Head-to-head comparison of nasal and nasopharyngeal sampling using SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen testing in Lesotho

Objectives To assess the real-world diagnostic performance of nasal and nasopharyngeal swabs for SD Biosensor STANDARD Q COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Diagnostic Test (Ag-RDT). Methods Individuals ≥5 years with COVID-19 compatible symptoms or history of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 presenting at hospitals in Lesotho received two nasopharyngeal and one nasal swab. Ag-RDT from nasal and nasopharyngeal swabs were performed as point-of-care on site, the second nasopharyngeal swab used for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as the reference standard. Results Out of 2198 participants enrolled, 2131 had a valid PCR result (61% female, median age 41 years, 8% children), 84.5% were symptomatic. Overall PCR positivity rate was 5.8%. The sensitivity for nasopharyngeal, nasal, and combined nasal and nasopharyngeal Ag-RDT result was 70.2% (95%CI: 61.3-78.0), 67.3% (57.3-76.3) and 74.4% (65.5-82.0), respectively. The respective specificity was 97.9% (97.1-98.4), 97.9% (97.2-98.5) and 97.5% (96.7-98.2). For both sampling modalities, sensitivity was higher in participants with symptom duration ≤ 3days versus ≤ 7days. Agreement between nasal and nasopharyngeal Ag-RDT was 99.4%. Conclusions The STANDARD Q Ag-RDT showed high specificity. Sensitivity was, however, below the WHO recommended minimum requirement of ≥ 80%. The high agreement between nasal and nasopharyngeal sampling suggests that for Ag-RDT nasal sampling is a good alternative to nasopharyngeal sampling.

Assessing the Impact of Dropsonde Data on Rain Forecasts in Taiwan with Observing System Simulation Experiments

This paper presents an observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) study to examine the impact of dropsonde data assimilation (DA) on rainfall forecasts for a heavy rain event in Taiwan. The rain event was associated with strong southwesterly flows over the northern South China Sea (SCS) after a weakening tropical cyclone (TC) made landfall over southeastern China. With DA of synthetic dropsonde data over the northern SCS, the model reproduces more realistic initial fields and a better simulated TC track that can help in producing improved low-level southwesterly flows and rainfall forecasts in Taiwan. Dropsonde DA can also aid the model in reducing the ensemble spread, thereby producing more converged ensemble forecasts. The sensitivity studies suggest that dropsonde DA with a 12-h cycling interval is the best strategy for deriving skillful rainfall forecasts in Taiwan. Increasing the DA interval to 6 h is not beneficial. However, if the flight time is limited, a 24-h interval of DA cycling is acceptable, because rainfall forecasts in Taiwan appear to be satisfactory. It is also suggested that 12 dropsondes with a 225-km separation distance over the northern SCS set a minimum requirement for enhancing the model regarding rainfall forecasts. Although more dropsonde data can help the model to obtain better initial fields over the northern SCS, they do not provide more assistance to the forecasts of the TC track and rainfall in Taiwan. These findings can be applied to the future field campaigns and model simulations in the nearby regions.

A multifaceted approach increased staff confidence to develop outside of school hours care as a health promoting setting

Background Outside-of-school-hours-care (OSHC) services are well positioned to influence the health behaviours of 489, 800 Australian children, and are an important setting for health promotion given the current rates of childhood overweight and obesity and associated health risks. OSHC Professionals are ideally placed to become positive influencers in this setting, although they may require training and support to confidently perform this role. This study piloted a multifaceted intervention strategy to increase OSHC Professional’s confidence and competencies, to support a health promoting OSHC environment with a nutrition and physical activity focus. Methods A mixed methods approach was used. Nineteen OSHC Professionals participated in the study, including a face-to-face workshop, supported by a closed Facebook group and website. Role adequacy (self-confidence) and legitimacy (professional responsibility) were measured pre and post workshop and evaluated using non-parametric statistics. Facebook interactions were monitored, and four participants undertook qualitative exit interviews to discuss their experiences with the intervention. Results Pre-workshop 68% of participants had not received any OSHC-specific health promotion training. Post-workshop significant improvements in confidence about menu planning, accessing nutrition information, activities and recipes was observed (P < 0.05 for all). A significant improvement was observed in role support and role related training (P < 0.05). A high level of support and interaction was observed between participants on Facebook and the website was reported a useful repository of information. Conclusions Health promotion training, combined with positive social connections, shared learning experiences, and a website improved OSHC Professionals confidence and capacity to provide a health promoting OSHC environment. Health promotion professional development for OSHC professionals should be mandated as a minimum requirement, and such learning opportunities should be scaffolded with support available through social media interactions and website access.

