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The mechanical properties of coconut shell ash (CSA) reinforced polyester composite have been optimized. Various test specimens were developed by dispersing 10, 20, 30 and 40 wt.%, of CSA in unsaturated polyester resin in decreasing particle sizes of 40, 30, and 20 µm in an open mould using hand lay-up technique. Tensile, flexural, and impact strengths, as well as tensile and flexural moduli and Shore D hardness of all test samples were determined. The results showed that 10-20 wt.% CSA increased tensile, flexural, impact strengths and flexural modulus for all particle sizes, but 30-40 wt. % CSA engendered depreciation in corresponding performance. For all particle sizes, 10-40 wt. percent CSA resulted in an increase in tensile strength, whereas 10-40 wt. percent resulted into a linear increase in Shore D hardness. Further observation portrayed that in each case, the finest CSA (20 µm) have the optimum result. Statistical analysis carried out on experimental outcomes confirmed the experimental variables (particle proportion and sizes) to be significant. From the surface plot, the strength responses revealed more dependence on the individual variables than their interactions. Regression models developed for individual responses are termed statistically fit in representing the experimental data.

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Background: With the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), life expectancy of HIV-infected persons had increased and the disease is now managed as a chronic one, but the quality of life (QOL) of the patients is now a concern. Social support enhances QOL of patients with chronic illnesses. However, no study has been done to determine the QOL of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) in our environment. This study therefore assessed the QOL of PLWHA attending antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinic of Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Edo State of Nigeria Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. Two hundred and thirty PLWHA attending the ART clinic of ISTH, Irrua, Edo State, Nigeria, were systematically selected for the study. A structured questionnaire was interviewer-administered to collect data on sociodemographic and clinical profiles of selected participants, and the WHOQOL-HIV BREF questionnaire was used to collect data the QOL of each participant. Data were analyzed with IBM SPSS version 20.0. Results: The overall mean QOL score for the participants was 89.13±1.18 (95% CI=87.95-90.31). The scores in three of the six life domains in the WHOQOL-HIV BREF instrument were similar and high; spirituality/ religion/personal beliefs (16.33±0.36), physical health (15.83±0.28) and psychological health (15.07±0.24). Lower mean QOL scores were observed in the social relationships (13.49±0.28) and environment (13.45±0.20) domains. Clinical HIV stage, marital status, educational status and gender were significantly associated with mean QOL scores in bivariate analysis while only HIV stage 1 and 2 were significantly associated with good QOL in multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: It is pertinent that PLWHA are kept in early stages of HIV disease through combination of efforts such as prompt enrolment, commencement and monitoring compliance of HAART, and treatment of opportunistic infections, as well as public health measures including education, de-stigmatization, early diagnosis by extensive accessible screening/testing of at-risk population, social supports and economic empowerment, psychotherapy and social integration of affected individuals especially in a functional home.

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Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected blood supplies globally. Mobile blood drive campaigns halted, and voluntary blood donations reduced, challenging available blood supplies. Furthermore, fears of virus transmission led to deferrals of elective surgeries and non-urgent clinical procedures with noticeable declines in blood donations and transfusions. Aims: We aimed to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of blood donations and transfusions across the country by blood product type across various hospital departments. Materials and Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on blood services in 34 tertiary hospitals in Nigeria, comparing January to July 2019 (pre-COVID-19) to January to July 2020 (peri-COVID-19). Data were collected from the country's web-based software District Health Information System, Version 2 (DHIS2). Results: A 17.1% decline in numbers of blood donations was observed over the study period, especially in April 2020 (44.3%), a 21.7% decline in numbers of blood transfusions, especially in April 2020 (44.3%). The largest declines in transfusion were noted in surgery department for fresh frozen plasma (80.1%) [p = 0.012] and accident and emergency department transfusion of platelets (78.3%) [p = 0.005]. The least decline of statistical significance was observed in internal medicine transfusions of whole blood (19.6%) [p = 0.011]. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the numbers of blood donations and transfusions in Nigeria. Strengthening blood services to provide various blood components and secure safe blood supplies during public health emergencies is therefore critical.

