Search results for: functional background heterogeneity

Authors: Kholoud Abdulaziz, Kholoud Al-Najdi, Abdullah Kadri, Konstantinos E. Kakosimos

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The Middle East area is highly affected by air pollution induced by anthropogenic and natural phenomena. There is evidence that air pollution, especially particulates, greatly affects the population health. Many studies have raised a warning of the high concentration of particulates and their affect not just around industrial and construction areas but also in the immediate working and living environment. One of the methods to study air quality is continuous and periodic monitoring using active or passive samplers. Active monitoring and sampling are the default procedures per the European and US standards. However, in many cases they have been inefficient to accurately capture the spatial variability of air pollution due to the small number of installations; which eventually is attributed to the high cost of the equipment and the limited availability of users with expertise and scientific background. Another alternative has been found to account for the limitations of the active methods that is the passive sampling. It is inexpensive, requires no continuous power supply, and easy to assemble which makes it a more flexible option, though less accurate. This study aims to investigate and evaluate the use of passive sampling for particulate matter pollution monitoring in dry tropical climates, like in the Middle East. More specifically, a number of field measurements have be conducted, both indoors and outdoors, at Qatar and the results have been compared with active sampling equipment and the reference methods. The samples have been analyzed, that is to obtain particle size distribution, by applying existing laboratory techniques (optical microscopy) and by exploring new approaches like the white light interferometry to. Then the new parameters of the well-established model have been calculated in order to estimate the atmospheric concentration of particulates. Additionally, an extended literature review will investigate for new and better models. The outcome of this project is expected to have an impact on the public, as well, as it will raise awareness among people about the quality of life and about the importance of implementing research culture in the community.

Keywords: air pollution, passive samplers, interferometry, indoor, outdoor

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Authors: Jae Ni Jang, Young Uk Kim

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Background: Chat Generative Pre-training Transformer-3 (ChatGPT; San Francisco, California, Open Artificial Intelligence) is an artificial intelligence chatbot based on a large language model designed to generate human-like text. As the usage of ChatGPT is increasing among less knowledgeable patients, medical students, and anesthesia and pain medicine residents or trainees, we aimed to evaluate the accuracy of ChatGPT-3 responses to questions about the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification based on patients’ underlying diseases and assess the quality of the generated responses. Methods: A total of 47 questions were submitted to ChatGPT using textual prompts. The questions were designed for ChatGPT-3 to provide answers regarding ASA classification in response to common underlying diseases frequently observed in adult patients. In addition, we created 18 questions regarding the ASA classification for pediatric patients and pregnant women. The accuracy of ChatGPT’s responses was evaluated by cross-referencing with Miller’s Anesthesia, Morgan & Mikhail’s Clinical Anesthesiology, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ ASA Physical Status Classification System (2020). Results: Out of the 47 questions pertaining to adults, ChatGPT -3 provided correct answers for only 23, resulting in an accuracy rate of 48.9%. Furthermore, the responses provided by ChatGPT-3 regarding children and pregnant women were mostly inaccurate, as indicated by a 28% accuracy rate (5 out of 18). Conclusions: ChatGPT provided correct responses to questions relevant to the daily clinical routine of anesthesiologists in approximately half of the cases, while the remaining responses contained errors. Therefore, caution is advised when using ChatGPT to retrieve anesthesia-related information. Although ChatGPT may not yet be suitable for clinical settings, we anticipate significant improvements in ChatGPT and other large language models in the near future. Regular assessments of ChatGPT's ASA classification accuracy are essential due to the evolving nature of ChatGPT as an artificial intelligence entity. This is especially important because ChatGPT has a clinically unacceptable rate of error and hallucination, particularly in pediatric patients and pregnant women. The methodology established in this study may be used to continue evaluating ChatGPT.

Keywords: American Society of Anesthesiologists, artificial intelligence, Chat Generative Pre-training Transformer-3, ChatGPT

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Authors: Hsin-Hsin Chang, Jann-Tay Wang, Wang-Huei Sheng

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Background: Hospital-associated infections (HAIs) have significant medical and social resource consumption. In view of medical technology change rapidly and the prolonged average life expectancy, the patients' chances of receiving invasive medical devices have also increased. As well as the potential disease of the patients, the aging, and immune dysfunction makes the disease more serious, raising the risk of HAIs. In our adult intensive care units, catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) have an average of 4.6% in 2014, which is much higher than that of the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN). Therefore, we started the intervention of CAUTI bundle care. Methods: This 3-year intervention was conducted in adults’ intensive care units (ICUs) during January 2015 to December 2017. The implementation of CAUTI bundle care in order to reduce invasive catheter-associated infections were built on evidence-based infection control measures. Prospective surveillance was performed on all patients admitted to hospital. The four major directions are 'Leader Engagement', 'Educate Personnel', 'Executive Multidisciplinary Teamwork', 'Innovation and Improvement of Tools'. Results: During the intervention period, there were 167,024 patient-days with a total of 508 episodes of CAUTIs in the entire adult ICUs identified. The incidence of CAUTIs in adult ICU was significantly decreased in the intervention period (from 2015 to 2017), from 4.6 to 3.6 per 1000 catheter days (p=0.05). Conclusion: The necessity for the implementation of CAUTI bundle care in the health care system plays an important role in the quality and policy of infection control. Multidisciplinary teamwork, education, a comprehensive checklist and from time to time audit feedback to improve healthcare workers’ compliance are the keys to success.

Keywords: bundle care, hospital-associated infections, leader engagement, multidisciplinary team work

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Authors: Cristina Lavilla, Andreas Heise

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The synthesis of sequence-controlled polymers has received increasing attention in the last years. Well-defined polyacrylates, polyacrylamides and styrene-maleimide copolymers have been synthesized by sequential or kinetic addition of comonomers. However this approach has not yet been introduced to the synthesis of polypeptides, which are in fact polymers developed by nature in a sequence-controlled way. Polypeptides are natural materials that possess the ability to self-assemble into complex and highly ordered structures. Their folding and properties arise from precisely controlled sequences and compositions in their constituent amino acid monomers. So far, solid-phase peptide synthesis is the only technique that allows preparing short peptide sequences with excellent sequence control, but also requires extensive protection/deprotection steps and it is a difficult technique to scale-up. A new strategy towards sequence control in the synthesis of polypeptides is introduced, based on the sequential addition of α-amino acid-N-carboxyanhydrides (NCAs). The living ring-opening process is conducted to full conversion and no purification or deprotection is needed before addition of a new amino acid. The length of every block is predefined by the NCA:initiator ratio in every step. This method yields polypeptides with a specific sequence and controlled molecular weights. A series of polypeptides with varying block sequences have been synthesized with the aim to identify structure-property relationships. All of them are able to adopt secondary structures similar to natural polypeptides, and display properties in the solid state and in solution that are characteristic of the primary structure. By design the prepared polypeptides allow selective modification of individual block sequences, which has been exploited to introduce functionalities in defined positions along the polypeptide chain. Poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG) was the functionality chosen, as it is known to favor hydrophilicity and also yield thermoresponsive materials. After PEGylation, hydrophilicity of the polypeptides is enhanced, and their thermal response in H2O has been studied. Noteworthy differences in the behavior of the polypeptides having different sequences have been found. Circular dichroism measurements confirmed that the α-helical conformation is stable over the examined temperature range (5-90 °C). It is concluded that PEG units are the main responsible of the changes in H-bonding interactions with H2O upon variation of temperature, and the position of these functional units along the backbone is a factor of utmost importance in the resulting properties of the α-helical polypeptides.

Keywords: α-amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides, multiblock copolymers, poly(ethylene glycol), polypeptides, ring-opening polymerization, sequence control

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Authors: Rania Hanafi Mahmoud Said, Rasha Mohamed Taha

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Background: The use of nanoparticles for medication delivery offers the possibility of avoiding the negative effects of systemic antibiotic dosing as well as antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Aim of the study: The goal of this study was to see the efficiency of local administration of tetracycline loaded on nano chitosan in the treatment of the induced infection of the albino rats gingiva with Porphyromonas gingivalis through Immunohistochemical localization of Interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) as a proinflammatory cytokine.Material and methods: Fifty adult male albino rats 150 - 180 grams body weight used in this investigation. Any changes in rats’ weights were detected. The male albino rats were divided haphazardly into five groups as Group I involved ten rats; they served as a normal negative control group. Group II involved ten rats; they were infected once with P.gingivalis that was injected into the interdental gingiva. Group III involved ten rats; they were subjected to the same procedure as group II and then to daily injection at the site of infection with diluted tetracycline powder. Group IV involved ten rats; they were subjected to the same procedure as group II and then to daily injection of nano Chitosan at the site of injection. Group V involved ten rats; they were subjected to the same procedure as group II and then to daily injection of tetracycline loaded on nano Chitosan at the site of injection. After rats had been euthanized, the extraction and preparation of their gingiva were carried out in order to examine histologically and immunohistochemically. Results: The light microscopic results of groups II, III, and IV showed degeneration represented by swollen epithelial cells, collagen fibers dissociation of the connective tissue of lamina propria, and areas of basement membrane discontinuation, while groups I and V showed an almost normal histological picture of gingival tissue. Immunohistochemical results showed a significant difference in Group II and III when compared to control. No significant difference appears in group V when compared to the control (group I). Conclusion: Using nanochitosan as a carrier for tetracycline is a new technology to get over the increasing resistance of tetracycline.

Keywords: immunohistochemistry, P.gingivalis, nano-chitosan, tetracycline, periodontitis

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Authors: Hanna Gulema, Meaza Demissie, Alemayehu Worku, Tesfaye Assebe Yadeta, Yemane Berhane

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Background: In patriarchal societies, female caregivers decide on food allocation within a family based on prevailing gender and age norms, which may lead to inequality that does not favor young adolescent girls. This study evaluated the effect of a community-based social norm intervention involving female caregivers in West Hararghe, Ethiopia. The intervention was engaging female caregivers along with other adult influential community members to deliberate and act on food allocation social norms in a process referred to as Social Analysis and Action (SAA). Method: We used data from a large quasi-experimental study to compare family eating practices between those who participated in the Social Analyses and Action intervention and those who did not. The respondents were female caregivers in households with young adolescent girls (ages 13 and 14 years). The study’s outcome was the practice of family eating together from the same dish. The difference in difference (DID) analysis with the Mixed effect logistic regression model was used to examine the effect of the intervention. Result: The results showed improved family eating practices in both groups, but the improvement was greater in the intervention group. The DID analysis showed an 11.99 percentage points greater improvement in the intervention arm than in the control arm. The mixed-effect regression produced an adjusted odds ratio of 2.08 (95% CI [1.06–4.09]) after controlling selected covariates, p-value 0.033. Conclusions: The involvement of influential adult community members significantly improves the family practice of eating together in households where adolescent girls are present in our study. The intervention has great potential to minimize household food allocation inequalities and thus improve the nutritional status of young adolescents. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention in different social norm contexts to formulate policy and guidelines for scale-up.

Keywords: family eating practice, social norm intervention, adolescence girls, caregiver

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Authors: Ali Zaker, Zhi Chen

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Due to the concerns about the depletion of fossil fuel sources and the deteriorating environment, the attempt to investigate the production of renewable energy will play a crucial role as a potential to alleviate the dependency on mineral fuels. One particular area of interest is the generation of bio-oil through sewage sludge (SS) pyrolysis. SS can be a potential candidate in contrast to other types of biomasses due to its availability and low cost. However, the presence of high molecular weight hydrocarbons and oxygenated compounds in the SS bio-oil hinders some of its fuel applications. In this context, catalytic pyrolysis is another attainable route to upgrade bio-oil quality. Among different catalysts (i.e., zeolites) studied for SS pyrolysis, activated chars (AC) are eco-friendly alternatives. The beneficial features of AC derived from SS comprise the comparatively large surface area, porosity, enriched surface functional groups, and presence of a high amount of metal species that can improve the catalytic activity. Hence, a sludge-based AC catalyst was fabricated in a single-step pyrolysis reaction with NaOH as the activation agent and was compared with HZSM5 zeolite in this study. The thermal decomposition and kinetics were invested via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) for guidance and control of pyrolysis and catalytic pyrolysis and the design of the pyrolysis setup. The results indicated that the pyrolysis and catalytic pyrolysis contains four obvious stages, and the main decomposition reaction occurred in the range of 200-600°C. The Coats-Redfern method was applied in the 2nd and 3rd devolatilization stages to estimate the reaction order and activation energy (E) from the mass loss data. The average activation energy (Em) values for the reaction orders n = 1, 2, and 3 were in the range of 6.67-20.37 kJ for SS; 1.51-6.87 kJ for HZSM5; and 2.29-9.17 kJ for AC, respectively. According to the results, AC and HZSM5 both were able to improve the reaction rate of SS pyrolysis by abridging the Em value. Moreover, to generate and examine the effect of the catalysts on the quality of bio-oil, a fixed-bed pyrolysis system was designed and implemented. The composition analysis of the produced bio-oil was carried out via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The selected SS to catalyst ratios were 1:1, 2:1, and 4:1. The optimum ratio in terms of cracking the long-chain hydrocarbons and removing oxygen-containing compounds was 1:1 for both catalysts. The upgraded bio-oils with AC and HZSM5 were in the total range of C4-C17, with around 72% in the range of C4-C9. The bio-oil from pyrolysis of SS contained 49.27% oxygenated compounds, while with the presence of AC and HZSM5 dropped to 13.02% and 7.3%, respectively. Meanwhile, the generation of benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) compounds was significantly improved in the catalytic process. Furthermore, the fabricated AC catalyst was characterized by BET, SEM-EDX, FT-IR, and TGA techniques. Overall, this research demonstrated AC is an efficient catalyst in the pyrolysis of SS and can be used as a cost-competitive catalyst in contrast to HZSM5.

Keywords: catalytic pyrolysis, sewage sludge, activated char, HZSM5, bio-oil

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Authors: Nadia Nisar

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Background: In the temperate regions Influenza activities occur sporadically all year round with peaks coinciding during cold months. Meteorological and environmental conditions play significant role in the transmission of influenza globally. In this study, we assessed the relationship between meteorological parameters and influenza activity in two geographical areas of Pakistan. Methods: Influenza data were collected from Islamabad (north) and Multan (south) regions of national influenza surveillance system during 2010-2015. Meteorological database was obtained from National Climatic Data Center (Pakistan). Logistic regression model with a stepwise approach was used to explore the relationship between meteorological parameters with influenza peaks. In statistical model, we used the weekly proportion of laboratory-confirmed influenza positive samples to represent Influenza activity with metrological parameters as the covariates (temperature, humidity and precipitation). We also evaluate the link between environmental conditions associated with seasonal influenza epidemics: 'cold-dry' and 'humid-rainy'. Results: We found that temperature and humidity was positively associated with influenza in north and south both locations (OR = 0.927 (0.88-0.97)) & (OR = 0.1.078 (1.027-1.132)) and (OR = 1.023 (1.008-1.037)) & (OR = 0.978 (0.964-0.992)) respectively, whilst precipitation was negatively associated with influenza (OR = 1.054 (1.039-1.070)) & (OR = 0.949 (0.935-0.963)). In both regions, temperature and humidity had the highest contribution to the model as compared to the precipitation. We revealed that the p-value for all of climate parameters is <0.05 by Independent-sample t-test. These results demonstrate that there were significant relationships between climate factors and influenza infection with correlation coefficients: 0.52-0.90. The total contribution of these three climatic variables accounted for 89.04%. The reported number of influenza cases increased sharply during the cold-dry season (i.e., winter) when humidity and temperature are at minimal levels. Conclusion: Our findings showed that measures of temperature, humidity and cold-dry season (winter) can be used as indicators to forecast influenza infections. Therefore integrating meteorological parameters for influenza forecasting in the surveillance system may benefit the public health efforts in reducing the burden of seasonal influenza. More studies are necessary to understand the role of these parameters in the viral transmission and host susceptibility process.

