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This study aimed to examine the impact of organisational change on employee performance in public sector organisations in Nigeria. A review research approach was used in this study. The method was based on secondary data and was tested using the content analysis approach. After reviewing relevant and related literature on the studied topic, it was noted that organisational change practices facilitate employee performance. Also, when implementing change, it should be based on the mission an organisation is built on. This study recommended that public sector organisations in Nigeria should implement changes to be consistent with the changing environment, be persuasive in addressing employee resistance to change, and leadership should be based on expertise.

This paper investigates the impact of modern and contemporary trends on an eighty-seven years’ old mosque in Jos built in the typical Hausa Vernacular Architectural style, as well as the extent to which its vernacular features have been lost and/or retained. The study focused on selected architectural features which do not essentially affects the performance of the primary mosque's functions. A qualitative survey was adopted using case study approach and complemented with content analysis of related literature reviewed to extract information on the challenges of restoration and preservation or conservation of the key features of traditional Hausa Architecture on the Mosque buildings in the study area of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria from the randomly selected traditional/indigenous builders and practicing architects. The Yandoka Street Mosque was purposively selected as a case study, because of its historical antecedence, religious and communal attachment, as well as its socio-political and cultural relevance in the study area. Information was collected using the unobtrusive observation method and were descriptively presented in the form of layout plan, material deduction, construction techniques and technology adopted for the mosque’s construction. Findings shows that, the influence of the identified key factors have become a threatening phenomenon to the survival of the preservation and conservation historical values and heritages of Hausa mosque architectural style. The paper advocates preservation and conservation of the original mosque architectural style from the point of view of sustainability and made recommendations towards the preservation, development and execution of strategies for branding, national identity and protection of value systems for the public good

ABVD (Adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine) with or without radiation has been the standard treatment for limited-stage Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) but carries risks of bleomycin lung injury and radiation toxicity. Brentuximab vedotin (BV) is approved with AVD for stage III-IV HL, but carries increased risks of peripheral neuropathy (PN) and neutropenic fever, likely due to overlapping toxicity between BV and vinblastine. We therefore evaluated BV in combination with AD for 4 or 6 cycles based on interim positron emission tomography response. Thirty-four patients with nonbulky stage I-II HL were enrolled. Risk was early favorable in 53% and unfavorable in 47%. The overall and complete response rates (CRRs) were 100% and 97%, respectively, with a 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) of 91%. No differences in outcome were observed based on stage (I vs II) or risk status (early favorable vs unfavorable). The most common adverse events were nausea (85%), peripheral sensory neuropathy (59%), and fatigue (56%). There were no cases of grade-4 neutropenia or neutropenic fever, and no patient received granulocyte-colony stimulating factor. Most cases of PN were grade 1, and no patient experienced grade ≥3 PN. BV-AD produced a high CRR and durable PFS with most patients requiring 4 cycles of therapy. Compared with BV-AVD, the toxicity profile appeared improved, with predominantly grade 1 reversible PN and no case of grade 4 neutropenia or neutropenic fever. This regimen warrants further study in HL and may serve as a backbone for the addition of novel agents. This trial is registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02505269).

Phthalate esters, such as di(n-butyl) phthalate, (DBP), are synthetic chemical pollutants commonly used as plasticizers in the manufacture of plastics. In the present study, we investigated the effects of DBP in the testes of adult male quails (Coturnix cortunix japonica) exposed by oral gavage to variable doses of DBP (0 [control], 1, 10, 50, 200, and 400 mg/kgbw−d), for 30 days during the prepubertal period, using histo-morphometric and ultrastructural techniques. Generally, significant decreases in seminiferous tubular diameter (STD) and epithelial height (SEH) were observed predominantly at the highest DBP doses (200 and 400 mg/kg), as compared to medium (50 mg/kg), and lowest doses (1 and 10 mg/kg) as well as the control group. Ultrastructurally, apparent dose-specific degenerative changes were observed in the Leydig cells. The lowest DBP doses (1 and 10 mg/kg) did not produce significant effects on Leydig cell ultrastructure, whereas, at the highest doses (200 and 400 mg/kg), the Leydig cells were remarkably conspicuous in the interstitium and appeared foamy. There was a preponderance of electron-lucent lipid droplets which crowded out the normal organelles of the cell, as well as increases in the number of dense bodies in the cytoplasm. The smooth endoplasmic reticulum (sER) was less obvious, compacted, and wedged between the abundant lipid droplets and mitochondria. Taken together, these findings indicate that pre-pubertal exposure of precocious quail birds to DBP, produced parameter-specific histometric tubular changes, as well as dose-dependent cyto-structural derangement of the Leydig cells; which consequently may lead to overt reproductive impairments in the adult bird in the environment. Graphical Abstract

Evidence regarding the efficacy of various forms of acupuncture for the treatment of urinary incontinence (UI) in women is outdated and inconclusive. This review aims to determine the efficacy of different forms of acupuncture for the treatment of UI in women.Multiple databases were searched from inception to June 2020. Randomized controlled trials that compared various forms of acupuncture to control were included.Ten trials were included in this review. The pooled analysis demonstrated that an increased proportion of women with stress UI (SUI) reported fewer UI episodes (1.73 [95% CI 1.46, 2.04]; p 0.00001) in the electroacupuncture group than in the sham group. The meta-analysis also revealed a significantly increased number of women who reported the complete cure of SUI in the electroacupuncture combined with pelvic floor muscle training group than in the medication group (RR 2.67 [95% CI 1.51, 4.71]; p = 0.0007). Body and laser acupuncture caused significant decreases in the number of urge accidents (-2.70 [95% CI -4.86, -0.54]; p = 0.01) and the occurrence of urgency symptoms (-3.60[95% CI -5.34, -1.86]; p 0.0001), compared with sham acupuncture.Based on the findings of this review, electroacupuncture may be able to improve SUI in women in clinical settings. This review also identified evidence supporting the use of body, electro,- and laser acupuncture for the treatment of urge UI; however, these results were obtained from single studies, and further research remains necessary to confirm the effects of these interventions on the treatment of urge UI in women.

Hausa Vernacular architecture is informed and shaped by cultural and religious values, wherein, Dakali and Zaure are unique features that plays a pivotal role. Cities are metaphorically described as historically solidified environment in time and in space. Thus, depicting physical, archival and artefacts of the past and present, from which it develops the future of human civilization and cultures set in a time series continuum. Hausa vernacular architecture is gradually getting evolved through modern trends by renewing, re-ordering and replacement of these features. Therefore, there is the need for studies to be carried out extensively on or before adaptation, adoption and implementation of evolving trends, in order to conserve and preserve the Hausa man’s cultural and religious values in their architecture. The paper seeks to draw attention towards the preservation and conservation of indigenous heritages through vernacular architecture, especially with the examples from the characters of Hausa architecture, without arguing for a complete reversal to the past life styles, value and techniques that would neither be out-of-place with emerging trends and acceptability of modern technology nor be balkanized. Information was essentially extracted from relevant literature on the subject matter; adopts purposive sampling and content analysis method in the selection of study area and sample size; as well as, in the extraction of features of Hausa vernacular architecture respectively. This was complimented with field survey in the form of interviews, observation and case study. Results therefrom were discussed and descriptively presented. Findings revealed that, the identified features have remained prominent and continued to perform their expected functions. The paper conclude by underscoring the need to stimulate awareness, rejuvenate and regenerate the Hausa/Fulani vernacular architecture and cultural-heritage perceptibility through creative and integrative use of architectural designs and planning concepts and skills that will be sensitive to the rebirth of cultural symbols, relics, configurations, ornamentations as symbolic expressions depicting history, branding and conveying one message or the other, about the inhabitants for better understanding and conservation of fun-memories of the cultural/traditional values and heritages.

Statistical approach often provides techniques in exploring more on the algebraic properties of finite groups. In this paper, two new group probabilities are defined in which the group elements having certain common characteristics are considered. Let G be a finite group, the order product prime probability is defined as the probability that two randomly selected elements x and y in G satisfy |x||y|=ps and the order product prime commutativity degree is the probability that elements satisfying the above property commutes. Some formulas for computing these probabilities for dihedral groups are obtained.

