bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effective Interdepartmental Communication as a Medium of Innovativeness
Authors: Munna Afzal Sayed
Published: November 2022

Innovation is a buzz word and can be defined as a process of practical implementation of ideas that suggest improvement in offerings either on goods or services. In other words, innovation is about practical creativity, making ideas useful that leaders encourage to implement in every organization to shape the organization's future. However, very sadly, considering competitive market study on innovation and its practice, there was very limited evidence that innovation was considered as a central part of organizational sustainability. The chapter undertook a study using semi-structured interview questions from the school of business faculties from three different universities in London to examine how effective interdepartmental communication can benefit organizational innovativeness. The study considered effective communication as a central discussion point and also assessed the process of innovation and organizational learning.
Impact of Deepfake Technology on FinTech Applications
Authors: Abbas Naveed Naeem , Ahmad Rizwan , Qazi Shams , Ahmed Waqas
Published: November 2022

The distribution of fabricated disinformation through deliberate manipulation of audio/video content by imposters with the intent to affect organization is deepfake. The “infodemic” that spread alongside the COVID-19 pandemic also increased cyber risk in financial technology (FinTech) applications. The continuous evolution of cybercrime has culminated with deepfakes which severely magnify the threats of traditional frauds. Recent evidence indicates that deepfake videos are mainly created with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML) techniques. This results in creation of fake videos by merging, superimposing, and replacing actual video clips and images with other videos. There are a lot of people who accept deepfake videos as actual videos without any doubt. The use of AL and ML techniques have made video/image forgery difficult to identify with the help of existing deepfake detection techniques. Deepfake technology is becoming more and more sophisticated, and detection of fake videos is relatively challenged for quite some time.
Information Technology and Management, Misinformation, and the Impact on Patient Safety and Outcomes
Authors: Ranney David J. , Adolphe Amir
Published: November 2022

In the Republic of South Africa, it is a punishable crime to spread misinformation about COVID-19. In the United States of America, a minority of millions cry foul at any hint of infringement on their incorrectly perceived right to say whatever they want, whenever they want. Rather than creating further polarization of any specific population, the author will not delve into the worlds of political rhetoric or sensationalism. The author poses questions, discusses possible answers, and makes recommendations on the topics, including accountability and responsibility and the available options for fighting misinformation spread. The author also questions if there is any validity to the argument, “Misinformation can be directly linked to the deaths of millions, hospitalizations of tens of millions, and physical incapacitation of hundreds of millions more.”
Optimizing Knowledge Management During Crises
Authors: Long Sandra
Published: November 2022

Given that a crisis is unexpected, there is often chaos and a lack of preparation. This makes it challenging for healthcare professionals to protect the population's welfare and keep their patients safe. To assist with the reassurance of well-being, they require relevant knowledge as new information about the crisis is discovered. The chapter analyzes the requirements, obstacles, and optimization of knowledge management systems during a healthcare crisis. This was done by examining the successes and challenges of knowledge management systems during past crises and creating recommendations for using health informatics to improve systems. The chapter sections will provide an overview of knowledge management systems for healthcare, the creation of systems, sharing of knowledge, the timing for exchange, and barriers and solutions. The chapter will discuss systems for treating patients and informing the public on how to stay healthy and prevent further harm.
Automatic Speech Recognition Models, Tools, and Techniques
Authors: Mittal Puneet , Sharma Sukhwinder
Published: November 2022

Automatic speech recognition (ASR) has gained wide popularity in last decade. Various devices like mobile phones, computers, vehicles, and audio/video players are now being equipped with ASR technology. The increasing use and dependence on ASR technology leads to research enhancements and opportunities in this domain. This chapter provides a detailed review of various advancements in ASR systems development. It highlights history of speech recognition followed by detailed insight into recent advancements and industry leaders providing latest solutions. ASR framework has been discussed in detail which includes feature extraction techniques, acoustic modeling techniques, and language modeling techniques. The chapter also lists various popular data sets available and discusses generation of new data sets. This work will be helpful for the researchers who are new to this field and are exploring development of new speech recognition techniques.
Misinformation Containment Using NLP and Machine Learning
Authors: Pendyala Vishnu S.
Published: November 2022

Despite the increased attention and substantial research into it claiming outstanding successes, the problem of misinformation containment has only been growing in the recent years with not many signs of respite. Misinformation is rapidly changing its latent characteristics and spreading vigorously in a multi-modal fashion, sometimes in a more damaging manner than viruses and other malicious programs on the internet. This chapter examines the existing research in natural language processing and machine learning to stop the spread of misinformation, analyzes why the research has not been practical enough to be incorporated into social media platforms, and provides future research directions. The state-of-the-art feature engineering, approaches, and algorithms used for the problem are expounded in the process.
MorseEx
Authors: Nagarajan Suresh Kumar , Geetha N.  , Talwar Raghav , Ahuja Shivoma
Published: November 2022

MorseEx uses Morse code, which allows partially visually impaired and hard of hearing people to chat with others. In Morse code, letters are represented as a combination of dots and dashes. The person inputs a dot by tapping on the left of the screen, dash by tapping on the center of the screen to form a message, and tapping on the right will separate letters of the message, and tapping it twice sends the message. This message will be saved to the database and then converted to a normal text message to receive by people who do not have any impairments. On the other hand, people with no impairments have to type and send text messages. For this message to be understood by the visually and partially impaired, a dot will be produced as short vibration and a dash will be produced as long vibration. The model will be developing an Android mobile application using Android studio and Firebase database to store user information. The aim is to contribute to society in any way possible.
Deep Learning for Emotion Recognition
Authors: Kavitha T. , S. Malini , G. Senbagavalli
Published: November 2022

Deep learning is a type of machine learning that trains a computer to recognizing speech, identifying images or making predictions. Computer vision allows machines to visualize and sense the visual world from digital images or videos. Computer vision can be used for face detection, recognition, and emotion detection. There is a growing demand for emotion analysis in the computer vision market. Expressions play an important role in the recognition of emotions for medical sentiment analysis that can be detected by a deep learning model with the help of trained classes. This chapter focuses on emotion recognition and discusses the different algorithms/architecture developed for emotion recognition using deep learning with the data set. Current research and applications based on emotion recognition are also discussed. This chapter can guide beginners in the field of emotion recognition and provide a general understanding of the latest state of art models, as well as guide the researchers looking for directions for future work.
Evolution of Deep Learning for Biometric Identification and Recognition
Authors: Amali S. Miruna Joe , C. Manjula Devi , G. Rajeswari
Published: November 2022

Biometrics is a method based on the recognition of the biological characteristics of an individual like fingerprint, vocal, and facial features. Biometric features hold a unique place when it comes to recognition, authentication, and security applications as they cannot be easily duplicated. Deep learning-based models have been very successful in achieving better efficiency in biometric recognition. They are more beneficial because deep learning-based models provide an end-to-end learning framework.
The Evolution of Image Denoising From Model-Driven to Machine Learning
Authors: Aetesam Hazique , Maji Suman Kumar , Boulanger Jerome
Published: November 2022

Image denoising is a class of image processing algorithms that aim to enhance the visual quality of the acquired images by removing noise inherent in them and is an active area of research under image enhancement and reconstruction techniques. Traditional model-driven methods are motivated by statistical assumptions on data corruption and prior knowledge of the data to recover while the machine learning (ML) approaches require a massive amount of training data. However, the manual tuning of hyperparameters in model-driven approaches and susceptibility to overfitting under learning-based techniques are their major flaws. Recent years have witnessed the amalgamation of both model and ML-based approaches. Infusing model-driven Bayesian estimator in an ML-based approach, supported by robust mathematical arguments, has been shown to achieve optimal denoising solutions in real time with less effect of over-fitting. In this chapter, the evolution of image denoising techniques is covered from a mathematical perspective along with detailed experimental analysis for each class of approach.
Potential Market-Predictive Features Based Bitcoin Price Prediction Using Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: P. Umamaheswari , S. Abiramasundari , M. Kamaladevi , P. Dinesh
Published: November 2022

Bitcoin is a type of digital currency or computerized money that is utilised for speculation around the world. Bitcoins are files that are saved in a digital wallet programme on a mobile phone or a PC. Every transaction and its timestamp data are recorded in a common list known as blockchain. In this research, the cost of bitcoin is estimated utilising data mining techniques and machine learning algorithms. The dataset is preprocessed with the use of data mining algorithms, which reduces data noise. Bitcoin's price fluctuates, and it is estimated using long short-term memory (LSTM), a type of neural networking, to extract acceptable patterns for modelling and prediction. Discovering recurring patterns in the bitcoin market is a necessary endeavour in order to achieve optimal bitcoin price functionality. The dataset consists of numerous regularly reported bitcoin price features every year. Linear regression (LR) technique is used to estimate the future cost of bitcoin. Daily price shift with the best possible precision by using the available data is also estimated.
An Intelligent 8-Queen Placement Approach of Chess Game for Hiding 56-Bit Key of DES Algorithm Over Digital Color Images
Authors: Raghupathy Bala Krishnan , N. Rajesh Kumar , Govindarajan Priya , G. Manikandan , Swaminathan Senthilraj
Published: November 2022

Secured data transmission between the communication channels would be a challenging. Attainment of secured key transmission of cryptographic algorithms between communication channel partners is one of the most difficult tasks in data communication. Various cryptography and steganographic principles have been presented for this purpose. This chapter presents a new steganographic approach in which the 56-bit key of data encryption standard (DES) algorithm is safely conveyed between communicators by embedding it in a color digital image. The popular chess game-based 8 Queens placement scheme is used to identify pixel positions for the key embedding process. From observational consequences, it is accomplished that the nominated scheme would lead to achieving assured content contagion over the network.
Multipath Convolutional Neural Network for Brain Tumor Detection (CNN)
Authors: Chandrakar Mukesh Kumar , Mishra Anup , Kumar Arun
Published: November 2022

Brain tumor segmentation is a new automated medical image diagnosis application. A robust strategy to brain tumor segmentation and detection is an ongoing research problem, and the performance metrics of present tumor detection systems are little understood. Deep neural networks employing convolution neural networks (CNN) are being investigated in this regard; however, no generic architecture that can be employed as a robust technique for brain tumor diagnosis has been discovered. The authors have suggested a multipath CNN architecture for brain tumor segmentation and identification that outperforms existing approaches. The proposed work has been tested for datasets BRATS2013, BRTAS2015, and BRATS2017 with significant improvement in dice index and timing values by utilizing the capability of multipath CNN architecture, which combines both local and global paths. It was the objective to provide a simple and reliable method to determine segmentation and detection of brain tumor using brain tumor interface techniques (BCI).
Algorithmic Approach for Spatial Entity and Mining
Authors: Govindarajan Priya , R. Balakrishnan , Kumar N. Rajesh
Published: November 2022

Mining has gained its momentum in almost every arena of research. The mining can be either spatial or non-spatial based on the search query. For classifying or for grouping the spatial data, algorithms with extended perspectives are projected in this chapter. Besides framing algorithms, one can also provide mass points based on the required attributes as well as indexing techniques. The extended algorithms can also be manipulated for efficient and robust solution with respect to different parameters.
Attraction of Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) to synthetic volatile pheromone lures during field bioassays in western Idaho, United States of America, community analysis, and a method to design region-specific multicomponent volatile pheromone lures
Authors: Lyons-Yerion Claudia D. , Cook Stephen P. , Williams Christopher J.
Published: November 2022

The identification of volatile pheromones attractive to and produced by many species within the family Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) has spurred development of synthetic pheromone lures that can be used to assess cerambycid populations and to monitor for invasive and rare species. We applied this method of trapping to examine cerambycid attraction to pheromone compounds and to initiate an analysis of the cerambycid communities within western Idaho, United States of America. A total of 8195 cerambycids, representing 67 species, 17 tribes, and 42 genera within six subfamilies of the Cerambycidae, were captured. Thirteen volatile pheromone lures were tested over three years, and a significant treatment effect was detected for nine cerambycid species. No significant differences were found among sites for species richness, diversity, or evenness. No significant differences were found among lures for species richness or diversity, but a significant difference was detected among lures for species evenness. We propose a method for designing a multicomponent lure, based on data from the target region, to maximise the number of species captured and to target specific cerambycid species within a targeted region.
Thrombosis and hemostasis at the University of Padua: a reappraisal on the occasion of its 800th year of history
Authors: Simioni Paolo , Pengo Vittorio , Prandoni Paolo
Published: November 2022

The year 1222 has traditionally been accepted as the University of Padua’s founding date. The University of Padua is a prestigious center for learning and research, and over the centuries, it has produced luminaries in the most significant disciplines, including medicine, law, philosophy, theology, literature, engineering, astronomy, physics, politics, and religion. The Studium of the teaching of Medicine began around 1250 with the establishment of the Collegium of Medical and Arts Doctors. The history of Medicine at Padua University is extraordinarily rich and counts on the contribution of masters such as Vesalius, Falloppia, Girolamo Fabrici d’Acquapendente, William Harvey, Vallisneri, Ramazzini, Morgagni and many others including Galileo Galilei himself. This year marks the 800th anniversary of the University of Padua, and to commemorate this historic event, the Editor has asked the three of us to summarize the university’s most significant contributions to the fields of hemostasis and thrombosis over the past eight decades. Among all, it should be mentioned the relevant contribution of Prof. Antonio Girolami, who was the founder of the group of Thrombosis and Hemostasis in Padua and one of the Italian and international leaders in the field of the diagnosis and treatment of congenital bleeding disorders. However, due to the large number of outstanding scientists and significant research conducted in these fields at Padua University, it was extremely difficult for us to provide a concise summary of the university’s numerous contributions. Eventually, we concluded that it would be more useful to share with the Readers the experiences we have had over the past several decades, focusing on specific aspects of our research, work, and life at Padua University, and attempting to highlight the aspects that we believe have contributed most to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of thrombosis and hemostasis. Therefore, three topics have been selected and presented separately in a narrative format as pieces of our lives and of the history of our university.
Dialisi nel fine vita: quando è eticamente giustificato desistere?
Authors: Corsano Barbara , Sacchini Dario , Panocchia Nicola , Spagnolo Antonio G.
Published: November 2022

Introduzione: la malattia renale cronica è una causa significativa di decesso. I malati che progrediscono verso la malattia renale allo stadio terminale spesso iniziano la dialisi come trattamento salva-vita. Esistono diverse questioni etiche relative alle decisioni di iniziare/non iniziare o mantenere/non prolungare la dialisi, in particolare per i pazienti con deficit cognitivo e comorbilità, dove la decisione diventa più complessa. Obiettivo: attraverso il caso di un paziente di 56 anni, affetto da cancro laringeo e insufficienza renale cronica end-stage in trattamento sostitutivo emodialitico trisettimanale – oltre che da altre comorbidità – si intendono approfondire gli aspetti etici connessi alla valutazione della proporzionalità e dell’appropriatezza etico-clinica del trattamento dialitico in pazienti che hanno una prognosi infausta “quoad vitam” a breve termine e presentano deficit cognitivo. Discussione: il trattamento dialitico, quale trattamento sostitutivo della funzione renale, sebbene abbia sempre una finalità palliativa e sia tecnicamente praticabile, in determinate circostanze potrebbe configurarsi come ostinazione irragionevole ed essere un penoso prolungamento del processo del morire. Conclusioni: nel valutare l’appropriatezza clinica e la proporzionalità del trattamento dialitico è stata importante una valutazione interdisciplinare e il coinvolgimento dei familiari che ha portato all’elaborazione di un documento condiviso di orientamento etico assistenziale. All’interno di tale documento sono stati individuati gli obiettivi di cura e ciò che rappresentava il miglior bene per il paziente.
Does import parity pricing constitute evidence of excessive pricing and what are the consequences of attempting to remedy it?
Authors: Murgatroyd Richard , Baker Simon
Published: November 2022

Although provisions prohibiting abuses of dominance through the setting of excessive prices have long been present under many competition jurisdictions, prohibitions have been seldom applied in practice. This is most likely due to the profound conceptual and practical difficulties in differentiating between pricing conduct that is neutral from a competition law perspective and conduct that genuinely constitutes excessive pricing, and then further problems in remedying genuine abuses. However, recent developments in South African competition policy have focussed on use of import parity pricing as a possible indicator of excessive pricing, although in our view the mere existence of import parity pricing is unlikely to be a reliable indicator of such conduct. This paper draws upon economic theory and relevant jurisprudence to provide clarity as to the circumstances under which import parity pricing might reflect excessive pricing. It then considers the prospects for effective remedies if an abuse is identified.
Theory and practice in the use of merger remedies: Considering South African experience
Authors: Robb Genna , Ngwenya Avias
Published: November 2022

There has been considerable debate internationally around the relative advantages and disadvantages of structural and behavioural remedies. In mergers which raise competition concerns, prohibition or divestiture may prevent merger efficiencies from being realised, and therefore behavioural remedies may seem attractive. However, these can prove difficult or impossible to enforce in practice. The merger approval rates of the South African competition authorities are in line with the practice of international agencies, but the number of behavioural remedies imposed is relatively high. This paper briefly considers the international literature on merger remedies before analysing South African merger decisions and making a comparison with other jurisdictions. It then presents a review of a decision made by the Tribunal in the merger between Astral Foods and National Chick in 2001, which was approved with both structural and behavioural conditions. Finally, the paper draws conclusions for the design of remedies in future.
A note on the seasonality of stock returns on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange
Authors: Bradfield D. J.
Published: November 2022

Evidence from studies on the major stock exchanges world-wide suggests that stocks listed on these markets earn abnormally high returns in the month of January. In this article the seasonality of stocks on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange is empirically investigated. Surprisingly no January effects are found, however, a significant December seasonal effect is documented. A plausible explanation for this finding is offered.
Evaluation of microcomputer utilization in small- and medium-sized businesses
Authors: Havenga J. J.D. , Bruwer P. J.S.
Published: November 2022

This paper presents the result of an empirical study on the use of microcomputers by small and medium-sized businesses in South Africa. A number of countries were included in the survey. The purpose of this study was to establish, through the use of 51 variables in the project, what major problems small and medium-sized businesses experience in the use of microcomputers in a developing region such as southern Africa. Special emphasis was placed on the main reasons for purchasing microcomputers, types of software used, as well as training and experience in handling this equipment in the management of a small business. Major findings included a greater computer literacy amongst users, with a strong tendency towards computer application for more sophisticated purposes such as decision making means of support.
The persistence of performance of South African unit trusts
Authors: Firer C. , Beale J. P. , Edwards M. D. , Hendrie J. N. , Scheppening D. C.
Published: November 2022

This study examines persistence of performance in South African general equity and fixed income unit trusts over the period January 1989 to December 1999. The formation and holding periods studied ranged from one quarter to two-years. Significant persistence was found for most combinations of formation and holding periods for risk-adjusted equity unit trusts. It is suggested that choosing equity unit trust winners from the previous two-years and holding them for the next two-years may be the best long-term strategy to adopt. The fixed income unit trusts showed far less significant persistence than the equity unit trusts with loser-loser persistence predominating.
The Esthetics of the Nasolabial Fold and Age in the Elderly Via Eye-Tracking
Authors: Tanaka Orlando Motohiro , Cavassin Lorenzo Daroit , Gasparello Gil Guilherme , Meira Thiago Martins , Miyoshi Caio Seiti , Hartmann Giovani Ceron
Published: November 2022

Background:

Facial aging is associated with the loss of soft tissue fullness. Perioral signs of facial aging can add years to individuals’ appearances and even affect their facial expressions in smiling and nonsmiling images.

Aims:

To evaluate the influence of the nasolabial fold on the visual perception of esthetics and age in the elderly, eye-tracking and a visual analog scale were used.

Material and Methods:

This study applied a cross-sectional study using 40 laypeople. Facial images of an elderly woman were modified to include facial expression lines such as nasolabial folds and marionette lines with no folds, intermediate, and accentuated depths folds. Eye tracking was implemented to measure the average number of fixations. Heat maps and dot maps were generated using eye-tracking software. A visual analog scale of attractiveness and age perception questionnaire were also incorporated into the study. Statistical analysis was performed using a significance of (P<0.05).

Results:

The majority of visual attention was paid to the eye and mouth areas. In the images with no folds, the right eye attracted a greater degree of fixation. In the images in which nasolabial folds were accentuated, the mouth area served as an area of high fixation. No statistical difference was observed between the groups in which smiling images were viewed. Nonsmiling images demonstrated significant differences between groups for variables including time until first fixation, complete fixation time, and number of fixations on the eyes and hemifaces. Old age and diminished attractiveness were associated with attenuated nasolabial folds, especially in nonsmiling images.

Conclusion:

The facial lines and expressions of elderly female individuals were assessed by laypeople using eye-tracking, showing that the deeper one’s nasolabial folds, the more aged and less attractive one appears, especially in nonsmiling images. Smiling pictures were perceived to be more attractive and youthful; these perceptions should be considered in the search for improved esthetic results, whether in dental or facial esthetic treatments.
Characterization of the anopheline vector breeding habitats: Implications for elimination of malaria in tribal inhabited Car Nicobar Island
Authors: Sunish I.P. , Shriram A.N. , De Amitabha , Sugunan A.P. , Vijayachari P.
Published: November 2022

Background & objectives:

Malaria is an important public health problem in Andaman & Nicobar archipelago. Among the three districts, Nicobar is the most endemic district where API is >2. In this district, the malaria incidence in Car Nicobar Tehsil has declined steadily over the past 10 years. A renewed initiative to consolidate this gain is being made with the ultimate objective of achieving zero indigenous transmission of malaria in Car Nicobar. So, the present study undertook a close environmental monitoring of water bodies for assessing changes in the risk potential of mosquito vector breeding habitats which can augment the elimination programme.

Methods:

The breeding habitats of anopheline mosquitoes were sampled in 16 areas of Car Nicobar Island for eight time periods during 2017-2020. Along with anophelines, various associated water parameters (n=60) were estimated, viz. physicochemical (n=13), and biological, which included culicine mosquito immatures, insect predators (n=5), phytoplanktons (n=31) and zooplanktons (n=10).

Results:

In the 16 study sites, overall 1126 surface water stagnating bodies constituting 21 different habitat types were surveyed. Of these, 17 were positive for anopheline breeding. Water bodies from three villages were consistently found to be positive for anopheline breeding. However, early instars of anopheline larvae were more abundant compared to the late instars. Four anopheline species were recorded, including Anopheles sundaicus, A. barbirostris, A. insulaeflorum and A. subpictus, in which 48 per cent were A. sundaicus. Multivariable analysis indicated that anopheline density was significantly higher in permanent water bodies than in temporary habitats (P<0.05) (high risk of anophelines). The highest pH (≥8.2), dissolved solids (≥0.39) levels showed significantly (P<0.05) decreased larval densities (lower risk of breeding), adjusted with breeding sites and season. Nitrite levels increased (P=0.022) larval densities.

Interpretation & conclusions:

The present study facilitated estimating the productive period of a larval habitat enabling target larval sources to reduce adult populations. Implementing larviciding strategy before monsoon season is presumably the most cost-effective strategy. The output can be utilized for environmental monitoring of mosquito breeding risk in other malaria endemic areas, particularly where medium/large water bodies are the predominant breeding sites for malaria vectors.
Enablers & challenges of tribal women & health system for implementation of screening of non-communicable diseases & common cancers: A mixed-methods study in Palghar district of Maharashtra, India
Authors: Birje Shantanu , Patil Anushree Devashish , Munne Kiran Ramdas , Chavan Vidya , Joshi Beena Nitin , Akula Anamika , Salvi Neha , Nair Smitha , Valawalkar Shahanara Prabhu , Tandon Deepti , Chauhan Sanjay , Patil Devendra , Babu Bontha V.
Published: November 2022

Background & objectives:

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and cancers of breast, oral cavity and cervix contribute to around 5.87 million (60%) deaths in India. Despite this, there is limited evidence on preparedness of the tribal health system in mitigating these conditions. This mixed-methods study aimed at identifying enablers and challenges using a multistakeholder approach for the screening of NCDs and common cancers in a tribal block of Maharashtra, India.

Methods:

This study was conducted in a tribal community of Dahanu taluka in Palghar district of Maharashtra. A total of nine focus group discussions (FGDs) among tribal women and accredited social health activists (ASHAs), 13 key informant interviews (KIIs) among auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) and community health officers (CHO) and facility surveys of five public health facilities were conducted. The FGDs and KIIs were conducted using guides, recorded digitally, transcribed, analyzed and triangulated to identify emerging themes.

Results:

The tribal women had limited knowledge about NCDs and common cancers. Paucity of health facilities, out-of-pocket expenditure, misconceptions, belief on traditional healers and inability to prioritize health were identified as major challenges. The ASHAs were recognized as a key connecting link between health system and community while provision of culturally appropriate IEC materials and adequate training were recognized as critical enablers by healthcare providers in implementing screening for NCDs and common cancers.

Interpretation & conclusions:

The study recommends incorporating socioculturally relevant strategies in the tribal population and strengthening health facilities in terms of infrastructure and training with involvement of ASHAs for successful implementation of the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) through health and wellness centres.
Epidemiological scenario of leprosy in marginalized communities of India: Focus on scheduled tribes
Authors: Sharma Mukul , Singh Pushpendra
Published: November 2022

The Scheduled Tribes (STs) are designated among the most disadvantaged social groups in India. Until the year 2005 (pre-elimination era of leprosy in India), several leprosy-specific control field programmes were implemented, which have been discontinued subsequently. Since then, leprosy diagnosis and treatment have been integrated with General Health Services. Thereafter, specialized expertise for the early diagnosis of leprosy has been gradually diminishing, especially at the peripheral clinics in remote areas. Hence, leprosy cases usually remain undetected for a long time and persist as endemic reservoirs. The tribal population of India accounts for just 8.6 per cent of the overall population. However, 18.5 per cent of the new leprosy cases were detected within the tribal community in the year 2020, indicating a disproportionately high burden of leprosy among the tribal population. Recent data suggest that these health disparities can be mainly related to the increased marginalization of STs as compared to other communities. This shows the need to further explore the current situation of leprosy in STs so that suitable interventions can address the contributing factors, leading to health inequalities in disadvantaged socio-economic groups. Therefore, this review aims to present the current distribution of leprosy in marginalized communities with a special emphasis on STs. Further, this review discusses how resources might be mobilized for such communities to find and treat undetected leprosy patients in STs to enable effective control of leprosy through early detection and timely treatment.
Serological survey for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among tribal communities of Odisha post-second wave
Authors: Kshatri Jaya Singh , Bhattacharya Debdutta , Giri Sidhartha , Palo Subrata Kumar , Kanungo Srikanta , Mansingh Asit , Parai Debaprasad , Dany Subha Soumya , Bisoyee Anjan , Choudhary Hari Ram , Sinha Abhinav , Sahoo Rakesh Kumar , Bhoi Trilochan , Mohanta Amiya Ranjan , Ota Akhila Bihari , Mohanty Bigyanananda , Sahoo Uttam Kumar , Pati Sanghamitra ,   Odisha State Serosurvey Team
Published: November 2022

Background & objectives:

Serial national level serosurveys in India have provided valuable information regarding the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the general population, but the impact of the ongoing pandemic on the tribal population in India is not well understood. In this study, we evaluated the seroprevalence of COVID-19 antibodies in the tribal population of Odisha post-second wave (September 2021).

Methods:

A population-based, age-stratified, cross-sectional study design was adopted for the survey, carried out in seven tribal districts of Odisha from 30th August to 16th September 2021. A multistage random sampling method was used where serum samples were tested for antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein in each district, and a weighted seroprevalence with 95 per cent confidence interval (CI) was estimated for each district.

Results:

A total of 2855 study participants were included from the seven tribal districts of Odisha in the final analysis. The overall weighted seroprevalence was 72.8 per cent (95% CI: 70.1-75.3). Serological prevalence was the highest among 18-44 yr (74.4%, 95% CI: 71.3-77.3) and from Sambalpur district [75.90% (66.90-83.10)]. Among participants, 41.93 per cent had received at least one dose of any COVID-19 vaccine. Kandhamal district had the highest number of fully immunized participants (24.78%), and in Sundergarh district, most of the study participants (58.1%) were unimmunized.

Interpretation & conclusions:

This study found high seroprevalence against SARS-CoV-2 in the tribal population of Odisha. The vaccination coverage is at par with the general population, and efforts to address some knowledge gaps may be needed to improve the coverage in the future.
Undernutrition among Under-Five Children in Western Maharashtra
Authors: Gangurde Shweta , Jadhav Sudhir L. , Waghela Hetal , Srivastava Kajal
Published: November 2022

ABSTRACT

Background:

Undernutrition in under-five children still remains a major public health problem. Most of the under-five deaths are due to undernutrition, putting the child at more risk of catching common infections. The contributing factors for undernutrition may differ from one region to another.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to study undernutrition in rural under-fives.

Settings and Design:

A cross-sectional study was carried out. The study included 307 under-five children from a rural area of western Maharashtra. Information was collected on pretested semi-structured questionnaire after taking informed consent. The anthropological measurements were taken by standard methods. The statistical tests were performed and 5% level significance was taken for analysis.

Statistical Analysis Used:

Data were analyzed using software: WHO Anthro3.2.2, SPSS 26, and Epi Info v7.2.4.0.

Results:

More than half of the under-five children (56.3%) were found to be undernourished. The prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting was found to be 33.5%, 35.5%, and 12.4%, respectively. Logistic regression performed showed prelacteal feed, colostrum, BPL cardholder status, and per capita income to be significantly associated with undernutrition.

Conclusions:

Undernutrition still persists to be a major public health concern in rural areas. Most of the determinants of undernutrition are modifiable. The preventive and remedial measures should be an ongoing process to combat this problem.
Detection of Zika Virus in Oropharyngeal Swabs from Patients with Acute Febrile Illness
Authors: Loyola Steev , Popuche Dina , Rios Zonia , Huaman Alfredo , Ampuero Julia S. , Guevara Carolina
Published: November 2022

The isolation of Zika virus (ZIKV) from serum of suspected human cases for diagnostic purposes can be challenging due to infrastructure constraints of laboratory testing technology. Therefore, as an alternative method, the objective of this study was to evaluate a random sample of oropharyngeal swabs for the diagnosis of ZIKV infection among patients with symptoms of arboviral and respiratory illness. The results revealed that ZIKV RNA could be detected by a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay and isolated from oropharyngeal swabs from five of 38 samples, but serum samples from the same patients were negative for ZIKV by a variety of laboratory diagnostic approaches including RT-PCR and viral isolation followed by immunofluorescence assays. The findings suggested that the molecular detection and isolation of ZIKV in oropharyngeal swab warrants further study for consideration as an improved diagnostic procedure.
Trends and perspectives of microbial electrolysis cell technology for ultimate green hydrogen production
Authors: Koo Bonyoung , Jung Sokhee P.
Published: November 2022

Currently, gray hydrogen and blue hydrogen are widely recognized as renewable energy, but in reality, they are made from fossil fuels. The most important task to achieve the hydrogen-based society is the development of economic green hydrogen production technology. Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) is a next-generation energy-producing wastewater treatment technology that treats renewable organic wastewater and simultaneously produces the ultimate green hydrogen. For hydrogen production in MFC, it is necessary to input electrical energy into MEC. However, that energy is all covered by the energy produced by the MEC. Therefore, hydrogen production in MEC can be defined as the ultimate green hydrogen. This review contains an in-depth summary and analysis of the principles and feasibility of MEC technology, the composition and shape of MEC, electrode materials, and practical application cases in various types of wastewaters. Furthermore, compatibility and scalability with other environmental systems were reviewed at the pilot scale. Based on this, the technical limitations of MEC were diagnosed and future research directions for the practical application of MEC technology were suggested.
Impact of Sleep and Brain Science of Lucid Dreaming: Insights into Therapeutic Applications
Authors: Maciejewicz Berenika
Published: November 2022

Lucid dreaming is being conscious within one’s own dream. In recent years, dream lucidity has started to attract more attention not only from the broad neuroscience field but also from applied neurology, psychiatry, sports performance science, or art therapy areas. The aim of this research is to investigate and evaluate some of the therapeutic potentials of dream lucidity. The findings propose that the emergence of self-awareness during sleep could have various health and wellness benefits and applications. Analysis and evaluation of existing neuroscientific data on lucid dreaming was performed and combined with own investigations and methodological insights. In addition, virtual reality training and transcranial direct current stimulation areas of research were also investigated in the context of potential applications for inducing dream lucidity. Results show that various clinical and non-clinical applications of lucid dreaming techniques might be effectively employed in reducing nightmares, increasing mindfulness, or as an experimental treatment for individuals suffering from certain mental health disorders like narcolepsy or post-traumatic stress disorder. It’s further suggested that dream lucidity training might help with sleep quality while reducing daytime stress and anxiety. Nevertheless, further research and caution in this area are required to fully understand both the therapeutic benefits and potentially negative long term consequences of cultivating lucid dreaming.
Assessment of Farmers' Participation in the Value Chain of Rice Entrepreneurial Activities in Kwara State, Nigeria
Authors: GB Adesiji , JK Joseph , U Gunu , JY Adelowo
Published: November 2022

Entrepreneurship means creating wealth through togetherness of resources in new ways to start and operate an enterprise. Farmers can explore the enormous opportunities associated the value chain as source of livelihood. Pitching tent as an entrepreneur around rice value chain will serve as another source of income to compliment the profit to be generated during cultivation. The rate at which rural farmers involve in value chain is not encouraging and this has given room for the activities of middlemen and maximize the advantage at the detriment of the farmers. The study assessed the participation of farmers in the value chain of rice entrepreneurial activities in Kwara State, Nigeria, with the following objectives: identify sources of information available for the Rice Entrepreneurs; describe the attitude of rice entrepreneur towards rice entrepreneurial activities; assess the participation of rice entrepreneurial activities in the value chain. Multistage sampling technique was used to obtain primary data from 400 respondents in the study area using structured questionnaire. Structured interview schedule Findings revealed that fellow entrepreneurs (0.89) and radio (0.79) were the major source of the information of the respondents. Majority of the respondent have positive attitude towards rice entrepreneur activities in the study area. Also the respondent were majorly into processing and marketing value chain. The study concludes that the respondent participated greatly in processing and marketing. The study recommends that the government to make policy that will mobilize more women into rice entrepreneurs activities to improve their standard of living and Agricultural extension agent should be more proactive in services delivery.
Does Improved Management Practices Usage Affect Farm Income? Evidence from Cassava Farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria
Authors: MF Salami , KK Osasona , TB Ajibade , BO Fateru , OO Ibitomi
Published: November 2022

In the face of climate change, improved management practices (IMP) may play a significant role in driving up productivity and profitability. However, studies on the impact of IMP use on farm revenue, particularly among producers of cassava, have not gotten enough attention. So, we looked at how using Improved Management Practices affected the income of cassava growers in Kwara State, Nigeria. The specific goals were to: a) identify the Improved Management Practices used by cassava farmers; b) examine how using Improved Management Practices affected the farmers' farm income; and c) define the poverty profile of the cassava farmers. Using descriptive statistics, index ranking, correlation, and the Foster Greer and Thorbecke (FGT) poverty decomposition model, the cross-sectional data collected from 120 cassava farmers were analyzed. The findings showed that the three most commonly used Improved Management Practices in the research area were guided planting time, herbicides, and guided planting distance. Additionally, the intensity of IMP consumption positively and significantly affects farm income. According to the FGT results, 30% of farmers were in poverty. It is important to explore any tactics and laws that would encourage farmers to learn more about Improved Management Practices and, as a result, enhance the intensity of IMP usage.
Use of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) in stone mastic asphalt
Authors: A Naoshin , Z Muyen , MR Islam , FA Jolly
Published: November 2022

Re-use of waste materials Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) in industrial construction projects such as road pavement can be an effective method of waste management. This study aimed at evaluating the performance of Stone Mastic Asphalt containing 6%, 8%, and 10% waste PET. In this experiment, gravel as coarse aggregate, river sand as fine aggregate, shredded waste PET, and bituminous pitch as binding material were used for making polymer-modified asphalt samples. The study also dealt with the determination of the physical and mechanical properties of the cylindrical samples and compared them with the conventional asphalt samples. The test result shows that the density decreased with the increase in the percentage of waste PET and the maximum 10% addition of waste PET with conventional asphalt resulted in a 3% reduction in density. Percentage water absorption at 0% PET was 2.21% which increased with the increase in the percentage of waste PET and a maximum 10% addition of waste PET resulted in a 13% increase in water absorption. A maximum of 10% addition of PET in the mixture causes 30% reduction in tensile strength. It was identified that the tensile strength ratio (TSR) of the mixtures decreased with the addition of waste PET and Tensile Strength Ratio (TSR) values were above 70% which denoted that all mixes might have enough resistance against damage caused by moisture. However, the usage of waste PET in asphalt could be effective for low-density bituminous pavements and surfaces. So, this method could be the best option for recycling waste PET and thus could contribute to reducing the waste materials from the environment.