Corruption Perception Index (CPI) and Government Expenditure in Sub Saharan Africa: The influence of Information Communication Technology (ICT)

This study introduces the moderating effects of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the relationship between corruption perception and government expenditures in Sub Saharan Africa. Two hypotheses were developed to address the research objectives.  Data were collected from secondary sources and analysed with regression model through Eview package. The results of the study shows that corruption perception index (CPI) and Mobile cellular Telephone subscription (MCTS) are positive and significantly related with general government final capital expenditure. Even though corruption perception index and fixed telephone subscription (CPI*FTS) and CPI*MCTS are positive, they are both insignificant, however,  fixed telephone subscription declines final consumption expenditure. The result also shows that one can be misled when thinking that corruption perception index influences the degree at which the government makes expenditures on final consumption

Incidencia de la capacitación del docente en lenguaje en su desempeño en dos instituciones educativas de la ciudad de Quito durante el año lectivo 2007 - 2008

El presente trabajo de investigación aborda el tema de la incidencia de la capacitación del docente en lenguaje en su desempeño en dos instituciones educativas de la ciudad de Quito: Escuela Solidaridad y Escuela Fiscal Abelardo Flores de las maestras de segundo, tercero y cuarto año de básica y detalla el estudio riguroso y metodológico de la capacitación docente según el Programa CECM. Para ello se utilizó dos instrumentos: dos entrevistas a directivos y docentes y una guía de observación construida previamente según la información del programa de escuelas lectoras, planificación de los talleres de capacitación y otros materiales indispensables para este trabajo. Para verificar la aplicación de los talleres de capacitación en la enseñanza de la lectura y escritura se realizaron varias observaciones. En la aplicación del código alfabético se participó en tres clases de lenguaje a las maestras de segundo y tercer año de básica. En la enseñanza de la lectura comprensiva y producción de textos, en dos clases a cada maestra de segundo, tercero y cuarto años de básica. La tesis se divide en cuatro capítulos; y, tiene secuencia lógica. En el capítulo uno se analiza los conceptos de capacitación docente y términos relacionados, la formación continua y las condiciones que hacen factible la capacitación docente. En el capítulo dos se estudia una opción de capacitación en lenguaje – Programa CECM. En el capítulo tres se analiza la aplicación de la capacitación docente según el Programa CECM. En el capítulo cuatro se evidencia la construcción de un plan de capacitación para los docentes de los primeros años de básica como conclusión de la tesis

Capacity Building Needs Of Lecturers of Agricultural Education In Soil Testing For Effective Teaching Of Students In Colleges Of Education In South-East, Nigeria.

The main purpose of this study was to determine capacity building needs of lecturers of agricultural education in soil testing (NPK) for effective teaching of students in Colleges of Education in South-easth, Nigeria. Four research questions guided the study. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The study was conducted in 8 Colleges of Education in South-east, Nigerian offering Agricultural Education programme. The population of the study was 107 lecturers. The entire population was involved in the study. An instrument titled Soil Testing Capacity Building Needs Questionnaire (STCBNQ) was used for data collection. Three experts face validated the questionnaire. Cronbach alpha reliability method was used to determine the internal consistency of the questionnaire items. A reliability coefficient of 0.90 was obtained. Data collected for the study were analyzed using weighted mean, standard deviation and Improvement Need-Performance Index (INPI) to answer the research questions. It was found out from the study that lecturers of Agricultural Education in Colleges of needed capacity building on  12 items in soil sampling,  6 items in testing for soil Nitrogen,  9 items in testing for soil Phosphorus and 9 items in testing for soil Potassium for effective teaching of students in Colleges of Education in South-east, Nigeria. It was recommended that lecturers of Agricultural Education in Colleges of Education should utilize the findings of this study on their capacity building needs to seek for sponsorship from their administrators in order to attend re-training programme for their capacity building in soil testing and analysis among others. Keywords: capacity building, lecturers of agricultural education, soil testing, soil sampling, Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium

Development of Cultism in Secondary Schools in Rivers State (1999-2018): It’s Implications for Educational Development

The development of cultism in secondary schools in Rivers State had severe negative implications on the educational development of students across the State.  Series of measures were undertaken to curtail the proliferation of cultism among secondary school students. However, cultism has proliferated unabated like wide fire in secondary schools in Rivers State. It is against this backdrop that this study was undertaken to examine the development of cultism in secondary schools and its implications on educational development in Rivers State. Three research questions were formulated to guide the study. Data were gathered through secondary sources such as textbooks, journals, Government publications, newspapers, and student’s publications such as dissertations and thesis. The secondary data collected were subjected to content analysis. The study established that illegal collection of levies by the youth, intake of hard drugs by the students, lack of basic needs such as food, shelter, negative influence from the peer group, and teachers’ negative attitude towards their students led to the proliferation of cultism among students in secondary schools in Rivers State. The study also established that the proliferation of cultism has sever negative impact on educational system in Rivers State. It is disastrous to the society in general.   Based on the above findings the study recommended among other things that the government should design poverty alleviation strategies for students such as bursary and scholarship awards. This will enable poverty-stricken students to take care of their immediate personal needs

