bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Le corps des femmes : la place des filles-mères dans la « pyramide normative » chrétienne. Approche juridique et anthropologique des filles-mères dans la France médiévale (xiie-xve siècles)
Authors: Coulas Marjorie
Published: December 2022

Les mères célibataires, autrefois appelées filles-mères, ont toujours tenu une place singulière dans la représentation féminine chrétienne. Depuis l’avènement du christianisme, les femmes se voient attribuer une place dans la société, en fonction de l’usage qu’elles font de leur corps : la vierge, la mère et la prostituée. La vierge est au sommet de la pyramide, encensée pour le contrôle qu’elle exerce sur son corps et sa vie, dévoués tous deux au Christ. La mère, rôle naturel de la femme, se place en seconde position de cette pyramide normative. Sa fonction, qui lui vient de la Genèse (1.28) « Croissez et multipliez-vous et remplissez la Terre », est encadrée par les lois canoniques. La prostituée, enfin, forme la base de cette pyramide. Mais si les Pères de l’Église considèrent la prostitution comme une abomination, les canonistes et la société, notamment celle du Moyen-Âge, voit en la prostituée une nécessité sociale. La prostituée est protégée, voire comprise. La fille-mère ne correspond à aucun de ces standards. Ce n’est ni Ève, la tentatrice, ni Marie, la vierge-mère. Si elle est mère, elle ne l’est pas selon les règles canoniques. Peu importe la raison qui l’a amenée à se retrouver mère, elle est nécessairement fautive. Sa faute : avoir succombé à la tentation suprême, l’appel du corps. La question est donc de savoir quelle place lui accorde les canonistes et les moralistes du Moyen-Âge dans la pyramide normative chrétienne.
Einstein’s questioning and speculations lead to theoretical photon momentum
Authors: Taylor Emory , Iyer Rajan
Published: December 2022

Theoretical photon momentum results from (1) using Einstein’s paper questioning whether a body’s inertia depended on its energy content, and (2) using two previously published papers that followed Einstein’s 1954 speculations that (a) it is possible physics is based
on a discontinuum theory, and (b) the continuum concept along with space and time must be discarded.
The mathematical physical equations satisfied by retarded and advanced Green’s functions
Authors: Wang Huai-Yu
Published: December 2022

In mathematical physics, time-dependent Green’s functions (GFs) are the solutions of differential equations of the first and second time derivatives. Habitually, the time-dependent GFs are Fourier transformed into the frequency space. Then, analytical continuation of the frequency
is extended to below or above the real axis. After inverse Fourier transformation, retarded and advanced GFs can be obtained, and there may be arbitrariness in such analytical continuation. In the present work, we establish the differential equations from which the retarded and advanced GFs
are rigorously solved. The key point is that the derivative of the time step function is the Dirac δ function plus an infinitely small quantity, where the latter is not negligible because it embodies the meaning of time delay or time advance. The retarded and advanced GFs defined
in this paper are the same as the one-body GFs defined with the help of the creation and destruction operators in many-body theory. There is no way to define the causal GF in mathematical physics, and the reason is given. This work puts the initial conditions into differential equations, thereby
paving a way for solving the problem of why there are motions that are irreversible in time.
Propagation of Newtonian gravitation derived by the elastic energy
Authors: Kohiyama Noboru
Published: December 2022

The Earth is compressed by its own Newtonian gravitation. The pressure is generated inside the Earth for this compression. The pressure distribution is expressed using the Adams‐Williamson equation (AWE). The elastic energy is stored inside the Earth by the pressure. The Newtonian
gravitation is derived by this energy. The propagation of Newtonian gravitation at the speed of light is expressed by using the AWE as a wave.
The Impact of Establishing Environmental Management System ISO 14001 on Performance
Authors: Kasravi Ali , Zare Ramin , Javadisharif Parnian , Javadisharif Hadi
Published: December 2022

In recent years, many organizations have used management system certification such as the Environmental Management System (EMS). The purpose of present study is to assess the effect of Environmental Management System (ISO14001) on hospital performance. This is an applied (regarding the purpose of the study) and descriptive research and data are gathered through secondary (library) and primary (questionnaires) sources. This is applied and causal. After confirming the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, it was used for data collection. The research population includes hospital staff. This community was considered limited and therefore all the staff were studied. The results were analyzed using structural equation modeling with Smart-PLS software. In addition, the results indicate that three variables of environmental management system, environmental training of human sources, and environmental management program have a direct and significant effect on hospital performance.
Effect of Biowaste Materials on the Physical Properties of Blended Fuel for Industrial Application
Authors: Biodun Biola Mathew , Fayomi Ojo Sunday Isaac , Okeniyi O. Joshua
Published: December 2022

