Search results for: health knowledge

Authors: Nirali Sanghavi, Julia Ash, Amy Wasserman

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Introduction: To the best of our knowledge, there is only one case report that found an association between leuprolide and scleroderma renal crisis (SRC). Leuprolide has been noted to cause acute renal failure in some patients. Given the close timing of the leuprolide injection and the worsening renal function in our patient, leuprolide likely caused exacerbation of lupus nephritis and SRC. Interestingly, our patient on long-term hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) with normal baseline cardiac function was found to have HCQ cardiomyopathy highlighting the need for close monitoring of HCQ toxicity. We know that some of the risk factors that are involved in HCQ induced cardiomyopathy are older age, females, increased dose and >10 years of HCQ use, and pre-existing cardiac and renal insufficiency. Case presentation: A 34-year-old African American woman with a history of overlap of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and scleroderma features and class III lupus nephritis presented with severe headaches, elevated blood pressure (180/120 mmHg) and worsening creatinine levels (2.07 mg/dL). The headaches started 1 month ago after she started leuprolide injections for fibroids. She was being treated with mycophenolate mofetil 1 gm twice a day, belimumab weekly, HCQ 200mg, and prednisone 5 mg daily. She has been on HCQ since her teenage years. The examination was unremarkable except for proximal interphalangeal joint contractures in the right hand and sclerodactyly of bilateral hands, unchanged from baseline. Laboratory findings include urinalysis, which showed 3+ protein, 1+ blood, 6 red blood cells, and 14 white blood cells ruling out thrombotic microangiopathy. C3 was 32 mg/dL, C4 <5 mg/dL, and +dsDNA increased >1000. She was started on captopril and discharged once creatinine and blood pressure was controlled. She was readmitted with hypertension, hyperkalemia, worsening creatinine, nephrotic range proteinuria, complaints of chest pressure, and shortness of breath with pleuritic chest pain. Physical examination and lab findings were unchanged. She was treated with pulse dose methyl prednisone followed by taper and multiple anti-hypertensive agents, including captopril, for presumed lupus nephritis flare versus SRC. Renal biopsy was consistent with SRC and class IV lupus nephritis and was started on cyclophosphamide. While cardiac biopsy showed borderline myocarditis without necrosis and cytoplasmic vacuolization consistent with HCQ cardiomyopathy, hence HCQ was discontinued. Summary: It highlights a rare association of leuprolide causing exacerbation of lupus nephritis or SRC. Although rare, the current case reinforces the importance of close monitoring for HCQ toxicity in patients with renal insufficiency.

Keywords: leuprolide, lupus nephritis, scleroderma, SLE

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Authors: Mawarni Mohamed, Sharifah Shahira A. Hamid

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Leisure time is an important component to offset the sedentary lifestyle of the people. Women tend to benefit from leisure activities not only to reduce stress but also to provide opportunities for well-being and self-satisfaction. This study was conducted to investigate body composition and leisure time use among women in Selangor from the influences of community settlement. A total of 419 women aged 18-65 years were selected to participate in this study. Descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA were used to analyze the level of physical activity and the relationship between leisure-time use and body composition were made to analyze the physical lifestyles. The results showed that women with normal body composition seem to be involved in more passive activities than women with less weight gain and obesity. Thus, the study recommended that the government and other health and recreational agencies should develop more places and activities suitable for leisure preference for women in their community settlement so they become more interested to engage in more active recreational and physical activities.

Keywords: body composition, community settlement, leisure time, physical lifestyles

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Authors: D. A. Onifade

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Kokoro is maize snack which is very popular among poor masses in Nigeria who consume it along with gari(a cassava product) as lunch on a regular basis. In this study, fungal contaminants of kokoro were characterized and its aflatoxin content determined. A total of 30 fungal isolates were obtained from kokoro samples and they belong to 3 different species. Aspergillus flavus had the highest frequency of occurrence of 73.33% while Penicillium species had the lowest (6.66%). Different concentration of aflatoxin B1 was detected in some of the kokoro samples analyzed. Sample D had the highest concentration of 7.25 parts per billion (ppb). The lowest concentration detected was 0.06 ppb in sample P. No aflatoxin G1 and G2 was detected in all the kokoro samples with exception of sample P which contained 2.54 ppb aflatoxin G1.According to international standards some of the kokoro samples are not suitable for human consumption because of high-level aflatoxin which was above the recommended level. Therefore, production of kokoro should be standardized and appropriate packaging materials utilized to prevent the growth of aflatoxigenic fungi. This is to safeguard the health of many poor Nigerians who consume it on a regular basis.

Keywords: kokoro, maize snack, aflatoxin, contamination, mould, Nigeria

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Authors: S. Hosseini, M. Ahmadi Najafabadi, M. Akhlaghi

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The health of the journal bearings is very important in preventing unforeseen breakdowns in rotary machines, and poor lubrication is one of the most important factors for producing the bearing failures. Hydrodynamic lubrication (HL), mixed lubrication (ML), and boundary lubrication (BL) are three regimes of a journal bearing lubrication. This paper uses acoustic emission (AE) measurement technique to correlate features of the AE signals to the three lubrication regimes. The transitions from HL to ML based on operating factors such as rotating speed, load, inlet oil pressure by time domain and time-frequency domain signal analysis techniques are detected, and then metal-to-metal contacts between sliding surfaces of the journal and bearing are identified. It is found that there is a significant difference between theoretical and experimental operating values that are obtained for defining the lubrication regions.

Keywords: acoustic emission technique, pressure fed journal bearing, time and frequency signal analysis, metal-to-metal contact

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Authors: Kim Lytle, Tim Talty, Alan Michaels, Jeff Reed

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Implantable medical devices (IMDs) are medically necessary devices embedded in the human body that monitor chronic disorders or automatically deliver therapies. Most IMDs have wireless capabilities that allow them to share data with an offboard programming device to help medical providers monitor the patient’s health while giving the patient more insight into their condition. However, serious security concerns have arisen as researchers demonstrated these devices could be hacked to obtain sensitive information or harm the patient. Cooperative jamming can be used to prevent privileged information leaks by maintaining an adequate signal-to-noise ratio at the intended receiver while minimizing signal power elsewhere. This paper uses ray tracing to demonstrate how a low number of friendly nodes abiding by Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transmission regulations can enhance IMD communication security in an office environment, which in turn may inform how companies and individuals can protect their proprietary and personal information.

Keywords: implantable biomedical devices, communication system security, array signal processing, ray tracing

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Authors: Sara Parker, Kay Standing

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This paper will share insights into how menstruators bodies in Nepal are viewed and controlled in Nepal due to the deeply held stigmas and taboos that exist that frame menstrual blood as impure and polluting. It draws on a British Academy Global Challenges Research (BA/GCRF) funded project, ‘Dignity Without Danger,’ that ran from December 2019 to 2022. In Nepal, beliefs and myths around menstrual related practices prevail and vary in accordance to time, generation, caste and class. Physical seclusion and/or restrictions include the consumption of certain foods, the ability to touch certain people and objects, and restricted access to water sources. These restrictions not only put women at risk of poor health outcomes, but they also promote discrimination and challenge fundamental human rights. Despite the pandemic, a wealth of field research and creative outputs have been generated to help break the silence that surrounds menstruation and also highlights the complexity of addressing the harms associated with the exclusion from sacred and profane spaces that menstruators face. Working with locally recruited female research assistants, NGOS and brining together academics from the UK and Nepal, we explore the intersecting factors that impact on menstrual experiences and how they vary throughout Nepal. WE concur with Tamang that there is no such thing as a ‘Nepali Woman’, and there is no one narrative that captures the experiences of menstruators in Nepal. These deeply held beliefs and practices mean that menstruators are denied their right to a dignified menstruation. By being excluded from public and private spaces, such as temples and religious sites, as well as from kitchens and your own bedroom in your own home, these beliefs impact on individuals in complex and interesting ways. Existing research in Nepal by academics and activists demonstrates current programmes and initiatives do not fully address the misconceptions that underpin the exclusionary practices impacting on sexual and reproductive health, a sense of well being and highlight more work is needed in this area. Research has been conducted in all 7 provinces and through exploring and connecting disparate stories, artefacts and narratives, we will deepen understanding of the complexity of menstrual practices enabling local stakeholders to challenge exclusionary practices. By using creative methods to engage with stakeholders and share our research findings as well as highlighting the wealth of activism in Nepal. We highlight the importance of working with local communities, leaders and cutting across disciplines and agencies to promote menstrual justice and dignity. Our research findings and creative outputs that we share on social media channels such as Dignity Without Danger Facebook, Instagram and you tube stress the value of employing a collaborative action research approach to generate material which helps local people take control of their own narrative and change social relations that lead to harmful practices.

Keywords: menstruation, Nepal, stigma, social norms

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Authors: Alexis D'Agostino, Celeste Sununtunasuk, Jack Fiedler

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Background: Iron-folic acid (IFA) supplementation during antenatal care (ANC) has existed in many countries for decades. Despite this, low national coverage persists and women do not often consume appropriate amounts during pregnancy. USAID’s SPRING Project investigated pregnant women’s access to, and consumption of, IFA tablets through ANC. Cross-country analysis provided a global picture of the state of IFA-supplementation, while country-specific results noted key contextual issues, including geography, wealth, and ANC attendance. The analysis can help countries prioritize strategies for systematic performance improvements within one of the most common micronutrient supplementation programs aimed at reducing maternal anemia. Methodology: Using falter point analysis on Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data collected from 162,958 women across 22 countries, SPRING identified four sequential falter points (ANC attendance, IFA receipt or purchase, IFA consumption, and number of tablets taken) where pregnant women fell out of the IFA distribution structure. SPRING analyzed data on IFA intake from DHS surveys with women of reproductive age. SPRING disaggregated these data by ANC participation during the most recent pregnancy, residency, and women’s socio-economic status. Results: Average sufficient IFA tablet use across all countries was only eight percent. Even in the best performing countries, only about one-third of pregnant women consumed 180 or more IFA tablets during their most recent pregnancy. ANC attendance was an important falter point for a quarter of women across all countries (with highest falter rates in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, and Niger). Further analysis reveals patterns, with some countries having high ANC coverage but low IFA provision during ANC (DRC and Haiti), others having high ANC coverage and IFA provision but few women taking any tablets (Nigeria and Liberia), and countries that perform well in ANC, supplies, and initial consumption but where very few women consume the recommended 180 tablets (Malawi and Cambodia). Country-level analysis identifies further patterns of supplementation. In Indonesia, for example, only 62% of women in the poorest quintile took even one IFA tablet, while 86% of the wealthiest women did. This association between socioeconomic status and IFA intake held across nearly all countries where these data are available and was also visible in rural/urban comparisons. Analysis of ANC attendance data also suggests that higher numbers of ANC visits are associated with higher tablet intake. Conclusions: While it is difficult to disentangle which specific aspects of supply or demand cause the low rates of consumption, this tool allows policy-makers to identify major bottlenecks to scaling-up IFA supplementation during ANC. In turn, each falter point provides possible explanations of program performance and helps strategically identify areas for improved IFA supplementation. For example, improving the delivery of IFA supplementation in Ethiopia relies on increasing access to ANC, but also on identifying and addressing program gaps in IFA supply management and health workers’ practices in order to provide quality ANC services. While every country requires a customized approach to improving IFA supplementation, the multi-country analysis conducted by SPRING is a helpful first step in identifying country bottlenecks and prioritizing interventions.

Keywords: iron and folic acid, supplementation, antenatal care, micronutrient

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Authors: Mark Wiebe

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One of the tasks contemporary analytic philosophers have focused on (e.g., Wolterstorff, Alston, Plantinga, Hasker, and Crisp) is the analysis of certain medieval metaphysical frameworks. This growing body of scholarship has helped clarify and prevent distorted readings of medieval and ancient writers. However, as scholars like Dolezal, Duby, and Brower have pointed out, these analyses have been incomplete or inaccurate in some instances, e.g., with regard to analogical speech or the doctrine of divine simplicity (DDS). Additionally, contributors to this work frequently express opposing claims or fail to note substantial differences between ancient and medieval thinkers. This is the case regarding the comparison between Thomas Aquinas and others. Anton Pegis and Étienne Gilson have argued along this line that Thomas’ metaphysical framework represents a fundamental shift. Gilson describes Thomas’ metaphysics as a turn from a form of “essentialism” to “existentialism.” One should argue that this shift distinguishes Thomas from many Analytic philosophers as well as from other classical defenders of the DDS. Moreover, many of the objections Analytic Philosophers make against Thomas presume the same metaphysical principles undergirding the above-mentioned form of essentialism. This weakens their force against Thomas’ positions. In order to demonstrate these claims, it will be helpful to consider Thomas’ metaphysical outlook alongside that of two other prominent figures: Augustine and Ockham. One area of their thinking which brings their differences to the surface has to do with how each relates to Platonic and Neo-Platonic thought. More specifically, it is illuminating to consider whether and how each distinguishes or conceives essence and existence. It is also useful to see how each approaches the Platonic conflicts between essence and individuality, unity and intelligibility. In both of these areas, Thomas stands out from Augustine and Ockham. Although Augustine and Ockham diverge in many ways, both ultimately identify being with particularity and pit particularity against both unity and intelligibility. Contrastingly, Thomas argues that being is distinct from and prior to essence. Being (i.e., Being in itself) rather than essence or form must therefore serve as the ground and ultimate principle for the existence of everything in which being and essence are distinct. Additionally, since change, movement, and addition improve and give definition to finite being, multitude and distinction are, therefore, principles of being rather than non-being. Consequently, each creature imitates and participates in God’s perfect Being in its own way; the perfection of each genus exists pre-eminently in God without being at odds with God’s simplicity, God has knowledge, power, and will, and these and the many other terms assigned to God refer truly to the being of God without being either meaningless or synonymous. The existentialist outlook at work in these claims distinguishes Thomas in a noteworthy way from his contemporaries and predecessors as much as it does from many of the analytic philosophers who have objected to his thought. This suggests that at least these kinds of objections do not apply to Thomas’ thought.

