bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pharmacognostic and Taxonomic Studies of Leaf and Stem of Launaea taraxacifolia (Willd) Amin Ex C. Jeffrey (Compositae)
Authors: Umoh Romanus A. , Johnny Imoh I. , Andy Nsima A. , Udoh Anwanabasi E. , Udoh Inyang J. , Umanah Otobong E. , Emeh Winnie E. 
Published: June 2022

Launaea taraxacifolia from the family Compositae is used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, hypertention, cancer, malaria, bacterial infections and arthritis. The aim of this study was to evaluate pharmacognostic and taxonomic parameters such as microscopy, micromeritics, chemomicroscopy, fluorescence, soluble-extractive values and ash values of the leaves and stems of this plant. The plant was collected, identified, air-dried, weighed and subjected to evaluation using standard procedures. The results showed that, from microscopy: the stomatal distribution was amphistomatic and the stomatal type were anisocytic and anomocytic on the abaxial surface and anomocytic on adaxial surface with T-pieces on the stomata. The stomatal index was 18.7% on the abaxial surface and 11.9% on the adaxial surface. The stomatal number on the abaxial surface was 13.2 (15.6±0.55) 18.1 and 18 (26.5±2.08) 36 for adaxial surface. Results of the micromeritics properties of the powdered leaf and stem samples were bulk volume of 38.67±0.17 and 51.33±0.33, tapped volume of 29.83±0.17 and 34.0±0.00, bulk density of 0.26±0.00 and 0.20±0.00, tapped density of 0.34±0.00 and 0.29±0.00, angle of repose of 36⁰ and 43⁰, Carr’s index of 22.7% and 33.78%, Hausner’s ratio of 1.30±0.01 and 1.15±0.01. The micromeritics indicated that the powder had a fair flow and for chemomicroscopy the powder contained lignin, mucilage, oil and protein. The fluorescence properties determined revealed different colours under different ultraviolet lights. The water-soluble, methanol-soluble, ethanol-soluble extractive values were 35% w/w, 14% w/w and 16%w/w for leaf and 18% w/w, 8% w/w, and 9% w/w for stem respectively. The moisture content of the leaf and stem were 16% w/w and 11% w/w. Total, acid-insoluble and water- soluble ash values were 17.7% w/w, 1.3% w/w and 8.3% w/w for leaf and 6.3% w/w, 0.3% w/w and 4.7% w/w for the stem respectively. This data obtained from the pharmacognostic and taxonomic studies provide information for the identity, purity and quality of L. taraxacifolia.
Compliance with COVID-19 Prevention and Risky Sexual Behaviour among Youths during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Osun State, Nigeria
Authors: Paul Ibe P. , Olarinmoye Opeoluwa , Eniade Adenike Aramide , Jasper Tongdiyen L. , Olarinmoye Abayomi T. , Anifowose Kabir O. , Kayode Oluwakemi O. , Owolabi Grace I. , Eniade Olanrewaju D. 
Published: June 2022