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Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected blood supplies globally. Mobile blood drive campaigns halted, and voluntary blood donations reduced, challenging available blood supplies. Furthermore, fears of virus transmission led to deferrals of elective surgeries and non-urgent clinical procedures with noticeable declines in blood donations and transfusions. Aims: We aimed to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of blood donations and transfusions across the country by blood product type across various hospital departments. Materials and Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on blood services in 34 tertiary hospitals in Nigeria, comparing January to July 2019 (pre-COVID-19) to January to July 2020 (peri-COVID-19). Data were collected from the country's web-based software District Health Information System, Version 2 (DHIS2). Results: A 17.1% decline in numbers of blood donations was observed over the study period, especially in April 2020 (44.3%), a 21.7% decline in numbers of blood transfusions, especially in April 2020 (44.3%). The largest declines in transfusion were noted in surgery department for fresh frozen plasma (80.1%) [p = 0.012] and accident and emergency department transfusion of platelets (78.3%) [p = 0.005]. The least decline of statistical significance was observed in internal medicine transfusions of whole blood (19.6%) [p = 0.011]. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the numbers of blood donations and transfusions in Nigeria. Strengthening blood services to provide various blood components and secure safe blood supplies during public health emergencies is therefore critical.

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In this research, developed finite element codes were used to study the effective elastic modulus and stress-strain distribution profiles of epoxy resin filled with 6 wt. % microparticles of kaolinite. The random distribution of the particles was microstructurally regenerated with Digimat MSC software and random sequential algorithm codes in epoxy matrix. Stochastic representative volume element models of the composites were developed and analyzed under periodic boundary conditions. For validation, the predicted result by finite element analysis was compared with that of Mori-Tanaka's mean field homogenization scheme, selected micromechanical models and experiment. All the results indicated that 6 wt. % of kaolinite microparticles can improve the elastic modulus and load-bearing capacity of epoxy resin with <5 % error between predicted and actual results. The microstructure, phase identification and chemical characterization of the composite were also studied with scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction spectroscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, respectively. In addition, the particle size and distribution of the kaolinite in the epoxy matrix were experimentally investigated.

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Nigeria is presently suffering from another Lassa fever epidemic. This was confirmed in the statement of the Minister of Health of the Federation in which he said; ""There has been an upsurge in the reported cases of Lassa fever since the beginning of this year; especially in the Federal Capital Territory and its environs. Within two weeks; 12 cases with five deaths due to the disease were recorded. 25 contacts are confirmed by laboratory investigations to have been infected; including 4 health staff working in the National Hospital; Abuja.""1 Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic fever first described in 1969 in the town of Lassa in Borno state; Nigeria.2 It is endemic in West African countries; and causes 300;000 cases annually with 5000 deaths.3 Lassa fever epidemics occur in Nigeria; Liberia; Sierra Leone; Guinea and the Central African Republic.4 Lassa virus; the agent of the disease is a member of the Arenaviridae family. The virus is pleomorphic with single-stranded and bisegmented RNA genome.3 Its primary host is Natal Multimammate Mouse (Mastomys natalensis). Transmission to man occurs via exposure to the rat excrement through respiratory or gastrointestinal tracts5; exposure of broken skin or mucus membrane to infected material; direct contact; sexually and transplacentally. The prevalence of antibodies to the virus is 8-229 in Sierra Leone; 4-55in Guinea;12 and 21in Nigeria.13 The disease is mild or asymptomatic in 80of infected people; but 20have a severe multisystemic disease. Clinical features are difficult to differentiate from that of other viral haemorrhagic fevers and common febrile illness such as Malaria; Typhoid fever and so on. Definitive diagnosis is by viral isolation; Antigen and Antibody detection and Reverse Transcriptase PCR. Treatment is with Ribavirin; an antiviral agent. No vaccine is currently available. Prevention is by keeping rats away from homes

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Lymph node and bone marrow trephine biopsies of seventy two consecutive cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma occurring among black Zimbabweans were reviewed to determine bone marrow involvement. The bone marrow was involved in 23.6% of patients but the proportion of bone marrow positive cases was highest in low grade lymphomas, though these were the least common type of lymphoma encountered. Cells infiltrating the marrow showed high degree of concordance with corresponding lymph node histology. Low grade lymphomas (CLL excluded) had a predominantly diffuse pattern of marrow involvement while intermediate and high grade lymphomas had nearly equal proportions with diffuse and focal patterns. Bone-marrow involvement did not make a significant difference to the staging of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma as most cases not involving the marrow also presented with advanced disease. Mean age of patients was negatively correlated with histological grade but was not related to bone marrow involvement. Central nervous system involvement occurred mostly in the high grade lymphomas and was proportionately distributed between bone marrow positive and negative cases. 40% of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were associated with HIV infection but HIV-associated lymphoma surprisingly very rarely infiltrated the bone marrow.

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