Tag: nevin manimala

PLoS One. 2024 Aug 21;19(8):e0305188. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305188. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the long-term and short-run causative relationship among environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, renewable energy and carbon emissions from all over sources (coal, oil and fossil fuels) and sector wise division (heat and power, transportation, residential, manufacturing and other sectors. The empirical evidence presented in this study is derived from a balanced panel dataset spanning the annual periods from 2000 to 2021. The dataset specifically focuses on a selection of BRI Countries. The Kao test demonstrates the presence of cointegration across variables such as carbon dioxide emissions, environmental suitability, energy efficiency and renewable energy. The Panel Pooled Mean Group-Autoregressive Distributed Lag (PMG-ARDL) model indicates a statistically significant positive association between the environmental sustainability and disaggregated CO2 emissions over a long-term period. The study found a positive relationship between disaggregated CO2 emissions and environmental sustainability and energy efficiency, with renewable energy sources reducing emissions. It suggests a need for a structural transition from an energy-intensive economy to a decarbonized one, with sectors like heat and power positively impacting sustainability. Implementing measures to reduce emissions is crucial for tackling climate change.

PMID:39167616 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0305188

PLoS One. 2024 Aug 21;19(8):e0308105. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308105. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

Disparities in life expectancy between Black and White Americans increased substantially during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the same period, the US experienced the largest increase in homicide on record. Yet, little research has examined the contribution of homicide to Black-White disparities in longevity in recent years. Using mortality data and population estimates, we conduct a comprehensive decomposition of the drivers of Black-White inequality in life expectancy and lifespan variability between 2019 and 2021 among men. We find that homicide is one of the principal reasons why lifespans have become shorter for Black men than White men in recent years. In 2020 and 2021, homicide was the leading contributor to inequality in both life expectancy and lifespan variability between Black and White men, accounting for far more of the racial gap in longevity and variability than deaths from COVID-19. Addressing homicides should be at the forefront of any public health discussion aimed at promoting racial health equity.

PMID:39167593 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0308105

PLoS One. 2024 Aug 21;19(8):e0306916. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306916. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Globally, midwifery-led birthing units are associated with favourable clinical outcomes and positive birth experiences. As part of our evaluation of Canada’s first Alongside Midwifery Unit (AMU) at Markham Stouffville Hospital, we sought to explore and compare birth experiences and satisfaction among midwifery clients who gave birth on the AMU with midwifery clients who gave birth on the traditional obstetric unit prior to AMU implementation.

METHODS: We conducted a structured, online, cross-sectional survey of midwifery clients in the six months before, and up to 18 months after, opening of the AMU at Markham Stouffville Hospital, Ontario Canada. The survey contained validated measures of satisfaction including personal capacity and participation; perceived safety, control, and security; professional support; and satisfaction. Descriptive statistics and tests of significance were completed in SPSS.

RESULTS: A total of 193 responses were included in our analyses (pre-AMU n = 47, post-AMU n = 146). All participants had positive experiences in the four domains assessed. Compared to those who gave birth with midwives on the Labour unit, those who gave birth on the AMU indicated more positive experiences for some measures. Perceptions pertaining to being an active participant in care, to security and sense of control were more positive among those who gave birth on the AMU.

CONCLUSION: The AMU in Ontario is associated with high levels of satisfaction during birth, particularly the perception of being actively engaged in decision making, having a sense of control and safety, and having confidence in the care provider team. Care received on the AMU does not compromise birth experiences or satisfaction and may be associated with greater autonomy and agency for the person giving birth.

PMID:39167592 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0306916

PLoS One. 2024 Aug 21;19(8):e0308407. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308407. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Comprehensive, individual-level social determinants of health (SDOH) are not collected in national transplant registries, limiting research aimed at understanding the relationship between SDOH and waitlist outcomes among kidney transplant candidates.

METHODS: We merged Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data with individual-level SDOH data from LexisNexis, a commercial data vendor, and conducted a competing risk analysis to determine the association between individual-level SDOH and the cumulative incidence of living donor kidney transplant (LDKT), deceased donor kidney transplant (DDKT), and waitlist mortality. We included adult kidney transplant candidates placed on the waiting list in 2020, followed through December 2023.

RESULTS: In multivariable analysis, having public insurance (Medicare or Medicaid), less than a college degree, and any type of derogatory record (liens, history of eviction, bankruptcy and/ felonies) were associated with lower likelihood of LDKT. Compared with patients with estimated individual annual incomes ≤ $30,000, patients with incomes ≥ $120,000 were more likely to receive a LDKT (sub distribution hazard ratio (sHR), 2.52; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.03-3.12). Being on Medicare (sHR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.42-1.57), having some college or technical school, or at most a high school diploma were associated with a higher likelihood of DDKT. Compared with patients with incomes ≤ $30,000, patients with incomes ≥ $120,000 were less likely to receive a DDKT (sHR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.51-0.71). Lower individual annual income, having public insurance, at most a high school diploma, and a record of liens or eviction were associated with higher waitlist mortality.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with adverse individual-level SDOH were less likely to receive LDKT, more likely to receive DDKT, and had higher risk of waitlist mortality. Differential relationships between SDOH, access to LDKT, DDKT, and waitlist mortality suggest the need for targeted interventions aimed at decreasing waitlist mortality and increasing access to LDKT among patients with adverse SDOH.

PMID:39167588 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0308407

Retina. 2024 Sep 1;44(9):1633-1638. doi: 10.1097/IAE.0000000000004141.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To identify longitudinal retinal layer thickness changes in normal eyes of cognitively healthy elderly people.

METHODS: Post hoc analysis was performed on 57 cognitively healthy elderly participants from the population-based Korean Longitudinal Study on Health and Aging and Korean Longitudinal Study on Cognitive Aging and Dementia cohort studies who underwent baseline and final optical coherence tomography scans. The peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer, subfoveal choroid, and average retinal layer thickness at four quadrant (nasal, temporal, superior, and inferior) points 1 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm from the center of the fovea were measured.

RESULTS: The mean age of subjects was 75.1 years and the mean follow-up period was 55.9 months. Among the analyzed retinal layers, both the ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer and the outer nuclear layer at all 1 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm points showed a statistically significant decrease in thickness at the final visit compared with baseline. The annual decrease rates were -1.2 µm/year at 1 mm (total -6.6%), -1.3 µm/year at 2 mm (total -8.4%), and -1.1 µm/year at 3 mm (total -9.7%) for ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer and -0.6 µm/year at 1 mm (total -4.2%), -0.5 µm/year at 2 mm (total -3.9%), and -0.4 µm/year at 3 mm (total -4.1%) for outer nuclear layer.

CONCLUSION: Aging plays a significant role in the reduction of ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer and outer nuclear layer thicknesses in cognitively healthy elderly individuals.

PMID:39167584 | DOI:10.1097/IAE.0000000000004141

Neuroreport. 2024 Jul 24. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0000000000002079. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

We investigated differences in subcortical white matter according to the presence disorders of consciousness (DOC) in patients with hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HI-BI), using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS). Thirty-two consecutive patients with HI-BI were recruited. The patients were assigned in group A [preserved consciousness (Glasgow Coma Scale: 15 and Coma Recovery Scale-revised (CRS-R): 23, 9 patients)] or group B [DOC present (Glasgow Coma Scale <15 and CRS-R < 23, 20 patients)]. Voxel-wise statistical analysis of fractional anisotropy data was performed by using TBSS as implemented in the FMRIB Software Library. We calculated mean fractional anisotropy values across the white matter skeleton and within 48 regions of interest (ROIs) based on intersections between the skeleton and the probabilistic Johns Hopkins University white matter atlases. Among the 48 ROIs examined, the fractional anisotropy values of two ROIs (the left superior corona radiata, and left tapetum) were significantly lower in group B than in group A (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed, however, in the other 46 ROIs (P > 0.05). Our results suggest that abnormalities of the superior corona radiata and tapetum may be critical for DOC presence in patients with HI-BI.

PMID:39166416 | DOI:10.1097/WNR.0000000000002079

Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024 Aug 19. doi: 10.1097/MEG.0000000000002810. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The breadth and validity of the associations of nongenetic risk factors with celiac disease (CeD) are elusive in the literature. We aimed to evaluate which of these associations have strong epidemiological credibility and assessed presence and extent of potential literature biases.

METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed until April 2024 for systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies examining associations between putative risk factors and CeD. Each association was categorized in five evidence grades (convincing, highly suggestive, suggestive, weak, and not statistically significant) based on broadly used criteria for evaluating quality of evidence in observational studies.

RESULTS: Five eligible publications were included, describing 15 meta-analytic associations on seven nongenetic risk factors, three of which were nominally significant (P < 0.05). None of the associations received a strοng or highly suggestive evidence. One meta-analytic association received suggestive evidence, namely any infections during childhood and adulthood for a higher risk of CeD (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.2-1.56; P=3.77 × 10-6). Two meta-analyses reported weak evidence, pertaining to current smoking for a lower risk of CeD (OR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.32-0.84; P=7.84 × 10-3) and use of antibiotics for a higher risk (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.04-1.38; P 14.8 × 10-3). The rest of the meta-analyses did not report statistically significant results, and pertained to breastfeeding, time of gluten introduction, rotavirus vaccination, and cesarean section.

CONCLUSION: No association of nongenetic risk factors for CeD received high levels of evidence. The evidence was suggestive for the association of any infections during childhood and adulthood with higher risk of CeD. More and prospective future research is warranted.

