bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proférations. Logique de l’oralité fin de siècle
Authors: Delattre Alexandra
Published: June 2021

On a pu souligner l’extravagance des manifestations de l’oralité fin de siècle. Les cabarets, haut lieu de la bohème, accueillent des performances exubérantes qu’on oppose souvent au calme concerté des expérimentations symbolistes sur le Verbe. Mais s’agit-il d’expériences esthétiques distinctes ? Cet article s’attache à montrer comment l’oralité permet de penser une continuité entre ces pratiques. Par-delà les divergences et les querelles d’école, l’oralité pourrait être dans la nébuleuse décadente, ce qu’il y a de plus communément partagé.
L’oral entre dans la bibliothèque : le skaz de Nikolaï Leskov au carrefour des approches critiques
Authors: Géry Catherine
Published: June 2021

L’article se penche sur le développement et la formalisation par l’auteur russe Nikolaï Leskov (1831-1895) d’un type de narration appelée skaz ou conte oral, qui inscrit l’oralité au cœur du texte écrit. Si à l’origine cette appropriation des formes orales du récit sert à l’auteur à affirmer une stratégie auctoriale qui l’établit en hérétique des lettres russes, à contre-courant de la modernité, elle va le placer au carrefour de différentes approches critiques qui, de Boris Eichenbaum à Walter Benjamin, fait de Leskov une figure centrale, au début du xx e  siècle, pour penser les caractéristiques formelles du texte écrit et son rapport à son lecteur/auditeur. À l’image des « antimodernes », et grâce à son réinvestissement du récit oral, Leskov est de ceux qui, tout en réfutant à hauts cris la modernité culturelle, technique, industrielle et économique, sont devenus des figures tutélaires du modernisme en art.
Les diplômés en STAPS : quelle(s) formation(s) pour quelle insertion professionnelle ?
Authors: Pierre Jeremy , Collinet Cécile , Schut Pierre-Olaf
Published: June 2021

Au cours de la dernière décennie, les effectifs d’étudiants en STAPS (Sciences et Techniques des Activités Physiques et Sportives) n’ont cessé d’augmenter. Régulièrement filière en tension, l’augmentation de ses capacités d’accueil ne peut se faire sans s’interroger sur les débouchés professionnels. Cet article s’appuie sur une enquête nationale menée en 2018 auprès d’un échantillon représentatif de diplômés STAPS de la promotion 2016 (n=2086) issus de 24 structures STAPS. L’objectif est d’analyser les choix de poursuite d’étude des diplômés et/ou les caractéristiques de leur insertion professionnelle à partir d’indicateurs de la qualité de l’emploi. Les résultats révèlent un taux d’insertion dans l’emploi de 82,1 % pour l’ensemble des diplômes STAPS (90,9 % pour les Masters), soit l’équivalent de 5 239 emplois occupés à l’échelle nationale. Au sein d’une même filière STAPS, l’augmentation du niveau du diplôme obtenu permet à la fois une amélioration de certains indicateurs de stabilité de l’emploi et l’accès à davantage de postes à responsabilités dans le sous-secteur professionnel visé. Les emplois occupés par les diplômés témoignent d’une réussite dans la diversification des formations et des parcours opérés par la filière STAPS, malgré une concurrence d’autres systèmes de certifications aux métiers du sport.
Specialization Within a Specialty: Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nursing Pathways for the Greatest Good
Authors: Kverno Karan S. , Fenton Ashley
Published: June 2021

Dr. Hildegard Peplau's theory on the primacy of the therapeutic interpersonal relationship remains central to the role of the psychiatric–mental health advanced practice nurse (PMH APN). In 1989, Peplau published her thoughts on how World War II (WWII) shaped early PMH APN practice. Following WWII and the return of hundreds of thousands of previously mentally healthy service members with combat-related psychiatric symptoms and disorders, the prevailing societal beliefs about mental illness began to shift from an innate/inherited etiological perspective to a broader appreciation of the additional contributions of social and environmental factors to mental well-being. With that awareness came a decrease in stigma and a shift from housing patients in psychiatric hospitals to treating them in community settings. The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has likewise affected societal beliefs through exposure to the mental toll of massive infection rates, loss of life, social isolation, and other downstream consequences. During these times of crises, psychiatric nurses and educators are challenged to provide innovative solutions to meet the increased demands for psychosocial care. [
Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 59
(10), 13–18.]
Beyond Biometrics: Including Mental Health Screenings in Annual Wellness Programs
Authors: Haughtigan Kara S. , Link Kimberly A. , Sturgeon Lizabeth P. , Garrett-Wright Dawn , Lartey Grace K. , Jones M. Susan
Published: June 2021

Mental health is an important component of overall wellness and is a growing concern in occupational settings. Approximately one half of Americans will experience a mental health disorder at some time in their life. The current descriptive correlational study used a convenience sample of manufacturing employees (
N
= 236) to examine the association of mental and physical health risks collected during an annual wellness program. A researcher-developed questionnaire was used to holistically screen for health risks. Pearson's
r
and chi-square tests were performed to determine the relationship among variables. Younger workers and individuals with higher body mass index had increased anxiety and depression scores (
p
= 0.005). Results suggest younger workers may have increased risk for mental health and biometabolic disorders. Due to the connections between mental and physical health, screening for anxiety and depression should be included in annual worker wellness programs to potentially improve overall health and wellness outcomes. [
Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 59
(10), 19–25.]
Density dependent diffusion models for the interaction of particle ensembles with boundaries
Authors: Weissen Jennifer , Göttlich Simone , Armbruster Dieter
Published: June 2021

The transition from a microscopic model for the movement of many particles to a macroscopic continuum model for a density flow is studied. The microscopic model for the free flow is completely deterministic, described by an interaction potential that leads to a coherent motion where all particles move in the same direction with the same speed known as a flock. Interaction of the flock with boundaries, obstacles and other flocks leads to a temporary destruction of the coherent motion that macroscopically can be modeled through density dependent diffusion. The resulting macroscopic model is an advection-diffusion equation for the particle density whose diffusion coefficient is density dependent. Examples describing ⅰ) the interaction of material flow on a conveyor belt with an obstacle that redirects or restricts the material flow and ⅱ) the interaction of flocks (of fish or birds) with boundaries and ⅲ) the scattering of two flocks as they bounce off each other are discussed. In each case, the advection-diffusion equation is strictly hyperbolic before and after the interaction while the interaction phase is described by a parabolic equation. A numerical algorithm to solve the advection-diffusion equation through the transition is presented.
Lower bound for the Boltzmann equation whose regularity grows tempered with time
Authors: He Ling-Bing , Ji Jie , Shao Ling-Xuan
Published: June 2021

As a first step towards the general global-in-time stability for the Boltzmann equation with soft potentials, in the present work, we prove the quantitative lower bounds for the equation under the following two assumptions, which stem from the available energy estimates, i.e. (ⅰ). the hydrodynamic quantities (local mass, local energy, and local entropy density) are bounded (from below or from above) uniformly in time, (ⅱ). the Sobolev regularity for the solution grows tempered with time.
Commodity-linked bonds as an innovative financing instrument for African countries to build back better
Authors: Atta-Mensah Joseph ,   Macroeconomics and Governance Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, P. O. Box 3001, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Published: June 2021

Commodity-linked bond, a type of state contingent claims, presents an innovative tool for African countries to mobilize resources on the international capital markets. Given their colossal financing needs, which has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, African countries need to put in place innovative financing mechanisms to support their development frameworks for building back better. The issuing of this type of bond could provide an opportunity for commodity-producing African countries to hedge against fluctuations in their export earnings. The results show that the value of a commodity-linked bond increases as the price of the commodity indexed to the bond rises, suggesting that African countries should issue debt contracts that are tied to their export commodities so that their debt declines with plummeting export prices (or export revenues). A simple portfolio rule derived suggests that countries should issue more commodity-linked bonds than conventional debt if the variance of the portfolio is greater than twice the spread between the expected total return of the conventional debt and the commodity-linked bond. This rule supports the view that African countries' debt-service payments, for debt issued in the form of commodity-linked bonds, would decline whenever the price of their export commodities decline thus lightening their debt load.
Ontology-Based Recommender System for a Learning Sequence in Programming Languages
Authors: Shishehchi Saman , Mat Zin Nor Azan , Abu Seman Esmadi Abu
Published: June 2021

The same learning process in educational systems could be boring and time consuming for some learners. This problem arises from the lack of personalized learning sequence for learners with different knowledge level. Recommender systems play an important role in assisting the learners to find suitable learning materials and personalized learning sequence. Use of ontology for knowledge representation in knowledge-based recommender systems would facilitate sharing, reuse and common terminology. Since programming concepts have logical relationships among together so, traditional education systems are more stressful and very time-consuming. This paper aims to propose an ontology based recommender system to present a Personalized Learning Sequence in Programming (PLSP) domain which is depended to learner's knowledge level. A recommender module and, the knowledge base module are integrated together in the proposed framework. The recommender module as the main module in the framework, has three stages which is working based on semantic rules and ontology representation. Evaluation of the system was carried out by comparing the non-recommender system (web-based search) using 32 ICT respondents. Results demonstrate that the participants who used the proposed system spent 1119 seconds to find the suitable learning path in comparison to those who used a non-recommender system (3480 seconds) in the same learning material. It means that learners who follow learning path with PLSP, are more suitable for them. Furthermore, the average mean value of usability test is 4.47, (5 maximum scale) which indicates that the system proved to be useful, was easy to use, and satisfied the users.
Exploring Factors and Indicators for Measuring Students’ Performance in Moodle Learning Environment
Authors: Al-Kindi Iman Rashid , Al-Khanjari Zuhoor
Published: June 2021

