Poor Monitoring Research Articles

Herpesviruses in Reptiles.

Since the 1970s, several species of herpesviruses have been identified and associated with significant diseases in reptiles. Earlier discoveries placed these viruses into different taxonomic groups on the basis of morphological and biological characteristics, while advancements in molecular methods have led to more recent descriptions of novel reptilian herpesviruses, as well as providing insight into the phylogenetic relationship of these viruses. Herpesvirus infections in reptiles are often characterised by non-pathognomonic signs including stomatitis, encephalitis, conjunctivitis, hepatitis and proliferative lesions. With the exception of fibropapillomatosis in marine turtles, the absence of specific clinical signs has fostered misdiagnosis and underreporting of the actual disease burden in reptilian populations and hampered potential investigations that could lead to the effective control of these diseases. In addition, complex life histories, sampling bias and poor monitoring systems have limited the assessment of the impact of herpesvirus infections in wild populations and captive collections. Here we review the current published knowledge of the taxonomy, pathogenesis, pathology and epidemiology of reptilian herpesviruses.

Use and Assessment of Knowledge of Vitamin K Antagonist Therapy in Cardiac Patients

Background: Safety and efficacy of Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), the most widely used oral anticoagulant (OAC), is monitored by therapeutic international normalized ratio (INR). The current study was conducted to evaluate the proportion of patients achieving therapeutic range INR and assessment of the knowledge, and awareness among patients regarding OAC therapy, as well as identification of the challenges in the monitoring of INR. Materials and Methods: This hospital-based, single-center cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Delhi. Patients on anticoagulation with VKAs were interviewed and their records were reviewed. Information on sociodemographic characteristics, history of cardiac illness, INR range, knowledge, and awareness regarding VKA therapy were analyzed. Data management was done via CSPro and statistical analysis via STATA 13.0. Results: A total of 86 patients were evaluated. The mean age of the study participants was 49 ± 14.9 years. Only 29.1% of the study group achieved therapeutic INR. Overall awareness and knowledge regarding the need for VKA therapy, ideal INR range, complications of poor monitoring, and dietary restrictions were in the range of 31%–48%. Conclusion: Poor INR control is prevalent in Indian patients on VKAs therapy. Although the future practice may move toward newer anticoagulants, a substantial proportion of our population may still need VKAs. Hence, there is a need for improving the knowledge and awareness of patients on VKA therapy to improve therapeutic effectiveness.

ВЕНЧУРНОЕ ФИНАНСИРОВАНИЕ КАК ФАКТОР ИННОВАЦИОННОГО РАЗВИТИЯ

The paper justifies the necessity to improve the mechanisms of venture capital funding in Kazakhstan for sustainable and effective development of the country. The role of venture capital funding in the innovative development of the countries is investigated on the base of study of the experience of such countries as USA, Canada, Europe, India, and China. The recent research works related to the venture capital funding in different aspects are reviewed. The innovative activity and venture investments in the Republic of Kazakhstan were analyzed. The paper investigates the features of venture capital funding in Kazakhstan. The investigation results show that Kazakhstan system of venture investment is at its initial stage of development, and there are no tangible results of venture field development yet. The conducted research allowed revealing the factors limiting the development of venture investment in Kazakhstan, these are: poor systematic monitoring of funds efficiency invested by the national institutes; lack of effective strategies of venture capital funding; low innovative activity and intensity of venture appearance; uncertainty and gaps in the legislative base related to venture financing; absence of tax concessions and preferences not tied to FEZ or technological parks; absence of strong institutional venture investors; low capacity of securities market and scarcity of its instruments. The work suggests a set of measures directed on activation of venture financing. The implementation of the suggested measures assumes the increased control over the effectiveness of quasi-public structures investments and venture incomes, and creation of conditions for venture capital funding development. The research results can be a cut-off point for further investigations in the field of venture capital funding related to the innovative development of the country.

The Potential of mHealth as a Game Changer for the Management of Sickle Cell Disease in India.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a chronic genetic disease that requires lifelong therapy and monitoring. Low drug adherence and poor monitoring may lead to an increase in morbidities and low quality of life. In the era of digital technology, various mobile health (mHealth) apps are being tested for their potential in increasing drug adherence in patients with SCD. We herewith discuss the applicability and feasibility of these mHealth apps for the management of SCD in India.

Effectiveness of School Heads’ Financial Management Skills in Provision of Quality Education in Secondary School

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of school heads’ financial management skills in the provision of quality education in secondary schools. This study explored secondary data by reviewing documents and literature materials from online publications and libraries to attain the intended purpose of the study. The study found out that financial management skills such as mobilizing school funds, monitoring, evaluation of budget, and auditing skills were essential for school financial management. The study also found that most of the school heads possess insufficient skills in financial management as school managers. Other financial management challenges were a shortage of school funds, poor monitoring, evaluation, and auditing of school finances. The study suggests strategies such as capacity building among the school heads. Also, decentralization of financial decision making, relevant school mission, and vision, enhance effective monitoring, evaluation, and auditing of financial report as strategies for improving school heads’ financial management skills. The study recommended the necessity of having school heads who are skilled in school-based financial management strategies. The study requested responsible departments or ministries concerns with education to make financial management skills be one of the pre-condition for hiring or promoting a teacher to the top post of school administration.

Investigating the chromium status, heavy metal contamination, and ecological risk assessment via tannery waste disposal in sub-Saharan Africa (Kenya and South Africa).

To mitigate the negative environmental and public health concerns associated with increased industrial discharges amid the rapid industrial growth, sub-Saharan African countries have instituted several environmental regulations and policies. However, a paradox of good environmental policies but inadequate enforcement exists in most of these countries, with information on the pollution level unknown due to poor monitoring resources. In this study, potentially toxic heavy metal contamination and physicochemical characteristics in effluents and dumpsite soils of two tanneries in Kenya (DB) and South Africa (BO) were evaluated during the dry and rainy season of 2018. Pollution levels and ecological risk in the dumpsite soils were assessed by adopting geoaccumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI), and ecological risk index (PRI). The results showed that the mean final effluent concentration fortotal dissolved solids (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Zn, and Cd for BO (2127, 890, 1.82, 1.38, 1.96, 0.60, 1.21, and 1.16, respectively) and DB tanneries (8157, 1369, 7.90, 0.69, 1.05, 0.60, 1.72 mg/L, respectively) were above the limits of emission guidelines. The mean Cr and Cr(VI) concentrations in tannery dumpsite soils (204.9 ± 29.1 and 0.31 ± 0.01 and 943 ± 29.8 and 0.4 ± 0.07 mg/kg for BO and DB, respectively) and Fe (2498 ± 62 mg/kg in DB) exceeded acceptable thresholds of the World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and local background levels. A positive strong correlation was observed between Cr and organic matter, OM (r > 0.7, p < 0.001), electrical conductivity, EC (r=0.99, p < 0.05), and As (r = 0.62; p < 0.05), suggesting a common anthropogenic point source. The mean PLI values of 5.3 and 1.6 for DB and BO dumpsites indicated significant pollution of the soils with heavy metals, specifically Cr (Igeo = 18 and 2.4 for DB and BO, respectively). Similarly, PRI values of 174.8 and 57.4 indicated a moderate and low potential ecological risk for DB and BO tannery dumpsite, respectively, with several plants sampled within the two sites exhibiting elevated levels of Cr contamination. In summary, these results provide scientific insights on the need for both improved effluent management and treatment technologies of tannery wastes, coupled with the strengthening of continuous monitoring and enforcement for compliance of industrial discharges in sub-Saharan countries.

Multimodal Ultrasound Versus MRI for the Diagnosis and Monitoring of Achilles Tendinopathy: A Prospective Longitudinal Study.

Background:The diagnosis and monitoring of Achilles tendinopathy with imaging are challenging. There is a lack of studies comparing the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), brightness mode ultrasound (B-mode), and power Doppler ultrasound with recent technologies such as ultrasound tissue characterization (UTC) and shear wave elastography (SWE).Purpose:To assess whether SWE and UTC, which offer quantitative values, show a superior diagnostic accuracy and capacity to detect structural improvement in Achilles tendinopathy compared with MRI, B-mode, or power Doppler.Study Design:Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.Methods:Patients with insertional (n = 28) and midportion (n = 38) Achilles tendinopathy were evaluated at baseline and 6-month follow-up using MRI, B-mode, power Doppler, SWE, and UTC. Asymptomatic controls (n = 37) were evaluated at T 0. Diagnostic accuracy was analyzed based on a quantitative receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis with quantitative cutoff values (anteroposterior diameter, Öhberg score, UTC echo type, Young modulus) and by semiquantitative Likert scale–based assessment of experienced physicians.Results:For diagnosing insertional Achilles tendinopathy, semiquantitative MRI and power Doppler were most favorable (diagnostic accuracy, 95%), while the cross-sectional area of MRI revealed 89% accuracy in the ROC analyses (area under the curve [AUC], 0.911; P < .001). For diagnosing midportion Achilles tendinopathy, semiquantitative MRI and B-mode were most favorable (diagnostic accuracy, 87%), while UTC echo types 3 and 4 revealed 86% and 87% accuracy, respectively, in the ROC analyses (AUC, 0.911 and 0.941, respectively; P < .001). However, for quantitative and semiquantitative evaluation of diagnostic accuracy in both insertional and midportion Achilles tendinopathy, there was no significant difference in favor of one imaging modality over the others. Compared with baseline, only SWE showed a significant change at the 6-month follow-up (P = .003-.035), but there were only fair to poor monitoring accuracies of 71% (insertion) and 60% (midportion). However, compared with the other modalities, the monitoring accuracy of SWE was significantly higher (P = .002-.039).Conclusion:There was no statistically significant difference in favor of one imaging modality over the others, but MRI revealed the highest overall diagnostic accuracy for the diagnosis of both insertional and midportion Achilles tendinopathy.

Evaluation of factors fuelling global antimicrobial resistance and its economic and clinical burden

The aim of the research is to assess the factors fuelling Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and its economic and clinical burden. For this purpose, a systematic review was conducted, which included an analysis of factors and economic and clinical burden of AMR. It was found that poorly treated sewage; discharges from antibiotic manufacturing plants, empirical prescribing, lack of antimicrobial stewardship, poor AMR monitoring; hospital-acquired infections and human-to-human contacts with environmental pathogens through food; and increase in global trade and travel are the factors behind the spread of AMR. Further, based on previous research, the study found a significant economic and clinical burden caused by AMR infections. It is recommended that well-organised antimicrobial stewardship be in place, AMR monitoring, limit access to antibiotics via over the counter dispensing without prescriptions, mandatory sensitivity tests for antimicrobial prescription be considered, proper hygiene in hospitals and medicine manufacturing sites must be ensured to reduce global AMR. Key words: Antimicrobial Resistance, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), antibiotic resistance, economic burden, clinical burden.

Neonatal Supraventricular Tachycardia- A Diagnostic Challenge

We report a case of a patient admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at birth for grunting and respiratory distress. A diagnosis was made after the patient presented with signs of serious poor perfusion and cardiorespiratory monitoring showed a rapid cardiac rhythm suggesting supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). Hemodynamic stability was achieved after several adenosine boluses and the SVT was reverted. Episodes of SVT are characterized by abrupt onset and termination and regular narrow QRS complex tachycardia without P waves. This diagnosis should be kept in mind in neonates when a sudden vascular change resembling cutis marmorata happens since it can suggest cardiogenic shock caused by an underlying arrhythmia.

Effective monitoring of diabetic patients on progressive chronic kidney disease among patients attending diabetic clinic at Muhimbili National Hospital, Tanzania

Background: Diabetic Kidney Disease is a complication of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) following the natural history of diabetes. Worldwide up to 40 % of patients with diabetes mellitus will develop Diabetic Kidney Disease. Kidney Disease Outcome Quality Initiative (KDOQI) guidelines recommends monitoring for proteinuria, blood sugar, renal functions and blood pressure in the patients with DM so that progression to complications including renal failure is prevented. Our study aimed to audit on effective monitoring of progressive chronic kidney disease among patients attending diabetic clinic at Muhimbili National Hospital. Material and methods: This was a retrospective clinical audit which included patients who attended diabetic clinic at Muhimbili National Hospital in 1st January 2017 to 31st December 2017. Simple random sampling technique using software called OpenEpi Random Program was used to get the sample of 120 patients. Patients with missing clinical notes were excluded from the audit. Records of the clinical notes, socio-demographic characteristics and investigations of the selected patients were retrieved from the Jeeva system and recorded using a structured questionnaire. We analyzed our data using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 Results: One hundred and fourteen DM patents records were reviewed. Around 79% of the patients involved in the study were aged above 45years, 60% were females. Majority had type 2 DM (76.3%). Minority i.e. 15/114 (13.2%) of the patients had their urine for protein checked in the year 2017 as well as serum creatinine in the last 3months. Seven percent had HbA1c test done i.e. 8/114 (7%). Blood pressure was monitored in 72.8% (83/114) of the patients. Only16 out of 66 patients (24.2%) had blood pressure controlled. Majority of the patients 10/15 (66.7%) who had renal functions records had normal eGFR. Findings on monitoring for proteinuria, renal functions, control of HbA1c and Blood pressure control were all below audit standards. Conclusion: Our study found that there is generally poor monitoring of diabetic outpatient for progressive chronic kidney disease when compared to the KDOQI standards which calls the health care providers to adhere on set SOPs according to the guidelines available aiming at improving services and quality of life to diabetic patient.

Traditional and complementary medicine use among chronic haemodialysis patients: a nationwide cross-sectional study

BackgroundIn the era of digital and improved conventional medicine, many continue to use traditional and complementary medicine (TCM). The prevalence of its usage is not well reported, especially in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) receiving haemodialysis, thus its benefits and adverse effects are not widely known. This study determines the prevalence, types, perceptions and factors associated with TCM use by chronic haemodialysis patients in Malaysia.MethodsThis is a multi-centre cross-sectional study involving patients undergoing haemodialysis treatment in Malaysia. A validated face-to-face questionnaire-based interview was conducted. Sociodemographic and clinical profiles of the patients, factors associated with TCM use, perceptions, sources of information, and disclosures to treating doctors were obtained. Data were analysed using SPSS software.ResultsA total of n = 329 participants were recruited. The mean age of the participants was 54.9 ± 12.5 years. The majority were Malays (72%) and females (54.7%). A total of 64.7% (n = 213) reported TCM use; n = 132 used TCM before the initiation of dialysis, while n = 81 used TCM after initiation. In the post-hoc analysis, patients who had never used TCM had a higher mean age (56.7 ± 12.3 years) than the patients who used TCM (51.1 ± 13.1) (p = 0.015) and were likely to have received primary education (p = 0.011). Unemployment was more likely to be associated with non-TCM use; with odds ratio 1.85 (95% CI: 1.15, 2.98). Biologically based therapy was found to be the most popular (97.2%) type of TCM, including herbal medicine (67.6%) and supplements (58.0%). Most respondents did not disclose their TCM use to their doctors (72.3%), and 41.8% had the perception that they felt better.ConclusionsTCM is widely used among chronic haemodialysis patients in Malaysia, mainly herbal medicine and supplements. Non-disclosure to healthcare professionals and a poor monitoring and regulation of its use in ESKD patients could be detrimental. Awareness needs to be raised among healthcare professionals and the general population.Trial registrationThe Ethics Committee for Research, University Putra Malaysia (13th March 2019). Reference: UPM/TNCPI/RMC/1.4.18.2 (JKEUPM).

Determinants of Implementation of County Bursary Regulations in Kirinyaga County, Kenya

Kirinyaga County bursary scheme was introduced in the 2013/14 financial year. Bursary for secondary schools and higher level institutions being a National government function, the county sought advice from the then cabinet to offer state support to enhance access, ensure retention and reduce corruption in the provision of school education. Poor vetting criterion and compliance of guidelines have resulted in cronyism and nepotism which have plagued the bursary award process for decades. Poor monitoring &amp; evaluation has piled up grievances with no follow up system. Lack of clear regulations on funding allocation has allowed political interference on budget cycles. The County bursary targets were students from poor households and the vulnerable. This study sought to examine the determinants of implementation of county bursary regulations in Kirinyaga County, Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives; To establish the extent to which compliance of guidelines determines the implementation of County Bursary in Kirinyaga County, to explore the extent to which vetting criteria determines the implementation of County Bursary in Kirinyaga County, to examine the extent to which funding allocation determines the implementation of County Bursary in Kirinyaga County and to examine the extent to which monitoring of utilization of the bursary fund determines the implementation of County Bursary in Kirinyaga County. The new public administration theory that captures the concept of equity and fairness was adopted to explore the gaps during implementation of county bursary regulations in Kirinyaga County. The study sourced requisite data from 70 parents whose students benefited from bursary and 31 principals, both samples having been picked from the PTAs membership. The respondents were drawn using a combination of random and purposive sampling procedures. The study adopted descriptive design which was used to analyze primary data. Data was presented, interpreted and analyzed using frequency &amp; percentage distributions, cross tabulations with STATA. Qualitative data in form of first hand experiences, informed opinions and suggestions, were analyzed using qualitative procedures and were used to strengthen quantitative findings. The results of the study indicated that majority of beneficiaries allocation by need were from poor households 51% followed by bright students at 29%. Similarly, orphans and special needs students both received 9.7%.

Impact of gas flaring on communities in Delta region of Nigeria, narrative review part 1: environmental health perspective

&lt;p class="abstract"&gt;Gas flaring is the combustion of associated gas from crude-oil exploitation and exploration operations and occurs in refineries, oil wells, oil rigs by fiery of the gas. Nigeria is one of the main producers of gas in the world and oil exploration activities have occasioned high rate of gas flaring because of poor enforcement of anti-gas flaring laws by the regulatory authorities. Gas flaring comes with serious environmental concern because it is a major source of air pollution with adverse public health consequences particularly in the gas flaring communities. The objective of this narrative review is to identify the risks associated with gas flaring in relation to the environment. Literatures from diverse databases including peer reviewed journals as well as governmental and organizational papers were searched to develop the narrative. Over the years, several laws have been enacted in Nigeria with stipulated dates to end gas flaring, but the targets have not been met. The Federal government of Nigeria updated the legal framework titled flare gas (prevention of waste and pollution) regulations, 2018 to facilitate financial profits through utilization and commercialization of associated gas, with a view to reduce or exterminate flaring. This effort appears ineffective due to weak enforcement and poor monitoring mechanism. The statutory government institution entrusted to enforce anti-gas law may benefit from some sort of motivation to ensure oil operators comply to combat environmental health risks from gas flaring.&lt;/p&gt;

Visual scanning strategies in the cockpit are modulated by pilots' expertise: A flight simulator study.

During a flight, pilots must rigorously monitor their flight instruments since it is one of the critical activities that contribute to update their situation awareness. The monitoring is cognitively demanding, but is necessary for timely intervention in the event of a parameter deviation. Many studies have shown that a large part of commercial aviation accidents involved poor cockpit monitoring from the crew. Research in eye-tracking has developed numerous metrics to examine visual strategies in fields such as art viewing, sports, chess, reading, aviation, and space. In this article, we propose to use both basic and advanced eye metrics to study visual information acquisition, gaze dispersion, and gaze patterning among novices and pilots. The experiment involved a group of sixteen certified professional pilots and a group of sixteen novice during a manual landing task scenario performed in a flight simulator. The two groups landed three times with different levels of difficulty (manipulated via a double task paradigm). Compared to novices, professional pilots had a higher perceptual efficiency (more numerous and shorter dwells), a better distribution of attention, an ambient mode of visual attention, and more complex and elaborate visual scanning patterns. We classified pilot's profiles (novices-experts) by machine learning based on Cosine KNN (K-Nearest Neighbors) using transition matrices. Several eye metrics were also sensitive to the landing difficulty. Our results can benefit the aviation domain by helping to assess the monitoring performance of the crews, improve initial and recurrent training and ultimately reduce incidents, and accidents due to human error.

Calibration of FEST-EWB hydrological model using remote sensing data in a climate transition region in Brazil

ABSTRACT The association of hydrological models with remote sensing data allows the estimation of parameters that cannot be easily measured in situ, especially in regions with poor monitoring networks. In this paper, a distributed hydrological energy water balance model (FEST-EWB) was calibrated and validated in a basin located in a climate transition zone between a semi-arid region and the humid Atlantic Forest, in Brazil. Land surface temperature (LST) data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) were used to calibrate the model, that solves the system of energy and mass balance equations as a function of the representative equilibrium temperature. For validation, soil moisture and LST data collected in situ were used. The model presented good performance for the simulation of the variables studied in the basin, even with reduced availability of MODIS data due to cloud coverage, allowing the use of FEST-EWB in areas with these characteristics, which are common in many regions of the world.

Long-term oral anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation in low and middle income countries

With increasing life-expectancy and changing demographics, non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) is currently the most common indication for long-term oral anticoagulation (OAC) in low and middle income countries (LMICs). Due to a decreasing trend in the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease (RHD), valve disease as a primary cause of AF now constitutes a small fraction of all people with AF. Moreover, emerging data also indicate that, patients with significant valve disease and AF may have a risk of stroke similar to, if not lower than, those with non-valvular AF. Previous trials of anticoagulation for AF excluded people from LMICs partly because valvular AF constituted a large proportion of those with AF, and it was thought to confer a prohibitively high risk of stroke. Trialists should therefore be less reluctant to include patients with AF from LMICs in general, and those with valve disease in particular, in future trials of anticoagulation. The quality of vitamin K antagonist based oral anticoagulation remains poor in LMICs to a large extent because of poor monitoring. The widespread use of the direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) presents a practical approach to improve anticoagulation quality. Randomised trials of DOACs in valvular AF are particularlycriticalto bridge the knowledge gap in this area.Discussions regarding oral anticoagulation (OAC) use in low and middle income countries (LMICs) have historicallybeendominated by severallong-held beliefs. The first is that the quality of vitamin K antagonist (VKA) based anticoagulation is poor in these countries. The veracity of this assumption is supported by a large number of studies documenting both lower prescription of OACs, and a lower proportion of international normalised ratio (INR) values in the therapeutic range.1The second is that a large proportion of patients receiving OAC in LMICs have atrial fibrillation (AF) related to valvular heart disease, and rheumatic mitral stenosis in particular. This assumption, perhaps valid several decades ago, is no longer supported by the data. Finally, patients with valvular heart disease and AF (specifically those with moderate or severe valve lesions), are thought to be at prohibitively high thromboembolic risk. 2 However, recent evidence suggests that this risk may have been overestimated.34Nevertheless, the aforementioned assumptions continue to contribute to the underrepresentation of patients from LMICs in clinical trials of oral anticoagulation. Knowledge of the characteristics of contemporary patients in LMICs who are eligible for long-term OAC, estimates of their stroke risk, and a better understanding of the drivers of poor anticoagulation quality, may help guide research and clinical practice. In this review, we seek to provide an evidence-based perspective on OAC use in patients with AF living in LMICs and China.

Design and Development of an Automatic Unmanned Railway Level Crossing Gate

In rapidly developing countries like India, Railways are an important mode of transportation among all the people. In the railway sector, the level crossing gate plays a vital role, which should be taken into consideration. But in the level crossing gates, due to poor monitoring by the humans, many accidents are happening day-by-day. So, there is a need to develop technology to solve this issue. This paper deals with the automatic railway gate at the level crossing, which replaces the gates operated by the gatekeepers. By making it in an automatic way, can reduce the time consumption for closing the gate and also reduces human power. Streamlined the working of level crossing gate through a mini prototype model that solves this problem. Here the sensor is placed safely near the level crossing gate, which is kept at a certain distance in the railway track. Whenever the train is fastened in the railway track, the vibrations which are produced during its motion are being sensed by a sensor and it provides the necessary signal pulses to the controller which is kept at the level crossing column setup. Then the controller activates the motor, therefore the gate closes and opens automatically. Visualized the design calculation for making this setup. Hence by implementing this idea, can able to control the accidents in unmanned areas, therefore the precious human life can be saved.

Intelligent algorithms and control strategies for battery management system in electric vehicles: Progress, challenges and future outlook

Globally, the research on battery technology in electric vehicle applications is advancing tremendously to address the carbon emissions and global warming issues. The effectiveness of electric vehicles depends on the accurate assessment of key parameters as well as proper functionality and diagnosis of the battery storage system. However, poor monitoring and safety strategies of the battery storage system can lead to critical issues such as battery overcharging, over-discharging, overheating, cell unbalancing, thermal runaway, and fire hazards. To address these concerns, an effective battery management system plays a crucial role in enhancing battery performance including precise monitoring, charging-discharging control, heat management, battery safety, and protection. The goal of this paper is to deliver a comprehensive review of different intelligent approaches and control schemes of the battery management system in electric vehicle applications. In line with that, the review evaluates the intelligent algorithms in battery state estimation concerning their features, structure, configuration, accuracy, advantages, and disadvantages. Moreover, the review explores the various controllers in battery heating, cooling, equalization, and protection highlighting categories, characteristics, targets, achievements, benefits, and shortcomings. The key issues and challenges in terms of computation complexity, execution problems along with various internal and external factors are identified. Finally, future opportunities and directions are delivered to design an efficient intelligent algorithm and controller toward the development of an advanced battery management system for future sustainable electric vehicle applications. • Battery management system (BMS) plays a significant role to improve battery lifespan. • This review explores the intelligent algorithms for state estimation of BMS. • The thermal management, fault diagnosis and battery equalization are investigated. • Various key issues and challenges related to battery and algorithms are identified. • Effective future directions are provided toward BMS performance enhancement.

Parental behavior across Nepali schools' parents and children demographic characteristics

This study aims to explore parental behavior with its dimensions: Parental involvement, consistency in disciplinary behavior, monitoring and supervision, and punishing behavior, and also examine the difference across the parents and child demographic characteristics. The data were collected from 644 children of Grade 10 from 20 schools using the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha was in the range of .7 that would ensure the internal consistency of the questionnaire. From the analysis of data using mean, and SD, t-test, and analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis test, the major findings were that the parents exhibit almost frequently positive parental involvement in their children's study, however, they show inconsistent disciplinary behavior and poor monitoring, and almost rarely use the corporal punishment. The study concludes that parental behavior across parents and children demographic characteristics is imperative for policymakers and practitioners to be realistic while preparing and implementing the educational plans and policies.

Parental Child Rearing Practices in Palestine: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The objectives of this study were to explore parenting practices from the perspectives of Palestinian parents and their children, and concordance between parents and children in their reports of parenting practices, in a culture that is underrepresented in the literature. A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ) was administered to 120 parents and 120 children drawn from 4 districts in Palestine. Children had higher scores on parental involvement, positive parenting, poor monitoring, inconsistent discipline, and corporal punishment. Three significant parent–child relationships were obtained1: parental involvement (r = .276, P = .003), positive parenting (r = .0301, P = .001), and poor parental monitoring (r = −.241, P = .008). The findings of this study might be used by Palestinian authorities and policy-makers to formulate guidelines and training to aid parental decision-making about child rearing.