Cloud computing has attracted significant interest due to the increasing service demands from organizations offloading computationally intensive tasks to datacenters.Meanwhile,datacenter infrastructure comprises hardw...Cloud computing has attracted significant interest due to the increasing service demands from organizations offloading computationally intensive tasks to datacenters.Meanwhile,datacenter infrastructure comprises hardware resources that consume high amount of energy and give out carbon emissions at hazardous levels.In cloud datacenter,Virtual Machines(VMs)need to be allocated on various Physical Machines(PMs)in order to minimize resource wastage and increase energy efficiency.Resource allocation problem is NP-hard.Hence finding an exact solution is complicated especially for large-scale datacenters.In this con text,this paper proposes an Energy-oriented Flower Pollination Algorithm(E-FPA)for VM allocation in cloud datacenter environments.A system framework for the scheme was developed to enable energy-oriented allocation of various VMs on a PM.The allocation uses a strategy called Dynamic Switching Probability(DSP).The framework finds a near optimal solution quickly and balances the exploration of the global search and exploitation of the local search.It considers a processor,storage,and memory constraints of a PM while prioritizing energy-oriented allocation for a set of VMs.Simulations performed on MultiRecCloudSim utilizing planet workload show that the E-FPA outperforms the Genetic Algorithm for Power-Aware(GAPA)by 21.8%,Order of Exchange Migration(OEM)ant colony system by 21.5%,and First Fit Decreasing(FFD)by 24.9%.Therefore,E-FPA significantly improves datacenter performance and thus,enhances environmental sustainability.展开更多
Background: Amputation is defined as the surgical removal of a limb or part of a limb through the bone. If the amputation is done above or below the knee, they are termed major while minor amputations involve the part...Background: Amputation is defined as the surgical removal of a limb or part of a limb through the bone. If the amputation is done above or below the knee, they are termed major while minor amputations involve the partial removal of foot including forefoot resections, ray amputation of the digits or parts of the digits. Significant number of patients with diabetic foot ulcers end with amputations. In the past the amputation level was decided by clinical assessment alone, such as physical examination using color, temperature, peripheral pulses and wound bleeding during surgical procedure. The use of Doppler ultrasound to measure arterial blood pressure at the proposed amputation site has been advocated as a predictor of amputation success. An optimal choice of the level of amputation can reduce amputation complications. Methodology: A Prospective comparative randomized cross-sectional study carried out between 1st January 2022 and 1st January 2024 in ATBUTH, Bauchi amongst patients with diabetic foot Wagener stage IV and V scheduled for amputation. Outcome measures of wound break down, flap necrosis and re-amputation were assessed amongst the clinical based level assessment group and the doppler based level assessment group. Results: A total of 171 patients were recruited into the study. Males 103 and 68 are females, giving a male to female ratio of 1.5:1. mean age 47 years. There were 84 patients in the clinical based level assessment group and 87 patients in the doppler based level assessment. Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus foot disease is a significant risk factor for non-traumatic lower limb amputation and doppler level assessment is superior to clinical level in determining amputation level among diabetic patients scheduled for amputation. P-value 0.003.展开更多
This study delves into the charge transfer mechanism of boron (B)-doped 3C-SiC through first-principles investigations. We explore the effects of B doping on the electronic properties of 3C-SiC, focusing on a 12.5% im...This study delves into the charge transfer mechanism of boron (B)-doped 3C-SiC through first-principles investigations. We explore the effects of B doping on the electronic properties of 3C-SiC, focusing on a 12.5% impurity concentration. Our comprehensive analysis encompasses structural properties, electronic band structures, and charge density distributions. The optimized lattice constant and band gap energy of 3C-SiC were found to be 4.373 Å and 1.36 eV respectively, which is in agreement with previous research (Bui, 2012;Muchiri et al., 2018). Our results show that B doping narrows the band gap, enhances electrical conductivity, and influences charge transfer interactions. The charge density analysis reveals substantial interactions between B dopants and surrounding carbon atoms. This work not only enhances our understanding of the material’s electronic properties, but also highlights the importance of charge density analysis for characterizing charge transfer mechanisms and their implications in the 3C-SiC semiconductors.展开更多
Small cell cancers were initially described in the lungs and later found to occur in a wide range of organs of the body, constituted a disease entity that is characterized by an aggrieve path/course and a huge disease...Small cell cancers were initially described in the lungs and later found to occur in a wide range of organs of the body, constituted a disease entity that is characterized by an aggrieve path/course and a huge disease related mortality. They are also called neuroendocrine tumors with peculiar histologic and biologic disease entity. Here we present two cases of small cell cancer of the prostate seen and managed in our facility with focus on their presentation, disease progression and outcome. The first patient was a 72-year-old retired military officer who presented with a progressively painful scrotal swelling of 3-month duration, and scrotal ulceration with contact bleeding of a month duration associated with a foul-smelling discharge. There was also history of progressive weight lost, loss of appetite and constipation. Patient was pale and lethargic on examination with a foul smelling exophytic scrotal mass. Serum PSA was 4 ng/l (within normal limit). Wedge biopsy and trucut prostate biopsy revealed small cell cancer of the prostate. Patient was resuscitated and prepared for chemoradiation, had a single dose of chemotherapy and died before the second dose. Second patient was a 63-year-old farmer who presented with lower urinary tract symptoms, progressive weight loss and constipation of two months duration, a known hypertensive and diabetic who has been regular on his medication. He was lethargic on examination, pale and unable to stand without support. Trucut prostate biopsy shows small cell cancer of the prostate. He was also resuscitated and being prepared for chemoradiation but died before commencement of treatment.展开更多
Background: Diabetic mellitus was described as an evolving global epidemic of the twenty-first century, due to the exponential rise in the number of people with the condition. Lower extremity amputation is one of the ...Background: Diabetic mellitus was described as an evolving global epidemic of the twenty-first century, due to the exponential rise in the number of people with the condition. Lower extremity amputation is one of the common complications of diabetes. With increase in the number of people with diabetes there will also be increase in the number of diabetics going for lower extremity amputation, increasing both the financial as well as psychologic burden of treatment. Methodology: A prospective cross-sectional study of all diabetic patients going for lower extremity amputation will be done. All the patients with advanced diabetic foot syndrome needing lower extremity amputation are enrolled (Wagener stage IV and V), both through the clinic and emergency center. Informed consent is obtained from the patient after which data are collected using a structured questionnaire. All the investigation results of the patients were also documented. Data collected are analyzed using the SPSS version 29. Chi-square and student t-test were used to measure significant relationship between the variables at 95% confident interval. Results: Within the period of study, which extends from 1st January 2022 to 1st of January 2024, a total of 171 patients were recruited. All diabetic patients with diabetic foot Wagener grade IV and V who presented to the clinic or emergency department were enrolled in the study. We found a significant relationship between gender, previous procedure on the affected limb or amputation of the contralateral limb, knowledge of foot care among diabetics and risk of amputation. There was, however, no statistically significant relationship between. There is no statistically significance relationship between the level of education, occupation, presence of co-morbidity with the risk of amputation among diabetic patients with foot syndrome. Conclusion: Previous lower limb procedure/amputation, male gender, paucity of knowledge on foot care, prolonged duration of the disease and method of treatment are important risk 展开更多
