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This paper is aimed at investigating the mechanical properties of spark plasma sintered alumina (Al2O3) reinforced with tungsten-carbide-cobalt (WC-12wt%Co). Pure Al2O3 and admixed-Al2O3 powders were sintered using spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique at a temperature of 1800°C, heating and cooling rates of 100 °C/min and 200 °C/min, a pressure of 48 MPa in an argon atmosphere. The density, hardness (HV) and indentation fracture toughness (KIC) of the sintered samples were measured and compared. Between 9 and 17% increase was observed in the HV values of the additives, while the KIC value recorded an increase between 17 and 63% for all the additive as compared to pure Al. Phase analysis and identification was carried out with X-ray diffraction and microstructure was taken with scanning electron microscope. The results obtained showed the samples potential for cutting tool applications.

The histology of the testis and sperm parameters of Wistar rats was investigated with a view to determining the potential of Ficus thonningii ethanol leaf extract in correcting the testicular damage caused by high dosage of Amlodipine. Five groups of Wistar rats were used for the study. They included, the control that received sterile water (vehicle), 0.2 ml/ 100 g rat; a drug-only group which received a dosage of 0.07 mg/kg, p.o.; a drug and low dose extract group that received 0.07 mg/kg, p.o. and extract of 300 mg/kg, p.o.; a drug and high dose extract group that received 0.07 mg/kg, p.o. and extract of 400 mg/kg, p.o.; and an extract-only group which received 300 mg/kg, p.o. of extract, all for a duration of 64 days (8 weeks). The values obtained from the control and treatment groups were compared statistically using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results showed a statistically significant (p

Abstract Anaerobic ammon ium oxidizing (anammox) bacteria oxidize ammonium and reduce nitrite, producing N2, and could play a major role in energy-optimized wastewater treatment. However, sensitivity to various environmental conditions and slow growth currently hinder their wide application. Here, we attempted to determine online the effect of environmental stresses on anammox bacteria by using an overnight batch activity test with whole cells, in which anammox activity was calculated by quantifying N2 production via headspace-pressure monitoring. A planktonic mixed culture dominated by “Candidatus Kuenenia stuttgartiensis” strain CSTR1 was cultivated in a 30-L semi-continuous stirring tank reactor. In overnight resting-cell anammox activity tests, oxygen caused strong inhibition of anammox activity, which was reversed by sodium sulfite (30 µM). The tested antibiotics sulfamethoxazole, kanamycin, and ciprofloxacin elicited their effect on a dose-dependent manner; however, strain CSTR1 was highly resistant to sulfamethoxazole. Anammox activity was improved by activated carbon and Fe2O3. Protein expression analysis from resting cells after anammox activity stimulation revealed that NapC/NirT family cytochrome c (KsCSTR_12840), hydrazine synthase, hydrazine dehydrogenase, hydroxylamine oxidase, and nitrate:nitrite oxidoreductase were upregulated, while a putative hydroxylamine oxidoreductase HAO (KsCSTR_49490) was downregulated. These findings contribute to the growing knowledge on anammox bacteria physiology, eventually leading to the control of anammox bacteria growth and activity in real-world application. Key Points • Sulfite additions can reverse oxygen inhibition of the anammox process • Anammox activity was improved by activated carbon and ferric oxide • Sulfamethoxazole marginally affected anammox activity Graphical abstract

Many researchers have used different auxiliary parameters such as coefficient of variation, coefficient of kurtosis, coefficient of skewness, quartiles, deciles etc., to improve the precision of estimators under various sampling schemes. This paper suggested a class of ratio estimators with two known auxiliary variable parameters for the estimation of population means under a simple random sample without replacement (SRSWOR) using the calibration weighting method. The calibrated weight was obtained using a new calibration constraint, which includes the known standard deviation of the auxiliary variable. The biases and mean square errors of the proposed estimators were derived and compared with the biases and mean square errors of the existing modified ratio estimators in Upadhyaya & Singh [1], Singh [2], Lu & Yan [3], and Yan & Tian [4]. Furthermore, we derived the condition for which the proposed estimators perform better than the existing estimators. The results from using real data sets showed that the suggested estimators perform better than the existing ratio estimators.

