Age Period Research Articles

Effects of School-Based Interventions Implemented by Nurses for Children Aged 3-6 Years: A Systematic Review of Experimental Evidence

Objectives: The 3-6 age period, which includes the pre-school, is when the child acquires essential habits, develops skills, and socializes. This systematic review was planned to examine the available evidence on the effectiveness of school-based interventions implemented by nurses and administered to preschool children. Material and Method: The systematic review used a search to identify studies published between 2015 and 2024 from PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases. Results: When the findings were examined, fifteen studies, including six randomized controlled trials and nine quasi-experimental studies, met the inclusion criteria. In the studies conducted, it was determined that the duration of the interventions applied only to children was between 2 and 16 sessions, the intervention periods of the studies that included parents along with children were between 8 and 30 sessions, and only 4 studies used theory or models. It was determined that the programs applied by nurses to children between the ages of 3-6 in the school environment provided children with knowledge and skills and had positive effects on the development of their physical, social, and emotional health. Conclusions: Nurses are responsible for increasing children's knowledge and skills in schools and promoting healthy lifestyles. Nurses must collaborate with parents to ensure that children's health education at home and school complement each other. The results of the studies included in the systematic review should be cautiously interpreted due to the limited number of studies and small sample size. To obtain the best evidence on the effectiveness of interventions, randomised controlled trials aiming to improve social and emotional competencies are needed to evaluate comprehensive, high-quality, and long-term effects. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO registration number was CRD42023467297

Influence of ageing time on crystallization kinetics and hydroxyapatite Mimicking Silicorhenanite (β-Na2Ca4(PO4)2SiO4) phase evolution in 45S5® bioactive glass for advanced biomedical applications

Among multiple phases obtained while synthesizing bioactive glass, the phosphate-rich Silicorhenanite phase is achieved only at high temperatures. The novel outcome of this work is that sol-gel routed 45S5 bioactive glass was synthesized successfully by permutating the period of ageing and achieved the Silicorhenanite phase at 700 °C without compromising biocompatibility. The process of ‘Ostwald ripening’ was observed among the biomaterials where A24 and A72 exhibited a similar trend and A48 and A96 behaved alike. Rietveld Refinement confirms the elevation of the Silicorhenanite (β-Na2Ca4(PO4)2SiO4) phase upon increasing the ageing time over the Combeite (Na2Ca2Si3O9) phase. Since A72 exhibits compressive strain and smaller crystallite size, it lacks erythrocyte compatibility, and protein adsorption, and has an exceptionally low surface area. This study emphasizes the stability and multiple physio-chemical properties of 45S5 Bioactive glass during the ageing period, which is an imperious parameter for producing biomedically beneficial glass products, especially porous scaffolds and implant coatings.

Diversion of hospital admissions from the emergency department using an interprofessional team: a propensity score analysis.

To examine if an ED interprofessional team ("ED1Team") could safely decrease hospital admissions among older persons. This single-center, retrospective, propensity score matched study was performed at a single ED during a control (December 2/2018-March 31/2019) and intervention (December 2/2019-March 31/2020) period. The intervention was assessed by the ED1Team, which could include an occupational therapist, physiotherapist, and social worker. We compared admission rates between period in persons age ≥ 70years. Next, we compared visits attended by the ED1Team to (a) control period visits, and (b) intervention period visits without ED1Team attendance. ED length-of-stay, 7-day subsequent hospital admission and mortality in discharged patients. There were 5496 and 4876 eligible ED visits during the control and intervention periods, respectively. In the latter group, 556 (11.4%) received ED1Team assessment. After matching, there was an absolute 2.3% (p = 0.07) reduction in the admission rate between control and intervention periods. After matching the 556 ED1Team attended visits to control period visits, and to intervention period visits without the intervention, admission rates decreased by 10.0% (p = 0.006) and 13.5% (p < 0.001), respectively. For discharged patients, median ED length-of-stay decreased by 1.0h (p < 0.001) between control and intervention periods and increased by 2.3h (p < 0.001) compared to intervention period without the intervention. For patients discharged by the ED1Team, subsequent readmissions after 7days were slightly higher, but mortality was not significantly different. ED1Team consultation was associated with a decreased hospital admission rate in older ED patients. It was associated with a slightly longer ED length-of-stay and subsequent early hospitalizations. Given that even a small increase in freed hospital beds would release some of the pressure on an overextended healthcare system, these results suggest that upscaling of the intervention might procure systems-wide benefits.

