Sero-Prevalence of Cytomegalo Virus Antibodies in Pregnant Women Attending Two Selected Hospitals in Sokoto State, North-Western Nigeria

Infection with cytomegalo virus (CMV), especially in pregnancy may cause pregnancy complications such as congenital infection, non-hereditary deafness, intrauterine growth restriction and other high defects. This study was to evaluate the prevalence of CMV in pregnant women attending Antenatal Clinics at Maryam Abacha Women and Children Hospital (MAWCH) and Sokoto Specialist Hospital (SSH). The study enrolled 90 pregnant women (age range: 16-45 years old) and data on demographic and life styles obtained using structured questionnaire. Serum samples were assayed using CMV Ig-G EIA kit. Out of the 90 pregnant women examined, 88(97.8%) had IgG protective antibodies to CMV while 2(2.2%) did not have protective antibodies. The prevalence rate of 2.20% was obtained in pregnant women that did not have the protective CMV IgG antibodies and were in the age range of 16-30 years old. They were also found to be in their second trimester, which could have increased the risk of intrauterine transmission. The risk factors for CMV were observed to have been significantly (P > 0.05) correlated with the socioeconomic status, the levels of CMV Ig-G antibodies, stage of pregnancy as well as the symptoms of pregnancy complications observed in the study population while they were insignificant (P < 0.05) in the case of number of previous pregnancies. The outcome of effects on the fetus was usually fatal and irreversible. Therefore, all pregnant women should scrupulously consistently adhere to routine infection control precautions. Keywords: Cytomegalo virus, Pregnant women, sero-prevalence, Sokoto

Antioxidant activity of Piper caninum and Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition by methoxylated flavones.

Background: This study investigated on antioxidant activity of Piper caninum and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition by methoxylated flavones.Materials and methods: The present study was carried out to quantify the total phenolic content and free radical scavenging activities of the crude extracts by Folin-Ciocalteu and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging assay respectively.Results: Methanolic extracts of Piper caninum exhibited the highest total phenolic content and free radical scavenging activities. All the pure compounds possessed significant cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition at physiological concentrations.Conclusion: Based on in vitro and molecular docking, we therefore suggest that Piper caninum methoxylated flavones are potent inhibitors of cyclooxygenase-2 at physiological concentrationsKey words: Piper caninum; antioxidant; cyclooxygenase-2.List of abbreviations: COX-2, cyclooxygenase-2; DPPH, 2,2-diphenyl- 1-picrylhydrazyl; PGE2, prostaglandin E2

A novel algorithm for dynamic student profile adaptation based on learning styles

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.E-learning recommendation systems are used to enhance student performance and knowledge by providing tailor- made services based on the students’ preferences and learning styles, which are typically stored in student profiles. For such systems to remain effective, the profiles need to be able to adapt and reflect the students’ changing behaviour. In this paper, we introduce new algorithms that are designed to track student learning behaviour patterns, capture their learning styles, and maintain dynamic student profiles within a recommendation system (RS). This paper also proposes a new method to extract features that characterise student behaviour to identify students’ learning styles with respect to the Felder-Silverman learning style model (FSLSM). In order to test the efficiency of the proposed algorithm, we present a series of experiments that use a dataset of real students to demonstrate how our proposed algorithm can effectively model a dynamic student profile and adapt to different student learning behaviour. The results revealed that the students could effectively increase their learning efficiency and quality for the courses when the learning styles are identified, and proper recommendations are made by using our method

KUALITAS PELAYANAN PEMBUATAN DOKUMEN AKTA KELAHIRAN DALAM MEWUJUDKAN PELAYANAN PRIMA PADA DINAS KEPENDUDUKAN DAN CATATAN SIPIL KABUPATEN INDRAMAYU

