bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Challenges to The Implementations of Internal Quality Assurance Mechanisms in	Bayelsa Medical University
Authors: Teibowei Marie Therese
Published: April 2023

Since Nigeria's universities are responsible for cultivating the country's workforce, the decline in their quality has a knock-on effect on the country's social, economic, and technological advancements. In response to this issue, several organisations have been established to provide quality assurance in educational institutions. Many obstacles have been placed in the path of these organisations. The purpose of this article is to investigate the obstacles standing in the way of a successful quality assurance programme in Nigeria's publicly funded institutions of higher learning. In order to back up their claims, the authors used secondary sources in their research. Sorted and utilised in the paper were sources from both print and internet media. Inadequate funding, scarcity of academic staff, poor execution of quality control policies, insufficient infrastructural amenities, brain-drain, strike actions, corruption, weak oversight, and poor staff development are all issues that have been identified in this paper as impediments to quality assurance in Nigerian higher institutions. It has been proposed that the following measures be taken to ensure quality in Nigeria's higher institutions: sufficient funding, adequate employment of academic staff, provision basic infrastructures, fight against all forms of bribery, implement all agreements reached with the various union groups, encourage academic staff, direct monitoring, and effective staff growth
Undergraduates’ Level of Study as Determinant of Perception, Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Global Warming in Ekiti State, Nigeria
Authors: Abdu-Raheem Bilqees Olayinka
Published: April 2023

The study examined undergraduates’ level of study as determinant of perception, knowledge and attitude towards global warming among undergraduates in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The descriptive research survey design was adopted in this study. The population consisted of all undergraduates in all the Universities in Ekiti State. The sample for this study consisted of 600 undergraduates which were selected from the three universities in Ekiti State. The sample was selected through multistage sampling procedure. A questionnaire designed by the researcher tagged “Global Warming Questionnaire (GWQ)” was used to collect relevant data for the study. The face and content validity of the instrument was done by specialists in Social Studies and Tests and Measurement experts. The reliability of the instrument was ensured through test re-test method of reliability. The scores of the two tests were correlated using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient Analysis. The correlation coefficient of 0.82 was obtained which was good enough to make the instrument reliable. The research hypotheses generated were tested using inferential statistics. The study revealed that there was no significant difference in knowledge and perception of global warming among undergraduates based on level but there was significant difference between attitudes of undergraduates towards global warming based on level, It was recommended that curriculum planners and other education stakeholders should see to regular review of tertiary institutions curriculum by updating new developments on global warming into the curriculum for undergraduates to familiarize themselves with latest information concerning global warming.
Outcome of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention among Very Elderly Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease
Authors: Miraj Dr. A K Al , Hossain Dr. Muhammad Kamal , Azmain Masrur , Kabir Md. Alamgir
Published: April 2023

Cardiovascular disease, and ischemic heart disease (IHD), is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the very elderly patients worldwide. These patients represent a rapidly growing cohort presenting for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), now constituting more than one in five patients treated with PCI in real-world practice. From July 2020 we included 152 patients with IHD purposively in Cardiology department of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib
Adolescent Digital Wellbeing Definitions, Frameworks & Research: A Scoping Review
Authors:   Vanderbilt University, Hanebutt Rachel
Published: April 2023

Review question / Objective: (1) What is adolescent digital wellbeing, how has it been defined conceptually and operationally?; and (2) How has digital wellbeing been studied and applied in research and preventive interventions? Condition being studied: This review aims to determine the extent to which digital wellbeing has been defined, studied, and operationalized for individuals ages 10-18. This endeavor seeks to capture current definitions and framings of digital wellbeing as applied to adolescence, and also explicitly considers the methodologies used to study adolescent digital wellbeing and affiliated measures and outcomes used within various intervention contexts.
ПІДГОТОВКА МАЙБУТНІХ ВИХОВАТЕЛІВ ДО ФОРМУВАННЯ М'ЯКИХ НАВИЧОК У ДІТЕЙ ДОШКІЛЬНОГО ВІКУ ЗАСОБАМИ ХУДОЖНЬО-КОНСТРУКТИВНОЇ ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ
Authors: Борин Г. В.
Published: April 2023

У статті проаналізовано напрями вдосконалення професійної підготовки здобувачів освіти (майбутніх вихователів закладів дошкільної освіти) до формування м’яких навичок у дітей дошкільного віку засобами художньо-конструктивної діяльності. Уточнено, що до переліку м’яких навичок належать: комунікативні, які допомагають налагодити взаємодію з оточуючими людьми; розвинене критичне мислення; якості лідера; позитивне мислення; емоційний інтелект; самоорганізація; здатність до злагодженої командної взаємодії. Уточнено, що вихователь закладу дошкільної освіти є взірцем для наслідування, фасилітатором, який організовує освітній процес, отож чималу увагу зосереджено на формуванні м’яких навичок здобувачів освіти у процесі професійної педагогічної підготовки. Наголошено, що під час занять з художньої праці у дітей формуються художньо-конструктивні уміння та навички, розвиваються якості особистості (емпатія, емоційна чутливість), творчість, емоційний інтелект, самостійність, дисциплінованість, розвивається критичне мислення, що є базовим для формування «soft skills» у дошкільників. Здійснено аналіз особливостей застосування інтерактивних методів роботи у процесі професійної підготовки: розробка здобувачами освіти мнемокарт, мультимедійних дидактичних ігор. Значну увагу зосереджено на необхідності врахування у професійній підготовці майбутніх вихователів того, що художньо-конструктивна діяльність дошкільників є діяльністю, яка першочергово реалізує особистісну потребу в самовираженні шляхом виконання певних дій через маніпулювання відповідними приладами та матеріалами, набуття досвіду творчого перетворення навколишньої дійсності, що створює умови для формування у дітей дошкільного віку м’яких навичок. Схарактеризовано якості особистості, які формуються в процесі художньо-конструктивної діяльності.
New Energy Efficient Routing Protocol in Wireless Sensor Networks Using Firefly Algorithm
Authors: Leabi Safaa
Published: April 2023

