Clinical Predictors and Outcome of Metabolic Acidosis in Under-Five Children Admitted to an Urban Hospital in Bangladesh with Diarrhea and Pneumonia

BACKGROUND: Clinical features of metabolic acidosis and pneumonia frequently overlap in young diarrheal children, resulting in differentiation from each other very difficult. However, there is no published data on the predictors of metabolic acidosis in diarrheal children also having pneumonia. Our objective was to evaluate clinical predictors of metabolic acidosis in under-five diarrheal children with radiological pneumonia, and their outcome. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled all under-five children (n = 164) admitted to the Special Care Ward (SCW) of the Dhaka Hospital of icddr, b between September and December 2007 with diarrhea and radiological pneumonia who also had their total serum carbon-dioxide estimated. We compared the clinical features and outcome of children with radiological pneumonia and diarrhea with (n = 98) and without metabolic acidosis (n = 66). RESULTS: Children with metabolic acidosis more often had higher case-fatality (16% vs. 5%, p = 0.039) compared to those without metabolic acidosis on admission. In logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for potential confounders such as age of the patient, fever on admission, and severe wasting, the independent predictors of metabolic acidosis in under-five diarrheal children having pneumonia were clinical dehydration (OR 3.57, 95% CI 1.62-7.89, p = 0.002), and low systolic blood pressure even after full rehydration (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.04, p = 0.005). Proportions of children with cough, respiratory rate/minute, lower chest wall indrawing, nasal flaring, head nodding, grunting respiration, and cyanosis were comparable (p>0.05) among the groups. CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE: Under-five diarrheal children with radiological pneumonia having metabolic acidosis had frequent fatal outcome than those without acidosis. Clinical dehydration and persistent systolic hypotension even after adequate rehydration were independent clinical predictors of metabolic acidosis among the children. However, metabolic acidosis in young diarrheal children had no impact on the diagnostic clinical features of radiological pneumonia which underscores the importance of early initiation of appropriate antibiotics to combat morbidity and deaths in such population

Fabrication of Directional Coupler Using SU-8 Wire Waveguide by Optical Lithography

Optical directional coupler is fabricated and characterized using SU-8 wire-waveguides; waveguides are being operated in single-mode region. While processing lithography steps, some of the problems and their approached solutions are also discussed

Development of micro-ring resonator-based optical bandpass filter using SU8 polymer and optical lithography

Laterally-coupled SU-8 ridge waveguide-based micro-ring resonator was designed, fabricated and characterized for optical filtering applications. Fabrication was done by optical lithography using a patterned chrome mask of SU-8 ridge waveguide and micro-ring resonator structures, which was replicated onto a plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposited (PECVD) silicon-dioxide layer on a silicon wafer. Optical characterization showed that the fabricated micro-ring resonator had a free spectral range (FSR) of ∼16 nm for a ring radius of 15 μm in TE polarization. A simple semiconductor laser diode and a monochromator were used for the characterization of the device. The measured through port and drop port light output for different wavelengths indicate that the device can be used as an optical filter around 1565 nm centre wavelength, with a 3 dB bandwidth of 5.3 nm and an extinction ratio of ∼10.5 dB

A 1 × 2 polarization-independent power splitter using three-coupled silicon rib waveguides

This work presents the development of a three-waveguide polarization-independent 1 × 2 power splitter using the silicon-on-insulator platform. Design of the device was accomplished by the effective index based matrix method and coupled mode theory. The component was fabricated using a readily available silicon-on-insulator substrate of a 5 μm thick device layer and characterized at 1.55 μm wavelength of light. The fabricated device has an insertion loss of 11.43 dB for transverse electric (TE) polarization and 11.80 dB for transverse magnetic (TM) mode, which indicates its polarization-independent behavior. The power splitting shows an imbalance of 0.23 dB for the TE mode and 0.82 dB for TM mode, which is due to the fabrication error of the separation of outer arms from the central input waveguide. The design can be extended for any 1 × 2N 3-dB power splitter, which will be very useful for optical interconnects and fiber-optic communication networks

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Not AvailableAn experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance and characterize plant growth behaviour, light profile and soil fertility status of seventeen different trees (12 years old). The study indicated higher biomass production potential of Gmelina arborea, Dalbergia sissoo and Leucaena leucocephala. Higher photosynthetically active radiation value below tree canopy indicates compatibility of trees with a majority of agricultural crops. In the present study, a significant increase in pH and decrease in EC of trees were observed. The significant reduction in nutrients in different trees indicated a need for replenishment of nutrients in soil for maintaining soil fertility in agroforestry systems on long-term basisNot Availabl

