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The size of the human head is highly heritable, but genetic drivers of its variation within the general population remain unmapped. We perform a genome-wide association study on head size (N = 80,890) and identify 67 genetic loci, of which 50 are novel. Neuroimaging studies show that 17 variants affect specific brain areas, but most have widespread effects. Gene set enrichment is observed for various cancers and the p53, Wnt, and ErbB signaling pathways. Genes harboring lead variants are enriched for macrocephaly syndrome genes (37-fold) and high-fidelity cancer genes (9-fold), which is not seen for human height variants. Head size variants are also near genes preferentially expressed in intermediate progenitor cells, neural cells linked to evolutionary brain expansion. Our results indicate that genes regulating early brain and cranial growth incline to neoplasia later in life, irrespective of height. This warrants investigation of clinical implications of the link between head size and cancer.

Abstract Background Scientific advancement, including the testing and licensing of new drugs, relies heavily on clinical trials with healthy individuals. The motivations of clinical trial participants have been discussed intensively, as some worry that financial compensation may distract from the intrinsic risk of clinical research. Herein, we investigated the motivations and decisional factors influencing SARS-CoV-2 clinical trial participants. Moreover, since most surveys are administered after clinical trial participation, we were interested in whether the results were tainted by recall bias. Methods This was a cross-sectional observational study. Participants were administered a survey on two occasions, once before and once after participation in a clinical trial. The primary outcomes were the motivations and decisional factors of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine trial participants and the difference between the surveys collected before and after clinical trial participation. Results The survey response rate was 149/200 (75%). SARS-CoV-2 vaccine trial participants were mostly motivated by the desire to contribute to science and help others. Answers collected before and after the trial were not statistically different, indicating the absence of recall bias. Conclusion The decision-making process of clinical trial participants is complex and multi-faceted. Previous studies have shown that clinical trial participants have mixed motivations but never to the extent reported in the current survey. Here, we present a theoretical framework that attempts to explain how different motivational factors may contribute to decision forming.

Introduction: The stigma associated with mental disorders continues to have negative value in Indonesian society, which can influence treatment decisions. This project is aimed at evaluating the public’s perceptions, attitudes, and behavior toward treatment of mental disorders in Banyumas Raya. Methods: This was a quantitative cross-sectional study with 410 respondents who had completed questionnaires on mental health perceptions (Mental Health Knowledge Schedule, MAKS), attitude assessment (the Community Attitudes toward Mental Illness, CAMI), and behavior of choosing traditional treatment or medical treatment in October–November 2022. A descriptive analysis was used, and the relationship was assessed using the chi-square test. Result: Descriptive analysis reveals that 273 (66.6%) respondents live in Banyumas, 167 (40.7%) are senior high school graduates, and 175 (42.7%) have an income of Rp. 1,000,000-Rp. 3,000,000. Bivariate analysis revealed a significant relationship between knowledge and behavior (p

One of the MSMEs developed Batik as a regional product is Rezti's Batik. Rezti's Batik is located in Ambulu, Jember Regency, about 28.4 km from the University of Jember. Increasing the number of consumer orders has made Rezti's Batik production continue to increase. One of the obstacles faced by Rezti's Batik is the process of making Batik which takes a long time because the drying process still relies on heat from the sun, which takes 4-6 hours. The process can also take longer if the rainy season slows the production process's completion. The solution method is the manufacture of appropriate technology in the form of installing a batik cloth dryer. The batik cloth drying installation implementation at Rezti's Batik is a drying system that utilizes heat from the furnace in the sagging process as a heating medium. The designed dryer consists of a stove as a heat generator which will later be distributed with air from the blower so that the hot air will spread evenly throughout the room.

