bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role Of Balance Training In Bilateral Foot Drop Following Guillian Barre Syndrome
Authors: B Mayuri Chandra  , Nalla Kranthi Reddy  , Naveen Kumar Balne  , Lakshmana Prasad Gadde
Published: July 2024

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) often leads to debilitating residual deficits, including bilateral foot drop, significantly impairing balance, and functional independence. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of balance training in patients with bilateral foot drop post-GBS. Eighteen patients were enrolled, and baseline assessments were conducted using the Berg Balance Scale, Functional Independence Measure, and Hughes GBS Disability Scale. Balance exercises, including swiss ball and wobble board exercises, were administered over three weeks. Significant improvements were observed in balance, functional independence, and disability scores post-intervention, suggesting the beneficial impact of balance training in enhancing outcomes for individuals with bilateral foot drop following GBS.
Grip Strength Assessed Using A Hand Grip Dynamometer And Michigan Hand Outcome Questionnaire As Predictors Of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Using Rapid Upper Limb Assessment Among Power Loom Silk Weavers
Authors: Pavana  , Karrishma Karampure
Published: July 2024

Background: Sericulture is a labor-oriented agro-based industry that significantly elevates India's rural economy. During weaving operations, workers adopt awkward postures and work long hours, which is one of the most important factors in their poor working efficiency and prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders.
Objectives: This study aimed to find the correlation between grip strength, the Michigan hand outcome questionnaire (MHQ), and work-related postural disorders among power loom silk weavers.
Design: Correlation study.
Methods: This study was conducted in a community setting. 120 power loom silk weavers were screened for work-related musculoskeletal disorders. A face-to-face interview was conducted to assess Grip strength, hand function, and work-related musculoskeletal disorders using the Hand dynamometer, MHQ, and RULA scales, respectively.
Results: By Spearman's correlation, the correlation between Bilateral Hand grip strength and MHQ was statistically significant p<0.001 and shows a strong positive correlation (r = 0.787) for right hand and (r = 0.741), a strong negative correlation (r = -0.594) for right hand and ( r = -0.538) for left hand was found between bilateral hand grip strength and RULA and the correlation between MHQ and RULA scores were statistically significant (p<0.001) shows a strong negative correlation (r = -0.583).The intercept is 8.298. An increase in MHQ (-0.022) and right-hand grip strength (- 0.030) will decrease RULA scores.
Conclusion: The study concluded that subjects with reduced hand grip strength and hand function were at higher risks of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders, and hand grip strength and MHQ are equally good predictors of these disorders.
Peranan Sistem Informasi Akuntansi Auk Solution Terhadap Efisiensi dan Efektivitas Operasional pada Mesin Injection di PT XYZ
Authors: Roup Abdul
Published: July 2024

This study aims to evaluate the impact of using the Auk Solution accounting information system on the efficiency and effectiveness of injection machine operations at PT XYZ. Data were collected from machine cycle time reports, Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) analysis, and energy monitoring over a specific period. The research results indicate a significant increase in operational efficiency and a reduction in energy costs following the implementation of the Auk Solution system..   
 
Keywords: , Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE). Energy monitoring, Scada
Optimización Tecnológica: Impulsando el Crecimiento Comercial de las PYMES en el Cono Norte de Lima-Perú
Authors: Ochoa Sotomayor Nancy Alejandra , Manrique Suarez Luis Humberto , Salazar Robles Hector Gavino , Salazar Mendoza Hector , Zuñiga Fiestas Luis Alfredo , Flores Masías Edward José
Published: July 2024

Las pequeñas y medianas empresas (PYMES) son el principal impulsor de la economía peruana, ya que originan el 80% de los oficios en el país. El objetivo de la presente investigación fue aplicar las tecnologías de información y comunicaciones en PYMES, conocer y usar las TICS, capacitar al personal en el uso de TICS y conocer los sistemas de información en las PYMES del Cono Norte de Lima con el fin de incrementar sus operaciones comerciales,  la investigación es no experimental, con enfoque cuantitativo de tipo descriptivo – explicativo, se empleó el método analítico-sintético; se analizó a PYMES del cono Norte de Lima Metropolitana, se determinó el tamaño de muestra con el método del coeficiente de variación,  (n= 96), el instrumento utilizado fue la encuesta. Luego del procesamiento de datos y contrastación de hipótesis, se llegó a la siguiente conclusión: existe relación positiva y significativa entre la aplicación de tecnologías de información y el incremento de las operaciones comerciales de las pequeñas y medianas empresas del cono Norte de Lima Metropolitana, obteniéndose un coeficiente de correlación de Spearman igual a rho=0,56 y un p-valor igual a 0,002.
The Effectiveness of Nutritional Interventions on Hypertension Control: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Farras Reyhan Muhammad
Published: July 2024

