Funai Electric (Japan)

The science of metallic degradation and its control have developed significantly over the past decades. Beginning with traditional corrosion inhibitors such as chromates, nitrates and phosphates which are well-known for their effectiveness and environmental hazards, the field has recorded great progress with the development and implementation of safer alternatives. This recent shift is premised on global regulatory measures, increasing environmental campaigns, promotion of green chemistry ideals and industrial demands. Latest advances in the field now promote the use of eco-friendly materials like bio-based ionic liquids, biopolymers, plant extracts and biosurfactants for corrosion protection. This review captures the surface and interfacial activities of these sustainable corrosion inhibitors which are extensively explored using cutting-edge experimental and computational techniques. Electrochemical insights, together with corrosion inhibition efficiencies ranging from 80 to 99 % for typical eco-friendly inhibitors have been obtained using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) techniques. Modern analytical techniques including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have resulted in structural and mechanistic insights at the electrode/electrolyte interface. Recent advancements in molecular modelling and machine learning have further enhanced the understanding of inhibitor-metal interactions and rational design of eco-friendly inhibitors. Overall, this review succinctly highlights recent progress in eco-friendly inhibition approach, outlines green chemistry metrics, identifies key challenges and proposes future research directions to accelerate industrial implementation. • The perspectives of eco-friendly corrosion inhibitors were discussed. • The interfacial mechanism of eco-friendly corrosion inhibitors was highlighted. • The key factors and green metrics of eco-friendly corrosion inhibitors were discussed. • The mini-review provides a roadmap for next-generation materials for corrosion control.

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to impose significant morbidity and mortality, with gender influencing access and outcomes within the TB care continuum. Despite international guidance and global commitments on gender-responsive TB care to improve the equity and effectiveness of the TB response, the extent to which gender is considered in TB strategies remains unclear. This scoping review aimed to collate and synthesize the evidence on gender-responsive TB interventions designed and implemented in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and high TB burden countries from 2000 to 2025. The review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute's scoping review guidelines, using the PRISMA-ScR framework for reporting. Studies were eligible if they described TB initiatives for adults aged ≥ 15years, addressed access to services across the TB care cascade, written in English and explicitly mentioned gender considerationsin their introduction, study aims and objectives, or methods sections, beyond sex-disaggregation of results. The search spanned multiple databases and included both peer-reviewed and grey literature. Quality assessment was done using the Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool(CCAT), and gender responsiveness was assessed using the WHO Gender Responsiveness Assessment Tool(GRAT). Although many TB initiatives reported sex-disaggregated results, most were not gender-responsive by design; thus, from 3878 identified studies, 15 met inclusion criteria. Gender responsiveness varied as two interventions did not consider gender differences, treating everyone the same (gender-blind), eleven indicated gender awareness but lacked proper remedial action (gender-sensitive), and two were designed to target and benefit a specific group of women or men (gender-specific). No studies were found to be gender unequal or gender transformative. Nine studies targeted their intervention towards both men and women, five towards women only, and one towards men only. CCAT scores ranged from 52.5% (moderate quality) to 95% (high quality). This scoping review found limited consideration of gender in TB interventions, with most studies addressing gender superficially by including female healthcare workers or sex-disaggregated results without rigorous design, analysis, or proposed recommendations relating to the influence of gender norms on access to TB care. There remains a significant gap in gender-transformative TB programming which risks perpetuating disparities in access and health outcomes across genderswhich will challenge global commitments to ending TB.

This study investigated the predictive potency of teachers’ assessment practices on secondary school students’ academic achievement in Mathematics in the Nsukka Education Zone, Enugu State, Nigeria. A correlational survey research design was adopted. A sample size of 342 Senor Secondary Two (SS II) Mathematics students in Nsukka education zone was used for the study. Teachers’ Assessment Practice Questionnaire (TAPQ) and Mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) were used for data collection. Reliability coefficients of 0.93 and 0.91 were obtained for TAPQ and MAT respectively. Linear regression analysis was used to answer research questions 1-5 while research questions 6-7 was answered using multiple regression analysis. Regression t-test was used to test hypotheses 1-5, while hypotheses 6 was tested using regression ANOVA. All hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that formative assessment predicted 38.4%, diagnostic assessment predicted 37.1%, peer-assessment predicted 32%, and self-assessment predicted 26.4% of the variation in students’ academic achievement. Summative assessment accounted for 5.2% of the variance. Importantly, the combined effect of all assessment practices jointly predicted 65.7% of students’ achievement, indicating a significant and substantial influence of teachers’ assessment practices on Mathematics achievement. The study concludes that assessment practices, particularly when used in combination, play a critical role in enhancing students’ understanding, engagement, and learning outcomes in Mathematics. The study recommends that teachers adopt an integrated approach to assessment by combining formative, summative, diagnostic, self-, and peer-assessment strategies, and that educational authority provide professional development and policy support to strengthen the effective implementation of these practices. The findings highlight the importance of diverse and continuous assessment strategies as tools for improving academic achievement in secondary school Mathematics.