The goals of this study are to assess the viability of waste tire-derived char(WTDC)as a sustainable,low-cost fine aggregate surrogate material for asphalt mixtures and to develop the statistically coupled neural netw...The goals of this study are to assess the viability of waste tire-derived char(WTDC)as a sustainable,low-cost fine aggregate surrogate material for asphalt mixtures and to develop the statistically coupled neural network(SCNN)model for predicting volumetric and Marshall properties of asphalt mixtures modified with WTDC.The study is based on experimental data acquired from laboratory volumetric and Marshall properties testing on WTDCmodified asphalt mixtures(WTDC-MAM).The input variables comprised waste tire char content and asphalt binder content.The output variables comprised mixture unit weight,total voids,voids filled with asphalt,Marshall stability,and flow.Statistical coupled neural networks were utilized to predict the volumetric and Marshall properties of asphalt mixtures.For predictive modeling,the SCNN model is employed,incorporating a three-layer neural network and preprocessing techniques to enhance accuracy and reliability.The optimal network architecture,using the collected dataset,was a 2:6:5 structure,and the neural network was trained with 60%of the data,whereas the other 20%was used for cross-validation and testing respectively.The network employed a hyperbolic tangent(tanh)activation function and a feed-forward backpropagation.According to the results,the network model could accurately predict the volumetric and Marshall properties.The predicted accuracy of SCNN was found to be as high value>98%and low prediction errors for both volumetric and Marshall properties.This study demonstrates WTDC's potential as a low-cost,sustainable aggregate replacement.The SCNN-based predictive model proves its efficiency and versatility and promotes sustainable practices.展开更多
Background: Salivary gland tumours (SGTs) are rare, but recent reports suggest an increasing incidence. Although there are previous Nigerian studies on the patterns of SGTs, patterns and trends of disease may change o...Background: Salivary gland tumours (SGTs) are rare, but recent reports suggest an increasing incidence. Although there are previous Nigerian studies on the patterns of SGTs, patterns and trends of disease may change over time. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of presentation of SGTs, and to determine the trends in occurrence of SGTs at Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH), Gombe over a period of 15 years. Method: This descriptive study included cases of histologically diagnosed SGTs from January 2008 to December 2022. Relevant information (age, gender, site, year of diagnosis, and histopathologic diagnosis) was extracted from the cancer registers and histopathologic records. The lesions were then categorized into benign and malignant SGTs and grouped into three groups spanning 5 years each based on the year of diagnosis. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 23, and p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: There were 93 (61.2%) benign and 59 (38.8%) malignant SGTs. Benign SGTs had a mean age of 36.4 ± 13.6 years, and were more common in females (57.0%), and in the parotid (41.9%). Pleomorphic adenoma (94.6%) was the most common benign SGT. Malignant SGTs had a mean age of 44.5 ± 18.4 years, with male predilection (54.2%) and occurrence mostly in the palate (27.6%) and parotid (22.4%). Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (39.0%) and adenoid cystic carcinoma (32.2%) were the most frequent malignant SGTs. The mean age of occurrence of malignant SGTs was significantly higher than that of benign SGTs (p = 0.005). The trend analysis showed that there has been a steady rise in the proportion of males presenting with malignant SGTs. Similarly, there has been a steady increase in the frequency of benign SGTs in the parotid. The palate was the predominant site for the malignant SGTs between 2008 and 2012, but in the last five years (2018 to 2022), the parotid has become the predominant site. Over the duration of the study, the ratio of benign to malignant SGTs has remained relatively constan展开更多
An improvised auger sediment sampler was used to collect sediments at shallow depths from two wetlands in the Northern Bida Basin for laboratory studies in order to ascertain the impact on the chemical quality of grou...An improvised auger sediment sampler was used to collect sediments at shallow depths from two wetlands in the Northern Bida Basin for laboratory studies in order to ascertain the impact on the chemical quality of groundwater within these two studied locations. The dissolved organic carbon content of water is an important component of the geochemical cycling of elements capable of affecting groundwater quality. The sediments which serve as a conduit and pathways for the elements’ transport depending on the characteristics of the particle sizes are to be considered in the evaluation of contaminant mobility within the pathways. Representative cored sediment samples were collected and their particle size characterization and chemical analysis for Organic Matter (OM), Organic Carbon (OC) and Moisture Content (MC) were carried out. The hydrometer results show that the sediment particle sizes are in the order of sand > clay > silt in both locations with few exceptions. This represents the geology of the area (sandstone). The Mean values of 1.14% and 1.98% of OC and OM respectively were recorded in the sediment samples collected in parts of Ebgako. In contrast, 1.72% and 2.97% mean values were recorded in sediments collected in part of Bida for OC and OM respectively. The values of the OC and OM in the sediments from the two wetlands are low and may have been dissolved along the groundwater pathways to the aquifer. Other physicochemical parameters analysed in the sediments showed poor correlation. OM and OC were strongly positively correlated and showed an R<sup>2</sup> value of 1 and 0.9 respectively for parts of the Bida and Egbako sheets. There is low acidity of the sediments from the two study locations with a mean pH value of 5.64 and 5.13 respectively for Egbako and Bida. The low acidic nature of the sediments and the OM and OC composition have the potential to influence biogeochemical processes in the sediments and can affect the chemical quality of the groundwater in these two study locations.展开更多
Background: Rice is one of the staple crops in the African continent for its ability to give maximum yields which can help to achieve food security under the sustainable development goals (SDGs);to those effects, the ...Background: Rice is one of the staple crops in the African continent for its ability to give maximum yields which can help to achieve food security under the sustainable development goals (SDGs);to those effects, the incessant use of inorganic fertilizer has been employed which proved to have devastating effect in the environment and the ecosystem at large. Therefore, the thirst for an alternative method to ensure bumper production of rice cannot be overemphasized so as to prevent soil alteration and environmental damage. Objective: This study aimed at determining the efficacy of mycorrhizae-based manure on the vegetative growth of rice as compared to inorganic fertilizer and its sustainability. Methods: Soil samples were collected from seven (7) locations (M1 - M7). Mycorrhiza were isolated from the soils and mass produced, mixed with organic waste to form manure (biofertilizer) and were applied at concentrations of 50 g, 100 g and 150 g to the potted rice in tree (3) replicates. Growth parameters observed were plant height, girth diameter, leaf broadness and leaf number. Results: The result revealed mycorrhizal spore count ranging from 1.7 × 10<sup>7</sup> - to 4.1 × 10<sup>7</sup> across the locations. The mycorrhizae-based manure gives the highest plant height of 45.33 cm as compared with the least plant height of 18.5 cm from the inorganic fertilizer. Furthermore, the biofertilizer gives a positive influence on the other parameters observed in comparison with the inorganic fertilizer. Statistical analysis shows that, the means of all the parameters except for leaf numbers were significantly different at p ≤ 0.05 across the sampling locations. Conclusions: Mycorrhizae-based manure proves to be an effective replacement of inorganic fertilizer that can boost rice production at a cheaper cost.展开更多
