FREQUENCY OF COMMON FACTORS INFLUENCING THE GRAFT UPTAKE IN MYRINGOPLASTY AMONG THE TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL KPK

Introduction: Tympanoplasty refers to any operation involving reconstruction of the tympanic membrane and /or the ossicular chain. Myringoplasty is a tympanoplasty without ossicular reconstruction. Over the years many methods have been used for closing perforations. Myringoplasty was introduced by Berthold in 1878 but the modern era began only in 1950s with the work of Wullstein and Zoellner. The study aims to analyse the common factors which are predictive of success of myringoplasty in adult patients and to construct and validate a prognostic index that could be used as tool to predict the success of myringoplasty in adults. Objectives: To determine the frequency of common factors influencing the graft uptake in myringoplasty. Materials and Method: In this study, a total sample size was 376, using 4.08% proportion of fourth degree perineal tear, 95% confidence level and 2% margin of error under WHO software for sample size determination. Moreover, consecutive non probability sampling technique was used. Results: The mean age was 40 years with standard deviation of ± 2.63. Sixty two percent of the patients were male while thirty eight percent patients were female. The success rate of myringoplasty was 90% while the failure rate was 15(10%) patients in which 4(25%) patients had medium perforation, 5(33%) patients had large perforation while 6(42%) patients had subtotal perforation. Regarding the causes of perforation among 15(10%) patients, 13(85%) patients had infection while only 2 patients had trauma. Conclusion: The study concludes that infection (85%) was the most common cause of perforation followed by trauma (15%) in the graft uptake in myringoplasty.

A Proposal for Parameter-Free Surrogate Building Algorithm Using Artificial Neural Networks

Surrogate models, capable of emulating the robust first principle based models, facilitate the online implementation of computationally expensive industrial process optimization. However, the heuristic estimation of parameters governing the surrogate building often renders them erroneous or under-trained. Current work aims at presenting a novel parameter free surrogate building approach, specifically focusing on Artificial Neural Networks. The proposed algorithm implements Sobol sampling plan and intelligently designs the configuration of network with simultaneous estimation of optimal transfer function and training sample size to prevent overfitting and enabling maximum prediction accuracy. A novel Sample Size Determination algorithm based on a potential concept of hypercube sampling technique adds to the speed of surrogate building algorithm, thereby assuring faster convergence. Surrogates models for a highly nonlinear industrial sintering process constructed using the novel algorithm resulted in 7 times faster optimization.

Influence of Post-Harvest Technology on Food Security in Narok East sub-County, Kenya

Crop yields have decreased globally due to declining investments in research and infrastructure, which are preconditions for food security. The study established the Influence of Post-Harvest technology on Food Security in Narok East sub-County, Kenya, which is a rural sub-County in Narok County. A descriptive research design was adopted by the study. The target population is comprised of 25078 households distributed proportionally in the four wards and is involved in different farming activities. A sample of 378 household heads was determined using the sample size determination formula. Primary data was collected using a questionnaire and an interview guide. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics of frequencies, percentages and inferential statistics of correlation, ANOVA and regression analysis. The results were presented using frequency and percentages, tables and charts. The relationship between the variables was tested at a significant level of 0.05. The results show that there is a strong, positive and significant correlation between post-harvest technology and food security in the sub-County (r = .606** and p-value = 0.000). This implies that the relationship between the variables is very significant hence post-harvest technology is a strong determinant of food security in the study area. The study concludes that ANOVA model indicated a very significant and statistical relationship between post-harvest technology and food security. The study is beneficial to all the stakeholders in rural areas in Kenya who have consistently experienced food insecurity as it will provide appropriate data that will be used for policymaking.

Methodology for Developing a Usability Assessment Questionnaire in Spanish as a Bilingual Strategy for Software Improvement

Usability is the characteristic of a software product of being effective and efficient and producing satisfaction for users and traditionally is assessed through questionnaires but most of them are only available in English. A software usability assessment questionnaire (SUAQ) is proposed in two languages: Spanish and English. The methodology comprises four stages: 1) questionnaire development, 2) administration, 3) statistical validation, and 4) sample size determination. Twenty items were evaluated in terms of clarity, consistency, and relevancy. Then, the SUAQ was administered to 95 respondents. Overall, reliability values were acceptable in Spanish and English version, respectively. The factor analysis was feasible since the KMO index, and the Bartlett sphericity test was statistically significant. Both versions of SUAQ were tested to determine their validity. The findings show that the proposed methodology is an effective usability assessment instrument and thus an effective software improvement tool from a bilingual approach.

Mechanical diagnosis and therapy in patients with extremity problems: A Systematic review

Background: Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) is used in the treatment of extremity problems. It is an effective approach in cases of spinal conditions for target population. Availability of the reliable data like RCT and systematic review is a key factor to determine the precise clinical problem and to direct an appropriate intervention. Objectives: The primary aim of this systematic review is to assess the methodological quality of well-designed RCTs related to the MDT classification and treatment for extremity problems. Design: Systematic review. Method: Electronic search on various data bases was done. The level of evidence was determined considering the methodological quality of the studies. Results: 1 RCT was included and it met the criteria for high quality. After the assessment of RCT according to the CONSORT guidelines it was found that out of 25 checklist points; 4 methodological faults were found in assessed RCT. Those were; a) sample size determination, b) Blinding after assessment c) Generisability of the trial findings d) Where the full trial protocol can be accessed. Conclusion: The current systematic review found strong evidence of benefits of MDT approach for extremity problems (knee joint). But there was limited evidence in other extremity joints.

