bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Features of Group Online Learning Behaviours Based on Data Mining
Authors: Tanbo Zhu , Lei Wang , Die Wang
Published: February 2022

With the development of information technology, how to scientifically and properly organizing and guiding learners to learn actively and efficiently has become a research subject for domestic and foreign scholars. However, existing research on online learning behaviours studied little about learning attitudes, learning preferences, student-student interaction, teacher-student interaction and so on. To this end, this paper studies the features of group online learning behaviours based on data mining. In this paper, a K-means-based group online learning behaviour feature selection model and an AdaBoost-based group online learning behaviour classification model were constructed, and the processing methods, execution processes and algorithm functions of the two models were described in detail. Finally, the effectiveness of the constructed models was verified through an experiment.
Big Data-Assisted Recommendation of Personalized Learning Resources and Teaching Decision Support
Authors: Huiji Si
Published: February 2022

The evaluation of personalized learning features can perceive the features of learning behaviors intelligently, and provide direct, reliable decision support for promoting personalized learning resources (PLRs). The current research has an urgent need to overcome several problems of PLR recommendation: the recommended PLRs fall short of demand, the learning behaviors are not analyzed dynamically, and the learning intentions are not predicted well. To solve these problems, this paper explores the big data-assisted recommendation of PLRs and teaching decision support. The education of spoken and written languages was taken as an example during the exploration. The authors detailed the flow of the proposed algorithm, and proved its effectiveness through experiments.
The Impact of Human and Computer Interaction on eLearning Quality
Authors: Alebeisat Farhan , Altarawneh Haroon , Alhalhouli Zaid T. , Qatawneh Ali , Almahasne Mohmmad
Published: February 2022

Over the last few years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, the stage of education has clearly shifted from face-to-face instruction to e-learning. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) paved the way for developing alternative and advanced methods for implementing the concept of e-learning by identifying what aids educational applications and platforms in visualizing content and thus providing students and their education with easy access in their homes during quarantine and providing them with easy access to educational materials throughout time. Students' impressions of the impact of the human-computer interaction process on the quality of e-learning at Tafila Technical University are discussed in this study. Within one year and four months of the COVID-19 quarantine, students got sufficient experience to apply e-learning. Students responded to a questionnaire that contained closed-ended questions. The responses were analyzed to ascertain the influence of the continual human-computer interaction process. The study's primary objective was to determine the beneficial effect of this contact on the quality of e-learning. Despite their academic and academic performance being greatly impacted by the COVID-19 epidemic, students' positive attitudes toward e-learning have been extremely enthusiastic.
Limited Land Base and Competing Land Uses Force Societal Tradeoffs When Siting Energy Development
Authors: Shaffer Jill A. , Niemuth Neal D. , Loesch Charles R. , Derby Clayton E. , Pearse Aaron T. , Barnes Kevin W. , Shaffer Terry L. , Ryba Adam J.
Published: February 2022

As human populations grow, decisions regarding use of the world's finite land base become increasingly complex. We adopted a land use–conflict scenario involving renewable energy to illustrate one potential cause of these conflicts and resulting tradeoff decisions. Renewable energy industries wishing to expand operations in the United States are limited by multijurisdictional regulations in finding developable land. Interest groups entreat industries to avoid land for various reasons, including avoidance of prime wildlife habitat in accordance with an “avoidance-first” mitigation strategy. By applying a uniform set of rules for renewable energy facilities to the Prairie Pothole Region and portions of the Northern Great Plains, we evaluated the effects of regulations and avoidance of prime wildlife habitat on the amount of land available for development. In our scenario, existing regulations excluded 39% of the project area from potential development, with human infrastructure accounting for 30% (10–66% among states), whereas federally protected species accounted for < 1% at project area and state levels. Unregulated lands accounted for 61% of the project area, with conservation areas predicted as high-quality sites for breeding grassland birds and waterfowl and for migrating whooping cranes Grus americana accounting for 19% within the project area (6–27% among states). This model demonstrated a limited land base available for new development when accounting for regulations and concerns of a subset of societal interest groups. Additional interest groups likely will have different and competing concerns, further emphasizing the complexity of future land-use decisions as the available land base for development diminishes.
Impact of Technology in Sustainable Tourism Development
Authors: Yuce Ali
Published: February 2022

Tourism has been one of the engines powering the thriving economies, leveraging the quality of lives and transforming the people's sociocultural status worldwide. There is no doubt that innovative technologies are critical and significantly efficient for the economies during a hard time and in blossoming times. Moreover, it is also vital to understand and present some essential issues that harm tourism development. Thus, this chapter strives to offer innovative technology-oriented alternative strategies and practical implications to benefit all the stakeholders at the destination and the consumers by focusing on the long-term benefits. This chapter also aims to understand how technology can take a role to stimulate visitors' motivation and behaviour towards a touristic product or a destination.
Blockchain Technology
Authors: Thakur Anusha
Published: February 2022

Travel and technology tend to possess seamless amalgamation. Advancements in technologies are significantly changing the way people travel, with exciting and promising experiences. Incorporation of smart devices and solutions in businesses enables easier ways to analyze, collect, as well as share the real-time data with vendors. One such concept includes blockchain technology, inclusion of which brings about an extreme change in the way the data are being accessed and stored. This technology enables the businesses to fortify operations, transactions, as well as processes, thereby bolstering productivity and growth and discovering newer profit models. This chapter discusses the different competitive advantages offered by the tourism businesses on inclusion of blockchain technology in their strategic-decisions and emphasizes how the blockchain concepts help in simplifying the tourism and hospitality businesses, amidst different challenges being faced by these industries.
A Conceptual Model of Emerging Mobile Travel Apps for Smart Tourism Among Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z
Authors: Yueng Hee Sia Phoebe , Saidin Siti Salina , P. Iskandar Yulita Hanum
Published: February 2022

Mobile travel apps are essential tools in trip planning; they provide local insights and recommendation on destinations. Smart tourism features the extensive use of information and communication technology (ICT) which is a new evolution of old-style tourism and e-tourism, emphasised on two approaches: augmented reality (AR) and big data (BD). Several tourism studies have discussed the positive and negative impacts of adopting smart mobile travel apps in the tourism industry. Different factors may affect the app's adoption and acceptance of new technology. However, the level of adoption of smart mobile travel apps depends on the traveller's characteristics as each generation has different characteristics in the adaptability of smart technology. Therefore, this research model is based on the integration of the DeLone and McLean IS success (IS) model and consumer acceptance and use of information technology (UTAUT2) model to determine the factors influencing behavioural intention to use mobile travel apps for smart tourism among Generations X, Y, and Z.
Arrhythmia Classification Using Deep Learning Architecture
Authors: Chouhan Kuldeep Singh , Gajrani Jyoti , Sharma Bhavna , Tazi Satya Narayan
Published: February 2022

As cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a serious concern to modern medical science to diagnose at an early stage, it is vital to build a classification model that can effectively reduce mortality rates by treating millions of people in a timely manner. An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a specialized instrument that measures the heart's physiological responses. To accurately diagnose a patient's acute and chronic heart problems, an in-depth examination of these ECG signals is essential. The proposed model consists of a convolutional neural network having three convolutional, two pooling, and two dense layers. The proposed model is trained and evaluated on the MIT-BIH arrhythmia and PTB diagnostic datasets. The classification accuracy is 99.16%, which is higher than state-of-the-art studies on similar arrhythmias. Recall, precision, and F1 score of the proposed model are 96.53%, 95.15%, and 99.17%, respectively. The proposed model can aid doctors explicitly for the detection and classification of arrhythmias.
Convolutional Neural Network-Based Secured Data Storage Mechanism for Big Data Environments
Authors: Easwaran Balamurugan , Krishnan Sangeetha , P. T. Anitha , Akpojaro Jackson , V. B. Kirubanand
Published: February 2022

Data types and amounts in human society are growing at an amazing speed, which is caused by emerging new services such as cloud computing and internet of things (IoT). As data has been a fundamental resource, research on big data has attracted much attention. An optimized cluster storage method for big data in IoT is proposed. First, weights of data blocks in each historical accessing period are calculated by temporal locality of data access, and the access frequencies of the data block in next period are predicted by the weights. Second, the hot spot of a data block is determined with a threshold that is calculated by previous data access. In this work, big data is divided into multiple segments based on semantic connectivity-based convolutional neural networks. Each segment will be stored in the different nodes by adapting the blockchain distributed-based local regenerative code technology called BCDLR. Experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed model in terms of packet delivery ratio, end-to-end delay, energy consumption, and throughput.
Measuring Economic Sustainability: Are we doing it Right?
Authors: Tennakoon W. D. N. S. M. , Janadari M. P. N.
Published: February 2022

Economic sustainability, one among the Triple Bottom Lines (TBLs), perhaps the most attractive and popular dimension of sustainability, is the long-term standpoint of an establishment in terms of financial and marketing measures. The realization of the value of economic sustainability is a far-felt need for practitioners because of its sense of stability. Despite the theorists' immense contribution to offering a theoretically sought definition and workable measures, the concept remains ambiguous in its application. This review examined the evolution of economic sustainability as a construct in terms of its definitions and measures. A desk review of the published literature in leading journals was performed. Each contribution was assessed against the properties of available theoretical bases to unearth the theoretical lapses. Findings include research gaps and associated directions for future studies in bridging the identified gaps.
The Kena Upanishad and Schopenhauer: Revelation of Brahman in Will and Better Consciousness
Authors: Bhandari Sabindra Raj
Published: February 2022