One of the most important pillars of smart cities is the smart learning environ-ment. This environment should be well prepared and managed to improve the in-struction process for instructors from one side and the learning process for stu-dents from the other side. This paper presents the student’s Engagement, Behav-ior and Personality (EBP) predictive model. This model uses Moodle log data to investigate the influence and the effect of the students’ EBP factors on their per-formance. For this purpose, this paper uses the data log files of the "Search Strat-egies on the Internet" online course in Fall 2019 at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) extracted from Moodle database. The intention of conducting this kind of experiments is of three-facets: 1. to assist in gaining a holistic understanding of online learning environments by focusing on student EBP and performance with-in the course activities, 2. to explore whether the student’s EBP can be considered as indicators for predicting student’s performance in online courses, and 3. to support instructors with insights to develop better learning strategies and tailor instructions for personal learning of individual students. Moreover, this paper takes a step forward in identifying effective methods to measure student’s EBP during the learning process. This may contribute to proposing a framework for the smart learning behavior environment that would guide the instructors to ob-serve students’ performance in a more creative way. All the 38 students who participated in this experiment had compatible statistics and results as the relationship between their Engagement, Behavior, Personality was symmetric with their Performance. This relationship was presented using a group of condition rules (If-then). The extracted rules gave us a straightforward and visual picture of the rela-tionship between the factors mentioned in this paper.
A Novel Framework of Success Using of E-Assessment During Corona Pandemic
Authors: Alotaibi Sultan Refa
Published: June 2021

Recently, the concept of e-learning has spread widely in many universities around the world under the current circumstances (the Corona pandemic), which made e-learning in many countries compulsory for all its students in universities in order not to stop the educational process. In light of the great improvement that some countries are witnessing in information and communications technology (ICT) sector and e-learning platforms, it has become very important to pay attention to the electronic assessment (e-assessment) side, which appeared side by side with e-learning systems. This kind of assessment is overcome some of the limitations in the paper-based assessment. One of the advantages of an electronic assessment (e-assessment) is the ability to provide feedback to the student immediately. Most of the universities around the world were providing e-learning to their students as a development option for the education process, on condition that they attend to take the exam in the universities in attendance. But in the Corona crisis, this thing was not possible, especially in subjects that have very large number of students, so (e-assessment) has become a basic option for most universities in order to achieve the principle of social distancing. Therefore, this paper examines the factors that affect academic acceptance of (e-assessment) system.
Exploring Dysphasia Learners’ Vocabulary Acquisition through the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning: An Experimental Study
Authors: B R Aravind , V Rajasekaran
Published: June 2021

Purpose of the study: The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the impact of the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning for students with dysphasia in learning disabilities. Another aim was to find out the acquisition of vocabulary toward News in levels lesson – Robinson Crusoe for Students of English. Twenty-four students with dysphasia in learning disabilities have participated in the study. The sample population was exposed to a similar handing environment for the research though they had various backgrounds. All the instructions, experiments, teaching-learning activities were provided in the special education resource room.

Methodology: The Experimental Research Design was employed in the study. Pre-test, post-test, retention test, and Vocabulary Knowledge Scale questionnaire were administrated to collect the required data from both the control and experimental groups to study the impact of the multimedia and non-multimedia instructional methods.

Major findings: The findings of the research revealed that the multimedia instructional method of teaching outperformed the non-multimedia instructional group. The retention test results and the Vocabulary Knowledge Scale questionnaire reaffirmed that students with dysphasia have motivated and store the new information in their long-term memory. They could retain most of the vocabulary when the multimedia instructional method was integrated into the teaching-learning process. All the test result scores were analyzed using the SPSS software package. A paired test value comparison was used to compare the results for both the control and experimental groups.
Examining Individual Demographic and School Support Factors Regarding Teachers’ Intention to Use Technology: A Hierarchical Regression Analysis
Authors: Huang Miaoqi , Xiangming Li , Zhang Jingshun
Published: June 2021

A proliferation of literature documented the correlation between the teachers’ use of technology and the factors of technostress, burnout as well as the peda-gogical content knowledge. Yet insufficient findings explored the impacting factors of demographic factors of individual teachers and school support on educational use of technology. Hierarchical regression employed in this study advanced the traditional regression analysis of individual demographic factors, added by the second-step of school support model. The statistical results sup-ported both hypotheses that Model 1 of individual factors and Model 2 of the combined factors of individual and school support significantly predicted teachers’ use of technology. In addition, the study results showed that R square value progressed from 0.26 in model 1 to 0.60 in Model 2, implying the additional 34% of the variance explained by the combined factors collectively. The findings shed lights on in robustness of the models in predicting teachers’ in-tention to use technology and the school administrative policy in advocating the persistent use of ICT in educational settings.
Application of Fuzzy Evaluation in Comprehensive Quality Evaluation of Higher Education Students
Authors: Lu Wei , Jia Chunxu , Zuo Jialin
Published: June 2021

