Objective: To analyze the clinical manifestations of intraocular lens (IOL) opacity after cataract surgery through case reports, and to explore its pathogenesis and diagnosis and treatment ideas, so as to provide a ba...Objective: To analyze the clinical manifestations of intraocular lens (IOL) opacity after cataract surgery through case reports, and to explore its pathogenesis and diagnosis and treatment ideas, so as to provide a basis for the early diagnosis and correct treatment of IOL opacity. Methods: The clinical data of one patient diagnosed with IOL opacity and underwent intraocular lens replacement in the Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical College for Nationalities in December 2023 were reported. The characteristics of IOL opacity were observed, and the research progress and pathogenesis of IOL opacity were understood by consulting the literature. Results: This patient is the first case of IOL opacity in our hospital. The specific reason is unclear. It is considered to be related to the IOL material. Conclusion: Hydrophilic acrylic IOL is widely used in clinic because of its good histocompatibility. However, due to its hydrophilicity, there are more cases of IOL opacity than other types of IOL. At present, there is no unified conclusion on the etiology and mechanism of IOL opacity. IOL opacity can seriously affect vision and is easily misdiagnosed as a posterior cataract. We should fully disperse the large pupil and carefully observe under the slit lamp. The most effective treatment for this disease is IOL replacement.展开更多
Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a growing health issue in Bangladesh, with significant complications affecting the quality of life (QoL). This study aims to assess long-term complications, treatment patterns, an...Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a growing health issue in Bangladesh, with significant complications affecting the quality of life (QoL). This study aims to assess long-term complications, treatment patterns, and QoL of diabetic patients during COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 385 diabetic patients (aged 18-80) from tertiary hospitals in Dhaka and Mymensingh between May and October 2022. Data were collected via a semi-structured questionnaire on sociodemographics, complications, treatment patterns, and QoL (SF-12 scale). Chi-square tests, ANOVA, and linear regression were used for inferential analysis. Results: The sample predominantly included middle-aged males (41 - 55 years) with type 2 diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy (34.5%), polyneuropathy (32.2%), and hypertension (52.3%) were the most common complications. Oral medications were used by 59.7% of patients, with 29.1% on insulin. Chi-square analysis showed a significant association between treatment adherence and complications (p β = 0.45, p Conclusion: Complications in diabetic patients significantly affect QoL in Bangladesh. Treatment adherence, especially with oral medications, positively impacts QoL. There is a need for improved access to diabetes care to manage complications and enhance the overall well-being of diabetic patients.展开更多
Deep learning plays a vital role in real-life applications, for example object identification, human face recognition, speech recognition, biometrics identification, and short and long-term forecasting of data. The ma...Deep learning plays a vital role in real-life applications, for example object identification, human face recognition, speech recognition, biometrics identification, and short and long-term forecasting of data. The main objective of our work is to predict the market performance of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) on day closing price using different Deep Learning techniques. In this study, we have used the LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory) network to forecast the data of DSE for the convenience of shareholders. We have enforced LSTM networks to train data as well as forecast the future time series that has differentiated with test data. We have computed the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) value to scrutinize the error between the forecasted value and test data that diminished the error by updating the LSTM networks. As a consequence of the renovation of the network, the LSTM network provides tremendous performance which outperformed the existing works to predict stock market prices.展开更多
Road traffic flow forecasting provides critical information for the operational management of road mobility challenges, and models are used to generate the forecast. This paper uses a random process to present a novel...Road traffic flow forecasting provides critical information for the operational management of road mobility challenges, and models are used to generate the forecast. This paper uses a random process to present a novel traffic modelling framework for aggregate traffic on urban roads. The main idea is that road traffic flow is random, even for the recurrent flow, such as rush hour traffic, which is predisposed to congestion. Therefore, the structure of the aggregate traffic flow model for urban roads should correlate well with the essential variables of the observed random dynamics of the traffic flow phenomena. The novelty of this paper is the developed framework, based on the Poisson process, the kinematics of urban road traffic flow, and the intermediate modelling approach, which were combined to formulate the model. Empirical data from an urban road in Ghana was used to explore the model’s fidelity. The results show that the distribution from the model correlates well with that of the empirical traffic, providing a strong validation of the new framework and instilling confidence in its potential for significantly improved forecasts and, hence, a more hopeful outlook for real-world traffic management.展开更多
Background: Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic caused massive case fatalities across the world, people have been left with significant physical and mental disabilities, which has had an adverse impact on thei...Background: Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic caused massive case fatalities across the world, people have been left with significant physical and mental disabilities, which has had an adverse impact on their quality of life. The objective of this study is to measure the short-term and long-term outcomes among COVID-19 survivors. Methods: This is a six-month-long multicentre prospective observational study, carried out in four specialized hospitals in the capital city Dhaka, where six hundred participants were enrolled by non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected through three structured interviews, and follow-ups were done during discharge, at 1st month, and 6th month. An analytical study was done on demographic variables, socio-economic conditions, physical findings and outcomes. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: A total of 600 participants were enrolled. The mean age was 49.83. Many participants belong to the age range of 31 to 40 years. More than two-thirds (72.7%) of participants were male, whereas 27.30% were female. Most patients admitted had mild and moderate COVID-19 symptoms (40% and 58%, respectively). Among short-term COVID complications, it was found that 43.3% of the participants complained of fatigue, 32.6% of depression, 24.7% of sleep disturbance, 19% of anxiety and, 5% memory loss. In long-term COVID complications the number reduced significantly: 5% of the participants complained of fatigue, 10% of depression, 2.7% of sleep disturbance, 7.3% of anxiety and, 2.7% memory loss. The severity of lung parenchymal disease also reduced in long term COVID symptoms. The study found a statistically significant relationship between age groups and CT severity index (χ2 = 9.458, p = 0.032). Most patients (29.2%) in the under-30 age group had a CT Severity Index score of 2 & 3 (29.2%). The important CT Severity Index scores for individuals aged 30 to 60 years were 3 and 4, accounting for 37.7% and 33.3%, respectively. In the over-60 age group, 40.8% of patients showed a CT Severity Index score of 4, showing a range of 51% - 75%. Conclusion: This study found that fatigue, depression, and sleep disturbances are prevalent among COVID-19 survivors;however, these symptoms generally reduce over time. Lung problems improved;however, some patients suffered from persistent effects. Older patients, especially those with pre-existing conditions, suffer from more severe outcomes. These findings underscore the need for ongoing care for COVID-19 survivors.展开更多
