High Persistence Research Articles

Assessment of Multifractal Fingerprints of Reference Evapotranspiration Based on Multivariate Empirical Mode Decomposition

This study analyzed the multifractal characteristics of daily reference evapotranspiration (ETo) time series of the Tabriz and Urmia stations of northwestern Iran and its cross-correlation with five other meteorological variables. The results of multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MFDFA) of ETo, temperature, pressure, relative humidity solar radiation, and wind velocity showed that all the time series of both stations exhibited multifractality and long memory persistence with higher persistence and complexity in the datasets of Urmia station. Then, a multivariate empirical mode decomposition (MEMD)-(MFDFA) coupled framework was proposed to identify the dominant modes suitable for the forecasting of the different variables. The examination of reconstructed time series consistently displayed an increase in persistence and multifractality. The cross-correlation between different candidate variables and ETo was examined using a recently proposed multifractal cross-correlation analysis (MFCCA) method. The results showed that in each pair-wise cross-correlation analysis, the joint persistence is approximately half of the persistence of an individual time series, reinforcing the universality in the fractal cross-correlation analysis. The cross-correlation properties displayed diverse patterns in different pair-wise combinations of cross-correlation analysis despite the similarity of patterns among the data of the two stations.

Real-World Persistence of Ustekinumab in the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

There is an urgent need to understand the long-term real-world effectiveness of ustekinumab (UST) in the treatment of Crohn's disease (CD), fistulizing CD (FCD), and ulcerative colitis (UC). Persistence on treatment is commonly used as a surrogate measure of real-world treatment response. This study aims to estimate the long-term real-world persistence of UST in adult patients with CD, FCD, and UC. A retrospective study was conducted in patients with CD, FCD, and UC treated with UST through a national patient support program in Canada. Treatment persistence was described using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the impact of patient characteristics on persistence was explored through stratified analyses and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Persistence rates for 8724 patients with CD were 82.9%, 71.4%, 64.1%, and 59.7% at 1, 2, 3, and 4years, respectively. Similarly, persistence rates for 276 patients with FCD were 84.1%, 70.9%, 64.9%, and 63.1% at 1, 2, 3, and 4years, respectively. Persistence rates for 1291 patients with UC were 76.5% at 1year and 69.5% at 1.5years. When stratified by prior IBD-indicated biologic experience, persistence was numerically higher in biologic-naïve patients across all disease cohorts. A Cox proportional hazards model confirmed that this difference was significant in patients with CD (hazard ratio: 0.72; confidence interval: [0.65-0.79]). This study estimated long-term persistence in a large population of patients with IBD. At 1year, over three-fourths of patients remained on UST treatment in all disease cohorts, and over half of patients remained on treatment at 4years in CD and FCD patients. Biologic-naïve status was significantly associated with higher persistence in patients with CD.

Genetic differences in variants of the AMD virus at the site of a disease outbreak

Aleutian Mink Disease Virus (AMDV) results in mink breeding losses due to frequent abortion, low fecundity and high juvenile mortality. Due to the high persistence of pathogen in the environment and lack of causative treatment there is a need for research on alternative methods to eliminate the pathways of the spread of the virus and extinguish current outbreaks. The aim of the study was to investigate molecular variation of AMDV on a farm where mass deaths of mink took place.The material for the research was obtained from a mink farm located in Latvia. Mass deaths had occurred on the farm among symptoms typical of Aleutian disease. Spleen samples were collected from the dead animals during post-mortem examination. Sequencing and bioinformatic analysis made it possible to distinguish the variants occurring in the groups.The presence of the genetic material of the virus was confirmed by PCR and qPCR in each of the spleen samples. The isolates were divided into two main groups: the dominant group A, with more than 83% of all isolates, and group B. Comparison of the variants with the nonpathogenic strain AMDV-G revealed that isolates from group A were more than 95% similar to that strain, whereas the similarity of group B isolates was just over 86%. The average viral load in both groups was 108 copies; no differences in viral load were noted between groups.Testing based on serological analysis produces fairly effective screening results, but these methods do not enable complete elimination of the virus from a population. Only their use in combination with modern testing techniques as tools for identification of vectors and the directions of the spread of the AMD virus can make it possible to block the routes of its spread and to extinguish its current outbreaks.

