bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Women Empowerment and Inclusive Growth Through ICT in India
Authors: Siddiqui Ahmad Tasnim , Srivastava Vipin Bihari
Published: April 2023

Women have always been an integral part of human development. The women participate in the inclusive growth of a country. Women empowerment is the multi-dimensional process of the development of the economic, social, and political position of women. It is also the way to safeguard them against all types of cruelty. As information and communication technology (ICT) is widely accepted as a key force for growth and empowerment and it shares a good proportion to the growth and development of the nation, ICT played a crucial role in providing a platform to improve skills, knowledge sharing, and training. The interest in the area of ICT is increasing to foster women's empowerment. ICT tools have facilitated women to discover, explore, interchange, analyze, and present information without any prejudice. ICTs are playing a crucial role in creating more economic and social welfare in India. This chapter discusses how women in India are influenced by ICT to achieve inclusive growth and empowerment.
A Review on Virtual Reality and Eduverse
Authors: Andembubtob David Roland , Keikhosrokiani Pantea , Abdullah Nasuha Lee
Published: April 2023

Due to the unique ability of making knowledge freely available anywhere at a very cheap cost, ICT is recognised as a key instrument for delivering excellent education. The new, linked virtual world ushers in an easy and unrestricted movement of data, cash, ideas, goods, and people. It is projected that the usage of the metaverse in education would upend current learning methodologies since it will increase learning strategies, the use of technology, and the options available to students, educators, and education providers. Nevertheless, there are presently few systematic studies on how scholars used immersive virtual reality for academic purposes that noted the use of both expensive and inexpensive head-mounted displays. Therefore, this chapter aims to examine virtual reality and Eduverse from a historical and technological standpoint. The success of virtual reality in education will primarily depend on how motivated students, as the main consumers, become and their capacity to recognise the key components required to reach a suitable degree of learning through virtual reality.
Metaverse Concepts and Marketing
Authors: Efendioglu Ibrahim Halil
Published: April 2023

Metaverse is a virtual reality world where users can interact with each other, buy and sell things, and fulfil their dreams through virtual reality or augmented reality. This technology allows people to participate in social activities and entertainment like never before, providing a different dimension of participation, socialization, and digital living space. In the development process of technology, social media has changed the habits of use and involvement, and this change has revolutionized many areas, from personal space to commercial applications. This chapter reviews and discusses metaverse concepts and marketing. The study findings show that metaverse offers businesses a new way to reach their target audience. Integrating the metaverse into future marketing strategies will be the way forward and for the brand to exist for a long time because metaverse offers brands of all kinds the chance to seamlessly combine the accessibility and convenience of the digital world with the immersive experiences of the physical world.
Application of Metaverse in the Healthcare Sector to Improve Quality of Life
Authors: Ashrafuzzaman Md. , Rupanti Rayesa Haque , Tasnim Nawrin , Mourin Tasnuba Tabassum
Published: April 2023

The Healthcare sector is expected to undergo a disruptive change as a result of metaverse technology, which will open the doors for newer treatment possibilities and greater surgical accuracy while enhancing patient outcomes. Since the healthcare industry is one of those most vulnerable industries to technological change, this chapter reviews the applications of Metaverse in healthcare sector. Metaverse has the potential to revolutionize healthcare by fusing robots with AI, VR, AR, the Internet of Medical Devices, Web 3.0, intelligent clouds, edge computing, and quantum computing. Telepresence, digital twinning, and blockchain are three significant technological advances that are converging in the metaverse. Doctors and specialists are using VR to train other medical professionals as they create new ways to improve patient aftermaths. The metaverse continues to develop with the help of 4IR technologies that provide the means to address some of the most fundamental barriers to equitable access to digital healthcare.
The Freshwater Biodiversity Information System (FBIS) fish data: a georeferenced dataset of freshwater fishes occurring in South Africa
Authors: Kajee Mohammed , Dallas Helen F. , Swanepoel Aneri , Griffiths Charles L. , Shelton Jeremy M.
Published: April 2023

Freshwater fishes are recognised as South Africa’s most threatened species group. Reliable, long-term data on fish occurrence records are critical for effectively managing and conserving these species. A comprehensive freshwater fish dataset was compiled and uploaded to the Freshwater Biodiversity Information System (FBIS, freshwaterbiodiversity.org), comprising all available records of formally described freshwater fish species occurring in South Africa. An 18-month historic-data collation effort resulted in the accrual of 35 955 new records of freshwater fish from South Africa spanning 194 years (1828–2022), that have since been uploaded to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Together with pre-existing GBIF records (24 861), a total of 60 837 freshwater fish records are thus now available for South Africa. The data show a marked decline in the number of native fish occurrence records over the last decade. Conversely, the number of occurrences for non-native fishes increased over the past three decades. A data breakdown is provided for each of South Africa’s nine provinces including total number of records, and the numbers of native, non-native, endemic and threatened species. These data provide a much-needed update of the known status and distribution of freshwater fishes in the country.
Hyperdominant Right Coronary Artery Occlusion Presenting with Acute Anterior Wall Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Shukla Madhu , Mohan Jagdish Chander
Published: April 2023