Keywords: theology, philosophy of religion, metaphysics, philosophy

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Authors: Siuzan Uorner

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The era of late modernity is characterized, on the one hand, by social disintegration, values of personal freedom, tolerance, and self-expression. Boundaries between the accessible and the elitist, normal and abnormal are blurring. On the other hand, traditional social institutions, such as religion (especially Russian Orthodox Church), exist, criticizing lifestyle and worldview other than conventionally structured canons. Despite the declared values and opportunities in late modern society, people's freedom is ambivalent. Personal identity and its aspects are becoming a subject of choice. Hence, combinations of identity aspects can be incompatible. Our theoretical framework is based on P. Ricoeur's concept of narrative identity and hermeneutics, E. Goffman’s theory of social stigma, self-presentation, discrepant roles and W. James lectures about varieties of religious experience. This paper aims to reconstruct ways of coping with incompatible identities of Orthodox gays (an extreme sampling of a combination of sexual orientation and religious identity in a heteronormative society). This study focuses on the discourse of Orthodox gay parishioners and ROC gay priests in Russia (sampling ‘hard to reach’ populations because of the secrecy of gay community in ROC and sensitivity of the topic itself). We conducted a qualitative research design, using in-depth personal semi-structured online-interviews. Recruiting of informants took place in 'Nuntiare et Recreare' (Russian movement of religious LGBT) page in VKontakte through the post with an invitation to participate in the research. In this work, we analyzed interview transcripts using axial coding. We chose the Grounded Theory methodology to construct a theory from empirical data and contribute to the growing body of knowledge in ways of harmonizing incompatible identities in late modern societies. The research has found that there are two types of conflicts Orthodox gays meet with: canonic contradictions (postulates of Scripture and its interpretations) and problems in social interaction, mainly with ROC priests and Orthodox parishioners. We have revealed semantic meanings of most commonly used words that appear in the narratives (words such as ‘love’, ‘sin’, ‘religion’ etc.). Finally, we have reconstructed biographical patterns of LGBT social movements’ involvement. This paper argues that all incompatibilities are harmonizing in the narrative itself. As Ricoeur has suggested, the narrative configuration allows the speaker to gather facts and events together and to compose causal relationships between them. Sexual orientation and religious identity are getting along and harmonizing in the narrative.

Keywords: gay priests, incompatible identities, narrative identity, Orthodox gays, religious identity, ROC, sexual orientation

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Authors: Christophe Gonçalves, Raquel P. F. Guiné, Daniela Teixeira, Fernando J. Gonçalves

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Blueberries are widely valued for their high content in phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity, and hence beneficial for the human health. In this way, a study was done to determine the phenolic composition (total phenols, anthocyanins and tannins) and antioxidant activity of blueberries from three cultivars (Duke, Bluecrop, and Ozarblue) grown in two different Portuguese farms. Initially two successive extractions were done with methanol followed by two extractions with aqueous acetone solutions. These extracts obtained were then used to evaluate the amount of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity. The total phenols were observed to vary from 4.9 to 8.2 mg GAE/g fresh weight, with anthocyanin’s contents in the range 1.5-2.8 mg EMv3G/g and tannins contents in the range 1.5- 3.8 mg/g. The results for antioxidant activity ranged from 9.3 to 23.2 mol TE/g, and from 24.7 to 53.4 mol TE/g, when measured, respectively, by DPPH and ABTS methods. In conclusion it was observed that, in general, the cultivar had a visible effect on the phenols present, and furthermore, the geographical origin showed relevance either in the phenols contents or the antioxidant activity.

Keywords: anthocyanins, antioxidant activity, blueberry cultivar, geographical origin, phenolic compounds

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Authors: Lucas Barbosa Da Silva, Jun Okamoto Jr.

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Precision Agriculture has long being benefited from crop fields’ aerial imagery. This important tool has allowed identifying patterns in crop fields, generating useful information to the production management. Reflectance intensity data in different ranges from the electromagnetic spectrum may indicate presence or absence of nutrients in the soil of an area. Different relations between the different light bands may generate even more detailed information. The knowledge of the nutrients content in the soil or in the crop during its growth is a valuable asset to the farmer that seeks to optimize its yield. However, small farmers in Brazil often lack the resources to access this kind information, and, even when they do, it is not presented in a comprehensive and/or objective way. So, the challenges of implementing this technology ranges from the sampling of the imagery, using aerial platforms, building of a mosaic with the images to cover the entire crop field, extracting the reflectance information from it and analyzing its relationship with the parameters of interest, to the display of the results in a manner that the farmer may take the necessary decisions more objectively. In this work, it’s proposed an analysis of soil nutrient contents based on image processing of satellite imagery and comparing its outtakes with commercial laboratory’s chemical analysis. Also, sources of satellite imagery are compared, to assess the feasibility of using Google Earth data in this application, and the impacts of doing so, versus the application of imagery from satellites like Landsat-8 and Pleiades. Furthermore, an algorithm for building mosaics is implemented using Google Earth imagery and finally, the possibility of using unmanned aerial vehicles is analyzed. From the data obtained, some soil parameters are estimated, namely, the content of Potassium, Phosphorus, Boron, Manganese, among others. The suitability of Google Earth Imagery for this application is verified within a reasonable margin, when compared to Pleiades Satellite imagery and to the current commercial model. It is also verified that the mosaic construction method has little or no influence on the estimation results. Variability maps are created over the covered area and the impacts of the image resolution and sample time frame are discussed, allowing easy assessments of the results. The final results show that easy and cheaper remote sensing and analysis methods are possible and feasible alternatives for the small farmer, with little access to technological and/or financial resources, to make more accurate decisions about soil nutrient management.

Keywords: remote sensing, precision agriculture, mosaic, soil, nutrient content, satellite imagery, aerial imagery

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Authors: Mardianto

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Education and learning are now grown rapidly. Synergy of techonology especially instructional technology in the learning activities are very big influence on the effectiveness of learning and creativity to achieve optimal results. But on the other hand there is a education value that is difficult to be articulated through character-forming technology such as honesty, discipline, hard work, heroism, and so forth. Learning strategy and storytelling from the past until today is still an option for teachers to convey the message of character values. With the material was loaded from the local culture (stories folklore), the combination of learning objectives (build character child) strategy, and traditional methods (storytelling and story), and the preservation of local culture (dig tale folklore) is critical to maintaining the nation's culture. In the context of maintaining the nation's culture, then since the age of the child at the level of government elementary school a necessity. Globalization, the internet and technology sometimes feel can displace the role of the teacher in the learning activities. To the oral tradition is a mainstay of storytelling should be maintained and preserved. This research was conducted at the elementary school in the city of Medan, North Sumatra Indonesia, with a random sampling technique, the 27 class teachers were respondents who were randomly assigned to the Madrasah Ibtdaiyah (Islamic Elementary School) both public and private. Research conducted at the beginning of 2014 refers to a curriculum that is being transformed in the environment ministry Republic Religion Indonesia. The results of this study indicate that; the declining skills of teachers to develop storytelling this can be seen from; 74.07% of teachers have never attended a special training storytelling, 85.19% no longer nasakah new stories, only 22.22% are teachers who incorporate methods of stories in the learning plan. Most teachers are no longer concerned with storytelling, among those experiencing difficulty in developing methods because the story; 66.67% of children are more interested in children's cartoons like Bobo boy, Angrybirds and others, 59.26 children prefer other activities than listening to a story. The teachers hope, folklore books should be preserved, storytelling training should be provided by the government through the ministry of religion, race or competition of storytelling should be scheduled, writing a new script-based populist storytelling should be provided immediately. The teachers’ hope certainly not excessive, by realizing the story method becomes articulation as the efforts of child character development based populist, therefore the local knowledge can be a strong fortress facing society in the era of progress as at present, and future.

