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The Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle), a type of Learning Management System (LMS), is growing globally. Across the world, the student population keeps growing, making it challenging for the existing physical infrastructure to accommodate all the students. Despite the enormous potential significance of Analytics Graphs, there needs to be more evidence regarding the utilisation of this Learning Analytics tool to significantly inform management on students' tracking capabilities and consequently improve their performance. This study demonstrates how Learning Analytics tools such as Analytics Graphs enable teachers and management to examine learners' activities in the LMS (e.g., Moodle) by utilising data from the system log to address the existing gap. This study focused on two fundamental questions. What is the usability of the Learning Management System Moodle through Analytics Graphs in the University of Applied Sciences context? Two, how can the Learning Management System Moodle through Analytics Graphs be adapted by educators and maximise its potential? The study employed a quantitative approach and tracked the available log data generated during teaching a marketing course at the University of Applied Sciences for five months (January to May 2022). The analytics graph plugin helps identify student profiles that enables the teachers to know the actual state of the students based on their responses to the activities. This study generates some interesting managerial implications for teachers, students, institutions (Universities) and the e-learning designer or Moodle administrator.

Abstract Background Exposure to chemical toxins, including insecticides, harms bodily organs like the brain. This study examined the neuroprotective of thymoquinone on the cypermethrin’s harmful effects on the histoarchitecture of the dentate gyrus and motor deficit in the dentate gyrus. Methods Forty adult male rats (180–200 g) were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 8 per group). Groups I, II, III, IV, and V received oral administration of 0.5 ml of phosphate-buffered saline, cypermethrin (20 mg/kg), thymoquinone (10 mg/kg), cypermethrin (20 mg/kg) + thymoquinone (5 mg/kg), and cypermethrin (20 mg/kg) + thymoquinone (10 mg/kg) for 14 days respectively. The novel object recognition test that assesses intermediate-term memory was done on days 14 and 21 of the experiment. At the end of these treatments, the animals were euthanized and taken for cytoarchitectural (hematoxylin and eosin; Cresyl violet) and immunohistochemical studies (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Parvalbumin, and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2). Result The study shows that thymoquinone at 5 and 10 mg/kg improved Novelty preference and discrimination index. Thymoquinone enhanced Nissl body integrity, increased GABBAergic interneuron expression, nuclear factor erythroid 2-derived factor 2, and enhanced Bcl-2 expression in the dentate gyrus. It also improved the concentration of nuclear factor erythroid 2-derived factor 2, increased the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione, and decreased the concentration of malondialdehyde level against cypermethrin-induced neurotoxicity. Conclusion thymoquinone could be a therapeutic agent against cypermethrin poisoning.

Background: Malnutrition, especially macronutrient deficiency, has been shown to be interrelated with ALRI-related morbidity and mortality. However the import of zinc deficiency has only recently become the focus of research attention. Objective: The current study was carried out in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria to determine the relationship between serum zinc levels, clinical features and outcome in hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory infections (ALRI). Method: A descriptive crosssectional hospital-based study involving 120 children aged two months to five years with ALRI. Socio-demographic, clinical and laboratory data were obtained. The serum zinc was analyzed with a Jenway™ spectrophotometer after initial preparation with the QuantiChrom™ zinc assay kit. Results: Children with tachypnoea and crepitations had significantly lower mean serum zinc levels compared to the corresponding values in those without these features (each p

Abstract This study assessed soil pollution and index properties in Okpulor through geochemical, geotechnical, and geoenvironmental analyses. Twenty samples, comprising 14 surface and 6 shallow subsurface ones, underwent geochemical analysis for heavy metals (Fe, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ni, and Pb). Five geochemical indices, including the Geoaccumulation Index (Igeo), Enrichment Factor (EF), Contamination Factor (CF), Metal Pollution Index (MPI), and Potential Ecological Risk Index (PERI), were utilized. Simultaneously, six subsurface samples underwent geotechnical analysis for Natural Moisture, Grain Size, Specific Gravity, Bulk Density, and Atterberg Limits, following Unified Soil Classification System (USCS) and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) guidelines. The Igeo highlighted significant heavy metal contamination in Okpulor soils, particularly Cd. EF values exceeding 1.5 underscored a strong anthropogenic influence, with CF indicating Cd's substantial contribution to overall contamination. PERI underscored the ecological risks associated with Cd contamination. Natural moisture content, ranging from 18.21% to 21.45%, indicated a notable presence of water in the soil during the dry season, potentially leading to increased leaching and migration of water-soluble contaminants. Bulk density values suggested moderate to lightly packed soils, impacting porosity and permeability, and influencing contaminant movement. Atterberg limits indicated low soil plasticity, impacting moisture retention and contaminant behaviour. Grain size analysis revealed poorly graded soils with a close sand-to-clay ratio, affecting water drainage. These geotechnical properties and heavy metal contamination reveal the intricate interplay between soil characteristics and contamination risks in the Okpulor area, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to safeguard the environment.