Global temporal trends and projections of acute hepatitis E incidence among women of childbearing age: Age-period-cohort analysis 2021

Acute Hepatitis E (AHE) poses a significant threat to global public health, particularly among women of childbearing age (WCBA), who are at heightened risk for severe pregnancy-related complications. This study aimed to delineate the temporal trends and project future incidence of AHE in WCBA, providing insights crucial for targeted prevention and control strategies. Data on AHE incidence from the Global Health data 2021. The Age-Period-Cohort (APC) model was applied to analyze trends across different age groups, periods, and birth cohorts, and the Bayesian APC model was utilized for forecasting future epidemiological trajectories. Globally, AHE incidence numbers among WCBA rose from 2,831,075 in 1992 to 3,420,786 in 2021, while the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) declined from 194.66 to 179.54 per 100,000 with a global net drift of -0.28%. However, high SDI regions showed a contrasting trend with a positive net drift of 0.02%. The age effect was consistent across SDI regions and global, showing a decrease with advancing age, while unfavorable period and cohort effects were exhibited in high-SDI region. At the national level, locations exhibited varying trends of change. The BAPC model predicted a total of 3,759,384 AHE global cases in WCBA by 2030, with an expected mild increase in the ASIR. The outlook for the management and containment of AHE is grim in certain countries, including India. The study revealed a complex epidemiological landscape of AHE in WCBA, with increasing global incidence numbers juxtaposed against a declining ASIR. The AHE burden by 2030 remain severe among WCBA. Young WCBA and high SDI region merit particular attention. The findings underscore the need for region-specific strategies to curb the projected rise in AHE incidence and align with the 2030 WHO goals.

Longitudinal assessment of the progression of severe keratoconus based on corneal topography

We aimed to assess long-term disease progression in patients with severe keratoconus (KC). Clinical records of 125 patients (201 eyes) with severe KC followed-up for > 12 months were retrospectively analyzed. From these, 28 patients (31 eyes) were included. Corneal topography parameters evaluated included thinnest corneal thickness (TCT), maximum keratometry (Kmax), anterior and posterior mean corneal radii of 3 mm (aKM, pKM), steep keratometry, and KC screening indices. All patients wore rigid gas permeable contact lenses (RGPCLs) for an extended period. The median patient age and follow-up period were 20 (interquartile range [IQR] 17–22) years and 25 (15–38) months, respectively. Compared to baseline, the aKM, Kmax, and KC screening indices on the anterior corneal surface were reduced at the final follow-up (P < 0.05). No changes were observed in RGP-corrected visual acuity, TCT, pKM, or KC screening indices on the posterior corneal surface. The higher the baseline value, the greater the reduction in aKM and Kmax. Five patients (16%) experienced disease progression during follow-up. Patients with severe KC showed reduced anterior corneal surface curvature and no change in corneal thickness during an average follow-up period of 2–3 years while wearing RGPCLs.

Gender and Age Trends in HIV Incidence in Turkey between 1990 and 2021: Joinpoint and Age-Period-Cohort Analyses.

Background and Objectives: Despite a global decrease in HIV incidence, recent trends in Türkiye indicate a concerning rise, particularly among younger populations and women. This study investigates the local and regional dynamics influencing these trends using advanced epidemiological methodologies. Material and Methods: Utilizing Age-period-cohort analysis and joinpoint regression, we analysed HIV incidence and prevalence data from the Global Burden of Disease study for Türkiye. These methods allowed for a detailed examination of changes over time, identifying specific age groups and periods with significant shifts in incidence rates. Results: Key findings include a 13.03% increase in annual percentage change among males aged 15-19 and an 11.37% increase among females in the same age group. Additionally, the incidence rates among females have shown a significant rise after 2008. Conclusions: The rising HIV incidence in Türkiye reflects complex socio-economic, cultural, and biological factors, with significant increases among young people and women. Addressing these challenges requires targeted interventions, comprehensive educational programs, and inclusive healthcare services to align with global efforts and commitments. The study underscores the importance of incorporating young people in decision-making processes to effectively combat HIV in Türkiye.

