Maltodextrin as a Commercial-Grade Electrolyte Additive Against Dendrite Formation and Side Reactions for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) directly using zinc metal anodes are promising candidates for grid-scale energy storage systems due to their intrinsic high theoretical capacity, high safety, and environmental friendliness. However, the uncontrolled dendrite growth and water-triggered side reactions seriously plague its practical application. Herein, a cost-effective and green additive, maltodextrin (MD) is presented, to simultaneously guide the smooth Zn deposition and inhibit the occurrence of water-related side reactions. Combing experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations shows that the MD molecules could reconstruct the Helmholtz plane, induces a preferential growth of zinc along the (002) plane, and the optimized regulation of the Zn2+ diffusion path and deposition location also results in the formation of fine-grained Zn deposition layers, thereby inhibiting dendrite growth. In addition, MD molecules readily adsorb to the zinc anode surface, which isolates water molecules from direct contact with the zinc metal, reducing hydrogen precipitation reactions and inhibiting the formation of by-products. Consequently, the Zn||Zn symmetric cell with MD achieves ultra-long stable cycles of up to 5430 h at 1 mA cm-2 and 1 mA h cm-2, and the Cu||Zn asymmetric cell can stable cycle 1000 cycles with an average coulomb efficiency of 99.78%.

Effect of physical activity on anxiety, depression and obesity index in children and adolescents with obesity: A meta-analysis.

FOR FULL-LENGTH ARTICLES: This study systematically identified the effects of physical activity (PA) on depression, anxiety and weight-related outcomes among children and adolescents with overweight/obesity. EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and PubMed were searched from January 1, 2000 to August 1, 2022 for peer-reviewed papers. Meta-analyses were conducted to ascertain the effect of physical activity on symptoms of anxiety, depression and weight-related outcomes in overweight/obese children and adolescents. Twenty-five studies representing 2188 participants, with median age 12.08 years old (8.3 to 18.44 years) were included. Depressive and anxiety symptoms, BMI, BMI z-scores, weight, waist circumference and height were evaluated. After incorporating the effects of PA interventions on children and adolescents with overweight/obesity, PA could improve depressive and anxiety symptoms, but not obesity indexes except waist circumference. While, PA combined with other interventions have a significant effect both on anxiety symptoms and BMI compared to pure PA intervention. In terms of intervention duration, we observed that durations falling within the range of 8 to 24 weeks exhibited the most positive effects on reducing depressive symptoms. FOR SHORT COMMUNICATIONS: We included 25 articles on the effects of physical activity on psychological states such as depression and anxiety, weight, BMI and other weight-related indicators in children and adolescents with overweight/obesity. We attempted to determine the most appropriate type of physical activity intervention for children and adolescents with overweight/obesity, as well as the most appropriate population characteristics and duration by combining the outcome data from each article. This has a great enlightening effect for health workers to carry out corresponding strategies in the future.

Post-exposure intranasal IFNα suppresses replication and neuroinvasion of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus within olfactory sensory neurons.

BACKGROUND: Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus (VEEV) may enter the central nervous system (CNS) within olfactory sensory neurons (OSN) that originate in the nasal cavity after intranasal exposure. While it is known that VEEV has evolved several mechanisms to inhibit type I interferon (IFN) signaling within infected cells, whether this inhibits virologic control during neuroinvasion along OSN has not been studied. METHODS: We utilized an established murine model of intranasal infection with VEEV and a repository of scRNAseq data from IFN-treated OSN to assess the cellular targets and IFN signaling responses after VEEV exposure. RESULTS: We found that immature OSN, which express higher levels of the VEEV receptor LDLRAD3 than mature OSN, are the first cells infected by VEEV. Despite rapid VEEV neuroinvasion after intranasal exposure, olfactory neuroepithelium (ONE) and olfactory bulb (OB) IFN responses, as assessed by evaluation of expression of interferon signaling genes (ISG), are delayed for up to 48 h during VEEV neuroinvasion, representing a potential therapeutic window. Indeed, a single intranasal dose of recombinant IFNα triggers early ISG expression in both the nasal cavity and OB. When administered at the time of or early after infection, IFNα treatment delayed onset of sequelae associated with encephalitis and extended survival by several days. VEEV replication after IFN treatment was also transiently suppressed in the ONE, which inhibited subsequent invasion into the CNS. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate a critical and promising first evaluation of intranasal IFNα for the treatment of human encephalitic alphavirus exposures.

