Defining the agency of the police: conflicting legal approaches

In view of the broad based functions of a Principal or the diverse economic nitty-gritty in global communities, a Principal is often in need of representatives who are vested with powers of an agent in an agency agreement. Similarly, in the dispensation of functions of office, agents are vital tools to authorities who are saddled with the responsibilities of service delivery to the public. These agents carry with them the aura of authority such as the law has vested on the principal. Agents possess powers to the limits of authority accruing unto them from the Principal. Much more worrisome is a situation where the agent is made to perform his responsibilities under a total stranger to the agency agreement. In this case, we are not talking of the third party, but a totally different issuing authority. This raises a very germane question of whose agent such errant or erring agent would be. This paper takes a look at some of the conflicting decisions of the Court of Appeal on the issue of the Nigerian Police and who should take responsibility for any infractions committed by the police in the course of their duties.Keywords: Agency, Police, Law, Nigeri

Statistical approach to optimization of the transesterification reaction from sorrel (hibiscus sabdariffa) oil

In an effort to optimize the reaction conditions of biodiesel production from Sorrel seed oil, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was applied and the effects of reaction temperature, catalyst amount, reaction time and methanol/oil molar ratio, and their reciprocal interactions were ascertained. A total of 30 experimental runs were designed by Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) and carried out. A quadratic polynomial was obtained for predicting the Transesterification process and the ANOVA test showed the model to be significant (p<0.05). The validity of the predicted model was confirmed by carrying out three independent replicates experiments. The actual maximum biodiesel yield obtained was 99.23% (w/w) at methanol/oil molar ratio 6.21, catalyst amount 1.03 (% wt.), reaction temperature 51 oC, and reaction time 63 min. The fuel properties of Hibiscus sabdariffa methylester (HSME) produced were found to be within the ASTM D6751 and DIN EN 14214 biodiesel standards. The fatty acid profile of the HSME revealed that the dominant fatty acids were oleic (58.34%), arachidic (1.55%), palmitic (18.28%) and linoleic (21.19%). Emission assessment revealed 70% reduction of CO at B80, 80% reduction of NO concentration at B40

Gastric adenomyoma: an uncommon cause of dyspepsia and a rare endoscopic finding.

Background: Gastric adenomyoma (GA) is a rare benign lesion comprising of ducts and glands embedded in smooth muscle stroma. Thirty-seven (37) cases of GA were identified until 1993, however, only 15 cases are said to have been reported from 1993 to 2016. Esophagogastroscopy has been widely used in evaluating GA. However, the diagnosis of GA remains exclusively histological. Case: We report a 26-year-old Nigerian woman who presented with recurrent dyspepsia with her endoscopic findings suggestive of GA. GA was confirmed by histology, and she was managed conservatively. Conclusion: This report will contribute to creating awareness of this uncommon condition and also reminding physicians in considering GA as a possible differential of dyspepsia. Keywords: gastric, adenomyoma, dyspepsia, endoscopy, Nigerian, woma

Synthesis, characterization, antimicrobial activity and dyeing potential on leather using bromamine-derived anthraquinone acid dyes

Three different anthraquinone acid dyes were synthesized by condensation of bromamine acid with p-acetamido aniline, p-aminophenylacetic acid and p-benzaldehyde to obtain two blue and one green crystalline solid dyes. The synthesized dyes were fully characterized using UV-Visible, FT-IR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopic techniques. The results of the antimicrobial screening of the dyes as indicated by the zone of inhibition (ZOI) showed that, all the synthesized dyes have significant activities against the test microbes compared to the standard drugs used, except Candida albicans which was resistant against all the synthesized dyes. The result of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) showed that, at concentrations of 100μg/ml and 50 μg/ml of dyes I and II, the growth of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi were inhibited, while for dye III, 25 μg/ml was the minimum concentration required to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Baccillus subtillis and Escherichia coli. Furthermore, investigating the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) showed that, at a lower concentration of 25 μg/ml of dye III Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli were killed compared to 50 μg/ml of dyes I and II required to completely kill Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus. The results for dyeing and fastness properties on leather showed that, the synthesized dyes gave excellent homogeneity of coloration on leather. A remarkable degree of evenness indicates good penetration and affinity of these dyes to fabrics. Thus, the synthesized dyes possess excellent light and washing fastness rating of 6 and 4 hence, gave good dyeing on leather