BackgroundType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a disease of public health importance globally with an increasing burden of undiagnosed pre-diabetes and diabetes in low- and middle-income countries, Nigeria in particular. Pre-diabetes and diabetes are established risk factors for cardiovascular complications. However, data are scanty on the current prevalence of these conditions in Nigeria, based on haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) diagnosis as recommended by the WHO in 2009. We aimed to determine the prevalence of pre-diabetes, diabetes, and undiagnosed diabetes among the adult population of Nigeria using HbA1c.MethodologyA cross-sectional, multi-site population study was carried out in selected states in Nigeria (namely, Ekiti, Lagos, Osun, Oyo, and Kwara states) involving 2,708 adults (≥18 years) in rural and urban community dwellers, without prior diagnosis of pre-diabetes or diabetes. Participants with ongoing acute or debilitating illnesses were excluded. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered pretested, semi-structured questionnaire. Socio-demographic, clinical (weight, height, blood pressure, etc.), and laboratory characteristics of participants including HbA1c were obtained. Data were analysed using STATA version 16.ResultsThe mean age of participants was 48.1 ± 15.8 years, and 65.5% were female. The overall prevalence of pre-diabetes and undiagnosed diabetes was 40.5% and 10.7%, respectively, while the prevalence of high blood pressure was 36.7%. The prevalence of pre-diabetes was the highest in Lagos (48.1%) and the lowest in Ekiti (36.7%), while the prevalence of diabetes was the highest in Kwara (14.2%) and the lowest in Ekiti (10%). There was a significant association between age of the participants (p< 0.001), gender (p = 0.009), educational status (p = 0.008), occupation (p< 0.001), tribe (p = 0.004), marital status (p< 0.001), blood pressure (p< 0.001), and their diabetic or pre-diabetic status. Independent predictors of diabetes and pre-diabetes include excess weight gain, sedentary living, and ageing. Participants within the age group 45–54 years had the highest total prevalence (26.6%) of pre-diabetes and diabetes.ConclusionOver half of the respondents had pre-diabetes and diabetes, with a high prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes. A nationwide screening campaign will promote early detection of pre-diabetes and undiagnosed diabetes among adult Nigerians. Health education campaigns could be an effective tool in community settings to improve knowledge of the risk factors for diabetes to reduce the prevalence of dysglycaemia.

Background Acute kidney injury (AKI) is an underrecognized complication of severe malaria and an independent risk factor for mortality among children. Objective To determine the incidence and factors predictive of AKI as defined by the pediatric risk, injury, failure, loss, and end-stage (pRIFLE) criteria in children with severe malaria and to assess in-hospital mortality rates in malarial AKI (MAKI). Methods This was a prospective cohort study in 170 children aged 0.5 to 14 years with confirmed Plasmodium falciparum on peripheral blood smears and clinical and/or laboratory features of severe malaria. Serum creatinine was determined using the Jaffe method and glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was estimated using the Schwartz equation. The primary outcome was the incidence of AKI as defined by the pRIFLE criteria. Secondary outcomes included in-hospital mortality comparison between AKI and non-AKI groups, as well as factors predictive of AKI. Results The incidence of MAKI was 61.2% (104/170) and was comparable between males (66.7%) and females (70.6%). Mean eGFR was lower among children with AKI than those without [42.00 (SD 22) vs. 98.7 (SD 3.9) mL/min/1.73m2, respectively; P=0.005]. Children with MAKI were categorized as having risk (47/104; 45.2%), injury (33/104; 31.7%), or failure (24/104; 23.1%). Mortality rates in AKI and non-AKI subjects were comparable (4.8% vs. 4.6%; P=0.888). Predictors of MAKI were hemoglobinuria [adjusted OR (aOR) 3.948; 95%CI 1.138 to 8.030], deep acidotic breathing (aOR 2.991; 95%CI 3.549 to 66.898), and longer hospital stay (aOR 2.042; 95%CI 3.617 to 12.156). Children with MAKI were more likely to have a longer hospital stay by a mean of 2.5 days. Conclusion AKI is a common complication in children with severe malaria. MAKI has a low mortality rate comparable to those with severe malaria but without AKI. Hemoglobinuria, deep acidotic breathing, and longer hospital stay were predictive of MAKI.

