Search results for: multivariate control chart

Authors: Vera Diyanty, Akhmad Syahroza

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This research aims to describe an empirical evidence of the influence of family control on the company’s financing policy. Additionally, this research also shows the effect of leadership from family member and the effectiveness of the board of commissioners on companies’ financing policy. The result of this study found that family control through direct and indirect ownership mechanism have a positive impact on the choice of bank loan compare to public debt. Nevertheless, this research also shows that companies’ founders who become CEO and the effectiveness of board of commissioners do not prove to increase the alignment effect nor decrease the negative impact of entrenchment effect on the bank loan preference.

Keywords: family controlling, family CEO, board effectiveness, financing policy

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Authors: Amin Amani, Masomeh Reihany Shirvan, Mahla Nabizadeh Mashizi, Mohadese Khoshtinat, Mohammad Elyas Ansarinia

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The purpose of this study is the relationship between a healthy lifestyle and risky behavior in physical education students of Bojnourd schools. The study sample consisted of teenagers studying in second and third grade of Bojnourd's high schools. According to level sampling, 604 students studying in the second grade, and 600 students studying in third grade were tested from physical education schools in Bojnourd. For sample selection, populations were divided into 4 area including north, East, West and South. Then according to the number of students of each area, sample size of each level was determined. Two questionnaires were used to collect data in this study which were consisted of three parts: The demographic data, Iranian teenagers' risk taking (IARS) and prevention methods with emphasize on the importance of family role were examined. The Central and dispersion indices, such as standard deviation, multiple variance analysis, and multivariate regression analysis were used. Results showed that the observed F is significant (P ≤ 0.01) and 21% of variance related to risky behavior is explained by the lack of awareness. Given the significance of the regression, the coefficients of risky behavior in teenagers in prediction equation showed that each of teenagers' risky behavior can have an impact on healthy lifestyle.

Keywords: healthy lifestyle, high-risk behavior, students, physical education

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Authors: Mahnaz Zarein, Hamed Shoorei

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Background: Malathion is one of the most toxic agents widely used in agriculture throughout the world. This agent has adverse effects on the functions of multiple organs such as the reproductive system in both male and female genders. On the one hand, daily use of antioxidant supplementations such as hesperidin is capable to neutralize the deleterious impacts of malathion. Therefore, in this experimental study, the protective effects of hesperidin against ovarian toxicity induced by malathion were investigated. Material & Methods: Balb/c adult mice (n=32) were randomly divided into 4 groups including 1) the control group, treated with normal saline, 2) the Mal group, treated with 30mg/kg malathion, daily for 1 month, 3) Mal + Hes group, treated with 20 mg/kg malathion and 20 mg/kg hesperidin, daily for 1 month, and 5) Hes group, treated with 20 mg/kg hesperidin. At the end of the experimental period, mice were anesthetized and their drops of blood were collected to the assessment of some hormones such as LH, FSH, E2, and P4. Also, the right ovaries were used to H&E staining, and the left ovaries were used for IHC staining (PCNA and FSHR). Results: Histopathological assessments showed that the number of follicles, i.e. primordial, primary, and secondary, significantly decreased, while the atretic follicle counts remarkably increased compared to the control group (p<0.05). Hormonal levels revealed that the production of all mentioned hormones decreased in the Mal group in comparison with the control group (p<0.05). The expression of PCNA, as a proliferative marker, and FHSR, as a marker showing maturation, decreased when mice received malathion compared to the control group (p<0.05). Interestingly, treatment with hesperidin significantly neutralized the adverse effects of malathion on all mentioned parameters. Conclusion: Daily use of antioxidant supplementations such as hesperidin could alleviate the ovarian toxicity induced by malathion.

Keywords: malathion, ovary, antioxidant hesperidin, FSHR PCNA, ovary

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Authors: Chokri Slim

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The relative failure of simultaneous equation models in the seventies has led researchers to turn to other approaches that take into account the dynamics of economic and financial systems. In this paper, we use an approach based on vector autoregressive model that is widely used in recent years. Their popularity is due to their flexible nature and ease of use to produce models with useful descriptive characteristics. It is also easy to use them to test economic hypotheses. The standard econometric techniques assume that the series studied are stable over time (stationary hypothesis). Most economic series do not verify this hypothesis, which assumes, when one wishes to study the relationships that bind them to implement specific techniques. This is cointegration which characterizes non-stationary series (integrated) with a linear combination is stationary, will also be presented in this paper. Since the work of Johansen, this approach is generally presented as part of a multivariate analysis and to specify long-term stable relationships while at the same time analyzing the short-term dynamics of the variables considered. In the empirical part, we have applied these concepts to study the dynamics of of the exchange rate in Tunisia, which is one of the most important economic policy of a country open to the outside. According to the results of the empirical study by the cointegration method, there is a cointegration relationship between the exchange rate and its determinants. This relationship shows that the variables have a significant influence in determining the exchange rate in Tunisia.

Keywords: stationarity, cointegration, dynamic models, causality, VECM models

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Authors: Jinsiang Shaw, Jeng-Jie Huang

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Active vibration control is good for low frequency excitation, with advantages of light weight and adaptability. This paper employs a macro-fiber composite (MFC) actuator for vibration suppression in a cantilevered beam due to its higher output force to reject the disturbance. A notch filter with an adaptive tuning algorithm, the leaky filtered-X least mean square algorithm (leaky FXLMS algorithm), is developed and applied to the system. Experimental results show that the controller and MFC actuator was very effective in attenuating the structural vibration. Furthermore, this notch filter controller was compared with the traditional skyhook controller. It was found that its performance was better, with over 88% vibration suppression near the first resonant frequency of the structure.

