A Review of EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) Rubber-Based Nanocomposites: Properties and Progress.

Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) is a synthetic rubber widely used in industry and commerce due to its high thermal and chemical resistance. Nanotechnology has enabled the incorporation of nanomaterials into polymeric matrixes that maintain their flexibility and conformation, allowing them to achieve properties previously unattainable, such as improved tensile and chemical resistance. In this work, we summarize the influence of different nanostructures on the mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of EPDM-based materials to keep up with current research and support future research into synthetic rubber nanocomposites.

The invasive Egeria densa macrophyte and its potential as a new renewable energy source: A study of degradation kinetics and thermodynamic parameters.

The increase in global demand, along with environmental concerns, has led to the need for new sources that can supply the energy needed for socioeconomic development while reducing pollutant emissions. Aquatic biomasses, especially those of invasive aquatic macrophytes, can be potential energy sources, and this study evaluated the thermal degradation of the invasive Egeria densa macrophytes (EDM) in an inert environment at four heating rates to evaluate its potential as a low-cost biomass and bioenergy source. Pyrolysis experiments were performed using a thermogravimetric analyzer. The thermal profile of invasive EDM has three main events (multiple stages). Stages (i) and (ii) occur at a temperature range of 125-395 °C and represent the decomposition of carbohydrates such as hemicellulose and cellulose. Stage (iii) occurs between 395 and 500 °C and mainly relates to the decomposition of lignin. Thermal data have been used to analyze kinetic parameters through isoconversional methods, and the activation energy (Ea) value of EDM showed variation at different conversion points. The highest Ea values were observed for conversion rates of 0.3-0.6 due to the increased energy required to break down the lignocellulosic chains during decomposition. The small difference between the enthalpy change and Ea values for the different isoconversional methods can be due to a small potential energy barrier, which reflects the feasibility that the reaction can occur under the expected conditions. Gibbs free energy (137-145 kJ mol-1) and high heating value (13.40 MJ/kg) revealed a significant bioenergy potential for EDM biomass.

Informed Consent for Scholarly Articles during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has caused a breakdown in the healthcare system worldwide. The need to rapidly update guidelines in order to control the transmission in the population and for evidenced-based healthcare care has led to the need for timely, voluminous and valid research. Amid the quest for a vaccine and better therapies, researchers clamouring for information has led to a wide variety of ethical issues due to the unique situation. This paper aims to examine the positive and negative aspects of recent changes in the process of obtaining informed consent. The article outlines the various aspects, from history, previously described exemptions to consenting as well as those implemented during the pandemic and the current impact of virtual methods. Further, the authors make recommendations based on the outcome of suggested adjustments described in the literature. This article looks into increasing the awareness of physicians and researchers about ethical issues that need to be addressed to provide optimal care for patients while assuring their integrity and confidentiality.

When Second Best Might be the Best: Using Hospitalization Data to Monitor the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic

The novel coronavirus high rate of asymptomatic transmission combined with a lack of testing kits call for a different approach to monitor its spread and severity. We proposed the use of hospitalizations and hospital utilization data to monitor the spread and severity. A proposed threshold of a declining 7-day moving average over a 14-day period, "7&14" was set to communicate when a wave of the novel coronavirus may have passed. The state of Ohio was chosen to illustrate this threshold. While not the ideal solution for monitoring the spread of the epidemic, the proposed approach is an easy to implement framework accounting for limitations of the data inherent in the current epidemic. Hospital administrators and policy makers may benefit from incorporating this approach into their decision making.