Economic Feasibility Analysis Development of Intake and Raw Water Pipelines in Kota Bangun Sub-District, Indonesia

Increasing the population in Kota Bangun Sub-District, Kutai Kartanegara Regency, in line with the consequence that growing needs for drinking water and raw water for local communities become a top priority. Public complaints about the increasing difficulty of obtaining clean water seem to be an obstacle that the Regional Government has yet to resolve fully. The production capacity of PDAM Kota Bangun is currently only 30 liters/sec, which is far from sufficient for the needs of all people in the Kota Bangun Sub-District. Economic feasibility calculation analysis utilized the NPV, IRR, and BCR methods and sensitivity analysis to obtain the economic feasibility for the value of developing intake and raw water networks. The results indicate, with a reasonable life condition of 30 years, the construction of water networks in Kota Bangun is still economically feasible. Reasonable with the minimum requirement of BCR = 1, with sensitivity analysis on two scenarios, considerations of 30% and 20% leakage, and 30.55% and 25% administrative costs. The results of the research show that IRR = 17.70%. If the analysis conditions are that investment costs increase by 10% with Fixed Benefits, the payback period is 6.8 years.

Influence of upper level troughs and ridges on the formation of post-monsoon cyclones in the Bay of Bengal

The upper air conditions at the formative stages of several depressions and cyclones in the Indian seas were studied by Desai and Rao in the light of Riehl model for the formation of tropical cyclones. The recent introduction of twice daily radiosonde-rawin ascents at some stations in India provided additional facilities for similar studies in this area. The available upper air conditions associated with the formation of two post-monsoon cyclones of 1955 in the Bay of Bengal were accordingly studied with the idea of finding how far Riehl's theory of tropical cyclones could be applied in these cases. The present study of the post-monsoon cyclones of 1955 reveals that two radiosonde ascents a day from a reasonable network of stations should be minimum requirement for studies of this kind, Time cross-sections showing 24-hour changes of heights at intervals of 12 hours are presented to illustrate the sequence of movement of upper troughs and ridges. As postulated by Riehl, the formation of both the cyclones was apparently associated with the passage of troughs in the westerlies across northeast India, i.e., to the north of the area of cyclogenesis. But the upper air data from the available network of stations were too inadequate for drawing any definite conclusion as to whether the initial mass divergence at upper level was caused by the southward extension of the westerly trough and the superposition of its forward portion over the surface incipient low, or by the in-phase superposition of the upper trough in the westerlies with the upper tropospheric vortices moving across the Bay of pour Bengal, Dynamical development to the south of a confluent trough in the westerlies is suggested as a possible , contributory factor for the cyclogenesis in the south Bay of Bengal. The influence of the middle-latitude trough on the recurvature of one of the cyclones while out at sea and of 453474 another similar cyclone of October 1949 which had recurved only after crossing the coast, and the unexpected weakening of the former while out at sea, have been discussed.

The use of aluminum slag waste in the preparation of roof tiles

Aluminum slag waste generated from the smelting process of bauxite was used to prepare roof tiles samples. Clay was substituted by slag waste in percentages reaching 40% in the basic mix and the plasticity of the obtained mud was determined. This was followed by pressing the mud in steel molds and drying. The effect of waste addition on drying shrinkage was subsequently assessed. Firing of the green bodies was carried out at three temperatures (900, 1000 and 1100oC) and hour soaking at each temperature. Fired roof tile properties improved on increasing the percentage of alumina sludge and firing temperature possibly because of the presence of high amounts of fluxing oxides in aluminum slag. This caused a drop in porosity that increased the mechanical strength of tiles. The results showed that the substitution of clay by 40% waste and firing at 1100oC resulted in products conforming to ASTM C-1167 for clay type roof tiles. Cold water absorption dropped to 12%, below the maximum permissible limit of 15%, the value of Saturation Coefficient was 0.83, below the 0.86 limit and the obtained breaking strength of 3370N significantly exceeded the minimum requirement of 890N.

Monitoring Program Keluarga Harapan Berbasis Mobile GIS Menggunakan K-Means Clustering

Poverty is a condition that is below the line of minimum requirement standard values, both for food and non-food. The Government of Indonesia has various programs to overcome poverty-based assistance social, including the family hope program. This family hope program is the provision of conditional cash assistance to very poor households in which there are pregnant women, toddlers, elementary, junior high, high school, elderly, and severe disabilities. The amount of assistance obtained based on the level of family poverty with poverty level parameters is seen from the many categories of very poor households concerned along with the obligation of participants to carry out important commitments in the field of Health and Education. The purpose of this research is the development of a mobile-based poor family monitoring application using the k-means clustering method. Validity test results using sample data 21, it can be concluded that the system can group poor families into 7 clusters with a thoroughness rate of 90.4%. Based on these results, K-Means Clustering can be said to have a high accuracy value for clustering poor families.

