Enhancing Private Healthcare Effectiveness in Lagos State, Nigeria: An Overview of the Effect of Quality Improvement Initiatives and Implications for Sustainable Healthcare Delivery

Background: Nigeria, a nation grappling with rapid population growth, economic intricacies, and complex healthcare challenges, particularly in Lagos State, the economic hub and most populous state, faces the challenge of ensuring quality healthcare access. The overview of the effect of quality improvement initiatives in this paper focuses on private healthcare providers in Lagos State, Nigeria. The study assesses the impact of donor-funded quality improvement projects on these private healthcare facilities. It explores the level of participation, perceived support, and tangible effects of the initiatives on healthcare delivery within private healthcare facilities. It also examines how these initiatives influence patient inflow and facility ratings, and bring about additional benefits and improvements, provides insights into the challenges faced by private healthcare providers in implementing quality improvement projects and elicits recommendations for improving the effectiveness of such initiatives. Methods: Qualitative research design was employed for in-depth exploration, utilizing semi-structured interviews. Private healthcare providers in Lagos involved in the SP4FP Quality Improvement Project were purposively sampled for diversity. Face-to-face interviews elicited insights into participation, perceived support, and project effects. Questions covered participation levels, support perception, changes observed, challenges faced, and recommendations. Thematic analysis identified recurring themes from interview transcripts. Adherence to ethical guidelines ensured participant confidentiality and informed consent. Results: Respondents affirmed active involvement in the SP4FP Quality Improvement Project, echoing literature emphasizing private-sector collaboration with the public sector. While acknowledging positive influences on facility ratings, respondents highlighted challenges within the broader Nigerian healthcare landscape affecting patient numbers. Respondents cited tangible improvements, particularly in staff management and patient care processes, validating the positive influence of quality improvement projects. Financial constraints emerged as a significant challenge, aligning with existing literature emphasizing the pragmatic difficulties faced by private healthcare providers. Conclusions: This study illuminates the complex landscape of private healthcare provision in Lagos State, emphasizing the positive impact of donor-funded quality improvement projects. The findings provide nuanced insights, guiding policymakers, healthcare managers, and practitioners toward collaborative, sustainable improvements. As Nigeria progresses, these lessons will be crucial in shaping healthcare policies prioritizing population well-being.

A Shared Natural Neighbors Based-Hierarchical Clustering Algorithm for Discovering Arbitrary-Shaped Clusters

In clustering algorithms,the selection of neighbors significantly affects the quality of the final clustering results.While various neighbor relationships exist,such as K-nearest neighbors,natural neighbors,and shared neighbors,most neighbor relationships can only handle single structural relationships,and the identification accuracy is low for datasets with multiple structures.In life,people’s first instinct for complex things is to divide them into multiple parts to complete.Partitioning the dataset into more sub-graphs is a good idea approach to identifying complex structures.Taking inspiration from this,we propose a novel neighbor method:Shared Natural Neighbors(SNaN).To demonstrate the superiority of this neighbor method,we propose a shared natural neighbors-based hierarchical clustering algorithm for discovering arbitrary-shaped clusters(HC-SNaN).Our algorithm excels in identifying both spherical clusters and manifold clusters.Tested on synthetic datasets and real-world datasets,HC-SNaN demonstrates significant advantages over existing clustering algorithms,particularly when dealing with datasets containing arbitrary shapes.

