Search

Aim: Dental professionals are prone to have hearing impairment due to prolonged exposure of noise in dental college. The aim of the study was to assess the hearing ability of dental personnel working in Yenepoya Deemed to be University, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional exploratory study was conducted on 60 subjects (30 male and 30 female). Audiometric analysis was carried out using pure-tone audiometry (PTA) and otoacoustic emission test (OAE). Statistical Analysis: Data were calculated and analyzed using two-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s honestly significant difference test. Results: No statistically significant difference was observed between hearing loss and its association with age, gender, working experience, mean daily working time, and specialization. PTA results showed a statistically significant hearing loss in the left ear, showing a dip at frequency of 4000 Hz among working experience group of 11–15 years and at 6000 Hz for 21–25 years. Also, a statistically significant hearing loss was observed in the left ear at 6000 and 8000 Hz for the age-group of 51–55 years. OAE results were consistent with PTA findings. Conclusion: Dentists and dental personnel are at a higher risk of noise-induced hearing loss. As the working experience increases, the threshold shift is seen to shift from 4000 to 6000 Hz, which is indicative of sensorineural hearing loss due to noise-induced dental environment.

This article provides a closed form solution to the telegrapher’s equation with three space variables defined on a subset of a sphere within two radii, two azimuthal angles and one polar angle. The Dirichlet problem for general boundary conditions is solved in detail, on the basis of which Neumann and Robin conditions are easily handled. The solution to the simpler problem in cylindrical coordinates is also provided. Ways to efficiently implement the formulae are explained. Minor adjustments result in solutions to the wave equation and to the heat equation on the same domain as well, since the latter are particular cases of the more general telegrapher’s equation.

Within the spectrum of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), needs analysis (NA) is the first and obligatory step. Based on NA studies, this paper makes an NA proposal for a short English training course for bank tellers in a Chinese bank to illustrate the actual implementation of NA procedures. This proposal pinpoints the NA types, sources of information and data-collection methods, with the rationale explained for those choices.

This paper studies a promising application in Vehicular Cyber-Physical Systems (VCPS) called roadside advertisement dissemination . Its application involves three elements: the drivers in the vehicles, Roadside Access Points (RAPs), and shopkeepers. The shopkeeper wants to attract as many customers as possible by using RAPs to disseminate advertisements to the passing vehicles. Upon receiving an advertisement, the driver might detour towards the shop, depending on the detour distance. Given a fixed number of RAPs and the traffic distribution, our goal is to optimize the RAP placement for the shopkeeper to maximally attract potential customers. This application is a non-trivial extension of traditional coverage problems, the difference being that RAPs are used to cover the traffic flows. RAP placement algorithms pose complex trade-offs. If we place RAPs at locations that can provide small detour distances to attract more customers, these locations may not necessarily be located in heavy traffic regions. While heavy traffic regions cover more flows, they might cause large detour distances, making shopping less attractive to customers. To balance the above trade-off, bounded RAP placement algorithms are proposed with respect to submodular and non-submodular scenarios. Since real-world traffic distributions exhibit unique patterns, here we further consider the Manhattan grid scenario and propose improved solutions. Extensive real trace-driven experiments validate the competitive performances of the proposed algorithms.

The article is devoted to the review of the cries of street vendors as a kind of folk genre used in Iraq. The tradition of shouting short texts, praising goods to customers, has a long history. Skillful mastery of the word, the ability to poetically improvise has always been very appreciated in the Middle East. It is no wonder that poetry tournaments emerged and gained wide popularity in the region. The functions of cries are similar to the functions of advertising: to attract the attention of the customer and to convince him or her to purchase the street vendor’s goods. Street vendors in Iraq use dialectal Arabic words and expressions including Turkish and Persian words. As a rule, their language is rich in various metaphors, epithets or lines from famous folk songs. Often, a seller’s cry that was successfully invented was then borrowed by other merchants of related goods. A similar thing also happened when a merchant’s son, adopting his father’s profession, inherited a saying with which he continued to appeal to potential buyers. Currently, this phenomenon is becoming increasingly rare, but, nevertheless, continues to exist, which can be observed during religious and public holidays. Some examples of verbal advertising have become catchy slogans on product labels.

The present essay intends to make known the social representations of women in old age in the fashion world, with the purpose of understanding this social phenomenon little investigated and of great social relevance. For this study we used a qualitative approach, with sampling of multiple cases, in the Porto Metropolitan Area and of interviewees in Lisbon - Portugal, with the participation of 14 women: elderly women over 65 (consumers) and fashion professionals (fashion design, shopkeeper, dressmaker, social events company) of notorious social recognition. The interviews were conducted based on a semi-structured script, in order to capture the social representations of elderly women and the contribution of fashion professionals in the face of the phenomenon studied. The work includes the following approaches: socio-historical aspects about fashion; the space of women in old age in the fashion world; theoretical assumptions about aging and fashion; methodology used; and, finally, the narratives of women in old age in the Portuguese context. Although elderly women do not understand the phenomenon of fashion in aging, they point out their social representations about fashion in this age group.

