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Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have gained a lot of attention due to their high efficiency and low cost. In this research paper, a methylammonium tin iodide (CH3NH3SnI3) based solar cell was simulated using a one-dimensional solar cell capacitance simulation (SCAPS-1D) tool. The SCAPS-1D tool is based on Poisson and the semiconductor equations. After thorough investigation, the initial device presents the following parameters; power conversion efficiency (PCE)=15.315%, fill factor (FF)=64.580%, current density (Jsc)=29.152 mA/cm2, and open circuit voltage (Voc)=0.813 V. The effect of absorber and ETL thicknesses were explored systematically. The performance of the simulated device was significantly influenced by the thickness of the absorber and ETL. The optimized absorber thickness was 0.5 µm and the ETL thickness was 0.02 µm, giving rise to an optimized PCE of 15.411%, FF of 63.525%, Jsc of 29.812 mA/cm2, and Voc of 0.814 V. Additionally, the effect of temperature on the optimized device was evaluated and found that it affects the performance of the device. This model shows the prospect of CH3NH3SnI3 as a perovskite material to produce toxic-free environment-friendly solar cells with high efficiency.

Many nations have long been actively supporting the development of electric vehicles (EVs). The adoption of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) actions in that direction have been accelerated to ensure that the 24% of the CO2 emission of the transport sector is brought down to the barest minimum. The focus of this paper is on the necessary measures and effective ways of acquiring EV technologies for developing countries such as Nigeria. The steps needed towards the development of the EV sector in Nigeria and the research and development strategies needed to address the challenges facing Nigeria in its quest to build a formidable EV industry are x-rayed. Finally, the opportunity for energy diversification towards confronting the challenges occasioned by inadequate electricity supply and distribution on the EV value chain is identified and analysed with recommendations made on the way forward. Since the EV industry cannot be true of zero-emission until its source of electricity is of zero-emission, the inherent potentials of using renewable electricity in the form of hydrogen fuel cells and harnessing the potential for solar photovoltaics (PV) of about 210 GW and concentrated solar power of approximately 88.7 GW is highlighted and recommended for the evolving EV market in Nigeria.

The development of efficient metal doped semiconductors for Photovoltaic applications has gained a lot of research attention. In this present paper, pure and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)-modified TiO2 nanocrystals (NCs) with different amount of AgNPs (say 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 µL) were achieved and the effects of AgNPs on the TiO2 NCs were explored systematically. The optical, structural and morphological properties were probed using UV-visible spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results of the optical studies showed a characteristic peak of TiO2 and the redshifting of the peak position was observed by introducing AgNPs. The synergetic effects from AgNPs and TiO2 results to diminished band gap. The XRD result confirmed the formation of a tetragonal anatase TiO2 phase with a decrease in crystallite size with increasing AgNPs content. The SEM images show enhanced nucleation and film growth with presence of shining surface which can be seen to contribute to good photon management by enhancing light scattering. The unadulterated TiO2 and AgNPs-modified TiO2 have spherical morphology and uniform size distribution ranging from 20 to 30 nm. This study established the view that surface modification of TiO2 with AgNPs is a viable approach towards achieving an efficient light photocatalyst.

Perovskite solar cells have garnered significant attention from solar cell researchers due to their potential for achieving high efficiency, primarily attributed to their exceptional Electron Transport layer (ETL). One of the key elements of perovskite solar cells for transporting electrons to generate current is the ETL material. Moreover, there is a promising avenue for enhancing stability and reducing fabrication costs by substituting the transport layer. In this study, TiO2 and SnO2 were used as ETL materials in the architecture of perovskite solar cells for a comparative analysis between two devices featuring distinct structures: TiO2/CH3NH3PbI3/Spiro-OMeTAD and SnO2/CH3NH3PbI3/Spiro-OMeTAD. To evaluate the performance of each electron transport layer (ETL), the SCAPS 1D tool was employed. The investigation involved varying the thickness of the electron transport layers, interface defect density and working temperature, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of key parameters such as voltage at open circuit (Voc), short circuit current density (Jsc), fill factor (FF), and overall efficiency (PCE%). Remarkably, when employing SnO2 as the ETL, the achieved efficiency stands at 10.10 %. In contrast, utilizing TiO2 as the ETL yields a slightly higher efficiency of 12.84%. These findings underline the nuanced influence of transport layer materials on the overall performance of perovskite solar cells.

