bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Artificial Intelligence and the Contributions of Nanotechnology to the Biomedical Sector
Authors: Widjaja Gunawan , Kumar Anil , Chandrasekar V. , Shankar B. B. , Nayak Bijaya Bijeta
Published: August 2023

The application of an emerging technology called nanotechnology has had a strong development in various fields of human knowledge. Bio nanotechnology is one of the most recent evolutions of science with important contributions to the field of health, especially to precision medicine, so this chapter aims to highlight and discuss the main scientific findings on bionanotechnology applied to precision medicine. To do this, this chapter reviews the treatment of various diseases such as cancer, osteoarticular pathologies, cardiovascular diseases, neurological diseases, lung diseases, fungi such as Candida albicans, viruses such as Zica, Ebola, Dengue, and Sars-Cov2, with important advances such as more effective and less invasive treatments. These results coincide with the purpose of precision medicine, which brings together efforts to improve prevention, favoring prognosis.
History, Challenges, and Opportunities in Tissue Engineering
Authors: Gokul Varshan M. , Joel Josephson P. , Nayak Bijaya Bijeta , Hariram Venkatesan , Balachandar K.
Published: August 2023

In the last several decades, the area of tissue engineering has experienced significant growth, bringing to the clinic treatments that were long thought to be the stuff of science fiction. Although the use of tissue engineering concepts in clinics is not particularly common, the field is predicted to have a very bright future as more tissues will be added to the list of “clinically applicable tissue engineered constructs.” Future advancements are likely to make it feasible to combine immune-transparent cells with a commercially available scaffold and cultivate them in a sophisticated bioreactor to provide messages specifically designed for the target region. However, much basic and applied scientific study is still needed before off-the-shelf body parts become therapeutically useful. The development of innovative biomaterials for the various tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications will be the main focus of future efforts. The biomaterials' structure and mechanical characteristics will be tailored to better fit the target tissue.
Smart Contracts and Web 3
Authors: Napieralska Aneta , Kępczyński Przemysław
Published: August 2023

This chapter delves into the burgeoning world of smart contracts and their critical role in powering decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). Beginning with an exploration of the logical foundations of smart contracts, it underscores the parallels between smart contract creation and traditional contract formulation, with a keen emphasis on the concept of conditional execution. It further elucidates the integral role of smart contracts in underpinning DAOs, illuminating how these automated, transparent, and immutable constructs facilitate the decentralization and autonomy of such organizations. A rigorous examination of the complex interplay between technology, law, and economy in DAO operations is also undertaken. The chapter additionally navigates the challenging regulatory landscape, drawing on international legal frameworks and proposed regulations. Throughout, it maintains a balanced perspective on the transformative potential of smart contracts and DAOs in reshaping societal structures, alongside the profound challenges their implementation presents.
Integrated Geospatial Information Management in the World of Metaverse
Authors: Ahmad Munir , Ali Asmat
Published: August 2023

Transformative discoveries are available across several disciplines because of the convergence of integrated geospatial information management with the Metaverse. Through the study of geospatial data, integrated geospatial information management (GIM) offers useful insights that can support emergency response, transportation, and urban planning. Immersive encounters, virtual travel, brand activation, cultural preservation, education, healthcare, and entertainment can be possible by the metaverse. The Metaverse's integration of GIM can improves visualization, teamwork, decision-making, and data sharing. However, issues like interoperability, data accuracy, and data privacy require special consideration. Accepting the potential of GIM in the metaverse can opens doors for creative developments across many industries, promoting societal improvement and improving user experiences in virtual settings.
Deep Learning Techniques for Smart Agriculture Applications
Authors: Mishra Ankita , Banerjee Sourik , Singh Brijendra
Published: August 2023

With an emphasis on the rapid and accurate diagnosis of plant and fruit diseases, researchers have been looking into sustainable agriculture utilizing cutting-edge deep learning techniques. The objective is to show how effective deep learning algorithms can revolutionize the agricultural industry. Automated illness detection is the main area of focus, where advances in image processing and computer vision techniques enable precise and quick identification while lowering labor requirements and associated costs. In order to identify plant and fruit diseases in a sustainable manner, this project intends to explore the possibilities of deep learning algorithms in detecting diseases from the leaves of agricultural plants using pre-trained deep convolutional neural network. This book chapter provides informative information on the use of deep learning in smart agriculture and a significant resource for researchers, professionals, and students interested in sustainable farming and intelligent agricultural systems.
Creating a Stress-Free School Environment
Authors: Ghimire Sudha , Devkota Bhimsen , Sitaula Bishal Kumar , Sinnes Astrid Tonette
Published: August 2023