Introduction: COVID -19 hit at the peak of 2020 in Nigeria and brought about the implementation of measures such as bounds, social distancing, and lockdown to curb the spread of the ravaging virus. Risky sexual behaviour (RSB) remained a major predictor of sexually transmitted Infections including HIV. Understanding the changing pattern of sexual behaviour may give some insight into the pathological behaviour, so that possible remediation measures can be taken, putting into consideration young people. We determined the rate of RSB, level of compliance to COVID-19 preventive measures and identified the factors influencing RSB among youths during COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: A cross-sectional study carried out among youths aged 15 to 24 years (n=421) in Osogbo, Osun state. Demographic information, history of sexual activities, compliance to COVID-19 preventive measures were captured using an electronic data collection tool (Kobo toolbox). The outcome variable was RSB (having multiple sexual partners, inconsistent condom-use with casual sexual partners, alcohol, and drug use for sexual practices). Descriptive statistics were presented with frequency and percentage. Test of association (chi square) and binary logistic regression were done using Stata MP 16.
Results: There were 229(54.4%) males in this study, 2.1% had poor health rating, and all the respondents 421(100%) reported having heard about COVID-19. Only 24(5.7%) had high compliance, 204(48.5%) had moderate, 168(39.9%) had low compliance, 25 (5.9%) had no form of compliance to COVID-19 prevention measures. There was a high (20.7%) level of RSB among youths. Age 20-24 years (AOR= 7.23, 95%CI: 2.57-20.33) and good health rating (AOR=2.48, 95%CI: 1.16–5.31) were associated with the likelihood of RSB. Also, Muslims (AOR= 0.26, P=0.020, 95%CI: 0.09-0.81), Yoruba ethnic group (AOR=0.31, 95%CI:0.11–0.89), Youths who have attained Secondary education (AOR=0.13, 95%CI: 0.04-0.40) and tertiary education (AOR:0.14, P=0.001, 95%CI: 0.04-0.45) were less likely to practice RSB.
Conclusion: This study revealed a poor level of compliance with COVID-19 prevention and a high level of RSB among youths during the COVID-19 pandemic. Risk communication and education targeted at older youths (20-24 years), religious gatherings, and youths having below secondary education will be required in improving compliance and lowering RSB among youths.
Insights into the Metabolites Conferring Pathogenicity of Xanthomonas oryzae and Its Inhibition by Trichoderma longibrachiatum EF5
Authors: Sridharan A. P. , Thankappan Sugitha , Gandhi Karthikeyan , Uthandi Sivakumar 
Published: June 2022

Aims: The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of volatile and soluble metabolites of Trichoderma longibrachiatum EF5 against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, and to identify the metabolites produced by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae in culture filtrate.
Study Design: In vitro bioassay with CRD.
Place and Duration of Study: Biocatalysts laboratory, Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 2019-2020.
Methodology: Inverted plate, bipartite plate and agar well method was done under in vitro to observe the efficacy of T. longibrachiatum EF5 VOC against X. oryzae pv. oryzae. Analysis of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae metabolites by using Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS).
Results: T. longibrachiatum EF5 VOC and metabolites completely inhibited the growth of X. oryzae pv. oryzae in inverted plate assay, whereas in bipartite and agar well diffusion assays unmeasurable growth of X. oryzae pv. oryzae was observed. The metabolites or Diffusible signal factors such as butyrolactone, propionic acid derivatives, phenyl acetic acid, hydrofurans, picoxystrobin, benzoic acid derivatives were produced by X. oryzae pv. oryzae in the growing medium. The role of these metabolites revealed that they are involved in pathogenicity, virulence, quorum sensing and the synthesis of antioxidant.
Conclusion: T. longibrachiatum EF5 volatile and soluble metabolites can be used as biocontrol agent against X. oryzae pv. oryzae.
Validation of Electrical Cardiometry Measurements Compared to Transthoracic Echocardiography in Fluid Responsiveness in Sepsis
Authors: Sharkawy Mohammed Said El , Abdelghany Mohammed Shebl , Dabe Ahmed Ali El , Hafez Ahmed Ali Abd El 
Published: June 2022

