Citrate-modified bacterial cellulose as a potential scaffolding material for bone tissue regeneration.

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a novel biocompatible polymeric biomaterial with a wide range of biomedical uses, like tissue engineering (TE) scaffolds, wound dressings, and drug delivery. Although BC lacks good cell adhesion due to limited functionality, its tunable surface chemistry still holds promise. Here, hydroxyapatite (HA) was incorporated into a citrate-modified BC (MBC) using the biomimetic synthesis in simulated body fluid (SBF).

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Zero-Dose Children amongst Nomadic and Non-Nomadic Fulani in Yobe State, North-East Nigeria.

Background: Immunization is a very cost-effective and readily available intervention capable of preventing Vaccines Preventable Diseases (VPDs). This study aimed to identify and compare the prevalence and factors associated with zero-dose immunization status among children of nomadic and non-nomadic Fulani in Yobe State, North-East Nigeria.

Methodology: A comparative cross-sectional design was used to study 348 nomadic, and 345 non-nomadic under-five children, selected using a multi-staged sampling technique.

An assessment of the environmental radiation risk from the petrologic units of north-eastern Nigeria; an insight from aero-radiometric data interpretation.

Information regarding the radiation risk posed by radioactive emissions from the petrologic units in North eastern Nigeria is extremely limited. Consequently, there has been little research conducted on the environmental impact of radiation exposure from different petrologic units in this region. Hence, the 13 petrologic components of the area that comprises of the migmatites-gneiss (MG), banded gneiss (BG), biotite-hornblende granites (OGe), porphyritic biotite-hornblende granites (OGp), charnockytes (Ch), ignimbrites (JYG), basalts (bb), Keri-Keri Formation (KK), Gombe Sandstones (GS), Pindiga Formation (PS), Yolde Formation (YL), Bima Sandstones (BS), and alluvium (AL) deposits were assessed using aero-radiometric data (equivalent uranium, equivalent thorium, and percentage potassium radio-elements) acquired by Nigerian geological survey agency (NGSA) in 2009.

Re-emergence of vaccine-derived polio in the demographic Republic of Congo: Causes and consequences.

Poliovirus is a deadly disease that needs to be eradicated in the world. Recently, issues with circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPVs) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been raised in the country. This article aims to determine the increase in Type 1 cVDPV1 and Type 2 cVDPV2 in the DRC.

Determinants of Utilization of Antenatal Care Services Among Women of Childbearing Age in Jigawa State, Nigeria.

Introduction: Antenatal care (ANC) services play a crucial role in safeguarding the health of pregnant women during their reproductive years. This study aimed to evaluate the primary factors influencing the utilization of ANC among women of childbearing age in Isari town, Jigawa State.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 400 mothers of childbearing age, selecting them using a simple random sampling method.

Psychometric properties of the social determinants of health questionnaire (SDH-Q): development and validation.

Background: The influence of social determinants of health (SDH) on sustainable development goals (SDG) has gained attention in recent years. However, there is a scarcity in the availability of valid and reliable instruments to assess the multiple aspects of SDH. Hence, this study was conducted to develop a brief self-reported measure for assessing SDH.

Factors Associated with the Outcome of 2023 Diphtheria Outbreak in Jigawa State, Nigeria: A Retrospective Review of the Surveillance Data.

Objective: The objective of this study was to identify the factors associated with the outcome of the 2023 diphtheria outbreak in Jigawa State, Nigeria.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted amongst all line-listed diphtheria cases reported from Jigawa State, Nigeria, using the 2023 Integrated Disease and Surveillance Response line list of cases that met the World Health Organization case definition of diphtheria. A total of 245 line-listed cases from January 2023 to December 2023 met the criteria for inclusion in the study.

Geospatial Mapping and Seasonal Profiling of Urinary Schistosomiasis in Ase-Niger River Settlements: A Data-Driven Population-Base Study in Delta State, Nigeria.

Objectives: This study is aimed to determine the geospatial, seasonal, age and gender prevalence and intensity of UgS; and to establish disease maps in the Ase-Niger River communities for effective drug administration.

Study Design: This study employed a 24 months longitudinal study design for parasitological investigations in 11 riparian communities of the Ase-Niger River basin, taking into cognizance their GPS locations imported into QGIS software for schistosomiasis mapping.

Methods: A total of 7,219 urine samples with WHO structured questionnaires were retrieved and subjected to parasitological evaluation using swinnex urine filtration techniques.

Unraveling the importance of early awareness strategy on the dynamics of drug addiction using mathematical modeling approach.