Clinical, laboratory and ultrasonographic findings at baseline predict long-term outcome of polymyalgia rheumatica: a multicentric retrospective study

To assess the rate of PMR who, during the follow-up, undergo a diagnostic shift as well as to assess which clinical, laboratory and US findings are associated to a diagnostic shift and predict the long-term evolution of PMR. All PMR followed-up for at least 12 months were included. According to the US procedures performed at diagnosis, patients were subdivided into four subgroups. Clinical data from follow-up visits at 12, 24, 48 and 60 months, including a diagnostic shift, the number of relapses and immunosuppressive and steroid treatment, were recorded. A total of 201 patients were included. During the follow-up, up to 60% had a change in diagnosis. Bilateral LHBT was associated with persistence in PMR diagnosis, whereas GH synovitis and RF positivity to a diagnostic shift. Patients undergoing diagnostic shift had a higher frequency of GH synovitis, shoulder PD, higher CRP, WBC, PLT and Hb and longer time to achieve remission, while those maintaining diagnosis had bilateral exudative LHBT and SA-SD bursitis, higher ESR, lower Hb and shorter time to remission. Cluster analysis identified a subgroup of older patients, with lower CRP, WBC, PLT and Hb, lower PD signal or peripheral synovitis who had a higher persistence in PMR diagnosis, suffered from more flares and took more GCs. Most PMR have their diagnosis changed during follow-up. The early use of the US is associated with a lower dosage of GCs. Patients with a definite subset of clinical, laboratory and US findings seem to be more prone to maintain the diagnosis of PMR.

Temporal variability of microbiome in the different plankton hosts revealed distinct environmental persistence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in shrimp farms

Plankton-bacteria interactions may play essential roles in maintaining the persistence of pathogenic Vibrio spp. However, the actual plankton host of the toxigenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus that harbors thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH) and TDH-related hemolysin (TRH) remains unclear. To answer this question, we measured the abundance of toxigenic and nontoxigenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus in different types of plankton by most probable number (MPN)-PCR. We next investigated the dynamics of the microbiomes of rearing water, copepods, Chlorella, four predominant diatom genera (Nitzschia, Melosira, Skeletonema and Chaetoceros) and the gut of the shrimp in two recirculated shrimp farming systems from April to September using high-throughput 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The survival of trh-positive and trh-negative V. parahaemolyticus in seawater and different plankton hosts was examined under low temperature and starvation conditions. The results showed that copepods harbored the highest proportion of trh-positive V. parahaemolyticus, followed by diatoms. Chitinous diatoms (CD) harbored a high proportion of Vibrionaceae, of which a high abundance of V. parahaemolyticus was found in summer. In contrast, Vibrio spp. is rarely found in Chlorella and nonchitinous diatoms. Taxon-specific associations were also observed, including a relatively high abundance of Vibrio and Halodesulfovibrio on copepods and covariation of Aeromonas and Bacillus inside the Chlorella. The survival assays showed that, in comparison to trh-negative V. parahaemolyticus, trh-positive V. parahaemolyticus showed better survival in copepods and CD under starvation conditions and maintained high persistence in the above hosts at low temperature. In conclusion, the results herein suggested that chitinous plankton might provide protection for V. parahaemolyticus, especially trh-positive V. parahaemolyticus, and improve their persistence under harsh conditions. Our study provided in-depth insights into the persistence of V. parahaemolyticus in the environment, which would promote targeted disease prevention measures.

Persistence and Use of Ixekizumab in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis in Real-World Practice in Spain. The PRO-STIP Study.

