Results Of Analyses Research Articles

Sol-Gel synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity of Cobalt doped ZnO nanoparticles

In the current study, Cobalt (Co) doped ZnO nanoparticles with different dopant concentrations are prepared using the sol-gel process. All the synthesized samples are characterised using a variety of instrumentation methods including XRD, FT-IR, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, FE-SEM, EDAX, HRTEM and XPS. The XRD measurements revealed the crystallite sizes of the fabricated samples are reduced by increasing cobalt concentrations. The various functional groups present in the doped materials are identified using FT-IR spectra. According to the UV-vis absorption study, as Co dopant concentration rises, the energy band gap narrows down in comparison to pure ZnO. According to an FESEM image, Co doping in ZnO causes a shift in the morphology of the material, making for structures that resemble flowers almost exactly. The various elemental compositions are evaluated using EDAX. The results of analyses employing high-resonance transmission electron microscopy show that the two co-doped ZnO crystallites combine to produce spherical structures with a mean size of 16 nm. This is consistent with the crystallite size predicted by Scherrer's formula. According to the results of the XPS analysis, the Co ion was integrated into the ZnO lattice in a Co2+ oxidised form. The 0.3M Cobalt doped sample showed improved photocatalytic reaction efficiency of methylene blue. As the Co doping concentrations increased, the photocatalytic reaction's efficiency also increased.

Association between regional critical care capacity and the incidence of invasive mechanical ventilation for coronavirus disease 2019: a population-based cohort study

BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has exposed critical care supply shortages worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the association between regional critical care capacity and the incidence of invasive mechanical ventilation following novel COVID-19 during the pandemic in Japan, a country with a limited intensive care unit (ICU) bed capacity of a median of 5.1 ICU beds per 100,000 individuals.MethodsThis population-based cohort study used data from the CRoss Icu Searchable Information System database and publicly available databases provided by the Japanese government and Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine. We identified patients recently diagnosed with COVID-19, those who received invasive mechanical ventilation, and those who received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) between February 2020 and March 2023. We analyzed the association between regional critical care capacity (ICU beds, high-dependency care unit (HDU) beds, resource-rich ICU beds, and intensivists) and the incidence of invasive mechanical ventilation, ECMO, and risk-adjusted mortality across 47 Japanese prefectures.ResultsAmong the approximately 127 million individuals residing in Japan, 33,189,809 were recently diagnosed with COVID-19, with 12,203 and 1,426 COVID-19 patients on invasive mechanical ventilation and ECMO, respectively, during the study period. Prefecture-level linear regression analysis revealed that the addition of ICU beds, resource-rich ICU beds, and intensivists per 100,000 individuals increased the incidence of IMV by 5.37 (95% confidence interval, 1.99–8.76), 7.27 (1.61–12.9), and 13.12 (3.48–22.76), respectively. However, the number of HDU beds per 100,000 individuals was not statistically significantly associated with the incidence of invasive mechanical ventilation. None of the four indicators of regional critical care capacity was statistically significantly associated with the incidence of ECMO and risk-adjusted mortality.ConclusionsThe results of prefecture-level analyses demonstrate that increased numbers of ICU beds, resource-rich ICU beds, and intensivists are associated with the incidence of invasive mechanical ventilation among patients recently diagnosed with COVID-19 during the pandemic. These findings have important implications for healthcare policymakers, aiding in efficiently allocating critical care resources during crises, particularly in regions with limited ICU bed capacities.Registry and the registration no. of the study/trial The approval date of the registry was August 20, 2020, and the registration no. of the study was lUMIN000041450.

