Measuring Qualities for OSGi Component-Based Applications

International audienceComponent-based software engineering (CBSE) begins to reach a certain level of maturity. Indeed, for the development of complex applications the use of component paradigm has become common. Therefore, the evaluation of the quality of these applications becomes necessary. In this context, the use of metrics is considered very important. Several metrics specific to component-based applications have been proposed. However, any of these metrics gained the consensus of the CBSE community and mainly there is no proposed tool to support them. As a large part of frameworks for component-based application development is based on object-oriented technology, we propose to use some object-oriented (OO) metrics to evaluate component-based applications produced with this kind of framework. Indeed, these metrics became a standard in OO community. So, they are well-defined, well-known and empirically validated. To identify which object-oriented metrics are useful for the evaluation of component-based applications, we have conducted an experimental study on 10 OSGi applications. This study also gives us the opportunity to discuss on the respect by OSGi developers of some properties pointed out by the literatur

Evaluation of the quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease: using two measuring assessment tools

Background: Coronary heart diseases (CHD) are considered to be as a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) test and assessment is considered as a major an important measuring tool of the disease effects results and other variables related to the patient’s life.Objectives: The purpose of this observational study is to assess and compare the quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease.Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at Al-shaab Teaching Hospital, where 100 patients with definite diagnosis of CHD were responded. The data was collected using two quality of life assessment tools: the Seattle angina questionnaire (SAQ) (disease specific measuring tool) and the SF-36 questionnaire (generic measuring tool).Results: Based on the 1) SAQ, out of the 50 patients who were recruited, the patients physical functioning in terms of activities performed 58% said “not limited” and 42% said “limited” in case of chest pain 26% noted “much more often” while 10% “much less often” Based on the 2) SF-36, out of the 50 patients who were recruited, the patients physical functioning in terms of activates performed 26% said “no, not limited” and 74% said “limited”. 34% had felt full of life “all the time” while 10% “none of the time”.Conclusion: HRQL measurement gives health care providers an additional tool for the assessment of the impact of specific clinical decisions on the health status of patients. Of the SAQ and SF-36, the SAQ offers more reliable assessment of quality of life.Keywords: Coronary heart Disease, measuring assessment tool

Measuring Qualities for OSGi Component-Based Applications

International audienceComponent-based software engineering (CBSE) begins to reach a certain level of maturity. Indeed, for the development of complex applications the use of component paradigm has become common. Therefore, the evaluation of the quality of these applications becomes necessary. In this context, the use of metrics is considered very important. Several metrics specific to component-based applications have been proposed. However, any of these metrics gained the consensus of the CBSE community and mainly there is no proposed tool to support them. As a large part of frameworks for component-based application development is based on object-oriented technology, we propose to use some object-oriented (OO) metrics to evaluate component-based applications produced with this kind of framework. Indeed, these metrics became a standard in OO community. So, they are well-defined, well-known and empirically validated. To identify which object-oriented metrics are useful for the evaluation of component-based applications, we have conducted an experimental study on 10 OSGi applications. This study also gives us the opportunity to discuss on the respect by OSGi developers of some properties pointed out by the literatur

Kamus Bahasa Indonesia-Kulawi

This review supplies the reader with a detailed overview on the utilization of intramolecular processes for a design and synthesis of prodrugs. It is well known that a respected number of drugs suffer from low bioavailability, toxicity, unpleasant taste and presystemic first-pass metabolism which result in drug inactivation. The classical prodrug approach in which the linkage attaching the parent drug to its non-toxic linker and cleaved by in vivo enzyme’s catalyzed reactions has proven its success in solving toxicity and bioavailability related issues. On the other hand, prodrugs based on chemical interconversion in which the prodrug releases the corresponding active parent drug via inter or intramolecular chemical process in the absence of an enzyme is considered as a better alternative approach since the prodrug cleavage is not dependent in the efficiency or quantity of the enzyme catalyzes the interconversion of the prodrug. Examples of successful prodrugs using the chemical approach via intramolecular processes such as cyclization reactions are illustrated as well. In addition, another part of this review is devoted to cover reported studies on enzyme models and their utilization for the design and synthesis of a variety of novel prodrugs. In this approach, computational calculations using DFT and MM methods were exploited and correlations between experimentally determined and computed values of the rate-limiting step in the studied intramolecular processes were utilized in the prodrugs design. Selected examples of the designed prodrugs include aza-nucleosides for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes, the anti-Parkinson’s agent dopamine, the anti-viral acyclovir, the anti-malarial atovaquone, and statins for lowering cholesterol levels in the blood, the antihypertensive atenolol, the antibacterial cefuroxime, the anti-bleeding tranexamic acid, the decongestant phenylephrine, and the pain killer paracetamol

Intramolecular Processes and Their Applications in Prodrugs Approaches- Experimental and Computational Studies

This review supplies the reader with a detailed overview on the utilization of intramolecular processes for a design and synthesis of prodrugs. It is well known that a respected number of drugs suffer from low bioavailability, toxicity, unpleasant taste and presystemic first-pass metabolism which result in drug inactivation. The classical prodrug approach in which the linkage attaching the parent drug to its non-toxic linker and cleaved by in vivo enzyme’s catalyzed reactions has proven its success in solving toxicity and bioavailability related issues. On the other hand, prodrugs based on chemical interconversion in which the prodrug releases the corresponding active parent drug via inter or intramolecular chemical process in the absence of an enzyme is considered as a better alternative approach since the prodrug cleavage is not dependent in the efficiency or quantity of the enzyme catalyzes the interconversion of the prodrug. Examples of successful prodrugs using the chemical approach via intramolecular processes such as cyclization reactions are illustrated as well. In addition, another part of this review is devoted to cover reported studies on enzyme models and their utilization for the design and synthesis of a variety of novel prodrugs. In this approach, computational calculations using DFT and MM methods were exploited and correlations between experimentally determined and computed values of the rate-limiting step in the studied intramolecular processes were utilized in the prodrugs design. Selected examples of the designed prodrugs include aza-nucleosides for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes, the anti-Parkinson’s agent dopamine, the anti-viral acyclovir, the anti-malarial atovaquone, and statins for lowering cholesterol levels in the blood, the antihypertensive atenolol, the antibacterial cefuroxime, the anti-bleeding tranexamic acid, the decongestant phenylephrine, and the pain killer paracetamol

The Effect of Family Centered Care Model on Caregivers of Children with Hemophilia

Hemophilia is one of the most common serious congenital coagulation factor deficiency diseases characterized by decreased function or absence of factor VIII or factor IX that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Aim: the current study aimed to evaluate the effect of family centered care model on caregivers of children with hemophilia. Design: A quasi-experimental research design (one group pre-posttest) was used. Setting: the study was conducted at inpatient department and outpatient clinic in Badr University Hospitals affiliated to Helwan University Hospitals and Mustafa Hassan pediatric Hospital affiliated to Fayoum University Hospitals. Sample: the study involved 60 children and their accompanying caregivers suffering from hemophilia disease. Tool: consists of four tools to assess: I: A structured interviewing questionnaire sheet to assess caregivers’ knowledge regarding hemophilia disease (one group pre/posttest). II: Observational checklist to assess caregivers' reported practice regarding care of their children with hemophilia. III:  caregiver's coping patterns, IV: The Family-Centered Care (FCC) scale for caregivers. Results: the current results referred that there was statistically significant difference between family centered care scale and their total knowledge and their total practices regarding hemophilia pre and post intervention. Also, there were statistically significant a positive correlation between their total knowledge, their total practices, their total coping and family centered care scale. Conclusion: the present study concluded that there was a positive effect of implementation of model on improving knowledge, practices and coping pattern of the studied caregivers. Recommendations: encourage family centered care programs periodically for caregivers having children with hemophilia to help them improve care for their children and reduce complications of the disease

Urinary iodine level assessment during third trimester in a sample of Egyptian pregnant women and its relation to thyroid function

Background: Inadequate intakes of iodine during pregnancy may cause thyroid dysfunctions that adversely affect pregnancy outcomes. Aim of the work was to evaluate the urinary iodine level as a marker of iodine status in a sample of Egyptian pregnant women during 3rd trimester and assess its relation to thyroid functions.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 pregnant females at their 3rd trimester aged (18-35) years. They were divided according to their urinary iodine concentration into 3 groups; Group (I): Pregnant females with deficient iodine (<150 μg/l), Group (II): Pregnant females with adequate iodine (150-249) μg/l, Group (III): pregnant females including who have above requirements (250-499 μg/l), and excessive (≥500 μg/l). TSH, free t4, free t3, Anti-Thyroglobulin (TgAb) and anti-thyroid perioxidase (TPOAb), medium urinary Iodine concentration (UIC) by ELISA and neck U/S were performed to all participants.Results: 18% of the pregnant women in our study had iodine deficiency during 3rd trimester (UIC<150 ug/l) whereas 55% of pregnant women had excess iodine level, and adequate iodine level was observed in 27%.  Serum TSH was significantly higher in group I with deficient iodine level (p value<0.01). All pregnant women included at group I were suffering from subclinical hypothyroidism. Serum TSH and thyroid volume were inversely correlated with urinary iodine among pregnant females at 3rd trimester (p value<0.01).Conclusions: Serum TSH and thyroid volume were inversely correlated with urinary iodine level among pregnant females at 3rd trimester

The Effect of Self-Learning Module on the Burden of Care for Children with Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is one of the most complex of the common permanent disabling conditions and disorder of movement, muscle tone and posture that is caused by damage that occurs most often before birth and during developing brain. Aim: the current study aimed to evaluate the effect of self-learning module on the burden of care for children with cerebral palsy. Design: A quasi-experimental research design (pre-posttest) was used. Setting: The study was carried out at Sett Khadra Child Health Center in Helwan referred from Helwan general hospital affiliated to Ministry of Health and Physiotherapy Unit in Mustafa Hassan Pediatric Hospital affiliated to Fyoum University Hospital. Sample consisted of 70 children and their accompaying caregivers suffering from cerebral palsy disease. Tool: consists of three tools to assess: I: Structured interview questionnaire sheet to assess caregivers’ knowledge regarding cerebral palsy and daily living activity II: Observational checklist to assess caregivers' reported practices regarding care of their children with cerebral palsy) pre/post test (III: Caregiver’s attitude scale sheet to assess caregivers' attitude regarding cerebral palsy. Results: there were statistical significance difference between caregivers’ characteristic and their total knowledge and total practices regarding cerebral palsy pre and post module. Also, there were statistically significant positive correlation between caregivers’ total attitude and their total practice and total knowledge in pre and post self-learning module. Conclusion: Based upon the results of the current study, it can be concluded that self-learning module had appositive effect on caregivers' knowledge, practices and attitude regarding care of their children with cerebral palsy which led to decrease burden of care for children with cerebral palsy. Recommendation: Continuous health education program to mothers regarding cerebral palsy, complications, different aspects of care and management plan