Continuous Campaign Research Articles

Continuous marketing in the social business platform based on identifying consumer boring products

In the social business platform, continuous marketing to consumers can fully explore the consumer purchasing potential. However, since consumers can be influenced by their social friends, their tastes often change, which resulting in the cold start problem of familiar users (CSPFU), and the traditional product recommendation methods are difficult to achieve satisfactory results because they focus on identifying the preferable new products instead of boring familiar products. Therefore, a consumer multi-stage compensation product evaluation model (CMCPEM) based on the multidimensional correlation of products and customers to identify the products that consumers may feel tired is proposed. Specifically, the multidimensional correlation indexes are firstly proposed to depict the preferences of the consumer for the target product to be identified, other consumers who have social contagion and structural equivalence relationships with the consumer and other consumers of homogeneous products. After the direct linear, non-linear and indirect fusion of these multidimensional correlation indexes, the compensation indexes (CIs) are proposed to comprehensively describe the first stage of product evaluation process of consumers. Then, J test in the non-nested model is used to screen out the non-nested CIs that consumers focus on. Finally, in the third stage, the final decision result is given by comprehensively considering CIs that consumers focus on and the indexes that represent consumers’ favorite. Experiment results on YELP data confirm the effectiveness of CMCPEM in successfully launching the continuous marketing campaign.

Assessment of practice of Covid-19 preventive measures and associated factors among residents in Southern, Ethiopia.

IntroductionCoronavirus (Covid-19) is a respiratory disease mostly affecting old aged and those with comorbidities. Due to resource constraints in developing countries, control of Covid-19 was based on preventive measures. However, there is variation in adherence to these precautionary measures from place to place among communities. Therefore, this study assessed the practice of Covid-19 preventive measures and associated factors among residents of Southern, Ethiopia.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was employed on residents of Southern, Ethiopia. Interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data from households through systematic random sampling methods. Data was entered, coded, and analyzed using STATA version 16. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association between outcome variables and predictor variables. Finally, the interpretation of Adjusted Odds ratio (AOR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) and p-value was done for statistically significant factors of Covid-19 preventive measures practice.ResultsThe proportion of residents who had good practice of Covid-19 preventive measures was 31.3% (95% CI: 26.5, 36.1). Out of 364 residents, 264 (72.5%) used facemasks, 218 (59.9%) washed their hands frequently, 167 (45.9%) practiced social distancing, 135 (37.1%) stayed at home, 75 (18.1%) avoided handshaking and 228 (62.6%) used hand sanitizer. Following government directions (AOR = 225; 95% CI: 68.6, 738), good knowledge about Covid-19 (AOR = 3.47; 95% CI: 1.12, 10.73), having access to water supply (AOR = 2.92; 95% CI: 1.05, 8.18), belief towards protectiveness of preventive measure (AOR = 3.53; 95% CI: 1.08, 11.61) and chronic illness (AOR = 5.09; 95% CI: 1.44, 17.96) were significantly associated with practice of Covid-19 preventive measures.ConclusionIn this study, the proportion of residents practicing Covid-19 preventive measures was low. Having comorbidity, following government directions, knowledge about Covid-19 and access to water supply were significantly associated with Covid-19 preventive measures practice. Therefore, government and all concerned stakeholders should increase the accessibility of infrastructure and provide continuous awareness creation campaigns regarding Covid-19 mode of transmission, sign and symptom, and protectiveness of Covid-19 preventive measures. Moreover, dissemination of teaching aids using local languages and close monitoring of community compliance to Covid-19 preventive measures is crucial.

Design Considerations for an Earth–Mars Cycler Spacecraft Using the S1L1 Cycler

This paper discusses the design considerations for an Earth–Mars cycler spacecraft using the ballistic S1L1 cycler trajectory. The primary objective is to estimate the mass of a cycler spacecraft designed to transfer a crew of six from Earth to Mars on a nominal 154-day trajectory, with sufficient consumables and life-support capabilities to accommodate the crew on a 1032-day contingency mission, in case the transfer from the cycler to Mars is not possible. The paper develops the functional system requirements from the concept of operations and discusses the bottom-up mass and power estimates for the individual subsystems. The cycler spacecraft design includes system capabilities that are not needed for spacecraft designed for point-to-point interplanetary transfers, such as a 30-year design life and the capability to be robotically maintained, repaired, and replenished during an uncrewed Earth–Earth resupply loop. The resulting spacecraft design is similar in size, mass, and operational complexity to deep space transfer vehicles for point-to-point mission architectures. However, as a minimum number of two cyclers are needed for round-trip missions with acceptable duration, a cycler-based architecture is less suitable for initial Mars exploration than for a sustained, continuous Mars exploration campaign.