Energy constraint has become the major challenge in designing wireless sensor networks. Network lifetime is considered the most substantial metric in these networks. The routing technique is one of the best choices for maintaining a network lifetime. This paper demonstrates the implementation of the new methodology of routing in WSN using Firefly swarm intelligence. Energy consumption is the dominant issue in wireless sensor network routing. For network cutoff avoidance while maximizing net lifetime, energy exhaustion must be balanced. Balancing energy consumption is the key feature for the rising net lifetime of WSNs. This routing technique involves the determination of the optimal route from the node toward the sink to make energy exhaustion balance in the network and at the same time maximize network throughput and lifetime. The proposed technique show that it is better than other some routing techniques like Dijkstra routing, Fuzzy routing, and ant colony (ACO) routing technique. Results demonstrate that the proposed routing technique has beat the three routing techniques in throughput and extend net lifetime.
Analysis study for Rabobank Group ICT Incident by using Fuzzy and Heuristic Miner in Process Mining
Authors: Andreswari Rachmadita , Millenia Frista , Rizky Juan , Haniyah Salma , Mufti Shofian
Published: April 2023

The decline in the marketing volume of Rabobank Group ICT is a serious incident as it can hinder the implementation of an increasing number of software releases for business development. The Service Desk Agent records the activities that occur to find out the problems experienced in the form of an event log. Process mining can be used to generate process model visualizations based on event logs to explicitly monitor the business. Fuzzy Miner and Heuristic Miner algorithms can be used to handle complex event logs. In this study, an analysis of the Rabobank Group ICT incident was carried out with process mining using the Fuzzy Miner and Heuristic Miner algorithms. Process mining is done by discovery, conformance, and enhancement. Based on the results of the study, it is known that the division of the work area is not good enough to cause a team to work on a lot of events while there are other teams that only work on one event. Therefore, it is necessary to have a clear and balanced division of domains and workloads so that incidents do not recur.
Using Pearson Correlation and Mutual Information (PC-MI) to Select Features for Accurate Breast Cancer Diagnosis Based on a Soft Voting Classifier
Authors: Hashim Mohammed , Yassin Ali
Published: April 2023

Breast cancer is one of the most critical diseases suffered by many people around the world, making it the most common medical risk they will face. This disease is considered the leading cause of death around the world, and early detection is difficult. In the field of healthcare, where early diagnosis based on machine learning (ML) helps save patients’ lives from the risks of diseases, better-performing diagnostic procedures are crucial. ML models have been used to improve the effectiveness of early diagnosis. In this paper, we proposed a new feature selection method that combines two filter methods, Pearson correlation and mutual information (PC-MI), to analyse the correlation amongst features and then select important features before passing them to a classification model. Our method is capable of early breast cancer prediction and depends on a soft voting classifier that combines a certain set of ML models (decision tree, logistic regression, and support vector machine) to produce one model that carries the strengths of the models that have been combined, yielding the best prediction accuracy. Our work is evaluated by using the Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer datasets. The proposed methodology outperforms previous work, achieving 99.3% accuracy, an F1 score of 0.9922, a recall of 0.9846, a precision of 1, and an AUC of 0.9923. Furthermore, the accuracy of 10-fold cross-validation is 98.2%.
The Influence Of Lifestyle And Reference Groups On Halal Cosmetic Purchase Decision
Authors: SAMSUDDIN Ardian
Published: April 2023

PurposeWith the fourth industrial revolution, technology around the world is developing faster, enabling faster information transfer (Nabilah et al., 2021). This is exacerbated by the increasing number of internet users around the world. Internet use is prevalent in many areas of everyday life. The economic sector is the only industry that has been negatively affected by the emergence of the internet (Malay, 2022).
MethodologyThe methodology used in this research is quantitative. Consumers who took part in this survey had previously made purchases at Shopee.com. On the other hand, the minimum number of samples needed for this research is around 90 samples by using a questionnaire in determining the research. While the analysis tool uses multiple regression via SPSS.
FindingsThe results of the study suggest that keeping this in mind, it can be said that Electronic Word Of Mouth is a useful word of mouth tool for Shopee purchase recommendations. Electronic Word Of Mouth has a more dominant influence on the purity of purchases at Matahari Depart Store, so it is suggested that Matahari's management must be able to provide good service to consumers.
ImplicationThe implications of the research state that brand image lifestyle and electronic word of mouth promotion on purchasing decisions are very decisive for marketing. So that the brand can create a good product and increase purchases.
Les prophètes de l’Ancien Testament
Authors: Cazala Philippe
Published: April 2023