Genetic investigations of Upper Palaeolithic Europe have revealed a complex and transformative history of human population movements and ancestries, with evidence of several instances of genetic change across the European continent in the period following the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Concurrent with these genetic shifts, the post-LGM period is characterized by a series of significant climatic changes, population expansions and cultural diversification. Britain lies at the extreme northwest corner of post-LGM expansion and its earliest Late Glacial human occupation remains unclear. Here we present genetic data from Palaeolithic human individuals in the United Kingdom and the oldest human DNA thus far obtained from Britain or Ireland. We determine that a Late Upper Palaeolithic individual from Gough's Cave probably traced all its ancestry to Magdalenian-associated individuals closely related to those from sites such as El Mirón Cave, Spain, and Troisième Caverne in Goyet, Belgium. However, an individual from Kendrick's Cave shows no evidence of having ancestry related to the Gough’s Cave individual. Instead, the Kendrick’s Cave individual traces its ancestry to groups who expanded across Europe during the Late Glacial and are represented at sites such as Villabruna, Italy. Furthermore, the individuals differ not only in their genetic ancestry profiles but also in their mortuary practices and their diets and ecologies, as evidenced through stable isotope analyses. This finding mirrors patterns of dual genetic ancestry and admixture previously detected in Iberia but may suggest a more drastic genetic turnover in northwestern Europe than in the southwest.

The Nigerian Police Force as an organisation is mandated to ensure public safety through maintenance of law and order. Despite its old history, the rate of criminal activities such as armed robbery, kidnappings for ransom, killing of innocent citizens, ethno-religious conflicts in many parts of Nigeria is on the increase. Previous studies have indicated factors that contributed to underperformance of Nigerian Police Force, but there is an insufficient attention given on how to measure the performance of Nigerian police as a public service organisation, especially by using the new performance management approach. This study deploys a framework for measuring performance of police organisation in Nigeria. The study uses literature on performance management drawing practices from both private and public sector context to propose a framework for measuring performance of Nigerian Police Force. The Input-output-outcome model is used to support the study. The study finds out that Input-outputoutcome model could have the potential of improving performance of Nigerian Police Force. The study concludes that despite lack of clear outcome quantification, input-output-outcome model of performance management practice could be a tool for improving and measuring the performance of Nigerian Police Force.

This study aims to identify sustainable countries within the European Union in terms of renewable energy. The objective is to support renewable alternatives and enhance sustainability in the renewable sector among the top economic countries. The study reviews key drivers of sustainable development, establishes criteria for each dimension, and selects up-to-date indicators. The fuzzy analytical hierarchy process and expert judgments are employed to rank the countries, ensuring unbiased results, and reducing uncertainty. The findings indicate that Sweden, Belgium, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Poland, and Italy exhibit their positions from the most advanced to the lower sustainable countries, respectively. Energy and environmental indicators play a primary role as the most influential drivers. Economic factors contribute as tertiary drivers, while social and institutional indicators have a relatively minor influence. Notably, Sweden, Belgium, and Ireland, despite being among the last three in terms of economic ranking, emerge as the most sustainable countries in renewable energy, surpassing stronger economies such as France, Germany, and Spain. On the other hand, the Netherlands, Poland, and Italy, as middle economy countries, rank lower in terms of sustainability. These results provide insights for harnessing renewable energy in high-growth economies and offer valuable policy advice for implementation.

Renewable Energy Sources (RES) are widely used worldwide due to their positive effect on the environment, being sustainable, low cost, and controllable. The power generated from RESs must be configured to interface and perfectly synchronize with the grid by using Power Electronics Converters (PEC). A Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) is one of the most popular synchronization techniques used due to its speed and robustness. A growing issue that results in oscillations in the estimated fundamental grid phase, frequency, and voltage amplitude is the DC-offset in the input of the PLL. This study was developed to eliminate the DC-offset in the single-phase grid synchronization using Delay Signal Cancellation (DSC) and a fixed-length Transfer Delay (TD)-based PLL. Then, the small-signal model, stability analysis, and selection of controller gains were discussed. The proposed PLL was simulated using MATLAB/Simulink. Moreover, to evaluate the proposed method, several scenarios were developed in order to compare it with other powerful PLLs in terms of performance indicators such as settling time, frequency, and phase error. As a result, the proposed PLL has the fastest dynamic response, completely rejects the DC-offset effect, and fully synchronizes with the electrical grid.

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) protect against invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) among vaccinees. However, at population level, this protection is driven by indirect effects. PCVs prevent nasopharyngeal acquisition of vaccine-serotype (VT) pneumococci, reducing onward transmission. Each disease episode is preceded by infection from a carrier, so vaccine impacts on carriage provide a minimum estimate of disease reduction in settings lacking expensive IPD surveillance. We documented carriage prevalence and vaccine coverage in two settings in Nigeria annually (2016–2020) following PCV10 introduction in 2016. Among 4,684 rural participants, VT carriage prevalence fell from 21 to 12% as childhood (

Clinical responses to immunotherapy have been associated with augmentation of preexisting immune responses, manifested by heightened inflammation in the tumor microenvironment. However, many tumors have a noninflamed microenvironment, and response rates to immunotherapy in melanoma have been + and CD4+ T cells increasing the CD8/Foxp3 T-cell ratio. These changes were associated with improved survival of the mice. To translate these findings into a clinical setting, 26 patients with advanced melanoma were treated locally by isolated limb infusion with the nitrogen mustard alkylating agent melphalan followed by systemic administration of CTLA-4 blocking antibody (ipilimumab) in a phase II trial. This combination of local chemotherapy with systemic checkpoint blockade inhibitor resulted in a response rate of 85% at 3 months (62% complete and 23% partial response rate) and a 58% progression-free survival at 1 year. The clinical response was associated with increased T-cell infiltration, similar to that seen in the murine models. Together, our findings suggest that local chemotherapy combined with checkpoint blockade–based immunotherapy results in a durable response to cancer therapy. Cancer Immunol Res; 6(2); 189–200. ©2018 AACR.

Supplementary Figure 1. Gemcitabine and CTLA-4 blockade synergize to create an inflammatory microenvironment and anti-tumor response. Mice with palpable tumors were treated with low dose gemcitabine followed by systemic CTLA-4 blockade. Survival was improved (A) and tumors with combination treatment had a significant influx in CD4 and CD8 Tcells (B). Elispot (C) demonstrated improved enhanced IFNγ in response to SPAS-1 peptide (SNC9H8). Supplemental Figure S2. Lack of significant change of TIM3 or LAG3 over time in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) over time. Supplementary Table S1. Toxicities in the limb according to Wieberdink criteria Supplemental Table 2. Nanostring fold change results of all genes

AimsLeft ventricular remodelling occurs during the chronic course of aortic regurgitation (AR) and aortic stenosis (AS), leading to myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis. Several studies have shown that extracellular volume fraction (ECV) and indexed extracellular volume (iECV) are important surrogate markers of diffuse myocardial fibrosis (MF). Postoperative data on these cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) extracellular expansion parameters for either AS or AR are scarce. This study aimed to demonstrate the postoperative changes that occur in diffuse MF, and the influence of preoperative MF on the reversal of LV remodelling, in patients with AR or AS.Methods and resultsPatients with severe AR or AS and indications for surgery were prospectively enrolled. Patients underwent pre- and postoperative CMR, and ECV and iECV were quantified. Data from 99 patients were analysed (32 with AR and 67 with AS). After surgery, the left ventricle mass index decreased in both groups (AR: 110 vs. 91 g/m2; AS: 86 vs. 68 g/m2, both P < 0.001). The late gadolinium enhancement fraction (AR: preoperative 1.9% vs. postoperative 1.7%, P = 0.575; AS: preoperative 2.4% vs. postoperative 2.4%, P = 0.615) and late gadolinium enhancement mass (AR: preoperative 3.8 g vs. postoperative 2.5 g, P = 0.635; AS: preoperative 3.4 g vs. postoperative 3.5 g, P = 0.575) remained stable in both groups. Preoperative iECV and ECV were greater in the AR group (iECV: 30 mL/m2 vs. 22 mL/m2, P = 0.001; ECV: 28.4% vs. 27.2%, P = 0.048). Indexed extracellular volume decreased after surgery in both groups (AR: 30–26.5 mL/m2, AS: 22–18.2 mL/m2, both P < 0.001); it was still greater in the AR group (AR: 26.5 mL/m2 vs. AS: 18.2 mL/m2, P < 0.001). Postoperative ECV remained stable in the AR group (preoperative 28.4% vs. postoperative 29.9%; P = 0.617) and increased in the AS group (preoperative 27.2% vs. postoperative 28.6%; P = 0.033).ConclusionPatients with both AR or AS presented reduction in iECV after surgery, unfolding the reversible nature of diffuse MF. In contrast to patients with AS, those with AR developed postoperative iECV regression with stable ECV, suggesting a balanced reduction in both intracellular and extracellular myocardial components.