Keywords: influenza, climate, metrological, environmental

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Authors: Vilma Sasyte, Vilma Viliene, Agila Dauksiene, Asta Raceviciute-Stupeliene, Romas Gruzauskas, Saulius Alijosius

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The eight-week feeding trial was conducted involving 27-wk-old Isa brown laying hens to study the effect of dry extrusion processing on partial reduction in total glucosinolates content of locally produced rapeseed and on productivity and eggs quality parameters of laying hens. Thirty-six hens were randomly assigned one of three treatments (CONTR, AERS and HERS), each comprising 12, individual caged layers. The main composition of the diets was the same, but extruded soya bean seed were replaced with 2.5% of the extruded rapeseed in the AERS group and 4.5 % in the HERS group. Rapeseed was extruded together with faba beans. Due to extrusion process the glucosinolates content was reduced by 7.83 µmol/g of rapeseed. The results of conducted trial shows, that during all experimental period egg production parameters, such as the average feed intake (6529.17 vs. 6257 g/hen/14 day; P < 0.05) and laying intensity (94.35% vs. 89.29; P < 0.05) were statistically different for HERS and CONTR laying hens respectively. Only the feed conversion ratio to produce 1 kg of eggs, kg in AERS group was by 11 % lower compared to CONTR group (P < 0.05). By analysing the effect of extruded rapeseed on egg mass, the statistical differences between treatments were no determined. The dietary treatments did not affect egg weight, albumen height, haugh units, albumen and yolk pH. However, in the HERS group were get eggs with the more intensive yolk color, higher redness (a) and yellowness (b) values. The inclusion of full-fat extruded rapeseed had no effect on egg shell quality parameters, i.e. shell breaking strength, shell weight with and without coat and shell index, but in the experimental groups were get eggs with the thinner shell (P < 0.05). The internal egg quality analysis showed that with higher content of extruded rapeseed (4.5 %) level in the diet, the total cholesterol in the eggs yolk decreased by 1.92 mg/g in comparison with CONTR group (P < 0.05). Eggs laid by hens fed the diet containing 2.5% and 4.5% had increasing ∑PNRR/∑SRR ratio and decreasing ∑(n-6)/∑(n-3) ratio values of eggs yolk fatty acids than in CONTR group. Eggs of hens fed different amount of extruded rapeseed presented an n-6 : n-3 ratio changed from 5.17 to 4.71. The analysis of the relationship between hypocholesteremia/ hypercholesterolemia fatty acids (H/H), which is based on the functional properties of fatty acids, found that the value of it ratio is significant higher in laying hens fed diets supplemented with 4.5% extruded rapeseed than the CONTR group, demonstrating the positive effects of extruded rapeseed on egg quality. The results of trial confirmed that extruded full fat rapeseed to the 4.5% are suitable to replace soyabean in the compound feed of laying hens.

Keywords: egg quality, extruded full-fat rapeseed, laying hens, productivity

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Authors: Kyohei Yoshino, Masahiko Matsumiya, Yuji Sasaki

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Recently, studies have been conducted on Au(III) extraction using ionic liquids (ILs) as extractants or diluents. ILs such as piperidinium, pyrrolidinium, and pyridinium have been studied as extractants for noble metal extractions. Furthermore, the polarity, hydrophobicity, and solvent miscibility of these ILs can be adjusted depending on their intended use. Therefore, the unique properties of ILs make them functional extraction media. The extraction mechanism of Au(III) using phosphonium-based ILs and relevant thermodynamic studies are yet to be reported. In the present work, we focused on the mechanism of Au(III) extraction and related thermodynamic analyses using phosphonium-based ILs. Triethyl-n-pentyl, triethyl-n-octyl, and triethyl-n-dodecyl phosphonium bis(trifluoromethyl-sulfonyl)amide, [P₂₂₂ₓ][NTf₂], (X = 5, 8, and 12) were investigated for Au(III) extraction. The IL–Au complex was identified as [P₂₂₂₅][AuCl₄] using UV–Vis–NIR and Raman spectroscopic analyses. The extraction behavior of Au(III) was investigated with a change in the [P₂₂₂ₓ][NTf₂]IL concentration from 1.0 × 10–4 to 1.0 × 10–1 mol dm−3. The results indicate that Au(III) can be easily extracted by the anion-exchange reaction in the [P₂₂₂ₓ][NTf₂]IL. The slope range 0.96–1.01 on the plot of log D vs log[P₂₂₂ₓ][NTf2]IL indicates the association of one mole of IL with one mole of [AuCl4−] during extraction. Consequently, [P₂₂₂ₓ][NTf₂] is an anion-exchange extractant for the extraction of Au(III) in the form of anions from chloride media. Thus, this type of phosphonium-based IL proceeds via an anion exchange reaction with Au(III). In order to evaluate the thermodynamic parameters on the Au(III) extraction, the equilibrium constant (logKₑₓ’) was determined from the temperature dependence. The plot of the natural logarithm of Kₑₓ’ vs the inverse of the absolute temperature (T–1) yields a slope proportional to the enthalpy (ΔH). By plotting T–1 vs lnKₑₓ’, a line with a slope range 1.129–1.421 was obtained. Thus, the result indicated that the extraction reaction of Au(III) using the [P₂₂₂ₓ][NTf₂]IL (X=5, 8, and 12) was exothermic (ΔH=-9.39〜-11.81 kJ mol-1). The negative value of TΔS (-4.20〜-5.27 kJ mol-1) indicates that microscopic randomness is preferred in the [P₂₂₂₅][NTf₂]IL extraction system over [P₂₂₂₁₂][NTf₂]IL. The total negative alternation in Gibbs energy (-5.19〜-6.55 kJ mol-1) for the extraction reaction would thus be relatively influenced by the TΔS value on the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl side length, even if the efficiency of ΔH is significantly influenced by the total negative alternations in Gibbs energy. Electrochemical analysis revealed that extracted Au(III) can be reduced in two steps: (i) Au(III)/Au(I) and (ii) Au(I)/Au(0). The diffusion coefficients of the extracted Au(III) species in [P₂₂₂ₓ][NTf₂] (X = 5, 8, and 12) were evaluated from 323 to 373 K using semi-integral and semi-differential analyses. Because of the viscosity of the IL medium, the diffusion coefficient of the extracted Au(III) increases with increasing alkyl chain length. The 4f7/2 spectrum based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the Au electrodeposits obtained after 10 cycles of continuous extraction and electrodeposition were in the metallic state.

Keywords: au(III), electrodeposition, phosphonium-based ionic liquids, solvent extraction

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Authors: Joseph Falzon, Margaret Nelson

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Background: Policy makers at European Union (EU) and national levels address the re-use of historic buildings calling for sustainable practices and approaches. Implementation stages of policy are crucial so that EU and national strategic objectives for historic building sustainability are achieved. Governance remains one of the key objectives to ensure resource sustainability. Objective: The aim of the research was to critically examine policies for the regeneration and adaptive re-use of historic buildings in the EU and national level, and to analyse gaps between EU and national legislation and policies, taking Malta as a case study. The impact of policies on regeneration and re-use of historic buildings was also studied. Research Design: Six semi-structured interviews with stakeholders including architects, investors and community representatives informed the research. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed in the English language. Thematic analysis utilising Atlas.ti was conducted for the semi-structured interviews. All phases of the study were governed by research ethics. Findings: Findings were grouped in main themes: resources, experiences and governance. Other key issues included identification of gaps in policies, key lessons and quality of regeneration. Abandonment of heritage buildings was discussed, for which main reasons had been attributed to governance related issues both from the policy making perspective as well as the attitudes of certain officials representing the authorities. The role of authorities, co-ordination between government entities, fairness in decision making, enforcement and management brought high criticism from stakeholders along with time factors due to the lengthy procedures taken by authorities. Policies presented an array from different perspectives of same stakeholder groups. Rather than policy, it is the interpretation of policy that presented certain gaps. Interpretations depend highly on the stakeholders putting forward certain arguments. All stakeholders acknowledged the value of heritage in regeneration. Conclusion: Active stakeholder involvement is essential in policy framework development. Research informed policies and streamlining of policies are necessary. National authorities need to shift from a segmented approach to a holistic approach.