This chapter discusses how transformative skills-based health education can be designed and implemented to create a stress-free school environment for early adolescent students (EASs). It analyzes both the process and outcome of participatory action research (PAR) on addressing EAS' stress-related problems. Building on transformative learning theory, the authors discuss how EASs can develop the necessary skills to transform their own attitudes and behaviors towards mental health issues by participating in multiple activities. The authors use a multi-phase PAR model to engage EASs in identifying stress-related problems and designing and executing relevant participatory activities to address them. They have focused on the role of two major activities—awareness-raising and classroom-based meditation—in creating a stress-free school environment. The findings of the study show that PAR-based and action-oriented skills support EASs to develop their critical awareness, new skills and knowledge, and critical agency for their mental well-being.
Gender-Equitable Strategies for Teachers' Continuous Professional Development
Authors: Dhungana Parbati , Luitel Bal Chandra , Gjøtterud Sigrid , Wagle Shree Krishna
Published: August 2023

Equal opportunity for the continuous professional development of female teachers seems insufficient in the schools of Nepal. This chapter explores the gender-equitable strategies to support female teachers for their professional development. This chapter is based on the authors' lived experiences while facilitating the continuous professional development of school teachers in Nepal. Adapting a socio-cultural perspective of gender and engaging in a co-generative inquiry, the authors make a series of reflections on when/where they encountered gender issues and how they addressed them. This chapter is about how the fluid gender roles of the authors contribute to developing context-responsive gender-equitable strategies for supporting female teachers' professional development.
Pedagogical Transformation Through School Garden as a Living Laboratory in Public Schools in Nepal
Authors: Acharya Kamal Prasad , Budhathoki Chitra Bahadur , Bjonness Birgitte , Duwadi Krishna Prasad
Published: August 2023

The study explores a school-garden project in a public school in Nepal. The learning garden was formed by the joint effort of co-researchers like students, teachers, and parents following participatory action research (observe-plan-act-reflect). Gardening at the school became a holistic way of teaching and learning. The findings suggest that the school garden is providing a living laboratory as students learn flora and fauna and their interrelation and it opens a space of multiplicity to transform pedagogy. The school garden motivated the students to have a sense of responsibility for environmental conservation. The students can be regarded as junior scientists cultivating and taking care of the garden. The teaching and learning were contextualized through indoor and outdoor sessions. As part of the curricular activities, engagement in the school garden provided a powerful learning arena. Parents, teachers, and students meaningfully engaged in the school as a part of co-curricular activity.
Pricing and Profit Distribution in Supply Chain Through Option Contracts
Authors: Liu Yifeng , Mao Heling , Zhang Qingjun
Published: August 2023

Supply chain can be simplified into two parts: upstream suppliers and downstream distributors. The authors use option contract to coordinate their relationship. But the instability of pure option contract where supplier and distributor deal only by contract makes it difficult for both sides to reach a consensus. They overcome the defect by combining operation model with wholesale price model, and the mix model can reach Pareto improvement because it will increase supplier and distributor's profit at the same time. The distribution of the increasing profit will be influenced by many internal factors. Among these internal factors, the risk aversion and bargaining power can affect the profit distribution between supplier and distributor to a large extent. This paper establishes the mathematical model and chooses risk aversion and bargaining power to analyze. They found that 1) the higher the risk aversion level of the distributor or supplier is, the more its profit will be, and 2) the one with more initiative in the negotiation will reap more profits from the other side in supply chain.
The Effect of Auditor's Personal Characteristics on Professional Judgment and Ethics in Auditing
Authors: Nguyen Hoang To Loan
Published: August 2023

In the turbulent environment of the current business world, making professional judgment and maintaining professional ethics is an essential requirement in the auditing profession. Besides technical and professional knowledge, the personal information of each individual auditor could affect the process of making judgments and maintaining the ethics of the auditor. This study aims to analyze the influences of auditor's personal information on professional judgment and ethics in external auditing process. The authors designed a survey and analyzed the responses, applied a linear regression model, and performed a t-test to measure the model. They found that the auditors who obtain the ACCA or CPA tend to use their professional judgment in the planning phase. Interestingly, the CPA certificate is a nearly significant factor affecting the professional judgment in the planning phase. For the ethics, the auditors who have an MBA degree tend to use ethical thinking in the planning phase. Surprisingly, only the auditors who are managers tend to use ethical thinking in the concluding and reporting phase.
Research on Hot Operation of a Petrochemical Plant Based on Compound Edge Operator
Authors: Liu Zhipeng
Published: August 2023

