Local Area Research Articles

Revisiting Wolbachia detections: Old and new issues in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and other insects.

Wolbachia continue to be reported in species previously thought to lack them, particularly Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The presence of Wolbachia in this arbovirus vector is considered important because releases of mosquitoes with transinfected Wolbachia are being used around the world to suppress pathogen transmission and these efforts depend on a lack of Wolbachia in natural populations of this species. We previously assessed papers reporting Wolbachia in natural populations of Ae. aegypti and found little evidence that seemed convincing. However, since our review, more and more papers are emerging on Wolbachia detections in this species. Our purpose here is to evaluate these papers within the context of criteria we previously established but also new criteria that include the absence of releases of transinfections within the local areas being sampled which has contaminated natural populations in at least one case where novel detections have been reported. We also address the broader issue of Wolbachia detection in other insects where similar issues may arise which can affect overall estimates of this endosymbiont more generally. We note continuing shortcomings in papers purporting to find natural Wolbachia in Ae. aegypti which are applicable to other insects as well.

A coevolutionary algorithm using Self-organizing map approach for multimodal multi-objective optimization

Multimodal Multi-Objective Problems (MMOPs) are frequently encountered in the real world. Traditional Multimodal Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithms (MMEAs) often find multiple Pareto optimal solutions with the same objective values. However, in real-world problems, there often exist multiple global optimal solutions and local optimal solutions at the same time. Ensuring that these solution sets are obtained simultaneously is the concern of most current researchers. To address this issue, this paper proposes a novel multimodal multi-objective evolutionary algorithm named CoSOMEA. In the CoSOMEA, a Self-organizing map (SOM) neural network is used to extract the information of decision space to ensure better exploration of the global optima and exploitation of the local optima. Meanwhile, coevolutionary mechanism are used to ensure a balance between the exploration and exploitation in order to avoid the algorithm falling into local areas. The three test suites named IDMP, IDMP_ee and MMF are adopted to verify the effectiveness of proposed algorithm. Experimental results demonstrate that the CoSOMEA exhibits competitive performance in solving MMOPs compared to other state-of-the-art MMEAs.

A Divide-and-Rule Combined Learning Method for Truly Multivariate Time Series Prediction

Multivariate time series prediction is a significant research area that aims to forecast future values based on past observations. Deep learning models with attention mechanisms have shown good predictive performance by emphasizing optimal-related sequences in the target series. However, these models ignore mutation information of nontarget sequences and the long short-term dependencies. To this end, a divide-and-rule combined learning method is proposed to address these limitations, which uses differentiated feature extractors to process different implicit features. First, we design a spatial and temporal information extractor to extract the time-dimensional feature information in the separation stage. Then, a multivariate mutation information extractor is constructed by convolution and maximum pooling layer to capture mutation information of nontarget sequences. Subsequently, the decoder component of the encoder-decoder model extracts long short-term dependencies while preserving the information of the target sequence to be predicted. Finally, in the cooperation stage, a feature fusion method based on a point attention mechanism is proposed, which can assign individual weights to each feature point and enhance the ability to focus on local areas. Experimental results on five real datasets in different domains show that the proposed method has better predictive performance compared to other baseline models.

UAV Mapping for Flood Routing in Steep and Densely Vegetated Areas: Insights from the Contok River Basin, Garang Watershed, Indonesia

