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Data from: Development of low cost non-contact structural health monitoring system for rotating machinery

Condition monitoring systems are increasingly being employed in industrial applications to improve the availability of equipment to increase the overall equipment efficiency. Condition monitoring of gearboxes, a key element of rotating machines, ensures to continuously reduce and eliminate costs, unscheduled downtime and unexpected breakdowns. This study demonstrates a low cost microcontroller based non-contact data acquisition system for condition monitoring of rotating machinery. Experimental validation of the proposed system was carried out by performing examination tests on a gearbox test-rig. A user friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI) was also developed which facilitate user to perform signal processing in both real-time and offline mode. With these features the proposed system can perform most of the functions available in complex, standalone machines. The use of a general purpose PC and standard programming language makes the system simple, economical, and adaptable to a variety of problems. The tests show the developed system can perform properly as proposed.

opencc-zeroJul 2019View details →

Data from: The effect of promoting current local research activities on large monitors on the population's interest in health-related research – a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were threefold: to estimate people's interest in health-related research, to understand to what extent people appreciate being actively informed about current local health-related research and to investigate whether their interest can be influenced by advertising local current health-related research using large TV monitors. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial using a stepped wedge design. SETTING: The emergency department waiting room at two public hospitals in northern Queensland, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Waiting patients and their accompanying friends and relatives in the emergency department waiting room not requiring immediate medical attention. INTERVENTIONS: A TV monitor advertising local current health-related research. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Odds ratio for the effect of intervention on changing the interest in health-related research compared to a control group while adjusting for gender, age and socioeconomic standard. RESULTS: The intervention significantly increased the short-term interest in health-related research with an odds ratio of 1.3 (1.1-1.7, p=0.0063). We also noted that being female and being older was correlated to a higher interest in health-related research CONCLUSIONS: This study found that proactive information significantly increased the general populations' interest in health-related research. There are reasonable set up costs involved but the costs for maintaining the system were very low. Hence, it seems reasonable that research-active organizations should give much higher priority to this type of activity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) with the registration number ACTRN12617001085369

Data from: Poor housing conditions in association with child health in a disadvantaged immigrant population: a cross-sectional study in Rosengård, Malmö, Sweden

Objectives: To describe the home environment in terms of housing conditions and their association with child health in a disadvantaged immigrant population. Design: A cross-sectional observational study. Setting: Enrolment took place during 2010–2011 in Rosengård, Malmö, Sweden. Participants: Children aged 0–13 years in 2 study neighbourhoods were recruited from local health records and from schools. 359 children participated, with a participation rate of 40%. Data on health, lifestyle and apartment characteristics from questionnaire-led interviews with the mothers of the children were obtained together with data from home inspections carried out by trained health communicators. Outcome measures: Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate ORs for various health outcomes, adjusted for demographic information and lifestyle factors. Results: The housing conditions were very poor, especially in one of the study neighbourhoods where 67% of the apartments had been sanitised of cockroaches, 27% were infested with cockroaches and 40% had a visible mould. The association between housing conditions and health was mostly inconclusive, but there were statistically significant associations between current asthma and dampness (OR=4.1, 95% CI 1.7 to 9.9), between asthma medication and dampness (OR=2.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 6.4), and between mould and headache (OR=4.2, 95% CI 1.2 to 14.8). The presence of cockroaches was associated with emergency care visits, with colds, with headache and with difficulty falling asleep, and worse general health was associated with mould and presence of cockroaches. Conclusions: The associations between dampness and asthma, and the association between mould and headache, are in line with current knowledge. The presence of cockroaches seemed to be associated with various outcomes, including those related to mental well-being, which is less described in the literature. The results of the present study are hypothesis generating and provide strong incentives for future studies in this study population.

