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To document the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic parameters among normalweight and overweight schoolchildren. Cross-sectional study. Thirteen private schools in urban Faridabad, Haryana. 961 school children aged 5-10 years. Ultrasound testing was done, and 215 with fatty liver on ultrasound underwent further clinical, biochemical and virological testing. Prevalence of fatty liver on ultrasound, and NAFLD and its association with biochemical abnormalities and demographic risk factors. On ultrasound, 215 (22.4%) children had fatty liver; 18.9% in normal-weight and 45.6% in overweight category. Presence and severity of fatty liver disease increased with body mass index (BMI) and age. Among the children with NAFLD, elevated SGOT and SGPT was observed in 21.5% and 10.4% children, respectively. Liver enzyme derangement was significantly higher in overweight children (27% vs 19.4% in normal-weight) and severity of fatty liver (28% vs 20% in mild fatty liver cases). Eleven (8.1%) children with NAFLD had metabolic syndrome. Higher BMI (OR 35.9), severe fatty liver disease (OR 1.7) and female sex (OR 1.9) had strong association with metabolic syndrome. 22.4% of normal-weight and overweight children aged 5-10 years had fatty liver. A high proportion (18.9%) of normal-weight children with fatty liver on ultrasound indicates the silent burden in the population.

Biological synthesis of silver nanoparticles using plants is gaining importance as an economically viable and ecofriendly approach. The present study reports synthesis of silver nanoparticles using an important Himalayan medicinal herbal plant Ocimum kilimandscharicum and the potential of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles for control of plant pathogens. The reducing effect of the aqueous plant extract for synthesis of silver nanoparticles was investigated at different concentrations and temperatures. UV–visible absorption spectrum recorded for samples prepared with different concentrations (20, 30, 40 and 50% v/v) of plant extract and treated at different temperatures (40, 60, 80 °C and room temperature) confirmed the formation of silver nanoparticles. Antimicrobial activity of the silver nanoparticles was tested against Fusarium oxysporum, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Bacillus sp. and Enterobacter cloacae. Complete inhibition of F. oxysporum was observed at 75 ppm concentration of silver nanoparticles as compared to 67.75 ± 1.15 mm radial growth without silver nanoparticles after 7 days of incubation. No growth of C. gloeosporioides was observed in vitro at 100 ppm silver nanoparticles as compared to 44.50 ± 1.14 mm radial growth in the absence of the silver nanoparticles. Inhibitory effect of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles was also observed against bacterial pathogens. The highest inhibition zone of 14.5 ± 1.11 mm was observed against E. cloacae with 100 ppm silver nanoparticles. The obtained results confirm strong antimicrobial activity of the silver nanoparticles synthesized using O. kilimandscharicum against plant pathogens.

Present research work is based on the unique properties of isogeometric analysis (IGA) like smarter, faster and cheaper analysis for the thermo-elastic bending of laminated and sandwich composite plates. IGA, based on isoparametric concept, is a breakthrough in the area of structural analysis, which employs non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) as a basis function to represent less erroneous geometry. Unlike finite-element method (FEM), increasing the polynomial order in IGA gives higher continuous basis functions naturally and easily with reduced computational cost. A procedure has been developed for thermo-elastic bending analysis of laminated composite plates and sandwich structures using IGA approach. The developed NURBS-based code is validated and computational efficacy of thermo-elastic analysis is investigated. A detailed parametric study has been carried out for the quadratic, cubic and quartic NURBS elements with respect to the variation of temperature. Different types of temperature profiles have been considered. Change of deflections, stresses and moment resultants are analysed with an aim to understand the thermo-elastic behaviour of laminated and sandwich composite plates. Several thermo-elastic numerical examples have been analysed extensively. Obtained numerical results are compared with available literature to show the advantage of current formulation.

The Commonwealth of Virginia is used as a representative case to illustrate the implication of federal policy on reading education practices in kindergarten in the United States of America. While Virginia follows the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) policy, it allows local school districts to create innovative instructional and assessment practices that can match the needs of each child. Teachers in Virginia experience a wide range of emergent reading skills in kindergarten inclusive classrooms filled with children of diverse backgrounds and abilities. However, highly qualified teachers try to meet the state Standards of Learning through working side-by-side with children. These kindergarten teachers use student-supportive practices to help them successfully progress from emergent to conventional reading, often with the support of parents and reading specialists. Topics addressed are the implication of the NCLB on reading education policy in Virginia, the Virginia Standards of Learning, practices of teaching reading, and assessment of kindergarten students’ reading ability.

