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Background Rapid urbanization in Nigerian cities may lead to localized variations in malaria transmission, particularly with a higher burden in informal settlements and slums. However, there is a lack of available data to quantify the variations in transmission risk at the city level and inform the selection of appropriate interventions. To bridge this gap, field studies will be undertaken in Ibadan and Kano, two major Nigerian cities. These studies will involve a blend of cross-sectional and longitudinal epidemiological research, coupled with longitudinal entomological studies. The primary objective is to gain insights into the variation of malaria risk at the smallest administrative units, known as wards, within these cities. Methods/results The findings will contribute to the tailoring of interventions as part of Nigeria’s National Malaria Strategic Plan. The study design incorporates a combination of model-based clustering and on-site visits for ground-truthing, enabling the identification of environmental archetypes at the ward-level to establish the study’s framework. Furthermore, community participatory approaches will be utilized to refine study instruments and sampling strategies. The data gathered through cross-sectional and longitudinal studies will contribute to an enhanced understanding of malaria risk in the metropolises of Kano and Ibadan. Conclusions This paper outlines pioneering field study methods aimed at collecting data to inform the tailoring of malaria interventions in urban settings. The integration of multiple study types will provide valuable data for mapping malaria risk and comprehending the underlying determinants. Given the importance of location-specific data for microstratification, this study presents a systematic process and provides adaptable tools that can be employed in cities with limited data availability .

Background: Perioperative shivering is a common problem faced in anesthesia practice. Unless it is properly managed and prevented, it causes discomfort and devastating problems, especially in patients with cardiorespiratory problems. Surgery, anesthesia, exposure of skin in a cool operating theater, and administration of unwarmed fluids are some of the major causes for the development of shivering among surgical patients. Currently, a variety of non-pharmacological and pharmacological techniques are available to prevent and manage this problem. The available options to prevent and treat shivering include but are not limited to pre-warming the patient for 15 minutes before anesthesia administration, administration of low dose ketamine, dexamethasone, pethidine, clonidine, dexmedetomidine, tramadol, and magnesium sulfate. Objective: To develop evidence-based recommendations for the prevention and management of shivering after spinal anesthesia in a resource-limited settings. Methods: The kinds of literature are searched from Google Scholar, PubMed, Cochrane library, and HINARI databases to get access to current and update evidence on the prevention and management of shivering after spinal anesthesia. The keywords for the literature search were (shivering or prevention) AND (shivering or management) AND (anesthesia or shivering). Conclusion: Pre-warming the patient with cotton, blanket, gown warming, and administering warm IV fluid 15 minutes before spinal anesthesia are possible non-pharmacologic options for the prevention of shivering. Furthermore, pharmacological medications like low dose ketamine, dexamethasone, magnesium sulfate, ad tramadol can be used as alternative options for the prevention and management strategies for shivering of different degrees in resource-limited areas. Keywords: thermoregulation, shivering, perioperative, spinal anesthesia

Malaria, remains one of the leading causes of high morbidity and mortality in Nigeria despite implementation of several public health interventions for its control. Operational limitations and methodological gaps have been associated with malaria control interventions and research, and these have necessitated the need for a well-tailored Malaria Operational Research (MOR) agenda. However, there is paucity of evidence-based information on relevant stakeholders' experience, awareness, perceptions and use of MOR and suggestions on setting MOR agenda. As part of a larger study to provide data for national MOR agenda setting, we assessed the MOR research situation from the perspectives of key stakeholders in Nigeria and contribution of MOR to the malaria elimination agenda. We conducted key informant interviews among 40 purposively selected stakeholders from the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. Data was collected using a pre-tested key informant interview guide which comprised issues related to experience, awareness, use of MOR and MOR needs, and suggestions for MOR. We conducted a detailed content analysis. Half of the participants had participated in MOR. Participants perceived MOR as important. Only few were aware of existing framework for MOR in Nigeria while above half expressed that MOR is yet to be used to inform policy in Nigeria. Participants identified several MOR needs such as development of improved diagnostic techniques, and interventions for promoting early diagnosis, prompt treatment and quality programmatic data. Participants opined the need for country-specific prioritised MOR agenda that cut across malaria thematic areas including malaria prevention and case management. Participants suggested the involvement of various stakeholders and multi-disciplinary approach in setting MOR. Although some stakeholders have been involved in MOR, it is still rarely used to inform policy and several needs exist across thematic areas. A broad-based stakeholder involvement, multi-disciplinary approach to agenda setting and its wide dissemination have been suggested.

