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Gait is impaired in musculoskeletal conditions, such as knee arthropathy. Gait analysis is used in clinical practice to inform diagnosis and monitor disease progression or intervention response. However, clinical gait analysis relies on subjective visual observation of walking as objective gait analysis has not been possible within clinical settings due to the expensive equipment, large-scale facilities, and highly trained staff required. Relatively low-cost wearable digital insoles may offer a solution to these challenges. In this work, we demonstrate how a digital insole measuring osteoarthritis-specific gait signatures yields similar results to the clinical gait-lab standard. To achieve this, we constructed a machine learning model, trained on force plate data collected in participants with knee arthropathy and controls. This model was highly predictive of force plate data from a validation set (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve [auROC] = 0.86; area under the precision-recall curve [auPR] = 0.90) and of a separate, independent digital insole dataset containing control and knee osteoarthritis subjects (auROC = 0.83; auPR = 0.86). After showing that digital insole-derived gait characteristics are comparable to traditional gait measurements, we next showed that a single stride of raw sensor time-series data could be accurately assigned to each subject, highlighting that individuals using digital insoles can be identified by their gait characteristics. This work provides a framework for a promising alternative to traditional clinical gait analysis methods, adds to the growing body of knowledge regarding wearable technology analytical pipelines, and supports clinical development of at-home gait assessments, with the potential to improve the ease, frequency, and depth of patient monitoring.

Abstract Background At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was limited understanding of symptom experience and disease progression. We developed and validated a fit-for-purpose disease-specific instrument to assess symptoms in patients with COVID-19 to inform endpoints in an interventional trial for non-hospitalized patients. Methods The initial drafting of the 23-item Symptoms Evolution of COVID-19 (SE-C19) Instrument was developed based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention symptom list and available published literature specific to patients with COVID-19 as of Spring 2020. The measurement principles outlined in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Patient-Reported Outcomes (PRO) guidance and the FDA's series of four methodological Patient-Focused Drug Development guidance documents were also considered. Following initial development, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 30 non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Interviews involved two stages: (1) concept elicitation, to obtain information about the symptoms experienced as a result of COVID-19 in the patients’ own words, and (2) cognitive debriefing, for patients to describe their understanding of the SE-C19 instructions, specific symptoms, response options, and recall period to ensure the content of the SE-C19 is relevant and comprehensive. Five clinicians treating COVID-19 outpatients were also interviewed to obtain their insights on symptoms experienced by patients and provide input on the SE-C19. Results Patients reported no issues regarding the relevance or appropriateness of the SE-C19 instructions, including the 24-h recall period. The comprehensiveness of the SE-C19 was confirmed against the conceptualization of the patient experience of symptoms developed in the qualitative research. Minor conceptual gaps were revealed to capture nuances in the experience of nasal and gustatory symptoms and systemic manifestations of sickness. Almost all items were endorsed by patients as being appropriate, well understood, and easy to respond to. The clinicians largely approved all items, response options, and recall period. Conclusions The qualitative research provided supportive evidence of the content validity of the SE-C19 to assess the symptoms of outpatients with COVID-19, and its use in clinical trials to evaluate the benefit of treatment. Minor changes may be considered to improve conceptual clarity and ease of responding.

Copyright of Zgodovina za Vse is the property of Zgodovinsko Drustvo Celje (The Historical Society of Celje) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of KLIO: Beiträge zur Alten Geschichte is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Mine Water & the Environment is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A low-cost adsorbent for Ni(II) uptake was developed using orange peel waste after pretreatment with ethanol/water at 40 °C for 6 h. Various experimental factors such as pH, adsorbent dosage, and contact time were investigated, with optimal conditions determined to be pH 5, an orange peel dose of 2.5 g/L, and a contact time of 90 min. The characterization of the adsorbent was analyzed. The linear and nonlinear isotherm and kinetic models were investigated. The Langmuir model suggested chemisorption with a 19.42 mg/g capacity, following pseudo-second-order kinetics. The thermodynamic analysis revealed that the uptake was exothermic (ΔH° < 0), feasible, and spontaneous (ΔG° < 0). Regeneration studies (NaCl, NaOH, HCl, HNO3), interference studies (Al3+, Cd2+, Ca2+, Na+, mixed solution), and application studies with real water samples (wastewater, drainage water, tap water, bottled water) were also conducted. A possible uptake mechanism was suggested. Utilizing ethanol/water-pretreated orange peels (EOP) addresses organic biomass waste disposal and offers a cost-effective, readily available solution for heavy metal removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several low-cost adsorbents, including orange mesocarp (OMS), Bengal gram husk (BGH), and Khangar, were investigated for their capability to absorb chromium hexavalent ions from synthetic solutions. Process parameters like pH, dose of the adsorbent, concentration