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Nigeria, with a population of over 190 million people, is rated among the 10 countries with the highest burden of infectious and zoonotic diseases globally. In Nigeria, there exist a sub-optimal surveillance system to monitor and track priority zoonoses. We therefore conducted a prioritization of zoonotic diseases for the first time in Nigeria to guide prevention and control efforts. Towards this, a two-day in-country consultative meeting involving experts from the human, animal, and environmental health backgrounds prioritized zoonotic diseases using a modified semi-quantitative One Health Zoonotic Disease Prioritization tool in July 2017. Overall, 36 of 52 previously selected zoonoses were identified for prioritization. Five selection criteria were used to arrive at the relative importance of prioritized diseases based on their weighted score. Overall, this zoonotic disease prioritization process marks the first major step of bringing together experts from the human-animal-environment health spectrum in Nigeria. Importantly, the country ranked rabies, avian influenza, Ebola Virus Disease, swine influenza and anthrax as the first five priority zoonoses in Nigeria. Finally, this One Health approach to prioritizing important zoonoses is a step that will help to guide future tracking and monitoring of diseases of grave public health importance in Nigeria.

Robots able to coexist and interact with humans are key elements for Society 5.0. To produce the right expectations towards robots, it will be necessary to expose the true current capabilities of robots to the general public. In this context, Human–Robot Interaction (HRI) in the wild emerges as a relevant paradigm. In this article, we affront the challenge of bringing an industrial robot (NEXTAGE Open) outside factories and laboratories to be used in a public setting. We designed a multi-modal interactive scenario that integrates state-of-the-art sensory devices, deep learning methods for perception, and a human–machine graphical interface that monitors the system and provides useful information to participants. The main objective of the presented work is to build a robust and fully autonomous robotic system able to: (1) share the same space as humans, (2) work in a public and crowded space, and (3) provide an intuitive and engaging experience for a robotic exposition. In addition, we measured the attitudes, perceptions, expectations, and emotional reactions of volunteers. Results suggest that participants considered our proposed scenario as enjoyable, safe, interesting, and clear. Those points are also the main concerns of participants about sharing workspaces of daily environments with robots. However, we can point out some limitations with a biased population mainly composed of Japanese and males. In future work, we will improve our scenario with non-functional features or emotional expressions from the robot.

In high load conditions, the boost converter presents some phenomena, such as chattering, chaos, subharmonics, and nT-periodic orbits, which require studying them with the aim of reducing the effects and improving the performance of these electronic devices. In this paper, sufficient conditions for the existence of nT-periodic orbits are analytically obtained and the system stability is evaluated using eigenvalues of the Jacobian matrix of the Poincaré application. It is demonstrated numerically that 1T-periodic orbits occur for a broad range of γ parameters. The research obtains a particular class of 2T-periodic orbits in the boost converter and a formula that provides sufficient conditions for the existence of nT-periodic orbits with and without saturation in the duty cycle. In addition, an analysis of nT-periodic orbits is performed with a biparametric diagram. The system stability is computed using a variational equation that allows perturbation of the 1T-periodic orbits. Moreover, an analytical calculation of the Floquet exponents is performed to determine the stability limit of the 1T-periodic orbit. Finally, the phenomena found in this research are described according to the behavior of real applications encountered in previous literature.

In this paper, a derivative for functions f:G→H, where G is any metric divisible group and H is a metric Abelian group with a group metric, is defined. Basic differentiation theorems are stated and demonstrated. In particular, we obtain the Chain Role.

Yōkobo is a robject; it was designed using the principle of slow technology and it aims to strengthen the bond between members (e.g., a couple). It greets people at the entrance and mirrors their interactions and the environment around them. It was constructed by applying the notions of a human–robot–human interaction. Created by joint work between designers and engineers, the form factor (semi-abstract) and the behaviours (nonverbal) were iteratively formed from the early stage of the design process. Integrated into the smart home, Yōkobo uses expressive motion as a communication medium. Yōkobo was tested in our office to evaluate its technical robustness and motion perception ahead of future long-term experiments with the target population. The results show that Yōkobo can sustain long-term interaction and serve as a welcoming partner.

Many road authorities work with static values for road capacities, while it has been proven that capacity is not a fixed quantity. At the same time, there is an increasing need for accurate stochastic input for traffic models, such as the variation in road capacity. In this paper, a methodological framework with a conceptual model for practical stochastic capacity estimation is presented, and a quantification of motorway capacity variation is given for the influence of day-type specific variations in capacity values. The results of the analysis show that there is a reduction in motorway breakdown capacity of 4% on weekend days in comparison with workdays. Furthermore, a capacity decrease of 8% was found for the discharge capacity in comparison with workdays. The analysis further shows that the breakdown capacity on holidays is not significantly lower than on workdays. Discharge capacity and capacity drops are also derived in each case. The results show that the capacity is significantly different depending on the type of day. A quantification of these differences is given in the form of a Weibull capacity estimation fit for each type-of-day scenario. Further consideration of the implications and applications of the framework is also given. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient finite difference approach is adopted to analyze the solution of a novel fractional-order mathematical model to control the co-circulation of double strains of dengue and COVID-19. The model is primarily built on a non-integer Caputo fractional derivative. The famous fixed-point theorem developed by Banach is employed to ensure that the solution of the formulated model exists and is ultimately unique. The model is examined for stability around the infection-free equilibrium point analysis, and it was observed that it is stable (asymptotically) when the maximum reproduction number is strictly below unity. Furthermore, global stability analysis of the disease-present equilibrium is conducted via the direct Lyapunov method. The non-standard finite difference (NSFD) approach is adopted to solve the formulated model. Furthermore, numerical experiments on the model reveal that the trajectories of the infected compartments converge to the disease-present equilibrium when the basic reproduction number ( R 0 ) is greater than one and disease-free equilibrium when the basic reproduction number is less than one respectively. This convergence is independent of the fractional orders and assumed initial conditions. The paper equally emphasized the outcome of altering the fractional orders, infection and recovery rates on the disease patterns. Similarly, we also remarked the importance of some key control measures to curtail the co-spread of double strains of dengue and COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Paratuberculosis, a chronic disease affecting ruminant livestock, is caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). It has direct and indirect economic costs, impacts animal welfare and arouses public health concerns. In a survey of 48 countries we found paratuberculosis to be very common in livestock. In about half the countries more than 20% of herds and flocks were infected with MAP. Most countries had large ruminant populations (millions), several types of farmed ruminants, multiple husbandry systems and tens of thousands of individual farms, creating challenges for disease control. In addition, numerous species of free-living wildlife were infected. Paratuberculosis was notifiable in most countries, but formal control programs were present in only 22 countries. Generally, these were the more highly developed countries with advanced veterinary services. Of the countries without a formal control program for paratuberculosis, 76% were in South and Central America, Asia and Africa while 20% were in Europe. Control programs were justified most commonly on animal health grounds, but protecting market access and public health were other factors. Prevalence reduction was the major objective in most countries, but Norway and Sweden aimed to eradicate the disease, so surveillance and response were their major objectives. Government funding was involved in about two thirds of countries, but operations tended to be funded by farmers and their organizations and not by government alone. The majority of countries (60%) had voluntary control programs. Generally, programs were supported by incentives for joining, financial compensation and/or penalties for non-participation. Performance indicators, structure, leadership, practices and tools used in control programs are also presented. Securing funding for long-term control activities was a widespread problem. Control programs were reported to be successful in 16 (73%) of the 22 countries. Recommendations are made for future control programs, including a primary goal of establishing an international code for paratuberculosis, leading to universal acknowledgment of the principles and methods of control in relation to endemic and transboundary disease. An holistic approach across all ruminant livestock industries and long-term commitment is required for control of paratuberculosis.

This paper investigates the impacts of conflicts on state-capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), a region that has recorded a disproportionate number of armed conflicts and has a high presence in the Fragile States Index rankings. Individually, both conflicts and state-capacity are known to have important implications for economic development, which underscore their relevance for developing countries. Our aim here is to analyze the relationship between them and for this, we analyze a panel of 49 SSA countries spanning 2000–2015. Our results suggest that the effect of conflicts on state-capacity depends on the variable used to proxy state-capacity is important: conflicts diminish state-capacity when tax revenue is used as the proxy, but the effect is positive when proxied by military expenditure. Other proxies consider include regulatory quality, rule of law, and government effectiveness.

Brucellosis and Q fever are neglected zoonoses of global health importance, with unknown true prevalence in occupationally vulnerable settings, partly due to misdiagnosis for other febrile conditions and poor access to primary health care. We examined the seroprevalence of these diseases and associated factors amongst pastoralists and their cattle in Sokoto State, a hub of cattle and pastoral populations in Nigeria. Serum samples randomly collected from 137 pastoralists and 366 cattle from 27 herds in three selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state were analysed for antibodies to Brucella abortus using Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBT) and competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (cELISA) as well as antibodies to Coxiella burnetti using indirect ELISA. Consenting pastoralists' knowledge, perception and practices about the diseases were assessed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis at p ≤ 0.05 level of significance. Brucellosis adjusted individual seroprevalence were 0.83% (95%CI: 0.04-4.59%) and 0% among pastoralists; 2.28% (95%CI: 1.16-4.43%) and 5.70% (95%CI: 3.68-8.74%) in cattle by RBT and cELISA, respectively. Adjusted herd-level seroprevalence for brucellosis were 23.20% (95%CI: 11.07-42.54%) and 42.00% (95%CI: 25.27-61.11%) by RBT and cELISA, respectively. For Q fever, higher seroprevalence of 62.57% (95%CI: 54.04-70.46%) and 2.98% (95%CI: 1.57-5.58%) were recorded amongst the pastoralists and their cattle, respectively. with adjusted herd-level seroprevalence of 40.36% (95%CI: 22.57-63.17%). The LGAs of sampling were significantly (OR: 0.2; 95%CI: 0.02-1.00) associated with Q fever infection, though marginal. The majority of the pastoralists had poor knowledge, perception and practices towards the diseases. This is the first study establishing the presence of brucellosis and Q fever at the human-animal interface in Sokoto State, Nigeria. The pastoralists' poor knowledge, perception and practices about these diseases are worrisome and are important factors for consideration in disease control.