A dataset for predicting Supreme Court judgments in Nigeria.

It has been widely argued among researchers that the application of big data analytics promises to reduce human bias and provide a scientific and evidence-based approach to the judicial process. In this dataset, historical data consisting of appeal cases presented at the Supreme Court of Nigeria (SCN) were collected from an online repository (Primsol Law Pavillion). A total of 5585 appeal cases brought before the SCN were collected from the archive. The dataset consisted of both criminal and civil appeal cases brought before the SCN. Variables that are related to court case proceedings were identified from related literature, verified by legal experts and used as a basis for generating an electronic structured version of the dataset stored as a spreadsheet file from the unstructured data. From the collected data, thirteen input variables were identified with one output/decision variable. The distribution of the numerical variables was presented as a descriptive statistical summary in terms of the minimum, maximum, mode, mean and standard deviation. The developed dataset can assist researchers to build predictive systems by training their models. Various feature extraction techniques can also be applied on the dataset to remove irrelevant or redundant features for increased performance of such classifiers that are needed to predict the outcome of legal cases.

Fertilization, hatching, and embryogenesis of diploid and triploid eggs of Anabas testudineus (Bloch, 1792).

SummaryThis study investigated the breeding parameters and embryogenic development of diploid and heat shock-induced triploid eggs of Anabas testudineus (Bloch, 1792). To this effect, broodstocks of A. testudineus were induced to spawn using the Ovaprim® hormone. After fertilization, the eggs were divided into two groups and one portion heat shocked at 41°C (for 3 min), at approximately 4 min after fertilization. Results of fertilization, hatchability, as well as the sequence and timing of embryogenic development were collated from three breeding trials. Fertilization percentages were similar in both treatments (≈90%) while hatchability was higher in the diploid eggs (79.56%) than the triploid induced eggs (50.04%). Both treatments had the same sequence of embryogenetic stages; however, the timing of development was significantly delayed in the triploids (i.e. beyond the 2-cell stages) as compared with the observations in the control group (diploid eggs). Consequently, hatching time was 5 h faster in the diploid eggs [i.e. 18 hours post fertilization (hpf)] compared with the triploid induced eggs (23 hpf). The most critical stage of embryonic development in which mass mortality occurred in the different treatments was the somite stage. The status of triploid hatchlings was affirmed using erythrocyte morphology in 2-month-old fingerlings.

Cervical endometriosis: a diagnostic and management dilemma.

Cervical endometriosis is usually a retrospective finding on histology. We describe the diverse symptomatology of the disease, wherein a suspicion of diagnosis may be raised. A series of five patients with cervical endometriosis confirmed on histology was identified. One patient was asymptomatic but examination revealed a mass arising from the cervix. Two patients presented with persistent postcoital bleeding, one patient with intermenstrual bleeding and one patient with both intermenstrual and postcoital bleeding. All patients were followed up with colposcopy and cervical biopsy. Persistence of symptoms determined the mode of treatment which included surgical management in the form of large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ) biopsy in four patients. Cervical endometriosis is a benign condition which may present with symptoms such as persistent post-coital bleeding or intermenstrual bleeding. Colposcopy and cervical biopsy are pivotal to the diagnosis. This condition can be managed expectantly in asymptomatic patients and persistent symptoms may warrant surgery.

Expectant management of placenta accreta following stillbirth at term: a case report.

Placenta accreta is a rare complication of pregnancy with high rates of morbidity and mortality. We report a case of expectant management. This strategy may prevent catastrophic postpartum haemorrhage requiring peripartum hysterectomy.

A strategy for reducing the mortality rate from vasa previa using transvaginal sonography with color Doppler.

Vasa previa is a cause of sudden unanticipated fetal death, with a fetal mortality of 33-100%. Transvaginal sonography (TVS) and color Doppler may aid in making the diagnosis antenatally, allowing elective Cesarean delivery, thereby avoiding fetal death from exsanguination which would occur if the membranes were allowed to rupture in labor. Whilst it is not feasible to screen all pregnant women for vasa previa, antenatal examination with TVS and color Doppler of women at risk, specifically those with low-lying placentas, bi-lobed, multi-lobed and succenturiate-lobed placentas, multiple pregnancies and pregnancies resulting from in vitro fertilization may lead to antenatal diagnosis of the condition. We present the last three cases of vasa previa to have occurred in our institution, two of which were diagnosed antenatally using TVS and color Doppler. In all three cases, routine 20-week obstetric sonography revealed low-lying placentas; in only one of these did the placenta remain low at term. A low-lying placenta at 20 weeks may be a risk factor for vasa previa; we suggest that further studies be carried out to ascertain this. Judicious use of TVS and color Doppler in women considered at risk of vasa previa may help to reduce the mortality from this condition.