Determination of stature from cephalic indices among Okun and Ebira ethnic groups of Kogi State in Nigeria

Cephalic index is an important feature that characterizes different races. The study aimed at comparing the cephalic indices between the two genders and to determine the stature among Okun and Ebira ethnic groups in Nigeria. The subjects were measured for cephalic length, breadth and subject height and the cephalic indices were calculated by dividing the cephalic breadth by cephalic length, and then multiply by 100. 844 subjects of Okun and Ebira origin of Kogi state were measured, 211 males and 211 females for each tribe were measured. Fischer’s formula was used to determine the sample size because the population size is > 10,000. The cephalic breadth and length was measured using a spreading caliper and the subject height was measured with a stadiometer. The data was analyzed using Pearson’s Chisquare analysis test for association, trends and distribution difference of the pattern (confidence level at 95%). The mean cephalic indices of both Okun and Ebira ethnic group were >75 and >70 which belongs to mesocephalic and doliocephalic group respectively. There were significant differences in cephalic indices between both ethnic groups (p<0.001). There was no significant difference in cephalic indices between males and females of each ethnic group. Stature was better predicted from cephalic indices for Ebira males (r= 0.386) when compared to the Ebira females (r= 0.127), Okun males (r= 0.296) and Okun females (r = 0.268). All predictions were significant except for Ebira females.Keywords: mesocephalic, doliocephalic, cephalic indices, stature, se

Morphometric study of the jugular foramen and sexual dimorphism using dried skull obtained in two Nigerian States

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the morphometric variation between male and female jugular foramen using dried human skulls obtained in two Nigerian states.'Methods: A total of ninety-three (93) dry human skulls were obtained from the osteology collection of the Department of Anatomy, University of Ilorin, Kwara state and Ladoke Akintola University Ogbomosho, Oyo state, Nigeria for this study. Using a digital Vernier caliper various morphometric features were measured.Results: The mean right lateromedial distance was 14.69 (±2.31) mm and 13.78 (±1.95) mm for male and females respectively, the mean left lateromedial distance was 14.40 (±2.34) mm and 14.52 (±2.40) mm. Complete septa in males and females were 31.7% and 9.1% while incomplete septa in males and females 35.0% and 39.4% respectively.Conclusion: There was no significant difference between the jugular foramen of both male and female skulls. The presence of complete septa is more in males while females has more of incomplete septa. The presence of dome, septa and dome height in both sexes were not sexually different from each other.Keywords: Jugular foramen, morphometric, dome, septa, vernier caliper

Global impact of COVID-19 on stroke care and IV thrombolysis

Objective To measure the global impact of COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of IV thrombolysis (IVT), IVT transfers, and stroke hospitalizations over 4 months at the height of the pandemic (March 1 to June 30, 2020) compared with 2 control 4-month periods. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional, observational, retrospective study across 6 continents, 70 countries, and 457 stroke centers. Diagnoses were identified by their ICD-10 codes or classifications in stroke databases. Results There were 91,373 stroke admissions in the 4 months immediately before compared to 80,894 admissions during the pandemic months, representing an 11.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] -11.7 to -11.3, p < 0.0001) decline. There were 13,334 IVT therapies in the 4 months preceding compared to 11,570 procedures during the pandemic, representing a 13.2% (95% CI -13.8 to -12.7, p < 0.0001) drop. Interfacility IVT transfers decreased from 1,337 to 1,178, or an 11.9% decrease (95% CI -13.7 to -10.3, p = 0.001). Recovery of stroke hospitalization volume (9.5%, 95% CI 9.2-9.8, p < 0.0001) was noted over the 2 later (May, June) vs the 2 earlier (March, April) pandemic months. There was a 1.48% stroke rate across 119,967 COVID-19 hospitalizations. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection was noted in 3.3% (1,722/52,026) of all stroke admissions. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a global decline in the volume of stroke hospitalizations, IVT, and interfacility IVT transfers. Primary stroke centers and centers with higher COVID-19 inpatient volumes experienced steeper declines. Recovery of stroke hospitalization was noted in the later pandemic months.Paroxysmal Cerebral Disorder

