Psychological Preparation for Peak Performance in Sports Competition

This paper attempt to make an overview of various techniques, sport psychologist adopt in psychological preparation of athletes for peak performance. To attain peak performance in sports competitions, coaches and athletes should not base their prospect on physical training on sport skills alone rather should integrate both the mental and physical aspects of performance. During sport competitions athlete should enter the competition with the proper mindset so as to achieve optimum performance. The importance of a sport psychologist to athletes or sports team in this respect cannot be overemphasized, therefore the sport psychologist is in a position to provide the needed therapy to athletes who have been psyched-out by personal, motivational and environmental factors. The paper therefore recommended among others that athletes should be advised for practice mental and psychological skill training and, faster rehabilitation of an injured athlete should be done as this would help to achieve success in peak performance. Keywords: Peak Performance, Sports Skills, Psychological Skills, Attention and Personality

Application of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Administration of Physical Education and Sports

The paper focused on application of information and communication technology (ICT) in the administration of physical education and sports. Information and communication technology was seen on the convergence of audio-visual and telephone networks with computer networks which covers any product that will store, retrieve, manipulate, transmit and receive digital information. This facility was shown to be very useful in the administration of physical education and sports. The device enhances communication of information in the administration of physical education and sports. It also enhances experience in dance and dance education, and provides feedback that make teachers evaluate success in the programme and make students work harder. The paper saw ICT hardware and software as veritable tool for teaching physical education and simplifying data collection and analysis. The paper concluded that ICT represents one of the most useful tools for enhancing the decoding of physical education and sports curriculum if used correctly, and therefore recommended that proper practical ICT training should be provided for physical education teachers and student in schools and colleges by the ministry of science and education. Keywords: Physical Education, Computer, ICT and Sports DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-24-01 Publication date: August 31st 201

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

Core self-evaluation and loneliness as predictors of internet addictions among undergraduate students

The study investigated core self-evaluation and loneliness as predictors of internet addiction among undergraduate students, two hundred and forty-seven (247) undergraduate students which comprised 139 females and 108 males with a mean age of 21.76 and SD of 5.07 were selected using multi-stage (cluster, simple random: by balloting and purposive) sampling techniques as participants from Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu. Young (1998a) internet addiction test (IAT), Judge et al., (2003) Core Self Evaluation Scale (CSES) and Russell, Peplau, and Ferguson, (1978) UCLA Loneliness Scale were used for the gathering of data, correlational design was adopted, while hierarchical multiple regression using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 25 was used for data analysis. Finding revealed that core self-evaluation did not predict internet addict at sig.= .836 which is higher than the threshold of at p< .05, loneliness also failed to predict internet addiction at sig. 556 which is higher than the value of at p< .05. The two independent variable shows no relationship with the dependent variable at r= .1(r= .079), both core self-evaluation and loneliness contributed 0% to the variation of internet addiction at r2= .006, both independent did not jointly predict internet addiction at sig. .752, which is higher than the threshold of at p< .05. Therefore, it is important to encourage students to develop a strong sense of core self-evaluation, as it can help them regulate their internet use and prevent addiction

Effectiveness of blood utilization across departments in a tertiary health institution

Intruduction: The limited availability of blood makes it imperative that Hospitals and transfusion centres employ blood utilization indicators to ensure effective and efficient use. This study is a review of the transfusion practices and blood utilization Indicators of the largest tertiary health centre in South East Nigeria. Material and methods: The study is a retrospective cross-sectional Hospital based type. The following, biodemographic data, clinical diagnosis, and blood bank information such as patient and donor blood types from a 3-year period (January 2018–January 2021) was reviewed. The total number of units crossmatched, issued, transfused, or returned was extracted. Utilization Indicators such as crossmatch to transfusion ratio, transfusion probability, and transfusion index were calculated and our findings were compared to similar studies performed in centres located in India, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia Results: A total of 2,919 blood units were cross-matched out of which 2,212 units were transfused to 1,953 patients. The study reported an overall crossmatch to transfusion rate of 1.3, a Transfusion probability of 71%, and a transfusion index of 1.1. These findings compare favourably with findings reported from studies done in other LMIC countries. Comparatively, the Department of Medicine with a crossmatch to transfusion ratio of 1.1 has the most efficient blood ordering practices. Conclusion: The study findings showed that the quality indicators on the utilization of blood are in keeping with international best practices. Implementation of policies like the Maximum surgical blood ordering schedule (MSBOS) could further strengthen the practice and improve the results of the surgical disciplines

Blood transfusion in Sub-Saharan Africa: Historical perspective, clinical drivers of demand and strategies for increasing availability

Several decades after the World Health Assembly gave a declaration that every nation should adopt the use of voluntary non-remunerated blood donors (VNRD), operate a centralised system of blood collection, screening and transportation, many countries in Africa are still practicing hospital-based blood transfusion services. They also recruit family replacement blood donors and paid donors known to be less safe than the VNRD. Although in the early 2000s, there was noticeable improvement in blood testing and preservation. This positive effect was as a result of foreign aid from World Health Organization (WHO), President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and other external funding, but the gains were quickly lost as soon as the funds were withdrawn. In order to achieve a sustainable and safe blood transfusion in Africa, blood transfusion guidelines should be implemented. This review examines the history of transfusion in Africa and the strategies to increase blood availability in Sub-Saharan Africa. French title: La transfusion sanguine en Afrique subsaharienne : perspective historique, motifs cliniques de la demande et stratégies d'augmentation de la disponibilité Plusieurs décennies après que l'Assemblée de l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé a déclaré que chaque nation devrait adopter le don de sang volontaire non rémunéré (VNRD), utiliser un système centralisé de collecte, de dépistage et de transport du sang, de nombreux pays d'Afrique pratiquent encore la transfusion dans les services hospitaliers. Ils recrutent également des donneurs de sang de remplacement familiaux et des donneurs rémunérés connus moins sûrs que le VNRD. Cependant, au début des années 2000, il y a eu une amélioration notable des dépistages infectieux et de la conservation. Cet effet positif était le résultat de l'aide étrangère de l'Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS), du President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) et d'autres financements externes, mais les gains ont été rapidement perdus dès que les fonds ont été retirés. Afin de parvenir à une transfusion sanguine durable et sûre en Afrique, des directives sur la transfusion sanguine doivent être mises en œuvre. Cette revue examine l'histoire de la transfusion en Afrique et les stratégies pour augmenter la disponibilité du sang en Afrique subsaharienne

Phytochemical composition and antitrypanosomal activities Of aqueous leaf extracts of Loranthus micranthus Linn. (Loranthaceae) in rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei Brucei

Phytochemical composition and antitrypanosomal activities of aqueous leaf extracts of Loranthus micranthus in rats infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei was investigated for 28 days using 72 adult male albino rats weighing between 150 – 250 g. The rats were divided into six groups (A – F), replicated thrice with each replicate having four rats. Group A, B and C were given 400 mg/kg, 800 mg/kg and 1200 mg/kg of the extracts respectively, according to their body weights, while group D, E and F served as the negative, positive and normal control groups, respectively. LD50, phytochemical screening, parasitaemia and body weight were determined using standard methods. It was observed that tannins and flavonoids were highly present, alkaloids, resins, steroids and saponins were moderately present in the plant extract, while terpenes and glycosides were present in trace amounts. LD50 of the crude leaf extract of L. micranthus showed no mortality at dose levels of up to 5,000 mg/kg after 24 hours. The level of parasitaemia in all the tested groups and negative control were significantly high (p<0.05) when compared with the positive and normal control groups throughout the duration of the experiment. Similarly, a significant decrease (p<0.05) was observed in the mean values of body weights of the infected and treated animals throughout the duration of the experiment. The results showed that all the tested rats and negative control groups died from the overwhelming parasitaemia unlike the case of those administered the standard drug. The aqueous leaf extract of L. micranthus may not be used as an antitrypanosomal agent.Keywords: Phytochemical composition, Parasitaemia, Trypanosomiasis, Albino rats, Loranthus micranthus, Non antitrypanosomal agen

Structure and Computational Studies of New Sulfonamide Compound: {(4-nitrophenyl)sulfonyl}tryptophan

Synthesis of sulfonamide through an indirect method that avoids contamination of the product with no need for purification has been carried out using the indirect process. Here, we report the synthesis of a novel sulfonamide compound, ({4-nitrophenyl}sulfonyl)tryptophan (DNSPA) from 4-nitrobenzenesulphonylchloride and L-tryptophan precursors. The slow evaporation method was used to form single crystals of the named compound from methanolic solution. The compound was characterized by X-ray crystallographic analysis and spectroscopic methods (NMR, IR, mass spectrometry, and UV-vis). The sulfonamide N-H NMR signal at 8.07–8.09 ppm and S-N stretching vibration at 931 cm−1 indicate the formation of the target compound. The compound crystallized in the monoclinic crystal system and P21 space group with four molecules of the compound in the asymmetric unit. Molecular aggregation in the crystal structure revealed a 12-molecule aggregate synthon sustained by O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds and stabilised by N-H⋯O intermolecular contacts. Experimental studies were complemented by DFT calculations at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. The computed structural and spectroscopic data are in good agreement with those obtained experimentally. The energies of interactions between the units making up the molecule were calculated. Molecular docking studies showed that DNSPA has a binding energy of −6.37 kcal/mol for E. coli DNA gyrase (5MMN) and −6.35 kcal/mol for COVID-19 main protease (6LU7)

