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Malondialdehyde as a Prognosticating Marker for Staging of HIE - A Prospective Cohort Study
No full textIntroduction: Prediction of outcomes of asphyxiated neonates is imperative. Timely intervention and effective resuscitation are beneficial for intact neurodevelopmental outcomes. In this study, we assessed the level of oxidative stress at birth in cord blood and correlated it with the Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) staging and outcomes.
Methodology: This Prospective Cohort Study was conducted between January 2020 and June 2022. All neonates requiring resuscitation at birth were enrolled in a study group. The control group included neonates who did not require resuscitation. Cord blood was collected at birth, centrifuged, serum separated, and stored at -200C. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was read at 535nm on spectrometry.
Results: 102 neonates were enrolled, among which 29 neonates were asphyxiated and 73 non-asphyxiated. The cord blood mean MDA level was significantly high in Severe HIE, with a p-value of <0.001. The serum MDA level in cord blood had a significant difference in asphyxiated neonates (8.59±1.99) and normal neonates (3.18±1.04) (P<0.001). There is a significant difference in MDA levels in cord blood; the mean MDA level was significantly higher in HIE III (10.93±2.50), compared to HIE II (9.98±2.34) and HIE I(7.72±1.09) with a p-value of <0.001. Deceased neonates had higher MDA levels than those neonates who survived.
Conclusion: Neonates with high oxidative stress at birth require advanced resuscitation. MDA levels above 7.64 mm/L have 100% sensitivity and 81.4% specificity with respect to mortality in asphyxiated neonates. Hence, cord blood MDA can be a prognostic marker of oxidative stress to predict the outcomes in asphyxiated neonates
Role of Fetal Cardiac ECHO and Fetal Cardiac MRI in Prediction of Post Natal Hemodynamic Maladaptation in Fetuses of Diabetic Mothers
No full textBackground: Maternal diabetes mellitus (DM) is defined as a degree of glucose intolerance with recognition during pregnancy (pregestational or gestational, type 1 or type 2), and it is estimated to be 15% in pregnant females in 2019. The current study aimed to study the role of fetal echocardiography and fetal cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in anticipation and diagnosis of hemodynamic maladaptation changes in fetuses of diabetic mothers as predictors for (closure of Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), persistent pulmonary hypertension and diastolic dysfunction) which were confirmed with post-natal echocardiographic and clinical assessment.
Methods: This study was an observational follow-up study that included 80 pregnant diabetic females who were following in the specialized clinics of Ain Shams University Hospitals during the period starting from August 2020 till December 2022.
Results: Diabetes affected left ventricle (LV) diastolic function and global cardiac function but did not affect LV systolic function (p-value=0.000). Interventricular septum (IVS) thickness had a significant positive correlation with LV- Myocardial performance index (MPI) and indices of DM such as HbA1c. Diastolic dysfunction was the most affected cardiac parameter in infants of diabetic mothers (p-value=0.002). The hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was the most significant predictor for IVS thickness in diabetic mothers' fetuses, especially with a long duration of DM (p-value=0.012).
Conclusion: Fetal echocardiography in diabetic mothers is essential and the gold standard modality not only for diagnosing structural abnormalities but also for evaluating the cardiac function of the fetuses. Fetal cardiac MRI could be considered a complementary imaging modality that uses no ionizing radiation, good tissue contrast, and a larger field of view
The New Neighborhood Watch: An Exploratory Study of the Nextdoor App and Crime Narratives
Get PDFCommunity members use the Nextdoor App to prevent crime and circulate information when suspicious activity or criminal misconduct is afoot. The Nextdoor App operates like other popular social media platforms, but unlike Facebook and Twitter, it connects citizens based on geography instead of areas of interest. One unique aspect of the app is posting events and perceptions of suspicious behavior and criminal acts. User posts can provide narratives on feelings, incidents, and perceptions of crime in designated neighborhoods. This exploratory study focuses on how community members in an urban Colorado area use the app as a high-tech Neighborhood Watch. A qualitative research approach with a thematic analysis is implemented to examine neighbors’ perceptions of crime events and community safety. The findings depict that citizens engaged in Nextdoor communications are frustrated with petty community incivilities, property crimes, and law enforcement actions. In addition, the results show that lessons in being a capable guardian, possible increases in fear levels, and surveillance activities are important aspects of understanding social media and crime
Application of the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) to Evaluate Bias Related to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) within Child Welfare
Get PDFProblematic bias evidenced by child welfare professionals in relation to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) victimization can negatively impact outcomes for children and families in the foster care system. The literature supports malleability of IPV-related bias in response to training interventions. These studies rely heavily on self-report measures. Self-report tools capture extended responses (explicit bias). These measures are less likely to reflect immediate responses (implicit bias). Combining explicit and implicit measures may inform a more comprehensive understanding.
Purpose of Study: We employed a multi-method protocol to measure bias evidenced by dependency professionals in relation to IPV victimization. Method: Participants completed the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure - Intimate Partner Violence (IRAP-IPV), an explicit analog of the IRAP-IV, and a gender-neutral version of the Domestic Violence Myth Acceptance Scale (GN-DVMAS).
Principle Results: Results show expected divergence between explicit and implicit measures, with stronger positive valuation reflected on the explicit tools. We compared IRAP-IPV scores across in person and virtual groups. While statistical analyses indicate no significant between-group differences, divergence is evident upon visual inspection.
Conclusion: This study supports the importance of multi-method measurement when evaluating IPV-related bias. We discuss results in terms of social and contextual factors within child welfare that may influence how dependency professionals respond to IPV. We offer recommendations for promoting a more equitable child welfare experience for victim-survivors, their families, and the professionals who serve them
Directions and Practices for Implementing Early Care for Children with Developmental Disabilities in the Ukrainian and Swedish ECEC Systems
Get PDFBackground: This article explores the strategies and approaches used in Ukraine and Sweden's Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) systems for providing early care to children with developmental disabilities. It examines the similarities and differences in policies, legislation, professional training, family involvement, resource allocation, service provision, integration vs. segregation practices, and cultural attitudes toward disability between the two countries.
Methods: This study used questionnaires and surveys, analysis of learning outcomes, performance evaluation, and an expert evaluation method.
Results: The authors analyze Ukrainian best practices for implementing early care for children with developmental disabilities. In the example of the Swedish system and the context of a comparative investigation of early care for children with developmental disabilities in the countries under analysis, the authors pointed out the strengths and weaknesses of both systems and distinguished the similarities and differences. The theoretical study allowed the practical perspectives and critical Swedish practices that could be implemented in modern Ukrainian practices, among which the most relevant perspectives are those related to early intervention programs, individualized support plans, and fostering partnerships with community organizations and healthcare providers.
Research Limitation: The experimental part of the study included a relatively small sample size (50 respondents) and was characterized by a short duration (three months). This may limit the ability to generalize the results.
Conclusions: Additionally, the emphasis on inclusive curriculum and environments, as well as professional development opportunities for educators on inclusive practices, could significantly enhance modern Ukrainian practices in early care for children with developmental disabilities
Comparison of the Prevalence of Liver Fluke Infection in Native Cattle and Native Swamp Buffaloes in Luang Prabang Province, Laos
Get PDFThis study aimed to survey the prevalence of Fasciola spp. infection in cattle and buffaloes in Luang Prabang province, Lao PDR (Laos). To determine the prevalence of Fasciola spp. a total of 100 individual fecal samples (50 from buffaloes and 50 from cattle) were collected from smallholder farms in seven locations within Luang Prabang province. The samples were examined in the lab using the Benedek Sedimentation method and Mc Master egg counting techniques. The results showed an apparent prevalence of Fasciola spp. infection of 12% across all herds, with 5 native swamp buffaloes (5%) and 7 native cattle (7%) infected. When comparing three age groups, it was discovered that 25% (5/20) of all buffaloes infected with Fasciola spp. were 1-3 years old, accounting for 10% of all buffaloes. Among the cattle, 7 infected individuals were 1-3 years old, representing 14% of the 50 cattle sampled. Specifically, 20% (3/15) of cattle aged 1-3 years were infected, 14.29% (2/14) of less than a year old were infected, and 9.52% of cattle older than three years were infected. The results indicate that the highest mean infection rate occurred in animals aged 1 to 3 years (P < 0.05). A comparison between species revealed no significant effect of species on the prevalence of Fasciola spp. (P > 0.05). Farmers in the seven villages raised large ruminants on a free-range basis in paddy rice fields post-harvest and on natural fodder and pasture grass. Therefore, further research on the comparative prevalence of Fasciola spp. infection in cattle and buffaloes across different seasons and farm systems is recommended
A Novel RPCA Method Using Log-Weighted Nuclear and L_(2,1) Norms Combined with Contrast-Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) for High Dimensional Natural and Medical Image Data
Get PDFEstimating the true underlying images from distorted high-dimensional data is crucial for applications in high-profile fields such as crime detection in security, clinical settings and medical diagnosis in healthcare, and radar imaging in signal processing. Existing statistical methods often struggle with robustness and image reconstruction quality when processing high-dimensional image data. While Robust Principal Component Analysis (RPCA) is widely used for image recovery, its reliance on uniform weights with singular value decomposition (SVD) weakens performance, especially in noisy environments. The L1 norm also fails to capture image details and recovery under high noise levels, a critical limitation for applications like medical diagnoses, where detail is essential. These challenges emphasize the need for improved methods to handle noise and enhance image quality in sensitive fields. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel RPCA method that integrates CLAHE with Log weighted nuclear norm (LWNN) and the L2,1 norm for high-dimensional natural and medical imaging. To reduce the computational load, our novel method is formulated into a new optimization problem and solved using the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM). This method leverages LWNN for enhanced low-rank approximation to drastically prune out the anomalies in images and the norm for improved sparse component recovery. Our approach has superior performance in image reconstruction compared to other state-of-the-art methods (SOTAs), showing significant advancements with real-world datasets. An interesting finding of this research is that combining the LWNN with the L2,1 norm is highly effective at removing noise from images. Furthermore, when the CLAHE technique is combined with LWNN and the L2,1 norm, it significantly enhances the extraction of previously unseen features, making blood vessels in medical images much clearer and more distinguishable. This combination proves to be a powerful approach for medical image analysis, revealing details that are otherwise difficult to detect. This method will be used for crime detection in security intelligence, and clinical settings and medical diagnosis in human retinal eyes
The Association between Sweet Sugar Beverage Intakes and the Quality of Sleep in Working Age Adults
Get PDFBackground: This cross-sectional study investigates the relationship between daily sugar intake from sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and sleep quality in working adults aged 18–45 years who do not have chronic illnesses or diagnosed sleep disorders. The primary objective is to determine whether high sugar consumption increases the risk of poor sleep when other risk factors are considered simultaneously. This study is significant as it adds to the growing body of evidence regarding the impact of dietary factors on sleep quality, highlighting the potential health implications of sugar consumption.