Keywords: story telling, local wisdom, education, technology development

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Authors: Mahsa Jalili, Essa Ehsan Khan, Signe Dille Lovmo, Augustine Akruwe, Egil Lien, Rolf Erik Olsen, Trygve Sigholt, Atle Magnus Bones

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Data from the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries reported that >1.2 million tons of Atlantic salmon were produced in Norway aquaculture industry in 2016. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are one of the key transcription factor families that respond to nutritional ligands. Recent studies have shown the connection between PPARs with lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in aquaculture. To our knowledge, there is no published data about the effects of krill meal, soybean meal, Bactocell ® and butyrate feedings compared to control group on PPARs gene and protein expressions in Atlantic salmon. Fish, 1year +postsmolt, average weight 250 gram were cultured for 12 weeks after acclimatization by control commercial feeding in 2 weeks after hatchery. Water oxygen rate, salinity, and temperature were monitored every second day. At the end of the trial, fish were taken from tanks randomly, and four replicates per group were collected and stored in -80 freezers until analysis. Total RNA extracted from posterior part of dorsal fin muscle tissues and Nanodrop and Bioanalyzer was used to check the quality of RNA. Gene expression of PPAR α, β and γ were determined by RT-PCR. The expression of genes of interest was measured relative to control group after normalization to three reference genes. Total protein concentration was calculated by Bradford method, and protein expression was determined with primary PPARγ antibody by western blot. All data were analyzed by ANOVA followed by Benjamini-Hochberg and Bonferroni tests. Probability values <0.05 considered significant. Bactocell® and butyrate groups showed significantly lower PPARα expression. PPARβ and γ were not significantly different among groups. PPARγ mRNA expression was approximately consistent with protein expression pattern, except than butyrate group showed lower mRNA level. The order of PPARγ expression was Bactocell® > soy meal > butyrate > krill meal > control respectively. PPARβ gene expression decreased more in soy meal > butyrate > krill meal > Bactocell® > control groups respectively. In conclusion, the increased expression of PPARγ and α is proposed to represent a reduction tendency of lipid storage in fish fed by Bactocell®, butyrate, soy and krill meal.

Keywords: aquaculture, blotting western, gene expression, krill protein extract, prebiotics, probiotics, Salmo salar

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Authors: Saheb Yousefi, Kim T. Zebehazy, Parviz Sharifi Daramadi, Tahereh Najafi Fard, Kevin Murfitt

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Context: Children with visual impairments often face challenges in their cognitive, motor, and social development. Sensory-motor and spatial perception therapies can be beneficial for these children, but many existing programs only focus on a limited set of therapies. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a rehabilitation program for sensory- motor and spatial perception in reducing the fear of mobility in visually impaired children. Research Aim: The aim of this study is to determine if a rehabilitation program based on parent-child interaction can reduce the fear of mobility in visually impaired children. Methodology: This study uses a semi-experimental approach with an uneven control group design. Visually impaired children aged 10 to 14 and their parents from the Board of the Blind and Visually Impaired in Tehran Province were included in the study. The sample was divided into experimental and control groups, with a total of 30 participants. The experimental group participated in a rehabilitation program for sensory-motor and spatial perception based on parent-child interaction, while the control group did not receive this intervention. Data was collected using questionnaires on transportation issues and analyzed using multivariate and univariate mixed analysis of variance tests. Findings: The analysis of the data showed that the fear of movement was significantly improved in the experimental group compared to the control group after the intervention. Theoretical Importance: This study highlights the effectiveness of a rehabilitation program for sensory- motor and spatial perception based on parent-child interaction in reducing the fear of mobility in visually impaired children. It contributes to the existing knowledge by demonstrating the positive impact of this type of intervention on the cognitive, motor, and social development of these children. Data Collection and Analysis Procedures: Data was collected through the use of questionnaires administered to the children before and after the intervention. The data was analyzed using multivariate and univariate mixed analysis of variance tests to examine the effects of the rehabilitation program. Questions Addressed: This study addresses the question of whether a rehabilitation program based on parent-child interaction can reduce the fear of mobility in visually impaired children. Conclusion: The findings of this study support the effectiveness of the sensory-motor and spatial perception rehabilitation program based on parent-child interaction in reducing the fear of movement in visually impaired children. This intervention can be considered as a suitable method to enhance the fear of mobility in these children.

Keywords: vision impairment, sensory-motor rehabilitation, space perception, parent-child interaction, fear of movement.

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Authors: Sarah Pasala, Elizabeth Zacharias

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Vital sign monitoring is crucial for both everyday health and medical diagnosis. A significant factor in assessing a human's health is their vital signs, which include heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and electrocardiogram (ECG) readings. Vital sign monitoring has been the focus of many system and method innovations recently. Piezoelectrics are materials that convert mechanical energy into electrical energy and can be used for vital sign monitoring. Piezoelectric energy harvesters that are stretchable and flexible can detect very low frequencies like airflow, heartbeat, etc. Current advancements in piezoelectric materials and flexible sensors have made it possible to create wearable and implantable medical devices that can continuously monitor physiological signals in humans. But because of their non-biocompatible nature, they also produce a large amount of e-waste and require another surgery to remove the implant. This paper presents a biocompatible and flexible piezoelectric composite material for wearable and implantable devices that offers a high-performance platform for seamless and continuous monitoring of human physiological signals and tactile stimuli. It also addresses the issue of e-waste and secondary surgery. A Lead-free piezoelectric, SrBi4Ti4O15, is found to be suitable for this application because the properties can be tailored by suitable substitutions and also by varying the synthesis temperature protocols. In the present work, SrBi4Ti4O15 modified by rare-earth has been synthesized and studied. Coupling factors are calculated from resonant (fr) and anti-resonant frequencies (fa). It is observed that Samarium substitution in SBT has increased the Curie temperature, dielectric and piezoelectric properties. From impedance spectroscopy studies, relaxation, and non-Debye type behaviour are observed. The composite of bioresorbable poly(l-lactide) and Lead-free rare earth modified Bismuth Layered Ferroelectrics leads to a flexible piezoelectric device for non-invasive measurement of vital signs, such as heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, and electrocardiogram (ECG) readings and also artery pulse signals in near-surface arteries. These composites are suitable to detect slight movement of the muscles and joints. This Lead-free rare earth modified Bismuth Layered Ferroelectrics – polymer composite is synthesized using a ball mill and the solid-state double sintering method. XRD studies indicated the two phases in the composite. SEM studies revealed the grain size to be uniform and in the range of 100 nm. The electromechanical coupling factor is improved. The elastic constants are calculated and the mechanical flexibility is found to be improved as compared to the single-phase rare earth modified Bismuth Latered piezoelectric. The results indicate that this composite is suitable for the non-invasive detection of multiple vital signs of humans.