Fluorogen-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Hybrid Sensing Materials: Applications in Cu2+ Detection.

Since Cu2+ ions play a pivotal role in both ecosystems and human health, the development of a rapid and sensitive method for Cu2+ detection holds significant importance. Fluorescent mesoporous silica materials (FMSMs) have garnered considerable attention in the realm of chemical sensing, biosensing, and bioimaging due to their distinctive structure and easily functionalized surfaces. As a result, numerous Cu2+ sensors based on FMSMs have been devised and extensively applied in environmental and biological Cu2+ detection over the past few decades. This review centers on the recent advancements in the methodologies for preparing FMSMs, the mechanisms underlying sensing, and the applications of FMSMs-based sensors for Cu2+ detection. Lastly, we present and elucidate pertinent perspectives concerning FMSMs-based Cu2+ sensors.

Vaccination prevents IL-1ß-mediated cognitive deficits after COVID-19.

Up to 25% of SARS-CoV-2 patients exhibit post-acute cognitive sequelae. Although millions of cases of COVID-19-mediated memory dysfunction are accumulating worldwide, the underlying mechanisms and how vaccination lowers risk are unknown. Interleukin-1, a key component of innate immune defense against SARS-CoV-2 infection, is elevated in the hippocampi of COVID-19 patients. Here we show that intranasal infection of C57BL/6J mice with SARS-CoV-2 beta variant, leads to CNS infiltration of Ly6Chi monocytes and microglial activation. Accordingly, SARS-CoV-2, but not H1N1 influenza virus, increases levels of brain IL-1ß and induces persistent IL-1R1-mediated loss of hippocampal neurogenesis, which promotes post-acute cognitive deficits. Breakthrough infection after vaccination with a low dose of adenoviral vectored Spike protein prevents hippocampal production of IL-1ß during breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection, loss of neurogenesis, and subsequent memory deficits. Our study identifies IL-1ß as one potential mechanism driving SARS-CoV-2-induced cognitive impairment in a new murine model that is prevented by vaccination.

Exercise intervention and improvement of negative emotions in children: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety, depression, and stress are the most common mental health problems in childhood. Exercise interventions in childhood help to promote mental health. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between exercise interventions and improvement of negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, and stress in children (5-12 years). METHODS: Articles were searched in five electronic databases from their inception to January 2023. The meta-analysis was performed using Stata 16.0. RESULTS: Twenty-three intervention studies included 6830 children. 1) The exercise intervention group was significantly better than the control group in improving negative emotions (Standard Mean Difference SMD=-0.25, 95% Confidence Intervals CI: -0.34 to -0.15, P < 0.01). Exercise intervention improved different kinds of negative emotions: anxiety (SMD=-0.19, 95% CI: -0.33 to -0.06, P < 0.01), depression (SMD=-0.22, 95% CI: -0.43 to -0.01, P < 0.01), and stress (SMD=-0.33, 95% CI: -0.53 to -0.14, P < 0.01); it was most effective at relieving problematic stress. Exercise interventions lasting 20-45 min were most effective in improving children's negative emotions (SMD=-0.38, 95% CI: -0.56 to -0.20, P < 0.01). An exercise intervention period of 10 weeks was more effective in improving children's negative mood (SMD=-0.26, 95% CI: -0.34 to -0.17, P = 0.274). CONCLUSION: Exercise interventions may improve negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, and stress in children. These findings may have clinical implications for children with negative affect. However, these studies showed a large heterogeneity, and the results should be interpreted with caution. Future studies should report the variability of exercise interventions by gender, age group, and type, intensity, and place of exercise.

Post-exposure intranasal IFNα suppresses replication and neuroinvasion of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus within olfactory sensory neurons.

Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus (VEEV) may enter the central nervous system (CNS) within olfactory sensory neurons (OSN) that originate in the nasal cavity after intranasal exposure. While it is known that VEEV has evolved several mechanisms to inhibit type I interferon (IFN) signaling within infected cells, whether this inhibits virologic control during neuroinvasion along OSN has not been studied. Here, we utilized an established murine model of intranasal infection with VEEV to assess the cellular targets and IFN signaling responses after VEEV exposure. We found that immature OSN, which express higher levels of the VEEV receptor LDLRAD3 than mature OSN, are the first cells infected by VEEV. Despite rapid VEEV neuroinvasion after intranasal exposure, olfactory neuroepithelium (ONE) and olfactory bulb (OB) IFN responses, as assessed by evaluation of expression of interferon signaling genes (ISG), are delayed for up to 48 hours during VEEV neuroinvasion, representing a potential therapeutic window. Indeed, a single intranasal dose of recombinant IFNα triggers early ISG expression in both the nasal cavity and OB. When administered at the time of or early after infection, IFNα treatment delayed onset of sequelae associated with encephalitis and extended survival by several days. VEEV replication after IFN treatment was also transiently suppressed in the ONE, which inhibited subsequent invasion into the CNS. Our results demonstrate a critical and promising first evaluation of intranasal IFNα for the treatment of human encephalitic alphavirus exposures.

An Evaluation Index System for Core Competencies of Specialist Nurses in Pediatric Emergency Care.

Objective: We aimed to construct an evaluation index system for the core competencies of specialist nurses in pediatric emergency care using the Delphi method. Methods: We preliminarily defined 3 levels of evaluation indices for the core competencies in this nursing specialty through literature review and qualitative analysis. We conducted 2 rounds of expert consultation (using the Delphi method) to screen, revise, and finalize the indices. Results: Two rounds of inquiry sufficiently defined the evaluation index system for the core competencies. The evaluation index system consists of 70 tertiary indices, 17 secondary indices, and 6 primary indices. The authority coefficients of the 2 rounds were 0.859 and 0.876, respectively, and the effective response rates of both rounds was 100%. Conclusion: The proposed evaluation index system is reliable, comprehensive, and professional, providing a quantifiable basis for the evaluation and appraisal of the core competencies in this area of nursing specialization.

NK cell-derived extracellular granzyme B drives epithelial ulceration during HSV-2 genital infection.

Genital herpes is characterized by recurrent episodes of epithelial blistering. The mechanisms causing this pathology are ill defined. Using a mouse model of vaginal herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) infection, we show that interleukin-18 (IL-18) acts upon natural killer (NK) cells to promote accumulation of the serine protease granzyme B in the vagina, coinciding with vaginal epithelial ulceration. Genetic loss of granzyme B or therapeutic inhibition by a specific protease inhibitor reduces disease and restores epithelial integrity without altering viral control. Distinct effects of granzyme B and perforin deficiency on pathology indicates that granzyme B acts independent of its classic cytotoxic role. IL-18 and granzyme B are markedly elevated in human herpetic ulcers compared with non-herpetic ulcers, suggesting engagement of these pathways in HSV-infected patients. Our study reveals a role for granzyme B in destructing mucosal epithelium during HSV-2 infection, identifying a therapeutic target to augment treatment of genital herpes.

A Portable Pull-Out Soil Profile Moisture Sensor Based on High-Frequency Capacitance.

Soil profile moisture is a crucial parameter of agricultural irrigation. To meet the demand of soil profile moisture, simple fast-sensing, and low-cost in situ detection, a portable pull-out soil profile moisture sensor was designed based on the principle of high-frequency capacitance. The sensor consists of a moisture-sensing probe and a data processing unit. The probe converts soil moisture into a frequency signal using an electromagnetic field. The data processing unit was designed for signal detection and transmitting moisture content data to a smartphone app. The data processing unit and the probe are connected by a tie rod with adjustable length, which can be moved up and down to measure the moisture content of different soil layers. According to indoor tests, the maximum detection height for the sensor was 130 mm, the maximum detection radius was 96 mm, and the degree of fitting (R2) of the constructed moisture measurement model was 0.972. In the verification tests, the root mean square error (RMSE) of the measured value of the sensor was 0.02 m3/m3, the mean bias error (MBE) was ±0.009 m3/m3, and the maximum error was ±0.039 m3/m3. According to the results, the sensor, which features a wide detection range and good accuracy, is well suited for the portable measurement of soil profile moisture.