La Bible hébraïque réfléchit à la transmission de la révélation par la mémoire à partir de la figure de Moïse. Cependant, le développement d’une figure prophétique comme Jérémie, successeur de Moïse, modifie en profondeur le paradigme : désormais, la mémoire de la révélation est l’oeuvre de Dieu lui-même.
Se souvenir de Dieu selon saint Augustin
Authors: de Saxcé Anne
Published: April 2023

Cet article étudie la reprise et les transformations qu’Augustin fait subir à l’idée platonicienne de la réminiscence, et la manière dont il construit, à partir de la pensée de Platon, sa propre définition du rôle de la mémoire dans la recherche du bonheur. Est montrée l’importance de l’idée d’une mémoire du présent, et comment, avec une réflexion essentielle sur l’oubli, Augustin parvient à penser l’accès à Dieu sur le mode du souvenir.
Comment l’Europe s’organise-t-elle pour assurer la convergence des efforts en faveur des transitions verte et numérique ?
Authors: Drezet-Humez Valérie
Published: April 2023

Réussir la double transition verte et numérique constitue un défi majeur pour l’Union européenne. Dans son dernier rapport de prospective stratégique sur « le couplage des transitions verte et numérique », la Commission européenne souligne le fait que la mise en œuvre des deux transitions précitées doit être coordonnée et cohérente, afin d’identifier les opportunités, les arbitrages et les compromis à faire entre ces deux ambitions. Pour ce faire, elle recense dix domaines d’action clés pour accroître les synergies, tout en réduisant les risques potentiels qui découlent de ce couplage. Opérer les changements nécessaires au service d’une transition durable et numérique permettra de faire émerger une nouvelle économie régénératrice et neutre pour le climat. La Commission européenne est engagée et déterminée à faire avancer l’Europe sur la voie de cette double transition, tout en conjuguant cette orientation avec ses valeurs démocratiques et de justice sociale, et ce au bénéfice de l’ensemble des citoyens et des territoires.
Chronique sur la justice climatique en Europe (2015-2022)
Authors: Misonne Delphine , Torre-Schaub Marta , Adam Amélie
Published: April 2023

L’Europe connaît depuis l’année 2015 l’essor d’une jurisprudence dite « climatique », issue de l’activité judiciaire sans précédent d’associations, individus et collectivités territoriales. Alors même que les juges nationaux y répondent de manière inégale, l’on observe l’émergence d’éléments communs aux différents recours déposés, ainsi qu’aux différentes décisions rendues. L’objet de cette chronique, la première d’une série annuelle, est de mettre en avant ces éléments communs autour de trois axes faisant le point sur (I) les acteurs (juridictions saisies, profil des requérants et des défendeurs), (II) les interrogations fondamentales qui animent les recours, et (III) les sources du droit mobilisées, en ce compris l’invocation des droits humains.
Une condamnation pour injure raciale ne viole pas la liberté d’expression
Authors: Charrière-Bournazel Christian
Published: April 2023

La Cour européenne des droits de l’homme, dans sa décision du 25 janvier 2022, déclare irrecevable la requête de Monsieur Alain Soral condamné pour injures publiques envers un groupe de personnes en raison de leur appartenance à la religion juive. La Cour rappelle que l’Holocauste fait partie des « faits historiques clairement établis » de sorte que les autorités françaises ont été légitimes à réprimer le négationnisme, et la condamnation du requérant ne constitue donc pas une violation de l’article 10 de la Convention européenne des droits de l’homme garantissant la liberté d’expression.
Modo tenet Normannus. Ce que les noms disent de la conquête normande
Authors: Lestremau Arnaud
Published: April 2023

En 1066, Guillaume le Conquérant remporte la bataille d’Hastings et est couronné roi à Westminster. En 1085, il commande une enquête qui renseigne et confirme la mainmise des Normands sur l’Angleterre, mais nous renseigne aussi sur la situation antérieure à 1066. Le Domesday Book et ses milliers de noms et d’informations fiscales fournissent un support d’études inépuisable. L’analyse de ces données permet de comprendre les mutations qui affectent la société insulaire à l’occasion de cette conquête. L’enjeu de cet article est, à travers les noms et les surnoms, d’étudier l’impact des vagues migratoires, la répartition régionale des populations, les marqueurs potentiels d’ethnicité et les stratégies déployées par les acteurs dans cette période incertaine.
Use of full blood count parameters and haematology cell ratios in screening for sepsis in South Africa
Authors: Van Rensburg Jason , Davids Saarah , Smuts Carine , Davison Glenda M.
Published: April 2023

Background: Sepsis is characterised by multi-organ failure due to an uncontrolled immune response to infection. Sepsis prevalence is increased in developing countries and requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. Reports, although controversial, suggest that full blood count parameters and cell ratios could assist in the early screening for sepsis.Objective: The study evaluated the use of haematological cell ratios in screening for sepsis in a South African population.Methods: The study retrospectively analysed the complete blood counts, blood cultures (BC) and biochemical test results of 125 adult patients who presented between January 2021 and July 2021 at a hospital in Cape Town. An ISO15189-accredited laboratory performed all of the tests. We compared and correlated the automated differential counts, neutrophil, monocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios with procalcitonin levels. A p-value of 0.05 was considered significant.Results: Sixty-two sepsis patients (procalcitonin 2 ng/L and positive BC) were identified and compared to 63 non-sepsis controls. All cell ratios were significantly elevated in sepsis patients (p  0.001). However, the two groups had no significant difference in absolute monocyte counts (p = 0.377). In addition, no correlation was detected between any cell ratios and procalcitonin.Conclusion: In combination with complete blood count parameters, haematology cell ratios can be used for early sepsis detection. The full blood count is widely available, inexpensive, and routinely requested by emergency care clinicians. Although procalcitonin and BC remain the gold standard, the calculation of cell ratios could provide a simple screening tool for the early detection of sepsis.What this study adds: This study adds evidence to the proposal that calculating haematological cell ratios assists in the early screening of sepsis in a South African setting.
Black women’s bodies as sacrificial lambs at the altar
Authors: Xhinti Sandisele L. , Khosa-Nkatini Hundzukani P.
Published: April 2023

The youth in South Africa are subject to unemployment and the pressure to fit into society. The unemployment rate in South Africa is high; therefore, some find themselves desperate for employment and often find themselves hoping and praying for a miracle; hence, the number of churches in South Africa is increasing. People go to church to be prayed for by ministers in a hope to better their lives and that of their families. Some of these young South Africans became victims of sexual harassment, rape and gender-based violence (GBV) at the hands of their pastors. The aim of this article was to challenge the church in identifying ways to break the cycle of perpetrators among pastors and help find the role pastoral counsellors can play regarding both victims and offenders to prevent history from repeating itself. Domestic violence and abuse in South Africa have been investigated by various disciplines. One of the most difficult realities for the church is the existence of clergy who abuse their female congregants. The article will create an awareness of violence against black women at the temple of black churches which is vindicated by Christian faith as miracle and healing. The violence against black women at the temple of the churches is patriarchal violence as male clergy sacrifice them in the name of faith using the bible. Some scholars of Black theology of liberation (BTL) argue that Elmina Castle had a chapel where women trading took place. Elmina Castle had a dungeon that kept black women who were waiting to be sold to a trade master. This article also exposed patriarchal violence that has been engraved on black women using the Bible by male clergy and connected Elmina Castle to Bishops Israel Makamu and Stephen Bafana Zondo to see the position of black women in these temples. Black theology of liberation was used to expose oppression of black women, by black men, in black churches.Contribution: This article aimed to challenge pastoral care givers to remain ethical during pastoral care and counselling to those in need, especially young women. This study was a literature review study.
Islamic teachings and religious brotherhood in the Islamic society
Authors: Jamil M. , Abbas Syed Z. , Abdel Amir Al-Salami Ammar , Ali Hussein Al-Khafaji Forqan , Ryafikovna Saenko Natalya , Alexis Ramírez-Coronel Andrés
Published: April 2023

The Holy Qur’an relates believers’ pure emotions to brotherhood. From the perspective of Islam, it has been also affirmed that two people have the same thoughts and opinions in one centre point of love in brotherhood, so fraternal feelings are not merely limited to kinship and consanguinity. In this line, the Holy Qur’an states that we have come to make you brothers with each other; not a brotherhood from parents, but an Islamic one, which is highly appreciated in the Islamic society. In addition, a believing brother can never be filled when his fellow believer is hungry, and he cannot be clothed while the other is with nothing on. Islam further considers all Muslims as one family and calls everyone brothers and sisters or siblings. The true Muslims of any race and tribe as well as any language and age thus have a deep sense of brotherhood with each other, even if one lives in the Eastern parts of the world and the other in the West. In sum, this article aimed to investigate the role of religious teachings in strengthening believers’ brotherhood in the Islamic society. For this purpose, firstly, the definition of religious brotherhood was provided; secondly, religious brotherhood has been described based on the Holy Qur’an.Contribution: This article helped gain a new insight into the role of Islamic teachings in strengthening religious brotherhood in the Islamic society. Besides, the indicators of religious brotherhood were extracted and then enlightened according to the Ayat (viz. verses) from the Holy Qur’an.
The transformation of theology in the present climate crisis
Authors: Moltmann Jürgen
Published: April 2023

