Assessment Of Different Forms Research Articles

Quality Assessment of Processed Garri (White And Red) Sold in Four Different Markets in Rivers State

Study on the quality assessment of different forms of processed garri stored for three months was carried out in the Department of Pant Science and Biotechnology, Rivers State University. The cultural laboratory technique was used for isolation, characterization and determination of fungal incidence. The first month assessment revealed Umiba red samples recorded Penicillium, Microsporium and Aspergilliusflavus at 60%, 30% and 20% incidence respectively while the white samples recorded no fungal organisms. Only Alternaria was observed for the Borri red samples, although the white samples had no contamination. Mgbede samples showed only Fusarium sp to be associated with the white form, while the redgarri had no contamination. Omuetche recorded no fungal isolates for both red and white forms of garri. Month two evaluation showed Ubima red garri to contain Penicillium, Microsporium and A.flavus at 10%, 70% and 20% incidence respectively, whereas the white from recorded no contamination. Omuetche red garri recorded the presence of Rhizopus and Penicillium at 70% and 30% respectively, however the white samples had Mucor (80%) and Candida (20%). Borri recorded only Alternaria for the red samples while no fungal contamination was seen for the white form. Mgbede red samples had no contamination but Fusarium was recorded for the white sample. At month three, Ubima red garri recorded only Aspergillus while Rhizopus (60%) and Candida (40%) were observed for the white samples. Omuetche recorded Rhizopus and Candida for red and white garri respectively. Alternaria and Mucor were recorded for Borri red and white garri respectively. While Fusarium (30%) and Aspergillusfumigatus (70%) were recorded for the Mgbede white garri, no fungal organism was recorded for the red samples. Generally, the different forms of garri obtaianed from various locations had contaminations when stored for three months with an exception for Mgbede red garri.

Malperfusion syndrome in acute type A aortic dissection: Thinking beyond the proximal repair.

Malperfusion syndrome (MPS) is associated with the highest mortality and major morbidity risk in patients with acute Type A aortic dissection (TAAD). The timing of the open proximal aortic repair in the presence of MPS remains debatable given variability in clinical presentation and different local treatment algorithms. This paper provides an up to date and comprehensive overview of published outcomes and available techniques for addressing malperfusion in the setting of acute TAAD. We have reviewed published data from the major aortic dissection registries including the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection, the German Registry for Acute Aortic Dissection In Type A, and the Nordic Consortium for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection, as well as the most up to date literature involving malperfusion in the setting of acute TAAD. This data highlights unique strategies that have been adopted at aortic centers internationally to address malperfusion in this setting pre-, intra-, and postoperatively, which are summarized here and may be of great clinical benefit to other centers treating this disease with more traditional methods. The review of the available data has definitively shown an increased mortality up to 43% and morbidity in patients presenting with MPS in the setting of acute TAAD. More specifically, preoperative MPS has been shown to be an independent predictor of mortality with mesenteric malperfusion associated with the worst mortality outcomes from 70% to 100%. Addressing MPS pre or intraoperatively is associated with significantly reduced mortality outcomes down to 4%-13%. Adapting a dynamic and easily accessible diagnostic method for the comprehensive assessment of different forms of malperfusion (dynamic/static) and incorporating it within the surgical plan is the first step toward early diagnosis and prevention of malperfusion related complications.

Quality assessment of different forms of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum based on content of free amino acids

In this study, we analyzed the composition and content of 25 free amino acids in 32 batches of different forms of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum(CCP; one-branched, two-branched, and three-branched) from 15 producing areas. The clustering analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) were performed based on the content of 25 free amino acids. Potential differential metabolites were identified based on VIP value. The results showed that there were 25 free amino acids in CCP, and the average content of essential, non-essential, and total amino acids was 6.13, 32.99, and 39.12 mg·g~(-1), respectively. The clustering analysis and OPLS-DA demonstrated that 25 free amino acids had different content among the three forms of CCP, of which two-branched CCP samples were separately gathered into a group. Five differential components, including glutamic acid, tryptophan, ornithine, γ-aminobutyric acid, and hydroxylysine, were screened out as potential quality markers for the identification of different forms of CCP. This study provides a theoretical basis for the quality evaluation, processing, and utilization of different forms of CCP.

