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Indian Journal of Anaesthesia Sep 2016Literature search is a key step in performing good authentic research. It helps in formulating a research question and planning the study. The available published data... (Review)
Review
Literature search is a key step in performing good authentic research. It helps in formulating a research question and planning the study. The available published data are enormous; therefore, choosing the appropriate articles relevant to your study in question is an art. It can be time-consuming, tiring and can lead to disinterest or even abandonment of search in between if not carried out in a step-wise manner. Various databases are available for performing literature search. This article primarily stresses on how to formulate a research question, the various types and sources for literature search, which will help make your search specific and time-saving.
PubMed: 27729689
DOI: 10.4103/0019-5049.190618 -
International Journal of Molecular... Feb 2022Specialist bacteria can synthesize nanoparticles from various metal ions in solution. Metal recovery with high efficiency can be achieved by metal-tolerant...
Specialist bacteria can synthesize nanoparticles from various metal ions in solution. Metal recovery with high efficiency can be achieved by metal-tolerant microorganisms that proliferate in a concentrated metal solution. In this study, we isolated bacteria ( sp. strain KKY-29) from a bacterial library collected from water near an abandoned mine in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. KKY-29 was maintained in nutrient medium with lead acetate and synthesized hydrocerussite and pyromorphite nanoparticles inside the cell; KKY-29 also survived nanoparticle synthesis. Quantitative PCR analysis of genes related to phosphate metabolism showed that KKY-29 decomposed organic phosphorus to synthesize lead phosphate. KKY-29 also deposited various metal ions and synthesized metal nanoparticles when incubated in various metal salt solutions other than lead. The present study considers the development of biotechnology to recover lead as an economically valuable material.
Topics: Bacteria; Biodegradation, Environmental; Fresh Water; Lead; Phosphorus
PubMed: 35269625
DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052483 -
Archives of Environmental Contamination... Feb 2021People living near abandoned mines are at increased risk of exposure to toxic metals. We surveyed 4500 inhabitants with the mean age of 68.5 years old (male: 1768,...
People living near abandoned mines are at increased risk of exposure to toxic metals. We surveyed 4500 inhabitants with the mean age of 68.5 years old (male: 1768, female: 2732) living near 104 abandoned metal mines from 2013 to 2017 (the 2nd phase health survey in Korea). We conducted personal interviews, blood and urine sampling, and analyzed the concentrations of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in whole blood and Cd in urine using a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer. The geometric means of blood Pb, blood Cd, and urine Cd were 2.27 μg/dL, 1.42 μg/L, and 1.66 μg/g creatinine, respectively. The level of metal exposure was lower than that reported from the first phase health survey in Korea (2008‒2011) but was higher than in the general population of Korea. Blood Pb was higher in males while blood Cd and urine Cd were significantly higher in females. Blood Pb was highest in the 40‒59 age group, while blood and urine Cd levels continuously increased until age 80 or older. The Cd levels in blood and urine were affected by consumption of locally produced rice and duration of residence near abandoned mines. Furthermore, negative correlations were observed between blood Pb and blood and urine Cd levels. Additionally, 252 of the 4500 subjects exceeded the thresholds of blood Cd or urine Cd levels. Together, these findings suggest that Cd has more sustainable and adverse health effects on the abandoned mine inhabitants, who are mostly aged. Therefore, continuous biomonitoring and risk assessment to environmental health risks are necessary for environmental pollution control and health promotion.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological Monitoring; Cadmium; Creatinine; Environmental Exposure; Environmental Pollutants; Environmental Pollution; Female; Graphite; Housing; Humans; Lead; Male; Middle Aged; Mining; Oryza; Republic of Korea; Risk Assessment; Spectrophotometry, Atomic; Young Adult
PubMed: 33550439
DOI: 10.1007/s00244-021-00813-7 -
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Jan 2019Over the past 2 decades, advances in biologic and small molecule therapeutics have resulted in a rapid increase in our armamentarium of therapies for inflammatory bowel... (Review)
Review
Over the past 2 decades, advances in biologic and small molecule therapeutics have resulted in a rapid increase in our armamentarium of therapies for inflammatory bowel disease. Despite these advancements, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis remain chronic and progressive diseases. One of the primary reasons for persistent inflammation and bowel damage is failure of medical therapy. With growing therapeutic options, there is an increased temptation to quickly move to the next therapy and label the prior therapy as a failure; however, this can lead to inadequate optimization of medications and poor control of disease. On the other hand, failure to recognize ongoing mucosal inflammation despite optimized treatment and moving to the next agent can lead to progression of disease and long-term complications. As our options for medical therapy continue to increase, it has become more important to recognize failure of therapy in order to promptly move to the next therapeutic agent without abandoning therapies prematurely. In this review, we aim to define failure of medical therapy for inflammatory bowel disease with the goal of offering guidance on when it is appropriate to attempt optimization of current medical treatment as opposed to moving on to the next agent or treatment approach.