Background: Congenital heart disease is a public health issue due to its incidence and mortality rate. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term mortality of children with congenital heart disease admitte...Background: Congenital heart disease is a public health issue due to its incidence and mortality rate. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term mortality of children with congenital heart disease admitted to the Departmental University Hospital of Borgou/Alibori (CHUD-B/A) from 2011 to 2022. Methods: This descriptive longitudinal study with analytical aims covered 11 years (April 1, 2011 to December 31, 2022). It consisted of a review of the records of children under 15 years of age with echocardiographically confirmed congenital heart disease. This was followed by an interview with the parents to assess the children’s current condition. Data were entered using Kobocollect software and analyzed using R Studio 4.2.2. software. Results: A total of 143 complete files were retained. The median age at diagnosis was 14 months (IIQ: Q1 = 4;Q3 = 60) with a range of 2 days and 175 months, and the sex-ratio (M/F) was 0.96. Left-to-right shunts were the most frequent cardiopathy group (62.9%). Only 35 children (24.5%) benefited from restorative treatment. The mortality rate was 31.5%. Median survival under the maximum bias assumption was 114 months and 216 months under the assumption of minimum bias. Survival was significantly better in children with right-to-left shunts (p = 0.0049) under the assumption of minimum bias. The death risk factors were: age at diagnosis less than 12 months (aHR = 7.58;95% CI = 3.36 - 17.24;p Conclusion: The long-term mortality of congenital heart disease is high and favoured by the absence of restorative treatment. Local correction of congenital heart disease and medical follow-up will help to reduce this mortality.展开更多
Introduction: Anthropometry applied to newborns is a reliable indicator of the quality of fetal growth. The latter is influenced by genetic, racial and nutritional factors varying from one population to another, expla...Introduction: Anthropometry applied to newborns is a reliable indicator of the quality of fetal growth. The latter is influenced by genetic, racial and nutritional factors varying from one population to another, explaining why a standard cannot be applied to all populations. Research question: should the Caucasian frame of reference be dogmatically applied in our African context? Multicenter studies are therefore necessary;hence the interest of this work, the main objective of which was to describe the anthropometric profile of full-term newborns in the city of Douala. Methodology: We carried out a cross-sectional study with an analytical aim and prospective data collection in the maternity wards of the Douala General Hospital, Laquintinie Hospital, District hospitals of Deido, Nylon and Bonassama over a period of 4 months (January to April 2020). We were interested in any newborn, born alive, vaginally or by cesarean section, seen in the first 24 hours from a full-term single-fetal pregnancy whose mother had given consent. We excluded newborns whose term was unclear and those with congenital malformations or signs of embryo-foetopathy. Data collection was done using structured and pre-tested survey sheets. The study variables were obstetric and anthropometric. Statistical analyzes were carried out with CS Pro 7.3 and SPSS version 25.0 software. The Student, Chi-square and Fischer tests were used to compare the means of the variables, the percentages with a significance threshold P value Results: During the study period, 305 full-term newborns were included, divided into 172 boys and 133 girls. The average anthropometric parameters of the full-term newborn in the city of Douala were: average weight: 3305 grams, average height: 49.8 centimeters, average head circumference: 34.6 centimeters, average upper arm circumference: 11.3 centimeters, circumference average thoracic: 32.8 centimeters. The percentile distribution showed a 10th percentile at 2656 grams and a 90th percentile at 3966 grams for weight defining the limits for small-for-gestational-age neonates and macrosomes. Conclusion: The anthropometric data of the full-term newborn in the city of Douala were: an average weight of 3305.4 grams, an average height of 49.8 centimeters, an average head circumference of 34.2 centimeters, an average upper arm circumference of 11.3 centimeters, and an average thoracic circumference of 32.8 centimeters with higher valuesin male newborns.展开更多
Background: To prevent infectious diseases and deaths of children, vaccinations play a crucial role in public health strategies in Kuwait. However, it remained uncertain to demonstrate the potential long-term health o...Background: To prevent infectious diseases and deaths of children, vaccinations play a crucial role in public health strategies in Kuwait. However, it remained uncertain to demonstrate the potential long-term health outcomes of vaccination, including neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) and autism. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term health outcomes of vaccination among Kuwait children from birth to thirteen years old. Objectives: This study included the significant objectives: (1) to compare long-term health effects, including chronic and acute conditions for unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, and vaccinated children, and (2) to evaluate the association of vaccination with the neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) and autism, and the preventable illnesses. Methods: This prospective study involved a sample of 976 children from Kuwait based on mothers’ reporting. Data collection about the vaccination status of children and various health outcomes relevant to chronic and acute illnesses was performed based on structured questionnaires through an online survey. However, participants were classified into unvaccinated (n = 40), partially vaccinated (n = 222), and fully vaccinated (n = 714). Statistical analyses, including the chi-square test, Odds Ratios (OR), 95% Confidence Interval (CI), and logistic regression, were performed using SAS (Version 9.4) to determine the associations between vaccination status and health outcomes among children. Results: The study disclosed that vaccinated children showed an increased diagnosis of chronic (allergic rhinitis, allergies, autism spectrum, eczema, neuro-developmental disorders, learning disability, ADHD, and any chronic condition) and acute (whooping cough, pneumonia, rubella, hepatitis A or B, measles, mumps, meningitis, influenza, rotavirus, cancer, chronic fatigue, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, conduct disorder, diabetes type 1 or 2, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, seizures, hearing loss, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, and depression) illnesses than unvaccinated children. The fully vaccinated children showed an increased prevalence of influenza diagnosis, while partially vaccinated children were more likely to be diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis than unvaccinated children. In contrast, unvaccinated were more likely to have been diagnosed with chickenpox and encephalopathy than fully and partially vaccinated. Males with chronic and acute conditions had a lower incidence of allergies and pneumonia, respectively, whereas females had a reduced prevalence of acute illnesses, such as whooping cough, inflammatory bowel disease, and hepatitis A or B among vaccinated (n = 936;combination of partially vaccinated and fully vaccinated) children. Regarding medication use and health service applications, vaccinated children were more likely to use medications for fever, antibiotics, and allergies. In addition, they showed an increased rate of sick visits and emergency visits in the past twelve months. On the other hand, factors like age (2 - 5 years, 6 - 9 years, and 10 - 13 years), birth type (cesarian), and mother suffering during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) were significantly associated with NDD (learning disability, autism spectrum, and attention deficient hyperactivity disorder) in the adjusted analysis. In the interaction model of age and birth type, age (6 - 9 years;OR 5.