Humanity is facing an ecological catastrophe. Culprits include a linear understanding of time which looks only to the future and the human belief in progress. This ideology has remained the same in the search for solutions; technological progress must provide the answer. However, the article argued that a green transformation is needed. Ecological justice is required. Not only the rights of humans but also of nature, the earth and animals should be respected. Ecological justice and social justice are connected. This pertains to the rights of future generations to achieve a green transformation of urban life (Moltmann 2019:87).The article proposed three changes. Firstly, nature should no longer be seen and treated by humans as an object to be exploited but instead as a fellow subject in the green creation community. Secondly, humanity should be seen as embedded in this community of creation. Thirdly, a new cosmic spirituality with a deep respect for life and everything that lives is needed.Contribution: This article exposed and overturned the much taken-for-granted paradigm of progress towards the future that currently dominates humanity. It illustrated the consequences of this way of thinking. It proposed a radically different yet simple, spiritual and highly respectful alternative view of creation.
COVID-19 crisis in relation to religion, health and poverty in Zimbabwe: A case study of the Harare urban communities
Authors: Muyangata Joseph , Shumba Sibiziwe
Published: April 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic which started in China in 2019, was originally described as a public health emergency of intercontinental concern by the World Health Organization (WHO) in January 2020. Due to its speedy rate of spread, the WHO then declared it a pandemic after 6 weeks. The global spread of COVID-19 has been attributed to the high mobility between and within countries. Having noted the wide spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, almost every country affected, developed strict and restrictive public health measures to control the spread of the virus. Such measures included restrictions on country borders and social gatherings. Hence, the main purpose of the paper was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 crisis in relation to religion, health and poverty in Harare urban communities as well as determining solutions to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on those sectors. The research methodology was qualitative in nature. Primary data were collected through in-depth telephone interviews and online open-ended questionnaires. Purposive sampling was used to select the study participants. The findings showed that the COVID-19 pandemic triggered and exposed the inequalities in health. The pandemic also had a strong impact on religious activities and it exacerbated poverty levels as well. Those who had all the access to medication, food and vaccinations during the height of COVID-19 may not fully appreciate the impact that poverty coupled with pandemics left on their communities both religiously and socially. Malnutrition, hunger and sickness were the order of the day among the poor.Contribution: The conclusion was that COVID-19 negatively impacted on the health, religious and social sectors. Therefore, it is critical to maintain preventive and curative services, especially for the most vulnerable populations such as children, older persons, and people with disabilities.
Biblical interpretation during the era of the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives from Africa
Authors: Aryeh Daniel N.A. , Molobi Victor V.S.
Published: April 2023

Biblical interpretation and/or hermeneutics is largely influenced by context and prevailing events and/or issues. This is attested by many scholars in the field. Previous pandemics have influenced the way biblical hermeneutics is conducted during the period. The situation is not too different from the emergence of COVID-19. The pandemic has been scripturalised to argue that it is the fulfilment of scriptural signs for the second coming of Jesus. Others assert that it is the result of human sins and 5G technology. Amid these propositions, biblical narratives concerning miracles/healing, eschatology, and hope were handled uniquely. This study employs narrative research criticism to analyse various propositions concerning COVID-19 and how biblical texts were engaged to propound an epideictic rhetorical theory of biblical interpretation during the emergence of COVID-19. The main finding is that although there are many assigned eschatological interpretations to the pandemic, there is an epideictic interpretation of miracle narratives of Jesus to minister healing to persons affected and infected by COVID-19.Contribution: This study emphasises the problem-solving approach to biblical interpretation in the African context. It proposes the application of this approach in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Proverbs 31 in dialogue with Acts 9:36–43: An Afro-feminisation of Mother Earth for equity
Authors: Juma Dorcas C.
Published: April 2023

A close relationship between masculinity, alcoholism, widowhood and gendered poverty is evident in contemporary African society. Alcohol consumption among young men begins at an increasingly early age due to availability of low-priced alcohol presented in different varieties. Young, beautiful and sexy girls are used to advertise alcohol. Many young men are addicted to alcohol and totally unable to be free from alcohol addiction. This sad state coupled with the impact of globalisation on the economies of many African countries has left many men jobless. Consequently, many households are headed by women in a patriarchal context where men are supposed to be the heads of the family. Through an Afro-feminisation of Mother Earth lens, this article re-read Proverbs 31 in dialogue with Acts 9:36–43, to show the role of women in the socio-economic sustainability of the family, society and in enhancing gender equity.Contribution: This article re-read Proverbs 31 in dialogue with Acts 9:36–41 as resources for enhancing gender equity. An Afro-feminisation of Mother Earth for sustainable development was presented in ways that open up possibilities for the life of the Garden of Eden in Genesis 1:28 to flourish.
Eto: A critique of the Aladura healing rituals in Nigeria in light of Jesus’ healing miracles
Authors: Ademiluka Solomon O.
Published: April 2023

Eto (ritual) stands for the sacred preparations made by Aladura prophets and prophetesses for their clients for therapeutic purposes. The practice of eto shares striking similarities with Yourba traditional methods of medication. But there is the argument that the Aladura healing rituals might as well be an imitation of Jesus’ methods. Therefore, this article examined these rituals in light of Jesus’ use of spittle for healing with a view to ascertaining if they are justified as a Christian practice. Applying the reader-oriented and descriptive methods, the article discovered that apart from the affinities with Jesus’ methods, some people are convinced that the Aladura healing process is divinely directed and efficacious. However, the research also found some healing practices among the Aladura which contradict Christian belief. The essay concluded that barring these abuses, the Aladura healing process is justified as a Christian practice.Contribution: This research is a contribution in Christian ethics. It postulates that the healing rituals of the Aladura churches in Nigeria could be an acceptable Christian practice if the excesses are avoided.
Seroprevalence and factors associated with Coxiella burnetii exposure in goats in Moretele
Authors: Magadu Rungano , Thompson Peter N.
Published: April 2023

