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Background: Chemical pleurodesis using tetracycline is an acceptable and commonly employed palliation for malignant pleural effusion. Rotation of patient during pleurodesis using the powder from tetracycline capsule is still practised in some centres and is undoubtedly associated with additional stress on the patients. The practice of rotation can only be eliminated after a properly designed study on the outcome of pleurodesis with rotation and non-rotation would fail to show benefit of rotation. Objective: To determine the association between patients positioning and the outcome of tetracycline pleurodesis in patients with malignant pleural effusion. Patients and methods: It is a prospective randomized study involving adults patients with cytologically proven malignant pleural effusion. Patients were randomized into 2 groups (rotation and supine) using alternate sampling technique. Tube thoracostomy was done and tetracycline pleurodesis using 2g of powder from tetracycline capsule via slurry instillation method was carried out. The outcome of the pleurodesis was assessed with a chest radiograph on the 30th day after removal of chest tube. Results: There were 51 patients studied with malignant pleural effusion. These consisted of 12 males (23.5%) and 39 females (76.5%). Twenty-five patients (49.0%) were rotated in the study while 26 patients (51.0%) were on supine position. A total of 30 patients (58.8%) achieved complete response, 16 patients (31.4%) achieved partial response while 5 patients (9.8%) had failed response. The study also showed that in the rotated group, 23 patients (92%) had successful response and 23 patients (88.5%) in the supine group also achieved successful response (P = 0.175); there was no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: This study showed that, though the powder from tetracycline capsule is only slightly soluble in water, it gives a good and similar successful outcome in both arms of the study. This implies that positioning of patient during pleurodesis plays no significant role in the outcome of tetracycline pleurodesis using the powder from tetracycline capsule.

The research on the effect of seed positions within the pod on some growth indices of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook F.) was conducted at the Western Farm of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture during 2019 and 2020 cropping seasons. It was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated three times. The treatments comprised the seed positions of distal position, middle position and proximal position. Results of the research showed that fluted pumpkin stands with the longest vines of 4.72 and 5.89 cm; highest number of leaves of 48.77 and 44.29 as well as highest germination percentage of 35.25 and 35.00% in 2019 and 2020 cropping seasons were recorded by seeds located within the distal position of the pod. Similarly, days to 50% flowering of 75.50% and 76.00% in both cropping seasons revealed that seeds within the proximal position produced stands that gave early flowers over distal and middle positions which recorded late flowering. From the results therefore, seeds within the distal positions of fluted pumpkin pod gave stands with improved growth indices and are therefore recommended for the cultivation of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook. F.).

Structural lineaments of Southeast Nigeria were delineated using high-resolution aeromagnetic data. Advanced methods such as enhanced horizontal gradient amplitude (EHGA) involving a 3D model and tilt depth method (TDM) were used in this study. The simulated magnetic model involving the EHGA detector positioned peaks over source borders and created sharp and clear edges for magnetic sources. The TDM is a cutting-edge depth determination method revealing the depth of the contacts and thickness of sedimentary bodies that vary from ∼500 to ∼2,500 m and ∼3,000 to ∼5,000 m, respectively. Lineaments of the study area were extracted from the EHGA map. The structural map showed the dominance of short-ranged (∼0.29 to ∼1.48 km) linear magnetic anomalies. In addition, regional geologic structures (∼2.8 to ∼24.5 km) occur at the western flank of the study area. In general, these structures trend in the NE–SW, NNE–SSW, N–S, E–W, and NW–SE directions. They are indicators of subsurface faults, contacts, and tectonic structures of the thermo-tectonic events associated with Santonian Abakaliki Anticlinorium, Tertiary-Recent Ikom-Mamfe Rift, and structural deformations of the basement rocks associated with the Oban Massif.

Currently, the whole world is confronted with a geometric increase in the human population without a corresponding increase in the agricultural land resource to meet the human demands for food and clothing which are primarily sourced from agricultural industry. Therefore, it is needful for every country to search the importance of agroforestry and make haste to adopt it as it is the only option and panacea with which to combat the world ever increasing human population with limited and dwindling agricultural land resource. Agroforestry is more intentional, intensive, interactive and integrated than agriculture per se. Improved agro-forestry practice is eco-friendly, job creative and lucrative. It also promotes wider biodiversity and high yields of crops and livestock through proper soil management. Agroforestry is a multidisciplinary science encompassing agronomy, physiology, horticulture, apiculture, soil management, ecology, agrisilviculture, silvopasture, agrosilvopasture, and apisilvoculture have made it more comprehensive than other farming systems. The most glaring importance of agroforestry is centered on its ability to adapt to climate change, especially now it has become a case study in the world as its adverse effects on both living and non-living things cannot be neglected. So, this review paper is aimed at sensitizing and encouraging worldwide farmers and non-farmers to adopt the modern agro-forestry practices as improved means for promoting food security and checking deforestation with its associated adverse effects in the world. However, there are numerous challenges confronting the establishment of agroforestry and basically among them are - scarcity of land, improved seeds/seedlings, and conservative attitudes of the farmers.

