborum block to a multimodal analgesia regimen.

PMID:33740816 | DOI:10.1097/ALN.0000000000003745

Psychiatr Pol. 2020 Dec 31;54(6):1109-1121. doi: 10.12740/PP/112967. Epub 2020 Dec 31.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the effect of selenium deficiency on depressive disorders with adjustment for possible confounders. Its importance among non-dietary and dietary risk factors for depression is discussed using empirical evidence.

METHODS: A structural equation model was fitted using diagonally weighted least squares estimation with adjusted chi-square test statistics (WLSMV). The average daily intake of selenium and other nutrients was calculated to verify their possible association with self-reported depressive disorders. The effect of dietary patterns was adjusted for possible confounders, including the presence of chronic diseases, life problems, pain levels, physical activity, and income. The study was performed on a sample of 9,354 men and women aged 45-65 of the Polish-Norwegian Study (PONS) cohort.

RESULTS: The model shows a significant effect of low selenium intake (standardized total effect of 0.133), high lipids intake (0.102) and low iron intake (0.065) on depressive disorders. Other dietary factors fail to make a significant contribution to depressive disorders, according to the model (p > 0.05). Among the considered non-dietary risk factors, home stress (0.181), pain (0.179) and low income (0.178) show a strong correlation with depression. Pain mediates a small part of the effect of morbidity (0.140). Depressive disorders are also associated with work problems (0.123) and low physical activity (0.024).

CONCLUSIONS: Selenium intake is most strongly related to depression among all the dietary factors considered. In the model, the effect of dietary risk factors on depressive disorders is moderate when compared to non-dietary variables. Chronic pain, low income and morbidity are the main correlatives of depressive disorders.

PMID:33740799 | DOI:10.12740/PP/112967