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Investigation of the commercially available Na1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 (NATP) solid electrolyte for Na-ion solid-state batteries (SIBs) application requires a comprehensive understanding of its microstructural, thermal behaviour and electrical properties. This study employed different physical, thermal, spectroscopic and microscopic techniques, including Archimedes', XRD, SEM, DSC/TGA, dilatometry and impedance spectroscopy, to investigate the solid electrolyte properties of NATP. The X-ray diffraction and refinement results confirmed a rhombohedral structure with an R-3c space group for NATP and an F1 AlPO4 space group impurity phase. A dilatometer and DSC/TGA studied the dimensional change, weight loss and heat flow of the NATP ceramic as a function of temperature. SEM measurement revealed loosely bonded particles of the ceramic microstructure with approximately 91.0% relative density by the geometric method. The optimum sintering temperature to suppressed/minimised AlPO4 impurity phase was identified and phase refinement using Topas 5 software provided insight into the crystalline structure. NATP sample sintered at 900 °C for 12 h resulted in an ionic conductivity of 2.45 × 10−7 S/cm at 25 °C with an activation energy of 0.30 eV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the utility of uterine and umbilical artery Doppler in the second and third-trimester in predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methodology: In a prospective longitudinal study, the demographic, clinical, Doppler ultrasound parameters of the uterine and umbilical arteries of 84 consecutive women attending the antenatal clinic at 22?24 weeks and 116 women at 30?34 weeks gestation and pregnancy outcomes were documented and analyzed. Results: Pregnant women with adverse pregnancy outcomes had significantly higher second-trimester mean uterine systolic/diastolic (S/D) ratio (p?=?0.001), pulsatility index (PI; p?=?0.003), umbilical artery S/D (p?=?0.016), and resistivity index (RI; p?=?0.041) as well as higher third-trimester uterine S/D and PI. While pregnancies with adverse fetal outcomes showed significantly higher uterine artery S/D and PI at the second trimester, third-trimester uterine showed higher S/D, RI, and PI and umbilical artery PI than in women with normal fetal outcomes. The combination of uterine PI and early diastolic notch were predictors of maternal outcomes and correctly predicted 73% (p?0.001) in the second trimester. By the third trimester, the uterine PI alone was the best predictor and accurately predicted about 62% of maternal outcomes (p?=?0.028). In addition, the second-trimester uterine S/D and early diastolic notch and uterine PI in the third trimester correctly predicted 79% and 78% of fetal outcomes, respectively. Conclusion: Among unselected pregnant women population, the second-trimester Doppler parameters are better predictors of maternal adverse pregnancy outcomes, while adverse fetal outcome prediction by uterine and umbilical Doppler at the second- and the third-trimester parameters are comparable.

Background: Intracranial arterial calcification (IAC), a recognized marker of atherosclerosis on cranial computed tomography (CT), is an independent risk factor for ischaemic stroke. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, distribution, severity, and associations of IAC in adults with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Methods: Cranial CT images of 130 consecutive adults who presented with AIS were acquired on a 64-slice multi-detector Toshiba Aquilion scanner and evaluated for IAC in bone window on Vitrea® software using a semi-quantitative scoring method for extent, thickness, and length of calcifications in the large intracranial arteries. Associations of IAC with clinical and laboratory data were determined by statistical analysis at p < 0.05. Results: There were 71 males (54.6%), and the mean age of all patients was 63.0 ± 13.2 years. Hypertension was the most common risk factor (83.1%). IAC was found in 121 patients (93.1%), predominantly in the carotid siphon (86.1%) followed by the intracranial vertebral arteries (9.3%), middle cerebral arteries (2.4%), basilar artery (1.2%), and the anterior cerebral arteries (1%). The burden of IAC ranged from mild (17.4%) to moderate (52.1%) to severe (30.6%). Age (p < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.037), and alcohol use (0.046) were significantly different among the patients with mild, moderate, and severe degrees of IAC. IAC was associated with age (p < 0.001), hypertension (p = 0.03), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.02), hyperlipidaemia (p = 0.04), and alcohol use (p < 0.001) but not with sex (p = 0.35). Conclusions: The burden of IAC is very high among native African patients with AIS and preferentially involves proximal inflow arteries. Therefore, the role of large vessel atherosclerosis in ischaemic stroke in native Africans should be explored in future multinational, multimodality studies.

