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Let S denote the subclass of the analytic function and univalent functions in D, where D is defined as a unit disk, and having the Taylor representation form of S. In this paper, we will be obtaining the second Hankel determinants, in which the elements are the logarithmic coefficients mainly for the subclass of the close-to-convex functions in S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the automotive industry, sustainable materials, such as bio-composites, are progressively being adopted due to their lightweight feature, which reduces vehicle weight, fuel consumption and pollutants emissions. Bio-composites are renewable and biodegradable, making them more environmental-friendly. However, limited investigations into the use of bio-composites in crash box applications have indicated that they lack the impact strength to fully absorb collision energy. This study aims to compare the crashworthiness performance of crash boxes made from OPEFB fiber/epoxy and kenaf fiber/epoxy composites, with conventional steel and carbon fiber/epoxy using LS-DYNA quasi-static simulations. Six different crash box designs are proposed: square, hexagonal, decagonal, hexagonal 3-cell, hexagonal 6-cell, and decagonal 10-cell structure, to evaluate the effect of these designs on crash box performance. The results show that biocomposite crash boxes are inferior to traditional materials in terms of energy absorption and specific energy absorption, but they yield better performance in crush force efficiency. In terms of design, decagonal 10-cell structure produces the highest specific energy absorption and energy absorption for bio-composites. Hence, optimization is performed on the OPEFB fibre/epoxy decagonal 10-cell crash box, aiming to increase energy absorption capability by varying the thickness, perimeter, and length of the crash box. The design is optimized by increasing thickness and maintaining length and perimeter. Compared to the original design, the optimized design improves energy absorption by 59% and specific energy absorption by 19%. The optimized design is then subjected to both quasistatic and impact loading tests, revealing that the optimized OPEFB fibre/epoxy crash box design exhibits 44% lower energy absorption than steel under quasi-static load, but it demonstrates a 56% increase in crush force efficiency and a 6 % increase in specific energy absorption. Under impact load, it shows a 91% increase in specific energy absorption compared to the traditional square steel crash box. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background This study examined the characteristics and outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) both isolated and in combination with other cardiac surgery in Malaysia from 2015 to 2021. Methods This was a retrospective study of 1346 patients analyzed on the basis of medical records, echocardiograms and surgical reports. The overall sample was both considered as a whole and divided into aortic stenosis (AS)/aortic regurgitation (AR)-predominant and similar-severity subgroups. Results The most common diagnosis was severe AS (34.6%), with the 3 most common etiologies being bicuspid valve degeneration (45.3%), trileaflet valve degeneration (36.3%) and rheumatic valve disease (12.2%). The second most common diagnosis was severe AR (25.5%), with the most common etiologies being root dilatation (21.0%), infective endocarditis (IE) (16.6%) and fused prolapse (12.2%). Rheumatic valve disease was the most common mixed disease. A total of 54.5% had AS-predominant pathology (3 most common etiologies: bicuspid valve degeneration valve, degenerative trileaflet valve and rheumatic valve disease), 36.9% had AR-predominant pathology (top etiologies: root dilatation, rheumatic valve disease and IE), and 8.6% had similar severity of AS and AR. Overall, 62.9% of patients had trileaflet valve morphology, 33.3% bicuspid, 0.6% unicuspid and 0.3% quadricuspid. For AS, the majority were high-gradient severe AS (49.9%), followed by normal-flow low-gradient (LG) severe AS (10.0%), paradoxical low-flow (LF)-LG severe AS (6.4%) and classical LF-LG severe AS (6.1%). The overall in-hospital and total 1-year mortality rates were 6.4% and 14.8%, respectively. Pure severe AS had the highest mortality. For AS-predominant pathology, the etiology with the highest mortality was trileaflet valve degeneration; for AR-predominant pathology, it was dissection. The overall survival probability at 5 years was 79.5% in all patients, 75.7% in the AS-predominant subgroup, 83.3% in the AR-predominant subgroup, and 87.3% in the similar-severity subgroup. Conclusions The 3 most common causes of AS- predominant patients undergoing SAVR is bicuspid valve degeneration, degenerative trileaflet valve and rheumatic and for AR-predominant is root dilatation, rheumatic and IE. Rheumatic valve disease is an important etiology in our SAVR patients especially in mixed aortic valve disease. Study registration IJNREC/562/2022.

