The effects of mass media messages, perceived susceptibility and self-rated health on public attitude towards COVID-19 in South Africa.

Objectives: South Africa was the worst affected country in Africa by the COVID-19 pandemic and it is important to interrogate the attitude of the populace towards the pandemic for future interventions. Therefore, this study examined effects of mass media messages, susceptibility to COVID-19 and self-rated health on the attitudes of South Africans towards the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Data was from the National Income Dynamics Study - Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM) of 2021 which is a nationally representative panel survey of about 7,000 South African individuals in all the nine provinces.

Artificial Intelligence and Cardiology Practice in Nigeria: Are We Ready?

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally. As cardiovascular risk factors continuously rise to pandemic levels, there is intense pressure worldwide to improve cardiac care in preventive cardiology, cardio-diagnostics, therapeutics, and interventional cardiology. Artificial intelligence (AI), an advanced branch of computer science has ushered in the fourth industrial revolution with myriad opportunities in healthcare including cardiology.

Evaluations of Weathering of Polar and Nonpolar Petroleum Components in a Simulated Freshwater-Oil Spill by Orbitrap and Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry.

The comprehensive chemical characterization of crude oil is important for the evaluation of the transformation and fate of components in the environment. Molecular-level speciation of naphthenic acid fraction compounds (NAFCs) was investigated in a mesoscale spill tank using both negative-ion electrospray ionization (ESI) Orbitrap mass spectrometry (MS) and positive-ion atmospheric pressure photoionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (APPI-FT-ICR-MS). Both ionization techniques are coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometric detectors (ESI: Orbitrap MS; APPI: FT-ICR-MS at 9.

Contexts, beliefs and health behaviour: Are individuals who engage in risky sexual behaviour likely to wear facemasks against COVID-19?

Beside age, underlying comorbidities and availability of sanitation facilities, individual health beliefs and behaviour are critical in combating the sustained prevalence of Covid-19. Behaviour has, however, been shown to be consistent but could be context- dependent based on the individual's beliefs. To investigate whether or not individuals' protective behaviour against coronavirus is associated with their behaviour in a previous health context.

Risk assessment for COVID-19 transmission at household level in sub-Saharan Africa: evidence from DHS.

Unlabelled: Household habitat conditions matter for diseases transmission and control, especially in the case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). These conditions include availability and adequacy of sanitation facilities, and number of persons per room. Despite this, little attention is being paid to these conditions as a pathway to understanding the transmission and prevention of COVID-19, especially in Africa, where household habitat conditions are largely suboptimal.

Transformation of bitumen-derived naphthenic acid fraction compounds across surface waters of wetlands in the Athabasca Oil Sands region.

Bitumen is extracted from oil sands in the Athabasca Oil Sands region (AOSR) of Alberta, Canada. Much of the bitumen-derived toxicity in mine waste is attributable to naphthenic acid fraction compounds (NAFCs). Mines in the AOSR are required to be returned to a natural state after closure; thus, cost-effective strategies are needed to reduce toxicity from NAFCs.

The prevalence and contextual correlates of non-communicable diseases among inter-provincial migrants and non-migrants in South Africa.

Background: The socioeconomic conditions of different environments manifest in varying experiences of illnesses. Even as migrants do transit across these different environments for various reasons, including settlement, they are bound to have peculiar experiences of diseases, which could be traced to lifestyle, gender, adaptation, and reactions to specific social, economic, psychological and climatic conditions. Paying attention to such unique scenarios, our study examines the prevalence and contextual correlates of non-communicable diseases among inter-provincial migrants and non-migrants in South Africa.

Analysis of equity and social inclusiveness of national urban development policies and strategies through the lenses of health and nutrition.

Introduction: Rapid urbanization increases competition for scarce urban resources and underlines the need for policies that promote equitable access to resources. This study examined equity and social inclusion of urban development policies in Nigeria through the lenses of access to health and food/nutrition resources.

Method: Desk review of 22 policy documents, strategies, and plans within the ambit of urban development was done.

Rural-urban differences in the predictive influence of sex preference on marital dissolution in Nigeria.

This study examined the influence of place of residence on sex preference as a predictor of marital dissolution in Nigeria. It also appraised the mediation of socio-demographic factors on the relationship between sex preference and marital dissolution. Data were sourced from the 2018 demographic and health survey of Nigeria.

Treatment of oil sands process affected waters by constructed wetlands: Evaluation of designs and plant types.

Constructed wetland treatment systems (CWTS)s can be used to treat various wastewaters. The main constituent in oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) with uncertain treatment by CWTS are naphthenic acid fraction compounds (NAFC)s. The NAFCs are also among the primary contributors of toxicity to aquatic organisms.

Political distrust and the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

While studies have explored how health sector corruption, weak healthcare system, large-scale immune compromised population, misinformation and prevalence of highly congested slums contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria, they have glossed over the impact of political distrust on the spread of the virus. This study explores the impact of political distrust on the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. The study utilised qualitative dominant mixed methods approach comprising telephone interviews and a survey of 120 educated Nigerians purposively selected from four COVID-19 most affected states including Lagos, Oyo, Kano and Rivers as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Direct analysis of naphthenic acids in constructed wetland samples by condensed phase membrane introduction mass spectrometry.

