Search results for: evaluating effects of health and physical maintenance
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 23795

Search results for: evaluating effects of health and physical maintenance

20975 Using Human-Digestive Simulator to Harbor Encapsulated Lactobacillus casei 01 along with Pasteurized-Purple-Rice Drinks for Examination of the Health-Promoting Effects

Authors: Srivilai Worametrachanon, Arunee Apichartsrangkoon, Jiranat Techarang, Boonrak Phanchaisri

Abstract:

A human-digestive simulator consisted of four colon compartments, i.e., stomach, small intestine, proximal colon and distal colon used to harbor L. casei 01 plus either pasteurized ordinary-purple-rice drinks or germinated-purple-rice drinks. Accordingly, three treatment compositions had been set up and the effects of treatments on colon bacterial communities including their by-products were thoroughly examined. L. casei 01 plus purple-rice drinks gave rise to significantly high formation (P ≤ 0.05) of short-chain-fatty acids (SCFA) of which highest acetic acid was found followed by propionic and butyric acids, while the germinated-rice drink showed the greatest impact. Moreover, the effect was more pronounced upon prolonged fermentation. In addition, the influence of treatments on colon microbes was also demonstrated. Accordingly, desirable bacteria including colon Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria were significantly increased (P ≤ 0.05) in both colons in comparison with the control and the effect was more prominent after adding purple-rice drink. On the other hand, undesirable Clostridia and coliforms were apparently diminished by the influence of treatment conditions, in which both compartments exhibited similar results.

Keywords: human-digestive simulator, Lactobacillus casei 01, Pasteurized-purple-rice drinks

Procedia PDF Downloads 214
20974 The Effect of Low and High Dose Curcumin Supplementation on Prevention and Treatment of Sarcopenia: The Concept of Hormesis

Authors: Sevana Daneghian, Leila Chodari, Sahar Mehranfar, Shadi Mohammadpour-Asl, Diman Mahdi

Abstract:

Sarcopenia is an age-related muscle disease. Lack of antioxidant protection, and cumulative oxidative damage to skeletal muscle are recognized mechanisms. Curcumin is a hormetin as it has a stimulating effect in low doses and an inhibitory effect in high doses. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of four weeks of curcumin supplementation in presarcopenic and sarcopenic rats, and likelihood of potential negative effects while co-exist with sarcopenia. The rats were divided into 7 groups: young sham rats, 18 months old; presarcopenic control, supplemented with 400 and 1500 mg/kg/day, 24 months old; Sarcopenia control, sarcopenia supplemented with 400 and 1500 mg/kg/day. MDA levels were significantly reduced in the low-dose pre-sarcopenic group compared to the control group. Compared to the corresponding control groups, SOD levels decreased in the groups treated with low-dose presarcopenic supplementation and increased in the high-dose sarcopenic supplemented. GPx levels increased at both doses only in the sarcopenic group compared to the control group. SIRT-1 only increased at low doses in the sarcopenic groups and PGC-1α in both pre-sarcopenia groups compared to the corresponding control. IGF-1 increased compared to the control group at both doses in the pre-sarcopenic group and at high doses in sarcopenic group. Considering the hormetic effects of curcumin, it can be argued that, curcumin supplementation has some positive effects not only at low but also at high doses in both groups. This means that the high doses of curcumin have no negative synergistic effects in addition to oxidative stress during sarcopenia and high-dose supplementation in patients already suffering from high oxidative stress due to sarcopenia is safe and could be considered hormetic.

Keywords: curcumin, hormesis, sarcopenia, muscular atrophy, PGC protein, Sirtuins

Procedia PDF Downloads 30
20973 Preliminary Study Investigating Trunk Muscle Fatigue and Cognitive Function in Event Riders during a Simulated Jumping Test

Authors: Alice Carter, Lucy Dumbell, Lorna Cameron, Victoria Lewis

Abstract:

The Olympic discipline of eventing is the triathlon of equestrian sport, consisting of dressage, cross-country and show jumping. Falls on the cross-country are common and can be serious even causing death to rider. Research identifies an increased risk of a fall with an increasing number of obstacles and for jumping efforts later in the course suggesting fatigue maybe a contributing factor. Advice based on anecdotal evidence suggests riders undertake strength and conditioning programs to improve their ‘core’, thus improving their ability to maintain and control their riding position. There is little empirical evidence to support this advice. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate truck muscle fatigue and cognitive function during a simulated jumping test. Eight adult riders participated in a riding test on a Racewood Event simulator for 10 minutes, over a continuous jumping programme. The SEMG activity of six trunk muscles were bilaterally measured at every minute, and normalised root mean squares (RMS) and median frequencies (MDF) were computed from the EMG power spectra. Visual analogue scales (VAS) measuring Fatigue and Pain levels and Cognitive Function ‘tapping’ tests were performed before and after the riding test. Average MDF values for all muscles differed significantly between each sampled minute (p = 0.017), however a consistent decrease from Minute 1 and Minute 9 was not found, suggesting the trunk muscles fatigued and then recovered as other muscle groups important in maintaining the riding position during dynamic movement compensated. Differences between the MDF and RMS of different muscles were highly significant (H=213.01, DF=5, p < 0.001), supporting previous anecdotal evidence that different trunk muscles carry out different roles of posture maintenance during riding. RMS values were not significantly different between the sampled minutes or between riders, suggesting the riding test produced a consistent and repeatable effect on the trunk muscles. MDF values differed significantly between riders (H=50.8, DF = 5, p < 0.001), suggesting individuals may experience localised muscular fatigue of the same test differently, and that other parameters of physical fitness should be investigated to provide conclusions. Lumbar muscles were shown to be important in maintaining the position, therefore physical training program should focus on these areas. No significant differences were found between pre- and post-riding test VAS Pain and Fatigue scores or cognitive function test scores, suggesting the riding test was not significantly fatiguing for participants. However, a near significant correlation was found between time of riding test and VAS Pain score (p = 0.06), suggesting somatic pain may be a limiting factor to performance. No other correlations were found between the factors of participant riding test time, VAS Pain and Fatigue, however a larger sample needs to be tested to improve statistical analysis. The findings suggest the simulator riding test was not sufficient to provoke fatigue in the riders, however foundations for future studies have been laid to enable methodologies in realistic eventing settings.