Effective phosphorus (P) management is crucial for optimal blueberry production. However, a comprehensive understanding of phosphorus distribution across soil depths and types after two decades of blueberry cultivation remains a challenge. This study examines pH, EC, SOC (soil organic carbon), Total N (total nitrogen), and phosphorus fractions in soils from Japanese blueberry fields that have been cultivated for over 20 years. The soils selected for this study represent typical soils from long-term blueberry-growing regions in Japan, ensuring the relevance of the findings to these key agricultural areas. Soil samples were gathered from depths of 0–30 cm and 30–60 cm, revealing significant variations in phosphorus content that are influenced by soil properties and fertilization history. Soil types such as KS (Kuroboku soils) and FS (Fluvic soils) show higher Total P accumulation in deeper layers, whereas BFS (Brown Forest soils) and RYS (Red-Yellow soils) accumulate more in shallower layers. Long-term cultivation has led to greater non-labile phosphorus (NLP) accumulation in shallower layers of KS, BFS, and FS soils, indicating strong phosphorus fixation. BFS soil also exhibits increased organic phosphorus (NaOH-Po) at deeper depths. NaOH-Po and NaHCO3-Po, through their interactions with EC and pH, critically modulate the transformation of NLP into labile phosphorus (LP), thereby influencing overall phosphorus and nitrogen dynamics in the soil. These findings underscore the importance of tailored phosphorus fertilization strategies based on blueberry field characteristics, providing a basis for low-input phosphorus fertilization approaches.

Objective: To develop and validate bi-directional crosswalks between the Oxford Hip Score (OHS) and HOOS-12 summary impact score, and between the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) and KOOS-12 summary impact score.Methods: Data were sourced from the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Program. Patients undergoing primary joint replacement for osteoarthritis who completed the OHS and HOOS-12 or OKS and KOOS-12 instruments were included in the analysis. An equipercentile method was used to create four crosswalks, with the distribution of scores smoothed using log-linear models prior to equating. Crosswalk validity was assessed through comparison of actual vs derived scores, Pearson correlation coefficients, root mean square errors (RMSE) and Bland-Altman plots.Results: Paired OHS/HOOS-12 data and paired OKS/KOOS-12 data were available for 4,513 patients undergoing total hip replacement and 5,942 patients undergoing total knee replacement, respectively. Minimal differences were observed between actual and crosswalk-derived mean scores (actual OHS 27.55 vs derived OHS 27.56; actual HOOS-12 53.28 vs derived HOOS-12 53.31; actual OKS 27.34 vs derived OKS 27.34; actual KOOS-12 50.51 vs derived KOOS-12 50.58). High correlation was observed between actual and derived scores (Pearson's r for hip-specific instruments: 0.943-0.946; Pearson's r for knee-specific instruments: 0.925-0.931). Plotted actual vs mean derived scores also indicated robust concordance across the breadth of the instrument scales.Conclusion: These crosswalks provide close approximations of actual OHS, OKS, HOOS-12 and KOOS-12 scores, as indicated by multiple validation metrics. They offer a resource for clinicians, researchers and arthroplasty registries to support PROMs score conversion and data harmonisation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction Low phosphorus (P) use efficiency (PUE) of fertiliser is a critical problem in sustainable crop production, especially in strongly weathered tropical soils with a high P‐fixation capacity. Both intercropping and rhizobium inoculation have shown to improve the P availability of rhizosphere soil, but the effect of a combined approach of using both intercropping and rhizobium inoculation is still unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of rhizobium inoculation on the soil–plant P dynamics and fertilised PUE under the intercropping system in strongly weathered tropical soil. Materials and Methods We conducted an 85‐day cultivation pot experiment with pigeon pea (PP) and maize using highly weathered tropical soil under eight treatments: monocropping (CS) or intercropping, with or without rhizobium (Bradyrhizobium elkanii USDA61) inoculation (−I, +I) and with or without P fertilisation (0P, 50P) (2 × 2 × 2 = 8 treatments). We evaluated the effects of intercropping and rhizobium inoculation on plant growth parameters, P dynamics of the rhizosphere and bulk soil using the Hedley P fractionation method, the amount of organic acid from plant roots as a plant P‐mobilising capacity, and fertilised PUE. Results Total plant P uptake per pot was significantly increased by intercropping but not by combining intercropping and rhizobium inoculation, resulting in better fertilised PUE only in intercropping. The available inorganic P (Pi) and less labile Pi of the soil were higher in the rhizosphere than those in the bulk by intercropping under 50P and were similar in PP + I under 50 P. The amount of organic acid per pot under 50P increased with each treatment, that is, intercropping and rhizobium inoculation, but not with their combination. Conclusion The intercropping system has a strong potential to improve PUE by stimulating the P‐mobilising capacity of intercropping plant roots, whereas rhizobium inoculation of the intercropping system did not improve PUE in this study.

Despite the potential of subsoil carbon (C) to buffer or amplify climate change impacts, how fresh C and nutrients interact to control microorganismal effects on the C balance in deep soil horizons has yet to be determined. In this study, we aimed to estimate the impact of fresh C input at different soil depths on soil microbial activity. To conduct this study, Mediterranean soils from 3 layers (0–20, 20–50 and 50–100 cm of depth) were incubated over 28 days. Carbon and nutrient fluxes were measured after the addition of an amount of C equivalent to the postharvest root litter derived-C of a barley crop (4.3 atom% 13C), with and without nitrogen and phosphorus supply. We found that the microbial mineralization was C limited in the topsoil, while C and N colimited in the subsoil. These variations in stoichiometric constraints along the soil profile induced different microbial responses to C and/or nutrient addition. A stronger priming effect was observed in the topsoil than in the subsoil, and the sole C addition induced a negative C balance. Conversely, subsoil showed a positive C balance following fresh C addition, changing to critical soil C losses when nutrients were supplied with C. Our results show that fresh C input to subsoil (e.g., through deep-rooting crops) might foster soil C sequestration, but this positive effect can be reversed if such C inputs are combined with high nutrient availability (e.g., through fertilization), alleviating microbial limitation at depth.

Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the 12-item Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS-12) and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS-12) for use in evaluating outcomes after joint replacement for osteoarthritis.Design: Patient-reported outcomes data collected by the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry were used for this analysis. HOOS-12 and KOOS-12 domain (pain, function, quality of life) and summary impact data were available. The Oxford Hip Score (OHS), Oxford Knee Score (OKS) and EQ-5D-5L were used as comparators. Instruments were administered pre-operatively and at 6 months post-operatively. Internal consistency reliability, floor and ceiling effects, convergent validity, known groups validity, and responsiveness were evaluated using standard psychometric techniques.Results: Baseline HOOS-12 and KOOS-12 data were available for 3,023 patients undergoing primary total hip replacement and 4,010 patients undergoing primary total knee replacement. At baseline, high internal consistency was demonstrated for all domains and summary scores (Cronbach's alpha: HOOS-12 = 0.81-0.93; KOOS-12 = 0.82-0.92). Post-operative ceiling effects (>15% of patients scoring the best possible score) were identified for the HOOS-12 pain (46%), function (39%) and quality of life domains (26%) and summary score (17%), and for the KOOS-12 pain (21%) and function domains (18%). The HOOS-12 and KOOS-12 could differentiate between two known groups (lowest/highest OHS or OKS quartiles post-operatively; p < 0.001) and were highly responsive to change (effect sizes for HOOS-12: 2.20-2.83; KOOS-12: 1.82-2.35).Conclusion: The HOOS-12 and KOOS-12 have good psychometric properties for capturing joint replacement outcomes including excellent responsiveness, although ceiling effects may limit monitoring of post-operative improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the structural validity of the 12-item Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS-12) and 12-item Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS-12) using Rasch analysis and consider psychometric implications for research and clinical use.Method: Individual-level HOOS-12 and KOOS-12 data from the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry, collected before and after primary total hip and knee replacement, were used for this analysis. Using the Rasch analytic approach, overall model fit and item fit were examined, together with potential reasons for misfit including response threshold ordering, differential item functioning, internal consistency, unidimensionality and item targeting.Results: Overall misfit to the Rasch model was evident for both instruments. A degree of item misfit was also observed, although most items demonstrated logical sequencing of response options. Only two items (hip/knee pain frequency and awareness of hip/knee problems) displayed disordered response thresholds. The pain, function, and quality of life domains of the HOOS-12 and KOOS-12 demonstrated excellent internal consistency reliability (person separation index: 0.80-0.93) and unidimensionality. A mismatch between item difficulty and person ability scores at the highest end of the HOOS-12 and KOOS-12 scales contributed to post-operative ceiling effects (mean logit for HOOS-12: 3.57; KOOS-12: 2.58; ≈0 indicates well-targeted scale).Conclusion: We found evidence to support the structural validity of the three HOOS-12 and KOOS-12 domains for evaluating joint replacement outcomes. However, there may be missing content in both instruments particularly for high-functioning patients. Minor refinement of some response options may be warranted to improve item performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and objectives: Treatments for gynaecological cancer may contribute to symptoms of pelvic floor disorders including urinary incontinence, faecal incontinence and dyspareunia. These disorders are associated with lower physical activity (PA) levels and health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) in the general population. There are currently no prospective studies assessing the prevalence and severity of pelvic floor disorders, PA and HRQoL prior to and following hysterectomy for gynaecological cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and severity of pelvic floor disorders, levels of PA and HRQoL in females before and after hysterectomy for gynaecological cancer. Methods: This longitudinal study included adult females undergoing hysterectomy for endometrial, ovarian, cervical or uterine cancer. Symptoms of pelvic floor disorders, PA levels and HRQoL were assessed pre-surgery, six-weeks and three-months after surgery using: the Incontinence Severity Index, the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-Short Form (PFDI-20), the PFDI-20 subdomains of the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6), the Colorectal-Anal Distress Inventory (CRADI-6) and the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory (POPDI-8), the Female Sexual Function Index, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire. Change over time in each outcome was analysed using generalised estimating equations or linear mixed models. Results: Of 277 eligible patients, 126 consented to participate. The majority of participants had stage 1 cancer (62%) and the most common cancer was endometrial cancer (69%). The prevalence of urinary incontinence was 66% before and 59% three-months after surgery, while the prevalence of faecal incontinence was 12% before and 14% three month after surgery, these differences were not statistically significant (Table 1). However, the prevalence of pelvic floor symptoms on the PFDI-20 and urogenital symptoms UDI-6 subdomain decreased significantly (Table 1). The incidence of urinary incontinence three-months after surgery was 10%, and 8% of participants developed new faecal incontinence. At three-months after surgery, 42% of participants reported sexual activity in the preceding four weeks compared to 27% before surgery (p=0.003). The prevalence of dyspareunia was high in those who had attempted penetrative intercourse both before (n =11/17) and three-months after surgery (n=11/20). Only 39% of the participants met PA guidelines before surgery, and this increased significantly to 53% at three-months post-surgery (p=0.020). Scores on the global health status/QoL domain of the EORTC-QLQ C30 did not significantly change from before surgery (mean 64.8/100, 95%CI 61.2, 68.4) to three-months (mean 69.4/100, 