bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regulation of brain iron uptake by apo- and holo-transferrin is dependent on sex and delivery protein
Authors: Baringer Stephanie L. , Neely Elizabeth B. , Palsa Kondaiah , Simpson Ian A. , Connor James R.
Published: March 2022

Background: The brain requires iron for a number of processes, including energy production. Inadequate or excessive amounts of iron can be detrimental and lead to a number of neurological disorders. As such, regulation of brain iron uptake is required for proper functioning. Understanding both the movement of iron into the brain and how this process is regulated is crucial to both address dysfunctions with brain iron uptake in disease and successfully use the transferrin receptor uptake system for drug delivery. Methods: Using in vivo steady state infusions of apo- and holo-transferrin into the lateral ventricle, we demonstrate the regulatory effects of brain apo- and holo-transferrin ratios on the delivery of radioactive 55Fe bound to transferrin or H-ferritin in male and female mice. In discovering sex differences in the response to apo and holo Tf infusions, ovariectomies were performed on female mice to interrogate the influence of circulating estrogen on regulation of iron uptake. Results: Our model reveals that both sex and type of iron delivery protein have significant effects on the regulation of iron uptake into the microvasculature and subsequent release into the brain. Furthermore, we show that cells of the microvasculature act as significant reservoirs of iron and release the iron in response to cues from the interstitial fluid of the brain. Conclusions: These findings extend our previous work to demonstrate that the regulation of brain iron uptake is influenced by both the mode in which iron is delivered and sex. These findings further emphasize the role of the microvasculature in regulating brain iron uptake and the importance of cues regarding iron status in the extracellular fluid.
First-principles study on the physical properties of monoclinic MgCO 3 under high pressure
Authors: Liu Zi-Jiang , Sun Xiao-Wei , Zhang Cai-Rong , Zhang Shun-Jing , Zhang Zheng-Rong , Jin Neng-Zhi
Published: March 2022

The first-principles calculations based on density functional theory with projector-augmented wave are used to study the physical properties of monoclinic MgCO3 at lower mantle conditions. The results show that the phase transition pressure of rhombohedral MgCO3(magnesite) to monoclinic MgCO3 is between 72–79 GPa in the temperature range of the mantle. The equation of state for monoclinic MgCO3 agrees well with recent experimental results. The elastic constants of monoclinic MgCO3 are consistent with the latest theoretical results. The elastic modulus of monoclinic MgCO3, especially its shear modulus, exhibits a nonlinear pressure dependence, leading to a significant nonlinear pressure dependence of the small elastic anisotropy and the small wave velocity anisotropy, which is why carbide minerals may not be detected in the deep mantle. The thermodynamic properties of monoclinic MgCO3 at high temperature and high pressure are predicted using the Debye-Grüneisen model.
Performance assessment for earthquake-damaged RC structure based on damaged section analysis
Authors: Ma Juntao , Wang Guoxin
Published: March 2022

Evaluating quantitatively the performance of earthquake-damaged structures is significant for facilitating post-earthquake reconstruction. However, it is difficult to consider the effect of earthquake-induced damage on structure. In this paper, a new method to build earthquake-damaged structure model (EDSM) based on damaged cross section analysis (DSA) procedure is proposed. DSA can consider the effect of earthquake-induced damage on concrete and reinforcement, respectively, and determine the skeleton curve of damaged cross section. EDSM is constructed by replacing plastic hinges of structure after earthquake with trilinear skeleton curve computed by DSA. This method is realized on RC frame structure and verified by the comparison of response between undamaged structure under sequence ground motions and EDSM under the last ground motion. Subsequently, there is more prominent reduction on the vulnerability of slight limit state than higher limit states by comparing the fragility of undamaged structure and EDSM. It can be indicated that earthquake-induced damage has more significant effect on elastic properties of structure. The proposed method to establish EDSM can well represent the structure after earthquake and assess quantitatively residual performance of earthquake-damaged structure and provide a reference for reconstruction decisions.
Hydroxyproline as a New Biomarker to Differentiate Osteoarthritis from Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Early Stages.
Authors: Elbeialy Adel , Elabd Hemmat , Shahen Amira , Amin Radwa
Published: March 2022

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are the most common inflammatory disorders of the musculoskeletal system which are defined by articular cartilage degradation and impairment of joints. When criteria and radiography are insufficient to diagnose the early stages of RA and OA to control disease course, biomarkers become necessary to early diagnose these diseases. Objective: We searched the levels of (MMP3) and (HP) in the blood of early RA and OA patients in order to see if they can be utilized to distinguish the two diseases at an early stage. Patients and Methods: We recruited 1) forty patients who were diagnosed with early knee osteoarthritis using EULAR and Kellgren-Lawrence radiographic grading criteria, 2) forty patients with early RA (disease duration less than three years), and 3) forty control groups consisted of normal volunteers who were age and sex-matched. All subjects underwent a thorough medical history, clinical musculoskeletal examination, and laboratory tests, including the determination of blood MMP3 and HP. We did also a simple x-ray of their hands and knee joints. Results: Comparing groups, we found a highly significant increase in serum MMP3 in OA patients than RA patients and control groups. MMP3 was also significantly higher in RA patients than in the control group. While, OA patients had significantly higher HP than RA patients and control groups, whereas RA patients and control groups had no significant difference in HP. Conclusion: Hydroxyproline rather than MMP3 may be employed as a potential biomarker for early differentiation between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Utilization of Long –Acting Contraceptive Methods and Associated Factor Among Female Health Care Providers in South Wollo Zone Hospitals, North East, Ethiopia.
Authors: seid Mehdi , Yimer Aragaw , seid Ahmed , Fantaye Fasil , Damtie Yitayshi
Published: March 2022

