Experiment and Analysis of Variance for Stabilizing Fine-Grained Soils with Cement and Sawdust Ash as Liner Materials.

Due to volume change and low strength, fine-grained soils are problematic in construction. Stabilization with cement and sawdust ash (SDA) by-products can improve engineering properties. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of cement and sawdust ash (SDA) in stabilizing fine-grained soils for liner applications. Varying proportions of cement (0-9%) and SDA (0-10%) were added to soil samples (n = 24). Specimens were tested for unconfined compressive strength (UCS), hydraulic conductivity (HC), and volumetric shrinkage strain (VSS). Two-way ANOVA analyzed stabilization effects. Optimal stabilization occurred with 6% cement and 6% SDA, resulting in significant increases in UCS (51 to 375 kN/m2) and decreases in HC (1.7 × 10-8 to 4.7 × 10-10 m/s) and VSS (12.8 to 3.51%) compared to untreated soil. ANOVA indicated that both cement and SDA had statistically significant (p < 0.05) effects on improving all three engineering properties. The addition of 6% cement and 6% SDA significantly improved the expansive soil's strength, hydraulic conductivity, and volume change properties. ANOVA confirmed the quantitative improvements and the significance of both stabilizers. Stabilization using the by-product SDA has the potential to be a sustainable soil improvement method.

Association between sleep quality and blood pressure control among hypertensive patients at a rural tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Restorative sleep is critical in preventing hypertension and other chronic diseases. Limited research has explored the relationship between sleep quality and hypertension in Africa. This study investigated the association between sleep quality and blood pressure control among hypertensive patients in Southern Nigeria. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: A rural tertiary hospital in Southern Nigeria, April to June 2023. PARTICIPANTS: 250 systematically selected hypertensive adults. Participants completed a validated semistructured interviewer-administered questionnaire to assess their sleep patterns, including sleep duration, self-reported trouble sleeping and a history of clinical diagnosis of sleep disorders. Sleep patterns were categorised as restorative (healthy) or non-restorative (unhealthy). The blood pressure of respondents was checked and categorised as controlled (<140/90 mm Hg) or uncontrolled (≥140/90 mm Hg). Data were analysed descriptively using SPSS V.24.0 OUTCOME MEASURES: Quality of sleep and blood pressure control. RESULTS: Respondents had a mean age of 51.5±10.0 years, with the majority being female (156, 62.4%), married (135, 54.0%) and belonging to the Esan tribe (125, 50.0%). The prevalence of restorative sleep was 36%, while the blood pressure control rate was 23.6%. An association was found between restorative sleep and blood pressure control (adjusted OR =4.38; 95% CI=2.37-8.10; p<0.0001). Respondents aged ≥60 years had 3.5 times higher odds of experiencing non-restorative sleep than those aged ≤40 years (aOR=3.46; 95% CI=1.37-8.74; p=0.009). CONCLUSION: The study found an association between poor quality sleep and poor blood pressure control. Incorporating sleep assessments and interventions into comprehensive hypertension management strategies could be explored as a possible approach to improve sleep quality and enhance blood pressure control. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: PACTR202301917477205.

Covid-19 and Pre-Morbid Lifestyle-Related Risk Factors-A Review.