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a disease associated with multiple reproductive and metabolic endocrine disorders. It is associated with cardiometabolic complications with established morbidity and mortality. Aim: We studied the pattern of these endocrine disorders associated with PCOS will aid the understanding of the pathophysiology of this relatively incompletely understood syndrome, particularly among Africans. Patients, Materials and Methods: One hundred adult females aged between 18 and 44 years, who were newly diagnosed with PCOS, and 100 age-matched non-PCOS women were involved in the study. Their serum samples were analyzed for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, progesterone, estradiol, testosterone, leptin, and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) using ELISA method. Results: The mean age of the test subjects in this study was 26.4 ± 6.0 years versus 33.3 ± 6.6 years in controls. The mean weights and body mass index of the test subjects and controls were 89.1 ± 13.9 kg versus 64.7 ± 11.3 kg, P = 0.04, and 34.01 ± 3.5 kg/m2 versus 23.8 ± 3.9 kg/m2, P = 0.034, respectively. The mean serum LH was significantly higher among subjects than that of controls (11.4 ± 7.4 vs. 5.7 ± 4.8 mIU/mL, P = 0.001); similarly the mean serum LH: FSH ratio was significantly higher among subjects and controls in this study (1.9 ± 1.1 vs. 1.1 ± 0.8, P = 0.042). Serum AMH, insulin, leptin, and testosterone levels were higher among subjects than controls (7.5 ± 5.4 vs. 2.7 ± 0.4 ng/mL, P = 0.001, 21.6 ± 7.3 vs. 18.0 ± 3.01 μIU/mL, P = 0.004, and 18.6 ± 4.0 vs. 3.5 ± 1.5 ng/mL, P = 0.003, 1.0 ± 0.2 vs. 0.6 ± 0.2 ng/mL, P = 0.042, respectively). Mean serum prolactin was significantly higher among subjects when compared to controls. The prevalence of hyperinsulinemia, hyperleptinemia, and hyperandrogenemia among subjects in this study was higher when compared to controls. Conclusion: PCOS is a disease of multiple and inter-related endocrine disorders; a study of the frequencies and distributions of these associated disorders can aid the understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease particularly among Africans where limited studies have been carried out.

Background: Owing to the non-biodegradability of selenium, its prolonged consumption may lead to adverse health outcomes. Aim and Objectives: The study investigated the physiological effects of prolonged selenium administrations in normal and desynchronized rats. Material and Methods: Ninety six cyclical adult female rats were divided into short (1 week) and long (8 weeks) experimental cohort consisting of 6 groups each. Each experimental cohort contained control, High Selenium Dose (HSD) (150 μg/kg), Low Selenium Dose (LSD) (100 μg/kg), Desynchronized Group (AP), AP + HSD and AP + LSD. Results: In normal rats, HSD administration caused duration-dependent increase in ovarian PER1 expression and suprachiasmatic catalase and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) levels. LSD administration resulted in duration-dependent increase in Nocturnal Plasma Melatonin (NPM), ovarian PER1 expression, ovarian GPx and duration-dependent increase and decrease in nighttime temperature and ovarian catalase respectively. On the other hand, in AP rats, HSD administration resulted in durationdependent increase in ovarian PER1, NPM and suprachiasmatic catalase and duration-dependent decrease in nocturnal plasma glucose and ovarian catalase respectively. Also, LSD administration led to duration-dependent decrease in ovarian GPX and increase in ovarian PER1, suprachiasmatic GPX and catalase levels respectively. Conclusion: In normal rats, 8-week administration of 150 μg/kg of selenium relatively improved ovarian PER1 expression and glutathione peroxidase and catalase levels in suprachiasmatic nucleus. Prolonged selenium administrations caused beneficial effects in desynchronized rats.

