“
“Background: Since the 1970s, many countries have employed the use of the General practitioner group practice, but there is contrasting evidence about its effectiveness. A systematic review was performed to assess whether group practice has a more positive impact compared with the single-handed

practice on different aspects of health care.

Methods: selleck kinase inhibitor A systematic review was conducted by querying electronic databases and reviewing articles published between 1990 and 2012. A quality assessment was performed. The effect of group practice was evaluated by collecting all items analysed by the articles into four main categories: (1) studies of quality (measured in terms of clinical processes) and productivity (measured in terms of throughput), named “”Clinical process measures and throughput”"; (2) studies exploring physician’s opinion – “”Doctor’s

perspective”"; (3) studies looking into the use of innovation, information and communication technology (ICT) and quality assurance – “”Innovation, ICT and quality assurance”"; (4) studies focused on patient’s opinion – “”Patient’s perspective”". The results were synthesized according to three levels of scientific evidence.

Results: A total of 26 studies were selected. The most studied category was Clinical process measures and throughput (58%). A positive impact of group medicine on “”Clinical process measures and throughput”", “”Doctor’s perspective”", “”Innovation, ICT and quality assurance”" was found. There was contrasting evidence Combretastatin A4 considering the “”Patient’s perspective”".

Conclusions: Group practice might be a successful organizational requirement to improve the quality of clinical practice in Primary Health Care. Further comparative studies are needed to investigate the impact of organizational and professional determinants such as physician’s

economic incentives, mode Selleckchem Acadesine of payment, size of the groups and multispecialty on the effectiveness of medical primary care. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“1-Halomethyl-2-oxa-5-azoniaspiro[4.5]decane halides were synthesized by reaction of 1-(2-vinyloxy)ethylpiperidine with bromine and iodine. The product structure was confirmed by H-1 NMR and IR spectroscopy, and their steric configuration was optimized in terms of the density functional theory.”
“Electric injury is a common physical injury in daily life. Because of the low resistance of vascular tissue, vascular injury and thrombosis are frequently found in cases of high-voltage electric injury but are rarely reported in low-voltage conditions. We present the case of a diabetic woman who suffered symptomatic brainstem stroke after a short duration of 60 Hz/110V alternate current electric contact with a home washer socket.

The right eye had anterior cortical incipient cataracts, nuclear sclerosis, and an inactive chorioretinal scar.

Treatment and Outcome-Superficial lamellar keratectomy of the left eye was performed for both therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Histologic evaluation of corneal biopsy specimens revealed dematiaceous fungal keratitis of the left eye, and topical administration of voriconazole was used to successfully resolve the keratitis. Seven months after diagnosis

of dematiaceous fungal keratitis, the dog had no clinical signs or history of recurrence of the keratitis.

Clinical E7080 Relevance-Dematiaceous fungal keratitis should be considered as a possible cause of nonhealing corneal ulceration with heavy pigment deposition in dogs. Results suggested that lamellar keratectomy along with topical administration of voriconazole can be used successfully to treat dematiaceous fungal keratitis in dogs. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2012;240:1104-1108)”
“A study has been carried out on the influence of extrusion and drawing related process parameters with an object of obtaining high modulus

poly ether ether ketone yarns that can be tailor made to meet critical requirements of aerospace applications. The influence of the interaction between rheological properties, spinning process variables, and drawing conditions has been given special attention to engineer a yarn that exhibit excellent structure property relationships. The wide angle X-ray diffraction results suggest that drawing SR-2156 carried out above glass transition temperature (T(g)) influences the structure that include unit cell parameters, density, and mechanical properties. The degree RXDX-101 cost of orientation characterized in terms of sonic velocity measured as high as 3 km/s with sonic modulus of 105 gpd. With progressive increase in draw temperature, crystallinity was found to increase, and useful properties were observed at an optimum draw temperature of 200 degrees C (may be region of maximum crystallization rate) primarily attributed

to the maximum crystallization temperature and the heat setting effect. Thermal studies (TGA) indicate that these materials can be used in high temperature applications (up to 250 degrees C) for long time exposure and 500 degrees C for short term exposure. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 112:2497-2510, 2009″
“Although higher delay discounting Fates have been linked to cigarette smoking, little is known about the stability of delay discounting, whether delay discounting promotes smoking acquisition, whether smoking contributes to impulsive choices, or if different relationships exist in distinct Subgroups. This study sought to fill these gaps within a prospective longitudinal cohort study (N=947) spanning mid-adolescence to young adulthood (age 15-21 years old). Smoking and delay discounting were measured across time.