In this study, PMS gasoline gotten from randomly selected commercial fuel stations was blended with ethanol gotten from agricultural waste and developed nanoparticles Additives (D-NA). The blended samples were analyzed for their physical properties using methods recommended by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). The tests were carried out on the fuel's density, oxygenates, benzene content, research octane number (RON) and sulphur content. The results shown in the physical property tests done on these blended fuels when compared with the neat gasoline gotten from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), industry standards (DPR/SON) and global markets (United States US & United Kingdom UK) shows that the blended fuels meet all required standards and specifications. The additives had little effect on the fuel’s density but showed a sharp drop in its benzene content levels which makes it a healthier choice of fuel. Ethanol blended fuel had a higher oxygenate level than neat gasoline and the D-NA blended fuel. The research octane number for the three fuel samples showed favorably high numbers that fit the standards of the global market. The most interesting result is the Sulphur content which showed an increase in its values for the blended fuels although the values are within industrial and global limits.
Keywords: PMS Fuel; physical properties; density; oxygenates; nanoadditives; ethanol
Electron Beam Brazing of Titanium and Stainless Steel Dissimilar Joints with Ag-Based Filler
Authors: Śliwiński Piotr , Kwieciński Krzysztof , Kopyściański Mateusz
Published: December 2022

In this work, electron beam was used for butt brazing of austenitic stainless steel with grade 2 titanium. Due to its low solidus temperature and high silver content, AWS BAg-21 filler containing Ag, Cu, Sn and Ni was selected. The joints were brazed with a defocused oscillating beam using offset. The resulting brazed joints were subjected to static tensile testing, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis and hardness tests. By using appropriate parameters it was possible to reduce the phenomenon of diffusion of titanium atoms into the joint, which improved the properties of the obtained joints. The maximum tensile strength obtained was 244.2 MPa.
Tool Wear of Cubic Boron Nitride in Cutting Sintered Steel
Authors: Wada Tadahiro
Published: December 2022

In the powder metallurgy method, after sintering, it is often necessary for the sintered steel machine parts to be machined by the metal removal process for dimensional accuracy. In this case, it is imperative that the tool materials have good wear resistance. Polycrystalline cubic boron nitride compact (cBN) seems to be an effective tool material because it has good heat and wear resistance. In this study, in cutting sintered steel with cBN tools, various cBN tools have been used in cutting experiments to identify an effective combination of binding phase and cBN content. As a result of experimentally examining the wear progress of the CBN tools, a cBN tool having a binder phase of (Al2O3-Al) and a cBN content of 60% was effective for wear resistance.
High burden of extended spectrum β–lactamase (ESBL)–encoding genes in third–generation cephalosporin–resistant Escherichia coli recovered from frequently contacted surfaces and wastewater of selected healthcare institutions in Nigeria
Authors: Banjo Omowunmi Abosede , Adekanmbi Abimbola Olumide , Abolade Sodiq Abiola
Published: December 2022

Objective:

This study aimed to determine the carriage of extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes in third-generation cephalosporin-resistant (3GCR) Escherichia (E.) coli from frequently contacted surfaces, wastewater and disinfectant-cleaning solutions of selected healthcare institutions in South-western Nigeria.

Methods:

Samples were collected over three months for the isolation of 3GCR E. coli on MacConkey agar containing 6 μg/mL of cefotaxime. 3GCR E. coli isolates were identified by detection of uidA gene and susceptibility to selected antibiotics was performed using disc-diffusion method. Detection of ESBL genes was done using primer-specific PCR.

Results:

A total of 22 ESBL-producing E. coli (11 each from the frequently contacted surfaces and wastewater) were obtained from the pool of 3GCR isolates in this study. No isolate was recovered from the disinfectant-cleaning solution. All the ESBL-producing E. coli obtained from the frequently contacted surfaces and wastewater were multidrug resistant, with complete resistance observed to ampicillin, cefotaxime, cefpodoxime, tetracycline and ertapenem. The ESBL genotyping showed that 54.5% carried bla
CTX-M, 63.6% carried bla
TEM and 9.1% carried bla
SHV in isolates from the frequently contacted surfaces, while 63.6%, 9.1% and 18.2% carried bla
CTX-M, bla
TEM and bla
SHV, respectively, in the isolates obtained from the wastewater.

Conclusions:

This study showed a high burden of multidrug resistance E. coli on frequently contacted surfaces and wastewater of the studied healthcare institutions, indicating the need for good hygiene and proper mitigation measures to prevent potential public health and environmental challenges.
The Effect of Malaria Parasite Infection on Hematological Parameters in Sudanese Patients
Authors: Agena Abd Elhadi M. , Gibla Rehab Omer A. M. , Elamin Elham , Jibreel Mohanad Mohammed , Musa Ahmed Abd Albagi , Albagi Mohammed Fath Alrahman Abd , Almugadam Babiker Saad
Published: December 2022

Background:

Malaria infection remains the most serious and widespread protozoan infection of humans and has been associated with different changes in hematological parameters. This study aimed to detect the effects of malaria infection on hematological parameters in Sudanese patients.

Methods:

This was a case–control study including 100 patients and 50 controls required from Kosti Teaching Hospital (Kosti City) from October 2, to November 11, 2020. All patients and controls were investigated for blood film for malaria, complete blood counts, and peripheral blood picture. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 16.

Results:

Hemoglobin (Hb) was decreased in 75% of our patients and in 10% of controls, P < 0.000. Hematocrit (HCT) was decreased in 55% of patients and in 8% of controls, P < 0.000. MCH was decreased in 33% of patients and in 12% of controls, P = 0.013. The mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) was decreased in 30% of study patients and in 10% of controls, P = 0.002. The mean corpuscular volume was decreased in 34% of patients and in 8% of controls, P = 0.056. Platelet (PLTs) count was decreased in 46% of patients and 0% of controls, P < 0.000. Platelet crit (PCT) was decreased in 75% of patients and in 16% of controls, P < 0.000. Furthermore, there were differences in white blood cell (WBC) counts between malaria parasite patients and controls, P = 0.058. No significant difference in red blood cell counts was seen between malaria parasite patients and controls, P = 0.797.

Conclusions:

Malaria parasite infection linked to many changes in hematological parameter characterized by reduction in WBC counts, PLT counts, PCT, Hb level, HCT, MCH, and MCHC.
Comparison of Clinical Efficacy of Antithyroid Drugs, Radioactive Iodine, and Thyroidectomy for Treatment of Patients with Graves' Disease, Toxic Thyroid Adenoma, and Toxic Multinodular Goiter
Authors: Bawand Rashed , Borzouei Shiva , Salimbahrami Seid Ahmadreza , Sheikh Vida
Published: December 2022

Background:

The thyroid gland plays an important role in regulating the body's metabolism. On the other hand, primary hyperthyroidism is one of the most common disorders of the endocrine system. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the differences between outcomes of drug therapy with Methimazole & Propylthiouracil (PTU), radioactive Iodine therapy, and surgical procedures as the three most common therapeutic options for primary hyperthyroidism- in patients with Graves' disease, toxic thyroid adenoma, and Toxic Multi Nodular Goiter (TMNG).

Methods:

This observational study was performed prospectively, and after applying the exclusion criteria, 316 patients with a definite diagnosis of TNMG, toxic adenoma, or Graves' disease, remained in the study. For each patient, one of the therapeutic methods of administration of anti-thyroid drugs, the use of radioactive Iodine, or the use of thyroid surgery was chosen and applied, and during the study period, all patients were followed and evaluated.

Results:

In this study, 316 patients with primary hyperthyroidism were evaluated, of which 238 (75.31%) patients had Graves' disease, 23 (7.27%) patients had toxic adenoma, and 55 (17.40%) patients had TNMG. The symptoms of thyrotoxicosis syndrome were more common in Graves' disease than in other groups. In this study, 63.82% of drug takers, 20.90% of radioactive Iodine receivers, and 5.26% of patients who had gone under surgery became euthyroid. In addition, 83.27% of drug consumers did not have any side effects. Most patients receiving radioactive Iodine and surgical procedures developed hypothyroidism after treatment, while only 1.70% of those taking anti-thyroid drugs developed this complication. Nevertheless, the failure rate in the drug therapy was highest among all three methods by a percentage of 34.47%.

Conclusion:

This study suggests a prominent role of drug therapy in the treatment of patients with Graves' disease and TMNG, and in contrast, reduces the role of radioactive Iodine in the treatment of these diseases. However, it is difficult to comment on the treatment of toxic thyroid adenoma based on the findings of this study.
Effectiveness of spiritual augmented psychotherapy on resilience and conscience on juvenile delinquents
Authors: Sahare Pragya , Kotnala Anuradha
Published: December 2022

Background:

Resilience and conscience are the ability to endure adversity without suffering negative consequences. Psychology and spirituality can both be major assets in building resilience and conscientiousness in juvenile delinquents.

Aims:

The present study aims at exploring the effectiveness of psychological and spiritual techniques in mounting psychological resilience and conscience in juvenile offenders.

Methods:

The convenience sampling method was used to take 62 respondents for the study. They were chosen from a juvenile shelter home in Haridwar, India. The experimental group, which included 30 participants, received psychospiritual intervention as cognitive-behavioral therapy sessions and Gayatri Mantra Lekhan activity. The control group comprised another 32 volunteers who were assessed using psychometric instruments. Participants were given two psychometric scales named the Child and Youth Resilience Measure and the NEO Five-Factor Inventory for the measurement of resilience and conscientiousness, respectively.

Statistical Analysis Used:

The hypotheses were tested using an independent samples t-test.

Results:

The experimental group's mean resilience score (mean = 77.93, standard deviation [SD] = 18.28) was statistically significantly greater than the control group's mean resilience score (mean = 44.53, SD = 8.38) with t (60) = 9.35, P = 0.01 (two-tailed). The experimental group's mean conscience score (mean = 35.47, SD = 4.61) is statistically significantly higher than the control group's mean conscience score (mean = 27.34, SD = 6.38) with t (60) =5.71, P = 0.01 (two-tailed).

Conclusions:

The study reveals that spiritual augmented psychotherapy is significantly associated with increasing the level of resilience and conscience in the study sample.
Common errors while working on yoga intervention randomized controlled trials
Authors: Nirwan Mohit
Published: December 2022

There is a steady rise in interest among researchers in exploring the effect of yoga on various disease conditions, improving holistic health in a healthy population. Innumerous studies have already highlighted the benefits, but integrating yoga into mainstream modern medicine remains a distant goal. The prominent reason is because of poor-quality trials in yoga research. Therefore, the significant vital issues which should be addressed to improve randomized controlled trials in yoga research are discussed.
Global research trend on yoga intervention in educational systems
Authors: Verma Rupam , Vashisht Akshay , Bhatt Medha , Gupta Anuradha , Om Rohit , Dabas Anurag , Arya Vedpriya
Published: December 2022

