Porosity and Strength of Pozzolan Modified Cement Systems

Porosity is one of the important properties that determine the durability of concrete and mortar. Porosity represents the amount of voids inside the concrete, which is dimensionless quantity, usually expressed as a percentage value. This aim of this study is to determine the effect of pozzolans such as pulverized fly ash (PFA) silica fume (SF) on the porosity and strength of mortars. The mix proportion with and without pulverized fly ash (PFA) and silica fume (SF) are tested with two properties such as strength and porosity in order to understand the effect against performance of the mortar. In addition, curing condition also does affect the strength and porosity of the modified mortar. The results from this study shows that the pozzolan modified mortar which is the sample with pozzolan replacement, has low in durability and higher porosity compared with non-modified mortar when it is cured under air curing, which is the method of curing that usually been applied at the construction site

Fostering a safe psychological environment and encouraging speak-up culture in primary care setups

Patient safety is a critical concern in healthcare, and encouraging healthcare employees to speak up and voice their concerns plays a pivotal role in preventing avoidable harm to patients. Establishing a safe environment and fostering a supportive psychological climate within healthcare organizations, particularly in primary care settings, is essential for achieving better patient outcomes and enhancing overall organizational performance. This review emphasizes the importance of a safe environment and supportive psychological climate in primary care, enhancing patient outcomes and organizational performance. Speaking up leads to timely error correction, mitigates unsafe practices, and upholds ethical standards despite barriers like hierarchy, fear of retaliation, and inadequate policies. In the quest to foster a culture of speaking up, diverse interventions have emerged, ranging from comprehensive training initiatives to initiatives promoting psychological safety and establishing clear communication channels. Leadership development programs play a vital role in encouraging employee voices and fostering a positive environment for open communication. To advance further, research must evaluate intervention impact and contextual nuances for more tailored strategies. In conclusion, psychological safety is vital for speaking up and enhancing employee engagement, communication, and patient outcomes. Overcoming implementation challenges and fostering a culture of safety and open communication empower healthcare employees to contribute to continuous improvement in patient care. Leadership development plays a pivotal role in nurturing this culture envisioning a safer, compassionate healthcare ecosystem

We Heal as One: Interprofessional Health Collaboration During the Covid-19 Pandemic

A collaborative healthcare system enabled through multi-professional and interprofessional partnerships that pave the way to improved health outcomes has been the director of the Millennium Development Goals (World Health Organization, 2016). But the occurrence of the global COVID-19 pandemic challenged the healthcare system in unprecedented ways. This study explored the essence of interprofessional collaboration among medical and paramedical healthcare professionals. A phenomenological research study through photovoice was employed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Study corpus was gathered from a total of 15 participants, including three medical technologists, three nutritionists and dieticians, three radiologic technologists, three pharmacists, two nurses, and one physician. Four themes surfaced from the responses, namely: unity in diversity, paradigm shift, parallel dilemmas, and resilient optimism. Keywords: healthcare system, interprofessional collaboration, medical, healthcar

Association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the multinational Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been associated with exposures in the workplace. We aimed to assess the association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study. Methods We analysed cross-sectional data from 28 823 adults (≥40 years) in 34 countries. We considered 11 occupations and grouped them by likelihood of exposure to organic dusts, inorganic dusts and fumes. The association of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, wheeze, dyspnoea, forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/FVC with occupation was assessed, per study site, using multivariable regression. These estimates were then meta-analysed. Sensitivity analyses explored differences between sexes and gross national income. Results Overall, working in settings with potentially high exposure to dusts or fumes was associated with respiratory symptoms but not lung function differences. The most common occupation was farming. Compared to people not working in any of the 11 considered occupations, those who were farmers for ≥20 years were more likely to have chronic cough (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.19–1.94), wheeze (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.16–1.63) and dyspnoea (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.53–2.20), but not lower FVC (β=0.02 L, 95% CI −0.02–0.06 L) or lower FEV1/FVC (β=0.04%, 95% CI −0.49–0.58%). Some findings differed by sex and gross national income. Conclusion At a population level, the occupational exposures considered in this study do not appear to be major determinants of differences in lung function, although they are associated with more respiratory symptoms. Because not all work settings were included in this study, respiratory surveillance should still be encouraged among high-risk dusty and fume job workers, especially in low- and middle-income countries.publishedVersio

Cohort Profile: Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study

The Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study was established to assess the prevalence of chronic airflow obstruction, a key characteristic of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and its risk factors in adults (≥40 years) from general populations across the world. The baseline study was conducted between 2003 and 2016, in 41 sites across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, the Caribbean and Oceania, and collected high-quality pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry from 28 828 participants. The follow-up study was conducted between 2019 and 2021, in 18 sites across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. At baseline, there were in these sites 12 502 participants with high-quality spirometry. A total of 6452 were followed up, with 5936 completing the study core questionnaire. Of these, 4044 also provided high-quality pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry. On both occasions, the core questionnaire covered information on respiratory symptoms, doctor diagnoses, health care use, medication use and ealth status, as well as potential risk factors. Information on occupation, environmental exposures and diet was also collected

Influence of Water Intake and Balance on Body Composition in Healthy Young Adults from Spain

The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity has become an epidemic public health problem worldwide. In the last years, several investigations have suggested that water intake and retention could have important implications for both weight management and body composition. However, there is a lack of information about this issue globally, and mainly specifically in Spain. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the association between hydration status and body composition in a sample of healthy Spanish adults. The study involved 358 subjects, aged 18–39 years. The recently validated “hydration status questionnaire” was used to assess their water intake, elimination, and balance. Anthropometric measurements were performed according to the recommendations of the International Standards for Anthropometric Assessment (ISAK). Body composition variables were acquired by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Differences in anthropometric and body composition variables were assessed through the ANOVA test and considered significant at p < 0.05. Fluid intake was correlated with body water content. Inverse associations between water consumption, normalized by weight, with body weight, body fat mass, and waist circumference were found. Moreover, according to water balance, significant differences in body water content in females were observed. In conclusion, higher fluid intake seems to be related with a healthier body composition. Therefore, the improvement of water intake and water balance could be useful for overweight and obesity prevention, although further studies are needed to confirm the present findings