bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Big Data Analytics Capability and Governmental Performance
Authors: Ongena Guido , Davids Arjen
Published: April 2023

Although governments are investing heavily in big data analytics, reports show mixed results in terms of performance. Whilst big data analytics capability provided a valuable lens in business and seems useful for the public sector, there is little knowledge of its relationship with governmental performance. This study aims to explain how big data analytics capability led to governmental performance. Using a survey research methodology, an integrated conceptual model is proposed highlighting a comprehensive set of big data analytics resources influencing governmental performance. The conceptual model was developed based on prior literature. Using a PLS-SEM approach, the results strongly support the posited hypotheses. Big data analytics capability has a strong impact on governmental efficiency, effectiveness, and fairness. The findings of this paper confirmed the imperative role of big data analytics capability in governmental performance in the public sector, which earlier studies found in the private sector. This study also validated measures of governmental performance.
A Cloud-Edge Collaborative Gaming Framework Using AI-Powered Foveated Rendering and Super Resolution
Authors: Tang Xinkun , Xu Ying , Ouyang Feng , Zhu Ligu , Peng Bo
Published: April 2023

Cloud gaming (CG) has gradually gained popularity. By leveling shared computing resources on the cloud, CG technology allows those without expensive hardware to enjoy AAA games using a low-end device. However, the bandwidth requirement for streaming game video is high, which can cause backbone network congestion for large-scale deployment and expensive bandwidth bills. To address this challenge, the authors proposed an innovative edge-assisted computing architecture that collaboratively uses AI-powered foveated rendering (FR) and super-resolution (SR). Using FR, the cloud server can stream gaming video in lower resolution, significantly reducing the transmitted data volume. The edge server will then upscale the video using a game-specific SR model, recovering the quality of the video, especially for the areas players pay the most attention. The authors built a prototype system called FRSR and did thorough, objective comparative experiments to demonstrate that this architecture can reduce bandwidth usage by 39.47% compared with classic CG implementation for similar perceived quality.
Video Object Counting With Scene-Aware Multi-Object Tracking
Authors: Li Yongdong , Qu Liang , Cai Guiyan , Cheng Guoan , Qian Long , Dou Yuling , Yao Fengqin , Wang Shengke
Published: April 2023

The critical challenge of video object counting is to avoid counting the same object multiple times in different frames. By comparing the appearance and motion feature information of the detection results, the authors use the multi-object tracking method to assign an independent ID number to each object. From the time the ID tag is obtained until the end of the video, each object is counted only once. However, even minor amounts of image noise can cause irreversible changes in feature information, resulting in severe tracking drifts. This paper introduces the concept of scene awareness and addresses unreasonable ID assignment caused by unreliable feature matching in the context of region division. Through the macro analysis of the scene, the authors define the region (called the transition region) where the number of objects can increase or decrease and require that all ID assignments for new objects and ID deletions for existing objects take place only in the transition region. Because the actual number of objects in the non-transition region is constant, they rematch unmatched objects with existing IDs in the region (called ID relocation) because changes in object ID are caused by feature matching failure. In this paper, the authors create algorithms for dynamically generating transition regions, detecting object increases and decreases, and relocating object IDs. Experimental results show that the method effectively improves the accuracy of video object counting.
An Enhanced Energy-Efficient Web Service Composition Algorithm Based on the Firefly Algorithm
Authors: Xue Yifei , Wang Jian , Jing Weipeng
Published: April 2023

Numerous web services with the same function but different service qualities are constantly emerging on the network. Optimizing web service composition based on multiple candidate services sets an urgent problem in the service composition neighborhood. This paper modifies the traditional Firefly algorithm and adds exchange and mutation mechanisms to optimize the Web service composition efficiently in multiple candidate service sets. Meanwhile, it discretizes the continuous space of its solution set and better adapts to the service composition optimization problem. Experimental results show that compared with the GA, IA, SA, ACO, FACO, and EFACO algorithms, this algorithm has better optimization performance, faster speed, and higher energy efficiency for solving service composition optimization problems in the case of large-scale data. The higher the combined complexity of the solution, the stronger the performance compared to other algorithms. It can better deal with the increasingly complex situation of Web service composition problems.
Effect of Load on Surface Roughness of PPS Thrust Bearings under Rolling Contact Fatigue in Water
Authors: Kajiwara Shuhei , Matsueda Takahiro , Mizobe Koshiro , Kida Katsuyuki
Published: April 2023

Rolling bearings are important mechanical parts. They are used for the transmission of rotational motion. In this study, we focused on surface roughness of the polymer thrust bearing under rolling contact fatigue. Surface roughness of the groove bottom was measured when small pitting around shoulder and crack occurred. Thrust bearings were loaded with thrust loads of 2300 N, 2400 N, 2500 N, and 2600 N. The surface in the rolling contact area was worn during the rolling contact fatigue test. We concluded that surface roughness values ranged from 0.49 μm to 0.18 μm, under thrust loads of 2300 N, 2400 N, 2500 N, and 2600 N when small pitting occurred.
Coral Concrete: Overview, Composition and its Behavior in Environment
Authors: Kishore Kamal , Pandey Aaysha , Abed Ahmed S.
Published: April 2023

