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Background: Prelabour rupture of membranes (PROM) refers to membrane rupture that occurs prior to the initiation of labor. PROM occurs most commonly at term (thirty-seven weeks or longer of pregnancy). Objectives: To estimate the infection’s prevalence of pregnant females presented with PROM and isolate the causative infective pathogens. Patients and methods: This cohort cross sectional observational investigation was conducted on 100 pregnant women (≥ 32 weeks of gestation) presented with recent preterm PROM (pPROM) or PROM and referred to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Qena University Hospital, South Valley University, from October 2021 to October 2023. Results: The gestational age of studied cases with PROM ranged from 32 to 40 weeks, with a mean ± SD of 34.02 ± 4.01 weeks. Positive culture (bacterial growth) was reported in 11% of women, while 89% of them showed no bacterial growth. Those women who reported bacterial growth, 5% of them had gram +ve cocci (Staph. Aureus), 4% had gram -ve bacilli (E. coli), while 2% cases had gram + ve cocci (Staph. Heamolyticus). There wasn’t a statistically significant relationship between culture's results and age (p > 0.05). Conclusion: PROM may develop due to bacterial infections. Factors such as maternal risk factors, rupture length, gestational age, and local epidemiology can affect its prevalence. Diagnostic tests like amniotic fluid analysis can help identify infections, causative infective pathogens, and guide treatment.

This study investigates the simulation of electric field distribution and the characterization of Co3O4/carbon nanotube (CNT)-filled polyvinyl chloride (PVC) nanocomposites for potential applications in medium-voltage cables. The nanocomposites were prepared by incorporating Co3O4 nanoparticles and varying concentrations of CNTs (0, 0.1, 0.15, 0.20, and 0.25% by weight) into a PVC matrix. The UV–Vis spectroscopy revealed an absorption edge of 3.75 eV, a direct bandgap of 5.15 eV, an Urbach tail energy of 0.4594 eV, and a carbon cluster parameter of 44.617 for the PVC/Co3O4 + 0.25% CNT nanocomposite film. Incorporating CNTs enhanced the AC conductivity, dielectric constant, and dielectric loss compared to the pure Co3O4 sample. The highest AC conductivity (7.46 × 10–4 S/m) was achieved for the PVC/Co3O4 + 0.25% CNT nanocomposite. COMSOL Multiphysics simulations were performed to study the electric field distribution in medium-voltage cables made of PVC and PVC/Co3O4 + 0.25% CNT nanocomposites. The simulations revealed a more uniform electric field distribution in the nanocomposite cable than the pure PVC cable, owing to Co3O4 nanoparticles and CNTs. The novelty of this study is improved uniformity in the electric field distribution for medium-voltage cable applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Longitudinal studies on mainstream children and training studies in the dyslexic population suggest that visual attention span (VAS) abilities contribute to reading acquisition. We evaluated to what extent VAS training in beginning readers might enhance later literacy skills. A large cohort of 453 children was followed from the beginning to the end of Grade 1. A first group of students was trained on a custom‐designed digital application—called EVASION—that targeted VAS abilities. Another group used the GraphoGame application, while the third was a “business‐as‐usual” group. A total training time of 10 h was recommended; training was performed during the regular school day, under the sole supervision of teachers. Pre–post intervention assessment revealed higher VAS, higher reading fluency improvement, and higher postintervention spelling skills in the EVASION group. Children who spent more time playing with EVASION improved more in both VAS and literacy skills. In the whole population, VAS enhancement predicted reading fluency improvement and posttraining spelling skills, independently of other reading related skills and of the class effect. The overall findings suggest that training VAS in the classroom might prevent difficulties in learning to read and spell. Evidence for longitudinal effects of VAS training on literacy skills support a causal relationship. In improving multiletter parallel processing, training would translate into better orthographic learning, yielding higher reading fluency and spelling skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This current study reports, for the first time, on the potent cytotoxicity of (Z)-3-hexenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, as well as its cellular and molecular apoptotic mechanisms against Panc1 cancer cells. The cytotoxicity of three compounds, namely (Z)-3-hexenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), gallic acid (2), and pyrogallol (3), which were isolated from C. rotang leaf, was investigated against certain cancer and normal cells using the MTT assay. The cellular apoptotic activity and Panc1 cell cycle impact of compound (1) were examined through flow cytometry analysis and Annexin V-FITC cellular apoptotic assays. Additionally, RT-PCR was employed to evaluate the effect of compound (1) on the Panc1 apoptotic genes Casp3 and Bax, as well as the antiapoptotic gene Bcl-2. (Z)-3-hexenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside demonstrated the highest cytotoxic activity against Panc1 cancer cells, with an IC50 value of 7.6 µM. In comparison, gallic acid exhibited an IC50 value of 21.8 µM, and pyrogallol showed an IC50 value of 198.2 µM. However, (Z)-3-hexenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside displayed minimal or no significant cytotoxic activity against HepG2 and MCF7 cancer cells as well as WI-38 normal cells, with IC50 values of 45.8 µM, 108.7 µM, and 194. µM, respectively. (Z)-3-hexenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (10 µM) was demonstrated to induce cellular apoptosis and cell growth arrest at the S phase of the cell cycle in Panc1 cells. These findings were supported by RT-PCR analysis, which revealed the upregulation of apoptotic genes (Casp3 and Bax) and the downregulation of the antiapoptotic gene Bcl-2. This study emphasizes the significant cellular potency of (Z)-3-hexenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside in specifically inducing cytotoxicity in Panc1 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]