bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Environment and the Challenge of Technological Development
Authors: Osuala Amaobi Nelson
Published: May 2022

This chapter examines the ripple effects of technological development on the environment. It exposes some of the environmental nightmares that has ensued from the exploitation of the ecosystem in the guise and pretext of attaining science and technological feat. The author argues that no doubt, humans have recorded unprecedented progress and breakthroughs in science and through the advent of technology; the boomerang environmental hazards have however remained colossal! This researcher argues that to manage the ambivalence and protect the environment from harm, technological advances must be conducted through a reasonable action undergirded with what the author has christened the law of mutual complementary exchange implied in the notion that humans can only survive through exchange and mutual positive interaction with the environment not as a being-in-the-world serving as a means to an end but a being-with-the-world; the latter of which shares a relationship of mutual dependence.
Environmental Degradation and Its Implication for Environmental Sustainability in the Niger Delta
Authors: Ezugwu Umezurike J.
Published: May 2022

There is a high level of abasement and decadence in the ecological and biosphere of the Niger Delta, Nigeria, due to gas flaring and oil bunkering, often carried out by illegal bunkers around the region. This has resulted to pipeline damages, caused environmental pollution, and played down on the ethical and developmental strategies of the nation. This chapter maintains that these illegal and unethical activities often carried out by both indigenes and non-indigenes, on both government and multinational companies' investments, are the reasons for environmental degradation, debasement, and underdevelopment in the Niger Delta. It further points out the causes and effects of oil bunkering in the Niger Delta and shows the need for the application of environmental ethic, to bear on the discourse on environmental degradation. This will serve as a moral code to the actors and perpetrators of the said illegal bunkery businesses and secure and sustain environment for human beings, plants, and animals within and outside the region. This chapter used conversational method to drive home its points.
Queen Bee and Her Female Subordinate in Ifeoma Okoye's “Between Women”
Authors: Okpala Ebele Peace
Published: May 2022

A significant number of studies have proven that women in the African cultural milieu are not only the oppressed but also are the sustainers of their own oppression. Some scholars have captured the prevalent crisis between wives and their mothers in law. Not much, however, has been written on abhorring intragender relationships between some female domestic servants and their mistresses. Using the content analysis approach of qualitative research method and the theory of Focu feminism, the chapter, therefore, studies Ifeoma Okoye's “Between Women” to highlight the daily routine activities of the domestic servant, her working hours, feeding pattern, and remuneration. These may provide insights into the type of relationships that exist between the mistress and her domestic servant. The study reveals that a desired gender justice has not been achieved. The mistress has not used her good offices to foster a fellow woman. It recommends a more harmonious intragender co-existence amongst women.
Mobile Edge Computing
Authors: Mahenge Michael P. J. , Li Chunlin , Sanga Camilius A.
Published: May 2022

The overwhelming growth of resource-intensive and latency-sensitive applications trigger challenges in legacy systems of mobile cloud computing (MCC) architecture. Such challenges include congestion in the backhaul link, high latency, inefficient bandwidth usage, insufficient performance, and quality of service (QoS) metrics. The objective of this study was to find out the cost-efficient design that maximizes resource utilization at the edge of the mobile network which in return minimizes the task processing costs. Thus, this study proposes a cooperative mobile edge computing (coopMEC) to address the aforementioned challenges in MCC architecture. Also, in the proposed approach, resource-intensive jobs can be unloaded from users' equipment to MEC layer which is potential for enhancing performance in resource-constrained mobile devices. The simulation results demonstrate the potential gain from the proposed approach in terms of reducing response delay and resource consumption. This, in turn, improves performance, QoS, and guarantees cost-effectiveness in meeting users' demands.
Considerations When Choosing Artificial Intelligence to Meet Business Needs in Higher Education Institutions
Authors: Coder Dawn , Su Meng , Wellar Ryan
Published: May 2022

In this chapter, three sections will provide an in-depth look that focuses on questions to ask when deciding if an AI solution meets business goals, AI technologies to consider when meeting business goals, and best practices to use when identifying an AI company based on services provided when building an AI solution that meets business needs. Artificial intelligence is a fast-growing technology that has provided available options for companies to be more efficient. AI companies continue to pop up and existent companies continue to expand services. It can be overwhelming trying to understand how to choose the right consultant to build AI products and to identify what processes to strategize when using it. Starting with the business side of AI will identify business goals, strategies to be successful, and will ensure that an institution chooses the best partner to meet efficiency needs. These areas do not change as often as AI technology and will provide a starting point to choose the right AI technology without the feeling of being overwhelmed from all options available.
IoT Ecosystem
Authors: Pendyal Keerti
Published: May 2022

