Dietary patterns and birth outcomes in the ELSPAC pregnancy cohort

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to identify dietary patterns in a Czech pregnancy cohort established in the early postcommunist era and investigate associations between dietary patterns, maternal characteristics and birth outcomes.MethodsPregnant women were recruited for the Czech part of the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood. A self-reported questionnaire answered in late pregnancy was used to assess information about the weekly intake of 43 food items. Information about birth outcomes (birth weight, height, ponderal index, head circumference, cephalisation index, gestational length and Apgar score) was obtained from the National Registry of Newborns. Complete details on diet and birth outcomes were available for 4320 mother–infant pairs.Results and conclusionThe food items were aggregated into 28 variables and used for extraction of two dietary patterns by principal component factor analysis. The patterns were denoted ‘unhealthy’ and ‘healthy/traditional’ based on the food items with the highest factor loadings on each pattern. The ‘unhealthy’ pattern had high positive loadings on meat, processed food and confectionaries. In contrast, the ‘healthy/traditional’ pattern had high positive loadings on vegetables, dairy, fruits and wholemeal bread. Following adjustment for covariates, we found that high adherence to the unhealthy pattern (expressed as beta for 1 unit increase in pattern score), that is, the higher consumption of less healthy foods, was associated with lower birth weight: −23.8 g (95% CI −44.4 to −3.2) and length: −0.10 cm (95% CI −0.19 to −0.01) and increased cephalisation index: 0.91 μm/g (95% CI 0.23 to 1.60). The ‘healthy/traditional’ pattern was not associated with any birth outcomes. This study supports the recommendation to eat a healthy and balanced diet during pregnancy.

An Exploration of Traditional Contemporary of Indonesian Culture through Batik

<p>Indonesia is a developing country in which the majority of the population that is 225 million people identified as Muslim. As a part of that phenomenon and in conjunction with Indonesia’s recent cultural and economic development, Muslim women in Indonesia are becoming increasingly aware of external cultural trends and as a result of this are seeking opportunities to express themselves of their culture and beliefs as a part of their own personal fashion statements. For many Muslim women the Muslim veil, often referred to as Hijab, is perhaps the most salient of their clothing items worn to show obligation to their religious law. Although the hijab has been called into question by some within the Muslim community, and others outside of it, this research does not address that discourse. This research presents the hijab as a piece of clothing that creates a ‘sense of cultural space’. As an Indonesian woman wearing the hijab, through this research I aim to consider how wearing the hijab can both respectfully and creatively express both faith and culture within a contemporary context. In parallel, this research asks how the traditional Indonesian technique of batik can be used to signify, identify and celebrate Indonesian Muslim women in the 21st century. Batik was officially recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in October 2009 as an Intangible Heritage of Indonesia. Although examples of the authentic batik technique have been overrun by mass-produced printed versions, undeniably batik still does not only hold an important place in Indonesia’s history but also in Indonesia’s global identity. The inseparable connection between the symbolism and the significance of the meanings and narratives expressed within batik has existed for centuries. As a part of a larger and historically established visual language, this research seeks to design contemporary symbols that represent the values, characteristics and beliefs of Indonesian Muslim women in the 21st century. The new symbols are designed in response to a present-day voice and seek to connect religious beliefs, cultural heritage as well as the young Indonesian Muslim woman’s appreciation of these as a part of her everyday appearance and lifestyle. The voice of young Indonesian woman of Muslim faith is gained in interviews and workshops where they identify, interpret, and depict characteristics and values that express who they consider themselves to be and what values they wish to express as a fundamental to their lifestyle. The symbols are then adapted by the hijab using both traditional pattern making techniques and digital software which will then printed onto the fabric using traditional batik methods. Through the design of contemporary symbols and patterns that represent the contemporary Indonesian Muslim woman of the 21st century and the printing of these onto the hijab using the traditional technique of batik, this research aims to establish a more contemporary appreciation of the hijab and the values held fundamental to its user.</p>

