Awareness, Practice and Intention to Practice Testicular Self-Examination among Professional Working Males in Ghana

Background: The aetiology of Testicular Cancer (TC) is still unknown to researchers but many of the associated risk factors have been identified. These include family history, age, racial origin, cryptorchidism, urogenital malformations, testicular atrophy, and infertility. Given the lack of scientific data on the causes of the disease, it has been asserted in previous studies that the promotion of awareness and early detection are prerequisites to mitigating risks of metastasis as well as improving survival. This study is to assess the awareness, practice, and intention to practice testicular self-examination among professional working males in Accra. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional design with a structured research instrument was used to collect data from respondants. The purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to collect data from 300 men at Accra in Ghana. The study was conducted at two (2) Universities and a Senior High school at Accra in Ghana. The data was then analysed using descriptive statistics, logistic regression, multiple linear regression, and structural equation modeling. Results: From the study findings, 37% of male participants rated their knowledge of testicular self-examination and related symptoms as good, 28% of participants practised testicular self-examination monthly, while 65% of respondents expressed their intention to practice monthly testicular self-examination. The findings from logistic regression demonstrated that level of education, age, and marital status of participants had a significant influence on testicular self-examination. Additionally, the multiple linear regression results revealed knowledge and self-efficacy significantly predict testicular self-examination intention. The path coefficient results from the structural equation model are consistent with results from the regression models. Conclusion: This research is the first to investigate testicular self-examination among men in Ghana. The findings revealed awareness and practice of TSE are low among participants. Therefore, the research findings would improve the expertise of physicians and nurses in providing counsel, intervention, and support for patients at risk of testicular cancer.

An Assessment of Awareness of Specialists in Adequate Diagnostics of Chronic Pancreatitis in Kazakhstan

Our national center of gastroenterology provides highly specialized care, including chronic pancreatitis. Another area of our activities is educational programs, including postgraduate and fellows’ courses. Thereby, we have noted significant gaps in the knowledge of the specialists that involved in the chronic pancreatitis management. The most critical downsides are related to insufficient attention to etiology and risk factors, using outdated classifications, the lack of knowledge in arsenal of diagnostic techniques, polypharmacy or application of low level of evidence treatment methods. Finally, we have made amendments in the National Clinical Protocol in Chronic Pancreatitis [1], updated the State Educational Standard for residents of the gastroenterological profile [2]. The aim of the study was the analysis of the basic knowledge among different specialists in the management of chronic pancreatitis (CP) around the country. This qualitative study consists of two parts, including focus group interviews followed by interviews with the specialists across the country, which was conducted during the period 2015-2018. In this paper, we present results of diagnostic approaches at the different levels of medical care. The general practitioners have noted the absence of modern methods of laboratory and visual diagnostics in their routine practice, therefore explaining the plenty of the complicated forms. Another issue is the low specialist’s adherence to clinical guidelines, poor knowledge of the risk factors and overestimation of the clinical presentation value except malnutrition symptoms. On the other hand, surgeons and other specialists are not ready to implement modern diagnostic tools and methods in their practice. Obviously, in accordance with the results of our study, our educational center should conduct a number of training activities, as well as develop new algorithms for medical care specialists.

Integrated Privacy Preserving Healthcare System Using Posture-Based Classifier in Cloud

Privacy-preserving online disease prediction and diagnosis are critical issues in the emerging edge-cloud-based healthcare system.Online patient data pro-cessing from remote places may lead to severe privacy problems.Moreover,the existing cloud-based healthcare system takes more latency and energy consumption during diagnosis due to offloading of live patient data to remote cloud servers.Solve the privacy problem.The proposed research introduces the edge-cloud enabled privacy-preserving healthcare system by exploiting additive homomorphic encryption schemes.It can help maintain the privacy preservation and confidentiality of patients’medical data during diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.In addition,the energy and delay aware computational offloading scheme is proposed to minimize the uncertainty and energy consumption of end-user devices.The proposed research maintains the better privacy and robustness of live video data processing during prediction and diagnosis compared to existing health-care systems.

