Ιατρικά Άρθρα: 12/03/18

Δευτέρα 3 Δεκεμβρίου 2018

Comparison of Prioritisation Schemes for Human Pharmaceuticals in the Aquatic Environment

Abstract

Only a small proportion of pharmaceuticals available for commercial use have been monitored in the aquatic environment, and even less is known about the effects on organisms. With thousands of pharmaceuticals in use, it is not feasible to monitor or assess the effects of all of these compounds. Prioritisation schemes allow the ranking of pharmaceuticals based on their potential as environmental contaminants, allowing resources to be appropriately used on those which are most likely to enter the environment and cause greatest harm. Many different types of prioritisation schemes exist in the literature and those utilising predicted environmental concentrations (PECs), the fish plasma model (FPM), critical environmental concentrations (CECs) and acute ecotoxicological data were assessed in the current study using the 50 most prescribed drugs in the UK. PECs were found to be overestimates of mean measured environmental concentrations but mainly underestimations of maximum concentrations. Acute ecological data identified different compounds of concern to the other effects assessments although the FPM and CECs methods were more conservative. These schemes highlighted antidepressants, lipid regulators, antibiotics, antihypertensive compounds and ibuprofen as priority compounds for further study and regulation.

https://ift.tt/2E0s7ut

Using the method of dynamic factors for assessing the transfer of chemical elements from soil to plants from various perspectives

Abstract

Environmental, biological, and ecosystem-specific properties may influence the transfer of chemical elements (CEs) from soils to plants, including the variation in the chemical elements' concentration, their types, and physiological parameters, such as biotransformation ability in the plants. The interface between the soil and a plant, or the concentration of a particular chemical element in a plant with respect to its concentration in the soil, is the basis for a widely used biological absorption coefficient, also known as the transfer factor, bioaccumulation factor, mobility ratio, or plant-soil coefficient, which is expressed in terms of the chemical element's concentration in the plant and soil. However, from the biogeochemical perspective, these coefficients/factors can provide a comparison of the chemical element (CE) concentration in different media (plants and soil), but only in a particular place (under typical environmental conditions) and at a particular time. However, factors that highlight the variation in the processes, rather than the variation in the chemical element quantity under the conditions of the environmental variation, are required. The second-level or dynamic factors can be used for this purpose. A quantitative method, using the dynamic factors of bioaccumulation, biophilicity, translocation, bioavailability, and phytoremediation, is offered to assess the variation in the process of the uptake of chemical elements by different plants, to evaluate the influence of soil modification on their participation in the plants' metabolism and to perform quantitative evaluation of phytoremediation efficiency over a particular period of time. The use of dynamic factors for describing the chemical elements' uptake by plants in various cases, representing aerogenic and edaphic chemical elements' transfer, is discussed.

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Experimental investigation on engine characteristics fueled with waste HDPE oil and study on NO x emission variation using thermal imager

Abstract

For heavy duty applications like power generation and transportation, the best option is the compression ignition engines, but the major concerns are the rising prices and environmental issues due to the rapid depleting sources of conventional fossil fuels. The present investigation is to study the performance and emission characteristics of a single cylinder four-stroke, air-cooled direct injection diesel engine runs with an alternate fuel as waste high density polyethylene plastic oil (HDPE) obtained by catalytic pyrolysis. At constant speed, test fuels have been experimented successfully to determine the engine performance such as brake thermal efficiency, brake specific energy consumption, and exhaust gas emissions such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, and unburned hydrocarbons. The result shows that the brake thermal efficiency is lower at all load conditions when compared to diesel fuel whereas the brake specific energy consumption decreases with increase in engine load and increases with increase in waste plastic oil blend ratio. CO emission increases and NO_x emission level decreases with enhancement in engine load whereas the NO_x emission and CO emission augments with increase in waste plastic oil blend percentage. But in case of NO_x emission increase in concentration of waste plastic oil with diesel leads to raise in emission level. By using thermal imager, the link between in-cylinder temperature and NO_x emission has been fixed. With the help of this course of action, it has been observed that in-cylinder temperature plays the major role in NO_x concentration.

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Response to Editorial

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Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Kolkata, India: Prevalence, Pathogenesis and Potential Disease Biomarkers

09-2018-0367-dia_10-1055-a-0794-6057-1.j

Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes
DOI: 10.1055/a-0794-6057

Aims Prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) may vary across a country like India. Risk factors and disease-pathogenesis were also not fully elucidated. This study aimed to examine prevalence of GDM among pregnant women visiting antenatal clinic of a tertiary-care hospital of Kolkata, India; possible mechanism of disease pathogenesis and potency of associated parameters as disease biomarkers were also explored. Methods 735 pregnant women were screened for GDM according to DIPSI (Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group India) guideline and risk-factors were analyzed. Case-control study was conducted with 114 GDM and 114 matched non-GDM control. Blood sample was collected before glucose load for complete blood count, measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and assessment of DNA damage. Results Prevalence of GDM was found to be 17.2%(127/735). Maternal age, diabetic family history and acanthosis nigricans seemed to be important risk factors. Total ROS, lymphocyte DNA damage (measured by comet-assay) and some inflammatory hematological parameters were significantly higher in GDM compared to control. ROS, comet-tail DNA%, WBC, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and mean platelet volume (MPV) were established as independent determinants of disease condition after adjustment for pre-gestational body mass index. In receiver operating characteristic analysis, ROS>155.7 arbitrary fluorescent unit, NLR>2.12 and MPV>11.05 fL showed 82.5 & 98.2%, 71.9 & 84.2% and 71.9 & 82.5% sensitivity & specificity respectively in disease prediction. Conclusions Prevalence of GDM seemed to be high in Kolkata on Indian scenario. Oxidative-stress, related DNA-damage and inflammation seemed to have important contribution in pathogenesis of GDM independent of obesity. ROS, NLR and MPV with respective cut-off scores might be used as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for better management of the disease.
[...]