Methods: Participants were selected using consecutive sampling, and the study was conducted at Jomtien Hospital in Chonburi Province, Thailand. Data collection involved three key components: general demographic and health information records, a validated Thai questionnaire assessing sweetened beverage consumption, and the Thai version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Sugar intake from SSBs was categorized into two groups: high (≥ 50 grams/day) and low (< 50 grams/day). Sleep quality was classified as poor (PSQI > 5) or good (PSQI ≤ 5). The relationship between sugar intake and sleep quality was analyzed using logistic regression, and the results were presented as odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results: The study included 300 participants, 68% of whom were women, with an average age of 30 ± 7.6 years. A total of 58% of participants were found to have poor sleep quality. Those with poor sleep quality consumed an average of 131.9 ± 102.9 grams of sugar per day, compared to 99.8 ± 86.3 grams for those with good sleep quality, a difference that was statistically significant (p = 0.005). When sugar consumption was categorized, 79.3% of individuals in the high sugar consumption group (≥ 50 grams/day) had poor sleep quality, compared to 65.1% with good sleep quality in the same group. In contrast, 20.7% of individuals in the low sugar consumption group (< 50 grams/day) had poor sleep quality, compared to 34.9% with good sleep quality, also showing a statistically significant difference (p = 0.008). The crude odds ratio for high sugar consumption associated with poor sleep quality was 2.06 (95% CI: 1.22-3.45, p = 0.006). After adjusting for other variables, the odds ratio remained significant, with an adjusted OR of 2.02 (95% CI: 1.05-3.92, p = 0.036).
Conclusion: The findings indicate that high sugar consumption from sugar-sweetened beverages is significantly associated with an increased risk of poor sleep quality (adjusted OR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.05–3.92, p = 0.036). Based on these results, it is recommended that individuals experiencing sleep issues consider reducing their sugar intake. Future research should explore the mechanisms underlying this relationship and evaluate public health strategies aimed at reducing high sugar consumption
Thermal Cure Kinetics of Modified Cold-Setting Melamine-Urea-Formaldehyde Resins with Liquid Thickeners
Get PDFCold-setting melamine-urea-formaldehyde (CS-MUF) resins being used as adhesives for manufacturing laminated wood timber products require to have a proper viscosity using thickener or filler. However, studies on thermal curing kinetics and behavior of the modified CS-MUF resins with liquid thickener are limited. Hence, this study focuses on the thermal cure kinetics of the modified CS-MUF resins with two liquid thickeners at three addition levels to obtain the resin viscosities of 4,000 mPa.s, 8,000 mPa.s and 12,000 mPa.s. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to estimate cure kinetics of the modified CS-MUF resins using two analysis methods: 1) model-fitting (MFT) method containing the Kissinger (KSNG) analysis, and 2) model-free (MFK) methods containing Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS) analysis, and nonlinear isoconversional (VYA) analysis. The KSNG, KAS, and VYA analysis showed that all modified CS-MUF resins followed very similar curing behavior with small difference, except Resin #2 which followed the autocatalytic reaction model based on the Málek method. These results suggest that liquid thickeners increase to a proper viscosity of CS-MUF resins without major impact to their curing behavior
A Mini-Review on Lead Ion Removal Using Polymeric Nanocomposite Membranes from Aqueous Solutions
No full textThe rapidly increasing global population and industrialisation are the main causes of the problem of water contamination. Issues with heavy metals are the main cause of this contamination. At least 20 metals are considered toxic and one of the most toxic is lead (Pb). Even though lead is being used in various industries, 86% of lead is remarkably used in battery industries, contributing to lead pollution. Water is utilised extensively during the battery-making process, particularly for washing battery parts for recycling. Hence, the process water becomes heavily contaminated, majorly with Pb compounds. Accordingly, treating Pb-containing effluent is mandatory for humanity and industrial survival. The conventional purification techniques were not sophisticated and resulted in waste and complex effluents harmful to the environment, demanding more advanced purification systems. A non-destructive separation, known as membrane separation, is a well-established technique for treating wastewater containing heavy metal ions and producing high-quality treated effluent. Polymeric membranes are of primary interest, as they can be easily modified and compatible with different materials like polymers and nanoadditives to improve membrane performance. The performance is primarily evaluated based on porosity, hydrophilicity, permeability, rejection capacity and anti-fouling nature. This study compiles research on polymer nanocomposite membranes for lead removal from the last five years