Weight Percentile Research Articles

Association between maternal blood or cord blood metal concentrations and catch-up growth in children born small for gestational age: an analysis by the Japan environment and children’s study

BackgroundCatch-up growth issues among children born small for gestational age (SGA) present a substantial public health challenge. Prenatal exposure to heavy metals can cause adverse effects on birth weight. However, comprehensive studies on the accurate assessment of individual blood concentrations of heavy metals and their effect on the failure to achieve catch-up growth remain unavailable. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of uterine exposure to toxic metals cadmium, lead, and mercury and essential trace metals manganese and selenium at low concentrations on the postnatal growth of children born SGA.MethodsData on newborn birth size and other factors were obtained from the medical record transcripts and self-administered questionnaires of participants in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study. The blood concentrations of lead, cadmium, mercury, selenium, and manganese in pregnant women in their second or third trimester were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. These heavy metal concentrations were also assessed in pregnant women’s cord blood. Furthermore, the relationship between each heavy metal and height measure/catch-up growth in SGA children aged 4 years was analyzed using linear and logistic regression methods. These models were adjusted for confounders.ResultsWe studied 4683 mother–child pairings from 103,060 pregnancies included in the Japan Environment and Children’s Study. Of these, 278 pairs were also analyzed using cord blood. At 3 and 4 years old, 10.7% and 9.0% of children who were born below the 10th percentile of body weight had height standard deviation scores (SDSs) below 2, respectively. Cord blood cadmium concentrations were associated with the inability to catch up in growth by 3 or 4 years old and the height SDS at 3 years old. In maternal blood, only manganese was positively associated with the height SDS of SGA children aged 2 years; however, it was not significantly associated with catch-up growth in these children.ConclusionCadmium exposure is associated with failed catch-up development in SGA children. These new findings could help identify children highly at risk of failing to catch up in growth, and could motivate the elimination of heavy metal (especially cadmium) pollution to improve SGA children’s growth.

Associations between Ocular Biometry, Refractive Error, and Body Characteristics

Myopia is a refractive error widely spread throughout the world, usually related to excessive axial length (AL) of the eye. This elongation could have severe consequences, even leading to blindness. However, AL varies among subjects, and it may be correlated with other anthropometric parameters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between AL, body height, refractive error, and sex. A total of 72 eyes of 36 myopic participants with a mean age of 11.1 ± 1.42 years (ranging from 8 to 14 years) were included in the study. Participants underwent objective refraction by NVision-K5001, AL measurement by Topcon MYAH biometer, and body height measurement. Significant correlations were observed between AL, body height, and spherical equivalent (SE) (Spearman’s correlation, all p ≤ 0.016). When participants were grouped by AL, significant differences were observed for body height and SE, and when grouped by height percentile, significant differences were observed for AL and SE (Kruskal–Wallis test, all p ≤ 0.006). There was a significant difference in SE, AL, and body height between genders (Mann–Whitney U test, all p ≤ 0.038). AL relates to the refractive state of the eye and is also influenced by individual anatomical characteristics.

Estimation of Above-Ground Forest Biomass in Nepal by the Use of Airborne LiDAR, and Forest Inventory Data

Forests play a significant role in sequestering carbon and regulating the global carbon and energy cycles. Accurately estimating forest biomass is crucial for understanding carbon stock and sequestration, forest degradation, and climate change mitigation. This study was conducted to estimate above-ground biomass (AGB) and compare the accuracy of the AGB estimating models using LiDAR (light detection and ranging) data and forest inventory data in the central Terai region of Nepal. Airborne LiDAR data were collected in 2021 and made available by Nepal Ban Nigam Limited, Government of Nepal. Thirty-two metrics derived from the laser-scanned LiDAR point cloud data were used as predictor variables (independent variables), while the AGB calculated from field data at the plot level served as the response variable (dependent variable). The predictor variables in this study were LiDAR-based height and canopy metrics. Two statistical methods, the stepwise linear regression (LR) and the random forest (RF) models, were used to estimate forest AGB. The output was an accurate map of AGB for each model. The RF method demonstrated better precision compared to the stepwise LR model, as the R2 metric increased from 0.65 to 0.85, while the RMSE values decreased correspondingly from 105.88 to 60.9 ton/ha. The estimated AGB density varies from 0 to 446 ton/ha among the sample plots. This study revealed that the height-based LiDAR metrics, such as height percentile or maximum height, can accurately and precisely predict AGB quantities in tropical forests. Consequently, we confidently assert that substantial potential exists to monitor AGB levels in forests effectively by employing airborne LiDAR technology in combination with field inventory data.