Back ground: - Long-acting contraception method utilization was found low (22.7%) among female health care providers. However, as far as my literature search no study was done on long-acting contraception methods utilization among female health providers in the study area. These studies failed to include important variable like socio demography and individual factor which might affect the use of long-acting contraceptive methods female health providers and limited studies in Ethiopia. Objective: - To assessing utilization of long -acting contraceptive methods and associated factors among health care providers in south wollo zone public hospitals, Amhara region, Ethiopia 2021.Methods: -An Institutional-based cross- sectional was conducted among 354 female health care workers in south wollo zone hospitals, from March to April 22, 2021. The participants were selected using Systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected by using self-administered questionnaire. The data were entered Epi-data version 4.1 and export to SPSS versions 25 for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis were performed. The Adjusted odds Ratio (AOR) along with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated to measure the association and level of significance was declared at a P- value of less than 0.05.Result: -The current utilization of long-acting contraceptive methods among female health care providers was found to be 33.6% [95%, CI 29-39)], discuss with partner [AOR= 2.277,95% CI, (1.026-5.055)], method shift/switched [AOR=4.302,95% CI, (2.285-8.102)], knowledge of respondent [AOR= 1.887,95% CI, (1.020-3.491)], ever birth [AOR=15.670,95% CI, (5.065-48.49)] were significant factors towards the utilization of long-acting contraceptive methods. Conclusion and recommendation: -The current utilization of long-acting contraceptive methods was found low. Discus with partner, methods shift/switching, ever birth and knowledge of respondents were identified as significant factor. Therefore, encouraging partner discussion targeted Information Education Communication Intervention should be intensified to improve long-acting contraceptive methods utilization.
A New Method of Generating Life-Time Distributions
Authors: Riffi Mohamed I.
Published: March 2022

Abstract. Statisticians are interested in improving the ability of classical distributions to appropriately fit real-world data and accurately describe its characteristics. Typically, this can be achieved by extending known distributions by incorporating extra parameters or compounding distributions. In this paper, a flexible general method to obtain new families of distributions is proposed. A number of known methods turn out to be special cases of the proposed method in this paper. Some examples are given to demonstrate the power of the proposed method such as the exponential and the Weibull distribution.
Sedation is associated with higher polyp and adenoma detection rates during colonoscopy: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Xu Chenghu , Tang Dehua , Xie Ying , Ni Muhan , Chen Min , Shen Yonghua , Dou Xiaotan , Zhou Lin , Xu Guifang , Wang Lei , Lv Ying , Zhang Shu , Zou Xiaoping
Published: March 2022

Background and aims: Currently sedation is a common practice in colonoscopy to reduce pain of patients and improve the operator satisfaction, while its impact on examination quality, especially polyp detection rate (PDR) and adenoma detection rate (ADR) is still controversial. Thus, we aimed to investigate the association of sedation with PDR/ADR. Methods: Consecutive patients receiving colonoscopy between January 2017 to January 2020 at the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital were collected. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were performed to investigate the association between sedation and PDR/ADR. Subgroup analysis and propensity score matching analysis (PSM), as sensitivity analysis, were performed to validate the independent effect. Results: The PDR and ADR were significantly higher in cases with sedation (PDR: 55.4% vs 46.6%, OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.32~1.53, P < 0.001; ADR: 37.3% vs 30.2%, OR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.27~1.49, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that the sedation was an independent factor associated with PDR (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.40~1.69, P < 0.001) and ADR (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.32~1.60, P < 0.001). The effect was consistent in subgroup analyses(P > 0.05) and PSM analysis (PDR: 56.1% vs 46.4%, OR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.35~1.62, P < 0.001; ADR: 37.4% vs 30.0%, OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.27~1.54, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Sedation was associated with a higher polyp and adenoma detection rates during colonoscopy, which can promote the quality of colonoscopy.
Height Measurements to Diagnose Short Stature and Obesity During After-Hours Period is Inefficient
Authors: Matsumoto Takako , Ushijima Kikumi , Fujimoto Tamotsu , Eshima Nobuoki , Yatsuga Shuichi
Published: March 2022

Background: Pediatricians in Japan usually measure child body weight during medical examinations. However, they rarely measure height. There are no reports addressing the efficiency of height measurement at night or on holidays. Our study asked whether height measurements and obesity index calculations during all pediatric visits were efficient. Methods: We analyzed data collected on patients between the ages of 3 and 10 years who visited a pediatrics department over a 1-month period. We divided the patients into four groups based on when they visited the department: 1) weekday daytime, 2) weekday Semi-night, 3) weekday Mid-night, 4) holiday. The height and the body weight of all patients were measured. This analysis included 1101 patients. The numbers of patients visiting the hospital were 727, 176, 34, and 164 for Day-time, Semi-night, Mid-night, and Holiday visits, respectively. Resalts: There were no significant differences in ages of children visiting at different times (p=0.211). However, there were significant differences in height among children visiting at different times (p=0.018), with the Mid-night group being the highest. There were no significant differences in the incidence of obesity among patients visiting at different times (p=0.44); however, significant variations were found for BMI %tile among the patients (p=0.03), being significantly lower for the Mid-night group than the others. Conclusions: We conclude that height measurement to detect short stature (SS) and calculating BMI to detect obesity is inefficient for children who visit hospital during emergency times.
The Prognostic Biomarkers and Immunotherapeutic Targets of Septin in Colon Cancer
Authors: Zhou Zhengyang , Yang Changliang , Zhang Yan , Yang Haiou , Yang Jiayu , Zhang Haiyang , Ba Yi
Published: March 2022

BackgroundColon cancer has the third highest incidence and second highest death rate in the world. Colon cancer poses a huge burden to patients and society in China. More accurate and convenient early diagnosis of colon cancer is a challenge to solve this disease. Some studies have revealed the involvement of Septin family members in colon cancer, but the role of most Septin remains unclear. MethodsGEPIA, UALCAN, The Human Protein ATLAS database, The Human Disease Methylation Database, MethSurv, SurvivalMeth, cBioPortal, STRING, GeneMANIA, DAVID, Metascape, PASTAA, LinkedOmics, and TIMER were used in our study. ResultsWe found that the transcription level of SEPT1/4/5/6/7/10/11 was significantly decreased in colon cancer tissues. The expression level of SEPT2/5/6/7/8/9/10/11 protein was medium to high in colon cancer tissues, while the relative expression level of SEPT2 and SEPT9 was the highest in colon cancer tissues. SEPT7 expression was significantly correlated with pathological stage. For colon cancer patients, high SEPT2/9/10/11 expression was associated with longer OS, and only low SEPT4 expression was obviously associated with longer DSF. Moreover, the methylation level of SEPT2/5/7/8/9/11 was increased in colon cancer tissues, while that of SEPT3/4/6/10 was decreased. SEPT9/10/11 methylation levels were also found to decrease with the progression of colon cancer. 2 CpG SEPT1 2 CpG SEPT3, 5 CpG SEPT4, 3 CpG SEPT5, 8 CpG SEPT6, 3 CpG SEPT7, 5 CpG SEPT8, 20 CpG SEPT9, SEPT10 3 CpG 7 CpG SEPT11 was significantly associated with the prognosis of colon cancer patients. We found that SEPT7 had the lowest level of DNA methylation, while SEPT2 had the highest. For possible mechanisms, we performed interaction analysis, functional enrichment analysis in colon cancer, and identified the transcription factor targets and miRNA targets of septin in colon cancer. We also found a significant association between Septin and immune cell invasion. The results showed that SEPT4 and SEPT5 were significantly associated with clinical outcomes of colon cancer patients.ConclusionsSeptin could be used as a clinical prognostic biomarkers and immunotherapeutic targets for colon cancer.
The Pattern of COVID-19 Deaths per Million in Relation to Population Growth Rates
Authors: Raham Tareef Fadhil
Published: March 2022

Objectives: It is well known that aging – as an indicator for community structure- carries a risk factor for COVID-19 mortality. Because of the scarcity of global data about COVID-19 age distribution data, we suggest that the population growth rate (PGR) can reflect the age group structure of the community and can be used as a new indicator for COVID-19 mortality risk assessment. Furthermore, PGR gives an idea about two parameters: birth rate and mortality rate.
Study Design: Ninety-two countries with a total population of more than ten million people were chosen as a sample for this study. We used publically available data for PGRs and COVID-19 deaths per one million populations. These countries were classified into three groups according to COVID-19 death rate per million people into < 1000 / (62 Countries), COVID-19 death rate 1000-2000 (11 Countries), and > 2000 (19 Countries).
Methods: Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used as a statistical method to provide information about levels of variability within a regression model and form a basis for testing the fitted logarithmic model for significance.
Results: PGR was inversely related to COVID-19 mortality in a too highly significant association (p-value 0.000)
Conclusions: PGR estimation is a novel method that can be used to detect countries at increased risk for COVID-19 death in addition to age structure of the community.
Keywords: COVID-19; population growth rate; COVID-19 deaths per one million.
Mid-infrared Supercontinuum-based Fourier Transform Spectroscopy for plasma analysis
Authors: Krebbers R. , Liu N. , Jahromi K. E. , Nematollahi M. , Bang O. , Woyessa G. , Petersen C. R. , Rooij G. Van , Harren F. J. M. , Khodabakhsh A. , Cristescu S. M.
Published: March 2022