Background and Aim: One Health (OH) approach is crucial for the effective management of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and other public health threats. A meta-analysis was conducted to explore the benefits and challenges encountered in the practical implementation of multisectoral coordination in the fight against public health threats and to identify similarities between countries in the practical implementation of multisectoral coordination and cooperation across sectors in OH. Materials and Methods: To identify relevant studies published globally between 2010 and 2023, a literature search was conducted online using Google Scholar and PubMed search engines. Inclusion criteria were adopted based on key search terms “One Health,” “multisectoral coordination,” “One Health framework,” and related terms “multisectoral collaboration” and “multidisciplinary.” Unpublished manuscripts, dissertations, and conference reports were excluded from the review. A total of 307 articles were retrieved. Titles, abstracts, and keywords were screened for inclusion criteria. We extracted and analyzed 46 full-text articles published in English. Unpublished manuscripts, dissertations, and conference reports were excluded from the study. Results: This study found that most countries have similar challenges that hamper the coordination of OH activities implementation. Of the 46 articles reviewed, 69.6% (n = 32) focused on the benefits of adopting the OH approach and 73.9% (n = 34) focused on multisectoral coordination and collaboration among sectors. In addition, 58.7% (n = 27) of the articles indicated that governments need to invest more resources in OH implementation, and 50% (n = 23) proposed that policies, guidelines, and plans should be integrated to facilitate multisectoral coordination and collaboration. In addition to inadequate coordination and funding, other reported challenges were limited knowledge (34.8%) (n = 16) and inadequate resources (32.6%) (n = 15). In addition, 21.7% (n = 10) highlighted different sectoral priorities and interests as obstacles to effective coordination in the implementation of OH activities. Conclusion: Multisectoral coordination plays a key role in the effective management of public health threats through OH. The creation of mechanisms for regular communication, the promotion of mutual trust, and the strengthening of relations between sectors will enhance cooperation. The similarity in challenges across regions observed in this study calls for countries across regions to prioritize OH operationalization and collaboration among sectors, strengthen collaboration, and synergize activities to enhance future changes in the mitigation of public health threats.

The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT), marked by unprecedented growth in connected devices, has created an insatiable demand for supplementary computational and communication resources. The integration of Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) within IoT ecosystems presents a promising avenue to surmount these obstacles, offering enhanced network coverage, agile deployment capabilities, and efficient data gathering from geographically challenging locales. UAVs have been recognized as a compelling solution, offering extended coverage, flexibility, and reachability for IoT networks. Despite these benefits, UAV technology faces significant challenges, including limited energy resources, the necessity for adaptive responses to dynamic environments, and the imperative for autonomous operation to fulfill the evolving demands of IoT networks. In light of this, we introduce an innovative UAV-assisted data dissemination framework that aims to minimize the total energy expenditure, considering both the UAV and all spatially-distributed IoT devices. Our framework addresses three interconnected subproblems: device classification, device association, and path planning. For device classification, we employ two distinct types of deep reinforcement learning (DRL) agents—Double Deep Q-Network (DDQN) and Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO)—to classify devices into two tiers. To tackle device association, we propose an approach based on the nearest-neighbor heuristic to associate Tier 2 devices with a Tier 1 device. For path planning, we propose an approach that utilizes the Lin-Kernighan heuristic to plan the UAV’s path among the Tier 1 devices. We compare our method with three baseline approaches and demonstrate through simulation results that our approach significantly reduces energy consumption and offers a near-optimal solution in a fraction of the time required by brute force methods and ant colony heuristics. Consequently, our framework presents an efficient and practical alternative for energy-efficient data dissemination in UAV-assisted IoT networks.

Photovoltaic technology has been widely recognized as a means to advance green energy solutions in the sub-Saharan region. In the real-time operation of solar modules, temperature plays a crucial role, making it necessary to evaluate the thermal impact on the performance of the solar devices, especially in high-insolation environments. Hence, this paper investigates the effect of operating temperature on the performance of two types of organometallic halide perovskites (OHP) - formamidinium tin iodide (FASnI3) and methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3). The solar cells were evaluated under a typical Nigerian climate in two different cities before and after graphene passivation. Using a one-dimensional solar capacitance simulation software (SCAPS-1D) program, the simulation results show that graphene passivation improved the conversion efficiency of the solar cells by 0.51 % (FASnI3 device) and 3.11 % (MAPbI3 device). The presence of graphene played a vital role in resisting charge recombination and metal diffusion, which are responsible for the losses in OHP. Thermal analysis revealed that the MAPbI3 device exhibited an increased fill factor (FF) in the temperature range of 20–64 °C, increasing the power conversion efficiency (PCE). This ensured that the MAPbI3 solar cell performed better in the city and the season with harsher thermal conditions (Kaduna, dry season). Thus, MAPbI3 solar cells can thrive excellently in environments where the operating temperature is below 65 °C. Overall, this study shows that the application of OHP devices in sub-Saharan climatic conditions is empirically possible with the right material modification.

Abstract Citizen science projects are expanding globally, with the African continent, particularly Nigeria, registering significant growth. Here, we document and analyse novel operations of the Nigerian Bird Atlas Project (NIBAP), 2015–2022. This project has employed the use of ornithologists, mainly trained at the A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI) located in Jos, Nigeria, and its 28 bird clubs established across Nigeria to enlist 827 bird enthusiasts that contribute regular and near real‐time data about bird distribution and relative abundance in the country. Interestingly, NiBAP has recorded about 75% of the bird species known from Nigeria in only about 50% of Nigeria's total surface area, including 39 nationally threatened species. The Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus, Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis, and Grey‐backed Camaroptera Camaroptera brevicaudata were the most commonly recorded species, while Amurum Forest Reserve, Rennajj Fish Farm, and Obudu Cattle Ranch were the most surveyed sites during the period. Thus, our approach reveals how to increase involvement of nature enthusiasts, ornithologists, and a regional research institute to build local capacity and contribute rich information necessary to alleviate the lack of distributional data about Afrotropical avifauna. We strongly recommend our approach to boost other citizen science projects across Africa and beyond to address the huge lack of biodiversity data, create public awareness, and foster conservation education.

