bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
To Refer or Not to Refer in Teledermoscopy: Retrospective Study
Authors: Tensen Esmée , van Sinderen Femke , Bekkenk Marcel W , Jaspers Monique W , Peute Linda W
Published: September 2022

Background

Challenges remain for general practitioners (GPs) in diagnosing (pre)malignant and benign skin lesions. Teledermoscopy (TDsc) supports GPs in diagnosing these skin lesions guided by teledermatologists' (TDs) diagnosis and advice and prevents unnecessary referrals to dermatology care. However, the impact of the availability of TDsc on GPs’ self-reported referral decisions to dermatology care before and after the TDsc consultation is unknown.

Objective

The objective of this study is to assess and compare the initial self-reported referral decisions of GPs before TDsc versus their final self-reported referral decisions after TDsc for skin lesions diagnosed by the TD as (pre)malignant or benign.

Methods

TDsc consultations requested by GPs in daily practice between July 2015 and June 2020 with a TD assessment and diagnosis were extracted from a nationwide Dutch telemedicine database. Based on GP self-administered questions, the GPs’ referral decisions before and their final referral decision after TDsc consultation were assessed for (pre)malignant and benign TD diagnoses.

Results

GP self-administered questions and TD diagnoses were evaluated for 6364 TDsc consultations (9.3% malignant, 8.8% premalignant, and 81.9% benign skin lesions). In half of the TDsc consultations, GPs adjusted their initial referral decision after TD advice and TD diagnosis. Initially, GPs did not have the intention to refer 67 (56.8%) of 118 patients with a malignant TD diagnosis and 26 (16.0%) of 162 patients with a premalignant TD diagnosis but then decided to refer these patients after the TDsc consultation. Furthermore, GPs adjusted their decision from referral to nonreferral for 2534 (74.9%) benign skin lesions (including 676 seborrheic keratosis and 131 vascular lesions).

Conclusions

GPs adjusted their referral decision in 52% (n=3306) of the TDsc consultations after the TD assessment. The availability of TDsc is thus of added value and assists GPs in their (non)referral for patients with skin lesions to dermatology care. TDsc resulted in referrals of patients with (pre)malignant skin lesions that GPs would not have referred directly to the dermatologist. TDsc also led to a reduction of unnecessary referrals of patients with low complex benign skin lesions (eg, seborrheic keratosis and vascular lesions).
Validation of an Electronic Visual Analog Scale App for Pain Evaluation in Children and Adolescents With Symptomatic Hypermobility: Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Maarj Muhammad , Pacey Verity , Tofts Louise , Clapham Matthew , Gironès Garcia Xavier , Coda Andrea
Published: September 2022

Background

Rapid advances in mobile apps for clinical data collection for pain evaluation have resulted in more efficient data handling and analysis than traditional paper-based approaches. As paper-based visual analogue scale (p-VAS) scores are commonly used to assess pain levels, new emerging apps need to be validated prior to clinical application with symptomatic children and adolescents.

Objective

This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of an electronic visual analogue scale (e-VAS) method via a mobile health (mHealth) App in children and adolescents diagnosed with hypermobility spectrum disorder/hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (HSD/HEDS) in comparison with the traditional p-VAS.

Methods

Children diagnosed with HSD/HEDS aged 5-18 years were recruited from a sports medicine center in Sydney (New South Wales, Australia). Consenting participants assigned in random order to the e-VAS and p-VAS platforms were asked to indicate their current lower limb pain level and completed pain assessment e-VAS or p-VAS at one time point. Instrument agreement between the 2 methods was determined from the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and through Bland–Altman analysis.

Results

In total, 43 children with HSD/HEDS aged 11 (SD 3.8) years were recruited and completed this study. The difference between the 2 VAS platforms of median values was 0.20. Bland–Altman analysis revealed a difference of 0.19 (SD 0.95) with limits of agreement ranging –1.67 to 2.04. An ICC of 0.87 (95% CI 0.78-0.93) indicated good reliability.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that the e-VAS mHealth App is a validated tool and a feasible method of collecting pain recording scores when compared with the traditional paper format in children and adolescents with HSD/HEDS. The e-VAS App can be reliably used for pediatric pain evaluation, and it could potentially be introduced into daily clinical practice to improve real-time symptom monitoring. Further research is warranted to investigate the usage of the app for remote support in real clinical settings.
Influence of Lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase alteration during different pathophysiologic conditions: a 45 years bibliometrics analysis (Preprint)
Authors: Gao Hongliang , Wu Jing , Sun Zhenyu Sun , Zhang FuRong , Shi Tianshu , Lu Ke , Qian Dongfu , Zhao Yinjuan , Qin Jian , Xue Bin
Published: September 2022

BACKGROUND

Lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) is an important enzyme responsible for free cholesterol (FC) esterification, which is critical for high density lipoprotein (HDL) maturation and the completion of the reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) process. Plasma LCAT activity and concentration showed various patterns under different physiological and pathological conditions. Research on LCAT has grown rapidly over the past 50 years, but there is no bibliometric studies summarizing this field as a whole. This study aimed to use the bibliometric analysis to demonstrate the trends in LCAT publications, thus offering a brief perspective with regard to future developments in this field.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to use the bibliometric analysis to demonstrate the trends in LCAT publications, thus offering a brief perspective with regard to future developments in this field.

