During the initial diagnosis of urgent medical conditions, which include acute infectious diseases, it is important to assess the severity of the patient\'s clinical state as quickly as possible. Unlike individual biochemical or physiological indicators, derived indices make it possible to better characterize a complex syndrome as a set of symptoms, and therefore quickly take a set of adequate measures. Recently, we reported on novel diagnostic indices containing butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity, which is decreased in COVID-19 patients. Also, in these patients, the secretion of von Willebrand factor (vWF) increases, which leads to thrombosis in the microvascular bed. The objective of this study was the determination of the concentration and activity of vWF in patients with COVID-19, and the search for new diagnostic indices. One of the main objectives was to compare the prognostic values of some individual and newly derived indices. Patients with COVID-19 were retrospectively divided into two groups: survivors (n = 77) and deceased (n = 24). According to clinical symptoms and computed tomography (CT) results, the course of disease was predominantly moderate in severity. The first blood sample (first point) was taken upon admission to the hospital, the second sample (second point)-within 4-6 days after admission. Along with the standard spectrum of biochemical indicators, BChE activity (BChEa or BChEb for acetylthiocholin or butyrylthiocholin, respectively), malondialdehyde (MDA), and vWF analysis (its antigen level, AGFW, and its activity, ActWF) were determined and new diagnostic indices were derived. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating curve (AUC), as well as Likelihood ratio (LR) and Odds ratio (OR) were calculated. The level of vWF antigen in the deceased group was 1.5-fold higher than the level in the group of survivors. Indices that include vWF antigen levels are superior to indices using vWF activity. It was found that the index [Urea] × [AGWF] × 1000/(BChEb × [ALB]) had the best discriminatory power to predict COVID-19 mortality (AUC = 0.91 [0.83, 1.00], p < 0.0001; OR = 72.0 [7.5, 689], p = 0.0002). In addition, [Urea] × 1000/(BChEb × [ALB]) was a good predictor of mortality (AUC = 0.95 [0.89, 1.00], p < 0.0001; OR = 31.5 [3.4, 293], p = 0.0024). The index [Urea] × [AGWF] × 1000/(BChEb × [ALB]) was the best predictor of mortality associated with COVID-19 infection, followed by [Urea] × 1000/(BChEb × [ALB]). After validation in a subsequent cohort, these two indices could be recommended for diagnostic laboratories.

The marine weathering of microplastics is spectrally characterized by the appearance of new bands that disturb our understanding of the information carried by the spectra. Yet, no explanation has been provided on the chemical origin of these new bands. Thus, the main objective of this work was to identify the origins of these additional bands. To this end, 4042 spectra of poly (styrene), poly(ethylene) and poly(propylene) microplastics collected in the Mediterranean Sea, were analysed using principal component analysis. The results showed that the spectral variability was mainly related to only three processes: chemical ageing, organic and inorganic fouling. These processes probably differ from one polymer family to another due to surface affinities. This work has also led to the proposal of two new polymer indices that could be used to monitor the intensity of (bio)fouling. Finally, the development of advanced analyses could also provide information on the nature of the plastisphere.

UNASSIGNED: Fixed orthodontic treatment may cause discomfort four to six weeks after the initiation of the treatment as it may change the type and amount of food consumed by children. This temporary change may have a long-term effect on the growth status of such children. This study aimed to detect the longitudinal relationship between fixed orthodontic treatment and developmental indicators in children and adolescents.
UNASSIGNED: The study population encompassed adolescents undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment as the exposure group (n = 30) and adolescents with no orthodontic treatment as the control group (n = 90). The patients\' dental age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), and wrist circumference were assessed at the baseline, as well as 1, 3, and 6 months after the orthodontic treatment. The significance level was set to be p = 0.05.
UNASSIGNED: One-hundred twenty participants were included in this study. In the two groups, all growth parameters revealed an increasing trend. In the exposure group, weight-related indices (i.e., weight, BMI, and wrist circumference) decreased in the first month and then increased during the next five months. All indices in the control group and height in the exposure group exhibited a continuous increase.
UNASSIGNED: Fixed orthodontic treatment affects childhood growth indices. However, these effects are probably short-term, and the catchup growth mechanism can offset these effects and modify the changes in growth indices. A longer follow-up period is recommended to be considered by future researchers.

