Assessment of Flexible Pavement on Some Selected Roads in Ola Oluwa Local Government, South Western Nigeria

The most used mode of transportation in Nigeria is road while flexible pavement is the most constructed on the roads. This project work is all about carefully assessing the condition of the flexible pavement on some selected roads, determine some causes of the failure on the selected roads in Ola Oluwa Local Government area of Osun State, South-western Nigeria. The visual assessments of the pavement were carried out through Pavement Condition Survey and the drainage condition of the selected roads. Disturbed soil samples were taken from the failed and unfailed portion of the roads and their geotechnical properties determined. After the thorough assessment of the pavements on selected roads it can be concluded that the failures on the roads are due to non-functioning drainage facilities, poor design, non-standard construction materials and poor maintenance culture. Keywords: Flexible pavement, Pavement Condition Survey, disturbed soil samples, geotechnical properties

PREVALENCE OF MALNUTRITION AND SELECTED RISK FACTORS OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES AMONG PRIMARY HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN TWO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Overnutrition resulting in overweight and obesity increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. This study was carried out to assess the prevalence of malnutrition and some selected risk factors of cardiovascular diseases among primary healthcare workers in two Local Government Areas of Ogun State, Nigeria. An exhaustive sampling method was used, resulting in 220 eligible respondents. Anthropometric measurements were taken while body mass index (BMI) and abdominal obesity were calculated. Blood pressure and glucose level of the subjects were measured. Data were presented using frequency, percentage and Chi-Square tests to establish relationships among variables. Higher percentage (35.5%) of the respondents were of normal BMI category while prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity were found to be 7.7%, 25.9% and 30.9%, respectively. Abdominal obesity was found among 58.2% of the respondents while high blood pressure was observed in 38.7%. Blood glucose was elevated in 20% of the subjects. Abdominal obesity, systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the respondents were found to be strongly associated with BMI (p<0.05). This study observed high prevalence of overnutrition (overweight and general obesity), elevated blood glucose, high blood pressure, and high abdominal obesity trend as factors which may expose the respondents to poor health in future.   &nbsp

Adoption of Recommended Agrochemical Practices among Crop Farmers in Kaduna and Ondo States, Nigeria

This study assessed the level of adoption of recommended practices of agrochemicals among crop farers in Kaduna and Ondo States of Nigeria. It measured the perception of farmers on pesticides and their knowledge on the harmful effects of pesticides. A total of 260 crop farmers who have sustained the use of agrochemicals for at least five years were selected for the study using multi-stage sampling technique. Descriptive statistics (mean and percentages) was used for data analysis. Data was collected using pretested, structured interview schedule. The results obtained revealed that the perception of 33.1% of the farmers was considering pesticides as always good whereas 30% of the farmers perceived pesticides as sometimes harmful. All (100%) respondents indicated that pesticides cause damage to human health. Furthermore, the level of adoption of recommended agrochemical practices (RAPs) was generally low (weighted mean =1.49) despite high level of awareness (weighted mean =2.24). This study therefore, recommends that campaign for attitudinal changes on the use of agrochemical should be mounted by extension agencies in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.   Â

Adoption of Recommended Agrochemical Practices among Crop Farmers in Kaduna and Ondo States, Nigeria

This study assessed the level of adoption of recommended practices of agrochemicals among crop farers in Kaduna and Ondo States of Nigeria. It measured the perception of farmers on pesticides and their knowledge on the harmful effects of pesticides. A total of 260 crop farmers who have sustained the use of agrochemicals for at least five years were selected for the study using multi-stage sampling technique. Descriptive statistics (mean and percentages) was used for data analysis. Data was collected using pretested, structured interview schedule. The results obtained revealed that the perception of 33.1% of the farmers was considering pesticides as always good whereas 30% of the farmers perceived pesticides as sometimes harmful. All (100%) respondents indicated that pesticides cause damage to human health. Furthermore, the level of adoption of recommended agrochemical practices (RAPs) was generally low (weighted mean =1.49) despite high level of awareness (weighted mean =2.24). This study therefore, recommends that campaign for attitudinal changes on the use of agrochemical should be mounted by extension agencies in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.   Â

Epidemiology of Untreated Psychoses in 3 Diverse Settings in the Global South: The International Research Program on Psychotic Disorders in Diverse Settings (INTREPID II).

IMPORTANCE: Less than 10% of research on psychotic disorders has been conducted in settings in the Global South, which refers broadly to the regions of Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. There is a lack of basic epidemiological data on the distribution of and risks for psychoses that can inform the development of services in many parts of the world. OBJECTIVE: To compare demographic and clinical profiles of cohorts of cases and rates of untreated psychoses (proxy for incidence) across and within 3 economically and socially diverse settings in the Global South. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) demographic and clinical profiles of cases with an untreated psychotic disorder vary across setting and (2) rates of untreated psychotic disorders vary across and within setting by clinical and demographic group. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The International Research Program on Psychotic Disorders in Diverse Settings (INTREPID II) comprises incidence, case-control, and cohort studies of untreated psychoses in catchment areas in 3 countries in the Global South: Kancheepuram District, India; Ibadan, Nigeria; and northern Trinidad. Participants were individuals with an untreated psychotic disorder. This incidence study was conducted from May 1, 2018, to July 31, 2020. In each setting, comprehensive systems were implemented to identify and assess all individuals with an untreated psychosis during a 2-year period. Data were analyzed from January 1 to May 1, 2022. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The presence of an untreated psychotic disorder, assessed using the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry, which incorporate the Present State Examination. RESULTS: Identified were a total of 1038 cases, including 64 through leakage studies (Kancheepuram: 268; median [IQR] age, 42 [33-50] years; 154 women [57.5%]; 114 men [42.5%]; Ibadan: 196; median [IQR] age, 34 [26-41] years; 93 women [47.4%]; 103 men [52.6%]; Trinidad: 574; median [IQR] age, 30 [23-40] years; 235 women [40.9%]; 339 men [59.1%]). Marked variations were found across and within settings in the sex, age, and clinical profiles of cases (eg, lower percentage of men, older age at onset, longer duration of psychosis, and lower percentage of affective psychosis in Kancheepuram compared with Ibadan and Trinidad) and in rates of untreated psychosis. Age- and sex-standardized rates of untreated psychoses were approximately 3 times higher in Trinidad (59.1/100 000 person-years; 95% CI, 54.2-64.0) compared with Kancheepuram (20.7/100 000 person-years; 95% CI, 18.2-23.2) and Ibadan (14.4/100 000 person-years; 95% CI, 12.3-16.5). In Trinidad, rates were approximately 2 times higher in the African Trinidadian population (85.4/100 000 person-years; 95% CI, 76.0-94.9) compared with the Indian Trinidadian (43.9/100 000 person-years; 95% CI, 35.7-52.2) and mixed populations (50.7/100 000 person-years; 95% CI, 42.0-59.5). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This analysis adds to research that suggests that core aspects of psychosis vary by historic, economic, and social context, with far-reaching implications for understanding and treatment of psychoses globally