(C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3622313]“
“Monitoring pancreas transplant recipients for rejection is an inexact science. Serial monitoring of urinary amylase has been used for patients with a bladder-drained pancreas. An increase in serum amylase and lipase has been utilized as an in vivo measure of pancreas rejection in patients with enteric pancreatic exocrine drainage.

Decreases in urinary amylase or increases in serum amylase or lipase, MK-8931 ic50 respectively, in these two different types of surgical drainage would prompt a pancreas biopsy for histologic confirmation of rejection. Herein, we describe the case of an enteric-drained pancreatic transplant recipient who presented with peripheral eosinophilia at least one month before she developed increases in serum amylase and lipase. A pancreas allograft biopsy indicated eosinophilic acute cellular rejection. Peripheral eosinophilia may be a useful early indicator Natural Product Library in vitro of pancreas graft rejection preceding changes in serum pancreatic enzymes by approximately one month.”
“The standard treatment protocol for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in childhood includes intravenous therapy with asparaginase (Asp), which may cause hyperammonemia. In this study, all patients receiving asparaginase therapy at the

Hospital for Children and Adolescents of the University of Leipzig between January 2002 and December 2007 were reviewed for the occurrence of hyperammonemia. Saracatinib inhibitor Fifty-four patients were identified (22 girls, 32 boys; mean age 5.8 years). Blood ammonia concentrations were determined in 4 patients due to suspicious clinical signs. All showed hyperammonemia with NH(3) concentrations between 260 and 700 mu mol/L. They received specific

acute detoxification therapy consisting in protein restriction, administration of benzoic acid, glucose/insulin. All 4 recovered completely. All patients receiving therapeutic regimes that include asparaginase (Asp) should be monitored for the development of transient hyperammonemia.”
“We show that the microsporidian fungus Enterocytozoon bieneusi is associated with lower rates of weight gain in children in Uganda with persistent diarrhea. This relationship remained after controlling for HIV and concurrent cryptosporidiosis. Children with microsporidiosis were predicted to weigh 1.3 kg less than children without microsporidiosis at 5 years of age.”
“The reliability of molecular dynamics (MD) results depends strongly on the choice of interatomic potentials and simulation conditions. Five interatomic potentials have been evaluated for heat transfer MD simulations of silicon, based on the description of the harmonic (dispersion curves) and anharmonic (linear thermal expansion) properties.

The formulation was evaluated for

gelation temperature, gelation time, drug-polymer compatibility, drug content uniformity, viscosity, in vitro drug release profile and stability studies. The release of loaded Miconazole nitrate from the hydrogel was significantly sustained and the effect of PEG-4000 and Glycerophosphate concentration on release rate was observed. The results showed selleck products that the formed hydrogel is a controlled release carrier, which will favour its use as an improved vaginal drug delivery system.”
“To retrospectively evaluate the outcome of C1-2 transarticular screws combined with C1 laminar hooks fixation.

All patients underwent atlantoaxial fixation during a 5-year period. The surgical technique and treatment procedures were intensively reviewed Pictilisib and clinical symptoms, neurological function and imaging appearance were retrospectively evaluated.

The clinical and radiology follow-up indicated a stable arthrodesis and clinical relief from symptoms for all patients. All patients with neurological defects improved an average of 1.33 grade at their most recent clinical assessment, P < 0.05; their average admission ASIA motor score, pin prick score and light touch score improved to an average follow-up ASIA score of 99.80 (99.83 +/- A 0.38), 111.83 (111.83 +/- A 0.45), and

111.89 (111.89 +/- A 0.32), respectively. No neurovascular impairment and case of implant failure were observed.