This case report describes a 69-year-old male who presented with acute anterior myocardial infarction and was detected to have a hyperdominant right coronary artery (RCA) with a large posterior descending branch coursing from the posterior interventricular groove into the apical part of the anterior interventricular space and posterior left ventricular branch coursing in the left atrioventricular groove and supplying the entire free wall. Primary percutaneous intervention of the proximally occluded posterior descending artery resulted in resolution of ST-segment elevation in anterior and inferior leads and also revealed the large vascular territory of the RCA. The occurrence of superdominant RCA and intact left circumflex artery presenting with acute anterior wall myocardial infarction has not been described earlier. Precise morphological and physiological knowledge and evaluation of such a variation assists in opting for the best available therapeutic modality and prognosis.
Prediction of Research Project Execution using Data Augmentation and Deep Learning
Authors: Anibal Flores  , Hugo Tito-Chura  , Lissethe Zea-Rospigliosi
Published: April 2023

This paper presents the results of seven deep learning models for prediction of research project execution in graduates from a public university in Peru. The deep learning models implemented are non-hybrid: Deep Neural Networks (DNN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and, hybrid: CNN+GRU, CNN+ LSTM and LSTM+GRU. Since most of the dataset prediction features are of the nominal type (true false), this paper proposes a simple novel data augmentation technique for this type of features. Taking as inspiration the input data type of a neural network, the proposal data augmentation technique considers nominal features as numeric, and obtain random values close to them to generate synthetic records. The results show that most of deep learning models with data augmentation significantly outperform models without data augmentation in terms of accuracy, precision, f1-score and specificity, being the main improvements of 17.39%, 66.67%, 25.00% and 25.00% respectively.
О количестве наименьших доминирующих множеств в деревьях
Authors: Taletskii Dmitrii Sergeevich
Published: April 2023

Рассматривается класс деревьев, степень каждой вершины которых не превосходит целого числа $d$. Показано, что при $d=4$ каждое $n$-вершинное дерево из этого класса содержит не более $(\sqrt{2})^n$ наименьших доминирующих множеств (НДМ), и описана
структура деревьев, содержащих ровно $(\sqrt{2})^n$ НДМ. С другой стороны, при $d=5$ для каждого $n \geq 1$ построено $n$-вершинное дерево, содержащее более $(1/3) \cdot 1.415^n$ НДМ. Кроме того, показано, что каждое $n$-вершинное дерево содержит менее $1.4205^n$ НДМ.
Библиография: 7 названий.
Слабая сходимость жадного алгоритма и WN-свойство
Authors: Borodin Petr Anatolevich
Published: April 2023

Исследуется слабая сходимость жадного алгоритма относительно заданного множества в банаховом пространстве. Доказывается, что в равномерно гладком банаховом пространстве, обладающем так называемым WN-свойством, жадный алгоритм относительно сильно уменьшающего норму множества сходится слабо. В произвольном сепарабельном банаховом пространстве, не обладающем WN-свойством, построен пример сильно уменьшающего норму множества, жадный алгоритм относительно которого не сходится слабо для некоторого начального элемента.
Библиография: 8 названий.
Assessment of Heavy Metal Concentration in Drinking Water Sources from some Selected Districts of Michika, Adamawa State, Nigeria
Authors: Zarmaa S S , Garbab NN , Rabi’uc N , Dankawud UM , Belloe S , Ndikilarf Chifu E.
Published: April 2023

Safe discharge of untreated wastewater and scarcity of water is still a burning issue facing mankind today. The current study was carried out to analyze the concentration of heavy metals in drinking water sources from some selected districts of Michika, Nigeria. Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) was used in the analysis of the water samples from boreholes and wells. The respective mean concentration of heavy metals for borehole and well water is 0.0286 and 0.0209 for Nickel, 0.2051 and 0.3979 for Manganese, 0.0015 and 0.0021 for Copper, 0.5472 and 0.8314 for Magnesium, 0.1457 and 0.1420 for Chromium, 0.0011 and 0.001 for Cadmium, 0.1056 and 6.9317 for Lead, 0.5552 and 0.2183 for Cobalt and 0.9924 and 0.5747 for Iron. The results reveal that the first four element (Ni, Mn, Cu and Mg) have values below the maximum recommended value by WHO and USEPA. However, the concentrations of the remaining elements (Cr, Cd, Pb, Co and Fe) exceed the accepted value set by USEPA, WHO and NSDWQ. The water is thus not completely safe for drinking and domestic use. It is therefore recommended that the water needs proper treatment.
Determination of Bioactive Constituents and Mineral Contents of Avocado Pear Seed Oil
Authors: Banji Adaramola Feyisara , Shadrach Ibhafidon , Adegoke Adewole Samuel , Adewole Oluwaseun Adetayo
Published: April 2023

