The prevalence of domestic violence among pregnant women in Nigeria: a systematic review.

To identify, appraise, and synthesize research evidence on the prevalence of domestic violence (DV) among pregnant women in Nigeria. We conducted a systematic review of all published studies between April 2004 and June 2016. Comprehensive searches were conducted on electronic databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, Global Health, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Directory of Open Access Journals, Google Scholar, and electronic libraries of the authors' institution. Identified articles were screened in two stages against the inclusion criteria with titles and abstract screened first followed by full-text screening. Selected articles were assessed using the "guidelines for evaluating prevalence studies," and findings were synthesized narratively. Among 19 studies that met the inclusion criteria, two articles were excluded due to low methodological quality and 17 articles were included in the review. The prevalence of DV during pregnancy in Nigeria ranged between 2.3% and 44.6% with lifetime prevalence rates ranging between 33.1% and 63.2%. Physical, sexual, psychological, and verbal abuses were the most frequent types of DV reported in this review. The most common perpetrators were husbands, as reported in 11 of the 17 studies. Pregnant women between the ages of 20 and 30 years were the most common victims of DV. Our review suggests high prevalence of DV in pregnancy among women in Nigeria and higher lifetime prevalence. However, determining an overall, synthesized accurate prevalence rate of DV within this population based on existing evidence presents a challenge. The findings have important implications for stakeholders such as planners, policy makers, maternity care providers, and researchers in public health and social policy at national, regional, and international levels toward combating the issue. OBJECTIVE METHOD RESULTS CONCLUSIO

Severity of intrauterine adhesions and pregnancy success rates after treatment: Comparison of adhesions obtained from open myomectomy versus uterine curettage

Intrauterine adhesions (IUA) are rare. A retrospective comparative study was conducted between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2018. Group A comprised 117 women who developed IUAs after open myomectomy, while Group B comprised 113 women who developed IUAs following uterine trauma caused by uterine instrumentation after a termination of pregnancy (TOP) or spontaneous miscarriage. The IUA grade and pregnancy rates and outcomes were compared using the March classification system. All patients underwent hysteroscopic adhesiolysis. The adhesions tended to be more severe (45/117, 38.5%) in Group A than in Group B (29/113, 25.7%); however, this difference was not statistically significant (Chi-Suare 5.047; p = .080). The period of observation was 24 months from the last hysteroscopy. The pregnancy rate in Group A (26, 22.2%) was significantly lower than in Group B (46, 40.7%) (OR: 2.403, 95% CI: 1.352–4.271; p = .003). Open myomectomy was the preceding aetiological factor in a greater proportion of women with IUA in our study. In cases where pregnancy is desired after open myomectomy, especially where the endometrial cavity is breached, postoperative hysteroscopy to exclude IUAs is recommended. (Afr J Reprod Health 2022; 26[12]: 90-96). Les adhérences intra-utérines (IUA) sont rares. Une étude comparative rétrospective a été menée entre le 1er janvier 2015 et le 31 décembre 2018. Le groupe A comprenait 117 femmes ayant développé des AIU après une myomectomie ouverte, tandis que le groupe B comprenait 113 femmes ayant développé des AIU à la suite d'un traumatisme utérin causé par une instrumentation utérine après l'arrêt d'une grossesse (TOP) ou fausse couche spontanée. Le grade IUA et les taux de grossesse et les résultats ont été comparés à l'aide du système de classification de mars. Tous les patients ont eu une adhésiolyse hystéroscopique. Les adhérences avaient tendance à être plus sévères (45/117, 38,5 %) dans le groupe A que dans le groupe B (29/113, 25,7 %); cependant, cette différence n'était pas statistiquement significative (Chi-Suare 5,047 ; p = 0,080). La période d'observation était de 24 mois à partir de la dernière hystéroscopie. Le taux de grossesse dans le groupe A (26, 22,2 %) était significativement plus faible que dans le groupe B (46, 40,7 %) (OR : 2,403, IC à 95 % : 1,352–4,271 ; p = 0,003). La myomectomie ouverte était le facteur étiologique précédent chez une plus grande proportion de femmes avec IUA dans notre étude. Dans les cas où une grossesse est souhaitée après une myomectomie ouverte, en particulier lorsque la cavité endométriale est percée, une hystéroscopie postopératoire pour exclure les IUA est recommandée. (Afr J Reprod Health 2022; 26[12]: 90-96)

Instructional Supervisory Practices and Teachers’ Role Effectiveness in Public Secondary Schools in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria

The study investigated the relationship between instructional supervisory practices and teachers’ role effectiveness in public secondary schools in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State. Two null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study comprises all public secondary school principals and teachers in the study area. There are a total of six (6) principals and four hundred and thirty-three (433) teachers. Simple random sampling technique was used to select one hundred and ninety-five (195) teachers from six (6) public secondary schools. A well structured questionnaire tagged “Instructional Supervisory Practices Questionnaire (ISPQ) and Teachers’ Role Effectiveness Questionnaire (TREQ)” were used for data collection. The results of the analysis revealed that there was a significant positive relationship between instructional supervisory practice of classroom observation and teachers’ role effectiveness. The result also revealed that, there was a significant positive relationship between instructional supervisory practice of checking of teachers’ lesson notes and teachers’ role effectiveness. It was concluded that a closer, regular and continuous instructional supervisory practice rather than snappy, unscheduled and partial supervision is what is urgently needed especially now that a lot of changes have been introduced into the school curriculum. It was recommended among others that Government through the Ministry of Education should organize training programmes for principals as well as teachers on the need for effective instructional supervision. Keywords: Principals, Instructional Supervisory Practices, Teachers’ Role Effectiveness, Classroom Observation, Checking of Teachers’ Lesson Notes, Teachers

Economic Analysis of Children's Surgical Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Analysis.