of metal ions, and the time they remain in contact were used to calculate the equilibrium adsorption levels. The most crucial factor for removing Cr(VI) ions was observed to be pH. The highest removal for Cr(VI) was determined to be 87%, 90%, and 92%, for OMS, BGH, and Khangar adsorbents respectively. Langmuir adsorption isotherm was observed to be the best fitted, with regression values (R2) of 0.988, 0.974, and 0.989 for OMS, BGH, and Khangar, separately. The kinetic study of Cr(VI) was best expressed with pseudo-second-order. Adsorption process was found to be endothermic and spontaneous in nature with enthalpy (ΔH0) of 48.74, 52.54, and 53.68 KJ mol−1 and entropy of 48.95, 52.78, and 53.93 KJ K−1mol−1 for OMS, BGH, and Khangar respectively. Also, the possible use of OMS, BGH, and Khangar for Cr(VI) ion removal is indicated by the possibility of reusing adsorbents successfully up to three times. According to the study out of the three adsorbents, Khangar was observed to be the most efficient adsorbent for extracting Cr(VI) ions from an aqueous medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Removal of heavy metal pollutants from wastewater is critical for preserving a clean environmental setting and guaranteeing universal well-being. Physical, chemical, and biological approaches have been devised for the removal of heavy metals from various wastewater sources. Methods used include electrocoagulation (EC) and adsorption (AD). Although both methods are reported to be efficiently applied in wastewater treatment, the EC method is impeded by high energy consumption, particularly when treating concentrated effluents, as it demands substantial current for coagulant formation. Alternatively, the AD process is hindered by adsorbent saturation and the competitive effects of specific chemicals. Here, we only found limited studies on integrated EC-AD combined process, where the AD and EC were either used in separate or combined system vessels to augment the removal efficiency of heavy metal ions from wastewater or synthetic solutions. It is imperative to conduct more studies on synergistic approaches that combine adsorption with other wastewater treatment methods to address current limits and optimize removal processes. The review identified current density, pH, time, temperature, and adsorbent dosages as factors influencing the EC-AD process in heavy in the removal of heavy metals from wastewater. Although electrocoagulation combined with adsorption has been explored in several studies which have been confined to synthetic effluents, limiting their relevance to real-world scenarios. Therefore, this review proposes for development and design of EC-AD combined technologies to exploit their strengths and minimize associated limitations. Overall, the combined strategies proved more effective and economical compared to individual adsorption and electrocoagulation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of civilization, coupled with growing industrialization in many countries, is placing more demand on the available water sources. At the same time, the daily surge in wastes generated by man's anthropogenic activities has led to microbial, organic and inorganic contamination of water sources. Based on available evidence, significant research efforts are being made into the use of low‐cost agricultural materials such as Carica papaya seed (CPS) in the removal of these contaminants from water sources in a bid to provide clean water. In the present review, the organic, inorganic and microbial contaminants in waters were elucidated. Furthermore, the chemical composition of the CPS was illustrated. The adsorption capacity and efficiency of CPS and their composites in the remediation of the selected contaminants were discussed while identifying the various factors affecting the adsorption efficiency. Finally, the reusability of this agricultural material was discussed. Solution pH was identified as a major factor influencing the sorption process. The high removal efficiency reported in the studies that adopted CPS showed its vast potential in the elimination of contaminants from water sources. Also, the regenerative potential of the adsorbent over several cycles indicated its long‐term use. The economic feasibility and environmental sustainability afforded by using CPS chart a path for further investigation into the use of other low‐cost agricultural materials in the elimination of environmental contaminants. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research work, intensifying the possibility of protonated orange peel to uptake thorium (IV) ions from aqueous solutions in a batch system was investigated and optimized using the response surface methodology. The effect of three independent process variables including thorium initial concentration, pH, and biosorbent dosage was assessed based on the central composite design. The validity of the quadratic model was verified by the coefficient of determination. The optimization results showed that the rate of thorium (IV) uptake under optimal conditions is 183.95 mg/g. The modeling results showed that the experimental data of thorium biosorption kinetics are fitted well by the pseudo-second-order model. According to the results, the biosorption process reached equilibrium after around 4 h of contact. The Langmuir isotherm describes the experimental biosorption equilibrium data well. The maximum absorption capacity of protonated orange peel for thorium adsorption was estimated by the Langmuir isotherm at 236.97 mg/g. Thermodynamic studies show that thorium adsorption on protonated orange peel is thermodynamically feasible, spontaneous, and endothermic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White rot fungi have attracted attention for their effectiveness in removing pollutants from aqueous solutions, both in terms of cost and environmental safety. Therefore, the free and entrapped Lentinus sajor-caju was used as a model white rot fungus to elucidate its performance in removing different phenolic pollutants from the solution. L. sajor-caju was entrapped in Ca-alginate beads and free fungus