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Maternal ready-to-use supplementary foods (M-RUSF) have been shown to improve birth outcomes among undernourished pregnant women. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and choline have been hypothesized to further improve gestational duration and cognitive development. The primary objective of this study was to determine the acceptability and feasibility of a new formulation of M-RUSF, referred to as MRUSF+, that included fish oil, containing about 400 to 500 mg DHA and EPA, and 550 mg choline among pregnant women in the Pujehun District of Sierra Leone. Both the control and the experimental supplementary foods contained 18 g of high quality protein and 580 kcal, with generous amounts of all essential micronutrients. The ration size was 100 g/d. Both intervention and control recipes were locally produced using peanut paste by the Project Peanut Butter Factory in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The fish oil was added to the M-RUSF+ after all the grinding had been accomplished to limit degardation. The study used a 2x2 crossover design to assess the acceptability of the M-RUSF and M-RUSF+ formulations. Pregnant women were assigned to one of two sequences of foods: either M-RUSF+ followed by M-RUSF, or M-RUSF followed by M-RUSF+. Each food was given for one week. Fifty-one pregnant women were enrolled (day 0), with data collection occurring on days 3, 7, 10 and 14 after enrollment. At each visit, women returned the packets, either empty or partially consumed. Acceptability was assessed at all follow-up visits based on overall consumption, likeability, and adverse events reported. Consumption of M-RUSF and M-RUSF+ averaged 99%. The likability scores averaged 4.8 and 4.9 out of 5 for M-RUSF and M-RUSF+, respectively. For 85/90 visits during which M-RUSF+ was being consumed and 77/83 visits during which M-RUSF was being consumed, the foods were rated with a likability score of 5. Adverse events, defined as diarrhea, vomiting or rash were infrequent (<7%) and showed no significant differences. These results suggest that both M-RUSF and M-RUSF+ are acceptable and feasible for use among pregnant women in the Pujehun District, Sierra Leone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multicellular microbial communities are the predominant form of existence for microorganisms in nature. As one of the most primitive social organisms, Myxococcus xanthus has been an ideal model bacterium for studying intercellular interaction and multicellular organization. Through previous genetic and EM studies, various extracellular appendages and matrix components have been found to be involved in the social behavior of M. xanthus, but none of them was directly visualized and analyzed under native conditions. Here, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging and in vivo force spectroscopy to characterize these cellular structures under native conditions. AFM imaging revealed morphological details on the extracellular ultrastructures at an unprecedented resolution, and in vivo force spectroscopy of live cells in fluid allowed us to nanomechanically characterize extracellular polymeric substances. The findings provide the basis for AFM as a useful tool for investigating microbial-surface ultrastructures and nanomechanical properties under native conditions.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research was to investigate whether it is possible to perform ultra-early interventional electroacupuncture on individuals who had experienced intravenous thrombolysis prior to receiving therapy for acute cerebral infarction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who have undergone intravenous thrombolysis between July 2019 and March 2021 were eligible for participation in this study. The participants were divided into two groups; one group received electroacupuncture therapy 24 hours after their condition became stable, while the other group received treatment 48 hours after their condition became stable. Both groups received the same therapy for their respective forms of rehabilitation. The Fugl-Meyer Motion Assessment Scale (FMA) was used to assess the patients' motor function before and after therapy, as well as two weeks and one month after treatment. The scores of the FMA were recorded before and after treatment. RESULTS: After therapy, the FMI scores were higher in both groups (p<0.05), and the researchers found that the ultra-early electroacupuncture intervention was related to higher FMI ratings 2 weeks and 1 month after treatment (p<0.05). In neither of the two study groups was there any sign of a major adverse response or consequence (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This research offers evidence that ultra-early interventional electroacupuncture rehabilitation therapy may be an effective and safe method of treatment for individuals who have had a cerebral infarction after receiving intravenous thrombolysis. The results lend credence to the notion that this kind of therapy should be taken into consideration as an adjunctive model for rehabilitation in patients of this type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a serious pregnancy complication, and women with undiagnosed diabetes mellitus can develop chronic hyperglycemia during pregnancy. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of information-based continuity of care on glucose levels, health awareness, and maternal and infant outcomes in pregnant women with GDM, thereby providing a basis for the clinical implementation of effective interventions for GDM to reduce or avoid adverse outcomes due to GDM. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred and sixty cases of pregnant women with GDM who underwent treatment in the obstetrics and gynecology department of our hospital from June 2019 to September 2021 were randomly selected as the study population and divided into the control group (n=80) and the study group (n=80). Women in the control group were received with conventional nursing intervention, and those in the study group were obtained with information-based continuity of care on the basis of the control group. Basic clinical data were collected. The levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2h postprandial glucose (2hPG), knowledge of health education, treatment compliance scores, and changes in delivery outcomes were compared between the two groups. According to the maternal blood glucose control level, 160 pregnant women with GDM were divided into the better control group (143 cases) and the poor control group (17 cases). The risk factors affecting the level of maternal glycemic control in gestational diabetes were analyzed. RESULTS: After the intervention, the levels of FBG and 2hPG were significantly lower in both groups than those before the intervention, while the levels of FBG and 2hPG in the study group were notably lower than those in the control group. The health education knowledge score and treatment compliance score after the intervention were significantly higher than those before the intervention, and the health education knowledge score and treatment compliance score in the study group were observably higher than those in the control group (p<0.01). The adverse pregnancy outcomes of pregnant women in the study group were significantly reduced compared with those in the control group (p<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that body mass index (BMI), dietary control, literacy, and information-based continuity of care were all influential factors for maternal glycemic control level (p<0.05). Among the influencing factors, dietary control and continuity of care had clinical value in predicting maternal glycemic control levels in gestational diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous nursing based on informatization can effectively control the blood glucose level of pregnant women with GDM, improve the treatment compliance of pregnant women and the awareness rate of gestational diabetes knowledge so as to reduce the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes and improve the health level. In addition, BMI and dietary control are independent risk factors that affect the blood glucose control level of pregnant women. Relevant intervention measures should be formulated according to the relevant influencing factors to effectively control the blood glucose level of pregnant women with GDM and improve maternal and infant outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]