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This study examines the importance of the application of forensic audit in controlling financial frauds that ravage or threaten the soundness and business continuity of Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in Nigeria. The study used survey design methods, and the primary data were obtained through the administration of structured questionnaire covering seventeen (17) banks out of twenty-two (22) Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) operating in the country, which is 77.3%. In this study, the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method was used to analyze and test hypotheses, and the findings showed that the involvement of qualified and experienced forensic auditors would not only contribute to the amelioration of financial frauds in DMBs, but would also lead to much-needed sanity in the banking sector of Nigeria. The study recommends that regulatory agencies, within the limits prescribed by law, mandate all the banks to create a special forensic department, managed by a professional forensic auditor, which will develop and constantly implement effective and efficient internal control, timely prosecution of fraudsters by considering them to be criminals and as a deterrent to others, and work out adequate training and development programs for their staff, especially in fraud control, in order to reduce the number of fraud cases in Nigerian banks.

Purpose: Phyto-active components of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides and Gongronema latifolium was investigated against microbial contaminants in water for possible novel antimicrobial usage in water treatment. Method: Crude ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides and Gongronema latifolium were prepared and screened for antimicrobial and phytochemical profiles using standard methods. Results: Crude extracts of the different plant examined selectively comprised saponins, tannins, reducing sugars, anthraquinones, flavonoids, terpenoids, phlobatanins and alkaloids. All plant extracts showed broad spectrum antibiosis against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, Klebsiella sp, S. pneumoniae and B. cereus, as well as A. niger, A. flavus, Trichoderma sp and Candida sp. Chloroform extracts compared well than ethyl acetate extracts. Conclusion: This work represents the first report to direct the possible application of Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides and Gongronema latifolium to potential application in water. Overall results revealed that antimicrobial activities are dose and plant dependent. Noteworthy is the comparatively greater antimicrobial activity of crude extracts over commercial antibiotics used at the concentration of extracts tested. These plants can therefore serve as a potent source of natural water disinfectant.

Context: Nicotiana tabacum is an herbaceous plant mostly known as tobacco. Locally, people do extract this plant with cow urine, they call it “Adimenu” and they claimed it is effective in managing various ailments, even with taking just a spoonful of the extract. Thus, profiling the toxicity and or otherwise of the cow-urine extracted tobacco plant cannot be overemphasized. Aims: To characterize the cow urine extracts of N. tabacum and evaluated the sub-acute toxicity of smokeless exposure in male Wistar rats. Methods: Forty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into groups and exposed to different doses (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight) of N. tabacum extract for 7 and 28 days, after which the animals were sacrificed for the biochemical assays. Results: The GC-MS analysis revealed 21 compounds in the N. tabacum extract. As expected, nicotine was predominant among the identified compounds. The sub-acute exposure of rats to cow-urine extract of N. tabacum extract might have altered rat metabolic homeostasis, triggering adaptive mechanisms, while impairing renal functions. The N. tabacum extract also modulated (p

Thermal properties of tar sand are useful parameters in planning its thermal recovery. These properties that are usually measured in-situ are reconfirm through the laboratory sample measurement, which shows any alteration, errors or uncertainties that might have been experienced during the sample collection process.Repeating this measurements procedure on the field and laboratory could be cumbersome, costly and time consuming (man hours). Therefore, this study set out to investigate the necessity of having both laboratory and field data in determining the thermal properties of Tar sand using the same device. To achieved this, the study compares the in-situ and laboratory measurements of tar sand thermal properties, using the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) to evaluate the field and laboratory (treatment) effect. Tar sands thermal properties namely; thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and specific heat were measured using KD2 Pro thermal analyzer in twelve locations along the tar sand belts in some parts of Southwestern Nigeria. Also, samples were taken at these twelve locations and the same properties were measured in the laboratory using the same thermal analyzer. These thermal properties measured and computed from the field and laboratory are regarded as treatments, while the location points on the field constitute the blocking factor. The responses obtained were statistically analyzed using two-way ANOVA, and the results showed that measurements could be taken either on the field or in the laboratory, as both measurements are statistically the same. Therefore, judgment on data acquired for these parameters should not be based on accuracy as influenced by the locations where the measurement took place, but instead on other factors such as feasibility, urgency, and cost among others. Keywords: Thermal properties, KD2 Pro, RCBD, Anova

Abstract Background In an ageing population, pain, frailty and disability frequently coexist across a wide range of musculoskeletal diagnoses, but their associations remain incompletely understood. The Investigating Musculoskeletal Health and Wellbeing (IMH&W) study aims to measure and characterise the development and progression of pain, frailty and disability, and to identify discrete subgroups and their associations. The survey will form a longitudinal context for nested research, permitting targeted recruitment of participants for qualitative, observational and interventional studies; helping to understand recruitment bias in clinical studies; and providing a source cohort for cohort randomised controlled trials. Methods IMH&W will comprise a prospective cohort of 10,000 adults recruited through primary and secondary care, and through non-clinical settings. Data collection will be at baseline, and then through annual follow-ups for 4 years. Questionnaires will address demographic characteristics, pain severity (0–10 Numerical Rating Scale), pain distribution (reported on a body Manikin), pain quality (McGill Pain Questionnaire), central aspects of pain (CAP-Knee), frailty and disability (based on Fried criteria and the FRAIL questionnaire), and fracture risk. Baseline characteristics, progression and associations of frailty, pain and disability will be determined. Discrete subgroups and trajectories will be sought by latent class analysis. Recruitment bias will be explored by comparing participants in nested studies with the eligible IMH&W population. Discussion IMH&W will elucidate associations and progression of pain, frailty and disability. It will enable identification of people at risk of poor musculoskeletal health and wellbeing outcomes who might be suitable for specific interventions, and facilitate generalisation and comparison of research outcomes between target populations. The study will benefit from a large sample size and will recruit from diverse regions across the UK. Purposive recruitment will enrich the cohort with people with MSK problems with high representation of elderly and unwell people. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03696134 . Date of Registration: 04 October 2018.

Isoelectric precipitation was used to produce protein isolates (>90% protein contents) from three edible vegetable leaves. Amaranth (ALI), eggplant (ELI) and fluted pumpkin (FLI) leaf protein were isolated to study their conformational structures. Intrinsic fluorescence indicated a loose structural conformation for ELI at all the pH values, whereas FLI and ALI had more compact structures at pH 3.0 and pH 9.0. The surface hydrophobicity showed a greater distribution of hydrophobic amino acid groups of the protein isolates at the basic than the acidic regions. The SDS-PAGE results showed that the leaf isolates had similar polypeptide bonds characterized by 20, 25, 40 and 200 kDa and some distinct bands above 200 kDa. The ELI formed emulsions with significantly (p

Background: Orthodontic treatment is performed to correct occlusal problems and improve the dentofacial complex; however, it comes with its peculiarities, such that patients require strict adherence to optimum oral hygiene. When oral hygiene is compromised during orthodontic treatment, accumulation of dental plaque on the appliance can lead to periodontal problems and dental caries. Aim: To assess the oral hygiene practices and status of orthodontic patients attending the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Materials and Methods: Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to assess the patients attending the orthodontic clinic for their routine appointments. Their oral hygiene status was assessed using the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index by Greene and Vermilion. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 21.0). Results: One hundred and ten subjects (73 females and 37 males) with a female-to-male ratio of 2:1 were recruited for the study. The mean age of the subjects was 20.7 ± 7.89 years. All the subjects used a toothbrush to clean their teeth. Only 22.7% of the subjects brushed their teeth once daily, while 65% of the subjects brushed twice daily and 20% brushed more than twice a day. About 44% had good oral hygiene, 49.1% had fair oral hygiene, while 6.4% had poor oral hygiene. There was no statistically significant difference in the relationship between toothbrushing techniques, frequency of toothbrushing, and oral hygiene status. Conclusion: All the patients used toothbrush and toothpaste to clean their teeth. Majority of them had acceptable oral hygiene status irrespective of the frequency of toothbrushing.

Several more infectious SARS-CoV-2 variants have emerged globally since SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the discovery of the first D614G variant of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins in 2020. Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529) variants have proven to be of major concern out of all the reported variants, considering their influence on the virus' transmissibility and severity. This study aimed at evaluating the impact of mutations on these two variants on stability and molecular interactions between the viral Spike protein and human angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (hACE-2). The spike proteins receptor binding domain (RBD) was docked with the hACE-2 using HADDOCK servers. To understand and establish the effects of the mutations on the structural stability and flexibility of the RBD-hACE-2 complex, molecular dynamic (MD) simulation of the docked complex was performed and evaluated. The findings from both molecular docking analysis and binding free energy showed that the Omicron (OM) variant has high receptiveness towards hACE-2 versus Delta variant (DT), thereby, responsible for its increase in transmission. The structural stability and flexibility evaluation of variants’ systems showed that mutations on DT and OM variants disturbed the stability of either the spike protein or the RBD-hACE-2 complex, with DT variant having greater instability impact. This study, therefore, assumed this obvious instability observed in DT variant might be associated or responsible for the reported severity in DT variant disease over the OM variant disease. This study provides molecular insight into the effects of OM and DT variants on stability and interactions between SARS-CoV-2 protein and hACE-2.

