INFLUENCE OF LIBRARIANS ATTITUDE TOWARD CATALOGUING AND CLASSIFICATION IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES

This study investigated the influence of librarians’ attitude toward cataloguing and classification in academic libraries. Academic library is the heartbeat of a higher institution of learning. Without an academic library, students, researchers, staff might find it very difficult to study and conduct effective and efficient research. All information resources in academic libraries are expected to be catalogued and classified by librarians/cataloguers with standard classification schemes which would bring all the related books together. The attitude of librarians toward cataloguing and classification can be positive or negative. Positive in the essence that they tend to enjoy or like cataloguing and classification, understand its value, and have confidence in it. However, librarians with a negative attitude toward cataloguing and classification tend to dislike it, and feel afraid to engage in it. The attitude of librarians toward cataloguing and classification would be determined whether the library information resources in the academic libraries would be catalogued or not. If librarians develop a positive attitude toward cataloguing and classification, all the library information resources in an academic library would be catalogued, classified, organized, arranged and shelved in order for the library users to make use of them. But if librarians develop a negative attitude toward cataloguing and classification, some of library information resources might not be catalogued or wrongly catalogued where they would not be useful for the users

Experimental evidence that livestock grazing intensity affects cyclic vole population regulation processes

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

On the correspondence between surface UV observations and TOMS determinations of surface UV: a potential method for quality evaluating world surface UV observations

A comparison of erythemally weighted surface UV irradiance observations with similar NASA TOMS surface UV determinations is described. Comparisons are made for two observation periods: the Robertson-Berger (R-B) meter period from 1974 to the late 1980s and the current period from 1996 to the present when more sophisticated UVB-1 instruments were used. The more primitive R-B meter observations that comprised the fi rst U.S. UV network are seen to drift downward with respect to those of the TOMS. While the UVB-1 observations did not appear to drift, a substantial bias is noted to exist between the TOMS and the UVB-1 stations collecting observations; the TOMS estimations tend to be higher. A portion of the bias may be attributed to errors in calibration, total ozone, and cosine response of the surface instrumentation. Unaccounted aerosol effects, although not considered to be large in the TOMS estimations, present another source of error. Comparisons are fi rst done for all sky conditions and then for clear sky conditions. The biases typically agree for all sky conditions within the uncertainties of the surface instruments' calibrations, liberally defi ned as ± 5%, implying that the TOMS cloud correction scheme performs reasonably well. Snow cover severely impacts the TOMS observations, giving considerably higher estimations. The biases for clear sky conditions ranged from 15% to 19% with no obvious drifts between the satellite and surface observations. The variation in the biases among stations is within the calibration uncertainties of the instruments, but the absolute bias is unexpectedly large. The standard deviations of the clear sky comparisons among all stations are steady at 4.8% ± 0.7%. A plot of the TOMS/UVB-1 ratio versus TOMS cloud refl ectivity observations is noisy, but qualitatively suggestive of a possible slight increase (~ 5% or greater) over the range of clear to overcast skies. The results from these comparisons is believed to be relevant to a WMO goal of uniformly assuring the quality of UV observations made by networks in many countries. The results for clear sky comparisons suggest that a satellite observing system such as TOMS, which provides global coverage daily, might partially serve as a fi rst-order check to quality assure UV observations being made by networks worldwide. Future research should concentrate on determining the causes of the large differences seen between the UVB-1 and TOMS and the range of uncertainties, using a larger array of stations

Mechanical thrombectomy: can it be safely delivered out of hours in the UK?

BACKGROUND: Mechanical thrombectomy was approved by NICE as a treatment for stroke in 2016. However, most of the evidence is from studies conducted during working hours. Only few centres in the UK perform thrombectomies out-of-hours. The Royal Stoke University Hospital (RSUH) has offered thrombectomies over 24 h (24/7) since 2010. The aim of this service review is to compare the outcomes for patients treated in regular working hours to those treated outside normal working hours within this unit. METHODS: This retrospective service analysis includes all patients treated with mechanical thrombectomy at RSUH since the start of the service in January 2010 to June 2019. Data on key demographics, timings, procedural complications, and long-term outcomes including death and disability at 90 days were collected. In-hours was defined as the time between 8:00-17:00 h, Monday to Friday; out-of-hours was defined as any time outside this period. RESULTS: In total, 516 mechanical thrombectomies were performed in this time period; data were available on 501 of these. Successful recanalization (TICI 2b/3) was achieved in 86% of patients. By 90 days 96 (19%) had died and 234 (47%) were functionally independent (modified Rankin Scale score ≤ 2). 211 (42%) of the procedures were performed in-hours and 290 (58%) out-of-hours. Door-to-CT and door-to-groin times were significantly longer out-of-hours than in-hours, but thrombectomy duration was significantly shorter. There were no significant differences in complications and short- and long-term outcomes. CONCLUSION: Mechanical thrombectomy was delivered safely and effectively 24/7 in this UK hospital, with no difference in clinical outcomes

Prevalence of preeclampsia and algorithm of adverse foeto-maternal risk factors among pregnant women in the central region of Ghana: A multicentre prospective cross-sectional study

