Noncontact Speckle Contrast Diffuse Correlation Tomography of Blood Flow Distributions in Tissues with Arbitrary Geometries

A noncontact electron multiplying charge-coupled-device (EMCCD)-based speckle contrast diffuse correlation tomography (scDCT) technology has been recently developed in our laboratory, allowing for noninvasive three-dimensional measurement of tissue blood flow distributions. One major remaining constraint in the scDCT is the assumption of a semi-infinite tissue volume with a flat surface, which affects the image reconstruction accuracy for tissues with irregular geometries. An advanced photometric stereo technique (PST) was integrated into the scDCT system to obtain the surface geometry in real time for image reconstruction. Computer simulations demonstrated that a priori knowledge of tissue surface geometry is crucial for precisely reconstructing the anomaly with blood flow contrast. Importantly, the innovative integration design with one single-EMCCD camera for both PST and scDCT data collection obviates the need for offline alignment of sources and detectors on the tissue boundary. The in vivo imaging capability of the updated scDCT is demonstrated by imaging dynamic changes in forearm blood flow distribution during a cuff-occlusion procedure. The feasibility and safety in clinical use are evidenced by intraoperative imaging of mastectomy skin flaps and comparison with fluorescence angiography

Increasing frailty is associated with higher prevalence and reduced recognition of delirium in older hospitalised inpatients: results of a multi-centre study

Purpose Delirium is a neuropsychiatric disorder delineated by an acute change in cognition, attention, and consciousness. It is common, particularly in older adults, but poorly recognised. Frailty is the accumulation of deficits conferring an increased risk of adverse outcomes. We set out to determine how severity of frailty, as measured using the CFS, affected delirium rates, and recognition in hospitalised older people in the United Kingdom. Methods Adults over 65 years were included in an observational multi-centre audit across UK hospitals, two prospective rounds, and one retrospective note review. Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), delirium status, and 30-day outcomes were recorded. Results The overall prevalence of delirium was 16.3% (483). Patients with delirium were more frail than patients without delirium (median CFS 6 vs 4). The risk of delirium was greater with increasing frailty [OR 2.9 (1.8–4.6) in CFS 4 vs 1–3; OR 12.4 (6.2–24.5) in CFS 8 vs 1–3]. Higher CFS was associated with reduced recognition of delirium (OR of 0.7 (0.3–1.9) in CFS 4 compared to 0.2 (0.1–0.7) in CFS 8). These risks were both independent of age and dementia. Conclusion We have demonstrated an incremental increase in risk of delirium with increasing frailty. This has important clinical implications, suggesting that frailty may provide a more nuanced measure of vulnerability to delirium and poor outcomes. However, the most frail patients are least likely to have their delirium diagnosed and there is a significant lack of research into the underlying pathophysiology of both of these common geriatric syndromes

Increasing frailty is associated with higher prevalence and reduced recognition of delirium in older hospitalised inpatients: results of a multi-centre study

Purpose: Delirium is a neuropsychiatric disorder delineated by an acute change in cognition, attention, and consciousness. It is common, particularly in older adults, but poorly recognised. Frailty is the accumulation of deficits conferring an increased risk of adverse outcomes. We set out to determine how severity of frailty, as measured using the CFS, affected delirium rates, and recognition in hospitalised older people in the United Kingdom. Methods: Adults over 65 years were included in an observational multi-centre audit across UK hospitals, two prospective rounds, and one retrospective note review. Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), delirium status, and 30-day outcomes were recorded. Results: The overall prevalence of delirium was 16.3% (483). Patients with delirium were more frail than patients without delirium (median CFS 6 vs 4). The risk of delirium was greater with increasing frailty [OR 2.9 (1.8–4.6) in CFS 4 vs 1–3; OR 12.4 (6.2–24.5) in CFS 8 vs 1–3]. Higher CFS was associated with reduced recognition of delirium (OR of 0.7 (0.3–1.9) in CFS 4 compared to 0.2 (0.1–0.7) in CFS 8). These risks were both independent of age and dementia. Conclusion: We have demonstrated an incremental increase in risk of delirium with increasing frailty. This has important clinical implications, suggesting that frailty may provide a more nuanced measure of vulnerability to delirium and poor outcomes. However, the most frail patients are least likely to have their delirium diagnosed and there is a significant lack of research into the underlying pathophysiology of both of these common geriatric syndromes

Postpartum Depression Screening Tools: A Review

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the accuracy of screening tools in detecting postpartum depression (PPD). METHODS: A review of the literature was conducted using PubMed, Clinical Key, and Google Scholar from the years 2001-2016 with a modified PRISMA method. The keywords, postnatal depression screening, antenatal depression screening, and maternal depression were used in the search. Sixty-eight articles were reviewed, and 36 further analyzed. RESULTS: The accuracy of screening tools was dependent upon a number of factors. The studies reviewed differed in the types of screening tools tested, the combination of screening tools administered, the timing in which screening tools were administered, the geographic location of patients screened, and the reference standard(s) used. CONCLUSIONS: No tool could be deemed best at accurately detecting PPD on the basis of sensitivity and specificity. Additionally, there was no recommended time duration in which screening should be done. Thus, further research is needed to elucidate the accuracy of PPD screening tools, and the best criteria to determine this

Sorption Kinetics of Pb2+, Cd2+ And Ni2+ Ions Sorption from Aqueous Medium Using Butterfly Pea (Centrosema pubescens) Seed Pod Powder

Authors: Okoche K. Amadi*, Gentle C. Onwuasoghianya, Innocent A. Okoro, and Nneamaka N. Ozuluonye Received 27 November 2020/Accepted 29 December 2020 Metal detoxification of waste water and industrial effluents is significant in preserving aquatic life especially in the current era of increasing environmental contamination from industrial and domestic wastes. In this study, the batch sorption process was employed to investigate the effect of pH and time on the adsorption mechanism of Pb2+, Cd2+ and Ni2+ on the surface of Centrosema pubescens seed pod. The optimum time and pH for maximum adsorption of the three heavy metal ions were 120 min and 6.0 respectively. The adsorption process was best described by a pseudo second-order kinetic models which provided data that were in best agreement with experimental data compared to a pseudo first-order model. However, the mechanism occurred through both intra particle diffusion and liquid film diffusion. The transport mechanism for the process involved both intra-particle and liquid