ABSTRACT
Objective: This study assesses the impact of personalized health education on elderly patients with chronic diseases in a general practice setting. The rationale behind the incorporation of personalized health education stems from the growing recognition of the need for patient-centered care approaches, particularly in geriatric populations, where such interventions could lead to improved health outcomes. Our study aims to evaluate the effects of personalized health education on elderly patients with chronic diseases in a general practice context. The initiation of this study is grounded in the increasing acknowledgment of patient-centered care's significance, especially in geriatric demographics. We hypothesize that personalized health education interventions could significantly enhance health outcomes in this patient group. Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial involving 126 elderly patients with chronic diseases, assigning them equally to receive either standard care or standard care supplemented with personalized health education. The effectiveness of this education was measured through outcomes related to cognition, self-care, health literacy, psychological and physical health, quality of life, and prognosis. In our study, we executed a randomized controlled trial encompassing 126 elderly patients diagnosed with a range of chronic diseases. These participants were evenly divided into two groups: one receiving standard care and the other receiving standard care enhanced with personalized health education. The study spanned over a specified period, during which the impact of the personalized health education was meticulously evaluated. To comprehensively measure the effectiveness of the personalized health education, we employed a variety of tools and scales. These instruments were specifically chosen to assess changes in cognition, self-care abilities, health literacy, and psychological and physical health. Additionally, we evaluated the quality of life and prognosis of these patients, aiming to capture the holistic impact of the intervention. This approach ensured a thorough and nuanced understanding of how personalized health education influences the health outcomes of elderly patients with chronic diseases. Results: The intervention group demonstrated significant improvements across all measured outcomes compared to the control group, highlighting the efficacy of personalized health education in enhancing comprehensive health parameters in geriatric patients with chronic conditions. In our study, the intervention group, which received personalized health education, exhibited notable improvements in several key areas compared to the control group. Specifically, there was a marked enhancement in cognition and health literacy, with patients showing improved understanding and management of their conditions. Additionally, significant gains were observed in the quality of life, indicating that the tailored health education effectively addressed the holistic needs of geriatric patients with chronic diseases. These specific findings underscore the substantial impact of personalized health education in improving critical health outcomes in this patient population. Conclusion: Personalized health education in geriatric chronic disease management significantly betters disease comprehension, health literacy, self-care, psychological well-being, and physical health while also lowering the risk of adverse events. This study underscores the value of patient-centered educational strategies in chronic disease care for the elderly.Our study conclusively demonstrates that personalized health education plays a pivotal role in managing chronic diseases among the elderly. It significantly improves disease comprehension, health literacy, self-care capabilities, psychological well-being, and physical health. Furthermore, it contributes to a reduced risk of adverse health events. These findings emphasize the critical importance of integrating patient-centered educational strategies into general practice care for the elderly. By doing so, we can enhance their overall well-being and quality of life, making personalized health education an essential component in the holistic care of elderly patients with chronic conditions. This approach not only aligns with the principles of modern geriatric care but also sets a benchmark for the future of chronic disease management in older populations.
ABSTRACT
The growing demand for pesticide manufacturing and increasing public awareness of sustainable development, have let to urgent requirements for a refined environmental management framework. It is imperative to conduct process-based life cycle assessments (LCAs) to promote clean and environment-friendly technologies. Herein, the cradle-to-gate LCA of glyphosate production was executed as an example to investigate crucial production factors (materials or energy) and multiple environmental impacts during the production processes. Results showed that methanol caused the highest environmental damage in terms of toxicity, with a normalized value of 85.7 × 10-8, followed by coal-fired electricity in 6.00 × 10-8. Furthermore, optimized schemes were proposed, including energy improvement (electricity generated by switching from coal-fired power to solar power) and wastewater targeted conversion. Regarding the normalization results before and after optimization, the latter showed more significant results with the normalized value decreasing by 21.10 × 10-8, while that of the former only decreased by 6.50 × 10-8. This study provides an integrated LCA framework for organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) from upstream control and offers an important supplement to managing the key pollution factors and control links of the OP industry. Moreover, it reveals the positive influence of optimized schemes in facilitating cleaner production technologies, thus ultimately promoting new methodologies for resource recycling.
Subject(s)
Pesticides , Animals , Organophosphorus Compounds , Coal , Life Cycle StagesABSTRACT
Engineered microbial ecosystems in bioscrubbers for the treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been complicated by complex VOC mixtures from various industrial emissions. Microbial associations with VOC removal performance of the bioscrubbers are still not definitive. Here, one- and two-phase partitioning airlift bioreactors were used for the treatment of a complex VOC mixture. Microbial characteristics in both bioreactors were uncovered by high-throughput metagenomics sequencing. Results showed that dominant species with specialized VOC biodegradability were mainly responsible for high removal efficiency of relative individual VOC. Competitive enzyme inhibitions among the VOC mixture were closely related to the deterioration of removal performance for individual VOC. Relative to the mass transfer resistance, the specialized biodegrading functions of microbial inoculations and enzymatic interactions among individual VOC biodegradation also must be carefully evaluated to optimize the treatment of complex VOC mixtures in bioreactors.
Subject(s)
Bioreactors/microbiology , Volatile Organic Compounds/metabolism , Biodegradation, Environmental , MetagenomicsABSTRACT
The pyrolysis of wheat and barley spent grains resulting from bio-ethanol and beer production respectively was investigated at temperatures between 460 and 540 °C using an activated alumina bed. The results showed that the bio-oil yield and quality depend principally on the applied temperature where pyrolysis at 460 °C leaves a bio-oil with lower nitrogen content in comparison with the original spent grains and low oxygen content. The viscosity profile of the spent grains indicated that activated alumina could promote liquefaction and prevent charring of the structure between 400 and 460 °C. The biochar contains about 10-12% of original carbon and 13-20% of starting nitrogen resulting very attractive as a soil amendment and for carbon sequestration. Overall, value can be added to the spent grains opening a new market in bio-fuel production without the needs of external energy. The bio-oil from spent grains could meet about 9% of the renewable obligation in the UK.