COMPRESSIONAL PROPERTIES OF METRONIDAZOLE TABLET FORMULATIONS CONTAINING ALOE VERA AS BINDING AGENT

The purpose of the present work was to determine the compressional characteristics of metronidazole tablet containing Aloe vera as a binding agent. Metronidazole tablet formulations were prepared using Aloe vera mucilage as a binder at different concentrations (1-5%w/w) and this was compared with formulations containing polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as a standard. The tablet properties were assessed using friability, crushing strength and disintegration time while compressional characteristics were analysed using density measurements, Heckel and Kawakita equations. The tablet properties conformed to the Pharmacopoeia standards. Tablets formulated with PVP were generally stronger than tablets made from Aloe Vera. All the batches passed the friability tests and the percentage friability decreased with increase in binder concentration. Formulations containing Aloe Vera disintegrated faster than those containing PVP. Tablets containing Aloe Vera exhibited a faster onset of plastic deformation during compression as indicated by the low Pyvalues and a lower degree of total plastic deformation. Results suggest that Aloe Vera could be a useful binding agent in pharmaceutical formulations

From the ground up: Impacts of a pro-poor community-driven development project in Nigeria

"The community-driven development (CDD) approach has become increasingly popular because of its potential to develop projects that are sustainable, are responsive to local priorities, empower local communities, and more effectively target poor and vulnerable groups. The purpose of this study is to assess the impacts of Fadama II, which is a CDD project and the largest agricultural project in Nigeria. This study used propensity score matching (PSM) to select 1728 comparable project beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. The study also used double difference methods to compare the impact indicators. Our results show that Fadama II project succeeded in targeting the poor and women farmers in its productive asset acquisition component. Participation in the project also increased the income of beneficiaries by about 60 percent, which is well above the targeted increase of only 20 percent in the six year period of the project. Regarding rural infrastructure investments, we found that the Fadama II project had positive near-term impacts on beneficiaries' access to markets and transportation costs, although the study revealed surprising effects on beneficiaries' commercial behavior and statistically insignificant impacts on nonfarm activities. We also observed that Fadama II increased the demand for postharvest handling technologies but did not have a significant impact on the demand for financial management and market information. Fadama II reduced the demand for soil fertility management technologies. The decline likely reflects the project's focus on providing postproduction advisory services and suggests the need for the project to increase its support for soil fertility management and thus limit the potential for land degradation resulting from increased agricultural productivity. Overall, the Fadama II project has achieved its goal of increasing the incomes of the beneficiaries in the first year of its operation. The project has also succeeded in targeting the poor and vulnerable in its productive-asset component, even though that did not appear to increase significantly short-term household incomes among the poorest asset tercile. The unique feature that could have contributed to the significant impact of the project in a short time is its broad-based approach, which addresses the major constraints limiting the success of CDD projects that address only one or two constraints. This has implications on planning poverty reduction efforts in low-income countries. Given that the poor face numerous constraints, a CDD project that simultaneously addresses many constraints will likely build synergies that will lead to larger impacts than will a project that addresses only one or two constraints. This suggests the need for the government and donors to pool resources and initiate multipronged CDD projects rather than many isolated projects." from Author's AbstractCommunity driven development, Poverty reduction, Propensity score matching, Difference-in-difference, Fadama,

Geophysical and Hydrochemical Investigation of a Municipal Dumpsite in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria

Geophysical and hydrochemical investigations have been undertaken within a reclaimed site of municipal dumpsite in Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria with a view of assessing the impact of effluent from the ancient dumpsite on the soil and groundwater sytem. The study area is underlain by precambrian Basement Complex rocks mainly granite gneiss. The geophysical investigation involved electrical resistivity methods using dipole-dipole profiling and Schlumberger Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES), while the hydrochemical investigation involved physical, chemical and microbial analyses of water samples within the reclaimed land and active dumpsite. A total of 175 sampling points were occupied using dipole-dipole profiling, while 29 Schlumberger electrical soundings were carried out. In addition, water samples from available nine wells in the area whose static water levels range between 1.2 m and 7.4 m were analysed. The results from electrical surveys show that the study area is underlain by a maximum of four subsurface layers namely the topsoil, the weathered layer, the partly weathered/fractured basement and the fresh basement whose resistivities values range from 41-495 ohm-m, 13-643 ohm-m, 86-720 ohm-m and 2800 ohm-m and above. Their thickness of the overburden units varies from 0.7- 49.5 m. The partly weathered/fractured basement constitute the main aquifer. The resistivity distribution of the topsoil and weathered layer indicates that parts of these layers have been infiltrated by plumes from the reclaimed land and active dumpsite, especially in areas characterised by low resistivity (<30 Ohm-m). In most cases, the suspected leachates are held within the clayey overburden and are prevented from infiltrating the aquifer by local barriers. There are indications that the leachate migration is topographically controlled. The hydrochemical analysis of samples from the wells show that the concentration of the analysed anions (Cl-, S042- and N03-) and cations (Na+,  Ca2+, Mg2+ and Fe+) are within the World Health Organisation (2004) and Standard Organisation of Nigeria (2007) permissible limits. This indicates that the aquifer system in the area might be free from contamination. However, there is possiblity of future impacts on wells in the area from downwards  migration of the effluents from active dumpsite and other anthropogenic activities relating to human impacts on existing geo-environmental systems. Keywords: effluent, contaminantion, hydrochemical analysis, leachate, aquifer

Socio-economic status and hunger among orphans and vulnerable children households in Lagos State, Nigeria

