American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences (ASRJETS)
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Self - care Practices and Complications Among Type 2 Diabetic Patients in Bamenda Health District, Northwest Region of Cameroon
Get PDFDiabetes mellitus (DM) is an emerging lifestyle disease and is now an important public health concern globally and a silent killer. Its coexistence with other medical conditions contributes to about 88% mortality. This study aimed at investing self-care practices and complications of type 2 diabetic among patients in Bamenda Health District. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 200 participants selected quarterly from three health facilities in Bamenda Health District. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 17.0and was considered significant at P ? 0.05.The results showed that, of the 200 patients, 48% were male and 52% female and for both of them, 60% were aged above 50 years. Concerning dietary intake, 68% had no control on food intake and 54.5% ate more of energy yielding food.Majority of the patients (54%) do not indulge in physical activities.Only 12% of the diabetic patients washed and wiped their feet every day.Compliance to medication was 40.5%.It was observed that the most outstanding complications were high blood pressure (62%)and visual problems (60%). Self-carepractices (diet, physical activity, blood sugar testing, foot care, alcohol and medications) were significantly associated with complications (p<0.05).Results revealed an overall poor approach to self-care among the patients, thus Type 2 diabetic patients in Bamenda health district still need more access to information on self-care
Adaptation Conflicts of Heterogeneous Devices in Iot Smart-Home
Get PDFA promising technology such as Internet-of-Things have been introduced into traditional homes, buildings and cities to become smart and offer a wide range of services to simplify and enhance people’s lifestyle, a complex rule structure with a large number of sensing and actuating devices increases the chances of creating rules with faulty behaviors. Detection of sophisticated conflicts in an IoT system is one example of such faulty systems. In this paper, a mechanism is presented to detect such sophisticated conflicts among multi-resident smart-home services. Formally a model considering the functional properties of devices to distinguish a specific new kind of conflicts among the other basic types. Service User Regularity (SUR) conflict detection algorithm is proposed to trace resident habitual usage and behaviour conflicts and regulate them within the rules of the smart-home IoT-system. The system achieved good result; it could detect a reasonable number of targeted type conflicts within a synthesized data set
Experimental Study on Effect of Road Performance, Using Carbon Nano materials/SBS as Modified Asphalt
Get PDFThe development and utilization of high-performance polymer modified asphalt is an important mean to improve the resistance ability of asphalt pavement, prolong the life of pavement by reducing the maintenance cost. The development of carbon nanomaterials provides more possibilities for modified asphalt technology. In order to explore the road performance of carbon nanomaterial modified asphalt mixture, five kinds of carbons were prepared under high speed shearing method: 0.1 Wt.%, 0.3 Wt.%, 0.6 Wt.%, 1 Wt.%, 2 Wt.%. The modified asphalt with nanomaterial content was studied by the comparative analysis of the basic performance indexes of base asphalt and five modified asphalts to study the compatibility between carbon nanomaterials and base asphalt. The modified asphalt with 0.3 Wt.%, 1 Wt.% and 2 Wt.% was used as the research object. The traditional carbon nanomaterials and optimized carbon nanomaterials were analyzed by macroscopic mechanics, microstructure and chemical composition. Based on the basic technical indicators and the macroscopic properties of the mixture, the formation mechanism of the microstructure and macroscopic properties of the carbon nanomaterial/SBS modified asphalt was explained by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), fluorescence microscopy and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results show that the optimum content of carbon nanomaterials is 1%, and the high and low temperature properties and storage stability of the modified asphalt are improved under the optimal dosage. The optimized carbon nanomaterials have become a bridge between SBS and asphalt due to their microscopic cyclic structure and conjugated bonds. The good microscopic compatibility with asphalt is the key to improving the modification performance
