The Role of Physical Education Instructors Towards Effective Sports Management in Nigeria Primary Schools

The paper focused on physical education from pre-colonial time to present day in Nigeria and recommended some changes to remedy observed problems encountered in physical education in the past. The post-independence curriculum reform movements led to the 1969 curriculum conferences which prescribed better diversified curriculum, and recommended the inclusion of physical education as an instructional subject especially in primary schools. The National Policy on education 1977 revised in 1981 recognized the status of physical education instructors, and identified quality and benefits of teaching physical education especially in primary schools and it also addresses physical education instructor’s roles for effective management of sports, official code of conduct including various steps to be adopted for successful physical education activities in our schools. Finally, the paper recommended some of the following for the good conduct of physical education activities, in our schools such as creating enough time for physical education and sports in the school timetable and curriculum, and provision of adequate resources such as facilities, equipment as this will help to influence the attitudes of the students towards sports participation. Keywords: National Policy on Education, Physical Education, Primary School, Instructors DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-24-06 Publication date: August 31st 2019

Effects of Administration of Bouillon Cubes on Insulin Resistance, Lipid Profile and Renal Function Parameters in Female Albino Rats

Aim: To evaluate the effects of administration of bouillon cubes on insulin resistance, lipid profile and renal function parameters in female albino rats. Methodology: A total of thirty-five (35) female albino rats, weighing between 120 and 150 grams, were used for the study. The bouillon cubes, Star Maggi and Knorr were administered daily to the rats, using an oral gavage tube for 90days. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was determined using the Glucose oxidase method. Fasting plasma insulin (FPI) and Cystatin C levels were quantitatively determined by a rat-specific sandwich-enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Insulin resistance was determined using the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) method. The electrolytes, sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) and were determined using ion selective electrode method. Urea was determined using Urease-bertholet method. Creatinine was determined using the Jaffe-Slot method. Total Cholesterol (TC), Triglyceride (TG) and High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL-C) were determined by enzymatic methods. Low Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (LDL-C) was calculated from the Friedewald’s equation. Kidney sections were stained using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining technique. Quantitative analysis of monosodium glutamate (MSG) content of the bouillon cubes was analyzed using ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy while the sodium content was analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry according to the method of the American Public Health Association. Results: There were no significant differences (P>.05) in FPG, FPI and HOMA-IR in all the treatment groups. The mean cystatin C value in group E (High Dose Knorr) was significantly higher (P <.05) than the negative control and all other treatment groups. The results also show the mean sodium values in groups D (High Dose Maggi) and E (High Dose Knorr) were significantly lower (P <.05) when compared to the negative control. There were no significant differences (P >.05) in TC and HDL-C levels in the negative control, compared to the treatment groups. There were no significant differences (P >.05) in TG levels, except for group B (Low Dose Maggi) which significantly lower (P <.05) than the negative control. Also, there were no significant differences (P >.05) in LDL-C levels, except for group B (Low Dose Maggi) which significantly higher (P <.05) than the negative control. Histologic analysis of the kidneys of the treated groups showed histological changes in the architecture of the tissues indicating tissue distortion, acute tissue damage, glomerular nephritis and distorted capillaries and degeneration compared to the negative control group which showed no tissue distortion. Conclusion: Chronic exposure to bouillon cubes did not impact fasting plasma glucose, insulin and insulin resistance in the treated rats. Chronic administration of Knorr cubes impacted the integrity of the kidney as levels of cystatin C and sodium were altered in the albino rats. Histoarchitecture of the kidneys of the treated rats showed histological changes indicating tissue distortion, acute tissue damage, glomerular nephritis and distorted capillaries. Lipid profile/metabolism was relatively not affected by the administration of bouillon cubes