Infection with Coxiella burnetii causes significant economic impact and poses zoonotic risk to people exposed to livestock, yet few studies in South Africa have assessed seroprevalence of C. burnetii infection and no information is available for goats. Very little information is available regarding risk factors and outcomes of C. burnetii infection in peri-urban farming areas where widespread mixing of ruminants occurs. This study estimated the seroprevalence of C. burnetii infection among communally farmed goats in an area adjacent to the densely populated Gauteng province. Sera were collected from 216 goats in 39 herds, and questionnaires were completed to establish management practices as potential risk factors. C. burnetii antibody testing was done by ELISA. Thirty two out of 216 goats tested positive for C. burnetii antibodies and the overall seroprevalence, adjusted for sampling weights and clustering, was 18.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 12.2% – 23.5%). The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.06, indicating low-to-moderate clustering. Multiple logistic regression showed age was significantly associated with seropositivity, with higher seroprevalence in animals ≥ 19 months old (26%) than animals ≤ 6 months old (6%) (odds ratio [OR]: 6.6; p = 0.010). We concluded C. burnetii infection is common in goats in Moretele and a potential cause of abortion in goats and poses the potential zoonotic disease risk.Contribution: Despite the threats posed on animal health and productivity, scant information is published on C. burnetii in South Africa. This research established preliminary estimates of C. burnetii seroprevalence. The research is original from a South African perspective, relevant to Africa and focused on infectious disease in livestock.
Teaching comprehensive sexuality education using a praxis co-created with adolescents
Authors: Koch Ronél , Beyers Christa
Published: April 2023

Background: Despite its reported positive deliverables, comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in South African schools is unable to document an influence in reducing alarming statistics regarding adolescent sexual health. Prior research points to a gap that exists between what studies suggest and what is implemented in practice.Aim: Drawing on Freire’s theory of praxis, the aim of this study was to involve the voice of adolescents in reforming CSE – specifically, how the programme could be developed with the objective to co-construct a praxis in order to support sexuality educators in a delivery of CSE that is more responsive to the needs of adolescents.Setting: Ten participants were purposively selected from all five school quintiles in the Western Cape province of South Africa to take part in this study.Methods: A qualitative descriptive design with aspects of a phenomenological approach was utilised. Rich data were collected by means of semistructured interviews and were analysed thematically with ATLAS.ti.Results: The results illustrate the suggestions made by the participants towards the improvement of the CSE programme. They reported on approaches and strategies used to teach CSE that imply that it is often not delivered comprehensively – confirming the disjuncture between what the curriculum envisages and what is executed in practice.Conclusion: The contribution might lead to change in disconcerting statistics and consequently an improvement in the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents.Contribution: The participants from this study assisted in co-constructing a praxis for CSE teachers to inform their practice.
Education for primary health care in Africa
Authors: Mash Robert , Van Breevoort Dorothee , Makwero Martha , Makasa Mpundu , Essuman Akye , Besigye Innocent
Published: April 2023

No abstract available.
A retrospective analysis of irinotecan and bevacizumab combination therapy in recurrent high-grade glioma and glioblastoma multiforme
Authors: Palkonda Vijay Anand Reddy , Muddana Sai Tejaswini , Pathri Karthik , Reddy P Vijay Karan
Published: April 2023

Introduction:

High-grade gliomas comprise central nervous system (CNS) World Health Organization (WHO) Grade 3 and CNS WHO Grade 4 gliomas. Recurrence is seen in almost all patients who underwent treatment. Recurrent high-grade gliomas have poor prognosis. There are phase two trials that assessed the role of irinotecan and bevacizumab as combination regimen in recurrent High-grade gliomas and showed overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) benefit. We did a retrospective analysis of our institutional experience on treating recurrent high-grade gliomas with combination of irinotecan and bevacizumab.

Materials and Methods:

This was a retrospective analysis including 58 patients treated at our center from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2020. All patients were diagnosed case of CNS WHO Grade 3 and Grade 4 glioma, who received at least one modality of treatment. All patients received inj. Irinotecan 125 mg/m2 intravenous (IV) and inj. Bevacizumab 10 mg/kg IV, every 2 weekly. A base line radiological evaluation has been done with magnetic resonance imaging brain with contrast and repeated every 3 months. Patients have been assessed both for PFS and OS.

Results:

Median PFS was 6 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.395–7.605). Median OS was 8 months (95%CI 5.894–10.106). Six months PFS rate is 49% and 6 months OS is 58%. CNS WHO Grade 3 gliomas responded better to combination therapy as compared with CNS WHO Grade 4 gliomas.