Topics: Antibodies, Monoclonal; Humans; Incidence; Inflammation; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Treatment Failure
PubMed: 30016434
DOI: 10.1093/ibd/izy238 -
The Science of the Total Environment Nov 2018Pesticides containing lead and arsenic were widely used in the US through the 20th century. Legacy contamination from this use poses a health risk as interest in...
Pesticides containing lead and arsenic were widely used in the US through the 20th century. Legacy contamination from this use poses a health risk as interest in cultivation of abandoned agricultural lands has grown in recent years. We addressed these risks by quantifying Pb and As in soils and produce from a suburban farm in New Jersey, USA and examining the ability of phosphate-bearing amendments (bone meal, triple super phosphate, manure compost and raised bed soil) in combination with Fe and/or Mn amendments to stabilize these metals and prevent their movement into vegetables. Common produce (tomato, carrot, lettuce, and radish) was grown in soils with 133-307 mg Pb kg and 19-73 mg As kg. Our results suggest that vegetables produced on these soils can have Pb and As at levels above health and safety standards, especially root and leafy green vegetables. Phosphate-bearing amendments can reduce extractable Pb but can increase extractable As in soils, and can have similar effects on vegetables. Iron amendment increased both extractable Pb and As, likely due to the presence of elemental sulfur in the Fe amendment, which lowered soil pH, while Mn amendment had the opposite effect. Most of the Pb and As in vegetables appear to be associated with soil particles adhered to the vegetables, and the contribution from uptake was relatively small except for plots treated with Fe-amendments and for carrots. Thus, proper crop selection, rigorous cleaning, and dust and dirt control are critical to reduce the risk of contaminant exposure through the consumption of garden produce.
Topics: Arsenic; Gardens; Lead; Metals, Heavy; New Jersey; Soil; Soil Pollutants; Vegetables
PubMed: 29859443
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.296 -
Food Additives & Contaminants. Part A,... Jun 2022Lead pollution from metalliferous mines can have major environmental and health effects long after the mines have closed. Animals living near derelict mine sites can...
Lead pollution from metalliferous mines can have major environmental and health effects long after the mines have closed. Animals living near derelict mine sites can inadvertently ingest lead-contaminated soils, causing them to accumulate lead and potentially experience significant adverse health effects. Human food products, such as eggs, produced near metalliferous mines may also be contaminated with lead. The focus of this case study was to determine whether free-range chickens living near a derelict lead mine had high lead body burdens, whether they were producing eggs with elevated lead concentrations, and whether these eggs could be hazardous to human health. Soil samples and chicken egg, feather, blood, and bone samples were collected from a small farm near an abandoned metalliferous mine. The soil in and around the chicken pens contained lead concentrations that were elevated above established soil lead baseline concentrations. The lead concentrations in the chicken feather, blood, and bone samples were consistent with lead toxicity and indicated long-term, continuous exposure. Finally, the lead concentrations in the eggs were significantly greater than those found in commercial eggs. Based on previously established lead benchmark dose levels, humans, and in particular, children, could experience adverse health impacts if they routinely consumed these eggs. Environmental lead contamination continues to pose a major health risk for humans, and further research, understanding, and awareness are required to safeguard the public from the risks of consuming food produced near derelict mines.
Topics: Animals; Chickens; Environmental Monitoring; Humans; Lead; Metals, Heavy; Mining; Soil; Soil Pollutants
PubMed: 35580347
DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2022.2062059 -
Hellenic Journal of Cardiology : HJC =... 2019Characterized by lack of evidence of structural heart disease or any secondary causes of atrial fibrillation (AF), "lone AF" is used to represent a unique subtype of AF... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Review
Characterized by lack of evidence of structural heart disease or any secondary causes of atrial fibrillation (AF), "lone AF" is used to represent a unique subtype of AF among young individuals aged less than 60 years. Although the longstanding definition has been proposed for years, the diagnostic criteria for "lone AF" remain ambiguous. As more contributing factors causing AF are recognized gradually, the validity of the term "lone AF" is in question. Despite advances in the past few decades, the mechanism of AF remains poorly understood, particularly in the absence of other structural changes. It is generally accepted that three essential electrophysiological elements (trigger, substrate, and modulators) contribute to the initiation and maintenance of lone AF. In addition, the role of microRNAs and genomic variations in the pathogenesis of lone AF has been also gaining attention. Some changes in relevant biomarker levels have also been proven to correlate with lone AF. Accumulating insights into the pathogenesis of lone AF strongly suggest coexistent disorders in patients with lone AF. Consequently, the growing evidence of these numerous and diverse pathogenic mechanisms and factors related to lone AF inevitably raises the question of whether the term "lone AF" is a meaningful category. The classification of lone AF as a separate identity has not lead to any unique clinical management. In this review, we update knowledge of definition, mechanisms, genetics, biomarkers, and clinical management of "lone AF." With this comprehensive review, we suggest that the term "lone AF" should be abandoned for its futility.