Introduction Across the United States, unintentional shootings involving toddlers are on the rise. Pediatric nurses and nurse practitioners encounter families with toddlers regularly, allowing them the opportunity to make assessments and implement safety measures. The purpose of this study was to assess gun safety knowledge levels, health promotion strategies, and preventive interventions of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) Methods This quantitative study used an anonymous, online survey e-mailed to pediatric-focused APRNs using the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners e-mail list. Results The sample included 54 APRNs. The majority, 70.3%, reported asking parents about guns in the home; this was most often done with a new patient (62.3%, p = .05). APRNs were more likely (88.7%, p = .05) to believe that well-child practice standards should include questions about gun safety, but 56.4% (p = .033) responded that their workplace does not have a teaching plan or policy about gun safety. In addition, APRNs who are gun owners were more likely to screen for guns (62.5%, p = .05) and teach about safe gun storage (75.0%, p = .02). Discussion Overall, APRNs feel knowledgeable enough to assess and inform patients about safe gun storage, as well as interventions. One obstacle to effective promotion of gun safety may exist at the broader systemic level, as most of the practice settings do not have pertinent policies and resources for families of toddlers. Findings suggest that most APRNs are including gun safety teaching without an identified policy.

Background Non-specific effect of acupuncture constitutes part of the overall effect generated via clinical encounter beyond needle insertion and stimulation. It is unclear how responders and non-responders of acupuncture experience non-specific effects differently. We aimed to compare their experiences in a nested qualitative study embedded in an acupuncture randomized trial on functional dyspepsia. Methods Purposive sampling was used to capture experience of responders (n=15) and non-responders (n=15) to acupuncture via individual in-depth interviews. Design and analysis followed a framework analysis approach, with reference to an existing model on acupuncture non-specific effects. Themes emerging outside of this model were purposefully explored. Results Responders had a more trusting relationship with acupuncturist in response to their expression of empathy. In turn they were more actively engaged in lifestyle modifications and dietary advice offered by acupuncturists. Non-responders were not satisfied with the level of reassurance regarding acupuncture safety. They were also expecting more peer support from fellow participants, regarded that as an empowerment process for initiating and sustaining lifestyle changes. Conclusions Our results highlighted key differences in acupuncture non-specific effect components experienced by responders and non-responders. Positive non-specific effects contributing to overall benefits could be enhanced by emphasizing on empathy expression from acupuncturists, trust-building, offering appropriate explanations on safety, and organizing patient support groups. Further research on the relative importance of each component is warranted.

The trials in Shakespeare’s plays are strange. There are no lawyers or professional judges, there may be no witnesses, and the adjudicator often imposes unusual sanctions such as banishment. Most strikingly, these are almost always fake trials, manipulated by a character toward a predestined result. Two obvious explanations — that trials in Shakespeare’s day were like that, and that trials in the contemporary drama were like that — turn out to be largely incorrect. It is more persuasive to trace the strange features of Shakespeare’s trials to the various dramatic functions they fulfill, yet even this approach does not explain everything. There is one more possible explanation, which can be discovered only by reading the article.

Private Coe of the Army Dental Corps is thought to be the first soldier in the British Army to escape captivity in the Second World War and achieve the 'home run' back to the UK. He was captured near Dunkirk on 30 May 1940 by the German Army and was transported to camp Stalag XXA (Thorn) in Poland. He successfully escaped from the prisoner of war camp and made his way back to the United Kingdom. King George VI thought the escape a fine performance on the part of Private Coe and awarded him the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

BACKGROUND Deaths due to epidemics of silicosis still continue to be reported both in developing and developed countries, and silica exposure from different sectors remains an important occupational health concern. AIMS To identify characteristics of silicosis cases by focusing on a developing country and evaluate the frequency of and factors related to premature deaths and also reveal preventable causes of premature deaths in silicosis. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort. METHODS We reviewed the records of 9769 patients who were diagnosed with occupational diseases in Istanbul Occupational Diseases Hospital between 2006 and 2017. According to International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes, 1473 silicosis cases were detected. The sociodemographic characteristics, job characteristics, comorbidities, serological, functional, and radiological data, and follow-up time were obtained from the medical records. Mortality data were gathered from The National Death Notification System of Ministry of Health. RESULTS The study examined 9769 cases diagnosed with an occupational disease, and 15.0% (n = 1473) of them were diagnosed with silicosis. The median age of silicosis patients was 40.0 years, and 26.9% of them were child labor when they started to work in dusty industries. Child labor was mostly seen among dental technicians (57.7%), denim sandblasters (46.4%), and miners (37.0%). In the follow-up period, 26.3% of Teflon sandblasters, 11.1% of coal miners, 8.6% of denim sandblasters had died before their average life expectancy, and the years of loss of life was 26.0 ± 11.6 years all over the group. Premature death was associated with occupation [hazard ratio (Teflon sandblasting): 3.93, CI: 1.43-10.78; hazard ratio (marble production): 4.4, CI: 1.02-19.21]; large opacities in posterior anterior chest X-ray [hazard ratio: 2.14, CI: 1.18-3.86]; tuberculosis [hazard ratio: 2.60, CI: 1.42- 4.76]; and reduction in forced vital capacity (forced vital capacity% ≤80) during diagnosis [hazard ratio: 4.43, CI: 2.22-8.83]. CONCLUSION More than a quarter of silicosis cases are those who start working in dusty industries at an early age. Factors associated with premature death in patients with silicosis are patient occupation, large opacities on chest X-ray, tuberculosis, and pulmonary function loss at diagnosis.

Background: Aviation pilots and cabin crew regularly undertake shift work, and may experience circadian disruption, restricted sleep, sleepiness and impaired health. Research on aviation fatigue and sleepiness has focused on pilots, with less being known about cabin crew. This study aimed to identify likely predictors of fatigue, sleepiness, shift work disorder (SWD) and depression in cabin crew. Methods: An online anonymous survey was distributed to active cabin crew around the world. It measured sleepiness, fatigue, and screened for insomnia, depression and SWD. Information on individuals&rsquo, habits and work schedules were collected. Results: 930 valid responses were analysed. 63.5% of the sample had abnormal levels of fatigue and 46.9% experienced excessive daytime sleepiness. 68.0% were at risk for SWD, 57.7% screened positive for insomnia, and 40.0% for depression. Caffeine and use of alcohol and drugs for sleep were independently associated with insomnia and SWD (p &lt, 0.05), whereas, type of route (international, domestic, both) and number of duty days per week predicted fatigue (p &lt, 0.05). Conclusions: Cabin crew had a high prevalence of fatigue, sleepiness and elevated risk for SWD, insomnia and depression. Many cabin crew engaged in behaviours detrimental to good sleep hygiene, highlighting targets for future interventional studies.