Conclusion:

Combination of Bevacizumab and Irinotecan is well tolerated and improves OS and PFS in patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas. The effect of combination systemic therapy is more evident in CNS WHO Grade 3 gliomas as compared with glioblastoma multiforme.
Ocular conjunctival microbiome profiling in dry eye disease: A case control pilot study
Authors: Gupta Noopur , Chhibber-Goel Jyoti , Gupta Yogita , Mukherjee Souvik , Maitra Arindam , Sharma Amit , Tandon Radhika
Published: April 2023

Purpose:

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) or dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial disease that results in discomfort, visual disturbance, and tear film instability with potential damage to the ocular surface. A pilot study was undertaken to determine if there were any major substantial differences in the ocular microbiome in DED patients versus healthy controls.

Methods:

The bacterial communities residing in the conjunctiva of patients with DED (n = 4) and healthy controls (n = 4) were assessed by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing of the V4–V5 region.

Results:

The phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes were most dominant and accounted for 97% and 94.5% of all bacterial sequences in patients and controls, respectively. At the genus level, 27 bacterial genera were found with more than two-fold difference between patients and controls. Four of these – Acinetobacter, Corynebacterium, Lactobacillus, and Pseudomonas spp. – dominated the ocular microbiome of all subjects, but were proportionately lower in DED (16.5%) compared to controls (37.7%). Several bacterial genera were found to be unique in DED (34) and controls (24).

Conclusion:

This pilot study is an attempt to profile the ocular microbiome in patients with DED that demonstrated a higher concentration of microbial DNA compared to controls, with Firmicutes phyla dominating the bacterial population in patients with DED.
Impact of ocular care training of nursing staff on the incidence of ocular surface disorder in medical intensive care unit patients
Authors: Pai Aditi , Kamath Atul , Vasava Indravadan , Bhosale Dhananjay , Nambiar Gokulnath
Published: April 2023

Purpose:

To assess the knowledge of nursing staff on ocular care in medical intensive care unit (ICU) and to compare the incidence of ocular surface disorders in patients of medical ICU pre- and post-training.

Methods:

Two hundred patients admitted in medical ICU for more than 24 h underwent a detailed ocular examination along with documentation of ICU stay, ventilation status, and Glasgow coma scale (GCS) scoring. An assessment on ocular care knowledge among the nursing staff of medical ICU was done. They were further given training in the form of audio-visuals and demonstration, and an eye care protocol was given to them. The second phase of the study was carried out in the same manner. A comparison was made between pre-training and post-training incidence of ocular surface disorders among ICU patients.

Results:

Ventilated patients had more eye discharge. Incidence of eye discharge was more in patients with duration of stay of more than 7 days in ICU. Ocular surface disorders closely correlated with the degree of lagophthalmos. There was significant reduction in ocular morbidity following ocular care training of the nursing staff.

Conclusion:

Eye care is a very important part of nursing care in sedated and ventilated patients in the ICU. Ophthalmic consultations are routinely needed in ICU subjects who are hospitalized for more than 1 week or if the ICU staff suspects any eye problems.
Functional and morphological evaluation of the meibomian glands and ocular surface assessment at high altitude
Authors: Li Zhouyu , Wan Wenjuan , Ji Yan , Zheng Shijie , Hu Ke
Published: April 2023

Purpose:

To compare the function and morphology of the meibomian glands and the ocular surface of individuals from highland and lowland.

Methods:

This was a randomized controlled trial. The study was performed with 104 individuals (51 individuals from the highland and 53 individuals from the lowland). Detailed eye examinations comprising tear meniscus height, lipid layer grading, non-invasive Keratograph tear breakup time (NIKBUT), and scoring of the meibomian glands from the upper and lower eyelids of the individuals were performed by Keratograph 5M (OCULUS, Wetzlar, Germany). Symptoms related to dry eye disease were assessed using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI).

Results:

In the highland group, tear meniscus height was lower (P = 0.024), lipid layer grade, as well as all the meiboscores were higher (P < 0.05) than that in the lowland group. The OSDI (P = 0.018) and the percentage of dry eye disease were also higher as compared to that of the lowland group (P = 0.032). The first NIKBUT and average NIKBUT did not differ significantly between groups. The frequency of plugged meibomian gland orifices was greater in the lowland group compared to the highland group (P = 0.036).

Conclusion:

It was observed that dry eye disease was more common in the highland group. The morphological changes of meibomian gland dropout were significant in highlanders as demonstrated objectively with Keratograph 5M. Our study may raise a concern for environmental influences on ocular surface changes.
Dry eye disease in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy
Authors: Soni Meenal , Walia Shweta , Jain Preety
Published: April 2023

Purpose:

To study the incidence of dry eye disease (DED) in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients undergoing external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), to find a correlation between tumor location and total radiation dose with DED, and to report various radiotherapy (RT) induced acute toxic effects on ocular and adnexal structures.

Methods:

A prospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary eye-care center on 90 patients of HNC undergoing EBRT from March 2021 to May 2022. All underwent a thorough clinical history and complete ophthalmological examination including an ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire, visual acuity, anterior segment, angle and posterior segment examination, dry eye workup including the Schirmer test, tear meniscus height, tear break-up time, corneal fluorescein staining and grading, and meibography by auto-refractometer and its scoring at each visit. Patients were evaluated before the start of RT and then at 1 week, 4 weeks, and 12 weeks post-RT. Radiation records of all patients were noted. Data were analyzed using percentage and Microsoft Excel.