Keywords: macro-fiber composite, notch filter, skyhook controller, vibration suppression

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Authors: C. Annapurna, Rao M. Srinivasa, Bhanu C. H. Vijaya, M. Sivalakshmi, Rao P. V. Surya

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A study on the community structure of meiobenthic fauna was undertaken during three cruises (June 2008, October 2008 and March 2009). Ten stations at depth between 10 and 40 m off Pudimadaka in Visakhapatnam (Lat.17º29′12″N and Long. 83º00′09″), East coast of India were investigated. Ninety species representing 3 major (meiofaunal) taxa namely foraminifera (2), copepoda (9), nematoda (58) and polychaeta (21) were encountered. Overall, meiofaunal (mean) abundance ranged from 2 individuals to 63 ind. 10cm-² with an average of 24.3 ind.10cm-2. The meiobenthic biomass varied between 0.135 to 0.48 mg.10cm-2 with an average 0.27 ± 0.12. On the whole, nematodes constituted 73.62% of the meiofauna in terms of numerical abundance. Shannon –Wiener index values were 2.053 ± 0.64 (June, 2008), 2.477 ± 0.177 (October 2008) and 2.2815±0.24 (March 2009). Multivariate analyses were used to define the most important taxon in nematode assemblages. Three nematode associations could be recognized off Pudimadaka coast, namely Laimella longicaudata, Euchromodora vulgaris and Sabatieria elongata assemblage (June, 2008); Catanema sp. and Leptosomatum sp. assemblage (October 2008) assemblage; Sabatieria sp. and Setosabatieria sp. assemblage (March 2009). Canonical correspondence analysis showed that temperature, organic matter, silt and mean particle diameter were important in controlling nematode community structure.

Keywords: meiofauna, marine nematode, biodiversity, community structure, India

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Authors: André Augusto Ceballos Melo

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Design to facilitate the recognition of congruent prosthetic movements, context-to-motion translations guided by image, verbal prompt, users nonverbal communication such as facial expressions, gestures, paralinguistics, scene context, and object recognition contributes to this process though it can also be applied to other tasks, such as walking, Prosthetic limbs as assistive technology through gestures, sound codes, signs, facial, body expressions, and scene context The context-to-motion model is a machine learning approach that is designed to improve the control and dexterity of prosthetic limbs. It works by using sensory input from the prosthetic limb to learn about the dynamics of the environment and then using this information to generate smooth, stable movements. This can help to improve the performance of the prosthetic limb and make it easier for the user to perform a wide range of tasks. There are several key benefits to using the context-to-motion model for prosthetic limb control. First, it can help to improve the naturalness and smoothness of prosthetic limb movements, which can make them more comfortable and easier to use for the user. Second, it can help to improve the accuracy and precision of prosthetic limb movements, which can be particularly useful for tasks that require fine motor control. Finally, the context-to-motion model can be trained using a variety of different sensory inputs, which makes it adaptable to a wide range of prosthetic limb designs and environments. Stable diffusion is a machine learning method that can be used to improve the control and stability of movements in robotic and prosthetic systems. It works by using sensory feedback to learn about the dynamics of the environment and then using this information to generate smooth, stable movements. One key aspect of stable diffusion is that it is designed to be robust to noise and uncertainty in the sensory feedback. This means that it can continue to produce stable, smooth movements even when the sensory data is noisy or unreliable. To implement stable diffusion in a robotic or prosthetic system, it is typically necessary to first collect a dataset of examples of the desired movements. This dataset can then be used to train a machine learning model to predict the appropriate control inputs for a given set of sensory observations. Once the model has been trained, it can be used to control the robotic or prosthetic system in real-time. The model receives sensory input from the system and uses it to generate control signals that drive the motors or actuators responsible for moving the system. Overall, the use of the context-to-motion model has the potential to significantly improve the dexterity and performance of prosthetic limbs, making them more useful and effective for a wide range of users Hand Gesture Body Language Influence Communication to social interaction, offering a possibility for users to maximize their quality of life, social interaction, and gesture communication.

Keywords: stable diffusion, neural interface, smart prosthetic, augmenting

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Authors: Anselm Onyimonyi, A. Abaponitus

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One hundred and ninety two Shaver-Brown layers aged 40 weeks were used in a 10 weeks feeding trial to investigate the effect of supplementary moringa leaf meal and sun-dried garlic powder (MOGA) on the performance, egg yolk and serum cholesterol profiles of the birds. The birds were randomly assigned to four treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial in a Completely Randomized Design with 48 birds per treatment. Each treatment had 24 replicates with 2 birds, each separately housed in a cell in a battery cage. Birds on treatment 1 received a standard layers mash (16.5% CP and 3000 kcalME/kg) without any MOGA. Treatment 2 birds received the control diet with 5 g moringa leaf meal/kg of feed, treatment 3 received the control diet with 5 g sun-dried garlic powder/kg of feed, treatment 4 had a combination of 5 g each of moringa leaf meal and sun dried garlic powder/kg of feed. Data were kept on daily egg production, egg weight and feed intake. 10 eggs were collected per treatment at the end of the study for yolk cholesterol determination. Blood samples from four birds per treatment were collected and used for the serum cholesterol and triglycerides determination. Results showed that bird on treatment 3 (5% moringa leaf meal/kg of feed) had significantly higher (P < 0.05) Hen Day Egg Production record of 83.3% as against 78.75%, 65.05% and 66.67% recorded for the control, T2 and T4 birds, respectively. Egg weight of 56.39 g recorded for the same birds on treatment 3 was significantly (P< 0.05) lower than the values of 62.61 g, 60.99 g and 59.33 g recorded for birds on T4, T1 and T2, respectively. Yolk and serum cholesterol profiles of the moringa leaf meal fed birds were significantly (P<0.05) lowered when compared to those of the other treatments. Comparatively, the birds on the MOGA diets had significantly reduced yolk and serum cholesterol than the control. It is concluded that supplementation of moringa leaf meal and sun dried garlic powder at the levels used in this study will result in the production of nutritionally healthier eggs with less yolk and serum cholesterol.