Debugging software code has been a challenge for software developers since the early days of computer programming. A simple need, because the world is run by software. So perhaps the biggest engineering challenge is f...Debugging software code has been a challenge for software developers since the early days of computer programming. A simple need, because the world is run by software. So perhaps the biggest engineering challenge is finding ways to make software more reliable. This review provides an overview of techniques developed over time in the field of software model checking to solve the problem of detecting errors in program code. In addition, the challenges posed by this technology are discussed and ways to mitigate them in future research and applications are proposed. A comprehensive examination of the various model verification methods used to detect program code errors is intended to lay the foundation for future research in this area.展开更多
The advent of civilization has made humans dependent on plants for food and medicine,leading to the intensification of agricultural production.The intense cultivation of crops has resulted in the depletion of availabl...The advent of civilization has made humans dependent on plants for food and medicine,leading to the intensification of agricultural production.The intense cultivation of crops has resulted in the depletion of available nutrients from soil,thereby demanding the application of excess nutrients to soil to improve yield.Thus,mineral fertilizer discovery and application have,in many ways,contributed greatly to meeting global food demands.However,aside from the positive effects of mineral fertilizers,their excessive application to soil produces large amounts of pollutants that affect environmental sustainability.This necessitates the study of the major mineral fertilizer elements(nitrogen(N),phosphorus(P),and potassium(K)),the forms in which they are applied to soil,and their chemistry/reactions in soil.Here,we reviewed the forms of different N,P,and K mineral fertilizers to provide current knowledge on their constituents,the chemistry of N,P,and K in soil to understand the reactions they undertake in soil,the efficient methods of fertilizer application for environmental sustainability,the effects of mineral fertilizer loss to the environment,and improved fertilization technologies for environmental sustainability.Nanofertilizers are a promising technology for sustainable agricultural production and are discussed in detail in this review.展开更多
During the production of palm oil,a significant amount of waste is generated.However,because of inefficient handling and utilization,these wastes are becoming a larger issue.As a result,one initiative is to use these ...During the production of palm oil,a significant amount of waste is generated.However,because of inefficient handling and utilization,these wastes are becoming a larger issue.As a result,one initiative is to use these wastes in the pavement industry as sustainable materials.However,there is still a lack of understanding about the wider incorporation of palm oil waste in asphalt pavement and its performance.This study examines existing literature on the use of various wastes in the pavement industry,including palm oil clinker(POC),palm oil fibre(POF),palm kernel shell(PKS),and palm oil fuel ash(POFA).As a result,this paper presents a systematic review and scientometric investigation of related study publications on many uses of palm oil waste in the asphalt pavement industry and its performance from 2009 to 2022.The VOS viewer application was used to conduct the sciento-metric study analysis.The relationship between interactions detected in co-authored country studies cited sources of co-citation,and the keyword of the co-occurrence and publication source enabled the identification of the research gap.According to the systematic literature review,40%–60% POC can be used to fine aggregate for optimal performance,while 0–100%PKS can be used to replace coarse aggregate.In addition,50%–80% POFA or POC fine(POCF)can be used as a filler replacement,5%–8% POCF or POFA as a bitumen modifier,and 0.3% POF as a stabilizing additive.Furthermore,the study demonstrates that the safety of utilizing wastes with more than 50% CO_(2) emissions can be curtailed with minimal heavy metal leaching and radioactivity levels.The scientometric analysis may encourage researchers to seek out gaps in the literature that will aid in the long-term,multifaceted use of palm oil wastes in the asphalt pavement industry.Furthermore,the study recommends employing and researching the enormous potential of using palm oil waste in the pavement sectors because they are more sustainable and have better performance.However,there are some barriers to展开更多
In order to precisely predict the hazard degree of goaf(HDG), the RS-TOPSIS model was built based on the results of expert investigation. To evaluate the HDG in the underground mine, five structure size factors, i.e. ...In order to precisely predict the hazard degree of goaf(HDG), the RS-TOPSIS model was built based on the results of expert investigation. To evaluate the HDG in the underground mine, five structure size factors, i.e. goaf span, exposed area, goaf height, goaf depth, and pillar width, were selected as the evaluation indexes. And based on rough dependability in rough set(RS)theory, the weights of evaluation indexes were identified by calculating rough dependability between evaluation indexes and evaluation results. Fourty goafs in some mines of western China, whose indexes parameters were measured by cavity monitoring system(CMS), were taken as evaluation objects. In addition, the characteristic parameters of five grades' typical goafs were built according to the interval limits value of single index evaluation. Then, using the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution(TOPSIS), five-category classification of HDG was realized based on closeness degree, and the HDG was also identified.Results show that the five-category identification of mine goafs could be realized by RS-TOPSIS method, based on the structure-scale-effect. The classification results are consistent with those of numerical simulation based on stress and displacement,while the coincidence rate is up to 92.5%. Furthermore, the results are more conservative to safety evaluation than numerical simulation, thus demonstrating that the proposed method is more easier, reasonable and more definite for HDG identification.展开更多
In recent years,government investments in implementing restrictive public policies on the treatment and discharge of effluents from the aquaculture industry have increased.Hence,efficient and cleaner methods for aquac...In recent years,government investments in implementing restrictive public policies on the treatment and discharge of effluents from the aquaculture industry have increased.Hence,efficient and cleaner methods for aquaculture production are needed.Recirculating aquaculture systems(RAS)offers water conservation by recycling the treated aquaculture water for reuse.RAS wastewater treatment using a moving bed bioreactors(MBBRs)process has been considered well suited for maintaining good water quality,thereby making fish farming more sustainable.Currently,improvements were achieved in tackling the influence of salinity,organic matter,disinfectant,and bioreactor start-up process on the MBBR performance efficiency.This review highlights an updated overview of recent development made using MBBR to treat the residual water from RAS.Precisely,nitrification and simultaneous nitrification-denitrification(SND),and other hybrid processes for nitrogen removal were elucidated.Finally,future challenges and prospects of MBBRs in RAS facilities that need to be considered were also proposed.展开更多
Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen of medical importance and the capsule and mucoid phenotype in this organism are considered as requisite virulence determinants. A total of 62 clinical samples from AT...Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen of medical importance and the capsule and mucoid phenotype in this organism are considered as requisite virulence determinants. A total of 62 clinical samples from ATBUTH were collected and screened for K. pneumoniae. The isolates were identified using standard tests for this organism. The string test was used to detect the mucoid (hypermucoviscous) phenotype and the antimicrobial susceptibility test to 10 antibiotics was carried out with the disk diffusion technique after standardizing inoculum. A K. pneumoniae prevalence of 24% (15/62) was obtained of which 47% (7/15) were mucoid (hypermucoviscous) and 53% (8/15) were non-mucoid. Colonial sizes of the two strains do not reveal any significant differences in growth fitness of the strains. On blood agar, the mucoid and non-mucoid strains had a mean colonial size ± standard deviations of 4.41 ± 0.58 mm and 4.27 ± 0.42 mm respectively. The antibiotic susceptibility rate showed that the mucoid strains compared to the non-mucoid were more resistant to nine out of 10 antibiotics. The mucoid strains were outrightly resistant to augmentin, amoxicillin, septrin, sparfloxacin and perfloxacin. The non-mucoid strains showed no complete resistant to any antibiotic tested but had a higher resistant rate to chloramphenicol only. The Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) index shows the themucoid strains with a high MAR index range of 0.7 - 1.0 with a median MAR index of 0.8, while the non-mucoid strains had a MAR index of 0.2 - 0.8 with a median MAR index of 0.35. The data suggest that the mucoid phenotype could be associated with extrachromsomal element(s) carrying resistance genes to antibiotics and that these extrachromosomal elements may not harbour resistance determinants to chloramphenicol. Furthermore, the extrachromosomal elements bearing the mucoid phenotype and the resistance elements in the mucoid strains do not significantly impact on the fitness of the cognate strain. Whether these phenotype and resistances that展开更多
In the quest to minimize energy waste,the energy performance of buildings(EPB)has been a focus because building appliances,such as heating,ventilation,and air conditioning,consume the highest energy.Therefore,effectiv...In the quest to minimize energy waste,the energy performance of buildings(EPB)has been a focus because building appliances,such as heating,ventilation,and air conditioning,consume the highest energy.Therefore,effective design and planning for estimating heating load(HL)and cooling load(CL)for energy saving have become paramount.In this vein,efforts have been made to predict the HL and CL using a univariate approach.However,this approach necessitates two models for learning HL and CL,requiring more computational time.Moreover,the one-dimensional(1D)convolutional neural network(CNN)has gained popularity due to its nominal computa-tional complexity,high performance,and low-cost hardware requirement.In this paper,we formulate the prediction as a multivariate regression problem in which the HL and CL are simultaneously predicted using the 1D CNN.Considering the building shape characteristics,one kernel size is adopted to create the receptive fields of the 1D CNN to extract the feature maps,a dense layer to interpret the maps,and an output layer with two neurons to predict the two real-valued responses,HL and CL.As the 1D data are not affected by excessive parameters,the pooling layer is not applied in this implementation.Besides,the use of pooling has been questioned by recent studies.The performance of the proposed model displays a comparative advantage over existing models in terms of the mean squared error(MSE).Thus,the proposed model is effective for EPB prediction because it reduces computational time and significantly lowers the MSE.展开更多
Schiff base derived from 2-aminophenol and 3-formyl-2-hydroxy-6-methoxyquinoline and its Mn(II) and Fe(II) complexes were synthesized and characterized by melting point and decomposition temperature, elemental analysi...Schiff base derived from 2-aminophenol and 3-formyl-2-hydroxy-6-methoxyquinoline and its Mn(II) and Fe(II) complexes were synthesized and characterized by melting point and decomposition temperature, elemental analysis, molar conductivity, infrared (IR) spectral analysis, atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) analysis, solubility test, and magnetic susceptibility. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectral data of the Schiff base determined showed <span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">a band at 1622 cm</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">−</span></span></span>1</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> and this was assigned to the </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">v </span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">(C=N), which is a feature of azomethine group. The same band was observed to shift to lower frequencies 1577 and 1599 cm</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">−</span></span></span>1</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> in the complexes suggesting coordination of the Schiff base with the respective metal(II) ions. Molar conductan</span></span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">ce values 14.58 and 12.65 Ω</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">−</span></span></span>1</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">∙</span></span></span>cm</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">∙</span></span></span>mol</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;展开更多
Background:Malaria during pregnancy remains a serious public health problem,with substantial risks for the mother,her foetus and the newborn.The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of malaria and possibl...Background:Malaria during pregnancy remains a serious public health problem,with substantial risks for the mother,her foetus and the newborn.The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of malaria and possible risk factors for malaria infection among pregnant women in a semi-urban area in north-western Nigeria.Pregnant women are among the most susceptible to malaria infection.Knowledge of their malaria infection status is an important yardstick to measure the effectiveness of any malaria control programme.Methods:We conducted a cross sectional study in the semi-urban area of Argungu,Kebbi State Nigeria.Two hundred and fifty five pregnant women were included in the study after informed verbal consent was obtained.For each participant,the socio-demographic profile,stage of pregnancy and attitude to the use of insecticide-treated nets(ITNs)were investigated using a questionnaire.Peripheral blood samples were collected and thick blood smears were prepared and stained with Giemsa stains to check for malaria parasitaemia.The associations between age,education level and use of ITNs with occurrence of malaria infection during pregnancy were analysed using the chi-square test.Results:One hundred and six(41.6%)out of 255 pregnant women were infected with malaria parasites,with a mean parasite density of 800 parasitesμl−1.It was found that prevalence and parasite density decreased as age increased.The chi-square test indicated that a lack of education and non-usage of ITNs were significantly associated with malaria infection.Conclusion:Malaria is still a major public health issue among pregnant women mainly due to illiteracy and non-compliance to using ITNs.Increasing awareness about malaria preventive measures and early attendance of antenatal care services will help to reduce malaria and,consequently,its associated morbidities and mortalities.展开更多