We developed Trial Monitor, a software tool that scaffolds the creation of personalised Web dashboards for monitoring participants in technology-enabled field trials. The tool supports Human–Computer Interaction researchers, who frequently monitor participants’ usage patterns at a distance, drawing on data from self-report scales, sensors, or application usage logs. Trial Monitor requires researchers or developers to write minimal configuration files, and generates personalised Web dashboards, which save researchers time from implementing or adopting a different dashboard for every system they evaluate in a field trial study.

Simulation is a critical component of nursing and medical education used to teach skills and assess student performance. In March 2020, faculty members-including the authors-at the Grace Center for Innovation in Nursing Education at the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation (Edson College) simulation programs at Arizona State University (ASU) quickly responded to the crisis presented by COVID-19. Within a few days, all nursing simulations were transitioned from a predominately in-person design to fully online. Maintaining simulation activities throughout the first several months of the pandemic allowed students at Edson College to meet clinical assessment objectives. This transition, implemented in two phases, included a detailed plan of action for all Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) nurse practitioner (NP) objective structured clinical exams (OSCEs). The challenges required innovative planning and flexibility while maintaining the integrity of the OSCE and simulation experience. The methods implemented out of necessity are now an important part of the authors' curricular toolbox, providing options for continued and future educational practice. This paper details the simulations designed and implemented in two DNP programs: the family nurse practitioner (FNP) and acute care pediatric nurse practitioner (ACPNP) programs.

Bidding competitively, and based on price, is a feature of projects in the engineering construction sectors. UK white papers, and literature, have questioned this practice and its impact on overall project efficiency. Recommendations for more collaborative approaches between client and supplier, adopting approaches more typical in other sectors, have been made, but not wholeheartedly adopted. UK construction engineering is heavily invested in a competitive bidding approach, and literature charts its reluctance to fully commit or adopt more partnering approaches. In UK construction, the professions also include the ‘Quantity Surveyor’ profession, relatively unique to the UK. This profession addresses itself to the preparation of cost estimates and the bidding and contract price negotiations before, during and post project. Consequently, Quantity Surveyors are well placed to manage projects and are frequently called on to do so, and this group often progresses their careers as project managers. This research speculated whether a working environment of adversarial contracting practice might influence professional attitudes towards a more conflict-orientated approach to projects. The study tested this hypothesis using the ‘prisoner’s dilemma’ game, to create an experimental basis against which to compare whether a sample of ‘Quantity Surveyors’ would adopt more un-cooperative strategies towards the game, when compared to a control group of people recruited from society in general. The study found that the sample of professionals adopted more competitive/adversarial (and less collaborative) strategies towards the game than the control group. This finding might have implications for practice, as the study inferred that the competitive procurement environment they worked in turned professionals away from the consideration of more partnering approaches. Much attention is given to cooperative approaches, such as partnering, when proposing project solutions to creating conditions for generating more sustainable project outcomes. The findings may help understand why the repeated recommendations for more collaborative partnering approaches to contacting remain untypical in construction engineering.

Chronic conditions are prolonged and complex, leading patients to seek multiple forms of care alongside conventional treatment, including complementary medicine (CM). These multiple forms of care are often used concomitantly, requiring patient-provider communication about treatments used in order to manage potential risks. In response, this study describes rates and reasons for disclosure/non-disclosure of conventional medicine use to CM practitioners, and CM use to medical doctors, by individuals with chronic conditions. A survey was conducted online in July and August 2017 amongst the Australian adult population. Participants with chronic conditions were asked about their disclosure-related communication with CM practitioners (massage therapist, chiropractor, acupuncturist, naturopath) and medical doctors. Patients consulting different professions reported varying disclosure rates and reasons. Full disclosure (disclosed ALL) to medical doctors was higher (62.7%-79.5%) than full disclosure to CM practitioners (41.2%-56.9%). The most strongly reported reason for disclosing to both MDs and CM practitioners was I wanted them to fully understand my health status, while for non-disclosure it was They did not ask me about my CM/medicine use. Reasons regarding concerns or expectations around the consultation or patient-provider relationship were also influential. The findings suggest that patient disclosure of treatment use in clinical consultation for chronic conditions may be improved through patient education about its importance, direct provider inquiry, and supportive patient-provider partnerships. Provision of optimal patient care for those with chronic conditions requires greater attention to patient-provider communication surrounding patients’ wider care and treatment use.

Compared with those major policies that need to be practiced over the years, the street stall economy is more like a special means after the epidemic, resulting in a “short and brilliant” heat. Nevertheless, the street stall economy revives is facing several dilemmas. This paper reveals the dilemma of the prosperity and development of the stall economy before and after the epidemic, followed by the international experience and enlightenment of promoting the normalization of street stall economy, ranging from street vendor’s legal status and road administrative promotion to street food safety and environmental protection. To sum up, employment is the foundation of people’s livelihood and the source of wealth, hence, stall economy plays an indispensable role to create a win-win working world and promote the formation of a sustainable economic.

