Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emmanuel Yovo, Manfred Accrombessi, Gino Agbota, Alice Hocquette, William Atade, Olaiitan T. Ladikpo, Murielle Mehoba, Auguste Degbe, Ghyslain Mombo-Ngoma, Achille Massougbodji, Nikki Jackson, Nadine Fievet, Barbara Heude, Jennifer Zeitlin, Valerie Briand
Summary: This study evaluated the international fetal growth standards from INTERGROWTH-21st and WHO in a cohort from southern Benin, finding that the centiles in the RECIPAL cohort were higher than INTERGROWTH-21st and closer to WHO. The proportions of fetuses under 10th percentile thresholds were systematically lower when applying INTERGROWTH-21st compared to WHO standards.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Justyna Paulina Wielgosz-Grochowska, Nicole Domanski, Malgorzata Ewa Drywien
Summary: Recent observations have shown that Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) affects the host through various mechanisms. This study found that the methane-hydrogen dominant type of SIBO is inversely correlated with body weight, BMI, body fat, and mineral bone content.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Esther lvarez-Silvares, Tania Fernandez-Cruz, Monica Bermudez-Gonzalez, Paula Rubio-Cid, Agostinho Almeida, Edgar Pinto, Teresa Seoane-Pillado, Elena Martinez-Carballo
Summary: Placental development plays a crucial role in the progression of pregnancy, and exposure to environmental toxicants, including metals, can have an impact on placenta and subsequently affect pregnancy outcomes. This study investigates the correlation between placental levels of 14 essential and non-essential elements and neonatal weight. The findings suggest that certain metal concentrations in the placenta may influence fetal growth, with cobalt and strontium associated with higher newborn weight, while lithium, molybdenum, and selenium associated with lower newborn weight.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Acoustics
M. J. Rodriguez-Sibaja, J. Villar, E. O. Ohuma, R. Napolitano, S. Heyl, M. Carvalho, Y. A. Jaffer, J. A. Noble, M. Oberto, M. Purwar, R. Pang, L. Cheikh Ismail, A. Lambert, M. G. Gravett, L. J. Salomon, L. Drukker, F. C. Barros, S. H. Kennedy, Z. A. Bhutta, A. T. Papageorghiou
Summary: International ultrasound-based standards for fetal cerebellar growth and Sylvian fissure maturation were established based on a healthy fetal population with adequate growth and development at 2 years of age, indicating good agreement between empirical and smoothed centile curves.
ULTRASOUND IN OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Weili Yang, Joseph M. Braun, Ann M. Vuong, Zana Percy, Yingying Xu, Changchun Xie, Ranjan Deka, Antonia M. Calafat, Maria Ospina, Heather H. Burris, Kimberly Yolton, Kim M. Cecil, Bruce P. Lanphear, Aimin Chen
Summary: Organophosphate esters (OPEs) have been found to be developmental toxicants in animal studies, but limited evidence is available in humans. This study investigated the association between gestational exposure to OPEs and gestational age, preterm birth, and newborn anthropometric measures. The findings suggest that certain OPEs may be associated with these outcomes, with some associations being specific to certain time windows and infant sex.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jermphiphut Jaruenpunyasak, Alba Garcia Seco de Herrera, Rakkrit Duangsoithong
Summary: This paper presents a novel lower-body detection framework using proposed anthropometric ratios and compares the performance of deep learning and traditional detection methods. The results show that the proposed framework achieves accurate detection of the lower-body under various lighting and occlusion conditions and has lower complexity compared to deep learning methods.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Pediatrics
Daphne Landau, Jessica Stout, Larraine Huston Presley, Perrie O'Tierney-Ginn, Sharon Groh-Wargo, Patrick M. Catalano
Summary: This study aimed to assess body composition at birth using a validated anthropometric equation and evaluate measurement reliability. Results showed that measurements performed by clinical nurses were reliable, allowing for a qualitative assessment of growth beyond birth weight. Routine assessment of body composition provides a foundation for longitudinal follow-up of metabolic health in infancy and childhood.