This paper addresses the ring-cavity fiber laser system. A class of gray and black soliton solutions of the model are reported by adopting an appropriate envelope ansatz. Further more, the modulation instability (MI) ...This paper addresses the ring-cavity fiber laser system. A class of gray and black soliton solutions of the model are reported by adopting an appropriate envelope ansatz. Further more, the modulation instability (MI) of the equation is studied using the linear-stability analysis (LSA) technique and the MI gain spectrum is derived. Some physical interpretations and analysis of the results obtained are also presented.展开更多
Introduction: A rare but severe complication of endometriosis during pregnancy is spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy (SHiP) with life threatening intraabdominal bleeding. We report the case of SHiP in an IVF twin...Introduction: A rare but severe complication of endometriosis during pregnancy is spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy (SHiP) with life threatening intraabdominal bleeding. We report the case of SHiP in an IVF twin </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">conception with background endometriosis. Case Report: A 31-year-old</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> G1P0, admitted to Lagoon hospitals Ikoyi on 15</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> May 2019 for severe abdominal pain, dizziness and restlessness at 24 weeks. Examination revealed grossly distended abdomen, with diffuse tenderness and guarding. She was lethargic and pale. A significant drop in hemoglobin to 3.6 g/dL. A diagnosis of acute abdomen probably SHiP was made. She was moved to the theatre for emergency surgical resuscitation, jointly with a general surgeon. She underwent a midline laparotomy under general anesthesia. She was monitored in the intensive care unit postoperatively. She made remarkable clinical recovery and was discharged home after Fourteen days of inpatient admission. Conclusion: A greater awareness of SHiP and its associated risk factors, such as pelvic endometriosis, may facilitate the diagnosis of this condition and expedite the intervention to improve maternal and fetal outcomes.展开更多
文摘Cloud computing has attracted significant interest due to the increasing service demands from organizations offloading computationally intensive tasks to datacenters.Meanwhile,datacenter infrastructure comprises hardware resources that consume high amount of energy and give out carbon emissions at hazardous levels.In cloud datacenter,Virtual Machines(VMs)need to be allocated on various Physical Machines(PMs)in order to minimize resource wastage and increase energy efficiency.Resource allocation problem is NP-hard.Hence finding an exact solution is complicated especially for large-scale datacenters.In this con text,this paper proposes an Energy-oriented Flower Pollination Algorithm(E-FPA)for VM allocation in cloud datacenter environments.A system framework for the scheme was developed to enable energy-oriented allocation of various VMs on a PM.The allocation uses a strategy called Dynamic Switching Probability(DSP).The framework finds a near optimal solution quickly and balances the exploration of the global search and exploitation of the local search.It considers a processor,storage,and memory constraints of a PM while prioritizing energy-oriented allocation for a set of VMs.Simulations performed on MultiRecCloudSim utilizing planet workload show that the E-FPA outperforms the Genetic Algorithm for Power-Aware(GAPA)by 21.8%,Order of Exchange Migration(OEM)ant colony system by 21.5%,and First Fit Decreasing(FFD)by 24.9%.Therefore,E-FPA significantly improves datacenter performance and thus,enhances environmental sustainability.
文摘Background: Amputation is defined as the surgical removal of a limb or part of a limb through the bone. If the amputation is done above or below the knee, they are termed major while minor amputations involve the partial removal of foot including forefoot resections, ray amputation of the digits or parts of the digits. Significant number of patients with diabetic foot ulcers end with amputations. In the past the amputation level was decided by clinical assessment alone, such as physical examination using color, temperature, peripheral pulses and wound bleeding during surgical procedure. The use of Doppler ultrasound to measure arterial blood pressure at the proposed amputation site has been advocated as a predictor of amputation success. An optimal choice of the level of amputation can reduce amputation complications. Methodology: A Prospective comparative randomized cross-sectional study carried out between 1st January 2022 and 1st January 2024 in ATBUTH, Bauchi amongst patients with diabetic foot Wagener stage IV and V scheduled for amputation. Outcome measures of wound break down, flap necrosis and re-amputation were assessed amongst the clinical based level assessment group and the doppler based level assessment group. Results: A total of 171 patients were recruited into the study. Males 103 and 68 are females, giving a male to female ratio of 1.5:1. mean age 47 years. There were 84 patients in the clinical based level assessment group and 87 patients in the doppler based level assessment. Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus foot disease is a significant risk factor for non-traumatic lower limb amputation and doppler level assessment is superior to clinical level in determining amputation level among diabetic patients scheduled for amputation. P-value 0.003.
文摘This study delves into the charge transfer mechanism of boron (B)-doped 3C-SiC through first-principles investigations. We explore the effects of B doping on the electronic properties of 3C-SiC, focusing on a 12.5% impurity concentration. Our comprehensive analysis encompasses structural properties, electronic band structures, and charge density distributions. The optimized lattice constant and band gap energy of 3C-SiC were found to be 4.373 Å and 1.36 eV respectively, which is in agreement with previous research (Bui, 2012;Muchiri et al., 2018). Our results show that B doping narrows the band gap, enhances electrical conductivity, and influences charge transfer interactions. The charge density analysis reveals substantial interactions between B dopants and surrounding carbon atoms. This work not only enhances our understanding of the material’s electronic properties, but also highlights the importance of charge density analysis for characterizing charge transfer mechanisms and their implications in the 3C-SiC semiconductors.
文摘Small cell cancers were initially described in the lungs and later found to occur in a wide range of organs of the body, constituted a disease entity that is characterized by an aggrieve path/course and a huge disease related mortality. They are also called neuroendocrine tumors with peculiar histologic and biologic disease entity. Here we present two cases of small cell cancer of the prostate seen and managed in our facility with focus on their presentation, disease progression and outcome. The first patient was a 72-year-old retired military officer who presented with a progressively painful scrotal swelling of 3-month duration, and scrotal ulceration with contact bleeding of a month duration associated with a foul-smelling discharge. There was also history of progressive weight lost, loss of appetite and constipation. Patient was pale and lethargic on examination with a foul smelling exophytic scrotal mass. Serum PSA was 4 ng/l (within normal limit). Wedge biopsy and trucut prostate biopsy revealed small cell cancer of the prostate. Patient was resuscitated and prepared for chemoradiation, had a single dose of chemotherapy and died before the second dose. Second patient was a 63-year-old farmer who presented with lower urinary tract symptoms, progressive weight loss and constipation of two months duration, a known hypertensive and diabetic who has been regular on his medication. He was lethargic on examination, pale and unable to stand without support. Trucut prostate biopsy shows small cell cancer of the prostate. He was also resuscitated and being prepared for chemoradiation but died before commencement of treatment.