The purpose of this multi-site randomised controlled trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of a Driving Training Program, an intervention designed for student drivers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants were 72 student drivers with ASD (ages 16–31) who were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. Student drivers received ten driving lessons with a professional driving instructor via a standardised driving route. The Driving Performance Checklist was used as the outcome measure to evaluate the driving performance of student drivers during on-road pre- and post-observational drives. Both groups showed an improvement in driving performance, however, the extent of improvement between groups was not significant. Findings showed promising intervention efficacy for training student drivers with ASD to drive.

The objective of this study was to analyze associated factor to SARS-CoV-2 infection among dental professionals. This was a cross-sectional study carried out from February to September 2020 in the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil. We included all dental team working at 11 basic health units. Professionals included were from the three different categories oral surgeon-dentist, dental technician, dental assistant. The analysis included SARS-CoV-2 infection and independent variables (sociodemographic, labor and behavior) with descriptive analyses with absolute (n) and relative (%) frequencies, inferential analysis by chi-squared and Fisher exact test (p < 0.05). There was a prevalence of 20.3% of infection by SARS-CoV-2 between dental professionals. However, in the analysis by professional category the infection rate was 3.8 among oral surgeon-dentist, 30.0% among dental technician, 33.3% for dental assistant. The diagnostic of SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with lower income (p = 0.027), lower level of formal education (p = 0.011), technical professional category (p = 0.025), and the use of public transportation (p = 0.009). The higher prevalence of COVID-19 in technical professionals than oral surgeon-dentists may suggest that infection had occurred outside the working environment, once professional had personal protective equipment available as well as the training for their professional activity. In addition, professionals reported to feel safe and prepared to perform their activities in the work environment. Key messages Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in oral health in the public service. Promotion and prevention of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in oral health in the public service.

The overall unemployment rate in South Africa was impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which led many people to resort to informal work such as street trading opportunities in big cities. However, this work is located in the same cities where air pollution is of concern. Furthermore, literature has indicated the lack of regulation of the informal trading sector as compared to the formal sector. An analytical cross-sectional study is proposed to be conducted amongst all of the informal food street vendors (indoor/inside buildings and outdoor/street pavements stalls) in the inner city of Johannesburg, South Africa. By adopting a total sampling method of 746 vendor stalls, this study’s key focus is on inhalation as an occupational exposure. In addition, the study aims to assess the respiratory risk factors amongst informal food street vendors’ stalls and their impact on vendors’ respiratory health. The risk factors to be assessed include the five common air pollutants: street vendor’s infrastructure; socioeconomic factors; personal behavior such as tobacco smoking and handwashing practices; wearing of respiratory protective equipment; and vendors’ exposure duration. The data collection will follow three phases using quantitative methods. In the pre-assessment phase, it will include a pilot study to test the walkthrough survey checklist and the respiratory symptoms and diseases questionnaire. The assessment phase includes a total of eight area samples, which will be taken in a 1-day event over four yearly seasons, as well as thirty personal samples taken in winter over an 8-h work shift. The post-assessment phase will be the development of a risk impact assessment and a risk management model. The study is essential for healthy occupational conditions as indicated in the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act (no. 85 of 1993) and the Regulations governing general hygiene requirements for food premises, the transport of food, and related matters (no. R638 of 22 June 2018).

Introduction The purpose of this project was to identify barriers to the use of pain prevention techniques during immunization. Method A national, voluntary survey was distributed to members of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners in June 2019. Results The survey gathered information about the type of practitioner (pediatric nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, nurse, etc.), practice location (inpatient, primary care, specialty care, etc.), and patient population served and also included information regarding geographic location, socioeconomic status, insurance coverage, and immunization status as well as current practice information. Respondents identified the following barriers: time (22.4%), availability (17.5%), lack of knowledge (17%), staff support (14.1%), cost (12.1%), lack of resources (7.4%), safety concerns (4.7%), environmental factor (3.4%), and other (1.4%). Discussion The lack of pain prevention techniques is primarily because of availability, lack of knowledge and staff support, and cost. Proposed means to address these barriers include the development of a toolkit.

Background: COVID-19 leads to significant respiratory distress among many other multiorgan dysfunctions. Depending on severity of symptoms, current treatment in the United States for COVID-19 consists of supportive care, including, but not limited to, supplemental oxygen, antipyretic drugs, pain killers, and mechanical ventilation. Case Description: This case reports a previously healthy anesthesiologist and medical acupuncturist working in a New York City COVID intensive care unit who contracted and was diagnosed with COVID-19 virus. She subsequently developed self-diagnosed acutely symptomatic COVID pneumonia, including symptoms of pleuritic chest pain, hypoxia with shortness of breath, increased respiratory rate, dry cough, orthostatic hypotension, and headache. She self-treated with cupping therapy at the onset of symptoms and medical acupuncture at the onset of pulmonary symptoms to full recovery. Conclusions: Acupuncture should be considered as a viable adjunct in supportive care for patients with symptomatic COVID-19 pneumonia.

