Tag: nevin manimala

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2023 Nov 15. doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-30680-9. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Using the value-added method in the global input-output framework, embedded carbon transfers between economies are measured. Then, the international embedded carbon network (IECN) models are constructed and analyzed to reveal the real pattern of the IECN. Influential factors of the IECN are further explored with Quadratic Assignment Procedure (QAP). The main findings are as follows: first, the IECN has the characteristics of small world and scale-free. Developed economies led by the USA have high centrality indicators and always occupy the core position in the network; the network position of China and India has risen significantly with different network characteristics. Second, the subgroup relationships of the carbon network implied by international trade are becoming more and more complex and diverse, economies’ participation in the global carbon chain is gradually increasing, and the number of edge nodes are decreasing. Third, the results of QAP analysis show that in addition to the negative impact of geographical distance on embedded carbon transfers between economies, inter-country trade agreement relations, differences in industrial structure, energy intensity, environmental regulation, economic size, and population size have a positive impact on embedded carbon transfers between economies. These findings can provide important practice implications for the global carbon neutrality.

PMID:37966652 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-023-30680-9

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2023 Nov 15. doi: 10.1007/s11356-023-31014-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Over the past two decades, the Taiwan government promulgated some regulatory measures and promotional actions on energy efficiency promotion and renewable energy development. In March 2022, the “Taiwan’s Pathway to Net-Zero Emissions in 2050” was announced to respond to the Paris Agreement. In order to achieve the goal, the Climate Change Response Act (CCRA) was passed on February 15, 2023, requiring the de-carbonization measures and adaptation strategies. The main aim of this paper was to analyze the changes in GHG emissions and renewable energy supply by using the updated data from the official statistics in connection with the trends of environmental and energy sustainability since 2000. The findings showed that total installed capacity of renewable power (especially in solar power and wind power) showed an amazing increase over the past decade, leading to the inclined GHG emissions and thus supporting the environmental and energy sustainability toward a low-carbon society. Furthermore, this paper summarized the development history and main differences concerning the carbon neutrality policy and legislation in Japan and South Korea. For achieving the staged targets of GHG emissions by 2030 and 2050, this paper finally addressed the technological approaches for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 in Taiwan, focusing on the transformation of energy and industry, and the policy implications by all levels of government.

PMID:37966639 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-023-31014-5

J Gastrointest Cancer. 2023 Nov 15. doi: 10.1007/s12029-023-00984-7. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Gastric cancer is the fifth most common malignant tumor worldwide. Many attempts have been made over the years to investigate the relationship between tumor markers and the risk of recurrence. This study aims to explore the predictive value of tumor markers measured in peritoneal washing during staging laparoscopy, regarding peritoneal carcinomatosis and mortality within 1 year.

METHODS: Patients with locally advanced gastric cancer, staged as at least usT2anyNM0 were submitted to staging laparoscopy in a Portuguese single center. CA 19.9, CEA, CA 125, and CA 72.4 were measured in the peritoneal washing after being harvested during staging laparoscopy.

RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients were enrolled. After 1 year, 20 patients did not recur (52.5%), 11 (28.9%) developed carcinomatosis, and 7 (18.4%) had distant metastasis. Mortality reached 23.7% (n = 9). A statistically significant prediction of carcinomatosis was obtained for CA 125 (cutoff: 107.6 U/mL (p = 0.019)) and CEA (cutoff: 2.0 ng/mL (p = 0.020)) with 87.5% and 75% sensitivity, respectively. Prediction of mortality was significant for CA 125 (cutoff: 103.8 U/mL (p = 0.044)) and CA 125 + CEA (p = 0.030). CEA and CA 125 had NPVs of 87.9% and 93.1% regarding PC, respectively. NPVs of 88.9% and 89.2% were met concerning mortality, for the same tumor markers.

CONCLUSION: Performing the peritoneal liquid harvest during staging laparoscopy makes this analysis cost effective, reproducible, and does not add further morbidity. CA 125 and CEA, individually and in association, are good predictors of progression of disease and mortality within a year of staging laparoscopy in GC patients.

PMID:37966631 | DOI:10.1007/s12029-023-00984-7

Environ Monit Assess. 2023 Nov 15;195(12):1478. doi: 10.1007/s10661-023-12060-5.

ABSTRACT

Forest resource reporting techniques primarily use the two most recent measurements for understanding forest change. Multiple remeasurements now exist within the US national forest inventory (NFI), providing an opportunity to examine long-term forest demographics. We leverage two decades of remeasurements to quantify live-dead wood demographics which can better inform estimates of resource changes in forest ecosystems. Our overall objective is to identify opportunities and gaps in tracking 20 years of forest demographics within the US NFI using east Texas as a pilot study region given its diversity of tree species, prevalence of managed conditions, frequency of disturbances, and relatively rapid change driven by a warm, humid climate. We examine growth and mortality rates, identify transitions to downed dead wood/litter and removal via harvest, and describe implications of these processes focusing on key species groups (i.e., loblolly pine, post oak, and water oak) and size classes (i.e., saplings, small and large trees). Growth and mortality rates fluctuated differently over time by species and stem sizes in response to large-scale disturbances, namely the 2011 drought in Texas. Tree-fall rates were highest in saplings and snag-fall rates trended higher in smaller trees. For removal rates, different stem sizes generally followed similar patterns within each species group. Forest demographics from the field-based US NFI are informative for identifying diffuse lagged mortality, species- and size-specific effects, and management effects. Moreover, researchers continually seek to employ ancillary data and develop new statistical methods to enhance understanding of forest resource changes from field-based inventories.

