Adekunle Ajasin University

Starch is, after cellulose, the most abundant organic compound in nature. Modification of starch is carried out to enhance the positive attributes and to eliminate the shortcomings of the native starches. Various methods have been developed to produce a range of modified starches with a variety of characteristics and applications. Physically modified starches are simple and inexpensive because they can be produced without chemicals or even biological agents. In contrast, chemical modification is possible due to ubiquitous hydroxyl groups in starches that have been exploited for over a century, principally in the preparation of starch esters and ethers, but also in more subtle alterations, e.g., in order to tune the structure of starches for specific applications. All these techniques tend to alter the highly flexible starch polymer with changed physicochemical properties and modified structural attributes of high technological value for the food and non‐food industries. Modification of starch is an ever evolving industry with numerous possibilities to generate novel starches which includes new functional and value added properties as demanded by the industry. This review aims to summarize the latest developments and recent knowledge regarding physically and chemically modified starches. This paper covers physical modification methods (pre‐gelatinization, hydrothermal, and non‐thermal processes), some chemical modifications and a combination of both.

Human spatial behavior has been the focus of hundreds of previous research studies. However, the conclusions and generalizability of previous studies on interpersonal distance preferences were limited by some important methodological and sampling issues. The objective of the present study was to compare preferred interpersonal distances across the world and to overcome the problems observed in previous studies. We present an extensive analysis of interpersonal distances over a large data set ( N = 8,943 participants from 42 countries). We attempted to relate the preferred social, personal, and intimate distances observed in each country to a set of individual characteristics of the participants, and some attributes of their cultures. Our study indicates that individual characteristics (age and gender) influence interpersonal space preferences and that some variation in results can be explained by temperature in a given region. We also present objective values of preferred interpersonal distances in different regions, which might be used as a reference data point in future studies.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly evolving tool revolutionizing many aspects of healthcare. AI has been predominantly employed in medicine and healthcare administration. However, in public health, the widespread employment of AI only began recently, with the advent of COVID-19. This review examines the advances of AI in public health and the potential challenges that lie ahead. Some of the ways AI has aided public health delivery are via spatial modeling, risk prediction, misinformation control, public health surveillance, disease forecasting, pandemic/epidemic modeling, and health diagnosis. However, the implementation of AI in public health is not universal due to factors including limited infrastructure, lack of technical understanding, data paucity, and ethical/privacy issues.

Our objective was to compare some plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) properties of Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as representatives of their two genera. Solanum lycopersicum L. (tomato), Abelmoschus esculentus (okra), and Amaranthus sp. (African spinach) were inoculated with the bacterial cultures. At 60 days after planting, dry biomass for plants treated with B. subtilis and P. aeruginosa increased 31% for tomato, 36% and 29% for okra, and 83% and 40% for African spinach respectively over the non-bacterized control. Considering all the parameters tested, there were similarities but no significant difference at P < 0.05 between the overall performances of the two organisms.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) represents a global health problem. It is the most common of the endocrine disorders and is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia due to relative or absolute lack of insulin secretion or insulin actions. According to the World Health Organization projections, the diabetes population is likely to increase to 300 million or more by the year 2025. Current synthetic agents and insulin used effectively for the treatment of diabetes are scarce especially in rural areas, expensive and have prominent adverse effects. Complementary and alternative approaches to diabetes management such as isolation of phytochemicals with anti-hyperglycemic activities from medicinal plants is therefore imperative. Saponins are phytochemical with structural diversity and biological activities. This paper reviews saponins and various plants from which they were isolated as well as properties that make them ideal for antidiabetic remedy.

The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of depressive disorder in late pregnancy in a group of Nigerian women and to examine the associated factors. One hundred and eighty women in late pregnancy completed a questionnaire on sociodemographic and obstetrical details. They also completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). A proportion of them were then assessed for the DSM-IV diagnosis of depressive disorder. Fifteen (8.3%) women met the current (2 weeks) DSM-IV diagnosis of depressive disorder. The factors independently associated with depression included being single [odds ratio (OR)=16.67, 95% confidence interval (CI)=3.17-87.76], divorced/separated (OR=11.11, 95% CI=1.55-19.65), polygamous (OR=3.92, 95% CI=0.94-16.33), and having a previous history of stillbirth (OR=8.00, 95% CI=1.70-37.57) and perceived lack of social support (OR=6.08, 95% CI=1.42-26.04). Depression is common in late pregnancy among Nigerian women, with the significant correlates including mainly social and family factors. Such factors should be considered when planning health care services or formulating a predictive model. Interventions aimed at reducing the occurrence of antenatal depression need further research.