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this work, a multiple dependent state sampling plan, which is an inspection procedure that determines whether an attribute is conforming or non-conforming to a specific requirement, in which the decision criterion for each lot dictates whether to accept the lot; reject the lot; or conditionally accept or reject the lot based on the disposition of future related lots, is introduced. This plan has some advantages over other acceptance sampling plans, like increased efficiency, improved ability to discriminate between acceptable and non - acceptable lots or batches, flexibility in designing the sampling process, and improved cost-effectiveness. To reject a lot, the plan made use of the properties of the sampled current and preceding lots. The study aims to reduce the average sampling number by using a non-linear optimization problem that is subjected to some constraints. With regards to a life test that is truncated in time, the product's median life was used for the proposed sampling plan assuming that the lifetime of the product follows Zech distribution. The usage of median life was necessitated because Zech distribution is an asymmetric distribution with longer tail to the right. Two points on the operating characteristic curve were used for the proposed sampling plan and the following parameters were found; number of preceding lots which is required for deciding if the current lot should be accepted or rejected, the size of the sample, rejection number, and acceptance number. For different shape parameters, we constructed tables for various combinations of consumers' and producers' risks. A real example was provided which showed that a multiple dependent state sampling plan is a good sampling plan for fitting the datasets. Comparing the proposed plan with a single sampling plan, the results reveal that the proposed plan is more effective at securing the consumer and the producer with less inspection. The approach introduced in this study provides an ample opportunity for the manufacturers to reduce the cost and time of inspection by having the sample size reduced without compromising the decision-making accuracy. By implementing the findings of this study, the consumers are confident that their hard-earned money is not used to purchase sub-standard goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication between parents and adolescents on Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH) issues are emerging public health concerns in Nigeria; yet they can be tackled through parents’ intervention. This study was designed to document the parents’ knowledge and quality of communication relating to ARH between parents and their adolescents in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in two Local Government Areas in the state. Interviewer-administered instruments were used to collect data from the parents and adolescents pair. Both instruments included a 28-point knowledge scale and questions on ARH practices. The instrument for adolescents contained an additional 15-point Perceived Quality of ARH Communication (PQARHC). Knowledge scores ≤9, ≤10-18 and ≥20 were categorized as poor, fair and good, respectively for both parents and adolescents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chisquare tests at P=0.05. Ages of adolescents were 13.9±2.4 years while parents’ ages was 42.6±8.5 years. Parent’s and adolescents knowledge scores 22.6±3.4 and 19.4±5.9, respectively with no significant difference. Adolescents whose parents ever discussed ARH issues with them were 20.9% as against 72.1% by the parents. The proportion of parents and adolescents with good knowledge of ARH were 89.4% and 64.7% with no significant difference while the proportion of Adolescents’ PQARHC with their parents was adjudged to be of good quality communication was 82.2% with P>0.05. Both the parents and adolescents had good knowledge of adolescent reproductive health but practice and quality of communication was poor. Therefore, training intervention to improve the adolescent- parent communication is recommended for the parents.

Purpose: This intervention project targeted one vulnerable group, female apprentices in Ibadan, Nigeria, to evaluate the effectiveness of multiple interventions aimed at preventing violence against women (VAW). Design/methodology/approach: A baseline survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 350 young women recruited from apprenticeship workshops in Ibadan. The interventions consisted of skills training workshops for apprentices (323), sensitization training for the instructors of apprentices (54), police (30) and judicial officers (25) and the development/distribution of educational materials to reduce the incidence of violence. A follow-up survey was conducted with 203 apprentices after five months of interventions. Findings: Improvements were found at follow-up with respect to knowledge of types of violence and sexual forms of violence (up from 89.4 to 97 percent) (p less than 0.05), and appreciation of vulnerability to VAW increased (from 77 to 95 percent) (p less than 0.05). The prevalence of beating dropped from 65.4 to 23 percent. A significantly greater proportion (p less than 0.05) of the apprentices reported payment for vocation-related work (8.9 percent compared with 16.4 percent). Only a slight decline was reported in rape (5.7 to 5.4 percent) and sexual harassment (22.9 and 22.7 percent). The proportion of victims of violence who sought redress increased from 40.2 to 72.7 percent. Research limitations/implications: There is a need for more research into interventions that can reduce violence towards women. Practical implications: Interventions targeted at female apprentices were effective in reducing the prevalence of forms of violence. The data generated may be useful for practitioners and in guiding policymakers on the regulation of activities in the informal sector. There is a need for more intervention programs for this population. Originality/value: This paper addresses the needs of a marginalized group about a public health problem which is often denied or covered up. (Contains 6 tables.)

