Interest rate is an important economic factor that can determine the level of investment in any economy, hence, the need for any organization or economy that wishes to grow to pay attention to it dynamism. This study was conducted to examine the effect of interest rate on the growth of insurance industry in Nigeria. Total insurance investment, and gross premium income which represents the insurance industry growth constitute the dependent variables while interest rate was the independent variable. The researcher employed a pooled ordinary least square (OLS) regression using secondary data drawn from audited annual financial statements of insurance industry in Nigeria from 2003-2023, a period of twenty-one years. The results show that interest rate (INTR) has significant effect on Total Insurance Investment (TII), while it has no significant effect on Gross Premium Income (GPI). It was concluded that there is a statistically significant of interest rate on total insurance investment, indicating that interest rate is very important in determining the growth of insurance companies in Nigeria. The second hypothesis shows insignificant effect of interest rate on the gross premium income of insurance, this could be attributed to low patronage of the insurance business, or by factors that enhanced premium collection such as compulsory insurances, among others. Therefore, it was recommended that premium income generated should be put into viable investment as it is not significantly influence by interest rate, this will help in increasing total insurance investment. Also, the government through the insurance regulatory authority should implement the compulsory insurance mechanism, to enables more patronage, while also mandating the insurance companies to follow the doctrine of interest rate set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) when pricing their products so as to avoid unfair, deceptive and abusive practices of overpriced policies which consequently affect the industry growth.

This study examines how knowledge management affects Akwa Ibom State SMEs' work quality. The knowledge management aspects included in the study were knowledge creation and knowledge acquisition. Cross-sectional survey research was used for this study. The study's population included 9,483 SMEs registered in Akwa Ibom State. The sample size was 384 using the Krecjie and Morgan (1970) table. Data was collected with a standardized Likert scale questionnaire. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The inferential statistics used a simple linear regression procedure. The study's results indicate that knowledge creation had an R-value of 0.571, but knowledge acquisition had an R-value of 0.406 concerning work quality. Thus, it was concluded that knowledge management significantly improves the quality of work produced by SMEs in Akwa Ibom State. Since knowledge creation is necessary to guarantee the promotion of competitive advantage in their operations, it was suggested at the conclusion that managers of SMEs should make sure that knowledge is created inside the company in order to improve performance. SMEs should also create policies that support knowledge management techniques. Through staff learning and training, their companies will be able to enhance their performance.

The viral Monumental Labs Instagram post showing robotic reproduction of Michelangelo's David sparked global debate about artificial intelligence (AI)'s role in art creation, garnering 2.9 million views and revealing deep cultural tensions around technological intervention in creative practices. Building upon the aforementioned discourse, and approaching this unique opportunity, this paper aims to examine how artistic expertise shapes public reception of automated art production. This research uses a mixed-methods analysis of 1,437 organic social media comments, combining automated sentiment analysis with human-coded thematic categorization across six professional artist categories. Comments were systematically filtered from 2,913 initial responses and analyzed using two-way ANOVA, chi-square tests, and qualitative discourse analysis to examine relationships between artistic identity and technological reception. Results illustrate that while both artists (-0.289) and non-artists (-0.272) showed negative sentiment on average, Fine Arts & Traditional Media practitioners expressed significantly more negative attitudes than Digital & Multimedia Arts professionals (p=0.041). Professional background significantly predicted comment themes (χ²=69.07, p=0.038, Cramér's V=0.155), with traditional artists emphasizing authenticity concerns and skill preservation, while digital artists focused on technical innovation and collaboration advocacy. In conclusion, artistic identity influences both the emotional depth and the conceptual structures used to assess technological integration in arts. Traditional artists express their concerns using philosophical concepts like ‘soul’ and ‘authenticity’ while non-artists emphasize concrete attributes such as ‘handmade’ features. These results are significant for cultural organizations and technology firms involved in the incorporation of artificial intelligence into creative processes.

Traumatic dental injuries involving the anterior teeth frequently present as complicated crown fractures, posing challenges in achieving functional and esthetic rehabilitation. Conservative fragment reattachment techniques, reinforced with fiber posts or polyethylene fibers, provide an ultraconservative approach while preserving tooth structure. In this report, two male patients (25 and 42 years old) presented with complicated crown fractures of the maxillary anterior teeth following trauma. Both cases were managed with nonsurgical root canal therapy followed by conservative fragment reattachment. Fiber reinforcement was employed using prefabricated fiber posts in one case and Ribbond polyethylene fiber in the other. Clinical and radiographic evaluation demonstrated stable fragment reattachment, satisfactory esthetic results, and restored occlusal function. Both patients remained asymptomatic on follow-up. These findings suggest that conservative reattachment of fractured tooth fragments using adhesive techniques, combined with fiber reinforcement, is a predictable and effective treatment for complicated crown fractures, ensuring functional stability and optimal esthetic outcomes while preserving natural tooth structure.

The abdominal aorta is the principal arterial conduit supplying the abdominal viscera, retroperitoneal organs, abdominal wall, and lower extremities. Although the classical branching pattern described in standard anatomical textbooks is commonly encountered, numerous variations have been documented in cadaveric, angiographic, and radiological studies. These variations arise during embryological development due to persistence, regression, or anomalous fusion of primitive ventral and lateral splanchnic arteries. Anatomical variations may involve the celiac trunk, superior mesenteric artery, inferior mesenteric artery, renal arteries, gonadal arteries, lumbar arteries, and terminal bifurcation of the aorta. Recognition of these variations has become increasingly important in modern clinical practice because of the widespread use of endovascular procedures, organ transplantation, laparoscopic surgeries, oncological resections, and interventional radiology techniques. Failure to identify anomalous vessels can result in inadvertent vascular injury, ischemic complications, hemorrhage, and unsuccessful surgical outcomes. Advances in multidetector computed tomography angiography and magnetic resonance angiography have substantially improved the detection and characterization of vascular variants before intervention. This review summarizes the embryological basis, prevalence, classification, and clinical significance of major abdominal aortic branching variations reported in the literature. Understanding these anatomical patterns is essential for anatomists, radiologists, vascular surgeons, transplant surgeons, urologists, and gastroenterologists to facilitate safe surgical planning and improve patient outcomes.

Background: Rehabilitation of the posterior atrophic maxilla frequently requires simultaneous management of vertical and horizontal bone deficiencies. While lateral sinus floor elevation remains the most predictable approach for severe vertical atrophy, reconstruction of associated horizontal defects often requires additional bone augmentation procedures, increasing surgical complexity and morbidity. The use of the lateral sinus wall (“sinus bone window”) as an autologous cortical membrane may provide a biologically driven alternative for simultaneous three-dimensional reconstruction. Objective: To evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of a sandwich grafting technique using the sinus bone window as an autologous cortical membrane combined with particulate autologous bone and plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF-Endoret®) for the treatment of mixed posterior maxillary atrophy. Materials and Methods: A retrospective case series was performed including patients with combined vertical and horizontal posterior maxillary atrophy treated by lateral sinus floor elevation and simultaneous horizontal ridge augmentation using the sinus bone window as a cortical membrane. Clinical records and CBCT scans were reviewed. Horizontal bone gain, implant survival, prosthetic survival, peri-implant marginal bone loss, and complications were analyzed. Statistical significance was established at p < 0.05. Results: Sixteen patients (81.3% women; mean age 61.2 ± 11.8 years) with 20 regenerated posterior maxillary sites were included. Initial ridge width increased from 2.11 ± 1.52 mm to 8.46 ± 1.65 mm, representing a mean horizontal gain of 5.35 ± 1.75 mm (172.6% increase; p < 0.001). All regenerated sites achieved sufficient width for implant placement without additional augmentation procedures. Twenty narrow-diameter implants were placed, achieving a mean insertion torque of 34.71 ± 18.25 Ncm. After a mean follow-up of 80.5 ± 3.6 months, implant and prosthetic survival rates were 100%. No surgical complications were recorded. Mean marginal bone loss was 0.73 ± 0.18 mm mesially and 0.85 ± 0.34 mm distally. Conclusions: The use of the sinus bone window as an autologous cortical membrane appears to be a predictable technique for simultaneous horizontal and vertical reconstruction of the posterior maxilla. This approach provides substantial horizontal bone gain, avoids a secondary donor site, facilitates implant placement in severely atrophic ridges, and demonstrates excellent long-term clinical and radiographic stability.

Based on the context of China's unified national market, this study employs a combination of case study, empirical research, and policy analysis methods, selecting J City in Z Province as the case study to systematically analyze the implementation outcomes of the fair competition review system. The findings indicate that J City has continuously refined relevant policies and collaborated with multiple government departments, third-party institutions, and entities from the Yangtze River Delta region to carry out reviews, leading to significant improvements in market vitality and the business environment; however, local protectionist administrative monopolistic practices remain prevalent at the grassroots level, primarily due to ambiguous review criteria and insufficient mechanisms for performance evaluation and accountability.

This paper investigates the effect of China’s outward foreign direct investment on youth unemployment in West Africa by using a modified labour demand model to clarify whether Chinese investment is helpful in reducing youth unemployment in the region, and whether local human capital and institutional quality influence the studied outcome. The model is applied for a panel of 13 countries for the period 2003-2022, using fixed-effect, FGLS-parks and dynamic system GMM estimators. Our results suggest that Chinese FDI has a significant reducing effect on youth unemployment in West Africa region, and this effect is strongly dependent upon the local stock of human capital and institutional quality. Explanations are provided for the results and policy implications are highlighted, especially the need to attract more Chinese greenfield FDI in labor-absorbing activities and to improve the domestic absorptive capacity. The study reveals other variables that affect youth unemployment in the region together with their policy implications.

This study aims to examine the impact of 6 weeks Yoga and Pilates training programme on selected physical fitness variables of school badminton athletes. 30 school level badminton athletes aged 13 to 16 years were randomly selected into 2 groups. An experimental group (n = 15) will be undergoing yoga and pilates training and a control group (n = 15) underwent there regular physical training programme. Experimental and control group underwent the training for 6 weeks, 5 days per week. The selected physical fitness variables are flexibility, balance, core strength, and agility which is examined using standardized test (Johnson & Nelson, 1986; Davis et al.,2000). Bothe the group underwent the standardized test a pre-test and post-test data were collected. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was employed to determine the significant differences between the groups at a 0.05 level of significance. The study resulted a significant improvement in flexibility, balance, core strength, and agility of the experimental group than the control group. The study findings indicate that integration of yoga and pilates into badminton training programmes can effectively enhance physical fitness components essential for school-level badminton performance.

The study assessed the general endurance status of 08 male athletes aged 16 – 18 years of the Jujitsu youth team of Dong Nai City with more than 02 years of training seniority. Through the synthesis of monographs and interviews with 15 experts and expert coaches, the project sets up a combination of measurement tools including 06 biological function indicators and 05 pedagogical tests to assess general endurance. Pre-experimental data showed that the endurance capacity of the sample system was relatively uniform with a low coefficient of variation in most test standards. However, when compared with the scientific works of domestic and foreign authors, the basic aerobic capacity and cardiovascular response function of the young male athlete Dong Nai currently stand at the low average threshold, not approaching the load norm of modern competition trends.

Maintenance management remains a persistent challenge in Nigerian manufacturing, where reactive approaches dominate despite their well-documented inadequacies for achieving operational sustainability. This study examined the relationship between maintenance management dimensions (preventive, corrective, and predictive maintenance) and project sustainability indicators (cost control, minimal downtime, and asset lifespan) in manufacturing companies in Rivers State, Nigeria. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was employed, with data collected from 198 manufacturing companies using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis were used to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that preventive maintenance significantly positively affects cost control (β = 0.31), minimal downtime (β = 0.29), and asset lifespan (β = 0.27). Predictive maintenance demonstrated the strongest effects across all sustainability indicators (β = 0.47, 0.44, and 0.41, respectively). Corrective maintenance showed no significant relationship with any sustainability outcome. The study concludes that proactive maintenance strategies, particularly predictive maintenance, are essential for achieving project sustainability, while corrective maintenance delivers no measurable sustainability benefits. Theoretical contributions include empirical validation of the conceptual framework within the Rivers State manufacturing context. Practical implications advise manufacturing firms to prioritise investing in predictive maintenance technologies. Policy recommendations encourage regulatory incentives for proactive maintenance adoption. Limitations include the cross-sectional design and single-region focus.

Background: Iterative blood transfusion is a cornerstone in the management of sickle cell disease in sub-Saharan Africa, but it inherently exposes patients to the risk of Transfusion-Transmissible Infections (TTIs). In children under 10 years of age, interpreting seropositivity is further compounded by the potential confounding factor of vertical (mother-to-child) transmission. Objectives: To evaluate the seroprevalence of HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis within a pediatric and adolescent sickle cell cohort in Kinshasa (DRC), to discriminate the share of vertical transmission among children under 10 years old, and to model the impact of cumulative transfusion workload among adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional, analytical, and single-center study was conducted, including 114 sickle cell patients stratified into two groups: < 10 years old (N=29) and ≥ 10 years old (N=85). A paired survey was performed with the biological mothers of children under 10 years of age (N=29). Serological statuses were determined using immuno-enzymatic assays and rapid diagnostic tests. Statistical analyses were performed using Fisher's exact test and bivariate logistic regression. Results: The mean age at diagnosis was 29 months, and 95.61% of the patients had a history of blood transfusion. In children under 10 years of age, the mother-child concordance analysis revealed a complete absence of vertical transmission for HBV, HCV, and syphilis (0.0%, p=0.045), but confirmed a single case of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (3,4%, p=0,034). Current age was not a discriminating factor for seropositivity (p>0.05). However, among adolescents (N=85), risk modeling demonstrated that HIV (crude seroprevalence of (1.18%) was significantly associated with cumulative transfusion pressure, with an Odds Ratio (OR) of 13.16 (95% CI: [1.24 - 142.8], p=0.048). Hepatitis B (HBV) showed the most alarming crude seroprevalence (5.88%); 5 cases), coinciding with an incomplete or unknown pediatric vaccination status in 14,04% of the overall cohort. HCV (2,35%) was not correlated with transfusion history (p=0.829). Conclusion: While vertical transmission is globally controlled, cumulative transfusion pressure remains a major risk factor for acquiring HIV among sickle cell adolescents in Kinshasa. The high crude prevalence of HBV highlights the urgent need to guarantee a strict (100%) anti-HBV vaccine coverage from the time of sickle cell disease diagnosis and to introduce Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) to secure the biological qualification of blood donations.

This study presents an explainable artificial intelligence framework for climate-responsive residential envelope design in Gulf coastal cities by integrating building performance simulation, multi-objective optimization, machine learning, and explainability analysis. While previous studies have largely focused on minimizing energy consumption, limited research has simultaneously considered energy performance, capital cost, and thermal comfort within a unified and interpretable decision-support framework. The objective of this research was to identify dominant envelope design variables and derive practical design recommendations for residential buildings located in Dubai, Doha, and Manama. A two-story detached villa prototype was developed and simulated under representative coastal hot-arid climate conditions. Six envelope and operational design variables, including window-to-wall ratio (WWR), shading depth, cooling setpoint, glazing type, wall construction, and roof construction, were evaluated through a simulation-based optimization framework. A total of 600 design alternatives were generated using NSGA-II optimization and subsequently used to train Random Forest predictive models for energy use intensity (EUI), capital cost, and ASHRAE 55 thermal discomfort hours. SHAP (Shapley Additive Explanations) analysis was then applied to quantify variable importance and extract interpretable design rules. The results demonstrated strong predictive capability, with Random Forest models achieving R² values of 0.933 for EUI, 0.982 for capital cost, and 0.955 for thermal discomfort. SHAP analysis revealed that WWR was the dominant driver of energy performance, accounting for 65.2% of total feature importance, while wall construction exerted the greatest influence on capital cost. Thermal comfort was primarily governed by cooling setpoint, followed by WWR and shading depth. Dependence analysis further identified clear threshold relationships between envelope variables and performance outcomes. The proposed framework transforms optimization datasets into actionable design knowledge and provides interpretable decision support for architects, consultants, and developers seeking cost-effective and climate-responsive residential envelope solutions in Gulf coastal environments.

Catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are a leading cause of healthcare-associated infection, particularly in intensive care units (ICUs), where prolonged catheterisation and patient complexity increase risk. Reducing unnecessary catheter use and improving adherence to evidence-based practices are key priorities for patient safety. This case report describes a nurse-led, multidisciplinary quality improvement programme to reduce CAUTI rates in a transplant ICU through optimisation of catheter use and the introduction of non-invasive urinary management alternatives. Interventions included standardisation of catheter indication criteria, implementation of insertion, maintenance and early removal protocols, introduction of external urinary management devices and a structured staff education and audit programme. Performance was monitored using CAUTI incidence per 1,000 catheter days and compliance with catheter-related practices, supported by continuous audit and feedback. Following implementation, CAUTI rates decreased from a pre-intervention rate of 1.41 per 1,000 catheter days to sustained zero incidence between Q4 2018 and Q4 2024. Compliance with catheter care protocols improved, alongside increased documentation of indication for catheter use and earlier catheter removal. The adoption of external urinary catheter management devices contributed to reduced indwelling catheter use. In parallel, the unit reported zero device-related pressure injuries and improved patient comfort, as reflected in staff-reported patient feedback. This multifaceted approach achieved sustained elimination of CAUTI in a high-risk ICU setting, highlighting the effectiveness of nurse-led interventions, standardised practice, and non-invasive catheter alternatives in reducing device-associated harm.

Population growth, habitat destruction, climate change, and new diseases are all threats to the world's fisheries and aquaculture. Traditional selective breeding has achieved success, but has some drawbacks such as long breeding cycles, polygenetic nature of traits, and limited genetic diversity in closed populations. The potential of CRISPR-Cas genome editing is a recent technology that has been used in zebrafish since 2013, and is now revolutionizing the genetic improvement of Atlantic salmon, Nile tilapia, rainbow trout, channel catfish, grass carp, and others. This precision has been further improved by advanced technologies such as base editors, prime editors, CRISPRa, and CRISPRi. Applications include growth enhancement through myostatin disruption; increased disease resistance, reproductive efficiency, flesh quality and thermal/osmotic stress tolerance. These tackle key production bottlenecks, while contributing to lower use of antibiotics, lower environmental footprint and climate-resilient systems based on the UN SDGs. Even with these challenges, there are significant issues off-target effects, mosaicism, regulatory issues, public acceptance and polygenetic traits. Now, new technologies like artificial intelligence-driven design, multi-omics, multiplex editing, and epigenome editing provide answers. To be fully commercialised, regulatory harmonisation and transparent communication are paramount.