Development of a prototype inverter powered baking oven was carried out and performance was evaluated to determine its efficiency. The oven was designed and fabricated with an outer dimension (506 mm length x 506 mm width x 506 mm height) made up of mild steel and inner dimension (436 mm length x 436 mm width x 436 mm height) made up of stainless steel and used fiber glass as an insulator. The materials for fabrications were locally sourced and served as alternative for baking, roasting or boiling using electrical recharged power in case of power failure. The prototype inverter baking oven operates on the principle of electrical resistance and 0.147?/W was obtained as the resistance of the heating element. The performance evaluation revealed the baking efficiency of the oven to be 94.29 %, 75 % and 66.7 % for bread, plantain and fish respectively, the maximum temperature of 160?C, 180?C and 200?C were recorded. Capacity of the baking oven was determined to be 6 loaves of bread per tray/batch. With practical determination and comparison made with other work, a prototype inverter powered baking oven can be adopted for domestic and industrial purpose depending on the production plans and the layout.

During infection, neutrophils are the most abundantly recruited innate immune cells at sites of infection, playing critical roles in the elimination of local infection and healing of the injury. Neutrophils are considered to be short-lived effector cells that undergo cell death at infection sites and in damaged tissues. However, recent in vitro and in vivo evidence suggests that neutrophil behavior is more complex and that they can migrate away from the inflammatory site back into the vasculature following the resolution of inflammation. Microfluidic devices have contributed to an improved understanding of the interaction and behavior of neutrophils ex vivo in 2D and 3D microenvironments. The role of reverse migration and its contribution to the resolution of inflammation remains unclear. In this review, we will provide a summary of the current applications of microfluidic devices to investigate neutrophil behavior and interactions with other immune cells with a focus on forward and reverse migration in neutrophils.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), one of the deadliest global diseases, is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). To date, there are no known conventional drugs that can cure HIV/AIDS, and this has prompted continuous scientific efforts in the search for novel and potent anti-HIV therapies. In this study, molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) and computational techniques were employed to investigate the inhibitory potential of bioactive compounds from selected South African indigenous plants against HIV-1 subtype C protease (HIVpro). Of the eight compounds (CMG, MA, UA, CA, BA, UAA, OAA and OA) evaluated, only six (CMG (−9.9 kcal/mol), MA (−9.3 kcal/mol), CA (−9.0 kcal/mol), BA (−8.3 kcal/mol), UAA (−8.5 kcal/mol), and OA (−8.6 kcal/mol)) showed favourable activities against HIVpro and binding landscapes like the reference FDA-approved drugs, Lopinavir (LPV) and Darunavir (DRV), with CMG and MA having the highest binding affinities. Using the structural analysis (root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), fluctuation (RMSF), and radius of gyration (RoG) of the bound complexes with HIVpro after 350 ns, structural evidence was observed, indicating that the six compounds are potential lead candidates for inhibiting HIVpro. This finding was further corroborated by the structural analysis of the enzyme–ligand complexe systems, where structural mechanisms of stability, flexibility, and compactness of the study metabolites were established following binding with HIVpro. Furthermore, the ligand interaction plots revealed that the metabolites interacted hydrophobically with the active site amino residues, with identification of other key residues implicated in HIVpro inhibition for drug design. Overall, this is the first computational report on the anti-HIV-1 activities of CMG and MA, with efforts on their in vitro and in vivo evaluations underway. Judging by the binding affinity, the degree of stability, and compactness of the lead metabolites (CMG, MA, CA, BA, OA, and UAA), they could be concomitantly explored with conventional HIVpro inhibitors in enhancing their therapeutic activities against the HIV-1 serotype.

Hepatitis B is a potentially deadly liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus. It is a serious public health problem globally. Substantial efforts have been made to apply machine learning in detecting the virus. However, the application of model interpretability is limited in the existing literature. Model interpretability makes it easier for humans to understand and trust the machine-learning model. Therefore, in this study, we used SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), a game-based theoretical approach to explain and visualize the predictions of machine learning models applied for hepatitis B diagnosis. The algorithms used in building the models include decision tree, logistic regression, support vector machines, random forest, adaptive boosting (AdaBoost), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and they achieved balanced accuracies of 75%, 82%, 75%, 86%, 92%, and 90%, respectively. Meanwhile, the SHAP values showed that bilirubin is the most significant feature contributing to a higher mortality rate. Consequently, older patients are more likely to die with elevated bilirubin levels. The outcome of this study can aid health practitioners and health policymakers in explaining the result of machine learning models for health-related problems.