Broadband mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy is a well-established and valuable diagnostic technique for reactive plasmas. Plasmas are complex systems and consist of numerous (reactive) types of molecules; it is challenging to measure and control reaction specificity with a good sensitivity. Here, we demonstrate the first use of a novel MIR supercontinuum (SC) source for quantitative plasma spectroscopy. The SC source has a wide spectral coverage of 1300-2700 cm-1 (wavelength range 3.7-7.7 μm), thus enabling broadband multispecies detection. The high spatial coherence of the MIR SC source provides long interaction path lengths, thereby increasing the sensitivity for molecular species. The combination of such a SC source with a custom-built FTIR spectrometer (3 GHz spectral resolution) allows detection of various gases with high spectral resolution. We demonstrate its potential in plasma discharge applications by accurate identification and quantification of a variety of reaction products (e.g. nitrogen oxides and carbon oxides) under the low-pressure conditions, including the molecular species with overlapping absorbance features (e.g. acetone, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, etc).
Analysis Of Related Complications Of Totally Implantable Venous Access Ports In Children's Chemotherapy - Single Center Experience
Authors: Zhang Songze , Xiao Zhangsheng , Yang Feibiao
Published: March 2022

Background: Totally implantable venous access ports (TIVAP) have become important infusion channels for children with tumors. With the popularization of TIVAP, its related complications have gradually received clinical attention. However, few studies have investigated the complications of TIVAP in children. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically analyze the risk factors of complications in children's infusion ports to provide a basis for guiding clinical prevention and intervention.Methods: A total of 182 children who underwent TIVAP implantation and required long-term chemotherapy in our hospital between January 2018 and January 2021 were included. Based on the demographic data, basic disease status, and operation-related data obtained through ERS, SEC, and manual follow-up, the complications and related influencing factors after implantation and implantation were summarized and analyzed. The SPSS software was used to analyze the influencing factors between the complication and control groups.Results: There were 182 children implanted in the intravenous infusion port, of whom 71 had complications. Infection was the most common complication in 50 cases, followed by catheter blockage in 23 cases. Among the infection factors, catheter-related bloodstream infection accounted for the highest proportion (31 cases,17.0%), and Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common pathogen. Nineteen cases were pulled out early, and the unplanned pull-out rate of catheter-related bloodstream infection was the highest. In the analysis of influencing factors, age showed significant differences in catheter-related infection, all complications, and no complications (P < 0.05).Conclusion: The overall incidence of complications associated with the use of TIVAP in children undergoing chemotherapy is high, and infection is the most common complication, among which catheter-related blood flow infection is the most common cause of unplanned pullout. A younger age may be associated with a higher incidence of complications.
Correlation between high ratio of circulating PMN-MDSCs and poor prognosis in metastatic hormone sensitive prostate cancer
Authors: Kohada Yuki , Kuromoto Akito , Takeda Kazuya , Atobe Yuri , Ito Jun , Kaifu Tomonori , Kaiho Yasuhiro , Nakashima Ichiro , Hinata Nobuyuki , Nakamura Akira , Sato Makoto
Published: March 2022

Introduction: This study aims to investigate the role of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in metastatic-hormone sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC).Materials and methods: MDSC subsets in peripheral blood samples were classified and evaluated by flow cytometry into early MDSCs (e-MDSCs), polymorphonuclear MDSCs (PMN-MDSCs), and monocytic MDSCs (M-MDSCs). Prostate-specific antigen progression free survival (PSA–PFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated to assess the prognostic value of each of the MDSC subsets. The immune cell dynamics and gene expression alteration were analyzed by single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) in the representative case.Results: Thirty-one patients with mHSPC and eleven healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study. In patients with mHSPC, PMN/M-MDSCs were significantly higher than those of HCs (p < 0.05) before treatment and declined to almost the same level as in the HCs after treatment. Although there were no differences between high and low ratio of e-MDSCs and M-MDSCs, patients with a high ratio of PMN-MDSCs (≥ 0.30%) displayed a lower PSA–PFS and OS than those with a low ratio (< 0.30%) (p < 0.05). The analysis of scRNA-seq showed that the expression of genes implicated in tumor progression was upregulated in a representative mHSPC case.Conclusion: The high frequency of PMN-MDSCs correlated with poor prognosis in patients with mHSPC. PMN-MDSCs and their highly expressed genes are included as potential novel therapeutic targets for mHSPC.
BIFASCICULAR BLOCK REVEALING STEINERTS MYOTONIC DYSTROPHY
Authors:   Cardiac Rhythmology Unit, Cardiology Department B, Ibn Sina hospital, Mohamed V University, Rabat, Morocco., Fadoum Hassan , Idriss Deka Ibrahim ,   Cardiac Rhythmology Unit, Cardiology Department B, Ibn Sina hospital, Mohamed V University, Rabat, Morocco., Safa Hlal ,   Cardiac Rhythmology Unit, Cardiology Department B, Ibn Sina hospital, Mohamed V University, Rabat, Morocco., Fatima Chikhi ,   Cardiac Rhythmology Unit, Cardiology Department B, Ibn Sina hospital, Mohamed V University, Rabat, Morocco., Ibtissam Fellat ,   Cardiac Rhythmology Unit, Cardiology Department B, Ibn Sina hospital, Mohamed V University, Rabat, Morocco., Mohamed Cherti ,   Cardiac Rhythmology Unit, Cardiology Department B, Ibn Sina hospital, Mohamed V University, Rabat, Morocco.
Published: March 2022