This study investigated the catalytic effect of thermal modified empty palm fruit bunch ash (TAEPFBA) on the transesterification reaction of Africa pear seed oil (APSO) with optimization of the process variable, and relative contribution of each variable ascertained. The TAEPFBA was synthesized from empty palm fruit bunches while the APSO was extracted via solvent extraction. The oil and catalyst were characterized using American Standard for Testing of Material (ASTM) and analytical tools. The biodiesel was produced at optimal condition and the yield of biodiesel was predicted with artificial neural network (ANN). The methyl ester produced was characterized and compared with standard properties for its application. The results showed that the oil and catalyst had comparable properties with other oils and catalysts that have been used for transesterification. The optimal conditions for transesterification reaction are temperature of 60oC, reaction time of 3hrs, 10:1 methanol/oil molar ratio, 3wt % catalyst dosage and agitation speed of 300rpm with biodiesel yield of 75%. The biodiesel produced was within the acceptable standard. The ANN predicted the yield of biodiesel with a mean square error (MSE) value of 0.0214 less than 0.05 level of significant. The contributive impact of each process variable shows that the temperature has the highest relative impact on the yield of biodiesel while the methanol/oil molar ratio has the least contribution The overall result shows that the catalyst (TAEPFBA) has the potential to convert the APSO to alkyl ester and the yield can be predicted with ANN tool.

Stable isotope ratios (isotope values) of surface water reflect hydrological pathways, mixing processes, and atmospheric exchange within catchments. Development of maps of surface water isotope values (isoscapes) is limited by methods to interpolate point measures across river networks. Catchment attributes that alter surface water isotope values affect downstream river reaches via flow, but some attributes such as artificial dams are no more likely to affect nearby unconnected catchments than distant ones. Hence, simple distance-based geospatial and statistical interpolation methods used to develop isoscapes for precipitation and terrestrial systems are less appropriate for river networks. We used a water-balance-based method to map long-term average δ2H and δ18O for New Zealand rivers, incorporating corrections using catchment environmental predictors. Inputs to the model are national rainfall precipitation isoscapes, a digital elevation layer, a national river water isotope monitoring dataset (3 years of monthly sampling at 58 sites), and river environmental databases covering around 600 000 reaches and over 400 000 km of rivers. Much of the spatial variability in δ2H and δ18O of New Zealand river water was explained using the initial combination of precipitation isoscapes and a simple water balance model. δ2H and δ18O isoscapes produced by subsequently applying residuals from the water balance model as a correction factor across the river network using regression kriging showed improved fits to the validation data compared to the correction using ordinary kriging. Predictors of high importance in the regression included upstream lake and wetland area, which was not strongly spatially autocorrelated nationally. Hence, additional hydrological process information such as evaporation effects can be incorporated into river isoscapes using regression kriging of residuals. The resulting isoscapes have potential applications in ecological, hydrological, and provenance studies that consider differences between surface water isotope values and those of other components of the hydrological cycle (e.g. subsurface runoff or local precipitation).

The COVID-19 pandemic breakout affected every population and the agricultural sector in Nigeria was not spared from the pandemic. This was due to restrictions on mobility, interaction of people and reduced purchasing power of people. The demand and supply of the agricultural produce internally and externally were affected due to the measures adopted to contain the spread of the virus. Farmers were finding it difficult to obtain farm inputs like seedlings, fertilizers, herbicides etc. The pandemic caused the abundance and availability of these products, making it difficult for farmers to make profit. The paper examined the economic wellbeing of 400 smallholder farmers before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using descriptive statistics and regression. The result from the research indicated that COVID-19 had a positive relationship with monthly farm expenditure, monthly food expenditure, monthly utility expenditure, number of farm visits, cost of fertilizer, number of food consumption per day, quantity of produce harvested, number of farm land cultivated and number of days spent on the farm. Monthly health expenditure, family allowances and cost of transportation were negatively related with the COVID-19 pandemic. In general, there was a significant difference between the economic wellbeing of farming household before and during the covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

This paper examined the effect of regulatory penalties on financial performance of quoted industrial goods firm in Nigeria. The study specifically examined the effect of litigation infraction charges, corporate Governance infraction charges and operational Non-Compliance charges on the profit for the year of quoted industrial goods firms. Data for the study were sourced through the annual reports and accounts of First Aluminium Nig Plc, Beta Glass and Dangote Cement Plc. The collected data was analysed using multiple regression analysis. Result of the analysis revealed that litigation infraction charges (LIC) have a positive and significant effect on profit for the year (PFTY) of Quoted industrial goods firms. The study further shows that corporate Governance infraction charges has a positive and significant effect on profit for the year (PFTY) of quoted industrial goods firms. The research equally revealed that operational Non-Compliance charges (ONCC) has a negative and non- significant effect on profit for the year (PFTY) of quoted industrial goods firms. Based on the findings, the study recommended among others that quoted firms should sensitize all their employees on the cumulative effect of operational non-Compliance charges (ONC) on the firms’ performance (PFTY).

