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This study was carried out to determine the concentration of arsenic, nickel, cadmium and chromium in the water, sediments and fish from Atani, Bridgehead and Otuocha segments of river Niger. The results indicated that arsenic concentration in the water, sediments and fish from the three segments were highest compared to other heavy metals analysed. Chromium was not detectable in the water, sediments and fish samples from the three segments. The order of the concentrations of the heavy metals from this results showed that in all the segments (As>Ni>Cd>Cr). Heavy metals accumulated in the water, sediments and fish which indicate contamination of the river and the need to control the source of pollution of these water bodies.

Dynamic response of nanosized precipitates bearing (NPB) Waspaloy, a class of superalloy, is crucial to design structural components for critical rotating applications and other severe dynamic impact predisposed applications. The focus of this study is, therefore, to investigate the compressive dynamic behaviour of NPB Waspaloy at a high strain rate under various deformation conditions. The technique of modified split Hopkinson pressure (MSHP) bar was implemented through impact deformation of Waspaloy under wide-ranging deformation temperatures (-180 - 750 oC) and strain rates of (4*103 - 7.5*103 s-1). The outcomes of the experiments divulge how to flow stress relates directly to strain rate and is inversely proportional to deformation temperatures. Work hardening rate affects NPB Waspaloy maximally at the iciest deformation temperature (-180 oC) and the highest strain rate (7.5*103 s-1) considered. Under high straining and high rate of straining deformation conditions, the rate with which work-hardening occurs is destabilized due to the thermal softening effect during deformation. It is established that when strain is constant, the flow stress dependency on the rate of straining depicts linear relation. The thermal softening effect on NPB Waspaloy is concerted at around extreme strain rate (7.5*103 s-1) and iciest deformation temperatures within -180 ~ 25 oC. Mapping of strain, strain rate and deformation temperatures representing input parameters with the resultant flow stress provide an unambiguous analytical view of the effects of dynamic impact deformation. Flow stresses at elevated temperatures are correlated directly with grain growth, mainly influenced by adopted deformation temperatures.

This study carried out to determine the impact of school physical facilities on students’ academic performance in senior secondary schools in Aba Education Zone of Abia State. A descriptive survey research design was adopted by the study with the population of 47 respondents (29 male 18 female teachers) sampled purposively from the 11 secondary schools in Aba educational zone of Abia State. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The instrument for data collection was a structured 27-items statement questionnaire developed by the researchers after an extensive literature reviewed sectioned A & B with rating scales of Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (SD) assigned the numerical values of 4, 3, 2 & 1 respectively. The instrument was validated by research experts while the reliability index of 0.87 was obtained using Cronbach Alpha reliability estimate. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the two research questions while the null hypotheses were tested using t-test statistics at .05 level of significance and appropriate degree of freedom. The result of the analyses revealed that library as a school physical facility has great impact on the students’ academic performance in senior secondary schools in Aba Education Zone. It was afterwards recommended that adequate school physical facilities should be provided by appropriate authorities to ensure effective teaching and learning activities. It is believed that if the facilities are available and adequate, there would be effective performance among students in senior secondary schools in Aba Education Zone of Abia State.

The challenge with using most Barite ores from Nigeria is usually their low specific gravity values as a result of impurities contained in them. This research investigates the beneficiation using froth floatation process of low grade Barite ore from Dadin Kowa in Gombe State, Nigeria. The concentration of the floatation chemicals was varied from 0 to 0.5 mol. X-ray fluorescence (XRF), microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and specific gravity (S.G) methods were used to analyse the constituents, morphology, phases and concentration of the barite respectively. The results show that 80% improvement of the barite ore concentration was achieved (53.6% to 78.6%) with 0.1 mol of frother and collectors. The morphology of the samples revealed decreased impurity and porosity after beneficiation. X-ray diffraction exposed the barite structure and shows that increasing concentration of reagents resulted in increased peaks intensity. More than 32% increase in specific gravity was observed in the barite ore which rose from 3.22 to 4.27 in the barite beneficiated with 0.5 mol of the chemicals. The results indicate that locally available barite with low concentration of barite can be beneficiated to levels where they can be used industrially.