Keywords: composites, flexible, non-invasive, piezoelectric

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Authors: Nwamaka Patricia Ibeme, Musa Zakari

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E-learning is made more effective because; it is enable student to students to easily interact, share, and collaborate across time and space with the help of e-governance platform. Zoom and the Microsoft classroom team can invite students from all around the world to join a conversation on a certain subject simultaneously. E-governance may be able to work on problem solving skills, as well as brainstorming and developing ideas. As a result of the shared experiences and knowledge, students are able to express themselves and reflect on their own learning." For students, e-governance facilities provide greater opportunity for students to build critical (higher order) thinking abilities through constructive learning methods. Students' critical thinking abilities may improve with more time spent in an online classroom. Students' inventiveness can be enhanced through the use of computer-based instruction. Discover multimedia tools and produce products in the styles that are easily available through games, Compact Disks, and television. The use of e-learning has increased both teaching and learning quality by combining student autonomy, capacity, and creativity over time in developed countries." Teachers are catalysts for the integration of technology through Information and Communication Technology, and e-learning supports teaching by simplifying access to course content." Creating an Information and Communication Technology class will be much easier if educational institutions provide teachers with the assistance, equipment, and resources they need. The study adopted survey research design. The populations of the study are Students and staff. The study adopted a simple random sampling technique to select a representative population. Both primary and secondary method of data collection was used to obtain the data. A chi-square statistical technique was used to analyze. Finding from the study revealed that e-learning has increase accesses to universities educational by public servants in Nigeria. Public servants in Nigeria have utilized e-learning and Online Distance Learning (ODL) programme to into various degree programmes. Finding also shows that E-learning plays an important role in teaching because it is oriented toward the use of information and communication technologies that have become a part of the everyday life and day-to-day business. E-learning contributes to traditional teaching methods and provides many advantages to society and citizens. The study recommends that the e-learning tools and internet facilities should be upgrade to foster any network challenges in the online facilitation and lecture delivery system.

Keywords: E-governance, E-learning, online distance learning, university education public servants, Nigeria

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Authors: Memnun Seven, Aygül Akyüz

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Having a baby, giving birth and being a mother are generally considered happy events, especially for women who have had a history of infertility and may have suffered emotionally, physically and financially. Although the transition from the prenatal period to the postnatal period is usually desired and planned, it is a developmental and cognitive transition period full of complex emotional reactions. During this period, common mood disorders for women include maternity blues, postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. Postpartum depression is a common and serious mood disorder which can jeopardize the health of the mother, baby and family within the first year of delivery. Knowing the risks factors is an important issue for the early detection and early intervention of postpartum depression. However, knowing that a history of infertility may contribute to the development of postpartum depression, there are few studies assessing the effects of infertility during the diagnosis and treatment of depression. In this review, the effects of infertility on the development of postpartum depression and nurse/midwives’ roles in this issue are discussed in light with the literature.

Keywords: infertility, postpartum depression, risk factors, mood disorder

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Authors: Osifeko Olalekan Remigious, Adesanya Adebisi Joseph, Omolade Akinmade Olatunde

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The focus of this study was to determine the factors associated with the use of substances for sport performance of youth in Lagos state sport. Questionnaire was the instrument used for the study. Descriptive research method was used. The estimated population for the study was 2000 sport men and women. The sample size was 200 respondents for purposive sampling techniques were used. The instrument was validated in it content and constructs value. The instrument was administered with the assistance of the coaches. Same 200 copies administered were returned. The data obtained was analysed using simple percentage and chi-square (x2) for stated hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The finding reveal that sport injuries exercise induced and anaphylaxis and asthma and feeling of loss of efficacy associated with alcohol used on sport performance among the users of substances. Alcohol users are recommended to partake in sport like swimming, basketball and volleyball because they have space of time for resting while at play. Government should be fully in charge of the health of sport men and women.

Keywords: implications, Lagos state, substances, sports performance, youth

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Authors: Anisha Mandal, Swambabu Varanasi

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Lead is one of the most prevalent toxic heavy metal ions, and its pollution poses a significant threat to the environment and human health. On the other hand, Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid is a widely used metal chelating agent that, due to its poor biodegradability, is an incessant pollutant to the environment. For the first time, a green, simple, and cost-effective approach is used to hydrothermally synthesise photoluminescent carbon dots using Moringa Oleifera Gum in a single step. Then, using Moringa Oleifera Gum-derived carbon dots, a photoluminescent "ON-OFF-ON" mechanism for dual mode detection of trace Pb2+ and EDTA was proposed. MOG-CDs detect Pb2+ selectively and sensitively using a photoluminescence quenching mechanism, with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.000472 ppm. (1.24 nM). The quenched photoluminescence can be restored by adding EDTA to the MOG-CD+Pb2+ system; this strategy is used to quantify EDTA at a level of detection of 0.0026 ppm. (8.9 nM). The quantification of Pb2+ and EDTA in actual samples encapsulated the applicability and dependability of the proposed photoluminescent probe.

Keywords: carbon dots, photoluminescence, sensor, moringa oleifera gum

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Authors: Rizwana Tabassum

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Introductive Statement: Delay in budget releases is often cited as one of the biggest bottlenecks to smooth and efficient service delivery. While budget release from the ministry of finance to the line ministries has been expedited by simplifying the procedure, budget distribution within the line ministries remains one of the major causes of slow budget utilization. While the budget preparation is a bottom-up process where all DDOs submit their proposals to their controlling officers (such as Upazila Civil Surgeon sends it to Director General Health), who consolidate the budget proposals in iBAS++ budget preparation module, the approved budget is not disaggregated by all DDOs. Instead, it is left to the discretion of the controlling officers to distribute the approved budget to their sub-ordinate offices over the course of the year. Though there are some need-based criteria/formulae to distribute the approved budget among DDOs in some sectors, there is little evidence that these criteria are actually used. This means that majority of the DDOs don’t know their yearly allocations upfront to enable yearly planning of activities and expenditures. This delays the implementation of critical activities and the payment to the suppliers of goods and services and sometimes leads to undocumented arrears to suppliers for essential goods/services. In addition, social sector budgets are fragmented because of the vertical programs and externally financed interventions that pose several management challenges at the level of the budget holders and frontline service providers. Slow procurement processes further delay the provision of necessary goods and services. For example, it takes an average of 15–18 months for drugs to reach the Upazila Health Complex and below, while it should not take more than 9 months in procuring and distributing these. Aim of the Study: This paper aims to investigate the budget distribution practices of an emerging economy, Bangladesh. The paper identifies challenges of timely distribution and ways to deal with problems as well. Methodology: The study draws conclusions on the basis of document analysis which is a branch of the qualitative research method. Major Findings: Upon approval of the National Budget, the Ministry of Finance is required to distribute the budget to budget holders at the department level; however, budget is distributed to drawing and disbursing officers much later. Conclusions: Timely and predictable budget releases assist completion of development schemes on time and on budget, with sufficient recurrent resources for effective operation. ADP implementation is usually very low at the beginning of the fiscal year and expedited dramatically during the last few months, leading to inefficient use of resources. The timely budget release will resolve this issue and deliver economic benefits faster, better, and more reliably. This will also give the project directors/DDOs the freedom to think and plan the budget execution in a predictable manner, thereby ensuring value for money by reducing time overrun and expediting the completion of capital investments, and improving infrastructure utilization through timely payment of recurrent costs.

Keywords: budget distribution, challenges, digitization, emerging economy, service delivery

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Authors: Nihad Chakri, Btissam El Amrani, Faouzi Berrada, Halima Jounaid, Fouad Amraoui

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Public baths or hammams play an essential role in the Moroccan urban and peri-urban fabric, constituting part of the cultural heritage. Urbanization in Morocco has led to a significant increase in the number of these traditional hammams: between 6,000 and 15,000 units (to be updated) operate with a traditional heating system. Numerous studies on energy consumption indicate that a hammam consumes between 60 and 120m3 of water and one to two tons of wood per day. On average, one ton of wood costs 650 Moroccan dirhams (approximately 60 Euros), resulting in a daily fuel cost of around 1300 Moroccan dirhams (about 120 Euros). These high consumptions result in significant environmental nuisances generated by: Wastewater: in the case of hammams located on the outskirts of Casablanca, such as our study area, the Municipality of Dar Bouazza, most of these waters are directly discharged into the receiving environment without prior treatment because they are not connected to the sanitation network. Emissions of black smoke and ashes produced by the often incomplete combustion of wood. Reducing the liquid and gas emissions generated by these hammams thus poses an environmental and sustainable development challenge that needs to be addressed. In this context, we initiated the Eco-hammam project with the objective of implementing innovative and locally adapted solutions to limit the negative impacts of hammams on the environment and reduce water and wood energy consumption. This involves treating and reusing wastewater through a compact system with heat recovery and using alternative energy sources to increase and enhance the energy efficiency of these traditional hammams. To achieve this, on-site surveys of hammams in the Dar Bouazza Municipality and the application of statistical approaches to the results of the physico-chemical and bacteriological characterization of incoming and outgoing water from these units were conducted. This allowed us to establish an environmental diagnosis of these entities. In conclusion, the analysis of well water used by Dar Bouazza's hammams revealed the presence of certain parameters that could be hazardous to public health, such as total germs, total coliforms, sulfite-reducing spores, chromium, nickel, and nitrates. Therefore, this work primarily focuses on prospecting upstream of our study area to verify if other sources of pollution influence the quality of well water.

Keywords: public baths, hammams, cultural heritage, urbanization, water consumption, wood consumption, environmental nuisances, wastewater, environmental challenge, sustainable development, Eco-hammam project, innovative solutions, local adaptation, negative impacts, water conservation, wastewater treatment, heat recovery, alternative energy sources, on-site surveys, Dar Bouazza Municipality, statistical approaches, physico-chemical characterization, bacteriological characterization, environmental diagnosis, well water analysis, public health, pollution sources, well water quality

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Authors: Ronit Chakraborty

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Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of West Bengal state and the former capital of India (1722-1911) of British India. Located at the heart of Hugli river (one of the main channels of Ganges river), the city is the heart of the state, which forms a base for commerce, transport and manufacture. The large and vibrant city thrives amidst the economic, social and political issues arising from the pages of history to the contemporary times. The unique nature, grandeurs, public debates on tea-stalls and obviously the charismatic scenic beauty and heritage keep the city to be criticized in all horizons, across the world. Movies in India are a big source of knowledge, which can be used as a powerful tool for political mobilization and to indirectly communicate with voters since cinema can be used as a tool of propaganda as it has a wide range of public interests. History proves the fact that films produced in India have been apt enough in making public interests be deeply portrayed through their content in a versatile manner. Such is the portrayal of India’s first capital, Kolkata and its ultimate truth being organizingly laid over by the trilogy of two international fame directors-Mrinal Sen and Satyajit Ray, through their ‘magnum opus- the ‘Kolkata trilogy’. Mrinal Sen’s Interview(1971), Calcutta 71(1972), Padatik(The Guerilla Fighter)(1973) and Satyajit Ray’s Pratidwandi (The Adversary)(1970), Seemabaddha(Company Limited)(1971), Jana Aranya(1976). These films picturized the contemporary Kolkata trends, issues and crises arising amidst the political set-up both by the positive and negative variables attributing to the day-to-day happenings of the city. The movies have been set amidst the turmoil that the nation was going through during Indira Gandhi’s declaration of Emergency, resulting from the general sense of disillusionment that prevailed during that time. Ray wasn't affiliated to any political party and his films largely contributed towards the contemporary conditions prevailing in the society. Mrinal Sen, being a Marxist was in constant search of the bitter truth that the society had to offer through his lens under the prevailing darkness through his trilogy. The research paper attempts to widely view and draw a comparative study of the overall description of the city of Kolkata as portrayed by Sen and Ray in their respective trilogies. By the usage of the visual content analysis method, the researcher has explored the six movies; both the trilogies of Mrinal Sen and Satyajit Ray and tried to analyse the differences as well as the similarities pertaining to understand India’s first capital city Kolkata in various dimensions along with its circumference.

Keywords: Kolkata, trilogy, Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, films, comparative study

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Authors: Manas Kotepui, Chatree Ratcha, Kwuntida Uthaisar

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Malaria infection is still to be considered a major public health problem in Thailand. This study, a retrospective data of patients in Surat Thani Province, Southern Thailand during 2012-2015 was retrieved and analyzed. These data include demographic data, clinical characteristics and laboratory diagnosis. Statistical analyses were performed to demonstrate the frequency, proportion, data tendency, and group comparisons. Total of 395 malaria patients were found. Most of patients were male (253 cases, 64.1%). Most of patients (262 cases, 66.3%) were admitted at 6 am-11.59 am of the day. Three hundred and fifty-five patients (97.5%) were positive with P. falciparum. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, and MCHC between P. falciparum and P. vivax were significant different (P value<0.05).During 2012-2015, prevalence of malaria was highest in 2013. Neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes were significantly changed among patients with fever ≤ 3 days compared with patients with fever >3 days. This information will guide to understanding pathogenesis and characteristic of malaria infection in Sothern Thailand.

Keywords: prevalence, malaria, Surat Thani, Thailand

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Authors: Sabrina Neururer, Marco Schweitzer, Werner Hackl, Bernhard Tilg, Patrick Raudaschl, Andreas Huber, Bernhard Pfeifer

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History and the current outbreak of Covid-19 have shown the deadly potential of infectious diseases. However, infectious diseases also have a serious impact on areas other than health and healthcare, such as the economy or social life. These areas are strongly codependent. Therefore, disease control measures, such as social distancing, quarantines, curfews, or lockdowns, have to be adopted in a very considerate manner. Infectious disease modeling can support policy and decision-makers with adequate information regarding the dynamics of the pandemic and therefore assist in planning and enforcing appropriate measures that will prevent the healthcare system from collapsing. In this work, an agent-based simulation package named “survival” for simulating infectious diseases is presented. A special focus is put on SARS-Cov-2. The presented simulation package was used in Austria to model the SARS-Cov-2 outbreak from the beginning of 2020. Agent-based modeling is a relatively recent modeling approach. Since our world is getting more and more complex, the complexity of the underlying systems is also increasing. The development of tools and frameworks and increasing computational power advance the application of agent-based models. For parametrizing the presented model, different data sources, such as known infections, wastewater virus load, blood donor antibodies, circulating virus variants and the used capacity for hospitalization, as well as the availability of medical materials like ventilators, were integrated with a database system and used. The simulation result of the model was used for predicting the dynamics and the possible outcomes and was used by the health authorities to decide on the measures to be taken in order to control the pandemic situation. The survival package was implemented in the programming language Java and the analytics were performed with R Studio. During the first run in March 2020, the simulation showed that without measures other than individual personal behavior and appropriate medication, the death toll would have been about 27 million people worldwide within the first year. The model predicted the hospitalization rates (standard and intensive care) for Tyrol and South Tyrol with an accuracy of about 1.5% average error. They were calculated to provide 10-days forecasts. The state government and the hospitals were provided with the 10-days models to support their decision-making. This ensured that standard care was maintained for as long as possible without restrictions. Furthermore, various measures were estimated and thereafter enforced. Among other things, communities were quarantined based on the calculations while, in accordance with the calculations, the curfews for the entire population were reduced. With this framework, which is used in the national crisis team of the Austrian province of Tyrol, a very accurate model could be created on the federal state level as well as on the district and municipal level, which was able to provide decision-makers with a solid information basis. This framework can be transferred to various infectious diseases and thus can be used as a basis for future monitoring.

Keywords: modelling, simulation, agent-based, SARS-Cov-2, COVID-19

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Authors: Fatimah Alsaleh, Glenda Anthony

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The practicum experience is a critical component of any initial teacher education (ITE) course. As well as providing a near authentic setting for pre-service teachers (PSTs) to practice in, it also plays a key role in shaping their perceptions and sense of preparedness. Nevertheless, merely including a practicum period as a compulsory part of ITE may not in itself be enough to induce feelings of preparedness and efficacy; the quality of the classroom experience must also be considered. Drawing on findings of a larger study of secondary and intermediate level mathematics PSTs’ sense of preparedness to teach, this paper examines the influence of the practicum experience in particular. The study sample comprised female mathematics PSTs who had almost completed their teaching methods course in their fourth year of ITE across 16 teacher education programs in Saudi Arabia. The impact of the practicum experience on PSTs’ sense of preparedness was investigated via a mixed-methods approach combining a survey (N = 105) and in-depth interviews with survey volunteers (N = 16). Statistical analysis in SPSS was used to explore the quantitative data, and thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative interviews data. The results revealed that the PSTs perceived the practicum experience to have played a dominant role in shaping their feelings of preparedness and efficacy. However, despite the generally positive influence of practicum, the PSTs also reported numerous challenges that lessened their feelings of preparedness. These challenges were often related to the classroom environment and the school culture. For example, about half of the PSTs indicated that the practicum schools did not have the resources available or the support necessary to help them learn the work of teaching. In particular, the PSTs expressed concerns about translating the theoretical knowledge learned at the university into practice in authentic classrooms. These challenges engendered PSTs feeling less prepared and suggest that more support from both the university and the school is needed to help PSTs develop a stronger sense of preparedness. The area in which PSTs felt least prepared was that of classroom and behavior management, although the results also indicated that PSTs only felt a moderate level of general teaching efficacy and were less confident about how to support students as learners. Again, feelings of lower efficacy were related to the dissonance between the theory presented at university and real-world classroom practice. In order to close this gap between theory and practice, PSTs expressed the wish to have more time in the practicum, and more accountability for support from school-based mentors. In highlighting the challenges of the practicum in shaping PSTs’ sense of preparedness and efficacy, the study argues that better communication between the ITE providers and the practicum schools is necessary in order to maximize the benefit of the practicum experience.

Keywords: impact, mathematics, practicum experience, pre-service teachers, sense of preparedness

Procedia PDF Downloads 118

Authors: Cristina Felipeto, Catherine Bore, Eduardo Calil

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This work aims to analyze and compare the punctuation marks (PM) in school texts of Brazilian and French students and the comments on these PM made spontaneously by the students during the ongoing text. Assuming textual genetics as an investigative field within a dialogical and enunciative approach, we defined a common methodological design in two 1st year classrooms (7 years old) of the primary school, one classroom in Brazil (Maceio) and the other one in France (Paris). Through a multimodal capture system of writing processes in real time and space (Ramos System), we recorded the collaborative writing proposal in dyads in each of the classrooms. This system preserves the classroom’s ecological characteristics and provides a video recording synchronized with dialogues, gestures and facial expressions of the students, the stroke of the pen’s ink on the sheet of paper and the movement of the teacher and students in the classroom. The multimodal register of the writing process allowed access to the text in progress and the comments made by the students on what was being written. In each proposed text production, teachers organized their students in dyads and requested that they should talk, combine and write a fictional narrative. We selected a Dyad of Brazilian students (BD) and another Dyad of French students (FD) and we have filmed 6 proposals for each of the dyads. The proposals were collected during the 2nd Term of 2013 (Brazil) and 2014 (France). In 6 texts written by the BD there were identified 39 PMs and 825 written words (on average, a PM every 23 words): Of these 39 PMs, 27 were highlighted orally and commented by either student. In the texts written by the FD there were identified 48 PMs and 258 written words (on average, 1 PM every 5 words): Of these 48 PM, 39 were commented by the French students. Unlike what the studies on punctuation acquisition point out, the PM that occurred the most were hyphens (BD) and commas (FD). Despite the significant difference between the types and quantities of PM in the written texts, the recognition of the need for writing PM in the text in progress and the comments have some common characteristics: i) the writing of the PM was not anticipated in relation to the text in progress, then they were added after the end of a sentence or after the finished text itself; ii) the need to add punctuation marks in the text came after one of the students had ‘remembered’ that a particular sign was needed; iii) most of the PM inscribed were not related to their linguistic functions, but the graphic-visual feature of the text; iv) the comments justify or explain the PM, indicating metalinguistic reflections made by the students. Our results indicate how the comments of the BD and FD express the dialogic and subjective nature of knowledge acquisition. Our study suggests that the initial learning of PM depends more on its graphic features and interactional conditions than on its linguistic functions.

Keywords: collaborative writing, erasure, graphic marks, learning, metalinguistic awareness, textual genesis

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Authors: Khachen Kongpakwattana, Nathorn Chaiyakunapruk

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Background: Decision-analytic models for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have been advanced to discrete-event simulation (DES), in which individual-level modelling of disease progression across continuous severity spectra and incorporation of key parameters such as treatment persistence into the model become feasible. This study aimed to apply the DES to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis of treatment for AD in Thailand. Methods: A dataset of Thai patients with AD, representing unique demographic and clinical characteristics, was bootstrapped to generate a baseline cohort of patients. Each patient was cloned and assigned to donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine, memantine or no treatment. Throughout the simulation period, the model randomly assigned each patient to discrete events including hospital visits, treatment discontinuation and death. Correlated changes in cognitive and behavioral status over time were developed using patient-level data. Treatment effects were obtained from the most recent network meta-analysis. Treatment persistence, mortality and predictive equations for functional status, costs (Thai baht (THB) in 2017) and quality-adjusted life year (QALY) were derived from country-specific real-world data. The time horizon was 10 years, with a discount rate of 3% per annum. Cost-effectiveness was evaluated based on the willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of 160,000 THB/QALY gained (4,994 US$/QALY gained) in Thailand. Results: Under a societal perspective, only was the prescription of donepezil to AD patients with all disease-severity levels found to be cost-effective. Compared to untreated patients, although the patients receiving donepezil incurred a discounted additional costs of 2,161 THB, they experienced a discounted gain in QALY of 0.021, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of 138,524 THB/QALY (4,062 US$/QALY). Besides, providing early treatment with donepezil to mild AD patients further reduced the ICER to 61,652 THB/QALY (1,808 US$/QALY). However, the dominance of donepezil appeared to wane when delayed treatment was given to a subgroup of moderate and severe AD patients [ICER: 284,388 THB/QALY (8,340 US$/QALY)]. Introduction of a treatment stopping rule when the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) score goes below 10 to a mild AD cohort did not deteriorate the cost-effectiveness of donepezil at the current treatment persistence level. On the other hand, none of the AD medications was cost-effective when being considered under a healthcare perspective. Conclusions: The DES greatly enhances real-world representativeness of decision-analytic models for AD. Under a societal perspective, treatment with donepezil improves patient’s quality of life and is considered cost-effective when used to treat AD patients with all disease-severity levels in Thailand. The optimal treatment benefits are observed when donepezil is prescribed since the early course of AD. With healthcare budget constraints in Thailand, the implementation of donepezil coverage may be most likely possible when being considered starting with mild AD patients, along with the stopping rule introduced.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, cost-effectiveness analysis, discrete event simulation, health technology assessment

