DETERMINANTS OF TECHNICAL INEFFICIENCY IN FARM PRODUCTION: THE CASE OF NDE FARMERS IN ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

The study estimates the determinants of technical inefficiency among the farmers that are participating in the Ondo State chapter of the National Directorate of Employment program in Nigeria. Using a tobit analysis, it was found that extension visits, higher education, land input and membership of farm association were significant factors influencing technical efficiency. This suggests that education, efficiency in supply of inputs and public awareness are key factors necessary for policy consideration.Farm Management, Production Economics,

EXAMINING EFFICIENCY UNDER MULTI-CROPPING SYSTEMS

This paper computes overall efficiency for 64 farmers practicing multi-cropping system in Ekiti State of Nigeria. These are decomposed into pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency. Results show that 34 and 40 farmers are technically and scale inefficient, respectively. Overall, 40 farmers are found to be inefficient.Farm Management,

Efficiency of Ratio and Regression Estimators Using Double Sampling

This research work takes into consideration the Double sampling procedure to determine the efficient estimator among the double sampling for ratio and regression and Simple random sampling without replacement (SRSWOR) type estimators. The empirical comparison of the minimum variances, relative efficiency and the coefficient of variations were used in obtaining the most efficient estimator. It was established that, if the regression line does not pass through the origin, then double sampling for linear regression type estimation is efficient over double sampling for ratio and simple random sampling without replacement estimations. Keywords: Ratio Estimator, Regression Estimator, Double Sampling and Simple Random Sampling Without Replacemen

Off-label use of pentazocine and the associated adverse events among pediatric surgical patients in a tertiary hospital in Northern Nigeria : a retrospective chart review

Background and aims: Pentazocine remains a widely used opioid pre-anesthetic medication and post-operative analgesic in low- and middle-income countries despite concerns. We assessed the adverse events (AEs) associated with off-label use of pentazocine in pediatric surgical patients and determined the possible risk factors associated with slow respiratory AEs. Method: Children ≤18 years old were administered pentazocine IM/IV as a pre-anesthetic medication or post-operative analgesic. Pertinent data including total daily dose and duration of use of pentazocine and its associated AEs were obtained from patients’ case files. Risk factors associated with slow respiratory AEs were determined using logistic regression analyses. Results: One hundred and fifty-nine patients were included with a median age of 2 years; they were mainly males (52.8%). Pentazocine was administered off-label to all patients for post-operative pain management (96.2%) or pre-anesthetic medication (3.8%). All patients experienced at least one AE with most experiencing 2–7 AEs. Rapid breathing (120; 18.7%), followed by fast pulse (101; 15.7%) and sleepiness/sedation/drowsiness (81; 12.6%) were the most common AEs. None of the demographics and clinical variables significantly predicted the risk of slow respiratory AEs. Conclusion: Off-label use of pentazocine is common and associated with multiple AEs. Care is needed as no predictors of slow respiratory AEs were observed

Short Communications: Transforming rural livelihoods through cassava value addition, a case study of Cassava Adding Value for Africa Project (C:AVA)

With the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Cassava Adding Value for Africa (C:AVA) project is transforming the lives of cassava small holder farmers in the five countries of Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda. The C:AVA project has encouraged good agronomic practices and provided farmers with higher yielding and disease tolerant cassava varieties. These have resulted in higher yields (ranging from about 16 percent in Ghana to over 100 percent in Uganda), which have contributed to an increase in the incomes of the small holder farmers and community processors through their participation in profitable and sustainable value-added cassava chains. Rather than rely solely on income from processing fresh roots into traditional products, community groups and large industries have shifted focus to adding value to the roots through processing into new chains being promoted by the Project. These new value chains include high quality cassava flour and grits for bakery, confectionery and brewery industries as well as chips and grits as feed mix into the livestock industry including poultry. Other chains being promoted include starch and ethanol. Mobilisation into new value chains ranged from just over 2 percent in Tanzania to a 100 percent in Malawi in the first year of project operations. By the third year, mobilisation into the new chains has significantly increased to about 70 percent and above in all countries; 69 percent in Nigeria and 100 percent in Uganda. Collectively, the five countries have mobilised close to a million tons of fresh cassava roots that have been processed into both traditional and new value chains. Over 70 percent of these volumes have gone into the new chains. These value chains have generated an income of over USD 57 million into these rural communities assisting to raise the living standards of the resource poor households and providing employment opportunities in the participating countries.Keywords: smallholder farmer, transformation, value chains, cassava value additio