BackgroundUnderstanding the economic value of health interventions is essential for policy makers to make informed resource allocation decisions. The objective of this systematic review was to summarize available information on the economic impact of children's surgical care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).MethodsWe searched MEDLINE (Pubmed), Embase, and Web of Science for relevant articles published between Jan. 1996 and Jan. 2015. We summarized reported cost information for individual interventions by country, including all costs, disability weights, health outcome measurements (most commonly disability-adjusted life years [DALYs] averted) and cost-effectiveness ratios (CERs). We calculated median CER as well as societal economic benefits (using a human capital approach) by procedure group across all studies. The methodological quality of each article was assessed using the Drummond checklist and the overall quality of evidence was summarized using a scale adapted from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.FindingsWe identified 86 articles that met inclusion criteria, spanning 36 groups of surgical interventions. The procedure group with the lowest median CER was inguinal hernia repair ($15/DALY). The procedure group with the highest median societal economic benefit was neurosurgical procedures ($58,977). We found a wide range of study quality, with only 35% of studies having a Drummond score ≥ 7.InterpretationOur findings show that many areas of children's surgical care are extremely cost-effective in LMICs, provide substantial societal benefits, and are an appropriate target for enhanced investment. Several areas, including inguinal hernia repair, trichiasis surgery, cleft lip and palate repair, circumcision, congenital heart surgery and orthopedic procedures, should be considered "Essential Pediatric Surgical Procedures" as they offer considerable economic value. However, there are major gaps in existing research quality and methodology which limit our current understanding of the economic value of surgical care

Antibacterial Activity and Identification of Bioactive Compounds in Extracts of Garlic cloves and Lemon juice by GC-MS Analysis

The search for alternative regimens to treatment of infectious diseases as well as the increase in antibiotic resistance by pathogens has prompted continuous efforts towards discovery of new drugs. In this study, crude aqueous and acetone extracts of garlic cloves and lemon juice were obtained. The extracts were tested against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus. The antibacterial activity was determined by agar well diffusion method on Mueller-Hinton Agar plates. All extracts showed inhibitory action against the bacterium with acetone extracts having higher activity than the aqueous extracts. The acetone extracts were further fractionated using solvent – solvent extraction and retested on the bacterium. The bioactive compounds that lead to the antibacterial activity of the fractions of the extracts were identified by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry analysis where 2,5-Furandione and dihydro-3-methylene were identified in garlic cloves fraction as main compounds with other 8 compounds in trace quantity while 11-Octadecenoic acid methyl ester, Oleic acid and n-Hexadecanoic acid were identified in lemon juice fraction as main compounds with 6 other compounds in trace quantity. These findings claim capacity and future use of these compounds for new drug development. The future work will be to determine toxicity, side effects and pharmaco-kinetic properties of the compounds. Keywords: Antibacterial activity, Garlic cloves, Lemon juice, GC-MS analysis, bioactive compounds

Nitrogen fertilization and use efficiency in an intercrop system of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and soybean (Glycine max (L) Meril.)

Experiments were conducted at the Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Research farm during the 2008 and 2009 cropping seasons to determine the effects of intercropping cassava and soybean on cassava tuber and soybean grain yields respectively and on nitrogen use efficiency of cassava at the intercropping system. The experiment for each year was laid out in a factorial arrangement in randomized complete block design (RCBD). The treatments were the nitrogen rates, sole soybean (TGM 579), sole cassava (TMS 30572) and cassava + soy bean intercrop. Intercropping cassava with soybean showed a significant (P ≤ 0.05) yield advantage over sole cropping system in 2008. Increased fertilizer rates up to 90 kg N/ha-1 increased fresh cassava yield in sole cropping system, while in the intercrop, increased application of nitrogen at 60 kg N decreased cassava tuber yield. The cassava nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) increased with increase in applied nitrogen up to 60 kg N/ha-1 and then decreased beyond this point. Similar trend was observed in 2009, except that total harvested cassava tuber yield was significantly higher in 2009 than that obtained in 2008. This result suggests that intercropping cassava with soybean with or without application of nitrogen is beneficial but high doses of nitrogenous fertilizer in sole soybean field is uneconomical and should be avoided.Key words: Cassava, soybean, intercrop, sole crop, nitrogen use efficiency

Fusion-assisted hydrothermal synthesis and post-synthesis modification of mesoporous hydroxy sodalite zeolite prepared from waste coal fly ash for biodiesel production

Increases in biodiesel prices remains a challenge, mainly due to the high cost of conventional oil feedstocks used during biodiesel production and the challenges associated with using homogeneous catalysts in the process. This study investigated the conversion of waste-derived black soldier fly (BSF) maggot oil feedstock over hydroxy sodalite (HS) zeolite synthesized from waste coal fly ash (CFA) in biodiesel production. The zeolite product prepared after fusion of CFA followed by hydrothermal synthesis (F-HS) resulted in a highly crystalline, mesoporous F-HS zeolite with a considerable surface area of 45 m2/g. The impact of post-synthesis modification of the parent HS catalyst (F-HS) by ion exchange with an alkali source (KOH) on its performance in biodiesel production was investigated. The parent F-HS zeolite catalyst resulted in a high biodiesel yield of 84.10%, with a good quality of 65% fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) content and fuel characteristics compliant with standard biodiesel specifications. After ion exchange, the modified HS zeolite catalyst (K/F-HS) decreased in crystallinity, mesoporosity and total surface area