ABSTRACT Planners and policy makers require information about the regions for which they are responsible. However, it seems that many developing countries, including Nigeria, are not adequately prepared either for their current climates or for the impact of climate change because they lack sufficient information. We have therefore examined the variations in the thermal condition in terms of the temperature, relative humidity, effective temperature (ET), temperature–humidity index (THI) and relative strain index (RSI). We studied the spatial and temporal (1951–2009, 1951–1980, 1981–2009, decadal, seasonal and monthly averages) variations in the thermal climate of Nigeria, and we divided Nigeria into thermal climate regions for effective climate change management. Mean annual minimum, mean and maximum temperatures (with their standard deviations) were 21.4 (3.5), 27.1 (2.7) and 32.8 (3.4) °C, respectively, while the overall mean relative humidity was 62 (24.8)%. Mean ET, THI and RSI were 24.3 (0.85), 24.8 (1.83) and 0.2 (0.18) °C, respectively. The ET, THI and RSI provided contrasting expressions of thermal comfort for Nigeria, because of its varied climate. We also found that elevation; the movement of the Inter Tropical Discontinuity and urbanization affect thermal comfort in Nigeria. We conclude that thermal stress has increased in Nigeria from 2000 at most stations, especially in the south and north‐western regions, and that Nigerian thermal comfort climate is heterogeneous and requires analysis of multiple thermal indices.

BACKGROUND: Although Nigeria has the highest burden of sickle cell disease (SCD) worldwide, there is still variable and poor utilisation of standard-of-care practices for SCD patients in the country. METHODS: This was a questionnaire survey of doctors in some dedicated SCD clinics in Nigeria in order to document the facilities available and common management practices. RESULTS: There were responses from 18 clinics based in 11 institutions. The number of patients being followed in each centre ranged from 15 to approximately 11 000. All clinics provided malaria prophylaxis and folic acid routinely to their patients. Only eight clinics prescribe penicillin prophylaxis. Eight prescribe hydroxyurea to patients who can afford it when indicated. All of the centres except three have electronic cell counters, but all had access to haemoglobin electrophoresis. Three had high-performance liquid chromatography machines installed but none was being routinely used. One institution had a functioning molecular biology laboratory. There is no official newborn screening programme in the country. All had access to microbiology and chemistry laboratories. Nine institutions had CT, six had MRI and three had transcranial Doppler facilities. CONCLUSION: The care available for SCD in Nigeria is still suboptimal and there is an urgent need for concerted effort to tackle the problem, but to make a significant impact on the burden of the disease would require more focus at the primary care level. Some steps to achieving this are outlined.

The prevalent occurrence of organophosphate pesticides in the environment is widely accompanied by severe adverse impacts on environmental matrices and humans owing to their bioaccumulation in the food chain or direct exposure. Despite the intervention of regulatory agencies on the levels of pesticide residues, studies have shown that these pesticide congeners are still present in human blood serum and urine as well as soil, sediments, water, and air. This, therefore, requires the adoption of both conventional and newly developed methods for the total mitigation of pesticides in environmental matrices. The ubiquitous nature of this group of xenobiotics in both environmental and biological matrices, particularly at alarming concentrations as reported in the reviewed studies, is responsible for its attendant adverse health and ecological impacts. Based on available evidence, the predominant source of organophosphate pesticides in the environment is agricultural application. Although this class of persistent organic pollutants is relatively less persistent in the environment than their organochlorine counterparts, nevertheless, their neurotoxic effects on humans cannot be undermined. Adequate measures must be taken to regulate the storage and usage of these pesticides on farmlands. It is also recommended that more eco-friendly and sustainable approaches should be developed to circumvent the distressing effects of organophosphate pesticides. In this review article, special attention is given to the occurrence of these pesticide residues in biological and environmental matrices. This article comprehensively discusses recent advances in the remediation of organophosphate pesticides whilst exploring future perspectives for these remedial approaches.