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 25.3) and mother suffering (gestational diabetes;OR 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2, 5.2) during pregnancy were associated with NDD. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that there are some cases where the infection rate is higher among the vaccinated compared to unvaccinated children, or there are no significant differences between the two groups in Kuwait. Upon controlling the factors in the interaction model, the age of 6 to 9 years and gestational diabetic mothers during pregnancy were associated with the synergistic increment of odds with NDD. These data findings are recommended to verify a larger and diverse group of samples to optimize the vaccination on health outcomes in Kuwait children.展开更多
Background: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) is considered a safer alternative to on-pump surgery, especially in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD). Objectives: This study assessed short-...Background: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) is considered a safer alternative to on-pump surgery, especially in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD). Objectives: This study assessed short-term outcomes and functional improvements in LVD patients post-OPCAB. Methods: The study included 200 coronary artery disease patients who underwent isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) at the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute between January 2019 and June 2020. Patients were categorized into Group 1, with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 30% - 39%, and Group 2, with an LVEF of 40% or higher. Echocardiographic assessments of left ventricular dimensions and ejection fraction were performed preoperatively, at discharge, and one month postoperatively. Results: In Group 1, preoperative left ventricular internal dimensions during diastole (LVIDd) and systole (LVIDs) were 53.48 ± 4.40 mm and 44.23 ± 3.93 mm, respectively, with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 35.28% ± 2.26%. At discharge, these values improved to 51.58 ± 4.04 mm (LVIDd), 41.23 ± 5.30 mm (LVIDs), and 39.25% ± 3.75% (LVEF). One month postoperatively, further improvements were observed: 46.29 ± 3.76 mm (LVIDd), 37.45 ± 3.68 mm (LVIDs), and 43.22% ± 4.67% (LVEF). Group 2 showed similar positive outcomes, with preoperative values of 47.09 ± 5.06 mm (LVIDd), 35.11 ± 5.25 mm (LVIDs), and 50.13% ± 7.25% (LVEF), improving to 42.37 ± 4.18 mm (LVIDd), 31.05 ± 4.19 mm (LVIDs), and 55.33% ± 7.05% (LVEF) at one month postoperatively. Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in left ventricular function and NYHA class, with most patients moving from class III/IV to I/II. Complications were minimal, and no mortality was observed. Conclusion: OPCAB is safe and effective for patients with LVEF 30% - 39% and LVEF ≥ 40%, providing significant short-term functional improvements without increased risk.展开更多
Users face the threat of trajectory privacy leakage when using location-based service applications, especially when their behavior is collected and stored for a long period of time. This accumulated information is exp...Users face the threat of trajectory privacy leakage when using location-based service applications, especially when their behavior is collected and stored for a long period of time. This accumulated information is exploited by opponents, greatly increasing the risk of trajectory privacy leakage. This attack method is called a long-term observation attack. On the premise of ensuring lower time overhead and higher cache contribution rate, the existing methods cannot utilize cache to answer subsequent queries while also resisting long-term observation attacks. So this article proposes a trajectory privacy protection method to resist long-term observation attacks. This method combines caching technology and improves the existing differential privacy mechanism, while incorporating randomization factors that are difficult for attackers to recognize after long-term observation to enhance privacy. Search for locations in the cache of both the mobile client and edge server that can replace the user’s actual location. If there are replacement users in the cache, the query results can be obtained more quickly. Simultaneously obfuscating the spatiotemporal correlation of actual trajectories by generating confusion regions. If it does not exist, the obfuscated location generation method that resists long-term observation attacks is executed to generate the real anonymous area and send it to the service provider. The above steps can comprehensively protect the user’s trajectory privacy. The experimental results show that this method can protect user trajectories from long-term observation attacks while ensuring low time overhead and a high cache contribution rate.展开更多
Objective: The studies of long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) for patents with connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the prognosis of CTD-ILD patie...Objective: The studies of long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) for patents with connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the prognosis of CTD-ILD patients following the initiation of LTOT, compared to those with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with CTD-ILD and IPF who were introduced to LTOT between January 2014 and December 2020. Results: The study included 24 patients with CTD-ILD and 55 patients with IPF. At the initiation of LTOT, female gender, never-smoking history, higher body mass index (BMI), higher lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, lower pulmonary Surfactant Protein-D (SP-D) level and lower Gender-Age-Physiology (GAP) scores were more common in the CTD-ILD group (all Conclusion: Although patients with CTD-ILD had longer overall survival than those with IPF, there was no significant difference in prognosis after the initiation of LTOT between the two groups. Early intervention including treatment and management will be needed in CTD-ILD as in IPF.展开更多
The results of an experimental study of long-term relaxation of the photoelectret state of polycrystalline CdTe:(Ag, Cu, Cd) and Sb<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>:Se films with an anomalous photovol...The results of an experimental study of long-term relaxation of the photoelectret state of polycrystalline CdTe:(Ag, Cu, Cd) and Sb<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>:Se films with an anomalous photovoltaic property are presented. In such films, the residual photovoltage is caused by the separation of photocarriers by the built-in electrostatic field of the near-surface region of space charges and their asymmetric capture by deep levels of impurities or complexes, including impurity atoms and intrinsic defects, both in the bulk and on the surface of crystal grains. It has been shown that in activated films, a two-step exponential temporary relaxation of the initial photovoltage of the order of V<sub>APV</sub> ≈ (500-600) V is detected, and only 10% of it experiences long-term relaxation (t ≈ 100-120 min).展开更多
