Health Phones: A Potential Game Changer in Health Information Management

Health education has to be one of the most effective ways to reduce morbidity and mortality in developing countries. We need to deliver vital messages and information to people at the lower quarter of the society to use changing behaviour and practices which can save and protect their lives. It is in this context, use of mobile phones in delivering vital health information is of significance. This article reviews few projects which successfully use mobile phones for health information delivery

Experiences of overseas nurse educators teaching in New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Education at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Globalisation and a shortage of registered nurses in New Zealand have caused an increase in the number of overseas registered nurses and nurse educators migrating to New Zealand. This phenomenological study explored the experiences of overseas nurse educators teaching in New Zealand using van Manen’s approach to hermeneutic phenomenology. The lived experiences of 17 overseas nurse educators were explored through in-depth interviews, and phenomenological analytical procedures were utilised to bring to light the hidden layers of meaning inherent within these experiences. The study revealed that overseas nurse educators initially experienced a sense of non-belonging in New Zealand, while their separation from their homeland and migration to a new country resulted in a sense of disorientation. They experienced both physical and emotional separation from their loved ones. Integration was the preferred method of adaptation to New Zealand among the study participants. However, they wanted to choose which aspects of the new culture they would adopt and to what extent they would adapt. A lack of preparation and a lack of suitable orientation programmes prolonged the adaptation process of overseas nurse educators. Time was a crucial factor for overseas nurse educators’ adjustment to the New Zealand setting. Adjustment problems were greatest at the start. However, their lives improved over time as they overcame the challenges they faced. Positive relationships had a positive impact on overseas nurse educators’ adaptation to New Zealand. Adjustment was dependent on the quality and quantity of the support received

Unique food traditions in India and Ukraine

Food traditions all over the world are different. It differs according to religion, specific culture, climate for which different spices and certain crops are produced only in a specific place. Since India and Ukraine both differ in season, climate, crops and mainly the different methods of cuisine. The aim of the article is to give the comparison between food traditions in India and Ukraine. So as to thoroughly compare the food traditions between the two countries, each comparison will be taken at each step

Drug-induced myocarditis precipitated by amlodipine overdose:a case report

Background: Amlodipine is the most commonly prescribed calcium channel blocker (CCB), used in the treatment of a variety of cardiovascular conditions. Calcium channel blockers remain a well-established cause of cardiovascular drug overdose. We present the case of an intentional overdose with 250 mg of amlodipine resulting in acute left ventricular dysfunction and myocarditis. Case summary: A 46-year-old man with no significant past medical history presented to the emergency department 8 h after intentionally ingesting 250 mg of amlodipine. Although initially asymptomatic with unremarkable physical examination, the patient developed progressively worsening dyspnoea over the next 2 days. Subsequent findings from chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were consistent with a diffuse myocarditis process with severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction. The patient was managed with diuretics and discharged once stable. Discussion: Our case highlights myocarditis as a potential complication of CCB overdose. Amlodipine is the most commonly prescribed CCB and is associated with cardiac toxicity at high doses. The long duration of action and high volume of distribution of amlodipine further increase the risk of morbidity and mortality from overdose. Known cardiac complications of amlodipine overdose include bradycardia, myocardial depression, and pulmonary oedema secondary to heart failure; however, diffuse myocarditis is a complication that has not previously been described in the literature. The mechanism of development of this complication remains unclear

The Neuropeptide α-Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide as the Mediator of Beneficial Effects of Exercise in the Cardiovascular System

Regular physical activity exerts cardiovascular protective effects in healthy individuals and those with chronic cardiovascular diseases. Exercise is accompanied by an increased plasma concentration of α-calcitonin gene-related peptide (αCGRP), a 37-amino acid peptide with vasodilatory effects and causative roles in migraine. Moreover, mouse models revealed that loss of αCGRP disrupts physiological adaptation of the cardiovascular system to exercise in normotension and aggravates cardiovascular impairment in primary chronic hypertension, both can be reversed by αCGRP administration. This suggests that αCGRP agonists could be a therapeutic option to mediate the cardiovascular protective effects of exercise in clinical setting where exercise is not possible or contraindicated. Of note, FDA has recently approved αCGRP antagonists for migraine prophylaxis therapy, however, the cardiovascular safety of long-term anti-CGRP therapy in individuals with cardiovascular diseases has yet to be established. Current evidence from preclinical models suggests that chronic αCGRP antagonism may abolish the cardiovascular protective effects of exercise in both normotension and chronic hypertension

Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption (MALDI), a versatile tool for the characterization of Dendrimers

Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption (MALDI) is a soft ionization technique used in modern day chemistry to analyze polymers with high precision and speed. This technique does not require any polymer standard for mass calibration (as in the case of gel – permeation chromatography GPC). Protocols require only minimum amounts of solvent and consumables. Measurements of the masses of individual oligomers facilitate the determination of masses of monomers and end groups. This overview discusses the application and use of MALDI for the determination of molecular mass distribution of oligomers and end groups. However, biomolecules and other polymers with a polydispersity index (PDI) greater than 1.2 are not suitable candidates for this analysis owing to signal intensity discrimination against higher mass oligomers