基于D-S证据理论的网络安全态势预测方法研究

为了获取网络在未来一段时间内的安全态势状况,提出了一种基于D-S证据理论的网络安全态势预测方法。构建了基于D-S证据理论的网络安全态势预测模型,用于融合历史和当前网络安全态势对未来网络安全态势的影响,降低其中的不确定性,获得下一时刻网络处于各类安全状态的概率,避免对网络安全态势的绝对预测。通过实验验证了该方法的有效性和准确性,为网络安全态势预测提供了一种新思路。

HDFS数据存放策略的研究与改进

为了改善HDFS中集群负载的均衡性,提高数据节点的资源利用率,提出了一种改进的数据存放策略。在HDFS原始策略的基础上充分考虑了节点的差异性,通过采集数据节点的CPU负载、内存负载、网络负载和存储空间负载,引入负载因子计算数据的存放成本,以选择一个最优的数据节点存放数据。实验结果表明,改进后的策略优化了集群负载的均衡性,提高了数据块副本的传输性能。

基于增强型延时感知CSE算法的AES S盒电路优化设计

针对高级加密标准(AES) S-盒优化,提出了一种增强型延时感知公共项消除(CSE)算法.该算法能够在不同延时约束条件下优化多常数乘法运算电路,并给出从最小延时到最小面积全范围的面积-延时设计折中.采用该算法优化了基于冗余有限域算术的S盒实现电路,确定了延时最优、面积最优的两种S盒构造.实例优化结果表明所提出算法的优化效率高、优化结果整体延时小.所设计的S盒电路基于65nm CMOS工艺库综合,结果表明,对比于已有文献中S盒复合域实现电路,所提出面积最优S盒电路的面积-延时积最小,比目前最小面积与最短延时的S盒组合逻辑分别减少了17. 58%和19. 74%.

网络安全态势感知中D-S证据理论冲突证据的修正研究

D-S证据理论是不确定推理的一种重要方法,在许多方面都得到了广泛的应用。针对D-S证据理论在网络安全态势感知的数据融合过程中的应用,就多源数据的证据组合结果与直觉相悖的问题进行深入研究,提出了一种新的解决方案。该方案通过支持度的思想对冲突证据源进行修正以达到解决证据冲突的目的。最后,以网络安全态势感知环境为背景进行数值算例,证明了所提方法的可行性。

一种新型的基于C/M/S三层结构的CSCW体系

该文在充分研究现有CSCW体系结构的基础上提出了一种新的C/M/S结构,这种结构在系统实现及操作管理上都有其独特的体系优势。并具体讨论了该系统在数据交互、版本控制等方面的新思路和新方法。

隧道环境自解释型设计下驾驶员情境意识状态分析

为探究隧道不同环境自解释型设计下驾驶员的情境意识状态,从高速公路隧道多维环境特征出发,将隧道划分为可变段、过渡段和不变段,通过分析各功能区段内驾驶员的情境意识状态和图式关系,建立情境意识水平预测模型。采用3D Max软件构建仿真实验场景,选取15名驾驶员开展不同隧道环境自解释型设计场景下的驾驶模拟试验,利用眼动仪、心电仪等采集驾驶员的生理、心理及车辆运行状态数据,计算各方案下驾驶员情境意识水平预测值,最后得出试验组中较符合驾驶员情境意识的方案。研究结果表明:渐变组中驾驶员情境意识水平最高的方案是边坡图案倾斜+黄色渐变彩色路面+蓝-白韵律侧墙,比普通隧道场景下情境意识水平预测值增加了1.181倍;标线组中驾驶员情境意识水平最高的方案是边坡图案倾斜+纵向标线彩色路面+蓝-白韵律侧墙,比普通隧道场景下情境意识水平预测值增加了1.256倍。隧道路段驾驶员情境意识图式和预测模型可为今后隧道环境自解释型设计提供技术参考。