Ecological Marketing Practice and Issues of Agricultural Economic Sustainability: A Focus on Oil Firms’ Activities in Niger Delta

This study was carried out to examine the extent to which the ecological marketing practice of the oil firms: Shell BP, Agip Oil Company, and Elf Oil Company have improved agricultural economic wellbeing of the oil-bearing communities in Niger Delta. A descriptive survey research design was employed in this study. The population of the study was 37,965,391 drawn from Niger Delta States based on which a sample size of 400 respondents was determined using Taro Yamane’s sample size determination techniques at 0.5 percent level of significance. The purposive sampling procedure was employed to enable the researcher to select the representative sample elements of the population interest from the right respondents who have adequate knowledge of the study under investigation from the different strata that makes up the population of the study. A structured instrument for data collection containing twenty (20) item questions was used for the study. The face and content validation of the instrument was obtained through the judgment of experts. A test-retest method was used to determine the reliability of the instrument and the reliability index of .83 was obtained. The data collected for the study were analyzed using the mean score test and the percentage test method to answered the research questions; while the inferential statistics of the Z-score test was used to test the null hypothesis at .05 level of significance. Results obtained revealed that “Ecological marketing practice of the oil firms does not significantly improved agricultural economic poverty, agricultural market failure, agricultural economic frustration, and agricultural land limitation in the oil-bearing communities in Niger Delta”. The implication of this finding is that the oil firms’ ecological sustainability marketing activities was considered to lack the needed proactive improvement values which, if ethical based ecological effort is not adopted to create sustainable improvement; oil firms might experience unpredicted operational interruption by the oil-bearing communities. It was therefore, recommended that oil firms should consider employing proactive ecological marketing efforts in a more ethical and responsible manner to sustain the agricultural economic wellbeing of the oil-bearing communities.

Ecocide Activities and Oil Firms’ Ecological Marketing Practice: A Focus on Agricultural-Economic Sustainability in Niger Delta

This study was carried out to examine the extent to which the ecocide activities in Niger Delta have affected the ecological marketing practices of the oil firms: Shell BP, Agip Oil Company, and Elf Oil Company in the improvement of the agricultural economic wellbeing of the oil-bearing communities in Niger Delta. A descriptive survey research design was employed in this study. The population of the study was 37,965,391 drawn from Niger Delta States based on which a sample size of 400 respondents was determined using Taro Yamane’s sample size determination techniques at 0.5 percent level of significance. The purposive sampling procedure was employed to enable the researcher to select the representative sample elements of the population interest from the right respondents who have adequate knowledge of the study under investigation from the different strata that makes up the population of the study. A structured instrument for data collection containing twenty (20) item questions was used for the study. The face and content validation of the instrument was obtained through the judgment of experts. A test-retest method was used to determine the reliability of the instrument and the reliability index of .83 was obtained. The data collected for the study were analyzed using the mean score test and the percentage test method to answered the research questions; while the inferential statistics of the Z-score test was used to test the null hypothesis at .05 level of significance. Results obtained revealed that “Ecological marketing practice of the oil firms does not significantly improved agricultural economic poverty, agricultural market failure, agricultural economic frustration, and agricultural land limitation in the oil-bearing communities in Niger Delta”. The implication of this finding is that the oil firms’ ecological sustainability marketing activities was considered to lack the needed proactive improvement values which, if ethical based ecological effort is not adopted to create sustainable improvement; oil firms might experience unpredicted operational interruption by the oil-bearing communities. It was therefore, recommended that oil firms should consider employing proactive ecological marketing efforts in a more ethical and responsible manner to sustain the agricultural economic wellbeing of the oil-bearing communities.

Determining Plasma Protein Variation Parameters as a Prerequisite for Biomarker Studies—A TMT-Based LC-MSMS Proteome Investigation

Specific plasma proteins serve as valuable markers for various diseases and are in many cases routinely measured in clinical laboratories by fully automated systems. For safe diagnostics and monitoring using these markers, it is important to ensure an analytical quality in line with clinical needs. For this purpose, information on the analytical and the biological variation of the measured plasma protein, also in the context of the discovery and validation of novel, disease protein biomarkers, is important, particularly in relation to for sample size calculations in clinical studies. Nevertheless, information on the biological variation of the majority of medium-to-high abundant plasma proteins is largely absent. In this study, we hypothesized that it is possible to generate data on inter-individual biological variation in combination with analytical variation of several hundred abundant plasma proteins, by applying LC-MS/MS in combination with relative quantification using isobaric tagging (10-plex TMT-labeling) to plasma samples. Using this analytical proteomic approach, we analyzed 42 plasma samples prepared in doublets, and estimated the technical, inter-individual biological, and total variation of 265 of the most abundant proteins present in human plasma thereby creating the prerequisites for power analysis and sample size determination in future clinical proteomics studies. Our results demonstrated that only five samples per group may provide sufficient statistical power for most of the analyzed proteins if relative changes in abundances >1.5-fold are expected. Seventeen of the measured proteins are present in the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM) Biological Variation Database, and demonstrated remarkably similar biological CV’s to the corresponding CV’s listed in the EFLM database suggesting that the generated proteomic determined variation knowledge is useful for large-scale determination of plasma protein variations.