Electrochemistry and application of a novel monosubstituted squarate electron-transfer mediator in a glucose oxidase-doped poly(phenol) sensor

Electrosynthetic poly(phenol) nanofilms were deposited in situ on platinum electrodes in the presence and absence of glucose oxidase. The synthesis charges and currents of the nonconducting polymer films were recorded at various applied potentials for films grown from 25–100 mM phenol concentrations. Film parameters such as the standard rate constant for film deposition, film thickness, and surface concentration of the poly(phenol) films were evaluated from the cyclic and step voltammograms of the polymerization process. A novel electron-transfer mediator consisting of monosubstituted 4-hydroxycyclobut-3-ene-1,2-dione (squarate) was used as a mediator for Pt/poly(phenol) nano-film/GOx amperometric glucose biosensors. Amperometric responses for 3-diphenylamino-4-hydroxycyclobut-3-ene-1,2- dione (diphenylaminosquarate: E°′ = of +328 mV/Ag-AgCl at pH 7.0)-mediated systems were measured by both steady-state amperometric and cyclic voltammetry. The sensor sensitivity was calculated to be 558 nA cm –2 (µM) –1

White matter changes and word finding failures with increasing age.

BACKGROUND: Increasing life expectancy necessitates the better understanding of the neurophysiological underpinnings of age-related cognitive changes. The majority of research examining structural-cognitive relationships in aging focuses on the role of age-related changes to grey matter integrity. In the current study, we examined the relationship between age-related changes in white matter and language production. More specifically, we concentrated on word-finding failures, which increase with age. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used Diffusion tensor MRI (a technique used to image, in vivo, the diffusion of water molecules in brain tissue) to relate white matter integrity to measures of successful and unsuccessful picture naming. Diffusion tensor images were used to calculate Fractional Anisotropy (FA) images. FA is considered to be a measure of white matter organization/integrity. FA images were related to measures of successful picture naming and to word finding failures using voxel-based linear regression analyses. Successful naming rates correlated positively with white matter integrity across a broad range of regions implicated in language production. However, word finding failure rates correlated negatively with a more restricted region in the posterior aspect of superior longitudinal fasciculus. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The use of DTI-MRI provides evidence for the relationship between age-related white matter changes in specific language regions and word finding failures in old age

The Impact of Non-Residential Tertiary Institutions on Housing in Lagos: A Case Study of Lagos State University

Tertiary institutions generally are to provide quality education to students on a full time basis and this requires domiciling the students in an area accessible to the school. This study examines the impact of the absence of students’ hostel accommodation at the Lagos State University (LASU), due to the policy of the school as non-residential one. It examines the impact of the students accommodation on housing dynamics. The researchers carried out a 15% sampling size in which 173 questionnaires were administered. For the purpose of this research, the systematic random sampling was used so as to minimise bias and enhance the probability of selecting a representative sample.The primary data included direct personal observations, oral interviews and use of questionnaire.The secondary data sets were sourced from Institutions and Government Organizations relevant to the study.The results show that there is high demand for housing units within the area because of nearness to the University campus. There is high occupancy ratio of 6-7 people per room, high rise building is commonest and accommodate up to 140 people. It is concluded that the off campus accommodation by the students in the study area led to high demand for housing units with increament in rent, development of shanty, and illegal expansion of existing building

Applying Latent Class Analysis on Cancer Registry Data to Identify and Compare Health Disparity Profiles in Colorectal Cancer Surgical Treatment Delay

Context: Colorectal cancer (CRC) surgical treatment delay (TD) has been associated with mortality and morbidity; however, disparities by TD profiles are unknown. Objectives: This study aimed to identify CRC patient profiles of surgical TD while accounting for differences in sociodemographic, health insurance, and geographic characteristics. Design: We used latent class analysis (LCA) on 2005-2015 Tennessee Cancer Registry data of CRC patients and observed indicators that included sex/gender, age at diagnosis, marital status (single/married/divorced/widowed), race (White/Black/other), health insurance type, and geographic residence (non-Appalachian/Appalachian). Setting: The state of Tennessee in the United States that included both Appalachian and non-Appalachian counties. Participants: Adult (18 years or older) CRC patients (N = 35 412) who were diagnosed and surgically treated for in situ (n = 1286) and malignant CRC (n = 34 126). Main Outcome Measure: The distal outcome of TD was categorized as 30 days or less and more than 30 days from diagnosis to surgical treatment. Results: Our LCA identified a 4-class solution and a 3-class solution for in situ and malignant profiles, respectively. The highest in situ CRC patient risk profile was female, White, aged 75 to 84 years, widowed, and used public health insurance when compared with respective profiles. The highest malignant CRC patient risk profile was male, Black, both single/never married and divorced/separated, resided in non-Appalachian county, and used public health insurance when compared with respective profiles. The highest risk profiles of in situ and malignant patients had a TD likelihood of 19.3% and 29.4%, respectively. Conclusions: While our findings are not meant for diagnostic purposes, we found that Blacks had lower TD with in situ CRC. The opposite was found in the malignant profiles where Blacks had the highest TD. Although TD is not a definitive marker of survival, we observed that non-Appalachian underserved/underrepresented groups were overrepresented in the highest TD profiles. The observed disparities could be indicative of intervenable risk

