Comparative study of tubular solar stills with phase change material and nano-enhanced phase change mMaterial

This study is intended to investigate and analyze the operational performances of the Conventional Tubular Solar Still (CTSS), Tubular Solar Still with Phase Change Material (TSS-PCM) and Tubular Solar Still with Nano Phase Change Material (TSS-NPCM). Paraffin wax and graphene plusparaffin wax were used in the CTSS to obtain the modified solar still models. The experimental study was carried out in the three stills to observe the operational parameters at a water depth of 1 cm. The experiment revealed that TSS-NPCM showed the best performance and the highest yield in comparison to other stills. The distillate yield from the CTSS, TSS-PCM and TSS-NPCM was noted to be 4.3, 6.0 and 7.9 kg, respectively, the daily energy efficiency of the stills was observed to be 31%, 46% and 59%, respectively, and the daily exergy efficiency of the stills was recorded to be 1.67%, 2.20% and 3.75%, respectively. As the performance of the TSS-NPCM was enhanced, the cost of freshwater yield obtained was also low in contrast to the other two types of stills

Physical activity in pregnancy prevents gestational diabetes: A meta-analysis

AimsThe effectiveness of physical activity (PA) programs for prevention of gestational diabetes (GDM) lacks conclusive evidence. The aim of this study was to generate clear evidence regarding the effectiveness of physical activity programs in GDM prevention to guide clinical practice. MethodsPubMed/Medline, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, and EMBASE were searched to identify the randomized trials (RCTs) published until June 2019. Randomised controlled trials enrolling women at high risk before the 20th week of gestation comparing the effect of PA interventions with usual care for prevention of GDM were retrieved. Data obtained were synthesised using a bias-adjusted model of meta-analysis. ResultsA total of 1467 adult women in 11 eligible trials were included. The risk of GDM was significantly lower with PA, but only when it was delivered in the healthcare facility (RR 0.53; 95% CI 0.38–0.74). The number needed to treat with PA in pregnancy (compared to usual care) to prevent one GDM event was 18 (95% CI 14 – 29). The overall effect of PA interventions regardless of location of the intervention was RR 0.69 (95% CI 0.51 – 0.94). ConclusionsThis study provides evidence that in-facility physical activity programs started before the 20th week of gestation can significantly decrease the incidence of GDM among women at high risk

A meta-review of meta-analyses and an updated meta-analysis on the efficacy of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID19 infection

Objective: To synthesize the findings presented in systematic reviews and meta-analyses as well as to update the evidence using a meta-analysis in evaluating the efficacy and safety of CQ and HCQ with or without Azithromycin for the treatment of COVID19 infection.Methods: The design of this meta-review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of Systematic Reviews including harms checklist (PRIO-harms). A comprehensive search included several electronic databases in identifying all systematic reviews and metaanalyses as well as experimental studies which investigated the efficacy and safety of CQ, HCQ with or without antibiotics as COVID19 treatment. Findings from the systematic reviews and meta-analyses were reported using a structured summary including tables and forest plots. The updated meta-analysis of experimental studies was carried out using the distributional assumption-free quality effects model. Risk of bias was assessed using the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) tool for reviews and the MethodologicAl STandard for Epidemiological Research (MASTER) scale for the experimental studies. The main outcome for both the meta-review and the updated meta-analysis was mortality. Secondary outcomes included transfer to the intensive care unit (ICU) or mechanical ventilation, worsening of illness, viral clearance and the occurrence of adverse events. Results: A total of 13 reviews with 40 primary studies comprising 113,000 participants were included. Most of the primary studies were observational (n=27) and the rest were experimental studies. Two meta-analyses reported a high risk of mortality with similar ORs of 2.5 for HCQ with Azithromycin. However, four other meta-analyses reported contradictory results with two reporting a high risk of mortality and the other two reporting no significant association between HCQ with mortality. Most reviews reported that HCQ with or without Azithromycin had no significant effect on virological cure, disease exacerbation or the risk of transfer to the ICU, need for intubation or mechanical ventilation. After exclusion of studies that did not meet the eligibility criteria, the updated meta-analysis contained eight experimental studies (7 RCTs and 1 quasiexperimental trial), with a total of 5279 participants of whom 1856 were on either CQ/HCQ or combined with Azithromycin. CQ/HCQ with or without Azithromycin was significantly associated with a higher risk of adverse events. HCQ was not effective in reducing mortality transfer to the ICU, intubation or need for mechanical ventilation virological cure (RR 1.0, 95%CI 0.9-1.2, I2 =55%, n=5 studies) nor disease exacerbation (RR 1.2, 95%CI 0.3-5.0, I2 =29%, n=3 studies). Conclusion: There is conclusive evidence that CQ and HCQ, with or without Azithromycin are not effective in treating COVID-19 or its exacerbation