Yoga is being used as a mind-body complementary and alternative medicine intervention to help people with specific physical and mental health issues. In terms of the study area, yoga is an attractive field with various scopes and also contributes to scientific research. In this context, the current study is simply aimed at fully identifying the function of yoga intervention on students in academic institutions, as well as evaluating the available research data in this sector. A search query of relevant keywords was strategized and optimized to extract the information of research articles published from 1992 to 2021 from the “Dimention.ai” database. The obtained dataset was analyzed using PRISMA to evaluate the effect of interventions. The results indicate that the United States has published the maximum number of scholarly publications (553) among all countries. If we talk about organisation Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana from India has published the most of the articles (39) in the field of yoga education. The journal “Mindfulness” (14) and author “Shirley Telles” (14) from the “Patanjali Research Foundation-India” have published the highest scholarly articles. In the bibliometric coupling of distinct clusters, the strongest link strengths among the authors, countries, and organizations were observed for “Khalsa, Satbir S.” (4915), “The United States” (47347), and “Harvard University” (8485), respectively. The current study indicated that yoga education studies have a huge spectrum of publications. Moreover, these bibliometric indicators provide significant endpoints to evaluate research output productivity and quality. The study's findings aid in developing a framework for additional research in the field of yoga and its usage in the academic environment.
Kinetic and thermodynamic studies of adsorption of lead (ii) ions on magnetite, baobab (Adansonia digitate) and magnetite - baobab composite
Authors: Abdus-Salam N. , Adekola S.K. , Bello M.O.
Published: December 2022

The detrimental consequences of excessive levels of heavy metal contamination on living things served as the motivation for this study. Adsorption of Pb(II) ions was investigated on synthetic magnetite (MG), baobab fruit shell (BB) and magnetite-baobab composite (MB). The batch equilibrium technique was used to investigate the adsorption of Pb(II) ions. The effects of initial metal concentrations (15-500 mg/L), adsorbent dose (0.05-0.3 g), contact time (5-150 min), pH (2-8) and temperature (303-343 K) on the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent were studied. Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherms were used to describe the adsorption of Pb(II) ions. The maximum adsorption capacity, qmax, of MB, MG and BB was 249.86, 227.45 and 34.67 mg/g respectively at a concentration of 500 mg/L of Pb(II) ions. Freundlich model was shown to have the best fit for the adsorption data in the following order: BB > MG > MB, with R2 values of 0.9954, 0.980 and 0.9797 respectively. Freundlich adsorption intensity for MG, BB and MB are 1.590, 1.339 and 1.761 respectively. The kinetic and thermodynamic investigations revealed that the adsorption followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and endothermic process. The amount of Pb(II) ions adsorbed after each stage of the desorption process varied between the different acid concentrations, according to sorption-desorption studies using spent adsorbents. The highest stepwise adsorptions of Pb(II) ions were observed when 0.5 M HCl was utilized as a stripping agent for BB while 0.1 M HCl favoured MG and MB.
The concept of inverse α-cuts in multi Q-fuzzy set
Authors: Isah A.I. , Alkali A.J. , Tella Y.
Published: December 2022

In various mathematical theories such as fuzzy sets, fuzzy multisets, fuzzy soft sets, the concept of α-Cuts were applied together with their inverses. However, we noticed that in multi Q-fuzzy sets only α-Cuts were studied without their inverses. In this paper the concept of inverse α-Cuts and their properties in multi Q-fuzzy sets were introduced. Some distinctive features of α-Cuts and inverse α-Cuts were demonstrated. It is shown that as both first and second decomposition theorems hold in the former, it actually fails in the latter. Moreover, unlike α-cuts, it was discovered that, a multi Q-fuzzy set cannot be uniquely represented as the family of all its weak inverse α-cuts. Thus, both α-cuts and inverse α-cuts attract applications in many mathematical fields.
Potential of cattle rumen waste as a source of antibioticresistant bacteria dissemination in the environment
Authors: Adeyemi F.M. , Oyedara O.O. , Adekunle A.R. , Ajani T.F. , Akinde S.B. , Olaitan J.O.
Published: December 2022

The identification of possible sources of antibiotic-resistance dissemination in the environment is one of the ways to tackle the menace of globally challenging antibiotic resistance. This study reported the antibiotic-resistance pattern of bacteria isolated from fresh rumen waste of cattle culled at four privately-owned abattoirs in Osogbo, the Southwestern part of Nigeria. Bacteria were isolated and identified using standard cultural techniques and biochemical characterization tests. The bacterial isolates were tested against twelve antibiotics using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. The totalheterotrophic bacterial count obtained for the four different abattoirs ranged between 2.95 x 109 ± 1.14 CFU g-1 and 1.01 x 1011 ± 1.02 CFU g-1. Bacterial isolates presumptively identified include Brevundimonas diminuta, Chryseomonas luteola, Citrobacter diversus, Enterobacter intermedius, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Providencia rettgeri, Pseudomonas sp., Shigella dysenteriae, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and Tatumella ptyseos. Thirty-seven (92.5%), eighteen (45%), fourteen (35%), and ten (25%) out of the total 40 bacteria isolated were resistant to augmentin, tetracycline, cotrimoxazole, and gentamicin respectively. The percentage resistance to nalidixic acid (5.9%) and ofloxacin (2.9%) was low among the Gram-negative bacteria, while the percentage resistance to nitrofurantoin was 23.5%. All the Gram-positive bacteria were sensitive to streptomycin while 66.7% were resistant to erythromycin. Multidrug-resistant bacteria isolated were 23 (57.5%). The results of the study showed that rumen waste generated from cattle culled for human consumption at abattoirs in Osogbo metropolis, Nigeria can be a possible source of spreading antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the environment.
Bacteriological assessments of indoor air in the staff quarters of a tertiary institution in Benin City, Nigeria
Authors: Agbonrofo C.A. , Idemudia I.B. , Agbonrofo P. , Imarhiagbe E.E. , Ikhajiagbe B. , Ekhaise F.O.
Published: December 2022

Indoor air contains large number of airborne microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi and their estimation is important for use as index of cleanliness for any particular environment and to determine the relation they bear on human health. This study was aimed at determining the bacteriological air quality of the living rooms in some selected Staff Quarters in University of Benin and University of Benin Teaching Hospital. The airborne bacterial loads of indoor air in the living rooms of Twelve (12) Staff Quarters in University of Benin and University of Benin Teaching Hospital both in Benin City were determined using the Settle Plate methods. The houses were categorized as Apartment 1 which represents University of Benin Junior Staff Quarters (JSQ), Apartment 2 which represents University of Benin Teaching Hospital Quarters, and Apartment 3 which represents University of Benin Senior Staff Quarters (SSQ). The living rooms were sampled twice a month between April, 2017 and September, 2017. The airborne samples were studied using standard microbiological methods and Polymerase Chain Reaction and 16S rRNA techniques were used for the gene sequencing. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern and plasmid profile of the characterized airborne bacterial isolates were evaluated using spread plate and agarose gel electrophoresis methods. The temperature and relative humidity of the indoor air environment in the sampled areas in the living rooms were determined using the thermometer and hygrometer respectively. The mean indoor temperature and relative humidity for Apartments 1, 2 and 3 ranged from 26.10 ± 1.190C to 31.20 ± 0.870C and 81 ± 2.70% to 87 ± 1.89% respectively. The mean indoor airborne bacterial counts in Apartment 1 and Apartment 3 ranged between 1.00 x 103 ± 0cfu/m3 to 4.42 x 103 ± 1.42cfu/m3 and 1.09 x 103 ± 0.09cfu/m3 to 5.17 x 103 ± 3.17cfu/m3 respectively. In Apartment 2, the counts ranged from 1.00 x 103 ± 0.00cfu/m3 to 6.99 x 103 ± 4.69cfu/m3. The difference in the airborne bacterial counts obtained in the morning and afternoon period of study in Apartment 1 was statistically significant (P<0.05) while Apartments 2 and 3 showed no significant differences respectively (P>0.05). Ten airborne bacterial isolates were characterized, further characterization by molecular techniques, confirmed them to be identified as Staphylococcus aureus strain S33 R, Bacillus subtilis subsp. strain 168, Oceanobacillus manasiensis strain YD3-56, Streptomyces vietnamensis strain GIM4.0001, Actinosynnema pretiosum strain C-15003, Micrococcus caseolyticus strain 235, Ornithinibacillus composti strain GSS05 and Bacillus ectoiniformans strain NE-14. General and personal hygienic practices are important for healthy living, and living rooms used for close contact interactions and good ventilation.
Aquifer characteristics and groundwater flow system in a typical basement complex and Gundumi formation northwest, Nigeria
Authors: Shuaibu A.M. , Garba M.L. , Abubakar I.Y.
Published: December 2022

Aquifer performance was tested in 280 locations of the study area to assess the hydraulic characteristics of the various aquifers, potential yield from the flowing boreholes of both hard rocks and sedimentary formation underlain Zamfara State Northwestern, Nigeria. Pumping test result were subjected to standard methods of Jacob’s and modified Theis equation for evaluation of aquifer parameters such as hydraulic conductivity (K), Transmissivity (T), Specific capacity and others. The results show that characteristic of areas underlain by crystalline rock units, especially migmatite, variably migmatized gneiss, schists and granites are characterized by thin/shallow overburden unit of usually less than 10m. In such settings the borehole depth varies from 38 to 78m while saturated thickness varies from 8 to 20m below ground level, with average yield of 44.1m3/day. Hydrogeological parameters obtained from pumping test analysis within the basement rock units revealed aquifer transmissivity (T) values which range from 0.14 to 141.23m2/day, with an average of 12.85m2/day. This implies aquifers of negligible to high potentials. The hydraulic conductivity (K) values vary from 5.0 x 10-2m/day and 8.8 x 10-1m/day with an average of 2.2 x 10-1m/day. The implication of these results is that the aquifers of the basement rock units cannot provide sufficient water for both domestic and agricultural needs of the area. However, Sixty-eight (68) analyzed borehole data set within Gundumi Formation, revealed the average discharge rate of 116.8m3/day. This formation shows the highest water discharge within the study area. The average penetration depth of 65m was achieved. The hydraulic conductivity of this aquifer revealed average value of 5.7 × 10-1m/day. This implies high permeability of aquifer system, which is typical of sedimentary formation of this nature. Transmissivity (T) revealed an average value of 38.89m2/day, which indicate high rate of water flow through the entire aquifer medium of this formation. The geospatial analysis of yield from the wells indicate excellent groundwater potential around the western part of the study area.
Effect of different environmental conditions on quality of DNA extracted from human teeth for gender determination
Authors: Iroanya O.O. , Onuoha A.C.
Published: December 2022