This paper explores the speculations of the absolute reality projected in the Kena Upanishad and their reflections in the philosophy of Schopenhauer. His proclamations of Will remain as the metamorphosis of the absolute reality, Brahman, postulated in the Kena Upanishad. For Schopenhauer, every phenomenal manifestation is the objectification of Will. The Kena Upanishad also states similar nature of the absolute reality. Likewise, both the Kena Upanishad and Schopenhauer identify the individual with the entire cosmic Will as a whole. In this way, Schopenhauer's philosophical concepts of Will, ideas, and better consciousness find their perfect explanation in the Kena Upanishad. In spite of the differences in time, space and context, it is very interesting to see the great coalescence of Schopenhauer’s Will with the ideation of Brahman in the Kena Upanishad. They both bear similar tones and concepts in their essence. This paper applies the paradigm of qualitative approach, interpretive and explorative strategy, and uses the content analysis method to show the relation between the philosophical concepts of Schopenhauer with the enthralling ideas of cosmic speculations expressed in the Kena Upanishad.
An integrative phylogenetic analysis of eastern NearcticLeuctra(Plecoptera: Leuctridae), with an emphasis on the fauna of a southern Appalachian Highlands landscape
Authors: Metzger Madeline L. , Grubbs Scott A. , Johnson Jarrett R.
Published: February 2022

LeuctraStephens, 1836 is the fourth most speciose genus of Plecoptera (Leuctridae) east of the Rocky Mountains with 31 recognised species, trailing onlyIsoperlaBanks, 1906 (58),AllocapniaClaassen, 1928 (47), andPerlestaBanks, 1906 (34). AlthoughLeuctrafemales are described in taxonomic literature, they are difficult to morphologically distinguish among regional congeners, and identifications are often made through inference only (i.e.,presence of males). This is particularly problematic in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States of America, which host numerousLeuctraspecies. We sampled the stonefly fauna of Mount Mitchell, western North Carolina, United States of America, from April to October 2019. The mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 gene was sequenced for 39 adult males and 239 adult females ofLeuctra.This allowed us to confidently place species names on all of the latter individuals. Phylogenetic tree- and genetic distance–based methods consistently grouped females with males for nine recognised species. Two separateL. ferruginea(Walker, 1852) operational taxonomic units were recognised, albeit with low divergence values, and an additional undeterminedLeuctrawas identified based solely on females. Digital stereomicroscope images were taken from females of each species unit to identify variation among and between species. This approach allowed for a more robust assessment of regional biogeographic patterns.
THE DARK SIDE OF THE COVID-19 TREATMENTS ON MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS INFECTION
Authors: De Maio Flavio , Bianco Delia Mercedes , Delogu Giovanni
Published: February 2022

Since the emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at the end of 2019, a number of medications have been used to treat the infection and the related Coronavirus disease – 19 (COVID-19).
Some of the administered drugs were tested or used in practice only on the basis of biological plausibility; a promising strategy was to target the host immune response, with host directed therapies (HDTs), to reduce systemic hyperinflammation and hypercytokinemia responsible for additional tissue damage.
We summarize the treatments against SARS-CoV-2 and underline their possible effects on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection. Both SARS-CoV-2 and Mtb respiratory infections impair the host’s immune response. Furthermore, little research has been conducted on the impact of medicaments used to counteract COVID-19 disease in patients with Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI). A number of these drugs may modulate host immune response by modifying LTBI dynamic equilibrium, favoring either the host or the bacteria.
 
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, COVID-19, Tuberculosis, Host directed therapies
CAR-T cells microscopic and phenotypic identification in the peripheral blood
Authors: LESESVE
Published: February 2022

CAR-T cells are a new possibility for care poor prognostic conditions. CAR-T cells injection lead to T chimeric cells circulation into the blood. Here is reported the cytomorphologic and immunophenotypic features of CAR-T cells in the peripheral blood.
THE TREATMENT OF ADVANCED-STAGE MYCOSIS FUNGOIDES AND SEZARY SYNDROME: A HEMATOLOGIST'S POINT OF VIEW.
Authors: Giordano Antonio , Pagano Livio
Published: February 2022

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas are a heterogenous group of T-cell neoplasms involving the skin, the majority of which may be classified as Mycosis Fungoides (MF) or Sézary Syndrome (SS).

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is usually associated with an indolent clinical course and intermittent, stable, or slow progression of the lesions. Extracutaneous involvement (lymph nodes, blood, or less commonly other organs) or large cell transformation (LCT) may be seen in advanced-stage disease. Sezary syndrome (SS) is a rare leukemic subtype of CTCL characterized by significant blood involvement, erythroderma, and often lymphadenopathy.

Although early-stage disease can be effectively treated predominantly with skin-directed therapies, systemic therapy is often necessary for the treatment of advanced-stage disease. Systemic therapy options have evolved in recent years with the approval of novel agents such as vorinostat, brentuximab vedotin, and mogamulizumab. This review aims to discuss the diagnosis and management  of advanced-stages MF and SS.
A Case Report on Chronic Productive Cough with Intermittent Respiratory Distress
Authors: Morshed Jesmeen , Ridwanul Islam M , Kibria Chowdhury Shamsul Haque , Siddiqua Farzana , Mutanabbi Mahbub
Published: February 2022