Keywords: performance, cholesterol, moringa, garlic

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Authors: Apurva Singh, S. P. Jaiswar, Apala Priyadarshini, Akancha Pandey

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Objective: The aim of this study is to find the association of PON1 gene polymorphism with pesticides In RPL subjects. Background: Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is defined as three or more sequential abortions before the 20th week of gestation. Pesticides and its derivatives (organochlorine and organophosphate) are proposed to accommodate a ruler chemical for RPL in the sub-humid region of India. The paraoxonase-1 enzyme (PON1) plays an important role in the toxicity of some organophosphate pesticides, with low PON1 activity being associated with higher pesticide sensitivity Methodology: This is a case-control study done in Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology & Department of Biochemistry, K.G.M.U, Lucknow, India. The subjects were enrolled after fulfilling the inclusion & exclusion criteria. Inclusion criteria: Cases- Subject having two or more spontaneous abortions & Control- Healthy female having one or more alive child was selected. Exclusion criteria: Cases & Control- Subject having the following disease will be excluded from the study Diabetes mellitus, Hypertension, Tuberculosis, Immunocompromised patients, any endocrine disorder and genital, colon or breast cancer any other malignancies. Blood samples were collected in EDTA tubes from cases & healthy control women & genomic DNA was extracted by phenol-chloroform method. The estimation of pesticides residue from blood was done by HPLC. Biochemical estimation was also performed. Genotyping of PON1 gene polymorphism was performed by RFLP. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using the SPSS16.3 software. Results: A sum of total 14 pesticides (12 organochlorine and 2 organophosphate) selected on the basis of their persistent nature and consumption rate. The significant level of pesticide (ppb) estimated by the Mann whiney test and it was found to be significant at higher level of β-HCH (p:0.04), γ-HCH (p:0.001), δ-HCH (p: 0.002), chloropyrifos (p:0.001), pp-DDD (p:0.001) and fenvalrate (p: 0.001) in case group compare to its control. The level of antioxidant enzymes were found to be significantly decreased among the cases. Wild homozygous TT was more frequent and prevalent among control groups. However, heterozygous group (Tt) was more in cases than control groups (CI-0.3-1.3) (p=0.06). Conclusion: Higher levels of pesticides with endocrine disrupting potential in cases indicate the possible role of these compounds as one of the causes of recurrent pregnancy loss. Possibly, increased pesticide level appears to indicate increased levels of oxidative damage that has been associated with the possible cause of Recurrent Miscarriage, it may reflect indirect evidence of toxicity rather than the direct cause. Since both factors are reported to increase risk, individuals with higher levels of these 'Toxic compounds' especially in 'high-risk genotypes' might be more susceptible to recurrent pregnancy loss.

Keywords: paraoxonase, pesticides, PON1, RPL

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Authors: Emmanuel U. Oleka, Anil Khanal, Gary L. Lebby, Ali R. Osareh

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Synchrophasor technology is fast being deployed in electric power grids all over the world and is fast changing the way the grids are managed. This trend is to continue until the entire power grids are fully connected so they can be monitored and controlled in real-time. Much achievement has been made in the synchrophasor technology development and deployment, and much more are yet to be achieved. Real-time power grid control and protection potentials of synchrophasor are yet to be explored. It is of necessity that researchers keep in view the various challenges that still need to be overcome in expanding the frontiers of synchrophasor technology. This paper outlines the major challenges that should be dealt with in order to achieve the goal of total power grid visualization, monitoring and control using synchrophasor technology.

Keywords: electric power grid, grid visualization, phasor measurement unit, synchrophasor

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Authors: Marta Kozuń, Krystian Toczewski, Sylwester Gerus, Justyna Wolicka, Kamila Boberek, Jarosław Filipiak, Dariusz Patkowski

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Long gap esophageal atresia is a congenital defect and is a challenge for pediatric surgeons all over the world. There are different surgical techniques in use to treat atresia. One of them is esophageal elongation but the optimal suture placement technique to achieve maximum elongation with low-risk complications is still unknown. The aim of the study was to characterize the process of esophageal elongation from the biomechanical point of view. Esophagi of white Pekin Duck was used as a model based on the size of this animal which is similar to a newborn (2.5-4kg). The specimens were divided into two groups: the control group (CG) and the group with sutures (SG). The esophagi of the control group were mounted in the grips of the MTS Tytron 250 testing machine and tensile test until rupture was performed. The loading speed during the test was 10mm/min. Then the SG group was tested. Each esophagus was cut into two equal parts and that were fused together using surgical sutures. The distance between both esophagus parts was 20mm. Ten both ends were mounted on the same testing machine and the tensile test with the same parameters was conducted. For all specimens, force and elongation were recorded. The biomechanical properties, i.e., the maximal force and maximal elongation, were determined on the basis of force-elongation curves. The maximal elongation was determined at the point of maximal force. The force achieved with the suture group was 10.1N±1.9N and 50.3N±11.6N for the control group. The highest elongation was also obtained for the control group: 18mm±3mm vs. 13.5mm ±2.4mm for the suture group. The presented study expands the knowledge of elongation of esophagi. It is worth emphasizing that the duck esophagus differs from the esophagus of a newborn, i.e., its wall lacks striated muscle cells. This is why the parts of animal esophagi used in the research are may characterized by different biomechanical properties in comparison with newborn tissue.