The C1-2 transarticular screws combined with C1 laminar hooks fixation is a reliable technique for atlantoaxial instability.”
“The purpose of this study was to obtain information on the photochemical properties of ketoconazole, an antifungal agent. Photodegradation of ketoconazole in solution

and shampoo under exposure to UV-C (254 nm) and UV-A (352 nm) radiations as well as daylight was monitored by HPLC. Separation of ketoconazole from its degradation products was obtained with monoisopropylamine – methanol (2:500 v/v) and amonium acetate- water (1:200 w/v) (7:3 v/v) as mobile phase on a LiChrospher (R) 100 column RP-8, 5 mu m (150 mm x 4.6 mm) and a flow rate of 1 ml/min. The main protodegradation products: (cis-1-acetyl-4-4-[[2-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-(1H-imidazol-1-ylmethyl)-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl]methoxy]phenylpiperazine MK1775 and (cis-1-acetyl-4-4-[[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(1H-imidazol-1-ylmethyl)-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl]methoxy]phenyl piperazine, were isolated and characterized by HPLC-MS and NMR spectrometry. The results indicated photodechlorination of ketoconazole when exposed to light and a significant decrease in antifungal activity.”
“In the present study, the bark ethanol extract of Maytenus guyanensis Klotzch (Celastraceae) was investigated for total phenol content, free radical scavenging (DPPH,ABTS, superoxide anion radical and singlet oxygen), antiinflammatory, antiplatelet and antiaggregating activities. M. guyanensis exhibited IC(50) 8.2 +/- 0.2, 28.4 +/- 0.7, 35.

Moreover, the concordance for UC was high in

CH5183284 Angiogenesis inhibitor three generations.

Conclusions: Our study confirmed the importance of genetic influence on the development of CD. Within an observation period of ten years, the increased concordance and relapse rate in familial UC, might point to a larger genetic component in UC than previously suggested. (C) 2008 European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Objectives: To determine the diagnostic value for predicting cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome (CHS) by adding a transcranial Doppler (TCD) measurement in the early postoperative phase after carotid endarterectomy (CEA).

Design: Patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy between January 2004 and August 2010 and in whom both intra-and postoperative TCD monitoring were performed were included.

Methods: In 184 CEA patients the mean velocity (V-mean) preoperatively (V-1), pre-clamping

(V-2), post-declamping (V-3) and postoperatively (V-4) was measured using TCD. The intra-operative V-mean increase ((V-3 – V-2)(V-2) was compared to the postoperative increase ((V-4 – V-1)/V-1) in relation to CHS. CHS was diagnosed if the patient developed neurological complaints in the see more presence of a preoperative V-mean increase >100%.

Results: Sixteen patients (9%) had an intra-operative V-mean increase >100% and 22 patients (12%) a postoperative Vmean increase of >100%. In 10 patients (5%) CHS was diagnosed; two of those had an intra-operative V-mean increase of >100% and nine postoperative V-mean increase >100%. This results in a positive

predictive value of 13% for the intra-operative and 41% for the postoperative measurement.

Conclusions: Besides the commonly used intra-operative TCD monitoring PI3K inhibitor drugs additional TCD measurement in the early postoperative phase is useful to more accurately predict CHS after CEA. (C) 2011 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“This paper evaluates five 3D ultrasound tracking algorithms regarding their ability to quantify abnormal deformation in timing or amplitude. A synthetic database of B-mode image sequences modeling healthy, ischemic and dyssynchrony cases was generated for that purpose. This database is made publicly available to the community. It combines recent advances in electromechanical and ultrasound modeling. For modeling heart mechanics, the Bestel-Clement-Sorine electromechanical model was applied to a realistic geometry. For ultrasound modeling, we applied a fast simulation technique to produce realistic images on a set of scatterers moving according to the electromechanical simulation result. Tracking and strain accuracies were computed and compared for all evaluated algorithms. For tracking, all methods were estimating myocardial displacements with an error below 1 mm on the ischemic sequences.

When results of both tests were evaluated together, the study group showed a positive rate of 47.5% (n = 19), whereas the control group showed a positive rate of 22.5% (n = 9) (P = .02).

