LiDAR-Based Mobile Mapping System for Lane Width Estimation in Work Zones

Lane width evaluation is one of the crucial aspects in road safety inspection. Moreover, lane width is one of the most important attributes of a road digital map for many applications, such as driver assistance systems and risk assessment. Using mobile mapping systems (MMSs) equipped with laser scanners is a safe and cost-effective method for rapidly collecting detailed information about various characteristics along any transportation corridor. This report presents an approach to derive lane width estimates using point clouds acquired from a calibrated mobile mapping system. To derive point clouds with high positional accuracy, estimation of the mounting parameters relating the different laser scanners to the onboard GNSS/INS unit is the foremost and necessary step. This report proposes a multi-unit LiDAR system calibration procedure where the mounting parameters can be estimated through minimizing the normal distance between conjugate planar/linear features in overlapping point clouds derived from different drive-runs. After generating the LiDAR point cloud using the estimated mounting parameters, the road surface can be extracted with the assistance of navigation data, which in turn is used to identify lane markings. Lane markings have a high retro-reflective property that will be exhibited as high-intensity points when scanned by a laser scanner. This property can be used to distinguish lane markings from the extracted road surface in the LiDAR point cloud. Then, non-lane marking points among the extracted high-intensity points are identified and removed. Next, the lane marking centerline is derived for lane width estimation

The Effect of Guidance Booklet on Discharged Mothers of Children with Respiratory Tract Infection

Aim of the study to evaluate the effect of guidance booklet on discharged mothers of children with respiratory tract infection through: Identifying mothers' needs, developing guidance booklet of discharge according to mothers' needs and evaluating the effect of guidance booklet on the mothers. Design This study was a quasi experimental design. Setting This study was conducted in El- Menoufya University Hospital (Egypt) and El-Basher Hospital (Jordan) Sample Convenience sample of 80 mothers having children suffering from respiratory tract infection (40 mothers from each setting). Tools Data were collected through an interviewing questionnaire to assess socio-demographic data for mothers and their children, mothers' knowledge about respiratory disease, importance of nutrition and fluids. Mother’s practices by asking questions concerning hygienic measures and medications and practices through observation check-list based on modified Getting Ready for Discharge Checklist regarding, temperature measurement and tap compresses for their children. Results revealed that the statistical significant improvements (P<0.01) in mother’s knowledge and practices after giving the guidance booklet in both groups. There was improvement in hand washing procedure, nutritional importance, type of fluids given and importance of medication there was a statistically significant improvement after the guidance booklet of discharge instructions in both groups. Key Terms: guidance booklet of discharge, Respiratory infection, mother

The Effect of Guidance Booklet on Discharged Mothers of Children with Respiratory Tract Infection

Aim of the study to evaluate the effect of guidance booklet on discharged mothers of children with respiratory tract infection through: Identifying mothers' needs, developing guidance booklet of discharge according to mothers' needs and evaluating the effect of guidance booklet on the mothers. Design This study was a quasi experimental design. Setting This study was conducted in El- Menoufya University Hospital (Egypt) and El-Basher Hospital (Jordan) Sample Convenience sample of 80 mothers having children suffering from respiratory tract infection (40 mothers from each setting). Tools Data were collected through an interviewing questionnaire to assess socio-demographic data for mothers and their children, mothers' knowledge about respiratory disease, importance of nutrition and fluids. Mother’s practices by asking questions concerning hygienic measures and medications and practices through observation check-list based on modified Getting Ready for Discharge Checklist regarding, temperature measurement and tap compresses for their children. Results revealed that the statistical significant improvements (P<0.01) in mother’s knowledge and practices after giving the guidance booklet in both groups. There was improvement in hand washing procedure, nutritional importance, type of fluids given and importance of medication there was a statistically significant improvement after the guidance booklet of discharge instructions in both groups. Key Terms: guidance booklet of discharge, Respiratory infection, mother

Evaluating the impact of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) on corruption in Zambia

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) is internationally recognised as a leading anti-corruption scheme, which promotes transparency, accountability and good governance of public oil, gas, and mining revenues. This article provides the first rigorous quantitative investigation of the impact of EITI on corruption in Zambia. Using a case-comparison approach, called the Synthetic Control Method (SCM), we find that the implementation of EITI provoked a significant decrease in corruption in Zambia (with the corruption-reducing effect of EITI being, though, much stronger at the earlier stages of implementation)

Diabetes mellitus, maternal adiposity, and insulin-dependent gestational diabetes are associated with COVID-19 in pregnancy: the INTERCOVID study

BACKGROUND: Among nonpregnant individuals, diabetes mellitus and high body mass index increase the risk of COVID-19 and its severity.OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine whether diabetes mellitus and high body mass index are risk factors for COVID-19 in pregnancy and whether gestational diabetes mellitus is associated with COVID-19 diagnosis.STUDY DESIGN: INTERCOVID was a multinational study conducted between March 2020 and February 2021 in 43 institutions from 18 countries, enrolling 2184 pregnant women aged >= 18 years; a total of 2071 women were included in the analyses. For each woman diagnosed with COVID-19, 2 nondiagnosed women delivering or initiating antenatal care at the same institution were also enrolled. The main exposures were preexisting diabetes mellitus, high body mass index (overweight or obesity was defined as a body mass index >= 25 kg/m(2)), and gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnancy. The main outcome was a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 based on a real-time polymerase chain reaction test, antigen test, antibody test, radiological pulmonary findings, or >= 2 predefined COVID-19 symptoms at any time during pregnancy or delivery. Relationships of exposures and COVID-19 diagnosis were assessed using generalized linear models with a Poisson distribution and log link function, with robust standard errors to account for model misspecification. Furthermore, we conducted sensitivity analyses: (1) restricted to those with a real-time polymerase chain reaction test or an antigen test in the last week of pregnancy, (2) restricted to those with a real-time polymerase chain reaction test or an antigen test during the entire pregnancy, (3) generating values for missing data using multiple imputation, and (4) analyses controlling for month of enrollment. In addition, among women who were diagnosed with COVID-19, we examined whether having gestational diabetes mellitus, diabetes mellitus, or high body mass index increased the risk of having symptomatic vs asymptomatic COVID-19.RESULTS: COVID-19 was associated with preexisting diabetes mellitus (risk ratio, 1.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.55-2.42), overweight or obesity (risk ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.37), and gestational diabetes mellitus (risk ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 0.99-1.46). The gestational diabetes mellitus association was specifically among women requiring insulin, whether they were of normal weight (risk ratio, 1.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-3.01) or overweight or obese (risk ratio, 1.77; 95% confidence interval, 1.28-2.45). A somewhat stronger association with COVID-19 diagnosis was observed among women with preexisting diabetes mellitus, whether they were of normal weight (risk ratio, 1.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.18-3.17) or overweight or obese (risk ratio, 2.32; 95% confidence interval, 1.82-2.97). When the sample was restricted to those with a real-time polymerase chain reaction test or an antigen test in the week before delivery or during the entire pregnancy, including missing variables using imputation or controlling for month of enrollment, the observed associations were comparable.CONCLUSION: Diabetes mellitus and overweight or obesity were risk factors for COVID-19 diagnosis in pregnancy, and insulin-dependent gestational diabetes mellitus was associated with the disease. Therefore, it is essential that women with these comorbidities are vaccinated

Feasibility study of intelligent autonomous determination of the bladder voiding need to treat bedwetting using ultrasound and smartphone ML techniques

Unsatisfactory cure rates for the treatment of nocturnal enuresis (NE), i.e. bed-wetting, have led to the need to explore alternative modalities. New treatment methods that focus on preventing enuretic episodes by means of a pre-void alerting system could improve outcomes for children with NE in many aspects. No such technology exists currently to monitor the bladder to alarm before bed-wetting. The aim of this study is to carry out the feasibility of building, refining and evaluating a new, safe, comfortable and non-invasive wearable autonomous intelligent electronic device to monitor the bladder using a single-element low-powered low-frequency ultrasound with the help of Machine Learning techniques and to treat NE by warning the patient at the pre-void stage, enhancing quality of life for these children starting from the first use. The sensitivity and specificity values are 0.89 and 0.93 respectively for determining imminent voiding need. The results indicate that customised imminent voiding need based on the expansion of the bladder can be determined by applying a single-element transducer on a bladder in intermittent manner. The acquired results can be improved further with a comfortable non-invasive device by adding several more features to the current features employed in this pilot study

Acute diverticulitis in immunocompromised patients: evidence from an international multicenter observational registry (Web-based International Register of Emergency Surgery and Trauma, Wires-T)

Background: Immunocompromised patients with acute diverticulitis are at increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to compare clinical presentations, types of treatment, and outcomes between immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients with acute diverticulitis. Methods: We compared the data of patients with acute diverticulitis extracted from the Web-based International Registry of Emergency Surgery and Trauma (WIRES-T) from January 2018 to December 2021. First, two groups were identified: medical therapy (A) and surgical therapy (B). Each group was divided into three subgroups: nonimmunocompromised (grade 0), mildly to moderately (grade 1), and severely immunocompromised (grade 2). Results: Data from 482 patients were analyzed—229 patients (47.5%) [M:F = 1:1; median age: 60 (24–95) years] in group A and 253 patients (52.5%) [M:F = 1:1; median age: 71 (26–94) years] in group B. There was a significant difference between the two groups in grade distribution: 69.9% versus 38.3% for grade 0, 26.6% versus 51% for grade 1, and 3.5% versus 10.7% for grade 2 (p < 0.00001). In group A, severe sepsis (p = 0.027) was more common in higher grades of immunodeficiency. Patients with grade 2 needed longer hospitalization (p = 0.005). In group B, a similar condition was found in terms of severe sepsis (p = 0.002), quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score > 2 (p = 0.0002), and Mannheim Peritonitis Index (p = 0.010). A Hartmann’s procedure is mainly performed in grades 1–2 (p < 0.0001). Major complications increased significantly after a Hartmann’s procedure (p = 0.047). Mortality was higher in the immunocompromised patients (p = 0.002). Conclusions: Immunocompromised patients with acute diverticulitis present with a more severe clinical picture. When surgery is required, immunocompromised patients mainly undergo a Hartmann’s procedure. Postoperative morbidity and mortality are, however, higher in immunocompromised patients, who also require a longer hospital stay