Keywords: eventing, fatigue, horse-rider, surface EMG, trunk muscles

Procedia PDF Downloads 182
20972 The Priming Effect of Morphology, Phonology, Semantics, and Orthography in Mandarin Chinese: A Prime Paradigm Study

Authors: Bingqing Xu, Wenxing Shuai

Abstract:

This study investigates the priming effects of different Chinese compound words by native Mandarin speakers. There are lots of homonym, polysemy, and synonym in Chinese. However, it is unclear which kind of words have the biggest priming effect. Native Mandarin speakers were tested in a visual-word lexical decision experiment. The stimuli, which are all two-character compound words, consisted of two parts: primes and targets. Five types of relationships were used in all stimuli: morphologically related condition, in which the prime and the target contain the same morpheme; orthographically related condition, in which the target and the prime contain the different morpheme with the same form; phonologically related condition, in which the target and the prime contain the different morpheme with the same phonology; semantically related condition, in which the target and the prime contain the different morpheme with similar meanings; totally unrelated condition. The time since participants saw the target to respond was recorded. Analyses on reaction time showed that the average reaction time of morphologically related targets was much shorter than others, suggesting the morphological priming effect is the biggest. However, the reaction time of the phonologically related conditions was the longest, even longer than unrelated conditions. According to scatter plots analyses, 86.7% of participants had priming effects in morphologically related conditions, only 20% of participants had priming effects in phonologically related conditions. These results suggested that morphologically related conditions had the biggest priming effect. The orthographically and semantically related conditions also had priming effects, whereas the phonologically related conditions had few priming effects.

Keywords: priming effect, morphology, phonology, semantics, orthography

Procedia PDF Downloads 137
20971 Integration of “FAIR” Data Principles in Longitudinal Mental Health Research in Africa: Lessons from a Landscape Analysis

Authors: Bylhah Mugotitsa, Jim Todd, Agnes Kiragga, Jay Greenfield, Evans Omondi, Lukoye Atwoli, Reinpeter Momanyi

Abstract:

The INSPIRE network aims to build an open, ethical, sustainable, and FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data science platform, particularly for longitudinal mental health (MH) data. While studies have been done at the clinical and population level, there still exists limitations in data and research in LMICs, which pose a risk of underrepresentation of mental disorders. It is vital to examine the existing longitudinal MH data, focusing on how FAIR datasets are. This landscape analysis aimed to provide both overall level of evidence of availability of longitudinal datasets and degree of consistency in longitudinal studies conducted. Utilizing prompters proved instrumental in streamlining the analysis process, facilitating access, crafting code snippets, categorization, and analysis of extensive data repositories related to depression, anxiety, and psychosis in Africa. While leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), we filtered through over 18,000 scientific papers spanning from 1970 to 2023. This AI-driven approach enabled the identification of 228 longitudinal research papers meeting inclusion criteria. Quality assurance revealed 10% incorrectly identified articles and 2 duplicates, underscoring the prevalence of longitudinal MH research in South Africa, focusing on depression. From the analysis, evaluating data and metadata adherence to FAIR principles remains crucial for enhancing accessibility and quality of MH research in Africa. While AI has the potential to enhance research processes, challenges such as privacy concerns and data security risks must be addressed. Ethical and equity considerations in data sharing and reuse are also vital. There’s need for collaborative efforts across disciplinary and national boundaries to improve the Findability and Accessibility of data. Current efforts should also focus on creating integrated data resources and tools to improve Interoperability and Reusability of MH data. Practical steps for researchers include careful study planning, data preservation, machine-actionable metadata, and promoting data reuse to advance science and improve equity. Metrics and recognition should be established to incentivize adherence to FAIR principles in MH research

Keywords: longitudinal mental health research, data sharing, fair data principles, Africa, landscape analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 65
20970 Project Abandonment and Its Effect on Host Community: Case Study of Ajaokuta Steel Project, Nigeria

Authors: A. A. Omonori, K. T. Alade, A. F. Lawal

Abstract:

This research was conducted to identify the causes of project abandonment in Nigeria and the effect it has on the host community. The aim of the research was to identify the causes and effects of project failure and abandonment. Project abandonment is a major course of concern in the country as different projects fail and are abandoned at various levels. These projects do not fulfill the purpose for which they were initiated. This is the absolute definition of failure and hence the selection of the Ajaokuta Steel Project as an interesting case study and a typical example of project failure and abandonment. This has been done by conducting field study through the administration of questionnaires. This study was carried out on the Ajaokuta Steel Project to investigate the causes of the abandonment of the project and the effects it has had on the people of Ajaokuta community. Qualitative method of data analysis was used to analyze the findings through frequency tables and ranking. This study brought to light the major factors that led to the abandonment of the Ajaokuta Steel Project. The effects the abandonment of the project has had on the immediate community were identified and recommendations made to prevent the menace of Project abandonment.

Keywords: abandonment, case-study, Nigeria, project

Procedia PDF Downloads 348
20969 Assessment of Environmental Impact for Rice Mills in Burdwan District: Special Emphasis on Groundwater, Surface Water, Soil, Vegetation and Human Health

Authors: Rajkumar Ghosh, Bhabani Prasad Mukhopadhay

Abstract:

