Abstract The main objective of this paper is to examine the nexus between the reforms that have been carried out in Nigeria concerning the power sector, and the implications of the reforms on the transformation of agro-allied industries. The power sector, no doubt, can be said to have the potential that can propel national development considering the overall importance of energy to the survival of the nation in terms of job creation, industrial development and sustenance as well increase in revenue generation and Foreign Direct Investment opportunities, among others. The unfortunate situation, however, is that in spite of a number of policies enunciated by successive governments aimed at improving on the power sector, not much has been achieved. The multiplier effect of this kind of development has been seen in the widespread epileptic power shortages, downward spiral of efforts towards industrial development drive; unemployment, shortage of national revenue accruing to government coffers, bourgeoning and rising poverty levels, to mention but a few. All of these have further contributed to the growing army of problems currently being witnessed in the country at the moment. This study is a theoretical exposition of the existing works of scholars and experts in the broader field of power sector reforms. The paper is exploratory in structure and method of its investigation. The study concludes and recommends that in view of the prevailing socio-economic circumstances in Nigeria, genuine reforms in the energy sector devoid of political rhetorics will go a long way in mitigating some of the challenges of contemporary times in the power sector
Effect of germination and fermentation on the nutrient contents, functional and antioxidant activities of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) flour were investigated. The pigeon pea seeds were sorted, cleaned and processed into germinated, fermented and raw flours. The flour samples obtained were analyzed for proximate composition, mineral contents, antinutrient contents, functional properties and antioxidant/free radical scavenging properties using standard methods. The results of the proximate composition showed that the moisture content within the range of 9.62±0.02-9.96±0.01, crude protein content 16.63±0.01-24.17±0.01, crude fibre content 1.41±0.01-2.59±0.01, lipid 4.33±0.01-5.61±0.01, ash content 1.62±0.01-2.17±0.01, carbohydrate 56.80±0.02 - 62.47±0.01 and energy values 366.91 - 374.40kcal/100g. The result of elemental mineral analysis showed magnesium as the major mineral element in the sample (91.32±0.02 to 123.75±0.04mg/g), calcium (96.02 ± 0.02 - 110.14 ± 0.003mg/g), phosphorus (39.11 ± 0.02 - 46.12 ± 0.03mg/g), sodium (8.63 ± 0.02 - 12.61 ± 0.001mg/g), Iron (3.08 ± 0.02 - 4.11 ± 0.001mg/g) and zinc (2.04 ± 0.01 - 3.17mg/g) respectively. The result of the functional properties showed optimal gelatinization temperature ranged from 73.610C - 89.410C, emulsion capacity, 11.88 - 43.42%, foam stability,28.22 to 65.81%, foaming capacity,15.83 to 21.11%, bulk density,0.53 - 0.71g/ml, water absorption capacity, 1.11 and 1.51ml/g while oil absorption capacity,0.84 - 1.14ml/g. The sensory properties of the moi-moi from the processed flours showed that the colour test, (6.33 -7.53), flavour (7.63 to 7.75), taste (5.13 to 5.53), mouth-feel (7.25 to 7.36), overall acceptability (6.93±0.04 - 8.83±0.04). The results of the phenolic content ranged from 20.13mg\GAE, 53.43mg\GAE and 42.64mg\GAE for raw processed, malted and fermented samples respectively. The results of the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) antioxidant activity of ethanolic extracts showed IC50values of 0.810, 1.177 and 1.014mg\ml for the raw, malted and fermented seed extracts respectively. The moisture, crude protein and fibre contents was significantly increased (p>0.05) during germination and fermentation whereas lipid, carbohydrate, ash and energy values were significantly (p<0>0.05) increased the % scavenging properties of pigeon pea extract though that of germination was higher. Malting and fermentation significantly (p<0.05) decreased the sensory properties of moi-moi produced. Based on the result obtained, regular consumption of pigeon pea will be a proactive measure against heart diseases and other related disorders in the human body.