Keywords: long gap atresia treatment, esophageal elongation, biomechanical properties, soft tissue

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Authors: Peri Harish Kumar, Sai Sharan Dwarka, Tajbinder Singh Bains, Suneet John Joseph, Chaitanya Kiran, Sambhu Dutta, Sarah Makram, Mohamed Sayed Zaazouee, Alaa Ahmed Elshanbary

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Objective: To identify cancer and non-cancer causes of death in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients over different time periods after diagnosis and to compare the mortality risk of each cause in HCC patients with the general population. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, data of 67,637 HCC patients from 1975 to 2016 were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. We investigated the association between different causes of death and the following variables: age, race, tumor stage at diagnosis, and treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy); each according to the periods of <1 year, 1-5 years, 5-10 years, and >10 years following the diagnosis. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for cancer and non-cancer deaths in each of the mentioned periods following diagnosis. Results: Data of 67,637 patients, of whom 50,571 patients died during the follow-up period, were analyzed. Most deaths were due to HCC itself (35,535, 70.3%), followed by other cancers (3,983, 7.9%). Common causes of non-cancer mortality included infectious and parasitic diseases including HIV (2,823 patients, SMR=105.68, 95% CI: 101.82-109.65), chronic liver disease (2,719 patients, SMR=76.56, 95% CI: 73.71,79.5), and heart diseases (1,265 patients, SMR=2.26, 95% CI: 2.14-2.39), with higher mortality risk in HCC patients than in the general population. Conclusion: Cancers stand for most deaths in patients with HCC. Besides, infectious, and parasitic diseases including HIV represent the commonest non-cancer cause of mortality.

Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, seer, causes of death, mortality

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Authors: Ebenezer Joseph, Veena Easvaradoss, S. Sundar Manoharan, David Chandran, Sumathi Chandrasekaran, T. R. Uma

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Perceptual reasoning is the ability that incorporates fluid reasoning, spatial processing, and visual motor integration. Several theories of cognitive functioning emphasize the importance of fluid reasoning. The ability to manipulate abstractions and rules and to generalize is required for reasoning tasks. This study, funded by the Cognitive Science Research Initiative, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, analyzed the effect of 1-year chess training on the perceptual reasoning of children. A pretest–posttest with control group design was used, with 43 (28 boys, 15 girls) children in the experimental group and 42 (26 boys, 16 girls) children in the control group. The sample was selected from children studying in two private schools from South India (grades 3 to 9), which included both the genders. The experimental group underwent weekly 1-hour chess training for 1 year. Perceptual reasoning was measured by three subtests of WISC-IV INDIA. Pre-equivalence of means was established. Further statistical analyses revealed that the experimental group had shown statistically significant improvement in perceptual reasoning compared to the control group. The present study clearly establishes a correlation between chess learning and perceptual reasoning. If perceptual reasoning can be enhanced in children, it could possibly result in the improvement of executive functions as well as the scholastic performance of the child.

Keywords: chess, cognition, intelligence, perceptual reasoning

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Authors: Sadeq Al Yaari, Ayman Al Yaari, Adham Al Yaari, Montaha Al Yaari, Aayah Al Yaari, Sajedah Al Yaari

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Objective: The aim of the study is to examine the relationship between visual agnosia and learning delay in Yemeni children. Method: A total of 80 subjects (experimental group= 60, 30 males and 30 females and control group= 20, 10 males and 10 females) in two institutions (old and new). The age of all subjects at hand ranges between 6- and 12 years old. Pre and post-tests were administered. Results: Outline results show severe effects on the performance of the children due to visual agnosia this effect was benign in the group that received the treatment, and this can be clearly seen in their results in the post-test compared to the other group that did not receive the treatment and outcomes in general can be better understood in light of the control group.

Keywords: visual, agnosia, linguistics, abilities, effects, psychoneurolinguistics

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Authors: Eun Jae Ko, In Young Sung, Eui Soo Joeng

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Oropharyngeal dysphagia is prevalent in children with cerebral palsy (CP). There are many studies concerning this problem, however, studies examining long term outcomes of dysphagia using videofluoroscopic study (VFSS) are very rare. The Aim of this study is to investigate long-term outcomes of dysphagia in children with severe CP using initial VFSS. It was a retrospective study and chart review was done from January 2000 to December 2013. Thirty one patients under 18 years who have been diagnosed as CP in outpatient clinic of Rehabilitation Medicine, and who did VFSS were included. Long-term outcomes such as feeding method, height percentile, weight percentile, and body mass index (BMI) were tracked up for at least 3 years by medical records. Significant differences between initial and follow-up datas were investigated. The patients consisted of 18 males and 13 females, and the mean age was 31.0±18.0 months old. 64.5% of patients were doing oral diet, and 25.8% of patients were doing non-oral diet. When comparing VFSS findings among oral feeding patients, oral and non-oral feeding patients, and non-oral feeding patients at initial period, dysphagia severity, supraglottic penetration, and subglottic aspiration showed significant differences. Most of the patients who could feed orally at initial period were found to have the same feeding method at follow-up. But among eight patients who required non-oral feeding initially, three patients became possible to feed orally, and one patient was doing oral and non-oral feeding method together at follow-up. Follow up feeding method showed correlation with dysphagia severity by initial VFSS. Weight percentile was decreased in patients with GMFCS level V at follow up, which may represent poor nutritional status due to severe dysphagia compared to other patients. Initial VFSS severity would play a significant role in making an assumption about future diet in children with severe CP. Patients with GMFCS level V seem to have serious dysphagia at follow up and have nutritional deficiency over time, therefore, more careful nutritional support is needed in children with severe CP are suggested.

