Auxiliary particle filtering with multitudinous lookahead sampling for accurate target tracking

The auxiliary particle filter, which is the popular extension of the standard bootstrap particle filter, is known to assist in drawing particles from regions of high probability mass of the posterior density by leveraging the incoming measurement information in the sampling process. The filter accomplishes this by looking ahead in time to determine those particles that become important when propagated forward, retract, and then propagate those particles forward in time. The key problem with this approach is that a particle determined to be important may not fall in regions of importance when actually propagated forward, either because of a large diffusion of the state transition kernel and/or a highly informative measurement, thus defeating the entire purpose of the filter. This problem leads to degeneracy. This paper proposes a method of sampling a multitude of particles for each particle to make such a decision. The key idea here is to use multiple disturbances, instead of one as does the auxiliary particle filter, as lookahead means to guide particles to regions of high probability in the posterior probability density. Through evaluation, we show that the proposed idea overcomes the said problem and exhibits less degeneracy and high tracking accuracy

HOUSING DELIVERY THROUGH PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IN NIGERIA AND THE CASE FOR BENEFICIARIES’ INVOLVEMENT

Over the years successive governments have devised and launched strategies to tackle the huge housing deficit in Nigeria. In the recent past, public-private partnership was embraced and employed in a number of low-income housing schemes across the country. Four such schemes which represented a partnership between the state government and private developer, and between the federal government and private developer, were chosen as case studies. They are Sunshine Gardens and HOB Estate, both in Akure, the Doma Road Estate in Lafia and Shelter-View Estate in Ado Ekiti. The study sought to identify beneficiaries’ participation in the schemes. It was established that there was an absence of meaningful community/beneficiaries’ participation in these schemes. This absence of participation impinged on the overall performance of these shelter projects. A case was therefore made for beneficiaries’ participation in PPP arrangement for low-income housing in Nigerian cities. The advantage of having this third partner needs to be utilised to improve success on the present and future low-income housing schemes

Factors Affecting Academic Performance among Federal University of Agriculture Students’ in Ogun State Nigeria

The study assesses affecting factors academic performance in Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.A simple random technique was used to select the respondents from each college. Questionnaire was used to elicit information from 120 respondents. The results show that more than half 57.5% of the students were male while less than half (42.5) were female. It was also observed that less than half (42.5%) of the respondents falls between the age range of 20-24years, while 20.7% falls between the range of 25-29years. Also, 77.5% of the students stay off the campus and 54.2% reside within the school premises.It was observed that majority (85.0%) of the respondents have access to internet device and 55.8% access the internet through their mobile phone while 36.7% uses computer. Furthermore, majority (85.8%) of the students have social site account in which 44.2% were  Facebook user, 7.5% of the students used Yahoo messenger, 2go, Twitter and 27.2% uses all these account. Also, it was also observed that about 50.0% spends 4-6hours of their day browsing. Almost 60.0% perceive attendance as actionthat enhances good academic performance. The results also show factors such as environment 53.3%, romantic or sex relationship 65.8%, social network sites33.3%had major effects on students’ academic performance.Significant relationship was found between social factors(r = -0.329, p = 0.000) and academic performance. The study concluded that student waste their precious time attending social events and social network sites. It was recommended that students should cultivate the habit of study always instead of spreading their precious tome attending social sites and events. Keywords: Social factors, academic performance and student

PERCEIVED EFFECT OF COACHING AND MENTORING ON EMPLOYEE JOB PERFORMANCE AMONG ACADEMIC STAFF IN UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, OYO STATE, NIGERIA

The study assessed the effect of coaching and monitoring on employees’ job performance among academic staff in University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used in obtaining data from ninety academic employees of Faculty of Agriculture University of Ibadan for the study. The data was analysed using Chi square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The mean age of the respondents was 51years while 66.3% were between ages 51-70 years, 52.3% were female and 50.2% were married. The average year of experience of the respondents was 18.1 years while majority (79.1%) of the respondents has obtained their PhD degree. On challenges facing coaching and mentoring, respondents identified mentee unwillingness to be mentored (x̅=2.84), and non conducive environment for coaching and mentoring (x̅=2.67) as the major constraints, while the least constraint was time and workload pressure (x̅=2.03). Many (62.1%) of the respondents have high job performance level. There was significant relationship between respondents’ marital status and job performance (P≤0.05). The study concluded that coaching and mentoring influence employees’ job performance positively among academic staff in academic institutions and recommended that provision of good work-environment for coaching and mentoring of academic staff should be provided by university management.   &nbsp