Abstract Background Nigeria, the last endemic country in the WHO African Region, was certified free of Wild Polio Virus (WPV) in 2020. However, due to low immunity in some communities in Sokoto, outbreaks of the circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus (cVDPV) occur. The aim of this study is to evaluate the Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance indicators in Sokoto state, Nigeria. Methods This retrospective study was an analysis of routinely collected AFP surveillance data between 2012 and 2019 by the Sokoto state surveillance network. We assessed the Sokoto state AFP surveillance system using the AFP surveillance performance indicators. We performed all analyses using Microsoft Excel 2019. Results Cumulatively, 3001 Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) cases were reported over the evaluation period, out of which 1692 (56.4%) were males, and 2478 (82.4%) were below five years. More than half, 1773 (59.1%), had a fever at the beginning of the disease, and 1911 (63.7%) had asymmetric paralysis. The non-polio AFP rate (9.1 to 23.5% per 100,000 children

Beam management is a key functionality in establishing and maintaining reliable communication in cellular and vehicular networks, and it becomes more critical at millimeter-wave (mmWave) frequencies and for high-mobility scenarios. Traditional approaches consume wireless resources and incur high beam training overheads in finding the best beam pairings, thus necessitating alternative approaches such as position-aided, vision-aided, or, more generally, sensing-aided beam prediction approaches. Current systems are also leveraging artificial intelligence/machine learning (ML) to optimize the beam management procedures; however, the majority of the proposed ML frameworks have been applied to synthetic datasets, leading to overestimated performances. In this work, in the context of vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication and using the real-world DeepSense6G experimental datasets, we investigate the performance of four ML algorithms on beam prediction accuracy for mmWave V2I scenarios. We compare the performance of K-nearest neighbour (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), decision tree (DT), and naïve Bayes (NB) algorithms on position-aided beam prediction accuracy and related metrics such as precision, recall, specificity, and F1-score. The impacts of different beam codebook sizes and dataset split ratios on five different scenarios' datasets were investigated, independently and collectively. Confusion matrices and area under the receiver operating characteristic curves were also employed to visualize the (mis)classification statistics of the considered ML algorithms. The results show that SVM outperforms the other three algorithms, for the most part, on the scenario-per-scenario cases. However, for the combined scenario with larger data samples, DT outperforms the other three algorithms for both the different codebook sizes and data split ratios. The results also show comparable performance for the different data split ratios considered for the different algorithms. However, with respect to the codebook sizes, the results show that the higher the codebook size, the lower the beam prediction accuracy. With the best accuracy results around 70% for the combined scenario in this study, multi-modal sensing-aided approaches can be explored to increase the beam prediction performance, although at the expense of higher system complexity when compared to the position-aided approach considered in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to diagnose urethral stricture and to determine the extent of spongiofibrosis as well as the length of stricture using sonourethrography and compare it with intraoperative findings. Patients and Methods: It was a cross sectional observational study from September 2017-August 2018. All patients who presented with urethral stricture, scheduled for urethroplasty, and consented to the study were enrolled. The extent of spongiofibrosis and length of strictures were determined at sonourethrography and subsequently at urethroplasty. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive values of sonourethrography in the determination of length of stricture was done. Spearman correlation coefficient(r) was used to describe the association between the extent of spongiofibrosis found at sonourethrography and at urethroplasty. Results: A total of 84 patients were evaluated during the study period. The median age at presentation was 45years. 81% of the patients had moderate spongiofibrosis on sonourethrography. There was a significant correlation of 71.4% between the extent of spongiofibrosis on sonourethrography and at urethroplasty. In evaluation for the length of strictures, sonourethrography had a sensitivity of 84.6% specificity of 82.7%, PPV of 68.7% and NPV 92.3%. Conclusion: Sonourethrography is a valuable tool in the evaluation of urethral strictures. Its radiation free readily available even in resource-poor settings and gives a good evaluation of extent of spongiofibrosis as well as the length of strictures. It's use in the preoperative evaluation of strictures may improve the outcome of the management of strictures.