Detection of medication administration errors at a tertiary hospital using a direct observation approach

ObjectivesMedication administration errors (MAEs) are the most common and significant type of medication errors worldwide. This study aims to assess the prevalence, types, and severity of MAEs. Furthermore, this study attempts to determine the factors associated with the occurrence of MAEs. MethodThis cross-sectional study was conducted over a three-month interval in the internal medicine ward of a tertiary teaching hospital in Jordan. During the study period, 13 nurses were observed while they were preparing and administering medications using a direct disguised observation method. All the recorded observations about the preparation and administration were compared with the physician's orders in the medications' records to identify any possible MAEs. ResultsHaving observed a total of 1,012 opportunities for errors, 910 MAEs were identified. Among these 910 errors, adherence errors were found to be the most frequent type (n = 364, 35.9%), followed by incorrect drug preparation (n = 247, 24.4%). None of the MAEs revealed any serious harm to patients or contributed to prolonged hospitalization. Antimicrobial drugs (n = 210, 23.0%) was the most common class associated with MAEs, followed by the class of cardiovascular (n = 157, 17.2%) medicines. Results have shown that the occurrence of MAEs was significantly higher in the non-intravenous medications in comparison to the intravenous medications (p-value < 0.001). ConclusionWhile this study revealed a high rate of MAEs, all the identified errors did not cause harm to the patients. Continuous awareness and education campaigns targeting the nurses about the importance of proper and safe drug administration are highly recommended.

WILLINGNESS TO BE VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19 AMONG HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION

Background: The increasing COVID-19 cases worldwide ignite pharmaceutical companies’ effort to discover safe vaccines have been eyed globally. Informed perspectives across medical profession explaining beneficial effects of inoculation, however, various personal views persist which lead to confusion among general public. Objectives: To describe demographic characteristics among education institutions and their willingness to be vaccinated. Methods: Data were collected by google forms, in February 2021. The online form was then pre-tested on 10 respondents to refine questions prior to commencing the survey. Convenience sampling was administered for the selection of voluntary respondents. Data cleaning was done prior to the data analysis. Recoding of string variables and omittion of invalid responses were also done. Descriptive statistics was undertaken in a genuine licensed software of IBM SPSS Statistics version 26. Results: A total of 401 respondents answered the survey. More than half of the respondents are female constituting 62.1% of the sample, whereas males constitute 37.9%, mostly faculty members, single (63.1%), earning 20,000 (54.2%) per month. More than half of the respondents are willing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 (54.6%) and have no preference for a specific type of COVID-19 vaccine (54.9%). Around 30.4% are still unsure if they should get vaccinated or not and 15% have indicated negatively. Comparing both sexes, a larger frequency of males is willing to get vaccinated constituting 69.1% and females (45.8%). Conclusion: Males showed more willingness to be inoculated regardless of COVID-19 vaccine types. Education and continuous campaign on the importance of vaccination program is a must to increase success rate to end the health crisis.

Ensuring sustainability of polio immunization in health system transition: lessons from the polio eradication initiative in Indonesia

BackgroundSustaining an effective evidence-based health intervention will maximize its impact on public health. Political and governmental reforms impacted on immunization program sustainability both positively and negatively. This study aims to explore the sustainability of polio immunization in a decentralized health system taking lessons learned from a polio eradication initiative in Indonesia.MethodsWe collected qualitative data through in-depth interviews with 27 key informants from various backgrounds at district, provincial, and national levels, consisting of frontline workers, managers, and Non-government Organizations (NGOs). We conducted thematic analysis and triangulated using document reviews. We also conducted member checking and peer debriefing to ensure trustworthiness.ResultsCompeting priority was identified as the significant challenge to sustain government commitment for polio immunization and AFP surveillance during the transition toward a decentralized health system. Variation of local government capacities has also affected immunization delivery and commitment at the sub-national level government. The government reform has led to a more democratic society, facilitating vaccine rejection and hesitancy. The multi-sector partnership played a significant role in maintaining polio immunization coverage. Strong and continuous advocacy and campaign were essential to raising awareness of the community and policymakers to keep polio in the agenda and to maintain the high polio immunization coverage.ConclusionCompeting priority was the major factor affecting high polio immunization coverage during the decentralization transition. Strong advocacy is needed at every level, from district to national level, to keep polio immunization prioritized.

USING VIRTUAL OR AUGMENTED REALITY FOR THE TIME-BASED STUDY OF COMPLEX UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS

Abstract. Cultural Heritage (CH) resources are partial, heterogeneous, discontinuous, and subject to ongoing updates and revisions. The use of semantic web technologies associated with 3D graphical tools is proposed to improve access, exploration, exploitation and enrichment of these CH data in a standardized and more structured form. This article presents the monitoring work developed for more than ten years on the excavation of the Xlendi site. Around an exceptional shipwreck, the oldest from the Archaic period in the Western Mediterranean, we have set up a unique excavation at a depth of 110m assisted by a rigorous and continuous photogrammetry campaign. All the collected results are modelled by an ontology and visualized with virtual and augmented reality tools that allow a bidirectional link between the proposed graphical representations and the non-graphical archaeological data. It is also important to highlight the development of an innovative 3D mobile app that lets users study and understand the site as well as experience sensations close to those of a diver visiting the site.

Prevalence and predictors of long-acting reversible contraceptive use among sexually active women in 26 sub-Saharan African countries.

BackgroundLong-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are associated with high efficacy rates and continuity of use. Based on the foregoing, we sought to examine the prevalence and factors associated with LARC use among sexually active women in 26 countries in sub-Saharan Africa(SSA).MethodsSecondary data from Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 26 countries in SSA between January 2010 and December 2019 were pooled and analysed. A total of 56 067 sexually active women 15–49 y of age met the inclusion criteria. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to examine the association between selected factors and the use of LARCs in SSA. Results were presented as crude odds ratios and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with statistical precision at <0.05.ResultsThe prevalence of LARC use was 21.73%, ranging from 1.94% in Namibia to 54.96% in Benin. Sexually active women with secondary or higher education (aOR 1.19 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.08 to 1.32]), those cohabiting (aOR 1.25 [95% CI 1.06 to 1.47]) and those with four or more children (aOR 2.22 [95% CI 1.78 to 2.78]) were more likely to use LARCs compared with those without education, never married and with no biological child.ConclusionsThe use of LARCs in the 26 countries in SSA was relatively low. Hence, the identified contributory factors of LARC use should be tackled with appropriate interventions. These include continuous campaigns on the efficacy of LARCs in reducing unintended pregnancy, maternal mortality and morbidity.

Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccine and Determinant Factors Among Patients with Chronic Disease Visiting Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northeastern Ethiopia.

BackgroundDespite the implementation of different COVID-19 prevention measures, the incidence of the disease continues to rise. Hence, vaccines have been taken as the best option for controlling the transmission of the disease. Although the approved COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be safe and effective, multiple beliefs and misconceptions still exist influencing its acceptance.ObjectiveTo assess the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine and determinant factors among chronic patients visiting Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northeastern Ethiopia.MethodsInstitution-based cross-sectional study design was used among patients with chronic diseases visiting Dessie Comprehensive Specialized Hospital from May 1 to 20, 2021 using a consecutive sampling technique. Binary logistic regression analysis using crude odd ratio (COR) and adjusted odd ratio (AOR) was performed to assess the association between independent and dependent variables. Variables having p values of less than 0.05 at the 95% confidence interval (CI) were considered as factors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance.ResultsA total of 416 respondents participated in the survey, with a response rate of 98.6%. About 59.4% of the respondents were willing to accept the COVID-19 vaccine. Participants who had health insurance (AOR=1.812; 95% CI: 1.703–3.059), knew anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 (AOR=2.482; 95% CI: 1.427–4.317), having good knowledge of the COVID-19 vaccine (AOR=6.890; 95% CI: 3.900–120.17), and having a positive attitude towards COVID-19 vaccine (AOR=7.725; 95% CI: 4.024–14.830) were factors affecting the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine.ConclusionThe acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine was low. Use of health insurance, knowing anyone who had been diagnosed with COVID-19, knowledge, and attitude towards the COVID-19 vaccine were factors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Healthcare professionals should conduct continuous awareness creation campaigns on the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine, safety, and its efficacy. Further studies like longitudinal and qualitative studies should be conducted to identify additional barriers to vaccine acceptance particularly in high-risk groups.

A retrospective review of the factors that negatively influenced the eradication of polio in South-South, Nigeria

Background: The endemic nature of poliomyelitis in Nigeria was a source of concern to many given the global efforts aimed at eradicating the scourge. In this study, the factors that influenced the eradication of this malady in South-South Nigeria (Akwa Ibom and Cross River State) were investigated. Four null hypotheses, drawn on these factors (including culture belief, religious difference, language and the prevalence of ethnic conflict) guided the investigation. The main thrust of this study was to examine how socio-cultural factors negatively influenced the eradication of polio in the study area. Methods: Through stratified random and purposive sampling techniques, 600 adult men and women who had children were selected for the study. A structured questionnaire constructed by the researcher was used in data collection. Data analysis was carried out using one-way ANOVA and independent t-test statistical tools. Results: The findings were that cultural belief and religious affiliation exerted significant influence on the people’s effort towards polio eradication. Conclusion: The study indicated that the low use of health services by the people was brought about by variation in these variables. Among other things, it was suggested that continuous awareness campaigns be carried out to educate the people on the need for immunization anchored in science and technology.

Effect of Educational Sessions about Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Knowledge, Practice and Attitudes of Nurses in Zagazig Fever Hospital

Background: The fast and global spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has become a major cause of concern for the healthcare profession. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of educational sessions about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on knowledge, practice and attitudes of nurses in Zagazig Fever Hospital. Subjects and Methods: Research design: A quasi experimental research design was used in carrying out the study with pre/posttest. Setting: the study was conducted at Zagazig Fever Hospital, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. Tools of data collection: Three tools were used: Tool (I): A self-administered questionnaire; It consisted of two parts: Part one was used to collect data pertaining to personal characteristics of the nurses, while part two involved questions regarding nurses' knowledge about COVID-19. Tool (II): Nurse’s practice observation checklist to determine the hand washing practice during COVID-19. Tool (III): was intended to assess nurse’s attitudes toward COVID-19. Results: The comparison of pre, posttests knowledge, practice and attitudes on nurses revealed highly statistically significant improvement (p <0.001) that approved the research hypothesis of implementation, where the total mean of their knowledge increased from 23.915±9.539 in pre- intervention, to 43.366±0.914 at intervention and 42.746±1.509 at post intervention. All nurses (100%) were having satisfactory level of knowledge at intervention and post intervention. The total mean score of their attitudes increased from 16.929±2.344 in pre intervention to 19.098±1.415 at intervention and 18.873±1.482 at post intervention with (p < 0.001) for all changes. Conclusion: the posttest and follow-up knowledge, practice and attitudes’ score was higher than the pretest score of nurses. Recommendations: Continuous campaigns are required for nurses to prevent and control COVID-19 successfully with illustrated booklets for maintaining knowledge, emphasis should also be placed on training and retraining health professionals in the correct hand washing steps as well as media awareness campaigns on this disease.

Radiocarbon in the atmospheric gases and PM10 aerosol around the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, Hungary

Our study shows a one-year-long, monthly integrated continuous monitoring campaign of gaseous radiocarbon emission and ambient air compared with 4 event-like, weekly (168 h) atmospheric aerosol radiocarbon data in every season of 2019, at 4 locations (n = 16 aerosol sample) around the Paks Nuclear Power Plant, Hungary. The study shows the first aerosol radiocarbon results around a nuclear power plant measured by accelerator mass spectrometry in Hungary. There was no dominant contribution detected in the atmospheric CO2 gas fraction, but we could detect excess radiocarbon in the total gaseous carbon fraction at almost every sampling point around the Paks Nuclear Power Plant. The highest Δ14C value in the total gaseous carbon form was 157.9 ± 4.6‰ in November and the highest Δ 14C value in the CO2 fraction was 86.1 ± 4.0‰ in December during 2019. Observed 14C activity excess is not higher than previously published values around the Paks Nuclear Power plant at the same sampling points (Molnár et al., 2007; Varga et al., 2020). Our aerosol radiocarbon measurements show that there is no significant contribution from the nuclear power plant to the atmospheric PM10 fraction. We could not detect a Δ 14C value higher than 0‰ in any season. The results show that the simple aerosol sampling, without pre-treatment of the filters, is appropriate for the measurement of excess radiocarbon at the vicinity of nuclear power plants. The applied preparation and measurement method can be applicable for detection of hot (14C) particles and early identification of radiocarbon emission from nuclear power plants in the PM10 fraction.

The Role of Spatial Gradient on Vertical Total Electron Content Extraction From Geodetic Very Long Baseline Interferometry Observation: Case Study CONT08 to CONT17‐L1

AbstractGeodetic very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations are carried out, with the legacy system, using two well‐separated frequency bands in order to determine first‐order ionospheric delay corrections corresponding to the combined effect of total electron content (TEC) at two stations forming a baseline. On the other hand, it is possible to obtain the vertical TEC (VTEC) above the VLBI antennas from VLBI data. This research intends to investigate the role of the ionospheric spatial gradient on VTEC which is derived from VLBI observations based on the latest four Continuous VLBI Campaigns (CONT08 to CONT17‐L1). For this purpose, station‐based VTEC values were computed in two modes, with and without spatial gradients. Then, these two approaches were evaluated by comparison to global ionospheric maps (GIMs). The differences between the GIM‐based VTEC values and the VLBI VTEC values derived using two parameterization approaches were used to compute the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) for each VLBI station during the CONTs. In addition, the improvement percentages of the VLBI VTEC's error were calculated to understand the spatial gradient role. Based on the obtained results, the role of spatial gradient is more significant on the equatorial region as compared to the polar area. Using the ionospheric spatial gradient decreases the RMSE values of VLBI‐derived VTEC values from CONT08, CONT11, CONT14, and CONT17‐L1 by 26.4%, 37.6%, 32.4%, and 27.4%, respectively. In addition, it is also shown that this parameter reduces the RMSE values during the high solar activity, as in 2011 and 2014.

Control of surge tanks for continuous manufacturing of monoclonal antibodies.

Surge tanks are critical but often overlooked enablers of continuous bioprocessing. They provide multiple benefits including dampening of concentration gradients and allowing process resumption efforts in case of equipment failure or unexpected deviations, which can occur during a continuous campaign of weeks or months. They are also useful in enabling steady-state operation across a continuous train by facilitating mass balance between unit operations such as chromatography which have periodic loading and elution cycles. In this paper, we propose a design of a system of surge tanks for a monoclonal antibody (mAb) production process consisting of cell culture, clarification, capture chromatography, viral inactivation, polishing chromatography, and single-pass ultrafiltration and diafiltration. A Python controller has been developed for robust control of the continuous train. The controller has four layers, namely data acquisition, process scheduling, deviation handling, and real-time execution. A set of general guidelines for surge tank placement and sizing have been proposed together with process control strategies based on the design space of the individual unit operations, failure modes analysis of the different equipment, and expected variability in the process feed streams for both fed-batch and perfusion bioreactors. The control system has been successfully demonstrated for several continuous runs of up to 36 h in duration and is able to leverage surge tanks for robust control of the continuous train in the face of product variability as well as process errors while maintaining critical quality attributes. The proposed set of strategies for surge tank control are adaptable to most continuous processing setups for mAbs, and together form the first framework that can fully realize the benefits of surge tanks in continuous bioprocessing.

Lessons Learned and Paths Forward for Rabies Dog Vaccination in Madagascar: A Case Study of Pilot Vaccination Campaigns in Moramanga District.

Canine rabies causes an estimated 60,000 human deaths per year, but these deaths are preventable through post-exposure prophylaxis of people and vaccination of domestic dogs. Dog vaccination campaigns targeting 70% of the population are effective at interrupting transmission. Here, we report on lessons learned during pilot dog vaccination campaigns in the Moramanga District of Madagascar. We compare two different vaccination strategies: a volunteer-driven effort to vaccinate dogs in two communes using static point vaccination and continuous vaccination as part of routine veterinary services. We used dog age data from the campaigns to estimate key demographic parameters and to simulate different vaccination strategies. Overall, we found that dog vaccination was feasible and that most dogs were accessible to vaccination. The static-point campaign achieved higher coverage but required more resources and had a limited geographic scope compared to the continuous delivery campaign. Our modeling results suggest that targeting puppies through community-based vaccination efforts could improve coverage. We found that mass dog vaccination is feasible and can achieve high coverage in Madagascar; however, context-specific strategies and an investment in dog vaccination as a public good will be required to move the country towards elimination.

Prevalence of sufficient MVPA among Thai adults: pooled panel data analysis from Thailand\u2019s surveillance on physical activity 2012\u20132019

BackgroundThe role of data in informing decision makers in formulating policy to improve population health is undeniably important. During the past few years, the Thai government has undertaken continuous health promotion campaigns and programs. Nevertheless, evidence of how physical activity (PA) has improved is lacking. This study aims to present PA prevalence and trends from nationally-representative surveillance data collected during 2012–2019.MethodsThis study employed 8 rounds of Thailand’s Surveillance on Physical Activity (SPA) survey from 2012 to 2019 as a pooled analysis from two-panel data (SPA2012–2016 and SPA2017–2019). Multistage random sampling was applied to select Thai adults aged 18 or over to produce a nationally-representative dataset, by considering the place of residence (urban or rural), gender, and single year of age. Face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire were conducted in 5 regions, 13 provinces, and 36 villages to follow up 5648 individuals in Panel 1 (SPA2012–2016) and 6074 persons in Panel 2 (SPA2017–2019).ResultsThe prevalence (%) of Thai adults who met WHO recommendations on sufficient PA tended to increase over time, from 66.6 (CI 65–68) in SPA2012 to 70.1 (CI 69–71), 69.5 (CI 68–71), 73.1 (CI 72–74), 70.6 (CI 69–72), 73.0 (CI 72–74), 75.6 (CI 74–77), and 74.3 (73–75) in SPA2013–2019, respectively. Thai females are less physically active than males, and the prevalence of sufficient moderate and vigorous PA (MVPA) was highest among middle-aged adults (35–64 years), and lowest among older adults (65+ years). Work-related PA dominated the cumulative minutes of MVPA per week, followed by recreational PA.ConclusionThe prevalence of sufficient MVPA has fluctuated over time with a tendency to increase in the most recent years. Work-related is the most common modes of PA among Thai adults, implying further improvement in recreational physical activity is required. Workplace intervention should also be the focus in improving PA of Thai adults by encouraging their work force to engage in more occupational PA.

The World Health Organisation’s recommendation on breastfeeding: Assessing knowledge and practice among mothers in Abuja, Northern Nigeria

Despite the fact that breastfeeding remains the healthiest, simplest and least expensive means of meeting the nutritional needs of newborns and infants, the knowledge and practice as recommended by WHO remain low in most low-and middle-income countries. This study aims at exploring the gap in the knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers in Northern Nigeria as well as comparing their practises with the WHO recommendations. This was a cross-sectional facility-based study among 343 mothers in Abuja, Northern Nigeria. Data was collected over 8 weeks using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire assessing knowledge and practise of breastfeeding based on the WHO recommendations. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 22. Chi square test of statistical significance was used to measure the degree of bivariate associations at a level of p &lt; 0.05. Only 42.6% of the mothers had good general knowledge of breastfeeding. Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months was practised by 232 (75.1%) mothers. Having more than one child was associated with good knowledge of breastfeeding (χ2 = 7.331, p = 0.007) while having poor knowledge of breastfeeding (χ2=5.722, p=0.017) was associated with exclusive breastfeeding practise. Commonest reasons for not practising exclusive breastfeeding were insufficient breast milk (38.7%) and resumption of work (19.8%). In this study, the practise of initiating breastfeeding within an hour after birth and exclusive breastfeeding are both in line with WHO recommendations. Continuous breastfeeding awareness campaigns are needed to improve knowledge and sustain the practise of exclusive breastfeeding.&gt;