Data from: In an age of open access to research policies: physician and public health NGO staff research use and policy awareness

Introduction: Through funding agency and publisher policies, an increasing proportion of the health sciences literature is being made open access. Such an increase in access raises questions about the awareness and potential utilization of this literature by those working in health fields. Methods: A sample of physicians (N=336) and public health non-governmental organization (NGO) staff (N=92) were provided with relatively complete access to the research literature indexed in PubMed, as well as access to the point-of-care service UpToDate, for up to one year, with their usage monitored through the tracking of web-log data. The physicians also participated in a one-month trial of relatively complete or limited access. Results: The study found that participants' research interests were not satisfied by article abstracts alone nor, in the case of the physicians, by a clinical summary service such as UpToDate. On average, a third of the physicians viewed research a little more frequently than once a week, while two-thirds of the public health NGO staff viewed more than three articles a week. Those articles were published since the 2008 adoption of the NIH Public Access Policy, as well as prior to 2008 and during the maximum 12-month embargo period. A portion of the articles in each period was already open access, but complete access encouraged a viewing of more research articles. Conclusion: Those working in health fields will utilize more research in the course of their work as a result of (a) increasing open access to research, (b) improving awareness of and preparation for this access, and (c) adjusting public and open access policies to maximize the extent of potential access, through reduction in embargo periods and access to pre-policy literature.

Data from: The interrelationship among economic activities, environmental degradation, material consumption, and population health in low-income countries: a longitudinal ecological study

Objectives: The theory of ecological unequal exchange explains how trade and various forms of economic activity create the problem of environmental degradation, and lead to the deterioration of population health. Based on this theory, our study examined the inter-relationship among economic characteristics, ecological footprints, CO2 emissions, infant mortality rates and under-5 mortality rates in low-income countries. Design: A longitudinal ecological study design. Setting: Sixty-six low-income countries from 1980 to 2010 were included in the analyses. Data for each country represented an average of 23 years (N=1497). Data sources: Data were from the World Development Indicators, UN Commodity Trade Statistics Database, Global Footprint Network and Polity IV Project. Analyses: Linear mixed models with a spatial power covariance structure and a correlation that decreased over time were constructed to accommodate the repeated measures. Statistical analyses were conducted separately by sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and other regions. Results: After controlling for country-level sociodemographic characteristics, debt and manufacturing, economic activities were positively associated with infant mortality rates and under-5 mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa. By contrast, export intensity and foreign investment were beneficial for reducing infant and under-5 mortality rates in Latin America and other regions. Although the ecological footprints and CO2 emissions did not mediate the relationship between economic characteristics and health outcomes, export intensity increased CO2 emissions, but reduced the ecological footprints in sub-Saharan Africa. By contrast, in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, although export intensity was positively associated with the ecological footprints and also CO2 emissions, the percentage of exports to high-income countries was negatively associated with the ecological footprints. Conclusions: This study suggested that environmental protection and economic development are important for reducing infant and under-5 mortality rates in low-income countries.

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Catastrophic health expenditure according to employment status in South Korea: A population-based panel study

Objectives: Catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) means that medical spending of a household exceeds a certain level of capacity to pay. Previous studies of CHE have focused on benefits supported by the public sector or high medical cost incurred by treating diseases in South Korea. This study examines variance of CHE in these households according to changes in employment status. We also determine whether a relationship exists according to income level. Design: A longitudinal study. Setting: We used the Korea Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS) conducted by the Korea Institute. Participants: These data consisted of 5,335 households during 2009-2012. Outcome measure: CHE defined as health expenditures that were 40% greater than the ability of the household to pay. Results: Households with people who experienced changes in job status from employed to unemployed (OR 2.79, 95% CI 2.06-3.78) or were unemployed with no status change (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.28-1.92) were more likely to incur CHE compared to those who were consistently employed. In addition, low-income families that either lost a job (OR 3.52, 95% CI 2.44-5.10) or were already unemployed (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.29-2.16) were more likely to incur CHE compared to those with a consistent job. Conclusions: Given the insecure employment status of people with low-income, they are more likely to face barriers in obtaining needed health services. Meeting their needs for health care is an important consideration.

