bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vehicular Networks Performance Evaluation Based on Downlink Scheduling Algorithms for High-Speed Long Term Evolution – Vehicle
Authors: Mahdi Hussain , Al-Bander Baidaa , Alwan Mohammed Hasan , Abood Mohammed Salah , Hamdi Mustafa Maad
Published: November 2021

Moving is the key to modern life. Most things are in moving such as vehicles and user mobiles, so the need for high-speed wireless networks to serve the high demand of the wireless application becomes essential for any wireless network design. The use of web browsing, online gaming, and on-time data exchange like video calls as an example means that users need a high data rate and fewer error communication links. To satisfy this, increasing the bandwidth available for each network will enhance the throughput of the communication, but the bandwidth available is a limited resource which means that thinking about techniques to be used to increase the throughput of the network is very important. One of the techniques used is the spectrum sharing between the available networks, but the problem here is when there is no available channel to connect with. This encourages researchers to think about using scheduling as a technique to serve the high capacity on the network. Studying scheduling techniques depends on the Quality-of-Service (QoS) of the network, so the throughput performance is the metric of this paper. In this paper, an improved Best-CQI scheduling algorithm is proposed to enhance the throughput of the network. The proposed algorithm was compared with three user scheduling algorithms to evaluate the throughput performance which are Round Robin (RR), Proportional Fair (PF), and Best-CQI algorithms. The study is performed under Line-of-Sight (LoS) link at carrier frequency 2.6 GHz to satisfy the Vehicular Long Term Evolution (LTE-V) with the high-speed scenario. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the throughput performance of the other algorithms.
Effectiveness of Increasing Realism Into Cybersecurity Training
Authors: Beveridge Robert
Published: November 2021

This article describes how cybersecurity is a field that is growing at an exponential rate. In light of many highly publicized incidences of cyber-attacks against organizations, the need to hire experienced cybersecurity professionals is increasing. The lack of available workforce to fill open positions is alarming and organizations are finding that potential candidates with academic degrees and certifications alone are not as valuable as those with experience. Gaining rapid experience requires immersion into realistic virtual environments that mimic real-world environments. Currently, cybersecurity competitions leverage many technologies that immerse participants into virtual environments that mimic real-world systems to improve experiential learning. These systems are expensive to build and maintain, and to continuously improve realism is difficult. However, the training value of cyber competitions in which the participants cannot distinguish from real-world systems will ultimately develop highly experience cybersecurity professionals.
Efficiently Prompting Students When Developing Computational Thinking Skills
Authors: Atmatzidou Soumela K. , Βekiari Chrysanthi N. , Demetriadis Stavros N.
Published: November 2021

This study investigates the impact of student response modality on the development of computational thinking skills in educational robotics activities. Students of an elementary school were divided into three study groups ('Control', 'Selecting', and 'Writing') that implemented activities based on the same teacher guidance while prompted to provide responses of different modalities. The purpose was to engage students in the development of computational thinking skills, focusing on the basic skills of abstraction, generalization, algorithm, modularity, and debugging. These skills were evaluated at different phases during the activity, using different modality (selection, written, and oral) assessment tools. The results suggest that (1) prompting and eliciting thoughts in the form of written or selected answers proves to be a beneficial strategy, and (2) the two groups, ‘Writing' and ‘Selecting', reach the same level of CT skills, which is significantly higher than the level of the control group.
Brushbots for Educational Robotics
Authors: Fislake Martin , Thran Laura Aileen
Published: November 2021

Due to their simple construction, brushbots are popular and widely known as craft objects. Building instructions promise tinkering fun and a promoting effect but minor as low-cost research objects. They are regarded as microbots and give opportunities for discussions. One questions to answer is whether their chaotic motion can be influenced. Therefore, this contribution deals with an examination of factors influencing their movement behaviour. The aim was to show experimental work and to discuss the potential of brushbots in three directions: first, to propose a cheap platform to evaluate the motion capabilities of different designs; second, to offer an approach to improve vibrobots concerning experimentation results in the design process; and third, to provide a sample that can be transferred to schools. For this purpose, the basics of brushbots are presented, and the experiments and their results are described. The results offer inspiration for teaching applications that go beyond mere tinkering and provide approaches for further research.
Malicious Node Detection Using Convolution Technique
Authors: Ahlawat Priyanka , Singhal Pranjil , Goyal Khushi , Yadav Kanak , Bathla Rohit
Published: November 2021