Edible oils of plant origins are fundamental components of human diet, and are essential for various industrial applications, such as in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Of increasing interest is the utilization of edible oils obtained from plant parts such as peels, seeds, rinds, leaves, flowers, and fruits, which are usually regarded as wastes. This study investigated the usability of edible oil extracted from avocado pear seed by assaying its bioactive constituents and mineral composition. The bioactive compounds in the oil were determined by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS), while the mineral content was assayed using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). Results of the GC-MS analysis showed the presence of twenty nine compounds, with 18-Nonadecen-1-ol (13.20%) being the most predominant, and 3,7,7-Trimethyl-1,3,5-cycloheptatriene (0.24%) the least. Compounds such as 10-Undecyn-1-ol, 7-Hexadecenoic acid methyl ester, 14-methyl Pentadecanoic acid methyl ester, and Linolelaidic acid, methyl ester, identified in the avocado seed oil, have previously been reported to possess various biological activities, including antifungal, antioxidant, antimicrobial, hypocholesterolemic, antiandrogenic, hemolytic, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activities. Results of the mineral analysis showed that potassium (13.09 ± 0.22 mg/100 g) was the major element, while copper (0.06 ± 0.11 mg/ 100 g) was the least; cadmium and lead were not detected in the oil. The presence of pharmacologically important phytochemicals and essential minerals in avocado seed oil suggests its potential as a nutraceutical substance, with applications in food and drug preparations.
Adsorptive Evaluation of Activated Carbonized Avocado Pear Seed (Persea Americana) and Activated Carbonized orange peels (Citrus Sinensis) in Taking out Ni2+ ion in Contaminated Water
Authors: Moses O. , Nwulu A. S.
Published: April 2023

Grave and complicated pollution problems are posed by the existence of heavy metals trendy environment and this has been a focus of study all over the world. The Activated carbonized avocado pear seed (ACAPS) and activated carbonized orange peel (ACOP) were each soaked with potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution at a 1:1 ratio, for 48 hours, the outcome was washed, air-dried and separately oven dried at 105℃ for 6 hours and further heated in a muffle furnace (Carbolite AAF1100) at 2500C for 1 hour. The ACAPS and ACOP obtained were physicochemical characterized with scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometer. Ni2+ ions adsorption route on ACAPS as well as ACOP was considered by means of batch adsorption isotherm investigation. Adsorption forms was assessed by Freundlich, Langmuir, DRK, Tempkin as well as Flory-Huggin isotherm models. SEM picture, show that ACAPS posessed an enormous amount of different dimension pores and the ACOP had smaller amount of pores of smaller sizes. The R2 obtained varies from 0.92 to 1.00 and it points to the fact that all the isotherm simulation was competent to clarify the correlation in the data we got. ACAPS had more adsorption site, however, ACOP took up more Ni2+ ion per adsorption site on comparing Flory-Huggins isotherm model nFH values vis-a-vis Langmuir isotherm model qm values. In conclusion, ACAPS was a superior adsorbent when matched with ACOP, it was more than twice as effective for taking out Ni2+ ions from contaminated water owing to a blend of its enormous amount of different size openings and the functional groups on its surface, with a qm value of 18.18 and 8.70 mg/g in that order.
Study on Optimization, Degreasing and Destaining Potentials of Glycophospholipid Biosurfactant Produced by Bacillus Anthracis S62A
Authors: Anidu Francisca Nneka , Uba Bright Obidinma , Ezemba Constance Chinyere , Okoye Ebele Linda , Dokubo Chinweike Unoma
Published: April 2023

Oil-polluted soil is one of the major sources of biosurfactant producing bacteria. This study was to study the optimization, degreasing and de-staining potentials of glycophospholipid biosurfactant produced by B. anthracis strain S62A isolated from spent engine oil-polluted soil. Five (5) bacterial isolates associated with spent engine oil – polluted soil was primarily screened for biosurfactant production using emulsification index test, oil displacement test, and surface tension test. The bacterial isolate with the highest screening test results was selected, characterized and examined for its biosurfactant production optimization, degreasing and de-staining potential on different oil-stained fabric materials. The results showed that the parameters required for the maximum biosurfactant yield were 20 g of slaughter house waste, 10 g of rice bran, 1% of sodium chloride, 9.0 pH, 4 °C temperature, 10% of the test bacterial inoculum and 5 days incubation period. The biochemical profile revealed that the extracted biosurfactant was identified as glycophospholipid. The maximum cleaning and degreasing efficiency of the biosurfactant obtained from B. anthracis strain S62A was observed to possess 78, 72 and 64 % oil removal efficiency from stained polyester, cotton and chiffon fabric materials, respectively at 10 mg/mL critical micelles concentration (CMC). Statistically, significant differences (P < 0.05) were detected among the means of all surfactant concentration treatments in comparison to their controls using two-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett comparison test. Therefore, this study suggests that the glycophospholipid biosurfactant from B. anthracis strain S62A could be exploited in laundry industries for the formulation of detergents as well as in textile dye biotreatment.
Investigating librarians’ intention to use artificial intelligence for effective library service delivery: A partial least square-structural equation modeling-based approach
Authors: Yakubu Aliyu Shehu , Yagana Abubakar Ajiram , Umar Sa’idu Yakubu
Published: April 2023

