Overall State Of Health Research Articles

Quality of Life and Patient Satisfaction After the Provision of an Orthopedic Knee Scooter.

Partial or total avoidance of weight-bearing by a lower limb is regularly needed after trauma and surgery. There are approximately 200 such cases per 100 000 persons per year. Forearm crutches have mainly been used in Germany until now to keep these patients mobile. For those who lack the strength or co - ordination needed to use crutches, a wheelchair may become necessary, or they might find themselves forced to continue weightbearing on the affected limb, with possible impending adverse consequences and complications. The supplementary use of a new type of orthopedic scooter by patients who must avoid weight-bearing by a lower limb, wholly or in part, was studied in a multicenter randomized controlled trial involving 88 subjects. The endpoints were improvement in quality of life (EQ5D, SF36) and improved abilities in everyday life (retrospective registration: DRKS00032980). Patients who used orthopedic knee scooters (KS) reported a better overall state of health more frequently than those who used forearm crutches (UC) (SF-36 score: 67 [KS group], 95% CI [61; 73]; 59 [UC group], [53; 64]). They also reported less anxiety and depressed mood, greater mobility, and more independence than the patients who used crutches. In addition, they more frequently reported being able to transport themselves 4 x 500 meters in less than 20 minutes (n 30 [KS], 63.8% [48.5; 77.3]; n 6 [UC], 14.6% [5.6, 29.2]). The supplementary use of an orthopedic knee scooter can improve these patients' mobility and independence and prolong the distance over which they can transport themselves. For many patients, this form of treatment may well shorten the time of their total or partial inability to work and thus lower the socioeconomic costs of lower limb injuries and surgery.

Gender Disparities in Health Biomarkers, Lifestyle Patterns, and Nutritional Status among Bank Staff: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and Objectives: Despite the importance of nutritional status and a healthy lifestyle in shaping overall well-being, little is known about examining gender-specific differences and trends in health, lifestyle, and nutritional status. The present study aimed to evaluate blood levels of micronutrients, homocysteine, and CoQ10, as well as physical activity (PA) levels and sedentary behavior, among a cohort of Austrian bank staff, with a particular focus on identifying gender differences as well as gender-specific nutritional deficiencies compared to the reference ranges. Materials and Methods: Following a cross-sectional study design, 123 Austrian bank staff (mean age: 43 years; 51% females) participated in this study. Blood samples were collected to evaluate participants' micronutrient status and serum levels of homocysteine and CoQ10. Whole-blood values of macronutrients were compared to gender-specific reference ranges and categorized into three groups: below, within, or over the range. The WHO's Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess PA levels and sedentary behaviors. Results: No significant difference between males and females was found for diet types, PA levels, sedentary time, homocysteine levels, or CoQ10 values (p > 0.05). A high PA level was reported by 64% of males and 58% of females. 71% of females and 56% of males were found to have a vitamin D deficiency. 63-98% of females and 72-97% of males showed normal blood levels for the remaining micronutrients, including potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc, selenium, manganese, molybdenum, B6, B9, and B12. Conclusions: The findings highlight the necessity of implementing tailored strategies to foster healthy lifestyle behaviors, thereby enhancing the overall state of health, particularly in the context of occupational health.

Adherence to ACSM exercise guidelines and its influence on Fibromyalgia treatment outcomes: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

The Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a multifaceted chronic pain disorder that exerts a substantial impact on the overall state of health and quality of life of patients. Investigate the effects of exercise therapy and adherence to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines on treatment outcomes in FMS patients. The literature search, which concluded in October 2023, encompassed studies investigating the impact of exercise interventions on patients diagnosed with FMS and providing adequate data for calculating standardized mean difference (SMD). The primary outcome measures encompassed the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), while secondary outcome measures comprised pain levels, sleep quality, fatigue, and mental health. Among 4,008 records, 19 studies (patients = 857) were eligible for qualitative synthesis. The meta-analysis revealed that the SMD for overall state of health impact was -0.94 (95%CI -1.26, -0.63), and the pooled SMD for the subgroup with high adherence to ACSM guidelines was -1.17 (95%CI -1.65, -0.69). The SMD for the subgroup with low or uncertain adherence was -0.73 (95%CI -1.12, -0.34). The overall effects included a -1.21 (95%CI -1.62, -0.79) SMD for pain relief, with high adherence achieving a -1.32 (95%CI -2.00, -0.64) SMD and low adherence a -1.06 (95%CI -1.55, -0.57) SMD. Mental health improvements showed a -0.95 (95%CI -1.32, -0.57) overall SMD, with high and low adherence subgroups at -0.96 (95%CI -1.62, -0.30) and -0.94 (95%CI -1.29, -0.60), respectively. Sleep quality impact was -1.59 (95%CI -2.31, -0.87) overall, with high adherence at -1.71 (95%CI -2.58, -0.83) and low adherence at -1.11 (95%CI -1.88, -0.33). Fatigue impact had a -1.55 (95%CI -2.26, -0.85) overall SMD, with -1.77 (95%CI -3.18, -0.36) for high adherence and -1.35 (95%CI -2.03, -0.66) for low adherence. Exercise therapy can improve the overall state of health, pain, sleep, and fatigue of FMS patients, particularly when adhering to ACSM guidelines. However, adherence levels do not affect mental health gains, indicating a need for future research on psychological impact. https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2024-3-0106/, identifier INPLASY202430106.

Long-Term (>24 Months) Duration of Symptoms Negatively Impacts Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion for Cervical Radiculopathy.

Retrospective cohort study. To investigate the impact of long symptom duration (>24mo) on patient self-reported outcomes for pain, function, and quality of life following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for cervical radiculopathy. ACDF is an effective treatment to relieve the symptoms of cervical radiculopathy. However, there is no consensus on whether prolonged preoperative length of symptoms negatively impacts postoperative outcomes. This study included consecutive patients who underwent ACDF for cervical radiculopathy from May 1, 2012 to Dec 1, 2019 by a single surgeon. Patients were stratified by short (<24mo) and long (>24mo) duration of symptoms. Outcomes including visual analog scale (VAS) neck and arm, neck disability index (NDI), EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D), and overall state of health (EQ-VAS) were compared between cohort both for absolute values and percentage of patients achieving minimal clinically important difference. A total of 111 consecutive patients were included in our study, including 59 patients in the short symptom duration group and 52 patients in the long symptom duration group. The mean age of the patients was 51.4±9.4 and 41 (36.9%) were female. The baseline VAS neck and arm, NDI, EQ-5D, and EQ-VAS were similar between groups. Patients in both long and short symptom duration groups had clinical improvement following surgery. However, patients with short symptom duration had better VAS Neck and EQ-5D outcomes, and were more likely to meet minimal clinically important difference for NDI, EQ-5D, or any outcome. Multivariate analysis confirmed symptom duration <24 months as an independent predictor for better patient-reported outcomes. We appreciated better clinical outcomes in patients with shorter symptom duration who received ACDF for cervical radiculopathy. On the basis of this data, we advocate for prompt treatment of cervical radiculopathy to avoid the potential for long-term impairment. Level 3.

What Distinguishes Singing as a Unique Form of Expression?

Singing has consistently been regarded as a fundamental aspect of human expression, transcending cultural boundaries and serving as a universally practised pastime. The act of singing is widely recognised for its ability to elicit feelings of happiness and provide a means of emotional expression. However, an increasing body of research suggests that singing also yields other beneficial outcomes in the realms of social interaction, psychological well-being, and physical health. This qualitative study aims to explore the advantages of regular singing through in-depth interviews with a sample of 10 individuals. The activity of vocalising musical sounds, commonly referred to as singing, has been observed to have a positive impact on an individual's psychological state, specifically their mental well-being. This is attributed to the cultivation of a sense of purpose and accomplishment that singing facilitates. The act of performing in front of an audience or effectively mastering a challenging musical piece have the capacity to positively impact an individual's mental well-being. The findings additionally suggested that engaging in singing has the capacity to substantially enhance an individual's overall state of health and level of satisfaction with life, regardless of whether it is performed privately in a personal setting, as a member of a choral ensemble, or as a vocation within the realm of music.

Effect of flibanserin on libido in women with breast cancer on adjuvant endocrine therapy.

12015 Background: Breast cancer and its treatment can cause decreased libido. This study evaluates the use of Flibanserin in women with breast cancer on endocrine therapy who are experiencing decreased libido. It is the first study evaluating Flibanserin for medically induced decreased libido. Methods: 37 women (mean age of 49) with stage 0-III ER+ breast cancer on endocrine therapy for at least three months were enrolled on a longitudinal IRB-approved trial from both an academic center and an alliance community site. All patients met criteria for the diagnosis of HSDD as defined by the DSM-IV and ISSWSH consensus paper. Patients took Flibanserin 100mg at bedtime for 24 weeks and were followed for 52 weeks. Patients were monitored closely with medical exams and questionnaires at baseline, weeks 4, 8, 16, 24 and 52. Feasibility and efficacy of Flibanserin was measured by patient reported validated instruments such as Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), PROMIS, and EQ5D. Results: A statistically significant improvement in the sexual domains of desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain were seen as measured by the FSFI while on Flibanserin, which declined after discontinuing the medication. At baseline, patients had an average libido of 1.7, which increased to 2.8 at 24 weeks and declined to 2.5 after discontinuing treatment. Sexual confidence and satisfaction at baseline were an average of 1.2 and 1.6 respectively and increased to an average of 2.5 and 2.6 after treatment. Ability to become lubricated was 1.3 at baseline and increased to 4.4 at 24 weeks. Ability to maintain lubrication and ease of lubrication both averaged 1.6 at baseline and increased to 3.4 at week 24. Ease and frequency of climax scored an average 1.4 at baseline, then increased to 2.6 and 2.9 respectively at week 24. Patients reported less pain and distress with sexual intercourse throughout the study and an increased number of sexually satisfying events. At baseline, the average score for overall state of health was 78/100. At 24 weeks, the average score increased to 93 and declined to 82 at week 52 (after medication was discontinued). Patients slept an average of 6.7 hours per night at baseline, which increased to 7.7 hours on Flibanserin and decreased to 5.5 hours after discontinuing the medication. Conclusions: Our study found statistically significant improvement in the sexual domains of desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain as measured by the FSFI from baseline to week 24 while on Flibanserin. It also showed improved overall health-related quality of life and sleep. Flibanserin is an effective treatment option for women with breast cancer. A larger randomized placebo-controlled study is still needed to further evaluate Flibanserin in women with breast cancer and medically induced decreased libido. Clinical trial information: NCT03707340 .

Interface of resilience with other related concepts in physiological and psychosocial/spiritual domains.

Interface of resilience with other related concepts in physiological and psychosocial/spiritual domains.

Assessment of the prevalence and risk factors of low back pain in operating room health workers: An observational study in Italy

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) among healthprofessionals and the possible risk factors. Methods: The study was carried out from April 2018 to October 2018 among all health workers of theOrthopaedic Clinic and the Emergency Department of “Policlinico Umberto I” in Rome. LBP wasassessed using the Nordic Questionnaire Musculoskeletal Disorders in the section on lumbar pain.The type of physical activity carried out as prevention was investigated by use of theInternational Physical Activity Questionnaires. The overall state of health and lifestyle wasdeter- mined by the Short Form 12-item Health Survey. Job satisfaction and perceived work stresswere assessed through the 15-questions of Karasek’s Questionnaire. The intensity of the low backpain was assessed using a Numerical Rating Scale. A univariate analysis was conducted to assess theassociations between socio-demographic and working variables. Multiple logistic regression mod- elswere used to assess independent correlates of LBP. Results: One hundred thirteen subjects were enrolled, 52 women and 61 men. The annual period-prevalence of lumbar musculoskeletal disorder was found on 79.6% of participants with LBP.Mean value evidence of NRS was 2.66. The highest LBP risk over the 12 months was found in groupswith high job demand (OR = 1.18; 95%CI: 1.01 – 1.38), low decision-making opportunities (fordecision latitude OR = 0.87; (0-76 – 1.0), and low levels of physical activity (OR = 0.75; 95%CI:0.64 – 0.89). Conclusion: The working environment is a potential risk factor for the development of LBP and issuitable for prevention programmes. The protective effect of physical activity and work-relatedstress management indicate room for improvements for the prevention of LBP in these HCWs. Conflicts of interest: None declared.

A portable and low-cost centrifugal microfluidic platform for multiplexed colorimetric detection of protein biomarkers

Cytokines play a very important role in our immune system by acting as mediators to put up a coordinated defense against foreign elements in our body. Elevated levels of cytokines in the body can signal to an ongoing response of the immune system to some abnormality. Thus, the quantification of a panel of cytokines can provide valuable information regarding the diagnosis of specific diseases and state of overall health of an individual. Conventional Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) is the gold-standard for quantification of cytokines, however the need for trained personnel and expensive equipment limits its application to centralized laboratories only. In this context, there is a lack of simple, low-cost and portable devices which can allow for quantification of panels of cytokines at point-of-care and/or resource limited settings.Here, we report the development of a versatile, low-cost and portable bead-based centrifugal microfluidic platform allowing for multiplexed detection of cytokines with minimal hands-on time and an integrated colorimetric signal readout without the need for any external equipment. As a model, multiplexed colorimetric quantification of three target cytokines i.e., Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and Interleukin-2 (IL-2) was achieved in less than 30 min with limits of detection in ng/mL range. The developed platform was further evaluated using spiked-in plasma samples to test for matrix interference. The ease of use, low-cost and portability of the developed platform highlight its potential to serve as a sample-to-answer solution for detection of cytokine panels in resource limited settings.

Elucidating the gut microbiome alterations of tribal community of Arunachal Pradesh: perspectives on their lifestyle or food habits

Gut microbiota studies of ethnic populations reveal gut microbial biomarkers for therapeutic options and detection of the disease state. The present study aimed to analyze the gut microbiome signatures in thirty individuals from the Adi, Apatani and Nyshi tribes of Arunachal Pradesh (ten in each cohort) by sequencing the V3 and V4 regions of 16S rRNA on the Illumina MiSeq Platform. The gut microbiome was highly predominated by Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidates in the three studied tribal groups. At the genus level, significant abundance of Bifidobacterium, Collinsella, Bacteroides, Prevotella, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Clostridium, Coprococcus, Dorea, Lachnospira, Roseburia, Ruminococcus, Faecalibacterium, Catenibacterium, Eubacterium, Citrobacter and Enterobacter were observed amongst the three tribes. The tribal communities residing in remote areas and following traditional lifestyle had higher gut microbiome diversity with a high prevalence of Prevotella and Collinsella in the Adi and Nyshi tribes, and Bifidobacterium and Catenibacterium in the Apatani tribe. Elucidating the gut microbiome of the tribal community of Arunachal Pradesh will add to the knowledge on relationships between microbial communities, dietary food factors, and the overall state of health of humans worldwide.

Hubungan Pengetahuan dan Personal Hygiene Terhadap Kesehatan Reproduksi

Reproductive health is a state of overall health that includes physical, mental and social life related to reproductive organs, functions and processes. Reproductive health greatly determines the fertility of every individual, so it is important for people to get correct and correct information about reproductive health. The results of the 2019 national analysis show that 39.1% of the population in Indonesia practice clean and healthy living behaviors. So that the changes made in 2019 had an impact on achieving a clean and healthy lifestyle index. Efforts to achieve a clean and healthy life behavior index are by implementing health promotion activities with the help of promotional media (pocket books). The purpose of writing this literature review is to determine the relationship between personal hygiene and reproductive health. This study uses the Literature Review method, namely by searching for article data sources taken using Google Scholar, Garuda Portal and Pubmed. The period of the articles used as references is from 2019 - 2021. From the results of the selection that was carried out using the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 10 articles were found to be reviewed. The results obtained from the 10 reviewed articles all state that there is a significant relationship between personal hygiene and reproductive health.

Health status of recreational runners over 10-km up to ultra-marathon distance based on data of the NURMI Study Step 2

Endurance running is well-documented to affect health beneficially. However, data are still conflicting in terms of which race distance is associated with the maximum health effects to be obtained. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the health status of endurance runners over different race distances. A total of 245 recreational runners (141 females, 104 males) completed an online survey. Health status was assessed by measuring eight dimensions in two clusters of health-related indicators (e.g., body weight, mental health, chronic diseases and hypersensitivity reactions, medication intake) and health-related behaviors (e.g., smoking habits, supplement intake, food choice, healthcare utilization). Each dimension consisted of analytical parameters derived to a general domain score between 0 and 1. Data analysis was performed by using non-parametric ANOVA and MANOVA. There were 89 half-marathon (HM), 65 marathon/ultra-marathon (M/UM), and 91 10-km runners. 10-km runners were leaner than both the HM and M/UM runners (p ≤ 0.05). HM runners had higher health scores for six dimensions (body weight, mental health, chronic diseases and hypersensitivity reactions, medication intake, smoking habits, and health care utilization), which contributed to an average score of 77.1% (score range 62–88%) for their overall state of health. Whereas 10-km and M/UM runners had lesser but similar average scores in the overall state of health (71.7% and 72%, respectively). Race distance had a significant association with the dimension “chronic diseases and hypersensitivity reactions” (p ≤ 0.05). Despite the null significant associations between race distance and seven (out of eight) multi-item health dimensions, a tendency towards better health status (assessed by domain scores of health) among HM runners was found compared to other distance runners. However, the optimal state of health across all race distances supported the notion that endurance running contributed to overall health and well-being.Trial registration number: ISRCTN73074080. Retrospectively registered 12th June 2015.

Exploring the Effort-Reward Structure of University Work Focusing on Perceived Overall Stress, Self-Reported Health, and Musculoskeletal Disorders

Background: The effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model by Siegrist encouraged numerous scientific investigations that reported particular ties between psychosocial risks and poor self-reported health (SRH), while psychosocial work-related stress has also been linked to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The aim of this study was to examine the health status and the perceived levels of occupational stress of university employees and to analyse the findings according to the employees’ effort and reward structure of work, perceived overall stress, SRH and the presence of MSDs.Design and methods: 398 employees – including healthcare professionals, academic personnel and workers with administrative or other jobs – employed at the University of Szeged, Faculty of Medicine were investigated with a self-administered questionnaire including the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire (ERIQ) and Perceived Stress Scale 4 (PSS-4).Results: More than half of the investigated subjects (54.8%) reported some forms of MSDs. Low self-reported health (P<0.001) and presence of MSDs (P=0.015) were significantly associated with the level of perceived stress and effort-reward imbalance (ERI), moreover increased level of perceived stress was independently associated with the likelihood of MSDs (AOR=1.13) and low self-reported health (AOR=1.30). ERI well predicted low self-reported health (AOR=2.05) as well. Increased level of perceived stress positively correlated with high workrelated effort (r=0.247, P<0.001) and over-commitment (r=0.387, P<0.001) while with work-related reward (r=−0.181, P=0.011) perceived stress showed a negative connection.Conclusion: Our results suggest that addressing the burden of effort-reward imbalance and MSDs would likely lessen employees’ perceived level of overall stress and affect their self-reported overall state of health. Significance for public health In a university hospital setting, numerous areas of academic and healthcare work are strongly interlaced. For that reason, healthcare workers, academics, and employees with various other job roles all share the work-related psychosocial and health risks that originate from the same organizational setting. As workrelated stress, poor self-reported health, and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are all closely linked to effort-reward imbalance (ERI), exploring the effort and reward structure of university work could provide valuable insight in the possible role of the ERI model to guide interventions in this particular setting. Our results suggest that addressing university employees’ ERI, their burden of MSD, or possibly both, would likely affect employees’ perceived level of overall stress and self-reported overall state of health.

To what extent do age, stage and treatment influence survival after invasive cervical cancer: a French population-based study.

In an attempt to understand why cervical cancer (CC) survival is decreasing with diagnosis period among older women in France, this study aimed to estimate the effects of main prognostic factors on net survival in CC according to age. French cancer registries databases were used to retrospectively analyze women diagnosed with CC in 2011-2012. Net survival was estimated with the Pohar-Perme method and prognostic factors (socio-demographic, clinical variables, stage at diagnosis, therapeutic management) were analyzed with Lambert and Royston's flexible parametric model. One thousand one hundred fifty three women with CC were identified. 30.4% were < 45, 41.4% 45-64, and 28.3% ≥ 65years. Older women were diagnosed at a more advanced stage than younger women: 54.8% regional (FIGO IB2-IVA), 33.0% distant (IVB) in women ≥ 65years vs 33.7% and 8.0%, respectively in women < 45years. Half of women with regional stage of CC received recommended treatment; this rate decreased with increasing age (< 45: 66.1%, 45-64: 62.7%, ≥ 65: 29.2%). Older age was significantly associated with increased risk of death: hazard ratio 1.89 for age ≥ 65, as were regional stage (2.81), distant stage (15.99), and not receiving recommended treatment (2.26). Older women with CC diagnosed at advanced stage who do not receive standard of care are at markedly increased risk of death. Special attention to the management of older women is warranted in France, not only to diagnose cancer at an earlier stage (via gynecological follow-up in these menopaused women who remain at risk of CC), but also to ensure they receive standard of care, taking into account their overall state of health.

International Urogynaecology Consultation chapter 1 committee 4: patients' perception of disease burden of pelvic organ prolapse.

This manuscript from Chapter 1 of the International Urogynecology Consultation (IUC) on Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) reports on the patients' perception of disease burden associated with pelvic organ prolapse. An international group containing a team of eight urogynaecologists, a physiotherapist and a statistician performed a search of the literature using pre-specified search terms in PubMed and Embase (January 2000 to August 2020). The division of sections within this report includes: (1) perception of POP and the relationship with body image and poor health; (2) a vaginal bulge as it impacts health and wellbeing in women; (3) the impact of POP on sexual life; (4) body image and pelvic floor disorders; (5) POP and mood; (6) appropriate use of treatment goals to better meet patients' expected benefits; (7) using health-related quality of life questionnaires to quantify patients' perception of POP; (8) The financial burden of POP to patients and society. Abstracts were reviewed and publications were eliminated if not relevant or did not include populations with POP or were not relevant to the subject areas as noted by the authors. The manuscripts were next reviewed for suitability using the Specialist Unit for Review Evidence (SURE) checklists for cohort, cross-sectional and case-control epidemiologic studies. The original individual literature searches yielded 2312 references of which 190 were used in the final manuscript. The following perceptions were identified: (1) women were found to have varying perceptions of POP including shame and embarrassment. Some regard POP as consequence of aging and consider there is no effective therapy. (2) POP is perceived as a vaginal bulge and affects lifestyle and emotional wellbeing. The main driver for treatment is absence of bulge sensation. (3) POP is known to affect frequency of sexual intercourse but has less impact on satisfaction. (4) Prolapse-specific body image and genital self-image are important components of a women's emotional, physical and sexual wellbeing. (5) POP is commonly associated with depression and anxiety symptoms which impact HRQoL although are not correlated with objective anatomical findings. (6) Patient-centered treatment goals are useful in facilitating communication, shared decision-making and expectations before and after reconstructive surgery. (7) Disease-specific HRQoL questionnaires are important tools to assess bother and outcome following surgery, and there are now several tools with Level 1 evidence and a Grade A recommendation. (8) The cost of POP to the individual and to society is considerable in terms of productivity. In general, conservative measures tend to be more cost-effective than surgical intervention. Patients' perception of POP varies in different patients and has a far-reaching impact on their overall state of health and wellbeing. However, recognizing that it is a combination of body image and overall health (which affects mental health) allows clinicians to better tailor expectations for treatment to individual patients. There are HRQoL tools that can be used to quantify these impacts in clinical care and research. The costs to the individual patient (which affects their perception of POP) is an area that is poorly understood and needs more research.

RUL Prediction of Switched Mode Power Supply Using a Kalman Filter Assisted Deep Neural Network

Switched-mode power supply (SMPS) has been of vital importance majorly in power management of industrial equipment with much-improved efficiency and reliability. Given the diverse range on loading and operating conditions of SMPS, several anomalies can occur in the device resulting to over-voltage, overloading, erratic atmospheric conditions, etc. Electrical over-stress (EOS) is one of the commonly used causes of failure among power electronic devices. Since there is a limitation for the SMPS in terms of input voltage and current (two methods of controlling an SMPS), the device has been subjected to an accelerated aging test using EOS. This study presents a two-fold approach to evaluate the overall state of health of SMPS using an integration of extended Kalman filter (EKF) and deep neural network. Firstly, the EKF algorithm would assist in fusing fault features to acquire an comprehensive degradation trend. Secondly, the degradation pattern of the SMPS has been monitored for four different electrical loadings, and a bi-directional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) deep neural network is trained for future predictions. The proposed model provides a unique approach and accuracy in SMPS fault indication with the aid of electrical parameters.

Self-Reporting Redoxmers: State of Health Metrics for Redox Flow Batteries

Redox-active organic molecules (redoxmers) are popular for nonaqueous redox flow batteries (NRFBs). However, many parameters need to be achieved for their success. These include high solubility, high conductivity, little to no crossover, wide voltage windows, and high stability in all states of charge. Metrics are needed to track these properties and the overall state of health (SOH) of the battery. Here, we describe the concept of self-reporting redoxmers, where an intrinsic property of the molecule can be used to trace a SOH property. In this case, 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole, an anolyte redoxmer, was functionalized with a pi-extending acetamide groups, which initiated fluorescence, a highly sensitive property. In turn, the fluorescence of the molecules was used to detect species crossover in a simplified H-cell in different electrolyte conditions. Using these methods, we were able to correlate permeability with electrolyte environment. Further, changes in fluorescence emission with different electrolyte salts were direct indicators of solvation environment. Importantly, the synthetic design of the molecule substantially affected electrochemical performance, with a simple methylation of the pi-extending acetamide group giving high stability. The fluorescence also served as a handle to probe and report on solvation environment. In acetonitrile, electrolyte salts containing small lithium cations quenched the redoxmer fluorescence due to a strong chelation effects that were not observed for larger cations like tetraalkylammonium cations. However, this chelation ability was removed when solvents like N,N-dimethylformamide that also have strong chelation effects were used as supported by computational binding calculations. These chelation effects may also correspond with changes in half-wave potential in cyclic voltammetry experiments. Finally, we extend these studies to larger, more complex molecular architectures, which we hypothesize will lead to improved battery performance. Our studies represent the fundamental design of new organic redoxmers with an applied basis to electrolyte fluids while providing molecular-level understanding and SOH diagnosis, which together will provide successful implementation in a flow battery environment.The research was financially supported by the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR), an Energy Innovation Hub funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences. The submitted manuscript has been created by UChicago Argonne, LLC, Operator of Argonne National Laboratory (“Argonne”). Argonne, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory, is operated under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. The U.S. Government retains for itself, and others acting on its behalf, a paid-up nonexclusive, irrevocable worldwide license in said article to reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, and perform publicly and display publicly, by or on behalf of the Government.

Catatonia in patients with dementia

IntroductionCatatonia has been reported with almost all types of dementia but it remains under-diagnosed.ObjectivesDescribe the characteristics of catatonia in patients with dementia and the efficiency of early management.MethodsWe review a case of a young patient admitted in our psychiatric department for catatonia and after efficient treatment, assessment revealed a dementia.ResultsA 49-year-old male treated with classic antipsychotic drug for an acute psychotic episode at age of 35 years. Three years later, the patient was admitted for behavioral disorders with delirium and confusion. The patient was treated with high-doses of antipsychotic drugs with vasodilator treatment. Currently, ten years later, he was hospitalized in a stuporous state with food refusal, sustained posture and worsening of his overall situation. At the mental assessment, the patient was motionless, mute and rigid with frozen facial expression and gaze stare. Negativity and opposition were obvious against any solicitation. Moreover, the physical examination has shown a worsening of the overall state of health, weight loss and walking difficulties. After symptomatic treatment of catatonia with benzodiazepine, the assessment revealed an aphaso-apraxo-agnotic syndrome with memory dysfunctions such as amnesia with false recognition and executive dysfunction as well as limitations in intellectual abilities. A brain scan revealed cortical and subcortical atrophy predominant in the bilateral fronto-temporo-parietal region associated with ventricular system expansion. The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease was made. Following atypical antipsychotic treatment combined with benzodiazepine, there was release of inhibition.ConclusionsCatatonia is a severe neuropsychiatric syndrome with an excellent prognosis if recognized and treated without delay.

Bioactive Compounds for Skin Health: A Review.

Human skin is continually changing. The condition of the skin largely depends on the individual’s overall state of health. A balanced diet plays an important role in the proper functioning of the human body, including the skin. The present study draws attention to bioactive substances, i.e., vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, polyphenols, and carotenoids, with a particular focus on their effects on the condition of the skin. The aim of the study was to review the literature on the effects of bioactive substances on skin parameters such as elasticity, firmness, wrinkles, senile dryness, hydration and color, and to define their role in the process of skin ageing.

Post-Exchange Transfusion Sodium Change Within a Laboratory Reference Range of Serum in Hospitalized Severe Neonatal Jaundice Cases

Background: Blood exchange transfusion (ECT) therapy is an essential part of the modern health care for high-risk icteric neonates. Objectives: Therefore, this study sought to examine the effectiveness of monitoring sodium disorders and the required interventions indicating the overall state of health of hospitalized jaundiced neonates. Methods: This prospective analytic study was performed on 49 neonates diagnosed with severe jaundice undergoing screened exchange blood transfusion from November 2018 to May 2019. Serum sodium ion concentrations testing was performed before the exchange, then 1 - 3 hours later, and again 24 hours after receiving ECT, using a sensitive ELISA kit in a laboratory. Using the newest version of SPSS 24 software program, the association between different numerical variables was calculated by a repeated-measure ANOVA test. P &lt; 0.05 criterion was set as the threshold of significance. Results: Out of the total 49 neonates, 24 (48.5%) were girls and 25 (51.5%) were boys, of which 93.9% and 6.1% were term and preterm-born neonates, respectively. The average birth weight was 2843 ± 267/510 g and the mean period of hospital stay was 4.55 ± 2.399 days. The various causes of severe neonatal jaundice of all the hospitalized cases were 45% unknown, 43% combined ABO and Rh incompatibility, 10% breastfeeding pattern, and 2% G6PD deficiency. A continual fall in serum sodium was observed following banked blood exchange (P &lt; 0.05). However, these reversible changes were outside the expected normal range. Despite a diminished sodium concentration, the mean sodium levels were within the laboratory reference range of serum (137 - 142 mEq/L) in all the three measured duration times. Moreover, variation in the amount of serum sodium was associated with an unknown underlying cause that led to neonatal jaundice (P = 0.04) and this difference did not reach statistical significance in terms of birth weight, gestational age, and other causes accounting for high bilirubin (P &gt; 0.05). Conclusions: Given these facts, it was concluded that neonatal jaundice was significantly associated with post-exchange serum sodium changes within the laboratory reference range of serum.