Obstetric and neonatal outcome among women presenting with reduced fetal movements in third trimester

Background: Reduced maternal perception of fetal movements allows early identification, timely evaluation and intervention for fetuses at risk of adverse outcome. The primary objective of this study was to assess the pregnancy characteristics and outcomes of pregnant women presenting to hospital with reduced fetal movements (RFM).Methods: Prospective observational study, recruiting all women with singleton pregnancy at or beyond 28 weeks of gestation presenting with a subjective perception of RFM from April 2015 to December 2016. Maternal characteristics, antenatal risk factors, management pathways and perinatal outcome studied.Results: 47% belonged to high risk pregnancy. Among high risk women, although only 39% showed poor BPP at the first presentation, 58% were delivered irrespective of their gestational age, out of which 32.75% had poor neonatal outcome. Among low risk who had >2 episodes of RFM, 50% had poor neonatal outcome. 7% among high risk pregnancies and 18% among low risk, presented with RFM within 48 hours following steroid prophylaxis.24% of high risk women showed liquor volume abnormalities as compared to low risk (6.3%).Conclusions: Significant proportion of those with RFM belonged to high risk pregnancy. Among high risk group, there were high rates of stillbirth and poor BPP at the time of admission when compared to low risk group. Due to early approach to the hospital and timely intervention, significant women with abnormal BPP had good perinatal outcome. All those fetuses who were delivered on first episode of RFM in low risk group did not show evidence of compromise at birth, probably indicating unnecessary delivery. More than 2 episodes of RFM even among low risk group seems significant as good number of fetuses were compromised at birth. Steroids prophylaxis for the fetal lung maturity causes transient changes in BPP, hence unnecessary delivery should be avoided especially those among low risk pregnancy

Konversi Biji Alpukat Menjadi Bio-oil dengan Metode Pyrolisis Menggunakan Katalis Zeolit Alam

The trend of fossil fuel demand is always increase by time in the world. Yet, petroleum oil as a non-renewable has been declining each year. It is necessary to find a new alternative fuel that can be renewed, such as to applied biomasses as resources energy. One of several potential biomasses can be converted to energy or bio-oil is the seed of an avocado because it's contain so high fat fatty acid (FFA). This seed has not been used maximacally yet, so in this research this seed is converted into bio-oil by using pyrolysis method and natural zeolite as a catalyst. The purpose of this research is to get the highest yield of bio-oil by applied variation of ratio sample : catalyst (50:0, 50:1, 50:2, 50:3 g/g), and temperature variation of pyrolysis process is 270, 300, 330 ºC. Based on results in this research, the highest of bio-oil is 79,08 % found under condition ratio sampel : catalyst 50 :2 and pyrolysis temperature is 330 ºC. The bio-oil is analyzed and it's density 0.988 g/ml, viscosity 7,560 cSt, acid value 0,1002 mg NaOH/ g sample, flash point 56 ºC and heating value 17,354 MJ/kg. Based on GC-MS analyzed bio-oil were contained (2,4,4-trimethyl-2-pentene), (3,4,4-trimethyl-2- pentene), (Diisobutylene), (2,4,4-trimethyl-3-pentene) and (2-methyl-trimer- propene) with peak area (7,84%), (7,82%), (5,69%), (3,82%) and (3,58%)

The Graded Fate of Unattended Stimulus Representations in Visuospatial Working Memory.

