Facilitating statistical software using SS E Guide / N. Ahmad, A.M. Nasir, and S. Masrom

The process of data analysis for the purpose of research is very important and this process sometimes is very complicated, especially for researchers who do not have any statistical basis. We developed specific software to analyze the data. The problem occurs when students are not familiar with such software. The most important process in the analysis of data is to run the correct analysis. For example, analysis of mean between samples can be done either using parametric or non-parametric test. If students choose the wrong analysis, this will lead to the inappropriate conclusion. The second problem face by the students is how to use statistical software. Some software will produce output even if the method chosen is not suitable. So this E Guide application is intended to facilitate two things: how to choose the appropriate analysis data and how to use statistical software to get the correct output. E Guide also provides interpretation of output from example provided

Effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa (Calyxes) water extract on the in vitro availability of lisinopril

Background: The concurrent use of herbs and drugs for the treatment of various ailments is a common practice amongst patients; a practice that could result in drug-herb interaction.Objectives: This study is aimed at evaluating the effects of Hibiscus sabdariffa on in vitro availability of lisinopril.Method: The availability of lisinopril alone and in presence of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyxes water extract was determined using dissolution apparatus (BP, 2013) set at 50 rpm and 37 °C in 900 mL of three different dissolution media [0.1 M HCl (simulated gastric pH), phosphate buffers pH 6.8 (simulated intestinal pH) and phosphate buffers pH 7.4 (simulated blood pH)]. Samples (5 mL) were withdrawn from the media at 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 60 min and replaced immediately with the same medium. Each sample was analysed for the lisinopril content released using UV spectrophotometry at 215, 210 and 215 nm in 0.1 M HCl, phosphate buffers pH 6.8 and phosphate buffers pH 7.4 respectively.Results: Results showed that the media has no effect on the dissolution profile of lisinopril alone, however, it was observed that 89.40 (lisinopril alone) and 92.62 % (lisinopril in the presence of Hibiscus sabdariffa) was released in simulated gastric pH. The corresponding contents of lisinopril observed in simulated intestinal pH were 89.40 and 92.51 %, while in simulated blood pH 89.40 and 91.95 % of lisinopril was released. The presence of Hibiscus sabdariffa significantly (p < 0.05) increased the in vitro availability of lisinopril in all the media.Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that coadministration of lisinopril with Hibiscus sabdariffa could enhance its in vitro availability consequent to the increased dissolution of lisinopril in simulated gastric, intestinal and blood pH.Keywords: Lisinopril, Interaction, Hibiscus sabdariffa, dissolutio

Computing backbone curves for nonlinear oscillators with higher order polynomial stiffness terms

Single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) nonlinear oscillators are widely used for modelling systems with just one degree-of-freedom in addition to single mode approximations to structural elements such as beams and cables, as well as other multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) applications. In this work, an investigation of the behavior of SDOF nonlinear oscillators is carried out using the method of direct normal forms. So far, this method has only been considered as a theoretical technique used for solving limited nonlinear dynamical systems in which low orders of nonlinearities appear, involving quadratic and cubic nonlinearities. In this work, thanks to the implementation of symbolic computations, the method of direct normal forms is generalized for solving nonlinear SDOF systems with any order of polynomial (or geometric) weak nonlinearities. Using this new approach, the effect of any higher order nonlinear term, or any combination of nonlinear terms can be investigated. Backbone curve relations are obtained for a selection of example systems representing both hardening and softening systems, and the results are verified by comparing the approximate analytical solutions to numerical solutions generated using COCO numerical continuation toolbox in Matlab

Examining the Incidence, Depth and Severity of Food Insecurity among rural Households in Nigeria

A nationally representative sample of 3380 rural households from General Household Survey-panel data that adopt the World Bank Living Standard Measurement Survey (LSMS) technique was used for this study.  Based on 2120 kcal Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) recommended per adult equivalent and USD 0.87 purchasing power parity (PPP), an annual food poverty threshold of (N50, 331.67) equivalent to USD 317.55 per annum was derived for Nigeria. This threshold is the cost for purchasing recommended daily food allowances (RDA) of an adult equivalent for healthy life in rural Nigeria estimated at N138. Despite the fact that agricultural sector employed over 70% of the country’s population overwhelmingly large segment of Nigerians especially farming families in rural areas are the most food insecure. The food security situation in Nigeria was examined using the Foster Greer and Thorbecke (FGT) class of decomposable food poverty measures that satisfy both monotonicity and transfer axioms. The food insecurity indices at national level was reported as (?=0, 46.36, ?=1, 0.43 and ?=2, 1.11 for and ?=0, 42.78, ?=1, 0.348 and ?=2, 7.45) for post-harvest seasons respectively. This implies that almost half of the rural households in Nigeria are food insecure subsisting on less the RDAs, however, depth and severity of food insecurity also differ.  Disaggregating the households based geo-political zones and some key socio-economic characteristics, further indicates a significant differences based on the relative size of the coefficient of ?. We conjecture that, the higher incidence of food security during post harvesting season might likely be due to inability of smallholder farmers to utilize their time into non-farm income generating activities due to high demand for labour for farm operations. The study recommends public policies that ensure provision of infrastructure such as roads and boosting farming among rural households. Keywords: Food Insecurity, FGT Index, Rural Households and Nigeri

Instrumental vaginal delivery in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto: A ten‑year review

Background: Instrumental vaginal delivery is one of the key elements of essential obstetric care that mimics spontaneous vaginal delivery in order to expedite delivery with minimal maternal and neonatal morbidity. The objectives of the study were to determine the rate of instrumental deliveries, the common indications, and compare outcome and complications between forceps and vacuum deliveries.Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective cross‑sectional study on instrumental vaginal deliveries carried out in UDUTH over 10 years from January 2007 to December 2016. The list of cases was obtained, the case files were retrieved and relevant information was obtained. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 21. Level of significance was set at P < 0.05.Results: The instrumental vaginal delivery rate was 2.06%. Vacuum deliveries accounted for 83.3% (n = 524) but forceps deliveries accounted for 16.7% (n = 105). The most common indication for both was delayed second stage of labor due to malposition. There was no statistical difference in the mean APGAR scores at 1st and 5th min between babies delivered by vacuum and those delivered by forceps. Majority had no complication and there was no statistical association between the type of procedure and maternal or fetal complications observed during the procedure (χ2 = 3.18, P = 0.2).Conclusion: The rate of instrumental vaginal delivery is much lower than that reported in some centers in Nigeria and globally. Majority of the cases had no complication and there was no significant difference in complications observed between vacuum and forceps deliveries.Keywords: Complications; forceps delivery; rate; vacuum deliver

Field-dependent viscoelastic properties of graphite-based magnetorheological grease

This paper highlights the effect of graphite on the dynamic viscoelastic properties of magnetorheological grease (MRG). Two types of MRG namely MRG and graphite-MRG, GMRG with 0 wt.% and 10 wt. % of graphite respectively was synthesized by using a mechanical stirrer. The rheological properties of both sample at various magnetic field strength from 0 to 0.603 T was analyzed via rheometer under oscillatory mode with strain ranging from 0.001 to 1% with fixed frequency at 1 Hz for strain sweep and frequency ranging from 0.1 to 80 Hz at a constant strain of 0.01 % for frequency sweep. Based on the result obtained, the value of storage and loss modulus are dependent on the graphite content. A high value of storage modulus was achieved in the GMRG sample at all applied magnetic field strengths within all frequency ranges. These phenomena related to the contribution of graphite to forming the chain structure with CIPs and offered a more stable and stronger structure as compared with MRG. Moreover, the reduction in the value of loss modulus in GMRG was noticed compared to MRG at on-state conditions reflected by the stable structure obtained by GMRG. Lastly, both samples displayed a strong solid-like (elastic) behavior due to the high value of storage modulus, G’ acquired compared to loss modulus, G’’ at all frequency ranges. Therefore, the utilization of graphite in MRG can be used in wide applications such as brake and seismic dampers

Potential health and economic impacts of dexamethasone treatment for patients with COVID-19

Acknowledgements We thank all members of the COVID-19 International Modelling Consortium and their collaborative partners. This work was supported by the COVID-19 Research Response Fund, managed by the Medical Sciences Division, University of Oxford. L.J.W. is supported by the Li Ka Shing Foundation. R.A. acknowledges funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1193472).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Erratum: Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 84 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Interpretation: By quantifying levels and trends in exposures to risk factors and the resulting disease burden, this assessment offers insight into where past policy and programme efforts might have been successful and highlights current priorities for public health action. Decreases in behavioural, environmental, and occupational risks have largely offset the effects of population growth and ageing, in relation to trends in absolute burden. Conversely, the combination of increasing metabolic risks and population ageing will probably continue to drive the increasing trends in non-communicable diseases at the global level, which presents both a public health challenge and opportunity. We see considerable spatiotemporal heterogeneity in levels of risk exposure and risk-attributable burden. Although levels of development underlie some of this heterogeneity, O/E ratios show risks for which countries are overperforming or underperforming relative to their level of development. As such, these ratios provide a benchmarking tool to help to focus local decision making. Our findings reinforce the importance of both risk exposure monitoring and epidemiological research to assess causal connections between risks and health outcomes, and they highlight the usefulness of the GBD study in synthesising data to draw comprehensive and robust conclusions that help to inform good policy and strategic health planning

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care1 or hospitalization2,3,4 after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes—including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)—in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease