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The increases in air pollution over the metropolitan cities are a threat to human health and environment. An attempt has been made to evaluate the health consequences of indoor air pollution induced by Beam Rolling Mills Factory at Ahwaz (Iran). A questionnaire was prepared to obtain information on health of 481 workers, out of which 200 each were selected from exposed and non-exposed category by stratified randomized method. Fisher exact test and chi-square test were used to calculate the values. The study concludes that more than 80% of the workers have high exposure risk to diseases. Analysis of the health impacts reveals that exposed workers are more prone to various diseases as compared to the non-exposed workers. It is also observed that exposure to air pollutants might be the causative factor for various diseases among the smokers but also nonsmoking workers. The analysis also reveals that there is higher relative risk in occupational fatigue and cardio-vascular disease. Further, the study found that percentage of workers having various diseases is much higher in the indoor environment as compared to the outdoor environment

Background: The Ki-67 index is a histopathological marker that has been reported to be a crucial factor in the biological behavior and prognosis of meningiomas. Several studies have developed artificial intelligence (AI) models to predict the Ki-67 based on radiomics. In this study, we aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of AI models that predicted the Ki-67 index in meningioma., Methods: Literature records were retrieved on April 27th, 2024, using the relevant key terms without filters in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. Records were screened according to the eligibility criteria, and the data from included studies were extracted. The quality assessment was performed using the QUADAS-2 tool. The meta-analysis, sensitivity analysis, and meta-regression were conducted using R software., Results: Our study included six studies. The mean Ki-67 ranged from 2.7 ± 2.97 to 4.8 ± 40.3. Of six studies, five utilized an ML method. The most used AI method was the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO). The AUC and ACC ranged from 0.83 to 0.99 and 0.81 to 0.95, respectively. AI models demonstrated a pooled sensitivity of 87.5% (95% CI: 75.2%, 94.2%), a specificity of 86.9% (95% CI: 75.8%, 93.4%), and a diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of 40.02 (95% CI: 13.5, 156.4). The summary receiver operating characteristic SROC curve indicated an AUC of 0.931 for the prediction of Ki-67 index status in intracranial meningiomas., Conclusion: AI models have demonstrated promising performance for predicting the Ki-67 index in meningiomas and can optimize the treatment strategy., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Efficient separation of oxygen and nitrogen from air is a process of great importance for many industrial and medical applications. Two-dimensional (2D) membranes are very promising materials for separation of gases, as they offer enhanced mass transport due to their smallest atomic thickness. In this work, we examine the capacity of graphdiyne (GDY), a new 2D carbon allotrope with regular subnanometric pores, for separating oxygen ( 16 O 2 ) from nitrogen ( 14 N 2 ). A quantum-mechanical model has been applied to the calculation of the transmission probabilities and permeances of these molecules through GDY using force fields based on accurate electronic structure computations. It is found that the 16 O 2 / 14 N 2 selectivity (ratio of permeances) is quite high ( e.g. , about 10 6 and 10 2 at 100 and 300 K, respectively), indicating that GDY can be useful for separation of these species, even at room temperature. This is mainly due to the N 2 transmission barrier (∼0.37 eV) which is considerably higher than the O 2 one (∼0.25 eV). It is also found that molecular motions are quite confined inside the GDY pores and that, as a consequence, quantum effects (zero-point energy) are significant in the studied processes. Finally, we explore the possibility of 18 O 2 / 16 O 2 isotopologue separation due to these mass-dependent quantum effects, but it is found that the process is not practical since reasonable selectivities are concomitant with extremely small permeances.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) afflicts 69 million individuals annually, resulting in numerous neuropsychiatric sequelae. Here, we investigate the possible relation between TBI and depression., Methods: an online database search of Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted on November 3rd, 2023 for observational studies investigating post-TBI depressive symptoms incidence or comparing the prevalence of depressive symptoms between TBI and non-TBI individuals., Results: a total of 43 studies were included in our review, 15 of which reported novel cases of depressive symptomology post-TBI and 34 of which compared depressive symptoms in TBI participants with non-TBI participants. Our meta-analysis showed an incidence of 13 % among 724,842 TBI participants, and a relative risk of 2.10 when comparing 106,083 TBI patients to 323,666 non-TBI controls. 11 of the 43 included studies were deemed as having a high risk of bias. Sensitivity analysis showed our findings to be robust and no publication bias was detected using Egger's regression test., Conclusion: Individuals suffering from TBI are almost twice as likely to develop depressive symptomology compared to non-TBI individuals., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The management of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) is a significant clinical challenge. This study evaluated the efficacy of teplizumab, an immunomodulatory drug, in patients with T1DM, using a systematic review and meta-analysis approach., Methods: We systematically searched multiple databases including Medline, Scopus, and others up to 10 January 2024, without language or regional restrictions. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing teplizumab with placebo in T1DM patients., Results: Our analysis incorporated 8 RCTs, predominantly involving participants aged 7-35 years, diagnosed with T1DM and treated with 14-day courses of teplizumab. The primary outcomes included insulin use, C-peptide levels, and HbA1c levels. We observed a significant reduction in insulin use in the teplizumab group standardised mean difference of -0.50 (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: -0.76 to -0.23, p < 0.001; I2 = 49%). C-peptide levels were consistently higher in the teplizumab group, indicating improved endogenous insulin production. However, no significant change was noted in HbA1c levels between the groups. Quality assessment indicated a low risk of bias in most studies., Conclusions: Teplizumab has a significant impact on reducing insulin dependence and enhancing endogenous insulin production in T1DM patients. However, its effect on long-term glycaemic control, as indicated by HbA1c levels, remains inconclusive., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Recent interest in the potential therapeutic effects of psychedelics has led to investigations into their influence on molecular signaling pathways within the brain., Aims: Integrated review and analysis of different studies in this field., Methods: A systematic search was conducted across international databases including Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed from inception to 9 July 2023. Eligibility criteria encompassed published and peer-reviewed studies evaluating changes in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels after psychedelic consumption., Outcomes: A total of nine studies were included in our study. The meta-analysis demonstrated significantly higher BDNF levels in psychedelic consumers compared to healthy controls, with a pooled standardized mean difference of 0.26 (95% CI: 0.10-0.42, I 2  = 38.51%, p  < 0.001). Leave-one-out analysis indicated robustness in results upon removal of individual psychedelics. No significant publication bias was observed. The results highlight the potential influence of psychedelics on neuroplasticity by altering BDNF levels., Conclusions: More precisely, the documented rise in BDNF levels indicates a neurobiological mechanism by which psychedelics could enhance synaptic plasticity and foster the growth of neurons. Given the limited data available on this topic, the conclusions remain uncertain. Consequently, we highly recommend additional research with more extensive sample sizes to yield more reliable evidence in this field., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: The impact of cannabis uses on blood levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) remains uncertain, with conflicting findings reported in the literature. BDNF and NGF both are essential proteins for neuron's growth, and their dysregulation is seen in various mental disorders. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between cannabis usage and BDNF and NGF levels due to their potential implications for mental health., Methods: A comprehensive search of electronic databases was performed using appropriate MeSH terms and keywords. Inclusion criteria comprised human studies investigating the relationship between cannabis use and BDNF and NGF levels., Results: A total of 11 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included. The pooled analysis revealed a nonsignificant association between cannabis use and dysregulated blood levels of BDNF (random-effects model, standardized mean differences [SMD] = .26, 95% CI -.34 to .76, p = .40). The results of our subgroup analysis based on BDNF source showed a nonsignificant between-group difference. For NGF levels, four studies were included, the pooled analysis revealed a nonsignificant association between cannabis use and dysregulated blood levels of NGF (random-effects model, SMD = -.60, 95% CI -1.43 to -.23, p = .16). In both analyses, high heterogeneity was observed among the included studies which is a notable limitation to current meta-analysis., Conclusion: This systematic review highlights the need for further research to elucidate the relationship between cannabis use and these neurotrophic factors. A better understanding of these associations can contribute to our knowledge of the neurobiological effects of cannabis and inform potential implications for mental health, cognitive function, and neurodegenerative disorders., (© 2023 The Authors. Brain and Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: A systematic review and meta-analysis have been conducted to evaluate the efficacy of alkalinization for COVID-19 patients based on current evidence to determine the impact of alkalinization on COVID-19 outcomes., Methods: We searched MEDLINE (Pubmed), Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Clinicaltrials.gov for studies evaluating the efficacy of alkalinization up to 30 April 2023. Based on the PRISMA 2020 statement criteria a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies were performed., Results: The results of our meta-analysis showed a significant reduction in mortality rate in the alkalinization group compared to controls (RR 0.73, 95% CI: 0.56-0.95; I2  =  0%). However, our subgroup analysis showed no significant improvement in RCT-only studies (RR 0.78, 95% CI: 0.59-1.05; I2  =  0%), the recovery rate was significantly higher in the alkalinization group (RR 2.13, 95% CI: 1.39-3.26; I2  =  0%), duration of recovery also has improved in alkalinization group (SMD 0.76, 95% CI: 0.33-1.18; I2  =  0%). The results of our meta-analysis showed a significant reduction in the duration of hospitalization in the alkalinization group compared to controls with very low certainty of evidence (SMD -0.66, 95% CI: -0.97 to -0.35; I2  =  36%)., Conclusion: With low certainty of evidence, alkalinization (by sodium bicarbonate) can be an efficient and safe adjuvant treatment for COVID-19 patients. Future randomized controlled trials are needed to strengthen the available evidence., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declare that they have no known competing interests.