Abstract Background Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are signaling enzymes responsible for the transfer of Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) γ-phosphate to the tyrosine residues substrates. RTKs demonstrate essential roles in cellular growth, metabolism, differentiation, and motility. Anomalous expression of RTK customarily leads to cell growth dysfunction, which is connected to tumor takeover, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Understanding the structure, mechanisms of adaptive and acquired resistance, optimizing inhibition of RTKs, and eradicating cum minimizing the havocs of quiescence cancer cells is paramount. MainText Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) vie with RTKs ATP-binding site for ATP and hitherto reduce tyrosine kinase phosphorylation, thus hampering the growth of cancer cells. TKIs can either be monoclonal antibodies that compete for the receptor’s extracellular domain or small molecules that inhibit the tyrosine kinase domain and prevent conformational changes that activate RTKs. Progression of cancer is related to aberrant activation of RTKs due to due to mutation, excessive expression, or autocrine stimulation. Conclusions Understanding the modes of inhibition and structures of RTKs is germane to the design of novel and potent TKIs. This review shed light on the structures of tyrosine kinases, receptor tyrosine kinases, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, minimizing imatinib associated toxicities, optimization of tyrosine kinase inhibition in curtailing quiescence in cancer cells and the prospects of receptor tyrosine kinase based treatments.

This study analyzed the compound growth rate (CGR) and the contributions of yield and area to cassava production output in Nigeria. During the period, TE1970 - TE2018, production followed an upward trajectory from 9.3 million tonnes (1970) to 59.5 million tonnes (2018) while yield oscillated between 7.9tonnes/ha (TE2014) and 11.9tonnes/ha (TE2010). At this period, the CGR per year for yield declined (-0.2%), harvested area increased (10.9%) and production increased (10.6%). The decomposition analysis for the period revealed that, increase in output was largely due to expansion of harvested area (152%) while the interaction between area and yield effect declined production output by 45.8%. Regrettably, during the period, cassava yield also declined production output by 5.8%. The study also found that harvested area has the highest instability index (11.8). In order to further increase and sustain cassava production in Nigeria, intense planting of high yield cassava stems instead of solely expanding cropped area is recommended.

Members of the Vibrio genus are autochthonous inhabitants of aquatic environments and play vital roles in sustaining the aquatic milieu. The genus comprises about 100 species, which are mostly of marine or freshwater origin, and their classification is frequently updated due to the continuous discovery of novel species. The main route of transmission of Vibrio pathogens to man is through drinking of contaminated water and consumption inadequately cooked aquatic food products. In sub-Saharan Africa and much of the developing world, some rural dwellers use freshwater resources such as rivers for domestic activities, bathing, and cultural and religious purposes. This review describes the impact of inadequately treated sewage effluents on the receiving freshwater resources and the associated risk to the rural dwellers that depends on the water. Vibrio infections remain a threat to public health. In the last decade, Vibrio disease outbreaks have created alertness on the personal, economic, and public health uncertainties associated with the impact of contaminated water in the aquatic environment of sub-Saharan Africa. In this review, we carried out an overview of Vibrio pathogens in rural water resources in Sub-Saharan Africa and the implication of Vibrio pathogens on public health. Continuous monitoring of Vibrio pathogens among environmental freshwater and treated effluents is expected to help reduce the risk associated with the early detection of sources of infection, and also aid our understanding of the natural ecology and evolution of Vibrio pathogens.

Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability worldwide, and cognitive impairment is a common consequence of stroke. Understanding the connection between stroke and cognitive impairment is crucial for effectively managing symptoms and improving patients' quality of life. This abstract provides an overview of the relationship between stroke and cognitive impairment and explores strategies for managing cognitive symptoms in stroke survivors. A comprehensive review of relevant literature was conducted to examine the association between stroke and cognitive impairment. Various factors contributing to cognitive impairment after stroke were explored, including the location and severity of the stroke, vascular risk factors, and underlying mechanisms. Evidence-based strategies for managing cognitive symptoms in stroke survivors were also analyzed, such as cognitive rehabilitation, pharmacological interventions, and lifestyle modifications. The review revealed a strong link between stroke and cognitive impairment. The location and severity of the stroke play a significant role in determining the specific cognitive deficits experienced by individuals. Vascular risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, and atrial fibrillation, contribute to cognitive decline after stroke. Mechanisms such as cerebral hypoperfusion, white matter damage, and neuroinflammation also play a role. Cognitive rehabilitation programs have shown promising results in improving cognitive function, while certain medications may help manage specific cognitive symptoms. Lifestyle modifications like physical exercise and a healthy diet have been associated with better cognitive outcomes in stroke survivors.

