Operational Performance Evaluation of Post Office – Teaching Hospital Road, Ile – Ife, Nigeria

Traffic demand is significantly on the increase in our urban centres without a commensurate increase in the rate of road infrastructure development, resulting in traffic congestion. The need to periodically evaluate the operational performance of these roads with a view to addressing this problem becomes imperative, hence this study. Speed and traffic flow data were collected for morning and evening peaks for seven days for two segments of the selected urban road in Ile-Ife, using normal procedure. Traffic flow parameters, such as, travel speed, traffic volume and capacity were computed and operational performance evaluation determined. The study showed that, motorcycles were the predominant means of transport (50 %), and followed by buses (25 %), cars (23 %) and trucks (2 %), while the average travel speed was 41 km / h. The average traffic capacity of 1306 pc/hr/ln was also obtained. The results revealed that the operating speed and capacity of the road were short of the required values of 1500 pc/hr/ln and 50 – 60 km / h, respectively, for an urban two-way two-lane highway. The road is therefore prone to congestion. Keywords: key words, Traffic Demand, Road Infrastructure, Operational performanc

Complete Sequences of Organelle Genomes from the Medicinal Plant Rhazya Stricta (Apocynaceae) and Contrasting Patterns of Mitochondrial Genome Evolution Across Asterids

Rhazya stricta is native to arid regions in South Asia and the Middle East and is used extensively in folk medicine to treat a wide range of diseases. In addition to generating genomic resources for this medicinally important plant, analyses of the complete plastid and mitochondrial genomes and a nuclear transcriptome from Rhazya provide insights into inter-compartmental transfers between genomes and the patterns of evolution among eight asterid mitochondrial genomes. Results: The 154,841 bp plastid genome is highly conserved with gene content and order identical to the ancestral organization of angiosperms. The 548,608 bp mitochondrial genome exhibits a number of phenomena including the presence of recombinogenic repeats that generate a multipartite organization, transferred DNA from the plastid and nuclear genomes, and bidirectional DNA transfers between the mitochondrion and the nucleus. The mitochondrial genes sdh3 and rps14 have been transferred to the nucleus and have acquired targeting presequences. In the case of rps14, two copies are present in the nucleus; only one has a mitochondrial targeting presequence and may be functional. Phylogenetic analyses of both nuclear and mitochondrial copies of rps14 across angiosperms suggests Rhazya has experienced a single transfer of this gene to the nucleus, followed by a duplication event. Furthermore, the phylogenetic distribution of gene losses and the high level of sequence divergence in targeting presequences suggest multiple, independent transfers of both sdh3 and rps14 across asterids. Comparative analyses of mitochondrial genomes of eight sequenced asterids indicates a complicated evolutionary history in this large angiosperm clade with considerable diversity in genome organization and size, repeat, gene and intron content, and amount of foreign DNA from the plastid and nuclear genomes. Conclusions: Organelle genomes of Rhazya stricta provide valuable information for improving the understanding of mitochondrial genome evolution among angiosperms. The genomic data have enabled a rigorous examination of the gene transfer events. Rhazya is unique among the eight sequenced asterids in the types of events that have shaped the evolution of its mitochondrial genome. Furthermore, the organelle genomes of R. stricta provide valuable genomic resources for utilizing this important medicinal plant in biotechnology applications.King Abdulaziz UniversityIntegrative Biolog

Saudi SCD patients’ symptoms and quality of life relative to the number of ED visits

Background Individuals living with sickle cell disease (SCD) have significantly increased emergency department (ED) use compared to the general population. In Saudi Arabia, health care is free for all individuals and therefore has no bearing on increased ED visits. However, little is known about the relationship between quality of life (QoL) and frequency of acute care utilization in this patient population. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 366 patients with SCD who attended the outpatient department at King Fahad Hospital, Hofuf, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through self-administered surveys, which included: demographics, SCD-related ED visits, clinical issues, and QoL levels. We assessed the ED use by asking for the number of SCD-related ED visits within a 6-month period. Results The self-report survey of ED visits was completed by 308 SCD patients. The median number of SCD-related ED visits within a 6-month time period (IQR) was four (2-7 visits). According to the unadjusted negative binomial model, the rate of SCD-related ED visits increased by (46, 39.3, 40, and 53.5 %) for patients with fever, skin redness with itching, swelling, and blood transfusion, respectively. Poor QoL tends to increase the rate of SCD-related ED visits. Well education and poor general health positively influenced the rate of SCD-related ED visits. Well education tends to increase the rate of SCD-related ED visits by 50.2 %. The rate of SCD-related ED visits decreased by 1.4 % for every point increase in general health. Conclusion Saudi patients with sickle cell disease reported a wide range of SCD-related ED visits. It was estimated that six of 10 SCD patients had at least three ED visits within a 6-month period. Well education and poor general health resulted in an increase in the rate of SCD-related ED visits

Plastic debris in the stomach of a Longman’s Beaked Whale, Indopacetus pacificus (Longman, 1926) stranded off Sutrapada, Veraval, Saurashtra coast, India