The worldwide interest in coral concrete stems from its use in reef engineering, where it is a composite material made by combining saltwater and coral. This analysis examines the components, mechanical characteristics, and durability of coral concrete. The micro hardness of the interfacial transition zone in coral concrete is significantly greater than that of normal concrete. However, it is found that the coral concrete has less compressive strength than standard concrete hence, the durability of standard concrete is also longer than this concrete. However, the addition of fibres to coral concrete improves the splitting tensile strength and flexural strength significantly. Inadequate cementation of the components hinders the performance of coral concrete because of the porous and brittle nature of coral aggregates. Further investigations can be carried out for underwater engineering applications and sea constructions by selecting appropriate coral aggregate type and developing mix design procedure to produce the high-strength coral concrete.
Awareness, knowledge, and factors that influenced the uptake of screening tests for prostate cancer among men aged 40 and older in Ido-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria
Authors: Adewoye Kayode R. , Aremu Shuaib K. , Adegbiji Waheed A. , Achebe Chijioke C.
Published: April 2023

Background: Despite being the second most common and deadliest cancer in males, prostate cancer could go unnoticed in the early stages. Prevention programs have been set in place to help in the early detection and reduction of mortality rates in developed countries.Objective: The aim of this study was to determine awareness, knowledge, and the uptake of prostate cancer screening tests. Another objective was to identify the factors that determine the uptake of prostate cancer screening among men living in Ido-Ekiti.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among males aged 40 and above living in Ido-Ekiti in Ido-Osi local government area, Ekiti State, Nigeria. The sample size of 380 respondents was obtained using Leslie Fisher’s formula.Results: The study revealed that the majority of the correspondents are aware of prostate cancer (57.9%). More than two-thirds of the respondents have poor knowledge of prostate cancer and the screening test (74.4%), with a median knowledge score of 30%. The uptake of prostate cancer screening tests was very low among the respondents (18.2%). Conclusion: Despite the high level of awareness of prostate cancer disease among the respondents, the majority have poor knowledge of the disease and the screening test. There was a low uptake of prostate cancer screening tests among the respondents.
Perceptions on use of insecticide-treated bed nets to prevent malaria: a qualitative assessment in two rural districts of Zambézia province in Mozambique
Authors: Magaço Amílcar , Cane Réka Maulide , Nhassengo Pedroso , Pedro Sílvia , Botão Carlos , Chicumbe Sérgio
Published: April 2023

Background. Malaria prevention in Africa merits particular attention as the world strives toward a better life for the poorest. The insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) are one of the malaria control strategies that, due to their cost effectiveness, are largely used in the country. Data on the actual coverage and usage of bed nets is unreliable, as it is based only on administrative data from distributed ITNs.Objective. This study assesses knowledge about malaria and bed net use in two areas of high malaria transmission.Methods. A qualitative study was conducted in 6 (six) rural communities in two malaria high-burden districts in Zambézia province. About 96 adults were recruited from the communities and enrolled to participate in focus group discussions. Data were transcribed verbatim, coded, and thematically analyzed using Nvivo11.0.Results. Participants mentioned the mosquito as the only cause of malaria and that the use of bed nets was highlighted as the most proficient protection against mosquito bites and malaria. Children and pregnant women were described as being the priority groups to sleep under a bed net protection in the household. The use of bed nets was common among households, although not sufficient for the number of household members. In addition, the preservation of the nets was considered inadequate. Conclusions. The findings of this study highlight the need to increase public knowledge about malaria and nets and to strengthen the communication and logistics component of the net distribution campaign to ensure that households have enough nets for their members and use them appropriately.
Developing football language in Yorùbá
Authors: Komolafe Olusanya E.
Published: April 2023

Football is a global sport; almost all cultures have catalogues of terms devised to designate its concepts. This study, which is a part of an on-going project by this researcher to develop “A metalanguage for football terms in Yorùbá” (one of the three major languages in Nigeria), seeks to describe strategies for designating football concepts in Yorùbá. Source language data were generated mainly from Dictionary – Inside UEFA – UEFA.com and translated using Newmark (1981) semantic and communicative translation strategies. The essence of the translation is to enable cognition of the terms in the target language. Existing Yorùbá terms for football concepts were generated from audio recordings of radio sports news presentations and dicourses and from football fans at football viewing centres with the aid of questionnaires. The researcher also relied on informants who are competent speakers of Yorùbá and are experts in football matters. These experts were helpful in making choices from the existing designations, and in offering alternative designations where existing terms are deemed inappropriate. The strategies employed for labeling football terms in Yorùbá include composition, idiomatisation, explication, loan translation, borrowing, use of existing equivalents, coinage, derivation, semantic extension, modulation, decentialisation and interlinguistic or hybrid formation. For the purpose of clinical cognition, these terms were categorised into native language creation, borrowing and interlinguistic based on linguistic sources of term creation. It is hoped that the study will significantly improve effective and efficient use of a football vocabulary in the study of the language.
Profit vs public health: the crisis of liberal democracy and universal healthcare in Africa
Authors: Isike Christopher
Published: April 2023