ABSTRACT Problems experienced by the community towards the services provided by the government often make people disappointed. So that people often feel lazy in dealing with service personnel. So it has become a habit of the people not to take care of their service needs directly. Communities often tell others to take care of their needs with government agencies both in the District and other technical services. Of course, this makes a common concern and must be able to tap the awareness of the trustees who work in public service agencies to improve the service to the community as well as possible.The identification of the problems raised in this study are as follows: What is the quality of service for making birth certificates at the Indramayu Regency Population and Civil Registration Service, what obstacles are faced in providing services for the birth certificate at the Indramayu Regency Population and Civil Registration Service? what efforts have been made in overcoming barriers to service in making birth certificates at the Indramayu Regency Population and Civil Registration Service?Based on the background and identification of the problem above, the writer takes the title in this study, namely the Quality of Service for Making Birth Certificate in Realizing Excellent Service in the Department of Population and Civil Registration, Indramayu Regency. The research method that I use is a qualitative method with a descriptive approach in analyzing the data can obtain real information and be able to study the research more deeply so that the data and information obtained are expected to be accurate.The quality of service for making birth certificates at the Department of Population and Civil Registry is still not maximal. This is because there are still many problems in the service process as well as the time in completing the creation of a birth certificate and limited human resources (HR), this limited human resource causes less than optimal service. Technical and non-technical problems faced in providing services for making birth certificates to the community such as the number of applicants for birth certificates that will make birth certificates but employees who do them or handle them inadequately, often jammed computers that are used for typing and operating data such as viruses or other things that inevitably have to be serviced first before being reused. Efforts are made in an effort to improve the quality of service for making birth certificates such as adding the number of computer units, conducting socializations to communities in the regions (Village and District) both directly and indirectly

Structure and function of the type III pullulan hydrolase from Thermococcus kodakarensis

Pullulan-hydrolysing enzymes, more commonly known as debranching enzymes for starch and other polysaccharides, are of great interest and have been widely used in the starch-saccharification industry. Type III pullulan hydrolase from Thermococcus kodakarensis (TK-PUL) possesses both pullulanase and α-amylase activities. Until now, only two enzymes in this class, which are capable of hydrolysing both α-1,4- and α-1,6-glycosidic bonds in pullulan to produce a mixture of maltose, panose and maltotriose, have been described. TK-PUL shows highest activity in the temperature range 95–100°C and has a pH optimum in the range 3.5–4.2. Its unique ability to hydrolyse maltotriose into maltose and glucose has not been reported for other homologous enzymes. The crystal structure of TK-PUL has been determined at a resolution of 2.8 Å and represents the first analysis of a type III pullulan hydrolyse. The structure reveals that the last part of the N-terminal domain and the C-terminal domain are significantly different from homologous structures. In addition, the loop regions at the active-site end of the central catalytic domain are quite different. The enzyme has a well defined calcium-binding site and possesses a rare vicinal disulfide bridge. The thermostability of TK-PUL and its homologues may be attributable to several factors, including the increased content of salt bridges, helical segments, Pro, Arg and Tyr residues and the decreased content of serine

Alpha-particle-induced complex chromosome exchanges transmitted through extra-thymic lymphopoiesis in vitro show evidence of emerging genomic instability

Human exposure to high-linear energy transfer α-particles includes environmental (e.g. radon gas and its decay progeny), medical (e.g. radiopharmaceuticals) and occupational (nuclear industry) sources. The associated health risks of α-particle exposure for lung cancer are well documented however the risk estimates for leukaemia remain uncertain. To further our understanding of α-particle effects in target cells for leukaemogenesis and also to seek general markers of individual exposure to α-particles, this study assessed the transmission of chromosomal damage initially-induced in human haemopoietic stem and progenitor cells after exposure to high-LET α-particles. Cells surviving exposure were differentiated into mature T-cells by extra-thymic T-cell differentiation in vitro. Multiplex fluorescence in situ hybridisation (M-FISH) analysis of naïve T-cell populations showed the occurrence of stable (clonal) complex chromosome aberrations consistent with those that are characteristically induced in spherical cells by the traversal of a single α-particle track. Additionally, complex chromosome exchanges were observed in the progeny of irradiated mature T-cell populations. In addition to this, newly arising de novo chromosome aberrations were detected in cells which possessed clonal markers of α-particle exposure and also in cells which did not show any evidence of previous exposure, suggesting ongoing genomic instability in these populations. Our findings support the usefulness and reliability of employing complex chromosome exchanges as indicators of past or ongoing exposure to high-LET radiation and demonstrate the potential applicability to evaluate health risks associated with α-particle exposure.This work was supported by the Department of Health, UK. Contract RRX95 (RMA NSDTG)

