Prognostic model to predict postoperative acute kidney injury in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery based on a national prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Acute illness, existing co-morbidities and surgical stress response can all contribute to postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery. The aim of this study was prospectively to develop a pragmatic prognostic model to stratify patients according to risk of developing AKI after major gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: This prospective multicentre cohort study included consecutive adults undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection, liver resection or stoma reversal in 2-week blocks over a continuous 3-month period. The primary outcome was the rate of AKI within 7 days of surgery. Bootstrap stability was used to select clinically plausible risk factors into the model. Internal model validation was carried out by bootstrap validation. Results: A total of 4544 patients were included across 173 centres in the UK and Ireland. The overall rate of AKI was 14·2 per cent (646 of 4544) and the 30-day mortality rate was 1·8 per cent (84 of 4544). Stage 1 AKI was significantly associated with 30-day mortality (unadjusted odds ratio 7·61, 95 per cent c.i. 4·49 to 12·90; P < 0·001), with increasing odds of death with each AKI stage. Six variables were selected for inclusion in the prognostic model: age, sex, ASA grade, preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate, planned open surgery and preoperative use of either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker. Internal validation demonstrated good model discrimination (c-statistic 0·65). Discussion: Following major gastrointestinal surgery, AKI occurred in one in seven patients. This preoperative prognostic model identified patients at high risk of postoperative AKI. Validation in an independent data set is required to ensure generalizability

Prevalence, associated factors and predictors of anxiety: a community survey in Selangor, Malaysia

Background: Anxiety is the most common mental health disorders in the general population. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anxiety, its associated factors and the predictors of anxiety among adults in the community of Selangor, Malaysia. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in three districts in Selangor, Malaysia. The inclusion criteria of this study were Malaysian citizens, adults aged 18 years and above, and living in the selected living quarters based on the list provided by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOS). Participants completed a set of questionnaires, including the validated Malay version of Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD 7) to detect anxiety. Results: Of the 2512 participants who were approached, 1556 of them participated in the study (61.90 %). Based on the cut-off point of 8 and above in the GAD-7, the prevalence of anxiety was 8.2 %. Based on the initial multiple logistic regression analysis, the predictors of anxiety were depression, serious problems at work, domestic violence and high perceived stress. When reanalyzed again after removing depression, low self-esteem and high perceived stress, six predictors that were identified are cancer, serious problems at work, domestic violence, unhappy relationship with family, non-organizational religious activity and intrinsic religiosity. Conclusion: This study reports the prevalence of anxiety among adults in the community of Selangor, Malaysia and also the magnitude of the associations between various factors and anxiety

Global estimates on the number of people blind or visually impaired by cataract : a meta-analysis from 2000 to 2020

DATA AVAILABILITY : Data sources for the Global Vision Database are listed at the following weblink http://www.anglia.ac.uk/verigbd. Fully disaggregated data is not available publicly due to data sharing agreements with some principal investigators yet requests for summary data can be made to the corresponding author.CHANGE HISTORY 16 July 2024 : A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-024-03161-7.BACKGROUND : To estimate global and regional trends from 2000 to 2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by cataract and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals. METHODS : A systematic review and meta-analysis of published population studies and gray literature from 2000 to 2020 was carried out to estimate global and regional trends. We developed prevalence estimates based on modeled distance visual impairment and blindness due to cataract, producing location-, year-, age-, and sex-specific estimates of moderate to severe vision impairment (MSVI presenting visual acuity <6/18, ≥3/60) and blindness (presenting visual acuity <3/60). Estimates are age-standardized using the GBD standard population. RESULTS : In 2020, among overall (all ages) 43.3 million blind and 295 million with MSVI, 17.0 million (39.6%) people were blind and 83.5 million (28.3%) had MSVI due to cataract blind 60% female, MSVI 59% female. From 1990 to 2020, the count of persons blind (MSVI) due to cataract increased by 29.7%(93.1%) whereas the age-standardized global prevalence of cataract-related blindness improved by −27.5% and MSVI increased by 7.2%. The contribution of cataract to the age-standardized prevalence of blindness exceeded the global figure only in South Asia (62.9%) and Southeast Asia and Oceania (47.9%). CONCLUSIONS : The number of people blind and with MSVI due to cataract has risen over the past 30 years, despite a decrease in the age-standardized prevalence of cataract. This indicates that cataract treatment programs have been beneficial, but population growth and aging have outpaced their impact. Growing numbers of cataract blind indicate that more, better-directed, resources are needed to increase global capacity for cataract surgery.Brien Holden Vision Institute, Fondation Thea, Fred Hollows Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), Sightsavers International, and University of Heidelberg. Open Access funding enabled and organized by CAUL and its Member Institutions.https://www.nature.com/eyehj2024School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH)SDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein

Review on Development of Ceramic Membrane From Sol-Gel Route: Parameters Affecting Characteristics of the Membrane

The importance of laboratory scale ceramic membrane preparation using sol-gel technique with pore sizes in the range of 1-10nm is reviewed. Parameters affecting the characteristics of membrane during membrane development are highlighted and discussed in detail. Experimental results from literatures have shown that the correct amount of acid, water, PVA, appropriate membrane thickness, proper control of drying rate, and appropriate temperature profile selection during sintering process are necessary in order to acquire sufficient strength and reduce the formation of crack in the membrane. The different temperature setting during sintering process also influences the size of pore formed. Key Words: Sol-Gel, Inorganic Membrane, Ceramic Membrane, Gas Permeation, Sintering, Sol Properties, Membrane Morphologies, Pore Size Distribution

Characteristics of unsupported alumina membrane prepared using sol-gel technique

A laboratory scale alumina membrane was prepared using sol-gel technique. Results from the experiment demonstrate that the addition of PVA is important for viscosity adjustment to determine the appropriate coating time if the membrane is required for coating on the porous support. The effects of varying PVA content and sintering temperature on the characteristics of the sintered membrane are discussed. In this work, a 2 volume % of PVA solution containing 4g of PVA in lOOml of water was discovered to be adequate to achieve appropriate porosity level and avoid cracks in the gel layer. It was also discovered that the sol viscosity essentially increased as the PVA addition was increased. On the contrary, the coating time decreased as PVA content in the sol was increased. Generally, the pore size of the membrane increased with the increase in PVA addition. The density of the membrane increased with increase in sintering temperature. The porosity level however, decreased as the temperature was increased. The pore size became greater and pore size distribution wider at higher sintering temperatures

COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF FEEDING CANOLA AND SOYBEAN OILS ON EGG PRODUCTION AND CHOLESTEROL IN COMMERCIAL LAYERS

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of canola and soybean oils on egg production and cholesterol in layers. for this purpose. 15 experimental units (8 layers per experimental unit) were randomly allotted to 5 dietary treatments (3 experimental units/treatment) containing 2,5% canola oil, 5% canola oil, 2.5% soybean oil, 5% soybean oil and control without any oil (all five rations were isocaloric and isonitrogenous) for a period of9 weeks. Effect of these treatments on production parameters including egg production, egg mass, weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio and egg quality parameters including shell thickness, albumen quality, yolk index, egg cholesterol level and yolk fatty acid composition were studied. The results indicated that the effect of canola and soybean oils on egg production and egg mass was non-significant. Significantly (P<0.05) less yolk cholesterol was found in hens fed diets containing oils compared with the control. Palmitic fatty acid content and total saturated fatty acids (SFA) content decreased as oils percentage increased. Total Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content was significantly (P<0.01) greater in canola and soybean oil fed hens eggs than the control diet fed hens eggs. Addition of 5% canola oil to the diet resulted in yolk omega-6:omega-3 PUFA being significantly lower (P<0.01) than those of the control diets

Ag(I)-benzisothiazolinone complex: synthesis, characterization, H-2 storage ability, nano transformation to different Ag nanostructures and Ag nanoflakes antimicrobial activity

A new complex of silver monovalent ions with benzisothiazolinone was reported. This silver coordination polymer was characterized by FTIR, elemental analysis, H-1-NMR and C-13-\{H-1\} -NMR). These measurements show that the bit anion in its silver complex behaves as pt-bridge linking two silver(I) ions as a bidentate ligand through the oxygen and nitrogen atoms. This coordinated polymer was showed non-melting ability, high decomposition and non-solubility in water in addition to all organic solvents except the hot DMSO solvent. Therefore, this polymeric complex had has a high porosity showing thereby that an overall H-2 uptake of 5.5 mmol g(-1) at 77 K and 10 bar. A new method for the synthesis of a mixture of three different morphological silver nano particles (AgNPs) is reported. The new method includes reduction of the newly prepared silver-benzisothiazolinone complex, {[}Ag(bit)](n) (bit = benzisothiazolinone) with sodium borohydride without using stabilizing agent. The resulting silver nanoparticles Ag NPs were characterized by UV-vis spectra, powder XRD, zeta sizer, zeta potential and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that {[}Ag(bit)](n) complex gives three different nano-sized structures spherical, wires and flakes. In order to isolate the larger proportion of the nanostructures, experiments were conducted to control the formation of one form of silver as flakes nanosilver or silver nanowires. The prepared silver nanoparticles were screened for their antibacterial activity against K. pneumonia, P. Aeruginosa, S. aureus and E. coli. Inhibition zone diameter IZD results of 2, 4 and 6 mM Ag NPs was found to be in the range of 7.0-8.4 mm for the selected bacteria