bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Talent Management: Hiring and Developing Engaged Employees
Authors: Casey Anne Marie , O'Bryan Charles
Published: September 2022

Talent management, which includes intentional work design, leadership development, and employee engagement, is a growing trend in the world of commerce, both domestically and globally. This article provides a review of the literature on talent management and explores ways in which this human resource management concept might be applicable to higher education and libraries.
Reaching Shared Goals in Higher Education: A Collaboration of the Library and Disability Support Services
Authors: Kaufmann Karen F. , Perez Dr. Geraldine , Bryant Marshall
Published: September 2022

How do departments in higher education partner and collaborate to support student academic success? Is collaboration a result of only intentional work, or can unintentional conversations, interactions, and dialogue produce significant impact? Disability Support Services (DSS) and the Library uncovered some common goals as a result of ongoing yet informal dialogue and interactions. As common goals and shared vision emerged in conversations and activities, new opportunities for collaborative work between DSS and the Library became evident. This case study may provide new stepping stones and innovative thoughts for your collaborative work possibilities in higher education.
The Influence of Political Capital on Academic Library Leadership
Authors: O'Bryan Charles Richard
Published: September 2022

Given the extremely rapid state of change occurring in academic libraries due to funding cuts, shifts from physical to digital collections, changes in the use of physical spaces, changing information-seeking patterns and information use by faculty and students, the ability of library directors to advance their vision for the library becomes crucial. This is not to say that library directors are without decision-making power or the ability to establish vision, set agendas, and implement plans. However, in many cases, the provost, budget director, building and grounds manager, vice presidents, and the president offer support for activities depending upon their level of interest, oversight, and buy-in. As library directors seek support for initiatives, alignment with those having political capital becomes increasingly important.
Fail Early and Often to Succeed: The Case for Rapid Prototyping in Libraries
Authors: Meier John J. , Miller Rebecca K.
Published: September 2022

At Penn State University Libraries, we are endeavoring to support a library and user community in a state of flux by moving from a culture of rigidity to one of flexibility. Changes to Penn State University Libraries’ organizational structures and strategic priorities have been swift and ongoing. In some contexts, we are using rapid prototyping practices to respond with agility to these changes, as well as to the changing needs of our faculty, staff, student, and community users. This article describes the general rapid prototyping approach, showcases the concept in use by a library’s teaching and learning department, and uses a case study to illustrate how these practices can be applied to a specific learning object. We also suggest applications in other, more systemic, areas of organizational work. Key takeaways include encouraging a culture of experimentation, being open to failure, and keeping lines of communication open to strengthen collaboration.
Educational Background of ARL Directors
Authors: Condic Kristine
Published: September 2022

Strong leadership is needed to provide vision and focus in academic libraries during this rapidly changing environment. While leadership skills can be acquired in many ways, this study examines formal education. Graduate degrees of Association of Research Library (ARL) directors were identified to determine whether they have earned library and information science degrees as well as other graduate degrees. Results indicate that 90% of the ARL directors have library degrees but the remaining 10% have graduate degrees in a variety of disciplines though not solely in management or leadership. Additionally, the percentage of ARL directors with doctorates has increased slightly in the past 20 years, while the percentage of those with MLIS degrees has decreased.
Creating Diversity in Libraries: Management Perspectives
Authors: Hosoi Mihoko , Evans Gwen , Kirkpatrick Nancy S.
Published: September 2022

While existing library literature tends to focus on various diversity programs and discuss lack of diversity in the occupation, research is lacking on what libraries, individual managers, and minority librarians can do to cultivate diversity based on findings from management literature. This study explores linking those findings with practical steps that libraries, managers, and minority librarians can take to increase diversity in libraries. Review of management literature found that successful minorities have sponsors who advocate for them as well as mentors who provide guidance and psychological support. It also found that voluntary initiatives such as awareness building through increased contact with minorities, eliminating biases through processes and structures, setting specific goals, and increasing social accountability were more effective than mandatory diversity training programs. Based on the findings from the management literature, libraries are advised to communicate management commitment through their websites, job posts and other venues, set specific goals, evaluate outcomes, and make managers accountable by incorporating diversity-related performance goals in their evaluation. Managers’ willingness to be bias interrupters and serve as diversity champions also contributes to the success of diversity efforts. Appealing to people’s desire to look good to others is also found to be more effective than coercive techniques. Structured hiring practices and objective evaluation criteria for promotion also eliminate biases and lead to improvement. Minority librarians are encouraged to seek out sponsors as well as mentors, build on their resilience, and establish genuine personal long-term relationships with people of different backgrounds to achieve success in their careers.
Managing Through the Void: Overseeing a Library Department Amid Personnel Vacancies
Authors: Alford Emily
Published: September 2022