Accessible authentication: Assessing the applicability for users with disabilities

Access to the many benefits available from digital technology can often vary depending upon the capabilities and facilities of the individual who is attempting to engage with it. Many digital devices and services require us to be identified and so require some form of user authentication as part of the process. However, the authentication methods that are currently dominant can prove difficult to use and do not meet the needs of users with disabilities. As such, they can constitute an additional barrier that is not faced by other users. This paper presents an assessment of different forms of user authentication (including various forms of secret, token and biometric approaches) against a range of potential disability categories that may affect their suitability for related user communities. The study draws upon disability classification identified by the World Health Organization and analyzes how the usability and/or security of current authentication methods fail users with disabilities due to their non-inclusive design. The discussion is based upon a combination of literature review and examination of real-life examples, and identifies aspects of current implementations that can cause problems in different scenarios. The findings suggest that biometric approaches are likely to be more directly applicable without incurring additional overheads, although even here the potential usability impacts are more prominent for some forms of disability. It is further recognised that while some methods can be made more accessible via assistive technologies, the primary aim should be for authentication choices to be as inclusive as possible by default, rather than expecting or requiring that some user groups should face an additional challenge to accessibility.

Introduction to the Special Issue “A Systemic Perspective on Urban Food Supply: Assessing Different Types of Urban Agriculture”

The production of food within cities through urban agriculture can be considered as a nature-based solution and is argued to be an important response to the current COVID-19 pandemic as well as to climate change and other urban challenges. However, current research on urban agriculture is still fragmented, calling for a systematic and integrative assessment of different forms of urban agriculture and the drivers and constraints for their effective realization. In this context, the Special Issue presents conceptual and empirical research articles from around the world on the impact and implementation potential of various types of urban agriculture. The studies of this Special Issue cover a broad range of impact and implementation dimensions, asssessment methods and geographical backgrounds that can support future studies to develop a systemic perspective on urban food production.

Neurophysiological methods in the assessment of different forms of migraine

The review considers the efficacy of neurophysiological methods for the study of migraine. According to many authors, such neurophysiological methods as analysis of visual and somatosensory evoked potentials, trigeminal evoked potentials are informative for assessing the functional state of trigeminocervical and sensory systems. Analysis of bioelectric activity of the brain is used for differential diagnosis of migraine and epilepsy, evaluation of various forms and types of migraine. Studies with recording and analysis of laser evoked potentials, as well as the effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation, both diagnostic and non-pharmacological rehabilitation effects on pain syndrome, which increases the efficiency and quality of life in migraine, are considered.

Single-Cell Mapping of Stress Response and Cell Death Pathways in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Reveals Stressor-Specific Alterations and Distinct Response Patterns

Single-Cell Mapping of Stress Response and Cell Death Pathways in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Reveals Stressor-Specific Alterations and Distinct Response Patterns

Scenario Analysis of Alternative Land Development Patterns for the Leipzig-Halle Region: Implications for Transport-Land-Use Sustainability

The objective of this paper is to present alternative land development scenarios for the sustainability impact assessment of transport-land-use relationship in the Leipzig-Halle Region. Using the MOLAND Model that was applied to a declining urban region for the first time, two different land-use scenarios were developed representing a baseline <em>dispersed</em> development and an alternative <em>compact</em> development case. The assessment of land-use-transport relationships is carried out incorporating the use of social, economic and environmental indicators. The impacts and indicators were specified and evaluated subject to a quantitative and qualitative assessment. The findings imply that a compact development scenario is preferable over dispersed development scenario in terms of potential quantitative data on the benefits to the environment and society. In contrast, dispersed development in the baseline case indicates the costs of such development exceed the benefits. The results of this type of scenario analysis provide an objective evidence basis in policy evaluation and decisions regarding future urban developments. This research was developed from several scenarios created with the key stakeholders of the Leipzig-Halle Region from research originally conducted as part of the PLUREL Project in 2012 and updated in 2016. It aims at contributing to literature by providing a sustainability assessment framework for rapid rail infrastructure provision that incorporates socio-economic and environmental impact assessment of alternative future urban form scenarios into the analysis. In addition, due to MOLAND features, it provides the opportunity for the sustainability impact assessment of different forms of urban development linked with transport infrastructure provision in the Region and compare the findings with other case study areas in Europe and internationally.

Neuroimaging of Peptide-based Vaccine Therapy in Pediatric Brain Tumors: Initial Experience.

The potential benefits of peptide-based immunotherapy for pediatric brain tumors are under investigation. Treatment-related heterogeneity has resulted in radiographic challenges, including pseudoprogression. Conventional MR imaging has limitations in assessment of different forms of treatment-related heterogeneity, particularly regarding distinguishing true tumor progression from efficacious treatment responses. Advanced neuroimaging techniques, including diffusion magnetic resonance (MR), perfusion MR, and MR spectroscopy, may add value in the assessment of treatment-related heterogeneity. Observations suggest that recent delineation of specific response criteria for immunotherapy of adult brain tumors is likely relevant to the pediatric population and further validation in multicenter pediatric brain tumor peptide-based vaccine studies is warranted.