Keywords: adaptive re-use, historic buildings, policy, sustainable

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Authors: Ali Ahmadi, Maryam Abbasi, Mohammad Mehdi Parsaei

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Background: Stress in the workplace today is one of the most important public health concerns and a serious threat to the health of the workforce worldwide. Occupational stress can cause occupational events and reduce quality of life. As a result, it has a very undesirable impact on the performance of organizations, companies, and their human resources. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between job stress dimensions and occupational accidents in industrial factories in Southwest Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 workers in the summer of 2023 in the Southwest of Iran. To select participants, we used a convenience sampling method. The research tools in this study were the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) stress questionnaire with 35 questions and 7 dimensions and demographic information. A high score on this questionnaire indicates that there is low job stress and pressure. All workers completed the informed consent form. Univariate analysis was performed using chi-square and T-test. Multiple regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association of stress-related factors with job accidents in participants. Stata 14.0 software was used for analysis. Results: The mean age of the participants was 39.81(6.36) years. The prevalence of job accidents was 28.0% (95%CI: 21.0, 34.0). Based on the results of the multiple logistic regression with the adjustment of the effect of the confounding variables, one increase in the score of the demand dimension had a protective impact on the risk of job accidents(aOR=0.91,95%CI:0.85-0.95). Additionally, an increase in one of the scores of the managerial support (aOR=0.89, 95% CI: 0.83-0.95) and peer support (aOR=0.76, 95%CI: 0.67-87) dimensions was associated with a lower number of job accidents. Among dimensions, an increase in the score of relationship (aOR=0.89, 95%CI: 0.80-0.98) and change (aOR=0.86, 95%CI: 0.74-0.96) reduced the odds of the accident's occurrence among the workers by 11% and 16%, respectively. However, there was no significant association between role and control dimensions and the job accident (p>0.05). Conclusions: The results show that the prevalence of job accidents was alarmingly high. Our results suggested that an increase in scores of dimensions HSE questioners is significantly associated with a decrease the accident occurrence in the workplace. Therefore, planning to address stressful factors in the workplace seems necessary to prevent occupational accidents.

Keywords: HSE, Iran, job stress occupational accident, safety, occupational health

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Authors: Hilly Moodrick-Even Khen

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This study analyzes the legal regulation of the use of force in international law in the context of three emerging Palestinian forms of struggle against Israeli occupation: the Knife Intifada, Gaza border disturbances, and the launching of incendiary kites. It discusses what legal paradigms or concepts should regulate the type and level of force used in each situation—a question that is complicated by various dilemmas—and appraises the Israel Defence Forces policies tailored in response. Methodologically, the study is based on analysis of scholarship on the conceptual legal issues as well as dicta of the courts. It evaluates the applicability of two legal paradigms regulating the use of force in military operations—(i) the conduct of hostilities and (ii) law enforcement—as well as the concept of self-defense in international law and the escalation of force procedure. While the “Knife Intifada” clearly falls under the law enforcement paradigm, the disturbances at the border and the launching of incendiary kites raise more difficult questions, as applying law enforcement, especially in the latter case, can have undesirable ramifications for safeguarding humanitarian interests. The use of force in the cases of the border disturbances and the incendiary kites should thus be regulated, mutatis mutandis, by the concept of self-defense and escalation of force procedures; and in the latter case, the hostilities paradigm can also be applied. The study provides a factual description and analysis of the background and nature of the forms of struggle in Gaza and the West Bank—in each case surveying the geo-political developments since operation Protective Edge, contextualizing how the organized and unorganized violent activities evolved, and analyzing them in terms of level of organization and intensity. It then presents the two paradigms of the use of force—law enforcement and conduct of hostilities—and the concept of self-defense. Lastly, it uses the factual findings as the basis for legally analyzing which paradigm or concept regulating the use of force applies for each form of struggle. The study concludes that in most cases, the concept of self-defense is preferable to the hostilities or the law enforcement paradigms, as it best safeguards humanitarian interests and ensures the least loss of civilian lives.

Keywords: Israeli-Palestinian conflict, self defense, terrorism, use of force

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Authors: Fouad Chebib, Marie Hogan, Ziad El-Zoghby, Maria Irazabal, Sarah Senum, Christina Heyer, Charles Madsen, Emilie Cornec-Le Gall, Atta Behfar, Barbara Ehrlich, Peter Harris, Vicente Torres

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Background: Mutations in PKD1 and PKD2, the genes encoding the proteins polycystin-1 (PC1) and polycystin-2 (PC2) cause autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). ADPKD is a systemic disease associated with several extrarenal manifestations. Animal models have suggested an important role for the polycystins in cardiovascular function. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the association of various cardiomyopathies in a large cohort of patients with ADPKD. Methods: Clinical data was retrieved from medical records for all patients with ADPKD and cardiomyopathies (n=159). Genetic analysis was performed on available DNA by direct sequencing. Results: Among the 58 patients included in this case series, 39 patients had idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM), 17 had hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM), and 2 had left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC). The mean age at cardiomyopathy diagnosis was 53.3, 59.9 and 53.5 years in IDCM, HOCM and LVNC patients respectively. The median left ventricular ejection fraction at initial diagnosis of IDCM was 25%. Average basal septal thickness was 19.9 mm in patients with HOCM. Genetic data was available in 19, 8 and 2 cases of IDCM, HOCM, and LVNC respectively. PKD1 mutations were detected in 47.4%, 62.5% and 100% of IDCM, HOCM and LVNC cases. PKD2 mutations were detected only in IDCM cases and were overrepresented (36.8%) relative to the expected frequency in ADPKD (~15%). The prevalence of IDCM, HOCM, and LVNC in our ADPKD clinical cohort was 1:17, 1:39 and 1:333 respectively. When compared to the general population, IDCM and HOCM was approximately 10-fold more prevalent in patients with ADPKD. Conclusions: In summary, we suggest that PKD1 or PKD2 mutations may predispose to idiopathic dilated or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. There is a trend for patients with PKD2 mutations to develop the former and for patients with PKD1 mutations to develop the latter. Predisposition to various cardiomyopathies may be another extrarenal manifestation of ADPKD.