95%CI 65.6, 73.2) after surgery (mean difference 4.6, 95%CI -0.6, 9.8). Conclusions: Patients with gynaecological cancer experienced high rates of pelvic floor disorders before and after hysterectomy. New cases of urinary and faecal incontinence developed between pre-surgery and three-months post-surgery. Physical activity levels increased significantly, and HRQoL did not significantly change between pre-surgery and three-months post-surgery. These findings suggest that clinicians working with gynaecology-oncology patients undergoing hysterectomy may need to consider screening and providing treatment options for pelvic floor disorders. Further prospective studies are required to identify subgroups of patients most at risk of pelvic floor disorders, and clinical trials assessing feasibility and effectiveness of treatments are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and objectives: Treatment for gynaecological cancer may impact pelvic floor function, with studies finding high rates of urinary incontinence (UI), faecal incontinence (FI) and pelvic floor muscle dysfunction after treatment. However, few studies of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) for UI or FI have been conducted and no studies to date have investigated PFMT delivered via telehealth without any in-person assessments to manage UI and/or FI in this population. Therefore, our study aimed to assess the feasibility of recruiting to and delivering such an intervention, and clinical outcomes before and after the intervention. Methods: In this pre-post single cohort clinical trial, women who had UI or FI after surgery for gynaecological cancer underwent a 12-week physiotherapist-supervised PFMT program delivered via telehealth and supplemented with an intra-vaginal pressure biofeedback device. The intervention involved seven videoconference sessions, with real-time feedback from the biofeedback device, and a daily home exercise program supported by an associated application which participants downloaded to their mobile device. Feasibility outcomes were the proportion of eligible patients recruited to the study, attendance at the videoconference sessions, and adherence to the home exercise program. Participant satisfaction and acceptability was rated on a 7-point numerical rating scale (from 1 = very dissatisfied/very unacceptable to 7 = very satisfied/very acceptable). Clinical outcomes were assessed at baseline, immediately post intervention and at three-months follow-up using the International Consultation on Incontinence UI module Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF), the International Consultation on Incontinence Bowel module (ICIQ-B) and the intravaginal biofeedback device. Means and 95% confidence intervals for all time points were analysed using bootstrapping methods. Results Feasibility outcomes A total of 63 women were eligible, of which 39 (62%) consented to the study. Baseline outcome measures were not completed by three participants who were not enrolled in the trial. Of the 36 participants who enrolled in the trial, 32 (89%) received the intervention. The majority (n=30, 94%) demonstrated high engagement, attending at least six of the seven videoconference sessions. Adherence was moderate, with 24 participants (75%) completing five-to-seven PFMT sessions per week during the 12-week intervention period. At the three-month follow-up, 25 (78%) participants reported doing regular PFMT, with 16 (50%) reporting a frequency of at least three PFMT sessions a week. Most participants (n=24, 77%) rated the videoconference sessions as very acceptable and 14 (44%) rated the intravaginal sensor as very acceptable. Clinical outcomes All clinical outcome measures improved immediately post-intervention (Table 1), however the magnitudes of these improvements were small. At three-months follow-up, improvements were sustained for prevalence, ICIQ-UI SF and ICIQ-B domains but not PFM outcomes. Conclusions: This study showed that PFMT delivered via telehealth may be feasible and acceptable to treat UI and/or FI after gynaecological cancer treatment. The study was not powered for the clinical outcome measures and did not have a control group, therefore large randomised controlled trials would be needed to investigate clinical effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xiao Jun Wang,1 Yi-Ho Wang,2 Matthew Jian Chun Ong,1 Christina Gkitzia,3 Shui Yen Soh,4 William Ying Khee Hwang5– 7 1Novartis Singapore Pte Ltd, Singapore; 2Novartis Asia Pacific Pharmaceuticals Pte Ltd, Singapore; 3Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland; 4KK Women’s & Children’s Hospital, Singapore; 5National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore; 6Singapore General Hospital, Singapore; 7Duke-NUS Medical School, SingaporeCorrespondence: Xiao Jun Wang, Novartis Singapore Pte Ltd, 20 Pasir Panjang Road, #10-25/28 Mapletree Business City (West Tower), 117439, Singapore, Tel +65 67226010, Email nick-1.wang@novartis.comPurpose: Children and young adults with relapsed or refractory (r/r) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have poor survival due to ineffective therapy options. The newly approved chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, tisagenlecleucel, has demonstrated improved survival but at a high up-front cost. The study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of tisagenlecleucel versus salvage chemotherapy regimen (SCR) or blinatumomab (BLN) for the treatment of pediatric and young adult patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell ALL from the Singapore healthcare system perspective.Patients and Methods: A three-health state partitioned survival model was constructed to analyze the cost-effectiveness of tisagenlecleucel vs SCR/BLN with/without allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) over a lifetime period. Clinical efficacy for tisagenlecleucel, SCR and BLN were based on pooled data from ELIANA, ENSIGN and B2101J trials, the study by von Stackelberg et al 2011, and MT103-205 respectively. Medical costs from pre-treatment until terminal care, including treatment, side effects, follow-up, subsequent allo-HSCT and relapse, were considered. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were estimated as the incremental costs per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gain. Additionally, the financial impact of tisagenlecleucel introduction in Singapore was estimated, comparing the present treatment scenario (without tisagenlecleucel) with a future scenario (with tisagenlecleucel), over 5 years.Results: In the base-case analysis, tisagenlecleucel treatment demonstrated cost-effectiveness with an ICER of S$45,840 (US$34,762) per QALY (vs SCR) and S$51,978 (US$39,315) per QALY (vs BLN). The estimated budget ranges from S$477,857 (US$361,438) to S$1.4 million (US$1.05 million) annually for the initial 5 years.Conclusion: Tisagenlecleucel is likely to be a cost-effective treatment option with limited budget implications while treating r/r ALL patients who have failed at least 2 lines of prior therapies.Keywords: tisagenlecleucel, acute lymphocytic leukemia, partition survival model, cost-effectiveness, budget impact, Singapore