Article in Thieme eJournals:
Table of contents | Abstract | Full text

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Adsorptive removal of lead from acid mine drainage using cobalt-methylimidazolate framework as an adsorbent: kinetics, isotherm, and regeneration

Abstract

In this work, cobalt-methylimidazolate framework has been used as an adsorbent in the removal of Pb(II) from acid mine drainage in adsorption batch system. X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmet-Teller and transmission electron microscope were used for structural, morphological, and surface characteristics of cobalt-methylimidazolate framework. The concentration of heavy metal ions in water samples was measured by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Different experimental factors/variables (such as contact time, dosage, and pH) affecting the adsorption of Pb(II) from acid mine drainage were optimized by response surface methodology based on central composite design. Under optimized experimental parameters, the maximum adsorption capacity of Pb(II) was found to be 105 mg g⁻¹. The nature of the adsorption process was investigated using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The obtained data best fitted Langmuir isotherm model suggesting a homogeneous adsorption process. Furthermore, the adsorption mechanism was investigated using five kinetic models, that is, pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, intraparticle diffusion and Elovich model. The adsorption data fitted better to pseudo-second-order followed by intra-particle diffusion kinetic models suggesting that the adsorption mechanism is dominated by both chemical and physical adsorption processes. The adsorbent could be regenerated up to 8 cycles and it was successfully used in the removal of lead in real acid mine drainage samples.

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Understanding the effect of ventilation, intermittent pumping and seasonality in hydrogen sulfide and methane concentrations in a coastal sewerage system

Abstract

Gas pollutants emitted during wastewater transport contribute to atmospheric pollution, aggravated risks for utility workers, infrastructure corrosion, and odour nuisance. Field studies have shown that is difficult to effectively obtain reliable correlations between in-sewer air movement and gas pollutant concentrations. This study aimed at investigating the influence of different ventilation and operating conditions in H₂S and CH₄ horizontal and vertical movement in a section of a gravity sewer, downstream of a pumping station. Relevant liquid and gas phase quality parameters were monitored, and significant H₂S concentrations were measured (with lower contents of CH₄). Results evidenced that headspace temperature and ventilation played a key effect when analysing H₂S and CH₄ dynamics. Setups with a similar content of sulfide and chemical oxygen demand resulted in different H₂S and CH₄ headspace concentrations. It was also observed that an increase in ventilation resulted in a decrease of average headspace relative humidity of over 70%, with clear implications in corrosion potential estimates. Another interesting observation was that the wastewater drag induced by intermittent pumping, in absence of ingassing, originated pressure differences of up to 0.2 Pa m⁻¹ between studied manholes. This differential originated a wave pattern of gas moving upstream and downstream, thus resulting in several gas peaks per pumping event, at the same sections. In addition, in confined setups, full mixing was not observed along the manholes.

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Treatment of clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis

Summary

Dermatomyositis is an unusual auto‐immune condition (where the body's immune system doesn't function correctly) where a characteristic rash is associated with muscle inflammation. However, some patients have the skin disease without associated muscle disease, which is called amyopathic dermatomyositis, and there is no set agreement about the best way to treat these patients. The authors, based in Cardiff, Wales, reviewed the literature concerning the treatment of patients with amyopathic dermatomyositis. They identified eighteen case series (information from more than one patient) and 42 case reports (information from just one patient), but no randomised controlled trials, which are the gold‐standard of research. Antimalarials, such as hydroxychloroquine, were most commonly used, but ineffective in 55% of patients. Other drugs included topical and systemic corticosteroids, methotrexate, dapsone, mycophenolate mofetil and topical tacrolimus. Intravenous immunoglobulin led to improvement or even remission in the greatest number of patients with dermatomyositis with or without muscle involvement. The authors emphasise the need for more robust, unbiased studies to assess the efficacy of treatment in this condition.

https://ift.tt/2PfNBWj

Cognitive and visual diagnostic errors in dermatology

Summary

This review (part 1 of 2) from New York in the USA is concerned with the heuristic techniques ('heuristics') used to make diagnoses. A heuristic approach to problem‐solving is one that relies on a practical method rather than a logical one. Examples include a 'guesstimate', 'unwritten rule', 'gut feeling' or just recognising something. Heuristics often work as shortcuts in the way a diagnosis is made. One way in which doctors make diagnoses is from experience: experienced doctors instantly recognise psoriasis because they have seen lots of it; they don't need to tick off every feature every time. If the diagnosis is not immediately obvious, then they may switch to a more logical approach, such as putting together a set of clinical signs. The first method is simpler and quicker but more prone to errors, especially in the hands of the inexperienced. The inexperienced may, therefore, be obliged to use the second method, sometimes laboriously. Often we use a mixture of the two, but we make mistakes with both: a proportion of the consistent level of incorrect diagnosis in medicine may be due to our own thinking processes. Over forty types of heuristic are listed. If doctors have already reached a diagnosis, for example, they may stop prematurely, ignore more subtle information and fail to consider alternatives (the 'anchoring heuristic'). For dermatologists, heuristics including colour, site, shape and texture are important, but 12 images illustrate how they can be led astray. Humans do better with purely visual information, which seems good news for radiologists and histopathologists.

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Dermatomyositis: a slow path towards targeted therapies or will conventional therapies prevail?

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通过光动力治疗实现人皮肤的 MRSA 非殖民化治疗

Summary

作为医院感染的来源之一, 患者皮肤表面(载体)存在潜在有害细菌, 它们不会产生感染, 但在某些条件下可能传播给其他人。皮肤表面生活的细菌也会导致湿疹恶化。目前去除这些微生物(细菌)皮肤的方法包括给患者使用局部抗生素(皮肤上的)或口服抗生素(口服),但随着时间的推移, 这种策略被认为导致了抗生素耐药性, 这意味着抗生素不再能杀死细菌。本文中描述的是由德国雷根斯堡大学的一个小组进行的研究。他们使用切掉的猪和人体皮肤样本, 在样本中加入耐药细菌,如耐甲氧西林葡萄球菌或 MRSA, 然后用一种化学溶液对皮肤进行处理, 这种化学溶液的作用是增加对光的敏感性。皮肤样本随后暴露在光源下,这一过程被称为光动力激活。他们发现这种技术可以在不损害皮肤细胞的情况下, 大量减少细菌的数量。作者建议,这一过程现在应该作为一种更安全的方法来研究, 以减少表面细菌运输, 而不增加细菌耐药性的风险,也不损害皮肤。