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Not AvailableA study was conducted to test the performance of 33 promising genotypes with different mulching materials under sub-humid subtropical plateau region of eastern India. Strawberry cultivars introduced from IARI Regional Station, Shimla were evaluated for their performance on three different mulches (black polythene, paddy straw and Deenanath grass). Irrespective of type of mulches, the cultivar Seascape recorded the maximum plant height at flower initiation stage. With respect to leaf number, the maximum number of leaves per plant at flower initiation stage was recorded in case of cv. Oil Pasand. At the end of fruiting stage, the maximum average plant height on different mulches was recorded in cultivars Missionary, Seascape and Addie. The maximum number of leaves per plant was observed in case of cv. Missionary. The average number of runners per plant varied from 0.3 (Phenomenal) to 9.4 (Addie). The earliest flower initiation stage was observed in cultlvars Phenomenal, Florida and Douglas when grown on black polythene mulch. The earliest onset of peak fruit set stage was recorded in cultivars Phenomenal and 8elrubi on black polythene mulches. The average of TSS on different mulches ranged from 6.78°8 (Florida) to Phenomenal and No-1 (11.48°8). Irrespective of mulches, maximum average fruit weight was observed in case of Douglas (6.58 g) which was at par with that in case of Etna. On all the mulches, cultlvar Etna recorded the maximum yield. On polythene mulches the yield of cv. Douglas was at par with that In case of Etna whereas on paddy straw and Deenanath grass mulches, the yield of cv. Douglas followed that of Etna.Not Availabl

Easy synthesis of pyridinium fluorochromate, C<SUB>5</SUB>H<SUB>5</SUB>NH[CrO<SUB>3</SUB>F], and its crystal structure

An easy synthesis of pyridinium fluorochromate (PFC), C5H5NH[CrO3F], was developed by reacting CrO3 with NH4HF2 in the presence of pyridine. The structure of PFC was determined by X-ray diffraction. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group Cmc21, with a = 8.360(3) &#197;, b = 7.312(4)&#197;, c = 12.160(5) &#197;, V= 743.4(6) &#197;, and Z = 4; R = 0.0347 for 409 reflections with I&gt;2sI. The structure consists of discrete pyridinium, C5H5NH+, cations and fluorochromate, [CrO3F]-, anions with a crystallographic mirror plane passing through the chromium, one oxygen and a fluorine atom

Aromaticity Driven Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation by a Phosphorus-Nitrogen PN3-Pincer Cobalt Complex

Water oxidation is the primary step in both natural and artificial photosynthesis to convert solar energy in into chemical fuels. Herein, we report the first cobalt-based pincer catalyst for electrolytic water oxidation at neutral pH with high efficiency under electrochemical conditions. Most importantly, ligand (pseudo)aromaticity is identified to play an important role in the electrocatalysis. A significant potential jump (~300 mV) was achieved towards a lower positive value when the aromatized cobalt complex was transformed to a (pseudo)dearomatized cobalt species. This complex catalyzes the water oxidation in its high valent oxidation state at a much lower overpotential (~ 340 mV vs. NHE) based on the onset potential (0.5 mA/cm2) of catalysis at pH 10.5, outperforming all the other literature systems. These observations may provide a new strategy for the design of earth-abundant transition metal-based water oxidation catalysts

Synthesis of Nano Calcium Hydroxide in Aqueous Medium

The present work reports a simple, inexpensive method for synthesis of calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)(2)] nanoparticles (CHNPs). The method involves chemical precipitation (CP) in aqueous medium at room temperature. Calcium nitrate dihydrate Ca(NO3)(2).2H(2)O] and sodium hydroxide were used as precursors. The CHNPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rietveld analysis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), BET surface area evaluation as well as particle size distribution analysis techniques. The results confirmed the synthesis of CHNPs as the major phase. The CHNPs exhibited an average size of about 350 nm. In addition, some calcite phase formed due to the inevitable carbonation process. A very minor amount of aragonite phase was also present. A schematically developed new qualitative model is proposed to explain the genesis and subsequent evolution of the various phases at the nanoscale. The model helps to identify the rate-controlling step. It also highlights the implication of reaction kinetics control in synthesis of predesigned nanophase assembly

Biodegradation of high concentration phenol using sugarcane bagasse immobilized Candida tropicalis PHB5 in a packed-bed column reactor

Biodegradation of phenolic compounds in wastewater can be effectively carried out in packed bed reactors (PBRs) employing immobilized microorganisms. A low-cost, reusable immobilization matrix in PBR can provide economic advantages in large scale removal of high concentration phenol. In this study, we evaluated the efficiency and reusability of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) as a low-cost immobilization support for high strength phenol removal in recirculating upflow PBR. An isolated yeast Candida tropicalis PHB5 was immobilized onto the SCB support and packed into the reactor to assess phenol biodegradation at various influent flow rates. Scanning electron microscopy exhibited substantial cell attachment within the pith and onto the fibrous strand surface of the SCB support. The PBR showed 97% removal efficiency at the initial phenol concentration of 2400 mg L−1 and 4 mL min−1 flow rate within 54 h. Biodegradation kinetic studies revealed that the phenol biodegradation rate and biodegradation rate constant were dependent on the influent flow rate. A relatively higher rate of biodegradation (64.20 mg g−1 h−1) was found at a flow rate of 8 mL min−1, indicating rapid phenol removal in the PBR. Up to six successive batches (phenol removal >94%) were successfully applied in the PBR using an initial phenol concentration of 400–2400 mg L−1 at a flow rate of 4 mL min−1 indicating the reusability of the PBR system. The SCB-immobilized C. tropicalis could be employed as a cost-effective packing material for removal of high strength phenolic compounds in real scale PBR