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Background: This research examined the connection between circulating FGF21 and clinicopathological findings in papillary thyroid carcinoma. Methods: This analytical cross-sectional research was conducted on patients with papillary thyroid cancer at the Seyyed Shirazi Endocrinology Clinic in Gorgan, Iran. Laboratory data, including demographics, ultrasonography and pathology reports, and FGF21 levels, were collected. The data was analyzed with SPSS 25. Normal distribution was evaluated by using Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests. Group differences were evaluated with Chi-square, independent sample t-test and Mann- Whitney U tests. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: In this research, 83% of patients were female, and the mean±SD age was 42.51±13.28 years old. The mean±SD and FGF21 concentrations in 49 patients were 716.41±458.7, the median was 489 pg/ml, and 24 (49%) patients were in the high FGF21 group. There was no statistically significant relation between FGF21 level and age (P=0.95), sex (P=>0.99), tumor size (P=0.68), tumor stage (P=>0.99), lymphadenopathy (P=>0.99), lymph node metastasis (P=0.24), triglycerides (P=0.93), total cholesterol (P=0.47), LDL (P=0.08), and HDL (P=0.08). However, FGF21 levels were significantly associated with fasting blood glucose (P=0.03), body mass index (BMI) (P=<0.0001), capsular invasion (P=0.001), lymphovascular involvement (P=0.0001) and Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TIRADS) score (P=0.02). In addition, high levels of FGF21 were found to be 78.95% sensitive and 70% specific for capsular invasion. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that FGF21 is associated with more severe papillary thyroid cancer clinicopathological features such as capsular invasion, lymphovascular involvement, TIRADS score, and BMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of natural zeolite for Cr(VI) removal from aqueous solutions. Following simple modification of adsorbent, the effect of operational parameters including pH (2–10), adsorbent dosage (2–20 g/L), contact time (5–150 min) and Cr(VI) concentration (10–50 mg/L) were studied according to one-factor-at-a-time procedure. The maximum Cr(VI) removal of 99.53% was obtained at initial pH of 2, contact time of 30 min, adsorbent dosage of 8 g/L and initial chromium concentration of 10 mg/L. The Freundlich isotherm was best fitted with experimental data (R2 = 0.951). Also, type 1pseudo second order kinetic model showed the most correlation (R2 = 1) with the experimental data. According to obtained results, it can be concluded that the application of clay-like adsorbents such as natural clinoptilolite zeolite can be considered as an efficient alternative for final treatment of effluents containing Cr(VI).

Thermally activated persulfate efficiency for the treatment of a recalcitrant high TDS wastewater was investigated. The specific character of studied wastewater was high TDS content of around 23820 mg/L and BOD5/COD ratio of 0.07. Effective operational parameters including initial pH values of 3–9, reaction temperature of 40–80°C and persulfate concentrations of 0.5–5 g/L for COD removal were investigated in batch mode experiments. Removal efficiency was pH and temperature dependent. The COD and TOC removal of 94.3% and 82.8% were obtained at persulfate concentration of 4 g/L, initial pH value of 5 and temperature of 70°C after 180 min for initial COD concentration of 1410 mg/L. The pseudo first-order kinetic model was best fitted with COD removal (R2 = 0.94).