Purpose Studies showed that construction consultants' ethical negligence is a contributing factor to the time and cost over-run of projects. There is limited research on the issues that may have hindered construction consultants' ethical responsiveness during contract administration. Studies regarding influencing factors in the context of Nigeria's quantity surveyors' (QS) ethical responsiveness are rare. Thus, the study aims to investigate the perceived issues and proffers initiatives to promote QSs' ethical responsiveness on construction projects in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach To determine the perceptions of QS regarding ethical responsiveness, a phenomenologically driven perspective via face-to-face interviews was conducted with 12 senior professionals in Lagos and Abuja that showed interest in participating in the study and were interviewed. A thematic approach was adopted to analyse the collated data. Findings Economic, societal and professional issues emerged as the three groups of issues that hindered QS's ethical responsiveness on construction projects in a developing country setting such as Nigeria. Findings show that for ethical responsiveness to be expressed on projects, key stakeholders should be ethically responsible. This is currently missing, especially in public construction projects. Initiatives that can promote key stakeholders' ethical responsiveness on construction projects are examined in this paper. Practical implications The paper embraces an important practical implication because practices associated with QS's unethical responsiveness and behavioural impacts on construction projects were identified. This will stir both the regulatory professional bodies and policymakers to enforce and implement feasible initiatives that can promote key stakeholders' collaborative ethical responsiveness on construction projects. Originality/value This paper is amongst the few papers that attempted to uncover issues that hinder QS's ethical responsiveness on construction projects in a developing country setting via a qualitative approach. Since these issues are rampant in developing countries, findings from this paper can be used to promote QS's ethical responsiveness in other nations with similar unethical issues.

There is no specific professional responsible for quality assurance in agile teams, such as the Test Engineer. Thus, the skills, competencies, and attributions inherent to this professional are the responsibility of all team members. Due to Exploratory Testing (ET) benefits in agile development, there is a need to train agile professionals. In this sense, this paper aims to investigate the contributions and limitations of adopting Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) in ET teaching-learning. For this, we conducted a course in remote learning format with agile developers, distributed geographically. Data were collected through an online questionnaire and examined with quantitative and qualitative analysis at the end of the course. Our main findings are that (1) the collaboration between the participants and the adoption of a real problem, along with (2) activities and resources made available before the class, and (3) the existence of specific tool support for ET sessions optimized learning in the context of remote learning.

Rear-end crashes are a common crash scenario, which contribute to many traffic related injuries and fatalities. A performance driving center offers adult car control classes focused on defensive driving skills, which include both classroom and behind-the-wheel instruction on a closed-road course. One focus of the class is activation of the anti-lock braking system (ABS), which was designed to help drivers during emergency braking situations. In the classroom, participants learn what ABS is as well as how and when it functions. On the closed-road course, participants learn how to activate ABS and how the system feels when it is activated. The goal of this study was to understand how knowledge of and experience with ABS prior to the class relates to a driver’s ability to activate ABS. The participants’ ability to activate ABS was evaluated by the driving instructor using a behaviorally anchored rating scale. Participants completed a survey before and after the class to gain knowledge of and experience with ABS. The results of the study showed that participants who previously knew what ABS felt like or had prior practice/training activating ABS performed significantly better activating ABS than those who simply knew what ABS means or had previously experienced ABS activation during their first of multiple attempts.

There is ample evidence to show that in the Spanish architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sector, implementation is underway of the Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodology, which is changing the way architectural projects are designed and managed in all their phases. This paper focuses on the quantity surveying practice, carried out in Spain using the newly available digital tools. Through a review of the existing literature and the qualitative analysis of four case studies (CS), it aims to define the key points related to the new processes, roles and skills required by quantity surveyors in this new paradigm of BIM methodology. The information collected from different sources was coded for its qualitative analysis. The findings from the research show that having a rich database and all the available information to design a three dimensional (3D) model are vital for enhancing the quality of the quantity take-off and a project’s cost estimate. From the findings, a new role emerges for the quantity surveyor as a cross-disciplinary profile needed to improve the process. In Spain, there is still a shortfall in knowledge levels of cost management software and the implementation of BIM, which differs in direct relation to company size and type.

This study aims to examine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) symptoms in allied dental professionals (ADPs) in Saudi Arabia and risk factors for MSDs. The study also explores ADPs’ opinions and attitudes about the effect of MSD symptoms on the quality of life and potential mitigatory measures. This is a prospective cross-sectional study. Participants were 355 licensed dental staff (average age 33.6 ± 8.1 years, 69% women) working as assistants, lab technicians, radiology technicians, or sterilization technicians with at least six months’ work experience. The self-administrated questionnaire comprised socio-demographics, work-related factors, and items from the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Multivariate and univariate logistic regressions were conducted to investigate risk factors for MSD symptoms. Overall, 93% of ADPs complained of MSD symptoms in at least one body site in the past 12 months. Factors related to work conditions (e.g., ‘keeping an uncomfortable posture for long periods of time’, ‘lifting heavy objects’) and years of experience were proven to be significant risk factor for developing MSDs. The cohort of ADPs showed a high MSD symptoms prevalence. Efforts are imperative in addressing the risk factors of ergonomics and the workplace environment, and more rigorous studies are needed to further investigate risk factors.

In this paper, a Bayesian approach is proposed for the early detection of a drone threatening or anomalous behaviour in a surveyed region. This is in relation to revealing, as early as possible, the drone intent to either leave a geographical area where it is authorised to fly (e.g. to conduct inspection work) or reach a prohibited zone (e.g. runway protection zones at airports or a critical infrastructure site). The inference here is based on the noisy sensory observations of the target state from a non-cooperative surveillance system such as a radar. Data from Aveillant's Gamekeeper radar from a live drone trial is used to illustrate the efficacy of the introduced approach.