Considering the situation when the node which is entering in the network is a malicious node, it can check and record the various operations of the network which could be responsible for some serious security issues. In order to safeguard the network, the author propose an approach which is in view of the advanced encoding strategy, termed as convolution coding approach. According to the requirement of network, the initial bits are assigned, and by applying the convolution technique, the final code is generated for each and every node. Considering the fact that it is a digital method, the codes can be represented by using the binary number system. All the nodes that are a part of the network will be having their corresponding final binary code, say C. The verification of each node is carried out by matching the generated code C with the security code within a particular time period before transmitting the data. This process enables the detection of malicious or attacker node. Furthermore, to enhance the versatility and execution, the system is organized into clusters.
Capturing the Impact of Organizational Safety Management on Safety Outcome With a Mediating Role of Safety Commitment
Authors: Ajmal Muhammad , Isha Ahmad Shahrul Nizam , Nordin Shahrina M. D.
Published: November 2021

In high-risk and hazardous organizations, occupational safety is one of the key issues. This is because occupational accidents, workplace injuries, and near misses cost organization both financially and non-financially. The purpose of this chapter is to measure the impact of safety management on safety outcomes via safety commitment to capturing organizational safety in the oil and gas industry of Malaysia. However, data collection was challenging because of COVID-19 and security issues. The convenience sampling method was used to collect data from workers of the department of operation and production from the oil and gas industry of Malaysia. The investigation revealed that safety commitment plays a significant role in enhancing safety outcomes (accidents, injuries, and near misses) in the oil and gas industry. The factors on the individual and organizational levels that influence safety outcomes have been discussed with the aim of developing a safety management model. In the future, this study can be conducted on a large-scale basis to explore other safety management practices.
Occupational Safety as One of the Important Factors of Professional Satisfaction and Stress in Regular Conditions and During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Čolović Milica , Mitić Vladimir , Nikolić Milena , Milojković Danka
Published: November 2021

This chapter examines occupational safety as one of the factors of professional satisfaction and stress and in two studies – one conducted in regular conditions (sample of 320 respondents) and the other conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic (sample of 352 respondents). So, it was possible to compare the obtained results and conclude in what way the pandemic led to changes in those feelings among people employed in different sectors and different gender. The results show that the factor of occupational safety is the most important for persons employed in the private sector and those who own private business, while for the state employees it is in second place. The highest satisfaction is present in state employees, while the situation is completely opposite in persons employed in the private sector. Women generally have a lower sense of professional satisfaction, while differences in the level of stress after a pandemic disappeared.
Remote Work Implementation as Organizational Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Slavković Marko , Sretenović Stefan , Tošić Bojana
Published: November 2021

Companies and organizations all around the world are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and have to respond to the upcoming phenomena. New business environment requires a new job design in order to protect employees and ensure business continuity through remote work implementation. Such working concept takes a period of adaptation, consequently bringing some side effects. This chapter is based on the results of the research conducted through a survey among employees of the companies operating in the Republic of Serbia. The aim of the chapter is to point out the challenges faced by the companies during remote work implementation. The objective of the chapter is to determine the possibility of adopting a remote work within various groups of employees. The purpose of this chapter is to provide guidelines for easier remote work implementation for different categories of employees. When the pandemic ends, remote work would not be necessary, but with accumulated experience, it also can create strategic advantages both for employees and their companies.
Fear of Missing Out, Social Media Use, and Psychological Wellbeing Among University Students
Authors: Arya Bhavana , Sharma Shirin , Kumar Harshita
Published: November 2021

With the extensive use of internet, social networking has become an important part of social interactions in our lives. The use of social networking affects the physical and mental health of an individual. Various aspects associated with prolonged and frequent use of social networking is comparable to behavioural addiction as it shows symptoms of increased dependence and withdrawal. Hence, there is a need to understand the various factors which may be associated with compulsive use of social media. Fear of missing out (FoMO) has been associated with negative affect, poor mental health, and excessive use of social media. The current research was conducted on a student sample of 267 boys and girls and found that the relationship between FoMO and psychological wellbeing was mediated by use of social media. The research has important implications as usage of internet and social media is on a continuous rise. The individual differences in the usage need to be ascribed to personal factors in order for a better understanding of the phenomenon.
Development of L2 Listening Metacognitive Awareness via Online Metacognitive Listening Practice
Authors: Pei Tao , Suwanthep Jitpanat
Published: November 2021

Metacognitive intervention of listening has prevailed in L2 (second language) listening research in the past decade. However, rare research has linked metacognitive intervention with online listening. This study examines L2 learners' development of metacognitive awareness of listening through online metacognitive listening practice. A set of online metacognitive listening exercises were constructed, based on a metacognitive cycle that regularly guides learners through metacognitive processes of listening. Thirty-nine low-proficiency Chinese university EFL listeners from one intact class participated in the study and did online listening practice as individual outside-class homework for 14 weeks. The development of metacognitive awareness was measured by MALQ and enriched by the learners' reflective notes. Results reveal an inverted U-shape pattern in the development of metacognitive awareness and that the factors of metacognitive awareness develop asynchronously. Some factors appear more susceptible to listening task difficulty and more unstable in the development process.
Student Use of E-Learning During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Authors: Alwahaishi Saleh
Published: November 2021

