Predictors of Early Seizures After First Acute Stroke

ABSTRACT Background and objective: There is a lack of local data regarding the frequency and predictors of early seizures after stroke. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of early seizures after stroke and identify the predictors which lead to them after first acute stroke. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Neurology, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad from October 2021 to June 2022. A total of 310 consecutive eligible patients of acute stroke were recruited. Key inclusion criteria included any patient of \u3e20 years of age with confirmed diagnosis of stroke on imaging, non-traumatic, with no history of seizures in past. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 23.0. Results: The mean age of patients in the seizures group was 48.40 ± 20.9 years. Hypertension was the most common co-morbid present in 225 (76.5%) patients. Early seizures were found in 52 (16.8%) patients with 42 (80.76%) having seizures in first 24 hours of stroke (p value 0.001). On National Institute of Health Sciences Scale (NIHSS) score most patients 125 (40.3%) had moderate severity score i.e. score in between 7 to 25 (p value 0.05). Ischemic stroke was identified as the stroke variety with most of the early seizures i.e. 16 (30.76%) (p value 0.003). Conclusion: Early seizures were not infrequent after acute stroke (16.77%) in our study. Early seizures were associated with younger age, cortical region lesion, ischemic stroke, followed by cerebral venous thrombosis. Higher NIHSS score and greater disability was associated with increased incidence of early seizures

Severe Ataxia with Cognitive Impairment in A Young Child: A Case Report of Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia

ABSTRACT Adolescence is a period of rapid development and a variety of genetic disorders present during this time due to difficulties with motor and cognitive skills. A very rare group of diseases is genetic Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia, characterized by a developmentally small cerebellum that leads to ataxia and movement abnormalities. Here, we present a case of a young boy who presented with ataxia and falls

Terson Syndrome in A Patient with Unrepaired Tetralogy of Fallot

Tetralogy of Fallot is the most commonly seen cyanotic congenital heart disease. It includes four cardinal features: right ventricular outflow tract obstruction, misaligned ventricular septal defect, overriding aorta, and concentric right ventricular hypertrophy. Intracranial pathologies such as brain abscesses, cerebrovascular accidents, and intracranial haemorrhage all have been reported with Tetralogy of Fallot. Here we present a case who had subarachnoid haemorrhage with vitreous haemorrhage in Tetralogy of Fallot

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Experience in Patients Presenting to A Tertiary Care Hospital: A Case Series

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare cause of rapidly progressive dementia, it is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the misfolding of prion proteins in the brain, and misfolded proteins further propagate by causing misfolding of other proteins. It presents with insidious onset of neurobehavioral symptoms that rapidly develop into cognitive and motor decline and uncontrolled seizures. The diagnosis is established with help of clinical signs and symptoms, and using imaging and lab investigations to rule out other treatable causes. Some imaging findings point to the diagnosis of CJD that will be viewed in the cases below. Diagnosis can be augmented by CSF studies but due to the risk of biohazard and spread of CJD, special care needs to be taken. Confirmation is only via brain biopsy. In this article we share our experience with four cases of CJD that presented to our hospital

Hypodensities Within Hematoma Predict Outcome After Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage

ABSTRACT Background and objective: Radial nerve is injured due to a variety of reasons. The objective of this study was to determine the clinical spectrum, risk factors and electrophysiologic aspect of radial nerve injury presenting to a tertiary care hospital in Lahore. Methods: This descriptive prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at department of Neurology, Mayo hospital Lahore from July 2022 to December 2022 and comprised patients with isolated radial nerve injury on the basis of history and clinical examination regardless of their gender, above 15 years of age. NCS/EMG was done on a Japanese machine Nihon Kohden by an expert as per recommended protocol for electrodiagnostic evaluation of a suspected radial nerve injury and interpreted by consultant neurologist. Results: Of 75 patients, 52(69.3%) were males and 23(30.7%) were females. The most common etiology turned out to be misplaced intramuscular injection in 45(60%) of the patients. The site of lesion in most cases was in the spiral groove in 36 (40%) of the patient. Most of the patients i.e. 71(94.7%) had a wrist drop. Evidence of reinnervation was present in 30(40%) of patients. Conclusion: Most cases of radial nerve injury presented with a wrist drop in which the commonest etiology was misplaced intramuscular injection. The site of lesion in most cases turned out to at the level of spiral groove, and the nature of lesion was primarily axonal loss followed by secondary demyelination

