Comparative study of selected indoor concentration from selective laser sintering process using virgin and recycled polyamide nylon (pa12)

Additive manufacturing (AM) stands out as one of the promising technologies that have huge potential towards manufacturing industry. The study on additive manufacturing impact on the environment and occupational exposure are attracting growing attention recently. However, most of the researcher focus on desktop and fused deposition modelling type and less attention given to the industrial type of AM. Usually, during the selective laser sintering process, recycle powder will be used again to reduce cost and waste. This article compares the PM 2.5, carbon dioxide (CO2) and total volatile organic compound (TVOC) concentration between virgin and recycles powder using polyamide-nylon (PA12) towards indoor concentration. Four phases of sampling involve during air sampling accordingly to the Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality 2010 by DOSH Malaysia. It was found that PM 2.5 and CO2 concentration are mainly generated during the pre-printing process. The recycle powder tended to appear higher compared to virgin powder in terms of PM 2.5, and CO2. The peak value of PM 2.5 is 1452 μg/m3 and CO2 is 1218 ppm are obtained during the pre-printing process during 8 hours of sampling. TVOC concentration from recycling powder is slightly higher during the post- printing phase where confirm the influence of the powder cake and PA12 temperature from the printing process. In summary, this work proves that elective laser sintering (SLS) machine operators are exposed to a significant amount of exposure during the SLS printing process. Mitigation strategies and personal protective equipment are suggested to reduce occupational exposure

Pilot study on investigation of Thermal Sensation Votes (TSV) and students' performance in naturally ventilated classroom

Thermal comfort is essential for students' wellbeing, health, and performance. A conducive classroom must consider the acceptable range of heat and its impact on student performance. The study aims to conduct a pilot test for the determination of thermal acceptability and student performance in existing Malaysian classrooms using physical and subjective assessments. The methodology requires physical measurement using KIMO AMI 310 instrument, as well as subjective assessment via satisfaction survey adapted from ASHRAE 55 and performance assessment adapted from WHO Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery (WHO NCTB). Physical measurement parameters, such as indoor temperature, air velocity, relative humidity, and prevailing mean outdoor temperature, were measured in parallel with subjective assessment of thermal acceptability and performance assessment. Three days of data collection were conducted in the secondary school located in Endau, Johor. There are three classes involved with a total of 46 students. Each class was equipped with two ceiling fans and both ceiling fans were regulated to the speed of four. The overall physical and subjective assessment procedure took approximately 60 minutes per classroom. The findings showed that all the investigated classes were in the range of acceptable operative temperature and complied with ASHRAE Standard 55 for both 80% and 90% acceptability limits. Pearson correlation analysis showed a small positive relationship between thermal sensation vote (TSV) and learning performance was obtained. The results also showed a higher performance score at the TSV value of -1 suggesting the students tend to have higher performance scores when they voted feeling slightly cool. Thus, the results of the pilot test gave new insight into the effective method to improve the methodology for the actual data collection

