Malnutrition and medical nutrition therapy in hospitalized children: a case study of using national malnutrition screening tools in northeastern Iran

Background: Nationwide studies have focused only on prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized children, while medical nu- trition therapies and assessing nutritional interventions is neglected.Methods: This research was conducted in tertiary level children hospitals in the NorthEastern region of Iran for 1 year from 2016 to 2017. Five questions were included in the initial assessment form and, if there was even one positive response, nutrition- al interventions were prescribed for the patients.Results: A total of 65 children aged ≥ 5 years and hospitalized for ≥ two days were included. 24.6% of patients had 2 >BMI Z-score>-2 at time of admission. At the beginning of the study, weight loss more than 10%, and appetite loss or decreased food intake was observed in 10.8% and 20% of the study population, respectively. Median BMI percentile of patients with nutritional intervention was 8.9 (0.1-98.7) at the beginning of the study and 12.7 (0.1-98.4) at discharge time which shows a significant difference (P=0.01).Conclusion: Medical nutrition therapy employed in this study prevented deterioration of nutritional status of children during hospitalization and was effective in stabilizing indices of nutritional status.Keywords: Body mass index, hospitalized children, malnutrition

Malnutrition and medical nutrition therapy in hospitalized children: a case study of using national malnutrition screening tools in northeastern Iran

Background: Nationwide studies have focused only on prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized children, while medical nutrition therapies and assessing nutritional interventions is neglected. Methods: This research was conducted in tertiary level children hospitals in the NorthEastern region of Iran for 1 year from 2016 to 2017. Five questions were included in the initial assessment form and, if there was even one positive response, nutritional interventions were prescribed for the patients. Results: A total of 65 children aged 65 5 years and hospitalized for 65 two days were included. 24.6% of patients had 2 >BMI Z-score>-2 at time of admission. At the beginning of the study, weight loss more than 10%, and appetite loss or decreased food intake was observed in 10.8% and 20% of the study population, respectively. Median BMI percentile of patients with nutritional intervention was 8.9 (0.1-98.7) at the beginning of the study and 12.7 (0.1-98.4) at discharge time which shows a significant difference (P=0.01). Conclusion: Medical nutrition therapy employed in this study prevented deterioration of nutritional status of children during hospitalization and was effective in stabilizing indices of nutritional status. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v19i1.31 Cite as: Malek A, Hashemi M, Anjomrooz M, Torabi P, B I. Malnutrition and medical nutrition therapy in hospitalized children: a case study of using national malnutrition screening tools in northeastern Iran. Afri Health Sci. 2019;19(1). 1566-1573. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs. v19i1.3

The influence of gap losses on the optical, energy, and exergy efficiencies of the all-glassed evacuated tube compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) solar collectors

The compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs) are of importance due to their capability in absorbing the incident solar radiation in a wide limit. The present paper deals with the optical and thermodynamic analysis of a solar CPC applying the accurate solar ray-tracing analysis. To this end, the optical efficiency of the CPC was obtained for different geometric concentration ratios ( $C_t$) based on the CPC modified equations and considering the diffuse radiation effects. The results demonstrated that the highest solar radiation absorption is obtained for $C_t$ of 1.63. The outlet temperature ( $T_o$), energy and exergy efficiencies ( $\eta _I$ and $\eta _{II}$) of the stationary evacuated tube CPC were compared with those of two different evacuated tube solar collectors without a concentrator (with large or low distance between the tubes). Based on the results, the average incident solar radiation of the CPC collector is higher than that of two other solar collectors without a concentrator. Besides, $\eta _I$ of the CPC is higher than that of other collectors within the range of effective reflective angle of the CPC, while for the higher incident angles, $\eta _I$ is lower than or equal to the other two collectors without a concentrator

A Novel Method for Laser Peak Detection with Subpixel Accuracy for the Rail Corrugation Measurement