Global Retinoblastoma Presentation and Analysis by National Income Level

Importance: Early diagnosis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular cancer, can save both a child's life and vision. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that many children across the world are diagnosed late. To our knowledge, the clinical presentation of retinoblastoma has never been assessed on a global scale. Objectives: To report the retinoblastoma stage at diagnosis in patients across the world during a single year, to investigate associations between clinical variables and national income level, and to investigate risk factors for advanced disease at diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants: A total of 278 retinoblastoma treatment centers were recruited from June 2017 through December 2018 to participate in a cross-sectional analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed in 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Age at presentation, proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, and tumor stage and metastasis. Results: The cohort included 4351 new patients from 153 countries; the median age at diagnosis was 30.5 (interquartile range, 18.3-45.9) months, and 1976 patients (45.4) were female. Most patients (n = 3685 84.7%) were from low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, the most common indication for referral was leukocoria (n = 2638 62.8%), followed by strabismus (n = 429 10.2%) and proptosis (n = 309 7.4%). Patients from high-income countries (HICs) were diagnosed at a median age of 14.1 months, with 656 of 666 (98.5%) patients having intraocular retinoblastoma and 2 (0.3%) having metastasis. Patients from low-income countries were diagnosed at a median age of 30.5 months, with 256 of 521 (49.1%) having extraocular retinoblastoma and 94 of 498 (18.9%) having metastasis. Lower national income level was associated with older presentation age, higher proportion of locally advanced disease and distant metastasis, and smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma. Advanced disease at diagnosis was more common in LMICs even after adjusting for age (odds ratio for low-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 17.92 95% CI, 12.94-24.80, and for lower-middle-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 5.74 95% CI, 4.30-7.68). Conclusions and Relevance: This study is estimated to have included more than half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017. Children from LMICs, where the main global retinoblastoma burden lies, presented at an older age with more advanced disease and demonstrated a smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, likely because many do not reach a childbearing age. Given that retinoblastoma is curable, these data are concerning and mandate intervention at national and international levels. Further studies are needed to investigate factors, other than age at presentation, that may be associated with advanced disease in LMICs. © 2020 American Medical Association. All rights reserved

Evaluation of cowpea genotypes for their reactions to Striga gesnerioides in the dry savanna of northeast Nigeria

The parasitic weed Striga gesnerioides (Willd) Vatke is one of the most important constraints to cowpea production in the dry savanna. Yield losses due to S. gesnerioides range from 83 to 100%. No single method however seems to be fully adequate in the control of this parasite. One practice, host plant resistance, appears to have merit in effectively and economically controlling the parasite in that it is affordable to farmers. A total of 30 breeding lines including some varieties were evaluated in a field trial at Damboa and Tilla in 2005 and 2006 to identify resistant parents that could be used in breeding programme. Results showed varietal difference with respect to Striga infection in the genotypes studied. Location and cultivars were found to be associated with yield losses in soils infested by Striga. The location effect was probably due to lower soil fertility and severity of Striga damage. Cultivars effect was evident at both locations. The cowpea varieties B301, IT00K-1217, IT97K-205-8, IT03K-338-1 and IT97K-499-35 showed complete resistance to Striga while cowpea varieties IT81D-994, 1T98K-503-1, IT99K-7-21-2-2 and IT98K-216-44 earlier reported to be resistant supported many emerged Striga shoot, thus, suggesting the presence of different strains of Striga in the region. On the other hand, the varieties like Borno local, IT84S-2246-4, IT98D-1399, TVU-7778 and TVX-3236 have low yield potential as well as susceptible to Striga. Average yield loss in susceptible variety (Borno local) relative to the mean yield of resistant cultivars was 44%. There was a strong negative correlation (r = - 0.537) between grain yield and emerged Striga shoot. A significant negative (r = - 0.391, r = - 0.188) correlation was also obtained between grain yield, pods per plant and Striga height. This information showed that there is sufficient genetic variability in the cowpea genotypes studied, which can be exploited in breeding cowpea varieties for resistance to S. gesnerioides. A great progress toward developing improved cowpea germplasm that has local phenotypes with durable resistance to S. gesnerioides can be achieved if the genes from the resistance cultivars identified could be introgressed into the adapted susceptible local varieties in the area. This will further increase the potential impact of adoption of resistant cowpea varieties in the zone