Phenotypic Detection of Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase and Metallo-β-Lactamase Produced by Escherichia Coli on Automated Teller Machines within Sokoto Metropolis, Nigeria

It is no longer a fallacy that environmental objects are grossly  contaminated by pathogenic microbes. ATMs especially which is used on daily basis by thousands of people have been reported to be potentialhabitat for these microbes. The worst-case scenario is the presence and ease of spread of Muti-Drug Resistant (MDR) and Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) producing pathogens via these machines as a result of their huge patronage. The prevalence and fast spread of these MDR and ESBL producing strains constitute an emerging public health concern. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of ESBL and MBL producing E. coli isolated on ATMs within Sokoto metropolis. A total of 194 isolates were obtained from the culture samples of 100 ATM swabs. The isolated E. coli were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility tests using the modified Kirby Baeur disc diffusion method on six (6) commercial antimicrobial discs (Oxoid, UK): Ceftazidime (CTZ, 30μg), Cefotaxime (CTX, 30μg), Gentamycin (CN, 10μg), Augumentin(AMC, 30μg), Ciprofloxacin(CIP, 5μg) and Imipenem(IPM, 10μg). The isolates were further screened for ESBL production and phenotypic confirmatory test.Confirmation of MBL production was also performed using antibiotic discs containing two Carbapenems (Imipenem IPM, 10μg and Meropenem MEM, 10μg). The result was interpreted using CLSI guideline 2015. Proteus spp (43%) were the most frequently isolated bacteria, followed by Shigella spp (31%) and E. coli 31(16%). Drug Resistant (MDR) ESBL producing E. coli of 93.3% and 4% MBL producer was recorded. It can be concluded that MDR and ESBL producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) are the most prevalent species isolated and that the species isolated are more sensitive to Gentamycin, Ciprofloxacin and Imipenem.Keywords: ESBL, MDR, ATM and Susceptibility

Antibacterial and Anti-Biofilm Activities of Neocarya Macrophylla Against Clinical Bacterial Isolates

Background: The increasing threat of bacteria resistant to current antibiotics underscores the need for an alternative source of antimicrobial agents. This study was designed to investigate the antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of Neocarya macrophylla against two important human pathogens commonly associated with biofilm-related infections.Methods: The methanolic extract of N. macrophylla leaves and its n-butanol and ethylacetate fractions were screened in-vitro for their antimicrobial activity using agar well diffusion technique while the antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of the extract and its fractions were investigated against clinical isolates of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa using microbroth dilution technique and microtiter plate method respectively.Results: The methanolic leaf extract and its fractions exhibited substantial antimicrobial activity. The n-butanol and ethylacetate fractions showed highest activity against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus respectively. The MIC and MBC of the extract and its fractions against both S. aureus and P. aeruginosa ranged from 3.125-37.5 mg/ml and 6.25-75 mg/ml respectively. In addition, a concentration-dependent antibiofilm activity against the test organisms was also observed with the ethylacetate fraction exhibiting the highest antibiofilm activity.Conclusion: The extracts and fractions of N. macrophylla exhibited remarkable antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. The plant thus can be considered as a potential source of bioactive principles in the continuous fight against bacterial virulence and resistance.Keywords: Neocarya macrophylla, Antimicrobial activity, Antibiofilm activity, Antimicrobial resistance

ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE IN ENTEROBACTERIACEAE FROM INTENSIVELY-REARED APPARENTLY HEALTHY AND DISEASED POULTRY IN ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA

The emergence and wide-spread dissemination of antimicrobial resistant bacteria strains is a global phenomenon of great public health and economic implications. Antimicrobial resistance was investigated in enterobacteriaceae isolated from apparently healthy and diseased poultry birds using the broth micro-dilution method to determine antimicrobial minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). In all, 504 bacterial isolates including Escherichia coli (471), Klebsiella spp (28) and Salmonella enterica isolates (5) were studied. The isolates were resistant to ampicillin (88.5%), chloramphenicol (62.3%), ciprofloxacin (74.8%), enrofloxacin (81.0%), neomycin (83.9%), norfloxacin (78.8%), streptomycin (91.3%) and tetracycline (83.3%). The geometric mean MIC (µg/µL) of tested antimicrobials for enterobacteriaceae is as follows: ampicillin (102.5), chloramphenicol (48.4), ciprofloxacin (19.1), enrofloxacin (34.5), neomycin (47.7), norfloxacin (24.5), streptomycin (142.2) and tetracycline (62.5). Although rates of resistance to ampillin, streptomycin and tetracycline were similar among isolates from apparently healthy and diseases birds, resistance to chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, neomycin and norfloxacin were significantly higher (p<0.05) in isolates from diseased chickens than in those from apparently healthy chickens. The high rates of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria may contribute to the persistence of pathogens in poultry flock and ineffectiveness of antimicrobial chemotherapy during disease outbreaks.Â

