Search results for: the urban improvement

Authors: Sarolta Lipóczi, Ildikó Szabó

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The use of ICT in European Schools has increased over the last decade but there is still room for improvement. Also interactive technology is often used below its technical and pedagogical potentials. The pedagogical potential of interactive technology in classrooms has not yet reached classrooms in different countries and in a substantial way. To develop these materials cooperation between educational researchers and teachers from different backgrounds is necessary. INTACT project brings together experts from science education, mathematics education, social science education and foreign language education – with a focus on bilingual education – and teachers in secondary and primary schools to develop a variety of pedagogically qualitative interactive teaching and learning resources. Because of the backgrounds of the consortium members INTACT project focuses on the areas of science, mathematics and social sciences. To combine these two features (science/math and foreign language) the project focuses on bilingual education. A big issue supported by ‘interactiveness’ is social and collaborative learning. The easy way to communicate and collaborate offered by web 2.0 tools, mobile devices connected to the learning material allows students to work and learn together. There will be a wide range of possibilities for school co-operations at regional, national and also international level that allows students to communicate and cooperate with other students beyond the classroom boarders while using these interactive teaching materials. Opening up the learning scenario enhance the social, civic and cultural competences of the students by advocating their social skills and improving their cultural appreciation for other nations in Europe. To enable teachers to use the materials in indented ways descriptions of successful learning scenarios (i.e. using design patterns) will be provided as well. These materials and description will be made available to teachers by teacher trainings, teacher journals, booklets and online materials. The resources can also be used in different settings including the use of a projector and a touchpad or other technical interactive devices for the input i.e. mobile phones. Kecskemét College as a partner of INTACT project has developed two teaching and learning resources in the area of foreign language teaching. This article introduces these resources as well.

Keywords: bilingual educational settings, international cooperation, interactive teaching and learning resources, work across culture

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Authors: Caglayan Hizal, Kutay Yuceturk, Ertugrul Turker Uzun, Hasan Ceylan, Engin Aktas, Gursoy Turan

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Monitoring concepts for structural systems have been investigated by researchers for decades since such tools are quite convenient to determine intervention planning of structures. Despite the considerable development in this regard, the efficient use of monitoring data in reliability assessment, and prediction models are still in need of improvement in their efficiency. More specifically, reliability-based seismic risk assessment of engineering structures may play a crucial role in the post-earthquake decision-making process for the structures. After an earthquake, professionals could identify heavily damaged structures based on visual observations. Among these, it is hard to identify the ones with minimum signs of damages, even if they would experience considerable structural degradation. Besides, visual observations are open to human interpretations, which make the decision process controversial, and thus, less reliable. In this context, when a continuous monitoring system has been previously installed on the corresponding structure, this decision process might be completed rapidly and with higher confidence by means of the observed data. At this stage, the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) procedure has an important role since it can make it possible to estimate the system reliability based on a recursively updated mathematical model. Therefore, integrating an SHM procedure into the reliability assessment process comes forward as an important challenge due to the arising uncertainties for the updated model in case of the environmental, material and earthquake induced changes. In this context, this study presents a case study on SHM-integrated reliability assessment of the continuously monitored progressively damaged systems. The objective of this study is to get instant feedback on the current state of the structure after an extreme event, such as earthquakes, by involving the observed data rather than the visual inspections. Thus, the decision-making process after such an event can be carried out on a rational basis. In the near future, this can give wing to the design of self-reported structures which can warn about its current situation after an extreme event.

Keywords: condition assessment, vibration-based SHM, reliability analysis, seismic risk assessment

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Authors: Muhammad Tanveer Altaf, Mehmet Bedir, Waqas Liaqat, Gönül Cömertpay, Volkan Çatalkaya, Celaluddin Barutçular, Nergiz Çoban, Ibrahim Cerit, Muhammad Azhar Nadeem, Tolga Karaköy, Faheem Shehzad Baloch

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Food production needs to be almost double by 2050 in order to feed around 9 billion people around the Globe. Plant production mostly relies on fertilizers, which also have one of the main roles in environmental pollution. In addition to this, climatic conditions are unpredictable, and the earth is expected to face severe drought conditions in the future. Therefore, water and fertilizers, especially nitrogen are considered as main constraints for future food security. To face these challenges, developing integrative approaches for germplasm characterization and selecting the resilient genotypes performing under limiting conditions is very crucial for effective breeding to meet the food requirement under climatic change scenarios. This study is part of the European Research Area Network (ERANET) project for the characterization of the diversity panel of 172 sorghum accessions and six hybrids as control cultivars under limiting (+N/-H2O, -N/+H2O) and non-limiting conditions (+N+H2O). This study was planned to characterize the sorghum diversity in relation to resource Use Efficiency (RUE), with special attention on harnessing the interaction between genotype and environment (GxE) from a physiological and agronomic perspective. Experiments were conducted at Adana, a Mediterranean climate, with augmented design, and data on various agronomic and physiological parameters were recorded. Plentiful diversity was observed in the sorghum diversity panel and significant variations were seen among the limiting water and nitrogen conditions in comparison with the control experiment. Potential genotypes with the best performance are identified under limiting conditions. Whole genome resequencing was performed for whole germplasm under investigation for diversity analysis. GWAS analysis will be performed using genotypic and phenotypic data and linked markers will be identified. The results of this study will show the adaptation and improvement of sorghum under climate change conditions for future food security.

Keywords: germplasm, sorghum, drought, nitrogen, resources use efficiency, sequencing

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Authors: Mohamed Salah El-Din Mahmoud, Heba Radi Atta Allah

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Background: Our study assesses the safety profile and efficacy of toric Implantable Collamer Lens (T-ICL) and toric implantable phakic contact lens (IPCL) for the correction of high myopia with astigmatism. Methods: A prospective interventional randomized comparative study included 60 myopic eyes divided into 2 groups, group A including 30 eyes that were implanted with T-ICL, and group B including 30 eyes that were implanted with toric IPCL. The refractive results, visual acuity, corneal endothelial cell count, and intraocular pressure (IOP) were evaluated at baseline and at 1, 6, and 9 months post-surgery. Any complications either during or after surgery were assessed. Results: A significant reduction in both spherical and cylindrical refractive errors with good predictability was reported in both groups compared with preoperative values. Regarding the predictability, In T-ICL group (A), the median spherical and cylindrical errors were significantly improved from (-10 D & -4.5 D) pre-operatively to (-0.25 D & - 0.3 D) at the end of 9 months follow up period. Similarly, in the toric IPCL group (B), the median spherical and cylindrical errors were significantly improved from (-11 D & -4.5 D) pre-operatively to (-0.25 D & - 0.3 D) at the end of 9 months follow up period. A statistically significant improvement of UCDVA at 9 months postoperatively was found in both groups, as median preoperative Log Mar UCDVA was 1.1 and 1.3 in groups A and B respectively, which was significantly improved to 0.2 in both groups at the end of follow-up period. Regarding IOP, no significant difference was found between both groups, either pre-operatively or during the postoperative period. Regarding the endothelial count, no significant differences were found during the pre-operative and postoperative follow-up periods between the two groups. Fortunately, no intra or postoperative complications as cataract, keratitis or lens decentration had occurred. Conclusions: Toric IPCL is a suitable alternative to T-ICL for the management of high myopia with astigmatism, especially in developing countries, as it is cheaper and easier for implantation than T-ICL. However, data over longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm its safety and stability.