Telecommunications plays a crucial role in facilitating the transmission of voice, data, and multimedia over extended distances. This paper explores the significance of telecommunications, particularly in Nigeria, the largest ICT market in Africa, where telecom and internet usage hold substantial importance. However, the sector's heavy reliance on fossil fuels has resulted in environmental challenges. This research underscores the imperative to transition to clean energy sources, aligning with the commitment of the Nigerian Communications Commission. The paper presents a case study of a solar hybrid system designed to enhance Base Transceiver Station (BTS) coverage, emphasizing notable challenges such as elevated costs and the industry's familiarity with fossil fuels. The optimal power configuration for a BTS, as identified in the study, features a 16kW PV (photovoltaic) array, 14kW Diesel Generator (DG), 32kWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), and Utility, achieving the lowest Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) at $0.255/kWh. The production summary for the Solar PV array is 24,767 kWh/year (76%), the Diesel Generator is 1,250 kWh/year (4%), and the Utility is 6,503 kWh/year (20%). Consequently, the total estimated production is 32,520 kWh/year, constituting 100% of the energy requirement for the BTS. The study proposes solutions to challenges, including local clean energy component production, capacity building, and regulatory alignment. In conclusion, the adoption of clean energy is deemed essential for sustainability, with recommendations for policy adoption and efficient equipment utilisation.

Jamming attacks significantly degrade the performance of wireless communication systems and can lead to significant overhead in terms of re-transmissions and increased power consumption. Although different jamming techniques are discussed in the literature, numerous open-source implementations have used expensive equipment in the range of thousands of dollars, with the exception of a few. These implementations have also tended to be partial-band and do not cover the whole available bandwidth of the system under attack. In this work, we demonstrate that flexible, reliable, and low-priced software-defined radio (SDR) jamming is feasible by designing and implementing different types of jammers against IEEE 802.11n networks. First, to demonstrate the optimal jamming waveform, we present an analytical bit error rate expression of the system under attack by employing two common jamming waveforms: Gaussian noise and digitally modulated in an additive white Gaussian noise channel to obtain a lower bound performance. Then, we validated the finding obtained by the analysis via realistic end-to-end simulations using the MATLAB WLAN toolbox. Afterwards, we implement JamRF, a toolkit that employs a low-cost SDR to implement numerous types of jammers to further validate the analysis and simulation findings. The obtained results demonstrated that the Gaussian noise waveform outperformed the digitally modulated waveforms. Furthermore, in terms of jamming attack strategies, experimental results showed that to jam the whole 2.4GHz spectrum, a stateful-reactive jammer employing a random channel hopping jamming strategy achieves a packet loss ratio above 90%.

Abstract Background Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a major clinical problem in tertiary hospitals in Tanzania and jeopardizes the life of neonates in critical care units (CCUs). To better understand methods for prevention of MDR infections, this study aimed to determine, among other factors, the role of MDR-Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) contaminating neonatal cots and hands of mothers as possible role in transmission of bacteremia at Bugando Medical Centre (BMC), Mwanza, Tanzania. Methods This cross-sectional, hospital-based study was conducted among neonates and their mothers in a neonatal intensive care unit and a neonatology unit at BMC from December 2018 to April 2019. Blood specimens (n = 200) were sub-cultured on 5% sheep blood agar (SBA) and MacConkey agar (MCA) plates. Other specimens (200 neonatal rectal swabs, 200 maternal hand swabs and 200 neonatal cot swabs) were directly inoculated on MCA plates supplemented with 2 μg/ml cefotaxime (MCA-C) for screening of GNB resistant to third generation cephalosporins, r-3GCs. Conventional biochemical tests, Kirby-Bauer technique and resistance to cefoxitin 30 μg were used for identification of bacteria, antibiotic susceptibility testing and detection of MDR-GNB and screening of potential Amp-C beta lactamase producing GNB, respectively. Results The prevalence of culture confirmed bacteremia was 34.5% of which 85.5% were GNB. Fifty-five (93.2%) of GNB isolated from neonatal blood specimens were r-3GCs. On the other hand; 43% of neonates were colonized with GNB r-3GCs, 32% of cots were contaminated with GNB r-3GCs and 18.5% of hands of neonates’ mothers were contaminated with GNB r-3GCs. The prevalences of MDR-GNB isolated from blood culture and GNB r-3GCs isolated from neonatal colonization, cots and mothers’ hands were 96.6, 100, 100 and 94.6%, respectively. Significantly, cyanosis (OR[95%CI]: 3.13[1.51–6.51], p = 0.002), jaundice (OR[95%CI]: 2.10[1.07–4.14], p = 0.031), number of invasive devices (OR[95%CI]: 2.52[1.08–5.85], p = 0.031) and contaminated cot (OR[95%CI]: 2.39[1.26–4.55], p = 0.008) were associated with bacteremia due to GNB. Use of tap water only (OR[95%CI]: 2.12[0.88–5.09], p = 0.040) was protective for bacteremia due to GNB. Conclusion High prevalence of MDR-GNB bacteremia and intestinal colonization, and MDR-GNB contaminating cots and mothers’ hands was observed. Improved cots decontamination strategies is crucial to limit the spread of MDR-GNB. Further, clinical presentations and water use should be considered in administration of empirical therapy whilst awaiting culture results.

