The Association of Central corneal thickness with Intra-ocular Pressure and Refractive Error in a Nigerian Population

The purpose of this study was to determine the variation of central corneal thickness (CCT) with intraocular pressure (IOP) and spherical equivalent refractive error. A total of thirty-nine (N=39) subjects within 20-75 years with mean age 45.2 ± 15.4 years were used for this study. The central corneal thickness was assessed with the Corneo-Gage plus ultrasonic Pachymeter, the IOP with slit-lamp mounted Goldmann applanation tonometer and refractive status by Protec 2000 autorefractor, phoropter and trial lens set. Results obtained showed that there was no linear correlation between CCT and spherical equivalent errors, although the association between them was significant (p<0.05). The linear correlation between CCT and IOP was not statistically significant. The central corneal thickness was weakly correlated with age; with increasing age the central corneal thickness decreases. Neither the central corneal thickness nor the intraocular pressure was affected by gender

A Survey on Ophthalmia Neonatorum in Benin City, Nigeria (Emphasis on gonococcal ophthalmia)

The purpose of the study was to investigate the incidence of gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum considering its ability to lead to childhood blindness through corneal ulceration and scarification. Eye swabs were obtained from 330 neonates of 1-5 days in the hospitals of study. Of these, 248 yielded growth and six bacterial genera were identified using standard techniques. Staphylococcus aureus was the most prevalent (60.5%) while Neisseria gonorrhoeae accounted for 1.7%. Susceptibility patterns of bacterial isolates to four antibiotics were determined using Disk-diffusion tests. Staphylococcus aureus and Neisseria gonorrhoeae showed 62.5 and 100% susceptibility to Erythromycin while 66.7% of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella and 62.5% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were susceptible to Gentamicin. The incidence of gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum for the period of study was 8.9 (cases per 1,000 live births). Prevention is through ocular prophylaxis by the application of either 1% silver nitrate ophthalmic solution or 0.5% erythromycin ointment to the neonates’ eyes some hours after birth. This would help to preserve vision and reduce to the barest minimum the incidence of childhood blindness

Effect of Soft Contact Lens Materials on Tear Film Stability and Central Corneal Radius of Curvature: A Comparative Study of Polymacon and Lotrafilcon B

This study investigated the effects of soft contact lens material on the&nbsp; corneal radius of curvature and the tear film stability. A total of thirty&nbsp; (n=30) subjects aged between 17 and 33 years with mean age 22.3 &plusmn; 3.4 years, made up of 11 males and 19 females were recruited for this study. The corneal radius of curvature (CRC) and non-invasive tear break-up time (NIBUT) were assessed with the Bausch and Lomb Keratometer H-135A (Bausch and Lomb Corp., USA). The subjects were categorised into two groups: Polymacon (conventional soft contact lens) group (n = 17) and lotrafilcon B (O2 optix contact lens) group (n = 13). The difference in NIBUT between pre-task and 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of polymacon contact lens wear was statistically significant (ANOVA: P = 0.003). However, for lotrafilcon B, the difference in mean NIBUT was not statistically significant (P = 0.22). The difference in mean CRC between pre-task and 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks of polymacon and lotrafilcon B contact lens wear was not statistically significant (ANOVA: P &gt; 0.05). The degree of association between CRC and NIBUT was also not statistically significant (p&gt;0.05). This indicates that the tear film stability measured as non-invasive tear break-up time varied under conventional soft (polymacon) lens wear while it remained stable under silicone hydrogel (lotrafilcon B) lens wear. The corneal curvature was not significantly affected by the contact lens materials during the period under study. In conclusion, Lotrafilcon B was a preferred contact lens material since it demonstrated no significant effect on tear film stability as measured as NIBUT

Developing a Culturally Relevant Mental Health Assessment for Persons of African Descent

Abstract Problem: Persons of African descent have lower access to mental health care, are less likely to receive needed care, and are more likely to be misdiagnosed, experience severe disease, and to receive mental health care through primary care than non-Hispanic Whites. Context: Cultural norms related to mental health as well as the lack of culturally congruent health care delivery contribute to lower mental health care access and uptake among persons of African descent. Interventions: Campinha-Bacote’s cultural competence model and the BATHE technique provided the theoretical framework for the development and implementation of a nurse practitioner (NP) (n = 4) administered culturally tailored mental health assessment intervention for patients (n = 87) of African descent at a primary care center. Measures: Outcome measures used to assess the impact of the intervention were NP adherence to the use of the assessment, patient mental health referrals within the clinic, and NPs’ and patients’ perceived usefulness and cultural relevance of the intervention. Results: NP adherence to the use of the assessment was 100%. Twenty-one patients were referred to mental health care during the intervention. All NPs and the majority of patients reported the assessment to be culturally relevant and useful. Pearson’s two-tailed correlations found a significant (p Conclusions: The theoretically grounded brief culturally-tailored mental health assessment was found to be relevant and useful in the mental health assessment and referral of patients of African descent and appeared to be sustainable for routine use in the project organization and likely transferable to other settings and populations. Keywords: culturally congruent care, mental health assessment, African descen