Preoperative heart rate and myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery: results of a predefined secondary analysis of the VISION study

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Funding for this study comes from more than 50 grants for VISION and its sub-studies: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (six grants); Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario (two grants); Academic Health Science Centres Alternative Funding Plan Innovation Fund Grant; Population Health Research Institute Grant; Clarity Research Group Grant; McMaster University, Department of Surgery, Surgical Associates Research Grant; Hamilton Health Science New Investigator Fund Grant; Hamilton Health Sciences Grant; Ontario Ministry of Resource and Innovation Grant; Stryker Canada, McMaster University, Department of Anesthesiology (two grants); Saint Joseph′s Healthcare, Department of Medicine (two grants); Father Sean O′Sullivan Research Centre (two grants); McMaster University, Department of Medicine (two grants); Hamilton Health Sciences Summer Studentships (six grants); McMaster University, Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Grant; McMaster University, Division of Cardiology Grant, and Canadian Network and Centre for Trials International Grant; Winnipeg Health Sciences Foundation Operating Grant; Diagnostic Services of Manitoba Research Grant; University of Manitoba, Faculty of Dentistry Operational Fund; Projeto Hospitais de Excelencia a Serviço do SUS grant from the Brazilian Ministry of Health in Partnership with Hcor (Cardiac Hospital Sao Paulo-SP); School of Nursing, Universidad Industrial de Santander; Grupo de Cardiología Preventiva, Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga; Fundación Cardioinfantil Instituto de Cardiología; Alianza Diagnóstica SA; University of Malaya Research Grant; and University of Malaya, Penyelidikan Jangka Pendek Grant. Roche Diagnostics provided the troponin T assays and some financial support for the VISION Study. Medical Research Council and British Journal of Anaesthesia clinical research training fellowship (grant reference MR/M017974/1 to T.E.F.A.); National Institute for Health Research professorship (to R.P.); British Journal of Anaesthesia and Royal College of Anaesthetists basic science fellowship (to G.A.); National Research Foundation of South Africa (to R.N.R.); Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario Career Investigator Award (to P.J.D.); Yusuf Chair in Cardiology (P.J.D.).Funding for this study comes from more than 50 grants for VISION and its sub-studies: Canadian Institutes of Health Research (six grants); Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario (two grants); Academic Health Science Centres Alternative Funding Plan Innovation Fund Grant; Population Health Research Institute Grant; Clarity Research Group Grant; McMaster University, Department of Surgery, Surgical Associates Research Grant; Hamilton Health Science New Investigator Fund Grant; Hamilton Health Sciences Grant; Ontario Ministry of Resource and Innovation Grant; Stryker Canada, McMaster University, Department of Anesthesiology (two grants); Saint Joseph′s Healthcare, Department of Medicine (two grants); Father Sean O′Sullivan Research Centre (two grants); McMaster University, Department of Medicine (two grants); Hamilton Health Sciences Summer Studentships (six grants); McMaster University, Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Grant; McMaster University, Division of Cardiology Grant, and Canadian Network and Centre for Trials International Grant;Winnipeg Health Sciences Foundation Operating Grant; Diagnostic Services of Manitoba Research Grant; University of Manitoba, Faculty of Dentistry Operational Fund; Projeto Hospitais de Excelencia a Serviço do SUS grant from the Brazilian Ministry of Health in Partnership with Hcor (Cardiac Hospital Sao Paulo-SP); School of Nursing, Universidad Industrial de Santander; Grupo de Cardiología Preventiva, Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga; Fundación Cardioinfantil Instituto de Cardiología; Alianza Diagnóstica SA; University of Malaya Research Grant; and University of Malaya, Penyelidikan Jangka Pendek Grant. Roche Diagnostics provided the troponin T assays and some financial support for the VISION Study. Medical Research Council and British Journal of Anaesthesia clinical research training fellowship (grant reference MR/M017974/1 to T.E.F.A.); National Institute for Health Research professorship (to R.P.); British Journal of Anaesthesia and Royal College of Anaesthetists basic science fellowship (to G.A.); National Research Foundation of South Africa (to R.N.R.); Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario Career Investigator Award (to P.J.D.); Yusuf Chair in Cardiology (P.J.D.)

