Comprehensive review of LCA studies in Civil Engineering

This review paper explores the application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) within the domain of civil engineering, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of current research, methodologies, challenges, and future trends. LCA serves as a pivotal tool for assessing the environmental impact of infrastructure projects, yet gaps persist in its integration with socioeconomic dimensions, regional considerations, and dynamic modeling. By analyzing existing literature and scholarly discussions, this review identifies research gaps and proposes directions for enhancing the applicability and effectiveness of LCA in civil engineering. Moreover, it examines future trends such as the integration of advanced technologies, stakeholder engagement, and policy implementation, poised to shape the landscape of LCA practices in the civil engineering sector. Ultimately, this review paper contributes to the understanding of LCA's potential to drive sustainable decision-making in infrastructure development, paving the way for more informed and environmentally conscious practices

Pattern of renal diseases in children: A developing country experience

Spectrum of renal disease varies in different ethnic population, geographical location, and by environmental factors. The purpose of this study was to find out the clinical spectrum and occurrence of different pediatric renal diseases at a teaching hospital in the Eastern part of Nepal. All cases of renal diseases from one month to 15 years of age, attending the pediatric renal outpatient department and/or were admitted to the wards during the period of February 2012 to January 2013, were included in the study. Detailed clinical and laboratory evaluations were performed on all patients. Diseases were categorized as per standard definitions and managed with hospital protocols. Renal diseases accounted to be 206 cases (6.9%) of total annual pediatric admissions, of which (58%) were male and (42%) female. Acute glomerulonephritis (AGN) was the most common disorder (37.7%) followed by nephrotic syndrome (26.1%), urinary tract infection (21.3%), acute kidney injury (AKI) (17.9%), obstructive uropathy (1.9%), chronic kidney disease (CKD) (1.2%), and others. In AGN group, the most common cause was post-infectious glomerulonephritis (PIGN) (32.9%) followed by lupus nephritis (4%) and Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis (0.8%). Urine culture was positive in (9.22%) and the most common organism was Escherichia coli (57.9%). The causes of AKI were urosepsis, septicemia, and AGN (18.9%) each, followed by dehydration (13.5%). Mortality was found in 5% of cases and the etiologies were AKI in (72.7%), PIGN (18.1%), and CKD (9%). Renal diseases are a significant problem among children and are one of the common causes of hospital admission. These patients need comprehensive services for early identification and management

Effect of Delay Separation and Short Term Storage of Serum on Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

Introduction: Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) regulates the level of thyroid hormones synthesized in the thyroid gland. Its measurement greatly facilitates the clinical diagnosis as well as management of pituitary-thyroid diseases. The level of analytes in biological sample is affected by pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical factors.Objective: To find the effect of delay separation and short term storage on serum TSH level.Materials and Methods: A total of 15 blood samples were collected from the patients visited to the immunoassay laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, BPKIHS for thyroid function test. Serum TSH was estimated on the day of sample collection, after 24 hours in delay separated samples and after seven days in short-term stored sample by sandwich ELISA method (Eliscan, India).Results: There were no significant difference in median serum TSH in baseline and delay separated samples (1.43 (0.18-6.52) IU/mL, vs 1.61 (0.25-6.51) IU/mL, p = 0.069) as well as baseline and short term stored samples 1.43 (0.18-6.52) IU/mL vs 1.57 (0.26-5.75), p = 0.925).</p