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One way to solve the shortage in power supply and the rapid load growth is by operating power systems that could improve power supply reliability. The study aims to carry out a holistic evaluation by identifying the several reliability variables that could influence the micro-grid power system's reliability which is vital in electricity generation. Thirty-three reliability variable factors that are commonly observed to influence power systems reliability were chosen for the micro-grid power systems study and examined using the principal component analysis (PCA). The system reliability key variables were evaluated using the StatistiXL software. A structured questionnaire was crafted considering thirty-three reliability variables, harvested from literature, and administered to respondents in the micro-grid power system industry. The respondent size was determined at a level of confidence of 95% and an error margin of 5% was deployed to corroborate an adequate population size representation which validated the study data. StatistiXL software was deployed to analyze the (mxn) data matrix, collated from the respondents' scores. The matrix was used as the input variable for the model deployed for the factor analysis. Nine factors with eigenvalues (λ>1) were mined and labeled for the analysis, but all the trivial variables were discarded. The PCA result holistically pinpointed the key reliability variables that influence the micro-grid reliability, revealing that system availability represented by factor 1 (F1) loaded 24% of the total variables studied, with reliability cluster including Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) = - 0.844, Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) = - 0.737, Demand Response (DR) technique = 0.752, Failure Rate = 0.647 among others. The failure rate and the frequency of outages in F1, were an indication that system availability would be influenced, thereby affecting the micro-grid performance. The study also extracted some weak factor loading, F8 and F9 indicting them as reliability variables whose influences do not impact negatively on the micro-grid reliability but should not be discarded in the study of the reliability of micro-grid power systems. Hence an attempt to improve the system's reliability, concentrating on the key variables factors, the weak variables should not be neglected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) as a standard of care has revolutionized the management of proximal large vessel occlusions (LVOs) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Despite the significant advances and benefits associated with MT in the treatment of proximal LVOs in developed countries, African countries continue to lag in the use and adaptability MT in treating proximal LVOs. This study seeks to highlight the problems threatening endovascular therapy in Africa. For this narrative review, PubMed and Google Scholar were used to search for literature on mechanical thrombectomy and endovascular treatment of LVOs in Africa. Selection criteria were manuscripts published in the last 10 years and addressed challenges with MT. 42 papers from 21 African nations were found and reviewed. The major challenges and impediments to MT in Africa were, a lack of government policy on stroke care, a suboptimal health care financing model that makes endovascular treatment nearly impossible to afford, delay in presenting to the hospital after stroke onset coupled with few emergency services with some countries having none, lack of specialized training, as well as, scarcity of neuroradiological infrastructure. This is an advocacy call for more radical, effective, and evidence-based management of patients with proximal LVOs in Africa. Meanwhile, concerted efforts should be aimed at the prevention of stroke in Africa through the use of guidelines such as the stroke quadrangle to tame the scourge of stroke in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine schistosomiasis level and risk factors that exposed school-aged children to infection as well as to model schistosomiasis map in relation to altitude and rainfall in Gashaka Local Government Area, Taraba State, Nigeria. Methods: The study was conducted between January 2014 and June 2014. Urine and faecal samples were collected from 1080 school-aged children and processed using the filtration and formol-ether concentration techniques, respectively. Results: Irrespective of the schistosomes species, a point prevalence of 10.18% was reported out of the 1080 children examined. Males were significantly infected than their female counterparts (11.75% vs. 8.43%) (c2 = 4.86; P = 0.027), as well as children aged 6-10 (11.65%, 72/618) and 11-15 years (10.29%, 35/340) than the other age groups (c2 = 9.274; P = 0.026). No significant difference was observed in schistosomiasis between children whose parents were educated (11.11%, 57/513) and not educated (9.88%, 53/536) (c2 = 1.342; P = 0.247) and those whose parents are farmers (9.74%, 53/544) and non-farmers (10.63%, 57/536) (c2 = 0.787; P = 0.375). Proximity to water bodies (distance < 500 m) (odds ratio = 1.809, confidence interval = 1.057-3.094; P = 0.003 1) and fishing (odds ratio = 2.632, confidence interval = 1.397-4.958; P = 0.003) were the risk factors exposing children to infection. The spatial distribution pattern of schistosomiasis showed that the infection was significantly higher in Serti A (22.2%, 26/180) and Mayo-Selbe (21.1%, 38/180) than the other localities (c2 = 92.99; P = 0.000). Conclusions: This study reported a moderate level of infection among school-aged children with proximity to water bodies and fishing as the main risk factors. The spatial distribution of schistosomiasis in the area will guide in efficient and effective control programmes at local level. It is recommended that continued efforts be made to scale-up distribution of praziquantel to high risk areas so as to curb the progression of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To determine the prevalence and intensity of infection and the risk factors associated with urinary schistosomiasis in pre-school and school aged children in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Methods: Urine filtration technique using polycarbonate membrane filters was employed to process urine specimens and to determine presence of Schistosoma haematobium eggs in urine. Questionnaires were also administered to children to collect information on socio-demographic data and water-contact activities. Results: An overall prevalence of 55.0% (165/300) was recorded out of the 300 urine samples examined. Prevalence of infection varied between 36.0%-64.0% with a significant difference (χ2= 11.59, P=0.041) between the different communities visited. Males were more infected (60.6%, 103/170) than females (47.7%, 62/130) with a significant difference (χ2= 4.95, P=0.026). The age-related prevalence showed higher prevalence (70.5%, 36/52) in the 11-15 year old children than that in the 1-5 year old ones (44.9%, 53/118). A significant difference was observed in the prevalence between the age groups (χ2=10.56, P=0.014). The prevalence of light intensity of infection (1-49 eggs/10 mL of urine) (86.6%) was significantly higher than that of heavy intensity of infection (≥50 eggs/10 mL of urine) (13.3%) in the area (t=16.48, P=0.000). Water contact activities of the children revealed that children that were involved in irrigation and those that went swimming in water bodies were observed to be at higher risk of becoming infected with urinary schistosomiasis in the area with odd ratios (risk factors) of 2.756 (1.334-5.693) and 2.366 (1.131-4.948) respectively at P<0.05 level. Conclusions: The study revealed the hyperendemicity of urinary schistosomiasis in the pre-school and school aged children in Guma Local Government Area. It is therefore recommended that praziquantel should be administered to children in the area and systematic epidemiological studies should be undertaken in the whole Local Government Area and the State at large to discover new foci of infection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: To assess women''s perceptions and risk factors that could expose them to intestinal parasitic infections in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 750 faecal samples were collected from women at different reproductive stages (pre-menstrual, menstrual and post-menstrual), and the faeces were tested by the formol ether concentration technique. Results: A total of 426 (56.8%) samples were found positive for various intestinal parasites with hookworm (4.8%), Ascaris lumbricoides (9.3%), Taenia sp (2.1%), Entamoeba histolytica (18.9%) and Entamoeba coli (21.6%). Women at pre-menstrual and post-menstrual stages recorded higher prevalence rates with 72.8% and 63.9%, respectively. No significant difference in prevalence was observed between women at different reproductive stages and women infected by different parasites (χ2 = 30.6, P > 0.05). Sweet things, rotten fruits and improperly cooked meat were perceived as the causes of intestinal parasitic infections among the pre and post menstrual women. Sources of drinking water like river, well, water bought from vendors and patronizing food vendors were observed as risk factors contributing to the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among women. Factors like not washing hands before eating and after defaecation, use of leaves and ordinary papers for cleaning after defaecation were also observed to be contributing to the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections. Conclusions: Persuasive health education and rigorous hygiene measures should be employed in schools, maternity clinics and among the populace to reduce transmission and infection with intestinal parasites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]