EFFECTS OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION STYLES ON EMPLOYEES JOB PERFORMANCE IN OGUN-OSUN RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (OORBDA), OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Organizations cannot exist without effective communication because the changing in social and economic atmosphere bring changes in the work settings of any organization. The study determined impact of organizational communication on job performance in Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA) Ogun State, Nigeria. Proportionate stratified random sampling technique was use to select 114 respondents which represented 35% of the total population.  The study  showed that majority (53.3%) of employees were male , 60.9% of the employees fall within the age categories of 20-40 years, majority (77.2%) were married, more than half  (58.7%) had higher degrees. Also, the mean age of the respondents was 38.5 years. The findings also revealed that the most preferred communication channel was Face to face (x̅=3.46), Memo ((x̅=3.42) and Letter (x̅=3.30, while the least preferred communication channels were, Facebook (x̅=2.42), WhatsApp (x̅=2.27 and Intranet (x̅=2.0). Furthermore, the study revealed that majority of the respondents (75.2%) indicated that leaders at OORBDA deployed the use of Assertive/dominant communication styles while very few (8.3%) indicated that aggressive communication style in the organization. The inferential statistics show that significant relationship was existed between marital status (χ2=12.795, p<0.00), education (χ2=11.762, p<0.00) and employee’s job performance. Study’s analysis showed that organization communication styles do not have significant effect on job performance. The study concluded that the employees who are better educated perform well on their job also, majority of leader at OORBDA deployed the use of assertive/dominant communication style in the organization. Management of the organization should ensure motivation incentives such as access to training and promotion as at when due to deserving employees are ensured to boost employees’ job performance.

Analysis of The Effects of Service Delivery on The Wellbeing of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja

The provision of services, encompassing substandard medical facilities, inadequate housing conditions, limited access to electricity, insufficient recreational amenities, and the absence of potable water supply, has emerged as a significant impediment confronting Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) both domestically and globally. The present investigation sought to evaluate the impact of service delivery on the welfare of IDPs residing in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The objectives of this inquiry were to assess the socioeconomic attributes of the IDPs, scrutinize the types and efficacy of service delivery within the IDP camps, and appraise the consequences of service delivery on the well-being of the IDPs in the research area. For this study, we selected a representative sample of 331 households to examine the households encompassing the IDPs. The data underwent statistical analysis employing the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings unveiled the extent of deprivation endured in terms of essential amenities such as shelter, proper sanitation, reliable electricity, potable water, and adequate healthcare provisions. For instance, all participants resided in makeshift accommodations, including tents, plank houses, schools, and sack houses, with over 80% expressing concerns regarding security issues within the IDP camps. Consequently, this investigation concludes that the research area grapples with challenges encompassing food insecurity, personal security, criminal activities, fear of crime, poor health, limited educational opportunities, and precarious livelihoods, thereby augmenting vulnerability and diminishing the quality of life experienced by Internally Displaced Persons. Accordingly, the study offers recommendations advocating for comprehensive planning measures targeting IDPs in Abuja with the purpose of enhancing their well-being and overall quality of life

Bioassay of herbal mosquito repellant formulated from the essential oil of plants

ABSTRACT Malaria, Dengue fever and Filariasis, are serious public health problem in tropical regions, especially in Africa and Asia and are transmitted through mosquito bites. For effective control of these diseases, therefore, there is need to prevent individual from mosquito bites. The effective and safe method is the use of mosquito repellent naturally obtained from medicinal plants instead of commonly available synthetic insecticides and repellents such as Organo Phosphorus Carbamate, N, N-Diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET), and Dichloro Diphenyl Trichloroethane (DDT) which are carcinogenic and non eco-friendly. In this study, the repellency activities of four formulated herbal mosquito repellents from the essential oils of some selected MAPPs of Nigeria were evaluated. The essential oils were extracted by hyrodistillation method at 50°C using all glass Clevenger apparatus. These were then stored at 4 o c in the refrigerator pending further studies.Graded concentrations (6%, 8%, 10% and 12%) of the essential oils in a complex solution of polyethylene glycol, ethanol and water were prepared and their mosquito repellency activities was carried out in the laboratory against Standard Kisumu Strains of Anopheles gambiae. The result showed that both 8% and 10% formulations have the most promising activity exhibiting 68-95% repellency activities lasting for 2hours. The standard (odomos ® mosquito repellent cream) exhibited 75-100% repellency activities which also lasted for 2hours as compared to 8% and 10% formulations. The present study demonstrates the potential for using essential oils from medicinal plants as mosquito repellent

Prognostic model to predict postoperative acute kidney injury in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery based on a national prospective observational cohort study.