A Multi-Token Sector Antenna Neighbor Discovery Protocol for Directional Ad Hoc Networks

In this paper,we propose a Multi-token Sector Antenna Neighbor Discovery(M-SAND)protocol to enhance the efficiency of neighbor discovery in asynchronous directional ad hoc networks.The central concept of our work involves maintaining multiple tokens across the network.To prevent mutual interference among multi-token holders,we introduce the time and space non-interference theorems.Furthermore,we propose a master-slave strategy between tokens.When the master token holder(MTH)performs the neighbor discovery,it decides which 1-hop neighbor is the next MTH and which 2-hop neighbors can be the new slave token holders(STHs).Using this approach,the MTH and multiple STHs can simultaneously discover their neighbors without causing interference with each other.Building on this foundation,we provide a comprehensive procedure for the M-SAND protocol.We also conduct theoretical analyses on the maximum number of STHs and the lower bound of multi-token generation probability.Finally,simulation results demonstrate the time efficiency of the M-SAND protocol.When compared to the QSAND protocol,which uses only one token,the total neighbor discovery time is reduced by 28% when 6beams and 112 nodes are employed.

The GSI and Building a Neighborhood Community with a Shared Future

Against the backdrop of the international political and economic configuration featuring that“the East is rising and the West is declining”,relations between China and its neighboring countries enjoy steady development in general.However,the return of the Cold War mentality,rampant protectionism and prominent security governance issues have seriously threatened peace and stability in China’s neighboring region.

Impact of correlated private signals on continuous-time insider trading

A model of continuous-time insider trading in which a risk-neutral in-sider possesses two imperfect correlated signals of a risky asset is studied.By conditional expectation theory and filtering theory,we first establish three lemmas:normal corre-lation,equivalent pricing and equivalent profit,which can guarantee to turn our model into a model with insider knowing full information.Then we investigate the impact of the two correlated signals on the market equilibrium consisting of optimal insider trading strategy and semi-strong pricing rule.It shows that in the equilibrium,(1)the market depth is constant over time;(2)if the two noisy signals are not linerly correlated,then all private information of the insider is incorporated into prices in the end while the whole information on the asset value can not incorporated into prices in the end;(3)if the two noisy signals are linear correlated such that the insider can infer the whole information of the asset value,then our model turns into a model with insider knowing full information;(4)if the two noisy signals are the same then the total ex ant profit of the insider is increasing with the noise decreasing,while down to O as the noise going up to infinity;(5)if the two noisy signals are not linear correlated then with one noisy signal fixed,the total ex ante profit of the insider is single-peaked with a unique minimum with respect to the other noisy signal value,and furthermore as the noisy value going to O it gets its maximum,the profit in the case that the real value is observed.

Sensing and Communication Integrated Fast Neighbor Discovery for UAV Networks

In unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)networks,the high mobility of nodes leads to frequent changes in network topology,which brings challenges to the neighbor discovery(ND)for UAV networks.Integrated sensing and communication(ISAC),as an emerging technology in 6G mobile networks,has shown great potential in improving communication performance with the assistance of sensing information.ISAC obtains the prior information about node distribution,reducing the ND time.However,the prior information obtained through ISAC may be imperfect.Hence,an ND algorithm based on reinforcement learning is proposed.The learning automaton(LA)is applied to interact with the environment and continuously adjust the probability of selecting beams to accelerate the convergence speed of ND algorithms.Besides,an efficient ND algorithm in the neighbor maintenance phase is designed,which applies the Kalman filter to predict node movement.Simulation results show that the LA-based ND algorithm reduces the ND time by up to 32%compared with the Scan-Based Algorithm(SBA),which proves the efficiency of the proposed ND algorithms.

Research on the Innovative Decisions of Supermarket Private Brands and Designated Manufacturers

One of the core competencies of a supermarket lies in its branding.With the continuous development of the market economy and the ongoing evolution of consumer demand,private brands have progressively emerged as significant contributors to supermarket growth.However,a pivotal developmental challenge for supermarkets is navigating the innovative decision-making process between private brands and designated manufacturers.This paper aims to investigate the innovative decisions between private brands and designated manufacturers,along with the relevant promotional strategies employed during entry into the United States market.