Wind power generation is among the most promising and eco-friendly energy sources today. Wind Power Forecasting (WPF) is essential for boosting energy efficiency and maintaining the operational stability of power grid...Wind power generation is among the most promising and eco-friendly energy sources today. Wind Power Forecasting (WPF) is essential for boosting energy efficiency and maintaining the operational stability of power grids. However, predicting wind power comes with significant challenges, such as weather uncertainties, wind variability, complex terrain, limited data, insufficient measurement infrastructure, intricate interdependencies, and short lead times. These factors make it difficult to accurately forecast wind behavior and respond to sudden power output changes. This study aims to precisely forecast electricity generation from wind turbines, minimize grid operation uncertainties, and enhance grid reliability. It leverages historical wind farm data and Numerical Weather Prediction data, using k-Nearest Neighbors for pre-processing, K-means clustering for categorization, and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks for training and testing, with model performance evaluated across multiple metrics. The Grey Wolf Optimized (GWO) LSTM classification technique, a deep learning model suited to time series analysis, effectively handles temporal dependencies in input data through memory cells and gradient-based optimization. Inspired by grey wolves’ hunting strategies, GWO is a population-based metaheuristic optimization algorithm known for its strong performance across diverse optimization tasks. The proposed Grey Wolf Optimized Deep Learning model achieves an R-squared value of 0.97279, demonstrating that it explains 97.28% of the variance in wind power data. This model surpasses a reference study that achieved an R-squared value of 0.92 with a hybrid deep learning approach but did not account for outliers or anomalous data.展开更多
Introduction: Pregnancy as much as childbirth constitutes a risky situation, potentially fraught with sometimes dramatic complications: maternal death. Objective: We conducted this study with the aim of establishing t...Introduction: Pregnancy as much as childbirth constitutes a risky situation, potentially fraught with sometimes dramatic complications: maternal death. Objective: We conducted this study with the aim of establishing the profile of those giving birth in our context with the aim to anticipate operationally in the future on morbidity but more on maternal deaths. Methodology: We conducted, using a structured questionnaire, a prospective descriptive study in representative maternity wards in the city of Douala;the study variables were socio-economic, anthropometric, obstetrical and clinical. Statistical analyses were carried out with CS Pro 7.3 and SPSS version 25.0 software. The Student, Chi-square and Fischer tests were used to compare the means of the variables and the percentages. Results: We recruited 305 births for our study. The average age of our births was 28.7 years ± 6.1 with an average height of 161.6 cm ± 5.06;an average body mass index at the start of pregnancy of 28.0 kilograms/square meter and 31.3 kilograms/square meter at delivery;the average weight gain was 8.4 g ± 5.37;an average gestation of 2.84±1.90;an average parity of 2.2 ± 2.1 with an average birth interval of 27.7 months ± 23.7. The average gestational age was 39.2 weeks ± 1.21 with pregnancy pathology dominated by malaria;85.9% began their prenatal follow-up before the 14th week of amenorrhea. Conclusion: The profile of childbirth in urban Cameroon does not seem potentially dystocic compared to that of the same regional and racial area.展开更多
Changing contexts in a long-term and short-term perspective should be managed within an integrated risk management framework that accounts for both temporary management strategies and permanent preventive measures to ...Changing contexts in a long-term and short-term perspective should be managed within an integrated risk management framework that accounts for both temporary management strategies and permanent preventive measures to reduce the impact of natural hazard processes. In this study, statistical transformation indicators of short-term (20 year) to long-term (30 year) used flood regional coefficients. After the tests of data validation and the reconstruction of missing and outlier data, the data of 18 hydrometric stations were completed for 30 years (1985 to 2014). In the next phase, the return period values were prepared for 20-year and 30-year statistical periods (1985 to 2004 and 1985 to 2014) using the HYFA software. Thus the 20-year to 30-year ratio for various return period discharges obtained and these dimensionless values were plotted for the return periods of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 years, also fitted the logarithmic trend line and the values of coefficients of the relationship were obtained. The statistics including average, standard deviation, coefficient of variation (CV), skewness coefficient (CS) and Kurtosis coefficient (CK) were calculated for 20-year data period for each station and we identified the statistics as independent parameters and the coefficients of A and B as dependent parameter, thus analyzed using linear multivariate regression, and regional factors were obtained. In the hydrometric station with 17-027 code, the discharge using the regional factors was calculated and compared with the discharge values of 30 years data. The results showed that there is little difference between the observed and estimated values from regional factors thus this method can be used in projects that require at least 30 years of data.展开更多
Background: Efforts have been made in Burkina Faso, a French-speaking country, since 2010 to improve healthcare access and provide affordable contraceptive methods to women. With the increasing prevalence of modern co...Background: Efforts have been made in Burkina Faso, a French-speaking country, since 2010 to improve healthcare access and provide affordable contraceptive methods to women. With the increasing prevalence of modern contraceptives in Burkina Faso, it is important to examine the socio-demographic factors that contribute to this new pattern of contraceptive use. This study aims to analyze the changes in socio-demographic factors associated with long-term contraceptive use and provide scientific evidence to guide policy development and action planning in family planning. Data and Methods: We utilized data from the 2010 Demographic and Health Survey, which included 17,087 women aged 15 - 49 years, and the 2015 Demographic and Health Module, which included 11,504 women in the same age group. For the analysis of contraceptive use, we focused on women who were in need of contraception (either met or unmet), of reproductive age, non-pregnant, and either married or sexually active but not married. We included users of modern reversible methods and excluded non-users, as well as users of traditional or permanent methods. Results: Our findings revealed a high prevalence of long-term contraceptive use across all categories;however, certain challenges were identified, such as lower levels of information about contraceptive methods among users and the persistence of inequalities. Family planning discussions and partner approval did not influence long-term contraceptive choice. Additionally, some providers selectively offered specific methods based on women’s life course characteristics, such as parity and marital status, despite evidence suggesting that young and nulliparous women can effectively use long-term methods. Conclusion: Given the high effectiveness of long-term contraceptive methods, it is crucial to address barriers that hinder their utilization among young and nulliparous women, as well as those who desire to delay pregnancy. Efforts should focus on improving knowledge and dispelling misconceptions surrounding long-term methods. Providers play a pivotal role in this process by adopting counseling strategies that enhance users’ understanding and facilitate informed decision-making regarding contraceptive options.展开更多