Agronomic Biofortification in Caupi Beans with Lithium
Get PDFBiofortification of basic crops is ideal because of the broader consumption of staple foods by the majority of the population. Beans are one of the main constituents of many Brazilian dishes, for urban and rural populations. Li is essential to the mental and behavioral health of human beings. The objective of this work was to study the assimilation of Lithium (Li) by cowpea beans (Vigna unguiculata), with the application of lithium hydroxide (LiOH). The study was carried out in a greenhouse at the Federal University of Tocantins, Campus de Gurupi. The treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design in a 5 x 3 arrangement, with five doses of Li (0; 10; 20; 30 and 40 mg kg-1); and three cultivars of Caupi beans (BRS Cauamé, BRS Itaim and BRS Nova Era) with four replicates. The application was performed via foliar, and the doses were divided into two applications of equal proportions, spaced in 15 days. Each experimental plot was represented by a vessel containing 10 kg of soil. Stem diameter, number of pods per plant, pod length, number of grains per pod, insertion of the first pod, plant height, mass of 100 grains, grain yield, lithium content, total nitrogen, crude protein and lipid content. The agronomic biofortification with Li occurred positively with the application of up to 26 kg Li ha-1 for the three cultivars, with up to 159.38% increase over the treatment without Li application. The results indicate that it is possible to increase the Li doses in Caupi with the use of lithium hydroxide (LiOH) in foliar fertilization
Smart Road Lighting Management System for Reduction of Energy Footprint
Get PDFEnergy consumption is a major problem nowadays, especially when it comes in mass scale. Cities and larger inhabited areas have to pay huge amounts of money for electricity bills. Municipality of Aspropyrgos in Greece, is one of them due to its old technology and low energy class. Its annual power consumption only for road lighting, is almost 5 million KWh and the average cost of electricity and maintenance is almost 800 thousand euros. This situation also has great environmental impact since the production of power for street lighting emits 3.3 million kg of CO2. That quantity demands almost 170 thousand trees, in order to be absorbed. For that reason, two layout scenarios are proposed, in order to provide lower power consumption and better management. The first includes the replacement of light bulbs with corresponding LEDs and the second includes smart management systems. The results of this research, clearly indicate, that there are high potentials in energy saving along with environmental and financial benefits
Family Arrangements and Quality of Life in Mexican Patients with Dementia
Get PDFIntroduction: In the aging population, especially in subjects with dementia, the degree of dependence increases, as well as an increase in the needs of health services and social costs of care. The family is the main support network for a dependent older person. However, it leads to a different family structure.
Objective: To determine the influence of the types of arrangements of the caregiver family on the quality of life of the patient with dementia.
Method: Observational and cross-sectional study. Patients older than 65 years with dementia were included. The family arrangement and the quality of life of the patients, and the caregiver, were identified. The type of family arrangement was classified according to The Savvy Caregiver Trainer\u27s Manual, and quality of life was measured using the Quality of Life in Alzheimer\u27s disease [QOL-AD] scale.
Results: 200 patients with dementia and their main caregivers were included. The patients\u27 median age was 80 [73-84] years, 125 [62.5%] women. The main family arrangement identified was the solitary caregiver [51.5%], followed by the collaborative caregiver [25.5%] and sequential caregiver [19%]. We found a lower score on the QOL-AD scale in patients with global intermediate phase dementia and patients with a solitary caregiver and collaborative caregiver compared to those in the initial phase. We found no difference in the score between the different types of caregivers globally or each phase of dementia.
