Comparison Between ACDF and Instrumented Posterior Decompression and Fusion in Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Dala, Kano, Nigeria: A Retrospective Comparative Study of 85 Patients

/in /by

Background: Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a leading cause of spinal cord dysfunction. Both anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and posterior decompression with instrumented fusion are established surgical approaches, but comparative data from Nigerian populations remain limited. This study compared clinical outcomes, perioperative parameters, and complications between ACDF and posterior instrumented fusion for CSM at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Dala (NOHD), Kano, Nigeria.

Methods: A retrospective comparative study reviewed records of 85 patients who underwent surgical decompression for CSM between January 2018 and December 2024. Patients were divided into two groups: ACDF (n=48) and posterior decompression with instrumented fusion (n=37). Data extracted included demographics, operative parameters, complications, and outcomes assessed by modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score and Neck Disability Index (NDI) at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months post-surgery. Recovery rate was calculated using the Hirabayashi formula.

Results: The ACDF group had younger mean age (54.2 ± 9.8 vs. 62.6 ± 11.4 years; p=0.001) and fewer levels fused (1.8 ± 0.6 vs. 3.4 ± 0.8; p<0.001). ACDF was associated with shorter operative time (182 ± 46 vs. 236 ± 62 minutes; p<0.001), lower blood loss (210 ± 95 vs. 450 ± 240 mL; p<0.001), and shorter hospital stay (5.2 ± 2.4 vs. 8.4 ± 3.2 days; p<0.001). Both groups achieved significant mJOA improvement at 12 months: ACDF from 10.8 ± 2.4 to 14.2 ± 2.1 (p<0.001); posterior from 9.6 ± 2.6 to 13.1 ± 2.3 (p<0.001). Mean recovery rates were 56.8 ± 22.4% for ACDF and 48.6 ± 24.2% for posterior (p=0.12). NDI improved from 46.8 ± 14.2% to 24.6 ± 12.4% in ACDF and from 52.4 ± 15.6% to 29.8 ± 14.2% in posterior (p=0.08). Complication rates were 12.5% (ACDF) and 21.6% (posterior) (p=0.26). ACDF complications included dysphagia (6.3%) and graft-related (2.1%); posterior complications included C5 palsy (5.4%) and wound infection (8.1%).

Conclusion: Both ACDF and posterior instrumented fusion achieve significant neurological improvement in CSM patients at NOHD Kano. ACDF is associated with shorter operative time, less blood loss, and shorter hospital stay, while posterior approaches are preferred for multilevel disease and in older patients. Surgical approach should be individualized based on pathology, levels involved, and patient factors.

The Impact of Nanotechnology on Desalination Water Treatment: Mechanisms, Performance, and Practicality

/in /by

A major societal issue that needs an innovative and sustainable approach to freshwater production is the global water scarcity problem. Traditional desalination processes have limitations, such as high energy costs, empirically-supported membrane fouling issues, and low selectivity rates. However, a new approach using nanotechnology may help address many of these problems. Molecular and atomic scale treatments for water can produce higher permeabilities and salt rejection efficiencies through the use of enhanced nano-membranes when using nanomaterials like graphene, nanotubes, and polymer nanocomposites. Examples of mechanisms used in ion removal through nanostructuring include adsorption, sieve-like, and electrochemical interactions. Other examples of improving energy savings through using nanomaterials include capacitive deionization and nanofiltration processes. Challenges associated with nanotechnology are scale-up, cost of production, and the long term stability of the nanomaterials; nonetheless, additional investigation will provide further knowledge regarding the environmental health effects due to leaching of nanomaterials. A life cycle assessment is crucial for a safe and sustainable application of these products and remains an important factor affecting large scale adoption of nanotechnology enabled desalination systems over traditional desalination technologies by being more energy efficient; further study between laboratory results and actual application will help close that gap.

Smart Tourism in Indonesia: AI and Mobile App Impact

/in /by

The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and mobile applications into tourism services has fundamentally transformed how travelers interact with destinations, yet the mechanisms through which these technologies drive tourist engagement remain insufficiently understood. This study examines the influence of AI and mobile applications on tourist engagement within the smart tourism ecosystem in Indonesia, while concurrently investigating the mediating roles of tourist satisfaction and technology trust, alongside the moderating effects of digital literacy, technology experience, and risk perception. A quantitative research design was employed, with primary data collected through a structured survey instrument administered to domestic and international tourists across selected smart tourism destinations in Indonesia. Hypothesised relationships were tested using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS), which is well-suited to the complexity of the proposed integrative model. The findings confirm that AI adoption and mobile application usage exert significant positive effects on tourist engagement. Tourist satisfaction and technology trust were validated as meaningful mediators, amplifying the relationship between technology utilization and engagement. Digital literacy and technology experience moderated this relationship positively, whereas risk perception exerted an attenuating effect, diminishing engagement levels among tourists with elevated risk concerns. These results underscore that tourist engagement in smart tourism contexts is shaped not solely by technological capabilities but equally by psychological dispositions and individual competencies. Theoretically, this study contributes an integrative framework that bridges technology adoption, consumer psychology, and smart tourism literature. Practically, the findings provide actionable guidance for destination management organizations and technology developers seeking to design more responsive, experience-centred digital tourism ecosystems. Future research is encouraged to replicate and extend the model across diverse tourism contexts and cultural settings.

Automated Canopy and Irrigation System for Efficient Plant Water Management Using Sensor-Based Technology

/in /by

This study presents the design, development, and evaluation of an Automated Smart Canopy and Irrigation System that integrates soil moisture, rainfall, and temperature/humidity sensors, along with a TTGO ESP32 microcontroller, to optimize small-scale plant water management. To coordinate irrigation and canopy actions, a retractable net canopy and an automated pump were controlled by threshold rules (soil moisture <30%, rain ≥80%, temperature ≥38°C). During prototype testing under dry, simulated rain, and heat scenarios, the system demonstrated reliable responses: soil-moisture control achieved 90% accuracy, while rain and temperature controls reached 100% in the tested simulations. Further analysis using a confusion matrix and standard performance metrics (precision, recall, F1) validated the system’s responsiveness and robustness. Taken together, these results indicate strong potential to reduce water waste and protect crops across variable Philippine climates, recommending further scaling, solar integration, and water-level sensing for field deployment.

Stability-Indicating HPLC Method for Simultaneous Estimation of Sofosbuvir and Ledipasvir

/in /by

The optimization of chromatographic conditions for the analysis of Ledipasvir and Sofosbuvir was successfully achieved using a Hibar C18(250×4.6mm)5µm column using 1% O-Phosphoric acid (pH 6.4): Acetonitrile (30:70 v/v) at a flow rate of 0.8 ml/min, ensuring excellent peak shape and resolution. System suitability tests confirmed compliance with essential parameters, including resolution, tailing factor, and theoretical plate count, ensuring reliability. The retention time of ledipasvir and sofosbuvir were found to be 7.1min and 3.7 min, respectively. During force degradation, drug product was exposed to hydrolysis (acid and base hydrolysis), oxidation, thermal degradation and photo degradation. Both the drugs were not degraded under thermal, oxidative, photolytic, acid and neutral hydrolytic conditions, but Sofosbuvir showed degradation under alkaine hydrolytic condition with a retention time 2.8 min and 4.1 min, respectively. The degraded products of Ledipasvir and Sofosbuvir were well resolved from the individual bulk drug response. The specificity of the method was confirmed by peak purity profile of the resolved peaks. In conclusion, the developed chromatographic method for Ledipasvir and Sofosbuvir is precise, accurate, linear, sensitive, and robust, making it suitable for routine pharmaceutical analysis and quality control. The validation results confirm compliance with regulatory standards, ensuring reliable identification and quantification of these antiviral drugs. Given its high stability and reproducibility, this method provides an efficient and dependable approach for analyzing Ledipasvir and Sofosbuvir in pharmaceutical formulations.

Evaluation in the Digitalization Implementation in the Sport Injury Therapy Service in Special Region of Yogyakarta

/in /by

This research aims to assess the outcomes of evaluating the context, input, process, and product of digitalization in sports injury therapy services in Special Region of Yogyakarta. This research employs the CIPP assessment model. The research participants included owners, managers, therapists, and patients at clinics in Special Region of Yogyakarta. The sampling method employed purposive sampling, with the criterion being the willingness to participate and complete questionnaires provided by the researchers. The data collection approaches included observation, interviews, questionnaires, and documentation procedures. This research included descriptive quantitative and descriptive qualitative analysis methodologies for data analysis. The success criterion employed intervals: 3.26-4.00 (Very Good), 2.51-3.25 (Good), 1.76-2.50 (Poor), and 1.75-1.00 (Very Poor). The findings indicate that the assessment of digitalization in sports injury therapy services in Special Region of Yogyakarta is at 3.10, categorized as good. The results derived from each evaluative component are as follows. Subsequently, each evaluative criterion is elucidated, specifically: The evaluation context of digitization in sports injury therapy services in Special Region of Yogyakarta is rated at 3.01, categorizing it as good. The input evaluation of digitalization in sports injury therapy services in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) is at 3.06, classified as satisfactory. The process evaluation of digitalization in sports injury therapy services in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) obtains a score of 2.20, classified as adequate. The assessment of digitalization in sports injury therapy services in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) obtains a score of 2.42, classified as adequate. The results indicate that, on average, each sports injury therapy clinic has adopted digitalization, albeit some have not executed it effectively.