Background Timely and reliable data are crucial for clinical, epidemiologic, and program management decision making. Electronic health information systems provide platforms for managing large longitudinal patient records. Nigeria implemented the National Data Repository (NDR) to create a central data warehouse of all people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) while providing useful functionalities to aid decision making at different levels of program implementation. Objective We describe the Nigeria NDR and its development process, including its use for surveillance, research, and national HIV program monitoring toward achieving HIV epidemic control. Methods Stakeholder engagement meetings were held in 2013 to gather information on data elements and vocabulary standards for reporting patient-level information, technical infrastructure, human capacity requirements, and information flow. Findings from these meetings guided the development of the NDR. An implementation guide provided common terminologies and data reporting structures for data exchange between the NDR and the electronic medical record (EMR) systems. Data from the EMR were encoded in extensible markup language and sent to the NDR over secure hypertext transfer protocol after going through a series of validation processes. Results By June 30, 2021, the NDR had up-to-date records of 1,477,064 (94.4%) patients receiving HIV treatment across 1,985 health facilities, of which 1,266,512 (85.7%) patient records had fingerprint template data to support unique patient identification and record linkage to prevent registration of the same patient under different identities. Data from the NDR was used to support HIV program monitoring, case-based surveillance and production of products like the monthly lists of patients who have treatment interruptions and dashboards for monitoring HIV test and start. Conclusion The NDR enabled the availability of reliable and timely data for surveillance, research, and HIV program monitoring to guide program improvements to accelerate progress toward epidemic control.

Environmental concerns associated with synthetic plastics are detrimental and have made it very crucial to develop biodegradable polymers for commercial and industrial uses. This work investigates the biodegradability of starch (biopolymer) based bioplastics through the soil burial test (SBT) technique. The biopolymeric films were synthesized from 190 and 250 µm biopolymer particulates of manihot esculenta and triticum aestivum. Blends from each particle size were produced in varied proportions with other additives. The biopolymeric films were characterized by physical, physiochemical, thermal, and microstructural tests. The biodegradability of starch-based polymers was determined by a soil burial test for 30 days where topsoil was used as a source of microbial activity. The conventional polyethylene film was also applied to the test. The bioplastic films were observed to have cracks on the surface and became hard and brittle at the end of the testing period. The total weight loss of 46.55–63.77 % was achieved by the bioplastic films. The LDPE film showed no trace of macro-structural changes or any weight reduction throughout the soil burial test. This research concludes that bioplastic films outperformed ordinary plastic films, as they were proven to be biodegradable; and can be employed efficiently in packaging applications.

This study dealt with the phytochemical and vitamin constituents of Sennaoccidentalis (Uzakimma). The qualitative analysis of the plant indicated the presence of high presence of flavonoids, glycosides, alkaloids, terpenoids and, moderate presence of tannins, saponin, steroids, and phenol. The quantitative results were tannins 1.4775 ± 0.0495 mg/g, alkaloids 2.2280 ± 0.0283 mg/g, saponin 1.5830 ± 0.0141 mg/g, glycosides 2.1295 ± 0.1909 mg/g, terpenoids 2.7560 ± 0.1414 mg/g, flavonoids 2.1755 ± 0.0212 mg/g, steroids 1.1030 ± 0.1273 mg/g, phenol 1.3290 ± 0.0283 mg/g. The results of vitamin contents were vitamin A (0.6545 ± 0.0778 mg/g), vitamin B (1.5600 ± 0.0283 mg/g), vitamin B1 (0.8145 ± 0.9405 mg/g), vitamin B2 (0.2325±0.1202 mg/g), vitamin B3 (0.1200 ± 0.0566 mg/g), vitamin B6 (0.2390 ± 0.0283 mg/g), vitamin B9 (1.2280 ± 0.3536 mg/g), vitamin C (1.0610 ± 0.8061 mg/g), vitamin D (0.3430 ± 0.1273 mg/g), vitamin E (0.5285 ± 0.0212 mg/g) and vitamin K (0.6170 ± 0.000 mg/g). The result indicates that there are phytochemicals and vitamins in Uzakimma that could be useful in medicine.

The multiple industrial, domestic, agricultural, medical, and technological applications of heavy metals have led to their wide distribution in the environment, raising concerns over their potential effects on human health and the environment. This work focused on the determination of manganese, chromium, zinc, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, iron and lead concentrations in Abakpa, Iva Valley, and Transekulu Rivers which are close to residential areas in Enugu, Nigeria. The analysis were carried out using atomic absorption spectrometer (AAS). All the heavy metals tested in the three studied locations exceeded the different drinking water limits except zinc which was below secondary drinking water standard of 5.0 mg/l. The levels of mercury and zinc were significantly higher in Abakpa River (0.57 ± 0.112 and 0.881 ± 0.0015 mgl-1 respectively). Iva valley showed higher levels of manganese, chromium, iron and arsenic compared to other rivers studied. The presence in these metals in the water sources are a great risk to humans and the environment.

Chlorpromazine (CPZ) is among the most famous drugs used for the treatment of psychosis such as delusions, hallucinations, schizophrenia, paranoia, or disordered thought in humans. In the present s...

