St. Gregory's University

The stock markets trends can impact companies in different ways. The rise and fall of share price values affect a company?s market capitalization and therefore its market value, and are exposed to market risk. This study assumed share volatility as a stochastic process with Markov property. Thus proposed a first order, time homogenuous Markov chain model for trend prediction of two banks; that is Fidelity bank and Access bank closing share prices from 1-4-2016 to 23 -03-2022. The prediction was done by establishing three states that exist in stock price change which are share prices increase, decline (decrease) or steady. The transition matrix was generated. The powers of transition matrices and probability vectors were also generated for some years and equilibrium was attained.

Background: Artificial intelligence can automate the diagnosis of a multitude of rhythm and conduction disorders from ECGs, but is limited by a dependency on discretely defined labels. Moreover, most models also frequently rely on signal data, limiting their application in low-resource settings, where such models are needed most and ECGs are available in image form. Methods: 1.4 million 12-lead ECGs and accompanying cardiologist diagnosis statements from Yale were used to develop a model capable of generating ECG report statements. This encompassed a wide array of conditions. To develop a model capable of report generation across ECG layouts, 12-lead signal recordings were plotted randomly in multiple formats. The gold-standard diagnosis statements were processed using to remove identifiable information and standardize diagnosis reporting. An ECG-specific vision encoder-decoder model with a pretrained BEiT transformer encoder with a 384x384 pixel input size and a generative pretrained transformer, GPT-2, as a decoder was developed (B). Results: In a held-out test set of 100,000 ECGs, representing ECG interpretation with up to 255 tokens and over 41 distinct cardiovascular conditions, the model performed well across conventional metrics, with ROUGE-L and BLEU-1 scores of 0.695 and 0.502, respectively (C). The model’s clinical validity was assessed by computing agreement between cardiologist and model-generated diagnosis statements. The model generated text reports with accurate identification of diverse set of rhythm and conduction disorders, with AUROCs for predicting atrial fibrillation, right bundle branch block, and sinus tachycardia of 0.95, 0.94, and 0.96, respectively (D). Conclusions: Our vision encoder-decoder model generates an ECG report from ECG images in any layout. This approach represents an automated and accessible strategy for generating cardiologist-level reporting on ECGs, useful for low-resource settings.

Abstract Intermediality, a conflation of different artistic media into one event, is typically considered to have developed in the West. In this paper, we argue that intermediality existed in pre-colonial performance traditions across Africa, where various modes of artistic enactments merged into one were preferred to enactments partitioned into different generic categories. This study identifies multiple artistic genres inherent in Nigerian stand-up art, with specific reference to various sets of Ayo Makun’s AY Live wherein we identify the blending of joke-telling, theatre, cinema, song performance and dance within each show. We trace indigenous origins of this conflation of forms by illustrating how delineations between “types” of play, as seen in AY Live, did not exist in indigenous performances. This paper thus, extends research on intermediality and African popular culture by detailing the ways in which Nigerian stand-up enactments are packaged as total entertainment in the manner of pre-existing indigenous performances.

This paper analyzes democracy and Nigeria's general elections of 2023 while taking into account a broader range of variables that influenced both the process and the result.Over the past few decades, Nigeria has seen a wave of democratic advances.Democracy is a form of government in which citizens have the right to choose their leaders through free and fair elections.Free and fair election is the benchmark of democracy.In other words, democracy implies that the people have the opportunity to decide who governs them.Regular elections offer the people the opportunity to accept or refuse the men who are to govern them.It is the political right enjoyed by the people to decide who should govern them in a free and fair election that separates democracy from any other kind of political system.The 2023 general election is the seventh election in the series of general elections held since Nigeria returned to civil rule in 1999.Nevertheless, democracy in Nigeria has been complex due to the multiple ethnic and religious groups that make up the population, the prevalence of military coups, and the lack of economic development.Ultimately, the 2023 general elections in Nigeria became a major test of the nation's democratic progress due to the INEC's introduction of new technology, including the Bi-modal Voting Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV), to improve administration of the 2023 polls.Buttressing this optimism was the Electoral Act 2022, which introduced reforms aimed at more timely organization of pre-electoral processes and increasing transparency in results collation and reporting.Like most elections in Nigeria, the 2023 general election was conducted under a deeply contentious, and disputed, atmosphere, including widespread insecurity and uncertain government policies introduced ahead of the election.Relying on qualitative approach using data gathered from secondary sources as well as historical analysis.The study found out that the election fell short of Nigerian citizens' legitimate and reasonable expectations, as several accredited election observation groups reported that the credibility of the 2023 election was greatly marred by numerous pitfalls in election administration such as inefficient management of permanent voters cards (PVCs) distribution, failure of operational and logistical arrangements, malfunctioning of election technology, instances of vote manipulation, political violence, lack of transparent results collation and declaration process, and poor crisis communication.Considering also, the pressing issues that face Nigeria today, these include widespread poverty, corruption, and insecurity, as well as an inadequate electoral infrastructure that has hindered voter participation in past elections.The study therefore recommended among other things: strengthening the independence of the electoral body, putting in place measures to ensure the election is free from fraud and manipulation, and ensuring that the election reflects the will of the people.By implementing these strategies, the future general elections in Nigeria will be able to realize greater success in terms of improved democracy and a more stable post-election period.

A hanseníase é uma doença infectocontagiosa milenar causada pelo Mycobacterium leprae, que tem como predileção afetar a pele e nervos periféricos. A doença possui cura e tratamento disponibilizado de forma gratuita no Brasil através do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Apesar disso, na região nordeste brasileira, o Maranhão continua sendo o segundo estado do Brasil mais acometido pela hanseníase. OBJETIVOS: Estudar o perfil epidemiológico da hanseníase entre os anos de 2016 a 2020 e determinar os indicadores epidemiológicos mais relevantes. MÉTODOS: A coleta de dados foi realizada através do Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde (DATASUS). Os cálculos dos indicadores de qualidade de serviço e de eliminação foram realizados segundo o Manual Técnico-Operacional do Ministério da Saúde. RESULTADOS: Foram relatados 14920 novos casos, 1422 em menores de 15 anos e os grupos mais afetados pela doença foram: Homens (56,97 %), 30-59 anos (48,81 %), pardos (67,73 %) e escolaridade de 1º a 4º serie (634 casos/ano). A maioria apresentava Grau 0 de incapacidade (54,92%), a classificação Multibacilar (79,02%), e a apresentação clínica Dimorfa (56,22 %). As cidades mais afetadas foram São Luís, São José de Ribamar e Imperatriz. O Maranhão foi classificado como região hiperendêmica (2016-2019) e de prevalência Muito Alta (2020). Dos 4 indicadores avaliados referentes a qualidade do serviço 1 teve índice bom, 2 regular e 1 precário (2016-2020). CONCLUSÕES: O Maranhão persiste com elevada prevalência da hanseníase, no entanto, uma melhoria na qualidade dos serviços oferecido pode contribuir para a diminuição desse quadro epidemiológico.

Organization managers have rarely recognized the link between intangibles and entrepreneurial activity, consequently many firms are unable to identify and evaluate the contributions of intangible resources management to organizational sustainability. This unparalleled significance of intangible resources in contemporary business world has made intangible resources management necessary. Presently, many organizations are yet to adopt this practice. Thus, there is need to develop strategies to match the new paradigm shift. To this end, the study sought to ascertain the impact of intangible resources management on the sustainability of manufacturing organization in Nigeria. The researchers adopted survey design. Data were collected by structured questionnaire in Likert’s five scale format. The sources of data were through primary and secondary sources. Sample size of 503 was derived from the application of Cochran’s formula for finite population while Bowley’s proportional allocation method was adopted to determine the allocation of questionnaire to each organization. . A test-retest method was used to determine the reliability of questionnaire using Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation Coefficient. The result gave a reliability coefficient of 0.93. The two hypotheses were formulated and tested through Simple Linear Regression at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that: firm’s resources and capabilities significantly enhanced competitive advantage (r = 0.895801; p <0.05). Employees’ competences had significant positive effect on organization’s image (r = 0.763; p <0.05). The study concluded that it in the present dispensation, the global business is no more dependent upon the tangible resources as such intangible resources imbedded in organization members are the enablers of other corporate resources and the base for sustained organizational viability. The study recommends that in this economic paradigm where sustainable competitive advantage is tangled to individual workers’ and organizational knowledge; there is need to develop strategies heavily on improving intangible resources imbedded in individuals to march the new situation that imposes new requirements on the management of manufacturing organizations.

Despite decades of study, the significance of free radicals' function in organ damage remains questionable and is still a significant problem in the diagnosis of many diseases. Therefore, the goal of the current investigation was to determine whether Corchorus olitorius leaves could reduce oxidative stress caused by potassium bromate (KBrO3). Twenty-four rats were put into groups A, B, C, and D. Group A received distilled water as the control. Animals in groups C and D were additionally given 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight of C. olitorius, respectively, in addition to the 100 mg/kg body weight of KBrO3 given to groups B, C, and D on a daily basis for 28 days. The animals were sacrificed while being gently sedated with diethyl ether and the blood, heart, liver, and kidneys were collected. The results showed that KBrO3 decreased plasma, hepatic, renal, and cardiac CAT, SOD, and GPx activities as well as GSH concentrations, but raised MDA levels, as compared to the control group. Rats were given extract from C. olitorius leaves at doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight, with the results of the 200 mg/kg dose being comparable to those observed in the control group. These treatments resulted in significant increases in antioxidant levels (except GPx) and decrease in MDA levels in their plasma and tissues. The study showed that potassium bromate increased the levels of oxidative enzymes leading to oxidative stress. This effect was attenuated by C. Olitorius demonstrating its protective effect on the KBrO3-induced oxidative stress.\

The patient looked as though she was taking a nap, lying in her bed in ICU 16. The boyfriend of this slender 33-year-old woman described the scene. "We were standing at the kitchen counter making meatballs when she got a very strange look on her face and fell on the floor." EMS personnel intubated her in the field; and on arrival to the ED, she was profoundly hypotensive and had no spontaneous respirations. The CT scan of her head revealed a massive subarachnoid hemorrhage with extensive cerebral edema, most likely from a ruptured cerebral artery aneurysm. My examination was sobering. No response to verbal or tactile stimulation, pupils dilated and fixed, no corneal reflexes, no doll's eyes, no gag, and no cough. Cold caloric reflex testing failed to generate any eye movements. It was hard to believe that this woman with a smooth complexion and pink cheeks was not sleeping but actually brain dead. As I explained the situation to her family, her sister, Jeanine, became enraged. "This is all your fault! If you had only called neurosurgery sooner, my sister would be fine!" Jeanine insisted we transport her sister immediately to one of the large academic centers downtown so they could drain "something." "Why aren't you doing anything?!" she said again and again. Unfortunately, there really wasn't anything to do. The patient's boyfriend and father, on the other hand, were in a total state of shock and nearly speechless. "Maybe if I started CPR sooner...," the boyfriend murmured to himself. Dad simply stared at the floor shaking his head. My efforts to console this family seemed almost as futile as neurosurgical intervention would have been for this young woman. A little later in my shift, Jeanine cornered me outside her sister's room. "Show me something!" she said with gritted teeth. "What!?" I responded incredulously. "Show me a wrecked car, show me a burned-out house! Show me something! She doesn't have a mark on her. How can she be dead?" replied her distraught sister. I stood there with my mouth open not knowing what to say. Slowly, I reached up and pulled the stethoscope from around my neck. I looked directly into her eyes and simply said, "I am so sorry about your sister." Jeanine's eyes welled up; she wrapped her arms around me and began to sob uncontrollably. I held her there in the middle of the ICU for who knows how long, ignoring the stares of other visitors and staff. Jeanine and her family eventually left after arrangements were made for organ donation. I made my way home wondering about my role as a clinician. As medical professionals we're taught to maintain boundaries and make our highest priority the needs of our patient. Sometimes, those who need our care and compassion the most may not be in the hospital bed.Box 1