Environmentally sustainable agriculture in Poland - economic assessment

Agriculture is particularly linked with natural environment, due to the necessity of natural resources exploitation in the process of agricultural production. Intensive agricultural activity can cause exhaustion of the natural resources and some reduction in agricultural productivity. This interrelation substantiates promoting different forms of sustainable agriculture, that ensures, on the one hand, the volume and profitability of agricultural production, on the other hand, respect for the natural environment. The paper objective is the economic assessment of different forms of environmentally sustainable agriculture in Poland. There were analysed a few groups of farms with a different range of agrienvironmental practices, such as: a) industrial – specialized in cereal intensive production; b) sustainable – with balanced plant and animal production; c) ecological – organized according to legal rules, d) norfolk – with balanced plant production; e) agrienvironmental – taking part in rural development program. Economic efficiency was calculated on the basis of productive and economic indicators, i.e.: total farm output, farm gross value added, family farm income. The analysis was based on Farm Accountancy Data Network 2012, that covered 11 000 holdings - the representative sample for commodity farms in Poland (750 000). Keywords: productivity, agriculture, externalities, environment

Case studies of IT sophistication in nursing homes: A mixed method approach to examine communication strategies about pressure ulcer prevention practices

Most nursing homes lack information technology (IT) for supporting clinical work in spite of its potential to improve the safety, quality, and efficiency of nursing home care in the United States. Increased attention to medical error and concern for patient safety have prompted general recommendations to develop sophisticated technologies to support clinical decision making at the point of care, to promote data standards in electronic records, and to develop systems that communicate with each other. However, little is known about what IT applications best support communication and risk assessment practices to improve resident outcomes in nursing homes. Thus, the overall aim of this study was to evaluate how differences in IT sophistication in nursing homes impact communication and use of technology related to skin care and pressure ulcers. We used a mixed method approach to conduct case studies on two nursing homes – one with high IT sophistication and one with low IT sophistication. Observational analysis and social network analysis were used to identify patterns in communication types and locations; also, focus groups were conducted to explore communication strategies used by Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) to support pressure ulcer prevention practices. Overall, results from social network analysis of observational data indicate that direct interactions between CNAs and registered nurses (RNs) or licensed practical nurses (LPNs) were more frequent in the low IT sophistication home and occurred in more centralized locations (e.g. the nursing station) compared to the high IT sophistication home. Moreover, these findings are supported by focus group results, which indicate that the high IT sophistication home had more robust and integrated communication strategies (both IT and non IT) that may allow for interactions throughout the facility and require less frequent face to face interactions between CNAs and RNs or LPNs to verify orders or report patient status. Results from this study provide insight into the design and assessment of different forms of communication to support clinical work in NHs. Relevance to industryNurses bear great burdens for nursing home care; yet, issues persist with poor quality, variable performance of caregiving, and lack of implementation of proven care interventions. One new hope for improvement in nursing home care is the introduction of IT to improve communication, clinical decision-making, and quality of care.

BODIES, BURIALS AND AGEING: ACCESSING THE TEMPORALITY OF OLD AGE IN PREHISTORIC SOCIETIES

SummaryThere has been little attempt within archaeology to understand the social meanings specifically attached to old age, or the implications of the social construction of old age for the reconstruction of prehistoric social formations. This stems partly from the low social value placed upon the elderly in modern societies, which makes us tend to view them as irrelevant, and partly from the difficulty of accurately ageing the skeletons of older individuals, which can make them appear invisible in the archaeological record.A case study from the Traisental of Lower Austria is used to illustrate how the changing meanings of old age are recoverable from archaeological cemetery assemblages. Analysis of material culture patterning is combined with assessment of different forms of bodily degeneration to identify changes over time in the way that old age was socially recognized and the possibility that different kinds of bodily infirmity had very different social implications.