Ixekizumab (IXE) is an IgG4-type monoclonal antibody targeting IL-17A indicated alone or in combination with methotrexate, for the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in adult patients with insufficient response or with intolerance to one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy. The PRO-STIP study aimed to describe persistence, patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and effectiveness in patients with PsA receiving IXE in a real-world clinical setting in Spain. This was an observational, multicentric, retrospective, longitudinal study in adult PsA patients who started IXE between January 2019 and December 2020, with at least 24weeks of follow-up. A descriptive analysis of patient characteristics and treatment patterns was performed. The primary objective, treatment persistence, was estimated by Kaplan-Meier survival curve. Effectiveness was evaluated by Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) scores at baseline and at 12 and 24weeks. Eighty-nine patients met the selection criteria (55.1% women and mean age 51.5years). The median time from PsA diagnosis to starting IXE was 7.7years (IQR 3.4-14.6). Prior to IXE, 95.5% patients had been treated with at least one biologic or targeted synthetic DMARD (b/tsDMARD). The observed persistence rates were 95.5%, 84.3% and 68.5% at 24, 48, and 104weeks, respectively. The median persistence was not reached in the study period (mean persistence, 86.9 [95% CI 80.6-93.2] weeks). Twenty-eight (31.5%) patients discontinued IXE, 19 patients (21.3%) due to loss of effectiveness and two patients (2.2%) due to adverse events. In patients receiving treatment and with available effectiveness assessment (n = 24), DAPSA decreased significantly from baseline 23.7 (95% CI 19.5-27.9) to 14.8 (95% CI 10.5-19.2) at 12weeks (p = 0.005) and 14.3 (95% CI 11.1-17.4) at 24weeks (p = 0.004). PsA patients treated with IXE in a real-world setting show high treatment persistence through 104weeks and improvements in disease activity after treatment initiation. This suggests that IXE could be an effective treatment for patients with PsA. Date of registration: 25th May 2021.

Ganoderma boninense: general characteristics of pathogenicity and methods of control.

Ganoderma boninense (G. boninense) is a soil-borne fungus threatening oil palm at the present. It causes basal stem rot disease on oil palm. Within six months, this fungus can cause an oil palm plantation to suffer a significant 43% economic loss. The high persistence and nature of spread of G. boninense in soil make control of the disease challenging. Therefore, controlling the pathogen requires a thorough understanding of the mechanisms that underlie pathogenicity as well as its interactions with host plants. In this paper, we present the general characteristics, the pathogenic mechanisms, and the host's defensive system of G. boninense. We also review upcoming and most promising techniques for disease management that will have the least negative effects on the environment and natural resources.

D-Penicillamine@Ag/Cu Nanocluster-Based Fluorescent Nanoneuron for Logic Screening Phosphonate-Type Organophosphate Pesticides and Steganographically Encrypting Information.

Organophosphate pesticides are used in agriculture due to their high effectiveness and low persistence in eradicating insects and pests. However, conventional detection methods encounter the limitation of undesired detection specificity. Thus, screening phosphonate-type organophosphate pesticides (OOPs) from their analogues, phosphorothioate organophosphate pesticides (SOPs), remains a challenge. Here, we reported a d-penicillamine@Ag/Cu nanocluster (DPA@Ag/Cu NCs)-based fluorescence assay to screen OOPs from 21 kinds of organophosphate pesticides, which can be used for logic sensing and information encryption. Acetylthiocholine chloride was enzymatically split by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) to produce thiocholine, which reduced the fluorescence of DPA@Ag/Cu NCs due to the transmission of electrons from DPA@Ag/Cu NCs donor to the thiol group acceptor. Impressively, OOPs acted as an AChE inhibitor and retained the high fluorescence of DPA@Ag/Cu NCs due to the stronger positive electricity of the phosphorus atom. Conversely, SOPs possessed weak toxicity to AChE, which led to low fluorescence intensity. By setting 21 kinds of organophosphate pesticides as the inputs and the fluorescence of the resulting products as the outputs, DPA@Ag/Cu NCs could serve as a fluorescent nanoneuron to construct Boolean logic tree and complex logic circuit for molecular computing. As a proof of concept, by converting the selective response patterns of DPA@Ag/Cu NCs into binary strings, molecular crypto-steganography for encoding, storing, and concealing information was successfully achieved. This study is expected to advance the progress and practical application of nanoclusters in the area of logic detection and information security while also enhancing the relationship between molecular sensors and the world of information.