The advent of the World Wide Web and the rapid adoption of social media platforms (such as Facebook and Twitter) paved the way for information dissemination that has never been witnessed in the human history before. With the current usage of social media platforms, consumers are creating and sharing more information than ever before, some of which are misleading with no relevance to reality. Automated classification of a text article as misinformation or disinformation is a challenging task. Even an expert in a particular domain has to explore multiple aspects before giving a verdict on the truthfulness of an article. In this work, we propose to use a machine learning ensemble approach for the automated classification of news articles. Our study explores different textual properties that can be used to distinguish fake contents from real. By using those properties, we train a combination of different machine learning algorithms using various ensemble methods and evaluate their performance on 4 real world datasets. Experimental evaluation confirms the superior performance of our proposed ensemble learner approach in comparison to individual learners. The advent of the World Wide Web and the rapid adoption of social media platforms (such as Facebook and Twitter) paved the way for information dissemination that has never been witnessed in human history before. Besides other use cases, news outlets benefitted from the widespread use of social media platforms by providing updated news in near real-time to its subscribers. The news media evolved from newspapers, tabloids, and magazines to a digital form such as online news platforms, blogs, social media feeds, and other digital media formats. It became easier for consumers to acquire the latest news at their fingertips. Facebook referrals account for 70% of traffic to news websites. These social media platforms in their current state are extremely powerful and useful for their ability to allow users to discuss and share ideas and debate over issues such as democracy, education, and health. However, such platforms are also used with a negative perspective by certain entities commonly for monetary gain and in other cases for creating biased opinions, manipulating mindsets, and spreading satire or absurdity. The phenomenon is commonly known as fake news.
Background: The goal of nursing profession is to prepare the nurses to meet diverse needs of the patients, delivering holistic care to the patients. It is the need of the hour for the Nursing students to utilize their knowledge, skills, and technologies to practice independently and collaboratively with all health professionals. Any type of negligence in their work may result in dire consequences. Method: Descriptive Survey Research design was adopted for a study to assess the Academic Procrastination factors for General Nursing students at selected Schools of Nursing, Bhopal, with Sample size of 50 General Nursing students. Result: Result revealed that majority, 35 nursing students were male whereas 15 were females, majority of students (18) were in age group of 22-23 years, 32 students were in GNM 3rd year, mostly (43) resided in Urban area, majority (44) belongs to nuclear family, and 28 mothers as compared to 41 fathers of students were educated. Out of 50 respondents who were the subjects of research on the causes of academic procrastination, namely: 12 respondents (24%) said that it was caused by habit, 15 respondents (30%) answered Poor time management, 23 respondents (46%) said it was due to Tiredness, 28 respondents (56%) said it was due to peer pressure, 22 respondents (44%) due to Low motivation, 14 respondents (28%) answered unclear tasks, and 36 (72 %) said it was due to Deadlines for submission. Majority of nursing students 38 (76%) were moderately affected by Personal factors, and by Environmental factors only 26 (52%) students were moderately affected as compared to academic factors at 12 (24%) students who were moderately affected. Conclusion: The study concluded that personal and environmental factors have more effects on academic procrastination as compared to academic factors
Cancer is one of the most extreme medical conditions in both developing and developed countries around the world, causing millions of deaths each year. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are critical treatment approaches, but both have numerous adverse health effects. Furthermore, the resistance of cancerous cells to anticancer medication leads to treatment failure. The rising burden of cancer overall requires novel, efficacious treatment modalities. Natural medications offer feasible alternative options against malignancy in contrast to western medicines. Furanocoumarins’ defensive and restorative impacts have been observed in leukemia, glioma, breast, lung, renal, liver, colon, cervical, ovarian, and prostate malignancies. Experimental findings have shown that furanocoumarins activate multiple signalling pathways, leading to apoptosis, autophagy, antioxidant, antimetastatic, and cell cycle arrest in malignant cells. Additionally, furanocoumarins have been shown to have chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic synergistic potential when used in combination with other anticancer drugs. Here, we address different pathways which are activated by furanocoumarins and their therapeutic efficacy in various tumors. Ideally, this review will trigger interest in furanocoumarins and their potential efficacy and safety as cancer-lessening agents.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in the healthcare domain, revolutionizing various aspects of medical research, diagnostics, treatment, and patient care. This paper provides an overview of recent developments and applications of AI in healthcare, highlighting its potential to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and accessibility in medical practices. The integration of machine learning algorithms, natural language processing, and computer vision techniques has enabled AI systems to analyze vast amounts of medical data, support clinical decision-making, and personalize treatment plans. Additionally, AI-powered technologies play a crucial role in predictive analytics, early disease detection, and the optimization of healthcare workflows. Despite the promising advancements, challenges related to data privacy, ethical considerations, and regulatory frameworks need to be addressed to fully harness the benefits of AI in healthcare.