Intravenous versus intramuscular oxytocin injection for preventing uterine atonic primary postpartum haemorrhage in third stage of labour: A double-blind randomised controlled trial

Objectives: To compare the efficacy and safety of intravenous and intramuscular oxytocin in preventing atonic primary postpartum haemorrhage in the third stage of labour. Methods: A double-blind randomised clinical study on consenting women without risk factors for primary postpartum haemorrhage in labour at term. Two hundred and thirty-two women were randomly allotted into intravenous ( n  = 115) and intramuscular ( n  = 117) oxytocin groups in the active management of the third stage of labour. All participants received 10 IU of oxytocin, either IV or IM, and 1 ml of water for injection as a placebo via a route alternate to that of administration of oxytocin within 1 min of the baby’s delivery. The primary outcome measures were mean postpartum blood loss and haematocrit change. Trial Registration No.: PACTR201902721929705. Results: The baseline socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were similar between the two groups ( p  > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with regards to the mean postpartum blood loss (254.17 ± 34.85 ml versus 249.4 ± 39.88 ml; p  = 0.210), haematocrit change (2.4 (0.8%) versus 2.1 (0.6%); p  = 0.412) or adverse effects ( p  > 0.05). However, the use of additional uterotonics was significantly higher in the intravenous group (25 (21.73%) versus 17 (14.53%); p  = 0.032). Conclusion: Although oxytocin in both study groups showed similar efficacy in terms of preventing atonic primary postpartum haemorrhage, participants who received intravenous oxytocin were more likely to require additional uterotonics to reduce their likelihood of having an atonic primary postpartum haemorrhage. However, both routes have similar side effect profiles

Adaptation of the Wound Healing Questionnaire universal-reporter outcome measure for use in global surgery trials (TALON-1 study): mixed-methods study and Rasch analysis

BackgroundThe Bluebelle Wound Healing Questionnaire (WHQ) is a universal-reporter outcome measure developed in the UK for remote detection of surgical-site infection after abdominal surgery. This study aimed to explore cross-cultural equivalence, acceptability, and content validity of the WHQ for use across low- and middle-income countries, and to make recommendations for its adaptation.MethodsThis was a mixed-methods study within a trial (SWAT) embedded in an international randomized trial, conducted according to best practice guidelines, and co-produced with community and patient partners (TALON-1). Structured interviews and focus groups were used to gather data regarding cross-cultural, cross-contextual equivalence of the individual items and scale, and conduct a translatability assessment. Translation was completed into five languages in accordance with Mapi recommendations. Next, data from a prospective cohort (SWAT) were interpreted using Rasch analysis to explore scaling and measurement properties of the WHQ. Finally, qualitative and quantitative data were triangulated using a modified, exploratory, instrumental design model.ResultsIn the qualitative phase, 10 structured interviews and six focus groups took place with a total of 47 investigators across six countries. Themes related to comprehension, response mapping, retrieval, and judgement were identified with rich cross-cultural insights. In the quantitative phase, an exploratory Rasch model was fitted to data from 537 patients (369 excluding extremes). Owing to the number of extreme (floor) values, the overall level of power was low. The single WHQ scale satisfied tests of unidimensionality, indicating validity of the ordinal total WHQ score. There was significant overall model misfit of five items (5, 9, 14, 15, 16) and local dependency in 11 item pairs. The person separation index was estimated as 0.48 suggesting weak discrimination between classes, whereas Cronbach's α was high at 0.86. Triangulation of qualitative data with the Rasch analysis supported recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ items 1 (redness), 3 (clear fluid), 7 (deep wound opening), 10 (pain), 11 (fever), 15 (antibiotics), 16 (debridement), 18 (drainage), and 19 (reoperation). Changes to three item response categories (1, not at all; 2, a little; 3, a lot) were adopted for symptom items 1 to 10, and two categories (0, no; 1, yes) for item 11 (fever).ConclusionThis study made recommendations for cross-cultural adaptation of the WHQ for use in global surgical research and practice, using co-produced mixed-methods data from three continents. Translations are now available for implementation into remote wound assessment pathways