This research utilizes photogrammetry to assess flood routing dynamics in the Contok river basin, a sub-watershed with a challenging landscape characterized by steep slopes, dense vegetation, and meandering patterns. The objectives are to assess Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) mapping accuracy, evaluate the river's capacity for design flood volumes, quantify the impact of land cover changes on surface runoff, and provide insights for early warning systems and watershed conservation strategies. The study area, encompassing the Contok River Basin, a sub-watershed of the Garang Watershed, covers 7,413 km² and includes a stream length of 5,274 meters in Semarang City, Central Java, Indonesia. This research employed image processing of aerial photographs and satellite imagery. Aerial photos captured using UAV data were utilized to derive elevation data and cross-sectional profiles of the Contok River, essential for understanding channel morphology and hydraulic characteristics. Concurrently, satellite imagery was used for land cover analysis, identifying vegetation and built-up areas that influence surface runoff dynamics. Hydrological analysis was performed to quantify discharge magnitudes, simulated against river cross-sections to evaluate flood behavior under varying scenarios. Our proposed UAV mapping provides adequate accuracy for small and local areas. Furthermore, it remains reliable for flood routing analysis. We discovered that the capacity of the Contok River channel in the downstream area allows it to convey design flood discharges up to a 50-year return period, contrary to the upstream area, it overflows. Notably, the shift from vegetated to built-up and agricultural areas significantly contributes to the 10.6% increase in surface runoff. This research highlights the role of UAV-based photogrammetry in assessing and mitigating flood hazards amidst evolving land cover patterns. It also enhances the understanding of flood dynamics and thus provides insights that will serve as a reference for flood early warning systems, flood management practices, and watershed conservation.

First Report of Pectobacterium polaris Causing Soft Rot on Broccoli in China.

In April 2023, soft rot symptoms were observed in broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) commercial fields in Songming County, Yunnan province, China (103°12'E, 25°31'N). The disease incidence in these fields (6 ha in size) was high, exceeding 50%, and it caused significant yield loss. The affected plants displayed characteristic symptoms, with the roots and stems of broccoli becoming soft, yellowish-brown, rotten, and emitting a foul odor. To identify the causal agent, soft rot symptomatic stems were surface sterilized by dipping them in 75% ethanol for 30 seconds, followed by three successive rinses with sterile distilled water. Tissue specimens were then plated onto nutrient agar (NA) plates and incubated at 28°C for 24 hours. (Wang et al. 2022). Three representative bacterial isolates HYC22041801-HYC22041803 from broccoli were selected for further analysis. The colonies on NA plates appeared as white, small, round, and translucent with smooth edges. Physiological and biochemical tests were performed, along with 96 phenotypic screenings using the BIOLOG GENIII microplate system (Biolog, Hayward, CA, USA). Three isolates were negative for D-arabitol, maltose, and sorbitol, but were positive for cellobiose, α-D-glucose, sucrose, glycerol and gentiobiose tests, which are consistent with the reported type strain P. polaris NIBIO1006T (Chen et al. 2021). Total genomic DNA was extracted from three bacterial isolates using the QIAamp DNA Mini Kit (QIAGEN, USA). The 16S rRNA region and nine housekeeping genes (gapA, icdA, mdh, mtlD, pel, pgi, pmrA, proA and rpoS) were amplified with universal primers 27F/1492R (Monciardini et al., 2006) and designed specific primers (Xie et al., 2018), respectively. All amplicons were sequenced and deposited in GenBank with accession numbers ON723841-ON723843 and ON723846-ON723872. The BLASTn analysis of the 16S rRNA amplicons confirmed that the isolates HYC22041801-HYC22041803 belonged to the genus Pectobacterium. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and multilocus sequence analysis of other nine housekeeping genes of the three isolates were constructed and the results revealed that three isolates clustered with P. polaris type strain NIBIO1006T, which was previously isolated from potato (Dees et al., 2017). To confirm the pathogenicity, nine broccoli seedlings were stab inoculated with a bacterial suspension (108 CFU·ml-1), while sterile distilled liquid LB medium was used as a negative control. The seedlings were kept at 80% relative humidity and 28°C in a growth chamber. Three trials were conducted per isolate (HYC22041801-HYC22041803). After 3 days, the inoculated petioles showed soft rot symptoms similar to those observed initially in the field, while control plants remained asymptomatic. All three isolates were re-isolated successfully from symptomatic tissues to complete Koch's postulates. P. polaris has been previously reported as the causative agent of blackleg in potato in several countries, including Norway, Poland, Russia, and China (Handique et al. 2022; Wang et al. 2022). Additionally, it was reported to cause soft rot in Chinese cabbage in China (Chen et al. 2021). However, this is the first report of P. polaris causing soft rot disease in broccoli in China. This discovery is of great importance for vegetable growers because this bacterium is well established on Cruciferous vegetables in the local area, and effective measures are needed to manage this disease.