2,2′,4,4′-tetrabromodiphenyl ether causes depigmentation in zebrafish larvae via a light-mediated pathway

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are organic pollutants widely detected in various environmental media due to their high persistence and bioaccumulation. PBDE-induced visual impairment and neurotoxicity were previously demonstrated using zebrafish (Danio rerio) models, and recent research reported the phenotypic depigmentation effect of PBDEs at high concentrations on zebrafish, but whether those effects are still present at environment-relevant levels is still unclear. Herein, we performed both phenotypic examination and mechanism investigation in zebrafish embryos (48 hpf) and larvae (5 dpf) about their pigmentation status when exposing to PBDE congener BDE-47 (2,2′,4,4′-tetrabrominated diphenyl ether) at levels from 0.25 to 25 μg/L. Results showed that low-level BDE-47 can restrain the relative melanin abundance of zebrafish larvae to 70.47% (p < 0.05) and 61.54% (p < 0.01) respectively under 2.5 and 25 μg/L BDE-47 compared with control, and the thickness of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) remarkably reduced from 571.4 nm to 350.3 nm (p < 0.001) under 25 μg/L BDE-47 exposure. We also observed disrupted expressions of melanin synthesis genes and disorganized mitfa differentiation patterns based on Tg(mifta:EGFP), as well as visual impairment resulting from thinner RPE. Considering both processes of visual development and melanin synthesis are highly sensitive to ambient light conditions, we prolonged the light regime of maintaining zebrafish larvae from 14 hours light versus 10 hours dark (14L:10D) to 18 hours light versus 6 hours dark (18L:6D). Lengthening photoperiod successfully rescued the fluorescent level of mitfa in zebrafish epidermis and most gene expressions associated with melanin synthesis under 25 μg/L BDE-47 exposure to the normal level. In conclusion, our work reported the effects of low-level PBDEs on melanin production using zebrafish embryos and larvae, and identified the potential role of a light-mediated pathway in the neurotoxic mechanism of PBDEs.

Adsorption and permeability of heavy metals (Fe, Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, and Cd) onto the adaxial cuticle of Ficus elastica leaf

Air pollution represents a serious worldwide problem as atmospheric deposition of pollutants widely affects human and wildlife health. Heavy metals are significant pollutants with high toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation. In an environment polluted by industry and transportation, deposits of heavy metals on the leaves and their subsequent uptake by the plant occur. The leaf cuticle is the most important barrier between plant tissue and the atmosphere. To understand the processes of adsorption of heavy metals and their diffusion into the leaf, adaxial cuticles of Ficus elastica were enzymatically isolated and used in batch adsorption experiments and permeability measurements using diffusion chambers. A demonstration experiment with a whole leaf was also carried out, which pointed to the real uptake of metals by the leaf. Cuticles were subjected to characterization by methods of elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. In the adsorption experiment, significant differences in the maximum adsorption capacity (Cd>Pb>Cr>Fe>Cu>Zn), and mechanism of adsorption (Langmuir model for Fe and Cr, Freundlich model for Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd) were found. The permeability of intact adaxial cuticle for studied heavy metals did not differ significantly. The extent of foliar uptake differed between metals, with the relatively highest uptake of Fe and Zn. The transport of metals in the leaf was also observed. It seems that adsorption to the leaf surface more than the permeability of the cuticle is a limiting factor for foliar uptake of heavy metals from atmospheric deposits.

Regional Disparities in Inflation Persistence: Unpacking the Dynamics of Price Growth in Portugal

&lt;p&gt;&lt;big&gt;This paper investigates the degree of inflation persistence across regions in Portugal by analyzing the Consumer Price Index (CPI) growth rates for NUTS II regions. The study employs the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test to determine whether the CPI data for Portugal is stationary or non-stationary. The results of the ADF test reveal that the IPC data for Portugal is non-stationary, indicating that inflation exhibits persistence in the long run. The study further assesses the persistence of inflation by estimating an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model for each region. The Ljung-Box test is used to test for autocorrelation in the time series data, and the Hurst exponent is calculated to evaluate the presence of long-term memory in the time series data. The study finds that there is significant autocorrelation in the time series data for all regions, supporting the presence of persistence in inflation at the regional level in Portugal. The Hurst exponent also shows that the time series data for each region exhibits a high degree of persistence in inflation. Finally, the study applies the ARIMA model to each CPI division&amp;#39;s data and uses the Ljung-Box test to test for autocorrelation in the time series data. The results show that some CPI divisions exhibited higher levels of persistence compared to others. For example, the &amp;quot;Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels&amp;quot; division exhibited high persistence, while the &amp;quot;Communication&amp;quot; division exhibited low persistence. This study contributes to the existing literature by exploring regional inflation persistence in Portugal and its implications for policymaking. The results provide insights into the inflation persistence patterns across regional levels in Portugal, by emphasizing the need to consider regional differences in inflation dynamics when formulating effective policy interventions. Understanding the persistence of inflation is crucial for policymakers to ensure price stability and sustainable economic growth.&lt;/big&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Okra Micro-Cellulose Crystal (MCC) and Micro-Clay Composites for the Remediation of Copper, Nickel, and Dye (Basic Yellow II) from Wastewater