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外阴佩吉特病的相关恶性肿瘤

Summary

外阴佩吉特病(VPD)是一种罕见的皮肤疾病,常见于绝经后的白人女性,它会引起外阴周围的皮肤瘙痒或灼烧。这种疾病有不同的类型,并且在过去,所有类型的 VPD 都与乳腺、肠道和泌尿系统的恶性肿瘤(如癌症)有关。这项来自荷兰的研究着眼于皮肤非侵入性 VPD, 其中在诊断时它只影响皮肤。研究人员想知道,与一般人群(没有 VPD 的人)相比,这种类型的 VPD 是否确实增加了患乳腺癌、肠道或泌尿系统恶性肿瘤的风险,并且评估是否所有 VPD 患者都应该进行常规的恶性肿瘤筛查。从荷兰的全国病理报告档案中获得了 2000 年至 2015 年期间任何类型 VPD 患者的肿瘤学(癌症)历史数据。从荷兰癌症登记处获得了随访数据和来自普通人群的对照组。在 VPD 患者中, 76.9% 诊断为皮肤非侵入性 VPD。研究人员发现,虽然其他类型的 VPD 可能与恶性肿瘤有关,但皮肤非侵入性 VPD 组患乳腺、肠道或泌尿道恶性肿瘤的风险并未增加。这表明,在诊断为皮肤非侵入性 VPD 的患者中,对这些恶性肿瘤的常规筛查可能没有必要。

https://ift.tt/2Pig3XJ

Sleep disturbance in psoriasis

Summary

Psoriasis is a common skin disease that affects 4‐5% of people worldwide. Psoriasis can be recognized by red, scaly areas on the skin, most often on the elbows, knees, scalp, and lower back. Given these physical symptoms, one could suspect that people with psoriasis may have difficulty sleeping. This study from Copenhagen, Denmark aimed to examine sleep disturbance in psoriasis. The study included 179 patients with psoriasis and 105 people without psoriasis, who all completed questionnaires on sleep quality. Twenty‐five per cent of the patients with psoriasis had difficulty sleeping and over half of them could be classified as poor sleepers. These numbers were much higher than what was what found in the people without psoriasis. Also, the authors found out that itchy skin was the main explanation for the reduced sleep quality in patients with psoriasis.

https://ift.tt/2zCVsZ6

Diagnostic heuristics: metacognition and other fixes

Summary

The shortcuts in thinking that humans use to solve problems ('heuristics', covered in an earlier review) are not always perfect, and in medicine this can lead to errors in diagnosis. So, how to recognize what is happening and try to combat it? In this review (part 2 of 2) the authors from the USA suggest ways of getting doctors 'to think about the way they think' (an approach known as metacognition) during the process of diagnosis. A number of strategies are considered: for instance, learning to pay more attention to – and acting more readily on – gut feelings of uncertainty, and being more aware of when to take time out to look at possibly uncertain diagnoses from different angles ('What else could it be?' 'Why does this not fit?' 'Let's discuss it with a colleague.'). Even being more consciously aware of when the work environment is too demanding or distracting (the phone never stops ringing, emails are constantly coming in, fatigue is kicking in, etc.) is an important skill. Reflecting on personal errors in diagnosis is another simple, practical example, as is asking for feedback from patients about what worked and what didn't. High risk professions have used checklists for a long time: does medicine need to catch up? Finally, the authors comment that experience can be a two‐edged sword: although experienced doctors generally use heuristics more effectively in diagnosis than inexperienced ones (see part 1), this can be undermined if they also 'become less likely to seek outside opinions or use reference materials'.

https://ift.tt/2PigoJK

皮肌炎的发病机制

Summary

皮肌炎是一种不常见的疾病,其特点是肌肉皮疹和炎症,可导致严重的虚弱,有时会造成呼吸和吞咽困难。在这项研究中,来自威尔士加的夫的作者回顾了这种潜在严重疾病的成因。与其他自身免疫性疾病一样,皮肌炎被认为是由遗传和环境因素共同作用的结果。一些基因(如 HLA B 类等位基因)与皮肤肌炎有关,并且特定基因与产生独特抗体密切相关,而这些抗体又与特定类型的疾病有关。一些环境因素触发皮肤肌炎的发展。其中包括紫外线、维生素 D 缺乏、感染和潜在的癌症(尤其是老年人)。药物(尤其是他汀类药物)可以引起肌炎(肌肉炎症),而全身类固醇可引起肌肉无力,但症状通常在减少药物后有所改善。皮肌炎涉及多种免疫因素。肌肉活检显示有炎症,其中有大量被称为淋巴细胞和巨噬细胞的 T 细胞,他们导致组织损伤。此外,一些自体抗体似乎针对肌肉,也会损害肌肉细胞。有增加血液中的一些细胞因子(TNFα 等分子)也会引发炎症。因此,许多不同的遗传因素和环境因素结合在一起可以触发皮肌炎的发展。

https://ift.tt/2zCXxEb

英国儿童移植人群皮肤癌随访研究

Summary

众所周知,接受肝或肾移植的成年人更容易患皮肤癌。这是因为为了防止移植器官的排斥反应而服用的药物还会降低人体对癌症的抵抗力。但我们对于接受过器官移植的儿童(儿科器官移植接受者,POTR)患皮肤癌的风险则知之甚少。在这项研究中,英国伯明翰的研究人员调查了 45 名在儿童时期进行肝脏或肾脏移植后患皮肤癌的患者。10 年前,当没有发现皮肤癌时,同样的患者也接受了检查。他们的平均年龄现在是 24 岁,移植后的时间从 15 年到 26 年不等。在种族上, 34 人是白人, 7 人是有色人种。同样,没有发现皮肤癌或可疑的病变,但 45 人中有 41 人的痣明显多于 10 年前,71% 的痣出现在阳光照射部位,尤其是手臂。其中 11 个人的痣超过 50 个,这个数字过高,表明患黑色素瘤皮肤癌的风险增加。尽管之前曾获得关于防晒的建议,因为有皮肤癌的风险,但 78% 的人经历过晒伤,特别是那些在国外度假的人, 22% 的人承认用过日光浴浴床。那些经常被晒伤的人腿部和背部的痣更多。奇怪的是,那些手臂上有更多痣的人使用了更多的防晒霜,但这些对他们的日光曝晒量来说可能不足的。移植后 15‐26 年,这些 POTR 中没有患皮肤癌,这是令人鼓舞的,并且与其他显示移植后 12‐19 年 POTR 中首次出现癌症的研究相比,这项研究要好得多。然而,我们没有理由自满:这些年轻人仍然处于危险之中,并且显然需要更好的、年龄适宜的防晒教育。