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Authors: Ruqyyah Mushtaq, Chiacar Gamberdella, Roberta Miroglio, Fabio Novelli, Domenica Papro, M. Paturzo, A. Rubano, Angela Sardo

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Microalgae, particularly diatoms, are well suited for monitoring environmental health, especially in assessing the quality of seas and rivers in terms of organic matter, nutrients, and heavy metal pollution. They respond rapidly to changes in habitat quality. In this study, we focused on Skeletonema pseudocostatum, a unicellular alga that forms chains depending on environmental conditions. Specifically, we explored whether metal toxicants could affect the growth of these algal chains, potentially serving as an ecotoxicological indicator of heavy metal pollution. We utilized THz spectroscopy in conjunction with standard optical microscopy to observe the formation of these chains and their response to toxicants. Despite the strong absorption of terahertz radiation in water, we demonstrate that changes in water absorption in the terahertz range due to water-diatom interaction can provide insights into diatom chain length.

Keywords: THz-TDS spectroscopy, diatoms, marine ecotoxicology, marine pollution

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Authors: Hafsa Memona, Farkhanda Manzoor

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Cockroaches are termed as medically important pests because of their wide distribution in human habitation including houses, hospitals, food industries and kitchens. They may harbor multiple drug resistant pathogenic bacteria and protozoan parasites on their external surfaces, disseminate on human food and cause serious diseases and allergies to human. Hence, they are regarded as mechanical vector in human habitation due to their nocturnal activity and nutritional behavior. Viable eggs and dormant cysts of parasites can hitch a ride on cockroaches. Ova and cysts of parasitic organism may settle into the crevices and cracks between thorax and head. There are so many fissures and clefts and crannies on a cockroach which provide site for these organisms. This study aimed with identifying role of cockroaches in mechanically transmitting and disseminating gastrointestinal parasites in two environmental settings; hospitals and houses in urban area of Lahore. Totally, 250 adult cockroaches were collected from houses and hospitals by sticky traps and food baited traps and screened for parasitic load. All cockroaches were captured during their feeding time in natural habitat. Direct wet smear, 1% lugols iodine and modified acid-fast bacilli staining were used to identify the parasites from the body surfaces of cockroaches. Among human habitation two common species of cockroaches were collected i.e. P. americana and B. germanica. The results showed that 112 (46.8%) cockroaches harbored at least one human intestinal parasite on their body surfaces. The cockroaches from hospital environment harboured more parasites than houses. 47 (33.57%) cockroaches from houses and 65 (59.09%) from hospitals were infected with parasitic organisms. Of these, 76 (67.85%) were parasitic protozoans and 36(32.15%) were pathogenic and non-pathogenic intestinal parasites. P. americana harboured more parasites as compared to B. germanica in both environment. Most common human intestinal parasites found on cockroaches include ova of Ascaris lumbricoides (giant roundworm), Trichuris trichura (whipworm), Anchylostoma deodunalae (hookworm), Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm), Taenia spp. and Strongyloides stercoralis (threadworm). The cysts of protozoans’ parasites including Balantidium coli, Entomoeba hystolitica, C. parvum, Isospora belli, Giardia duodenalis and C. cayetenensis were isolated and identified from cockroaches. Both experimental sites were significantly different in carriage of parasitic load on cockroaches. Difference in the hygienic condition of the environments, including human excrement disposal, variable habitat interacted, indoor and outdoor species, may account for the observed variation in the parasitic carriage rate of cockroaches among different experimental site. Thus a finding of this study is that Cockroaches are uniformly distributed in human habitation and act as a mechanical vector of pathogenic parasites that cause common illness such as diarrhea and bowel disorders. This fact contributes to epidemiological chain therefore control of cockroaches will significantly lessen the prevalence of illness in human. Effective control strategies will reduce the public health burden of the gastro-intestinal parasites in the developing countries.

Keywords: cockroaches, health risks, hospitals, houses, parasites, protozoans, transmission

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Authors: Tsvetanka Filipova

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Entrepreneurial mindset learning (EML) is the combined process of instilling curiosity and invention, developing insight and value creation while building on other active pedagogy, such as project-based learning (PBL). It is essential to introduce students to chemistry and chemical engineering entrepreneurship in a manner that gives a holistic approach by first educating students on diverse entrepreneurial skills and then providing an opportunity to build their innovation. Chemistry and chemical engineering students have an opportunity to be engaged in an entrepreneurial class project in the Green Chemistry and Processes course at South Dakota Mines. The course provides future chemists and chemical engineers with the knowledge and skills required to enable them to design materials and processes in an environmentally benign way. This paper presents findings from implementing an open-ended design project in the Green Chemistry and Processes course. The goal of this team project is to have student teams design sustainable polymer materials to fulfill a need and/or opportunity related to a fictitious aerospace company that satisfies technical, safety, environmental, regulatory, economic, and social needs. Each student team is considered a start-up company charged with the task of designing sustainable polymer materials for aerospace applications. Through their work on the project, students utilize systems and entrepreneurial thinking in selecting their design project, being aware of the existent technologies (literature and patent search) and users and clients (connections), determining the goals and motivations (creating value), and what need or problem they are trying to address (curiosity). The project draws systems boundaries by focusing on student exploration of feedstocks to end-of-life of polymeric materials and products. Additional subtopics to explore are green processes for syntheses, green engineering for process design, and the economics of sustainable polymers designed for circularity. Project deliverables are team project reports and project presentations to a panel of industry, chemistry, and engineering professionals. Project deliverables are team project reports and project presentations to a panel of industry, chemistry, and engineering professionals. The impact of the entrepreneurial mindset project is evaluated through a student survey at the end of the semester. It has been found that the Innovative Solution project was excellent in promoting student curiosity, creativity, critical and systems thinking and teamwork. The results of this study suggest that incorporating EML positively impacted students’ professional skill development, their ability to understand and appreciate the socio-technical context of chemistry and engineering, and the cultivation of an entrepreneurial mindset to discover, evaluate and exploit opportunities.

Keywords: curriculum, entrepreneurial mindset learning, green chemistry and engineering, systems thinking

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