The breakout of the coronavirus disease has brought about a seismic shift in the daily lives of people worldwide. Educational institutions have been temporarily closed, and different types of lockdowns and social distancing approaches have been applied in countries around the world to delay the spread of the disease. This study investigates the determinants influencing university student intentions and use of electronic learning during the pandemic. Data were collected online from 229 respondents in different academic disciplines at various Saudi Arabian universities. The findings revealed that two factors positively affected students' behavioral intention to utilize electronic learning: trust and performance expectancy. Moreover, the findings showed the significance of facilitating conditions and behavioral intention on students' use of electronic learning during the lockdown. The study findings provide some important practical insights on how curriculum and pedagogy should be modified by adjusting learning standards and assessment tools.
An Integrated Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Model for Cloud Service Provider Selection
Authors: Uma S.  , Evangelin Geetha D.
Published: November 2021

In the present scenario, it is inevitable for organizations to use the services offered through the cloud. As there are numerous cloud service providers, the users have a vast number of choices to get the desired service. For the long term success of any organization, it is important to choose the right cloud service provider. This paper focuses on proposing a new framework to select the best cloud service provider. While selecting the best service provider, using an appropriate method for finding out the weight of each criterion is very important as it directly impacts the ranking of candidate service providers. In this work, the Full Consistency Method (FUCOM) is employed for finding the weight of each criterion and Multi-Objective Optimization by Ratio Analysis (MOORA) is proposed for ranking the service provider. The integration of FUCOM with MOORA results in computing the reliable values of criteria weight and a simpler procedure for computing the overall score of the service provider. Hence a rational decision making is possible in selecting the best cloud service provider.
A Case Study of Post-Occupancy Evaluation of an Educational Building With LEED Platinum Rating
Authors: Tabrizi Aydin , Sanguinetti Paola
Published: November 2021

The Building environment and the performance of its systems directly impact the experience and comfort of a building occupant. This POE study examines the relationship between building and human performance. LEED-rated building was selected as a case study to analyze its performance after being in operation. The occupants’ satisfaction was evaluated in terms of the thermal comfort and human use with the application of online questionnaire. The environmental impact was determined through various measurements including room temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, lighting levels and carbon emission. The outcomes of this study identify the building systems efficiencies as well as the systems in need of retrofit. The POE results can help building designers address user needs more effectively and fine-tune the systems to improve sustainability.
Green Technology Implementation in the Moroccan Industrial Processes
Authors: Nejjari Zakaria , Aamoum Hanane
Published: November 2021

The community starts to interrogate the accelerate economic development marketability caused by the unreasonable natural wealth consumption. In the international agenda, connection between environment and industrialization is launched with considerable power, to maintain upcoming generations without impacting the present production and nations development. This paper intends to study how green technologies are engineered in the Moroccan industrial approaches through a qualitative study that labels the principal industrial processes that influence the environment in Morocco, the green technology implementation is described by this process. In this research, we establish the project that manipulates green technologies in industrial processes, and in what way, country aid has promoted greener production and consequently trigger durable growth. Moreover, it is predicted to differentiate green technologies that are adjusted presently in the Moroccan industrial development.
Impact of Non-Violent Resistance in Processing Chipko, The Movement!
Authors: Mishra Rashi
Published: November 2021

Use and control over natural resources was the main agenda behind ecological movements in India. Environmental movements brought environmental sensitivity. Uttarakhand has had been a beautiful state but the region remained isolated and unsung for a longer period of time. However, the local organizations and protests linked the region with the rest of the country. The central motivation of the study is to trace out the tactics adopted when hardly any tech-based communication existed to set Chipko as the mass movement. The study is exploratory in nature and data has been gathered using Schedule which has been analyzed via percent analysis. Results of the study approves that Chipko validated nonviolent resistance and brought out unique strategies to sustain the Chipko as the movement. Chipko was a continuation of the old peasant struggle where the population mainly stressed on the group communication.
A Portraiture of Environmental Justice in Communities of Concern
Authors: Lalude Olalekan Moyosore , Lawal-Arowolo Ayoyemi
Published: November 2021

