bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Examining the Use and Awareness of Educational Blogs among University Students
Authors: Farhana Khurshid
Published: December 2022

Blogs are widely used in education since their emergence particularly in higher education. This research study investigated the use of educational blogs by students at university level. 100 male and female university students were the sample of this study. Data was collected through a questionnaire and focused group discussions. Descriptive statistics i.e., frequency and percentages, were calculated for the analysis of quantitative data and the qualitative data was analyzed through thematic analysis. The results of the study indicated that students used blogs to get educational ideas and communicate with other people. They used educational blogs and commented on relevant course related posts. In this way, students get knowledge of different subjects through blogs. Students and teachers also used educational blogs to get to know each other better by visiting and reading blogs. Educational blogs help teachers to teach and students to learn. It is suggested that at university and college level there should be workshops and awareness programs for the use of modern technology into education. Teachers should offer blogs related courses at university and college levels. This study also creates awareness among university students about the use of blogs for educational purposes.
Critical Reflections on the Behavioural and Phenomenological Structures of Female University Students affecting Quality Education
Authors: Said Mir Alam , Alia
Published: December 2022

The study critically examined the response of Pakistani female university learners and the perceptions of their teachers and department heads regarding the reflections on behavioural and phenomenological structures of female graduates in Pakistani universities affecting quality education. The main aim of the study is to analyze and find out the underlying considerations of the behavioural and phenomenological structures of female university students, and to assess the extent to which they affect the quality education at postgraduate level in Pakistan. This study has employed qualitative-survey design for identifying the factors deteriorating female university learners’ attitude toward quality education, proficiency and caliber, and their collegial interactivity, evaluative performance and creativity. While using questionnaires, this survey enquiry investigated about the root causes of the problem and also about the gaps between psychologically sound behaviour and quality change. Responses were collected from 459 subjects i.e. 310 university learners, and their 111 teachers and 38 heads of university departments from 10 Pakistani leading universities located in Islamabad and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. By employing Chi-square, data were interpreted and statistically tested. The study found behavioural problem the female graduates faced in presenting quality performance affected by psychosocial phenomena. It also found the graduates’ lacking competence required for quality education. It recommended for environment conducive for the self and learning, and also proposed the provision of facilitation for personality development for the Pakistani female postgraduate university learners.
Caso dj Ivis: a violência doméstica e familiar durante a pandemia da covid-19
Authors: Leonel Ana Leticia Anarelli Rosati , Nascimento Lyvya Maria Falcão , Trindade Thayná Barbosa de Moraes
Published: December 2022

Pode-se afirmar que a pandemia aumentou a vulnerabilidade de mulheres à violência doméstica. A violência contra a mulher pode ser compreendida como qualquer ação ou conduta baseada no gênero que ocasione a morte ou inflija dano ou sofrimento. Objetivou-se analisar o aumento de casos de violência doméstica e familiar durante a pandemia da Covid-19, e como ela influenciou na mudança do número de casos, bem como relacionar o “Caso DjIvis” ao tema. Trata-se de uma revisão narrativa da literatura com busca de materiais científicos nas plataformas online de pesquisa, Portal de Periódicos - CAPES ; Scientific Eletronic Library Online (SciELO), estabeleceu-se o recorte temporal de 2018 a 2022, utilizando os descritores: “Violência Doméstica”; “ Pandemia”; “Lei Maria da Penha”. Resultando em 10 produções cientificas. Foi realizada a organização dos dados e, após análise de conteúdo, identificaram-se 3 categorias temáticas: a primeira discute sobre a violência doméstica e familiar contra a mulher durante a pandemia da covid-19; a segunda, aborda o caso “Dj Ivis”; e a terceira aponta os fatores que influenciaram para o aumento de casos de violência durante a pandemia. Concluiu-se que o aumento da violência doméstica e familiar está ligada ao convívio próximo com seu agressor em razão do isolamento social. Verificou-se a necessidade de suscitar novas reflexões e planejamento de políticas públicas em prol de combater, coibir e proteger mulheres vítimas de violência doméstica.
O Novo Ensino Médio: das dificuldades do projeto à sua implementação (2017-2022)
Authors: Santos Antocléia de Sousa , Silva Emerson Felipe da , Milan Davi
Published: December 2022

A temática do Novo Ensino Médio, das dificuldades do projeto à sua implementação nas escolas públicas do Brasil em 2022, causou muitas dúvidas/indagações relacionadas à prática em sala de aula. Em virtude disso, a reforma acontece de forma incoerente e muito complexa nas unidades de ensino. Nesse contexto, o objetivo principal desta pesquisa é analisar as dificuldades da implementação do Novo Ensino Médio em três escolas públicas de Ensino Médio, localizadas em: São Luís/MA, Rio Tinto/PB e Quintana/SP em 2022. Com base nesses pressupostos, o presente artigo configura-se com uma abordagem qualitativa, em que se utilizou como instrumento metodológico a aplicação de questionário, encaminhado aos profissionais da educação, assim como buscou-se por artigos relacionados à reforma do Ensino Médio, à Base Nacional Comum Curricular, à Lei de Diretrizes e Bases Nacional/1996, entre outros. Como resultado, evidenciou-se as dificuldades, os obstáculos que os profissionais da educação enfrentaram com a implementação da reforma com lacunas na formação e informação aos docentes. Portanto, constatou-se uma necessidade de discussão para compreensão da implementação desse projeto nas escolas brasileiras.
A alfabetização na BNCC: lacunas e desafios
Authors: Silva Márcia Cristina Gonçalves de Souza , Sambugari Márcia Regina do Nascimento
Published: December 2022

O artigo aborda parte da pesquisa que analisou a alfabetização na Base Nacional Comum Curricular (BNCC), buscando responder a seguinte questão: que conceito de alfabetização é apresentado na BNCC, considerando a antecipação da consolidação do processo de alfabetização para o 2º ano defendida no documento? Numa abordagem qualitativa, por meio da análise de conteúdo, analisou-se as proposições constantes nas habilidades apresentadas na seção 4.1 do documento, buscando entender se os direcionamentos se voltam para alfabetização mecânica, ou para a autonomia do domínio da língua. Os resultados indicam lacunas na organização e incoerência ao reduzir a alfabetização à práticas de decodificação e codificação de grafemas e fonemas. Tais contradições evidenciam o jogo político envolvido na elaboração, construção e implementação da Base, implicando a retirada da autonomia docente provocada por essa mudança curricular.
Tecnologias Digitais na Educação e BNCC: proposta do Aluno-Ciborgue-Hacker
Authors: Costa José Raimundo Silva , Andrade Viviane Toraci Alonso de
Published: December 2022

Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar a influência das práticas discursivas neoliberais presentes na composição da BNCC e a configuração de um ‘tipo ideal’ de estudante/trabalhador-empreendedor inserido em uma Cultura Digital. O delineamento teórico metodológico que orienta a presente reflexão se ancora numa perspectiva de natureza qualitativa e pesquisa bibliográfica quanto ao seu procedimento. Defenderemos uma outra possibilidade de apropriação das Tecnologias Digitais de Informação e Comunicação na educação para além da instrumentalização técnica, apresentando a posição contra hegemônica do Aluno-Ciborgue-Hacker.
Reclaiming the Land of the Snows: Analyzing Chinese Settler Colonialism in Tibet
Authors: Ramanujan Shaurir
Published: December 2022

This work explores the relationship between China and Tibet, and how settler colonialism mediates the strategies used to exert government control over the autonomous region. Revealing the history of Tibet provides a background to understand how the Chinese government leverages methods of political, economic and religious subjugation to carry out their desires. At their confluence, these three strategies expose the hidden genocide that remains in Tibet, and actively contribute to the devastating conditions commonly overlooked by the media. This settler colonial process of expropriation highlights what Patrick Wolfe dubs the logic of elimination, and reveals Tibetan bodies as an enduring part of the occupied land that China seeks to control. With this understanding of Empire, I transition to discuss the deployment of and meaning behind self-immolation, an act commonly used by Tibetan protesters. While acknowledging the disadvantages of self-immolation, I cite Fanon to argue that such a rebellious action momentarily inverts the dynamic between the colonizer and colonized, thereby leaving space to achieve Tibetan liberation. By communicating the gravity of an overlooked situation permeated by settler colonialism, I hope to challenge the common conception of Empire and expand our understanding of decolonial strategies into new global contexts.
Incompatible Education
Authors: Ludington Jasper
Published: December 2022

"This paper will therefore address these scholarly lacunae. First, it will provide a sufficient explanation of pre-colonial and British education prior to 1920. Second, it will distill the nationalist movement down to the components that were influenced by the student movement. And, by doing so, it will provide a specific answer to the initial research question: how did colonial education and the student movement influence the nationalist movement in Burma? "

Thesis: "this paper will argue that the activity of the Burmese student movement—itself a response to the decline of monastic education and its replacement with secular education under the British—was vital to the success of the Burmese nationalist movement, providing it with a crucial spark and a young generation of nationalists."
Inaudible Lessons: Interpreting the Amplitude of Silence in the Lotus Sutra
Authors: Yow Carolyn
Published: December 2022

Articulation is positively the crux of Buddhism. For this reason, distinguishing the significance of silence from the dialogic teachings and vocal practices that shape the religion is a rewarding enterprise. While grounded in a close reading of the Lotus Sutra, this academic paper references The Holy Teaching of Vimalakīrti, The Awakened One: A Life of the Buddha by Sherab Chödzin Kohn, and Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. By interpreting at length instances of silence in the Lotus Sutra — from narrative setting to edifying content — the Buddha’s motivation behind his wordlessness gradually unfolds and emerges as a pregnant counter-device to sound. The appreciation of silence as ‘non-sound’ and an all-encompassing state allows insight into the implications of the Buddha sitting in silence, his silent agreement, and his respect for those who preach to a silent place. Essentially, to demonstrate how lessons communicated by the Buddha in words are also delivered in his silence is the objective of this essay.
Tawara Machi’s Bisymmetrical Self
Authors: Patzner Claire
Published: December 2022