There are a variety of reasons a library department may experience a temporary position vacancy. Whatever the cause, this presents managers with the often overwhelming task of filling in the gaps, or even predicting and coping with stress inadvertently placed on the remainder of the department. Managers may be planning further into the future than we may be accustomed to in ordinary times. This brief, practice-based piece calls out the best ways to tame this frustration through maintaining three key focuses.
Thinking About the Unthinkable: Active Shooter Preparedness in Library Environments
Authors: Livingston Christopher B. , Grombly Amanda
Published: September 2022

There is limited aggregated data showing the amount and levels of preparedness training for active shooter situations in public, academic, and K-12 libraries in California and across the United States. The purpose of this research is to assess the state of preparedness of librarians, staff, and volunteers working in these libraries for active shooter situations. In 2018, the authors collected data from academic, public, and school library personnel about their attitudes and levels of preparedness for active shooter situations. It is hoped that this research will contribute to the development of best practices in raising safety awareness in academic and public libraries.
A 360 Degree View: The Ideal Qualities of Library Leaders and Employees
Authors: Chow Anthony , Conte Ashley
Published: September 2022

The rapidly changing demands of library customers across different fields of librarianship mirrors that of general society. Are the qualities deemed important for these jobs five or ten years ago still deemed important today? Are these administrators and employees satisfied working in a field that requires such constant change and growth? Our study seeks to address these questions by providing further insight into what qualities library leaders look for in today’s library employees while also providing insight into what qualities library employees look for in today’s library leaders for a 360 degree view. Using a research study crosswalk, interview and survey questions were developed to ensure internal and construct validity and close alignment. The study’s total sample was 289 participants, which included interviews and an online survey completed by public, academic, school, and special libraries in North Carolina and a large public library system in Arizona. The authors found the following: 1) leaders are associated with creating vision, motivating staff, and driving an organization forward, 2) managers are associated with following operational procedures, being task-focused, and being approachable to staff, and 3) excellent library employees show initiative, are self-motivated, are passionate about the work, and demonstrate a willingness to learn new skills.
Library Security: Perceptions of Preparedness
Authors: Adams Abigail D. , Kiorpes Karen E.
Published: September 2022

This article details the results of two parallel surveys sent to the heads of campus security and the libraries at 54 schools within the SUNY system. We undertook this study to determine the extent of collaboration between these groups and to learn where library and security staff perceptions of safety and preparedness differ. The findings indicated that most campuses have emergency response plans in place for the possibility of a high-impact violent event or a human-caused emergency.

However, libraries are less likely to have dedicated emergency plans and report an inconsistent mix of physical security measures and staff safety trainings. Overall, both campus security respondents and library staff members feel safe at work and reasonably prepared for a human-caused emergency. Additionally, campus security consistently rated the libraries as safer and more prepared than the librarians rated themselves, and a gap exists in perceptions of the frequency and usefulness of collaborations between the two. Security consistently answered that they are closely involved with library trainings and safety measures, while the librarians’ responses ranged from no contact with security to praise for existing collaborations and a desire for more.
A View from the Top: Library Leaders’ Predictions for the Future of Science Liaison Librarianship
Authors: Palumbo Laura Bolton , Bussmann Jeffra D , Kern Barbara
Published: September 2022

Library leaders at academic institutions in the United States at the level of University Librarians, Library Directors, and Library Deans were surveyed about their predictions for the future of science liaison librarianship and the importance of science subject specialization. Responses from 71 library leaders at institutions ranging from community colleges through large, research intensive universities provide insight into evolving roles for academic science librarians. Key findings include that library leaders perceive functional roles such as data management and scholarly communication growing in importance, yet they are rarely seen as replacing traditional subject-based ones. Subject specialization is still seen by many as a desirable qualification for science librarians, even though smaller institutional size and budget constraints may necessitate a more generalist approach. While there was no consensus on the necessity of science subject specialization, and whether or not science liaison librarianship would retain this characteristic in the future, there was a widespread acknowledgement of the value of liaison relationships with science faculty and others at their institutions.
Library Administrative Core Duties: an Annual Guide for Planning and Sequencing Events
Authors: Smith Lisa M , Ingram Libby E
Published: September 2022

Library Administrative duties are varied and complex. While a very large portion of duties require administrators to respond to unique and disparate projects and to develop novel programming and new tasks, a portion of administrative duties are cyclical and can be anticipated on an annual basis. Creating a macro level list of tasks and commitments by utilizing a GANTT chart will allow administrators to more effectively operationalize strategic plans. Additionally, this organizational tool will allow departmental project planners to track staff and funding availability in order to ascertain when additional resources will be available for programming. While the GANTT chart we provide here is not exhaustive, we believe it highlights many of the core tasks and duties performed on an annual, cyclical basis and can serve as the granular planning tool to assist administrators in effectively operationalizing institutional strategic plans.
An Introduction to Systems Thinking for Librarians
Authors: Peters Timothy
Published: September 2022

