Impact of Ramadan focused education program on hypoglycemic risk and metabolic control for patients with type 2 diabetess

Background: Fasting during the month of Ramadan could lead to acute complications and increased hypoglycemic risk of patients with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, diabetes is one of the diseases that need careful observation and special considerations during Ramadan including patients’ education and counseling. Objectives: To evaluate the impact of Ramadan focused education program on acute complications and biomedical parameters. Methods: A prospective nonrandomized interventional controlled design was run on three phases: before, during, and after Ramadan on 262 type 2 diabetes patients. The intervention group (n=140) received focused individualized diabetic education sessions and antidiabetic medications adjustment before and after Ramadan, while the control group (n=122) received standard diabetic care. A validated hypoglycemia questionnaire was used in both groups to assess the change of the risk. Patients were advised to adjust the dosage and timing of antidiabetic agents according to the recommendations for management of diabetes during Ramadan. Primary outcomes were postintervention change of hypoglycemia score and HbA1c over 6-month follow-up. Data were presented as mean ± standard deviation. HbA1c was expressed in percentage. Results: The hypoglycemic scores before, during, and after Ramadan were 14.21±8.50, 6.36±6.17, and 5.44±5.55 in the intervention group, respectively (P,0.001) and 14.01±5.10, 13.46±5.30, and 9.27±4.65 in the control group, respectively (P,0.001). HbA1c levels were 9.79±1.89, 8.26±1.54, and 8.52±1.61 before, during, and after Ramadan in the intervention group, respectively (P,0.001), and 10.04±1.47, 9.54±1.38, and 9.59±1.79 in the control group, respectively (P,0.001). Post-Ramadan reductions of HbA1c and hypoglycemic scores were significantly higher in the intervention group (-13.0% vs -4.5%, P=0.004 for HbA1c and -61.7% vs -33.8%, P,0.001 for hypoglycemic score). Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol improved in the intervention group from 2.41±0.91 mmol/L before Ramadan to 2.28±0.68 mmol/L after Ramadan (P,0.001). No statistically significant effects were observed on blood pressure or body weight in the intervention group. Also, no change was observed in the control group. Conclusion: Ramadan educational program had a positive impact with reduction of hypoglycemic risk, HbA1c, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Therefore, it could be recommended for patients with increased risk of hypoglycemia during Ramadan fasting

Quality of 3D Printed Objects Using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) Technology in Terms of Dimensional Accuracy

3D printers are known for providing parts with relatively good accuracy. However, the level of accuracy in the dimensions of printed objects may not matter if they do not have a mechanical purpose. When multiple 3D-printed parts are intended to be integrated with each other to create a larger system, even a fraction of a millimeter can have a significant impact on the entire system. This study aims to investigate the variation in dimension when a single print file is replicated using the same slicing settings. The findings are then analyzed using quality control tools and compared to the designed measurements. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology or fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology was chosen for this study due to its availability to the common user, its relatively low cost, and its increasing popularity in different applications and industries. The material used in this study is polylactic acid (PLA) which is a thermoplastic and the most widely used plastic filament in 3D printing. It has a low melting point, high strength, low thermal expansion, and is relatively cheap. The dimensional accuracy of FDM-produced parts was evaluated by comparing the dimensions of the fabricated specimens with their computer-aided design (CAD) models. Statistical analysis revealed that the mean dimensional deviations were within the specified tolerance limits for most of the tested parts. This suggests that FDM technology is reliable in terms of achieving dimensional accuracy