Assessment of DRE and PSA as Diagnostic and Screening Tool for Carcinoma of the Prostate in Rural Nigeria

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CLIMATIC CHANGE AND PESTICIDES USAGE: A BRIEF REVIEW OF THEIR IMPLICATIVE RELATIONSHIP

Pesticides are very important for the prevention, mitigation, destruction of pests and diseases for the improvement of agricultural efficiency due to their contributions to agricultural yields and improving the standard of living. Considering the dynamicity and influence of weather in our everyday lives, it is obvious that the effects of pesticides might also be a contributing factor and vice versa. Climate change could have an influence on both pesticides’ usage, as well as the losses of pesticides to the environment. Presently, the issue of climate change is one of the furthermost intellectual challenging issues facing the entire human race. Therefore, we must continue to protect our environment from these unfavorable effects of climate change by extremely dipping the emissions of greenhouse gases especially via the use of chemical substances such as pesticides. In this review study, we will briefly attempt to give an insight and try to bridge the uncertainty surrounding the effects of the use of pesticides and its relationship to climate change effects on the environment

Using longitudinal antibiotic point prevalence survey (PPS) to drive antimicrobial stewardship programmes in a Nigerian tertiary hospital

Background: Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) provides a means of tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Unfortunately, in Nigeria, like in some other low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs), AMS practice has been lacklustre due to poor institutional support amongst other factors. Efforts were made to address this situation by engaging with the management of National Hospital Abuja, Nigeria, using antibiotic prescription information obtained through repeated point prevalence survey.Methodology: Two rounds of antibiotic PPS were conducted in 2015 and 2017 using the Global Point Prevalence Survey (G-PPS) format. Data were collected from all inpatients receiving antibiotics on the selected day of study, including patient characteristics, antimicrobial prescription details, laboratory results and information on a set of quality indicators. The data were uploaded to an online G-PPS application hosted at the University of Antwerp in Belgium for validation, analysis and reporting.Results: The PPS data showed that hospital-wide antibiotic use prevalence increased from 58% in 2015 to 61% in 2017. Surgical prophylaxis beyond 24 hours also increased from 88-90% in 2015 to 100% in 2017, and only minority of therapies were supported by laboratory input for diagnosis and monitoring; 22% in 2015 and 5% in 2017.Conclusion: These results were used for evidence-based engagement with the management to formally support AMS activities in the hospital. Positive outcomes were the formal reconstitution and inauguration of AMS committee in 2018 as well as the issuance of a formal policy statement by the hospital in 2020. The ease and free availability of Global PPS methodology makes it ideal in driving antimicrobial stewardship programme (ASP) in LMICs like Nigeria. Keywords: Antibiotic stewardship checklist, institutional support, point   French Title: Utilisation d'une enquête longitudinale sur la prévalence ponctuelle des antibiotiques (PPS) pour conduire des programmes de gestion des antimicrobiens dans un hôpital tertiaire nigérian Contexte: La gestion des antimicrobiens (AMS) offre un moyen de lutter contre la résistance aux antimicrobiens (RAM). Malheureusement, au Nigéria, comme dans certains autres pays à revenu faible ou intermédiaire (PRFI), la pratique de la MGS a été médiocre en raison d'un soutien institutionnel insuffisant, entre autres facteurs. Des  Longitudinal PPS for AMS programmes efforts ont été faits pour remédier à cette situation en collaborant avec la direction de l'hôpital national d'Abuja, au Nigéria, en utilisant les informations sur les prescriptions d'antibiotiques obtenues grâce à une enquête ponctuelle répétée de prévalence.Méthodologie: Deux séries d'antibiotiques PPS ont été menées en 2015 et 2017 en utilisant le format Global Point Prevalence Survey (G-PPS). Des données ont été recueillies auprès de tous les patients hospitalisés recevant des antibiotiques le jour sélectionné de l'étude, y compris les caractéristiques des patients, les détails de la prescription d'antimicrobiens, les résultats de laboratoire et les informations sur un ensemble d'indicateurs de qualité. Les données ont été téléchargées sur une application en ligne G-PPS hébergée à l'Université d'Anvers en Belgique à des fins de validation, d'analyse et rapports.Résultats: Les données PPS ont montré que la prévalence de l'utilisation d'antibiotiques à l'échelle de l'hôpital est passée de 58% en 2015 à 61% en 2017. La prophylaxie chirurgicale au-delà de 24 heures est également passée de 88 à 90% en 2015 à 100% en 2017, et seule une minorité de thérapies a été soutenue par entrée de laboratoire pour le diagnostic et la surveillance; 22% en 2015 et 5% en 2017.Conclusion: Ces résultats ont été utilisés pour un engagement fondé sur des données probantes avec la direction afin de soutenir officiellement les activités AMS à l'hôpital. Les résultats positifs ont été la reconstitution formelle et l'inauguration du comité AMS en 2018 ainsi que la publication d'une déclaration de politique formelle par l'hôpital en 2020. La facilité et la disponibilité gratuite de la méthodologie Global PPS la rend idéale pour conduire le programme de gestion des antimicrobiens (ASP) en PRFI comme le Nigéria. Mots clés: liste de contrôle pour la gestion des antibiotiques, soutien institutionnel, enquête ponctuelle de prévalence, déclaration de politique prevalence survey, policy statement &nbsp

Re-strengthening the Adoption of Outsourcing Concept in Construction Firms: Issues and Challenges

Outsourcing is a concept that has gained ground instead of the dynamic nature of materials and construction resources over time, there is still yearning for resource augmentation, thus the need for this study. The course's primary aim is to study issues and challenges of outsourcing in construction firms with a view to enhancing materials and human resources usage. The survey research method was used in researching. In contrast, the random sampling method was used by the authors in the sample selection. The population sample for the study is infinite since while the Cohran formula was used to generate the sample size of 100. The authors used one hundred (100) samples for the study with questionnaire designed the Likert scale 1-5. The following parameters were censored and profiled. They include: understanding the current state of outsourcing in the construction sector, scope, and coverage of outsourcing, and the relationship between outsourcing strategy and performance helps examine the prospective areas that would warrant outsourcing and the possible outsourcing framework—the tools used in processing the data; relative mean, simple percentage, mean index. Some of the findings of the study include among other things: challenges that firms encounter in outsourcing their activities from the responses that the main challenges that the bank faced in outsourcing its included increase in cost and loss of managerial control over outsourced operations, the effect on the quality of operations of the firms, security and confidentially, and relocation of existing employees. The study recommends effective training of personnel, introduction of incentives and motivation factors in enhancing employees’ performance as a way out of challenges that confronts outsourcing. Also, casual labouring system should be abolished since it is counterproductive in conventional production environment

Society of obstetrics and gynecology of Nigeria – Clinical practice guidelines: Guidelines for the prevention of cervical cancer

Clinical practice guidelines have been developed by professional societies globally. Each guideline although based on published scientific evidence reflected each country’s socioeconomic peculiarities and unique medical environment. The Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Nigerian has published guidelines in other clinical areas; however, this is the first edition of practice guidelines for the prevention of cervical cancer. The Guidelines Committee was established in 2015 and decided to develop the first edition of this guideline following Delphi pool conducted among members which selected cervical cancer prevention as the subject that guideline is urgently needed. These guidelines cover strategies for cervical cancer prevention, screening, and management of test results. The committee developed the draft guideline during a 2‑day workshop with technical input from Cochrane Nigeria and Dr. Chris Maske, Lancet Laboratories, South Africa. The recommendations for each specific area were developed by the consensus, and they are summarized here, along with the details. The objective of these practice guidelines is to establish standard policies on issues in clinical practice related to the prevention of cervical cancer.Keywords: Cervical cancer; guideline; management; prevention; screening; Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Nigeria

Profit efficiency in U.S. BHCs: Effects of increasing non-traditional revenue sources

Using information multiple times across revenue streams, BHCs may increase efficiency due to economies of scope. Our main contribution is to be the first to examine noninterest income after passage of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, when additional opportunities to increase noninterest income arise. We examine profit efficiency and its relationship to noninterest income for BHCs using stochastic frontier analysis and multivariate analysis on BHC data from 2003 to 2006. Contrary to our hypothesis, the results indicate multi-noninterest income types are associated with decreased profit efficiency. These results are robust using the Efficiency Ratio as our measure and are particularly strong for small BHCs.Financial Services Modernization Act Noninterest income Fees Bank efficiency Frontier analysis

Theoretical Study on Substituent's Effect on the Properties of Benzofused thieno [3, 2-b] Furan and its Isomeric Form

ABSTRACT: The theoretical study on the ground state properties of isomeric benzofused thieno [3,2-b]furans was carried out using semi-emperical AM1 and Density functional theory/B3LYP 6-31G* /6-31G* basis set. This was used in order to determine the effect of substituent; Br 2 , I 2 , OH -, on the stability, reactivity and other properties of the isomers. From the calculated values of E, μ, η, ω, ΔH-L obtained, it can be inferred that thieno [3,2-b]benzofuran is more aromatic, more stable and less reactive than isomeric benzothieno[3,2-b]furan. These results agree with the experimental result concerning the different reactivity and stability of both heterocyclic systems. The study of bond order uniformity, local ionization energy and electrostatic potential energy surfaces analysis revealed structural differences of isomeric thieno [3,2-b]furans that explains their reactivity features. Benzothieno[3,2-b]furan could be an analogue of aromatic benzothiophene substituted with C(2)=C(3) vinylic moiety. This evidently points out therefore that the electrophilic substitution reaction for benzothieno [3,2-b]furan goes via addition-elimination mechanism at the C(2)

Managing fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) using leaf residue of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) on maize (Zea mays L.) under natural infestation

Published online: 01 Jun 2023Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) is a pest that has established across sub-Saharan Africa, capable of causing 100% yield loss in maize. Although aqueous extracts of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) are being used to manage this pest, neem leaf residue may have added beneficial effects. This investigation was conducted during April–November 2020 at the Training and Research Farm, University of Benin, Nigeria, aiming to improve maize yields by using neem leaf residue for managing fall armyworm under natural infestation. The experiment was laid out in a randomised complete block design, with four replicates. The treatments comprised five rates of freshly cut neem leaves (0, 1.0, 3.0, 5.0 and 7.0 kg m−2) applied as a mulch. All neem leaf treatments reduced the severity of plant damage caused by fall armyworm. With application of neem leaf residue, maize plants had a longer production period (95 vs. 86 d), grew taller (130–145 vs. 72 cm), had heavier seeds (250–280 vs. 170 g), higher grain yield (3800–5300 vs. 760 kg ha−1) and stover yield (3200–4600 vs. 2100 kg−1), compared with the control. Grain yield was increased by 410–600% with the use of neem leaf residue, which was likely a combined effect of the control of fall armyworm and improved soil fertility. The results of this study will be of benefit to farmers, who are recommended to grow maize with an application of 3.0 kg m−2 of freshly cut neem leaves, which was considered the minimum rate to achieve good performance

Some Characteristic Relaxant Effects of Aqueous Leaf Extract of Andrographis paniculata and Andrographolide on Guinea pig Tracheal Rings

The ethnomedicinal uses of the aqueous leaf extract of Andrographis paniculata Nees (AP) include treatment of pain and inflammation, malaria, asthma and common cold. We designed this study to characterize some effects of AP and those of its andrographolide constituent. Guinea pig tracheal rings suspended in organ baths containing PSS were precontracted with histamine or carbachol and then exposed to cumulative concentrations of AP, andographolide or theophylline. The effect of AP was tested in Ca2+-depleted tracheal rings stimulated with the EC50 of histamine in Ca2+-free PSS. IC50 and Emax values were calculated for each relaxant. Results showed that both AP and andrographolide possessed relaxant effects on the tracheal smooth muscle. While AP was more effective on histamine-induced contraction, andrographolide and theophylline were more effective on carbachol-induced contraction. The IC50 values of andrographolide were significantly (p< 0.05) higher than those of theophylline in the two contractile agents. The presence of AP significantly (p< 0.0001) attenuated the contractile force produced by 6.4 x 10-3 M Ca2+ in Ca2+-depleted rings. It is concluded that andographolide contributes at least in part to the relaxant action of AP on tracheal smooth muscles. The mechanism of action is related to inhibition of Ca2+ influx into tracheal smooth muscle cells