This document is a list of articles published in the journal Frontiers in Emergency Medicine. The articles cover a range of topics related to emergency medicine, including the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia, the severity of mental health problems in healthcare professionals during the pandemic, and the usage of personal protective equipment among Iranian police officers. Other articles explore topics such as mortality prediction in COVID-19 patients, the efficacy of sofosbuvir in treating SARS-CoV-2, and challenges faced by emergency medical technicians during the pandemic. The document also includes articles on topics such as cardiac arrest, emergency department design strategies, and the effects of various interventions on patient outcomes. [Extracted from the article]

In this study, the potential of natural coagulants such as plant extracts of Cichorium intybus (Ci), Cichorium pumilum (Cp), and Cichorium endivia (Ce) was investigated for removal of water turbidity. For conducting this study, distilled water and salts of KNO3, NaNO3, NaCl, and KCl were used to prepare the extracts, and parameters such as the turbidity removal percentage, the optimal concentration of plant extracts, the type of extracted extracts, pH, the amount of total dissolved solids, hardness, alkalinity, chloride, and sulfate were examined before and after the coagulation process. In this study, after determining the efficiency of different coagulants in removing tur)bidity from turbid water, the performance of the extracts was compared with the conventional chemical coagulant of aluminum sulfate (alum). The highest turbidity removal efficiency among different extracts was related to the use of Cichorium intybus extract; the high levels of protein and amine in this extract were proved by ninhydrin and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy tests. After determining the best plant extract (Cichorium intybus species extract), the hybrid coagulant was prepared using Cichorium intybus plant extract and alum (Ci/alum) in ratios of 1:1, 1:2, and 2:1, and its potential was also studied. The results showed that increasing the coagulant concentration to an optimal level is associated with an enhancement in turbidity removal efficiency. However, increasing the coagulant concentration to levels higher than the optimum value does not affect turbidity removal efficiency, and the removal efficiency remains almost constant. The maximum turbidity removal efficiencies using Ci, alum, and hybrid Ci/alum (1:1 ratio) were 92%, 90%, and 98%, respectively, which indicates the higher efficiency hybrid coagulant in the removal of turbidity from aqueous media. The results also showed that the use of 1 M NaCl solvent for the extraction of coagulants is more effective compared to other solvents used in this study [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluoride (F-), the ion of the element fluorine, is one of the mineral elements present in nature that enters drinking water through underground aquifers and when present in high concentration it can lead to risks such as skeletal, dental, and nonskeletal fluorosis with morbidity such as decreased IQ and negative effects on brain development, tooth discolouration, and bone pain. The aim of the study, was to study the ability of activated carbon developed from almond shell (ACAS), to remove fluoride from an aqueous solution. We examined the effects on fluoride removal efficiency of contact time, initial F-concentration, pH, and ACAS mass. The equilibrium data were also examined with models including the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherms. The removal characteristics were validated through the use of different kinetic models for the estimation of the solute interaction and the nature of the biosorption. A contact time of 60 min, an adsorbent dosage of 0.6 g/L, and a pH of 3 were considered to be the optimal operational conditions. The biosorption of F-onto ACAS and the equilibrium data follow from the Langmuir adsorption isotherm with a maximum adsorption of 84.3 mg/g and a regression coefficient of R2=0.999. The kinetic studies showed that the system fitted the pseudo-second order kinetic model. Thus, this work gives new insights on the interaction of ACAS with F- in a reconstituted aqueous solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fluoride ion (F) is widely used in different industries, including the semi-conductor, power plant, and glass product industries, and is released into the environment through effluents. Accordingly, the effectiveness of chitosan in the adsorption of F from water was evaluated in this study. At different concentrations of F, the significance of contact duration, pH, and adsorbent dose was examined in laboratory conditions. To understand the mode of adsorption and its kinetics, the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherms and the pseudo-first-order, the pseudosecond order, and the intraparticle diffusion model equations for the equilibrium adsorption data were analyzed. The results for the adsorption of F onto chitosan were best described by the Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo-second order models with the correlation values for both being 0.997. A contact time of 180 min, an adsorbent dosage of 5 g/L, and a pH of 7 were considered to be the optimal operational conditions and gave a fluoride removal efficiency of 87%. We conclude that, fluoride adsorption by chitosan can effectively remove fluoride from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study was designed to present initial results on clinical presentation, therapeutic modalities, and outcome information of