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Cureus Sep 2023A person with diabetes is subject to developing micro and macrovascular complications and prevention requires an active role from the person. So, health literacy should...
INTRODUCTION
A person with diabetes is subject to developing micro and macrovascular complications and prevention requires an active role from the person. So, health literacy should have a preponderant role in the health of people with diabetes but this link is yet not fully understood. The objective of this study is to understand the relationship between health literacy and the prevalence of complications in people with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2).
METHODS
This is a multicentric transversal observational exploratory study. A survey was conducted with two health literacy instruments, the Medical Term Recognition Test (METER) and Newest Vital Sign (NVS), filled out by people with DM2 coming to consultation in primary health centers in three main regions of Portugal. Results: In this sample (n=141), 50.6% were male, 41 to 88 years old, and 56% earned more than the minimum wage. Using the METER tool, it was found that 57.4% of the diabetic patients had functional literacy. Adequate literacy was found in 24.1% with the NVS tool. Also with the NVS tool it was found that 36.2% of the sample subjects had s high probability of limited literacy. Utilizing the METER tool, a statistically significant decrease in health literacy was observed in individuals with diabetic complications (p=0.001). There was no significant relation between the presence of diabetic complications and present blood pressure values, low-density lipoprotein, and socioeconomic index.
CONCLUSION
In this study, we found a significant relation between lower health literacy and the presence of diagnosed DM2 complications (p=0.001).
PubMed: 37900400
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46064 -
British Dental Journal Aug 2023
Topics: Mobile Applications
PubMed: 37620459
DOI: 10.1038/s41415-023-6242-6 -
Science (New York, N.Y.) Apr 2024To understand the glaciers holding back meters of sea level rise, climate scientists swoop in to extract ice from Antarctica's remote west coast.
To understand the glaciers holding back meters of sea level rise, climate scientists swoop in to extract ice from Antarctica's remote west coast.
PubMed: 38635713
DOI: 10.1126/science.adp8618 -
Quarterly Journal of Experimental... May 2024During the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many jurisdictions around the world introduced a "social distance" rule under which people are instructed to...
During the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many jurisdictions around the world introduced a "social distance" rule under which people are instructed to keep a certain distance from others. Generally, this rule is implemented simply by telling people how many metres or feet of separation should be kept, without giving them precise instructions as to how the specified distance can be measured. Consequently, the rule is effective only to the extent that people are able to gauge this distance through their space perception. To examine the effectiveness of the rule from this point of view, this study empirically investigated how much distance people would leave from another person when they relied on their perception of this distance. Participants ( = 153) were asked to stand exactly 1.5 m away from a researcher, and resultant interpersonal distances showed that while their mean was close to the correct 1.5 m distance, they exhibited large individual differences. These results suggest that a number of people would not stay sufficiently away from others even when they intend to do proper social distancing. Given this outcome, it is suggested that official health advice include measures that compensate for this tendency.
Topics: Humans; SARS-CoV-2; Physical Distancing; COVID-19; Pandemics
PubMed: 37542430
DOI: 10.1177/17470218231195247 -
Water Science and Technology : a... Oct 2023Triangular orifices are widely used in industrial and engineering applications, including fluid metering, flow control, and measurement. Predicting discharge through...
Triangular orifices are widely used in industrial and engineering applications, including fluid metering, flow control, and measurement. Predicting discharge through triangle orifices is critical for correct operation and design optimization in various industrial and engineering applications. Traditional approaches like empirical equations have accuracy and application restrictions, whereas computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations can be computationally costly. Alternatively, artificial neural networks (ANNs) have emerged as a successful solution for predicting discharge through orifices. They offer a dependable and efficient alternative to conventional techniques for estimating discharge coefficients, especially in intricate relationships between input parameters and discharge. In this study, ANN models were created to predict discharge through the triangle orifice and velocity at the downstream of the main channel, and their effectiveness was assessed by comparing the performance with the earlier models proposed by researchers. This paper also proposes a novel hybrid multi-objective optimization model (NSGA-II) that uses genetic algorithms to discover the best values for design parameters that maximize discharge and downstream velocity simultaneously.
Topics: Algorithms; Neural Networks, Computer; Hydrodynamics
PubMed: 37906463
DOI: 10.2166/wst.2023.319 -
PloS One 2023Position determination is a critical technical challenge to be addressed in the unmanned and intelligent advancement of crane systems. Traditional positioning...