A total-internal-reflection-based Fabry-Pérot resonator for ultra-sensitive wideband ultrasound and photoacoustic applications.

In photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging, optical transducers offer a unique potential to provide higher responsivity, wider bandwidths, and greatly reduced electrical and acoustic impedance mismatch when compared with piezoelectric transducers. In this paper, we propose a total-internal-reflection-based Fabry-Pérot resonator composed of a 12-nm-thick gold layer and a dielectric resonant cavity. The resonator uses the same Kretschmann configuration as surface plasmon resonators (SPR). The resonators were analyzed both theoretically and experimentally. The experimental results were compared with those for an SPR for benchmarking. The 1.9-µm-thick-PMMA- and 3.4-µm-thick-PDMS-based resonators demonstrated responsivities of 3.6- and 30-fold improvements compared with the SPR, respectively. The measured bandwidths for the PMMA, PDMS devices are 110 MHz and 75 MHz, respectively. Single-shot sensitivity of 160 Pa is obtained for the PDMS device. The results indicate that, with the proposed resonator in imaging applications, sensitivity and the signal-to-noise ratio can be improved significantly without compromising the bandwidth.

Reduced volume of diabetic pancreatic islets in rodents detected by synchrotron X-ray phase-contrast microtomography and deep learning network.

The pancreatic islet is a highly structured micro-organ that produces insulin in response to rising blood glucose. Here we develop a label-free and automatic imaging approach to visualize the islets in situ in diabetic rodents by the synchrotron radiation X-ray phase-contrast microtomography (SRµCT) at the ID17 station of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. The large-size images (3.2 mm × 15.97 mm) were acquired in the pancreas in STZ-treated mice and diabetic GK rats. Each pancreas was dissected by 3000 reconstructed images. The image datasets were further analysed by a self-developed deep learning method, AA-Net. All islets in the pancreas were segmented and visualized by the three-dimension (3D) reconstruction. After quantifying the volumes of the islets, we found that the number of larger islets (=>1500 µm3) was reduced by 2-fold (wt 1004 ± 94 vs GK 419 ± 122, P < 0.001) in chronically developed diabetic GK rat, while in STZ-treated diabetic mouse the large islets were decreased by half (189 ± 33 vs 90 ± 29, P < 0.001) compared to the untreated mice. Our study provides a label-free tool for detecting and quantifying pancreatic islets in situ. It implies the possibility of monitoring the state of pancreatic islets in vivo diabetes without labelling.

Na+-Activation Engineering in the Na3V2(PO4)3 Cathode with Boosting Kinetics for Fast-Charging Na-Ion Batteries.

Na superionic conductor-structured phosphates have attracted wide interest due to their high working voltage and fast Na+ migration facilitated by the robust 3D open framework. However, they usually suffer from low-rate capability and inferior cycling stability due to the low intrinsic electronic conductivity and limited activated Na+ ions. Herein, a doping protocol with Na+ in the V3+ site is developed to activate extra electrochemical Na+ ions and expand the migration path of Na+, leading to the improvement of the electronic conductivity and diffusion kinetics. It is also disclosed that the generated stronger Na-O bonds with high ionicity significantly conduce to the enhanced structural stability in the Na+-substituted Na3.05V1.975Na0.025(PO4)3/C cathode. The obtained composite can deliver an excellent rate capacity of 83.8 mA h g-1 at 20 C and a moderate cycling persistence of 91.3% over 1500 cycles at 10 C with great fast-charging properties. The reversible structure evolution is confirmed by the ex situ XRD, XPS, and ICP characterization. This work sheds light on awakening electroactive Na+ ions and designing phosphates with superior electrochemical stability for practical Na-ion batteries.

COVID-19 induces CNS cytokine expression and loss of hippocampal neurogenesis.

Infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with acute and postacute cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms including impaired memory, concentration, attention, sleep and affect. Mechanisms underlying these brain symptoms remain understudied. Here we report that SARS-CoV-2-infected hamsters exhibit a lack of viral neuroinvasion despite aberrant blood-brain barrier permeability. Hamsters and patients deceased from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) also exhibit microglial activation and expression of interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6, especially within the hippocampus and the medulla oblongata, when compared with non-COVID control hamsters and humans who died from other infections, cardiovascular disease, uraemia or trauma. In the hippocampal dentate gyrus of both COVID-19 hamsters and humans, we observed fewer neuroblasts and immature neurons. Protracted inflammation, blood-brain barrier disruption and microglia activation may result in altered neurotransmission, neurogenesis and neuronal damage, explaining neuropsychiatric presentations of COVID-19. The involvement of the hippocampus may explain learning, memory and executive dysfunctions in COVID-19 patients.

A critical role of the mechanosensor PIEZO1 in glucose-induced insulin secretion in pancreatic ß-cells.

Glucose-induced insulin secretion depends on ß-cell electrical activity. Inhibition of ATP-regulated potassium (KATP) channels is a key event in this process. However, KATP channel closure alone is not sufficient to induce ß-cell electrical activity; activation of a depolarizing membrane current is also required. Here we examine the role of the mechanosensor ion channel PIEZO1 in this process. Yoda1, a specific PIEZO1 agonist, activates a small membrane current and thereby triggers ß-cell electrical activity with resultant stimulation of Ca2+-influx and insulin secretion. Conversely, the PIEZO1 antagonist GsMTx4 reduces glucose-induced Ca2+-signaling, electrical activity and insulin secretion. Yet, PIEZO1 expression is elevated in islets from human donors with type-2 diabetes (T2D) and a rodent T2D model (db/db mouse), in which insulin secretion is reduced. This paradox is resolved by our finding that PIEZO1 translocates from the plasmalemma into the nucleus (where it cannot influence the membrane potential of the ß-cell) under experimental conditions emulating T2D (high glucose culture). ß-cell-specific Piezo1-knockout mice show impaired glucose tolerance in vivo and reduced glucose-induced insulin secretion, ß-cell electrical activity and Ca2+ elevation in vitro. These results implicate mechanotransduction and activation of PIEZO1, via intracellular accumulation of glucose metabolites, as an important physiological regulator of insulin secretion.

Design of a Phenotypic Sensor About Protein and Moisture in Wheat Grain.

A near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer can perceive the change in characteristics of the grain reflectance spectrum quickly and nondestructively, which can be used to determine grain quality information. The full-band spectral information of samples of multiple physical states can be measured using existing instruments, yet it is difficult for the full-band instrument to be widely used in grain quality detection due to its high price, large size, non-portability, and inability to directly output the grain quality information. Because of the above problems, a phenotypic sensor about grain quality was developed for wheat, and four wavelengths were chosen. The interference of noise signals such as ambient light was eliminated by the phenotypic sensor using the modulated light signal and closed sample pool, the shape and size of the incident light spot of the light source were determined according to the requirement for collecting the reflectance spectrum of the grain, and the luminous units of the light source with stable light intensity and balanced luminescence were developed. Moreover, the sensor extracted the reflectance spectrum information using a weak optical signal conditioning circuit, which improved the resolution of the reflectance signal. A grain quality prediction model was created based on the actual moisture and protein content of grain obtained through Physico-chemical analyses. The calibration test showed that the R2 of the relative diffuse reflectance (RDR) of all four wavelengths of the phenotypic sensor and the reflectance of the diffusion fabrics were higher than 0.99. In the noise level and repeatability tests, the standard deviations of the RDR of two types of wheat measured by the sensor were much lower than 1.0%, indicating that the sensor could accurately collect the RDR of wheat. In the calibration test, the root mean square errors (RMSE) of protein and moisture content of wheat in the Test set were 0.4866 and 0.2161%, the mean absolute errors (MAEs) were 0.6515 and 0.3078%, respectively. The results showed that the NIR phenotypic sensor about grain quality developed in this study could be used to collect the diffuse reflectance of grains and the moisture and protein content in real-time.

