Nevin Manimala

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2022 Feb 25. doi: 10.1007/s11356-022-19430-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Edible amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.) is used as a food-medicine or ornamental plant, and despite its importance, there are few reports associated with cadmium (Cd) stress. This study aimed to appraise the crosstalk between sodium nitroprusside (SNP), as a source of nitric oxide (NO), and cadmium toxicity on growth and physiological traits in edible amaranth by using different multivariate statistical methods. The results showed that growth-related traits of A. tricolor were significantly reduced under Cd stress. Contrarily, Cd treatments increased lipid peroxidation and reduced total protein content. Delving on the results of SNP application showed the suitability of its medium level (100 µM) on increasing the growth-related traits and also plant tolerance to Cd stress via lowering the lipid peroxidation and radical molecules production due to the higher activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase. Increasing the amount of Cd in roots and shoots, as the result of Cd treatment, reduced the growth and production of A. tricolor plants by high rates (over 50% in 60 mg kg^-1 Cd level), indicating its susceptibility to high Cd toxicity. Contrarily, treating plants with SNP showed no effect on shoot Cd content, while it significantly increased Cd allocation in the root, which might be attributable to the protective effect of NO on Cd toxicity by trapping Cd in the root. Subsequently, the application of a medium level of SNP (around 100 µM) is recommendable for A. tricolor plant to overcome the negative impacts of Cd toxicity. Moreover, according to the results of heatmap and biplot, under no application of Cd, the application of 100 µM SNP showed a great association with growth-related traits indicating the effectiveness of SNP on the productivity of this species even under no stress situations.

PMID:35217955 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-022-19430-5

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2022 Feb 25. doi: 10.1007/s11356-022-19401-w. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

To better understand Africa’s banks and the environment, this study investigates the impact of financial performance on environmental performance in Africa. We examined financial performance, environmental performance, and some control indicators dated from 2000 to 2016 by applying panel quantile regression and panel vector autoregressive techniques. Our results indicate that (i) in North African countries, carbon emission had a significant negative impact on financial performance on the 25th quantile and (ii) in the South, carbon emission had a statistically positive impact on financial performance on the 25th and 50th quantiles with the marginal effect increases from the lower quantile to the highest quantile. Also, bank deposits statistically negatively impacted financial performance on the 25th and 50th quantiles for both North and South economies. The dynamic panel quantile results show dissimilar effects at different quantiles. Also, the panel vector autoregressive results show that in North Africa carbon emission had a positive impact. Our results validate the stability test of the panel vector autoregressive model. The granger causality results in the North show a bilateral causal link between carbon emission and bank credit, carbon emission, and bank deposit. Since sustainability has become one of our era’s most thorny issues, this paper provides extensive policy directives to assist African nations in boosting a greener future.

PMID:35217950 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-022-19401-w

J Assist Reprod Genet. 2022 Feb 26. doi: 10.1007/s10815-022-02440-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To compare reproductive outcomes following a euploid embryo transfer, between those embryos vitrified-warmed twice to those vitrified-warmed once.

METHODS: We retrospectively analysed 694 single euploid frozen embryo transfer cycles following preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A). For cycles in group 1 (N = 451), embryos were biopsied for PGT-A at blastocyst stage and vitrified. For cycles in group 2 (N = 146), embryos were vitrified at blastocyst stage, before being warmed and biopsied for PGT-A and vitrified again. For cycles in group 3 (N = 97), embryos were vitrified on day-3, before being warmed, cultured to day-5 and biopsied for PGT-A and re-vitrified.

RESULTS: The pregnancy, clinical pregnancy and livebirth rate in group 2 were not statistically different to group 1 (pregnancy rate, adjusted OR 1.09, 95% CI 0.62-1.91; clinical pregnancy, aOR 0.89, 95% CI 0.58-1.37; live birth rate, aOR 0.85, 95% CI 0.56-1.28). There was also no significant difference between group 3 and group 1, with similar pregnancy rate (aOR 1.22, 95% CI 0.74-1.99), clinical pregnancy rate (aOR 1.21, 95% CI 0.75-1.96) and live birth rate (aOR 1.15, 95% CI, 0.73-1.80). There was no significant difference in miscarriage rates between all three groups. The age at the oocyte collection, embryo quality and day of biopsy were associated with pregnancy, clinical pregnancy and live birth rate.

CONCLUSION: This study suggests that vitrifying and warming embryos twice at blastocyst or at cleavage and then blastocyst stage, can lead to similar reproductive outcomes to embryos vitrified-warmed once, after a single euploid embryo transfer.

PMID:35217947 | DOI:10.1007/s10815-022-02440-0

J Assist Reprod Genet. 2022 Feb 25. doi: 10.1007/s10815-022-02442-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To assess oncofertility content on fertility clinic websites as indicated by eight relevant keywords. Additionally, we sought to describe the relationship between oncofertility content and five predetermined clinic characteristics.