Since its outbreak in December 2019 in China, COVID-19 has spread like wild fire to affect many communities of the world. The high infectivity and case fatality rates of the disease among the general population and the severely ill patients respectively drew the attention of the global community. Our review showed that socio-demographic and lifestyle-related risk factors and underlying comorbid diseases were directly and indirectly associated with increased susceptibility and severity of COVID-19. These factors included older age (⩾60 years), male gender, and ethnic minority groups (especially blacks), smoking, low serum level of vitamin D, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity (with poor exposure to sunlight), overweight/obesity, high blood pressure/hypertension, high blood cholesterol, cardiovascular diseases (like stroke and coronary heart disease), diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, and some cancers (like leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma). The literature further revealed that the clinical progression of the majority of these associated risk factors can be modified through effective and comprehensive risk reduction through healthy living and lifestyle modification. COVID-19 preventive and treatment guidelines that give adequate attention to risk reduction and healthy lifestyle among people-either in the pre-, peri-, or post-COVID-19 stage, should be developed by public health policymakers and clinicians. This will play a significant role in the global effort to combat the pandemic, and reduce its negative impact on the life expectancy and socio-economic development of the world particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Common adolescent mental health disorders seen in Family Medicine Clinics in Ghana and Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Mental health disorders among adolescents is on the rise globally. Patients seldom present to mental health physicians, for fear of stigmatization, and due to the dearth of mental health physicians. They are mostly picked during consultations with Family Physicians. This study seeks to identify the common mental health disorders seen by family Physicians in Family Medicine Clinics in Nigeria and Ghana. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study involving 302 Physicians practicing in Family Medicine Clinics in Nigeria and Ghana, who were randomly selected for the study. Data were collected using self-administered semi-structured questionnaire, and were entered into excel spreadsheet before analysing with IBM-SPSS version 22. Descriptive statistics using frequencies and percentages was used to describe variables. RESULTS: Of the 302 Physicians recruited for the study, only 233 completed the study, in which 168 (72.1%) practiced in Nigeria and 65 (27.9%) in Ghana. They were mostly in urban communities (77.3%) and tertiary health facilities (65.2%). Over 90% of Family Medicine practitioners attended to adolescents with mental health issues with over 70% of them seeing at least 2 adolescents with mental health issues every year. The burden of mental health disorder was 16% and the common mental health disorders seen were depression (59.2%), Bipolar Affective Disorder (55.8%), Epilepsy (51.9%) and Substance Abuse Disorder (44.2%). CONCLUSION: Family Physicians in Nigeria and Ghana attend to a good number of adolescents with mental health disorders in their clinics. There is the need for Family Physicians to have specialized training and retraining to be able to recognize and treat adolescent mental health disorders. This will help to reduce stigmatization and improve the management of the disease thus, reducing the burden.

The effect of mobile health technology on blood pressure control among patients with hypertension in Ghana and Nigeria.

Background: More than half of patients with hypertension in sub-Saharan African do not achieve blood pressure control. This study determined the effect of mobile health technology on systolic blood pressure reduction and blood pressure (BP) control among patients with hypertension in Nigeria and Ghana. Methods: A randomised control trial of 225 adults with hypertension attending two General/Medical Outpatient Clinics each in Nigeria and Ghana was randomized into intervention (n = 116) and control (n = 109) arm respectively. Patients in the intervention arm received messages twice weekly from a mobile app for six months in addition to the usual care while the control arm received usual care only. The study outcomes were systolic blood pressure (SBP) reduction and blood pressure control at six months, while the secondary outcome was medication adherence at six months. Data were collected at 0 and 6 months, it was analysed using SPSS-21 software at a significance level of p < 0.05. Binary logistic regression was used to generate the predictors of good blood pressure control. Results: The mean age for the control and intervention were 60.2 ± 13.5 and 62.6 ± 10.8 years respectively; p-value = 0.300. The intervention group had greater reductions in SBP (-18.7mmHg vs -3.9mmHg; p < 0.001) and greater BP control rate (44.3% vs 24.8%; p-value 0.002). Conclusions: The mobile health intervention resulted in significant SBP reduction rate and improvement in BP control rate in the 6th month. However, improvement in adherence level in the 3rd month and was not sustained in the 6th month. The addition of mobile health technology may be extended for use in the national hypertension control plan. Female gender, formal education and being in the intervention arm were predictors of blood pressure control.

