Evaluation of hydro-chemical facies and surface water quality dynamics using multivariate statistical approaches in Southern Nigeria.

The geochemical and chemical constituents of river water quality could be influenced by human activities and organic processes like water interacting with the lithogenic structure that the river flows through. Evaluating evidence based primary root of the predominant pollutant ions, their interactions as well as the factors controlling their dominance is crucial in studies regarding water environment and hydrology especially as most studies focus on theoretical methods. In order to understand the water cycle, safeguard surface water resources, and preserve the human environment, this study evaluated surface water hydro-chemical facies, quality dynamics, and portability in southern Nigeria using multivariate statistical approaches by analyzing selected hydro-chemical characteristics as indicators of pollution along the river during wet and dry seasons.

Analyzing high-throughput assay data to advance the rapid screening of environmental chemicals for human reproductive toxicity.

While high-throughput (HTP) assays have been proposed as platforms to rapidly assess reproductive toxicity, there is currently a lack of established assays that specifically address germline development/function and fertility. We assessed the applicability domains of yeast (S. cerevisiae) and nematode (C.

A High-Throughput Method for Quantifying Fecundity.

The fruit fly, , is an experimentally tractable model system that has recently emerged as a powerful "new approach methodology" (NAM) for chemical safety testing. As oogenesis is well conserved at the molecular and cellular level, measurements of fecundity can be useful for identifying chemicals that affect reproductive health across species. However, standard fecundity assays have been difficult to perform in a high-throughput manner because experimental factors such as the physiological state of the flies and environmental cues must be carefully controlled to achieve consistent results.

Revolutionizing construction: A cutting-edge decision-making model for artificial intelligence implementation in sustainable building projects.

This study examines how certain artificial intelligence (AI) drivers affect the industry's adoption of this technology in the construction industry. The research methods comprised a comprehensive analysis of previous studies to pinpoint the primary factors influencing AI adoption in the construction industry. Data collection was carried out through a well-structured survey involving relevant stakeholders in the building construction sector.

Rapid identification of reproductive toxicants among environmental chemicals using an in vivo evaluation of gametogenesis in budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Infertility affects ∼12 % of couples, with environmental chemical exposure as a potential contributor. Of the chemicals that are actively manufactured, very few are assessed for reproductive health effects. Rodents are commonly used to evaluate reproductive effects, which is both costly and time consuming.

Screening and characterization of 133 physiologically-relevant environmental chemicals for reproductive toxicity.

Reproduction is a functional outcome that relies on complex cellular, tissue, and organ interactions that span the developmental period to adulthood. Thus, the assessment of its disruption by environmental chemicals would benefit significantly from scalable and innovative approaches to testing using functionally comparable reproductive models such as the nematode C. elegans.

Dynamic Roles of Signaling Pathways in Maintaining Pluripotency of Mouse and Human Embryonic Stem Cells.

Culturing of mouse and human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) was a major breakthrough in the field of stem cell biology. These models gained popularity very soon mainly due to their pluripotency. Evidently, the ESCs of mouse and human origin share typical phenotypic responses due to their pluripotent nature, such as self-renewal capacity and potency.

A high-throughput method for quantifying fecundity.

Measurements of Drosophila fecundity are used in a wide variety of studies, such as investigations of stem cell biology, nutrition, behavior, and toxicology. In addition, because fecundity assays are performed on live flies, they are suitable for longitudinal studies such as investigations of aging or prolonged chemical exposure. However, standard Drosophila fecundity assays have been difficult to perform in a high-throughput manner because experimental factors such as the physiological state of the flies and environmental cues must be carefully controlled to achieve consistent results.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and health literacy in US Southern states.

Objectives: COVID-19 vaccination in the United States has stalled, with some of the lowest rates in the South. Vaccine hesitancy is a primary contributor and may be influenced by health literacy (HL). This study assessed the association between HL and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in a population residing in 14 Southern states.

Kinetic analysis of synaptonemal complex dynamics during meiosis of yeast reveals biphasic growth and abortive disassembly.

The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a dynamic structure formed between chromosomes during meiosis which stabilizes and supports many essential meiotic processes such as pairing and recombination. In budding yeast, Zip1 is a functionally conserved element of the SC that is important for synapsis. Here, we directly measure the kinetics of Zip1-GFP assembly and disassembly in live cells of the yeast .

Exploration of the effects of Coriolis force and thermal radiation on water-based hybrid nanofluid flow over an exponentially stretching plate.