Systems thinking moves beyond the traditional view of the world as individual parts to be analyzed and understood toward a view of the world as an interactive, interlinked network working toward a common goal. All the parts of a system are inseparable from one another, making an understanding of the entire system essential to success. The academic library is a perfect example of an interlinked, interoperable system. The writings of systems thinker Barry Oshry provide insight into proper system operation and can be helpful to individuals seeking to create healthy library organizations.
Entre o roçado e a Coca-Cola: uma sociobiografia
Authors: Coutinho Priscila de Oliveira
Published: September 2022

Este livro oferece uma rota possível para se pensar um tema central na sociologia: uma trajetória improvável se constitui de um conjunto de acasos misteriosamente orquestrados ou possui uma lógica cujos traços podem ser reconstituídos pelas ciências sociais? Juscelina, uma migrante paraibana e trânsfuga de classe, então executiva de uma multinacional, vive o instável momento em que se fecha um ciclo de vida; Priscila, a pesquisadora, acompanha as grandes mudanças que transcorrem esta fase. A sociobiografia que o leitor tem em mãos busca nas estruturas sociais, nas relações familiares, laborais e de amizade, assim como nos conflitos intraindividuais, as causas dos movimentos mais determinantes da vida de Juscelina, cuja problemática existencial se forma nas tensões entre os traços estruturais e relacionais de sua origem e aqueles dos contextos frequentados na vida adulta. O exame dessas e de muitas outras questões resulta num original exercício de imaginação sociológica, em que a objetivação de uma relação etnográfica que vai se transformando em amizade articula-se a estratégias metodológicas bem fundamentadas, rico material empírico e competente atividade interpretativa.
DDX17 modulates the expression and alternative splicing of genes involved in apoptosis and proliferation in lung adenocarcinoma cells
Authors: He Cheng , Zhang Gan , Lu Yanhong , Zhou Jingyue , Ren Zixue
Published: September 2022

Background

The DEAD-box RNA-binding protein (RBP) DDX17 has been found to be involved in the tumorigenesis of many types of cancers. However, the role of DDX17 in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear.

Methods

We silenced DDX17 expression in A549 LUAD cells by small interfering RNA (siRNA). Cell proliferation and apoptosis assays were performed to explore the functions of DDX17. Knockdown of DDX17 by siRNA significantly inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis in A549 cells. We used high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and alternative splicing (AS) events in DDX17 knockdown LUAD cells.

Results

DDX17 knockdown increased the expression levels of proapoptotic genes and decreased those of proproliferative genes. Moreover, the DDX17-regulated AS events in A549 cells revealed by computational analysis using ABLas software were strongly validated by quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT–qPCR) and were also validated by analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-LUAD dataset. These findings suggest that DDX17 may function as an oncogene by regulating both the expression and AS of proliferation- and apoptosis-associated genes in LUAD cells. Our findings may offer new insights into understanding the molecular mechanisms of LUAD and provide a new therapeutic direction for LUAD.
Physiological and biochemical responses of hybrid maize (Zea mays L.) varieties grown under heat stress conditions
Authors: Tas Timucin
Published: September 2022

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the second most commonly produced and consumed crop after wheat globally and is adversely affected by high heat, which is a significant abiotic stress factor. This study was carried out to determine the physiological and biochemical responses of hybrid corn varieties under heat stress (‘HS’) compared to control (‘C’) conditions during the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons. The experiment was conducted under natural conditions in the Southeastern region of Turkey, where the most intense temperatures are experienced. This experiment used split plots in randomized blocks with three replications, with ‘HS’ and ‘C’ growing conditions applied to the main plots and the different hybrid corn varieties (FAO 650) planted on the sub plots. Mean values of days to 50% tasseling (DT, day), grain yield (GY, kg ha−1), leaf water potential (LWP, %), chlorophyll-a (Chl-a, mg g−1), cell membrane damage (CMD, %), and total phenol content (TPC, μg g−1) were significantly different between years, growing conditions, and hybrid corn varieties. Changes in the climate played a significant role in the differences between the years and growing conditions (GC), while the genetic characteristics of the different corn varieties explained the differences in outcomes between them. The values of DT, GY, LWP, Chl-a, CMD, and TPC ranged from 49.06–53.15 days, 9,173.0–10,807.2 kg ha−1, 78.62–83.57%, 6.47–8.62 mg g−1, 9.61–13.54%, and 232.36–247.01 μg g−1, respectively. Significant correlations were recorded between all the parameters. Positive correlations were observed between all the variables except for CMD. The increased damage to cell membranes under ‘HS’ caused a decrease in the other measured variables, especially GY. In contrast, the GY increased with decreased CMD. CMD was important in determining the stress and tolerance level of corn varieties under ‘HS’ conditions. The GY and other physiological parameters of ADA 17.4 and SYM-307 candidate corn varieties surpassed the control hybrid corn cultivars. The results revealed that the ADA 17.4 and SYM-307 cultivars might have ‘HS’-tolerate genes.
Registro Nacional Argentino de Resonancia Cardíaca (RENAREC)
Authors: Del Castillo Santiago L. , Jaimovich Guillermo , Destefano Luciano , De Zan Macarena , Sciancalepore Agustina , Ricapito Paz , Casas Jorge , Cintora Federico , Estofan Mariano
Published: September 2022

Introducción: La utilidad de la resonancia magnética cardíaca (RMC) ha crecido ampliamente en los últimos años, en los cuales se han publicado distintos registros internacionales sobre su uso e impacto clínico. Sin embargo, no contamos con este tipo de información en Argentina. Objetivo: Evaluar indicaciones, protocolos utilizados, seguridad y consecuencias terapéuticas de la RMC en la República Argentina. Material y métodos: Se diseñó un registro prospectivo a nivel nacional con recolección de datos demográficos, indicaciones de RMC, complicaciones asociadas, diagnósticos y consecuencias terapéuticas. Resultados: Participaron 34 centros de 10 provincias de Argentina (85% centros privados, 59% centros con internación). Se incluyeron 1131 pacientes (edad 54 ± 18 años, 61% varones). Las principales indicaciones para el estudio de RMC fueron la miocardiopatía hipertrófica (13,9%) y la arritmia ventricular (12,3%). El 99,7% de los estudios fueron reportados sin complicaciones. Los resultados más frecuentes de la RMC fueron: normal (31,2%), miocardiopatía no isquémica (14,7%), miocardiopatía isquémico-necrótica (11,6%) y miocardiopatía hipertrófica (8,9%). La sospecha clínica fue confirmada en el 23,6% de los casos y la RMC generó un diagnóstico nuevo no sospechado en el 48,7% de los casos. Las consecuencias terapéuticas más frecuentes fueron el alta hospitalaria (31,6%) seguida por el cambio en la medicación (28,1%). Conclusiones: La RMC es un estudio ampliamente utilizado en Argentina, principalmente en centros privados, con un número muy bajo de complicaciones. Las principales indicaciones son las miocardiopatías (hipertrófica y dilatada) y la arritmia ventricular, y provee un diagnóstico nuevo no sospechado en casi la mitad de los casos. Se requieren de otros estudios en el futuro para evaluar las implicancias clínicas y terapéuticas.
Tiempos de reperfusión de un programa guiado por telemedicina para la atención del infarto agudo de miocardio con elevación del ST en la Provincia de La Pampa
Authors: Kohan Mario R. , Messler Virginia , Buffa Horacio , Fernández Rubén , Fernández Estaiye Luciano M , Pachado Julio G. , Brocal Ocampo Lorena , Cremaschi Vanina B. , Mayer Marcos A. , Vera Gustavo
Published: September 2022

Introducción: Los tiempos de atención médica son un factor relevante para la mortalidad por infarto agudo de miocardio con elevación del segmento ST (IAMCEST). Objetivos: Evaluar los tiempos de reperfusión en pacientes con IAMCEST participantes de un programa de atención médica cardiológica basada en telemedicina en la provincia de La Pampa durante el período transcurrido entre agosto de 2018 y diciembre de 2021. Material y Métodos: Este programa consiste en la protocolización de la atención de los pacientes que cursan un síndrome coronario agudo (SCA) en las diferentes localidades de la provincia, con asistencia cardiológica remota las 24 horas del día, que incluye tanto la asistencia diagnóstica como la coordinación de las medidas terapéuticas, incluyendo la posibilidad de administrar trombolíticos a nivel local, con asistencia remota. Resultados: De un total de 72 IAMCEST evaluados, 44 recibieron como terapia de reperfusión trombolisis, 25 angioplastia primaria, y 3 trombolisis seguida de angioplastia de rescate. De los 47 sujetos que recibieron trombolisis, sólo 5 requirieron de traslado al centro de referencia para realizar este procedimiento. La mediana de tiempo puerta-aguja fue de 24 minutos y el tiempo puerta-balón fue de 105 minutos. El 28% de los sujetos con angioplastia primaria tuvieron un tiempo puerta-balón inferior a los 90 minutos y el 53,2% de los tratados con trombolíticos cumplieron con un tiempo puerta-aguja menor a 30 minutos. Conclusiones: La implementación de un programa de atención descentralizada guiada por telemedicina se asoció a un elevado porcentaje de cumplimento de las metas de implementación de la terapia de reperfusión basada en fibrinolíticos.
Tiempos de reperfusión de un programa guiado por telemedicina para la atención del infarto agudo de miocardio con elevación del ST en la Provincia de La Pampa
Authors: KOHAN MARIO R. , MESSLER VIRGINIA , BUFFA HORACIO , FERNÁNDEZ RUBÉN , FERNÁNDEZ ESTAIYE LUCIANO M. , PACHADO JULIO G. , BROCAL OCAMPO LORENA , B. CREMASCHi VANINA , MAYER MARCOS A. , VERA GUSTAVO
Published: September 2022