Hepatitis B vaccination status among health workers in Nigeria: a nationwide survey between January to June 2021.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B vaccination is the most important preventive measure against Hepatitis B viral (HBV) infection. Vaccination against HBV infection among healthcare workers is important because of their daily exposure to patients' body fluids and the possible risk of transmission to other patients. Hence, this study assessed the risk of hepatitis B infection, vaccination status and associated factors among healthcare workers in six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. METHODS: A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted between January and June 2021 using electronic data capture techniques to enroll 857 healthcare workers (HCWs) in regular contact with patients and their samples through a multi-stage sampling method. RESULTS: The participants' mean (SD) age was 38.7 (8.0) years, and 453 (52.9%) were female. Each of the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria had a fair representation, with a range of 15.3 to 17.7% of the study population. The majority (83.8%) of healthcare workers in Nigeria knew that they were at an increased risk of being infected by their work. Also, 72.2% knew that if infected, there was a high risk of liver cancer in later life. Many participants (642 [74.9%]) responded that they consistently applied standard precautions, such as hand washing, gloves, and face masks while attending to patients. Three hundred and sixty (42.0%) participants were fully vaccinated. Of the 857 respondents, 248 (28.9%) did not receive any dose of the hepatitis B vaccine. Factors that were associated with not being vaccinated included age less than 25 [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 4.796, 95% CI 1.119 to 20.547, p = 0.035], being a nurse (AOR 2.346, 95% CI 1.446 to 3.808, p = 0.010), being a health attendant (AOR 9.225, 95% CI 4.532 to 18.778, p = 0.010), and being a healthcare worker from the Southeast (AOR 2.152, 95% CI 1.186 to 3.904, p = 0.012) in Nigeria. CONCLUSION: This study showed a high level of awareness of the risks associated with hepatitis B infection and suboptimal uptake of the hepatitis B vaccine among healthcare workers in Nigeria.

A review of open-source image analysis tools for mammalian cell culture: algorithms, features and implementations.

Cell culture is undeniably important for multiple scientific applications, including pharmaceuticals, transplants, and cosmetics. However, cell culture involves multiple manual steps, such as regularly analyzing cell images for their health and morphology. Computer scientists have developed algorithms to automate cell imaging analysis, but they are not widely adopted by biologists, especially those lacking an interactive platform. To address the issue, we compile and review existing open-source cell image processing tools that provide interactive interfaces for management and prediction tasks. We highlight the prediction tools that can detect, segment, and track different mammalian cell morphologies across various image modalities and present a comparison of algorithms and unique features of these tools, whether they work locally or in the cloud. This would guide non-experts to determine which is best suited for their purposes and, developers to acknowledge what is worth further expansion. In addition, we provide a general discussion on potential implementations of the tools for a more extensive scope, which guides the reader to not restrict them to prediction tasks only. Finally, we conclude the article by stating new considerations for the development of interactive cell imaging tools and suggesting new directions for future research.

Ability and Preparedness of Family Physicians to Recognise and Treat Adolescent Mental Health Disorders in Nigeria and Ghana.

Background: Management of mental health disorders has not been fully integrated into primary care despite been advocated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Organisation of Family Doctors (WONCA). This study therefore seeks to assess the ability and preparedness of Family Physicians to recognise and treat mental health disorders in adolescents. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study of 233 randomly selected Physicians Practicing in Family Medicine Clinics in Nigeria and Ghana was conducted using a semi structured self-administered questionnaire that was developed by the researchers and validated with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of .85. Data analysis was done with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences™ (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA) version 22.0. Results: Respondents had a mean age of 43 ± 8 years, were mostly males 130 (55.79%), practised in Nigeria 168 (72.10%) and have been in practice for over 10 years 149 (63.95%). Majority of respondents 153 (65.67%) received at least one Medical Education sessions in mental health in the preceding 12 months of the study. Out of these, 146 (95.42%) said the sessions enhanced their knowledge of mental health, and 121 (79.08%) said the sessions enhanced their abilities and preparedness to attend to patients with mental disorders. Barriers included stigmatisation 156 (66.95%), poor facilities 136 (58.37%), non-conducive environment 135 (57.94%) and non-cooperation from patients 133 (57.08%). Conclusion: This study showed that a lot of family physicians in Ghana and Nigeria are able and prepared to manage adolescent mental health disorders. They however cited stigmatisation, poor facilities and non-conducive environment as barriers to management of adolescent mental health disorders in primary care. Considering the severity of the disorder, there is a need to increase the training of Family Physicians in the management of adolescent mental health.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among people living with HIV in a low-resource setting: A multi-center study of prevalence, correlates and reasons.

