Asymptomatic bacteriuria in an apparently healthy population and its relation to hypertension

Background: Hypertension is a major health problem in sub-Sahara Africa. Several studies have suggested a role of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in the aetiology of hypertension, but there is a dearth of information on this association in Africa where the burden of hypertension is high. We investigated the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria, its association with hypertension and determined the antibiotic resistance patterns of implicated bacterial isolates in an urban community of Ile-Ife.Methods: One hundred and seventy-four apparently healthy individuals were investigated for ASB. Relevant information was obtained from them with standard proforma. Their Blood pressure was measured with a standard mercury sphygmomanometer. All samples were processed on cysteine lactose electrolyte deficient medium and chocolate agar. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion technique.Results:Fifty (28.7%) individuals were positive for ASB. ASB was commonly detected among the female subjects (X2=5.619; p-value = 0.01777), and among individuals in the age group of 50 59 years. Those that were hypertensive were two and a half times more likely to have ASB (Odd ratio=2.5; p-value=0.01369; CI=1.19-5.35). The highest percentage of hypertensive female participants with ASB was found in the age group of 30-39 years (33.3%) while among the male participants, the highest percentage was found in the age group of 60-69 years (9.5%). Escherichia coli (n=13; 26%) and Staphylococcus aureus (n=13; 26%) were the commonest organisms implicated in ASB. The majority of the isolates (>90%) were multidrug resistant. Isolates of Escherichia coli were commonly resistant to ampicillin (83.3%), ceftriaxone (72.7%) and cefepime (66.7%). Isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were all (100%) resistant to erythromycin, cloxacillin and streptomycin. All isolates were least resistant to cotrimoxazole (<8%).Conclusion: Women as well as men in the age group of 50-59 years were more likely to develop ASB. ASB could be contributing to the rising incidence of hypertension in this environment. Co-occurrence of hypertension and ASB portends a grave problem for apparently healthy individuals in this environment.Keywords: Asymptomatic bacteriuria, Hypertension, Escherichia coli, healthy individuals, urban communit

Assessment of quality of life among patients attending HIV clinics in Ilorin metropolis

Objectives: The Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), is being hit hard by the epidemic of AcquiredImmunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and carries the globe's heaviest burden of HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS has been transformed into a chronic condition, albeit one with no cure, making it important to assess determinants of quality of life (QoL) and, if required, improve the QoL of People Living with HIV (PLHIV). The study assessed the determinants of quality of life of patients attending HIV clinics in Ilorin metropolis.Methods: The study was a descriptive cross sectional study. A sample size of 384 HIV positive patients who were systematically recruited at the 5 public service delivery sites in Ilorin. Data was analyzed using SPSS software version 20.0. Level of significance was pre-determined at p-value < 0.05 at a confidence level of 95%.Results: Majority 213 (55.5%) of the respondents had good QoL, while 171 (44.5%) had low QoL with overall Mean score of 68±14. This study showed that being employed, high income, and low cost of care were associated with good health related (HRQoL). Regression analysis revealed that age > 30yrs (odds = 1.5), longer duration on Highly Active Anti-retroviral Therapy (HAART) >3yrs (Odds = 1.5), CD4 count >500cells/mm3 (Odds = 1.2), high monthly income (Odds=1.6) and low cost of care (Odds= 1.27) were found to determine good QoL.Conclusion: Government should therefore expand access to HIV care by considering more Primary Health Care facilities as Anti-Retroviral Therapy ( ART) treatment centers.Key words: Quality of life, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Patients, Anti-Retroviral Therap

Mathematical Modeling of Ethanol Production through Batch Fermentation of Glucose with Kluveromyces Marxianus

Mathematical models are a means of representing essential aspects of reality (process, phenomenon, object, element, system, etc.) with the help of mathematical constructs. Mathematical models typically offer convenience and cost advantages over other means of obtaining the required information on reality. In the last decades, continuing progress has been observed in applications of mathematical modeling in biological growth. This research developed a mathematical model that illustrated the kinetics of ethanol production, incorporating both fermentation time and temperature from the batch fermentation of glucose with Kluveromyces Maxianus. Glucose biomass was found to decrease linearly with temperature rise and the modified Gompertz model was used to describe the ethanol production. The arhenious plot was used to illustrate the temperature dependence rate of the reaction. Matlab 9.0 and Microsoft Excel 2007 were the statistical software used for the iteration and the estimation of thebiological parameters. The derived mathematical model could be adapted to illustrate the kinetics of ethanol production to the stationary phase during the fermentation of glucose as influenced by temperature and fermentation time using Kluveromyces Maxianus

Maternal satisfaction with health facility- based delivery among mothers attending primary health care clinics in Ilorin Metropolis

Major challenges in the World today remain the health of women and children. Two hundred and eighty-seven thousand women die annually during and following pregnancy and child birth. The existence and accessibility of maternal health services do not guarantee their use by women; neither does the use of maternal health services guarantee optimal outcomes for women. The study assessed maternal satisfaction with health facility-based delivery among mothers attending primary health care clinics in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria.The study design was descriptive cross-sectional, data was collected using a pre-tested semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire from about 400 respondents using multistage sampling technique. Data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20.0. Level of significance was pre-determined at p-value < 0.05 at a confidence level of 95%.  About 96.8% utilized at least one session of antenatal care during their last pregnancy, 77.6% utilized health facilities for delivery while 12% delivered at home. Only about 17% utilized postnatal services. Majority 92.3% of the mothers were satisfied with health facility-based delivery. Drug availability, doctor’s competence, nurses’ attitude, followed by complete information given on delivery and ward attendants’ attitudes were the areas where the clients were mostly satisfied.Those whose husbands were highly educated were likely to be more satisfied with health facility-based delivery. Majority of the respondents that delivered in health facilities were satisfied generally with care received at the health facility utilized for delivery. Despite the high level of satisfaction, there is still need to improve facility-based delivery services so that more women will be satisfied with it and as such utilize health facility for delivery.Keywords: Satisfaction, Health facility, Delivery, Primary Health Care, Maternal Mortalit

Sociodemographic Characteristics and Pregnancy outcome of Referred and Booked Parturients in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital

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Thermal and Exergy Analysis of Brayton Cycle under Varying Temperature and Pressure Ratio

Following increasing demand in energy consumption, there is a need to continue to study energy generation systems with a view to determining a system that will have better performance at low cost. In this study, a computer-based model was developed to analyze the thermal (first law) and exergy (second law) efficiencies of Brayton cycle. The operating parameters that were considered pressure ratio (6-16), compressor inlet temperature (270 – 340 °C) and turbine inlet temperature (1200 – 1550°C). Brayton cycle under ideal condition and conditions with a regenerator, reheater and intercooler were separately examined. The thermal efficiency of the cycle approaches 30% and the second law efficiency of the actual cycle approaches 65% as compressor inlet temperature decreases, turbine inlet temperature increases and pressure ratio approaches 10. Through the introduction of regenerator with the conditions stated earlier constant except pressure ratio approaches 6, thermal efficiency and second law efficiency was observed to approach 40% and 100% respectively. With further addition of intercooler and reheater to the system, the range of variation of the thermal efficiency and the second law efficiency was reduced while the upper limit was still kept at 40% and 100% respectively. The study concluded that it is imperative for new and improved materials to be developed to withstand high temperatures in the turbine in order to increase the thermal and exergy efficiency of the system

Effect of peer education on menstrual hygiene knowledge and practices among adolescent girls in secondary schools in Ilorin, Kwara State

Menstrual hygiene deals with the special healthcare needs and requirements of women during monthly menstrual cycle. This study assessed the effect of peer education on the knowledge and practice of menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in senior secondary schools in Ilorin Metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria. The study was a quasi-experimental study. A pre-tested self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge and practice of 200 girls each in study and control schools. Multistage sampling technique was used to select respondents from both the study and control schools. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16.0. Chi-square test of significance and ordinal logistic regressions were used in statistical analysis; and level of significance was pre-determined at p-value < 0.05 at confidence level of 95%. Following peer education intervention, the proportion of girls in the study schools with good knowledge of menstrual hygiene increased from 33.5% to 51.0%, while that of the control increased from 32% to 38.0% at the end of the study. The intra group difference was found to be statistically significant with p value <0.001. Those who practiced good menstrual hygiene post intervention also increased from 43.5% to 67.5% in the study schools and from 41.0% to 48.0% in the control schools at the end of the study. This was also found to be statistically significant with p value <0.001. This study showed that peer education is an effective tool in improving knowledge and practice of menstrual hygiene among adolescent school girls in Ilorin metropolis.Keywords: Adolescent, menstrual hygiene, knowledge, practice, peer educatio