Systematic review and meta-analysis of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis as environmental trigger of multiple sclerosis

Please read abstract in the article.The National Research Foundation, South Africa.https://www.elsevier.com/locate/msardhj2023School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH

MEASUREMENTS OF SEASONAL VARIATIONS OF RADIOACTIVITY DISTRIBUTIONS IN RIVERINE SOIL SEDIMENT OF ADO-ODO OTA, SOUTH-WEST NIGERIA: PROBABILISTIC APPROACH USING MONTE CARLO

The radioactivity levels were measured using a hand-held gamma-ray survey meter and NaI (Tl) based gamma spectroscopy to evaluate the seasonal variation of radioactivity levels in the riverine area of Ado-Odo Ota. The measured iso-dose map reported higher gamma dose rate of 79 nGy/h, approximately 34% higher than the world average of 59 nGy/h. The values for U-238, Th- 232 and K-40 activity levels ranged between 29.9 and 21.6; 103.2 and 31.2; 802.2 and 233.5 with mean values of 26.1, 55.6 and 499.3 Bq/kg, respectively. According to the mean, 5th and 95th percentiles of the probabilities using theMonte Carlo simulation, the Radium equivalent activities and the absorbed dose rates are within their respective recommended limits of 370 Bq/kg and 84 nGy/h. This study could be used to monitor dose rates and radiological risks for the areas covering the small area (Ado-Odo Ota) to the larger area (West African Region) as baseline data

Machine learning-guided determination of Acinetobacter density in waterbodies receiving municipal and hospital wastewater effluents

Abstract A smart artificial intelligent system (SAIS) for Acinetobacter density (AD) enumeration in waterbodies represents an invaluable strategy for avoidance of repetitive, laborious, and time-consuming routines associated with its determination. This study aimed to predict AD in waterbodies using machine learning (ML). AD and physicochemical variables (PVs) data from three rivers monitored via standard protocols in a year-long study were fitted to 18 ML algorithms. The models’ performance was assayed using regression metrics. The average pH, EC, TDS, salinity, temperature, TSS, TBS, DO, BOD, and AD was 7.76 ± 0.02, 218.66 ± 4.76 µS/cm, 110.53 ± 2.36 mg/L, 0.10 ± 0.00 PSU, 17.29 ± 0.21 °C, 80.17 ± 5.09 mg/L, 87.51 ± 5.41 NTU, 8.82 ± 0.04 mg/L, 4.00 ± 0.10 mg/L, and 3.19 ± 0.03 log CFU/100 mL respectively. While the contributions of PVs differed in values, AD predicted value by XGB [3.1792 (1.1040–4.5828)] and Cubist [3.1736 (1.1012–4.5300)] outshined other algorithms. Also, XGB (MSE = 0.0059, RMSE = 0.0770; R2 = 0.9912; MAD = 0.0440) and Cubist (MSE = 0.0117, RMSE = 0.1081, R2 = 0.9827; MAD = 0.0437) ranked first and second respectively, in predicting AD. Temperature was the most important feature in predicting AD and ranked first by 10/18 ML-algorithms accounting for 43.00–83.30% mean dropout RMSE loss after 1000 permutations. The two models' partial dependence and residual diagnostics sensitivity revealed their efficient AD prognosticating accuracies in waterbodies. In conclusion, a fully developed XGB/Cubist/XGB-Cubist ensemble/web SAIS app for AD monitoring in waterbodies could be deployed to shorten turnaround time in deciding microbiological quality of waterbodies for irrigation and other purposes

Spatial distribution of gamma radiation dose rates from natural radionuclides and its radiological hazards in sediments along river Iju, Ogun state Nigeria

This study assessed the radioactivity level of Iju River sediments and its associated radiological risks exposure to human. Gamma absorbed dose rates were measured using a portable gamma spectrometer at an interval of 50 m between each point (Model No:RS-125 manufactured by Canadian Geophysical Institute). The measured absorbed gamma dose rates range from 22 to 59 nGy/h with the highest value noted in site 13. The mean activity concentrations of U-238, Th-232 and K-40 from Iju river sediments were 24.1 ± 0.4 Bq/kg, 35.2 ± 1.1 Bq/kg and 501.0 ± 11.1 Bq/kg, which were lower than the world average values of 32 and 45 for U-238 and Th-232 by 25% and 21% and higher than 412 Bq/kg for K-40 by a factor of 0.22 (22%).•This highest value of K-40 found in site 6 may be due to the presence of feldspartic minerals buried in the sediments.•Consequently, the radiological hazard indices were below the permissible limits except the mean value of 28 × 10-2 for excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) for the samples collected in site 6, which is higher than the average world value of 0.29 × 10- 3 by a factor of 0.03.•The regression model indicates that Th-232 attributes more radioactivity impacts on the soil sediments than the contributions of U-232 and K-40, as such, presumed to be the radionuclide parameter controlling the depositional process in the region