High Number Research Articles

Supporting multilingual children with language impairment in a multilingual environment: experience and perspectives from speech and language therapists in Switzerland

ABSTRACT This work reports the results of a survey study conducted with French-, German-, and Italian-speaking speech and language therapists (SLTs) in Switzerland. In this survey we asked respondents about their language background, training in multilingual matters, and practices with multilingual patients, as well as their opinions on the current SLT provisions for multilingual children in Switzerland. The main results showed that despite high levels of SLT multilingualism in Switzerland, there is often a mismatch between the additional languages spoken by the SLTs and the heritage languages spoken by their patients. To circumvent the challenges of assessing a multilingual child, SLTs across Switzerland reported using a variety of assessment tools and methods, although therapeutic options are still missing. The results also revealed some differences based on linguistic region, with SLTs working in French-speaking region having the highest number of multilingual caseloads but those working in the German-speaking region receiving the most training on multilingualism. Conclusions drawn are that across Switzerland there is still a need for SLTs to be better trained to work with multilingual children and for suitable tools for assessing and especially treating multilingual patients to be developed. Full results are reported and discussed.

Morphological Characteristics of Ovarian Tissues and Follicular Fluid Metabolites of Female Lambs and Ewes in Subtropics

Background: Oocyte and follicular fluid recovery and evaluation are a crucial step in assisted reproductive technologies. The aims of the current study were to evaluate the ovarian tissues and their resulting oocytes and follicular fluid of Awassi female lambs and ewes in subtropics of Saudi Arabia. Methods: Thirty reproductive systems of female lambs in addition to forty reproductive systems of ewes of follicular and luteal phases were collected. The ovarian tissues were evaluated through ovarian follicle numbers, oocytes recovery in addition to determination of follicular fluid (FF) metabolites. The ovarian follicles were categorized into small ( less than 3 mm), medium (3-5 mm) and large follicles ( greater than 5 mm). The medium and large ovarian follicles were aspirated for FF collection and oocytes recovery. The FF concentrations of total protein (g/dl), urea (mg/dl), glucose (mg/dl), total cholesterol (mg/dl) and triglycerides (mg/dl) were determined. Result: The weight of reproductive system and ovary were increased of ewes compared to female lambs. The number of small follicles was not differed among groups whereas the numbers of medium and large follicles increase in ewes groups. The highest number of medium follicles was found in ewes of follicular phase compared to other groups. Although the percentage of oocyte recovery increased in ewes compared to lambs, the oocytes quality was not differed among groups. The total protein values were high (P less than 0.05) in FF of ewes compared to that of female lambs. On the other, the values of urea and triglycerides were low (P less than 0.05) in FF of ewes compared to FF of female lambs. Moreover, the values of total protein, urea and triglycerides were comparable in FF of ewes during follicular or luteal phase. Additionally, there is slight increase of glucose and slight decrease of total cholesterol values in FF of ewes compared to FF of female lambs. In conclusion, follicles of ovarian tissues, oocyte recovery and quality and follicular fluid biochemistry of female lambs and ewes showed differences. The recovered oocytes and FF are available for assisted reproductive techniques.

Determinants of Treatment Delay in Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Patients in Banten Province in 2020

Indonesia is currently ranked 2nd with the most tuberculosis cases in the world, after India and China. is ranked 2nd with the most tuberculosis sufferers in the world, after India and China.
 Tuberculosis control in Indonesia faces many challenges, one of which is the increase in patients
 with drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR TB). In 2019, the number of tuberculosis sufferers in Indonesia
 reached 543,874 cases, with drug-resistant tuberculosis cases reaching 11,463 (2.1%). Banten is
 one of the provinces with the highest number of Tuberculosis sufferers in Java, which is 223 people
 per 100,000 population, with a national TB rate of 203 people per 100,000 population, of which
 only 58.3% take medication regularly. This study aims to determine the determinants of treatment
 delay in drug-resistant tuberculosis patients in Banten province in 2020. The study design was a
 retrospective cohort. The sampling technique was a total sampling of the list of DR TB cases at
 South Tangerang city General Hospital and dr. Drajat Prawiranegara Serang. Secondary data
 search was carried out on the TB Information System (SITB) and patient medical records. The study
 population was 114 respondents, obtained 90 respondents who fit the inclusion and exclusion
 criteria. Univariate, bivariate analysis with chi-square test and multivariate with logistic regression
 statistical test were performed to obtain a fit final model. The results of the bivariate analysis
 showed a significant relationship between age (p=0.030) and employment status (p=0.003). The
 final multivariate model, showing employment status with delayed treatment (p = 0.008), with OR
 18,788 (95% CI: 2,122 – 166.329), meaning that respondents who have jobs have 18.8 times risk for
 late treatment compared to respondents who do not have jobs after being controlled by variables
 of age, gender, history of TB, and education level. The researcher concludes that the determinants
 of delay in treatment of DR TB patients in Banten province in 2020 are employment status and age.
 It is recommended that the Banten Provincial Health Office can coordinate cross sectors, to ensure the treatment of DR TB patients until they are cured.
 Keywords: epidemiology, tuberculosis, drug-resistant