Rice milling is an important activity in agricultural economy of India, particularly the Burdwan district. However, the environmental impact of rice mills is frequently underestimated. The environmental impact of rice mills in the Burdwan district is a major source of concern, given the importance of rice milling in the local economy and food supply. In the Burdwan district, more than fifty (50) rice mills are in operation. The goal of this study is to investigate the effects of rice mills on several environmental components, with a particular emphasis on groundwater, surface water, soil, and vegetation. The research comprises a thorough review of numerous rice mills located around the district, utilising both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Water samples taken from wells near rice mills will be tested for groundwater quality, with an emphasis on factors such as heavy metal pollution and pollutant concentrations. Monitoring rice mill discharge into neighbouring bodies of water and studying the potential impact on aquatic ecosystems will be part of surface water evaluations. Furthermore, soil samples from the surrounding areas will be taken to examine changes in soil characteristics, nutrient content, and potential contamination from milling waste disposal. Vegetation studies will be conducted to investigate the effects of emissions and effluents on plant health and biodiversity in the region. The findings will provide light on the extent of environmental degradation caused by rice mills in the Burdwan district, as well as valuable insight into the effects of such operations on water, soil, and vegetation. The findings will aid in the development of appropriate legislation and regulations to reduce negative environmental repercussions and promote sustainable practises in the rice milling business. In some cases, heavy metals have been related to health problems. Heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr, Hg) are linked to skin, lung, brain, kidney, liver, metabolic, spleen, cardiovascular, haematological, immunological, gastrointestinal, testes, pancreatic, metabolic, and bone problems. As a result, this study contributes to a better knowledge of industrial environmental impacts and establishes the framework for future studies aimed at developing a more ecologically balanced and resilient Burdwan district. The following recommendations are offered for reducing the rice mill's environmental impact: To keep untreated effluents out of bodies of water, adequate waste management systems must be established. Use environmentally friendly rice milling processes to reduce pollution. To avoid soil pollution, rice mill by-products should be used as fertiliser in a controlled and appropriate manner. Groundwater, surface water, soil, and vegetation are all regularly monitored in order to study and adapt to environmental changes. By adhering to these principles, the rice milling industry of Burdwan district may achieve long-term growth while lowering its environmental effect and safeguarding the environment for future generations.

Keywords: groundwater, environmental analysis, biodiversity, rice mill, waste management, diseases, industrial impact

Procedia PDF Downloads 78
20968 Equity in Public Health: Perception from the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) Program for HIV- Patients in India

Authors: Koko Wangjam, Naresh Kumar Sharma

Abstract:

The concern for most public health policies and decision- makers is the equitable distribution of health care resource of the nation. Also, in public health care system, the primary aim is assuaging the burden of the disease. Objective: This paper captures and evaluates some important theories in equity in health with its relevance with the ART program in India. Methodology: The paper is exploratory and descriptive study based on secondary data. The sources of secondary data are published official reports from NACO (National AIDS Control Organisation), United Nations AIDS Program (UNAIDS), World Health Organisation (WHO) etc. Observation: The roll-out of the ART program in 2004 by the Govt. of India made a paradigm shift in HIV/AIDS scenario in the country. Conclusion: There are many theoretical injunctions in most of the principles and approaches in existing theories of health equity. The enervation of HIV infection by taking ART drugs had helped in curbing the prevalence and the fact that it is provided at free of cost has proven this program to be an epitome in distributive justice in public health.

Keywords: art program, burden of the disease, health equity, hiv/aids

Procedia PDF Downloads 384
20967 Access the Knowledge, Awareness, and Factors Associated With Hypertension Among the Residents of Modeca District of Tiko, South West Region of Cameroon, in the Middle of a Separatist Violence Since 2017

Authors: Franck Kem Acho

Abstract:

The trends of diseases have been changed from the last few years, now the burden of non-communicable diseases is increasing day by day. In all the non-communicable diseases, Hypertension is one of the leading causes of premature death and morbidity worldwide. This disease is a silent killer, it mostly affects the people with no obvious symptoms. Not only the heart it also increases the risk of brain, kidney and other diseases, now a days it is a serious medical problem. Over a billion people near about 1 in 4 men and 1 in 5 women having hypertension. In this case study men and women of ages between 30-80 years with Hypertension were identified in community remote area with their Health status being checked and monitored for one week and Health Education was provided for the importance of regular Health checkup alongside the continuous taking of medications.

Keywords: hypertension, health status, health check up, health education

Procedia PDF Downloads 54
20966 Milk Yield and Fingerprinting of Beta-Casein Precursor (CSN2) Gene in Some Saudi Camel Breeds

Authors: Amr A. El Hanafy, Yasser M. Saad, Saleh A. Alkarim, Hussein A. Almehdar, Elrashdy M. Redwan

Abstract:

Camels are substantial providers of transport, milk, sport, meat, shelter, fuel, security and capital in many countries, particularly Saudi Arabia. Identification of animal breeds has progressed rapidly during the last decade. Advanced molecular techniques are playing a significant role in breeding or strain protection laws. On the other hand, fingerprinting of some molecular markers related to some productive traits in farm animals represents most important studies to our knowledge, which aim to conserve these local genetic resources, and to the genetic improvement of such local breeds by selective programs depending on gene markers. Milk records were taken two days in each week from female camels of Majahem, Safara, Wathaha, and Hamara breeds, respectively from different private farms in northern Jeddah, Riyadh and Alwagh governorates and average weekly yields were calculated. DNA sequencing for CSN2 gene was used for evaluating the genetic variations and calculating the genetic distance values among four Saudi camel populations which are Hamra(R), Safra(Y), Wadha(W) and Majaheim(M). In addition, this marker was analyzed for reconstructing the Neighbor joining tree among evaluating camel breeds. In respect to milk yield during winter season, result indicated that average weekly milk yield of Safara camel breed (30.05 Kg/week) is significantly (p < 0.05) lower than the other 3 breeds which ranged from 39.68 for Hamara to 42.42 Kg/week for Majahem, while there are not significant differences between these three breeds. The Neighbor Joining analysis that re-constructed based on DNA variations showed that samples are clustered into two unique clades. The first clade includes Y (from Y4 to Y18) and M (from M1, to M9). On the other hand, the second cluster is including all R (from R1 to R6) and W (from W1 to W6). The genetic distance values were equal 0.0068 (between the groups M&Y and R&W) and equal 0 (within each group).

Keywords: milk yield, beta-casein precursor (CSN2), Saudi camel, molecular markers

Procedia PDF Downloads 206
20965 Bayesian Meta-Analysis to Account for Heterogeneity in Studies Relating Life Events to Disease

Authors: Elizabeth Stojanovski

Abstract:

Associations between life events and various forms of cancers have been identified. The purpose of a recent random-effects meta-analysis was to identify studies that examined the association between adverse events associated with changes to financial status including decreased income and breast cancer risk. The same association was studied in four separate studies which displayed traits that were not consistent between studies such as the study design, location and time frame. It was of interest to pool information from various studies to help identify characteristics that differentiated study results. Two random-effects Bayesian meta-analysis models are proposed to combine the reported estimates of the described studies. The proposed models allow major sources of variation to be taken into account, including study level characteristics, between study variance, and within study variance and illustrate the ease with which uncertainty can be incorporated using a hierarchical Bayesian modelling approach.

Keywords: random-effects, meta-analysis, Bayesian, variation

Procedia PDF Downloads 154
20964 The Effects on Yield and Yield Components of Different Level Cluster Tip Reduction and Foliar Boric Acid Applications on Alphonse Lavallee Grape Cultivar

Authors: A. Akın, H. Çoban

Abstract:

This study was carried out to determine the effects of Control (C), 1/3 Cluster Tip Reduction (1/3 CTR), 1/6 Cluster Tip Reduction (1/6 CTR), 1/9 Cluster Tip Reduction (1/9 CTR), 1/3 CTR + Boric Acid (BA), 1/6 CTR + BA, 1/9 CTR + BA applications on yield and yield components of four years old Alphonse Lavallee grape variety (Vitis vinifera L.) grown on grafted 110 Paulsen rootstock in Konya province in Turkey in the vegetation period in 2015. According to the results, the highest maturity index 21.46 with 1/9 CTR application; the highest grape juice yields 736.67 ml with 1/3 CTR + BA application; the highest L* color value 32.07 with 1/9 CTR application; the highest a* color value 1.74 with 1/9 CTR application; the highest b* color value 3.72 with 1/9 CTR application were obtained. The effects of applications on grape fresh yield, cluster weight and berry weight were not found statistically significant.

Keywords: alphonse lavallee grape cultivar, different cluster tip reduction (1/3, 1/6, 1/9), foliar boric acid application, yield, quality

Procedia PDF Downloads 269
20963 Short-Term Association of In-vehicle Ultrafine Particles and Black Carbon Concentrations with Respiratory Health in Parisian Taxi Drivers

Authors: Melissa Hachem, Maxime Loizeau, Nadine Saleh, Isabelle Momas, Lynda Bensefa-Colas

Abstract:

Professional drivers are exposed inside their vehicles to high levels of air pollutants due to the considerable time they spend close to motor vehicle emissions. Little is known about ultrafine particles (UFP) or black carbon (BC) adverse respiratory health effects compared to the regulated pollutants. We aimed to study the short-term associations between UFP and BC concentrations inside vehicles and (1) the onset of mucosal irritation and (2) the acute changes in lung function of Parisian taxi drivers during a working day. An epidemiological study was carried out on 50 taxi drivers in Paris. UFP and BC were measured inside their vehicles with DiSCmini® and microAeth®, respectively. On the same day, the frequency and the severity of nose, eye, and throat irritations were self-reported by each participant and a spirometry test was performed before and after the work shift. Multivariate analysis was used to evaluate the associations between in-taxis UFP and BC concentrations and mucosal irritation and lung function, after adjustment for potential confounders. In-taxis UFP concentrations ranged from 17.9 to 37.9 × 103 particles/cm³ and BC concentrations from 2.2 to 3.9 μg/m³, during a mean of 9 ± 2 working hours. Significant dose-response relationships were observed between in-taxis UFP concentrations and both nasal irritation and lung function. The increase of in-taxis UFP (for an interquartile range of 20 × 103 particles/cm3) was associated to an increase in nasal irritation (adjusted OR = 6.27 [95% CI: 1.02 to 38.62]) and to a reduction in forced expiratory flow at 25–75% by −7.44% [95% CI: −12.63 to −2.24], forced expiratory volume in one second by −4.46% [95% CI: −6.99 to −1.93] and forced vital capacity by −3.31% [95% CI: −5.82 to −0.80]. Such associations were not found with BC. Incident throat and eye irritations were not related to in-vehicle particles exposure; however, they were associated with outdoor air quality (estimated by the Atmo index) and in-vehicle humidity, respectively. This study is the first to show a significant association, within a short-period of time, between in-vehicle UFP exposure and acute respiratory effects in professional drivers.

Keywords: black carbon, lung function, mucosal irritation, taxi drivers, ultrafine particles

Procedia PDF Downloads 172
20962 Localisation of Fluorescently Labelled Drug-Free Phospholipid Vesicles to the Cartilage Surface of Rat Synovial Joints

Authors: Sam Yurdakul, Nick Baverstock, Jim Mills

Abstract:

TDT 064 (FLEXISEQ®) is a drug-free gel used to treat osteoarthritis (OA)-associated pain and joint stiffness. It contains ultra-deformable phospholipid Sequessome™ vesicles, which can pass through the skin barrier intact. In six randomized OA studies, topical TDT 064 was well tolerated and improved joint pain, physical function and stiffness. In the largest study, these TDT 064-mediated effects were statistically significantly greater than oral placebo and equivalent to celecoxib. To understand the therapeutic effects of TDT 064, we investigated the localisation of the drug-free vesicles within rat synovial joints. TDT 064 containing DiO-labelled Sequessome™ vesicles was applied to the knees of four 6-week-old CD® hairless rats (10 mg/kg/ joint), 2–3 times/day, for 3 days (representing the recommended clinical dose). Eighteen hours later, the animals and one untreated control were sacrificed, and the knee joints isolated, flash frozen and embedded in Acrytol Mounting Media™. Approximately 15 sections (10 µm) from each joint were analysed by fluorescence microscopy. To investigate whether the localisation of DiO fluorescence was associated with intact vesicles, an anti-PEG monoclonal antibody (mAb) was used to detect Tween, a constituent of Sequessome™ vesicles. Sections were visualized at 484 nm (DiO) and 647 nm (anti-PEG mAb) and analysed using inForm 1.4 (Perkin Elmer, Inc.). Significant fluorescence was observed at 484 nm in sections from TDT 064-treated animals. No non-specific fluorescence was observed in control sections. Fluorescence was detected as discrete vesicles on the cartilage surfaces, inside the cartilaginous matrix and within the synovial space. The number of DiO-labelled vesicles in multiple fields of view was consistent and >100 in sections from four different treated knees. DiO and anti-PEG mAb co-localised within the collagenous tissues in four different joint sections. Under higher magnification (40x), vesicles were seen in the intercellular spaces of the synovial joint tissue, but no fluorescence was seen inside cells. These data suggest that the phospholipid vesicles in TDT 064 localize at the surface of the joint cartilage; these vesicles may therefore be supplementing the phospholipid deficiency reported in OA and acting as a biolubricant within the synovial joint.

