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Background: Liver cirrhosis is a chronic and progressive liver disease with significant global health implications. Recent evidence suggests an association between serum vitamin D levels and the severity of liver cirrhosis, potentially serving as a therapeutic target. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum vitamin D status and the severity of liver cirrhosis in a population of Nigerian patients. Methods: This analytical, cross-sectional study involved 201 participants, including 103 with liver cirrhosis and 98 age- and sex-matched controls. Serum vitamin D was measured using ELISA, with deficiency defined as < 20 ng/ml. Cirrhosis severity was assessed using Child-Pugh and MELD scores. Spearman's correlation was used to assess the relationship between vitamin D and severity of liver cirrhosis while ordinal regression analysis assessed its performance as an indicator of the disease severity. Result: Among cirrhotic patients, 36.9% were deficient, 31.1% insufficient, and 32.0% had sufficient vitamin D levels. Serum vitamin D showed strong negative correlations with Child-Pugh and MELD scores (r = -0.696, p < 0.001; r = -0.734, p < 0.001, respectively). Ordinal regression showed that higher vitamin D levels were associated with lower severity scores (Child-Pugh: OR = 0.856, 95% CI: 0.815–0.900, p < 0.001; MELD: OR = 0.875, 95% CI: 0.837–0.915, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Lower serum vitamin D levels correlated with increased liver cirrhosis severity, suggesting its potential as both a prognostic marker and therapeutic target. Further studies should investigate the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in improving cirrhosis outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Liver cirrhosis is a chronic and progressive liver disease with significant global health implications. Recent evidence suggests an association between serum vitamin D levels and the severity of liver cirrhosis, potentially serving as a therapeutic target. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum vitamin D status and the severity of liver cirrhosis in a population of Nigerian patients. Methods This analytical, cross-sectional study involved 201 participants, including 103 with liver cirrhosis and 98 age- and sex-matched controls. Serum vitamin D was measured using ELISA, with deficiency defined as

Introduction: Reminder/recall interventions have been shown to improve immunization coverage. The perception of mothers/caregivers may influence the outcome of such interventions. The attitude of Nigerian mothers to reminders/ recalls using cell phones was evaluated. Methods: This was a crosssectional observational study carried out (August to October 2012) on mothers attending the child welfare clinic of the Institute of Child Health, University of Benin, Benin City. The instrument was an interviewer administered questionnaire which sought information on respondents’ access to phones, their ability to read, perception and preference with regard to reminders/ recalls. Results: All 203 mothers had access to a phone although 188 (92.6%) currently owned a phone. Majority of the mothers 163 (80.3%) could read. Of the 203 mothers 127(62.6%) agreed that mothers should be reminded about immunization appointments of their children. Of those who disagreed, most agreed that mothers who forget/did not keep appointments could be reminded. More mothers 126(70.8%) favoured reminders compared to recalls 52 (29.2%) There was no significant difference in the proportion of mothers who preferred telephone calls and those who preferred text messages. Those with post secondary education were more likely to prefer text messages. Conclusion: The mothers studied are favourably disposed to receipt of reminder/ recalls for their children’s immunization appointments. There is good access to telephones among the study population enough to support the use of this technology for a reminder / recall intervention but the use of text messages may be limited by literacy.

Background: The objective assessment of the severity of neonatal jaundice is Total Serum Bilirubin (TSB) determination, which requires multiple blood sampling. This has inherent problems, including risks of anaemia and infection. Transcutaneous Bilirubinometry (TcB) is a reliable, non-invasive alternative, however there is paucity of data on its performance in black preterm neonates. Objectives: To evaluate the correlation between transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) and total serum bilirubin (TSB) among Nigerian preterm neonates, and to determine the parameters affecting the relationship. Method: Jaundiced preterm neonates delivered between 28 and 36 weeks of gestation admitted at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Nigeria were recruited . The TSB levels were determined by spectrophotometry while the corresponding TcB levels were obtained using Jaundice Meter (JM-103). The neonates were stratified into gestational age and birth weight groups. Results: A total of 189 paired TcB and TSB levels were obtained from 60 neonates. The Mean (sd) TcB level of 11.4 (3.1) mg/dl was significantly higher than the mean TSB level of 10.2 (2.8)mg/dl (p= 0.028). The overall correlation coefficient between TcB and TSB was 0.98 and it was not significantly affected by the gestational age, birth weight and bilirubin levels. Conclusion: Transcutneous bilirubin strongly correlates with total serum bilirubin levels among Nigerian preterm neonates, irrespective of gestational age, birth weight and the degree of jaundice.

Dyschromatosissymmetricahereditaria (DSH) is one of a group of reticulate pigment disorders of the skin. It is a rare autosomal dominantly inherited genodermatosis, presenting as mottled admixtures of hypopigmented and hyperpigmented macules on the dorsa of the extremities. It is predominantly found among persons of Oriental origin. We hereby document the first case of dyschromatosissymmetricahereditaria in a four year old Nigerian boy who presented with progressive symmetric dyschromic lesions on the dorsa of the hands and feet, with no family history of similar lesions. The diagnosis was confirmed by the typical histologic finding of basal hyperpigmentation with normal number of melanocytes and absence of melanin incontinence from a hyperpigmented lesion

The periodic paralyses are a rare group of muscle channel opathies characterized by intermittent attacks of episodic muscle weakness of variable duration. Typically, symptoms begin in the first or second decade of life. This case describes a 13 year-old girl with generalized epilepsy who presented with a 9- year history of recurrent attacks of inability to walk. Attacks which occurred at a frequency of 2-3 times a year with spontaneous resolution were often triggered by exposure to cold, strenuous exercise and occasionally by convulsions. At presentation, the index episode had been on -going for 2 days. Management of the acute paralytic episode and prophylaxis were accomplished with oral acetazolamide administration. This report underscores the ease with which effective prevention of paralytic episodes in periodic paralyses could be achieved in a resource- poor setting.

