Micronutrient deficiencies and determinants among pregnant women and children in Nigeria: systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly among pregnant women and children under five years old, remain a significant public health challenge in Nigeria. Despite existing policies and programmes, national data on prevalence and risk factors are fragmented. Objective: To synthesise the current evidence on the prevalence of key micronutrient deficiencies and associated risk factors among pregnant women and children under five years old in Nigeria. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using peer-reviewed studies that were published between 2008 and 2024. The databases searched included PubMed, Scopus, and African Journals Online. After screening 1207 studies, 37 studies were included: 27 were conducted among pregnant women and 10 were among children. A meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the anaemia prevalence using a random-effects model. A narrative synthesis was conducted to synthesise evidence on other micronutrients (i.e., magnesium, copper, and vitamins C and E) due to the limited data and risk factors. Results: The pooled prevalence of anaemia was 56% among children and 54% among pregnant women. The prevalence of other micronutrient deficiencies varied widely, with a high prevalence of zinc (86.4%), magnesium (94%), and vitamin D (73.3%) deficiencies in certain regions. The identified risk factors included poor dietary diversity, lower socioeconomic status, low maternal education, infection burden, and early or high parity. Most studies were facility-based and sub-national, limiting the generalisability. Conclusions: This review highlights a high prevalence of anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies among pregnant women and children in Nigeria. Key risk factors included a poor diet, low maternal education, infections, and reproductive health challenges. Targeted, multisectoral policies are urgently needed to address these gaps and improve health outcomes

Market signalling by microenterprises when building reputational capital

This paper addresses two gaps in our understanding: how Microenterprises (MEs) build reputational capital and how this compares with current theory (here the Stereotype Content Model or SCM). It also aims to explain our finding that MEs focus on communicating their competence but not their status. A content analysis of the relevant parts of 44 ME websites from the UK and China, is used to assess ME signalling of their ‘warmth, competence, and status’ and to identify major themes within each category. Both samples included B2B as well as B2C businesses and a wide range of business types. Data were collected during late 2021. As hypothesised from the SCM, MEs used all three types of signalling. Contrary to SCM theory, but compatible with prior work that small firms are stereotyped as lacking in competence, competence, rather than warmth, signals predominated. Status signalling was the least used option. Using a 2 × 2 experimental design survey among potential customers, competing explanations for this last finding are then tested. A tenet from the SCM, that the role of status signals is to inform competence evaluations, was not supported. Instead, status signalling was found to be potentially off-putting to customers as it can imply higher prices. The paper’s practical contributions include both examples and a thematic structure to guide the content of ME communication. The theoretical implications are that some of the SCM’s underlying theory may need modification in the context of MEs, specifically that concerning the role of both competence and status signalling

‘Biographical continuity’: a qualitative study of the role of complementary and alternative medicine in restoring the self after breast cancer diagnosis

Introduction Breast cancer patients frequently use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) alongside biomedical treatment for symptom relief and to address the disruption caused by diagnosis and treatment. These experiences, however, are often overlooked within the cancer clinical encounter. This study explored CAM use in women with breast cancer, focusing on three main research questions: Why do women with breast cancer use CAM? In what ways does CAM help them maintain or regain a sense of normality? What barriers or tensions do they face when considering or using CAM? Methods The study used a qualitative interpretative-constructivist research design to analyse the subjective meanings women with breast cancer ascribed to their CAM use during their breast cancer journey. Unstructured interviews were conducted with nine female breast cancer patients undertaking treatment at a major NHS cancer centre in Southeast England. The interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results The women engaged with a wide range of CAM therapies during their cancer journey. CAM was used not only to alleviate symptoms, but also to restore a sense of ‘ordinariness’ and biographical continuity. Central to this process were practices of self-care, self-help, and self-management, and the collaboration of CAM practitioners and open-minded medical doctors. Barriers included dominant biomedical approaches, limited information sharing and communication about CAM, financial and geographical constraints, and little clinical validation by medical staff. Conclusion These women experienced tensions and conflicts when trying to use CAM alongside cancer treatment. They sought overall well-being but often encountered barriers to accessing CAM and sharing their experiences within a biomedical context. The study highlights the role and value of CAM in restoring a sense of normality in the lives of breast cancer survivors, and recommends raising professional awareness of CAM use by women with breast cancer, normalising CAM dialogue in the clinical encounter, and considering relational care in training

Integration of AI and Cloud Computing

Cloud technology has led to a major growth in business cooperation. Each of the procedures has been improved by the use of AI. An organisation can benefit from excellent data security and low maintenance costs with a cloud computing solution the success of cloud services techniques is significantly influenced by the application of artificial intelligence in particular industries. As a result, the combined effect of these two developments increases the prosperity of certain firms. Public clouds function better when smart devices and computer vision models are used. It has also shown how businesses may gain from integrating AI into public cloud plans in several ways. This research provides insight into the advantages and challenges of combining artificial intelligence with cloud computing

Advanced MMC-based hydrostatic bearings for enhanced linear motion in ultraprecision and micromachining applications

This study investigates the impact of material selection on the performance of linear slideways in ultraprecision machines used for freeform surface machining. The primary objective is to address challenges related to load-bearing capacity and limited bandwidth in slow tool servo (STS) techniques. Multi-body dynamic (MBD) simulations are conducted to evaluate the performance of two materials, alloy steel and metal matrix composite (MMC), within the linear slideway system. Key performance parameters, including acceleration, velocity, and displacement, are analyzed to compare the two materials. The findings reveal that MMC outperforms alloy steel in acceleration, velocity, and displacement, demonstrating faster response times and greater linear displacement, which enhances the capabilities of STS-based ultraprecision machining. This study highlights the potential of utilizing lightweight materials, such as MMC, to optimize the performance and efficiency of linear slideways in precision engineering applications

