Factors Affecting Choice of Subspecialisation amongst Orthopaedic Surgery Residents in Southern Nigeria.

Background: As the field of surgery continues to evolve, subspecialty training is fast becoming integral to surgical education. Presently, orthopaedic surgery residents have opportunities to subspecialise in different areas.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the factors affecting the choice of desired subspecialties amongst orthopaedic surgery residents in southern Nigeria.

Assessment of the Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Orthopaedic Surgery Training Among Orthopaedic Residents in Southern Nigeria.

Background: Surgical training is hands-on, with residents requiring optimal exposure to patients for optimal training and adequate experience. Thus, despite the increased usage of virtual, non-physical resources for medical education during the pandemic, orthopaedic surgical training still suffered adversely.

Objectives: To explore the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Orthopaedic surgery training, teaching and practice amongst residents in southern Nigeria.

Navigating Nigeria's Health Landscape: Population Growth and Its Health Implications.

This comprehensive analysis examines the multifaceted impacts of population growth on public health in Nigeria. Drawing parallels with Omran's epidemiological transition model (that focuses on the intricate means that patterns of health and illness are changing, as well as the relationships that exist between these patterns and the sociological, demographic, and economic factors that influence them) and referencing experiences from Chile and Ceylon. The study highlights a substantial rise in Nigeria's population causing a double burden of infectious and non-communicable diseases, leading to higher morbidity, and mortality rates, increased healthcare costs, decreased productivity, and health inequalities, posing significant challenges to the country's healthcare system.

Improvement of attention deficit disorder symptoms after treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in an adult: a case report and mini review.

Unlabelled: Sparse literature exists on the effects of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment on symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults. This article aims to bring to the fore the relationship between ADHD and OSA in adults and the implications of the treatment of OSA on the symptoms of ADHD. A case of an adult who was previously diagnosed with attention deficit disorder in childhood with symptom improvement following OSA treatment is reported.

Integrated geotechnical and mineralogical evaluation of the subgrade of some failed pavements along Enugu-Onitsha expressway Southeastern Nigeria.

This research is focused on the constant pavement failure in parts of the Enugu-Onitsha expressway. The failed portions are constructed on the natural subgrade known to be the Shale of Enugu and Mamu formations southeastern Nigeria. Five samples each were obtained from the formations and were subjected to geotechnical test, mineralogical analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and, statistical analysis.

Efficacy of GIS-based AHP and data-driven intelligent machine learning algorithms for irrigation water quality prediction in an agricultural-mine district within the Lower Benue Trough, Nigeria.

Agricultural productivity can be impaired by poor irrigation water quality. Therefore, adequate vulnerability assessment and identification of the most influential water quality parameters for accurate prediction becomes crucial for enhanced water resource management and sustainability. In this study, the geographical information system (GIS), analytical hierarchy process (AHP) technique, and machine learning models were integrated to assess and predict the irrigation water quality (IWQ) suitability of the Okurumutet-Iyamitet agricultural-mine district.

Foundation integrity assessment of failed buildings in Ehamufu and Aguamede, South East Nigeria.

The failure of civil engineering structures especially buildings by severe cracks, partial, or complete collapse have kept the natives of communities in Aguamede and Ehamufu (Southeastern Nigeria) communities in a bothered state. Detailed geotechnical techniques and X-ray diffraction analysis were applied to investigate the soil samples from the study area. Geotechnical results revealed that the soil of the area have high clay content (62.

Awareness of Hazard Risks and Prevention Among Orthopaedic Surgery Residents in South East Nigeria.

Background: Orthopaedic surgery is a specialty that deals with a lot of complex and delicate procedures which involve the use of power tools as well as handling of sharp tools and bony spicules, which, among other things, expose trainees to day-to-day hazards which can predispose them to an array of health challenges and burden the health sector. Knowledge of different measures in minimizing some of these risks can go a long way to saving lives and resources.

Objectives: This study aims to determine the level of awareness among orthopaedic surgical residents about various hazards and risks and to ascertain their views on the prevention thereof to guide certain decision-making concerning surgical hazard risk reduction.