Water pollution by contaminants such as toxic metals and dyes is now a major concern due to their high toxicity and persistence in the environment. Advances in nanotechnology have enabled the use of micro/nanomaterials to treat and purify water in various industries. In this study, Bijoypur clay was modified with ethyldiamine and incorporated into an okra fiber (Abelmoschus esculentus) micro-cellulose crystal (MCC) to produce a composite that could absorb copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and dyes like basic yellow (II) from industrial wastewater. Composites were prepared using different percentages of MCC and clay. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was used to determine the concentrations of Cu and Ni whereas a UV–Visible spectrophotometer measured the absorbance of basic yellow (II). The synthesized composites were extensively characterized using a range of techniques including thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermogravimetry (DTG), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results show that both the MCC and clay could absorb Cu, Ni, and basic yellow (II) from the contaminated wastewater. The MCC and clay composite showed the maximum efficiency of metals removal, which was up to 95% (24 mg/g) for Cu at pH 6, 20 min contact time, 2 g/L adsorbent dose, and 100% (31 mg/g) for Ni at pH 8, 60 min contact time, and 2 g/L adsorbent dose, respectively, at the initial concentration of 50 mg/L. The maximum dye uptake capacity of 85% (19 mg/g) was observed by the MCC and clay composite under optimized conditions at the initial concentration of 50 mg/L, pH 8, 30 min contact time, and 1 g/L adsorbent dose compared to the pure clay, which had an efficiency up to 26% for Cu and 24% for dye removal. All of the results indicate that incorporating clay into MCC increases the absorption capacity of contaminants from wastewater, which could be more effective for environmental applications compared to untreated cellulose.

The presence and severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms and their association with quality of life among patients with dementia

ABSTRACT Background Neuropsychiatric symptoms are common manifestations of dementia. The presence and severity of these symptoms differ depending on different personal and contextual factors. Purpose This study aimed to investigate the presence and predictors of neuropsychiatric symptoms and the association between the severity of these symptoms and the quality of life in a sample of patients with dementia in Jordan. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 112 patients with dementia residing in Jordanian nursing homes were recruited using the consecutive sampling method. Results The mean severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms was 9.58. The most prevalent neuropsychiatric symptoms among patients were depression (61.6%), followed by irritability (55.4%), and a feeling of euphoria (54.5%). The regression analysis results indicated that gender, marital status, and dementia severity significantly predicted the neuropsychiatric symptoms severity score and explained 17.70% of the variance. A significant negative correlation between the severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms and quality of life was found. Conclusion The study's results indicate that our sample reported mild neuropsychiatric symptoms. These symptoms’ high prevalence and persistence negatively impact patients’ quality of life. The study's results can help mental health nurses determine the factors impacting effective treatment strategies to combat these symptoms. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to help explain the importance of early diagnosis and management of these symptoms in preventing dementia progression.

Apremilast Adherence and Persistence in Patients with Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis in the Telehealth Setting Versus the In-person Setting During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Limited access to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic prompted patients to seek care using telehealth. In this study, we assessed whether treatment patterns differed for patients with psoriasis (PsO) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) initiating apremilast by either a telehealth or an in-person visit. We estimated adherence and persistence among US patients in the Merative© MarketScan© Commercial and Supplemental Medicare Databases who newly initiated apremilast between April and June 2020, categorized by the type of visit (telehealth or in-person) when apremilast was first prescribed. Adherence was defined as the proportion of days covered (PDC), with PDC ≥ 0.80 considered to indicate high adherence. Persistence was defined as having apremilast available to take without a 60-day gap during follow-up. Factors associated with high adherence and persistence were estimated with logistic and Cox regression. Among apremilast initiators (n = 505), the mean age was 47.6years, 57.8% were female, and the majority had PsO (79.6%). Telehealth index visits were more likely among patients residing in Northeast USA (odds ratio [OR] 3.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.63-6.71) and Western USA (OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.07-5.93]), those with a prescribing rheumatologist (OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.10-4.68), and those with any baseline telehealth visit (OR 1.91, 85% CI 1.20-3.04). Those initiating apremilast with a telehealth visit (n = 141) had similar mean PDC to those initiating apremilast with an in-person visit (n = 364) (0.695 vs. 0.728; p = 0.272). At the end of the 6-month follow-up, 54.3% of the overall population had high adherence (PDC ≥ 0.80) and 65.1% were persistent. After adjusting for potential confounders, patients initiating apremilast via telehealth had similar full adherence (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.52-1.21) and persistence as those initiating apremilast in-person. Patients with PsO and patients with PsA initiating apremilast via telehealth or in-person during the COVID-19 pandemic had similar medication adherence and persistence during the 6-month follow-up period. These data suggest that patients initiating apremilast can be as effectively managed with telehealth visits as with in-person visits.