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Editor's Choice

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Photodynamic therapy for basal cell carcinoma

Summary

This is the largest systematic review to‐date which compares the treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) with a treatment called photodynamic therapy (PDT) and alternative treatments. PDT is an established treatment option for low‐risk BCC. PDT involves putting a cream on the skin and leaving it for 3 hours. Then a red light is shone on it; this often causes pain for a few minutes but few other side effects. At least two treatment sessions are needed. In our study we only used evidence from high quality studies (Randomised Control Trials) and only looked at studies which included treatments for low‐risk BCC types (superficial and nodular). The main medical databases were searched to find all suitable studies. The benefits of treatments were compared, using previously‐agreed criteria. The differences between how often treatments would cure (effectiveness), how the area would look after treatment (cosmetic result), and the side‐effects, including pain, were compared at different times. Imiquimod and fluorouracil creams are applied regularly to the BCC over 4‐6 weeks. The creams cause discomfort which increases with time. The peak pain from PDT was higher than imiquimod and fluorouracil, although the combined discomfort from imiquimod and PDT appeared similar. Cure rates between fluorouracil and PDT were comparable although rates with imiquimod were higher than PDT applied once. The cosmetic result with both creams was similar to PDT. Cryosurgery (freezing with liquid nitrogen) is a convenient quick treatment. Cure rates were similar to PDT, although the cosmetic results were poorer. Surgical excision, where the tumour is cut out and the skin stitched, showed the highest cure rates. The cosmetic result after PDT was as good or better than other treatments. Our review showed that PDT is an effective treatment for low‐risk BCC, with excellent cosmetic results and safety.

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Laser treatments in early wound healing to improve scar formation

Summary

For decades, lasers have been used to treat scars on the skin. In recent years, doctors have started using lasers during the actual wound healing process, rather than after the scar has formed, to try to minimise the scar developing. However, there is not yet a set method for exactly how this should best be done. In this study, from Germany and Denmark, 30 patients having skin surgery had half of their wound treated with a type of laser called 1540 nm NAFL, immediately before surgery, at suture removal and six weeks after surgery. The other half of the wound did not get any laser treatment. Three months later the scars were assessed by experts and by the patients and using different scales. NAFL‐treated halves were less red, more pliable and smoother compared to untreated halves. The authors conclude that three NAFL‐treatments provided in early wound healing may improve scar formation, although NAFL‐treated wounds did not heal without any scarring. It may be necessary to leave longer than three months after surgery to properly assess the scar formation and how well the treatment works.

https://ift.tt/2zEvLHo

蕈样肉芽肿/ Se´zary综合症中的感染性事件

Summary

感染是晚期蕈状肉芽肿 (MF) 或 Sezary 综合征 (SS) 患者死亡的主要原因之一。然而,对于哪种类型的感染是最常见的,以及不同的危险因素,最新数据却很少。因此,这项来自法国的研究查看了 71 名 MF 或 SS 患者的记录。在 40 名患者中记录了 80 起感染事件(即患者遭受感染的事件),包括 28 起皮肤和软组织感染和 25 起肺炎。51.8% 的感染病例需要患者住院治疗。记录了 11 例与感染相关的死亡。SS 比 MF 具有更高的感染风险。该研究确认了感染性事件作为 MF 和 SS 患者发病率和死亡率的主要原因的重要性。一种叫做金黄色葡萄球菌的细菌造成了 78% 的细菌感染,并且 22% 的感染对甲氧西林(一种抗生素)有抗药性,这是在开抗生素处方时需要考虑的一个事实。该研究概述了预防感染的可能方法,如特定的疫苗和药物。

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Technology and the dermatologist: clinical resources at our fingertips

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银屑病严重程度的定义

Summary

由于各种原因,衡量患者的银屑病严重程度非常重要。例如,它使医生能够选择正确的治疗水平,然后观察治疗效果如何,它还使研究人员能够对相似患者的不同疗法进行比较。一些被称为全身疗法的治疗方法作用于全身而不仅仅是皮肤,它们只适用于"中度至重度"疾病患者。银屑病严重程度的测量通常基于两种不同的评分系统:银屑病面积和严重指数 (PASI) 和皮肤病生活质量指数 (DLQI)。PASI 用于记录患者银屑病的发红程度、厚度和范围,并用于衡量疗效(PASI 分值降低,即表示症状减轻)。DLQI 包含 10 个问题,涉及皮肤病患者在过去一周内关于生活质量 (QoL) 的各个不同方面(包括症状和感觉、日常活动、休闲、工作或学习、人际关系以及治疗的副作用)受到皮肤病影响的感受。分数越高说明 QoL 受到的损害越大。然而,并不是所有的指南都对如何结合 DLQI 和 PASI 的结果给出了相同的建议;例如,有些指南认为 DLQI 和 PASI 的评分都 >10 表明是中度至重度银屑病,而其他指南则认为 DLQI 或 PASI 的评分 >10 表明是中度至重度银屑病。在这项来自德国的研究中,研究人员同时基于或者分别基于 PASI 和 DLQI 对 3274 名患者的数据进行了分析。PASI 和 DLQI >10的患者比例为 14.0%,但 45.3% 的患者至少达到 PASI 或 DLQI >10。因此,为了更可靠的治疗和保健规划,作者提议了一个国际标准化。