Conclusion. Our results revealed that a combination of prick and patch tests can significantly enhance the diagnostic accuracy of predisposition of allergy in patients with BMG. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2010;110:470-474)”
“We report on the observation of significant optical bistability in the transmission GSK J4 nmr and reflection properties of mesoporous silicon microcavities when illuminated with a 150 ns pulsed laser at 532 nm. The observed optical hysteresis is shown to be transient in nature and the properties are strongly dependent

on the porosity of the cavity layer. The onset and damage threshold intensity are also shown to be porosity dependent. Our modeling suggests that the observed effects are due to changes in the nonlinear refractive index where the transient lifetime increases with increasing porosity. We investigate the role of surface states on influencing the bistable process by passivating the internal

porous surface with hydrosilylation chemistry. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3585782]“
“Background: Nonfunctional, dysfunctional, recalled, or additional endocardial leads in pediatric and congenital heart disease patients pose significant challenges for management. There are no set standards for lead extraction in this patient population.

Methods: Physician members of the Pediatric and Adult Congenital Electrophysiology Society (PACES) were contacted via e-mail and invited to respond to a 33-question www.selleckchem.com/products/LBH-589.html online Pediatric and Adult Congenital

Endocardial Lead Extraction or Abandonment (PACELEAD) survey.

Results: Responses were received from 75 of 138 (54%) physician members of PACES. Institutional volumes of device placement (< 25 devices/year for 51% of responders), patients with abandoned leads (< 25 patients for 71%), and lead extractions (< 10 extractions/year for 51% and no extractions for 29%) were low for the majority of responders. Personal experience with lead extraction was also minimal with 49% not performing the procedure and 39% with less than 40 leads extracted as primary operator. Most responders (54, 72%) refer their R406 lead extractions to another practitioner or facility with more experience. Responders were more likely to recommend lead extraction (> 70%) for class IIa indications such as bacteremia, chronic pain that is not medically manageable, and functional leads with ipsilateral venous occlusion. Lead abandonment was favored (> 70%) for one class IIb indication, a functional lead that is not currently being used.

Conclusions: Optimal lead management is challenging in pediatric and congenital heart disease patients, and considerable variability of practice is reported in their care. Low institutional and personal volumes may account for this variability.

The effects of MP extract were moreover investigated by means of the turning behavior test and in the induction of abnormal involuntary movements (AIMs) after either acute or subchronic administration. MP extract acutely induced a significantly higher contralateral turning behavior than l-DOPA (6 mg/kg) when administered at a dose of 48 mg/kg containing 6 mg/kg of l-DOPA. On subchronic administration, both MP THZ1 concentration extract (48 mg/kg) and l-DOPA (6 mg/kg) induced sensitization of contralateral turning behavior; however, l-DOPA alone induced a concomitant sensitization in AIMs

suggesting that the dyskinetic potential of MP is lower than that of l-DOPA. MP (48 mg/kg) was also effective in antagonizing tremulous jaw movements induced by tacrine, a validated test reproducing parkinsonian tremor. Selleckchem Quizartinib Furthermore, MP induced no compartment preference in the place preference test, indicating the lack of components characterized by rewarding effects in the extract. Finally, in a subchronic mice model of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6 tetrahydropyridine hydrochloride (MPTP)-induced dopamine neuron degeneration,

MP extract did not prove capable of preventing either tyrosine hydroxylase decrease induced by MPTP or astroglial or microglial activation as assessed by means of GFAP and CD11b immunohistochemistry, supporting the absence of neuroprotective effects by MP. Characterization MP extract strongly supports its antiparkinsonian activity.”
“The field emission characteristics of the core-shelled nanostructures

obtained by directly coating molybdenum oxide onto vertically PFTα order aligned multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) was investigated. A metal-organic chemical vapor deposition technique was used with Mo(CO)(6) as the precursor and films deposited at process temperatures of 200, 400, and 700 degrees C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and x-ray diffraction were used to study and understand the material properties of the deposited coatings. Enhanced field emission performance was observed for molybdenum oxide coated MWNT samples at 400 degrees C with a turn-on field of 1.33 V mu m(-1) and a field enhancement factor beta estimated to be similar to 7000. The enhanced performance may be due to both the shape of the coated emitters and a decrease in the effective barrier height. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3139289]“
“With ultrasound, continuous peripheral nerve blocks (CPNBs) are one of the most recent developments in regional anesthesia in children. CPNBs are now used more widely in children because more suitable materials have been marketed, allowing complete, and prolonged postoperative pain control. Their use after orthopedic procedures in children and treatment for complex regional pain syndrome in adolescents has demonstrated the benefits.

