Classification of quality of life subscales within the ICF framework in burn research : identifying overlaps and gaps

OBJECTIVE: Quality of life (QOL) is one of the leading outcomes in burn care research. This study classifies subscales of common QOL measures within the International Classification of Functioning disability and health (ICF) framework to determine to which extent the measures are complementary or overlapping and to investigate whether the instruments are able to describe the full spectrum of patients' functioning. METHODS: A literature search was performed to determine the most frequently used questionnaires in burn research. The subscales of the three mostly used questionnaires were classified within the ICF framework. RESULTS: Two generic measures, the Short Form-36 items (SF-36) and the European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), and a disease specific measure, the Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief (BSHS-B), were analyzed. The BSHS-B covered most domains and was the only scale that included personal factors. The SF-36 included only one domain in the activity limitations and similar to the EQ-5D no contextual factors were included. Environmental factors were not addressed in the questionnaires, even though these may have an impact on the quality of life in patients with burns. CONCLUSION: To capture the full spectrum of dysfunctioning a combination of the BSHS-B with a generic questionnaire seems obligatory. However still some domains of functioning remain uncovered

Pros and Cons of Biochar to Soil Potentially Toxic Element Mobilization and Phytoavailability: Environmental Implications

While the potential of biochar (BC) to immobilize potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in contaminated soils has been studied and reviewed, no review has focused on the potential use of BC for enhancing the phytoremediation efficacy of PTE-contaminated soils. Consequently, the overarching purpose in this study is to critically review the effects of BC on the mobilization, phytoextraction, phytostabilization, and bioremediation of PTEs in contaminated soils. Potential mechanisms of the interactions between BC and PTEs in soils are also reviewed in detail. We discuss the promises and challenges of various approaches, including potential environmental implications, of BC application to PTE-contaminated soils. The properties of BC (e.g., surface functional groups, mineral content, ionic content, and π-electrons) govern its impact on the (im)mobilization of PTEs, which is complex and highly element-specific. This review demonstrates the contrary effects of BC on PTE mobilization and highlights possible opportunities for using BC as a mobilizing agent for enhancing phytoremediation of PTEs-contaminated soils. © 2022, The Author(s)

Large-scale association analysis identifies 13 new susceptibility loci for coronary artery disease

We performed a meta-analysis of 14 genome-wide association studies of coronary artery disease (CAD) comprising 22,233 individuals with CAD (cases) and 64,762 controls of European descent followed by genotyping of top association signals in 56,682 additional individuals. This analysis identified 13 loci newly associated with CAD at P < 5 - 10'8 and confirmed the association of 10 of 12 previously reported CAD loci. The 13 new loci showed risk allele frequencies ranging from 0.13 to 0.91 and were associated with a 6% to 17% increase in the risk of CAD per allele. Notably, only three of the new loci showed significant association with traditional CAD risk factors and the majority lie in gene regions not previously implicated in the pathogenesis of CAD. Finally, five of the new CAD risk loci appear to have pleiotropic effects, showing strong association with various other human diseases or traits. © 2011 Nature America, Inc. All rights reserved