Ever since Slovenia became independent, the European idea has been viewed fondly by the political elite and the public. The absence of any successful Eurosceptic parties has meant the main goals concerning European integration became national projects. Euroscepticism has remained limited, although in more recent years politicisation has steadily grown through political parties’ positions on EU issues. At the same time, the country’s political elite has lost sight of the specific strategy Slovenia should play in the EU. Moreover, alignment with other EU member states has begun to vary depending on the ruling party. After twenty years of membership, this has led to Slovenia being seen as one of the more submissive actors in EU policymaking. In the article, by applying an analytical framework of politicisation, we consider the changing attitudes to the EU in Slovenia through the twenty years of its membership. The central research question is: in which ways have European issues become politicised over the last twenty years in Slovenia? The research question is addressed by considering a chronological approach and analysis of events, participation in European elections and public opinion data. We argue that, as a newer member state, Slovenia politicises European issues to a limited extent.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a dangerous gas with no odor, color, or taste and can easily mix with other air around it. This study aims to design and determine the results of measuring CO levels using a drone integrated with an MQ-7 gas sensor and an IoT-based ESP32 nodeMCU by manipulating the time and height of measuring CO levels. The method used is data acquisition in the form of a data retrieval process from the MQ-7 sensor programmed with the ESP32 nodeMCU via the ThingSpeak web. The results of measurements of CO levels in Ketintang, Surabaya air quality in the medium category at 07.00-11.00 WIB and good at 15.00 WIB. Measurement at 07.00 WIB CO levels are higher than at 11.00 WIB and 15.00 WIB. This can occur because the use of motorized vehicles and the process of burning waste in households is denser. Most of these activities are carried out close to the ground so that the higher the altitude in measuring CO levels, the lower the CO levels detected. Other factors that affect CO levels are temperature, wind speed, and weather when taking measurements. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that hours and altitude affect the CO levels produced.

Coastal seas, shelf seas and marginal ice zones are dominated by small-scale ocean surface dynamic processes that play a vital role in the transport and exchange of climate-relevant properties such as carbon, heat, water and nutrients between land, ocean, ice and atmosphere. Mounting evidence indicates that ocean scales below 10 km have far-ranging impacts on air–sea interactions, lateral ocean dispersion, vertical stratification, ocean carbon cycling and marine productivity – governing exchanges across key interfaces of the Earth system, the global ocean, and atmosphere circulation and climate. Yet, these processes remain poorly observed at the fine spatial and temporal scales necessary to resolve them. The Ocean Surface Current Airborne Radar (OSCAR) is a new airborne instrument with the capacity to inform these questions by mapping vectorial fields of total ocean surface currents and winds at high resolution over a wide swath. Developed for the European Space Agency (ESA), OSCAR is the airborne demonstrator of the satellite mission concept SeaSTAR, which aims to map total surface current and ocean wind vectors with unprecedented accuracy, spatial resolution and temporal revisit across all coastal seas, shelf seas and marginal ice zones. Like SeaSTAR, OSCAR is an active microwave synthetic aperture radar along-track interferometer (SAR-ATI) with optimal three-azimuth sensing enabled by unique highly squinted beams. In May 2022, OSCAR was flown over the Iroise Sea, France, in its first scientific campaign as part of the ESA-funded SEASTARex project. The campaign successfully demonstrated the capabilities of OSCAR to produce high-resolution 2D images of total surface current vectors and near-surface ocean vector winds, simultaneously, in a highly dynamic, macrotidal coastal environment. OSCAR current and wind vectors show excellent agreement with ground-based X-band-radar-derived surface currents, numerical model outputs and NovaSAR-1 satellite SAR imagery, with root mean square differences from the X-band radar better than 0.2 m s−1 for currents at 200 m resolution. These results are the first demonstration of simultaneous retrieval of total current and wind vectors from a high-squint three-look SAR-ATI instrument and the first geophysical validation of the OSCAR and SeaSTAR observing principle. OSCAR presents a remarkable new ocean observing capability to support the study of small-scale ocean dynamics and air–sea interactions across the Earth's coastal, shelf and polar seas.