Topics: Adult; Atrial Fibrillation; Biomarkers; Cardiac Electrophysiology; Female; Genomics; Heart Diseases; Humans; Incidence; Male; MicroRNAs; Middle Aged; Patient Care Management; Stroke
PubMed: 31004765
DOI: 10.1016/j.hjc.2019.04.005 -
MRI in Patients with Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices and Fractured or Abandoned Leads.Radiology. Cardiothoracic Imaging Jun 2024Purpose To examine the clinical effect of lead length and lead orientation in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) and lead fragments or...
Purpose To examine the clinical effect of lead length and lead orientation in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) and lead fragments or abandoned leads undergoing 1.5-T MRI. Materials and Methods This Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant retrospective study included patients with CIEDs and abandoned leads or lead fragments undergoing 1.5-T MRI from March 2014 through July 2020. CIED settings before and after MRI were reviewed, with clinically significant variations defined as a composite of the change in capture threshold of at least 50%, in sensing of at least 40%, or in lead impedance of at least 30% between before MRI and after MRI interrogation. Adverse clinical events were assessed at MRI and up to 30 days after. Univariable and multivariable analysis was performed. Results Eighty patients with 126 abandoned CIED leads or lead fragments underwent 107 1.5-T MRI examinations. Sixty-seven patients (median age, 74 years; IQR, 66-78 years; 44 male patients, 23 female patients) had abandoned leads, and 13 (median age, 66 years; IQR, 52-74 years; nine male patients, four female patients) had lead fragments. There were no reported deaths, clinically significant arrhythmias, or adverse clinical events within 30 days of MRI. Three patients with abandoned leads had a significant change in the composite of capture threshold, sensing, or lead impedance. In a multivariable generalized estimating equation analysis, lead orientation, lead length, MRI type, and MRI duration were not associated with a significant change in the composite outcome. Conclusion Use of 1.5-T MRI in patients with abandoned CIED leads or lead fragments of varying length and orientation was not associated with adverse clinical events. Cardiac Assist Devices, MRI, Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device © RSNA, 2024.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Aged; Defibrillators, Implantable; Retrospective Studies; Pacemaker, Artificial; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Middle Aged; Equipment Failure
PubMed: 38869431
DOI: 10.1148/ryct.230303 -
Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry Oct 2021As a vulnerable group in society, orphaned and abandoned adolescents are faced with various social issues as well as lack of healthy social skills that can lead to...
AIMS
As a vulnerable group in society, orphaned and abandoned adolescents are faced with various social issues as well as lack of healthy social skills that can lead to high-risk behaviors. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of emotional intelligence skills training on the social skills of orphaned and abandoned adolescents.
METHODS
The present study was an interventional research with a pretest-posttest design. The sample included 30 orphaned and abandoned male teen-agers, residing in a care center, who were randomly selected and divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention group had four emotional intelligence-based training sessions. In this study, the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters (MESSY) was used to evaluate the variables. The results were analyzed, using SPSS Statistics 22.
RESULTS
The results showed significant difference between the mean MESSY scores in the intervention group before and after the intervention ( < .05). There was also a significant difference between the mean scores of the intervention and control group, following the intervention.
CONCLUSION
An emotional intelligence-based training program can be effective in improving the social skill levels amongst orphaned and abandoned adolescents as a vulnerable social group.
Topics: Adolescent; Emotional Intelligence; Humans; Iran; Male; Social Behavior; Social Skills
PubMed: 33977775
DOI: 10.1177/13591045211009593 -
Feminist Theory Jan 2022This article develops loneliness as a political and social justice issue by illustrating the harmful personal and social consequences of the medical jurisdiction over...
This article develops loneliness as a political and social justice issue by illustrating the harmful personal and social consequences of the medical jurisdiction over and constitution of variations in sex characteristics. Whilst connections between loneliness, health and illness have been well established, this work customarily identifies the ways illness can lead to, or be caused by, loneliness. Instead, I provide an account of the central role of medicalisation and medical management in producing loneliness. By doing so, I underline the imperative for medical practice to consider its influence upon social and personal, as well as physical, wellbeing. Drawing on stories shared through solicited diaries followed by in-depth interviews with seven people with sex variations and two parents in the UK, I show how accounts of loneliness help to illuminate the violence of abandonment, silencing and marginalisation that often goes unheard, together with hidden or normalised systems of harm. Building on concepts of ethical loneliness and ontological loneliness, I show how structural violations operate to injure trust and self-worth, leading to social unease. I argue for the importance of people with sex variations finding sites of comfort and acceptance, but note the ways that some forms of medicalisation can inhibit alliances and community formation, despite diagnoses also carrying the potential to facilitate informal support structures and collective identities. By bringing together intersex studies with discourses of loneliness, I develop a better understanding of loneliness as a product of social and systemic violence, and the ways in which medical discourses tie in with larger structures of oppression, coercion and control. This article concludes by underlining the need for structural change in our approach to and understanding of sex variations, and with a call for us to become more attentive to these stories of medical harm, to ensure that they are heard and to seek necessary justice.
PubMed: 35250384
DOI: 10.1177/14647001211062740