Maternal demographic and placental risk factors in term low birth weight in Ghana

Background: Several studies report on factors that associate preterm birth and intrauterine growth restriction with low birth weight (LBW). However, few studies discuss risk factors that associate with LBW for full-term births. No such studies exist that involve a population from Ghana. Method: We used a nested case-control study approach to examine maternal socio-demographic and placental factors that contribute significantly to term LBW in Ghana. We assessed also the incidence of LBW in general at a major teaching hospital facility in Ghana. Results: Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to investigate maternal sociodemographic and placental factors that associate with LBW. Following the preliminary univariate analysis, a stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that unstable income source, single motherhood, combined effect of pre-eclampsia and anaemia; ORs of 5.366 (95% CI: 1.986 to 14.497), 21.390 (95% CI: 3.610 to 126.734) and 3.246 (95% CI: 1.074 to 9.814), respectively, and placental weight and irregular insertion of the umbilical cord (variables scaled by a factor of 10-2 to aid interpretation) ORs 0.28 (95% CI: 0.115 to 0.683), 0.010 (95% CI: 0.001 to 0.173 respectively) on the chorionic plate, were risk factors for LBW. The socio-demographic and placental factors reveal a core role of maternal and infant nutritional deficiencies in term LBW in Ghana. The general prevalence of LBW in the Hospital facility was 6.2%. Conclusion: We conclude that poor maternal and infant nutrient supply is key factors in term LBW in Ghana. These factors are amenable to appropriate nutritional and educational interventions. a, Tettey Yaob, Gyasi Richard, Obed Samuel, Farnell Damian Joseph John, Quaye Isaac Kweku

Prosodic means’ interaction in realising the anecdote humorous effect

In the paper, on the basis of auditory analysis of English spoken anecdotes the authors come up with the system of prosodic means that serve to create the text humorous effect. To define the specificity of a complex interaction of emotional, pragmatic, structural and semantic factors of prosodic means’ functioning in English anecdotes, we substantiated two algorithmic models presenting the text story-line development: one being similar to the structure of the fairy tale (introduction → commentary → code), and the other one resembling the riddle (topic → commentary → code). By way of using these models as well as the traditional method of linguistic interpretation of the auditory analysis results, the authors substantiate the specificity of prosodic, lexico-grammatical and stylistic means interaction of an English anecdote oral actualisation functioning within its structural components. It has been found out that realisation of the anecdote humorous effect is ensured by the predominance of the unidirectional functioning of the language means of all levels with the leading role of prosodic means aimed at drawing the listeners’ attention to the anecdote’s two-plane semantics and its key lexical units, thus stimulating their thinking activities while decoding the humour of the anecdote. The authors come to the conclusion that the application of a functional-and-energetic approach to the study of a complex interaction of emotional, pragmatic, semantic and structural factors makes it possible to present a comprehensive description of invariant and variant prosodic patterns of any type of texts

Prosodic means’ interaction in realising the anecdote humorous effect

In the paper, on the basis of auditory analysis of English spoken anecdotes the authors come up with the system of prosodic means that serve to create the text humorous effect. To define the specificity of a complex interaction of emotional, pragmatic, structural and semantic factors of prosodic means’ functioning in English anecdotes, we substantiated two algorithmic models presenting the text story-line development: one being similar to the structure of the fairy tale (introduction → commentary → code), and the other one resembling the riddle (topic → commentary → code). By way of using these models as well as the traditional method of linguistic interpretation of the auditory analysis results, the authors substantiate the specificity of prosodic, lexico-grammatical and stylistic means interaction of an English anecdote oral actualisation functioning within its structural components. It has been found out that realisation of the anecdote humorous effect is ensured by the predominance of the unidirectional functioning of the language means of all levels with the leading role of prosodic means aimed at drawing the listeners’ attention to the anecdote’s two-plane semantics and its key lexical units, thus stimulating their thinking activities while decoding the humour of the anecdote. The authors come to the conclusion that the application of a functional-and-energetic approach to the study of a complex interaction of emotional, pragmatic, semantic and structural factors makes it possible to present a comprehensive description of invariant and variant prosodic patterns of any type of texts.</jats:p

Pregnancy-induced Cardiovascular Pathologies : Importance of Structural Components and Lipids