In the last few years, much research has focused on the stability and improvement of the thermo-physical properties of single-component nanofluids. Some studies have not made many improvements to the stability and thermophysical properties of various types of green nanofluids from several variations of nanoparticles. Green nanofluids must be developed to improve heat transfer performance from their stability and thermal conductivity factors. Stability and thermal conductivity of Nano-silicate suspended in a base mixture of water /ethylene glycol with the ratio of 60:40, different volume concentrations were investigated. The experiments carried out were the stability of the green nanofluids investigated for volume concentrations of 0.1~0.3% and temperature conditions from 30 to 70°C for thermal conductivity measurement using TEMPOS Thermal Properties Analyzer. The experimental results showed that the stability analysis of the green nanofluids prepared by the UV-Vis method was stable up to 30 days after preparation with a sonication time of 1 hour with a ratio of 70-80%. The evaluation of the zeta potential for green nanofluids obtained a value of 33.57 mV with a moderate stability classification. The highest thermal conductivity for the green nanofluids was obtained at 0.3%, and the maximum increase was 17% higher than that of the base liquid (W/EG). Green nanofluids with a concentration of 0.1% gave the lowest effective thermal conductivity of 1.09 time at 70°C.

Abstract Hookworm infection remains a significant public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where mass drug administration has not stopped reinfection. Developing a vaccine is crucial to complement current control measures, which necessitates a thorough understanding of host immune responses. By leveraging controlled human infection models and high-dimensional immunophenotyping, here we investigated the immune remodeling following infection with 50 Necator americanus L3 hookworm larvae in four naïve volunteers over two years of follow-up and compared the profiles with naturally infected populations in endemic areas. Increased plasmacytoid dendritic cell frequency and diminished responsiveness to Toll-like receptor 7/8 ligand were observed in both controlled and natural infection settings. Despite the increased CD45RA+ regulatory T cell (Tregs) frequencies in both settings, markers of Tregs function, including inducible T-cell costimulatory (ICOS), tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2), and latency-associated peptide (LAP), as well as in vitro Tregs suppressive capacity were higher in natural infections. Taken together, this study provides unique insights into the immunological trajectories following a first-in-life hookworm infection compared to natural infections.

Abstract Background Malaria continues to wreak havoc on the well-being of the community. Resistant parasites are jeopardizing the treatment. This is a wake-up call for better medications. Folk plants are the key starting point for antimalarial drug discovery. After crushing and mixing the leaves of Coriandrum sativum with water, one cup of tea is drunk daily for a duration of three to five days as a remedy for malaria by local folks in Ethiopia. Additionally, in vitro experiments conducted on the plant leaf extract elsewhere have also demonstrated the plant’s malaria parasite inhibitory effect. There has been no pharmacologic research to assert this endowment in animals, though. This experiment was aimed at evaluating the antimalarial efficacy of C. sativum in Plasmodium berghei infected mice. Methods The plant's leaf was extracted using maceration with distilled water. The extract was examined for potential acute toxicity. An evaluation of secondary phytoconstituents was done. Standard antimalarial screening models (prophylactic, chemosuppressive, curative tests) were utilized to assess the antiplasmodial effect. In each test, thirty mice were organized into groups of five. To the three categories, the test substance was given at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg/day before or after the commencement of P. berghei infection. Positive and negative control mice were provided Chloroquine and distilled water, respectively. Rectal temperature, parasitemia, body weight, survival time and packed cell volume were ultimately assessed. Analysis of the data was performed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results No toxicity was manifested in mice. The extract demonstrated a significant inhibition of parasitemia (p

Health reproduction knowledge is a crucial factor in preventing acts of early sexual behavior. Early sexual behavior is reflected in many ways, from attraction to different sexes to building a relationship and making physical contact. Adequate knowledge of sexuality in teenagers especially in health reproduction would prevent teenagers from acting in early sexual behavior. This activity aims to increase knowledge about the health of reproductive organs and the prevention of early sexual intercourse among Madrasah Aliyah students. The method used is education regarding the health of reproductive organs, pre-marital sexual psychology, and social jurisprudence approaches. All material is presented interestingly and interactively. This activity found that 63 percent of the participants had previous knowledge of this topic. More than 50 percent of respondents were students, and students had quite good knowledge about reproductive health. Madrasah Aliyah students already have sufficient knowledge about reproductive health, but it has not yet been seen whether it is enough to prevent students from premature sexual behavior. However, we do not have any data regarding the act of early sexual behavior among respondents or how knowledge in health reproduction would relate to the act of early sexual behavior.