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of nutritional interventions in addressing hypertension, considering aspects such as food consumption, dietary patterns, and other nutritional interventions. Through meta-analysis, the research seeks to consolidate findings from various previous studies to provide a stronger conclusion regarding the effectiveness of nutritional interventions on hypertension and to establish a foundation for the development of more effective nutritional intervention programs for the prevention and control of hypertension. The research methodology employs a meta-analysis approach and literature research to evaluate relevant journal articles on the topics of "Hypertension," "Blood Pressure," and "Nutrition." Article selection criteria include publication years from 2015 to 2023, written in Indonesian or English, and document types "article research" and "review literature," resulting in a final selection of 10 articles for the meta-analysis study. The study findings indicate that nutritional interventions, such as reducing salt intake and adopting the DASH diet, are effective in lowering blood pressure, especially in individuals at high risk of hypertension. Dietary fiber supplements and early-life interventions also prove to significantly benefit blood pressure management. Holistically, emphasis on healthy eating patterns, active lifestyles, and the use of technologies like mHealth can help address hypertension issues among at-risk populations.
Green Strategies During Lower of Occupancy: The Best Practices of Facilities Management for Energy Optimization in Commercial Office Buildings
Authors: Mirza Faizal Muhammad Adli , Agus Salim Nuzaihan Aras
Published: July 2024

The increasing global emphasis on sustainability and environmental responsibility has influenced the field of Facilities Management (FM). Emphasis on energy consumption during peak hours has been widely studied by many researchers. However, FM also plays an important role in optimizing the use of energy during lower occupancy periods energy. This paper explores the implementation of green strategies within FM practices to increase and optimize energy use during lower of occupancy during working hours. This paper investigates the current green strategies for energy efficiency in commercial office buildings that can be conducted during lower of occupancy. Interviews and observation are conducted for three selected buildings to collect data and analyze which practices are suitable. This research uses qualitative methods by interviewing facility managers and BO Chargeman to gather detailed information and observations to gain more understanding of the situation of research by assembling the current practices of green strategies. This result will help the data collection to be more effective in gathering varied recommendations of the best practices of green strategies on energy efficiency focusing on lower occupancy periods. At the end of this study, it will figure out the best practices of green strategies that can be implemented in building energy efficiency purposes focusing lower occupancy periods. The finding shows adaptation to technology and training to provide awareness for occupants is the best practice to empower towards facility manager in Malaysia for energy optimization approaches.
Resilience as a component of ensuring the psychological health of teachers in the conditions of war
Authors: POLILUIEVA Inha , SAKHNO Oksana
Published: July 2024

The article examines the problem of psychological resilience of teachers in the conditions of war. Based on the analysis of scientific works, it is substantiated that resilience is the ability of an individual to face difficult life circumstances and find resources for recovery after a traumatic or stressful event. The main factors affecting the resilience of teachers in war conditions and their negative impact on the teacher are identified, examples of the model of work on the development of resilience are given. The main factors for choosing a resilience development model are highlighted. It was concluded that the resilience of teachers is an important factor that helps them cope with emotional stress, continue to work and provide quality education to their students. This is an important component of ensuring the psychological health of teachers in wartime conditions. The main areas of work with teachers on the development of resilience in war conditions are outlined.
PANDANGAN SOSIAL WARGA MEDAN MENGENAI WANITA BERCADAR: ANALISIS KONTEN TIKTOK @natta_wardah
Authors: Fatminadila Aulia , Rasyid Abdul
Published: July 2024

Terlepas dari kejadian-kejadian yang terjadi baru-baru ini di Indonesia, Kota Medan memiliki sedikit pemakai cadar. Cadar mendapat stigma karena kejadian-kejadian di Indonesia Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk terlepas dari kejadian-kejadian yang terjadi baru-baru ini di Indonesia, Kota Medan memiliki sedikit pemakai cadar. Cadar mendapat stigma karena kejadian-kejadian di Indonesia. Penelitian ini menggunakan TikTok untuk meneliti komunikasi, konsep diri, dan motivasi perempuan Muslim bercadar. Penelitian ini menggunakan penelitian kualitatif dengan menggunakan pendekatan studi kasus fenomenologi. Teknik pengumpulan data dalam penelitian ini menggunakan wawancara, observasi, dan dokumentasi. Sedangkan teknik analisis data menggunakan teori Miles dan Huberman yang meliputi reduksi data, display data dan penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa akun TikTok Komunitas Kota Medan @natta_wardah mengaitkan perempuan bercadar dengan kelompok Islam ekstremis. Gambar ini melabeli perempuan bercadar sebagai radikal. Media sosial mengubah perempuan bercadar. Identitas Muslim berdampak pada perkembangan perempuan bercadar. Lingkungan sosial membantu pandangan dunia dan pembentukan pengetahuan. Di TikTok @natta_wardah, perempuan bercadar secara terbuka membagikan kegiatan mereka. Wanita bercadar mengikuti ekstrakurikuler tanpa mengorbankan produktivitas. Selain itu, wanita bercadar dengan pakaian religius menggabungkan sifat-sifat mendasar. Wanita bercadar juga berdakwah, menghabiskan waktu bersama keluarga dan teman, menikmati hobi, dan menghasilkan uang melalui dukungan produk di Instagram. Media sosial mempromosikan wanita bercadar sebagai sesuatu yang dapat diterima oleh masyarakat umum, memberikan cadar sebuah identitas.
Mycena brunnescens (Basidiomycota, Mycenaceae), a new species of Mycena sect. Pterigenae from China
Authors: Zhang Hong , Xiao Ying , Tan Zhu , Shen Ai , Shen Bao , Tan Yun , Li Sai , Feng Li , Liu Zhu , Liu Li
Published: July 2024

