design

Cities with developing economies experience exhausted waste collection services, and inadequately managed and uncontrolled dumpsites; which is an ongoing challenge and many struggles due to weak institutions and rapid urbanization. The purpose of the research is to design and construct a smart garbage disposal system using a two-way power supply unit (that is, the electrical power supply unit and solar power supply unit) based on Arduino Nano that utilizes ATMEGA 328p microcontroller. Two pairs of ultrasonic sensors, the pair that faced upward detects the presence of garbage disposal agent at a close distance of (5 - 50) cm and then opens the lid while the other pair faced the inside of the container senses when the container is filled up and then closes the container until it is emptied are used.

Proper feeding practices at an early age are the key to improving a child’s overall health and achieving developmental milestones. In Bangladesh, a large portion of rural girls become mothers before the age of 18. Past records show that most interventions are designed to improve infant and young child feeding practices targeting older mothers. That is why, this study has been designed with an aim to explore the perceptions and practices of infant and young children feeding among rural Bangladeshi mothers aged <19 years old. Data was collected through in-depth interviews and group discussions with a total of 40 adolescent mothers who have children aged 0-3 years. Data has revealed that the majority of the mothers hold very limited knowledge of nutrition and child nutrition but those who are educationally a bit ahead hold a little better knowledge. Participants are aware of breastfeeding but they all misinterpret the term ‘exclusive breastfeeding’ with other liquid food. It has also emerged that most of the mothers know the ideal timing of starting complementary feeding but very few of them actually understand what to feed children. In spite of having misconceptions and superstation rural adolescent mothers practice responsive feeding instead of force-feeding. No gender discrimination has been found regarding child feeding. The findings of the study pinpointed that mothers are unable to practice proper infant and child feeding due to a lack of knowledge and limited affordability. Educating girls & young mothers and improving financial security could be an effective way to promote improved infant feeding practices.

The well-documented therapeutic potential of group singing for patients living with Alzheimer’s disease (PLAD) has been hindered by COVID-19 restrictions, exacerbating loneliness and cognitive decline among seniors in residential and long-term care centers (CHSLDs). Addressing this challenge, the multidisciplinary study aims to develop a patient-oriented virtual reality (XR) interaction system facilitating group singing for mental health support during confinement and enhancing the understanding of the links between Alzheimer’s disease, social interaction, and singing. The researchers also propose to establish an early AD detection system using voice, facial, and non-invasive biometric measurements and validate the efficacy of selected intervention practices. The methodology involves co-designing an intelligent environment with caregivers to support PLAD mental health through online group singing, addressing existing constraints in CHSLDs. The researchers will engage volunteers in remote singing interactions and validate the impact of voice stimulation for PLADs using a control group. The primary expected outcome is the development of an “Intelligent Learning Health Environment,” fostering interactions while adapting to individual PLAD situations and incrementally accumulating knowledge on AD signs. This environment will facilitate the transfer of knowledge and technologies to promote non-verbal interactions via singing, enabling intervention at the first symptoms. Additionally, the research will contribute to transforming CHSLDs’ living environments, informed by neuroscience insights, and potentially extend the “collaborative self-care” approach to support seniors in aging safely and healthily at home.

