Profile of paediatric sleep patients and polysomnography findings: Experience from an exclusive paediatric sleep clinic in India

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to describe the profile of patients attending an exclusive paediatric sleep clinic in India. Materials and Methods: Children aged 1 month–18 years, attending an exclusive paediatric sleep clinic, were assessed using standardized questionnaires. Children underwent sleep coaching, were treated medically, or underwent polysomnography based on the decision of the paediatric pulmonologist. Level 1 polysomnography was conducted by trained personnel. Results: Of 186 children, 36.5% were for infant sleep issues, 24.7% suspected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), 18.2% neuromuscular diseases with sleep problems, 15.6% genetic disorders with sleep problems, 4.3% parasomnias, and 0.5% abnormal movements during sleep. Of the 85 paediatric polysomnographies conducted, 9.4% were normal studies, 87% had OSA, 1.1% restless leg syndrome, and 2.3% were inadequate studies. Conclusion: Sleep disorders in children are not uncommon and paediatricians need to be aware and identify them early. More number of exclusive paediatric sleep clinics need to be established in India.

Surface reconstruction post-processing method for 3D- scanned objects

3D scanning is widely used in multiple applications to obtain high precision / non-destructive documentation of real-life objects, which is especially important in Cultural Heritage (CH) preservation. However, some issues (in particular missing parts which are commonly known as “holes”) affect the accuracy of the obtained 3D model after the scanning procedure and requires time-consuming post-processing procedures, which include manual editing by highly-trained personnel. In this article an automatic method to reconstruct the obtained surface of 3D models is proposed, improving previously obtained results for high-density point clouds.

A preclinical biosensor for detecting phenylalanine photometrically in plasma and whole blood samples

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a metabolic disease resulting from a deficiency in the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase, increasing L-Phenylalanine (L-Phe) values in the blood and consequently in the brain. If untreated, PKU leads to neurological damage, which can be prevented by following a diet low in L-Phe. Thus, early detection of PKU in newborns is essential. The disease’s screening and monitoring are centralized in reference centers, which require specialized equipment. However, using these techniques, sample treatment is required before the analysis, and trained personnel must perform and interpret the results. In this work, we present an enzyme-based photometric strategy to measure blood L-Phe. An enzymatic mixture, selective for L-Phe, is immobilized on an UV transparent well, and the amount of consumed co-factor is monitored at 340 nm. Standard plasma and whole blood samples were chosen to pre-validate the sensor. The samples were spiked with an increasing amount of L-Phe, accurately discriminating between physiological and pathological L-Phe concentrations. The strategy can be easily extended to analyzing other samples, such as urine or sweat. The proposed photometric system allows to analyze up to 16 samples simultaneously within a matter of hours. The measurements are relatively fast, versatile, cost-effective, and easy to carry out.

Jesus Shall Reign? An Examination of Christian Mission to the Akan Palace

The Gospel and African Culture interface has remained an ongoing dialogue due to the fact of inherent tensions. The genuineness of the conversion of the traditional leadership institution that welcomed the Western missionaries has remained in doubt in some missionary established churches. The conversion challenges of the traditional leaders have resulted from ancestors and ancestorial related functions that traditional leaders performed. The churches over the years created mission fields and chaplaincies with trained personnel and resources to address conversion challenges of specific and unique communities. While the creation of mission fields and appointments of chaplains have made significant responses to the conversion challenges of the people involved, the conversion challenges that traditional leaders have constantly requested for support from the churches have not been fully addressed. The study is an examination of the requests of some traditional leaders for Christian missions to be extended to the Palace and responses made so far by some of the missionary established churches. The study adopts a qualitative approach with an examination of relevant available materials and interviews. The study points to the fact that the conversion of the Palace and its functionaries must be considered as a major ministry and mission field of the church with trained ministers and resources for the specialized mission field. The study moreover calls for deeper research into matters of ancestors and ancestorial related rites that have remained as areas of tension between the church and the conversion of the Palace functionaries. Keywords: Palace, Christian Mission, Traditional Leadership, Chaplaincy, Conversion

Application of the research electronic data capture (REDCap) system in a low- and middle income country– experiences, lessons, and challenges

The challenges of reliably collecting, storing, organizing, and analyzing research data are critical in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa where several healthcare and biomedical research organizations have limited data infrastructure. The Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) System has been widely used by many institutions and hospitals in the USA for data collection, entry, and management and could help solve this problem. This study reports on the experiences, challenges, and lessons learned from establishing and applying REDCap for a large US-Nigeria research partnership that includes two sites in Nigeria, (the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos (CMUL) and Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH)) and Northwestern University (NU) in Chicago, Illinois in the United States. The largest challenges to this implementation were significant technical obstacles: the lack of REDCap-trained personnel, transient electrical power supply, and slow/ intermittent internet connectivity. However, asynchronous communication and on-site hands-on collaboration between the Nigerian sites and NU led to the successful installation and configuration of REDCap to meet the needs of the Nigerian sites. An example of one lesson learned is the use of Virtual Private Network (VPN) as a solution to poor internet connectivity at one of the sites, and its adoption is underway at the other. Virtual Private Servers (VPS) or shared online hosting were also evaluated and offer alternative solutions. Installing and using REDCap in LMIC institutions for research data management is feasible; however, planning for trained personnel and addressing electrical and internet infrastructural requirements are essential to optimize its use. Building this fundamental research capacity within LMICs across Africa could substantially enhance the potential for more cross-institutional and cross-country collaboration in future research endeavors.