METHODS: We examined 381 fertility clinic websites that are members of the Society for Associated Reproductive Technology (SART). Extracted data included clinic location, practice type (private vs academic), size (cycles/year), type of NCI designated center (cancer center vs comprehensive cancer center), and distance from the nearest NCI center. Additionally, we documented whether the clinic was located in a state mandating reproductive and infertility services and/or included fertility preservation for “iatrogenic infertility” as reported by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). Data were summarized using descriptive statistics and compared using chi-squared or t-test as appropriate.

RESULTS: Of the 381 fertility clinic websites analyzed, 322 (85%) contained at least one oncofertility-related keyword. Most frequently used terms included cancer (79%) and fertility preservation (78%), while less frequently used terms included suppression (9.4%) and shielding (5.0%). Practices that initiated ≥ 501 cycles per year were more likely to mention one of the oncofertility keywords (OR 1.2; 95% CI 1.1-1.3). The associations of oncofertility website content with practice type, state-mandated fertility insurance coverage, and distance from an NCI-designated cancer center were not statistically significant. Large clinic size was the only predictive factor for inclusion of oncofertility website content. Further studies are required to evaluate whether inclusion of oncofertility content on clinic websites impacts the use of these services by patients with cancer.

CONCLUSION: This is the first study correlating availability of oncofertility content on SART fertility clinic websites with consideration of geographic proximity to NCI designated cancer centers. Large clinic size was the only predictive factor for inclusion of oncofertility website content.

PMID:35217946 | DOI:10.1007/s10815-022-02442-y

Int J Nurs Educ Scholarsh. 2022 Feb 24;19(1). doi: 10.1515/ijnes-2021-0148.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among demographics, doctoral teaching preparation, nurse faculty institutional support, faculty job satisfaction, and intent to leave current nursing academic position in PhD- and DNP-prepared faculty.

METHODS: Using a survey research design, invitations to a Qualtrics survey were emailed to nursing program directors. Independent samples t-tests and logistic regression models were used to determine the nature of the relationships.

RESULTS: In total, 149 participants completed the survey. Degree type, age, and job satisfaction were significant predictors related to intent to leave nursing academia. Doctoral program teaching preparation and institutional support were not statistically associated with intent to leave nursing academia.

CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest older age, PhD-prepared faculty, and job dissatisfaction were significant factors influencing decisions to leave nursing academia among the doctoral prepared new nursing faculty. Efforts to retain or increase the number of nurse faculty must be prioritized.

PMID:35213799 | DOI:10.1515/ijnes-2021-0148

Alzheimers Dement. 2022 Feb 25. doi: 10.1002/alz.12631. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: We examined baseline differences in depression and antidepressant use among cognitively normal older adults in five ethnoracial groups and assessed whether depression predicted a faster progression to incident cognitive impairment across groups.

METHODS: Data from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (n = 8168) were used to examine differences between non-Hispanic Whites (nHW), African Americans (AA), Hispanics, Asians, and American Indian and Alaskan Natives in cross-sectional and longitudinal models.

RESULTS: AA had a lower risk of depression compared to nHW at baseline. No statistical interactions were noted between ethnoracial groups and depression. However, depression independently predicted a faster progression to incident cognitive impairment. Hispanics and Asian participants had a higher hazard for progression compared to nHW.

DISCUSSION: Previously established risk factors between depression and dementia were not found among AA and nHW participants. The relationship between depression and ethnoracial groups is complex and suggests differential effects on progression from cognitive normality to impairment.