Longman’s beaked whale or the Indo- Pacific beaked whale (Indopacetus pacificus) is a rarely occurring whale with very poor information on sighting or stranding, though more common in western Indian Ocean region. Threat to marine fauna from the ingestion of plastic carry bags and other non-biodegradable debris scattered on the ocean surface and at the seafloor is increasing at alarming proportions. This communication describes the stranded adult female Longman’s beaked whale near off Sutrapada, Veraval, Gujarat coast that has presumably been choked to death due to the ingestion of four thick plastic bags, which was revealed from the autopsy conducted by the Gujarat Forest Department and the Wildlife Treatment Centre, Sasan Gir, Gujarat

Evaluation of adverse drug reaction reports in adult patients on antiretroviral therepy in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching hospital Zaria-Nigeria

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has reduced morbidity and mortality in HIV patients. In Nigeria, there are over 400,000 patients on ART in over 200 secondary and tertiary hospitals. However, data on adverse drug reactions (ADRs) due to ARTs are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate ADRs reports in adult patients on ART in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria (ABUTH). The study was a retrospective cross-sectional study on randomly selected adult patients on ART with ADR reports in Nasara Clinic of ABUTH, between January, 2012 and December, 2013. Medical records and ADR reports of the patients were reviewed and fitted into a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 20.0. The study reviewed the records of 302 patients on ART as per the sample size out of a total of 1405 patients in the register within the study period. Of the 302 patients, 109 (36.1%) were reported to have at least one form of ADR, majority of whom were females 65 (59.6%). The most common ADRs were cough (34%), skin rash (44%), headache (20%) and diarrhea (10%), with few cases of anemia (5.5%), lipodostrophy (3.6%) and neuropathy (1.8%). 55% and 98% had concomitant disease and medications respectively. The actions taken to manage the ADR were; specific treatment of the ADR (69.7%), change of ARV regimen (22%) and few cases of hospitalization (6.4%). In conclusion, the study revealed the occurrence of ADRs in adult patients on ART in ABUTH. These reactions occurred within few months of medication, and were found to be related to age, social factor, ART regimen, gender, as well as other concomitant diseases and medications. Close monitoring is required to prevent severe ADR and improve adherence.Keywords: Antiretroviral therapy, adverse drug reaction, cough, retrospectiv

Quadtree partitioning scheme of color image based

Image segmentation is an essential complementary process in digital image processing and computer vision, but mostly utilizes simple segmentation techniques, such as fixed partitioning scheme and global thresholding techniques due to their simplicity and popularity, in spite of their inefficiency. This paper introduces a new split-merge segmentation process for a quadtree scheme of colour images, based on exploiting the spatial and spectral information embedded within the bands and between bands, respectively. The results show that this technique is efficient in terms of quality of segmentation and time, which can be used in standard techniques as alternative to a fixed partitioning scheme

The Challenges of Psychological Adjustment for International Students: A Critical Analysis of Coping Mechanisms and Support Services

This paper critically analyzes the challenges of psychological adjustment faced by international students and explores coping mechanisms and support services that can help them overcome these challenges. The essay first introduces the background information on international students and highlights the importance of psychological adjustment for their well-being and academic success. The challenges of psychological adjustment, including cultural, academic, social adjustment, and language barrier, are discussed in detail. The essay then explores coping mechanisms, including problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, seeking social support, and cultural adjustment programs, and the support services, including counseling services and international student services, that can help international students adjust to their new environment. Finally, the essay evaluates the effectiveness of these coping mechanisms and support services, emphasizing the importance of cultural competence in providing effective support services. This essay has practical implications for higher education institutions in providing tailored support to international students and highlights the need for future research to explore the effectiveness of coping mechanisms and support services for different groups of international students and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their psychological adjustment

The Effect of Social Isolation on the Mental Health of International Students

This paper looks into how social isolation affects international college students mental health. An increase in international students studying at colleges and universities abroad can be attributed to increased global mobility over the previous few decades. Because of this, these students struggle in certain ways to fit into their new academic and social surroundings. Among these difficulties, social isolation among overseas students has been recognized as a major issue. This essay will investigate how social isolation affects the mental health of international college students by drawing on existing studies. The various types of social isolation will be covered in the essay along with how they may affect mental health. It will also be looked at whether factors like linguistic difficulties, cultural shock, prejudice, and discrimination contribute to social isolation among overseas students. In light of the hazards to mental health posed by social isolation among international students, this presentation will offer some potential solutions. The findings of the inquiry will be utilized to create solutions that can assist overseas students in reducing the detrimental impacts of social isolation on their mental health. Compared to other groups, college students’ mental health has not been adequately researched, even though social isolation can be an emotionally and mentally damaging experience. The paper will focus on the various mental health impacts that international college students experience such as depression, anxiety, and long-term psychological harm. An analysis of existing literature on the topic, interviews with international college students, and the mental health resources available to this population are also discussed. The main findings of the research show that international college students living in a foreign country experience significant levels of social isolation due to language barriers and cultural differences