Mycena (Pers.) Roussel (1806) is a large genus of Mycenaceae known for having small to medium-sized basidiomata. It is typified by the species Mycena galericulata (Scop.) Gray. For years, many mycologists have made important contributions to understanding Mycena and several monographs have been published. Three specimens were collected from China that belonged to the genus Mycena. On the basis of morphological analysis and phylogenetic analyses employing DNA sequences, a new species is described.

Mycena brunnescens sp. nov. is described as a new species from subtropical areas of China. It is characterised by its brown pileus, whitish lamellae that turns brown when bruised, orange to brown lamellae edges, the absence of pleurocystidia and cheilocystidia with simple or branched excrescences at the apex containing yellowish-brown contents. We performed phylogenetic analyses on a concatenated dataset comprising the internal transcribed spacer and large subunit regions of nuclear ribosomal RNA using Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood methods. The result showed that the new taxon clustered in an independent group and is closely related to M. albiceps and M. flosoides.
Incentive contracts when agents distort probabilities
Authors: González-Jiménez Víctor
Published: July 2024

I show that stochastic contracts generate powerful incentives when agents suffer from probability distortion. When implementing these contracts, the principal can target probability distortions in order to inflate the agent's perceived benefits of exerting high levels of effort. This novel source of motivation is absent in contracts traditionally regarded as optimal. A theoretical framework and an experiment demonstrate that stochastic contracts implemented with small probabilities, which expose the agent to a high degree of risk, generate higher performance than cost‐equivalent contracts with lower or no risk exposure. I find that probability distortions that result from likelihood insensitivity—cognitive limitations that prevent the accurate evaluation of probabilities—account for this finding. The results highlight the limits of contracts traditionally regarded as optimal.
How do voters respond to welfare vis‐à‐vis public good programs? Theory and evidence of political clientelism
Authors: Bardhan Pranab , Mitra Sandip , Mookherjee Dilip , Nath Anusha
Published: July 2024

Using rural household survey data from West Bengal, we find that voters respond positively to excludable government welfare benefits but not to local public good programs, while reporting having benefited from both. Consistent with these voting patterns, shocks to electoral competition induced by exogenous redistricting of villages resulted in upper‐tier governments manipulating allocations across local governments only for excludable benefit programs. Using a hierarchical budgeting model, we argue these results provide credible evidence of the presence of clientelism rather than programmatic politics.
Information transmission in persuasion models with imperfect verification
Authors: Silva Francisco
Published: July 2024

I study a persuasion game between a privately informed agent and a decision maker (DM) who can imperfectly verify the statements made by the agent by observing a signal that is correlated with the agent's information. I find that whether or not the DM benefits from communicating with the agent depends on whether the DM's signal and the agent's private information satisfy a weak affiliation condition. I then discuss the significance of this result to the debate over the use of self‐appraisals in business. I argue that, in general, self‐appraisals are only useful when the workers' abilities are multidimensional.
Active versus latent pulmonary tuberculosis: which one is the appropriate distinguishing biomarker?
Authors: Sarhan Rizk Sayad R. , Habashy Omnia Y. , Mohammed Raafat R. , Marei Yasmin M.
Published: July 2024

This study tried to assess the possibility of using the estimated levels of plasma expression of microRNAs (miR-) for distinguishing healthy subjects with latent pulmonary tuberculosis (LTB) from healthy controls (HC) and patients with active tuberculosis (ATB). Study participants included 30 newly diagnosed ATB patients, 30 of the households of ATB patients who were free of clinical manifestations, had normal chest radiography but had positive results on the whole-blood QuantiFERON tuberculosis (TB) Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) test (LTB patients), and 30 HC who were free of clinical symptoms and showed normal chest X-rays and negative QFT-GIT tests. All participants gave blood samples for quantitation of the plasma expression levels of miR- using the reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Plasma levels of miR-150-5p were significantly downregulated in ATB samples than in other samples. However, miR-155-5p and miR-378-5p were significantly overexpressed in patients' samples compared to HC's samples and in ATB samples compared to LTB samples. On the contrary, plasma miR-4523-5p showed significant upregulation in LTB samples compared to ATB and HC samples, indicating insignificant in-between differences. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed the ability of the estimated levels of the four miR- to differentiate TB patients from HC. Multivariate regression analysis defined expression levels of miR-155-5p and miR-378-5p as the significant biomarkers for distinguishing TB patients and levels of miR-378-5p and miR-4523-5p for identification of LTB patients. Pulmonary TB induces deregulated expression of miR-, according to the infection severity. An estimation of the expression levels of miR-378-5p and miR-4523-5p might be a reliable combination for identifying LTB patients.
Diabetic cardiomyopathy: Emerging therapeutic options
Authors: Fernandez Cornelius James , Shetty Sahana , Pappachan Joseph M
Published: July 2024