INTRODUCTION: The use of Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) in treating advanced prostate cancer poses a host of challenges that can affect the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of these patients. Previous studies have demonstrated poor quality of life (QoL) of patients after ADT; however, there is a scarcity of the literature which compares HRQoL following bilateral subcapsular orchidectomy (BSCO) and bilateral total orchidectomy (BTO) in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to compare the HRQoL of patients with advanced prostate cancer following treatment with BSCO and BTO. METHODS: A randomized, single blind study concerning 64 patients with advanced prostate cancer; the subjects were randomized into BTO and BSCO treatment groups. The study was conducted over a period of ten months at a tertiary hospital situated in the North-central zone of Nigeria. Structured and validated instruments (FACT-PI and Karnofsky) were used to assess HRQoL during patient follow-up visits over a period of six months to obtain data regarding HRQoL and patient satisfaction. Statistical analysis using a chi-squared test and paired t-test were done to allow the comparison of HRQoL assessment scores and patients’ satisfaction ratings between the two groups. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects were 71.63 ± 7.56 years and 70.06 ± 8.79 years for the BTO and BSCO group respectively (p = 0.449). Also, mean Gleason’s score was 7.44 vs. 7.31 respectively (p =0.714). Health Related QoL assessment with FACT-PI and Karnofsky showed significantly better outcome after BSCO (p < 0.001). Only 17% of the participants had psychological compromise after ADT. CONCLUSION: The two techniques of orchidectomy differ significantly in their short term QoL response to treatment; BSCO was associated with better patient outcomes compared to BTO.

Abstract Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing challenge in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. There is insufficient population-based data on CKD in Nigeria that is required to estimate its true burden, and to design prevention and management strategies. The study aims to determine the prevalence of CKD and its risk factors in Nigeria. Methods We studied 8 urban communities in Kwara State, North-Central zone of Nigeria. Blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, urinalysis, weight, height, waist circumference and hip circumference were obtained. Albuminuria and kidney length were measured by ultrasound while estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was derived from serum creatinine, using chronic disease epidemiology collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation. Associations of risk factors with CKD were determined by multivariate logistic regression and expressed as adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Results One thousand three hundred and fifty-three adults ≥18 years (44% males) with mean age of 44.3 ± 14.4 years, were screened. Mean kidney lengths were: right, 93.5 ± 7.0 cm and left, 93.4 ± 7.5 cm. The age-adjusted prevalence of hypertension was 24%; diabetes 4%; obesity 8.7%; albuminuria of > 30 mg/L 7%; and dipstick proteinuria 13%. The age-adjusted prevalence of CKD by estimated GFR

Background: Iodine deficiency is one of the commonest micronutrient deficiencies. Globally, it is the commonest cause of preventable mental retardation and also associated with impaired physical growth. The current iodine nutrition of school children in Ilorin, North-Central Nigeria is not known. Objective: The study aimed to determine the urinary iodine levelsv(UIL) of school children in Ilorin and explored the relationship with socio-demographic variables. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out among primary schools children in Ilorin, Nigeria. We recruited school children aged 6-12 years through a multi-staged sampling method. Relevant data including socio-demograhic variables were obtained with a pretested study proforma. The recruited school children had urinary iodine determined using the Sandell-Kolthoff method. Data analysis was with Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0. Results: The median with interquartile range (IQR) of urinary iodine level was 117.2 (99.6-148.6) µg/L. Of the 480 recruited children, 336 (70.0%) had normal urinary iodine levels while 144 (25%) had mild iodine deficiencyand two (0.4%) had excess urinary iodine levels. Pupils with iodine deficiency was higher among public schoolsthan those in private schools (33.3% vs 23.6%, χ2= 150.149, p< 0.022). The median UIL of the age-group 6-9 years was higher than the 10-12year age group (p=0.026). However, the median UIL values were comparable across gender, socioeconomic strata and mother’s educational level. Conclusions: This study showed that a quarter of the children still has mild iodine deficiency despite salt iodisation policy adopted by the country. Also, the iodine levels were not influenced by socio-demographics.