As a common mental disorder, depression is one of the leading causes of disability around the world. Clinical studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective therapy without obvious side effects compared to limited efficacy and adverse reactions of drug therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and neuromodulation technology in treating depression. The objective of this review is to systematically evaluate whether acupuncture therapies for depression are safe and effective in order to provide a high-quality reference for clinical trials of acupuncture. A systematic search of the literature was carried out through bibliographic search engine PubMed. Subsequently, the study design, intervention methods, control group, results, and safety of acupuncture were analyzed. The results showed that acupuncture as an adjunct to antidepressants or as a single treatment can exert a positive impact on patients' depressive symptoms. Compared with antidepressants, acupuncture has the advantages of fast onset and long-term efficacy in the treatment of depression, and can enhance the efficacy of antidepressants. Moreover, the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of depression maybe related to the qualification of the acupuncturist, the selection of acupoints, and intervention measures.摘要: 抑郁症是一种影响患者思想、行为及躯体的常见精神疾病，是全球致残的主要原因之一。药物疗法、认知行为疗法和神经调控技术是抑郁症的常规治疗方法，但这些方法疗效有限，容易引发不良反应。临床研究表明，针刺是一种有效治疗精神疾病的方法，且没有明显的副作用。本文的目的是系统评价针刺疗法治疗抑郁症是否安全有效及针刺干预措施对疗效的影响，以期为开展高质量的针刺临床试验提供参考。我们使用 PubMed 对文献进行了系统检索。对研究的结果和安全性进行分析。结果显示，针刺无论是作为抗抑郁药的辅助疗法还是单一疗法， 其对患者的抑郁症状改善均有积极作用。与抗抑郁药相比，针刺治疗抑郁症具有起效快，疗效持久的优势，并且可增强抗抑郁药物疗效。此外，针刺抗抑郁的疗效和安全性可能与针刺操作者的资质、穴位选取及干预措施等因素有关。.

Testing statistical software is an extremely difficult task. What is more, for many statistical packages, the developer and test engineer are one and the same, may not have formal training in software testing techniques, and may have limited time for testing. This makes it imperative that the adopted testing approach is both efficient and effective and, at the same time, it should be based on principles that are readily understood by the developer. As it turns out, the construction of test cases can be thought of as a designed experiment (DOE). This article provides a comprehensive treatment of DOE principles applied to testing statistical software and includes other considerations that may be less familiar to those developing and testing statistical packages.

OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the efficacy of virtual classroom training (VCT) in comparison to face-to-face training (FFT) and non-interactive computer-based learning (CBL) for basic surgical skills training. DESIGN This was a parallel-group, non-inferiority, prospective randomised controlled trial with three intervention groups conducted in 2021. There were three intervention groups with allocation ratio 1:1:1. Outcome adjudicators were blinded to intervention assignment. Interventions consisted of 90-minute training sessions. VCT was delivered via the BARCO weConnect platform, FFT was provided in-person by expert instructors and CBL was carried out by participants independently. The primary outcome was post-intervention Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills score, adjudicated by two experts and adjusted for baseline proficiency. The assessed task was to place three interrupted sutures with hand-tied knots. SETTING This multicentre study recruited from five medical schools in London. PARTICIPANTS Inclusion criteria were medical student status and access to a personal computer and smartphone. One hundred fifty-nine eligible individuals applied online. Seventy-two participants were randomly selected and stratified by subjective and objective suturing experience prior to permuted block randomization. RESULTS Twenty-four participants were allocated to each intervention, all were analysed per-protocol. The sample was 65.3% female with mean age 21.3 (SD 2.1). VCT was non-inferior to FFT (adjusted difference 0.44, 95% CI: -0.54 to 1.75, delta 0.675), VCT was superior to CBL (adjusted difference 1.69, 95% CI: 0.41-2.96) and FFT was superior to CBL (adjusted difference 1.25, 95% CI: 0.20-2.29). The costs per-attendee associated with VCT, FFT and CBL were £22.15, £39.69 and £16.33 respectively. Instructor hours used per student for VCT and FFT were 0.25 and 0.75, respectively. CONCLUSIONS VCT provides greater accessibility and resource efficiency compared to FFT, with similar educational benefit. VCT has the potential to improve global availability and accessibility of surgical skills training.

Developing continuing medical education (CME) training programs is a strategy for communicating emerging science to health practitioners. This research tests the feasibility of using CME modules for translating and disseminating research findings from the Breast Cancer and Environment Research Program. Recent findings have identified certain windows of susceptibility, like during puberty, in which exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals can increase breast cancer risk later in life. In order to reach pediatric patients and their caregivers, using a Diffusion of Innovations framework, pediatric health care providers were identified as opinion leaders. Two CME modules informed by theory and formative research were tested with a sample of pediatricians and pediatric nurse practitioners. Participants completed knowledge, attitude, intention, and behavior items immediately before and after exposure to a randomly assigned module, and then again three weeks later. Quantitative and qualitative results indicate knowledge gain and strong links between practitioners’ intentions to enact and implemented behavior learned from training recommendations with parents and caregivers in their practices. Results indicate that CMEs can be an effective strategy for translational activities targeted to health providers in order to change behavior within practice.

This chapter takes an intersectional approach to examining experiences of migrant street vendors in Hanoi. It emphasizes how pre-existing conditions of migration status, low-income, and informal working arrangements amplified the challenge of maintaining livelihoods during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also draws on semi-structured interviews with 31 street vendors in Hanoi, which were completed between May and July 2020 as COVID-19 restrictions relating to the first wave were lifting and before the second wave hit. The chapter focuses predominantly on migrant vendors and their already precarious situation on the city's streets, comparing their responses with long-term resident vendors. It discusses urban informal livelihoods and inequality, analyzing how the interlaced axes of migrant woman or man, low socio-economic class, and informal worker created specific inequalities and/or barriers for individuals attempting to maintain urban livelihoods during the pandemic in Hanoi.