Data from: Intralocus sexual conflict can resolve the male-female health-survival paradox

At any given age, men are more likely to die than women, but women have poorer health at older ages. This is referred to as the "male-female, health-survival paradox", which is not fully understood. Here, we provide a general solution to the paradox that relies on intralocus sexual conflict, where alleles segregating in the population have late-acting positive effects on male fitness, but negative effects on female health. Using an evolutionary modelling framework we show that male-benefit, female-detriment alleles can spread if they are expressed after female reproduction stops. We provide support for our conflict based solution using experimental Drosophila data. Our results show that selecting for increased late-life male reproductive effort can increase male fitness but have a detrimental effect on female fitness. Furthermore, we show that late-life male fertility is negatively genetically correlated with female health. Our study suggests that intralocus sexual conflict could resolve the health-survival paradox.

opencc-zeroDec 2013View details →

Data from: Metatranscriptomics of the human oral microbiome during health and disease

The human microbiome plays important roles in health, but when disrupted these same indigenous microbes can cause disease. The composition of the microbiome changes during the transition from health to disease; however, these changes are often not conserved among patients. Since microbiome-associated diseases like periodontitis cause similar patient symptoms despite inter-patient variability in microbial community composition, we hypothesized that human-associated microbial communities undergo conserved changes in metabolism during disease. Here we used patient-matched healthy and diseased samples to compare gene expression of 160,000 genes in healthy and diseased periodontal communities. We show that healthy and diseased communities exhibit defined differences in metabolism that are conserved between patients. In contrast, individual species metabolic gene expression was highly variable between patients. These results demonstrate that despite high inter-patient variability in microbial composition, diseased communities display conserved metabolic profiles that are generally accomplished by a patient-specific cohort of microbes.

Data from: Evaluation of exposure to effervescent drugs in a large health check-up population in France: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: The relationship between high dietary sodium intake and hypertension is well established. Some drugs are associated with high-sodium content, particularly effervescent tablets (ETs). Despite a possible cardiovascular risk associated with the use of such drugs, observational data describing exposure to ETs in ambulatory subjects are lacking. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of exposure to ETs, and to highlight factors associated with this exposure, in a large French health check-up population. DESIGN: This was cross-sectional study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Participants were French individuals who underwent medical check-ups at the Investigations Préventives et Cliniques center between April and June 2017. RESULTS: In total, 1,043 subjects were included in the study. The prevalence of exposure to ETs in the last 30 days was 26.9% (95% CI: 24.2 – 29.6). Exposure was frequent (i.e. two ETs per week or more in the last 30 days) for 7.3% of subjects. Self-medication was the major source of exposure (93.8%). Paracetamol, aspirin, vitamins, and betaine accounted for 95.3% of the ETs used. The factors associated with this exposure by multivariate analysis were: male gender, Overseas French origin, depression and body mass index ≥ 25 kg.m-2. A diagnosis of hypertension or treatment with diuretics were not protective factors against exposure to ETs. CONCLUSION: Exposure to ETs is frequent in the general population, particularly through self-medication. Clinical conditions associated with low-salt requirements were not associated with lower exposure to ETs, suggesting a lack of awareness by practitioners and patients about this iatrogenic issue.

Data from: Urbanization as a facilitator of gene flow in a human health pest

Urban fragmentation can reduce gene flow that isolates populations, reduces genetic diversity and increases population differentiation, all of which have negative conservation implications. Alternatively, gene flow may actually be increased among urban areas consistent with an urban facilitation model. In fact, urban adapter pests are able to thrive in the urban environment and may be experiencing human-mediated transport. Here, we used social network theory with a population genetic approach to investigate the impact of urbanization on genetic connectivity in the Western black widow spider, as an urban pest model of human health concern. We collected genomewide SNP variation from mitochondrial and nuclear ddRAD sequence datasets from 210 individuals sampled from 11 urban and 10 non-urban locales across its distribution of the Western U.S. From urban and non-urban contrasts of population, phylogenetic, and network analyses, urban locales have higher within-population genetic diversity, lower between-population genetic differentiation, and higher estimates of genetic connectivity. Social network analyses show that urban locales not only have more connections, but can act as hubs that drive connectivity among non-urban locales, which show signatures of historical isolation. These results are consistent with an urban facilitation model of gene flow, and demonstrate the importance of sampling multiple cities and markers to identify the role that urbanization has had on larger spatial scales. As the urban landscape continues to grow, this approach will help determine what factors influence the spread and adaptation of pests, like the venomous black widow spider, in building policies for human and biodiversity health.