Study Question: Are higher overall and central adiposity associated with reduced fecundability, measured by time-to-pregnancy (TTP), in Asian women?Summary Answer: Higher overall adiposity, but not central adiposity, was associated with longer TTP in Asian women.What Is Known Already: High body mass index (BMI) has been associated with a longer TTP, although the associations of body composition and distribution with TTP are less clear. There are no previous studies of TTP in Asian women, who have a relatively higher percentage of body fat and abdominal fat at relatively lower BMI.Study Design, Size, Duration: Prospective preconception cohort using data from 477 Asian (Chinese, Malay and Indian) women who were planning to conceive and enrolled in the Singapore PREconception Study of long-Term maternal and child Outcomes (S-PRESTO) study, 2015-2017.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: Women's mean age was 30.7 years. Overall adiposity was assessed by BMI, sum of 4-site skinfold thicknesses (SFT) and total body fat percentage (TBF%, measured using air displacement plethysmography); central adiposity was assessed by waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and A body Shape Index (ABSI). Pregnancy occurring within one year from recruitment was ascertained by ultrasonography. Those who did not conceive within one year of recruitment, were lost to follow-up, or initiated fertility treatment were censored. TTP was measured in cycles. Discrete-time proportional hazards models were used to estimate the fecundability ratio (FR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for each anthropometric measure in association with fecundability, adjusting for confounders.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: Compared to women with a normal BMI of 18.5-22.9 kg/m2, women with higher BMI of 23-27.4 and ≥27.5 kg/m2 showed lower FR of 0.66 (95% CI 0.45, 0.97) and 0.53 (0.31, 0.89), respectively. Compared to women in the lowest quartile of SFT (25-52.9 mm), those in the highest quartile of ≥90.1 mm showed lower FR of 0.58 (95% CI 0.36, 0.95). Compared to women in the lowest quartile of TBF% (13.6-27.2%), those in the upper two quartiles of 33.0-39.7% and ≥39.8% showed lower FR of 0.56 (95% CI 0.32, 0.98) and 0.43 (0.24, 0.80), respectively. Association of high BMI with reduced fecundability was particularly evident among nulliparous women. Measures of central adiposity (WC, WHR, WHtR, ABSI) were not associated with fecundability.Limitations Reasons For Caution: Small sample size could restrict power of analysis.The analysis was confined to planned pregnancies, which could limit generalizability of findings to non-planned pregnancies, estimated at around 44% in Singapore. Information on the date of last menstrual period for each month was not available, hence the accuracy of self-reported menstrual cycle length could not be validated, potentially introducing error into TTP estimation. Measures of exposures and covariates such as cycle length were not performed repeatedly over time; cycle length might have changed during the period before getting pregnant.Wider Implications Of the Findings: Other than using BMI as the surrogate measure of body fat, we provide additional evidence showing that higher amounts of subcutaneous fat that based on the measure of SFT at the sites of biceps, triceps, suprailiac and subscapular, and TBF% are associated with longer TTP. Achieving optimal weight and reducing total percentage body fat may be a potential intervention target to improve female fertility. The null results observed between central adiposity and TTP requires confirmation in further studies.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): This research is supported by Singapore National Research Foundation under its Translational and Clinical Research Flagship Programme and administered by the Singapore Ministry of Health's National Medical Research Council, (NMRC/TCR/004-NUS/2008; NMRC/TCR/012-NUHS/2014). Additional funding is provided by the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore. Y.S.C., K.M.G., F.Y. and Y.S.L. have received reimbursement to speak at conferences sponsored by companies selling nutritional products. Y.S.C., K.M.G. and S.Y.C. are part of an academic consortium that has received research funding from Abbott, Nutrition, Nestle and Danone. Other authors declared no conflicts of interest.Trial Registration Number: N/A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the effect of sulfur (S) application on a root-associated microbial community resulting in a rhizosphere microbiome with better nutrient mobilizing capacity. Soybean plants were cultivated with or without S application, the organic acids secreted from the roots were compared. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA was used to analyze the effect of S on microbial community structure of the soybean rhizosphere. Several plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) isolated from the rhizosphere were identified that can be harnessed for crop productivity. The amount of malic acid secreted from the soybean roots was significantly induced by S application. According to the microbiota analysis, the relative abundance of Polaromonas, identified to have positive association with malic acid, and arylsulfatase-producing Pseudomonas, were increased in S-applied soil. Burkholderia sp. JSA5, obtained from S-applied soil, showed multiple nutrient-mobilizing traits among the isolates. In this study, S application affected the soybean rhizosphere bacterial community structure, suggesting the contribution of changing plant conditions such as in the increase in organic acid secretion. Not only the shift of the microbiota but also isolated strains from S-fertilized soil showed PGPB activity, as well as isolated bacteria that have the potential to be harnessed for crop productivity.