In this chapter, the author looks at the challenges to the IoT system due to standard essential patents (SEPs) by looking at guidelines issued by regulators across the world to enable policymakers and judiciaries to deal with critical issues raised in cases involving SEPs. SEPs present a unique challenge as they require balancing the principles of intellectual property law and competition policy. The author analyses four critical challenges raised in disputes involving SEPs by looking at policy guidelines and arrives at the best practices drawn from these guidelines so that they may be used as guideposts for policymakers and regulators to resolve the increasing number of disputes involving SEPs. Finally, the author identifies some key challenges and systemic issues that are yet to be addressed – issues at the centre of some of the most significant disputes involving SEPs today.
CLIL (Materials) for All?
Authors: Surmont Jill , Caira Thomas , Struys Esli , Meuleman Elisabeth A.
Published: May 2022

Although CLIL was intended to be for all, reality shows that this is not always the case. This means that benefits from CLIL programs risk being only available for a “limited” few. While this should be solved on different (policy) levels, it is worth investigating how these benefits from CLIL can be made available to other programmes with a wider scope and target population by using the same teaching materials. It has been stated before that CLIL uses best practices in education, meaning that its classroom principles are not limited to CLIL alone. In this chapter, the Fractio Quest app will be analysed to see what kind of teaching programs can benefit from these materials. The analysis shows that the way in which language learning is supported via this app can be used in contexts where newcomers are involved.
Textbooks for Bilingual Mathematics Classrooms
Authors: Jiménez-Gutiérrez Jorge , Fernández-Ahumada Elvira , Adamuz-Povedano Natividad
Published: May 2022

This chapter is proposed as a response to the demand of research in the field of bilingual mathematics education, specifically centered on the analysis of bilingual teaching resources. Regarding the recent appearance of bilingual programs and the representativity bilingual centres currently have in the region of Andalusia (Spain), it is necessary to know the nature of the pedagogical resources that are being used. Thus, the authors selected three series of mathematics textbooks (bilingual and non-bilingual, for the 1st grade of secondary education) that were analyzed by classifying the set of mathematical activities they contain. For the comparison among textbooks, authors used a classification that splits the sample into seven different types of tasks. Additionally, for each task the level of cognitive demand was also indicated. The results show that, although there are slight differences between bilingual and monolingual books, most of the learning opportunities offered in all of them are based on routine activities rather than on more cognitively demanding problems.
Using Fractio Quest in the Mathematics Classroom
Authors: Ferrara Francesca , Ferrari Giulia
Published: May 2022

This work offers some insights coming from the use of the application Fractio Quest, which was developed in the Project Gamifying CLIL within a Mathematics Context, within the mathematics classroom. The app was conceptualized in principle for a CLIL approach to fraction learning. Focus is put on two complementary dimensions of usage: a pilot experiment conducted in Italy in 2020, which involved a grade 7 class and its mathematics teacher in using a preliminary English version of the app, and the development of supplementary materials for teachers. The chapter first discusses the challenges posed for teachers and students when the app is used in a foreign language and explores the language/content interplay fostered by the activity. Then, reflections on methodological aspects considered for the design of supplementary materials for teaching are presented. These aspects are framed into the CLIL framework and by following research trends in mathematics education.
Bul Game
Authors: Bernardi Luigi
Published: May 2022

Bul Game is an online software designed to support didactic activities about logic and its connections with everyday language. The aim of the game is to make correct choices based on statements made by knights, who always tell the truth, and by knaves, who always lie. With small adjustments, the game can be used at all grade levels. As part of a programme to introduce logic at primary school, carried out in two second grade classes of an Italian school with many foreign students and one fourth grade class of a French school in Rome, Bul Game was used at the end of each lesson to consolidate and revise the concepts discussed in class. At the secondary-school level, Bul Game can aid the introduction of connectives and propositional logic, together with the characters of knights and knaves, which are a useful tool for dealing with proofs conducted with game semantics. Bul Game was designed and developed by Giulia Balboni, Luigi Bernardi, Mattia Sanchioni, and Jacopo Zuliani, and it is available for free at www.oiler.education/bul in English, French, and Italian.
Removal of Iron and Manganese in Acid Mine Drainage Using Natural Zeolite
Authors: Widyaningrum Sri Rahayu , Sarto Sarto , Prasetya Agus
Published: May 2022

The environmental problem that often occurs in coal mining is acid mine drainage which can pose a serious threat to human health, animals and ecological systems. Acid mine drainage contains heavy metal contaminants such as iron and manganese. The purpose of this study was to determine the adsorption equilibrium carried out using natural zeolite adsorbents type mordenite from Klaten, Central Java. The application of natural zeolite with a volume of 100 mL synthetic acid mine drainage with concentrations of Fe 41.97 mg/L, Mn 21.75 mg/L and variations in dose of natural zeolite (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 grams). The highest percent removal was at a dose of 10 grams of zeolite resulted in % removal of 97.94 % for Fe and 67.81 % for Mn. The results obtained using Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. The results followed the Freundlich isotherm model with an adsorption parameters Kf = 0.427 mg/g, R2 = 0.991, n = 1.610 Fe metal and Mn metal adsorption parameters are Kf = 0.006 mg/g, R2 = 0.9971, and n = 0.578
Characterization and Rheological Improvement of Boyolali White Bentonite with Soda Ash and Carboxy Methyl Cellulose
Authors: Nuryono Nuryono , Purnomo Bambang , Istiawan Agus , Gustianthy Agnesya Putri , Pebriani Siska , Indriyani Dwi , Santosa Sri Juari
Published: May 2022

