Study of pediatric appendicitis scores and management strategies: A prospective observational feasibility study.

Objective: The objective was to investigate the feasibility of prospectively validating multiple clinical prediction scores (CPSs) for pediatric appendicitis in an Australian pediatric emergency department (ED).

Methods: A literature search was conducted to identify potential CPSs and a single-center prospective observational feasibility study was performed between November 2022 and May 2023 to evaluate the performance of identified CPSs. Children 5-15 years presenting with acute right-sided or generalized abdominal pain and clinician suspicion of appendicitis were included.

Poor sleep quality and its associated factors among working adults during COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia.

Background: In Malaysia, a nationwide movement control order (MCO), implemented to curb the COVID-19 spread, impacted on the lives of the working population which could impair sleep quality.

Objective: This study aims to find the sleep quality status and its association with the socioeconomic, employment and lifestyle factors of working adults during the MCO period.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 500 eligible working adults.

A Study on the Shrinkage and Compressive Strength of GGBFS and Metakaolin Base Geopolymer under Different NaOH Concentrations.

Geopolymers (GPs) are gaining prominence due to their low carbon emissions and sustainable attributes. However, one challenge with GPs, particularly those made with ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), is their significant shrinkage during the geopolymerization process, limiting its practical applicability. This study focuses on how the substitution ratio of metakaolin (MK) and the concentration of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in the activator can influence the shrinkage and strength of a GGBFS-based GP.

Left atrial diastasis strain slope is a marker of hemodynamic recovery in post-ST elevation myocardial infarction: the Laser Atherectomy for STemi, Pci Analysis with Scintigraphy Study (LAST-PASS).

Background: Left atrial (LA) mechanics are strongly linked with left ventricular (LV) filling. The LA diastasis strain slope (LADSS), which spans between the passive and active LA emptying phases, may be a key indicator of the LA-LV interplay during diastole.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the LA-LV interdependencies in post-ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), with particular focus on the LADSS.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus Reinfections in Children in Western Australia.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) reinfection in children is poorly understood. We examined the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of hospital-attended RSV reinfections in children <16 years in Western Australia between 2012 and 2022. Individuals with repeat RSV detections ≥56 days apart were identified using laboratory data.

Use of Geopolymer and Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer for Repairing Reinforced Concrete Deck Soffit.

This study aimed to assess the feasibility of utilizing geopolymer for repairing reinforced concrete beams. Three types of beam specimens were fabricated: benchmark specimens without any grooves, rectangular-grooved beams, and square-grooved beams. The repair materials employed included geopolymer material, and epoxy resin mortar, while carbon fiber sheets were used as reinforcement in select cases.

Comparing Factors Associated With Intimate Partner Violence Among Rural and Urban Women in Northern Uganda.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important public health issue with negative effects at individual and societal levels. In northern Uganda, IPV prevalence is high but literature on it is limited. Northern Uganda has a long history of socio-economic and political upheavals, which are recognized risk factors for IPV.

The Length Change Ratio of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag-Based Geopolymer Blended with Magnesium Oxide Cured in Various Environments.

Geopolymer (GP) has been considered a potential material to replace ordinary Portland cement (OPC) because of its excellent mechanical properties and environmentally friendly process. However, the promotion of GP is limited due to the large shrinkage and the different operating procedures compared to cement. This study aims to reduce the shrinkage of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) based GP by the hydration expansion properties of activated magnesium oxide (MgO).

Using Geopolymer Technology on Synthesizing Leucite Ceramics.

The aim of this study is to assess the process of synthesizing potassium-based geopolymers (KGL) into leucite ceramics with regard to five variables, namely, alkaline solution ratio (R), sintering time (S), calcining temperature (T), mixing time (M), and curing time (C). Under these conditions, the specimens were tested by the viscosity test, the mechanical properties test, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to understand the geopolymerization reactions and the characteristics of the KGL network. The results indicate that a KOH to KO/SiO ratio of 1:1 promotes the reaction within metakaolin.

Fabrication of Low-Temperature Sintering Building Bricks Using Drilling Cutting and Geopolymeric Technology.

This study explores the practicability of using drill cutting (DC) as raw material to fabricate building bricks through the high-temperature sintering method and low-temperature geopolymeric setting (LTGS) process. Drilling mud can be recycled and reutilized after certain treatment procedures and is considered as a non-hazardous waste. However, the treatment process is time-consuming and not cost-effective.

Examining the interseasonal resurgence of respiratory syncytial virus in Western Australia.

Background: Following a relative absence in winter 2020, a large resurgence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) detections occurred during the 2020/2021 summer in Western Australia. This seasonal shift was linked to SARS-CoV-2 public health measures. We examine the epidemiology and RSV testing of respiratory-coded admissions, and compare clinical phenotype of RSV-positive admissions between 2019 and 2020.

Sustainable Development and Performance Evaluation of Marble-Waste-Based Geopolymer Concrete.

The key objective of this study was to develop marble-based geopolymer concrete and examine the viability of its application as a sustainable structural material for the construction industry. The results of the research demonstrated that marble-based geopolymer concrete can be developed, and its physical/mechanical properties were shown to have a very good performance. According to various experimental tests and a large-scale ready-mixed plant test, it was found that the marble-based geopolymer concrete displayed a good workability and was not easily influenced by temperature changes.

Characterizing the cancer-associated microbiome with small RNA sequencing data.

The microbiome is recognized as a quasi-organ in the human body. When dysbiosis of the microbiome occurs, this variation may contribute to alterations in the microenvironment, potentially inducing an inflammatory immune response and providing a niche for neoplastic growth. However, there is limited evidence regarding the correlation and interaction between the microbiome and tumorigenesis.

Germline Pathogenic Variants in Homologous Recombination and DNA Repair Genes in an Asian Cohort of Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer.

Background: Growing evidence suggests a role for cancer susceptibility genes such as and in young-onset colorectal cancers Using a cohort of young colorectal cancer patients, we sought to identify and provide functional evidence for germline pathogenic variants of DNA repair genes not typically associated with colorectal cancer.

Methods: We recruited 88 patients with young-onset colorectal cancers seen at a general oncology center. Whole-exome sequencing was performed to identify variants in DNA repair and colorectal cancer predisposition genes.

AlN epitaxy on SiC by low-temperature atomic layer deposition layer-by-layer, atomic layer annealing.

AlN thin films were epitaxially grown on a 4H-SiC substrate atomic layer deposition (ALD) along with atomic layer annealing (ALA). By applying the layer-by-layer, ALA treatment using helium/argon plasma in each ALD cycle, the as-deposited film gets crystallization energy from the plasma, which results in significant enhancement of the crystal quality to achieve a highly crystalline AlN epitaxial layer at a deposition temperature as low as 300 °C. In a nanoscale AlN epitaxial layer with a thickness of ∼30 nm, X-ray diffraction reveals a low full-width-at-half-maximum of the AlN (0002) peak of only 176.

Pediatric Abdominal Pain in Children Presenting to the Emergency Department.

Background: Undifferentiated abdominal pain is a common pediatric presentation to the emergency department (ED).

Objectives: The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of clinically significant abdominal pathology (CSAP) including appendicitis, patterns of imaging and pathology tests, and management and outcomes of children with abdominal pain in ED.

Methods: A prospective multicenter observational cohort pilot study of children under the age of 16 years presenting to 4 Australian EDs with abdominal pain was performed for a 1-month period at each site.

Geographical disparities in emergency department presentations for acute respiratory infections and risk factors for presenting: a population-based cohort study of Western Australian children.

Introduction: Studies examining acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in emergency department (EDs), particularly in rural and remote areas, are rare. This study aimed to examine the burden of ARIs among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children presenting to Western Australian (WA) EDs from 2002 to 2012.

Method: Using a retrospective population-based cohort study linking ED records to birth and perinatal records, we examined presentation rates for metropolitan, rural and remote Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children from 469 589 births.

Accuracy of clinician gestalt in diagnosing appendicitis in children presenting to the emergency department.

Objective: Abdominal pain is a common paediatric presentation to the ED. Accurate diagnosis of acute appendicitis is challenging, with the best-performing clinical scoring systems having sensitivities between 72% and 100%. The aim of this study is to assess the diagnostic accuracy of clinician gestalt according to seniority in diagnosing paediatric acute appendicitis in ED.

C-Terminal Residue of Ultrashort Peptides Impacts on Molecular Self-Assembly, Hydrogelation, and Interaction with Small-Molecule Drugs.

Single molecular changes on a tripeptide can have dramatic effects on their self-assembly and hydrogelation. Herein, we explore C-terminal residue variation on two consistent ultrashort peptide backbones, i.e.

Fluorofunctionalization of C═C Bonds with Selectfluor: Synthesis of β-Fluoropiperazines through a Substrate-Guided Reactivity Switch.

The halofunctionalization of alkene substrates remains an essential tool for synthetic chemists. Herein, we report regioselective ammoniofluorination of unactivated alkenes through photochemical means. A one-pot transformation of the ammonium fluoride products into pharmaceutically relevant β-fluoropiperazines is highlighted.