https://ift.tt/2PlNM2A

Documenting and defining psoriasis severity: an ongoing challenge

https://ift.tt/2zGdCJj

Relapse of porphyria cutanea tarda after treatment

Summary

Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is a skin disease causing a rash and sunlight sensitivity. Patients affected by this condition can be treated by removing some of their blood, or with a medication that is also used to prevent and treat malaria (antimalarials). In this study, the authors compared the effectiveness of these quite different treatment approaches. They included data on patients, from previous clinical studies, who were treated for PCT and monitored for at least one year after their symptoms had cleared. They aimed to assess PCT disease recurrence (i.e. the symptoms returning) either by skin rash, sunlight sensitivity or an elevation in a certain blood test. Authors included data on patients from 5 clinical studies in which patients received high dose of antimalarial medication, 5 clinical studies in which patients received low dose antimalarial medication and 3 clinical studies in which patients were treated by removing some of their blood. While one third of the patients treated with either high or low dose antimalarial medication experienced disease recurrence, only one fifth of patients treated by removing blood experienced such disease recurrence. Their study showed that if 100 patients were followed for one year, disease recurrence will happen in 8 patients receiving high dose antimalarials, 17 patients receiving low dose antimalarials, and 5 patients undergoing blood removal. The authors concluded that the recurrence is lowest if the PCT is treated by blood removal. However, larger studies are needed to better define recurrence rate of PCT after treatment with one of the two treatments.

https://ift.tt/2Pgz6le

Infections in mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome are a frequent cause of morbidity and contribute to mortality. What can be done?

https://ift.tt/2zFz15m

Quality of life evaluation in lymphoedema

Summary

The lymphatic system is a network of small vessels draining clear fluid (lymph) from all bodily tissues. Many different disorders, including birth defect, infection and malignancy (cancer), can cause blockage of the system, resulting in chronic swelling, usually affecting arms or legs. This "lymphoedema" causes considerable discomfort and affects many aspects of the patient's life. Health‐related quality of life (QOL) is an important measure in health care, but to date the only QOL measure for patients with lymphoedema has been the Freiburg Life Quality Assessment for lymphoedema (FLQA‐L) ‐ a reliable measure but just too detailed for regular use in clinical practice, having 92 questions. This study from Germany aimed to create a more user‐friendly version. First, they re‐analysed the original FLQA‐L data and identified 33 questions which appeared most informative, covering 5 domains: physical impairments, daily life, social life, mental health and therapy. This shorter version (FLQA‐LS) was then mailed out to 348 lymphoedema patients at 33 clinics; 91% were women and the average age was 57 years. 295 patients completed the questionnaire. The items scoring highest (meaning having the highest impact) were "anxiety about a possible worsening of the disease", "feeling pain in the arm or leg", "joint pain" and "time‐consuming treatments", while impairment of social life showed the lowest values. Statistical analysis of the results showed good correlations with other general health related QOL scores. The FLQA‐LS appears to be a valuable assessment tool for patients with lymphoedema and now needs to be tested in patients over time.

https://ift.tt/2PhDNv8

Screening for associated malignancies in vulval Paget disease clarified

https://ift.tt/2zGdtpf

Load-Bearing Capacity and Deformation of Jammed Architectural Structures

3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing, Ahead of Print.

https://ift.tt/2AMG8Zz

Digital Wood: 3D Internal Color Texture Mapping

3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing, Ahead of Print.

https://ift.tt/2UesabI

Variations in cadmium accumulation and distribution among different oilseed rape cultivars in Chengdu Plain in China

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) is a widespread toxic heavy metal trace pollutant worldwide. The ability of Cd absorption and accumulation highly varies among different species and varieties. In order to screen oilseed rape cultivars which are appropriate for cultivation and application in Cd-contaminated soils, we conducted the field trial of 32 oilseed rape varieties in Shifang County of Chengdu Plain. The various biomass, Cd accumulation, and distribution patterns were investigated via determining the Cd concentration in different plant tissues. Moreover, the food safety risks of rapeseeds were finally assessed. The results indicated diverse responses to Cd stress appeared in various tested varieties, including plant biomass, seed yield, Cd concentration, and proportion in different tissues. And most Cd were concentrated in non-edible parts. Through cluster analysis, we found that Nanchongjie, Pengzhoubai, and J-25 belong to high-biomass and high-Cd-accumulated groups in experimental cultivars, which indicated that they could possess more biomass and gather higher Cd content in overground part, so they could be great materials for phytoremediation in Cd-polluted area. Besides, combined with the risk assessment of food safety in rapeseeds, cultivars 72A and 47 with the traits of high yield, low-Cd concentration, and low food safety risk can be considered as suitable materials to widely plant as cash crop. These results provide valuable reference for practical planting and application of oilseed rape in Cd-polluted areas.

https://ift.tt/2DYZyO6

Leachate generation rate modeling using artificial intelligence algorithms aided by input optimization method for an MSW landfill

Abstract

Leachate is one of the main surface water pollution sources in Selangor State (SS), Malaysia. The prediction of leachate amounts is elementary in sustainable waste management and leachate treatment processes, before discharging to surrounding environment. In developing countries, the accurate evaluation of leachate generation rates has often considered a challenge due to the lack of reliable data and high measurement costs. Leachate generation is related to several factors, including meteorological data, waste generation rates, and landfill design conditions. The high variations in these factors lead to complicating leachate modeling processes. This study aims at identifying the key elements contributing to leachate production and developing various AI-based models to predict leachate generation rates. These models included Artificial Neural Network (ANN)-Multi-linear perceptron (MLP) with single and double hidden layers, and support vector machine (SVM) regression time series algorithms. Various performance measures were applied to evaluate the developed model's accuracy. In this study, input optimization process showed that three inputs were acceptable for modeling the leachate generation rates, namely dumped waste quantity, rainfall level, and emanated gases. The initial performance analysis showed that ANN-MLP2 model—which applies two hidden layers—achieved the best performance, then followed by ANN-MLP1 model—which applies one hidden layer and three inputs—while SVM model gave the lowest performance. Ranges and frequency of relative error (RE%) also demonstrate that ANN-MLP models outperformed SVM models. Furthermore, low and peak flow criterion (LFC and PFC) assessment of leachate inflow values in ANN-MLP model with two hidden layers made more accurate values than other models. Since minimizing data collection and processing efforts as well as minimizing modeling complexity are critical in the hydrological modeling process, the applied input optimization process and the developed models in this study were able to provide a good performance in the modeling of leachate generation efficiently.

