Health Security in Africa and Quality of Health Services

National security and development are inextricable and depend largely on health security that strengthens general health of citizens and productive capacity.  Health security reflects quality of governance and commitment of policy makers, and health managers to quality of services.  Improving the seemingly intractable poor health situation and fostering health security in Africa require attention to the quality of services at every level. This paper examines health situation in Africa, the concept of quality in health care and efforts toward advancing quality of health services since primary health care.  It then provides strategies for establishing national health care quality program in order to advance health security in Africa. Keywords: Quality in Health, Health Security in Africa, National Policy on Quality Health Care, National Health Quality Program

Studies on the microbiology of barley malt production

Populations of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria, niycelial fungi and yeasts occurring in the production of barley malt were examined by plating on agar media and by scanning electron microscopy. There was an increase in the total number of micro-organisms during germination of barley, although populations declined after kilning. Bacteria dominated numerically in all samples, with progressively lower populations of yeasts and filamentous fungi. There was no obvious pattern of spatial distribution of micro-organisms On/in the samples, although there appeared to be high populations of bacteria and fungal hyphae on the inner surface of kernels. The dominant groups of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria were presumptively identified as Alcaligenes sp., Arthrobacter globiformis, Clavibacter iranicuin, Erwinia herbicola, Lactobacillus spp. and Pseudomonas fluorescens. The principal filainentous fungi were Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus glaucus group, Cladosporium macrocarpum, Epicoccum purpurascens, Fusarium avenaceum, Geotrichum candidum and Penicillium spp. The yeasts isolated most frequently were Candida catenulata, Q.. vini, Debaryomyces hansenii, Hansenula polyniorpha, Kloeckera apiculata, Rhodotorula nrncilaginosa, Sporobolomyces roseus and Trichosporon bei gelii. Representative bacteria, mycelial fungi and yeasts were examined for the ability to degrade 8-glucan, starch or arabinoxylan. Approximately 50% of the fungi, <50% of the bacteria and <25% of the yeasts degraded these substrates. A culture filtrate of .. nivale demonstrated marked ability to reduce -glucan viscometrically and colorimetrically. The organism also degraded raffinose and sucrose. In micro-malting experiments the addition of Fusarium nivale and Geotrichum candidum did not produce substantial changes in terms of the physical and chemical characteristics of the finished malts

New determination of abundances and stellar parameters for a set of weak G-band stars

Weak G-band (wGb) stars are very peculiar red giants almost devoided of carbon and often mildly enriched in lithium. Despite their very puzzling abundance patterns, very few detailed spectroscopic studies existed up to a few years ago, preventing any clear understanding of the wGb phenomenon. We recently proposed the first consistent analysis of published data for 28 wGb stars and identified them as descendants of early A-type to late B-type stars, without being able to conclude on their evolutionary status or the origin of their peculiar abundance pattern. We used newly obtained high-resolution and high SNR spectra for 19 wGb stars in the southern and northern hemisphere to homogeneously derive their fundamental parameters, metallicities, as well as the spectroscopic abundances for Li, C, N, O, Na, Sr, and Ba. We also computed dedicated stellar evolution models that we used to determine the masses and to investigate the evolutionary status and chemical history of the stars in our sample. We confirm that the wGb stars are stars in the mass range 3.2 to 4.2 M$_\odot$. We suggest that a large fraction could be mildly evolved stars on the SGB currently undergoing the 1st DUP, while a smaller number of stars are more probably in the core He burning phase at the clump. After analysing their abundance pattern, we confirm their strong N enrichment anti-correlated with large C depletion, characteristic of material fully processed through the CNO cycle to an extent not known in other evolved intermediate-mass stars. However, we demonstrate here that such a pattern is very unlikely due to self-enrichment. In the light of the current observational constraints, no solid self-consistent pollution scenario can be presented either, leaving the wGb puzzle largely unsolved.Comment: 19 pages , 14 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Exploring the key behavioural, functional and strategic competencies in Indian management education

Purpose: The study’s primary purpose is to identify the critical sustainable competencies and their importance in Indian management education perceived by the stakeholders. Research Methodology: The study adopted an explanatory research design and a standardised questionnaire to gather data from stakeholder groups. Results: The results suggest that the competency clusters considered necessary by the main stakeholder groups are behavioural, functional and strategic. Limitations: Broader perspective with more samples at various locations will add more value to the idea. Contribution: This paper aims to support both business and academia by recommending a positive collaborative process and building a workforce ready for work

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF THERMO-HYGRAL ALKALI-SILICA REACTION MODEL IN CONCRETE AT THE MESOSCALE