No abstract available.
Understanding the effect of domestic violence on learning effectiveness among primary school learners: A case of Rubavu District [Rwanda]
Authors: Sikubwabo Cyprien
Published: April 2023

Family has long been said to have an influence on children’s education. Thus, it can be understood that any difficult domestic situation may have repercussions on children’s education. This study was undertaken to examine the effect of domestic violence on learning effectiveness among primary school learners in Rubavu District, Rwanda. It was carried out in 35 primary schools located in the district. This study adopted the correlational research design; its population comprised 14423 primary school learners, from whom a sample of 390 participants was chosen using stratified random sampling. The data was collected by means of a structured questionnaire with five-point Likert scales. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics including frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation, and inferential statistics including analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis. The findings revealed that domestic violence perpetrated against parents has a significant effect on learning effectiveness among primary school learners (= 0.676, p-value 0.05) in Rubavu district. It was also found that domestic violence perpetrated against learners has a significant effect on learning effectiveness among primary school learners (= 1.024, p-value 0.05) in Rubavu district. Although the Government of Rwanda has taken serious measures to fight domestic violence, the study found that there are a few families in which this offence is still perpetrated. Therefore, the study recommended that there should be collaboration between local leaders, police, school managers and the affected children to apprehend and punish the perpetrators. It was also recommended that each primary school should hire a counsellor to help the affected learners. Each school should also accord special support to the affected students to enable them to succeed in their studies. The findings of this study imply that domestic violence has a detrimental effect on children’s education and that more effort should be made to get rid of this danger among Rwandan families. This study was conducted during the period of fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, therefore data collection was difficult; there were restrictions to moving from one district to another.
Rhetorical devices in selected banking advertisements in Nigeria
Authors: Akinrinlola Temidayo
Published: April 2023

Banking is one of the sectors that have deployed the resourcefulness of the new media for business transactions in Nigeria. Studies from the non-linguistic angle have established immense contributions of the sector to economic growth in Nigeria. While existing linguistic investigations have engaged the language of banking from the pragmatic viewpoint, studies from the stylistic component are very few. Studies have not examined how the banking sector in Nigeria deploys rhetorical devices to create awareness for their prospective customers. This paper engages a rhetorical investigation of banking advertisement in Nigeria with a view to describing how rhetorical devices serve persuasive purposes in the selected banks. The study is anchored on ethos, a subset of the theory of rhetoric. The study describes how the sampled banks deploy extrinsic and intrinsic ethos to persuade their potential customers. Guaranty Trust Bank and First Bank were purposively selected, considering their strength of patronage and deployment of new media advertisements. The study reveals that the selected banks package their advertisements to reflect character, expertise and experience. The selected adverts manifest creative and contextual engagement of songs; verbal, adjectival, pronominal, phrasal, clausal and sentential choices, rhetorical questions, repetitions and parallelism to express the inherent ideologies of the banks. The rhetorical devices adopted express how the banks deploy linguistic devices in enhancing patronage. A rhetorical engagement of advertisements of the selected banks reveals that the ideological statements, mission and visions of the selected banks are contextually expressed via rhetorical devices.
When it no longer matters whom you love: the politics of love and identity in Nigerian migrant fiction
Authors: Opeyemi Ajibola
Published: April 2023

A number of creative texts by Nigerian migrant writers recreate migrant characters’ experiences of love, intimacy and connected identity politics in the diaspora. However, there is a paucity of scholarly engagements with Nigerian migrant writers’ representation of the complexities that attend the formation and reconfiguration of migrant characters’ identity and love relationships outside the motherland. This study, therefore, examines the intersection of love, place and identity in three purposively selected texts – Segun Afolabi’s Goodbye Lucille, Chimamanda Adichie’s Americanah and Unoma Azuah’s Edible Bones. The three novels are closely read and analysed using the Postcolonial theory’s conceptions of Othering and unhomeliness, in order to foreground the impact of the ‘condition of the diaspora’ on migrant characters’ relationships and identity negotiations. The study reveals that all three novels feature characters that struggle to align their multiple identities and at the same time maintain meaningful love relationships outside the motherland. There is also the representation of same-sex marriages, green marriages, dysfunctional inter-national, inter-racial and transnational relationships, and the negative effects of distance on love relationships. Time and chance then determine the politics of love and identity in diasporic spaces. Nigerian migrant writers represent the pervasively unpleasant experiences of migrant characters belied in the construction of love with identity politics as coordinate relationships in the Nigerian diaspora, through a rhetoric pain and suffering, in order to underscore the unpleasant second side that there is to the migration narrative of bliss and fulfillment. Thus, they destabilise the hegemonic discourses around West-ward emigration as the panacea to African subjects’ experience of postcolonial disillusionment, in an effort to write back, write right and write committedly.
What students should know about the humanities
Authors: Lebakeng Teboho J.
Published: April 2023