In the operation of petrochemical plants, safety operation is the top priority, especially for the control of fire operation. In this paper, based on the real hot work in petrochemical plants, based on the extraction methods of different edge operators, the compound analysis of different edge operators can be carried out to visually detect the hot work of petrochemical workers in petrochemical plants, and based on the neural network algorithm, the convolution operation of edge data is carried out, and the data is input into the hot work database to build the hot work database and identify the flame. Remind the hot operation, according to the size of the flame to make a preliminary judgment on whether the danger, combined with the characteristics of the petrochemical device itself to add smoke identification. This method is of great significance to improve the thermal safety monitoring level of petrochemical plant.
Ten Years Later, Alarm Fatigue Is Still a Safety Concern
Authors: Albanowski Kimberly , Burdick Kendall J. , Bonafide Christopher P. , Kleinpell Ruth , Schlesinger Joseph J.
Published: August 2023

Ten years after the publication of a landmark article in AACN Advanced Critical Care, alarm fatigue continues to be an issue that researchers, clinicians, and organizations aim to remediate. Alarm fatigue contributes to missed alarms and medical errors that result in patient death, increased clinical workload and burnout, and interference with patient recovery. Led by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, national patient safety organizations continue to prioritize efforts to battle alarm fatigue and have proposed alarm management strategies to mitigate the effects of alarm fatigue. Similarly, clinical efforts now use simulation studies, individualized alarm thresholds, and interdisciplinary teams to optimize alarm use. Finally, engineering research efforts have innovated the standard alarm to convey information more effectively for medical users. By focusing on patient and provider safety, clinical workflow, and alarm technology, efforts to reduce alarm fatigue over the past 10 years have been grounded in an evidence-based and personnel-focused approach.
Appraisal of awareness of medical staff about preoperative patient blood management in Saudi Arabia: a questionnaire-based study
Authors: Hakami Nora Y. , Almohammadi Nouf I. , Alqahtani Raghad A. , Alsayel Nouf A. , Felimban Raed I. , Hindawi Salwa I. , Elmosaad Yousif Mohammed , Khair Hala Elsir , Hjazi Ahmed M. , Waggiallah Hisham Ali , Elkhider Elturabi Elsayed , Eltayeb Mudathir Mohamedahmed
Published: August 2023

Patient blood management (PBM) is a comprehensive approach to optimizing the care of patients who might need a transfusion. It involves the use of evidence-based strategies to reduce or avoid the need for allogeneic blood transfusions while ensuring that patients receive safe and appropriate care. PBM includes strategies such as preoperative autologous donation, intraoperative cell salvage, and minimally invasive techniques to reduce bleeding. The purpose of this study is to assess the medical staff’s awareness of preoperative PBM in Saudi Arabia. Between April 2022 and July 2022, data was collected using a 10-minute online (Google Forms) self-administered, anonymous, researcherstructured questionnaire adapted from previous studies and translated into both English and Arabic. The questionnaire was divided into three sections. The first section contained sociodemographic data, while the second section was used to estimate physicians’ and nurses’ knowledge of preoperative PBM. Two questions in Part 3 of the questionnaire were used to assess doctors’ and nurses’ preoperative PBM attitudes and practices. The average relationship between patients’ blood management attitudes and levels of awareness. It was revealed that there was a positive attitude (P≤0.005) as well as a high level of awareness (P≤0.002). The effect of job, gender, or geographical distribution on PBM awareness, attitude, and practice was not significant. Despite the fact that the majority of participants have a positive attitude and good awareness of PBM, more efforts should be implemented to improve PBM awareness, which was linked to increased transfusion practices and lower product costs.
Elderly Abuse and Neglect on Population Health: Literature Review and Interventions from Selected Countries
Authors: Alias Ahmad Nabeil , Mokti Khalid , Ibrahim Mohd Yusof , Saupin Sahipudin , Madrim Mohd Faizal
Published: August 2023

Elderly abuse and neglect are among the primary public health problems linked to global demographic changes in the population, impacting not only the well-being of the elderly but also the growth of the nation or economy. This article discusses the effects of elder abuse and neglect on population health from the national and international perspectives through a narrative review of previously published articles on the concept of aging, the prevalence of elderly abuse and neglect, its risk factors and effects, and finally measures, legal perspectives, and recommendations to curb it. Interventions in Malaysia and selected nations, including Indonesia, South Korea, the United States, Australia, and Hong Kong, are examined. This issue is important as the majority of countries are moving toward being elderly populations. Improving global surveillance and the monitoring of instances is essential to inform policy actions to prevent elder abuse. In addition, a thorough assessment of the identified risk factors for violence and steps to prevent violence is required.
THERAPY-RELATED MYELOID NEOPLASMS: CONSIDERATIONS FOR PATIENTS’ CLINICAL EVALUATION.
Authors: Palmieri Raffaele , Del Principe Ilaria , Maurillo Luca , Venditti Adriano , Buccisano Francesco
Published: August 2023

Therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (t-MNs) encompass a specific sub-group of myeloid malignancies arising after exposure to radio/cytotoxic agents for the treatment of unrelated diseases.