Optimization of Structural Steel Used in Concrete-Encased Steel Composite Columns via Topology Optimization

Concrete-encased steel composite columns are preferred for their exceptional ductility and strength, particularly in high-rise buildings. This research aims to enhance both the strength and ductility of these composite columns by increasing the height of the steel profile. Typically, hexagonal or circular openings, referred to as castellated elements, are incorporated into the steel profile to achieve this height increase. This study employed a topology optimization method to identify the ideal opening shape for the steel profile in concrete-encased steel composite columns. The analysis revealed a sinusoidal-like opening shape, which was then refined for manufacturing. The optimal opening shape was used to increase the height of the existing steel profile, and nonlinear analyses were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of this new optimized steel profile in concrete-encased steel composite columns. Two concrete-encased steel composite columns were designed: one with the optimal steel profile and the other with a standard steel I profile. ANSYS APDL 19.0 software was used to simulate an experiment based on an existing concrete-encased steel column to validate the nonlinear analysis. The verification analysis demonstrated a remarkable similarity between the experimental and numerical load–displacement graphs, indicating that the numerical analysis was reliable. In the analysis of the composite columns, both axial and lateral forces were applied in the nonlinear analyses. The axial force was applied at 15% of the column’s capacity, while the lateral force was applied until the composite column reached a state of failure. The results of the nonlinear analyses allowed for a comparison of load–displacement curves and the performance of the composite columns. In comparison to the standard steel I profile, the steel profile with the optimal opening shape increased load-carrying capacity by approximately 19% and energy absorption capacity by approximately 24%.

Family Physicians' Perspectives and Practices on Advance Care Planning in Regional Cities in Japan and the United States: A Convergent Parallel Mixed-Methods Study.

Advance care planning (ACP) has been widely recognized and practiced worldwide since the 1990s. However, only a few studies have compared clinicians' international perceptions of and experiences with ACP. Therefore, this study explored the perceptions and practices of family physicians (FPs) regarding ACP in Japan and the United States. We conducted a convergent parallel mixed-methods study using a cross-sectional web-based anonymous questionnaire survey to examine how the perceptions and practices of ACP differ between Japanese and American FPs working in regional cities. Responses from 20 and 19 FPs in Japan and the United States were obtained, respectively. Both FP groups received ACP training during their residency and practiced ACP with the highest regard for the patient's wishes and values. Quantitative analysis revealed that American FPs placed more emphasis on documentation and patient language skills. Qualitative analysis revealed that Japanese FPs equally emphasized communication with patients' families and with patients. We merged the results of both analyses and hypothesized that the variations in the FPs' approaches to ACP might reflect variations in their backgrounds, such as health insurance systems, cultures, and values in the two countries, rather than differences between individual physicians. Our study showed that both Japanese and American FPs respect patients' wishes in ACP, with some differences in their perceptions and practices. Therefore, FPs should understand and be flexible with their patients' values and cultural backgrounds as intercultural translators while following appropriate management procedures for successful ACP.

When reality falls short of preferences: a response surface analysis of working time arrangements and older employees’ work ability expectations

In times of labor shortages and rising regular retirement ages it becomes increasingly important to maintain older employees’ work ability. In this study, drawing on person-environment fit theory, we assume that when working time arrangements do not meet older employees’ preferences this is negatively related to their expected work ability. We operationalize expected work ability as the age until which older employees believe to be physically and mentally able to work in their job. We use a subsample of 4347 employees aged 50 to 65 of the BAuA-Working Time Survey 2017. Results of polynomial regression analyses and response surface analyses reveal that expected work ability is lower when a) actual working hours exceed preferred working hours, b) provided flextime, that is the possibility to control one’s daily beginning and end of the workday, falls short of flextime preferences, and c) work-nonwork segmentation possibilities, that is the possibility to separate work from private life, fall short of the work-nonwork segmentation preferences.Practical Relevance:Our study is of practical relevance, especially to organizations who aim to keep their older employees in the workforce. The findings indicate that not only actual working time arrangements themselves but also the fit with older employees’ preferences can play an important role to keep them in the workforce.

