Effects of Fly Ash, Silica Fume, and Ground-Granulated Blast Slag on Properties of Self-Compacting High Strength Lightweight Concrete

In this paper, the effect of utilizing Fly ash (FA), Silica fume (SF), Ground granulated blast slag (GGBS), and various combinations of them is assessed. Their effect on the fresh stage and mechanical properties of Self-compacting Lightweight Concrete (SCCLWC) is investigated and compared to a control mix without Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs). Flowability, compressive strength, and flexural strength were the main criteria considered in the evaluation. Moreover, the applicability of the ACI 318 reduction factor (λ) for flexural strength was assessed for all mixes to capture the effect of various SCMs based on the lower and upper limits of the proposed ACI 318 equation. Results from the evaluation show that SF greatly improved the compressive strength and GGBS increased flexural strength of SCCLWC. However, SF reduces the flowability of SCCLWC. Equally important, FA achieved the lowest increase in compressive strength compared to the control mix. Furthermore, the λ value of 0.85 proposed by ACI 318 for sand-lightweight provides a good estimate of LWC properties even when different SCMs are utilized. However, fly ash can affect the λ value at early age

Identification of malnutrition upon hospital admission using the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria

Background: Criteria for the diagnosis of malnutrition are still not uniform, and different tools have been proposed. Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) is a newly developed consensus diagnostic criteria tool. Objective: This study aims to determine the prevalence of malnutrition using the GLIM diagnostic criteria upon admission to the hospital in the United Arab Emirates and evaluate the role of muscle strength in the accuracy of this diagnosis Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that was carried out in two hospitals (Rashid Hospital, Dubai, and Qassimi Hospital, Sharjah) in the United Arab Emirates. Low body mass index or significant weight loss were used as phenotypic criteria; reduced food intake or the presence of disease were used as etiological criteria. Muscle strength was measured using a handgrip strength dynamometer, as a supportive measure. Results: A total of 371 patients were recruited; of which a total of 103 patients (27.76%) were diagnosed with malnutrition according to GLIM. The prevalence of low muscle strength was seen in 60.47% of females (≤ 16.0 kg) and 61.82% of males (≤ 27 kg). A total of 209 patients (58.22%) were diagnosed with malnutrition, accounting for low muscle strength as a proxy for muscle mass under the phenotypic criteria. Conclusion: The study opens a direction for future research to evaluate the feasibility and practicality of the proposed GLIM criteria. It also provides a path for the validation of muscle strength and relevant cut-off points across ages, genders, and ethnicities as a diagnostic criterion for malnutrition

Blood Culture Contaminants in a Paediatric Population : Retrospective study from a tertiary hospital in Oman

Objectives: Most children presenting with febrile illness require a blood culture to determine the causative organism as well as its sensitivity to antibiotics. However, false-positive results lead to unnecessary hospitalisations, prescriptions and tests. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of false-positive blood cultures among a paediatric population at a tertiary hospital in Oman. Methods: This retrospective study included all 225 children <13 years old with positive blood cultures who presented to the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, between July 2011 and December 2013. Blood cultures were reviewed to determine whether they were true-positive or contaminated. Results: A total of 344 positive blood cultures were recorded during the study period, of which 185 (53.8%) were true-positive and 159 (46.2%) were contaminated. Most true-positive isolates (26.5%) were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. (CONS) followed by Escherichia coli (9.7%), while the majority of contaminated isolates were CONS (67.9%) followed by Streptococcus spp. (6.9%). Children with contaminated cultures were significantly younger (P <0.001) while those with true-positive cultures required significantly more frequent hospital admissions, longer hospital stays and more frequent antibiotic prescriptions (P <0.001 each). Chronic illness and mortality was significantly more frequent among those with true-positive cultures (P <0.001 and 0.04, respectively). While white blood cell and absolute neutrophil counts were significantly higher in truepositive cultures (P <0.001 each), there was no significant difference in C-reactive protein (CRP) level (P = 0.791). Conclusion: In this population, CRP level was not an adequate marker to differentiate between true- and falsepositive cultures. A dedicated well-trained phlebotomy team for paediatric patients is essential