Molecular patterns of neurodegeneration in coronavirus infection caused by SARS-CoV-2

BACKGROUND: The reports on the neurological and psychiatric consequences of coronavirus infection are of particular relevance owing to their limited availability. The molecular patterns of nerve tissue damage are an important task for understanding the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration.&#x0D; AIM: To study the dynamics of changes in the content of markers of neurodegeneration and neuroplasticity in patients with coronavirus infection in the acute and long-term periods.&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 200 patients aged 5183 years were assessed and categorized into two age groups: 5165 years and 6683 years. The levels of neurodegeneration markers were determined in the blood serum: neurofilament heavy chains (NEFH), S100 A6 protein, S100 B protein, -amyloid 1-42 (A1-42), microfilament associated tau protein (MAPt), serum amyloid P (SAP), and neuroplasticity: neurotrophin 3 (NT3), neurotrophin 4 (NT4). The study was performed thrice in the acute period of the disease at the time of admission to the hospital and at 6 and 12 months after discharge.&#x0D; RESULTS: In the first group of patients, in the acute period of coronavirus infection, women showed higher concentrations of S100 A6 (3.20.2), S100 B (0.40.06), NT3 (1.10.1), and MAPt (0.130.02), while the values for the men were NEFH (0.150.03), A1-42 (2.10.1), and SAP (4.50.06). In the long-term, a general tendency of long persistence of high levels of the markers of neurodegeneration and neuroprotection was noted in young men compared to women, indicating a long period of rehabilitation. After 12 months, the level of calcium-binding proteins S100 A6 and S100 B in men was 1.50.2 pg/mL and 0.30.04 ng/mL, which was 1.10.1 pg/mL and 0.20.04 ng/mL, respectively, in women. The level of SAP in men during the long-term period after 12 months was 4.30.1 versus 3.90.2 ng/mL in women, indicating a significant difference.&#x0D; Analyses of the results for the patients in the second group indicated a higher level of S100 A6 and A1-42 in the acute period for women, while men showed higher levels of S100 B, NT3, and SAP.&#x0D; CONCLUSION: The changes in patients with coronavirus infection both in the acute and late periods indicated active neurodegeneration processes in different age groups, which manifested as a result of an increase in the concentration of specific proteins in the blood serum.

Persistence and Adherence to Cardiovascular Medicines in Australia.

Background The burden of cardiovascular disease is increasing, with many people treated for multiple cardiovascular conditions. We examined persistence and adherence to medicines for cardiovascular disease treatment or prevention in Australia. Methods and Results Using national dispensing claims for a 10% random sample of people, we identified adults (≥18 years) initiating antihypertensives, statins, oral anticoagulants, or antiplatelets in 2018. We measured persistence to therapy using a 60-day permissible gap,and adherence using the proportion of days covered up to 3 years from initiation, and from first to last dispensing. We reported outcomes by age, sex, and cardiovascular multimedicine use. We identified 83 687 people initiating antihypertensives (n=37 941), statins (n=34 582), oral anticoagulants (n=15 435), or antiplatelets (n=7726). Around one-fifth of people discontinued therapy within 90 days, with 50% discontinuing within the first year. Although many people achieved high adherence (proportion of days covered ≥80%) within the first year, these rates were higher when measured from first to last dispensing (40.5% and 53.2% for statins; 55.6% and 80.5% for antiplatelets, respectively). Persistence was low at 3 years (17.5% antiplatelets to 37.3% anticoagulants). Persistence and adherence increased with age, with minor differences by sex. Over one-third of people had cardiovascular multimedicine use (reaching 92% among antiplatelet users): they had higher persistence and adherence than people using medicines from only 1 cardiovascular group. Conclusions Persistence to cardiovascular medicines decreases substantially following initiation, but adherence remains high while people are using therapy. Cardiovascular multimedicine use is common, and people using multiple cardiovascular medicines have higher rates of persistence and adherence.