Background: Despite the end of apartheid in South Africa in 1994, most black schools in the country still embrace coloniality through policies and practices. This leads to disempowerment, loss of identity, inequalities and inferiority in the learners, which are nurtured till their adulthood. It is therefore important to decolonise the inherited curriculum and recognise African identity, culture and system as valuable for Africans. Aim: This article aims to explore coloniality within the primary school education system in South Africa and aims to motivate curriculum transformation that will divest coloniality in Africa. Setting: This article centres around South African Primary schools. Methods: This article employs a desktop approach and a systematic literature review. To collect the data, the study selected articles from different search engines such as EBSCO, Science Direct and Google Scholar. This enables the synthetisation of previous works to provide knowledge on the topic. The decoloniality theory underpins the study. Results: Primary school education in South Africa is influenced by coloniality; hence, there is a need for transformation. Conclusion: The primary school curriculum in South Africa needs to be revised in a decolonised manner to suit a multi-racial or ethnic South Africa for the realisation of an equitable and just future for Africans. Contribution: This article provides knowledge about coloniality within the context of primary schools in South Africa and further recommends curriculum transformation to a truly African manner. It thus aligns with the journal's theme and scope, which is the interrogation of coloniality in South African primary schools.

Background: A spectrum of cardiovascular pathologies occurs in patients with COVID-19 and increases the risk of mortality. Risk of mortality is also heightened in cardiovascular disease patients who contact COVID-19. Methodology: Online search for the keywords in PubMed, Medline, Embase, Google scholar was done. Relevant research articles yielded from the searches were reviewed. Results: the searches yielded a total of 172 results, out of which 111 were reviewed. Cardiac involvement was found in 70.6% COVID-19 patients: tachycardia (19%), electrocardiography abnormalities (22%), echocardiography abnormalities (57%), elevated myocardial enzymes (53%), and acute cardiac injury (9%). Eight percent of patients with acute cardiac injury were aged >60 years; 87.5% of them had ≥2 underlying comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic kidney disease). Novel coronavirus pneumonia was much more severe in the patients with acute cardiac injury than in patients with non-definite acute cardiac injury (P

Frontline workers who offered essential services in different industries during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic faced enormous challenges. This study presents the outcome of a survey that investigates employees' sentiments, perceptions, and ergonomics in early childhood education while weathering the pandemic storms during in-person opening amidst the global health crisis. The results show that employees faced increased workload, psychological burden, and heightened uncertainty about health and social life as the pandemic raged. The teaching and non-teaching staff attributed the increased workload to additional paperwork requirements and worker shortages due to quarantine and self-isolation. Public health safety became a priority at the preschool to keep the students, staff, and their families safe. Despite the uncertain future, employees were resolute about career choices in early childhood education. The 'family advocacy' services, a unit that liaises with families to improve kids' learning outcomes, utilized virtual communication technology during the pandemic (e.g. Zoom and Microsoft Teams) to limit physical contact, which produced positive results, including significant improvement in productivity, performance efficiency, and quality. Most workers remained hopeful about overcoming the prevailing workplace challenges caused by the pandemic.

Reproductive interconception care provided at maternal postpartum visits may help reduce unintended pregnancies and elongate birth intervals for women experiencing homelessness. To improve interconception care uptake, this qualitative study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to reproductive interconception care from the perspectives of women who were recently pregnant and homeless. A semi-structured interview guide and demographic survey were developed based on epidemiological findings, Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skill framework components, and a review by community health workers for content validity. After conducting 12 interviews with women recently pregnant and homeless in a local continuum of care in 2022, audio-recorded interviews were transcribed, iteratively coded using a priori and emerging codes, and thematically analyzed. Key themes were identified to determine implications and next steps to improving reproductive interconception care uptake. Interrelated themes focused on information (e.g., knowledge and misconceptions about pregnancy, birth intervals, contraception), motivation (e.g., attitudes about interconception care experiences, perinatal social influences), behavioral skills (e.g., objective ability to obtain interconception care and perceived self-efficacy related to attending maternal postpartum visits and increasing birth intervals), and macro-level factors (e.g., obtaining housing, contextualizing socioeconomic factors, navigating COVID-19). The findings suggest the need for flexible, streamlined, and personalized interconception care delivery that acknowledges pressing housing and relationship considerations and supports women's autonomy. Improvements to reproductive interconception care may reduce future unintended pregnancies, increase birth intervals, and improve birth outcomes among women experiencing homelessness.