The existing methods of callose quantification include epifluorescence microscopy and fluorescence spectrophotometry of aniline blue-stained callose particles, immuno-fluorescence microscopy and indirect assessment of both callose synthase and β-(1,3)-glucanase enzyme activities. Some of these methods are laborious, time consuming, not callose-specific, biased and require high technical skills. Here, we describe a method of callose quantification based on Sandwich Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (S-ELISA). Tissue culture-derived banana plantlets were inoculated with Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum (Xcm) bacteria as a biotic stress factor inducing callose production. Banana leaf, pseudostem and corm tissue samples were collected at 14 days post-inoculation (dpi) for callose quantification. Callose levels were significantly different in banana tissues of Xcm-inoculated and control groups except in the pseudostems of both banana genotypes. The method described here could be applied for the quantification of callose in different plant species with satisfactory level of specificity to callose, and reproducibility. Additionally, the use of 96-well plate makes this method suitable for high throughput callose quantification studies with minimal sampling and analysis biases. We provide step-by-step detailed descriptions of the method.

Background: The burden of drug abuse is becoming a public health concern in Nigeria. Preventive measures should include identifying the root causes of the burden for targeted intervention. We, therefore, aim to conduct a scoping review of the literature to summarize the findings of epidemiological studies on drug abuse and provisions of drug laws in Nigeria. The review also provides appropriate recommendations as interventions for prevention.Methods: We conducted a systematic search of the literature on PubMed to identify information on drug abuse and drug laws in Nigeria from the inception of the database to March 2020. Additional information was retrieved from Google Scholar, a manual search of included articles, discussion with experts on the subject matter, and gray literature. Study selection was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statements. Information from gray literature was assessed for quality and accuracy using the AACODS checklist (authority, accuracy, coverage, objectively, date, significance).Results: The systematic search of the literature generated 253 studies. Nine articles were obtained from other sources. After the selection process, 23 eligible studies were included for review. A prevalence of 20–40% and 20.9% of drug abuse was reported among students and youths, respectively. Commonly abused drugs include cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine, heroin, diazepam, codeine, cough syrup and tramadol. Sources where abusers obtained drugs, were pharmacies/patent medicine shops, open drug markets, drug hawkers, fellow drug abusers, friends, and drug pushers. Drug abuse was common among undergraduates and secondary school students, youths, commercial bus drivers, farmers, and sex workers. Reason for use included to increase physical performance, stress and to derive pleasure. Poor socioeconomic factors and low educational background were the common risk factors associated with drug abuse. We identified several drug laws and policies that were established under government agencies such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and a Presidential Advisory Committee.Conclusion: Findings from epidemiological studies on drug abuse in Nigeria has demonstrated that the burden of drug abuse is still high despite the existing drug laws, policies, and strategies for prevention. Measures to reduce the burden should involve the community, government, and religious bodies. Preventive measures should target the youths, the students, identified sources of the drugs, reasons and risk factors associated with drug abuse in Nigeria.

The proportions and similarities of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing K. pneumoniae (ESBL-KP) and E. coli (ESBL-EC) carrying multiple ESBL genes is poorly known at our setting. This study investigated the existence of multiple ESBL genes (blaCTX-M, blaTEM, and blaSHV) among ESBL-KP and ESBL-EC concurrently isolated from clinical, colonization, and contamination samples from neonatology units in Mwanza-Tanzania. Twenty and 55 presumptive ESBL-EC and ESBL-KP, respectively, from a previous study archived at −80 °C were successfully recovered for this study. Isolates were screened and confirmed for production of ESBLs by phenotypic methods followed by multiplex PCR assay to determine ESBL genes. All (100%) and 97.3% of presumptive ESBL isolates were phenotypically confirmed by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and modified double-disc synergy methods, respectively. About 93.3% (70/75) of phenotypically confirmed ESBL isolates had at least one ESBL gene, whereby for 62.9% (44/70), all ESBL genes (blaCTX-M, blaTEM, and blaSHV) were detected. Eight pairs of ESBL bacteria show similar patterns of antibiotics susceptibility and ESBL genes. ESBL-KP and ESBL-EC, concurrently isolated from clinical, colonization and contamination samples, harbored multiple ESBL genes. Further, eight pairs of ESBL isolates had similar patterns of antibiotics susceptibility and ESBL genes, suggesting transmission of and/or sharing of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) among ESBL-KP and ESBL-EC.