Abstract The contamination of environmental waters with heavy metals and radionuclides is increasing because of rapid industrial and population growth. The removal of these contaminants from water via adsorption onto metal nanoparticles is an efficient and promising technique to abate the toxic effects associated with these pollutants. Among metal nanoparticle adsorbents, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) have received tremendous attention owing to their biocompatibility, affordability, long-term stability, surface characteristics, nontoxicity, and powerful antibacterial activity against microbes found in water. In this review, we considered the adsorption of heavy metals and radionuclides onto ZnONPs. We examined the isotherm, kinetic, and thermodynamic modeling of the process as well as the adsorption mechanism to provide significant insights into the interactions between the pollutants and the nanoparticles. The ZnONPs with surface areas (3.93 to 58.0 m2/g) synthesized by different methods exhibited different adsorption capacities (0.30 to 1500 mg/g) for the pollutants. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms were most suitable for the adsorption process. The Langmuir separation factor indicated favorable adsorption of all the pollutants on ZnONPs. The pseudo-second-order kinetics presented the best for the adsorption of the adsorbates with regression values in the range of 0.986–1.000. Spontaneous adsorption was obtained in most of the studies involving endothermic and exothermic processes. The complexation, precipitation, ion exchange, and electrostatic interactions are the probable mechanisms in the adsorption onto ZnONPs with a predominance of complexation. The desorption process, reusability of ZnONPs as well as direction for future investigations were also presented.

[This corrects the article on p. 1199 in vol. 8, PMID: 28785230.].

The paper explores the circumstances in which housing policies are articulated and implemented in developing countries using Akure in Ondo State of Nigeria as a case study. The paper examines the suitability and potential of the policies to addressing housing affordability and shortages in urban areas of the country as well as determines the impact of the policy on housing delivery. A structured questionnaire was administered to selected residents of the city using the Systematic sampling technique. This involved the selection of every 10th building in the nine wards into which the city was stratified. In all, a total of 1266 questionnaires were administered to obtain information on the socio economic characteristics and housing condition of households surveyed. The paper reveals that majority of residents of the city are low-income earners that cannot afford housing being produced under the policy. The paper also shows that the policy has not made much contribution to housing provision. The Primary Mortgage Institutions that are essential in the implementation of the policy are not available in the state and therefore residents of the city have not been able to benefit from the outcome of the policy. Majority of households in the city are not aware of the policy and its potentials in financing housing. The paper argues that although the policy posses great potentials to improving housing delivery, there is a need to rethink and repackage the policy so that majority can benefit from it. There is the need to incorporate social housing into the policy to assist the very poor that cannot take care of their housing consumption needs. The present approach of leaving housing provision to the vagaries of market forces would not be expected to provide affordable housing especially to the poor.

Purpose: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability, affecting 60-70% of people aged ≥60 years. Community-based prevalence estimates of OA in Nigeria are not readily available for referencing. This study investigated the prevalence and pattern of knee OA in Igbo-Ora, a rural community in Southwestern Nigeria. Methods: A total of 1044 adults (487 males, 557 females) aged ≥ 40 years in Igbo-Ora were recruited into this door-to-door survey through multi-stage cluster sampling. Knee OA was diagnosed using the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) clinical criteria. Knee OA severity was assessed using the Lequesne Algofunctional Index and interference with role performance was rated by participants who met the ACR criteria. Plain radiographs of a multiphase sample of 15 participants with Knee OA were taken. Data was analysed using percentages and Chi square. Results: Two hundred and five (119 females, 86 males) out of the 1044 participants fulfilled the ACR criteria, giving a point prevalence of symptomatic knee OA of 19.6%. The prevalence of knee OA was 21.4% among the females and 17.5% among the males, giving a female bias in the ratio of 1.2:1. Prevalence increased and was significantly associated (P<0.001) with age. Most participants (98.5%) had moderate-extremely severe disease and knee OA interfered with role performance in 90.2% of participants. All radiographs showed signs consistent with OA. Conclusion: One out of every five adults aged ≥40 years in this Nigerian rural community has symptomatic knee OA, with a female preponderance in the ratio of 1.2:1.

