Table of Contents: Volume 16; Issue 12; December 2024

Aims: This study provides a high-level design and technical solution for comparing two PolicyPeriods in Guidewire PolicyCenter application and exposing the differences as a REST API service, The differences provide payloads containing diffItems and that can be sent to downstream system via KAFKA. It also addresses the Guidewire application Out-Of-The-Box limitation which is currently not offering this solution. This new solutioning framework is flexible, reusable, and scalable for various integrations in Guidewire InsuranceSuite products. Study Design: This study outlines the technical solution to address the limitations of Guidewire PolicyCenter’s OOTB Difftree functionality, and focusing on usability, Scalability , architectural design for exposing diffItems via REST APIs and KAFKA payloads. Place and Duration of Study: The analysis was performed between December 2023 and July 2024, based on real time project situations from an array of software development environments, project scenarios and feedback from customers. Methodology: The methodology laid out in this paper includes systematic approach to addressing the limitations of Guidewire PolicyCenter’s out-of-the-box Difftree functionality and outlines the technical solution designed to expose the Difftree functionality as a REST API Service and provide diffItemsJSON payloads through KAFKA messaging for downstream/external vendor systems. Results: The end results provide a sturdy, scalable, and high-performing framework for comparing PolicyPeriods, utilizing a REST API to provide diffItems and KAFKA to distribute payloads, this enhances the accessibility, usability, and efficiency of the Difftree functionality in Guidewire PolicyCenter, enabling seamless integration with external systems and addressing essential business needs. Conclusion: The study concludes that the Out-of-The-Box Difftree/DiffItems functionality in Guidewire PolicyCenter comes with significant limitations, such as being restricted to UI users, only comparing immediate predecessor PolicyPeriods,and being incapable of making the data usable by external systems or exposing the capability as a service. To overcome these challenges, a custom framework was developed that is flexible , scalable, and reusable.The proposed solution successfully exposes the Difftree functionalityas a REST API service to external systems with filtering capabilities and a KAFKA payload delivery mechanism that uses events to provide unfiltered diffItems to downstream systems.

The ichthyofauna, being all the fish of a watercourse, constitutes in particular a source of protein at reduced cost and of income for the riparian populations. However, human activities are becoming increasingly threatening to fish. The consequences of intensive catches, the use of chemical substances in agriculture, the destruction of forests and the introduction of new species of fish strongly disturb aquatic ecosystems and pose real threats of extinction to many species of fish. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of human activities on the fish species of the Makona River in the urban commune of Gueckédou and to propose corrective measures for an effective and sustainable management of resources. the following methodology was adopted: (1-Field survey, 2-Identification of wharves, 3-Inventory of human activities, 4-Inventory of ichthyofauna., 5- Identification of physical parameters, 6- Mapping of the study section of the river, 7- Evaluation of the impact of activities, 8- Proposals of corrective measures for sustainable management of resources. The freshwater ecosystems of Gueckédou are undergoing profound modifications by anthropogenic activities.

In order to improve scientific knowledge on this technology to promote its use, we conducted an experimental study of the metal pressure cooker insulated with kapok wool, a biodegradable plant fiber, to determine the energy performance. The equipment allows to finish cooking meals only thanks to the heat stored at the beginning of cooking and to keep the cooked dishes warm for long hours. The experiments carried out on energy savings when cooking some local dishes cooked only in water revealed about 70% savings in butane gas for cooking cowpea and white rice, 38% for cooking oily rice, 75% for pasta and couscous and 30% for cooking potato stew. The average cooking energy saving is around 39%. Finally, we completed these results with a technical, economic and environmental study that showed that a restaurant that adopted a pressure cooker had recouped its investment after only 7 months and made net profits of 131,818 CFA francs during the first year of use. If we consider all the restaurateurs in the city of Ouagadougou, the energy savings made would save approximately 12,691 hectares of forest/year and avoid importing nearly 2,824 tons of butane gas each year. These results demonstrate that this technology can help minimize energy consumption in the restaurant sector.

The diagnosis of Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis (CPA) is challenging and a high index of suspicion for CPA should be kept in mind in endemic areas of tuberculosis (TB) as the clinical features of both overlap. It can be life threatening if not intervened timely. We present a case of an elderly male; diabetic, alcoholic but reformed smoker and known case of treated pulmonary TB who developed CPA two years later. It’s emphasized that proper clinical examination, microbiological evidence, radiological findings, medical or surgical intervention if needed can reduce the case fatality rate.