The need for a localized crop model that will aid in evaluating various strategies for efficient water management, especially in the semi-arid Lake Chad region does not need to be overemphasized. Therefore, as a step to simplify the calibration of the AquaCrop model, this study assessed the sensitivity of the model’s output variables to pearl millet crop input parameters under water stress conditions of Maiduguri, Northeastern Nigeria. The analysis was carried out using the Local Sensitivity Analysis (LSA) technique under a 50 % deficit irrigation scenario. The result revealed that the effects of the input parameters on canopy cover (CC) and biomass yield (BMY) simulations were time-dependent. Overall, a significant number of the model’s inputs were found to be non-influential; these parameters could be set within their predetermined range in order to simplify the model. Whereas, the influential parameters should be given higher consideration during calibration, data collection, and future model development. The results of this study could also be validated using more advanced methods like the Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) technique, on different crop varieties that have longer phenological stages and under severe water and fertility stresses.

Twenty-one rice samples from field (ten), store (six) and market (five) from the traditional rice-growing areas of Niger State, Nigeria were analysed for aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEA), deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisin B1 (FB1) and B2 (FB2), and patulin (PAT) by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) respectively. T-2 toxin was determined using TLC only. AFs were detected in all samples, at total AF concentrations of 28–372 μg/kg. OTA was found in 66.7% of the samples, also at high concentrations (134–341 μg/kg) that have to be considered as critical levels in aspects of nephrotoxicity. ZEA (53.4%), DON (23.8), FB1 (14.3%) and FB2 (4.8%) were also found in rice, although at relatively low levels. T-2 toxin was qualitatively detected by TLC in only one sample. Co-contamination with AFs, OTA, and ZEA was very common, and up to five mycotoxins were detected in a single sample. The high AF and OTA levels as found in rice in this study are regarded as unsafe, and multi-occurrences of mycotoxins in the rice samples with possible additive or synergistic toxic effects in consumers raise concern with respect to public health.

This paper gives analytical solutions to a nonlinear oscillator with coordinate-dependent mass and Euler–Lagrange equation using the parameterized homotopy perturbation method. The results demonstrate the simplicity and convenience of the method to nonlinear differential equations.

The need for a localized crop model that will aid in evaluating various strategies for efficient water management, especially in the semi-arid Lake Chad region does not need to be overemphasized. Therefore, as a step to simplify the calibration of the AquaCrop model, this study assessed the sensitivity of the model's output variables to pearl millet crop input parameters under water stress conditions of Maiduguri, Northeastern Nigeria. The analysis was carried out using the Local Sensitivity Analysis (LSA) technique under a 50 % deficit irrigation scenario. The result revealed that the effects of the input parameters on canopy cover (CC) and biomass yield (BMY) simulations were time-dependent. Overall, a significant number of the model's inputs were found to be non-influential; these parameters could be set within their predetermined range in order to simplify the model. Whereas, the influential parameters should be given higher consideration during calibration, data collection, and future model development. The results of this study could also be validated using more advanced methods like the Global Sensitivity Analysis (GSA) technique, on different crop varieties that have longer phenological stages and under severe water and fertility stresses.