BACKGROUND: Hesitancy to COVID-19 vaccine may worsen the burden of COVID-19 among people living with HIV (PLHIV), who are at a higher risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization and death, compared to HIV non-infected individuals. Therefore, we evaluate the predictors and reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among unvaccinated PLHIV in six antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinics across northern Nigeria. METHODOLOGY: In this cross-sectional study, conducted between October 2021 and February 2022 in six hospitals across two geopolitical regions of Nigeria, we utilized interviewer-administered questionnaires to assess COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among a convenience sample of 790 eligible adult PLHIV. Hesitancy was defined as answering 'no' or 'maybe' to a question asking participants their willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccine. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among PLHIV. RESULTS: Of the total 660 unvaccinated participants included in the analysis (61.82% female, mean age [SD] of 39.76 [10.75]), 381 (57.72%) were hesitant to COVID-19 vaccine. Being 50 years and older (aOR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.21-0.89), being unemployed (aOR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.34-0.95), experiencing the adverse effects of ART (aOR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.15-0.86), and perception of being at high risk of contracting COVID-19 (aOR: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.13-0.37) were associated with significantly lower odds of hesitancy. Conversely, being female (aOR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.02-2.61) and attending ART clinics at state administrative capital cities (IIDH Kano [aOR: 2.40; 95% CI: 1.10-5.25], MMSH Kano [aOR: 5.59; 95% CI: 1.97-10.66], YSSH Damaturu [aOR: 9.88; 95% CI: 4.02-24.29] vs. GH Gashua) were associated with significantly higher odds of hesitancy. The most common reasons for hesitancy include fear of potential adverse effects, skepticism about vaccine efficacy, the rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccine, and the perceived lack of effort to develop a cure or vaccine for HIV/AIDS. CONCLUSION: Interventions aimed at combating misperceptions and misinformation regarding the COVID-19 vaccination program may reduce the prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among unvaccinated PLHIV.

Medication adherence and blood pressure control: A preliminary assessment of the role of health insurance in Nigeria and Ghana.

Objectives: This study sought to assess the current impact of health insurance coverage on medication adherence and blood pressure control of patients being managed for hypertension in Ghana and Nigeria. Methods: The study was a prospective study among 109 patients with hypertension in two health facilities with similar population dynamics in Ghana and Nigeria. Patients were systematically selected, categorized as having health insurance coverage or not, and followed up monthly for 6 months. The outcome variables (medication adherence and blood pressure control) were then measured and compared at 6 months. Analysis was done using Stata with level of significance set at p ⩽ 0.05. Results: There was a 90% insurance coverage among participants from Ghana compared to 15% from Nigeria. National Health Insurance Authority enrolees in both countries had better blood pressure control and medication adherence compared to non-enrolees (adjusted odds ratio = 2.6 and 4.5, respectively). Conclusion: National Health Insurance Authority enrolment was found to be poor among respondents in Nigeria compared to Ghana. Enrolment into the National health financing schemes in both countries led to better blood pressure control and medication adherence among patients with hypertension at primary health facilities. There is therefore the need for system strengthening to improve their sustainability.