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of soda ash (SA) and carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) on the rheological of white bentonite collected from Boyolali, Indonesia (BWB). The first work was the determination of BWB composition with XRF and the study on the effect of SA on the swelling index. The second step was to study adding SA and CMC on viscosity at 600 and 300 rpm. Another rheological parameter (yield point to plastic viscosity ratio, μP/μV) was determined based on the viscosity data. The results showed that the BWB sample tended to be categorized as Ca-bentonite with a calcium oxide content of 0.70 wt.% and contained montmorillonite, quartz, and pyrophyllite. SA and CMC in BWB increased the interlayer space of the montmorillonite. The addition of 14 wt.% SA to the BWB sample showed the maximum swelling index of 10 mL/2 g. The optimal formula meeting API 13A specifications is BWB sample of 81.23 wt.%, soda ash 14 % (w/w), and CMC 4.77 wt.%. This product results in the viscosity at a reading of 600 rpm of 30 cP and the μP/μV ratio of 1.0. Therefore, the product is potential as a candidate material for drilling mud.
Patterning Conservation Flows
Authors: Persson Joel , Qin Siyu , Zaehringer Julie G.
Published: May 2022

Conservation Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are crucial actors in global conservation governance. They shape resource flows, establish cross-sector and cross-scale networks, and influence conservation discourses and practices. While research on conservation NGOs is growing, less attention has been paid to how conservation NGOs structure their networks. In this article, we interrogate the interpersonal social relationships that underpin the organisational dynamics of conservation NGOs engaged in transnational activities. Drawing on 45 semi-structured interviews with conservation professionals at NGOs based in Cambridge (UK), Bangkok (Thailand), and Vientiane (Lao PDR), we sketch two parallel and interacting dimensions: (a) the bureaucratic and institutional infrastructures that condition conservation flows and actor interactions; and (b) the interpersonal social relationships that pattern conservation flows between distant places and actors. We illustrate how such relationships are important for managing activities, responding to unexpected and unforeseen events, capitalising on funding opportunities by quickly mobilising an existing network, integrating new actors into project activities, enhancing cross-sector dialogues to mainstream biodiversity conservation, and accessing and influencing funders. Social relationships serve a crucial function due to the uncertain conditions in which conservation NGOs operate. Our results point to an important dimension of exclusion in transnational conservation networks.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation for Degenerated Surgical Aortic Bioprosthesis
Authors: Sabbagh Abdallah El , Al-Hijji Mohammed , Guerrero Mayra
Published: May 2022

Background:

Transcatheter aortic valve in valve (Aviv) replacement has been shown to be an effective therapeutic option in patients with failed aortic bioprosthetic valves. This review intended to evaluate contemporary 1-year outcomes of Aviv in recent studies.

Methods:

A systematic review on outcomes of Aviv was performed using the best available evidence from studies obtained using a MEDLINE, Cochrane database, and SCOPUS search. Endpoints of interest were survival, coronary artery obstruction, prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM), stroke, pacemaker implantation, and structural valve deterioration.

Results:

A total of 3339 patients from 23 studies were included. Mean age was 68–80 years, 20%–50% were female, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons score ranged from 5.7 to 31.1. Thirty-day all-cause mortality ranged from 2% to 8%, and 1-year all-cause mortality ranged from 8% to 33%. Coronary artery obstruction risk after Aviv ranged from 0.6% to 4%. One-year stroke ranged from 2% to 8%. Moderate-severe PPM occurred in 11%–58%, and pacemaker rate at 1 year ranged from 5% to 12%.

Conclusion:

Transcatheter aortic ViV has emerged as an effective therapeutic option to treat patients with failed bioprostheses. The acceptable complication rate and favorable 1-year outcomes make Aviv an appropriate alternative to redo surgical aortic valve replacement.
Severe Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis in a Pregnant Woman
Authors: Elyas Ahmed Abdalla , Al Maghraby Ahmed Mohamed
Published: May 2022

A 35-year-old pregnant female in her second trimester presented with heart failure manifestations with evidence of very severe fixed left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. The peak systolic gradient was 132 mmHg, which is the highest reported in the literature, secondary to congenital subaortic membrane. Similar case reports that we could find in the literature were reviewed to highlight the importance of such anomaly.
Coronary Artery Occlusion during Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation
Authors: Baghi Mohamed Abdunasser M. , Othman Khaled Taufek , Alnabti Abdu Rahman H. , Abujalala Salem M.
Published: May 2022