The growth of the poultry industry in Nigeria is constrained by major poultry diseases, despite the implementation of vaccination programs. This study aimed to assess the level of protection against Newcastle disease (ND), infectious bursal disease (IBD), and avian infectious bronchitis (IB) afforded by current vaccination schedules and characterize the circulating virus strains in commercial poultry flocks in Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 44 commercial poultry farms in Oyo and Kano states of Nigeria. Serum and tissue samples and data on flock, clinical and vaccination records were collected on each farm. Farms were classified as being protected or not protected against ND, IBD and IB based on a defined criterion. Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) testing was performed for each target virus on tissue samples and positive samples were sequenced. A total of 15/44 (34.1%), 35/44 (79.5%), and 1/44 (2.3%) farms were considered to be protected against ND, IBD, and IB, respectively, at the time of sampling. NDV RNA was detected on 7/44 (15.9%) farms and sequences obtained from 3/7 farms were characterized as the lentogenic strain. Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) RNA was detected on 16/44 (36.4%) farms tested; very virulent (vv) IBDV and non-virulent (nv) IBDV strains were both detected in 3/16 (18.8%) positive samples. Sequences of IBDV isolates were either clustered with a group of genotype 3 virulent IBDV strains or were related to vaccine strains MB and D78 strains. IBV RNA was detected on 36/44 (81.8%) farms, with variant02, Massachusetts, 4/91, and Q1 variants detected. Sequences of IBV isolates were either clustered with the vaccines strains Massachusetts M41 and H120 or were most closely related to the D274-like strains or a clade of sequences reported in Nigeria and Niger in 2006 and 2007. This study revealed that most study farms in Oyo and Kano states did not have adequate protective antibody titers against IBV and NDV and were therefore at risk of field challenge. Infectious bursal disease virus and IBV RNA were detected on farms with a history of vaccination suggesting potential vaccination failure, or that the vaccine strains used mismatch with the circulating strains and are therefore not protective.

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is the first point of contact for ingested substances and thus represents a direct interface with the external environment. Apart from food processing, this interface plays a significant role in immunity and contributes to the wellbeing of individuals through the brain-gut-microbiota axis. The transition of life from the in utero environment, to suckling and subsequent weaning has to be matched by phased development and maturation of the GIT; from an amniotic fluid occupancy during gestation, to the milk in the suckling state and ultimately solid food ingestion at weaning. This phased maturation of the GIT can be affected by intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including diet. Despite the increasing dietary inclusion of medicinal plants and phytochemicals for health benefits, a dearth of studies addresses their impact on gut maturation. In this review we focus on some recent findings mainly on the positive impact of medicinal plants and phytochemicals in inducing precocious maturation of the GIT, not only in humans but in pertinent animals. We also discuss Paneth cells as mediators and potential markers of GIT maturation.

The need to identify and recognize school going children with giftedness remains a concern of the Republic of Kazakhstan's government. This concern motivated this study to examine the internal structure of the giftedness characteristic identification scale (GCIS) for use by Kazakhstan's school children. Exploratory quantitative research approach, and its design was grounded within the exploratory type. The GCIS is a self-report scale to identify the four characteristics of giftedness including contextual, intellectual, creative, and social giftedness. A total of 1176 elementary and middle school students were sampled for the study. The students were in grades and aged between 12 and 16 years. Most of the participants were 65% female; and 35% male. The data collected was analyzed using exploratory factor analysis. The findings established a relatively high-reliability Cronbach alpha coefficient of 89.7%. No statistical difference was found between the Kazakh and Russian languages of instruction, based on the gifted characteristics of the participants. Emphasis was placed on the fact that the GCIS was a reliable tool to identify giftedness among schoolchildren in Kazakhstan, but much future work is needed to determine its validity.

Abstract Background Four wild polio-virus cases were reported in Borno State, Nigeria 2016, 1 year after Nigeria had been removed from the list of polio endemic countries by the World Health Organization. Resulting from Nigeria’s decade long conflict with Boko Haram, health officials had been unable to access as much as 60% of the settlements in Borno, hindering vaccination and surveillance efforts. This lack of accessibility made it difficult for the government to assess the current population distribution within Borno. This study aimed to use high resolution, visible band satellite imagery to assess the habitation of inaccessible villages in Borno State. Methods Using high resolution (31–50 cm) imagery from DigitalGlobe, analysts evaluated the habitation status of settlements in Borno State identified by Nigeria’s Vaccination Tracking System. The analysts looked at imagery of each settlement and, using vegetation (overgrowth vs. cleared) as a proxy for human habitation, classified settlements into three categories: inhabited, partially abandoned, and abandoned. Analysts also classified the intact percentage of each settlement starting at 0% (totally destroyed since last assessment) and increasing in 25% intervals through 100% (completely intact but not expanded) up to 200+% (more than doubled in size) by looking for destroyed buildings. These assessments were then used to adjust previously established population estimates for each settlement. These new population distributions were compared to vaccination efforts to determine the number of children under 5 unreached by vaccination teams. Results Of the 11,927 settlements assessed 3203 were assessed as abandoned (1892 of those completely destroyed), 662 as partially abandoned, and 8062 as fully inhabited as of December of 2017. Comparing the derived population estimates from the new assessments to previous assessment and the activities of vaccination teams shows that an estimated 180,155 of the 337,411 under five children who were unreached in 2016 were reached in 2017 (70.5% through vaccination efforts in previously inaccessible areas, 29.5% through displacement to accessible areas). Conclusions This study’s methodology provides important planning and situation awareness information to health workers in Borno, Nigeria, and may serve as a model for future data gathering efforts in inaccessible regions.

