Integration of Wearable Technologies into Patients’ Electronic Medical Records

Health Wearable Technologies are becoming more popular all around the world. Smart watches and fitness trackers are currently being used by many and the utilization is expected to continue to grow. The innovative technology will certainly play a key role to the optimal operating of future society, especially with applications in healthcare. This article will introduce the concept of wearable technology with advantages and challenges of its application in the healthcare industry

Community Based Initiatives and Strategies for Adapting to Wind Storm Disasters along the Black and White Volta Rivers in the Northern Region of Ghana

Climate change induced disasters have become a regular phenomenon in many parts of the world including Ghana, causing loss of human life and property. This paper particularly investigates how communities along the Black and White Volta Rivers in the Central Gonja district of the Northern region of Ghana adapt to windstorm disasters and to provide policy recommendations on effective strategies to enhance climate change adaptation and resilience. A sample of one hundred (100) respondents, 10 each from 5 communities along the White and Black Volta rivers were randomly selected and interviewed on their knowledge of and how they respond to the phenomenon. Key informant interviews were also held with key institutions of the district. The results reveal that majority of community members along the rivers rely on indigenous early warning systems for alerts on impending windstorms. Their adaptation strategies are varied and their resilience levels are very low. The paper therefore, recommends among other things that the capacity of communities be built on how to complement the indigenous knowledge system with scientific methods for early warning and preparedness in order to boost their resilience. Keywords: Climate Change, Wind Storms, White & Black Volta Rivers, Resilience

Chelating ion-exchange Properties of Polyurethane Resin Derived from Thiazolo[5,4-D]Thiozole

3,6-dihydrothiazolo [5, 4-d] thiazole which supported on polyurethane was synthesized. The prepared compound was characterized by FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The chelating properties towards various metal ions Pb2+, Mn2+, Cr3+, Co3+and Cd+3 was examined. The effects of concentration of metal ions, time of extraction and pH as well as the recovery of ions have been studied. The results showed that the high activity order of resin to extract the metal ions is Pb2> Cd+3 > Mn2+>Cr3+> Co3+. Keywords: thiazole, polyurethane, chelating resin, chelating efficiency, coordination polymer

Effect of Deposition Time on the Optical Characteristics of Chemically Deposited Nanostructure PbS Thin Films

AbstractPbS thin films are good materials for antireflection coatings and for solar thermal applications in flat-plat collectors, house heating for solar chick brooding, etc. Nanocrystalline PbS thin films were deposited on glass substrates with various deposition times using chemical bath deposition technique. The study was carried out for thicknesses in the range (500-660nm). The crystalline size of these films was studied by atomic force microscope AFM. A dense surface composed of multilayered grains of films was obtained with the crystal size around 37.67nm. The optical properties of these films have been studied and show that PbS thin films have allowed direct transition and the values of energy gap varied between (1.88-1.55eV) with increasing film thickness, The large optical band gap in the films is attributed to the quantum coefficient effect. Influences of thermal treatments under various annealing temperatures on the optical properties for some deposition films were studied

Effect of some plant extracts on larval mortality against the stem nematode (Ditylenchusdipsaci) and compared with synthetic pesticides

Abstract: Studies were carried out in 2014,in department of plant protection-Damascus University, to determine the nematicidal effect of leaves of Inulaviscosa, dry fruits of Meliaazedaracht, whole plant of Tagetespatula and leaves of Eucalyptus camaldulensis on the stem nematode (DitylenchusdipsaciKühn, 1857)and compared with synthetic pesticides (carbofuran, methomyl, carbaryl and dimethoate) in vitro.The ethanol extracts of the tested plants were the most toxic against D. dipsaci, followed by water extracts. Ethanol extracts of Inulaviscosahad the highest effect on fourth-stage juveniles (J4)the corrected mortality %, (78%&82%), followed by ethanol extract of Meliaazedarachtwhich gave the corrected mortality %, (73%& 77%) after 24 and 48 hrs. of exposer, respectively.The concentration of 100 mg/kg -1 of carbofuran, methomyl, carbaryl and dimethoate gave the corrected mortality %,:94%, 89%, 43% and 65 % of the treated juveniles (J4) nematodes after 48 hrs. Carbofuran and methomyl had better activity as compared to water and methanol extracts of tested plants. When the dead nematodes were studied under the microscope it became apparent that they had either one of four very distinct shapes, namely: straight (I-shape), bent (banana-shape), sigmoid (∑-shape), or curly (∞-shape). We can arranged the effect of plant extraction and pesticides at corrected mortality %: carbofuran>methomyl> Inulaviscosa> Meliaazedarach> dimethoate>Tagetespatula>carbaryl>Eucalyptus camaldulensis.In the consequence, Ethanol and water extracts of leaves of Inulaviscosa and dry fruits of Meliaazedarachtshowed nematicidal activity against Ditylenchusdipsaci under laboratory condition

Enhancement efficiency of polymer solar cells by incorporating metal oxide nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) deposited at the interface of the hole-collecting buffer layer [poly(3,4ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate)(PEDOT:PSS)] and regiore-gular poly (3-hexylthiophene) :[6,6]-phenylC61-butyricacidmethylester(rr-P3HT):(PCBM) active layer were found to significantly increase solar cell performance. The photo-physical properties of these devices incorporated with AuNPs with different space distributions in the interface of PEDOT:PSS buffer layer and P3HT:PCBM active layer are investigated. We find that, the optical property is improved as the AuNPs are large enough to penetrate into the active layer and the performance of Photovoltaic solar cells (PSCs) with large AuNPs can benefit from the improved hole collection efficiency. The efficiency enhancement for the device with a PEDOT:PSS: AuNPs film is more significant than for the device with PEDOT:PSS film. Keywords: PEDOT:PSS, Buffer layer, P3HT:PCBM, Gold oxide nanoparticle