A Brief Review of Immobilized Oxidoreductase Enzymes for the Removal of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals from Wastewater

Modern technological of human activities in industries or housing areas have created an unhealthy environment, particularly through unmanageable wastewater. For the time being, this kind of pollution is getting serious as it caused the emerging pollutant actively to spread to humans and living organisms. These non-biodegradable pollutants, to be specifically known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are synthetic or natural chemicals that have high toxicity and persistency which can interfere with the endocrine system in humans and animals. The removal of EDCs has received high attraction among researchers using physical-chemical treatments, however, conventional techniques do not effectively remove EDCs from wastewater. This review aims to discuss research related to biological approaches that have been carried out to efficiently remove EDCs from wastewater using oxidoreductase enzymes, especially via an immobilization strategy. In general, free enzymes have limitations to be applied in industrial scales such as low stability and fragility, and unable to separate from the bulk solution. On the other hand, immobilized enzymes offer better operational stability and reusability in harsh environments. This review also discussed the bioremediation of EDCs using several immobilized oxidoreductase enzymes like lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidases (MnP), horseradish peroxidases (HRP), laccases and tyrosinases. The application of immobilized enzymes and factors affecting the bioremediation using oxidoreductase enzymes were also explored to highlight their potential for the removal of EDCs from wastewater.

The Role of Food Addiction and Lifetime Substance Use on Eating Disorder Treatment Outcomes.

Food addiction (FA) and substance use (SU) in eating disorders (ED) have been associated with a more dysfunctional clinical and psychopathological profile. However, their impact on treatment outcomes has been poorly explored. Therefore, this transdiagnostic study is aimed at examining whether the presence of FA and/or SU is associated with treatment outcomes in patients with different ED types. The results were not able to reveal significant differences in treatment outcomes between patients with and without FA and/or SU; however, the effect sizes suggest higher dropout rates in the group with both FA and SU. The predictive models of treatment outcomes showed different features associated with each group. High persistence (i.e., tendency to perseverance and inflexibility) was the personality trait most associated with poor treatment outcomes in patients without addictions. High harm avoidance and younger age at ED onset were the variables most related to poor outcomes in patients with FA or SU. Finally, in the group with both addictive behaviors (FA and SU), the younger patients presented the poorest outcomes. In conclusion, our results suggest that, regardless of presenting addictive behaviors, patients with ED may similarly benefit from treatment. However, it may be important to consider the differential predictors of each group that might guide certain treatment targets.

P74 AMGEVITA® persistence in patients with plaque psoriasis: a retrospective database analysis from the British Association of Dermatologists Biologics and Immunomodulators Register

