Heat transfer enhancement in a micro-channel cooling system using cylindrical vortex generators.

Three-dimensional conjugate heat transfer under laminar flow conditions within a micro-channel is analysed numerically to explore the impact of a new design of vortex generator positioned at intervals along the base of the channel. The vortex generators are cylindrical with quarter-circle and half-circle cross sections, with variants spanning the whole width of the channel or parts of the channel. Micro-channels with Reynolds number ranging from 100 to 2300 are subjected to a uniform heat flux relevant to microelectronics cooling. To ensure the accuracy of the results, validations against previous microchannel studies were conducted and found to be in good agreement, before the new vortex generators with radii up to 400 µm were analysed. Using a thermal-hydraulic performance parameter expressed in a new way, the VGs described here are shown to offer significant potential in combatting the challenges of heat transfer in the technological drive toward lower weight/smaller volume electrical and electronic devices

Improving the physician-patient cardiovascular risk dialogue to improve statin adherence

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a patient education program developed to facilitate statin adherence.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A controlled trial was designed to test the effectiveness of a multifaceted patient education program to facilitate statin adherence. The program included a brief, in-office physician counseling kit followed by patient mailings. The primary end point was adherence to filling statin prescriptions during a 120-day period. Patients new to statins enrolled and completed a survey. Data from a national pharmacy claims database were used to track adherence.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Patients new to statin therapy exposed to a patient counseling and education program achieved a 12.4 higher average number of statin prescription fill days and were 10% more likely to fill prescriptions for at least 120 days (<it>p </it>= .01).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Brief in-office counseling on cardiovascular risk followed by patient education mailings can be effective in increasing adherence. Physicians found a one-minute counseling tool and pocket guidelines useful in counseling patients.</p

Obesity and male breast cancer: Provocative parallels?

While rare compared to female breast cancer the incidence of male breast cancer (MBC) has increased in the last few decades. Without comprehensive epidemiological studies, the explanation for the increased incidence of MBC can only be speculated. Nevertheless, one of the most worrying global public health issues is the exponential rise in the number of overweight and obese people, especially in the developed world. Although obesity is not considered an established risk factor for MBC, studies have shown increased incidence among obese individuals. With this observation in mind, this article highlights the correlation between the increased incidence of MBC and the current trends in obesity as a growing problem in the 21st century, including how this may impact treatment. With MBC becoming more prominent we put forward the notion that, not only is obesity a risk factor for MBC, but that increasing obesity trends are a contributing factor to its increased incidence

Dynamic temporary blood facility location-allocation during and post-disaster periods

The key objective of this study is to develop a tool (hybridization or integration of different techniques) for locating the temporary blood banks during and post-disaster conditions that could serve the hospitals with minimum response time. We have used temporary blood centers, which must be located in such a way that it is able to serve the demand of hospitals in nearby region within a shorter duration. We are locating the temporary blood centres for which we are minimizing the maximum distance with hospitals. We have used Tabu search heuristic method to calculate the optimal number of temporary blood centres considering cost components. In addition, we employ Bayesian belief network to prioritize the factors for locating the temporary blood facilities. Workability of our model and methodology is illustrated using a case study including blood centres and hospitals surrounding Jamshedpur city. Our results shows that at-least 6 temporary blood facilities are required to satisfy the demand of blood during and post-disaster periods in Jamshedpur. The results also show that that past disaster conditions, response time and convenience for access are the most important factors for locating the temporary blood facilities during and post-disaster periods

To Understand the Process of Theory and Practice Gap in Nursing Education in Iran

Background: The predominant form of nursing education in Iran is university-based education. BSc, MSc, and PhD are the nursing programmes in Iran. The teaching method in Iran is very formal and nursing students obtain much theoretical information that they do not utilize it in practice settings. The system of nursing education in Iran involves a lot of exams and memorization, but students often forget the information after the exam. Thus, nursing students are not very satisfied with this kind of education. In contrast, there is not any professional relationship between practical settings and academic centers, and no major changes in the structure of nursing education were made in response to acceleration of university-based programme. In addition, it is worth mentioning that the dominant form of nursing care in the practical settings is the traditional form, and the practice experience is not integrated with the theoretical content presented in the school blocks of study. In fact, in the four years program of nursing education for getting BSc, there is need to study input, process, context, and output of educational process in order to reach a suitable model according to realities of Iran society health needs. Method: Using Grounded theory, this study is doing. The aim of this study is exploring the processes of theory-practice gap in nursing education in Iran at baccalaureate degree in order to reach a tentative theory about this gap. The phrase "grounded theory" refers to theory that is developed inductively from a corpus of data. If done well, this means that the resulting theory at least fits one dataset perfectly. Questions are included: Where is the gap between theory and practice, and which attempts should be made to bridge it? Samples are: nurse educators, nursing students, clinical nurses, and nurse administrators. The basic idea of the grounded theory approach is to read (and re-read) a textual database (such as a corpus of field notes) and "discover" or label variables (called categories, concepts and properties) and their interrelationships. The ability to perceive variables and relationships is termed "theoretical sensitivity" and is affected by a number of things including one’s reading of the literature and one’s use of techniques designed to enhance sensitivity. For covering this aims, constant comparison method throughout the open, axial, and selective coding of study has been applied. Strauss and Corbin method of coding is applying in this study. Finding: This study is in the early of its stage, and accordingly, the researcher is studying the nursing education context in UK (at Sheffield University). The early findings in UK are indicating that working based on local needs is the most important agent in nursing education. Conclusion: Getting to an appropriate educational model in nursing education needs a dynamic approach for realizing the realities, and practicing the attained model or theory based on local requirements. Accordingly, doing equivalent study for receiving a fitting model is an obvious need