Increased influenza vaccination rates in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases during the Covid-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

To assess non-compliance and potential changes in seasonal flu vaccination coverage before and during the Covid-19 pandemic in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs). Consecutive patients with ARDs followed-up in 2 tertiary hospitals were telephone-interviewed (December 12–30, 2020) regarding seasonal flu vaccination during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 time periods. Self-reported disease flares that occurred after flu vaccination, as well as reasons for non-vaccination were recorded. One thousand fifteen patients were included. The rate of flu vaccination increased from 76% before to 83% during the COVID-19 pandemic (p = 0.0001). The rate of self-reported disease flares was < 1% among vaccinated patients. Reasons for not vaccination in both periods, respectively, included: ‘was not recommended by their rheumatologists’ (35.0vs.12.2%, p < 0.0001), ‘did not feel that they would have any benefit’ (36.9 vs. 32.6%), felt unsafe to do so (27.5 vs. 30.2%), or other reasons (18.9 vs. 23.8%). By multivariate analysis, age [OR = 1.03 (95% CI 1.02–1.04)] vs. [1.04 (95% CI 1.02–1.05)] and treatment with biologics [OR = 1.66 (95% CI 1.22–2.24) vs. [1.68 (95% CI 1.19–2.38)] were independent factors associated with vaccination in both periods. These findings, although are temporally encouraging, emphasize the need for continuous campaigns aiming at increasing patients’ and physicians’ awareness about the benefits of vaccination.

Distributed fiber optic shape sensing along shotcrete tunnel linings: Methodology, field applications, and monitoring results

Deformation monitoring and structural reliability assessment are key components in modern conventional tunneling. The state-of-the-art monitoring design is usually based on displacement measurements of geodetic targets using total stations paired with pointwise geotechnical sensors inside the tunnel lining. In recent years, distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) has become more popular in tunneling applications. DFOS measurements basically deliver internal strain and temperature distributions, but no direct relation to the tunnel shape’s behavior. This paper introduces a novel sensing and evaluation concept, which combines DFOS strain measurements and geodetic displacement readings for distributed shape assessment along curved structures, such as tunnel cross-sections. The designed system was implemented into shotcrete tunnel cross-sections as well as shaft linings and enables the determination of displacement profiles with high spatial resolution in the range of centimeters. Evaluations of continuous monitoring campaigns over several weeks as well as epoch-wise measurements performed by different DFOS sensing units in combination with stochastic analysis demonstrate the high potential of the developed approach and its capability to extend traditional monitoring methods in tunneling.

Assessment of Household Solid Waste Management Practice and Associated Factors in Debre Berhan Town, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

Background: All over the world, countries are battling with waste management and governments are investing huge sums of money to tackle waste issues. Household solid wastes in Debre Berhan town are observed on the road, burning inside the village, and disposed of in sewerage. Objective: This study was aimed to assess the status of household solid waste management practice and associated factors in Debre Berhan town from March 1- March 30, 2020. Methods: Community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted in the household of Debre Berhan. Data was collected from 722 households, which were selected through multi-stage sampling from three kebeles. The Obtained data were entered using Epidata and finally analyzed using SPSS Version 21. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were done to identify the independent predictors of good solid waste management practice. Odds ratio with 95% confidence intervals and p-value <0.05 were used to assess the level of significance between determinant factors and the practice of solid waste management. Result: The majority of the households, 473(67.4%) solid waste management practice were poor. Age of the respondent (AOR = 4.9, 95% CI = 2.6-9.3 ), Educational level of the household heads (AOR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.32-0.92), Attitude of Household head on Solid waste management (AOR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.06-0.15), cleanup campaign participation (AOR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.39-0.95) and house ownership (AOR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.29-0.70) were significantly associated with household solid waste management practice in the study area. Conclusion and Recommendation: The current study revealed that solid waste management practice was poor. Educational level, homeownership, attitude, cleanup campaign participation, and attitude on solid waste management were found to be associated with solid waste management practice. The municipality should increase door-to-door solid waste collection service coverage, promote households on solid waste segregation, reuse, and proper disposal through continuous awareness creation campaigns and community-based programs.