Keywords: T-ICL, Toric IPCL, IOP, corneal endothelium

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Authors: Saroj Pandey

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COVID-19, declared by the World Health Organization a pandemic (WHO,2020), has created an unprecedented crisis world over endangering the human survival itself. Corona induced lockdowns forced approximately 140 million students of 190 countries at various levels of education from preprimary to higher education to remain confined to their homes. In India, approximately 360 million students were affected by the forced shut down of schools due to the countrywide lockdown in March 2020 and resultant disruption of education. After the initial shock and anxiety the Indian polity and education system bounced back with a number of initiatives, and online education came as a major rescuer for the education system of the country. The distance and online mode of learning that was treated as the poor cousin of conventional mode and often criticized for its quality became the major crusader overnight changing the entire ecosystem of traditional teaching -leaning towards the virtual mode. Teachers who were averse to technology were forced to remodel their educational pedagogies and reorient themselves overnight to use various online platforms such as Zoom, Google meet, and other such platforms to reach the learners. This metamorphosis through ensured students was meaningfully engaged in their studies during the lockdown period but it has its own set of challenges. This paper deals with the government initiatives, and teachers' self-efforts to keep the channel of teaching learning on providing academic and socio emotional support to students during the most difficult period of their life as well as the digital divide between the rich and poor, rural and urban, and boys and girls in India and resultant challenges. It also provides an overview of few significant self-initiatives of teachers to reach their students during the crisis period, who did not have internet and smartphone facilities as well as the initiatives being taken at the government level to address the learning needs and mitigate the learning gaps of learners, bridge the digital divide, strategic planning and upskilling of teachers to overcome the effect of COVID-19 crisis.

Keywords: COVID-19, online education, initiatives, challenges

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Authors: Najmeh Hoseini

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Strokerecovery happens through neuroplasticity, which is highly influenced by the environment, including neuro-rehabilitation. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may enhance recovery by modulating neuroplasticity. With tDCS, weak direct currents are applied noninvasively to modify excitability in the cortical areas under its electrodes. Combined with functional activities, this may facilitate motor recovery in neurologic disorders such as stroke. The purpose of this case study was to examine the effect of tDCS combined with 30 minutes of traditional physical therapy (PT)on arm function following a stroke. A 29-year-old male with chronic stroke involving the left middle cerebral artery territory went through the treatment protocol. Design The design included 5 weeks of treatment: 1 week of traditional PT, 2 weeks of sham tDCS combined with traditional PT, and 2 weeks of tDCS combined with traditional PT. PT included functional electrical stimulation (FES) of wrist extensors followed by task-specific functional training. Dual hemispheric tDCS with 1 mA intensity was applied on the sensorimotor cortices for the first 20 min of the treatment combined with FES. Assessments before and after each treatment block included Modified Ashworth Scale, ChedokeMcmaster Arm and Hand inventory, Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), and the Box and Blocks Test. Results showed reduced spasticity in elbow and wrist flexors only after tDCS combination weeks (+1 to 0). The patient demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements in gross motor and fine motor control over the duration of the study; however, components of the ARAT that require fine motor control improved the greatest during the experimental block. Average time improvement compared to baseline was26.29 s for tDCS combination weeks, 18.48 s for sham tDCS, and 6.83 for PT standard of care weeks. Combining dual hemispheric tDCS with the standard of care PT demonstrated improvements in hand dexterity greater than PT alone in this patient case.

Keywords: tDCS, stroke, case study, physical therapy

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Authors: Ugwu O. C., Mamah R. O., Awudu W. S.

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This work is aimed at enhancing signal reception on a mobile radio network and minimizing outage probability in a mobile radio network using adaptive beamforming antenna arrays. In this research work, an empirical real-time drive measurement was done in a cellular network of Globalcom Nigeria Limited located at Ikeja, the headquarters of Lagos State, Nigeria, with reference base station number KJA 004. The empirical measurement includes Received Signal Strength and Bit Error Rate which were recorded for exact prediction of the signal strength of the network as at the time of carrying out this research work. The Received Signal Strength and Bit Error Rate were measured with a spectrum monitoring Van with the help of a Ray Tracer at an interval of 100 meters up to 700 meters from the transmitting base station. The distance and angular location measurements from the reference network were done with the help Global Positioning System (GPS). The other equipment used were transmitting equipment measurements software (Temsoftware), Laptops and log files, which showed received signal strength with distance from the base station. Results obtained were about 11% from the real-time experiment, which showed that mobile radio networks are prone to signal failure and can be minimized using an Adaptive Beamforming Antenna Array in terms of a significant reduction in Bit Error Rate, which implies improved performance of the mobile radio network. In addition, this work did not only include experiments done through empirical measurement but also enhanced mathematical models that were developed and implemented as a reference model for accurate prediction. The proposed signal models were based on the analysis of continuous time and discrete space, and some other assumptions. These developed (proposed) enhanced models were validated using MATLAB (version 7.6.3.35) program and compared with the conventional antenna for accuracy. These outage models were used to manage the blocked call experience in the mobile radio network. 20% improvement was obtained when the adaptive beamforming antenna arrays were implemented on the wireless mobile radio network.

Keywords: beamforming algorithm, adaptive beamforming, simulink, reception

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Authors: Manal Elgallal, Louise Fletcher, Barbara Evans

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Water scarcity is a growing concern in many arid and semi-arid countries. The increase of water scarcity threatens economic development and sustainability of human livelihoods as well as environment especially in developing countries. Globally, agriculture is the largest water consumption sector, accounting for approximately 70% of all freshwater extraction. Growing competition between the agricultural and higher economic value in urban and industrial uses of high-quality freshwater supplies, especially in regions where water scarcity major problems, will increase the pressure on this precious resource. In this circumstance, wastewater may provide reliable source of water for agriculture and enable freshwater to be exchanged for more economically valuable purposes. Concern regarding the risks from microbial and toxic components to human health and environment quality is a serious obstacle for wastewater reuse particularly in agriculture. Although powerful approaches and tools for microbial risk assessment and management for safe use of wastewater are now available, few studies have attempted to provide any mechanism to quantitatively assess and manage the environmental risks resulting from reusing wastewater. In seeking pragmatic solutions to sustainable wastewater reuse, there remains a lack of research incorporating both health and environmental risk assessment and management with economic analysis in order to quantitatively combine cost, benefits and risks to rank alternative reuse options. This study seeks to enhance effective reuse of wastewater for irrigation in arid and semi-arid areas, the outcome of the study is an evaluation approach that can be used to assess different reuse strategies and to determine the suitable scale at which treatment alternatives and interventions are possible, feasible and cost effective in order to optimise the trade-offs between risks to protect public health and the environment and preserving the substantial benefits.

Keywords: environmental risks, management, life cycle costs, waste water irrigation

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Authors: Kasim Görenekli, Ali Gülbağ

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This study presents a comprehensive analysis of water consumption patterns in Kocaeli province, Turkey, utilizing various machine learning approaches. We analyzed data from 5,000 water subscribers across residential, commercial, and official categories over an 80-month period from January 2016 to August 2022, resulting in a total of 400,000 records. The dataset encompasses water consumption records, weather information, weekends and holidays, previous months' consumption, and the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic.We implemented and compared several machine learning models, including Linear Regression, Random Forest, Support Vector Regression (SVR), XGBoost, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and Gated Recurrent Units (GRU). Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) was applied to optimize hyperparameters for all models.Our results demonstrate varying performance across subscriber types and models. For official subscribers, Random Forest achieved the highest R² of 0.699 with PSO optimization. For commercial subscribers, Linear Regression performed best with an R² of 0.730 with PSO. Residential water usage proved more challenging to predict, with XGBoost achieving the highest R² of 0.572 with PSO.The study identified key factors influencing water consumption, with previous months' consumption, meter diameter, and weather conditions being among the most significant predictors. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumption patterns was also observed, particularly in residential usage.This research provides valuable insights for effective water resource management in Kocaeli and similar regions, considering Turkey's high water loss rate and below-average per capita water supply. The comparative analysis of different machine learning approaches offers a comprehensive framework for selecting appropriate models for water consumption prediction in urban settings.

Keywords: mMachine learning, water consumption prediction, particle swarm optimization, COVID-19, water resource management

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Authors: Stefano Sorace, Gloria Terenzi, Giulia Mazzieri, Iacopo Costoli

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The prolonged earthquake sequence that struck several urban agglomerations and villages in Central Italy, starting from 24 August 2016 through January 2017, highlighted once again the seismic vulnerability of pre-normative reinforced concrete (R/C) structures. At the same time, considerable damages were surveyed in recently retrofitted R/C buildings too, one of which also by means of a dissipative bracing system. The solution adopted for the latter did not expressly take into account the performance of non-structural elements, and namely of infills and partitions, confirming the importance of their dynamic interaction with the structural skeleton. Based on this consideration, an alternative supplemental damping-based retrofit solution for this representative building, i.e., a school with an R/C structure situated in the municipality of Norcia, is examined in this paper. It consists of the incorporation of dissipative braces equipped with pressurized silicone fluid viscous (FV) dampers, instead of the BRAD system installed in the building, the delayed activation of which -caused by the high stiffness of the constituting metallic dampers- determined the observed non-structural damages. Indeed, the alternative solution proposed herein, characterized by dissipaters with mainly damping mechanical properties, guarantees an earlier activation of the protective system. A careful assessment analysis, preliminarily carried out to simulate and check the case study building performance in originally BRAD-retrofitted conditions, confirms that the interstorey drift demand related to the Norcia earthquake's mainshock and aftershocks is beyond the response capacity of infills. The verification analyses developed on the R/C structure, including the FV-damped braces, highlight their higher performance, giving rise to a completely undamaged response both of structural and non-structural elements up to the basic design earthquake normative level of seismic action.

Keywords: dissipative technologies, performance assessment analysis, concrete structures, seismic retrofit

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Authors: Bougema Theodore Ntenkeh, Chi-bikom Barbara Kyien

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The reduction of poverty and hunger sits at the heart of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and are the first two of the Sustainable Development Goals. The World Food Day celebrated on the 16th of October every year, highlights the need for people to have physical and economic access at all times to enough nutritious and safe food to live a healthy and active life; while the world poverty day celebrated on the 17th of October is an opportunity to acknowledge the struggle of people living in poverty, a chance for them to make their concerns heard, and for the community to recognize and support poor people in their fight against poverty. The association between household food security and poverty reduction is not only sparse in Cameroon but mostly qualitative. The paper therefore investigates the effect of household food security on poverty reduction in Cameroon quantitatively using data from the Cameroon Household Consumption Survey collected by the Government Statistics Office. The methodology employed five indicators of household food security using the Multiple Correspondence Analysis and poverty is captured as a dummy variable. Using a control function technique, with pre and post estimation test for robustness, the study postulates that household food security has a positive and significant effect on poverty reduction in Cameroon. A unit increase in the food security score reduces the probability of the household being poor by 31.8%, and this effect is statistically significant at 1%. The result further illustrates that the age of the household head and household size increases household poverty while households residing in urban areas are significantly less poor. The paper therefore recommends that households should diversify their food intake to enhance an effective supply of labour in the job market as a strategy to reduce household poverty. Furthermore, family planning methods should be encouraged as a strategy to reduce birth rate for an equitable distribution of household resources including food while the government of Cameroon should also develop the rural areas given that trend in urbanization are associated with the concentration of productive economic activities, leading to increase household income, increased household food security and poverty reduction.

Keywords: food security, poverty reduction, SDGs, Cameroon

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Authors: Vivienne Cloude C. Bersabe, Nuelle Anne Castro, Christy P. Gonzales, Nathalie Ann D. Ocbo, Araceli Chuwaley C. Padcayan, Michelle Gaile Lianne S. Peralta, Cecile A. Perez, Eiden Mae A. Roque, Frances Bea S. Sabaten, Korina Louise A. Saculles, Jada Kristen O. Taska, Jose Reinhard C. Laoingco, Don Leonardo N. Dacumos

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The rationale of the study: Since discussion about sexuality is considered taboo in the Filipino culture, provision of quality holistic care often lacks sexuality aspect. This research was conducted to highlight the need for nurses to incorporate sexuality in their care of older adults. Research Objectives: To measure the levels of older adults’ sexual desire, sexual behavior, and sexual intimacy and relate them to sex, living arrangement, educational level, and presence of chronic illness, whether with or without treatment. Methods: This study is of quantitative descriptive design that utilized purposive sampling. 400 older adults of Baguio City participated. The study used a 30 point researcher-made questionnaire, one-on-one interview and focused group discussion to gather data. Data were treated using weighted mean, t-test, F-test, and Scheffe's test. Results and Conclusions: The overall findings revealed that Filipino older adults have a low level of sexuality expressed by the participants’ sexual desire, behavior, and intimacy. Males have significantly higher level of sexual desire, behavior, and intimacy. Living arrangement does not seem to influence the level of sexuality in all its 3 facets. Sexual desire was significantly higher among those with tertiary education and without chronic illness. Recommendation: It is recommended that nurses carry out their assessment of clients to include the exploration of their sexuality especially the older adults. A similar study may be done to explore other variables like demographic location, i.e., rural or urban setting; socio-cultural factors; and functional performance status. It is also recommended that a similar study may be done exploring the different facets of sexuality among homosexual older persons.

Keywords: geriatrics, older adults, Philippines, sexuality

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Authors: Gabriela Iordachescu, Mariana Cretu Stuparu, Mirela Praisler, Camelia Busila, Doina Voinescu, Camelia Vizireanu

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The aim of the study was to evaluate the consumers’ degree of confidence in food labeling, how they use and understand the label and respectively food labeling elements. The label is a bridge between producers, suppliers, and consumers. It has to offer enough information in terms of public health and food safety, statement of ingredients, nutritional information, warnings and advisory statements, producing date and shelf-life, instructions for storage and preparation (if required). The survey was conducted on 500 consumers group in Romania, aged 15+, males and females, from urban and rural areas and with different graduation levels. The questionnaire was distributed face to face and online. It had single or multiple choices questions and label images for the efficiency and best understanding of the question. The law 1169/2011 applied to food products from 13 of December 2016 improved and adapted the requirements for labeling in a clear manner. The questions were divided on following topics: interest and general trust in labeling, use and understanding of label elements, understanding of the ingredient list and safety information, nutrition information, advisory statements, serving sizes, best before/use by meanings, intelligent labeling, and demographic data. Three choice selection exercises were also included. In this case, the consumers had to choose between two similar products and evaluate which label element is most important in product choice. The data were analysed using MINITAB 17 and PCA analysis. Most of the respondents trust the food label, taking into account some elements especially when they buy the first time the product. They usually check the sugar content and type of sugar, saturated fat and use the mandatory label elements and nutrition information panel. Also, the consumers pay attention to advisory statements, especially if one of the items is relevant to them or the family. Intelligent labeling is a challenging option. In addition, the paper underlines that the consumer is more careful and selective with the food consumption and the label is the main helper for these.

Keywords: consumers, food safety information, labeling, labeling nutritional information

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Authors: Giga Rahmah An-Nafisah, Lailatus Syifa Kamilah

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Agriculture today, especially in Indonesia have globally improved. Since the election of the new president, who in the program of work priority the food self-sufficiency. Many ways and attempts have been planned carefully. All this is done to maximize agricultural production for the future. But if we look from another side, there is something missing. Yes! Improvement of life safety of the farmers, useless we fix all agricultural processing systems to maximize agricultural output, but the Hero of agriculture itself it does not change towards a better life. Yes, broker or middleman system agriculture results. Broker system or middleman this is the real problem facing farmers for their welfare. How come? As much as agriculture result, but if farmers were sell into middlemen with very low prices, then there will be no progress for their welfare. Broker system who do the actual middlemen should not happen in the current agricultural system, because the agriculture condition currently being concern, they would still be able to reap a profit as much as possible, no matter how miserable farmers manage the farm and currently face import competition this cannot be avoided anymore. This phenomenon is already visible plain sight all, who see it. Why? Because farmers those who fell victim cannot do anything to change this system. It is true, if only these middlemen who want to receive it for the sale of agricultural products, or arguably the only system that is the bridge realtor economic life of the farmers. The problem is that we should strive for the welfare of the heroes of our food. A golden bridge that could save them that, are the government. Why? Because the government can more easily with the powers to stop this broker system compared to other parties. The government supposed to be a bridge connecting the farmers with consumers or the people themselves. Yes, with improved broker system becomes: buy agricultural produce with highest prices to farmers and selling of agricultural products with lowest price to the consumer or the people themselves. And then the next question about the fate of middlemen? The system indirectly realtor is like system corruption. Why? Because the definition of corruption is an activity that is detrimental to the victim without being noticed by anyone continue to enrich himself and his victim's life miserable. Government may transfer performance of the middlemen into the idea of a new bridge that is done by the government itself. The government could lift them into this new bridge system employs them to remain a distributor of agricultural products themselves, but under the new policy made by the government to keep improving the welfare of farmers. This idea is made is not going to have much effect would improve the welfare of farmers, but most/least this idea will bring around many people for helping conscience farmers to the government, through the daily chatter, as well as celebrity gossip can quickly know too many people.

Keywords: broker system, farmers live, government, agricultural economics

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Authors: Narumon Jiwattanasuk, Phrakrupalad Pannavoravat, Pataraporn Sirikanchana

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Mindfulness has become a perspective addressing positive wellbeing these days. The aims of this paper are to analyze the problems of executive meditation practitioners at the Buddhamahametta Foundation in Thailand and to provide recommendations on the process to develop peaceful wellbeing in executive meditation practitioners by applying the principles of the four foundations of mindfulness. This study is particularly focused on executives because there is not much research focusing on the well-being development of executives, and the researcher recognizes that executives can be an example within their organizations. This would be a significant influence on their employees and their families to be interested in practicing mindfulness. This improvement will then grow from an individual to the surrounding community such as family, workplace, society, and the nation. This would lead to happiness at the national level, which is the expectation of this research. The paper highlights mindfulness practices that can be performed on a daily basis. This study is qualitative research, and there are 10 key participants who are executives from various sectors such as hospitality, healthcare, retail, power energy, and so on. Three mindfulness-based courses were conducted over a period of 8 months, and in-depth interviews were done before the first course as well as at the end of every course. In total, four in-depth interviews were conducted. The information collected from the interviews was analyzed in order to create the process to develop peaceful well-being. Focus group discussions with the mindfulness specialists were conducted to help develop the mindfulness program as well. As a result of this research, it is found that the executives faced the following problems: stress, negative thinking loops, losing temper, seeking acceptance, worry about uncontrollable external factors, unable to control their words, and weight gain. The cultivation of the four foundations of mindfulness can develop peaceful wellbeing. The results showed that after the key informant executives attended the mindfulness courses and practiced mindfulness regularly, they have developed peaceful well-being in all aspects such as physical, psychological, behavioral, and intellectual by applying 12 mindfulness-based activities. The development of wellbeing, in the conclusion of this study, also includes various tools to support the continuing practice, including the handout of guided mindfulness practice, VDO clips about mindfulness practice, the online dhamma channel, and mobile applications to support regular mindfulness-based practices.

Keywords: executive, mindfulness activities, stress, wellbeing

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Authors: Xinli Chi, Xiaoqi Wei

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Background: Body-mind theory refers to the concept that the mind and body are interconnected; in this case, combining aerobic exercise and mindfulness-based training may be beneficial for mind-body health; however, there is limited evidence regarding their effects and potential mechanisms among Chinese university students. Therefore, the current study aims to examine the preliminary effects and feasibility of the combined intervention on depressive and insomnia symptoms, as well as to explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods: This is a two-arm pilot study of a randomized, controlled trial. Sixty-one Chinese university students were randomly allocated to 8-week combined intervention group (aerobic exercise plus mindfulness, N = 36) or control group (N = 36). In addition, 8 participants in combined intervention group were later volunteer to engage in semi-structured interview. The Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and the Youth Self-Rating Insomnia Scales (YSIS) were used to measure depressive and insomnia symptoms, respectively. The intervention outcome and feasibility were tested by repeated-measures ANOVA, mediation model, and qualitative analysis. Results: The study included 31 participants in the intervention group and 30 participants in the control group, all of whom completed pre-test and post-test questionnaires. The results of the repeated-measures ANOVA showed that the combined intervention was effective in reducing depressive and insomnia symptoms among university students. Moreover, the mediation analysis suggested that improvement in insomnia symptoms might be a significant mechanism for the combined intervention. Qualitative analysis identified two main themes: “Helpful aspects of mind-body state” (including 7 sub-themes) and “Factors that influence the training effects” (including 3 sub-themes). Conclusions: The study confirmed the preliminary effect and feasibility of the combined intervention of mindfulness and aerobic exercise, while also exploring the potential mechanisms underlying this effect. Additionally, qualitative data provided valuable insights for optimizing future protocols.

Keywords: combined intervention, mindfulness, aerobic exercise, depressive symptoms, insomnia symptoms

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Authors: Wenquan Gan, Peiyu Zhao, Xinyu Zhao

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Under the background of the rapid development of China’s ageing population, ageing-in-place has become a primary strategy to cope with this problem promoted by the Chinese government. However, most older adults currently living in old residential communities are insufficient to support their ageing-in-place. Therefore, exploring how to retrofit existing communities towards ageing-friendly standards to support older adults is essential for healthy ageing. To better cope with this issue, this study aims to shed light on the inter-relationship among the built environment, daily activities, and well-being of older adults in urban China. Using mixed research methods including GPS tracking, structured observation, and in-depth interview to examine: (a) what specific places or facilities are most commonly used by the elderly in the ageing-in-place process; (b) what specific built environment characteristics attract older adults in these frequently used places; (c) how has the use of these spaces impacted the well-being of older adults. Specifically, structured observation and GPS are used to record and map the older residents’ behaviour and movement in Suzhou, China, a city with a highly aged population and suitable as a research case. Subsequently, a follow-up interview is conducted to explore what impact of activities and the built environment on their well-being. Results showed that for the elderly with good functional ability, the facilities promoted by the Chinese government to support ageing-in-place, such as community nursing homes for the aged, day-care centre, and activity centres for the aged, are rarely used by older adults. Additionally, older adults have their preferred activities and built environment characteristics that contribute to their well-being. Our findings indicate that a complex interrelationship between the built environment and activities can influence the well-being of the elderly. Further investigations are needed to understand how to support healthy ageing-in-place, especially in addition to providing permanent elder-ly-care facilities, but to attend to the design interventions that can enhance these particularly built environment characteristics to facilitate a healthy lifestyle in later life.

Keywords: older adults, built environment, spatial behavior, community activity, healthy ageing

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Authors: Yu-Mei Tseng, Chih-Chun Wu

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As information and communication technology (ICT) has become a part of people’s lives, most teenagers born after the 1980s and grew up in internet generation are called digital natives. Meanwhile, those teenagers’ parents are called digital immigrants. They need to keep learning new skills of ICT. This study investigated that high school students helped their parents set up social network services (SNS) and taught them how to use ICT. This study applied paper and pencil anonymous questionnaires that asked the ICT learning and ICT products using in high school students’ parents. The sample size was 2,621 high school students, including 1,360 (51.9%) males and 1,261 (48.1%) females. The sample was from 12 high school and vocational high school in central Taiwan. Results from paired sample t-tests demonstrated regardless genders, both male and female high school students help mothers set up Facebook and LINE more often than fathers. In addition, both male and female high school students taught mothers to use ICT more often than fathers. Meanwhile, both male and female high school students teach mothers to use SNS more often than fathers. The results showed that intergenerational ICT teaching occurred more often between mothers and her children than fathers. It could imply that mothers play a more important role in family ICT learning than fathers, or it could be that mothers need more help regarding ICT than fathers. As for gender differences, results from the independent t-tests showed that female high school students were more likely than male ones to help their parents setup Facebook and LINE. In addition, compared to male high school students, female ones were more likely to teach their parents to use smartphone, Facebook and LINE. However, no gender differences were detected in teaching mothers. The gender differences results suggested that female teenagers offer more helps to their parents regarding ICT learning than their male counterparts. As for area differences, results from the independent t-tests showed that the high school in remote area students were more likely than metropolitan ones to teach parents to use computer, search engine and download files of audio and video. The area differences results might indicate that remote area students were more likely to teach their parents how to use ICT. The results from this study encourage children to help and teach their parents with ICT products.

Keywords: adult ICT learning, family ICT learning, ICT learning, urban-rural gap

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Authors: Joana Gato, Ahmed Abotabekh, Panayoti Bachkangi

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Introduction: Oestrogen is an essential gonadal hormone that plays a vital role in the reproductive system of women1. The average age of menopause in the UK is 512. Women who go through premature menopause should be offered Hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Similarly, women who undergo surgical menopause should be offered HRT, unless contraindicated, depending on the indication of their surgery2,3. Aim: To assess if the patients in our department are counselled regarding HRT after surgical treatment and if HRT was prescribed. Methodology: A retrospective audit in a busy district hospital, examining all the patients who had a hysterectomy. The audit examined if HRT was discussed pre-operatively, prescribed on discharge and if a follow up was arranged. For women with contraindication to HRT, the audit assessed if the reasons were discussed pre-operatively and communicated to the Inclusion criteria: woman having a total or subtotal hysterectomy, with or without bilateral salpingo-ophorectomy (BSO), between April and September 2022. Exclusion criteria: woman having a vaginal hysterectomy. Results: 40 patients in total had hysterectomy; 27 (68%) were under the age of 51. 15 out of 27 patients bad BSO. 9 women were prescribed HRT, but 8 were offered HRT immediately, and 1 of them were offered a follow up. Of women who underwent surgical menopause, 7 were not given any HRT. The HRT choice was diverse, however, the majority was prescribed oral HRT. 40% of women undergoing surgical menopause did not have a discussion about HRT prior to their surgery. In postmenopausal women (n=13; 33%), still two were given HRT for preexisting menopausal symptoms. Discussion: Only 59% of the pre-menopausal patients had oophorectomy, therefore undergoing surgical menopause. Of these, 44% were not given any HRT, and 40% had no discussion about HRT prior to surgery. Interestingly, the majority of these women have no obvious contraindication to HRT. The choice of HRT was diverse, but the majority was commenced on oral HRT. Our unit is still working towards meeting all the NICE guidance standards of offering HRT and information prior to surgery to women planning to undergo surgical menopause. Conclusion: Starting HRT at the onset of menopause has been shown to improve quality of life and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and osteoporotic fractures4. Our unit still has scope for improvement to comply with the current NICE guidance. All pre-menopausal women undergoing surgical menopause should have a discussion regarding HRT prior to surgery and be offered it if there are no contraindications. This discussion should be clearly documented in the notes. At the time of this report, some of the patients have not yet had a follow up, which we recognize as a limitation to our audit.

Keywords: hormone replacement therapy, menopause, premature ovarian insufficiency, surgical management

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Authors: Mardin Abdalqadir, Paul Adzakro, Tannaz Pak, Sina Rezaei Gomari

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Climate change and global warming recently became significant concerns due to the massive emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, predominantly CO2 gases. Therefore, it is necessary to find sustainable and inexpensive methods to capture the greenhouse gasses and protect the environment for live species. The application of naturally available and cheap adsorbents of carbon such as clay minerals became a great interest. However, the minerals prone to low storage capacity despite their high affinity to adsorb carbon. This paper aims to explore ways to improve the pore volume and surface area of two selected clay minerals, ‘montmorillonite and kaolinite’ by acid treatment to overcome their low storage capacity. Montmorillonite and kaolinite samples were treated with different sulfuric acid concentrations (0.5, 1.2 and 2.5 M) at 40 °C for 8 hours to achieve the above aim. The grain size distribution and morphology of clay minerals before and after acid treatment were explored with Scanning Electron Microscope to evaluate surface area improvement. The ImageJ software was used to find the porosity and pore volume of treated and untreated clay samples. The structure of the clay minerals was also analyzed using an X-ray Diffraction machine. The results showed that the pore volume and surface area were increased substantially through acid treatment, which speeded up the rate of carbon dioxide adsorption. XRD pattern of kaolinite did not change after sulfuric acid treatment, which indicates that acid treatment would not affect the structure of kaolinite. It was also discovered that kaolinite had a higher pore volume and porosity than montmorillonite before and after acid treatment. For example, the pore volume of untreated kaolinite was equal to 30.498 um3 with a porosity of 23.49%. Raising the concentration of acid from 0.5 M to 2.5 M in 8 hours’ time reaction led to increased pore volume from 30.498 um3 to 34.73 um3. The pore volume of raw montmorillonite was equal to 15.610 um3 with a porosity of 12.7%. When the acid concentration was raised from 0.5 M to 2.5 M for the same reaction time, pore volume also increased from 15.610 um3 to 20.538 um3. However, montmorillonite had a higher specific surface area than kaolinite. This study concludes that clay minerals are inexpensive and available material sources to model the realistic conditions and apply the results of carbon capture to prevent global warming, which is one of the most critical and urgent problems in the world.

Keywords: acid treatment, kaolinite, montmorillonite, pore volume, porosity, surface area

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Authors: Mohammad Khazaei, Reza Rostami, Hasan Gharayagh Zandi, Rouhollah Basatnia, Mahbubeh Ghayour Najafabadi

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Objective: Methylphenidate has been demonstrated to enhance attention and cognitive processes, and placebo treatments have also been found to improve attention and cognitive processes. Additionally, methylphenidate may have positive effects on motion perception and sports performance. Nevertheless, additional research is needed to fully comprehend the neural mechanisms underlying the effects of methylphenidate and placebo on cognitive and motor functions. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 18 young semi-professional basketball players aged 18-23 years were randomly and equally assigned to either a Ritalin or Placebo group. The participants performed 20 consecutive free throws; their scores were recorded on a 0-3 scale. The participants’ brain activity was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG) for 5 minutes seated with their eyes closed. The Ritalin group received a 10 mg dose of methylphenidate, while the Placebo group received a 10mg dose of placebo. The EEG was obtained 90 minutes after the drug was administere Results: There was no significant difference in the absolute power of brain waves between the pre-test and post-tests in the Placebo group. However, in the Ritalin group, a significant difference in the absolute power of brain waves was observed in the Theta band (5-6 Hz) and Beta band (21-30 Hz) between pre- and post-tests in Fp2, F8, and Fp1. In these areas, the absolute power of Beta waves was higher during the post-test than during the pre-test. The Placebo group showed a more significant difference in free throw scores than the Ritalin group. Conclusions: In conclusion, these results suggest that Ritalin effect on brain activity in areas associated with attention and cognitive processes, as well as improve basketball free throws. However, there was no significant placebo effect on brain activity performance, but it significantly affected the improvement of free throws. Further research is needed to fully understand the effects of methylphenidate and placebo on cognitive and motor functions.

Keywords: methylphenidate, placebo effect, electroencephalography, basketball free throw

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Authors: S. MacDonald, A. Manuel, R. Law, N. Bandruak, A. Dubrowski, V. Curran, J. Smith-Young, K. Simmons, A. Warren

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High fidelity human patient simulation has been used for many years by health sciences education programs to foster critical thinking, engage learners, improve confidence, improve communication, and enhance psychomotor skills. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of research on the use of high fidelity human patient simulation to foster teamwork among nursing, medicine and pharmacy undergraduate students. This study compared the impact of high fidelity and low fidelity simulation education on teamwork among nursing, medicine and pharmacy students. For the purpose of this study, two innovative teaching scenarios were developed based on the care of an adult patient experiencing acute anaphylaxis: one high fidelity using a human patient simulator and one low fidelity using case based discussions. A within subjects, pretest-posttest, repeated measures design was used with two-treatment levels and random assignment of individual subjects to teams of two or more professions. A convenience sample of twenty-four (n=24) undergraduate students participated, including: nursing (n=11), medicine (n=9), and pharmacy (n=4). The Interprofessional Teamwork Questionnaire was used to assess for changes in students’ perception of their functionality within the team, importance of interprofessional collaboration, comprehension of roles, and confidence in communication and collaboration. Student satisfaction was also assessed. Students reported significant improvements in their understanding of the importance of interprofessional teamwork and of the roles of nursing and medicine on the team after participation in both the high fidelity and the low fidelity simulation. However, only participants in the high fidelity simulation reported a significant improvement in their ability to function effectively as a member of the team. All students reported that both simulations were a meaningful learning experience and all students would recommend both experiences to other students. These findings suggest there is merit in both high fidelity and low fidelity simulation as a teaching and learning approach to foster teamwork among undergraduate nursing, medicine and pharmacy students. However, participation in high fidelity simulation may provide a more realistic opportunity to practice and function as an effective member of the interprofessional health care team.

Keywords: acute anaphylaxis, high fidelity human patient simulation, low fidelity simulation, interprofessional education

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Authors: Reema Tiwari, U. C. Kulshrestha

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As a key regulator of atmospheric oxidative capacity and secondary aerosol formations, the signatures of reactive nitrogen (Nr) emissions are becoming increasingly evident in the cascade of air pollution, acidification, and eutrophication of the ecosystem. However, their accurate estimates in N budget remains limited by the photochemical conversion processes where occurrence of differential atmospheric residence time of gaseous (NOₓ, HNO₃, NH₃) and particulate (NO₃⁻, NH₄⁺) Nr species becomes imperative to their spatio temporal evolution on a synoptic scale. The present study attempts to quantify such interactions under tropical conditions when low anticyclonic winds become favorable to the advections from west during winters. For this purpose, a diurnal sampling was conducted using low volume sampler assembly where ambient concentrations of Nr trace gases along with their ionic fractions in the aerosol samples were determined with UV-spectrophotometer and ion chromatography respectively. The results showed a spatial gradient of the gaseous precursors with a much pronounced inter site variability (p < 0.05) than their particulate fractions. Such observations were confirmed for their limited photochemical conversions where less than 1 ratios of day and night measurements (D/N) for the different Nr fractions suggested an influence of boundary layer dynamics at the background site. These phase conversion processes were further corroborated with the molar ratios of NOₓ/NOᵧ and NH₃/NHₓ where incomplete titrations of NOₓ and NH₃ emissions were observed irrespective of their diurnal phases along the sampling transect. Their calculations with equilibrium based approaches for an NH₃-HNO₃-NH₄NO₃ system, on the other hand, were characterized by delays in equilibrium attainment where plots of their below deliquescence Kₘ and Kₚ values with 1000/T confirmed the role of lower temperature ranges in NH₄NO₃ aerosol formation. These results would help us in not only resolving the changing atmospheric inputs of reduced (NH₃, NH₄⁺) and oxidized (NOₓ, HNO₃, NO₃⁻) Nr estimates but also in understanding the dependence of Nr mixing ratios on their local meteorological conditions.

Keywords: diurnal ratios, gas-aerosol interactions, spatial gradient, thermodynamic equilibrium

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Authors: Madia Safdar, G. Amjad Hussain, Mashhood Ahmad

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One of the major challenges of today’s era is peak demand which causes stress on the transmission lines and also raises the cost of energy generation and ultimately higher electricity bills to the end users, and it was used to be managed by the supply side management. However, nowadays this has been withdrawn because of existence of potential in the demand side management (DSM) having its economic and- environmental advantages. DSM in domestic load can play a vital role in reducing the peak load demand on the network provides a significant cost saving. In this paper the potential of demand response (DR) in reducing the peak load demands and electricity bills to the electric users is elaborated. For this purpose the domestic appliances are modeled in MATLAB Simulink and controlled by a module called energy management controller. The devices are categorized into controllable and uncontrollable loads and are operated according to real-time tariff pricing pattern instead of fixed time pricing or variable pricing. Energy management controller decides the switching instants of the controllable appliances based on the results from optimization algorithms. In GAMS software, the MILP (mixed integer linear programming) algorithm is used for optimization. In different cases, different constraints are used for optimization, considering the comforts, needs and priorities of the end users. Results are compared and the savings in electricity bills are discussed in this paper considering real time pricing and fixed tariff pricing, which exhibits the existence of potential to reduce electricity bills and peak loads in demand side management. It is seen that using real time pricing tariff instead of fixed tariff pricing helps to save in the electricity bills. Moreover the simulation results of the proposed energy management system show that the gained power savings lie in high range. It is anticipated that the result of this research will prove to be highly effective to the utility companies as well as in the improvement of domestic DR.

Keywords: controllable and uncontrollable domestic loads, demand response, demand side management, optimization, MILP (mixed integer linear programming)

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Authors: Twinkle Sara Joseph

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Virtual reality technology has emerged as a revolutionary power that can transform the education sector in many ways. VR environments can break the boundaries of the traditional classroom setting by immersing the students in realistic 3D environments where they can interact with virtual characters without fearing being judged. Communication skills are essential for every profession, and studies suggest the importance of implementing basic-level communication courses at both the school and graduate levels. Interpersonal communication is a skill that gains prominence as it is required in every profession. Traditional means of training have limitations for trainees as well as participants. The fear of being judged, the audience interaction, and other factors can affect the performance of a participant in a traditional classroom setting. Virtual reality offers a unique opportunity for its users to participate in training that does not set any boundaries that prevent the participants from performing in front of an audience. Specialised applications designed in VR headsets offer a range of training and exercises for participants without any time, space, or audience limitations. The present study aims at measuring the effectiveness of VR training in improving interpersonal communication skills among students. The study uses a mixed-method approach, in which a pre-and post-test will be designed to measure effectiveness. A preliminary selection process involving a questionnaire and a screening test will identify suitable candidates based on their current communication proficiency levels. Participants will undergo specialised training through the VR application Virtual Speech tailored for interpersonal communication and public speaking, designed to operate without the traditional constraints of time, space, or audience. The training's impact will subsequently be measured through situational exercises to engage the participants in interpersonal communication tasks, thereby assessing the improvement in their skills. The significance of this study lies in its potential to provide empirical evidence supporting VR technology's role in enhancing communication skills, thereby offering valuable insights for integrating VR-based methodologies into educational frameworks to prepare students more effectively for their professional futures.

Keywords: virtual reality, VR training, interpersonal communication, communication skills, 3D environments

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Authors: Mariana Damova, Stanko Stankov, Emil Stoyanov, Hristo Hristov, Hermand Pessek, Plamen Chernev

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We will present one of the first use cases on the DestinE platform, a joint initiative of the European Commission, European Space Agency and EUMETSAT, providing access to global earth observation, meteorological and statistical data, and emphasize the good practice of intergovernmental agencies acting in concert. Further, we will discuss the importance of space-bound disruptive solutions for improving the balance between the ever-increasing water-related disasters coming from climate change and minimizing their economic and societal impact. The use case focuses on forecasting floods and estimating the impact of flood events on the urban environment and the ecosystems in the affected areas with the purpose of helping municipal decision-makers to analyze and plan resource needs and to forge human-environment relationships by providing farmers with insightful information for improving their agricultural productivity. For the forecast, we will adopt an EO4AI method of our platform ISME-HYDRO, in which we employ a pipeline of neural networks applied to in-situ measurements and satellite data of meteorological factors influencing the hydrological and hydrodynamic status of rivers and dams, such as precipitations, soil moisture, vegetation index, snow cover to model flood events and their span. ISME-HYDRO platform is an e-infrastructure for water resources management based on linked data, extended with further intelligence that generates forecasts with the method described above, throws alerts, formulates queries, provides superior interactivity and drives communication with the users. It provides synchronized visualization of table views, graphviews and interactive maps. It will be federated with the DestinE platform.