The application of direct mass spectrometry techniques to the analysis of complex samples has a number of advantages including reduced sample handling, higher sample throughput, in situ process monitoring, and the potential for adaptation to on-site analysis. We report the application of a semi-permeable capillary hollow fibre membrane probe (immersed directly into an aqueous sample) coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer by a continuously flowing methanol acceptor phase for the rapid analysis of naphthenic acids with unit mass resolution. The intensity of the naphthenic acid-associated peaks in the mass spectrum are normalized to an internal standard in the acceptor phase for quantitation and the relative abundance of the peaks in the mass spectrum are employed to monitor compositional changes in the naphthenic acid mixture using principle component analysis.

Endothelial dysfunction and glycocalyx shedding in heart failure: insights from patients receiving cardiac resynchronisation therapy.

To determine (a) whether chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is associated with increased glycocalyx shedding; (b) whether glycocalyx shedding in HFrEF with left ventricular dyssynchrony is related to inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and/or redox stress and is ameliorated by cardiac resynchronisation therapy. Glycocalyx shedding has been reported to be increased in heart failure and is a marker of increased mortality. Its role in dyssynchronous systolic heart failure and the effects of cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) are largely unknown.

Electrical remodelling post cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with ischemic and non-ischemic heart failure.

Background: The beneficial effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in heart failure are largely considered to be due to improved mechanical contractility. The contributory role of electrical remodelling is less clear. We sought to evaluate the impact of electrical remodelling in these patients.

Trends, Determinants and Health Risks of Adolescent Fatherhood in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Background: This study examined the trends, determinants and health risks of adolescent fatherhood in three selected African countries where adolescent-girl pregnancy/motherhood are decried but with permissive male sexual latitude.

Methods: Adolescent male data were extracted from the malerecode datasets of Demographic Health Survey (2000-2014) for Nigeria, Ethiopia and Zambia. The surveys were grouped into 3-Waves: (2000-2004); (2005-2008) and (2011-2014).

Fate and behavior of oil sands naphthenic acids in a pilot-scale treatment wetland as characterized by negative-ion electrospray ionization Orbitrap mass spectrometry.

Large volumes of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) are generated during the extraction of bitumen from oil sands in the Athabasca region of northeastern Alberta, Canada. As part of the development of treatment technologies, molecular characterization of naphthenic acids (NAs) and naphthenic acid fraction compounds (NAFC) in wetlands is a topic of research to better understand their fate and behavior in aquatic environments. Reported here is the application of high-resolution negative-ion electrospray Orbitrap-mass spectrometry for molecular characterization of NAs and NAFCs in a non-aerated constructed treatment wetland.

Does cardiac resynchronization therapy restore peripheral circulatory homeostasis?

Aims: To evaluate whether peripheral circulatory 'remodelling' as measured by changes in vascular compliance and in markers of nitric oxide signalling contributes to patient response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

Methods And Results: Effects of CRT were evaluated in 33 patients pre-procedure and 6 months post-procedure. Peak oxygen consumption, 6 min walk distance, New York Heart Association class, and quality of life score were evaluated.

Characterization of dicarboxylic naphthenic acid fraction compounds utilizing amide derivatization: Proof of concept.

Rationale: The characterization of naphthenic acid fraction compounds (NAFCs) in oil sands process affected water (OSPW) is of interest for both toxicology studies and regulatory reasons. Previous studies utilizing authentic standards have identified dicarboxylic naphthenic acids using two-dimensional gas chromatography hyphenated to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC/TOFMS). The selective derivatization of hydroxyl groups has also recently aided in the characterization of oxy-NAFCs, and indirectly the characterization of dicarboxylic NAFCs.

Access to mass media messages, and use of family planning in Nigeria: a spatio-demographic analysis from the 2013 DHS.

Background: Nigeria has the highest population in sub-Saharan Africa with high birth and growth rates. There is therefore need for family planning to regulate and stabilize this population. This study examined the relationship between access to mass media messages on family planning and use of family planning in Nigeria.

Are the symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in Nigerian patients objective? An evaluation using the United Kingdom Screening Test (UKST) and Bio-Thesiometry.

Background: Symptoms suggestive of peripheral neuropathy (PN) in diabetes mellitus (DM) do not always indicate presence ofunderlying PN.

Objective: A pioneering study among Nigerian diabetic subjects to evaluate the objectivity of their symptoms of PN using two objective diagnostic instruments for PN the United Kingdom Screening Test (UKST) and Bio-Thesiometry.

Subjects And Methods: One hundred and twenty diabetic participants and a similar number of non-diabetic controls were screened for symptoms of PN using the UKST symptoms score and subsequently separated into two groups those with symptoms ofPN and those without.

Prevalence of dyslipidaemia in apparently healthy professionals in Asaba, South South Nigeria.

Background: Hypercholesterolaemia is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD) especially in industrialized societies. Coronary heart disease is becoming an increasing cause of death even in the developing world.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of dyslipidaemia in apparently healthy professionals in a developing economy.