Introducción: Los tiempos de atención médica son un factor relevante para la mortalidad por infarto agudo de miocardio con elevación del segmento ST (IAMCEST).Objetivos: Evaluar los tiempos de reperfusión en pacientes con IAMCEST participantes de un programa de atención médica cardiológica basada en telemedicina en la provincia de La Pampa durante el período transcurrido entre agosto de 2018 y diciembre de 2021.Material y Métodos: Este programa consiste en la protocolización de la atención de los pacientes que cursan un síndrome coronario agudo (SCA) en las diferentes localidades de la provincia, con asistencia cardiológica remota las 24 horas del día, que incluye tanto la asistencia diagnóstica como la coordinación de las medidas terapéuticas, incluyendo la posibilidad de administrar trombolíticos a nivel local, con asistencia remota.Resultados: De un total de 72 IAMCEST evaluados, 44 recibieron como terapia de reperfusión trombolisis, 25 angioplastia primaria, y 3 trombolisis seguida de angioplastia de rescate. De los 47 sujetos que recibieron trombolisis, sólo 5 requirieron de traslado al centro de referencia para realizar este procedimiento. La mediana de tiempo puerta-aguja fue de 24 minutos y el tiempo puerta-balón fue de 105 minutos. El 28% de los sujetos con angioplastia primaria tuvieron un tiempo puerta-balón inferior a los 90 minutos y el 53,2% de los tratados con trombolíticos cumplieron con un tiempo puerta-aguja menor a 30 minutos. Conclusiones: La implementación de un programa de atención descentralizada guiada por telemedicina se asoció a un elevado porcentaje de cumplimento de las metas de implementación de la terapia de reperfusión basada en fibrinolíticos.
Tejido adiposo epicárdico como predictor de enfermedad coronaria. ¿Un nuevo parámetro para la estratificación del riesgo cardiovascular?
Authors: Creta Victoria , Higa Claudio , Masson Walter
Published: September 2022

La asociación entre el tejido adiposo visceral y la enfermedad cardiovascular ha sido claramente establecida. Asimismo, se ha determinado que la adiposidad ectópica se asocia con un mayor riesgo cardiovascular en comparación a la adiposidad subcutánea. En este contexto, múltiples investigaciones han evaluado el rol del tejido adiposo epicárdico (TAE) en la enfermedad cardiovascular. El TAE se localiza entre la superficie miocárdica y la hoja visceral del pericardio, y puede cuantificarse mediante técnicas no invasivas como ser el ecocardiograma, la tomografía computada o la resonancia nuclear magnética. El TAE no es simplemente un órgano de depósito. Actualmente, se considera que es un tejido metabólicamente activo capaz de secretar múltiples adipoquinas que actúan mediante diferentes vías de señalización parácrina, endócrina, vasócrina y/o autócrina. La evidencia actual sugiere que el TAE puede ser un factor contribuyente en la patogénesis de la enfermedad coronaria, asociándose además con su gravedad y progresión. En ese sentido, algunos autores han postulado al TAE como un nuevo factor de riesgo cardiovascular y como un potencial blanco terapéutico. El objetivo de esta revisión es analizar la relación del TAE con la enfermedad cardiovascular, principalmente con la enfermedad coronaria.
Community Acquired Methicillin Resistance Staphylococcus Species and Inappropriate Antibiotics use among Women of Reproductive Age Group in Enugu, Nigeria
Authors: Nwangwu Chukwuemeka , Amadi Emmanuel Chike , Chukwuma Stella Tochukwu , Ndubueze Promise Chidiebere , Malachy Nwaeze Ezenwaeze
Published: September 2022

Introduction: The burden of community acquired antibiotic resistance is increasing with an alarming rate in the developing countries. Many factors, including inappropriate use of antibiotics, have been suggested as the causes of spread of resistant strains in the community. Aim: To compare antibiotics susceptibility pattern of community acquired gram positive isolates among women of reproductive age with history of recent inappropriate antibiotics use and those with no history of antibiotics use. Materials and Methods: The present study was a crosssectional descriptive study carried out from August 2020 to February 2021 at the State Teaching Hospital in Enugu, Nigeria. The participants for the study were 713 apparently healthy women who presented to the family planning unit for preconception care. All the participants were screened for asymptomatic bacteriuria by culturing their Midstream Urine (MSU). The isolated organisms were identified, and Antimicrobial Susceptibility (AST) test performed using the Vitek 2. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was done for the presence of mecA gene among methicillin resistant Staphylococcus species. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the isolates from participants with positive history of recent antibiotic use was compared with the susceptibility pattern of those with no history of antibiotics using Chi-square test. Results: Out of the 713 participants, 59 (8.3%) had a positive history of recent antibiotics use. Only 1 (1.7%) participant had her antibiotics prescribed by the doctor while 13 (22) and 45 (76.3) obtain their antibiotics at the patent medicine dealer shop and through self-medication respectively. The commonest indication for inappropriate use was febrile illness followed by upper respiratory symptoms. Ciprofloxacin was the most abused antibiotics followed by amoxicillin-clavulanic acid. Twenty (83.3%) and 4 (16.7%) had Asymptomatic Bacteriuria (ASB) among those with recent antibiotic use and those with no history of recent antibiotic use respectively. All the Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was isolated from the participants with recent history of inappropriate antibiotic use. Also, of significant among this group were quinolone resistant gram positive organisms. Conclusion: ASB and multidrug resistant gram positive isolates were common among the participants with recent history of inappropriate antibiotic use. There is need to regulate antibiotics use in the community to prevent selection of multidrug resistant organisms.
Determination of Reference Intervals for Platelet Parameters using Sysmex XN-1000 among South Indian Population
Authors: Gnanadeepam Santiago , Selvajothi Packiaraj , Sumathy MuthuPonnuswamy , Kuzhali Subramanian , Sujatha Anandan
Published: September 2022