This cross-sectional study was conducted between January and June 2020, in five large poultry slaughter slabs in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Purposive sampling was used to select broilers and spent layers, from which meat and cloaca swabs were collected to determine the occurrence of multidrug resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli. Identification of isolates was done using API 20E, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed as per CLSI (2018) guidelines. EBSL (CTX-M, TEM, SHV) and plasmid mediated quinolone (qnrA, qnrB, qnrS and aac(6′)-Ib-cr) were screened using PCR. Out of 384 samples, 212 (55.2%) were positive for E. coli, of which 147 (69.3%) were resistant to multiple drugs (MDR). Highest resistance was detected to tetracycline (91.9%), followed by sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (80.5%), ampicillin (70.9%), ciprofloxacin (40.2%) and 25% cefotaxime, gentamycin (10.8%) and imipenem (8.6%) (95% CI, p < 0.01). Out of the E. coli-positive samples, ten (10/212) (4.7%) were ESBL producing E. coli, of which CTX-M was detected in two isolates and quinolones resistant gene (qnrS) in eight, while TEM, SHV, qnrA, qnrB and aac(6′)-lb-cr were not detected. The high level of resistance and multidrug resistance imply these antibiotics are ineffective, add unnecessary cost to poultry farmers and certainly facilitate emergence and spread of resistance.

Background: Traditionally, grandmultiparity has been considered to be an obstetric risk to both the mother and the fetus. Cases of grandmultiparity are common in the developing countries, where compounding factors such as low socioeconomic levels, female illiteracy, social deprivation and lack of access to modern family planning services are common. Objectives: This study is aimed at determining the prevalence and socio-demographic characteristics of grandmultiparous(GMP) women and multiparous(MP) women, the complications they may have during labour and delivery. Study Design: A 5-year retrospective study from 1st September, 2007 to 31st August, 2012 in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano. All the grandmultiparous and multiparous women were included. The unbooked patient and patients who booked but did not deliver in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital were excluded from the study. Their records were collected from the labour ward and Patients' case files were retrieved, studied and recorded in a proforma. Data analysis was done using Epi info version 3.5 statistical software (CDC Atlanta,Georgia,USA) and proportions were compared using the Chi square test where applicable with level of significance considered at a P-value of

Electric energy which is placed on top of the energy stratification and its uses at home, industry, agriculture, and in transport is indispensable. Tariffs are ways in which electric utilities derive their income from customers through effective electricity bills. This paper examines and analyses the energy billing in a deregulated economy in terms of its benefits for sustainable development especially for its capacity in eliminating subsidies, improvement in public financing and sale of assets. It as well shows its improvement of macro performance in generation of energy, transmission and distribution system. Moreover, electric energy and billing are cost effective as well as competitive with improved service to consumers while at the same time encouraging private investment, lower consumers’ tariffs. various tariffs system such as flat demand rate, straight rate, block rate, Hopkinson rate, Doherty rate, Wright rate and further proposed two important tariffs demand rate known as Zarma, and Otokpa demand rate. Recommendations were made and finally conclusion were also made that energy is very sensitive to either remain in the hand of government or private alone. Both have a role to play collectively.

The objective of this paper is to examine the influence of poverty, unemployment and GDP on entrepreneurship. Time series data for 31 years was collected from various official sources for the analysis. Vector autoregressive (VAR) framework was adopted to systematically capture the rich dynamic of multiple time series. Other tests conducted were unit root test, Johansen and Juselius (1990) co-integration test, Granger causality and dynamic model analysis beyond the sample. It was found that poverty and GDP influence entrepreneurship negatively, while unemployment influences entrepreneurship positively. The paper reveals the presence of both opportunity and necessity driven entrepreneurs in the country. There is a need for the government to revisit the existing policy on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to adequately address the problem of the poor and unemployed by availing them with the opportunity to engage in entrepreneurship. Future study should consider mitigating the effect of frequent entry and exit from entrepreneurship in their data to correctly predict the effect of entrepreneurship on the economy.

Green roofs may be considered a passive energy saving technology that also offer benefits like environmental friendliness and enhancement of aesthetic and architectural qualities of buildings. This paper examines the energy and economic viability of the green roof technology in the hot humid climate of Saudi Arabia by considering a modern four bedroom residential building in the city of Dhahran as a case study. The base case and green roof modelling of the selected building has been developed with the help of DesignBuilder software. The base case model has been validated with the help of 3-month measured data about the energy consumption without a green roof installed. The result shows that the energy consumption for the base case is 169 kWh/m2 while the energy consumption due to the application of a green roof on the entire roof surface is 110 kWh/m2. For the three investigated green roof options, energy saving is found to be in the range of 24% to 35%. The economic evaluation based on the net present value (NPV) approach for 40 years with consideration to other environmental advantages indicates that the benefits of the green roof technology are realized towards the end of the life cycle of the building.