An Exploration of Traditional Contemporary of Indonesian Culture through Batik

<p>Indonesia is a developing country in which the majority of the population that is 225 million people identified as Muslim. As a part of that phenomenon and in conjunction with Indonesia’s recent cultural and economic development, Muslim women in Indonesia are becoming increasingly aware of external cultural trends and as a result of this are seeking opportunities to express themselves of their culture and beliefs as a part of their own personal fashion statements. For many Muslim women the Muslim veil, often referred to as Hijab, is perhaps the most salient of their clothing items worn to show obligation to their religious law. Although the hijab has been called into question by some within the Muslim community, and others outside of it, this research does not address that discourse. This research presents the hijab as a piece of clothing that creates a ‘sense of cultural space’. As an Indonesian woman wearing the hijab, through this research I aim to consider how wearing the hijab can both respectfully and creatively express both faith and culture within a contemporary context. In parallel, this research asks how the traditional Indonesian technique of batik can be used to signify, identify and celebrate Indonesian Muslim women in the 21st century. Batik was officially recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in October 2009 as an Intangible Heritage of Indonesia. Although examples of the authentic batik technique have been overrun by mass-produced printed versions, undeniably batik still does not only hold an important place in Indonesia’s history but also in Indonesia’s global identity. The inseparable connection between the symbolism and the significance of the meanings and narratives expressed within batik has existed for centuries. As a part of a larger and historically established visual language, this research seeks to design contemporary symbols that represent the values, characteristics and beliefs of Indonesian Muslim women in the 21st century. The new symbols are designed in response to a present-day voice and seek to connect religious beliefs, cultural heritage as well as the young Indonesian Muslim woman’s appreciation of these as a part of her everyday appearance and lifestyle. The voice of young Indonesian woman of Muslim faith is gained in interviews and workshops where they identify, interpret, and depict characteristics and values that express who they consider themselves to be and what values they wish to express as a fundamental to their lifestyle. The symbols are then adapted by the hijab using both traditional pattern making techniques and digital software which will then printed onto the fabric using traditional batik methods. Through the design of contemporary symbols and patterns that represent the contemporary Indonesian Muslim woman of the 21st century and the printing of these onto the hijab using the traditional technique of batik, this research aims to establish a more contemporary appreciation of the hijab and the values held fundamental to its user.</p>

Form not Content Dictates the “Smart” City

Over the past 50 years, decision-makers, laypersons, scientific communities, and design professions have repeatedly warned of the impending climate crisis caused by overdependence on fossil fuels. The environmental prophets have admonished that mother earth is on the brink of catastrophe. In response, scientific wizards have boasted that technocratic solutions will save the day. The evidence clearly indicates that a drastic change in policies, lifestyle, and consumption habits is necessary if there is to be a livable world for future generations. Urbanism is the most efficient form of habitation. Embracing and legislating for the traditional pattern of urbanism which is supported by Wi-Fi technology is the livable and sustainable prescription to address climate change and the global dependence on fossil fuels.

Single Shot Multibox Detector Automatic Polyp Detection Network Based on Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Images

Purpose. In order to resolve the situation of high missed diagnosis rate and high misdiagnosis rate of the pathological analysis of the gastrointestinal endoscopic images by experts, we propose an automatic polyp detection algorithm based on Single Shot Multibox Detector (SSD). Method. In the paper, SSD is based on VGG-16, the fully connected layer is changed to a convolutional layer, and four convolutional layers with successively decreasing scales are added as a new network structure. In order to verify the practicability, it is not only compared with manual polyp detection but also with Mask R-CNN. Results. Multiple experimental results show that the mean Average Precision (mAP) of the SSD network is 95.74%, which is 12.4% higher than the manual detection and 5.7% higher than the Mask R-CNN. When detecting a single frame of image, the detection speed of SSD is 8.41 times that of manual detection. Conclusion. Based on the traditional pattern recognition algorithm and the target detection algorithm using deep learning, we select a variety of algorithms to identify and classify polyps to achieve efficient detection results. Our research demonstrates that deep learning has a lot of room for development in the field of gastrointestinal image recognition.

The Significance of the Black Stool as an Educational Resource in Akan Traditional Patterns of Learning

The Black Stool has been considered by Western missionaries and missionary established churches mainly as a sacred object and religious material for rituals without much attention to its educational significance. The Western missionaries introduced Christian education and schooling pattern of learning to the Akan societies. The introduction of Western and Christian education came with Bibles, Hymn Books, Liturgy books and other educational materials. Even though the Akan had their own forms of learning, the indigenous educational resources did not attract the consideration of the missionaries. The missionary legacy of not recognizing the indigenous educational materials such as the Black Stool has remained with Christian education in Akan churches and other educational patterns. The study is an examination of the educational dimensions of the Black Stool and its significance for moral and leadership formation. Using both primary and secondary sources to examine the role of the Black Stool in moral education and leadership formation, the study points out the fact that the Black Stool is capable of providing even education in Christian history and calls for the need for re-thinking Akan Christian history to reflect significant intellectual weight embedded in the Black Stool. The study has established that the Akan Black Stool that over the years has been considered mainly from its sacred and religious dimensions has educational dimensions that equally must attract intellectual attention. The study identifies the traditional pattern of learning as a discipline that must attract intellectual attention. Moreover, there is a need for a paradigm shift on the perception of the Black Stool. A paradigm shift on the perception of indigenous educational resources will position the Black Stool as a relevant educational resource for a traditional pattern of learning. The study calls for a need for re-thinking of Akan Christian history to retrieve Christian information and history that have been embedded in indigenous resources like the Black Stool. Keywords: Akan, Black Stool, Traditional Patterns of Learning, Christianity, Educational Resources.