An overview of anti-diabetic plants used in Gabon: Pharmacology and Toxicology

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Ethnopharmacological relevance: The management of diabetes mellitus management in African communities, especially in Gabon, is not well established as more than 60% of population rely on traditional treatments as primary healthcare. The aim of this review was to collect and present the scientific evidence for the use of medicinal plants that are in currect by Gabonese traditional healers to manage diabetes or hyperglycaemia based here on the pharmacological and toxicological profiles of plants with anti-diabetic activity. There are presented in order to promote their therapeutic value, ensure a safer use by population and provide some bases for further study on high potential plants reviewed. Materials and methods: Ethnobotanical studies were sourced using databases such as Online Wiley library, Pubmed, Google Scholar, PROTA, books and unpublished data including Ph.D. and Master thesis, African and Asian journals. Keywords including ‘Diabetes’ ‘Gabon’ ‘Toxicity’ ‘Constituents’ ‘hyperglycaemia’ were used. Results: A total of 69 plants currently used in Gabon with potential anti-diabetic activity have been identified in the literature, all of which have been used in in vivo or in vitro studies. Most of the plants have been studied in human or animal models for their ability to reduce blood glucose, stimulate insulin secretion or inhibit carbohydrates enzymes. Active substances have been identified in 12 out of 69 plants outlined in this review, these include Allium cepa and Tabernanthe iboga. Only eight plants have their active substances tested for anti-diabetic activity and are suitables for further investigation. Toxicological data is scarce and is dose-related to the functional parameters of major organs such as kidney and liver. Conclusion: An in-depth understanding on the pharmacology and toxicology of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is lacking yet there is a great scope for new treatments. With further research, the use of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is important to ensure the safety of the diabetic patients in Gabon.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Evaluation of reproductive profile in male albino rats following varied duration of administration with Revive capsule

Background: Revive capsule is a polyherbal formulation commonly used to treat erectile dysfunction or enhance libido in men. Some of the individual herbs used in the formulation of this drug have been known scientifically to affect various biochemical components of the human body; hence this study was aimed at evaluating the reproductive profile in male albino rats following varied duration of administration with Revive capsule.  Methods: A total of 42 male albino rats were used for the study, and were divided into six (6) groups of seven (7) rats each. They were allowed to acclimatize for two (2) weeks by maintaining 12-hour light and dark cycles daily, with access to standard feed and water ad libitum. Group A (negative control) rats were administered with distilled water once daily, while groups B, C, D, E and F were administered once daily with 72 mg/kg of Revive capsule for 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks respectively. The rat dose administered was extrapolated from the human dose using the formula by Paget and Barnes. At the end of each treatment week, the rats were allowed to fast overnight, followed by their anaesthetization using chloroform, and blood sample collection via jugular vein puncture. Also, the testes were excised; the epididymis were also excised from the testes and used immediately for semen analysis, while the epididymis-free testes were examined histologically. Rat-specific test kits with ELISA method were used to analyze serum LH, FSH and testosterone.Results: The results showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in serum LH, FSH and testosterone levels, and a significant increase in sperm count and sperm quality parameters in the treatment groups compared to the negative control, with the maximum levels attained after 6 weeks of treatment (group F). Also, photomicrographs of histologically examined testes of the treatment groups appeared indifferent from those of the negative control.Conclusions: These findings may suggest that in using a rat model, treatment with Revive capsule at the appropriate dosage for 6 weeks is safe, and that, besides its acclaimed use in enhancing libido or treating erectile dysfunction, it may also be effective in promoting male fertility.

Skipping Meals and its Possible Effects on Lipid Profile of Purposively Selected Civil Servants in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria

Skipping meals and its possible effects on lipid profile of purposively selected civil servants in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria was carried out by purposively selecting a total of 35 volunteer human adults. Questionnaires were used to assess the dietary habit while standard biochemical methods were employed for the lipid profile. The results from the anthropometric measurements showed that the mean weights (kg), heights (m), and body mass indices (BMI) (kg/m2) were 80.13 ± 13.41, 1.66 ± 0.18, and 26.98 ± 5.17 respectively for the males and 79.00 ± 16.14, 1.61 ± 0.12, and 26.89 ± 4.78 respectively for the females. The desirable BMI for both males and females are 18.5 to 24.9. Lipid profile result showed that the mean total cholesterol (TCH) was within desirable range of 188.13 ± 45.04 for the males and 196.42 ± 42.39 for the females and the mean high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was within low range of 44.87 ± 10.83 and 43.26±8.58 for the males and the females respectively. However, the mean low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was within the optimal range of 95.56 ± 38.86 and 114.37 ± 30.75 for males and females respectively. The mean triacylglycerols (TG) was within the borderline range of 173.63 ± 113.41 for the males and within normal range of 149.32 ± 100.28 for females. The total cholesterol/ high density lipoprotein ratio (TCHDL ratio) showed that the mean values for males and females were 4.64 ± 1.13 and 4.56 ± 2.02 respectively. The desirable range of TCHDL ratio for both males and females are 3.5 to 6.0. Correlation analysis showed positive correlations between BMI and LDL-C, Waist to hip ratio (WHR) and TAG, Waist circumference (WaistCir) and TAG. The implications of these findings as it relates nutrition and health are discussed