Due to the information exploration coupled with the increased number of library users across the globe, servicing the users efficiently and in a simple manner became difficult, leading librarians to think of a better alternative. Artificial intelligence is one of the best options to mitigate issues of inefficient service delivery but has not been used enough in most Nigerian academic libraries and specifically North-eastern Nigerian academic libraries. This research, therefore, aims at examining the factors that can influence the librarians’ intention to use artificial intelligence in their libraries for better and more efficient service delivery to library patrons using the theoretical lenses of the Theory of Plan Behaviour (TPB). A quantitative method using a cross-sectional approach was adopted and a questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection. Three federal university libraries from North-eastern Nigeria were covered and 242 professionals and para-professionals librarians composed the population of the research. G*Power application was used to estimate the minimum sample size of the research amounting to 119 samples thus, a proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used in obtaining the sampling. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20 and Partial Least Square – Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) were used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that TPB’s theoretical variables were positively significant factors that influenced the librarians’ intention to use Artificial Intelligence in their respective libraries. Equally, the finding further revealed that the librarians indicated a high intention to use artificial intelligence in their libraries. The use of more advanced theory, the inclusion of more samples and considering a specific artificial intelligence tool were recommended for future research.
Assessment of awareness and utilization of natural method of family planning among married women of reproductive age in Shinkafi town, Katsina State, Nigeria
Authors: Abubakar, Amina Salihu , Lugga Aisha Sani , Abubakar, Bello , Haruna Sagir , Mudi Bilkisu
Published: April 2023

The study was conducted on assessment of awareness and utilization of natural method of family planning (NFP) among married women of reproductive age in Shinkafi town. Specifically, to determine the proportion of married women of reproductive age who practice natural method of family planning, identify common method of NFP methods practiced by the women, determine the factors hindering married women of reproductive age from utilizing natural method of family planning and to identify methods of improving utilization of NFP. The research was descriptive in nature, convenience sampling technique was used and 310 respondents were sampled out of 1600 target population. The instrument used for this study was self-structured interview of which 310 were distributed. The data was analyzed using frequency distribution tables. The findings of the study shows that 35% of the respondents practiced NFP, the common method that is practiced is olden natural methods (such as ‘Laya’, ‘Guru/Kiri’), lack of awareness and illiteracy were identified as factors hindering the practice of NFP and the ways of improving utilization are counselling and peer influence. It is recommended that the nurses should explain the benefits and importance of natural method of family planning to the married women of reproductive age and their husbands. Therefore, government should be involved in creating awareness about natural method of family planning through all means that will reach the community in a comprehensible and understandable ways.
Mineral compositions and health risk assessment of Date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera) sold in Dutse, Jigawa-Nigeria.
Authors: Abubakar N. , Babandi A.
Published: April 2023

Date fruits (Phoenix-dactylifera) consumption has significant human health benefits due to the presence of minerals and other constituents. The fruits may be contaminated during transportation and possibly storage. This research aimed at exploring the mineral contents and health risk associated with intake of date fruits sold in Dutse, Jigawa State-Nigeria. The Date fruit sample was obtained from market and scientifically identified. The sample was shade dried and crushed into powder, and the mineral’s content of Date fruits (Dan Jigawa) was determined using standard procedure. A mean level of Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorous was observed in Dan Jigawa Date fruits as 0.04±0.00, 0.79±0.02, 4.71 ±0.06, 10.00± 0.24mg/kg. The Iron, Copper, Zinc, Manganase and Cobalt levels were 0.47±0.01, 0.68±0.04, 1.45±0.01, 0.61±0.05 and 0.17±0.01mg/kg respectively. The health risk assessment (non-carcinogenic): Iron, copper, zinc, Manganase and Cobalt) showed that all the hazard quotients (HQ) is below 1, with Target Hazard Quotient(THQ) of 0.962, signifying the safety of Dan Jigawa dates fruit cultivar.
Foot and Mouth Disease in Adama and Boset districts, East Shewa zone, Ethiopia: Seroprevalence and Virus serotyping
Authors: Woldesenbet Aron Alemayehu , Muluneh Ayelech , Negussie Haileleul , Jibril Yasmin
Published: April 2023

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is consistently ranked as the most economically important viral disease, and ranks among the top five important livestock diseases in Ethiopia. The status of FMD is barrier for the international trade of livestock and livestock products; thus, continuous epidemiological studies are necessary to develop efficient control strategies. This study determined the seroprevalence of FMD, associated risk factors for its occurrence, and FMD serotypes in the Adama and Boset districts of the East Shewa zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. A total of 305 blood samples were randomly collected from cattle and subjected to a 3ABC enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibodies against non-structural proteins of FMD virus (FMDV) and Solid-Phase Competitive ELISA for FMDV serotype identification. Evaluation of the associated risk factors was conducted using a multivariable logistic regression model. In this study, an overall seroprevalence of 28.2% (95% CI: 25.7% - 36.2%) was recorded. The risk of being FMD positive was significantly higher in exotic crossbreds [38.60%; OR= 2.23 (95% CI: 1.34 – 3.71); p<0.001] as compared to local breeds. The seroprevalence of FMD was significantly higher in large herd sizes [54.41%; OR=4.2 (95%CI: 3.05 - 15.87), P < 0.001] compared to medium and small herd sizes. Three FMD serotypes namely serotype O, A, and SAT-2 were identified. Besides, mixed serotypes O and A, serotypes O and SAT-2, serotypes A and SAT-2, and serotypes A, O, and SAT-2 were recorded. By considering the detection of multiple serotypes of the FMDV and the lack of cross-protection among the serotypes, the use of polyvalent FMD vaccine against the serotypes of the virus circulating under field conditions is highly recommended.
A pilot survey on factors limiting veterinary service delivery systems at animal health facilities in Hawassa, Shashemene, and Negele Arsi, Ethiopia
Authors: Tafa Shambel Tolasa , Mengistu Tilaye Shibbiru , Beriso Teshita Edaso , Beriso Teshita Edaso
Published: April 2023

A pilot questionnaire survey was carried out from December 2021 to June 2022 at animal health facilities in Hawassa city and Shashemene and Negele Arsi towns in Ethiopia. The objective of the survey was to determine what factors in the study area limited the provision of veterinary services at animal health facilities like veterinary clinics, veterinary pharmacies, and veterinary administrative offices. Government veterinary staff, clinical veterinarians, and private veterinary pharmacists were purposefully chosen based on their availability at each study area, whereas livestock owners (clients) were chosen at random at the point of service. A semi-structured questionnaire with multiple-choice and open-ended questions was administered to 100 study participants. It was discovered that the public sector was generally preferred by 74% of livestock owners and the private sector was preferred by 26%. In terms of infrastructurecoverage, the current animal health service delivery system was found to be deficient (35.7%). Drug shortages were a major problem for most public veterinary service providers (66.7%), while expensive drug prices were a problem for private veterinary service providers (34.0%). Additionally, it was determined that poor management (57.1%), a lack of funding (14.3%), a lack of commitment (28.6%), and a lack of attention to the veterinary sector (78.6%) were among the factors that hindered the provision of proper veterinary services in these areas. To carry out efficient veterinary clinical activities, the existing public veterinary institutions should be given sufficient financial resources,qualified personnel, and physical resources.
Comparative bioactive compounds and fourier transform infrared spectroscopic evaluation of Azadirachta indica extracts and its potential as bio-fungicides against plant pathogenic fungi
Authors: Ali Javid , Bangash Javed Abbas , Siddique Muhammad
Published: April 2023

New antifungal agrochemicals compounds discovering from natural products are a vital goal for the management of plant pathogenic fungi. As present synthetic fungicide used for the treatment of plant pathogenic fungi have negative effects on environment and human health. Therefore, it is need of the day to develop and discover new antifungal substances from natural products. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the extracts of leaves, seeds and twigs of Azadirachta indica using infusion, decoction and microwave extraction techniques. These extracts were subjected to phytochemical quantification, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis and antifungal assays against pathogenic fungi by well diffusion technique. The quantitative of phytochemicals screening showed that leaves had showed high concentrations of bioactive compounds, seeds showed a moderate and twigs observed the least phyto-compounds. The infusion extracts system showed high amount of active compounds, followed by microwave and decoction. Extracts of leaves and seeds showed evidence of inhibition growth of fungi. The spectra of FTIR verified the occurrence of different functional groups such as aromatic compounds, alkanes, alkyl halides, amines, carboxylic acids, phenols, alcohol and amino acids, in the neem extracts. Relevant stakeholders along with the help of policy makers and researchers should build extra understanding regarding the requirement to clinch products of organic fungicides like secure fungus management system.
Good Agricultural Practices Could Help to Attain Environmental Sustainability in Ginger Production in Nigeria
Authors: Olaniyi A. O.
Published: April 2023

This review was undertaken to identify the specific market requirements of major international buyers of Nigerian ginger (Zingiber officinale) and how adoption of good agricultural practices (GAP) could help to attain these standards. The paper carefully discussed the standards and compliance requirements for Nigerian ginger meant for export, review the activities of the agencies responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with the standards and concluded by evaluating how good agricultural practices (GAPS) could help to attain environmental sustainability in ginger production. Given that the GAPs certification is the precondition for admission of produce’s sale in the international markets, adoption of GAPs such as soil and water resources management, improved land use management, restoration of degraded land, biodiversity conservation, integrated pest and fertilizer management amongst other agronomic practices would be necessary to attain these standards. However, current challenges in the adoption and application of GAP in ginger value chain in Nigeria include poor farming and marketing practices, lack of knowledge of the principles, practices and protocols of GAPs, lack of awareness on the availability of premium prices for organically - produced ginger, inadequacy of organic farm inputs, availability of diverse country specific standards, make it difficult for farmers to meet the GAP standards. These challenges notwithstanding, organization of Nigerian ginger farmers into easily accessible and manageable clusters/cooperatives is one of the major ways of addressing the challenges of adoption of GAPs in the ginger value chain.
In vitro Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Alchornea cordifolia
Authors: Oruka O. , Achuba F. I.
Published: April 2023