The global burden of adolescent and young adult cancer in 2019 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background In estimating the global burden of cancer, adolescents and young adults with cancer are often overlooked, despite being a distinct subgroup with unique epidemiology, clinical care needs, and societal impact. Comprehensive estimates of the global cancer burden in adolescents and young adults (aged 15-39 years) are lacking. To address this gap, we analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, with a focus on the outcome of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), to inform global cancer control measures in adolescents and young adults. Methods Using the GBD 2019 methodology, international mortality data were collected from vital registration systems, verbal autopsies, and population-based cancer registry inputs modelled with mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIRs). Incidence was computed with mortality estimates and corresponding MIRs. Prevalence estimates were calculated using modelled survival and multiplied by disability weights to obtain years lived with disability (YLDs). Years of life lost (YLLs) were calculated as age-specific cancer deaths multiplied by the standard life expectancy at the age of death. The main outcome was DALYs (the sum of YLLs and YLDs). Estimates were presented globally and by Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintiles (countries ranked and divided into five equal SDI groups), and all estimates were presented with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). For this analysis, we used the age range of 15-39 years to define adolescents and young adults. Findings There were 1.19 million (95% UI 1.11-1.28) incident cancer cases and 396 000 (370 000-425 000) deaths due to cancer among people aged 15-39 years worldwide in 2019. The highest age-standardised incidence rates occurred in high SDI (59.6 [54.5-65.7] per 100 000 person-years) and high-middle SDI countries (53.2 [48.8-57.9] per 100 000 person-years), while the highest age-standardised mortality rates were in low-middle SDI (14.2 [12.9-15.6] per 100 000 person-years) and middle SDI (13.6 [12.6-14.8] per 100 000 person-years) countries. In 2019, adolescent and young adult cancers contributed 23.5 million (21.9-25.2) DALYs to the global burden of disease, of which 2.7% (1.9-3.6) came from YLDs and 97.3% (96.4-98.1) from YLLs. Cancer was the fourth leading cause of death and tenth leading cause of DALYs in adolescents and young adults globally. Interpretation Adolescent and young adult cancers contributed substantially to the overall adolescent and young adult disease burden globally in 2019. These results provide new insights into the distribution and magnitude of the adolescent and young adult cancer burden around the world. With notable differences observed across SDI settings, these estimates can inform global and country-level cancer control efforts. Copyright (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010-19 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. Methods The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk-outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented. Findings Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4.45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4.01-4.94) deaths and 105 million (95.0-116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44.4% (41.3-48.4) of all cancer deaths and 42.0% (39.1-45.6) of all DALYs. There were 2.88 million (2.60-3.18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50.6% [47.8-54.1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1.58 million (1.36-1.84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36.3% [32.5-41.3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20.4% (12.6-28.4) and DALYs by 16.8% (8.8-25.0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34.7% [27.9-42.8] and 33.3% [25.8-42.0]). Interpretation The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden. Copyright (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.Peer reviewe

Development of new antibiotic combinations to be administered by dry powder for inhalation to patients with Cystic Fibrosis : microbiological, pharmacological and pharmaceutical studies

This PhD thesis aimed at developing synergistic combinations of antibiotics in the form of dry powder for inhalation to be administered to patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). The combinations comprise of a macrolide, used in patients with CF for its anti-inflammatory effetcs, and an antibiotic active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the main pathogen causing chronic lung infection in patients with CF. The PhD thesis was divided into three different studies. First, microbiological study, examining antimicrobial resistance in CF population to different antipseudomonals and macrolides. Second, pharmacological study, focusing on the development of biofilm infection model relevant to CF pathophysiology and the activity of antibiotics alone or in combination in this model. Third, pharmaceutical study, involving the analytical and formulation development(laboratory and industrial scale) for the Tobramycin-Clarithromycin combination to be used as a dry powder for inhalation. This work highlights the importance of achieving high local concentrations of antibiotics in the lung and provides a candidate formulation for preclinical and clinical development of a combination of antibiotics for the treatment of chronic respiratory infection due to P. aeruginosa in patients with CF.(BIFA - Sciences biomédicales et pharmaceutiques) -- UCL, 201

The effect of structural and functional changes in a psychiatric state hospital on the quality of psychiatric treatment