Introduction: Reference intervals are important for interpretation of clinical laboratory tests. The platelet parameters are recently reported newer haematological parameters and serve as clinically valuable biomarkers. It provides further information on platelet morphology and proliferation kinetics. The lack of information from manufacturers about the geographical reference ranges for the Complete Blood Count (CBC) parameters highlights the need for laboratories to establish reference intervals. Aim: To determine the reference interval for platelet parameters using Sysmex XN-1000 haematology analyser in South Indian population. Materials and Methods: The present retrospective recordbased study was carried out during July 2021 to September 2021 and the data was retrieved from a continuous 12-month period (November 2018-October 2019) in the haematology laboratory at a tertiary care dental hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The data of CBC parameters were retrieved from the Sysmex XN-1000 analyser and a total of 1,883 reports labelled as negative/ unflagged were included in the study. The reference intervals for platelet parameters which include Mean Platelet Volume (MPV), Platelet Distribution Width (PDW), Platelet Large Cell Ratio (P-LCR) and Plateletcrit (PCT) for male and female subjects were compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare between the different age groups using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.0 software. Results: The data for the platelet parameters are shown as median, with statistically significant difference in the reference interval for all the parameters (p<0.001). There was no significant difference in age divided reference intervals, except for PCT (p=0.04) PDW was found to be 9-16.4 fL for males and 9.1-16.6 fL for females (p<0.001). Similarly, MPV was 9-12.3 fL for males and 9-12.6 fL for females (p<0.001); P-LCR was 16-42.1% for males and 16.6-43% for females (p<0.001); and PCT was 0.15- 0.36% for males and 0.14-0.41% for females (p<0.001). Conclusion: The study has determined the reference interval for platelet parameters with respect to age and gender in area specific population and these results can be utilised for other laboratories using the same analyser system for south Indian population.
Hand Grip Muscle Strength, Endurance and Anthropometric Parameters in Healthy Young Adults: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Bhattacharjya Jolly , Goswami Bobyjeet
Published: September 2022

Introduction: Hand grip muscle strength and endurance are non invasive simple diagnostic tool for diagnosis as well to check prognosis in health and disease. But there are many factors like age, ethnicity etc., that influence the hand grip muscle strength and endurance. Failure to understand the determinants that influence the strength and endurance would decrease the reliability of these tests as diagnostic and prognostic tool. Aim: To evaluate the influence of anthropometric parameters like height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI) on handgrip muscle strength and endurance. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, Guwahati, Assam, India in the month of November and December 2019, after obtaining Institutional Ethical Committee (IEC) clearance. In this study 80 healthy young adults had given informed written consent to participate. After a brief history taking to ensure that participants met the inclusion criteria, height, weight were measured using measuring tape and weighing machine respectively and BMI was calculated using the formula weight (kg)/height (m)2 . Handgrip muscle strength and endurance were measured using hand grip dynamometer. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 16.0 version software was used to calculate mean of all variables, Pearson correlation coefficient to analyse the correlation of variables and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test for analysis of significance. The p-value≤0.05 was considered statistically significance. Results: In this study, 47 (58.75%) were males, showed higher values in almost all parameters like height, weight, muscle strength except BMI, than the females who constituted 33 (41.25%) of the study participants. There was also significant moderate positive correlation of height (r=0.621, p<0.001), weight (r=0.519, p<0.001) with hand grip muscle strength and only height (r=0.438, p<0.001) showed correlation with muscle endurance. Conclusion: The present study showed positive correlation of height and weight with muscle strength and height with endurance, as such it can be concluded that height, weight are the anthropometric parameters that influence hand grip muscle strength. So, influences of these factors should be kept in mind while using hand grip muscle strength or endurance as diagnostic or prognostic tool.
A Study on Technological Adoption among Sugarcane Growers of Surguja District of Chhattisgarh
Authors: Ambast Vijay , Jaiswal P. K.
Published: September 2022

