Assessment of platelets morphological changes and serum butyrylcholinesterase activity in children with diabetic ketoacidosis: a case control study

Abstract Background Many studies indicated that mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) may be valuable in the diagnosis and management of clinical disorders; also, serum butyrylcholinesterase activity (BChE) was suggested to be linked to systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. Limited studies measured these readily available markers in children with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Our objectives were to measure MPV, PDW and BChE in children with DKA; and to assess if any of these markers reflects the severity of DKA. Methods Our study included: 30 children with DKA (DKA group), 30 diabetic children (Non-DKA group) and 30 apparently healthy children (control group). MPV, PDW and BChE were measured in all children. Additional blood samples were withdrawn from the DKA group to assess these markers at discharge from hospital. Results MPV, PDW and BChE were significantly altered in the DKA group than the other two groups; and their levels improved significantly at discharge of the DKA group (p  0.05). Conclusion DKA in children is associated with changes in MPV, PDW and BChE activity, which improve after resolution of the condition. Elevated MPV can be a suitable risk marker for DKA. None of the studied markers correlated with the severity of DKA

A discourse analysis of teachers' messages in official and unofficial WhatsApp groups

This study explores Jordanian English language teachers' social and discursive practices online. It aims to scrutinize the way Jordanian English language teachers at one of universities in Jordan construct their posts in official and unofficial WhatsApp groups. Employing an ethnographic approach, this paper examines the differences in teachers' discursive behavior in official and unofficial WhatsApp groups. Data generation took place from March 2018 to May 2018. The data were obtained from participants' observation in both official and unofficial WhatsApp groups. 18 English language teachers participated in this study. A total of 817 posts were made throughout the observation period which were included in the analysis. Data generated through participant observations were analyzed using discourse analysis combined with discursive psychology approach. The findings suggest that teachers behave differently in how they talk to their superiors than in how they speak to their colleagues to construct their desired identities. They convey a positive impression to their leaders, and they tend to use persuasive techniques to appear more friendly to others. Exemplification, ingratiation and self-promotion were the impression management techniques used by the participants. This paper concludes that Jordanian English language teachers convey a positive impression to their superiors as they do not want to jeopardize their careers

Association between oxidative stress and cord serum lipids in relation to delayed cord clamping in term neonates

Abstract Background Although delayed cord clamping (DCC) is a recent WHO recommendation, early cord clamping (ECC) is still a routine practice in many countries. Limited researches studied the effect of delayed cord clamping on oxidative stress in term neonates; In this study we aim to assess the influence of cord clamping either early or late on oxidative stress in term neonates and to evaluate the association of oxidative stress and cord blood lipids. Methods One-hundred mothers and their term neonates were included in the present study. Umbilical cord blood samples were collected from the umbilical vein and umbilical artery immediately following labor. Results Total cholesterol, total triglycerides and phospholipids levels were significantly higher in the ECC group than the DCC group (p < 0.001 in all). Plasma total antioxidant status was higher in the DCC group than the ECC group (p < 0.001). While, plasma hydroperoxides were lower in the DCC group than the ECC group (p < 0.001). Levels of erythrocytes catalase cytosol, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were significantly higher in the DCC group than the ECC group (p < 0.001). Conclusion DCC was associated with a decrease in cord blood lipids and an augmented antioxidant activity. This suggests the protective effect of DCC on the future health of the term neonates and supports the application of DCC in active management of 3rd stage of labor in term neonates

RANK/RANKL/OPG axis genes relation to cognitive impairment in children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background RANK/RANKL/OPG axis was implicated in many pathological conditions. The study aimed to assess the relationship between the studied RANK, RANKL, and OPG polymorphisms and alleles and cognitive impairment in children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT). Methods This study included 60 TDT children. Real-time PCR was done for: rs1805034, rs1245811, and rs75404003 polymorphisms for the RANK gene, rs9594782 and rs2277438 polymorphisms for the RANKL gene, and rs207318 polymorphism for the OPG gene. The intelligence quotient (IQ) was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition. Results TDT children had a low average total IQ, verbal IQ, and borderline performance IQ. RANK rs1805034 (C > T) had a significant effect on total IQ (p = 0.03). Its TT polymorphism and the CT polymorphism of RANKL rs9494782 (C > T) had a significantly lower total IQ (p = 0.01 for both). The G allele of the RANKL rs2277438 (G > A) had a significantly lower total IQ (p = 0.02). RANK rs1805034 (C > T) and RANKL rs2277438 (G > A) significantly affected verbal IQ (p = 0.01 and 0.03). TT genotype of RANK rs1805034 (C > T) had significantly lower verbal IQ (p = 0.002). Furthermore, the GG genotype of RANKL rs2277438 (G > A) had a significantly lower verbal and performance IQ than the AA genotype (p = 0.04 and 0.01 respectively), and its G allele had a significantly lower performance IQ than the A allele (p = 0.02). Conclusion TDT children had low average total and verbal IQ while their performance IQ was borderline. The RANK/RANKL/OPG pathway affects cognition in TDT children, as some of the studied genes’ polymorphisms and alleles had significant effects on total, verbal, and performance IQ of the studied TDT children

International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortiu (INICC) report, data summary of 43 countries for 2007-2012. Device-associated module

We report the results of an International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) surveillance study from January 2007-December 2012 in 503 intensive care units (ICUs) in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. During the 6-year study using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) U.S. National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) definitions for device-associated health care–associated infection (DA-HAI), we collected prospective data from 605,310 patients hospitalized in the INICC's ICUs for an aggregate of 3,338,396 days. Although device utilization in the INICC's ICUs was similar to that reported from ICUs in the U.S. in the CDC's NHSN, rates of device-associated nosocomial infection were higher in the ICUs of the INICC hospitals: the pooled rate of central line–associated bloodstream infection in the INICC's ICUs, 4.9 per 1,000 central line days, is nearly 5-fold higher than the 0.9 per 1,000 central line days reported from comparable U.S. ICUs. The overall rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia was also higher (16.8 vs 1.1 per 1,000 ventilator days) as was the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (5.5 vs 1.3 per 1,000 catheter days). Frequencies of resistance of Pseudomonas isolates to amikacin (42.8% vs 10%) and imipenem (42.4% vs 26.1%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates to ceftazidime (71.2% vs 28.8%) and imipenem (19.6% vs 12.8%) were also higher in the INICC's ICUs compared with the ICUs of the CDC's NHSN