https://ift.tt/2QuzPE0

Alternative Treatments for Atopic Dermatitis: An Update

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic pruritic inflammatory skin disease in which management with topical anti-inflammatory agents during exacerbations remains the mainstay of treatment. With no cure in sight, a significant proportion of patients elect to incorporate complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as an adjunct to conventional treatment. Many clinicians find it difficult to provide recommendations as the field covers an extensive number of very disparate therapies, with limited quality evidence to indicate efficacy. Since publication of the last review on this topic in the Journal that compiled and analyzed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on CAMs in 2015, several new studies have surfaced. This update aims to aggregate and review these new data. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Global Resource for EczemA Trials (GREAT) databases for RCTs on complementary and alternative therapies in AD from March 2015 through May 2018, resulting in 15 studies being included in this review. The preliminary results for many treatments such as vitamin E, East Indian Sandalwood Oil (EISO), melatonin, l-histidine, and Manuka honey show positive clinical effects, but there is currently not enough evidence to recommend their use in AD therapy. Future investigative efforts should focus on reproducing some of these studies with a larger sample size whose clinical characteristics and demographics are more reflective of the general AD population, and standardizing the process to produce reliable data.

https://ift.tt/2FVfFin

Nitrogen removal in response to the varying C/N ratios in subsurface flow constructed wetland microcosms with biochar addition

Abstract

Biochar as a substrate has great potential to promote pollutant removal efficiency in subsurface flow constructed wetlands (SSFCWs). However, information about the effect of different influent C/N ratios on treatment efficiency in SSFCWs with biochar is still scarce. In this study, SSFCW microcosms added with and without biochar were performed to investigate comparatively nitrogen removal in response to the domestic wastewater with varying C/N ratios. The results demonstrated that nitrogen removal increased at influent C/N ratios from1 to 3, and then decreased with the rising influent C/N ratios from 3 to 15 in different SSFCWs. Much higher removal efficiencies for COD (92%), NH₄⁺-N (50%), and TN (50%) were obtained in the biochar-added SSFCW especially at the C/N ratio of 3 when comparing to CW without biochar. The higher pollutants removal ability of biochar-added SSFCWs was mainly attributed to the stronger adsorption ability in the porous biochar. However, poor nitrification was observed at various influent C/N ratios in SSFCWs with and without biochar due to lack of enough oxygen. This study supported that the use of biochar could increase the treatment performance in SSFCWs under various influent C/N ratios.

https://ift.tt/2Ry8SfS

Biosimilar Filgrastim Use in the United States vs the European Union and Japan

This Viewpoint discusses obstacles that limit the use of biosimilar filgrastim in the United States compared with countries in the European Union and Japan and discusses strategies that might help biosimilar filgrastim use become more widespread.

https://ift.tt/2QcfTGE

Insight into transformation of dissolved organic matter in the Heilongjiang River

Abstract

Heilongjiang is a "browning" river that receives substantial terrestrial organic matter, where reactivity of dissolved organic matter (DOM) may have important effect on ecosystem function and carbon biogeochemical cycle. However, little is known about microbial transformations of different DOM components, which could provide valuable insight into biogeochemical reactivity of DOM. In this study, bioavailability experiments were conducted for 55 days to determine changes of different DOM components by microbial transformations. Labile matter (C1) was detected only in initial DOM, and tryptophan-like substances (C4) were observed from day 5 onwards. Thus, three individual components were identified at each sampling time of the bioavailability experiment. The increase of F_max in DOM components revealed that microbial humic-like substances (C2), terrestrial humic-like substances (C3), and C4 were produced by microbial transformation, especially in the spring samples. Further, two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) indicated that shorter wavelength tryptophan-like and microbial humic-like substances can be degraded by microbes or transformed into longer wavelength complex substances. Relatively simple microbial humic-like substances were preferentially produced compared to complex terrestrial humic-like substances. The results make sense to understand the biogeochemical cycling and environmental effects of DOM in the Heilongjiang River.

https://ift.tt/2zCcma3

Mechanism and kinetics of the oxidation of dimethyl carbonate by hydroxyl radical in the atmosphere

Abstract

The mechanism and kinetics for the reaction of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) with OH radical have been studied by using quantum chemical methods. Four reaction pathways were identified for the initial reaction. In the first two pathways, hydrogen atom abstraction is taking place and alkyl radical intermediate is formed with the energy barrier of 6.4 and 7.9 kcal/mol. In the third pathway, OH addition reaction to the carbonyl carbon (C2) atom of DMC and intermediate, I2, is formed with an energy barrier of 11.9 kcal/mol. In the fourth pathway, along with CH₃O^●, methyl hydrogen carbonate is formed. For this C–O bond breaking and O–H addition reaction, the energy barrier is 27 kcal/mol. The calculated enthalpy and Gibbs energy values show that the studied initial reactions are exothermic and exoergic except the OH addition reaction. For the initial reactions, the rate constants were calculated by using canonical variational transition state theory (CVT) with small curvature tunneling (SCT) correction over the temperature range of 278–1200 K. At 298 K, the calculated rate coefficient for the in-plane and out-of-plane hydrogen atom abstraction reaction pathway is 2.30 × 10⁻¹³ and 0.02 × 10⁻¹³ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹. Further, the reaction between alkyl radical intermediate formed from the first pathway and O₂ is studied. The reaction of alkyl peroxy radical intermediate with atmospheric oxidants, HO₂, NO, and NO₂ is also studied. It was found that the formic (methyl carbonic) anhydride is the end product formed from the atmospheric oxidation and secondary reactions of DMC.

https://ift.tt/2Rqx5Vk

Surgeons successfully perform full face transplant

With the help of innovative techniques, surgeons at New York University Langone Health have successfully conducted a full face transplant.

https://ift.tt/2zHw8RH

Effect of mixing two environmental stressors, pH and metal contaminants, on offspring of rats exposed during gestation and lactation

Abstract

In large urban centers, the toxicity of metal mixtures may be enhanced by physicochemical factors and environmental variables, including pH. Rio Grande, a municipality located in the extreme south of Brazil, has soils with high levels of contamination due to urban and industrial activities and a high prevalence of acid rain events. Previous studies have shown that contact with elutriate of these soils can cause physiological and reproductive changes. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate, through animal experimentation, the effects of a metal-contaminated soil, acidified by hydrofluoric acid at two different pH values (5.2 and 3.6), on the health of offspring of rats exposed during gestation and lactation. Female Wistar rats were gavaged daily for 42 days (gestation and breastfeeding) with soil elutriate contaminated with metals, using solvent with different pH values (6.0, 5.2, and 3.6). The following parameters were evaluated in their offspring: body and organ weight, length, appearance of developmental characteristics, and swimming. Experimental groups in which the progenitors were exposed to the solution at pH 3.6 exhibited a delayed increase in weight as well as motor deficit, with a decreased weight (onset) and length (beginning and end), while exposure in association with soil was an aggravating factor for the damages to the body. Exposure to the solution at pH 5.2 decreased the initial weight of the animals, impaired some parameters of weight development, and caused motor deficit on the 14th day. These novel findings reveal that the exposure of progenitors to environmental stressors can compromise the health of the offspring. Special attention should be given to populations living in areas with high prevalence of acid rain.

https://ift.tt/2U4FBLz

Revisiting the growth-carbon dioxide emissions nexus in Pakistan

Abstract

Pakistan is the most polluted country according to the concentration of air pollution criterion and it has experienced a significant rise in economic growth during the recent years. This paper analyzes the nexus of CO₂ emissions and economic growth using quarterly data over the period of 1960Q1–2014Q4. To provide conclusive policy recommendations, this study applied different econometric methodologies such as the quantile causality approach, the linear ARDL (autoregressive distribution lag) model and the quantile ARDL (QARDL) model. The results indicate evidence of causality running from economic growth to CO₂ emissions at medium quantiles at the 5% level and at low and medium quantiles at the 10% significance level. Findings of linear and nonlinear ARDL models also support the transmission of growth to CO₂ emissions in the long and short run. The Wald test for symmetry sustains the nonlinear ARDL model. Useful policy implications can be learned from the empirical findings.

https://ift.tt/2AKCtvw

The effect of fly ash on sunflower growth and human health

Abstract

One of the challenges brought by the circular economy requires a reconsideration of waste, which may under certain circumstances turn into genuine resources. By extension, soil pollution with heavy metal is a major concern since it directly affects the health of the population. The goal of the present research work is to analyze the impact of the use of waste from other technological processes in agriculture: fly ash (resulting ash from thermal power plants), zeolite bush (resulting from the processing of rock from zeolite quarries), and manure (garbage from zoo technical farms). In this respect, complex treatments based on inorganic substances (fly ash and volcanic indigenous tuff with 70% clinoptilolite) were applied to less-favored agricultural soils in the absence and in the presence of an organic fertilizer (manure), respectively. After cultivating sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), a semi-early hybrid grown in the type of soil on which fly ash has been applied, there have been obtained seed crops 15.8% higher than the seed crops grown in the soil on which no fertilizer has been applied. The results obtained when combining fly ash and manure tend to amount to those obtained when combining manure with indigenous volcanic tuff with 70% clinoptilolite. The quality of the seed crops, obtained in the case of the three types of soil on which amendments were added in the absence/presence of the fertilizer, corresponds to the requirements of the national rules and allows their food processing.

https://ift.tt/2U58gzY

Radon and PM 10 concentrations in underground parking lots and subway stations with health risks in South Korea

Abstract

This study examined the environmental factors that affect indoor radon (Rn) and particulate matter (PM₁₀) concentrations in underground public facilities such as subway stations and underground parking lots. Rn and PM₁₀ concentrations from March 2014 to October 2015 were evaluated at 40 subway stations and 19 underground parking lots. Average underground concentrations of Rn and PM₁₀ were 37.3 ± 17.1 Bq/m³ and 78.6 ± 15.1 μg/m³, respectively. There were significant difference in Rn concentration between sampling points, with the highest concentration 41.8 ± 18.1 Bq/m³ on subway platforms, while the highest concentration of PM₁₀ was 83.7 ± 13.8 μg/m³ in transfer pathways. Rn concentration showed positive correlation with PM₁₀ concentration (r = 0.380, p < 0.001). The highest Rn concentration occurred during fall season, followed by summer and spring. At 60-h exposure duration in underground subway stations and parking lots, the hazard quotient (HQ) of Rn exceeded 1 for children less than 1 year old and those between 8 and 10 years old.

https://ift.tt/2APAhmb

Yucca schidigera can mitigate ammonia emissions from manure and promote poultry health and production

Abstract

Mojave yucca (Yucca schidigera) is widely grown in the deserts. This herb is commercially used because it is rich in saponins and phenolic compounds with antioxidant effect. Y. schidigera or its derivatives are included as nontoxic food supplements, in cosmetics, and in the pharmaceutical industry. Saponins originated from Y. schidigera have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunostimulatory, growth promoter, hypocholesterolemic, and hypoglycemic effects. To date, the key role of Y. schidigera or its products in animal nutrition is to reduce the ammonia content in the atmosphere and fecal odor in poultry excreta. Mitigating ammonia by using this plant could be achieved by the modification of gut microbiota, enhancement in digestion, and absorption of nutrients, leading to a better growth and production performance of animals and poultry. Various methods were applied to mitigate the emission of odor from the litter by different strategies including biofilters, litter treatments, air scrubbers, neutralizing agents, windbreak walls, etc., but these techniques are expensive. This article provides a new insight to scientists and poultry breeders to use Y. schidigera plant or its products as inexpensive and safe sources of a feed supplement to overcome the ammonia and fecal odor problems, as well as reduce environmental pollution in poultry houses.

https://ift.tt/2UaN2ko

Evidence of oxidative stress after continuous exposure to Wi-Fi radiation in rat model

Abstract

Exposure to electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is rapidly increasing in everyday environment, consequently conferring potential health effects. Oxidative stress is emerging as a mechanism implicated in pathophysiology and progression of various diseases. To our knowledge, no report has been made on the status of antioxidant redox systems after continuous exposure to radiofrequency radiation emitted from a Wi-Fi access point in animal model so far. Therefore, we aimed to continuously subject rats in the experimental group to radiofrequency (RF) radiation emitted from a commercially available Wi-Fi device. Male Wister rats were exposed to 2.45 GHz RF radiation emitted from a Wi-Fi for 24 h/day for 10 consecutive weeks. In order to assess the change in antioxidant redox system of plasma after continuous exposure to a Wi-Fi device, the total antioxidant capacity of plasma, level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH), and activity of different enzymatic antioxidants, e.g., superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT], glutathione peroxidase [GSH-Px], and glutathione S-transferase [GST], were measured. In the Wi-Fi exposed group, a significant decrease was detected in total antioxidant capacity of plasma and the activities of several antioxidant enzymes, including CAT, GSH-Px, and SOD (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the GST activity was significantly increased in this group (P < 0.05). However, no significant changes were found in GSH and TBARS levels following exposure to RF radiation. According to the results, oxidative defense system in rats exposed to Wi-Fi signal was significantly affected compared to the control group. Further studies are needed to better understand the possible biological mechanisms of EMR emitted from Wi-Fi device and relevant outcomes.

https://ift.tt/2ANZjlV

Sediment phosphorus speciation and retention process affected by invasion time of Spartina alterniflora in a subtropical coastal wetland of China

Abstract

In coastal wetland ecosystems, most phosphorus (P) accumulates in the sediments and becomes a major pollutant causing eutrophication by recycling to the water column in estuary areas, especially exotic plant invasions will change the nutrient cycling. In this study, a large wetland invaded by exotic species Spartina alterniflora for over 15 years was selected to study the sediment P fractionation and its retention for different plant invasion periods. The samples were collected from east to west in September and the sediment P was fractionated into total P (TP), inorganic P (IP), iron/aluminum-bound P (Fe/Al-P), calcium-bound P (Ca-P), and organic P (OP). Additionally, the effect of the invasion period on the wetland P fractionation based on space–time reciprocal principle was investigated. For different S. alterniflora invasion periods, the average TP concentration was 675.37 mg kg⁻¹ with a range of 160.33–1071 mg kg⁻¹. The IP concentration was in the range of 107.33–813.33 mg kg⁻¹ (accounting for 54.4–79.5% of TP), of which Fe/Al-P and Ca-P represented up to 99.4%. In addition, the P retention (R_P) was within 41.67–329.67 mg kg⁻¹. We also found that TP, IP, Fe/Al-P, Ca-P, OP, and R_P in sediments were negatively correlated with pH (p < 0.05), and were also significantly positively correlated (p < 0.01) with water content and electrical conductivity. There were positive correlations between the various forms of P in the sediments (p < 0.01). However, the most important finding was that invasion time of S. alterniflora had a direct effect on the P speciation and three stages were determined. In the first stage, S. alterniflora mainly consumed the OP of the sediment. In the second stage, S. alterniflora showed great vitality and biological immobilization led to the transforming of IP to OP. In the third stage, all P fractions greatly decreased to values even lower than for the bare beach which indicated that S. alterniflora growth had begun to degenerate. These three stages well explained the P seemingly contradictory increases and decreases apparent in previous studies and provide important information for understanding the effect of S. alterniflora invasion.

https://ift.tt/2UaN23S

The use of subcutaneous immunoglobulins in the treatment of dermatomyositis

https://ift.tt/2ALDhQx

British Association of Dermatologists and British Photodermatology Group guidelines for topical photodynamic therapy 2018

https://ift.tt/2EayzQK

The Effects of COMT Polymorphism on Cortical Thickness and Surface Area Abnormalities in Children with ADHD

Abstract

The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene is associated with frontal cortex development and the pathophysiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, how the COMT gene impacts brain structure and behavior in ADHD remains unknown. In the present study, we identify the effect of COMT on cortical thickness and surface area in children with ADHD and children with typically developing (TD) using a machine learning approach. In a sample of 39 children with ADHD and 34 age- and IQ-matched TD children, we found that cortical thickness and surface area differences were predominantly observed in the frontal cortex. Furthermore, a path analysis revealed that a COMT genotype affected abnormal development of the frontal cortex in terms of both cortical thickness and surface area and was associated with working memory changes in children with ADHD. Our study confirms that the role of COMT in ADHD is not restricted to the development of behavior but may also affect the cortical thickness and surface area. Thus, our findings may help to improve the understanding of the neuroanatomic basis for the relationship between the COMT genotype and ADHD pathogenesis.

https://ift.tt/2Soza49

ABSI scoring system for burns: concerns and modifications in a developing country

Abstract

Background

Burns are a major health problem worldwide. In some countries, they are the fourth leading cause of death in trauma patients. Every year, more than 200,000 deaths occur because of diverse types of burns, and the majority of these deaths occur in low-income countries. The incidence of burn mortality depends on both patient factors (age, gender, and comorbidities) and burn factors (depth and total burn surface area (TBSA)). Mortality prediction for burn patients is important not only to determine the prognosis of individual patients but to assess the performance of the burn institute and the quality of the health care the patients receive. Many mortality or survival prediction models have been developed, modified, and validated. The abbreviated burn scoring index (ABSI) is one of the most commonly used scores for assessing patients' mortality. It was reviewed, modified, and validated in this study.

Methods

This is a retrospective analysis of cases admitted to Kasr Al-Ainy Burn Unit (KABU), Cairo University Hospitals, Egypt, over a period of 5 years (January 2012 to December 2016). The data were analyzed using the ABSI scaling system.

Results

The predicted survival using the ABSI was the same as the actual survival for all age groups except children less than 10 years and pregnant females, who had actual survival rates that differed from those predicted.

Conclusion

ABSI is one of the best indicators of the mortality and well-being of burn patients. A modification of the ABSI score that added one point for children less than 10 years yielded closer predicted and actual survival rates and this change was statistically significant. A larger number of pregnant females is needed to validate the scoring system for pregnant patients. Close attention and care are always recommended for these two special high-risk groups.

Level of Evidence: Level II, risk / prognostic study.

https://ift.tt/2Q9MAod