Quality appraisal of clinical practice guidelines on physical restraints in ICU: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Physical restraint has been regarded as a protective measure in the intensive care unit (ICU) in order to avoid unexpected events. But a great number of researches have proven that physical restraints can cause bad influences on patients' mental health, such as language delays of children, sense of uncertainty, loss of trust, etc. However, it is unclear whether there are currently high-quality clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) to guide clinical practice in physical restraints. So we aim to analyze available CPGs on physical restraints in ICU with Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) evaluating methodological quality and Reporting Items for Practice Guidelines in Healthcare (RIGHT) evaluating reporting quality. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, CNKI (Chinese database), Wanfang data (Chinese database), relevant websites (GIN, NICE, SIGN, RNAO, AHRQ, AACN), and Google from their inception to Nov 21, 2021. Two reviewers independently use the AGREE II tool and RIGHT checklist to evaluate methodological and reporting quality of included guidelines on physical restraints in ICU. The number and proportion of reported items of RIGHT checklist and the scores of each domain of AGREE II were calculated. We also evaluated the consistency among the reviewers via use of the intragroup correlation coefficient. RESULTS: A total of six guidelines were included. The mean AGREE II score for the included guidelines was 39.56% with a range of 30.27-69.85%. No guideline was "high quality", and only one guideline was "moderate quality" with 69.85% mean AGREE II score. The mean RIGHT reporting score for guidelines was 41.0% with a range of 24.7-77.7%. Only one guideline was "moderate-reported" with a mean reporting score of 77.7%. DISCUSSION: In general, the methodological and reporting quality of physical restraints guidelines is low, and future development or updating of high-quality guidelines to guide clinical practice is needed.

Nurse education to reduce physical restraints use in ICU: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Physical restraints are defined as a manual approach to reduce a patient's physical movement and has been regarded as a protective nursing measure in the intensive care unit (ICU) to avoid unplanned extubation, falls, and other unexpected events. However, the limitations and changes associated with physical restraints have been verified by several studies. Restraint minimization has been advocated by studies worldwide; however, the most effective interventions are still being explored. AIM: To identify and map nurse education strategies that reduce the use of physical restraints in the ICU. DESIGN AND METHODS: A systematic literature search that followed the steps of a scoping review was performed in the Cochrane, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, CNKI, Wan Fang Data, and VIP databases. We included studies that focused on nurse education aiming to reduce the use of physical restraints and/or use physical restraints reasonably. RESULTS: The included studies (n = 12) described a variety of education strategies. Two delivery modes, eight common course durations, 14 main topics, two types of teaching methods with various materials, and two kinds of outcome measurements were identified and compared. CONCLUSION: There are a variety of nurse education activities that could effectively improve ICU nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours towards physical restraints. However, the strategies of nurse education, such as delivery mode, teaching methods, and outcome measurements, require further study. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nurse education on physical restraints should be carried out in ICUs. Online courses, practical sessions, and simulated scenarios should be a part of future nurse education. In addition to nurses' knowledge and attitude changes, frequency of physical restraints and other patient-related outcomes should also be considered for outcome evaluation.

Acute kidney injury in premature and low birth weight neonates: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common and it is associated with poor clinical outcomes in premature and low birth weight neonates. This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to summarize the literature and evaluate the prevalence, risk factors, and mortality of premature and low birth weight neonates with AKI. METHODS: A systematic search in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was performed. Studies on the prevalence, risk factors, diagnosis, and outcomes of acute kidney injury in preterm neonates and neonates with low birth weight were included and analyzed. RESULTS: Fifty articles of 10,744 patients were included in this study. The overall rate of AKI from the pooled results of all patients was 25% (95% CI 20-30%) with heterogeneity among studies (I2 = 97%; P < 0.01). Patients with AKI had significantly higher rate of mortality than patients without AKI (odds ratio (OR) = 7.13; 95% CI 5.91-8.60; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: AKI was prevalent and was associated with high mortality rate among preterm and low birth weight neonates.