A drug is any substance capable of altering the functioning of a person's body and mind. In this paper, a deterministic nonlinear model was adapted to investigate the behavior of drug abuse and addiction that incorporates intervention in the form of awareness and rehabilitation. In the mathematical analysis part, the positivity and boundedness of the solution and the existence of drug equilibria have been ascertained, which shows that the model consists of two equilibria: a drug-free equilibrium and a drug endemic equilibrium point.

Psychometric properties of the newly developed self-report environmental determinants of health questionnaire (EDH-Q): development and validation.

Background: The environmental determinants of health (EDH) have a significant impact on people's physical, mental, and social wellbeing. Everyone needs access to environmental resources of all types, including food, materials, and energy, to survive. Currently, no valid and reliable instrument exists for evaluating individuals' perceived levels of EDH.

Structural relationship of the social-ecological factors and psychological factors on physical activity.

The present study examines the mediating effect of psychological factors in the structural relationships between social and physical environmental factors and the amount of physical activity among undergraduate students at Universiti Sains Malaysia. The sample consisted of 422 students with a mean age of 20.2 years (SD = 1.

Neuroprotective roles of flavonoid "hispidulin" in the central nervous system: A review.

Interest in naturally occurring phytochemicals has been on the increase, they are believed to reduce the risk of brain disorders. Hispidulin (HN) is a phenolic flavonoid compound with various pharmacological and biological effects on the central nervous system. It belongs to the flavone class of flavonoids.

Heavy metals pollution and ecological risk assessment around artisanal gold mines in Zamfara, Nigeria.

Heavy metals pollution and potential ecological risk index were assessed in artisanal gold mining areas of Zamfara state, Nigeria. Soil samples were collected from three mines namely Kwali (05°45.49'E-11°59.

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on physical activity behavior among students in Somalia.

Background: Due to the worldwide reach of the COVID-19 pandemic, authorities across the globe deemed it essential to enforce exceptional containment measures. Maintaining physical activity (PA) during this time was only feasible through engaging in activities at home. Therefore, this study focused on elucidating the levels of PA and well-being among Somali students in the aftermath of the lockdown measures implemented by governments at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Socio-demographic and Nutritional Factors Associated with Obesity amongst Adults from High Burden Kidney Diseases Areas of Jigawa State, Nigeria: A Community-based Survey.

Background: Obesity is a preventable public health problem associated with a significantly increased risk of non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to find the socio-demographic and nutritional factors associated with obesity amongst adults from high-burden kidney disease areas of Jigawa State, Nigeria.

Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess the socio-demographic and nutritional factors associated with obesity among 361 adults from four local government areas (LGAs) of Jigawa state identified to have a high burden of kidney diseases.

Effects of combined aerobic and resistance training on glycemic control, blood pressure, inflammation, cardiorespiratory fitness and quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes and overweight/obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Structured aerobic or resistance training alone seems to be a beneficial tool for improving glucose homeostasis, chronic systemic inflammation, resting cardiovascular function, and mental health in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim of the present study was to synthesize the available data on the effectiveness of combined aerobic and resistance training (CART) on glycemic control, blood pressure, inflammation, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and quality of life (QoL) in overweight and obese individuals with T2DM.

Methods: A database search was carried out in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar from inception up to May 2023.

Population Abundance and Density Estimates of Poorly Documented Near-Threatened Calabar Angwantibo () in Oban Hills Region.

Population abundance and density estimates play important roles in biodiversity conservation assessment and can lead to prioritization of conservation efforts, strategies, and management. The Calabar angwantibo () is a poorly studied, Near-Threatened nocturnal, arboreal mammal species occurring only in the lowland moist tropical rainforest blocks of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon. Like other arboreal nocturnal mammals, there are gaps in knowledge of the distribution and abundance of this species, which may be facing population declines due to habitat loss and hunting.

Citizen science mitigates the lack of distributional data on Nigerian birds.

Citizen science projects are expanding globally, with the African continent, particularly Nigeria, registering significant growth. Here, we document and analyse novel operations of the Nigerian Bird Atlas Project (NIBAP), 2015-2022. This project has employed the use of ornithologists, mainly trained at the A.

ChatGPT revisited: Using ChatGPT-4 for finding references and editing language in medical scientific articles.

The attainment of academic superiority relies heavily upon the accessibility of scholarly resources and the expression of research findings through faultless language usage. Although modern tools, such as the Publish or Perish software program, are proficient in sourcing academic papers based on specific keywords, they often fall short of extracting comprehensive content, including crucial references. The challenge of linguistic precision remains a prominent issue, particularly for research papers composed by non-native English speakers who may encounter word usage errors.