Polyparasitism with soil transmitted helminthes and Schistosoma haematobium among school-aged children in Igede land, Benue state, Nigeria

Background: Polyparasitism is widespread in rural communities of the developing world, and it is a serious problem for public health. The aim of this study is to investigate the co-infection of intestinal parasites and urinary schistosomiasis among school-aged children in two local government areas of Benue State. Methods: This study collected 452 stool and urine samples from randomly selected participants and examined them using three techniques - direct wet mount, formol ether concentration, and urine sedimentation. The researchers also utilized questionnaires to assess risk factors associated with the samples. The data was then analyzed using the Chi-square statistical test to identify any significant relationships between the various factors examined. Results: The study found that 29.0% of the 452 randomly selected participants were infected with at least one parasite. 17.3% of the infected were male, while 11.7% were female. 11.7% had multiple infections, with 13.1% in males and 10.2% in females. 15.0% were infected with single parasites, 9.1% had double infections, and 2.7% had triple infections. Schistosoma haematobium was found in 1.8% of participants, with 1.1% in males and 0.7% in females. The most common parasite was Ascaris lumbricoides (6.0%), followed by hookworm (5.8%). The hookworm-Ascaris combination was the most common double infection (4.2%). While males were generally more infected, there was no statistically significant difference between males and females. Similarly, the higher infection rate in Obi (16.2%) compared to Oju (12.8%) was not statistically significant. The 11-15 age group had the highest prevalence of multiple infections (14.2%), but this was not statistically significant across age groups. Conclusion: Aggressive health education and mass drug administration are recommended in the study area. Kewwords: Polyparasitism, Igede, Oju, Obi, Parasites, Soil Transmitted Helminthes (STH), Schistosomiasis, Nigeria

Computational Modeling of Bone Fracture Healing Under Different Initial Conditions and Mechanical Load.

Computational model of bone healing can replace animal experiments to study the parameters affecting the bone healing process, thus reducing the damage to experimental animals and saving a lot of time. We propose a computational model for continuous simulation of four phases of bone healing to study the effects of mechanical environmental and biological factors, including initial conditions at the fracture site, mechanical stimulus loading, and vascular growth rate. A finite element model of mechanobiological fracture healing containing several pre-determined variables was developed for bone healing after fracture in sheep, which included many relevant parameters and biological effects during fracture healing, such as the effects of mechanical environment, blood supply level in the local fracture area, cell migration and diffusion, and resorption effects of fracture healing. The effects of several parameters on indices such as Young's modulus of the callus during bone healing were obtained by simulation. The initial geometry of the healing tissue and mechanical loading had the greatest effect on fracture healing, and different preset values were likely to cause delayed or non-healing fractures. Changed initial tissue properties of the healing tissue showed a nonlinear effect on fracture healing rather than a linear delay or advancement. Parameters related to angiogenesis had a greater effect on fracture healing compared to those related to cell migration. This paper quantified the effect of fracture healing pre-determined variables on fracture healing to better understand the application of mechanobiology in fracture healing simulation models and optimization of treatment strategies. The importance of initial conditions and loads on fracture healing has been shown to help physicians treat bone nonunion or delayed bone healing after a fracture.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a prospective randomised trial protocol comparing clinical and radiological outcomes in minimally invasive surgery versus standard posterior spinal fusion in a single-centre, the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna, Italy

IntroductionMinimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) has been shown to be safe and effective in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) correction, even though there is no consensus on which treatment provides the...

The Impact of Teachers Welfare Package on Teachers Job Satisfaction (A Case Study of Some Selected Schools in Jaba Local Government Area of Kaduna State)

The Impact of Teachers Welfare Package on Teachers Job Satisfaction (A Case Study of Some Selected Schools in Jaba Local Government Area of Kaduna State)

Will structural adjustment and financial support affect low-carbon agricultural production in the Yellow River Basin?