基于D-S证据理论的脆弱性态势数据融合方法研究

将基于D-S证据理论的融合算法应用在态势感知领域的脆弱性态势数据处理中,对网络扫描和主机扫描等多种手段得到的脆弱性数据进行融合与分析。通过对脆弱性数据进行规格化,构造概率分配及融合处理,有效利用多源数据的冗余性、互补性,实现了对多个扫描结果的综合。结果表明此方法得到的结果更加全面可靠。

一种节点任务活动状态感知的改进型S-MAC协议

S-MAC协议设计的主要目标是减少能量消耗。该协议具有良好的扩展性,不要求严格的时间同步,但它也存在着节点活动时间无法根据通信负载动态变化和节点休眠带来的延迟问题。提出一种基于节点任务活动状态感知的MAC协议,通过收集节点自身和相邻节点的任务活动状态来估算无线传感器网络的网络负载,并根据网络负载来确定节点进行信道访问的概率,以此来提高能量效率和吞吐量。仿真结果表明:提出的改进方法可以减少能量消耗,并通过消除不必要的碰撞来提高网络的吞吐量。

基于NS-3的改进AODV路由算法

针对传统AODV算法没有考虑节点剩余能量和负载均衡的缺点,提出一种结合剩余能量和负载感知的改进AODV路由算法。NS-3仿真结果表明,与传统AODV算法相比,改进后的算法略微降低了传输比,但是显著降低了路由开销和平均端到端时延,节省能量,延长网络生存时间。

Application-aware routing with QoS support in SDN networks

Software defined networking( SDN) offers programmable interface to effectively control their networks by decoupling control and data plane. The network operators utilize a centralized controller to deploy advanced network management strategies. An architecture for application-aware routing which can support dynamic quality of service( Qo S) in SDN networks is proposed. The applicationaware routing as a multi-constrained optimal path( MCOP) problem is proposed,where applications are treated as Qo S flow and best-effort flows. With the SDN controller applications,it is able to dynamically lead routing decisions based on application characteristics and requirements,leading to a better overall user experience and higher utilization of network resources. The simulation results show that the improvement of application-aware routing framework on discovering appropriate routes,which can provide Qo S guarantees for a specific application in SDN networks.

Understanding the individual with Alzheimer’s disease: Can socioemotional selectivity theory guide us?

Individuals often get lost behind the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) while widespread differences between these patients are morecommon than similarities. Socioemotional Selectivity Theory (SST) suggests that as we age our goals change from future-oriented (acquiringnew information) to present-oriented (enhancing the emotional, especially positive, meaning of encounters). The goal of the current article is to examine whether the principles of SST might also apply for people with AD. Some aspects of SST are found especially in the early stages of AD when awareness is often intact and cognitive impairment is relatively limited. This review has clinical significance for the treatment of AD because it focuses on what is important to the individual rather than treating patients as a homogenous group. It also highlights the importance of social networks and emphasizes the role of the proxy in AD care. Lastly, it suggests that if those with AD (like the healthy elderly) have a positivity bias then positive emotional stimuli/wording/instructions could usefully be employed in their daily treatment. I suggest that SST may be a useful starting point when attempting to address what matters to individuals with AD and conclude by providing a few suggestions for future studies.

Assessment of Knowledge and Attitude in a Sample of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Its Association with Disease Activity and Severity: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and disabling disease that has a major impact on the lives of patients. Objectives: To test the patients’ knowledge about their disease, its treatment, its complications, and if this affects severity of the disease as measured by the disease activity index (DAS 28). Patients and Methods: A sample of 100 patients with RA who met the Criteria of American College of Rheumatology for RA agreed to participate in this study over the period September 2011-March 2012. Patients’ data were obtained by personal interview. The questionnaire included demographic characteristics and the patients’ knowledge about their disease. The disease activity was measured using standard (DAS28). Results: Thirty three percent of the patients didn’t have an idea about their disease, 20% didn’t know the reason for the investigations, 49% didn’t know the treatment and 40% didn’t know the side effects of their medications. Most patients had a high disease activity index, and there was a poor correlation between patients’ educational level and the disease activity. Conclusions: Neither the educational level nor the frequency of hospital admissions had effects on the knowledge about this disease. As most patients had a high disease activity, a better knowledge may improve disease control and prevent complications.

