scholarly journals Sports audiology: Ear hygiene practices of gym users who wear earphones

2021 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aimee Flowers ◽  
Dhanashree Pillay
Keyword(s):  
Auditory System ◽  
Middle Ear ◽  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Exercise Programme ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Hygiene Practices ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Educational Programmes ◽  
Two Phases

Background: Technological advancements have facilitated the demand for electronic systems to track and measure progress during exercise activities. Electronic devices with music applications, such as iPods and smartphones, are popular during gym sessions as they support the ambiance to one’s exercise programme. Earphones are the popular choice for the transmission of music to the gym user’s ear. There is a direct correlation between the cardiovascular health and the aural health because of the effect of increased blood supply to the auditory system. Therefore, this research study explores the ear hygiene of gym users.Objectives: This study aimed at determining the ear hygiene and middle-ear status of gym users who wore earphones whilst exercising.Method: A purposive sampling method was adopted. Data were collected in two phases: phase 1 via a questionnaire and phase 2 included an otoscopic examination and tympanometry. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed.Results: Fifty-four participants were included. Ear hygiene was not a priority for all gym users. The results revealed that 87% of the participants randomly cleaned their ears; however, 59% were cleaning their earphones. The middle ear assessment indicated that 17% of the participants presented with pathological indicators. Participants requested for the implementation of educational programmes pertaining to infection control measures for proper ear hygiene.Conclusion: There is a dearth of health and wellness educational programmes that include ear hygiene practices, necessitating the development of prevention and promotion programmes for this niche area in audiology. The need for guidelines pertaining to ear hygiene practices amongst gym users is vital to ensure that the auditory system is monitored and protected when individuals participate in exercise sessions.

scholarly journals Rapid identification of capsulated Acinetobacter baumannii using a density-dependent gradient test

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hadas Kon ◽  
David Schwartz ◽  
Elizabeth Temkin ◽  
Yehuda Carmeli ◽  
Jonathan Lellouche
Keyword(s):  
Rapid Identification ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Clinical Severity ◽  
Bottom Phase ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Density Dependent ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Total Carbohydrates ◽  
Two Phases

Abstract Background Gram-negative bacterial capsules are associated with production of carbohydrates, frequently resulting in a mucoid phenotype. Infections caused by capsulated or mucoid A. baumannii are associated with increased clinical severity. Therefore, it is clinically and epidemiologically important to identify capsulated A. baumannii. Here, we describe a density-dependent gradient test to distinguish between capsulated and thin/non-capsulated A. baumannii. Results Thirty-one of 57 A. baumannii isolates displayed a mucoid phenotype. The density-dependent gradient test was comprised of two phases, with silica concentrations of 30% (top phase) and 50% (bottom phase). Twenty-three isolates migrated to the bottom phase, indicating thin or non-capsulated strains, and 34 migrated to the top phase, suggesting strains suspected to be capsulated. There was agreement between the mucoid and the non-mucoid phenotypes and the density-dependent gradient test for all but three isolates. Total carbohydrates extracted from strains suspected to be capsulated were significantly higher. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the presence of a capsule in the six representative strains suspected to be capsulated. Conclusions The density-dependent gradient test can be used to verify capsule presence in mucoid-appearing A. baumannii strains. Identifying capsulated strains can be useful for directing infection control measures to reduce the spread of hypervirulent strains.

scholarly journals Reducing salt in bread: a quasi-experimental feasibility study in a bakery in Lima, Peru

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 976-982 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorena Saavedra-Garcia ◽  
Vanessa Sosa-Zevallos ◽  
Francisco Diez-Canseco ◽  
J Jaime Miranda ◽  
Antonio Bernabe-Ortiz
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Salt Content ◽  
Phase 2 ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Salt Reduction ◽  
Taste Test ◽  
Reduction Strategies ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Two Phases

AbstractObjectivesTo explore salt content in bread and to evaluate the feasibility of reducing salt contained in ‘pan francés’ bread.DesignThe study had two phases. Phase 1, an exploratory phase, involved the estimation of salt contained in bread as well as a triangle taste test to establish the amount of salt to be reduced in ‘pan francés’ bread without detection by consumers. In Phase 2, a quasi-experimental, pre–post intervention study assessed the effects of the introduction of low-salt bread on bakery sales.SettingA municipal bakery in Miraflores, Lima, Peru.SubjectsSixty-five clients of the bakery in Phase 1 of the study; sales to usual costumers in Phase 2.ResultsOn average, there was 1·25 g of salt per 100 g of bread. Sixty-five consumers were enrolled in the triangle taste test: fifty-four (83·1 %) females, mean age 58·9 (sd 13·7) years. Based on taste, bread samples prepared with salt reductions of 10 % (P=0·82) and 20 % (P=0·37) were not discernible from regular bread. The introduction of bread with 20 % of salt reduction, which contained 1 g of salt per 100 g of bread, did not change sales of ‘pan francés’ (P=0·70) or other types of bread (P=0·36). Results were consistent when using different statistical techniques.ConclusionsThe introduction of bread with a 20 % reduction in salt is feasible without affecting taste or bakery sales. Results suggest that these interventions are easily implementable, with the potential to contribute to larger sodium reduction strategies impacting the population’s cardiovascular health.

scholarly journals An IoT-Based Ovitrap System Applied for Aedes Mosquito Surveillance

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 5752-5758
Keyword(s):  
Swot Analysis ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Automatic Detection ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Aedes Mosquito ◽  
Decision Matrix ◽  
Aedes Mosquitoes ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
The Right

Since the number of dengue fever cases has become the endemic disease in Malaysia, it is urgently need for rapid and efficient calculation of mosquito populations particularly for early detection and control measures. An ovitrap surveillance is used to determine the density of Aedes mosquito and it is one of the implemented method for vector control application. In this study, the prototype of an IoT-based ovitrap system was developed to automatically and simultaneously detect the Aedes mosquitoes using NodeMCU as the main IoT platform. The existing sticky ovitrap was modified to integrate the selected IoT components and to ensure its functionality for automatic detection. There are two phases were conducted in this study, with phase 1 evaluating the right IoT components to be selected and applied for automatic detection. Integrating the selected IoT components and modification of present ovitrap was carried out in phase 2 and the final revised design was considered. SWOT analysis and Pugh chart analysis also known as decision matrix method were used to select the best IoT components and final ovitrap design. It has been observed that the prototype D was the best design and be able to detect the adult mosquitoes. The lessons learned in the development of the IoT-based ovitrap were discussed in order to be employed for Aedes mosquitoes surveillance in the future.

Coronavirus: Towards controlling of the pandemic - Indian scenario

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 462-468
Author(s):  
Latika kothari ◽  
Sanskruti Wadatkar ◽  
Roshni Taori ◽  
Pavan Bajaj ◽  
Diksha Agrawal
Keyword(s):  
Control Measures ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Medical Treatments ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The Public ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
The Social ◽  
Asking Questions ◽  
The Government ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a communicable infection caused by the novel coronavirus resulting in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV). It was recognized to be a health crisis for the general population of international concern on 30th January 2020 and conceded as a pandemic on 11th March 2020. India is taking various measures to fight this invisible enemy by adopting different strategies and policies. To stop the COVID-19 from spreading, the Home Affairs Ministry and the health ministry, of India, has issued the nCoV 19 guidelines on travel. Screening for COVID-19 by asking questions about any symptoms, recent travel history, and exposure. India has been trying to get testing kits available. The government of India has enforced various laws like the social distancing, Janata curfew, strict lockdowns, screening door to door to control the spread of novel coronavirus. In this pandemic, innovative medical treatments are being explored, and a proper vaccine is being hunted to deal with the situation. Infection control measures are necessary to prevent the virus from further spreading and to help control the current situation. Thus, this review illustrates and explains the criteria provided by the government of India to the awareness of the public to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Eye in COVID-19: A Brief Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Mohsin Ali ◽  
Qudsia Anwar Dar ◽  
Zahid Kamal ◽  
Alishba Khan
Keyword(s):  
Infection Control ◽  
Respiratory Symptoms ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Transmission Route ◽  
Ocular Manifestation ◽  
Personal Protection ◽  
Personal Protection Equipment ◽  
Ocular Manifestations ◽  
Infection Control Measures

This is a brief review covering the currently available literature on ocular manifestations of COVID-19, andprevention strategies for ophthalmologists. A literature search was carried out of Pubmed, Google Scholar andWHO database of publications on COVID. Keywords used in the search were eye, ocular manifestations,ophthalmology, COVID-19, nCoV-2019, and coronavirus disease. All available articles were reviewed and thosepertinent to the study topic were included. Considering the dearth of information available, ophthalmology journals were also searched separately for relevant articles. Major ocular manifestation of COVID reported in literature is red eye, which usually presents before the onset of respiratory symptoms. Since the eye can be a possible transmission route for SARS-CoV-2, infection control measures should be undertaken by ophthalmologists, including use of personal protection equipment and eye/face covering. A framework for structuring ophthalmological services during the COVID pandemic is also presented in this review.

An Epidemiological Analysis of COVID-19 Confirmed Cases, Reported at National Institute of Health, Pakistan (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ambreen Chaudhry
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Bivariate Analysis ◽  
Travel History ◽  
Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Hygiene Practices ◽  
Multi Center Study ◽  
Epidemiological Characteristics

BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is a zoonotic disease of novel origin that posed a continuous threat to health worldwide after taking the shape of the pandemic. An understanding of disease epidemiology is supportive in timely preventive and control measures as well as contact tracing and curbing surveillance activities. OBJECTIVE The objective of our study was to determine the epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 confirmed cases reported at the National Institute of Health Pakistan and elements of its spread in Pakistan. METHODS A retrospective record review was conducted at the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad, Pakistan from January 25 to April 4, 2020. Univariate and bivariate analysis was done with 95% CI and p<0.05. RESULTS A total of 14,422 samples of suspected COVID-19 cases were received with a positivity rate of 9% (n=1348). Among all 70% (n=939) were male. The median age was 41years of age (range: 01-99Years). Among all, 19% were from 30-39 years old followed by 50-59 years old (17%). Children remained the least affected by 3% (n=35). Of the total reported cases, 55% (n=735) have reported the travel history within the last 14 days. Among these travelers’ international travelers were 23% (n=166) and domestic travelers were 77% (n=569). Travel history including both international and domestic remained significantly associated with the different age groups and Young adults remained more vulnerable to COVID-19 (P=0.03). Fever, SOB, and Cough remained the most significantly associated (P<0.05) in all age groups. CONCLUSIONS A higher incidence of COVID-19 among elderly men suggests robust quarantine measures for this target population. An escalating incidence of local transmission needs strict social distancing and hygiene practices to help flatten the curve. An extensive multi-center study is also recommended for a full understanding of disease dynamics.

A Corporate Tax Return Simulation: Utilizing Electronic Work Papers and Resolving Ambiguous Issues

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 61-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen E. Best ◽  
Jennifer Kahle Schafer
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Time Management ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Oral Communication ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Missing Information ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Corporate Tax ◽  
Management Communication ◽  
Two Phases

ABSTRACT Practitioners routinely note that new staff lack documentation skills, communication skills, and strong Excel skills. Further, new staff report critical-thinking, written and oral communication, teamwork, and project management skills deserve greater emphasis in Master of Accountancy programs. The AICPA's (2014) Model Tax Curriculum suggests that active learning approaches be used to enable students to build communication, critical-thinking, and interpersonal skills. This case uses a realistic corporate tax return preparation experience to address these criticisms by focusing on four main areas: time management, communication, research, and technical skills. The case is divided into two phases. In Phase 1, students review client information, generate requests from the client for missing information, keep a log of hours spent on the project, research ambiguous issues, meet with the project “senior” to obtain guidance, and prepare electronic work papers. In Phase 2, students incorporate feedback from the senior's review of their work papers to make corrections, prepare a corporate tax return, and create a client letter. Student feedback about the project is positive.

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