PMID:35213795 | DOI:10.1002/alz.12631

Radiat Res. 2022 Feb 25. doi: 10.1667/RADE-21-00059.1. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Recent analysis of all solid cancer incidence (1958-2009) in the Life Span Study (LSS) revealed evidence of upward curvature in the radiation dose response among males but not females. Upward curvature in sex-averaged excess relative risk (ERR) for all solid cancer mortality (1950-2003) was also observed in the 0-2 Gy dose range. As reasons for non-linearity in the LSS are not completely understood, we conducted dose-response analyses for all solid cancer mortality and incidence applying similar methods [1958-2009 follow-up, DS02R1 doses, including subjects not-in-city (NIC) at the time of the bombing] and statistical models. Incident cancers were ascertained from Hiroshima and Nagasaki cancer registries, while cause of death was ascertained from death certificates throughout Japan. The study included 105,444 LSS subjects who were alive and not known to have cancer before January 1, 1958 (80,205 with dose estimates and 25,239 NIC subjects). Between 1958 and 2009, there were 3.1 million person-years (PY) and 22,538 solid cancers for incidence analysis and 3.8 million PY and 15,419 solid cancer deaths for mortality analysis. We fitted sex-specific ERR models adjusted for smoking to both types of data. Over the entire range of doses, solid cancer mortality dose-response exhibited a borderline significant upward curvature among males (P = 0.062) and significant upward curvature among females (P = 0.010); for solid cancer incidence, as before, we found a significant upward curvature among males (P = 0.001) but not among females (P = 0.624). The sex difference in magnitude of dose-response curvature was statistically significant for cancer incidence (P = 0.017) but not for cancer mortality (P = 0.781). The results of analyses in the 0-2 Gy range and restricted lower dose ranges generally supported inferences made about the sex-specific dose-response shape over the entire range of doses for each outcome. Patterns of sex-specific curvature by calendar period (1958-1987 vs. 1988-2009) and age at exposure (0-19 vs. 20-83) varied between mortality and incidence data, particularly among females, although for each outcome there was an indication of curvature among 0-19-year-old male survivors in both calendar periods and among 0-19-year-old female survivors in the recent period. Collectively, our findings indicate that the upward curvature in all solid cancer dose response in the LSS is neither specific to males nor to incidence data; its evidence appears to depend on the composition of sites comprising all solid cancer group and age at exposure or time. Further follow up and site-specific analyses of cancer mortality and incidence will be important to confirm the emerging trend in dose-response curvature among young survivors and unveil the contributing factors and sites.

PMID:35213725 | DOI:10.1667/RADE-21-00059.1

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2022 Feb 25:ezac124. doi: 10.1093/ejcts/ezac124. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The comparative effectiveness and safety of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) versus histamine-2 receptor blockers for stress ulcer prophylaxis in the cardiac surgical intensive care unit population is uncertain. Although the Proton Pump Inhibitors versus Histamine-2 Receptor Blockers for Ulcer Prophylaxis Therapy in the Intensive Care Unit (PEPTIC) trial reported a higher risk of mortality in the PPI arm with no difference in gastrointestinal bleeding, detailed information on surgical variables and clinically relevant surgical subgroups was not available.

METHODS: The analysis included all Canadian cardiac surgery patients enrolled in the PEPTIC trial. Data were electronically linked using unique patient identifiers to a clinical information system. Outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality, gastrointestinal bleeding, Clostridium difficile infections, ventilator-associated conditions and length of stay.

RESULTS: We studied 823 (50.6%) randomized to PPIs and 805 (49.4%) to histamine-2-receptor blockers. In the intention-to-treat analysis, there were no differences in hospital mortality [PPI: 4.3% vs histamine-2 receptor blockers: 4.8%, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.55-1.70], gastrointestinal bleeding (3.9% vs 4.8%, aOR 1.09, 95% CI 0.66-1.81), C. difficile infections (0.9% vs 0.1%, aOR 0.18, 95% CI 0.02-1.59), ventilator-associated conditions (1.6% vs 1.7%, aOR 0.92, 95% CI 0.85-1.00) or median length of stay (9.2 vs 9.8 days, adjusted risk ratio 1.06, 85% CI 0.99-1.13). No significant treatment differences were observed among subgroups of interest or per-protocol populations.

CONCLUSIONS: In a secondary analysis of cardiac surgery patients enrolled in the PEPTIC trial in Canada, no differences in effectiveness or safety were observed between use of PPIs and histamine-2 receptor blockers for stress ulcer prophylaxis.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: anzctr.org.au identifier: ACTRN12616000481471.

PMID:35213716 | DOI:10.1093/ejcts/ezac124

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2022 Feb 25:dgac110. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgac110. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Subclinical hypothyroidism is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and mortality. However, the longitudinal association between subclinical hypothyroidism and incident metabolic syndrome remains unclear yet.

METHODS: A total of 3,615 participants from Beijing Health Management Cohort (BHMC) were enrolled from 2012 to 2014, and followed through 2019. People were grouped into subclinical hypothyroidism and euthyroidism according to serum free thyroxine and thyrotropin (TSH) concentrations. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models to investigate the relationship between TSH level and incident metabolic syndrome considering the modification effect of sex and age.

RESULTS: Of 3,615 participants, 1,929 were men (53.4%); mean (SD) age was 43.51 (11.73) years. Through out follow-up (median [interquartile range], 3.0 [2.8-3.2] years), 738 individuals developed metabolic syndrome. Subclinical hypothyroidism was significantly associated with metabolic syndrome development only in men, and the adjusted hazard ratio was 1.87 (95% CI: 1.21-2.90) compared with euthyroidism group. Of note, there was no increased risk of metabolic syndrome in people aged 50 years or older with subclinical hypothyroidism.

CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical hypothyroidism is associated with incident metabolic syndrome in young men. Further studies are needed to evaluate the targeted threshold and benefit of thyroid hormone replacement therapy for metabolic health.

PMID:35213715 | DOI:10.1210/clinem/dgac110