Environmental justice as a movement is an urgent step towards the realization of environmental equity. There is a necessity that makes environmental justice an important solution to climate change. The origin of the necessity was the damage that environmental racism was causing, and its realization in the United States and later as an international phenomenon. Through a theoretical approach, this article examined how communities of concern are denied environmental justice as a result of the current developmental models in practice and showed why they are vulnerable to the global challenge of climate change and environmental pollution. It identified the link between human rights and the environment. It explored a viable sustainable development model for communities of concern and concluded on how they can get past the economic challenges of implementing green industries.
Effect of Change Agent Leadership Style on Successful ERP Implementation and Firm Performance
Authors: Vihari Nitin Simha , Yadav Mohit
Published: November 2021

The study aims to measure change agent's leadership style on successful ERP implementation and organizational performance. The data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire from 290 employees working in 14 knowledge-based companies in the United Arab Emirates with a response rate of 69.04%. The study uses cross-sectional research design with snowball sampling method and data were collected using online survey method. Some of the findings, including all three leadership styles (transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire), significantly contribute to ERP implementation success and in turn impact firm performance. Transformational leadership style of change agent is found to have the highest impact on firm performance with ERP implementation acting as a partial mediator. The present study opened the doors by linking leadership style with ERP implementation towards multidimensionality of change agent's reach not being limited to some aspects. Practitioners can use the insights in understanding the impact of change agent's deployment in an organization.
Toward a Smart Organization, Integrating KM Processes, and Organizational Capabilities
Authors: Al Shawabkeh Khaled Mahmoud , Alhawari Samer Fawaz , Al-Kharabsheh Mohammad Abed-Haleem
Published: November 2021

It is common knowledge that organizations today face the challenges of growing competition. Therefore, organizations need to develop smarter to plan for several diverse and real-time challenges. The aim of this paper is to test the impact of knowledge management (KM) processes, organizational capabilities (OC), and mediating KM mechanisms and KM technologies toward a smart organization (SO). In this paper, structural equation modeling was applied by using Smart PLS 3.3.3 software to test hypotheses and the accuracy of the suggested model. The results showed a direct impact between all constructs and are a reflection of the SO of the employees (N=225) working in three Jordanian telecommunications companies. Additionally, the outcomes provision the partial mediating role of KM mechanisms and KM technology with OC in the SO. These outcomes can support leaders in generating a consciousness in addition to favorable OC, KM mechanisms, and KM technologies inside the organization, which enables the actual implementation of SO and uses the outcomes to plan their SO strategies.
Disconnect to Connect to Different Age Group Customers
Authors: Mittal Divya , Agrawal Shiv Ratan
Published: November 2021

The present study aimed to identify the inabilities of service firms to connect to different age group customers whilst the era of smart technologies. Despite various service innovations customer services seem to be worsening across the world. It is imperative to understand different age group customers' experiences while using smart technologies to address current customer strategies and practices in the service sector. The study adopted the CIT method to collect participants’ experiences who were using smart technologies in various service settings. The study indicates that how staff and top management personnel of service firms are using smart technologies as a shield to avoid human contact with their customers presently. Additionally, the study highlights the relevance of people, empathy, and interactive marketing practices for improving services even in the era of smart technologies. It means that service firms should connect more and more customers through various smart technologies but get themselves disconnected from these technologies to keep a direct human interaction.
Older Adults Used Fewer Home Care Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from a Secondary Analysis of an Urgent Survey in Japan
Authors: Matsumoto Hiroshige , Kawagoe Masahiro , Hotta Satoko
Published: November 2021

Background: This study aimed to identify reduced home care use among older people and its impact on user numbers and service provider revenues during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.Methods: We conducted this secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from long-term care providers in Japan and estimated the probability of client cancellations and service contraction for institutional and home care services adjusted for the service type, area, size, infection occurrence, and staff employment impacts. We then estimated the rate of change in user numbers and revenue related to reduced usage.Results: Seventy-two percent of home care providers experienced client cancellations and 42.1% experienced service contraction, both of which were more prevalent in home care than in institutional care (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=11.09 and 1.60). Home-visit (AOR=0.70) and short-term stay (AOR=0.38) services were less likely to experience client cancellations compared with adult day services. Service contraction was less likely in home-visit services (AOR=0.60) but were more likely in short-stay services (AOR=1.49) compared to adult day services. The estimated reductions in user numbers and revenue related to service contraction for adult day services were 9.1% and 7.1%, respectively. Home-visiting services decreased by an estimated 3.4% owing to service contraction. Conclusion: The secondary effects of the COVID-19 pandemic include reduced use of home care services, especially adult day services that include social contact. These secondary effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may cause functional deterioration in non-infected clients and financially impact service providers.
Five-Class Classification of Cervical Pap Smear Images: A Study of CNN-Error-Correcting SVM Models
Authors: Huong Audrey K. C. , Tay Kim Gaik , Ngu Xavier T. I.
Published: November 2021