Contamination of currency notes by pathogenic microorganism is a public health concern. An improved understanding of the bacteriological quality of currencies would help us better understand the role of money as a medium of transmitting infections. This study investigates the bacteriological quality of Nigerian currencies circulating in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) in Kano metropolis. A total of 128 Naira note samples containing 16 pieces of each denomination of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 were aseptically collected from different cash units of the hospital and subjected to standard microbiological methods for the enumeration and isolation of bacteria. The susceptibility of the bacterial isolates to antibiotics was investigated using disk diffusion method. The mean aerobic mesophilic bacterial count of the currency notes range between 3.10 x104 cfu/mlto 5.25 x104 cfu/ml. Different bacterial species were isolated which include E. coli, Klebsiella spp, Staphylococcus aureus and Coagulase negative Staphylococci, with S. aureus having the highest frequency of occurrence of 37 (46.2 %). Findings of antibacterial susceptibility test indicated that100% of the isolated Gram negative bacteria were susceptible to Meropenem, followed by susceptibility to Gentamycin and Ciprofloxacin. However, the isolates were found to be highly resistant to Augmentin (55%) and Cefuroxime (32%). On other hand, the Gram positive bacterial isolates were highly susceptible to Erythromycin (84%), Gentamycin(83%), Clindamycin (79%),and Oxicillin (78%) while few of the isolate showed resistance to Penicillin(24%), Oxacillin (22%), and Clindamycin, (16%). The study reveals that currency notes in circulation at AKTH may serve as vehicles for the spread of disease causing organisms. Cashless transactions and use of hand sanitizers is therefore recommended to reduce the risk of infection.

BackgroundAccording to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, nurses will be the largest labor pool in the United States by 2022, and more than 1.1 million nursing positions have to be filled by then in order to avoid a nursing shortage. In addition, the incidence rate of musculoskeletal disorders in nurses is above average in comparison with other occupations. Robot-assisted health care has the potential to alleviate the nursing shortage by automating mundane and routine nursing tasks. Furthermore, robots in health care environments may assist with safe patient mobility and handling and may thereby reduce the likelihood of musculoskeletal disorders. ObjectiveThis pilot study investigates the perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness (acceptability) of a customized service robot as determined by nursing students (as proxies for nursing staff in health care environments). This service robot, referred to as the Adaptive Robotic Nurse Assistant (ARNA), was developed to enhance the productivity of nurses through cooperation during physical tasks (eg, patient walking, item fetching, object delivery) as well as nonphysical tasks (eg, patient observation and feedback). This pilot study evaluated the acceptability of ARNA to provide ambulatory assistance to patients. MethodsWe conducted a trial with 24 participants to collect data and address the following research question: Is the use of ARNA as an ambulatory assistive device for patients acceptable to nurses? The experiments were conducted in a simulated hospital environment. Nursing students (as proxies for nursing staff) were grouped in dyads, with one participant serving as a nurse and the other acting as a patient. Two questionnaires were developed and administrated to the participants based on the Technology Acceptance Model with respect to the two subscales of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use metrics. In order to evaluate the internal consistency/reliability of the questionnaires, we calculated Cronbach alpha coefficients. Furthermore, statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate the relation of each variable in the questionnaires with the overall perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use metrics. ResultsBoth Cronbach alpha values were acceptably high (.93 and .82 for perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use questionnaires, respectively), indicating high internal consistency of the questionnaires. The correlation between the variables and the overall perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use metrics was moderate. The average perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use metrics among the participants were 4.13 and 5.42, respectively, out of possible score of 7, indicating a higher-than-average acceptability of this service robot. ConclusionsThe results served to identify factors that could affect nurses’ acceptance of ARNA and aspects needing improvement (eg, flexibility, ease of operation, and autonomy level).

The existing energy ecosystem that sustains economic activity around the world is heavily dependent on coal, oil, and natural gas. In fact, all fossil fuels combined accounted for over 84 per cent of total global energy use in 2019. Reducing the carbon footprint of energy is a driving force in energy transitions. Hydrogen is an energy carrier that can transform the fossil-fuel dependent economy into a hydrogen economy, which can provide an emissions-free fuel. Among the key uses of hydrogen is that it can increase renewable electricity market growth potentials substantially and broaden the reach of renewable solutions. However, changing global energy dynamics mean that resource-holders cannot assume that their oil resources will translate into reliable future revenues. Accelerated energy transitions would result in lower demand and prices for hydrocarbons can cut sharply into future revenues. This provides the need for countries such as Nigeria to tap from the economic opportunities in hydrogen economy in the face of dwindling oil revenue. Energy transitions are opening up new opportunities for a different set of strategic resources. Nigeria is a home to many of the mineral resources that are critical in driving global energy transitions. The rising demand for the minerals that can support global energy transitions offers an opportunity for minerals-rich country like Nigeria. The country’s energy future is not doomed: many pathways are possible, but effective policy choices can guide the country to a more inclusive and sustainable energy future and accelerate its economic and industrial development.

