Arginase Production in Wild-Collected Neurospora crassa isolate from Lagos, Nigeria

There are inadequate records of wild-isolated Neurospora crassa from Nigeria. Most of the isolates reported are from air spores outdoors, and indoor environment of buildings including laboratories where it is a contaminant. A wild strain of N. crassa isolated from soil on a burned site was assayed for an important pharmaceutical metabolite, arginase. This isolate was identified by traditional cultivation methods and by its ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (rDNA-ITS) sequence. Its average daily growth rate was 3.2 cm and as typical with N. crassa, it utilised different carbon sources. Among the sugars tested, sucrose, lactose, glucose and glycerol yielded the most biomass while ethanol supported the least growth. Arginase activity was determined by the amount of urea produced per unit time and its activity in the newly isolated N. crassa strain peaked on the second day and declined steadily thereafter in the course of five days

Perception of Postgraduate Medical Trainers and Trainees on Residency Training Program in a Developing Country and its Influence on Brain Drain

Background: Nigeria has been faced with the challenge of massive efflux of senior trainees and young consultants. It is commonly believed that the emigration is for economic reasons. Aim: We studied the trainer’s and trainee’s perception of residency in Nigeria and its influence on brain drain. Materials and Methods: This cross‑sectional study was carried out using an online survey platform. Invitation to complete the survey was sent out through closed social media groups (Facebook, WhatsApp, and Telegram) and e‑mail. These groups were specifically for doctors who had their basic medical education in Nigeria and presently working in Nigeria or outside the borders of Nigeria. Results: Most respondents were in training and were between 25 and 44 years old. The top reason for emigration for trainees already abroad was to improve the quality of their training while the top reason for trainees planning to emigrate was to get better training. There was a discordance between the mentorship methods employed by trainers and preferences of trainees. While majority of the trainees already abroad were unlikely to return, most of the trainees considering emigration were willing to stay if training improved. Conclusion: Nigerian trainers and trainees have similar perceptions about residency training, and the brain drain being experienced presently may be reversible with improvement in training in the country

Unintended pregnancy among older married women of reproductive age in a city in Southwest Nigeria: A household-based study

Introduction: Unintended pregnancies constitute one of the major public health problems of important concern in Nigeria, where sex refusal in marriage might be impossible. This descriptive, household-based study, investigated the prevalence and predictors of unintended pregnancy in the past two years among married women aged 35-49 years in Ibadan, South West, Nigeria. Methods: A three-stage sampling technique was used to recruit 425 respondents across three local government areas. Data were collected and analyzed using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. The dependent variable, “Unintended pregnancy,” was defined as an unplanned, unwanted, or mistimed pregnancy. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Bivariate chi-square tests were used to determine the factors associated with unintended pregnancy, while binary logistic regression was used to determine the predictors of unintended pregnancy (α0.05). Results: The mean age of the women was 41.1 ± 4.2 years, 149 (35.1%) had high autonomy, while 233 (54.8%) had medium autonomy. Further, 177 (41.6%) were poor, while 106 (25.0%) were rich. In all, 108 (25.4%) women have had an unintended pregnancy. Women with low autonomy (AOR=3.41, 95%C.I.=1.70-6.82, p=0.001) and medium autonomy (AOR=2.41, C.I.=1.29-4.49, p=0.006) had higher odds of unintended pregnancy. The likelihood of unintended pregnancy was higher among women living in poor households (AOR=2.04, 95%C.I.=1.13-3.68, p=0.017). Conclusions: The level of unintended pregnancy was high among older women of reproductive age in Ibadan. Social interventions that focus on empowerment of such women should be undertaken by governmental agencies, non-governmental agencies, and community-based organizations to increase women’s autonomy and reduce unintended pregnancy among them

Stability and bifurcation analysis of COVID-19 mathematical model incorporating case detection / Opeyemi Odetunde … [et al.]

