Groundwater: critical for sustainable development.

Groundwater represents close to 99% of all unfrozen fresh water in the world. Groundwater makes up one third of all water being used, provides almost half of the world’s population with domestic water1, and is the source of almost half of the water used for irrigation worldwide

Assessment of Residential Satisfaction for Sustainability in Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) Housing Estates in Lagos State, Nigeria

Approaches towards public housing has been noted as Government-sponsored over time, the government have been accorded the responsibility of provision of safe, secure, sanitary, accessible and affordable housing for its citizens, both for low, medium and high incomes. Also in the fulfilment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Goal 11; which seeks to make towns, cities and settlements an inclusive habitation that is safe, resilient and sustainable for all categories of people by the year 2030. However, due to various limiting factors, the government have run short of meeting this expectation and in order to bridge this gap, it has brought about the Private-Public Partnership (PPP) schemes to meeting mass housing provision. However, the success of Public-Private Partnership is dependent on certain socio-economic variations. This study assessed the residential satisfaction amongst residents of selected two public-private partnership housing estates in Lagos State, Nigeria. With a view to understanding the performance of the estates in meeting residents housing needs. This is done by identify the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of residents, examining the physical characteristics of housing units in the PPP housing estates and identifying the factors that influence occupants’ satisfaction with the PPP housing estates.The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and categorical regression analysis. The result showed that the housing situations are generally satisfactory to the residents. The residents were mostly satisfied with their housing unit features, followed by their neighborhood environment and least satisfied with the maintenance practices. The study revealed that the residents socio-economic characteristic and demographic is the most significantly predictor to the residents level of satisfaction. The study concluded that satisfaction derived by residents of the PPP housing estates studied can be improved by provision of better housing maintenance practices and effective infrastructures and services

Assessment of Residential Satisfaction for Sustainability in Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) Housing Estates in Lagos State, Nigeria

Approaches towards public housing has been noted as Government-sponsored over time, the government have been accorded the responsibility of provision of safe, secure, sanitary, accessible and affordable housing for its citizens, both for low, medium and high incomes. Also in the fulfilment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Goal 11; which seeks to make towns, cities and settlements an inclusive habitation that is safe, resilient and sustainable for all categories of people by the year 2030. However, due to various limiting factors, the government have run short of meeting this expectation and in order to bridge this gap, it has brought about the Private-Public Partnership (PPP) schemes to meeting mass housing provision. However, the success of Public-Private Partnership is dependent on certain socio-economic variations. This study assessed the residential satisfaction amongst residents of selected two public-private partnership housing estates in Lagos State, Nigeria. With a view to understanding the performance of the estates in meeting residents housing needs. This is done by identify the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of residents, examining the physical characteristics of housing units in the PPP housing estates and identifying the factors that influence occupants’ satisfaction with the PPP housing estates.The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and categorical regression analysis. The result showed that the housing situations are generally satisfactory to the residents. The residents were mostly satisfied with their housing unit features, followed by their neighborhood environment and least satisfied with the maintenance practices. The study revealed that the residents socio-economic characteristic and demographic is the most significantly predictor to the residents level of satisfaction. The study concluded that satisfaction derived by residents of the PPP housing estates studied can be improved by provision of better housing maintenance practices and effective infrastructures and services

Spatial-Temporal Analysis of Dead Crow Reports Associated with a West Nile Virus Epidemic

[[abstract]]We apply the Space-Time AutoRegressive Moving Average (STARMA) modeling methods in an investigation of the spreading dynamics of a West Nile virus (WNV) epidemic in crows in the Detroit Metro area in 2002. The data fit very closely those expected from a purely STAR (Space-Time AutoRegressive) process having low spatial and temporal orders. The model can be used to characterize the past and possibly even predict the future dynamics of spreading behavior and, most importantly, to provide information about the factors which govern the spreading behavior. Use of the STARMA model allows estimation of the rate of spread of WNV at different spatial scales and thus characterization of the spatial and temporal scales expected. Determination of spatial-temporal autoregressive parameters using STARMA holds considerable promise for characterizing emerging infectious diseases

Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis in Michigan

We summarize the first reported case of acquired lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection in Michigan to be investigated by public health authorities and provide evidence of the focal nature of LCMV infection in domestic rodents. Results of serologic and virologic testing in rodents contrasted, and negative serologic test results should be confirmed by tissue testing

The influence of wrist posture, grip type, and grip force on median nerve shape and cross‐sectional area

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136715/1/ca22871_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136715/2/ca22871.pd

The Definition of Pneumonia, the Assessment of Severity, and Clinical Standardization in the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health Study

To develop a case definition for the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) project, we sought a widely acceptable classification that was linked to existing pneumonia research and focused on very severe cases. We began with the World Health Organization’s classification of severe/very severe pneumonia and refined it through literature reviews and a 2-stage process of expert consultation. PERCH will study hospitalized children, aged 1–59 months, with pneumonia who present with cough or difficulty breathing and have either severe pneumonia (lower chest wall indrawing) or very severe pneumonia (central cyanosis, difficulty breastfeeding/drinking, vomiting everything, convulsions, lethargy, unconsciousness, or head nodding). It will exclude patients with recent hospitalization and children with wheeze whose indrawing resolves after bronchodilator therapy. The PERCH investigators agreed upon standard interpretations of the symptoms and signs. These will be maintained by a clinical standardization monitor who conducts repeated instruction at each site and by recurrent local training and testing

Nicotine Pretreatment Increases Dysphoric Effects of Alcohol in Luteal-Phase Female Volunteers

The present report shows that nicotine enhances some of alcohol’s positive and negative effects in women and that these effects are most pronounced during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Ten low progesterone and 10 high progesterone/luteal-phase women received nicotine patch pretreatments (placebo or 21 mg) 3 hours before an alcohol challenge (0.4 g/kg). Subjective effects were recorded on mood adjective scales and the Addiction Research Center Inventory (ARCI). Heart rate and skin temperature were recorded. Luteal-phase women reported peak positive (e.g. “stimulated”) and peak negative effects (e.g. “clumsy”, “dizzy”) almost twice as great as low progesterone women

Neonatal severe bacterial infection impairment estimates in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America for 2010.

BACKGROUND: Survivors of neonatal infections are at risk of neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI), a burden not previously systematically quantified and yet important for program priority setting. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses were undertaken and applied in a three-step compartmental model to estimate NDI cases after severe neonatal bacterial infection in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America in neonates of >32 wk gestation (or >1,500 g). METHODS: We estimated cases of sepsis, meningitis, pneumonia, or no severe bacterial infection from among estimated cases of possible severe bacterial infection ((pSBI) step 1). We applied respective case fatality risks ((CFRs) step 2) and the NDI risk among survivors (step 3). For neonatal tetanus, incidence estimates were based on the estimated deaths, CFRs, and risk of subsequent NDI. RESULTS: For 2010, we estimated 1.7 million (uncertainty range: 1.1-2.4 million) cases of neonatal sepsis, 200,000 (21,000-350,000) cases of meningitis, 510,000 cases (150,000-930,000) of pneumonia, and 79,000 cases (70,000-930,000) of tetanus in neonates >32 wk gestation (or >1,500 g). Among the survivors, we estimated moderate to severe NDI after neonatal meningitis in 23% (95% confidence interval: 19-26%) of survivors, 18,000 (2,700-35,000) cases, and after neonatal tetanus in 16% (6-27%), 4,700 cases (1,700-8,900). CONCLUSION: Data are lacking for impairment after neonatal sepsis and pneumonia, especially among those of >32 wk gestation. Improved recognition and treatment of pSBI will reduce neonatal mortality. Lack of follow-up data for survivors of severe bacterial infections, particularly sepsis, was striking. Given the high incidence of sepsis, even minor NDI would be of major public health importance. Prevention of neonatal infection, improved case management, and support for children with NDI are all important strategies, currently receiving limited policy attention