Corporate governance has become a significant policy issue in Nigeria, especially with many developments such as the volatility of corporations on the Nigerian Exchange and the rise in the population of stockholders, which have increased the relevance of corporate governance measures. This study examined the nexus between corporate governance and Nigerian Deposit Money Banks’ (NDMBs) financial performances using a period from 2012 to 2019. Using a judgmental sampling technique, out of 25 NDMRs, 15 NDMRs were selected as a sample size. Secondary data were extracted from the annual reports of the selected banks. Descriptive research design and regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The findings offer empirical evidence to refute the five null hypotheses and found that the financial performance of NDMBs as measured by Tobin Q and corporate governance proxies (i.e. board meetings, the board size, CEO duality, audit committee independence, and board independence) is statistically related. This study found that the nexus between Nigerian deposit money banks’ financial performance and CEO duality is negative and significant. The nexus between Nigerian deposit money banks’ financial performance and board independence is negative and significant. Nigerian deposit money banks’ financial performance and audit committee independence have a positive and significant nexus. The nexus between Nigerian deposit money banks’ financial performance and board size is positive and significant. The nexus between Nigerian deposit money banks’ performance and board meetings is positive and significant. This study concluded that corporate governance and financial performance of NDMBs are related. AcknowledgmentWhichever contributors to this publication, both non-researchers and scholars, are much acknowledged.