Giriş: Bu çalışmacının amacı bir psikiyatri devlet hastanesinin eğitim ve araştırma hastanesine dönüştürülmeden önceki ve sonraki dönemlerinde sunulan yataklı psikiyatrik tedavi hizmetlerin kalitesini karşılaştırmaktır. Çalışma- nın temel varsayımı, dönüşümden sonra yataklı psikiyatrik tedavi hizmetlerin kalitesinin yükseldiğidir. Yöntem: Bu çalışmada, Erenköy Ruh ve Sinir Hastalıkları Hastanesi‟nde sunulan yataklı psikiyatrik hizmetlerin, dönüşümden önceki 2005-2006 yılları arası (A dönemi) ve dönüşümden sonraki 2007-2008 yılları arasında (B dönemi) sunulan psikiyatrik hizmetlerinin kalitesi karşılaştırılmıştır. Çalışma hem A, hem de B döneminde yatarak tedavi edilmiş olan tüm hastaların (s=185, 100 erkek, 85 kadın) dosya bilgileri üzerinden geriye dönük olarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Karşılaştırmada Psikofarmakolojik Tarama Ölçütleri, yatış süresi, yatış sayısı, son iki yatış arasında geçen süre, yatış ve çıkış tanı dağılımları, kliniğe kabul biçimleri ve hastalara uygulanan EKT tedavisinin ayrıntıları gibi parametreler kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: A döneminde hastaların hastaneye yatış sayısı B dönemine göre anlamlı olarak fazla bulunmuştur. Ayrıca hastaların son iki yatışı arasındaki süre B döneminde anlamlı olarak yüksek bulunmuştur. B döneminde A dönemine göre klasik antipsikotik kullanım oranı anlamlı olarak azalmış, buna karşın atipik antipsikotik kullanım oranı artmıştır. Antikolinerjik (AK) kullanımı sırasında birlikte birden fazla psikot- rop ilaç kullanım oranı A döneminde anlamlı olarak daha yüksek bulunmuştur. A döneminde antipsikotik (AP) ve antidepresan (AD) ilaçların, B döneminde ise sadece AD grubu ilaçların daha fazla oranda endikasyon dışı kullanıldığı saptanmıştır. A döneminde tüm ilaçların dokümantasyon eksikliği oranları, kabul edilen %10 sınırının üzerindedir. A döneminde AP, AK ve duygudurum düzenleyici ilaçların belirlenen doz aralıkları dışında kullanım oranları B dönemine göre anlamlı olarak yüksek bulunmuştur. Tartışma: Hastalara B döneminde sunulan psiki- yatrik hizmet kalitesinin A dönemine göre yükseldiği söylenebilir. Bu durum hekimlerin A dönemindeki klinik yoğunluğuna bağlanabilir. Psikiyatri hastanelerinin eğitim ve araştırma hastanelerine dönüştürülmesinin hekim- lerin klinik yoğunluğunu azaltarak kaliteyi artıracağı söylenebilir.Objective: The aim of the study is to compare the quality of inpatient psychiatric treatment services offered by the hospital before and after the hospital’s conversion. The main hypothesis of the study is that the quality of the inpatient psychiatric treatment services offered by the hospitals has improved after the conversion. Methods: This study compares the quality of inpatient psychiatric treatment services offered at Erenköy Psychiatric State years 2007-2008 (Period B). The study is completely based upon the files of the inpatients who have been treated in both Period A and Period B (n=185, 100 male, 85 female), which were reviewed retrospectively. Psychopharmacologic Screening Criteria, duration of hospital stay, number of stay, the duration between the last two stays, the range of diagnosis between entrance and discharge, the types of acceptance into the hospital and the details of the electroconvulsive therapy are some of the parameters used for comparison. Results: It was found that the number of hospital stays within Period A is significantly higher than the number of hospital stays in Period B. In addition the duration between the last two hospital stays was found to be significantly longer in Period B. The usage rate of typical antipsychotics was found to be decreased significantly in Period B. In contrast, the usage rate of atypical antipsychotics was found to be increased in Period B. The usage rate of anticholinergics (AC) accompanied by more than one psychotropic medication was found to be significantly higher in Period A. The ratio of off-label use of antipsychotics (AP) and antidepressants (AD) were found to be higher in the Period A. However, the ratio of off-label use of AD was found to be higher in the Period B. Lack of drug documentation was higher than the minimal acceptable level of 10% in Period A. The unacceptable dosage range of AP, AC and mood stabilizer medications was significantly higher in Period A. Discussion: It is suggested that the quality level of the inpatient psychiatric treatment offered in Period B was higher than in Period A. This can be attributed to intensive clinical workload of the doctors. Thus, the transformation of the psychiatric hospitals into training and research hospitals may contribute to the decrease in the intensive clinical workload and in return increase the quality of inpatient psychiatric treatment