The purpose of the present writer is multiple. It is (a) to consider the core philosophy and politics underpinning the teaching of the humanities in the light of the ‘’right to conquest’’; (b) to sum up the key features of the struggle for epistemic decolonisation by the African intellectual icons; and (c) to identify the responsibility of a new generation of African scholars in giving meaning and relevance to such disciplines. Pursuant to these issues, the thesis advanced here is that due to the history of colonisation and the attendant epistemicide in Africa, there is an ethical and educational necessity to inscribe African epistemology and philosophy of education in the teaching and practice of the humanities. The implications for such inscription speak to the need to address epistemic injustice and cognitive dissonance suffered by African students in the learning of such disciplines. Methodologically, the paper does not look at a particular discipline but takes a broad generalisation about the humanities, based on desk-top resource material and reflexivity of the author’s positionality.
Editorial
Authors: Ocholla Dennis N.
Published: April 2023

No abstract available.
Housework and the Correction of Gender Inequity
Authors: Addison Catherine
Published: April 2023

No abstract available.
Cast Me not as a Succubus or a Jezebel: Nollywood Actresses and the Struggle against Women Stereotyping
Authors: Endong Floribert P.C.
Published: April 2023

The stereotyping and sexual objectification of womanhood in Nollywood films have partly been attributed to Nigerian actresses. According to a number of critics and scholars, female actors’ passivity and complicity are to blame for the continuous negative portrayals of women in films. This popular belief follows from the arguable myth that female actors most often accept demeaning roles in films; meanwhile, it is axiomatic that if they reject such roles, androcentric/sexist screen writers will be compelled to develop better female characters for their films. If the above logic seems pertinent, it tends to hastily generalise on Nollywood actresses’ attitude towards the objectification of womanhood. The logic also fails to recognise the grossly understudied efforts made by many Nigerian actresses against women stereotyping in the Nigerian film industry.This paper focuses on these understudied efforts with a view of filling a knowledge gap. Specifically, the paper hinges on secondary sources and critical observations to explore some of the ways in which Nollywood actresses have struggled – and continue to struggle – against women’s stereotyping in Nollywood films. In the first place, the paper examines women stereotyping and objectification in Nollywood films; and in the second it explores three ways in which Nigerian actresses resist their stereotyping in the Nigerian film industry. These include the rejection of demeaning roles, feminine feminist cinema and the tendency to request the same demeaning roles for men.
Investigating gender differences in housework and religion in marital conflict in Cameroon
Authors: Chateh Nkaze
Published: April 2023

This article presents the findings of a study that measured the extent gender differences in division of housework and religion affected marital conflict in Bamenda, Cameroon. There is extant literature on the general causes of marital conflict from Western studies, such as use of drugs, alcohol, physical and verbal abuse, income, unequal distribution of housework and infidelity, but there is a gap in the body of knowledge for Cameroon, Africa. Studying this phenomenon was of interest because it has been asserted that gender inequality is institutionalised in Cameroon. Rational choice theory (RCT) is used to analyse the phenomenon. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyse the quantitative data. A total of 180 participants completed the questionnaires. The findings revealed that there is no statistical difference between the wife doing all the household chores and marital conflict; equally, there is no statistical difference between the wife’s practice of religion and marital conflict. The findings of this study provide new data that could be used to inform public policy, and support educators, religious ministers and practitioners in conflict management. Recommendations are suggested for public policy consideration.
The historical fight for the right to care: A critique of the Mental Health Policy in Brazil
Authors: Nunes Barbara D. , Bellini Maria Isabel B.
Published: April 2023

This article critiques the Mental Health Policy in Brazil with emphasis on the history of struggle for the right of people who have mental disorders and against violence in psychiatric institutions. The article is divided twofold; firstly, addressing exclusion, violence and exercise of citizenship, highlighting the Psychiatric Reform Movement in Brazil from 1970; secondly, contextualising the Ximenes Case with the hospital-centred model in Brazil, bringing information about the National Inspection Report in Psychiatric Hospitals. The legal framework against torture about the deprivation of liberty of people considered ‘mentally ill’ and the social division between desirable and undesirable as a characteristic of this reality. It contextualises the Mental Health Policy and the ongoing counter-reform in the Brazilian Scenario by presenting an item about the Bolsonaro Government and the attacks on Brazilian Mental Health Policy. It is pointed out in the final considerations that torture materialises in the counter-reform underway through the ‘New Mental Health Policy of Brazil’, which masks a new form of torture and suffering exposed by the structuring inequalities of capitalist society. As for the processes of resistance, the fundamental defense of community and participatory policies is pointed out in the face of challenges and complaints against human rights in institutions and logic in the Brazilian government.
Pathological Features of Recovery or Progression in Acute Tubular Necrosis
Authors: Soliman Amin R. , Boles Fadia M. , Sadek Khaled M.
Published: April 2023

Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) is the most important and frequent cause of acute kidney injury (AKI). Controversy exists concerning the role of renal biopsy in the evaluation of ATN prognosis. We aim in our study to evaluate the role of renal biopsy for the detection of recovery and progression and rate of recovery of ATN. The study was designed to include all biopsies with the diagnosis in ATN in adults >21-year-old, from January 2016 to December 2018. Biopsies were recruited retrospectively and were reviewed by three pathologists and quantitated. Four histological ATN features were evaluated. Flattening cells, distension or dilatation, debris, and vacuolation and for each a score were attributed as follows: 0 = less than 5% of section, 1 = 6%–25%, 2 = 26%–50%, 3 = >50%. Thirty-five patients with 35 renal biopsies were analyzed. Flattening was seen <5% in nine patients, 6%–25% in 15 patients, 26%–50% in six patients. and >50% in five patients. Dilatation was seen <5% in 11 patient, 6%–25% in 10 patients, 26%–50% seen in six patients, and >50% in eight patients. The presence of debris was seen in <5% in 12 patients, 6%–25% in 12 patients, 26%–50% seen in six patients, and >50% seen in five patient. Vacuolation was seen in 5% in eight patients, 6%–25% in 14 patients, 26%–50% in seven patients, and >50% in six patients. It was found that flattening <5% and dilatation <5% and dilatation >50% in renal biopsy are the good indicators for recovery and good prognosis of cases of ATN, in addition debris <5% and >50% and vacuolation <5% are also good indicators for recovery and good prognosis of cases of ATN. On the other hand, flattening from 6% to 25% and from 26% to 50%, dilatation from 6% to 25%, debris from 26% to 50% and vacuolation >50% are also indicators for delayed recovery and poor prognosis of cases of ATN. Renal biopsy in AKI with the diagnosis of ATN with scoring system of flattening, dilatation, debris, and vacuolation can point to indication of recovery or progression of these cases.
Microbiological Spectrum and Antibiogram of Urinary Tract Infection in a Tertiary Care Center from the Kingdom of Bahrain
Authors: Sheikh Rayees Yousuf , Murdeshwar Soni , Maheshwari Teerath Kumar , Chacko Saramma
Published: April 2023

Urinary tract infection is the second-most common after respiratory infections. This is a single-center retrospective study conducted in Bahrain Specialist Hospital, Bahrain. Urine culture data from November 2011 until December 2020 was obtained from the hospital database. Out of 28082, 4849 (17.3%) cultures were positive. One hundred and thirty-four (2.8%) showed the growth of multiple organisms. The male-to-female ratio was 3.7. Most of the patients [1872 (39.7%)] were 20–40 years. Men and women were 53.84 ± 25.85 and 43.41 ± 23.89 years, respectively; P <0.001. 4118/4715 (87.3%) were Gram-negative. Five hundred and sixty-four (11.9 %) and 33 (0.7%) were Gram-positive cocci and fungi, respectively. Escherichia coli (E. coli) was the most common and Klebsiella species were second-most common, accounting for 2916 (61.8%) and 586 (12.4%), respectively. 30.2% of all E. coli and 130 (22.2%) of all Klebsiella species were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producers. ESBL Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterococcus faecalis were present more in inpatients (P <0.001). P. aeruginosa was found more in women (P <0.001). E. coli was resistant to cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin in 28%, 17.3%, and 18.1%, respectively. ESBL E. coli and ESBL K. pneumoniae were resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanate, cotrimoxazole, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin in 73.8%, 62.3%, 62.4%, 58.4% and 68.2%, 62.6%, 55.7%, and 41.8% respectively. There is a high incidence of ESBL E. coli and ESBL K. pneumoniae. There is alarmingly increased resistance of P. aeruginosa to carbapenems. Amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefixime, and cefuroxime are suitable oral antibiotics for empirical treatment. For sick patients, piperacillin-tazobactam, aminoglycosides, and carbapenems should be considered. Antibiotic stewardship is the need of an hour.
Rhabdomyolysis Episode in an Individual with McArdle’s Disease after Low Aerobic Exercise
Authors: Dantas Guilherme Henrique Mattos , de Oliveira Artur Luís Bessa , Marcos-Pardo Pablo Jorge , Coutinho Vanessa Franco Ferreira , de Sá Freire Felipe Cassau , de Castro Juliana Brandão Pinto , de Souza Vale Rodrigo Gomes
Published: April 2023