Background: Severe sepsis and septic shock patients have a broad range of hemodynamic characteristics. A better understanding of the hemodynamic profile and response to therapy can lead to more effective treatment and consequently a lower mortality and morbidity. The current research work was designed to investigate the non-invasive diagnostic accuracy and agreement of electrical cardiometry (EC) with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) for fluid responsiveness in sepsis.
Methods: This prospective cohort study was assessed on 25 patients showing clinical criteria of sepsis and developed hypotension. All patients were subjected to simultaneous measurement by EC and TTE. Fluid was administered if stroke volume (SV) measured by TTE increased by > 10% after the fluid challenge up to 30 mL/kg else vasopressor infusion was initiated.
Results: Electrical cardiometry significantly predicted fluid responsiveness in sepsis compared to TTE with 81.4% sensitivity and 90% specificity. There was an insignificant difference between SV index (SVI), cardiac index (CI), SV, and cardiac output (CO) estimated by TTE and by EC. The mean bias between SV measured by TTE and by EC was 0.25 ± 3.4 ml. The mean bias between TTE and by EC was 0.10 ± 1.78 mL/m2 in SVI, 0.01 ± 0.35 L/min in CO and 0.009 ± 0.18 L/min/m2 in CI.
Conclusions: Electrical cardiometry significantly predicted fluid responsiveness in sepsis compared to TTE with good agreement between measurements of EC and TTE.
Pattern of Presentation of Liver Function Tests Parameters in a Tertiary Institution in Delta State, Nigeria
Authors: Orugbo Voke Peter , Ohaju-Obodo John 
Published: June 2022

Aims: Liver function tests or "LFTs" are performed to measure liver function and identify the source of liver damage while examining the health state of the liver. The current study looked into the pattern of presentation of liver function tests values in a tertiary institution in Delta State, Nigeria.
Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out at the Delta state University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH),Oghara, Delta State, Nigeria over a 24-month period.
Methodology: The study included 1436 recruited subjects who reported to the Chemical Pathology Laboratory for LFTs at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH) in Oghara, Delta State, Nigeria. The participants' ages varied from infants to people in their 70s.
Results: There were no significant variations in total protein (TP) across the age groups. TP levels in neonates and infants varied from 4.73 g/dl (p>0.05). TP levels in adults varied from 6.43 to 7.75 g/dl. Total bilirubin (T.BIL) levels in adults were lower in general than in babies and neonates (p0.05). There were no gender differences in the LFTs parameters among the adult individuals. TP levels in the females (6.50 g/dl) were greater (p<0.05) than in the boys (8.84 g/dl) among the day-olds. However, after 2 weeks, the girls' TP levels (4.67 g/dl) were considerably lower (p0.05). All participants' TP levels were within reference intervals. More than 80% of subjects had substantially increased ALP levels. Infants have higher levels of bilirubin than adults.
Conclusion: At least 5% of the adult subjects developed hyperbilirubinemia. Gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), Glutamate oxaloacetate transferase (GOT), and Glutamate pyruvate transferase (GPT) levels were significantly elevated in at least 50% of all subjects, regardless of age or gender. The immediate underlying reason is unknown.
COVID-19 Vaccination: Early Estimates of a Relative Post Interventional Case Fatality Risk
Authors: Raham Tareef Fadhil 
Published: June 2022

Background: Recent epidemiological studies have demonstrated the efficacy of vaccines in reducing COVID-19 absolute case-fatality risks (CFRs) on a real-world global scale. However, these studies used cumulative (add-on) deaths and case accounts as nominators and denominators respectively.
This study aims to shed light on the relative post-COVID-19 vaccination non– cumulative CFR as a tool in monitoring the effectiveness of this intervention.
Methodology: We used post-vaccination non- cumulative counts of deaths and cases as at April 3, 2021, for a comparison of pre-COVID-19 vaccination data.
Sixteen countries/territories, which ran the COVID-19 vaccination program for at least a hundred days, were included in the study.
A matched paired t-test and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) test were used for statistical analyses.
Results: The relative post-COVID-19 vaccination CFRs are less than absolute (cumulative) CFRs and less than pre-vaccination CFRs. The matched paired t-test for testing mean differences between pre-COVID-19 vaccination and relative post-COVID-19 vaccination CFRs show a p-value level of (0.126).
The ROC test shows that the area under the curve was 0.391 for relative post-COVID-19 CFRs with an asymptotic significance of 0.291. The best COVID-19 cut-off CFR point was 1.6% which is an observed discriminator level between pre-vaccinated high CFRs and relative post-vaccinated CFRs lower level.
Conclusions: The relative post-COVID-19-vaccination CFR is more sensitive than absolute CFR and can be used as a tool for measuring the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination coverage in reducing CFR in addition to standered parameters.
Recommendations: The real world relative post-interventional CFR can be used as new indicator to replace absolute (cumulative) post-interventional CFR) as an early pos- interventional assessment.
The Determinants of Child Survival in South-west Nigeria
Authors: Olanike Bamisaye, Bukola , Oladejo Adepoju, Thomas 
Published: June 2022

