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Comparison of gas-sensing capsule with wireless motility capsule in motility disorder patients
No full textBackground/Aims Motility disorders are prevalent, often leading to disrupted regional or whole gut transit times. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis between the wireless motility capsule and an innovative gas-sensing capsule to evaluate regional and whole gut transit times in individuals with diagnosed motility disorders. Methods We prospectively enrolled 48 patients (34 women) diagnosed with functional dyspepsia and/or functional constipation according to Rome IV criteria. Patients ingested the capsules in tandem. We assessed the agreement between transit times recorded by both devices using Spearman correlation and Bland-Altman analysis. Additionally, diagnostic concordance between the capsules were evaluated using confusion matrices. Results We observed a significant correlation between the wireless motility capsule and the gas-sensing capsule for gastric emptying time (r = 0.79, P 59 hours), the gas-sensing capsule demonstrated a sensitivity of 0.79, specificity of 0.84, and accuracy of 0.82. Importantly, the gas-sensing capsule was well-tolerated, and no serious adverse events were reported during the study. Conclusions Our findings underscore the gas-sensing capsule’s suitability as a dependable tool for assessing regional and whole gut transit times. It represents a promising alternative to the wireless motility capsule for evaluating patients with suspected motility disorders
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) yield response to drip irrigation and nitrogen application rates in open-field cultivation in arid environments
No full textA field experiment at Qatar University’s Agricultural Research Center examined how varying drip irrigation water and nitrogen levels affect tomato yield, quality, and water-use efficiency. The study employed a split-plot design in a randomized block setup, with full irrigation (FI) at 100 % and deficit irrigation (DI) at 50 % of FI as main plots, and nitrogen rates (N1: 50 kg ha− 1 , N2: 70 kg ha− 1 , N3: 100 kg ha− 1 ) as subplots. Treatments were labeled as T1 (DIN1), T2 (DIN2), T3 (DIN3), T4 (FIN1), T5 (FIN2), and T6 (FIN3). Results revealed significant improvements in vegetative growth, SPAD Index, yield, yield components, water use efficiency, and quality parameters with increasing nitrogen levels up to N2 under 50 % DI. Compared to FI, DI saw a significant 1.41 % increase in shoot height (SH) and similar trends in other parameters, with enhancements ranging from 4.84 % to 27.78 %. Overall, DI exerted a more pronounced influence on tomato production than nitrogen levels. The interaction between irrigation and nitrogen treatments significantly affected all variables except dry matter and pH. The highest yield (65.14 t ha− 1 ) occurred at T3, 23.92 % higher than the lowest yield at T4 (49.56 t ha− 1 ), followed by T5, T2, T1, and T6 (64.16, 58.46, 55.66, and 55.60 t ha− 1 ). At DI, which yielded the highest fruit yield, the highest WUE was observed at N3 (T3) with a value of 0.78 kg ha− 1 mm− 1 , while the lowest WUE of 0.46 kg ha− 1 mm− 1 was recorded at T4, corresponding to the lowest yield of 49.56 t ha− 1 . Total soluble solids (TSS) peaked at T2 (7.05 ◦Brix) and were lowest at T6 (5.04 ◦Brix), while acidity showed a significant interaction with the highest level at T2 (0.51 %) and the lowest at T1 (0.31 %). No significant interactions were observed for DM and pH. This study underscores the importance of implementing deficit irrigation strategies, especially when paired with appropriate nitrogen levels, to boost tomato yield, quality, and water use efficiency in arid environments like Qatar
[In Press] Missing people and places : slum and poor settlements research in South Asia
No full textFast-growing non-slum poor settlements in South Asia have received scant attention in scientific research in which the focus has been on slum or informal settlements. Bibliometric analysis reveals that almost all aspects of slum life have been scientifically studied. As a result, a considerable amount of academic literature is available on slum issues. However, a large and ever-increasing number of people now live in non-slum poor settlements throughout the South Asia. Access to slum areas for newcomers in the cities is restricted as slums are already overwhelmed. This article argues that despite the growing influx of population in South Asian cities, academic research outside of a defined boundary of slums is insufficient. Governance and other theoretical approaches to study slums did not consider the non-slum areas as those approaches are influenced heavily by tenure security and confined geography. Based on the findings from bibliometric analyses, the study recommends that a broader theoretical framework is required to extend the study boundary to explore the geography of inequality and issues of both the slum and non-slum poor settlements in South Asian cities
