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Epidemiol Health 2021 Apr 20:e2021029. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Objectives: Although previous studies have investigated the correlation between fruit and vegetable consumption and depression, the results remain inconclusive. The present study aimed to investigate the association between weekly fruit and vegetable consumption and depressive symptoms in elderly Koreans.

Methods: A multiple covariate linear regression analysis was performed using the data including 1,226 elderly individuals ≥60 years of age, who participated in the Korean Elderly Environmental Panel-II study from 2012 to 2014. Read More

Adv Mater 2021 Apr 22:e2005902. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

School of Mechanical Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.

Flexible tactile sensors capable of measuring mechanical stimuli via physical contact have attracted significant attention in the field of human-interactive systems. The utilization of tactile information can complement vision and/or sound interaction and provide new functionalities. Recent advancements in micro/nanotechnology, material science, and information technology have resulted in the development of high-performance tactile sensors that reach and even surpass the tactile sensing ability of human skin. Read More

Int J Clin Pract 2021 Apr 22:e14253. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, 34212.

Background: Medication adherence in chronic diseases patients is a worldwide concern. Not achieving the goal of treatments because of nonadherence will lead to more complications and eventually may lead to death. In Saudi Arabia we have insufficient data for interpretation. Read More

PLoS One 2021 22;16(4):e0249676. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Zuse Institute Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

The Covid-19 disease has caused a world-wide pandemic with more than 60 million positive cases and more than 1.4 million deaths by the end of November 2020. As long as effective medical treatment and vaccination are not available, non-pharmaceutical interventions such as social distancing, self-isolation and quarantine as well as far-reaching shutdowns of economic activity and public life are the only available strategies to prevent the virus from spreading. Read More

Horm Res Paediatr 2021 Apr 22:1-10. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Faculdade de Medicina do ABC/Centro Universitário Saúde ABC, Santo André, Brazil.

Background/aims: Kisspeptin (KP) is a key player in the regulation of the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which increases the secretion of gonadotropin during puberty to establish reproductive function and regulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Premature activation of GnRH secretion leads to idiopathic/central gonadotropin-dependent precocious puberty (CPP). We aimed to compare the blood KP concentrations in girls with CPP and healthy controls. Read More

Public Health Genomics 2021 Apr 22:1-11. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Department of Biostatistics, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.

Introduction: Discussion of cancer genetic testing with health-care providers (HCPs) is necessary to undergo testing to inform cancer risk assessment and prevention. Given the rapid evolution in genetic testing practice in oncology, we describe the current landscape of population-level cancer genetic testing behaviors.

Methods: A questionnaire including items regarding discussion of cancer genetic testing with HCPs was administered to a nonprobability sample (N = 2,029) of the Texas population. Read More

Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2021 Apr 22:1-6. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Department of Pediatric Allergy, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.

Background: Subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy (SCIT) is an effective treatment for allergic rhinitis, asthma, and venom allergy. Compliance is essential for SCIT to obtain maximal benefit as it is a long-term treatment.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the level of real-life SCIT compliance in pediatric patients and the associated factors. Read More

Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2021 Apr 22:1-13. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Department of Pulmonology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan.

Background: In some patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), remission cannot be induced, despite treatment with corticosteroids and immunosuppressants. We evaluated the clinical features of patients with EGPA in whom mepolizumab was effective.

Methods: There were 59 EGPA patients treated at Hiratsuka City Hospital, Japan, between April 2018 and September 2020, and 30 of them received mepolizumab. Read More

Biomed Phys Eng Express 2021 Apr 22. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

7033 Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin at Madison, 1111 Highland Avenue, Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, 53705, UNITED STATES.

Purpose: O-(2-[F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine (FET), a PET radiotracer of amino acid uptake, has shown potential for diagnosis and treatment planning in patients with glioblastoma (GBM). To improve quantitative assessment of FET PET imaging, we evaluated the repeatability of uptake of this tracer in patients with GBM.

Methods: Test-retest FET PET imaging was performed on 8 patients with histologically confirmed GBM, who previously underwent surgical resection of the tumour. Read More

Phys Med Biol 2021 Apr 22. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Marseille, Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d\'Azur, FRANCE.

In the context of reducing the patient dose coming from scanner (Computed Tomography) examinations without penalizing the diagnosis, the assessment of both patient dose and image quality (IQ) with relevant metrics is crucial. The present study represents the first stage in a larger work, aiming to compare and optimize CT protocols using new dose and IQ metrics. We proposed here to evaluate the capacity of the Non-PreWhitening matched filter with an eye (NPWE) model observer to be a robust and accurate estimation of IQ. Read More

Rep Prog Phys 2021 Apr 22. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Peking University, Beijing, 100871, CHINA.

Aggregation of molecules is a multi-molecular phenomenon occurring when two or more molecules behave differently from discrete molecules due to their intermolecular interactions. Moving beyond single molecules, aggregation usually demonstrates evolutive or wholly emerging new functionalities relative to the molecular components. Conjugated small molecules and polymers interact with each other, resulting in complex solution-state aggregates and solid-state microstructures. Read More

Int J Sports Physiol Perform 2021 Apr 22:1-7. Epub 2021 Apr 22.

Purpose: Increasing age, high quadriceps strength, and low hamstring muscle strength are associated with hamstring strain injury in soccer. The authors investigated the age-related variation in maximal hamstring and quadriceps strength in male elite soccer players from under-13 (U-13) to the senior level.

Methods: A total of 125 elite soccer players were included from a Danish professional soccer club and associated youth academy (first tier; U-13, n = 19; U-14, n = 16; U-15, n = 19; U-17, n = 24; U-19, n = 17; and senior, n = 30). Read More

Waste Manag 2021 Apr 19;126:694-705. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

European Commission Joint Research Centre, Calle Inca Garcilaso 3, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.

Increasing plastic waste recycling is a milestone of European environmental policy to reduce environmental impacts and dependency on foreign resources. This is particularly challenging for plastic packaging waste, consisting of very heterogeneous fractions and typically rather contaminated. In this study, we collected primary data from plants sorting and reprocessing plastic packaging waste to illustrate process efficiencies, material flows, and barriers. Read More

ESMO Open 2021 Apr 19;6(3):100103. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address:

Background: Organoid technology has recently emerged as a powerful tool to assess drug sensitivity of individual patient tumors in vitro. Organoids may therefore represent a new avenue for precision medicine, as this circumvents many of the complexities associated with DNA- or transcriptional-profiling.

Materials And Methods: The SENSOR trial was a single-arm, single-center, prospective intervention trial to evaluate the feasibility of patient-derived organoids to allocate patients for treatment with off-label or investigational agents. Read More

Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2021 Apr 12;203:111762. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Technology and Applied Sciences, Presidente Prudente, SP, 19060-080, Brazil.

The inadequate disposal and the difficulty in its removal from water treatment systems have made the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA) a significant hazard for humans and animals. The molecular-level mechanisms of BPA action are not known in detail, which calls for systematic investigations using cell membrane models. This paper shows that BPA affects Langmuir monolayers and giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) used as membrane models, in a concentration-dependent manner and with effects that depend on BPA aggregation. Read More

J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2021 Apr 19;30(7):105795. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

University of Health Sciences, Gulhane Medical School, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Gaziler Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.

Objective: This randomized controlled study examined the effect of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) and low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on upper extremity spasticity and functional recovery in chronic ischemic stroke patients.

Materials And Methods: Twenty chronic ischemic stroke patients were randomized into three groups as real rTMS group (n = 7), real cTBS group (n = 7) and sham cTBS group (n = 6), in which real rTMS with physical therapy (PT), real cTBS with PT and sham cTBS with PT were applied in 10 sessions, respectively. The evaluation parameters were assessed at pre-treatment, post-treatment and follow up at 4 weeks. Read More

J Environ Manage 2021 Apr 19;290:112568. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Darwin Centre for Bushfire Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin NT, 0909, Australia; Bushfire & Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre, East Melbourne Vic, 3002, Australia; North Australian Land and Sea Management Alliance, PO Box 486 CDU NT 0815, Australia.

Savannas are the most fire-prone of Earth's biomes and currently account for most global burned area and associated carbon emissions. In Australia, over recent decades substantial development of savanna burning emissions accounting methods has been undertaken to incentivise more conservative savanna fire management and reduce the extent and severity of late dry season wildfires. Since inception of Australia's formal regulated savanna burning market in 2012, today 25% of the 1. Read More

J Environ Manage 2021 Apr 19;290:112617. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

School of Business, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China; International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Schlossplatz 1, Laxenburg A, 2361, Austria. Electronic address:

As the world's largest inland shipping channel, the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) is strategic to China's sustainable development where policymakers are increasingly emphasizing not only this region's economic development but also its CO emission reduction targets. To achieve emission targets in the YREB region, it is essential to identify the driving forces of its CO emissions. However, existing studies are not very refined and only examine the overall effects of drivers on CO emission changes, while neglecting the sub-regional and sectoral level effects across China. Read More