Background: Numerous studies have reported a relationship between human immune deficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency virus (AIDS) and auditory functions. There is a dearth of information on the prevalence of hearing loss among newly diagnosed HAART naïve adult patients. Aim: This study therefore provides baseline information on the prevalence of hearing loss among newly diagnosed HAART naïve adult patients in Port Harcourt and serves as a reference for the role of HAART in HIV related hearing loss and for future studies. Patients and Methods: This is a prospective cross‑sectional study involving 260 participants; 130 newly diagnosed and 130 HIV‑negative controls aged 18 to 50 years from two centers in Port Harcourt from July, 2018 to January, 2019. Participants were clerked and diagnostic pure tone audiometry was done. Results: The rate of hearing loss was observed with Pure Tone Audiometry to be higher (P‑value = 0.001) among newly diagnosed HAART naive adult patients 37 (28.5%) in comparison to the control 8 (6.2%). The mean age of all the study participants was 31.80 ± 9.61 years (study group 32.18 ± 10.18 years, control group 31.42 ± 9.12 years). Gender characteristic of participants also showed that males were 46 (35.4%) and females 84 (64.6%) giving a male, female ratio of 1:1.83 among newly diagnosed HAART naive adults, while among the control group there were males 49 (37.7%) and female 81 (62.3%) giving male: female ratio of 1:1.65. The rate of hearing loss at baseline was significantly (P = 0.001) higher among 37 HIV‑positive HAART naïve patients (28.5%) compared with 8 control patients (6.2%). Conclusion: There was significant proportion of hearing loss among newly diagnosed HAART naive adult patients in Port Harcourt.

Introduction: Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by difficulties in social communication and interaction, repetitive patterns of behaviour and focused interests and activities. Medical social workers and Clinical psychologists play vital roles in identifying and supporting autistic children with their families. They may help with therapy, rehabilitation, crisis interventions and outreach services. Adequate knowledge about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) among Medical social workers and Clinical psychologists may enhance early recognition, diagnosis, appropriate referral and interventions that are known to improve prognosis in autistic children. This study determined Medical social workers’ and Clinical psychologists’ understanding of ASD. Materials and methods: Socio-demographic and Knowledge About Childhood Autism among Health Workers (KCAHW) questionnaires were administered to consenting 63 Medical social workers and 35 Clinical psychologists. Results: Sixty-three Medical Social workers and 35 Clinical psychologists participated in the study. The mean age of Medical social workers was 42.1 ± 8.6 years and 41.0 ± 8.9 years for Clinical psychologists (P = 0.525). Clinical psychologists who were males were 42.9% and 41.3% were male Medical social workers (P = 0.879). Medical social workers who have ever managed a child with autism in the course of their career were 42.9% while Clinical psychologists were 40.0% (P = 0.784). The mean knowledge score for variables in domain 1 for Clinical psychologists was 6.34 ± 1.78 while Medical social workers scored 5.40 ± 2.30 (P = 0.038). The score in domain 2 for Clinical psychologists was 0.91 ± 0.28 while Medical social workers scored 0.71 ± 0.46 (P = 0.009). The mean total score for Clinical psychologists was13.00 ± 2.86 whereas Medical social workers scored 11.51 ± 3.43 (P = 0.031). Conclusion: Clinical psychologists significantly scored higher than Medical social workers in knowledge mean scores in domains 1 and 2 and total mean scores. The scores of Clinical Psychologists though higher than scores by Medical social workers are still considered inadequate. It is recommended that the training curriculum of Medical social workers and Clinical psychologists should involve more tutorials, teachings and clinical rotations that would expose them to different aspects of ASD.