Demonstrating the values-based WeValue InSitu approach to capture hidden intangible benefits of ecosystem services in Nigeria

The valuation of the benefits to humans of ecosystem services (ESs) provided by nature has become increasingly important. A current challenge is the measurement of the range of benefits which are not traded in the marketplace and are generally considered intangible, with further challenges to even classify them formally, e.g., as cultural ecosystem services (CESs). Previous studies have emphasized a related challenge: the strong need for engagement of not just experts but ’ordinary people’. Approaches using participatory approaches and less formal communication pathways to draw out local CES values have been reported. However, critical reflections of those studies reported significant differences in understanding between ’outsider researchers’ and ’locals’, calling validity deeply into question. Even deliberative approaches backfired by significantly modifying local social constructs during elicitation. In this study, we demonstrate a fundamentally different kind of approach, developed from the bottom–up sustainability indicator development process called WeValue InSitu. It focuses not on improving deeper top–down ‘engagement’ of a specific topic, but instead on improving local articulation of existing envelopes of in situ human shared values, naturally integrated. The WeValue InSitu output is a framework of separate but interlinked concise Statements of local shared values. Some of these Statements may refer to values concerning ecosystems, but situated amongst others. Here, we analyze the outputs from 23 convenience groups in three sites in Nigeria and investigate the shared values found empirically against existing economics-based MEA classifications. The findings include hybrid values which span existing CES sub-categories and even across into market-based categories. This opens a discussion as to whether future ES valuation frameworks might evolve more usefully with foundations built on empirically derived typologies of human values, rather than bolt-on modifications to financially based economics concepts. It also raises questions about the validity of current valuations made which cannot capture empirically found human values

Theoretical mapping of the barriers and enablers to having blood pressure checked among adults without a hypertension diagnosis: a systematic review and theoretical synthesis using behaviour change frameworks

Identifying influences on engagement with blood pressure (BP) checks can assist with intervention design for hypertension detection. This systematic review searched four databases (Embase, Emcare, MEDLINE and Web of Science) for papers published from 2015 to 2023 (PROSPERO ID: CRD42023398002). Eligible studies reported influences on BP checks in community or primary care settings. Data were coded and mapped using the Action, Actor, Context, Target, Time framework and Behaviour Change Wheel. Analysis of 18 studies generated eight themes: (1) ‘Difficult-to-use devices with no accessible information on how to use them' (2) ‘Lack of awareness about hypertension and BP checks', (3) ‘Stigma and disconnect with identity' (4) ‘Beliefs about the value of BP checks', (5) ‘Fear and uncertainty', (6) ‘Lack of appropriate and comfortable local services' (7) ‘Financial cost of engaging with BP check services' and (8) ‘Social contacts or health professional recommended a check'. Knowledge, identity, emotions, social contacts and environmental factors are key behavioural influences on adults’ engagement with BP checks. Potential intervention strategies include education on hypertension, addressing misconceptions about BP checks, increasing access to BP check services and harnessing the influence of social norms, social connections and trusted sources to improve engagement.</p

An integrated system framework for preventing crime in retail supermarket

Retail supermarkets have been investing billions of poundsto prevent and reduce crime in their stores, but the rate of crime keep increasing. Retail shrinkage monitoring as far back as 1995 showed that the retail stores were losing the equivalent of 0.3 per cent of their gross revenues which have taken up to 20 to 30 percent of their profit. Also recently, the British Retail Crime Report (2023)showed a significant increase from the 2019 report in retail crime and subsequent loss to retailers. In 2021/2022, the retail staff incidents of violence stood at 850 per day, and the cost of retail crime was £1.76b. There were eight million incidents of theft over the year and a total of £715 million was spent on crime prevention. As crime keeps increasing, examining the three security solutions (Cyber, Physical and System) that are used in retail supermarkets becomes paramount. This article will look into if the lack of interconnectedness is the cause of continuous porosity in criminality in stores using Aldi and Sainsbury in the United Kingdom as a case study. A combination of mix method approach has been used in this study which allows a combination of quantitative data gathering through questionnaires and qualitative data through interviews. Accessing the current effectiveness of the three security solution (Cyber, System and Physical), it becomes important to identify the strategic gap between actual and potential performance so that steps can be taken to identify the shortfall in the Security solutions. The Ishikawa fishbone model is used as a theoretical tool to examine the cause and effect of retail crime. This will identify other causes that affect the effectiveness of security solutions. From the findings, a Hierarchical Taxonomy of Crime Prevention Framework in line with the Ishikawa fishbone theoretical tool was developed to help supermarkets reduce and prevent crimes. For many years supermarkets have been investing lots of money on security solutions but the rate of crimes keep increasing

A critical review of the 2025 RSHE guidance and alternative approach framed in safe uncertainty

This policy review critically examines the English government's 2025 statutory guidance on Relationships Education, Relationship and Sex Education and Health Education (RSHE), analysing its educational assumptions, strengths and limitations through the lens of safe uncertainty. While the updated guidance somewhat reinstates key inclusive elements and promotes social and emotional literacy, it continues to position RSHE as a risk domain requiring tight control and cautious delivery. This review highlights areas of concern including contradictions in the guidance's treatment of digital image sharing, the approach to gender and the conditional framing of children's rights and participation. Drawing on the concept of safe uncertainty, we advocate a more coherent rights-based framework, clearer policy direction and sustained investment in teacher support and infrastructure. We call for RSHE policy and practice to move beyond compliance and certainty, and instead build relational, reflective and dialogic spaces where students can engage meaningfully with the ethical and social dimensions of their lives. In doing so, RSHE can fulfil its broader educational promise in preventing harm and supporting the flourishing of students as relational and sexual citizens