Thermoregulation, incubator humidity, and skincare practices in appropriate for gestational age ultra-low birth weight infants: need for more evidence.

Background: Although not universal, active care is being offered to infants weighing < 500 g at birth, referred to as ultra-low birth weight (ULBW) infants appropriate for gestational age. These infants have the greatest risk of dying or developing major morbidities. ULBW infants face challenges related to fluid and heat loss as well as skin injury in the initial days of life from extreme anatomical and physiological immaturity of the skin.

Chemical abscess post vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation embolisation with ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer.

Unlabelled: Vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation (VGAM) is a rare congenital malformation characterised by arteriovenous fistulas between primitive choroidal arteries and the median prosencephalic vein, the embryonic precursor to the vein of Galen. Endovascular techniques have changed the management of these patients with improved prognosis. An eight-month-old with VGAM managed by endovascular embolisation using ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) developed a chemical abscess - a rare complication.

Temperature probe placement in very preterm infants during delivery room stabilization: an open-label randomized trial.

Background: Variation in practice exists for temperature probe positioning during stabilization of very preterm infants (<32 weeks gestation). We explored the influence of temperature probe sites on thermoregulation.

Methods: An open-label, stratified, balanced, parallel, randomized trial was conducted.

A sustainable approach for the removal of pharmaceutical contaminants from effluent using polyamide thin-film composite membranes integrated with Zn-based metal organic frameworks.

This study addresses the significant concern of pharmaceutical contaminants, including antipyretic and antibiotic drugs, in municipal and industrial wastewater, impacting both the environment and human health. We investigate incorporating zinc-based metal-organic framework (Zn-MOF) nanofillers into polyamide layers, developing thin-film composite (PA-TFC) nanofiltration membranes via interfacial polymerization to remove paracetamol, ibuprofen, and amoxicillin from simulated wastewater. Characterization confirms Zn-MOF's presence in the PA-TFC membrane, affecting structural topology, pore size, contact angles, and zeta potential.

Preparation, characterization, and performance evaluation of composite films of polyvinyl alcohol/ cellulose nanofiber extracted from Imperata cylindrica.

In recent years, production of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) from waste materials has achieved great interest owing to their renewable nature, biodegradability, high mechanical properties, economic value, and low density. Because Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is a synthetic biopolymer with good water solubility and biocompatibility, the composite material formed of CNF and PVA, is a sustainable way of monetizing to address environmental and economic issues. In this work pure PVA, PVA/CNF0.

Global variation in skin injures and skincare practices in extremely preterm infants.

Background: Globally, are skincare practices and skin injuries in extremely preterm infants comparable? This study describes skin injuries, variation in skincare practices and investigates any association between them.

Methods: A web-based survey was conducted between February 2019 and August 2021. Quantifying skin injuries and describing skincare practices in extremely preterm infants were the main outcomes.

Thermoregulation and golden hour practices in extremely preterm infants: an international survey.

Background: Are thermoregulation and golden hour practices in extremely preterm (EP) infants comparable across the world? This study aims to describe these practices for EP infants based on the neonatal intensive care unit's (NICUs) geographic region, country's income status and the lowest gestational age (GA) of infants resuscitated.

Methods: The Director of each NICU was requested to complete the e-questionnaire between February 2019 and August 2021.

Results: We received 848 responses, from all geographic regions and resource settings.

Changing indications and antenatal prognostic factors for ex-utero intrapartum treatment procedures.

Objective: In cases of suspected neonatal airway obstruction, the ex-utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) procedure is used to secure the airway while a fetus remains on placental circulation. We report indications and outcomes from all EXIT procedures at a tertiary obstetric unit between 1997 and 2020.

Method: Retrospective cohort study with data collected from maternal and neonatal medical records.

An expeditious synthesis of novel DNA nucleobase mimics of (+)-anisomycin.

A glycal based expeditious synthesis of novel nucleoside analogues of (+)-anisomycin is reported. Readily available tri-O-benzyl-D-glucal was converted to a partially protected trihydroxypyrrolidine that is used as a common scaffold for the introduction of various nucleobases at the primary hydroxyl centre. Nucleoside analogues possessing all four DNA bases have been synthesized.

Reducing antibiotic use in asymptomatic term infants exposed to maternal chorioamnionitis: Predictive role of sepsis risk calculator.

Aim: The sepsis risk calculator (SRC) has been shown to reduce empirical antibiotic usage in neonates at risk of early-onset sepsis without increasing adverse clinical outcomes. However, its use for categorising and improving identification of at-risk neonates exposed to chorioamnionitis in the local population has not been reported. This study compares the management guided by the SRC to our unit's clinical practice of administering empirical antibiotics to all term neonates (born ≥37 weeks gestation), symptomatic and asymptomatic, who were exposed to chorioamnionitis, and evaluates the performance of the SRC in managing asymptomatic term neonates exposed to chorioamnionitis.

Prediction of irrigation water suitability using geospatial computing approach: a case study of Agartala city, India.

An increase in population expansion, urban sprawling environment, and climate change has resulted in increased food demand, water scarcity, environmental pollution, and mismanagement of water resources. Groundwater, i.e.

A systematic review on the impact of cement industries on the natural environment.

The negative health effects of cement plant exposure are well-known in industrial settings, but they are less well-known among the general public who live near plants. The broad objective of the review was to provide a detailed systematic analysis of the global situation of the cement industry, including generation, pollution, impact on the natural ecosystem, technological and process improvements, sustainable models, the latest laws, challenges, needs, and ways forward. As an initial evaluation, a list of critical keywords was compiled, and a search of all accessible databases was conducted (i.