Keywords: flood simulation, AI, Earth observation, e-Infrastructure, flood forecasting, flood areas localization, response planning, resource estimation

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Authors: Parul Kapoor, Dheeraj Bhardwaj

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Delhi and other Indian cities accommodate thousands of Central Government employees in housing complexes called ‘General Pool Residential Accommodation’ (GPRA), located in prime parcels of the city. These residential colonies are now undergoing redevelopment at a massive scale, significantly impacting the ecology of the surrounding areas. Essentially, these colonies were low-rise, low-density planned developments with a dense tree cover and minimal parking requirements. But with increasing urbanisation and spike in parking demand, the proposed built form is an aggregate of high-rise gated complexes, redefining the skyline of the city which is a huge departure from the mediocre setup of Low-rise Walk-up apartments. The complexity of these developments is further aggravated by the need for parking which necessitates cutting huge number of trees to accommodate multiple layers of parking beneath the structures thus sidelining the authentic character of these areas which is laden with a dense tree cover. The aftermath of this whole process is the generation of a huge carbon footprint on the surrounding areas, which is unaccounted for, in the planning and design practice. These developments are currently planned as mix-use compounds with large commercial built-up spaces which have additional parking requirements over and above the residential parking. Also, they are perceived as gated complexes and not as neighborhood units, thus project isolated images of high-rise, dense systems with little context to the surroundings. The paper would analyze case studies of GPRA Redevelopment projects in Delhi, and the lack of relevant development control regulations which have led to abnormalities and complications in the entire redevelopment process. It would also suggest policy guidelines which can establish comprehensive codes for effective planning of these settlements.

Keywords: gated complexes, GPRA Redevelopment projects, increased densities, huge carbon footprint, mixed-use development

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Authors: Adebusoye Michael, Anthony Gloria, Fasan Temitope, Jacob Anayo

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Background: The culture of fast food consumption has gradually become a common lifestyle in Nigeria especially among young people in urban areas, in spite of the associated adverse health consequences. The adolescent pattern of fast foods consumption and their perception of this practice, as a risk factor for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), have not been fully explored. This study was designed to assess fast food consumption pattern and the perception of it as a risk factor for NCDs among undergraduates of Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi. Methodology: The study was descriptive cross-sectional in design. One hundred and eighty-five students were recruited using systematic random sampling method from the two halls of residence. A structured questionnaire was used to assess the consumption pattern of fast foods. Data collected from the questionnaires were analysed using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 16. Simple descriptive statistics, such as frequency counts and percentages were used to interpret the data. Results: The age range of respondents was 18-34 years, 58.4% were males, 93.5% singles and 51.4% of their parents were employed. The majority (100%) were aware of fast foods and (75%) agreed to its implications as NCD. Fast foods consumption distribution included meat pie (4.9%), beef roll/ sausage (2.7%), egg roll (13.5%), doughnut (16.2%), noodles(18%) and carbonated drinks (3.8%). 30.3% consumed thrice in a week and 71% attached workload to high consumption of fast food. Conclusion: It was revealed that a higher social pressure from peers, time constraints, class pressure and school programme had the strong influence on high percentages of higher institutions’ students consume fast foods and therefore nutrition educational campaigns for campus food outlets or vendors and behavioural change communication on healthy nutrition and lifestyles among young people are hereby advocated.

Keywords: fast food consumption, Nigerian polytechnic, risk factors, undergraduate

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Authors: Tonya P. Bowers

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Background: The community/patient-focused quality improvement (QI) project has resolved a clinical problem using a quantitative design evaluating behavior change practices in a convenience sample from a multi-cultural congregation in a faith-based setting. AD is a legal document that speaks for the patient when they are unable to speak for themselves. The AD provides detailed information regarding critical medical decisions on behalf of the patient if they’re unable to make decisions themselves. The goal of an AD is to improve EOL care renderings that align with the patient’s desires. The AD diminishes anxiety and stress associated with making difficult EOL care decisions for patients and their families. Method: The project has two intervention strategies: pre-intervention and post-intervention formative surveys and a final summative survey. Most of the data collection takes place during implementation. The Let’s Talk About It Program utilized an online meeting platform for presentation. Participants were asked to complete informed consent and surveys via an online portal. Education included slide presentation, Advance Directive demonstration, video clips, discussions and 1:1 assistance with AD completion with a project manager. Results: Considering the overwhelming likelihood responses where 87.5% identified they “definitely would” hold an End-Of-Life conversation with their healthcare provider or family, and 81.25% indicated their likelihood that they “definitely would” complete an advance directive. In addition, the final summative post-intervention survey (n-14) also demonstrated an overwhelming 93% positive response. Which undoubtedly demonstrates favorable outcomes for the project. Conclusion: the Let’s Talk About It Program demonstrated effectiveness in improving participants' attitudes and acceptance towards Advance Directives and expanding End-of-Life care discussions. Emphasis on program sustainment within the church is imperative in fostering continued awareness and improved health outcomes for the local community with low health literacy.

Keywords: advance directive, end of life, advance care planning, palliative care, low health literacy, faith-based

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Authors: David Quevedo, Diana Coronel

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The present article carries out an evaluation of the drinking water system in the Bellavista sector of the city of Azogues, with the purpose of determining the appropriate equipment to record the actual consumption flows of the inhabitants in said sector. Taking into account that the study area is located in a rural and economically disadvantaged area, there is an urgent need to establish a control system for the consumption of drinking water in order to conserve and manage the vital resource in the best possible way, considering that the water source supplying this sector is approximately 9km away. The research began with the collection of cartographic, demographic, and statistical data of the sector, determining the coverage area, population projection, and a provision that guarantees the supply of drinking water to meet the water needs of the sector's inhabitants. By using hydraulic modeling through the United States Environmental Protection Agency Application for Modeling Drinking Water Distribution Systems EPANET 2.0 software, theoretical hydraulic data were obtained, which were used to design and justify the most suitable measuring equipment for the Bellavista drinking water system. Taking into account a minimum service life of the drinking water system of 30 years, future flow rates were calculated for the design of the macro-measuring device. After analyzing the network, it was evident that the Bellavista sector has an average consumption of 102.87 liters per person per day, but considering that Ecuadorian regulations recommend a provision of 180 liters per person per day for the geographical conditions of the sector, this value was used for the analysis. With all the collected and calculated information, the conclusion was reached that the Bellavista drinking water system needs to have a 125mm electromagnetic macro-measuring device for the first three quinquenniums of its service life and a 150mm diameter device for the following three quinquenniums. The importance of having equipment that provides real and reliable data will allow for the control of water consumption by the population of the sector, measured through micro-measuring devices installed at the entrance of each household, which should match the readings of the macro-measuring device placed after the water storage tank outlet, in order to control losses that may occur due to leaks in the drinking water system or illegal connections.

Keywords: macrometer, hydraulics, endowment, water

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