Hybrid nanofluids' enhanced thermophysical properties make them applicable in a plethora of mechanical and engineering applications requiring augmented heat transfer. The present study focuses on a three-dimensional Copper-Aluminium Oxide [Formula: see text]-water based hybrid nanofluid flow within the boundary layer with heat transfer over a rotating exponentially stretching plate, subjected to an inclined magnetic field. The sheet rotates at an angular velocity [Formula: see text] and the angle of inclination of the magnetic field is [Formula: see text].

Indulgent Feeding Style Moderates the Association of Food Responsiveness to Body Mass Index Z-scores of Preschoolers.

Objective: To investigate the moderating role of caregiver feeding styles in the association between preschool children's food-approaching eating behaviors and body mass index (BMI) z-scores.

Methods: This cross-sectional study examined 81 caregiver-preschooler dyads from low-income neighborhoods in Santiago, Chile. Moderated multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine the moderating effect of the indulgent feeding style in the relation between eating behaviors and BMI z-scores of preschool children.

Toward an efficient approximate analytical solution for 4-compartment COVID-19 fractional mathematical model.

With the recent trend in the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), there is a need for an accurate approximate analytical solution from which several intrinsic features of COVID-19 dynamics can be extracted. This study proposes a time-fractional model for the SEIR COVID-19 mathematical model to predict the trend of COVID-19 epidemic in China. The efficient approximate analytical solution of multistage optimal homotopy asymptotic method (MOHAM) is used to solve the model for a closed-form series solution and mathematical representation of COVID-19 model which is indeed a field where MOHAM has not been applied.

Temperature-controlled spatiotemporally modulated phononic crystal for achieving nonreciprocal acoustic wave propagation.

We computationally investigate a method for spatiotemporally modulating a material's elastic properties, leveraging thermal dependence of elastic moduli, with the goal of inducing nonreciprocal propagation of acoustic waves. Acoustic wave propagation in an aluminum thin film subjected to spatiotemporal boundary heating from one side and constant cooling from the other side was simulated via the finite element method. Material property modulation patterns induced by the asymmetric boundary heating are found to be non-homogenous with depth.

Practice what you teach: An approach to integrate airway education for experienced anesthesia clinicians.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted clinician education. To address this challenge, our divisional difficult airway program (AirEquip) designed and implemented small-group educational workshops for experienced clinicians. Our primary aim was to test the feasibility and acceptability of a small-group, flexible-curriculum skills workshop conducted during the clinical workday.

Assessment of COVID-19 pandemic responses in African countries: thematic synthesis of WHO intra-action review reports.

Objectives: We conducted a review of intra-action review (IAR) reports of the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. We highlight best practices and challenges and offer perspectives for the future.

Design: A thematic analysis across 10 preparedness and response domains, namely, governance, leadership, and coordination; planning and monitoring; risk communication and community engagement; surveillance, rapid response, and case investigation; infection prevention and control; case management; screening and monitoring at points of entry; national laboratory system; logistics and supply chain management; and maintaining essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A role for synaptonemal complex in meiotic mismatch repair.

A large subset of meiotic recombination intermediates form within the physical context of synaptonemal complex (SC), but the functional relationship between SC structure and homologous recombination remains obscure. Our prior analysis of strains deficient for SC central element proteins demonstrated that tripartite SC is dispensable for interhomolog recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we report that while dispensable for recombination per se, SC proteins promote efficient mismatch repair at interhomolog recombination sites.

Do school students with specific learning disabilities have lower emotional intelligence abilities? A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

Background And Objectives: School students with specific learning disabilities (SpLDs) endure academic difficulties, anxiety, and social maladaptation. The primary objective of the present study was to evaluate the emotional intelligence (EI) abilities of these afflicted students. Its secondary objective was to analyze the impact of socio-demographic variables on their EI abilities.

Mathematical analysis of the dynamics of COVID-19 in Africa under the influence of asymptomatic cases and re-infection.

Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) hit the world in December 2019, and only less than 5% of the 15 million cases were recorded in Africa. A major call for concern was the significant rise from 2% in May 2020 to 4.67% by the end of July 15, 2020.

Fungi as veritable tool in current advances in nanobiotechnology.

Fungi have great prospects for synthesis, applications and developing new products in nanotechnology. In recent times, fungi use in nanotechnology is gaining more attention because of the ecological friendly state of their metabolite-mediated nanoparticles, their safety, amenability and applications in diverse fields. The diversity of the metabolites such as enzymes, polysaccharide, polypeptide, protein and other macro-molecules has made fungi a veritable tool for nanoparticles synthesis.