Objectives: Different complex strategies of fusing handcrafted descriptors and features from convolutional neural network (CNN) models have been studied, mainly for two-class Papanicolaou (Pap) smear image classification. This paper explores a simplified system using combined binary coding for a five-class version of this problem.Methods: This system extracted features from transfer learning of AlexNet, VGG19, and ResNet50 networks before reducing this problem into multiple binary sub-problems using error-correcting coding. The learners were trained using the support vector machine (SVM) method. The outputs of these classifiers were combined and compared to the true class codes for the final prediction.Results: Despite the superior performance of VGG19-SVM, with mean ± standard deviation accuracy and sensitivity of 80.68% ± 2.00% and 80.86% ± 0.45%, respectively, this model required a long training time. There were also false-negative cases using both the VGGNet-SVM and ResNet-SVM models. AlexNet-SVM was more efficient in terms of running speed and prediction consistency. Our findings also showed good diagnostic ability, with an area under the curve of approximately 0.95. Further investigation also showed good agreement between our research outcomes and that of the state-of-the-art methods, with specificity ranging from 93% to 100%.Conclusions: We believe that the AlexNet-SVM model can be conveniently applied for clinical use. Further research could include the implementation of an optimization algorithm for hyperparameter tuning, as well as an appropriate selection of experimental design to improve the efficiency of Pap smear image classification.
Predicting Hospital Readmission in Heart Failure Patients in Iran: A Comparison of Various Machine Learning Methods
Authors: Najafi-Vosough Roya , Faradmal Javad , Hosseini Seyed Kianoosh , Moghimbeigi Abbas , Mahjub Hossein
Published: November 2021

Objectives: Heart failure (HF) is a common disease with a high hospital readmission rate. This study considered class imbalance and missing data, which are two common issues in medical data. The current study’s main goal was to compare the performance of six machine learning (ML) methods for predicting hospital readmission in HF patients.Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, information of 1,856 HF patients was analyzed. These patients were hospitalized in Farshchian Heart Center in Hamadan Province in Western Iran, from October 2015 to July 2019. The support vector machine (SVM), least-square SVM (LS-SVM), bagging, random forest (RF), AdaBoost, and naïve Bayes (NB) methods were used to predict hospital readmission. These methods’ performance was evaluated using sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy. Two imputation methods were also used to deal with missing data.Results: Of the 1,856 HF patients, 29.9% had at least one hospital readmission. Among the ML methods, LS-SVM performed the worst, with accuracy in the range of 0.57–0.60, while RF performed the best, with the highest accuracy (range, 0.90–0.91). Other ML methods showed relatively good performance, with accuracy exceeding 0.84 in the test datasets. Furthermore, the performance of the SVM and LS-SVM methods in terms of accuracy was higher with the multiple imputation method than with the median imputation method.Conclusions: This study showed that RF performed better, in terms of accuracy, than other methods for predicting hospital readmission in HF patients.
Developing an Interactive Computer Program for Integrated Dental Education
Authors: Chow Ava K. , Sharmin Nazlee
Published: November 2021

Objectives: The knowledge of anatomy is an integral part of dental and medical education that builds the foundations of pathology, physiology, and other related disciplines. Traditional three-dimensional (3D) models used to teach anatomy cannot represent dynamic physiological processes and lack structural detail in the oral regions relevant for dental education. We developed an interactive computer program to teach oral anatomy, pathology, and microbiology in an integrated manner to improve students’ learning experiences.Methods: The computer program, Jawnatomy, was developed as a 3D human head. Cognitive load theory guided the design of the tool, with the goal of reducing the heavy cognitive load of learning anatomy and integrating this knowledge with pathology and microbiology. Keller’s attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (ARCS) model of motivational design was used while creating the tool to improve learners’ motivation and engagement. Blender was used to create the graphics, and Unity 3D was used to incorporate interactivity in the program. The 3D renderings of oral anatomy and progression of tooth decay were created with the input of content experts.Results: Jawnatomy will be launched in our institution’s dentistry and dental hygiene program to support project- and team-based learning. This program will also be introduced to students as a self-directed learning tool to help them practice and strengthen their anatomical knowledge at their own pace.Conclusions: Surveys and focus groups will be conducted to evaluate and further improve the computer program. We believe that Jawnatomy will become an invaluable teaching tool for dental education.
Proximate Composition of Three Head Organs (Brain, Eyes, Tongue), Three Visceral Organs (Liver, Heart, Gizzard), Skin and Muscle of Muscovy Duck- hen
Authors:   Department of Chemistry (Analytical Unit), Faculty of Science, Ekiti State University, PMB 5363, Ado – Ekiti, Nigeria, EI Adeyeye
Published: November 2021