Keywords: autosomal dominant polycystic kidney (ADPKD), polycystic kidney disease, cardiovascular, cardiomyopathy, idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, left ventricular noncompaction

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Authors: Mokgophana Ramasobana

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Background: At the core of the demand to utilize evidence-based approaches in the policy-making cycle, prioritization of limited financial resources and results driven initiatives is the urgency to develop a cohort of competent Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) practitioners and public servants. The ongoing strides in the evaluation capacity building (ECB) initiatives are a direct response to produce the highly-sought after M&E skills. Notwithstanding the rapid growth of M&E short courses, participants perceived value and expectation of M&E short courses as a panacea for ECB have not been empirically quantified or measured. The objective of this article is to explicitly illustrate the importance of measuring ECB interventions and understanding what works in ECB and why it works. Objectives: This article illustrates the importance of establishing empirical ECB measurement tools to evaluate ECB interventions in order to ascertain its contribution to the broader evaluation practice. Method: The study was primarily a desktop review of existing literature, juxtaposed by a survey of the participants across the African continent based on the 43 M&E short courses hosted by the Centre for Learning on Evaluation and Results Anglophone Africa (CLEAR-AA) in collaboration with the Department of Planning Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) Results: The article established that participants perceive short course training as a panacea to improve their M&E practical skill critical to executing their organizational duties. In tandem, participants are likely to demand customized training as opposed to general topics in Evaluation. However, the organizational environments constrain the application of the newly acquired skills. Conclusion: This article aims to contribute to the 'how to' measure ECB interventions discourse and contribute towards the improvement to evaluate ECB interventions. The study finds that participants prefer training courses with longer duration to cover more topics. At the same time, whilst organizations call for customization of programmes, the study found that individual participants demand knowledge of generic and popular evaluation topics.

Keywords: evaluation capacity building, effectiveness and training, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) short course training, perceptions and expectations

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Authors: Kanti Sapkota, Do Hyun Lee, Sung Soo Han

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Nanocomposites have been widely used in various fields such as electronics, catalysis, and in chemical, biological, biomedical and optical fields. They display broad biomedical properties like antidiabetic, anticancer, antioxidant, antimicrobial and antibacterial activities. Moreover, nanomaterials have been used for wastewater treatment. Particularly, bimetallic hybrid nanocomposites exhibit unique features as compared to their monometallic components. Hybrid nanomaterials not only afford the multifunctionality endowed by their constituents but can also show synergistic properties. In addition, these hybrid nanomaterials have noteworthy catalytic and optical properties. Notably, Au−Ag based nanoparticles can be employed in sensor and catalysis due to their characteristic composition-tunable plasmonic properties. Due to their importance and usefulness, various efforts were developed for their preparation. Generally, chemical methods have been described to synthesize such bimetallic nanocomposites. In such chemical synthesis, harmful and hazardous chemicals cause environmental contamination and increase toxicity levels. Therefore, ecologically benevolent processes for the synthesis of nanomaterials are highly desirable to diminish such environmental and safety concerns. In this regard, here we disclose a simple, cost-effective, external additive free and eco-friendly method for the synthesis of Au-Ag@AgCl nanocomposites using Nephrolepis cordifolia root extract. Au-Ag@AgCl NCs were obtained by the simultaneous reduction of cationic Ag and Au into AgCl in the presence of plant extract. The particle size of 10 to 50 nm was observed with the average diameter of 30 nm. The synthesized nanocomposite was characterized by various modern characterization techniques. For example, UV−visible spectroscopy was used to determine the optical activity of the synthesized NCs, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was employed to investigate the functional groups present in the biomolecules that were responsible for both reducing and capping agents during the formation of nanocomposites. Similarly, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy were used to determine crystallinity, size, oxidation states, thermal stability and weight loss of the synthesized nanocomposites. As a synthetic application, the synthesized nanocomposite exhibited excellent catalytic activity for the multicomponent synthesis of biologically interesting quinoline molecules via domino annulation-aromatization reaction of aniline, arylaldehyde, and phenyl acetylene derivatives. Interestingly, the nanocatalyst was efficiently recycled for five times without substantial loss of catalytic properties.

Keywords: nanoparticles, catalysis, multicomponent, quinoline

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Authors: Emni Omar Daw Hussin, Pathmawathi Subramanian, Wong Li Ping

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Background: To provide quality care at the end of life, nurses should possess knowledge and skills to provide effective end-of-life care, as well as develop the attitudes and interpersonal competence to provide compassionate care. Aim: This study aimed to assess nurses’ knowledge and attitude towards end of life care and caring for terminal ill patients and to examine relationships among demographic variables and nurse’s knowledge and attitudes toward end of life care and caring for terminal ill patients. Method: a cross-sectional study was conducted at 1 tertiary hospital located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Self-administrative questionnaire was used to collect data from 553 nurses from over all departments except emergency department, operation theater and outpatient clinic. Two tools were used in this study, the Frommelt’s Attitude Toward Care of the Dying (FATCOD) Scale to assess the nurses’ attitude and End of Life Knowledge Assessment to assess the nurses’ knowledge. Result: the result of this study yielded that, the majority of participants (54.8%) and (54.4%) have less positive attitude and knowledge towards end of life care and caring for terminal ill patients respectively. As well as there is no significant relationship were found between nurses’ ethnicity, religion, and the total score of FATCOD scale; End of Life Knowledge Assessment score. On other hand there is significant relationship among nurses’ age, working experience, level of education, attending any post basic courses and the total score of both FATCOD scale and End of Life Knowledge Assessment. Conclusion: A lack of education and experience and post basic course about end of life care and palliative care may contribute to the negative attitudes and poor knowledge regarding end of life care. Providing sufficient courses about end of life care could enhance the nurses’ knowledge towards end of life care, as well as providing a reflective narrative environment in which nurses can express their personal feelings about death and dying could be a potentially effective approach. Implication for Practice: This study elaborates the need for further research to develop an effective educational programs to enhance nurses’ knowledge and to promote positive attitude towards death and dying, as well as enhance communication skills, and coping strategies.

Keywords: knowledge, attitude, nurse, end of life care

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Authors: Moses Pinto, Ana Paula Monte

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The present research analyses the interactions between various categories of corporate social responsibility (CSR) that mediate the relationship between CSR and financial performance in Multinational Enterprises (MNE) in light of the present socio-political factors prevalent in the countries under observation. In the research it has been hypothesized that the absence of consensus in the empirical literature on the CSR–financial performance relationship may be explained by the existence of synergies (Complementarities) between the different CSR components. Upon investigation about whether such relationships exist, a final unbalanced panel sample of 1000 observations taken from 100 Multinational Enterprises per year functioning in the Schengen countries and one south east Asian country namely: India, over the span of 10 years i.e. from the year 2008 to 2018 has been analyzed. The empirical analysis used in the research methodology employs dynamic Panel Data in time series specifically, the system Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) which had been used to detect the varying degrees of relationships between the CSR and financial performance parameters in the background of the socio-political factors prevailing in the countries at the time and also taking into account the bilateral treaty obligations between the countries under observation. The econometric model has employed the financial ratio namely the Return on Assets (ROA) as an indicator of financial performance in order to gauge the internal performance and valuation of a firm as opposed to the Tobin’s Q that provides for the external evaluation of a firm’s financial performance which may not always be accurate. The various CSR dimensions have demonstrated significant correlations to the ‘ROA’ which include some negatively associated correlations and one positively associated correlation that is highly significant throughout the analysis of the observations, namely the correlation between the ‘ROA’ and the CSR dimension: ‘Environment’. The results provide a deeper insight in the synergistic CSR activities that managers could adapt into their Firm’s CSR strategy in order to enhance the ‘ROA’ and also to understand which interactions between the CSR dimensions can be adapted together due to their positively correlated association with each other and the ROA. The future lines of research would be inclined to investigate the effects of socio-political factors on the ROA of the MNEs through better designed econometric models.