文摘Background: Diabetic mellitus was described as an evolving global epidemic of the twenty-first century, due to the exponential rise in the number of people with the condition. Lower extremity amputation is one of the common complications of diabetes. With increase in the number of people with diabetes there will also be increase in the number of diabetics going for lower extremity amputation, increasing both the financial as well as psychologic burden of treatment. Methodology: A prospective cross-sectional study of all diabetic patients going for lower extremity amputation will be done. All the patients with advanced diabetic foot syndrome needing lower extremity amputation are enrolled (Wagener stage IV and V), both through the clinic and emergency center. Informed consent is obtained from the patient after which data are collected using a structured questionnaire. All the investigation results of the patients were also documented. Data collected are analyzed using the SPSS version 29. Chi-square and student t-test were used to measure significant relationship between the variables at 95% confident interval. Results: Within the period of study, which extends from 1st January 2022 to 1st of January 2024, a total of 171 patients were recruited. All diabetic patients with diabetic foot Wagener grade IV and V who presented to the clinic or emergency department were enrolled in the study. We found a significant relationship between gender, previous procedure on the affected limb or amputation of the contralateral limb, knowledge of foot care among diabetics and risk of amputation. There was, however, no statistically significant relationship between. There is no statistically significance relationship between the level of education, occupation, presence of co-morbidity with the risk of amputation among diabetic patients with foot syndrome. Conclusion: Previous lower limb procedure/amputation, male gender, paucity of knowledge on foot care, prolonged duration of the disease and method of treatment are important risk
基金the University of Teknologi PETRONAS(UTP),Malaysia,and Ahmadu Bello University,Nigeria,for their vital help and availability of laboratory facilities that allowed this work to be conducted successfully.
文摘The goals of this study are to assess the viability of waste tire-derived char(WTDC)as a sustainable,low-cost fine aggregate surrogate material for asphalt mixtures and to develop the statistically coupled neural network(SCNN)model for predicting volumetric and Marshall properties of asphalt mixtures modified with WTDC.The study is based on experimental data acquired from laboratory volumetric and Marshall properties testing on WTDCmodified asphalt mixtures(WTDC-MAM).The input variables comprised waste tire char content and asphalt binder content.The output variables comprised mixture unit weight,total voids,voids filled with asphalt,Marshall stability,and flow.Statistical coupled neural networks were utilized to predict the volumetric and Marshall properties of asphalt mixtures.For predictive modeling,the SCNN model is employed,incorporating a three-layer neural network and preprocessing techniques to enhance accuracy and reliability.The optimal network architecture,using the collected dataset,was a 2:6:5 structure,and the neural network was trained with 60%of the data,whereas the other 20%was used for cross-validation and testing respectively.The network employed a hyperbolic tangent(tanh)activation function and a feed-forward backpropagation.According to the results,the network model could accurately predict the volumetric and Marshall properties.The predicted accuracy of SCNN was found to be as high value>98%and low prediction errors for both volumetric and Marshall properties.This study demonstrates WTDC's potential as a low-cost,sustainable aggregate replacement.The SCNN-based predictive model proves its efficiency and versatility and promotes sustainable practices.
文摘Background: Salivary gland tumours (SGTs) are rare, but recent reports suggest an increasing incidence. Although there are previous Nigerian studies on the patterns of SGTs, patterns and trends of disease may change over time. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern of presentation of SGTs, and to determine the trends in occurrence of SGTs at Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH), Gombe over a period of 15 years. Method: This descriptive study included cases of histologically diagnosed SGTs from January 2008 to December 2022. Relevant information (age, gender, site, year of diagnosis, and histopathologic diagnosis) was extracted from the cancer registers and histopathologic records. The lesions were then categorized into benign and malignant SGTs and grouped into three groups spanning 5 years each based on the year of diagnosis. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 23, and p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: There were 93 (61.2%) benign and 59 (38.8%) malignant SGTs. Benign SGTs had a mean age of 36.4 ± 13.6 years, and were more common in females (57.0%), and in the parotid (41.9%). Pleomorphic adenoma (94.6%) was the most common benign SGT. Malignant SGTs had a mean age of 44.5 ± 18.4 years, with male predilection (54.2%) and occurrence mostly in the palate (27.6%) and parotid (22.4%). Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (39.0%) and adenoid cystic carcinoma (32.2%) were the most frequent malignant SGTs. The mean age of occurrence of malignant SGTs was significantly higher than that of benign SGTs (p = 0.005). The trend analysis showed that there has been a steady rise in the proportion of males presenting with malignant SGTs. Similarly, there has been a steady increase in the frequency of benign SGTs in the parotid. The palate was the predominant site for the malignant SGTs between 2008 and 2012, but in the last five years (2018 to 2022), the parotid has become the predominant site. Over the duration of the study, the ratio of benign to malignant SGTs has remained relatively constan
文摘An improvised auger sediment sampler was used to collect sediments at shallow depths from two wetlands in the Northern Bida Basin for laboratory studies in order to ascertain the impact on the chemical quality of groundwater within these two studied locations. The dissolved organic carbon content of water is an important component of the geochemical cycling of elements capable of affecting groundwater quality. The sediments which serve as a conduit and pathways for the elements’ transport depending on the characteristics of the particle sizes are to be considered in the evaluation of contaminant mobility within the pathways. Representative cored sediment samples were collected and their particle size characterization and chemical analysis for Organic Matter (OM), Organic Carbon (OC) and Moisture Content (MC) were carried out. The hydrometer results show that the sediment particle sizes are in the order of sand > clay > silt in both locations with few exceptions. This represents the geology of the area (sandstone). The Mean values of 1.14% and 1.98% of OC and OM respectively were recorded in the sediment samples collected in parts of Ebgako. In contrast, 1.72% and 2.97% mean values were recorded in sediments collected in part of Bida for OC and OM respectively. The values of the OC and OM in the sediments from the two wetlands are low and may have been dissolved along the groundwater pathways to the aquifer. Other physicochemical parameters analysed in the sediments showed poor correlation. OM and OC were strongly positively correlated and showed an R<sup>2</sup> value of 1 and 0.9 respectively for parts of the Bida and Egbako sheets. There is low acidity of the sediments from the two study locations with a mean pH value of 5.64 and 5.13 respectively for Egbako and Bida. The low acidic nature of the sediments and the OM and OC composition have the potential to influence biogeochemical processes in the sediments and can affect the chemical quality of the groundwater in these two study locations.
文摘Background: Rice is one of the staple crops in the African continent for its ability to give maximum yields which can help to achieve food security under the sustainable development goals (SDGs);to those effects, the incessant use of inorganic fertilizer has been employed which proved to have devastating effect in the environment and the ecosystem at large. Therefore, the thirst for an alternative method to ensure bumper production of rice cannot be overemphasized so as to prevent soil alteration and environmental damage. Objective: This study aimed at determining the efficacy of mycorrhizae-based manure on the vegetative growth of rice as compared to inorganic fertilizer and its sustainability. Methods: Soil samples were collected from seven (7) locations (M1 - M7). Mycorrhiza were isolated from the soils and mass produced, mixed with organic waste to form manure (biofertilizer) and were applied at concentrations of 50 g, 100 g and 150 g to the potted rice in tree (3) replicates. Growth parameters observed were plant height, girth diameter, leaf broadness and leaf number. Results: The result revealed mycorrhizal spore count ranging from 1.7 × 10<sup>7</sup> - to 4.1 × 10<sup>7</sup> across the locations. The mycorrhizae-based manure gives the highest plant height of 45.33 cm as compared with the least plant height of 18.5 cm from the inorganic fertilizer. Furthermore, the biofertilizer gives a positive influence on the other parameters observed in comparison with the inorganic fertilizer. Statistical analysis shows that, the means of all the parameters except for leaf numbers were significantly different at p ≤ 0.05 across the sampling locations. Conclusions: Mycorrhizae-based manure proves to be an effective replacement of inorganic fertilizer that can boost rice production at a cheaper cost.