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DbCM) is a common but underrecognized com-plication of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Although the pathobiology of other cardiac complications of diabetes such as ischemic heart disease and cardiac autonomic neuropathy are mostly known with reasonable therapeutic options, the mechanisms and management options for DbCM are still not fully understood. In its early stages, DbCM presents with diastolic dysfunction followed by heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction that can progress to systolic dysfunction and HF with reduced ejection fraction in its advanced stages unless appropriately managed. Apart from prompt control of DM with lifestyle changes and antidiabetic medications, disease-modifying therapy for DbCM includes prompt control of hypertension and dyslipidemia inherent to patients with DM as in other forms of heart diseases and the use of treatments with proven efficacy in HF. A basic study by Zhang et al , in a recent issue of the World Journal of Diabetes elaborates the potential pathophysiological alterations and the therapeutic role of teneligliptin in diabetic mouse models with DbCM. Although this preliminary basic study might help to improve our understanding of DbCM and offer a potential new management option for patients with the disease, the positive results from such animal models might not always translate to clinical practice as the pathobiology of DbCM in humans could be different. However, such experimental studies can encourage more scientific efforts to find a better solution to treat patients with this enigmatic disease.
Clinically significant changes in anal sphincter hiatal area in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus and pelvic organ prolapse
Authors: Wang Qing-Hong , Liu Li-Hua , Ying Hua , Chen Ming-Xu , Zhou Chang-Jiang , Li Hui
Published: July 2024

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) increases with age and parity. Specifically, the prevalence of POP among women aged 20 to 39 is 9.7%, while it rises to 49% among women over 80 years old. Additionally, as the number of deliveries increases, the prevalence of POP also rises accordingly, with a rate of 12.8% for women with one delivery history, 18.7% for those with two deliveries, and 24.6% for women with three or more deliveries. It causes immense suffering for pregnant women.

AIM

To evaluate the relationship between the levator ani muscle’s hiatus (LH) area and POP in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) using perineal ultra-sound.

METHODS

The study cohort comprised 104 patients aged 29.8 ± 3.7 years who sought medical care at our institution between January 2021 and June 2023. All were singleton pregnancies consisting of 75 primiparas and 29 multiparas, with an average parity of 1.7 ± 0.5. According to the POP diagnostic criteria, the 104 subjects were divided into two groups with 52 members each: POP group (patients with GDM combined with POP) and non-POP group (patients with GDM without POP). Perineal ultrasound was used to measure differences in the anteroposterior diameter, transverse diameter, and LH area. Receiver operating characteristic curves were drawn to determine the optimal cutoff values for the LH anteroposterior diameter, transverse diameter, and area for diagnosing POP.

RESULTS

Statistically significant increase in the LH area, anteroposterior diameter, and lateral diameter were observed in the POP group compared with the non-POP group (P < 0.05). Both groups exhibited markedly elevated incidence rates of macrosomia and stress urinary incontinence. For the POP group, the area under the curve (AUC) for the LH area was 0.906 with a 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.824-0.988. The optimal cutoff was 13.54cm², demonstrating a sensitivity of 83.2% and a specificity of 64.4%. The AUC for the anteroposterior diameter reached 0.836 with a 95%CI: 0.729-0.943. The optimal cutoff was 5.53 cm with a sensitivity of 64.2% and a specificity of 73.4%. For the lateral diameter, its AUC was 0.568 with a 95%CI: 0.407-0.729. The optimal cutoff was 4.67 cm, displaying a sensitivity of 65.9% and a specificity of 69.3%. Logistic regression analysis unveiled that age, body weight, number of childbirths, total number of pregnancies, and gestational weight gain constituted the independent risk factors for the cooccurrence of GDM and POP.

CONCLUSION

Three-dimensional perineal ultrasonography of LH size and shape changes can effectively diagnose POP. Age, weight, number of births, number of pregnancies, and weight gain during pregnancy are independent risk factors affecting the cooccurrence of GDM and POP. GDM can increase the LH area in patients, and an enlarged LH leads to an increased incidence of POP.
Mitigating diabetes-related complications: Empowering metformin with cholecalciferol and taurine supplementation in type 2 diabetic rats
Authors: Attia Mai S , Ayman Fadwa , Attia Mohamed S , Yahya Galal , Zahra Mansour H , Khalil Magdi Mohamed Ibrahim , Diab Abdel Aziz A
Published: July 2024

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. Current treatment options like metformin (MET) effectively counteract hyperglycemia but fail to alleviate diabetes-associated complications such as retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, hepatopathy, and cardiovascular diseases.

AIM

To propose the supplementation of cholecalciferol (CHO) and taurine (TAU) to enhance MET efficacy in controlling diabetes while minimizing the risk of associated complications.

METHODS

The study involved sixty rats, including ten non-diabetic control rats and fifty experimental rats with type 2 diabetes induced by streptozotocin. The experimental rats were further subdivided into positive control and treatment subgroups. The four treatment groups were randomly allocated to a single MET treatment or MET combined with supplements either CHO, TAU, or both.