Background: Internally displaced persons (IDPs) from North Eastern Nigeria have limited access to dental health facilities. Information on their oral health problems is limited. There is a need to determine their oral health status and treatment needs. Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess the oral health status and treatment needs of persons in an IDP camp and provide needed oral health services. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study among adults and their children in an IDP camp in Lagos. Pro forma with sections on biodata, oral hygiene practice and status, and periodontal parameter was used. Descriptive statistics were used in data analysis, with P < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: One hundred and twenty-three individuals (67 adults and 56 children) were seen. Mean age was 16.7 ± 12.8 years, adults were 28 ± 4.9 years, and children were 3.8 ± 3.1 years. Females represented 61%. Most (68.7%) adults had secondary school education, while most children (73.2%) had not commenced formal education. Fewer (41.7%) brushed twice daily. Only 8.5% had visited the dentist. Overall caries prevalence was 20.3%, and mean Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) was 0.7 ± 1.7, while the mean dmft for children with primary teeth was 0.3 ± 1.0. Mean DMFT was significantly associated with the past dental visits (P = 0.003) and presence of at least one oral condition (P = 0.000). The restorative index was zero, while unmet treatment need was 76.7%. Low dental treatment index was 30.6%. Of the 30.1% with toothache, only 16.2% sought treatment in the hospital. Sixty-three respondents received dental treatment in the form of scaling and polishing, fluoride therapy, atraumatic restorative treatment and extractions. Conclusion: The IDPs had a caries prevalence of 20.3% and a DMFT of 0.7 which were relatively low. However, their unmet treatment needs were high, coupled with a zero-restorative index. The IDPs benefited from free oral health-care services.

Gender inequality in access to productive and economic resources has been a topical issue in sub-Saharan Africa. The restrictive access to resources, assets and decision making by women has been linked to food insecurity. Using a large cross-sectional dataset from the 2018/2019 Living Standard Measurement Survey, this paper examines the interrelationship among gender, empowerment and households’ food security status in Nigeria. The analytical techniques adopted include the empowerment index, dietary diversity score and the Tobit and the ordered probit regression models. The findings suggest that the level of empowerment is generally low in Nigeria (21.63%) but much worse among the female gender (11.78%). The results also show that female gender and rural and North West residents were mostly in the food insecure and disempowered group. The study concludes that empowerment and food policy measures that would enhance access and control of productive and economic resources by the female gender and rural and North West residents should be formulated to ensure the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of ending hunger and promoting gender equality.

Fallowing is considered an important management strategy for the restoration of soil productivity. Therefore, a three-year fallow of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), mexican sunflower (Tithonia diversifolia) and elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) was established at Landmark University, Nigeria between 2016 – 2019. Leaf nutrient concentrations of maize (Zea mays) planted with soils taken from each fallowed plots after three years were also determined. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with three replications. Soil samples were collected from each fallow plots for physical and chemical analysis (bulk density, porosity, moisture content, particle size, dispersion ratio, soil erosion loss, soil organic matter (SOM), total N, available P, exchangeables K, Ca, Mg, CEC and pH.) before and at the end of the experiment. Means of data collected were separated using Tukey's HSD test at p = 0.05. Tithonia fallow improved soil properties and leaf nutrient concentration of maize compared with Pennisetum and Cajanus fallows. The order was Tithonia > Pennisetum > Cajanus. This was adduced to the regular return of plant residues to the soil in Tithonia fallow which resulted in high SOM (Tithonia increased SOM by about 23%, 7.5%, and 20%, respectively, compared with the initial soil, Pennisetum and Cajanus fallows) and increases soil N, P, K, Ca, Mg, CEC and pH and also stabilized soil structure by increasing porosity, moisture content and reducing bulk density, dispersion ratio, and soil loss. Therefore, plant species of high nutrient contents and high return of biomass to the soil are necessary for quick restoration of soil productivity in a derived savanna ecology.

IntroductionHepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is hyper-endemic in Nigeria. Prisons are high-risk environments for the spread of infectious diseases. Worldwide, seroprevalence of HBV infection is substantially higher among individuals in correctional facilities when compared to general population. We determined the seroprevalence and risk factors associated with HBV infection among Kuje prison inmates, Nigeria.Material and methodsWe conducted a prison facility based cross-sectional study. Interviewer administered questionnaires were used to obtain information on participants socio-demographic characteristics, HBV risk factors, previous HBV test and vaccination history. Blood samples collected from participants were analysed for HBsAg, HBsAb, HBcAb, HBeAg and HBeAb markers using rapid lateral chromatographic immunoassay kit. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analysis were performed.ResultsA total of 271 inmates (63 convicts and 208 awaiting trial inmates) were recruited into the study as participants. The mean age of the participants was 32.7 SD±9 years. HBV seroprevalence (HBsAg) of 13.7% (95% CI: 9.8-18.3) was found. 55.4% (95% CI: 49.2-61.4) of inmates were susceptible to HBV infection, 20.7% (95%CI; 16.0-26.0) had past HBV infection while 10.3% (95% CI: 7.0-14.6) had acquired natural or artificial HBV immunity. Factors found to be associated with current HBV infection (HBsAg) include age-group ≤25years (aOR = 8.0,95% CI: 2.9-22.3), being ever married (aOR = 4.2, 95% CI: 1.7-10.4) and history of alcohol consumption (aOR = 3.4, 95% CI: 1.3-8.4).ConclusionThis study reveals a high seroprevalence of HBV infection among Kuje Prison inmates, hence the need to introduce prison-focused health intervention initiatives such as HBV screening, vaccination and care to reduce the transmission of HBV infection among inmates and ultimately the general population.

As of 27 December 2021, SARS-CoV-2 has infected over 278 million persons and caused 5.3 million deaths. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, different methods, from medical to artificial intelligence, have been used for its detection, diagnosis, and surveillance. Meanwhile, fast and efficient point-of-care (POC) testing and self-testing kits have become necessary in the fight against COVID-19 and to assist healthcare personnel and governments curb the spread of the virus. This paper presents a review of the various types of COVID-19 detection methods, diagnostic technologies, and surveillance approaches that have been used or proposed. The review provided in this article should be beneficial to researchers in this field and health policymakers at large.

The global acquiescence of fruits and vegetables could be linked to their medicinal and nutritional benefits. Despite the breakthrough reported in application of agrochemicals for improving fruit production, reports of chemo-resistance pathogens and health implications have stalled its applications. This led to isolation, identification and the use of plant materials to inhibit pathogenic growth responsible for post-harvest deterioration of watermelon. According to Kosh postulate, Fusarium oxysporum, Streptomyces spp and Aspergillus flavus were isolated from infested watermelon fruits. The ethanolic leaf extracts (18.20± 0.707 mm) displayed significant resistance against the microbes when compared to ethyl acetate extracts (17.20± 0.707 mm) and Nystatin (17.00± 0.707 mm). The findings revealed that A. indica and C. odorata plant extracts could inhibit post-harvest pathogenic fungi in watermelon. Nevertheless, bioactive constituents should be appraised via bioassay guided isolation so as to obtain compounds with significant resistance to post-harvest rotting and novel structural moieties.

Abstract The study investigated the level of use of Media Marketing Tools (MMTs) among cassava growers in Oyo State. Interview schedule was used to collect data from a sample size of 192 respondents across the senatorial districts of the state. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results revealed that respondents’ years of farming experience, marketing experience and annual income were 16 11.2 years, 12.5 , and N625,833.3 respectively. Despite wider spread and use of media marketing tools for agricultural products and services globally, use of MMTs was low in the study area. Unstable power supply ( =2.0, 0.00), high cost of devices for accessing media marketing tools ( = 1.98, 0.10) and lack of technical know-how ( =1.97, 0.14) were identified as constraints to the use of the tools. Significant relationship existed between awareness (r= -0.57, p=0.00) and the use of media marketing tools, while knowledge (r= 0.355, p=0.067) did not have significant association with the use of the tools. Hence, there is need for intensified awareness and training of cassava growers by all extension stakeholders on the use of MMTs for improved productivity.

The G20 made a commitment to adopt financial inclusion as a major support towards the achievement of its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of all member countries. Specifically, the sustainable development goals of employment creation, hunger elimination and poverty reduction would be addressed when those in the informal sector are captured into mainstream finance. This study investigated how financial exclusion impairs inclusive drive of 27 sub Saharan African countries using secondary data sourced from World Bank database for 10 years (2007–2017). Granger Error Correction Method (ECM) with General Methods of Moments (GMM) of Arellanon and Bond (1991) were used to analyse the short panel data obtained from the World Bank database. The ECM test result found evidence of a long-run relationship, however, in the short-run, there is an insignificant but positive relationship between financial inclusion and exclusion with values recorded at 0.33, 0.37 and 0.32 for low, moderate and high financial stable countries, respectively. This implies that, there is no correlation between financial inclusion and financial exclusion (proxy by unemployment) in the three sets of countries sampled. However, for the moderately stable financial system, exclusion has negative long run multiplier impact on inclusion. The study therefore recommends policies that could sustain and improve employment rate in poorly and highly stable financial system.

Challenges to accessing credit by the women or female entrepreneurs (FEs) have been observed to be demand-induced rather than supply constrained. This paper attempts to determine the issues that constrain financial access of FEs with the basic objective of achieving a sustainable access over the long term among the micro and the small and medium female entrepreneurs. The study undertook collection of data via questionnaire of FEs who operate in the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector through the microfinance banks’ (MfBs) and institutions’ (MfIs) support. The basic variables were savings, loan conditions, business registration and the number of banks accounts operated by FEs among others. Four models estimating the determinants of access for now and the future were estimated with ordinary least squares regression. The results indicate that easier loan conditions are required to assist the FEs in achieving sustainable credit access, as it was significantly negative in two of the models while compulsory savings deposits should be less emphasized. This indicates that there is the need to invest more in their enterprises for growth. Credit access is enhanced also by the regular use of the institutions for financial transactions. Finally, that targeted education is positively significant in savings shows that the there is need for continuous education of the business female folk at all levels. The study recommends that FEs should invest their surplus cash more in their businesses rather than save so much but should open accounts and intensively operate such accounts.

Malaria infection caused by the Plasmodium species is a complex disease in which a fine balance between host and parasite factors determine the disease severity. While in some individuals, the infection will trigger only a mild and uncomplicated disease, other individuals will develop severe complications which lead to death. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by infected red blood cells (iRBCs), as well as other host cells, are important regulators of the balance that determines the disease outcome. In addition, EVs constitute a robust mode of cell-to-cell communication by transferring signaling cargoes between parasites, and between parasites and host, without requiring cellular contact. The transfer of membrane and cytosolic proteins, lipids, DNA, and RNA through EVs not only modulate the immune response, it also mediates cellular communication between parasites to synchronize the transmission stage. Here, we review the recent progress in understanding EV roles during malaria.

For pathogens infecting single host species evolutionary trade-offs have previously been demonstrated between pathogen-induced mortality rates and transmission rates. It remains unclear, however, how such trade-offs impact sub-lethal pathogen-inflicted damage, and whether these trade-offs even occur in broad host-range pathogens. Here, we examine changes over the past 110 years in symptoms induced in maize by the broad host-range pathogen, maize streak virus (MSV). Specifically, we use the quantified symptom intensities of cloned MSV isolates in differentially resistant maize genotypes to phylogenetically infer ancestral symptom intensities and check for phylogenetic signal associated with these symptom intensities. We show that whereas symptoms reflecting harm to the host have remained constant or decreased, there has been an increase in how extensively MSV colonizes the cells upon which transmission vectors feed. This demonstrates an evolutionary trade-off between amounts of pathogen-inflicted harm and how effectively viruses position themselves within plants to enable onward transmission.

The potentials and benefits of local building materials (LBM) remain untapped and seem to progress at a slow rate in the Nigerian building industry. This research examined the availability and level of usage of LBM in Ado-Ekiti, South-Western Nigeria. Further, it considered hindering and helpful factors for the use of LBM in the study area. Based on the extensive review of literatures, ten (10) LBM were identified and examined in the study area. One hundred and fifty (150) professionals closely involved with building construction in Construction companies that are fully operational in Ado-Ekiti were investigated for this study. The Relative index analysis of the frequency in the use of LBM available for building construction in Ado Ekiti revealed that the following LBM are available and in the following order, in the study area: Stone(1) with RII 0.95 , timber(2) RII 0.93, laterite(3) RII 0.92, clay and mud(4) RII 0.91, bamboo(5) RII 0.90, leaves and barks of trees(6) RII 0.88, Palm kernel shells (7) RII 0.85, wild coconut trees(8) RII 0.79, animal wastes (9) RII 0.76 and dung(10) RII 0.74. However, the level of usage of these materials is still very low. Considering the economic, socio-cultural and environmental benefits of LBM, this study recommended more awareness campaign and sensitization of the public on LBM in order to promote its social acceptability. In addition, it recommended that Federal and State governments should facilitate more research in the use of the available local materials for building construction. Availing funds specifically for research and development of LBM will also promote its use. Keywords: Affordable Housing, Building Materials, Construction, Local knowledge, Nigeria.

The study focused on the examination of laboratory prepared yoghurts which were fermented with selected starter cultures from commercially sold yoghurt. The starter cultures were molecularly identified (16s rRNA) as Enterococcus lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus pentosus, Pediococcuspentosaceus and Enterococcus durans. The isolates were examined for bile tolerance as an indicator of their ability to survive in the gut. The starter cultures were used to produce different yoghurts in the following order: Enterococcus lactis produced yoghurt, L. plantarum and L. pentosus produced yoghurt, Pediococcuspentosaceus produced yoghurt, E. durans produced yoghurt and yoghurt produced with all starter cultures. All yoghurts were examined for nutritional quality (vitamin A, B12 and C content, soluble and casein bound magnesium and calcium and proximate nutrient composition). At p ≤0.05, there was statistical significant difference in the nutritional content with P. pentosaceus contained yoghurt, E. durans contained yoghurt and yoghurt produced with a combination of all isolates recording the highest nutritional values and the lowest was observed with the control. Safety tests such as haematology and histology were carried out on wistar rats. After 7 days of feeding the rats in groups with the different yoghurts and a control without yoghurt, there were marked improvements in the red blood cell counts, white blood cell counts but no significant difference in the differentials at p ≤0.05. The isolates were also observed to have no disruptive effect on the morphology and structure of the small intestine. Overall, the use of these lactic acid bacteria strains showed immense benefits in their use as starter cultures and the study demonstrated safety of the final products for consumption.

Cymbopogon citratus is an aromatic plant of Gramineae family well-known as lemon grass. Cymbopogon is derived from Greek word “kymbe – pogon” which means boat-beard. The lemon-like scent could be ascribed to the existence of a cyclic monoterpene (citral). The herb is a perennial grass, native and distributed in Asia, Africa, South and North America. It contains considerable group of flavonoids, essential oils, phenolic compounds and other phytochemical constituents which possesses pharmacological activities such as anti-obesity, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-nociceptive, anti-oxidants anti-diarrheal, and anti-inflammatory properties which could enhance health. Owing to its volatility and lemon-like aroma, citronella oil is used as deodorants in cosmetics, toiletries, insecticides (bio-pesticide) and spent grass in agriculture, in pharmaceutical and chemical industries it is incorporated in the manufacture of perfumes, fragrances, soaps, detergents, aftershaves, cosmetics and as culinary flavor in food industries. This literature review was tailored to widely investigate the ethnobiological, phytochemical compounds and pharmacological assays in attempt to divulge other plausible therapeutic activities. Keywords: Phytochemical constituents, Citral, Essential oil, Pharmacological activities, Lemon grass

Abstract The sustainability management of groundwater resource globally is challenged by its vulnerability to pollution resulting from anthropogenic activities. In order to address this problem, the DRASTIC index model (DIM) method among the existing vulnerability modeling techniques is commonly used. OWA-DRASTIC index model (ODIM) technique is another recently developed method for the same task. This study investigated the application of these vulnerability-biased modeling methods in a multi-faceted geologic setting at Perak Province, Malaysia with the view of establishing their efficiencies. The models considered seven pollution potential conditioning factors (PPCFs) obtained from difference data sources. Applying the GIS-based multi-criterial algorithm of these models, the PPCFs were related for developing multi-parameters-based vulnerability index model equations. Groundwater vulnerability to pollution index (GVPI) maps was produced from the synthesized estimated results of the applied multi-parameters-based vulnerability index model equations. The reliability of the produced GVPI maps was established using analyzed groundwater quality data results. The obtained prediction accuracy results for the ODIM-based GVPI map and DIM-based GVPI map are 85.71 and 64.29%, respectively. Besides, the regression coefficient results obtained from the spatially estimate from the DIM and ODIM’ vulnerability index’s values relationship with the pH and manganese concentrations give 83 and 85% for the ODIM technique and 68 and 63% for the DIM technique, respectively. The overall results indicated that the applied ODIM method in the area is a better alternative to the conventional DIM method. The produced GVPI maps can be useful to regional planners and environmental managers entrusted with the protection of groundwater resource.

Domestic violence against women (DVAW) has received much attention from scholars across disciplines, leading to a circumvention of studies on domestic violence against men (DVAM). This paper, therefore, engages in a qualitative dialogic analysis of readers’ comments on cases of DVAM reported in select blogs in order to elicit opposing gendered stances on DVAM in the selected readers’ comments; interpret the linguistic resources and interactional practices used in projecting the identified opposing stances; and explicate on the implications of the gendered stances on cases of DVAM in Nigeria. The data comprises 248 readers’ comments on cases of DVAM culled from the archives of Bella Naija and Linda Ikeji’s blogs. The two blogs constantly report on domestic issues. Haddington’s (2004) Stance taking model is adapted as the analytical framework. The study portrays opposing gender-based stances on DVAM in Nigeria in order to construe gendered perspectives on the phenomenon and to portray the dynamism of domestic violence (DV).