Keywords: joint pain, osteoarthritis, phospholipid vesicles, TDT 064

Procedia PDF Downloads 438
20961 Revolutionizing Healthcare Communication: The Transformative Role of Natural Language Processing and Artificial Intelligence

Authors: Halimat M. Ajose-Adeogun, Zaynab A. Bello

Abstract:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) have transformed computer language comprehension, allowing computers to comprehend spoken and written language with human-like cognition. NLP, a multidisciplinary area that combines rule-based linguistics, machine learning, and deep learning, enables computers to analyze and comprehend human language. NLP applications in medicine range from tackling issues in electronic health records (EHR) and psychiatry to improving diagnostic precision in orthopedic surgery and optimizing clinical procedures with novel technologies like chatbots. The technology shows promise in a variety of medical sectors, including quicker access to medical records, faster decision-making for healthcare personnel, diagnosing dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus, boosting radiology report quality, and so on. However, successful adoption requires training for healthcare workers, fostering a deep understanding of NLP components, and highlighting the significance of validation before actual application. Despite prevailing challenges, continuous multidisciplinary research and collaboration are critical for overcoming restrictions and paving the way for the revolutionary integration of NLP into medical practice. This integration has the potential to improve patient care, research outcomes, and administrative efficiency. The research methodology includes using NLP techniques for Sentiment Analysis and Emotion Recognition, such as evaluating text or audio data to determine the sentiment and emotional nuances communicated by users, which is essential for designing a responsive and sympathetic chatbot. Furthermore, the project includes the adoption of a Personalized Intervention strategy, in which chatbots are designed to personalize responses by merging NLP algorithms with specific user profiles, treatment history, and emotional states. The synergy between NLP and personalized medicine principles is critical for tailoring chatbot interactions to each user's demands and conditions, hence increasing the efficacy of mental health care. A detailed survey corroborated this synergy, revealing a remarkable 20% increase in patient satisfaction levels and a 30% reduction in workloads for healthcare practitioners. The poll, which focused on health outcomes and was administered to both patients and healthcare professionals, highlights the improved efficiency and favorable influence on the broader healthcare ecosystem.

Keywords: natural language processing, artificial intelligence, healthcare communication, electronic health records, patient care

Procedia PDF Downloads 63
20960 Prevalence of Elder Abuse and Effects of Social Factors on It

Authors: Ezat Vahidian, Babak Eshrati

Abstract:

Introduction: Elder abuse, a very complex issue with diverse definitions and names, has been very slow to capture the public eye and public policy since it is manifested at many levels. It requires the involvement of different types of professionals. While elder abuse is not a new phenomenon, the speed of population ageing world-wide is likely to lead to an increase in its incidence and prevalence. Elder abuse has devastating consequences for older persons such as poor quality of life, psychological distress, and loss of property and security. It is also associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Elder abuse is a problem that manifests itself in both rich and poor countries and at all levels of society. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of elder abuse and effects of social factor on it in Markazi Province. Materials and methods: The society of the study was all of the elders in Markazi Province that were available by geographical address in the table of rural and urban household societies. The study was cross sectional and multi phases in sampling the first one was classification according rural and urban area and the second one was cluster sampling with equal cluster. Estimation of samples were 472 persons and increased by design effect to 1110 persons. Collection data was done by questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS and chi 2 exam. Results: This study showed 70 persons were abused (42/8% male and 57/2% female) mean of ages was 74/7 years. 64% were marred and 31% were widows. There were not any significant meaningful association between elder abuse and area of living (pv=0.299),occupation (p.v=0.104), education (pv=0.358) and age (P.value=0.104) there were significant meaningful association between physical impairment (pv=0.08), and movement impairment (P.value=0.008). Conclusion: Results verify that maltreatment occurred in the aged persons. Analysis of data indicated that elder abuse exist in every socioeconomic group with any context of education in urban area and rural area and in men and women. Prevalence of elder abuse was 6.3% (70 persons) that verify the data of developed countries with limited sample.

Keywords: elder abuse, education, occupation, area of living

Procedia PDF Downloads 397
20959 Health as a Proxy for Labour Productivity: The Impact on Wages in Egypt’s Private Sector

Authors: Yasmine Ahmed Shemeis

Abstract:

Determining the impact of productivity increases on wage levels is often difficult due to the unavailability of individual-level productivity data. Accordingly, we proxy for productivity using a self-perceived measure of health based on the postulated positive relationship between better health and productivity improvements. Using Egypt’s labour market data for the years 2012 and 2018 and utilizing a Maximum Likelihood Estimation method, we address two issues: the endogeneity of health in the estimation of wages and a sample selection bias. Our findings indicate the great value that better health has in enhancing wage levels in Egypt’s private sector. Also, we find that overlooking the endogeneity of health underestimates its effect on wages. Thus, the improvement of health states is likely to be beneficial in improving labour market outcomes in terms of wages as well as labour productivity in Egypt.