Position determination is a critical technical challenge to be addressed in the unmanned and intelligent advancement of crane systems. Traditional positioning techniques, such as those based on magnetic grating or encoders, are limited to measuring the positions of the main carriage and trolley. However, during crane operations, accurately determining the position of the load becomes problematic when it undergoes swinging motions. To overcome this limitation, this paper proposes a novel Ultra-Wide-Band (UWB) positioning method for unmanned crane systems, leveraging the Snake Optimizer Long Short-Term Memory (SO-LSTM) framework. The objective is to achieve real-time and precise localization of the crane hook. The proposed method establishes a multi-base station and multi-tag UWB positioning system using a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) combined with Two-Way Ranging (TWR) scheme. This system enables the acquisition of distance measurements between the mobile tag and UWB base stations. Furthermore, the hyperparameters of the LSTM network are optimized using the Snake Optimizer algorithm to enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of UWB positioning estimation. Experimental results demonstrate that the SO-LSTM-based positioning method yields a maximum positioning error of 0.1125 meters and a root mean square error of 0.0589 meters. In comparison to conventional approaches such as the least squares method (LS) and the Kalman filter method (KF), the proposed SO-LSTM-based positioning method significantly reduces the root mean square error (RMSE) by 63.39% and 58.01%, respectively, while also decreasing the maximum positioning error (MPE) by 60.77% and 52.65%.
Topics: Algorithms; Intelligence; Memory, Long-Term; Motion; Stretchers
PubMed: 37910546
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293618 -
Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE Aug 2023Dry powder inhalers offer numerous advantages for delivering drugs to the lungs, including stable solid-state drug formulations, device portability, bolus metering and...
Dry powder inhalers offer numerous advantages for delivering drugs to the lungs, including stable solid-state drug formulations, device portability, bolus metering and dosing, and a propellant-free dispersal mechanism. To develop pharmaceutical dry powder aerosol products, robust in vivo testing is essential. Typically, initial studies involve using a murine model for preliminary evaluation before conducting formal studies in larger animal species. However, a significant limitation in this approach is the lack of suitable device technology to accurately and reproducibly deliver dry powders to small animals, hindering such models' utility. To address these challenges, disposable syringe dosators were developed specifically for intrapulmonary delivery of dry powders in doses appropriate for mice. These dosators load and deliver a predetermined amount of powder obtained from a uniform bulk density powder bed. This discrete control is achieved by inserting a blunt needle to a fixed depth (tamping) into the powder bed, removing a fixed quantity each time. Notably, this dosing pattern has proven effective for a range of spray-dried powders. In experiments involving four different model spray-dried powders, the dosators demonstrated the ability to achieve doses within the range of 30 to 1100 µg. The achieved dose was influenced by factors such as the number of tamps, the size of the dosator needle, and the specific formulation used. One of the key benefits of these dosators is their ease of manufacturing, making them accessible and cost-effective for delivering dry powders to mice during initial proof-of-concept studies. The disposable nature of the dosators facilitates use in animal procedure rooms, where cleaning and refilling reusable systems and weighing materials is inconvenient. Thus, developing disposable syringe dosators has addressed a significant hurdle in murine dry powder delivery for proof-of-concept studies, enabling researchers to conduct more accurate and reproducible preliminary studies in small animal models for pulmonary drug delivery.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Powders; Needles; Syringes; Body Fluids; Drug Delivery Systems
PubMed: 37607097
DOI: 10.3791/65756 -
Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders Jul 2024Walking speed is considered a vital sign of health and better functional outcomes. It is important to assess walking speed both for disease monitoring and before...
BACKGROUND
Walking speed is considered a vital sign of health and better functional outcomes. It is important to assess walking speed both for disease monitoring and before starting rehabilitation. The aim of this study was to examine the reliability, validity, minimal detectable change, and the ideal cutoff time for differentiating patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) who fall from PwMS who do not.
METHODS
This study included 43 PwMS (26 female and 17 male) and 36 healthy controls (23 female and 13 male). The 4-meter walk test (4-MWT) was conducted with the 10-meter walk test (10-MWT), timed up and go (TUG) test, dynamic gait index (DGI), timed 25-foot walk (T25-FW), multiple sclerosis walking scale-12 (MSWS-12), and the expanded disability status scale (EDSS).
RESULTS
Excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.971) was found for the 4-MWT. The SEM value was 0.38 and MDC value was 1.05. The correlations with 4-MWT, 10-MWT, TUG, DGI, T25-FW, MSWS-12, and EDSS were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.001). PwMS had longer 4-MWT times than healthy controls, and PwMS fallers had longer 4-MWT times than non-fallers with PwMS (r between 0.668 and -0.858; p < 0.05 for all). In order to distinguish fallers from non-fallers with PwMS, a 4-MWT cutoff time of 4.14 s was shown to be optimal.
CONCLUSION
The 4-MWT was found to be valid and reliable for PwMS. It is concluded that the 4-MWT is a feasible assessment method for clinical and methodological studies of PwMS with mild to moderate disability.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Reproducibility of Results; Multiple Sclerosis; Adult; Walk Test; Middle Aged; Disability Evaluation
PubMed: 38759422
DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2024.105679 -
Muscle & Nerve Feb 2024Cough impairment is common in individuals with neuromuscular disorders and is associated with respiratory infections and shorter survival. Cough strength is assessed by...
INTRODUCTION/AIMS
Cough impairment is common in individuals with neuromuscular disorders and is associated with respiratory infections and shorter survival. Cough strength is assessed by measuring cough peak flow (CPF) using a flow meter, but this method requires a complex device setup and trained staff. The aim of the study is to evaluate the reliability of a smartphone app to estimate CPF based on cough sounds in a cohort of individuals with neuromuscular disorders.
METHODS
Individuals with neuromuscular disorders underwent CPF measurement with a flow meter and a smartphone app. A CPF <270 L/min was considered abnormal.
RESULTS
Of the 50 patients studied, 26 had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (52%), 15 had hereditary myopathies (30%), and 9 had myasthenia gravis (18%). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between the CPF measured with a flow meter and CPF estimated with cough sounds was 0.774 (p < .001) even if the patients had orofacial weakness (ICC = 0.806, p < .001). The smartphone app had 94.4% sensitivity and 100% specificity to detect patients with CPF of less than 270 L/min.
DISCUSSION
Our findings suggest that sounds measured with a smartphone app provide a reliable estimate of CPF in patients with neuromuscular disorders, even in the presence of with orofacial weakness. This may be a convenient way to monitor respiratory involvement in patients with neuromuscular disorders, but larger studies of more diverse patient cohorts are needed.
Topics: Humans; Reproducibility of Results; Neuromuscular Diseases; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; Nervous System Diseases; Cough
PubMed: 37860934
DOI: 10.1002/mus.27987 -
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and... Oct 2023A cross sectional pan-India study about use of administration devices for paediatric oral and inhalation medicines was conducted with a diverse pool of participants of...
A cross sectional pan-India study about use of administration devices for paediatric oral and inhalation medicines was conducted with a diverse pool of participants of various age groups. Via 634 respondents from more than 15 states in India, this study has identified the administration devices commonly used by parents/caregivers for children 0 to 18 years and by children over 10 years. It has provided insights on device ease of use, challenges faced and recommendations to facilitate the correct use of administration devices for paediatric oral and inhalation medicines. Ethics approval (DPSRU-BREC/2020/A/008)) was obtained from the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee of Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University. The survey was completed by parents only (n = 514) and jointly by both parents and children (n = 120). The mean age of the child was 7.2 ± 4.96 years. 72% of the respondents reported that an oral medicine had been taken recently, 6.3% reported that an inhaled medicine had been taken and the remaining 21.9% reported that both an oral and inhaled medicine had been taken. The use of measuring cup was most prevalent followed by household spoons. The mean of the score for ease of use was found to be highest 4.6 ± 0.50 for oral syringe and lowest (3.8 ± 0.76) for measuring cups. The majority of them found the oral device easy to use. Difficulties were reported mostly for measuring cups and household spoons and were related to a lack of user instructions and measuring difficulties. The respondents who found the device easy to use had mostly received clear instructions from healthcare professionals. Compared to oral devices, there were very limited responses for inhalation devices (n = 175/634). Nebulisers with facemasks were most frequently used followed by manually actuated Metered dose inhalers with and without spacer. The mean of the ease-of-use score for dry powder inhalers was found to be highest (4.2 ± 0.37) followed by mist inhalers (4.0 ± 0) and manually actuated pressurised metered dose inhalers (4.0 ± 0.71). The nebulisers with facemask were reported to be difficult to use by most of the respondents despite receiving clear instructions from healthcare professionals. The study findings add evidence to the understudied area of user experiences and perspectives on administration devices for oral and inhalation medicines in India. It highlights a need for initiatives to improve the usability, availability, and affordability of administration devices for children in India. Awareness on the importance of proper use of devices needs to be raised and sustained about the existence of affordable administration devices.
PubMed: 37689319
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2023.09.005