An automated carotid pulse assessment approach using Doppler ultrasound

During cardiac arrest emergencies, lay rescuers are required to manually check the patient's carotid pulse after the delivery of defibrillation shocks to assess the cardiac resuscitation progress of the patient. As a more automated way of monitoring the resuscitation progress, a new Doppler-ultrasound-based carotid pulse assessment approach is presented in this paper. The method works by analyzing the temporal aperiodicity of Doppler shifts seen in the ultrasound echoes returned from the patient's carotid arteries. As a quantitative investigation with this method, we derived a new measure called the pulselessness indicator to assess whether a carotid pulse is absent based on the given Doppler information. To study the performance of the new carotid pulse checking method, we built a multi-channel CW Doppler prototype device to acquire Doppler data in vivo during cardiac arrest experiments conducted on five different swines and computed pulselessness indicator estimates with these data. Our results indicated that the Doppler-based pulse checking approach has good sensitivity and specificity: it had a pulselessness detection rate greater than 0.9 for a given false alarm rate of 0.05. As a further analysis, the prototype device was applied to other experiments where the swine had suffered cardiac arrest for over five minutes. It showed a consistent assessment performance on the monitoring of the swine's resuscitation progress after defibrillation and chest compressions. © 2006 IEEE.published_or_final_versio

“The great source” microplastic abundance and characteristics along the river Thames

This study focused on quantifying the abundance of microplastics within the surface water of the River Thames, UK. Ten sites in eight areas were sampled within the tidal Thames, starting from Teddington and ending at Southend-on-Sea. Three litres of water was collected monthly at high tide from land-based structures from each site from May 2019 to May 2021. Samples underwent visual analysis for microplastics categorised based on type, colour and size. 1041 pieces were tested using Fourier transform spectroscopy to identify chemical composition and polymer type. 6401 pieces of MP were found during sampling with an average MP of 12.27 pieces L⁻¹ along the river Thames. Results from this study show that microplastic abundance does not increase along the river

Bridging The Gap Between Academia and Practice: A case study for collaborative digital design to fabrication workflow for interlocking kit-of-parts

The implementation of digital design workflows is an opportunity to facilitate the knowledge exchange between the industry and research, required in the face of the climate emergency. This paper presents outcomes of a series of digital design to fabrication workshops, resulting in three-party collaboration between an international architectural design firm, a university, and a global food producer. The paper presents an initial step towards an integrated material system based on an abundantly available industrial by-product of sugar manufacturing. The idea of topological interlocking has been used as a concept to define components-based system for the novel material, tested in a scaled prototype with university students

Effects of quercetin supplementation on glycemic control among patients with metabolic syndrome and related disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was performed to determine the effect of quercetin supplementation on glycemic control among patients with metabolic syndrome and related disorders. Databases including PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched until August 30, 2018. Nine studies with 10 effect sizes out of 357 selected reports were identified eligible to be included in current meta-analysis. The pooled findings indicated that quercetin supplementation did not affect fasting plasma glucose (FPG), homeostasis model of assessment-estimated insulin resistance, and hemoglobin A1c levels. In subgroup analysis, quercetin supplementation significantly reduced FPG in studies with a duration of �8 weeks (weighted mean difference WMD: �0.94; 95% confidence interval CI; �1.81, �0.07) and used quercetin in dosages of �500 mg/day (WMD: �1.08; 95% CI �2.08, �0.07). In addition, subgroup analysis revealed a significant reduction in insulin concentrations following supplementation with quercetin in studies that enrolled individuals aged <45 years (WMD: �1.36; 95% CI �1.76, �0.97) and that used quercetin in dosages of �500 mg/day (WMD: �1.57; 95% CI �1.98, �1.16). In summary, subgroup analysis based on duration of �8 weeks and used quercetin in dosages of �500 mg/day significantly reduced FPG levels. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

ELF3 is an antagonist of oncogenic-signalling-induced expression of EMT-TF ZEB1

Background: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key step in the transformation of epithelial cells into migratory and invasive tumour cells. Intricate positive and negative regulatory processes regulate EMT. Many oncogenic signalling pathways can induce EMT, but the specific mechanisms of how this occurs, and how this process is controlled are not fully understood. Methods: RNA-Seq analysis, computational analysis of protein networks and large-scale cancer genomics datasets were used to identify ELF3 as a negative regulator of the expression of EMT markers. Western blotting coupled to siRNA as well as analysis of tumour/normal colorectal cancer panels was used to investigate the expression and function of ELF3. Results: RNA-Seq analysis of colorectal cancer cells expressing mutant and wild-type β-catenin and analysis of colorectal cancer cells expressing inducible mutant RAS showed that ELF3 expression is reduced in response to oncogenic signalling and antagonizes Wnt and RAS oncogenic signalling pathways. Analysis of gene-expression patterns across The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and protein localization in colorectal cancer tumour panels showed that ELF3 expression is anti-correlated with β-catenin and markers of EMT and correlates with better clinical prognosis. Conclusions: ELF3 is a negative regulator of the EMT transcription factor (EMT-TF) ZEB1 through its function as an antagonist of oncogenic signalling

Postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection in patients with nonseminomatous testicular cancer: A single center experiences

Background: Testicular cancer accounts for about 1 - 1.5 of all malignancies in men. Radical orchiectomy is curative in 75 of patients with stage I disease, but advance stage with retroperitoneal lymph node involvement needs chemotherapy. All patients who have residual masses � 1 cm after chemotherapy should undergo postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND). Objectives: Treatment of advanced nonseminomatous testicular cancer is usually a combination of chemotherapy and surgery. We described our experience about postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND) in our center. Patients and Methods: In a retrospective cross-sectional study between 2006 and 2011, patients with a history of postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND) in Imam Khomeini hospital were evaluated. All patients had normal postchemotherapy serum tumor markers and primary nonseminomatous cancer. We reviewed retrospectively clinical, pathological, and surgical parameters associated with PC-RPLND in our center. Results: Twenty-one patients underwent bilateral PC-RPLND. Mean age was 26.3 years (ranged 16 - 47). Mean size of retroperitoneal mass after chemotherapy was 7.6 cm. Mean operative time was 198 minutes (120 - 246 minutes). Mean follow-up time was 38.6 months. Pathologic review showed presence of fibrosis/necrosis, viable germ cell tumor and teratoma in 8 (38.1), 10 (47.6) and 3 (14.28) patients, respectively. One patient in postoperative period of surgery and three patients in two first years after surgery were expired. Of 17 alive patients, only two (11.8) had not retrograde ejaculation. Conclusions: PC-RPLND is one the major operations in the field of urology, which is associated with significant adjunctive surgeries. In appropriate cases, PC-RPLND was associated with good cancer specific survival in tertiary oncology center. © 2015, Nephrology and Urology Research Center

Psychosocial factors associated with the self-reported frequency of cell phone use while driving in Iran

Cell phone use while driving is a common contributing factor in thousands of road traffic injuries every year globally. Despite extensive research investigating the risks associated with cell phone use while driving, social media campaigns to raise public awareness and a number of laws banning phone use while driving, this behaviour remains prevalent throughout the world. The current study was conducted in Iran, where road traffic injuries are the leading causes of death and disability, and where drivers continue to use their cell phones, despite legislative bans restricting this behaviour. A total of 255 drivers in the city of Mashhad (male = 66.3%; mean age = 30.73 years; SD = 9.89) completed either an online or a paper-based survey assessing the self-reported frequency of using a cell phone while driving. Psychosocial factors contributing to cell phone use while driving and support for legislation restricting this behaviour, as well as the Big Five personality traits, were also measured. Overall, the results showed that almost 93% of drivers use their cell phones while driving at least once a week, with 32.5% reporting they always use their cell phones while driving. Ordinal logistic regression revealed that the presence of a child passenger, age, perceived benefits and risks of using cell phones while driving, as well as the perceived ability to drive safely while using a cell phone, were strongly associated with the frequency of cell phone use while driving. As for personality traits—extraversion, agreeableness and conscientiousness significantly predicted the frequency of cell phone use in this sample of Iranian drivers

Effects of melatonin supplementation on hormonal, inflammatory, genetic, and oxidative stress parameters in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Purpose: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of melatonin administration on clinical, hormonal, inflammatory, and genetic parameters in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Methods: The present randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted among 56 patients with PCOS, aged 18�40 years old. Subjects were randomly allocated to take either 5 mg melatonin supplements (n = 28) or placebo (n = 28) twice a day for 12 weeks. Results: Melatonin administration significantly reduced hirsutism (β �0.47; 95 CI, �0.86, �0.09; P = 0.01), serum total testosterone (β �0.11 ng/mL; 95 CI, �0.21, �0.02; P = 0.01), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (β �0.61 mg/L; 95 CI, �0.95, �0.26; P = 0.001), and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (β �0.25 μmol/L; 95 CI, �0.38, �0.11; P < 0.001), and significantly increased plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels (β 106.07 mmol/L; 95 CI, 62.87, 149.28; P < 0.001) and total glutathione (GSH) (β 81.05 μmol/L; 95 CI, 36.08, 126.03; P = 0.001) compared with the placebo. Moreover, melatonin supplementation downregulated gene expression of interleukin-1 (IL-1) (P = 0.03) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (P = 0.01) compared with the placebo. Conclusions: Overall, melatonin administration for 12 weeks to women with PCOS significantly reduced hirsutism, total testosterone, hs-CRP, and MDA, while increasing TAC and GSH levels. In addition, melatonin administration reduced gene expression of IL-1 and TNF-α. Copyright © 2019 Jamilian, Foroozanfard, Mirhosseini, Kavossian, Aghadavod, Bahmani, Ostadmohammadi, Kia, Eftekhar, Ayati, Mahdavinia and Asemi