In this article, a new wavelet-based laser peak detection algorithm is proposed having subpixel accuracy. The algorithm provides an accurate and rapid measurement platform for the rail surface corrugation with no need to any image noise elimination. The proposed rail Corrugation Measurement System (CMS) is based on the laser triangulation principle, and the accuracy of such system is mainly affected by the laser peak detection in the captured image. The intensity of each row or column of the image is taken as a 1-D discrete signal. Intensity distribution of a laser stripe in this signal follows a Gaussian pattern contaminated by the white noise. Against usual peak detection algorithms with need to prenoise-filtering process, the proposed method based on the wavelet transform is able to perform these tasks efficiently and robustly. Present wavelet-based methods for the peak detection are at pixel level, but for achieving high accuracy subpixel detection is proposed. Experiments show that the capability of the proposed method for laser peak detection is more accurate and faster than the filter-based methods, especially for low S/N ratios. Also, this technique can be utilized for any application in laser peak detection with subpixel accuracy. A prototype system based on the proposed method for the rail corrugation measurement has been designed and manufactured. Results of the rail corrugation measurement guarantee capability of the proposed methodology for accurate measurement of the rail corrugation and its potential for industrial application.</jats:p

Nanoparticles of Magnesium Oxide Improve Autistic-Like Behaviors Induced by the Maternal Separation Model Without Affecting Gonads Structure: Nanoparticles of Magnesium Oxide Improve Autistic-Like Behaviors

Maternal separation in the early days after birth can induce autistic-like behaviors in animals. Nanoparticles of Magnesium oxide (nano-MgO) can decrease anxiety, pain perception and improve animal memory. Also, sex hormones are involved in the formation of many behaviors. In this study, the effects of nano-MgO on behavioral responses in immature rats and gonadal histological structures of adult rats in the autistic-like model of maternal separation were investigated. Juvenile male and female offspring (60±5g) were divided into control and maternal-separated groups. The maternal separation was done by separation of the pup from the mother for 1 hour/daily/1-10 postnatal days. Nano-MgO 2.5 and 5 mg/kg were injected intraperitoneally during the 31±2-35±2 postnatal days.  Pain perception and memory were evaluated after the first, third, and last injections and on 45±2 postnatal days. Social interaction, anxiety level, and motor activity were evaluated on 36±2 postnatal days. Tissue samples were removed from the testis and ovary for histological studies on 73±2 postnatal days. Maternal separation increased pain perception, anxiety, and motor activity, and also decreased social interaction index, and impaired memory in animals. Nano-MgO improved anxiety, and social interaction, induced analgesia, and modulated hyperactivity. Also, memory impairment was reversed by the nano-MgO2.5 mg/kg while it was not significant. There were no alterations in the histological and histometrical structure of the testis and ovary of adult rats between the studied groups. The behavioral complications caused by the autistic-like model can be corrected by nano-MgO; however, the gonads were not affected by the autism condition and nano-MgO application

The Relationship between Maternal and Neonatal Umbilical Cord Blood Lead Levels and their Correlation with Neonatal Anthropometric Indices

Background Lead is an element, which can cross the placenta and enter the fetus during pregnancy if present in the blood of the expectant mother. Therefore, in this study, the level of lead in maternal and umbilical cord blood of neonates was determined, and its relationship with weight at birth, gestational age, height, and head circumference was investigated. Methods In this cross sectional study, a total of 70 pregnant women and their newborns were selected at Mousavi Hospital of Zanjan, Iran, based on the inclusion criteria. The level of lead in the umbilical cord blood of newborns and mothers was evaluated, and its correlation with birth weight, gestational age, height, and head circumference was assessed. Results The average level of lead in the maternal and cord blood was 11.01 μg/dL and 9.54 μg/dL, respectively, which indicates a significant difference (P < 0.001). In addition, there was a significant inverse linear relationship between the level of lead in maternal blood and birth weight; therefore, an increase in the maternal blood lead level resulted in the lower weight of neonates at birth. However, there was no significant correlation between lead level and gestational age, height, or head circumference. Conclusions In this study, the average lead level of pregnant women was 11.01 μg/dL in Zanjan, which is higher than the global standard (10 μg/dL). The birth weight of newborns, whose mothers had higher blood lead levels, was lower than that of other neonates. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the level of lead by the healthcare system in order to take effective measures and reduce lead pollution