Background: Pregnancy serves as a physiological stress test for the thyroid which often leads to dysfunction in women with limited thyroid reserves. The occurrence of gestational thyroid dysfunction is linked to unfavourable obstetric and foetal outcomes. Globally, iodine deficiency is a prominent causative factor for thyroid dysfunction. The study aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of thyroid dysfunction among pregnant women in Enugu, South-east Nigeria. Methodology: This hospital-based descriptive cross-sectional and observational study was conducted over six months on selected participants from pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at the study sites. Maternal clinical and demographic risk factors for thyroid dysfunction were evaluated in a cohort of 318 pregnant women. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to compare participants' thyroid status across different trimesters of pregnancy, and different thyroid and nutritional iodine states. Result: The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in the study population is 6.6%. Hypothyroidism was detected in 5.3% of the participants, consisting of 3.8% sub-clinical hypothyroidism and 1.6% overt hypothyroidism. Subclinical hyperthyroidism accounted for 1.3% of all participants; no overt hyperthyroidism was detected in this study. Conclusion: There is a relatively high prevalence of gestational thyroid dysfunction in the study population with hypothyroidism being the predominant disorder. This highlights the need for region-specific considerations in antenatal care to facilitate early detection and effective management of gestational thyroid dysfunction, thereby mitigating potential adverse maternal and foetal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents self-reflexive elaborations of negotiating 'outsider' positionalities as an 'insider' conducting a qualitative study of first-and-second-generation Nigerian diaspora communities in London, United Kingdom (UK) and the implications of this for the methodological documentation and interpretation of the research process as well as, the perspicuity of participants' realities. Within the conceptual framing of 'critical reflexivity', this article details the author's retrospective evaluation of the impact that his positionality – notably his outsiderness, and the biases, presuppositions and awkwardness accompanying this had at each stage of the research proccess. From formulating the research topic, methodological design and participant identification/recruitment, to data collection and analysis, this article reiterates the centrality of researcher reflexivity in qualitative inquiries of one's 'own people'. It concludes that while critical reflexivity affords a sensitivity and attention to challenges around methodological rigour and ethical research, ethnoracialised sameness between researchers and their supposed 'own people' is not always complementary, ideal and productive. This article makes important and original contributions to positionality debates in its specific application to the Nigerian diaspora advancing Black scholarship in the social sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis has been infrequently reported among African black populations. Recent data have shown increasing reportage. Comorbidities are increasingly recognised as important in the overall morbidity, mortality and response to management. There have been few reports from Africa on the frequency and role of comorbidities associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Africans. Methods: This 20-year retrospective study looked at the frequency of various comorbidities among Nigerian patients with rheumatoid arthritis from a rheumatology facility. Data were obtained from the case record files of 283 RA patients. The chi-square test was used to assess the relationship between patient characteristics and the presence of comorbidity, while logistic regression was used to determine factors that were independently associated with the occurrence of comorbidities in these patients. Results: The frequency of comorbidities among RA patients is high at 52.3%, mainly from common conditions such as hypertension (22.3%), dyslipidaemia (11.3%), osteoarthritis (8.1%), diabetes mellitus (7.1%), peptic ulcer disease (6.4%) and interstitial lung disease (3.5%). Increasing age (χ2 47.74, P<0.001) and prolonged duration of symptoms before diagnosis (χ2 9.0, P = 0.02) were significantly associated with the presence of comorbidity on univariate analysis, and only age was found to be independently associated with comorbidities on logistic regression. Conclusion: The frequencies of these comorbidities are similar in certain aspects to other such reports but differ from others. An important factor may be the delay in presentation to a rheumatologist. It is hoped that other more extensive studies will elucidate some of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Apolipoprotein (APO) C3 C3238G and C1100T gene polymorphisms are risk factors for CVD but their relationship with obesity and T2DM in Black Africans has not been fully elucidated. Association of these gene polymorphisms with hypertension and dyslipidemia among obese type 2 diabetics in a Southwest Nigerian population was assessed.One hundred and thirty-eight (138) non-obese diabetics, 107 obese diabetics, 100 obese non-diabetics and 100 control subjects attending metabolic clinic in Osun State Nigeria were enrolled. Anthropometric parameters were measured. Fasting blood sugar (FBS), lipid profile and APOC3 protein were estimated using standard lab procedures. APOC3 gene polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism. Data were analyzed and significant level set at p<0.05. APOC3238G G allele was associated with higher risk of hypertension (OR=2.39, 95%CI=1.03-5.53; p=0.042) in obese diabetics compared to other groups. Highest frequency for hypertension was observed among obese diabetics expressing CC than CG and GG genotypes. GG genotype was associated with dyslipidemia in obese diabetic subjects exhibiting APO C3 C3238G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Homozygous CC genotype showed highest frequency (χ2: 25.515, p<0.05) than other genotypes and was associated with increased atherogenic indices among obese diabetic subjects expressing APO C3 C1100T SNP. APOC3 C1100T gene and polymorphic alleles of the G variant of APOC3 C3238G gene were associated with dyslipidemia and hypertension in obese T2DM individuals, thereby contributing to increased risk of CVD among the studied population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This briefing paper reports the impact of peace club infrastructure in the eight schools where such peace infrastructures were established in Nigeria. The study adopts an action research design and thematic approach in data analysis. The pre- and post-training test results and the focus group discussions point to a very positive outcome for the peace clubs. The study contributes to improving participants' knowledge in anger management and conflict resolution and builds participants' skills in anger management and in resolving their own conflicts amicably. It promotes a positive attitudinal change of participants and ensures a peaceful learning environment, which in turn enhances students' academic performance in schools. It provides a forum where students and even teachers express themselves on peace and conflict issues. It recommends peace clubs to school administrators, community managers, and policymakers as a viable policy option for sustainable peace in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is the most widely accepted tool for assessing burnout among students worldwide. However, no studies have yet tested the validity of the student version of the MBI in Nigeria. The study aimed to assess the factorial structure and cross-cultural validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Version MBI-GS (S) in a Nigerian university. Methodology: An online cross-sectional study was conducted among 536 undergraduate students from three departments in the Faculty of Basic Medical Science at a Nigerian university. Data were collected using MBI-GS (S) and a confirmatory factor analysis was performed to explore its factor structure. Results: The results revealed that the three-factor, 15-item structure of the MBI-GS (S) demonstrated a valid factorial structure among Nigerian undergraduate students, evidenced by the extraction of three components with eigen values exceeding 1, accounting for 73.7% of the variance, in line with the three-factor structure of the original MBI. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was high, with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.901. The Cronbach's alpha for emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and academic efficacy were 0.901, 0.841, and 0.941, respectively. A weak negative correlation was observed between emotional exhaustion and cynicism, and a moderate negative correlation was found between emotional exhaustion and academic efficacy, and cynicism and academic efficacy. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the MBI-GS (S) is a reliable tool for assessing burnout levels among Nigerian university students. They provide strong evidence for the factorial validity and reliability of the MBI-GS (S), supporting its cross-cultural validation for assessing burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lingual nerve injury is a known complication of mandibular third molar(M3M) surgery, and retraction of the lingual flap is reported to reduce the incidence of this complication. However, there is no global consensus on the routine retraction of lingual flap. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the perception and practice of lingual flap retraction amongst oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional national survey was conducted amongst 122 oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Nigeria from January 2023 to March 2023 using a validated, structured, self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire had three sections and 14-item questions. Section A consists of the sociodemographic questions, Section B comprises questions on perception towards lingual flap retraction, whereas Section C consists of questions on the practice of lingual flap retraction. These questionnaires were deployed as an online survey and as hard copies. Both qualitative and quantitative data were analysed. A critical probability level (P < 0.05) was used as the cut‑off level for statistical significance. Results: Most of the participants(47.6%) belong to the age group of 31–40 years. The male-to-female ratio was 6:1. Only 12 (9.8%) participants had a positive perception towards routine lingual flap retractions following M3M surgery. Perception of lingual flap retraction was found not to be associated with the demographic variables of the participants(P > 0.05). Atotal of 95 participants(77.9%) did not raise nor retract the lingual flap during lower third molar surgery. The rate of practice of lingual flap retraction during third molar surgery was not influenced by any of the factors studied (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The majority of oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Nigeria do not agree that routine retraction of the lingual flap is necessary to reduce lingual nerve injury and majority, too, do not practice this in their management of impacted lower third molar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social Media facilitates the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests to virtual communities and networks using interactive technologies. The benefits of such seamless communication are immense and critical to national growth and development. However national growth and development cannot be achieved without a sound value and moral system guiding the conducts of its people. This article investigates the role social media plays in eroding the value system of Nigerian youths. It highlights problematic areas and concludes by making suggestions for the regulation of social media content through content filtering based on generally acceptable cultural values.