Introduction: Child survival is an essential component of public health concerned with reducing child morbidity and mortality. Despite the gains attained during the Millennium Development Goals era, globally 14,000 children less than five years of age still die daily. Therefore, this study sought to evaluate the determinants of child survival in South-west Nigeria.
Methods: A A four-stage random sampling technique four-stage random sampling was used to sample 1308 mothers of under-five children in southwest Nigeria. Information on demographic and socio-economic characteristics, child-related, maternal, paternal, and environmental factors were collected using a pre-tested, interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20, descriptive statistics, and logistic regression was performed at a 5% level of significance.
Results: Mean age of respondents was 30.7±6.1years. Factors that significantly (p<0.05) influenced the survival of the under-five children were; mothers' literacy level, residence, low parity, mothers’ educational qualification, type of flooring materials, and mothers' age at first birth. The odds of child survival is twice as higher in literate than non-literate mothers (OR:1.9; CI:1.2-2.8), urban than rural dwellers (OR:2.2; CI:1.1-4.8), mothers with at least a secondary education than uneducated (OR:2.1; CI:1.3-3.5), type of flooring materials (OR:4.3; CI:2.3-8.2) and respondents age at first birth (OR:1.1; CI:1.0-1.1). Also, women with low parity had less likelihood of under-five death than mothers with higher parity (OR:0.5; CI:0.3-0.9).
Conclusion: The study identified literacy level, residence, low parity, mothers’ educational qualification, and type of flooring materials as determinants of child survival in southwest Nigeria. Therefore, all stakeholders should develop a more effective response to these determinants to ensure sustainable, realistic, and practical measures that will increase the survival of under-five children in the area.
A Study on the Impact of Organizational Climates on Organization Learning
Authors: Yousif Marwah Badr Zaya 
Published: June 2022

Aims: The main aim of the presented paper is to examine the impact of various organizational climates on different learning dimensions related to Learning Organizations.
Study Design: The questionnaire was used as a tool for collecting information.
Place and Duration of Study: The data has been obtained via using surveys from 152 personnel in the Trade Bank of Iraq, between Des. 2020 and May 2021.
Methodology: the sample was predominantly made of males (54.6%), with 45.4% being females. 64.5% of the participants were single while 35.5% were married. In terms of education, the majority had Graduate education qualifications (78.3%), 17.1% had postgraduate qualifications while 4.6% had secondary education qualifications.
Results: the climate score (RS) of responsibility shows to be less effective on the dimensions of a Learning Organization compared to the structural climate, none-the-less, the impact of responsibility climate on empowering is considerably higher, The score of structure climate has a positive correlation at a significance level which is equal to 0.01 to every score of learning climate
Both reward climate and warmth and support climate have a considerably high positive significant relation to every dimension of the Learning Organization. The climate of reward has maximum impacts on the dimension of empowerment, followed by connections of the system and the dimensions of team learning. The climates of support and warmth have an impact on the connections of systems and the dimensions of inquiry and dialogue the most.
The climate of risk has a negative correlation with each dimension of the Learning Organization. Nonetheless, it's only highly related to the dimension of leadership in which the significance level equals 0.05, Similarly to the climate of reward and the climate of warmth and support, they presume that the climate of approval has a positive correlation with every dimension of Learning Organization at a significance level equal to 0.01.
The climate of conflict has e negative correlation with every dimension of the Learning Organization. Every correlation is significant at a 0.01 level except for the dimension of leadership which is nearly correlated at a level of 0.05. The maximum negative relations indicate team and continuous learning.
Conclusion: The results obtained from achieving statistical analysis showed that the organizational climate has a certain impact on Learning Organization's different dimensions. Furthermore, indicated the organizational climate which considerably impacts certain dimensions of Learning Organizations as well as their degree of influence. Additionally, the presented paper specified the optimum combination regarding climate which impact specific dimension of the Learning Organizations.
Indoor Air Pollution in Rumuewhera Community in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria
Authors: Kanu O. P. , Leton T. G. 
Published: June 2022