Banana peel (Musa corniculata) is one of the superior plants in Indonesia which is rich in polyphenolic compounds as a source of antioxidants. The potential of polyphenolic compounds as antioxidants can be used as an alternative to reduce banana peel waste. This study aims to determine the total content of polyphenols and antioxidant activity of horn banana peel extract. Extraction used the Microwave Assisted Extraction (MAE) method with ethanol solvent and the variables were extraction time (4, 7, and 10 minutes), solvent concentration (50, 73 and 96 %), ratio of simplicia mass to solvent volume (1:12, 1 :8, 1:6 g/mL) with a microwave power of 150 Watt. Determination of polyphenol content using the Folin-Ciocalteau method and the ability of polyphenols as antioxidants were analyzed by DPPH test. This study used the Design Expert 13 Response Surface Methodology software, the Box Behnken type, to determine the extraction parameters for the total polyphenol content. The highest total polyphenol content was obtained at 354.02 mg GAE/g from the combination of parameters 50% solvent concentration, 10 minutes extraction time, and the ratio of horn banana peel powder to 1:8 g/mL solvent.

Pedestrian movement has always been one of the main concerns for urban planning and design, but it has become more important within the sustainable development agenda, as walking is crucial to reducing urban emissions and fostering liveable cities. Therefore, urban planners need to take pedestrian movement into consideration as part of the workflow of planning and designing cities. This study outlines a comprehensive workflow tailored for urban planners. It proposes a hybrid model that integrates an agent-based model, which simulates the micro-scale movement of pedestrians in outdoor urban environments, with a network model, which predicts the aggregated pedestrian flows on a macro-scale. The hybrid model is applied to a pedestrian precinct in the city centre of Gothenburg, Sweden, and is compared to real-world measurements. The reasonable agreement between the simulation results and the real-world data supports the reliability of the proposed workflow, underscoring the model’s ability to statistically predict pedestrian movement on a large scale and individually on a local scale. Furthermore, the model enables the analysis of flow distributions and movement restrictions and facilitates the analysis of different design scenarios and specific pedestrian behaviour. This functionality is valuable for urban design and planning practice, contributing to the optimisation of pedestrian flow dynamics.

Background: Patients with persistent symptomatic iliopsoas tendonitis following total hip arthroplasty may benefit from iliopsoas fractional lengthening. We present an arthroscopic approach utilizing an air bursogram that provides safe and predictable access to the iliopsoas tendon for efficient tendon lengthening without violating the capsule or unintentional instrumentation of the nearby medial neurovascular bundle. Indications: Arthroscopic iliopsoas fractional lengthening is indicated for patients with clinical evidence of symptomatic iliopsoas tendonitis following total hip arthroplasty and have no radiographic evidence of frank acetabular malpositioning. A diagnosis of iliopsoas tendinitis amenable to surgical management can be established with substantial but nondurable relief following image-guided anesthetic injection to the iliopsoas bursa. Technique Description: Under fluoroscopic guidance, an air bursogram is employed in the anatomic plane of the iliopsoas tendon to accurately identify its course. This allows for hip portal placement with precise subsequent instrumentation. This technique is preferred in the setting of postarthroplasty anatomy because it avoids capsular violation and the challenge of working in an altered anatomic space with a nearby, medially based neurovascular bundle. Results: Arthroscopic and endoscopic approaches to iliopsoas release have been shown to provide excellent functional and patient-reported outcomes in >85% of patients, and several studies have shown that an arthroscopic approach not only provides a less invasive technique but also results in comparable or improved clinical outcomes with lower revision rates compared to open release or acetabular cup revision. Our technique for arthroscopic iliopsoas fractional lengthening using the air bursogram is both safe and reproducible and offers distinct advantages, including maintenance of an intact capsule, visual confirmation of the correct anatomic structure to be released, and percutaneous access with standard arthroscopic access cannulas without the need for hip distraction. Conclusions: Arthroscopic fractional iliopsoas lengthening is a minimally invasive and successful treatment option for patients with persistent groin pain after total hip arthroplasty, especially without substantial acetabular component malpositioning. This technique includes using an air bursogram to safely identify and navigate to the iliopsoas tendon without violating the hip capsule, thereby reducing the risk of inadvertent instrumentation of adjacent critical neurovascular structures. Patient Consent Disclosure Statement: The author(s) attests that consent has been obtained from any patient(s) appearing in this publication. If the individual may be identifiable, the author(s) has included a statement of release or other written form of approval from the patient(s) with this submission for publication.