An integrated approach to the bioavailability, ecological, and health risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in soils within a barite mining area, SE Nigeria.

Monitoring and assessment of soil quality are important in mining areas. In this study, indexical, spatiotemporal, and chemometric models were developed to monitor and assess the pollution level and health risk of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) within the Iyamitet-Okurumutet mine province, SE Nigeria. Surface soils were sampled within the mine area and analyzed for pH, cation exchange capacity, organic matter, and PTEs (Pb, Zn, Cd, Mn, Fe, Ba) following standard techniques.

Acute toxicity assessment of produced water effluent stream on selected local organisms in Delta state, Nigeria.

This study evaluated toxicity level of produced water effluent on indigenous organisms in Delta state, Nigeria. Four test organisms, Vibrio fischeri, Palaemonetes africanus, Tympanosomas fuscatus, and Tilapia guineensis, were selected for toxicity assessment using effluent streams from treated produced water and water from the produced water recipient environment. Representative samples of treated produced water effluent were collected from the bulk header within the oil terminal and within the discharge environment.

A review of effects of calorie restriction and fasting with potential relevance to depression.

In recent years, there has been a great deal of interest in the effects of calorie reduction (calorie restriction) and fasting on depression. In the current paper, we have reviewed the literature in this area, with discussion of the possible neurobiological mechanisms involved in calorie restriction and intermittent fasting. Factors which may play a role in the effects of these dietary manipulations on health include changes involving free fatty acids, ketone bodies, neurotransmitters, cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), cytokines, orexin, ghrelin, leptin, reactive oxygen species and autophagy.

GIS-based landslide susceptibility mapping using heuristic and bivariate statistical methods for Iva Valley and environs Southeast Nigeria.

Udi-Iva Valley region of Enugu state has the most concentration of landslide in Southeastern Nigeria. Detailed field investigations alongside satellite image studies were employed to delineate nine landslide conditioning factors. Lithology, elevation, slope, aspect, curvature, distance from drainage, distance from road, land cover, and distance from lineament have been chosen as the landslide causative factors in the study area.

Autophagy protects against redox-active trace metal-induced cell death in rabbit synovial fibroblasts through Toll-like receptor 4 activation.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated to play a role in initiating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis. We have investigated the mechanism(s) by which essential redox-active trace metals (RATM) may induce cell proliferation and cell death in rabbit synovial fibroblasts. These fibroblast-like synovial (FLS) cells, which express Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), were used as a model system that plays a role in potentially initiating RA through oxidative stress.

Role of Toll-like receptor 4/oxidant-coupled activation in regulating the biosynthesis of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid derivative resolvin D1 in primary murine peritoneal macrophage.

We have previously shown that reactive oxygen species (ROS) as prooxidants can activate Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) with the potential to initiate, propagate and maintain "sterile" inflammation of innate immunity, which plays a mediatory role in a host of human disease states. We now present new evidence that ROS can also activate TLR4 to counter the inflammatory phenotype by increasing the production of resolvin D1 (RvD1), which is a specialized anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving lipid mediator. We used primary murine peritoneal macrophages (pM) derived from both TLR4-WT and TLR4-KO mice as a cellular model.

Redox-active trace metal-induced release of high mobility group box 1(HMGB1) and inflammatory cytokines in fibroblast-like synovial cells is Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) dependent.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune systemic inflammatory disease that is characterized by synovial inflammation and bone erosion. We have investigated the mechanism(s) by which essential trace metals may initiate and propagate inflammatory phenotypes in synovial fibroblasts. We used HIG-82, rabbit fibroblast-like synovial cells (FLS), as a model system for potentially initiating RA through oxidative stress.

Impact of oil recession on community mental health service utilization in an oil sands mining region in Canada.

Objectives: This retrospective clinical audit compared changes in community mental health service utilization before and during an economic recession in an oil sands region in Canada which was characterized by a doubling of unemployment rates and poor economic outlook.