Kartagener's syndrome or primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a very rare congenital malformation comprising of a classic triad of sinusitis, situs inversus, and bronchiectasis. PCD is a genetic disorder with manifestations present from early life, and this distinguishes it from acquired mucociliary disorders. Approximately one half of patients with PCD have situs inversus. We present a case of 12-year-old girl with sinusitis, situs inversus, and bronchiectasis. The correct diagnosis of this rare congenital autosomal recessive disorder in early life is important for the overall prognosis of the syndrome, as many of the complications can be prevented if timely management is instituted.
Hypertension in Children
Authors: Roy Ranjit Ranjan , Sultana Nadira
Published: February 2022

Hypertension in children and adolescents is a major health condition that clinicians frequently overlook. Children should have their blood pressure checked annually beginning at the age of 3, or at each visit if risk factors are present. Secondary etiologies of hypertension are more common in children than adults, with renal parenchymal and renovascular disease being the most common. In youngsters, overweight and obesity are highly associated with primary hypertension. All children newly diagnosed with hypertension should have a history and physical examination to rule out any underlying medical conditions. Other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia, should be examined in children with hypertension, and a retinal examination and echocardiography should be performed to assess for target organ damage. In children with hypertension, lifestyle adjustments such as weight loss if they are overweight or obese, a nutritious diet, and regular exercise are initially used to address the condition. Children with stage 2 hypertension without a modifiable factor such as obesity, evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy on echocardiography, any stage of hypertension associated with chronic kidney disease, or persistent hypertension despite a trial of lifestyle modifications are more likely to require antihypertensive medications. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), calcium channel blockers (CCBs), and thiazide diuretics (thiazide diuretics) are all efficacious, safe, and well tolerated in children.
Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Nahid Khan Lamia , Rukunuzzaman M , Wahiduzzaman Mazumder M , Begum Fahmida , Alam Rubaiyat
Published: February 2022

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an emerging problem for children and adolescents. The estimated 3.5–5 million children have chronic HCV infection globally. Early detection of HCV infection and early administration of appropriate treatment in childhood are necessary to prevent decompensated liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma as in adults. Perinatal transmission is the most common route of HCV infection in children. An antibody-based test (anti-HCV) should be done in children at or after 18 months of age to detect HCV infection. Children who are anti-HCV-positive after 18 months of age should be further confirmed with an HCV-RNA assay after age 3 to recognize chronic hepatitis C infection. These patients should be further tested to determine the genotype. Children who are anti-HCV- and HCV-RNA-positive need to be treated with direct-acting antiviral. The purpose of the article is to discuss epidemiology, natural history, diagnosis, and management of HCV infection in children and adolescents.
The planar low temperature Coulomb gas: separation and equidistribution
Authors: Ameur Yacin , Romero José Luis
Published: February 2022

We consider planar Coulomb systems consisting of a large number

n

of repelling point charges in the low temperature regime, where the inverse temperature

\beta

grows at least logarithmically in

n

as

n\to\infty

, i.e.,

\beta\gtrsim \log n

.

Under suitable conditions on an external potential, we prove results to the effect that the gas is with high probability uniformly separated and equidistributed with respect to the corresponding equilibrium measure (in the given external field).

Our results generalize earlier results about Fekete configurations, i.e., the case

\beta=\infty

. There are also several auxiliary results which could be of independent interest. For example, our method of proof of equidistribution (a variant of “Landau’s method”) works for general families of configurations which are uniformly separated and which satisfy certain sampling and interpolation inequalities.
Об алгебраичности решеток $\omega$-веерных формаций конечных групп
Authors: Maksakov S. P. , Sorokina Marina Mikhailovna
Published: February 2022

Для непустого множества $\omega$ простых чисел В.А. Ведерниковым с помощью функциональных методов были построены $\omega$-веерные формации групп. В работе изучаются решеточные свойства $\omega$-веерных формаций конечных групп с направлением $\delta$, удовлетворяющим условию $\delta_{_{0}} \leq \delta$. Доказана алгебраичность решетки $\omega\delta F_{\theta}$ всех $\omega$-веерных формаций с направлением $\delta$ и $\theta$-значным $\omega$-спутником при условии, что решетка формаций $\theta$ является алгебраической. В качестве следствий установлена алгебраичность решеток $\omega\delta F$, $\omega\delta F_{\tau}$, $\tau\omega\delta F$, $\omega\delta^{n} F$ $\omega$-веерных формаций групп.
Клеточный периметр композиций
Authors: Blecher Aubrey , Brennan Charlotte , Knopfmacher Arnold
Published: February 2022

Композиции числа $n$ - это такие конечные последовательности положительных целых чисел $(\sigma_i)_{i=1}^k$, что
$$
\sigma_1+\sigma_2+\cdots +\sigma_k=n.
$$
Композиция $n$ представляется в виде гистограммы площади $n$: высота $i$-го столбца гистограммы равна величине $i$-й части композиции. Мы рассматриваем клеточный периметр гистограммы, который равен числу граничащих с ней клеток. Получена производящая функция чисел гистограмм с заданным клеточным периметром. Средняя величина клеточного периметра вычисляется заново прямым перечислением. Наконец, найдено среднее значение клеточного периметра гистограммы с заданным полупериметром.
Об универсальности произведения для классов линейных функций двух переменных
Authors: Voronenko Andrei Anatol'evich
Published: February 2022