文摘Debugging software code has been a challenge for software developers since the early days of computer programming. A simple need, because the world is run by software. So perhaps the biggest engineering challenge is finding ways to make software more reliable. This review provides an overview of techniques developed over time in the field of software model checking to solve the problem of detecting errors in program code. In addition, the challenges posed by this technology are discussed and ways to mitigate them in future research and applications are proposed. A comprehensive examination of the various model verification methods used to detect program code errors is intended to lay the foundation for future research in this area.
文摘The advent of civilization has made humans dependent on plants for food and medicine,leading to the intensification of agricultural production.The intense cultivation of crops has resulted in the depletion of available nutrients from soil,thereby demanding the application of excess nutrients to soil to improve yield.Thus,mineral fertilizer discovery and application have,in many ways,contributed greatly to meeting global food demands.However,aside from the positive effects of mineral fertilizers,their excessive application to soil produces large amounts of pollutants that affect environmental sustainability.This necessitates the study of the major mineral fertilizer elements(nitrogen(N),phosphorus(P),and potassium(K)),the forms in which they are applied to soil,and their chemistry/reactions in soil.Here,we reviewed the forms of different N,P,and K mineral fertilizers to provide current knowledge on their constituents,the chemistry of N,P,and K in soil to understand the reactions they undertake in soil,the efficient methods of fertilizer application for environmental sustainability,the effects of mineral fertilizer loss to the environment,and improved fertilization technologies for environmental sustainability.Nanofertilizers are a promising technology for sustainable agricultural production and are discussed in detail in this review.
文摘During the production of palm oil,a significant amount of waste is generated.However,because of inefficient handling and utilization,these wastes are becoming a larger issue.As a result,one initiative is to use these wastes in the pavement industry as sustainable materials.However,there is still a lack of understanding about the wider incorporation of palm oil waste in asphalt pavement and its performance.This study examines existing literature on the use of various wastes in the pavement industry,including palm oil clinker(POC),palm oil fibre(POF),palm kernel shell(PKS),and palm oil fuel ash(POFA).As a result,this paper presents a systematic review and scientometric investigation of related study publications on many uses of palm oil waste in the asphalt pavement industry and its performance from 2009 to 2022.The VOS viewer application was used to conduct the sciento-metric study analysis.The relationship between interactions detected in co-authored country studies cited sources of co-citation,and the keyword of the co-occurrence and publication source enabled the identification of the research gap.According to the systematic literature review,40%–60% POC can be used to fine aggregate for optimal performance,while 0–100%PKS can be used to replace coarse aggregate.In addition,50%–80% POFA or POC fine(POCF)can be used as a filler replacement,5%–8% POCF or POFA as a bitumen modifier,and 0.3% POF as a stabilizing additive.Furthermore,the study demonstrates that the safety of utilizing wastes with more than 50% CO_(2) emissions can be curtailed with minimal heavy metal leaching and radioactivity levels.The scientometric analysis may encourage researchers to seek out gaps in the literature that will aid in the long-term,multifaceted use of palm oil wastes in the asphalt pavement industry.Furthermore,the study recommends employing and researching the enormous potential of using palm oil waste in the pavement sectors because they are more sustainable and have better performance.However,there are some barriers to
基金Project(51074178)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaProject(2011ssxt274)supported by the Graduated Students’ Research and Innovation Foundation of Central South University of China+1 种基金Project(2011QNZT087)supported by the Graduated Students’ Free Exploration Foundation of Central South University of ChinaProject(1343-76140000011)supported by Scholarship Award for Excellent Doctoral Student granted by Ministry of Education,China
文摘In order to precisely predict the hazard degree of goaf(HDG), the RS-TOPSIS model was built based on the results of expert investigation. To evaluate the HDG in the underground mine, five structure size factors, i.e. goaf span, exposed area, goaf height, goaf depth, and pillar width, were selected as the evaluation indexes. And based on rough dependability in rough set(RS)theory, the weights of evaluation indexes were identified by calculating rough dependability between evaluation indexes and evaluation results. Fourty goafs in some mines of western China, whose indexes parameters were measured by cavity monitoring system(CMS), were taken as evaluation objects. In addition, the characteristic parameters of five grades' typical goafs were built according to the interval limits value of single index evaluation. Then, using the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution(TOPSIS), five-category classification of HDG was realized based on closeness degree, and the HDG was also identified.Results show that the five-category identification of mine goafs could be realized by RS-TOPSIS method, based on the structure-scale-effect. The classification results are consistent with those of numerical simulation based on stress and displacement,while the coincidence rate is up to 92.5%. Furthermore, the results are more conservative to safety evaluation than numerical simulation, thus demonstrating that the proposed method is more easier, reasonable and more definite for HDG identification.
基金This study received support from the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2020YFD0900600)the Key Program of Science and Technology of Zhejiang Province(2019C02084).
文摘In recent years,government investments in implementing restrictive public policies on the treatment and discharge of effluents from the aquaculture industry have increased.Hence,efficient and cleaner methods for aquaculture production are needed.Recirculating aquaculture systems(RAS)offers water conservation by recycling the treated aquaculture water for reuse.RAS wastewater treatment using a moving bed bioreactors(MBBRs)process has been considered well suited for maintaining good water quality,thereby making fish farming more sustainable.Currently,improvements were achieved in tackling the influence of salinity,organic matter,disinfectant,and bioreactor start-up process on the MBBR performance efficiency.This review highlights an updated overview of recent development made using MBBR to treat the residual water from RAS.Precisely,nitrification and simultaneous nitrification-denitrification(SND),and other hybrid processes for nitrogen removal were elucidated.Finally,future challenges and prospects of MBBRs in RAS facilities that need to be considered were also proposed.
