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This study used four different macroalgae (Costaria costata, Hizikia fusiformis, Gracilaria verrucosa, and Codium fragile) as biosorbents to remove the heavy metals, Cd2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, and Pb2+. Among the studied macroalgae, Costaria costata showed the best biosorbent activity for heavy metal removal. A Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis indicated that the cell wall structure of Costaria costata has various functional groups such as amine, sulfonate, negatively charged hydroxyl groups, and carboxyl groups. The modification of Costaria costata using HCl and NaOH was ineffective in terms of improving its biosorption capacity. The kinetic experiments and modeling data showed reaction ratios in the following descending order: Ni2+ > Cd2+ > Cu2+ > Pb2+. Additionally, the Freundlich model was able to describe the equilibrium data well except for Pb2+. The maximum heavy metal adsorption capacity for Pb2+ was 160.990 mg/g; this was higher than the other heavy metals: 45.094, 44.768, and 42.082 mg/g for Cu2+, Cd2+, and Ni2+, respectively. This means that the adsorption of heavy metals onto Costaria costata occurred via covalent bonding as opposed to electrostatic attraction. Moreover, metal biosorption by Costaria costata enhanced significantly as the initial solution pH increased from 2 to 4. Among the competing cations, Al3+ demonstrated the greatest inhibitory effect on heavy metal removal because of its high charge valence and affinity. Consequently, the dried biomass of Costaria costata could be used to potentially eliminate heavy metals from aqueous solutions due to its characteristic high efficiency, easy acquisition, low cost, and easy preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Deformities of the spine and thorax in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis affect appearance. They are a cause of inferiority, affecting psychological well-being and the social life of the patients. To contribute to curve evaluation, planning in curve correction, and improving the post-operative aesthetics, many studies on the correlation between appearance and radiography in the assessment of shoulder and neck balance have been reported recently. In general, these studies did not clarify which indices are required to evaluate shoulder and neck balance. This study aimed to learn about indices to assess shoulder and neck balance in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in correlation between clinical appearance and radiography., Materials and Methods: This observational study recruited 50 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who were 12 to 18 years of age with Cobb angle >10°. Based on Pearson correlation coefficient, radiographic parameters such as coracoid height difference (CHD), clavicle rib intersection distance (CRID), clavicle angle (CA), clavicle chest cage angle difference (CCAD), and T1 tilt angle were evaluated in correlation with clinical shoulder and neck balance by difference of inner shoulder height (SHi), difference of outer shoulder height (SHo), and neck tilt angle., Results: SHi was moderately correlated with T1 tilt angle (r [hereafter] = 0.45), CA (0.47), and CHD (0.57), high-moderately correlated with CRID (0.64), very-highly correlated with CCAD (0.84). SHo was moderately correlated with T1 tilt angle (0.43), highly correlated with CHD (0.60), CA (0.63), and CRID (0.72), and very-highly correlated with CCAD (0.89). T1 tilt angle was high-moderately correlated with neck tilt angle (0.76). The correlation coefficients between clinical and radiographic shoulder and neck balance according to sex, BMI, type of main curve, severity of main curve did not change significantly., Conclusion: There was a very high correlation between SHo (shoulder tilt) and CCAD (0.89); the correlation between SHo and CRID was high-moderate (0.72), but CRID is easier than CCAD to evaluate on radiographs. On the other hand, T1 tilt angle, which is the easiest radiographic parameter to evaluate, had a high-moderate correlation with neck tilt angle (0.76) but a moderate correlation with SHo (0.43)., Competing Interests: The authors declare no potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Malaysian Orthopaedic Association (MOA). All Rights Reserved.)

Objectives: report on acceptance of voluntary interruption of pregnancy in 2021 in the French 18-to-24-year-old population and to compare the results with the acceptance reported in 2014 in the Institut Français d'Opinion Publique survey., Methods: A French cross-sectional study with questionnaires administered between February and April 2021. The target population was 18 to 24 years of age. For purposes of comparison, the question on acceptance of voluntary interruption of pregnancy was basically the same as that of the 2014 Institut Français d'Opinion Publique survey, as were the proposed response modalities. Data were described in terms of means ± standard deviation and number (percentage). Conditions for acceptance of voluntary interruption of pregnancy were compared with the results of the 2014 Institut Français d'Opinion Publique survey using the Chi-square test. Factors associated with acceptance of voluntary interruption of pregnancy without restrictive conditions were studied using univariate analysis (Student, Chi-square or Fisher exact tests) and multivariate analysis (logistic regression)., Results: Close to 2000 (1936) questionnaires were completed, including 1225 among 18-to-24-year-olds. Voluntary interruption of pregnancy was accepted without restrictive conditions by 92.1% of the study population (95%CI: 90.4-93.5) compared to 79.0% in 2014 (p < 0.0001). Female gender (93.4 % versus 85.8%; OR = 2.1 [1.4-3.4]; p = 0.0009) and residence outside of Paris (94.9% versus 86.6%; OR = 2.8 [1.9-4.3]; p < 0.0001) were significantly associated with acceptance of voluntary interruption of pregnancy without restrictive conditions., Conclusion: In 2021 in France, the 18-to-24-year-old population is massively favorable to voluntary interruption of pregnancy without restrictive conditions, in a significantly higher proportion than in 2014., Competing Interests: Déclaration de liens d'intérêts Les auteurs déclarent ne pas avoir de liens d'intérêts., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.. All rights reserved.)