Time-varying efficiency of developed and emerging bond markets : evidence from long-spans of historical data

Bonds have become an important part of investment portfolios for individuals as well as for institutions, particularly after the recent financial crisis. This paper empirically investigates the Adaptive Market Hypothesis (AMH) in two of the most established bond markets in the world: the US and UK and two emerging markets: South Africa and India, using monthly data series spanning very long time periods. We examine the long memory properties of the series using several long memory estimations methods and multiple structural breaks techniques to examine the possibility of time varying market efficiency. We then examine the weak-form efficiency of government bond markets, using a time varying approaches namely the state-space generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity in mean (GARCH-M) to date the time varying behavior of bond market efficiency. Results show that efficiency of these markets has been changing over time, depending on the prevailing economic, political and market conditions. Further, we observe that the degree of the weak-form efficiency of these markets has been gradually improving recently. In particular, the US government bond market has been highly efficient, showing the highest degree of market efficiency among the four bond markets. Overall, our results suggest that the AMH provides a better description of the behavior of government bond returns than the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH).http://www.elsevier.com/locate/physa2019-09-01hj2018Economic

The Alpha Power Transformed Logistic Distribution: Properties, application and VaR Estimation

Abstract In this paper, a new three-parameter distribution, which is a member of the Alpha Power Transformed Family of distributions, is introduced. The new distribution is a generalization of the logistic model called the alpha power transformed logistic (APTL) distribution. Some mathematical properties of the new distribution like moments, quantile function, median, skewness, kurtosis, Rényi entropy, and order statistics are discussed. The parameters of the distribution are estimated using the maximum likelihood estimation method and a simulation study is performed to investigate the effectiveness of the estimates. The usefulness and flexibility of the APTL distribution in modelling financial data are investigated using two portfolio stock indices, namely the NASDAQ and New York stock indices, both from the United States stock market. Based on the model selection criteria, we are able to establish empirically that the APTL distribution is the best for modelling the two data sets, among the various distributions compared in the study. For each of the data, the quantile value-at-risk estimates for the APTL distribution give the smaller expected portfolio loss at high confidence levels in comparison to those of the other distributions. Keywords: Alpha power transformed family of distributions; logistic distribution; maximum likelihood estimation; portfolio investments; value-at-risk.   Abstrak Pada artikel ini, diperkenalkan distribusi baru dengan tiga parameter yang merupakan anggota dari keluarga distribusi Alpha Power Transformed. Distribusi baru ini merupakan generalisasi dari model logistik yang disebut distribusi Alpha Power Transform Logistics (APTL). Selain itu, dibahas pula beberapa sifat matematika dari distribusi tersebut yaitu momen, fungsi kuantil, median, kemiringan, kurtosis, entropi Rényi, dan statistik terurut. Parameter distribusi diestimasi menggunakan metode maximum likelihood estimation dan studi simulasi dilakukan untuk menyelidiki keefektifan estimasi. Kegunaan dan fleksibilitas distribusi APTL dalam pemodelan data keuangan diselidiki menggunakan dua indeks saham portofolio dari pasar saham Amerika Serikat yaitu indeks saham NASDAQ dan New York. Berdasarkan kriteria pemilihan model, secara empiris, dihasilkan bahwa APTL adalah distribusi terbaik untuk memodelkan dua set data di antara berbagai distribusi yang dibandingkan pada penelitian ini. Untuk setiap data, estimasi kuantil value-at-risk untuk distribusi APTL memberikan kerugian portofolio yang diharapkan lebih kecil dengan tingkat kepercayaan tinggi dibandingkan dengan distribusi lainnya. Kata Kunci: distribusi dari keluarga Alpha power transformed; distribusi logistik; maximum likelihood estimation; investasi portofolio; value-at-risk.   2020MSC: 62E10