Scientific and reasonable evaluation of the comprehensive quality of higher education students provides a guarantee for the pertinent development of quality education in colleges, and offers an aid for students to determine goals and directions of development. Therefore, this paper first constructs an evaluation index system (EIS) for the comprehensive quality of higher education students, and then builds up an evaluation model for that quality based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE). The FCE algorithm was designed in details, and applied to a real example. The application results show that the FCE can scientifically evaluate the comprehensive quality of the students from multiple aspects and levels. The research overcomes the difficulty in the comprehensive quality evaluation of college students, and enriches the theoretical and practical results in this field.
Smartphones and Mobile Apps: Case Study on Usage Behavior of Elementary School Students – Insights from a Rural Area in Northern Germany
Authors: Wohllebe Atilla , Hübner Dirk-Siegfried , Radtke Uwe , Wohllebe Arabel
Published: June 2021

With digitization and the spread of smartphones in many areas of life, mobile devices have also become increasingly relevant in education. While comprehensive research exists especially for smartphone use among teenagers and students, the findings for elementary school students are limited. Based on a survey, this case study provides exploratory insights into the smartphone usage behavior of elementary school students in a rural region in northern Germany. The responses of 33 students in grades 3 and 4 (ages 8 to 10) show that many students already own a smartphone at this age and use it daily, sometimes for several hours, especially for gaming and media consumption. The influence of owning an own smartphone on usage and leisure activities is reviewed. School use is of little relevance among the elementary school students surveyed.
Design Research-in-the-Moment: Eliciting Evolutive Traces during the Covid-19 Crisis
Authors: Rodgers Paul Anthony , Galdon Fernando , Bremner Craig
Published: June 2021

This paper presents a chronological account of design’s response to the Covid-19 crisis as it unfolded globally. From January to May 2020, we documented over 500 design interventions that have been created by individuals, networks, amateurs, professionals, and public and private organizations and institutions. This international response witnessed the rapid design and development of products, networks and systems such as facemasks, hospitals, infographics, respirators, sanitizers, and virtual communities all created in an effort to save us. In response to the Covid-19 virus the problems that the world faced were highly complex, interdependent, and could not be addressed by conventional means. As such, this paper presents over 500 design-led responses that illustrate comprehensively that when pressed we can find new ways of designing. In short, this work outlines what we might think of as a new model for designing. This new model does not describe a new condition to come after what we currently call design. Rather, what we witness here is the revival of the practice of design – from handmaiden of Capital to one of Care – which is expressed in a new critical attitude for looking at the design world, probing its practice, its theoretical position and its product.
Reacting to the Emergency by Opening Perspectives. Design-driven knit therapy as a adaptable tool to answer the change
Authors: Motta Martina , Conti Giovanni Maria , Micheli Martina
Published: June 2021

When the COVID-19 emergency raised, the entire world -and small communities with it- had to stop, adapt, find ways to face the big ongoing challenge. The article reports the reaction and the changes undertaken with an ongoing project that was, in February 2020, experimenting, inside the hospital environment, the therapeutic effects of knitting on people with physical and psychological pathologies. The project, driven by scientific studies made in universities, hospitals and research centers worldwide, had the aim to bring the intervention of designers on the topic, to answer the emerged need to promote research in what is considered a low-investigated and high-promising field. Experimental pilot actions, designed and led by designers on-field, were going on when the emergency changed the scenario, limited the environment, shifted the eye on a new, wider target of healthy people, made knitting a tool to face new circumstances and improve everyday-life quality.Observing the newly emerged scenario and the spontaneous initiatives risen on the web (and on social media in particular) to help individuals in spending the forced time at home in meaningful ways, designers involved in the ongoing project identified in knitting an activity that could be beneficial on a psychological and physical level also for quarantined individuals. The project took a new perspective and evolved in the #IOLAVOROAMAGLIA (#IKNIT) social media campaign, linked to the globally spread #STAYHOME campaign, aimed at inviting people to remain home for preventing the diffusion of the infection, while proposing at the same time new solutions for positively living the emergency times. #IOLAVOROAMAGLIA was embraced by many users and it also became a weekly scheduled live virtual workshop, with a direct reference to the workshops in the hospital of XXXX, temporarily stopped during lockdown.The two projects, on-field and online, proved how knitting can be a meaningful solution not only for healthcare, but also for the daily life of people, both in normal times and in emergency situations.Moreover, the role of the designer and of a design driven approach proved to be fundamental, for the product and service creation, improvement and consolidation and for its communication for valorization and promotion.
Design for Emergency: An Open Platform to Design and Implement User-Centered Solutions in the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Colombo Sara , Ciuccarelli Paolo
Published: June 2021

As a consequence of the lockdown enforced to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, people found themselves in a state of social isolation, uncertainty, and vulnerability. Design for Emergency is a data and design open platform launched to ideate and develop user-centered solutions addressing people’s needs and emotions during and after the lockdown. The project is made of four stages: data collection, data analysis & visualization, design, and implementation. The initiative started in Italy, but it soon became global, extending to 11 countries in three continents. As a result, we collected and visualized data about people’s experiences during the pandemic at a global level. Our ideas platform, still growing, includes 36 seed ideas of solutions helping individuals and communities cope with the pandemic. Ideas are openly available for development by anyone, and some of them are currently being implemented. This initiative can be used as a reference and a pilot project to create a framework for designing in situations of uncertainty, emergency, or crisis, where design can quickly discover and address emerging feelings and needs.
Bio-Inspired Data Mining for Optimizing GPCR Function Identification
Authors: Bekhouche Safia , Ben Ali Yamina Mohamed
Published: June 2021

GPCR are the largest family of cell surface receptors; many of them still remain orphans. The GPCR functions prediction represents a very important bioinformatics task. It consists in assigning to the protein, the corresponding functional class. This classification step requires a good protein representation method and a robust classification algorithm. However the complexity of this task could be increased because of the great number of GPCRs features in most databases, which produce combinatorial explosion. In order to reduce complexity and optimize classification, the authors propose to use bio-inspired metaheuristics for both the feature selection and the choice of the best couple (feature extraction strategy (FES), data mining algorithm (DMA)). The authors propose also to use the BAT algorithm for extracting the pertinent features and the Genetic Algorithm to choose the best couple. They compared the results they we obtained with two existing algorithms. Experimental results indicate the efficiency of the proposed system.
Murakami on the Shore: beyond the dialogue between Japan and the West
Authors: Sá Michele Eduarda Brasil de
Published: June 2021

The novel Kafka on the Shore is one of the most enigmatic works of contemporary writer Haruki Murakami. Since its very release, critics and scholars have been sharing their impressions and interpretations on various aspects of the book, one of them being the abundant references to Western elements (myths, songs, writers, icons and so forth). The present paper is the final draft of the postdoctoral research ‘Murakami on the shore: the dialogue with the West in the construction of the novel’, developed from July 2015 to June 2016. It aims at rethinking (as well as questioning) the way the study of the relation between Japan and the West can be addressed in the novel. The research, conducted as a bibliographical investigation, used key concepts like cultural identity (Hall, 2006) and border-blurring (Auestad, 2008). It defies the tendency of studying cosmopolitan authors like Haruki Murakami from the perspective of East-West duality, and defends that such analysis ought to consider East and West as complementary, almost inextricable, not regarding them as opposite or impermeable, and never as a limitation to the author himself.
Impression Techniques in Prosthodontics
Authors: Thilakumara I.P.
Published: June 2021

A successful dental prosthesis or a restoration is mainly dependent on the accuracy of the dental impressions. An impression is an imprint produced by „the pressure of one thing upon or into the surface of another‟ or the negative likeness. It is not technically possible or desirable to fabricate prostheses or restorations directly in the patient‟s mouth. Therefore it is essential to obtain a cast or a model which must be accurate replicas of the denture bearing area or the prepared tooth/teeth in the mouth.It is very important that the clinician selects an appropriate impression technique and materials to accomplish this task. The accuracy of the cast depends on the properties of the impression materials, impression techniques used and the properties of cast and die materials. Each technique and the material has its advantages and drawbacks. While an ideal material and the technique is yet to be developed it is apparent that the clinician is bound to select the most appropriate material and the technique based on evidence. This paper summarizes the techniques to be adopted in removable and fixed prosthodontics based on available evidence.
I MATRIMONI OMOSESSUALI DI ITALIANI ALLâ€™ESTERO E LE UNIONI OMOSESSUALI DI STRANIERI IN ITALIA
Authors: Mosconi Franco , Campiglio Cristina
Published: June 2021

Law no. 76/2016, replying to the requests of the Constitutional Court and of the European Court of Human Rights, regulates same-sex civil partnerships. This contribution deals with some aspects of the new regulation: in particular with the effects in Italian legal system of same-sex marriages entered abroad by Italian citizens, and the conditions according to which other Statesâ€™ citizens are admitted to enter a same-sex partnership in Italy.
LA RELATION ENTRE Lâ€™Ã‰TAT ET LA DETTE PUBLIQUE: LES APPROCHES GÃ‰NÃ‰RALES, LES LOGIQUES POLITIQUES, LA CRISE ET LE CAS ITALIEN (â€™70-â€™90)
Authors: Tedoldi Leonida
Published: June 2021