Background: HIV/AIDS has contributed to increasing orphans and vulnerable children in Nigeria. A measure of vulnerability is household hunger. Objective: To assess level of household hunger and associated factors among OVC households in Lagos State. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1300 OVC households in 5 selected Local Government Areas. The LGAs were selected using the Household Vulnerability Assessment index. Data collection was by personal interview of households\u2019 heads/ caregivers using a structured questionnaire capturing socio-demographic, household economic profile and food-related variables. A multivariate logit model was fitted to identify independent predictors of household hunger after adjusting for confounding variables. Results: The population density was 5.1 and 52.8% were females. A larger proportion of females (84.6%) than males (78.3%) reported that they had no food to eat in the last four weeks prior the survey. Poor household economic status (OR=1.41, CI: 1.03-1.92), age and marital status of caregiver were independent predictors of household hunger. The odds of hunger increased with caregiver\u2019s age; higher in households headed by never married (OR=3.99, CI: 1.15-13.89) and divorced/separated caregivers (OR=2.39, CI: 1.11-5.12). Conclusion: OVC households experienced severe hunger. Household economic strengthening would be useful strategy to mitigate the nutrition challenges of OVC in Lagos state

Prevalence of hypertension and obesity among non-academic staff in a Nigerian University : Hypertension and Obesity among Nigerian Staff

Background: The aim of achieving a healthy society has motivated and led many researchers to understand the prevalence of diseases to create awareness and assess interventions’ effectiveness. Objective: This study determines the prevalence of hypertension and obesity among the non-academic staff of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. Methods: The study design was descriptive and cross-sectional. 300 Non-academic staff of the institution were randomly selected and data were obtained on their sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, predisposing risk factors of hypertension, anthropometry, and blood pressure measurements using a structured self-administered questionnaire and standard procedures. Data were analyzed and presented using descriptive and inferential statistics. Statistical significance was established at p<0.05. Results: The mean age was 42±8.0years, there were more female respondents (56.0%) than male respondents (44.0%) and 76.0% of the respondents were married. Results further revealed a high prevalence of overweight and obesity (52%), pre-hypertension and hypertension (40%), and risk of abdominal obesity (84%). Conclusion: Non-academic staff are an essential component of the workforce and workplace intervention is essential to reduce the work nature risk factor of Obesity and Hypertension to prolong lives, and boost productivity and economic growth

From the Ground Up: Impacts of a Pro-Poor Community-Driven Development Project in Nigeria

The community-driven development (CDD) approach has become increasingly popular because of its potential to develop projects that are sustainable, are responsive to local priorities, empower local communities, and more effectively target poor and vulnerable groups. The purpose of this study is to assess the impacts of Fadama II, which is a CDD project and the largest agricultural project in Nigeria. This study used propensity score matching (PSM) to select 1728 comparable project beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries. The study also used double difference methods to compare the impact indicators. Our results show that Fadama II project succeeded in targeting the poor and women farmers in its productive asset acquisition component. Participation in the project also increased the income of beneficiaries by about 60 percent, which is well above the targeted increase of only 20 percent in the six year period of the project. Regarding rural infrastructure investments, we found that the Fadama II project had positive near-term impacts on beneficiaries’ access to markets and transportation costs, although the study revealed surprising effects on beneficiaries’ commercial behavior and statistically insignificant impacts on nonfarm activities. We also observed that Fadama II increased the demand for postharvest handling technologies but did not have a significant impact on the demand for financial management and market information. Fadama II reduced the demand for soil fertility management technologies. The decline likely reflects the project’s focus on providing postproduction advisory services and suggests the need for the project to increase its support for soil fertility management and thus limit the potential for land degradation resulting from increased agricultural productivity. Overall, the Fadama II project has achieved its goal of increasing the incomes of the beneficiaries in the first year of its operation. The project has also succeeded in targeting the poor and vulnerable in its productive-asset component, even though that did not appear to increase significantly short-term household incomes among the poorest asset tercile. The unique feature that could have contributed to the significant impact of the project in a short time is its broad-based approach, which addresses the major constraints limiting the success of CDD projects that address only one or two constraints. This has implications on planning poverty reduction efforts in low-income countries. Given that the poor face numerous constraints, a CDD project that simultaneously addresses many constraints will likely build synergies that will lead to larger impacts than will a project that addresses only one or two constraints. This suggests the need for the government and donors to pool resources and initiate multipronged CDD projects rather than many isolated projects

Factors Associated with Medication Nonadherence among Hypertensives in Ghana and Nigeria

Background. Blood pressure (BP) control is poor among hypertensives in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. A potentially modifiable factor for control of BP is medication nonadherence (MNA); our study therefore aimed to determine factors associated with MNA among hypertensives in Ghana and Nigeria. Methodology. We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional study. Patients were recruited from Korle-Bu Hospital (n=120), Ghana; and University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, (n=73) Apapa General Hospital Lagos (n=79) and University College Hospital Ibadan (n=85), Nigeria. Results. 357 hypertensive patients (42.6% males) participated. MNA was found in 66.7%. Adherence showed correlation with depression (r=-0.208, P<0.001), concern about medications (r=-0.0347, P=0.002), and knowledge of hypertension (r=0.14, P=0.006). MNA was associated with formal education (P=0.001) and use of herbal preparation (P=0.014). MNA was found in 61.7% of uninsured participants versus 73.1% of insured participants (P=0.032). Poor BP control was observed in 69.7% and there was significant association between MNA and poor BP control (P=0.006). Conclusion. MNA is high among hypertensives in Ghana and Nigeria and is associated with depression, concern about hypertensive medications, formal education, and use of herbal preparations. The negative association between health insurance and MNA suggests interplay of other factors and needs further investigation