The present study was undertaken to evaluate antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities of aqueous leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia by in vitro methods. The aqueous extract is prepared by dissolving ground plant materials (100g) in 1 L of distilled for 48 hours, filtered, and then dried using rotary evaporator before it was used for the pharmacological investigations. Standard phytochemical methods were used to test for the presence of phytoactive compounds in the leaf, in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were also assayed for using various methods. The qualitative screening of the phytochemical constituents of the aqueous extracts of Alchornea cordifolia leaves showed the presence of Phenols, tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids and cardiac glycosides while the quantitative phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannin, alkaloid, flavonoids and phenol. Tannins had the highest concentration, while the lowest was flavonoids. The in-vitro antioxidant study revealed that aqueous leaf extract of Alchornea cordifolia possesses antioxidant activity in a dose-dependent manner against  DPPH, reducing power, total antioxidant capacity and nitric oxide  activity while the outcome of the in-vitro anti-inflammatory assay revealed  that the antiproteinase, membrane stabilization and albumin denaturation activities of the extracts  significantly (p<0.05) increased in a concentration-dependent  manner. In conclusion, the leaf of Alchornea cordifolia is rich in phytochemical substances. This could be responsible for the in-vitro antioxidants and anti-inflammatory activities.
Microorganisms in Soil and Groundwater of Epe and Laje Solid Waste Dumpsites in Ondo Town, Nigeria
Authors: Simon-Oke I. A. , Oladele O. O. , Dada O. E.
Published: April 2023

The menace of open dumps is a serious concern in Nigeria because of its associated health hazards.  In this work, microorganisms in soil and groundwater of Epe and Laje dumpsites which are two major dumpsites in Ondo metropolis, Nigeria were investigated using standard techniques. Bacteria isolates were later identified based on their colonial morphology, cellular morphology and their biochemical characteristics while cotton in blue lactophenol technique was used for fungal identification. Epe had higher bacteria counts (cfu/ml) in both top soil (122.0 ×106) and subsoil (72.0 ×106) when compared with bacteria counts in Laje top soil (97.0 ×106) and subsoil (52.0 ×106). Similarly, Epe also had higher fungi counts (sfu/ml) in both top (25.5× 106) and subsoil (11.5× 106), comparably with fungi counts in Laje top soil (17.0×106) and subsoil (9.5×106)). Meanwhile, total heterotrophic bacteria counts (cfu/ml) of the ground water samples was higher in Epe (42.0 x106 ) and Laje (27.0x106) in comparison with total heterotrophic fungi count (sfu/ml) in Epe (14.0x106) and Laje groundwater samples (10.5x106). Identified isolates included Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus spp, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Proteus spp (bacteria) and Mucor spp, Aspergillus niger and Fusarium spp (fungi). Remarkably, these isolates are organisms of medical importance, suggesting serious health threats to the residents around the dumpsites.
Effect of La2O3 Additive on the Radiation Shielding Properties of Cobalt-doped Borate Glasses
Authors: Alhassan M. , Ibrahim H. A. , Muazu S. I.
Published: April 2023

Radiation protection becomes a necessary action in radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy and other institutions which make use of radiation. The aim of this work is to evaluate the radiation protection features of cobalt-doped borate glass with La2O3 additive. The glasses named here as S1, S2, S3, S4 and S5 with 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mol% of La2O3 respectively were assessed for their Linear Attenuation Coefficient, LAC, Mass Attenuation Coefficient, MAC, Half value Layer, HVL and Effective Atomic Number Zeff. We found that the glasses have LAC, MAC and Zeff higher than ordinary concrete and Ilmenite concrete, especially S3 which has the concentration of 1 mol% of La2O3 and has lowest HVL at lower energies below 0.1 MeV and above 4 MeV than the other samples, and also found that S5 with 2 mol% of La2O3 is more advantageous for energy range 0.1 - 4 MeV. We therefore concluded the applicability of these glasses for radiation shielding and that the addition of La2O3 increases their radiation protection features.
Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons Levels and Bacterial Load on Soil after Consistent Disposal of Untreated Hairdressing Saloon Effluent in Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria
Authors: Amupitan P. , Yakubu J. M.
Published: April 2023

This study estimated polyaromatic hydrocarbons levels and bacterial load on soil after thirty day (30) days consistent disposal of untreated hairdressing saloon effluent in Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria using standard methods.  A non-polluted soil sample was also collected which served as the control for this experiment. The total heterotrophic bacteria count was determined.  Toxicity analysis was carried to determine the effect of the effluent on soil bacteria. The soil samples were also was analyzed for the presence of polyaromatic hydrocarbon using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. The polyaromaic hydrocarbon (PAHs) detected in the test soil sample were 45.02ng/g Biphenyl, 28.23ng/g Benzo[a]pyrene, 12.05ng/g Anthracene, 23.00ng/g, and  5.07ng/g Phenanthrene. 2.01ng/g of Biphenyl was detected in the control garden soil. Bacteria counts from the contaminated soil range from 1.0 x102 ± 1.10 to 4.0 x 102 ± 0.11.  The counts from the control soil sample range from 2.0 x103 ± 0.20 to 8.2 x103 ± 0.20. The control soil sample had a higher value compared to the test soil samples. Bacteria species isolated from these soil samples were: Serretia sp., Klebsiella sp., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sp., Staphylococcus sp. Pseudomonas sp. and Staphylococcus sp had increased percentage occurrence. The acute and chronic toxicity test showed a decline in the bacterial count, which could have occurred due to the presence of PAHs from Salon effluent. I was observed a constant release of PAHs into the soil, which poses a serious threat to the survival of soil bacteria, will alter the various beneficial roles these bacteria play in the soil ecosystem.
Underwater Image Enhancement for Instance Segmentation using Deep Learning Models
Authors: Bello R. W. , Oluigbo C. U. , Peanock I. G. , Moradeyo O. M.
Published: April 2023