Use of morphological characteristics in human identification maybe difficult in conditions where human remains are grossly fragmented, decomposed and/or mutilated, or when only a tooth is available. The study aims to ascertain and compare the quantity of DNA from teeth exposed to different environmental conditions using organic and silica column DNA extraction methods and determine their gender using amelogenin gene primer. Human teeth were used and divided into four major groups based on different exposure types (buried in soil, storage in Lagoon water, normal environmental condition by placing them on the floor at the botanical garden, and exposure to temperature of 210oC for 15mins). The powdered dentin-cementum complex was used for DNA extraction, quantification and purity assessments. Amplification was done using amelogenin gene primers. Mean DNA concentration and purity were 187.59±26.25ng/μl and 0.97±0.07 respectively for silica column method, and, 138.98±35.71ng/μl and 0.91±0.11 respectively for organic extraction. With organic extraction, the least and highest mean DNA concentration are from teeth immersed in Lagoon water (74.86±61.19ng/μl) and teeth exposed to temperature of 210oC for 15mins (385.14±106.39ng/μl). In the Silica column method, teeth heated at 210oC for 15mins showed the lowest mean DNA concentration (165.57±33.82ng/μl) while teeth exposed to "normal environmental conditions", gave the highest DNA concentration (218.46±45.03ng/μl). Positive and negative male identification were 30.8% and 69.2% respectively, while female identification was 100% positive irrespective of the environmental exposure. The dentine-cementum is a valuable DNA source for forensic investigations. Male identification using amelogenin gene, should still be investigated in the Nigerian context.
Anorectal malignant mucosal melanoma
Authors: A. Bediako-Bowan Antoinette , Gbadamosi Hafisatu , N. G. Ayettey Hannah , K. Kumassah Philemon , Aperkor Nicholas , Dake Selorm , Una Uduak-Abasi , Nyamekye-Baidoo Joojo , C. B. Dakubo Jonathan
Published: December 2022

Anorectal mucosal melanoma (AMM) is a rare, aggressive malignancy. The symptoms of AMM mimic common benign conditions in the anus, such as haemorrhoids; hence diagnosis is often made late, a third of patients having metastasis at first presentation. Surgical resection remains the standard of treatment, and adjuvant therapy is varied, including immunotherapy, brachytherapy, and chemotherapy. The prognosis is poor, with a 5-year survival of 20%. A 65year old woman presented with a five-year history of symptoms suggestive of haemorrhoids and was diagnosed with a malignant anorectal mucosal melanoma after symptoms worsened and further investigation was performed. She underwent surgical resection and is currently receiving adjuvant therapy. The prognosis of AMM, the lack of consensus on the treatment regimen to date, and the need for a high index of suspicion for early diagnosis are discussed.
Mycologically confirmed chronic pulmonary aspergillosis in a post-pulmonary tu-berculosis patient in Ghana
Authors: K. Ocansey Bright , Adjei Abraham , W. Denning David
Published: December 2022

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) remains a major public health challenge in low- and middle-income countries. PTB may leave residual cavitation following treatment in some patients, allowing saprophytic colonization by Aspergillus species, resulting in a slow, progressive lung condition known as chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA). PTB is the commonest underlying condition in CPA, mainly post-treatment. CPA is likely to be misdiagnosed as PTB reactivation due to clinical and radiological similarities. Ghana has a significant PTB burden, but only one case of clinically and radiologically diagnosed CPA has been reported, and epidemiological studies are also lacking. The definitive diagnosis of CPA comprises symptomatology, imaging findings and mycological evidence. Mycological evidence is critical to rule out other differential diagnoses, including non-Aspergillus pulmonary fungal infections and has implications for treatment choice. Herein, we present a case of mycologically-confirmed CPA in a previously treated PTB patient.
COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and its determinants in the Bono Region of Ghana
Authors: T. Forkuo Bright , Osarfo Joseph , D. Ampofo Gifty
Published: December 2022

Objective: The study assessed willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccine among out-patient department (OPD) attendants in the Bono Region in Ghana.Design: This was an analytical cross-sectional studySetting: The study was conducted at the Wenchi Methodist Hospital (WMH) OPD, Bono Region, Ghana. The region had not yet been earmarked for vaccination at the time of the study.Participants: Three hundred and twenty-five (325) participants aged ≥18 years, accessing care at the OPD of WMH and willing to give informed consent, were interviewed.Main outcome measures: The proportion of participants willing to accept the COVID-19 vaccine and its determinants.Results: Of 325 participants interviewed, 32 (9.8%) had been vaccinated already. 82.6% (242/293) indicated COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among the unvaccinated. The major reason for vaccine acceptance was “it could protect against COVID-19” (96.7%, 234/242). “Fear of vaccine side effects and “perception of not being susceptible to COVID-19” were among the reasons for vaccine refusal. Perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 (AOR 4.09, 95% CI 1.79, 9.34), knowledge of COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccine (AOR 3.62, 95% CI 1.14, 11.46) and willingness to pay for the vaccine (AOR 5.20, 95% CI 2.49, 10.43) were associated with vaccine acceptance.Conclusions: Adequate knowledge of COVID-19 and the vaccine may drive vaccine acceptance in the study area and possibly other areas in Ghana. Campaign messages aimed at increasing COVID-19 vaccine coverage must emphasise its safety, likely side effects and management in order to help rid the population of misconceptions.
Family-integrated diabetes education for individuals with diabetes in South-west Ni-geria
Authors: Y. Ojewale Lucia , A. Oluwatosin Oyeninhun
Published: December 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effects of family-integrated diabetes education on diabetes knowthe ledge of patients and family members, as well as its impact on patients’ glycosylated haemoglobin (A1C).Design: The design was a two-group Pretest Posttest quasi-experimental.Setting: The study took place at the diabetes clinics of two tertiary hospitals in southwestern Nigeria.Participants: People Living with Diabetes (PLWD) and family members aged 18 years and over and without cognitive impairment were placed, as clusters, into either a control group (CG) or an intervention group (IG) The CG comprised 88 patients and 88 family members while IG comprised 82 patients and 82 family members. Of these, 78 and 74 patients completed the study in CG and IG, respectively.Interventions: PLWD in IG along with their family members were given an educational intervention on diabetes management and collaborative support with an information booklet provided. This was followed by three (3) complimentary Short Messaging Service (SMS).Main outcome measures: A1C and diabetes knowledge.Results: Over half (52.4%) and about a fifth (18.2%) of family members and patients, respectively, had never had diabetes education. There was a statistically significant increase in the knowledge of patients and family members in IG. Unlike CG, the A1C of patients in IG improved significantly at three and six-month post-intervention, (p<0.01). Regression showed an independent effect of family members’ knowledge on IG’s A1C.Conclusions: Improved family members’ diabetes knowledge positively impacted patients’ glucose level. There is a need to integrate family members into diabetes care better.
Assessment of Whole-Body Occupational Radiation Exposure in a Gamma Irradiation Facility (2009-2018) in Abuja, Nigeria
Authors: James I. U. , Moses I. F. , Akpoguma E. , Inyanda A. K. , Ikoh U. E. , Joseph E. O.
Published: December 2022

Individuals working in both radiological and nuclear facilities are often exposed to sources of ionizing radiation resulting in some level of occupational hazards. Appropriate levels of radiation protection of workers are essential for the safe and justified use of radiation, radioactive material and nuclear energy. Occupational exposure to radiation workers in a Gamma Irradiation Facility has been analysed for a 10 year period between 2009 and 2018. The data from 2009-2018 were used to compute the average annual effective dose and the annual collective dose. The results show that the total deep dose, Hp (10), received by the radiation workers for the ten year period ranged between 10.21 mSv to 16.05 mSv with a mean of 13.97 mSv. It also showed that the average annual effective dose ranged between 0.65±0.04 mSv to 1.98±0.30 mSv with a mean of 1.51±0.42 mSv. The Collective dose ranged between 10.92 man.Sv to 33.66 man.Sv with a mean of 23.76±8.32 man.Sv. This shows that the risk due to radiation exposure of the workers is within the recommended and regulatory limits.
Ethanolic Leaves Extracts of Calatropis procera (Aiton) Leaves as Potential Corrosion Inhibitor for Mild Steel in HCl Solution
Authors: Lawal A. M. , Mudi I. , Kabir K. , Muhammad A.
Published: December 2022

The Calotropis procera leaves extract (CPLE) was investigated as a potential corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in HCl solution using the thermometric technique. The phytochemical screening showed that tannins, saponins, flavonoids, steroids glycosides, and resins were all present in the leaves extract. Results of this work reveal that corrosion rate of mild steel in HCl is proportionally related to the acid concentration. Additionally, it was also found that inhibition efficiency (%I) increased with the increase in the concentration of leaf extracts, which directly led to a decrease in corrosion reaction number. It was determined that an ethanolic extract of Calotropis procera may be a good candidate for preventing mild steel corrosion in an acidic environment owing to the significant number of phytochemical compounds that the extract contained, and its ability to achieve an inhibition efficiency of up to 82.99%.
Growth and Characterization of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells using Dyes from Mangifera Indica, Manihot Esculenta and Hibiscus Sabdariffa Leaves by Sol-Gel Technique
Authors: Morka J. C. , Ottih I. E. , Umeokwonna N. S.
Published: December 2022

Three natural dyes, extracted from leaves of mangifera indica, manihot esculenta and hibiscus sabdariffa were used as sensitizers to fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells. The Sensitization performance related to interaction between the dyes and titanium (iv) oxide (Ti02) surface were evaluated under 100mW/cm2 light intensity. The photoelectrical performance of the DSSCs based on these dyes show that the V0c ranged from 0.300 to 0.477V and Jsc was in the range of 0.00011 to 0.0102mA/cm2. The DSSC sensitized with mangifera indica leave extract offered the best photosensitization effect, and had the highest photoelectrochemical performance. The SEM result TiO2 sample revealed that the surface of the TiO2 was porous with particle agglomeration. The EDX showed quantitative results and elements present as titania (70.33, weight %), oxygen (15.30, weight %), nitrogen (10.24, weight %) and carbon (4.13, weight %).
History and Development of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (1974 – 2022)
Authors: Asuzu MC
Published: December 2022

In the consideration of the value of history in the developmental process of any group of people or programme, after almost 50 years of her existence, the history and development of the Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN) is being documented here for the benefit of the association and her members both now and in the future, as the history is updated from time to time as is the case of progressive bodies as APHPN surely is. Having been created at a meeting in Lagos as the Association of Community Physicians of Nigeria (ACPN) in 1974, this article traces its life and development up till 1985 at Ibadan when it became an association of a sizeable number, including theestablishment of its journal and the quarterly newsletter.

The association then got reorganized between 2005 and 2007, with a new constitution, as the present ACPN, with the first Board of Trustees and registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission in the Presidency. The constitution was again revised in 2021 to accommodate the several growths that had taken place therein.

The establishment from the APHPN of two other non-physician-only public health associations in Nigeria with wider global activities and other developments within the APHPN are captured in this paper so that younger members of the association may learn from these and so grow more seriously and efficiently in their personal and group benefits; and especially for the country and the world at large.
Health Care Financing and Financial Hardship among Rural and Urban Households in Ekiti State, Nigeria
Authors: Ibirongbe DO , Durowade KA , Ibirongbe AT , Ibikunle AI , Obademi FO , Adebimpe WO
Published: December 2022

Background: Individuals and families suffer financial hardship in seeking health care. The study aimed to assess health care financing and experience of financial hardship in seeking health care among urban and rural households in Ekiti State, Nigeria.

Methods: This was a comparative, cross-sectional study. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 420 households each in the rural and urban areas. Data was collected using pre-tested, structured interviewer-administered questionnaire, and analysed using SPSS v20. Level of statistically significance was set at p-value of <0.05.

Results: One hundred and seventy-nine respondents (42.6%) in the rural area, and 156 (37.1%) in the urban area had experienced difficulty in paying for health bills (p=0.105). Respondents who have had to borrow recently for seeking healthcare were 129 (30.7%) in the rural area, and 131 (31.2%) in the urban area (p=0.881), while 47 (11.2%) in the rural area, and 43 (10.2%) in the urban area have had to sell household assets (p=0.655). Out-of-Pocket was the main method of healthcare financing for the majority, 410 (97.6%) in the rural areas, and 400 (95.2%) in the urban areas. Only 10 (2.4%) of the ruralrespondents and 20 (4.8%) of the urban respondents were on health insurance.

Conclusion: A high proportion of the study population experienced financial hardship and there is high dependence on out-of-pocket financing. This calls for increased community mobilization and acceleration of the progression of health insurance towards universal coverage in Ekiti State.
Implications of Performance-based Financing Implementation for Maternal and Child Health Outcomes in Nigeria: A Scoping Review
Authors: Gadzama AD , Sondorp E , Mathew MR , Esomonu S
Published: December 2022

Background: Performance-based financing (PBF) is seen as an open health system reformtailored to suit the needs of countries, even in a fragile context. It is thought to have the  ability to address the strategic challenges of the sustainable development goals. This study explored the implementation of PBF in order to determine whether it improves maternal and child health outcomes in the Nigerian context.

Methods: This was a scoping literature review of online multiple databases and programme implementation documents. Six databases and an online library were searched using 30 key words, alone and in combination using Boolean terms. Thirty articles and five implementation documents were screened. At the end, 25 published articles and five implementation documents were reviewed. An adapted World Bank PBF conceptual framework was used for the review.

Results: We found mixed results across most of the service indicators consistent with findings in most lower, middle income countries. In both pilot states, the quality of health services, mainly technical, improved remarkably. There was improved utilisation of maternal and child health services, particularly institutional delivery, modern contraceptives and under-five vaccination. However, client dimension of quality was reportedly poor. The study found no impact of PBF on equity.

Conclusion: Collaborative partnership to develop policy frameworks for demand-side incentives to ensure equitable access to health services and sustainability of the project is essential. We further recommend that more incentives be paid for client quality dimension.
Safety and Management Status of Anatomical Labs in Medical Schools
Authors: Park Jae-Hee , Park Kwang-Rak , Bae An-Na , Jeong Han-Gyu , Lee Jae-Ho
Published: December 2022

It is necessary to install ventilation facilities in the laboratory and to regularly monitor harmful gases including formalin for safe environment of the dissection laboratory. However, there are no indicators that can identify the current status of ventilation facilities, safety equipment, and protective equipment in the dissection laboratory. In this study, the status of safety management of anatomical lab at domestic medical, dental, and oriental medical universities are investigated through an online questionnaire. Of the total 32 universities, 7 universities (21.8%) regularly monitor harmful gases such as formalin in the dissection lab, 13 universities (40.6%) do it on an irregular basis, and 12 do not do it at all. Seven universities (21.8%) are using the exhaust-type dissection table, 24 universities (75%) are not using it. Regarding the need for standards for manpower and facilities in the management of the anatomy lab, 7 universities (21.8%) are mediocre, 21 universities are necessary (65.6%), and 4 universities (12.5%) are very necessary. The responsibility for anatomy lab is 27 universities (84.3%) of the schools that responded as head professors of the department of anatomy, 3 universities (9.3%) of technicians, and 2 universities (6.2%) of the dean of the medical school. Regarding the need for standards for the anatomical lab, 7 universities (21.8%) are very necessary, 21 universities (65.6%) are necessary, and 4 universities (12.5%) are mediocre. Based on this data, the standard for the quality improvement and safety of anatomical education should be prepared.