Codeine substitute challenges to drug and substance abuse controls in Nigeria: Histopathology evaluations of Norvegicus rattus on lacatomtom is novel research that aimed to evaluate the Codeine substitute challenges to drugs and substance abuse; histopathology perspective and oxidative biomarkers evaluation of the tissues cum chemical pathology analysis of the serum of the control and intervened subjects. The experimental subjects were grouped into control, acute and chronic (T1, T2, and T3) respectively; the acute groups of the oral administration of lacatomtom mixture were given 0.01mg/g of lacatomtom for 14 days while the chronic were given for 42 days and periodically weighed and recorded; The Animals were sacrificed and the organs harvested following ethical procedures for animal killing. The blood and tissues of the harvested organs (blood, lungs, liver, and kidney) under investigation were subjected to chemical pathology analysis to assess the liver and kidney functions, then proceeded to histopathological examination using formalin fixed paraffin processed methods with both routine and special stains, liver, lungs and kidney homogenate were subjected to oxidative stress biomarkers test (MDA, SOD, Gpx, GSH and Catalase). Histopathology results first revealed a severe cellular injury in all the organs under study compare to the normal control; significance (p

Three-dimensional (3D) cultivation platforms allow the creation of cell models, which more closely resemble in vivo-like cell behavior. Therefore, 3D cell culture platforms have started to replace conventional two-dimensional (2D) cultivation techniques in many fields. Besides the advantages of 3D culture, there are also some challenges: cultivation in 3D often results in an inhomogeneous microenvironment and therefore unique cultivation conditions for each cell inside the construct. As a result, the analysis and precise control over the singular cell state is limited in 3D. In this work, we address these challenges by exploring ways to monitor oxygen concentrations in gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) 3D hydrogel culture at the cellular level using hypoxia reporter cells and deep within the construct using a non-invasive optical oxygen sensing spot. We could show that the appearance of oxygen limitations is more prominent in softer GelMA-hydrogels, which enable better cell spreading. Beyond demonstrating novel or space-resolved techniques of visualizing oxygen availability in hydrogel constructs, we also describe a method to create a stable and controlled oxygen gradient throughout the construct using a 3D printed flow-through chamber.

Aims: To determine the best process time and processing duration effects on the composition of the Ficus capensis drink (infusion). Study Design: Experimental design was based on completely randomized design (CRD). Methodology: Ficus capensis (Moracae) leafy vegetable drink was processed by immersing the leaves in water (1:10) weight/liquid ratio. Three portions of samples were prepared and boiled separately in a stainless steel pot immersed in a water bath (temperature =100 oC) for 30, 60, and 90 min, respectively, and filtered. The samples were evaluated for proximate composition, minerals, phytochemicals, antinutrients, and physicochemical properties using standard methods. Results: Protein, carbohydrate, and ash contents and energy value of the drink were affected differently by process times. Alkaloids, ascorbic acid, and calcium contents were lowest in samples processed by 90 min boiling. Drink processed by boiling the leaves for 60 min had the highest pro-vitamin A (12.51 mg/100ml), zinc (3.18 mg/100ml, flavonoid (18.4 g/100ml), and carotenoid (17.2 g/100ml), and 90 min processed drink had the highest vitamin B1 (0.35 mg/100ml) content. The iron contents ranged from 2.8-8.7 mg/100ml, and the values varied among different boiling times. Cyanide, phytate, and tannin contents decreased progressively as the processing times increased. Conclusion: The nutrient contents of Ficus capensis (Moracae) drink were affected by process time, however, boiling the leave for 60 min was established as the best process time for the Ficus capensis vegetable drink processing.

Background: The acceptance of traditional medicine as an alternative form of health care has led researchers to further investigate the antimicrobial and other health benefits of medicinal plants including Cassia sieberiana. The objective of this study is to assess the in vivo antibacterial effects of C. sieberiana stem bark extracts on infections caused by human and animal isolates of enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) in Wister rats. Methodology: This in vivo study was designed for 21 days in 3 phases of 7 days each; adaptation, infection and treatment. Escherichia coli were isolated from aerobic cultures of human and cattle faecal samples and EHEC 0157 identified by serological typing using latex agglutination method. Aqueous and ethanol extracts of authenticated C. sieberiana stem bark, were prepared using standard method. Forty-five Wister rats were randomly divided into 9 groups (A-I) of 5 rats each. Rats in group A (uninfected with human or animal EHEC isolate and untreated) served as negative control while rats in group B (infected with EHEC animal isolate and untreated) and group C (infected with EHEC human isolate and untreated) served as positive controls. Rats in group C through group I were experimental groups that were either infected with human or animal EHEC isolate and treated, or uninfected but treated with ethanol and aqueous extracts of C. sieberiana. During each of the study phase, faecal samples were collected from the rats and processed for evaluation of EHEC count and to determine faecal occult blood. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 20.0 and categorical variables were compared with Pearson’s Chi-square, with significant value taken as p