Background: Using data from georeferenced HIV testing services at the lowest administrative unit, we calculated the regional variations of HIV seroprevalence in a sample of MSM and PWID. We quantified and described index partner testing services in Nigeria as a component of the national KP program. Methods: The study was a retrospective cross-sectional Analysis. Data for this study was obtained from a Nigerian KP program known as the “Integrated Most-At-Risk Populations HIV/AIDS Prevention Program”. Results: In North Central and South-South Nigeria, there were sizable clusters of HIV infection among MSM and PWID, according to Getis-Ord-Gi Statistics. Provider referral (5159, 68.3%) and passive referrals (2,278, 30.1%) made up the majority of partner notification services. Conclusion: We identified geographical areas where HIV infection surveillance can be prioritized among MSM and PWID in our study. HIV case identification can be improved with index partner testing, especially for males and first-time testers.

(1) Background: Examine global data from 48 African countries to estimate the SARS-CoV-2 infection fatality rate, (2) Methods: We analyzed time series data on the 135,126 confirmed cases and 3922 deaths from COVID-19 disease outbreak in Africa through 30 May 2020. In a Bayesian prediction model based on the Monte Carlo approach, we adjusted for demographic, economic, biological, and societal variables to account for the untested people, (3) Results: We calculated a total of 1,686,879 COVID-19 infections after correcting for possible risk variables in the Bayesian model, equal to 13 infections per confirmed case. In Africa, the IFR is projected to be 0.23% (95% CI: 0.14–0.33%). The percentages varied by country, ranging from 0.004% in Botswana and the Central African Republic to 1.53% in Nigeria. The projected IFR is twelvefold greater than the WHO’s 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic estimate (0.02%). In four countries: Morocco, Nigeria, Cameroon, and South Africa, the inverse distance weighted interpolation map shows high IFR variability, (4) Conclusions: COVID-19 infection mortality rates can vary significantly between regions, and this might be due to changes in demography, underlying health conditions in the community, healthcare system capacity, positive health seeking behavior, and other variables.

The National Committee on the Reform and Harmonisation of Arbitration and ADR Laws in Nigeria recommended the co-existence of a federal arbitration law (dealing with arbitration arising from international and inter-state transactions) and state arbitration laws (dealing with arbitration arising from intra-state transactions). In arriving at its conclusion, the committee relied on the ‘trade and commerce’ argument as well as the ‘pith and substance argument’. But disagreement exists regarding the scope or application of state arbitration laws vis-à-vis the federal arbitration law. Whilst anchoring our foundational argument on the constitution, we will in this article contend that a conflict of laws approach would provide a valid conceptual framework and the mechanics for the co-existence of a federal arbitration law with state arbitration laws in Nigeria.

English as-a-Second Language (ESL) nursing students who enroll in the Fundamentals of Nursing Practice course have been known to experience multiple challenges in nursing programs around the country. The central challenge ESL students experience is acclimating to the American education system, a system which differs from the education system in their countries of origin. This results in a high attrition rate, particularly in the Fundamentals of Nursing Practice course which is the entry-level course. This study explored the experiences and challenges of a group of culturally diverse ESL nursing students in an Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program in the Northeastern United States, who passed the course. The purpose of the study was to uncover what helped the participants succeed. The goal was to utilize the participants’ recommendations to improve the teaching and learning needs of ESL nursing students’, and to reduce high attrition rates. A descriptive phenomenological approach utilizing bracketing was used to explore the challenges the participants experienced. The common challenges encountered by the participants were: language barriers, a lack of faculty support and mentorship, difficulty with teaching and learning styles, and a lack of critical thinking and application skills. Also, difficulty with concepts and applications in clinical practice, and racism and discrimination in the learning environment were contributors to their learning challenges. Findings showed that the language barrier was particularly detrimental when it came to the participants’ reading, comprehension, and communication. Further findings encompassed the knowledge deficit about critical thinking, concepts, and application of concepts in clinical practice. Additional findings revealed that the participants struggled to balance school, work, and the challenges of being an immigrant, all of which effected their learning.

The media play a crucial role in society. They educate, entertain, and inform their audience. On this note, the mass media has been a platform to inform and educate women on diseases and negatives activities like female genital mutilation and cutting. Female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C) are carried out for various cultural, religious and social reasons within families and communities in the mistaken belief that it will benefit the girl child. However, there are no acceptable reasons that justify FGM/C. It is a harmful practice that has no health benefits but rather exposes the girl child to dangerous health hazards. It is against this backdrop that this study sought to assess the influence of radio in the campaign against female genital mutilation and cutting. Using the survey research design, the study sampled the perceptions of 394 respondents using the questionnaire as the instrument of data collection. Anchoring the study on The Health Belief Model, it was revealed that there are moderate awareness and knowledge level amongst women in Imo State about FGM/C. The study concluded that the awareness and knowledge level is responsible for the kind of perception found in the study. It was recommended that sensitization programmes like seminars should be organized for traditional rulers, religious leaders and other opinion leaders to enable them to use traditional media communication channels to further sensitize and mobilize the rural women so as to consolidate the gains of the campaign and ensure total eradication of the FGM/C practice and that every media outlet in the State should take up the responsibility of championing this course.