PEDIATRIC RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Nikoletta Lis, Demetris Lamnisos, Aikaterini Bograkou-Tzanetakou, Elena Hadjimbei, Irene P. Tzanetakou
Summary: Preterm birth is a global epidemic and factors such as maternal nutrition and placental-infant TL influence the risk of PTB. Maternal nutrition affects PTB risk through its influence on maternal TL. PTB also independently affects TL regulation in offspring. However, the strength of these associations and the influence of other factors remain unclear. Whether maternal TL is simply a biomarker of maternal nutrition status and PTB risk or a causative factor of PTB is yet to be determined.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Daniela-Loredana Bujorescu, Adrian Ratiu, Cosmin Citu, Florin Gorun, Oana Maria Gorun, Doru Ciprian Crisan, Alina-Ramona Cozlac, Ioana Chiorean-Cojocaru, Mihaela Tunescu, Zoran Laurentiu Popa, Roxana Folescu, Andrei Motoc
Summary: The optimal timing of delivery in cases of early onset fetal growth restriction is challenging to determine due to the opposing risks of stillbirth and prematurity. This study aimed to assess the likelihood of neonatal complications based on the time of birth, using Doppler parameters in fetuses with early onset fetal growth restriction. The findings suggest that infants delivered at the onset of umbilical arteries absent/reversed end-diastolic flow are less likely to develop intraventricular hemorrhage grades III/IV and bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Changbin Hong, Seulggie Choi, Minseon Park, Sang Min Park, Gyeongsil Lee
Summary: The study showed that muscle mass and lean body mass index were significantly associated with a decreased risk of osteoporotic fractures, while body fat mass index showed no significant association with fracture risk.
JOURNAL OF CACHEXIA SARCOPENIA AND MUSCLE
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Yunhee Kang, Lee Shu Fune Wu, Saijuddin Shaikh, Hasmot Ali, Abu Ahmed Shamim, Parul Christian, Alain Labrique, Keith P. West
Summary: This study examined multiple birth measurements, particularly chest circumference, as predictors of neonatal and infant mortality. The results showed that combining chest circumference with other measurements can provide a more accurate prediction of mortality risk.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ruta Morkuniene, Janina Tutkuviene, Tim J. Cole, Egle Marija Jakimaviciene, Jelena Isakova, Agne Bankauskiene, Nijole Drazdiene, Vytautas Basys
Summary: Neonatal head circumference is an important indicator for assessing brain size and health risks. A study comparing regional reference and global standard found that mean head circumference increased with gestation in both sexes, while its fractional variability decreased. Although preterm neonates had similar head circumference to the INTERGROWTH-21st standard, it was slightly higher at term.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Viktoria Kovacs, Gabor Remzso, Timea Kormoczi, Robert Berkecz, Valeria Toth-Szuki, Andrea Penzes, Laszlo Vecsei, Ferenc Domoki
Summary: The study investigated the potential neuroprotective effects of the KYNA analog SZR72 in piglets with HIE. While SZR72 enhanced neuronal activity and EEG recovery, it did not ameliorate early neuronal damage post-asphyxia. In comparison, hypothermia treatment showed the best preservation of EEG complexity, VEP, and neuronal integrity in all examined brain regions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Lauren J. Green, Stephen H. Kennedy, Lucy Mackillop, Stephen Gerry, Manorama Purwar, Eleonora Staines Urias, Leila Cheikh Ismail, Fernando Barros, Cesar Victora, Maria Carvalho, Eric Ohuma, Yasmin Jaffer, J. Alison Noble, Michael Gravett, Ruyan Pang, Ann Lambert, Enrico Bertino, Aris T. Papageorghiou, Cutberto Garza, Zulfiqar Bhutta, Jose Villar, Peter Watkinson