As in visual perception, information can be selected for prioritized processing at the expense of unattended representations in visual working memory (VWM). However, what is not clear is whether and how this prioritization degrades the unattended representations. We addressed two hypotheses. First, the representational quality of unattended items could be degraded as a function of the spatial distance to attended information in VWM. Second, the strength with which an item is bound to its location is degraded as a function of the spatial distance to attended information in VWM. To disentangle these possibilities, we designed an experiment in which participants performed a continuous production task in which they memorized a visual array with colored discs, one of which was spatially retro-cued, informing the target location of an impending probe that was to be recalled (Experiment 1). We systematically varied the spatial distance between the cued and probed locations and obtained model-based estimates of the representational quality and binding strengths at varying cue-probe distances. Although the representational quality of the unattended representations remained unaffected by the cue-probe distance, spatially graded binding strengths were observed, as reflected in more spatial confusions at smaller cue-probe distances. These graded binding strengths were further replicated with a model-free approach in a categorical version of the production task in which stimuli and responses consisted of easily discriminable colors (Experiment 2). These results demonstrate that unattended representations are prone to spatial confusions due to spatial degradation of binding strengths in WM, even though they are stored with the same representational quality

A cohort analysis of patients receiving neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy prior to robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy during the Covid-19 pandemic

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate localised prostate cancer treated with or without neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy prior to robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, and the impact of Covid-19 treatment disruption, on clinico-pathologic outcomes. Patients and methods: Data was retrospectively collected from 124 consecutive patients treated with robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy between November 2019–September 2020. Sixty-two patients were treated before 13 March 2020 (historic cohort) and 62 afterwards (covid cohort). Thirty-seven patients in the covid cohort additionally received neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (mean duration of 3 months) consisting of bicalutamide 150 mg once a day for 4 weeks, with leuprolide 3.75 mg monthly injections commencing after week 1, up until the date of surgery. Results: Statistical analysis found no difference in peri-operative measures and length of stay for patients treated with or without neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy. Patients with delayed surgical treatment offered neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy showed a trend towards a reduction in positive surgical margins (p=0.134), N1 disease (p=0.424) and pathological down-staging (50% patients with pT2 disease). Patients within the covid cohort experienced significantly increased detectable prostate-specific antigen levels (p<0.007). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that a three-month duration of neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy prior to robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy may improve pathological outcomes but this time-frame is inadequate to influence detectable prostate-specific antigen levels. Covid-19-related treatment delays led to significantly increased detectable prostate-specific antigen levels. Level of evidence: 2b

Morphometry-based radiomics for predicting therapeutic response in patients with gliomas following radiotherapy

IntroductionGliomas are still considered as challenging in oncologic management despite the developments in treatment approaches. The complete elimination of a glioma might not be possible even after a treatment and assessment of therapeutic response is important to determine the future course of actions for patients with such cancers. In the recent years radiomics has emerged as a promising solution with potential applications including prediction of therapeutic response. Hence, this study was focused on investigating whether morphometry-based radiomics signature could be used to predict therapeutic response in patients with gliomas following radiotherapy.Methods105 magnetic resonance (MR) images including segmented and non-segmented images were used to extract morphometric features and develop a morphometry-based radiomics signature. After determining the appropriate machine learning algorithm, a prediction model was developed to predict the therapeutic response eliminating the highly correlated features as well as without eliminating the highly correlated features. Then the model performance was evaluated.ResultsTumor grade had the highest contribution to develop the morphometry-based signature. Random forest provided the highest accuracy to train the prediction model derived from the morphometry-based radiomics signature. An accuracy of 86% and area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.91 were achieved for the prediction model evaluated without eliminating the highly correlated features whereas accuracy and AUC value were 84% and 0.92 respectively for the prediction model evaluated after eliminating the highly correlated features.DiscussionNonetheless, the developed morphometry-based radiomics signature could be utilized as a noninvasive biomarker for therapeutic response in patients with gliomas following radiotherapy

Influence of a vegetable fat blend on the texture, microstructure and sensory properties of kashar cheese

The possibility of using a commercial vegetable fat blend in Kashar cheese was investigated. Kashar cheeses were manufactured by replacing the milk fat (MF) with a vegetable fat (VF) blend. Kashar cheeses from whole milk were also manufactured to compare textural, microstructural, meltability, color and sensory characteristics during a ripening period of 90 days. The use of vegetable fat decreased the meltability, hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess and chewiness of the cheese; while increasing adhesiveness where springiness was not affected. Differences became less notable toward the end of ripening. Scanning electron micrographs displayed VF cheese with a compact network with small and uniform fat globules embedded in the protein matrix. The MF cheese exhibited an open protein matrix containing milk fat globules of various sizes and forms. The color analysis demonstrated significant differences between cheeses. Finally, all sensory characteristics of the cheese were affecte d by the vegetable fat blend.<br><br>La posibilidad de usar una mezcla de grasas vegetales comerciales en queso Kashar fue investigada. Los quesos Kashar fueron elaborados con una mezcla de grasas vegetales (VF) en lugar de grasa de leche (MF). Quesos Kashar con leche entera fueron también elaborados para comparar las características sensoriales, de color, de fusión, microestructurales y de textura durante el periodo de maduración de 90 días. El uso de grasas vegetales decreció la dureza y las propiedades de fusión, de cohesión, de gomosidad y de masticación e incremento la adhesividad mientras que la elasticidad no fue afectada. Las diferencias se hicieron menos notables hacia el final de la maduración. La micrografía electrónica de barrido de quesos VF mostro una red compacta con pequeños y uniformes glóbulos de grasa embebidos en la matriz de proteínas. Los quesos MF exhibieron una matriz de proteínas abierta conteniendo glóbulos de grasa de leche de varios tamaños y formas. El análisis del color demostró significativas diferencias entre los quesos. Finalmente, todas las características sensoriales del queso fueron afectadas por la mezcla de grasas vegetales

Diversity and abundance of ammonia-oxidizing prokaryotes in sediments from the coastal Pearl River estuary to the South China Sea

In the present study the diversity and abundance of nitrifying microbes including ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and betaproteobacteria (beta-AOB) were investigated, along with the physicochemical parameters potentially affecting them, in a transect of surface sediments from the coastal margin adjacent to the Pearl River estuary to the slope in the deep South China Sea. Nitrifying microbial diversity was determined by detecting the amoA (ammonia monooxygenase subunit A) gene. An obvious community structure shift for both AOA and beta-AOB from the coastal marginal areas to the slope in the deep-sea was detected, while the OTU numbers of AOA amoA were more stable than those of the beta-AOB. The OTUs of beta-AOB increased with the distance from the coastal margin areas to the slope in the deep-sea. Beta-AOB showed lower diversity with dominant strains in a polluted area but higher diversity without dominant strains in a clean area. Moreover, the diversity of beta-AOB was correlated with pH values, while no noticeable relationships were established between AOA and physicochemical parameters. Beta-AOB was more sensitive to transect environmental variability and might be a potential indicator for environmental changes. Additionally, the surface sediments surveyed in the South China Sea harboured diverse and distinct AOA and beta-AOB phylotypes different from other environments, suggesting the endemicity of some nitrifying prokaryotes in the South China Sea

Diversity and quantity of ammonia-oxidizing Archaea and Bacteria in sediment of the Pearl River Estuary, China

The diversity and abundance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in the sediment of the Pearl River Estuary were investigated by cloning and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). From one sediment sample S16, 36 AOA OTUs (3% cutoff) were obtained from three clone libraries constructed using three primer sets for amoA gene. Among the 36 OTUs, six were shared by all three clone libraries, two appeared in two clone libraries, and the other 28 were only recovered in one of the libraries. For AOB, only seven OTUs (based on 16S rRNA gene) and eight OTUs (based on amoA gene) were obtained, showing lower diversity than AOA. The qPCR results revealed that AOA amoA gene copy numbers ranged from 9.6 × 106 to 5.1 × 107 copies per gram of sediment and AOB amoA gene ranged from 9.5 × 104 to 6.2 × 105 copies per gram of sediment, indicating that the dominant ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in the sediment of the Pearl River Estuary were AOA. The terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism results showed that the relative abundance of AOB species in the sediment samples of different salinity were significantly different, indicating that salinity might be a key factor shaping the AOB community composition