Comparative Study of Tubular Solar Stills with Phase Change Material and Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Material

This study is intended to investigate and analyze the operational performances of the Conventional Tubular Solar Still (CTSS), Tubular Solar Still with Phase Change Material (TSS-PCM) and Tubular Solar Still with Nano Phase Change Material (TSS-NPCM). Paraffin wax and graphene plusparaffin wax were used in the CTSS to obtain the modified solar still models. The experimental study was carried out in the three stills to observe the operational parameters at a water depth of 1 cm. The experiment revealed that TSS-NPCM showed the best performance and the highest yield in comparison to other stills. The distillate yield from the CTSS, TSS-PCM and TSS-NPCM was noted to be 4.3, 6.0 and 7.9 kg, respectively, the daily energy efficiency of the stills was observed to be 31%, 46% and 59%, respectively, and the daily exergy efficiency of the stills was recorded to be 1.67%, 2.20% and 3.75%, respectively. As the performance of the TSS-NPCM was enhanced, the cost of freshwater yield obtained was also low in contrast to the other two types of stills

Core outcomes in gestational diabetes for treatment trials: The Gestational Metabolic Group treatment set

Aims With the rising number of outcomes being reported following gestational diabetes (GDM), the outcomes in existing studies vary widely making it challenging to compare and contrast the effectiveness of different interventions for GDM. The purpose of this study was to develop a core outcome and measurement set (COS) for GDM treatment trials. Materials & Methods A Delphi study with structured consultation with stakeholders and discussion within a specialist Gestational Metabolic Group (GEM) were combined with a comprehensive systematic search across different databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase). Several Delphi rounds over 2 years were conducted culminating in this report. Results The process resulted in a targeted set of outcomes constituting a “GEM treatment set” aligned with expert opinion. The final COS also included a measurement set for the 11 important clinical outcomes from three major domains: maternal metabolic, fetal, and pregnancy related. Conclusions Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that future clinical trials on GDM report outcomes uniformly keeping to the recommended COS outcomes.Members of the GEM Group who did not qualify for authorship but who contributed to the QMI meetings include: Maha Abdulla H I Al?Asmakh, PhD, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Qatar University. Stephen Atkin, Professor of Medicine; Weill Cornell Medicine?Qatar; Senior Consultant in Endocrinology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. Ilham Bettahi, PhD, Qatar Metabolic Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. Odette Chagoury, PhD, Associate Director Clinical Research at Weill Cornell Medicine, Doha, Qatar. Tarik El Hadd, MD, Department of Endocrinology, Qatar Metabolic Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation (Hamad Teaching Hospital), Doha, Qatar. Ibrahim M. Ibrahim, MD, Endocrine Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar. Gianfranco Pintus, PhD, College of Health Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar. Manjunath Ramanjaneya, BPharm, Qatar Metabolic Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. Hiba Mahmoud Hassan Satti, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. Hessa Ibrahim Shahbic, MD, Assistant Director of Women's Health Clinical Affairs Department, Primary Health Care Corporation, Doha, Qatar. Fatin Taha, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. Shahrad Taheri, BSc, MSc, MBBS, PhD, FRCP; Professor of Medicine; Weill Cornell Medicine?Qatar Senior Consultant in Endocrinology, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. This study was made possible by program grant NPRP 10?0129?170274 from Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation) to Suhail A. Doi. The findings herein reflect the work and are solely the responsibility of the authors. Open Access funding provided by the Qatar National Library.Scopu

