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Millennium development goal target on infant mortality (MDG4) by 2015 would not be realised in some low-resource countries. This was in part due to unsustainable high-tech ideas that have been poorly executed. Prudent but high impact techniques could have been synthesised in these countries. A collaborative outreach was initiated to devise frugal measures that could reduce neonatal deaths in Nigeria. Prevailing issues of concern that could militate against neonatal survival within care centres were identified and remedies were proffered. These included application of (i) recycled incubator technology (RIT) as a measure of providing affordable incubator sufficiency, (ii) facility-based research groups, (iii) elective training courses for clinicians/nurses, (iv) independent local artisans on spare parts production, (v) power-banking and apnoea-monitoring schemes, and (v) 1/2 yearly failure-preventive maintenance and auditing system. Through a retrospective data analyses 4 outreach centres and one “control” were assessed. Average neonatal mortality of centres reduced from 254/1000 to 114/1000 whilst control remained at 250/1000. There was higher relative influx of incubator-dependent-neonates at outreach centres. It was found that 43% of mortality occurred within 48 hours of presentation (d48) and up to 92% of d48 were of very-low birth parameters. The RIT and associated concerns remedies have demonstrated the vital signs of efficiency that would have guaranteed MDG4 neonatal component in Nigeria.

Context. Oxidative products take part in various physiological processes and overproduction of oxidative products is involved in the etiology of many diseases. Objectives. We aimed to evaluate thiol-disulfide homeostasis (TDH); one of the oxidative stress parameters, in girls with premature thelarche (PT) and precocious puberty (PP). Design. This case-control study was conducted between January 2022 and July 2022. Subjects and Methods. TDH parameters, involving native thiol (NT), disulfide, and total thiol (TT), were evaluated in 39 girls with PT, 41 girls with PP and 46 healthy prepubertal girls. The correlations of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2) levels with the TDH parameters were determined and ROC curve analysis was performed. Results. NT, TT and NT/TT ratio were higher in the PT and PP groups compared to the control group (p<0.01). Disulfide/NT ratio and disulfide/TT ratio were lower in the PT and PP groups compared to the control group (p<0.05). All the TDH values did not statistically differ between the PP and PT group (p>0.05). There was a positive correlation between LH level, FSH level, and NT level, TT level, NT/TT ratio. The best parameter to discriminate PT or PT and control groups were NT and TT (p<0.01). Conclusion. TDH is altered in girls with PT and PP. NT and TT levels can be useful to discriminate prepubertal girls with lipomastia and girls with PP and PT in clinical practice. Further studies on larger cohorts of patients are required to clarify our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vegetarian diets have grown in popularity partly because they have been linked to numerous health benefits. They are typically high in fiber and antioxidants and low in cholesterol, potentially lowering the risk of chronic diseases. On the other hand, diets established on meat and its products play a significant role in increasing the incidence of non-communicable diseases owing to their increased calorie density and extra saturated fat. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 121 adults recruited purposively from two Seventh-day Adventist churches in the Ede South Local Government area of Osun State. Results: Most respondents (73.6 %) were non-vegetarian and 26.4% were vegetarian (65.6% semi-vegetarian, 25% lacto-ovo, and 9.4% vegans). Among the non-vegetarians, 4.0% were underweight, 42.0% were of normal weight, 44.0% were overweight, and 10.1 % were obese. Among Vegetarians, 56.3% and 43.7% were of normal weight and overweight, respectively. Conclusion: The prevalence of obesity among non-vegetarians was high, indicating the need for nutritional education intervention on the health benefits of a vegetarian diet.

ObjectivesTo assess diagnostic mycology capacity and available fungal diagnostic services of microbiology laboratories in eight tertiary hospitals in Nigeria and one in Ghana.MethodsOn-site audits were performed in the microbiology laboratories of nine tertiary hospitals using a structured observation checklist.ResultsA total of nine tertiary hospitals' laboratories in Nigeria and Ghana were assessed between June 2022 and December 2023. The majority of audited laboratories lacked basic infrastructure and materials needed for fungal diagnostic testing, with less than half of the labs having a dedicated mycology bench, space or room, 3/9 (33.3%), appropriate bench workflow 1/9 (11.1%), functional biosafety cabinet type two 2/9 (22.2%), dedicated incubators 3/9 (33.3%), standard operating procedures 1/9 (11.1%), mycology atlases 2/9 (22.2%). Trained laboratory personnel for mycology were also lacking with only one of the laboratories 1/9 (11.1%) observed to have a designated trained personnel for the mycology bench.ConclusionThe audit revealed deficits in basic infrastructure, material resources, dedicated human resources, and laboratory capacity to detect serious fungal infections.