Ранее автором было введено понятие универсальной функции и доказано существование универсальных функций для классов линейных $k$-значных функций двух переменных при $k\ge5$. В настоящей работе показано, что произведение по модулю $k$ является универсальной функцией для класса линейных $k$-значных функций двух переменных тогда и только тогда, когда $k=6l\pm1$.
Классы кусочно-квазиаффинных преобразований на обобщенной 2-группе кватернионов
Authors: Pogorelov Boris Aleksandrovich , Pudovkina Marina Aleksandrovna
Published: February 2022

Неабелевыми 2-группами $H$ с циклической подгруппой индекса 2 являются группа диэдра, обобщенная группа кватернионов, полудиэдральная группа и модулярная максимально-циклическая группа, применяемые в различных приложениях в дискретной математике и криптографии. В работе вводятся кусочно-квазиаффинные преобразования на группе $H$ и даются критерии их биективности. Для обобщенной группы кватернионов порядка $2^m$ получена полная классификация ортоморфизмов, полных преобразований и их левых аналогов среди рассматриваемого класса кусочно-квазиаффинных преобразований, а также найдены их числа.
Sensitive Diagnosis and Post-Treatment Follow-Up of Schistosoma mansoni Infections in Asymptomatic Eritrean Refugees by Circulating Anodic Antigen Detection and Polymerase Chain Reaction
Authors: Hoekstra Pytsje T. , Chernet Afona , de Dood Claudia J. , Brienen Eric A. T. , Corstjens Paul L. A. M. , Labhardt Niklaus D. , Nickel Beatrice , Wammes Linda J. , van Dam Govert J. , Neumayr Andreas , van Lieshout Lisette
Published: February 2022

The increasing number of refugees coming from or passing through Schistosoma-endemic areas and arriving in Europe highlights the importance of screening for schistosomiasis on arrival, and focuses attention on the choice of diagnostic test. We evaluate the diagnostic performance of circulating anodic antigen (CAA) detection in 92 asymptomatic refugees from Eritrea. Results were compared with already-available stool microscopy, serology, and urine point-of-care circulating cathodic antigen (POC-CCA) data. For a full diagnostic comparison, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the POC-CCA were included. All outcomes were compared against a composite reference standard. Urine and serum samples were subjected to the ultra-sensitive and highly specific up-converting particle lateral flow CAA test, Schistosoma spp. real-time PCR was performed on urine and stool, and the POC-CCA was used on urine using the G-score method. CAA was detected in 43% of urine and in 40% of serum samples. Urine PCR was negative in all 92 individuals, whereas 25% showed Schistosoma DNA in stool. POC-CCA was positive in 30% of individuals. The CAA test confirmed all microscopy positives, except for two cases that were also negative by all other diagnostic procedures. Post-treatment, a significant reduction in the number of positives and infection intensity was observed, in particular regarding CAA levels. Our findings confirm that microscopy, serology, and POC-CCA lack the sensitivity to detect all active Schistosoma infections. Accuracy of stool PCR was similar to microscopy, indicating that this method also lacks sensitivity. The CAA test appeared to be the most accurate method for screening active Schistosoma infections and for monitoring treatment efficacy.
Reviewing a Decade of Outpatient Tropical Medicine in Houston, Texas
Authors: Kaplan Julika , Centeno Fernando Hernandez , Hayon Jesica , Bottazzi Maria Elena , Hotez Peter J. , Weatherhead Jill E. , Clark Eva , Woc-Colburn Laila
Published: February 2022

Tropical diseases cause significant morbidity among the world’s poorest populations. Although more common in low- and middle-income countries, tropical diseases are also found among underserved populations living in high-income countries such as the United States. The National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and the Harris Health System founded a tropical medicine clinic—the Harris Health Tropical Medicine Clinic (HHTMC)—in Houston in 2011 in response to tropical disease-related morbidity in Texas. We conducted a retrospective chart review of a sample of patients older than 18 years of age who were referred to the HHTMC between October 2011 and January 2020. Of the 523 patients reviewed, 185 (35.4%) had mycobacterial infections, 184 (35.2%) had parasitic infections, 38 (7.3%) had fungal infections, 16 (3.1%) had eosinophilia without a confirmed clinical diagnosis, 28 (5.4%) had bacterial infections, and 13 (2.5%) had viral infections. The most common infections overall were extrapulmonary and latent tuberculosis (n = 169), neurocysticercosis (n = 78), strongyloidiasis (n = 28), Chagas disease (n = 25), and schistosomiasis (n = 12). The epidemiology of tropical diseases in the United States is understudied at national and regional levels. This 10-year retrospective study contributes to bridging this knowledge gap by detailing the frequencies of tropical disease diagnoses made at the HHTMC in Houston, TX. These data highlight areas for advancement in the field of tropical medicine within the United States, such as improving front-line health-care provider education; establishing tropical medicine clinics in areas of high prevalence such as the Gulf Coast, Appalachia, and urban areas; and developing comprehensive, systematic national tropical disease screening programs and patient registries.
Lao Noma Survivors: A Case Series, 2002–2020
Authors: Srour Margaret Leila , Farley Elise , Mpinga Emmanuel Kabengele
Published: February 2022

Noma is a rapidly progressing infection of the oral cavity, mostly affecting children aged between 2 and 5 years. If untreated, mortality can reach 90% within a few weeks after the onset of symptoms. Most of the published literature on noma are case reports or case series from Africa. Studies including noma survivors in Asia are limited. We present a case series of noma survivors in Laos. A retrospective analysis of data collected to monitor the care provided to Lao noma survivors who presented for treatment from 2002 to 2020 was conducted. The review assessed data including sociodemographic characteristics, diagnosis, mouth opening, self-reported quality of life at admission and after surgery, and the names used for the disease. Of the 50 patients included, 25 (50%) were female. The median age of self-reported onset of acute noma was 4 years (interquartile range [IQR] 2–7 years). The noma survivors came from 14/17 (82%) of Lao provinces. There were 64 surgeries conducted on 45 of these survivors. There was a median of 25 years (IQR 16–33 years) between the time of acute infection and the provision of surgical care. Improvements in nutritional status and quality of life were evident after surgery. Patients referred to the disease as “Pak Phuey,” which means diseased mouth. Noma survivors frequently live for years with disabling sequelae. Surgical rehabilitation improves the quality of life for noma survivors.
Distribution of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus and Antiviral Antibodies in Wild and Domestic Animals in Oita Prefecture, Japan
Authors: Hashimoto Takehiro , Yahiro Takaaki , Yamada Kentaro , Kimitsuki Kazunori , Okuyama Minami W. , Honda Akiko , Kato Miki , Narimatsu Hiroshi , Hiramatsu Kazufumi , Nishizono Akira
Published: February 2022

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging life-threatening infectious disease caused by the tickborne SFTS virus (SFTSV), first identified in China in 2009 and then in Japan in 2013. Human SFTS cases were reported to be concentrated in western Japan, but the epidemiological conditions of SFTSV infection in a specific region are still obscure. We performed an epidemiological study of SFTSV in Oita Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, located in western Japan. For our research, we collected sera from wild and domestic animals (deer, wild boars, raccoons, cats, and dogs) and ticks from January 2010 to November 2020 in Oita. The anti-SFTSV antibody positivity rate of deer in 2014 was significantly higher than that in 2011 (65% versus 27%, P < 0.001). The anti-SFTSV antibody positivity rates of deer, wild boars, raccoons, wild dogs, domestic dogs, and domestic cats were 55%, 12%, 27%, 1.8%, 0.53%, and 1.4%, respectively. Moreover, RT-PCR could not detect SFTSV in any tick sample. Of the six areas of Oita Prefecture, only the Eastern area showed no incidence or possibility of SFTSV infection among wild and domestic animals, ticks, and human beings. Further investigation is required to assess whether local seroepidemiology in animals will help assess the risk of SFTSV infections in inhabitants.
Brugia malayi Microfilariae Induce Autophagy through an Interferon-γ Dependent Mechanism in Human Monocytes
Authors: Narasimhan Prakash Babu , Tariq Sameha , Akabas Leor , Dorward David W. , Nutman Thomas B. , Tolouei Semnani Roshanak
Published: February 2022

Monocyte dysfunction in helminth infection is one of the mechanisms proposed to explain the diminished parasite antigen-specific T cell responses seen with patent filarial infection. In fact, monocytes from filariae-infected individuals demonstrate internalized filarial antigens and, as a consequence, express inhibitory surface molecules and have diminished cytokine production. To investigate the mechanisms underlying monocyte dysfunction in filarial infections, purified human monocytes were exposed to live microfilariae (mf) of Brugia malayi, and the mRNA and protein expression of important inhibitory and/or autophagy-related molecules were assessed. Our data indicate that mf-induced autophagy in human monocytes shown by the formation of autophagic vesicles, by the upregulation in the mRNA expression of autophagy-related genes BCN1, LC3B, ATG5, ATG7 (P < 0.05), and by increase in the levels of LC3B protein. Furthermore, this mf-induced autophagy increased the levels of monocyte CD206 expression. In addition, mf significantly induced the frequency of interferon (IFN)-γ+ human monocytes and at the same time induced the mRNA expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) through an IFN-γ-dependent mechanism; significantly enhanced tryptophan degradation (an indicator of IDO activity; P < 0.005). Interestingly, this autophagy induction by mf in monocytes was IFN-γ-dependent but IDO-independent as was reversed by anti-IFN-γ but not by an IDO inhibitor. Our data collectively suggest that mf of Brugia malayi regulate the function of monocytes by induction of IDO and IFN-γ, induce autophagy through an IFN-γ-dependent mechanism, and increase M2 phenotype through induction of autophagy; all acting in concert to drive monocyte dysfunction.
Intraspecific variations in flowering phenology of African pear (Dacryodes edulis (g. Don) H.J. Lam) flowering in south east Nigeria
Authors: Njoku T.C.
Published: February 2022