Evidence-based assessment of male-only infertility: prevalence and associated risk factors in Port Harcourt metropolis, Rivers State, Nigeria

Background: Male infertility is the condition in which a male is unable to establish pregnancy in a fertile woman over 12 months of unprotected sexual intercourse. In this study, the prevalence of male-factor infertility and some associated risk factors in Port Harcourt, Rivers State was carried out. Methods: The study design was a case-controlled randomized one, in which semen specimens were collected from case and control groups randomly amongst males visiting urology/fertility clinics by masturbation after 3 days of abstinence. A total of 276 males indicated interest to participate in study of which 193 male subjects were recruited. Results: The result showed that 20.8% were azoospermic, 27.4% were oligospermic, 23.7% were asthenozoospermic, 27.9% oligoasthenozoospermic, 15.1% teratozoospermic, 19.4% asthenoteratozoospermic, and 12.9% oligoasthenoteratospermic. Furthermore, the microbial quality of the semen assessed indicated the prevalence of scanty, moderate, and heavy growth as 12.5%, 9.3%, and 7.3% respectively. Likewise, organisms isolated and identified were Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and mixed growth of staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli with a prevalence of 18.2%, 5.6%, 2.0%, 1.04%, and 2.6% respectively. Civil servants had the highest prevalence of 20.8% followed by artisans with 11.9%. The prevalence of primary and secondary infertility was observed to be 30.1% and 18.1% respectively. Conclusions: Male-only factor infertility is on the increase and occupations that are accompanied by prolonged sitting, sedentary work style, or working in or close to high-temperature sources as seen in civil servants and welders (artisans) were observed to be more prone to male-only factor infertility

Causality between inflation and inflation uncertainty in South Africa : evidence from a Markov-switching vector autoregressive model

This study investigates the asymmetric and time-varying causalities between inflation and inflation uncertainty in South Africa within a conditional Gaussian Markov switching vector autoregressive (MS-VAR) model framework. The MS-VAR model is capable of determining both the sign and direction of causality. We account for the nonlinear, long memory and seasonal features of the inflation series simultaneously by measuring inflation uncertainty as the conditional variance of inflation generated by recursive estimation of a Seasonal Fractionally Integrated Smooth Transition Autoregressive Asymmetric Power GARCH (SEA-FISTAR-APGARCH) model using monthly data for the period 1921:01 to 2012:12. The recursive, rather than full-sample, estimation allows us to obtain a time-varying measure of uncertainty and better mimics the real-time scenario faced by economic agents and/or policy makers. The inferred probabilities from the four-state MS-VAR model show evidence of a time-varying relationship. The conditional (i.e. lead–lag) and regime-prediction Granger causality provide evidence in favor of Friedman's hypothesis. This implies that past information on inflation can help improve the one-step-ahead prediction of inflation uncertainty but not vice versa. Our results have some important policy implications.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/emr2016-09-30hb201

Glucose in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus regulates GLP-1 release.

Glucokinase (GK) is highly expressed in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN); however, its role is currently unknown. We found that GK in the PVN acts as part of a glucose-sensing mechanism within the PVN that regulates glucose homeostasis by controlling glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) release. GLP-1 is released from enteroendocrine L cells in response to oral glucose. Here we identify a brain mechanism critical to the release of GLP-1 in response to oral glucose. We show that increasing expression of GK or injection of glucose into the PVN increases GLP-1 release in response to oral glucose. On the contrary, decreasing expression of GK or injection of nonmetabolizable glucose into the PVN prevents GLP-1 release. Our results demonstrate that gluco-sensitive GK neurons in the PVN are critical to the response to oral glucose and subsequent release of GLP-1