scholarly journals Reasons for under-reporting of paraquat poisoning in India

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 ◽  
pp. 138-142
Author(s):  
ARCHANA DAMBAL ◽  
SHIVDAS NAIK ◽  
G. HEMAMALINI ◽  
S. SIDDAGANGA ◽  
MOHAN D. KASHINKUNTI
Keyword(s):  
Demographic Data ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Impulsive Behaviour ◽  
Paraquat Poisoning ◽  
Organophosphorus Poisoning ◽  
Diagnostic Signs ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Symptoms And Signs

Background Paraquat is an inexpensive herbicide used in agriculture because it is easily available and the cost of labour for manual clearance of weeds is prohibitive. Paraquat is toxic to human beings and is also used for committing suicide. We studied the reasons for under-reporting of paraquat poisoning including those related to the training of doctors. Methods In this mixed-methods study, we describe a series of patients with paraquat poisoning. We recorded their demographic data, clinical features, treatment and outcome with an intention to explore the reason for an initial misdiagnosis. We also explored whether deficiencies in curricula contributed to the misdiagnosis. Results The patients of paraquat poisoning (n=28) were mostly young illiterate men driven by impulsive behaviour rather than chronic depression. Paraquat was consumed by patients from non-agricultural background as well, implying easy access to the poison. Many patients could not name the agent and so initial treatment was directed at organophosphorus poisoning. The diagnostic signs included paraquat tongue, renal failure and jaundice. Most of the casualty medical officers and residents were unfamiliar with the symptoms and signs of paraquat poisoning as was evident by their answers to the questionnaire. Knowledge of medical students about paraquat poisoning was not assessed in the theory examinations and viva. Conclusion Factors contributing to the limitation in establishing the diagnosis are illiteracy and ignorance of the patients, lack of specific signs and lack of training of medical officers in treating patients with paraquat poisoning.

scholarly journals Developing Pandemic Prevention and Control by ANP-QFD Approach: A Case Study on Urban Furniture Design in China Communities

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2653
Author(s):  
Jing Liu ◽  
Khairul Manami Kamarudin ◽  
Yuqi Liu ◽  
Jinzhi Zou
Keyword(s):  
Product Design ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
Quality Function Deployment ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Analytic Network Process ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Furniture Design ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
And Control

Background: An infectious disease can affect human beings at an alarming speed in modern society, where Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to a worldwide pandemic, posing grave threats to public security and the social economies. However, as one of the closest attachments of urban dwellers, urban furniture hardly contributes to pandemic prevention and control. Methods: Given this critical challenge, this article aims to propose a feasible solution to coping with pandemic situations through urban furniture design, using an integrated method of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and Analytic Network Process (ANP). Eight communities in China are selected as the research sites, since people working and living in these places have successful experience preventing and containing pandemics. Results: Three user requirements (URs), namely, usability and easy access, sanitation, and health and emotional pleasure, are determined. Meanwhile, seven design requirements (DRs) are identified, including contact reduction, effective disinfection, good appearance, social and cultural symbols, ergonomics, smart system and technology and sustainability. The overall priorities of URs and DRs and their inner dependencies are subsequently determined through the ANP-QFD method, comprising the House of Quality (HQQ). According to the theoretical results, we propose five design strategies for pandemic prevention and control. Conclusion: It is demonstrated that the incorporated method of ANP-QFD has applicability and effectiveness in the conceptual product design process. This article can also provide a new perspective for pandemic prevention and control in densely populated communities in terms of product design and development.

scholarly journals Multidimensional Feature Classification of the Health Information Needs of Patients With Hypertension in an Online Health Community Through Analysis of 1000 Patient Question Records: Observational Study

10.2196/17349 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. e17349
Author(s):  
Aijing Luo ◽  
Zirui Xin ◽  
Yifeng Yuan ◽  
Tingxiao Wen ◽  
Wenzhao Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Classification System ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Clinical Findings ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Good Doctor ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Symptoms And Signs

Background With the rapid development of online health communities, increasing numbers of patients and families are seeking health information on the internet. Objective This study aimed to discuss how to fully reveal the health information needs expressed by patients with hypertension in their questions in a web-based environment and how to use the internet to help patients with hypertension receive personalized health education. Methods This study randomly selected 1000 text records from the question data of patients with hypertension from 2008 to 2018 collected from Good Doctor Online and constructed a classification system through literature research and content analysis. This paper identified the background characteristics and questioning intention of each patient with hypertension based on the patient’s question and used co-occurrence network analysis and the k-means clustering method to explore the features of the health information needs of patients with hypertension. Results The classification system for the health information needs of patients with hypertension included the following nine dimensions: drugs (355 names), symptoms and signs (395 names), tests and examinations (545 names), demographic data (526 kinds), diseases (80 names), risk factors (37 names), emotions (43 kinds), lifestyles (6 kinds), and questions (49 kinds). There were several characteristics of the explored web-based health information needs of patients with hypertension. First, more than 49% of patients described features, such as drugs, symptoms and signs, tests and examinations, demographic data, and diseases. Second, patients with hypertension were most concerned about treatment (778/1000, 77.80%), followed by diagnosis (323/1000, 32.30%). Third, 65.80% (658/1000) of patients asked physicians several questions at the same time. Moreover, 28.30% (283/1000) of patients were very concerned about how to adjust the medication, and they asked other treatment-related questions at the same time, including drug side effects, whether to take the drugs, how to treat the disease, etc. Furthermore, 17.60% (176/1000) of patients consulted physicians about the causes of clinical findings, including the relationship between the clinical findings and a disease, the treatment of a disease, and medications and examinations. Fourth, by k-means clustering, the questioning intentions of patients with hypertension were classified into the following seven categories: “how to adjust medication,” “what to do,” “how to treat,” “phenomenon explanation,” “test and examination,” “disease diagnosis,” and “disease prognosis.” Conclusions In a web-based environment, the health information needs expressed by Chinese patients with hypertension to physicians are common and distinct, that is, patients with different background features ask relatively common questions to physicians. The classification system constructed in this study can provide guidance to health information service providers for the construction of web-based health resources, as well as guidance for patient education, which could help solve the problem of information asymmetry in communication between physicians and patients.

scholarly journals All India Grievance Redressal App

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-99
Author(s):  
Viral Patel ◽  
Daanyaal Kapadia ◽  
Deval Ghevariya ◽  
Shiburaj Pappu
Keyword(s):  
Easy Access ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
The Government ◽  
The One ◽  
The Cost

Citizens of the India face civic problems in their day-to-day lives. They resort to the one of many ways provided by the government to file their complaints. The grievance registration systems have evolved in many ways with the advancement in technologies to simplify the task. This paper presents the architecture of a Grievance redresser Application where the civilians can address any kind of complain which they are facing. The main focus of the project is about the pothole related complains. One of the most difficult task for the government officials to estimate the total time and material required to fill the pothole of widely spaced roads, this is one of the major problem faced by government authorities which leads to delaying in repairing the pothole and increased the cost to fill a particular pothole. This Application will give easy access to people to put their complaints towards the government.

scholarly journals NanoSen-AQM: From Sensors to Users

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (04) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Pedro Lucas ◽  
Jorge Silva ◽  
Filipe Araujo ◽  
Catarina Silva ◽  
Paulo Gil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
The Public ◽  
Nano Sensors ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Air Quality Data ◽  
Monitoring Platform

With the raising of environmental concerns regarding pollution, interest in monitoring air quality is increasing. However, air pollution data is mostly originated from a limited number of government-owned sensors, which can only capture a small fraction of reality. Improving air quality coverage in-volves reducing the cost of sensors and making data widely available to the public. To this end, the NanoSen-AQM project proposes the usage of low-cost nano-sensors as the basis for an air quality monitoring platform, capa-ble of collecting, aggregating, processing, storing, and displaying air quality data. Being an end-to-end system, the platform allows sensor owners to manage their sensors, as well as define calibration functions, that can im-prove data reliability. The public can visualize sensor data in a map, define specific clusters (groups of sensors) as favorites and set alerts in the event of bad air quality in certain sensors. The NanoSen-AQM platform provides easy access to air quality data, with the aim of improving public health.

The Nursery of Life

2030 ◽  
2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rutger van Santen ◽  
Djan Khoe ◽  
Bram Vermeer
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Medical Knowledge ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Slowing Down ◽  
Cost Of Health Care ◽  
Precise Diagnosis ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Prompt Diagnosis

Human beings are much more complex than any technology we could devise today. How many machines are good for 80 or 90 years of service? Our immune system—set up at birth—is able to repel diseases that don’t even exist yet. Most viruses that proliferate 50 years after we were born can be defeated just as easily as maladies that have been dogging humans for generations. Effective health care means that—in most regions of the planet—we are living longer and longer. All the same, human beings are not perfect: We get sick and we wear out over time. In the wealthier regions, we spend a great deal of money trying to get as close as possible to a 100-year span. Our greatest task is to bring a long and healthy life within the reach of as many people as possible. New technology is required to hold down the cost of health care, to nip outbreaks of disease in the bud, and to ease discomfort in our old age. Scientists believe that substantial benefits can be gained by identifying abnormalities earlier. A cancerous growth measuring just a few millimeters is still relatively harmless, and an infection caught in its early stages won’t leave any scars. Although techniques for accurately diagnosing incipient abnormalities can often be very expensive, prompt diagnosis generally means that treatment will be easier, cheaper, and more likely to succeed. Thus, we can end up saving money despite the need for expensive equipment. To adequately fight the outbreak of diseases in the future, our technology must be able to respond more rapidly. This could pose a particular challenge because there is also a trend at present toward superspecialization, which is fragmenting medical knowledge and slowing down responses. Take the science of ophthalmology in which the various specializations focus on extremely specific parts of the eye. This is fine once a precise diagnosis has been made, but it could be a significant problem if the patient consults the wrong doctor at the outset. The way we currently approach diagnosis needs to change.

Time to hemostasis: a comparison of manual versus mechanical compression of the femoral artery

1995 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
MA Bogart
Keyword(s):  
Femoral Artery ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Mechanical Compression ◽  
Manual Compression ◽  
Special Equipment ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
A Prospective Study ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Mean Time ◽  
Pressure Dressing

BACKGROUND: Compression of the femoral artery to achieve hemostasis is necessary following angiographic and interventional cardiovascular procedures. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate length of time to hemostasis with manual versus mechanical compression of the femoral artery. METHODS: In a prospective study of 503 patients randomized into one of three groups, manual compression with a pressure dressing or vascular stasis button was used on groups 1 and 3, respectively. Mechanical compression with a pressure dressing was used on group 2. The length of time to hemostasis was measured in minutes. Demographic data, current medications, risk factors, laboratory values, and procedural data were analyzed. RESULTS: Mean time to hemostasis was 22 minutes with manual compression and 31 minutes with mechanical compression. Crossover from mechanical to manual compression to achieve hemostasis occurred in 21 of 168 patients (13%). CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study show that advantages of manual compression include shorter time to hemostasis, no requirement for special equipment, and the ability to remove arterial and venous sheaths simultaneously. Disadvantages include upper extremity fatigue and human resource considerations. If the operator is a nurse, the cost of compression increases and the ability to meet patient needs may be restricted. Although mechanical compression is a "hands free" approach, arterial hemostasis is prolonged, special equipment is required, and the total cost per procedure is higher.

Space Elevator

2011 ◽  
pp. 312-331
Author(s):  
Paul E. Nelson
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Cost Saving ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Outer Space ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
The World ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
The Cost

Currently, transporting cargo into Outer Space is not only expensive, but a complicated and prolonged process. The Space Shuttles used today are inadequate, overused and obsolete. At this time, there are efforts all around the world to make Space more accessible. There have been many proposals to solve the Space transportation dilemma. One proposal is the creation of a Space Elevator. The Space Elevator would provide low-cost, easy access to Space by dramatically reducing the cost of sending cargo into Space. A $10-$100 per pound the Space Elevator would provide an astounding cost-saving compared to the tens of thousands of dollars per pound it costs today. This low-cost access to Space would make it possible to substantially increase the amount of cargo that could be sent into Space on a daily basis. The first part of this paper describes how the Space Elevator is expected to work, and the advantage of access to space via the SE versus using primarily rockets. A compendium of information from a variety of sources is included in order to explain how the Space Elevator would be designed, constructed, and how it could solve the problems of transporting cargo into Space easily, cheaply, and frequently. The Space Elevator is a relatively new topic in the area of realistic science concepts and was merely science fiction not too long ago. The Space Elevator (“SE”) concept has only been in the spotlight in the last five years due to the work of Dr. Bradley Edwards of Carbon Designs Inc. Acceptance of the SE will be a difficult task for many reasons. One of these is that most people do not know about the SE concept, and those who do, tend to have trouble believing it is possible to build. In order to determine the best way of integrating the SE concept into society, a survey was conducted at Darien High School. The survey included such topics as the naming of "The Space Elevator," and how best to get the younger generation interested in the idea. The second part of this paper describes how to utilize the survey results to further the SE concept.

A Hybrid Tabu Genetic Metaheuristic for Selection of Security Controls

2021 ◽  
pp. 1513-1534
Author(s):  
Sarala Ramkumar ◽  
Zayaraz Godandapani ◽  
Vijayalakshmi Vivekanandan
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Information Security ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Counter Measures ◽  
Security Controls ◽  
Security Personnel ◽  
Intelligent Approach ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Selection Of

In the modern world, globalization has made way for easy access to information systems for running businesses effectively. The misuse of information systems may lead to loss of productivity, revenue, and sometimes to legal liabilities. Therefore, information security is a major concern for running the business successfully. It is the responsibility of the information security personnel of an organization to develop strategies, and identify the suitable controls to mitigate the risks to which the organization is exposed to. Selection of a suitable set of security controls depends upon, the risks to be addressed, the impact of the risks in terms of revenue, and the cost incurred in implementing the selected controls. To assist in the selection of optimal security controls a hybrid intelligent approach combining the tabu search technique and genetic algorithm has been proposed. The obtained results prove that the proposed approach provides better results in the selection of optimal counter measures.

scholarly journals Respecting Human Rights: Does Treaty Ratification Lead to Compliance?

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 169-179
Author(s):  
Daniel St. Pierre
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Relations ◽  
International System ◽  
Indigenous Populations ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
State Compliance ◽  
The Cost

Since the nonbinding Universal Declaration of Human Rights, states have created treaties and conventions to outline what is or is not acceptable regarding the treatment of human beings, with the understanding that if a state signs and ratifies these documents then that state will comply with the principles outlined within it.  Time and again however, compliance, or the lack thereof, has presented as a concern amongst many states, as well as non-state actors.  The issue of compliance is a serious one because it speaks to credibility.  If states do not anticipate compliance from one another it undermines the entire international system and any structure that has been created to address the anarchic nature of international relations will dissolve.  In order to make analysis of this massive issue area manageable, I focus on state compliance with human rights law and more specifically, compliance with the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention 1989, or C169.  Both Brazil and Argentina have signed and ratified C169 and both are democratic with indigenous populations.  Comparing these two states it allows us to better ascertain the circumstances under which states may comply with or defect from international human rights law.  I provide an overview on what rationalist theories suggest about compliance, followed by constructivist views.  I then outline my position before examining the results of the case study and assessing its’ impact as related to both theory and my arguments.  Ultimately, I find that notwithstanding ratification and well-developed democratic institutions that allow for a strong civil society to participate in politics, there are still circumstances wherein a state will defect from a human rights treaty because the gain of doing so outweighs the cost of non-compliance.

scholarly journals The economic impact of ventriculoperitoneal shunt failure

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 593-599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chevis N. Shannon ◽  
Tamara D. Simon ◽  
Gavin T. Reed ◽  
Frank A. Franklin ◽  
Russell S. Kirby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Demographic Data ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Shunt Failure ◽  
Public Insurance ◽  
Shunt Placement ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Out Of Pocket Expenses ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Median Rate

Object Detailed costs to individuals with hydrocephalus and their families as well as to third-party payers have not been previously described. The purpose of this study was to determine the primary caregiver out-of-pocket expenses and the third-party payer reimbursement rate associated with a shunt failure episode. Methods A retrospective study of children born between 2000 and 2005 who underwent initial ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement and who subsequently experienced a shunt failure requiring surgical intervention within 2 years of their initial shunt placement was conducted. Institutional reimbursement and demographic data from Children's Hospital of Alabama (CHA) were augmented with a caregiver survey of any out-of pocket expenses encountered during the shunt failure episode. Institutional reimbursements and caregiver out-of-pocket expenses were then combined to provide the cost for a shunt failure episode at CHA. Results For shunt failures, the median reimbursement total was $5008 (interquartile range [IQR] $2068–$17,984), the median caregiver out-of-pocket expenses was $419 (IQR $251–$1112), and the median total cost was $5411 (IQR $2428–$18,582). Private insurance reimbursed at a median rate of $5074 (IQR $2170–$14,852) compared with public insurance, which reimbursed at a median rate of $4800 (IQR $1876–$19,395). Caregivers with private insurance reported a median $963 (IQR $322–$1741) for out-of-pocket expenses, whereas caregivers with public insurance reported a median $391 (IQR $241–$554) for out-of-pocket expenses (p = 0.017). Conclusions This study confirmed that private insurance reimbursed at a higher rate, and that although patients had a shorter length of stay as compared with those with public insurance, their out-of-pocket expenses associated with a shunt failure episode were greater. However, it could not be determined if the significant difference in out-of-pocket expenses between those with private and those with public insurance was due directly to the cost of shunt failure. This model does not take into consideration community resources and services available to those with public insurance. These resources and services could offset the out-of-pocket burden, and therefore should be considered in future cost models.

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