Such malignancies present unique features, including advanced age, high comorbidities burden, and unfavorable genetic profiles. All these features justify the need for a specific diagnostic work-up and dedicated treatment algorithms. However, as new classification systems recognize the unique clinical characteristics exhibited by t-MNs patients, how to assess fitness status in this clinical setting is largely unexplored. Optimizing fitness assessment would be crucial in the management of t-MNs patients, considering that factors usually contributing to a worse or better outcome (like age, comorbidities, and treatment history) are patient-specific.

In the absence of specific tools for fitness assessment in this peculiar category of AML, the aim of this review is to describe all those factors related to patient, treatment and disease that allow planning treatments with an optimal risk/benefit ratio.
A prospective comparative study on management of midshaft clavicle fractures: Conservative versus surgical
Authors: Sabir Aamir Bin , Singh Harshit , Manzar Kashif , Julfiqar Mohammad , Chowdhry Madhav
Published: August 2023

Background:

With nonunion rates up to 15% and unsatisfactory patient-reported outcomes in around a third of patients treated conservatively, recent research on displaced midshaft clavicular fractures points to a considerable unmet medical need. These findings have prompted a recent increase in surgical fixation of displaced midshaft clavicular fractures.

Objective:

In addition to open reduction and plate fixation, intramedullary pins, wires, or nails may also be used to treat clavicle fractures. In this study, we compare the clinical, radiological, and functional results of midshaft clavicular fractures managed with open reduction and plate fixation versus conservative therapy, as well as their overall complication rates.

Materials and Methods:

All skeletally mature patients presenting to outpatient department/inpatient department with clavicle fracture less than 3 weeks old and displacement/loss of cortical contact between fractured ends of more than 2 cm were included in the study. Patients were randomly allocated to either conservative or surgical management. For conservative management, strapping of the involved side and application of figure-of-eight bandage was done. The minimum follow-up requirement of all patients was 1 year. The clinical assessment involved the assessment of complications, grading of results according to Constant and Murley score as well as the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score (DASH score). A radiological assessment for the union of the fracture was also done.

Results:

In the conservative management group (n = 52), the mean age of the group was 36 years (range, 19–58 years), and the mean follow-up was 1.6 years (range, 1–2.2 years). At 1 year follow-up, the mean DASH score was 7.9 ± 2.1, and the mean Constant score was 90.2 ± 15. The overall complication rate was found to be 21/52 (40.3%) in the operative management group. In the operative management group (n = 50), the mean age of the group was 42 years (range, 24–57 years) and the mean follow-up was 1.3 years (range, 1.1–1.8 years). At 1-year follow-up, the mean DASH score was 10.8 ± 1.1, and the mean Constant score was 93.1 ± 13. The overall complication rate was found to be 14/50 (28%) in the operative management group. In comparison, the overall rate of complications was significantly lower in the operative management group compared with the conservative management group (P = 0.001).

Conclusions:

Conservative management of midshaft clavicular fractures was associated with similar clinical and radiological outcomes compared to operative management. However, the overall complication rate was lower for operatively managed patients.
Orthopedic research output from SAARC countries in the last 25 years: 1996-2021
Authors: Vaishya Raju , Vaish Abhishek
Published: August 2023

A large proportion of the global population (21%) live in the eight South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations in South Asia. The publications related to orthopedics and sports medicine in the last 25 years from these countries have been only 1.45%. There is an imminent need to encourage research and publications from the SAARC nations. This review has attempted to identify the challenges and gaps, and has attempted to provide remedies to overcome these. More focus on research and publication is needed from the SAARC nations. Individuals, organizations, and governments should make sincere efforts to publish their research in impact journals, and no research should go wasted; unpublished or in predatory journals. More journals in the field of orthopedics and sports medicine are required from SAARC. Collaborations between institutions (national and international) are useful in getting impactful research and subsequent publications.
Comparative macro-microscopic studies of three wild Solanum species (S. melongena L., S. incanum L. and S. virginianum L.)
Authors: Kannan Narayanan , Gopi Divya Kallingil , Shanmugam Sathish Kumar , Koppala Narayana Sunil Kumar , Shamsudin Abdul Kader
Published: August 2023

Background:

The traditional medicinal system comprises the usage of innumerable plant species for the treatment of various ailments. Solanum, a potent medicinal genus, finds vast description in the various traditional medicinal systems world over. The effectiveness of a herbal drug relies on the usage of correct botanical sources. In this scenario of growing importance of traditional medicines and excessive loss of habitats of various medicinal plants, the procurement of genuine herbals is a challenging issue. Many related species of Solanum distributed over the world find their usage in many medicinal preparations, but the authenticity of the herbals is not promised. The identification and standardization of crude herbal drugs can be assured by the definite morphological and anatomical characterization.