The proximate compositions of brain (A), eyes (B), tongue (E), liver (D), heart (F), gizzard (C), skin (H) and muscle (G) of Muscovy duck-hen were determined. The proximate composition values ranged as follows (values in g/100g on dry weight basis) ash (0.18 – 3.77 ± 1.40), moisture (0.50 – 4.78± 1.40), protein (3.24 – 79.9 ± 29.7), fat (0.23 – 5.60 ± 2.04), carbohydrate (6.19 – 95.8 ± 33.6), dry matter (95.22 – 99.5± 1.40) and organic matter (91.45 – 99.27± 2.63) with all the parameters being significantly different among the samples. Metabolizable energy contribution from protein, fat and carbohydrate in the samples ranged from (kJ/100g/kcal/100g): 740(180) – 7924(1864). Percentage energy contribution range was 5.53/5.70 – 59.2/59.1. Whereas the crude fat ranged from 0.23 – 5.60 g/100g, the total fatty acid (TFA) ranged from 0.217 – 5.08 g/100g or EPg/100g with corresponding energy of (kJ/100g versus kcal/100g): 8.51/2.07 – 207/50.4 and 8.03/1.95 – 188/45.7 respectively. UEDP% (assuming 60% energy utilization) range was 1.95/1.96 – 49.0/48.9. Approximate sample weight equivalents to the energy requirements of adults and infants had ranges of : for 2500kcal per day, sample range was 617 – 644g (adults) and at 3000kcal per day, requirement was 741 – 773g (adults); infant at 740kcal would require 183 – 191g. Water balance for protein metabolism had value range of 6.48 – 160ml. Correlational analyses of samples at r=0.01 gave these results: A/B (0.3024), B/E (0.1794), A/E (0.9916), C/D (0.9994), D/F (0.9892), C/F (0.9923) and G/H (-0.2014). Hence, Muscovy duck-hens are good sources of protein, metabolizable energy and low fat.
Colocalized Vitiligo and Psoriasis
Authors:   Department of Dermatology-Venereology, Mohammed V University, IBN Sina Hospital, Rabat, Morocco, Belmourida S , Palamino H ,   Department of Dermatology-Venereology, Mohammed V University, IBN Sina Hospital, Rabat, Morocco
Published: November 2021

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory cutaneous disorder characterized by abnormal epidermal growth and differentiation, presenting as red, scaly patches, papules, and plaques. This common disease affects approximately 2% of the population
Historical Colonial Mental Health Services in New France and Quebec Canada
Authors:   Fellow, Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Sussman Sam
Published: November 2021

Quebec was founded by Samuel de Champlain inn 1608.It was the first European settlement in Canada and was France’s most important colony in North America. The British captured the city of Quebec in 1759 and Montreal in 1760 as a consequence of wars with France. By the terms of the Treaty of Paris in 1763 all o0f present day Canada was ceded to Great Britain the United Kingdom with the Queen of England, Scotland and Wales the titular sovereign of all of Canada.
A Case of Primary Tuberculosis Mastitis Revealed By a Chronical Skin Fistula
Authors:   Department of Dermatology-Venereology, Mohammed V University, IBN Sina Hospital, Rabat, Morocco, Sialiti S , Znati K ,   Department of anatomopathology, Mohammed V University, IBN Sina Hospital, Rabat, Morocco
Published: November 2021

Breast tuberculosis is a rare form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, even in endemic countries. Its frequency is low both in tuberculosis localization (0.06 to 0.1%) as well as in breast disease (0.025 to 4.5%)
Insight on PMDA Regulatory Procedures, Key Stages, Timing, and CMC Requirements for Bio-Therapeutic Products in Japan
Authors:   CMC and regulatory affairs, Director and Co-founder -IMPUTE INC. JAPAN, SINGH SEEMA
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this manuscript is to provide a basic understanding of legal regulatory systems, marketing authorization application, the Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Agency (PMDA) review process, key stages and timing and CMC (Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls) requirements in Japan, with a focus on biotherapeutic/biological drug products for human use. The PMDA has some stringent CMC data requirements, which make Japan unique. Japan’s regulatory environment is significantly more complicated than any other country. The level of accuracy and details required by the Japanese regulatory authority is sometimes even greater than the US FDA (the United States Food and Drug Administration), the EMA (the European Medicine Agency) or any other pharmaceutical regulatory agency
FNAC: A Simple & Cost-Effective Diagnostic Tool for Benign & Malignant Pathologies Associated with Cervical Lymphadenopathy
Authors: Sohail Anwar  , Amna Rehman  , Asifa Karamat  , Huma Batool  , Ali Afzal
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Cervical lymphadenopathy is very common as the presenting complaint in our outpatient departments. Its etiology may either be benign or malignant. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a comparatively cheap, easy to perform minimally invasive test. It has become the go to test to determine the cause of lymphadenopathy

Aims & Objectives: To determine whether FNAC is a cost-effective diagnostic tool in evaluation of various benign and malignant Pathologies associated with cervical lymphadenopathy.

