Practical motion planning for aerial-like virtual agents in Meta!Blast: A full and complex three dimensional virtual environment

Motion planning, or enabling agents to navigate around a virtual environment autonomously, is an essential requirement for video games and simulations. A well implemented motion planning technique can create a realistic and immersive user experience. If motion planning is not implemented properly, agents will exhibit unrealistic behavior and cause a distraction for the user. Motion planning is often difficult to implement due to the agents\u27 movement capabilities and the complexity of the virtual environment in which the agents exist. In a traditional three dimensional video game in which the agents are bound by gravity, the agents\u27 motion takes place mostly in the XZ-plane. In other words, the agents\u27 degree of freedom (DOF) is three. In this case, motion planning is translated into a two-dimensional problem, which is relatively easier to compute. However, when the agents can move in any three dimensional direction or to any three dimensional position in space, motion planning is much more complex. Meta!Blast is a three dimensional educational video game. Implementing motion planning in Meta!Blast is challenging for three reasons: The first reason is the agents have at least six degrees of freedom and can be translated or rotated about any axis in the three dimensional virtual environment. The second reason is the agents exist in a dense environment with many irregularly shaped models that need to be considered during planning. Lastly, Meta!Blast will be deployed in the high school classroom where computer hardware resources are limited, eliminating some planning techniques found in the literature. This thesis provides a practical solution for high DOF agents in dense environments using a combination of octree space partitioning, A* path-planning, and steering behaviors

Awareness and method of oral health care among people living with human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome attending Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Nigeria

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Oral health knowledge and oral health seeking behavior among people living with human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) (PLWHA) have been found to be very low. The importance of education to improve awareness and oral health practices cannot be overemphasized. The study determined the level of awareness, perceived oral status and practices of oral health care among PLWHA attending Federal Medical Centre Abeokuta (FMCA), Nigeria. METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study recruited 204 participants using systematic random sampling technique. The self-designed, pre-tested questionnaire was interviewer-administered by trained research assistants in October 2014 for 4 weeks. All research protocols were strictly adhered to. The data were analyzed with SPSS, chisquare, ANOVA, Fischer’s exact test and P value was calculated. RESULTS: Out of 204 patients, 191, predominantly females 100 (52.4%); married 120 (62.8%), participated, with a response rate of 93.6%. The age range was 18-69 years with a mean of 37.64 ± 11.30 years. Oral health awareness was low 47 (24.6%), but 138 (72.3%) were aware of the role of fluoride toothpaste. Awareness on oral health was statistically significant with the level of education (P < 0.050). The majority 189 (99.0%); 168 (88.9%) used toothbrush, fluoride toothpaste, respectively, 69 (36.1%) brushed at least twice daily, none used dental floss, 14 (7.3%) had visited the dentist within 6 months, and 123 (64.4%) never received dental care. CONCLUSION: The limited awareness on oral health and its practices can be improved by oral health information and education among the respondents, and further help reduce the severity of some further complications. KEYWORDS: Oral Health, Awareness, Method, PLWH

Breast cancer screening in a resource poor country: Ultrasound versus mammography

Background: Breast cancer is the commonest female cancer in Nigeria. Despite its increased awareness, affordability of available screening tools is a bane. Mammography, the goal standard for screening is costly and not widely available in terms of infrastructure, technical/personnel capabilities. Ultrasound is accessible and affordable.Objectives: This study compared the use of ultrasound and mammography as breast cancer screening tools in women in South West Nigeria by characterizing and comparing the prevalent breast parenchyma, breast cancer features and the independent sensitivity of ultrasound and mammography.Methods: This cross sectional comparative descriptive study used both ultrasound and mammography as screening tools in 300 consenting women aged 30 to 60 years who attended a free breast cancer screening campaign in a tertiary hospital in Lagos. Categorical variables were presented in tables and Chi squares for associations P- value set at ± 0.1.Results: Mean age was 41.01 + 6.5years with majority in the 30 – 39 year age group 139 (55%). Fatty (BIRADS A and B) parenchyma predominated {ultrasound 237 (79%); mammography 233 (77.7%)} in all age groups. 7 (2.3%) were confirmed malignant by histology with (6) in the 30-39 age group and (1) in the 40-49 age group. Ultrasounddetected all the confirmed cases 7(100%), whereas mammography detected 6 (85%). Sensitivity was higher using ultrasound (100%) than mammography (85.7%).Conclusion: Ultrasound can be utilized as a first line of screening especially in remote/rural areas in developing world.Funding: Part funding from Run for Cure governmental organizationKeywords: Breast Cancer, Women, Ultrasound, Mammography, Sensitivit

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake

Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study

Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9–27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6–16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2–1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4–1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3–3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat

Practical motion planning for aerial-like virtual agents in Meta!Blast: A full and complex three dimensional virtual environment

Motion planning, or enabling agents to navigate around a virtual environment autonomously, is an essential requirement for video games and simulations. A well implemented motion planning technique can create a realistic and immersive user experience. If motion planning is not implemented properly, agents will exhibit unrealistic behavior and cause a distraction for the user. Motion planning is often difficult to implement due to the agents' movement capabilities and the complexity of the virtual environment in which the agents exist. In a traditional three dimensional video game in which the agents are bound by gravity, the agents' motion takes place mostly in the XZ-plane. In other words, the agents' degree of freedom (DOF) is three. In this case, motion planning is translated into a two-dimensional problem, which is relatively easier to compute. However, when the agents can move in any three dimensional direction or to any three dimensional position in space, motion planning is much more complex. Meta!Blast is a three dimensional educational video game. Implementing motion planning in Meta!Blast is challenging for three reasons: The first reason is the agents have at least six degrees of freedom and can be translated or rotated about any axis in the three dimensional virtual environment. The second reason is the agents exist in a dense environment with many irregularly shaped models that need to be considered during planning. Lastly, Meta!Blast will be deployed in the high school classroom where computer hardware resources are limited, eliminating some planning techniques found in the literature. This thesis provides a practical solution for high DOF agents in dense environments using a combination of octree space partitioning, A* path-planning, and steering behaviors.</p

Awareness and method of oral health care among people living with human ‎immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome ‎attending Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Nigeria

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Oral health knowledge and oral health seeking behavior among people living with human\ud immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) (PLWHA) have been found\ud to be very low. The importance of education to improve awareness and oral health practices cannot be overemphasized.\ud The study determined the level of awareness, perceived oral status and practices of oral health care among PLWHA\ud attending Federal Medical Centre Abeokuta (FMCA), Nigeria.\ud METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study recruited 204 participants using systematic random sampling\ud technique. The self-designed, pre-tested questionnaire was interviewer-administered by trained research assistants in\ud October 2014 for 4 weeks. All research protocols were strictly adhered to. The data were analyzed with SPSS, chisquare,\ud ANOVA, Fischer’s exact test and P value was calculated.\ud RESULTS: Out of 204 patients, 191, predominantly females 100 (52.4%); married 120 (62.8%), participated, with a\ud response rate of 93.6%. The age range was 18-69 years with a mean of 37.64 ± 11.30 years. Oral health awareness was\ud low 47 (24.6%), but 138 (72.3%) were aware of the role of fluoride toothpaste. Awareness on oral health was\ud statistically significant with the level of education (P < 0.050). The majority 189 (99.0%); 168 (88.9%) used toothbrush,\ud fluoride toothpaste, respectively, 69 (36.1%) brushed at least twice daily, none used dental floss, 14 (7.3%) had visited\ud the dentist within 6 months, and 123 (64.4%) never received dental care.\ud CONCLUSION: The limited awareness on oral health and its practices can be improved by oral health information and\ud education among the respondents, and further help reduce the severity of some further complications