Sustained Spatial Attention in Touch: Modality-Specific and Multimodal Mechanisms

Sustained attention to a body location results in enhanced processing of tactile stimuli presented at that location compared to another unattended location. In this paper, we review studies investigating the neural orrelates of sustained spatial attention in touch. These studies consistently show that activity within modality-specific somatosensory areas (SI and SII) is modulated by sustained tactile-spatial attention. Recent evidence suggests that these somatosensory areas may be recruited as part of a larger cortical network, also including higher-level multimodal regions involved in spatial selection across modalities. We discuss, in turn, the following multimodal effects in sustained tactile-spatial attention tasks. First, cross-modal attentional links between touch and vision, reflected in enhanced processing of task-irrelevant visual stimuli at tactually attended locations, are mediated by common (multimodal) representations of external space. Second, vision of the body modulates activity underlying sustained tactile-spatial attention, facilitating attentional modulation of tactile processing in between-hand (when hands are sufficiently far apart) and impairing attentional modulation in within-hand selection tasks. Finally, body posture influences mechanisms of sustained tactile-spatial attention, relying, at least partly, on remapping of tactile stimuli in external, visually defined, spatial coordinates. Taken together, the findings reviewed in this paper indicate that sustained spatial attention in touch is subserved by both modality-specific and multimodal mechanisms. The interplay between these mechanisms allows flexible and efficient spatial selection within and across sensory modalities

A Comparative Performance Analysis of Popular Internet Browsers in Current Web Applications

As more and more services become available on the Internet, the issue of fast and secured access to online resources gains more importance. The growth of the internet has encouraged a high number of people to explore and take advantage of the World Wide Web (www). The window to the World Wide Web is a web browser, hence the development of various web browsers in the market today. A comparative study of four web browsers namely Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Netscape was carried out. A web portal developed and fully tested was used to evaluate the performance of the four browsers. The results revealed that Mozilla Firefox and Netscape perform best in down load time, Internet Explorer performs best in memory usage, privacy and security, Mozilla Firefox and Netscape performs best in Page Layout, and Opera performs best in speed and performance. Key words: World Wide Web, Internet Browser, W3C, APIs, Milne

Economic burden of diabetes mellitus in the WHO African region

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In 2000, the prevalence of diabetes among the 46 countries of the WHO African Region was estimated at 7.02 million people. Evidence from North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean indicates that diabetes exerts a heavy health and economic burden on society. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of such evidence in the WHO African Region. The objective of this study was to estimate the economic burden associated with diabetes mellitus in the countries in the African Region.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Drawing information from various secondary sources, this study used standard cost-of-illness methods to estimate: (a) the direct costs, i.e. those borne by the health systems and the families in directly addressing the problem; and (b) the indirect costs, i.e. the losses in productivity attributable to premature mortality, permanent disability and temporary disability caused by the disease. Prevalence estimates of diabetes for the year 2000 were used to calculate direct and indirect costs of diabetes mellitus. A discount rate of 3% was used to convert future earnings lost into their present values. The economic burden analysis was done for three groups of countries, i.e. 6 countries whose gross national income (GNI) per capita was greater than 8000 international dollars (i.e. in purchasing power parity), 6 countries with Int$2000–7999 and 33 countries with less than Int$2000. GNI for Zimbabwe was missing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The 7.02 million cases of diabetes recorded by countries of the African Region in 2000 resulted in a total economic loss of Int$25.51 billion (PPP). Approximately 43.65$11,431.6, Int$4,770.6 and Int$ 2,144.3 per diabetes case per year in the three groups respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In spite of data limitations, the estimates reported here show that diabetes imposes a substantial economic burden on countries of the WHO African Region. That heavy burden underscores the urgent need for increased investments in the prevention and management of diabetes.</p

Good Governance: A Step towards Promoting Positive Attitude and Enhancing Productivity in the Civil Service

This is a research about good governance in the civil service. Five federal organizations served as research population: Ministry for Capacity Building, Ministry of Revenue, Federal Civil Service Agency, Ethiopian Civil Service College, and Ethiopian Management Institute. Fifty-six (56) respondents served as research sample. The research was conducted through the use of a research instrument (opinionnaire). Percentage (%) and Chi square (X2) were used as statistical tools. It was found out that reform program pays equal attention to all citizens; financial regulations are violated in Government expenditure; service delivery is poor in the Civil Service; unethical practices do exist in Civil Service; top management system is poor; and Civil Service (HR) is ineffective. Based on the research findings it was recommended that Civil servants need a lot more of education, training and development. African Research Review Vol. 2 (1) 2008: pp. 19-4