Place and duration of study: It is a retrospective study conducted at Gulab Devi Hospital from April 2019 to April 2021.

Material & Methods: The cyto-morphologic features seen in the aspirates were critically analyzed and correlated with their etiology. SPSS version 24.0 was analyzed for data analysis. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.

Results: Among the 100 patients 56 were females and 44 were males with a female to male ratio of 1.3:1. The age range of the patients was from 3 to 75 years. 37% were reactive lymphadenitis, 32% were tuberculosis, 12% were suppurative, 11% were lymphoproliferative disorders, 8% cases were metastatic neoplasm.

Conclusion: FNAC is a reliable and cost effective to diagnose the etiologies of cervical lymphadenopathy.
Symptoms and Associations of COVID-19 in Pakistan A Single Centre, Descriptive Study
Authors: Shehrbano Ali  , Muhammad Murad Murtaza  , Marriam Nasir  , Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry
Published: November 2021

Introduction: Since SARS-CoV2 is a novel virus, not much was previously known about the disease, however recent studies have shown that it is transmitted via droplet infection and mainly affects the respiratory tract, causing symptoms of fever, fatigue and shortness of breath. Comorbidities increase risk of severe disease.

Aims & Objectives: Our study aims to determine the predominant manifestations and correlations of COVID-19 in Pakistan.

Place and duration of study: The study was carried out at CMH Lahore over ten-day duration from 1st June 2020 to 10th June 2020.

Material & Methods: Samples of 107 confirmed cases of COVID-19 was taken. Participants were administered a questionnaire by attending doctor which enquired regarding their symptoms, presence of complications, and comorbidities. Data was analyzed using SPSS 25.0. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.

Results: 77.6% of participants were male whereas 22.4% were female, with mean age 40.68 years. Symptoms commonly experienced were fever (71%), cough (32.7%), sore throat (36.4%), and myalgia (57%). Progression to complications was seen in 36 participants, most common being pneumonia (22.4%). Age of participants was significantly associated with symptoms of fever (p= 0.017), shortness of breath (p= 0.048) and fatigue (p= 0.021), and complication of pneumonia (p= 0.001). Comorbidities were associated with many symptoms and complications, most prominently cardiovascular disease was associated with development of complications like acute kidney injury (p= 0.002), cardiac failure (p= 0.005), and stroke (p= 0.005).

Conclusion: Symptoms of COVID-19 are respiratory in nature primarily, however, the virus also affects other organs like gastrointestinal tract, neurons, heart. Age and presence of comorbidities increase risk of getting more severe disease, with highest risk of complications occurring in patients with history of cardiovascular disease.
College Student Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Concerns, Preventive Behaviors, and Impact on Academics and Career Choice
Authors: Hickey Sabrina E. , Hebert Edward P. , Webb Nancy
Published: November 2021

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, during the Spring 2020 semester universities cancelled campus activities and moved all instruction online resulting in significant changes for college students. This study examined COVID-related concerns, engagement in preventive behaviors, barriers to academic success, and the impact of the pandemic on academic performance and career plans among 743 undergraduate students. Highest concerns were expressed for health of family and the pandemic’s economic effects. Over 70% reported engaging in preventive behaviors, with hand washing, wearing a face mask, and social distancing most prevalent. Despite anxiety, distracted home environments, and time management difficulties, most students indicated a relatively small effect of the pandemic on their academic success and anticipated career choice. Significant relationships were found between concern for contracting the virus and engaging in preventive behaviors, and between perceived barriers to academic success and change in academic performance.
Soil Compaction Effects on the Establishment of Three Tropical Tree Species
Authors: Tirado-Corbalá Rebecca , Slater Brian
Published: November 2021

Tree seedlings planted in containers along sidewalks in urban environments show restricted growth and development over time. This is the result of limited soil volume and soil compaction that hampers nutrient availability and water movement. Using tree species commonly used in urban forestry in Puerto Rico, this study was conducted to determine their growth response when planted in compacted soils. Seedlings of three ornamental tropical tree species, trumpet bush [Tecoma stans (L.) Juss. ex Kunth], bottle brush [Callistemon citrinus (Curtis) Skeels], and pink trumpet (Tabebuia rosea dc.) were transplanted into pots of sandy clay loam or clay soils at three levels of compaction: control (no compaction), 1.2 g/cm3 and 1.4 g/cm3 bulk density, respectively. Plant height, shoot diameter, leaf number and color, foliar area, and root, shoot, and leaf dry weights were measured on two plants every two months for six months. All species exhibited better growth in sandy clay loam at 1.2 g/cm3; after six months, all species showed a reduced root-shoot ratio. When planted in clay at 1.4 g/cm3, all trumpet bush seedlings died within two months. No leaf color differences were observed between species at different compaction levels. Bottle brush showed less growth suppression by increasing compaction level in both soils.
Tree Root Ecology in the Urban Environment and Implications for a Sustainable Rhizosphere
Authors: Day Susan , Wiseman P. Eric , Dickinson Sarah , Harris J. Roger
Published: November 2021