Keywords: CSR, financial performance, complementarity, sociopolitical factors

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Authors: K. Sruthi, Sai Snehitha Yadavalli, Swathi Gosh Acharyya

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Water is the most crucial element for sustaining life on earth. Increasing water pollution directly or indirectly leads to harmful effects on human life. Most of the heavy metal ions are harmful in their cationic form. These heavy metal ions are released by various activities like disposing of batteries, industrial wastes, automobile emissions, and soil contamination. Ions like (Pb, Co, Cd) are carcinogenic and show many harmful effects when consumed more than certain limits proposed by WHO. The simultaneous detection of the heavy metal ions (Pb, Co, Cd), which are highly toxic, is reported in this study. There are many analytical methods for quantifying, but electrochemical techniques are given high priority because of their sensitivity and ability to detect and recognize lower concentrations. Square wave voltammetry was preferred in electrochemical methods due to the absence of background currents which is interference. Square wave voltammetry was performed on GCE for the quantitative detection of ions. Three electrode system consisting of a glassy carbon electrode as the working electrode (3 mm diameter), Ag/Agcl electrode as the reference electrode, and a platinum wire as the counter electrode was chosen for experimentation. The mechanism of detection was done by optimizing the experimental parameters, namely pH, scan rate, and temperature. Under the optimized conditions, square wave voltammetry was performed for simultaneous detection. Scan rates were varied from 5 mV/s to 100 mV/s and found that at 25 mV/s all the three ions were detected simultaneously with proper peaks at particular stripping potential. The variation of pH from 3 to 8 was done where the optimized pH was taken as pH 5 which holds good for three ions. There was a decreasing trend at starting because of hydrogen gas evolution, and after pH 5 again there was a decreasing trend that is because of hydroxide formation on the surface of the working electrode (GCE). The temperature variation from 25˚C to 45˚C was done where the optimum temperature concerning three ions was taken as 35˚C. Deposition and stripping potentials were given as +1.5 V and -1.5 V, and the resting time of 150 seconds was given. Three ions were detected at stripping potentials of Cd²⁺ at -0.84 V, Pb²⁺ at -0.54 V, and Co²⁺ at -0.44 V. The parameters of detection were optimized on a glassy carbon electrode for simultaneous detection of the ions at lower concentrations by square wave voltammetry.

Keywords: cadmium, cobalt, lead, glassy carbon electrode, square wave anodic stripping voltammetry

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Authors: Naridchaya Aberdour, Joanna Kao, Anne Miller, Timothy Shore, Richard Maher, Zhixin Liu

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Background: COVID-19 has and continues to be a strain on healthcare globally, with the number of patients requiring hospitalization exceeding the level of medical support available in many countries. As chest x-rays are the primary respiratory radiological investigation, the Radiological Assessment of Lung Edema (RALE) score was used to quantify the extent of pulmonary infection on baseline imaging. Assessment of RALE score's reproducibility and associations with clinical outcome parameters were then evaluated to determine implications for patient management and prognosis. Methods: A retrospective study was performed with the inclusion of patients testing positive for COVID-19 on nasopharyngeal swab within a single Local Health District in Sydney, Australia and baseline x-ray imaging acquired between January to June 2020. Two independent Radiologists viewed the studies and calculated the RALE scores. Clinical outcome parameters were collected and statistical analysis was performed to assess RALE score reproducibility and possible associations with clinical outcomes. Results: A total of 78 patients met inclusion criteria with the age range of 4 to 91 years old. RALE score concordance between the two independent Radiologists was excellent (interclass correlation coefficient = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.88-0.95, p<0.005). Binomial logistics regression identified a positive correlation with hospital admission (1.87 OR, 95% CI= 1.3-2.6, p<0.005), oxygen requirement (1.48 OR, 95% CI= 1.2-1.8, p<0.005) and invasive ventilation (1.2 OR, 95% CI= 1.0-1.3, p<0.005) for each 1-point increase in RALE score. For each one year increased in age, there was a negative correlation with recovery (0.05 OR, 95% CI= 0.92-1.0, p<0.01). RALE scores above three were positively associated with hospitalization (Youden Index 0.61, sensitivity 0.73, specificity 0.89) and above six were positively associated with ICU admission (Youden Index 0.67, sensitivity 0.91, specificity 0.78). Conclusion: The RALE score can be used as a surrogate to quantify the extent of COVID-19 infection and has an excellent inter-observer agreement. The RALE score could be used to prognosticate and identify patients at high risk of deterioration. Threshold values may also be applied to predict the likelihood of hospital and ICU admission.

Keywords: chest radiography, coronavirus, COVID-19, RALE score

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Authors: Megan Weisbart

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Background/Significance: The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) environment contributes to nurse burnout. Burnout costs include decreased employee compassion, missed workdays, worse patient outcomes, diminished job performance, high turnover, and higher organizational cost. Meaningful recognition, nurturing of interpersonal connections, and mindfulness-based interventions are associated with decreased burnout. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to decrease Neonatal ICU (NICU) nurse burnout using a Wellness Bundle that fosters meaningful recognition, interpersonal connections and includes mindfulness-based interventions. Methods: The Professional Quality of Life Scale Version 5 (ProQOL5) was used to measure burnout before Wellness Bundle implementation, after six months, and will be given yearly for three years. Meaningful recognition bundle items include Online submission and posting of staff shoutouts, recognition events, Nurses Week and Unit Practice Council member gifts, and an employee recognition program. Fostering of interpersonal connections bundle items include: Monthly staff games with prizes, social events, raffle fundraisers, unit blog, unit wellness basket, and a wellness resource sheet. Quick coherence techniques were implemented at staff meetings and huddles as a mindfulness-based intervention. Findings: The mean baseline burnout score of 14 NICU nurses was 20.71 (low burnout). The baseline range was 13-28, with 11 nurses experiencing low burnout, three nurses experiencing moderate burnout, and zero nurses experiencing high burnout. After six months of the Wellness Bundle Implementation, the mean burnout score of 39 NICU nurses was 22.28 (low burnout). The range was 14-31, with 22 nurses experiencing low burnout, 17 nurses experiencing moderate burnout, and zero nurses experiencing high burnout. Conclusion: A NICU Wellness Bundle that incorporated meaningful recognition, fostering of interpersonal connections, and mindfulness-based activities was implemented to improve work environments and decrease nurse burnout. Participation bias and low baseline response rate may have affected the reliability of the data and necessitate another comparative measure of burnout in one year.

Keywords: burnout, NICU, nurse, wellness

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Authors: Chin-Hsiang Lo, Wey Chia, Shih-Tien Hsu

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Introduction: Since 2016, the annual number of passengers on commercial flights at Taoyuan International Airport (TIA) has been ~40 million. Due to the outbreak and spread of COVID-19, the number of international flights sharply diminished in recent years. However, TIA is located at an East-Asian flight transportation junction; thus, many commercial and cargo flights continue service. When severe medical events happen on a commercial airliner, the decision to divert or not is based on consideration of both medical and operational issues. This study discusses the events related to the diversion of airplanes or reentry after taxiing for medical emergencies at Taoyuan International Airport. Background: We analyzed emergency medical records from the medical clinic of TIA from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2022, for patients who needed emergency medical services but were unable to reach the airport clinic by themselves. We also collected data for patients treated after diversion from other airports or reentry after taxiing due to medical emergencies. Information such as when and where the event occurred, chief signs and symptoms, the tentative diagnosis (using the ICD-9-CM), management, and the sociodemographic features of the passengers were extracted from the medical records. Summary of Cases: TIA handled approximately 152 million passengers and 1,093,762 flights during the study period; a total of 2,804 emergencies occurred during this time period. Thirty-three medical emergencies warranted diversion (21 cases) or reentry (12 cases); 13 cases were diverted from Asia-Pacific flights and five from Asia-North America flights. The age of the passengers with diversion emergencies ranged from 2–85 years (mean, 46±20-years-old). Twenty-seven patients were transported to an emergency department, and four patients died. For all cases of diversion or reentry, the most common diagnoses were neurogenic problems (42.4%), Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) (15.2%), and cardiovascular problems (12.1%). Discussion: Most aircraft diversions were related to syncope, seizure, and OHCA. The decision to divert depends on medical and operational considerations. Emergency conditions are often serious; thus, improvement of the effectiveness of cooperation between airlines and medical teams remains a challenge.

Keywords: diversion, syncope, seizure, OHCA

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Authors: Asta Sarkauskiene

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The pedagogy of Olympic education is based upon the main idea of P. de Coubertin, that physical education can and has to support the education of the perfect person, the one who was an aspiration in archaic Greece, when it was looking towards human as a one whole, which is composed of three interconnected functions: physical, psychical and spiritual. The following research question was formulated in the present study: What curriculum of non-formal physical education in school can positively influence physical development of 11-13 years old children? The aim of this study was to formulate and implement curriculum of non-formal physical education, based on Olympic pedagogy, and assess its effectiveness for physical development of 11-13 years old children. The research was conducted in two stages. In the first stage 51 fifth grade children (Mage = 11.3 years) participated in a quasi-experiment for two years. Children were organized into 2 groups: E and C. Both groups shared the duration (1 hour) and frequency (twice a week) but were different in their education curriculum. Experimental group (E) worked under the program developed by us. Priorities of the E group were: training of physical powers in unity with psychical and spiritual powers; integral growth of physical development, physical activity, physical health, and physical fitness; integration of children with lower health and physical fitness level; content that corresponds children needs, abilities, physical and functional powers. Control group (C) worked according to NFPE programs prepared by teachers and approved by school principal and school methodical group. Priorities of the C group were: motion actions teaching and development; physical qualities training; training of the most physically capable children. In the second stage (after four years) 72 sixth graders (Mage = 13.00) attended in the research from the same comprehensive schools. Children were organized into first and second groups. The curriculum of the first group was modified and the second - the same as group C. The focus groups conducted anthropometric (height, weight, BMI) and physiometric (VC, right and left handgrip strength) measurements. Dependent t test indicated that over two years E and C group girls and boys height, weight, right and left handgrip strength indices increased significantly, p < 0.05. E group girls and boys BMI indices did not change significantly, p > 0.05, i.e. height and weight ratio of girls, who participated in NFPE in school, became more proportional. C group girls VC indices did not differ significantly, p > 0.05. Independent t test indicated that in the first and second research stage differences of anthropometric and physiometric measurements of the groups are not significant, p > 0.05. Formulated and implemented curriculum of non-formal education in school, based on olympic pedagogy, had the biggest positive influence on decreasing 11-13 years old children level of BMI and increasing level of VC.

Keywords: non – formal physical education, olympic pedagogy, physical development, health sciences

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Authors: Ashenafi Ayele, Shewit Haftu, Tesfalem Araya

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Background: “Post-psychotic depression”, “post schizophrenic depression”, and “secondary depression” have been used to describe the occurrence of depressive symptoms during the chronic phase of schizophrenia. Post-psychotic depression is the most common cause of death due to suicide in schizophrenia patients. Overall lifetime risk for patients with schizophrenia is 50% for suicide attempts and 9-13% lifetime risk for completed suicide and also it is associated with poor prognosis and poor quality of life. Objective: To assess determinant of post psychotic depression in schizophrenia patients ACSH and Mekelle General Hospital, Tigray Ethiopia 2019. Methods: An institutional based unmatched case control study was conducted among 69 cases and 138 controls with the ratio of case to control 1 ratio 2. The sample is calculated using epi-info 3.1 to assess the determinant factors of post-psychotic depression in schizophrenia patients. The cases were schizophrenia patients who have been diagnosed at least for more than one-year stable for two months, and the controls are any patients who are diagnosed as schizophrenia patients. Study subjects were selected using a consecutive sampling technique. The Calgary depression scale for schizophrenia self-administered questionnaire was used. Before the interview, it was assessed the client’s capacity to give intended information using a scale called the University of California, San Diego Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent (UBACC). Bivariant and multiple Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine between the independent and dependent variables. The significant independent predictor was declared at 95% confidence interval and P-value of less than 0.05. Result: Females were affected by post psychotic depression with the (AOR=2.01, 95%CI: 1.003- 4.012, P= 0.49).Patients who have mild form of positive symptom of schizophrenia affected by post psychotic depression with (AOR =4.05, 95%CI: 1.888- 8.7.8, P=0001).Patients who have minimal form of negative symptom of schizophrenia are affected by post psychotic depression with (AOR =4.23, 95%CI: 1.081-17.092, P=.038). Conclusion: In this study, sex (female) and presence of positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia were significantly associated. It is recommended that the post psychotic depression should be assessed in every schizophrenia patient to decrease the severity of illness, and to improve patient’s quality of life.

Keywords: determinants, post-psychotic depression, Mekelle city

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Authors: Subham Ghosh, Banani Basu, Marami Das

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Background: The development of compact, low-power antenna sensors has resulted in hardware restructuring, allowing for wireless ubiquitous sensing. The antenna sensors can create wireless body-area networks (WBAN) by linking various wireless nodes across the human body. WBAN and IoT applications, such as remote health and fitness monitoring and rehabilitation, are becoming increasingly important. In particular, Parkinson’s disease (PD), a common neurodegenerative disorder, presents clinical features that can be easily misdiagnosed. As a mobility disease, it may greatly benefit from the antenna’s nearfield approach with a variety of activities that can use WBAN and IoT technologies to increase diagnosis accuracy and patient monitoring. Methodology: This study investigates the feasibility of leveraging a single patch antenna mounted (using cloth) on the wrist dorsal to differentiate actual Parkinson's disease (PD) from false PD using a small hardware platform. The semi-flexible antenna operates at the 2.4 GHz ISM band and collects reflection coefficient (Γ) data from patients performing five exercises designed for the classification of PD and other disorders such as essential tremor (ET) or those physiological disorders caused by anxiety or stress. The obtained data is normalized and converted into 2-D representations using the Gabor wavelet transform (GWT). Data augmentation is then used to expand the dataset size. A lightweight deep-learning (DL) model is developed to run on the GPU-enabled NVIDIA Jetson Nano platform. The DL model processes the 2-D images for feature extraction and classification. Findings: The DL model was trained and tested on both the original and augmented datasets, thus doubling the dataset size. To ensure robustness, a 5-fold stratified cross-validation (5-FSCV) method was used. The proposed framework, utilizing a DL model with 1.356 million parameters on the NVIDIA Jetson Nano, achieved optimal performance in terms of accuracy of 88.64%, F1-score of 88.54, and recall of 90.46%, with a latency of 33 seconds per epoch.

Keywords: antenna, deep-learning, GPU-hardware, Parkinson’s disease

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Authors: Rima Alfaraj, Abeer Alarawi, Murtadha AlTammar

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The global energy landscape heavily relies on the oil and gas industry, which faces the critical challenge of reducing its carbon footprint. To address this issue, the integration of advanced materials like aerogels has emerged as a promising solution to enhance sustainability and environmental performance within the industry. This study thoroughly examines the application of aerogel-based technologies in the oil and gas sector, focusing particularly on their role in carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiatives. Aerogels, known for their exceptional properties, such as high surface area, low density, and customizable pore structure, have garnered attention for their potential in various CCS strategies. The review delves into various fabrication techniques utilized in producing aerogel materials, including sol-gel, supercritical drying, and freeze-drying methods, to assess their suitability for specific industry applications. Beyond fabrication, the practicality of aerogel materials in critical areas such as flow assurance, enhanced oil recovery, and thermal insulation is explored. The analysis spans a wide range of applications, from potential use in pipelines and equipment to subsea installations, offering valuable insights into the real-world implementation of aerogels in the oil and gas sector. The paper also investigates the adsorption and storage capabilities of aerogel-based sorbents, showcasing their effectiveness in capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO₂) molecules. Optimization of pore size distribution and surface chemistry is examined to enhance the affinity and selectivity of aerogels towards CO₂, thereby improving the efficiency and capacity of CCS systems. Additionally, the study explores the potential of aerogel-based membranes for separating and purifying CO₂ from oil and gas streams, emphasizing their role in the carbon capture and utilization (CCU) value chain in the industry. Emerging trends and future perspectives in integrating aerogel-based technologies within the oil and gas sector are also discussed, including the development of hybrid aerogel composites and advanced functional components to further enhance material performance and versatility. By synthesizing the latest advancements and future directions in aerogel used for CCS applications in the oil and gas industry, this review offers a comprehensive understanding of how these innovative materials can aid in transitioning towards a more sustainable and environmentally conscious energy landscape. The insights provided can assist in strategic decision-making, drive technology development, and foster collaborations among academia, industry, and policymakers to promote the widespread adoption of aerogel-based solutions in the oil and gas sector.