Keywords: cerebral palsy, child, dysphagia, videofluoroscopic study

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Authors: Marziye Hadian, Alireza Jabbari

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Background: The World Health Organization has identified COVID-19 as a public health emergency and is urging governments to stop the virus transmission by adopting appropriate policies. In this regard, the countries have taken different approaches to cutting the chain or controlling the spread of the disease. Methods: The present study was a systematize review of publications relating to prevention strategies for covid-19 disease. The study was carried out based on the PRISMA guidelines and CASP for articles and AACODS for grey literature. Finding: The study findings showed that in order to confront the COVID-19 epidemic, in general, there are three approaches of "mitigation", "active control" and "suppression" and four strategies of "quarantine", "isolation", "social distance" as well as "lockdown" in both individual and social dimensions to deal with epidemics that the choice of each approach requires specific strategies and has different effects when it comes to controlling and inhibiting the disease. Conclusion: The only way to control the disease is to change your behavior and lifestyle. In addition to prevention strategies, use of masks, observance of personal hygiene principles such as regular hand washing and non-contact of contaminated hands with the face, as well as observance of public health principles such as control of sneezing and coughing, safe extermination of personal protective equipment, etc. have not been included in the category of prevention tools. However, it has a great impact on controlling the epidemic, especially the new coronavirus epidemic.

Keywords: novel corona virus, COVID-19, prevention tools, prevention strategies

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Authors: Tya M. Arthur

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Purpose: BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) adolescents face racism and discrimination at a young age. These early experiences have short- and long-term impacts on their health and overall well-being. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships between perceived racial discrimination at school and health risk behaviors and experiences of BIPOC adolescents. Methods: Data from the 2021 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES) were analyzed. All demographic data were summarized using frequencies and chi-squared tests. A univariate and multivariate logistic regression model was used to test the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and selected health risk factors. All analyses were conducted using STATA SE 18. Results: A total of 42.2% of the BIPOC adolescents in the study indicated being treated unfairly at school due to their race. The majority of those who reported being discriminated against were Black/African American or Multiple Race-Hispanic. Asian adolescents were almost 5 times more likely to face racial discrimination at school compared to their American Indian/Alaska Native counterparts (OR = 4.86, 95% CI [2.69-8.77], p < 0.001). Other risk predictors of racial discrimination included being female (OR = 1.38, 95% CI [1.13-1.68], p = 0.002) and feeling disconnected at school (OR = 1.76, 95% CI [1.30-2.38], p < 0.001). After adjustment for health risk behaviors and experiences, BIPOC adolescents were still more likely to face racial discrimination with even higher odds. Conclusions: The results of this study highlight the depth of racial discrimination faced by BIPOC adolescents at school. Greater attention should be placed on racial discrimination as a social determinant of health and a public health crisis.

Keywords: racial discrimination, adolescents, heath risk factors, BIPOC

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Authors: Imran Hashmi, Sipkaduwa Arachchige Sashika Sureni Wickramasooriya

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Gene-drive technology has emerged as a promising tool for disease control by influencing the population dynamics of disease-carrying organisms. Various gene drive mechanisms, derived from global laboratory experiments, aim to strategically manage and prevent the spread of targeted diseases. One prominent strategy involves population replacement, wherein genetically modified mosquitoes are introduced to replace the existing local wild population. To enhance our understanding and aid in the design of effective release strategies, we employ a comprehensive mathematical model. The utilized approach employs agent-based modeling, enabling the consideration of individual mosquito attributes and flexibility in parameter manipulation. Through the integration of an agent-based model and a meta-population spatial approach, the dynamics of gene drive mosquito spreading in a released site are simulated. The model's outcomes offer valuable insights into future population dynamics, providing guidance for the development of informed release strategies. This research significantly contributes to the ongoing discourse on the responsible and effective implementation of gene drive technology for disease vector control.

Keywords: gene drive, agent-based modeling, disease-carrying organisms, malaria

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Authors: J. Joy, T. H. New, I. H. Ibrahim

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A computational study on bio-inspired NACA634-021 hydrofoils with leading-edge protuberances has been carried out to investigate their hydrodynamic flow control characteristics at a Reynolds number of 14,000 and different angles-of-attack. The numerical simulations were performed using ANSYS FLUENT and based on Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solver mode incorporated with k-ω Shear Stress Transport (SST) turbulence model. The results obtained indicate varying flow phenomenon along the peaks and troughs over the span of the hydrofoils. Compared to the baseline hydrofoil with no leading-edge protuberances, the leading-edge modified hydrofoils tend to reduce flow separation extents along the peak regions. In contrast, there are increased flow separations in the trough regions of the hydrofoil with leading-edge protuberances. Interestingly, it was observed that dissimilar flow separation behaviour is produced along different peak- or trough-planes along the hydrofoil span, even though the troughs or peaks are physically similar at each interval for a particular hydrofoil. Significant interactions between adjacent flow structures produced by the leading-edge protuberances have also been observed. These flow interactions are believed to be responsible for the dissimilar flow separation behaviour along physically similar peak- or trough-planes.

Keywords: computational fluid dynamics, flow separation control, hydrofoils, leading-edge protuberances

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Authors: Mitiku Tefera

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Background: Meconium-stained amniotic fluid is one of the primary causes of birth asphyxia. Each year, over five million neonatal deaths occur worldwide due to meconium-stained amniotic fluid, with 90% of these deaths due to birth asphyxia. In Ethiopia meconium-stained amniotic fluid is under investigated, specifically in North Shoa Zone Amhara region Ethiopia. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the magnitude of meconium-stained amniotic fluid and associated factors among women who gave birth in the North Shoa Zone Hospital’s Amhara Region, Ethiopia, in 2022. Methods: An institutional-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among 628 women who gave birth at North Shoa Zone Hospitals, Amhara, Ethiopia. The study was conducted from 08/June-08/August 2022. Two-stage cluster sampling was used to recruit study participants. The data was collected by using a structured interview-administered questionnaire and chart review. The collected data was entered into Epi-Data Version 4.6 and exported to SPSS Version 25. Logistics regression was employed, and a p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Result: The magnitude of meconium-stained amniotic fluid was 30.3%. Women presented with normal hematocrit level 83% less likely develop meconium-stained amniotic fluid. Women had mid-upper arm circumference value was less than 22.9cm(AOR=1.9; 95% CI;1.18-3.20), obstructed labor(AOR=3.6; 95% CI;1.48-8.83), prolonged labor ≥ 15hr (AOR=7.5; 95% CI ;7.68-13.3), the premature rapture of the membrane (AOR=1.7; 95% CI; 3.22-7.40), fetal tachycardia(AOR=6.2; 95% CI; 2.41-16.3) and Bradycardia (AOR=3.1; 95% CI;1.93-5.28) were significant association with meconium stained amniotic fluid. Conclusion: The magnitude of meconium-stained amniotic fluid, which was high. In this study, MUAC value <22.9 cm, obstructed and prolonged labor, PROM, bradycardia, and tachycardia were factors associated with meconium-stained amniotic fluid. A follow-up study and pooled similar articles will be mentioned for better evidence, enhancing intrapartum services and strengthening early detection of meconium-stained amniotic fluid for the health of the mother and baby.

Keywords: women, meconium-staned amniotic fluid, magnitude, Ethiopia

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Authors: Urszula Stachewicz

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Surface properties of materials are the key parameter in many applications, especially in the biomedical field, to control cell-material interactions. In our work, we want to achieve the controllability of surface properties of polymer fibers via a single-step electrospinning process by alternating voltage polarities. Voltage polarity defines the charge accumulated on the surface of the liquid jet and the surface of the fibers. Positive polarity attracts negatively charged groups to fibers’ surface, whereas negative polarity moves the negatively charged functional groups away from the surface. This way, we can control the surface chemistry, wettability, and additionally surface potential of electrospun fibers. Within our research, we characterized surface chemistry using X-ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS) and surface potential with Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) on electrospun fibers of commonly used polymers such as PCL, PVDF, and PMMA, often used as biomaterials. We proved the significant effect of fibers' surface potential on cell integration with the scaffolds and further cells development for the regeneration processes based on the osteoblast and fibroblast culture studies. Acknowledgments: The study was conducted within ‘Nanofiber-based sponges for atopic skin treatment’ project, which is carried out within the First TEAM programme of the Foundation for Polish Science co-financed by the European Union under the European Regional Development Fund, project no POIR.04.04.00-00- 4571/18-00.

Keywords: cell attachment, fibers, fibroblasts, osteoblast, proliferation, surface potential

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Authors: Ankit Agarwal

Abstract:

Background: To develop a fully indigenous equipment which is an innovation in critical care, which can effectively scavenge contaminated ICU ventilator air. Objectives: Infection control in ICUs is a concern the world over. Various modalities from simple hand hygiene to costly antibiotics exist. However, one simple and scientific fact has been unnoticed till date, that the air exhaled by patients harboring MDR and other microorganisms, is released by ventilators into ICU atmosphere itself. This increases infection in ICU atmosphere and poses risk to other patients. Material and Methods: Some parts of the ventilator are neither disposable nor sterilizable. Over time, microorganisms accumulate in ventilator and act as a source of infection and also contaminate ICU air. This was demonstrated by exposing microbiological culture plates to air from expiratory port of ventilator, whereby dense growth of pathogenic microorganisms was observed. The present prototype of the equipment is totally self-made. It has a mechanism of controlled negative pressure, active and passive systems and various alarms and is versatile to be used with any ventilator. Results: This equipment captures the whole of contaminated exhaled air from the expiratory port of the ventilator and directs it out of the ICU space. Thus, it does not allow contaminated ventilator air to release into the ICU atmosphere. Therefore, there is no chance of exposure of other patients to contaminated air. Conclusion: The equipment is first of its kind the world over and is already under patent process. It has rightly been called ICU Ventilator Air Removal System (ICU VARS). It holds a chance that this technique will gain widespread acceptance shall find use in all the ventilators in most of the ICUs throughout the world.

Keywords: innovative, ICU Infection Control, microorganism, negative pressure

Procedia PDF Downloads 345

Authors: Elham Azimzadeh, Saeedeh Sepehri, Hamidollah Hassanlouei

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Obesity is associated with postural instability, might influence the quality of daily life, and could be considered a potential factor for falling in obese people. The fat body mass especially in the abdominal area may increase body sway. Furthermore, loss of visual feedback may induce a larger postural sway in obese people. Moreover, Muscle fatigue may impair the work capacity of the skeletal muscle and may alter joint proprioception. So, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of physical fatigue and visual feedback on body sway and strength of lower extremities in obese people. 12 obese (4 female, 8 male; BMI >30 kg/m2), and 12 normal weight (4 female, 8 male; BMI: 20-25 kg/m2) subjects aged 37- 47 years participated in this study. The postural stability test on the Biodex balance system was used to characterize postural control along the anterior-posterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions in eyes open and eyes closed conditions and maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of knee extensors and flexors were measured before and after the high-intensity exhausting exercise protocol on the ergometer bike to confirm the presence of fatigue. Results indicated that the obese group demonstrated significantly greater body sway, in all indices (ML, AP, overall) compared with the normal weight group (eyes open). However, when visual feedback was eliminated, fatigue impaired the balance in the overall and AP indicators in both groups; ML sway was higher only in the obese group after exerting the fatigue in the eyes closed condition. Also, maximal voluntary contraction of knee extensors was impaired in the fatigued normal group but, there was no significant impairment in knee flexors MVC in both group. According to the findings, peripheral fatigue was associated with altered postural control in upright standing when eyes were closed, and that mechanoreceptors of the feet may be less able to estimate the position of the body COM over the base of support in the loss of visual feedback. This suggests that the overall capability of the postural control system during upright standing especially in the ML direction could be lower due to fatigue in obese individuals and could be a predictor of future falls.