Defining Essential Topics and Procedures for Korean Family Medicine Residency Training

Background: This study aims to create a comprehensive list of essential topics and procedural skills for family medicine residency training in Korea.Methods: Three e-mailed surveys were conducted. The first and second surveys were sent to all board-certified family physicians in the Korean Academy of Family Medicine (KAFM) database via e-mail. Participants were asked to rate each of the topics (117 in survey 1, 36 in survey 2) and procedures (65 in survey 1, 19 in survey 2) based on how necessary it was to teach it and personal experience of utilizing it in clinical practice. Agreement rates of the responses were calculated and then sent to the 32 KAFM board members in survey 3. Opinions on potential cut-off points to divide the items into three categories and the minimum achievement requirements needed to graduate for each category were solicited.Results: Of 6,588 physicians, 256 responded to the first survey (3.89% response rate), 209 out of 6,669 to the second survey (3.13%), and 100% responded to the third survey. The final list included 153 topics and 81 procedures, which were organized into three categories: mandatory, recommended, and optional (112/38/3, 27/33/21). For each category of topics and procedures, the minimum requirement for 3-year residency training was set at 90%/60%/30% and 80%/60%/30%, respectively.Conclusion: This national survey was the first investigation to define essential topics and procedures for residency training in Korean family medicine. The lists obtained represent the opinions of Korean family physicians and are expected to aid in the improvement of family medicine training programs in the new competency-based curriculum.

Comparative Study of Electric Machines for Stirling Generator Application

The choice of a machine for an application and a given specification remains a complex problem. This will involve, for example, bringing together criteria such as: performance, space saving, economical, reliable, little acoustic noise and others. The best machine selection to fulfill all constraints is an important step for the project to be realized. This work focus on Stirling Engine based Generator and study all types of rotating machines that can be employed for maximum electric power production. Analytical electromagnetic models where developed for all types of rotating machines that satisfied minimum requirement for the project by solving Maxwell equations. The purpose is to develop the design model and combine electromagnetic and thermal study of the machines. Finite Element Method is used to compare the performances of the generators for the best choice. Results show that for applications not requiring bigger output power, the major criteria for the selection is the optimal magnetic induction created by the inducer in the stationary part of the machine. For application such as Stirling generators, permanent magnet (PM) machine satisfy many comparison criteria such as maximum power at low speed, torque density, high efficiency. Beyond exposing a selection method for a project, this work lay down a step-by-step method for engineers and scientists for the crucial stage of design and conception work

Seasonal dynamics on nutritive value, chemical estimates and in vitro dry matter degradability of some woody species found in rangelands of South Africa

Unlocking browse species in semi-arid regions can be a key to improving the livestock productivity. The research was conducted to assess the browse species variation in chemical composition and in vitro dry matter degradability as influenced by seasonal (summer and winter) changes. Leaves from ten randomly selected browsable trees from sixteen species (Vachellia karroo, Senegalia nigrescens, Vachellia nilotica, Balanites maughamii, Berchemia discolor, Berchemia zeyheri, Bridelia mollis, Combretum collinum, Combretum imberbe, Dalbergia melanoxylon, Dichrostachys cinerea, Grewia monticola, Grewia occidentalis, Melia azedarach, Ormocarpum kirkii and Ziziphus mucronata) were harvested before defoliation from the site in two seasons (summer and winter) and dried at room temperature and then ground for analysis. Two-way analysis was used to analyse chemical composition and in vitro ruminal dry matter degradability. Melia azedarach (343.7 g/kg DM) had the highest (p < 0.0001) CP content in summer. In winter, B. maughamii (210.3 g/kg DM) had the highest (p < 0.05) crude protein content. Combretum collinum (2.90 Mcal/kg) had a highest (p < 0.0001) metabolizable energy value in summer. Bridelia mollis, B. maughamii, B. discolor, C. collinum, C. imberbe, O. kirkii, S. nigrescens, V. nilotica, G. occidentalis and B. zeyheri had the same (p > 0.0001) dry matter degradability (DMD) 48 values across two seasons. In both seasons, most of these browse species have the potential to supplement low quality natural grasses because they go beyond the minimum requirement of protein and have coherent amounts of fibre concentration. There is a need to assess the bioactive compounds found in these browse species for the amelioration and also to maximize browsing of these species.