McArdle’s disease, known as blockage of muscle glycogen metabolism, is characterized by glycogen accumulation of chains in skeletal striated muscles. One of the typical symptoms of the disease is the feeling of intolerance to exercise. Severe muscle cram and contracture, which often cause stiffness, occur due to a lack of muscle energy substrate during the exercise. These factors can lead to muscle damage, myoglobinuria, and, in severe cases, renal failure and rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is a syndrome that presents injury and necrosis of muscle cells leading to the release of intracellular material to the circulatory system. The present study aimed to report rhabdomyolysis in an individual with McArdle’s disease after exercise of walking with low intensity. Patient, aged 33 years, was treated in the emergency room of a hospital located in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After performing a full lap on the block of home (~500 m in ~4 min 37 s), walking at a moderate speed (~6.5 km/h), the individual felt sick and was rescued, later being hospitalized. The examinations collected presented hematocrit (HCT) compatible with chronic disease anemia and myoglobinuria. The patient was discharged from the intensive care center on the 3rd day, after a 45% drop in creatine kinase. The patient described in the present study achieved full recovery. Attention to symptoms, early diagnosis, and immediate treatment made it possible to interrupt the development of complications caused by rhabdomyolysis, not allowing progression to acute renal failure.
Effects of ketamine, granisetron and dexmedetomidine on postoperative shivering and hemodynamic changes after general anesthesia: a double-blind randomized clinical trial
Authors: Shabani Yazdan , Moshiri Esmail , Modir Hesameddin , Kamali Alireza , Almasi-Hashiani Amir
Published: April 2023

Postoperative shivering is one of the most common complications of surgeries. The current research compared the effects of ketamine, granisetron, and dexmedetomidine on reducing postoperative shivering after general anesthesia. This double-blind clinical trial enrolled 148 patients (39.08 ± 5.99 years old) who had been admitted to Vali-Asr Hospital of Arak, Iran in 2019–2021. The study drugs, including dexmedetomidine, ketamine, granisetron and normal saline, were administered in corresponding groups 30 minutes before the end of surgery. The results showed that dexmedetomidine reduced mean arterial pressure and heart rate in patients. The lowest incidence of shivering was observed in the dexmedetomidine group and it increased the duration of recovery. Overall, dexmedetomidine is recommended to reduce postoperative shivering after general anesthesia, but the increase in duration of recovery should be considered.
Novel Animal Model from Goat Ano Rectum and Pumpkin for Training of Surgeons in Management of Fistula in Ano
Authors: Singla Sanjay
Published: April 2023

There is no perfect treatment for different types of fistulae in ano. Training in fistula management carries a long learning curve; an animal model from goat anal canal and rectum was prepared for training of surgeons in the management of benign anorectal diseases, especially fistula in ano. Simple material was used for creating this animal model. The hindgut portion of the goat was fixed in pumpkin. A hole was created in the pumpkin, and the pulp was removed to make space for the goat specimen. Anatomy was explained after dissection and fistulae were artificially created for simulation purposes. Model was used for training in a workshop conducted at our hospital, and feedback was taken from the participants on its utility, in learning anatomy of the area, primary sphincter repair, and use of endoscope and LASERs for fistula management. Model costs only rupees 500/-. Anatomy of the goat anal canal and rectum is quite similar to human beings. All the participants could appreciate the anal canal anatomy, different perianal spaces and sphincters were demonstrated, and fistulectomy and primary sphincter repair were taught. Consultant and participants appreciated the use of endoscope and LASERs in fistulous tracks in a simulated environment. All the consultants and participants strongly recommended the use of this model for future hands-on workshops. Our model was more realistic for practicing suturing in closed anal space, demonstration of perianal spaces, fistulae, and their management.
Sleep Quality, Sleep Hygiene Awareness, and Chronotype in Nursing Shift Workers
Authors: Chanpa Nirav Bhupendrabhai , Tiwari Deepak Sachidanand , Patel Vishal Kanhiyalal , Patel Dhruv Shaileshbhai
Published: April 2023

Background:

Shift workers have various physical and psychological adverse effects due to their work schedule. Some of them are reporting poor sleep quality. Our study aimed to measure sleep quality and its relation with sleep hygiene awareness and chronotype in nursing shift duty workers.

Materials and Methods:

A cross-sectional survey had been carried out in nursing shift duty workers working at a tertiary care center. A total of 300 participants were recruited through convenient sampling. After taking ethical approval, consented participants were made to fill the pro forma which contained basic demographic details and scales such as Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Sleep Belief Scale, and Composite Scale of Morningness. Data were entered and analyzed using trial version of SPSS.

Results:

Around 40% of the participants had poor sleep quality. Sleep quality had been statistically significantly associated with sleep hygiene awareness and chronotype of shift workers. Sleep quality had also been associated with needle stick injury and usage of sleeping pills.

