Taxonomic Classification and Suitability Evaluation of Selected Soils of Gboko for Yam and Cassava Production.

This study evaluated soil fertility status of Gboko-South in Gboko Local Government Area and their suitability for cassava and yam production. Auger point investigations were carried out at 100 m intervals along traverses spaced at 100 m apart. Three soil units were identified on the field based on soil colour, structure, textures, surface characteristics and topography. The results showed that the soil units were deep (102 – 141 cm) and well drained except unit I that was poorly drained. The soils were coarse-textured and slightly to moderately acidic in reaction with pH values which ranges from 5.38 – 6.50. They had low organic matter contents ranging from 0.20 to 0.95 % and high base saturation which ranged from 76 to 86 %. The soils were classified as Typic Epiaqualfs/Epigleyic Stagnosols, Arenic Haplustalfs/Eutric Luvisols, and Eutric Haplustept/Eutric Haplic Luvisols. Soils of unit I (Pedon I and II), unit II (Pedon III and IV) and unit III (Pedon V and VI) were evaluated to be moderately suitable for cassava and yam production.Keywords: Soil, Taxonomic classification, Suitability evaluation, Land suitability assessment, Yam and Cassava

Incidence of urinary tract infection (UTI) among pregnant women in Ibadan, South-Western Nigeria

This study reports the incidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) among 80 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics at Oluyoro Catholic Hospital (OCH), Ibadan, Nigeria, as well as the isolation and identification of the pathogens responsible for the infection. A total of 80 clean voided mid-stream urine samples were collected from pregnant women between the ages of 21-40 years. The results showed that the incidence of UTIs in this study population was 47.5%, and 38 bacterial isolates were identifiedbased on colonial morphology, microscopic characteristics, and biochemical tests. The most predominant bacterium was Escherichia coli 16 (42.1%). This was followed by Staphylococcus aureus 11 (28.9%), Klebsiella aerogenes 7 (18.4%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa 2 (5.3%), and a mixed culture of K. aerogenes and Staphylococcus aureus 2 (5.3%). Urine microscopy revealed the presence of pus cells in 15 of the urine samples collected. Two urine samples, representing 2.5% of the samples, contained yeast cells, suggesting that candidiasis was also predominant. The high incidence of UTIs reported in this study should be of great concern, as not only do UTIs pose a threat to health, but they also impose an economic and social burden due to the stigma associated with these infections

Astronomically forced saline lake deposition and paleoclimatic response in the Huanggang Basin during the Paleogene, Eastern China

Halite is a type of evaporite that can be processed into refined salt for food processing, and used as an important raw material in the chemical industry. However, our understanding of the astronomical forcing pattern on halite formation at the sedimentary basin scale is still limited. Here, we present a halite-rich lacustrine record from the middle-late Eocene through the early Oligocene of the Dawenkou Formation in the Huanggang Basin, Eastern China. A ∼ 6.5-Myr-long floating astronomical time scale was constructed based on a 405-kyr orbital eccentricity cycle tuning of gamma-ray (GR) series measured from the Upper and Middle members of the Dawenkou Formation. Our results indicate that halite intervals in the Middle Member of the Dawenkou Formation correspond well with the minima of the 100 kyr orbital eccentricity, suggesting the short eccentricity-induced climatic cycles forcing of halite formation by impact on seasonal contrasts. Our work provides essential context for understanding the pattern of halite deposits from the aspect of climate cycles at the sedimentary basin scale

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Roles of credit institutions in the improvement of rural livelihood and poverty alleviation in Mangu local government area, Plateau State

Successive Nigerian governments have made great efforts toward the improvement of rural welfare through poverty alleviation. These efforts translated into the establishment of several rural development programmes including Agricultural Credit Guaranteed Scheme (ACGS) and Nigerian Agricultural Cooperative and Rural Development Bank (NARCDB). This study is an assessment of the roles of these financial institutions in improving the lives of the rural people of Mangu Local Government in Plateau state in terms of provision of credit to enable adoption of technologies. The specific objectives were to identify the technologies available to the people, examine farmers’ accessibility to the credit facilities and determine the extent to which accessibility of credit facilities has helped adoption of innovation in the area. A total of 106 respondents were selected using a stratified random sampling technique. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents. Data were analysed using percentages and frequency distribution. The results of the analysis show that 87.5% of the respondents agreed that very few of the technologies available were adopted because of financial constraints. Also, 80.0% indicated that it was quite difficult to access the credit due delay in document processing (41.96%, unattainable collaterals (27.68% and other corrupt practices 25%). He financial institutions helped the very few to adopt technologies that were capital intensive by providing the required credit. It was concluded based on the findings that the establishment of credit institutions has not helped the Mangu people much, because of the inaccessibility of the facilities. Consequently, it is recommended that farmers in this area should reduce their dependence on the formal financial/credit institutions by adopting technologies that are less capital intensive or alternatively form their own traditional credit systems. Technology development for farmers should take into account the social and economic capacity of the people to have the desired impact on the people

Pattern of microbial isolates and microbial sensitivity among HIV positive pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria in Zaria, Nigeria

Background: Asymptomatic bacteruria in pregnancy is a common condition affecting pregnant women because of both anatomical and physiological changes in pregnancy. This condition appears to be commoner in people living with HIV because of the added immunosuppression caused by the virus. Aim: The study was to identify the pattern of microbial isolates and microbial sensitivity among HIV positive pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria in Zaria, Nigeria. Methods: This was a prospective cross sectional study among symptom-free HIV positive pregnant women attending the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) antenatal clinic in Zaria, Nigeria between 1st March and 31st August 2011. A structured, closeended questionnaire was administered and mid-stream urine samples were obtained and processed within 2 hours of collection in the laboratory. Results: A total of 220 consenting, asymptomatic, HIV positive pregnant women were screened for bacteriuria out of the 240 eligible women who were approached to participate in the study. Sixteen (16) women were positive for significant bacteriuria, giving a prevalence of 7.3%. A total of six (6) different isolates were isolated with Staphylococcus aureus (8) making 50%, E. coli (4) 18.8%, Klebsiella spp (2) 12.5%, Streptococcus spp (2) 12.5% and Proteus spp (1) 6.2%. All the isolated organisms were sensitive to gentamycin, cefuroxime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin and nitrofurantoin. Conclusion: This study found Staphylococcus aureus as the most common organism isolated in the urine of asymptomatic patients with HIV infection in pregnancy. The isolated organisms were sensitive to gentamycin, cefuroxime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxaxin and nitrofurantoin. Key words: HIV, Asymptomatic bacteriuria, Microbial isolates, mid-stream urine, immunosuppressio

Collaborative curriculum reform - Scotland & Nigeria

This paper describes the interdisciplinary and international collaborative curriculum reform process followed to develop a competency-based Masters in Public Health (MPH) programme for Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Nigeria with the support of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. The process involved a Departmental retreat, two workshops held in Nigeria, an independent review process as well as capacity-building visits to enable sharing of best practice. The outcomes thus far are a final draft of the competencies required from an ABU MPH graduate with initial mapping of learning outcomes and teaching and assessment methods. The process has been advantageous, but slow and challenging at the same time. Challenges include openness to change, burocracy and internal politics, infrastructure availability and staff changes. Positive aspects include the improvement in the quality of teaching and research within the MPH programme, team-building within the Department of Community Medicine, research collaboration opportunities and globalisation of the curriculum