Hot Showers Research Articles

Neural Network based automated hot water mixture

In the present day and age, most residential spaces comprise a shower system and generally a conventional system of hot water showers. Throughout history, showering has developed as an essential need in a person’s life. Nevertheless, a typical hot water shower system comprises delays in hot water mixing and usually requi res an average of 2 to 4 minutes to mix the cold and hot water to deliver the appropriate shower temperature. The delay in mixing provides less comfort and poor satisfaction affecting people’s lifestyles. Due to these disadvantages, a system incorporating artificial Intelligence can be utilized to enhance the performance of mixing which can offer an automated hot water mixture system with improved efficiency and effectiveness. Recently, significant research has been focused on utilizing deep learning technology due to its multiple breakthroughs in fabricating a broad range of automated novel applications since Neural Networks comprise the capacity to learn from data to offer efficient and accurate systems. In this research project, the hot water mixture is employed by an Artificial Neural Network model integrated with the combination of an embedded system of the proposed system of hot water mixture. Furthermore, the proposed system comprises temperature and flow sensors along with controllable flow valves. The tested system indicated acceptable accuracy between the actual and desired output flow rate and temperature. KEYWORDS: neural networks, deep learning, hot water mixture, embedded system

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome - A Case Report of an uncommon condition

IntroductionThe increasing prevalence of cannabis use in the world requires awareness of cannabis-related disorders such as cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). CHS is characterized by cyclic episodes of nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, affecting chronic cannabis users, who usually recur to hot showers to relief the symptoms. The pathophysiology underlying this syndrome is still unclear. Despite the well-established anti-emetic properties of cannabis, there is increasing evidence of its paradoxical effects on the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system.ObjectivesThe authors pretend to inform the readers about the rare Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS).MethodsThe authors describe a case of a 22 years old patient with chronic cannabis use, cyclic and intractable nausea and vomiting, to bring to the attention that this condition exists and is underdiagnosed.ResultsCHS should be strongly considered in the differential diagnosis of persistent vomiting in patients who reports relief with hot showers. In the acute setting, supportive care with intravenous fluids, dopamine antagonists, topical capsaicin cream, and avoidance of narcotic medications has shown some benefit. However, cannabis cessation appears to be the best treatment.ConclusionsCHS prevalence will continue to rise in parallel with increasing worldwide cannabis use and potency. So, health professionals must be aware of this syndrome, its diagnosis, and treatment, to provide better care and avoid overlooking CHS. Further research is required to elicit the exact mechanism and additional therapies for this condition.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Postoperative instructions after endoscopic sinus surgery: is there a consensus?

BACKGROUND: Most endoscopic sinus surgeons instruct their patients to avoid certain activities during the postoperative period. Due to the scarcity of empirical data on this issue, most instructions are based on surgeons’ personal insights. In this study we evaluated if restrictions for performing specific activities have a consensus among endoscopic sinus surgeons. METHODOLOGY: A nationwide survey was conducted among experienced Israeli endoscopic sinus surgeons. Participants were asked to note the optimal postoperative time restrictions of 25 different activities. RESULTS: The response rate was 30/36 (83%). Surgeons’ responses regarding time restrictions of specific activities postoperatively showed high variance. The greatest variance was noted for using a hair dryer, light physical activities, nose blowing, driving a car, having sexual intercourse, eating/drinking hot food or beverages, taking hot showers and drinking alcohol. CONCLUSIONS: The time restrictions given by endoscopic sinus surgeons for specific activities postoperatively vary greatly among them. The study findings call upon rhinology boards to establish consensus-based guidelines for postoperative management after endoscopic sinus surgery.

DISTINGUISHING POLYCYTHEMIA FROM ALLERGIC PRURITUS

<h3>Introduction</h3> An abnormally high isolated red blood cell count is known as polycythemia. Polycythemia is caused by genetic mutations like JAK2 or secondary causes such as sleep apnea, COPD, etc. A clinical presentation that should lead to a high index of suspicion for the condition is generalized pruritus and erythema, especially following hot showers. <h3>Case Description</h3> Patient is a 49-year-old male with a past medical history significant for anxiety, erectile dysfunction, sleep apnea, and atopic dermatitis who was referred to the allergy clinic for skin rash and generalized pruritus. The generalized pruritus has occurred for the past 3 months, typically occurs during hot showers, and is associated with erythema of the skin. He denies any associated symptoms, and ROS is otherwise negative. CBC results demonstrated: RBC 6.50, HGB: 19.3, HCT: 55.3. The patient denied previous myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, venous thromboembolism, and erythromelalgia. Repeat CBC showed decreased HGB and HCT of 18.0 and 53.6. Evaluation for JAK2 mutation was negative. <h3>Discussion</h3> This clinical presentation is consistent with polycythemia likely due to secondary causes. Interestingly, he has not experienced any complications typically associated with polycythemia such as stroke, myocardial infarction, and venous thromboembolism. This can be attributed to his consistent efforts to donate blood, every 45 days since the age of 18. As allergists and primary care providers, we should have a high index of suspicion for polycythemia with patients who present with generalized pruritus and erythema following a hot shower.

A CASE SERIES: CHRONIC INDUCIBLE URTICARIA FOLLOWING COVID-19 INFECTION AND MRNA VACCINE

<h3>Introduction</h3> Chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU) is a subgroup of chronic urticaria triggered by an environmental stimulus. While skin manifestations following COVID-19 infection and vaccination have been discussed, there is sparse literature documenting CIndU associated with COVID-19. We present two cases of CIndU, one following COVID-19 infection and the other following a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. <h3>Case Description</h3> The first patient is a forty-seven-year-old male who presented with pruritic urticaria after being diagnosed with COVID-19. Identified triggers included scratching his skin and hot showers. Physical urticaria testing revealed dermatographism with light scratch. The patient was treated with cetirizine 10 mg daily and symptoms improved. Based on his clinical history, the patient was diagnosed with CIndU. The second patient is a fifty-year-old female who presented with urticaria triggered by physical touch for 7 months. Symptoms began 2 weeks after her third dose of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine and have persisted despite daily cetirizine at 10 mg. A fourth booster resulted in a 1 week increase in symptoms. <h3>Discussion</h3> We present two cases in which patients report new onset CIndU. The first patient reported CIndU at the onset of a COVID-19 infection and the second patient reported CIndU 2 weeks after a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. A review of the literature revealed only limited reports of new onset CIndU after COVID-19 infection or vaccination. This case series adds to the current literature with continued demonstration of an association between COVID-19 and CIndU. Further investigation could aid in better understanding the pathophysiology and ideal treatment of CIndU.

Development and monitoring of the MEED high efficient shower heat recovery unit

In well isolated dwellings especially with multiple residents domestic hot water (DHW) accounts often for more than 50% of the energy consumption.Currently there exist shower heat recovery units which recover 40 - 70 percent of the heat in the shower water. This efficiency can drop due to fouling of the heat exchanger, which is often not accessible. Further this is a component efficiency. The system efficiency also depends on the cooling down of the shower water due to evaporation and conduction losses to wall and floor tiles. During renovation it is often practically only possible to preheat the cold water port of the thermostat with the shower heat recovery unit. The cold water feed to the boiler would then not be preheated. In apartments it is not possible to install the highly efficient pipe-in-pipe heat exchangers as they have to be installed on the floor below the bathroom. Which only leaves shower tray heat recovery units which are in the lower range of the mentioned efficiency. In practice therefore during renovation shower heat recovery is not often applied.To address these problems a new patented concept for shower heat recovery has been developed. The Multi Energy Efficient Shower cabin (MEED) involves an insulated shower cabin (tray and walls) which is closed to minimize evaporation losses. The hot shower water is pumped up and flows over an integrated helix heat exchanger. This heat exchanger is able to extract 82% of the heat and is accessible for cleaning. In the shower cabin also an electrical 10 liter 6 kW boiler is integrated, so all cold water is preheated and directly hot water is provided which minimalizes pipeline losses. The MEED has enough capacity to shower endlessly. The MEED has been installed in existing social rental housing, private housing and in hotels. First monitoring results indicate a system efficiency of more than 70%. Aside the shower the MEED is able to provide all DHW, which makes a storage vessel superfluous. This is provides important space gain in smaller dwellings.

Contribution of pelvic hot shower therapy to effectiveness in 2nd trimester medical abortions (Balsak's hot shower technique)

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effects of the pelvic hot shower in missed second-trimester abortions. Material and Methods: A total of 125 pregnant patients with fetal demise were included in this study. They were divided into two groups according to the treatment used to induce abortion. One group was treated with misoprostol only (n:74), and the other group received medical treatment and pelvic hot shower therapy (n:51). A pelvic hot shower application was applied when the patient's vaginal bleeding started. Hot water at 55-60 oC was applied to the pelvic region for 30 minutes. Results: There was no difference between the two groups regarding age, body mass index (BMI), and gestational week. (p&gt; 0.05) After the induction started, the duration of the abortion was 8.57 hours in the pelvic shower group and 12.97 hours in the misoprostol group. The difference of abortion times among the groups was statistically significant (p: 0.039*). The total dose of used misoprostol that caused vaginal contraction for abortionwas 396 mg in the patient with pelvic shower and 614 mg in the misoprostol group; the difference was statistically significant (p&lt; 0.001). The Visual Analogue Scale VAS score and analgesic requirements were significantly lower in the pelvic shower therapy group (p&lt;0.05). Conclusion: Pelvic hot shower application is an accessible, applicable, simple, effective, and inexpensive beneficial method for patients in the induced 2nd trimester.

Paediatric cannabinoid hyperemesis.

The prevalence of adolescent cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) continues to grow, as clinicians increasingly recognize the presenting features of cyclical nausea, emesis, abdominal pain and relief of symptoms with hot showers, in the setting of chronic cannabinoid use. Our understanding of the contributory mechanisms continues to grow, but high-quality evidence of effective treatment in adolescents remains lacking. Current best evidence in the treatment of acute paediatric CHS suggests intravenous rehydration and electrolyte correction, followed by 0.05 mg/kg haloperidol with or without a benzodiazepine. The only long-term treatment remains complete cessation of cannabinoid use. This article reviews our growing knowledge of adolescent CHS and provides practical guidance for diagnosis, treatment and understanding the underlying mechanisms of the condition.

Analysis and Dynamic Monitoring of Indoor Air Quality Based on Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and Machine Learning

The air quality of the living area influences human health to a certain extent. Therefore, it is particularly important to detect the quality of indoor air. However, traditional detection methods mainly depend on chemical analysis, which has long been criticized for its high time cost. In this research, a rapid air detection method for the indoor environment using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and machine learning was proposed. Four common scenes were simulated, including burning carbon, burning incense, spraying perfume and hot shower which often led to indoor air quality changes. Two steps of spectral measurements and algorithm analysis were used in the experiment. Moreover, the proposed method was found to be effective in distinguishing different kinds of aerosols and presenting sensitivity to the air compositions. In this paper, the signal was isolated by the forest, so the singular values were filtered out. Meanwhile, the spectra of different scenarios were analyzed via the principal component analysis (PCA), and the air environment was classified by K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) algorithm with an accuracy of 99.2%. Moreover, based on the establishment of a high-precision quantitative detection model, a back propagation (BP) neural network was introduced to improve the robustness and accuracy of indoor environment. The results show that by taking this method, the dynamic prediction of elements concentration can be realized, and its recognition accuracy is 96.5%.

Retiform Purpura on the Legs.

A 70-year-old woman with a medical history of Takayasu arteritis, end-stage renal disease on peritoneal dialysis, coronary artery disease, hypertension, hypothyroidism, and anemia of chronic disease presented to the emergency department with enlarging painful stellate eschars of the legs with associated edema of 3 weeks’ duration. She initially thought the lesions were burns secondary to frequent hot showers for relief of uremic pruritus.

Traditional and Complementary Medicine Practices Used by Women with Premenstrual Syndrome

Objectives: This research was carried out to determine the Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) practices used by women experiencing Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). &#x0D; Method: The sample of this descriptive study comprised 357 women who applied to the “Health Practice and Research Center Gynecology and Obstetrics” polyclinic of a university in Turkey. Study data were collected by using the Personal Information Form and the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS) to determine the life situation of women with PMS. &#x0D; Results: It was determined that 82.9% of women experienced PMS and that 83.8% of women living with PMS used TCM practices. The most commonly used TCM practices of the women were determined as follows: hot application on abdomen (90.7%), hot shower (85.1%), fennel tea (26.2%), walking (23.8%), massage (21.8%), yoga (11.7%), and music (10.5%). Almost all of the women undertook hot application to the abdomen, hot showers, massages, walking, and yoga (99.1%-99.5%-90.7%-96.6%-93.1%). Overall, 80% of the women who listened to music and 60% of the women who drank fennel tea experienced benefits as a result.&#x0D; Conclusion: PMS is a commonly observed health issue among women, and many frequently use TCM practices to cope. Hot applications were found to be the most commonly used TCM.&#x0D; &#x0D; Keywords: Premenstrual Syndrome, Traditional and Complementary Medicine, Women’s Health

At Times I Didn't Drown

At Times I Didn't Drown

S2058 Three Rare Cases of Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Esophagus in a Rural Community

Introduction: The frequency of cannabis use has increased in the USA in the last few years. The prevalence of cannabis induced hyperemesis has also increased during this time. We present a case of presumed esophageal perforation in a patient with cannabis hyperemesis syndrome. Case Description/Methods: A 26 year old female with daily inhaled cannabis use presents with nausea, vomiting and epigastric pain for 3 weeks. She denies chest pain or fever. She has been told in the past that she has Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome. Typically, her bouts last for one week and her symptoms improve with hot showers. On initial physical exam she was in moderate distress and tachycardic with tenderness over the epigastrium. Her WBC count was elevated at 18.53. She was also COVID-19 positive. CT of the abdomen performed in the ED noted free air surrounding the distal esophagus consistent with pneumomediastinum concerning for esophageal rupture. She was managed conservatively with close monitoring for a presumed esophageal perforation with spontaneous closure. She was made NPO and started on IV antibiotics. Over the next 48 hours, she developed crepitus in her neck and chest wall. Repeat imaging confirmed progression of pneumomediastinum. 48 hours later, she underwent a water-soluble esophagram negative for perforation and her diet was advanced. She was counseled on cannabis cessation and provided community resources for rehabilitation and discharged. Discussion: Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome is a functional disorder marked by episodes of nausea and vomiting provoked by cannabis use. It is considered to be a variant of cyclical vomiting syndrome. These episodes of retching and vomiting can lead to complications including Mallory-Weiss tears and in rare cases esophageal rupture. The treatment for cannabis hyperemesis syndrome includes volume resuscitation, anti-emetics and cannabis cessation. Esophageal perforations often present a diagnostic challenge due to the variability in presentation. This patient was fortunate to present early. She remained clinically stable without evidence of systemic inflammation or pleural or peritoneal collections and therefore was able to be managed conservatively. With increasing legalization and popularity of cannabis use, it is important to recognize the potentially devastating complications of chronic marijuana use resulting in cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome. Although esophageal perforation is rare, it has the potential for great morbidity.

Design and Development of a Solar-Powered Smart Heater

Renewable energy sources are those that replenish naturally without depletion. Example of such sources are bioenergy, hydropower, geothermal, wind and solar energy sources. The alarming rate of global energy demand and consumption necessitates an immediate solution for energy conservation and maximum efficiency of new technological gadgets now being built. As a gadget, a solar water heater transforms dc electricity into heat energy, which is then transferred to the water in which it is immersed. The size of the heater is determined by its design, capacity, and intended purpose; it might be for household or industrial use. As an alternative to conventional electric water heaters, this effort focuses on the design and development of a solar-powered smart water heater. In tests using a variety of settings, the solar-powered smart heater that was constructed performed admirably. The components used include a PIC16F876A microcontroller, a 12 V/300 W monocrystalline PV, a 12 V/ 40 A charge controller, and 12 V / 150 W dc submersible heating element among others The temperature control capacity of the fabrication makes it useful in water management system applications such as in aquaculture fingerling hatchery, hot water dispenser and shower among others. The system showed excellent performance in water temperature control using a 150 watts dc heater. Keywords:Solar, heater, photo-voltaic, temperature-controlled, direct current, alternating current .

Financial feasibility of implementing an automated system to save the cold potable water that would be wasted at the beginning of a hot shower

ABSTRACT In flats where there are gas water heaters, there is waste of water at the beginning of a shower due to the large lengths of pipes between the showerheads and heater. This paper analyses the financial feasibility of implementing an automated system that saves such water. This paper also shows how the system prevents such waste. In six flats, by collecting cold water at the beginning of a hot shower, it was observed that 9.28 litres of water are wasted until the water temperature reaches 30°C. A financial analysis was performed based on costs and the amount of water that would be saved. It was considered the installation of the system in one or two showerheads per flat for multi-family buildings of different heights. The installation of one or two systems per flat would lead to savings of, respectively, at least 2.13 litres and 4.14 litres of water per shower.

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome in an Athlete.

Cannabis (marijuana) is an increasingly prevalent substance used in college-aged adults. Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) is 1 outcome of chronic cannabis use, which presents as cyclic intractable vomiting that can be temporarily relieved with hot baths or showers. This case discusses a collegiate football athlete who presents with intractable vomiting, and it underscores the importance of a detailed history to discern CHS from other more common diagnoses. The report will highlight key diagnostic characteristics, pathophysiology, and treatment options for patients with presumed CHS.

Evaluation of outpatient cancer patients’ use of nonpharmacological methods in the management of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting

Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate nonpharmacological methods in managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting by outpatient cancer patients. &#x0D; Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in the outpatient chemotherapy unit of Hafsa Sultan Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Manisa Celal Bayar University, with 251 cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. The study data were collected using the Patient Information Form and the Nausea Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). &#x0D; Results: Of the patients, 88% (n=221) experienced nausea and vomiting before chemotherapy. The mean score of these patients from the VAS was moderate (5.24 ± 1.84). Of the patients, 82.1% (n=206) used nonpharmacological methods to prevent nausea and vomiting. According to their statements, of the patients who used nonpharmacological methods, 83.5% (n = 172) took hot and cold showers, 50.5% (n = 104) drank herbal teas, 35% (n = 72) had massage. &#x0D; Conclusion: The severity of nausea was moderate. Most of the patients used nonpharmacological methods. Of these methods, the one used most frequently was taking hot and cold showers. It is recommended that nurses should guide and encourage patients to use evidence-based nonpharmacological methods.

Investigation of the presence of Legionella pneumophila in water samples from Erzurum and surrounding provinces in Turkey.

Legionnaires' disease, which is a waterborne disease leading to pneumonia that can result in death, is one of the major health issues today. The study aims to carry out a three-year retrospective review of routine Legionella follow-up analyses in various samples taken mostly from hospitals in the province of Erzurum and nearby provinces, and to discover a the frequency of isolation of the agent and serogroups from each kind of media. The study included a total of 2,025 water samples taken from hospitals, hotels, Turkish baths and shopping malls in Erzurum,and 13 nearby cities between 2016 and 2018. Samples were filtered by 0.45 μm-diameter membrane filter paper in the Public Health Laboratory of Erzurum and examined for L. pneumophila using culture method, according to the criteria set out in ISO 11731-2. The presence of L. pneumophila was found in 65 of the 2,025 water samples taken in hospitals, and in none of 40 samples taken in hotels, Turkish baths and shopping malls. L. pneumophila serogroup 2-14 was detected in 46 (70.8%) of 65 samples found positive, whereas L. pneumophila serogroup 1 was detected in 18 (27.7%). Furthermore, both the L. pneumophila serogroup 2-14 and L. pneumophila serogroup 1 were detected simultaneously in one example (1.5%). The first three samples indicate that the highest positivity rates were in hot water taps (11.6%), hot water tanks (6.1%) and shower heads (4.8%). The Prevalence rat of L. pneumophila was found to be quite low compared to other studies conducted in the western regions of Turkey. Legionella positivity was found to be higher in the hot water systems of hospitals and related points, compared to the other sample points.

Climatological and social fallacies about COVID-19 pandemic.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has emerged as a major global challenge since 2019. With the fast rise in the infected cases and deaths worldwide, many environmental and climate-related myths and fallacies spreaded fast. These fallacies include virus cannot spread in hot and humid conditions, cold weather can inhibit the virus, drinking hot water and sunlight can help cure the COVID-19, ultraviolet (UV) disinfectant lamps and UV rays from sunlight can kill the virus, use of hairdryers and hot showers for virus prevention, etc. Social norms and mindset of the people in the world towards a pandemic are quite similar. The primary purpose of this article is to enlighten the readers regarding these climatological misconceptions and social fallacies, helping spread proper knowledge and manage the outbreak of this deadly pandemic.

Use of Capsaicin Cream in Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome in Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department.

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is characterized by cyclical nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain often relieved with hot showers. Patients with CHS are usually long-term cannabis smokers whose symptoms are not relieved by antiemetics. The use of topical capsaicin has been recently reported as an adjunctive therapy in the emergency department (ED). To describe the use of capsaicin cream in patients presenting to the ED with suspected CHS. We performed a retrospective review of patients with suspected CHS receiving capsaicin in an ED from July 2014 to October 2018. We report data on demographics, cannabis consumption, hot showers use, length of stay, concurrent treatments, pain scores, and adverse events. There were 57 patients who received capsaicin cream for suspected CHS. Nearly all patients received antiemetics (98%), whereas 47% of patients received an opioid. Antiemetics were typically administered first (median, 1.6 hours; interquartile range [IQR], 0.9-2.4]), followed by an opioid (median, 1.8 hours [IQR, 1-3.75]), followed by capsaicin cream (median 4 hours [IQR, 2.7-5.2]). The overall precapsaicin pain score was 8 (IQR, 2-9), decreasing to 5.5 (IQR, 0-8). Around 42% of patients received no further symptomatic therapy after capsaicin. No adverse drug events to capsaicin were reported. This is the largest retrospective study describing capsaicin cream use in suspected CHS patients with a focus on abdominal pain relief. Capsaicin treatment was associated with a modest pain score reduction. Application of these findings may help providers in identifying more effective therapies to provide symptomatic relief for CHS patients.