Comparison of sexual function and hormonal parameters between mood stabilizer treatment modalities in bipolar disorder

Giriş: Bu çalışmanın amacı, İUB tanılı olgularda, atipik antipsikotiklerin (ketiyapin ve olanzapin) cinsel işlev ve hormonal değişkenler üzerine etkisinin lityumdan farklı olup olmadığını ve bu etkinin cinsiyetler arasında farklılaşıp farklılaşmadığını incelemektir. Yöntem: DSM-IV e göre İki uçlu bozukluk tanılı, lityum, ketiyapin ya da lityum+ketiyapin, olanzapin ya da lityum+olanzapin kullanan, 28 kadın, 29 erkek olgu, ardışık olarak değerlendirildi. Bu olgularda iyilik döneminde olma ve bilgilendirilmiş onam şartı arandı. Hasta görüşmeleri SCID-I ve SKIP-TURK ile yapıldı. Cinsel işlev ve doyum Arizona Cinsel Deneyim Envanteri (ASEX) ve Golombock-Rust Cinsel Doyum Envanteri (GRISS) ile değerlendirildi. Prolaktin (PRL), folikül uyarıcı hormon (FSH), luteinize edici hormon (LH), östradiol (E2) ve testosteron (T) düzeyleri bakılmak üzere hastalardan kan örnekleri alındı. Bulgular: Erkek iki uçlu olguların GRISS puanları kadın iki uçlu olgulardan yüksektir (p=0,001). Hem kadın hem erkek olgularda epizod sayısı ve işlevsellik düzeyi her üç tedavi grubunda benzerdir. Hormonal değişimler yönünden hem kadın hem erkek olgularda tedavi tipleri arasında bir fark saptanmadı. Sadece lityum alan kadınlarda ASEX puanları, ketiyapin ve olanzapin alan kadınlardan daha düşük bulunurken, ketiyapin alan erkeklerin GRISS puanları, ketiyapin alan kadınlardan daha yüksek bulundu. Sonuç: Atipik antipsikotik ilaçların yan etkilerinde cinsiyet farklılıkları olabileceğine ilişkin bazı kanıtlar vardır. Cinsiyet farklılıkları ile ilgili temel mekanizmaların daha iyi anlaşılması için, bu konunun üzerine bir odak noktası ile gelecek çalışmalara ihtiyaç vardır, daha özgül veriler bu farklılıkların klinik etkilerini anlamaya yardımcı olacaktır.Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the differences between lithium and atypical antipsychotics (quetiapine and olanzapine) with regard to their effects on sexual functions and hormonal variables and to assess the findings in term of gender differences, in patients with bipolar disorder. Method: 28 female and 29 male patients diagnosed as having bipolar disorder type I according to the DSM-IV, using lithium or quetiapine and quetiapine+lithium or olanzapine and olanzapine+lithium were evaluated consecutively. Being in remission period and given informed consent were set as inclusion criteria in these cases. Interviews with the patients were carried out using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) and SKIP-TURK. Sexual functions and satisfaction were evaluated with the Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale (ASEX) and the Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS). Blood samples of the patients were taken in order to determine prolactin (PRL), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), and free testosterone (T) levels. Results: GRISS scores in male patients were higher than in female patients (p=0.001). The number of manic, depressive and total episodes, and functionality levels were similar between the treatment groups, both in female and male patients. No differences were found between treatment modalities in terms of hormone levels both in female and male patients. Among females, ASEX scores of the patients treated with lithium monotherapy were less than the ones treated with quetiapine and olanzapine. Among patients with quetiapine monotherapy, GRISS scores in male patients were higher than in female patients. Conclusion: There are some evidences showing gender-based differences in the side effects of atypical antipsychotic drugs. Future studies with a specific focus on this topic are needed in order to have a better understanding of the basic mechanisms of gender differences

Clinical and Functional Results of Cementless Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty with a Minimum Follow Up of 5 Years—A Consecutive Cohort of 201 Patients