opencc-zeroDec 2016View details →

Data from: Health assessment of French university students and risk factors associated with mental health disorders

Objective: The first year of university is a particularly stressful period and can impact academic performance and students' health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the health and lifestyle of undergraduates and assess risk factors associated with psychiatric symptoms. Materials and methods: Between September 2012 and June 2013, we included all undergraduate students who underwent compulsory a medical visit at the university medical service in Nice (France) during which they were screened for potential diseases during a diagnostic interview. Data were collected prospectively in the CALCIUM database (Consultations Assistés par Logiciel pour les Centres Inter-Universitaire de Médecine) and included information about the students' lifestyle (living conditions, dietary behavior, physical activity, use of recreational drugs). The prevalence of psychiatric symptoms related to depression, anxiety and panic attacks was assessed and risk factors for these symptoms were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: A total of 4,184 undergraduates were included. Prevalence for depression, anxiety and panic attacks were 12.6%, 7.6% and 1.0%, respectively. During the 30 days preceding the evaluation, 0.6% of the students regularly drank alcohol, 6.3% were frequent-to-heavy tobacco smokers, and 10.0% smoked marijuana. Dealing with financial difficulties and having learning disabilities were associated with psychiatric symptoms. Students who were dissatisfied with their living conditions and those with poor dietary behavior were at risk of depression. Being a woman and living alone were associated with anxiety. Students who screened positively for any psychiatric disorder assessed were at a higher risk of having another psychiatric disorder concomitantly. Conclusion: The prevalence of psychiatric disorders in undergraduate students is low but the rate of students at risk of developing chronic disease is far from being negligible. Understanding predictors for these symptoms may improve students' health by implementing targeted prevention campaigns. Further research in other French universities is necessary to confirm our results.

opencc-zeroDec 2013View details →

Data from: A qualitative study exploring the health literacy issues in the care of Chinese American immigrants with diabetes

Objectives: To investigate why first-generation Chinese immigrants with diabetes have difficulty obtaining, processing and understanding diabetes related information despite the existence of translated materials and translators. Design: This qualitative study employed purposive sampling. Six focus groups and two individual interviews were conducted. Each group discussion lasted approximately 90 min and was guided by semistructured and open-ended questions. Setting: Data were collected in two community health centres and one elderly retirement village in Los Angeles, California. Participants: 29 Chinese immigrants aged ≥45 years and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for at least 1 year. Results: Eight key themes were found to potentially affect Chinese immigrants' capacity to obtain, communicate, process and understand diabetes related health information and consequently alter their decision making in self-care. Among the themes, three major categories emerged: cultural factors, structural barriers, and personal barriers. Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of cultural sensitivity when working with first-generation Chinese immigrants with diabetes. Implications for health professionals, local community centres and other potential service providers are discussed.

opencc-zeroAug 2019View details →

Data from: Calculating maximum morphine equivalent daily dose from prescription directions for use in the electronic health record: a case report

Objective To demonstrate a process of calculating the maximum potential morphine milligram equivalent daily dose (MEDD) based on the prescription Sig for use in quality improvement initiatives. Methods To calculate an opioid prescription's maximum potential Sig-MEDD, we developed SQL code to determine a prescription's maximum units/day using discrete field data and text-parsing in the prescription instructions. We validated the derived units/day calculation using 3,000 Sigs, then compared the Sig-MEDD calculation against the Epic MEDD calculator. Results Of the 101,782 outpatient opioid prescriptions ordered over one year, 80% used discrete-field Sigs, 7% used free-text Sigs, and 3% used both types. We determined units/day and calculated a Sig-MEDD for 98.3% of all prescriptions, 99.99% of discrete-Sig prescriptions, and 81.5% of free-text-Sig prescriptions. Conclusion Analyzing opioid prescription Sigs to determine a maximum potential Sig-MEDD provides greater insight into a patient's risk for opioid exposure.

