Histogram-Based Texture Characterization and Classification of Brain Tissues in Non-Contrast CT Images of Stroke Patients

This chapter describes histogram-based texture characterization and classification of brain tissue in CT images of stroke patients using a case study. It explored texture analysis in medical imaging. In the case study, two radiologists independently inspected non-contrast CT images of 164 stroke to identify and categorize brain tissue into normal, ischaemic and haemorrhagic strokes. Four regions of interest (ROIs) in each CT slice with lesion were selected for analysis; two each represented the lesion and normal tissue. Histogram texture parameters were calculated for them. Raw data analysis identified parameters that discriminated between normal brain tissue, ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke lesions. The artificial neural network (ANN) and k-nearest neighbour (k-NN) algorithms were used to classify the ROIs into normal tissue, ischaemic and haemorrhagic lesions using the radiologists’ categorization as the gold standard, and further analysed using the ROC curve. Three parameters namely mean, 90 and 99 percentiles discriminated between normal brain tissue, ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke lesions. With ANN and k-NN, the weighted sensitivity and specificity were above 0.9 while the false positive and false negative rates were negligible. The characterization and classification of brain tissue using histogram parameters were satisfactory and may be suitable for automated diagnosis of stroke

Normative ultrasound values of renal parenchymal thickness among adults in Enugu, South-East Nigeria.

Background: Reduction in renal length was found to be an insufficient independent indicator of chronic renal disease.Objective: To determine the ultrasound normative values of renal parenchymal thickness (RPT) among adults and correlate them with age and somatometric parameters.Methods: This was a prospective clinic based study involving 310 normal adults (135 males and 175 females) scanned at University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu between August 2003 and November 2004. The RPT measurements were made from the outer renal cortical margin to the outer margin of the sinus echoes at the three major poles. The age, height, weight and body mass index were recorded for each subject.Results: The average RPT are 1.85 + 0.20 cm for the right kidney and 1.95 + 0.19 cm for the left kidney. RPT exhibited strong positive correlation with height, weight and body mass index and significant negative correlation with age. No significant difference in mean RPT of both kidneys between genders (p > 0.05). The mean RPT of the left kidney was found to be statistically higher than that of the right kidney (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Normal values of RPT are important in the evaluation of patients with chronic renal disease.Keywords: Adult, Kidney, Parenchymal thickness, 1Ultrasound

Rice production and marketing in Nigeria: Assessing regulatory agencies’ role in positioning made in Nigeria goods

Rice food system has been identified as a key block in global food security. However, demand for locally manufactured rice is still abysmally low due to broken food system leading to concerns for standards. Regulatory agencies have a lot of role to play in enhancing standards, quality and positioning the product before consumers. This is the crux of this study. Specifically, the study sought to ascertain the role of rice regulatory agencies in ensuring quality control and how it affects consumer patronage. In addition to identify best techniques to position local rice to consumers. Using data from 151 rice producers and marketers in Ebonyi state obtained from well-structured questionnaire and analyzed with descriptive statistics, the study observed that majority of the respondents are involved in marketing/supply and rice production while only 7.9% specialized on both rice production and marketing. Most of them have prior regulatory permit approval from Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), among other certifications. The result showed that regulatory agencies plays a vital role in ensuring quality control of made in Nigeria rice, but observed that consumers still lack trust in standards hence, the low patronage for local rice. Finance was mentioned as the major threat to rice production and marketing among other challenges. The study therefore, recommended that the government should set up programmes to enlighten rice producers and marketers on the potential threat of poor standards in their rice marketing. As such, they should be provided with the necessary and adequate standard machineries that will aid them in improving quality of our local rice, which will aid large production and marketing of made in Nigeria rice. This has implication on wider product acceptance and competitiveness.Keywords: made in Nigeria rice, NAFDAC, positioning, regulatory agencies, and Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON)

Farmers Adoption Scenarios for the Control of Cassava Mosaic Disease under the Cassava Enterprise Development Project in Enugu State, Nigeria

This study determined farmers’ adoption levels of the cassava varieties and value adding technologies introduced under the project. Data for the study were collected from 260 randomly selected respondents using interview schedule. Farmers’ adoption indices were used to summarize information on adoption levels, while exploratory factor analysis procedure using principal factor model with varimax rotation was used in grouping the major constraint factors to adoption. Results showed that farmers were still at the interest stage of the adoption of the cassava mosaic disease (CMD) resistant varieties ( ̅=2.44), cassava processing innovations ( ̅=2.32), and improved marketing methods ( ̅=2.25). Farmers were at the evaluation stage in the adoption of agronomic practices ( ̅= 3.27) while, processors were at the evaluation stage in both processing and improved marketing innovations ( ̅= 3.43 and 3.12 respectively). However, they were at interest stage ( ̅= 2.84) in the adoption of the value adding technologies. Public and private extension agencies should therefore be encouraged to continue the extension service delivery of the CEDP innovations for greater proportion of cassava farmers to adopt the new varieties for sustainable production of cassava in the country.Keywords: Improved cassava variety, Cassava mosaic disease, Cassava enterprise development projec