文摘Objective: To analyze the clinical manifestations of intraocular lens (IOL) opacity after cataract surgery through case reports, and to explore its pathogenesis and diagnosis and treatment ideas, so as to provide a basis for the early diagnosis and correct treatment of IOL opacity. Methods: The clinical data of one patient diagnosed with IOL opacity and underwent intraocular lens replacement in the Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical College for Nationalities in December 2023 were reported. The characteristics of IOL opacity were observed, and the research progress and pathogenesis of IOL opacity were understood by consulting the literature. Results: This patient is the first case of IOL opacity in our hospital. The specific reason is unclear. It is considered to be related to the IOL material. Conclusion: Hydrophilic acrylic IOL is widely used in clinic because of its good histocompatibility. However, due to its hydrophilicity, there are more cases of IOL opacity than other types of IOL. At present, there is no unified conclusion on the etiology and mechanism of IOL opacity. IOL opacity can seriously affect vision and is easily misdiagnosed as a posterior cataract. We should fully disperse the large pupil and carefully observe under the slit lamp. The most effective treatment for this disease is IOL replacement.
文摘Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a growing health issue in Bangladesh, with significant complications affecting the quality of life (QoL). This study aims to assess long-term complications, treatment patterns, and QoL of diabetic patients during COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 385 diabetic patients (aged 18-80) from tertiary hospitals in Dhaka and Mymensingh between May and October 2022. Data were collected via a semi-structured questionnaire on sociodemographics, complications, treatment patterns, and QoL (SF-12 scale). Chi-square tests, ANOVA, and linear regression were used for inferential analysis. Results: The sample predominantly included middle-aged males (41 - 55 years) with type 2 diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy (34.5%), polyneuropathy (32.2%), and hypertension (52.3%) were the most common complications. Oral medications were used by 59.7% of patients, with 29.1% on insulin. Chi-square analysis showed a significant association between treatment adherence and complications (p β = 0.45, p Conclusion: Complications in diabetic patients significantly affect QoL in Bangladesh. Treatment adherence, especially with oral medications, positively impacts QoL. There is a need for improved access to diabetes care to manage complications and enhance the overall well-being of diabetic patients.
文摘Deep learning plays a vital role in real-life applications, for example object identification, human face recognition, speech recognition, biometrics identification, and short and long-term forecasting of data. The main objective of our work is to predict the market performance of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) on day closing price using different Deep Learning techniques. In this study, we have used the LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory) network to forecast the data of DSE for the convenience of shareholders. We have enforced LSTM networks to train data as well as forecast the future time series that has differentiated with test data. We have computed the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) value to scrutinize the error between the forecasted value and test data that diminished the error by updating the LSTM networks. As a consequence of the renovation of the network, the LSTM network provides tremendous performance which outperformed the existing works to predict stock market prices.
文摘Road traffic flow forecasting provides critical information for the operational management of road mobility challenges, and models are used to generate the forecast. This paper uses a random process to present a novel traffic modelling framework for aggregate traffic on urban roads. The main idea is that road traffic flow is random, even for the recurrent flow, such as rush hour traffic, which is predisposed to congestion. Therefore, the structure of the aggregate traffic flow model for urban roads should correlate well with the essential variables of the observed random dynamics of the traffic flow phenomena. The novelty of this paper is the developed framework, based on the Poisson process, the kinematics of urban road traffic flow, and the intermediate modelling approach, which were combined to formulate the model. Empirical data from an urban road in Ghana was used to explore the model’s fidelity. The results show that the distribution from the model correlates well with that of the empirical traffic, providing a strong validation of the new framework and instilling confidence in its potential for significantly improved forecasts and, hence, a more hopeful outlook for real-world traffic management.
文摘Background: Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic caused massive case fatalities across the world, people have been left with significant physical and mental disabilities, which has had an adverse impact on their quality of life. The objective of this study is to measure the short-term and long-term outcomes among COVID-19 survivors. Methods: This is a six-month-long multicentre prospective observational study, carried out in four specialized hospitals in the capital city Dhaka, where six hundred participants were enrolled by non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected through three structured interviews, and follow-ups were done during discharge, at 1st month, and 6th month. An analytical study was done on demographic variables, socio-economic conditions, physical findings and outcomes. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results: A total of 600 participants were enrolled. The mean age was 49.83. Many participants belong to the age range of 31 to 40 years. More than two-thirds (72.7%) of participants were male, whereas 27.30% were female. Most patients admitted had mild and moderate COVID-19 symptoms (40% and 58%, respectively). Among short-term COVID complications, it was found that 43.3% of the participants complained of fatigue, 32.6% of depression, 24.7% of sleep disturbance, 19% of anxiety and, 5% memory loss. In long-term COVID complications the number reduced significantly: 5% of the participants complained of fatigue, 10% of depression, 2.7% of sleep disturbance, 7.3% of anxiety and, 2.7% memory loss. The severity of lung parenchymal disease also reduced in long term COVID symptoms. The study found a statistically significant relationship between age groups and CT severity index (χ2 = 9.458, p = 0.032). Most patients (29.2%) in the under-30 age group had a CT Severity Index score of 2 & 3 (29.2%). The important CT Severity Index scores for individuals aged 30 to 60 years were 3 and 4, accounting for 37.7% and 33.3%, respectively. In the over-60 age group, 40.8% of patients showed a CT Severity Index score of 4, showing a range of 51% - 75%. Conclusion: This study found that fatigue, depression, and sleep disturbances are prevalent among COVID-19 survivors;however, these symptoms generally reduce over time. Lung problems improved;however, some patients suffered from persistent effects. Older patients, especially those with pre-existing conditions, suffer from more severe outcomes. These findings underscore the need for ongoing care for COVID-19 survivors.