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is one of the rapidly evolving treatment strategies for severe aortic stenosis. Included in this category are inoperable, high, intermediate, and low surgical risk patients. It has varying types of complications that may require urgent surgical or transcatheter interventions to prevent procedural mortality and morbidity. Coronary artery occlusion is a rare and dreaded complication of TAVI. Here, we report a 73-year-old man who was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis and underwent transfemoral TAVI. Unfortunately, during preimplantation balloon valvuloplasty, the patient developed severe hypotension along with ischemic changes on the electrocardiographic monitor. Promptly, coronary angiography was performed which revealed complete occlusion of the left anterior descending artery secondary to embolic debris. He was successfully rescued by manual aspiration thrombectomy (MAT). MAT results in restoration of coronary flow and reversal of shock condition before completing TAVI procedure.
Asymptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis
Authors: Abdelghani Mohamed Salah , Sardar Sundus , Hamada Abdelhaleem Shawky
Published: May 2022

Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most prevalent valvular heart disease in developed countries and most prevalent in the elderly. According to the current guidelines, intervention is recommended in symptomatic severe AS; however, in asymptomatic patients, aortic valve replacement (AVR) is considered when symptoms appear or the left ventricular dysfunction occurs, but the evidence supports these indications are poor. The optimal timing and modality of intervention in asymptomatic severe AS (ASAS) remain controversial. Earlier AVR in certain scenarios has been increasingly supported by some groups before subclinical irreversible myocardial damage occurs. In addition, the continuous advancement of percutaneous and surgical approaches where associated with a substantial decrease in mortality and perioperative complications which made many authors advocate for early intervention in those patients. Our review highlights the contemporary evaluation and management of ASAS and summarizes the current scientific evidence regarding optimal timing for intervention and indications for early AVR in such patients.
Stress Echocardiogram in Asymptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis
Authors: Abusweireh Asad I. I. , Alzaeem Hakam Abdallah
Published: May 2022

Aortic stenosis (AS) is one of the most common adult valve diseases. Therefore, current guidelines recommend prompt aortic valve intervention once symptoms occur. However, AS is predominantly a disease of the elderly, and these people may be underreporting their symptoms, have other comorbidities, or have a low level of exertion at the baseline or they might make a subconscious adjustment of their activities. Hence, stress testing can be a vital and objective tool to uncover their symptoms and prognosticate.
Functional (Psychogenic) Seizures are Associated with Thyroid Disorders
Authors: Asadi-Pooya Ali A. , Farazdaghi Mohsen
Published: May 2022

Objective:

We investigated medical comorbidities in patients with functional seizures (FS) and those with epilepsy (idiopathic generalized epilepsies [IGEs] or temporal lobe epilepsy [TLE]). We hypothesized that the nature of medical comorbidities differs between these three groups. This might be helpful to postulate on the pathophysiology of FS.

Materials and Methods:

In a retrospective study, all adult patients with a diagnosis of IGE, TLE, or FS were recruited at the outpatient epilepsy clinic at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran, from 2008 until 2020. The three groups of patients were matched with regard to their age. Age, sex, and medical comorbidities were registered routinely for all patients at the time of the first visit.

Results:

Nine hundred and sixty-six patients were studied (254 patients with IGE, 467 persons with TLE, and 245 individuals with FS). The groups differed significantly with regard to having medical comorbidities. The most striking difference was comorbid thyroid disorders; this was more common among patients with FS. The diagnosis of FS was independently significantly associated with thyroid disorder comorbidity (odds ratio: 2.77, 95% confidence interval: 1.06–7.23; P = 0.038).

Conclusion:

Thyroid disorders are significantly associated with FS. We can make the following suggestions to advance the field: a. It is necessary to reproduce this observation in larger multicenter studies; b. We recommend to evaluate thyroid function in all patients with FS; c. It might be helpful to design clinical trials to investigate whether correction of any clinical or subclinical thyroid disorders changes the treatment outcome in patients with FS.
Anxiety in Individuals with Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Jiang Wei
Published: May 2022

Anxiety is a commonly prevalent mental problem in patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD), but its significance and clinical management have been neglected until recently. Similar to depression, anxiety has been demonstrated to be prevalent and hinging the quality of life and optimal outcome of patients with CVD. Although research evidence is still limited, clinical management for depression may be adopted for the care of anxiety in patients with CVD. Special attention needs to be paid when diagnosing anxiety disorder in patients with CVD because the fear may be a normal reaction of these patients and anxiety may manifest somatically.
Comparison of recovery times by using bispectral index monitoring versus end-tidal agent concentration monitoring in patients undergoing inhalational general anaesthesia
Authors: Chaudhuri Shalini , Banerjee Sandipan , Chattopadhyay Uddalak , Hussain Syed S.
Published: May 2022

Background and Aims:

End-tidal anaesthetic gas concentration (ETAG) and bispectral index (BIS) are both used to monitor depth of anaesthesia. Maintaining an accurate depth of anaesthesia helps in early post-operative recovery. This study compared the recovery times from sevoflurane–nitrous oxide anaesthesia using ETAG monitoring with BIS monitoring.

Methods:

Four hundred and two patients undergoing elective surgeries under sevoflurane- nitrous oxide anaesthesia were enroled in this double blinded parallel group prospective randomised trial and allocated into two groups. The depth of anaesthesia was monitored using BIS in BIS group (n = 202) and end-tidal sevoflurane concentration (EtSevo) in ETAG group (n = 200). The time to extubation and recovery were compared between the groups. Parametric, non-parametric and categorical variables were compared using Student’s ‘t’ test, Wilcoxon’s rank sum test and Chi-square test, respectively.

Results:

Time to extubation (min) [BIS group – 10, 5; ETAG group – 10, 5 (median, inter-quartile range, IQR), P = 0.32] and time to recovery (min) [BIS group – 14, 6; ETAG group – 13.5, 7 (median, IQR), P = 0.34] did not differ significantly between the two groups. The EtSevo concentration (vol%) was significantly higher in the BIS group at 5 min [BIS group – 1.2, 0.4; ETAG group – 1.0, 0.4 (median, IQR), P < 0.001], 30 min [BIS group – 1.1, 0.4; ETAG group – 1.0, 0.3 (median, IQR), P = 0.002] and 120 min [BIS group – 1.11 ± 0.28; ETAG group – 0.96 ± 0.27 (mean ± standard deviation), P = 0.014] after induction of anaesthesia.

Conclusions:

BIS and ETAG monitoring are associated with comparable recovery profiles. ETAG monitoring is associated with significantly less sevoflurane consumption.
Satisfaction among COVID-19 Positive Patients
Authors: Sharma Arvind , Soni Deepali , Dubey Priyanka , Sharma Richa , Bharti Aditi , Singh Tej Pratap
Published: May 2022

Background:

In the scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to assess the quality of care that is being provided to COVID-19 positive patients as the health-care quality plays a crucial role in winning over any health crisis.

Objective:

This study aims to assess satisfaction among COVID-19 positive patients in a tertiary care hospital.

Methodology:

A retrospective cross-sectional study was done on COVID-19 positive patients admitted in a tertiary hospital of central India. Sample size was calculated by using the following formula: n = Z
2
pq/d
2, which came out to be 113. Simple random sampling was done to select the patients. A quantitative structured interview schedule was used to collect data.

Results:

Majority of the respondents were satisfied with the available amenities, clinical care, and behavior of health-care providers except services regarding linen, toilet, and doctors' explanation of illness and treatment. Overall impression of the visit was excellent to good according to 84% of the respondents. On inquiring the likelihood of recommending this hospital to others, 91.3% of the respondents gave a positive reply.

Conclusion:

Improvement is needed in linen and toilet facilities. Patients should be counseled via telephones regarding their illness and treatment if this is not possible face to face as the treating physicians are in personal protective equipment kits and it is quite difficult to interact while wearing these kits. Patient satisfaction surveys should be institutionalized periodically.
Impact on Mental Health among Patients with COVID-19
Authors: Sharma Arvind , Bharti Aditi , Singh Tej Pratap , Sharma Richa , Soni Deepali , Dubey Priyanka
Published: May 2022

Objective:

The objective of the study is to assess mental health status and the severity of the depression in patients of COVID-19 admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Jabalpur district.

Settings and Design:

This cross-sectional study was conducted over a period from April to June 2020 at the NSCB Medical College and Hospital, Jabalpur.

Methodology:

Out of 150 participants, 135 participants responded whereas 15 patients did not respond as some of them did not answer the calls and remaining did not give their consent. Participants included confirmed COVID-19 cases admitted at a tertiary care hospital, aged 18 years and above. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to determine depression and was completed through telephonic platform survey.

Statistical Analysis Used:

SPSS statistical software was used to analyze the data. P <0.05 and <0.001 with 95% confidence interval was considered statistically significant.

Results:

Among 135 participants, overall depression was found to be 50.4%, out of which, 29.6% were in mild depression, 8.9% were in moderate depression and 11.8% were in moderately severe to severe depression. Females had approximately four times higher risk for depressive symptoms (P <0.001), and for an age group, more than 45 was found to be significantly associated with depression.

Conclusion:

The present study suggested that about 50% of the people experienced depression. The significant factors found may reveal that more attention should be given to the mental health of the patients with COVID-19, imperatively with psychological care in the treatment protocol to subdue the effects of the pandemic.
Dermoscopy in Vitiligo
Authors: Awal Guneet , Kaur Jasleen , Kaur Komalpreet
Published: May 2022

Context:

Vitiligo is an autoimmune depigmentary disorder characterized by loss of epidermal melanocytes. It can be diagnosed clinically, however, dermoscopy aids in its differentiation from other hypopigmentary and depigmentary conditions and also helps in evaluating disease activity. Aims: To study the dermoscopic patterns of vitiligo and evaluate their correlation with disease activity.

Settings and Design:

This is a cross-sectional and observational study conducted in the outpatient department of dermatology of a tertiary care hospital at Sri Amritsar.

Methods and Materials:

Fifty patients complaining of depigmented lesions were diagnosed clinically for vitiligo. Histopathological confirmation was done in difficult to diagnose cases. Patients with clinically stable vitiligo, unstable vitiligo, and vitiligo under treatment were included. A dermoscopic examination was done with a Dermlite DL4 dermoscope. The photographs were taken using a standard phone and the dermoscopic findings were documented.Statistical Analysis Used: The results were tabulated and expressed as percentages. The Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated between dermoscopic patterns of vitiligo and disease activity.

Results:

On examination with the dermoscope, pigmentary patterns observed were marginal hyperpigmentation, perifollicular pigmentation, reticulate hyperpigmentation, and altered pigment network. Morphological patterns seen on dermoscopy included leukotrichia, micro-Koebner phenomena, polka dots, and starburst appearance.

Conclusions:

Marginal hyperpigmentation, perifollicular pigmentation, and reticulate pigmentation were the markers of disease stability. Leukotrichia was seen in patients of stable vitiligo majority being treatment refractory. Altered pigment network, micro-Koebner phenomena, starburst appearance, and polka dots indicated unstable vitiligo. Presence of erythema and telangiectasias indicated response to treatment. Hence, dermoscopy can be used as an effective tool for the diagnosis of vitiligo and evaluation of disease activity.
A split-face study to evaluate the efficacy of Nd
Authors: Singh Ambuj , Goyal Tarang , Singh Pooja
Published: May 2022

Background:

Until recently, the removal of ephelides on face was predominantly carried out by using dermabrasion, chemical peeling, and radiofrequency cauterization. As these treatment modalities caused undesirable side effects such as scarring, this study is being performed to compare the effect of ND:YAG laser and radiofrequency to remove ephelides with laser showing better result and fewer side effects.

Materials and methods:

The present study was conducted in the department of dermatology, venerology, and leprology during the period 2017 to 2019 after obtaining clearance from Board of Studies and Ethical committee. Patient was thoroughly examined on the basis of history and examination for a confirm diagnosis. After confirming the diagnosis, the patient's face was divided into left and right sides. On to the right-sided freckles of the face, radiofrequency cauterization was carried out and on left part, Nd:YAG was performed. The objective parameters were estimated at the end of 1 month using global improvement scale and also by evaluating patient's satisfaction score. Photographs of both sides of the face were taken at 0, 1 week, and at 1 month under consistent background, position, and lighting and compared with the pretreatment images.

Results:

The study population consisted of 9 (18%) males and 41 (82%) females. Distribution of global improvement scores 3 and 4 was significantly more among Nd:YAG laser (65.0% and 10.0%, respectively) compared to radiofrequency ablation (2.5% and 0.0%, respectively). Mean freckle area severity index (FASI) score post-treatment and reduction in score were significantly more among Nd:YAG laser compared to radiofrequency ablation. Erythema, hyperpigmentation, and hypopigmentation were significantly more among radiofrequency ablation.

Conclusion:

Nd:YAG laser showed satisfactory result in removing freckles in comparison to radiofrequency ablation.
Management of childhood vitiligo − a brief review
Authors: Raju Sahana P. , Kaur Sumit , Loganathan Eswari
Published: May 2022

Vitiligo comprises of one of the commonest reasons for a dermatology consultation in the pediatric age group, worldwide. The incidence of childhood vitiligo varies from 1% to 8%, making it a significant pediatric condition. Various theories have been put forward to explain the occurrence of depigmentation in vitiligo, of which genetic factors play a predominant role in childhood vitiligo. The various modalities of treatment of childhood vitiligo are reviewed in this article. The management of vitiligo is extremely challenging, more so in the pediatric age group, as it can lead to significant psychologic trauma and dysregulation of social development in a child. The goals of management of childhood vitiligo should be aimed at addressing all these issues and achieving an optimum result out of the available modalities.
Using Deep Neural Networks to Classify Symbolic Road Markings for Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Suarez-Mash Daniel , Ghani Arfan , See Chan H. , Keates Simeon , Yu Hongnian
Published: May 2022

To make autonomous cars as safe as feasible for all road users, it is essential to interpret as many sources of trustworthy information as possible. There has been substantial research into interpreting objects such as traffic lights and pedestrian information, however, less attention has been paid to the Symbolic Road Markings (SRMs). SRMs are essential information that needs to be interpreted by autonomous vehicles, hence, this case study presents a comprehensive model primarily focused on classifying painted symbolic road markings by using a region of interest (ROI) detector and a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN). This two-stage model has been trained and tested using an extensive public dataset. The two-stage model investigated in this research includes SRM classification by using Hough lines where features were extracted and the CNN model was trained and tested. An ROI detector is presented that crops and segments the road lane to eliminate nonessential features of the image. The investigated model is robust, achieving up to 92.96 percent accuracy with 26.07 and 40.1 frames per second (FPS) using ROI scaled and raw images, respectively.
Prognostic and clinicopathological significance of Fusobacterium nucleatum in colorectal cancer: a systemic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kim Younghoon , Cho Nam Yun , Kang Gyeong Hoon
Published: May 2022