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a vital protein involved in neuronal development, survival, and plasticity. Alcohol consumption has been implicated in various neurocognitive deficits and neurodegenerative disorders. However, the impact of alcohol on BDNF blood levels remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of alcohol consumption on BDNF blood levels. A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted to identify relevant studies. Eligible studies were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria. Data extraction was performed, and methodological quality was assessed using appropriate tools. A meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the overall effect size of alcohol consumption on BDNF levels. A total of 25 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Alcohol use and BDNF blood levels were significantly correlated, according to the meta-analysis (p = 0.008). Overall, it was discovered that drinking alcohol significantly decreased BDNF levels (SMD: - 0.39; 95% CI: - 0.68 to - 0.10; I2: 93%). There was a non-significant trend suggesting that alcohol withdrawal might increase BDNF levels, with an SMD of 0.26 (95% CI: - 0.09 to 0.62; I2: 86%; p = 0.14). Subgroup analysis based on the source of BDNF demonstrated significant differences between the subgroups (p = 0.0008). No significant publication bias was observed. This study showed that alcohol consumption is associated with a significant decrease in BDNF blood levels. The findings suggest a negative impact of alcohol on BDNF levels regardless of alcohol dosage. Further studies are needed to strengthen the evidence and elucidate the underlying mechanisms., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Aims: We sought to conduct a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in patients with heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and HF with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF)., Methods: We searched the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov till March 2023 to retrieve all randomized controlled trials of SGLT2i in patients with HFpEF or HFmrEF. Risk ratios (RRs) and standardized mean differences (SMDs) with their 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were pooled using a random-effects model., Results: We included data from 14 RCTs. SGLT2i reduced the risk of the primary composite endpoint of first HF hospitalization or cardiovascular death (RR 0.81, 95% CI: 0.76, 0.87; I 2  = 0%); these results were consistent across the cohorts of HFmrEF and HFpEF patients. There was no significant decrease in the risk of cardiovascular death (RR 0.96, 95% CI: 0.82, 1.13; I 2  = 36%) and all-cause mortality (RR 0.97, 95% CI: 0.89, 1.05; I 2  = 0%). There was a significant improvement in the quality of life in the SGLT2i group (SMD 0.13, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.20; I 2  = 51%)., Conclusion: The use of SGLT2i is associated with a lower risk of the primary composite outcome and a higher quality of life among HFpEF/HFmrEF patients. However, further research involving more extended follow-up periods is required to draw a comprehensive conclusion., Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO (CRD42022364223)., Competing Interests: GF reports consulting for Abbott, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Cytokinetics, Edwards, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Medtronic, Merck, Novartis, and Pfizer. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The handling editor SV declared a past co-authorship with the author SD., (© 2023 Cheema, Shafiee, Athar, Rafiei, Mehmannavaz, Jafarabady, Shahid, Ahmad, Ijaz, Dani, Minhas, Nashwan, Fudim and Fonarow.)

Background: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the predictive value of frailty for predicting postsurgical complications in patients undergoing breast reconstruction surgery., Methods: MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase were searched for relevant studies up to September 13, 2022. A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies were performed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 statement criteria., Results: Nine studies were included in this research. The rates of overall complications (odds ratio [OR] 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.17-1.97, I2 = 76%; p = 0.002), wound complications (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.56-2.26, I2 = 16%; p < 0.0001), readmissions (OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.61-2.34, I2 = 15%; p < 0.0001), and reoperations (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.12-1.77, I2 = 39%; p = 0.003) were significantly greater in frail patients than in nonfrail undergoing breast reconstruction surgery. Furthermore, compared with nonfrail patients, this difference remained significantly higher among prefrail individuals (overall complications: OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.13-1.41, I2 = 67%; p < 0.001, wound complications: OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.33-1.66, I2 = 24%; p < 0.0001, readmission: OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.34-1.61, I2 = 0%; p < 0.0001, reoperation: OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.23-1.42, I2 = 0%; p < 0.0001). We found that frail patients undergoing immediate autologous reconstruction surgery are the most vulnerable to experiencing overall postoperative complications., Conclusion: Frailty is a strong predictor of postsurgical complications after breast reconstruction surgery in frail and prefrail patients. The most frailty index utilized was the modified five-item frailty index (mFI-5). More research is needed on this topic to assess the utility of frailty in practice, especially in countries other than the United States., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest No conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)