This research aims to model Alkali-Silica Reaction gel expansion in concrete under the influence of hygral and thermal loading, based on experimental results. ASR provokes a heterogeneous expansion in concrete leading to dimensional changes and eventually the premature failure of the concrete structure. This can result in map cracking on the concrete surface which will decrease the concrete stiffness. Factors that influence ASR are parameters such as the cement alkalinity, the number of deleterious silica from the aggregate used, concrete porosity, and external factors like temperature, humidity and external source of alkali from ingression of deicing salts. Uncertainties of the influential factors make ASR a difficult phenomenon to solve; hence my approach to this matter is to solve the problem using stochastic modelling, where a numerical simulation of concrete cross-section with integration of experimental results from Finger-Institute for Building Materials Science at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. The problem is formulated as a multi-field problem, combining heat transfer, fluid transfer and the reaction rate model with the mechanical stress field. Simulation is performed as a mesoscale model considering aggregates and mortar matrix. The reaction rate model will be conducted using experimental results from concrete expansions due to ASR gained from concrete prism tests. Expansive strains values for transient environmental conditions due to the reaction rate will be determined from calculation based on the reaction rate model. Results from these models will be able to predict the rate of ASR expansion and the cracking propagation that may arise

Numerical Simulation of Thermo-Chemo-Hygro-Mechanical Alkali-Silica Reaction Model in Concrete at the Mesoscale and Macroscale

Alkali-silica reaction causes major problems in concrete structures due to the rapidity of its deformation which leads to the serviceability limit of the structure being reached well before its time. Factors that affect ASR vary greatly, including alkali and silica content, relative humidity, temperature and porosity of the cementitious matrix,all these making it a very complex phenomenon to consider explicitly. With this in mind, the finite element technique was used to build models and generate expansive pressures and damage propagation due to ASR under the influence of thermo-hygrochemoelastic loading. Since ASR initializes in the mesoscopic regions of the concrete, the accumulative effects of its expansion escalates onto the macroscale level with the development of web cracking on the concrete surface, hence solution of the damage model as well as simulation of the ASR phenomenon at both the macroscale and mesoscale levels have been performed. The macroscale model realizes the effects of ASR expansion as a whole and shows how it develops under the influence of moisture, thermal and mechanical loading. Results of the macroscale modeling are smeared throughout the structure and are sufficient to show how damage due to ASR expansion orientates. As opposed to the mesoscale model, the heterogeneity of the model shows us how difference in material properties between aggregates and the cementitious matrix facilitates ASR expansion. With both these models, the ASR phenomenon under influence of thermo-chemo-hygro-mechanical loading can be better understood

Induced Secretion Of Pepsin-Rich Gastric Juice In The Rat By The Crude Extract From Elaeophorbia drupifera Leaves: A Dual Pathway Mechanism

Ninety male white Wistar rats (200 - 320g) were fasted for 48 hours, and used in the experiments for the collection of gastric juice according to the method of Shay et al, 1954. The extract (2.5 - 200 mg/kg) increased the secretion of gastric juice which was low in volume but rich in pepsin concentration. The adrenergic drugs dihydroergoergotoxine (hydergine) (1.25 mg/kg) and phentolamine (1.5 mg/kg) both also increased gastric secretion, which were high in volume, titratable acidity and total acid output but low in pepsin concentration. When the extract (20 mg/kg) was given in combination with either of the two sympatholytic drugs, the pepsin concentration in the juice was richer than that evoked by either of the two drugs alone. Also, atropine-extract combination significantly (

Pediatric Endocrinology Practice in Nigeria: Challenges and Way Forward

The prevalence of endocrine disorders in children in Nigeria is not well known. Therefore the burden of these diseases is often overlooked as most cases are undiagnosed or diagnosed too late; and yet they constitute a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children. There has been a paucity of Paediatric Endocrinologists, absence of laboratory equipments and even drugs for the treatment of these diseases are often not in stock. The desired attention these endocrine diseases should receive from both health care institutions and the government is lacking. Therefore, the aim of this review article was to highlight the challenges facing the practice of Paediatric endocrinology in Nigeria and to proffer a way forward to building a robust endocrine care services in health institutions in Nigeria. Keywords: Challenges, endocrinology, paediatrics, way forwar

Unsur-unsur romantisisme yang terdapat dalam filem lakonan dan arahan serta nyanyian P.Ramlee / Noor Hayati Itam Ganti

Tujuan dan matlamat: Kajian ini adalah bertujuan untuk mengkaji apakah unsur-unsur Romantisisme yang terdapat dalam lagu nyanyian , ciptaan mahupun filem lakonan atau arahannya, selain bertujuan unmk mengakaji bagaimana unsur-unsur tersebut dapat menjadikan filem-filem atau lagu-lagunya bukan sahaja berkualiti tetapi tahan ujian masa. Lagu-lagu beliau dan filem-filemnya kaya dengan tema masyarakat, justeru penulis juga akan cuba mengupas tema persoalan masyarakat yang sentiasa menjadi elemen utama yang merupakan fabor pendorong menjadikan filem dan lagunya digilai ramal

IN VITRO STUDIES ON CALCIUM OXALATE CRYSTAL GROWTH INHIBITION OF STROBILANTHES CRISPUS EXTRACTS

 ABSTRACT Strobilanthes crispus L. (Acanthaceae) has been used locally in traditional medicine for kidney stone and related diseases. These plant extracts have the ability to inhibit the calcium oxalate crystal growth, where the ability of water extract is higher than those of the 70% acetone, methanol and acetone extracts. The ability to inhibit the calcium oxalate crystal growth of these extracts is lower than that of sodium citrate as positive control. Keywords: Strobilanthes crispus, Acanthaceae, crystal inhibition, calcium oxalat