Materials and Methods:

Macroscopical characters of all three samples collected from Attur Chat village in Salem district were observed and recorded using Nikon Digital camera D5600 and ZEISS Discovery V8 stereo microscope. The samples were preserved in formalin acetic acid, free hand sectioning was done to reveal the anatomy, and photographs were taken using Axiolab 5 trinocular microscope fitted with Axiocam 208 camera.

Results:

Macro-microscopic features of three important Solanum species viz S. melongena L., S. incanum L., and S. virginianum L. were characterized by morphology and anatomy studies. The stem was terete (S. incanum), flattened (S. melongena), and cylindrical (S. virginianum) in the species. The leaves were large and elliptic in S. melongena, simple ovate in S. incanum, and ovate and brittle in S. virginianum. Anatomically in the stem of S. virginianum, glandular trichomes were observed, which were absent in the other two species. In the case of leaves, the trichome type and density were varying in the three species, and trichomes were present only in the midrib of S. melongena. Variations observed in petiole and fruits were also recorded.

Conclusion:

The macro-microscopic characterization carried out will be worthwhile in judging the authenticity of the plants and differentiating these species from one another.
Lateral Window Maxillary Sinus Augmentation – Complications and Management
Authors: Kumar V. Arun , Pil-Seoung Kang , Jinendra Anju , Rajeev Gayathri
Published: August 2023

Introduction:

The sinus lift procedure is the most predictable surgical intervention for enhancing bone quality and quantity in the posterior maxilla prior to the placement of endosseous dental implants. However, despite careful planning and precise surgical technique, several complications can arise. These include - haemorrhage, membrane perforation, infection, wound dehiscence, post operative pain, implant failure/ loss, graft loss, hematoma, barrier membrane exposure, oroantral fistula and sinusitis.

Aim:

The purpose of this report was to address the most common complications associated with the sinus lift procedure and discuss how to avoid and manage them when they occur.

Methodology:

A total of 140 articles from peer reviewed journals published in English from January 1986 to January 2023 were collected from a search performed using MEDLINE and PubMed. The keywords utilized were “dental implant”, “sinus augmentation”, “sinus complication”, “membrane perforation”, “bleeding – sinus augmentation”. Twenty-nine of the 140 articles satisfied the inclusion criteria and were utilized in this article.

Results:

Sinus membrane perforation is the most prevalent complication of maxillary sinus augmentation procedures, ranging from 11-60%. An incidence of 28% perforation rate is found. Bleeding was reported with an incidence of 2% of the sinus procedures performed. The use of piezoelectric devices as well as other measures play an important role in ensuring the stopping of bleeding.

Conclusion:

Proper planning and management of these complications will minimize the negative effects on therapy and allow for a successful implant result when placed in augmented maxillary sinuses.
Smile in a Day: A Case Report on Compressive Implants
Authors: Risvana S. , Santhosh V. C. , George Navia , Aparna T. K.
Published: August 2023

The replacement of missing teeth has become a transition from dentures to dental implants in the present era. Implant placement in anterior regions has the most aesthetic challenges in implant dentistry as tooth loss leads to bone resorption and collapse of gingival architecture, which causes aesthetic compromise and inadequate bone for implant placement. Immediate implant placement and loading have become a popular treatment modality and they are being widely used to reduce the treatment time which is a major disadvantage with conventional implants. Immediate implant placement into fresh extraction socket maintains gingival aesthetics and increases the comfort of the patient. The present case report highlights the placement of two compressive implants into fresh extraction sockets and immediate loading within 72 h or less than that. Immediate placement and early loading of the dental implant provide advantages such as fewer surgical procedures, shorter treatment time and improved aesthetic and psychological confidence.
Service Oriented Vehicle Diagnostic Communication and
Regulations
Authors: Pauli Joakim
Published: August 2023

Next-generation vehicle electrical architectures will be based on highly
sophisticated domain controllers called HPCs (high-performance computers). These
HPCs are more alike gaming PCs than as the traditional ECUs (electronic control
units). Today’s diagnostic communication protocol, e.g., UDS (Unified Diagnostic
Services, ISO 14229-1) was developed for ECUs and is not fit to be used for
HPCs. There is a new protocol being developed within ASAM, SOVD
(service-oriented vehicle diagnostics), which is based on a RESTful API
(REpresentational State Transfer Application Programming Interface) sent over
http (hypertext transfer protocol). But OBD (OnBoard Diagnostic) under the
emissions regulation is not yet updated for this shift of protocols and
therefore vehicle manufacturers must support older OBD protocols (e.g., SAE
J1979-2) during the transition phase.

Another problem is that some of the software packages may fall under the DEC-ECU
(diagnostic or emission critical electronic control unit) definition and need to
communicate with an OBD scan tool.