This paper measures economic efficiency of container throughputs with the aid of input-output efficiency ratio of selected terminals across Nigerian seaports. Productivity of a terminal does not equal to its efficiency. Different efficiencies like allocative and technical characterized economic efficiency of a port system. Overall economic efficiency means there is no delay at the port in processing container as all ship, labour and machines are optimally utilized. This research determined the overall efficiencies of container throughputs Apapa, Warri, Onne, Calabal and Tin Can Island using secondary data (2012-2022) from Nigerian Bureau of Statistics on container cargo throughputs in Nigeria. Total container outputs in (Tonnes) from different terminals with their corresponding inputs variables from number of ship per annum, cranes used and the dock workers net gang hour (ngh) were aggregated together in form of input-output ratio and arrived at each port's level of overall economic efficiency. The analysis was executed with the aid of R using Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) for each termina/seaport collected data. It was found from the results that; terminals at Onne are most efficient followed by Calabar. Tin can Island terminal efficiency was a slightly higher than that of Apapa as both had a little above average mean efficiency value. Warri terminals are the least while Rivers was not considered for unavailability of data. There may be other unexplained factors causing inefficiencies of mostly Apapa, Tin Can and Warri seaports not explained but can be investigated in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lingual nerve injury is a known complication of mandibular third molar (M3M) surgery, and retraction of the lingual flap is reported to reduce the incidence of this complication. However, there is no global consensus on the routine retraction of lingual flap. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the perception and practice of lingual flap retraction amongst oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional national survey was conducted amongst 122 oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Nigeria from January 2023 to March 2023 using a validated, structured, self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire had three sections and 14-item questions. Section A consists of the sociodemographic questions, Section B comprises questions on perception towards lingual flap retraction, whereas Section C consists of questions on the practice of lingual flap retraction. These questionnaires were deployed as an online survey and as hard copies. Both qualitative and quantitative data were analysed. A critical probability level (P < 0.05) was used as the cut-off level for statistical significance. Results: Most of the participants (47.6%) belong to the age group of 31–40 years. The male-to-female ratio was 6:1. Only 12 (9.8%) participants had a positive perception towards routine lingual flap retractions following M3M surgery. Perception of lingual flap retraction was found not to be associated with the demographic variables of the participants (P > 0.05). A total of 95 participants (77.9%) did not raise nor retract the lingual flap during lower third molar surgery. The rate of practice of lingual flap retraction during third molar surgery was not influenced by any of the factors studied (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The majority of oral and maxillofacial surgeons in Nigeria do not agree that routine retraction of the lingual flap is necessary to reduce lingual nerve injury and majority, too, do not practice this in their management of impacted lower third molar.

This study investigates the conceptualization of employee commitment and turnover intention in the Nigerian public sector using a qualitative approach. Findings suggest that (i) employees expressed a lack of sense of ownership and attached meaning to commitment based on (self-help) benefit gained from their organization, and (ii) the lack of scrutiny and accountability in the public sector resulted in low employee turnover intention. The study is novel for developing a framework underscoring how context may affect the conceptualisation of employee commitment and turnover intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) has been embraced by several scholars in assessing the fitness of measurement model through structural equation modeling procedure. In this study, five variables namely HRM practices (recruitment and selection, training and development, performance appraisal, compensation), psychological empowerment, affective commitment, work engagement, and employee competence were applied in carrying out the CFA. Applying the CFA procedure determines the researcher's attempt to increase the ability of latent measurement model to be more outlined and précised in drawing conclusions as well as avoiding the violation of regression assumption. It appears more efficient with the use of Cronbach Alpha, Convergent validity, Discriminant Validity and Composite Reliability in the study analysis for the researcher to apply the result for further steps. Hence, findings of this study appear to be more corresponding with the overall aim of the study. Empirically, CFA is an effective tool for ensuring the best fit of measurement model. The inability of the current analysis to carry out the CFA using individual measurement serves as a great limitation. The application of pooled CFA is certainly a key to researchers in the quest to achieve the requirement for measurement model in a study with complex constructs/items. This paper aimed at presenting to the readers particularly those at the beginning stage, the importance of applying pooled CFA in empirical studies by highlighting the findings of the current study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social Media facilitates the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests to virtual communities and networks using interactive technologies. The benefits of such seamless communication are immense and critical to national growth and development. However national growth and development cannot be achieved without a sound value and moral system guiding the conducts of its people. This article investigates the role social media plays in eroding the value system of Nigerian youths. It highlights problematic areas and concludes by making suggestions for the regulation of social media content through content filtering based on generally acceptable cultural values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aim: Antibiotic resistance is one of the global public health threats facing modern health care system. The development of new effective agents has been challenging. Thus, the interest in the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of bacterial infections has increased. Therefore, the aim of this study was to review Nigerian medicinal plants with antibacterial activity. Experimental: This study retrieved data from published articles on Nigerian medicinal plants with antibacterial activity. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were adopted. A systematic search of PUBMED CENTRAL was conducted. The included studies were those published in peer-reviewed English language journals between 1st January 2000 and 31st December 2020 and reported on the key terms; Nigerian medicinal plants with antibacterial activity. Results: The database searches yielded a total of 817 results, and 765 articles were ineligible. After reviewing relevant titles and abstracts, a total of 52 articles on antibacterial were retrieved for full text review. After extensive review of each article, 13 articles were excluded and a total of 39 articles were retained. Furthermore, 4 articles were also removed due to lack of specific compounds stated. Finally, only 35 articles met the inclusion criteria for the assessment of antibacterial activity of Nigerian medicinal plants. The narrative synthesis of the included studies revealed different plants families with broad activities against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Among the bacterial isolates, Staphylococcus aureus was tested more, followed by Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the bacteria were subjected to 97 medicinal plants species for antibacterial activity. Recommended applications/industries: The results from this study reveal that many Nigerian medicinal plants contain bioactive compounds with potentials of antibacterial activity and suggest that they could be employed as alternative in the treatment of bacterial infections after safety profiles is appraised.

Background and aims: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and its incidence is higher among black folks for reasons yet unclear. Although few risk factors have been linked to the development of PCa among Nigerian men, it remains unclear whether these risk factors modulate the odds of PCa. Methods: The case-control study comprised forty-three cases and one hundred and twenty-nine age-matched controls (± 5 years) without PCa by prostatic specific antigen (PSA) examination. Conditional logistic regression analysis was employed to identify risk factors associated with PCa at P < 0.05 using SPSS 20. Results: Increasing age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.8; 95% CI: 1.7-4.5) was the strongest risk factor for PCa, followed by increasing age at first sex (AOR: 1.2; 95% CI: 1.1-1.4) and sexual activity (AOR: 0.2; 95% CI: 0.1-0.9) as a protective risk factor against PCa in this Nigerian Population. Conclusion: The study confirms age as a recognized risk factor and backed evidence for other hypothesized risk factors. The study recommends findings with other confirmatory studies that can help to guide policies for better health care decisions among Nigerian men and interventions centered on routine screening for PSA with an emphasis on the elderly clinic is encouraged.