Information Potential of a Corpus of Scientific Texts

The article considers publicly available corpus of texts presented in the internet, characterises and considers the potential of corpus linguistics for analysing the development of scientific trends, discourse and changes in the field of terminology. A dataset based on a corpus of texts of scientific articles in a petroleum transport trade journal and the Google Books Corpus is presented. The dataset allows us to examine changes in term usage frequencies from 1940 to 2019.The results of analyses of term usage frequencies are presented, and a comparison is made between changes in the technology industry and the development of key vocabulary. The results show that studies made using data from corpuses of scientific and technical texts have good potential for understanding trends in technological development and the dynamics of change in industry and terminology.

Experimental and theoretical studies of the efficiency of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in preventing aluminum corrosion in hydrochloric acid solution

Aluminum corrosion inhibitors “{[CuI (CN)2(phen) CuII (CN)2(phen)]5H2O},(MOF1) and {[CuI(CN)2(phen)CuII(CN)2(phen)]5H2O}@TiO2 (MOF1@TiO2) were studied in one molar HCl solution”. The ML results for three different temperatures (25–45 °C) were compared with the results of PDP and EIS analyses. The adsorption of inhibitors on Al surfaces has been calculated and discussed by a Langmuir isotherm. The inhibitors that were created showed great effectiveness, with a noticeable increase in their inhibitory efficiency as the dosage was raised and the temperature was lowered. Inhibition efficiency each amounted to 88.6%, 84.5% at 400 ppm and 25 °C for MOF1@TiO2 and MOF1, respectively. Analyzing the polarization curves of synthesized inhibitors revealed that they were mixed-type inhibitors. Al was found to be surface inhibited when coated with a thin film of inhibitors, and “Al's surface morphology was assessed by different techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and atomic force microscope (AFM)”. “Theoretical models like quantum chemical and molecular dynamics simulation authenticated the experimental observation”. The MOFs exhibit exceptional corrosion resistance against Al when exposed to acidic environments, according to several tests.

The Presence of Four Pathogenic Oral Bacterial Species in Six Wild Snake Species from Southern Taiwan: Associated Factors.

The oral cavity of snakes serves as a habitat for various microorganisms, some of which may include potential zoonotic pathogens posing risks to hosts and causing wound infections in snakebite victims. Clinical studies on snakebite cases in Taiwan have identified specific pathogens, such as Enterococcus faecalis (Gram-positive), Morganella morganii, Aeromonas hydrophila, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative). However, the prevalence of these bacteria in the oral cavity of wild snakes remains largely unknown. This study investigated the occurrence of these bacteria in six wild snake species (Naja atra, Bungarus multicinctus, Trimeresurus stejnegeri, Protobothrops mucrosquamatus, Boiga kraepelini, and Elaphe taeniura friesi) from southern Taiwan, along with factors influencing their presence. Oropharyngeal swab samples were collected from a substantial number of wild-caught snakes (n = 1104), followed by DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction, and gel electrophoresis. The band positions of samples were compared with positive and negative controls to determine the presence of target bacteria in each sample. The overall occurrence rates were 67.4% for E. faecalis, 31.5% for M. morganii, 8.2% for A. hydrophila, and 7.7% for P. aeruginosa. Among snake species, B. kraepelini exhibited dominance in E. faecalis (93.4%), A. hydrophila (17.1%), and P. aeruginosa (14.5%), while male N. atra showed dominance in M. morganii (51.3%). The occurrence of E. faecalis was lowest in winter. The results of multiple logistic regression analyses suggest that factors such as species, sex, temperature, season, and coexisting pathogens may have a significant impact on the occurrence of target bacteria. These findings have implications for wildlife medicine and snakebite management.