Indoor air pollution arising from the use of biomass fuel for cooking is a serious health issue in Nigeria especially in rural communities. This study investigated the levels of Carbon monoxide (CO), PM2.5 and PM10 released during morning and evening cooking sessions in 17 households in Rumuewhara community in Obio/Akpor LGA, Rivers State Nigeria. This was to ascertain indoor air pollution concentrations in rural households categorized in the terms of fuel type (Firewood, Kerosene and LPG) and kitchen configuration. In the morning cooking session, mean and standard deviation of CO, PM2.5 and PM10 concentration levels from households using LPG (8.78 + 5.20 ppm, 25.5 + 6.65 µg/m3 and 39.38 + 13.28 µg/m3) were observed as lower than those from other households using biomass fuels (36.78 + 19.44 ppm, 270.16 + 159.44 µg/m3 and 419.82 + 247.29 µg/m3 for firewood). The mean concentrations of CO, PM2.5 and PM10 during cooking sessions in firewood kitchens are clearly higher than the standard limits of WHO and Health Canada due to the fuel type, kitchen configuration and ventilation habit. With correlation coefficients, r = -0.537, P=.03; r = -0.583, P=.01 and r = -0.566, p=0.02; there is a statistically significant and strong negative correlation between Relative Humidity vs CO, PM2.5 and PM10 respectively. The use of biomass fuels for household cooking should be discouraged in favour of LPG or kerosene due to the high concentration of indoor air pollutants it generates. To reduce the effects of biomass fuels, well-positioned Chimneys should be incorporated into houses to limit the accumulation of indoor air pollutants in the cooking area.
The Effects of a Goal-setting Intervention on Frequency of Participation in Organized Exercise Programmes for Women
Authors: Konstantinou Aikaterini , Galanis Evangelos , Theodorakis Yannis , Comoutos Nikos , Pappas Aggelos , Hatzigeorgiadis Antonis 
Published: June 2022

Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a goal-setting intervention on frequency of participation in women attending exercise programmes in a fitness club.
Study Design: Pragmatic Field Intervention.
Place and Duration of Study: The intervention was implemented in a private fitness club and the duration of the study was 12 weeks.
Methodology: The final sample consisted of 36 women (Mage = 38.13, SD= 7.40), randomly assigned into intervention (n= 17) and control (n= 19) groups. The intervention lasted eight weeks, during which all participants had unlimited access to all activities of their choice, with the intervention group receiving in parallel a goal-setting intervention. Frequency of attendance was recorded from four weeks prior to the onset of the intervention (baseline) until 4 weeks following its completion (follow-up). The Basic Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale was used to assess satisfaction of basic needs before and after the intervention.
Results: The results showed that (a) for the intervention group, frequency of participation increased from baseline (2.15±0.90) to mid-intervention (2.66±0.70) period and dropped back to baseline levels at follow-up (1.77+1.30); (b) for the control group, frequency of participation decreased from baseline (2.07±0.99) to intervention (1.37±0.94) period and remained stable at follow-up (1.47±1.42). Regarding the basic needs, it was shown that satisfaction for the need for competence was increased for the experimental group, and satisfaction for the need for autonomy was decreased for the control group.
Conclusion: The findings showed that goal-setting has positive effects on participation for the duration of the intervention; however, these effects were not sustained after its conclusion, suggesting (a) consultants with expertise on goal-setting may help improving adherence in organized programmes, and (b) that such interventions should place emphasis on developing individuals’ skills on goal setting.