The present study was carried out in the Surguja district of Chhattisgarh and data was collected from 120 respondents from six selected villages. The results indicate that the majority of respondents belonged under the medium category level of overall socio-economic attributes followed by the lower and higher category under the study. A majority of respondents completely adopted land preparation, sett treatment, recommended varieties, irrigation for critical stages, weeds, termites and red rot management, whereas, the remaining practices of the study were observed to the partial level of adoption. The study reveals that the coefficient of correlation between the socio-economic attributes of sugarcane growers and their technological level of adoption was found to be significant in 1-5 levels except for the size of the family and experience in sugarcane cultivation.
Agricultural Practices and Environmental Degradation in Santa Sub-division, North West Region of Cameroon
Authors: Jocien Siyir Kinyuy , Frederick Nfor
Published: September 2022

Agriculture is the mainstay of Cameroon’s economy, engaging an estimated 70 percent of the economically active population and accounting for an estimated 80 percent of the primary sector’s contribution to the country’s GDP. It also provides 1/3 of foreign exchange earnings and 15 percent of the country’s budgetary resources. This study set out to investigate agricultural practices and environmental degradation in Santa Sub-division, North West Region of Cameroon. The major types of agricultural practices studied were food crop, market gardening and animal farming. The study made use of primary and secondary data sources. Primary data sources included field observation, interviews and questionnaires. A total of 170 questionnaires were administered using stratified random sampling technique and the data obtained was complemented by secondary sources from published and unpublished materials. Findings revealed that agricultural practices have precarious impacts on the environment in Santa. Climate change was seen to have a silver lining in the crop sector. Declining soil fertility and climate change were some of the major problems faced by farmers in Santa. Adaptation measures amongst others were mixed crop farming, crop rotation, soil management practices and mulching. The study recommended the need to determine the carrying capacity of various grazing, range lands and regulatory control of herd size. This study also proposes the adoption of climate-smart agriculture to minimize the effects of climate change on agriculture in Santa. Farmers in Santa should strengthen their economic security by adopting sustainable agricultural systems, and targeting their production to take advantage of new demands and consumption patterns.
The Baby Blues and Perinatal Psychic Disorders: About Prevention and Management
Authors: Moyo Kamsu , Makowa Laura Kuate , Zebaze Sonia , Batibonack Christiale , Mbang Audrey Thérèse , Essomba Aurore Albane , Tchawa Christelle Fanmi , Mendomo Raïssa Monayong
Published: September 2022

The baby blues is a precocious psychic impairment that may occur within the first two weeks following delivery. It is considered a trigger point, and sometimes a decompensation towards more serious postpartum psychiatric disorders. It is as well a hazard, predisposing to abnormal psycho-affective development in infants, otherwise intimately dependent on maternal bonding. Although there have been advances in understanding the psychopathology, the clinical presentations, and the inter-relationship of the condition with other disorders of perinatality, the management however remains unclear and poorly described. There seems to be confusion between indications for mere observation with monitoring on one hand, and the need for psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy on the other hand. This is maintained by the ambiguous distinction between primary baby blues which is milder, and severe baby blues with immediate and late complications that are sometimes neglected. Whereas, intervention may be necessary in a number of cases to prevent adverse outcomes in affected mothers and their infants. In this short paper, we review the management of baby blues according to the severity and we give clues for prevention, based on known protective factors.
Inhibitory Effect of Gedunin Analogue against the Plasmodium falciparum Dihydrofolate Reductase
Authors: Arazu V. Amarachukwu , Nelson Christian , Henrietta Uzoeto O. , Akinwonmi Ayodele , Ochepo A. Solomon , Samuel Cosmas
Published: September 2022

Objective: Plasmodium parasites are the cause of malaria. Malaria victims get infected upon being bitten by female anopheles mosquito; which transmits the parasite to the victim. The P. falciparum and P. vivax are the most active disease-causing agents of all five malaria-causing species of Plasmodium. The anti-folate drugs which were the first class of clinical antimetabolites act by disrupting metabolic pathways in which the one-carbon moiety supplied by the B9 folate vitamins is a major requirement.

Methods: Chemical structures of the anti-folate drugs which served as the experimental control ligands were downloaded from the PubChem database and saved as PDB files while the gedunin modification was achieved using the Marvin-Sketch software.

Results: Molecular visualization of the polar interactions with amino acid residues of the Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate-reductase showed that all the control ligands interacted with similar residues contrary to the interaction of the gedunin modified ligand in the same binding pocket.