Conclusion: The type of family arrangement that the patient has does not influence the caregiver\u27s quality of life or dementia. However, physicians can make a family focus on other factors related to a decrease in family burden
Serological and Molecular Detection of Coxiella Burnetii in Clinical Samples from Veterinarians and Cattle Farm Workers from Gabrovo Region, Bulgaria
Get PDFCoxiella burnetii, which causes Q fever, is a highly infectious agent that is widespread around the world. During the last decades, the number of cases reported in Bulgaria varied from year to year. The present study aimed to determine the frequency of C. burnetii infection using ELISA and conventional PCR among freelance veterinarians and cattle farm workers in Gabrovo province, Bulgaria. In the period April 2020 to June, 2021 a total of 154 blood samples of target group was tested in the National Reference Laboratory of Cell cultures, rickettsia and oncogenic viruses (NRL CCROV) at NCIPD - Sofia. Diagnosis of C. burnetii was performed by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ELISA (anti-Coxiella burnetii ph. II IgG/IgM) and by end-point PCR technique (to detect the sodB gene region of C. burnetii). By indirect ELISA assay of the tested 154 clinical samples, anti-C. burnetii positive ph. II IgM antibodies were registered in 37% of samples. A relatively high percentage are affected in the active age between 50-60 years old. Anti-C. burnetii positive ph. II IgG antibodies were proven at 50% of tested samples. A positive PCR signal for C. burnetii DNA was obtained at 37/154 (20% of samples) and follows the above reported trend of acute infection of active age patients. Around 10% of tested samples were positive for three C. burnetii laboratory markers. We conclude that Q fever is endemic in Bulgaria. More research is necessary in different Bulgarian regions to set the human risk groups, to diagnose acute and chronic Q fever and to determine the economic impact of Q fever in the cattle industry. In the NRL CCROV was developed diagnostic scheme including complex methods to improve early laboratory diagnosis of C. burnetii, allowing taking proper treatment of suspected with Q fever patients
Variation of the Oswestry Disability Index in Patients with Lumbar Vertebral Discopathy, Surgically Treated
Get PDFThe prospective study was performed to highlight the evolution of the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), before and after surgical treatment of lumbar disc herniation. A group of 100 patients was used, hospitalized and treated surgically in the Neurosurgery Department of the Constanta County Hospital, between 01.08.2020-31.12.2021. The study took into account general patient data (age, sex, provenience), comorbidities (obesity, diabetes, hypertension, chronic treatment with antiplatelet agents before surgery) and the presence of aggravating factors of lumbar vertebral disc disease with indication surgery (presence of polydiscopathy, motor deficit, preoperative and postoperative disc recurrence). There was a significant improvement in the severity of the degree of disability of surgically treated patients, both at one month and at 3 months, postoperatively. The improvement of the degree of disability was different, given the presence of aggravating factors, preoperatively and also the occupational factor, which delayed the postoperative clinical evolution, both, by rapid reintegration into daily life with physical effort and by the production of recurrences of discal pathology
Energy Poverty, Economic Growth, and Industrialization Nexus in South Asian Countries: Panel Data Analysis
Get PDFEnergy inflation is measured as a person\u27s inability to obtain sufficient energy sources. It\u27s a diverse and complicated issue. This study investigates how economic growth, industrialization, urbanization, and employment in South Asian countries are all linked to energy poverty. In the South Asian region, the relationship between these factors has not been thoroughly examined. This study uses the panel data collected from South Asia’s most energy-intensive countries from 1995 to 2000. Advanced econometric methodologies and panel estimations are applied to explore the dynamic relationship. The long-run co-integration study reveals that economic growth reduces but industrialization increases energy poverty in these countries. Furthermore, energy poverty has a negative association with employment but a positive association with urbanization. The findings offer a framework for energy policymakers to establish policies that will assist them to meet the Sustainable Development Goals\u27 objectives (SDGs)
Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Infections in Hostel Residents of Lahore, Pakistan
Get PDFTo maintain our good health, properly functioning gastrointestinal (GIT) track is always considered essential. Though in current era, living standards are much improved now but still gut infections are frequently reported around the globe. Because in third world countries, like Pakistan even in big cities people don’t have dietary sources of good quality. That’s why; a survey of randomly selected 10 hostels was conducted to estimate the prevalence of gastrointestinal infections among them. The results showed that mostly sufferers fall in age group of 18-28years and among them, females are more than males. Important causative factors for transmission of enteric pathogens are intake of impure water (in 42% cases), unhygienic food (in 18% cases) and blend of these two (in 33% cases) with major symptoms of abdominal discomfort, acid reflux, nausea and vomiting. But still only 19% gastric patients of hostel take proper medication for cure and rest of other are left untreated either due to lack of awareness or financial constraints. So these issues should be seriously addressed by the authorities to control the frequency of GIT infections among hostilities of Lahore, Pakistan