Clostridioides difficile is the most important cause ofhealthcare-associated diarrhoea. The high incidence andrecurrence rates of C. difficile infection (CDI) is associatedwith high morbidity and mortality. Antibiotics targeting C.difficile bacteria are the first treatment choice. Recurrent CDIinfection is due to antibiotics which disrupt the indigenous gutflora there by creating an environment that is favourable for itsgrowth. Antibiotic-resistant strains of C. difficile, hasincreased the challenge of treating CDI . It has come among thefive emerging resistant threats. The evolution of antibioticresistance in C. difficile involves the acquizition of newresistance mechanisms, which can be shared among variousbacterial species and different C. difficile strains withinclinical and community settings. This review provides a summaryof commonly used diagnostic tests and antibiotic treatmentstrategies for CDI. It aims to enhance our current understandingand pinpoint knowledge gaps in antimicrobial resistancemechanisms in C. difficile, with an emphasis on CDI therapies.This can be associated with the appearance of hypervirulentepidemic isolates of ribotype 027. The aim of this review articleis to characterise C. difficile as a new member of the“superbug” family. Due to its worldwide spread, the lack ofmany treatment options and the high rates of both recurrence andmortality, C. difficile has emerged as a major concern for thehealthcare system

Background: Early Clinical Exposure (ECE) is an educational approach designed to integrate clinical practice with basic science teaching. In traditional medical education, the disconnect between preclinical knowledge and clinical application often hinders students’ understanding and motivation. Respiratory physiology, a critical subject in medical education, can be abstract and challenging without clinical context. This study evaluates ECE as a tool for teaching respiratory physiology to first-year MBBS students, focusing on its impact on learning outcomes and motivation. Aim and Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of ECE in improving the understanding and retention of respiratory physiology concepts among first-year MBBS students. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 100 first-year MBBS students divided into two groups. Group A received conventional lecture-based teaching, while Group B experienced ECE, including visits to the respiratory medicine ward and interactive learning on respiratory conditions like COPD and restrictive lung diseases. Students’ performance was evaluated using multiple-choice and short-answer questions. Statistical analysis, including the Student’s t-test, was performed to compare group outcomes. Results: ECE significantly improved academic performance in Group B, with higher mean scores (7.86 ± 1.36) compared to Group A (5.37 ± 1.87) in COPD assessments (p < 0.0001). In restrictive lung disease assessments, Group B also outperformed Group A (6.39 ± 1.15 vs. 5.48 ± 1.91, p = 0.005). Students in the ECE group reported enhanced understanding, motivation, and engagement. Conclusion: ECE effectively bridges the gap between theory and clinical practice, enhancing students’ comprehension and motivation in learning respiratory physiology. The findings support incorporating ECE into medical curricula as a complementary teaching strategy to improve educational outcomes.

For many years, the efforts of the public authorities in the Republic of Benin have focused on children's access to school; this, in line with the international commitments made by Benin at the Dakar Forum in 2000. In this sense, many barriers hindering children's access and participation in school have been removed. These measures, including free school fees, the creation and expansion of school canteens, have been beneficial in that they have opened up access to school to thousands of children who were initially deprived of it. This quantitative progress poorly conceals the difficulties encountered by the Beninese education system in general and primary education in particular despite the various policies to improve the quality of education undertaken in recent years and which include providing school textbooks to students, improving teacher qualifications through the reopening of Teacher Training Colleges (ENI), improving teaching processes, etc. In short, the annual results obtained are not up to the financial investments made by successive governments, supported by development partners. The Beninese education system still displays high repeat rates, despite the automatic transition policies initiated between primary school sub-cycles. This research therefore focuses on the issue of transforming education financial resources into results and, therefore, on the efficiency of public education spending given that Benin, a country registered with the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, has very limited financial resources. It aims to contribute to resolving an issue that is currently agitating the Beninese education community.