The purpose of the study was to determine the learners perception on the extent to which interactive instructional media are actually utilized in the delivery of distance Education programmes. The study was carried out in the south East Nigeria. A survey Research Design was adopted for the study. Aresearch question and two hypotheses guided the study. 47,084 students of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) and National Teachers Institute (NTI) Distance Education programmes in Abia and Enugu State study centres constituted the population for the study. With a stratified random sampling technique, a sample size of 393 distance learners from the NOUN and NTI centres were sampled and studied. A researcher designed questionnaire was used for data collection. The Instrument was validated by three experts; two in curriculum and instruction and one in measurement and Evaluation. The reliability co-efficient of the instrument was 0.76 obtained through Cronbach Alpha Method. The research questions was tested using mean with standard deviation while the hypotheses were tested using t-test statistics. The data analysis revealed under-utilization of the studied interactive instructional media. There was no significant difference between the mean ratings of the Abia and Enugu study centre students responses, but there was a significant difference between the mean ratings of the Noun and NTI students responses. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others, that awareness, knowledge and skills acquisition training programmes and utilization of interactive instructional media should be severally organized to enable distance learning facilitators exploit the immense benefits and opportunities being offered by the current advancement in information and communication Technology.

The study investigated counsellors‟ role in ensuring quality education for national security in Enugu Education Zone. One research question and one null hypothesis were formulated to guide the study was tested at.05 level of significance. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population for the study consisted of 59 school counsellors in the 31 public secondary schools in the area. The number is small and manageable; so no sampling was done. The instrument used for data collection was a 6-item questionnaire. The instrument was validated by three experts from Faculty of Education, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu. One each from Guidance and Counselling, Psychology and measurement and evaluation. Mean, with standard deviation and t-test statistic were used for data analysis. The study revealed, among others that counsellors ought to encourage the development of students' talents and strengths. Secondly, it was also found out that there is no significance difference between the mean ratings of male counsellors and female‟ school counsellors in their role towards ensuring quality education for national security in Enugu Education Zone of Enugu State, Nigeria. The study recommended, among others, that seminars and workshops should be organized regularly for school counsellors with a view to updating their knowledge on how to effectively curb insecurity while encouraging students in their talents and abilities.

Background: The HIV epidemic in Nigeria is concentrated in Key Populations (KP), people who inject drugs (PWID), men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSW), and partners of people living with HIV. Due to stigma and discrimination, these groups have poor access to HIV testing services (HTS) and linkage to treatment is challenging. To address this gap, index case testing, targeting sexual contacts and injecting partners of KP index clients, was introduced in 2017.MethodsHTS was offered between October 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019 in nightclubs, hotels, or community-based ART clinics in Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Lagos states. Index testing was assisted by peer navigators. In-person and social network methods were used to mobilize partners of KP. We described the feasibility of implementing index testing, analyzed Partner Notification (PN) delivery models, and calculated HIV seropositivity among persons who underwent Index Testing. Findings: We found that a mixed approach to partner notification was effective. PN was predominantly done through provider referral 5,159 (68.3%) and passive referral 2,278 (30.1%). A total of 3,119 index partners; 1,322 FSW (42.4%), 1,255 MSM (40.2%) and 542 PWID (17.4%) identified 8,989 sexual and injecting partners (average of 2.9 per index client). Among the partners, 7,556 (84.1%) were first-time testers, and 79.4% (5,999) of male partners tested. Of the 3,753 (49.7%) partners tested HIV-positive, 3,492 (93.0%) were enrolled in HIV care. HIV seropositivity rate was 65.5% (1,021/1,557) among females and 45.5% (2,732/5,999) among males and was disproportionately higher among PWID injecting partners 99.1% (581/586), PWID sexual partners 98.9% (433/438) and MSM sexual partners 95.6% (605/633) in Cross river compared with 71.4% (575/805) in FSW sexual partners. Interpretations: Including index case testing as part of community led HTS is feasible and effective, particularly for reaching first-time testers, many male KP and persons not yet diagnosed with HIV. Scale-up of index case testing within community-led HTS for KP is essential for achieving the United Nations 90-90-90 goals. Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors. OK was supported by a professorship grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation (grant no. 163878) and a Swiss National Science Foundation project grant (320030_192452). Declaration of Interest: None to declare. Ethical Approval: Ethical approval was obtained from the Federal Capital Territory, Health Research Ethics Committee, Nigeria (approval no: FHREC/2020/01/123/12-11-20). This study only analyzed anonymized and de-identified data.