Prior Data Collection Research Articles

Impact of data for forecasting on performance of model predictive control in buildings with smart energy storage

Data is required to develop forecasting models for use in Model Predictive Control (MPC) schemes in building energy systems. However, data is costly to both collect and exploit. Determining cost optimal data usage strategies requires understanding of the forecast accuracy and resulting MPC operational performance it enables. This study investigates the performance of both simple and state-of-the-art machine learning prediction models for MPC in multi-building energy systems using a simulated case study with historic building energy data. The impact on forecast accuracy of measures to improve model data efficiency is quantified, specifically for: reuse of prediction models, reduction of training data duration, reduction of model data features, and online model training. A simple linear multi-layer perceptron model is shown to provide equivalent forecast accuracy to state-of-the-art models, with greater data efficiency and generalisability. The use of more than 2 years of training data for load prediction models provided no significant improvement in forecast accuracy. Forecast accuracy and data efficiency were improved simultaneously by using change-point analysis to screen training data. Reused models and those trained with 3 months of data had on average 10% higher error than baseline, indicating that deploying MPC systems without prior data collection may be economic.

Resource Allocation Change Management Practice and Performance of Kenya Revenue Authority in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Purpose: Kenya Revenue Authority is mandated to gather revenue in place of Kenyan government. The revenue to be collected is normally set as a target by the National Treasury. Over the time, the authority has continuously missed hitting the revenue collection target. As a result, the authority has endeavored to implement changes with the aim of improving and enhancing revenue collection. The current study aimed at establishing how resource allocation change management practice influenced performance of Kenya Revenue Authority in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study was guided by Resource-Based View Theory. Methodology: The study employed a descriptive research design and targeted 470 Kenya Revenue Authority employees working at Customs and Border Control Department in Nairobi City County. A stratified random sampling approach was applied in selecting a sample of 141 respondents derived from top level, middle level, and lower level of management. The study utilized a 5-Point Likert scale questionnaire containing close ended question to gather primary data. Inferential as well as descriptive statistics were utilized to analyze the gathered data. Prior data collection, the study conducted a pilot study on 13 randomly selected respondents to assess the level of validity and reliability of the questionnaire. Findings: The descriptive statistics results revealed that all respondents on average were in agreement with statements on resource allocation change management practice. The correlation analysis results established that resource allocation change management practice positively and significantly correlates with performance of Kenya Revenue Authority. The study further established that resource allocation change management practice positively and significantly influence performance of KRA in Nairobi City County. This is shown by beta value of 0.538 and significant values of 0.000. The results bears the implications that increasing the resource allocation change management practice with one unit results to increase in the performance levels of KRA with 0.538 units. The study findings led to conclusions that resource allocation change management practice positively and significantly influences the performance of Kenya Revenue Authority in Nairobi City County. Unique contribution to theory, policy and practice: The study recommended the management Kenya Revenue Authority to enhance the resource allocation practices since the practices bears a positive and significant influence on performance.

Factors Associated With Quality of Life Among Adolescent With Beta Thalassemia in Indonesia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Thalassemia is a hereditary condition that causes chronic anemia and is a serious public health concern globally. Quality of life is a concept to help healthcare professional understand the impact of disease or treatment of life. While many quality of life studies have been performed to improve patient care in developed countries, such research and their practical implementation are limited in developing countries such as Indonesia. This study aimed to assess the quality of life in adolescent with thalassemia in Indonesia, and determining its main clinical and demographic correlations. This was a cross-sectional study. Data were collected between December 2020 and May 2021 from patients diagnosed with beta thalassemia in Indonesia. The study involved adolescent diagnosed with thalassemia major and had been officially recorded in the thalassemia association records at least three months prior data collection. TranQOL was used to measure quality of life. Linear regression with enter method was used to determine factors associated with quality of life. showed that 63% of thalassemic adolescents were aged at 10 to 15 years old and 76% of them had diagnosed with beta thalassemia at aged less than one year old. About 54% (n = 130) of the sample were boy and 45% (n = 108) were junior high school. The highest mean score was reported for physical health (58.3 ± 14.8) and the lowest score was reported for the school and career functioning (52.6 ± 14.3). Age, gender, comorbidity, and hemoglobin concentration explained 10.5% of the variances in the total quality of life. The results of this study that thalassemia has a detrimental impact on the quality of life of Indonesian adolescents. Healthcare providers must expand their access to information and abilities in order to fulfill new nursing responsibilities as genetic educators and counselors.

DO RENIN-ANGIOTENSIN SYSTEM INHIBITORS HAVE ANY EFFECT ON THE SEVERITY OF COVID-19 IN HYPERTENSIVE SUBJECTS?

Objective: An increase in angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) type 2 levels would stimulate the infection by SARS-Cov-2. On the other hand, the inhibition of the effect of angiotensin II could decrease the inflammatory and oxidative response related to the severity of the disease. Our purpose is to assess the effect of renin-angiotensin inhibitors (RASi) on the severity of COVID-19 in a primary care population of hypertensives. Design and method: Multicenter, observational, cross-sectional, retrospective and analytical study. The subjects were enrolled by a random sampling from 10 autonomous regions in Spain, among patients over 18 years-old with treated hypertension and COVID-19 (PCR positive), within the framework of primary health care (119 physicians). Patients were treated 6 months prior data collection (May 2021–February 2022) in the third wave. Multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted by age, sex, smoking, and obesity was performed to assess the relationship of COVID-19 severity with anti-hypertensive therapy. Results: 1372 patients were enrolled, mean age 67.1±13.6 years, women 50.8%, smoking 12.5%, obesity 43.9%, diabetes 27.5%, controlled arterial hypertension 55.9% (office BP <140 /90). The severity of COVID-19 was: mild-asymptomatic 971 (70.8%), hospital admission 401 (29.2%), ICU admission 74 (5.4%) and death 48 (Fatality rate, 4%). 64.3% of patients were treated with RASi alone or as add-on therapy during COVID-19. Comparing the progression of COVID-19 between those patients who required hospitalisation versus mild-asymptomatic, we found statistically significant differences (Figure 1): RASi vs Diuretics(D)+Calcium channel blockers(CCB)+RASi (OR = 0.36; 95%CI: 0.22-0.57; p<0.001) and D+RASi vs D (OR = 0.49; 95%CI: 0.28-0.93; p<0.05). RASi alone or in combination vs other anti-hypertensives only showed a non-significant trend for fewer hospitalizations (OR = 0.87; 95%CI: 0.68-1.12; p = 0.274). There were no differences between survivors vs non-survivors treated with RASi: 63.2% vs 58.3% (p = 0.496). Conclusions: RASi do not worsen the severity of COVID-19 among hypertensive patients. Regarding its possible protective effect on the progression of the disease, the results are not conclusive, although there could be a trend in this sense, especially when RASi are compared with some antihypertensive combinations.

Electromagnetic Displacement Sensor and Docking Method Based on Elliptic Integral Series Expansion

Automatic charging can improve the endurance of unmanned work platforms, but the docking accuracy limits its success rate and charging efficiency. In order to solve this problem, an accurate docking method based on elliptic integral series expansion is proposed. The relationship between load voltage and coil transverse offset distance is constructed by establishing a coil mutual inductance circuit, a coil center points transverse offset mutual inductance coefficient calculation model, and a triangular positioning geometry structure Numerical integration and elliptic integration series expansion are used to solve the exact correspondence between the coil mutual inductance coefficient and the coil transverse offset distance. Finally, the relationship between the load voltage and the lateral offset distance from the center of the coil is obtained. The method does not require the arrangement of additional sensors and coils, nor does it require extensive prior data collection for unique coil configurations. The system can be used for energy transmission and as a displacement sensor. It has been verified by COMSOL simulations that the maximum relative error in the coefficient of mutual inductance is 6.507% for the numerical integration method and 9.022% for the elliptic integration series expansion approach. After experimental verification, the maximum average relative error of the load voltage is 4.048% for the numerical integration method and 11.89% for the elliptic integration series expansion approach. This method achieved high accuracy positioning measurement with the error range at the centimeter level. The method contributes to the long-term application of unmanned operating platforms.

Who is sensitising whom? A participatory interview guide development as an awareness tool within a health care research project

Who is sensitising whom? A participatory interview guide development as an awareness tool within a health care research project

Evidence and methods required to evaluate the impact for patients who use social prescribing: a rapid systematic review and qualitative interviews

Background Social prescribing encourages health-care and other professionals to refer patients to a link worker, who will develop a personalised plan to improve the patient’s health and well-being. We explore the feasibility of evaluating the service. Objective The objective was to answer the following research questions. (1) What are the most important evaluation questions that an impact study could investigate? (2) What data are already available at a local or national level and what else would be needed? (3) Are there sites delivering at a large enough scale and in a position to take part in an impact study? (4) How could the known challenges to evaluation (e.g. information governance and identifying a control group) be addressed? Data sources Data sources included MEDLINE ALL (via Ovid), searched from inception to 14 February 2019, and the first 100 hits of a Google (Google Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA) search. Review methods Rapid systematic review – electronic searches up to February 2019. Studies included any study design or outcomes. Screening was conducted by one reviewer; eligibility assessment and data extraction were undertaken by two reviewers. Data were synthesised narratively. Qualitative interviews – data from 25 participants in different regions of England were analysed using a pragmatic framework approach across 12 areas including prior data collection, delivery sites, scale and processes of current service delivery, and known challenges to evaluation. Views of key stakeholders (i.e. patients and academics) were captured. Results Rapid systematic review – 27 out of 124 studies were included. We identified outcomes and highlighted research challenges. Important evaluation questions included identification of the most appropriate (1) outcomes and (2) methods for dealing with heterogeneity. Qualitative interviews – social prescribing programmes are holistic in nature, covering domains such as social isolation and finance. Service provision is heterogeneous. The follow-on services that patients access are often underfunded or short term. Available data – there was significant heterogeneity in data availability, format and follow-up. Data were collected using a range of tools in ad hoc databases across sites. Non-attendance data were frequently not captured. Service users are more deprived and vulnerable than the overall practice population. Feasibility and potential limitations of an evaluation – current data collection is limited in determining the effectiveness of the link worker social prescribing model; therefore, uniform data collection across sites is needed. Standardised outcomes and process measures are required. Cost–utility analysis could provide comparative values for assessment alongside other NHS interventions. Limitations This was a rapid systematic review that did not include a systematic quality assessment of studies. COVID-19 had an impact on the shape of the service. We were not able to examine the potential causal mechanisms in any detail. Conclusions We describe possible future research approaches to determine effectiveness and cost-effectiveness evaluations; all are limited in their application. (1) Evaluation using currently available, routinely collected health-care, costing and outcomes data. (2) Evaluative mixed-methods research to capture the complexity of social prescribing through understanding heterogeneous service delivery across comparative settings. Cost-effectiveness evaluation using routinely available costing and outcomes data to supplement qualitative data. (3) Interventional evaluative research, such as a cluster randomised controlled trial focused on the link worker model. Cost-effectiveness data collected as part of the trial. Future work Mature data are currently not available. There needs to be an agreement across schemes on the key outcomes that need to be measured, harmonisation of data collection, and follow-up referrals (how and when). Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme and will be published in full in Health and Social Care Delivery Research; Vol. 10, No. 29. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Integration of vegetation classification with land cover mapping: lessons from regional mapping efforts in the Americas

Aims: Natural resource management and biodiversity conservation rely on inventories of vegetation that span multiple management or political jurisdictions. However, while remote sensing data and analytical tools have enabled production of maps at increasing spatial resolution and reliability, there are limited examples where national or continental-scaled maps are produced to represent vegetation at high thematic detail. We illustrate two examples that have bridged the gap between traditional land cover mapping and modern vegetation classification. Study area: Our two case studies include national (USA) and continental (North and South America) vegetation and land cover mapping. These studies span conditions from subpolar to tropical latitudes of the Americas. Methods: Both case studies used a supervised modeling approach with the International Vegetation Classification (IVC) to produce maps that provide for greater thematic detail. Georeferenced locations for these vegetation types are used by machine learning algorithms to train a predictive model and generate a distribution map. Results: The USALANDFIRE (Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools Project) case study illustrates how a history of vegetation-based classification and availability of key inputs can come together to generate standard map products covering more than 9.8 million km2 that are unsurpassed anywhere in the world in terms of spatial and thematic resolution. That being said, it also remains clear that mapping at the thematic resolution of the IVC Group and finer resolution require very large and spatially balanced inputs of georeferenced samples. Even with extensive prior data collection efforts, these remain a key limitation. The NatureServe effort for the Americas - encompassing 22% of the global land surface - demonstrates methods and outputs suitable for worldwide application at continental scales. Conclusions: Continued collection of input data used in the case studies could enable mapping at these spatial and thematic resolutions around the globe. Abbreviations: CART = Classification and Regression Tree; CONUS = Conterminous United States; DSWE = Dynamic Surface Water Extent; EPA = United States Environmental Protection Agency; FGDC = Federal Geographic Data Committee; IVC = International Vegetation Classification; LANDFIRE = Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools Project; LFRDB = LANDFIRE Reference Database; LiDAR = Light Detection and Ranging; NDVI = Normalized Difference Vegetation Index; NLCD = National Land Cover Database; USNVC = United States National Vegetation Classification; USA = United States of America; WWF = World Wildlife Fund or Worldwide Fund for Nature.

INFLUENCE OF ORGANIZATION RESTRUCTURING ON PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED MEDIA FIRMS IN KENYA

Purpose: The current study sought to establish the influence of organization restructuring on performance of selected media firms in Kenya. The study specifically sought to establish the influence of cost restructuring, governance reformation, downsizing and processes centralization on performance of selected media firms in Kenya.
 Methodology: The theories that guided the study includes Transaction Cost Theory, Agency Theory, Social Exchange Theory and Planned Change Theory. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population of the study comprised of three media firms in Kenya (Nation Media Group, Royal Media Services and Standard Group Limited). A total of 340 employees in the managerial positions of the selected media firms were targeted in the study. The study adopted Yamane (1967) sampling formula in acquiring a sample of 183 respondents. The study used quantitative data that was collected from respondents using 5 point Likert scales questionnaire with closed ended questions. A pilot test was conducted prior data collection to assess the reliability and validity of the questionnaires. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used. The study findings were presented in form of tables and figures for easier interpretation.
 Findings: The study established that Cost Restructuring, Governance Reformation and Downsizing positively and significantly influences performances of media firms and that increase in one indicator increases the levels of performances. Process Centralization was found to positively influence performance levels of media firms but to insignificant levels.
 Unique Contribution to Theory Practice and Policy: The study provided recommendations to the media firms to enhance their cost restructuring practices since the practice bears positive influence on performance, to capitalize on reforming their respective governance since the practice bears positive influence on performance, to enhance downsizing activity since the practice bears positive influence on performance and to partly focus on enhancing centralization processes since the practice bears positive but insignificant influence on performance.

Influence of Monitoring and Evaluation Systems on Performance of Projects in Non-Governmental Organizations: A Case of Education Projects in Mombasa County, Kenya

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of monitoring and evaluation systems on performance of projects in non-governmental organizations: A case of education projects in Mombasa County. To achieve this purpose the study assessed how organizational structures and human capacity for monitoring and evaluation influence project performance in non-governmental organizations in Mombasa County. Also, the study examined how a project monitoring and evaluation plan and work planning for monitoring and evaluation activities influence project performance in Non-Governmental Organizations in Mombasa County.Methodology: A descriptive research design was used in this study and structured questionnaires were used to collect the study data. The study population constituted of project officers, managers, and monitoring and evaluation staff in the twenty-two registered non-governmental organizations operating in Education sector in Mombasa County. According to NGOs statistics in published Annual NGO report of 2018/2019, a registered NGO had an average of 10 employees stationed in Kenya. Therefore, the approximate number of project staff in Education sector is approximately 220. Yamane (1967) formula was applied in determination of sample size, with 1% margin of error. Based on the formula, total of 69 participants were required. The participants were voluntary sampled into the study sample though self-administering of online based questionnaire. Prior data collection, a sample of fifteen individuals working in education sector was considered in piloting of the research instruments. To adjust for incidences of non-response rate in voluntary sampling, an additional 30 participants were considered giving a cumulatively sample size of 99 participants. In this study a total of 15 project staff implementing projects in Education sector were considered for piloting. A reliability analysis of pilot data yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.890 implying a high level of internal consistency. Data was collected from sampled seventy respondents from ten non-governmental organizations while observing standard ethical and health guidelines. Collected data was downloaded from kobo-collect online platform and exported to Excel and SPSS for further processing. Descriptive and inferential statistics were generated and used to interpret the nature of relationship between the predictor variables and the dependent variable.Results: The study established that the performance of projects in education sector significantly and positively correlated with organizational structures for M&E (r=0.639, p<0.05), human resource capacity for M&E (r=0.412, p<0.05) and project M&E plan (r=0.273, p<0.05). However, the performance of projects in education sector was found to have a weak positive correlation with M&E work plan where (r=0.015, p>0.05). A regression model of the predictors against the performance of projects in education sector yielded R-square value of 74.1 % leading to a conclusion that the four components under study influence project performance in education sector.Unique contribution to theory, policy and practice: The study recommends that the management of NGOs with technical support of focal M&E staff put in place mechanisms to further strengthen their existing systems for M&E. Also, further research can be explored on how M&E work plan influences project performance while considering adoption mixed methods approach in order to understand the justification for underlying relationships.

Overview and quality assurance for the oral health component of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2011\u20132014

BackgroundFollowing implementation in 2009–2010 to the oral health component for the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a full-mouth periodontal examination was continued during 2011–2014. Additionally, a comprehensive dental caries assessment was re-introduced in 2011 after a 6-year absence from NHANES. This report provides oral health content information and results of dental examiner reliability statistics for key intraoral assessments conducted by dentists during 2011–2014.MethodsDuring the 2011–2014 NHANES 17,463 persons age 1 and older representing the US civilian, non-institutionalized population received an oral health examination. From this group, 387 individuals underwent a repeat examination conducted by the survey reference examiner. A combination of examiner training and calibration, electronic data capture, and ongoing performance evaluation with statistical monitoring was used to ensure conformance with NHANES protocols and data comparability to prior data collection periods.ResultsDuring 2011–2014, the Kappa statistics for the tooth count assessment ranged from 0.96 to 1.00, for untreated dental caries Kappa scores were 0.93 to 1.00. The overall Kappa statistics for identifying combined moderate-severe periodontitis using the CDC/AAP case definition was 0.66 and 0.69 with percent agreement of 83 to 85% during 2011–2014. When evaluating inter-examiner agreement using information collected from 3 periodontal sites for comparability to the NHANES 2003–04 periodontal examination protocols, Kappa scores for combined moderate-severe periodontitis was 0.65 and 0.80 during 2011–2014. For total mean attachment loss and pocket depth across all 6 periodontal sites, the inter-class coefficients (ICCs) ranged from 0.80–0.90 and 0.79–0.86 respectively. Site-specific mean attachment loss ICCs were generally higher for the 4 interproximal measurements compared to the 2 mid-site probing measurements and this observation was similar in 2009–2010.ConclusionDuring 2011–2014, results overall indicate a high level of data quality and substantial examiner reliability for tooth count and dentition; reliability for periodontal disease, across various assessments, was at least moderate. When comparing the 2011–2014 examiner performance to findings from 2003 to 2004, comparable concordance between the examiners and the reference examiner exists.

INFLUENCE OF SUPPLIER EVALUATION CRITERIA ON PERFORMANCE OF METALS AND ALLIED FIRMS IN KENYA

Purpose: This study aimed at examining the influence of supplier evaluation on performance of metal and allied firms in Kenya by focusing on supplier’s financial capability, supplier’s regulatory compliance, supplier’s technical capability and supplier’s level of human resource competency. The study was guided by Lean Supplier Competence Model, Institutional Theory, Resource Based Theory and Social Exchange Theory.Methodology: The population target of the study comprised of 213 respondents drawn from managerial, supervisory and junior positions in procurement departments in all 71 metal and allied firms in Kenya. The study adopted a census method where it included all members of the target population. Questionnaires and data collection sheets were used to collect primary and secondary data respectively. The collected data was coded and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics where regression analysis was used to establish the effect of independent variables on the dependent variable. Descriptive and inferential results were presented in form of tables and figures. Pilot study was conducted prior data collection to test reliability and validity of data collection instruments.Results: The findings of the study revealed that supplier’s financial capability, supplier’s regulatory compliance, supplier’s technical capability and supplier’s level of human resource competence have a positive and significant influence on performance of metal and allied firms in Kenya.Recommendations: The study recommends that metal and allied firms should focus on supplier’s financial capability, supplier’s regulatory compliance, supplier’s technical capability and supplier’s level of human resource competence when conducting supplier’s evaluation since the practices have a positive and significant influence on performance of metal and allied firms.

INFLUENCE OF SUPPLIER EVALUATION CRITERIA ON PERFORMANCE OF METALS AND ALLIED FIRMS IN KENYA

Purpose: This study aimed at examining the influence of supplier evaluation on performance of metal and allied firms in Kenya by focusing on supplier’s financial capability, supplier’s regulatory compliance, supplier’s technical capability and supplier’s level of human resource competency. The study was guided by Lean Supplier Competence Model, Institutional Theory, Resource Based Theory and Social Exchange Theory.Methodology: The population target of the study comprised of 213 respondents drawn from managerial, supervisory and junior positions in procurement departments in all 71 metal and allied firms in Kenya. The study adopted a census method where it included all members of the target population. Questionnaires and data collection sheets were used to collect primary and secondary data respectively. The collected data was coded and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics where regression analysis was used to establish the effect of independent variables on the dependent variable. Descriptive and inferential results were presented in form of tables and figures. Pilot study was conducted prior data collection to test reliability and validity of data collection instruments.Results: The findings of the study revealed that supplier’s financial capability, supplier’s regulatory compliance, supplier’s technical capability and supplier’s level of human resource competence have a positive and significant influence on performance of metal and allied firms in Kenya.Recommendations: The study recommends that metal and allied firms should focus on supplier’s financial capability, supplier’s regulatory compliance, supplier’s technical capability and supplier’s level of human resource competence when conducting supplier’s evaluation since the practices have a positive and significant influence on performance of metal and allied firms.

Household environment and symptoms of childhood acute respiratory tract infections in Nigeria, 2003\u20132013: a decade of progress and stagnation

BackgroundAcute respiratory infections (ARIs) remains a disease of public health importance in Nigeria. Though, previous studies have identified factors associated with childhood ARI symptoms, the progress made in reducing the burden of this major childhood morbidity in the past decade in Nigeria has not been quantified. Therefore, this study describes the trends in the prevalence and factors associated with ARI symptoms among under-five (U5) children in Nigeria between years 2003 and 2013.MethodsA retrospective cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHS) for years 2003, 2008 and 2013 was done. The study sample included women of reproductive age who had U5 children presenting with a cough accompanied with short rapid breaths in the last 2 weeks prior data collection. Data were analysed using complementary log regression model.ResultsPrevalence of ARI symptoms were 10.3, 4.6 and 3.8% for years 2003, 2008 and 2013 respectively. The use of unclean cooking fuel was not associated with ARI symptom in 2003 and 2008, but in 2013 (OR = 2.50, CI: 1.16–5.42). Living in houses built with poor quality materials was associated with higher risk of ARI symptoms in 2008 (OR = 1.34, CI: 1.11–1.61) and 2013 (OR = 1.59, CI: 1.32–1.93). Higher risk of ARI symptoms was also associated with younger child’s age, Northern regions and household wealth quintile between 2003 and 2013.ConclusionsThough there has been a significant progress in the reduction of the prevalence of ARI symptoms between 2003 and 2013, the same could not be said of household environmental risk factors. Interventions to reduce the contributory effects of these factors to the occurrence of ARI symptoms should be instituted by government and other relevant stakeholders.

Experimental design for evaluating WWTP data by linear mass balances

A stepwise experimental design procedure to obtain reliable data from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) was developed. The proposed procedure aims at determining sets of additional measurements (besides available ones) that guarantee the identifiability of key process variables, which means that their value can be calculated from other, measured variables, based on available constraints in the form of linear mass balances. Among all solutions, i.e. all possible sets of additional measurements allowing the identifiability of all key process variables, the optimal solutions were found taking into account two objectives, namely the accuracy of the identified key variables and the cost of additional measurements. The results of this multi-objective optimization problem were represented in a Pareto-optimal front.The presented procedure was applied to a full-scale WWTP. Detailed analysis of the relation between measurements allowed the determination of groups of overlapping mass balances. Adding measured variables could only serve in identifying key variables that appear in the same group of mass balances. Besides, the application of the experimental design procedure to these individual groups significantly reduced the computational effort in evaluating available measurements and planning additional monitoring campaigns. The proposed procedure is straightforward and can be applied to other WWTPs with or without prior data collection.

Implementing pregnancy screening prior to chemotherapy: A quality improvement initiative.

e18274 Background: ASCO’s QOPI sets standards for excellence in oncologic care. One standard is screening appropriate female patients for pregnancy prior to chemotherapy. No guidelines exist regarding screening protocols or timing. Prior data collection at our institution from 2012-2014 revealed that 35% of women of childbearing potential were screened prior to chemo, with medical oncology performing only 7% of screening. Less than half (48%) of those tests were ordered within 14 days prior to treatment start. Methods: A quality improvement (QI) intervention was implemented at UF Health outpatient infusion center on 8/15/16 based on the above data. A checkbox was added to the pre-chemo checklist used by infusion nurses. For eligible patients (women ages 18-55 without prior tubal ligation or hysterectomy), a point of care pregnancy test, included in standing orders, was recommended. We reviewed data for women who received outpatient chemo during 9/16-11/16 to determine rates of pregnancy screening (PS) after intervention. Results: 49 women, ages 18-55, of childbearing potential were identified and presented for 174 chemo cycles from 9/1/16 to 11/30/16. Of these, 15 (30.6%) received PS before chemo. Fifty pregnancy tests were ordered during this period; all were negative. Of the 50 tests, 42 (84%) were ordered by medical oncology, 3 (6%) by a surgical oncology, 3 (6%) by radiation oncology, and 1 (2%) by emergency medicine. Of the PS tests ordered by medical oncology, 64.2% were within 14 days of chemotherapy. Conclusions: In three months of QI intervention, PS prior to chemo increased from 7% to 30.6%. Screening was 13% in women older than 45, but higher in women age 25-34 (60%) and 35-44 (67%). Although the screening rate improved, it remains below our goal of 80%. Possible explanations for low rates are inclusion of postmenopausal women and those older than 50. Excluding these patients could reduce screening burden while identifying appropriate patients. [Table: see text]

Divergent responses of β‐diversity among organism groups to a strong environmental gradient

AbstractA limited understanding of how variation in the species composition among communities (i.e., β‐diversity) changes along natural environmental gradients, and the mechanisms responsible, inhibits our ability to understand large‐scale biodiversity change resulting from either natural or anthropogenic drivers. Therefore, our aim was to test key drivers of β‐diversity patterns along a strong, natural environmental gradient for seven widely different organisms groups, that is, root‐associated fungi, litter fungi, soil nematodes, vascular plants, epiphytic lichens, beetles, and spiders. Using previously published community‐level data from boreal‐forested islands, we calculated α‐diversity and β‐diversity for each of the seven organism groups. Out of several available environmental variables, we identified four variables, that is, ecosystem age, total C storage, net primary productivity (NPP), and N‐to‐P ratio, as potential predictors of variation in β‐diversity. We found that ecosystem age was the variable with the highest overall importance. We then used two different methods to quantify the relative importance of stochastic and deterministic processes underlying patterns in β‐diversity along the ecosystem age gradient, and our detailed knowledge based on prior data collection in the study system to mechanistically explain among‐group differences in these patterns. We found divergent responses in β‐diversity along the age gradient for the seven different organism groups, due to among‐group differences in the relative importance of deterministic vs. stochastic community assembly, and attributed these results to reliance on resources from different energy channels that are not always related to NPP. Our results highlight the necessity to consider the importance of taxon‐specific resources, and not only NPP, to obtain an understanding of β‐diversity patterns among organism groups and ecosystems, as well as large‐scale patterns in biodiversity. They therefore also suggest that management and protection of β‐biodiversity in the landscape requires explicit consideration of a wide range of habitats.

Optimal flow sensor placement on wastewater treatment plants

Obtaining high quality data collected on wastewater treatment plants is gaining increasing attention in the wastewater engineering literature. Typical studies focus on recognition of faulty data with a given set of installed sensors on a wastewater treatment plant. Little attention is however given to how one can install sensors in such a way that fault detection and identification can be improved. In this work, we develop a method to obtain Pareto optimal sensor layouts in terms of cost, observability, and redundancy. Most importantly, the resulting method allows reducing the large set of possibilities to a minimal set of sensor layouts efficiently for any wastewater treatment plant on the basis of structural criteria only, with limited sensor information, and without prior data collection. In addition, the developed optimization scheme is fast. Practically important is that the number of sensors needed for both observability of all flows and redundancy of all flow sensors is only one more compared to the number of sensors needed for observability of all flows in the studied wastewater treatment plant configurations.

Pattern of Complementary Feeding among Mothers Having Child Aged 6 to 12 Months

Background: Infant feeding practices play a crucial role in determining a child’s rate of growth and development. Improper feeding practices have not only continued to jeopardize the nutritional status of Bangladeshi Children but also the well being of millions of children all over the world.Objective: The aim of the study was to assess pattern of complementary feeding among mothers having child aged 6 to 12 months.Materials and method: This was a cross sectional study conducted among 125 mothers having child aged 6 to 12 months. Purposive sampling method was used and pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect data by face to face interview. Prior data collection verbal consent was taken from respondents.Results: Mean age of the infants was 9.95±2.046 months. Maximum 24% of the mothers were educated up to class VI-IX. About 47.2% mother introduced complementary feeding at 6th month to their infants. Among the age group of 6 to 8 months 13.9%, 44.4%, 30.6% and 11.1% children received meal for 1-2 times/day, 3-4 times/day, 5-6 times/day and more than 6 times/day respectively. In 6-8 months age group 52.8%, 19.4%, 16.7%, 8.3% and 2.8% were given semi solid and liquid, semi solid and solid, liquid, semi solid, and solid respectively. Besides 64% respondents gave ‘Rice/Rice Powder/Suzy’ as complementary feeding, 60% received ‘khichuri’, and 4.85% gave non-infant formulae.Conclusion: Overall pattern of complementary feeding was not satisfactory. Further large scale study is needed to get actual picture.Delta Med Col J. Jan 2016 4(1): 13-17

Using the international classification of functioning, disability and health to expand understanding of paralysis in the United States through improved surveillance

BackgroundSurveillance on paralysis prevalence has been conceptually and methodologically challenging. Numerous methods have been used to approximate population-level paralysis prevalence estimates leading to widely divergent prevalence estimates. Objective/hypothesesTo describe three phases in use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) as a framework and planning tool for defining paralysis and developing public health surveillance of this condition. MethodsDescription of the surveillance methodology covers four steps: an assessment of prior data collection efforts that included a review of existing surveys, registries and other data collection efforts designed to capture both case definitions in use and prevalence of paralysis; use of a consensus conference of experts to develop a case definition of paralysis based on the ICF rather than medical diagnostic criteria; explanation of use of the ICF framework for domains of interest to develop, cognitively test, validate and administer a brief self-report questionnaire for telephone administration on a population; and development and administration of a Paralysis Prevalence and Health Disparities Survey that used content mapping to back code items from existing national surveys to operationalize key domains. ResultsICF coding led to a national population-based survey of paralysis that produced accurate estimates of prevalence and identification of factors related to the health of people in the U.S. living with paralysis. ConclusionsThe ICF can be a useful tool for developing valid and reliable surveillance strategies targeting subgroups of individuals with functional disabilities such as people with paralysis and others.