patients with pituitary tumors registered in Iran Pituitary Tumor Registry (IPTR). Methods: We collected data from a web-based electronic medical records of patients with various pituitary tumors referred to four tertiary care centers in the country. Retrospective analysis was performed on demographic, clinical, and therapeutic information of 298 patients including 51 clinically nonfunctioning adenoma (CNFA), 85 acromegaly, 135 prolactinoma, and 27 Cushing's disease (CD). Results: From October 2014 to July 2016, 298 people with the diagnosis of pituitary tumor were registered. Prolactinoma was the most prevalent tumor (45.3%), followed by Acromegaly (28.6%), CNFPA (17.1%), and CD (9%). Female dominance was seen among patients with prolactinoma and CD, while the majority of patients with CNFPA were male and acromegaly was equally distributed between men and women. Hypogonadal symptoms were almost always seen in all types of pituitary groups. Surgery alone was the most common therapeutic modality used in cases of acromegaly, CNFPA, and CD. However, medical therapy alone was frequently applied for cases of prolactinoma. Finally, biochemical cure was achieved in most cases of prolactinoma and CD, but only in 36.5% of acromegalics. Moreover, 80% of patients suffering from CNFPA showed no residual tumor in their imaging. Conclusion: In conclusion, this comprehensive tumor registry enables early identification, selection of best therapeutic approaches, and evaluation of long-term treatment outcomes. Furthermore, this registry can be used to improve surveillance protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This research examined the connection between circulating FGF21 and clinicopathological findings in papillary thyroid carcinoma., Methods: This analytical cross-sectional research was conducted on patients with papillary thyroid cancer at the Seyyed Shirazi Endocrinology Clinic in Gorgan, Iran. Laboratory data, including demographics, ultrasonography and pathology reports, and FGF21 levels, were collected. The data was analyzed with SPSS 25. Normal distribution was evaluated by using Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests. Group differences were evaluated with Chi-square, independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U tests. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant., Results: In this research, 83% of patients were female, and the mean±SD age was 42.51±13.28 years old. The mean±SD and FGF21 concentrations in 49 patients were 716.41±458.7, the median was 489 pg/ml, and 24 (49%) patients were in the high FGF21 group. There was no statistically significant relation between FGF21 level and age (P=0.95), sex (P=>0.99), tumor size (P=0.68), tumor stage (P=>0.99), lymphadenopathy (P=>0.99), lymph node metastasis (P=0.24), triglycerides (P=0.93), total cholesterol (P=0.47), LDL (P=0.08), and HDL (P=0.08). However, FGF21 levels were significantly associated with fasting blood glucose (P=0.03), body mass index (BMI) (P=<0.0001), capsular invasion (P=0.001), lymphovascular involvement (P=0.0001) and Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (TIRADS) score (P=0.02). In addition, high levels of FGF21 were found to be 78.95% sensitive and 70% specific for capsular invasion., Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that FGF21 is associated with more severe papillary thyroid cancer clinicopathological features such as capsular invasion, lymphovascular involvement, TIRADS score, and BMI., Competing Interests: The authors of this research have no financial or non-financial interests that are pertinent to disclose., (© The Author(s).)

Background: No study has been conducted to specifically demonstrate the relationship between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) status, inflammatory factors, and postnatal umbilical coiling index (pUCI). Understanding this relationship could help select the best interventions to save the fetus. To evaluate the effects of maternal venous and umbilical cord blood levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on pUCI in GDM and non-GDM groups., Methods: This prospective observational study included 40 participants in each of the GDM and non-GDM groups, matched for maternal age, ethnicity, and parity. The GDM diagnosis was confirmed by 24 to 28 weeks of gestation (WOG) and a 2-step strategy. The covariates of interest were maternal hs-CRP and TNF-α, measured at 37 to 40 WOG, and their UC analogous was measured during delivery. The gross morphologies were assessed immediately after delivery. The UC coiling was quantitatively assessed by the pUCI. To compare the GDM and non-GDM groups, the t test and the Mann-Whitney test were used for normal and non-normal variables, respectively., Results: There was not a significant difference in hs-CRP and TNF-a levels in maternal venous blood or UC blood between the GDM and non-GDM groups. The mean (SD) of pUCI in the GDM and non-GDM groups were 0.28 (0.15) and 0.24 (0.21) ( P = 0.441), respectively. In the GDM group, none of the 4 covariates of interest had significant effects on the UCI. Among the non-GDM participants, merely the UC hs-CRP had a direct association with the pUCI, with a Pearson correlation of 0.54 ( P = 0.001). Impacts of hs-CRP and TNF-α on the pUCI were assessed using Poisson regression models and no significant findings were detected (95% CI, 0.999-1.001, for all parameters)., Conclusion: In the GDM group, no apparent association was observed between inflammatory factors and pUCI, although a direct association was detected between UC hs-CRP and pUCI in the non-GDM., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2023 Iran University of Medical Sciences.)