Prevalence, determinants, and reasons for malaria vaccine hesitancy among caregivers of under-five children in Nigeria: Results from a nationwide cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVE: Malaria contributes to an enormous global burden of disease and mortality, especially in children. Approximately one in every four global cases and deaths from malaria occurs in Nigeria. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and correlates of community hesitancy to the malaria vaccine, including the reasons for the hesitancy, following the approval of the RTS,S malaria vaccine by the World Health Organization (WHO). METHODS: This was a nationwide cross-sectional online survey of Nigerian adults conducted from 20th October to 30th November 2021. Participants who replied 'no' or 'maybe' to a question assessing their willingness to accept the RTS,S malaria vaccine were considered "hesitant". We fit a multivariate logistic regression model to report the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95 % confidence interval (CI) for the factors associated with vaccine hesitancy. FINDINGS: Among 3377 total respondents (1961 [57.86 %] males; mean age [SD]: 30[9.1]), 1010 (29.91 %) were hesitant. Receiving information about the RTS,S malaria vaccine initially from healthcare workers (vs. the internet) (aOR:0.55; 95 % CI:0.35-0.87) was significantly associated with lower odds of hesitancy. Conversely, earning a high income of over NGN100, 000 (vs. < NGN 30,000) per month (aOR: 2.10, 95 % CI: 1.36-3.24), belonging to other religious groups (vs. Islam) (aOR:3.25, 95 % CI:1.18-8.98), and having a family size of more than ten (vs. < 5) (aOR:1.84; 95 % CI:1.08-3.13) were significantly associated with a higher odds of hesitancy. The main reasons for vaccine hesitancy included fear of vaccine adverse effects (34.95 %), availability of other malaria preventive measures (33.96 %) and not seeing the positive effect of the vaccine in others first (32.97 %). CONCLUSION: The findings of this survey provide a valuable blueprint for the development of targeted interventions to facilitate caregiver acceptance of the RTS,S vaccine.

International examples of primary care COVID-19 preparedness and response: a comparison of four countries.

We report the learnings gleaned from a four-country panel (Australia, South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria) sharing their countries' COVID-19 primary healthcare approaches and implementation of policy at the World Organization of Family Doctor's World virtual conference in November. The countries differ considerably with respect to size, national economies, average age, unemployment rates and proportion of people living rurally. South Africa has fared the worst with respect to waves of COVID-19 cases and deaths. All countries introduced strategies such as border closure, COVID-19 testing, physical distancing and face masks. Australia and Nigeria mobilised primary care, but the response was mostly public health and hospital-based in South Africa and Egypt. All countries rapidly adopted telehealth. All countries emphasised the critical importance of an integrated response between primary care and public health to conduct surveillance, diagnose cases through testing, provide community-based care unless hospitalisation is required and vaccinate the population to reduce infection spread.

Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine among healthcare workers in Katsina state, Northwest Nigeria

High acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines is crucial to ending the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are frontline responders in the fight against COVID-19, they were prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria. This study assessed the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among HCWs in Katsina State using an online structured questionnaire and predicted variables that could increase the acceptance of the vaccine among HCWs using logistic regression analysis. A total of 793 HCWs were included in this study. Of these, 65.4% (n=519) of them were male and 36.2% (n=287) were aged between 30-39 years. Eighty percent (80%, n=638) of the HCWs have been tested for the SARS-CoV-2 out of which 10.8% (n=65) of them tested positive. The majority of the HCWs (97.3%, n=765) believed that the COVID-19 vaccine was safe and 90% (n=714) of the HCWs have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Our findings showed that the age of the HCW, their COVID-19 testing status, and the type of health facility they work (either public or private) were the main predictors for the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine among HCWs in Katsina State. HCWs between the age of 30-39 years were more likely (OR:7.06; 95% CI: 2.36, 21.07; p < 0.001) to accept the vaccine than others. In the same vein, HCWs that have been tested for COVID-19 were more likely (OR:7.64; 95% CI: 3.62, 16.16; p < 0.001) to accept the vaccine than those that have not been tested. In addition, HCWs in public health facilities were more likely (OR: 2.91; 95% CI: 1.17, 6.11; p = 0.094) to accept the COVID-19 vaccine than their counterparts in private HFs. There was a high acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccines among HCWs in Katsina State. More emphasis should be paid on adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions and availability of vaccines for HCWs in private hospitals.