An overview of recent history of Nigerian higher education chronicles periods of phenomenal expansion, economic downturn and retrenchment, monitoring of efficiency and academic standards, continued uncontrolled expansion in the absence of basic facilities, recently improved fiscal management, revival of student aid, and proposals for the opening of private universities. (Author/MSE)

Abstract Central nervous system (CNS) metastases can be seen at a rate of 30% in advanced stages for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Growing evidence indicates the predictive roles of driver gene mutations in the development of brain metastases (BM) in recent years, meaning that oncogene-driven NSCLC have a high incidence of BM at diagnosis. Today, 3rd generation targeted drugs with high intracranial efficacy, which can cross the blood–brain barrier, have made a positive contribution to survival for these patients with an increased propensity to BM. It is important to update the clinical and pathological factors reflected in the survival with real-life data. A multi-center, retrospective database of 306 patients diagnosed with driver mutant NSCLC and initially presented with BM between between November 2008 and September 2022 were analyzed. The median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 12.25 months (95% CI, 10–14.5). While 254 of the patients received tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), 51 patients received chemotherapy as first line treatment. The median intracranial PFS (iPFS) was 18.5 months (95% CI, 14.8–22.2). The median overall survival (OS) was 29 months (95% CI, 25.2–33.0). It was found that having 3 or less BM and absence of extracranial metastases were significantly associated with better mOS and iPFS. The relationship between the size of BM and survival was found to be non-significant. Among patients with advanced NSCLC with de novo BM carrying a driver mutation, long-term progression-free and overall survival can be achieved with the advent of targeted agents with high CNS efficacy with more conservative and localized radiotherapy modalities.

Background: This was a cross-sectional community-based survey to study the prevalence of serum antibodies against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 1 (SARS-COV-1) and determine possible source of antibodies as to whether from vaccination or from natural infection as well as attempt to compare antibody levels in response to the different four types of vaccines administered in Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional community-based study of the prevalence of serum antibodies against all four vaccine types used in Nigeria amongst a representative sample of people aged 18 years and above in the six geopolitical zones of the country using a multistage sampling technique covering 12 states of the country with two states being randomly selected from each geopolitical zone. High-throughput Roche electrochemiluminescence immunoassay system (Elecsys Anti-SARS-COV-1 Cobas) was used for qualitative and quantitative detection of antibodies to SARS-COV-1 in human plasma. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the proportions with seropositivity for both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated (P = 0.95). The nucleocapsid antibody (anti-Nc) titres were similar in both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated, whereas the Spike protein antibody (anti-S) titres were significantly higher amongst the vaccinated than amongst the unvaccinated. Antibody levels in subjects who received different vaccines were compared to provide information for policy. Conclusion: While only 45.9% of the subjects were reported to have been vaccinated, 98.7% of the subjects had had contact with the SARS-COV-1 as evidenced by the presence of nucleocapsid (NC) antibodies in their plasma. The 1.3% who had not been exposed to the virus, had spike protein antibodies which most likely resulted from vaccination in the absence of NC antibodies. Successive vaccination and booster doses either through heterogeneous or homologous vaccines increased antibody titres, and this stimulation of immune memory may offer greater protection against coronavirus disease 2019.

Use of high-image-density particle image velocimetry (PIV) allows characterization of the instantaneous structure of wake and wake-blade interactions in a simulated rotating machine. The distribution of vorticity over an entire plane within the pumping system is related to the instantaneous pressure source terms in the wake of the impeller. Comparison of instantaneous and ensemble-averaged vorticity contours shows that limited ensemble-averaging can produce a substantial reduction in vorticity levels associated with the instantaneous pressure source terms. When the wake from the impeller interacts with a stationary diffuser blade, the instantaneous processes of flow separation and reattachment can be effectively characterized using combinations of instantaneous streamline patterns and contours of constant vorticity. Moreover, active control of the inflow into the pumping system allows substantial modification of these vorticity distributions.

A unique, actively controlled pumping system allows independent control of inflow and impeller perturbations, as well as the phase shift between them. The basic configurations of an impeller and an impeller-diffuser blade system have been investigated with the objective of manipulating the spectral content of the unsteadiness of the near-wake at the impeller discharge. Substantial alteration of the discrete spectral components can be attained. A central feature is the generation of a number of nonlinear interaction components, corresponding to sum and difference frequencies, of the forcing- and blade passing-frequencies and their harmonics. With proper choice of perturbation conditions, it is possible to attenuate the inflow perturbation, as well as to alter the magnitudes of the blade passing component and its harmonics.