This document will give an insight into SOVD and provide examples of how to
support different regulatory diagnostic communication use cases for vehicles
equipped with HPCs.
Potentials and limitations of cold-adapted hydrogen producing bacteria: A mini review
Authors: Mohammed A. , Abdul-Wahab M. F. , Mohammed J. N. , Mohammed I, L. , Sani R. A. , Majiya H.
Published: August 2023

Low-temperature bacteria have potential to produce biohydrogen and are often considered a potential renewable energy generator for the future. However, the bacteria have presented poor hydrogen yield due to slow metabolic rate and prolonged lag phase often caused by their restricted growth temperature limit. The ineffective search for new biocatalysts from cold environments and the application of modification techniques almost jeopardize the economic viability of these strains in the biohydrogen production research. This article examined cold genetic and enzymatic adaptation potentials that led to the continuous expression of novel biocatalysts of biotechnological importance under the following headings; cold-adapted bacteria, biohydrogen-producing bacteria, strategies for adapting to stress in low temperatures, performance of cold-adapted bacteria in biohydrogen production, challenges of cold-adapted bacteria in biohydrogen production and future prospect. Finding new strains and studying their unique properties can improve the efficiency of hydrogen production by cold-adapted bacteria, as this new area has not yet been extensively studied.
The influence of exposure to various concentrations of five antimicrobial agents on intracellular cytotoxin B production in Clostridioides difficile
Authors: Jamal W. , Duerden B. I. , Rotimi V. O.
Published: August 2023

Background: Clostridioides difficile is an important cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea. Several anti- microbial agents are known to promote C. difficile infection (CDI). The impact of various concentrations of ampicillin (AMP), cefotaxime (CTX), clindamycin (CC), metronidazole (MTZ) and vancomycin (VAN) on intra-cellular cytotoxin B production was investigated in this study.

Methodology: Six clinical strains of C. difficile were grown at minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and sub-MIC concentrations of these antibiotics. Inoculum standardization was performed by Miles and Misra method. Intracellular toxin B production was detected using Vero cell cytotoxicity assay in sonicated cultures on days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 days of incubation.

Results: There was a heterogeneous relationship between antibiotic exposure and the intra-cellular toxin production by the toxigenic strains. Clinical strains of C. difficile when exposed to MIC and sub-inhibitory concentrations of certain antibiotics produced high cytotoxin levels. All toxigenic isolates produced increased levels of cell-bound cytotoxin after exposure to antibiotics but there was no consistent pattern and the response to different doses varied considerably. Metronidazole was the most potent inducer of cell-bound cytotoxin followed by cefotaxime and clindamycin. Vancomycin induced the least amount of cytotoxin activity.

Conclusion: The effects of sub-inhibitory concentration of antibiotic that predispose to C. difficile infection may partially suppress the normal gut flora, allowing colonization and growth of C. difficile, and may affect the level of toxin produced.
An appraisal of “African perspectives of moral status: A framework for evaluating global bioethical issues”
Authors: Molefe Motsamai , Maude Elphus
Published: August 2023

This paper evaluates Caesar Alimsinya Atuire’s essay “African Perspectives of Moral Status: A Framework for Evaluating Global Bioethical  Issues”. Atuire’s essay aims to contribute to global ethical discourse by articulating a systematic account of an African ethical perspective,  specifically focusing on the themes of personhood, moral status and the legal question of abortion. We make three  objections against Atuire’s essay. Firstly, we argue that a plausible approach to African personhood must consider both its individualistic  and relational features, rather than merely emphasize the relational component. The second objection focuses on the theory of moral status, and it has two parts: (a) we insist that a correct understanding of the concept of moral status must construe it as a moral patiency rather than a moral agency term. We believe that Atuire’s view errs in regarding it as the latter. (b) we argue that contrary to Atuire’s assertions, Thaddeus Metz’s friendliness theory of moral status does a better job than Atuire’s object moral status (OMS) and subject  moral status (SMS) views of moral status. The final objection is that maybe before we reflect on the legal status of abortion, as ethicists,  we should begin by considering the ethical status of abortion in light of African axiological resources. In the final analysis, the paper  appreciates Atuire’s contribution to African ethical theory, but it argues that much work still needs to be done before it can be suitable to  provide a global framework for evaluating global bioethical issues.
Sex robots and the objectification of the human body: A Sub-Saharan African perspective
Authors: Ugar Edmund Terem
Published: August 2023

Sex robots, in a broad ethical sense, challenge our traditional social norms, sexual interactions, and how we visualise the human body. As  a distinct sex stimulation technology, sex robots are ethically problematic because of the humanlike characteristics that these technologies embody. In this paper, I argue, on the one hand, that the design of sex robots objectifies the human body, from an African perspective, because of their humanoid appearance. This objectification of the human body contradicts the African conception of the  human body as possessing inalienable dignity, vitality, and sacredness. On the other hand, I show how the designs of sex robots reinforce adverse stereotypical gender norms and standards of beauty. This paper is significant because it deploys sub-Saharan African  values of sex and the human body to make a novel contribution to the ethical discourse of sex robots.
Types of Social-Media and Academic Performance of Students in Primary School Teachers' Training Colleges in Vihiga County, Kenya
Authors: Lugonzo Humphrey Musera , Nyatuka Benard Omenge , Pacho Titus Ogalo
Published: August 2023