OBJECTIVES:Some individuals experience their first sexual intercourse through physically forced sex, which affects the way they experience and cope with stress. We examined differences in sexual risk behavior, experience of stressors, and use of stress-coping strategies among adolescents in Nigeria based on their history of forced sexual initiation and HIV status. METHODS:We analyzed data from 436 sexually active 10-19-year-old adolescents recruited through a population-based survey from 12 Nigerian states. Using Lazarus and Folkman's conceptual framework of stress and coping, we assessed if adolescents who reported forced sexual initiation were more likely to report HIV sexual risk practices, to report as stressors events related to social expectations, medical care and body images, and loss and grief, and to use more avoidance than adaptive coping strategies to manage stress. We also assessed if HIV status affected experience of stressors and use of coping strategies. RESULTS:Eighty-one adolescents (18.6%) reported a history of forced sexual initiation; these participants were significantly more likely to report anal sex practices (OR: 5.04; 95% CI: 2.14-11.87), and transactional sex (OR: 2.80; 95% CI: 1.56-4.95). Adolescents with no history of forced sexual initiation were more likely to identify as stressors, life events related to social expectations (OR: 1.03; 95% CI: 0.96-1.11) and loss and grief (OR: 1.34; 95% CI: 0.73-2.65), but not those related to medical care and body images (OR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.34-1.18). They were also more likely to use adaptive responses (OR: 1.48; 95% CI: 0.62-3.50) than avoidance responses (OR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.49-1.64) to cope with stress, though these differences were not significant. More adolescents with a history of forced sexual initiation who were HIV positive identified as stressors, life events related to medical care and body images (p = 0.03) and loss and grief (p = 0.009). Adolescents reporting forced sexual initiation and HIV-negative status were significantly less likely to use religion as a coping strategy (OR: 0.28; 95% CI: 0.09-0.83). CONCLUSION:History of forced sexual initiation and HIV status affected perception of events as stressors and use of specific coping strategies. Our study findings could inform best practice interventions and policies to prevent and address forced sexual initiation among adolescents in Nigeria and other countries.

Enrichment of environmental conditions of laboratory mice model in most in-vivo studies may be attributed to quantity and quality of data output. Despite reports on welfare of Mus musculus (albino mice), there is dearth of studies in comparing standard breeding of this specie in enriched group (EG) and Un-enriched group (UG). The study examined productivity by breeding Mus musculus under standard laboratory condition, using comparison of this specie in proper (enriched) versus poor (un-enriched) condition. Six male and female mice (20 to 25g) were immaculately housed, fed, grouped into 2 (EG and UG) and bred using 2 phases of trio system (one male and two females) for 12 weeks (84 days). Results inferred production of more litters in EG (18/19) than UG, (12/14), respectively and more females' production than males in both groups for both phases. The number of cannibalised litters was more in UG (5 litters were cannibalised with 71.4 to 91.7 % survival rate) compared to EG (1 litter was cannibalised with 94.7 to 100% survival rate), during both phases. A significant (p < 0.05) difference was observed in volume of water consumed and average weight of mice in EG, when compared to UG. However, no significant (p > 0.05) difference observed in feed consumption of the two groups. The temperature readings (33.53±0.16 / 34.89 ±0.21) of clinical and mercury in glass thermometers of both groups revealed no significant difference. Thus, enriched group of laboratory mice appears to be more productive than un-enriched group during breeding period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]