Design and Implementation of an M/M/1 Queuing Model Algorithm and its Applicability in Remote Medical Monitoring

Remote Medical Monitoring is a component of telemedicine capable of monitoring the vital signs of patients in a remote location and sending the results directly to a monitoring station. Vital signs are collected by sensors attached to the human body and sent automatically to the server in the hospital. This paper focuses on the design and implementation of an M/M/1 queuing model capable of queuing the readings of the vital signs in the server according to how they arrive on a First In First Out (FIFO) basis and sending them in turn to the medical personnel when the need arises. The queuing model follows a Poisson distribution with parameter (â)t and a probability function called the negative exponential distribution. The obtained output is based on a simulation using the Queuing Model Simulator (QMS), simulation software which computes the mean, variance and the total cost of running the queue. Keywords: M/M/1 queuing model, FIFO, QMS, simulator, mean, variance, total cos

Patient Blood Pressure and Pulse Rate Monitoring With an Alert System Using the Omron 790it Blood Pressure Monitor

Blood pressure and pulse rate are two of the vital signs of humans and it is imperative that the chronically ill and the elderly patients need to have their blood pressure and pulse rate checked from time to time. This paper describes the use of the Omron 790it blood pressure monitor to check the blood pressure and the pulse rate of patients. This is achieved by transferring the readings taken by the Omron blood pressure monitor into the computer and using an Applications program developed with Visual Basic compiler called the Blood Pressure Loader (BPL) to automatically upload the blood pressure and pulse rate readings taken by the Omron blood pressure monitor directly into the hospital database. An alert can also be sent to the doctor’s phone wherever he is so that he can proffer a solution. The result of this research work is that patients can monitor their own blood pressure and pulse rate even from their homes and transfer the readings into the computer after which it can be uploaded into the hospital’s database. This has the capacity of giving the doctor a timely and detailed medical information on the vital signs of patients and will save many lives that may be lost. Keywords: Omron 790it, Blood Pressure Loader, CSV, Alert Syste

A Computational Analysis of the Negative Impact of Cigarette Smoking on Human Population In Imo State

Smoking is a practice in which a substance most commonly called Tobacco or Cannabis is burnt and the smoke tasted or inhaled. Recognition of the consequences of cigarette smoking and abuse on physical and mental health as well as socio-occupational life are necessary steps for initiating appropriate action to reduce the harm or dangers resulting from smoking. This work was motivated by the observed and anticipated negative health burden with its concomitant socio-economic consequences which the nation is bound to face if systematic efforts are not made now to control the growing problem of cigarette smoking. Three methodologies have been combined in the execution of this research. The first methodology involved conducting the clinical test to determine the independent assessment of impact of smoking using Digital Display Nicotine Tester (DDNT). Secondly, sample populations of people treated at the Imo State University Teaching Hospital from diseases emanating from smoking were collected, statistically analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS).Relevant coefficients were extracted and deployed for the coding of the simulation model. Thirdly, simulation software was developed using the indices collected from the statistical software to assess the impact of smoking on the population in the next 50 years. This is to assist policy formlators and decision makers on what public policy should be in place to stem possible health catastrophe that may occur as a result of uncontrolled consumption. The software simulation follows a stochastic model

Computer Simulation of the Impact of Cigarette Smoking On Humans

In this edition, emphasis has been laid on computer simulation of the impact of cigarette smoking on the population between now and the next 50 years, if no government intervention is exercised to control the behaviour of smokers. The statistical indices derived from the previous article (WAJIAR Volume 4) in the series were plugged in as input to the simulation model. The software simulation followed a statistical model. The simulation software was developed using the internationally accepted Software Engineering Methodology – the Structured System Analysis and Design Methodology (SSADM), coding by OOP and packaging by Prototyping methodologies. The simulation is intended to be predictive and to enable policy makers see the impact and dangers of cigarette smoking between now and the next 50 years if current abuse is not controlled, that is, the number of smokers likely to contact liver, brain and related diseases and who are most likely to die from these diseases. The summary of the result shows that in the next fifty years, a total of 2379591 people will likely suffer liver diseases, 2379818 people will likely suffer lung diseases, 2380297 people will likely suffer hepatitis and 2379689 will also likely suffer Brain Damage. Generally, a total of 9519395 people will likely suffer these four diseases caused by cigarette smoking and most importantly, the total number of deaths is expected to be 1903880. This result suggests that the negative impact of cigarette smoking is significant and demands immediate government intervention to avoid further population decimation. Keywords: Simulation, Software, Model, Population, Design