METHODS

We used the Web of Science Core Collection to retrieve LCAT-related studies published from 1975 to 2020. The data were further analyzed in the number of studies, the journal which published the most LCAT-related researches, co-authorship network, co-country network, co-institute network, co-reference and the keywords burst by CiteSpace V 5.7.

RESULTS

2584 publications contained 55,311 references were used to analyzed. The number of included articles fluctuated in each year. We found that Journal of lipid research published the most LCAT-related researches. Among all the authors who work on LCAT, they tend to collaborate with a relatively stable group of collaborators to generate several major authors clusters which Albers, J. published the most articles (n=53). The United States of America contributed the greatest proportion (n=1036) of LCAT-related researches. The LCAT-related researches have been focused on the vascular disease, lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase reaction, phospholipid, cholesterol efflux, chronic kidney disease, milk fever, nephrotic syndrome, platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase, reconstituted lpa-i, reverse cholesterol transport. Four main research frontiers in terms of burst strength for LCAT-related researches including “transgenic mice” ， “oxidative stress”, “risk” and “cholesterol metabolism”need more attention.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study that demonstrated the trends and future development in LCAT publications. Further studies should focus on the accurate metabolic process of LCAT dependent or independent of RCT using metabolic marker tracking techniques. It was also well worth to further studying the possibility that LCAT may qualify as a biomarker for risk prediction and clinical treatment.
Effect of home-based exercise programs with e-devices on falls among community-dwelling older adults: a meta-analysis
Authors: Cao Yu-ting , Wang Jian-jie , Yang Yi-ting , Zhu Shi-jie , Zheng Liang-dong , Lu Wei-wei , Zhu Rui , Wu Tao
Published: September 2022

Aim:To explore the effectiveness of home-based exercise programs with e-devices (HEPEs) on falls among community-dwelling older adults.Methods:Twelve randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis considering four fall-related outcomes.Results:HEPEs significantly reduced the rate of falls (risk ratio: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.72–0.95; p = 0.006) and improved lower extremity strength (mean difference: -0.94; 95% CI: -1.71 to -0.47; p < 0.001). There was a significant improvement favoring HEPEs on balance if the participants were aged >75 years (mean difference: -0.55; 95% CI: -1.05 to -0.05; p = 0.03), or the intervention duration was at least 16 weeks (mean difference: -0.81; 95% CI: -1.58 to -0.05; p = 0.04).Conclusion:HEPEs demonstrated an overall positive effect on falls among community-dwelling older adults.
Programa educativo de ingeniería en Aeronáutica para jóvenes de bachillerato: despertando las vocaciones científicas y tecnológicas
Authors: Torres Cordero Heber Miguel , Hernández Muñoz Guadalupe Maribel , Serna Alejandro Reyna Verónica , Zambrano Robledo Patricia del Carmen
Published: September 2022

La preparación de profesionistas es una actividad muy importante si se quiere llegar a ser un país desarrollado, ya que el progreso se encuentra asociado a su producción tecnológica y científica. Aunque la licenciatura, la maestría y el doctorado son niveles educativos básicos para formar investigadores y tecnólogos, los estudiantes de bachillerato son un sector de la población con mucho potencial para el desarrollo de habilidades requeridas para la investigación y el desarrollo de la tecnología, pudiendo impulsar el interés científico de nuestra sociedad. Sin embargo, son pocos los jóvenes de este nivel los que deciden estudiar su carrera dentro del ámbito científico, ya sea por falta de motivación o de conocimiento. Por ello, se propuso diseñar un programa con los objetivos de impulsar las vocaciones científicas y tecnológicas a nivel bachillerato en el proyecto interdisciplinar y multidisciplinar titulado “Fortalecimiento de la aeronáutica en el noreste de México” apoyado por el Conacyt. En este artículo, se presentan tanto los objetivos alcanzados como los resultados obtenidos, resaltando el diseño instruccional y los elementos que deben de integrar un programa educativo extracurricular sobre ciencias e ingenierías para estudiantes de bachillerato y que impacte en su percepción estudiantil sobre sus clases de ciencias.
Reseña del reporte Innovating Pedagogy 2022 de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
Authors: Ortega Soriano Elvia
Published: September 2022

Innovating Pedagogy 2022 presenta diez innovaciones pedagógicas que el grupo de investigadores del Instituto de Tecnología Educativa de la Universidad Abierta del Reino Unido y de la Universitat Oberta de Catalunya consideraron potencialmente importantes para generar cambios en las prácticas educativas.
Editorial
Authors: Martínez Ramos Isy
Published: September 2022

La Revista Mexicana de Bachillerato a Distancia (RMBD) es una publicación electrónica de corte académico y arbitrada. Tiene como propósito divulgar resultados de investigación, teoría y mejores prácticas en bachillerato a distancia. Representa el esfuerzo de las universidades públicas mexicanas que ofrecen Bachillerato a Distancia, agrupadas en la Red de Bachilleratos Universitarios Públicos a Distancia (RED), para proveer un foro que permita compartir resultados de investigación en estos programas y experiencias académicas, tecnológicas y de gestión.
Técnicas de la Investigación
Authors:   FES Aragón UNAM, Aguilar Silva Claudia
Published: September 2022