Interpreting The Clockmaker from the Perspective of Greenblatt’s Cultural Poetics

Thomas·C·Haliburton(1796-1865)establishes a literary fame as“the first Canadian writer to establish an international reputation”and a great humorist,with the publication of his masterpiece The Clockmaker(1836).Centering on Nova Scotia,the origin place of Canadian literature and the first British colony in Canada,the book conveys deep concerns on local reality under the British colonization in the 1830s.Haliburton as a Loyalist firmly opposes violent revolution against the British Empire whereas promotes gradual evolution in the colony.This is a typical demonstration of ideological contradictions in colonies.Greenblatt’s Cultural Poetics generally explores political consciousness and ideology in literary texts.It surpasses the dichotomy mode of Western radical ideology and never views the relationship between domination and resistance as a simple confrontation.From the perspective of Greenblatt’s Culture Poetics,this essay interprets the process of“improvisation of power”,“subversion”and“containment”in the colony reflected in The Clockmaker in order to explore Nova Scotians’awakening of independence awareness in the 1830s.

Generic Framework for Context-Aware Communication Services in Visitor’s Guides

Ubiquitous computing plays an increasing role in our lives. Typically, applications in ubiquitous computing environ-ments are context aware, namely, they react to the situations of their users at a given moment in time. One example for such environment is visitor’s guides in cultural heritage sites, supporting visits of individuals or small groups, such as families or friends. In such environments, it is well known that interaction among visitors enhances the overall visit experience. Recently, some research prototypes of visitor’s guides have started supporting such interaction through textual communication services embedded in them. However, these applications have so far been developed separately in an ad-hoc manner, despite common features and infrastructures they share. The research described here generalizes communication services offered by different visitor’s guides and suggests a systematic and generic framework for developing context-aware communication services for visitor’s guides. The specific communication services are abstracted into a domain model, later used in practice for adapting and tailoring the different concepts to the specific requirements of the applications. The framework is demonstrated in the specific setting of a multi-agent museum visitor’s guide system. We also show that the suggested framework is not limited to the specific museum visitor’s guide system but may facilitate the development of context-aware communication applications in general.

Post-90s college students party member must go beyond the five sense

Currently, colleges and universities, Post-90s college students has gradually become the main force of college students party, how to play their constructive role as a college party workers is a problem in front of us. To solve this problem, we propose effective measures must be taken to enable them to overcome some of the wrong ideology, such as student centered consciousness, making nice consciousness, Abandon rights, abandon obligations consciousness, party members community spirit is not vested in the party organization, the sense of thought like good learning is more important than good thought consciousness, so as to guide the Post-90s college students to actively join the party building.

电力局域网通信安全态势智能感知系统设计

为了加强电力局域网对通信数据的承载能力,使整个通信网络呈现出相对稳定的连接形式,设计电力局域网通信安全态势智能感知系统。根据B/S框架体系,划分电力局域网内的元件分层形式,利用关联外部接口,实现模块与模块之间的连接。在此基础上,建立服务端通信线程,通过转发通信指令的方式,得到准确的数据信息解析结果,完成电力局域网的通信需求分析,结合相关硬件结构布局形式,实现电力局域网通信安全态势智能感知系统的应用。实验分析结果显示,与总线控制型系统相比,智能感知系统作用下电力局域网主机在单位时间内所能承载的通信数据量更大,对维持通信网络的稳定连接起到一定的促进作用。