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The article discusses research which observed electrocardiogram (ECG) changes in Covid-19 patients during hospitalization. The study examined the association of comorbidities including diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN) and thyroid disease with mortality, between age and mortality, ECG abnormality among Covid-19 cases, and association between ECG and QT changes.

Background: Recent studies have described the bifidobacterial composition of neonates at a species level; however, with advancing technologies we can gain insight into the diversity of the bifidobacterial microbiota residing within the infant gut. Objective: To compare species and strain diversity of culturable bifidobacterial populations in faecal samples obtained from healthy term infants on three different feeding regimes. Study design: In total, 51 healthy term infants were recruited for this study and divided equally into three different groups (n=17) based on their feeding regime during the first 4 weeks of life. Culturable bifidobacterial populations were analysed at week 1, week 4 and 6 months of age. Isolates were characterised to species level by 16s rRNA-internally transcribed spacer (ITS) gene sequence analysis and to strain level by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Results: In total,173 bifidobacterial strains were detected across all three groups from 2295 isolates, 42% (72 of 173) of which were detected in the prebiotic-fed group, followed by 30% (52 of 173) and 28% (49 of 173) in the breastfed and non-prebiotic-fed groups, respectively. Surprisingly, only two of the 51 infants harboured an identical bifidobacterial strain which was not present in the other 49 infants. Prebiotic supplementation in the early neonatal period increased the prevalence of Bifidobacterium longum in infants, in addition to promoting strain diversity. B. longum was the dominant species recovered from all three groups during the first 6 months of life, followed by Bifidobacterium breve and Bifidobacterium bifidum. Conclusions: This study reveals a hitherto unknown level of diversity at the strain level among bifidobacteria isolated from different infants and the influence prebiotic formula feeding has on the bifidobacterial population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the catalyst anatase titanium dioxide (TiO 2) quantum dots (QDs) of size ∼ (2.50–4.00)nm was successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal method. The formation of TiO 2 : QDs has been established by UV–Vis spectroscopy and confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. Here, we report the catalytic action of TiO 2 :QDs on de/re-hydrogenation properties of magnesium hydride (MgH 2 /Mg). By catalyzing MgH 2 through this catalyst, the onset desorption temperature of MgH 2 gets reduced significantly from ∼360 °C (for ball-milled MgH 2) to ∼260 °C. Moreover, the Mg-TiO 2 : QDs sample absorbed a significant amount of hydrogen up to ∼6.10 wt% in just 77sec at 280 °C. Improved rehydrogenation kinetics has been found even at lower temperatures by absorbing ∼5.30 wt% in 74 s at 225 °C and ∼5.0 wt% of hydrogen in 30 min at 100 °C. Based on structural,.microstructural, and XPS investigations, a feasible mechanism for improved hydrogen sorption and cyclic stability in MgH 2 catalyzed with TiO 2 :QDs has been explained and discussed. To our knowledge, no studies have been carried out on the sorption of hydrogen in MgH 2 catalyzed by TiO 2 :QDs. • TiO 2 quantum dots were synthesized by the hydrothermal method. • MgH 2 catalyzed with the TiO 2 :QDs shows good cyclic stability. • Valency change of Ti, leads to improvement of dehydrogenation kinetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality improvement initiatives in neonatology have yielded positive results; however, few programs have demonstrated sustainability. We evaluated an ongoing, national quality improvement initiative (Evidence-based Practice for Improving Quality Phase 3 (EPIQ-3)) on outcomes of preterm neonates with a gestational age (GA) of 220–286 weeks (i.e., from 22 weeks and 0 days of gestation to 28 weeks and 6 days of gestation). Data from 7459 neonates admitted to 25 Canadian centers between 2013 and 2017 were studied. Trends in mortality and major morbidities were evaluated. The number of neonates with a GA of 220–236 weeks increased from 90 in 2013 to 139 in 2017 without a significant change in any other GA categories. In the entire cohort, the odds of composite outcome of mortality or any major morbidity (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61–0.84) and of necrotizing enterocolitis (AOR 0.66, 95% CI 0.49–0.89) were lower in 2017 than in 2013. When calculated per year, the odds of composite outcome (AOR 0.93, 95% CI 0.89–0.97) and odds of necrotizing enterocolitis (AOR 0.89, 95% CI 0.82–0.96) decreased significantly. Among the subgroup of neonates with a GA of 260–286 weeks, the odds of composite outcome (AOR 0.63, 95% CI 0.51–0.79), necrotizing enterocolitis (AOR 0.44, 95% CI 0.26–0.73), and nosocomial infection (AOR 0.64, 95% CI 0.49–0.84) were reduced. The collaborative, multidisciplinary, nationwide EPIQ-3 program improved outcomes of preterm neonates, and the improvement was sustainable over 5 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the preparation of platinum-silicon (Pt/Si) alloys over a wide composition range by reactive magnetron sputtering of platinum in a SiH[sub4] plasma. Technique used to measure the stoichiometry of the alloy deposits; Variation of Si/Pt ratio in the film as a function of flow rate of silane for cathode voltages; X-ray diffraction patterns of the films deposited at room temperature containing several amounts of Pt.

Objective The objective is to evaluate the association between antibiotic utilization and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 to 21 months' corrected age among extremely low gestational age neonates without culture-proven sepsis or necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Study Design We conducted a retrospective cohort study of infants born between April 2009 and September 2011 at <29 weeks' gestation and admitted to the neonatal intensive care units contributing data to the Canadian Neonatal Network. Multivariable analysis was performed to examine the primary composite outcome of death or significant neurodevelopmental impairment (sNDI) in infants with various antibiotic utilization rates (AURs). Result There were 1,373 infants who fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Compared with infants in the lowest AUR quartile (Q1), those in the highest quartile (Q4) had higher odds of death or sNDI (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 7.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.55, 12.2) and death (AOR = 39.3; 95% CI: 16.1, 95.9). Conclusion Our results indicate an association between high AUR and a composite outcome of death or adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 to 21 months' corrected age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the optical response of YBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7] high T[sub c] superconducting quasi-optical millimeter wave bandpass filters operating at W band under various conditions of illumination. Shift in the resonant frequency of the filter.

The low-pressure activated reactive evaporation process was used successfully to grow superconducting thin films that were uniform in thickness, free of cracks, voids, spits, and other source-related defects, and with mirror-like surface smoothness. These are important considerations for the practical use of these materials in thin-film form. No post-deposition annealing was carried out. Tc (0) for films on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrates is close to 80 K, and the (001) preferred orientation was observed with higher deposition temperatures in the range 550–650 °C. Films on silicon and sapphire substrates were adversely affected by interdiffusion, showing a Tc (0) of 56 and 72 K, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]