Autonomous truck platoon (ATP) deployment on road networks has recently attracted significant interest for its potential economic and environmental benefits. However, the impact of platooning on bridges is a concern because of the differences in their live load characteristics compared with those in the existing bridge design specifications. One of the primary aspects in the safe deployment of ATP is to evaluate the reliability of bridge designed using the existing provisions for live loads from potential configurations of ATP. An analysis procedure is proposed and demonstrated for a simple span steel composite bridge designed according to the existing design provisions. Given that many characteristics of the live load distribution such as the bias factor, coefficient of variation (CoV), and the dynamic amplification factor are presently not known for ATP, a parametric approach is used. The bias factor, dynamic amplification, and CoV are parametrized to calculate the live load distribution and quantify its impact on the reliability index. A two-truck platoon with different headway spacings constituted by different trucks in a single lane scenario is considered. The results indicate that the two single lane bridges designed according to existing design specifications are generally reliable (i.e., achieved the target reliability for which the bridge was initially designed) for the range of ATP live loads investigated when the CoV is less than 0.07, bias close to one and headway distances are above 17 ft. Future studies are suggested to include bridges with multiple spans, other bridge types, and a larger number of trucks in the platoons. The main contribution of this paper is to quantify the reliability indices of selected steel composite bridges designed using the existing specifications but subjected to various configurations of ATP loads and the influence of different components of the live load model attributed to the latter.

The aim of this study was to determine the bacteriological quality and antibiogram of bacteria isolated from aquatic environments in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. A total of 736 water samples, comprising borehole (n=215), ponds (n=111), rivers (n=144), streams (n=117), and wells (n=149) respectively, were collected from three local governments areas (Abakaliki, Ebonyi, and Ikwo) of Ebonyi State over a period of eight (8) months. The collected water samples were analysed using standard microbiology techniques. Isolates were further characterized using API 20E identification system. Total bacterial count was carried out using pour plating technique while antibiotic susceptibility test was done using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion test. A total of 308 bacterial isolates; Aeromonas hydrophila (13.9 %), Escherichia coli (15.9 %), and Vibrio cholerae (11.8 %) were obtained in this study. Water samples from Elinwovu River in Abakaliki L.G.A had the highest bacteria load (5.06 x 104 cfu/ml) while borehole water from the same study location had the lowest (1.50 x 104 cfu/ml). There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the bacteria load levels in sampled water sources. Bacterial isolates were highly resistant (100 % - 81.6 %) to penicillin, sulphamethoxazole, kanamycin, azithromycin, streptomycin, cephalothin, and cefuroxime but highly susceptible (100 % - 83.1 %) gentamicin, meropenem, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, and chloramphenicol. The multiple antibiotic resistance index values of isolates ranged from 0.47 to 0.50. Our findings reveal the need for treatment of all water samples to make it potable for human consumption and domestic uses. Also, the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the water samples is of serious concern as this could cause serious public health problems, especially waterborne diseases if not properly tackled.

Background: Despite the enormous benefits associated with contraceptive use, only a few sexually active married adults in developing countries like Nigeria use contraceptive methods, this situation is even worst in rural areas across Nigeria. This study examines the influence of myths on the use of contraceptive methods in Calabar South Local Government Area, Cross River State, Nigeria. Methods: Using the mixed approach, data were obtained from 600 respondents, using a multi-stage sampling technique which in this study entails the selection of community clusters, streets, villages, housing units and respondents through simple random and purposive sampling techniques. In the analysis and interpretation of study findings, descriptive statistics were employed, and qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. Results: The study shows that fear of pregnancy-related complications and fear of infertility are significant determinants of contraceptive use in Calabar South LGA, Cross River State, Nigeria. Conclusion: The study, therefore, concludes that myths associated with contraceptive use are real and a strong factor that discourages most married adults from the use of contraceptive methods.

Background: The present study was carried out to evaluate the distribution and antibiotics profile of Escherichia coli from abattoir and aquaculture.Methods: Abattoir and aquaculture effluents were randomly collected from various parts of Abakaliki in Ebonyi State. Bacterial detection was conducted using cultural and biochemical analysis. Susceptibility of the E. coli to antimicrobials was investigated using the Kirby- Bauer disk diffusion method.Results: The microbial load from abattoirs ranges from 0.26±0.11x107 to 4.08±0.11x107 cfu/ml and aquacultures 0.40±0.04x107 to 4.06±2.74x107 cfu/ml differ significantly (P2 is of public health concern and further demonstrates the need for adequate treatment and disposal of waste generated from abattoir and aquaculture.