Purpose: To determine the status of sub-specialization among Nigerian ophthalmologists as well as their dispositions and barriers against sub-specialization with a view to providing valuable information for the purpose of human resources for eye care planning thereby providing useful insight into the future of ophthalmic practice in Nigeria. Methods: This was a web-based, cross-sectional study conducted among ophthalmologists in Nigeria. An online questionnaire was distributed through e-mails using Qualtrics software (Qualtrics, Provo, UT, USA). Information concerning socio-demographic characteristics, type of practice, location of practice, years of practice, status and disposition to sub-specialization as well as barriers to sub-specialization were obtained through the questionnaire. Results: Two hundred and four Nigerian ophthalmologists participated in the study out of which 118 (57.8%) were females. One hundred and ten (54.0%) respondents had undergone sub-specialty training. The sub-specialties with the highest number of patronage was Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (14.2%). Respondents who had practised for more than 7 years were three times more likely to have undergone sub-specialty training compared to respondents who had practised for 7 years and below [odds ratio (OR) = 3.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.33–6.83, p = 0.01]. The main barriers to the availability and uptake of sub-specialty services as well as the challenges of sub-specialty services at the centres with established sub-specialty practice were non-availability/inadequate trained specialist and inadequate equipment. Conclusion: Nigerian ophthalmologists are well disposed to sub-specialization although the extent of sub-specialization among them was a little above average. The main barriers to the availability and uptake of sub-specialty services as well as the challenges of sub-specialty services at the centres with established sub-specialty practice in this study were non-availability/inadequate trained specialist and inadequate equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trauma is not a recent motif in Nigerian literature. Literary critics have copiously investigated into the trauma of Nigerian Civil War. However, the Boko Haram insurgency, which has ravaged many communities majorly in the North-East of Nigeria, has introduced a new dimension of exploring trauma into Nigerian literature. The literary dimension is patterned around what, in a broad term, may be called ‘trauma of Boko Haram’. The inability of traumatized Nigerian female victims of the Boko Haram insurgency to unequivocally express the extent of atrocities perpetrated against them by those who should ordinarily be their saviours, confidants or helpers (after the attack) is the main focus of this study. Trauma theory was used to analyse the selected poems taken from a book edited by Ojaide et al. (2019), The Markas: An Anthology of Literary Works on Boko Haram. It was established, on the one hand, that these ‘doubly’ traumatised women are forced to subsist merely in a world of silence – the sole response to the second phase of trauma – by these ‘traumatising tools’. On the other hand, the women’s silence is sustained or prolonged by the subconscious awareness of loss of hopes of recovery. It can be concluded, then, that all the ‘artificial situations or measures’ created to silence the crying voice of the female victims of the Boko Haram insurgency accordingly aggravate their traumatic memory.

Spinal meningiomas are relatively rare tumours with often favourable surgical outcomes. There is paucity of data on spinal meningiomas in the Nigerian literature. This study was designed to evaluate the incidence, the anatomical distribution and outcome of surgical treatment of spinal meningiomas in our center. This was a retrospective study of patients who had surgery for spinal meningioma at our center during the study period. We obtain data from case note, operation and pathology registers. Univariate analysis was performed using SPSS version 15 (SPSS Science Inc; Chicago, IL, USA). There were 11 patients in the study all of whom were females with age range of 26-65 years. All the patients had motor deficit at presentation. Four patients (36.4%) presented within 6 months of onset of symptoms while the duration of symptoms was more than a year in 5 patients (45.5%). The preoperative functional grading was Frankel A in 2 patients (18.2%), Frankel D in 1 patient (9.1%), Frankel B and C each in 4 patients (36.4%). The tumours were located in the thoracic region in six patients (54.5%), cervical region in 2 patients (18.2%) while the tumours were cervicothoracic in the other 3 patients (27.3%). All the patients had gross total tumour resection. Post-operative neurological improvement occurred in 7 patients (63.6%) while 4 patients (36.4%) remained neurologically the same. All the patients in this study were women. Gross total tumour resection was achieved in all the cases with satisfactory functional outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Appropriate oxygen administration is a life-saving therapy; however, patients and their caregivers could decline such therapy for several reasons. Poor perceptions may delay consent to oxygen therapy. There is a lack of data on the perception of oxygen use among patients and caregivers in our setting. Hence, this study was aimed at evaluating the perception of patients and their caregivers toward emergency oxygen use in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This survey was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted between December 2017 and May 2018 at a tertiary hospital in southwestern Nigeria. We administered a structured questionnaire to 334 eligible patients and their 539 caregivers while on admission. Results: A significant proportion of the patients compared to their caregivers have had oxygen therapy in the past 40.6% versus. 6.9% P < 0.0001. The majority of the participants (patients vs. caregivers 84.7% vs. 81.1% P = 0.511) believed oxygen therapy to be beneficial and safe for use (patients vs. caregivers 79.4% vs. 78.6%; P = 0.8949). However, 21.1% of patients and 19.5% of caregivers believed it is solely for terminally ill patients. More than 50% of patients and caregivers thought oxygen can cause adverse effects and fire outbreaks. Most of the respondents considered oxygen therapy as expensive (patients vs. caregivers; 78.2% vs. 87.2%; P = 0.0176) which was regarded as a possible barrier to treatment (patients vs. caregivers 81.9% vs. 85.0% P = 0.3893). <1% of both patients and their caregivers have had any form of training in basic life support. Conclusion: The misconceptions about oxygen use require urgent attention by raising community awareness and knowledge toward improving the acceptability of this life-saving intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how Nigerian librarians are mitigating the infodemic caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The entire population of Nigerian librarians in major social media platforms of the Nigerian Library Association and its sections were used for the study. An online survey administered through Google forms was used. A total of 186 librarians responded to the survey. The data was analysed with percentages and presented in charts. The findings show that: the majority (80%) agreed that there is infodemic in Nigeria. The major roles played by the librarians in mitigating the infodemic are: correction of misconceptions online (54.8%), posting of official information online(47.8%), and provision of authentic sources to COVID-19 guidelines (39.8%); the majority (91.1%) of the librarians played these roles as personal initiatives; majority (79%) of them believe their roles have been effective; and the major challenges facing their efforts are the issue of low bandwidth (59.1%), distrust for official information (31%) and regard for myths (29%). The implication of these findings is that most of the efforts made by Nigerian librarians to curb the spread of fake news associated with the corona virus were mainly personal initiatives. This further implies that a majority of Nigerian libraries do not have plans and policies in place to ensure service delivery in emergency situations. It was recommended, among others, that Nigerian librarians should go beyond online efforts to use traditional methods in order to reach a larger part of the populace without access to the internet.