文摘Background: Congenital heart disease is a public health issue due to its incidence and mortality rate. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term mortality of children with congenital heart disease admitted to the Departmental University Hospital of Borgou/Alibori (CHUD-B/A) from 2011 to 2022. Methods: This descriptive longitudinal study with analytical aims covered 11 years (April 1, 2011 to December 31, 2022). It consisted of a review of the records of children under 15 years of age with echocardiographically confirmed congenital heart disease. This was followed by an interview with the parents to assess the children’s current condition. Data were entered using Kobocollect software and analyzed using R Studio 4.2.2. software. Results: A total of 143 complete files were retained. The median age at diagnosis was 14 months (IIQ: Q1 = 4;Q3 = 60) with a range of 2 days and 175 months, and the sex-ratio (M/F) was 0.96. Left-to-right shunts were the most frequent cardiopathy group (62.9%). Only 35 children (24.5%) benefited from restorative treatment. The mortality rate was 31.5%. Median survival under the maximum bias assumption was 114 months and 216 months under the assumption of minimum bias. Survival was significantly better in children with right-to-left shunts (p = 0.0049) under the assumption of minimum bias. The death risk factors were: age at diagnosis less than 12 months (aHR = 7.58;95% CI = 3.36 - 17.24;p Conclusion: The long-term mortality of congenital heart disease is high and favoured by the absence of restorative treatment. Local correction of congenital heart disease and medical follow-up will help to reduce this mortality.
文摘Introduction: Anthropometry applied to newborns is a reliable indicator of the quality of fetal growth. The latter is influenced by genetic, racial and nutritional factors varying from one population to another, explaining why a standard cannot be applied to all populations. Research question: should the Caucasian frame of reference be dogmatically applied in our African context? Multicenter studies are therefore necessary;hence the interest of this work, the main objective of which was to describe the anthropometric profile of full-term newborns in the city of Douala. Methodology: We carried out a cross-sectional study with an analytical aim and prospective data collection in the maternity wards of the Douala General Hospital, Laquintinie Hospital, District hospitals of Deido, Nylon and Bonassama over a period of 4 months (January to April 2020). We were interested in any newborn, born alive, vaginally or by cesarean section, seen in the first 24 hours from a full-term single-fetal pregnancy whose mother had given consent. We excluded newborns whose term was unclear and those with congenital malformations or signs of embryo-foetopathy. Data collection was done using structured and pre-tested survey sheets. The study variables were obstetric and anthropometric. Statistical analyzes were carried out with CS Pro 7.3 and SPSS version 25.0 software. The Student, Chi-square and Fischer tests were used to compare the means of the variables, the percentages with a significance threshold P value Results: During the study period, 305 full-term newborns were included, divided into 172 boys and 133 girls. The average anthropometric parameters of the full-term newborn in the city of Douala were: average weight: 3305 grams, average height: 49.8 centimeters, average head circumference: 34.6 centimeters, average upper arm circumference: 11.3 centimeters, circumference average thoracic: 32.8 centimeters. The percentile distribution showed a 10th percentile at 2656 grams and a 90th percentile at 3966 grams for weight defining the limits for small-for-gestational-age neonates and macrosomes. Conclusion: The anthropometric data of the full-term newborn in the city of Douala were: an average weight of 3305.4 grams, an average height of 49.8 centimeters, an average head circumference of 34.2 centimeters, an average upper arm circumference of 11.3 centimeters, and an average thoracic circumference of 32.8 centimeters with higher valuesin male newborns.
