Artificial neural network (ANN) and response surface methodology (RSM) were employed to develop models for process optimisation of pilot scale nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membrane filtration system for the treatment of brackish groundwater. The process variables for this study were feed concentration, temperature, pH and pressure. The performance of NF/RO was assessed in terms of permeate flux, water recovery, salt rejection and specific energy consumption, which were considered as responses. The experimental design was employed to develop both RSM and ANN models. RSM model was validated for the whole range of experimental levels, while the ANN model was considered for the whole range of experimental design. RSM and ANN models were statistically analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Further, the models were graphically compared for its predictive capacity. Numerical optimisation of NF and RO pilot plant to determine the optimum conditions were verified. Finally, using the optimum conditions, three hybrid configurations of NF and RO were studied to determine the best mode for the treatment of brackish groundwater. It was found that parallel NF-RO had a recovery of 57.18% and rejection of 44.89%, for RO-concentrate-NF (RO-C-NF) recovery was 49.55% and rejection of 38.64% & for NF-concentrate-RO (NF-C-RO), the recovery of 39.53% and rejection of 49.66% was obtained. Results obtained also suggested that the mode of configurations and the feed concentration affect the performance of the hybrid system. With increasing incidence of thyroid carcinoma, the optimal management of central lymph nodes remains an unanswered question although central neck nodes represent the most common site of recurrence. The aim of this study was to determine the morbidity of prophylactic central neck dissection in differentiated thyroid cancer and to evaluate histopathological correlation between nodal metastases and histological features. This was a prospective, observational study of 2 years duration (May 2017 to May 2019) involving 30 patients with proven differentiated thyroid cancers and clinicoradiologically negative lymph node with no history of neck surgeries. They all underwent total thyroidectomy with bilateral central neck dissection. Surgical outcomes in the form of transient or permanent hypoparathyroidism, transient and permanent recurrent nerve palsy were assessed along with histopathological correlation of primary tumor with central node positivity. Classical histology(p=0.05), >4cm tumor size (p=0.04), lymphovascular invasion (p=0.04) and multifocality (p=0.04) were all significantly associated with increased risk of central lymph nodal metastasis. The incidence of transient and permanent hypoparathyroidism was 36.3% and 10% respectively. Metastatic lymph node ratio of >60% is significantly associated with increased preablative serum thyroglobulin levels. Around 35% of the pT1 or T2 lesions were upstagedfor postoperative radioiodineablation CONCLUSION An important role of prophylactic central neck dissection may lie in male patients, age > 45years, tumor size >4cm, extrathyroidal extension, lymphovascular invasion and multifocality in accurate staging and can be performed with minimal morbidity at a high volume center.4 cm, extrathyroidal extension, lymphovascular invasion and multifocality in accurate staging and can be performed with minimal morbidity at a high volume center. The second to fourth digit ratio (2D4D) is assumed to be a biomarker of prenatal sex steroid exposure, correlating negatively with prenatal testosterone and positively with prenatal estrogen. The ratio has been suggested to be influenced by endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). However, evidence regarding effects of prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) on 2D4D of children was sparse. We investigated the associations between prenatal exposure to PBDEs and 2D4D of children aged 4 years. Participants were mother-child pairs from the Shanghai-Minhang Birth Cohort Study (S-MBCS) which enrolled pregnant women at 12-16 weeks of gestation from April to December 2012. Nine PBDE congeners in venous umbilical cord plasma of 340 children were measured. Digit lengths were measured using a vernier caliper in children aged 4 years and 2D4D for left and right hands and average 2D4D value of both hands were calculated. A total of 281 children (160 boys and 121 girls) who had data on both 2D4D andgnificantly higher (feminized) 2D4D for both hands was observed in those with the highest exposure levels of BDE-100 (β=0.0147, 95% CI 0.0005, 0.0289 for the left hand; β=0.0182, 95% CI 0.0046, 0.0318 for the right hand) and those with the middle and the highest exposure levels of BDE-153 (middle vs. undetected, β=0.0215, 95% CI 0.0072, 0.0358 for the left hand; β=0.0155, 95% CI 0.0015, 0.0295 for the right hand; highest vs. undetected, β=0.0162, 95% CI 0.0017, 0.0307 for the left hand; β=0.0152, 95% CI 0.0011, 0.0294 for the right hand). Our study provides preliminary evidence that prenatal exposure to PBDEs might be associated with higher 2D4D in boys and girls.Our study provides preliminary evidence that prenatal exposure to PBDEs might be associated with higher 2D4D in boys and girls. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare yet devastating neurodegenerative condition. The mechanisms leading to ALS are most certainly complex and likely involve a joint contribution of several factors with possible synergistic or antagonistic interactions. To provide a better understanding of the association between non-genetic factors and ALS, we evaluated the joint exposure to multiple health and environmental factors linked with ALS in our previous studies, also screening for high-dimensional interactions. We used data from a nested case-control study within the Danish population, with 1086 ALS cases from 1982 to 2009, jointly investigating 4 hospital-based diagnoses - diabetes, obesity, physical/stress trauma, cardiovascular disease (CVD) during 1977-2009; and 4 environmental exposures - lead, formaldehyde, diesel exhaust, and solvents, assessed from individual occupational history. selleckchem All covariates were evaluated as ever/never exposed, and we used targeted machine learning techniques to screen for important joint predictors and interactions.