Evaluation of exposure to phthalate esters through the use of various brands of drinking water bottled in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers under different storage conditions

Background: There are many concerns about the migration of phthalates into bottled water. These compounds are hazardous to consumers. In this study, the risk factors of the use of various brands of drinking water bottled in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers under different storage conditions were examined. Methods: Phthalate esters were measured and analyzed using air-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (AALLME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Subsequently, the risk of exposure to the desired compounds was evaluated by calculating the risk factor and excess cancer risk. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 24 software. Results: The average concentration of phthalate esters (DEHP, DBP, DIBP, DEP, and DMP) after 5 and 15 days of storage at incubator temperature of 42°C, and after 15, 45, and 75 days at incubator temperature of 25°C by increasing the initial level of the conditions was 7.28, 8.99, 1.78, 5.6, 6.45, and 8.55 ppb, respectively. The risk factor of non-carcinogenic effects of phthalates for consumers was low and can be ignored (HQ<1). Also, the risk of additional cancer due to the presence of diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) in bottled water is very low (4.8551×10-6). Conclusion: However, due to the increase in the concentration of phthalate esters in bottled water by increasing the storage time and temperature, as well as increasing the ethylene hexyl phthalate content from its established limit, the use of bottled water kept in unsuitable conditions for the society, and especially the sensitive groups, is not appropriate. Keywords: Phthalate esters, Bottled water, Storage conditions, Risk assessment, Various brand

Diagnostic value of myocardial perfusion scans for diagnosis of coronary artery disease

زمینه و هدف: بیماری های عروق کرونر موجب مرگ و میر، ناتوانی و تحمیل هزینه های زیادی می شود. ارزش تشخیصی اسکن قلب برای تنگی عروق کرونر متفاوت گزارش شده است. هدف این مطالعه بررسی ارزش تشخیصی اسکن در مقایسه با آنژیوگرافی است. روش بررسی: این مطالعه از نوع مقطعی بوده و جامعه آماری بیماران مراجعه کننده به بخش پزشکی هسته ای بیمارستان قلب ساری بودند. 115 بیمار که نتیجه آنژیوگرافی آن ها معلوم بود انتخاب شدند. داده های مربوط به عوامل خطر بیماری عروق کرونر به وسیله پرسش نامه، جمع آوری گشت. نتایج با استفاده از آزمون t و کای اسکور با SPSS و استفاده از شاخص های حساسیت و ویژگی و ارزش پیشگویی مثبت و منفی مقایسه شدند. یافته ها: 62 نفر (9/53) زن و میانگین و انحراف معیار سن بیماران 67/9&plusmn;85/56 سال بود که در گروه نرمال و گروه مبتلا به بیماری عروق کرونر اختلاف معنی دار داشته است (001/0&gt;P). فراوانی سایر عوامل خطرزا به ترتیب فشارخون بالا (7/55)، سابقه خانوادگی بیماری قلبی (1/46) و دیابت (33) به دست آمد. بین فشارخون سیستولیک، کلسترول، HDL، LDL، تری گلیسیرید و شاخص توده بدنی با نتیجه آنژیوگرافی ارتباط آماری معنی داری مشاهده نشد. حساسیت اسکن پرفیوژن میوکارد قلب در تشخیص بیماری عروق کرونر در مقایسه با آنژیوگرافی برابر با 84 و ویژگی آن برابر 92 به دست آمد؛ همچنین ارزش پیشگویی کننده مثبت 5/95 و ارزش پیشگویی کننده منفی 75 محاسبه شد. نتیجه گیری: با توجه به نتایج این مطالعه و بالا بودن میزان حساسیت و ویژگی اسکن پرفیوژن میوکارد در مقایسه با آنژیوگرافی، اسکن پرفیوژن میوکارد به عنوان روشی غیر تهاجمی در تشخیص تنگی عروق کرونر کمک کننده می باشد؛ ولی باید شرایط انتخاب بیماران استاندارد و بدون اوریبی در انتخاب باشد

The Association of Acute Motor Axonal Neuropathy (Guillain-Barre’ Syndrome Variant) with Coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2) in a Child: A Case Report

&nbsp; Various reports of neurological manifestations of SARS-COV-2 infection after the virus outbreak are available, including anosmia, seizures, acute flaccid myelitis, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), and encephalitis. Most of the literature has focused on the respiratory manifestation of SARS-CoV-2 infection in adults, but recent evidence showed that it is not confined to the respiratory tract. This report is about a rare variant of GBS acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN) in a child due to COVID-19 infection An 11 years old boy was referred to the hospital with a history of three-day lasting mild fever, and gastroenteritis, two weeks before starting symptoms. He was presented with progressive ascending weakness, paresthesia, and areflexia in four limbs four days ago. Nasopharyngeal swab polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was positive for SARS-CoV-2. The electrodiagnostic finding was compatible with acute generalized axonal motor neuropathy, and imaging revealed thoracolumbar syrinx and nerve root enhancement in lumbosacral MRI. Other lab tests were normal. GBS and its variant are one of the manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 in children. Children with an unexplained neurological process should be tested for SARS-CoV-2

MyoRing Implantation with and without Corneal Collagen Crosslinking for the Management of Keratoconus

