Health risk assessment of instant noodles commonly consumed in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

The current study investigated the levels of some heavy metals [Lead (Pb), Arsenic (As), Nickel (Ni), Mercury (Hg), Copper (Cu), Cadmium (Cd), Aluminium (Al) and Chromium (Cr)] and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in six brands of instant noodles (CFN, GFC, NGP, GAA, CUN and FCS) commonly consumed in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Risks of consumption of contaminated noodles were also assessed. Heavy metals content and PAHs were determined using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) and Gas Chromatography (GC), respectively. Concentration of heavy metals as Pb, Ni, Cu, Al and Cr were detected while As, Hg and Cd were not detected in noodles. High average concentration (mean ± SD mg/kg) of Pb were observed in brands CFN (3.163 ± 0.21) and GFC (1.022 ± 0.08) which were significantly higher (P≤0.05) than in NGP (0.043 ± 0.15) and GAA (0.276 ± 0.18), although all were above WHO permissible limits (0.025 mg/kg). Target Hazard Quotient and Hazard Index for Pb were >1 in brands CFN and GFC indicating unacceptable risk. Results of PAHs showed brands had total PAHs (mg/kg) in the order: CFN >CUN >GAA >NGP >FCS > GFC. Although Carcinogenic Risks associated with these noodles are within permissible range, consumption of CFN and GFC could pose greater health risk to consumers. Long term consumption of brands CUN, CFN and GAA may have higher probability of carcinogenesis among consumers. We therefore recommend more diligent regulatory policies and monitoring by relevant Government agencies (WHO, NAFDAC, CPC and SON) to ensure wholesome noodles get to consumers

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Enhanced Lifetime of organic photovoltaic diodes utilizing a ternary blend including an insulating polymer

We report on the lifetime of unencapsulated organic photovoltaic diodes (OPVs) based on a ternary blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) and a soft insulating polymer, poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as compared to reference binary P3HT:PCBM OPVs. The performance of ternary devices was shown to decay more slowly than that of their binary counterparts to an extent that depends on the relative humidity (RH). The power conversion efficiency of ternary OPVs when stored in a low humidity environment (1% RH) decayed to 80% of their initial value after 200 h, almost double that of the reference binary OPVs. AFM measurements suggest that the PMMA forms pillars within the P3HT:PCBM matrix. It is proposed that the PMMA absorbs water in the active layer, and in doing so, slows the rate of deep trap formation that would otherwise lead to enhanced Shockley-Read-Hall recombination

Optimum Mandrel Configuration for Efficient Down-Hole Tube Expansion

In the last decade, traditional tube expansion process has found an innovative application in oil and gas well drilling and remediation. The ultimate goal is to replace the conventional telescopic wells to mono-diameter wells with minimum cost, which is still a distant reality. Further to this, large diameters are needed at terminal depths for enhanced production from a single well while keeping the power required for expansion and related costs to a minimum. Progress has been made to realize slim wells by driving a rigid mandrel of a suitable diameter through the tube either mechanically or hydraulically to attain a desirable expansion ratio. This paper presents a finite element model which predicts the drawing force for expansion, the stress field in expanded and pre/post expanded zones, and the energy required for expansion. Through minimization of energy required for expansion, an optimum mandrel configuration i.e. shape, size and angle was obtained which can be used to achieve larger in-situ expansion. It is found that mandrel with elliptical, hemispherical and curved conical shapes have minimum resistance during expansion as compared to the widely used circular cross section mandrel with a cone angle of 10°. However, further manipulation of shape parameters of the circular cross section mandrel revealed an improved efficiency. The drawing force required for expansion reduces by 7% to 10% having minimum dissipated energy during expansion. It is also found that these cones yield less reduction in tube thickness after expansion, which results in higher post-expansion collapse strength. In addition, rotating a mandrel further reduces the energy required for expansion by 7%.</jats:p

Characteristics, Trends, and Factors Associated With Publication Among Residents of Oman Medical Specialty Board Programs

ABSTRACT Background Research during residency is associated with better clinical performance, improved critical thinking, and increased interest in an academic career. Objective We examined the rate, characteristics, and factors associated with research publications by residents in Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB) programs. Methods We included residents enrolled in 18 OMSB residency programs between 2011 and 2016. Resident characteristics were obtained from the OMSB Training Affairs Department. In April 2018, MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases were searched independently by 2 authors for resident publications in peer-reviewed journals using standardized criteria. Results Over the study period, 552 residents trained in OMSB programs; 64% (351 of 552) were female, and the mean age at matriculation was 29.4 ± 2.2 years. Most residents (71%, 393 of 552) were in the early stages of specialty training (R ≤ 3) and 49% (268 of 552) completed a designated research block as part of their training. Between 2011 and 2016, 43 residents published 42 research articles (range, 1–5 resident authors per article), for an overall publication rate of 8%. Residents were the first authors in 20 (48%) publications. Male residents (odds ratio [OR] = 2.07; P = .025, 95% CI 1.1–3.91) and residents who completed a research block (OR = 2.57; P = .017, 95% CI 1.19–5.57) were significantly more likely to publish. Conclusions Research training during residency can result in tangible research output. Future studies should explore barriers to publication for resident research and identify interventions to promote formal scholarly activity during residency. </jats:sec