2011.01549.x. (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: Background: The clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with glycogen storage disease (GSD) who undergo liver transplantation (LT) have not been well defined. In this study, our objective Foretinib was to determine the outcome of LT in patients with GSD and compare it with a comparable group of patients without GSD (matched controls). Methods: UNOS data from 1986 to 2007 were used for this study. For each GSD patient (n = 95; men 62%) who was transplanted, three patients (n = 285, men 60%) without GSD (case controls) matched for age +/- five yr, year of transplantation

and donor risk index (DRI) +/- 0.2 were identified from the UNOS database in a random manner. Unadjusted patient survival was determined by KaplanMeier survival analysis and significance determined by log-rank test. Results: The mean age of the group was 17.9 yr. GSD patients had lower BMI (22 vs. 24, p = 0.002), lower serum bilirubin (2.7 vs. 13.5 mg/dL, p < 0.0001), higher serum albumin (3.7 vs. 3.1 g/dL, p < 0.0001), and higher wait-list time (239 vs. 74 d, p < 0.0001) compared to case controls. Recipient age and DRI were similar between the groups. Tumors were more common in GSD group (13.7%

vs. 5%). Patient survival was significantly better (p = 0.024) in GSD group at one, five, Evofosfamide and 10 yr (82%, 76%, and 64%) than non-GSD (73%, 65%, and 59%) group. Conclusions: In this matched-control study, patients who underwent LT for GSD had a better long-term survival than a comparable group of patients without GSD.”
“To detect areas with increased case-detection rates, we used spatial scan statistics to identify 5 of 10 clusters of leprosy in the Amazon region of Brazil.

Despite increasing economic development, population growth, and road infrastructure, leprosy is endemic to this region, which is a source of case exportation to other parts of Brazil.”
“Rice grain-shaped, nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide (N-TiO2) nanostructures are synthesized using sol-gel method and followed by electrospinning. The as-spun composite fibers are sintered at 500 degrees C for 1 h in air. SEM images of the sintered samples showed rice grain-shaped HDAC inhibitor review nanostructures. The nanostructures were made up of spherical nanoparticles with average diameters of similar to 20 nm, and the average diameter decreased with increase of N doping level. The temperature and frequency dependent electrical characterization has carried on nanostructures using impedance spectroscopy in the range of 298 K to 498 K and 30 Hz to 7 MHz, respectively. The magnitude of the ac conductivity is obtained from Nyquist plots and is proved that the ac conductivity is strongly dependent on temperature. The activation energy (E-a) is obtained from Arrhenius plots, and it is lowered from 0.31 to 0.22 eV with increasing N content. Therefore, the rice-grain shaped nanostructures can be employed in the low temperature gas sensor applications. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics.

Higher perioperative blood loss and surgery at an early age were correlated with a longer duration of admission.

Conclusions: In this study, craniosynostotic corrections were associated with large amounts of blood loss and high ABT rates. The amount of ABT could possibly be reduced by appointing a dedicated team of physicians, by using new less-invasive surgical techniques, and by adjusting anesthetic techniques.”
“Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is a life-threatening complication of immunosuppression following transplantation. Epstein-Barr virus

(EBV) and gammopathy in serum are associated with PTLD, but these two parameters have not been evaluated in parallel PI3K Inhibitor Library for their association with PTLD.

We evaluated the incidence of EBV load positivity, gammopathy, and protein expression in sera from all PTLD patients diagnosed p38 MAPK inhibitors clinical trials at our hospital during the past seven yr. Results were compared with those of a control group including matched transplanted patients who did not develop PTLD.