Bone grafting procedures have become increasingly common in the United States, with approximately 500,000 cases occurring each year at a societal cost exceeding $2.4 billion. Recombinant human bone morphogenetic proteins (rhBMPs) are therapeutic agents that have been widely used by orthopedic surgeons to stimulate bone tissue formation alone and when paired with biomaterials. However, significant limitations such as immunogenicity, high production cost, and ectopic bone growth from these therapies remain. Therefore, efforts have been made to discover and repurpose osteoinductive small-molecule therapeutics to promote bone regeneration. Previously, we have demonstrated that a single-dose treatment with the small-molecule forskolin for just 24 h induces osteogenic differentiation of rabbit bone marrow–derived stem cells in vitro, while mitigating adverse side effects attributed with prolonged small-molecule treatment schemes. In this study, we engineered a composite fibrin–PLGA [poly(lactide-co-glycolide)]-sintered microsphere scaffold for the localized, short-term delivery of the osteoinductive small molecule, forskolin. In vitro characterization studies showed that forskolin released out of the fibrin gel within the first 24 h and retained its bioactivity toward osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow–derived stem cells. The forskolin-loaded fibrin–PLGA scaffold was also able to guide bone formation in a 3-mo rabbit radial critical-sized defect model comparable to recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) treatment, as demonstrated through histological and mechanical evaluation, with minimal systemic off-target side effects. Together, these results demonstrate the successful application of an innovative small-molecule treatment approach within long bone critical-sized defects.

The main objective was to analyze how the process of articulation between leisure and religion occurs in the community Pedreira Prado Lopes (PPL) MG, located in the city of Belo Horizonte - MG, from the Project "Amar os Irmãos", developed in partnership with the Church of Salvation. For this, we used the technique of Participant Observation, as it represents a research strategy that presents methodological contributions sensitive to the meanings and values constituted in the experiences of the observed territories, in order to understand the religious practices in conjunction with the dimension of leisure. For the construction of the partial information described in the body of this study, a semi-structured interview became evident as the technique chosen to compose the analyzed contents, as well as to document the undocumented. The results analyzed so far indicate that there is a great lack of leisure activities provided by the city of Belo Horizonte for the region of PPL. We conclude that there is no articulation between the researched group and the government, due to the distance between these two social spheres. Given this configuration, the leisure activities experienced by the group studied were linked to the church or the community itself.

Background: Nigeria is in short supply of health workforce and equipment needed to manage the infected COVID-19 individuals. The rate of occurrence of new cases of infection has the capacity to further deplete the human resources in the sector, putting a dent in the fight against the spread of the virus. This study aims to determine the capacity of Nigerian health systems to respond to COVID-19. Materials and Methods: This was a scoping review of media documents, official documents and journals, published from 1st December 2019 to 31st December 2021. Online media reports were sourced from major newspapers on FACTIVA (Vanguard, Punch, Guardian, The Nation, Business Day, and Premium Times) that reported national and state level health system responses to COVID-19. We also reviewed other online news sources that have consistently reported health systems response to COVID-19 in Nigeria. Some of these are Nigeria Health Watch, APO Africa Newsroom, Federal Ministry of Health newsletter, and national media. Results: By December 31st, 2020, Nigeria had 70 free laboratories controlled by the government. These comprised 31 federal laboratories, 30 state, 3 military, 2 Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), 2 UN and 2 private labs. In 2019, Nigeria’s IHR score at point of entry 1 & 2 was 3 and 1. Routine capacities established at points of entry was improved, however, effective public health response at point of entry, remained the same. Which supports the low response capacity of the country. Nigeria’s average score across the JEE 2019 had increased to 7% (from 39% in 2017 to 46% in 2019) - four new indicators and 20 indicators with improved scores from 2017. Conclusion: Nigeria’s health system response and capacity to handle COVID-19 is quite poor and grossly inadequate. There is a need to increase the number of health workforce in the country and institute adequate accountability mechanisms to ensure prudent and focused management of health funds&nbsp

Background: Workers anywhere are exposed to assault at the workplace and the worst affected are service providers. Globally, the highest incidence occurs among health‑care workers (HCWs) and it is a workplace hazard. Aim: This is a review article investigating the burden of violence against HCWs in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: To provide the evidence of violence against HCWs, a narrative review of pertinent papers on workplace violence (WPV) against HCWs in Nigeria was conducted using the databases PubMed, Ajol, and Google Scholar. We found that violence against HCWs is high in the health sector. It is further worsened by conflict situations and the COVID‑19 pandemic. Nurses and physicians are the common victims. The most common perpetrators are companions of patients followed by the patients themselves. Worse still is that the victim/survivors may do little or nothing about it. Worse, there is no protocol in place to prevent recurrence, so victims/survivors may have little or no recourse. Conclusion: WPV occurs in health care. Therefore, there must be reporting systems in all Nigerian including protocols to prevent this menace.

In this study, we investigated the microbial diversity and community composition of soil samples collected from various sites along the Potomac River within an urbanized region. Our findings revealed the presence of both typical marine soil bacteria and bacterial taxa indicative of urbanization and waste runoff. We observed significant variations in microbial community structure and diversity across different sampling sites, highlighting the influence of environmental factors on microbial abundance and diversity. Through taxon set analysis, we identified shared taxa strongly associated with agricultural pollution, organochlorine pesticide contamination, and bromochloromethane pollution. Additionally, the study revealed potential disparities in human impact, water retention, and tidal/current effects among the soil samples. These insights carry significant implications for understanding the consequences of urbanization on soil microbial communities along the Potomac River and can inform strategies for managing and preserving these ecosystems. Further research is warranted to elucidate the effects of soil health and microbial diversity in this region.

Münchner Beiträge zur jüdischen Geschichte und Kultur, Nr. 1 (2008): Münchner Porträts: Drei Jüdische Biographien

Summary The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of four genotypes and four different quantitative feeding regimes on the post-weaning average feed intake (AFI), body weight (BW), weight gain (WG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 48 unsexed weaner rabbits. At weaning, a total of 3 rabbits from each genotype considered, namely the purebred Chinchilla and New Zealand White (CH x CH, NZW x NZW) and their reciprocal crossbreds (CH x NZW, NZW x CH), were randomly assigned to four feeding regimes: ad libitum concentrate + ad libitum forage (A), ad libitum concentrate + 30% restricted forage (B), 30% restricted concentrate + ad libitum forage (C), and 30% restricted concentrate + 30% restricted forage (D). The data were subjected to a two-way analysis of variance in a completely randomized design appropriate for a 4x4 factorial experiment. The experiment was conducted over a period of 5 weeks: from 7 to 11 weeks post-weaning. The AFI values obtained from the interactions between CH x CH and the C feeding regime at 7 weeks post-weaning (366.50 ± 1.50 g), and between NZW x NZW and the B feeding regime at 8 weeks (324.00 ± 1. 00 g) and 10 weeks post-weaning (336.50 ± 0.00 g) were similar, but differed significantly (P < 0.05) from the rest. The lowest significant AFI values (P < 0.05) at all ages and FCR values (3.46 ± 0.33) at 9 weeks post-weaning were obtained from NZW x NZW, whereas the highest BW values at 9-11 weeks post-weaning was obtained from CH x CH. The lowest significant AFI values (P < 0.05) were recorded in the B feeding regime at 7-11 weeks post-weaning, as well as the highest BW and WG values in the A feeding regime at 8–11 and 11 weeks post-weaning, respectively. Moreover, the highest significant BW values (781.25 ± 7.83) were recorded in the C feeding regime at 7 weeks post-weaning. It was concluded that the interactions between CH x CH and the C feeding regime and between NZW x NZW and the B feeding regime can significantly reduce the overall feed intake, thus invariably increasing profit in rabbit production.

Smoking marijuana (cannabis Savita), a psychoactive substance may result in side effect on living cells of the system and oxidative stress may meditate some of these effects. This study aims to evaluate the acute and chronic histopathological effect on wistar albino rat as well as oxidative stress indices and some of the haematological parameters evaluation. This study was conducted at the animal house of Ebonyi State University, Presco campus Abakaliki. The experimental animals were share into control group, acute and chronic administered group which was housed in the temperature and humidity controlled facility of 22°C+1, standard laboratory mice chow diet with tap water freely available at ad libitum to the animals. The weight of the male wistar albino rat were taken twice daily which range from 150g to 200g after which was exposed to smoke of burnt wrapped 2mg of marijuana morning and evening for 21 days for experimental animals in group B and 42 days for group C animals respectively. The acute histopathological effect and that of chronic of the lungs of smoked marijuana wistar albino rat displayed histomorphological changes with Haematoxylin and Eosin, methanamine silver staining and phosphotungstic acid staining method when compared with the control lung sections that shows normal histomorphological pattern with the present of alveolar pneumocytes and alveolar space. Evaluation of the lungs of smoked marijuana rat shows increased MDA and decreased level of CAT, SOD, GSH and GPx but examining some of the haematological parameters show elevated Twbc and platelet while packed cell volume decreased the level as compared with control animals. I hereby concluded that marijuana smoked is a potent source of cellular oxidative stress that contributes significantly to cellular injury, dysfunction, and pulmonary edema as well as histomorphological changes from the lungs of marijuana smokers and disorder in some of the haematological parameters.