The Association Between Dietary Magnesium Intake with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Lung Function in US Population: a Cross-sectional Study.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is now considered among the top three contributors to mortality globally. There is limited understanding surrounding the contribution of magnesium to the progression of COPD. This survey aims to evaluate the connection between dietary magnesium intake and both lung function and COPD prevalence among the US population. The research comprised 4865 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) program conducted from 2007 to 2012. To evaluate the association between dietary magnesium intake and lung function as well as COPD, the study conducted multiple regression analyses, stratified analyses, and smoothed curves. In this study, we explored the relationship between higher magnesium intake and higher FEV1 [β = 0.21 (95% CI 0.12, 0.30)] and FVC [β = 0.25 (95% CI 0.14, 0.36)] after accounting for all potential confounding factors. We demonstrated a relationship between increased magnesium intake and reduced odds of developing COPD [OR = 0.9993 (95% CI 0.9987, 1.0000)]. The results of stratified analyses further indicated that the relationship between magnesium intake and the risk of COPD is more pronounced in the 40-60 age group and males. The study demonstrated positive associations between the intake of dietary magnesium and both FEV1 and FVC. Additionally, an adverse relationship between magnesium intake and the prevalence of COPD was also observed, suggesting that supplementation with magnesium may be a practical approach to preventing and managing COPD.

Analyzing genetic diversity of chloroplast genomes in Liliales

AbstractLiliales is a monocotyledonous order and contains both photosynthetic and mycoheterotrophic species that distribute locally or worldwide. In this study, thegenetic diversity of chloroplast genomes in Liliales was explored regarding theirnucleotide diversity and repeated composition. The analysis of nucleotide diversity revealed various hotspots in large and small single-copy regions whereas the IR regions had low sequence divergence. Although each family has specific hotspots, the rps15-ycf1 region was commonly found as a highly variable area in the cpDNA of observed taxa. In the cpDNA of Liliales, mononucleotide simple sequence repeat (SSR) is the most common type. The majority of SSRs are located in non-coding regions. Similarly, more long repeats were found in non-coding areas than in coding sequences. Additionally, the complement repeat exceeds forward type in the cpDNA of Liliales. The highest number of long repeats was found in Corsia dispar whereas that of SSRswas detected in Smilax china. The results of nucleotide diversity and repeat analyses provided fundamental information for further studies on population genetics, molecular marker development and evolutionary history of Liliales.® 2022 Journal of Science and Technology - NTTU

Related in Death? Further Insights on the Curious Case of Bishop Peder Winstrup and His Grandchild’s Burial

In 2021, we published the results of genomic analyses carried out on the famous bishop of Lund, Peder Winstrup, and the mummified remains of a 5–6-month-old fetus discovered in the same burial. We concluded that the two individuals were second-degree relatives and explored the genealogy of Peder Winstrup to further understand the possible relation between them. Through this analysis, we found that the boy was most probably Winstrup’s grandson and that the two were equally likely related either through Winstrup’s son, Peder, or his daughter, Anna Maria von Böhnen. To further resolve the specific kinship relation, we generated more genomic data from both Winstrup and the boy and implemented more recently published analytical tools in detailed Y chromosome- and X chromosome-based kinship analyses to distinguish between the competing hypotheses regarding maternal and paternal relatedness. We found that the individuals’ Y chromosome lineages belonged to different sub-lineages and that the X-chromosomal kinship coefficient calculated between the two individuals were elevated, suggesting a grandparent–grandchild relation through a female, i.e., Anna Maria von Böhnen. Finally, we also performed metagenomic analyses, which did not identify any pathogens that could be unambiguously associated with the fatalities.

Two new species of Callophyllis (Rhodophyta, Kallymeniaceae) from the Russian Pacific coast