Research on the Development Path and Mechanism of“Double-Qualified”Teachers in Private Universities Under the Background of Digital Transformation

This article explores the development path and mechanism of“double-qualified”teachers in private universities under digital transformation.Through literature review,theoretical analysis,and other research methods,this study conducts an in-depth analysis of the impact of digital technology on the development of“double-qualified”teachers in private colleges and universities and puts forward corresponding strategies and suggestions.Research shows that digital transformation provides new opportunities and challenges for developing“double-qualified”teachers in private colleges and universities.To adapt to this trend,teachers must continuously improve their digital skills,and schools should establish a complete incentive mechanism and evaluation system,strengthen school-enterprise cooperation and the integration of industry and education to promote the comprehensive development of“double-qualified”teachers,and provide a useful guideline for private universities to promote the development of“double-qualified”teachers in digital transformation.

Comparative Analysis of Differences among Northern,Jiangnan,and Lingnan Classical Private Gardens Using Principal Component Cluster Method

This paper investigates the design essence of Chinese classical private gardens,integrating their design elements and fundamental principles.It systematically analyzes the unique characteristics and differences among classical private gardens in the Northern,Jiangnan,and Lingnan regions.The study examines nine classical private gardens from Northern China,Jiangnan,and Lingnan by utilizing the advanced tool of principal component cluster analysis.Based on literature analysis and field research,273 variables were selected for principal component analysis,from which four components with higher contribution rates were chosen for further study.Subsequently,we employed clustering analysis techniques to compare the differences among the three types of gardens.The results reveal that the first principal component effectively highlights the differences between Jiangnan and Lingnan private gardens.The second principal component serves as the key to defining the types of Northern private gardens and distinguishing them from the other two types,and the third principal component indicates that Lingnan private gardens can be categorized into two distinct types as well.

A Study on the Internal Control and Countermeasures of Fixed Assets in Private Universities:A Case Study of N College

Fixed assets in universities occupy an important position in university management due to their wide coverage and large amount of money.Due to insufficient funding supply,private universities mainly focus on the allocation and utilization of fixed assets,which reflects the overall characteristics of cautious allocation,maximum utilization,and delayed elimination in the actual management of fixed assets.This article aims to conduct research and analysis on the entire lifecycle process of the allocation,use,and disposal of fixed assets in private universities,summarize the problems existing in the internal control of fixed assets in private universities,and propose corresponding countermeasures and suggestions in a targeted manner.

Research on the High-Quality Development Path of Listed Private Education Groups

The rapid growth of the education industry and private education groups has brought the high-quality development of listed private education companies into focus for both the educational sector and the capital market.This study employs the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis(fsQCA)method to explore pathways to high-quality development for these companies.Necessity analysis confirms that no single factor guarantees a company’s success,highlighting the importance of multi-factor interactions.Three main paths to high-quality development are identified:human resource optimization,precise market positioning,and comprehensive advantage.Conversely,four development paths for non-high-level companies are identified:dual insufficiency in resources and market,high turnover and over-investment,scale expansion with resource mismatch,and inadequate human resource development.The findings indicate that optimal allocation of educational resources,precise market positioning,rational resource allocation,and staff training are crucial for achieving high-quality development.Robustness tests,which raise the consistency threshold,verify the reliability and stability of the results.These findings provide a reference for policymakers,investors,and managers in the education industry.

Challenges and Countermeasures for Private Universities in Providing Education for International Students

Private universities are one of the forces driving the internationalization of higher education in China.Private universities are taking advantage of the trend to provide education for international students,playing an important role in the high-quality development of higher education in China.However,they also face challenges such as insufficient policy support,lack of management experience,and limited enrollment channels.Breakthroughs can be made through methods such as refining content,expanding enrollment channels,and attracting talent.

What Business Models Best Suit the Private Sector in Achieving the SDGs

Since the United Nations Sustainable development goals and the 2030 agenda were initiated in 2015,it has provided governments with a comprehensive blueprint to take action and meet the challenges of the world’s most pressing issues today.But the private sector also plays a large role in contributing to the problems highlighted in the SDGs and companies ranging from many different industries have increasingly become more involved in developing new and innovative solutions to solve the issues highlighted in the SDGs.Social and environmental accountability has been one of the areas that the private sector has been focusing its attention on.Companies in the corporate sector across all industries have adopted Environmental,Social,and Governance(ESG)regulations and targets,that aim to ensure ethical responsibility within private companies and promote transparency about their role in promoting social and environmental well-being across the world.This has allowed many companies to align their values and business models to emphasize the importance of the SDGs.Furthermore,innovative technologies are being utilized to ensure that public reports about the company’s practices are fully accountable and transparent to the public community and the overall private sector.For example,some private companies are using Natural Language Processing and Artificial Intelligence to analyze sustainable practices highlighted in the company’s ESG reports and see if they are genuine and free of greenwashing.This shows that technologies are playing a key role in promoting corporate accountability in terms of sustainability and encouraging private companies to adhere to the guidelines highlighted within the SDGs.Furthermore,private companies have adapted their business models to better promote innovations and collaboration with governments,other private companies as well as NGOs.Since the SDGs were designed to be interconnected and not siloed into their own different challenges,many companies who adopt the SDGs as a major sustainability framework will often develop partnerships and connections with other private sector groups so that they could develop new innovative solutions to meet the challenges posed by current global issues.This is especially prevalent in the clean energy sector,which aims to solve SDG 7 and SDG 13 both important in eradicating the issue of climate change.For example,the solar energy private sector has been currently collaborating with a wide range of universities and research institutions in order to develop solar panels that are more energy efficient and affordable for everyday consumers,while still allowing the private companies to generate significant returns in revenue.When private sector Industries adopt the measures highlighted in the SDGs,not only does it allow them to work with other industries to contribute to combating the world’s most pressing issues,but also maintains and improves their sources of revenue and profit.Overall,in order to meet the world’s most pressing challenges and issues,the private sector has increasingly adopted the SDGs in their business models,so that they would be able to better collaborate with others to develop innovative solutions and to bridge commitment to sustainable development throughout different industries.

Research on the Relationship between the School-Running Characteristics of Private Colleges and Universities and the Development Objectives of the Government

The development objectives of the Chinese government have a guiding effect on the school-running characteristics of private colleges and universities.This paper explores the relationship between the characteristics of private colleges and universities and the development objectives of the provincial government,using Jiangsu Province as a case study.All the schools have the consciousness of fully considering the development objectives of Jiangsu Province when formulating the school-running characteristics.Their characteristics all contain some training methods,training courses,or institutional construction aiming at the development objectives.Most universities can support the government’s objectives on employment and innovation.Only a third of the schools provide government support for science research.Private colleges and universities should make full use of the free and flexible advantages of private education,combine them with the continuous changes of policies and markets,and create clear,scientific,and dynamic school-running characteristics,in order to achieve long-term development.

Probability Distribution of Arithmetic Average of China Aviation Network Edge Vertices Nearest Neighbor Average Degree Value and Its Evolutionary Trace Based on Complex Network

In order to reveal the complex network characteristics and evolution principle of China aviation network,the probability distribution and evolution trace of arithmetic average of edge vertices nearest neighbor average degree values of China aviation network were studied based on the statistics data of China civil aviation network in 1988,1994,2001,2008 and 2015.According to the theory and method of complex network,the network system was constructed with the city where the airport was located as the network node and the route between cities as the edge of the network.Based on the statistical data,the arithmetic averages of edge vertices nearest neighbor average degree values of China aviation network in 1988,1994,2001,2008 and 2015 were calculated.Using the probability statistical analysis method,it was found that the arithmetic average of edge vertices nearest neighbor average degree values had the probability distribution of normal function and the position parameters and scale parameters of the probability distribution had linear evolution trace.