VARIATION IN FLOWERING PHENOLOGY OF CASSIA FISTULA LINN. POPULATION IN OTA, OGUN STATE. NIGERIA

Flowering phenology in the population of Cassia fistula Linn. at Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria was investigated for three years to determine if there was variation in the phenology and the patterns were compared with some environmental factors to determine if there was any correlation. The number of plants flowering each month was monitored for three years. Data for mean monthly maximum and minimum temperatures, mean monthly rainfall and number of days with rain per month were obtained from Meteorological Institute, Oshodi, Lagos- Nigeria. In each year, there was synchronous flowering showing early and late flowering plants but the start and end of flowering vary between years. The peak months of flowering vary from year to year so also the period of flowering. Statistical analysis showed significant difference in flowering pattern between two of the years and from month to month. All these show clear variation in the flowering phenology of the species. Commencement of flowering was correlated with the rainfall and temperature in July and August while the end was correlated with the amount of rainfall and number of rainy days. With the overlap of flowering between the years, flowering is continuous in contrast to annual flowering in its country of origin; a phenomenon that has not been reported for the species before. The ecological implication was discusse

Exploration of gender norms and socialization among early adolescents : the use of qualitative methods for the global early adolescent study

Purpose: The Global Early Adolescent Study (GEAS) was launched in 2014 with the primary goal of understanding the factors in early adolescence that predispose young people to subsequent sexual risks, and conversely, those that promote healthy sexuality across different cultural contexts. The present article describes the methodology that was used for the first phase of GEAS, which consisted of conducting qualitative research to understand the gendered transitions into adolescence and the role that gender norms play within the key relationships of adolescents. Researchers from each of the sites that had completed data collection were also elicited for their feedback on the key strengths, challenges, and lessons learned from conducting research among 11- to 14-year-old adolescents. The purpose of this article is to present the description of each of the methods that were used in GEAS, as well as the researchers' perspectives of using the methods among early adolescents in their sites. Methods: The GEAS is being implemented through a collaboration of university and nongovernmental institutions from 15 cities: Assiut (Egypt) Baltimore (U.S.), Blantyre (Malawi), Cape Town (South Africa), Cochabomba (Bolivia), Cuenca (Ecuador), Edinburgh (Scotland), Ghent (Belgium), Hanoi (Vietnam), Ile-Ife (Nigeria), Kinshasa (DRC), Nairobi (Kenya), New Delhi (India), Ouaga-dougou (Burkina Faso), and Shanghai (China). Approximately 30 in-depth interviews among adolescents and 30 in-depth interviews with their parent/guardian were conducted at each site, with adults and adolescents interviewed separately. To build trust and increase engagement among the adolescent participants, we used two different visual research methods: (1) timeline exercise which was small group based and (2) the Venn diagram exercise which was conducted individually and used at the start of the in-depth interview. Results: The visual aspects of both the timeline and the Venn diagrams not only helped to produce data for the purposes of the study, but also were a successful way of engaging the adolescent participants across sites. While the narrative interviews produced extremely rich data, researchers did notice that there were a few challenges among the younger adolescents. Challenges were related to the length of the interview, comprehension of questions, as some of the questions were either too abstract or asked adolescents about an experience they had not yet had and therefore could not address or articulate. Conclusions: Conducting the first phase of GEAS revealed important insights for research with participants who are in this developmental phase of early adolescence. Methods that involve greater engagement and those that are visual were shown to work well irrespective of the cultural setting

Community perception and acceptability of COVID-19 vaccine in south-west Nigeria: an online cross-sectional study

Background: The development of COVID-19 vaccines holds great potential for controlling the spread of SARS COV 2. Vaccines, irrespective of the disease are generally fraught with hesitancy, and Nigeria has a history of vaccine hesitancy. Objective: This study aimed at determining the perception of community members about the COVID-19 vaccine and their readiness to accept the vaccine in South West, Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was employed to collect data from consenting adults using a structured online questionnaire for a period of three weeks. Data were subjected to a Chi-square test and logistic regression for bivariate and multivariate analysis, respectively. Results: A total of 807 respondents participated in the survey with 57.7% males and 42.3% females. Forty-five respondents (5.6%) had previously been diagnosed with COVID-19 while 11.5% of the respondents had co-morbidity. The overall perception of COVID-19 vaccines was good. Fifty–nine (59%) percent of the respondents were willing to accept the vaccine and will also encourage their family members to take the vaccine. Vaccine origin and cost were determinants of vaccine acceptability. Non-acceptability of the vaccine (61.6%) was based on possible adverse effects of the vaccine and mistrust of the government. Educational level, skill status, type of employment and sector of employment were associated (p < 0.001) with the acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusions: Citizens were willing to take COVID-19 vaccines, however, lack of trust in government programs might undermine the vaccine campaign. Hence, the government needs to rebuild trust with the citizens towards achieving a high vaccination rate for COVID-19

COVID-19 mortality rate and its associated factors during the first and second waves in Nigeria