Assessment-Guided Therapy of Urinary Incontinence After Stroke

Urinary incontinence (UI) frequently occurs after stroke and often remains an extensive problem for these patients and their relatives even after discharge from the hospital. Therapeutic interventions, such as behavioral training, can help manage UI. Recently, a multimodal application of nursing interventions was recommended (Wilbert-Herr, Hürlimann, Imhof & Wilbert, 2006). The primary goals of the study discussed in this article were to introduce therapeutic interventions of UI management into clinical rehabilitation practice based on a structured process of interdisciplinary caregiving and test the treatment effect. Forty-four patients who had suffered a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) were included in the study. Nursing interventions included distinction of stress or urge UI and the assessment of different forms of UI. The latter intervention was based on the functional independence measure (FIM Item G-bladder management), the protocol of micturition, urine dipstick, and ultrasound measurement of post-void residual urine (PVR). Interventions were applied according to the recommendations of the 3rd International Consultation on Incontinence. An algorithm of the interdisciplinary process was implemented, and the nursing staff received specific education regarding the interventions. Twenty-one (47%) of the patients in the study were diagnosed with UI; 67% of these patients achieved the targeted level of continence by individually tailored interventions, which consisted of a systematic nursing assessment and standards for prompted voiding, timed voiding, and habit training. Planned processes, including screening procedures, assessment, profile of continence, intervention, and education and evaluation, increase the likelihood of positive results of rehabilitation of patients after CVA. Additional intervention studies are suggested to investigate the effectiveness of the algorithm used in this study.

The relation of emotional maltreatment to early adolescent competence: Developmental processes in a prospective study

Objectives This investigation examined developmental pathways between childhood emotional maltreatment and adaptational outcomes in early adolescence. This study utilized a developmental psychopathology perspective in adopting a multidimensional approach to the assessment of different forms of emotional maltreatment and later adjustment outcomes. Specifically, emotional abuse (i.e., verbal criticism, hostility) and emotional neglect (i.e., psychological unavailability) were compared using a process-level analytic approach to examine if and how different forms of emotional maltreatment would contribute to adolescent adjustment via aggression and social withdrawal in middle childhood. Methods The current study sample is drawn from a longitudinal, prospective study of a high-risk community sample ( N = 196), incorporating a multi-method and multi-informant design. Multiple mediator models were tested via bootstrapping regression techniques. Results Bivariate correlations revealed that both emotional neglect and emotional abuse were associated with increased aggression and social withdrawal in middle childhood, and lower ratings of socioemotional competence in early adolescence. However, the mediational model, which controlled for child gender and concurrent physical and sexual maltreatment, was only significant for the contribution of emotional abuse to lower adolescent competence via social withdrawal in middle childhood. Post hoc analyses revealed that this association was only significant for boys. Conclusions While social withdrawal in middle childhood significantly explained the observed relation between emotional abuse and decreased competence in adolescence, this process did not emerge as salient in understanding the relation between emotional neglect and adolescent adaptation. Furthermore, these developmental processes appeared to vary by gender. The results are in need of replication and extension to other outcome domains, but represent an important contribution to the empirical study of specific forms of emotional maltreatment. Practice implications Emotional maltreatment is generally overlooked and unrecognized as compared to physical or sexual forms of maltreatment. This study adds to the accumulating empirical evidence that the effects of emotional maltreatment are disabling, enduring, and should be carefully assessed by clinicians. Furthermore, this assessment should specify the particular form of emotional maltreatment that has occurred, as the results of the study indicate that developmental processes and adjustment outcomes may vary according the type of emotional maltreatment (i.e., emotional abuse, emotional neglect) that is experienced. Finally, clinicians must recognize that a single maltreatment type may vary in its impact on subsequent adjustment, as significant gender differences emerged in the current study that point to the role of individual differences that warrant further investigation.

The Politics of Blood:

In The Rag Doll Plagues ( 1992), Alejandro Morales employs the epidemic as a metaphor for sociocultural transformations initiated with the conquest of the Americas and continuing into the twenty-first century. The present essay centers on the trope of blood-in terms of the representation of plagues and the possibilities ofmiscegenation- in order to show how The Rag Doll Plagues highlights the fear of intercultural contact and the shortcomings of concepts such as mestizaje to resolve social inequalities, advocating instead a multicultural agenda able to address the socioeconomic complexities of contemporary society. Morales’s assessment of different forms of transculturation is germane to current debates on cultural hybridity, issues of race and class, and the use of science and technology as forms of social control.

Local perceptions of indigenous land tenure systems: views of peasants, women and dignitaries in a rural province of Burkina Faso

This article is based on the observation that the large debate on the nature and consequences of so-called indigenous land tenure systems does not sufficiently take into account the perceptions and interpretations of peasants themselves. Consequently, its aims are to provide people with a voice and to analyse their assessment of different forms of access to land, of the modifications undergone in recent times, and their adjustments to this change. The results of this qualitative approach are compared with some statistical information gathered by the authors in the study region – three villages in central Burkina Faso – as well as country-wide. As a result, one may conclude that peasants in this area do not feel insecure about their land tenure situation, and this assessment of their own position is confirmed by empirical data.

