Review of Organizational Strategy and Structure (1962-2015)

Improving on performance is of greater interest to all organization leaders in today's business environment. Researches relating to large, small and medium sized firms constantly stress a positive link between business strategies, management activities and organizational performance. Because it is often detailed that best business strategies produce outstanding organizational performance. This study used secondary method of data collection to review various empirical literatures on business strategies and their effects on organizational performance. The study was able to ascertain from various literature reviewed that business strategies such as (customer orientation, employee autonomy, communication, training and development job satisfaction, corporate social responsibility, motivational factors) have major role to play in organizational performance. Recognizing the causes of organizational performance is important especially in the perspective of the current global crises because it helps an organization to identify those factors that should be given priority attention in order to improve the organizational performance. Hence, this study recommends that business organizations should adopt appropriate strategies that would enhance adequate organizational performanc

Earthworm Urine Used as Foliar Spray on Amaranthus hybridus (Green amaranth) Boosts Growth and Stimulates Stomata Opening

The advent of spray drones for agrochemical applications calls for continuous exploration of potentially affordable and sustainable liquid biofertilizers. Thus, we evaluated the effects of earthworm urine foliar spray on the growth performance (height, number of leaves, leaf area, stem girth) and stomata opening of Amaranthus hybridus (Green amaranth). Earthworm urine was obtained by placing 500 g of Libyodrilus violaceus in one litre of earthworm saline, for one hour. Amaranthus hybridus seeds were planted into 90 pots, divided into three treatment groups of 30 pots each. Upon germination, the first group was sprayed with earthworm urine, the second and third groups with saline water and ordinary water, respectively. Earthworm urine significantly (p < 0.05) increased all the measured growth parameters, and stimulated the opening of stomata, relative to saline water and ordinary water. This result is a strong indication that earthworm urine contains hormones that boost plant growth, and is potentially suitable for use as a liquid biofertilizer, for increased production of Amaranthus hybridus and related vegetables

In vitro Anticancer Screening of 24 Locally Used Nigerian Medicinal Plants

Background: Plants that are used as traditional medicine represent a relevant pool for selecting plant candidates that may have anticancer properties. In this study, the ethnomedicinal approach was used to select several medicinal plants native to Nigeria, on the basis of their local or traditional uses. The collected plants were then evaluated for cytoxicity. Methods: The antitumor activity of methanolic extracts obtained from 24 of the selected plants, were evaluated in vitro on five human cancer cell lines. Results: Results obtained from the plants screened indicate that 18 plant extracts of folk medicine exhibited promising cytotoxic activity against human carcinoma cell lines. Erythrophleum suaveolens (Guill. & Perr.) Brenan was found to demonstrate potent anti-cancer activity in this study exhibiting IC50 = 0.2-1.3 $\mu$g/ml. Conclusions: Based on the significantly potent activity of some plants extracts reported here, further studies aimed at mechanism elucidation and bio-guided isolation of active anticancer compounds is currently underway.Chemistry and Chemical Biolog

Synthesis of γ-, δ-, and ε-Lactams by Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of N-(tert-Butylsulfinyl)iminoesters

Highly enantiomerically enriched γ- and δ-lactams have been prepared by a simple and very efficient procedure that involves the asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of N-(tert-butylsulfinyl)iminoesters followed by desulfinylation of the nitrogen atom and spontaneous cyclization to the desired lactams during the basic workup procedure. Five- and six-membered ring lactams bearing aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic substituents have been obtained in very high yields and ee’s up to >99%. A slight modification of the procedure also allowed the preparation of ε-lactams in good yields and very high enantioselectivities. Both enantiomers of the final lactams could be prepared with equal efficiency by changing the absolute configuration of the sulfinyl chiral auxiliary

Pediatric Bacterial Meningitis Surveillance in Nigeria From 2010 to 2016, Prior to and During the Phased Introduction of the 10-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine.

BACKGROUND: Historically, Nigeria has experienced large bacterial meningitis outbreaks with high mortality in children. Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus), and Haemophilus influenzae are major causes of this invasive disease. In collaboration with the World Health Organization, we conducted longitudinal surveillance in sentinel hospitals within Nigeria to establish the burden of pediatric bacterial meningitis (PBM). METHODS: From 2010 to 2016, cerebrospinal fluid was collected from children <5 years of age, admitted to 5 sentinel hospitals in 5 Nigerian states. Microbiological and latex agglutination techniques were performed to detect the presence of pneumococcus, meningococcus, and H. influenzae. Species-specific polymerase chain reaction and serotyping/grouping were conducted to determine specific causative agents of PBM. RESULTS: A total of 5134 children with suspected meningitis were enrolled at the participating hospitals; of these 153 (2.9%) were confirmed PBM cases. The mortality rate for those infected was 15.0% (23/153). The dominant pathogen was pneumococcus (46.4%: 71/153) followed by meningococcus (34.6%: 53/153) and H. influenzae (19.0%: 29/153). Nearly half the pneumococcal meningitis cases successfully serotyped (46.4%: 13/28) were caused by serotypes that are included in the 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. The most prevalent meningococcal and H. influenzae strains were serogroup W and serotype b, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccine-type bacterial meningitis continues to be common among children <5 years in Nigeria. Challenges with vaccine introduction and coverage may explain some of these finding. Continued surveillance is needed to determine the distribution of serotypes/groups of meningeal pathogens across Nigeria and help inform and sustain vaccination policies in the country