Chemotherapy-induced senescent cancer cells engulf other cells to enhance their survival.

In chemotherapy-treated breast cancer, wild-type p53 preferentially induces senescence over apoptosis, resulting in a persisting cell population constituting residual disease that drives relapse and poor patient survival via the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Understanding the properties of tumor cells that allow survival after chemotherapy treatment is paramount. Using time-lapse and confocal microscopy to observe interactions of cells in treated tumors, we show here that chemotherapy-induced senescent cells frequently engulf both neighboring senescent or nonsenescent tumor cells at a remarkable frequency. Engulfed cells are processed through the lysosome and broken down, and cells that have engulfed others obtain a survival advantage. Gene expression analysis showed a marked up-regulation of conserved macrophage-like program of engulfment in chemotherapy-induced senescent cell lines and tumors. Our data suggest compelling explanations for how senescent cells persist in dormancy, how they manage the metabolically expensive process of cytokine production that drives relapse in those tumors that respond the worst, and a function for their expanded lysosomal compartment

A qualitative investigation of lived experiences of long-term health condition management with people who are food insecure.

Background: As more people are living with one or more chronic health conditions, supporting patients to become activated, self-managers of their conditions has become a key health policy focus both in the UK and internationally. There is also growing evidence in the UK that those with long term health conditions have an increased risk of being food insecure. While international evidence indicates that food insecurity adversely affects individual's health condition management capability, little is known about how those so affected manage their condition(s) in this context. An investigation of lived experience of health condition management was undertaken with food insecure people living in north east Scotland. The study aimed to explore the challenges facing food insecure people in terms of, i. their self-care condition management practices, and ii. disclosing and discussing the experience of managing their condition with a health care professional, and iii. Notions of the support they might wish to receive from them. Methods: Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted with individuals attending a food bank and food pantry in north east Scotland. Interview audio recordings were fully transcribed and thematically analysed. Results: Individuals reporting multiple physical and mental health conditions, took part in the study. Four main themes were identified i.e.: 1. food practices, trade-offs and compromises, that relate to economic constraints and lack of choice; 2. illness experiences and food as they relate to physical and mental ill-health; 3. (in) visibility of participants' economic vulnerability within health care consultations; and 4. perceptions and expectations of the health care system. Conclusions: This study, the first of its kind in the UK, indicated that participants' health condition management aspirations were undermined by the experience of food insecurity, and that their health care consultations in were, on the whole, devoid of discussions of those challenges. As such, the study indicated practical and ethical implications for health care policy, practice and research associated with the risk of intervention-generated health inequalities that were suggested by this study. Better understanding is needed about the impact of household food insecurity on existing ill health, wellbeing and health care use across the UK

Characterizing Prostate Cancer Risk Through Multi-Ancestry Genome-Wide Discovery of 187 Novel Risk Variants

The transferability and clinical value of genetic risk scores (GRSs) across populations remain limited due to an imbalance in genetic studies across ancestrally diverse populations. Here we conducted a multi-ancestry genome-wide association study of 156,319 prostate cancer cases and 788,443 controls of European, African, Asian and Hispanic men, reflecting a 57% increase in the number of non-European cases over previous prostate cancer genome-wide association studies. We identified 187 novel risk variants for prostate cancer, increasing the total number of risk variants to 451. An externally replicated multi-ancestry GRS was associated with risk that ranged from 1.8 (per standard deviation) in African ancestry men to 2.2 in European ancestry men. The GRS was associated with a greater risk of aggressive versus non-aggressive disease in men of African ancestry (P = 0.03). Our study presents novel prostate cancer susceptibility loci and a GRS with effective risk stratification across ancestry groups

Strategies for Primary Care Stakeholders to Improve Electronic Health Records (EHRs)

The use of electronic health records (EHRs) and the vendors that develop them have increased exponentially in recent years. While there continues to emerge literature on the challenges EHRs have created related to primary care provider satisfaction and workflow, there is sparse literature on the perspective of the EHR vendors themselves. We examined the role of EHR vendors in optimizing primary care practice through a qualitative study of vendor leadership and developers representing 8 companies. We found that EHR vendors apply a range of strategies to elicit feedback from their clinical users and to engage selected users in their development and design process, but priorities are heavily influenced by the macroenvironment and government regulations. To improve the "marriage" between primary care and the EHR vendor community, we propose 6 strategies that may be most impactful for primary care stakeholders seeking to influence EHR development processes