Based on the panel data of 75 cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2000 to 2020, this manuscript measures the agricultural low-carbon production efficiency scientifically through the Super-SBM model. In addition, the deviation degree of agricultural industry is used as the index of structural adjustment. Finally, the spatial Durbin model is used to analyze the effect direction and degree of structural adjustment, financial support, and their synergistic effect on agricultural low-carbon production efficiency. The results show that ① the agricultural low-carbon production efficiency in the Yellow River Basin shows a trend of fluctuating downward and a spatial distribution pattern of "high in the east and low in the west". ② Structural adjustment in local region and adjacent areas has a significantly negative impact on agricultural low-carbon production, and the inhibitory effect in adjacent areas is more obvious, and the negative spatial spillover effect is strong. Financial support has a significantly positive impact on agricultural low-carbon production, but the spatial spillover effect of adjacent areas is not obvious. ③ By region, structural adjustment has a significantly negative impact on low-carbon agricultural production in the midstream and downstream regions, while financial support has a significantly positive impact on low-carbon agricultural production in the upstream region. The impact of control variables on agricultural low-carbon production varies from region to region. ④ The synergistic effect of structural adjustment and financial support in the whole and midstream region shows a significantly positive impact on agricultural low-carbon production, indicating that financial support has a certain correction effect on structural adjustment. The coefficient between the upstream and downstream regions is positive but not significant. The conclusions have important reference significance for promoting the ecological protection and high-quality development and agricultural low-carbon development in the Yellow River Basin.

How the COVID-19 pandemic affected infant vaccination trends in rural and urban communities in Ibadan, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesThis study compared the infant vaccination trends a year before and a year after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in selected urban and rural communities in Ibadan, Nigeria.DesignThis was...

Physical Child Abuse Among Secondary School Students in A Community in Benue State

The study aimed to examine occurrences of physical child abuse among secondary school students in a community in Benue State. The study utilized a cross-sectional research design to achieve its objectives. The data collection instrument used was the Physical Child Abuse Questionnaire (PCAQ). The study took place in Igumale, Ado Local Government Area of Benue State. The survey included 800 secondary school students from six secondary schools in Igumale. There were 300 respondents in the sample. Three experts from the Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, face validated the instrument. The instrument’s reliability was determined by testing the Spearman’s rank order correlation formula, resulting in a reliability coefficient of .842. The data from PCAQ copies was encoded and analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (IBM-SPSS) version 22 for Windows. The research questions were answered using frequencies and percentages. 58.7 per cent of secondary school children in Igumale experienced physical child abuse. 60.0 per cent of secondary school students aged 10-14 experienced physical abuse, which is higher than the 56.9% of students aged 15-19. The percentage of male secondary school students who encountered physical abuse (60.5%) is greater than the percentage of female students who experienced physical abuse (57.3%). The percentage of physical abuse among parents with no formal education is 59.6%, primary education is 52.6%, secondary education is 76.9%, and tertiary education is 49.2%. Therefore, parents with secondary education have the highest rate of physical abuse. The recommends greater investment in programmes that have shown effectiveness in averting abuse before it occurs.

Long-term cohort study of patients presenting with hypercapnic respiratory failure

ObjectiveWe sought to describe the long-term prognosis for a population-based cohort of people with hypercapnic respiratory failure (HRF) and the associations between underlying diagnoses and the risks of death and...

The Impact of Advertising on Buying Behaviour of Rural Dwellers in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State

The Impact of Advertising on Buying Behaviour of Rural Dwellers in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Vitamin D, Calcium and Phosphate Deficiency among Apparently Healthy Children Aged 6-24 Months in a Semi-urban Community in Southwest, Nigeria.

Adequate levels of calcium, phosphate and Vitamin D are essential for bone physiology and growth, as well as preventing some common childhood illnesses. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of the deficiencies of these nutrients and factors affecting their serum levels in Nigerian children. This was a cross-sectional study that involved 220 apparently healthy children aged 6-24 months in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. Serum calcium and phosphate were assayed using the calorimetric method, while Vitamin D (25-OH Vitamin D) was assayed with ELISA. The mean (±standard deviation [SD]) serum Vitamin D level was 55.07 ± 16.53 ng/ml, while the mean (±SD) serum calcium and phosphate were 2.27 ± 0.13 mmol/l and 1.28 ± 0.18 mmol/l, respectively. Eleven (5%) of the children had hypovitaminosis D, 23 (10.5%) had hypocalcaemia and 12 (5.5%) had hypophosphataemia. Factors found to be significantly associated with hypovitaminosis D included low consumption of milk and the use of a hijab veil, while malnutrition (both undernutrition and overnutrition) was significantly associated with hypocalcaemia. The prevalence levels of hypovitaminosis D and hypophosphataemia were low, while hypocalcaemia was more common. Low milk consumption and use of a hijab veil were risk factors for hypovitaminosis D, while malnutrition was a risk factor for hypocalcaemia. Malnourished children, especially overnourished ones, should be routinely screened for hypocalcaemia because of its high prevalence among them.

Seasonal Survey of Bacterial Species and their Bioremediation Potentials in Leachates from a Nigerian Municipal Solid Waste Dumpsite

Myriads of microorganisms present in dumpsite leachates produce varieties of extracellular enzymes that can degrade toxic compounds to innocuous products. The present study involved a seasonal survey of bacterial species and their bioremediation potentials in leachate from the Ikueniro open solid waste dumpsite situated in Uhunmwode Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria. Bacterial isolation and enumeration of the leachate samples was carried out using pour plate technique. Phenotypic techniques and 16S rRNA gene analysis identified the bacterial isolates. The bacterial mastermix for bioremediation of the leachate consisted of a consortium of bacterial strains isolated from leachate discharging from the Ikhueniro dumpsite. The bioremediation efficiency of the leachate was deduced by measurement of heavy metals and other chemical analytes using standard methods prescribed by the American Public Health Association. The bacterial species isolated from Ikueniro dumpsite such as Bacillus licheniformis strain EGBON & OKORIE 103 and Klebsiella aerogenes strain EGBON & OKORIE 108 were deposited in the United States NCBI GenBank. A consortium of these bacterial strains served as inocula for the bioremediation setup. A huge removal of ammonia from the leachate was observed during the 28-day bioremediation experiment, amounting to a mean bioremediation efficiency of 80.65%. The removal of the heavy metals from the raw leachate by the bacterial mastermix in increasing order was as follows: nickel<copper<zinc<lead<iron<cadmium<arsenic<mercury. Bioremediation of the leachate using indigenous bacteria promises to be an effective tool for management of toxicants from leachates of open solid waste dumpsites.

Assessment of Plants Used in Polyherbal Formulations for Traditional Treatment of Skin Infections in Ibadan Metropolis

IntroductionThere are numerous skin diseases and frequently occurring health problems that affect all ages, from neonates to the elderly, and in many ways cause harm. Natural treatment is cheap and claimed to be safe. It is also suitable for raw materials or the production of new synthetic drugs.The present study was aimed at carrying out an ethnobotanical investigation of polyherbal formulations traditionally used for the treatment of skin infections in the Ibadan metropolis. MethodsA comprehensive ethnobotanical survey was carried out in six local government areas within the Ibadan metropolis of Oyo State, Nigeria, where a substantial number of respondents were administered questionnaires. Information on the respondents' socioeconomic status, the types of plants utilised in polyherbal medicine, and the preparation and skill-acquisition techniques of the local herbal practitioners were all gathered. The generated data were subjected to descriptive statistics analysis. ResultsThe obtained results showed that Daniella oliveri, Olax subcorpioidea, Khaya grandifolia, Piper guineensis, Anogesius leocarpa, and Alstonia boonei are the most often utilised herbs for treating skin infections. Barks are mainly used because the highest occurring mode of preparation recorded was decoction, and barks are mostly decocted to release the active constituents in them for the treatment of fungal skin infections. The most common method of administration of the herbal preparations was drinking the decoction after preparation. ConclusionsThis study confirmed that polyherbal medicines have great potential in treating various types of skin infections and a few rural and urban dwellers still depend on traditional healing methods.

COVID-19 knowledge and practices in Jigawa State, Nigeria: A cross-sectional survey conducted during the second wave.