Aims: Eye injuries are the leading cause of monocular blindness in children and are challenging to manage. However, limited follow-up studies currently exist. We describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of open globe injuries presenting to a major UK centre and discuss factors affecting long-term prognosis.PurposeIdentification of (1) demographic features, (2) causes, types and location of injuries, (3) initial clinical features and correlation with visual outcome, and (4) predictors of poor visual outcome.MethodRetrospective study by reviewing and analysing records of 20 patients, aged 16 years and below, who had undergone repair of an open globe injuries at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, UK. Data recorded included demographic data, mechanisms and location of injury, visual acuity, clinical signs on presentation, surgical procedures, postoperative complications, and final visual acuity.ResultsThe study group comprised of 85% male subjects, 15% female subjects. The average age was 9.8 years (range: 1-15). Average follow-up was 16.3 months (range: 3-48 months). Sharp objects (mainly glass or knife) accounted for the majority (65%) of injuries. Initial clinical signs associated with poor visual outcomes included poor initial visual acuity, cataract, RAPD, and no initial red reflex. Younger patients and blunt injuries (especially BB gun injuries) had worse visual outcomes.ConclusionFactors suggesting unfavourable final visual acuity after open globe injuries in children are (1) young age at presentation, (2) poor initial visual acuity, (3) presence of a relative afferent papillary defect, (4) absence of red reflex, (5) cataract, and (6) types and number of surgeries performed.Awareness and education with regard to prevention of paediatric injuries need to be actively implemented. Language: en

Optic disc asymmetry is a common finding. In the majority of cases automated visual fields are normal. However, in a minority, a visual field defect may lead to a diagnosis of normal tension glaucoma. Rarely, the optic discs and visual field deteriorate irrespective of the normal or reduced intraocular pressure.

Cord blood lymphocytes are functionally immature and have deficient immune responses. In order to determine whether the process of programmed cell death is distinct between cord blood and peripheral blood lymphocytes, we analyzed the expression of fas and bax (apoptosis promoting genes) and bcl-2 and bcl-x L (apoptosis inhibiting genes) at protein or mRNA levels using flow cytometry and quantitative PCR methods, respectively. The susceptibility of T cell subsets from cord blood and adult peripheral blood to undergo apoptosis following restimulation with anti-CD3 or anti-Fas monoclonal antibodies was also studied. We observed that cord blood T cell subsets expressed lower levels of Fas and Bcl-2, a low bcl-2/bax ratio, and higher bcl-x L compared to peripheral blood. Additionally, upon primary stimulation with anti-CD3, cord blood T cell subsets were more resistant to apoptosis compared to peripheral blood. In contrast, rechallenge of previously stimulated lymphocytes with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody triggered apoptosis in a larger proportion of T cells from cord blood as compared to peripheral blood, whereas the number of T cells undergoing anti-Fas-induced programmed cell death were lower in cord blood compared to peripheral blood.

The borate polyhedra BO 3 3− , B(OH)3, BO 4 5− , and B(OH) 4 − are studied using the ab initio and multiple scattering Xα quantum mechanical methods. The ab initio self-consistent-field (SCF) molecular orbital (MO) method, at the minimum basis set level, predicts equilibrium B-O distances within 0.04 A of their average values in solids so long as the polyhedron charge is small. Orbital energies from double zeta basis set ab initio calculations and analogies with isoelectric compounds are used to assign the X-ray spectra of BO 3 3− and to predict the valence region spectra of BO 4 5− . Contour maps of the difference between molecular and superimposed free atom electron densities show charge buildup along the B-O bond which is only slightly smaller than that observed in CO 3 2− .

The stool pH and sugar were examined in 76 breast fed and 38 formula fed premature infants. The stool pH decreased gradually till 5th day of life and then increased again. Stool sugar was not more than 0.75 percent in breast fed and 0.5 percent in formula fed during first seven days of life. A premature infant with stool pH 0.5 percent after seventh day of life needs to be investigated for pathological sugar malabsorption.