Douglas L. Berger, Indian and Intercultural Philosophy: Personhood, Consciousness and Causality. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2021, 240 pp.Joseph C. A. Agbakoba, Development and Modernity in Africa: An Intercultural Philosophical Perspective, Cologne: Rüdiger Köppe Verlag, 2019, 405 pp.Adekeye Adebajo (ed.), The Pan-African Pantheon: Prophets, Poets and Philosophers, Auckland Park, South Africa: Jacana Media, 2020. 655 pp.

The use of natural fibres in fibre-reinforced composites comes with drawbacks. They are highly hydrophilic, leading to high moisture absorption and poor interfacial adhesion in matrix-reinforcement bonds. This affects the fibres’ thermal stability as well as mechanical properties, hence limiting their wider application. This paper reviewed different ways in which natural fibres have been treated to improve hydrophobicity, reinforcement-matrix interfacial adhesion and thermal stability. It will investigate. among others, treatments like alkali, acetylation, bleaching, silane, benzoylation and plasma, which have been found to improve fibre hydrophobicity. The literature reviewed showed that these methods work to improve mechanical, chemical, and morphological properties of natural fibres by removing the amorphous surface, thus allowing for more efficient load transfer on the fibre-matrix surface. Studies in the literature found alkali treatment to be the most common surface modification treatment due to its simplicity and effectiveness. However, plasma treatment has emerged due to its lower processing time and chemical consumption. A comparative analysis of other improved properties was also investigated.

The study investigated the effect of concept mapping instructional strategy on secondary school students’ achievement in biology. Two research questions and three null hypotheses guided the study, and quasi-experimental research design was adopted. The sample for the study comprised two hundred and forty-one (241) students drawn from the population of study in three schools in Enugu Education Zone using multistage sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was Biology Achievement Test (BAT). Data collected from the research questions were analyzed using mean and standard deviation, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed that students taught biology using concept mapping performed better than their counterparts taught using lecture method. Female students had higher achievement scores than their male counterparts in biology when taught using concept mapping. There was no significant interaction effect of instructional methods and gender on students’ mean achievement score in biology. In line with the findings of the study, the educational implications of the findings were highlighted; and recommendations were equally proffered among others that science teachers should adopt concept mapping in teaching.

In the past, almost every industry worldwide patronizediron and its alloys for every major industrial design, construction and other forms of work. However, with the advent of the Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP)as accepted in the United Kingdom or the Fibre Reinforced Plastic as accepted in the United States, which was discovered in the nineteen thirty’s (1930’s), the Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) has become very versatile as it has become a household name in most industries globally .It has attained this height through the significant properties it possesses, which include its ability to transform into moulds of difficult and delicate shapes and sizes which iron and its alloy may not find easy to submit to. It brings a host of otherbenefits in the form of long term performance and reliability, ease of installation and the ability to withstand corrosion and tuberculation. A service life of more than thrice that of the ductile iron pipes to mention but a few. Ductile Iron pipes are used in most petrochemical industries where pipeline plays a very important role in transporting crude oil and gas. As the service duration increases, the pipe lines are affected by corrosion mechanism which can lead to fatal accident. Corrosion can occur atboth the internal and external surface of the pipelines. In general, corrosion would cause metal loss which leads to reduction in pipeline thickness and consequently reduce its strength. Itbecomes necessary that the stability of the Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) pipes are carefully investigated especially in the event of high pressure turbulent flows. This is the thrust of this work. In the light of the above, ductileiron pipes and Glass Reinforced Plastics (GRP) pipes of the same thicknesses were investigated, some special characteristics such as the bursting pressures were calculated using Peter Barlow’s formula. The ANSYS software was also used for modelanalysisand compare the stress profile under dynamic condition for both pipes. Also the cost of production of pipes, classification and the difficulties encountered during their installation processes wereexamined. The result indicated an overwhelming encouragement to use Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) pipes as substitutes to the traditional ductile iron and its alloys in view of the fact that Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) pipes withstand corrosion and tuberculation while saving the huge cost that would have been used forpigging