The Integrating Emotional Intelligence and Resilience: Approaches for Enhancing Well-Being and Coping in Diverse Workplaces

Diversity and inclusion are crucial to corporate success in the worldwide workplace. However, more diversity may lead to interpersonal problems, misunderstanding, and workplace stress, which can lead to job burnout and worse employee well-being. This research examines how emotional intelligence (EI) and resilience might help people overcome these problems. According to Social Cognitive Theory, resilient people can better comprehend, react to, and learn from workplace social signals and stresses. We also examine how executive capabilities including working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control affect EL and resilience strategies. Through a thorough assessment of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being studies, we emphasize the relevance of developing both to improve employee life satisfaction and performance. This research also discusses how EI and resilience may be used to negotiate social influence phenomena like compliance and conformity to foster good social connections and lessen peer pressure. To address methodological problems, we explore possible biases in this study and suggest ways to mitigate them. We also use mediation analysis to investigate the intricate linkages between EI, resilience, workplace diversity, and employee well-being. We acknowledge missing data in social science research and provide practical advice on how to manage it for strong and credible research outcomes. This study seeks to explain how El and resilience may be used to create a happy, inclusive, and successful workplace by linking psychological research disciplines

The Impact of technology integration on student engagement and achievement in mathematics education: A systematic review

The current research carried out a comprehensive analysis of academic research that explored the effects of technology incorporation on mathematics students' engagement and academic performance. As technology usage in education has grown more prevalent, understanding its impact on student outcomes has become increasingly significant. The primary goal of this systematic review was to examine existing research and generate a comprehensive synthesis of the outcomes. A rigorous methodology was utilized, involving a thorough examination of pertinent databases, and adhering to stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria. A quantitative approach was taken, and data were extracted utilizing a tailored data extraction form. The target population included students of all age groups enrolled in mathematics courses that integrated technology, and purposive sampling was employed as the sampling strategy. Fifteen research studies satisfied the inclusion criteria and were integrated into the final analysis. The results suggest that the integration of technology has a favorable influence on mathematics students' engagement and academic achievement. Specifically, technology integration has a noteworthy impact on student motivation, attitudes, and academic performance. The usage of technology also supports the growth of critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities. Technology-based interventions are effective for learners of various ages and skill levels. These research findings have implications for policymakers and educators, emphasizing the prospective benefits of technology integration in enhancing student outcomes in mathematics education. Additionally, the results signal the necessity for further studies to investigate the specific means by which technology can enhance mathematics education. This systematic review presents informative insights into technology's impact on mathematics education and highlights the potential advantages of technology integration in advancing student outcomes

Green synthesis of Cr2O3 nanoparticles by Cassia fistula, their electrochemical and antibacterial potential