The Role of African Proverbs in Advancing Information Systems Research

Despite the richness of African proverbs, they have been muted in information systems (IS) research. This explicitly contributes to the lag in developing information systems and technology solutions for African people by African researchers in African terms. It is on this basis that two related objectives were formulated: (1) to examine the role which African proverbs can play in further advancing IS research, and (2) to understand how the concept can be employed to indigenize IS research. Qualitative data were collected from different sources, and the dimension of social change from structuration theory was employed to examine the role African proverbs can significantly play in advancing IS research. The analysis reveals that African proverbs can be employed in all stages of IS research, from problematizing the phenomenon, data collection to data analysis and interpretation of findings

An analysis of the extensive powers of the Asset Management Corporation (AMCON) under the AMCON act

In an attempt to provide for more efficiency in the recovery of debts owed under Non-Performing Loans and with a ruthless approach to achieving the Federal Government’s goal of recovering all the outstanding debts that are seen as a cause for the slowdown in the Nigerian Economy, the National assembly seems to be constantly amending the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Act 2010 in order to extend the powers of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). The powers that have been given to AMCON have never been limited by each amendment, they have only been expanded, this paper seeks to examine all the extensive powers donated to AMCON by the National Assembly to aid the Corporation in its bid to recover these outstanding debts

THE IMPACT OF NON-TECHNICAL FACTORS ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY AND E-BUSINESS

IT strategy and E-business has come to stay as important issues in many organisations. They are developed and implemented for the main purpose of improving, supporting and enabling their business goals and objectives. These requirements for support and enablement of the IT strategy and E-business are increasingly present in many organisations. IT strategy and E-business are breaking old barriers and building new interconnections in what is referred to by many specialists as the emerging Global Village. IT is bringing business communities and the world at large, closer, and making the global village smaller. This paper is focused on influencing factors, whether on the development or on the implementation of IT strategy and E-business within the computing environment of an organisation. One important outcome is the new role of knowledgeable workers (people factor) and involvement in the implementation of IT strategy and E-business in organisation

Diplomacia pública en la bibliografía actual

En la era de información y de asuntos globales, la diplomacia pública tiene poco que ver con aquellas modestas campañas de información pública del pasado. Siendo así, surgen varios interrogantes acerca de la Diplomacia Pública como una práctica autónoma y complementaria en cuanto al concepto de esta nueva diplomacia. En esta consideración, está implícito la importancia creciente y el impacto que esta nueva diplomacia tiene en la diplomacia contemporánea. En un primer paso por saber lo que es, el autor analiza en este artículo el nivel de la presencia de la diplomacia pública en la bibliografía actual.Public diplomacy in the information age and in the age of global issues is a far cry from modest public information campaigns of the past. And alongside the concept of this new diplomacy, there are widespread concerns about Public Diplomacy as an autonomous practice, discipline or subdisciplin. Implicit in such concerns is the assumption that this new diplomacy has a discernible impact on the contemporary diplomacy. In this article, the author analyses the presence of public diplomacy in the present-day literature, considering the conditions and circumstances that are fostering the development of public diplomacy as a new field of studies

A Framework for Accessing Patient Big Data: ANT View of a South African Health Facility

This study was undertaken to develop a framework that can be used to guide analysis when translating and transforming big data into a more purposeful resource for healthcare service delivery in South Africa. It is intended to assist in addressing some of the challenges encountered by healthcare facilities. Qualitative data were collected, with a focus on the types of interactions that happen between actors when accessing and using patients’ big data for healthcare services. Actor-network theory (ANT) was applied as a lens in the analysis of the data, to examine the relationships between actors when accessing and using big data for healthcare services. From the analysis, factors influencing the accessing and use of patient’s big data were found. These factors provided the basis from which a framework was developed. The framework can be used to guide the assessment of big data and improve healthcare and service delivery to the community

The impact of organisational politics on information technology strategy

Includes bibliographical references (p. 286-307).The study consulted literature from both academic and professional domains. None of the literature referred to has done any study on the impact of organisation politics on IT strategy. The research conducted empirical case studies in two South African organisations. The two organisations are different in terms of cultural and transformative settings. The study included the involvement of people, processes and technology in the development and implementation of IT strategy