Global prevalence and risk factors of emergence delirium in pediatric patients undergoing general anesthesia : a systemic review and meta-analysis
No full textProblem: Emergence delirium (ED) in children post-general anesthesia has been persistently underestimated, impacting the well-being of children, nurses, and even parents. This study employs integrated analysis to establish a comprehensive understanding of ED, including its occurrence and related risk factors, emphasizing the imperative for enhanced awareness and comprehension among pediatric nursing care providers. Eligibility criteria: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using four electronic databases, namely PubMed, CINAHL via EBSCOhost, Embase via Elsevier, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Results: This meta-analysis included 16 studies involving 9598 children who underwent general anesthesia. The pooled prevalence of ED was 19.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.12 to 0.29), with younger patients exhibiting a higher prevalence of ED. ED research is scant in Africa and is mostly limited to the Asia Pacific region and Northern Europe. Neck and head surgery (odds ratio [OR] = 2.34, 95% CI = 1.29 to 4.27) were significantly associated with ED risk. Conclusions: ED should be monitored in children who receive general anesthesia. In this study, ED had a prevalence rate of 19.2%, and head and neck surgery were significantly associated with ED risk. Therefore, healthcare professionals should carefully manage and prevent ED in children undergoing general anesthesia. Implications: A comprehensive understanding of ED's prevalence and risk factors is crucial for enhancing nursing care. Adopting a family-centered care approach can empower parents with information to collaboratively care for their children, promoting a holistic approach to pediatric healthcare
Feasibility study of a multimodal prehabilitation programme in women receiving neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer in a major cancer hospital : a protocol
No full textIntroduction Neoadjuvant therapy has become a standard treatment for patients with stage II/III HER2 positive and triple negative breast cancer, and in well-selected patients with locally advanced and borderline resectable high risk, luminal B breast cancer. Side effects of neoadjuvant therapy, such as fatigue, cardiotoxicity, neurotoxicity, anxiety, insomnia, vasomotor symptoms, gastrointestinal disturbance as well as a raft of immune-related adverse events, may impact treatment tolerance, long-term outcomes, and quality of life. Providing early supportive care prior to surgery (typically termed ' prehabilitation') may mitigate these side effects and improve quality of life. During our codesign of the intervention, consumers and healthcare professionals expressed desire for a programme that ' packaged' care, was easy to access, and was embedded in their care pathway. We hypothesise that a multimodal supportive care programme including exercise and complementary therapies, underpinned by behavioural change theory will improve self-efficacy, quality of life, readiness for surgery and any additional treatment for women with breast cancer. We seek to explore cardiometabolic, residual cancer burden and surgical outcomes, along with chemotherapy completion (relative dose intensity). This article describes the protocol for a feasibility study of a multimodal prehabilitation programme. Methods and analysis This is a prospective, mixed-method, feasibility study of a multi-modal programme in a hospital setting for 20-30 women with breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant therapy. Primary outcomes are recruitment rate, retention rate, adherence and acceptability. Secondary outcomes include patient reported outcome measures (PROMs), surgical outcomes, length of stay, satisfaction with surgery, chemotherapy completion rates, changes in metabolic markers and adverse events. Interviews and focus groups to understand the experience with prehabilitation and different factors that may affect feasibility of the intervention. The output of this study will be a codesigned, evidence-informed intervention assessed for feasibility and acceptability by women with breast cancer and the healthcare professionals that care for them. Ethics and dissemination The study received ethics approval from the St Vincents Hospital HREC (HREC/2021/ETH12198). Trial results will be communicated to participants, healthcare professionals, and the public via publication and conferences
Infection with 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' improves the fecundity of Diaphorina citri aiding its proliferation : a win-win strategy