Efficacy of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19 infection: A meta-review of systematic reviews and an updated meta-analysis

To synthesize findings from systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the efficacy and safety of chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) with or without Azithromycin for treating COVID-19, and to update the evidence using a meta-analysis. A comprehensive search was carried out in electronic databases for systematic reviews, meta-analyses and experimental studies which investigated the efficacy and safety of CQ, HCQ with or without Azithromycin to treat COVID-19. Findings from the reviews were synthesised using tables and forest plots and the quality effect model was used for the updated meta-analysis. The main outcomes were mortality, the need for intensive care services, disease exacerbation, viral clearance and occurrence of adverse events. Thirteen reviews with 40 primary studies were included. Two meta-analyses reported a high risk of mortality, with ORs of 2.2 and 3.0, and the two others found no association between HCQ and mortality. Findings from two meta-analyses showed that HCQ with Azithromycin increased the risk of mortality, with similar ORs of 2.5. The updated meta-analysis of experimental studies showed that the drugs were not effective in reducing mortality (RR 1.1, 95%CI 1.0-1.3, I = 0.0%), need for intensive care services (OR 1.1, 95%CI 0.9-1.4, I = 0.0%), virological cure (OR 1.5, 95%CI 0.5-4.4, I = 39.6%) or disease exacerbation (OR 1.2, 95%CI 0.3-5.9, I = 31.9%) but increased the odds of adverse events (OR 12,3, 95%CI 2.5-59.9, I = 76.6%). There is conclusive evidence that CQ and HCQ, with or without Azithromycin are not effective in treating COVID-19 or its exacerbation. PROSPERO: CRD4202019135

Core outcomes in gestational diabetes for treatment trials: The Gestational Metabolic Group treatment set

AIMS: With the rising number of outcomes being reported following gestational diabetes (GDM), the outcomes in existing studies vary widely making it challenging to compare and contrast the effectiveness of different interventions for GDM. The purpose of this study was to develop a core outcome and measurement set (COS) for GDM treatment trials. MATERIALS & METHODS: A Delphi study with structured consultation with stakeholders and discussion within a specialist Gestational Metabolic Group (GEM) were combined with a comprehensive systematic search across different databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase). Several Delphi rounds over 2 years were conducted culminating in this report. RESULTS: The process resulted in a targeted set of outcomes constituting a “GEM treatment set” aligned with expert opinion. The final COS also included a measurement set for the 11 important clinical outcomes from three major domains: maternal metabolic, fetal, and pregnancy related. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that future clinical trials on GDM report outcomes uniformly keeping to the recommended COS outcomes

Metformin is comparable to insulin for pharmacotherapy in gestational diabetes mellitus: A network meta-analysis evaluating 6046 women.

The comparative efficacy of gestational diabetes (GDM) treatments lack conclusive evidence for choice of first-line treatment. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of metformin and glibenclamide to insulin using a core outcome set (COS) to unify outcomes across trials investigating the treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus. A network meta-analysis (NMA) was conducted. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials were searched from inception to January 2020. RCTs that enrolled pregnant women who were diagnosed with GDM and that compared the efficacy of different pharmacological interventions for the treatment of GDM were included. A generalized pairwise modelling framework was employed. A total of 38 RCTs with 6046 participants were included in the network meta-analysis. Compared to insulin, the estimated effect of metformin indicated improvements for weight gain (WMD -2·39kg; 95% CI -3·31 to -1·46), maternal hypoglycemia (OR 0·34; 95% CI 0·12 to 0·97) and LGA (OR 0·61; 95% CI 0·38 to 0·98). There were also improvements in estimated effects for neonatal hypoglycemia (OR 0·48; 95% CI 0·19 to 1·25), pregnancy induced hypertension (OR 0·63; 95% CI 0·37 to 1·06), and preeclampsia (OR 0·74; 95% CI 0·538 to 1·04), though with limited evidence against our model hypothesis of equivalence with insulin for these outcomes. Metformin is, at least, comparable to insulin for the treatment of GDM. Glibenclamide appears less favorable, in comparison to insulin, than metformin.QNRF via NPRP10-0129-17027