Application of biofloc technology in the larval rearing of zebrafish (Danio rerio)

The aim of this study was to investigate the different strategies of biofloc addition to zebrafish (Danio rerio) larviculture, and evaluate their growth and biochemical parameters. Three treatments were used: addition of 200 mL biofloc once at the start of the assay (O1), addition of 100 mL biofloc every seven days (1W), and addition of 100 mL biofloc every four days (2W). The 1W and 2W treatments also received 200 mL biofloc at the start of the assay. Regarding water quality, the only difference was the total suspended solid concentration, because the 2W treatment had a higher concentration in the final assay (127.6 ± 24.3 mg L-1). The final weight, survival rate, and juvenile percentile did not show statistical differences among the treatments. However, the O1 treatment exhibited a higher total length (11.93 ± 0.45 mm) than those in the 2W treatment. The juveniles in the 2W treatment exhibited lower nonprotein thiols and higher TBARS concentrations than those in the other treatments. Thus, the biofloc system can be a viable alternative to zebrafish larviculture without the use of conventional live food, and the addition of biofloc once (O1) at the beginning of larval rearing achieves good growth and survival results.

Prenatal identification of fetal growth restriction and risk of stillbirth

The aim of the work is to determine the frequency and impact of prenatal identification of fetal growth restriction (FGR) on obstetric and perinatal outcomes based on a retrospective analysis. Materials and methods. In total, 618 birth histories in singleton normal pregnancies complicated by FGR in the city of Zaporizhzhia were analyzed. Of these, in 546 cases of FGR, women gave birth to live infants (group I), and in 72 such cases, pregnancies ended up in a stillbirth (group II). The mean age of pregnant women in the studied groups was 28.7 ± 3.1 and 31.7 ± 3.1 years and it was significantly greater in group II (p < 0.0001). In all the cases, the gestational age was ≥22 weeks, and the fetal weight was less than the 10th percentile for the relevant gestational age according to the current Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 1718 dated 02.10.2023. Growth restriction in newborns was determined according to the criteria of the Consensus Definition (2018) including birth weight the <3rd percentile, or a combination of three of the following criteria: birth weight the <10th percentile; head circumference the <10th percentile; prenatal diagnosis of FGR; prenatal risk factors associated with FGR. A stillbirth was defined as death of a fetus after 22 weeks of gestation without any signs of life. Exclusion criteria from the study were: multiple pregnancy, the presence of a chromosomal abnormality in a fetus, an undetermined gestational age in the 1st trimester. Results. A significant proportion of fetuses with FGR signs has been revealed in group II, which was 17 times more than that in group I. The study data have demonstrated a rather low level of prenatal FGR identification in both groups (35.6 %), while in group II, the diagnosis of FGR was made before delivery only in every fifth case (p < 0.05). Data analysis has shown a higher percentage of preterm births among pregnant women in group II (p < 0.0001) with the maximum number of births in this group at 28- and 36-weeks’ gestation. The average weight percentile was significantly higher in group II, namely 4.12 compared to 3.77 (p < 0.0001), however, the number of fetuses with a weight the <1st percentile occurred significantly more often in group I (p < 0.05). The frequency of fetal distress in group I was greater among fetuses with the birth weight 10th percentile than among those with fetal weight less than the 3rd percentile. Conclusions. The conducted study results have shown a large percentage of FGR fetuses in the structure of stillbirths with no downward trend. A low level of FGR prenatal identification has been found in both groups (35.6 %), while in the group of stillbirths, the indicator was significantly lower and amounted to 22.22 %. The presence of FGR has resulted in a significant increase in the relative risk of stillbirth – 28.4, 95 % CI [21.2; 38.3]. Besides, the additional risk was increased (11.0, 95 % CI [8.7; 13.8]) if FGR was not diagnosed during pregnancy. At the same time, the odds ratio was 32.1, 95 % CI [23.3; 44.1].