文摘Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen of medical importance and the capsule and mucoid phenotype in this organism are considered as requisite virulence determinants. A total of 62 clinical samples from ATBUTH were collected and screened for K. pneumoniae. The isolates were identified using standard tests for this organism. The string test was used to detect the mucoid (hypermucoviscous) phenotype and the antimicrobial susceptibility test to 10 antibiotics was carried out with the disk diffusion technique after standardizing inoculum. A K. pneumoniae prevalence of 24% (15/62) was obtained of which 47% (7/15) were mucoid (hypermucoviscous) and 53% (8/15) were non-mucoid. Colonial sizes of the two strains do not reveal any significant differences in growth fitness of the strains. On blood agar, the mucoid and non-mucoid strains had a mean colonial size ± standard deviations of 4.41 ± 0.58 mm and 4.27 ± 0.42 mm respectively. The antibiotic susceptibility rate showed that the mucoid strains compared to the non-mucoid were more resistant to nine out of 10 antibiotics. The mucoid strains were outrightly resistant to augmentin, amoxicillin, septrin, sparfloxacin and perfloxacin. The non-mucoid strains showed no complete resistant to any antibiotic tested but had a higher resistant rate to chloramphenicol only. The Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) index shows the themucoid strains with a high MAR index range of 0.7 - 1.0 with a median MAR index of 0.8, while the non-mucoid strains had a MAR index of 0.2 - 0.8 with a median MAR index of 0.35. The data suggest that the mucoid phenotype could be associated with extrachromsomal element(s) carrying resistance genes to antibiotics and that these extrachromosomal elements may not harbour resistance determinants to chloramphenicol. Furthermore, the extrachromosomal elements bearing the mucoid phenotype and the resistance elements in the mucoid strains do not significantly impact on the fitness of the cognate strain. Whether these phenotype and resistances that
基金supported in part by the Institute of Information and Communications Technology Planning and Evaluation(IITP)Grant by the Korean Government Ministry of Science and ICT(MSITArtificial Intelligence Innovation Hub)under Grant 2021-0-02068in part by the NationalResearch Foundation of Korea(NRF)Grant by theKorean Government(MSIT)under Grant NRF-2021R1I1A3060565.
文摘In the quest to minimize energy waste,the energy performance of buildings(EPB)has been a focus because building appliances,such as heating,ventilation,and air conditioning,consume the highest energy.Therefore,effective design and planning for estimating heating load(HL)and cooling load(CL)for energy saving have become paramount.In this vein,efforts have been made to predict the HL and CL using a univariate approach.However,this approach necessitates two models for learning HL and CL,requiring more computational time.Moreover,the one-dimensional(1D)convolutional neural network(CNN)has gained popularity due to its nominal computa-tional complexity,high performance,and low-cost hardware requirement.In this paper,we formulate the prediction as a multivariate regression problem in which the HL and CL are simultaneously predicted using the 1D CNN.Considering the building shape characteristics,one kernel size is adopted to create the receptive fields of the 1D CNN to extract the feature maps,a dense layer to interpret the maps,and an output layer with two neurons to predict the two real-valued responses,HL and CL.As the 1D data are not affected by excessive parameters,the pooling layer is not applied in this implementation.Besides,the use of pooling has been questioned by recent studies.The performance of the proposed model displays a comparative advantage over existing models in terms of the mean squared error(MSE).Thus,the proposed model is effective for EPB prediction because it reduces computational time and significantly lowers the MSE.
文摘Schiff base derived from 2-aminophenol and 3-formyl-2-hydroxy-6-methoxyquinoline and its Mn(II) and Fe(II) complexes were synthesized and characterized by melting point and decomposition temperature, elemental analysis, molar conductivity, infrared (IR) spectral analysis, atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) analysis, solubility test, and magnetic susceptibility. The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectral data of the Schiff base determined showed <span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">a band at 1622 cm</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">−</span></span></span>1</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> and this was assigned to the </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">v </span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">(C=N), which is a feature of azomethine group. The same band was observed to shift to lower frequencies 1577 and 1599 cm</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">−</span></span></span>1</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> in the complexes suggesting coordination of the Schiff base with the respective metal(II) ions. Molar conductan</span></span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">ce values 14.58 and 12.65 Ω</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">−</span></span></span>1</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">∙</span></span></span>cm</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;"><span style="white-space:nowrap;">∙</span></span></span>mol</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;
文摘Background:Malaria during pregnancy remains a serious public health problem,with substantial risks for the mother,her foetus and the newborn.The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of malaria and possible risk factors for malaria infection among pregnant women in a semi-urban area in north-western Nigeria.Pregnant women are among the most susceptible to malaria infection.Knowledge of their malaria infection status is an important yardstick to measure the effectiveness of any malaria control programme.Methods:We conducted a cross sectional study in the semi-urban area of Argungu,Kebbi State Nigeria.Two hundred and fifty five pregnant women were included in the study after informed verbal consent was obtained.For each participant,the socio-demographic profile,stage of pregnancy and attitude to the use of insecticide-treated nets(ITNs)were investigated using a questionnaire.Peripheral blood samples were collected and thick blood smears were prepared and stained with Giemsa stains to check for malaria parasitaemia.The associations between age,education level and use of ITNs with occurrence of malaria infection during pregnancy were analysed using the chi-square test.Results:One hundred and six(41.6%)out of 255 pregnant women were infected with malaria parasites,with a mean parasite density of 800 parasitesμl−1.It was found that prevalence and parasite density decreased as age increased.The chi-square test indicated that a lack of education and non-usage of ITNs were significantly associated with malaria infection.Conclusion:Malaria is still a major public health issue among pregnant women mainly due to illiteracy and non-compliance to using ITNs.Increasing awareness about malaria preventive measures and early attendance of antenatal care services will help to reduce malaria and,consequently,its associated morbidities and mortalities.
文摘This paper addresses the ring-cavity fiber laser system. A class of gray and black soliton solutions of the model are reported by adopting an appropriate envelope ansatz. Further more, the modulation instability (MI) of the equation is studied using the linear-stability analysis (LSA) technique and the MI gain spectrum is derived. Some physical interpretations and analysis of the results obtained are also presented.
文摘Introduction: A rare but severe complication of endometriosis during pregnancy is spontaneous hemoperitoneum in pregnancy (SHiP) with life threatening intraabdominal bleeding. We report the case of SHiP in an IVF twin </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">conception with background endometriosis. Case Report: A 31-year-old</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> G1P0, admitted to Lagoon hospitals Ikoyi on 15</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> May 2019 for severe abdominal pain, dizziness and restlessness at 24 weeks. Examination revealed grossly distended abdomen, with diffuse tenderness and guarding. She was lethargic and pale. A significant drop in hemoglobin to 3.6 g/dL. A diagnosis of acute abdomen probably SHiP was made. She was moved to the theatre for emergency surgical resuscitation, jointly with a general surgeon. She underwent a midline laparotomy under general anesthesia. She was monitored in the intensive care unit postoperatively. She made remarkable clinical recovery and was discharged home after Fourteen days of inpatient admission. Conclusion: A greater awareness of SHiP and its associated risk factors, such as pelvic endometriosis, may facilitate the diagnosis of this condition and expedite the intervention to improve maternal and fetal outcomes.