Fast-acting antidepressant-like effects of ketamine in aged male rats

BackgroundThe aging process causes anatomical and physiological changes that predispose to the development of late-life depression while reduces the efficacy of classical antidepressants. Novel fast-acting antidepressants such as ketamine might be good candidates to be explored in the context of aging, especially given the lack of previous research on its efficacy for this age period. Thus, the aim of the present study was to characterize ketamine’s effects in older rats.MethodsThe fast-acting (30 min) and repeated (7 days) antidepressant-like effects of ketamine (5 mg/kg, ip) were evaluated in 14-month-old single-housed rats through the forced-swim and novelty-suppressed feeding tests. In parallel, the modulation of neurotrophic-related proteins (i.e., mBDNF, mTOR, GSK3) was assessed in brain regions affected by the aging process, prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, as well as possible changes in hippocampal cell proliferation.ResultsAcute ketamine induced a fast-acting antidepressant-like response in male aged rats, as observed by a reduced immobility in the forced-swim test, in parallel with a region-specific increase in mBDNF protein content in prefrontal cortex. However, repeated ketamine failed to induce antidepressant-like efficacy, but decreased mBDNF protein content in prefrontal cortex. The rate of hippocampal cell proliferation and/or other markers evaluated was not modulated by either paradigm of ketamine.ConclusionsThese results complement prior data supporting a fast-acting antidepressant-like effect of ketamine in rats, to further extend its efficacy to older ages. Future studies are needed to further clarify the lack of response after the repeated treatment as well as its potential adverse effects in aging.

Evaluation of low vagally-mediated heart rate variability as an early marker of depression risk

BackgroundBoth low vagally-mediated heart rate variability (HRV) and depression have been shown to be risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). We recently identified an HRV cutpoint below which persons have an increased risk for several cardiometabolic disorders. However, no cutpoint exists to identify those at risk for depression. MethodsThe association between daytime HRV and diagnostically validated depression cutoffs using the five-item World Health Organization Well-being Index (WHO-5) was examined in adults from the Mannheim Industrial Cohort Study (n = 9973; Mage = 41.9[10.9]; 20 % women [n = 1934]). The aim was to identify HRV cutpoints for individuals who may have clinical depression. ResultsRegression adjusting for age, sex, and linear trend showed a significant quadratic association between depression, indexed by WHO-5 scores and HRV, indexed by the root mean square successive differences (RMSSD) in milliseconds (ms) (p < 0.001). Logistic regression models adjusting for age, sex, and heart period (i.e., inter-beat intervals) compared the clinically depressed (WHO-5 ≤ 28) and those with a screening diagnosis of depression (WHO-5 ≤ 50) to the rest of the population. Significant odds ratios suggested two RMSSD values 25 ± 2 ms (OR = 1.39 [1.17, 1.64]) and 35 ± 2 ms (OR = 1.17 [1.02, 1.34]) that may be used to identify those with an elevated risk for depression. LimitationsThe sample was primarily German men. Fitness and anti-depressant use were not available. ConclusionsAs HRV is a brief measure that can be used in clinical settings, our HRV cutpoints have implications for the early detection of those at risk for psychological and cardiometabolic disorders.

Deciphering the Sex gap in global life expectancy: the impact of female-specific cancers 1990-2019.

Females live longer than males, which results in a sex gap in life expectancy. This study examines the contribution of female cancers to this differential by world region and country 1990-2019 with special focus to the 15-69 age group. Cause-specific mortality data for 30 cancers, including four female-specific cancers from 238 countries and territories was retrieved from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Using life table techniques and demographic decomposition analysis, we estimated the contribution of cancer deaths to the sex gap in life expectancy by age and calendar period. At ages 15-69, females had a higher life expectancy than males in 2019. Countries with the largest sex gaps or the largest female advantage in life expectancy were in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia, Latin America and Southern Africa. In contrast, countries with the smallest sex gaps were mainly located in Northern Africa, Northern America, and Northern Europe. The contribution of female-specific cancers to sex gaps in life expectancy were largely negative, ranging from -0.15 years in the Western Pacific to -0.26 years in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, implying that the disproportionately higher premature cancer mortality among females contributed to a reduction in the female life expectancy advantage. Female-specific cancers are important determinants of sex gaps in life expectancy. Their negative impact on life expectancy at working and reproductive age groups has far-reaching consequences for society. Increasing the availability and access to prevention, screening, timely diagnosis, and effective treatment can reduce this gap.