Quantifying and mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on outcomes in colorectal cancer

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption across cancer pathways for diagnosis and treatment. In England, 32% of colorectal cancer (CRC) is diagnosed via urgent symptomatic referral from primary care, the "2-week-wait" (2WW) pathway. Access to routine endoscopy is likely to be a critical bottleneck causing delays in CRC management due to chronic limitation in capacity, acute competition for physician time, and safety concerns. MethodsWe used age-specific, stage-specific 10 year CRC survival for England 2007-2017 and 2WW CRC cases volumes. We used per-day hazard ratios of CRC survival generated from observational studies of CRC diagnosis-to-treatment interval to model the effect of different durations of per-patient delay. We utilised data from a large London observational study of faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) in symptomatic patients to model FIT-triage to mitigate delay to colonoscopy. FindingsModest delays result in significant reduction in survival from CRC with a 4-month delay resulting across age groups in [≥]20% reduction in survival in Stage 3 disease and in total over a year, 1,419 attributable deaths across the 11,266 CRC patients diagnosed via the 2WW pathway. FIT triage of >10 ug Hb/g would salvage 1,292/1,419 of the attributable deaths and reduce colonoscopy requirements by >80%. Diagnostic colonoscopy offers net survival in all age groups, providing nosocomial COVID-19 infection rates are kept low (<2{middle dot}5%). InterpretationTo avoid significant numbers of avoidable deaths from CRC, normal diagnostic and surgical throughput must be maintained. An accrued backlog of cases will present to primary care following release of lockdown, supranormal endoscopy capacity will be required to manage this without undue delays. FIT-triage of symptomatic cases provides a rational approach by which to avoid patient delay and mitigate pressure on capacity in endoscopy. This would also reduce exposure to nosocomial COVID-19 infection, relevant in particular to older patient groups. FundingBreast Cancer Now, Cancer Research UK, Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

Acute Geometric Changes of the Mitral Annulus after Coronary Occlusion: A Real-Time 3D Echocardiographic Study

We performed real-time 3D echocardiography in sixteen sheep to compare acute geometric changes in the mitral annulus after left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD, n=8) ligation and those after left circumflex coronary artery (LCX, n=8) ligation. The mitral regurgitation (MR) was quantified by regurgitant volume (RV) using the proximal isovelocity surface area method. The mitral annulus was reconstructed through the hinge points of the annulus traced on 9 rotational apical planes (angle increment=20 degrees). Mitral annular area (MAA) and the ratio of antero-posterior (AP) to commissure-commissure (CC) dimension of the annulus were calculated. Non-planar angle (NPA) representing non-planarity of the annulus was measured. After LCX occlusion, there were significant increases of the MAA during both early and late systole (p<0.01) with significant MR (RV: 30+/-14 mL), while there was neither a significant increase of MAA, nor a significant MR (RV: 4+/-5 mL) after LAD occlusion. AP/CC ratio (p<0.01) and NPA (p<0.01) also significantly increased after LCX occlusion during both early and late systole. The mitral annulus was significantly enlarged in the antero-posterior direction with significant decrease of non-planarity compared to LAD occlusion immediately after LCX occlusion.

The clinical value of risperidone and olanzapine: A meta-analysis of efficacy and safety.

INTRODUCTION: Since 1990 novel antipsychotics have been available to treat schizophrenia. Risperidone and olanzapine have emerged as the two most popular members of this class. The current report aims to synthesize the clinical trial data currently available on these two novel antipsychotics and compare them with conventional products in terms of efficacy and safety. METHODS: Published randomized clinical trials, which included a risperidone or olanzapine arm, were sought through the MEDLINE, EMBASE and PSYCLIT databases. Trials were only excluded due to reporting failures or design incompatibilities (not randomized). A random effects approach was applied to compare information across trials, and meta-regression was used to compare product categories and gain insight into patient factors related to clinical outcomes. Outcome variables measured were total Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) score, withdrawals due to inefficacy and use of medication for extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS). RESULTS: Risperidone and olanzapine offer advantages over conventional products in terms of both efficacy and safety. Of the two novel antipsychotics studied, the benefits of risperidone were clearer than those with olanzapine in terms of efficacy; this could not be assessed for safety due to inconsistencies in the reporting of extrapyramidal symptoms between studies. CONCLUSION: Patients receiving novel antipsychotics, particularly risperidone, are likely to gain improved control of symptoms of schizophrenia and are less likely to require medication to counteract extrapyramidal symptoms than patients receiving conventional neuroleptics.