Tawara Machi is one of the most famous contemporary Japanese poets after the success of her collection of poetry titled Salad Anniversary. This collection of poetry utilized vivid imagery of everyday activities and revitalized the traditional Japanese tanka poetic form. While literary critics often view her poetry as anti-feminist writing that relies heavily on the “waiting woman” trope popularized by early tanka poetry, I argue that her work is multi-dimensional and expands on this trope. Although her writing involves more passive feminism than famous Japanese feminist poets such as Hiromi Itō, it should not be dismissed as docile or unprogressive. Critics also claim her poetry is flat and one note, likely due to its accessible language and short format. However, I believe that her poems are more layered than one might think and that critics should re-examine her work, despite its overwhelming mainstream popularity. In this short essay, I analyze a selection of Tawara’s poems from her collection Salad Anniversary and prove their duality and nuance.
Energy Use, Financial Development and Pollution in Selected African Countries
Authors: Olaoye Olugbenga , Dauda Risikat O.S
Published: December 2022

The consequences of environmental pollution on human life have continued to exacerbate in recent times, especially in African countries. This has spurred research interest among researchers to find out how nations can keep carbon emissions in check. In this regard, this study focuses on some selected African countries between 1981 and 2019 to investigate the effect of energy use, financial development and carbon emission. The study employs the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) based on the framework of the co-integration regression method to analyze the panel data. The result reveals that energy use positively and significantly affects carbon emissions in energy-dependent African countries. Financial development positively affects carbon emissions, while the mediating role of financial development between energy use and carbon emission causes carbon emissions to reduce. Therefore, the study recommends that energy-dependent African countries strengthen their financial sector to ensure credit availability for green supportive investment.
IoT-Based Smart Fishing Gear for Sustainability of the Tanzania Blue Economy
Authors: Abdalla Abdi , Haji Nyazara , Maiseli Baraka , Ibwe Kwame
Published: December 2022

The fishing industry engages many Tanzanians and is among the leading sectors of Blue Economy in the country. However, fishing practices are small-scale with poor and insufficient number of fishing facilities, hence limiting productivity and efficacy. Studies argue that the low level of technology currently used in the country could possibly be an impeding factor. Specifically, fishers use non-interactive gears that cannot instantaneously update status and alert them whenever the gears are ready for collection. In such scenarios, fishers not only waste their time but also scarce resources such as fuel to facilitate trips to and from the fishing sites to check status of the gears. Thus, the application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) could improve the production and lower operational costs is hypothesized. ICT solutions can help realize the processes with minimum human interventions while adding intelligence to the systems to make informed decisions and hence improve systems’ efficiency. In this work, an IoT based smart fishing gear that counts and records the number of fishes in the gear and then displays them on a mobile application is proposed. The system can send alerts to the user when the required number of fish is attained, and provides navigation support to localize the distant filled gears. Results show that the system can send the location of a given gear and timely update the number of catches via the mobile application.
On Blockchain Performance Enhancement: A Systematic Map of Strategies Used
Authors: Kigombola Anthony , Mbise Mercy , Mafole Prosper
Published: December 2022

Blockchain technology is one among the recent innovations in the computing industry. Blockchains have gathered a widespread interest in the industry mainly due to their security promise. Despite the anticipated benefits of Blockchains, there are several limitations which make the technology less suitable in large scale applications such as banking, one being low throughput. Several initiatives to improve the throughput of Blockchains are being tried out both in the academia and the business worlds but no systematic classification of the initiatives and the strategies used has been done. This study explores Blockchain performance improvement initiatives and classify the initiatives by the improvement strategy used. This study has found that, out of 365 articles on the area of Blockchain performance, 300 were solution proposals aimed at improving the performance of Blockchains. The most used strategies in these proposals were alternative to PoW, sharding and multi-chain architecture.
The Use of Online Social Media Platforms by Tanzania Journalists to Produce and Disseminate Development News
Authors: Magolanga Elisha , Michael Andindilile , Simba Fatuma
Published: December 2022

Advancement in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are revolutionizing Development Journalism (DJ) into an effective strategy for building competitive economies globally. However, many countries in Africa including Tanzania are slow in tapping potentials of ICT for development journalism. Digital penetration in the form of the Internet and social media are changing the way in which journalists are mobilizing and engaging communities in journalism practises, a key strategy for a competitive digitalised economy. This paper was guided by Development Communication Theory and Diffusion of Innovation Theory to explore the use of online social media by journalists in Tanzania to practice development journalism. Combining quantitative and qualitative methods, this paper analyses risks and benefits of online social media platforms in contributing to national development goals. A total of 15 social media journalists and managers from Mwananchi Digital, Ayo TV and Azam TV gave their insights in this paper. Use of online social media platforms for development news is still in its infancy stage, key findings show that out of 270 (100%) studied news items, only 66 (24%) manifested development news practice. Non-development news accounted for 204 (76%) of news items analysed. There were only four (4) (27%) journalists who use social media as a source of information, and platform for disseminating development news in Ayo TV compared to 3 (20%) in Mwananchi Digital and 5 (33%) in Azam TV. Results call upon some intensive national efforts to empower journalists in the use of ICT and mobilize audience in the changing communication patterns.
On Identity in Agonistic Engagement
Authors: Sorola Matt
Published: December 2022

Agonistic engagement is an approach to dialogue and debate that takes seriously the role of power, difference and ideological conflict. Although change is often associated with individuals’ transition into ‘friendly enemies’ (Addis, 2001), the transformational potential of agonistic engagement is realised in the formation of chains of equivalence (Brown, 2009; Mouffe, 2000, 2013). As a learning process, agonistic engagement stimulates critical reflection amongst individuals as they challenge their identity and reflect on those with divergent perspectives, and it is in this process that previously unrecognised areas of shared interests and common understandings are surfaced that can link marginalised voices together in chains of equivalence to challenge hegemonic narratives (Mouffe, 2013). Prior research explored the construction of spaces for agonistic engagement (Bebbington et al, 2007; Brown Dillard, 2013, 2015) as a way to analyse their impact (Aleksandrov et al, 2018; Belluci et al, 2019; Laine and Vinnari, 2017; Tanima et al., 2020), and even identified the importance of identity construction within them (Milne and Tregidga, 2020). However, relatively little consideration has been given to the role of individuals’ within this process, and it is here that this research aims to contribute. Using a post-structurally pluralist articulation of agonistic engagement (Brown, 2017), prior research is reviewed to illustrate how individuals’ identities are currently being represented (Aleksandrov et al, 2018; Laine and Vinnari, 2017; Tregidga and Milne, 2020; Tanima et al., 2020). These representations, and their limitations with regard to individuals, are then discussed. Ultimately, this paper aims to surface issues for future research to consider regarding the dynamic, intersubjective (Modell, 2015; 2017), (re)construction of individuals’ identities.
Denoising of radar images by AI.
Authors: Aznavourian Ronald
Published: December 2022

Ronald Aznavourian¹, Jérôme Lanteri², Claire Migliaccio², Julien Marot¹

[1]: CNRS, Aix Marseille Université, Centrale Marseille, Institut Fresnel UMR 7249, Marseille, France,
[ronald.aznavourian@fresnel.fr](ronald.aznavourian@fresnel.fr),[julien.marot@fresnel.fr](julien.marot@fresnel.fr)

[2]: Laboratoire d’Électronique, Antennes et Télécommunications, Université Cote d’Azur, Nice, France,[jerome.lanteri@univ-cotedazur.fr](jerome.lanteri@univ-cotedazur.fr),[claire.migliaccio@univ-cotedazur.fr](claire.migliaccio@univ-cotedazur.fr)

## Abstract

A lot of applications are possible with AI: classification, to sort a lot of images in many different categories, denoising, to improve the quality of a signal or an image, and “generative”, to create a fake image which seems to be very real. Here, I propose to use an autoencoder to denoise radar images. In order to achieve this, I first propose to create an adequate dataset of 60,000 images to train the autoencoder.

## Characterisation

In the context of public space planning, the movement of pedestrians and cyclists is studied using radar images. More precisely, we sample in time, the distances between people or cyclists with a radar. By joining all the images acquired at each moment of capture, and that, during a period of time, one obtains the curves (generally rather rectilinear) of displacement of the pedestrians and cyclists. An example is given in Fig. 1.

Unfortunately, the data acquisition equipment is not perfect, and the images obtained in this way are strongly distorted. In order to continue processing these data, it is imperative to remove the spurious data. To do this, there are different methods of "denoising" (Wiener filtering1, ACP2, …), and the one that seems to be the most effective is the one that consists of using an autoencoder. An autoencoder is an application of neural networks, and like all neural networks, it needs to be properly trained to be efficient. Indeed, to have tested a trained autoencoder on a dataset of 60 000 images representing numbers, we obtain crude images looking more like numbers than pedestrians and cyclists movement curves, as we can see it, in Fig. 2. I therefore propose a way to generate 60 000 images comparable to the images of the studied domain, in order to generate the dataset necessary for the training of the autoencoder, then to apply the autoencoder thus trained, on the acquired and noisy images, in order to denoise them.
THE IMPACT OF FAST-FOOD CONSUMPTION ON HUMAN HEALTH
Authors: M. Abdulwahab Mena , N. Mahmood Yazen
Published: December 2022

In the last few years in Kurdistan in general and in Erbil especially many fast-food restaurant opening, and they sales are rise up every day with increased customer turnout to these kind of restaurant .All that affect in badly way on working in these kinds of restaurant from cleaning, serving, safety, preparing the equipment for customer orders So, we depend the relationship between some diseases (Obesity, Diabetes, Heart disease, Blood pressure) and fast-food consumption to measure how these factors (diseases) impacting with fast –food. We distribute 80 questioners and get 65 in different fast-food restaurant at family mall-Erbil. The results and findings of this research are analyzed by SPSS to build analysis and draw conclusion. The research findings showed distinctive relation between measuring factors.
NEW RECORD FOR TWO SPECIES OF Psallopsis reuter, 1901 (HEMIPTERA: HETEROPTERA: MIRIDAE) FROM IRAQ
Authors: Mutney  Al-Anbaki Hussein Ali , Mohammed Al-Malo Iman
Published: December 2022

New record of two species of genus Psallopsis Reuter, 1901 belongs to Subfamily phylinae and to the Family Miridae and to the suborder of Heteroptera of order Hemiptera, these species as Psallopsis minimus (Wagner, 1967) and P. kalidiicola Konstantinov, 1997, which collected 23 twenty three insects from Baghdad / Al- Husayniya and Abu-Gharib, the other collected 20 twenty insects from Baghdad / Taji and Abu-Gharib and Al- Rashdiya, this species are a new record in Iraq during the study at 2018 – 2019. The insects Indented by used taxonomic keys depended on morphological characters and male genitalia. Used camera Lucida to draw bodies' part and picture by Dino- Lite microscope camera.
Developing Logistics in Vietnam After Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Anh Nguyen Tuan , Hương Nguyen Thi Thu , Khanh Vo Thi Van , Anh Pham Thi Van , Ha Dao Ngoc
Published: December 2022

The world context still has potential risks due to trade tensions and political conflicts that negatively impact trade, production and investment. The Covid-19 epidemic with an unprecedented speed of infection and scale has affected every aspect of the world economy. In particular, the regulations on social distancing, travel restrictions and transportation in effect in many countries and territories have disrupted supply chains, increased shipping costs, and directly affected the supply chain. Global logistics is seriously affected. Besides the negative impact, the Covid-19 epidemic also contributes to accelerating the industrial revolution and the digital transformation of businesses faster than ever, especially with technological breakthroughs such as artificial intelligence, robots and the internet of things. The explosion of e-commerce and the trend of online payment on a global scale with a number of leading enterprises such as Alibaba, Amazon and eBay, has allowed small businesses in markets to emerge and reach consumers worldwide. This article focuses on analyzing the current situation of logistics development in Vietnam during and after Covid-19, pointing out the achieved results, limitations, causes and some recommendations to promote logistics development in Vietnam in the context of the pandemic post-Covid-19 pandemic.
Wybrane aspekty karalnej niegospodarności w polskim prawie karnym
Authors: Lebiedowicz Andrzej
Published: December 2022

Currently difficult business cycle not only in Europe, but in a whole world disposes to reflection, about security of a economic rotation. This publication presents chosen aspects of a punishable mismanagement in a polish criminal law. It shows liberty as a typical display of a felonious activity ,,white collars”. It differentiates punishable mismanagement committed with damages and without damages. Next attempts borders of a permitted risk. It shows most frequent expressions (forms) liberty in a economic rotation. Afterwards it proffers making more detailed model of a ,,conscientious merchant” by standard of a ,,honest manager”. At the end presents chosen methodological clues in a conducting preparations proceedings concerning liberty.
Electroretinography - An Evolving Technique for Early Detection of Retinal Dysfunction
Authors: Bilal Muhammad , Shahzadi Maria , Khan Muhammad Sikander Ghayas
Published: December 2022

Human vision comprises different structures whose physiological functions act as variable for a healthy human vision. Retina plays a vital role in vision, in hosting different cells and neuron in ten layers. The perikaryal of these neurons are segregated from neurological processes, forming discrete layers1. The inner retina includes ganglion cells and amacrine cells, whereas the outer retina includes the rod and cone photoreceptors. The primary role of photoreceptors is to convert light energy into an electrical signal (phototransduction)2. The photoreceptors transmit visual information to second-order neurons known as bipolar cells in the middle retina. Rods synapse only with depolarizing bipolar cells, while cones synapse with both depolarizing and hyperpolarizing bipolar cells.3 Electrophysiological responses from these cells can be recorded for testing of different diseases by using a technique known as “Electroretinography (ERG)”. This editorial explains how ERG can be used for testing dysfunctions, dystrophies, and the early detection of glaucoma.
A Systematic Review of Food Hygiene Control in Food Service Providers: Review from 2000 - 2022
Authors: Othman Asnawi , Anuar Khairil , . Norazmir
Published: December 2022

From production through the intake, food hygiene particularly applies to the situations and processes that must be followed from production to consumption to guarantee the safety of the food produced. Food contamination may occur throughout the butchering or collecting, manufacturing, storage, distribution, transportation, and preparation processes. Food hygiene is described as “all circumstances and measures required throughout production, processing, storage, distribution, and preparation to guarantee the food is clean, healthy, and edible” Foodborne infections and even death can result from proper food hygiene. Around the world, contaminated food causes 600 million cases of foodborne disease and 420,000 deaths each year. Nearly 30% of all foodborne deaths worldwide occur in children under five. Campylobacter and norovirus are the main culprits found in most foodborne cases reported. Therefore, this research aims to assess food service providers' food hygiene knowledge, attitude, and practice at various phases of food supply. Moreover, this research also focused on different parts of the food supply chain, such as processing, manufacturing, and cooking. This review will also help develop stricter regulations and guidelines for food service providers to prevent more foodborne diseases. Keywords: food hygiene; foodborne diseases; food service providers; food handlers.
Role of Preemptive Nebulized Lignocaine in Endotracheal Tube Tolerance during General Anesthetic induction and emergence
Authors: Kousar Rafia , Aziz Muhammad Abdul , Akram Mehreen , Durrani Haq Dad , Kumar Jai
Published: December 2022