Keywords: CCS, porous, carbon capture, oil and gas, sustainability

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Authors: Z. Goosen, E. J. Cilliers

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Social sustainability, as an independent perspective of sustainable development, has gained some acknowledgement, becoming an important aspect in sustainable urban planning internationally. However, limited research aiming at promoting social sustainability within urban areas exists within the South African context. This is mainly due to the different perspectives of sustainable development (e.g., Environmental, Economic, and Social) not being equally prioritized by policy makers and supported by implementation strategies, guidelines, and planning frameworks. The enhancement of social sustainability within urban areas relies on urban dweller satisfaction and the quality of urban life. Inclusive cities with high-quality public spaces are proposed within this research through implementing the third place theory. Third places are introduced as any place other than our homes (first place) and work (second place) and have become an integrated part of sustainable urban planning. As Third Places consist of every place 'in between', the approach has taken on a large role of the everyday life of city residents, and the importance of planning for such places can only be measured through identifying and highlighting the social sustainability benefits thereof. The aim of this research paper is to introduce third place planning within the urban area to ultimately enhance social sustainability. Selected background planning approaches influencing the planning of third places will briefly be touched on, as the focus will be placed on the social sustainability benefits provided through third place planning within an urban setting. The study will commence by defining and introducing the concept of third places within urban areas as well as a discussion on social sustainability, acting as one of the three perspectives of sustainable development. This will gain the researcher an improved understanding on social sustainability in order for the study to flow into an integrated discussion of the benefits Third places provide in terms of social sustainability and the impact it has on improved quality of life within urban areas. Finally, a visual case study comparison of local and international examples of third places identified will be illustrated. These international case studies will contribute towards the conclusion of this study where a local gap analysis will be formulated, based on local third place evidence and international best practices in order to formulate a strategic planning framework on improving social sustainability through third place planning within the local South African context.

Keywords: planning benefits, social sustainability, third places, urban area

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Authors: Tianyue Wan

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Lost space is the space that has not been used for a long time and is in decline, proposed by Roger Trancik. And in his book Finding Lost Space: Theories of Urban Design, the concept of lost space is defined as those anti-traditional spaces that are unpleasant, need to be redesigned, and have no benefit to the environment and users. They have no defined boundaries and do not connect the various landscape elements in a coherent way. With the rapid development of urbanization in China, the blind areas of urban renewal have become a chaotic lost space that is incompatible with the rapid development of urbanization. Therefore, lost space needs to be reconstructed urgently under the background of infill development and reduction planning in China. The formation of lost space is also an invisible division of social hierarchy. This paper tries to break down the social class division and the estrangement between people through the regeneration of lost space. Ultimately, it will enhance vitality, rebuild a sense of belonging, and create a continuous open public space for local people. Based on the concept of lost space and energy field, this paper clarifies the significance of the energy field in the lost space renovation. Then it introduces the energy field into lost space by using the magnetic field in physics as a prototype. The construction of the energy field is support by space theory, spatial morphology analysis theory, public communication theory, urban diversity theory and city image theory. Taking Wuhan’s Lingjiao Park of China as an example, this paper chooses the lost space on the west side of the park as the research object. According to the current situation of this site, the energy intervention strategies are proposed from four aspects: natural ecology, space rights, intangible cultural heritage and infrastructure configuration. And six specific lost space renewal methods are used in this work, including “riveting”, “breakthrough”, “radiation”, “inheritance”, “connection” and “intersection”. After the renovation, space will be re-introduced into the active crow. The integration of activities and space creates a sense of place, improve the walking experience, restores the vitality of the space, and provides a reference for the reconstruction of lost space in the city.

Keywords: dynamic vitality intervention, lost space, space vitality, sense of place

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Authors: Mohammed S. Bhader, Abdullah A. Ghaddaf, Anas Alamoudi, Amal Abualola, Renad Kalantan, Noura Alkhulaifi, Ibrahim Halawani, Mohammed Alhindi

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Background: Noninvasive neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA) is a relatively new mode of noninvasive ventilation with promising clinical and patient-ventilator outcomes for preterm infants. The aim of this systematic review was to compare NAVA to nasal continuous or positive airway pressure (NCPAP) or intermittent positive airway pressure (NIPP) for preterm infants. Methods: We searched the online databases Medline, Embase, and CENTRAL. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared NAVA to NCPAP or NIPP for preterm infants < 37 weeks gestational age. We sought to evaluate the following outcomes: noninvasive intubation failure rate, desaturation rate, the fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), and length of stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). We used the mean difference (MD) to represent continuous outcomes, while the odds ratio (OR) was used to represent dichotomous outcomes. Results: A total of 11 RCTs that enrolled 429 preterm infants were deemed eligible. NAVA showed similar clinical outcomes to NCPAP or NIPP with respect to noninvasive intubation failure (RR for NAVA versus NCPAP: 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.49 to 1.37), desaturation rate (RR for NAVA versus NCPAP: 0.69, 95%CI: 0.36 to 1.29; RR for NAVA versus NIPP: 0.58, 95%CI: 0.08 to 4.25), FiO2 (MD for NAVA versus NCPAP: –0.01, 95%CI: –0.04 to 0.02; MD for NAVA versus NIPP: –7.16, 95%CI: –22.63 to 8.31), and length of stay in the NICU (MD for NAVA versus NCPAP: 1.34, 95%CI: –4.17 to 6.85). Conclusion: NAVA showed similar clinical and ventilator-related outcomes compared to the usual care noninvasive respiratory support measures NCPAP or NIPP for preterm infants.

Keywords: preterm infants, noninvasive neurally adjusted ventilatory assist, NIV-NAVA, non-invasive ventilation, nasal continuous or positive airway pressure, NCPAP, intermittent positive airway pressure ventilation, NIPP, respiratory distress syndrome, RDS

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Authors: Christiane Dumont

Abstract:

This paper proposes to revisit foreign-language learning as a tool to increase motivation through advocacy and develop effective natural communication skills, which are critical leadership qualities. To this end, collaborative initiatives undertaken by advanced university students of French with local and international community partners will be reviewed. Close attention will be paid to the acquisition of intercultural skills, the reflective process, as well as the challenges and outcomes. Two international development projects conducted in Haiti will be highlighted, i.e., collaboration with a network of providers in the Haitian cultural heritage preservation and tourism sector (2014-15) and development of investigation and teacher training tools for a primary/secondary school in the Port-au-Prince area (current). The choice of community-service learning as a framework to teach French-as-a-second-language stemmed from the need to raise awareness against stereotypes and prejudice, which hinder the development of effective intercultural skills. This type of experiential education also proved very effective in identifying and preventing miscommunication caused by the lack of face-to-face interaction in our increasingly technology-mediated world. Learners experienced first-hand, the challenges and advantages of face-to-face communication, which, in turn, enhanced their motivation for developing effective intercultural skills. Vygotsky's and Kolb's theories, current research on service learning (Dwight, Eyler), action/project-based pedagogy (Beckett), and reflective learning (TSC Farrell), will provide useful background to analyze the benefits and challenges of community-service learning. The ultimate goal of this paper is to find out what makes experiential learning truly unique and transformative for both the learners and the community they wish to serve. It will demonstrate how enhanced motivation, community engagement, and clear, concise, and respectful communication impact and empower learners. The underlying hope is to help students in high-profile, and leading-edge industries become effective global leaders.

Keywords: experiential learning, intercultural communication, reflective learning, effective leadership, learner motivation

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