Background: Fusobacterium nucleatum has been identified to promote tumor progression in colorectal cancer (CRC). However, association between F. nucleatum and prognostic or clinicopathological features has been diverse among studies, which could be affected by type of biospecimen (formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded or fresh frozen [FF]).Methods: Articles were systemically reviewed for studies that included the correlation between F. nucleatum and prognosis or clinicopathological features in CRC.Results: Ten articles, eight studies with survival-related features involving 3,199 patients and nine studies with clinical features involving 2,655 patients, were eligible for the meta-analysis. Overall survival, disease-free survival, and cancer-specific survival were all associated with worse prognosis in F. nucleatum–high patients (p<.05). In subgroup analysis, only studies with FF tissues retained prognostic significance with F. nucleatum. In meta-analysis of clinicopathological variables, F. nucleatum level was associated with location within colon, pT category, MLH1 hypermethylation, microsatellite instability status, and BRAF mutation regardless of type of biospecimen. However, lymph node metastasis and KRAS mutation was only associated with F. nucleatum level in FF-based studies.Conclusions: In conclusion, type of biospecimen could affect the role of F. nucleatum as a biomarker associated with clinicopathological features and prognosis.
Association between Sarcopenia and Cognitive Functions in Older Individuals: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Yigit Busra , Oner Can , Cetin Huseyin , Simsek Engin Ersin
Published: May 2022

Background: Sarcopenia and cognitive disorders are frequently observed in older individuals. This study investigated the relationship between sarcopenia and cognitive function in this population.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 201 participants aged >65 years in Istanbul between July 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021. We screened all participants using the SARC-F (strength, assistance with walking, rising from a chair, climbing stairs, and falls) questionnaire to determine the risk of sarcopenia. Handgrip strength and skeletal muscle mass of participants at risk were measured to diagnose sarcopenia. Sarcopenia severity was evaluated using a 4-m walking speed test. We evaluated the cognitive status of participants using the Standardized Mini-Mental Test (SMMT) and the Standardized Mini-Mental Test for the Untrained (SMMT-E).Results: It was found that 10.9% (n=22) of participants was risky for sarcopenia and 6.0% (n=12) and 33.3% (n=4) had definite and severe sarcopenia, respectively. Examination of the association between cognitive impairment and SARC-F showed that 8.6% (n=14) of participants with normal cognitive function were at risk of sarcopenia compared to 20.5% (n=8) of participants with cognitive impairment (p=0.045). Evaluation of the relationship between cognitive function and sarcopenia status showed that 3.7% (n=6) of participants with normal cognitive function had sarcopenia compared to 15.4% (n=6) among participants with cognitive impairment (p=0.006).Conclusion: The rate of sarcopenia was significantly higher in older individuals with cognitive than those with normal cognitive functions.
A review of the roles of Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) molecules in infections
Authors: Adegboro B. , Kolawole O.M. , Lawani O. , Folahan F. , Seriki A.A.
Published: May 2022

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) locus is a group of genes located on the short arm of chromosome 6 in human that code for proteins on the cell surface. They have important roles in immune response by the cells of immune system. Using a comprehensive search method on Google Scholar and PubMed databases, literatures on MHC published in English until 2021 were searched with the terms; “MHC”, “HLA”, “MHC antigen presentation” and “MHC roles in infections”. Relevant publications were identified, screened for duplicates and selected per eligibility. The review highlights the different haplotypes of the MHC that either enhance or depress the body immune system to some important viral, bacterial and parasitic infections. The possibility of utilizing this knowledge in genetic engineering and immunomodulation, to prevent infectious diseases and cancers, are discussed.
Determination of the effect of quantity of maize cobs and shelling speed on the performance of a maize sheller
Authors: Ajayi O.K. , Adeyi A. J. , Fadairo A. A. , Ologunye B. O.
Published: May 2022

Arable farming of maize is the most common of all crops in Sub-Saharan Africa. Most often, the processing is done domestically using manual effort, but on few occasions some part are done visiting commercial mechanized processors. This work presents the evaluation of the performance of a maize sheller scaled for domestic use. Three set of maize input (2kg, 3kg and 5kg) were each tested at different shelling speed of 2500 rpm, 2600 rpm and 2800 rpm respectively. The output parameters measured were; shelled maize, unshelled maize, cylinder loss and spilled loss. Subsequently, shelling capacity, cylinder loss (%) and spilled loss (5) were determined. It was however discovered that the 5kg shelling at 2600 rpm gave the highest shelling capacity at 24. This is in agreement with the assessment of the machine when 10kg maize was shelled at 2600 rpm.
Analyses of potential evapotranspiration of two major towns in Enugu State, Nigeria
Authors: Ezenne G. I. , Obiajuibe M. U.
Published: May 2022