A survey was carried out in two states, six locations of south east Nigeria during the normal flowering period for three (3) consecutive years to evaluate the intraspecific variations in flowering phenology of African pear flowering. The different types of the species growing in the forest, distant and nearby farms, including homesteads were used. 60 trees and 180 flowered branches were sampled for the survey. Parameters collected include time for flowering, number of flower per inflorescence, inflorescence length and number of inflorescence per panicle. Data collected were analysed using analysis of variance, regression and correlation. Standard errors and percentages were calculated where appropriate. Based on the observed floral nature, three distinct African pear tree species were identified – female, male and hermaphrodite trees. The time of flowering varied within and between locations. This ranged from December to March 2013 to 2015 for the period of study. Strong positive relationship exist between inflorescence length and flower per inflorescence. Significant (p<0.05) differences were observed in mean flower per inflorescence and mean inflorescence per panicle in 2015 in Abia state. The mean inflorescence length, inflorescence per panicle and flower per inflorescence were statistically (p<0.05) the same for 2014 and 2015 in Imo State. These ranged from 14.79cm to 18.74cm,13.81cm to 18.60cm; 4.16 to 5.66; 5.75 to 6.61, 21.40 to 92.71 and 45.66 to 110.18 respectively.Inflorescence length and inflorescence per panicle were significantly (p<0.05) different in 2013in Imo State. In terms of the trees flowering circle, African pear can be seen as an annual since57% to 77% of the trees flower annually, while 23% to 43% flower biennially and triennially. Therefore the survey study discovered that there are variations in floral natures, inflorescence length, inflorescence per panicle, flowering circle, and time of flowering in African pear. This study will be useful for breeding purposes in African pear.
Poverty status of arable farm households in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria
Authors: Jatto K.A. , Akanni O.F. , Olatunji B.T. , Arowolo O.V. , Abegunrin O.O. , Kareem A.T. , Olayemi O.O.
Published: February 2022

The study assessed the poverty status of arable farm households in Akinyele Local Government Area of Oyo State. Ninety (90) respondents were randomly selected using the multistage sampling technique while data was collected using structured questionnaire. The data generated from the survey were analysed using descriptive statistics, poverty measures and a logistic regression model. The descriptive analysis shows that majority of the rural households were headed by males (76.67%), most of them (82.22%) were married and had a mean age of 54.5  years with 84.45% of them having a formal education. The mean household size of about 7 persons was obtained with a mean farm size of 6.66 hectares in the study area. The mean farming experience was 13.63 years, and the majority (86.67%) of the respondents did not receive any credit for their farming activities at a time or the other. The poverty status indicated that 54.44% of the respondents are poor while 45.56% are non-poor. The result of the factors influencing the poverty status using logistic regression analysis reveals that being married (p<0.05) and household size (p<0.1) were positive and significant predictors of the probability of being poor while access to credit (p<0.1) and per capita income (p<0.01) were negative and significant predictors of the probability of being poor. The study, therefore, recommended thatquality credit accessibility and participation in skills acquisition programmes through diversification should be encouraged due to their capability of improving the household income of the poor.
The South Sudan Medical Journal: Keep it up
Authors: Newman Peter
Published: February 2022

No Abstract
The association between body mass index and foot ulcer among patients with diabetes mellitus, Wad Medani, Sudan
Authors: Eltilib Abeer AbdElrahman Elnour
Published: February 2022

Introduction: Globally about 463 million people are living with diabetes mellitus (DM) which is estimated to rise to 700 million by 2045; 80% are in middle and low-income countries. Recent studies have shown that body mass index (BMI) was one of the significant predictors, along with nephropathy and retinopathy, of diabetic foot ulcers (DFU).Objective: To assess the association between BMI and DFU in Wad Medani town, Gezira state, Sudan.Method: The study was based on primary data obtained via a cross sectional random sample of 400 patients with DM presenting at Aldarga Diabetic Centre in Wad Medani. The data collection tool was a structured questionnaire designed in English and translated into Arabic for the field survey. Data were analysed with SPSS version 20, using frequency tables and chi-square tests.Results: Of the 400 participants, 208 were diagnosed with foot ulcer. There was a statistically significant association between BMI and DFU. A total of 134 (56%) of the 239 overweight patients had diabetic foot ulcers compared to 74 (46%) of the 161 who were not overweight (p=0.04).Conclusion: The result suggests a significant association between BMI and DFU at our Diabetic Centre.
Development and Evaluation of Educational Web-Based Food Safety Game, Potluck Panic!
Authors:   Dept. of Animal and Food Sciences University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, Kniel Kalmia
Published: February 2022