Foods frequently eaten supply both micro and macro nutrients to humans which are important in the total assessment of public health status of an individual. The analysis of these foods will provide evidence on their nutritional values, guide to appropriate choice of meal and encourage intake of varieties of food with better qualities during illness while preventing diet-associated disorders. In this study, the proximate and mineral composition of unripe, naturally ripe and the effects of ripening agents on plantain (Musa paradisiaca) commonly consumed in Nigeria were examined. The plantain fruits were analysed for proximate and mineral composition. Proximate composition analysis revealed an increase in moisture content and fat content for all the plantain ripened with ripening agents when compared with the naturally ripened plantain. Furthermore, the mineral composition of the plantain fruits was determined by means of Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). The result showed that plantain is a good source of minerals such as calcium (Ca), potassium (K) and iron (Fe). A relatively high level of K of 1690.55 ± 0.02; 1672.35 ± 0.03 mg kg−1 were found for both unripe and natural ripe plantain while the ripening agents had K values of 1677.45 ± 0.01; 1656.10 ± 0.02; 1589.45 ± 0.01 mg kg−1 for Ethylene glycol, Potassium Dihydrogen Phosphate, Calcium carbide respectively. Also, low level of Fe was obtained in plantain ripened with the different ripening agents.

Background: Peripheral neuropathy contributes to morbidity and mortality among diabetic patients. Objectives: We aimed to determine the prevalence of distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (DSP) and cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) and their predictors among diabetic patients in Ilorin, North-central Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in which 175 consenting diabetic patients were recruited consecutively. We assessed DSP using the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI), and it was defined by MNSI symptom score ≥7 or physical examination score ≥2. CAN was assessed using five tests of cardiovascular autonomic function, and abnormalities in ≥2 tests defined CAN. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of DSP and CAN. Results: The prevalence of DSP and CAN was 41.7% and 26.9%, respectively, while 19.4% had both. Hypertension (odds ratio [OR]: 2.401; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.169–4.930, P = 0.017) and poor glycaemic control (OR: 2.957; 95% CI: 1.488–5.878, P = 0.002) independently predicted DSP. Hypertension (OR: 2.215; 95% CI: 1.023–4.414, P = 0.043) and serum creatinine (OR: 1.035; 95% CI: 1.014–1.056, P ≤ 0.001) were independent predictors of CAN. Conclusion: DSP and CAN are common among diabetic patients, and thus efforts should be made to prevent their occurrence by intensifying blood pressure and glucose control while regularly monitoring renal function.

Averaging GPS trajectories is needed in applications such as clustering and automatic extraction of road segments. Calculating mean for trajectories and other time series data is non-trivial and shown to be an NP-hard problem. medoid has therefore been widely used as a practical alternative and because of its (assumed) better noise tolerance. In this paper, we study the usefulness of the medoid to solve the averaging problem with ten different trajectory-similarity/-distance measures. Our results show that the accuracy of medoid depends mainly on the sample size. Compared to other averaging methods, the performance deteriorates especially when there are only few samples from which the medoid must be selected. Another weakness is that medoid inherits properties such as the sample frequency of the arbitrarily selected sample. The choice of the trajectory distance function becomes less significant. For practical applications, other averaging methods than medoid seem a better alternative for higher accuracy.

Background: Induction of insulin resistance in rodents involves the use of Streptozotocin (STZ) or diets high in sucrose, fat or fructose; but the relative degrees of insulin resistance induced by each of these approaches are unclear. Aim and Objectives: We therefore compared the degree to which intraperitoneal STZ with or without high-fat or high-fructose diet would induce insulin resistance, glucose intolerance and islet β-cell dysfunction in Wistar rats. Materials and Methods: Subsets of STZ-injected rats administered streptozotocin at 30 mg/kg body weight for five successive days were fed normal diet (STZ), or diets high in fat or fructose for 30 or 60 days. Normoglycaemic rats on normal rodent chow, High Fat Diet (HFD) or High Fructose Drink (HFrD) constituted the Control (CTR), HFD or HFrD groups, respectively. Rats were anaesthetized and sacrificed at 30 or 60 days of high fat or fructose feeding followed by measurement of fasting plasma glucose and insulin; and calculation of the HOMA-IR and HOMA-%β. Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) was done 48 hours prior to killing the animals. Results: Glucose tolerance and islet β-cell function were most severely perturbed in the STZ-injected hyperglycaemic rats fed diets high in fructose or fat, as indicated by the significantly increased (p