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Impact of asthma, exposure period, and filters on human responses during exposures to ozone and its initiated chemistry products

The impact of asthma, exposure period, and filter condition downstream of the mixing box of air-conditioning system on building occupants' perceptual response, work performance, and salivary α-amylase secretion during exposures to ozone and its initiated chemistry products is studied. The experiments were conducted in a field environmental chamber (FEC) (240 m3) simulating an office environment. Experiments were conducted during periods when the air-handling system operated with new or used pleated panel filters at constant recirculation (7/h) and ventilation (1/h) rates. Average ozone and secondary organic aerosols (ozone-initiated chemistry products) measured during non-asthmatic and asthmatic subjects' 3-h exposures in the FEC were in the ranges approximately 20–37 ppb and approximately 1.6–3 μg/m3, respectively. Asthmatic subjects' perceived odor intensity and sensory (eye, nose, and throat) irritation ratings were generally lower than those of non-asthmatic subjects, possibly explaining why asthmatic subjects accept perceived air quality more than non-asthmatic subjects. However, asthmatic subjects' perceived physiological-like symptom ratings (flu, chest tightness, and headache) and concentrations of secreted salivary α-amylase were generally higher than those of non-asthmatic subjects. Asthmatic subjects had significantly lower accuracy than non-asthmatic subjects in a task that required higher concentration although they had higher work speed. Filter condition did not make any significant difference for subjects' responses.Accepted versio

Sero-prevalence of toxoplasma gondii infection among abattoir workers in Sokoto, Nigeria

Background: Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease affecting all warm blooded animals including man. It is caused by an obligate, intracellular tissues cyst-forming protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, with domestic cat and other felides as definitive hosts. The infection has aroused considerable interest from various workers because of the dangers it poses and its mode oftransmission. Materials and Methods: Sera collected from 75 volunteered abattoir workers were analysed using Toxo-Latex kit by LINEAR chemicals (Cromatest, Jeanquim Costa, Barcelona, Spain) which is a rapid slide agglutination procedure. In addition, some epidemiological factors were obtained from these volunteered through structural questionnaire administered to them. Results: The adolescent (16-20 years) had the highest prevalence (57.1%) while the elderly, aged > 60 years had prevalence of 50%. No statistical significant different was however observed (p >0.05) varying degree of infarction was observed between the old groups. Sero-prevalence among workers who eat raw meat/suya, drink unpasteurized milk, smoking/eating when evisceration were 50%, 26.7%, 13.8%, 13.8% and 20% respectively, while workers that do not eat/drink during evisceration was 13.3%. No statistical significance was noted between those who eat raw meat/suya/drink unpasteurized milk and those who eat and drink during evisceration was significantly higher than those that wash hand before eating/drinking during work (p < 0.05). Conclusion: There is need for public enlightenment to abattoir personnel on the epidemiology and significance of T. gondii infection. Further studies on toxoplasma infection in the study area are desirable

Prevalence, predictors and effects of shift work sleep disorder among nurses in a Nigerian teaching hospital

Abstract Background This study evaluated the prevalence, predictors and effects of Shift Work Sleep Disorder (SWSD) among nurses in a Nigerian teaching hospital. Methods Eighty-eight nurses (44 each from the pool of shift and non-shift nurses), who emerged by simple random sampling, participated in the study. Socio-demographic data and health complaints were obtained with questionnaires. Each participant was assessed with Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), insomnia severity index (ISI) and sleep log, while SWSD cases were ascertained by applying the International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD-2) criteria. Body mass index, blood pressure, body temperature and salivary cortisol levels were also determined. Results Generally, results showed that the shift group; comprising of shift nurses, recorded higher values of biophysical profiles and more health complaints than the non-shift group (control); comprising of non-shift nurses. Also, 19 (43.2%) of the shift nurses fulfilled the criteria for SWSD, on this basis, the shift group was divided into two: SWSD (n = 19) and No SWSD (n = 25). And within the shift group, the SWSD group had higher systolic (p = 0.014), diastolic (p = 0.012), and mean arterial (p = 0.009) blood pressures; they also recorded higher temperature (p = 0.001), higher salivary cortisol levels (p = 0.027) and more health complaints. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that rotating shift work among nurses is associated with increased level of health complaints and physiologic indices of stress as well as sleep impairment