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of femtosecond laser-assisted MyoRing implantation with concurrent corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL) compared to MyoRing alone for the treatment of progressive keratoconus. Methods: A total of 60 patients were enrolled in this randomized controlled trial. The patients were randomly allocated into two groups. In the first group, MyoRing was implanted, while in the second, it was inserted in the corneal stroma using the same technique, along with simultaneous CXL. Visual, refractive, topographic, and abberometric outcomes were measured preoperatively and at every postoperative visit. Results: Data of 47 patients were available at the end of the study; 28 in the MyoRing group and 19 in the MyoRing + CXL group. The mean uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) improved from 0.79 ± 0.39 logMAR to 0.52 ± 0.31 logMAR (P &lt; 0.05) in the MyoRing + CXL group and from 0.65 ± 0.38 logMAR to 0.62 ± 0.23 logMAR (P = 0.70) in the MyoRing group. CDVA changed from 0.33 ± 0.19 logMAR to 0.25 ± 0.16 logMAR (P = 0.10) in the MyoRing + CXL group and 0.32 ± 0.22 logMAR to 0.33 ± 0.17 logMAR (P &gt; 0.5) in the MyoRing group. The mean keratometry (Km) decreased from 47.5 ± 2.7 D to 43.8 ± 3.2 D (P &lt; 0.001) in the MyoRing group and 49.3 ± 3.4 D to 45.1 ± 3.0 D (P &lt; 0.001) in the MyoRing + CXL group. Besides, horizontal coma was significantly lower in the MyoRing + CXL group (P = 0.022). Conclusion: MyoRing insertion combined with CXL is a safe and effective method for the treatment of keratoconus. The visual and topographic outcomes were comparable to that for MyoRing insertion after 10 months; however, horizontal coma was significantly lower in the MyoRing + CXL group

Coping With Acquired Immune Deficiency Infection: A Phenomenological Study

Introduction: The epidemic of HIV infection is a serious health problem with major effects on people’s lives. It is essential to comprehend the lived experience of life with HIV. Therefore, the present research was conducted for a better understanding of the meaning and nature of life with this phenomenon. Method: This qualitative study was conducted using an interpretative, phenomenological approach. 19 HIV-infected patients were coosen by purposive sampling method. Audio-taped, indepth, and semi-structured interviews and field notes were used for data collection. All the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by using the hermeneutic approach developed by Diekelmann. Results: According to the findings, the 19 participants were between 21-56 years of age in 47.4% CD4 count was under or equal to 200 cells/mm3 and the others were in an earlier phase of HIV infection. The main themes were beliefs and time, other HIV patients, inconsistencies in coping, and fighting and struggling. Conclusion: People with HIV/AIDS diagnosis face many challenges in different aspects of their lives. Some can not cope with their new situation effectively and may be threatening to both their own and others people’s lives. Understanding these patients' experiences and explaining the positive experinces to other patients, and giving them support and guidance is suggested to care givers. Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Lived experience, Coping, Phenomenolog

Energy efficiency in short and wide-area IoT technologies—A survey

In the last years, the Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as a key application context in the design and evolution of technologies in the transition toward a 5G ecosystem. More and more IoT technologies have entered the market and represent important enablers in the deployment of networks of interconnected devices. As network and spatial device densities grow, energy efficiency and consumption are becoming an important aspect in analyzing the performance and suitability of different technologies. In this framework, this survey presents an extensive review of IoT technologies, including both Low-Power Short-Area Networks (LPSANs) and Low-Power Wide-Area Networks (LPWANs), from the perspective of energy efficiency and power consumption. Existing consumption models and energy efficiency mechanisms are categorized, analyzed and discussed, in order to highlight the main trends proposed in literature and standards toward achieving energy-efficient IoT networks. Current limitations and open challenges are also discussed, aiming at highlighting new possible research directions

High frequency of BRAF V600E mutation in Iranian population ameloblastomas

Ameloblastoma is a common locally invasive but slow-growing neoplasm of the jaws with an odontogenic origin. Association between BRAF V600E mutation and clinicopathologic features and behavior of ameloblastoma remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate BRAF V600E gene mutation and expression of its related proteins with clinicopathologic parameters in conventional ameloblastoma. 50 Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks were included in this study. Immunohistochemistry was done using rabbit monoclonal BRAF V600E mutation-specific antibody VE1. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay was used for evaluating of BRAF V600E mutation. Expression of BRAF V600E antibody was Positive in 42 out of 50 cases (84%). 46 (92%) out of 50 specimens showed BRAF V600E mutation. There were 13 cases of recurrence (26%). 3 out of 4 cases with negative mutations did not show recurrence. We report the highest frequency (92%) of BRAF V600E mutation in ameloblastomas in the Iranian population. Although there was not a significant association between BRAF V600E?positive immunoexpression and recurrence and clinicopathologic parameters, its high frequency could emphasize its role as a therapeutic marker in the future

A Synoptic- and Remote Sensing-based Analysis of a Severe Dust Storm Event over Central Asia

Published by [Verlag nicht ermittelbar], Taina

Exact solution of some non‎linear PDE‎‎‎s ‎‎{s} ‎with‎ conformable fractional derivative

‎In this article‎, the reduced differential transform method is improved to solve some nonlinear conformable time fractional partial differential equations. The solutions obtained by the purposed methd to solve the Korteweg-de Vries equation, k(m,n) for ‎ m=n=2, and Wu-Zhang (2+1)-dimensional dispersive long wave equation, show that the method is very effective