RESULTS

Diabetic rats exhibited elevated levels of glucose, insulin, Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), glycated hemoglobin%, lipid markers, aspartate aminotransferase, and malondialdehyde, along with reduced levels of antioxidant enzymes (catalase and superoxide dismutase). The administration of CHO and TAU supplements alongside MET in diabetic rats led to a noticeable recovery of islet mass. The antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties of the proposed combination therapy significantly ameliorated the aforementioned abnormalities.

CONCLUSION

The supplementation of CHO and TAU with MET showed the potential to significantly improve metabolic parameters and protect against diabetic complications through its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects.
A Clinical Audit of Post-Operative Outcomes of Laparoscopic Nissen’s Fundoplication in a Single Center in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Munguti Cecilia Muvenyi , Ndung'u Bernard
Published: July 2024

Introduction: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common benign condition with a population prevalence of 18–28%.  Laparoscopic antireflux surgery is increasingly being offered to patients with GERD in our setting; however, the outcomes remain  unknown.
Methodology: A retrospective clinical audit of patients who underwent laparoscopic Nissen’s fundoplication in a single center.  Data were summarized as mean (±SD) and median (interquartile range [IQR]); associations were analyzed with Chi square or Fischer’s  exact test. A Modified Visick scoring system was used to assess the severity of symptoms after surgery. Regression models were used to  analyze the factors associated with recurrence. Kaplan–Meier plots were plotted, and cox regression models, hazard ratio, and their  confidence intervals were calculated.
Results: A total of 127 patients were identified, with 6 having had previous laparoscopic Nissen’s  fundoplication. Post-operative modified Visick scores at 2 weeks and 3 months were 1.04 (±0.05) and 1.03 (±0.04), respectively, for both typical and atypical symptoms. The recurrence rate was 12.6%, with 87.4% 5-year recurrence-free survival.
Conclusion: Laparoscopic  Nissen’s fundoplication provides good control of both typical and atypical GERD symptoms with a low recurrence rate and a 5- year  recurrence-free survival that is comparable to universal rates.
Variations in the Branching of the Coronary Artery among Black African Population: A cadaveric study in western Kenya
Authors: Olgah Otieno Anyango , Domnic Marera Oduor , Gideon Ngwâ€™ena Magak
Published: July 2024

Introduction:  The right and the left coronary arteries are the principal branches of the coronary artery. These blood vessels are responsible for the overall blood supply to the muscles of the heart. Variations are anomalies in the branching pattern of the coronary arteries which can affect the amount of blood reaching the myocardium. This can lead to technical problems during procedures like cardiac catheterization causing misdiagnosis resulting in complications during diagnostic intervention in surgical procedures of the heart. This study sought to determine these variations among the black African population in Western Kenya by assessing the variations in the branching pattern of the coronary arteries.
Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used in the Maseno University, Uzima University and Masinde Muliro University Human anatomy laboratories which were selected through purposive sampling. Branches of the coronary artery was the dependent variable while gender was the independent variable. Seventy-two (72) sample size was calculated using Cochran's formula. Data sheets were used to capture the variables while descriptive statistics was used to calculate the frequency and percentage of variation in the branching of the coronary arteries. Pearson’s correlation test was used to analyze the relationship between the variables and variations with a P=≤ 0.05 considered as significant. Ethical approval was put into consideration and a license number: NACOSTI /P/22/21905 was issued.
Results: The posterior descending artery had the most variations on the left coronary at 20.8% artery while on the right the sinoatrial nodal artery varied most with 2.8% originating from the right aortic cusps while the remaining originating from the posterior descending artery.
Conclusions And Recommendations: Variations were most on the left coronary artery which could jeopardize surgeries leading to misdiagnosis and fatalities. Increased awareness among the population with early routine imaging is key in managing variations is needed.
Exploring Suicidal Ideation among Pregnant Women in Nigeria: Impact of adverse childhood experiences and resilience
Authors: Aroyewun Bushura Afolabi , Adeleke Angela Okeoghene , Sadiku Idris Adeshina
Published: July 2024

Background: With sustained attention toward preventing suicide, there is an increased need for baseline data on the prevalence and risk factors for suicidal behaviours among the underrepresented population in suicide literature – pregnant women. This study examined the prevalence and the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and resilience in suicidal ideation among pregnant women.
Material And Method: This study employed a cross-sectional research design and was conducted between January and April 2022. A total of 412 pregnant women were recruited through accidental sampling from six selected hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria. Data were collected by using the Beck Suicide Scale (B.S.S.), Adverse Childhood Experience International Questionnaire (ACEIQ), and Brief Resilience Scale (B.R.S.). The Statistical Product and Service Solution (SPSS) Version 24 was used to analyse the data.
Result: The prevalence of suicidal ideation among the study participants was 5.8% with older pregnant women (31-50 Years) reporting significantly higher scores on suicidal ideation [t (410) = -2.23, p<.05) compared to younger pregnant women (18-30 years). Among the pregnant women, the result revealed a significant positive relationship between adverse childhood experiences and Suicidal ideation (r= .32, p><.01), while Adverse childhood experience, resilience, and age jointly predicted Suicidal ideation (R2 = 0.11, F (3,408) = 15.91, p >< .01) with no statistically significant relationship between resilience and suicidal ideation.
Conclusion: We recommend incorporating suicidal ideation screening and psychoeducation into the ante-natal clinic programme for pregnant women as preventive measures against suicide.
Factors Influencing Uptake of HIV/AIDS Care and Support Services among HIV Infected Adults in Baringo County, Kenya
Authors: Otara Danvas , Chebor Alex , Raballah Evans
Published: July 2024