Comparative Study on Linear and Non-Linear Geostatistical Methods: A Case Study on Kalsaka Hill Gold Deposit, Burkina Faso

Selecting an appropriate method to evaluate an ore deposit is imperative in resource estimation since it becomes the basis for reliable planning and development of a mine. Even though linear geostatistical methods such as Ordinary Kriging (OK) give reasonable estimates, there may be instances where recoverable resource estimates are difficult to obtain, particularly when the deposit is characterised by a positively skewed grade distribution with some outliers. Multiple Indicator Kriging (MIK), which is a non-linear estimation technique, is not based on any assumption about the distribution underlying the data and offers realistic solutions to problems associated with skewness and outliers. This paper looks at the use of MIK technique as an alternative method of recoverable resource estimation to OK by comparing the resource estimates obtained from MIK and OK models. OK model showed more smoothing effect on its estimates than the MIK model as evidenced in swath plots. Underestimated grades and tonnages were observed when OK was used to estimate a gold deposit at Kalsaka, according to the grade and tonnage reconciliation. MIK model yields estimates which are higher and closer to the actual than the OK model estimates. Keywords: Gold, Multiple Indicator Kriging, Ordinary Kriging, Outlier, Variograph

In vitro Anti-proliferative and Apoptotic Activities of Eurycoma longifolia Jack (Simaroubaceae) on HL-60 Cell Line

Purpose: To investigate the anti-proliferative, apoptotic and differentiating activities of Eurycoma longifolia root extracts on HL-60 leukemic cells.Methods: HL-60 cells were treated with different partially purified sub-fractions (F1 – F3) derived from the resin chromatography of the crude methanol root extract of E. longifolia roots, at different doses andtime points. The anti-proliferative activity of E. longifolia was assessed via cell counting and trypan blue exclusion. Apoptosis was evaluated via Annexin-V FITC/IP and Hoechst staining. Flow cytometry and Wright staining were used to assess its differentiation activities.Results: F1 showed unremarkable growth inhibition rate while F2 and F3 showed growth inhibitory effects with median inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 15.2 and 28.6 ìg/ml, respectively. Treatment with F2 and F3 (100 ìg/ml) for 96 h increased cell death from 3.3 to 95.5 and 76.3 %,respectively. Treatment with F2 (50 ìg/ml) induced apoptosis by 14, 19.5 and 25 % after 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively. No differentiation activity was observed, as indicated by absence of myeloid maturation and a non-significant CD14 positivity (p > 0.05).Conclusion: E. longifolia extract (F2) showed promising anti-leukemic activity and can be a candidate for the development of a drug for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL).Keywords: Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), HL-60 cells, Eurycoma longifolia, Apoptosis, Antiproliferation, Differentiatio

The Protective Properties of the Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) against Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats Mediated by Anti-Apoptotic and Upregulation of Antioxidant Genes Expression Effects

The strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) has been extensively used to treat a wide range of ailments in many cultures. The present study was aimed at evaluating the hepatoprotective effect of strawberry juice on experimentally induced liver injury in rats. To this end, rats were introperitoneally injected with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) with or without strawberry juice supplementation for 12 weeks and the hepatoprotective effect of strawberry was assessed by measuring serum liver enzyme markers, hepatic tissue redox status and apoptotic markers with various techniques including biochemistry, ELISA, quantitative PCR assays and histochemistry. The hepatoprotective effect of the strawberry was evident by preventing CCl4-induced increase in liver enzymes levels. Determination of oxidative balance showed that strawberry treatment significantly blunted CCl4-induced increase in oxidative stress markers and decrease in enzymatic and non-enzymatic molecules in hepatic tissue. Furthermore, strawberry supplementation enhanced the anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2, and restrained the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and caspase-3 with a marked reduction in collagen areas in hepatic tissue. These findings demonstrated that strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) juice possessed antioxidant, anti-apoptotic and anti-fibrotic properties, probably mediated by the presence of polyphenols and flavonoids compounds

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF TWO DIMENSIONAL TRANSIENT NATURAL CONVECTION HEAT TRANSFER FROM ISOTHERMAL HORIZONTAL CYLINDRICAL ANNULI

Numerical solutions are presented for the transient natural convection heat transfer problem in horizontal isothermal cylindrical annuli, enclosed in heated inner and cooled outer cylinders. Solutions for laminar case were obtained within Grashof number based on the inner diameter which varied from 1x102 to 1x105 in air. Both vorticity and energy equations were solved using alternating direction implicit (ADI) method and stream function equation by successive over relaxation (SOR) method. The structure of fluid flow such as a velocity vector and temperature distribution as well as Nusselt number were obtained and the effect of diameter ratio on them is examined. In addition, the Grashof number was changed with the influence of variation Prandtle number and diameter ratio. Our numerical calculation are summarized by Nussult number vs. Grashof number curves with diameter ratios and prandtl as a parameter, which serves as a guide to natural convection heat transfer calculated from annulus. Good agreement with previous data were obtained.