A National Study of Colorectal Cancer Survivorship Disparities: A Latent Class Analysis Using SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) Registries

Introduction: Long–standing disparities in colorectal cancer (CRC) outcomes and survival between Whites and Blacks have been observed. A person–centered approach using latent class analysis (LCA) is a novel methodology to assess and address CRC health disparities. LCA can overcome statistical challenges from subgroup analyses that would normally impede variable–centered analyses like regression. Aim was to identify risk profiles and differences in malignant CRC survivorship outcomes. Methods: We conducted an LCA on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data from 1975 to 2016 for adults ≥18 (N = 525,245). Sociodemographics used were age, sex/gender, marital status, race, and ethnicity (Hispanic/Latinos) and stage at diagnosis. To select the best fitting model, we employed a comparative approach comparing sample-size adjusted BIC and entropy; which indicates a good separation of classes. Results: A four–class solution with an entropy of 0.72 was identified as: lowest survivorship, medium-low, medium-high, and highest survivorship. The lowest survivorship class (26% of sample) with a mean survival rate of 53 months had the highest conditional probabilities of being 76–85 years–old at diagnosis, female, widowed, and non-Hispanic White, with a high likelihood with localized staging. The highest survivorship class (53% of sample) with a mean survival rate of 92 months had the highest likelihood of being married, male with localized staging, and a high likelihood of being non-Hispanic White. Conclusion: The use of a person–centered measure with population-based cancer registries data can help better detect cancer risk subgroups that may otherwise be overlooked

Sociodemographic and Geographic Disparities of Prostate Cancer Treatment Delay in Tennessee: A Population-Based Study

The relationship of social determinants of health, Appalachian residence, and prostate cancer treatment delay among Tennessee adults is relatively unknown. We used multivariate logistic regression on 2005-2015 Tennessee Cancer Registry data of adults aged ≥18 diagnosed with prostate cancer. The outcome of treatment delay was more than 90 days without surgical or nonsurgical intervention from date of diagnosis. Social determinants in the population-based registry were race (White, Black, Other) and marital status (single, married, divorced/separated, widow/widower). Tennessee residence was classified as Appalachian versus non-Appalachian (urban/rural). Covariates include age at diagnosis (18-54, 54-69, ≥70), health insurance type (none, public, private), derived staging of cancer (localized, regional, distant), and treatment type (non-surgical/surgical). We found that Black and divorced/separated patients had 32% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22-1.42) and 15% (95% CI: 1.01-1.31) increased odds to delay prostate cancer treatment. Patients were at decreased odds of treatment delay when living in an Appalachian county, both urban (odds ratio [OR] = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.82-0.95) and rural (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.78-0.89), diagnosed at ≥70 (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.53-0.66), and received surgical intervention (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.68-0.76). Our study was among the first to comprehensively examine prostate cancer treatment delay in Tennessee, and while we do not make clinical recommendations, there is a critical need to further explore the unique factors that may propagate disparities. Prostate cancer treatment delay in Black patients may be indicative of ongoing health and access disparities in Tennessee, which may further affect quality of life and survivorship among this racial group. Divorced/separated patients may need tailored interventions to improve social support

The Effect of Knowledge Management and Motivation on Organizational Performance: A Case of Techiman Municipal Assembly, Ghana

In the 21st century, managing knowledge globally in organizations has become a big challenge.  In particular, it has become very difficult for researchers to ascertain how knowledge management and motivation generally impact organizational performance. Our study seeks to ascertain the effect of knowledge management and motivation on organizational performance in a localized context, with a study of the Techiman Municipal Assembly of the Brong Ahafo Region of the West African nation of Ghana. While, a descriptive approach is to be employed in the study, the population of the study has been pegged at three hundred and eighty (380) junior and senior staff employees, who were randomly selected for the purpose of our study. Operationally, a sample size of one hundred and ninety-five (195) members has been selected by utilizing the Taro Yamani formula at a significance level of 5%. Stratified random sampling technique has also been utilized to identify the categories of staff for consideration. Questionnaire instruments were designed and subsequently used to collect data for the study. The variables were coded and descriptive statistics, along with regression analysis, were employed in the process. Our  findings have, so far, revealed that the most prominent knowledge management practices at the Techiman Municipal Assembly constitute training through induction and workshop (with Mean score=3.98), and a seminar (with Mean score=3.89), all of which are  identified as knowledge acquisition and knowledge sharing, respectively. The study is also expected to reveal  that the most crucial  challenge in managing knowledge at the Techiman Municipal Assembly is  the lack of processes for conversion of implicit knowledge to explicit Knowledge (with Mean score=4.11). Furthermore, the findings of the study shows a significant positive relationship between knowledge management and organizational performance (r = 0.362ᵃ, sig. value=0.000), as well as motivation and organizational performance (r = 0.333ᵃ, sig. value=0.001). Furthermore, multiple regression has, as well, been conducted, which has indicated that a significant positive relationship between knowledge management and motivation (independent variables) and organizational performance (r = 0.395ᵃ, sig. value=0.000) does exist.  The study, overall, recommends that there is the need for the assembly’s management to develop localized motivational strategy and packages, which will promote job advancements, job rotation, accommodation, recognition, promotion, and cash rewards for the employees, incentives that are expected to motivate employees to the extent of ultimately making them willing to share their maximum knowledge to bring about higher quality as well as sterling performance. Keywords: Assembly, Municipal, Region, Knowledge, Management, Motivation, Organizational Performance, and Public Secto

