Factors associated with stress among first-year undergraduate students attending an Australian university

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between stress and various socio-demographic, health and behavioural factors among undergraduate students studying in an Australian university. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among firstyear undergraduate students studying at Griffith University. Participants were recruited from four different academic groups (N=728). The questionnaire used in this study comprised of three sections: socio-demographic information, stress scale and a food frequency questionnaire. K-means Cluster analysis was performed to identify the major dietary patterns and multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine the factors associated with stress. Results: Nearly 53% of the students had some degree of stress with 37.4% experiencing moderate to severe levels of stress. The factors most strongly associated with having mild or moderate/ severe stress levels included being in a relationship [OR =1.71, 95% CI (1.02-2.87) and OR=1.61, 95% CI (1.06-2.44)], studying a non-health related degree [OR=1.68, 95% CI (1.03-2.73) and OR=1.51, 95% CI (1.04-2.19)], working ≥ 21 hours per week [OR=2.12, 95% CI (1.02-4.40) and OR=2.21, 95% CI (1.32-3.67)], and engaging in an unhealthy dietary pattern [OR=2.67, 95% CI (1.25-5.72) and OR=2.76, 95% CI (1.47-5.16)]. Being a female [OR=1.84, 95% CI (1.25-2.72)], living in a shared accommodation [OR=0.52, 95% CI (0.27-0.98)], rarely exercising [OR=2.64, 95% CI (1.59-4.39)], having a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or over [OR=2.03, 95% CI (1.36-3.04)], and engaging in a dietary pattern that was low in protein, fruit and vegetables [OR=1.72, 95% CI (1.06-2.77)] were also associated with having moderate/severe stress levels. Conclusion: This study found that more than half of the undergraduate students had some levels of stress. Both mild and moderate/severe levels of stress were associated with sociodemographic characteristics, risky health behaviours and poor dietary patterns. Our findings reinforce the need to promote healthy behaviours among undergraduate university students in order to maintain good mental health.</p

An improved ECU for extending the lifespan of fuel injectors.

The research paper presents the outcomes of an improved Electronic Control Unit (ECU) designed for automobiles equipped with Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI). The primary objective was to find a sustainable solution for various issues caused by decayed Petrol fuel injectors recommended to be replaced, but not done due to reasonable justifications. The issues include emissions produced by improper fuel combustion, wastage of fuel and possible damage to engine since incomplete combustion leave residual matter inside the engine's combustion chamber. The ideology is to control the excess fuel released by decayed fuel injectors by modifying the control instructions produced by the ECU. Experimental results have proven that employment of the improved ECU could reduce the emissions up to 84.9 % with an average of 75.8% and most excitingly, the improved ECU is capable to renounce the fuel wastage caused by decayed injectors by a percentage over 70 %

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONDENSED TANNINS AND DRY MATTER DEGRADABILITY OF TWO TROPICAL FODDER LEGUMES

In the tropics tree fodder legumes provide adequate protein to ruminants, particularly in the dryseason. However, many of them contain high levels of anti nutritional factors such as condensedtannins. Therefore, the objective the present study was to investigate the relationship betweencondensed tannin (CT) content and the in vitro dI) matter digestibility (DMD) of two tropicalshrubs, Gliricidta septum and Ca/liandra calothyrsus. The tannin binding chemical polyethyleneglycol (PEG) was added at rates of 0.1500 and 5000mg /lOOg plant substrate to asses the effectonDMD.Although the PEG response was not marked, G. sepium had significantly (P&lt;0.05) higher DMD(60%-65%) in all treatments as compared with C. calothyrsus. In contrast, DMD ef C.calothyrsus increased (39.5% to 53.5%) with the addition of PEG. Extractable CT levels rangedfrom 0.57% in G. septum to 4.05% in C. calothyrsus. Results indicate that C. calothyrsus in spiteof having a lower DMD due to high levels of condensed tannins, the addition of PEG had asignificantly higher and desirable effect on DMD compared to G. sepium.The significant co-correlation of DMD and CT indicates that PEG binding technique is asuitable method to improve the dry matter degradability of tannin rich tropical forages.

Thoughts on Quorum Sensing and Fungal Dimorphism

Farnesol has been best studied for its role in regulating fungal dimorphism. However, farnesol is also a lipid and in this review we analyze data relevant to farnesol’s function and synthesis from the perspective of farnesol and bacterial endotoxins acting as membrane active compounds. This analysis implicates the possible roles of: (1) endotoxins in the regulation of farnesol production by C. albicans; (2) farnesol in the interactions between C. albicans and the host during disseminated infections; and (3) ubiquinones in the mechanisms for unusually high resistance to farnesol by some C. albicans cell types. Finally we discuss the implications that the use of farnesol as both a signaling molecule and to antagonize competing microbials species has for the regulation of HMG-CoA reductase, the enzyme that is the usual rate limiting step in sterol/lipid synthesis

Thoughts on Quorum Sensing and Fungal Dimorphism

Farnesol has been best studied for its role in regulating fungal dimorphism. However, farnesol is also a lipid and in this review we analyze data relevant to farnesol’s function and synthesis from the perspective of farnesol and bacterial endotoxins acting as membrane active compounds. This analysis implicates the possible roles of: (1) endotoxins in the regulation of farnesol production by C. albicans; (2) farnesol in the interactions between C. albicans and the host during disseminated infections; and (3) ubiquinones in the mechanisms for unusually high resistance to farnesol by some C. albicans cell types. Finally we discuss the implications that the use of farnesol as both a signaling molecule and to antagonize competing microbials species has for the regulation of HMG-CoA reductase, the enzyme that is the usual rate limiting step in sterol/lipid synthesis

Chip-on-board assembly of 800V Si LIGBTs for high performance ultra-compact LED drivers

This paper presents a novel chip on board assembly design for an integrated power switch, based on high power density 800V silicon lateral insulated gate bipolar transistor (Si LIGBT) technology. LIGBTs offer much higher current densities (5-10X), significantly lower leakage currents, lower parasitic device capacitances and gate charge compared to conventional vertical MOSFETs commonly used in LED drivers. The higher voltage ratings offered (up to 1kV), the development of high voltage interconnection between parallel IGBTs, self-isolated nature and absence of termination region unlike in a vertical MOSFET makes these devices ideal for ultra-compact, low bill of materials (BOM) count LED drives. Chip on board LIGBTs also offer significant advantages over MOSFETs due to high temperatures seen on most of the LED lamp enclosures as the LIGBT's on-state losses increase only marginally with temperature. the design is based on a built-in reliability approach which focuses on a compact LED driver as a case study of a cost sensitive large volume production item

Child Mortality after Discharge from a Health Facility following Suspected Pneumonia, Meningitis or Septicaemia in Rural Gambia: A Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: To measure mortality and its risk factors among children discharged from a health centre in rural Gambia. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study between 12 May 2008 and 11 May 2012. Children aged 2-59 months, admitted with suspected pneumonia, sepsis, or meningitis after presenting to primary and secondary care facilities, were followed for 180 days after discharge. We developed models associating post-discharge mortality with clinical syndrome on admission and clinical risk factors. FINDINGS: One hundred and five of 3755 (2.8%) children died, 80% within 3 months of discharge. Among children aged 2-11 and 12-59 months, there were 30 and 29 deaths per 1000 children per 180 days respectively, compared to 11 and 5 respectively in the resident population. Children with suspected pneumonia unaccompanied by clinically severe malnutrition (CSM) had the lowest risk of post-discharge mortality. Mortality increased in children with suspected meningitis or septicaemia without CSM (hazard ratio [HR] 2.6 and 2.2 respectively). The risk of mortality greatly increased with CSM on admission: CSM with suspected pneumonia (HR 8.1; 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.4 to 15), suspected sepsis (HR 18.4; 95% CI 11.3 to 30), or suspected meningitis (HR 13.7; 95% CI 4.2 to 45). Independent associations with mortality were: mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) of 11.5-13.0 cm compared to >13.0 cm (HR 7.2; 95% CI 3.0 to 17.0), MUAC 10.5-11.4 cm (HR 24; 95% CI 9.4 to 62), and MUAC <10.5 cm (HR 44; 95% CI 18 to 108), neck stiffness (HR 10.4; 95% CI 3.1 to 34.8), non-medical discharge (HR 4.7; 95% CI 2.0 to 10.9), dry season discharge (HR 2.0; 95% CI 1.2 to 3.3), while greater haemoglobin (HR 0.82; 0.73 to 0.91), axillary temperature (HR 0.71; 95% CI 0.58 to 0.87), and oxygen saturation (HR 0.96; 95% CI 0.93 to 0.99) were associated with reduced mortality. CONCLUSION: Gambian children experience increased mortality after discharge from primary and secondary care. Interventions should target both moderately and severely malnourished children