The number of unicompartmental knee replacements (UKR) is increasing. Alongside various advantages, the revision rate of cemented UKR is higher compared to total knee arthroplasty (TKR). In contrast, cementless fixation shows reduced revision rates, compared to the cemented UKR. However, most of the recent literature is based on designer-dependent studies. In this retrospective, single-center cohort study, we investigated patients who underwent cementless Oxford UKR (OUKR) between 2012 and 2016 in our hospital with a minimum follow-up of five years. Clinical outcome was evaluated using the OKS, AKSS-O, AKSS-F, FFbH-OA, UCLA, SF-36, EQ-5D-3L, FJS, ROM, pain, and satisfaction measures. Survival analysis was performed with reoperation and revision as endpoints. We included 201 patients (216 knees) for clinical evaluation. All outcome parameters increased significantly from pre- to postoperative stages. The five-year survival rate was 96.1% for revision surgery and 94.9% for reoperation. The main reasons for revision were the progression of osteoarthritis, inlay dislocation, and tibial overstuffing. Two iatrogenic tibial fractures appeared. Cementless OUKR shows excellent clinical outcome and high survival rates after five years. The tibial plateau fracture in cementless UKR represents a serious complication and requires modification of the surgical technique

Low plasma adiponectin levels in panic disorder

Background: The present study was performed to evaluate plasma adiponectin levels in the patients with PD. Method: The study group included a total of 28 patients (17 females, 11 males) and 23 age- and sex-matched healthy comparison subjects (10 females and 13 males). The plasma fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and hemoglobin were measured. Results: There were no differences in regard to plasma fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, HDL, and hemoglobin levels between groups. However, the mean adiponectin levels were significantly lower in the patient group (26.96 +/- 9.92 ng/ml) compared to controls (37.63 +/- 23.17 ng/ml) (t=-2.21; p =0.032). As for the ANCOVA analyses, it revealed the main effect of diagnosis on adiponectin levels (F=5.78, p=0.020) after BMI (body mass index) and gender as covariates. Conclusions: Consequently, the findings of our study suggest that there may be an interaction between panic disorder and plasma adiponectin. Moreover, they led us to consider that these patients should be also followed as cardiac problems. (C) 2012 Elsevier BM. All rights reserved

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from cystic fibrosis patients through Northern Europe

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis patients. This study compares the antimicrobial susceptibility of 153 P. aeruginosa isolates from the United Kingdom (UK) (n=58), Belgium (n=44), and Germany (n=51) collected from 120 patients during routine visits over the 2006-2012 period. MICs were measured by broth microdilution. Genes encoding extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL), metallo-β-lactamases and carbapenemases were detected by PCR. Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis and Multi-Locus Sequence Typing were performed on isolates resistant to ≥ 3 antibiotic classes among penicillins/cephalosporins, carbapenems, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, polymyxins. Based on EUCAST/CLSI breakpoints, susceptibility was ≤ 30%/≤ 40% (penicillins, ceftazidime, amikacin, ciprofloxacin), 44-48%/48-63% (carbapenems), 72%/72% (tobramycin), and 92%/78% (colistin) independently of patient's age. Sixty percent of strains were multidrug resistant (MDR; European Centre for Disease prevention and Control criteria). Genes encoding ESBL (most prevalent BEL, PER, GES, VEB, CTX-M, TEM, SHV, and OXA), metallo β-lactamases (VIM, IMP, NDM), or carbapenemases (OXA-48, KPC) were not detected. The Liverpool Epidemic Strain (LES) was prevalent in UK isolates only (75% of MDR isolates). Four MDR ST958 isolates were found spread over the three countries. The other MDR clones were evidenced in ≤ 3 isolates and localized in a single country. A new sequence type (ST2254) was discovered in one MDR isolate in Germany. Clonal and non-clonal isolates with different susceptibility profiles were found in 21 patients. Thus, resistance and MDR are highly prevalent in routine isolates from 3 countries, with carbapenem (meropenem), tobramycin and colistin remaining the most active drugs.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe