Associated anomalies in cleft lip and palate: analysis of 811 consecutive patients

Introduction: Clefts are common birth defects and may be associated with oro-facial congenital anomalies. It has not been established if specific types of anomalies are frequently related with clefts, or which organ is most commonly affected. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of associated anomalies in consecutive cleft lip and palate patients treated at two referral centres in Northern Nigeria.Methods: Cleft lip and palate at two referral hospitals in Northern Nigeria from January 2012 to December 2015 were studied. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.Results: A total of 811 cleft lip and palate patients were managed. Fifty-five percent (447) were male and 45% (364) were female while 71% (578) were children and 29% (233) were adults. The prevalence of associated anomalies was 11.5%. The most common associated anomaly among cleft patients was facial anomaly (64% of cleft patients). Associated anomalies were most prevalent in patients with isolated cleft palate. Hypertelorism was the commonest type of facial anomaly recorded.Conclusion: Our study showed a low incidence of associated anomalies with a higher incidence in isolated cleft palate cases.Key Words: Cleft lip, Cleft Palate, Associated Facial Anomaly, Congenital anomal

MACROECONOMIC SHOCKS, HUMAN CAPITAL AND PRODUCTIVE EFFICIENCY: EVIDENCE FROM WEST AFRICAN FARMERS

Little empirical work has quantified the transitory effects of macroeconomic shocks on farm-level production behavior. We develop a simple analytical model to explain how macroeconomic shocks might temporarily divert managerial attention, thereby affecting farm-level productivity, but perhaps to different degrees and for different durations across production units. We then successfully test hypotheses from that model using panel data bracketing massive currency devaluation in the west African nation of Cote d'Ivoire. We find a transitory increase in mean plot-level technical inefficiency among Ivorien rice producers and considerable variation in the magnitude and persistence of this effect, attributable largely to ex ante complexity of operations, and the educational attainment and off-farm employment status of the plot manager.Labor and Human Capital, O1, Q12, Q18,

Routine antenatal syphilis screening in South West Nigeria - a questionable practice

Background: Untreated maternal syphilis is strongly associated with adverse birth outcomes, especially in women with high titre syphilis. The WHO recommends routine serological screening in pregnancy. Some workers have advised a reappraisal of this practice, having demonstratedlow sero-prevalence in their antenatal population. In view of this, the aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of syphilis in the antenatal population presenting at a major hospital in south-west Nigeria.Methods: This was a cross sectional study of healthy pregnant Nigerian women attending Adeoyo Maternity Hospital in the capital of Oyo State. The case record of every pregnant woman presenting for their first antenatal clinic visit over a 4-month period (September 1st to December 31st 2006) was reviewed.Results: During the study period, two thousand six hundred and seventy-eight women sought antenatal care. Three hundred and sixty-nine women (369; 13.4%) had incomplete records and were excluded from analysis. The records of the 2,318(86.6%) women with adequate records were subsequently reviewed. The mean age of the women was 27.4years (± 5.34) and the mean gestational age 26.4 weeks (±6.36). The modal parity was 0. Only three patients were found to be reactive for syphilis giving a prevalence of 0.13%. Conclusion: The sero- prevalence value in this study is quite low and may justify the call to discontinue routine antenatal syphilis screening. However, a more rigorous screeningprogram using diagnostic tests with higher sensitivity maybe necessary before jettisoning this traditional aspect of antenatal care.Keywords - Pregnancy; syphilis; prevalence; serology; screenin

Stochastic frontier modelling of working capital efficiency across Europe

This paper adopts the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) to model working capital efficiency (WCE) on a sample of 6,170 European firms from 2009 to 2018. We find: (i) larger firms are more efficient with their working capital management (WCM) than smaller firms, (ii) higher cash holding contributes to WCE, (iii) high competition is less conducive to WCE than low competition, (iv) export and sales growth potential decrease WCE and (v) WCE increases with access to bank credit. In the analysis, a distinction is made between the "old" EU countries and the "new" EU countries. The results are sensitive to the year of admission into the EU. The results are robust to omitted variable bias, using a more novel approach

TIME SERIES FORECAST MODELS FOR FOREIGN EXCHANGE MARKET IN A DEVELOPING ECONOMY

Technicalities in foreign exchange forecasting have been of interest to investors and academia, particularly in a developing economy. Data of foreign exchange are time series in nature and several techniques have been developed to modeling and forecasting foreign exchange rates. In this study, Nigeria's foreign exchange rate against three world-leading currencies (US Dollars, Euro and Pounds Sterling) are modeled with ARIMA, Auto. arima, Box-Cox, random walk forecast, and Exponential Smoothing and subjected to comparative tests using  Diebold-Mariano criteria with a modern model time series model. The empirical analysis shows that that the modern model outperforms some of the other techniques in forecasting Nigeria exchange rates against world-leading currencies particularly when the forecast horizon is low

Assessment of Metropolitan Urban Forms and City Geo-spatial Configurations using Green Infrastructure Framework: The Case Study of Lagos Island, Lagos State, Nigeria

For over three decades, the economic and commercial activities of both local and foreign organizations, firms, industries and institutions have been moving to the Lagos Island in search for a reputable business atmosphere and this has led to the emergence of vertical urbanizations of the area thereby turning it into a foremost Central Business District (CBD). The Lagos metropolis is the economic hub of West Africa and the Lagos Island has the bulk of the economic activities. Most of the ill-controlled infrastructural developments are along the major streets and the Island districts are supposed to have certain spatial configurations expected of a metropolitan city like Lagos. The basic urban form design policies and theories had beenneglected long time ago thereby making the streets faced with chaotic smart growths, worrisome urban resilience and harsh biophilic architecture with little or no consideration to green landscapes. This study is situated upon the Urban Morphological Theory which investigates the relationships between urban designspatial configurations, landscape and ecological urbanism and some other green city conceptual frameworks. Scholars in the field of landscape urbanism had made divergent or opposed theoretical, conceptual and methodological choices, opportunities in the metamorphosis of a city forms and streetscapes. The normative, descriptive and the critical analysis of the theories were holistically investigated and assessed which informed the study objectives. How do we conceptualize the spatial order of contemporary Lagos Island?What models can best describe its emergent urban forms almost without any green innovations and infrastructures? Land use and detailed geodetic data were obtained from various analysis conducted by the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), interviews and personal deductions. This study identifies the different barriers, green innovative strategies for achieving sustainable urban morphology, exploring relationships between quality of life in cities, wellbeing of citizens and mobility, exploring relationships between spatial configurations and equity, exploring implications of emerging technologies for urban development and dynamics, exploring implications of emerging lifestyles and/or business practice for dwellers. This paper demonstrates and evaluates the present upheavals in the urban spatial configurations and geomorphology, social development framework and socioeconomic masterplans for Africa’s business districts

Rice Pests in the Ivory Coast, West Africa: Farmers’ Perceptions and Management Strategies

An understanding of farmers’ perceptions of pests and their existing pest control methods can make an important contribution to the development of effective integrated pest management strategies. While the relatively successful rice IPM technologies in Asia have been extensively documented in studies examining farmers’ pest perceptions and management practices, studies examining, specifically, perceptions and management practices of West African rice farmers are rare. This may reflect the more limited success to date in the implementation of rice IPM strategies in the region. This paper describes rice pests, pest perceptions, and management practices of smallholder rice farmers in the Ivory Coast. It was found that the major rice pests, as perceived by farmers, are weeds, vertebrates (birds and rodents), and insects. Farmers are generally unable to diagnose rice plant diseases and thus did not consider them as important production constraints. Implications are derived for an integrated pest management strategy that incorporates farmers’ perceptions and builds on their existing cultural control practices

