Relationship Between Respiratory Symptoms and Quality of Life of Children With Cerebral Palsy

Respiratory conditions are among the causes of morbidity and mortality in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Little attention is given to how respiratory symptoms could affect quality of life (QOL) of these children. This study examined relationship between respiratory symptoms and QOL of children with CP. A total of 95 children participated in this cross-sectional study. Respiratory symptoms and QOL were assessed using Respiratory Symptom Questionnaire and Paediatric QOL Questionnaires respectively. Data obtained were analysed with Spearman Rank Order Correlation and Chi-square analyses to find relationship between respiratory symptoms and QOL and the association between respiratory symptoms and different types of CP respectively. All statistics were performed using SPSS version 20 at 0.05α significance level. There were 57 (60%) male and 38 (40%) female participants with mean age of 2.76 ±2.0years. Fifty-six (55.8%) of the children have spastic hemiplegia, 32 (31.6%) spastic quadriplegia and 13 (12.6%) spastic diplegia. The common respiratory symptoms were phlegm production 44(46.3%), cough 38(40%), dyspnoea 22(23.2%) and wheezes 21(22.1%). Significant negative correlation was observed between cough and QOL (r=-0.234, p=0.022). Phlegm production was significantly associated with quadriplegic type of CP (p<0.05). Respiratory symptoms are common among children with CP and they could deteriorate the children’s QOL. Pulmonary physiotherapy should be incorporated into the routine rehabilitation of these children

Awareness and Utilization of Birth Control Measures as a Means of Increasing Production Output Among Rural Women in Fishing Communities of Lagos State, Nigeria

In spite of women huge labour investment, rural women often get low agricultural production, less accruing returns, limited roles in decision making on the farms and lack of access to productive resources as a result of their multiple roles in the home. Nevertheless, to enhance the level of production of these women, their reproductive health needs to be taken seriously and one way to do that is through promotion of birth control practices that help to minimize manday losses during pregnancy period and burden of raising many children. Hence this study was carried out to look at Awareness and Utilization of Birth Control Measures (BCM) as a Means of increasing production output among Rural Women in Fishing Communities of Lagos State, Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used to select three hundred and thirty-one respondents in the coastal areas.  Data were collected with interview guide and analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) and linear regression analysis. Results of the study showed that the mean age of respondents was 40.1 years; 88.8% were married; 79.5% had formal education; 78.5% realized more than ₦31,000/month; 59.8% practiced nuclear family; and 63.4% had less than 4 children in their households. Also, 83.4% and 91.5% of the respondents were aware of traditional and modern methods of birth control measures respectively. But, 49.8% always used Combined Oral Contraceptives and 44.4% always used injectable contraceptives of modern birth control measures. Health Care Providers (85.5%), radio (66.5%) and television (81.3%) were the predominant sources of information on BCM in the coastal areas. Most of respondents strongly agreed that the use of BCM allows women’ notable participation in more fish processing activities thereby contributing significantly to women’ earning power (82.2%), and it reduces poverty by contributing to economy of the family, community and national level (75.5%). Similarly, production output was high after use of BCM (more than 10kg/day) than before use of BCM (less than 4kg/day). However, sexual displeasure from contraceptive use (92.4%), fear of side effect (83.7%), and fear of infidelity among women (25.1%) have been identified as most serious constraints to the use of BCM. Results of correlation revealed a significant relationship between socio-economic characteristics of the respondents and use of BCM in the study area at p < 0.05 level of significance. Linear regression indicated that utilization of BCM has significant influence on the production output of the respondents (t = 2.05, p = 0.04) at p < 0.05 level of significance. The study concluded that use of BCM increase production output in the coastal areas. It is hereby recommended that Health Care Providers should keep on emphasizing the advantages of birth control measures to the fish processors to encourage them to adopt and use it. Keywords: Awareness, Utilization, Birth Control Measures (BCM), production output, Rural Wome

Assessment of Information Needs of Cassava Processors on Food Safety Practices in Ogun and Oyo States, Nigeria