Summary: Background: Polymorphic variants within human melanocortin‐3 receptor gene (MC3R) gene have been associated with obesity. However, its influence on infancy and early childhood adiposity has not been reported before. Objectives: We assessed associations between genotype at polymorphic sites within MC3R with early childhood adiposity and interaction with early childhood appetitive traits. Methods: We studied 1090 singletons in an Asian mother–offspring cohort genotyped for MC3R and in a subgroup (n = 422) who had completed Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaires (CEBQ) at 12 months. Children were followed from birth to 48 months, and up to 10 measurements of body mass index and five measures of triceps and subscapular skin‐folds were obtained. Results: Independent of potential confounders, each additional MC3R minor allele copy was associated with greater body mass index standard deviation score [B{95% confidence interval}: 0.004 units/month {0.001,0.007}; p = 0.007], triceps [0.009 mm/month {0.001,0.02}; p = 0.021] and subscapular skin‐fold [0.008 mm/month {0.002,0.01}; p = 0.011] gain velocity in the first 48 months. Each additional MC3R minor allele copy was also associated with increased odds of overweight [odds ratio {95% confidence interval}: 1.48{1.17–1.88}] and obesity [1.58{1.10–2.28}] in the first 48 months. Every additional copy of MC3R minor allele was positively associated with ‘slowness‐in‐eating’ appetitive trait [0.24{0.06,0.39}, p = 0.006]; however, the relationship between ‘slowness‐in‐eating’ with adiposity gain was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Our findings support the role of MC3R genetic variants in adiposity gain during early childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Captive-held wild animals are those housed in zoological exhibits, rehabilitation centres, zoos, research stations, sanctuaries, aquaria, circuses, and plantations. However, parasitic diseases constitute one of the major problems causing mortality in these animals while in captivity. The effects range from sub-clinical to death; hence, the study was conducted to assess the gastrointestinal parasite profile of birds kept in Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta Zoo Park. Freshly voided faecal samples of Psittacus erithacus, Psittacula krameri, Balaerica pavonina, pavo cristatus, Chen caerulescens, Struthio camelus and Anas platyrhynchos were collected before routine cleaning. Samples were collected weekly for 8 weeks between 7am- 9am within the month of October and November, 2019. A total of 56 faecal samples from 7 birds were picked from the ground by utilizing a sterile scoop for each animal species to avoid cross contamination. Each sample was put in a new labelled sterile bottle with the name of each bird from which the faecal sample was collected. Samples were then transported to the laboratory for microscopic analysis which was done within 24 hours. Egg counting was done using the McMaster Egg Counting Technique. Identification of intestinal helminth ova was done by using the keys. Data obtained were analysed using SPSS version 20.0 and Microsoft excel. Prevalence was calculated while the weekly egg counts of intestinal helminthes were presented using descriptive statistics. The distribution of intestinal helminthes infections among the surveyed birds vary from (Psittacula krameri 100%, pavo cristatus 100%, Psittacus erithacus 66.67%, Balaerica pavonina 66.67%, Chen caerulescens 66.67%, Struthio camelus 66.67%, and Anas platyrhynchos 66.67%). In conclusion, the prevalence of soil transmitted helminthes revealed that Ascaridiagalli and Strongyloides spp had the highest prevalence among the birds with 100% while Raillietina spp recorded the lowest prevalence with 28.6%.