Seven

of 10 PTLD patients presented EBV(+) PTLD, for which five patients had detectable serum EBV DNA levels compared with none of 38 controls (RR between two groups =121, p < 0.0001). Five out of 10 patients had gammopathy at PTLD diagnosis compared with 5/38 controls (RR between two groups = 6.6, p = 0.022). Additionally, protein serum analysis by high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and image examination failed to evidence specific abnormality in patients with PTLD compared with controls.

Our results confirm an association between EBV in sera and gammopathy with PTLD, and highlight the high specificity of the former analysis. Whether a combination of both analyses will improve the clinical

detection of PTLD remains to be evaluated in a larger prospective cohort study.”
“Current-voltage (J-V) characteristics of an organic bulk heterojunction solar cell have been modeled and compared with the measured characteristics of solar cell based on the blend of poly(3-hexylethiophene) (P3HT) and phenyl [6,6] C(61) butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). In an undoped organic double Schottky HDAC inhibitor junction diode, for V < V(bi) the electric field remains constant and is given by (V(bi)-V)/d, where V(bi) is the built-in voltage, V is the applied voltage, and d is sample thickness. We considered the effect of this constant electric field on the charge carrier transport and solved the drift and diffusion equations to model the J-V characteristics. For V < V(bi) the current is found to be dominated by diffusion. A comparison of the theoretical results with the experimental data measured in dark and under different illumination intensities shows good agreement.”
“Background: Dissociation likely plays a key role in schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder (BPD), although empirical studies that compare specific manifestations of these symptoms in schizophrenia and BPD are rare.

To analyse the mutants further, zyp1, the maize orthologue of the Arabidopsis central element component ZYP1 was cloned and an antibody was made against it. Using antibodies against ZYP1 and the lateral element components AFD1 and ASY1, it was found that most mutants form normal SCs but are defective in pairing. The large

number of non-homologous synapsis mutants defective in pairing illustrates that synapsis and pairing can be uncoupled. Of the ten mutants studied, only dsy2 undergoes normal GSK461364 homologous chromosome recognition needed for homologous pairing. The dsy2 mutation fails to maintain the SC. ZYP1 elongation is blocked at zygotene, and only dots of ZYP1 are seen at prophase I. Another mutant, mei*N2415 showed incomplete but homologous PARP phosphorylation synapsis and ASY1 and AFD1 have a normal distribution. Although installation of ZYP1 is initiated at zygotene, its progression is slowed down and not completed by pachytene in some cells and ZYP1 is not retained on pachytene chromosomes. The mutants described here are now available through the Maize Genetics Cooperation Stock Center (http://maizecoop.cropsci.uiuc.edu/).”
“Herein,

we report the study of singlet energy transfer dynamics in two host-guest systems: CNPPP (poly [2-(6'-cyano-6'-methylheptyloxy)-1,4-phenylene]) as host in both and as guests btpIr (iridium (III) bis[2-(2'-benzothienyl) pyridinato-N,C(3)'] (acetylacetonate)) and Irppy (fac tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium (III), two triplet emitters. In both systems, the energy transfer was evaluated using the Forster transfer model. Utilizing time-resolved and stationazry measurements, it could be concluded that the behavior of both systems was in good agreement with the proposed model. In addition, this analysis provides a clear indication to the homogenous distribution of the dopants. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3631784]“
“Increasing amounts of plastic waste in the environment have become a

problem of gigantic proportions. The case of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) is especially significant as it is widely used for packaging and other applications. This synthetic polymer is normally not biodegradable until it is degraded into low molecular mass fragments that can be assimilated by microorganisms. selleck kinase inhibitor Blends of nonbiodegradable polymers and biodegradable commercial polymers such as poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) can facilitate a reduction in the volume of plastic waste when they undergo partial degradation. Further, the remaining fragments stand a greater chance of undergoing biodegradation in a much shorter span of time. In this investigation, LLDPE was blended with different proportions of PVA (530%) in a torque rheometer. Mechanical, thermal, and biodegradation studies were carried out on the blends. The biodegradability of LLDPE/PVA blends has been studied in two environments: (1) in a culture medium containing Vibrio sp.