The Nigeria Government Engagement with the Private Health Sector

In Nigeria, the healthcare sector is divided into primary health which is under the local government’s authority that oversees the Primary Health centers, secondary health which is under the supervision of the State Ministry of Health in charge of the State General Hospitals that cater to primary and secondary healthcare. Tertiary health is supervised by the Federal Ministry of Health that oversees the Federal Medical Centres, the Teaching Hospitals, and Specialist Training Centres. Not to be excluded from Nigeria’s healthcare system are the private clinics and the public-private partnership. The funding for healthcare systems is mainly budgetary allocations from the government. This systemic review was done using secondary literature, policy documents, peer-reviewed literature, and national newspapers, collected using search engines such as Google Scholar, PubMed, and Medline. The review was done over 2-month period from February-April 2024. The literature was arranged in order of relevance and the literature not used was kept aside. The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that 11% of a country’s budget be allocated to health. African countries that make up the African Union (AU) recommended that 15% of each member African country’s yearly budget should be committed to providing healthcare services to her citizens. Unfortunately, Nigeria has yet to attain either the WHO target or the AU target while committing an average, of 6% of her budgetary allocation to health. On the other hand, her neighbouring West African country Ghana, has met the average of 15% recommended by AU. The improved National Health Insurance Authority and the government’s partnership with the private health sector in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is hoped and would improve access to affordable healthcare in general and oral healthcare in particular.

Active learning accelerated Monte-Carlo simulation based on the modified K-nearest neighbors algorithm and its application to reliability estimations

This paper proposes an active learning accelerated Monte-Carlo simulation method based on the modified K-nearest neighbors algorithm.The core idea of the proposed method is to judge whether or not the output of a random input point can be postulated through a classifier implemented through the modified K-nearest neighbors algorithm.Compared to other active learning methods resorting to experimental designs,the proposed method is characterized by employing Monte-Carlo simulation for sampling inputs and saving a large portion of the actual evaluations of outputs through an accurate classification,which is applicable for most structural reliability estimation problems.Moreover,the validity,efficiency,and accuracy of the proposed method are demonstrated numerically.In addition,the optimal value of K that maximizes the computational efficiency is studied.Finally,the proposed method is applied to the reliability estimation of the carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide composite specimens subjected to random displacements,which further validates its practicability.

China’s Efforts to Build a Community with a Shared Future in the Neighborhood from the Perspective of Major-country Competition

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China,China has proposed and actively acted on the important vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind.In October 2013,President Xi Jinping put forward that“the building of a community with a shared future should be advanced in China’s neighboring countries”.

CIIS Organizes International Symposium to Commemorate China’s Principle in Neighborhood Diplomacy

On October 24,the International Symposium to Commemorate the10th Anniversary of China's Principle of Amity,Sincerity,Mutual Benefit and Inclusiveness in Neighborhood Diplomacy was held in Beijing.Co-hosted by the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,and organized by China Institute of International Studies(CIIS),the Symposium was attended by more than200 representatives including political figures from neighboring countries,heads of international and regional organizations,diplomatic envoys of neighboring countries to China and renowned experts and scholars.

A Pattern Classification Model for Vowel Data Using Fuzzy Nearest Neighbor

Classification of the patterns is a crucial structure of research and applications. Using fuzzy set theory, classifying the patterns has become of great interest because of its ability to understand the parameters. One of the problemsobserved in the fuzzification of an unknown pattern is that importance is givenonly to the known patterns but not to their features. In contrast, features of thepatterns play an essential role when their respective patterns overlap. In this paper,an optimal fuzzy nearest neighbor model has been introduced in which a fuzzifi-cation process has been carried out for the unknown pattern using k nearest neighbor. With the help of the fuzzification process, the membership matrix has beenformed. In this membership matrix, fuzzification has been carried out of the features of the unknown pattern. Classification results are verified on a completelyllabelled Telugu vowel data set, and the accuracy is compared with the differentmodels and the fuzzy k nearest neighbor algorithm. The proposed model gives84.86% accuracy on 50% training data set and 89.35% accuracy on 80% trainingdata set. The proposed classifier learns well enough with a small amount of training data, resulting in an efficient and faster approach.