The achievement of sustainable development goals by the Sub-Saharan Africa region depends on access to modern and efficient renewable energy technologies. The Sub-Saharan Africa Nations have been unsuccessful in fully utilizing renewable energy resources for sustainable development of the power sector. Also, developing countries in this region are susceptible to the negative health and environmental effects of fossil fuels. The goal of all countries is sustainable development of the power sector using renewable energy sources with zero greenhouse gas emissions. Though, there are a lot of problems that arise in efficient utilization of renewable energy sources in Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper studies challenges that hamper the power sector and identifies strategies for sustainable development of the power sectors in Sub-Saharan African countries. Achieving net-zero emissions is a critical cross-sector climate-action goal, yet a complex undertaking with many significant but surmountable obstacles by switching to clean energy sources, changing the way you travel, and reducing your consumption by recycling and reusing everything. In conclusion, the paper recommends the adoption of the 2050 Net Zero Agenda, local production of power plant components in Africa and the consideration of natural gas as a key transitional fuel due to its lower carbon footprint compared to other fossil fuels.

Precipitation has become a major topic of discussion in the subject of climate change. Studies have presented correlative relationships between climate change and the existing alterations in the global water cycle, leading to more extreme precipitation events, including both droughts and floods. This has shown severe impacts on agriculture, water resources, ozone levels, and human settlements. Accordingly, this study analyzes the trends in 40 years (1981-2020) of total monthly and annual precipitation data from six selected locations in Nigeria, using both the Mann-Kendall (MK) and new Sen's innovative trend analysis (ITA) method. The stations were chosen because of their close proximity to the Niger or Benue Rivers. The data were visually analyzed using boxplots to identify seasonal patterns and outliers, and the results of the MK test show that four of the six locations detected trends for annual and wet season precipitation variations. However, this was not applicable to dry season variations. The ITA test results show that only Kainji has an increasing trend in total annual and wet season precipitation, especially for high precipitation values, whereas other locations show decreasing trends for maximum precipitation values. A comparison of the two tests suggests that, the ITA test is more sensitive in detecting trends in precipitation data for the study locations. Overall, this study provides useful information for understanding the precipitation patterns in Nigeria, and can assist in planning and implementing appropriate water resource management strategies, with regards to the major rivers in the region.

The increasing global influence of FM in higher education institutions (HEIs) reported in the literature necessitates a comprehensive examination of the research landscape, with emphasis on how facility management (FM) plays a crucial role in enhancing the quality of teaching, learning, and research environments. This study provides an analysis of the research landscape of FM within HEIs. Using the PRISMA approach to analyze 428 documents from the Scopus™ database, this paper employs a combination of bibliometric analysis, systematic literature review, and meta-analysis to provide a comprehensive examination of FM research trends and key themes. This study reveals a significant increase in publications in the field of FM research over the past three decades, emphasizing its growing significance in fostering efficient and sustainable learning environments. The significant role of effective FM practices in enhancing student satisfaction, academic performance, and institutional reputation was emphasized. Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) (viz., thermal comfort, air quality, lighting, and acoustics) is crucial for the well-being and productivity of building occupants. The integration of FM with building information modeling (BIM), smart campus technologies, and sustainability initiatives has improved operational efficiency and environmental sustainability. This study underscores the importance of allocating resources for facility maintenance and professional services and implementing advanced technologies and sustainable practices in FM for HEIs to create a conducive academic environment. This study provides beneficial insights for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners aiming to increase FM in higher education.

The objective of this study is to examine the potential product yields and energy recovery of maize cobs (MC) through carbon dioxide-assisted torrefaction using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The CO2-assisted torrefaction of MC was performed from 240 °C to 300 °C (Δ 30 °C) for the residence time of 30 minutes based on the selected non-isothermal/isothermal heating program of the TGA. Furthermore, the physicochemical, microstructure and mineral characteristics of MC were examined. The results showed that the CO2-torrefaction of MC resulted in a mass loss (ML) ranging from 18.45% to 55.17%, which resulted in the mass yield (MY) ranging from 81.55% to 44.83%. The HHV of the solid product was in the range from 22.55 MJ/kg to 26 MJ/kg, which indicates the CO2-torrefaction process enhanced the energy content of MC by 40% – 60%. In conclusion, the findings showed that the CO2 torrefaction is a practical, sustainable, and cost-effective approach for the valorization of MC into a clean solid biofuel for enhanced energy recovery.

In this paper, a new derivative-free approach for solving nonlinear monotone system of equations with convex constraints is proposed. The search direction of the proposed algorithm is derived based on the modified scaled Davidon-Fletcher-Powell (DFP) updating formula in such a way that it is sufficiently descent. Under some mild assumptions, the search direction is shown to be bounded. Subsequently, the convergence result of the proposed method is established. The performance of the proposed algorithm on a collection of some test problems as well as signal recovery problems is demonstrated in comparison with some existing algorithms with similar characteristics. The results of the numerical experiments confirm the efficiency as well as the robustness of the proposed algorithm by comparing it with some existing methods in the literature.