ObjectiveMultiple studies have explored the use of visual cortex non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) to enhance visual function. These studies vary in sample size, outcome measures, and methodology. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses to assess the effects of NIBS on visual functions in human participants with normal vision.MethodsWe followed the PRISMA guidelines, and a review protocol was registered with PROSPERO before study commencement (CRD42021255882). We searched Embase, Medline, PsychInfo, PubMed, OpenGrey and Web of Science using relevant keywords. The search covered the period from 1st January 2000 until 1st September 2021. Comprehensive meta-analysis (CMA) software was used for quantitative analysis.ResultsFifty studies were included in the systematic review. Only five studies utilized transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and no TMS studies met our pre-specified criteria for meta-analysis. Nineteen transcranial electrical stimulation studies (tES, 38%) met the criteria for meta-analysis and were the focus of our review. Meta-analysis indicated acute effects (Hedges’s g = 0.232, 95% CI: 0.023–0.442, p = 0.029) and aftereffects (0.590, 95% CI: 0.182–0.998, p = 0.005) of tES on contrast sensitivity. Visual evoked potential (VEP) amplitudes were significantly enhanced immediately after tES (0.383, 95% CI: 0.110–0.665, p = 0.006). Both tES (0.563, 95% CI: 0.230–0.896, p = 0.001) and anodal-transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) alone (0.655, 95% CI: 0.273–1.038, p = 0.001) reduced crowding in peripheral vision. The effects of tES on visual acuity, motion perception and reaction time were not statistically significant.ConclusionThere are significant effects of visual cortex tES on contrast sensitivity, VEP amplitude, an index of cortical excitability, and crowding among normally sighted individuals. Additional studies are required to enable a comparable meta-analysis of TMS effects. Future studies with robust experimental designs are needed to extend these findings to populations with vision loss.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov/, identifier CRD42021255882.

IntroductionSeveral Cambodian initiatives seek to improve nutritional outcomes via increased production and consumption of nutrient-dense foods, including vegetables. However, food safety gaps in informal markets, where most vegetables are purchased, allow for the transmission of foodborne pathogens and threaten the positive nutritional outcomes associated with vegetable consumption.MethodsThis study describes a tool used to measure perceptions of Cambodians involved with informal vegetable markets regarding their capabilities, opportunities, and motivations to implement food safety practices. The quantitative tool could also be used to assess capability, opportunity, and motivation to adopt a behavior in a wide range of development contexts. To these ends, a questionnaire assessing these perceptions was developed using the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behavior (COM-B) model of behavior and the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF).ResultsThe questionnaire was piloted with vegetable vendors in Phnom Penh (N = 55), revised, and subsequently implemented in the provinces of Battambang and Siem Reap with vegetable producers, distributors, and vendors (N = 181). Confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a nine-factor model corresponding to TDF constructs with a comparative fit index of 0.91, a Tucker-Lewis index of 0.89, and a root mean square error of ~0.05. Further analysis indicated that vegetable vendors and distributors typically had significantly higher (p < 0.05) levels of perceived motivation and capability to implement the target food safety practice (washing surfaces that come in contact with vegetables with soap and water every day) compared to their perceived opportunity to do so. Among farmers, however, levels of perceived motivation were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than levels of perceived opportunity and capability. In addition, vendors in Battambang had significantly higher (p < 0.05) levels of perceived capability, opportunity, and motivation to implement the target food safety practice in comparison to farmers in either province. Vendors in Battambang had significantly higher (p < 0.05) levels of perceived opportunity and motivation than vendors in Siem Reap.ConclusionsThese data suggest that efforts to bolster vegetable vendors' and distributors' perceived opportunity and vegetable farmers' perceived opportunity and capability to implement food safety practices could increase the likelihood of adoption of the target food safety practice.

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is an uncommon malignancy of B-cell origin. Classical HL (cHL) and nodular lymphocyte–predominant HL are the 2 main types of HL. The cure rates for HL have increased so markedly with the advent of modern treatment options that overriding treatment considerations often relate to long-term toxicity. These NCCN Guidelines Insights discuss the recent updates to the NCCN Guidelines for HL focusing on (1) radiation therapy dose constraints in the management of patients with HL, and (2) the management of advanced-stage and relapsed or refractory cHL.