Background: Premature Ovarian Failure (POF) is associated with a higher incidence of cardiovascular events later in life. Concurrent with the ages of menopausal transition, a shift in lipid profile takes place. The increased burden may be mediated by a worsening of cardiovascular risk factors, such as lipids, corresponding with the loss of ovarian function. Aim and Objectives: To investigate serum lipid and hormonal levels in women with premature ovarian failure and compare with those of apparently healthy women of similar age. Material and Methods: The study was a cross-sectional one in which serum fasting Total Cholesterol (TC), Triglycerides (TG), High Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) and Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were measured in 50 women with POF and compared with 40 age matched control. Serum hormonal profiles were compared with lipid profiles and biomarkers of atherogenic index were assessed. Results:Women with POF present with statistically significant elevations in the mean values of serum FSH and LH, when compared with those of controls (p

Background and Aim: Acute diarrhoea contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality in under-five children globally with conflicting reports regarding the therapeutic benefit of zinc across the different causative pathogens. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of bacterial aetiology of children with acute diarrhoea and compare their serum zinc levels. Methods: One hundred children aged 2–59 months with acute diarrhoea and 100 apparently healthy matched controls were recruited in Ilorin, North Central Nigeria. Stool specimens were investigated for bacterial pathogens using conventional culture techniques, while serum zinc levels were determined by colorimetric method. Results: Bacteria were isolated in 73 (73.0%) patients and 6 (6.0%) controls. Escherichia coli was isolated in 39 (39.0%) of the patients, while Klebsiella spp., Proteus spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated in 28 (28.0%), 4 (4.0%) and 2 (2.0%) patients, respectively.E. coli and Klebsiella spp. were detected in 4 (4.0%) and 2 (2.0%) controls, respectively. The mean serum zinc level of 65.3 ± 7.4 μg/dl in the patients was significantly lower than 69.0 ± 6.5 μg/dl in the controls (P < 0.001). Zinc deficiency (serum zinc levels < 65 μg/dl) was detected in 47 (47.0%) patients which was significantly higher than 32 (32.0%) controls (P = 0.030). The mean serum zinc levels significantly differed amongst the bacteria isolated in the patients (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Bacterial pathogens constitute a significant burden to aetiology of acute diarrhoea in under-five Nigerian children. The prevalence of zinc deficiency was high in the study population. The serum zinc levels also differed across the bacteria isolated.

Background: Seminal fluid analysis (SFA) is the most important investigation of infertile males. It is however limited in revealing the aetiologies of the various spermatozoa abnormalities observed on microscopy. Increasing prevalence of male infertility and the challenges of diagnosis require biochemical investigations, such as assay of seminal malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of sperm peroxidation and to support SFA in investigation of infertile males. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the seminal level of biomarker of lipid peroxidation by measuring seminal MDA levels among infertile males in Ilorin. Settings and Design: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Subjects and Methods: One hundred and thirty infertile males served as patients and 50 fertile males as controls. Seminal MDA was assayed using ELISA method. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used. Normally distributed data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Results: The mean age of the patients who were mainly civil servants was 38.6 ± 6.6 years compared to 37.0 ± 5.8 years among controls. Seminal MDA was significantly higher among infertile males in this study (P < 0.05) indicating higher degree of lipid peroxidation in their semen. Seminal MDA concentrations were found to be significantly higher among infertile males with a history of alcohol consumption (P < 0.05), cigarette smoking (P < 0.001) and sexually transmitted infections (P < 0.001) when compared to control with similar history. Conclusions: There is significant lipid peroxidation of spermatozoa among infertile males with lifestyle playing a significant role. Evaluation of infertile males should include assessment of seminal MDA. Prophylactic administration of antioxidants to this group of patients may be beneficial.

Background and Aim: The present study evaluated the levels of some hepatic enzymes in the plasma of Nigerians affected with hematological malignancies, to determine if these enzymes could be established as predictors of possible metastasis to the liver, the degree of severity of the disease or prognostication of hematological malignancies. Materials and Methods: Twenty-seven consented subjects with multiple myeloma (n = 4), non-Hodgkins lymphoma (n = 5), Hodgkins lymphoma (n = 5), chronic myeloid leukemia (n = 6), and chronic lymphoid leukemia (n = 6) as well as control subjects (n = 7) were recruited having gotten the ethical approval from the authorities of the teaching hospitals used for the study. Evaluations of activities of enzymes (acid and alkaline phosphatases, alanine and aspartate transaminases, lactate, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenases) were carried out in the samples collected. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20 software. Results: Statistically significant levels of the enzymes were found in chronic hematological malignancies such as chronic myeloid leukemia and chronic lymphoid leukemia. Conclusion: Evaluating the plasma levels of hepatic enzymes in Nigerians affected with hematological malignancies could assist in predicting possible metastasis to the liver, type or the degree of severity of the disease, or prognostication of hematological malignancies affected.

BACKGROUND: Embryo transfer (ET) is a critical step in in vitro fertilization (IVF). Selecting the day of transfer for achieving the desired outcomes has been a great challenge. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the pregnancy rates of day 3 and day 5 ET in assisted conception. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a longitudinal prospective study of 122 eligible patients that underwent assisted reproduction program in our facility. All patients had controlled ovarian hyperstimulation using antagonist protocol. Patients with four or more zygotes were randomly allocated on day 1 to either day 3 or 5 transfers (58 vs. 64 patients). Fertilization was achieved through conventional IVF. Zygotes were kept in a single-step medium (Global total ®) for day 3 and 5 transfers, respectively. The morphologically best two or three embryos or blastocysts were chosen for transfer in both groups. RESULTS: The overall clinical pregnancy and live birth rates for both groups were 40.2% and 33.6%. There was no statistically significant difference between day 3 and day 5 transfer regarding clinical pregnancy rates (36.2% vs. 43.8% [P = 0.51]), live birth rates (27.6% vs. 9.1% [P = 1.0]), twinning rates (18.8% vs. 20% [P = 1.0]), and rates of early pregnancy loss (8.6% versus 4.7% P = [0.2]). CONCLUSION: In this study, the clinical outcomes of blastocyst transfer are similar to day 3 ET. This underscores the need for patient selection for the choice of days of ET. Further controlled randomized prospective studies with larger sample sizes are recommended.

The Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (Moodle), a type of Learning Management System (LMS), is growing globally. Across the world, the student population keeps growing, making it challenging for the existing physical infrastructure to accommodate all the students. Despite the enormous potential significance of Analytics Graphs, there needs to be more evidence regarding the utilisation of this Learning Analytics tool to significantly inform management on students' tracking capabilities and consequently improve their performance. This study demonstrates how Learning Analytics tools such as Analytics Graphs enable teachers and management to examine learners' activities in the LMS (e.g., Moodle) by utilising data from the system log to address the existing gap. This study focused on two fundamental questions. What is the usability of the Learning Management System Moodle through Analytics Graphs in the University of Applied Sciences context? Two, how can the Learning Management System Moodle through Analytics Graphs be adapted by educators and maximise its potential? The study employed a quantitative approach and tracked the available log data generated during teaching a marketing course at the University of Applied Sciences for five months (January to May 2022). The analytics graph plugin helps identify student profiles that enables the teachers to know the actual state of the students based on their responses to the activities. This study generates some interesting managerial implications for teachers, students, institutions (Universities) and the elearning designer or Moodle administrator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Literature abounds on prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria and urban area of Oyo state but none in Oke-Ogun geo-political zone which constitute 10 local governments out of the 33 in Oyo state, despite the fact that they have high genetic and environmental predisposition to developing high blood pressure. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of high blood pressure and associated risk factors among indigenes of Oke-Ogun, Oyo state. Method: A total of 10,000 respondents were recruited using proportionate sampling techniques. Hypertension was defined according to the eight Joint National Committee on the prevention, detection, evaluation, and treatment of hypertension - JNC-8 criteria. The fasting plasma glucose- FPG of the respondents were classified as normal (≤6mmol/l), pre-diabetes (6.1-6.9mmol/l), and diabetes (≥7mmol/l). BMI was calculated as weight (kg)/height (m2) and classified as malnutrition/underweight (

Background: Infertility is a problem of global proportions, the majority being the residents of developing countries. The contribution of female factor is assuming a tremendous proportion. Laparoscopy remains an indispensable tool in the evaluation of the fertility potential of these female partners. Aims: This study was aimed at determining the various causes of female factor infertility among female partners of infertile couple in a tertiary health facility. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study of ninety seven (97) eligible infertile women who underwent diagnostic laparoscopy between 1st January 2012 and 31st December 2015 were enrolled for the study. The data were analyzed using SPSS/PC version 16.0 and p value was preset at