Clinical and functional features and quality of life in various phenotypes of occupational asthma

Purpose. To study the characteristics of the content of neutral lipids and phospholipid fractions in the membranes of erythrocytes and blood plasma of adolescents with cephalalgia and arterial hypertension (AH). Materials and methods. Subject of the study – adolescents 12–17 years old (boys and girls) with cephalgia and the presence of AH (main group) and without AH (comparison group). Methods: questionnaires, laboratory, statistical. Examination program: verification of the clinical form of cephalgia (episodic, chronic); assessment of the presence of AH (using percentile tables, taking into account age, gender and height percentile); determination of the concentration of neutral lipids and phospholipid fractions in blood plasma and erythrocyte membranes using thin layer chromatography. Results. Of the 64 examined adolescents – patients of the pediatric department with recurrent cephalgia, the frequent (chronic) form of cephalgia was verified in 40 (62.5%) people, AH was diagnosed in 10 (25.0%) adolescents with chronic cephalgia and in 30 (75.0%) adolescents with this form of cephalalgia AH were not identified. Features of the lipid spectrum of adolescents with a chronic form of cephalgia associated with AH included a lower concentration of total lipids and triglycerides in erythrocyte membranes, higher values of the general phospholipids/free cholesterol ratio and a smaller number of statistically significant correlations. Conclusion. The features we identified in the lipid spectrum of erythrocyte membranes and blood plasma in adolescents with a frequent (chronic) form of cephalalgia associated with AH may indicate the presence in adolescents of initial minimal changes in the biochemical status of cell membranes at the stages of development of cardiovascular pathology – hypertension and coronary heart disease.

Lipid spectrum of cell membranes and blood plasma in adolescents with recurrent cephalgia associated with arterial hypertension. Methods of correction

Purpose. To study the characteristics of the content of neutral lipids and phospholipid fractions in the membranes of erythrocytes and blood plasma of adolescents with cephalalgia and arterial hypertension (AH). Materials and methods. Subject of the study – adolescents 12–17 years old (boys and girls) with cephalgia and the presence of AH (main group) and without AH (comparison group). Methods: questionnaires, laboratory, statistical. Examination program: verification of the clinical form of cephalgia (episodic, chronic); assessment of the presence of AH (using percentile tables, taking into account age, gender and height percentile); determination of the concentration of neutral lipids and phospholipid fractions in blood plasma and erythrocyte membranes using thin layer chromatography. Results. Of the 64 examined adolescents – patients of the pediatric department with recurrent cephalgia, the frequent (chronic) form of cephalgia was verified in 40 (62.5%) people, AH was diagnosed in 10 (25.0%) adolescents with chronic cephalgia and in 30 (75.0%) adolescents with this form of cephalalgia AH were not identified. Features of the lipid spectrum of adolescents with a chronic form of cephalgia associated with AH included a lower concentration of total lipids and triglycerides in erythrocyte membranes, higher values of the general phospholipids/free cholesterol ratio and a smaller number of statistically significant correlations. Conclusion. The features we identified in the lipid spectrum of erythrocyte membranes and blood plasma in adolescents with a frequent (chronic) form of cephalalgia associated with AH may indicate the presence in adolescents of initial minimal changes in the biochemical status of cell membranes at the stages of development of cardiovascular pathology – hypertension and coronary heart disease.

Elevated blood pressure among children born to women with obstructed labour in Eastern Uganda: a cohort study

BackgroundGlobally, high systolic blood pressure accounts for 10.8 million deaths annually. The deaths are disproportionately higher among black people. The reasons for this disparity are poorly understood, but could include a high burden of perinatal insults such as birth asphyxia. Therefore, we aimed to assess the incidence of elevated blood pressure and to explore associated factors among children born to women with obstructed labour.MethodsWe followed up children born to women with obstructed labour aged 25 to 44 months at Mbale regional referral hospital that had participated in the sodium bicarbonate trial ( Trial registration number PACTR201805003364421) between October 2021 and April 2022. Our primary outcome was elevated blood pressure defined as blood pressure (either systolic or diastolic or both) ≥ the 90th percentile for age, height, and sex in the reference population based on the clinical practice guideline for screening and management of high blood pressure in children and adolescents. We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios between selected exposures and elevated blood pressure.ResultsThe incidence of elevated blood pressure was (39/140, 27.9%: 95% (CI: 20.6–36.1)). Participants aged three years and above had twice the odds of elevated blood pressure as those aged less than three years (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.46: 95% CI (1.01–5.97). Female participants had 2.81 times the odds of elevated blood pressure as their male counterparts (AOR 2.81 95% CI (1.16–6.82). Participants with reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate had 2.85 times the odds of having elevated blood pressure as those with normal estimated glomerular filtration rate (AOR 2.85 95% CI (1.00–8.13). We found no association between arterial cord lactate, stunting, wealth index, exclusive breastfeeding, food diversity and elevated blood pressure.ConclusionOur findings show a high incidence of elevated blood pressure among children. We encourage routine checking for elevated blood pressure in the pediatric population particularly those with known risk factors.