Assessing Sexual Function of Women after 12 Months of IUD Usage

The Intrauterine Device (IUD) is a well-accepted method of contraception. Most women are currently using it because of its effectiveness, longevity, and affordability. Moreover, users need no strict routine instructions for IUD. However, many women in the absence of any pre-existing conditions that may impair sexual functions discontinue the method due to poor sexual satisfaction. This paper aims to assess and measure the effects of IUDs on sexual function in women with no underlying condition over a period of 12 months. This study employed a longitudinal approach. To be eligible to participate, the study enrolled 260 women who have chosen to use IUDs willingly on their own at these selected centers during this period and are aged 20 years and above. It collected data at baseline and at 12 months of use. Measurements at these two timelines were done using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). The prevalence of female sexual dysfunction among participants after 12 months was 47.7% (124). In the analysis of Mean scores, FSFI at baseline and at 12 months was 31.31 and 24.76 respectively (p<0.05). Significantly reduced scores (p=0.001), for all the six domains (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain) of sexual function were noted. Desire and pain were the most affected areas of sexual function with very low scores. Without any underlying and related triggers of sexual health, the study discovered that IUDs have the potentials to cause female sexual dysfunction in almost half of its users

Influence of Weed Control Methods on Viability and Vigour of Maize (Zea mays L.) Seeds

Weed control method of choice should achieve the objective of controlling weeds without sacrificing seed quality. The influence of Combination of mechanical method (slashing at 2, and 4 week intervals), and herbicide (pre-emergence and post emergence) for weed control in maize on seed quality (viability and vigour) of maize seeds were evaluated.. Field and laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of pre-emergence (Diuron 50% SC {N (3, 4-dichlorophenyl) N, N-dimethyl urea} and post-emergence (Atrazine 50FW-{6 chloro-N-methyl-N-(1-methylethyl) 1, 3, 5-triazine, 2, 4 diamine}) herbicides either alone, or in combination with slashing at two and four-week, on seed quality. Combination of pre-emergence herbicide and slashing 2-weeks after planting  slashing gave the highest viability (91.37%) and lowest conductivity value (2.79 µS/cm/g), whereas combination of post emergence herbicide and 4 week slashing gave the lowest viability (77.67%) and the highest conductivity value (15.71 µS/cm/g). In accelerated ageing test, combination of pre-emergence herbicide with either 2 week slashing, or 4 week slashing  WAP gave the highest viability (84%), whereas combination of post emergence herbicide with 2 week slashing gave the lowest viability (51.33%) and lowest germination rate index (10.37). Combination of pre-emergence herbicide and 2-week slashing is the best complementary option for weed control in maize seed crop. Keywords; pre-emergence, post-emergence herbicides,  seed physiology,  maize seed viabilit

Determinants of utilisation of traditional birth attendant services by pregnant women in Ogbomoso, Nigeria

Background: This study was designed to assess the determinants of utilization of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) services by pregnant women in different communities in Ogbomoso, Nigeria.Methods: This was a community- based cross-sectional study. Fisher's formula was used to calculate the sample size and a total of 270 eligible pregnant women were enrolled for the study using multistage sampling technique. Data was collected using pretested structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 20 and results were presented in frequencies and percentages.Results: Factors found to have a significant influence on the utilization of TBA services in this study include: low educational status (p <0.001), lower socioeconomic status (p <0.001), and compassionate care given by the TBAs (p=0.004). Other factors include service proximity and lower cost of TBA services.Conclusions: The impact of TBAs and their services cannot be overemphasized in the present state of maternal and child health in Nigeria.  Lower educational status among others has been found to be a strong predictor of utilization of TBA services. There is, therefore, the need to improve the educational and socioeconomic status of women in order to allow them to access quality health care services that will safeguard their well-being. Inculcating compassionate care into orthodox healthcare delivery will go a long way to improve patronage and discourage TBA utilization