Este texto ayuda a abordar herramientas que los estudiantes emplearán dentro y fuera de la licenciatura, como redactar adecuadamente, revisar fuentes, citar y realizar críticas a documentos, utilizar de manera correcta el método científico, así como construir instrumentos de recolección de datos son habilidades que puedes emplear no solo en la escuela, también en cualquier ámbito de la vida
Overview of spittlebugs of the family Cercopidae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) from Mexico, with keys to genera and species
Authors: Armendáriz-Toledano Francisco , López-Posadas Misael Adrián , Thompson Vinton , Romero-Nápoles Jesús , Utrera-Vélez Youssef , López-Córdova Juan Pedro , Castro-Valderrama Ulises
Published: September 2022

The Cercopidae family constitute the largest group of xylem sap-sucking insects. Several species are important pests of sugar cane and grasses. In America there are 460 species and 65 subspecies in 60 genera. In Mexico, the total number of species is unknown and there is no inventory of specimens in the collections or taxonomic keys. In the present research, we study entomological collections to trace the distribution of genera and species and constructed taxonomic keys for their identification, based on external morphology and male genitalia. The Cercopidae of the country included 3 recognized tribes, Neaenini Fennah, 1968, Ischnorhinini Schmidt, 1920 and Tomaspidini Schmidt, 1922, in addition to the recently proposed Microsarganini Hamilton, 2016. We reported 39 described species, 1 subspecies and 1 undescribed, belonging to 10 genera. The most diverse genera were Ocoaxo Fennah with 16 species and Prosapia Fennah with 8. Aeneolamia Fennah includes 3 species and 1 subspecies, Iphirhina Fennah and Neaenus Fowler 3 species each, Microsargane Fowler and Olcotomaspis Lallemand 2 species each, and Mahanarva Distant, Huaina Fennah and Zulia Fennah 1 species each. This is the first complete compilation of the Cercopidae recorded for Mexico.
La presencia de Dendroctonus es diferente entre especies de pinos y sus diámetros en la región del Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote, México
Authors: Vázquez-Ochoa María Fernanda , Sánchez-Velásquez Lázaro Rafael , Hernández-Vargas Guadalupe , Ibarra-Zavaleta Sara Patricia , Ruiz-Montiel Cesar , Pineda-López María del Rosario
Published: September 2022

México tiene la mayor diversidad global de especies de pinos y poco se sabe sobre la interacción Pinus-Dendroctonus. Nuestras preguntas fueron: 1) ¿Qué especies de Dendroctonus se pueden recolectar en trampas con atrayentes generalistas en un bosque mixto de pinos? 2) ¿Es diferente la presencia de Dendroctonus entre especies de pinos y sus clases de tamaño diamétrico? 3) ¿Cuáles son los valores de importancia ecológica relativos (VIE) de las especies de pinos? A través de un muestreo con punto cuadrante, se registraron 4 especies de pinos (Pinus montezumae, P. patula, P. pseudostrobus y P. strobus) y con el uso de trampas, 4 de Dendroctonus (D. adjunctus, D. aproximatus, D. mexicanus y D. valens). Hubo diferencias significativas en el número de Dendroctonus entre categorías diamétricas y especies de pinos. La presencia de Dendroctonus fue mayor en diámetros más grandes, con excepción de P. strobus. Pinus montezumae tuvo la mayor cantidad de individuos con presencia de Dendroctonus, pero a nivel de población, P. patula tuvo la mayor proporción de individuos con Dendroctonus (29.4%). El VIE más alto fue para P. montezumae. Sugerimos, mantener monitoreo de Dendroctonus en P. montezumae y P. patula, debido a su valor económico en la región de estudio.
Pasado y presente de los salivazos del complejo Ocoaxo de los pinos (Hemiptera: Cercopidae): distribución espacial y temporal
Authors: Cid-Muñoz Raquel , Cervantes-Espinoza Montserrat , Castro-Valderrama Ulises , Cuellar-Rodríguez Gerardo , Cibrián-Tovar David , Armendáriz-Toledano Francisco
Published: September 2022

El complejo Ocoaxo de los pinos está integrado por 3 especies (O. assimilis, O. cardonai, O. varians) que se alimentan de la savia de las acículas de Pinus spp. provocando clorosis y su eventual caída. Los crecimientos poblacionales de estos insectos han provocado la defoliación de grandes superficies de bosque en varias localidades del país, por lo cual se les ha dado el estatus de plaga, a pesar de que aún se desconocen aspectos básicos de su biología y distribución. En el presente trabajo se analizaron los registros de especímenes depositados en colecciones entomológicas y bases de datos en línea, que permitieron definir el espacio geográfico donde estas especies están presentes en interacción con los ecosistemas de México, además de proporcionar el espectro alimenticio de su estado adulto, identificar los factores ambientales que potencialmente están asociados a su presencia, así como conocer el periodo en el que se encuentran a lo largo del año. Los análisis de estos datos también permitieron generar hipótesis espaciales de su distribución, estimar los límites de las áreas donde se han reportado y reconocer áreas potenciales para su monitoreo.
Effect of public servants' social connections on citizens' perception of promotion fairness
Authors: Zheng Junyi , Guo Jinyuan , Yuan Shuai
Published: September 2022

We examined the effect of social connections of public servants in China on citizens' perception of promotion fairness. We conducted a survey with 401 citizens employed in various different sectors in China, who were provided with a vignette involving the social connections/lack of
social connections of public servants as the manipulated variable. The results showed that having social connections was significantly and negatively correlated with citizens' perception of public servants' promotion fairness. Our findings offer new insight into the importance of an informal
factor in citizen perceptions of fairness, contribute to the literature on promotion fairness, and generate managerial implications for public servants' promotion process in regard to increasing citizen trust in the government. Study limitations are discussed and directions for future research
are presented.
Techno-Economic Evaluation of a Skimmed Milk Powder Production Process
Authors: Pérez Sánchez Amaury , Olivera Romero Vladimir
Published: September 2022

Milk powder is a highly demanded food that is used in various ways, both in the industrial area and in everyday life. In the present work, an innovative and unprecedented techno-economic evaluation of a technological proposal for a skimmed milk powder production plant with an annual capacity of 700 tons was carried out through the use of the SuperPro Designer® simulator, in order to know its main economic and profitability indicators under the current economic conditions in Cuba. For economic performance evaluation, the total capital investment, unit production cost, internal rate of return (IRR), net present value (NPV) and project payback time (PT) among other indicators, were determined. A sensitivity study was also accomplished, to determine from what value of the fluid milk unit cost the proposed skimmed milk powder plant begins to be unprofitable. A total capital investment of USD 22 744 000, an annual operating cost of USD 9 884 000, a working capital of USD 647 000 and a unit production cost of USD 352.95 per 25 kg bag were obtained. From the techno-economic results obtained, it can be concluded that the evaluated skimmed milk powder production plant is profitable and feasible due to the values of NPV (USD 14 475 000), IRR (18.98 %) and PT (4.46 years) obtained. The proposed production plant becomes unprofitable from a value of the fluid milk unit cost of USD 1.32/L.
“In Memory of N.K. Mikhailovsky.” Features of an Obituary Poem
Authors:   A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Stroganov Mikhail V.
Published: September 2022

Death of N.K. Mikhailovsky in January 1904 became a landmark event for contemporaries, which is expressed in the rhetoric of numerous obituaries: “the last of the Mohicans,” “cliff,” “sword,” “lighthouse,” “lamp”, “leader,” “standardbearer,” “banner.” But the poetic feast was relatively scarce: three poems were published in 1904 (P.F. Yakubovich, P.I. Weinberg, K. Gorbunov); two were printed on the first anniversary of his death in 1905 under the general title “In Memory of N.K. Mikhailovsky” (S.S. Sinegub, A.I. Gukovsky), — all of them were published in Mikhailovsky’s magazine “Russian Wealth.” The formula of “memory of so-and-so” appeared rather late. It is not found among the poems on the death of A.S. Pushkin (1837); and among the 34 poems on the death of M.E. Saltykov (1889) it occurs only in ten of them. At the center of all poems in memory of Mikhailovsky is the image of a teacher and a “fighter” “under the banner of science,” which was formed in the mass consciousness of the Russian intelligentsia at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Ivan Bunin on the Way to Palestine (1889–1903)
Authors:   A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dvinyatina Tatiana M. , Morozov Sergey N.
Published: September 2022

Journeys to the Middle East occupied a special place in the life and works of Ivan Bunin. His journey to Palestine in the spring of 1907 was of central importance to him. However, this journey had a long pre-history in Bunin's life. This article tracks the development of Bunin’s idea of distant voyages, the significance of the Crimea and Odessa in his life and perception of the world. From there began routes to distant lands, and the first for Bunin was his journey to Constantinople in the spring of 1903. The materials of the research includes biographical and documentary evidences.
Ivan Bunin's 1907 Palestine Journey: Chronicle and Context
Authors:   A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dvinyatina Tatiana M. , Morozov Sergey N. ,   А.М. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Published: September 2022

This article develops the theme expounded in the authors’ research published above. It contains a detailed reconstruction of the chronicle of Ivan Bunin’s main pilgrimage through Palestine in April –May 1907. Using all available documentary evidences, the authors of the article make an attempt to reveal the concrete texture of the days when Bunin and Vera Muromtseva spent on their “first distant voyage and honeymoon, which was at the same time a pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Our Lord Jesus Christ” (“The Rose of Jericho”). The article also shows how the immediate impressions of that journey are reflected in Bunin's works and what traces it left in his artistic and personal outlook. The research differs from many studies on the Oriental theme in Ivan Bunin's oeuvres by being primarily biographical and factual in nature.
Gogol, N.V. “The Old World Landowners.” Autograph, text prep. and comment. by A.S. Sholokhova
Authors:   A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Sholokhova Anna S.
Published: September 2022

The author of the article publishes autograph of N.V. Gogol’s story “The Old World Landowners” — the earliest edition of the text — for the first time. This is the only handwritten source, which is different mainly stylistically from the printed version of “Mirgorod” (1835). At the same time, numerous amendments, corrections and additions made in the process of text transformation clearly demonstrate the nature of Gogol's work. The footnotes show the revision canceled by Gogol in the manuscript.
Pavel Petrovich Filip(p)ovich: Article for the Dictionary “Russian Writers”
Authors:   National Research University Higher School of Economics, Uspensky Pavel F.
Published: September 2022

The article is devoted to the poet, translator and literary historian Pavel Petrovich Filip(p)ovich (1891–1937). Filipovich is known as the most outstanding figure in Ukrainian culture of the 1920s –1930s.: a poet who was a member of the “neoclassics” association, a translator into Ukrainian of poems by Pushkin and Bryusov, a researcher of Ukrainian literature. The Russian-language heritage of Filippovich is less well-known: under his real name he studied the works of Baratynsky, and under the pseudonym P. Zorev published his poetry in modernist magazines. The dictionary article about Philip(p)ovich sheds light on little-known pages of his creative biography of the Russian period.
When are family firms more likely to make acquisitions? A behavioural agency approach to the role of family involvement
Authors: Galavotti Ilaria , D’Este Carlotta
Published: September 2022

This study aims to explore the effect of family firms’ corporate governance characteristics on their acquisition propensity: as the extant literature is increasingly emphasizing the heterogeneity of family firms and is calling for further insights into the peculiarities affecting their decision-making processes, our objective lies in identifying corporate governance mechanisms that influence their acquisition attitude. Thus, building on the behavioural agency theory, we investigate the effect of family members’ ownership stake, their involvement in the board of directors (BoD), the family versus non-family chief executive officer (CEO), and the generational step on the propensity to execute acquisitions. We test our framework on a sample of 207 acquisitions executed by Italian listed family firms in the 2014–2020 period. In line with our prediction, we find evidence that family members sitting on the board of directors are negatively associated with acquisitions. However, when family firms are guided by a family versus a non-family CEO, the willingness to embark on acquisitions increases. Family ownership is a non-significant driver of the propensity to acquire, which further confirms the importance of decision-making bodies. Finally, the propensity to acquire does not appear to be driven by whether the firm is still in its first versus later generations. Overall, our study contributes to the ongoing conversations on the heterogeneity of family firms and offers several implications for both theory and practice.
Optimalisasi Kesejahteraan Left-behind Children pada Keluarga Pekerja Migran di Pedesaan melalui Penguatan Sistem Keluarga Inti: Sebuah Perspektif dari Sisi Anak
Authors: Alfiasari  , Sumarti Titik , Sri Wahyuni Ekawati , Rahmayani Johan Irni
Published: September 2022

Children who are left by their parents who work outside the region or abroad as migrant workers will face various well-being problems. This requires a further study to explore the well-being of left-behind children of migrant workers' families in Indonesia, both circular migrant workers and international migrant workers. This study aimed to analyze left-behind children's subjective well-being condition and its relation to family-based social capital and social support that children of migrant worker families perceive. This study is expected to be an initial finding to direct further studies related to strengthening the nuclear family system for families of migrant workers who can optimize the left-behind children's well-being of families of migrant workers. This research was conducted in Juntinyuat, Limbangan, and Dadap Villages, Juntinyuat District, Indramayu Regency. The sampling technique used snowball sampling with samples of children aged 12-18 years from families of migrant workers, both circular and international. The total respondents were 120 children whose data were collected through a self-administered method. The study found that left-behind children whose mothers worked as international migrant workers were more vulnerable to their well-being than other left-behind children. The role of family-based social capital and social support as components in strengthening the nuclear family system of migrant worker families is discussed further in this article
An Irregular Ventricular Tachycardia Resulting in Tachycardia Induced Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Gozalez Mario , Gonzalez Marina L. , Sriram Chenni
Published: September 2022

Introduction Ventricular tachycardias although they may be irregular at
the onset, after several seconds they organize into a stable cycle
length. Methods/Results We report a rare case of an “irregular
ventricular tachycardia” in which the oscillations in cycle length were
so pronounced that it was initially misdiagnosed as atrial fibrillation
with aberrant conduction. The initial pharmacological management and
detained electrophysiological study are presented. Conclusion An unusual
irregular ventricular tachycardia can originate from the moderator band
and result in a tachycardia induced cardiomyopathy
Outpatient management of epistaxis during COVID-19 to reduce inpatient stay: a quality improvement project
Authors: Ari Kaso , Collins Rachael
Published: September 2022