Summary: This study estimated gestational age-specific blood pressure centiles and found that systolic blood pressure increased gradually while diastolic blood pressure decreased slightly in midpregnancy before rising again. The results challenge the concept of a significant midpregnancy drop in blood pressure, advocating for increased vigilance towards blood pressure decreases.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Hyun Jeong Do, Kyoung Min Moon, Hyun-Seung Jin
Summary: This study compared the performance of machine learning methods and logistic regression in predicting mortality of very low birth weight infants. The results showed that artificial neural network, random forest, and logistic regression had similar predictive performance, while support vector machine performed lower.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jose Villar, Constanza P. Soto Conti, Robert B. Gunier, Shabina Ariff, Rachel Craik, Paolo I. Cavoretto, Stephen Rauch, Serena Gandino, Ricardo Nieto, Adele Winsey, Camilla Menis, Gabriel B. Rodriguez, Valeria Savasi, Niyazi Tug, Sonia Deantoni, Marta Fabre, Begona Martinez de Tejada, Maria Jose Rodriguez-Sibaja, Stefania Livio, Raffaele Napolitano, Nerea Maiz, Helena Sobrero, Ashley Peterson, Philippe Deruelle, Carolina Giudice, Jagjit S. Teji, Roberto A. Casale, Laurent J. Salomon, Federico Prefumo, Leila Cheikh Ismail, Michael G. Gravett, Marynea Vale, Valeria Hernandez, Loic Sentilhes, Sarah R. Easter, Carola Capelli, Emily Marler, Daniela M. Caceres, Guadalupe Albornoz Crespo, Ernawati Ernawati, Michal Lipschuetz, Ken Takahashi, Carmen Vecchiarelli, Teresa Hubka, Satoru Ikenoue, Gabriela Tavchioska, Babagana Bako, Adejumoke I. Ayede, Brenda Eskenazi, Jim G. Thornton, Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, Stephen H. Kennedy, Aris T. Papageorghiou
Summary: This study on COVID-19 in pregnant women shows that the infection during pregnancy is associated with increased risks for both mothers and neonates, particularly among symptomatic and unvaccinated women. Vaccination can reduce the risk of severe symptoms and complications in pregnant women.
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Tanis R. Fenton, Seham Elmrayed, Natalie V. Scime, Suzanne C. Tough, Jahaira Pinto, Fatemeh Sabet, Krista Wollny, Yoonshin Lee, Tyrone G. Harrison, Bibi Alladin-Karan, Michael S. Kramer, Maria B. Ospina, Diane L. Lorenzetti, Ada Madubueze, Alexander A. Leung, Manoj Kumar
Summary: Historical reports suggest that infants born small for gestational age (SGA) are at increased risk for high blood pressure (BP) at older ages. However, this study found no meaningful difference in later BP between preterm infants with and without SGA status at birth.
PAEDIATRIC AND PERINATAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Nursing
Meredith Brockway, Samantha Mcleod, Jana Kurilova, Tanis R. Fenton, Linda Duffett-Leger, Karen M. Benzies
Summary: This study aimed to examine the association between breastfeeding self-efficacy (BSE) and breastmilk feeding at discharge among mothers of preterm infants. The results showed that mothers exclusively breastfeeding their infants at discharge had significantly higher BSE scores at admission compared to those providing a combination of breastmilk and formula or only formula. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that higher BSE at admission, maternal birth in Canada, and absence of diabetes were significant predictors of exclusive breastmilk feeding at discharge.
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Peter N. von Dadelszen, Jeffrey Bone, Akshdeep Sandhu, J. Mark N. Ansermino, Rahat Qureshi, Charfudin Sacoor, Esperanca Sevene, Jing Li, Marianne B. Vidler, Mrutyunjaya A. Bellad, Zulfiqar T. Bhutta, Dustin S. Dunsmuir, Shivaprasad A. Goudar, Ashalata Mallapur, Khatia A. Munguambe, Guy A. Dumont, Laura Magee
Summary: To inform digital health design by evaluating diagnostic test properties of antenatal blood pressure (BP) outputs and levels to identify women at risk of adverse outcomes.
