Examining Implementation and Effects of a Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support Program for African American Women Living in Boston Public Housing

African Americans are disproportionately at risk for type 2 diabetes and have limited access to quality diabetes care. This research used an empirical case study design to examine the implementation of a coordinated diabetes program and its effects on diabetes-related clinical health outcomes. The target population was African American women with type 2 diabetes, who lived in the public housing units of Boston—Roxbury neighborhood. Through their Diabetes Care Coordination Program, Whittier Street Health Center’s clinical team provided diabetes self-management education, support, and comprehensive diabetes clinical care using the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model. Diabetes Health Ambassadors were mediators in community outreach, recruitment, and delivery of diabetes education and support to program participants. Rooted in behavior change strategies, the core intervention components included: 1) diabetes self-management education, 2) support for managing diabetes and distress, 3) enhancing access and linkage to care, 4) improving quality of care, 5) community organization, mobilization, and advocacy, and 6) health system and community transformation. A pre-test/post-test within-participant comparison was used to examine diabetes-related clinical health outcomes. The Diabetes Care Coordination Program was associated with modest improvements in diabetes-related clinical health outcomes for program participants (n=148). Results show statistically significant improvements in glycosylated hemoglobin or HbA1c (p=0.016), weight (p=0.021) and diastolic blood pressure (p=0.027) at the 0.05 level of significance (p < 0.05), using a paired t test. Using the PCMH model and Diabetes Health Ambassadors to deliver diabetes care has implications for future research and practice

Estimation of Surface Moisture Content and Evapotranspiration Using Weightage Approach.

Soil moisture (MC) and evapotranspiration (ET) are considered as the most significant boundary conditions controlling most of the hydrological cycle’s processes. However, monitoring them continuously over large areas using the high temporal-resolution optical satellites is very demanding. Satellites such as the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), have a coarse spatial resolution in their images. Thus it not only impedes the acquisition of an accurate MC and ET but also represents multispectral reflections from the holistic surface features. This beside their dependence on vegetation and ground coefficient when assessing MC and ET. The study aims to enhance the spatial accuracy by weighting the MC produced from different surface cover classes within the pixel. MC for each pixel is segmented into three (3) different classes namely urban, vegetation and multi surface cover according to their respective MC weightage. Secondly, to generate an improved actual ETa map by overlaying the segmented MC with a rectified ETo. Images from AVHRR and MODIS satellites were selected in order to generate MC and ET maps. Two powerful MC algorithms were used based on land Surface Temperature (Ts), vegetation Indices (VI) and field measurements of MC; which were conducted at variable depths to examine the depth influence on MC and Ts magnitudes

The Use of Gum Arabic Liquid and Modified Liquid in Concrete Mixes

In this paper, the purest kind of  Gum Arabic, extracted from (Hashab) trees (in western Sudan ), is used in concrete mixes after crushing to be in a form of powder which was dissolved in water to get the liquid of this additive. In this study, Gum Arabic liquid was added to concrete mixes at ratios of 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8%, 1.0 % and 1.2 % of cement content. Eleven concrete mixes were prepared: One as a control mix, seven with Gum Arabic liquid, and three with Gum Arabic liquid with modified water cement ratios added. This modification was done by reducing water cement ratios in concrete mixes to be 0.4 %, 0.6% and 0.8% of cement content. The study showed that the addition of Gum Arabic to the concrete mixes has a clear effect when equal to 0.4% of cement content. The compressive strength was measured at ages of 7, 21, and 28 days and it was found that it decreases slightly with increase in the proportion of Gum Arabic in concrete mixes. The concrete mixes prepared using modified gum Arabic in its liquid state by reducing (w/c) and adding gum Arabic as a percentage of cement content showed a clear and significant change in the properties of concrete. These ratios resulted in high compressive strength concrete with good workability. Keywords: Gum Arabic, Hashab, Sudan, compressive strength, workabilit

IPv6 Applicability in SCADA System Network

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The trend today is to build a secure fault tolerant Internet/Intranet connected distributed SCADA system networks using open and standard software/hardware. This paper made use of advances in Ethernet such as Fast/Gigabit Ethernet, micro-segmentation and full-duplex operation using switches, IPv6 enhanced features and TCP/IP to fulfill the real-time requirements for SCADA system network. OPNET Modeler simulator is used for modeling and simulating the network. The various measured delays showed that IPv6 introduction in such network introduces very small (negligible) delay and shows better performance on applying Quality of Service relative to IPv4. Also it is found that delays increase with increased transported packet size

Retrospective evaluation of dento-alveolar morphology after fixed orthodontic treatment at HUSM: laser scanning 3D model

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of orthodontic measurements made on laser scanned 3D models created with NextEngine laser scanner and ScanStudioHD software and to evaluate arch dimensional changes in subjects treated with extraction and non-extraction after conventional orthodontic treatment using laser scanned 3D models. Dental models of 104 patients (416 dental models) were randomly selected from the archives of School of Dental Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Scanning, imaging and measuring were completed to achieve objectives. A total of 100 set were measured by Mitutoyo digital caliper (DC) and ScanStudio HD software to achieve first objective and 416 dental models were used to achieve the second objective. Statistical comparisons were performed using paired t-test, independent t-test and RM ANCOVA. The validity (accuracy) of the digital measurements showed no statistical differences in any of the measurements performed. The reliability coefficient values were comparable between laser scanned 3D models and measurements using DC and the values of coefficient were in the range of strong correlation. The results showed that linear measurements of dental models using laser scanned 3D models are valid and reliable and can be used for various clinical orthodontic procedures. Significant differences were found in pre-treatment groups for 1-PMD and LII in maxillary arch whereas there were significant changes in all parameters except for ICD, 1-PMD, LII and OB in post-treatment group. Significant differences were observed in all parameters except for ICD and 1-PMD in XLA group. In non-extraction group, significant changes were observed in all parameters except in IMD, MCF and OJ. There were significant changes in all parameters of mandibular arch except for ICD, 1- PMD and A/L in pretreatment group whereas there were significant changes in all parameters except for ICD, 1-PMD and LII in post-treatment group. For pre and posttreatment differences, the changes of mandibular dental arch were significant in all variables except A/P in non-extraction group whereas all parameters except for 2-PMD, IMD and MCF were changed significantly in extraction group. The results of the present study showed conventional orthodontic treatment with extraction and non-extraction pattern potentially producing statistically significant changes of the dental arches. Thus, this finding would be beneficial for orthodontic patients at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) as 3D record for comprehensive diagnosis and consequently successful orthodontic treatment planning

Industrial Ethernet Protocols IPv6 enabling approach

The current Internet Protocol (IPv4) made Ethernet with TCP/IP find application in industrial automation environment via Industrial Ethernet Protocols. The question "Can things go smooth in Internet Protocol next generation (IPv6)?". This paper answers the question by proposing solutions and proofing via simulation using OPNET Modeler simulator that IPv6 introduction in industrial automation environment introduces very small (negligible) delay relative to IPv4. Measured delays include: global Ethernet delay, IP node end-to-end delay and delay variation for 72, 520 and 1500 bytes transported packet size. Results showed that IPv6 introduces very small delay relative to IPv4, the various delays increase with increased packet size and IPv6 can be used in industrial automation environment. &nbsp

Actively Addressing Systemic Racism Using a Behavioral Community Approach

Recent police brutality and related violence against Black people, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, has further evidenced the disproportionate impact of systemic racism in our institutions and across society. In the United States, the alarming mortality rates for Black people due to police violence and COVID-19 related deaths are clear demonstrations of inequities within a long history of disparate outcomes. In understanding systemic racism, it is essential to consider how it is embedded within society and across socio-ecological levels. The Social-Ecological Model (SEM) is used to examine conditions within the environment that maintain systemic racism, including within our field and discipline. A behavioral-community approach for examining racism aids in determining points of intervention across multiple ecological levels that may contribute to behavior change, including with behaviorists. The science of behavior is well-suited to help examine the contingencies governing behaviors within and across systems, which is pivotal for addressing operant behaviors to influence long-term behavior change. This paper calls on the behavioral community to address systemic racism within our environments and systems of influence to contribute to a more equitable community. Systemic racism, including within the context of anti-Blackness, is examined by considering behavior change strategies that can be supported by behaviorists across socio-ecological levels. Tools for collaborative action are provided to support behaviorists in demonstrating the skills needed across a continuum of behaviors from allyship to anti-racism to actively address systemic racism