biomass was used as a control system to remove three different phenolic compounds, namely, phenol (PH), 4-nitrophenol (NP) and pentachlorophenol (PCPH) from aqueous solution. Different characterization techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer, zeta potential and contact angle analysis were performed to characterize the used adsorbents. The performance of fungal preparations for the adsorption of phenolic compounds was optimized under different operational parameters in a batch system. The removal performance of entrapped fungus was also studied in a packed bed reactor. The maximum adsorption capacity of the free and entrapped L. sajor-caju were found to be for phenol 170.3 and 125.2 mg/g, for 4-nitrophenol 34.5 and 27.1 mg/g and for pentachlorophenol 398.6 and 516.7 mg/g biomass, respectively. The preferential adsorption of phenolic compounds by both adsorbents was followed in the order of pentachlorophenol > phenol > 4-nitrophenol. All phenolic compounds adsorption on the fungus preparations is well described with the Freundlich isotherm model, and the results are in good agreement with the heterogeneity of free and immobilized L. sajor-caju biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Individualpsychologie is the property of Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Münchener Theologische Zeitschrift is the property of EOS - EDITIONS SANKT OTTILIEN and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Heritable polymorphisms within the human IgG locus, collectively termed allotypes, have often been linked by statistical associations, but rarely mechanistically, to a wide range of disease states. One potential explanation for these associations is that IgG allotype alters host cell receptors' affinity for IgG, dampening or enhancing an immune response depending on the nature of the change and the receptors. In this work, a panel of allotypic antibody variants were evaluated using multiplexed, label-free biophysical methods and cell-based functional assays to determine what effect, if any, human IgG polymorphisms have on antibody function. While we observed several differences in FcγR affinity among allotypes, there was little evidence of dramatically altered FcγR-based effector function or antigen recognition activity associated with this aspect of genetic variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kinetic constants for free and immobilized cells were determined by measuring reaction rates at different metal concentrations at the optimum reaction conditions. (Kmax and Vmax) were calculated from the slope and intercept of the straight lines. The pseudo-second-order rate constants are derived based on the sorption capacity of the solid phase, where K2 is the rate constant for the pseudo-second-order model. Determined experimentally by plotting t/q against t. The mean free vitality of adsorption (E) was figured as 2.62 kJ mol−1 and the extent of E communicated gives data on the adsorption mechanism. An E value ranging from 1 to 8 indicates physisorption and 8–16 kJ mol−1 predicts ion exchange. Thus, the evaluated value of 2.62 kJ mol−1 predicts the phenomenon of physisorption, which suggests that metal ions were favorably adsorbed by this biosorbent in a multi-layer fashion. The overall result suggested that 98.2% of U (VI) by biosorption of U in the mechanism of adsorption will include chemisorption mechanistic pathway: Langmuir, Freundlich, equations and the values of Kf 5.791 where KL 3.9 were determined from the linear plot of log qe vs. log Ce at 30 °C, indicating that metal ions were favorably adsorbed by this biosorbent in a multi-layer fashion and instrumentation of beads characterizing novel Binding sites using FTIR & SEM beside change in peaks position which assigned for its groups confirm biosorption of metal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The open-label RECOVERY study reported improved survival in hospitalized, SARS-CoV-2 seronegative patients treated with casirivimab and imdevimab (CAS + IMD). Methods In this phase 1/2/3, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted prior to widespread circulation of Delta and Omicron, hospitalized COVID-19 patients were randomized (1:1:1) to 2.4 g or 8.0 g CAS + IMD or placebo, and characterized at baseline for viral load and SARS-CoV-2 serostatus. Results In total, 1336 patients on low-flow or no supplemental (low-flow/no) oxygen were treated. The primary endpoint was met in seronegative patients, the least-squares mean difference (CAS + IMD versus placebo) for time-weighted average change from baseline in viral load through day 7 was −0.28 log10 copies/mL (95% confidence interval [CI], −.51 to −.05; P =.0172). The primary clinical analysis of death or mechanical ventilation from day 6 to 29 in patients with high viral load had a strong positive trend but did not reach significance. CAS + IMD numerically reduced all-cause mortality in seronegative patients through day 29 (relative risk reduction, 55.6%; 95% CI, 24.2%–74.0%). No safety concerns were noted. Conclusions In hospitalized COVID-19 patients on low-flow/no oxygen, CAS + IMD reduced viral load and likely improves clinical outcomes in the overall population, with the benefit driven by seronegative patients, and no harm observed in seropositive patients. Clinical Trials Registration NCT04426695. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the effectiveness of novel and cost-effective citrus fruit peel (oranges, agro-waste material) for the removal of four aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2in vitro. The biosorbent was described using SEM, XRF, XRD, FITR spectroscopy, and point of zero charge. The adsorption performance was optimised in a batch experiment by altering the various parameters, such as biosorbent dose (1–15 mg/mL), the preliminary concentration of AFs (20–200 ng/mL), pH (1–9), the incubation period (10–60 min), and temperature (10–45 °C). Maximum removal (90%) was achieved when using biosorbent at 10 mg, each AF concentration 100 ng/mL, pH 3, and incubation time 45 min at 37 °C. The experimental data were well-described by the Langmuir isotherm model and the monolayer coverage (Qe) was calculated to be 78.5, 77.8, 79.2, and 75.6 ng/mg for aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, and G2, respectively. The thermodynamic and kinetic studies suggested that the adsorption performance was endothermic and obeyed the pseudo-second-order rate model. Studies at different pH also proved that the adsorption of toxins would be strong and sufficient under pH variation, as found in the gastrointestinal tract. Thus the biosorption of AFs by orange peel powder might be an efficient low price detoxification method in humans and animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Linguistische Treffen in Wrocław is the property of Oficyna Wydawnicza ATUT and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A non-destructive technique like ultrasonication has played crucial role in fabrication of effective graded acoustic material from lignocellulosic waste material. The peculiar structural configurations inside the orange peel have attracted the researcher to fabricate green acoustic material as well as many technological products.The noise reduction property of orange peel fibres of different particle size has been improved considerably after ultrasonically mercerization of NaOH. Advanced characterization and measurement was performed to execute the orange peel as an advanced acoustic material with sound absorption coefficient 0.886 which is a Class-B noise absorber. The TGA and DSC analysis was performed with biodegradability 66.2% which is quite favourable from the environmental point of view. The data recorded from DSC analysis indicates the high resistance of temperature up to 371.51 °C. Thermal conductivity of the fabricated orange peel composite was measured by thermal analyzer with TS-3 sensor of accuracy ± 10%. The linear regression analysis of thermal conductivity and sound absorption coefficient are supporting experimental value making coefficient of correlation (R2) close to unit. The result confirms that ultrasonic treated composite has potential to absorb 88.6% of sound classifying it a Class-B noise absorber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To model complex systems, individual-based models (IBMs), sometimes called "agent-based models" (ABMs), describe a simplification of the system through an adequate representation of the elements. IBMs simulate the actions and interaction of discrete individuals/agents within a system in order to discover the pattern of behavior that comes from these interactions. Examples of individuals/agents in biological systems are individual immune cells and bacteria that act independently with their own unique attributes defined by behavioral rules. In IBMs, each of these agents resides in a spatial environment and interactions are guided by predefined rules. These rules are often simple and can be easily implemented. It is expected that following the interaction guided by these rules we will have a better understanding of agent-agent interaction as well as agent-environment interaction. Stochasticity described by probability distributions must be accounted for. Events that seldom occur such as the accumulation of rare mutations can be easily modeled.Thus, IBMs are able to track the behavior of each individual/agent within the model while also obtaining information on the results of their collective behaviors. The influence of impact of one agent with another can be captured, thus allowing a full representation of both direct and indirect causation on the aggregate results. This means that important new insights can be gained and hypotheses tested., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was limited understanding of symptom experience and disease progression. We developed and validated a fit-for-purpose disease-specific instrument to assess symptoms in patients with COVID-19 to inform endpoints in an interventional trial for non-hospitalized patients. Methods: The initial drafting of the 23-item Symptoms Evolution of COVID-19 (SE-C19) Instrument was developed based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention symptom list and available published literature specific to patients with COVID-19 as of Spring 2020. The measurement principles outlined in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Patient-Reported Outcomes (PRO) guidance and the FDA's series of four methodological Patient-Focused Drug Development guidance documents were also considered. Following initial development, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 30 non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Interviews involved two stages: (1) concept elicitation, to obtain information about the symptoms experienced as a result of COVID-19 in the patients' own words, and (2) cognitive debriefing, for patients to describe their understanding of the SE-C19 instructions, specific symptoms, response options, and recall period to ensure the content of the SE-C19 is relevant and comprehensive. Five clinicians treating COVID-19 outpatients were also interviewed to obtain their insights on symptoms experienced by patients and provide input on the SE-C19. Results: Patients reported no issues regarding the relevance or appropriateness of the SE-C19 instructions, including the 24-h recall period. The comprehensiveness of the SE-C19 was confirmed against the conceptualization of the patient experience of symptoms developed in the qualitative research. Minor conceptual gaps were revealed to capture nuances in the experience of nasal and gustatory symptoms and systemic manifestations of sickness. Almost all items were endorsed by patients as being appropriate, well understood, and easy to respond to. The clinicians largely approved all items, response options, and recall period. Conclusions: The qualitative research provided supportive evidence of the content validity of the SE-C19 to assess the symptoms of outpatients with COVID-19, and its use in clinical trials to evaluate the benefit of treatment. Minor changes may be considered to improve conceptual clarity and ease of responding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]