Evapotranspiration (ET) may account for up to 70% of the annual precipitation even in humid region. Understanding ET is essential for management of water resource, crop water requirement as well as irrigation designs/scheduling etc. Therefore, this study tries to analyze potential ET over Enugu State using meteorological data from weather stations and compared the results obtained with that from satellite remote sensed techniques. The meteorological data from 1999 to 2014 were collected from Nigerian Meteorological agency (NIMET) for two stations in Enugu State (Enugu town and Nsukka). The data were processed and ET calculated using CROPWAT software. Also, necessary data for ET were downloaded from global atmospheric reanalysis product by European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ERA-Interim) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Daily and monthly potential ET results were estimated for Enugu and Nsukka. The potential ET obtained for both stations varies with month and seasons with higher values in dry season than rainy season. The potential ET obtained from NIMET, NASA and ERA-Interim have similar trend but varied in magnitude. Statistically, ETNIMET was the most accurate followed by ETNASA.
Design, fabrication, and evaluation of produced water treatment system for effective removal of oil and salt
Authors: Oreavbiere A.G. , Sadjere E. G.
Published: May 2022

Inappropriate disposal of Produced Water is one of the causes of degradation of the environment in the Niger-Delta. The effect on farmlands and aquatic life has been disastrous and this disposal continues because of lack of treatment equipment or inability to maintain treatment equipment. This work has developed a method for produced water treatment focusing on oil and salt removal. A small scale produced water treatment system was fabricated. The system’s processes were based on thermal energy; thermal phase separation was used for oil removal and humidification-dehumidification was used for salt removal. The water obtained at the various process stages was tested to ascertain the oil content and salinity. Results obtained showed that oil levels in the produced water dropped from 3034.28mg/l to 380.58mg/ after phase separation which is significant but not meeting the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) requirement. However, after the humidification – dehumidification process, it was reduced to 4.02mg/l which meets the DPR requirement of 10mg/l. The salinity also reduced from 887.50mg/l to 35mg/l, this meets DPR acceptable limits for land disposal of 600mg/l.
Scaffolding preservice engineering graphics and design teachers’ interpretation ability of assembly drawing
Authors: Singh-Pillay A. , Sotsaka D.
Published: May 2022

This study focuses on first-year Pre-service Engineering Graphics and Design teachers (PSEGDTs), as studies on the spatial-visual abilities of PSEGDTs is absent in mainstream spatial-visual literature. This paper reports on a teaching resource designed to support PSEDGTs' reading and interpreting AD. Data is presented in response to the following research questions, Does the comprehension of Assembly Drawing by PSEGDTs, alter after exposure to the teaching resource, if so how and, what contributed to the change? Twenty-one first-year PSEDGTs who participated in the authors' more extensive study were deliberately chosen to partake in this research. Individual interviews and focus group interviews were employed to develop data. Content analysis was embraced to elicit meaning from the data. The results highlight a significant improvement in most first-year PSEGDTs ability to read and interpret assembly drawings after the teaching resource. The research proposes an innovative strategy for teaching and learning of assembly drawing.
Performance of millet husk ash in self compacting concrete
Authors: Mohammed A. , Aboshio A. , Aliyu M. M.
Published: May 2022

In a quest to mitigate the negative effects associated with the use of high cement content in self-compacting concrete (SCC), mineral additive from agricultural waste of millet husk ash (MHA) was explored with a view to partially replace cement in SCC without loss of quality. Several trial mixes were carried out with the aim of achieving grade 40 SCC, using water to binder ratio of 0.35 and plasticizer at 1.05 litre per 100 kg of cement. The adopted mix proportion satisfying the desired strength was used in production of MHA concrete (SCC – MHA) containing 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 percentages by weight of MHA as a replacement of cement respectively. Slump flow, L-box height ratio and segregation resistance were used to evaluate the fresh properties of the SCC – MHA mixes and compressive, splitting tensile and flexural strengths of the SCC – MHA evaluated at 3, 7, 28, 56 and 90 days curing ages were used to study the effects of the MHA in SCC. The result from the study shows that the slump flow and passing ability of the fresh SCC – MHA reduces with increase in MHA content in SCC but with improvement in the resistance against segregation. In addition, the increase in MHA content in SCC from 10 to 30 % reduces the compressive, splitting tensile and flexural strengths of the SCC – MHA. A microstructure study conducted on some selected specimen using X-Ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy revealed that the available portlandite in the SCC were gradually consumed in the presence of MHA as the curing age increases. However, the result from the study showed that the MHA is class N pozzolanic material with optimum usage dose of 5 % for improvement of the hardened properties of SCC.
Improving power transfer in rectenna via impedance matching at GHz frequencies
Authors: Etor D. , Gafai N B. , Akintunde I.A. , Awodiji O.O. , Dodd L.E.
Published: May 2022

A simple and elegant impedance-matching method for rectenna operating in a narrow frequency range is presented. The method used two coplanar strip lines emerging from the antenna feed-point, to correct for the reactive component of the antenna impedance on one side, and to connect the rectifier and transform its impedance on the other side. The experimental results were supported by numerical simulations, which suggest that the same impedance matching technique can be used for mm-waves and terahertz (THz) radiation applications. Microwave characterization of the fabricated devices (impedance-matched and non-matched) showed that the responsivity of the impedance-matched rectenna is approaching an order of magnitude higher at 20 GHz than that of a control device without a matching network.