Modification of nanoparticles synthesized during ablation of metals in water using nanosecond, picosecond, and femtosecond pulses

We show that the pulse duration of laser radiation used for metal ablation in water affects the nanoparticle morphology over a two-month aging period. Aluminum, copper, indium, and zinc spherical nanoparticles evolved into the elliptical, triangular, seed-like, rod-like, and rectangular forms. The most effective transformation of spherical nanoparticles into nonspherical shapes occurred with picosecond pulse ablation. Spectral analysis of the aged nanoparticle suspensions revealed changes in both the visible and UV ranges. Our study showed the correlation between the suppression of the surface plasmon resonances of the suspensions of aged nanoparticles and modification of spherical structures toward the nonspherical nano- and microparticles.

Correlations between the Aging Behavior and Finite Element Method Simulation of Three Silicone Elastomers.

The material parameters required to describe material behavior can change with the age of the components due to chemical and physical aging processes. The finite element method (FEM) is a tool for designing components for later use. The aim of this study is to correlate the change in the mechanical properties of silicone elastomers from standard tests over a longer period of time with the parameters of the Mooney-Rivlin model. To date, there are no publications on the development of the Mooney-Rivlin parameters of silicone elastomers over a storage period. For this purpose, the Shore A hardness, rebound elasticity, compression set and tensile properties were investigated over an aging period of approx. 200 days on two liquid silicone rubbers (LSRs) and one room-temperature-vulcanizing (RTV) silicone rubber. Depending on the silicone elastomer used, different trends in the characteristic values can be observed over the storage period. In general, increases in the Shore A hardness, rebound resilience and stress at a 100% strain with a decrease in the compression set can be determined. In addition to standard tensile tests, the material's multiaxial behavior under tension was probed, and it was found that the similarly stress at a 100% strain increased. Finite element simulations verified the standard tensile test and corresponding Mooney-Rivlin model parameters. These parameters from the uniaxial tensile were validated in the multiaxial behavior, and the model's accuracy in representing material properties and the influence of aging on the FEM simulation were affirmed.

Epidemiological characteristics of human respiratory syncytial virus in patients with severe acute respiratory infection in Tianjin City from 2015 to 2020

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) in patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) in Tianjin from 2015 to 2020. Methods: The study data were obtained from the Third Center Hospital of Tianjin, a designated sentinel hospital, from 2015 to 2020, with 1 597 SARI patients enrolled in this study. The clinical specimens of the research participants were subjected to respiratory multi-pathogen testing. HRSV-positive specimens were subtyped to analyze the differences in HRSV detection rates among cases of different age groups and periods and their mixed infection situations. Results: A total of 1 597 nasopharyngeal swabs were collected, with an HRSV detection rate of 4.20%. Among 67 HRSV-positive specimens, there were 19 pure HRSV-A nucleic acid-positive specimens, 19 pure HRSV-B nucleic acid-positive specimens and 29 mixed HRSV-A and HRSV-B nucleic acid-positive specimens. The difference in HRSV detection rate among different age groups was statistically significant (P<0.05), and the HRSV detection rate in children under five years old was higher than that in other age groups. From 2016 to 2020, the detection rate of HRSV showed an increasing trend year by year. The HRSV detection rate of SARI cases was highest in the winter season, at 7.15%. There were 10 (14.93%) mixed positive cases for HRSV and other viruses, of which four were mixed positive for HRSV and influenza A. Conclusion: The incidence of HRSV in Tianjin exhibits an increasing trend from 2016 to 2020, peaking during the winter season, with children under five years old constituting a high-risk demographic for HRSV infection.