Facial anthropometry and sex discriminatory characteristics among University Of Ilorin students

Prediction of sex from different dimensions has considerable forensic value, not only for the identification of human remains but also in estimating sex from evidence at disaster sites and in corroborating reports from scientists. This study investigated the facial parameters and sexual dimorphism among University of Ilorin students.A total of 376 students consisting of five major divisions in a university setting (sciences, social sciences, health sciences, technology and humanities) were used in the study. Standard anthropometric methods were used to measure facial height (LFH) and Bizygomatic Width (BZW) from a frontal repose photograph. Six different facial parameters were calculated. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 23 statistical software. Confidence level was set at 95%; as p-values ≤ 0.05 were considered significant.Discriminant function analysis, mean standard deviation of mean and chi-square of the studied population were presented with P&lt;0.05. For LFH in both sexes, a significant value of 0.010 was recorded indicating a statistically significant difference. For BZW in both sexes, a significant value of 0.039 was recorded also indicating a statistically significant difference.  For TFH in both sexes, 0.039 value was recorded also indicating a statistically significant difference in the measured facial parameters. UFH, MFH and F.I were found to be non-significant with recorded values of 0.077, 0.082 and 0.277 respectively. The p-value recorded for this non-significant values were greater than 0.05 (P&gt;0.05).The findings from this study clearly showed sex-associated difference in facial parameters but argue that a single set of facial parameters may not be applicable in sex grouping. Therefore, facial parameters can serve as adjunct in sex differentiation.Keywords: Sexual dimorphism, Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA), University of Ilorin students, Facial parameter

Highly selective and robust nanocomposite-based sensors for potassium ions detection

Ion-selective electrodes are employed in technological important fields, such as medical diagnosis, or water quality evaluation. Plasticized polymeric membranes containing ionophores are typically used in these devices. However, the low mechanical hardness and limited robustness of these electrodes combined with their low selectivity limit their use in high precision applications. In the present work, PVC-functionalised silica nanoparticles incorporated in a plasticized PVC film have been integrated into ion sensors for the first time applied to the detection of K+ in solution. This approach was used for the design of highly specific and mechanically robust systems using a fluidic chamber. The device presented a hardness in the range of 5.2 GPa, being 2 orders of magnitude higher than the one reported for plasticized PVC (0.059 GPa), and could measure the concentration of K+ with high specificity when compared to Ca2+ and Na+ ions compared to the conventional approach. The interactions of the sensing films with the ions in solution were systematically studied for different degrees of PVC functionalisation to allow the rational design of a robust and selective sensor. The final device exhibited one of the lowest signal drift ever reported, with 1.3 µV h−1. The system operated under fluid pressure and shear stress conditions of 45 mbar for at least 8 h while the control experiment, fabricated using the conventional composition without nanoparticles showed a significantly higher noise (circa 115.6 µV h−1) and degraded after 4 h of continuous measurements. The sensors here reported could also be used for the accurate determination of the concentration of K+ inside complex mixtures of ions such as simulated body fluids and human serum, leading to a plethora of applications in healthcare for the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases

Global Impact of COVID-19 on Stroke Care and IV Thrombolysis

OBJECTIVE: To measure the global impact of COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of IV thrombolysis (IVT), IVT transfers, and stroke hospitalizations over 4 months at the height of the pandemic (March 1 to June 30, 2020) compared with 2 control 4-month periods. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, observational, retrospective study across 6 continents, 70 countries, and 457 stroke centers. Diagnoses were identified by their ICD-10 codes or classifications in stroke databases. RESULTS: There were 91,373 stroke admissions in the 4 months immediately before compared to 80,894 admissions during the pandemic months, representing an 11.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] -11.7 to -11.3, p &lt; 0.0001) decline. There were 13,334 IVT therapies in the 4 months preceding compared to 11,570 procedures during the pandemic, representing a 13.2% (95% CI -13.8 to -12.7, p &lt; 0.0001) drop. Interfacility IVT transfers decreased from 1,337 to 1,178, or an 11.9% decrease (95% CI -13.7 to -10.3, p = 0.001). Recovery of stroke hospitalization volume (9.5%, 95% CI 9.2-9.8, p &lt; 0.0001) was noted over the 2 later (May, June) vs the 2 earlier (March, April) pandemic months. There was a 1.48% stroke rate across 119,967 COVID-19 hospitalizations. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection was noted in 3.3% (1,722/52,026) of all stroke admissions. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a global decline in the volume of stroke hospitalizations, IVT, and interfacility IVT transfers. Primary stroke centers and centers with higher COVID-19 inpatient volumes experienced steeper declines. Recovery of stroke hospitalization was noted in the later pandemic months. © 2021 American Academy of Neurology

Global Retinoblastoma Presentation and Analysis by National Income Level

This cross-sectional analysis reports the retinoblastoma stage at diagnosis across the world during a single year, investigates associations between clinical variables and national income level, and investigates risk factors for advanced disease at diagnosis. Key PointsQuestionIs the income level of a country of residence associated with the clinical stage of presentation of patients with retinoblastoma? FindingsIn this cross-sectional analysis that included 4351 patients with newly diagnosed retinoblastoma, approximately half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017, 49.1\% of patients from low-income countries had extraocular tumor at time of diagnosis compared with 1.5\% of patients from high-income countries. MeaningThe clinical stage of presentation of retinoblastoma, which has a major influence on survival, significantly differs among patients from low-income and high-income countries, which may warrant intervention on national and international levels. ImportanceEarly diagnosis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular cancer, can save both a child's life and vision. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that many children across the world are diagnosed late. To our knowledge, the clinical presentation of retinoblastoma has never been assessed on a global scale. ObjectivesTo report the retinoblastoma stage at diagnosis in patients across the world during a single year, to investigate associations between clinical variables and national income level, and to investigate risk factors for advanced disease at diagnosis. Design, Setting, and ParticipantsA total of 278 retinoblastoma treatment centers were recruited from June 2017 through December 2018 to participate in a cross-sectional analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed in 2017. Main Outcomes and MeasuresAge at presentation, proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, and tumor stage and metastasis. ResultsThe cohort included 4351 new patients from 153 countries; the median age at diagnosis was 30.5 (interquartile range, 18.3-45.9) months, and 1976 patients (45.4\%) were female. Most patients (n=3685 {[}84.7\%]) were from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, the most common indication for referral was leukocoria (n=2638 {[}62.8\%]), followed by strabismus (n=429 {[}10.2\%]) and proptosis (n=309 {[}7.4\%]). Patients from high-income countries (HICs) were diagnosed at a median age of 14.1 months, with 656 of 666 (98.5\%) patients having intraocular retinoblastoma and 2 (0.3\%) having metastasis. Patients from low-income countries were diagnosed at a median age of 30.5 months, with 256 of 521 (49.1\%) having extraocular retinoblastoma and 94 of 498 (18.9\%) having metastasis. Lower national income level was associated with older presentation age, higher proportion of locally advanced disease and distant metastasis, and smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma. Advanced disease at diagnosis was more common in LMICs even after adjusting for age (odds ratio for low-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 17.92 {[}95\% CI, 12.94-24.80], and for lower-middle-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 5.74 {[}95\% CI, 4.30-7.68]). Conclusions and RelevanceThis study is estimated to have included more than half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017. Children from LMICs, where the main global retinoblastoma burden lies, presented at an older age with more advanced disease and demonstrated a smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, likely because many do not reach a childbearing age. Given that retinoblastoma is curable, these data are concerning and mandate intervention at national and international levels. Further studies are needed to investigate factors, other than age at presentation, that may be associated with advanced disease in LMICs