Local Research Research Articles

Exploring Mianzi consciousness congruence and its impact on unethical pro-organizational behavior

BackgroundIn Chinese culture, the concept of Mianzi holds significant importance in interpersonal interactions. Mianzi represents one’s social standing, dignity, and reputation, influencing behaviors and decisions within various contexts. Mianzi consciousness manifests in two primary forms: proactive and defensive. Proactive Mianzi consciousness involves efforts to enhance one’s social image, while defensive Mianzi consciousness focuses on protecting one’s existing reputation. Analyzing the impact of the two Mianzi consciousness dimensions on individuals’ attitudes and behaviors is effective for understanding interpersonal dynamics in China. This study specifically examined the relationship between high Mianzi consciousness congruence and unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB). UPB refers to actions taken by employees that are intended to benefit their organization but are unethical or morally questionable. By investigating how congruence in proactive and defensive Mianzi consciousness influences the likelihood of engaging in UPB, this research aimed to uncover the underlying social and psychological mechanisms driving such behavior.MethodsEmploying polynomial regression and response surface analysis method, this study developed a model that combines the proactive Mianzi consciousness and the defensive Mianzi consciousness into different Mianzi management strategies and tested the relationship between high Mianzi consciousness congruence and UPB.ResultsSample data collected at two time points one month apart supported all hypotheses. Specifically, the findings revealed that high levels of Mianzi consciousness congruence (i.e., all-around type in Mianzi management strategies) positively relate to UPB, and verified the mediation effect of external work locus of control and the moderation effect of relational psychological contract.ConclusionThis research advanced a novel, synergistic perspective on the role of social Mianzi and contributed to the localized UPB research, thus helping to find a path to prevent UPB from occurring in the Chinese sociocultural context.

Advances in the Digitization and Mobilization of Natural History Collections in Guatemala

Since its development in 2020, the Guatemala Biodiversity Portal (Fig. 1), generated with Symbiota (Gries et al. 2014, Gilbert et al. 2020, Symbiota Support Hub 2021), has turned into an outstanding resource to facilitate the digitization, mobilization, and use of specimen data from local natural history collections (Orellana et al. 2023). More than 50,000 records and several thousands of images from Guatemalan zoological, botanical, mycological, and paleontological collections have been shared online for the first time in this portal. An integrated Symbiota installation allows further data mobilization to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF.org 2024a), amplifying its impact on biodiversity research at an international level. To date, more than 42,000 records have been shared from the Guatemala Biodiversity Portal (GBIF.org 2024b), promoting visibility and recognition for national collections and researchers as shown by more than 300 citations in scientific literature, and the presence of at least 50 local collectors and taxonomists in the platform, Bionomia (Shorthouse 2020). Personalized training, documentation, and technical support have been key to the growing success of the portal (Orellana et al. 2022a, Portal de Biodiversidad de Guatemala 2023). Continuous leadership provided by portal managers and the Symbiota team has additionally amplified the active participation of the Guatemalan collections community. Engagement with undergraduate students has also been crucial to increasing the volume of specimen digitization. Outreach and crowdsourcing activities, as well as guided assignments and temporary internships in research projects, have contributed to transcribing most of the available data. Careful supervision by collection and portal managers, integrated data cleaning tools (Pearson 2021), and a curated taxonomic thesaurus (Orellana et al. 2022b) help maintain the accuracy of the digital records in the portal. Furthermore, the improving accessibility to specimen data from Guatemalan collections and tailored resources in a bilingual Spanish-English interface (e.g., interactive checklists, Pearson and Walker 2021), have made the portal an important source of information, enabling local researchers to develop and share studies about the natural diversity of the country (Prado et al. 2023, Vásquez-Almazán 2023). Additional outcomes, strategies, and reflections about the dynamics of the community will be shared during the presentation.

A cross-sectional study assessing concordance with advance care directives in a rural health district.

To measure compliance with Advance Care Directives (ACDs) for decedents in a rural setting. Observational, cross-sectional medical records audit comparing requests in ACDs with actual outcomes. Rural Australian coastal district. People who had an ACD, died during the study period (30 May 2020 to 15 December 2021) and participated in a local research project. Compliance was measured by comparing stated requests in the ACD with outcomes recorded in medical records. This included the place of death and a list of 'unacceptable interventions'. Sixty-eight people met the inclusion criteria (age range of 46-92 [mean 67 years; median 74 years]; 42 [62%] male). The main cause of death was cancer (n = 48; 71%). Preferred place of death was not stated in 16 ACDs. Compliance with documented preferred place of death was 63% (33/52): 48% (16/33) when the preferred place of death was home; 78% (7/9) when sub-acute was preferred; and 100% (10/10) when hospital was preferred. Compliance was 100% with 'unacceptable interventions'. These results demonstrate strong compliance with rural patients' requests in ACDs, particularly 'unacceptable interventions'. Home was the most common preferred place of death, but the compliance measure (48%) was the lowest in this study. This requires further exploration.

In India, most principal investigators have run very few trials over the years.

In the past, clinical trials run in India have been the subject of criticism. Among other steps to improve the trial ecosystem, for some time the government limited the number of trials that a Principal Investigator (PI) could run to three at a time. We were interested to know how many trials PIs in India tend to run at a time. We accessed the 52,149 trial records hosted by the Clinical Trials Registry-India in April 2023. Of these, we shortlisted trials that had run in India, were interventional, and involved certain interventions such as drug, biological etc. We used multiple parameters, such as email ID, phone number etc. to determine whether one name always represented the same PI and whether two names corresponded to the same PI. We then determined how many trials each PI had run. We found that 3,916 unique PI names were associated with 6,665 trials. Of these, 2,963 (75.7%) PIs had run a single study. Only 251 (6.4%) had run more than three trials. A mere 14 PIs had run 20 or more trials. The 14 PIs were affiliated with local pharma companies (6), local or global contract research organizations (4), multinational pharma companies (3) and the Central Council for Research in Homeopathy (1). The maximum number of trials run by a single PI was 108. Of these, the largest number run in a single year, 2022, was 53. Each PI name needs to be connected to a unique ID that does not change with time, so that it is easier to track the number of trials that a given PI has run. The number of studies run by a given PI at a given time must not be excessive and needs to be monitored more actively. The government needs to consider whether a cap on the number of trials that a PI runs at a time is required and what infrastructure needs to be in place to facilitate higher numbers of trials. Trial registry records need to be updated more regularly. Other countries may wish to do likewise.

Seasonal and vertical tidal variability in the Southeastern Mediterranean Sea

Currents and pressure records from the DeepLev mooring station and drifter data in the eastern Levantine Basin were analyzed to identify the dominant tidal constituents and their seasonal and depth variability. Harmonic and spectral analysis of seasonal segments of currents and pressure reveal key attributes of the tidal regime: (1) dominant semidiurnal sea level variability; (2) seasonal variation of semidiurnal and diurnal tides in both currents and pressure datasets; and (3) significant diurnal currents with weak semidiurnal currents across all seasons. The most dominant tidal constituent from the pressure dataset is the M2 (12.4 h). Results from pressure datasets align with previous models and observations of semidiurnal tides. In contrast, the diurnal tides are larger than previously reported by 8—9 cm in the winter and 1—2 cm in the summer. The surface current tidal regime differs from prior reports in the eastern Levantine Basin, with M2 magnitudes weaker by 1 cm s-1, while the diurnal tides (K1, O1) are 1—2 cm s-1 larger. Seasonal segments showed seasonal differences in the local tidal regime’s amplitudes. The most pronounced seasonal differences were with the K1 and S2 tides, with differences between winter and fall of 7 cm for the K1 and 4 cm between summer and fall for the S2. We utilized the DeepLev datasets to compare a moored device with surface drifters near DeepLev by analyzing the M2 and S2 tides. Additionally, we examined data at different dataset lengths, considering the time constraints needed to resolve the tides adequately. Longer datasets improved the resolution of the tidal analysis and reduced amplitude leakages from nearby frequencies, resulting in a more realistic and accurate analysis of the tidal currents. Conversely, longer datasets resulted in fewer drifters remaining our study region for the allotted dataset length. From 32 available segments in 15 day dataset to 7 with a 30 day dataset, reducing the effectiveness of drifters as a local tidal research tool.

Chemical characterization and angiotensin-I converting enzyme inhibitory activity of Indonesian stinky beans

The chemical composition of four Indonesian stinky beans has been explored. Those bean are Petai (Parkia speciosa), Lamtoro Gung (Leucaena leucochepala ssp. Glabrata (Rose) S. Zarate), Jengkol (Pithecellobium jiringa) and Kabau (Archidendron bubalinum). This exploration belongs to the local food utilization research theme of functional food sources. Those beans have a unique flavour and usually lead to foul stools, sweat, urine or mouth odour. Their intense flavour may be due to the content of amino acids. High hydrophobic and negative charge hydrophilic amino acids are crucial in preventing hypertension through inhibition of angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) activity. This study evaluated the chemical properties of beans and its angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory (ACE-I) peptides. The amino acid profile was determined as preliminary data to ensure the content of hydrophobic and negative charge hydrophilic amino acids. Their ability to inhibit ACE was studied to represent an antihypertensive effect. In vitro gastrointestinal digestion was applied to obtain more small molecular peptides and evaluate their ACE-I activity after digestion. Petai has the highest glutamic acid (20.90 g/100 g protein d.b.), lysine (13.31 g/100 g protein d.b.), arginine (11.76 g/100 g protein d.b.), leucine (10.98 g/100 g protein d.b.), and aspartic acid (10.72 g/100 g protein d.b.). Fresh Jengkol has the highest ACE-I activity (67.59%). Subsequential digestion by pepsin and pancreatin improves the ACE-I activity, and Kabau had the highest (79.87%). Based on the results, Indonesian stinky beans can prevent hypertension by inhibiting ACE activity and being used as a protein source alternative

Primates in the Hood (Primates en el Barrio): Improving knowledge of threatened primates through schools science projects in rural settings in San Martin, Peru.

We aimed to improve knowledge among high school students on local environmental issues, with emphasis on the ecology and threats to primates in the Alto Mayo Valley of San Martin Region, Peru. The Alto Mayo Valley is home to at least 8 species of primate, including the endemic and Critically Endangered San Martín titi monkey (Plecturocebus oenanthe). San Martin is also the most deforested region of Peru. We used two participatory teaching methods: Experiential learning and inquiry-based education. The learning experiences were activities that guided students to look for solutions to real-life situations. The project consisted of 8 lessons co-designed by us and the participating school teachers, and implemented by the same teachers with our guidance. Lesson 5 was a field trip to a local community conservation area to apply primatological field techniques and gather scientific data. The students' final product was a video presentation and a poster of their results. One hundred percent of students acknowledged they learned something new about their local environment, primates, conservation, and research. Experiential learning techniques are effective in developing awareness, knowledge and self-advocacy amongst school students. Our inquiry-based method placed students and teachers closer to scientists, helping them to see the role of science in their neighbourhood. This method can be easily adapted to other regions in Peru and globally.

Intelligent Farming Systems in Future Using Machine Learning: A Focus on India

Abstract: The integration of machine learning (ML) into Indian agriculture holds transformative potential for addressing critical challenges such as climate variability, water scarcity, soil degradation, and market fluctuations. This paper explores the current state of ML applications in Indian agriculture, highlighting successful case studies and initiatives led by government, private sector, and academic institutions. It discusses the technological integration of ML with the Internet of Things (IoT), remote sensing, and blockchain to enhance precision farming practices. Key barriers to widespread adoption, including data quality, infrastructure, and farmer awareness, are identified, along with strategies to overcome them. Future directions emphasize the importance of robust data infrastructure, localized ML models, collaborative research, sustainable practices, and supportive policy frameworks. By leveraging ML, Indian agriculture can achieve significant improvements in productivity, sustainability, and profitability.

“They don't have the luxury of time”: interviews exploring the determinants of public health research activity that contextualise embedded researcher roles in local government

BackgroundEmbedded researchers are a novel intervention to improve the translation of research evidence into policy and practice settings, including public health. These roles are being implemented with increasing popularity, but they often lack clear evaluative frameworks. Understanding initial levels of research activity, including associated barriers and opportunities, is essential to developing theories of change and thus shaping the roles and defining expectations. We aimed to identify the principal determinants of research activity in public health that contextualise embedded researcher roles, including attributes of the embedded researcher themselves.MethodsWe undertook seventeen semi-structured interviews with embedded researchers in diverse public health settings in English local government. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsWe identified thirteen interlinked determinants of research activity within local government public health settings. Research and interpersonal skills, as well as pre-existing connections and knowledge within local government, were highly valued individual attributes for embedded researchers. Resource deficiencies (funding, time, and infrastructure) were primary barriers to research activity, whereas a strong local appetite for evidence informed decision making presented a valuable opportunity. However, there was inconsistencies across public health teams relating to perceptions of what constituted “research” and the resources that would be required.ConclusionsOur results suggest that successful embedded researchers will have equally strong research and communication skills and should be offered mentorship and clear career progression pathways. Perceptions of research within local government are closely linked to resource deficiencies and senior endorsement. Embedded researchers could benefit from taking the time to develop locally contextualised knowledge of this research culture. Theories of change for embedded researchers should conceptualise the interconnections across individual, interpersonal, and organisational barriers and opportunities underlying local government research activity. Further research is needed to identify methods for exploring the influence of embedded researchers as well as to unpack the stages of research activity within local government and the associated behaviours.

First Graduated Women Architects and Urbanists in Eastern Mediterranean Europe 1900-2000. The Cases of Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey

This paper provides an overview of the history of the first women graduates in architecture in Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey. Based on a review of digital archives and secondary sources written by local researchers, the aim of this research is to contribute to the dissemination and valorisation of women’s work and contributions to the history of modern architecture. The three countries under study constitute one of the most interesting European peripheries from the point of view of architecture, but also from the point of view of gender studies and women’s history. Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey, with their peculiarities and differences, condense in their recent history the political and cultural milestones that clearly show the direct link between the advance of democracy and women’s rights. Similarly, all this has an impact on architecture and urban planning; from the type and focus of projects and plans that are developed as a priority, to the people who are recognised and validated by architectural culture and its historical narrative. The research reveals the barriers and alliances of the first generations of women who studied architecture in Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey. It also reveals certain trends in the way the profession is practised, almost always linked to the socio-political context of the country and the percentage of women in the profession, among other considerations. Working for public institutions is seen as a priority working environment from which many of them have been able to make great contributions to their countries, developing infrastructures, public facilities and regulatory frameworks to improve spatial standards. Housing and heritage conservation are two areas in which these generations of women have been particularly active, some of them becoming international references in this field.

The famous fish beds of Lebanon: the Upper Cretaceous Lagerstätten of Haqel, Hjoula, Nammoura and Sahel Aalma

The fossils of the Lebanese Upper Cretaceous Lagerstätten, especially the articulated fish, are world renowned. Famous for their soft tissue preservation and highly sought after by fossil collectors, Lebanese fossils provide key information concerning the evolution of several major extant and extinct groups of Mesozoic organisms including cephalopods, crustaceans, hagfish, sharks, marine reptiles and pterosaurs. In fact, fossils from Lebanon are so exceptional that historical documentation describing them extends back to the Roman Empire. However, despite over 1600 years of knowledge of these fossils, a thorough understanding of the depositional environments, taphonomy and palaeoecology of the four main sites, Haqel, Hjoula, Nammoura (each Cenomanian in age) and Sahel Aalma (Santonian), is lacking. Here we compile a review of the palaeoenvironments, fauna and flora of these four Lebanese Lagerstätten. Our synthesis outlines the history of fossil discovery, and describes the current understanding of the geology, ages, mode of preservation and organisms found at these four sites. We also undertake a bibliometric and holotype analysis to investigate the impact that scientific colonialism has had on Lebanon. Our data confirm that local Lebanese researchers are typically not included in publications pertaining to Lebanese fossils and that the majority of Lebanese type material is stored in large historical collections outside Lebanon, predominantly in institutions within the northern hemisphere. Here, we recommend some basic practices for researchers utilizing historical collections that can help develop local Lebanese fossil collections and establish more research opportunities for local palaeontologists.

Development and Unfolding of the Life Course Movement in the Field of Maternal and Child Health: An Oral History.

A life course perspective in maternal, child, and family health allows for integrated exploration of outcomes, incorporating multifactorial determinants of health to interrogate sources of inequity and identify opportunities for intervention. This article explores the historical development, integration, and implications of the contemporary life course perspective in the field of maternal and child health (MCH), and particularly the people and events which institutionalized the framework as central to national and local MCH practice and research over the last decades. Drawing on an oral history approach, key leaders of the life course movement in MCH were interviewed. Lived experiences and personal recollections of six interviewees were recorded and synthesized using a narrative descriptive approach to portray the social ecology of the movement's origins. We documented systematic efforts made in the first two decades of the 21st century to consciously promote life course through convening a National MCH Life Course Invitational Meeting, incorporating life course as a foundational framework for strategic planning at the Maternal Child Health Bureau, and development of tools and resources by MCH professional organizations. The integration of life course theory into the MCH field signified a major shift towards addressing protective and social factors, which aligns with the field's historical emphasis on social justice and rights-based approaches, and parallels the broader public health movement towards social determinants of health and the need to address structural racism. The ongoing relevance of the life course approach in promoting reproductive justice and addressing inequities in health underscores the historical importance of its adoption and use in the current mainstream of MCH research, policy, and practice.

To mentor and be mentored in Grade R

Research suggests that beginner teachers face challenges when transitioning from pre-service to in-service teaching. Both nternational and local research found that transitioning from preservice to newly qualified teachers can be problematic. This study explores the learning experiences of beginner foundation phase Grade R teachers. The study utilises a qualitative research design embedded in the interpretivist paradigm. Data were collected from six foundation phase Grade R teachers using semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. The findings show that beginner teachers face enormous challenges early in their careers, and their sustainability in the classroom depends on how well they address these challenges. The findings have significant implications for the implementation of formal mentoring in practice.

An extended TOE framework for local government technology adoption for citizen participation: insights for city digital twins for collaborative planning

Purpose This study aims to understand and explain factors that influence how, when and under which conditions local governments adopt digital technologies for citizen collaboration. It discusses what these findings mean for city digital twin adoption. Design/methodology/approach This research uses the systematic literature review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) process to collect and evaluate evidence needed to answer the research questions. It uses the technology–organisation–environment (TOE) framework and proposes an additional dimension: “stakeholders” as the analytical framework. Findings Critical influential factors identified include the technology dimension: security and privacy; organisation dimension: top management support; environment dimension: political influence; and stakeholders’ dimension: technological experience. Research limitations/implications This research extends the TOE framework and comprehensively analyses those factors which relate to citizens but significantly impact local government’s decision to adopt digital tools for collaboration purposes. This research posits that in the context of local government technology adoption for collaboration, both the organisation and stakeholders’ dimensions are critical. Social implications This research contributes to the government-citizen discourse and provides a constructive understanding of technological transformation in collaborative planning. The findings are helpful for local governments, researchers and geospatial industries as they offer a critical understanding of digital technology adoption, particularly city digital twins, for collaborative planning. Originality/value This study extends the TOE framework to include aspects relating to citizens. It provides a nuanced understanding of the influential factors and intricacies of technology adoption by local governments for citizen collaboration. It also discusses relevant issues of city digital twins’ adoption by local governments for citizen participation.

Coerced consent in clinical research: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundDespite the low-risk nature of participation in most clinical anesthesia trials, subject recruitment on the same day as surgery is often restricted due to the concerns of researchers and local research ethics boards that same-day consent may not afford adequate time and opportunity for patients to weigh and make decisions, as well as perceptions of patient vulnerability immediately prior to surgery that could impact the voluntary nature and the rigor of the informed consent process. However, specialties such as anesthesiology, critical care, interventional radiology, and emergency medicine have a varied pattern of practice and patient acquaintance that does not typically afford the luxury of time or, in many cases, advance consent for participation in research. Indeed, the initial encounter between anesthesiologists and patients undergoing elective procedures routinely occurs on the day of surgery. Concerns of coercion related to same-day consent for clinical anesthesia research trials have not been borne out in the literature, and represent a significant obstacle to clinical researchers, as well as to the patients who are denied opportunities for potential benefit through participation in research studies.MethodsWe describe the protocol for a prospective randomized controlled trial examining the voluntariness of patient consent, solicited either in advance of surgery or on the same day, to participate in an anesthesia research study at Women’s College Hospital. One hundred fourteen patients scheduled to undergo ambulatory anterior cruciate ligament repair facilitated by general anesthesia with an adductor canal block will be randomized for recruitment either (a) in the pre-operative assessment clinic before the day of surgery or (b) on the day of surgery, to be approached for consent to participate in a fabricated research study of adjunct medications in adductor canal blocks. Regardless of allocation, patients in both groups will receive the same routine standard of care and will complete a post-operative questionnaire to signal perceptions of undue influence in the process of providing informed consent for the fabricated trial.DiscussionThis study will inform trial design and practice guidelines surrounding the amount of time patients ought to be afforded in order to make durable decisions to participate (or not) in clinical research studies. This is expected to impact trial recruitment in a variety of clinical settings where researchers have only brief opportunities to interface with patients.Trial registrationThe trial was registered prospectively on the Open Science Framework (OSF), registration #46twc, on 2023-Mar-17.

A Comparative Study between Fascia Iliaca Block and Femoral Nerve Block for Postoperative Analgesia after Intertrochanteric Fracture Surgery

Abstract Background Intertrochanteric fracture surgery is a common orthopedic procedure worldwide, pain may be severe, and the patients generally require a significant amount of opioid-based analgesics after such procedures. Peripheral nerve blocks offer effective analgesia and decrease the need for opioids, thereby reducing the complications associated with the use of this class of drug. Pain management regimens following Intertrochanteric fracture surgery include oral analgesics, periarticular injection, peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs), and intravenous patient- controlled analgesia (PCA). Objective To compare the analgesic efficacy and functional recovery of Fascia iliaca block and FNB in patients who have undergone Hip surgery. Methods This prospective randomized clinical trial study was conducted in Ain Shams University hospital after approval of the anesthesia department and the local ethics and research committee over 6 months and after obtaining a written informed consent. Sixty patients underwent Intertrochanteric fracture surgery under spinal anaesthesia regarding postoperative pain and early ambulation were included in the study their ages range between 40 to 75 years old and classified as ASA I and II. The patients were randomly divided using computer generated randomization into two groups 30 patients in each (n = 30). Results The two groups were compared as regard pain control post operatively. Numerical rating scale (NRS) was used to assess pain post operatively and used at regular interval (PACU, After 15min., After 30min., After 45min., After 1 hr., After 1.5 hrs., After 2 hrs., After 4 hrs., After 6 hrs., After 8 hrs., After 10 hrs., After 12 hrs., After 14 hrs., After 16 hrs., After 18 hrs., After 20 hrs., After 22 hrs. and After 24 hrs.). And there is no significant difference between two groups, with p- value (p > 0.05 NS). As regard to total dose of narcotics used in each group, there is no difference in postoperative nalbuphine consumption. The two groups are compared as regard to quadriceps weakness, onset of ambulation and there was a significant difference between two groups. Conclusion Fascia iliaca block is more effective than Femoral Nerve Block in in patient satisfaction for post-operative analgesia and equally effective with femoral nerve block in post-operative ambulation after Intertrochanteric fracture surgery.

Outcome of Neonatal Registry Through Electronic Medical Registry at Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Children's Hospital of Ain Shams University

Abstract Background The neonatal mortality rate is 19 deaths per 1000 live births worldwide. Studies have shown that neonatal registry network systems can provide the necessary data for establishing evidence- based strategies to decrease the complications in high-risk neonates and consequently reduce neonatal mortality rate. Aim of the Work To determine the frequency and distribution of neonatal critical illnesses in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Ain Shams University. Patients and Methods This descriptive study was conducted in NICU, Children's Hospital, Ain Shams University. The data collected from initiated neonatal registry through electronic medical record to reach sample size number (381) patients. The current study was conducted after approval by the Department of Pediatrics, and the local Ethics and Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University. Results The mean ± (SD) age at admission was 5.52 ± 6.9 days, gestational age was 36.19 ± 2.47 weeks, more than half of our patients were males (55.6%) and females represented in (44.4%). Two- thirds (64.2%) of our participants were full term, and preterm were only (35.7%). The main etiology of NICU admission was respiratory disease (35.7%), followed by neonatal sepsis (25.2%), neonatal jaundice (21%), congenital anomalies (12.3%), CNS diseases (6.8%), inborn errors of metabolism (1%) and mortality rate was 10.5%. Four cases had inborn errors of metabolism in the form of: Maple syrup urine disease (one case), organic academia (one cases) and 2 cases referred to genetic clinic for further assessment. Congenital heart diseases in our study was reported in (7.9%) of neonates. The main etiology among them was reported in following order: PDA / pulmonary hypertension (26.7%), VSD (13.3%), Fallot tetralogy (10%), transposition of great arteries (10%), supraventricular tachycardia (6.7%) then many etiologies represented in 3.3% as Ebstein anomaly, right single ventricle, heart block, pulmonary artery stenosis, arrhythmia, tricuspid atresia and left hypoplastic heart disease. Conclusion This study showed the ability of the electronic medical record to store large amounts of data which creates a potential for information overload in the intensive care (ICU) setting. This will stimulate and facilitate research on neonatal critical illness and its management, mortality and morbidity outcomes of neonates admitted to NICUs in Children's Hospital, Ain Shams University, Egypt.

Ultrasound Guided Subscapularis and Subomohyoid Plane Blocks versus Interscalene Block with Levobupivacaine for Analgesia in Shoulder Surgery

Abstract Background Now Shoulder surgery is a common procedure, particularly as it is associated with reduced hospitalization times, even though the technique may lead to moderate and severe postoperative pain. In recent years, various studies have been carried out that demonstrated the need for valid anaesthetic techniques that allow adequate control of postoperative pain and also favour early mobilization and rehabilitation. Subscabularis and subomohyoid plane blocks allow pain control after shoulder surgery while decreasing the need of opioids and pain medication after surgery. In contrast to interscalene brachial plexus block, subscabularis and subomohyoid plane blocks carry minor risks of intrathecal injection or post operative respiratory distress. Aim of the Work to compare analgesic efficacy of ultrasound guided subomohyoid and subscapularis plane blocks versus interscalene block using levobupivacaine in both techniques for pain control after shoulder surgery. Patients and Methods This exploratory randomized clinical trial study was conducted in Ain Shams University hospital after approval of the anesthesia department and the local ethics and research committee over 6 months and after obtaining a written informed consent. Sixty patients underwent shoulder surgery under general anesthesia were included in the study their ages range between 21 and 65 years old and classified as ASA I and II. The patients were randomly divided using computer generated randomization and opaque sealed envelopes into two groups 30 patients in each (n = 30). Results In this study we find that combined subscapularis plane and sub-omohyoid injections may serve as an alternative to interscalene block for shoulder analgesia, with less complications. The present study shows no difference in the demographic data between the two groups (p-value >0.05). Also there was no statistically significant difference in the surgery duration between the two groups. But the duration of subomohyoid and subscapularis plane block was longer than the duration of interscalene block, the Mean± SD is (10.80±2.64 minutes) for subomohyoid and subscapularis plane blocks while interscalene block duration is (5.33±1.56 minutes) so there was astatically significant difference P-value <0.001. Conclusion Subscapularis plane and subomohyoid plane blocks can be used as an alternative shoulder analgesia with minor risks.

The research of vibration localization under strong disturbances using modal analysis methods

Abstract Vibration localization is a typical feature of aperiodic structures. This work investigates the vibration localization of framed cylindrical shells with a high disturbance degree. First, the spring oscillator system is considered an example to reveal the general law governing how high disturbance degree influences the vibration transmission in a structure. Then the strong localization coefficient is calculated using the modal analysis method. Finally, the conclusions of the one-dimensional systems are applied to the two-dimensional structures based on the passband approximation equivalent method to derive the strong localization coefficient of the aperiodic ring-ribbed cylindrical shell. This study realizes quantitative calculation of the vibration localization coefficient under high disturbance degree. The results of this work provide theoretical support for reducing the vibration transmission performance of a structure by increasing the degree of disturbance.

Changes of the trace metals in ice core during 1915‒2016 in coastal eastern Antarctica

Antarctic trace metal records provide important information for grasping the influence of human activities on the environment over the last centuries. The CA2016-75 ice core is located along the East Antarctic Zhongshan Station–Dome A, enhances the record of metals research in the East Antarctic region, and its high-resolution supplies data support for the study of high-frequency climatic drivers and the effect of human activities on the Antarctic environment. A thorough dataset on seven trace metals (Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Ba and Pb) in a coastal ice core in eastern Antarctica during the previous 102 years (1915–2016) is presented in this study. Pb has the lowest concentration (9.51 ± 20.95 pg g−1), and Ba has the highest concentration (36.57 ± 51.35 ng g−1). Notable variations are observed between the pre-1968 AD and post-1968 AD phases for Mn, Zn and Ba. The abrupt, remarkable increase in the concentrations coincided with the change of metal smelting production in the southern hemisphere. In addition to this, it may also be related to local Antarctic scientific research activities. Al and Fe, the primary crustal elements, are essentially obtained from soil dust; Cu shows high crustal enrichment factors (EFc, >10), indicating that it is notably affected by anthropogenic activities. Moreover, the anthropogenic activities in the Southern Hemisphere have had an impact on lead deposition in Antarctica. This study not only enriches the trace metal historical record along the Zhongshan Station–Dome A but also provides a high-resolution ice core record, which is very crucial for the reconstruction of trace metal concentration changes in the last 100 years.