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The current study aims to introduce a new polymeric composite consisting of epoxy resin as the matrix and gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) as the neutron adsorption ingredient. The shielding performance of the composite was assessed by neutron attenuation experiments with an Am-Be source and polyethylene moderator. The results of these experiments showed an appreciable agreement with the Monte Carlo simulations. Other characteristics of the composite, including mechanical strength, thermal stability, microtexture, and its chemical compositions, were examined using standard tensile test, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, static light scattering analyses, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results indicated that the new composites offer appreciable neutron absorption properties so that samples with 0.5%, 2%, 5%, and 10% Gd2O3 content could reduce the neutron beam intensity by 54%, 63%, 66%, and 70% at a thickness of 4 cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of review: This review sought to define the emerging roles of urinary tumor DNA (utDNA) for diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of bladder cancer. Building from early landmark studies the focus is on recent studies, highlighting how utDNA could aid personalized care. Recent findings: Recent research underscores the potential for utDNA to be the premiere biomarker in bladder cancer due to the constant interface between urine and tumor. Many studies find utDNA to be more informative than other biomarkers in bladder cancer, especially in early stages of disease. Points of emphasis include superior sensitivity over traditional urine cytology, broad genomic and epigenetic insights, and the potential for non-invasive, real-time analysis of tumor biology. Summary: utDNA shows promise for improving all phases of bladder cancer care, paving the way for personalized treatment strategies. Building from current research, future comprehensive clinical trials will validate utDNA's clinical utility, potentially revolutionizing bladder cancer management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: One of the most interesting methods to deliver therapeutic doses of ionizing radiation to tumor sites is radiolabeled compounds. Bombesin peptide binds to gastrin-releasing peptide receptors (GRPRs) with great affinity. Through its appropriate physical characteristics and accessibility as the 188W/188Re generator, 188Re can be effectively used to develop a therapeutic radio complex. In this study, 188Re-HYNIC-BBN was prepared under optimal conditions. Methods: Optimization of the effective parameters on 188Re-HYNIC-BBN radio-labeling yield like ligand concentration, pH, reaction time, and temperature were performed. The final product's radiochemical purity was measured by RTLC and HPLC. The stability of the radio-complex was checked in PBS buffer (4 °C) and human blood serum (37 °C). The partition coefficient of the final radio-complex was studied using standard procedure. Finally, the biodistribution of 188Re-HYNIC-BBN and free 188Re in different organs of the rats were compared in various intervals. Results: The final product was prepared with a specific activity of 7.11 TBq/mmol and radiochemical purity > 95% at the optimized conditions (pH = 4–5, reaction time = 45 min, temp = 95℃). This radio-complex was found to be stable in PBS and blood serum over 24 h. LogPo/w was − 1.78, showing the high hydrophilic nature of the radio-complex. The biodistribution of 188Re-HYNIC-BBN demonstrated the fast clearance of the radio-peptide from the blood circulation. The most portion of the radioactivity was excreted from the body via the urinary tract and the remaining activity was accumulated in GRPR-expressing organs. Conclusion: The special characteristics of the complex introduce 188Re-HYNIC-BBN as a new therapeutic agent for targeting GRPRs, however, more biological data is still needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There are still controversies on the effect of grafting during open reduction and internal fixation of calcaneal fractures. The aim of this study was to compare the radiological and functional outcomes in patients with or without intraoperative grafting. Methods: In a comparative retrospective study, among 442 operatively-treated calcaneal fractures, 60 patients with unilateral closed sanders type II intraarticular calcaneal fracture who underwent ORIF via lateral extensile approach using locking anatomical plates with at least 1 year follow-up without any postoperative wound complication were enrolled. The patients were separated into 2 groups: with bone allograft and without bone allograft. The functional outcome of the patients was assessed using visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scale, foot function index (FFI), and short-form (SF-36) health survey. Radiographic variables included Böhler angle, Gissane angle, calcaneal width, calcaneal height, and talar declination angle. Also, the differences (delta) of these values in comparison to the uninjured foot were calculated. Results: The mean age was 39.1 ± 12.7 (range, 13–67) years with 54 males, 90.0%. No statistically significant differences were detected in age, gender, affected side, and subtypes of calcaneal fractures between the two groups (p > 0.05). The average follow-up was 25.1 (range, 12–48) months. The differences for all radiographic measurements and also, the delta values between the groups were not statistically significant, except talar declination angle which was more in cases without grafting (p = 0.007). Although the differences between the two groups regarding AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale (p = 0.257), VAS for pain (p = 0.645), and FFI (p = 0.261) were not statistically significant; the group with bone graft experienced less pain (19.7 ± 22.0) than the other group (26.7 ± 22.8). The difference between the groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.87) according to the SF-36 questionnaire. Conclusions: Incorporating allografts into the void defects during ORIF of displaced intraarticular calcaneal fractures may not improve functional outcomes and recover postoperative radiological parameters. Therefore, routine use of allograft to fill the defects during ORIF of calcaneus may not be recommended. Of note, that these findings solely relate to the treatment of Sanders type II fractures. Level of evidence III: Comparative retrospective study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the impact of the pre-ionization technique, facilitated by an optimal shunt resistor, on a DPF device operating with deuterium gas. The investigation unveils enhancements in critical parameters within the plasma column environment during the pinch phase, specifically the total and plasmoid hard x-ray yields. Employing a combination of time-resolved detectors, such as plastic scintillator and magnetic probe arrays, alongside time-integrated detectors like pinhole camera, and just by using this technique, the research illustrated an augmented plasma sheath velocity during the axial phase. Notably and other than the enhancement of hard x-ray yield, the optimal pressure of DPF device experienced an upward shift to higher working points, accompanied by a reduction in deviation from the optimum point (52.7% and 66.6% for total and plasmoid hard x-rays respectively). This, in turn, bolstered the Lawson criterion, impacting both particle density and temperature in the plasma column. A nuanced examination further discerned that, while the pre-ionization technique amplified the intensities of total and plasmoid hard x-rays, it maintained a consistent contribution to the emitted hard x-ray intensity from the device, refraining from establishing clear superiority between these two kinds of hard x-rays, with or without using the shunt resistor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The reliable data on the incidence of hypermobile lateral meniscus (HLM) and its clinical manifestations, diagnostic methods and therapeutic approaches are limited. This systematic study aimed to review available treatment options for HLM and the outcomes of each approach. Methods: A systematic search was performed in four electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science) to identify studies in which arthroscopically confirmed cases of HLM were treated surgically or nonsurgically, and the required data comprising study characteristics, patient data, treatment approaches and outcome measures were extracted from eligible studies. Results: Twenty studies with a total of 212 patients (138 males and 74 females) and 219 knees were included. The most frequently reported symptoms were locking sensations, knee pain, giving way and snapping. Treatments used by the studies were: radiofrequency energy in two studies; arthroscopic partial meniscectomy in one study; open surgery in two studies; and arthroscopic meniscal repair in 17 studies. Eleven studies used an all‐inside repair method and an inside‐out meniscal repair was reported in eight studies. Three studies reported the usage of posterior arthroscopy for therapeutic or diagnostic approaches. Evaluation of symptom resolution was the main outcome measurement for which almost all of the studies stated relief of symptoms after intervention. Conclusion: Despite the lack of definite consensus about the most appropriate intervention for HLM, therapeutic preference was directed towards arthroscopic all‐inside and inside‐out repair techniques. Although the surgeon's decision remains the key factor in choosing the most suitable treatment option for each individual, posterior arthroscopic meniscal repair may be considered as a better option for HLM treatment according to the findings of this review. Level of Evidence: Level IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microporous titanosilicate ETS-4 zeotype membrane, with its 4 Å pore openings, is an adequate material for the kinetic separation of nitrogen from methane. Obtaining high N2/CH4 permselectivity, small-sized ETS-4 powder was synthesized by aging method, and then utilized as membrane seeding powder. Highly N2-selective ETS-4 membranes were fabricated utilizing a new recipe and the secondary growth approach on α-alumina supports. XRD, FESEM, and EDX studies were used to analyze the synthesized ETS-4 powder and membranes. The effect of membrane activation temperature (80–140 °C) on permeance of N2 was evaluated. In addition to N2 and CH4, the membrane permeance was also evaluated for O2 and Ar gases. Regarding the ETS-4 membranes, N2 permeance increased gradually as the activation temperature was raised in the 80–140 °C range, reaching its highest value (i.e., 2.6 × 10−8 mol m−2 s−1 Pa−1) after activation at 140 °C. The permeances of N2 and CH4 gases were measured at 30, 50, and 70 °C, and a pressure difference up to 600 kPa. N2/CH4 permselectivity of 75.19 (N2 permeance of 1.94 × 10–8 mol m-2 s−1 Pa−1) were obtained at 30 °C and 200 kPa of feed pressure. The results revealed that ETS-4 membranes have great potential for N2 removal from natural gas due to highest N2/CH4 permselectivity among the other membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular characteristics of metastatic upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) are not well understood, and there is a lack of knowledge regarding the genomic and transcriptomic differences between primary and metastatic UTUC. To address these gaps, we integrate whole-exome sequencing, RNA sequencing, and Imaging Mass Cytometry using lanthanide metal-conjugated antibodies of 44 tumor samples from 28 patients with high-grade primary and metastatic UTUC. We perform a spatially-resolved single-cell analysis of cancer, immune, and stromal cells to understand the evolution of primary to metastatic UTUC. We discover that actionable genomic alterations are frequently discordant between primary and metastatic UTUC tumors in the same patient. In contrast, molecular subtype membership and immune depletion signature are stable across primary and matched metastatic UTUC. Molecular and immune subtypes are consistent between bulk RNA-sequencing and mass cytometry of protein markers from 340,798 single cells. Molecular subtypes at the single-cell level are highly conserved between primary and metastatic UTUC tumors within the same patient.Detailed molecular studies are required to understand the differences between primary and metastatic upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Here, the authors use genomics, transcriptomics and imaging mass cytometry to characterise the molecular profiles of primary and metastatic UTUC, and find that molecular subtypes remain highly conserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the complex nature of safety culture and process industries, several factors influence process safety culture. This paper presents a novel framework that combines the hidden content analysis method with Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Fuzzy logic to achieve a comprehensive set of influential factors and their relationship. The proposed methodology consists of two primary stages. Firstly, combined methods of literature review and Delphi study were used to identifying influential factors of process safety culture. Secondly, the Fuzzy-DEMATEL approach is employed to quantify and determine the relationships between different influential factors. A diverse pool of experts' opinions is leveraged to assess the impact of each factor on others and process safety culture. In the first stage, 18 factors identified as influential factors on process safety. The findings of second stage revealed that eight variables were identified as causes, while ten variables were classified as effects. Also, the Organization management's commitment to safety factor had the greatest influence among all of the factors. As well as, the most significant interaction was associated with the risk assessment and management aspect. The integrated approach not only identified the influential factors, but also elucidates the cause-effect relationships among factors. By prioritizing factors and understanding their interconnections, organizations can implement targeted safety measures to improve process safety culture. Its effectiveness in quantifying qualitative data, identifying influential factors, and establishing cause-effect relationships make it a valuable tool for enhancing safety culture in process industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite tremendous progress in research on self-assembled nanotechnological building blocks, such as macromolecules1, nanowires2 and two-dimensional materials3, synthetic self-assembly methods that bridge the nanoscopic to macroscopic dimensions remain unscalable and inferior to biological self-assembly. By contrast, planar semiconductor technology has had an immense technological impact, owing to its inherent scalability, yet it seems unable to reach the atomic dimensions enabled by self-assembly. Here, we use surface forces, including Casimir–van der Waals interactions4, to deterministically self-assemble and self-align suspended silicon nanostructures with void features well below the length scales possible with conventional lithography and etching5, despite using only conventional lithography and etching. The method is remarkably robust and the threshold for self-assembly depends monotonically on all the governing parameters across thousands of measured devices. We illustrate the potential of these concepts by fabricating nanostructures that are impossible to make with any other known method: waveguide-coupled high-Q silicon photonic cavities6,7 that confine telecom photons to 2 nm air gaps with an aspect ratio of 100, corresponding to mode volumes more than 100 times below the diffraction limit. Scanning transmission electron microscopy measurements confirm the ability to build devices with sub-nanometre dimensions. Our work constitutes the first steps towards a new generation of fabrication technology that combines the atomic dimensions enabled by self-assembly with the scalability of planar semiconductors.Silicon photonic nanocavities based on surface forces and conventional lithography and etching are developed, demonstrating pioneering technology that integrates atomic dimensions with the scalability of planar semiconductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the effect of the rod-to-rod distance on the mechanical stability of single-rod and double-rod external fixator frames. Methods: Four different constructs, one single-rod and three double-rod constructs with different rod–rod distances, were subjected to the axial, bending, and torsional forces. The stiffness of different configurations was calculated. Results: Single-rod configuration had statistically the lowest stiffness when subjected to the axial, bending, and torsional forces. Maximum stiffness against the axial and anterior–posterior bending forces was achieved when the rod–rod distance was adjusted to 50 mm (halfway between the first rod and the end of the Schanz pins). There was no statistically significant difference in lateral bending stiffness among different double-rod configurations (p value: 0.435). The maximum stiffness against torsional forces was achieved when the rod–rod distance was adjusted to 100 mm (the second rod at the end of the Schanz pins). Conclusion: Double-rod uniplanar external fixator frames are significantly stiffer than the single-rod constructs, and however, the rod–rod distance can significantly affect the construct stiffness. We found that a frame with 50 mm rod–rod distance was the optimum fixator among tested configurations that allowed a balance between axial, bending, and torsional stiffness of the construct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are one of the most important ways of releasing microplastics (MPs) into the environment. In this study, the size, number, color, and shape of MPs during the wastewater treatment process were investigated in six WWTPs with different processes, which include WWTPs A and B (activated sludge process, ASP), WWTP C and D (aerated lagoon, AL), WWTP E (sequencing batch reactor process, SBR), and WWTP F (stabilization pond, SP). The MP particles were detected by the polarized light microscopy. In all six WWTPs, the clear color was observed as the dominant color in the effluent. Among the forms of MPs, fibers had the highest removal efficiency in WWTPs A (97.3%), B (99.2%), C (95.5%), and D (94.3%). In both WWTPs E and F, the highest removal rate of MP shapes was related to films (96.1%) and granules (86.1%), respectively. MPs with size 25–125 μm had the highest amount (0.39 to 4.08 MP/L) in the effluent of WWTPs compared to larger sizes. With respect to the type of the wastewater treatment process, the number of MPs during the treatment process decreased from 3.75–25.31 to 0.51–6.28MP/L. Based on the results of this study, ASP with a removal rate of 91.87% had the highest efficiency compared to other processes. However, daily 4.95 × 104 to 1.49 × 108 MP enter the environment via the effluent of these WWTPs. The study recommends reducing the use of MPs and plasticizers in widely used products as much as possible and replacing them with nature-friendly materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficiency of advanced oxidation processes (electrochemical, Fenton, and electro-Fenton) in the removal of oxytetracycline antibiotic from aquatic environments using SS316 and SS316/β-PbO2 anodes. This study was performed experimentally on a laboratory scale in a 250-mL reactor. First, experiments were designed for the electrochemical process using a central composite design (CCD), and the optimal conditions for the variables pH (3.53), current density (3.85 mA/cm2), initial concentration of oxytetracycline (20 mg/L), and electrolysis time (42.35 min) were obtained; then, under these conditions, the efficiency of Fenton process with FeSO4 variable without the presence of electrodes was evaluated, and its optimal value was 0.3 g/L, and then in the presence of optimal values ​of the above four variables, the efficiency of the electro-Fenton process with H2O2 changes was investigated and the optimal value of 0.12 mg/L was obtained for H2O2. The removal efficiencies of oxytetracycline in electrochemical, Fenton, and electro-Fenton processes were 84.7%, 73.4%, and 98.2%, respectively. Under optimal conditions, the SS316/β-PbO2 anode electrode enhanced the oxytetracycline efficiency by electro-Fenton process to 100%. The results of bioassay with microorganisms showed that the reduction of toxicity of the effluent treated by the electro-Fenton process for Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus was 84.5% and 69%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platinum compounds are the main chemotherapeutic agents used in cancer treatment. 195mPt is a promising theranostic radionuclide for targeted radionuclide therapy. This study presents 195mPt production through neutron activation of natural Platinum target in Tehran Research Reactor. Theoretical production yield of 195mPt was calculated through simultaneous solution of differential equations of decay chains, and also simulation with MCNPX. Theoretical results were compared with experimental values. Moreover, liquid–liquid extraction using ethyl acetate was used for chemical separation. The results showed a good agreement between the experimental and theoretical values. In addition, high separation efficiency (> 99%) was achieved via solvent extraction separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diazinon (DZ), an organophosphorus pesticide, has a large consumption for agricultural activities, which its discharge into groundwater and surface is associated with serious concerns for the animal and plants. Thus, the degradation of the mentioned pesticide from an aqueous environment was examined in the electro-Fenton (EF) and sono-electro-Fenton process (SEF) process using SS316/β-PbO2 anode. To characterize the synthesized anode, the analyses, e.g., XRD, SEM, and EDX, were used. The central composite design (CCD) was the method used to assess the effect of selected parameters (DZ concentration = 25–75 mg/L, voltage = 5–15 V, pH = 3–9, and electrolysis time = 20–80 min) and their interactions on the DZ degradation in the evaluated system. Detecting the intermediates of DZ degradation was carried out by LC–MS analysis, and its degradation pathways were proposed. To conduct the toxicity tests for inlet and outlet, the growth inhibition percentage of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus was estimated. SEF process could represent the DZ degradation, COD, and TOC removal efficiencies of 92.2%, 73.2%, and 67.4%, respectively. According to kinetic studies, the pseudo-first-order kinetic (R2 > 0.99) was detected to be an adequate model for the enlightenment of data of the degradation of DZ by the evaluated system. Finally, DZ is converted into carbon dioxide (CO2(and water (H2O). The results of this study showed that the degradation and mineralization of DZ using the SEF process were successfully carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around seven-in-ten Americans use social media (SM) to connect and engage, making these platforms excellent sources of information to understand human behavior and other problems relevant to social sciences. While the presence of a behavior can be detected, it is unclear who or under what circumstances the behavior was generated. Despite the large sample sizes of SM datasets, they almost always come with significant biases, some of which have been studied before. Here, we hypothesize the presence of a largely unrecognized form of bias on SM platforms, called participation bias, that is distinct from selection bias. It is defined as the skew in the demographics of the participants who opt-in to discussions of the topic, compared to the demographics of the underlying SM platform. To infer the participant's demographics, we propose a novel generative probabilistic framework that links surveys and SM data at the granularity of demographic subgroups (and not individuals). Our method is distinct from existing approaches that elicit such information at the individual level using their profile name, images, and other metadata, thus infringing upon their privacy. We design a statistical simulation to simulate multiple SM platforms and a diverse range of topics to validate the model's estimates in different scenarios. We use Twitter data as a case study to demonstrate participation bias on the topic of gun violence delineated by political party affiliation and gender. Although Twitter's user population leans Democratic and has an equal number of men and women according to Pew, our model's estimates point to the presence of participation bias on the topic of gun control in the opposite direction, with slightly more Republicans than Democrats, and more men compared to women. Our study cautions that in the rush to use digital data for decision-making and understanding public opinions, we must account for the biases inherent in how SM data are produced, lest we may also arrive at biased inferences about the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines whether the socio-demographic factors and cognitive sign features can be used for envisaging safety signs comprehensibility using predictive machine learning (ML) techniques. This study will determine the role of different machine learning components such as feature selection and classification to determine suitable factors for safety construction signs comprehensibility. A total of 2310 participants were requested to guess the meaning of 20 construction safety signs (four items for each of the mandatory, prohibition, emergency, warning, and firefighting signs) using the open-ended method. Moreover, the participants were asked to rate the cognitive design features of each sign in terms of familiarity, concreteness, simplicity, meaningfulness, and semantic closeness on a 0–100 rating scale. Subsequently, all eight features (age, experience, education level, familiarity, concreteness, meaningfulness, semantic closeness, and simplicity) were used for classification. Furthermore, the 14 most popular supervised classifiers were implemented and evaluated for safety sign comprehensibility prediction using these eight features. Also, filter and wrapper methods were used as feature selection techniques. Results of feature selection techniques indicate that among the eight features considered in this study, familiarity, simplicity, and meaningfulness are found to be the most relevant and effective components in predicting the comprehensibility of selected safety signs. Further, when these three features are used for classification, the K-NN classifier achieves the highest classification accuracy of 94.369% followed by medium Gaussian SVM which achieves a classification accuracy of 76.075% under hold-out data division protocol. The machine learning (ML) technique was adopted as a promising approach to addressing the issue of comprehensibility, especially in terms of determining factors affecting the safety signs' comprehension. The cognitive sign features of familiarity, simplicity, and meaningfulness can provide useful information in terms of designing user-friendly safety signs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, more advanced therapy and diagnosis can be achieved by recent progress in nanomedicine in the field of nuclear medicine. 161Tb is a promising NCA radionuclide due to its unique characteristics such as 6.9 days’ half-life and conversion and Auger electron emission beside the beta and gamma decays. Production of 161Tb through 160Gd (n,γ) 161Gd → 161Tb nuclear reaction was investigated by irradiation of two forms of natural and enriched Gd and GdNPs in Tehran Research Reactor. Gadolinium nanoparticles were characterized with FT-IR, TEM, and Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. In this study, first, the radioactivity of 161Tb and other impurities that are produced during the production is calculated by MATLAB software. Then, the theoretical and experimental comparison of activity values of 161Tb and other impurities produced by irradiation of bulk and nanoscale Gd targets has been carried out. The results showed that the activity values obtained from irradiation of nanoparticles of gadolinium (size of ≤ 4 nm) are about 3 times more than bulk ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unique properties of light underpin the visions of photonic quantum technologies, optical interconnects and a wide range of novel sensors, but a key limiting factor today is losses due to either absorption or backscattering on defects. Recent developments in topological photonics have fostered the vision of backscattering-protected waveguides made from topological interface modes, but, surprisingly, measurements of their propagation losses were so far missing. Here we report on measurements of losses in the slow-light regime of valley-Hall topological waveguides and find no indications of topological protection against backscattering on ubiquitous structural defects. We image the light scattered out from the topological waveguides and find that the propagation losses are due to Anderson localization. The only photonic topological waveguides proposed for materials without intrinsic absorption in the optical domain are quantum spin-Hall and valley-Hall interface states, but the former exhibit strong out-of-plane losses, and our work, therefore, raises fundamental questions about the real-world value of topological protection in reciprocal photonics. This work investigates the real-world value of topological protection in reciprocal photonics. Measurements of propagation losses in the slow-light regime of valley-Hall topological waveguides yield no indications of topological protection against backscattering on structural defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In irreducible bucket-handle medial meniscal tears (BHMMTs), the displaced central fragment is rotated 180° or more, meaning reduction is impossible without derotation of the tear. In chronic cases, the rotated meniscus is deformed and degenerated; thus, the issue of reproducibility and repairability arises. This study presents the clinical outcomes of chronic irreducible and unstable locked BHMMTs. Radiological outcomes were also evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: This is a retrospective study of 37 patients with 11 cases of irreducible BHMMT and 26 cases of reducible but unstable chronic BHMMT who underwent operations between 2011 and 2016. Posterior arthroscopy was performed after temporary meniscus fixation using a provisional needle fixation technique. After the posterior repair with vertical mattress sutures was completed using an all-inside technique, the classic outside-in technique was performed for the anterior third of the meniscus. The Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), and Tegner activity scores were obtained from all patients before surgery and at the latest follow-up. Radiological evaluations were performed using MRI before surgery and at 6 months postoperatively. Results: Between 2011 and 2016, a total of 37 consecutive patients with irreducible and chronic BHMMTs underwent surgery. The average postoperative follow-up was 7.2 ± 1.4 years (mean ± SD). Postoperative Lysholm (89.57 ± 2.7) and IKDC (87.22 ± 3.2) scores improved significantly at the last follow-up when compared with the pre-operative scores (38.44 ± 4.5 and 23.52 ± 7.8, respectively). According to the Tegner activity scale, patients' postoperative activity levels remained unchanged compared to preoperative levels at the last follow-up. Conclusion: Posterior knee arthroscopy with the all-inside posterior suture and inside-out anteromedial suture technique presented in this study yielded excellent clinical outcomes when used to repair chronic irreducible or unstable BHMMTs. Level of evidence: Level IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpersonal Emotion regulation has become an important research topic in emotional studies. In this study, we examined the psychometric properties of the interpersonal emotion regulation questionnaire (IERQ) in the nonclinical and clinical populations. Data were drawn from two studies. One study was conducted in a general population (N = 428) and the other in a clinical setting with individuals diagnosed with emotional disorders (N = 220). To assess the convergent validity of IERQ in the first study, questionnaires assessing emotion regulation, anxiety, depression, attachment style, and emotional intelligence were also conducted. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) results showed that the four-factor model of the IERQ fit the data in the nonclinical sample and emotional disorders sample well. The IERQ questionnaire showed excellent internal consistency for all subscales in the nonclinical and clinical samples. Test-retest reliability analysis also showed high levels of test-retest reliability in the nonclinical sample. The convergent validity results demonstrated the significant relationship of IERQ with almost all measures assessing emotion regulation, anxiety, depression, attachment style, and emotional intelligence. Findings of discriminant validity showed significant differences between the clinical and nonclinical population in subscales of IERQ, but there are not any significant differences between clinical groups in these subscales. The convenience sampling method was used for the first sample, and some measures could not be used in the clinical samples, and some analyses could not be conducted in this sample. Furthermore, limited emotional disorder diagnostics were included in the clinical sample, and a large number of disorders were not considered. Thus, the generalizability of our findings is limited. Overall, the current study provided evidence supporting the reliability and validity of IERQ in the Iranian community and emotional disorders samples and pave the way for further cross-cultural research on IER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environment is threatened by a diversity of pollutants, and synthetic dyes are considered a foremost environmental pollutant among them. The characteristics detected for the dye, e.g., toxicity and carcinogenicity, have brought severe problems for humans and aquatic organisms. The present study was done to clarify the potential of activated carbon made from cherry tree wood (CWAC) in the adsorption of cationic red 14 dye. In our experimental-laboratory study, the changes in removal efficiency were assessed by considering the changes in values of pH, concentration, adsorbent dose, contact time, and temperature. In addition, the nature of our prepared adsorbent was defined based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy techniques. The concentration of dye after the completion of experiments was recorded using a spectrophotometer at 514 nm. Evaluating the attained data by isotherm and kinetic models were also considered. Our results demonstrated the enhancement in the efficiency of the studied process at higher contact times, temperatures, and pH and its decline at higher initial dye concentrations. pH = 11, time of 45 min, dye concentration of 50 mg/L, and AC mass of 0.25 g/l were optimal values in obtaining the highest removal of the studied dye. Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order (PSO) with (R2 = 0.9972) and (R2 = 0.9947) were the best isotherms and kinetic models in the description of the observed data, respectively. Considering the results, CWAC could be effectively utilized for the adsorption of cationic red 14 dye from solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Pramipexole (Prami) is renowned as one of the most widely used drugs in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. This study aimed to prepare slow-release nanofibers of Prami to reduce (or control) the release rate of the drug from the formulation. Methods: For this purpose, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) nanofibers loaded with Prami were fabricated using the electrospinning technique and characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). A test has been conducted to evaluate the swelling of the formulations and an HPLC method has been used to assess the effect of both co-electrospinning with polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibers and cross-linking using glutaraldehyde (GA) vapors on the release kinetics. Results: The results showed that the co-electrospun nanofibers cross-linked by 12-h exposure to GA vapor exhibited slow release compared to non-hybrid and non-cross-linked fibers. The cell viability assay using the MTT test showed that the nanofibers were cytocompatibility regarding SFIF-PI 44 cell line. The hybrid cross-linked nanofibers were placed in the gelatin shell capsule, and the dissolution profile of the drug in the capsules was investigated. Conclusions: These results indicated that using nanofibers as the carrier encapsulated in the conventional capsule dosage form can be considered as a new formulation to reduce the used excipients and ease of production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA-protein complexes underlie numerous cellular processes, including basic translation and gene regulation. The high-resolution structure determination of the RNA-protein complexes is essential for elucidating their functions. Therefore, computational methods capable of identifying the native-like RNA-protein structures are needed. To address this challenge, we thus develop DRPScore, a deep-learning-based approach for identifying native-like RNA-protein structures. DRPScore is tested on representative sets of RNA-protein complexes with various degrees of binding-induced conformation change ranging from fully rigid docking (bound-bound) to fully flexible docking (unbound-unbound). Out of the top 20 predictions, DRPScore selects native-like structures with a success rate of 91.67% on the testing set of bound RNA-protein complexes and 56.14% on the unbound complexes. DRPScore consistently outperforms existing methods with a roughly 10.53–15.79% improvement, even for the most difficult unbound cases. Furthermore, DRPScore significantly improves the accuracy of the native interface interaction predictions. DRPScore should be broadly useful for modeling and designing RNA-protein complexes. RNA-protein docking is a very challenging area. Here, the authors develop a deep-learning based method, DRPScore, to evaluate RNA-protein complexes. DRPScore is robust and consistently performs better than existing methods on representative testing sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Doppler ultrasound technique is used to detect vascular stenosis as a non-invasive procedure. To look for characteristics of Doppler ultrasound signals that are susceptible to stenosis, an accurate model of the Doppler ultrasound signal is required. This study models Doppler ultrasound waves from blood flow through stenotic arteries of varying degrees. In this model, it was expected that random scattering points will move based on their velocity. The Doppler influence was also included by modifying the form of the scattered signal at any time. Modeling the blood flow pattern through arteries helped identify the scattering point’s velocity profile and Doppler spectrum. The Tu and Devil model was used to consider a cosine stenosis shape because it is sufficiently similar to the natural shape of stenosis in the arteries. According to the Womersley model, the input flow to the stenotic zone was the same as the pulsatile blood flow in the vessel. As a result, the flow amplitude and Reynolds number changes will be near to reality. The fluid was deemed as non-Newtonian in the form of the power law to provide a more precise approximation to blood. When the calculated velocity profile was compared to the applied input value, the error rate was 6% for both normal and stenotic (70%) situations, validating the model’s accuracy in mimicking Doppler signals. This new computer model can be used to evaluate spectral analysis methods on simulated Doppler signals with clinically important underlying flow patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has led to creating a public health emergency conditions since 2019. COVID-19, which is caused by SARS-CoV-2, is spread via human-to-human transmission by direct contact or droplets. Through conducting this study, we were looking for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater produced in Iran country (Ardabil, Nir, Khalkhal, and Kowsar) (wastewater collection network, wastewater treatment plant, and hospital wastewater). In this research, samples (n=76) were collected from influent and effluent of municipal and hospital wastewater treatment plants, and some samples were also collected from Ardabil municipal wastewater manholes. The sampling duration included the white (lower risk of COVID-19) and red (high risk of COVID-19) conditions. Samples were stored at −20 °C for further diagnostic tests. The specific primer and probe real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) targeting ORF1ab and N genes (nucleoprotein gene) were applied to detect viral genomes of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the wastewater samples. Out of 76 samples, a total of 15 samples (19.73%) collected from wastewater in Ardabil province (Ardabil, Nir, Khalkhal, and Kowsar), were positive in terms of SARS-CoV-2. Wastewater epidemiology can facilitate detection of the incidence of pathogens through metropolises, measurement of population prevalence without direct testing, and provision of information to the public health system about the efficiency of intervening efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intercensal estimates of access to electricity and clean cooking fuels at policy planning microregions in a country are essential for understanding their evolution and tracking progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 7. Surveys are prohibitively expensive to get such intercensal microestimates. Existing works, mainly, focus on electrification rates, make predictions at the coarse spatial granularity, and generalize poorly to intercensal periods. Limited works focus on estimating clean cooking fuel access, which is one of the crucial indicators for measuring progress towards SDG 7. We propose a novel spatio-temporal multi-target Bayesian regression model that provides accurate intercensal microestimates for household electrification and clean cooking fuel access by combining multiple types of earth-observation data, census, and surveys. Our model's estimates are produced for Senegal for 2020 at policy planning microregions, and they explain 77% and 86% of variation in regional aggregates for electrification and clean fuels, respectively, when validated against the most recent survey. The diagnostic nature of our microestimates reveals a slow evolution and significant lack of clean cooking fuel access in both urban and rural areas in Senegal. It underscores the challenge of expanding energy access even in urban areas owing to their rapid population growth. Owing to the timeliness and accuracy of our microestimates, they can help plan interventions by local governments or track the attainment of SDGs when no ground-truth data are available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2019, the outbreak of coronavirus with acute respiratory symptoms has caused an epidemic worldwide. Transmission of the disease through respiratory droplets was announced as the main mode of transmission in 2020. But in this study, we discussed the method of indirect transmission of the virus through sewage. In this study, effluents related to urban and hospital wastewater treatment plants in 5 regions of Ardabil Province (northwest of Iran) were investigated. In this research, 120 samples were kept in pre-test conditions (temperature -20 degrees Celsius). To identify the viral genome, special primer and chain reaction probe targeting ORF1ab and N (nucleoprotein gene) genes were used. Out of a total of 120 samples, a total of 3 samples were positive. Wastewater epidemiology (WBE) can be considered as a cost-effective method in the diagnosis and prediction of pathogenic agents. And be considered an effective method for decision-making in order to protect the health of citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, optimized preparation, quality control, cell assessments and biostribution of 188Re-HYNIC-PSMA in normal rats and tumor bearing mice are studied. Optimized conditions for radiolabeling were evaluated and radiochemical purity (> 99%) was investigated using ITLC and HPLC methods. 188Re-HYNIC-PSMA was stable both in PBS (4 °C) and in human serum (37 °C) even after 48 h. The results showed the complex was cleared from the blood very fast via urinary track. This new radiolabeled compound has a high potential to be considered as an agent for the treatment of patients with PSMA expressing tumors however more biological studies are still needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

161Tb is a high-potential emerging radionuclide in targeted radionuclide therapy due to the high emission of Auger electrons. So, efforts to obtain 161Tb have begun in Iran. To obtain NCA 161Tb, the development of an effective Gd/Tb separation approach is necessary. In this case, an Ln-resin column was used to separate Tb from the Gd/Tb matrix using the extraction chromatography technique. The results demonstrated that the optimal separation conditions were achieved by separating gadolinium and terbium isotopes using 0.8 and 3N HNO3 solutions, respectively. The final 161Tb radionuclide has obtained 81% separation yield, more than 99% radionuclide purity, and 99% radiochemical purity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multiphase shock wave phenomenon is significantly affected by accumulated upstream sediment deposition and downstream hydraulic conditions. There is a lack of studies evaluating the efficacy of intelligent models in representing multiphase debris flooding over initially dry- or wet-bed tail-waters, or over downstream semi-circular obstacles. To address this, we propose a novel methodology based on Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA), which combines predictions of three individual intelligent models [i.e., "Multi-layer Perceptron" (MLP), "Generalized Regression Neural Network", and "Support Vector Regression"]. The models were developed through experimental study whereupon high-quality sediment depths and water levels data (n = 9000) were collected from 18 shock wave scenarios with various initial conditions in channel up- and down-stream. Experimental data and related original videos are created accessible in an online repository may be used in other researches. Each model's results were in close concord with the experimental data; RMRE and RMSE values were in the range of 1.54–5.99 mm and 1.21–40.49 mm, respectively (0.5–2% and 0.4–13.5%) with the MLP model marginally outperforming the other intelligent models. Based on statistical error indices, the BMA model had the best performance (up to 40% better) in estimating most data classes, and was more efficient than the best intelligent model signifying that the proposed methodology is explicit, straightforward, and promising for real-world applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology enables in principle a precise mapping from design to device but relied so far on human intuition and simple optimizations. In nanophotonics, a central question is how to make devices in which the light-matter interaction strength is limited only by materials and nanofabrication. Here, we integrate measured fabrication constraints into topology optimization, aiming for the strongest possible light-matter interaction in a compact silicon membrane, demonstrating an unprecedented photonic nanocavity with a mode volume of V ~ 3 × 10−4 λ3, quality factor Q ~ 1100, and footprint 4 λ2 for telecom photons with a λ ~ 1550 nm wavelength. We fabricate the cavity, which confines photons inside 8 nm silicon bridges with ultra-high aspect ratios of 30 and use near-field optical measurements to perform the first experimental demonstration of photon confinement to a single hotspot well below the diffraction limit in dielectrics. Our framework intertwines topology optimization with fabrication and thereby initiates a new paradigm of high-performance additive and subtractive manufacturing. Here, the authors integrate measured fabrication constraints in topology optimization to design a highly optimized dielectric nanocavity. The theoretically predicted confinement of light below the diffraction limit is confirmed by near- and far-field spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Multi-rod constructs are used commonly to stabilize pedicle subtraction osteotomies (PSO). This study aimed to evaluate biomechanical properties of different satellite rod configurations and effects of screw-type spanning a PSO. Methods: A validated 3D spinopelvic finite element model with a L3 PSO (30°) was used to evaluate 5 models: (1) Control (T10–pelvis + 2 rods); (2) lateral satellite rods connected via offsets to monoaxial screws (LatSat-Mono) or (3) polyaxial screws (LatSat-Poly); (4) in-line satellite rods connected to monoaxial screws (InSat-Mono) or (4) polyaxial screws (InSat-Poly). Global and PSO range of motions (ROM) were recorded. Rods' von Mises stresses and PSO forces were recorded and the percent differences from Control were calculated. Results: All satellite rods (save InSat-Mono) increased PSO ROM and decreased primary rods' von Mises stresses at the PSO. Lateral rods increased PSO forces (LatSat-Mono:347.1 N; LatSat-Poly:348.6 N; Control:336 N) and had relatively lower stresses, while in-line rods decreased PSO forces (InSat-Mono:280.1 N; InSat-Poly:330.7 N) and had relatively higher stresses. Relative to polyaxial screws, monoaxial screws further decreased PSO ROM, increased satellite rods' stresses, and decreased PSO forces for in-line rods, but did not change PSO forces for lateral rods. Conclusion: Multi-rod constructs using in-line and lateral satellite rods across a PSO reduced primary rods' stresses. Subtle differences in biomechanics suggest lateral satellite rods, irrespective of screw type, increase PSO forces and lower rod stresses compared to in-line satellite rods, which had a high degree of posterior instrumentation stress shielding and lower PSO forces. Clinical studies are warranted to determine if these findings influence clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Psychosexual support has received considerable attention in the improvement of sexuality in gynecologic cancer survivors. The current study was conducted to examine the effect of EX-PLISSIT model-based psychosexual counseling on improving sexual function and sexual quality of life in this group of patients. Methods: One hundred ten eligible women with the most common gynecologic cancers were randomized 1:1 to intervention (EX-PLISSIT-based counseling sessions for 4 weeks) and control groups. Sexual function and sexual quality of life were assessed via FSFI and SQOL-F self-reported questionnaires at baseline and 8 weeks post-intervention. Results: One hundred fifty patients were registered; 110 were equally randomized to the intervention and control groups (55 each). Ninety-nine patients completed both questionnaires at baseline and 8 weeks post-intervention. There were no significant differences in the FSFI and SQOL-F scores between the study arms compared to baseline using the independent t-test (P > 0.05). Positive changes in FSFI and SQOL-F scores were observed in patients in both arms at 8 weeks. However, the mean difference was higher in the intervention arm but was statistically significant only in the domains of sexual desire, lubrication, orgasm, pain, overall sexual function, and sexual and relationship satisfaction subscale of SQOL-F (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Based on our findings, by facilitating communication, the EX-PLISSIT-based psychosexual counseling resulted in positive changes in sexual function and sexual quality of life in gynecologic cancer survivors. Therefore, we recommend this type of counseling in combination with other therapeutic and rehabilitative services for survivors of gynecologic cancers. Trial registration: This study was registered in Iran's Clinical Trial Registry under registration code IRCT20160808029255N6 on 29 June 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a multi-institutional data harvesting (MIDH) method for longitudinal observation of medical imaging utilization and reporting. By tracking both large-scale utilization and clinical imaging results data, the MIDH approach is targeted at measuring surrogates for important disease-related observational quantities over time. To quantitatively investigate its clinical applicability, we performed a retrospective multi-institutional study encompassing 13 healthcare systems throughout the United States before and after the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Using repurposed software infrastructure of a commercial AI-based image analysis service, we harvested data on medical imaging service requests and radiology reports for 40,037 computed tomography pulmonary angiograms (CTPA) to evaluate for pulmonary embolism (PE). Specifically, we compared two 70-day observational periods, namely (i) a pre-pandemic control period from 11/25/2019 through 2/2/2020, and (ii) a period during the early COVID-19 pandemic from 3/8/2020 through 5/16/2020. Natural language processing (NLP) on final radiology reports served as the ground truth for identifying positive PE cases, where we found an NLP accuracy of 98% for classifying radiology reports as positive or negative for PE based on a manual review of 2,400 radiology reports. Fewer CTPA exams were performed during the early COVID-19 pandemic than during the pre-pandemic period (9806 vs. 12,106). However, the PE positivity rate was significantly higher (11.6 vs. 9.9%, p < 10−4) with an excess of 92 PE cases during the early COVID-19 outbreak, i.e., ~1.3 daily PE cases more than statistically expected. Our results suggest that MIDH can contribute value as an exploratory tool, aiming at a better understanding of pandemic-related effects on healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Controversies exist on the relative contribution of sagittal spino-pelvic alignment on pathogenesis of lumbar disc herniation. Methods: Spinopelvic alignment parameters, pelvic incidence, pelvic tilt, sacral slope, pelvic radius-S1 end-plate ratio and pelvic radius-S1 angle, in 52 patients with lumbar disc herniation were compared with the same measurements in 43 healthy adult volunteers. Results: Statistical analysis revealed significant difference in pelvic incidence and sacral slope between patients with lumbar disc herniation and normal population. Conclusion: Patients with lumbar disc herniation have a more vertical sacrum compared to the normal population which may result in higher intradiscal pressure in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and unicompartment knee arthroplasty (UKA) are among the most important treatment options for end-stage knee osteoarthritis. Previous papers have noted the importance of knowing the type of medial tibial wear in deciding to manage varus knee osteoarthritis patients with TKA vs UKA. But few studies have delineated the pre-operative variables predicting the type of tibia wear.Methods: This study assessed individuals with varus knee osteoarthritis planned for knee arthroplasty. After recording the demographic variables, hip-knee-ankle joint alignment views were taken from all patients. Finally, the type of tibial wear encountered during the surgery (posteromedial, non-posteromedial) was documented.Results: A total of 325 knees and 301 participants were evaluated in the study. Participants aged 67.12 (± SD 8.14) and the male to female ratio was 0.20. Between either non-posteromedial/posteromedial wear or insufficient/sufficient ACL cases, there was a statistically significant difference with regard to MPTA, LDFA, VA, and JCA (P value < 0.05). Sixty-three percent of knees had non-posteromedial wear in the tibia plateau and 37% had posteromedial wear. Posteromedial wear was associated with 95% chance of ACL tear. Non-posteromedial knee had nearly 50% chance of having ACL insufficiency. Among non-posteromedial cases, VA of 14.5 as cut-off value had 65% sensitivity, 90% specificity, 73% negative predictive value, 87% positive predictive value, and 78% accuracy in detecting ACL insufficiency.Conclusion: Posteromedial tibial wear is associated with ACL insufficiency. However, regarding non-posteromedial cases, varus angle > 14.5 is highly predictive of ACL tear (87% positive predictive value). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textile industries use large amounts of water and chemicals for finishing and dying processes. The chemical structures of dyes vary enormously, and some have complicated aromatic structures that resist degradation in conventional wastewater treatment processes because of their stability to sunlight, oxidizing agents, and microorganisms. The objective of this research is to compare the adsorption efficiency of two types of magnetic activated carbons derived from Banana peel and Salvia seed for the removal of basic blue 41 dye. The faculty of the produced activated carbons to remove basic blue 41 dye from aqueous solutions via batch adsorption has been examined under several operating conditions such as pH, adsorbent dose, initial adsorbate concentration and contact time. The cheap, non-toxic produced activated carbons (AC) were characterized by scanning electron microscope and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analyses. The best conditions of dye adsorption with BPAC@ Fe3O4 equal to pH = 9, AC dose 0.5 g/L , dye concentration 50 mg/L and equilibrium contact time 30 min, optimal dye adsorption conditions for SSAC@Fe3O4 equal to pH = 9, adsorbent dose 0.75 mg/L , dye concentration 50 mg/L and equilibrium contact time is 30 min. This study followed the Langmuir isotherm model well with regression coefficient of R2= 0.9886 for BPAC@Fe3O4 and regression coefficient of R2= 0.9764 for SSAC@Fe3O4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus in water resources and the transmission of diseases caused by it is one of the factors threatening the quality of water resources. This study for the first time concentrates on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in water resources an urban location. In the present study, the samples were collected from known depth (30–50 cm) of rivers, dams and lakes. In each sample of water collected, different parameters such as residual chlorine, pH (phenol red), turbidity, total dissolved solids and temperature were also measured. Out of 267 samples, two samples were detected to be positive which their Ct values were 34.2 and 35.67. The existence of viable form of this virus in water and wastewater may be associated with issues for providing public health and difficulties in implementation of pandemic control strategies, and this situation can be exacerbated in developing countries that do not have adequate access to sanitation and safe water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean air is considered as a basic need for human health. However, air pollution is a significant threat to health in developed and developing countries. The aim of this study was to estimate the health effects attributed to PM2.5 pollutants in the air of Ardabil in 2018 (using Air Q + model). Raw data related to particles were collected from the Department of Environment and processed in Excel software and converted into an input file of the Air Q + model, and in the final stage, by considering appropriate epidemiological parameters and combining these data with air quality data, it was possible to estimate the health effects of air pollution. The results showed that the average annual concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 were 15.47 and 30.94 in the study year, respectively. The total number of deaths due to ALRI, COPD, lung cancer, IHD, and stroke deaths on average during the study period were estimated to be 73, 11, 7, 15, and 14 deaths, respectively, which include 14.62, 15.78, 4.9, 12.43, and 11.6% of deaths due to ALRI, COPD, lung cancer, IHD, and stroke deaths, respectively. In conditions of concentration above 5 µg/m3, attributed proportion, total number of attributed cases and number of attributed cases per 100,000 population (with moderate relative risk and confidence interval of 95%) for cardiovascular diseases have been estimated to be 0.95% 103 people and 42.19 people. Also, the attributed proportion, the total number of attributable cases, and the number of attributable cases per 100,000 population (with moderate relative risk and confidence of 95%) for the admission of respiratory diseases have been estimated at 97.1%, 68 persons and 3 persons, respectively. Our results suggest that particle exposure even at low concentrations is associated with an increased risk of overall mortality and specific cause mortality and hospital admissions for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Avulsion of the Lisfranc ligament, fleck sign, results in unstable Lisfranc injuries. This cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of Lisfranc injuries with fleck sign and the clinical and radiological outcomes following closed reduction and percutaneous screw fixation. Methods: All consecutive operatively managed Lisfranc injuries with fleck sign were reviewed from 2016 to 2018. The injury pattern and characteristics of Lisfranc fleck sign were reviewed based on the preoperative CT scan. Postoperative complications besides radiological and clinical outcomes were assessed using visual analog scale (VAS) pain, American orthopedic foot and ankle society (AOFAS) midfoot scale, and foot function index (FFI). Results: Thirty patients (20 males; mean age, 36.9 ± 17.0; range, 12–69 years) with mean follow-up 16.9 ± 7.4 (range, 6–31) months were enrolled. Among 12 cases with avulsed Lisfranc ligament from the second metatarsal base, only two cases had isolated second metatarsal base fracture in plantar medial part while others had concomitant avulsion fracture of plantar aspect of the adjacent third and/or fourth metatarsal base. Mean of postoperative VAS pain, AOFAS midfoot scale, and FFI were 1.03 ± 0.29, 91.43 ± 1.43, 24.43 ± 6.66, respectively. We had seven (23.3%) removal of screws, two (6.6%) broken screws, four (13.3%) pulled-out screws, and six (20%) lost reductions in the final follow-up with good clinical functions. Conclusion: Closed reduction and percutaneous fixation of the Lisfranc injuries with fleck sign by a single position screw could be a good surgical option with reliable and predictable outcomes without needing to remove the hardware, routinely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite significant insights into the neural mechanisms of acute placebo responses, less is known about longer-term placebo responses, such as those seen in clinical trials, or their interactions with brain disease. We examined brain correlates of placebo responses in a randomized trial of a then controversial and now disproved endovascular treatment for multiple sclerosis. Patients received either balloon or sham extracranial venoplasty and were followed for 48 weeks. Venoplasty had no therapeutic effect, but a subset of both venoplasty- and sham-treated patients reported a transient improvement in health-related quality of life, suggesting a placebo response. Placebo responders did not differ from non-responders in total MRI T2 lesion load, count or location, nor were there differences in normalized brain volume, regional grey or white matter volume or cortical thickness (CT). However, responders had higher lesion activity. Graph theoretical analysis of CT covariance showed that non-responders had a more small-world-like CT architecture. In non-responders, lesion load was inversely associated with CT in somatosensory, motor and association areas, precuneus, and insula, primarily in the right hemisphere. In responders, lesion load was unrelated to CT. The neuropathological process in MS may produce in some a cortical configuration less capable of generating sustained placebo responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common median nerve compression disease which may result in impaired nerve function. This study was carried out to determine which treatment is more appropriate for moderate or severe CTS patients with or without risk factors. Materials and methods: In a cohort prospective study, the patients with moderate CTS received a conservative treatment including night splint for 3 months, one methyl prednisolone injection whereas patients with severe CTS underwent surgical release. They were followed for 1 year using the bland scale based on the electromyography and nerve conduction velocity studies and five-point global assessment outcome scale. Results: Totally, 68 moderate CTS cases (32 patients with risk factors and 36 without any risk factors) and 32 cases with severe CTS (16 patients with risk factors and 16 without any risk factors) were assess at 6 months and 1 year following the treatment. Although about 22% of moderate CTS patients with risk factors changed to mild CTS after 6 months of conservative treatment, about 75% showed mild CTS or complete remedy following 1 year (P value < 0.001). This result was about 30% at 6 months and about 95% at 1 year following conservative treatment in patients with moderate CTS without risk factors. None of moderate CTS patients with or without risk factors underwent surgery after 1 year of follow-up. Although almost all patients with severe CTS, with and without risk factors, showed complete recovery or changed to mild CTS at 1 year postoperatively, the result was statistically significant for cases without risk factors (P value = 0.002). Conclusion: Conservative treatment for moderate CTS would be a good option, and the final result may be seen 1 year later; however, its positive effect is quicker and better for moderate CTS cases without risk factors. Surgical release of the carpal tunnel may be the best choice not only for severe CTS cases with risk factors but also for cases without risk factors. For obtaining consistent rapid result, it is recommended to do surgical release for all cases of moderate or severe CTS without considering risk factors, but more clinical researches are needed. Level of evidence: II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In December 2019, all nations learnt about the emergence of a pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), induced by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is a member of the β-coronavirus group. As SARS-CoV-2 has the potentiality of leading to life-threatening respiratory failure, its transmission routes need to be characterized. Yet, the possibility of airborne transmission is still debated. This study was performed to evaluate potential hospital indoor air viral quality in order to detect SARS-COV-2. For this purpose, an impinger method was used to monitor the SARS-COV-2 virus in the air. Thus, 33 samples were collected from 8 different hospital locations. The sampling time was between 50 and 60 min with a sampling flow rate of 28 L/min. Air samples were taken from 2 to 5 m away from the patients' beds. Temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 concentration were 28, 37, and 438 ppm, respectively. The results indicated that air samples which were 2 to 5 m away from the patients' beds were negative for the presence of the virus. According to the obtained results, it is suggested that airborne transmission may not have much effect on this pandemic. However, as the patients with SARS-CoV-2 were hospitalized in rooms with negative air pressure, the results might have been negatively affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generating general-purpose vector representations of networks allows us to analyze them without the need for extensive feature-engineering. Recent works have shown that the hyperbolic space can naturally represent the structure of networks, and that embedding networks into hyperbolic space is extremely efficient, especially in low dimensions. However, the existing hyperbolic embedding methods apply to static networks and cannot capture the dynamic evolution of the nodes and edges of a temporal network. In this paper, we present an unsupervised framework that uses temporal random walks to obtain training samples with both temporal and structural information to learn hyperbolic embeddings from continuous-time dynamic networks. We also show how the framework extends to attributed and heterogeneous information networks. Through experiments on five publicly available real-world temporal datasets, we show the efficacy of our model in embedding temporal networks in low-dimensional hyperbolic space compared to several other unsupervised baselines. We show that our model obtains state-of-the-art performance in low dimensions, outperforming all baselines, and has competitive performance in higher dimensions, outperforming the baselines in three of the five datasets. Our results show that embedding temporal networks in hyperbolic space is extremely effective when necessitating low dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dust is an important factor to indoor pollution that contains suspended particles and heavy metals. Since today, use of computer has become an essential part of human life. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the amount of heavy metals deposited on CRTs and LCDs and their risk assessment. Ten dust samples for each type of monitor were collected from CRT and LCD screens in accordance with the standard OSHA ID-125 and ID-206, wet filter wipe method. Concentrations of Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr, and Cu were measured by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometer. Exposure and risk assessment of these elements were estimated using USEPA's exposure parameters. The average concentrations of heavy metals in the dust on CRTs (0.82 mg/kg) were higher than LCD screens (0.69 mg/kg). Cr with 62.824% and Hg with 0.849% had the highest and lowest average concentration in both types of monitors. The non-carcinogenic risk and carcinogenicity indexes of CRT monitors were 0.0009, and 3.94 × 10−11 and for LCD monitors were 0.0008 and 2.94 × 10−11. In both monitors, ingestion is the main route to exposure with heavy metals. The average concentration of heavy metals in CRT dust. HI values for studied metals in dust of CRTs and LCDs were less than safe limit of 1. Because RI < 10−4, cancer risk of studied elements in dust can be ignored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influence, the ability to change the beliefs and behaviors of others, is the main currency on social media. Extant studies of influence on social media, however, are limited by publicly available data that record expressions (active engagement of users with content, such as likes and comments), but neglect impressions (exposure to content, such as views) and lack "ground truth" measures of influence. To overcome these limitations, we implemented a social media simulation using an original, web-based micro-blogging platform. We propose three influence models, leveraging expressions and impressions to create a more complete picture of social influence. We demonstrate that impressions are much more important drivers of influence than expressions, and our models accurately identify the most influential accounts in our simulation. Impressions data also allow us to better understand important social media dynamics, including the emergence of small numbers of influential accounts and the formation of opinion echo chambers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study's objective was to assess biomechanical parameters across fused and contralateral sacroiliac joints (SIJs) and implants during all spinal motions for both sexes. Various SIJ implant devices on the market are used in minimally invasive surgeries. These implants are placed across the joint using different surgical approaches. The biomechanical effects of fusion surgical techniques in males and females have not been studied. Methods: The validated finite element models of a male, and a female spine–pelvis–femur were unilaterally instrumented across the SIJ using three screws for two SIJ implants, half threaded and fully threaded screws placed laterally and posteriorly to the joint, respectively. Results: Motion and peak stress data at the SIJs showed that the female model exhibited lower stresses and higher reduction in motion at the contralateral SIJ in all motions than the male model predictions with 84% and 71% reductions in motion and stresses across the SIJ. Conclusion: Implants exhibited higher stresses in the female model compared to the male model. However, chances of SIJ implant failure in the female patients are still minimal, based on the calculated factor of safety which is still very high. Both lateral and posterior surgical approaches were effective in both sexes; however, the lateral approach may provide a better biomechanical response, especially for females. Moreover, implant design characteristics did not make a difference in the implants' biomechanical performance. SIJ stabilization was primarily provided by the implants which were the farthest from the sacrum rotation center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of airborne microorganisms in indoor air (home and work) is a serious public health concern. Bio-aerosols have a significant role in indoor air pollution as they can be pathogenic or cause an allergic reaction following inhalation, ingestion or skin absorption. This study aimed to assess bacterial bio-aerosols in the indoor air concentration of gyms, and its relationship with gym area per person, temperature, and relative humidity. Sampling was performed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) method 0800–0999 and using an Anderson single-step sampler. Fifty-five gyms were selected with simple random sampling method and 165 samples collected for evaluation of bacterial bio-aerosols. The concentrations of airborne bacteria were measured as colony-forming units per cubic meter of air (CFU/m3) collected by impaction on to tryptic soy agar plates. The maximum and minimum densities of bacteria in the air of gyms were 877 and 117 CFU/m3, respectively. Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus and Escherichia Coli had an order of the highest to lowest frequency among the microorganisms, respectively. Generally, with increasing temperature and humidity, the density of bacteria was increased. The higher amount of the microorganisms was observed in the air of gyms in the lower available area per person. Athletes are at risk of high exposure to the bacterial bio-aerosol that can affect their health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]