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  1. Loh LC, Brieger WB
    Int Q Community Health Educ, 2013;34(2):199-211.
    PMID: 24928611 DOI: 10.2190/IQ.34.2.g
    Newly affluent developing world cities increasingly adopt the same unfortunate low-density suburban paradigm that shaped cities in the industrialized world. Identified by a World Bank report as a "mini-Los Angeles," Kuala Lumpur is a sentinel example of the results of unrestrained sprawl in the developing world. Factors driving sprawl included government policies favoring foreign investment, "mega-projects," and domestic automobile production; fragmented governance structures allowing federal and state government influence on local planning; increasing middle-class affluence; an oligopoly of local developers; and haphazard municipal zoning and transport planning. The city's present form contributes to Malaysia's dual burden of disease, with inner-city shantytown dwellers facing communicable disease and malnutrition while suburban citizens experience increasing chronic disease, injury, and mental health issues. Despite growing awareness in city plans targeted toward higher density development, Kuala Lumpur presents a warning to other emerging economies of the financial, societal, and population health costs imposed by quickly-built suburban sprawl.
    Publication year: 2013-2014
  2. Yao S, Chong SL, Allen JC, Dang H, Ming M, Chan LCN, et al.
    Transl Pediatr, 2023 Mar 31;12(3):344-353.
    PMID: 37035406 DOI: 10.21037/tp-22-443
    BACKGROUND: To study the association in moderate and severe pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) between hyperglycemia, hyperlactatemia, acidosis and unfavorable outcome, as assessed by Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category (PCPC) on discharge from the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

    METHODS: Children <16 years old with TBI and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) ≤13 in an Asian multi-center PICU TBI cohort from January 2014 to October 2017 were included in this study. We defined unfavorable outcome as PCPC ≥3-moderate disability, severe disability, vegetative state, and death. We performed logistic regression to investigate the association between metabolic changes with unfavorable outcome. We divided hyperglycemia (glucose >11.1 mmol/L) during PICU admission into early-onset (within 24 h), late-onset (beyond 48 h) and persistent (throughout first 72 h).

    RESULTS: Among the 305 children analyzed, 136 (44.6%) had unfavorable outcome. Children with unfavorable outcome were more likely to have early hyperglycemia (75/136, 55.1% vs. 33/169, 19.5%; P<0.001), high lactate levels >2.0 mmol/L (74/136, 54.4% vs. 56/169, 32.5%; P<0.001) and initial acidosis (85/136, 62.5% vs. 78/169, 56.1%; P=0.003) compared to those with favorable outcome. After adjusting for gender, GCS ≤8 and presence of polytrauma, early hyperglycemia [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) =3.68, 95% CI: 2.12-6.39, P<0.001] and late hyperglycemia (aOR =13.30, 95% CI: 1.64-107.8, P=0.015] were independently associated with unfavorable outcome. All children with persistent hyperglycemia died.

    CONCLUSIONS: We described unfavorable outcome in pediatric TBI especially with persistent hyperglycemia. Future trials should investigate the causal relationship between glycemic trends, early intervention and outcome in this cohort.

  3. Chong SL, Qian S, Yao SHW, Allen JC, Dang H, Chan LCN, et al.
    J Neurosurg Pediatr, 2022 Feb 01;29(2):225-231.
    PMID: 34715667 DOI: 10.3171/2021.8.PEDS21281
    OBJECTIVE: Early posttraumatic seizures (EPTSs) in children after traumatic brain injury (TBI) increase metabolic stress on the injured brain. The authors sought to study the demographic and radiographic predictors for EPTS, and to investigate the association between EPTS and death, and between EPTS and poor functional outcomes among children with moderate to severe TBI in Asia.

    METHODS: A secondary analysis of a retrospective TBI cohort among participating centers of the Pediatric Acute & Critical Care Medicine Asian Network was performed. Children < 16 years of age with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score ≤ 13 who were admitted to pediatric intensive care units between January 2014 and October 2017 were included. Logistic regression analysis was performed to study risk factors for EPTS and to investigate the association between EPTS and death, and between EPTS and poor functional outcomes. Poor functional outcomes were defined as moderate disability, severe disability, and coma as defined by the Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category scale.

    RESULTS: Overall, 313 children were analyzed, with a median age of 4.3 years (IQR 1.8-8.9 years); 162 children (51.8%) had severe TBI (GCS score < 8), and 76 children (24.3%) had EPTS. After adjusting for age, sex, and the presence of nonaccidental trauma (NAT), only younger age was significantly associated with EPTS (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.85, 95% CI 0.78-0.92; p < 0.001). Forty-nine children (15.6%) in the cohort died, and 87 (32.9%) of the 264 surviving patients had poor functional outcomes. EPTS did not increase the risk of death. After adjusting for age, sex, TBI due to NAT, multiple traumas, and a GCS score < 8, the presence of EPTS was associated with poor functional outcomes (aOR 2.08, 95% CI 1.05-4.10; p = 0.036).

    CONCLUSIONS: EPTSs were common among children with moderate to severe TBI in Asia and were associated with poor functional outcomes among children who survived TBI.

  4. Chong SL, Dang H, Ming M, Mahmood M, Zheng CQS, Gan CS, et al.
    Pediatr Crit Care Med, 2021 Apr 01;22(4):401-411.
    PMID: 33027240 DOI: 10.1097/PCC.0000000000002575
    OBJECTIVES: Traumatic brain injury remains an important cause of death and disability. We aim to report the epidemiology and management of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury in Asian PICUs and identify risk factors for mortality and poor functional outcomes.

    DESIGN: A retrospective study of the Pediatric Acute and Critical Care Medicine Asian Network moderate to severe traumatic brain injury dataset collected between 2014 and 2017.

    SETTING: Patients were from the participating PICUs of Pediatric Acute and Critical Care Medicine Asian Network.

    PATIENTS: We included children less than 16 years old with a Glasgow Coma Scale less than or equal to 13.

    INTERVENTIONS: None.

    MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We obtained data on patient demographics, injury circumstances, and PICU management. We performed a multivariate logistic regression predicting for mortality and poor functional outcomes. We analyzed 380 children with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. Most injuries were a result of road traffic injuries (174 [45.8%]) and falls (160 [42.1%]). There were important differences in temperature control, use of antiepileptic drugs, and hyperosmolar agents between the sites. Fifty-six children died (14.7%), and 104 of 324 survivors (32.1%) had poor functional outcomes. Poor functional outcomes were associated with non-high-income sites (adjusted odds ratio, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.11-3.29), Glasgow Coma Scale less than 8 (adjusted odds ratio, 4.24; 95% CI, 2.44-7.63), involvement in a road traffic collision (adjusted odds ratio, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.04-3.26), and presence of child abuse (adjusted odds ratio, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.01-7.46).

    CONCLUSIONS: Poor functional outcomes are prevalent after pediatric traumatic brain injury in Asia. There is an urgent need for further research in these high-risk groups.

  5. Smallbone A, Hanipah MR, Jia B, Scott T, Heslop J, Towell B, et al.
    Energy Fuels, 2020 Oct 15;34(10):12926-12939.
    PMID: 33122874 DOI: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.0c01647
    Free-piston engine generators (FPEGs) have huge potential to be the principal energy conversion device for generating electricity from fuel as part of a hybrid-electric vehicle (EV) powertrain system. The principal advantages lay in the fact that they are theoretically more efficient, more compact, and more lightweight compared to other competing EV hybrid and range-extender solutions (internal combustion engines, rotary engines, fuel cells, etc.). However, this potential has yet to be realized. This article details a novel dual-piston FPEG configuration and presents the full layout of a system and provides technical evidence of a commercial FPEG system's likely size and weight. The work also presents the first results obtained from a project which set-out to realize an operational FPEG system in hardware through the development and testing of a flexible prototype test platform. The work presents the performance and control system characteristics, for a first of a kind system; these show great technical potential with stable and repeatable combustion events achieved with around 700 W per cylinder and 26% indicated efficiency.
  6. Shepherdson JL, Hutchison K, Don DW, McGillivray G, Choi TI, Allan CA, et al.
    Am J Hum Genet, 2024 Mar 07;111(3):487-508.
    PMID: 38325380 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2024.01.007
    Pathogenic variants in multiple genes on the X chromosome have been implicated in syndromic and non-syndromic intellectual disability disorders. ZFX on Xp22.11 encodes a transcription factor that has been linked to diverse processes including oncogenesis and development, but germline variants have not been characterized in association with disease. Here, we present clinical and molecular characterization of 18 individuals with germline ZFX variants. Exome or genome sequencing revealed 11 variants in 18 subjects (14 males and 4 females) from 16 unrelated families. Four missense variants were identified in 11 subjects, with seven truncation variants in the remaining individuals. Clinical findings included developmental delay/intellectual disability, behavioral abnormalities, hypotonia, and congenital anomalies. Overlapping and recurrent facial features were identified in all subjects, including thickening and medial broadening of eyebrows, variations in the shape of the face, external eye abnormalities, smooth and/or long philtrum, and ear abnormalities. Hyperparathyroidism was found in four families with missense variants, and enrichment of different tumor types was observed. In molecular studies, DNA-binding domain variants elicited differential expression of a small set of target genes relative to wild-type ZFX in cultured cells, suggesting a gain or loss of transcriptional activity. Additionally, a zebrafish model of ZFX loss displayed an altered behavioral phenotype, providing additional evidence for the functional significance of ZFX. Our clinical and experimental data support that variants in ZFX are associated with an X-linked intellectual disability syndrome characterized by a recurrent facial gestalt, neurocognitive and behavioral abnormalities, and an increased risk for congenital anomalies and hyperparathyroidism.
  7. Young PJ, Al-Fares A, Aryal D, Arabi YM, Ashraf MS, Bagshaw SM, et al.
    Crit Care Resusc, 2023 Jun;25(2):106-112.
    PMID: 37876605 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccrj.2023.04.008
    BACKGROUND: The effect of conservative vs. liberal oxygen therapy on 90-day in-hospital mortality in adults with sepsis receiving unplanned invasive mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU) is uncertain.

    OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to summarise the protocol and statistical analysis plan for the Mega-ROX Sepsis trial.

    DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The Mega-ROX Sepsis trial is an international randomised clinical trial that will be conducted within an overarching 40,000-patient registry-embedded clinical trial comparing conservative and liberal ICU oxygen therapy regimens. We anticipate that between 10,000 and 13,000 patients with sepsis who are receiving unplanned invasive mechanical ventilation in the ICU will be enrolled in this trial.

    MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome is in-hospital all-cause mortality up to 90 days from the date of randomisation. Secondary outcomes include duration of survival, duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, and the proportion of patients discharged home.

    RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Mega-ROX Sepsis will compare the effect of conservative vs. liberal oxygen therapy on 90-day in-hospital mortality in adults with sepsis who are receiving unplanned invasive mechanical ventilation in the ICU. The protocol and a prespecified approach to analyses are reported here to mitigate analysis bias.

  8. Young PJ, Al-Fares A, Aryal D, Arabi YM, Ashraf MS, Bagshaw SM, et al.
    Crit Care Resusc, 2023 Mar;25(1):53-59.
    PMID: 37876994 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccrj.2023.04.011
    BACKGROUND: The effect of conservative vs. liberal oxygen therapy on 90-day in-hospital mortality in adults who have nonhypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy acute brain injuries and conditions and are receiving invasive mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU) is uncertain.

    OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to summarise the protocol and statistical analysis plan for the Mega-ROX Brains trial.

    DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Mega-ROX Brains is an international randomised clinical trial, which will be conducted within an overarching 40,000-participant, registry-embedded clinical trial comparing conservative and liberal ICU oxygen therapy regimens. We expect to enrol between 7500 and 9500 participants with nonhypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy acute brain injuries and conditions who are receiving unplanned invasive mechanical ventilation in the ICU.

    MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome is in-hospital all-cause mortality up to 90 d from the date of randomisation. Secondary outcomes include duration of survival, duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, and the proportion of participants discharged home.

    RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Mega-ROX Brains will compare the effect of conservative vs. liberal oxygen therapy regimens on 90-day in-hospital mortality in adults in the ICU with acute brain injuries and conditions. The protocol and planned analyses are reported here to mitigate analysis bias.

    TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN 12620000391976).

  9. Young PJ, Al-Fares A, Aryal D, Arabi YM, Ashraf MS, Bagshaw SM, et al.
    Crit Care Resusc, 2024 Jun;26(2):87-94.
    PMID: 39072241 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccrj.2024.03.004
    BACKGROUND: The effect of conservative vs. liberal oxygen therapy on 90-day in-hospital mortality in adults with hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) following a cardiac arrest who are receiving invasive mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU) is uncertain.

    OBJECTIVE: To summarise the protocol and statistical analysis plan for the Mega-ROX HIE trial.

    DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Mega-ROX HIE is an international randomised clinical trial that will be conducted within an overarching 40,000-participant registry-embedded clinical trial comparing conservative and liberal ICU oxygen therapy regimens. We expect to enrol approximately 4000 participants with suspected HIE following a cardiac arrest who are receiving invasive mechanical ventilation in the ICU.

    MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome is in-hospital all-cause mortality up to 90 days from the date of randomisation. Secondary outcomes include duration of survival, duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, and the proportion of participants discharged home.

    RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Mega-ROX HIE will compare the effect of conservative vs. liberal oxygen therapy regimens on day-90 in-hospital mortality in adults in the ICU with suspected HIE following a cardiac arrest. The protocol and planned analyses are reported here to mitigate analysis bias.

    TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN 12620000391976).

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