No full textThe evolution of insect vector-pathogen relationships has long been of interest in the field of molecular ecology. One system of special relevance, due to its economic impacts, is that between Diaphorina citri and ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas), the cause of the severe Asian form of huanglongbing. CLas-positive D. citri are more fecund than their CLas-negative counterparts, boosting opportunities for pathogens to acquire new vector hosts. The molecular mechanism behind this life-history shift remains unclear. Here, we found that CLas promoted ovarian development and increased the expression of the vitellogenin receptor (DcVgR) in ovaries. DcVgR RNAi significantly decreased fecundity and CLas titer in ovaries, extended the preoviposition period, shortened the oviposition period and blocked ovarian development. Given their importance in gene regulation, we explored the role of miRNAs in shaping these phenotypes and their molecular triggers. Our results showed that one miRNA, miR-275, suppressed DcVgR expression by binding to its 3' UTR. Overexpression of miR-275 knocked down DcVgR expression and CLas titer in ovaries, causing reproductive defects that mimicked DcVgR knockdown phenotypes. We focused, further, on roles of the Juvenile Hormone (JH) pathway in shaping the observed fecundity phenotype, given its known impacts on ovarian development. After CLas infection, this pathway was upregulated, thereby increasing DcVgR expression. From these combined results, we conclude that CLas hijacks the JH signalling pathway and miR-275, thereby targeting DcVgR to increase D. citri fecundity. These changes simultaneously increase CLas replication, suggesting a pathogen-vector host mutualism, or a seemingly helpful, but cryptically costly life-history manipulation
Emergency department nurses' narratives of burnout : changing roles and boundaries
No full textPurpose: Emergency department nurses work in rapidly changing environments, which can contribute to occupational stress. Emergency department nurses utilise diverse strategies to mediate the impact of stress on their daily lives. There is a paucity of qualitative research which explores emergency department nurses' experiences and perspectives of burnout. This study aimed to explore emergency department nurses' experiences of burnout. Further, the study considered how emergency nurses conceptualised burnout and the strategies they used to manage the professional and personal effects of burnout. Procedures: The COREQ research guidelines were used throughout the study from the design stage through to dissemination. Narrative inquiry was used as the underpinning theoretical framework. The researcher met individually with eight emergency department nurses from NSW hospitals to undertake a face-to-face semistructured interview. An inductive approach was used to establish major themes within the narrative. Findings: Two major themes were established: experiencing conflicting emotions and trying to establish a personal sense of control. Emergency nurses felt passionate about their professional roles, yet encountered difficulties due to management structures, time constraints and a sense of underappreciation. The misalignment between their expectations and the reality of emergency department nursing, resulted in experiences of burnout such as dissatisfaction and frustrations at work. Consequently, these nurses adopted diverse strategies within both their professional and personal domains. Principal conclusions: The conclusions of this study are transferable to a variety of acute health services. Health service management have a role to promote a positive workplace culture for nurses, which advocates for home life balance. This will support nurses to construct clear boundaries between professional identity and their personal lives
[In Press] Art therapy is associated with a reduction in restrictive practices on an inpatient child and adolescent mental health unit
No full textBackground The elimination of restrictive practices, such as seclusion and restraint, is a major aim of mental health services globally. The role of art therapy, a predominantly non-verbal mode of creative expression, is under-explored in this context. This research aimed to determine whether art therapy service provision was associated with a reduction in restrictive practices on an acute inpatient child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) unit. Methods The rate (events per 1,000 occupied bed days), frequency (percent of admitted care episodes with incident), duration, and number of incidents of restrictive practices occurring between July 2015 and December 2021 were analysed relative to art therapy service provision. The rate, frequency and number of incidents of intramuscular injected (IM) sedation, oral PRN (as-needed medication) use, and absconding incidents occurring in conjunction with an episode of seclusion or restraint were also analysed. Results The rate, frequency, duration, and total number of incidents of seclusion, the frequency and total number of incidents of physical restraint, and the rate, frequency and total number of incidents of IM sedation showed a statistically significant reduction during phases of art therapy service provision. Conclusions Art therapy service provision is associated with a reduction in restrictive practices in inpatient CAMHS