COVID-19 became a household name globally in the year 2020 after it was first discovered in Wuhan, China in December 2019. It is a global pandemic that shut the economy of all nations in the larger part of year 2020 by forcing a compulsory holiday on mankind due to its threat of mass death. The menace of this pandemic was combated with the total arsenal in human capacity. One of such weapons is case detection that leads to either self-isolation or quarantine. This weapon helps to reduce the number of new cases that may arise from undetected asymptomatic/symptomatic carriers within a population. In this article, the dynamics of COVID-19 transmission were studied by developing a mathematical model incorporating case detection, the impact of sensitization, and role of early diagnosis in curbing the spread of this disease. The basic properties in terms of existence, uniqueness, and boundedness of solution for the formulated model were discussed. Also, the model was found to exhibit two equilibrium states which are categorised as the disease-free (DFE) and pandemic equilibrium states. The reproductive number for the model was computed and used to establish the stability analysis for both equilibrium states. Center manifold theory was employed to assess the bifurcation analysis of the model and the result shows that the model exhibits forward bifurcation when the reproductive number is greater than and equal to 1

Global, regional, and national burden of household air pollution, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: Despite a substantial reduction in the use of solid fuels for cooking worldwide, exposure to household air pollution (HAP) remains a leading global risk factor, contributing considerably to the burden of disease. We present a comprehensive analysis of spatial patterns and temporal trends in exposure and attributable disease from 1990 to 2021, featuring substantial methodological updates compared with previous iterations of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study, including improved exposure estimations accounting for specific fuel types. Methods: We estimated HAP exposure and trends and attributable burden for cataract, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ischaemic heart disease, lower respiratory infections, tracheal cancer, bronchus cancer, lung cancer, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and causes mediated via adverse reproductive outcomes for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. We first estimated the mean fuel type-specific concentrations (in μg/m3) of fine particulate matter (PM2·5) pollution to which individuals using solid fuels for cooking were exposed, categorised by fuel type, location, year, age, and sex. Using a systematic review of the epidemiological literature and a newly developed meta-regression tool (meta-regression: Bayesian, regularised, trimmed), we derived disease-specific, non-parametric exposure–response curves to estimate relative risk as a function of PM2·5 concentration. We combined our exposure estimates and relative risks to estimate population attributable fractions and attributable burden for each cause by sex, age, location, and year. Findings: In 2021, 2·67 billion (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 2·63–2·71) people, 33·8% (95% UI 33·2–34·3) of the global population, were exposed to HAP from all sources at a mean concentration of 84·2 μg/m3. Although these figures show a notable reduction in the percentage of the global population exposed in 1990 (56·7%, 56·4–57·1), in absolute terms, there has been only a decline of 0·35 billion (10%) from the 3·02 billion people exposed to HAP in 1990. In 2021, 111 million (95% UI 75·1–164) global disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were attributable to HAP, accounting for 3·9% (95% UI 2·6–5·7) of all DALYs. The rate of global, HAP-attributable DALYs in 2021 was 1500·3 (95% UI 1028·4–2195·6) age-standardised DALYs per 100 000 population, a decline of 63·8% since 1990, when HAP-attributable DALYs comprised 4147·7 (3101·4–5104·6) age-standardised DALYs per 100 000 population. HAP-attributable burden remained highest in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia, with 4044·1 (3103·4–5219·7) and 3213·5 (2165·4–4409·4) age-standardised DALYs per 100 000 population, respectively. The rate of HAP-attributable DALYs was higher for males (1530·5, 1023·4–2263·6) than for females (1318·5, 866·1–1977·2). Approximately one-third of the HAP-attributable burden (518·1, 410·1–641·7) was mediated via short gestation and low birthweight. Decomposition of trends and drivers behind changes in the HAP-attributable burden highlighted that declines in exposures were counteracted by population growth in most regions of the world, especially sub-Saharan Africa. Interpretation: Although the burden attributable to HAP has decreased considerably, HAP remains a substantial risk factor, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia. Our comprehensive estimates of HAP exposure and attributable burden offer a robust and reliable resource for health policy makers and practitioners to precisely target and tailor health interventions. Given the persistent and substantial impact of HAP in many regions and countries, it is imperative to accelerate efforts to transition under-resourced communities to cleaner household energy sources. Such initiatives are crucial for mitigating health risks and promoting sustainable development, ultimately improving the quality of life and health outcomes for millions of people. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Pertrochanteric Hip Fracture Fixation with 3 Hole and 4 Hole DHS Side Plates ‑ A Retrospective Patient Record Review

Introduction: Dynamic hip screw fixation (DHS) with a 4‑hole side plate and 4 bi‑cortical screws is considered by many to be the standard implant for extracapsular hip fractures. The 4‑hole side plate, however, has several disadvantages including longer incision, increase in operating time, bleeding and increased wound morbidity. Biomechanical studies have shown that most of the force in a 4‑hole DHS fixation is borne by the proximal three screws. This study (specifically) compares the outcome of fixation using 3‑hole and 4‑hole DHS in extracapsular hip fracture fixations (with the hypothesis being that 3‑hole plate is adequate even in unstable intertrochanteric fractures. Patients and Methods: Atotal of 72 consecutive patients who had DHS fixation with either a 3 hole or 4 hole DHS side plate and who were either directly operated or supervised by a single consultant were recruited. Fractures were classified using the AO fracture classification system as stable (AO/OTA 31A1–31A2.1) and unstable (31A2.2–31A3.3 subtypes) for ease of comparison. Failure was defined as metalwork breakage, nonunion, screw cut‑out or pull out or any other complications of bone healing requiring a revision. Results: A total of 23 patients (68.1%) were female, whereas 49 patients (31.9%) were male. Fractures in 33 patients were classified as stable with the (AO/OTA 31A1–31A2.1) and unstable in 39 patients with (31A2.2–31A3.3 subtypes). Thirty‑three (45.8%) patients had fixation with 3‑hole side plate, whereas 39 (55.2%) patients had fixation with 4‑hole side plate. In the 3 hole group, 17 patients had stable fractures, whereas 16 patients had unstable fracture configuration while in the 4‑hole DHS side plate group, 16 patients had stable fracture configuration, whereas 23 patients had unstable fracture. The mean change in hemoglobin was lower for the 3‑hole DHS group (3 hole‑6.64 g/l versus 4Hole 12.41 g/l) (t = 1.732, P = 0.090, P ≤ 0.05). One patient in each group also had metalwork failure with screw cut‑out through the head and the other being (screw breakage) complete failure of the screw necessitating conversion to total hip arthroplasty. Conclusion: Three‑hole DHS plate offers comparable outcome with its 4‑hole counterpart even with unstable intertrochanteric fractures, with slightly less blood loss and smaller scars

Arginase Production in Wild-Collected Neurospora crassa isolate from Lagos, Nigeria

There are inadequate records of wild-isolated Neurospora crassa from Nigeria. Most of the isolates reported are from air spores outdoors, and indoor environment of buildings including laboratories where it is a contaminant. A wild strain of N. crassa isolated from soil on a burned site was assayed for an important pharmaceutical metabolite, arginase. This isolate was identified by traditional cultivation methods and by its ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (rDNA-ITS) sequence. Its average daily growth rate was 3.2 cm and as typical with N. crassa, it utilised different carbon sources. Among the sugars tested, sucrose, lactose, glucose and glycerol yielded the most biomass while ethanol supported the least growth. Arginase activity was determined by the amount of urea produced per unit time and its activity in the newly isolated N. crassa strain peaked on the second day and declined steadily thereafter in the course of five days

STABILITY AND BIFURCATION ANALYSIS OF COVID-19 MATHEMATICAL MODEL INCORPORATING CASE DETECTION

COVID-19 became a household name globally in the year 2020 after it was first discovered in Wuhan, China in December 2019. It is a global pandemic that shut the economy of all nations in the larger part of year 2020 by forcing a compulsory holiday on mankind due to its threat of mass death. The menace of this pandemic was combated with the total arsenal in human capacity. One of such weapons is case detection that leads to either self-isolation or quarantine. This weapon helps to reduce the number of new cases that may arise from undetected asymptomatic/symptomatic carriers within a population. In this article, the dynamics of COVID-19 transmission were studied by developing a mathematical model incorporating case detection, the impact of sensitization, and role of early diagnosis in curbing the spread of this disease. The basic properties in terms of existence, uniqueness, and boundedness of solution for the formulated model were discussed. Also, the model was found to exhibit two equilibrium states which are categorised as the disease-free (DFE) and pandemic equilibrium states. The reproductive number for the model was computed and used to establish the stability analysis for both equilibrium states. Center manifold theory was employed to assess the bifurcation analysis of the model and the result shows that the model exhibits forward bifurcation when the reproductive number is greater than and equal to 1.</jats:p