Antithrombotic, anticoagulant and antiplatelet activity of betulinic acid and 3β-acetoxybetulinic acid from Melaleuca bracteata ‘Revolution Gold’ (Myrtaceae) Muell leaf

Purpose: To investigate the antithrombotic, anticoagulant and antiplatelet activity of betulinic acid (BA) and 3β-acetoxybetulinic acid (BAA) from Melaleuca bracteata ‘Revolution Gold’.Methods: Betulinic acid was isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of M. bracteata leaves by column chromatography, from which BAA was subsequently synthesized by acetylation. Structural elucidation of the compounds was conducted using mass spectrometry (MS), infra-red (IR) spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The antithrombotic potential of the compounds was assessed using chromogenic substrate. Anticoagulation studies were carried using bleeding tail time assay in a rat model. Plasma-rich platelets from rats were employed for platelet aggregation studies using light microscope.Results: The compounds significantly (p < 0.05) showed antithrombotic activities in a dose-dependent manner. BAA showed significantly (p < 0.05) higher half-maximal concentration (IC50) value of 1.10 ± 0.03 mg/mL than BA (2.36 ± 0.09 mg/mL) and aspirin (2.65 ± 0.01 mg/mL) which served as positive control. The compounds exhibited anticoagulation activity with poor bleeding time, compared to aspirin. Likewise, the compounds attenuated platelets aggregation induced by thrombin.Conclusion: BAA displays better antithrombotic, antiplatelet, and anticoagulant activities than BA. Therefore, it may be a promising remedy for the management of cardiovascular events.Keywords: Betulinic acid, Thrombin, Anticoagulation, Antiplatelet, Aspirin, Platelet

Determinants of caregiver's knowledge and practices regarding childhood fever management in a developing setting: a multi-centre cross-sectional assessment

IntroductionFever is both a sign of various diseases (chief of which are infectious in nature) and an adverse effect of certain interventions (e.g. vaccines, drugs) in the pediatric population. It elicits anxiety among caregivers and healthcare professionals alike resulting in non-evidence based practices, adverse medication administration events, waste of scarce resources and overutilization of health facilities. The determinants of these practices among caregivers in the domiciliary contexts have not been well characterized in developing settings.MethodsWe assessed the knowledge and practices of childhood fever and their determinants among caregivers in domiciliary settings in Northern Nigeria using a 41-item questionnaire between August 2020 and February 2021.ResultsThe questionnaire is reliable (knowledge: Cronbach's Alpha = 0.689; practice: Cronbach's Alpha = 0.814) and collected data on a total of 2,400 caregiver-child pairs, who participated in the study. Over two-third (68.3%; 1,640) of the caregivers expressed fever phobic tendencies. Paracetamol was the most commonly used medication and constituted 31.3% of medication administration adverse events reported by the caregivers. Only one out of every six knowledgeable caregivers engaged in evidence-based home childhood fever management practices (7% vs. 41.6%) with being a primary caregiver [Knowledge: odd ratio (OR): 2.81, 95% CI: 0.38; 5.68; p value: 0.04; Practice: OR: 1.65, 95% CI: 0.09; 7.33; 0.02] and having a child/children aged ≤3 years (knowledge: OR: 7.03, 95% CI: 4.89; 9.67, p value: 0.003; practice OR: 3.11, 95% CI: 1.27; 8.59, 0.007) determining both the knowledge and practices of childhood fever management in a household.ConclusionsThe knowledge and practice of childhood fever management among caregivers were sub-optimal with being a primary caregiver and having a child/children aged ≤3 years being the significant determinants of each domain. These gaps underscore the dire need for targeted strategies aimed at improving childhood fever management by educating caregivers