Steinerts disease or myotonic dystrophy type 1 is a genetic neuromuscular disorder with autosomal dominant transmission. It leads to multisystemic damage, including a cardiac localization that is life-threatening.We report the case of a 55 year old patient, without cardiovascular risk factors, with a history of distal muscle damage since the age of 25 years, in his family history we find a brother followed for an unlabelled skeletal muscle damage.He consulted for exertional dyspnea and lipothymic discomfort. The clinical examination revealed a decrease in muscle strength in the lower limbs with amyotrophy. Walking is difficult with the help of crutches and the patient uses a wheelchair. The neurological investigation concluded in Steinerts myotonic dystrophy on the electromyogram.The patients ECG showed a bifascicular block consisting of a left anterior hemiblock and a complete right bundle branch block. The echocardiography did not show any structural abnormalities but found a disturbance of the LV relaxation on the mitral profile.The electrophysiological exploration carried out for the measurement of infrahisical conduction revealed a long HV at 100ms indicating the implantation of a double chamber stimulation.The interest of reporting this case was to underline the importance of screening for cardiac damage of rhythmic origin. But also to inform with the help of literature data the incidence of these forms and the place of cardiac stimulation in the prevention of sudden death in steinerts myotonia.
CORRELATION BETWEEN THE COMPUTER BASED ASSESSMENT AND STUDENTS EXAM ANXIETY
Authors:   Department of English Federal College of Education (Technical) Umunze., I. Ogar Hope
Published: March 2022

Exam anxiety is an essential component of the educational assessment that has not received much research attention. The integration of information communication technology (ICT) for evaluation purposes in the contemporary education ecosystem of Nigeria has increased. The computer-based assessment (CBA) is an ICT framework that has increasingly been used in educational institutions to assess learners learning outcomes. There are intimations that the computer-based assessment platform exerts anxiousness among students. The present study examined the CBA as a correlate of examination anxiety among students. A convenient sample of one hundred and fourteen students pooled from public and private tertiary institutions in Anambra State, Nigeria, participated in the study. The respondents completed a self-report measure of the test anxiety scale. The finding revealed a significant positive relationship between the CBA and exam anxiety. The result and recommendations are discussed.
EFFECT OF TEACHERS PEDAGOGICAL PROFICIENCY ON THE ATTITUDES OF STUDENTS TOWARDS HOME ECONOMICS EDUCATION
Authors:   Department of Home Economics Federal College of Education, Eha Amufu., Amarachi Igwe
Published: March 2022

Home economics is a significant subject in Nigerias educational ecosystem that aims to facilitate the empowerment of students to have a positive relationship with food skills and a healthy diet. There are growing indications that the field has been experiencing low enrolment in the recent decade. Thus, the present study examined the teachers pedagogical proficiency as a factor influencing the students attitude towards home economics education. Ninety-six undergraduates enrolled in the home economics department from two higher education institutions in the Enugu State of Nigeria participated in the study. A simple percentage score indicates that the majority of the students (65.5%) indicated a positive attitude towards home economics education, while less (34.5%) showed negative attitudes. Furthermore, a simple regression analysis was performed to test the study hypothesis. The result revealed that teachers pedagogical proficiency positively predicted students attitudes towards home economics education.
EFFECT OF POLITICAL DISTRUST ON RESPONSE TO CBNS CREDIT FACILITIES AMONG SMALL BUSINESS OPERATORS IN SOUTH-EAST NIGERIA
Authors:   Department of Business Education Federal College of Education, Eha Amufu., U. Charles , a Usoh ,   Department of Business Education Federal College of Education, Eha Amufu.
Published: March 2022

The role of small and medium scale enterprises in economic development, job creation, income generation, and wealth distribution are widely highlighted in the literature. More so, research has implicated procedural ambiguities, lack of valuable assets, oligopolistic financial institutions, biases by commercial banks, business size, education, proximity to credit source and types of credit source, lending requirements, collateral demands, and lack of credit as constraints to credit facilities. However, the present study examined political distrust as a previously unexplored variable that could determine response to available credit facilities. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey. A total of one hundred and ninety-eight small businesses were randomly selected from three states in southeast Nigeria as the study participants. A self-report measure was developed to obtain relevant data. Simple linear regression analysis was used for data analysis, and it was found that political distrust predicted response to CBNs credit facilities. Implications and recommendations are discussed.
EFFECT OF THE PROLONGED LOCKDOWN ON SCHOOLWORK PARTICIPATION IN THE POST COVID-19 ERA
Authors:   Department of Education Foundation Federal College of Education (Technical) Umunze., S. Okafor Pascal
Published: March 2022

The extended academic disruption occasioned by the deadly coronavirus epidemic undoubtedly created a lacuna in the global education landscape. Indeed, the situation propelled many students to unacademically-related activities for a more extended period. Thus, a growing insinuation seems to suggest that many students are struggling with academic activities in the post-Covid-19 classroom. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to explore the correlation between the prolonged Covid-19 lockdown and schoolwork participation. One hundred and ninety-five secondary school students were randomly drawn from public and private secondary schools in Anambra State, Nigeria. The participant completed a self-report measure of the Schoolwork Engagement Inventory (Salmela-Aro &Upadaya, 2012). The result showed that prolonged Covid-19 lockdown positively correlated with schoolwork participation. Thus, it is concluded that the lengthy lockdown is a significant predictor of schoolwork participation. The research implications and conclusion are discussed.
EFFECT OF FINANCIAL STRESS ON ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTION AMONG UNDERGRADUATES: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY
Authors:   Department of Business Education Federal College of Education, Technical, Umunze., N. Ogbuagu Maryrose
Published: March 2022

Entrepreneurial intention (EI) is an essential component of the entrepreneurship ecosystem that reflects the actual establishment of physical business. Entrepreneurial intention among undergraduates has gathered considerable research attention in recent years. Perhaps, numerous variables have been implicated in EI variation among the undergraduates. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate financial stress (FS) as a previously unexplored variable that could determine the variance in EI. Two hundred and eleven undergraduates were randomly drawn from different institutions of higher learning in Anambra State, Nigeria. Data for the study was gathered using the Financial Stress Scale- College Version (FSS-CV) and the Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire (EIQ). The findings revealed that financial stress predicted entrepreneurial intention. The practical implication and recommendations are discussed.
IMPROVING MATHEMATICAL HOMEWORK BEHAVIOR: THE ROLE OF MATH GAME APPS
Authors:   Department of Mathematics Federal College Education, Eha Amufu., Uguru Okon Ndubuisi
Published: March 2022

Homework is an essential component of teaching and learning in the school system geared towards augmenting classroom learning and enhancing performance. A growing literature on homework suggests the importance of completing homework tasks to strengthen students academic commitment and achievement. This study investigates the effect of the math game app (Prodigy) on primary school students math homework behavior. A quasi-experimental design was adopted, and the sample was divided into two groups: an experimental group (N=48), which was exposed to math game app, and a control group (N=45), which was not exposed to the gamification process. The experiment consisted of 24 sessions taking place over three months. Students participated in two sessions per week that lasted for 45 minutes. The findings revealed a mean difference (MD = 14.7) between the post-test study groups. Regarding the hypothesis, the result indicated a significant difference between the experimental and control group on homework behavior (91) = 6.124, p = .001. The study suggests several recommendations to integrate math game apps into the school framework.
SAUDI MINISTRY OF HEALTH ACTIONS TO COMBAT COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Authors:   Department of Emergency Medicine, King Abdul-Aziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia., AL-Jabarti Azzah ,   King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,   College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah Saudi Arabia., S.Al-Shareef Ali ,   Department of Emergency Medicine, King Abdul-Aziz Medical City, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,   King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,   College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah Saudi Arabia., Aseeri Faisal ,   College of Applied MedicalSciences, King Saud Bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,   University of Boston, Boston, MA, USA.
Published: March 2022

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has accumulated frontline experience in dealing with highly infectious disease outbreaks. Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) was first discovered in Jeddah city in 2012 and is now globally prevalent. The MERS-CoV aided the Saudi government in developing the novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) guidelines as per toWHOs operational planning materials. This article discusses the actions of the Saudi Ministry of Health regarding COVID-19with an emphasis on resilience, providing care to underrepresented communities, as well as understating its psychological impact.
BIOTHERAPY DURING CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE: AN OVER-RISK OF TUBERCULOSIS REACTIVATION?
Authors:   Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Hassan II fez, University Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah, Fes, Morocco., Abid Hakima , Bahja Sarra ,   Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Hassan II fez, University Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah, Fes, Morocco., Sidi Adil Ibrahimi ,   Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Hassan II fez, University Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah, Fes, Morocco., El Abkari Mohammed ,   Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Hassan II fez, University Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah, Fes, Morocco.
Published: March 2022