Background: Acute illness, existing co-morbidities and surgical stress response can all contribute to postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery. The aim of this study was prospectively to develop a pragmatic prognostic model to stratify patients according to risk of developing AKI after major gastrointestinal surgery. Methods: This prospective multicentre cohort study included consecutive adults undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection, liver resection or stoma reversal in 2-week blocks over a continuous 3-month period. The primary outcome was the rate of AKI within 7 days of surgery. Bootstrap stability was used to select clinically plausible risk factors into the model. Internal model validation was carried out by bootstrap validation. Results: A total of 4544 patients were included across 173 centres in the UK and Ireland. The overall rate of AKI was 14·2 per cent (646 of 4544) and the 30-day mortality rate was 1·8 per cent (84 of 4544). Stage 1 AKI was significantly associated with 30-day mortality (unadjusted odds ratio 7·61, 95 per cent c.i. 4·49 to 12·90; P < 0·001), with increasing odds of death with each AKI stage. Six variables were selected for inclusion in the prognostic model: age, sex, ASA grade, preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate, planned open surgery and preoperative use of either an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker. Internal validation demonstrated good model discrimination (c-statistic 0·65). Discussion: Following major gastrointestinal surgery, AKI occurred in one in seven patients. This preoperative prognostic model identified patients at high risk of postoperative AKI. Validation in an independent data set is required to ensure generalizability

The importance of considering community-level effects when selecting insecticidal malaria vector products

BACKGROUND\ud \ud Insecticide treatment of nets, curtains or walls and ceilings of houses represent the primary means for malaria prevention worldwide. Direct personal protection of individuals and households arises from deterrent and insecticidal activities which divert or kill mosquitoes before they can feed. However, at high coverage, community-level reductions of mosquito density and survival prevent more transmission exposure than the personal protection acquired by using a net or living in a sprayed house.\ud \ud METHODS\ud \ud A process-explicit simulation of malaria transmission was applied to results of 4 recent Phase II experimental hut trials comparing a new mosaic long-lasting insecticidal net (LLIN) which combines deltamethrin and piperonyl butoxide with another LLIN product by the same manufacturer relying on deltamethrin alone.\ud \ud RESULTS\ud \ud Direct estimates of mean personal protection against insecticide-resistant vectors in Vietnam, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Benin revealed no clear advantage for combination LLINs over deltamethrin-only LLINs (P = 0.973) unless both types of nets were extensively washed (Relative mean entomologic inoculation rate (EIR) ± standard error of the mean (SEM) for users of combination nets compared to users of deltamethrin only nets = 0.853 ± 0.056, P = 0.008). However, simulations of impact at high coverage (80% use) predicted consistently better impact for the combination net across all four sites (Relative mean EIR ± SEM in communities with combination nets, compared with those using deltamethrin only nets = 0.613 ± 0.076, P < 0.001), regardless of whether the nets were washed or not (P = 0.467). Nevertheless, the degree of advantage obtained with the combination varied substantially between sites and their associated resistant vector populations.\ud \ud CONCLUSION\ud \ud Process-explicit simulations of community-level protection, parameterized using locally-relevant experimental hut studies, should be explicitly considered when choosing vector control products for large-scale epidemiological trials or public health programme procurement, particularly as growing insecticide resistance necessitates the use of multiple active ingredients

Design and methods for a quasi-experimental pilot study to evaluate the impact of dual active ingredient insecticide-treated nets on malaria burden in five regions in sub-Saharan Africa

Background Vector control tools have contributed significantly to a reduction in malaria burden since 2000, primarily through insecticidal-treated bed nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying. In the face of increasing insecticide resistance in key malaria vector species, global progress in malaria control has stalled. Innovative tools, such as dual active ingredient (dual-AI) ITNs that are effective at killing insecticide-resistant mosquitoes have recently been introduced. However, large-scale uptake has been slow for several reasons, including higher costs and limited evidence on their incremental effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. The present report describes the design of several observational studies aimed to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of dual-AI ITNs, compared to standard pyrethroid-only ITNs, at reducing malaria transmission across a variety of transmission settings. Methods Observational pilot studies are ongoing in Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Rwanda, leveraging dual-AI ITN rollouts nested within the 2019 and 2020 mass distribution campaigns in each country. Enhanced surveillance occurring in select study districts include annual cross-sectional surveys during peak transmission seasons, monthly entomological surveillance, passive case detection using routine health facility surveillance systems, and studies on human behaviour and ITN use patterns. Data will compare changes in malaria transmission and disease burden in districts receiving dual-AI ITNs to similar districts receiving standard pyrethroid-only ITNs over three years. The costs of net distribution will be calculated using the provider perspective including financial and economic costs, and a cost-effectiveness analysis will assess incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for Interceptor® G2, Royal Guard®, and piperonyl butoxide ITNs in comparison to standard pyrethroid-only ITNs, based on incidence rate ratios calculated from routine data. Conclusions Evidence of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the dual-AI ITNs from these pilot studies will complement evidence from two contemporary cluster randomized control trials, one in Benin and one in Tanzania, to provide key information to malaria control programmes, policymakers, and donors to help guide decision-making and planning for local malaria control and elimination strategies. Understanding the breadth of contexts where these dual-AI ITNs are most effective and collecting robust information on factors influencing comparative effectiveness could improve uptake and availability and help maximize their impact