Prevalence of Insomnia in an Oncology Patient Population: An Irish Tertiary Referral Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: The NCCN Guidelines for Survivorship recommend dedicated sleep assessment. Reported insomnia prevalence in the general Irish population is 6% to 15%. Reported insomnia prevalence internationally among new/recently diagnosed patients with cancer varies from 30.9% to 54.3%. Insomnia prevalence has not been previously quantified in an Irish oncology cohort. METHODS: A 40-item questionnaire was prospectively administered to ambulatory patients with cancer aged ≥18 years. Prespecified criteria to define insomnia syndrome combined those of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, version 1, and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression/Anxiety (HADS-D/A) was used to screen for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: The response rate to the questionnaire was 87% (294/337). The predominant respondent age group was 55 to 64 years (26%; 77/294), 70.7% were female (208/294), and the most common cancer subtypes were breast (37.4%), colorectal (12.9%), and lung (12.2%). A total of 62% (183/294) of patients reported sleep disturbance after diagnosis, 63% (115/183) reported moderate/severe distress related to this disturbance, and 37% (61/183) reported a significant impact on physical function. Although 33% (98/294) met insomnia syndrome criteria, only 34% (33/98) of these patients had a preexisting history of sleep disturbance. Female sex, age <65 years, cancer subtype, alcohol consumption, and HADS-D/A ≥11 were associated with statistically significant higher odds ratios (OR) of insomnia syndrome. Multivariate analysis identified breast cancer (OR, 3.17; P=.01), age <65 years (OR, 1.8; P=.03), and alcohol consumption (OR, 2.3; P=.005) as independent predictors of insomnia syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: Insomnia syndrome prevalence in this cohort is comparable to that reported previously and supports dedicated sleep assessment. This study identifies potentially modifiable risk factors for insomnia and demonstrates additional utility of the HADS score in identifying patients at risk.

Foaming properties, wettability alteration and interfacial tension reduction by saponin extracted from soapnut (Sapindus Mukorossi) at room and reservoir conditions.

In this study, a natural surfactant, saponin was isolated from soapnut (Sapindus Mukorossi). The extracted surfactant was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The effectiveness of the isolated surfactant as EOR agent was evaluated from foam generation/stabilization properties, wettability alteration of the rock surfaces, as well as oil-water interfacial tension (IFT) reduction characteristics. The performance of the extracted saponin was compared with that of a commercial saponin and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The foaming properties of the saponin with carbon dioxide (CO2) was characterized using Teclis Foamscan instrument at room condition and 60 °C. The IFT and contact angles at room conditions and reservoir conditions were measured using KRUSS Drop Shape Analyzer (DSA 25 and DSA 100) via pendant drop and sessile drop techniques respectively. The foamability of the saponin-stabilized foam was good at ambient condition and 60 °C. Moreover, the time taken for almost 100% liquid drainage was higher in saponin-stabilized foam than the SDS-stabilized foam. The optimum concentration for attaining maximum foam stability decreased from 0.4 wt% at room temperature to 0.1 wt% at 60 °C. Signifying that the quantity of the surfactant to be used in foam generation could reduce at high temperature. The isolated saponin exhibited relatively good interfacial activities individually and in synergistic interaction with silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles at reservoir conditions. Precisely, at 8 MPa and 80 °C, the crude-oil water IFT was reduced from 23.24 mN/m to 1.59 mN/m (about 93.2%) by 0.2 wt% saponin concentration. The IFT was further reduced to 0.87 mN/m (about 96.3%) by a mixed system of 0.5 wt% saponin and 0.05 wt% SiO2 nanoparticles concentration. Increasing IFT with increasing temperature were observed at very high temperature due to phase separation resulting from clouding phenomenon. However, the clouding temperature increased with 0.1 wt% saponin concentration, and in presence of SiO2 nanoparticles (0.05 wt% and 0.1 wt%). The study suggests that the extracted saponin could be considered as supplementary alternative to conventional EOR surfactants.