Socio-Economic and Demographic Classification of HIV/AIDS Patients: Using Cluster Analysis

HIV/AIDS has been spreading in an alarming rate since the beginning of the pandemic. It is estimated that at least half of the affected ones are between 15-24 years. These have called for a concerted effort to save this segment of the population for many reasons. Against this background the study was aimed at classifying socio economic and demographic several of 1500 patients, registered with the university of Maiduguri teaching hospital from 2009 to 2013.Cluster analysis was employed on the set data. The distance which shows similarly between the variable using the coefficient distance was calculated. Dendogram were formed for agglomerative schedule. It was observed that the dendogram formed by the various methods differs according to their coefficient. Even though the single, complete and ward follow similar pattern of cluster except the centriod method, which differ and gave different pattern. Keywords: Agglomerative, Cluster Analysis, Dendogram, and Hierarchica

To Blink or Not to Blink: Fine Cognitive Tuning of the Defensive Peripersonal Space

The blink reflex elicited by the electrical stimulation of the median nerve at the wrist (hand blink reflex, HBR) is a subcortical, defensive response that is enhanced when the stimulated hand is inside the peripersonal space of the face. Such enhancement results from a tonic, topdown modulation of the excitability of the brainstem interneurons mediating the HBR. Here we aim to (1) characterize the somatotopical specificity of this top down modulation and (2) investigate the effect of cognitive expectations on such modulation. Experiment 1 showed that the somatotopical specificity of the HBR enhancement is not only heterosegmental, but also partially homosegmental, i.e. the enhancement is greater for the HBR elicited by stimulation of the hand located inside the peripersonal space of the face, as compared to the HBR elicited by the stimulation of the other hand, always kept far from the face. Experiment 2 showed that the top-down modulation of the HBR is triggered only when the participants expect to receive stimuli on the hand placed inside the peripersonal space of the face, and is thus strongly dependent on cognitive expectations. Taken together, these findings indicate a fine somatotopical and cognitive tuning of the excitability of brainstem circuits subserving the HBR, whose strength is adjusted depending on the context in a purposeful manner

Effect of Values Clarification Counselling Technique on Aggressive Behaviour among Senior Secondary School Students in Kontagora Metropolis, Niger State

This study examined the effect of values clarification counselling techniques on aggressive behaviour among senior secondary school students in Kontagora metropolis, Niger State. Pretest posttest quasi experimental research design was adopted. The target population for the study consists of senior secondary school students. A sample size of 15 participants was purposively selected from senior secondary school two students for the study consisting of 11 males and 4 females. An instrument titled Students Aggressive Behaviour Questionnaire (SABQ) was used to obtain data for both pre and posttest. The intervention sessions lasted for ten weeks (two sessions of 60 minutes each per week) during the third term 2021/2022 academic session. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools of mean, standard deviation and inferential statistical tools of paired sample t-test. The findings revealed that values clarification counselling technique had a significant effect on hostile, emotional and relational aggressive behaviour among students with t=11.00, p=.000; t=6.15, p=.000 and t=7.54, p=.000 respectively. It was concluded that values clarification counselling technique was effective in reducing aggressive behaviour among senior secondary school students. It was therefore recommended among others that, school counsellors and psychologists should employ values clarification counselling techniques in reducing aggressive behaviour among senior secondary school students

Urgences Chirurgicales Abdominales Pédiatriques Au Nord-Bénin : Aspects Epidémiologiques Et Diagnostiques