The study examined the influence of types of social media on academic performance of students in primary school teachers’ training colleges in Vihiga County in Kenya. The Technological determinism theory by McLuhan Marshall (1964) guided the study. Correlation survey research design was utilized with the aid of mixed method approach. It involved 6 Teachers’ Training Colleges. The target population of 1584 consisted of 6 principals, 1478 students and 100 tutors. Purposive sampling technique was used to sample the 6 colleges and the 6 principals. Simple random sampling technique was used to sample 306 students and 80 tutors giving a total sample size of 392. Questionnaires and interview guide were used to gather data. Piloting was done in 2 teachers’ training colleges in Kakamega County to test validity and reliability. Validity of the tools was also tested using experts at Kisii University. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to test the reliability of the tools. The questionnaires issued to tutors and students gave acceptable values of 0.78 and 0.80 respectively. Frequencies and percentages were used to analyze quantitative data descriptively. It was also analyzed inferentially using Regression, ANOVA and Pearson Product Moment Correlation to test the existence of a correlation. The findings showed that a positive correlation which was statistically significant existed between the variables in the firsts null hypothesis since the p-value got (0.000) was less than 0.05. The rejection of this hypothesis concluded that types of social media affected students' academic performance. The study recommended that students should use the various types of social media positively to bolster their academic performance.
School-Based Counselling Practices and Learning Behaviors of Pupils with Learning Difficulties: A Case of Centre Scolaire George Defour
Authors: Therese Ingabire Marie , Ernest Safari , Ntawiha Philothere
Published: August 2023

This study focuses on counselling practices for learners with learning difficulties in Centre Scolaire George Defour. The specific objectives were to establish the ways of identifying learners with learning difficulties at CSGD, to find out the behavioural factors influencing learning difficulties among learners and to assess the impact of school based counselling practices to pupils with learning difficulties. A descriptive survey design was used. The study targeted a total of 180 parents of pupils with learning difficulties, 16 teacher-counsellors and 4 administration members were simply randomly and purposively selected respectively. Data were collected by use of questionnaires and document review for teachers, students and school administrators. Data were analysed using SPSS. The coefficient of multiple regression R was 0.177 and its percentage square was 3.1% implying that there was a positive but very weak relationship between school counselling and pupils’ behaviours and learning difficulties. The findings revealed that Poor class performance was one of the ways of identifying learners with learning difficulties at the extend of 40%, one of forms of misbehaviour is rudeness to teachers which formed 70%. From the respondents most of misbehaviours issues originate from family background (51.5%), counselling practices used to address learning difficulties were peer learning and reward system to encourage hard work on about 30%, talk therapy takes 26%, modelling to foster good behaviour is 8.5% and individual counselling is the last one with 5.%. All respondents (100%) strongly agree that counselling practices help to develop a very free and friendly environment and it improves pupils learning habits and increases performance (100%). This study recommends that counsellors, teachers, head teachers and parents should be in alliance as stakeholders to solve problems of students with learning difficulties.
Effect of Aloe barbadensis root extract on the histology of some vital organs of male rats assessed for aphrodisiac activity
Authors: Erhabor J.O. , Eze G.I. , Idu M.
Published: August 2023

Histopathology is an essential tool in assessing the untoward effect of toxicants, synthetic drugs, and herbal medicines in toxicological animal studies. Therefore, the effect of the oral administration of graded doses of the ethanol extract of A. barbadensis root on the histology and organ-body weight ratios of some vital rat organs was evaluated. Seventy-five (75) healthy and matured male rats of 140-270 g body weights were used for this study. The rats were randomized entirely into five groups of 15 and orally given treatment using the orogastric tube. The animals were placed into Groups A, B, C, D, and E. Group A was administered the diluent (2 mL of distilled water) while groups B, C and D were given 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg of the extract for 14 days. Group E was given the standard drug-Sildenafil citrate (5 mg/kg). The vital organs (liver, kidney, heart, and spleen) were harvested, prepared, and stained after sacrificing the animals. The tissue sections were subjected to histopathological studies, and the photomicrographs of the tissues were captured appropriately. The organ-body weights were determined using an electronic weighing balance. The histopathological examination revealed no apparent abnormalities in the vital organs; instead, a vasoactive effect of active congestion was observed. The liver and spleen's histology showed a mild activation of the local immune system. The extract had no significant effect (P>0.05) on the organ-body weight ratios. The study showed that the extract had no untoward effect on the selected essential organs within the dose range explored.
Principal component analysis of yield related component of tropical wheat varieties grown under different irrigation regimes in Bauchi State, Nigeria.
Authors: Waziri M.S , Abdul S.D , Apagu B.
Published: August 2023

Wheat is a globally cereal crop with a lot of utilities and nutritional values. The production of wheat is seriously reduced by water stress. In Nigeria, wheat is produced mostly using irrigation system in the Northern parts of the country, as such there is a need to investigate the optimum irrigation regime of wheat crop and also study the response of the crop to water stress with the goal of determining the main components for yield contributing traits. The study was carried out in Bauchi, Nigeria's savannah zone, during the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 dry farming seasons. Ten tropical wheat varieties were grown in the field using a split plot design with three replications under three irrigation watering regimes. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences in all the thirteen traits observed among the varieties. There were mean differences (p<0.05) between the varieties. The principal component analysis (PCA) results revealed that the first five principal components (PC) explained over 98% of the total variability. The number of grains per spike, spike length, and thousand grain weight were all positively related to grain yield and had a high PC 1 score, indicating high variation. The highest yielders were KAUZ-9, ATTILA-7 and TEVEE'S, while the lowest was SERI-82. It is recommended that when screening wheat lines in tropical areas, thousand grain weight, number of grains per spike, and spike length should be emphasized, as well as the correlation between the thirteen traits.
Dietary phytochemicals targeting Nf-KB signalling pathways: Potential cancer chemoprevention strategy
Authors: Aliyu M. , Bonomi Z. M. , Idoko A. S.
Published: August 2023

Chemoprevention is an approach involving the use of natural or synthetic substances to prevent the risk of development many diseases including cancer. Nuclear factor–kappa B (NF-kB) signaling pathways is crucial in either inducing processes of inflammation and apoptosis. As a result, it is implicated in numerous stages of carcinogenesis through collaboration with several signaling pathways and molecules. This transcription factor may be regarded as key target for cancer chemoprevention. Phytochemicals available in food as well as green plants have been demonstrated to have cancer protection activities by modulating important cellular signaling pathways including NF-kB pathway. Numerous phytochemicals, primarily components of edible vegetables and plants, have been reported in the literature to modulate NF-kB. Suppressing NF-kB may provide protection to the normal cells against development and spread of cancer. Majority of phytochemicals use various mechanisms to inhibit NF-kB. Different phytochemicals combinations present in a natural food may enhance their modulating potential on NF-kB and consequently elicit cancer prevention. This article reviews the current understanding of the potential effect of some phytochemicals and their combinations on NF-kB activities.
Estimation of aquifer hydraulic parameters using electrical resistivity method: A case study for Damaturu, Northeast Nigeria.
Authors: Emeka Agada Livinus , Samuel Yakubu Mingyi
Published: August 2023

In this study we estimated the aquifer hydraulic parameters of Damaturu, Yobe State, Nigeria, using electrical resistivity method. Schlumberger configuration was adopted for the study. Five geologic layers, which are the Topsoil, Clay, Sand, Sandy-clay, and Sand were delineated in the study area. The results of the measured aquifer parameters revealed that the aquifer resistivity values in the study area ranged from 126 to 518 Ωm and the aquifer has an average resistivity of 328 Ωm. The aquifer thickness ranged from 39 to 71m with an average value of 59 m. The aquifer has hydraulic conductivity values which ranged from 1.138 to 4.231 m/day with an average value of 1.915 m/day. The transmissivity of the aquifer ranged from 62.7 to194.64 m2 /day with an average transmissivity of 111 m2 /day. The porosity of the aquifer ranged from 30.13 to 31.44 % with an average value of 30.6 %. The porosity values showed that the study area has an appreciable porosity for effective groundwater flow and storage. The results of the measured aquifer parameters also revealed that the study area has good groundwater potential. Therefore, the results of this study will assist in providing exquisite information for groundwater exploration, abstraction, development and pollution control in the study area.
Mitigating rubber waste effluent through microbial approaches: A review
Authors: Osazee Faithfulness O. , Ohiocheoya Benjamin Ewanole
Published: August 2023

This review discusses the progress made in the remediation of rubber waste effluent using microbial techniques. Rubber processing facilities generate wastewater containing various pollutants, such as organic compounds, that are harmful to the environment. Microbial techniques, such as bioremediation, have been developed as a sustainable solution to treat these effluents. This article highlights the recent advancements made in this field, including the use of trickling filter systems and microbial fuel cells. These methods have been found to be effective in removing various pollutants, including phenols and formaldehyde. Furthermore, research has shown that these techniques are environmentally friendly, low-cost, and sustainable options for the treatment of rubber waste effluent. The article concludes that microbial techniques are a promising alternative to conventional treatment methods and should be further developed and explored for the treatment of rubber waste effluent.