The purpose of this study is to explore the impacts of foreign cartoons programs on the social behavior and attitude of Pakistani Children. It is forecasting different cartoon programs 24/7; hence, children spend most of their leisure in front of the television. All these cartoon characters affect the social life and psyche of the children and induce positive and negative mannerism in their daily lifestyles. It has found that one of the most disturbing factor is that the ferocity in children today is increasing rapidly due to following their favorite violent cartoon characters which are even different from their culture and societal norms. The issue is violence is what they see in every cartoon program in one or the other way. Their Guardians are unaware that these cartoons they let their children watch are destroying their parenting as negative forces are attacking the innocent minds of this generation. The study gives the insight of why and what is happening with non-parametric statistics studied and used for thorough analysis. The behavioral outcome of the kids like, imitating their preferred animation character, utilizing various dialects, watching the TV as opposed to deciding on outdoor games and being difficult about getting precisely the same outfits and embellishments as their adored character. This contextual analysis features the disturbing circumstance that guardians are uninformed of. There is something other than mimicking the particular character. The only traits of watching these foreign cartoon characters is that it might damage their own customs and they wildly become to believe these characters as their role models.
Background: There is a lack of adequate data about the prevalence and types of tuberculosis (TB) disease in Hadramout Al-Sahel, Yemen. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence, types, and outcomes of TB disease in Hadramout Al-Sahel, Yemen. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the National TB Program (NTP) center in the city of Al Mukalla, Hadramout, Yemen. The study enrolled TB patients from different districts of Hadramout Al-Sahel who had registered at the NTP center between January 1 and December 31, 2021. Results: A total of 127 new active TB cases were recruited, including 102 (80.3%) with pulmonary TB (PTB) and 25 (19.7%) with extra PTB (EPTB). The overall prevalence of TB disease in 2021 was 12.7 new TB cases per 100,000 population, while the median age of the study population was 38 years. The majority of cases (23.6%) belonged to the age group of 35–44 years. There were 85 (66.9%) males, and most patients (74; 58.3%) were identified in Al Mukalla City. EPTB was detected in 25 (19.7%) patients, with pleural effusion being the most frequent manifestation, found in 12 (48.0%) patients. All patients received 4-agent anti-TB therapies; 99 (77.9%) patients received anti-TB therapy for 6 months; 9 (7.1%) patients received anti-TB therapy for 9–12 months; 8 (6.3%) patients died during treatment; and 11 (8.7%) patients were lost during follow-up. The majority of patients (108; 85%) were cured on completion of treatment. Conclusion: The prevalence of TB in Hadramout Al -Sahel was 12.7 cases per 100,000 population. Males were affected more than females; the pleura was the most commonly affected extrapulmonary site; and 85% of cases were cured. The results indicated the need to support the Al Mukalla NTP center, by providing more resources for improved TB reporting and for conduct of surveillance to detect new TB cases among high risk groups. Health authorities are also urged to provide state hospitals with the equipment needed for TB diagnosis.