Introduction: Twin pregnancy, compared to a singleton pregnancy, is associated with a higher risk of preterm birth and other neonatal complications. This study aimed to compare neonatal mortality rates and risk factors among births with the gestational age of 34 weeks - 37 weeks in twin and singleton pregnancies.Methods: The study design was cross-sectional and population-based. We extracted the data from the birth information registry in Iran. Mothers' and neonates' information was removed from the registry systems between 2018 and 2020. We used Statistical R software to compare neonatal mortality rate, demographic variables, and risk factors between two groups of twin and singleton neonates.Results: Out of 579,873 live births with a gestational age of 34 weeks - 37 weeks, 729 (1.4/1000) singleton and 54(0.77/1000) twins (one out of two) neonates died in the delivery room in the first hour of life. Of the neonates who left the delivery room alive, 3129 (4.9 per 1000) neonates had died (5.7/1000 singleton and 3.04/1000 twin). The neonatal mortality rate in hospitalized singleton neonates (1.85%) was higher than twin group (1.06%). After adjustment of other variables, the mortality rate in twin pregnancy was significantly lower than in singletons (p value < 1/1000), with an odds ratio of 0.47 (CI: 0.39 - 0.55). Antenatal corticosteroid treatment in the twin group was significantly higher than in singletons.Conclusion: Twin neonatal mortality rate was lower than singletons in the neonates with gestational age 34 weeks - 37 weeks. Clinicians could consider these results for delivery timing in uncomplicated twin pregnancies. Antenatal corticosteroid therapy can be considered to reduce the mortality rate of late preterm neonates in resource-limited countries.

Stress, pain, injuries, and errors in dental procedures are situations highly linked to dentistry derived from multiple factors making this profession a profession with high physical and mental demand to achieve quality treatment without deteriorating the health of those who perform it, in this case, the dentist, the assistant, and hygienist.The effects of wrong postures, but above all, the lack of knowledge of the proper postures, the modeling of bad habits acquired during the training stage in dental school, and the lack of work guidelines that not only take into account the dentist but also to all the work staff and the methodological organization of dental tasks can be found in the scientific literature.Magnification devices are known to improve vision, precision, and ergonomics in dentistry; advances in the area of ​​high magnification in dentistry are taking place by leaps and bounds. In recent years, a new magnification loupes design has appeared on the market, called ergonomic magnification loupes appeared that stands out from conventional Galilean and Keplerian through the lens (TTL) Flip-up loupes in terms of their postural benefits and is part of the arsenal of magnification loupes to consider in the market.The postural approach of high magnification equipment is necessary for professional practice, where the design of Ergonomic magnification loupes with consideration not only for magnification but also for the operator’s postural health which can have a significant impact on the performance and overall health of the dentist and hygienist, more if incorporated from the beginning of dental school education and training.

The newly launched IAEA project MEREIA (MEthods for Radiological and Environmental Impact Assessment; 2021- 2025), MEREIA continues some activities of previous IAEA exercises in the field of radioecological modelling and focuses on areas where the probabilistic approach determines the predictive capability of environmental models. The program offered the opportunity to set up well-designed and verified scenarios to collect and compare exposures predicted by particular models based on this scenario and then perform a validation study of contributing models. It consists of the comparison of model prediction with observed data or in the case where there is a lack of measurement data to perform a comparison within model prognoses.  The previous international works have brought significant improvement in environmental modeling in terms of better understanding and mathematical description of complex physical and chemical phenomena that occur in various environmental media and also have promoted new areas for experimental investigations. The new experimental results yielded updated handbooks of a large number of environmental parameters for less-known elements. Moreover, the principal objective of the activities in environmental modelling was an integrated risk assessment of the reference group of population and biota associated with radionuclides releases from various kinds of nuclear facilities as from different types and power nuclear reactors, radioactive waste disposal and more complex nuclear research facility. This reflects recent international recommendations to extend protection against radiation hazards of humans to wildlife flora and fauna. However, the statistics supported knowledge on some essential environmental parameters still remain small. Therefore, one could be aware of some limitations of the probabilistic approach that required advanced methods of probabilistic prognosis Monte Carlo.

Rising greenhouse gas emissions have contributed to unprecedented levels of climate change, while microbial conversion and utilization of CO2 is a practical way to reduce emissions and promote green manufacturing. This article mainly summarizes several natural CO2 pathways that have been discovered, including the Calvin cycle, the reduced tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycle, the Wood–Ljungdahl (WL) pathway, the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate (HP/HB) cycle, the dicarboxylate/4-hydroxybutyrate (DC/HB) cycle, the 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP) cycle, the reductive glycine (rGly) pathway, and artificially designed carbon fixation pathways includes the CETCH cycle, the MOG pathway, the acetyl-CoA bicycle, and the POAP cycle. We also discussed applications of different carbon fixation enzymes, notably ribulose-1, 5-diphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, pyruvate carboxylase, carbonic anhydrase, as well as formate dehydrogenase. This paper further addressed the development of photosynthetic autotrophs, chemergic autotrophs and model bacteria Escherichia coli or yeast produced main products for CO2 fixation through metabolic engineering, such as alcohols, organic acids, fatty acids and lipids, bioplastics, terpenoids, hydrocarbons, and biomass.  Future studies on CO2 microbial conversion should focus on improving the efficiency of carbon fixation enzymes, metabolic modules of the carbon sequestration pathway, and intracellular energy utilization. Coupled microbial and electrochemical methods for CO2 fixation, in addition to biological fixation, show considerable promise. 

The cosmetic industry is searching for new active ingredients from renewable natural sources to make more environmentally friendly and safe products. Botanical extract is a nearly limitless source of these new actives due to the current consumer demands as well as international regulations. Due to both their fragrant nature for the creation of fragrances and perfumes and the numerous advantageous properties of their individual components (EOCs), such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties, essential oils (EOs) emerge as a very common natural ingredient in cosmetics and toiletries. Additionally, nowadays, the cosmetic industry includes EOs or different mixtures of their individual components (EOCs), either as active ingredients or as preservatives, in various product ranges (e.g., moisturizers, lotions, and cleansers in skin care cosmetics; conditioners, masks or anti-dandruff products in hair care products; lipsticks, or fragrances in perfumery). However, because each essential oil’s distinct chemical profile is linked to a different set of advantages, it is challenging to generalize about how they might be used in cosmetics and toiletries. Formulators frequently spend time looking for appropriate combinations of EOs or EOCs to achieve particular advantages in the finished products. The literature on the most recent developments in the use of EOs and EOCs in the production of cosmetic products is updated in this work’s review of the literature. Additionally, certain particular issues pertaining to the security of EOs and EOCs in cosmetics will be covered. It is expected that the information contained in this comprehensive review can be exploited by formulators in the design and optimization of cosmetic formulations containing EOs.

Background and objectives: A stroke is a neurological deficit, caused due to vascular changes. Impaired postural control and balance impairments in post-stroke patients are associated with a high risk of falls among stroke patients. The perturbation-based balance training is mainly used in older adults and balance impairment. Virtual reality (VR) as a novel technology is rapidly becoming a popular intervention for improving balance. VR can visualize computer-generated environments with a full field of view through Head-mounted displays (HMD-VR). This study was conducted to assess and investigate the effect of balance exercises with smartphone-based virtual reality programs on balance in stroke patients.Methods: This was a randomized single-group pre and post-test study design. 30 subjects met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled, assigned, and received intervention. Subjects were given perturbation-based balance exercises and smartphone-based virtual reality along with conventional physiotherapy. The intervention protocol was for 6 days/week for 4 weeks period. Results: Following 4 weeks of intervention showed improvement in postural control and balance which was assessed using BBS, TUG, VR BESS, BESTest, and SIS 3.0. Paired t-test was used to differentiate the mean significance. The mean pre to post-intervention difference is 12.6 with a p - value < 0.05. TUG score improved from pre to post-intervention difference is 1.443 with a p - value < 0.05. VR BESS score improved from pre to post-intervention difference is 10.266 with a p value < 0.05. The mean BESTest pre to post-intervention difference is 11.467 with a p - value < 0.05. SIS 3.0 score improved from a pre to post-intervention difference is 20.33 with p - value < 0.05. The result of this study showed a highly significant difference in pre and post-treatment.Conclusion: The study concludes that perturbation-based balance exercises with smartphone-based virtual reality programs are a useful adjunct to improving balance in stroke patients along with conventional physiotherapy. 

