This study aimed to investigate the extent of the pre-service teachers in Bachelor of Technical-Vocational Teacher Education Program being ready to align with the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers. Moreover, it identified potential correlations between pre-service teacher profiles sex, academic track, and area of specialization and subject handled in terms of their PPST readiness scores. It was discovered that there is a promising foundation in terms of literacy, numeracy and communication skills level of pre-service teachers; however, a lot has yet to be achieved overall. There remains a great deal more work to do around curriculum, assessment techniques and engagement of diverse learners. The research went on to identify the establishment of stronger community links and professional development prioritized in the refining of teaching philosophies and collaboration. One of the interesting findings of this research was the strong association of the pre-service teacher profile and PPST readiness. The academic track and area of specialization had a higher relation compared to the subject handled during practice teaching. This would then imply that there could be benefits to be made in designing BTVTEd programs responsive to pre-service teacher backgrounds with unique skill gaps and ensuring that graduates are better prepared for the PPST and subsequent teaching tasks. In that light, the research recommends that BTVTEd programs integrate training that domiciles core academic skills, elements of curriculum development and curriculum assessment practices, and strategies for catering to diverse learners. Besides, community engagement and professional development programs in fine-tuning pre-service teachers will go a long way in contributing to their general preparedness.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in pregnancy is associated with direct effect of pregnancy and potential viral transmission from mother to newborn. The data on hepatitis B virus infection among pregnant women in the rural area of Karu are very scarce. It is associated with a serious burden on the health care system and the economy of the family. This study therefore aimed to determine the seroprevalence of hepatitis b virus infection among pregnant women attending rural hospital in Karu-Abuja, Nigeria from 1^st January 2021 to 31^st December 2021

Study design: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study carried out among pregnant women that booked for antenatal care at Nigeria Customs Hospital Karu Abuja over a one-year period.

Materials and Method: Cases were identified from records in labour ward, and antenatal clinic, from November 1^st, 2023, to October 31^st, 2024. Data was entered and analyzed using the IBM Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS Statistics) Version 27. Armonk, NY: IBM CorpA

Results: A total of 906 pregnant women were registered for antenatal care during the study period of which 79 cases were diagnosed with hepatitis B virus infection and only 74 has the complete information and were included in the statistical analysis. The retrieval rate was 93.6% and the prevalence of hepatitis B virus infection among the study participants was 8.7%. The mean age of the study participants were 31.459 ± 4.4635 years, The mean gestational age at the diagnosis was 23.86 (4.73) weeks.  Majority of the participants were multigravida and had attended tertiary levels of education and were booked. About 44 (59.2) participants had received Hepatis vaccine.

Conclusion: The prevalence rate of hepatitis B sero-positivity among pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic was higher more than the national target of 8.0 and majority of participants were unvaccinated for HBV.

This study investigates the effects of dichlorvos, dimethoate, and cypermethrin, individually and in combinations, on maize (Zea mays) growth and physiology. Maize seeds were grown in pesticide-treated soil, and growth parameters, oxidative stress markers, and enzymatic activities were evaluated. Growth was significantly inhibited by pesticide exposure, with Group H (triple pesticide combination) showing the most severe reduction in plant height (48% lower) and stem girth (40% lower) compared to the control (p < 0.05). Biochemical assays revealed significant declines in catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities across all tissues, indicating compromised oxidative stress defenses. For instance, CAT activity in roots decreased by 65% in Group H compared to the control (p < 0.05). Concurrently, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, a marker of lipid peroxidation, increased significantly, with Group H showing a 75% rise in leaves relative to the control (p < 0.05). Relative water content (RWC) also decreased substantially, with Group H recording the lowest hydration levels (37% reduction, p < 0.05). These findings suggest synergistic or cumulative toxicity from combined pesticide exposure, with the most pronounced effects observed in triple pesticide treatments. Statistical analyses (ANOVA, Tukey's test) confirmed significant differences across groups (p < 0.05), reinforcing the reliability of the results. This study highlights the adverse impacts of pesticide combinations on maize growth and physiological stability, emphasizing the need for sustainable pest management strategies, such as integrated pest management (IPM), to mitigate the ecological and agricultural risks of pesticide use.

Urethral prolapse is the complete eversion of the distal urethral mucosa. It is a rare benign condition seen at extreme of age groups being most common with pre-pubertal girls of African descent. It is assumed to be related to hypoestrogenic states of these extreme age groups. It commonly present as vaginal bleeding and genital mass with or without urinary symptoms which may create a false panic over possible sexual assault. Conservative management may be offered to mild or asymptomatic cases while surgery remains the standard treatment modality with faster resolution of symptoms and lower recurrence. We present a case of a 14-year-old with urethral mucosal prolapse who had surgical excision of the prolapse with good outcome.