Background: General anesthesia is an essential component of anesthesia and endotracheal intubation is a basic step to secure the airway in patients undergoing any surgical procedure. Airway manipulation causes mucosal inflammation resulting in coughing, straining, bucking and subsequent distress to the patient. Aim: To find out whether preemptive use of nebulized lignocaine has some role in endotracheal tube tolerance during General anesthetic induction and emergence. Study design: Randomized control trial Methodology: The randomized controlled study was done on 68 patients scheduled for general surgical procedures.Patients were allocated intoGroup A and Group Bby closed envelope method with 34 patients in each group. In Group A lignocaine 2% (1.5-2mg/kg) with normalsaline 0.9% to prepare total of 5 ml solution, was used to nebulize the patients with face mask connected with O2 at 7L/min and in Group B5ml normal saline 0.9% was used to nebulize the patients for 15minutes. The endotracheal tube tolerance was noted at both intubation and extubation. Results: Endotracheal tube tolerancein Group A was markedly significant than in Group B both during intubation and extubation. In Group A, 32/34(94.12%) patients reflected tolerance to endotracheal tube both during intubation and extubation while in Group B only 06/34(17.65%) reflected tolerance to endotracheal tube both during intubation and extubation. Conclusion: Preemptive nebulized lignocaine suppresses the airway reflexes and significantly improves the endotracheal tube tolerance. Keywords: Endotracheal intubation, extubation, nebulization, lignocaine.
The Importance of Clinical Data & Prevalence of Breast Tumors in South Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Hameed Fawad , Afzal Javeria , Rafique Ahmad , Jameel M Khurram , Niaz Khurram , Alam Humiara , Shoaib Muhammad
Published: December 2022

Background: In Western countries, middle-aged women are more vulnerable to breast cancer. Globally, almost a million new cases were identified in 1998. One in 12 women in England and Wales will get the disease at some point.1 Even 5,000 years after it was first reported, the etiology of breast cancer is still unclear, and effective preventative measures are even further off. Aim: To characterize the varied ways in which breast cancer has presented itself among patients at Bahawal Victoria Hospital in Bahawalpur. Methods: This investigation employed a descriptive case series research design. This research was conducted at Bahawal Victoria Hospital's Surgery Department in Bahawalpur (Pakistan). From March 13th, 2020 through March 12th, 2021, the study was conducted (12 months). With their assent, 100 women with definite cases of breast cancer were enrolled in the study. Results: Cancer of the breast most commonly affected women between the ages of 31 and 50 (59%). Seventy-six patients arrived from the outlying rural areas of Bahawalpur and the neighboring districts. Only 18 patients had completed high school after 10 years and 5 patients were discovered to be college graduates. The single rate was 12%, with 12 patients. Eighty-one percent of patients reported having a breast lump. 56% of breast cancers involve the left breast, while 43% involve the right. One patient alone had breast cancer that had spread to both of her breasts. Illness duration varied from 1 month to 5 years. Stage III was the most prevalent presentation, with 46 instances, and Stage IV was the least common, with 16 patients. Practical implication Community based effective awareness and prompt screening programme will improve better outcomes in breast cancer management. Conclusion: Breast cancer is very common cancer in the females, and most commonly it presented as a lump in the breast, because of some social aspects, lack of awareness, poverty, no proper screening programs and above all the fear of diagnosis, females try to hide this problem and often it presented at late and more advance stage. Keywords: Breast, Nipple, Cancer, Lump, Surgery, Tumor
Perception of Stress and Professional Burnout among Dental students during clinical years
Authors: . Asadullah , Khan Amna Nauman , Amjad Aneela , Khan Nauman Rauf , Zahid Nighat , Khan Nasrullah
Published: December 2022

Background: Dentistry is associated with numerous stressors and dental students encounter a lot of stress during their undergraduate studies. This study was conducted with the objectives to know the understanding of stress and factors among the clinical dental students. Aim: To determine the perception of stress and professional burnout and determine the possible factors of it among dental students at College of Dentistry Sharif Medical and Dental College Lahore. Methodology: A cross sectional study was carried out in May 2021 on 3rd and final year BDS students from Sharif Medical and Dental College Lahore by using modified dental environmental stress questionnaire. SPSS vn 23.0 was used. Results: Male students are mostly affected by rules and regulations (36%) and lack of time to do schoolwork (36%) whereas female students are mostly affected by fear of failing exam (65%) whereas female students are mostly affected by fear of failing exam (65%). Whereas a highly significant association is seen between fear of failing exam and gender i.e.,<0.0001 for the major cause of causing stress. Conclusion: The result of this study shows that dental students of clinical years do suffer from stress. Syllabus and examination pattern should be amended to decrease stress as well as faculty attitude should be more supportive. Counselling sessions should be arranged for student’s better performance. Keywords: Stress, Burnout, Clinical dental students
Association of Awareness in Medical and Dental Students regarding Adverse Effects of Smoking on Periodontal Health
Authors: Saba Shah Syeda Lalarukh , Shujaat Nazli , Fatima Mariam
Published: December 2022

Aim: To study the association of awareness in medical and dental students regarding the adverse effects of smoking on periodontal health. Methodology: A data was gathered from 290 college students through a simple random sampling technique by using a Cross-sectional study. The questionnaire was split into two sections where data on demographics and questions on knowledge of the effect of smoking on periodontal health were gathered from the participants. The study was started after getting institutional ethical approval. All participants verbally consented, and confidentiality was maintained. A p-value of 0.05 was regarded as significant, with a confidence interval of 95%. The Chi-square test with SPSS version 26 was used to examine the statistical significance of various associations. Results: A total of 290 students completed the questionnaire and out of which 140(48.3%) were BDS students while 150 (51.7%) were MBBS students. The results obtained on awareness regarding the effects of smoking on periodontal health showed that gum diseases (0.003), halitosis (0.010), delayed wound healing (0.009), altered taste sensation (0.001), Oral cancer(0.013), mouth ulcers (0.036) were significantly associated with the use of smoking. The results emphasized to conduct anti-smoking awareness in students by conducting oral health education programs to persuade individuals to give up the smoking habit as many of the students were not willing to quit smoking despite knowing the harmful effects of smoking. Therefore, use of tobacco must be banned and it should be addressed at primary preventive level with a focus on quitting the tobacco which will further reduce the disease burden on the healthcare system related with smoking. Conclusion: There was a significant association between awareness regarding the effects of smoking on periodontal health which showed that gum diseases, halitosis, delayed wound healing, altered taste sensation, oral cancer, and mouth ulcers are related to smoking. Keywords: Oral Cancer, Gum disease, Mouth ulcer, Awareness, Halitosis, Tobacco, Smoking, Periodontal health.
Prevalence of Urinary Tract Infection among Children - a cross-sectional study in Arar city, Northern Border Area, KSA
Authors: Alenazi Shehab Ahmed , Hussain Sarwar , Fayyaz Amir , Elmorsy Ekramy , Hanif Irfan , Hassan Sowsan
Published: December 2022

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common infections in children. The prevalence of UTI during childhood varies by gender, age, and multiple other factors. The most commonly causes of UTI in children are E. coli and Klebsiella in different parts of the world. Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of UTI, its etiologic pathogens, presenting symptoms and probable risk factors in our area. Methods; A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on electronic files of 606 pediatric participants of confirmed UTIs from year 2015 -2020 in arar city hospital. These cases were diagnosed after urine culture positive for the respected uropathogens. Urine samples were collected either transurethral in < 1year children and clean voided midstream in elder children under aseptic techniques. The samples were sent to the hospital lab with especial request that we would use these samples for our study. Hospital laboratory followed full protocol that is followed worldwide. Results: Total of 606 confirmed cases of UTI were used. Of this, 370(61.05%) were females and 236 (38.94%) males. Among them, 253 (41.74%) were <1 year old, 229(37.78%) were 1–5-year-old whereas 124(20.46%) were above 5 years old children. We found that E. coli was the most prevalent organism 342(56.23%), followed by Klebsiella which was 175(28.8%). E. coli was more common in outpatients compared to Klebsiella which was the most common aetiologic agent isolated from hospital admitted patients. Citrobacter, Enterococci, Actinobacteria and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were commoner in hospital patients. High grade fever, dysuria and foul smelling was the main symptom of E. coli positive cases whereas foul smelling was common in Klebsiella positive cultures. Constipation was noted to be the most common 198(32.6%) risk factor in our area. Other risk factors were history of instrumentation, history of catheterization, structural abnormalities, and posterior urethral valve abnormalities which were 9.9 %, 9.9 %, 10.2% and 3.30% respectively. Conclusion: We conclude first; Prevalence of UTI was more common in females than males in < 1 year old group. Second; E.coli was the most common bacteria followed by Klebsiella. Third; it showed that along with other risk factors, constipation plays a significant role in causation of UTI in our area. Keywords; UTI, children, risk factors
Dental Phobia in Medical Students of Lahore Medical and Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan
Authors: Fatima Noor , Masood Muhammad Ahsan , Taimoor Eisha , Bilal Nimrah , Nadeem Khurram , Ajmal Faiza , Zubair Roha
Published: December 2022

Background: Dental phobia the fear to dental procedures, dental instruments or dentist is the common fear among people of all ages that cause delay of dental treatments. By finding out the response of students towards dental treatment will help in the apprehension and overcoming the dental phobia. The purpose of this study conducted in LMDC among the medical graduates was to know the prevalence of dental phobia in them. Method: A cross sectional study was conducted to access the dental phobia among the BDS, MBBS, DPT and Pharm D students of Lahore Medical and dental college using the MDAS . Descriptive statistics including means, standard deviations, and percentages were calculated. Group comparisons were analyzed using t-tests and analysis of variance. Multiple group comparisons were conducted using Tukey’s post-hoc test. P < 0.05 was considered as the significance level. Results: Three hundred students took part in this study. Equal number of response was recorded by BDS, MBBS, DPT and Pharm D students. There was significant difference seen in dental phobia among gender. Females had higher level of dental phobia than males. Past negative dental experiences have valid impact on people and lead to increased prevalence towards dental phobia. Dental students exhibited the least amount of dental phobia. Conclusion: BDS students had lowest level of dental phobia. By increasing the dental health education and awareness about oral health the dental phobia can be reduced among people Keywords: Dental student, Dental phobia, Anxiety Scale.
Comparison of the Anti-Plaque Effect of Miswak (Salvadora Persica) and Dandasa (Juglan Regia) on gingival health
Authors: Pervaiz Haseeb , Ahmed Shahbaz , Khalid Fizza , Riaz Sania , Shabbir Sumaiya , Haseeb Aisha
Published: December 2022

Background: Anti-bacterial effect of Miswak on microorganism has already been proven in previous researches. The Dandasa is used by most women in Saudi Arabia, India and Pakistan as a toothbrush for cleaning the teeth. Aim: This study was done for the comparison between the effect of Miswak and Dandasa in improving gingival health, as both has anti-plaque action and absence of plaque is directly proportional to gingival health. Methods: A prospective cohort study was carried out at the Department of Periodontology, Dr.Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan Institute of Oral Health Sciences, Karachi for a period of 6 months. Total 90 patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included into two Groups. In group-A habitual user of miswak were taken and in group-B habitual user of dandasa were taken. The Plaque score and gingival index were made zero before the start of observation by conducting ultrasonic scaling. Results: In Group A 57.8% participants were using miswak once a day and 42.2% twice a day. In group B 44.4% participants were using Dandasa once a day 44.2% and 55.6% twice a day. Mean post-gingival index score was 1.95±0.52 in group A and 1.08±0.28 in group B. Mean post plaque index score in Group A was 1.97±0.69 and Group B was 1.15±0.36. The results portrayed significant discrepancy in pre and post gingival index. The conclusion also depicted prominent variability in pre-post-plaque index. Both indices showed that the dandasa was better at plaque control as compare to Miswak Conclusion: Mean Gingival Index (GI) and Plaque Index (PI) scores in dandasa group was prominently less as compared to Miswak group. Keywords: Gingival Index, Plaque index, Dandasa, Miswak
Mental Distress, Perceived Stress, and Resilience among Special Students During Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Khalil Sheeza , Khan Asadullah , Batool Iffat , Khan Muhammad Zohaib , Tariq Shah Rukh
Published: December 2022

Background: Almost everyone in society has been affected by the Covid epidemic.However, it has a different impact on individuals who have disabilities or special needs. Aim: To explore the relationship between mental distress, perceived stress, and resilience among special students during the Covid pandemic. Method:Cross-sectional correlational research design was used to investigate the relationship between study variables. The total sample of n=250 special students consisted of 100(40%) females and 150(60%) with having age range from 15 to 30 years. The purposive sampling technique was employed to collect the data by using different research instruments (e.g.,Patient Health Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale, and Final Resilience Scale). Results: Results were drawn using correlation and multiple regression analyses. To explore gender differences, an independent t-test was computed. It was concluded that mental distress is negatively correlated with resilience and positively correlated with perceived stress. Pracctical Implication: This research would be helpfulfor the teachers of the special education centers, they train their how they develop resilience hence they may become emotionally stable and deal effectively with any worrisome circumstance well. It will help school administration of the special students’to conduct workshops on the resilience so that students could deal with their mental distress and perceived stress effectively. Conclusion: There was little published research on the variables examined in this study, particularly in Pakistan. To increase the body of knowledge, research on this subject must be done in Pakistan. Keywords: Mental distress, Resilience, Perceived stress, Special students, CovidPendemic.
Prevalence of Shoulder Pain among Female Students Carrying Heavy Bag
Authors: Memon A Gul , Soomro M. Khan , Farooqui Mehjabeen , Rathi Jaimala , Sanaullah M. , Shah S. , Hussain M. I. , . Maryam , Chaudhary F.
Published: December 2022

Aim: To determine the prevalence of shoulder pain carrying heavy bags in female students Methodology: This was across-sectional study and data were collected through a convenient sampling technique. Data collected from theuniversity female students of sind. A visual analog scale was used to assess the intensity of pain, and To assess the burden of shoulder pain, data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Data was analyzed through SPSS Version 22. Results: Results indicate thatthe meanage±SDof participants were 22.8±1.99, mean height±SD were 61.10±3.7 in inches, mean weight±SD were 54.9±3.4kg. The result of this study shows that majority of students are experiencing shoulder pain by carrying uncomfortable bags in routine life. About 38.3% of messenger bags are comfortable to carry. The majority (67.5%) of the students have shoulder pain during activity, 34.2% at its worth and minority of the students are suffering from sleep disturbance due to shoulder pain. Practical implication: few studies have assessed the relationship between university students and heavy bags. Therefore, our hypothesis is that the use of overweight shoulder bags can influence the occurrence of shoulder pain. Thus, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence of shoulder pain carrying heavy bags in female students Conclusion: It is concluded that there is high prevalence of shoulder pain due to tote type of bags among university going females. The shoulder bags cause moderate to severe shoulder pain and mostly dull aching and generalized type of pain cause by shoulder bags. Keywords: Females students, Heavy bags, Prevalence, Shoulder pain