Cassava is a major staple crop that can be processed into diverse products for human consumption in Nigeria. However, improper practices and lack of knowledge of food safety practices by food processors are contributing factors for the spread of food borne outbreaks. Everyone in the food and agro-processing sector therefore needs information on food safety for preventing food borne diseases and death. Hence, this study was carried out to assess information needs of cassava processors on food safety practices in Ogun and Oyo States, Nigeria. Multistage sampling technique was used in the selection of 360 respondents for this study. Descriptive statistics, chi-square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were used to analyze the data collected. Results of this study showed that the mean age of the respondents was 38.4 years, majority (79.7%) of the respondents was married, 41.9% had primary education; 35.8% of the respondents have spent more than 11 years in cassava processing. Ohori (62.3%) and Arubieru (37.7%) are the most processed varieties of cassava by the respondents; they processed 50 – 100kg/day using traditional equipment. Furthermore, many of the respondents did not have the knowledge that protective clothes such as apron, chef and cap should be worn during cassava processing (64.2%) and that blowing of nose and splitting during cassava processing cannot affect safety of food (67.5%). Meanwhile, most of the respondents need information on washing hands with soap and water before and after cassava processing (90.8%), and disposal of waste away from processing plant from time to time. Correlation results showed that there was a significant relationship between sources of information and food safety practices (r = 0.79, p = 0.01) at p < 0.05 level of significance. Keywords: information needs, cassava processors, food safety practices

Geologi Daerah Dimito dan Sekitarnya Kabupaten Boalemo Provinsi Gorontalo

Administratively, the research area covers two districts, Wonosari Sub-district and Dulupi Sub-district, Boalemo District, Gorontalo Province. Based on the physiography of the Gorontalo region, the research area which is included in the southern mountain zone of Bone-Tilamuta-Modello generally consists of ancient volcano-sedimentary rock formations in Gorontalo, the Eocene-Oligocene. The purpose of this geological research is to discover the geological order that developed in the area of Dimito and surrounding are as covering several aspect such as geomorphology, stratigraphy, geological structure, and geological history. The result shows that the geomorphology of the research area divided into three geomorphic units, namely the units of the Alluvial Plain, Volcanic Hills, and Denudasional Hills. Stratigraphy of the research area divided into five types of units sorted from the early Miocene to the Holocene, i.e., Lava Basal Dimito (Early Eocene), Wackestone Dimito (Early Eocene), Andesit Kalidingin (Middle Miocene), Granodiorite Bualo (Middle Pliocene), and Alluvial Buaolo (Recen). Geological structures that work on the location of the research area relatively trend from northeast-southwest to northwest-southeast. Fault working on the location of the research area from the data processing consists of Normal Left Slip Fault Kalidingin and Lag Left Slip Fault Bualo

Correlates of Satisfaction with Community Reintegration Among Stroke Survivors in Kano Metropolis

The aim of stroke rehabilitation is to ensure successful reintegration of stroke survivors (SSV) into their communities to enable them effectively discharge their physical, economic and social roles. This study assessed factors related to satisfaction with community reintegration (CR) of SSV in Kano metropolis. It was a cross sectional survey that recruited 68 consenting SSV using the purposive sampling technique. Assessments of CR, physical function, social support and depression were done with Reintegration to Normal Living Index (RNLI), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MPSS) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) respectively. Spearman Rank Order Correlation and Wilcoxon Sign Rank tests were used to analyze the data at a level of statistical significance of 0.05 using SPSS version 16.0. A total of 36(52.9%) males and 32(47.1%) females with mean age of 59.69±13.568 years took part in the study. About 50 (73.6%) are modified dependent and 46 (67.6%) enjoyed moderate social support. The majority 87% (N=59) experienced severe restrictions to CR. There were significant correlations between RNLI and each of MSPSS (rho=0.249, p=0.041) and FIM (rho =0.406, p=0.001) scores. Occupational status (Z=-6.693, p=0.000), income (Z=-3.910, p=0.000) and driving status (Z=-5.292, p=0.000) changed significantly. It was concluded that the level of CR of most SSV in Kano metropolis was not satisfactory with significant loss of employment and earnings and ability to drive post stroke. Increased levels of social support and adequate recovery of physical functions are likely to improve satisfaction with CR.KEY WORDS: stroke, satisfaction, community reintegration, social support, driving, return to wor

Body composition in children with cerebral palsy and its relationship with dynamic muscle strength, balance and energy cost of ambulation