文摘Background: To prevent infectious diseases and deaths of children, vaccinations play a crucial role in public health strategies in Kuwait. However, it remained uncertain to demonstrate the potential long-term health outcomes of vaccination, including neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) and autism. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term health outcomes of vaccination among Kuwait children from birth to thirteen years old. Objectives: This study included the significant objectives: (1) to compare long-term health effects, including chronic and acute conditions for unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, and vaccinated children, and (2) to evaluate the association of vaccination with the neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) and autism, and the preventable illnesses. Methods: This prospective study involved a sample of 976 children from Kuwait based on mothers’ reporting. Data collection about the vaccination status of children and various health outcomes relevant to chronic and acute illnesses was performed based on structured questionnaires through an online survey. However, participants were classified into unvaccinated (n = 40), partially vaccinated (n = 222), and fully vaccinated (n = 714). Statistical analyses, including the chi-square test, Odds Ratios (OR), 95% Confidence Interval (CI), and logistic regression, were performed using SAS (Version 9.4) to determine the associations between vaccination status and health outcomes among children. Results: The study disclosed that vaccinated children showed an increased diagnosis of chronic (allergic rhinitis, allergies, autism spectrum, eczema, neuro-developmental disorders, learning disability, ADHD, and any chronic condition) and acute (whooping cough, pneumonia, rubella, hepatitis A or B, measles, mumps, meningitis, influenza, rotavirus, cancer, chronic fatigue, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, conduct disorder, diabetes type 1 or 2, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, seizures, hearing loss, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, and depression) illnesses than unvaccinated children. The fully vaccinated children showed an increased prevalence of influenza diagnosis, while partially vaccinated children were more likely to be diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis than unvaccinated children. In contrast, unvaccinated were more likely to have been diagnosed with chickenpox and encephalopathy than fully and partially vaccinated. Males with chronic and acute conditions had a lower incidence of allergies and pneumonia, respectively, whereas females had a reduced prevalence of acute illnesses, such as whooping cough, inflammatory bowel disease, and hepatitis A or B among vaccinated (n = 936;combination of partially vaccinated and fully vaccinated) children. Regarding medication use and health service applications, vaccinated children were more likely to use medications for fever, antibiotics, and allergies. In addition, they showed an increased rate of sick visits and emergency visits in the past twelve months. On the other hand, factors like age (2 - 5 years, 6 - 9 years, and 10 - 13 years), birth type (cesarian), and mother suffering during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) were significantly associated with NDD (learning disability, autism spectrum, and attention deficient hyperactivity disorder) in the adjusted analysis. In the interaction model of age and birth type, age (6 - 9 years;OR 5.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 25.3) and mother suffering (gestational diabetes;OR 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2, 5.2) during pregnancy were associated with NDD. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that there are some cases where the infection rate is higher among the vaccinated compared to unvaccinated children, or there are no significant differences between the two groups in Kuwait. Upon controlling the factors in the interaction model, the age of 6 to 9 years and gestational diabetic mothers during pregnancy were associated with the synergistic increment of odds with NDD. These data findings are recommended to verify a larger and diverse group of samples to optimize the vaccination on health outcomes in Kuwait children.
文摘Background: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) is considered a safer alternative to on-pump surgery, especially in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD). Objectives: This study assessed short-term outcomes and functional improvements in LVD patients post-OPCAB. Methods: The study included 200 coronary artery disease patients who underwent isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) at the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute between January 2019 and June 2020. Patients were categorized into Group 1, with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 30% - 39%, and Group 2, with an LVEF of 40% or higher. Echocardiographic assessments of left ventricular dimensions and ejection fraction were performed preoperatively, at discharge, and one month postoperatively. Results: In Group 1, preoperative left ventricular internal dimensions during diastole (LVIDd) and systole (LVIDs) were 53.48 ± 4.40 mm and 44.23 ± 3.93 mm, respectively, with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 35.28% ± 2.26%. At discharge, these values improved to 51.58 ± 4.04 mm (LVIDd), 41.23 ± 5.30 mm (LVIDs), and 39.25% ± 3.75% (LVEF). One month postoperatively, further improvements were observed: 46.29 ± 3.76 mm (LVIDd), 37.45 ± 3.68 mm (LVIDs), and 43.22% ± 4.67% (LVEF). Group 2 showed similar positive outcomes, with preoperative values of 47.09 ± 5.06 mm (LVIDd), 35.11 ± 5.25 mm (LVIDs), and 50.13% ± 7.25% (LVEF), improving to 42.37 ± 4.18 mm (LVIDd), 31.05 ± 4.19 mm (LVIDs), and 55.33% ± 7.05% (LVEF) at one month postoperatively. Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in left ventricular function and NYHA class, with most patients moving from class III/IV to I/II. Complications were minimal, and no mortality was observed. Conclusion: OPCAB is safe and effective for patients with LVEF 30% - 39% and LVEF ≥ 40%, providing significant short-term functional improvements without increased risk.
文摘Users face the threat of trajectory privacy leakage when using location-based service applications, especially when their behavior is collected and stored for a long period of time. This accumulated information is exploited by opponents, greatly increasing the risk of trajectory privacy leakage. This attack method is called a long-term observation attack. On the premise of ensuring lower time overhead and higher cache contribution rate, the existing methods cannot utilize cache to answer subsequent queries while also resisting long-term observation attacks. So this article proposes a trajectory privacy protection method to resist long-term observation attacks. This method combines caching technology and improves the existing differential privacy mechanism, while incorporating randomization factors that are difficult for attackers to recognize after long-term observation to enhance privacy. Search for locations in the cache of both the mobile client and edge server that can replace the user’s actual location. If there are replacement users in the cache, the query results can be obtained more quickly. Simultaneously obfuscating the spatiotemporal correlation of actual trajectories by generating confusion regions. If it does not exist, the obfuscated location generation method that resists long-term observation attacks is executed to generate the real anonymous area and send it to the service provider. The above steps can comprehensively protect the user’s trajectory privacy. The experimental results show that this method can protect user trajectories from long-term observation attacks while ensuring low time overhead and a high cache contribution rate.
文摘Objective: The studies of long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) for patents with connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the prognosis of CTD-ILD patients following the initiation of LTOT, compared to those with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with CTD-ILD and IPF who were introduced to LTOT between January 2014 and December 2020. Results: The study included 24 patients with CTD-ILD and 55 patients with IPF. At the initiation of LTOT, female gender, never-smoking history, higher body mass index (BMI), higher lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, lower pulmonary Surfactant Protein-D (SP-D) level and lower Gender-Age-Physiology (GAP) scores were more common in the CTD-ILD group (all Conclusion: Although patients with CTD-ILD had longer overall survival than those with IPF, there was no significant difference in prognosis after the initiation of LTOT between the two groups. Early intervention including treatment and management will be needed in CTD-ILD as in IPF.
文摘The results of an experimental study of long-term relaxation of the photoelectret state of polycrystalline CdTe:(Ag, Cu, Cd) and Sb<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>:Se films with an anomalous photovoltaic property are presented. In such films, the residual photovoltage is caused by the separation of photocarriers by the built-in electrostatic field of the near-surface region of space charges and their asymmetric capture by deep levels of impurities or complexes, including impurity atoms and intrinsic defects, both in the bulk and on the surface of crystal grains. It has been shown that in activated films, a two-step exponential temporary relaxation of the initial photovoltage of the order of V<sub>APV</sub> ≈ (500-600) V is detected, and only 10% of it experiences long-term relaxation (t ≈ 100-120 min).