Keywords: labour, Productivity, Wages, Endogeneity, Sample Selection

Procedia PDF Downloads 66
20958 The Importance of Applying Established Web Site Design Principles on an Online Performance Management System

Authors: R. W. Brown, P. J. Blignaut

Abstract:

An online performance management system was evaluated, and recommendations were made to improve the system. The study shows the effects of not adhering to the established web design principles and conventions. Furthermore, the study indicates that if the online performance management system is not well designed, it may have negative effects on the overall usability of the system and these negative effects will have consequences for both the employer and employees. The evaluation was done in terms of the usability metrics of effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction. Effectiveness was measured in terms of the success rate with which users could execute prescribed tasks in a sandbox system. Efficiency was expressed in terms of the time it took participants to understand what is expected of them and to execute the tasks. Post-test questionnaires were used in order to determine the satisfaction of the participants. Recommendations were made to improve the usability of the online performance management system.

Keywords: eye tracking, human resource management, performance management, usability

Procedia PDF Downloads 195
20957 Characterization of an Ecological Mortar Lightweight With Polystyrene

Authors: Aidoud Assia, Bencheikh Messaouda, Boukour Salima

Abstract:

Polystyrene is often seen in the ocean and on Algerian beaches, mainly as food containers. It's one of the top 10 most common items found there. This happens because it's light and easily carried away from its original source, like packaging or transport, into the environment. Unfortunately, it's not recycled much because it's not very profitable to do so. Hence, turning this waste into a resource can turn challenges into opportunities for a territory's economic and environmental development, which is the focus of this study. the goal is to analyze the physical and mechanical properties of a new type of mortar made from dune sand mixed with recycled polystyrene. it also aim to assess its potential for use in various construction applications. The mixtures were prepared by replacing portions of dune sand with polystyrene waste at varying volumes (10%, 20%, and 30%), while keeping the amount of cement constant. The results indicate a noticeable impact on both the physical and mechanical properties because of incorporating polystyrene waste.

Keywords: polystyrène, eco-mortier, sable de dune, résistance

Procedia PDF Downloads 35
20956 Recycled Cellulosic Fibers and Lignocellulosic Aggregates for Sustainable Building Materials

Authors: N. Stevulova, I. Schwarzova, V. Hospodarova, J. Junak, J. Briancin

Abstract:

Sustainability is becoming a priority for developers and the use of environmentally friendly materials is increasing. Nowadays, the application of raw materials from renewable sources to building materials has gained a significant interest in this research area. Lignocellulosic aggregates and cellulosic fibers are coming from many different sources such as wood, plants and waste. They are promising alternative materials to replace synthetic, glass and asbestos fibers as reinforcement in inorganic matrix of composites. Natural fibers are renewable resources so their cost is relatively low in comparison to synthetic fibers. With the consideration of environmental consciousness, natural fibers are biodegradable so their using can reduce CO2 emissions in the building materials production. The use of cellulosic fibers in cementitious matrices have gained importance because they make the composites lighter at high fiber content, they have comparable cost - performance ratios to similar building materials and they could be processed from waste paper, thus expanding the opportunities for waste utilization in cementitious materials. The main objective of this work is to find out the possibility of using different wastes: hemp hurds as waste of hemp stem processing and recycled fibers obtained from waste paper for making cement composite products such as mortars based on cellulose fibers. This material was made of cement mortar containing organic filler based on hemp hurds and recycled waste paper. In addition, the effects of fibers and their contents on some selected physical and mechanical properties of the fiber-cement plaster composites have been investigated. In this research organic material have used to mortars as 2.0, 5.0 and 10.0 % replacement of cement weight. Reference sample is made for comparison of physical and mechanical properties of cement composites based on recycled cellulosic fibers and lignocellulosic aggregates. The prepared specimens were tested after 28 days of curing in order to investigate density, compressive strength and water absorbability. Scanning Electron Microscopy examination was also carried out.

Keywords: Hemp hurds, organic filler, recycled paper, sustainable building materials

Procedia PDF Downloads 218
20955 Preparing Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Students for Culturally Competent Health Care: A Qualitative Study

Authors: Olayide Ogunsiji, Glenda McDonald

Abstract:

Engendering cultural competence in nursing and midwifery students is germane to reducing disparities in contemporary health care settings, increasingly patronized by people from diverse background. Professional standards for registration in Australia require nurses and midwives to be culturally competent. Nursing and midwifery academics worldwide are responsible for preparing students for clinical practice, yet limited attention is paid to exploring how students are being prepared to care for a culturally diverse population. This paper provides insight into the perceptions of academics about how they are preparing undergraduate nursing and midwifery students for culturally competent health care. Academics were drawn from a tertiary educational institution in metropolitan Australia. They responded to a generic email indicating their interest in participating in the study. A total of nine academics who have taught undergraduate nursing and midwifery students in a unit that focused on health and illness perspectives for culturally diverse communities; and provided written consent to participate were included. These academics were engaged in a qualitative digitally-recorded semi-structured face-to-face or telephone interviews which lasted for about 45-60 minutes. Interview data were transcribed verbatim. Through constant comparison, three themes emerged: experiences of the teachers, strategies used for preparing students and challenges in preparing students. The participants spoke about their experiences of teaching in the unit and with the students. They faced challenges related to physical and relational space. They utilised a number of didactic approaches in teaching the unit and critiqued the adequacy of the content in preparing students for practice. This study demonstrated that didactic classroom approaches need to be supported with clinical practice and cultural immersion for a meaningful preparation of nursing and midwifery students to care for culturally diverse populations.

Keywords: cultural competence, nursing students, preparation, undergraduate

Procedia PDF Downloads 145
20954 Cytotoxic Effects of Engineered Nanoparticles in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Authors: Ali A. Alshatwi, Vaiyapuri S. Periasamy, Jegan Athinarayanan

Abstract:

Engineered nanoparticles’ usage rapidly increased in various applications in the last decade due to their unusual properties. However, there is an ever increasing concern to understand their toxicological effect in human health. Particularly, metal and metal oxide nanoparticles have been used in various sectors including biomedical, food and agriculture. But their impact on human health is yet to be fully understood. In this present investigation, we assessed the toxic effect of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) including Ag, MgO and Co3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) on human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) adopting cell viability and cellular morphological changes as tools The results suggested that silver NPs are more toxic than MgO and Co3O4NPs. The ENPs induced cytotoxicity and nuclear morphological changes in hMSC depending on dose. The cell viability decreases with increase in concentration of ENPs. The cellular morphology studies revealed that ENPs damaged the cells. These preliminary findings have implications for the use of these nanoparticles in food industry with systematic regulations.