Unique food traditions in India and Ukraine

Food traditions all over the world are different. It differs according to religion, specific culture, climate for which different spices and certain crops are produced only in a specific place. Since India and Ukraine both differ in season, climate, crops and mainly the different methods of cuisine. The aim of the article is to give the comparison between food traditions in India and Ukraine. So as to thoroughly compare the food traditions between the two countries, each comparison will be taken at each step

Decreasing Turnover Rate and Increasing Productivity at Daiwa Massage Chairs

Daiwa Massage Chairs by U.S Jaclean is a Japanese owned company that specializes in massage chairs, health, and wellness items. The company has 13 branches in the United States and has accrued approximately 200 employees within the last 40 years. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the company experienced a fluctuation of employees and was unable to retain them. The company has faced major backlash from employees that feel as though they lack training and a system to operate efficiently. The purpose of this project is to set the framework for decreasing the employee turnover rate and increasing productivity by implementing continuous improvement solutions. These solutions include the implementation of a training development plan, systematic checklists, documentation maintenance, emphasis on safety equipment, research on Department of Transportation (DOT), and optimizing the company equipment. Within the training development plan, continuous improvement tools were included like Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), mistake-proof techniques, instructional videos, quizzes, and 5s improvement plans. Overall, the implementation of these strategies not only resolves immediate issues but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement and long-term competitiveness in the market

Studies on Copper Indium based Oxide Transparent Semiconducting Thin Films.

Transparent Conducting Oxides (TCOs) have unique optoelectronic properties which allow visible light to pass through while having reasonably high electrical conductivity. TCOs find a variety of applications ranging from uses in solar cells, optical displays, reflective coatings, light emission devices, low-emissivity windows, electrochromic mirrors, UV sensors, and windows, defrosting windows, electromagnetic shielding, and transparent electronics. The conductivity of TCOs can be tuned from insulating via semiconducting to conducting as well as their transparency adjusted depending on the donor/acceptor levels as well as the bandgap of the material. This enables the realization of both n-type and p-type TCOs which make them highly attractive for transparent opto-electrical circuitries and technological applications. Most research activities have focused on the optimization of n-type TCOs, but many transparent electronic applications require the necessity of p-type TCOs as well. There is a need to realize p-type TCOs which offer high yield, scalability, and low cost. RF magnetron sputtering of TCO sources can lead to high uniformity and homogeneity, along with the capability to control the film thickness and deposition rate. It also allows for large-area deposition at a relatively low cost and optimum thermal budget. In this work, we investigate the realization of p-type CuInOx thin films by RF magnetron sputtering using Cu2O: In2O3 target and study the effects of (i) post-deposition annealing and (ii) substrate heating during a deposition for controlling the optoelectronic and morphological properties. In the first part of the study, post-process annealing of the deposited films was performed at temperatures ranging from 100-900°C in O2 ambiance. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis performed on the samples identified the presence of Cu2In2O5 phases along with CuInO2 or In2O3 for the films annealed above 500°C. A morphological study performed using SEM shows the crystallization and the grain growth with an increase in the annealing temperatures. Optical studies carried out on the films indicated a small bandgap change in the range of 3.4-3.6 eV during annealing. In the second part of the study, the effect of substrate heating during the deposition was investigated to reduce the thermal budget of realizing the p-type CuInOx thin films and also to increase the throughput. It is seen that substrate heating influences the material characteristics more significantly than post-deposition annealing as we can tailor the thin film characteristics in situ to initiate crystalline growth and control the proportion of indium oxide or copper oxide phases to improve the transparency while retaining the p-type characteristics of the thin film. Copper Indium Oxide (CuInOx) thin films were deposited by the RF magnetron sputtering technique using a Cu2O: In2O3 target at varying substrate temperatures up to 400°C. A morphological study performed using SEM further confirmed the crystallization and the grain growth (95-135 nm) with increasing substrate temperatures resulting in superior conductivity and enhanced transparency of more than 70% in the 400-700 nm range. Optical studies carried out on the films indicated a bandgap change in the range of 2.61-2.99 eV as a function of substrate heating. XPS analysis of the thin films has also been carried out to identify the oxidation state and bonding configurations of Cu, In, and O in copper indium oxide films. Mutually exclusive requirements of having a p-type thin film along with increased conductivity and high transparency were achieved by controlling the migration of indium oxide phases during the sputtering process as verified by the XPS studies. This is due to the controlled replacement of copper sites with indium while maintaining the p-type characteristic of the thin film. Junction studies of the p-type CuInOx have been investigated with n-Si and ITO for demonstrating heterojunction behavior which can potentially find applications in transparent electronics, photodetectors, and solar cells. A p-CuInOx/n-Si heterojunction was fabricated with a measured knee voltage of 0.89V. The photovoltaic behavior of the device was investigated and initial solar cell parameters are reported