ABSTRACT Seven species of Callophyllis have been known off the Pacific coast of Russia; hovewer, molecular data have been obtained only for three species. In this study we re-examined the genus along the Russian Pacific coast using a comparative morphological study and molecular analyses based on rbcL and nrLSU. Five genetic species were identified on the Russian coast based on phylogenetics and species delimitation (ASAP and p-distance) analyses; while C. beringensis, C. papulosa and C. platyna were outscore of the analyses. The results of the molecular analyses uncovered one undescribed species, which we named C. selivanovae sp. nov. The divergence between this species and other species of the genus varied from 1.16% to 5.66%, while intraspecific divergence in the genus was in a range of 0.00%–0.22%. In phylogenetic trees C. selivanovae was recognized as sister to a diverse clade including C. thompsonii, C. beringensis, C. violacea, C. flabellulata and C. variegata from the Pacific coast of Canada. Callophyllis selivanovae from the southeastern coast of Kamchatka is morphologically close to C. beringensis, described from St. Paul Island (Bering Sea); the two species differ in features of branching, shape and size of the terminal branches. We propose a new name, C. perestenkoae sp. nov., for the algae previously listed in the Russian flora as ‘C. flabellata’. Pacific specimens assigned to C. perestenkoae differ from C. flabellata from the type locality (Atlantic, France) in having irregular branching, thicker apical branches, and smaller cystocarps. We also filled in the gaps in the description of C. radula for which procarp and tetrasporangia are described herein for the first time.

Assessing the causal relationships of gut microbial genera with hyperuricemia and gout using two-sample Mendelian randomization

Background and aimsThe causal relationship between gut microbiota and gout and hyperuricemia (HUA) has not been clarified. The objective of this research was to evaluate the potential causal effects of gut microbiota on HUA and gout using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Methods and resultsGenetic instruments were selected using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) comprising a substantial number of individuals, including 18,473 participants for gut microbiome, 288,649 for serum urate (SU), and 763,813 for gout. Two-sample MR analyses were performed to determine the possible causal associations of gut microbial genera with the risk of HUA and gout using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method, and robustness of the results was confirmed by several sensitivity analyses. A reverse MR analysis was conducted on the bacterial taxa that were identified in forward MR analysis. Based on the results of MR analyses, Escherichia-Shigella (OR = 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01–1.08; P = 0.009) exhibited a positive association with SU levels, while Lachnospiraceae NC2004 group (OR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.92–0.98; P = 0.001) and Family XIII AD3011 group (OR = 0.94; 95% CI, 0.90–0.99; P = 0.015) were associated with a reduced HUA risk. Moreover, Coprococcus 3 (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.01–1.34, P = 0.031) was causally associated with a higher gout risk. In reverse MR analysis, no causal relationships were identified between these bacterial genera and HUA or gout. ConclusionThis study provides evidence for a causal association between gut microbial genera and HUA or gout, and further investigations of the underlying mechanism are warranted.

Enhancing Recommendation Systems with Skew Deviation Bias for Shilling Attack Detection

Introduction: Recommender systems serve as a powerful tool to address the challenges of information overload by delivering personalized recommendations. However, their susceptibility to profile injection or shilling attacks poses a significant threat. Malicious entities can introduce fabricated profiles into the database of users to manipulate the popularity of specific items, subsequently influencing prediction outcomes. Method: Detecting and mitigating the impact of such attacks is critical for preserving recommendation accuracy and user trust. The primary objective of this study is to develop an integrated framework for robust shilling attack detection and data sparsity mitigation in recommendation systems. This approach aims to make the system more resistant to manipulative attacks and improve recommendation quality, especially when dealing with limited data. In this paper, Skew Deviation Bias (SDB), is a novel metric that gauges the skewness within rating distributions, enabling the identification of both fabricated shilling profiles and the anomalous rating behaviors exhibited by attackers. Building upon this foundation, SDB is integrated with other statistical metrics like Rating deviation from the mean agreement (RDMA), Weighted deviation from the mean agreement (WDMA), Weighted degree of agreement (WDA), and length variance. This research investigates the impact of incorporating SDB alongside existing attributes in countering various attack scenarios, including random, average, and bandwagon attacks. Result: Extensive experiments are conducted to compare the effectiveness of SDB when integrated with existing attributes against scenarios employing only existing attributes. These experiments cover a range of attack sizes while maintaining a fixed 50% filler size. The results of thorough comparative analyses demonstrate the consistent superiority of the SDB-integrated approach, resulting in higher accuracy across all attack types compared to scenarios using only existing attributes. Notably, the random attack scenario shows the most significant accuracy improvement among the evaluated scenarios. Conclusion: The approach achieves a detection accuracy of 97.08% for random shilling attacks, affirming its robustness. Furthermore, in the context of data sparsity, the approach notably enhances recommendation quality.