Yemen with its diverse climatic regions represents a rich resource for bioactive compounds obtained from microorganisms. This study was designed to screen fungal isolates obtained from the Microbiology branch, Biological Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, Sana’a University for their ability to produce L-asparaginase enzyme. In preliminary screening for L-asparaginase, among 77 fungal isolates about 29 fungal isolates representing 37.66% were high producers of L-asparaginase. These fungal isolates belonged to the genera Aspergillus, Eupenicillium, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Stachyobotrys. These 29 fungal isolates were screened for their ability to produce L-asparaginase using the agar well diffusion method. 12 fungal isolates out of 29 showed the ability to produce extracellular L-asparaginase. These isolates belonged to 8 species which were: A. sulphurs, A. ustus, F. sacchari, P. chrysogenum, P. citrinum, P. corylophilum, P. melinii, and P. subturcoseum. Only 5 isolates were obtained for the determination of enzymatic activity, among them P. chrysogenum showed the highest activity (279.8696U ml-1) followed by A. ustus (170.9435U ml-1). This finding is the first report on the L-asparaginase production from filamentous fungi in Yemen.

Background: The recruitment of experienced clinical nurses into vacant faculty positions is a global strategy for preparing, employing, and retaining competent nurse educators. As clinical nurses transition to academia, many struggle with unique challenges that affect their adaptation to the academic setting. Thus, understanding novice nurse educators’ transitional challenges is critical to addressing this threat. Aim: This study aimed to explore the challenges of novice nurse educators’ transition from clinical practice to academia in Ghana. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study design was employed for this study. A purposive sampling technique was used to recruit 12 novice nurse educators from three health training institutions in the Upper East Region of Ghana. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data through in-depth individual interviews. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed.Results: Four themes emerged: poor administrative support, poor preparation, increased workload and stress, and role ambiguity. Novice nurse educators lacked formal orientation, formal mentorship, formal education in teaching, and post-graduate education. Novices were also challenged by increased workload and role ambiguity. Conclusion: Supporting novice nurse educators' transition from clinical practice would be better served by college administrators’ creation and implementation of formal orientation and mentorship programs.

Naturalistic enclosures have become a popular exhibition technique for zoos, and reptiles and amphibians are regularly housed in these exhibits. While a considerable sum of research indicates that visitors prefer naturalistic exhibits, there are fewer studies documenting the behaviour and welfare of animals housed under these conditions. This study investigated the impact of a naturalistic enclosure on the behaviour of the turquoise dwarf gecko (Lygodactylus williamsi), and the welfare perceptions of visitors. When kept under naturalistic enclosures, dwarf geckos were seen to bask (p = 0.022), and engage in inactive behaviours (p = 0.001) significantly less frequently. A non-significant decrease was also seen in locomotion | (p = 0.074). While time spent hidden remains a confounding factor for behavioural analysis, the study indicates that when provided with hiding opportunities, L. williamsi may spend a considerable amount of time hidden from the public. Questionnaire analysis revealed that 84.6% of individuals believed that naturalistic enclosures demonstrated better welfare. Additionally, individuals who had previously owned a reptile were more likely to identify that areas to hide, enrich, and mimic the natural environment were important aspects of enclosure design. While the actual benefits of naturalistic enclosure design cannot be fully addressed by this study, this work suggests that visitors tend to inherently believe that naturalistic enclosures facilitate better welfare, even if they are not aware of the natural environment of the species being housed. This requires keepers to consider both aspects of functionality and enclosure relevance when designing exhibits for herptiles.

In this review, latex from the Hevea Brasiliensis tree is presented as a material originating from nature, used to produce natural rubber, raw material for countless products for industry, as well as the manufacture of preservatives, and gloves, among others. Nowadays, its potential is expanding into various technological areas, one of which is biomedical, as described in this article. Latex has the possibility of being preserved using ammonium, which is a chemical of high health risk, but nowadays it is being substituted by acid systems excluding traditional chemicals. With these new preservation processes, the prospective use of latex for the design of biosensor scaffolds for drug release, and as membranes that can replace synthetic latex in patches for bioremediation in soft and bone tissues, synthetic muscles, membranes for biological micro laboratories, among others, is being studied to optimize its possibilities.

Background: Neonatal hypoglycemia is known to cause significant neuronal damage and poor neurodevelopmental outcomes. Consensus guidelines are lacking for the management of persistent neonatal hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinism which often requires high concentrations of dextrose and medications. Although used in the pediatric population with persistent hypoglycemia, only a few case reports are published regarding the use of Maltodextrin supplementation in persistent neonatal hypoglycemia due to transient hyperinsulinism. Objective: To audit the use of Maltodextrins in the management of persistent neonatal hypoglycemia due to transient hyperinsulinism in neonates. Audit design: A retrospective chart review (CERNER electronic data) of all cases with persistent neonatal hypoglycemia who received Maltodextrin supplementation for a period of 3½ years between July 2018 and December 2021. Results: A total of 18 neonates received Maltodextrin supplementation for neonatal hypoglycemia during the audit period. 16/18 (89%) neonates who received Maltodextrin supplementation were weaned off from intravenous dextrose within 1 week without major side effects or severe rebound hypoglycemia. Two out of 18 babies who received Maltodextrin needed Diazoxide supplementation for persistent hypoglycemia.  Conclusion: The results of our audit are promising, yet further research and randomized controlled studies are needed to systematically evaluate the findings of this audit regarding Maltodextrin supplementation for the management of neonatal hypoglycemia with transient hyperinsulinism.

Introduction: Acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) of viral etiology is a frequent consultation in pediatrics. Post-infectious bronchiolitis obliterans (PIBO) is a rare and potentially severe disorder following ALRI, characterized by partial or complete obstruction of the small airways by inflammatory tissue. There is evidence that macrolides reduce morbidity and mortality in diffuse panbronchiolitis, which may have similar inflammatory and obstructive components.We hypothesized that the effect of azithromycin (AZ) may improve lung function and reduce pulmonary exacerbations in PIBO.MethodsStudy design: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.Patients: We enrolled patients with PIBO followed-up at the Pulmonology department between 5 years to 18 years.Treatment regimen: The patients were randomized to receive active drug or placebo three times a week. Clinical evaluation: Clinical evaluation, pulse oximetry, lung function, and 6-min walk test were performed before and after study initiation and at 1, 3, and 6 months.CT scan and a quality of life questionnaire were performed at the beginning and the end of the Study.Results: 29 patients, 15 in G1 (10 males) and 14 in G2 (7 males) were included.There were no significant differences in FVC, FEV1, TLC, RV, or sGaw between the treatment group and controls. In addition, no significant differences were observed in exacerbations, quality of life questionnaire, or HRCT scan scores.Conclusion: No differences were observed between the groups. Further studies are necessary to allow us to find a better treatment, as azithromycin does not seem to be efficacious.

Introduction: The current gold standard for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis by real-time RT-PCR has limitations of gene numbers that can be detected. In this study, we developed a low-cost and high-throughput next-generation sequencing technology that can overcome the limitations of RT-PCR. Methodology: A targeted sequencing panel (TSP) consisting of approximately 500 amplicons was designed that can simultaneously detect a broad range of gene loci of SARS-CoV-2 and genes for the most common viruses of respiratory infectious viruses in a single run of up to 96 samples. 448 samples and 31 control samples were examined independently with both TSP and RT-PCR, results were compared for accuracy and other indicators. Results:  TSP identified 50 SARS-CoV-2 positive samples with a 99.33% match to RT-PCR results. It is not surprising that TSP also identified multiple viral infections from 96 samples, whereas RT-PCR could not. TSP demonstrated its ability to conclude diagnosis for those undecided from RT-PCR tests. Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that TSP is a fast and accurate test for detecting multiple pathogen infections of the respiratory tract.

The aging global population requires a new social model to meet the growing social, economic, and physical needs of seniors. Western social models need to be reconsidered in light of examples that support communal ways of living, which are sustainable through smart city design for more supportive geriatric care systems. To address the complex problems of geriatric care in this growing aging population with specific needs related to increased lifespan and limited financial resources, the use of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), should be considered. As retirement ages rise and funds for retirement continue to decrease automated and sustainable solutions need to be sought. The ethical need to consider citizens not as customers but as decision-makers and to validate the ethical nature of medical decisions made for and by individuals should also be prioritized. This study provides recommendations for a smart city design and highlights the need for reflection on the ethics, modernization, and management of geriatric care. It suggests that technological devices can benefit health system reform by facilitating problem-solving. Overall, this new model integrates communal living and non-Western values with emerging technologies to address the growing need for geriatric care and the well-being of seniors.

Cells have emerged as highly promising vehicles for delivering drugs due to their unique advantages. They have the ability to bypass immune recognition, navigate biological barriers, and reach difficult-to-access tissues through sensing and active movement. Over the past couple of decades, extensive research has been conducted to understand how cell carriers can overcome biological barriers and influence drug effectiveness. This has resulted in the development of engineered cells for targeted drug delivery to specific tissues. Despite the presence of exciting developments, a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and potential strategies is necessary for the effective clinical application of cell-based drug carriers. This review provides an overview of recent progress and novel concepts in cell-based drug carriers, as well as their potential for translation into clinical practice. Additionally, we delve into important factors and emerging strategies for designing the next generation of cell-based delivery technologies, with a particular emphasis on achieving greater accuracy and targeted drug administration.

Purpose: The role of healthcare workers in cervical cancer prevention is pivotal because healthcare workers’ recommendations have been reported to be a key motivational factor for cervical cancer screening among women in Nigeria. Assessing their knowledge, attitudes, and practices on cervical cancer prevention is necessary.Patients and methods: This is a cross-sectional survey involving healthcare workers in Ekiti State, Nigeria. A questionnaire designed for the study was used to obtain data about the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the healthcare workers. Logistic regression was used to assess the determinants of practice and a p - value of less than 0.05 was taken as statistically significant.Results: Out of 188 participants that completed the study, 165(90.7%) had good knowledge about the prevention of cervical cancer while 24(13.2%) had good practice concerning the prevention of cervical cancer. positive attitude (Odds ratio 1.24, 95% CI 1.14 - 1.35, p < 0.001) increased the odds of good practice.Conclusion: There was no association between the knowledge of cervical cancer prevention and the practice of the healthcare workers. Further research is required to explore the incongruence between knowledge and practice of cervical cancer prevention and its practice.

Aim: A descriptive-analytical study was done to assess the proportion of the risk of stroke among male patients attending the outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital, in Ernakulam District, Kerala. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess the proportion of the risk of stroke among male patients attending outpatient departments and to determine the association of stroke risk level with socio-personal variables. Methods: The research approach of the study is a quantitative approach. The research design selected for the study is a descriptive-analytical design. The convenience sampling method was used for sample selection. The study was done in MOSC Medical College Hospital, Kolenchery among 288 male patients who met the inclusion criteria. Data collection was done using socio-personal proforma and stroke risk scorecards. Results: Collected data were analysed by using descriptive and inferential statistics presented in tables and pie diagrams. The study findings revealed that out of 288 subjects, 43.4% have low stroke risk, 13.9% are in caution and 42.7% have high stroke risk. The findings also revealed that there is a significant association of stroke risk level with age, education, occupation, BMI and place of residence. Statement of the problem: Proportion of risk of stroke among male patients attending outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital, Ernakulam district, Kerala. Proportion of risk of stroke among male patients attending outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital, Ernakulam district, Kerala.