Gender Difference in Students’ Academic Performance in Colleges of Education in Borno State, Nigeria: Implications for Counselling

This study examines the differences between students’ gender and academic achievement in Colleges of Education in Borno State. The study set one research objective, one research question and tested one research hypothesis. the population of this study include all the NCE students from three NCE awarding institutions in the state that were purposively selected for the study, the Krejcie and Morgan method of selecting sample was employed to choose (322) participants and proportionate techniques was also used to draw186 students out of 351 NCE III students’ in Kashim Ibrahim College of Education, Maiduguri and 136 students out of 210 NCE III students in Umar Ibn Ibrahim College of Education, Science and Technology, Bama. Students’ Academic Performance Aptitude Test (SAPAT) r=0.62 was used by the researchers. T-test was used to test the hypothesis raised in this study. The results indicated that there was no significant differences exist between gender and Academic performance in Colleges of Education in Borno State, in favour of female students therefore, the null hypothesis was accepted. The recommendation advanced was that: the male students lack pocket money thus, and state government should increase their annual scholarship so as to support their academic activities

Eksiklopedia musik dan tari daerah Sumatera Barat

Tulisan mengenai musik dan tari daerah Sumatera Barat sudah banyak dibuat oleh orang-orang Sumatera Barat atau oleh orang-orang yang berasal dari luar Sumatera Barat.Tulisan-tulisan itu adakalanya hanya mengenai musik atau mengenai tari saja dan sebahagian besar berdasarkan pada perpustakaan yang telah ada. Walaupun demikian masih banyak masalah musik dan tari daerah Sumatera Barat yang ada dan berkembang sekarang-serta yang telah tidak berkembang lagi yang tercecer di luar tulisan-tulisan yang telah ada itu, sehingga kelihatannya masalah musik dan tari daerah Sumatera Barat hanya seperti yang telah ditulis itu saja, sedangkan menurut kenyataan yang sebenarnya musik dan tari daerah Sumatera Barat masih sangat banyak yang belum dikumpulkan dan diolah. Akibat dari kenyataan tersebut adalah masalah kebudayaan Nasional tidak dapat diramu dengan baik, hingga sampai sekarang Kebudayaan Nasional masih belum lagi jelas dan lengkap wujudnya

Anticancer Meroterpenoids from Centrapalus pauciflorus leaves: Chromone- and 2,4-Chromadione-Monoterpene Derivatives

Eight previously undescribed chromones, named pauciflorins F–M and two 5-methyl-2,4-chromadione derivatives named as pauciflorins N and O, were isolated from the methanol extract of the leaves of Centrapalus pauciflorus (Willd.) H.Rob. together with the known (+)-spiro-ethuliacoumarin. The structures were determined via extensive spectroscopic analyses, including HRESIMS, 1D NMR (1H, 13C JMOD), and 2D NMR (HSQC, HMBC, 1H–1H COSY, and NOESY) experiments. Through an MTT assay, seven isolated compounds were tested for their antiproliferative properties against human adherent breast (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231), cervical (HeLa, SiHa), and ovarian (A2780) cancer cell lines. Pauciflorin F was effective against MCF-7 breast cancer cells, its activity (IC50 5.78 μM) was comparable to that of the reference agent cisplatin (IC50 5.78 μM)

Radiogenomic Models Using Machine Learning Techniques to Predict EGFR Mutations in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to build radiogenomics models from texture signatures derived from computed tomography (CT) and 18F-FDG PET-CT (FDG PET-CT) images of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with and without epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. METHODS: Fifty patients diagnosed with NSCLC between 2011 and 2015 and with known EGFR mutation status were retrospectively identified. Texture features extracted from pretreatment CT and FDG PET-CT images by manual contouring of the primary tumor were used to develop multivariate logistic regression (LR) models to predict EGFR mutations in exon 19 and exon 20. RESULTS: An LR model evaluating FDG PET-texture features was able to differentiate EGFR mutant from wild type with an area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 0.87, 0.76, 0.66, and 0.71, respectively. The model derived from CT texture features had an AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 0.83, 0.84, 0.73, and 0.78, respectively. FDG PET-texture features that could discriminate between mutations in EGFR exon 19 and 21 demonstrated AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 0.86, 0.84, 0.73, and 0.78, respectively. Based on CT texture features, the AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 0.75, 0.81, 0.69, and 0.75, respectively. CONCLUSION: Non-small cell lung cancer texture analysis using FGD-PET and CT images can identify tumors with mutations in EGFR. Imaging signatures could be valuable for pretreatment assessment and prognosis in precision therapy

Augmented Lagrangian Method for Constrained Nuclear Density Functional Theory

The augmented Lagrangiam method (ALM), widely used in quantum chemistry constrained optimization problems, is applied in the context of the nuclear Density Functional Theory (DFT) in the self-consistent constrained Skyrme Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (CHFB) variant. The ALM allows precise calculations of multidimensional energy surfaces in the space of collective coordinates that are needed to, e.g., determine fission pathways and saddle points; it improves accuracy of computed derivatives with respect to collective variables that are used to determine collective inertia; and is well adapted to supercomputer applications.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures; to appear in Eur. Phys. J.

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Update for the practicing pathologist: The International Consultation On Urologic Disease-European association of urology consultation on bladder cancer

The International Consultations on Urological Diseases are international consensus meetings, supported by the World Health Organization and the Union Internationale Contre le Cancer, which have occurred since 1981. Each consultation has the goal of convening experts to review data and provide evidence-based recommendations to improve practice. In 2012, the selected subject was bladder cancer, a disease which remains a major public health problem with little improvement in many years. The proceedings of the 2nd International Consultation on Bladder Cancer, which included a 'Pathology of Bladder Cancer Work Group,' have recently been published; herein, we provide a summary of developments and consensus relevant to the practicing pathologist. Although the published proceedings have tackled a comprehensive set of issues regarding the pathology of bladder cancer, this update summarizes the recommendations regarding selected issues for the practicing pathologist. These include guidelines for classification and grading of urothelial neoplasia, with particular emphasis on the approach to inverted lesions, the handling of incipient papillary lesions frequently seen during surveillance of bladder cancer patients, descriptions of newer variants, and terminology for urine cytology reporting