Underwater instance segmentation greatly depends on color-blended underwater images. In this work, a combination of Generalized Color Fourier Descriptor (GCFD), Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Mask Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (Mask R-CNN) models were employed to generate a mask for each bounding-boxed Region of Interest (ROI) to obtain enhanced individual underwater segmented images from their complex background accurately. By this image enhancement approach, individual underwater instances are segmented from their complex background accurately. The Patch-based Contrast Quality Index (PCQI) evaluation of our proposed image enhancement method (GCFD) after conducting experiment on the employed datasets shows performance accuracy of 1.1336, which is higher than the 1.1126 performance accuracy achieved by the Contrast-enhancement Algorithm (CA).
The Influence of Parental Attitude on Children’s Music Education: A Case Study of Basic Schools in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State
Authors: Amoyedo-Peter Chinyere , Ojukwu E. V.
Published: April 2023

This study centred on the influence of parental attitude on children’s music education in basic schools of Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. Three research questions and three null hypotheses were formulated and tested. Out of a population of 203, a sample size of 125 was used through a random sampling technique. The data collection instruments included a questionnaire, interview, and observation. Statistically weighted mean and percentages were used to answer the research questions while one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to test the null hypotheses. The analysis revealed that there is a significant difference in the effects of parental attitudes towards children's music learning in the study area. It was further deduced that there is a significant relationship between parents' attitudes and pupils' music learning in basic schools in Obio Akpor Local Government Area. This further proved that there was a significant relationship between parents' attitudes towards music learning and their children’s performance in music in the study area. Another strong negative factor was peer group influence and quality of teaching and learning on the children's music performance in basic schools in Obio Akpor. It was also observed that there is a significant relationship between the academic qualification of music teachers and children's music performance in the study area. Based on these findings, the study concluded that improvement in music education in Obio Akpor Basic Schools is a necessity.
Analyzing today geometry on architectural heritage between mathematics and representation to define architect's background
Authors: Cumino Caterina , Pavignano Martino , Zich Ursula
Published: April 2023

We present and analyze an example of activity aiming at introducing graphical language and standards to students of the first year bachelor's in architecture. Our example concerns the 2D representation of an architectural object, an essential competency in the architect's profession, and specifically deals with roofing systems made up of vaults generated by cylinders and their intersections. It is a first attempt to create activities that involve all students regardless of their different levels of geometric understanding and of familiarity with graphic language; in particular, this example exploits the introduction of physical or virtual models to support the mathematical thinking of students in completing the task and takes place during regular lesson times, without modifying or adding mathematical subject contents. Research literature on mathematical modeling, in particular on the so-called prescriptive one, provides us tools to frame and implement our study case; it also allows presenting mathematical modeling as a goal in an extra-mathematical educational context.

Nous présentons et analysons un exemple d'activité visant à initier au langage graphique codé des étudiants de première année de licence en architecture. Notre exemple concerne la représentation 2D d'un objet architectural, une compétence essentielle dans le métier d'architecte, et traite spécifiquement des systèmes de couverture constitués de voûtes générées par des cylindres et par leurs intersections. Il s'agit d'une première tentative de créer des activités qui impliquent tous les élèves, quels que soient leurs différents niveaux de compréhension géométrique et de familiarité avec le langage graphique ; en particulier, l'exemple présenté exploite l'introduction de modèles physiques ou virtuels pour soutenir la pensée mathématique des élèves dans la réalisation de la tâche et se déroule pendant le temps normal de cours, sans modifier ni ajouter le contenu mathématique établi dans les programmes d'études. La littérature de recherche sur la modélisation mathématique, en particulier celle dite prescriptive, nous fournit les outils pour cadrer et mettre en œuvre notre étude; il permet également de présenter la modélisation mathématique comme un objectif dans un contexte éducatif extra-mathématique.
Entrega voluntária para adoção: direito que reflete um ato de amor
Authors:   Centro Universitário Ingá – Uningá, Maringá, PR, Brasil., Balduino Eduarda Rufone , Silva Tatiana Mann Bellassalma ,   Centro Universitário Ingá – Uningá, Maringá, PR, Brasil.
Published: April 2023