Mass Gathering Medicine in Soccer Leagues: A Review and Creation of the SALEM Tool

Potential risks for public health incidents, outbreaks, and casualties are inferred at association football events, especially if event organizers have not taken appropriate preventative measures. This review explores the potential risks imposed by mass gathering (MG) football events, with particular emphasis on tools and methodologies to manage the risks of football MG events. Effective planning and implementation of MGs along with the mitigation of risks related to people’s health require special attention to all potential threats, especially in frequent and recurring MG events such as football leagues. The well-being of all participants can be compromised by ignoring a single risk. Healthcare systems should cooperate with all stakeholders and organizations who are involved in MG management and response. Provision of services during MG or a disaster must be performed by trained personnel or entities that have full access to available resources in accessible publicly known locations at the MG event site. Several MG assessment tools were developed worldwide; however, to adapt to the Saudi context, SALEM tool was developed to provide a guide for MG planning and assessment. SALEM assesses the risks of MG events with scores that help to categorize the risk of MG events by offering recommendations for required resources.

A Combination of Professional and Personal Qualities in the Choir Conductor

The article outlines the problem of combining professional and personal qualities in the choir conductor. Research gaps in the profession of choir conductor are outlined. We established that the art of conducting, and choral performance as its component, currently requires professionally trained personnel, who have an active life position and are able to provide a creative approach to choral singing. It was found that conducting should be interpreted as a creative process characterized by a step-by-step structure and a combination of analysis and comprehension of the choral score, its artistic interpretation, which allows embodying the formed musical image in the real choral sound. It was found that the conductor’s professional qualities are based on the conductor’s individual style or his “creative method”. It is established that the emotional sphere of the conductor is the result of a combination of qualities that will allow the conductor and the choir to demonstrate a bright and convincing revelation of the originality of texture, expressive timbre colors of numerous choral scores, and a rich palette of nuances.

Instrumentation for Routine Analysis of Acrylamide in French Fries: Assessing Limitations for Adoption

The purpose of this experimental review was to detect acrylamide in French fries using methods most adaptable to the food process industry for quality control assessment of products. French fries were prepared at different cook times using the same fryer oil over a five-day period to assess the influence of oil degradation and monitor trends in acrylamide formation. Acrylamide detection was performed using LC-MS, GC-MS and FT-NIR. The low levels of acrylamide produced during frying, low molecular weight of the analyte, and complexity of the potato matrix make routine acrylamide measurement challenging in a well-outfitted analytical lab with trained personnel. The findings of this study are presented from the perspective of pros and cons of each acrylamide measurement method in enough detail for food processors to appraise the method that may work best for them based on their available instrumentation and extent of personnel training.

Innovativehealth education project in Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia

A pilot project was conducted with the aim of training and human resources development in health education, enhancing health education research, and establishing a health promotion and education centre in Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. Health education programmes of three months for males [n = 14] and two to three weeks for females [n = 253] were offered. The work activities of such trained personnel were monitored and evaluated. It was concluded that through these programmes the targeted population could be trained to a satisfactory extent. Second, they would probably be able to convey basic health education concepts to the population at large, especially primary health care centre visitors

Epidemiology of sports-related fatalities during organized school sports in Japanese high schools between 2009 and 2018

Limited literature has investigated epidemiology of sports-related fatalities during high school organizes sports in Japan. Therefore, the purposes of this study are to determine the frequency and incidence rate of sports-related fatalities in Japanese high schools by cause and sports, and to examine the type of on-site first responder. Insurance claim data of sports-related fatalities in Japanese high schools reported to Japan Sports Council Injury and Accident Mutual Aid Benefit System between 2009 and 2018 were retrieved as the primary data source. All fatalities were classified into direct or indirect type by the reported etiology and further categorized into cardiac-related, head and neck injury, exertional heat stroke (EHS), or other. Frequency and incidence rate were calculated by cause of death and sports, and incidence rates were expressed per 100,000 athlete-years (AY) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Information regarding first responder to the incident was also retrieved and examined by frequency. A total of 63 sports-related fatalities were analyzed. The overall incidence rate was 0.45 (95%CI = 0.25–0.65) per 100,000AY. The incidence rates of direct and indirect fatalities declined from 0.36 and 0.50 per 100,000AY to 0.28 and 0.00 per 100,000AY, respectively. The leading cause of deaths was cardiac-related (n = 30/63, 47.6%), followed by head and neck injury (n = 15/63, 23.8%) and EHS (n = 14/63, 22.2%). The number of fatalities was highest in male baseball (n = 12/63, 19.0%) and the incidence rate was highest in male judo (4.79 per 100,000 AY, 95%CI: 0.68–8.15). Coach was the most frequently reported first responder onsite (n = 52/63, 82.5%). Medically trained personnel were involved in onsite care in two cases (3.2%). In conclusion, the occurrence of sports-related fatalities has declined over time from 2009 to 2018. To deliver appropriate medical care onsite for better survival, employment of medically trained personnel should be promoted in high school sports setting in Japan.