PMID:37966615 | DOI:10.1007/s10661-023-12060-5

J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2023 Nov 15. doi: 10.1007/s00432-023-05466-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Ovarian carcinoma is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy because of its late diagnosis, extremely high recurrence rate, and limited curative treatment options. In clinical practice, high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) predominates due to its frequency, high aggressiveness, and rapid development of drug resistance. Recent evidence suggests that CXCL12 is an important immunological factor in ovarian cancer progression. Therefore, we investigated the predictive and prognostic significance of the expression of this chemokine in tumor and immune cells in patients with HGSC.

METHODS: We studied a cohort of 47 primary high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas and their associated recurrences. A tissue microarray was constructed to evaluate the CXCL12 immunostained tumor tissue. CXCL12 expression was evaluated and statistically analyzed to correlate clinicopathologic data, overall survival, and recurrence-free survival.

RESULTS: A high proportion of CXCL12 + positive immune cells in primary ovarian serous carcinoma correlated significantly with chemosensitivity (p = 0.005), overall survival (p = 0.021), and longer recurrence-free survival (p = 0.038). In recurrent disease, high expression of CXCL12 was also correlated with better overall survival (p = 0.040). Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that high CXCL12 + tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TICs) (HR 0.99, p = 0.042, HR 0.99, p = 0.023, respectively) and combined CXCL12 + /CD66b + infiltration (HR 0.15, p = 0.001, HR 0.13, p = 0.001, respectively) are independent favorable predictive markers for recurrence-free survival.

CONCLUSION: A high density of CXCL12 + TICs predicts a good response to chemotherapy, leading to a better overall survival and a longer recurrence-free interval. Moreover, with concomitant high CXCL12/CD66b TIC density, it is an independent favorable predictor of recurrence-free survival in patients with ovarian carcinoma.

PMID:37966614 | DOI:10.1007/s00432-023-05466-8

Matern Child Health J. 2023 Nov 15. doi: 10.1007/s10995-023-03853-8. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Excessive maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) is strongly correlated with childhood obesity, yet how excess maternal weight gain and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) interact to affect early childhood obesity is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether overall and trimester-specific maternal GWG and GDM were associated with obesity in offspring by age 6 years.

METHODS: A cohort of 10,335 maternal-child dyads was established from electronic health records. Maternal weights at conception and delivery were estimated from weight trajectory fits using functional principal components analysis. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression, together with generalized raking, examined time-to-childhood-obesity.

RESULTS: Obesity diagnosed prior to age 6 years was estimated at 19.7% (95% CI: 18.3, 21.1). Maternal weight gain during pregnancy was a strong predictor of early childhood obesity (p < 0.0001). The occurrence of early childhood obesity was lower among mothers with GDM compared with those without diabetes (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.58, p = 0.014). There was no interaction between maternal weight gain and GDM (p = 0.55). Higher weight gain during the first trimester was associated with lower risk of early childhood obesity (p = 0.0002) whereas higher weight gain during the second and third trimesters was associated with higher risk (p < 0.0001).

DISCUSSION: Results indicated total and trimester-specific maternal weight gain was a strong predictor of early childhood obesity, though obesity risk by age 6 was lower for children of mothers with GDM. Additional research is needed to elucidate underlying mechanisms directly related to trimester-specific weight gain and GDM that impede or protect against obesity prevalence during early childhood.

PMID:37966561 | DOI:10.1007/s10995-023-03853-8

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2023 Nov 15. doi: 10.1007/s00405-023-08322-0. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of newly designed butterfly splint with special technique for middle turbinate stabilization in preventing adhesion following bilateral endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP).

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled.

SETTING: University hospitals.

METHODS: Following ESS, in cases of traumatized and/or unstable middle turbinates, newly designed butterfly plastic splint was randomly inserted in the middle meatus of one nasal side, while no splint was inserted in the other (control). Patients were followed up on after 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months. Endoscopic examination and a visual analog scale were used to evaluate each side of the nasal cavity for adhesion, crusting, pus, pain, nasal obstruction, and nasal discharge.

RESULTS: Thirty patients (60 nasal sides) were included. For all investigated parameters, there was no significant difference between the splinted and non-splinted sides at the first week visit. Adhesion was found significantly less in the splinted sides (3%) than the non-splinted sides (27%) after 1 month (P = 0.038). The adhesion rate in the splinted sides remained 3% at the 3 month follow-up visit, however, in the non-splinted sides, the rate increased up to 30% (P = 0.007). Throughout the follow-up visits, all other investigated parameters remained statistically insignificant between both sides.