文摘Wind power generation is among the most promising and eco-friendly energy sources today. Wind Power Forecasting (WPF) is essential for boosting energy efficiency and maintaining the operational stability of power grids. However, predicting wind power comes with significant challenges, such as weather uncertainties, wind variability, complex terrain, limited data, insufficient measurement infrastructure, intricate interdependencies, and short lead times. These factors make it difficult to accurately forecast wind behavior and respond to sudden power output changes. This study aims to precisely forecast electricity generation from wind turbines, minimize grid operation uncertainties, and enhance grid reliability. It leverages historical wind farm data and Numerical Weather Prediction data, using k-Nearest Neighbors for pre-processing, K-means clustering for categorization, and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks for training and testing, with model performance evaluated across multiple metrics. The Grey Wolf Optimized (GWO) LSTM classification technique, a deep learning model suited to time series analysis, effectively handles temporal dependencies in input data through memory cells and gradient-based optimization. Inspired by grey wolves’ hunting strategies, GWO is a population-based metaheuristic optimization algorithm known for its strong performance across diverse optimization tasks. The proposed Grey Wolf Optimized Deep Learning model achieves an R-squared value of 0.97279, demonstrating that it explains 97.28% of the variance in wind power data. This model surpasses a reference study that achieved an R-squared value of 0.92 with a hybrid deep learning approach but did not account for outliers or anomalous data.
文摘Introduction: Pregnancy as much as childbirth constitutes a risky situation, potentially fraught with sometimes dramatic complications: maternal death. Objective: We conducted this study with the aim of establishing the profile of those giving birth in our context with the aim to anticipate operationally in the future on morbidity but more on maternal deaths. Methodology: We conducted, using a structured questionnaire, a prospective descriptive study in representative maternity wards in the city of Douala;the study variables were socio-economic, anthropometric, obstetrical and clinical. Statistical analyses were carried out with CS Pro 7.3 and SPSS version 25.0 software. The Student, Chi-square and Fischer tests were used to compare the means of the variables and the percentages. Results: We recruited 305 births for our study. The average age of our births was 28.7 years ± 6.1 with an average height of 161.6 cm ± 5.06;an average body mass index at the start of pregnancy of 28.0 kilograms/square meter and 31.3 kilograms/square meter at delivery;the average weight gain was 8.4 g ± 5.37;an average gestation of 2.84±1.90;an average parity of 2.2 ± 2.1 with an average birth interval of 27.7 months ± 23.7. The average gestational age was 39.2 weeks ± 1.21 with pregnancy pathology dominated by malaria;85.9% began their prenatal follow-up before the 14th week of amenorrhea. Conclusion: The profile of childbirth in urban Cameroon does not seem potentially dystocic compared to that of the same regional and racial area.
文摘Changing contexts in a long-term and short-term perspective should be managed within an integrated risk management framework that accounts for both temporary management strategies and permanent preventive measures to reduce the impact of natural hazard processes. In this study, statistical transformation indicators of short-term (20 year) to long-term (30 year) used flood regional coefficients. After the tests of data validation and the reconstruction of missing and outlier data, the data of 18 hydrometric stations were completed for 30 years (1985 to 2014). In the next phase, the return period values were prepared for 20-year and 30-year statistical periods (1985 to 2004 and 1985 to 2014) using the HYFA software. Thus the 20-year to 30-year ratio for various return period discharges obtained and these dimensionless values were plotted for the return periods of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 years, also fitted the logarithmic trend line and the values of coefficients of the relationship were obtained. The statistics including average, standard deviation, coefficient of variation (CV), skewness coefficient (CS) and Kurtosis coefficient (CK) were calculated for 20-year data period for each station and we identified the statistics as independent parameters and the coefficients of A and B as dependent parameter, thus analyzed using linear multivariate regression, and regional factors were obtained. In the hydrometric station with 17-027 code, the discharge using the regional factors was calculated and compared with the discharge values of 30 years data. The results showed that there is little difference between the observed and estimated values from regional factors thus this method can be used in projects that require at least 30 years of data.
文摘Background: Efforts have been made in Burkina Faso, a French-speaking country, since 2010 to improve healthcare access and provide affordable contraceptive methods to women. With the increasing prevalence of modern contraceptives in Burkina Faso, it is important to examine the socio-demographic factors that contribute to this new pattern of contraceptive use. This study aims to analyze the changes in socio-demographic factors associated with long-term contraceptive use and provide scientific evidence to guide policy development and action planning in family planning. Data and Methods: We utilized data from the 2010 Demographic and Health Survey, which included 17,087 women aged 15 - 49 years, and the 2015 Demographic and Health Module, which included 11,504 women in the same age group. For the analysis of contraceptive use, we focused on women who were in need of contraception (either met or unmet), of reproductive age, non-pregnant, and either married or sexually active but not married. We included users of modern reversible methods and excluded non-users, as well as users of traditional or permanent methods. Results: Our findings revealed a high prevalence of long-term contraceptive use across all categories;however, certain challenges were identified, such as lower levels of information about contraceptive methods among users and the persistence of inequalities. Family planning discussions and partner approval did not influence long-term contraceptive choice. Additionally, some providers selectively offered specific methods based on women’s life course characteristics, such as parity and marital status, despite evidence suggesting that young and nulliparous women can effectively use long-term methods. Conclusion: Given the high effectiveness of long-term contraceptive methods, it is crucial to address barriers that hinder their utilization among young and nulliparous women, as well as those who desire to delay pregnancy. Efforts should focus on improving knowledge and dispelling misconceptions surrounding long-term methods. Providers play a pivotal role in this process by adopting counseling strategies that enhance users’ understanding and facilitate informed decision-making regarding contraceptive options.