Background: Anti-failure therapy is vital to the reduction of morbidity and mortality associated with heart failure (HF). Medication nonadherence (MNA) has been identified as a major limiting factor for the attainment of therapeutic goals. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of MNA in HF patients attending Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study involving 202 previously diagnosed HF patients attending an outpatient clinic in LUTH. Data were obtained from patient's medical records and the use of an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Medication Adherence Report Scale 5-items was used to determine MNA. Results: Of the 202 HF subjects, 68% (n = 128) were aged 31–60 years, 65% (n = 132) were females, 58%, (n = 116) were taking ≤4 pills/day, 54.5% were taking pills twice daily, and 72.3% (n = 146) had comorbid conditions. The overall prevalence of MNA was 69.3% with ACE inhibitors having the highest MNA of 73.2% and angiotensin receptor blocker/neprilysin inhibitor having the least MNA of 0%. MNA was independent of age, gender, educational status, pill burden, duration of HF, history of HF admission, functional status, and specific comorbidities (P < 0.05). However, the presence of three comorbidities was associated with lower MNA (P < 0.05). Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of MNA in Nigerian HF patients. Measures aimed at improving adherence are imperative to improve outcomes in these patients.

Background: Despite the poor doctor–patient ratio in Nigeria, which is far below the World Health Organization's recommendation, Nigerian doctors are known to contribute a significant proportion of the medical workforce in other countries, especially in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA). Aim: This study aimed to assess Nigerian medical doctors' willingness to practice in foreign countries, as well as the possible push and pull factors contributing to this brain drain. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted, and 329 medical doctors were selected from a list of doctors who were attending the Annual Delegates Meeting of the Nigerian Medical Association, using a systematic random sampling technique. A semistructured self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain the information from the selected respondents. Results: All selected respondents agreed to participate in the study. The mean age of the participants was 41.4 ± 6.3 years, 85.9% of them being males and 75.7% being Christians. About 36% of the respondents had medical fellowship, 31.6% were resident doctors, and 16.4% had only an MBBS degree. The median duration of practice was 12 years, and the median monthly income was ₦420,000.000. About 72.9% of the respondents were willing to practice in foreign countries if given the opportunity, 29.2% of whom preferred the USA, 25.1% preferred the UK, and 15.7 preferred Australia. Among those not willing to practice in foreign countries, 48.3% preferred working in Nigeria despite all the challenges and 32.2% was due to family and other personal reasons. Among those willing to practice in foreign countries, about 66.3% was due to poor financial incentives/working environment, 46.5% due to insecurity, and 38% due to inter-professional rivalry in the health sector. The following factors were found to be independent (intrinsic) determinants of willingness to practice in a foreign country: Geopolitical zone of origin, highest educational qualifications, duration of practice, and average monthly income. Conclusion: It is a big threat to the Nigerian health system for the majority of its doctors to be willing to leave the country. Hence, the need for governments at all levels to, as a matter of urgency, address the factors responsible for this drive.

Mainstream development discourse and practice often marginalise the significance of 'religion' and 'faith' for international development and humanitarianism. However, recent geopolitical events have prompted attitudinal and epistemological developments, with religion and faith considered an almost obligatory agenda for development scholarship. Despite current celebrations, scant attention is paid to the paramount role of religion for faith-based development actors such as African diaspora individuals and communities. Using focus group discussions, this article examines how the religious-faith identities of UK Nigerians specifically, shape their meanings for and engagement in international development. I reveal that Nigerian remittances and non-monetary contributions and services to their heritage country are constituted within moral (and cultural) obligations, justifications and values that are distinctly 'religious'. So too, that Nigerians largely construe international development as a demonstrable 'practice' of their faith-based identities. Consequently, I call for a (re)theorisation of development to subsume transnational Afro-religious diasporic performativity. While focused on Nigerians, these findings are nonetheless relevant for wider UK-based African diaspora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the socio-cultural status of barracks women in Nigeria. The study is important, contrary to the thinking that army wives have no history worth studying because of culture, environment, and sex stereotypes. The paper argues that since the incorporation of women into the barracks, their roles have been complementary in both empire-building and nation-building. Remarkably, their influence contributed to the construction of social relations and interdependence between the colonisers and the colonised. With the departure of European wives from the colony, indigenous officers’ wives transformed their roles from the private to the public spheres to meet the challenges of nation-building and social change. In this piece, we draw on oral sources, military magazines and literature, qualitative data and Internet sources to highlight the socio-cultural status of women and their involvement in colonial and post-colonial societies. This paper reveals that rank is a factor in women’s involvement in gender and service politics. It concludes that barracks women can improve their status in the social and economic spheres through government empowerment and social investment programmes. This study is limited to barracks women in Nigeria. It will help society to know that barracks women have a history worth studying.