Manufacturing of Fränkel's functional regulator 3 (FR3) is complicated and requires extensive knowledge from the dental technician. To determine whether FR3s produced by CAD/CAM techniques (CAD-FR3) meet similar mechanical properties like conventional FR3s (Con-FR3), for each of 10 patient cases, three CAD-FR3 designs (palatal connector cross-section 3 × 3 mm, 4 × 1 mm or 5 × 2 mm) and one Con-FR3 were subjected to cyclic loading and subsequent fracture testing in a universal testing device. Transversal load capacity (Fmax(FR3)) and stiffness were compared among the different CAD-FR3 designs and Con-FR3s using Friedman and Wilcoxon tests with a significance level of α = 0.05. All CAD-FR3 designs had significantly higher mean Fmax(FR3) (p ≤ 0.007) and stiffness (p ≤ 0.005) than the Con-FR3s. The CAD-FR33×3 had the highest mean Fmax(FR3) (98.2 ± 26.2 N) and stiffness (37.1 ± 15.5 N/mm), closely followed by the CAD-FR35×2 (Fmax(FR3): 90.3 ± 24.7 N; stiffness: 30.0 ± 12.3 N/mm). Among the CAD appliances, CAD-FR34×1 had the lowest values (p ≤ 0.007 for all pairwise tests) with Fmax(FR3) of 45.8 ± 17.9 N and stiffness of 12.5 ± 7.3 N/mm. CAD-FR3s have superior mechanical properties in comparison to Con-FR3s if certain design parameters are followed. Further clinical investigations have to examine if they can serve as an alternative in practice.

Patient A 33-year-old man diagnosed with extranodal natural killer cell/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKTCL-NT) inducing palatal perforation was referred to the perioperative oral care support center of Tohoku University Hospital for dental care to support cancer treatment including chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Dental review during chemotherapy revealed mucositis suspected to be caused by mucosal trauma from altered jaw function (chewing and speech) due to palatal perforation. Although the patient was already in the cleanroom, an oral appliance as well as conservative care as recommended in oral management guidelines for HSCT were used to prevent worsening of oral mucositis at subsequent HSCT including High-dose chemotherapy and total body irradiation. After HSCT, a prosthodontist fitted a palatal obturator made by a dental technician and an oral surgeon reviewed the necrotic bone and removed the sequestra according to the changes in the palate. This approach involving a multidisciplinary team including a hematologist improved the impaired oral function and minimized oral complications . Discussion ENKTCL-NT and its treatment have a significant impact on patients' oral status. Hence, it is important to provide customized dental care based on previously endorsed guidelines according to the type of disease, treatment requirements, and oral and systemic status. Conclusions This report indicated the importance of dental care with a customized plan before, during, and after HSCT for ENKTCL-NT with multidisciplinary supportive care for cancer patients to improve the impaired oral function and to minimize oral complications.

When planning prosthetic rehabilitation, several parameters should be considered. The craniomandibular relationship, the three-dimensional orientation of the occlusal plane and the perioral tissue are essential for functional and esthetical treatment results. The clinician records these parameters, and the dental technician reproduces all the information in a virtual environment though a digital articulator, simulating the mandibular movement and the occlusal contacts of the arches. Digital cross-mounting in prosthetic dentistry has become a reality, and three-dimensional facial scanning is increasingly used as a clinical tool. The development of software for use on smartphones and tablets is a valid low-cost approach to introduce face scans into daily routines. This article describes a procedure to orient intraoral scans in a virtual articulator through the acquisition of an arbitrary plane, used as a reference, recorded by a facial scanning device.

Corona has been used as a mask for the deepening crisis of the capitalist system. It deepened the damage of those who suffered the most from the system. It deepened the harm of precarious street workers even more, making living conditions difficult. Not enough resources were allocated to street workers, only pocket money and food packages. At the same time, the Corona crisis strengthened the streets, making the street more visible. Street workers prevented inflation by providing goods and food at low prices in poor neighbourhoods throughout the stay period. Many products with scarcity supplied by street workers. Millions of unemployed people became entrepreneurs in the form of new simple street jobs. Increasing number of street entrepreneurs attracted local governments. Local governments developed projects to regulate the sales by street vendors. Very small-scale street entrepreneurs also developed a sense of solidarity by establishing cooperatives among themselves. The surveys showed that the poor were in solidarity with street vendors. Even street vendors bought products directly from producers who could not sell their products, distributed for free in poor neighbourhoods or sold at half the price of markets. Street economy is the most important component of the social economy. It was once again understood that the streets are not a problem but, the system created the problem. Street economy is not a problem. It is a spontaneous solution to the problems and crises of capitalism.

Street economy is the presentation of commercial, artistic goods, and services in streets, sidewalks, squares, public spaces, and other open spaces, without being bound to a fixed place, by standing or walking. Although there are not many written studies on the street economy and the issue has started to come to the agenda yet, it has made it difficult to provide sources in this field. One of the examples of a micro entrepreneurship in which we encounter in everyday life often comes from street vendors. As micro entrepreneurs, their having having social rights and security is an important issue both for Turkey and also the world. In this context, the purpose of the study is to determine the level of behaviour and attitudes of the citizens living in Amasya and Bursa provinces against – the street economy – the workforce space where society witnesses one-on-one. Research within itself includes the examination of written documents, observation, and interview methods. The information obtained was evaluated based on the questionnaire. Document scanning, survey study and data collection, interviews with street vendors, and citizens living in the provinces were conducted in Turkish and English between 2016 and 2020. The study included 79 people in total, 59.5% from Amasya and 40.5% from Bursa. The obtained data as a result of the research were evaluated through the SPSS statistical program, the findings obtained were interpreted through tables, the results of the two provinces were compared, and various suggestions were made.

Introduction: Dental professionals are at the risk of exposure to wide varieties of microorganisms from blood and saliva of patients to airborne infection from microbial-laden aerosols and spatter created during laboratory procedures. Dental laboratories are usually disregarded when planning effective infection and exposure control measures. Contaminated impression may act as a vehicle for transmission of infectious agents. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the practice of dental technicians towards infection control and to evaluate practice of the same for dental impressions in commercial dental laboratories. Methods: Self-administered standard questionnaire was distributed to 35 dental laboratories and 31 participated in the study. The answers were collected by the investigators themselves. The data obtained were computed and analysed to find the results. Results: Among all dental laboratories, 21 (67.75%) ensure dental impression is disinfected in clinic. 18 (58.06%) wear gloves when receiving clinical items and 27 (87.10%) transfer the items in separate sealed plastic bag. Of all, 25 (80.64%) of the dental laboratories have separate receiving area for dental impression and 23 (74.19%) of the dental technicians continue to wear protective barriers (gloves, mask and apron) during work. In total, 29 (93.55%) of the dental laboratories confirmed, none of their technicians has ever attended any course or training in cross-infection control. Conclusion: The practice of cross-infection control for dental impression in commercial dental laboratories is acceptable. There should be proper guidelines from the regulating body on the protocol of infection control and laboratory waste disposal.

A merchant and dental technician, Karol Rotgeber wrote his Warsaw ghetto memoir while hiding on the ‘Aryan’ side between April and June 1943. The fragments of the memoir presented here were selected mostly to show the thread of religious meditations which intertwines with a narration about the fate of the author, his family, and the Warsaw ghetto community.Two different discourse orders clash in Rotgeber’s text: the diarist narration and theprayer-lamentation dimension. They co-exist. They do not merge or overlap, but intertwine with each other. There is no transition between them. The diarist narration is suddenly interrupted with an ejaculatory prayer, a supplication, a complaint, a call for help and revenge,a confession of faith, or an act of hope. And then, equally suddenly and without a warning, Rotgeber resumes his previous thread, comes back to the everyday life in the ghetto, a list of tortures and persecutions, to the concrete and the topography, and his private life.

To assess the efficiency of acupuncture combined with early enteral nutrition (EEN) in patients with postoperative laparoscopic common bile duct exploration. A total of 200 patients with postoperative laparoscopic bile duct exploration was randomized using sealed envelopes and assigned to the convenitional, EEN, acupuncture plus convenitional and acupuncture plus EEN groups, 50 cases in each group. Twelve hours after operation, the patients in EEN groups began to receive oral enteral nutrition, and the acupuncture approach was performed by acupuncturist in acupuncture plus conventional and acupuncture plus EEN groups. Acupuncture was given at Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37) and Xiajuxu (ST 39) with a depth of 15–20 mm, using the lifting-thrusting and twisting method to obtain Deqi sensation. The needles were maintained for 30 min. Treatment was given once daily, 3 times per section. After the intervention, the patients’ characteristics, operation time, bleeding volume, postoperative time to first anal exhaust, postoperative complications including abdominal distension, diarrhea, gastric dilatation, intestinal obstruction, pharyngodynia, incision, abdominal and pulmonary infection and postoperative hospitalization days were assessed and compared in patients among 4 groups. Postoperative time to first anal exhaust in the convenitional group was longer compared with the other 3 groups (P

The article is devoted to the study of gender linguistics, its origins and main trends. Gender linguists have done a great job in finding evidence of the androcentricity of the language. The most impressive results were obtained by lexicographical investigations. Analysis of the vocabulary of the German and English languages showed a significant asymmetry in the names of professions, titles, positions: socially prestigious positions are represented only by the masculine gender (der Architekt, der Doktor, President, House of Lords), while the lower classes of the social hierarchy are given to women (maid, nanny, Putzfrau). The revealed gender asymmetry led to the beginning of prescriptive linguistic activity – the elimination of linguistic gender inequality, which was expressed in the introduction into the dictionary of parallel forms of the feminine, formed either affixively or in a composite way (Professor / Professorin; Frau Professor; M-me Professor), or the replacement of gender marked lexemes by neutral ones (chairman → chairperson; stewardess → flight attendant). The lexicographic proposals of gender scientists have become part of a “politically correct vocabulary” on both sides of the ocean. However, the “total feminization of the dictionary” (totale Feminisierung) provoked a negative reaction from more moderate philologists. Agreeing with the need for a more balanced approach to the phenomenon of “masculine / feminine” in society and in the language, we note the undoubted merits of the feminist movement, which led to the revision of gender stereotypes that dominated society, consciousness and culture throughout the development of mankind.

Purpose In their delivery of service, quantity surveyors are not in any way protected against threats and changes in their operating environment as a result of globalisation and continuous change in demand of clients. This research therefore examined the current and important areas of competencies of Nigerian quantity surveyors in their quest to continue to provide value for money for their clients. Design/methodology/approach Primary data were collected through administration of questionnaires on quantity surveyors that are members of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS). Mean item score (MIS) was used to rank required and exhibited competencies while gap and quadrant analyses were employed to evaluate their importance and proficiency level. Findings Core competencies required of quantity surveyors are costing of construction works; valuation; estimating and tendering; and procurement management while valuation; estimating and tendering; and costing of construction works are top three competencies currently exhibited. There is significant difference in the level of importance of the competencies areas compared to their exhibition by quantity surveyors. Originality/value It was noted that some important areas of competencies are not currently exhibited by quantity surveyors in the study area, there is therefore the need for personal and collective continuous development through workshops, conferences and seminars that will enhance the identified competencies areas. Training of undergraduates and retraining of practicing quantity surveyors is also essential to inculcate competencies that are not currently exhibited. This will benefit quantity surveyors and bodies concerned with the regulation of the profession in their quest for better service delivery.