Conclusion:

shift workers with poor sleep quality were more likely to have lower sleep hygiene awareness and evening type of chronotype. Elder shift workers had good sleep quality, better sleep hygiene awareness, and better morning-type chronotype as compared with younger shift workers.
Narcissism between Generation X and Generation Y (Millennials) – A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study
Authors: Suchak Vatsal , Kini K Ganesh , Kakunje Anil
Published: April 2023

Context:

Narcissism has become a pejorative term in recent years. It may be developmentally appropriate, depending upon the phase of life cycle in which the person is. However, it can also be pathological in some people and is known as Narcissistic personality disorder. Individuals with narcissistic personality disorder generally have a lack of empathy and have difficulty recognizing the desires, subjective experiences, and feelings of others. Despite this range of concerns, literature shows an average of <10 studies per year on narcissistic personality disorder. Hence, there is a need to study and compare narcissism between different generations.

Aims:

The objective of the study was to compare the levels of Narcissism between Generation X and the Generation Y (Millennials) and to determine if there is any association between Narcissism and usage of Social Media Networking sites.

Settings and Design:

This was a 4-month cross-sectional comparative study conducted online from April 2021 to July 2021. A Google Form was used to record the response from all the participants. Subjects and Methods: Two hundred and sixty-two participants were included in study after obtaining institutional ethical clearance. Among them, 96 were of generation X and 166 participants were of generation Y. Participants who were having the access to any type of social media networking sites were included in the study, if they fulfilled the operational definition of Generation X and Y. Narcissistic Personality Inventory-16 (NPI-16), a self assessment tool, was used to evaluate narcissism. The social media networking site usage measure was assessed based on number of social media networking site they are active on, time spent on social media networking site, frequency of status updates, number of friends or followers, and pictures of self or selfies uploaded by them in span of 1 month.

Statistical Analysis:

Independent student t-test, Chi-square test, and Pearson's correlation analysis were used for analyzing variables in the study.

Results:

Among enrolled participants, 51.1% were females and 48.1% were males. There was statistically significant difference in the mean NPI-16 score (P = 0.016) with the score being more in Generation X (3.92) than Generation Y (3.04). There was a positive correlation between NPI-16 score and number of the social media networking sites (r = 0.175, P = 0.005), Frequency of Status Updates in a week (r = 0.165, P = 0.007), Number of Friends/Followers (r = 0.140. P = 0.025), and Selfies uploaded in a month (r = 0.282, P < 0.001).

Conclusion:

There is a positive correlation between the levels of narcissism and the self reported Social Media Networking site use among the participants in the study. Furthermore, the levels of narcissism were higher among Generation X than Generation Y.
Oxcarbazepine-induced Stevens Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Overlap
Authors: Godi Sangha Mitra , Nandan Neethu K , Soni Puneet Kumar
Published: April 2023

Drug-induced skin reactions are familiar with older epileptic drugs such as phenytoin, lamotrigine, and carbamazepine (CBZ); the newer antiepileptic drugs are less likely to cause. Oxcarbazepine (OXC), the successor of CBZ, has a better safety profile with respect to side effects and adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The StevensJohnson syndrome (SJS), an ADR, is less common with OXC, and there are few case reports in the literature. Here, we report a case of OXC-induced SJS/toxic epidermal necrolysis overlap in line with CARE guidelines.
Autism Services in Maharashtra
Authors: Subramanyam Alka Anand , Patkar Prajakta Sushil
Published: April 2023

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder consisting of a number of pervasive developmental disorders. Symptoms of autism spectrum disorders can often be very confusing and enmeshed with other neurodevelopmental disorders. This makes the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders quite challenging. Unfortunately, the awareness of this disorder is poor in not just general population but also in number of doctors, leading to such children not getting adequately and properly diagnosed. Early diagnosis can benefit the child to a great extent which can lead to a better quality of life for the patient and their family. Hence, an in-depth examination of these patients is a must which should include a holistic review from a number of different specialties. Patients diagnosed with autism also need a multidisciplinary mode of treatment which is not easily available. The Government of India also recognizes this disorder as a disability and provides multiple services and facilities for such individuals. Here, in this article, we have summarized all the various types of autism services in Maharashtra in the hope that this would be helpful for physicians to guide such patients for appropriate diagnosis and management.
Bronchoscopic Guided Intubation through Laryngeal Mask Airway in a Patient with Ankylosing Spondylitis
Authors: Praveenkumar Senthilkumar , Kapoor Hemlata , Malapaka Deepika
Published: April 2023