Socioeconomic status of parents and the occurrence of pelvic inflammatory disease among undergraduates attending Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a major cause of gynaecological morbidity globally. Complications from PID include infertility, ectopic pregnancy and chronic pelvic pain. Low socioeconomic status (SES) is a risk factor for the occurrence of PID. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the association between SES of parents and the occurrence of PID among undergraduates attending Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua. METHODOLOGY: The study was a hospital-based, descriptive cross-sectional study. Three hundred and sixty female undergraduates attending the hospital were consecutively recruited and clinically assessed for the presence of PID using the WHO and CDC MMWR 2010 criteria for the clinical assessment of PID. Their SES was determined by Oyedeji social class categorisation. Data were analysed using Epi Info 3.5.4. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data, and Chi-square was used to test for association. RESULTS: There was a significant association between SES of parents and multiple sex partners (P < 0.02), previous sexually transmitted infection (STI) (P = 0.05), unprotected sex (P < 0.001), history of induced abortion (P < 0.001) and surgical termination of pregnancy (P < 0.01). There was also association between occurrence of PID among respondents and multiple sexual partners (P < 0.001), previous history of STI (P = 0.02), non-persistent use of condom (P < 0.001), history of induced abortion (P < 0.01) and surgical termination of pregnancy (P < 0.01). There was however no significant association between SES of parents and occurrence of PID (P = 0.14) though PID was highest among respondents from low SES. CONCLUSION: Occurrence of PID among undergraduates was not associated with their SES. However, identified risk factors for PID among study population such as multiple sex partners, previous STI, unprotected sex and history of induced abortion were associated with the SES.

High levels of Zinc-α-2-Glycoprotein among Omani AIDS patients on combined antiretroviral therapy

Objective:To investigate the levels of zinc-α-2-glycoprotein (ZAG) among Omani AIDS patients receiving combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). Methods:A total of 80 Omani AIDS patients (45 males and 35 females), average age of 36 years, who were receiving cART at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), Muscat, Oman, were tested for the levels of ZAG. In addition, 80 healthy blood donors (46 males and 34 females), average age of 26 years, attending the SQUH Blood Bank, were tested in parallel as a control group. Measurement of the ZAG levels was performed using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Results:The ZAG levels were found to be significantly higher among AIDS patients compared to the healthy individuals (P=0.033). A total of 56 (70%) of the AIDS patients were found to have higher levels of ZAG and 16 (20%) AIDS patients were found to have high ZAG levels, which are significantly (P>0.031) associated with weight loss. Conclusions:ZAG levels are high among Omani AIDS patients on cART and this necessitates the measurement of ZAG on routine basis, as it is associated with weight loss.

Effects of sonication radiation on oil recovery by ultrasonic waves stimulated water-flooding.

Due to partial understanding of mechanisms involved in application of ultrasonic waves as enhanced oil recovery method, series of straight (normal), and ultrasonic stimulated water-flooding experiments were conducted on a long unconsolidated sand pack using ultrasonic transducers. Kerosene, vaseline, and SAE-10 (engine oil) were used as non-wet phase in the system. In addition, a series of fluid flow and temperature rise experiments were conducted using ultrasonic bath in order to enhance the understanding about contributing mechanisms. 3-16% increase in the recovery of water-flooding was observed. Emulsification, viscosity reduction, and cavitation were identified as contributing mechanisms. The findings of this study are expected to increase the insight to involving mechanisms which lead to improving the recovery of oil as a result of application of ultrasound waves.

Gastrointestinal nematode infections in German sheep.