Introduction To enhance the diagnosis of anatomic left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) using electrocardiography (ECG), we aimed to identify common ECG amplitude and non-amplitude abnormalities in Nigerian patients with hypertensive echocardiographic LVH. Method The study included 1,765 patients with essential hypertension aged 18 years and older from the Federal Medical Centre Abuja Hypertension Registry (FMCAHR). Participants underwent echocardiography and ECG following the American College of Cardiology and the American Society of Echocardiography guidelines. Results The prevalence of overall ECG LVH amplitude criteria (43.8%) and individual criteria of Cornell voltage (27.1%), Sokolow-Lyon voltage (23.2%), and Gubner-Ungerleider (13.9%) were higher than non-amplitude ECG abnormalities among patients with echocardiographic LVH. The sensitivity and specificity of LVH criteria were 43.8% and 79.5% for overall ECG LVH, 23.2% and 87.2% for Sokolow-Lyon voltage, 27.1% and 93.3% for Cornell voltage, and 13.9% and 95.4% for Gubner-Ungerleider criteria, respectively. After multivariable adjustment, non-amplitude ECG changes, including prolonged corrected QT (QTc) (odds ratio (OR): 1.68, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06-2.66), left ventricular (LV) strain pattern (OR: 1.83, CI: 1.23-2.72), left axis deviation (OR: 1.56, CI: 1.09-2.24), poor R wave progression (OR: 2.36, CI: 1.40-3.97), premature ventricular contractions (OR: 1.80, CI: 1.10-2.91), premature atrial contractions (OR: 2.06, CI: 1.10-3.87), atrial fibrillation (OR: 2.40, CI: 1.20-4.82), and left atrial abnormality (OR: 8.43, CI: 2.95-24.05), were associated with echocardiographic LVH (p < 0.05). Conclusion In our cohort of hypertensive patients, ECG LVH amplitude criteria were the most frequently observed abnormalities associated with echocardiographic LVH. Our findings suggest that despite the low sensitivity, ECG LVH amplitude criteria may remain valuable in diagnosing echocardiographic LVH., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Abiodun et al.)

Introduction: Body stalk anomaly (BSA) is a rare and severe congenital malformation in which the exact pathophysiology is still unknown. The possible causes of body stalk anomaly include early amnion rupture with direct mechanical pressure and amniotic bands, vascular disruption of the early embryo, or an abnormality in the germinal disk., Case Presentation: We report a case of sonologically delayed diagnosis of BSA which was confirmed post-delivery following histopathological examination and we reviewed relevant literature regarding this phenomenon. Sonographic features of the foetus included a wide anterior abdominal wall defect (omphalocele) with protrusion of the liver into the amniotic cavity. The umbilical arteries show normal calibre, flow, velocimetry, and spectral waveform., Conclusion: Body stalk anomaly is accepted as a fatal anomaly, so it is important to differentiate it from other anterior abdominal wall defects prenatally and this could guide the management options., (© Association of Resident Doctors, UCH, Ibadan.)

This article focuses on the socio-cultural status of barracks women in Nigeria. The study is important, contrary to the thinking that army wives have no history worth studying because of culture, environment, and sex stereotypes. The paper argues that since the incorporation of women into the barracks, their roles have been complementary in both empire-building and nation-building. Remarkably, their influence contributed to the construction of social relations and interdependence between the colonisers and the colonised. With the departure of European wives from the colony, indigenous officers' wives transformed their roles from the private to the public spheres to meet the challenges of nation-building and social change. In this piece, we draw on oral sources, military magazines and literature, qualitative data and Internet sources to highlight the socio-cultural status of women and their involvement in colonial and post-colonial societies. This paper reveals that rank is a factor in women's involvement in gender and service politics. It concludes that barracks women can improve their status in the social and economic spheres through government empowerment and social investment programmes. This study is limited to barracks women in Nigeria. It will help society to know that barracks women have a history worth studying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds provide ecosystem services that play crucial role in maintaining forest ecosystems. However, the knowledge of the relationship between different bird assemblages and different forest types is still scanty. We analyzed the impacts of different tree species of different functional traits on visitation preferences by birds in Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve, Nigeria (7°30′N, 11°30′E). We monitored visitation of different bird species to trees using the point-count method. A total of 32 bird species were recorded. Must of bird species (28 species) were insectivores, while four species are frugivores. The rate of visitation of different bird species differs significantly among the different tree species. Correlation analyses showed that the frequency of birds’ visits depend on abundance of individuals of a tree species. However, some of the tree species are more frequently visited by different species of birds, while other trees are peculiar in terms of visitation preferences by some of the bird species. More important tree species as the frequency of birds’ visitation is concern include M. lanceolata (205), P. fulva (134), and B. speciosa (113). Trees that were visited by the highest number of species of birds include B. speciosa (28), M. lanceolata (20), and T. aurentalis (19). There was also a positive effect of trees' functional traits on the total number of birds’ visits, but there was no correlation between the trees' functional traits with the abundance of individual bird species visitation. We hypothesized that small morphological differences among trees will have no impact on bird's visitation as found in this study. These results and interpretations have implications for sustainable management and conservation of montane forest and possibly elsewhere.

We sought to determine the effect of amiloride on blood pressure (BP) and the presence of polymorphisms of the β-subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) among normotensive (NT) and hypertensive (HT) Nigerians. Healthy volunteers—47 NT and 53 age-matched HT were recruited after giving informed consent. Subjects were salt-loaded with 200 mmol of NaCl daily for 5 days. Following a week washout period, salt-loading was repeated in addition to the administration of 5 mg amiloride daily for five days. Blood pressure, plasma and urine electrolytes were measured at baseline, after salt-loading and after salt-loading plus amiloride. PCR amplicons were sequenced for β-ENaC polymorphisms. Salt-loading led to a significant increase (p < 0.05) in SBP among NT and HT and in DBP (p < 0.001) only among HT. Amiloride reduced SBP and DBP to below baseline levels in NT (p < 0.05) and HT (p < 0.001) subjects. Five of the subjects had the β-T594M polymorphism, HT 3/53; NT 2/47 (p = 0.75). Four previously unreported β-ENaC mutations were recorded: E632V and E636V, respectively, among two HT subjects, D638Y in another HT and L628Q in one NT subject. We showed the presence of β-ENaC polymorphisms among our populace and the possible usefulness of amiloride as a single antihypertensive among Nigerians.

Background: Overweight and obese dental patients occasionally request jaw wiring. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the reasons for requesting jaw wiring and to evaluate the outcome of the procedure. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study of adults, who requested jaw wiring treatments at two private dental facilities in Enugu and Lagos, Nigeria. The interventions consisted of jaw wiring with four interdental eyelets and two tie wires. The main outcome measures were reasons for the request, weight loss, and body mass index (BMI) change. The data were analyzed using SPSS, version 20.0. Results: Thirty-four patients, all female, requested jaw wiring. Majority were single (82.4% [28/34]). The mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 28.1 (6) (confidence interval [CI]: 25.9–30.2). Simplicity of the procedure, weight-loss needs, and improved body shape were the main reasons for all the patients. Single women additionally included a “desire to attract a marriage mate” in 67.6% (23/34), “preparation for an engagement,” and “to fit a wedding gown,” 5.9% (2/34). Married women, 14.7% (5/34), additionally desired to “please a husband” or “achieve postpartum weight-loss.” Nineteen subjects completed the treatment and lost a mean (SD) weight of 8.3 (3.6) kg (95% CI: 6.5–10) over a mean (SD) duration of 45.0 (14.9) days (CI: 37.8–52.2). The mean BMI was lowered after treatment by 3.09kg/m2 (1.3; CI: 2.5–3.7). The posttreatment BMI classification improved for 52.6% (10/19) of the patients. Conclusions: Jaw wiring was desired by young women because of its simplicity, predictable weight loss, and marital and social concerns. Weight loss and lowered BMI were achieved.

Background: In children, toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste is the method of choice for preventing dental caries and it is influenced mainly by their mothers. Objective: To provide descriptive information about toothpaste utilization profiles of 6 to 8-year-old Nigerian children. Materials and methods: A cross-section of 130 mothers of 6-8 year-old Nigerians provided information on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge of toothpaste use, tooth brushing habits and criteria for selecting toothpaste for their child. Their 6-8 year-old children who attended the Dental Centre of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital North-Eastern Nigeria were examined for presence of dental caries and fluorosis. Data analysis included both descriptive and inferential statistics at p< 0.05. 6-8-year-old school children who attended Results: Forty-one (31.5%) mothers had good knowledge score of toothpaste use. Fifty-six (43.1%) and 23 (177.7%) of children had fluorosis and dental caries respectively. There was no statistical significant relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and occurrence of dental caries (p>0.05). Females (54.2%) and children of mothers who had no formal education (65.6%) had more fluorosis than their counterparts (p< 0.05). Conclusions: Many mothers had poor knowledge score of toothpaste use. Children who had fluorosis were more than those who had dental caries. Females and children of mothers who had no formal education had more dental fluorosis than their counterparts.

This study investigates how Nigerian librarians are mitigating the infodemic caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The entire population of Nigerian librarians in major social media platforms of the Nigerian Library Association and its sections were used for the study. An online survey administered through Google forms was used. A total of 186 librarians responded to the survey. The data was analysed with percentages and presented in charts. The findings show that: the majority (80%) agreed that there is infodemic in Nigeria. The major roles played by the librarians in mitigating the infodemic are: correction of misconceptions online (54.8%), posting of official information online(47.8%), and provision of authentic sources to COVID-19 guidelines (39.8%); the majority (91.1%) of the librarians played these roles as personal initiatives; majority (79%) of them believe their roles have been effective; and the major challenges facing their efforts are the issue of low bandwidth (59.1%), distrust for official information (31%) and regard for myths (29%). The implication of these findings is that most of the efforts made by Nigerian librarians to curb the spread of fake news associated with the corona virus were mainly personal initiatives. This further implies that a majority of Nigerian libraries do not have plans and policies in place to ensure service delivery in emergency situations. It was recommended, among others, that Nigerian librarians should go beyond online efforts to use traditional methods in order to reach a larger part of the populace without access to the internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, Ireland has experienced an increase in diversity due to immigration. The purpose of this study is to explore how three Irish-born primary-grade children of Nigerian immigrants in Ireland, one girl and two boys in the 5th and 6th grades, describe experiences of racism and perceive being Irish in a predominantly White, but increasingly diverse, country. Drawing on the case study method, this article argues that the students developed racialized perceptions of being Irish that were influenced by experiences of racism from White peers and adults in school and the local community. These experiences led the children to feel less than fully Irish, even though all of them identified as Irish-born citizens. Data were collected in the 2014–2015 school year. Data sources include individual and group interviews with the students, teacher and principal interviews, and school observations. This research helps fill a gap concerning the way primary-grade students from immigrant backgrounds describe racism, and how racism can influence children's perceptions of citizenship identity. The study's results have implications for educators and educational researchers in considering how knowledge of diverse children's perspectives can help create inclusive school environments that prepare young people for citizenship in multicultural societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]