The role of assessment in expanding professional horizons

This paper explores assessment innovations which have a system-wide effect on medical education and the medical profession. Important assessment approaches such as the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), the portfolio, and hi-tech simulations are examples of reform-driven developments. A detailed account is provided on assessment areas that require further developments. The identified areas reflect current thinking in the Centre for Medical Education, University of Dundee Medical School.The assessment innovations are being developed alongside the implementation of the outcome-based curriculum. Areas that require extensive work are: assessment of progression towards defined outcomes, assessment of integrated abilities, assessment of different forms of medical knowledge, assessment of on-the-job learning, learning through assessment, assessment of error management and assessment of portfolio evidence. The identified areas for further assessment development are discussed and where appropriate a theoretical framework is provided.

Stem cell transplantation and intensified cytotoxic treatment for myelodysplasia.

Substantial progress has been made in the understanding of the pathophysiology of the myelodysplastic syndromes. More refined prognostic classification systems have allowed more individualized treatment programs, leading to improved survival, but not at the expense of the quality of life of the patient. Recent data indicate that some high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patient categories, even some that only achieve partial remissions, may benefit from intensive cytotoxic treatment and may experience long-term survival. Newer chemotherapeutic regimens, eg, containing the mdr less sensitive Idarubicine, the purine analog fludarabine, or such hypomethylating agents as Decitabine, can lead to higher morphologic, cytogenetic, and molecular remission rates, providing a window of opportunity for the assessment of different forms of subsequent stem cell transplantation. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation from sibling donors remains the treatment of choice for younger intermediate and high risk patients with MDS. Much controversy, however, surrounds the applicability of this technique--certainly when using unrelated donors--as first line approach in younger low-risk patients with MDS. This has much to do with the often unacceptably high transplant related mortality rates. Autologous stem cell transplantation may provide a suitable alternative for those patients without a suitable sibling donor or for older patient categories. Peripheral blood progenitor cell collections and transplantations are feasible and carry a low transplant related morbidity and mortality. Prospective randomized studies are underway to assess the true value of intensified chemotherapy with stem cell support in MDS. Childhood MDS is a rare disease, and the data on intensified cytotoxic treatment and transplantation are scarce. However, preliminary data are encouraging.

Comparison and assessment of different forms of open shell perturbation theory

Existing methods for the calculation of the correlation energy of open shell atoms and molecules using Mo/ller–Plesset perturbation theory are discussed with special emphasis on recent advances in methods based on the restricted Hartree–Fock wave function. The convergence of the Mo/ller–Plesset series is examined to high order for a number of small systems and it is shown that some of the methods offer significant advantage over traditional unrestricted Mo/ller–Plesset theory. The optimized bond length and vibrational frequencies of CN, NO, and O2 are also compared for second and fourth order Mo/ller–Plesset theory, and again it is found that the same methods give much better results than the corresponding unrestricted results. Further supporting calculations are presented on the electron affinity of CN and the dissociation energy of HCN. The new methods involve relatively minor adaptation of existing unrestricted Mo/ller–Plesset (UMP) codes, and in the light of their superior performance are recommended instead of UMP theory for open shell molecules.

The diagnostic validity of local and total bone mineral measurements in postmenopausal osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.

Assessment of different forms of prevention and treatment of bone mineral loss depends upon valid and precise methods to assess bone mass. We have here studied four groups of women: 45 healthy premenopausal women, 37 healthy postmenopausal women, 21 women with osteoarthritis and 20 with hip fractures. Bone mass was measured in the spine and total body by dual photon absorptiometry and in two forearm sites (proximal and distal bone mineral content (BMC) by single photon absorptiometry. The long-term (1 year) reproducibility was 1.2% for proximal BMC, 1.6% for distal BMC, 5.5% for spinal BMC, and 2.1% for total body bone mass (TBBM). In the early postmenopausal years bone mass was mainly reduced in areas with a high content of trabecular bone. In elderly postmenopausal women and women with hip fractures bone mass was almost identical in all four sites studied. The osteoarthritic patients had an 18% reduction of bone mass in the forearms and in TBBM, whereas the spinal bone mass was only reduced by 6%. In all subgroups TBBM could be predicted from the forearm measurements with standard errors of estimates of 9-13%. When the osteoarthritic women were excluded spinal bone mass could be predicted from both forearm measurements with a standard error of 15% (r = 0.74). The distal forearm BMC seems to be a more accurate estimate of spinal bone mass than does the proximal measurement. Of the 20 patients with hip fracture 16 had a distal forearm value below the premenopausal normal range, whereas spinal bone mass was subnormal in only eight (P less than 0.05). We conclude that bone loss is universal in patients with hip fracture and measurements of forearm bone mass will meet most clinical and research demands.