COVID-19 mortality rate has not been formally assessed in Nigeria. Thus, we aimed to address this gap and identify associated mortality risk factors during the first and second waves in Nigeria. This was a retrospective analysis of national surveillance data from all 37 States in Nigeria between February 27, 2020, and April 3, 2021. The outcome variable was mortality amongst persons who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by Reverse-Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction. Incidence rates of COVID-19 mortality was calculated by dividing the number of deaths by total person-time (in days) contributed by the entire study population and presented per 100,000 person-days with 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI). Adjusted negative binomial regression was used to identify factors associated with COVID-19 mortality. Findings are presented as adjusted Incidence Rate Ratios (aIRR) with 95% CI. The first wave included 65,790 COVID-19 patients, of whom 994 (1∙51%) died; the second wave included 91,089 patients, of whom 513 (0∙56%) died. The incidence rate of COVID-19 mortality was higher in the first wave [54∙25 (95% CI: 50∙98–57∙73)] than in the second wave [19∙19 (17∙60–20∙93)]. Factors independently associated with increased risk of COVID-19 mortality in both waves were: age ≥45 years, male gender [first wave aIRR 1∙65 (1∙35–2∙02) and second wave 1∙52 (1∙11–2∙06)], being symptomatic [aIRR 3∙17 (2∙59–3∙89) and 3∙04 (2∙20–4∙21)], and being hospitalised [aIRR 4∙19 (3∙26–5∙39) and 7∙84 (4∙90–12∙54)]. Relative to South-West, residency in the South-South and North-West was associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 mortality in both waves. In conclusion, the rate of COVID-19 mortality in Nigeria was higher in the first wave than in the second wave, suggesting an improvement in public health response and clinical care in the second wave. However, this needs to be interpreted with caution given the inherent limitations of the country’s surveillance system during the study

Effect of early tranexamic acid administration on mortality, hysterectomy, and other morbidities in women with post-partum haemorrhage (WOMAN): an international, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Background Post-partum haemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal death worldwide. Early administration of tranexamic acid reduces deaths due to bleeding in trauma patients. We aimed to assess the effects of early administration of tranexamic acid on death, hysterectomy, and other relevant outcomes in women with post-partum haemorrhage. Methods In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we recruited women aged 16 years and older with a clinical diagnosis of post-partum haemorrhage after a vaginal birth or caesarean section from 193 hospitals in 21 countries. We randomly assigned women to receive either 1 g intravenous tranexamic acid or matching placebo in addition to usual care. If bleeding continued after 30 min, or stopped and restarted within 24 h of the first dose, a second dose of 1 g of tranexamic acid or placebo could be given. Patients were assigned by selection of a numbered treatment pack from a box containing eight numbered packs that were identical apart from the pack number. Participants, care givers, and those assessing outcomes were masked to allocation. We originally planned to enrol 15 000 women with a composite primary endpoint of death from all-causes or hysterectomy within 42 days of giving birth. However, during the trial it became apparent that the decision to conduct a hysterectomy was often made at the same time as randomisation. Although tranexamic acid could influence the risk of death in these cases, it could not affect the risk of hysterectomy. We therefore increased the sample size from 15 000 to 20 000 women in order to estimate the effect of tranexamic acid on the risk of death from post-partum haemorrhage. All analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This trial is registered with ISRCTN76912190 (Dec 8, 2008); ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00872469; and PACTR201007000192283. Findings Between March, 2010, and April, 2016, 20 060 women were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive tranexamic acid (n=10 051) or placebo (n=10 009), of whom 10 036 and 9985, respectively, were included in the analysis. Death due to bleeding was significantly reduced in women given tranexamic acid (155 [1·5%] of 10 036 patients vs 191 [1·9%] of 9985 in the placebo group, risk ratio [RR] 0·81, 95% CI 0·65–1·00; p=0·045), especially in women given treatment within 3 h of giving birth (89 [1·2%] in the tranexamic acid group vs 127 [1·7%] in the placebo group, RR 0·69, 95% CI 0·52–0·91; p=0·008). All other causes of death did not differ significantly by group. Hysterectomy was not reduced with tranexamic acid (358 [3·6%] patients in the tranexamic acid group vs 351 [3·5%] in the placebo group, RR 1·02, 95% CI 0·88–1·07; p=0·84). The composite primary endpoint of death from all causes or hysterectomy was not reduced with tranexamic acid (534 [5·3%] deaths or hysterectomies in the tranexamic acid group vs 546 [5·5%] in the placebo group, RR 0·97, 95% CI 0·87-1·09; p=0·65). Adverse events (including thromboembolic events) did not differ significantly in the tranexamic acid versus placebo group. Interpretation Tranexamic acid reduces death due to bleeding in women with post-partum haemorrhage with no adverse effects. When used as a treatment for postpartum haemorrhage, tranexamic acid should be given as soon as possible after bleeding onset. Funding London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Pfizer, UK Department of Health, Wellcome Trust, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries