Search

The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) increases in women during pregnancy and negatively affects maternal and fetal outcomes. The updated systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the validity of the Berlin, STOP-Bang, and Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) questionnaires in detecting OSA in pregnant women. PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched systematically up to March 2022. After eligible studies inclusion, two independent reviewers extracted demographic and clinical data. Bivariate random effects models were used to estimate the pooled accuracy measures including sensitivity and specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPVs), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) curve. We included 8 studies including 710 pregnant women with suspected OSA. The performance values of Berlin, STOP-Bang, and ESS questionnaires were as follows: the pooled sensitivity were 61% (95% confidence interval (CI): 40%-80%), 59% (95% CI: 49%-69%), and 29%, (95% CI: 10%-60%); pooled specificity were 61% (95% CI: 42%-78%), 80% (95% CI: 55%-93%), and 80% (95% CI: 50%-94%); pooled PPVs were 60% (95% CI: 0.49-0.72), 73% (95% CI: 61%-85%), and 59% (95% CI: 31%-87%); pooled NPVs were 60% (95% CI: 0.49-0.71), 65% (95% CI: 54%-76%), and 53% (95% CI: 41%-64%); and pooled DORs were 3 (95% CI: 1-5), 6 (95% CI: 2-19), and 2 (95% CI: 1-3), respectively. It seems that the Berlin, STOP-Bang, and ESS questionnaires had poor to moderate sensitivity and specificity in pregnancy, with the ESS showing the worst characteristics. Further studies are required to evaluate the performance of alternative screening methods for OSA in pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zirconium alloys, are usually used as fuel cladding materials in VVER (water-cooled, water-moderated energy reactor) type reactors, mainly, due to their low neutron absorption cross-section, desirable mechanical properties, and good corrosion resistance under reactor operating conditions. During exposure to water at high temperature, water reacts with zirconium alloys, which results in the production of an oxide layer. The entire area of corrosion along with the accompanying absorption of hydrogen in the zirconium metal matrix has attracted a lot of attention when the performance of the core components as well as the operation of the reactor is emphasized. The growth of the zirconium oxide layer plays a destructive role in decreasing thermal efficiency of the reactor by restricting the inlet temperature and chemical properties of the coolant. The present study aimed to develop a computer code to predict long-term water side corrosion weight gain, oxide thickness and determine the concentration of absorbed hydrogen in VVER-1000 reactors during normal operating conditions. The proposed model can be utilized to estimate the pre-transition and post-transition corrosion weight gain and the oxide thickness in operating conditions.

Molecules present in an animal's environment can indicate the presence of predators, food, or sexual partners and consequently, induce migratory, reproductive, foraging, or escape behaviors. Three sensory systems, the olfactory, gustatory, and solitary chemosensory cell (SCC) systems detect chemical stimuli in vertebrates. While a great deal of research has focused on the olfactory and gustatory system over the years, it is only recently that significant attention has been devoted to the SCC system. The SCCs are microvillous cells that were first discovered on the skin of fish, and later in amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. Lampreys also possess SCCs that are particularly numerous on cutaneous papillae. However, little is known regarding their precise distribution, innervation, and function. Here, we show that sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus L.) have cutaneous papillae located around the oral disk, nostril, gill pores, and on the dorsal fins and that SCCs are particularly numerous on these papillae. Tract‐tracing experiments demonstrated that the oral and nasal papillae are innervated by the trigeminal nerve, the gill pore papillae are innervated by branchial nerves, and the dorsal fin papillae are innervated by spinal nerves. We also characterized the response profile of gill pore papillae to some chemicals and showed that trout‐derived chemicals, amino acids, and a bile acid produced potent responses. Together with a companion study (Suntres et al., Journal of Comparative Neurology, this issue), our results provide new insights on the function and evolution of the SCC system in vertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Nuclear Technology & Radiation Protection is the property of Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Tungsten trioxide (WO3) is an intermediate product in the recovery of tungsten from its minerals. Recently, it has attracted increasing attention due to its exclusive structural properties and its high potential in electronic applications. The crystal lattice of tungsten trioxide is highly dependent on temperature. In this paper we investigated the equilibrium structure of tungsten trioxide in four crystal systems, i.e. monoclinic system, tetragonal system, orthorhombic system, and cubic system. We did our first principle calculations using a pseudopotential model based on the spin dependent density functional theory and implementing generalized gradient approximation for exchange correlation energy. In each case, we calculated total energy, Fermi energy, band structure, and density of states and then we made comparisons. The results show that WO3 is a semiconductor in all four crystal structures with zero total magnetization. Moreover, tungsten trioxide has a direct band gap in the range of visible wavelength that improves its optical applications potentially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The goal of this project was to report the complications associated with mandibular angle fractures and identify variables affecting their occurrence. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients with a mandibular angle fracture treated at the Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec between 2009 and 2013. Results: Seventy-eight patients (73 males) aged 15-59 years (mean 25.2 years) met our inclusion criteria. A wisdom tooth was present in 85.9% (n = 67) of the cases and it was removed 62.7% (n = 42) of the time. Thirty-four patients (43.6%) had other mandibular fractures. Most fractures were fixated with a sagittal split osteotomy plate (n = 32; 41.0%) or a 2.0-mm plate on the lateral aspect of the mandible (n = 20; 25.6%). The overall complication rate was 42.3% (n = 33); of these 37.2% were infections, 26.9% involved plate removal and 6.4% were associated with non-union. Older patients had more infections (p = 0.03) and more plates removed (p = 0.03). When a wisdom tooth was extracted, more infections (p = 0.04) and overall complications (p = 0.02) were observed. Conclusion: This study confirms that, when treating a mandibular angle fracture in a healthy patient, it may be beneficial to leave a wisdom tooth in the line of fracture in place, if there is no indication to remove it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]