Keywords: maximal voluntary contraction, obesity, peripheral fatigue, postural control, visual feedback

Procedia PDF Downloads 88

Authors: J. P. Reges, L. C. S. Mazza, E. J. Braga, J. A. Bessa, A. R. Alexandria

Abstract:

This paper proposes the development of control and automation of irrigation system located sunflower harvest in the Teaching Unit, Research and Extension (UEPE), the Apodi Plateau in Limoeiro do Norte. The sunflower extraction, which in turn serves to get the produced oil from its seeds, animal feed, and is widely used in human food. Its nutritional potential is quite high what makes of foods produced from vegetal, very rich and healthy. The focus of research is to make the autonomous irrigation system sunflower crop from programmable logic control energized with alternative energy sources, solar photovoltaics. The application of automated irrigation system becomes interesting when it provides convenience and implements new forms of managements of the implementation of irrigated cropping systems. The intended use of automated addition to irrigation quality and consequently brings enormous improvement for production of small samples. Addition to applying the necessary and sufficient features of water management in irrigation systems, the system (PLC + actuators + Renewable Energy) will enable to manage the quantitative water required for each crop, and at the same time, insert the use of sources alternative energy. The entry of the automated collection will bring a new format, and in previous years, used the process of irrigation water wastage base and being the whole manual irrigation process.

Keywords: automation, control, sunflower, irrigation, programming, renewable energy

Procedia PDF Downloads 397

Authors: Xinke Huang, Huan Wang, Lidong Guo, Changbin Ju, Runbiao Liu, Guoen Cao, Yibo Wang, Honghua Xu

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Grid connected photovoltaic (PV) power system is to be developed in the direction of large-scale, clustering. Large-scale PV generation systems connected to HVDC grid have many advantages compared to its counterpart of AC grid, and DC connection is the tendency. DC/DC converter as the most important device in the system, has become one of the hot spots recently. The paper proposes a Quasi Z-Source(QZS) based Boost Full Bridge Isolated DC/DC Converter(BFBIC) topology as a basis power module and combination through input parallel output series(IPOS) method to improve power capacity and output voltage to match with the HVDC grid. The topology has both traditional voltage source and current source advantages, it permit the H-bridge short through and open circuit, which adopt utility duty cycle control and achieved input current and output voltage balancing through input current sharing control strategy. A ±10kV/200kW system model is built in MATLAB/SIMULINK to verify the proposed topology and control strategy.

Keywords: PV Generation System, Cascaded DC/DC converter, HVDC, Quasi Z Source Converter

Procedia PDF Downloads 384

Authors: Elham Jafari

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of emotional intelligence training on reducing marital conflict and marital adjustment in married students of the University of Tehran. This research is an applied type in terms of purpose and a semi-experimental design of pre-test-post-test type with the control group and with follow-up test in terms of the data collection method. The statistical population of the present study consisted of all married students of the University of Tehran. In this study, 30 married students of the University of Tehran were selected by convenience sampling method as a sample that 15 people in the experimental group and 15 people in the control group were randomly selected. The method of data collection in this research was field and library. The data collection tool in the field section was two questionnaires of marital conflict and marital adjustment. To analyze the collected data, first at the descriptive level, using statistical indicators, the demographic characteristics of the sample were described by SPSS software. In inferential statistics, the statistical method used was the test of analysis of covariance. The results showed that the effect of the independent variable of emotional intelligence on the reduction of marital conflicts is statistically significant. And it can be inferred that emotional intelligence training has reduced the marital conflicts of married students of the University of Tehran in the experimental group compared to the control group. Also, the effect of the independent variable of emotional intelligence on marital adjustment was statistically significant. It can be inferred that emotional intelligence training has adjusted the marital adjustment of married students of the University of Tehran in the experimental group compared to the control group.

Keywords: emotional intelligence, marital conflicts, marital compatibility, married students

Procedia PDF Downloads 244

Authors: Urom Scholastica Mgbo, Ifeanyichukwu, Vivian, Anaba, Uchemadu Martins, Arusiaba, Nelson Chijioke

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The study was investigated to determine the growth performance , haematological and serum biochemistry of broiler fed graded levels of cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagittifolium). One hundred and twenty (120) day old broiler chicks of Anak strain were used for the study. The birds were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups of 30 birds per group, and each group was further divided into 3 replicates of 10 birds per replicate in group. Cooked cocoyam was used to formulate diets at inclusion levels of 0.00% for T1 (control), while T2, T3 and T4 contained 10.00%, 20.00% and 30.00% inclusion of cocoyam in partial replacement of maize in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). At the end of the research, the haematological indices of broiler showed that packed cell volume (PCV) of birds fed diets 1(42.26%) and 3 (42.42%) were significantly (p<0.05) higher than birds fed diets 2 (39.72%) and 4 (38.78%).The Haemoglobin (Hb) of birds fed diets 3 (12.58g/dl) and 4 (12.26g/dl) were significantly (p<0.05) higher than birds fed diets 1 (11.60g/dl) and 2 (11.42g/dl). The values of the white blood cell (WBC) of the broiler chickens placed on cocoyam diet increased significantly (P<0.05) compared with the values obtained in the control (T1) . The serum protein value for birds fed diet I (5.45g/dl) were statistically (P>0.05) similar to those fed diets 2 (5.10g/dl) and 3 (5.38g/dl) but differ significantly (P<0.05) from diet 4 (4.97g/dl) which had the least protein value. Final weight of the birds showed that diet 4 (2370.85g) had the highest (P<0.05) value which was followed closely by diet 3 (2225.55g), while birds fed diets 1 (2165.70g) and diet 2 (2145.00g) recorded the least values Similar pattern was observed in the weight gain of the birds. Birds fed diet 4 (2270.30g) had higher (P<0.05) value, followed by birds on diet 3 (2125.45g), while birds fed diet 1 (2065.15g) and 2 (2044.90g) had the least values.. This study showed that birds fed diet 3 (50.60g) and diet 4 (54.05g) gave significantly (P<0.05) higher weight than the control diet (49.17g). There was significant (P<0.05) difference among the treatments for feed conversion ratio (FCR), were birds fed diet 4 (1.74) performed better, having the least feed conversion ratio. Economics of broiler chickens showed that Cost/kg of feed favored diet 4 (₦158.65) followed by diets 3 (₦165.95), 2 (₦178.52) and control diet 1 (₦197.14). From the result, the higher weight recorded in T4 4 showed that cocoyam meal can successfully replace maize up to 30% in the diet of broiler chickens. The low cost recorded in cocoyam based diets showed that the diets were more economical and beneficial compared to control diet 1. Therefore, feeding diet 4 (30%) cocoyam meal as replacement of maize in broiler chickens is recommended.

Keywords: cocoyam, growth, heamatology, serum biochemistry

Procedia PDF Downloads 106

Authors: Thoetchai Peeraphatdit, Peter A. Brady, Suraj Kapa, Samuel J. Asirvatham, Niyada Naksuk

Abstract:

Background: Serum electrolyte abnormalities are a common cause of an acquired prolonged QT syndrome, especially, in the coronary care unit (CCU) setting. Optimal electrolyte ranges among the CCU patients have not been sufficiently investigated. Methods: We identified 8,498 consecutive CCU patients who were admitted to the CCU at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, the USA, from 2004 through 2013. Association between first serum electrolytes and baseline corrected QT intervals (QTc), as well as in-hospital mortality, was tested using multivariate linear regression and logistic regression, respectively. Serum potassium 4.0- < 4.5 mEq/L, ionized calcium (iCa) 4.6-4.8 mg/dL, and magnesium 2.0- < 2.2 mg/dL were used as the reference levels. Results: There was a modest level-dependent relationship between hypokalemia ( < 4.0 mEq/L), hypocalcemia ( < 4.4 mg/dL), and a prolonged QTc interval; serum magnesium did not affect the QTc interval. Association between the serum electrolytes and in-hospital mortality included a U-shaped relationship for serum potassium (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.53 and OR 1.91for serum potassium 4.5- < 5.0 and ≥ 5.0 mEq/L, respectively) and an inverted J-shaped relationship for iCa (adjusted OR 2.79 and OR 2.03 for calcium < 4.4 and 4.4- < 4.6 mg/dL, respectively). For serum magnesium, the mortality was greater only among patients with levels ≥ 2.4 mg/dL (adjusted OR 1.40), compared to the reference level. Findings were similar in sensitivity analyses examining the association between mean serum electrolytes and mean QTc intervals, as well as in-hospital mortality. Conclusions: Serum potassium 4.0- < 4.5 mEq/L, iCa ≥ 4.6 mg/dL, and magnesium < 2.4 mg/dL had a neutral effect on QTc intervals and were associated with the lowest in-hospital mortality among the CCU patients.

Keywords: calcium, electrocardiography, long-QT syndrome, magnesium, mortality, potassium

Procedia PDF Downloads 387

Authors: Hadeel Seraj, Mohammed Khoshhal, Mustafa Alhamoud, Hassan Alhashim, Anas Alsaif, Amro Abukhashabah

Abstract:

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is an idiopathic retinal disease characterized by localized serous detachment of the neurosensory retina at the macula. To date, there is no high-quality evidence of recent updates on treating acute CSCR, focusing on photodynamic therapy (PDT) and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF). Hence, this review aims to systematically review the latest treatment strategies for acute CSCR. Methodology: The following electronic databases were used for a comprehensive and systematic literature review: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane. In addition, we analyzed studies comparing PDT with placebo, anti-VEGF with placebo, or PDT with anti-VEGF in treating acute CSC eyes with no previous intervention. Results: Seven studies were included, with a total of 292 eyes. The overall positive results were significantly higher among patients who received PDT compared to control groups (OR = 7.96, 95% CI, 3.02 to 20.95, p < 0.001). The proportions of positive results were 81.0% and 97.1% among patients who received anti-VEGF and PDT, respectively, with no statistically significant differences between the groups. In addition, there were no significant differences between anti-VEGF and control groups. In contrast, PDT was significantly associated with lower recurrence odds than the control groups (OR = 0.12, 95% CI, 0.04 to 0.39, p = 0.042). Conclusion: According to our findings, PDT showed higher positive results than Anti-VEGF in acute CSCR. In addition, PDT was significantly associated with a lower recurrence rate than the control group. However, the analysis needs to be confirmed and updated by large-scale, well-designed RCTs.

Keywords: central serous chorioretinopathy, Acute CSCR, photodynamic therapy, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor

Procedia PDF Downloads 72

Authors: Grace karimi Muriithi, Behnaz Papari, Ali Arsalan, Christopher Shannon Edrington

Abstract:

Complexity and nonlinearity of the control system design is increasing for DC microgrid applications when the cyber concept associated with the technology constraints will added to the picture. Controllers’ functionality during the critical operation mode is required to guaranteed specifically for a high profile applications such as NAVY DC ship power system (SPS) as an small-scaled DC microgrid. Thus, SPS is susceptible to cyber-attacks and, accordingly, can provide the disastrous effects. In this study, a machine learning (ML) approach is demonstrated to offer the promising performance of SPS for developing an effective and robust functionality over attacks time. Simulation results analysis demonstrate that the proposed method can improve the controllability successfully.

Keywords: controlability, cyber attacks, distribute control, machine learning

Procedia PDF Downloads 105