Background: To attain long-term health, people living with HIV/AIDS need effective, trustworthy, prompt, and consistent access to HIV care and support services. However, recent reports in Baringo County, show that many patients under care are defaulting to treatment for unknown reasons. This study aimed to determine the factors influencing the uptake and retention of HIV care services. Materials And
Methods: The study was conducted at comprehensive care centres in Baringo County. An analytic cross-sectional study design was used to examine the factors influencing the uptake of HIV/AIDS care and support services in HIV-infected adults. A total of 580 study participants were enrolled into the study. We used an interviewer-administered questionnaire to collect the data. Quantitative data was analyzed in SPSS version 27. Inferential statistics (Univariate and bivariate) analyses were conducted at a p<0.05 significance level. Qualitative data was transcribed and analyzed thematically.
Results: The age of participants ranged from 18 to 84 years, with a Mean age ± SD (Range) in years of 41.4 ± 15.0. The Uptake level was 50.7%. Factors enhancing uptake included higher than primary level education (OR:1.7), CD4><500/µL (p >< 0.03), partner or spouse support (39.1%), incentives (45.7%), and lower monthly income less than Ksh 10,000 (p < 0.0001). Factors that negatively impacted uptake were lack of knowledge of available services (p<0.001), a long distance from treatment facilities (p >< 0.0001), high travelling costs (72.3%), feeling ashamed of attending clinic (p< 0.0001), residing in rural areas (p < 0.001), and provider not being available, especially on weekends and holidays (43.7%).
Conclusions: The data presented here suggests that education above the primary level, low CD4 counts, a supportive spouse, incentives, and lower monthly income enhance the uptake of HIV care services. A lack of knowledge about available services, long distances from treatment facilities, high travel costs, the stigma of clinic attendance, residing in rural areas, and the unavailability of treatment providers reduced the uptake of HIV care and support services in Baringo County.
A Proposed Dam Site Investigation Using Integrated Geophysical And Geotechnical Methods; A Case Study Of Loko Area, Northeastern Nigeria
Authors: F F Katty , B A Ankidawa , G I Obiefuna , Y B Valdon , I A Kwami
Published: July 2024

The need for dam construction in the Loko area of northeastern Nigeria becomes necessary due to consistent flooding in the area and the demand for water for agricultural and domestic purposes. It is therefore very important to carryout adequate pre-construction investigations aimed at investigating the suitability of the area for dam siting. Geophysical and geotechnical investigation was carried out along River Loko. Detailed geologic mapping carried out showed that the area is 75% covered with alluvium while basalts and fine – medium grained granites underly the smaller portion of the area. A total of 10 Vertical Electrical Soundings were carried out using Schlumberger array. Disturbed soil samples were collected at a depth interval of 0.3m, from the surface to 1.2m, from three trial pits. Results of the geophysical survey show a 3 – 4-layer model consisting of H, HA, AH-type curves, interpreted with Interpex IX1D software. Results of the particle size distribution show that most of the samples are very uniform having a coefficient of uniformity of less than 5 according to (AASHTO) classification all the soil samples collected at the three trial pits are specifically A-3 soil group, which indicates that the material are fine sands. The Atterberg limit results indicate that most of the soil samples fall within the medium plasticity index. Soils with high plasticity (22.35) and medium plasticity (9) are usually semi-impervious to impervious, hence, suitable for dam foundation. The result of the unsoaked CBR compared with the standard, according to AASHTO, indicates that all samples fall under 7-20 which shows a general rating as ‘fairly soil’ and can be used as ‘sub-base’. Compaction results show that for Pit 1, the sample at 0.3m, with MDD 1700kg/m3 at OMC 20.0%, is the best sample. For Pit 2, the sample at 0.9m, with MDD 2400kg/m3 at OMC 10.0%, is the best, and for Pit 3, the sample at 0.3m, with MDD 1800kg/m3 at OMC 11.0%, is the best. The interpretations of the undrained shear strength result indicate that all the samples have ‘soft consistency’ since their values range from 23.0 to 25.7 KN/m2. Based on the availability of construction material, perennial discharge from the river in addition to suitable geology and engineering properties, the area is feasible for an earth dam construction. Deep foundation is recommended for a massive rock filled dam, and some remediation is required in the design process to reduce the threat posed by thin fractures which may possibly cause subsurface seepage.
Innovativeness Of Small And Medium-Scale Firms In Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State, Nigeria: The Role Of Financing Choices
Authors: Awara Eke Felix , Chikulirim Eke Ihuoma
Published: July 2024

Financing choices of firms are conscious decisions that are made concerning how it finances its activities which can either be beneficial or detrimental to firms’ outcomes. Specifically, this study aimed at finding out the impact of financing choices (internal, external and debt-equity financing) on innovation of firms in Calabar Metropolis, Cross River State, Nigeria using logit regression model. The study used primary survey data collected from Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Calabar, Cross River State in a survey conducted between December 2021 and January, 2022. A non-probability sampling technique was adopted in selecting firms included in the study. The survey was conducted face-to-face using a questionnaire and data was collected from 142 MSMEs covering sectors such as trade, manufacturing, services, agriculture, education, and health. However, data from 134 eligible firms with complete information was coded and analysed. The study specified and estimated three equations on the effect of financing choices on innovation. It was discovered that internal and external financing had insignificant effect on product and process innovation, while internal financing had a negative and significant effect on innovation proxied by expenditure on research and development (R&D). The study recommends increased diversified investment portfolio for small and medium-scale enterprises as this has been found to increase the propensity of these firms to innovate especially in research and development.
Internet addiction among undergraduate students in Southern Nigeria: Implications for policy and practice
Authors: Ogboghodo Esohe , Omoregie EK , Omoike E , Omuemu Vivian
Published: July 2024

Background: Internet addiction among undergraduate students is a growing concern globally, with potential implications for academic performance and overall well-being. However, limited research has been conducted on the prevalence of internet addiction among undergraduate students in Southern Nigeria. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with internet addiction among undergraduate students at the University of Benin in Southern Nigeria.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students at the University of Benin selected by a multi-stage random sampling technique. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire adapted from the Internet Addiction Test by Young. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 22.0, with a significance level set at p < 0.05.
Results: Four hundred and ninety-nine respondents participated in this study with a mean age of 20.5±2.7 years. Out of 499 respondents surveyed, 392 (78.6%) were addicted to the internet. Of these, 356 (90.8%) exhibited mild addiction, 35 (8.9%) had moderate addiction, and 1 (0.3%) had severe addiction. Male gender (p=0.037) was found to have a significant association with the prevalence of internet addiction.
Conclusion: This study highlights the alarming prevalence of internet addiction among undergraduate students at the University of Benin in Southern Nigeria. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address internet addiction among undergraduate students in Nigeria.
Medical social work roles, inter-professional collaborative practice and factors impeding practice in hospital settings: A literature review
Authors: Musuguri Joseph N. , Makuu Mariana J.
Published: July 2024

Aim: This article reviews literature on medical social work practice in hospital settings. The overall goal of medical social work practice in hospitals is to prevent and reduce negative psychosocial-spiritual consequences due to diseases and teach patients and families how to mobilise the available resources. Undeniably, medical social work practice is integral to medical and hospital settings, predominantly when working in a team to improve the patient’s treatment outcome. Methods: This article reviewed online research articles and reports on medical social work practice in hospital settings. Keywords used in conducting the literature review were: medical social work practice, hospital, health practitioners, roles of medical social workers, and inter-professional collaborative practice. The Boolean Operator conjunctive ‘AND’ was used in the mixture of these keywords to enlarge the search process. The databases used for electronic searches of the literature were Google Scholar, ProQuest Central, PubMed Central, and ResearchGate. Results: We conclude that medical social workers perform different roles in the hospital settings nevertheless they are not understood by health practitioners, no consensus amongst health practitioners as to whether inter-professional collaborative practice contributes to the treatment outcome of patients. Factors impeding medical social work practice in hospital settings are also discussed. We suggest that what remains to be explored are the medical practitioners’ experiences in medical social work practice in hospital settings. Findings from this reviewed article contribute significantly to the field of medical social work which is in the infancy stage, particularly in Tanzania and comparable countries.
Studies on Crambidae V: Chalcibotys, a new genus of Spilomelinae from Africa (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae: Spilomelinae).
Authors: Maes Koen V.N.
Published: July 2024

A new genus Chalcibotys is erected in the Spilomelinae to group two new species who have external resemblances to Chalcidoptera appensalis var. aethiops Gaede,1917.
MAMA Decoction, Nigerian Herbal Antimalarial Preparation, Alters the Disposition of Amodiaquine in Healthy Humans
Authors: Adepiti A.O. , Adehin A. , Ogunlade O. , Asafa M.A. , Adeagbo B.A. , Bolaji O.O. , Elujoba A.A.
Published: July 2024

Background: MAMA Decoction (MD) is prepared from the leaves of Mangifera indica, Alstonia boonei, Morinda lucida and Azadirachta indica. A co-administration of MD with amodiaquine led to synergism in the clearance of malaria parasites in a  previous report. The pharmacokinetic basis for this observation was the subject of another study in mice which found significant MD- induced increase in the exposure and half-life of desethylamodiaquine, the major metabolite of amodiaquine.Objective: This study aimed at evaluating previously identified murine herb-drug interactions in healthy human volunteers.Materials and Methods: Single oral doses of amodiaquine (10 mg/kg) with/without MD (120 mg/kg) were coadministered to 16 healthy subjects in a three-period crossover design. Five millilitres of blood samples were collected employing sparse sampling from 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 h postdose, for each study period and analysed for amodiaquine and desethylamodiaquine contents. The effect of MD on amodiaquine disposition across study periods was investigated using a non-linear mixed-effect pharmacokinetic model which estimated population parameters with the stochastic approximation expectation maximization algorithm implemented in Monolix  2020R1.Results: The disposition of amodiaquine and desethylamodiaquine was each described, adequately, by two- and onecompartment structural models respectively, and a first-order oral absorption rate. The co-administration of amodiaquine with MD resulted in about 41% decrease in the apparent volume of distribution of amodiaquine (VAQ/F). Pre-administration of MD prior to amodiaquine led to a 22% decrease in VAQ/F.Conclusion: MAMA decoction appeared to decrease the tissue partitioning of amodiaquine in man. The consequence of this on effective  parasite clearance in man is, not yet understood.
In Silico Identification of Canthin-6-one as a Pancreatic Lipase Inhibitory Anti-Obesity Drug Lead from Hibiscus Sabdariffa
Authors: Ajala O.S. , Okechukwu P.U. , Innocent-Ugwu D.O. , Dada O.H.
Published: July 2024

Background: The therapeutic use of the only Pancreatic Lipase (PL) - inhibiting anti-obesity drug available in clinical practice, orlistat, is  bedevilled with unbearable side effects, necessitating the discovery of new and better-tolerated ones. Hibiscus sabdariffa, a folkloric anti- obesity plant is a plausible repertoire from which such agents could be sought.
Objective: The main objective of this work was to evaluate in silico the phytochemicals of Hibiscus sabdariffa for a possible identification  of potential leads for PL inhibitory anti-obesity drug discovery.
Methods: Phytoligands from H. sabdariffa were subjected to a series of in  silico evaluations including site directed docking, MM/GBSA calculations, SwissADME drug-likeness screening, Protox II-based toxicity  evaluations and a 20 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulation.
Results: MM/GBSA ranking of docked phytoligands and SwissADME  evaluations produced three PL inhibitor hits. One of them, canthin-6-one, demonstrated minimal end-organ toxicity with a 1200 mg/kg  LD50; its PL complex generated stability-implying root mean square deviation (RMSD), root mean square fluctuation (RMSF), radius of gyration (Rg) and solvent accessible surface area (SASA) plots, after the 20 ns MD simulation.
Conclusion: Hibiscus sabdariffa-based  canthin-6-one has demonstrated, in silico, high human PL binding affinity, impressive drug-likeness/toxicity profiles and stability-implying  MD simulation parameters. It is therefore, herein, recommended as lead for further in vitro, in vivo and molecular modification  studies for possible development into a clinical PL inhibitory anti-obesity drug.
Effect of Hibiscus Sabdariffa (Linn) Water Extract on the Pharmacokinetics of Lisinopril in Healthy Human Volunteers
Authors: Nasir I. , Aminu M. , Ismail A.M. , Oloyede R.B. , Salisu A.
Published: July 2024

No Abstract
Inhibitive properties of Garcinia kola (GK) in alkaline medium of aluminum alloy (AA4007)
Authors: Ajike E. E. , Lebe A. N. , Nwaokorongwu E. C. , Ogwo K. D. , Ahamefula C. Y.
Published: July 2024

The application of corrosion inhibitors is a more effective strategy tomitigate the impacts of aluminum corrosion. Phytochemical analysis, gravimetric technique, potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to investigate the inhibitory potentials of Garcinia kola aqueous leave extract for the corrosion of aluminum alloy (AA4007) in 1 M NAOH. The highest inhibition efficiency obtained was 98.5%. The result from the analyses collaborated that the leaf extract is a good inhibitor. The Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm is in agreement that the inhibitor is physisorption. Garcinia kola showed high corrosion inhibition efficiency on aluminum alloy.
An experimental analysis of machine learning techniques for crop recommendation
Authors: Vemulapalli Saritha , Sri M. Sushma , Varshitha P. , Kumar P. Pranay , Vinay T.
Published: July 2024

Taking a country into consideration where agriculture remains the primary occupation and farming still happens using conventional methods, the farmers are not able to produce anticipated yields. Modern farming strategies called precision farming play a vital role in improving crop yield and generating more profit for the farmers. This includes recommendations of crops that are suitable for specific fields based on soil conditions, temperature, rainfall, and humidity. To solve this problem, crop recommendation systems play an important role. In this research work, a crop recommendation system (CRS) was implemented using various machine learning algorithms that include random forest, decision trees, extreme gradient boosting (XG boost), and K-nearest neighbors (KNN). Experimental analysis was performed on the dataset collected from Kaggle. The Random Forest algorithm outperforms XG Boost, Decision Tree, and KNN with high accuracy and F1 score of 99.3% and 99.01% respectively. Hyperparameter tuning is additionally performed on XG Boost and Random Forest algorithms to improve accuracy. After hyperparameter tuning, the Random Forest algorithm outperforms XG Boost with an accuracy of 99.5%.