Multivariate statistical models were utilized to identify the interaction between the inhibitory activity and the molecular properties of the different antimycotics against Microsporum canis. Information on the inhibitory potency against M. canis and molecular properties of antifungal agents were obtained from literature. The relationship between the inhibitory potency and the molecular properties of the different antimycotics against M. canis was established using multiple linear regression analysis (MLRA) and principal component analysis (PCA). Three major descriptors: topological polar surface area, molecular weight, and rotatable bond count of the antimycotics were identified to confer inhibitory action against M. canis using MLRA (r2 =0.8968, p

Abstract A 57‐year‐old man, with type 2 diabetes mellitus, was admitted with a hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, who developed in‐hospital venous thromboembolism with huge free‐floating right heart thrombus, and there is no available optimal treatment option for the huge free‐floating right heart thrombus, except anticoagulation with warfarin and low molecular weight heparin with successful outcome.

Introduction: Anti-snake venom (ASV) is the standard therapy for the management of snakebite envenoming (SBE). Therefore, the knowledge of ASV among healthcare practitioners (HCPs) is essential for achieving optimal clinical outcomes in snakebite management. This study aimed to assess knowledge of ASV among the HCPs in northern Nigeria. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving eligible HCPs from different healthcare settings in northern Nigeria. The participants were recruited into the study using a combination of online (via Google Form) and face-to-face paper-based survey methods. The ASV knowledge of the respondents was measured using a validated anti-snake venom knowledge assessment tool (AKAT). Inadequate overall knowledge of ASV was defined as scores of 0–69.9%, and 70–100% were considered adequate overall knowledge scores. The predictors of ASV knowledge were determined using multiple logistic regression. Results: Three hundred and thirty-one (331) eligible HCPs were included in the study analysis (310 from online and 21 from paper-based survey). Overall, an estimated 12.7% of the participants had adequate knowledge of ASV. Adequate ASV knowledge was higher among physicians compared with other HCPs (21.7%; χ 2 = 8.1; p = 0.04). Those without previous training on ASV (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.18–0.73; p = 0.004) and who have not previously administered/dispensed ASV (aOR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.15–0.63; p

Abstract Background Pulmonary nocardiosis mimic pulmonary tuberculosis in most clinical and radiological manifestations. In Tanzania, where tuberculosis is one of the major public health threat clinical impact of nocardiosis as the cause of the human disease remains unknown. The objective of the present study was to isolate and identify Nocardia isolates recovered from TB suspects in Northeastern, Tanzania by using biochemical and molecular methods. Methods The study involved 744 sputum samples collected from 372 TB suspects from four periphery diagnostic centers in Northeastern, Tanzania. Twenty patients were diagnosed as having presumptively Nocardia infections based on microscopic, cultural characteristics and biomèrieux ID 32C Yeast Identification system and confirmed using 16S rRNA and hsp65 gene specific primers for Nocardia species and sequencing. Results Biochemically, the majority of the isolates were N. asteroides (n = 8/20, 40%), N. brasiliensis (n = 4/20, 20%), N. farcinica (n = 3/20, 15%), N. nova (n = 1/20, 5%). Other aerobic actinomycetales included Streptomyces cyanescens (n = 2/20, 10%), Streptomyces griseus, Actinomadura madurae each (n = 1/20, 5%). Results of 16S rRNA and hsp65 sequencing were concordant in 15/17 (88. 2%) isolates and discordant in 2/17 (11.8%) isolates. Majority of the isolates belonged to N. cyriacigeorgica and N. farcinica, four (23.5%) each. Conclusions Our findings suggest that Nocardia species may be an important cause of pulmonary nocardiosis that is underdiagnosed or ignored. This underscores needs to consider pulmonary nocardiosis as a differential diagnosis when there is a failure of anti-TB therapy and as a possible cause of human infections.

Few studies have used crustal displacements sensed by the Global Positioning System (GPS) to assess the terrestrial water storage (TWS), which causes loadings. Furthermore, no study has investigated the feasibility of using GPS to image TWS over South America (SA), which contains the world’s driest (Atacama Desert) and wettest (Amazon Basin) regions. This work presents a resolution analysis of an inversion of GPS data over SA. Firstly, synthetic experiments were used to verify the spatial resolutions of GPS-imaged TWS and examine the resolving accuracies of the inversion based on checkerboard tests and closed-loop simulations using “TWS„ from the Noah-driven Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS-Noah). Secondly, observed radial displacements were used to image daily TWS. The inverted results of TWS at a resolution of 300 km present negligible errors, as shown by synthetic experiments involving 397 GPS stations across SA. However, as a result of missing daily observations, the actual daily number of available stations varied from 60–353, and only 6% of the daily GPS-imaged TWS agree with GLDAS-Noah TWS, which indicates a root-mean-squared error (RMSE) of less than 100 kg/m 2 . Nevertheless, the inversion shows agreement that is better than 0.50 and 61.58 kg/m 2 in terms of the correlation coefficient (Pearson) and RMSE, respectively, albeit at each GPS site.