Predicting Damping of Semi-Rigid Glued T-Beams

A theoretical model for predicting damping in composite wood T-beam is provided. The formulation is based on energy dissipation due to relative slip at the interface of the flange and joist. A loss factor parameter as obtained from stress-strain relationship of elastomeric adhesive has been introduced into the formulation. Damping computed from experimental tests is found to about 5% to 8% compared to theoretical values of 4.5% to 6.5%

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF HEPATITIS B VIRUS INFECTION AMONG DENTISTS

Dentists are at high risk for contracting Hepatitis B virus (HBV), which leads to severe liver disease. Proper infection control measures are supposed to be in place to avoid transmission, especially with the exposure to blood that dentists are at risk of. A cross-sectional study with quantitative method using a valid research questionnaire. A convenience sample of 101 dentists from around Lebanon participated in the study. The results showed that 83% of the participating dentists were vaccinated yet only 21% received the required dose for prevention against HBV. The dentists had moderate to high knowledge of HBV infection control measures, negative attitudes towards treating HBV exposed patients, as well as good practices of standard precautions. The results showed that there was a difference association between gender and vaccination (P=0.04). The results also showed that there was no remarkable association between years of experience and HBV infection prevention knowledge, however there was a significant association between gender, vaccination status and practices if infection control measures (P=0.00). The dentists report good KPA of infection control measures yet reinforcement is needed to ensure proper prevention of transmission of HBV in dental practice

KNOWLEDGE AND PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) AMONG LEBANESE HEALTHCARE WORKERS

During the first week of March, the surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases reached over 100 countries with more than 100,000 cases. Healthcare authorities have already initiated awareness and preparedness activities beyond borders. A poor understanding of the disease among healthcare workers (HCWs) may result in delayed treatment and the rapid spread of infection. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and perceptions of HCWs about COVID-19. A cross-sectional, web-based study was conducted among HCWs about COVID19, where a 23-item survey instrument was developed and distributed randomly to HCWs using google forms and email portals. The majority of the sample were females (75.5%) and have been working as registered nurses (50.3%), where their main source of information was their hospital and the Ministry of Health, followed by the social media the results of the study showed that the healthcare providers had adequate knowledge and positive perception regarding the prevention of COVID-19, however they have expressed concerns regarding contracting the infection and infecting family members. There has been a significant difference between those who have attended lectures and trainings and who have not on the level of the knowledge and perceptions (

Characterization of compressive damage behavior of steel and aluminum

Compressive deformation is imposed on aluminum cast 195-76 and ferritic stainless steel 18-8specimens at high strain rateusing perforation split Hopkinson pressure bar (P-SHPB).The energy levels and the compressive dynamic failure behavior of the materials were investigated at high strain rate deformation between 950 and 5700 s-1. This paper investigates the effects of specimen’s thickness andimpact energy on failure behavior with correlation of P-SHPB and SHPB.The relationship of different damage mode can be followed with the stress-strain relationship, strain rate and energy absorbed by steel and aluminum specimens

THE EFFECT OF MODERATE VERSUS DEEP SEDATION ON THE SATISFACTION AND LENGTH OF STAY OF PATIENTS UNDERGOING COLONOSCOPY IN A LEBANESE SPECIALIZED ENDOSCOPY CENTER

Colonoscopy is one of the most common screening procedure to detect colorectal cancer. Sedation during colonoscopy decreases anxiety, discomfort, minimizes risks, and promotes the overall satisfaction of the patient. It’s a challenge for nurses to adopt a sedation regimen taking into consideration traditional and modern techniques and methods. Purpose: To compare moderate and deep sedation effects on satisfaction, length of stay, and overall experience of patients undergoing colonoscopy. Methods: A quasi-experimental research was conducted among 149 patients who responded to the Iowa Satisfaction with Anesthesia Scale after been consented pre-procedure. Results: Statistically significant differences were demonstrated for almost most items of Iowa satisfaction with the anesthesia scale, in addition to the clear difference between the post-procedure stay duration and time to have had their vitals baselined again. Conclusion: Deep sedation using Propofol was much more effective in enhancing patient satisfaction and reducing the length of stay and procedure duration substantially, thus contributing to a higher quality of care and improved performance of the endoscopy units

Primary congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries and relation to atherosclerosis: an angiographic study in Lebanon

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Most coronary artery anomalies are congenital in origin. This study angiographically determined the prevalence of different forms of anomalous aortic origins of coronary anomalies and their anatomic variation in a selected adult Lebanese population. Correlation between these anomalies and stenotic coronary atherosclerotic disease was also investigated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>4650 coronary angiographies were analyzed for anomalous aortic origin. These anomalies were clustered in four main groups: anomalous left circumflex (LCX) coronary artery, anomalous right coronary artery, anomalous left main coronary artery and anomalous left anterior descending coronary artery.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Thirty four patients had anomalous aortic origin of coronary arteries. Of these, anomalous LCX coronary artery was the most common (19 of 34 patients). The second most common anomaly was anomalous RCA origin (9 of 34 patients.) The incidence of coronary stenosis in non-anomalous vessels was 50%. However, a significantly smaller percentage (17.46%; 6 of 34 patients) of anomalous vessels exhibited significant stenosis, reminiscent of atherosclerotic disease. Of these six vessels, five were LCX coronary artery arising from right coronary sinus or from early branch of right coronary artery. The sixth was right coronary artery arising from left coronary sinus.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The incidence of congenital coronary anomalies in Lebanon is similar to other populations where the most common is the LCX coronary artery. Isolated congenital coronary anomalies do not increase the risk of developing coronary stenosis or atherosclerosis. Angiographic detection of these anomalies is clinically important for coronary angioplasty or cardiac surgery.</p

FAMAID: A TOOL FOR AIDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY

People with disabilities suffer from discrimination and obstacles that restrict them from participating in society on an equal basis with others every day. They are deprived of their rights to be included in ordinary school systems and even in the work market. In the process of raising awareness, facilitating dailyroutines, and developing guidance, the idea of assisting such people with handy tools/software arose and was implemented in the FamAid tool. FamAid offers people with hearing disability the opportunity to be engaged in the society through many facilities. In this work, we implemented a web application that serves as a community for people with disability who can use sign language to access the app. The app uses hand gesture recognition technique which is considered an active research field in Human-Computer Interaction technology to perform sign language translation to text. Afterwards, the text will be provided as input to the app where the output will be generated based on the request of the user. This research presents an application which is considered a gift for people with speaking and/or hearing disability as it makes their lives easier

Erratum to: 36th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13054-016-1208-6.]

Ten golden rules for optimal antibiotic use in hospital settings: the WARNING call to action

Antibiotics are recognized widely for their benefits when used appropriately. However, they are often used inappropriately despite the importance of responsible use within good clinical practice. Effective antibiotic treatment is an essential component of universal healthcare, and it is a global responsibility to ensure appropriate use. Currently, pharmaceutical companies have little incentive to develop new antibiotics due to scientific, regulatory, and financial barriers, further emphasizing the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. To address this issue, the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery established an international multidisciplinary task force of 295 experts from 115 countries with different backgrounds. The task force developed a position statement called WARNING (Worldwide Antimicrobial Resistance National/International Network Group) aimed at raising awareness of antimicrobial resistance and improving antibiotic prescribing practices worldwide. The statement outlined is 10 axioms, or “golden rules,” for the appropriate use of antibiotics that all healthcare workers should consistently adhere in clinical practice