A Green Revolution? A Tentative Assessment of the European Green Deal

In this article the main aspects of the European Green Deal proposed by the European Commission in December 2019 are analyzed, putting the Green Deal into the broader context of European Union (EU) climate governance in order to assess whether and how it advances the EU’s climate agenda. Four broad and interrelated categories to evaluate the Green Deal are proposed. Its performance depends on whether it is and will remain a policy priority, despite the COVID-19 emergency and the ensuing economic crisis. Second, successful implementation depends on adequate financial endowment, including the shift of public funding from hydrocarbons to renewables and energy efficiency in post-pandemic economic programmes. The legal competence of EU institutions to coordinate and enforce the implementation of the Green Deal is also essential, as highlighted by ongoing discussions concerning governance to achieve zero net emissions by 2050. Furthermore, international cooperation with third partners on issues such as border carbon adjustment, technology transfers, and green industry will influence both the implementation of the Green Deal in the EU and the contribution of other major emitters to the climate agenda. The impact of the European Green Deal on EU-Russia relations is also investigated. In this respect, it is argued that the Green Deal poses a serious challenge to the traditional pattern of EU-Russia energy trade, which has been dominated by fossil fuels. However, the Green Deal also offers new avenues for cooperation and for a more sustainable EU-Russia energy relationship.

A Presentation of Ionic Liquids as Lubricants: Some Critical Comments

Ionic liquids (ILs) are liquid materials at room temperature with an ionic intrinsic nature. The electrostatic interactions therefore play a pivotal role in dictating their inner structure, which is then expected to be far from the traditional pattern of classical simple liquids. Therefore, the strength of such interactions and their long-range effects are responsible for the ionic liquid high viscosity, a fact that itself suggests their possible use as lubricants. More interestingly, the possibility to establish a wide scenario of possible interactions with solid surfaces constitutes a specific added value in this use. In this framework, the ionic liquid complex molecular structure and the huge variety of possible interactions cause a complex aggregation pattern which can depend on the presence of the solid surface itself. Although there is plenty of literature focusing on the lubricant properties of ionic liquids and their applications, the aim of this contribution is, instead, to furnish to the reader a panoramic view of this exciting problematic, commenting on interesting and speculative aspects which are sometimes neglected in standard works and trying to furnish an enriched vision of the topic. The present work constitutes an easy-to-read critical point of view which tries to interact with the imagination of readers, hopefully leading to the discovery of novel aspects and interconnections and ultimately stimulating new ideas and research.

Dietary Patterns and Their Associations With the FTO and FGF21 Gene Variants Among Emirati Adults

Purpose: To examine the dietary patterns and their associations with the FTO and FGF21 gene variants among Emirati adults.Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, healthy adult male and female Emiratis (n = 194) were recruited from primary health care centers in Sharjah, UAE. Participants completed a 61-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. In addition, a saliva sample was obtained for the genetic analysis. Genotyping was performed for FTOrs9939609(A&gt;T), FTOrs9930506(A&gt;G), FGF21 rs838133 (A &gt; G), and FGF21 rs838145 (A &gt; G). Dietary patterns were derived using the principal component analysis. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association of dietary patterns with genetic variants.Results: Three dietary patterns were identified: “Western”: consisting of fast food, sweets, and processed meat; “Traditional Emirati” rich in vegetables, traditional Emirati-mixed-dishes and whole dairy; while whole grains, low-fat dairy, and bulgur were components of the “Prudent” pattern. Subjects carrying the A allele of the FTO rs9939609 were 2.41 times more likely to adhere to the Western pattern compared to subjects with genotype TT (OR:2.41; 95%CI:1.05–5.50). Compared with subjects with A/A, those carrying the G allele of the FTO rs9930506 were more likely to follow a Western diet (OR: 2.19; 95%CI: 1.00–4.97). Participants carrying the risk allele (A) of the FGF21 rs838133 were twice more likely to adhere to the Traditional pattern as compared to subjects with genotype GG (OR: 1.9, 95%CI: 1.01–3.57).Conclusions: The findings of this study suggested associations among specific FTO and FGF21 gene variants with dietary patterns among Emirati adults. These findings could be used to inform evidence-based targeted nutrition preventive recommendations, especially those aiming to limit intake of western type foods.

3D Printing in Cardiovascular Disease: Current Applications and Future Perspectives

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is emerging as an innovative tool for a tailored approach to endovascular or open procedures. The efforts of different specialists and data analysis can be used to fabricate patient-specific implants, which might have significant impact even in life-saving procedures such as aortic dissections or aortic arch aneurysm. 3D printing is gradually changing the traditional pattern of diagnosis and treatment. This innovative approach allows a perfect match between the patient's anatomy and the prosthetic graft, ideally resulting in better hemodynamics and improved long-term patency related to reduced turbulent flow. Future applications of 3D printing in the cardiovascular field combined with tissue engineering will enhance the therapeutic features of bioprinted tissues and scaffolds for regenerative medicine. This review will summarize the clinical significance of 3D printing in cardiovascular disease, exploring current applications, translational outlooks and future perspectives.