Cerebral palsy (CP) causes walking disability in children which could lead to profound changes in body composition. This study assessed relationship between body composition and each of dynamic muscle strength, mobility and energy cost of ambulation (ECA) among children with CP. The cross sectional survey, recruited participants from a secondary and a tertiary hospitals in Kano. Body composition was assessed with BMI for age charts and skin fold calipher. Dynamic muscle strength, balance and ECA were assessed with step-up test, time-up-and-go test and physiological cost index respectively. Data was analysed with Pearson Product Moment Correlation and unpaired t test at alpha level of P<0.05 using SPSS version 20 and Microsof excel. Twenty four children took part in the study, 13 (54.2%) females and 11(45.8%) males. Their mean age was 10.0 ± 4.6 years. Majority of them 17 (70.8%) were underweight. The mean percent body fat score was 11.78±3.85, with females having significantly higher amount of body fat than males (t=-3.37; P=0.003). There were no significant correlations between body compositon and each of dynamic muscle strength, balance and ECA (p>0.05). It was concluded that about two-thirds of the children with CP in the study are underweight and having low percent body fat. Body composition may not have significant influence on the muscle strength, stability and the energy expended during walking function. Paediatricians and physiotherapists should encourage caregivers of children with CP to feed them with balanced diet in order to avoid diseases associated with malnutrition

Effects of experimental Neisseria meningitis W135 infection on serotoninergic parameters in mice

This study investigated the effects of Neisseria menigitidis W135 infection via intraperitoneal route on plasma free tryptophan concentration, brain serotonin and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) levels in albino mice fed normal and tryptophan-enriched diets. The kinetics of appearance of viable bacteria in the blood, brain and liver following infection were also investigated. The serotoninergic parameters were determined by colorimetric and HPLC methods while colony counts were measured by plate count technique. Compared to normal diet, the tryptophan-enriched diet resulted in significantly (

Efektivitas Penegakan Hukum Terhadap Pelaku Penambangan Pasir Tanpa Izin (Studi Pada Kepolisian Resor Pangkep)

This study aims to identify and analyze the effectiveness of law enforcement against unlicensed sand miners by the Pangkep Resort Police, and to identify and analyze the factors that impede the effectiveness of law enforcement against illegal sand miners by the Pangkep Resort Police. This type of research is empirical juridical. The research results show that the effectiveness of law enforcement against the perpetrators of sand mining without a permit by the Pangkep Resort Police is not running effectively. This is due to the understanding of the Satreskrim investigators of the Pangkep Resort Police in determining and finding the elements of crime from the perpetrator's actions, so that the investigation requires and/or presents expert witnesses to clarify the actions of the perpetrators. Factors hindering the effectiveness of law enforcement against illegal sand mining by the Pangkep Resort Police, namely; substance, structure, and legal culture. The three factors that most influence the criminal act of sand mining without a permit is the legal substance

Insulin Regimens and Clinical Outcomes in a Type 1 Diabetes Cohort: The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study

OBJECTIVE To examine the patterns and associations of insulin regimens and change in regimens with clinical outcomes in a diverse population of children with recently diagnosed type 1 diabetes

Selecting short-statured children needing growth hormone testing: Derivation and validation of a clinical decision rule

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Numerous short-statured children are evaluated for growth hormone (GH) deficiency (GHD). In most patients, GH provocative tests are normal and are thus in retrospect unnecessary.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A retrospective cohort study was conducted to identify predictors of growth hormone (GH) deficiency (GHD) in children seen for short stature, and to construct a very sensitive and fairly specific predictive tool to avoid unnecessary GH provocative tests. GHD was defined by the presence of 2 GH concentration peaks < 10 ng/ml. Certain GHD was defined as GHD and viewing pituitary stalk interruption syndrome on magnetic resonance imaging. Independent predictors were identified with uni- and multi-variate analyses and then combined in a decision rule that was validated in another population.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The initial study included 167 patients, 36 (22%) of whom had GHD, including 5 (3%) with certain GHD. Independent predictors of GHD were: growth rate < -1 DS (adjusted odds ratio: 3.2; 95% confidence interval [1.3–7.9]), IGF-I concentration < -2 DS (2.8 [1.1–7.3]) and BMI z-score ≥ 0 (2.8 [1.2–6.5]). A clinical decision rule suggesting that patients be tested only if they had a growth rate < -1 DS and a IGF-I concentration < -2 DS achieved 100% sensitivity [48–100] for certain GHD and 63% [47–79] for GHD, and a specificity of 68% [60–76]. Applying this rule to the validation population (n = 40, including 13 patients with certain GHD), the sensitivity for certain GHD was 92% [76–100] and the specificity 70% [53–88].</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We have derived and performed an internal validation of a highly sensitive decision rule that could safely help to avoid more than 2/3 of the unnecessary GH tests. External validation of this rule is needed before any application.</p