Tag: nevin manimala

Macromol Rapid Commun. 2023 May 23:e2300256. doi: 10.1002/marc.202300256. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This work reports on the synthesis of statistical copolymers of bio-based PA 6.19 and PA 6.6 together with the production of melt-spun monofilaments for the production of sustainable textile fibers. The plant oil-based 1.19-nonadecanedioic acid was synthesized from bio-derived oleic acid via isomerizing methoxycarbonylation. The homopolymer PA 6.19 with a carbon-based bio-content of 72% showed a good elongation at break of 166%, but lower tensile strength than commercial PA 6 (43 MPa versus 82 MPa). Addition of adipic acid to form statistical PA 6.6/6.19 copolymers improved toughness while maintaining the high elongation at break. Two PA 6.6/6.19 copolymers with a carbon-based bio-content of 26% and 33% were successfully synthesized and exhibited comparable toughness (94±6 MPa and 92±2 MPa) to the commercial PA 6 (92±15 MPa). The bio-based copolymers also exhibit a much lower water uptake than PA 6 and PA 6.6, resulting in a higher dimensional stability. Melt spinning of the oleic acid-based polyamides was successfully carried out to produce monofilaments with sufficient properties for further processing in a knitting process, demonstrating the capabilities of the bio-based PA 6.6/6.19 copolymers for use in the textile industry. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID:37220654 | DOI:10.1002/marc.202300256

J Craniofac Surg. 2023 May 22. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000009351. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Traumatic injury or tumor resection can lead to eyelid defects, nasal defects, and cheek defects. The temporal flap pedicled with orbicularis oculi muscle (OOM) can be used to repair these defects. This cadaver-based anatomic study aimed to evaluate the blood supply of this flap and investigate its clinical implications.

METHODS: Twenty hemifaces from 10 cadavers were used in this study. The number of arteries supplying OOM of the flap, the diameter of the artery entering OOM, and the maximum width of OOM were recorded. All data were presented as mean±SD values and analyzed using Student t-test. A P value<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: Of these 10 specimens, 7 were males and 3 were females. The average age was 67.7 years (range, 53-78 y). The number of arteries supplying OOM was 8.5±1.4 in the male and 7.8±1.2 in the female. The diameter of the zygomatico-orbital artery was detected as 0.53±0.06 mm in the male and 0.40±0.11 mm in the female. The maximum width of OOM was detected as 2.5±0.1 cm in the male and 2.2±0.1 cm in the female. Males had significantly larger average values than females in the diameter of zygomatico-orbital artery and maximum width of OOM (P=0.012, P<0.001, respectively). However, the number of arteries supplying OOM did not differ significantly between sex (P=0.322).

CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the blood supply of the temporal flap pedicled with OOM is abundant and reliable. The findings provide surgeons with valuable anatomic knowledge for repairing facial defects with this flap.

PMID:37220649 | DOI:10.1097/SCS.0000000000009351

J Craniofac Surg. 2023 May 22. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000009438. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The most common typical symptoms of keloids can be pain and itchiness. Intralesional corticosteroid administration is generally the first-line conservative treatment. Minimizing pain during intralesional corticosteroid injections into keloids should be aimed, as the treatment is often painful. There has yet to be a report on which local anesthetic technique is superior in keloid treatment between topical anesthetic versus lidocaine mixture injection.

METHODS: This was a single-center prospective study. The study included 100 patients with painful multiple/multifocal keloids aged 18 to 85 years and was performed between May 2021 and December 2022. Among multiple keloid lesions in a single patient, we assigned the keloids pretreated with topical cream application versus local injection. Then, subjects received 40 mg of intralesional corticosteroid injections into the keloids with a 26G needle to treat keloids. Patients rated the pain intensity of each lesion pretreated with two different anesthetic techniques on an 11-point numeric rating scale. A separate direct question of “Which technique would you recommend if you had to be injected again?” was given.

RESULTS: One-hundred patients with painful multiple/multifocal keloids were included in the study. Data on pain intensity numeric rating scale (NRS) revealed that injection techniques relieved the pain statistically significantly more than topical creams. (P<0.001) 63% of the participants (n=63) preferred the injection technique, while 25% preferred topical anesthetics. In total, 12% of patients responded that there was no difference between the two techniques.

CONCLUSION: When comparing with topical lidocaine/prilocaine (EMLA) cream, a 1:1 mixture of 1% lidocaine and epinephrine significantly alleviated pain during and after the corticosteroid injection.

PMID:37220648 | DOI:10.1097/SCS.0000000000009438

Stat Comput. 2023;33(4):81. doi: 10.1007/s11222-023-10244-0. Epub 2023 May 18.

ABSTRACT

Count data that are subject to both under and overdispersion at some hierarchical level cannot be readily accommodated by classic models such as Poisson or negative binomial regression models. The mean-parameterised Conway-Maxwell-Poisson distribution allows for both types of dispersion within the same model, but is doubly intractable with an embedded normalising constant. We propose a look-up method where pre-computing values of the rate parameter dramatically reduces computing times and renders the proposed model a practicable alternative when faced with such bidispersed data. The approach is demonstrated and verified using a simulation study and applied to three datasets: an underdispersed small dataset on takeover bids, a medium dataset on yellow cards issued by referees in the English Premier League prior to and during the Covid-19 pandemic, and a large Test match cricket bowling dataset, the latter two of which each exhibit over and underdispersion at the individual level.

PMID:37220636 | PMC:PMC10193358 | DOI:10.1007/s11222-023-10244-0

J Pain Res. 2023 May 17;16:1595-1605. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S406374. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Osteoarthritis is a chronic, ongoing disease that affects patients, and pain is considered a key factor affecting patients, but the brain changes during the development of osteoarthritis pain are currently unclear. In this study, we used electroacupuncture (EA) to intervene the rat model of knee osteoarthritis and analyzed the changes in topological properties of brain networks using graph theory.

METHODS: Sixteen SD rat models of right-knee osteoarthritis with anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) were randomly divided into electroacupuncture intervention group and control group. The electroacupuncture group was intervened on Zusanli (ST36) and Futu (ST32) for 20 min each time, five times a week for 3 weeks, while the control group was applied sham stimulation. Both groups were measured for pain threshold. The small-world properties and node properties of the brain network between the two groups after the intervention were statistically analyzed by graph theory methods.

RESULTS: The differences are mainly in the changes in node attributes between the two groups, such as degree centrality, betweenness centrality, and so on in different brain regions (P<0.05). Both groups showed no small-world characteristics in the brain networks of the two groups. The mechanical thresholds and thermal pain thresholds were significantly higher in the EA group than in the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that electroacupuncture intervention enhanced the activity of nodes related to pain circuit and relieved pain in osteoarthritis, which provides a complementary basis for explaining the effect of electroacupuncture intervention on pain through graphical analysis of changes in brain network topological properties and helps to develop an imaging model for pain affected by electroacupuncture.

PMID:37220632 | PMC:PMC10200108 | DOI:10.2147/JPR.S406374

J R Stat Soc Series B Stat Methodol. 2020 Dec;82(5):1273-1300. doi: 10.1111/rssb.12388. Epub 2020 Jul 10.

ABSTRACT

We introduce a simple new approach to variable selection in linear regression, with a particular focus on quantifying uncertainty in which variables should be selected. The approach is based on a new model – the “Sum of Single Effects” (SuSiE) model – which comes from writing the sparse vector of regression coefficients as a sum of “single-effect” vectors, each with one non-zero element. We also introduce a corresponding new fitting procedure – Iterative Bayesian Stepwise Selection (IBSS) – which is a Bayesian analogue of stepwise selection methods. IBSS shares the computational simplicity and speed of traditional stepwise methods, but instead of selecting a single variable at each step, IBSS computes a distribution on variables that captures uncertainty in which variable to select. We provide a formal justification of this intuitive algorithm by showing that it optimizes a variational approximation to the posterior distribution under the SuSiE model. Further, this approximate posterior distribution naturally yields convenient novel summaries of uncertainty in variable selection, providing a Credible Set of variables for each selection. Our methods are particularly well-suited to settings where variables are highly correlated and detectable effects are sparse, both of which are characteristics of genetic fine-mapping applications. We demonstrate through numerical experiments that our methods outperform existing methods for this task, and illustrate their application to fine-mapping genetic variants influencing alternative splicing in human cell-lines. We also discuss the potential and challenges for applying these methods to generic variable selection problems.

PMID:37220626 | PMC:PMC10201948 | DOI:10.1111/rssb.12388

J Alzheimers Dis Rep. 2023 Apr 20;7(1):299-306. doi: 10.3233/ADR220117. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Short cognitive screening instruments (CSI) are required to identify cognitive impairment in busy outpatient clinics. While the Six Item Cognitive Impairment Test (6CIT) is commonly used, its accuracy in those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and against more widely-used CSIs is less well established.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the diagnostic accuracy of the 6CIT against the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Quick Mild Cognitive Impairment (Qmci) screen across the cognitive spectrum in a memory clinic population.

METHODS: In total, 142 paired assessments were available (21 with SCD, 32 MCI, and 89 with dementia). Consecutive patients underwent a comprehensive assessment and were screened using the 6CIT, Qmci, and MoCA. Accuracy was determined from the area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC).

RESULTS: The median age of patients was 76 (±11) years; 68% were female. The median 6CIT score was 10/28 (±14). The 6CIT was strongly, negatively, and statistically significantly correlated with the Qmci (r = -0.84) and MoCA (r = -0.86). The 6CIT had good accuracy for separating cognitive impairment (MCI or dementia) from SCD, (AUC:0.88; 0.82-0.94), similar to the MoCA (AUC:0.92; 0.87-0.97, p = 0.308), but statistically lower than the Qmci (AUC:0.96; 0.94-0.99, p = 0.01). The 6CIT was faster to administer, median time 2.05 minutes versus 4.38 and 9.5 for the Qmci and MoCA, respectively.

CONCLUSION: While the Qmci was more accurate than the 6CIT, the shorter administration time of the 6CIT, suggests it may be useful when assessing or monitoring cognitive impairment in busy memory clinics, though larger samples are required to evaluate.

PMID:37220615 | PMC:PMC10200246 | DOI:10.3233/ADR220117

Rehabil Couns Bull. 2017;61(4):217-227. doi: 10.1177/0034355217700819.

ABSTRACT

Given vocational rehabilitation’s (VR) substantial role in workforce development, it follows that agencies would encourage and support consumers using the most current job-seeking methods, including social media. Recent data, however, show that online strategies are limited in VR practice and that many agencies lack comprehensive policies to guide social media use. We conducted a qualitative analysis to examine current VR social media policies and procedures and offer recommendations for policy development. Through an examination of open coding of 22 policies and one guideline, we identified seven themes and 25 subthemes, which mapped onto recommended social media policy elements from research. Only two VR policies, however, covered themes in a comprehensive way, and only one policy acknowledged social media as a tool for consumer job search. This outcome is an oversight given the emphasis social media plays in employment networking, proof of performance, and skills demonstration when seeking employment.

PMID:37220600 | PMC:PMC10202493 | DOI:10.1177/0034355217700819

World J Plast Surg. 2023;12(1):37-42. doi: 10.52547/wjps.12.1.37.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Previously, absorbable screw and plate systems were widely used in craniosynostosis surgery in Iran, but now, due to the establishment of economic sanctions, the importation of these tools into the country has become difficult. In this study, we compared the short-term complications of cranioplasty surgery in craniosynostosis using absorbable plate screws with absorbable sutures.

METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 47 patients with a history of craniosynostosis who underwent cranioplasty at Tehran Mofid Hospital, Tehran, Iran from 2018 to 2021 were divided into two groups. For first group (31 patients) we used absorbable plate and screws, and for the second group (16 patients) absorbable sutures (PDS). All operations in both groups were performed by the identical surgical team. Patients followed up for consecutive post-operative examinations in the first and second weeks and 1, 3, and 6 months. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 25.

RESULTS: The results did not show any short-term or medium-term complications in either group. No recurrences were observed. In Whittaker classification, 63.8% were Class I, 29.8% were Class II, 6.4% were Class III, and 0% were Class IV. There was no statistically significant relationship between the type of treatment (screw and plate or absorbable suture) and higher Whitaker. There was also no statistically significant relationship between type of craniosynostosis and higher Whittaker.

CONCLUSION: The absorbable sutures can be considered as valuable and cost-effective tools in the fixation of bone fragments in craniosynostosis surgeries by surgeons.

PMID:37220571 | PMC:PMC10200089 | DOI:10.52547/wjps.12.1.37

Health Serv Insights. 2023 May 18;16:11786329231174745. doi: 10.1177/11786329231174745. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Long-term care (LTC) homes (“nursing homes”) were challenged during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. The objective of this study was to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on resident admission and discharge rates, resident health attributes, treatments, and quality of care.

DESIGN: Synthesis analysis of “Quick Stats” standardized data table reports published yearly by the Canadian Institute for Health Information. These reports are a pan-Canadian scorecard of LTC services rendered, resident health characteristics, and quality indicator performance.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: LTC home residents in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario, Canada that were assessed with the interRAI Minimum Data Set 2.0 comprehensive health assessment in fiscal years 2018/2019, 2019/2020 (pre-pandemic period), and 2020/2021 (pandemic period).

METHODS: Risk ratio statistics were calculated to compare admission and discharge rates, validated interRAI clinical summary scale scores, medication, therapy and treatment provision, and seventeen risk-adjusted quality indicator rates from the pandemic period relative to prior fiscal years.

RESULTS: Risk of dying in the LTC home was greater in all provinces (risk ratio [RR] range 1.06-1.18) during the pandemic. Quality of care worsened substantially on 6 of 17 quality indicators in British Columbia and Ontario, and 2 quality indicators in Manitoba and Alberta. The only quality indicator where performance worsened during the pandemic in all provinces was the percentage of residents that received antipsychotic medications without a diagnosis of psychosis (RR range 1.01-1.09).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled numerous areas to strengthen LTC and ensure that resident’s physical, social, and psychological needs are addressed during public health emergencies. Except an increase in potentially inappropriate antipsychotic use, this provincial-level analysis indicates that most aspects of resident care were maintained during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

PMID:37220547 | PMC:PMC10196682 | DOI:10.1177/11786329231174745