The Role of Using Rubrics in TESOL Graduate Students’ Writing Performance at Kabul Education University

/in /by

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of using rubric by TESOL graduate students in their writing performance at Kabul Education University, identifying the effects of rubrics on their writing performance, their understanding and exposure to rubrics, and their attitudes and motivation toward the use of rubrics in writing. In this study, a quantitative survey design using questionnaire in Likert Scale format was employed. The participants for this study were 27 male students majoring in the TESOL graduate program at Kabul Education University who were selected purposively as they could provide the most useful and relevant information. For analyzing the data SPSS version 24 was used as statistical tool. The findings of this study revealed that TESOL students generally hold positive perceptions regarding the use of rubrics in writing. The study concludes that rubrics can be considered effective tools for improving students’ writing performance and supporting learning processes when used appropriately.

Lived Experiences of Selected Pioneer Senior High School Teachers in The Philippines

/in /by

 Using a modified Van Kaam method by Moustakas (1994), this study explored and described the lived experiences of the selected pioneer Senior High School teachers in the implementation of the Senior High School program in Surigao City Division, Caraga Region, Philippines. Ten informants were selected using purposive and criterion specifying as pioneer teachers at the senior high school. The emergent themes derived from the study are (1) 21st Century Skills-Based Instruction; (2) Inventiveness and Ingenuity; (3) Beyond Classroom Learning; (4) Competence and Readiness; and (5) Fulfilled Teaching Experience. The emergent themes explained how teachers have viewed the implementation, challenges, and success stories in the senior high school program. Undeniably, teachers’ lived experiences in the implementation of the senior high school program are fulfilling with commitment and passion to teach despite the challenges encountered. These challenges along the way have been addressed through the ingenuity and creativity of teachers like being resourceful in providing reference materials to learners. There may be lacking and inadequate learning facilities, but this does not hinder teachers from providing quality services to students.

Adapting the Five Pillars of Model Risk Management for Generative AI: The GEN-5 Validation Framework

/in /by

The emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems has expanded the boundaries of traditional model development and validation, introducing new dimensions of model risk. Existing Model Risk Management (MRM) standards such as SR 11-7 and SS1/23 remain foundational; however, their application must evolve to address the dynamic and context-dependent behaviour of Large Language Models (LLMs), Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architectures, and multi-agent environments. These systems pose novel and high-impact risks due to their generative nature, contextual variability, and ability to self-orchestrate actions. Ensuring that such models produce consistent, auditable, and risk-mitigated outcomes has become critical, yet validators face growing challenges in assessing conceptual soundness, monitoring reasoning reliability, and evaluating control effectiveness within existing MRM frameworks.

This paper proposes GEN-5, a five-pillar validation and assurance framework that adapts established Model Risk Management (MRM) principles to the unique behaviours and risks of Generative AI, RAG pipelines, and multi-component AI systems. GEN-5 provides a standardized template and actionable methodology for assessing conceptual soundness, performance accuracy, outcome reliability, control effectiveness, and continuous monitoring across AI-driven environments. It integrates both qualitative and quantitative evaluation techniques—including hallucination detection, prompt robustness, retrieval fidelity, semantic consistency, and reasoning stability—while emphasizing the essential role of governance, safety guardrails, and control assurance. By extending traditional MRM rigor to modern AI architectures, GEN-5 offers practitioners a policy-aligned, technically grounded approach for identifying, evaluating, and mitigating the novel risks introduced by Generative and enterprise-scale AI use cases.

Differentiated Instruction for Slow Learner Inclusion Students in English Language Teaching: Challenges and Opportunities

/in /by

Despite the growing recognition of differentiated instruction for diverse learners, its implementation for slow learner inclusion students in English language teaching within resource-constrained Indonesian schools remains underexplored. This study investigates the implementation of differentiated learning models for slow learner inclusion students at SMPN 1 Rembon, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, focusing on the challenges these students face and the impact of differentiated instruction on their learning motivation and competence. Employing a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews with nine slow learner inclusion students, two English teachers, and two homeroom teachers, complemented by classroom observations and document analysis. Thematic analysis was conducted within Miles and Huberman’s interactive framework. The findings revealed eight major challenges confronting slow learner inclusion students: negative emotional responses, perceived difficulty of English, comprehension failures, falling behind during instruction, need for extended learning time, vocabulary deficits, affective barriers, and environmental obstacles. Following differentiated learning implementation, four significant positive impacts emerged: improved comprehension and language skills demonstrated by increased ability in writing simple commands (from 20% to 75%), enhanced participation rates (from 75% to 85%), strengthened intrinsic motivation and self-confidence, and development of independent learning habits. Teachers identified five implementation challenges and employed eight effective strategies including content differentiation, discovery learning, parent collaboration, and individual learning plans. The study concludes that despite infrastructural and pedagogical constraints in peripheral educational settings, targeted differentiation strategies can substantially improve learning outcomes for slow learner inclusion students. These findings contribute original insights into differentiated instruction in the Indonesian ELT context, challenging the assumption that effective inclusion requires resource-intensive interventions while providing evidence-based recommendations for creating inclusive learning environments that advance educational equity in the Global South.