Abstract Objective The standard method of generating disorder‐specific disability scores has lay raters make rankings between pairs of disorders based on brief disorder vignettes. This method introduces bias due to differential rater knowledge of disorders and inability to disentangle the disability due to disorders from the disability due to comorbidities. Methods We propose an alternative, data‐driven, method of generating disorder‐specific disability scores that assesses disorders in a sample of individuals either from population medical registry data or population survey self‐reports and uses Generalized Random Forests (GRF) to predict global (rather than disorder‐specific) disability assessed by clinician ratings or by survey respondent self‐reports. This method also provides a principled basis for studying patterns and predictors of heterogeneity in disorder‐specific disability. We illustrate this method by analyzing data for 16 disorders assessed in the World Mental Health Surveys (n = 53,645). Results Adjustments for comorbidity decreased estimates of disorder‐specific disability substantially. Estimates were generally somewhat higher with GRF than conventional multivariable regression models. Heterogeneity was nonsignificant. Conclusions The results show clearly that the proposed approach is practical, and that adjustment is needed for comorbidities to obtain accurate estimates of disorder‐specific disability. Expansion to a wider range of disorders would likely find more evidence for heterogeneity.

Introduction: Resilience may be central to poststroke recovery. There is a knowledge gap on the predictors of resilience and its impact on mental health of Africans who survive a stroke. We describe the trajectory of psychological resilience and its association with depression and quality of life across the first poststroke year in Nigeria. Methods: Prospective observational study. Resilience was ascertained at 3 time-points prospectively over 12 months using the resilience scale. Depression and quality of life were also assessed at baseline and follow-up, respectively using centre for epidemiologic studies depression scale (CES-D 10) and health related quality of life in stroke patients (HRQOLISP-26). Trajectory was examined using the Greenhouse-Gaiser and Bonferoni corrected Analyses of variance. Associations were investigated using regression models and presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and wald test coefficients within 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Of 150 consenting stroke survivors, 132 (88%) could be assessed for resilience. Resilience scores improved across time points of measurement (F-test=23.516, p

In recent years, Mini/Micro UAVs have started to become a major concern and threat to the public, which made the need of detection and classification of them inevitable. Among all known detection techniques, one of the best reassuring and promising approach is utilizing the passive RF detection method. One of the major problems in this technique is detecting the threats in the presence of the other wireless interference signals like ISM Band Based or Spurious Signals. Proposed study handles this task using hybrid discrimination techniques both utilizing Signal Analysis/Decoding and Overlapping Signal Removal methods. In the first part of the technique, the captured signals are decoded to detect and get RF parameters of Wi-Fi signals and therefore the detected ones are removed from the corresponding spectrums in the time domain which prevents the miscalculation of the center frequency and bandwidth caused by overlapping Wi-Fi signals. In the second part of the technique, developed pulse on pulse (PoP) algorithms are employed in order to calculate more precisely the center frequency and bandwidth of the threat. Both methods developed on an SDR are experimented on both laboratory and field. By means of PoP Algorithms, the calculated deviation center frequency of the one of the Mini/Micro UAVs’ signal is improved from 103 ppm to 61.2 ppm in the presence of wideband overlapping spurious signals. The bandwidth correction is also achieved and makes the bandwidth to be calculated precisely. When Wi-Fi signals are decoded corresponding technique is applied additionally, in frequency domain, the center frequency estimation improved from 61.2 ppm to 28.5 ppm. These results show that the proposed method outperforms the results given in laboratory and field tests.

(Co25Cr15Fe20Ni40)83Al17 is a eutectic high entropy alloy (EHEA), which is composed of face centered cubic (FCC) and body centered cubic (BCC) phases. This dual (FCC+BCC) phase mixture provides good ductility and strength combination. In the scope of this study, it was aimed to analyze the effect of mechanical, thermal and thermomechanical processes on the microstructure and hardness of (Co25Cr15Fe20Ni40)83Al17 EHEA, which was produced by the vacuum arc melting and casting method. With this aim, cold and hot rolling as well as different annealing treatments were applied to the as-cast plates. The cold-rolling was performed at room temperature while the hot rolling temperature was varied in between 500-1000℃. The maximum deformation that can be applied was 50% and 60 % after cold and hot rolling, respectively. The limited deformability was attributed to the increased BCC/B2 content in the eutectic phase mixture with the applied deformation. The hardness was increased from 280 HV to 412 HV after 50% cold-rolling. A similar high hardness value (399 HV) was obtained after ~50% deformation at 750℃, indicating that the dynamic recrystallization had no significant effect up to 1000℃.