Este trabalho visa a abordar o instituto jurídico denominado como entrega voluntária, introduzido no Estatuto da Criança e do Adolescente, Lei n.º 8.069/1990, art.19-A com redação dada pela Lei 13.509/2017, na qual traz alternativas para ações ilegais interligadas ao nascituro. Ademais, por meio de quatro características intrínsecas, sendo elas: a entrega voluntária sem sanção judicial, o sigilo no procedimento, o direito ao arrependimento e a imparcialidade dos envolvidos, tem-se por objetivo demonstrar os pontos positivos dessa ferramenta jurídica.
Mulheres na medicina no Brasil: dos tempos do império até a contemporaneidade
Authors:   Centro Universitário Ingá – Uningá, Maringá, PR, Brasil., Meurer Maria Luisa Colpini , Figueiredo Ana Clara Zagoto ,   Centro Universitário Ingá – Uningá, Maringá, PR, Brasil., Venazzi Murilo Sabaini ,   Centro Universitário Ingá – Uningá, Maringá, PR, Brasil., Bergamasco Vanessa Sarto  Soares ,   Centro Universitário Ingá – Uningá, Maringá, PR, Brasil.
Published: April 2023

É de conhecimento geral que as mulheres não tiveram acesso ao estudo por questões de gênero e preconceito. Para este resumo, foram analisados todos os artigos científicos em língua portuguesa sobre o tema envolvendo mulheres na medicina e no Brasil, utilizando-se os termos "Medicina, Médicas, História da Medicina" em buscas nas seguintes bibliotecas eletrônicas: PubMed, LILACS, Google Scholar e SciELO. As mulheres conquistaram cada vez mais espaço dentro da medicina ao longo do tempo. No entanto, isso não significa uma situação ideal, desde salário, tempo de dedicação, crenças e alguns preconceitos que ainda permanecem arraigados em nossa sociedade.
Doğum sürecinde gelişen yenidoğan üst ekstremite kırıklarının klinik özellikleri
Authors: YILDIZ SİLAHLI Nicel , ÖZ Nefise Zülal
Published: April 2023

Doğum eylemi sırasında gelişen fiziksel yaralanmalar “doğum travması” olarak tanımlanmaktadır. Klavikula kırıkları ise en sık görülen kemik doku yaralanmasıdır. Çalışmamızda yenidoğan muayenesinde klavikula ve humerus kırığı saptanan olguların klinik özelliklerinin tartışılması amaçlandı. Çalışma tanımlayıcı kesitsel bir çalışmadır. Hastanemizde 1 Ocak 2017 ile 1 Haziran 2022 tarihleri arasında doğan bebeklerin anne ve bebek epikrizleri retrospektif olarak incelendi. Yenidoğan muayenesinde klavikula ve humerus kırığı tespit edilerek ortopedi ve travmatoloji kliniğine konsülte edilen yenidoğanlar (n:27) çalışmaya dahil edildi. Hastanemizde 5 yıllık süre içerisinde toplam 20.090 doğum saptandı. Toplam doğumların %36,49’u vajinal, %63,5’i ise sezaryen doğum idi. Çalışmaya; 25 klavikula kırığı ve 2 humerus kırığı tespit edilen toplam 27 (25 klavikula kırığı, 2 humerus kırığı) olgu dahil edildi. Olguların kız erkek oranı 11/16 idi. Olguların anne yaşı ortalama 29,88 ± 4,18, gebelik haftası ortalama 39,05 ± 1,29 idi. Doğum şekli değerlendirildiğinde normal vajinal doğum ile doğan 19 (%70,3), sezaryen ile doğan 2 (%7,4) olgu saptandı. Olguların doğum tartısı ortalama 3418,5 ± 341,85 gr saptandı. Vajinal doğum gerçekleşen olguların 18’inde klavikula kırığı geliştiği görüldü. Olguların direk grafilerinde humerus ve klavikulaya ilişkin osseöz patolojiler mevcuttu. Doğum travmaları doğum sürecinin bir komplikasyonu olarak görülen durumlardır. Çalışmamızda tüm doğumların %0,13’ünde üst ekstremite kırığı saptandı. Merkezimizde sezaryen doğum oranlarının yüksek olması nedeniyle literatür verileri ile karşılaştırıldığında bu oran daha düşük idi. Doğum travmaları ayrıntılı yenidoğan muayenesi ile tespit edilebilir. Sıklıkla konservatif yaklaşımlar ile sekelsiz olarak iyileşme görülür.
ELABORACIÓN DE UN MODELO DE TASA MUNICIPAL SOBRE LOS RESIDUOS COMERCIALES
Authors:   ENT Medio Ambiente y Gestión, Puig Ventosa Ignasi , Llabrés Payeras Antoni ,   ENT Medio Ambiente y Gestión
Published: April 2023

Las tasas de residuos en uso generalmente no cubren los costes que supone la gestión de estos residuos. Además, la estructura de estas tasas tiende a ofrecer posibilidades de mejora. Por ello, este trabajo propone un modelo de tasa comercial que: 1) permita distribuir las cargas fiscales de forma equitativa entre los contribuyentes, a partir de información accesible para las entidades locales, 2) contribuya a la cobertura de costes netos de la gestión de los residuos comerciales, 3) facilite la integración de esquemas de pago por generación, y 4) sirva de marco de referencia para cualquier entidad local española que quiera crear o mejorar su tasa de residuos comerciales.
EL TRUST: HERRAMIENTA DE ELUSIÓN FISCAL INTERNACIONAL
Authors:   UNED, Herrera Molina Pedro María
Published: April 2023

“El trust: herramienta de elusión fiscal internacional” de Julio César Muñiz Pérez