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Health care wearable devices can transform health care delivery by enabling real-time, continuous monitoring that facilitates early disease detection, personalized treatments, and improved patient engagement. The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened awareness of the importance of health technology, accelerating interest in wearables as tools for monitoring health and managing chronic conditions. As we navigate the postpandemic era, understanding the adoption and data-sharing behaviors associated with wearable devices has become increasingly critical. Despite their potential, challenges and low adoption rates persist, with significant gaps in understanding the impact of sociodemographic factors, health conditions, and digital literacy on the use and data-sharing behaviors of these devices. This study aimed to explore the usage and data-sharing practices (willingness to share wearable data and actual data-sharing behavior) of wearable devices among US adults specifically during the later phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using cross-sectional data from the National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey 6, conducted from March to November 2022, this study uses responses from 5591 US adults to examine wearable use, willingness to share wearable data with providers, family, and friends, and the wearable data-sharing behavior. The results indicate an increase in wearable device adoption to 36.36% (2033/5591) in 2022, up from 28%-30% in 2019. We also find a significant discrepancy between the willingness to share data, with 78.4% (1584/2020) of users open to sharing with health care providers, and the actual sharing behavior, where only 26.5% (535/ 2020) have done so. Higher odds of using wearables were associated with female gender (odds ratio [OR] 1.49, 95% CI 1.17-1.90, P<.01) and higher income levels (OR 2.65, 95% CI 1.42-4.93, P<.01 for incomes between US $50,000 and US $75,000, and OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.71-5.97, P<.01 for incomes above US $75,000). However, the likelihood of usage and data sharing declines significantly with age. Compared with African American respondents, Hispanic respondents were more willing to share wearable data with providers (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.02-3.62, P<.05), though the odds of their actual sharing of wearable data with providers was relatively less (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.20-0.97, P<.05). Frequency of provider visits (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.08-1.39, P<.01), and total medical conditions (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.05-1.73, P<.01) were significant predictors of data-sharing behavior. The study also identified weight, frequency of provider visits, technological self-efficacy and frequent physical activity as predictors for higher wearable use. Insights from this study are crucial for health care providers and policy makers aiming to leverage wearable technology to enhance health outcomes. Addressing the disparities and barriers identified can lead to more effective integration of these technologies in health care systems, thereby maximizing the potential of digital health tools to improve public health outcomes.

Social media platforms have transformed the dissemination of health information, allowing for rapid and widespread sharing of content. However, alongside valuable medical knowledge, these platforms have also become channels for the spread of health misinformation, including false claims and misleading advice, which can lead to significant public health risks. Susceptibility to health misinformation varies and is influenced by individuals' cultural, social, and personal backgrounds, further complicating efforts to combat its spread. This study aimed to examine the extent to which individuals report encountering health-related misinformation on social media and to assess how racial, ethnic, and sociodemographic factors influence susceptibility to such misinformation. Data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS; Cycle 6), conducted by the National Cancer Institute with 5041 US adults between March and November 2022, was used to explore associations between racial and sociodemographic factors (age, gender, race/ethnicity, annual household income, marital status, and location) and susceptibility variables, including encounters with misleading health information on social media, difficulty in assessing information truthfulness, discussions with health providers, and making health decisions based on such information. Over 35.61% (1740/4959) of respondents reported encountering \"a lot\" of misleading health information on social media, with an additional 45% (2256/4959) reporting seeing \"some\" amount of health misinformation. Racial disparities were evident in comparison with Whites, with non-Hispanic Black (odds ratio [OR] 0.45, 95% CI 0.33-0.6, P<.01) and Hispanic (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.41-0.71, P<.01) individuals reporting lower odds of finding deceptive information, while Hispanic (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.48-1.98, P<.05) and non-Hispanic Asian (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.21-3.18, P<.01) individuals exhibited higher odds in having difficulties in assessing the veracity of health information found on social media. Hispanic and Asian individuals were more likely to discuss with providers and make health decisions based on social media information. Older adults aged ≥75 years exhibited challenges in assessing health information on social media (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.43-0.93, P<.01), while younger adults (18-34) showed increased vulnerability to health misinformation. In addition, income levels were linked to higher exposure to health misinformation on social media: individuals with annual household incomes between US $50,000 and US $75,000 (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.14-2.68, P<.01), and greater than US $75,000 (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.20-2.66, P<.01) exhibited greater odds, revealing complexities in decision-making and information access. This study highlights the pervasive presence of health misinformation on social media, revealing vulnerabilities across racial, age, and income groups, underscoring the need for tailored interventions.

This work aims to study the time-frequency relationship between the recent COVID-19 pandemic and instabilities in oil price and the stock market, geopolitical risks, and uncertainty in the economic policy in the USA, Europe, and China. The coherence wavelet method and the wavelet-based Granger causality tests are applied to the data (31st December 2019 to 1st August 2020) based on daily COVID-19 observations, oil prices, US-EPU, the US geopolitical risk index, and the US stock price index. The short- and long-term COVID-19 consequences are depicted differently and may initially be viewed as an economic crisis. The results illustrate the reduced industrial productivity, which intensifies with the increase in the pandemic’s severeness (i.e., a 10.57% decrease in the productivity index with a 1% increase in the pandemic severeness). Similarly, indices for oil demand, stock market, GDP growth, and electricity demand decrease significantly with an increase in the pandemic severeness index (i.e., a 1% increase in the pandemic severeness results in a 0.9%, 0.67%, 1.12%, and 0.65% decrease, respectively). However, the oil market shows low co-movement with the stock exchange, exchange rate, and gold markets. Therefore, investors and the government are recommended to invest in the oil market to generate revenue during the sanctions period.

Cryptosporidium is one of the most important protozoan parasitic pathogens, and it is a common cause of diarrhoea in humans, domestic animals, and wild vertebrates and has serious public health threats. A cross-sectional study was designed to determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in raw-eaten vegetables in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) and Jere Local Government Areas (LGAs). A total of 400 samples were collected from four (4) different locations, namely Tashan Bama, Gomboru , and Monday Market s (n = 100), while fifty (n = 50) each from 202-Vegetable-Vendors and Unimaid Commercials. A total of 16 visits were conducted in all the sampling areas (twenty-five samples per visit). The Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected using the Modified Ziehl–Neelsen Staining Technique. The locations, sources, and types of raw-eaten vegetables were also assessed. The oocysts were confirmed (100×) as bright pink spherules. Data generated were analyzed using IBM-SPSS V23.0, and p ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Out of the total samples (n = 400) analyzed, cabbage appeared to have the highest number of 10 (12.5%) of Cryptosporidium oocysts detected, while Tomato and garden egg had 9 (11.3%) and 1 (1.2%), respectively. There was a statistically significant association (χ 2  = 12.5, P = 0.014) between the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts in raw-eaten vegetables and vegetable types. Among the sources of the vegetables sampled, Alau had the highest number of Cryptosporidium oocysts, 15 (12.5%), followed by Kilari-Abdullahi and Zabarmari sources with 4 (10.0%) and 4 (5.0%), respectively. However, Jetete appeared to have the least number 2 (2.5%) of oocysts, and there was a statistically significant association (χ 2 = 10.4, P = 0.034) between the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts and the sources of vegetables and fruits. The study concludes that the raw-eaten vegetables sampled from Maiduguri Metropolis were contaminated with Cryptosporidium oocysts. The study recommends that all raw-eaten vegetables should be from cleaned sources and washed before consumption. Consumers should be enlightened on the hygienic measures in the food chain in line with the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles.

The role of risk assessment and capital structure is vital for the sustainable growth of firms and increasing the shareholders' wealth. This research explores the correlation between firm risk and capital structure using datasets from the sugar and cement sectors of Pakistan as a developing economy. This study is unique as it involved two firms of different nature (sugar firms operate seasonally while cement firms operate yearly) to view the real picture on the impact of risk and structure assessment on firms' credibility and shareholders' wealth. For this purpose, 15-year data (2000-2014) containing the financial statements of the target sectors were collected and the ANOVA analysis was applied with credit risk, liquidity risk, systematic risk, and firm size were used as the regressor variables, firm growth and dividend payout ratio as the control variables, and leverage as the regression variable. The findings showed that credit risk and liquidity risk are significantly correlated with leverage. This suggests that decision-makers pertaining to firms' risk and efficiency must focus more on risk to pursue a stronger and sustainable increase in shareholder wealth.

The presence of heavy metals affects the properties of soil due to a decrease in the dielectric constant, which increases the risk of contamination. Current conventional treatments are costly, slower, and environmentally unsustainable. Therefore, soil biocementation improvement using enzymatically induced calcium carbonate precipitation has gained attention due to its cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and environmental friendliness. This study investigates the effect of this technique on the retention and immobilization of heavy metal-contaminated mine waste sourced from Lohan Dam, Sabah, Malaysia, under different curing periods (1 and 3 days), degrees of compactions (70 and 80% of the maximum dry density), and curing temperatures (5 °C, 15 °C, and 25 °C) but at constant 1.0M cementation solution using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry, acid washing test, and scanning electron microscopy. Results indicate that the treatment effect is immediate and able to increase the retention of heavy metals in the order of Ni> Cu > Pb, with the highest retention observed at 25 °C and higher retention at lower degrees of compaction. SEM images confirm the formation of calcite in soil particles. In conclusion, the optimum treatment conditions for a 1.0 M EICP cementation solution are 25 °C, 70% MDD, and 1-day curing.