The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence and variation of natural gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections in lambs according to birth type, gender and breed based on individual faecal egg counts (FEC) from various regions in Germany. A total of 3,924 lambs (3 to 15 months old) with different genetic backgrounds (Merinoland, German Blackhead Mutton, Rhoen, Texel and Merino long-wool) were individually sampled during the grazing period between 2006 and 2008. Furthermore, pooled faecal samples from each of the farms were cultured in order to differentiate the third-stage larvae of the nematode spp. Sixty-three percent of the lambs were infected with GIN. The infections were mostly low to moderate and involved several nematode species. The Trichostrongylus spp. was the predominant species based on the percentage of larvae in faecal cultures. Only 11.4% of the lambs were free of Eimeria oocysts. Tapeworm eggs were encountered in 13.2% of all samples. The prevalence of GIN infections varied significantly (P < 0.001) among farms. A significantly higher FEC (P < 0.05) was observed in multiple-born lambs when compared with singletons. Moreover, male lambs were more susceptible to infection than females (P < 0.001). No significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed between breeds regarding FEC. Inter-individual variations were higher than inter-breed differences, which may indicate the possibility of selection within these breeds for parasites resistance as described in earlier studies.

Precision, repeatability and representative ability of faecal egg counts in Heterakis gallinarum infected chickens.

This study investigated whether a precise and repeatable quantification of Heterakis gallinarum egg excretion, which considerably reflects the actual worm burdens, can be achieved based on collection of the daily total amount of faeces from chickens. Three-week-old birds (N=64) were infected with 200 embryonated eggs of H. gallinarum, and placed into individual cages 3 wk after infection for 5 wk to collect daily faeces (N=2240). The total daily faeces was mixed and a randomly taken sample per bird was analyzed to estimate the numbers of eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) and total number of eggs excreted within 24h (EPD). A total of 235 daily faecal collections were randomly selected and further examined to determine between and within sample variations of EPG counts as a measure of precision. For this, two random faecal samples were taken from the daily produced faeces by a bird, and the EPG was determined for each of the samples (EPG1 and EPG2). The second faecal sample was analyzed once more to determine a parallel EPG2 count (EPG2a) of the suspended sample. Precision of an EPG count was defined as its relative closeness to the average of two EPG counts using a relative asymmetry index (Index(EPG)). At an age of 11 wk, i.e. 8 wk p.i. the birds were slaughtered and their worm burdens were determined. There were no significant differences between EPG1 and EPG2 (P=0.764) nor between EPG2 and EPG2a (P=0.700), suggesting that the differences between or within the samples were not different from zero. Correlations between EPG counts, as between and within sample coherences, were r=0.85 and r=0.86, respectively. Precision of EPG counts, as measured by Index(EPG), was not influenced by consistency (P=0.870) and total amount of faeces (P=0.088). However, concentration of eggs in faeces (mean EPG) had a significant effect on the precision of the EPG counts (P<0.001). Similar results were also observed for the within sample precision (Index(EPG2)). A segmented regression analysis indicated an abrupt change in the precision of EPG counts as the response to changing egg concentration in the examined faecal samples. The precision of analyses remarkably heightened up to a breakpoint with an EPG count of ≤ 617. A similar breakpoint was also determined for within sample precision (EPG2 ≤ 621). Moderate repeatabilities (R=0.49) for EPG and EPD were estimated in the first week of egg excretion, whereas the estimates were higher (R=0.67-0.84) in the following weeks. Correlations between number of female worms with daily measured EPG and EPD increased to an almost constant level (r ≥ 0.70; P<0.05) in a few days after the nematode excreted eggs and predominantly remained so for the rest of the sampling period. It is concluded that mixing daily total faeces provides samples with random homogenous distribution of H. gallinarum eggs. Precision of the EPG counts increases as the egg concentration in faecal sample increases. Egg excretion of H. gallinarum, quantified either as EPG or EPD, is highly repeatable and closely correlated with the actual worm burden of birds starting as early as in 5 th wk of infection.