This article rethinks the political and institutional causes of the rapid debt growth and its exploitation in the italian â€œblockedâ€ political system (so-called â€œFirst Republicâ€). Italian State has always lived above its means, with a constant imbalance between income and expenditure and at the same time expanding its distance with respect to society (but the debt was paid by social groups that took advantage of it). This process triggered off a perennial crisis of representation and strengthened the instability of relations between political institutions and society. Therefore, sovereign debt downturns are always crises of institutional legitimization and require a redefinition of the ways in which sovereignty and power are exercised. Thus, the article investigates the impact of the â€œpolitical useâ€ of the public debt by governments on the relationship between the State and society.
P.BEROL. INV. 14081. FRAMMENTO DI UNA NUOVA COPIA DEL DIGESTO DI ETÃ€ GIUSTINIANEA
Authors: Fressura Marco , Mantovani Dario
Published: June 2021

Updated edition of a recently discovered fragment of Justinianâ€™s Digest. The fragment comes from a sixth-century papyrus codex that in all likelihood was part of an edition of the Digest in multiple tomes. In addition to providing palaeographical and codicological information, this new finding supports the idea that the Digest had considerable circulation and was used in legal education and legal practice.
Gastroduodenal Fistula or Double Pylorus
Authors: Bodh Vishal , Sharma Rajesh , Sharma Brij , Ahluwalia Ajay , Kumar Rajesh
Published: June 2021

Gastroduodenal fistula (GDF) or double pylorus (DP), also called double-channel pylorus, is a rare condition seen in 0.001%–0.4% of upper gastrointestinal endoscopies. The condition is characterized by the presence of two openings from the gastric antrum to the duodenum, which may be congenital or acquired. Acquired DP is usually an uncommon complication of peptic ulcer that erodes and creates a fistula between the duodenal bulb and the prepyloric antrum. We report a case of elderly male patient who was evaluated for the complaints of upper gastrointestinal bleed and was found to have peptic ulcer disease with GDF.
Comparison of Antimicrobial Activity of Mycelium and Spore of Ganoderma Lucidum on Prevotella Intermedia Isolated from Chronic Periodontitis Patients
Authors: Nayak Aarati , Dixitraj P. T. , Nayak Ranganath N. , Bhat Kishore G.
Published: June 2021

Aim:

The study aimed at comparing the antimicrobial activity of mycelium and spore of Ganoderma lucidum on Prevotella intermedia isolated from subgingival plaque of chronic periodontitis patients.

Settings and Design:

Written informed consent was obtained from each subject enrolled in the study. The institutional ethics committee granted ethical clearance for the study.

Materials and Methods:

Twenty patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis were included in the study. Using sterile curettes, pooled subgingival plaque samples were collected from the deepest sites of periodontal pockets. The collected samples were then transported in 1 mL of reduced transport fluid. The organisms were cultured and confirmed and were used for the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) procedure.

Statistical Analysis:

Mean of the MIC value obtained was calculated. Comparison between the antimicrobial activity of mycelium and spore against P. intermedia groups with respect to mean MIC value (in mcg/ml) was done by Mann–Whitney U test. Comparison of antimicrobial activity of mycelium and spores of G. lucidum against P. intermedia expressed by the MIC value at different concentrations was done by Chi-square test.

Results:

The mean MIC obtained for mycelium was 5.64 mcg/ml. The mean MIC obtained for spore was 3.62 mcg/ml. Results of the comparison of antimicrobial activity implied that the antimicrobial activity of mycelium and spore of G. lucidum was comparable.

Conclusions:

Both mycelium and spore of G. lucidum with its bioactivity could be used as an antimicrobial, in combination with conventional therapy in periodontal disease.
Vocal Cord Palsy
Authors: Jose Hyma , Thomas Anil , Jacob Lydia , Koshy Jency Maria , James Josna
Published: June 2021

Cranial nerve palsy is a known but rare complication of spinal anesthesia. Upper cranial nerves are more commonly involved following spinal anesthesia. Reports of the lower cranial nerve, especially branches of vagus nerve involvement leading to unilateral or even bilateral vocal cord palsy are sparse. Here, we report a case series of patients who presented with vocal cord palsy following spinal anesthesia.
Morphometry of the Inferior Articular Facet of the Atlas
Authors: Goyal Neeru , Jain Anjali
Published: June 2021

Objectives:

Atlas and axis vertebrae have unique anatomical features compared to the rest of the cervical vertebrae. Variations of superior articular facet of the atlas have been extensively described. However, only limited studies describe the variations of the inferior articular facet. The aim of the present study is to explore the variations in the shape, size, and symmetry of the inferior articular facet of the atlas.

Materials and Methods:

The study was conducted on 110 dried adult atlas vertebrae. Shape, size, and the number of the inferior articular facets on each atlas were recorded.