Anti-TNFÎ± have revolutionized the management of chronic inflammatory rheumatic and intestinal diseases however, they are at high risk of reactivation of latent tuberculosis. These are most often extra-pulmonary tuberculosis and disseminated forms which occur during the first year and which can be avoided by screening and prophylactic treatment. The aim of this publication is to describe the epidemiological, clinical, biological, radiological and evolving data of patients having triggered tuberculosis under anti TNFÎ± treatment followed at the Hassan II hospital center (CHU) in Fez during the period between January 2012 and January 2021. During this period, we collected 130 patients under anti TNF alpha of which 84.5% of patients are on Infliximab 15.5% on Adalimumab. Active tuberculosis occurred in 4.6% of patients whose mean age is 35.5 years and the sex ration is 5H / 1F. The duration of onset is on average after 5 sessions of anti TNF alpha. A phtysio assessment was carried out in all our patients before starting the anti TNF Î±, 2 of which were IDR positive completed by quantifying it which came back positive in a single patient.
QUALITATIVE STUDY OF LOCAL CULTURAL WISDOM AND HEALTH SERVICES ON STUNTING EVENTS
Authors:   Department of Community Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lampung, Bandar Lampung., a Sutarto , Dewi Puspita Sari Ratna ,   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lampung, Indonesia., Zakiah Oktarlina Rasmi ,   Departement of Pharmacy and Pharmacists, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lampung, Indonesia., Indriyani Reni ,   Department of Nutrition, Tanjungkarang Health Polytechnic, Bandar Lampung.
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Stunting is a condition of chronic malnutrition accompanied by complications of the disease. The prevalence of stunting in children under five in Indonesia and the province of Lampung is still high and the highest is in rural areas. Stunting occurs from the initial nutritional status of the mother before pregnancy, during pregnancy and this condition is thought to be influenced by local habits in attitudes and behavior in the care of pregnant women with their babies. Cipadang village is one of the villages formed from immigration from Java to Sumatra, which makes this village inhabited by the majority of the population of Javanese ethnicity with their cultural style. Socio-cultural conditions in general affect the health of mothers during pregnancy and the pattern of child rearing when they are under 2 years old. The purpose of this study is to explain the state of local culture and health services on the incidence of stunting. Method: This study uses a qualitative approach, to explore in depth the socio-cultural and health services related to the incidence of stunting. Sources of information came from informants, 17 people through focus group discussions. Results and Discussion: The research location village is inhabited by the majority of the population of Javanese ethnicity with its cultural style, with an agricultural livelihood. The characteristics consist of 14 mothers of toddlers and 2 posyandu cadres in Cipadang village, 1 community leader with an age range of informants between 21 to 45 years with the most education level being Elementary School. The community pays special attention to the period of pregnancy, and there are habits in the care of babies, pregnant women and postpartum mothers with ancestral traditions. However, this habit has begun to shift to health care services. Knowledge of general informants is good but behavior is not in accordance with health standards. Conclusion: Some cultures still have an influence, there are habits in caring for babies, pregnant women and postpartum mothers. Good knowledge has not been able to describe the desired behavior.
Countering Radicalism, Promoting Peace: Insights from Pesantren Al-Anwar 3 Sarang Rembang, Central Java
Authors: Asif Muhammad , Najib Abdul , Hambali M. Ridlwan , Sya’adah Faridlatus
Published: March 2022

As a religious institution, pesantren is expected to be able to spread Islamic values of raḥmatan li al-‘ālamīn and counter radicalism in Indonesia. The portrait of such a pesantren is, for example, reflected in Pesantren Al-Anwar 3 Sarang. This study aims to reveal the efforts made by Pesantren Al-Anwar 3 Sarang in countering radicalism and terrorism in the country. It is a field study with a qualitative approach, where the data were obtained through participatory observation, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. This study found that Pesantren Al-Anwar 3 Sarang had initiated serious efforts in order to counter radicalism. First, the pesantren teaches the values of diversity to students so that they may act more wisely in responding to differences in cultures, thoughts, and religious ideologies. Second, the pesantren instills in students that the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) has been in accordance with Islamic law and the best form of compromise as the embodiment of Dawlah Mu‘aḥidīn (a treaty-based state). Third, the pesantren opposes radical ideologies which are believed to be one of the crucial factors in the birth of violent acts. Fourth, the pesantren propagates tolerance and pluralism because both are believed to be sourced from the teachings of Islam and the Qur'an. Fifth, the pesantren promotes Islamic moderation. Lastly, the pesantren calls for peace among mankind. Overall, the efforts made by Pesantren Al-Anwar 3 Sarang are expected to be a reference for other pesantren in countering radicalism.
Paguyuban Sumarah and Interrituality: An Enquiry to The Practice of Interreligious Ritual Participation in Sujud Sumarah
Authors: Maulana Abdullah Muslich Rizal , Muttaqin Muttaqin , Fitriyani Alif Nur
Published: March 2022

Paguyuban Sumarah is one well-known aliran kepercayaan in Indonesia existed since the 1930s. The group practised Sujud Sumarah as the most essential ritual attended by the whole member of organizations from multiple religious backgrounds and identities, gathering them in a venue of interreligious ritual participation. This paper will discuss the aspect of interrituality in Sujud Sumarah, considering it is practised by multi-religious believers through the discourse-analysis method following the framework of interrituality offered by Moyaert, an interreligious scholar from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. This research concludes that it is acceptable to define the implementation of Sujud Sumarah as an interreligious ritual participation, yet it could not explicitly be categorized as ‘inner-facing’ or ‘outer-facing’ interrituality as it was classified by Moyaert. This paper also demonstrated, in general, the fundamental system of belief of Sumarah was derived from syncretism and transcendent unity of religions, leading the discussion to be possibly elaborated further in the study of interreligious relations.
Kidung Wahyu Kalaseba: Javanese Spiritualism and Psycho-cultural Resilience
Authors: Jamil Muhammad Mukhsin
Published: March 2022