Background: Preeclampsia is a leading cause of foeto-maternal deaths especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, the prevalence and risk factors of preeclampsia are scarce in the Central region of Ghana with previous study assessing individual independent risk factors. This study determined the prevalence and algorithm of adverse foeto-maternal risk factors of preeclampsia. Methods: This multi-centre prospective cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2021 to October 2022 at the Mercy Women’s Catholic Hospital and Fynba Health Centre in Central region, Ghana. A total of 1,259 pregnant women were randomly sampled and their sociodemographic, clinical history, obstetrics and labour outcomes were recorded. Logistic regression analysis using SPSS version 26 was performed to identify risk factors of preeclampsia. Results: Of the 1,259 pregnant women, 1174 were finally included in the study. The prevalence of preeclampsia was 8.8% (103/1174). Preeclampsia was common among 20–29 years age group, those who had completed basic education, had informal occupation, multigravida and multiparous. Being primigravida [aOR = 1.95, 95% CI (1.03–3.71), p = 0.042], having previous history of caesarean section [aOR = 4.48, 95% CI (2.89–6.93), p \u3c 0.001], foetal growth restriction [aOR = 3.42, 95% CI (1.72–6.77), p \u3c 0.001] and birth asphyxia [aOR = 27.14, 95% CI (1.80–409.83), p = 0.017] were the independent risk factors of preeclampsia. Pregnant women exhibiting a combination of primigravida, previous caesarean section and foetal growth restriction were the highest risk for preeclampsia [aOR = 39.42, 95% CI (8.88–175.07, p \u3c 0.001] compared to having either two or one of these factors. Conclusion: Preeclampsia is increasing among pregnant women in the Central region of Ghana. Pregnant women being primigravida with foetal growth restriction and previous history of caesarean section are the highest risk population likely to develop preeclampsia with neonates more likely to suffer adverse birth outcome such as birth asphyxia. Targeted preventive measures of preeclampsia should be created for pregnant women co-existing with multiple risk factors

The hemodynamic tolerability and feasibility of sustained low efficiency dialysis in the management of critically ill patients with acute kidney injury

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Minimization of hemodynamic instability during renal replacement therapy (RRT) in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) is often challenging. We examined the relative hemodynamic tolerability of sustained low efficiency dialysis (SLED) and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in critically ill patients with AKI. We also compared the feasibility of SLED administration with that of CRRT and intermittent hemodialysis (IHD).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This cohort study encompassed four critical care units within a single university-affiliated medical centre. 77 consecutive critically ill patients with AKI who were treated with CRRT (n = 30), SLED (n = 13) or IHD (n = 34) and completed at least two RRT sessions were included in the study. Overall, 223 RRT sessions were analyzed. Hemodynamic instability during a given session was defined as the composite of a > 20% reduction in mean arterial pressure or any escalation in pressor requirements. Treatment feasibility was evaluated based on the fraction of the prescribed therapy time that was delivered. An interrupted session was designated if < 90% of the prescribed time was administered. Generalized estimating equations were used to compare the hemodynamic tolerability of SLED vs CRRT while accounting for within-patient clustering of repeated sessions and key confounders.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Hemodynamic instability occurred during 22 (56.4%) SLED and 43 (50.0%) CRRT sessions (p = 0.51). In a multivariable analysis that accounted for clustering of multiple sessions within the same patient, the odds ratio for hemodynamic instability with SLED was 1.20 (95% CI 0.58-2.47), as compared to CRRT. Session interruption occurred in 16 (16.3), 30 (34.9) and 11 (28.2) of IHD, CRRT and SLED therapies, respectively.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In critically ill patients with AKI, the administration of SLED is feasible and provides comparable hemodynamic control to CRRT.</p

Association between micronutrients, oxidative stress biomarkers and angiogenic growth mediators in early and late-onset preeclamptic Ghanaian women

Objectives: Micronutrients, especially calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) are reported to reduce preeclampsia events via several factors such as endothelial cell control, optimal oxidative stress and a balanced angiogenic growth mediator. We evaluated the association of micronutrients with oxidative stress biomarkers, and angiogenic growth mediators in early-onset preeclampsia and late-onset preeclampsia. Methods: This case-control study recruited 197 preeclampsia (early-onset preeclampsia = 70 and late-onset preeclampsia = 127) as cases and 301 normotensive pregnant women as controls from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ghana. Samples were collected after 20 weeks of gestation for both cases and controls and estimated for Ca, Mg, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1, placental growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor-A, soluble endoglin, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, 8-epiprostaglandinF2-alpha and total antioxidant capacity. Results: Early-onset preeclampsia women had significantly lower levels of Ca, Mg, placental growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor-A and total antioxidant capacity but higher levels of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1, soluble endoglin, 8-epiprostaglandinF2-alpha, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1/placental growth factor ratio, 8-epiprostaglandinF2-alpha /placental growth factor ratio, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine/placental growth factor ratio and soluble endoglin/placental growth factor ratio than late-onset preeclampsia and normotensive pregnant women (p \u3c 0.0001). Among the early-onset preeclampsia women, the first and second quartile for serum placental growth factor, first quartile for vascular endothelial growth factor-A and total antioxidant capacity and the fourth quartiles for serum sEng, serum sFlt-1, 8-epiPGF2 and 8-OHdG were independently associated with low Ca and Mg (p \u3c 0.05). Among late-onset preeclampsia women, the fourth quartile for soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 was independently associated with low Ca and Mg (p \u3c 0.05). Conclusion: Magnesium and calcium are associated with an imbalance in angiogenic growth mediators and oxidative stress biomarkers among preeclampsia women, particularly early-onset preeclampsia. Serial and routine measurement of these micronutrients would allow the monitoring of poor placental angiogenesis while enabling an understanding of the triggers of increased oxidative stress and reduced antioxidant in preeclampsia