Comput Methods Programs Biomed 2021 Apr 6;205:106084. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Key Laboratory of Digital Signal and Image Processing of Guangdong Province, Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, China. Electronic address:

Objective: Carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) is the main reason leading to cardiovascular conditions such as coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases. In the carotid ultrasound images, the carotid intima-media structure can be observed in an annular narrow strip, which its inner contour corresponds to the carotid intima, and the outer contour corresponds to the carotid extima. With the development of carotid atherosclerosis, the carotid intima-media will gradually thicken. Read More

Am J Otolaryngol 2021 Apr 13;42(5):103043. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

University of Mississippi Medical Center, Department of Otolaryngology, United States of America. Electronic address:

Design: Retrospective chart review.

Setting: Academic, tertiary care, level I trauma center in a rural state.

Background: Unnecessary transfer of certain facial trauma patients results in a burden of time, money, and other resources on both the patient and healthcare system; identification and development of outpatient treatment pathways for these patients is a significant opportunity for cost savings. Read More

J Affect Disord 2021 Mar 26;288:136-144. Epub 2021 Mar 26.

National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark; Section of Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Background: We examined the association between probability of work-related violence and first diagnosis of depressive disorder whilst accounting for the potential selection of individuals vulnerable to depression into occupations with high probability of work-related violence.

Methods: Based on a pre-published study protocol, we analysed nationwide register data from the Danish Work Life Course Cohort study, encompassing 955,573 individuals followed from their entry into the workforce, and free from depressive disorder before work-force entry. Depressive disorder was measured from psychiatric in- and outpatient admissions. Read More

Biosens Bioelectron 2021 Apr 19;184:113235. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutics Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, PR China. Electronic address:

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is closely related to tumor metastasis and invasion. Thereinto, mesenchymal tumor mitochondria are the critical target for tumor inhibition. Therefore, real-time in vivo monitoring of EMT as well as inhibiting mesenchymal tumor mitochondria is of great diagnosis and therapy significance. Read More

Biosens Bioelectron 2021 Mar 30;184:113199. Epub 2021 Mar 30.

College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Key Laboratory of Agro-Products Postharvest Handling of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fuli Institute of Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Ningbo Research Institute, Zhejiang University, Ningbo, 315100, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

Direct quantification of pathogens in unprocessed complex samples remain challenging due to the severe inhibition of nucleic acid amplification. In this work, we report a nanoporous polyethylene glycol hydrogel with self-cleaning capacity for direct amplification of nucleic acid in complex matrices (human whole blood, animal blood, milky tea, humic acid, and surfactants) without any sample pretreatment or DNA extraction. During isothermal amplification inside the hydrogel, the inhibitors in the assay will be adsorbed and removed by the surrounding nanostructured polymers, and nucleic acid amplification was proceeding successfully, resulting in a series of bright dots for single bacteria counting. Read More

Public Health 2021 Apr 19;194:127-134. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Tiruvarur, 610005, India. Electronic address:

Objectives: To map district-level tobacco hot spots and understand the Sociodemographic Indices (SDI) influencing tobacco consumption in Indian men and women.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: Tobacco use data from 640 districts of India were extracted from National Family Health Survey-4, carried out from 2015 to 2016 with a sample size of 103,411 men and 699,686 women. Read More

Chemosphere 2021 Apr 15;279:130574. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

School of Creative Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 169-8555, Japan.

Polymer-based microcapsules derived from coated fertilizers are not recovered after use. Therefore, they are a source of microplastics to the agricultural lands and coastal areas of Japan. In this study, we investigated the input-output balance of microcapsules in three paddy fields and the timing of microcapsule discharge from the fields with the aim of developing effective techniques to reduce microcapsule discharge. Read More

Chemosphere 2021 Apr 9;279:130528. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

School of Engineering, Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Institute for Land, Water and Society, Panorama Avenue, Bathurst, NSW, Australia. Electronic address:

The concentrations of PFOS and PFHxS in a contaminated site in regional New South Wales, Australia, were above the human health screening values for industrial land use. In this study, the effects of different management options on the quality of groundwater were investigated through numerical modelling. At first, a complete transfer model including the main features of advection, dispersion, adsorption and decay, was developed to simulate the long-term migration of PFOS from topsoil subjected to full climate interaction for 100 years. Read More