Young people in Nigeria face significant barriers in accessing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, resulting in unmet needs. This study explores the perspectives of young people and SRH service providers on the delivery of these services to young people at primary health centres (PHCs) in Ebonyi State, Southeast Nigeria. A qualitative research approach was used, involving 20 in-depth interviews with SRH service providers and 10 focus group discussions with young people (ages 15–24) across six communities. Data collection was guided by semi-structured interview guides that focused on the types of SRH services available and the processes involved in their delivery. Transcripts were coded and analysed thematically using NVivo. Three key themes emerged: (1) Types of services – including sex education, counselling, contraception, sexually transmitted infections prevention and treatment, maternal and childcare, and support services for survivors of gender-based violence; (2) Attributes of providers and users - highlighting, respectful, empathetic, and support for informed choices and privacy, while also noting challenges such as limited provider availability and young people’s reluctance to seek care; and (3) Processes of service delivery - describing structured stage including reception, registration and payment, consultation, waiting time, operating hours and relational aspects within the health system. Despite efforts to offer youth-friendly SRH services, delivery remains constrained by workforce shortages, inadequate infrastructure, high service costs, and judgmental attitudes from health workers. While PHCs provide essential SRH services, systemic barriers hinder young people’s access to youth-friendly care. Policy reforms are needed to strengthen youth-centred service delivery, including expanding the healthcare workforce through employment and task shifting, upgrading health infrastructure, and subsidising SRH services by integrating them into basic healthcare packages. These actions are essential to advancing young people’s SRH rights and improving service delivery.

This study analyzed the profitability of taro farming in North Central, Nigeria. A simple random sampling design was used to select 220 taro farmers based on a well-structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, farm budgetary technique, and depreciation of assets, financial analysis, multiple regression analysis, and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance. The average age and farm experience of taro farmers were 42 and 10 years, respectively. The results show that the mean total cost of taro production per hectare was 410.442$, while the mean total revenue was 1066.67$ indicating a substantial positive margin. The calculated t-value of (112.14) was greater than the tabulated t-value (1.96) at 5% level of significance, this implies that taro production was profitable in the study area. The profitability analysis further shows a gross margin of 827.25$ and a net farm income of 656.22$, reflecting a rate of return on investment (ROI) of 1.596. Despite the high profitability, variation in returns SD = 87,602 relative to cost SD = 42,594 suggest disparities in the efficiency and access to productive resources. Age, experience, education, and farm size were significant factors influencing the net farm income of taro farmers. These findings underscore the economic potential of taro as a food security and income generating crop in Nigeria. The study recommends strengthening agricultural input support programs through access to inputs, use of resistant varieties, enhancing extension service delivery system and improving market infrastructure, value addition to sustain profitability among taro farmers.

Assessment of the ecological-health risk and heavy metal pollution in drinking water was carried out in the Enyigba-Ameka Pb–Zn mining region in order to establish present level of heavy metal enrichments. Thirty-five water samples were collected from various source of drinking water in two seasons (dry and wet) and analyzed according to the American Public Health Association (APHA) standard. Data was interpreted using nine indexical models. Water quality index (WQI) values obtained showed that 9%, 20%, and 71% of the samples indicated “moderately polluted water, polluted water, and excessively polluted water” respectively during dry season and 14%, 37%, and 49%, representing “moderately polluted water, polluted water, and excessively polluted water” respectively during wet season. Synthetic pollution index (SPI) values for dry season were 9%, 17%, 48%, and 26% indicating slightly polluted water, moderately polluted water, highly polluted water, and unfit respectively for drinking purposes while for wet season, 6%, 28%, 43%, and 23% representing slightly polluted water, moderately polluted water, highly polluted water, and unfit respectively for drinking purposes. Hazard quotient (HQ) revealed that cadmium (Cd) was the major heavy metal influencing undesirable health conditions in both the adult and children populations in both seasons. Contamination index (CI) classified 35 water samples as low contamination in dry season and 28 in wet season while heavy metal evaluation index (HEI) classified 35 samples as low contamination in both seasons. The study’s findings provide insights into contamination by heavy metals for the protection of human health and water supply in the Enyigba-Ameka Pb–Zn mining region.

Hodgkin lymphoma is a rare neoplasm of the lymphatic system, representing one of the most common cancers in young adults. It is characterised by a low number of malignant cells derived from B-lymphocytes and an extensive microenvironment. We used Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed databases with search descriptors; “Hodgkin* lymphoma“ and “Hodgkin* disease”. The common bibliometric indicators were applied. We retrieved a total of 18,304 articles within 2002 and 2022. The growth pattern showed a saturated pattern, with the linear and exponential plots coinciding. A small number of authors were responsible for the majority of the publications, with a transience index of 71.84%. The Bradford core consisted of 32 journals, with Leukemia and Lymphoma being at the top. The most productive institutions were resident in United States with the University of Texas MD Anderson Center at the helm. The United States was found to be the most productive country. Engert A. was the most productive author. Scientific production in Hodgkin lymphoma was found to be saturated with a high transience index. This study provides a reference for oncologists, epidemiologists, funders, policy decision makers, academics, and Hodgkin lymphoma researchers.

Psychology research in North America and Europe faces a credibility crisis, with speculations of a global-scale crisis has spurred the development of a broad array of open science practices to improve different aspects of the research process. Alongside this development, a broad array of stakeholders have noted that African science is at its own crossroads, as investments in this sector can facilitate human development on the continent. Here we argue that these two movements can facilitate each other: psychology in North America and Europe can benefit from stronger psychology research communities on the African continent, while African scientists can benefit from credible evidence generated through open, freely-available open science practices and tools. However, this synergy will only materialize if a wide array of stakeholders invest in African science through providing resources, training, and specially adapted research tools while simultaneously avoiding ethical pitfalls such as corruption and research colonialism. Synergizing these efforts enables psychology in Africa to benefit from credible and accessible research, and African psychology can advance the credibility of psychology research worldwide.

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of cooking methods on the chemical composition and bioavailability of minerals in Plectranthus esculentus tubers. Analysis of the chemical composition and bioavailability of minerals in Plectranthus esculentus tubers was performed using standard protocols. Boiling increased the moisture and decreased the total protein, total amino acids and some minerals but did not affect the ash, crude fibre, fat, total carbohydrates, energy value, phytates, tannins, oxalates, trypsin inhibitor, saponin, Pb, Cd, Ar, Mg, Ni, Mo, Al, vanadium, Be and Au; frying increased the total fat content; decreased the total proteins, amino acids and some minerals; and depleted Be but did not affect the moisture, ash, crude fibre, carbohydrates, energy value, phytates, tannins, oxalates, trypsin inhibitor, saponin, Pb, Cd, As, Ni, Mo, Al, vanadium and, Au; roasting decreased the total protein, total amino acids and some minerals; depleted Pb, Ni and Be but did not affect the moisture, ash, crude fibre, fat, total carbohydrates, energy value, phytates, tannins, oxalates, trypsin inhibitor, saponin, Cd, As, Mo, Al, vanadium and Au contents of the tuber compared to the raw tubers. Raw and processed Plectranthus esculentus tubers were good sources of some important nutrients, phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Boiling retained the nutrients and polyphenol compounds in the tubers better than frying or roasting. A bioavailability study showed that the phytates and oxalates in the tuber may not affect the bioavailabilities of calcium, zinc or iron in it when eaten. Consumption of raw and processed Plectranthus esculentus tubers could be relevant in curbing nutrient deficiency for people in tropical regions where this tuber is eaten as food. For the purpose of processing, boiling may be more useful than frying or roasting, for utilization of the nutrient and bioactive compounds of this tuber.