Abstract While multiple studies have evaluated the persistence of biologic agents in patients with plaque psoriasis (Yiu ZZN, Becher G, Kirby B et al. Drug survival associated with effectiveness and safety of treatment with guselkumab, ixekizumab, secukinumab, ustekinumab and adalimumab in patients with psoriasis. JAMA Dermatol 2022; 158:1131–41), persistence data for adalimumab biosimilars are limited. From BADBIR, we assessed AMGEVITA persistence in UK patients aged ≥ 18 years with a diagnosis of chronic plaque psoriasis, who had received at least one dose of AMGEVITA between October 2018 and July 2021 with at least 6 months of follow-up. Study outcomes included AMGEVITA persistence at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months (primary); reasons for AMGEVITA discontinuation (secondary) and Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score from baseline to 6 months after AMGEVITA start date (exploratory). Outcomes were analysed overall and separately for biologic-experienced (transitioned to AMGEVITA from another biologic) vs. biologic-naïve (started AMGEVITA with no prior biologics) patients. Persistence was defined as the continuous use of AMGEVITA from first administration to discontinuation using a permissible gap of &amp;lt; 90 days assessed using Kaplan–Meier survival methodology. Of 1432 eligible patients, most (n = 1,183; 82.6%) were biologic experienced, 40.1% (n = 574) were female and 56% were aged 35–54 years. At AMGEVITA initiation, mean (SD) time since psoriasis diagnosis overall was 25.4 (12.9) years, and 20.6 (12.6) and 26.6 (12.7) years in biologic-naïve and biologic-experienced patients, respectively; mean (SD) PASI was 8.1 (8.7) in the overall population, and 14.8 (7.6) and 3.2 (5.6) in biologic-naïve and biologic-experienced patients, respectively. Overall, AMGEVITA persistence at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months was 0.94 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.93–0.95], 0.87 (95% CI 0.86–0.89), 0.84 (95% CI 0.82–0.86) and 0.82 (95% CI 0.80–0.84), respectively; 17.7% (n = 253) of patients discontinued AMGEVITA and mean (SD) time to discontinuation was 9.4 (6.0) months. The most common reasons for AMGEVITA discontinuation were ineffectiveness (n = 102; 40.3%) and adverse events (n = 74; 29.2%). Persistence at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months was higher in biologic-experienced patients than in biologic-naïve patients: 0.94 (95% CI 0.92–0.95), 0.88 (95% CI 0.86–0.90), 0.85 (95% CI 0.83–0.87) and 0.84 (95% CI 0.81–0.86) vs. 0.94 (95% CI 0.91–0.97), 0.84 (95% CI 0.78–0.88), 0.77 (95% CI 0.71–0.82) and 0.74 (95% CI 0.68–0.80), respectively. Mean (SD) time to AMGEVITA discontinuation was similar in biologic-naïve and biologic-experienced patients: 9.0 (6.1) and 10.5 (5.6) months, respectively. Among patients with non-missing data (n = 94 in both groups), mean (SD) change in PASI score at 6 months was −11.3 (8.6) in biologic-naïve and −1.0 (4.4) in biologic-experienced patients. In conclusion, patients with chronic plaque psoriasis initiating AMGEVITA in UK clinical practice demonstrated high drug persistence over 2 years, irrespective of prior biologic use. Funding sources: this analysis was funded by Amgen.

Application of catalytic hydrodechlorination for the fast removal of chlorinated azole pesticides in drinking water

Catalytic hydrodechlorination (HDC) is regarded as a promising purifying technology for drinking water treatment. So far, it has proved to be highly effective for the removal of different groups of chlorinated micropollutants including pharmaceuticals, neonicotinoid pesticides, personal care products or chloroacetic acids. The azole pesticides, recently included in the EU Watch Lists (Decisions 2020/1161 and 2022/1307), are a group of micropollutants of particular concern for drinking water given their high toxicity, persistence, and bioaccumulation potential. In this work, the feasibility of HDC for the removal of a representative group of chlorinated azole pesticides tebuconazole (TEB), tetraconazole (TET), prochloraz (PCZ), penconazole (PEN), metconazole (MET) and imazalil (IMZ)) is demonstrated, and their reactivity is compared with that observed for other halogenated micropollutant groups. Notably, all the pesticides investigated in this work (100 μg L−1) were completely dechlorinated within 30 min under ambient conditions using a 1 wt% Pd/Al2O3 catalyst concentration of 0.25 g L−1 and a H2 feeding of 50 mL N min−1. The experimental data were accurately described by a pseudo-first order kinetic equation and rate constant values in the range from 1.08 to 2.60 L gcat−1 min−1 were obtained. These values are quite close to those achieved for the most reactive neonicotinoid pesticides and significantly higher than the obtained for chloroacetic acids and most pharmaceuticals (e.g. diclofenac, sertraline or chlorpromazine). From the identification of the generated reaction intermediates and the final non-chlorinated products, sequential reaction pathways were proposed for each pollutant. Remarkably, despite the high toxicity exhibited by the azole pesticides tested, with LC50 values within the 0.4–7.0 mg L−1 range using A. salina, HDC effluents were non-toxic in all cases. Furthermore, the catalyst showed a remarkable stability upon three consecutive runs. Finally, the versatility of the process was demonstrated in the treatment of real aqueous matrices such as DWTP and tap water, where no significant differences were found either in terms of activity or stability.