Importance.Depression is a common co-morbidity for people living with HIV (PLWH) and is associated with elevated plasma HIV RNA levels. While depression correlates with deficits in antiretroviral (ARV) adherence, little data exist to inform the relationship between depression and HIV vial load more broadly.Objective.To examine the relationship between depression and viral load in the African Cohort Study (AFRICOS) independently of ARV adherence.Design.PLWH in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania underwent screening for depression using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD) upon enrollment at AFRICOS HIV care sites.Setting.AFRICOS is an ongoing prospective longitudinal cohort study enrolling HIV-infected adults at HIV care centers including sites in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. These sites are administered by President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief programs.Participants.HIV+ individuals were eligible if they were at least 18 years old, receiving HIV care at the enrolling clinic and consented to data and specimen collection.Main outcome measure.CESD.Results.Among 2307 participants, 18–25% met the CESD threshold for depression. Depression was associated with decreased ARV adherence (OR 0.59, p = 0.01). Higher scores on three CESD items were significantly associated with 209–282% higher viral load, independently of ARV adherence among participants on ARVs ⩾6 months.Conclusions.PLWH had high prevalence of depression on the CESD. Diverse depression symptoms were independently associated with increases in viral load, underscoring the need for comprehensive treatment of depression.

Background Employing malaria operational research (MOR) findings in planning national malaria control programmes is gaining increased attention. The malaria control foci are diverse, resources are limited; therefore, agreeing on priority areas is critical. Hitherto, the process of prioritising MOR questions in Nigeria has been limited to few stakeholders. In support of the National Malaria Elimination Programme’s (NMEP) effort at setting a MOR agenda, the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (NFELTP) in collaboration with NMEP conducted preliminary exploratory study to identify key malaria research gaps and needs, and provide data to inform setting a robust national MOR agenda. The process of generating data is presented in this paper. Methods A twelve-member task-team comprising NFELTP, university researchers and NMEP officers was commissioned. Following an inaugural meeting the task-team developed a framework of activities and held five planning meetings, conducted five-week online and self-administered paper-based surveys, key informant interview (KII), two-day desk review workshop, seven-day qualitative data analysis, ten-day result and five-day report writing workshops. Paired group members conducted the interviews across six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Abridged study report was used for a two-day MOR setting agenda stakeholders’ workshop. Results A structured framework, study protocol and data collection instruments were developed and submitted for ethical approval. The instruments included survey questionnaire for detailed information on researchers and other stakeholders’ experience with MOR, the gaps and needs in thematic MOR areas; KII and Delphi guides. After an initial scoping review, primary data were collected from purposively selected survey participants using mixed methods: - online survey ( n  = 100), self-administered paper-based survey ( n  = 85), KII ( n  = 40), desk review workshop ( n  = 22) and Delphi interviews (n = 8). Comprehensive lists of research gaps/bottlenecks and needs were generated for each thematic area in malaria control. These were used at a two-day national MOR setting stakeholder workshop ( n  = 54) to guide the development of national MOR agenda document. Conclusions A systematic approach involving broad stakeholder engagement provided data and evidence-based information for development of a robust national MOR agenda. The processes involved are recommended for use in malaria endemic settings.

Objective We conducted a study to determine stakeholders’ perspective of the bottlenecks, concerns and needs to malaria operational research (MOR) agenda setting in Nigeria. Results Eighty-five (37.9%) stakeholders identified lack of positive behavioural change as the major bottleneck to MOR across the malaria thematic areas comprising of malaria prevention 58.8% (50), case management 34.8% (39), advocacy communication and social mobilisation 4.7% (4) while procurement and supply chain management (PSM) and programme management experts had the least response of 1.2% (1) each. Other bottlenecks were inadequate capacity to implement (13.8%, n = 31), inadequate funds (11.6%, n = 26), poor supply management (9.4%, n = 21), administrative bureaucracy (5.8%, n = 13), inadequacy of experts (1.3%, n = 3) and poor policy implementation (4.9%, n = 11). Of the 31 stakeholders who opined lack of capacity to execute malaria operational research; 17 (54.8%), 10 (32.3%), 3 (9.7%) and 1 (3.2%) were experts in case management, malaria prevention, surveillance, monitoring and evaluation and PSM respectively. Improvement in community enlightenment and awareness strategies; and active involvement of health care workers public and private sectors were identified solutions to lack of positive behavioural change.