Food safety education is necessary for development of individual life skills, public health, and fulfillment of societal workforce needs for scientists dedicated to safe food production. An interactive Web-based game, Potluck Panic!, was developed whereby players prevent foodborne illness by mitigating risky practices throughout food systems. Post-secondary students (261) enrolled in food science courses anonymously completed pre- and post-gameplay surveys on gameplay, food safety perceptions, behaviors, and knowledge. Subjects enjoyed the game (84%) with consequent increased awareness of (89%) and interest in food safety (75%), the food science major (57%), and intent to learn more (79%). A significant shift (P < 0.05) in attitudes among students enrolled in an introductory course included decreased trust in families’ food preparation practices, increased confidence in the food supply, recognized need for scientific knowledge to produce safe food, and recognition that companies employ people responsible for food safety. Significant improvement on knowledge-based questions was observed for students enrolled in introductory courses who scored in the lower pregameplay quartiles. Seventy percent (70%) of secondary school educators rated the game favorably for enjoyment, educational value, and willingness to recommend it to a colleague. These data support game use to increase student interest in the science of food safety.
Secure and Reliable ML-based Disease Detection for a Medical Wireless Body Sensor Networks
Authors: Mohamed Mbarka Belhaj , Meddeb-Makhlouf Amel , Fakhfakh Ahmed , Kanoun Olfa
Published: February 2022

The recent development of the Internet of Things (IoT) has enabled a significant technology that aids quick healthcare solutions through the use of smart wearables sensors. Indeed, undesirable events and network threats can appear in any physiological recording in Wireless Body Sensor Networks (WBSN), leading to a misdiagnosis. These events and threats are recognizable by experienced medical staff, thereby it is necessary to identify them before making any diagnosis. In this paper, a secure and energy efficient approach is proposed. For disease detection, our research provide insight into several physiological signals, including the ElectroCardioGram (ECG), ElectroMyoGram (EMG), and Blood Pressure (BP), where the security is achieved by the application of the Advanced Encryption Symmetric (AES) and the Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA). Similarly, to obtain a reasonable range of reliability, a classification procedure based on supervised Machine Learning (ML) techniques is used. The simulation results proved the accuracy and sensitivity of the system by 97% and 92%, respectively by enhancing a high level of security. Moreover, a suitable prototype is developed for medical staff to ensure the applicability of our proposal.
IoT-based Network Attacks Discovery with Combined Classifiers
Authors: Ivanova Vanya , Tashev Tasho , Draganov Ivo
Published: February 2022

In this paper following the recent trends in IoT-based network attacks discovery and advancing further our previous research, in which we optimize and test single neural network, support vector machine and random forest classifiers for both the detection and recognition of multiple DDoS attacks, we propose results from newly developed combined classifiers. The first of them employs only a neural network and a random forest classifier, while the second use additionally a support vector machine. Both are implemented in two modifications – as detectors of malicious vs. normal traffic, and as classifiers of 10 types of attacks vs. non-attack samples. High classification accuracy is being obtained over the popular Bot-IoT dataset and it prove higher than that of the single classifiers. At the same time, it is also higher than other solutions, proposed in the practice.
GENETIC DIVERSITY STATUS OF CAMEL’S RESOURCES (Camelus Dromedarius. Linnaeus, 1758) IN ALGERIA.
Authors: HAREK Derradji , IKHLRF Hacene , BOUHADAD Rachid , Sahel Hocine , Cherifi Youcef , Djellout Nor Eddine , Khelifa chelihi Sebti , El Mokhefi M`hamed , Boukhetala Khaled , Gaouar Semir Bechir Suheil , Arbouche Fodil
Published: February 2022

n Algeria, the dromedary Camelus dromedarius, remains an important and valuable resource despite the decreasing number of its individuals. The situation of the livestock seems to be enhanced these last years, with the growing demand of camel’s milk and meat. The dromedary is an excellent animal for using local food resources available in arid and semi-arid climates but sadly there are only few studies about it and the scientific progress contributes very little in its breeding cycles. The dromedary populations are so phenotypically Algerian so different that supposes a lot of differentiations on the genomic scale which could be a beneficial advantage in the context of the adaptation to the new environmental conditions.The dromedary has long suffered from the sedentarily of the breeders as well as the bad health conditions. Lately the government has launched economical programs that intend to promote the local animal resources so the situation of the dromedary is getting better, thanks to the support of the government and the benefits behind the dromedary products. We believe that there is a lot to be done yet about the identification of the dromedary genetics. The purpose of the coming efforts are conservation and amelioration of these local resources which has a great impact for the promotion of the Algerian economy
DNA EXTRACTION ON TISSUE, HOMEMADE RECIPE.
Authors: Gaouar Semir Bechir Suheil , Meghelli Imene , Kaouadji Zoubeyda
Published: February 2022

Molecular biology techniques are key tools for a better knowledge of the living, researchers at the level of some laboratories have developed kits to have a quality of the biological sample that meets these current requirements. Among these kits, DNA extraction kits from any type of source have been created and are generally required by different service providers in the field of molecular biology. That said, these requirements become a brake in the field of research for low-income laboratories, given their unavailability on the local market and their prices. In this sense our DNA extraction study was carried out on a camel brain tissue for a subsequent PCR study in order to have a fairly precise idea about the quality of a DNA extracted (by traditional process ) from a tissue without going through an extraction kit that costs more money, gives less DNA and with acceptable quality by the current tools of molecular biology. These new extraction methods are postulated in the form of property sold at high prices such as kits, but according to our study the technique that was used for the extraction of DNA from a tissue is reliable especially if it is used from the middle phase after grinding of the sample.