Pregnancy leads to adaptations for maternal and fetal energy needs. The cardiovascular system bears the brunt of the adaptations as the heart and vessels enable nutrient supply to maternal organs facilitated by the placenta to the fetus. The components of the cardiovascular system are critical in the balance between maternal homeostatic and fetus driven homeorhetic regulation. Since lipids intersect maternal cardiovascular function and fetal needs with growth and in stress, factors affecting lipid deposition and mobilization impact risk outcomes. Here, the cardiovascular components and functional derangements associated with cardiovascular pathology in pregnancy, vis-à-vis lipid deposition, mobilization and maternal and/or cardiac and fetal energy needs are detailed. Most reports on the components and associated pathology in pregnancy, are on derangements affecting the extracellular matrix and epicardial fat, followed by the endothelium, vascular smooth muscle, pericytes and myocytes. Targeted studies on all cardiovascular components and pathological outcomes in pregnancy will enhance targeted interventions

<em>Plasmodium vivax</em> and <em>Plasmodium ovale</em> in the Malaria Elimination Agenda in Africa

In recent times, several countries in sub-Saharan Africa have reported cases of Plasmodium vivax (Pv) with a considerable number being Duffy negative. Current efforts at malaria elimination are focused solely on Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) excluding non-falciparum malaria. Pv and Plasmodium ovale (Po) have hypnozoite forms that can serve as reservoirs of infection and sustain transmission. The burden of these parasites in Africa seems to be more than acknowledged, playing roles in migrant and autochthonous infections. Considering that elimination and eradication is a current aim for WHO and Roll Back Malaria (RBM), the inclusion of Pv and Po in the elimination agenda cannot be over-emphasized. The biology of Pv and Po are such that the same elimination strategies as are used for Pf cannot be applied so, going forward, new approaches will be required to attain elimination and eradication targets

STYLISTIC MEANS OF IMPLEMENTING THE IDEA OF THE WORLD’S IRIDESCENCE IN PH.K. DICK’S “UBIK” IN THE CONTEXT OF TRANSLATION TRANSFORMATIONS

The article deals with the formation means of the idea of the world’s iridescence or illusiveness, its stylistic and translation aspects within the textual framework of Ph.K. Dick’s novel “Ubik” and its translat- ed version in Ukrainian. The relevance of the study is defined by general scarcity of current enquiries highlighting stylistic means of moulding the idea of the world’s iridescence in science fiction as well as translation methods of delivering it from English to Ukrainian. The purpose of this scientific inquiry is to identify the stylistic devices that play a role in the delinea- tion of ways in which reality may be reduced to tatters in comparison with a coherent state of things and to pinpoint the translation techniques of rendering the related contexts from English into Ukrainian. The top- icality of the study is determined by the paucity of relevant research focusing on the kernel of the prevail- ing theme in Dick’s “Ubik”, namely illusiveness of reality, and translation techniques and transformations that help adequately deliver the significant sequences from English into Ukrainian. It is argued that the idea in question being the core of the prevailing theme in Dick’s “Ubik” is at- tained by means of incorporating several ontological planes represented by mental constructs, or reali- ties, focalised through the perceptions and personalities of different characters of the novel. Contextu- al and text interpretation analyses enabled the authors to determine and interpret those semantic domi- nants that underpin the formation of the world’s iridescence effect in the novel, namely: “alternate reali- ties”, “dream as a variant of reality”, “changes in time and space”, “changes of forms of consciousness and existence”. It has been proven these dominants’ diegetic interrelation. The idea of the world’s iridescence in the novel is brought about by the literary work’s fluctuating plot convolutions stemming from seemingly incoherent planes of different sections of the novel: a mosaic of the primary diegesis together with several hypo-diegeses comes across as a kind of an ontic hazy maze building up to an overall effect of the world’s fluidity and oscillation. The method of stylistic analysis was applied to interpret stylistic phenomena inherent in the novel in relation to their contribution to the studied idea as those were found functioning in the relevant textu- al microcontexts and enhancing the aforementioned semantic dominants. It was esti mated that expres- estimated that expres- sive means and devices of stylistic syntax constitute four fifths of the whole researched corpus of units, thus playing a major role in the formation of the idea of the world’s illusiveness (those include aposiopesis, rhetoric questions, asyndeton, and nominative sentences) while expressive means and stylistic devices of stylistic semasiology prove much less numerous, accounting for a fifth of the units analysed (presented by metaphors, epithets, similes, antitheses). Among the typical translation methods, instrumental in the rel- evant textual sequences in “Ubik”, a share of lexical and semantic transformations equals 60.2% of the re- searched sets of translation counterparts, with modulation and specification being the dominant ones and logical synonymy, calquing and lexical compensation trailing behind. Grammatical transformations com- pose nearly two fifths (39.8 %) of the researched body of units, the most efficient ones being substitution and word order change. The results of the study enabled understanding the interaction mechanism of semantics of the leit- motif of a literary work, its stylistic representation and translation solutions of its delivery from English into Ukrainian. We envisage the prospects for further research in studying linguistic aspects of cross-cultural conveying symbolic significance of recurring narrative elements

Pregnant alpha-1-microglobulin (A1M) knockout mice exhibit features of kidney and placental damage, hemodynamic changes and intrauterine growth restriction

AbstractAlpha-1-microglobulin (A1M) is an antioxidant previously shown to be elevated in maternal blood during pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia and suggested to be important in the endogenous defense against oxidative stress. A knockout mouse model of A1M (A1Mko) was used in the present study to assess the importance of A1M during pregnancy in relation to the kidney, heart and placenta function. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate (HR) were determined before and throughout gestation. The morphology of the organs was assessed by both light and electron microscopy. Gene expression profiles relating to vascular tone and oxidative stress were analyzed using RT-qPCR with validation of selected gene expression relating to vascular tone and oxidative stress response. Pregnant age-matched wild type mice were used as controls. In the A1Mko mice there was a significantly higher SBP before pregnancy that during pregnancy was significantly reduced compared to the control. In addition, the HR was higher both before and during pregnancy compared to the controls. Renal morphological abnormalities were more frequent in the A1Mko mice, and the gene expression profiles in the kidney and the heart showed downregulation of transcripts associated with vasodilation. Simultaneously, an upregulation of vasoconstrictors, blood pressure regulators, and genes for osmotic stress response, ion transport and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism occurred. Fetal weight was lower in the A1Mko mice at E17.5. The vessels in the labyrinth zone of the placentas and the endoplasmic reticulum in the spongiotrophoblasts were collapsed. The gene profiles in the placenta showed downregulation of antioxidants, ROS metabolism and oxidative stress response genes. In conclusion, intact A1M expression is necessary for the maintenance of normal kidney, heart as well as placental structure and function for a normal pregnancy adaptation.</jats:p

Pregnant alpha-1-microglobulin (A1M) knockout mice exhibit features of kidney and placental damage, hemodynamic changes and intrauterine growth restriction

Alpha-1-microglobulin (A1M) is an antioxidant previously shown to be elevated in maternal blood during pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia and suggested to be important in the endogenous defense against oxidative stress. A knockout mouse model of A1M (A1Mko) was used in the present study to assess the importance of A1M during pregnancy in relation to the kidney, heart and placenta function. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and heart rate (HR) were determined before and throughout gestation. The morphology of the organs was assessed by both light and electron microscopy. Gene expression profiles relating to vascular tone and oxidative stress were analyzed using RT-qPCR with validation of selected gene expression relating to vascular tone and oxidative stress response. Pregnant age-matched wild type mice were used as controls. In the A1Mko mice there was a significantly higher SBP before pregnancy that during pregnancy was significantly reduced compared to the control. In addition, the HR was higher both before and during pregnancy compared to the controls. Renal morphological abnormalities were more frequent in the A1Mko mice, and the gene expression profiles in the kidney and the heart showed downregulation of transcripts associated with vasodilation. Simultaneously, an upregulation of vasoconstrictors, blood pressure regulators, and genes for osmotic stress response, ion transport and reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism occurred. Fetal weight was lower in the A1Mko mice at E17.5. The vessels in the labyrinth zone of the placentas and the endoplasmic reticulum in the spongiotrophoblasts were collapsed. The gene profiles in the placenta showed downregulation of antioxidants, ROS metabolism and oxidative stress response genes. In conclusion, intact A1M expression is necessary for the maintenance of normal kidney, heart as well as placental structure and function for a normal pregnancy adaptation