Interpregnancy interval and adverse birth outcomes: a population-based cohort study of twins

BackgroundTo investigate associations between interpregnancy intervals (IPIs) and adverse birth outcomes in twin pregnancies.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study of 9,867 twin pregnancies in Western Australia from 1980–2015. Relative Risks (RRs) were estimated for the interval prior to the pregnancy (IPI) as the exposure and after the pregnancy as a negative control exposure for preterm birth (< 37 weeks), early preterm birth (< 34 weeks), small for gestational age (SGA: < 10th percentile of birth weight by sex and gestational age) and low birth weight (LBW: birthweight < 2,500 g).ResultsRelative to IPIs of 18–23 months, IPIs of < 6 months were associated with a higher risk of early preterm birth (aRR 1.41, 95% CI 1.08–1.83) and LBW for at least one twin (aRR 1.16, 95% CI 1.06–1.28). IPIs of 6–11 months were associated with a higher risk of SGA (aRR 1.24, 95% CI 1.01–1.54) and LBW for at least one twin (aRR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01–1.19). IPIs of 60–119 months and ≥ 120 months were associated with an increased risk of preterm birth (RR 1.12, 95% CI 1.03–1.22; and (aRR 1.25, 95% CI 1.10–1.41, respectively), and LBW for at least one twin (aRR 1.17, 95% CI 1.08–1.28; and aRR 1.20, 95% CI 1.05–1.36, respectively). IPIs of ≥ 120 months were also associated with an increased risk of early preterm birth (aRR 1.42, 95% CI 1.01–2.00). After negative control analysis, IPIs ≥ 120 months remained associated with early preterm birth and LBW.ConclusionEvidence for adverse associations with twin birth outcomes was strongest for long IPIs.

Retrieval of Tree Height Percentiles over Rugged Mountain Areas via Target Response Waveform of Satellite Lidar

The retrieval of tree height percentiles from satellite lidar waveforms observed over mountainous areas is greatly challenging due to the broadening and overlapping of the ground return and vegetation return. To accurately represent the shape distributions of the vegetation and ground returns, the target response waveform (TRW) is resolved using a Richardson–Lucy deconvolution algorithm with adaptive iteration. Meanwhile, the ground return is identified as the TRW component within a 4.6 m ground signal extent above the end point of the TRW. Based on the cumulative TRW distribution, the height metrics of the energy percentiles of 25%, 50%, 75%, and 95% are determined using their vertical distances relative to the ground elevation in this study. To validate the proposed algorithm, we select the received waveforms of the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) lidar over the Pahvant Mountains of central Utah, USA. The results reveal that the resolved TRWs closely resemble the actual target response waveforms from the coincident airborne lidar data, with the mean values of the coefficient of correlation, total bias, and root-mean-square error (RMSE) taking values of 0.92, 0.0813, and 0.0016, respectively. In addition, the accuracies of the derived height percentiles from the proposed algorithm are greatly improved compared with the conventional Gaussian decomposition method and the slope-adaptive waveform metrics method. The mean bias and RMSE values decrease by the mean values of 1.68 m and 2.32 m and 1.96 m and 2.72 m, respectively. This demonstrates that the proposed algorithm can eliminate the broadening and overlapping of the ground return and vegetation return and presents good potential in the extraction of forest structure parameters over rugged mountainous areas.

Left Ventricular Dysfunction Following Repair of Ventricular Septal Defects in Infants.

Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) is frequently observed following repair of ventricular septal defects (VSD), although little is known about its incidence, time course, or risk factors. Among infants undergoing VSD repair, for postoperative LVSD, we sought to determine (1) incidence, (2) predictors, and (3) time to resolution. We queried our institution's surgical database for infants who underwent repair of isolated VSDs from November 2001 through January 2019. The primary outcome was postoperative LVSD, which was defined as a shortening fraction (SF) of <26% by M-mode. Postoperative echocardiograms were reviewed, and measurements were made using standard methods. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was generated to determine the preoperative left ventricular internal dimension (LVIDd) z-score most predictive of LVSD. Multivariable analysis was conducted to determine associations with LVSD; covariates in the model were weight percentile, genetic syndrome, preoperative diuretic, VSD type, and preoperative LVIDd z-score. Of the 164 patients who met inclusion criteria, 62 (38%) had postoperative LVSD. Fifty-eight (94%) of patients had resolution of LVSD within 9months of surgery. Preoperative LVIDd z-score of >3.1 was associated with both an increased incidence of postoperative LVSD and prolonged time to resolution. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed only preoperative LVIDd z-score was independently associated with postoperative LVSD. LVSD following VSD closure is common, but nearly all cases resolve by 9months postoperatively. Elevated LVIDd prior to surgery is associated with postoperative LVSD. These data suggest VSD closure should be considered prior to the development of significant left ventricular dilation.

Identification of Larch Caterpillar Infestation Severity Based on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Multispectral and LiDAR Features

Utilizing UAV remote sensing technology to acquire information on forest pests is a crucial technical method for determining the health of forest trees. Achieving efficient and precise pest identification has been a major research focus in this field. In this study, Dendrolimus superans (Butler) was used as the research object to acquire UAV multispectral, LiDAR, and ground-measured data for extracting sensitive features using ANOVA and constructing a severity-recognizing model with the help of random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM) models. Sixteen sensitive feature sets (including multispectral vegetation indices and LiDAR features) were selected for training the recognizing model, of which the normalized differential greenness index (NDGI) and 25% height percentile were the most sensitive and could be used as important features for recognizing larch caterpillar infestations. The model results show that the highest accuracy is SVMVI+LIDAR (OA = 95.8%), followed by SVMVI, and the worst accuracy is RFLIDAR. For identifying healthy, mild, and severely infested canopies, the SVMVI+LIDAR model achieved 90%–100% for both PA and UA. The optimal model chosen to map the spatial distribution of severity at the single-plant scale in the experimental area demonstrated that the severity intensified with decreasing elevation, especially from 748–758 m. This study demonstrates a high-precision identification method of larch caterpillar infestation severity and provides an efficient and accurate data reference for intelligent forest management.

Timing of cesarean delivery for fetal heart rate abnormalities in hypertensive pregnancies induced with oral misoprostol or Foley catheter: Secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

The study aims to assess how oral misoprostol for cervical ripening affects the time of cesarean delivery (CD) for fetal heart rate (FHR) abnormalities in pre-eclampsia patients. Secondary goals include determining the role of uterine hyperstimulation, comparing misoprostol with Foley catheter, and identifying risk factors for FHR abnormalities associated with CD. A previously published randomized clinical trial was subjected to a secondary analysis (NCT01801410). We conducted a time-dependent analysis, stratifying the population based on the final mode of induction used (low-dose oral misoprostol vs Foley catheter). There was no CD for FHR abnormalities within 2 h of starting misoprostol. At 5 h, the cumulative incidence of CD for FHR abnormalities in the misoprostol group was 2.10%, while it was 1.00% in the Foley group (P = 0.565). After 25 h, the CD risk for FHR abnormalities remained constant in both groups at 21.00% (95% confidence interval [CI] 15.00%-28.00%). Within 5 h of misoprostol induction, the risk of uterine hyperstimulation was similar in both groups (0.33% in misoprostol vs 0.34% in Foley group, P = 0.161). The risk of CD for FHR abnormalities was unaffected by newborn weight centiles. There was no significant difference in CD risk for FHR abnormalities between misoprostol and Foley catheter induction. Nonetheless, the cumulative incidence of CD for FHR abnormalities increased faster in the misoprostol group, indicating that FHR monitoring timing should be tailored to the induction method.

The association between antenatal corticosteroids exposure and postnatal growth in infants born between 23 and 29 weeks of gestation.

To assess the association between antenatal corticosteroids exposure and postnatal growth in infants born at 23-29 weeks' gestation. This retrospective study used data from the Pediatrix Clinical Data Warehouse. Maternal-infant dyads from 2018 to 2020 were included. Inverse propensity weighting (IPW) was applied to balance pre-treatment confounders. Primary outcomes included postnatal weight, length, and head circumference growth trajectory percentiles. The unadjusted cohort consisted of 11,912 dyads. After IPW adjustment, there were 23,231 dyads. Exposed infants showed higher postnatal trajectory percentiles for weight (by 3.4%), length (by 1.8%), and head circumference (by 2.5%) when compared to non-exposed infants. The positive association between antenatal corticosteroids and postnatal growth was only observed in infants not exposed to preeclampsia/eclampsia/HELLP syndrome or without fetal growth restriction. Antenatal corticosteroids exposure is associated with better postnatal growth. The study is limited by its retrospective nature.

Association between anxiety and elevated blood pressure in adolescent patients: a single-center cross-sectional study.

Although anxiety is known to be associated with elevated blood pressure and hypertension in adults, this has not been studied in children. The aim of this study was to determine the association between anxiety and elevated blood pressures in adolescents. Adolescents, aged 12-18 years old, referred to the nephrology clinic were eligible to participate. Elevated blood pressure was defined as either SBP or DBP measurement above the 95th percentile for age, height, and sex. Participants were evaluated for anxiety using the validated Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders questionnaire filled independently by the child (SCARED-C) and parent (SCARED-P) evaluating the child. Two hundred adolescents participated in this study. Thirty-one (53%) of SCARED-P-positive participants were found to have elevated blood pressure compared with 27 (19%) of SCARED-P negative, P 0.03. Twenty-five (43%) of SCARED-P positive had elevated DBP compared with 31 (28%) of SCARED-P negative ( P 0.003). In SCARED-P positive, mean DBP (78.4 ± 9.9) was higher compared with SCARED-P negative (74.9 ± 9.2) ( P 0.03). In a subgroup of adolescents (№ 130) not treated with blood pressure medications mean DBP was higher in both SCARED-P (79.0 ± 10.1) and SCARED-C (77.1 ± 10.4) positive groups compared with SCARED-P (73.6 ± 9.3) and SCARED-C (73 ± 8.9) negative, respectively. Our study demonstrates an association between anxiety and elevated DBP in adolescent children. Screening adolescents for anxiety should be a part of the routine evaluation of adolescent children.

Pancreas agenesis and fetal growth: a semi-quantitative analysis.

Pancreas agenesis is a rare condition underlying a variant of permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus. Neonates with this condition are born small for gestational age, but less is known about which components of growth are impacted, the timing of the growth restriction and potential sex differences. Our objective was to assess in which periods in gestation complete pancreas agenesis restricts fetal growth and possible sex differences in susceptibility. Published cases (n=49) with pancreas agenesis providing relevant data (gestational age, fetal sex, birth weight, birth length, head circumference, placental weight) were identified by MEDLINE and secondary literature search covering the years 1950-January 2023. Semi-quantitative analysis of these case reports used centiles based on Intergrowth-21 reference charts. Neonates with pancreas agenesis were severely growth restricted, however, median centiles for birth weight, length and head circumference of those born before week 36 were significantly higher compared to those born from 36 weeks. Similar results were found when data were separated by before and from 38 weeks. Head circumference was less affected than birth weight or length. No sex differences were found. In conclusion, pancreas agenesis severely restricts fetal length and head circumference in addition to weight growth, with stronger effects evident from 36 weeks of gestation. In addition to the well-known effects of insulin on growth of fetal fat mass, the pronounced effect on birth length and head circumference indicates effects of insulin on fetal lean body growth as well. Lack of power may account for failure to find sex differences.

Impact of lockdown on the growth of children in China aged 3-6 years during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lockdowns in COVID-19 pandemic led to less physical activity and more intake of unhealthy food in children. The aim of this study was to investigate the negative impact of major lockdowns on the growth of children aged 3-6 years during COVID-19 pandemic period. Physical examination results in 2019 to 2022 from 5834 eligible children (2972 males and 2862 females) from Southwestern China who were 3 years old in 2019 were retrospectively collected. Height and weight data points were extracted from the results, and percentiles of height (height%), weight (weight%), and BMI (BMI%), and rates of overweight and obesity were calculated and compared between different years during the pandemic. After analyzing the 15404 growth data points from 5834 children, a slowly increasing trend of height% from 2019 to 2022 was observed. Weight%, BMI%, overweight rate, obesity rate, and combined overweight and obesity rate had two peaks in 2020 and 2022 when major lockdowns were adopted and a drop in between (year 2021), except for obesity rate which did not drop in 2021. Similar results were shown after stratification by gender. The lockdowns in COVID-19 pandemic promoted obesity of kindergarten children, but did not show any negative impact on their height growth possibly due to over-nutrition of children during lockdowns. More efforts need to be made to limit the increase of obesity rate in kindergarten children during possible future lockdowns.

Rapid assessment of dose for large-scale individual: a feasibility study

In certain situations, it is crucial to quickly estimate the dose for radiation workers across different weight percentiles. This study sets out to create weight percentiles above 50 by adding proper adipose and muscle layers around the revised ORNL hermaphrodite phantom torso. Neutron fluence-to-organ absorbed and effective dose conversion coefficients were calculated to different weight percentiles. Simulations were performed in the energy range 10−9 to 20 MeV, under Six different source irradiation geometries: anterior–posterior (AP), posterior–anterior (PA), right-lateral (RLAT), left-lateral (LLAT), Rotation (ROT), and Isotropic (ISO) by MCNPX code. The maximum relative differences observed between the 50th and other percentiles ranged from 11% to 28%. Comparative analysis of the fluence-to-absorbed and effective dose conversion coefficients between the 95th percentile and VIPMAN indicated that approximately 58% and 57% of the data had a relative difference below 15%, respectively overall neutron energies and irradiation geometries. Our finding demonstrate that this straightforward method is reliable, especially when the whole body is irradiated in the energies above 1 MeV.

Estimation of Above Ground Carbon Stock Using Airborne Lidar in Yellapur Forest Division of Uttara Kannada District, Karnataka, India

The study was carried out at Yellapur Forest Division, Karnataka, with 86.97% forest area, exploring aboveground carbon (AGC) variations across different forest types and their correlation with LiDAR metrics. Ten one-hectare permanent plots were established, with 3 in dry and moist deciduous each, and 4 in semievergreen forests. All trees with &gt;30 cm girth at breast height were inventoried. AGC estimates were 308.28 mg ha–1 in semi-evergreen, 207.77 mg ha–1 in moist deciduous, and 117.88 mg ha–1 in dry deciduous forests. LiDAR data were acquired using a Nextcore Lumos XM120 UAV LiDAR system. In dry deciduous and moist deciduous forests, the 95th height percentile correlated strongly with observed AGC, yielding predicted AGC values of 118.56 mg ha–1 and 208.86 mg ha–1, with R2 values of 0.91 and 0.83, respectively. Conversely, in semi-evergreen forests, the 50th height percentile outperformed other metrics, resulting in a predicted AGC of 310.90 mg ha–1 (R2 =0.57).

The Relationship between Nutritional and Biochemical Markers with Growth Parameters in Adolescents with Chronic Kidney Disease on Maintenance Dialysis

Background: Adolescents with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing maintenance dialysis often experience challenges related to nutritional and biochemical markers, which can impact their growth parameters. Understanding the association between these markers and growth outcomes is crucial for optimizing the management of CKD in this population. Objectives of the study: The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between nutritional and biochemical markers and growth parameters in adolescents with CKD undergoing maintenance dialysis in a cross-sectional single-center setting. Methodology: Participants recruited for this study were children aged 12–18 years diagnosed with CKD 5 undergoing maintenance dialysis. The assessed nutritional and biochemical markers included dry weight, body mass index (BMI), caloric and protein intake, normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR), total body fat percentage, muscle mass, serum albumin, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and C-reactive protein. Results: Twenty-six children were enrolled in the study (male: female – 1:1.6). Thirteen participants were from each treatment group (peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis). Among them, twenty (76.9%) exhibited stunting, defined as a height percentile below the third percentile for the group’s population. Notably, patients with stunting showed a significant decrease in dry weight (37.4 kg vs. 54.7 kg, P &lt; 0.01) and BMI (17.3 kg/m2 vs. 22.3 kg/m2, P = 0.03). Serum creatinine levels were notably lower among patients with stunting compared to those with normal height percentiles (728 μmol/L vs. 969 μmol/L, P &lt; 0.01). Using bioelectrical impedance, muscle mass was noted to be significantly reduced in those with stunting compared to children with normal growth. Furthermore, a significant association was observed between nPCR and protein intake (P = 0.010). Conclusion and Recommendation: This study reveals a high prevalence of stunting in pediatric CKD patients on maintenance dialysis, suggesting compromised nutritional status. CKD patients with stunting exhibit reduced muscle mass and lower serum creatinine levels. Additionally, nPCR appears to be a useful marker for assessing protein adequacy. These findings highlight the need for early and regular monitoring of growth parameters, comprehensive biochemical assessments, and further research to enhance outcomes in pediatric CKD patients.