Methods: Sociodemographic descriptors, psychiatric antecedents, clinical characteristics and follow-up care were compared before and during the recession for newly assessed patients in community mental health clinics located across a Northern Alberta oil mining region. Data were collected retrospectively as part of a clinical audit process and then analysed with descriptive statistics, cross-tabular univariate analyses with chi-square tests using SPSS version 20.

The impact of industrial wastewater on the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of groundwater in Ajao- Estate Lagos, Nigeria.

In Ajao Estate, it is believed that poor quality of its groundwater is unconnected to the dislodging of wastewater into the environment by food- and wine-producing industries operating in the area. To ascertain this claim, the impact of this wastewater on microbiological and physicochemical quality of the groundwater was evaluated. Microbiological result of water samples revealed decrease in Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium spp.

Exogenous oxidants activate nuclear factor kappa B through Toll-like receptor 4 stimulation to maintain inflammatory phenotype in macrophage.

Disturbances in redox equilibrium in tissue can lead to inflammatory state, which is a mediatory factor in many human diseases. The mechanism(s) by which exogenous oxidants may activate an inflammatory response is not fully understood. Emerging evidence suggests that oxidant-induced Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activation plays a major role in "sterile" inflammation.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated priming of toll-like receptor 4 enhances oxidant-induced prostaglandin E biosynthesis in primary murine macrophages.

Agonists and pseudo-agonists for toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) are common in our environment. Thus, human exposure to these agents may result in "priming or sensitization" of TLR4. A body of evidence suggests that LPS-mediated sensitization of TLR4 can increase the magnitude of responses to exogenous agents in multiple tissues.

Environmental risk assessment of lead-zinc mining: a case study of Adudu metallogenic province, middle Benue Trough, Nigeria.

Assessment of the impacts of lead-zinc mining in Adudu-Imon metallogenic province was carried out. Reconnaissance and detailed field studies were done. Lithologies, stream sediments, farmland soils, mine tailings, artificial pond water, stream water, well water, and borehole water were collected and subjected to atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses.

Geotechnical assessment of road failure and slope monitoring along Nsukka-Adoru-Idah highway, Southeastern Nigeria.

The quality of highway pavement is greatly influenced by the subgrade materials, the general geology of the area, and the materials used for construction. Investigation into the 75-km Nsukka-Adoru-Idah highway revealed that the pavement was underlain by three lithological units-Imo, Nsukka, and Ajali formations. The geotechnical evaluation carried out in the study includes the particle size distribution, Atterberg limit, specific gravity, compaction tests, and California bearing ratio (CBR).

Toll-like receptor 4 signaling: A common pathway for interactions between prooxidants and extracellular disulfide high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein-coupled activation.

Necrotic cells passively release HMGB1, which can stimulate TLR4 in an autocrine fashion to potentially initiate "sterile" inflammation that maintains different disease states. We have shown that prooxidants can induce NF-κB activation through TLR4 stimulation. We examined whether prooxidants enhance HMGB1-induced TLR4 signaling through NF-κB activation.

Prostaglandin E2 promotes proliferation of skeletal muscle myoblasts via EP4 receptor activation.

We recently demonstrated that conditioned media (CM) from osteocytes enhances myogenic differentiation of myoblasts, suggesting that signaling from bone may be important for skeletal muscle myogenesis. The effect of CM was closely mimicked by prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a bioactive lipid mediator in various physiological or pathological conditions. PGE2 is secreted at high levels by osteocytes and such secretion is further enhanced under loading conditions.

Evaluation of the impact of asbestos wastes on soils in Emene-Enugu, Southeastern Nigeria.

This study investigated the impacts of asbestos wastes on soils in Emene-Enugu, southeastern Nigeria, generated by the activities of a major asbestos products manufacturing company in southeastern Nigeria. The methods of investigation included vertical electrical sounding (VES), 2-D horizontal resistivity profiling (HRP), induced polarization (IP) survey, chemical analysis of plant tissues and standard penetration tests of soil samples. The 2-D HRP and IP identified six closed waste pits alongside the two active pits.