Results:

Of the 90 patients, 66 were male and 24 female (M: F ratio of 2.75) with a median age of 52.5 years (range 24 to 80 years). The most common HNC was the carcinoma oral cavity and lip. Most patients received a total radiation dose between 46 to 55 Gy. DED developed in 48 (53.3%) patients. The incidence of DED increased with the increase in total radiation dose (r = 0.987). DED was also found to be correlated with tumor location (r = 0.983).

Conclusion:

The incidence of DED positively correlated with the total radiation dose and tumor location.
Comparative evaluation of effectiveness of twenty versus fifty percent autologous serum eye drops in treatment of dry eye
Authors: Kumari Neha , Kusumesh Rakhi , Kumari Rekha , Sinha Bibhuti Prassan , Singh Vivek
Published: April 2023

Purpose:

The objective of the study was to compare the efficacy and safety of two concentration of autologous serum (AS) 20% vs 50% in recalcitrant moderate-to-severe dry eye patients.

Methods:

A double-blind prospective, interventional, and randomized study was done on 44 patients (80 eyes) clinically diagnosed with moderate-to-severe dry eye disease (DED) that was refractory to conventional treatment, and all patients were treated with AS20% or AS50% for 12 weeks. We documented Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), tear film breakup time (TBUT), OXFORD corneal staining score (OSS), and Schirmer test (ST) at baseline, 2,4,8, and 12 weeks. These parameters were compared in both groups and between the groups by using Student’s t-test. The study included 11 males and 33 females.

Results:

Out of 80 eyes, 33 eyes had moderate and 47 had severe DED. The age of patients in AS20% was 44.73 ± 14.37 years, and in AS50% was 46.41 ± 14.47 years. The most common etiology associated with DED was secondary Sjogren syndrome. In moderate DED, both the groups showed significant improvement in both subjective and objective parameters. But in severe DED, the AS20% group failed to show any significant improvement objectively, though subjective improvement was present.

Conclusion:

In refractory severe DED patients, AS50% is better option for treatment and in moderate DED both concentrations of autologous serum are effective.
A review on drug-induced dry eye disease
Authors: Kam Ka Wai , Di Zazzo Antonio , De Gregorio Chiara , Narang Purvasha , Jhanji Vishal , Basu Sayan
Published: April 2023

Dry eye disease encompasses a broad range of etiologies and disease subtypes which have similar clinical manifestations. Medications can cause dry eye disease or symptoms of dryness as a side effect by either interfering with the lacrimal gland or meibomian gland function, or both, and by other mechanisms that affect the ocular surface homeostasis. This is important to know and recognize as eliminating the offending medication can reverse the symptoms and, in many cases, prevent further deterioration of the ocular surface inflammation. This review focuses on drugs like systemic isotretinoin and taxanes, which cause meibomian gland dysfunction; immune checkpoint inhibitors that cause lacrimal gland dysfunction; gliptins and topical antiglaucoma medications that cause cicatrizing conjunctivitis; and epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, fibroblast growth factor receptor inhibitors, and belantamab mafodotin, which cause mucosal epitheliopathy. Many of these medications, particularly the newer anticancer agents, have only recently been introduced for clinical use, and knowledge and awareness of their ocular side effects are still evolving. This review aims to update ophthalmologists on the drug-induced causes of dry eye disease or symptoms of dryness, which is avoidable by discontinuation of the incriminating agent or can be mitigated by reducing the dose or frequency of usage.
A review of rabbit models of meibomian gland dysfunction and scope for translational research
Authors: Prasad Deeksha , Salman Mohd , Reddy A Aniruth , Jaffet Jilu , Sahoo Abhishek , Jakati Saumya , Bokara Kiran Kumar , Singh Swati , Basu Sayan , Singh Vivek , Donthineni Pragnya Rao
Published: April 2023

Dry eye disease (DED) is an emerging global health concern with meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) being the most common subtype of DED. Despite being quite prevalent, the pathophysiological mechanisms governing MGD are poorly understood. Animal models for MGD can be a valuable resource to advance our understanding of this entity and explore novel diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. Although a lot of literature on rodent MGD models exists, a comprehensive review on rabbit animal models is lacking. Rabbits offer a great advantage over other animals as models for studying both DED and MGD. Rabbits have a widely exposed ocular surface and meibomian gland anatomy comparable with humans, which makes performing dry eye diagnostic tests possible using clinically validated imaging platforms. The existing MGD models in rabbits can broadly be classified as pharmacologically induced and surgically induced models. Most models show keratinization of the meibomian gland orifice with plugging as the final common pathway for developing MGD. Thus, understanding the advantages and disadvantages of each rabbit MGD model can help researchers choose the appropriate experimental plan based on the objective of the study. In this review, we discuss the comparative anatomy of the meibomian glands in humans and rabbits, various rabbit models of MGD, translational applications, unmet needs, and future directions in developing MGD models in rabbits.