• AI enables optimization of nanomanufacturing processes, enhancing efficiency and precision in the production of nanoscale devices and materials. • AI-driven predictive modeling enables the simulation of complex nanoscale phenomena, aiding in the design and optimization of nanomaterials and devices. • AI plays a pivotal role in accelerating materials discovery, optimizing nanomaterial properties for various applications from electronics to healthcare. The convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and nanotechnology is a transformative frontier, holding vast potential for scientific and technological advancements. This review explores the integration of AI and nanotechnology, aiming to uncover current trends, challenges, and future directions across various domains. A scientometric approach was employed, gathering and analyzing existing literature and research in the fields of AI and nanotechnology. Through a systematic examination of recent studies and developments, we identified key trends, challenges, and potential pathways for future research and applications. Findings from this review highlight the significant impact of AI-driven nanotechnology in materials discovery and design, healthcare, environmental monitoring, energy conversion, and quantum computing. These areas have witnessed remarkable advancements, such as the development of novel nanomaterials, precise drug delivery systems, advanced nanosensors, and efficient energy storage solutions. However, challenges persist, including insufficient interdisciplinary collaboration, data quality, ethical concerns, and regulatory frameworks. While challenges require careful consideration and mitigation, the potential for innovation and progress in diverse domains is undeniable. This review underscores the importance of responsible AI use and ongoing research to unlock the full potential of this convergence, ultimately shaping the future of science and technology.

The chemical inhibition of acetyl-cholinesterase (AChE) is a potent strategy for addressing signal related neuropathology and natural products are potential sources of compounds with such properties. Essential oil extracts from leaf, seed, stem and rhizome of four medicinal plants [Aframomum melegueta K. Schum, Crassocephalum crepidioides (Benth S. More), Monodora myristica (Gaertn.), and Ocimum gratissimum (Linn)] were tested for acetyl-cholinesterase inhibitory activity (AChEI) using Ellman's colorimentric method and compared to a reference acetyl-cholinesterase inhibitor (galantamine). The seed (IC50 = 6.71 mg/l) and leaf (IC50 = 6.54 mg/l) extracts from O. gratissimum showed values that matched the capacity of the reference inhibitor (IC50 = 6.62 mg/l). The least potent extract was rhizome extracts of A. melegueta (IC50 = 28.97 mg/l) about four times that of the reference inhibitor. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the intrinsic properties (bioactive ingredient factor) of each extract (PC1 = 29.50%) was the most important factor defining the difference or similarity in potency to the reference acetyl-cholinesterase inhibitor while ‘dose response’ (PC2 = 11.38%) was the second most important factor. The outstanding AChEI property of O. gratissimum extracts could largely be attributed to the high monoterpene content while the weak potency of rhizome extracts of A. melegueta may be attributed to its predominant concentrations of sesquiterpenes. Since potency could be related to interaction between bioactive components, understanding the interaction between ratios of monoterpene and sesquiterpene in extracts could be important in determining their potency for AChEI.

Over the years copper(II) oxide or cupric oxide (CuO) and copper(I) oxide or cuprous oxide (Cu 2 O) nanoparticles have generated a great deal of interest in scientific studies. CuO and Cu 2 O nanoparticles have been created using a variety of processes, including electrodeposition , metallic sputtering, hydrothermal, thermal decomposition, reactive radio frequency magnetron sputtering method, wet chemical, aqueous precipitation, co-precipitation, s uccessive i onic l ayer a dsorption and r eaction method, combustion method, reactive magnetron sputtering , and spray pyrolysis . This review discusses how the synthesis methods affect the nanomaterials' sizes, morphologies, and shapes. The conditions and methods employed to create the CuO and Cu 2 O nanoparticles directly affect how they behave. CuO nanoparticles have exceptional antibacterial, antioxidant , and dye degradation photocatalytic capabilities. Compared to gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria can be eliminated more quickly by green CuO nanostructures. CuO and CuO:Zn nanoparticles have the potential to be employed as antibacterial agents in biotechnological and agricultural fields, and the utilization of CuO spindles as photocatalysts for industrial wastewater treatment is possible. High-performance glucose sensors use CuO nanoparticles. The bandgap of optimized Cu 2 O films is 2.34 eV, making them suitable for solar cell applications. Although, solar cell applications can use thicker films , charge transfer applications are best served by thinner films with a thickness of less than 100 nm. A Cu 2 O film can be used as a substrate layer for semiconductor thin films made using the chemical bath deposition process as well as an electrochromic material to boost the adherence of the second layer to glass substrates.