Patients with ankylosing spondylitis present with airway difficulties. There are various techniques to secure a definitive airway for general anaesthesia in these patients. We report the case of an ankylosing spondylitis patient with fixed neck deformity for laparoscopic bilateral inguinal hernia repair surgery managed with an Ambu® AuraGain™ laryngeal mask (LM) insertion and followed by a fibreoptic bronchoscopic-aided endotracheal tube insertion for definitive airway through the LM airway according to the All India Difficult Airway Association guidelines.
Predictive Machine Learning Algorithms in Anticipating Problems with Airway Management
Authors: Senthilnathan Muthapillai , Kundra Pankaj
Published: April 2023

Machine learning is artificial intelligence (AI) which can predict the output variable with the fed input features. This allows computers to learn from experience without being programmed. The outcome variable in machine learning algorithm may be continuous variable or categorical variable. Supervised machine learning is commonly applied artificial intelligence (AI) in medical field. Decision tree, gradient boost machine (GBM) learning, extreme GBM (XGBM), Support vector machine, K nearest neighbour and multi-layer perceptron are few machine learning algorithms which are being utilised to address the classification and regression problems. Though the incidence of difficult intubation (DI) is rare, occurrence of such event in an unanticipated situation can result in development of arrhythmias due to desaturation and cardiac arrest if not intervened on time. It is preferred to choose the physical parameters that can predict the difficult airway more accurately in clinical scenario and train the algorithm rather than including all the non-specific parameters. Body mass index (BMI) [>30 kg.m-2: anticipated difficult mask ventilation (DMV), direct laryngoscopy (DL) and DI], inter-insicor distance (IID) (<2 cm: anticipated DL), modified Mallampati (MMP) (Grade 1 and 2: Ease of intubation; Grade 3 and 4: anticipated DI), temporomandibular distance (TMD) (<6.5 cm - anticipated DI), restriction of neck extension (if present: anticipated DL and DI), receded mandible (if present: anticipated DL and DI), and poor submandibular space compliance (if present: anticipated DL and DI) parameters which are used to predict DA by clinical assessment, can be used to feed to train the machine learning algorithm. Despite using these sophisticated tools, extubation may fail and patients require reintubation in ICU. It is very challenging to assess the lung compliance in spontaneously breathing patients as compliance will be overestimated due to generation of negative pressure. Cause for which patient has been placed on mechanical ventilation is resolved/resolving, BMI (>30 kg.m-2), intact sensorium (absence of delirium), absence of consolidation, absence of copious secretions, oxygenation status (PaO2/FiO2: >250), ventilation status (paCO2: 30-45 mmHg), measure of work of breathing (respiratory rate, rapid shallow breathing index), heart rate and blood pressure during spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) and diaphragmatic thickness fraction can be used as input features to predict the success of extubation in critically ill patients. With widespread utility of applications in medical fraternity, applications for prediction of difficult airway (or for weaning success) can be programmed which can be accessed by the clinicians to predict DA, thereby all the preparations for managing DA may be done to prevent adverse consequences of unanticipated difficult airway.
Anaesthetic Concerns in a Case of Spasmodic Dysphonia
Authors: Rudingwa Priya , Ramadurai Rajasekar , Ravichandrane Banupriya , Madhanagopal Kishore Kumar
Published: April 2023

Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a voice disorder resulting from involuntary laryngeal muscle movements. An anaesthesiologist might encounter patients with SD arriving for surgical treatment of the primary pathology or other surgical procedures. One must exercise caution while providing anaesthesia to such patients and consider any factor that may precipitate airway obstruction. Symptoms might get exacerbated following anaesthesia involving airway intervention that might warrant immediate airway control. Airway techniques that have minimal manipulation and vigilant observation of the patient for any symptom of airway compromise postextubation are recommended. SD, though manifesting just as a voice change, has a significant impact on anaesthesia management, and as an anaesthesiologist, one should be aware of its implications while handling these patients.
Recurrent Perianal Abscess Secondary to Cutaneous B-cell Lymphoma
Authors: Shah Zamir A , Bhat Gawhar A. , Mehraj Asif , Chowdri Nisar A. , Parray Fazl Q. , Wani Rauf A.
Published: April 2023

Fistula-in-ano lies at the chronic end of the spectrum of perianal suppuration which is responsible for waxing and waning coarse of the disease. Recurrent infection of the fistulous tract is responsible for off and on abscess formation. Recurrent abscess formation without a fistula is a very rare entity. Here, we present a case of recurrent perianal abscess without a perianal fistula. A 45-year-old male with renal transplant on immunosuppression presented with recurrent perianal abscess which was drained multiple times and prescribed antibiotics as per culture sensitivity. Magnetic resonance imaging was Performed which did not reveal any fistula formation. The patient was subjected to a biopsy of the lesion which came out to be a B-cell lymphoma. The patient was successfully treated by a multidisciplinary team at our tertiary care center. With this case report, we conclude that recurrent abscess formation in perianal area in an immunosupressed patient may be due to an underlying cutaneous lymphoma. This disease needs multidisciplinary approach for successful management.