Attitude of Health Workers Towards Patients: An Aftermath of Ebola Outbreak in Nigeria

Attitude is a mental and emotional construct that characterizes people. It is formed from a people’s past and present experiences and is instrumental to how people think and behave. This study investigates the attitude of health workers towards patients in some tertiary hospitals in Southwest Nigeria as a result of the aftermath of the last outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Nigeria. 600 consenting participants selected through a two-stage sampling method were involved in the study. Data was retrieved through administration of structured questionnaire designed in five-point Likert-scale format. About two-third of the participants (32.3%) involved in the study were nurses while (22.0%) were doctors. (34.7%) of the participants disagreed that health workers suspect patients have Ebola virus disease at first contact with them while (48.0%) agreed that health workers are afraid when they have contact with patients. In addition, (36.7%) of the participants in the study disagreed that health workers do not move close to patients when examining patients who are febrile while (39.3%) disagreed that health workers are irrational and harsh to patients. In all, the study showed that, (52.7%) of the participants in the study have positive attitude towards patients. This is without prejudice to previous experience of health workers being infected with the deadly disease from patients during the last outbreak in 2014. The study recommended dissemination of adequate information on Ebola virus disease among health workers to forestall future infection of Ebola virus disease from patients. Massive attitudinal change towards patients among health workers in the study population is also strongly recommended.

Fractal dimension of cortical functional connectivity networks & severity of disorders of consciousness.

Recent evidence suggests that the quantity and quality of conscious experience may be a function of the complexity of activity in the brain and that consciousness emerges in a critical zone between low and high-entropy states. We propose fractal shapes as a measure of proximity to this critical point, as fractal dimension encodes information about complexity beyond simple entropy or randomness, and fractal structures are known to emerge in systems nearing a critical point. To validate this, we tested several measures of fractal dimension on the brain activity from healthy volunteers and patients with disorders of consciousness of varying severity. We used a Compact Box Burning algorithm to compute the fractal dimension of cortical functional connectivity networks as well as computing the fractal dimension of the associated adjacency matrices using a 2D box-counting algorithm. To test whether brain activity is fractal in time as well as space, we used the Higuchi temporal fractal dimension on BOLD time-series. We found significant decreases in the fractal dimension between healthy volunteers (n = 15), patients in a minimally conscious state (n = 10), and patients in a vegetative state (n = 8), regardless of the mechanism of injury. We also found significant decreases in adjacency matrix fractal dimension and Higuchi temporal fractal dimension, which correlated with decreasing level of consciousness. These results suggest that cortical functional connectivity networks display fractal character and that this is associated with level of consciousness in a clinically relevant population, with higher fractal dimensions (i.e. more complex) networks being associated with higher levels of consciousness. This supports the hypothesis that level of consciousness and system complexity are positively associated, and is consistent with previous EEG, MEG, and fMRI studies

Quality of life following fistulotomy - short term follow-up

INTRODUCTION: Anal fistula causes pain, discharge of pus and blood. Fistulotomy has the highest success, however, can risk continence; treatment balances cure with continence. This study assessed the impact of fistulotomy on Quality Of Life (QOL) and continence. METHODS: Patients selected for fistulotomy prospectively completed St Mark's Continence Score (full incontinence = 24) and Short Form - 36 questionnaires pre-operatively at two institutions with an interest in anal fistula, and reassessed 3 months post-operatively. RESULTS: There were 52 patients median age 44, range 19 - 82 years, 10 were women. Pre-operative continence scores were median 0, range 0 - 23, there was no significant difference compared to post-operative scores, median 1, range 0-24. Quality of life was significantly improved following fistulotomy in 4 of 8 domains: Bodily Pain (p<0.001); Vitality (p<0.01); Social Functioning (p<0.05); Mental Health (p<0.001) and returned to that of the general population. QOL for patients with intersphincteric fistula improved post fistulotomy, for those with trans-sphincteric fistula QOL remained the same. Data were further examined in two groups, with and without continence score deterioration. Where continence improved post-operatively, QOL improved in 3 domains; where continence deteriorated QOL also improved, in 2 domains (p<0.05). Patients with post-operative continence of <5 points had worse QOL than those scoring 4 or less. DISCUSSION: QOL at three months follow up significantly improved following fistulotomy where continence was maintained or a small reduction occurred