Characterizing the role of vehicular cloud computing in road traffic management

Vehicular cloud computing is envisioned to deliver services that provide traffic safety and efficiency to vehicles. Vehicular cloud computing has great potential to change the contemporary vehicular communication paradigm. Explicitly, the underutilized resources of vehicles can be shared with other vehicles to manage traffic during congestion. These resources include but are not limited to storage, computing power, and Internet connectivity. This study reviews current traffic management systems to analyze the role and significance of vehicular cloud computing in road traffic management. First, an abstraction of the vehicular cloud infrastructure in an urban scenario is presented to explore the vehicular cloud computing process. A taxonomy of vehicular clouds that defines the cloud formation, integration types, and services is presented. A taxonomy of vehicular cloud services is also provided to explore the object types involved and their positions within the vehicular cloud. A comparison of the current state-of-the-art traffic management systems is performed in terms of parameters, such as vehicular ad hoc network infrastructure, Internet dependency, cloud management, scalability, traffic flow control, and emerging services. Potential future challenges and emerging technologies, such as the Internet of vehicles and its incorporation in traffic congestion control, are also discussed. Vehicular cloud computing is envisioned to have a substantial role in the development of smart traffic management solutions and in emerging Internet of vehicles

A novel classification of supply chain risks: Scale development and validation

Purpose: Supply chain has become an essential element for any organization but risks are the major obstacles in achieving the performance even it can disrupt not only the organization but a whole system. Thus it is compulsory to manage the risks efficiently and effectively. Risk cannot be managed until properly identified, there are numerous studies on risk identification, after comprehensive literature, it has been revealed that the study that identifies overall supply chain risk is scaring. The manufacturing sector of any country is considered as the backbone of any economy, in Malaysia it is the second largest sector in economic contribution and highest in productivity level. The aim of this study is to provide a reliable tool to assess the overall supply chain risks of Malaysian manufacturing through a systematic process. Design/methodology/approach: A detail literature review has been done for categorization of overall supply chain risk sources. Then an instrument has been developed from a pool of items. The questionnaire was purified through pretesting, pilot testing (by the exploratory view) and reliability and validity tests. The data were collected by email from Federation of Malaysian Malaysia (FMM-2017) through systemic probability sampling. Total 132 final responses have been considered for exploratory factor analysis through SPSS 23. Findings: The finding of this study revealed that overall supply chain risks can be categories into seven constructs that are supply side risks, process side risks, demand side risks, logistic side risks, collaboration side risks and environment side risks and the final questionnaire is consisting of 57 items. Research limitations/implications: This study covered tier 1 members of the supply chain. Secondly, the supply chain of manufacturing organizations only has been considered. Practical implications: This study will help the managers to understand what kind of risk sources they can face and which type of risks under these risk sources they should consider while decision making. Originality/value: This article will justify the need for Malaysian manufacturing by providing a validated and reliable instrument for the identification and assessment of their risks under major supply chain risk sources