Introduction: In March 2020, new guidelines allowed patients with
epistaxis to be discharged home with nasal packs in situ to reduce the
risk of inpatient covid transmission rates. Our objective is to review
how successful these new guidelines have been and whether they could be
safely maintained in future practice. Methods: This was a retrospective
data analysis at a local tertiary ENT referral hospital. The study group
consisted of patients admitted with epistaxis over one year. The “Pack
and Home” criteria pathway was implemented. We reviewed the pathway 6
months pre and 6 months post pathway introduction. Primary outcome
measure included compliance with the “Pack and Home” criteria and
length of inpatient admissions. Results: A total of 131 patients
required nasal packing, with 72 patients (55%) in loop 1 and 59
patients (45%) in loop 2. In the first loop all 72 patients (100%)
were admitted for inpatient care. However, in the second loop 21
patients (36%) were discharged home with nasal pack in situ and 59
patients (64%) were admitted. Of those discharged, 2 patients
re-presented after 48 hours with re-bleeding. The average total length
of inpatient stay in loop 1 was significantly higher at 45.7 hours and
29.6 hours in loop 2 (p<0.05). All discharged patients
attended their outpatient appointment in under 3 days. Conclusion The
“Pack and Home” criteria can successfully identify patients who are
suited for an outpatient management pathway. This could reduce surgical
inpatient load and the way we manage epistaxis.
3D-printed PLA/Gel hybrid in liver tissue engineering: Effects of architecture on biological functions
Authors: Mirdamadi Elnaz Sadat , Khosrowpour Zahra , Jafari Davod , Gholipourmalekabadi Mazaher , Solati-Hashjin Mehran
Published: September 2022

The liver is one of the vital organs in the body, and the gold standard
of treatment for liver function impairment is liver transplantation,
which poses many challenges. The specific 3D structure of liver, which
significantly impacts the growth and function of its cells, has made
biofabrication with the 3D printing of scaffolds suitable for this
approach. In this study, to investigate the effect of scaffold geometry
on the performance of HepG2 cells, Poly-Lactic acid (PLA) polymer was
used as the input of the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D-printing
machine. Samples with simple square and bioinspired hexagonal
cross-section designs were printed. 1% and 2% of gelatin-coating were
applied to the 3D printed PLA to improve the wettability and surface
properties of the scaffold. SEM pictures were used to analyze the
structural properties of PLA-Gel hybrid scaffolds, EDS to investigate
the presence of gelatin, water contact angle measurement for
wettability, and weight loss for degradation. In vitro tests were
performed by culturing HepG2 cells on the scaffold to evaluate the cell
adhesion, viability, cytotoxicity, and specific liver functions. Then,
high-precision scaffolds were printed and the presence of gelatin was
detected. Also, the effect of geometry on cell function was confirmed in
viability, adhesion, and functional tests. The albumin and urea
production of the Hexagonal PLA scaffold was about 1.22
±0.02 fold higher than the square design in 3 days.
This study will hopefully advance our understanding of liver tissue
engineering toward a promising perspective for liver regeneration.
Requirement Engineering in the Design of Cassava Shredding Machine
Authors:   Federal College of Dental Technology & Therapy Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria  Emails: ugwuanyiuchenna17@gmail.com, gajilo2013@gmail.com, aballaagathankechi@fedcodtten.edu.ng https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&authuser=2&user=NdEv5M4AAAAJ, Ugwuanyi Uchenna Barnabas , Adeniyi John Ayodele , Aballa A. Nkechi
Published: September 2022

The study aimed at providing insight of technological development in the design of shredding machine for cassava. Cassava processing has been localized and mechanized. But one form of cassava processing, cassava shredding, has not received appropriate technological attention, hence, has been operated manually. The methodology applied was a survey research, involving in-depth , semi structured interview of key components the value chain on four domains: knowledge, problem solving quality output and job attitude, including 42 desired and distractive factors of stakeholders perceived by requirement engineering and 38 desired and distractive factors of requirement engineering perceived by stakeholders. The responses were coded and analyzed by software. The result through effective interaction indices indicated low perception of requirement engineering on stakeholders, especially production engineers and design engineers on development of cassava shredding machine. Lack of technical knowledge has hampered problem solving, in developing mechanism that shred cassava, to produce quality shreds, with throughput efficiency. Keywords: Requirement Engineering, Cassava, Machine, Shredding, Indigenous Designs
Relevance of Requirement Engineering In Medical Devices Development
Authors:   1 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu. 2 Department of Computer Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. E-mails: aballaagathankechi@fedcodtten.edu.ng, deborah.ebem@unn.edu.ng*,  eneh.obinna@fedcodtten.edu.ng, adeniyiayodele@fedcotten.edu.ng,  Phones: +234 703 877 2345, Aballa A. N. ,   +234 8052810722,   +234 703 267 4979,   +234 706 189 9054 Google Scholar: Agatha Aballa Nkechi, Deborah Ebem., Ebem D. U. , Eneh O. A. , Adeniyi J. A.
Published: September 2022

ABSTRACT Medical device development life cycle requires the strict adherence to the stages outlined by the regulatory bodies to ensure safety of use by patients and clinicians and to ensure high quality products. This chapter tactfully describes how introducing the process of requirement engineering into the medical device development procedures can help in creating high standard medical devices to improve health care administration. Keywords: Medical Devices, Patients, Clinician, Requirement Engineering, Health Care, Safety.
The Implications of Requirements Engineering For Public Administration in Nigeria
Authors:   Lagos State University of Science & Technology Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria  E-mail: molaaderogba2019@gmail.com, Aderogba Ademola
Published: September 2022

ABSTRACT The major constrain to effective Requirements Engineering in Nigeria is ecological issue which the government regulates. Therefore, it is imperative to examine its implications for effective government decisions and actions. This paper discusses these issues and profer tenable solutions. Keywords: Public Administration, Nigeria, Requirement Engineering, Solutions Government Regulations.
Stakeholders’ Approach to Requirements Engineering and Management: A Conceptual Analysis
Authors:   College of Management and Information Technology, American International University, West Africa, The Gambia E-mail: w.olanipekun@aiu.edu.gm Phone: +2207026523 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9651-6655 https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=jPJLAX0AAAAJ&hl=en, Olanipekun Wahid Damilola (PhD)
Published: September 2022

ABSTRACT The ever dynamic nature of business environment, global competition and increasing requests for more quality products by stakeholders have caused organizations to understand that the only way of survival in the market is to deliver better quality products to meet stakeholders’ needs. Many organizations, therefore, spend considerable amounts of their funds in activities related to improving products and services. This study in its qualitative nature employs a phenomenological approach to explore how requirements engineering can be successfully and sustainably attained through critical understanding of stakeholders’ needs, wants and preferences. The phenomenological approach provides an introductory background on the consequences of poor requirements engineering and management and why its importance cannot be over emphasized for twenty first century business organizations operating in an hyper competitive environment. The review of literature through desk research further provides insights on various definitions of conceptualization of requirements engineering and management. Stakeholder theory was adopted as the underpinning theory since stakeholders are the principal contributors and creators of requirements within the development of a product. The study concludes that stakeholders are the basis for requirements engineering. Hence, the study recommends involvement of stakeholders early on, to elicit desires, information and feedback from them, and to satisfy their information and communication needs. This is to ensure smooth development and efficient requirements engineering process. Keywords: Requirements, Engineering, Management, Stakeholder, Strategy, Products
Modelling of Power Factor Correction as Contingency to Energy Saving in Nigeria Power Systems: A Case Study
Authors:   Department of Electrical/Electronic Engineering,  National Institute of Construction Technology and Management (NICTM) Uromi, Edo State, Nigeria. E-mails: francetech007@yahoo.com, Akpojedje France O. ,   f.akpojedje@nict.edu.ng
Published: September 2022

ABSTRACT The Nigeria power system has been undergoing several policy changes over the years in order to improve the power system and also to ensure increase in capacity and efficient electricity supply to Nigerians. However, these laudable goals are yet to be achieved and the small megawatts that Nigeria power sector generates are wasted by high reactive loads in many industrial sectors today by operating on low power factor. The aim of this research paper is to demonstrate the impact of power factor correction on energy saving in Nigeria power system. It was realised by installing power factor correction device (PFCD) in some selected consumer’s premises and field measurement was carried out before and after the PFCD installation. Data were recorded during the operating hours of the selected factory site. Conclusively, it was shown that the power factor of the selected factory site was improved from 0.7 to 0.97, thereby increasing the kVA capacity of the electricity supplying transformer by 27.84%. The analyses of the results showed that the PFC device have the ability to reduce the system losses, improve the capacity and the efficiency of the system without installing additional cables and transformers, thereby saving energy for the system. Keywords: Modelling, Power Factor Correction, Contingency , Energy Saving in Nigeria
Significance of Requirement Engineering In Educational Technology Development
Authors:   1 Department of Biomedical Engineering 2 Department of Computer Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. 3 Department of Applied Sciences 4 Department of Dental Therapy Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy,  Trans-Ekulu, Enugu, Nigeria E-mails: aballaagathankechi@fedcodtten.edu.ng,  deborah.ebem@unn.edu.ng*,  Ezeagwuphina800@fedcoddten.edu.ng,  angelohadomankechi@fedcodtten.edu.ng,  Phones: +2347038772345, Aballa A. N. ,   +234 8052810722,   +234 8033570550,   +2348035902119 Google Scholar: Agatha Aballa Nkechi, Deborah Ebem., Ebem D. U. , Ezeagwu P.C. , Ohadoma A.N.
Published: September 2022

ABSTRACT To effectively actualize the advantages of educational technology in the educational sector, the requirements of the learners, the teachers and all the stakeholders must be thoroughly captured by requirement engineering. This chapter shows the different ways in which requirement engineering has managed the requirements to produce software and other educational technology tools and platforms to make teaching and learning more effective. Keywords: Requirement Engineering, Educational Technology, Teaching, learning, Institutions.
Agile Software Development Methodologies in Cloud Computing
Authors: Ogala Justin Onyarin , Mughele Ese Sophia
Published: September 2022

Department of Computer Science Faculty of Computing, University of Delta, Agbor, Nigeria E-mails: justin.ogala@unidel.edu.com; s.mughele@unidel.edu.ng ABSTRACT In the software sector, agile development approaches have a lot of promise. Agile development methodologies are highly realistic in their awareness of the fact that business requirements change all the time. By executing software releases iteratively and collecting user feedback more often, agile development approaches maximize the benefits of cloud computing. This study is a cloud computing and Agile Methods analysis. This article examines Agile management and development approaches, as well as their benefits when used in conjunction with cloud computing. By executing software releases iteratively and obtaining user feedback very often, agile development practices maximize the benefits of cloud computing. The basic proposition of this study is that Small and medium enterprises should use a framework that guides their migration to cloud computing to reduce all the issues that come with cloud computing infrastructures Keywords: Agile Methodologies, Cloud Computing, Software Development, Integration
Requirement Engineering For Robotic System: The Next Generation In Dentistry
Authors:   Biomedical Engineering Department Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu. Email:  gajilo2013@gmail.com https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&authuser=2&user=NdEv5M4AAAAJ, Adeniyi John Ayodele , Aloysious Obinna Eneh , Nse Sunday Uduak
Published: September 2022

ABSTRACT Robotics has been successfully applied in engineering, commerce and now in medical field; and has opened a new frontier with numerous areas for expansion and exploration. Robotics with dental application is a relatively untraveled area to pursue. The virgin areas in dental research is an opportunity for new and better products and has been important development direction of medical robot. More ‘intelligent’ products is the next big step. Robotics offer improved predictability, speed, increased precision, quality and safety of various procedure; ranging from patient robots to robots used in endodontics, oral surgery, implantology, prosthodontics and orthodontics. An architecture of robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machining learning (ML) to analyse large amount of data with the help of data-driven analysis algorithms based in ML drives the next generation dentistry. The main aim of this paper was to review current research in the field of dental robotics. A review of literature was performed using electronic searching methods of Pub Med database and Google for the applications of robots in Dentistry. Extracted data from selected papers were synthesized. Keywords: Robotics, AI, Machine Learning, Dentistry, Orthodontics, Prosthodontics, Data.
Systematic Review of the Safety and Efficacy of Central Vascular Access Device Securement
Authors: Bell Jon A. , Hawes Michelle , Diloreto Emily , Gibson S. Matthew
Published: September 2022

Highlights

Background:

Central vascular access devices (CVADs) are essential for patient care in modern medicine. Providing access to the central circulation, CVADs allow fluids and medications to be infused rapidly and hemodiluted. The placement of a CVAD requires knowledge of vascular access devices, optimal site selection, infection prevention protocols, and expert techniques to limit potential adverse outcomes. Research has been focused on how to safely and effectively place CVADs, but little effort has been made to investigate the securement of the catheter once it is in place.

Methods:

This systematic review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and registered through PROSPERO. Two systematic searches of the literature were conducted, the first in January 2021 and the second in January 2022, by using multiple medical databases. Of the 1127 titles that met initial inclusion criteria 117 were selected for evaluation and then 39 for study.

Results:

Search results yielded various outcomes, making a direct comparison between studies challenging. However, it was clear that safety and efficacy were not applied to suture-based securement and have not been well researched despite its general use.

Conclusions:

Randomized controlled studies are needed to measure the relative safety and efficacy of different securement modalities, their impact on CVAD complications, and ultimately patient outcomes.
Approaches for Successful Outcomes with Continuous Glucose Monitoring
Authors: Aleppo Grazia
Published: September 2022

Individuals who perform SMBG typically focus on pre-meal or bedtime glucose levels, obtaining only a static snapshot of points in time. In the past two decades, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), using subcutaneous sensors to measure interstitial glucose levels, has emerged to provide a better understanding of glucose trends and patterns.
Innovative Designs and Logistical Considerations for Expedited Clinical Development of Combination Disease-Modifying Treatments for Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Anderson Randy L. , DiMeglio Linda A. , Mander Adrian P. , Dayan Colin M. , Linsley Peter S. , Herold Kevan C. , Marinac Marjana , Ahmed Simi T.
Published: September 2022

It has been 100 years since the life-saving discovery of insulin, yet daily management of type 1 diabetes (T1D) remains challenging. Even with closed-loop systems, the prevailing need for persons with T1D to attempt to match the kinetics of insulin activity with the kinetics of carbohydrate metabolism, alongside dynamic life factors affecting insulin requirements, results in the need for frequent interventions to adjust insulin dosages or consume carbohydrates to correct mismatches. Moreover, peripheral insulin dosing leaves the liver underinsulinized and hyperglucagonemic and peripheral tissues overinsulinized relative to their normal physiologic roles in glucose homeostasis. Disease-modifying therapies (DMT) to preserve and/or restore functional β-cell mass with controlled or corrected autoimmunity would simplify exogenous insulin need, thereby reducing disease mortality, morbidity, and management burdens. However, identifying effective DMTs for T1D has proven complex. There is some consensus that combination DMTs are needed for more meaningful clinical benefit. Other complexities are addressable with more innovative trial designs and logistics. While no DMT has yet been approved for marketing, existing regulatory guidance provides opportunities to further “de-risk” development. The T1D development ecosystem can accelerate progress by using more innovative ways for testing DMTs for T1D. This perspective outlines suggestions for accelerating evaluation of candidate T1D DMTs, including combination therapies, by use of innovative trial designs, enhanced logistical coordination of efforts, and regulatory guidance for expedited development, combination therapies, and adaptive designs.