Is a 3 mm Surgical Margin Safe for Basal Cell Carcinoma in the Head and Neck that is Less than 2 cm, Considering Different Risk Factors?

Background Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of nonmelanoma skin cancer. Typically, resection requires a safety margin of ≥4 mm. When removing tumor cells, achieving complete excision with minimal safety margins and reconstructing the defect to preserve the original appearance are important. In this study, we used a 3-mm resection margin to confirm recurrence and re-resection rates. Methods Electronic medical records and photographic data were obtained for patients with primary BCC lesions less than 2 cm in diameter who underwent wide excision with a 3-mm surgical margin from January 2015 to November 2021. We analyzed factors determining recurrence and re-resection rates, such as tumor size, location, age, sex, underlying diseases (including immunosuppression state), ethnicity, subtypes, tumor borders, etc. Results This study included 205 patients. The mean age and follow-up period were 73.0 ± 11.5 years and 10.2 ± 8.0 months, respectively. The recurrence and re-resection rates were 1.95% and 25.85%, respectively. A statistically significant correlation was found between recurrence rate and tumor border ( p = 0.013) and the re-resection rate was correlated statistically with location ( p = 0.022) and immunosuppressed patients ( p = 0.006). Conclusion We found that a 3-mm excision margin provided sufficient safety in small facial BCC, resulting in ease of surgery and better aesthetic outcomes. However, surgical margins must be determined case by case by integrating various patient factors. In particular, a surgical margin of ≥4 mm is required for BCC in high-risk areas, immunosuppressed patients, or poorly defined border.

Features of the quality of life of first graders taking into account gender differences and cognitive abilities

The purpose of the study: To study the features of the quality of life of first-graders, taking into account gender differences and cognitive abilities. Design: An open prospective non-randomized comparative clinical trial. Materials and methods: 631 children were examined, students of the first grades of secondary schools without a specialized bias № 110, 83, 75, 67, 9 Rostov-on-Don using the international questionnaire PedsQL 4.0 – Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. To assess the cognitive development of children, the D. Wexler scale was used with the determination of the intellectual coefficient. Results: First-graders with a high level of cognitive development have reduced indicators of physical and emotional functioning, as well as the overall quality of life score. Girls with a high intellectual coefficient, in comparison with boys, have lower physical, emotional, school functioning and higher indicators of social functioning. The indicators of quality of life in children with a high level of cognitive development do not reflect the same in children who do "excellent". Conclusion: The revealed features of the quality of life of first-graders with different levels of cognitive development require differentiated medical, psychological and pedagogical support of children in this age period and further study of their health.

Effectiveness of Injection Strategies on Patients With Patellar Tendonitis (Jumpers' Knee): A Network Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Patellar tendonitis (PT) is a common degenerative disease of the patellar tendon that seriously affects the sports careers of elite athletes and activities of daily living of sports enthusiasts. Injection therapy is a prevalent invasive treatment for PT. This work comprehensively analyzes various injection treatments for PT that consider agent type and characteristics, frequency, and assessment timepoints by meta-analysis. PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were sources of data. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) analyzing the effect of various injection strategies on the treatment of patients with PT were considered. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Level 2. First author, year of publication, research location, registration information, patient type, sample size, age, sex, intervention, control treatment, and follow-up period in each study were extracted. Nineteen RCTs were included in the analysis. In the network meta-analysis of Victorian Institute of Sports Assessment-Patellar (VISA-P) outcomes, polidocanol (standardized mean difference (SMD), 6.52; 95% CI 4.75, 8.30; P < 0.01), tenocyte-like cells (SMD, 4.08; 95% CI 2.92, 5.25; P < 0.01), and leukocyte-poor platelet-rich plasma (LP-PRP) plus high-volume image-guided injection (HVIGI) (SMD, 1.56; 95% CI 0.62, 2.50; P < 0.01) were significantly superior to noninjection conservative treatment, mainly at the 6-month follow-up timepoint. For visual analog scale results, multiple dry needling (DN) (SMD, -1.78; 95% CI -2.56, -1.00; P < 0.01), LP-PRP (SMD, -0.71; 95% CI -1.31, -0.12; P = 0.02), and LP-PRP plus HVIGI (SMD, -1.31; 95% CI -2.22, -0.39; P < 0.01) were significantly superior to blank, which was also mainly at the 6-month timepoint. Injection-related treatments: polidocanol, tenocyte-like cells, LP-PRP, and multiple DN showed potential short (1-3 months) or medium (6 months)-term treatment benefits. There is still no evidence for injection interventions with long-term therapeutic benefit.