The improvement of phosphorus (P) use efficiency (PUE) is a critical problem in crop production because of phosphorus’ scarcity. Especially in strongly weathered soil with a high P fixation capacity, a low PUE generally limits plant growth. Here, in a 70-day pigeon pea cultivation pot experiment using Ultisols, we evaluated the effects of Rhizobium inoculation (−I/+I) on the plant growth, rhizosphere, bulk soil P dynamics, and plant root P acquisition characteristics, with or without P fertilization (0P: no P application; 50SSP:50 kg P ha−1 with single superphosphate). The combination of Rhizobium inoculation with P fertilization (50SSP + I) increased the plant growth, P uptake, and organic acid content per pot by 63%, 41%, and 130%, respectively, but not without P fertilization (0P + I). The labile and moderately labile inorganic P (NaHCO3-Pi and NaOH-Pi) contents were higher (55% and 44%, respectively) in the rhizosphere soil than those in the bulk soil in the 50SSP + I treatment, indicating the efficient solubilization of the applied P under the 50SSP + I treatment. The fertilized PUE was higher in the 50SSP + I treatment (26%) than that in the 50SSP−I treatment (15%). Thus, these results suggest that Rhizobium inoculation with 50SSP should stimulate plant root P acquisition characteristics, leading to the solubilization of applied P in the rhizosphere and efficient plant P uptake. In conclusion, the 50SSP + I treatment effectively improved the PUE of pigeon peas in strongly weathered soil.

Deforestation of native tropical forests has occurred extensively over several decades. The plantation of fast-growing trees, such as Acacia spp., is expanding rapidly in tropical regions, which can contribute to conserve the remaining native tropical forests. To better understand belowground biogeochemical cycles and the sustainable productivity of acacia plantations, we assessed the effects of vegetation (acacia plantations vs. native forests) and soil types (Oxisols vs. Ultisols) on soil properties, including the diversity and community structures of bacteria- and fungi-colonizing surface and subsurface roots and soil in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The results in surface soil showed that pH was significantly higher in acacia than in native for Oxisols but not for Ultisols, while exchangeable Al was significantly lower in acacia than in native for Ultisols but not for Oxisols. Bacterial alpha diversity (especially within phylum Chloroflexi) was higher in acacia than in native only for Oxisols but not for Ultisols, which was the same statistical result as soil pH but not exchangeable Al. These results suggest that soil pH, but not exchangeable Al, can be the critical factor to determine bacterial diversity. Acacia tree roots supported greater proportions of copiotrophic bacteria, which may support lower contents of soil inorganic N, compared with native tree roots for both Oxisols and Ultisols. Acacia tree roots also supported greater proportions of plant pathogenic Mycoleptodiscus sp. but appeared to reduce the abundances and diversity of beneficial ECM fungi compared with native tree roots regardless of soil types. Such changes in fungal community structures may threaten the sustainable productivity of acacia plantations in the future.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common morbidity after off-pump coronary revascularization. We investigated whether perioperative administration of sodium bicarbonate, which might reduce renal injury by alleviating oxidative stress in renal tubules, prevents postoperative AKI in off-pump coronary revascularization patients having renal risk factors.Methods: Patients (n=162) having at least one of the following AKI risk factors were enrolled: (i) age >70 yr; (ii) diabetes mellitus; (iii) chronic renal disease; (iv) congestive heart failure or left ventricular ejection fraction <35%; and (v) reoperation or emergency. Patients were evenly randomized to receive either sodium bicarbonate (0.5 mmol kg-1 for 1 h upon induction of anaesthesia followed by 0.15 mmol kg-1 h-1 for 23 h) or 0.9% saline. Acute kidney injury within 48 h after surgery was assessed using the Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria.Results: The incidences of AKI were 21 and 26% in the bicarbonate and control groups, respectively (P=0.458). Serially measured serum creatinine concentrations and perioperative fluid balance were also comparable between the groups. The length of postoperative hospitalization and incidence of morbidity end points were similar between the groups, whereas significantly more patients in the bicarbonate group required prolonged mechanical ventilation (>24 h) relative to the control group (20 vs 6, P=0.003).Conclusions: Perioperative sodium bicarbonate administration did not decrease the incidence of AKI after off-pump coronary revascularization in high-risk patients and might even be associated with a need for prolonged ventilatory care.Clinical Trial Registration: NCT01840241. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This research aims to propose a methodology for a systematic, concurrent consideration of design for assembly (DFA) and disassembly guidelines and constraints for product remanufacturing. The methodology provides a holistic approach to design product from the remanufacturing perspective. Design/methodology/approach – The proposed methodology incorporates parts’ integration assessment and evaluation of part complexity and accessibility taking into consideration both DFA and design-for-disassembly (DFD) guidelines and constraints. Metrics for accessibility and complexity in retrieving the remanufacturable cores from a product are evaluated to determine the best possible disassembly route considering the practical constraints which an operator might face during disassembly. As there could be more than one feasible disassembly route to retrieve a core during remanufacturing, a disassembly evaluation is conducted to determine the optimal path after combination of the parts of the assembly. Findings – In remanufacturing, products need to be disassembled and re-assembled again. Conflicts exist between DFA and DFD. The proposed methodology serves to address these conflicting issues. The proposed methodology eases a designer’s effort systematically to incorporate both aspects, by incorporating practical consideration to determine an optimal disassembly sequence through integrating the handling aspect of assembly complexity assessment with the U-Rating disassembly effort indexing scheme to provide a quantitative evaluation of disassembly complexity, as disassembly still largely requires human effort. Research limitations/implications – Future research will explore methods to improve the user interface with features to determine feasible disassembly routes of a product automatically. This will relieve the effort of the product designer to a great extent. Originality/value – This paper proposes a methodology for a systematic, concurrent consideration of DFA and DFD to provide a holistic approach to product design from the remanufacturing perspective to ease the designer’s task. Practical considerations will be made to determine the optimal disassembly route of the product. DFD will only be required to be applied to the selected disassembly route to minimize conflicts with DFA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

No tillage (NT) fosters carbon (C) sequestration, increases soil organic matter (SOM) stock, and improves soil health. However, its effect on SOM accumulation in Andosol, which has high OM stabilization characteristics due to its specific mineral properties, remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated the effect of NT on SOM content and its distribution by the physical fractionation method and assessed the quality of accumulated SOM in each fraction. We collected soil samples at 0–2.5, 2.5–7.5, and 7.5–15 cm depths from NT and conventional tillage (CT) plots in a long-term (19 years) field experiment of Andosols in Ibaraki, Japan. The soil samples were separated into light fraction (LF), coarse-POM (cPOM: 0.25–2 mm), fine-POM (fPOM: 0.053–0.25 mm), and silt + clay (mOM:

Abstract Background The objective of this study was to ascertain the situation relevant to implants, the status of oral self-care, the status of aftercare provided by the dentist who placed the implant, and the usage status of the implant card, in homebound or institutionalized older adults who are receiving home-visit dental care due to the inability to visit a dental clinic on their own. Methods A survey questionnaire was sent by post mail to 2339 people who are representative members or dental specialists belonging to any of the following three academic societies: Japanese Society of Oral Implantology, Japanese Society of Gerodontology, and Japan Prosthodontic Society. The survey questions asked were about provision/no provision of implant treatment, provision/no provision of home-visit dental care, the situation of patients after implant treatment, the situation of implants in the context of home-visit dental care, and the usage status and recognition of the implant card. Results No less than 30% of the dentists had patients who were admitted to the hospital or became homebound after receiving implant treatment at their clinic. Twenty-two percent of the dentists had been consulted about the implants. Dentists who continued to provide post-operative implant care through home-visit dental care accounted for approximately 80%. On the other hand, however, 40% of the dentists did not know the post-implantation status of their implant patients. Of the patients receiving home-visit dental care, approximately 3% had implants (identified mainly by visual inspection). It was found that more than 50% of the dentists offering implant treatment did not use the implant card, and even in cases where it was used, most of the cards were not in the standardized format. Conclusions Within the limitation of low response rate to the questionnaire in this preliminary study, we concluded that many of practitioners including specialists indicated the need of universal record of implant for dependent elderly cares.

Synthetic thyroxine has replaced animal thyroid gland extract as the preferred drug in chronic thyroid hormone replacement. Synthetic thyroxine monotherapy is used to treat overt primary and secondary hypothyroidism, and some cases of subclinical hypothyroidism. In addition, thyroid-stimulating hormone suppressive therapy with thyroxine is a component of the chronic treatment for differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Liothyronine, however, is conventionally for short-term usage, including thyroid hormone withdrawal preparation for radioactive iodine scanning and treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinoma and some cases of myxoedema coma. On very rare occasions where patients are apparently intolerant of or unresponsive to thyroxine, liothyronine may be used chronically. However, there is controversy concerning the use of alternative regimens of thyroid hormone, such as the use of thyroxine-liothyronine combination and thyroid extracts. Thyroid hormone has also been misused to promote weight loss and treat 'symptomatic' biochemically euthyroid patients. There is insufficient evidence to support the use of thyroid hormone to improve treatment response in depression and severe non-thyroidal illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The motor and non-motor symptoms associated with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) may compromise the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of some individuals living with this debilitating condition. Although growing evidence suggests that PD may be more prevalent in rural communities, there is little information about the life quality of these individuals. This study examines whether HRQOL ratings vary in relation to rural and metropolitan life settings. Methods: An analytic cross-sectional study was conducted to compare the HRQOL of two separate samples of people with PD living in metropolitan Melbourne and rural Victoria. The metropolitan sample consisted of 210 individuals who had participated in the baseline assessment for an existing clinical trial. The rural sample comprised 24 participants who attended community-based rehabilitation programs and support groups in rural Victoria. Health-related quality of life was quantified using the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39). Results: The HRQOL of participants in rural Australia differed from individuals living in a large metropolitan city (p=0.025). Participants in rural Australia reported worse overall HRQOL, after controlling for differences in disease duration. Their overall HRQOL was lower than for city dwellers. Rural living was also found to be a significant negative predictor of HRQOL (β=0.14; 95% CI -1.27 to -0.08; p=0.027). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that some people with PD living in rural Victoria perceive their HRQOL to be relatively poor. In order to minimise the debilitating consequences of this disease, further studies examining the factors that may contribute to the HRQOL of individuals living in rural and remote areas are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]