Biodegradation of 4-chlorophenol in batch and continuous packed bed reactor by isolated Bacillus subtilis.

In present work, biodegradation of 4-Chlorophenol (4-CP) has been successfully achieved using bacteria i.e. Bacillus subtilis (MF447841.

Asymptomatic full-term infants born to women with chorioamnionitis may not need routine antibiotics.

Aim: While infants with early-onset sepsis require antibiotics, there is little evidence to support their routine use in asymptomatic infants exposed to maternal chorioamnionitis. We aimed to ascertain the incidence of culture-proven sepsis in full-term infants exposed to chorioamnionitis and to determine whether asymptomatic infants need routine antibiotic treatment.

Methods: This study was retrospective.

Effects of surface oxidation on the pH-dependent surface charge of oxidized aluminum gallium nitride.

Hypothesis: The properties of the oxidized surface for common materials, such as silicon and titanium, are known to be markedly different from the reduced surface. We hypothesize that surface-oxidized aluminum gallium nitride ((oxidized-AlGaN)/GaN) surface charge behavior is different to unoxidized AlGaN (with ultrathin native oxide only), which can be validated via surfactant adsorption. Understanding these differences will explain why (oxidized-AlGaN)/GaN-based sensors are better performing than AlGaN ones, which has been previously demonstrated but not understood.

Skincare practices in extremely premature infants: A survey of tertiary neonatal intensive care units from Australia and New Zealand.

Aim: To investigate skincare practices in the first 2 weeks of life in extremely premature infants across tertiary neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).

Methods: A web-based secure survey invite was emailed to the medical directors of tertiary NICUs. The survey included questions on various aspects of skincare practices in the first 2 weeks of life in extremely premature infants (born before 28 weeks gestation).

Thin-Film Nanocomposite Membrane Incorporated with Porous Zn-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks: Toward Enhancement of Desalination Performance and Chlorine Resistance.

Metal-organic framework (MOF) materials have received extensive attention for the design of advanced thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes with excellent permselectivity. However, the relationship between the unique physicochemical properties and performance of engineered MOF-based membranes has yet to be extensively investigated. In this work, we investigate the incorporation of porous zinc-based MOFs (Zn-MOFs) into a polyamide active layer for the fabrication of TFN membranes on porous poly(phenylsulfone) (PPSU) support layers through an interfacial polymerization approach.

Enhancement of soil physico-chemical properties post compost application: Optimization using Response Surface Methodology comprehending Central Composite Design.

The application of compost has been recognized as one of the most promising approaches for preserving soil quality and crop production. The present study exhaustively investigates the impact of Water Hyacinth Compost (WHC), Hydrilla verticillata Compost (HVC) and Vegetable Waste Compost (VWC) on soil nutrient quality and engineering properties [Bulk Density (BD), water retention and specific gravity]. For the study, six different proportions constituting 5, 10, 15, 25, 35 and 45% of the composts by weight of the soil were taken.

Supramolecular Architecture through Self-Organization of Janus-Faced Homoazanucleosides.

Design of Janus-faced or double-headed homoazanucleosides with the possibility to undergo self-organization through base pairing has been conceptualized and accomplished. The synthetic strategy demonstrates the unique ability to introduce two similar or complementary nucleobases on opposite arms of a chiral polyhydroxypyrrolidine while also ensuring that their faces are anti to each other to allow only intermolecular interactions between the nucleobases, an essential requisite for self-assembly. Single-crystal X-ray structures were determined for all three types of homoazanucleosides, one possessing two adenine molecules, the other with two thymine moieties, and the third containing both adenine and thymine.

pH-Dependent surface charge at the interfaces between aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) and aqueous solution revealed by surfactant adsorption.

Hypothesis: The net surface charge of AlGaN/GaN structures, where AlGaN is in contact with the solution, is controlled by the pH-dependent protonation and deprotonation of the surface hydroxyl groups and possibly the electron-deficient surface electronic states. We hypothesize that atomic force microscopy (AFM) force measurements of ionic surfactant adsorption can reveal how the AlGaN surface properties vary with pH.

Experiments: AFM force curves and images were used to probe the AlGaN/solution interface in water as a function of pH, and with added cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) or anionic surfactant sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS).

A glycal based approach to the synthesis of (+)-bulgecinine, 3-hydroxy-2,5-dihydroxymethylpyrrolidine and 2-oxapyrrolizidin-3-one.

A glycal based synthesis of (+)-bulgecinine, 3-hydroxy-2,5-dihydroxymethylpyrrolidine and 2-oxapyrrolizidin-3-ones proceeding through a common intermediate is reported. The key step in the work presented here is a two-step conversion of 4,6-di-O-benzyl-d-glucal to 2,3-dideoxy-2-tosylamido-d-glucose. This manuscript reports the first carbohydrate based approach to the synthesis of (+)-bulgecinine and the whole sequence has been accomplished with complete stereochemical integrity without the formation of mixture of products in any of these steps.

pH-dependent surface properties of the gallium nitride - Solution interface mapped by surfactant adsorption.

Hypothesis: The surface charge of gallium nitride (GaN) in contact with solution is controlled by pH via surface protonation and deprotonation, similar to silica. Ionic surfactants adsorb on surfaces via electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions and can be utilized to reflect the surface charge of GaN.

Experiments: The surface charge properties of Ga-polar GaN in solution were probed as a function of pH using atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Lipases: Sources, Production, Purification, and Applications.

Background and Sources: Lipase enzyme is a naturally occurring enzyme found in the stomach and pancreatic juice. Its function is to digest fats and lipids, helping to maintain correct gallbladder function. Lipase is the one such widely used and versatile enzyme.