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The Epidemiological Profile of Tuberculosis Patients and Risk Factors for Poor Treatment Outcomes in Sarpang District, Bhutan:A 17 Years Retrospective Study
No full textTuberculosis (TB) is one of the major public health issues in Bhutan. This study aimed to evaluate epidemiology of TB and predictors of poor treatment outcomes in Sarpang District, Bhutan. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using TB case-based surveillance data of Sarpang District from 2005 to 2021. The outcome of interest was poor treatment outcome. The potential predictors were analyzed using logistic regression. A total of 1704 TB cases were analyzed in this study. The poor outcome in this study was 6.6% with 2.6% deaths due to TB. The patients older than 65 years (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.45, 7.90]) and sputum non-conversion in the second month with acid-fast bacilli results of scanty (AOR = 3.08, 95% CI = [1.29, 7.34]), 1+ (AOR = 7.12, 95% CI = [3.06, 16.53]), and 2+ (AOR = 21.05, 95% CI = [5.56, 79.63]) were the significant predictors of poor treatment outcome. Therefore, older age and sputum non-conversion in the second month should be given priority.</p
God's Child
No full textA literary translation of the poem God's Child by Japanese poet Arai Takako. The poem appears in Arai's Ooka Makoto Prize-winning collection Oshirakosama-kibun (Genki-Shobō, 2024). The poem references the Pasolini film Pigsty, as well as an Ainu tradition of raising and then sacrificing a sacred bear
Global meta-analysis shows action is needed to halt genetic diversity loss
No full textMitigating loss of genetic diversity is a major global biodiversity challenge1-4. To meet recent international commitments to maintain genetic diversity within species5,6, we need to understand relationships between threats, conservation management and genetic diversity change. Here we conduct a global analysis of genetic diversity change via meta-analysis of all available temporal measures of genetic diversity from more than three decades of research. We show that within-population genetic diversity is being lost over timescales likely to have been impacted by human activities, and that some conservation actions may mitigate this loss. Our dataset includes 628 species (animals, plants, fungi and chromists) across all terrestrial and most marine realms on Earth. Threats impacted two-thirds of the populations that we analysed, and less than half of the populations analysed received conservation management. Genetic diversity loss occurs globally and is a realistic prediction for many species, especially birds and mammals, in the face of threats such as land use change, disease, abiotic natural phenomena and harvesting or harassment. Conservation strategies designed to improve environmental conditions, increase population growth rates and introduce new individuals (for example, restoring connectivity or performing translocations) may maintain or even increase genetic diversity. Our findings underscore the urgent need for active, genetically informed conservation interventions to halt genetic diversity loss.</p
Digitalization in Hong Kong building surveying: advancements in building plan scrutiny process
No full textPurposeThis study seeks to unpack the digitalization of building surveying practices, focusing on the contribution of building information modelling (BIM) to the building plan scrutiny process (BPSP). It aims to evaluate and propose enhancements to the existing BIM-enabled building plan scrutiny practices in Hong Kong by comparing current practices with global standards and identifying actionable improvements.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-method approach, incorporating a case study and professional interviews, is employed to examine BPSP practices in Hong Kong and compare them with international counterparts. The case study provides in-depth insights into implementation barriers and opportunities, while the interviews offer complementary perspectives, analyzed thematically to identify key themes.FindingsThe results reveal that BIM implementation in Hong Kong’s BPSP is still in its early stages, yet it holds substantial potential to enhance efficiency, compliance and innovation in building surveying practices. The study also identifies key barriers to adoption, such as industry reluctance and systemic inertia, and provides strategic recommendations to overcome these challenges.Research limitations/implicationsWhile focused on Hong Kong, the findings may have broader implications for other regions seeking to adopt BIM-based digitalization in construction.Originality/valueThis study offers novel insights into the role of BIM in transforming BPSP, filling a research gap in the application of digital technologies within surveying practices. It emphasizes the importance of modernizing building surveying practices to foster a more efficient and innovative construction industry
Efficacy of the FIFA cooling break heat policy during an intermittent treadmill football simulation in hot conditions in trained females
No full textOBJECTIVES: To investigate the efficacy of the current FIFA cooling break heat policy against alternative cooling configurations in attenuating physiological strain during a football simulation in the heat.DESIGN: Five randomised counterbalanced experimental trials in 40 °C and 41 % relative humidity (32 °C wet-bulb globe temperature).METHODS: Twelve females (age 25 ± 5 y, V̇O 2peak 51 ± 5 mL·kg -1·min -1) completed five 90-min football simulations with different cooling configurations: regular match without cooling breaks (REG), 3-min breaks without cooling (BRK no-cool), 3-min breaks with cooling (BRK cool: current FIFA policy; chilled fluid and ice towel across neck/shoulders), 5-min extended half-time without cooling breaks (ExtHT only), and 5-min extended half-time with 3-min cooling breaks (ExtHT cool). Rectal (T re) and skin temperature (T sk), heart rate, whole-body sweat rate (WBSR) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded. Data are presented as means and 95 % confidence intervals [CI]. RESULTS: Final T re was lower in ExtHT cool (38.4 °C [38.1, 38.7], P < 0.001) than REG (38.7 °C [38.4, 39.0]), ExtHT only (38.7 °C [38.4, 39.0], P = 0.003) and BRK no-cool (38.7 °C [38.4, 39.0], P = 0.006), whereas it was similar in BRK cool and REG (P = 0.062). Mean heart rate was lower in ExtHT cool than REG (3 beats·min -1 [2, 4], P < 0.001). WBSR was similar across trials (P > 0.133), whilst RPE was lower in ExtHT cool (0.6 [0.3, 0.9], P < 0.001) but not BRK cool (0.2 [-0.0, 0.5], P = 0.089), than REG. CONCLUSIONS: The FIFA heat policy offers minimal physiological or perceptual benefits to females performing a football simulation in the heat. However, combining the cooling breaks with an extended half-time, which is not currently part of the FIFA heat policy, attenuates thermal and cardiovascular strain.</p
This week’s federal budget will focus on cost-of-living measures – and a more uncertain global economy
No full textTraditional practices versus modern healthcare:Determinants of traditional medicine use after potential dog bites among dog-owning households in Nigeria
No full textCanine rabies is endemic in Nigeria, with a low dog vaccination rate. Often, dog bite victims resort to traditional remedies, which can lead to fatalities. Our study investigated factors influencing decisions to seek traditional remedies in Nigeria. We conducted a cross-sectional study in 2022 involving 4,162 dog-owning households. A joint random effect Bayesian regression model was developed to examine the role of sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and infrastructural covariates. This model included a latent variable measuring a respondent's understanding of rabies risk based on literacy levels and responses to questions about rabies epidemiology. Our results indicated that 27% (95% Confidence Interval [Cl); 26-27) of respondents would preferably seek traditional remedies following a dog bite. Male respondents were 24% more likely than female respondents to seek traditional remedies (odds ratio [OR]: 1.24; 95%, Credible Interval CrI): 1.07-1.31). Similarly, individuals residing in rural areas reported 55% higher likelihood of using traditional remedies than those in urban areas (OR: 1.55; 95% CrI: 1.43-1.67). Respondents residing in areas with no veterinary services reported 35% higher likelihood of using traditional remedies than those near such facilities (OR: 1.35; 95% CrI: 1.15-1.42). Children under 16 years reported 27% lower likelihood of using traditional remedies than adults (OR: 0.73; 95% CrI: 0.49-0.84). Private or unemployed individuals were more likely to seek traditional remedies than civil servants (OR: 1.99; 95% Crl: 1.53-2.37). Respondents with tertiary education reported 42% lower likelihood of using traditional remedies than those without formal education (OR: 0.58; 95% CrI: 0.49-0.62). Our latent variable representing understanding of rabies risk was negatively associated with the probability of seeking traditional remedies (OR: 0.67; 95% CrI: 0.54-0.73). Lastly, poverty was negatively associated with the likelihood of seeking traditional remedies (OR: 0.78; 95% CrI: 0.66-0.82). Our findings provide important insights into healthcare behaviour decisions and their possible associations with rabies outcomes in Nigeria. These results highlight the need to improve public education, enhance access to medical care, and involve traditional healers in rabies prevention and control programs.</p
U-Net-Based Fingerprint Enhancement for 3D Fingerprint Recognition
Get PDFBiometrics-based authentication mechanisms can address the built-in weakness of conventional password or token-based authentication in identifying genuine users. However, 2D-based fingerprint biometrics authentication faces the problem of sensor spoofing attacks. In addition, most 2D fingerprint sensors are contact-based, which can boost the spread of deadly diseases such as the COVID-19 virus. Three-dimensional fingerprint-based recognition is the emerging technology that can effectively address the above issues. A 3D fingerprint is captured contactlessly and can be represented by a 3D point cloud, which is strong against sensor spoofing attacks. To apply conventional 2D fingerprint recognition methods to 3D fingerprints, the 3D point cloud needs to be converted into a 2D gray-scale image. However, the contrast of the generated image is often not of good quality for direct matching. In this work, we propose an image segmentation approach using the deep learning U-Net to enhance the fingerprint contrast. The enhanced fingerprint images are then used for conventional fingerprint recognition. By applying the proposed method, the fingerprint recognition Equal Error Rate (EER) in experiment A and B improved from 41.32% and 41.97% to 13.96 and 12.49%, respectively, over the public dataset.</p
The sea and the here and:Translation of a poem by Kyongmi Park
No full textIn Kyongmi Park’s dreamlike narrative poem, the sea and the body shape each other in mysterious ways and raise questions about community and selfhood
Quantum Driven Dynamic Passivity Based Neuromechanical Control for Wrist Rehabilitation Robot
Get PDFRobotic-assisted rehabilitation for wrist movements demands adaptive systems capable of balancing patient autonomy with robotic support. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into robotic-assisted rehabilitation offers transformative potential in delivering personalized, dynamic, and effective therapeutic interventions. This study introduces a novel neuromechanical control framework integrating a passivity observer with Quantum-Enhanced Deep Reinforcement Learning (QDRL) for adaptive impedance scaling in wrist rehabilitation robotics. The passivity observer continuously monitors energy exchanges to classify patient states into passive (patient requiring robotic assistance) and non-passive (patient actively participating) categories, dynamically guiding the robot’s impedance adjustments. Experiments were conducted with ten unimpaired human subjects (eight male and two female), who were instructed to simulate rehabilitation scenarios, focusing on three key wrist movements, flexion/extension (FL/EX), abduction/adduction (AB/AD), and pronation/supination (PR/SU). Experimental results showed high correlations ( > 0.83 ) between energy-based and electromyography (EMG)-based passivity classifications, confirming the reliability of the proposed approach. Furthermore, the designed QDRL model significantly outperformed traditional reinforcement learning methods, achieving superior adaptability, stability, and higher average rewards during robotic impedance control. The framework offers advancement in optimizing robotic assistance during motor recovery, promoting personalized rehabilitation by tailoring interventions to the specific needs of each patient