Introduction A proportion of people develop Long Covid after acute COVID-19, but with most studies concentrated in high-income countries (HICs), the global burden is largely unknown. Our study aims to characterise long-term COVID-19 sequelae in populations globally and compare the prevalence of reported symptoms in HICs and low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs).Methods A prospective, observational study in 17 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America, including adults with confirmed COVID-19 assessed at 2 to

Shoulder arthroscopy is a popular modality for the treatment of shoulder pathology. Since its advent in the 1970s, significant advancements have been made in both technology and technique. Shoulder arthroscopy is performed in either the beach-chair or lateral decubitus positions, and each position has its unique benefits and considerations. Beach-chair positioning, initially described in the 1980s, has become the preferred method of positioning for most arthroscopic procedures. In this work, we describe the history of beach-chair positioning for shoulder arthroscopy. We outline a reproducible and teachable method for consistent and comprehensive diagnostic arthroscopy in the beach-chair position. Pearls, pitfalls, advantages, and disadvantages of diagnostic arthroscopy in this position are discussed. When properly executed, diagnostic arthroscopy in the beach-chair position can effectively identify and characterize intra-articular shoulder pathologies.

Shoulder arthroscopy is a versatile method for treating a variety of shoulder pathologies in a minimally invasive manner. Typically, it is performed with the patient positioned in a beach-chair or lateral decubitus position with the latter being conventionally preferred for shoulder instability work given the use of traction and creation of a distracted joint. This allows ideal visualization and accessibility of the anterior, inferior, and posterior aspects of the glenoid, labrum, and axillary pouch. Despite the apparent advantages, the lateral decubitus position comes with its own technical challenges. Many of these may stem from surgeon training, experience, and level of familiarity with the positioning and arthroscopic view. This Technical Note demonstrates a reproducible and teachable method for efficient and effective diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy in the lateral decubitus position, along with presenting its associated advantages and disadvantages.

Shoulder arthroscopy is one of the most common orthopaedic procedures. Since its introduction in the 1970s, significant advances have been made in surgical techniques and instrumentation. Shoulder arthroscopy is often performed in either the beach-chair or lateral decubitus position, and each positioning technique has its own benefits. In this work, we will describe the history of lateral decubitus positioning for shoulder arthroscopy. We outline a detailed guide for safe and consistent lateral decubitus positioning, and key steps of lateral decubitus positioning will be emphasized. Pearls, pitfalls, advantages, and disadvantages of this positioning technique will also be discussed. With appropriate technique, lateral decubitus positioning is safe and effective for arthroscopic treatment of various shoulder pathologies.

A broad range of shoulder pathologies are treated with shoulder arthroscopy due to its minimally invasive nature. Mastering the fundamentals is critical for high-quality care; this includes patient positioning. Surgeons must consider the advantages and disadvantages of the 2 most prominent patient positions: lateral decubitus and beach chair. The beach-chair position offers an intuitive anatomic view with the advantage of shoulder maneuverability. Understanding the associated pitfalls related to patient hemodynamics; head, neck, and shoulder positioning; and protection of bony prominences can guide the operative care team to obtaining a safe position for the patient. The purpose of this Technical Note and video is to present and demonstrate a reproducible and teachable method for safely positioning a patient in the beach-chair position for shoulder arthroscopy, as well as to describe the associated advantages and disadvantages.