Results:

Different shapes observed include round (36.36%), pear or drop shaped (35.09%), oval (21.36%), rectangular (3.6%), and triangular (3.0%). Nearly 87.73% facets were flat, whereas 12.27% were concave. In 43.64% of cases, the shape of the inferior articular facet was found to be different on the two sides of the same vertebra.

Conclusions:

Although not many authors have described the shape of the inferior articular facet, its dimensions have been given by many of them. These dimensions could be helpful while planning and designing implants, etc.
The relation between inflammation-based parameters and survival in metastatic pancreatic cancer
Authors: Turker Sema , Cilbir Ebru , Guven Deniz Can , Karacin Cengiz , Yalcin Suayib
Published: June 2021

Aim:

We aimed to evaluate whether tumor markers and inflammation parameters effect on survival in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer (MPC).

Patients and Methods:

This retrospective analysis included 170 patients with pancreatic cancer who were admitted to the oncology clinic at the metastatic stage. Basic patient demographic characteristics, chemotherapy (CT) that patients received in the first line, complete blood count, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), albumin/globulin ratio (AGR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), tumor markers (carcinoembryonic antigen [CEA], carbohydrate antigen 19-9 [CA19-9]), and survival were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to determine the optimum cutoff value of NLR, PLR, AGR, PNI, CEA, and CA 19-9, which could predict survival.

Results:

The median age of the patients was 63 years (range, 33–87). About 63.5% of the patients were male and 44.5% were female. 161 (94.7%) patients died, and the median overall survival (OS) was 8.0 months (95% confidence interval = 6.6–9.4) for all patients. In univariate analysis, age (P < 0.001), CT regime (P < 0.002), AGR (P < 0.006), PNI (P < 0.017), NLR (P < 0.001), PLR (P < 0.062), and CA19-9 (P < 0.002) were statistically significant. In multivariate analysis, age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.534 95% 1.079–2.182 P < 0.017) CA19-9 (HR1.410 95% 1.001-1.989, P ≤0.005) and, NLR (HR 1.569 95% 1.001–2.463, P < 0.049) were significant.

Conclusion:

We determined, age, CA19-9, and basal high NLR as independent adverse prognostic factors for OS in APC. Fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin CT resulted in a significant increase in OS.
The landscape of ‘podoplanin’ in dermatology
Authors: Diab Nagwa , Assaf Magda , Anis Nourhan , Salah Eman
Published: June 2021

Podoplanin (PDPN) is a specific marker for lymphatic endothelial cells; however, it can be expressed by many other cells including renal podocytes. In dermatology, PDPN has been involved in diverse disorders, such as tumor lymphangiogenesis, as well as in immune-mediated disorders. Herein, we illustrate and discuss the landscape of PDPN in dermatology.
Assessment of Dry Eye Syndrome among Computer Programmers in Computer Training Institutes in Benin City
Authors: Shuaibu Ayishetu Oshoke , Ebuwa Sarah Ikhuemose , Ikuemonisan Abimbola Esther Ikuemonisan
Published: June 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate dry eye syndrome among computer programmers in computer training institutes in Benin City.Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out using 250 participants of 18 years and above who were computer instructors and students of various computer training institutes in Benin City. Sociodemographic data and relevant ocular history were obtained from the participants. External and Internal examinations of the eyes were carried out to check for the presence of any ocular abnormalities. Dryeye disease was assessed subjectively with the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire and objectively by performing  Schirmer’s test and Tear Break-up Time (TBUT). Participants with an OSDI score of ≥35 and who had < 10mm to Schirmer’s I test or < 10secs in Tear break-up Time (TBUT) test were considered to have dry eye.Results: The mean age of the participants was 25.32 ± 7.38 years and 68% were males. The prevalence of dry eye among the computer programmers was found to be 30.8%. Mean TBUT and Mean Schirmer’s Test value for those with dry eye was 10.21s±3.44s and 12.46 ± 7.27mm respectively. This study showed that age (p=0.213), gender (p=0.243) and duration of time spent on computer display units (p=0.124) were not statistically significant determinants of dry eye among the computer programmers.Conclusion: Computer programmers are predisposed to developing dry eye diseases. It is therefore imperative for them to go for regular eye examination to prevent ocular surface disorders and therefore maintain comfortable vision.

