Purpose
To identify the risk factors for adverse outcomes after pediatric pyeloplasty.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective review of all children under the age of 14 years who underwent primary ...pyeloplasty for unilateral ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction at a single teaching hospital in Tunisia between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2022.
Results
A total of 103 patients were included. Median age of patients at surgery was 27 months (interquartile range IQR, 13–44). On ultrasound, median renal pelvic anteroposterior diameter was 3.2 cm (IQR, 2.3–4), and the median renal cortex thickness (RCT) was 2.5 mm (IQR, 2–3.5). Median differential renal function (DRF) on preoperative radionuclide renal scan was 40% (IQR, 30–46). Postoperative adverse outcomes occurred in 28 patients (27.2%). These included 19 cases of urinary tract infections (UTIs), 11 cases of UPJ restenosis, four cases of UPJ leakage, two cases of urinoma, and two cases of diversion‐related complications. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed two factors significantly and independently related to postoperative negative outcomes: RCT <3 mm and DRF > 50%.
Conclusion
Our study demonstrated that preoperative RCT on ultrasound of less than 3 mm and preoperative DRF on radionuclide renal scan of more than 50% were independent risk factors for adverse outcomes following pediatric pyeloplasty. These factors could be of interest in identifying, early on, patients who will develop postoperative negative outcomes, giving them more attention and support, and explaining the prognosis to the patient and family.
Research concerning factors of death after neonatal surgery is scarce. Insight into mortality might improve perioperative care. This study aimed to identify predictive factors of mortality after ...neonatal surgery in a low income country (LIC).
Charts of all newborn patients who underwent surgical procedures under general anesthesia during the neonatal period in our department of pediatric surgery between January 2010 and December 2017 were reviewed. We used univariate and multivariate analysis to evaluate perioperative variables potentially predictive of early postoperative mortality.
One hundred eighty-two cases were included in the study: 41 newborns (28.6%) were premature (<37 weeks of gestation) and 52 (22.5%) weighed less than 2.5 kg. The most commonly diagnosed conditions were esophageal atresia (24%) and bowel obstruction (19%).
Forty-four patients (24%) died during hospitalization. The highest rate of mortality was observed for congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Univariate analysis showed that perinatal predictive variables of mortality were prematurity, low birth weight, the necessity of preoperative intubation, and duration of surgery more than 2 h. Logistic regression showed three independent risk factors, which are the duration of surgery, low birth weight and the necessity of preoperative intubation.
The overall mortality in infants undergoing neonatal surgery is still high in LICs.
Knowledge of independent risk factors of early mortality may help clinicians to more adequately manage the high-risk population.
Clinical research paper.
III.
This research was aimed to establish reference intervals of some blood parameters in Arbia goats, reared under a traditional system in the semi-arid region of Algeria during different reproduction ...periods. Blood samples were collected from 131 Arbia goats before pregnancy (
n
= 30), during pregnancy (
n
= 56), and during lactation (
n
= 45). Compared with reference intervals in available literatures, the plasma concentrations of Glucose, Creatinine, Cholesterol, Total protein, Albumin, Globulin, Alanine aminotransaminase, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, and Chloride were within at least one of them, but Iron, Calcium, Urea, and Triglycerides mean levels were outside. The percentage of blood parameter values that were outside the reference interval cited by Kaneko et al. (
2008
) was always (except for Phosphorus and Potassium) higher than those that were outside the range reported by Mitruka and Rawnsley (
1977
). Reference values for Triglycerides and Iron were not cited in Kaneko’s book. A significant decrease in the concentrations of Creatinine, Triglycerides, Phosphorus, and Iron and a significant increase of urea and Total protein during lactation were observed. Plasma levels of Sodium, Potassium, and Chloride increased in pregnancy and lactation periods compared with before pregnancy. Reference intervals of the selected blood parameters in Arbia goats in the semi-arid region were determined. The obtained results can be used to control the nutrition and health status of these animals according to the reproductive phase.
Antibiotic residues in milk are a major health threat for the consumer and a hazard to the dairy industry, causing significant economic losses. This study aims to assess the presence of antibiotic ...residues in raw milk comparatively by a rapid screening test (BetaStar
Combo) and Liquid Chromatography coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). A total of 445 samples were collected from 3 dairy companies of north-central Algeria (Algiers, Blida, Boumerdes), and they were rapidly screened for β-lactams and tetracyclines; 52 samples, comprising 34 positive tanker-truck milk and 18 negative bulk-tank milk were tested by LC-MS/MS, which revealed 90.4% were contaminated (
= 47) and 55.3% exceeded the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL). The β-lactams as parent compounds and their metabolites were the most frequently detected with maximum value for cloxacillin (1231 µg/kg) and penicillin G (2062 µg/kg). Under field condition, the false-positive results, particularly for tetracyclines, seems to be related to milk samples displaying extreme acidity values (≥19°D) or fat-level fluctuations (2.7 g/100 mL and 5.6-6.2 g/100 mL). Despite a relatively low prevalence (7.64%) of residues using the rapid test, the detection by LC-MS/MS of flumequine (52 µg/kg), cefaclor (maximum 220 µg/kg) and metabolites of β-lactams at high levels should lead to reflections on the control of their human and environmental toxicological effects.
Peganum harmala L. is a medicinal herbal plant widely used in Algerian traditional medicine. Some reports indicated the toxicity of this plant. In this context, the present study focused on ...investigate the subacute toxicity of alkaloids extract of P. harmala seeds on histo-function of the liver in rats. Sixteen adult Wistar albino rats were divided equally into four groups, and treated intraperitoneally for 30 days. Group I served as control, received water. Group II, group III, and Group IV received daily a single dose of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg b.w of crude alkaloids of P. harmala respectively. Blood was collected for the determination of ALT, AST and ALP. Sections of the liver were prepared for histological studies. The results showed a significant decrease in body weights of animals and a significant increase in relative weights of liver in groups III and IV. Treated groups with alkaloids extract of seeds showed a significant increase in the concentration of ALT, AST, and ALP enzymes as compared to control group. These findings were supported with histopathological examination of liver of treated rats. Liver of groups III and IV suffered from severe tissue damage, which included inflammation, cell necrosis, and increase in the volume of some hepatocytes. Some cells contained more than one nucleus and cytoplasm contained micro vacuoles, indicating the onset of steatosis. In conclusion, these biochemical and pathological changes indicate dysfunction with hepatocyte damage. Therefore, the seeds of P. harmala plant must be used in herbal medicine with caution to avoid toxicity to the organism.
•A new series of N-functionalized thiazolidinones has been synthesized and characterized.•The DFT approach has been used to correlate the experimental data.•N-functionalized thiazolidinone ...derivatives' antibacterial activity was assessed.•N-functionalized thiazolidinones' ADME-T properties have been studied.•The in silico study of the inhibition of DNA gyrase II has been performed.
A new series of N-functionalized thiazolidinones has been synthesized in three steps. Physicochemical and spectroscopic techniques, such as melting point analysis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR have been used to characterize the synthesized compounds. With the aid of density functional theory (DFT), the synthesized compounds optimized molecular structures, IR spectra modeling, reactivity, stability, and several quantum chemical characteristics were all modeled. It was demonstrated that there is significant agreement between the experimental and theoretical results. Furthermore, the antibacterial activity of the compounds under investigation was assessed in order to specifically comprehend the associated mechanisms of action. They also demonstrated good oral bioavailability, according to projected ADME-T and pharmacokinetic parameters. Molecular docking has also been used to predict the inhibitory effect of the investigated drugs on DNA gyrase II.
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Venous thromboembolism (VTE), a term referring to blood clots in the veins, is an underdiagnosed and dangerous, yet avoidable, medical illness that can result in disability and mortality. When a ...blood clot develops in a deep vein, commonly in the lower leg, thigh, or pelvis, it is referred to as a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). To evaluate the risk factors of VTE between cases and controls in the hospital Imam Sadiq Teaching in Babylon City and to predict variables that contribute to the risk factors of VTE among the studied samples. The study was conducted in a hospital, Imam Sadiq Teaching in Babylon, Iraq, and was designed as a case control. There were 165 participants (55 cases and 110 controls). Data was collected during a four-month period. The findings show that there are no significant sociodemographic risk factors for VTE, with the most significant being obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (p. value < 0.05) among patients. The frequency of exercise in patients with VTE and the control group was 20.0%, 36.4% respectively, at a significant level (P. value < 0.05). There was no significant association between risk factors for females and VTE (P. value > 0.05) except for used contraceptive pills and a history of a cesarean operation. There was no significant link between medical history and the outcome of this investigation (hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and lung diseases) ... except kidney disease was likely at a higher risk of VTE than participants who had no kidney disease. Although there is no significant relationship between sociodemographic and VTE, the study found that there was a very high correlation between the risk of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, caesarean sections, oral contraceptives, and renal disease with VTE.
In this study, a novel in-line measurement technique of the air temperature distribution during a granulation process using a conical fluidized bed was designed and built for the purpose of measuring ...the temperature under the Process Analytical Technology (PAT) and introduced to predict the establishment of temperature profiles. Three sets of thermocouples were used, placed at different positions covering the whole operating range, connected to data acquisition measurement hardware, allowing an in-line acquisition and recording of temperatures every second. The measurements throughout the fluidized bed were performed in a steady state by spraying a solution of PVP onto a lactose monohydrate powder bed in order to make predictions of the temperature distribution and the hydrodynamics of the bed during the granulation process using Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) and to establish the different temperature profiles for different process conditions through the precise predicted information by the constructed, trained, validated and tested neural network. The model's testing results showed a strong prediction capacity of the effects of process variables. Indeed, the predicted temperature values obtained with the ANN model were in good agreement with the values measured with in-line reference method and hence the method can have an application as a predictive control tool.
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