Patterns for cost-sharing of agricultural technology transfer in Nigeria

With recent changes in the financing and delivery of agricultural technology transfer worldwide due to inability of many governments to cope with varied needs of clients, most reforms currently being initiated by governments tend towards a pluralistic approach and financial participation of all stakeholders. One of such reforms is through cost-sharing. The authors examined stakeholders’ (extension professionals and farmers) opinions on the appropriate patterns for cost-sharing of agricultural technology transfer in Nigeria. The study was carried out in six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Multistage random sampling technique was applied in the selection of 268 farmers and 272 extension professionals. Mean scores and t-test statistics were utilized in realizing the objectives of the study. Results show that the stakeholders’ overall opinion on the appropriate pattern for cost-sharing was for beneficiaries of service to pay specified amounts of money to extension organizations every farming season through their cooperative societies. Results further showed that farmers proved to have more ideas on the best patterns of sharing the cost of technology transfer than the extension professionals. It was concluded that for cost-sharing to be effective, all the stakeholders have to participate in decision-making and implementation processes of agricultural technology transfer in the country. Key words: cost-sharing, agricultural technology transfer, farmers, extension professionals, Nigeri

Deregulation, Globalisation and Current Issues in the Electronic Media in Nigeria

As a country with arguably the most vibrant media in Africa, Nigeria has caught the fire of the global media phenomenon. The Nigerian electronic media industry, in particular, continues to show greater participation in the global village agenda. This trend started with the passage of Decree 38 of 1992 that liberalized the electronic media industry in Nigeria, and empowered private ownership; however, no time has the globalisation effect been more felt than in the 15-year old (1999 – 2014) democratic administration in the country. This paper relies on primary and secondary materials from existing literatures and reports, to show how this globalization trend has galvanized the electronic media in Nigeria with numerous benefits and challenges, particularly in terms of production, content and reception. Keywords: Nigeria, Globalisation, Deregulation, Electronic, Media

Assessment of Indoor Radon Concentration Levels in Offices of University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, Nigeria

Background: Indoor radon concentration levels are an essential component for assessing radiation exposure to populations. Indoor Radon levels have not been reported for offices of academic staff of The University of Nigeria, Enugu, which is located on a hilly rocky plain.Purpose: To establish potential for radiation hazards to persons using offices for extended periods of time.Materials and Methods: Four offices were randomly selected from each of the five faculties in the campus, making a total of twenty surveyed offices. Short term Electret Ion Chamber Technology (EIC) with the trade name E-PERMTM was employed for the measurement of radon concentration in the offices.Results: Average indoor radon concentration in the offices range between 2.5 Bq m-3 to 21.3 Bq m-3 with an arithmetic mean of 11.8 Bq m-3.Conclusion: Indoor Radon levels in University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus offices is currently within acceptable safe limits

Microsoft Excel 2007 Programme for Effective Tertiary Institution Result Grading

Microsoft Excel 2007 Programme for effective Tertiary Institution result grading is an enhanced and interactive method of managing and processing key issues in Tertiary Institution, which are the problems of result grading. Grading of in course, exams and keeping track of grades in a grade book is one of the most laborious tasks a lecturer can undergo. Small errors can creep into your grade book when you add up scores, possibly resulting in your posting an incorrect student grade. Using Microsoft Excel 2007 to keep track of grades not only cuts down on the amount of work you have to do, but also cuts down or even eliminates mathematical errors. This study has addressed this key issue with a programme, from step one to step six. Keywords: Microsoft Excel 2007, Result, Grading Computation, Tertiary Institution

Influence of Pop-Up News Headlines in Internet-Enabled Devices on the Readership of the Stories among Youths in Owerri Metropolis, Nigeria

This research examined the influence of pop-up news headlines on the readership of the stories that they introduce among youths in Owerri metropolis. The objectives were to, among others, examine whether pop-up news headlines influence the readership of the stories among youths in Owerri metropolis, and identify what factor that is most responsible for determining the influence of pop-up news headlines on the readership of the stories among youths in Owerri metropolis. The uses and gratification theory was used to anchor the study, and the survey design was adopted. Data were gathered from 380 young users of internet-enabled devices in the Owerri metropolis. Findings indicate that pop-up news headlines are a common feature in online news distribution, as 100% of the respondents admitted to having seen pop-up news headlines on their internet-enabled devices; while pop-up news headlines influence readership of the stories among a majority (53%) of the young people, the said influence is limited as a result of several factors. Based on the findings, it was recommended that, among others, news organisations can increase the influence of the popup news headlines by introducing cash or point tokens for those who read the stories