Despite Iraq having started the COVID-19 vaccine in January 2020, there is no official data on vaccition and hospitalization across the country. We aimed to explore the role of the COVID-19 vaccine on the hospitalization and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 in Iraqi Kurdistan. In this prospective study, patients who were admitted to two COVID-19 hospitals in Iraqi Kurdistan in 2021 were followed-up by the discharge time between August and November 2021. The mean age of the patients was 57.6 (27-98 years) of both genders. Most of the patients were illiterate (69.3%) or had a lower level of education (20.5%). A small percentage of patients had previous thrombotic disorders (4.7%) and close to half of the patients had chronic diseases (44.9%). The patients had mild to moderate (44.9%), moderate-severe (36.2%), and critical (18.9%) status. The median hospitalization day was 9 days (1-45 days). The study found that 91.3% of the COVID-19 hospitalized patients did not receive the vaccine and 26.8% of patients died. We did not find a significant association between receiving vaccition and patients’ outcomes or disease severity. No patients with previous thrombotic disorders received the COVID-19 vaccine. The male patients were more likely to receive the COVID-19 vaccine compared to female patients; 14.55% vs. 4.17%, p=0.0394. This study showed that most patients with COVID-19 who were admitted to the hospitals have not received the COVID-19 vaccine. A high percentage of the COVID-19 hospitalized patients died of the disease in this region.

Enteric fever is caused by Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi (S. Typhi) and Paratyphi A, B, and C. It continues to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In highly endemic areas, children are disproportionately affected, and antimicrobial resistance reduces therapeutic options. It is estimated that 2-5% of enteric fever patients develop chronic asymptomatic infection. These carriers may act as reservoirs of infection; therefore, the prospective identification and treatment of carriers are critical for long-term disease control. We aimed to find the frequency of Salmonella Typhi carriers in patients undergoing cholecystectomy. We also compared the detection limit of culturing versus qPCR in detecting S. Typhi, performed a geospatial analysis of the carriers identified using this study, and evaluated the accuracy of anti-Vi and anti-YncE in identifying chronic typhoid carriage. We performed a cross-sectional study in two centers in Pakistan. Gallbladder specimens were subjected to quantitative PCR (qPCR) and serum samples were analyzed for IgG against YncE and Vi by ELISA. We also mapped the residential location of those with a positive qPCR result. Out of 988 participants, 3.4% had qPCR-positive gallbladder samples (23 S. Typhi and 11 S. Paratyphi). Gallstones were more likely to be qPCR positive than bile and gallbladder tissue. Anti-Vi and YncE were significantly correlated (r = 0.78 p<0.0001) and elevated among carriers as compared to qPCR negative controls, except for anti-Vi response in Paratyphi A. But the discriminatory values of these antigens in identifying carriers from qPCR negative controls were low. The high prevalence of typhoid carriers observed in this study suggests that further studies are required to gain information that will help in controlling future typhoid outbreaks in a superior manner than they are currently being managed.

This study used the tensile and fatigue test to find the properties of composite material used to fabricate a prosthetic socket with below knee amputation using an excluding air technique. The composite materials consisted of eight layers of carbon-fiber for first socket and eight layers of perlon for second socket of below knee amputation. This study was conducted on a patient have 45years old of height 164cm and weight95kg were measured, and the results showed that the ultimate stress (Ϭult) and yield stress (Ϭy) for eight layers of perlon was39 MPa and 36 MPa, while for eight layers of carbon-fiber was 135 MPa and 121 MPa. The fatigue limit for eight layers of perlon was 15 MPa and for eight layers of carbon-fiber was 90 MPa. The value of pressure on the internal wall of the prosthetic socket was measured by F-socket sensor between stump and socket for four position; this data is anterior =210kPa, lateral=313kPa, posterior=225kPa and medial=180kPa. From mechanical properties and ANSYS workbench 14.5software, the safety factor for below knee socket with eight layers of carbon-fiber is (1.35) which is acceptable for socket design. The safety factor for below knee socket with eight layers of perlon is (0.22) which is failure.

Background This evaluation research utilized both qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the implementation of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) gateway of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) across six states in Northern Nigeria: Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto, and Yobe. Methods This was a mixed-method research that utilized longitudinal surveys and Key informant interviews to gather information about the implementation status of the BHCPF-NPHCDA gateway. Checklists were developed based on the BHCPF’s national guidelines to gather quantitative data, while simple open-ended questionnaires were used to collect qualitative data from the state BHCPF Program Implementation Unit (PIU) focal persons as key informants. Results The result revealed that the NPHCDA had accredited these six states to use one Primary Health Care (PHC) facility in each political ward to implement the BHCPF. Factors that contributed to the success achieved in some states included the early completion of contingent start-up activities, well-established coordination structures, strong support from partners, and the availability of established financial management systems. However, the delays in the submission of quarterly business plans by the BHCPF facilities affected timely approval and fund disbursement. Other challenges included staff capacity gaps, inadequate human resources, and poor management and supervision from the state health agency teams. Conclusion There was suboptimal implementation of the BHCPF in at least one thematic area across all states. Therefore, actions such as government commitment for improved coordination, continuous capacity building, effective monitoring and evaluation, and targeted supportive supervision using innovative approaches should be undertaken to improve the program’s implementation. In a broader setting, the insights from BHCPF implementation are valuable for LMICs, offering guidance on overcoming implementation challenges associated with PHC financing. This research provides a resource for enhancing healthcare financing strategies in similar contexts.