Science and technology innovation policies play a pivotal role in fostering economic and social development. The collective policies enacted by governments at different levels constitute a nation's innovation framework, yet comparative analyses of such policies across various levels of government remain limited. This study employs NVivo software to analyze the science and technology innovation policies embedded within government work reports from the central government, Shanxi Province, and Lvliang City from 2018 to 2022. The findings reveal a high degree of similarity between provincial and municipal policy texts, characterized by significant regional coordination. However, the connection between municipal policies and central government policies appears weaker. In terms of attention allocation, the central government places greater emphasis on talent attraction and cultivation, whereas local governments focus more on the functional roles of enterprises, showing noticeable deficiencies in supporting the innovation environment. Therefore, in local science and technology innovation governance, it is crucial to not only enhance regional coordination but also align with the central government’s macro-level deployment of various elements. This approach can prevent the neglect of critical factors, facilitate the synergy of innovation elements, and ultimately strengthen innovation capacity.

The experiment to investigate the success percentage of grafting in eleven mango varieties on local rootstock was conducted with randomized block design with three replications at Tansa farm of ASPEE, Agricultural Research and Development Foundation, Maharashtra in Israel and Indian varieties in August 2024. The results of the investigation clearly showed that the highest grafting success percentage was received in Israel and Indian varieties like Lilly, Tommy Atkins, Kent, Amrapali, Hapus, Rajapuri, Kesar and Baramashi scion varieties under stone grafting, with the lowest in Totapuri variety.

This article explores the problem of violence in the school environment and examines the contribution of Physical and Sports Education (PSE) to its prevention, focusing particularly on the Senegalese context. It aims to shed light on how PE, as perceived by teachers, goes beyond its formal role of teaching sports practices to become an educational discipline that fosters the acquisition of social reference values and the promotion of a peaceful school climate. The study targeted PE teachers in Dakar-Plateau high schools, chosen for their role and expertise in the education system. A purposive sample of 30 teachers was selected. A survey questionnaire and a semi-directive interview guide were used to collect data, which were then processed using SPSS and NVivo software for in-depth statistical and qualitative analysis. The results reveal that the causes of violence in schools include inadequate family education, overcrowded classrooms, sometimes lax application of sanctions and authoritarian attitudes adopted by some teachers. Suggested preventive strategies include activities favoring wellbeing, inclusive management and the integration of social rules of reference into PE sessions. Ultimately, the study indicates that this discipline, through its educational and social dimensions, constitutes an important tool in the prevention of school violence, by promoting appropriate behavior and reinforcing social cohesion within the school.

Physical education is a compulsory subject in middle and secondary schools. Its teaching still faces a number of difficulties, particularly where team sports are concerned. The problem of teaching team sports is analyzed here using the example of basketball as the subject of study, using a methodology based on surveys of teachers and observation of PE sessions. The results of the field survey reveal that the teaching of team sports in general and basketball in particular is faced with a number of problems, including the lack of teaching aids, which is not conducive to the smooth running of the teaching-learning process, and overcrowding, which affects the quality of pupil supervision, inadequate timetabling in the context of large classes, the pedagogical problem posed by the non- existence or poor condition of sports facilities, the thorny issue of assessment and the shortage of teachers to meet the needs of the field.

Depuis 2013, l’organisation du pèlerinage au Burkina Faso est assurée par les agences de voyage agréés et coordonnée par le ministère en charge des questions religieuses. Chaque année, ces différentes structures font des efforts pour fournir des services de qualité aux pèlerins. Malgré ces efforts, de nombreuses plaintes sont exprimées par ces derniers. Uneétude a été menée pour documenter ces plaintes. Elle a eu pour objectif principal d’évaluer l’organisation du pèlerinage en examinant le niveau de satisfaction des pèlerins de l’édition 2023sur les différents aspects du déroulement de ce 5e pilier de l’islam. Après une revue documentaire, un questionnaire et des guides d’entretiens ont été élaborés pour collecter les données auprès des pèlerins, des responsables d’agences de voyages et des membres du Comité national de suivi du pèlerinage. Les résultats font ressortir des insuffisances dans la quasi-totalité des composantes de l’organisation du pèlerinage 2023. L’étude révèle que près du quart des pèlerins (24,5%) n’est pas satisfait de l’organisation du hajj 2023. Les aspects de l’organisation les plus importants à améliorer sont entre autres l’enregistrement des pèlerins sur la plateforme et l’octroi de visa, la vaccination, la formation, l’hébergement, le transport interne, l’encadrement, l’hygiène et la restauration à Mina.