The aim of this study is to identify the move from cultural to creative cultural tourism as new model for meeting tourists' demands for creative experiences. Hence, traditional cultural tourism must reinvent itself as creative tourism for those creative tourists seeking more interactive experiences. This new trend in creative cultural tourism has emerged from the changes in the production of cultural tourist commodities, the skilled tourist activities, and new consumption patterns. Moreover, creative cultural tourism can solve those problems experienced by traditional cultural tourists. A literature review confirmed that a move to creative cultural tourism, or intangible heritage (i.e., linguistic diversity or gastronomy), from tangible cultural attractions (i.e., museums, monuments, and so forth) increases the attractiveness of tourism destinations. In addition, this study explains the transformation from traditional cultural to creative cultural tourism.
When we tested various industrial wastewater samples collected from different industries they shown high amount of toxic chemical components, and the samples are unfit for irrigation or for any kind of activity. Irrigation of untreated wastewater for long time leads to soil pollution by accumulating toxic salts in the soil. The regular growth of plant get effected by this water like improper growth, low chlorophyll content, low carotenoids content, low yield, etc. Three different types of oil yielding plants (Mustard, Ground nut and Sunflower) and three different types of vegetable crops (Tomato, Chilly and Brinjal) has grown by using different industrial wastewater samples. The primitive parameters of vegetative growth (imbibition, seed germination and vigour index) and nutritional components (chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids) have been observed in all the samples after growing for a particular time period. The imbibition test of seed samples in industrial wastewater samples have not shown significant variation compared to imbibition in distilled water sample. All the seeds in all wastewater samples absorbed almost negligible difference but in the percentage of germination there is significant difference. The tests for nutritional compositions have also shown significant decrease in chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids in all varieties.
Vitamin D is a hormone which plays a vital role in immune response regulation, including the prevention of inflammation and autoimmunity. Insufficient vitamin D may increase the risk of infection. Vitamin D deficiency is not the only factor linked to an elevated risk of COVID-19 infection. Recent studies have discovered a link between SARS-COV-2 infection risk and blood type. This study was aimed to examine the association of vitamin D and blood groups with the severity of COVID-19. A retrospective study was conducted on 224 confirmed COVID-19 patients, aged between 18 and 89 years old. Patients were divided into three groups (asymptomatic, moderate, and severe cases), and serum 25(OH)D concentration and blood group were analyzed for all the patients. Data of the severe cases were obtained from Souq Althalath Isolation Center, Tripoli, Libya, while moderate and asymptomatic cases were obtained from Abushusha Polyclinic and Aldahmani COVID Filtration Center, during 22nd February 2021 and 28th April 2021 and serum 25(OH)D concentration and blood group were statistically analyzed for all the patients. The percentages of males and females were found to be 47.3% and 52.7%, respectively. Disease severity was distributed as follows: 12.5% asymptomatic, 44.6 % moderate and 42.9% severe. Most of the severe cases had vitamin D deficiency (88.5%). Among the severely ill patients, 39.6% had blood group A and 09.4% had group O, while 22.9%, and 28.1% had blood group B and AB, respectively. In contrast, among the asymptomatic patients, only 7.1% had group A and 85.7% had group O. Overall, the difference in the distribution pattern of blood group in the three severity categories was highly significant (p < 0.001). The prevalence of Rh positivity among asymptomatic, moderate and severe cases was 78.6%, 76.0%, and 60.4%, respectively. This study concludes that insufficient vitamin D levels might influence the severity of COVID-19. COVID-19 patients with blood group A and those who are Rh-positive could be more vulnerable to developing COVID-19 severity.
Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences
Introduction: Use of endotracheal tube (ETT) has many limitations. There is a need for an airway device with similar safety and good side effect profile. In this prospective observational study, the oxygenation and ventilation parameters between patients who were inserted Proseal laryngeal mask airway (PLMA) or ETT for laparoscopic surgeries were compared. Materials and Methods: After ethical committee approval, informed consent was obtained from sixty patients (thirty in each group) posted for elective laparoscopic surgery. Following induction of general anaesthesia and paralysis, PLMA or ETT was inserted and pressure control mode was used for ventilation. The following parameters were measured: a. Oxygen saturation and changes in FiO2 needed to ensure a target SpO2> 95%, EtCO2 and changes in respiratory rate and inspiratory pressure needed to ensure a target EtCO2 between 35-45 mmHg. b. Insertion characteristics of airway device and gastric tube, hemodynamic responses, incidence of complications. Statistical Analysis: Chi-square test was used to analyze qualitative data. Independent t test was used to assess quantitative variables. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the outcome measures over time adjusted for duration of surgery and anaesthesia. P values<0> Results: Both groups were comparable with respect to age, gender and weight. Oxygenation and ventilation parameters achieved with both ETT and PLMA were comparable and satisfactory. Haemodynamic parameters increased significantly in ETT group compared to PLMA group during airway insertion and removal. Also, postoperative sore throat was comparatively less in the PLMA group. Conclusion: Hence we conclude that PLMA may be considered as an alternative to ETT in airway management of patients undergoing laparoscopic surgeries with comparable oxygenation and ventilation parameters and improved side effect profile.
Phaseolus vulgaris Linn commonly known as red kidney bean, is enriched in protein, carbohydrates and dietary fibres. Beans have nutritional and health benefits and possess antimicrobial, antihyperglycemic, antioxidant and anticancer activity due to bio-active chemical constituents. The following study was carried out to evaluate the anti-depressant activity of Phaseolus vulgaris fixed oil (PVFO) using a forced swim test and tail suspension test in mice. In this study, animals were assigned into four groups (n=7). Group I: Control normal saline (2 mL/Kg), Group II: PVFO I (2 mL/Kg), Group III: PVFO II (4 mL/Kg) and Group IV: standard amitriptyline (10 mg/Kg). The significant results indicated the possible anti-depressant role of Phaseolus vulgaris fixed oil.
Environmental monitoring is required to protect our surrounding from contamination, especially bacteria, virus, and parasitic pathogens & their toxins as well as chemical substances that can be released into a air, soil, and water create serious public health concerns. Presently, traditional methods more popular for the detection of pathogens and its toxins, but they have several limitations due to low concentrations and interference with various enzymatic inhibitors in the environmental samples. This chapter describes the current state of modern tools, the advantages over conventional detection methods, and the challenges due to testing of environmental samples. Future trends in the development of novel detection devices and their importance, use over other environmental monitoring methodologies are also discussed.
Self-medication, the practice of using medications without professional guidance, is a significant public health concern globally, particularly among medical students who, despite their pharmacological training, often engage in this practice at high rates. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence and patterns of self-medication among medical students at the University of Tripoli, Libya. A sample of 121 undergraduate medical students was surveyed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The results revealed a high prevalence of self-medication (82.6%), with analgesics (51.2%) and vitamins (31.4%) being the most commonly used medications. Headache (80.4%), pain (79.9%), and respiratory issues (73.2%) were the primary health complaints prompting self-medication. Key determinants included pharmacist advice (43.8%), prior medical knowledge (32.2%), and recommendations from family or friends (12.4%). Factors such as residing in Tripoli and higher parental education levels were significantly associated with increased self-medication practices. Notably, 62.0% of the students reported using antibiotics without a prescription, raising concerns about antimicrobial resistance. The study highlights the need for educational interventions to promote responsible self-medication practices among medical students, emphasizing the risks associated with inappropriate drug use. Addressing these issues early in medical education could help mitigate the public health implications of widespread self-medication.
Mediterranean journal of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences
Financial sector needs special attention pertaining to incorporation of the ESG criteria. Economic and financial issues coupled with climate change would have negative impact on the stability of financial institutions. This research paper attempts to synthesize and summarise scholarly articles published in Scopus database on ESG domain with reference to banking sector using bibliometric analysis. The objective of this review paper is to understand from past literature the trajectory of studies in the domain of ESG. There is a substantial growth in frequency of publication in the year 2022 along with annual growth of around 30 percent during 2015-2023. Bibliometric with MS-Excel, R-Studio and VOS-viewer were used to identify and analyze research trends related to the number of studies, research fields, authors, nations, institutions, and keywords. The important keywords identified in the bibliometric analysis were sustainability, corporate social responsibility, sustainable finance, banks performance.