Task engagement in second language acquisition: a questionnaire development and validation study

ABSTRACT The construct of task engagement, or engagement towards a specific activity or task, has been foregrounded as a significant element of student learning in second language (L2) education. Considered as motivation in action, task engagement is so crucial for L2 learning that no learning is likely to take place without it (Hiver et al. 2021. “Engagement in Language Learning: A Systematic Review of 20 Years of Research Methods and Definitions.” Language Teaching Research 28: 201–230. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688211001289). Nonetheless, its underlying components and measurement have received scant attention in L2 research. To address this gap, our study intended to design and validate a comprehensive questionnaire that assesses learners’ task engagement in English as a foreign language (EFL) learning situations. The data were gathered from 481 undergraduate EFL learners. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) demonstrated a five-factor model of task engagement with 25 reliable and valid items. The five extracted factors included emotional, agentic, behavioural, social, and cognitive engagement. The results may inform L2 teachers, students, materials developers, and researchers of the criticality of task engagement in academic performance and success rate of EFL learners. Future research directions in this line of inquiry are also presented to avid researchers.

Halomonas citrativorans sp. nov., Halomonas casei sp. nov. and Halomonas colorata sp. nov., isolated from French cheese rinds.

Eight Gram-stain-negative bacterial strains were isolated from cheese rinds sampled in France. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, all isolates were assigned to the genus Halomonas. Phylogenetic investigations, including 16S rRNA gene studies, multilocus sequence analysis, reconstruction of a pan-genome phylogenetic tree with the concatenated core-genome content and average nucleotide identity (ANI) calculations, revealed that they constituted three novel and well-supported clusters. The closest relative species, determined using the whole-genome sequences of the strains, were Halomonas zhanjiangensis for two groups of cheese strains, sharing 82.4 and 93.1 % ANI, and another cluster sharing 92.2 % ANI with the Halomonas profundi type strain. The strains isolated herein differed from the previously described species by ANI values <95 % and several biochemical, enzymatic and colony characteristics. The results of phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic analyses indicated that the isolates belonged to three novel Halomonas species, for which the names Halomonas citrativorans sp. nov., Halomonas casei sp. nov. and Halomonas colorata sp. nov. are proposed, with isolates FME63T (=DSM 113315T=CIRM-BIA2430T=CIP 111880T=LMG 32013T), FME64T (=DSM 113316T=CIRM-BIA2431T=CIP 111877T=LMG 32015T) and FME66T (=DSM 113318T=CIRM-BIA2433T=CIP 111876T=LMG 32014T) as type strains, respectively.

The effects of Student Success Skills on attendance and emotion regulation

AbstractThis study examines the effects of the Student Success Skills (SSS) intervention, an Advocating Student‐within‐Environment‐informed intervention, on Hispanic students’ (N = 681) school attendance and emotion regulation. The study variables reflected students’ attendance, self‐regulation, and test anxiety. The school counselors in the treatment group (n = 15) delivered the SSS program, while those in the control group (n = 15) did not. The results of multivariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVA) tests revealed significant differences in school attendance and test anxiety 30 weeks following the fifth SSS lesson. Statistical significance for self‐regulation was found only 2 weeks after the fifth SSS lesson.

The Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Sexual Fantasy Experience Scale.

Clinicians and researchers consider sexual fantasies to be a central aspect of human sexuality. Although these are subjective experiences, most studies have assessed only their frequency and content. A measure that assesses individuals' subjective experience of sexual fantasies is therefore needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a new measure, the Sexual Fantasy Experience Scale (SFES). In Study 1, the SFES was administered to 391 participants (240 defined themselves as women, 149 as men, and2 as other). In Study 2, the SFES was administered to 426 participants (255 defined themselves as women,167 as men, and 4 as other), along with a battery of questionnaires including the New Sexual Satisfaction Scale Short Form and the Global Measure of Sexual Satisfaction, both of which measure sexual satisfaction, as well as the Sexual Fantasy Checklist, which evaluates the content of sexual fantasies and their frequency. Five reliable SFES subscales emerged from Study 1: playfulness, limitlessness, functionality, intrusiveness, and shame. In Study 2, a confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the scale's underlying factor structure, which was obtained in Study 1. The subscales of the SFES contributed to the explained variance of the assessments of sexual satisfaction, beyond the contribution of the fantasies' content and frequency, demonstrating the incremental validity of the subscales. The results of the present analyses suggest that the SFES has good psychometric properties, making it useful as an assessment tool for future research, clinical practice, and sex education.

Epidemiological Characteristics and Prognosis Model of Pineal Region Tumors: A Retrospective Analysis Based on the SEER Database

BackgroundPineal region tumor is a rare intracranial tumor, and its special location leads to its own characteristics. This study aimed to provide some insight to the medical practice for the care of pineal region tumor. It investigated key epidemiological characteristics and survival prognosis of pineal tumors based the epidemic data from SEER database. MethodsData of pineal region tumor patients from 1975 to 2019 were extracted from the SEER database and divided all data into three pathologic groups: "Germ cell tumors (GCTs)", "Pineal parenchymal tumors (PPTs) " and "Others". Patients’ overall survival (OS) was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier (K-M) method. Prognostic effect of patient’s characteristics on OS was explored via the Cox proportional hazard model. Analyses results were presented in tables and figures including K-M plots, forest plot and nomogram. A calibration curve was used to verify that the nomogram. All analyses were performed for all patients overall and by pathological group using SPSS and R language. ResultsBased on pre-defined the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 628 patients were included in this study, 440 (70.1%) males and 188 (29.9%) females. The majority of patients was between 0-19 years; 225 (35.8%) of patients’ pathological type was germinoma. Age, surgery, behavioral codes and pathology were significant factors of OS. A calibration curve was used to verify that the nomogram had a good prediction effect. ConclusionAn intuitive nomogram was developed and verified. It can predict the prognosis of patients with pineal tumors.

Adsorption optimization and modeling of Hg2+ ions from aqueous solutions using response surface methodology by SNPs–CS bionanocomposite produced from rice husk agro–industrial waste as a novel environmentally–friendly bionanoadsorbent

In the present research, extraction of silica (SiO2) from rice husk (RH) was optimized and silica nanoparticles (SNPs) was produced using it and functionalized by chitosan (CS) functional groups to obtain CS functionalized SNPs (SNPs–CS) bionanocomposite for the first time. The physical and chemical characteristics of the produced materials were examined using structural analyses. The results of structural analyses confirmed the fine structure of the produced materials. The SNPs–CS bionanocomposite was applied to effectively remove Hg2+ ions from aqueous solutions as an environmentally–friendly bionanoadsorbent and optimization and modeling of the adsorption conditions was explored using designed experiments by Design–Expert software with central composite design (CCD) and response surface methodology (RSM). Optimum adsorption conditions were obtained as solution pH of 6, SNPs–CS dosage of 0.1 g L−1 and Hg2+ ions concentration of 100 mg L−1 by removal efficiency of 85% and desirability function of 0.876. The results of adsorption kinetic showed a better fit of the pseudo–second–order model with experimental data, indicating the chemisorption of the adsorption process. The better fit of the Langmuir model with experimental data was confirmed by the results of adsorption isotherms, demonstrating monolayer adsorption on the homogeneous surface. The adsorption thermodynamic results illustrated the exothermicity and spontaneity of the adsorption reaction. The results of SNPs–CS recovery depicted its excellent recovery ability of removal efficiency with more than 90% after five consecutive adsorption and desorption cycles, which proved high potential of the produced bionanocomposite for industrial applications.