Keywords: Dry Eye, Schirmer Test, Tear Break-up Time, Ocular Surface Disease Index, Computer Programmer.
Teacher Professional Development and Geography Teachers’ Pedagogical Practices for Climate Change Education
Authors: Thenga Muofhe , Goldschagg Paul , Ferguson Rene , Mandikonza Caleb
Published: June 2021

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) was added to the South African Geography school curriculum when the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) was implemented from 2012. Many in-service teachers who qualified prior to 2014 did not cover this concept during their initial teacher education qualification because it was not part of the curriculum at that time. To address this deficiency, a teacher professional development (TPD) module was developed by the Fundisa for Change programme and offered to a selection of in-service high school Geography teachers. Transformative learning theory helped to understand the pedagogical practices used by teachers after attending the Fundisa for Change teacher professional development programme, in particular the use of a learner-centred approach. Using a small-scale, qualitative and interpretive case study method, the influence of this short TPD course on the teaching of climate change in the Geography CAPS curriculum on teachers’ pedagogical practices was investigated. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, document analysis and lesson observations. Data were analysed using both inductive thematic and deductive analysis. Findings from this small sample of five teachers and their practices suggest that despite attending the programme, most of the participating teachers did not sufficientlyintegrate climate change education in their Geography classroom practices. The majority of the research participants did not implement the learner-centred teaching methods covered in the course. It is therefore recommended that a teacher professional development programme should be incorporated into longer-term and preferably ongoing professional development programmes so as to adequately foster climate change education in classroom practices. Keywords: Geography, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), climate change education, teacher professional development, learner-centred pedagogies
Magnitude and risk factors associated with bovine dermatophilosis in Sabon-Gari, Kaduna state and Jos, Plateau state, Nigeria
Authors: Dalis J.S. , Kazeem H.M. , Fatihu M.Y. , Makinde A.A.
Published: June 2021

Dermatophilosis is a contagious zoonotic skin disease affecting a variety of domestic and wild animals with grave economic consequences.  The status of bovine dermatophilosis and associated risk factors in Sabon-Gari, Kaduna State and Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria are yet to be fully determined. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of bovine dermatophilosis in Sabon-Gari and Jos. One thousand, nine hundred and twenty skin scab samples consisting of 1,530 from Sabon-Gari and 390 from Jos were obtained from cattle having cutaneous lesions including papules, exudative dermatitis with matting of the hair, cream colored, thickly crusted and scabby lesions suggestive of Dermatophilus infection. Smears were made from the underneath surface of each specimen on a clean glass slide,  air dried, heat fixed and Gram stained. The stained smears were examined microscopically for Gram-positive filamentous organism having both longitudinal and transverse division, typical of Dermatophilus congolensis. Further identification was done by isolating the causative agent in 5% de-fibrinated sheep blood agar. Data were analyzed using tables, percentages and Chi square test. P-values less than or equal  to 0.05 were considered significant. One hundred and forty-six (9.5 %) and 21 (5.4%) of the samples from Sabon-Gari and Jos respectively were positive for D. congolensis. The overall prevalence of bovine dermatophilosis in Sabon-Gari and Jos was 8.7% (167/1,920),  respectively. Breed, age, management practice and season were found to be significant risk factors associated with bovine  dermatophilosis. Methods for control of the disease in cattle as well as prevention of human exposure were highlighted.

Keywords: Cattle, Dermatophilosis, Jos, Nigeria, Sabon-Gari
Seroprevalence of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia in three selected south-eastern states of Nigeria
Authors: Anyika K.C. , Okaiyeto S.O. , Sackey A.K. , Kwanashie C.N. , Ikpa L.T.
Published: June 2021

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia is a trans-boundary animal disease caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides. This study was designed to determine the seroprevalence of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) in three selected south eastern states (Anambra, Enugu and Imo) of Nigeria using competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA). A total of 438 bovine sera samples were collected randomly for four months (December 2019 to March 2020) and screened for antibodies to Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides (Mmm) using IDEXX CBPP antibody ELISA kit (CIRAD, France). Results showed an overall prevalence of 59.4% for the three states screened. Antibodies to Mmm were detected in all the three states. Enugu state had the highest prevalence (64.3%) followed by Imo state (63%) and Anambra state (50.7%). Female animals had higher prevalence of CBPP than male. However, it was not statistically significant (P> 0.05). This study confirms the presence of CBPP in south eastern Nigeria, and could be used as a base line data for future studies in this region. It is recommended that active surveillance and vaccination protocol should be undertaken in the region for the control and prevention of this disease.

Keywords: c-ELISA, Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, Mycoplasma , Nigeria, Seroprevalence
The Lemba - ‘angel-stars’, ngoma lungundu and ancestors
Authors: le Roux Magdel
Published: June 2021

Hendel (2004) states that “the remembered past is the material with which biblical Israel
constructed its identity as a people, a religion, and a culture. It is a mixture of history, collective memory, folklore, and literary brilliance. In Israel’s formative years, these memories circulated orally in the context of family and tribe. Over time they came to be crystallized [mainly] in various written texts” (my insertion). The experiential dimension of religion of ancient Israel and that of the Lemba (the so-called ‘Black “Jews” of Southern Africa’ and other African tribes) is expressed orally and textually, but also in art. It is in no small part also created by them, as they formulate new or altered conceptions of the sacred past. Guidance by stars, the ancestors and the ngoma lungundu (sacred drum of the ancestors) play a major role in the expression of Lemba and early Israelite religion, culture and art.