PMID:39166402 | DOI:10.1097/MEG.0000000000002810

Biomed Mater. 2024 Aug 21;19(5). doi: 10.1088/1748-605X/ad6dc3.

ABSTRACT

Melanoma is a common malignant tumor, with a five-year mortality rate as high as 62% in cases of metastatic melanoma according to cancer statistics (2024). In recent years, the focus of melanoma research has predominantly centered on immunotherapy and targeted therapy, grappling with challenges such as resistance and immunogenicity. The discovery of nanoparticles (NPs) has brought nano-delivery systems to the forefront of melanoma diagnosis and treatment. Although certain NPs, like liposomes, have gained clinical approval, utilizing most nano-delivery systems for melanoma diagnosis and treatment remains largely exploratory. The inherent limitations of NPs present a major obstacle to their clinical translation. By selecting suitable nanocarriers and functionalizing NPs to optimize nano-delivery systems, and combining these systems with other therapies, it is possible to reduce the systemic toxicity and resistance associated with conventional therapies and the NPs themselves. This optimization could significantly improve the effectiveness of nano-delivery systems in the early detection and timely treatment of melanoma. However, there have been few reviews on the optimization of NPs and the combined application of other therapies in the treatment and diagnostic application of melanoma in the past three years. This review summarizes the latest applications of nano-delivery systems in the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma over the past three years, including innovations and achievements in both preclinical and clinical studies, offering new perspectives on their potential and future application prospects. It integrates clinical data and patent information, highlights trends in nano-delivery system development, and offers new insights into their clinical translation. Additionally, it discusses the challenges and opportunities of nano-delivery systems in melanoma treatment, providing a foundation for advancing their application in diagnosis, treatment, and clinical translation.

PMID:39166400 | DOI:10.1088/1748-605X/ad6dc3

J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown). 2024 Aug 14. doi: 10.2459/JCM.0000000000001661. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Clinical complications of anorexia nervosa (AN) include cardiac structural and functional alterations. Available evidence on impaired myocardial deformation in AN patients without overt systolic dysfunction as assessed by left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is scanty and based on a few studies. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to provide comprehensive and updated information on this issue.

METHODS: Following the PRISMA guidelines, systematic searches were conducted across bibliographic databases (Pub-Med, OVID, EMBASE and Cochrane library) to identify eligible studies from inception up to 31 January 2024. Searches were limited to clinical investigations published in English reporting data on left ventricular (LV) mechanics (i.e. global longitudinal strain) in patients with anorexia and controls. The statistical difference of the echocardiographic variables of interest between groups such as LVEF and global longitudinal strain (GLS) was calculated by standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) by using random-effects models.

RESULTS: Five studies including 171 AN and 147 healthy normal-weight individuals were considered for the analysis. Pooled average LVEF values were 63.2 ± 0.4% in the healthy control group and 64.6 ± 1.0% in the AN group (SMD -0.08 ± 0.11, CI: -0.15/0.30, P = 0.51); the corresponding values of GLS were -20.1 ± 0.9% and -20.2 ± 0.9% (SMD 0.07 ± 0.3, CI: -0.46/0.60, P = 0.80). Unlike GLS, apical strain (data from three studies) was higher in AN than in controls (-23.1 ± 1.8 vs. -21.3 ± 1.8; SMD: -0.42 ± 0.17, CI: -0.08/-0.76, P = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present meta-analysis do not support the view that myocardial deformation as assessed by GLS is impaired in patients with AN and preserved LVEF. The role of STE in detecting subclinical cardiac damage in this clinical condition deserves to be evaluated in future studies including regional LV strain.

PMID:39166392 | DOI:10.2459/JCM.0000000000001661

Expert Rev Proteomics. 2024 Aug 21. doi: 10.1080/14789450.2024.2395398. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) represents the most prevalent form of oral cancer. Potentially malignant disorders of oral mucosa exhibit an elevated propensity for malignant progression. A substantial proportion of cases are discerned during advanced stages, significantly impacting overall survival. This investigation aims to ascertain salivary metabolites with potential utility in the early detection of OSCC.

METHODS: A search encompassing PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Ovid, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases was conducted to identify eligible articles. The search strategy employed precise terms. The quality assessment of the included studies was executed using the QUADAS 2 ROB tool. This was registered with PROSPERO CRD42021278217.

RESULTS: Upon removing duplicate articles and publications that didn’t satisfy the inclusion criteria, seven articles were included in the current study. The Random Effects Maximum Likelihood (REML) model adopted for quantitative synthesis identified N-acetyl glucosamine as the sole metabolite in two studies included in this meta-analysis. The pathways significantly influenced by these identified metabolites were delineated.

CONCLUSION: This study highlights N-acetyl glucosamine as a distinctive metabolite with the potential to serve as an early diagnostic marker for OSCC. Nevertheless, further research is warranted to validate its clinical utility.

PMID:39166387 | DOI:10.1080/14789450.2024.2395398