Les urgences chirurgicales abdominales pédiatriques sont relativement fréquentes surtout en Afrique. Elles posent un problème de retard de consultation dans notre contexte de travail. Objectif : L’objectif de notre travail était d’étudier les aspects épidémiologiques et diagnostiques des urgences chirurgicales abdominales pédiatriques au Nord-Bénin. Patients et méthodes : Il s’agissait d’une étude prospective descriptive et analytique réalisée au CHU de Parakou et à l’Hôpital de Zone de Tanguiéta. Elle s’est déroulée du 1er Janvier au 31 Juillet 2016. Etaient inclus tous les enfants de 0 à 15 ans admis pour une urgence chirurgicale abdominale avec une Classification Clinique des Malades aux Urgences cotée à 3 ; 4 ou 5. Résultats : Les urgences chirurgicales abdominales pédiatriques représentaient 42,8% des urgences chirurgicales pédiatriques. La moyenne d’âge était de 9,3 ± 3,5 ans. La sex-ratio était de 1,7. Les étiologies les plus fréquentes étaient les péritonites (36,8%), les traumatismes abdominaux (16,2%) et les malformations anorectales (14,7%). Le délai moyen de consultation était de 5 ± 1 jours et était lié au bas niveau d’instruction des parents (p= 0,00). Le délai moyen de diagnostic était de 3,1 heures. Au plan paraclinique, l’hémogramme et la radiographie de l’abdomen sans préparation étaient les examens les plus réalisés. Conclusion : Les enfants de sexe masculin étaient les plus touchés. Les principales urgences chirurgicales abdominales étaient les péritonites, les traumatismes abdominaux et les malformations ano-rectales. La sensibilisation des parents pour une consultation précoce est nécessaire. Pediatric abdominal surgical emergencies are relatively common especially in Africa. They pose a problem of delay in consultation in our work context. Objective: The objective of our work was to study epidemiological and diagnostic aspects of pediatric abdominal surgical emergencies in North Benin. Patients and methods: This is a prospective descriptive and analytical study conducted at Parakou teaching hospital and Tanguieta district hospital. It has been achieved from January 1st to July 31st 2016. Were included all children aged 0 to 15 years admitted for an abdominalsurgical emergency with a Clinical Classification of Emergency Patients listed from 3 to 5. Results: Pediatric abdominal surgical emergencies accounted for 42.8% of pediatric surgical emergencies. The average age was 9.3 ± 3.5 years old. The sex ratio was 1.7. The most common etiologies were peritonitis (36.76%), abdominal trauma (16.2%) and anorectal malformations (14.71%). The mean time of admission was 5 ± 1 days and was related to low parental education (p = 0.00). The mean time to diagnosis was 3.1 hours. Hemogram and abdominal X-rays were the most performed examinations. Conclusion: The boys were the most affected. The main abdominal surgical emergencies were peritonitis, abdominal trauma and anorectal malformations. Parental awareness for early consultation is necessary

Improving the angular resolution of coded aperture instruments using a modified Lucy-Richardson algorithm for deconvolution

A problem with coded-mask telescopes is the achievable angular resolution. For example, with the standard cross-correlation (CC) analysis, the INTEGRAL IBIS/ISGRI angular resolution is about 13'. We are currently investigating an iterative Lucy-Richardson (LR) algorithm. The LR algorithm can be used effectively when the PSF is known, but little or no information is available for the noise. This algorithm maximizes the probability of the restored image, under the assumption that the noise is Poisson distributed, which is appropriate for photon noise in the data, and converges to the maximum likelihood solution. We have modified the classical LR algorithm, adding non-negative constraints. It doesn't take into account of the features leading to a difference in PSF depending on position in the field of view (dead pixels, gaps between modules etc), which are easily corrected for in the classical CC analysis, so we must correct for these either after the restoration of the image or by modifing the data before the sky reconstruction. We present some results using real IBIS data indicating the power of the proposed reconstruction algorithm

Severe horn-gore injury in a 5-year-old Bunaji bull and a 10-month-old Yankasa ram-lamb: Case reports

This paper reports two scenarios whereby goring injury sustained by a Bunaji bull and a Yankasa lamb were managed by pastoralists before the cases were presented to the Large Animal Clinic Unit of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Anamnesis of the cases presented was that the bull sustained injury 4 days prior to presentation while attempting to mount a cow. The lamb sustained goring injury inflicted by a bull 3 days prior to presentation. The herdsman unwillingly revealed that he had used procaine penicillin and an herbal preparation (ethnoveterinary medicine) prior to presentation of the bull. &lsquo;Man-shanu&rsquo;was applied topically on the horn-gore injury of the lamb by the client. The skin and muscles of both the bull and lamb were also severely lacerated. Evacuation of the haematoma, herbal (ethnoveterinary) preparation and repair of lacerated tissues were successfully performed in the bull while there was an unsuccessful attempt to manage the goring injury in the lamb. The clients were advised to avoid managing cases themselves and to promptly report cases to a nearby Veterinary Clinic.Keywords: Goring injury, Hematoma, Trauma