Lipidome and metabolome profiling of longissimus lumborum beef with different ultimate pH and postmortem aging

The objective of this exploratory study was to assess the changes on lipidome and metabolome profiling of Longissimus lumborum bull muscle with different ultimate pH (pHu) and aging periods. The bull muscles classified as normal, intermediate, or high pHu were collected from a Brazilian commercial slaughterhouse, cut into steaks, individually vacuum-packaged, and aged for 3 days (3-d) or 21 days (21-d) at 2 °C. Muscle extracts were analyzed for the profiles of both lipids, by mass spectrometry (via direct flow-injection), and metabolites, by nuclear magnetic resonance, with downstream multivariate data analysis. As major results, pairwise comparisons identified C12:0 and C14:0 acylcarnitines as potential biomarkers of the intermediate pHu-muscle, which are related to lipid catabolism for alternative energy metabolism and indicate less protein breakage postmortem. Interestingly, the concentration of arginine at early postmortem aging (3-d) may influence the previously reported improved tenderness in normal and high pHu-muscles. Moreover, upregulation of fumarate, formate, and acetate with increased pHu muscle at 21-d aging indicate more intense tricarboxylic acid cycle, amino acid degradation, and pyruvate oxidation by reactive oxygen species, respectively. These three compounds (fumarate, formate, and acetate) discriminated statistically the muscle with high pHu at 21-d aging. The normal pHu-muscle showed higher concentrations of glycogenolysis and glycolysis metabolites, including glucose, mannose, and pyruvate. Hence, our results enhance knowledge of postmortem biochemical changes of beef within different pHu groups aged up to 21 days, which is essential to understand the mechanisms underpinning bull meat quality changes.

Do the liquid-free poly(ionic liquids) have good environmental reliability?

The poly(ionic liquids) (PILs) are often considered to own good stability and frequently adopted to design liquid-free ionic conductive materials, yet the environmental reliability that determines the stability of PILs has not been experimentally demonstrated. Here, three PIL ionoadhesives including homopolymer, copolymer and chemically crosslinked copolymer are fabricated and their environmental reliability has been studied through aging treatment under high temperature and high humidity. It is discovered that the bonding strength of PIL ionoadhesives drastically dropped by a sharp percentage (34.9–52.0 %) in the first 24 h and maintained stable in the following aging period. The investigation to the failure mechanism reveals the environmental reliability of PIL ionoadhesives is seriously destroyed by humidity due to the strong interactions between water molecules and ionic groups of PIL ionoadhesives, resulting in shielding of ionic groups that weakens the non-covalent interactions among PIL chains and the interfacial interactions between PIL ionoadhesives and substrates. This work reveals the environmental reliability of PILs and figures out the failure mechanism, which may provide a useful insight for further design of PIL materials.

Effective diameter of the abdominal aorta in children.

Measure out of the standard interval in the aorta diameter is a clue for aortic aneurysm or hypoplasia. Pediatric studies focusing specifically on the normal diameter of the abdominal aorta (AA) were limited in the literature. Therefore, the main goal of this work was to determine changes in the effective diameter of AA in healthy children aged 1-18years for diagnosis of vascular diseases. This retrospective work focused on abdominopelvic computed tomography views of 180 children (sex: 90 males / 90 females, average age: 9.50 ± 5.20years) without any abdominopelvic disease to measure diameters of AA, common iliac artery (CIA), external iliac artery (EIA), and first lumbar vertebra (L1). Vessel and vertebra diameters increased in pediatric subjects between 1 and 18years (p < 0.001). Considering pediatric age periods, vessel diameters increased steadily, but L1 diameter showed an irregular growth pattern between age periods. All parameters were greater in males than females (p < 0.05), except from effective diameters of AA over the coeliac trunk (p = 0.084) and over the renal artery (p = 0.051). The ratios of diameters of vessels to L1 increased depending on ages between 1 and 18years. Considering pediatric age periods, the ratios increased from infancy period to postpubescent period in irregular pattern; however, the ratios for right and left CIA, and AA over the aortic bifurcation did not alter after late childhood period. All ratios for males were similar to females (p > 0.05). Our age-specific ratios may be beneficial for surgeons and radiologists for the diagnosis of vascular disorders such as aortic aneurysm.

Early-stage intracontinental rifting in the Neoproterozoic Centralian Superbasin: Systematic U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopes in detrital and inherited zircons from the Yeneena Basin, northwest Australia

Detrital zircons from different lithostratigraphic units of Supersequence 1 across the Neoproterozoic northwest Officer and Yeneena basins were investigated using LA-ICPMS U−Pb and Lu − Hf isotope analyses to understand the source of detritus and potential links to regional tectono-magmatic events, as well as the crustal evolution of the sedimentary sources terranes. All data show that Proterozoic detritus dominate the age spectra of samples from the Yeneena Basin and northwest Officer Basin, with signatures varying in the heights of peaks rather than the presence or absence of age groups in different formations. The Archean and Proterozoic ages overlap with known magmatic events in the Pilbara Craton, Fortescue Basin, Rudall Province, Capricorn Orogen, Musgrave Province, Madura Province, and the Coompana Province suggesting these terranes are possible sources of the detritus. The detrital zircon population of the samples have main age peaks in the range 1300 to 1000 Ma, suggesting magmatic rocks of the Rudall and Musgrave provinces are the main sources of detrital zircons, which can be differentiated by Hf signature. The distal Musgrave Province persistently dominates the provenance of detritus in the northwestern Officer and Yeneena basins, while detritus from the proximal Rudall Province contributes to a lesser extent. This suggests that the distal Musgrave Province remained emergent during the evolution of the northwestern Officer Basin and the Yeneena Basin, whereas the proximal Rudall Province potentially became buried by the accumulating sedimentary rocks and contributed less detrital zircons. The 833.6 ± 1.4 Ma maximum depositional age obtained in this study for the sedimentary rocks of the northwestern Officer and Yeneena basins point to the approximate time of the start of basins development. The extensional event in this age period is related to emplacement and extrusion of the ca. 830 Ma Willouran Large Igneous Province (LIP). The Duke gabbro sills observed in the Yeneena Basin are part of this LIP, which extends from the Adelaide Rift Complex, through the Musgrave Province, central–northwest Officer Basin and into the Yeneena Basin. The sediment source terranes suggest a southeast–northwest oriented depositional system between central and Western Australia, possibly because of intracontinental rifting related to widespread mafic–ultramafic magmatic events that could include the earlier Ngaanyatjarra Rift formed by the 1090–1040 Ma Warakurna LIP as well as the ca. 830 Ma Willouran LIP, synchronous with the breakup of Rodinia in the mid-Neoproterozoic.

Modification on Fiber from Alkali Treatment and AESO Coating to Enhance UV-Light and Water Absorption Resistance in Kapok Fiber Reinforced Polyester Composites

ABSTRACT Environmental contamination poses a significant threat to the integrity of materials, including metals and composites. Addressing the degradation of natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites necessitates effective management strategies, particularly in mitigating UV and water-induced deterioration. This study explores the efficacy of Acrylated Epoxidized Soybean Oil (AESO) coating treatment following alkali treatment as a potential solution. Alkali treatment of Kapok fiber (KF) combined with polymer coating yielded composites exhibiting superior mechanical properties, particularly in tensile and flexural strength, following a 30-day aging period. Remarkably, the application of alkali and coating treatments led to a substantial enhancement in the mechanical strength of polyester composites, with the highest tensile strength recorded at 96.04 MPa. This represented a notable increase of 31.97% compared to untreated KF specimens. The observed enhancement in composite performance underscores the critical role of interfacial adhesion between fibers and the matrix, particularly under conditions of UV exposure and water immersion. Importantly, the study demonstrates that alkali treatment and polymer coating effectively mitigate degradation in Natural Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites, thereby offering promising avenues for enhancing their durability and longevity.