This review examines current understandings of how the belowground characteristics of urban settings affect tree roots as well as how tree roots contribute to biogeochemical processes in this belowground environment. Soil characteristics common to the urban environment include soil compaction and other physical impediments to root exploration, elevated pH, altered temperature and moisture patterns, and the presence of contaminants. These conditions may alter the growth dynamics, morphology, and physiology of roots. At the same time, roots have a profound effect on the soil environment, with trees directing 40%–73% of assimilated carbon below ground. Urban rhizosphere ecology is a topic of renewed interest for research not only because of its critical role in the urban ecosystem, but also because of its role in global environmental issues. In addition to its obvious contribution to aboveground growth, root exploration of the soil environment can influence environmental sustainability through root contributions to soil structure and drainage. Root influence is further mediated by the intimate role of roots in soil biological activity and thus carbon storage and nutrient cycling. Current advances and implications for emerging research are discussed.
A Survey of United States Tree Care Companies: Part I - Safety Training and Fatal Accidents
Authors: Ball John , Vosberg Shane
Published: November 2021

Tree work has a high accident rate compared to many other occupations. News accounts of recent accidents can be easily accessed through the internet, though this may not provide a true picture of the number and types of accidents occurring. U.S. government bureaus and agencies have produced reports citing the number and circumstances of fatal accidents in the profession. The government’s information is obtained from many sources and may not accurately identify types or frequency of these accidents. A survey of the accidents and safety training among tree care companies was conducted using a mail questionnaire based on the Tailored Design Method. The company managers responding to the survey overwhelming identified having trained field workers as very important yet only about two-thirds of their companies conducted any training. The training most often conducted was on aerial lifts, chain saws, and chipper, which was provided by company employees in a field setting. Driver’s training was not part of a formal safety program for most of the companies. Aerial rescue was practiced by about one-fourth of the surveyed companies. The most common fatal accidents involved contact with an electrical conductor followed by being struck by a falling limb. The relative number of fatal accidents by event or exposure in this survey was similar to that identified by two federal government reports on fatal accident in the field.
Aboveground Growth Response of Platanus orientalis to Porous Pavements
Authors: Morgenroth Justin , Visser Rien
Published: November 2021

Integrating healthy, mature trees into paved urban environments is a challenging task for urban foresters, as impervious pavements are associated with reduced tree growth and survival. It is thought that porous pavements may alleviate this problem due to their permeability to air and water. The authors of the following study tested whether porous pavements affect tree growth relative to impervious pavements by measuring aboveground growth in trees treated with an augmented factorial arrangement of pavement profile designs and pavement types. Fifty oriental plane (Platanus orientalis) seedlings were evenly distributed to control plots or one of four treatments. Treated plots were characterized either by porous or impervious pavement pads measuring 2.3 m × 2.3 m, that were underlain either by fine sandy loam or a gravel base and compacted subgrade, reflecting two pavement profile designs. Results show stem height, diameter, and biomass increased as a result of porous pavements. Greater growth proffered by porous pavements was negated by profile designs including a compacted subgrade and gravel base. Finally, impervious pavements did not negatively influence tree growth, relative to control trees.
Root Growth Response of Platanus orientalis to Porous Pavements
Authors: Morgenroth Justin
Published: November 2021

An experiment was established to determine the effect of porous pavement on underlying root growth. An augmented factorial arrangementof pavement profile designs and pavement types was installed and fifty Platanus orientalis seedlings were evenly distributed to control plots or one of four treatments. Treated plots were characterized by either porous or impervious pavement pads measuring 2.3 m × 2.3 m, and underlain by either fine sandy loam or a gravel base and compacted subgrade, reflecting two pavement profile designs. Following two growing seasons, root abundance was categorized by diameter and depth. Results suggest root abundance is greater, especially at shallow soil depths, under pavements. Pavements designed with a compacted subgrade and gravel base only exacerbated shallow root growth, though they could decrease total root abundance. Finally, porous and impervious pavements affected root abundance and distribution in similar ways, dismissing the use of porous pavements to promote deeper rooting.