An index-based approach for a comprehensive evaluation of the potential risk for active substances and their mixtures to impact the environment was developed. Some of the indices considered already exist (PRISW-1, Priority Index), while others were created ex novo from indicators available on open-source platforms (PESTi, ECOi, AGROi). These indices maybe used for an evaluation before use of pesticides by farmers and advisers. The present approach was initially validated for herbicides in maize crops, but it can readily be applied to other PPPs and crops. PESTi index underline the physical and chemical characteristics as a whole, not considering the impact of other factors such as application rate or period of application. Hence, this index may underestimate the risk associated to a certain chemical. AGROi has a precautionary approach. The risk associated to a specific mixture derives from a combination of intrinsic characteristics of the chemicals, agronomic impacts, regulation restrictions and potential hazard to water compartment. The ECOi index is focused on the ecotoxicological impact against non-target organisms. The helpfulness of this index stands in its ability to easily discriminate the ecotoxicological impact of chemicals using indicators commonly available in literature and without making complex calculations. PRISW-1 Index discriminate active substances according to their risk against three representative non-target organisms. However, due to the intrinsic characteristics of each pesticide, a high PRISW-1 value could not always mean an easy movement of the chemical via runoff waters. The information deriving from Priority index may certainly help public authorities to select chemicals to be detected in water monitoring campaigns. The application of these indices may represent a valid decision tool for public stakeholders in defining agricultural measures to reduce the externalities of pest control.

Background: A prognostic assessment is crucial for making cancer treatment decisions in older patients. We assessed the prognostic performance (relative to one-year mortality) of eight comorbidity indices in a cohort of older patients with cancer. Methods: We studied patients with cancer aged ≥70 included in the Elderly Cancer Patient (ELCAPA) cohort between 2007 and 2010. We assessed seven nonspecific indices (Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), three modified versions of the CCI, the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, the Gagne index, and the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics (CIRS-G)) and the National Cancer Institute Comorbidity Index. Results: Overall, 510 patients were included. Among patients with nonmetastatic cancer, all the comorbidity indices were independently associated with 1-year mortality (adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of 1.44 to 2.51 for one standard deviation increment; p < 0.05 for all) and had very good discriminant ability (Harrell’s C > 0.8 for the eight indices), but were poorly calibrated. Among patients with metastatic cancer, only the CIRS-G was independently associated with 1-year mortality (aHR (95% confidence interval): 1.26 [1.06−1.50]). Discriminant ability was moderate (0.61 to 0.70) for the subsets of patients with metastatic cancer and colorectal cancer. Conclusion: Comorbidity indices had strong prognostic value and discriminative ability for one-year mortality in older patients with nonmetastatic cancer, although calibration was poor. In older patients with metastatic cancer, only the CIRS-G was predictive of one-year mortality.

Greenspace and socioeconomic status are known correlates of diabetes prevalence, but their combined effects at the sub-neighborhood scale are not yet known. This study derives, maps, and validates a combined socioeconomic/greenspace index of individual-level diabetes risk at the sub-neighborhood scale, without the need for clinical measurements. In two Canadian cities (Vancouver and Hamilton), we computed 4 greenspace variables from satellite imagery and extracted 11 socioeconomic variables from the Canadian census. We mapped 5125 participants from the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology Study by their residential address and used age- and sex-dependent walking speeds to estimate individual exposure zones to local greenspace and socioeconomic characteristics, which were then entered into a principal component analysis to derive a novel diabetes risk index (DRI-GLUCoSE). We mapped index scores in both study areas and validated the index using fully adjusted logistic regression models to predict individual diabetes status. Model performance was then compared to other non-clinical diabetes risk indices from the literature. Diabetes prevalence among participants was 9.9%. The DRI-GLUCoSE index was a significant predictor of diabetes status, exhibiting a small non-significant attenuation with the inclusion of dietary and physical activity variables. The final models achieved a predictive accuracy of 75%, the highest among environmental risk models to date. Our combined index of local greenspace and socioeconomic factors demonstrates that the environmental component of diabetes risk is not sufficiently explained by diet and physical activity, and that increasing urban greenspace may be a suitable means of reducing the burden of diabetes at the community scale.