BJOG-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Xiaoqin Wang, Omar Dewidar, Anita Rizvi, Jimmy Huang, Payaam Desai, Rebecca Doyle, Elizabeth Ghogomu, Tamara Rader, Stuart G. Nicholls, Alba Antequera, Alison Krentel, Beverley Shea, Billie-Jo Hardy, Catherine Chamberlain, Charles S. Wiysonge, Cindy Feng, Clara Juando-Prats, Daeria O. Lawson, Ekwaro A. Obuku, Elizabeth Kristjansson, Erik von Elm, Harry Wang, Holly Ellingwood, Hugh Sharma Waddington, Jacqueline Ramke, Janet Elizabeth Jull, Janet Hatcher-Roberts, Janice Tufte, Julian Little, Lawrence Mbuagbaw, Laura Weeks, Loveline Lum Niba, Luis Gabriel Cuervo, Luke Wolfenden, Mwenya Kasonde, Marc T. Avey, Melissa K. Sharp, Michael Johnson Mahande, Miriam Nkangu, Olivia Magwood, Peter Craig, Peter Tugwell, Sarah Funnell, Stephen G. Noorduyn, Tamara Kredo, Tanya Horsley, Taryn Young, Tomas Pantoja, Zulfiqar Bhutta, Andrea Martel, Vivian A. Welch
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the support from existing guidance on reporting health equity in research and identify additional items. A total of 34 resources were included, which supported candidate items and contributed to new items. The existing resources aligned with the candidate items and additional items were identified for the development of a guideline. Rating: 7 out of 10.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
G. Justus Hofmeyr, Robert E. Black, Ewelina Rogozinska, Austin Heuer, Neff Walker, Per Ashorn, Ulla Ashorn, Nita Bhandari, Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, Annariina Koivu, Somesh Kumar, Joy E. Lawn, Stephen Munjanja, Pieta Nasanen-Gilmore, Doreen Ramogola-Masire, Marleen Temmerman
Summary: The World Health Organization recommends a package of care for all pregnant women within eight scheduled antenatal care contacts. Additional effective measures are needed to reduce and manage the outcomes for small vulnerable newborns. Evidence-based antenatal and intrapartum interventions are summarized to prevent vulnerable births or improve outcomes. Implementing eight proven preventive interventions and two intrapartum interventions could prevent millions of neonatal deaths per year.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Belal N. N. Alshaikh, Jannette Festival, Adriana Reyes Loredo, Kamran Yusuf, Zainab Towage, Tanis R. R. Fenton, Christel Wood
Summary: This prospective study aimed to examine the effect of hindmilk on growth and plasma fatty acids of very preterm infants. The study found that feeding hindmilk resulted in increased weight and head growth, as well as increased levels of linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid in the infants' plasma. Further research is needed to validate these potential benefits.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Aamer Imdad, Fanny F. Chen, Melissa Francois, Momal Sana, Emily Tanner-Smith, Abigail Smith, Olivia Tsistinas, Jai K. Das, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta
Summary: The objective of this systematic review was to examine the effects of routinely administering antibiotics to infants under 6 months of age with growth failure/faltering. However, the literature search yielded no eligible studies to address this question. Future studies with sufficient sample sizes are needed to evaluate the potential risks and benefits of antibiotics in malnourished infants under 6 months of age.
Article
Immunology
Sajid Bashir Soofi, Khadija Vadsaria, Sara Mannan, Muhammad Atif Habib, Farhana Tabassum, Imtiaz Hussain, Sajid Muhammad, Khalid Feroz, Imran Ahmed, Muhammad Islam, Zulfiqar A. A. Bhutta
Summary: Pakistan has low childhood immunization rates and this study evaluated the social, behavioral, and cultural barriers to vaccine refusal. The results showed that education, knowledge of vaccines, and socioeconomic determinants influenced vaccine refusal among children.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Farah Asif, Faisal Sultan, Iqra Masood, Shahtaj Baig, Perihan Elif Ekmecki, Vina Vaswani, Zulfiqar Bhutta, Francis Crawley
Summary: This paper presents a systematic scoping review on research ethics committees, institutional review boards, and ethics review framework in Pakistan. The study identifies four key insights, including the lack of regulation and accreditation of these committees, the absence of formal training for committee members, pressures that hinder independent decision-making, and various issues affecting the functionality and performance of these committees.