Effect of Vermicompost and Nitrogen Fertilizer on the Growth and Production of Aloe Vera

Purpose: The effect of vermicompost and nitrogen fertilizers on the growth and production of Aloe vera were conducted using factorial based on Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD).
 Background: Vermicompost can be used in sustainable agriculture to support growing populations by increasing water holding capacity, nutrient supply, high porosity, adequate ventilation and drainage, and production of plant hormones that have beneficial effects on seed germination.
 Methods: According to the RCBD method, treatments were included: four levels of vermicompost (V0: Control, V1: 75, V2: 150 and V3: 200 g per pot) and four levels of nitrogen fertilizer (N0: control, N1: 500, N2: 1000, and N3: 1500 mg per pot) using urea.
 Results: The results showed that application of 150 g of vermicompost and 1000 mg of nitrogen had the highest effect on growth traits, and application of 200 g of vermicompost and 1500 mg of nitrogen had the greatest effect on sucker characteristics, so that the highest number of suckers was obtained by using 200 g of vermicompost and 1000 and 1500 mg of nitrogen. However, simultaneous application of 150 g of vermicompost and 1000 mg of nitrogen had the greatest effect on plant height, number of leaves, and leaf diameter, and treatment with 200 g of vermicompost and 1500 mg of nitrogen had the greatest effect on the number of suckers, stem weight, number of leaves, sucker height, total biomass and Aloin content.
 Conclusions: Therefore, simultaneous use of vermicompost and nitrogen fertilizer in Aloe vera cultivation plays an important role in the production and enhancement of sucker and plant yield.

The Influence Of Knowledge Towards Physicians’ Intention To Use Powered Air-Purifying Respirators As Advanced Personal Protective Equipment Mediated By Health Belief Model During Covid-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 has become a devastating occurrence and an urgent intervention for public health in Indonesia. Until the beginning of 2021, Indonesia has the highest number of healthcare workers deaths in Asia and fifth in the world. One of the reasons that resulted in a high number of deaths is due to the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) to be worn in high-risk environments. Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) is one of the most advanced protective equipment and recommended by many countries for their healthcare workers in handling COVID-19 pandemic. This research is conducted to predict Indonesian physicians’ intention to use PAPR as advanced PPE using the Health Belief Model. This research is a correlational study and a quantitative research using statistical tests in processing the data collected from online questionnaires. The findings collected from 163 respondents demonstrated that physicians in Indonesia have the intention to use PAPR as advanced PPE against COVID-19 based on their knowledge, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and perceived benefits of using PAPR. Perceived barriers do not have a significant influence towards physicians’ intention to use. The impact of knowledge to intention to use mediated by perceived benefits has the strongest correlation. This empirical model has moderate predictive accuracy with medium predictive relevance, therefore it could be developed and tested on an extended population. There are few managerial implications that could be recommended for hospital managers, public health administrators, and medical device suppliers to encourage physicians’ behavior. Several recommendations are given for further research development.
 Keywords: Health Belief Model, Knowledge, Perceived Susceptibility, Perceived Benefits, Perceived Severity, Perceived Barriers, Powered Air-Purifying Respirator, Protective Personal Equipment

Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution Catalysis of Pentlandite due to the Increases in Coordination Number and Sulfur Vacancy during Cubic-Hexagonal Phase Transition.

The search for new phases is an important direction in materials science. The phase transition of sulfides results in significant changes in catalytic performance, such as MoS2 and WS2. Cubic pentlandite [cPn, (Fe, Ni)9S8] can be a functional material in batteries, solar cells, and catalytic fields. However, no report about the material properties of other phases of pentlandite exists. In this study, the unit-cell parameters of a new phase of pentlandite, sulfur-vacancy enriched hexagonal pentlandite (hPn), and the phase boundary between cPn and hPn are determined for the first time. Compared to cPn, the hPn shows a high coordination number, more sulfur vacancies, and high conductivity, which result in significantly higher hydrogen evolution performance of hPn than that of cPn and make the non-nano rock catalyst hPn superior to other most known nanosulfide catalysts. The increase of sulfur vacancies during phase transition provides a new approach to designing functional materials.

Are Land Use and Cover Changes and Socioeconomic Factors Associated with the Occurrence of Dengue Fever? A Case Study in Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Several studies have already demonstrated the relationship between the loss of natural habitats and the incidence of diseases caused by vectors, such as dengue, which is an acute fever disease that is considered a serious public health problem. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the number of dengue cases and land use and cover changes (LUCC) and socioeconomic and climatic factors by municipality, using the state of Minas Gerais as a case study. For this, secondary data obtained from openly available sources were used. Natural vegetation cover data were obtained from the MAPBiomas platform and dengue occurrence data from the Ministry of Health, in addition to eight socioeconomic parameters from the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics and precipitation data from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA, Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais). Between 2015 and 2019, 1,255,731 cases of dengue were recorded throughout the state of Minas Gerais, ranging from 0 to 227 per thousand inhabitants between municipalities. The occurrence of dengue was distributed throughout all regions of Minas Gerais and was associated with LUCC and socioeconomic factors. In general, municipalities with a net loss of natural vegetation, predominantly located in the Cerrado biome, had the highest number of dengue cases in the studied period. Additionally, the occurrence of dengue was associated to three socioeconomic parameters: population density, human development index (both positively), and Gini inequality index (negatively). These results indicate that, contrary to expectations, municipalities with better social conditions had more dengue cases. Our study indicates that natural vegetation is, directly or indirectly, involved in the ecosystem service of dengue control, despite the occurrence of this disease being affected by multiple factors that interact in a complex way. Thus, policies towards reducing deforestation must be complemented by a continuous investment in public health policies and a reduction in social inequalities to efficiently control dengue fever.

INVESTIGATING THE SEVERITY AND FACTORS INFLUENCING THE OCCURRENCE OF PRESSURE ULCERSIN HOSPITALIZED CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT PATIENTS: A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

Patients with cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) are at risk of developing PUs due to sensory, motor and cognitive deficits following the disease. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the severity and factors affecting the occurrence of PUs in patients with CVA.The present study was a retrospective cohort study. The data of this research was extracted from the registry system of Imam Reza Hospital located in the west of Iran. 217 patients with CVA with Braden score below 14 or with PU were included in the study. In order to investigate the relationship between independent variables and wound stage in univariate regression model, logistic regression was used, and the results were reported as odds ratio (OR). Data were analyzed with Stata statistical software version 15 and Excel 2016 software.Out of 217 CVA patients hospitalized, 180 had pressure ulcers. In total, 465 PUs were diagnosed in 180 patients in different areas. The average age of patients was (SD=618.78) years. 65 patients suffered only one wound, 38 patients experienced two wounds, and 37 patients experienced three wounds. The highest number of PUs was with 201 cases of stage I, follow ed by 180 cases of stage II. Stage IV with 2 cases was the least PU cases. Pa tients with a Braden score of 10-12 were 3.89 times more likely than patients with a Braden score greater than 14, and patients with a Braden score of 6-9 were diagnosed with PUS 6.67 times more than those with a Braden score greater than 14. Regarding the site of PUs, the sacrum and then the buttock were the most common sites of PU, which were ob- served in 65.56% and 29.49% of patients, respectively. The highest num- ber of stage I was related to the sacrum area.The sacrum was the most common site of PU occurrence and the highest number of PUs was related to stage I. Age, fecal incontinence, hemoglobin levels and Braden’s score have been among the factors affecting PUs in patients with CVA.

Brazilian Study on the Prevalence of Carbapenemase Producing Organisms and Their Relation with Patients’ Death Rate

Aims: Determine the clinical characteristics of patients and the microbiological characteristics of the isolated Gram-negative microorganisms; Analyze the relationship between hospitalization sectors and the occurrence of bacteria resistant to carbapenems; Determine the prevalence of Gram-negative in clinical sectors of a University Hospital from Fortaleza, Brazil; Relate the prevalence to resistent Gram-negative bacteria with patients’ death rate.
 Study Design: This is a descriptive, retrospective and cross-sectional study, carried out between January and December 2022 at a university hospital in Fortaleza, Brazil.
 Place and Duration of Study: Microbiology Sector of the Central Laboratory of the Walter Cantídio University Hospital between January 2022 and December 2022.
 Methodology: All reports that showed a positive culture for Gram-negative bacilli and that carried out antibiotic sensitivity testing were included in the study. Their identification (ID) and the Antibiotic Sensitivity Test (TSA) were carried out using the automated system VITEK® 2 (BioMérieux®, Marcyl’Etoile, France), which uses the OBSERVA system for data archiving. The data was collected on a specific form and collected through patient reports issued by the hospital system. The forms were reviewed by a microbiologist pharmacist from the microbiology service. The data were analyzed and audited in the Excel® program for statistical validation using the SPSS Statistics® program, version 17.0.
 Results: 398 samples positive for Gram-negative microorganisms were collected. These samples referred to 236 patients admitted to different sectors of the hospital. It was seen that the Surgical Center concentrated a greater number of patients, representing 66 individuals (28%). The most frequently isolated species (n=217) were Klebsiella pneumoniae (n= 70; 23%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n= 70; 23%), followed by Escherichia coli (n= 43; 14%) and Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 34; 11%), respectively. It was observed that 29.9% of GNB were isolated from blood samples, this being the most prevalent biological site. Bloodstream infection (BSI) was identified as the biological site with the highest number of cases, recording 65 (29.9%) positive isolates in the blood. It was found that 131 isolates of Gram-negative bacteria presented resistance mechanisms, with resistance to carbapenems being the most prevalent, corresponding to 42.75% of cases originating from enterobacteria. It was found that admission to the adult ICU increases the chances of death by 6.017 (OR) times in patients who isolated carbapenem-resistant GNBs (p <0.001).
 Conclusion: The study analyzed the microbial profile of patients at a university hospital, identifying a significant association between death and microbial resistance, especially with Klebsiella pneumoniae. Bloodstream infections were frequent, being the site with the highest number of cases. The predominant resistance mechanism was Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). The results highlight the need for continuous monitoring and control of antimicrobial resistance to guide epidemiological strategies.

An Analysis of the clinical and investigative profile of uveitis in the elderly: First case series from India.

To evaluate the spectrum of uveitis occurring after 60 years of age in elderly patients who presented to a tertiary care eye center in India. Retrospective study of patients who visited a tertiary eye care institute between January 2010 and July 2020. Eighty-seven patients developed uveitis after 60 years, with only 44.8% having sufficient follow-up documentation and were included in the final analysis. The median age of these patients was 64 (IQR: 62-70) years, and 69% of them were male. Among the identifiable causes of uveitis, infectious uveitis (36%) was the most common and noninfectious uveitis was noted in 23% of patients. The most common subtype of uveitis was anterior uveitis (52%), followed by intermediate uveitis (32%), panuveitis (11%), and posterior uveitis (7%). Tuberculosis (28%) was the most common cause in our cohort, followed by HLA B27 (10%), sarcoid (8%), and Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (5%). In 41% of patients, a definitive diagnosis of uveitis could not be achieved, and the anterior uveitis group had the highest number of undifferentiated uveitis cases. There were no undifferentiated cases of uveitis in the posterior and panuveitis category. The median follow-up period of these patients was 52 (15-91) months and 66% of eyes had recurrence. A statistically significant improvement in vision was seen in anterior uveitis and panuveitis groups, whereas the median visual acuity of the intermediate uveitis group remained stable throughout the follow-up period. Uveitis in the elderly can have a higher recurrence rate; however, the lack of follow-up in these groups of patients is a major challenge.

Folic Acid–Fortified Iodized Salt and Serum Folate Levels in Reproductive-Aged Women of Rural India

India has a disproportionately high prevalence of neural tube defects, including spina bifida and anencephaly (SBA), causing a high number of stillbirths, elective pregnancy terminations, and child mortality; India contributes a large proportion of the global burden of SBA. Thirty years after folic acid was shown to be effective in reducing SBA prevalence, only about one-quarter of such births are prevented globally through cereal grain fortification. To determine the association of folic acid-fortified iodized salt with serum folate concentrations among nonpregnant and nonlactating women of reproductive age. This nonrandomized controlled trial using a preintervention and postintervention design was conducted in 4 rural villages in Southern India from July 1 to November 30, 2022. All households in the villages agreed to participate in the study. Preintervention and postintervention serum folate levels were analyzed among study participants at baseline and after 4 months, respectively. Consumption of approximately 300 µg/d of folic acid using double fortified salt (folic acid plus iodine). Median serum folate concentrations were assessed at baseline and 4 months. Change in median serum folate levels between baseline and study end point as the primary outcome of the study. A total of 83 nonpregnant nonlactating women aged 20 to 44 years (mean [SD] age, 30.9 [5.1] years) were eligible for the study and provided serum samples for analysis at baseline and the end point of the intervention. The median serum folate concentration increased from 14.6 (IQR, 11.2-20.6) nmol/L at baseline to 54.4 (IQR, 43.5-54.4) nmol/L at end of study, a 3.7-fold increase from baseline to study end point. Two-tailed Wilcoxon signed rank test showed the median difference in preintervention and postintervention serum folate concentrations to be highly significant (P < .001). The participants found the salt acceptable in color and taste. Use of folic acid-fortified iodized salt was associated with increased serum folate concentrations in women of reproductive age. This novel evidence can inform public health policy to accelerate SBA prevention. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06174883.

Effect of HER2/CEP17 ratio on survival in metastatic HER2-positive gastric cancer, multicenter study.

HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer is still a highly fatal disease despite advances. We aimed to investigate the relationship between HER2/CEP17 ratio and survival in patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer. A total of 99 patients from 8 different centers in Turkey were included in the study. Patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer and whose HER2/CEP17 ratio was examined were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to HER2/CEP17 values, and survival analysis was performed. The median age was 64 (24-83) years. There were 74 (74.8%) male and 25 (25.2%) female patients. OS in the high HER2/CEP17 ratio group was 21.97months (95% CI: 16.36-27.58), and in the low ratio group was 16.17months (95% CI: 10.95-21.38) (p = 0.015). OS was 17.7months (95% CI: 7.02-28.37) in the high HER2 gene copy number group and 10.13months (5.55-14.71) in the group with low copy number (p = 0.03). PFS was 10.94months (95% CI: 7.55-14.33) in the group with high HER2 gene copy number and 7.56months (4.62-10.49) in the low copy number group (p = 0.06). Patients with both high HER2 gene amplification and high HER2/CEP17 ratio had better OS. The PFS of the group with high HER2 gene amplification was also better. To our knowledge, this is the first study in the literature showing that the HER2/CEP17 ratio affects survival in patients with metastatic gastric cancer.

Another One Bites the Net: Assessing the Economic Impacts of Lagocephalus sceleratus on Small-Scale Fisheries in Greece

The assessment of the economic impacts of marine invasive species is fundamental for adopting mitigation measures, yet such impacts have been underreported in the Mediterranean Sea. The silver-cheeked toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) is a toxic pufferfish that since its introduction has seriously disturbed small-scale fisheries along the eastern Mediterranean coast. This species depredates on fishing gears, causing damage to nets, longlines and commercial catches. To quantify its economic impact on small-scale fisheries, we interviewed 141 fishers from Crete (Cretan and Libyan Sea) and the Ionian Sea (Greece) during May 2020–December 2022. The mean annual economic cost resulting from L. sceleratus depredation was estimated at EUR 6315 ± 2620 per vessel in Crete and EUR 258 ± 120 in the Ionian Sea. Additionally, observer surveys carried out on board small-scale fishing vessels in Crete showed that depredation probability was significantly influenced by fishing depth, sea surface temperature, gear type (nets, longlines) and region (Cretan, Libyan Sea). L. sceleratus was caught more frequently and in higher numbers in the Libyan Sea. In response to depredation, fishers in Crete have altered their fishing tactics in terms of fishing in deeper waters, reducing fishing time and changing the technical characteristics of fishing gears. Our results underscore the adverse impacts of L. sceleratus on Greek small-scale fishers, emphasizing the need for region-specific management plans where the species establishes large populations.

TinyGS vs. SatNOGS: A Comparative Analysis of Open-Source Satellite Ground Station Networks

In recent years, two of the largest open-source ground station (GS) networks capable of enabling Earth–satellite communication have emerged: TinyGS and SatNOGS. These open-source projects enable anyone to build their own GS inexpensively and easily, integrate into a GS network, and receive data from satellites listed in the database. Additionally, it enables satellite developers to add satellites to the databases of these projects and take advantage of this GS network to receive data from the satellites. This article introduces the TinyGS and SatNOGS projects and conducts a comparative analysis between them. Generally, the TinyGS project seems to have simpler implementation as well as lower associated costs. In a deeper analysis, it was observed that on the 29 July 2023, the TinyGS project had a higher number of online GSs and a more favorable geographic distribution. On the other hand, the SatNOGS project managed to communicate and decode a larger number of satellites up to 29 July 2023. Additionally, in both projects, it was noted that frequencies between 436 and 437 had the highest number of satellites with decoded data. Ultimately, the choice between these projects depends on critical parameters defined by the reader.

A comparison of short-read, HiFi long-read, and hybrid strategies for genome-resolved metagenomics.

Shotgun metagenomics enables the reconstruction of complex microbial communities at a high level of detail. Such an approach can be conducted using both short-read and long-read sequencing data, as well as a combination of both. To assess the pros and cons of these different approaches, we used 22 fecal DNA extracts collected weekly for 11 weeks from two respective lab mice to study seven performance metrics over four combinations of sequencing depth and technology: (i) 20 Gbp of Illumina short-read data, (ii) 40 Gbp of short-read data, (iii) 20 Gbp of PacBio HiFi long-read data, and (iv) 40 Gbp of hybrid (20 Gbp of short-read +20 Gbp of long-read) data. No strategy was best for all metrics; instead, each one excelled across different metrics. The long-read approach yielded the best assembly statistics, with the highest N50 and lowest number of contigs. The 40 Gbp short-read approach yielded the highest number of refined bins. Finally, the hybrid approach yielded the longest assemblies and the highest mapping rate to the bacterial genomes. Our results suggest that while long-read sequencing significantly improves the quality of reconstructed bacterial genomes, it is more expensive and requires deeper sequencing than short-read approaches to recover a comparable amount of reconstructed genomes. The most optimal strategy is study-specific and depends on how researchers assess the trade-off between the quantity and quality of recovered genomes.IMPORTANCEMice are an important model organism for understanding the gut microbiome. When studying these gut microbiomes using DNA techniques, researchers can choose from technologies that use short or long DNA reads. In this study, we perform an extensive benchmark between short- and long-read DNA sequencing for studying mice gut microbiomes. We find that no one approach was best for all metrics and provide information that can help guide researchers in planning their experiments.

Pharmaceutical Contaminants in Wastewater and Receiving Water Bodies of South Africa: A Review of Sources, Pathways, Occurrence, Effects, and Geographical Distribution

The focus of this review article was to outline the sources, pathways, effects, occurrence, and spatial distribution of the most prescribed pharmaceuticals in wastewater and receiving waters of South Africa. Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Scopus were used to gather data from different regions. A zone-wise classification method was used to determine the spatial distribution and data deficiencies in different regions of South Africa. This review revealed that over 100 pharmaceutical compounds have been reported in South Africa’s various water sources and wastewater, with most studies and highest concentrations being documented in Gauteng and Kwa-Zulu Natal. The pharmaceutical concentration in water samples ranged from ng/L to µg/L. Aspirin, ketoprofen, diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen, erythromycin, tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole, acetaminophen, streptomycin, ciprofloxacin, ampicillin, carbamazepine, atenolol, pindolol, efavirenz, and zidovudine residues were among the frequently detected pharmaceutical residues in water bodies and wastewaters of South Africa. Based on the spatial distribution data, Gauteng has the highest number of pharmaceuticals (108) detected in waste and surface water, with the Northern Cape having no monitoring evidence. Therefore, to precisely ascertain the geographical distribution of pharmaceutical contaminants in South Africa, this review recommends that further research be carried out to track their occurrence in aquatic environments and WWTP, especially in isolated regions like Limpopo.

Organizational Climate in Construction Companies: A Systematic Literature Review

The construction industry is fraught with risks due to the use of heavy machinery and work at heights, leading to increased occupational accidents. Understanding how the work environment affects personnel adaptation is crucial, as a negative environment can have detrimental consequences on the physical and mental health of workers. The aim of this study is to identify and examine the significant dimensions, factors, and models related to the organizational climate, with a particular focus on the construction sector. A systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) protocol, utilizing the SCOPUS database, from which 176 studies were obtained through search strings. Of this set, 142 were selected for final analysis. The results reveal that China has the highest number of studies on the organizational climate in construction. Regarding dimensions, emphasis is placed on occupational health and safety. Factors include a classification for dimensions, models, and other general factors. The model identified in studies with the most relevance is the JD-R (job demands–resources) model, which helps us to understand how job characteristics promote employee well-being. The implications of this study underscore the need for further research related to the work environment, implementing changes in occupational safety and health, and highlighting the importance of fostering a positive work environment from the early stages of organizational development. These findings provide valuable insights to refine labor practices, design more effective models, and guide future research in the realm of organizational climate in construction sector companies.

Point of care lung ultrasonographic findings in patients with clinical diagnosis of severe childhood community acquired pneumonia in the tropics

Objectives: This study aimed at defining the Lung ultrasonographic (LUS) features of severe Childhood community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in under-5s with clinical pneumonia, as well as the correlation between clinical and ultrasonographic findings. Materials and Methods: A prospective descriptive study conducted at the Children Emergency Ward of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria over a 1-year period. Children aged 1month to 59 months, with clinical features of severe pneumonia were recruited for the study. LUS was done at the bedside. Ethical approval was obtained for the study. Results: There were 86 children with mean age ± SD of 13.59 ± 15.55 and 50 (58.1%) males. The highest number of patients (56, 65.1%) were in the 1-12-month age group. Ultrasonographic signs of pneumonia were detected in 68 (79.1%) of the children; 55(64%) had consolidation, 29(23.3%) showed florid B-lines and 20 (23.3%) had pleural fluid. Duration of cough, and crackles on auscultation were the only features that showed significant association with the LUS diagnosis of pneumonia. Conclusion: LUS is a good point of care diagnosis of CAP in under-5 children and it can be safely done at the bedside. It is therefore recommended as a first line imaging modality in children with clinical suspicion of CAP in the Tropics.

Genetic modifiers of cognitive decline in PSEN1 E280A Alzheimer's disease.

Rate of cognitive decline (RCD) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) determines the degree of impairment for patients and of burden for caretakers. We studied the association of RCD with genetic variants in AD. RCD was evaluated in 62 familial AD (FAD) and 53 sporadic AD (SAD) cases, and analyzed by whole-exome sequencing for association with common exonic functional variants. Findings were validated in post mortem brain tissue. One hundred seventy-two gene variants in FAD, and 227 gene variants in SAD associated with RCD. In FAD, performance decline of the immediate recall of the Rey-Osterrieth figure test associated with 122 genetic variants. Olfactory receptor OR51B6 showed the highest number of associated variants. Its expression was detected in temporal cortex neurons. Impaired olfactory function has been associated with cognitive impairment in AD. Genetic variants in these or other genes could help to identify risk of faster memory decline in FAD and SAD patients.

Genomic Evolution and Recombination Dynamics of Human Adenovirus D Species: Insights from Comprehensive Bioinformatic Analysis.

Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) can infect various epithelial mucosal cells, ultimately causing different symptoms in infected organ systems. With more than 110 types classified into seven species (A-G), HAdV-D species possess the highest number of viruses and are the fastest proliferating. The emergence of new adenovirus types and increased diversity are driven by homologous recombination (HR) between viral genes, primarily in structural elements such as the penton base, hexon and fiber proteins, and the E1 and E3 regions. A comprehensive analysis of the HAdV genome provides valuable insights into the evolution of human adenoviruses and identifies genes that display high variation across the entire genome to determine recombination patterns. Hypervariable regions within genetic sequences correlate with functional characteristics, thus allowing for adaptation to new environments and hosts. Proteotyping of newly emerging and already established adenoviruses allows for prediction of the characteristics of novel viruses. HAdV-D species evolved in a direction that increased diversity through gene recombination. Bioinformatics analysis across the genome, particularly in highly variable regions, allows for the verification or re-evaluation of recombination patterns in both newly introduced and pre-existing viruses, ultimately aiding in tracing various biological traits such as virus tropism and pathogenesis. Our research does not only assist in predicting the emergence of new adenoviruses but also offers critical guidance in regard to identifying potential regulatory factors of homologous recombination hotspots.