Although evidence suggests that obesity track well from childhood to adolescence, most of the research has been done in Western and high-income countries. Moreover, most of the studies have tracked body-mass index, as a proxy of nutritional status, while tracking characteristics of circumferences and skinfold thicknesses have been less studies. Therefore, the main purpose of the study was to explore tracking characteristics of complete anthropometric data from childhood to adolescence.
This sub-study was part of the Czech ELSPAC study. In the present 8-year longitudinal study, we collected information from pediatrician\'s medical records at the ages of 8 y (n = 888), 11 y (n = 1065), 13 y (n = 811) and 15 y (n = 974), including circumferences (head, chest, waist, hips, and arm), indices (body-mass index, waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-height ratio) and skinfold thicknesses (biceps, triceps, subscapula, suprailiaca, thigh and the sum of 5 skinfolds). Participants were recruited from the two selected regions of the Czech Republic (Brno and Znojmo). Linear generalized estimating equations were conducted to analyze tracking patterns over an 8-year follow-up period for all anthropometric measurements.
Tracking coefficients were moderate to strong, ranging from 0.40 to 0.62 for circumferences, 0.41 to 0.74 for indices and 0.72 to 0.86 for skinfolds. According to body-mass index and waist circumference standards, overweight/obese children and children with abdominal obesity at the age of 8 y were 11.31 (95% CI = 8.41 to 15.22, p < 0.001) and 10.73 (95% CI = 7.93 to 14.52, p < 0.001) more likely to remain overweight/obese and to have abdominal obesity at the age of 15 y.
Findings show moderate to strong tracking of anthropometric characteristics, i.e. circumferences track moderately well, while strong tracking for indices and skinfold thicknesses is observed. Moreover, strong tracking of general overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity between ages 8 y and 15 y indicates that the detection of these risk factors at the beginning of primary school should be advocated.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and obesity-related indices has been analyzed separately thus far, and evidence comparing these indices together is still lacking, especially in China. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the predictive performance of anthropometric and metabolic indices to identify NAFLD in Chinese adults.
METHODS: This study recruited a total of 1748 participants who were 18 years or older in southeastern China. The systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), fasting blood glucose (FBG), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), waist circumference (WC), a body shape index (ABSI), atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), abdominal volume index (AVI), body adiposity index (BAI), body mass index (BMI), body roundness index (BRI), conicity index (CI), triglyceride glucose (TyG), waist hip ratio (WHR), and waist height ratio (WHtR) were measured. The association between these indices and NAFLD was analyzed via logistic analyses with odds ratios (ORs). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and areas under the curve (AUCs) were used to compare the predictive performance of these indices to identify NAFLD.
RESULTS: BMI had the greatest total AUC (AUC = 0.841) in the ROC curve analysis. However, BRI and BMI both had the best diagnostic ability in males (AUC = 0.812), and BRI had the best diagnostic ability in females (AUC = 0.849). Furthermore, AVI had the greatest AUC for patients who were ~ 20 (AUC = 0.892) and ~ 40 years old (AUC = 0.831), while TyG showed a higher predictive ability than AVI in those who were ~ 60 years old (AUC = 0.766).
CONCLUSIONS: This study identified sex- and age-specific indices for predicting NAFLD in Chinese subjects. Compared with indices for all age groups, sex- and age-specific indices can provide more accurate assistance for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Although several indices have been constructed and available at the Index database (IDB) for Sentinel-2 satellite to map and study several earth resources, no indices have been developed to map oil spill. We constructed band ratios (5 + 6)/7, (3 + 4)/2, (11+12)/8 and 3/2, (3 + 4)/2, (6 + 7)/5 using the high-resolution MSI (multi-spectral instrument) visible-near infrared-shortwave infrared spectral bands of Sentinel-2 by summing-up the bands representing the shoulders of absorption features as numerator and the band located nearest to the absorption feature as denominator to discriminate oil spill, and demonstrate the potential of this method to map the Wakashio oil spill which occurred in the Indian Ocean, off Mauritius. The resulted images discriminated the oil spill well. We also decorrelated the spectral bands 4, 3 and 2 by studying the spectral band absorptions and discriminated the spill as very thick, thick and thin. The results of decorrelation stretch method exhibited the distribution of types of oil spill in a different tone, distinctly. Both the image transformation methods (band ratios and decorrelation stretch methods) showed their capability to map oil spills, and these methods are recommended to use for similar spectral bands of other sensors to map oil spills.•This study demonstrated the application of band ratios and decorrelation stretch methods to map oil spill.•The methods discriminated the oil spill off Mauritius, and showed spill thicknesses from the Sentinel-2 data.•The new methods are recommended to use for the spectral bands of other sensors to map oil spill.

UNASSIGNED: Adolescents are the most vulnerable population to initiate tobacco use. It is now well established that most of the adult users of tobacco start tobacco use in their childhood or adolescence.
UNASSIGNED: The purpose of this study is to compare and evaluate the Group Motivational Therapy (GMT) and Individualised Motivational therapy (IMT) for tobacco cessation in adolescents.
UNASSIGNED: Oral screening was done in a village named Vehra Khadi near Anand. One hundred and eight adolescents aged between 12 and 18 years were included in the study. They were randomly divided into three groups namely Group 1 - Interventional group consisting of 36 adolescents who were given GMT; Group 2 - Interventional group consisting of 36 adolescents who were given IMT; and Group 3 -3 6 age - matched Negative control group. Hence, a total sample size of 108 was evaluated for tobacco consumption frequency, passive smoking, gingival index, and stain index and followed up for 9 months for the effect of both interventional group as well as positive control.
UNASSIGNED: Frequency of tobacco consumption was reduced from baseline to 9 months\' follow-up for both the interventional groups, which was statistically significant with <0.001 percent P value showing 84.38% change by intervention 1 and 98.30% in intervention 2.
UNASSIGNED: Group and individualized motivation serves as an effective means for tobacco cessation among adolescents. Improvement in gingival health and reduction of the tobacco consumption was observed with motivational intervention.