JOURNAL OF THE PAKISTAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
(2023)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Leila Harrison, Zahra Padhani, Rehana Salam, Christina Oh, Komal Rahim, Maria Maqsood, Anna Ali, Kimberly Charbonneau, Emily C. Keats, Zohra S. Lassi, Aamer Imdad, Aatekah Owais, Jai Das, Zulfiqar A. Bhutta
Summary: This review comprehensively synthesizes new emerging evidence on topics related to complementary feeding. The lack of relevant information makes it difficult to draw conclusions on the ideal feeding schedule and food type. Studies on the effects of animal milk versus infant formula for non-breastfed infants are limited but indicate a greater risk of anemia with cow's milk. Successful interventions for improving micronutrient status and anthropometry during complementary feeding include fortified blended foods, supplementary foods, and nutrient supplements. Complementary feeding education can improve nutrition outcomes for infants in both food secure and insecure populations.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sana Mahmood, Ali Aahil Noorali, Afshan Manji, Noreen Afzal, Saadia Abbas, Javeria Bilal Qamar, Sameen Siddiqi, Zahra Hoodbhoy, Salim S. Virani, Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, Zainab Samad
Summary: This study explores the current landscape and perceptions on data in decision-making among stakeholders of the health data ecosystem in Pakistan. The study reveals that although Pakistan lags behind on achieving health-related sustainable development goals (SDGs), its health information capacity is nascent. The study identifies barriers to effective utilization of data, as well as openness and enthusiasm for sharing data for advancing health. It also highlights the limited capacity in human capital and infrastructure for using data to improve health, but the willingness to invest in capacity improvement.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shaukat Ali, Zulfiqar A. Bhutta, Michelle S. Reboita, Muhammad Arif Goheer, Shiva Ebrahimi, Jose Roberto Rozante, Rida S. Kiani, Sher Muhammad, Firdos Khan, Md Mizanur Rahman, Madan L. Shreshta, Li Dan
Summary: The scientific community has made many efforts to produce high-resolution gridded datasets, which are essential for various purposes such as climate change assessment and decision-making. This study describes the methods used to prepare a 5-km gridded product of precipitation and temperatures by combining observed data from meteorological stations and ERA5 reanalysis. The study also showcases the main climate features of Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan using the 5-km dataset, facilitating comparison with other data sources.
GEOSCIENCE DATA JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Hala Zakaria, Salah Abusanana, Bashair M. Mussa, Ayesha S. Al Dhaheri, Lily Stojanovska, Maysm N. Mohamad, Sheima T. Saleh, Habiba I. Ali, Leila Cheikh Ismail
Summary: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common pregnancy-related endocrinopathy, affecting up to 25% of pregnancies globally. It increases the risk of complications during pregnancy and delivery, and also raises the chance of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. This risk can be passed onto the next generation, creating a cycle of metabolic dysfunction. Recent studies have identified promising preventive measures for GDM, such as lifestyle interventions including physical activity and dietary changes. More research is needed to investigate the timing of lifestyle interventions and to personalize the approach based on individual risk factors.
MEDICINA-LITHUANIA
(2023)
Review
Health Care Sciences & Services
Maryam Linjawi, Hira Shakoor, Serene Hilary, Habiba I. Ali, Ayesha S. Al-Dhaheri, Leila Cheikh Ismail, Vasso Apostolopoulos, Lily Stojanovska
Summary: Since it emerged, COVID-19 has had a global impact on various industries, including healthcare. Cancer patients are particularly vulnerable due to their compromised immune systems. The scarcity of resources and healthcare workers in hospitals, coupled with increased COVID-19 cases, has disrupted cancer care and led to higher mortality rates among cancer patients.