In September 2022, the Drug Discovery Unit at the University of Dundee, UK, organised an international meeting at the Wellcome Collection in London to explore the current clinical situation and challenges associated with treating schistosomiasis. The aim of this meeting was to discuss the need for new treatments in view of the clinical situation and to ascertain what the key requirements would be for any potential new anti-schistosomals. This information will be essential to inform ongoing drug discovery efforts for schistosomiasis. We also discussed the potential drug discovery pathway and associated criteria for progressing compounds to the clinic. To date, praziquantel (PZQ) is the only drug available to treat all species causing schistosomiasis, but it is often unable to completely clear parasites from an infected patient, partially due to its inactivity against juvenile worms. PZQ-mediated mass drug administration campaigns conducted in endemic areas (e.g., sub-Saharan Africa, where schistosomiasis is primarily prevalent) have contributed to reducing the burden of disease but will not eliminate the disease as a public health problem. The potential for Schistosoma to develop resistance towards PZQ, as the sole treatment available, could become a concern. Consequently, new anthelmintic medications are urgently needed, and this Perspective aims to capture some of the learnings from our discussions on the key criteria for new treatments.

Abstract Innate antiviral factors are essential for effective defense against viral pathogens. However, the identity of major restriction mechanisms remains elusive. Current approaches to discover antiviral factors usually focus on the initial steps of viral replication and are limited to a single round of infection. Here, we engineered libraries of >1500 replication-competent HIV-1 constructs each expressing a single gRNAs to target >500 cellular genes for virus-driven discovery of antiviral factors. Passaging in CD4+ T cells robustly enriched HIV-1 encoding sgRNAs against GRN, CIITA, EHMT2, CEACAM3, CC2D1B and RHOA by >50-fold. Using an HIV-1 library lacking the accessory nef gene, we identified IFI16 as a Nef target. Functional analyses in cell lines and primary CD4+ T cells support that the HIV-driven CRISPR screen identified restriction factors targeting virus entry, transcription, release and infectivity. Our HIV-guided CRISPR technique enables sensitive discovery of physiologically relevant cellular defense factors throughout the entire viral replication cycle.

Abstract Background Sporozoites (SPZ), the infective form of Plasmodium falciparum malaria, can be inoculated into the human host skin by Anopheline mosquitoes. These SPZ migrate at approximately 1 µm/s to find a blood vessel and travel to the liver where they infect hepatocytes and multiply. In the skin they are still low in number (50–100 SPZ) and vulnerable to immune attack by antibodies and skin macrophages. This is why whole SPZ and SPZ proteins are used as the basis for most malaria vaccines currently deployed and undergoing late clinical testing. Mosquitoes typically inoculate SPZ into a human host between 14 and 25 days after their previous infective blood meal. However, it is unknown whether residing time within the mosquito affects SPZ condition, infectivity or immunogenicity. This study aimed to unravel how the age of P. falciparum SPZ in salivary glands (14, 17, or 20 days post blood meal) affects their infectivity and the ensuing immune responses. Methods SPZ numbers, viability by live/dead staining, motility using dedicated sporozoite motility orienting and organizing tool software (SMOOT), and infectivity of HC-04.j7 liver cells at 14, 17 and 20 days after mosquito feeding have been investigated. In vitro co-culture assays with SPZ stimulated monocyte-derived macrophages (MoMɸ) and CD8+ T-cells, analysed by flow cytometry, were used to investigate immune responses. Results SPZ age did not result in different SPZ numbers or viability. However, a markedly different motility pattern, whereby motility decreased from 89% at day 14 to 80% at day 17 and 71% at day 20 was observed (p ≤ 0.0001). Similarly, infectivity of day 20 SPZ dropped to ~ 50% compared with day 14 SPZ (p = 0.004). MoMɸ were better able to take up day 14 SPZ than day 20 SPZ (from 7.6% to 4.1%, p = 0.03) and displayed an increased expression of pro-inflammatory CD80, IL-6 (p = 0.005), regulatory markers PDL1 (p = 0.02), IL-10 (p = 0.009) and cytokines upon phagocytosis of younger SPZ. Interestingly, co-culture of these cells with CD8+ T-cells revealed a decreased expression of activation marker CD137 and cytokine IFNγ compared to their day 20 counterparts. These findings suggest that older (day 17–20) P. falciparum SPZ are less infectious and have decreased immune regulatory potential. Conclusion Overall, this data is a first step in enhancing the understanding of how mosquito residing time affects P. falciparum SPZ and could impact the understanding of the P. falciparum infectious reservoir and the potency of whole SPZ vaccines.

Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is a toxic heavy metal released from electroplating industrial processes and poses a significant threat to human health and the environment due to its high solubility and carcinogenicity. Effective removal of Cr(VI) from wastewater is crucial to mitigate its adverse effects. This study explores the potential of a novel sugarcane bagasse-bentonite magnetite nanocomposite, synthesized via the solvothermal method, for efficient Cr(VI) adsorption. The resulting sugarcane bagasse-bentonite magnetite nanocomposite was characterized and evaluated for its Cr(VI) removal efficiency from electroplating wastewater. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of characteristic functional groups in the nanocomposite, while PSA revealed an average particle size of 262 nm. SEM imaging further validated the porous structure of the material. Adsorption kinetics followed the Avrami model, reaching equilibrium at 270 minutes with a capacity of 11.40 mg/g. The Langmuir isotherm model best described the adsorption process, with a maximum capacity of 7.15 mg/g. Removal efficiency decreased with increasing initial Cr(VI) concentration, highlighting the impact of available adsorption sites. This study demonstrates the potential of sugarcane bagasse-bentonite magnetite nanocomposite as an effective and sustainable adsorbent for Cr(VI) removal from wastewater.

PurposeThe sequencing of androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) with radiotherapy (RT) may affect outcomes for prostate cancer in an RT-field size-dependent manner. Herein, we investigate the impact of ADT sequencing for men receiving ADT with prostate-only RT (PORT) or whole-pelvis RT (WPRT).Materials and methodsIndividual patient data from 12 randomized trials that included patients receiving neoadjuvant/concurrent or concurrent/adjuvant short-term ADT (4-6 months) with RT for localized disease were obtained from the Meta-Analysis of Randomized trials in Cancer of the Prostate consortium. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was performed with propensity scores derived from age, initial prostate-specific antigen, Gleason score, T stage, RT dose, and mid-trial enrollment year. Metastasis-free survival (primary end point) and overall survival (OS) were assessed by IPTW-adjusted Cox regression models, analyzed independently for men receiving PORT versus WPRT. IPTW-adjusted Fine and Gray competing risk models were built to evaluate distant metastasis (DM) and prostate cancer-specific mortality.ResultsOverall, 7,409 patients were included (6,325 neoadjuvant/concurrent and 1,084 concurrent/adjuvant) with a median follow-up of 10.2 years (interquartile range, 7.2-14.9 years). A significant interaction between ADT sequencing and RT field size was observed for all end points (P interaction < .02 for all) except OS. With PORT (n = 4,355), compared with neoadjuvant/concurrent ADT, concurrent/adjuvant ADT was associated with improved metastasis-free survival (10-year benefit 8.0%, hazard ratio [HR], 0.65; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.79; P < .0001), DM (subdistribution HR, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.82; P = .0046), prostate cancer-specific mortality (subdistribution HR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.16 to 0.54; P < .0001), and OS (HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.57 to 0.83; P = .0001). However, in patients receiving WPRT (n = 3,049), no significant difference in any end point was observed in regard to ADT sequencing except for worse DM (HR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.20 to 2.05; P = .0009) with concurrent/adjuvant ADT.ConclusionADT sequencing exhibits a significant impact on clinical outcomes with a significant interaction with field size. Concurrent/adjuvant ADT should be the standard of care where short-term ADT is indicated in combination with PORT.