Data from: Joint effect of education and main lifetime occupation on late life health: a cross-sectional study of older adults in Xiamen, China

Background: The effects of education and occupation on health have been well documented individually, but little is known about their joint effect, especially their cumulative joint effect on late life health. Methods: We enrolled 14,292 participants aged 60+ years by multistage sampling across 173 communities in Xiamen, China, in 2013. Heath status was assessed by the ability to perform six basic activities of daily life. Education was classified in four categories: 'Illiterate', 'Primary', 'Junior high school' and 'Senior high school and beyond'. Main lifetime occupation was also four categorized: 'Employed', 'Farmer', 'Jobless' and 'Others'. Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated by random-intercept multilevel models regressing health status on education and main lifetime occupation with or without their interactions, adjusting by some covariates. Results: Totally, 13,880 participants had complete data, of whom 12.5% suffered from disability, and 'Illiterate' and 'Farmer' took up the greatest proportion (33.01% and 42.72%, respectively). Participants who were higher educated had better health status (ORs = 0.62, 0.46, and 0.44 for the 'Primary', 'Junior high school', and 'Senior high school and beyond', respectively, in comparison with 'Illiterate'). Those who were long term jobless in early life had poorest heath (ORs = 1.88, 95% CI 1.47 to 2.40). Unexpectedly, for the farmers, the risk of poor health gradually increased in relation to higher education level (ORs = 1.26, 1.28, 1.40 and 2.24, respectively). For the 'Employed', similar ORs were obtained for the 'Junior high school' and 'Senior high school and beyond' educated (both ORs = 1.01). For the 'Farmer' and 'Jobless', participants who were 'Illiterate' and 'Primary' educated also showed similar ORs. Conclusions: Both education and main lifetime occupation were associated with late life health. Higher education was observed to be associated with better health, but such educational advantage was mediated by main lifetime occupation.

Data from: Health IT, hacking, and cybersecurity: national trends in data breaches of protected health information

Objective: The rapid adoption of health information technology (IT) coupled with growing reports of ransomware, and hacking has made cybersecurity a priority in health care. This study leverages federal data in order to better understand current cybersecurity threats in the context of health IT. Materials and Methods: Retrospective observational study of all available reported data breaches in the United States from 2013 to 2017, downloaded from a publicly available federal regulatory database. Results: There were 1512 data breaches affecting 154 415 257 patient records from a heterogeneous distribution of covered entities (P < .001). There were 128 electronic medical record-related breaches of 4 867 920 patient records, while 363 hacking incidents affected 130 702 378 records. Discussion and Conclusion: Despite making up less than 25% of all breaches, hacking was responsible for nearly 85% of all affected patient records. As medicine becomes increasingly interconnected and informatics-driven, significant improvements to cybersecurity must be made so our health IT infrastructure is simultaneously effective, safe, and secure.

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Exploring health literacy competencies toward patient education program for Chinese-speaking healthcare professionals: a Delphi study

Objectives: To achieve consensus on a set of competencies in health literacy practice based on a literature review and expert consultation. Setting: Hospitals and community health centres in Taiwan. Method: A 2-stage modified Delphi study involving a literature review was conducted, followed by qualitative interviews and 3 rounds of email-based data collection over a 3-month period in 2011. Participants: 15 Chinese healthcare practitioners with more than 6 months' experience in patient education were interviewed to collect data on health literacy practice. 24 experts (12 academic scholars in health literacy and 12 professionals with training related to health literacy practice) were invited to participate in the Delphi process. Results: Qualitative data from the interviews were analysed and summarised to form 99 competency items for health literacy practice, which were categorised into 5 domains of health literacy practice including those pertaining to knowledge and skills. Consensus was reached on 92 of 99 competencies, using a modified Delphi technique. Conclusions: The 92 competencies in health literacy practice embraced core components of patient education in the Chinese healthcare profession.