Chromium oxide (Cr2O3) nanoparticles (NPs) find applications in modern science and technology due to their chemical stabilities, high-density corners and magnetic/electrical/catalytic properties. Current studies were performed to produce the (Cr2O3)aq and (Cr2O3)et NPs by treating chromium acetate with the aqueous and ethanolic extracts, respectively of Cassia fistula leaves; the same reaction was also performed in the presence of NaOH to yield the (Cr2O3)aqNa and (Cr2O3)etNa NPs, respectively. The synthesized NPs were characterized by XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, SEM, TGA and DSC analysis and examined for their electrochemical properties. Their antibacterial potential was tested by biofilm inhibition and agar well diffusion methods. XRD studies revealed that Cr2O3 NPs possessed hexagonal crystal structures with the crystallite sizes of 14.85 to 23.90 nm; the lowest size (14.85 nm) was possessed by (Cr2O3)et. FTIR and Raman spectroscopies verified the +3-oxidation state of chromium and corresponding Cr-O and Cr=O vibrations. Raman spectroscopy determined A1g vibration modes (540.50–557.07 cm−1) with rhombohedral Cr2O3 structure, high degree of crystallinity and existence of Cr3+ ions in octahedral coordination whereas Eg vibration modes were displayed at 306.04–350.87 cm−1 and 602.47–613.81 cm−1. UV–Visible spectroscopy has shown band gaps in the range of 4.06–4.40 eV. The SEM images demonstrated the spherical morphology with a high degree of agglomeration between fine particles. The synthesized NPs exhibited good thermal stabilities up to 600 °C. The CV curves displayed the oxidation–reduction peaks and reversible behavior whereas GCD curve indicated the possible energy storage applications of NPs. (Cr2O3)aqNa NPs showed the highest specific capacitance (234.35 mAhg−1) at 1 mA current density. The biofilm inhibitions of the investigated NPs were comparable to those of the standard antibacterial drug (ciprofloxacin); the activity of (Cr2O3)etNa was found even better than that of ciprofloxacin. The NPs were more active against Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) as compared to those against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive)

Removal of Cr(III) from Aqueous Solution Using Labeo rohita Chitosan-Based Composite

This study focusses on the synthesis of chitosan-cellulose composite membrane derived from Labeo rohita fish scales (FS) for the removal of Cr(III) from aqueous solution, while chromium is a serious threat to groundwater. Waste FS are valorized to chitosan by demineralization, deproteination, and deacetylation successively. Cellulose was extracted from sugarcane bagasse using acidic hydrolysis. Chitosan-based cellulose composite porous membrane was fabricated by evaporating solvent from polymer solution in petri dish. The impact of pH, contact time, and absorbent dosage on the removal of Cr(III) from an aqueous solution was investigated. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to check the Cr(III). Results showed that chitosan comprising 85% degree of deacetylation was achieved by alkali treatment, while yield was 22%. FTIR analysis confirmed the chitosan and chitosan-cellulose-based composite membrane. Morphology studies showed that the cellulose was strongly staggered and due to the chitosan, the surface of cellulose became rougher, which is good to enhance the adsorption capacity. The maximum removal 57% of Cr(III) from aqueous solution was observed at pH 6 at 60 min and 50 mg dosage of adsorbent. The minimum removal (47%) of Cr (III) was found at pH 2. These results confer that Labeo rohita-based chitosan-cellulose composite membrane has great potential for the removal of metals from industrial effluents

Green synthesized ZnO-Fe2O3-Co3O4 nanocomposite for antioxidant, microbial disinfection and degradation of pollutants from wastewater.

Microbial resistance, industrial and agricultural wastes are the major concerning problems of today’s world. Herein is a highly efficient incubated ZnO–Fe2O3–Co3O4 nanocomposite derived from Cordia myxa through a green chemistry approach. UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–Vis) was confirmed the peak on 508 and 387 with the energy bandgap of 2.2eV for I-NC. X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) revealed the diffraction pattern of incubated nanocomposites (I-NC) that ZnO showed hexagonal, while Co3O4 and Fe2O3 showed cubic structure. SEM analyses show the patterns comprising the crystal morphology of flower-ZnO, agglomerated Fe2O3 spongy rhombohedral Co3O4. The results of antibacterial activity show that the I-NC have a greater value of zone of inhibition (ZOI) against bacterial strains than NC, with the highest percentage in this trend P-aeruginosa94%>Saureus91%>K-pneumonia89%>E-coli87%>P-vulgaris81%. The photocatalytic activity data showed that the Methylene Blue, Methyl Orange, Rhodamine-B, P-Nitroaniline, and Cresol Red dyes were degraded in the presence of INC catalysts after sunlight irradiation. The degradation efficiencies of I-NC show the trend Methylene Blue (99.98%) > P-Nitroaniline (99.97%) > Rhodamine-B (99.86%) > Cresol Red (99.80%) > Methyl Orange (99.6%). This study reported that the use of the Cordia myxa for the formulation of incubated nanocomposite could be employed as a novel antibacterial agent to inhibit bacterial growth and biofilm formation and photocatalytic agent