Levels of awareness and concentrations of heavy metals in the blood of electronic waste scavengers in Nigeria

Background - Electronic waste (e-waste) contains both valuable and hazardous materials. E-waste scavengers specialize in the collection and crude recycling of waste electronics to retrieve valuable metals, which are then sold. These activities provide an income for scavengers, but also expose them to toxic heavy metals such as lead (Pb) and copper (Cu). Objectives - The aim of the present study was to investigate the level of awareness and concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Cu, zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn)) in the blood levels of e-waste scavengers at Jakande dumpsite, Alaba International Market, Lagos, Nigeria. Methods - Material and data were collected by empirical survey with the use of a questionnaire to obtain information from e-waste scavengers. Blood samples of the scavengers in the present study (30 adult males exposed to recycling processes) were collected and concentrations of heavy metals were determined through acid digestion and the use of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AGILENT 55B AA, 2010). Results - The geometric means of blood levels of Pb, Cu, Zn and Mn were 11.0, 33.85, 126.15 and 19.38 µg / dL, respectively. High concentrations of Pb and Mn (11.0 and 19.38 µg / dL) were found in the blood samples, while Zn and Cu (126.15 and 33.85 µg / dL) showed low concentrations. The maximum blood level of lead (BPb) (24.0 µg / dL) was extremely high compared to the maximum BPb of occupationally exposed males. Statistical analysis of the questionnaires showed that all of the respondents were male, and more than half (56.7%) were between 21-30 years of age and had been involved in recycling of e-waste for 1-5 years. The results showed that 83% of the respondents were aware that hazardous fractions in e-waste require special treatment, while 76.7% were aware of the possible negative impact on their health. Conclusions - Lack of education, poverty and lack of effective enforcement of e-waste management and regulations are the major contributors to the current situation and thus scavengers carry on with their activities unhindered. The authors recommend the use of protective clothing, sensitization visits and awareness campaigns on the safe disposal of hazardous components

Deploying Electronic Roadside Vehicle Identification Technology to Intercept Small Arms and Ammunition on Nigeria Roads

The challenge of insecurity of life and property in Nigeria has assumed a frightening dimension. The security situation keeps degenerating daily in spite of government’s acclaimed effort to contain the situation. This implies that Nigeria of today has a complex security management challenges to handle in order to liberate her citizens from the bondage of insecurity of lives and property, ranging from kidnapping, armed robbery, militancy, suicide bombing, ritual murders and human parts selling. The arms being used in perpetuating some of these criminal acts are conveyed by the criminals using our roads. These security lapses are still possible in spite of huge security personnel presence on Nigeria road checkpoints. This implies that the present system of “stop and search” operation is defective and inefficient to handle current security dynamics. To ensure effectiveness of roadside policing, there is need to carry out this “stop and search” operation using electronic security system. The objective of this paper, therefore, is to present a model archetype that would be capable of sweeping through commercial and private vehicles on the move automatically using Wireless Sensor Networks, Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETS), OCR, transponders linking all sensitive security observatories to a central data base for verifications, security alerts to the security agencies for prompt action and national security control. The paper presents a data base network and communications architecture from a roadside observatory through to the computer control room and then security personnel on duty. The present practice of stop and search fails to capture most vehicles conveying sensitive and dangerous security exhibits such as chemical, small and light arms. Moreover the present system is cumbersome, stressful, time consuming thus reducing the desired reliability, accuracy of roadside policing. Key Words: small arms and ammunitions, transponder, scanners. Sensors. RFI