The Quantum Teaching learning model is a modification of the various interactions that exist in and around the moment in learning. This study aims to find out more about how to apply Quantum Teaching in measuring students' abilities including cognitive, affective and psychomotor aspects. This research method uses qualitative research methods with the type of research field research. Data collection techniques using observation techniques, interviews, and documentation. While the data analysis is a qualitative analysis model of Miles and Huberman and Saldana which consists of data collection, data condensation, data presentation and drawing conclusions. The results of this study are: (1) Implementation of Quantum Teaching in Class V Thematic Learning at MI Mambaul Ulum Kandangrejo cognitive aspects, namely students are able to think more critically and broadly, students are able to do assignments or exercises and can understand learning well, students able to provide questions and answers properly and appropriately. (2) Implementation of Quantum Teaching in Class V Thematic Learning at MI Mambaul Ulum Kandangrejo aspects in the affective aspect, namely: the curiosity of students increases, students become more focused, students' attitudes become more confident and courageous. (3) Implementation of Quantum Teaching in Class V Thematic Learning at MI Mambaul Ulum Kandangrejo psychomotor aspects, namely: students are able to practice well the learning media is provided, students are able to name the names and parts of the circulatory organs, students are able to show the circulatory organs blood using the medium.
Network on a chip is a concept in which a single silicon chip is used to implement the com-munication features of large-scale to very large-scale integration systems. For high-end System on Chip de-signs, Network on Chip is considered the best integrated solution. NoC has several advantages over dedicat-ed wiring and buses i.e. increased bandwidth, low latency, less power consumption and scalability. Reduc-tion in the latency (end-to-end latency and network latency), loss probability, energy consumption and re-sponse time are the basic parameters which are considered by the researchers for the optimization of the networks-on-chip topologies. In this paper we review the most popular technologies and also some recent topologies for interconnection networks. We study their performance and summarize their strengths & weakness.
Introduction: Apophyseal avulsion fractures of the pelvis predominantly occur in adolescent athletes due to skeletal immaturity. The anterior inferior iliac spine (AIIS) is a rare but characteristic site of injury. Case Presentation: We report the case of a 15-year-old male football player who sustained a traumatic avulsion of the right AIIS. The diagnosis was confirmed radiologically, and the patient was managed conservatively. Results: The clinical course was favorable, with a return to sports at three months. Conclusion: Early diagnosis and conservative management typically allow full recovery in most cases.
This study investigated the management of teachers’ soft skills development and flexible learning environment as a correlate of teachers’ effectiveness in Unity schools in South- Eastern states of Nigeria. The correlational research design was adopted for the study. Two research questions were answered while two hypotheses were tested. The population of the study comprised all the 901 teachers of the 14 Unity schools in the 5 South-Eastern states of Nigeria. Stratified and disproportionate sampling techniques were used to select 399 sample size that was determined from the population using the Taro Yamane formula. Two sets of instruments titled; “Management of Seamless Technology Integration Questionnaire” and “Teachers’ Effectiveness Questionnaire” were used for data collection. Face and content validity was ensured by five experts including the researcher’s supervisors. The reliability coefficients of the two instruments were calculated to be 0.79 and 0.81 using Cronbach Alpha method. Multiple and simple regressions were used to answer the research questions. Analysis of variance associated with multiple regression and t-test associated with simple regression was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level. It was found that management of teachers’ soft skills development and flexible learning environment positively correlate (0.92 and 0.86 respectively) to teachers’ effectiveness in Unity schools in the South-Eastern states of Nigeria. Based on the findings, it was concluded that the management of seamless technology integration is positively and highly significant to teachers’ effectiveness in Unity schools in the South-Eastern states of Nigeria. It was therefore recommended among others that school administrators in the 14 Unity schools in the South-Eastern states should immediately embark on self-development in the management of seamless technology integration
Université Nazi Boni
Central Council For Research In Unani Medicine, Ministry Of Ayush, Government Of India, New Delhi