Conclusion: Results from the molecular docking study showed that gedunin and its C=O of gedunin might be better antimalarial agents; having exhibited the best binding energies with a score of -9.5 and -9.0 Kcal/mol respectively.
Effects of Addition of Dried Sweet Potato Peels Powder on the Quality Characteristics of Cupcakes
Authors: Akter Mst. Sorifa , Asaduzzaman Md. , Rahman Mahbub
Published: September 2022

The study was conducted to develop baked cakes using different pretreated sweet potato peels powders (such as fresh, boiled and citric acid) with various concentration (5%, 10% & 20%) and to evaluate the changes of quality characteristics. Sweet potato peel powder was investigated for the different nutritional and physiochemical properties were boiling and pretreatment effects also evaluated. Fresh peel, 0.5% citric acid treated and boiled sweet potato peel powder was utilized as sample powder for the studies. There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in fiber and ash content and Hunter color values between powders from fresh peeled, 0.5% citric acid treated and boiled sweet potato peels powders. However, fresh and boiled sweet potato peel powder had higher fiber content than treated. The highest amount of fiber content was found in cakes incorporated with 10% boiled treated sweet potato peels powders content highest fiber. Pretreated and boiled with citric acid samples were obtained overall acceptability in the hedonic rating test.
Cross-Sector Ecosystem-Based Management Principles and Implementation Steps: The Nigerian Perspective
Authors: Olusanya Adeyinka M. , Ajagbe Abeeb Babajide
Published: September 2022

The complex economic, social, and environmental interactions in coastal areas require multi-sectoral approaches to understanding and designing effective management measures. The existing traditional management approaches fail to successfully identify economic, social, and ecological values and incorporate them into marine and estuarine ecosystems management. Therefore, there is a need for a holistic approach to help understand the socio-ecological system complexity and assist in policy and management of the marine and estuarine ecosystems. In recent years, Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) has been relevant and implemented in many case studies of marine management and conservation of natural resources. However, there is a lack of consensus about its definition and key principles, which has affected its practical application in research. This article offers insight into EBM fundamental principles and steps to disaggregate ecosystems and resource management activities into a sequence of tangible levels of achievement and close the management gaps in the traditional approaches. We examined the principles and steps in EBM theoretical literature, covering a range of published sources across disciplines and continents. Based on the appearance frequency in literature, seven key EBM principles were identified and presented in this article. The steps to address the management gap in the traditional approaches and to implement EBM based on the identified principles were articulated further, especially in the Nigerian coastal management perspective. This article also examines the cases of implementation of EBM in the past and predicts the possible direction of EBM in the future if more attention is given to finding a center balance between its many principles and improving stability in its application in future research.
Characterization of High Oleic Gene Pool and Validation of the Identified Genomic Regions Controlling Oleic Acid Content in Sunflower (Helianthus annus L.)
Authors: Farooq M. S. Umar , Uma M. S. , Nehru S. D. , Manjula C. P.
Published: September 2022

The increase of oleic acid content has become one of the major goals of plant breeders to improve sunflower oil quality, as high content of oleic acid increases the oil’s stability to oxidative degradation at high temperatures and as well has been suggested to reduce cholesterol in blood plasma thereby reduces the risk of coronary heart disease. In this study 120 inbred lines of high oleic gene pool were characterized for yield, its attributing traits, oleic content and then validated with two known microsatellite molecular markers linked to oleic acid content. High phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation as well high heritability and high genetic advance as percent of mean was recorded for oleic acid content. This indicated the presence of the additive type of gene action controlling the trait. Further, the two molecular markers under the study exhibited differentiating bands between all the high and low oleic inbred lines. Hence the validated markers from this study, linked to the high oleic acid trait could be further used in marker-assisted selection and would greatly contribute to develop stable high oleic acid breeding lines.
Impacts of Telehealth on Access-to-Care for Mental Health Patients
Authors: Hernandez Jennings
Published: September 2022

The age of technology and smart devices has paved the way for a current and encouraging method to address mental healthcare that benefits from global connectivity: telehealth. According to the American Telemedicine Association, telehealth or telemedicine is defined as the usage of medical information from one site to another through electronic communication with the goal of improving a client’s overall health through emails, cellular phones, two-way videos, and conference calls.  With the current Covid-19 pandemic, hospitals (especially those with mental health units or free-standing psychiatry facilities) are seldomly able to keep up with the influx of mental health patients without being turned away or having to wait for an extended period of time. Through telemedicine, those barriers have been lifted providing more efficient and enhanced access to care for everyone, especially those seeking mental health services. This review paper attempts to establish that despite the observations that telehealth has a positive impact on improved access to mental healthcare, it has not flourished to the extent it could have prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. We also try to provide long-term telehealth solutions, some of which are already being implemented in the current pandemic to improve the quality of mental healthcare access to a larger majority of Americans and those in other countries as well.  With people being advised to stay-at-home coupled with the fear of cross-contamination in public places, people are resorting to telehealth for psychiatric visits and follow-ups. Before this pandemic, however, certain laws and rules have been a barrier to more telehealth options becoming available or feasible to the public. Telehealth is changing the conventional standard of psychiatric medicine by enhancing access to care, reducing re-admission rates, and enhancing the quality of life. Those that have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and are quarantined at home can still meet with their mental healthcare provider periodically to discuss progress and prognosis. Research has shown that telemedicine has neutralized the impacts of delayed care, hospital admissions, and complications from psychiatric conditions globally. Telehealth has proven to provide steady benefits to patients, psychiatrists, and mental health providers through round-the-clock access remotely.