Keywords: cobalt oxide, human mesenchymal stem cells, MgO, silver

Procedia PDF Downloads 379
20953 A Machine Learning Approach for Detecting and Locating Hardware Trojans

Authors: Kaiwen Zheng, Wanting Zhou, Nan Tang, Lei Li, Yuanhang He

Abstract:

The integrated circuit industry has become a cornerstone of the information society, finding widespread application in areas such as industry, communication, medicine, and aerospace. However, with the increasing complexity of integrated circuits, Hardware Trojans (HTs) implanted by attackers have become a significant threat to their security. In this paper, we proposed a hardware trojan detection method for large-scale circuits. As HTs introduce physical characteristic changes such as structure, area, and power consumption as additional redundant circuits, we proposed a machine-learning-based hardware trojan detection method based on the physical characteristics of gate-level netlists. This method transforms the hardware trojan detection problem into a machine-learning binary classification problem based on physical characteristics, greatly improving detection speed. To address the problem of imbalanced data, where the number of pure circuit samples is far less than that of HTs circuit samples, we used the SMOTETomek algorithm to expand the dataset and further improve the performance of the classifier. We used three machine learning algorithms, K-Nearest Neighbors, Random Forest, and Support Vector Machine, to train and validate benchmark circuits on Trust-Hub, and all achieved good results. In our case studies based on AES encryption circuits provided by trust-hub, the test results showed the effectiveness of the proposed method. To further validate the method’s effectiveness for detecting variant HTs, we designed variant HTs using open-source HTs. The proposed method can guarantee robust detection accuracy in the millisecond level detection time for IC, and FPGA design flows and has good detection performance for library variant HTs.

Keywords: hardware trojans, physical properties, machine learning, hardware security

Procedia PDF Downloads 136
20952 Sizing of Drying Processes to Optimize Conservation of the Nuclear Power Plants on Stationary

Authors: Assabo Mohamed, Bile Mohamed, Ali Farah, Isman Souleiman, Olga Alos Ramos, Marie Cadet

Abstract:

The life of a nuclear power plant is regularly punctuated by short or long period outages to carry out maintenance operations and/or nuclear fuel reloading. During these stops periods, it is essential to conserve all the secondary circuit equipment to avoid corrosion priming. This kind of circuit is one of the main components of a nuclear reactor. Indeed, the conservation materials on shutdown of a nuclear unit improve circuit performance and reduce the maintenance cost considerably. This study is a part of the optimization of the dry preservation of equipment from the water station of the nuclear reactor. The main objective is to provide tools to guide Electricity Production Nuclear Centre (EPNC) in order to achieve the criteria required by the chemical specifications of conservation materials. A theoretical model of drying exchangers of water station is developed by the software Engineering Equation Solver (EES). It used to size requirements and air quality needed for dry conservation of equipment. This model is based on heat transfer and mass transfer governing the drying operation. A parametric study is conducted to know the influence of aerothermal factor taking part in the drying operation. The results show that the success of dry conservation of equipment of the secondary circuit of nuclear reactor depends strongly on the draining, the quality of drying air and the flow of air injecting in the secondary circuit. Finally, theoretical case study performed on EES highlights the importance of mastering the entire system to balance the air system to provide each exchanger optimum flow depending on its characteristics. From these results, recommendations to nuclear power plants can be formulated to optimize drying practices and achieve good performance in the conservation of material from the water at the stop position.

Keywords: dry conservation, optimization, sizing, water station

Procedia PDF Downloads 256
20951 Groundwater Based Irrigation for Paddy Farming in Gangetic Plains of India: Consequences and Mitigations

Authors: Dhananjoy Dutta

Abstract:

Field studies in lower Gangetic plains of India reveal that over-abstraction of groundwater for irrigation to paddy leads to a substantial depletion of groundwater over the decades, resulting in negative effects on lowering of the water table, drying up of surface water sources and aquifer pollution with leached-out arsenic. The aggravating arsenic toxicity in drinking water is manifested in health problems and ‘arsenicosis’ of people. A social conflict arises between farmers, who intend to grow paddy for livelihoods, and the groundwater authority, which enacts the ‘Regulation Laws’ by putting a check on the excessive installation of private tube-wells for irrigation. Hence, considering the challenges of resource sustainability, health issues, and food security, the study calls for a paradigm shift in policy from further groundwater development to sustainable water resources management and evaluates some strategies integrating supply and demand side management for mitigating the problems.

Keywords: groundwater, irrigation, paddy farming, water table depletion, arsenic pollution, gangetic plains

Procedia PDF Downloads 23
20950 Investigation of Possible Behavioural and Molecular Effects of Mobile Phone Exposure on Rats

Authors: Ç. Gökçek-Saraç, Ş. Özen, N. Derin

Abstract:

The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-dependent pathway is the major intracellular signaling pathway implemented in both short- and long-term memory formation in the hippocampus which is the most studied brain structure because of its well documented role in learning and memory. However, little is known about the effects of RF-EMR exposure on NMDA receptor signaling pathway including activation of protein kinases, notably Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II alpha (CaMKIIα). The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of acute and chronic 900 MHz RF-EMR exposure on both passive avoidance behaviour and hippocampal levels of CaMKIIα and its phosphorylated form (pCaMKIIα). Rats were divided into the following groups: Sham rats, and rats exposed to 900 MHz RF-EMR for 2 h/day for 1 week (acute group) or 10 weeks (chronic group), respectively. Passive avoidance task was used as a behavioural method. The hippocampal levels of selected kinases were measured using Western Blotting technique. The results of passive avoidance task showed that both acute and chronic exposure to 900 MHz RF-EMR can impair passive avoidance behaviour with minor effects on chronic group of rats. The analysis of western blot data of selected protein kinases demonstrated that hippocampal levels of CaMKIIα and pCaMKIIα were significantly higher in chronic group of rats as compared to acute groups. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that different duration times (1 week vs 10 weeks) of 900 MHz RF-EMR exposure have different effects on both passive avoidance behaviour of rats and hippocampal levels of selected protein kinases.

Keywords: hippocampus, protein kinase, rat, RF-EMR

Procedia PDF Downloads 250
20949 Effects of Temperature and Enzyme Concentration on Quality of Pineapple and Pawpaw Blended Juice

Authors: Ndidi F. Amulu, Calistus N. Ude, Patrick E. Amulu, Nneka N. Uchegbu

Abstract:

The effects of temperature and enzyme concentration on the quality of mixed pineapple and pawpaw blended fruits juice were studied. Extracts of the two fruit juices were separately treated at 70  for 15 min each so as to inactivate micro-organisms. They were analyzed and blended in different proportions of 70% pawpaw and 30% pineapple, 60% pawpaw and 40% pineapple, 50% pineapple and 50% pawpaw, 40% pawpaw and 60% pineapple. The characterization of the fresh pawpaw and pineapple juice before blending showed that the juices have good quality. The high water content of the product may have affected the viscosity, vitamin C content and total soluble solid of the blended juice to be low. The effects of the process parameters on the quality showed that better quality of the blended juice can be obtained within the optimum temperature range of (50-70 °C) and enzyme concentration range (0.12-0.18 w/v). The ratio of mix 60% pineapple juice: 40% pawpaw juice has better quality. This showed that pawpaw and pineapple juices can blend effectively to produce a quality juice.

Keywords: clarification, pawpaw, pineapple, viscosity, vitamin C

Procedia PDF Downloads 298
20948 Physical Fitness Factors of School Badminton Players in Kandy District

Authors: P. Cinthuja, J. A. O. A Jayakody, M. P. M. Perera, W. V. D. N. Weerarathna, S.E. Nirosha, D. K. D. C. Indeewari, T. Kaethieswaran, S. B. Adikari

Abstract:

The aims of the study was to measure physical fitness parameters of school badminton players in the Kandy district and determine the factors contributing to improve the physical fitness. Height, weight, handgrip was measured and sit and reach test, shoulder flexibility test, standing long jump test, 20m sprint speed test, agility T-test and 20 m multistage shuttle run test were performed on 183 school badminton players. Linear regression and correlation tests were performed using body mass index, practiced duration, age category, level of performance, additional sports involvement as independent variables and physical fitness parameter as dependent variables. Results: The present study showed that the upper body power, upper body strength and endurance and speed depended on body mass index both in male and female school badminton players. Speed, agility, flexibility of shoulders, explosive power of shoulder and aerobic endurance depended on the duration of practiced. Furthermore, involvement in additional sports other than badminton did not enhance the performance of badminton players. But it decreased player’s performance by decreasing agility and speed. Age had an effect on the upper body power, explosive power of lower limb, agility and speed both in both males and females. Conclusions: The performance of badminton players could be enhanced by maintaining a proper body mass index. Badminton specific parameter could be improved by increasing the duration of practiced. Involvement in other sports does not give an added advantage to badminton players to improve their performance.

Keywords: agility, Body Mass Index, endurance, badminton

Procedia PDF Downloads 414
20947 Impact of Primary Care on Sexual and Reproductive Health for Migrant Women in Medellín Colombia

Authors: Alexis Piedrahita, Ludi Valencia, Aura Gutierrez

Abstract:

The migration crisis that is currently being experienced in the world is a continuous phenomenon that has had solutions in form but not in substance, violating the international humanitarian law of people who are in transit through countries foreign to their roots, especially women of age reproductive, this has caused different governments and organizations worldwide to meet around this problem to define concise actions to protect the rights of migrant women in the world. This research compiles the stories of migrant women who arrive in Colombia seeking better opportunities, such as accessibility to comprehensive and quality health services, including primary health care. This is the gateway to the offer of health promotion and disease prevention services.

Keywords: accessibility, primary health care, sexual and reproductive health, sustainable development goals, women migrant

Procedia PDF Downloads 57
20946 Overall Function and Symptom Impact of Self-Applied Myofascial Release in Adult Patients With Fibromyalgia. A Seven-Week Pilot Study

Authors: Domenica Tambasco, Riina Bray, Sophia Jaworski, Gillian Grant, Celeste Corkery

Abstract:

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and reduced function. Management of symptoms include medications, physical treatments and mindfulness therapies. Myofascial Release is a modality that has been successfully applied in var-ious musculoskeletal conditions. However, to the author’s best knowledge, it is not yet recog-nized as a self-management therapy option in Fibromyalgia. In this study, we investigated whether Self-applied Myofascial Release (SMR) is associated with overall improved function and symptoms in Fibromyalgia. Methods: Eligible adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of Fibromyalgia at Women’s College Hospital were recruited to SMR. Sessions ran for 1 hour once a week for 7 weeks, led by the same two Physiotherapists knowledgeable in this physical treat-ment modality. The main outcome measure was an overall impact score for function and symp-toms based on the validated assessment tool for Fibromyalgia, the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR), measured pre and post-intervention. Both descriptive and analytical methods were applied and reported. Results: We analyzed results using a paired t-test to deter-mine if there was a statistically significant difference in mean FIQR scores between initial (pre-intervention) and final (post-intervention) scores. A clinically significant difference in FIQR was defined as a reduction in score by 10 or more points. Conclusions: Our pilot study showed that SMR appeared to be a safe and effective intervention for our Fibromyalgia participants and the overall impact on function and symptoms occurred in only 7 weeks. Further studies with larger sample sizes comparing SMR to other physical treatment modalities (such as stretching) in an RCT are recommended.

Keywords: fibromyalgia, myofascial release, physical therapy, FIQR

Procedia PDF Downloads 67