Kidung Wahyu Kalaseba (KWK) is a new literary work echoing psycho-cultural resilience due to the negative impact of modernization and religious puritanism. KWK contains Javanese spiritualism that could encounter religious challenges and revive cultural values. KWK spreads through popular musical performances, such as dangdut, gamelan, and mix, unlike classical written literature. Today, it could reach wider audiences through social media platforms. This study employs a socio-historical and pragmatic approach. The former is used to analyze the socio-historical context when KWK was being written. Then the latter is used to see the function and benefit of KWK amid society. The study revealed that the revitalization of local tradition through KWK as a pop culture had attracted the millennial generation. KWK functions to revitalize Javanese spiritualism to deal with the destructive impact of modernization. Therefore, KWK proposes the importance of the spiritual journey by purifying the human soul to achieve true happiness.
Research on 3D MFL testing of wire rope based on empirical wavelet transform and SRCNN
Authors: Chen Qihang , Zhang Juwei , Li Bing
Published: March 2022

Magnetic flux leakage (MFL) testing is one of the most effective methods in nondestructive testing of wire rope. However, traditional MFL testing devices have problems such as low recognition rate, single detection dimension and fuzzy magnetic leakage image. Based on the non-saturated magnetic excitation 3D MFL testing device, this paper proposes a wavelet denoising method based on empirical wavelet transform (EWT) to denoise the collected 3D MFL signal. After noise reduction, the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of the three dimensions have improved. Color imaging technology is used to fuse defect grayscale images into color images, and Super-Resolution Convolutional Neural Network (SRCNN) is applied to MFL images of broken wires. After SRCNN reconstruction, the resolution of defect color images is improved. The color moment feature of the defect color image is extracted as the input of the Elman neural network to quantitatively identify broken wires. Experimental results show that the noise reduction algorithm can effectively suppress the noise in three dimensions, and the broken wires recognition rate after reconstruction has been significantly improved, which verifies the effectiveness of SRCNN in wire rope MFL images.
Anxiety among Brazilian Dentists During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Lima Arthur Igor Cruz , Carvalho Fernando Martins , de Santana Silva Marcos Vinicius , Fagundes Silva Juliane Kely , de Azevedo Carolina Franco , Lins-Kusterer Liliane
Published: March 2022

Background:

Despite using biosafety protocols, dentists fear contracting COVID-19 and face economic uncertainties about their professional future caused by the pandemic.

Objective:

This study aimed at determining the prevalence of anxiety and identifying factors associated with it among dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study involving 408 Brazilian dental surgeons selected by snowball technique who filled an electronic questionnaire about sex, race, dental specialty, health habits, health-related quality of life, anxiety, and COVID-19-related aspects. Symptoms of anxiety were measured by the Beck anxiety inventory, and health-related quality of life was assessed by the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire. Poisson regression was used to obtain estimates of adjusted prevalence ratios.

Results:

The prevalence rate of anxiety was found to be 27.5% and it was significantly higher among dentists who were afraid of catching COVID-19 (Prevalence Ratio=PR=2.52), and among those who reported sweating, wheezing, and increased heart rate during work (PR=3.67). Afro-American dentists were 48% more anxious than dentists belonging to the white/yellow race. The mean value of the quality of life of anxious dentists compared to non-anxious dentists was 13% lower in the physical domain, 12% lower in the psychological domain, and 7% higher in the social relationship domain.

Conclusion:

The prevalence of anxiety among Brazilian dentists, in the context of economic uncertainty and social distance imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, is high and associated with the fear of contracting the disease, physical symptomatology of stress, being Afro-American, and altered quality of life in the physical, psychological, and social relationships domains.
Efficient Control of the Formation of Pillar[5]arene-based Supramolecular
Polymers
Authors: Liu Luzhi , He Qin , Zhou Qingqing , Qin Xue , Zhang Wenxue , Huang Yan , Duan Wengui
Published: March 2022

• Background:

The design and preparation of functional pillar[n]arene-based supramolecular polymers have attracted extensive attention due to their wide range of applications.

• Objective and Method:

Based on the strategy of synergistic effects of non-covalent interactions including hydrogen bonds and host-guest interaction, an amphiphilic pillar[5]arene 1 with two terminated acid chains was designed, and its self-assembly properties were investigated by 1HNMR, TEM, SEM and UV-Vis.

• Results:

The pillar[5]arene 1 can form a self-inclusion complex, whose carboxyl groups are locked on the surface of cavity at low concentration (<4.5 mM) in chloroform. Interestingly, when competitive guest dihaloalkanes such as α,ω-diiodobutane (DIB), α,ω-dibromobutane (DBB) and α,ω-dichlorobutane (DCB), were added, supramolecular polymers were immediately obtained and precipitated. Their critical precipitation concentration (CPC) were calculated as 1 mM, 3 mM and 5 mM for DIB, DBB and DCB, respectively. Moreover, tuning the solvent, concentration and guests can reversibly control their polymerization.

• Conclusion:

This study provided an efficient method for the preparation of pillar[5]arene-based supramolecular polymers, which have potential application for the separation or purification of the dihaloalkanes.