CONCLUSIONS: The newly designed butterfly plastic splints to avoid middle turbinate adhesion is safe and effective in both reducing middle meatal adhesion with low complication rate in CRSwNP patients undergoing ESS and middle turbinate stabilization in its intermediate position.

PMID:37966539 | DOI:10.1007/s00405-023-08322-0

J Autism Dev Disord. 2023 Nov 15. doi: 10.1007/s10803-023-06189-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To explore the recalled experience of pregnancy and motherhood in women diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) without intellectual disabilities, focusing on sensory perceptions and mood.

METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated, through an ad-hoc structured interview, the sensory sensitivity during the pre-partum, the peri-partum, and the post-partum of thirty-three mothers with ASD and thirty-two neurotypical mothers. Participants also underwent a psychometric assessment about autistic traits, general sensory sensitivity, and post-partum depressive symptomatology.

RESULTS: Mothers with ASD recalled a higher sensitivity than the comparison group across the three time-points; however, during the peri-partum their recalled hypersensitivity decreases, and in the post-partum it returned as high as before childbirth. The difference in the length of recall between groups did not statistically influence our results. Higher levels of autistic traits correlated with higher depressive post-partum symptomatology.

CONCLUSIONS: Mothers with ASD seem to recall their experience of pregnancy, childbirth, and post-partum period differently from neurotypical mothers, particularly in terms of hypersensitivity. The correlation with depressive symptoms and the potential role of oxytocin and of long-term memory (encoding and recollection) are discussed. Further exploring these aspects might give fundamental hints to provide tailored support to mothers with ASD during pregnancy and motherhood.

PMID:37966534 | DOI:10.1007/s10803-023-06189-y

J Autism Dev Disord. 2023 Nov 15. doi: 10.1007/s10803-023-06165-6. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Caring for children with different developmental trajectories brings various challenges, which are often exacerbated in low-resource settings. International research has shown that raising a child with autism strongly impacts family caregivers, particularly mothers. There is a dearth of information regarding caregiving for individuals with autism in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and for fathers as well as mothers. This study examined the similarities and differences in caregiving for mothers and fathers of a child with autism in KRI using validated rating scales to measure various aspects of their general well-being. Over two years, a sample of 118 parents of individuals with autism (81 mothers and 37 fathers) self-completed the rating scales, which were further discussed through individual interviews with service personnel mainly known to them. The findings indicated that mothers and fathers were similarly impacted. Although there were no statistically significant differences in the ratings of their general health, sources of stress, family functioning, and satisfaction with caregiving, the majority of parents had elevated ratings on all the measures. In addition, parents who rated their children higher on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist had significantly higher scores on their general health issues and were less satisfied with their caregiving role. Parents of female individuals with autism were also significantly more stressed compared to the male individuals with autism and parents of children who received a diagnosis before three years of age, reported fewer behavioral problems with their child compared to the parents who received a diagnosis when the child was older. In this sample, mothers and fathers seem to be similarly impacted by caring for a child with autism, which is contrary to findings from other countries. However, in this region, family bonds between couples and the wider family may have had an influence which further cross-cultural research in low-resource settings could help elucidate, notwithstanding the challenges this poses. The findings have policy implications for health authorities in the KRI to improve the support provided to both mothers and fathers who care for children with autism, which presently is rarely available to them.

PMID:37966533 | DOI:10.1007/s10803-023-06165-6

Int Nurs Rev. 2023 Nov 15. doi: 10.1111/inr.12907. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To describe activities and professional characteristics of nurses in expanded roles in acute care in Germany and achieve a greater understanding of the current situation of advanced practice nursing.

BACKGROUND: Advanced practice nursing plays an important role in meeting increased demands in healthcare and promoting high-quality care.

INTRODUCTION: In Germany, advanced practice nursing is still at an early stage with a lack of studies describing the scope of practice of nurses in expanded roles.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional-study using a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. In a nationwide convenience sample, we surveyed nurses with an academic degree, who work in an acute care hospital and take over expanded roles in direct patient care. Reporting followed the STROBE checklist.

RESULTS: Of 108 eligible nurses, 84 (77%) completed the survey. The majority had a Master’s degree (63.1%) and the average work experience was 18.2 years. Participants carried out activities in all the domains that were queried (direct clinical practice, guidance and coaching, consultation, leadership and research) with differences within and between domains. Foci were on direct clinical practice and coaching and guidance.

DISCUSSION: In Germany, qualifications are nearing the international standard of advanced practice nursing. Results suggest that participants partly undertake activities within the scope of registered nurses’ practice that do not correspond fully to their formal qualifications.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND/OR HEALTH POLICY: In order to foster the role development of expanded practice nurses in Germany, political efforts are needed in terms of training (e.g. specific Master’s programmes), funding of corresponding positions in practice and control mechanisms (e.g. professional registration).

PMID:37965870 | DOI:10.1111/inr.12907