Population knowledge of COVID-19 and adherence to prevention measures may not be equitably distributed, limiting the success of public health measures. We aimed to understand whether COVID-19 knowledge differed by socio-economic status in a rural low-income setting of Jigawa State, Nigeria. We conducted a secondary analysis of the baseline cross-sectional survey of the INSPIRING cluster randomised controlled trial in Kiyawa Local Government Area, Jigawa State, from January-June 2021. Compounds were selected using simple random sampling proportional to trial cluster size. Within each compound, a representative head of compound and all women aged 16-49 years were eligible to complete a survey, which asked about socioeconomics, knowledge of COVID-19 symptoms, prevention strategies and risks for poor outcomes. We converted these into binary outcomes of "good knowledge" for symptoms, prevention and risks. Associations between woman and head of compound characteristics and good knowledge were assessed using adjusted logistic regression. We surveyed 3800 compound heads and 9564 women. Overall, <1% of respondents had been tested for COVID-19, but access to facemasks (HoC 60.0%; women 86.3%) and willingness to be vaccinated (HoC 73.9%; women 73.4%) were high. COVID-19 knowledge was low, with 33.2% of heads of compounds and 26.0% of women having good symptom knowledge, 39.5% and 30.4% having good prevention knowledge, and 17.7% and 15.4% having good risk knowledge, respectively. Those with more education, from higher wealth quintiles and access to a radio had better knowledge. Access to a mobile phone was associated with good symptom knowledge, but worse prevention and risk knowledge. We found significant differences in COVID-19 knowledge associated with socio-economic factors in rural Jigawa state, and access to communication devices was not consistently associated with better knowledge. Public health messaging in Nigeria needs to be adapted and delivered in way that ensures accessibility to all.

Application of Growth Pole Strategy to Improve Rural Quality of Life in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria

Application of Growth Pole Strategy to Improve Rural Quality of Life in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria

Describing a medical school's rural activity footprint: setting selection and workforce distribution priorities.

There is growing evidence supporting a shift towards 'grow your own' approaches to recruiting, training and retaining health professionals from and for rural communities. To achieve this, there is a need for sound methodologies by which universities can describe their area of geographic focus in a precise way that can be utilised to recruit students from their region and evaluate workforce outcomes for partner communities. In Australia, Deakin University operates a Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training (RHMT) program funded Rural Clinical School and University Department of Rural Health, with the purpose of producing a graduate health workforce through the provision of rural clinical placements in western and south-western Victoria. The desire to establish a dedicated Rural Training Stream within Deakin's Doctor of Medicine course acted as a catalyst for us to describe our 'rural footprint' in a way that could be used to prioritise local student recruitment as well as evaluate graduate workforce outcomes specifically for this region. In Australia, selection of rural students has relied on the Australian Statistical Geography Standard Remoteness Areas (ASGS-RA) or Modified Monash Model (MMM) to assign rural background status to medical course applicants, based on a standard definition provided by the RHMT program. Applicants meeting rural background criteria may be preferentially admitted to any medical school according to admission quotas or dedicated rural streams across the country. Until recently, evaluations of graduate workforce outcomes have also used these rurality classifications, but often without reference to particular geographic areas. Growing international evidence supports the importance of place-based connection and training, with medical graduates more likely to work in a region that they are from or in which they have trained. For universities to align rural student recruitment more strategically with training in specific geographic areas, there is a need to develop precise geographical definitions of areas of rural focus that can be applied during admissions processes. As we strived to describe our rural activity area precisely, we modelled the application of several geographical and other frameworks, including the MMM, ASGS-RA, Primary Healthcare Networks (PHN), Local Government Areas (LGAs), postcodes and Statistical Areas. It became evident that there was no single geographical or rural framework that (1) accurately described our area of activity, (2) accurately described our desired workforce focus, (3) was practical to apply during the admissions process. We ultimately settled on a bespoke approach using a combination of the PHN and MMM to achieve the specificity required. This report provides an example of how a rural activity footprint can be accurately described and successfully employed to prioritise students from a geographical area for course admission. Lessons learned about the strengths and limitations of available geographical measures are shared. Applications of a precise footprint definition are described including student recruitment, evaluation of workforce outcomes for a geographic region, benefits to stakeholder relationships and an opportunity for more nuanced RHMT reporting.