Reproducibility: reliability and agreement parameters of the Revised Short McGill Pain Questionnaire Version-2 for use in patients with musculoskeletal shoulder pain

© 2020, The Author(s). Background: The Revised Short McGill Pain Questionnaire Version-2 (SF-MPQ-2) is a multidimensional outcome measure designed to capture, evaluate and discriminate pain from neuropathic and non-neuropathic sources. A recent systematic review found insufficient psychometric data with respect to musculoskeletal (MSK) health conditions. This study aimed to describe the reproducibility (test–retest reliability and agreement) and internal consistency of the SF-MPQ-2 for use among patients with musculoskeletal shoulder pain. Methods: Eligible patients with shoulder pain from MSK sources completed the SF-MPQ-2: at baseline (n = 195), and a subset did so again after 3–7 days (n = 48), if their response to the Global Rating of Change (GROC) scale remained unchanged. Cronbach alpha (α) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC2,1), and their related 95% CI were calculated. Standard error of measurement (SEM), group and individual minimal detectable change (MDC90), and Bland–Altman (BA) plots were used to assess agreement. Results: Cronbach α ranged from 0.83 to 0.95 suggesting very satisfactory internal consistency across the SF-MPQ-2 domains. Excellent ICC2,1 scores were found in support of the total scale (0.95) and continuous subscale (0.92) scores; the remaining subscales displayed good ICC2,1 scores (0.78–0.88). Bland–Altman analysis revealed no systematic bias between the test and retest scores (mean difference = 0.13–0.19). While the best agreement coefficients were seen on the total scale (SEM = 0.5; MDC90individual = 1.2 and MDC90group = 0.3), they were acceptable for the SF-MPQ-2 subscales (SEM: range 0.7–1; MDC90individual: range 1.7–2.3; MDC90group: range 0.4–0.5). Conclusion: Good reproducibility supports the SF-MPQ-2 domains for augmented or independent use in MSK-related shoulder pain assessment, with the total scale displaying the best reproducibility coefficients. Additional research on the validity and responsiveness of the SF-MPQ-2 is still required in this population

Side effects and discontinuation rate of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate in a tertiary hospital, southern Nigeria

Background: Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) also known as depo provera is a highly effective, safe and long-lasting reversible contraceptive with side effects that may cause discontinuation amongst acceptors. Objective was to determine the prevalence rate, side effects, discontinuation rate and indications for discontinuation of DMPA at Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), Port Harcourt.Methods: This was a retrospective study of 874 clients attending family planning clinic at the RSUTH from 1st January, 2015 to 31st December, 2019. Their records were retrieved from the clinic and reviewed. Data was extracted, coded and analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) IBM version 25.0 (Armonk, NY).Results: One hundred and one clients accepted DMPA out of 874 acceptors of contraceptives within the study period giving a prevalence rate of 11.6%. The modal age group was 25-29 years accounting for 31 (30.7%). Age range was 19-47 years and the modal parity was para 2. Majority of the clients had formal education, 100 (99%), married, 94 (93.1%) and multipara 61 (60.4%). The discontinuation rate was 32.7% and the commonest reasons for discontinuation were secondary amenorrhoea and irregular vaginal bleeding with each contributing 24.2%.Conclusions: The prevalence and discontinuation rates of Depo provera were low. Secondary amenorrhoea and irregular vaginal bleeding were the commonest side effects and reasons for discontinuation

Serum uric acid as a prognostic marker for preeclampsia at a tertiary hospital in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Background: Preeclampsia is a recognized cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Some biomarkers such as uric acid are increased in the presence of the disease. This could serve as a marker of severity and provide a basis for making management decisions. This study sought to determine the association between elevated serum uric acid and adverse pregnancy outcomes in preeclampsia.Methods: A prospective case-control study was carried out on consenting preeclamptic (95) and normotensive (95) pregnant women in their third trimester of pregnancy. Blood samples were taken for serum uric acid estimation at recruitment and delivery. Their Socio-demographic information was collected through a structured proforma. Data were analyzed using Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 23. A p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: The mean serum uric acid level was higher in the preeclamptic than in the normotensive controls (400.0±105.27 versus 256.31±67.18; p=0.001). High serum uric acid levels were associated with a higher incidence of AKI (p=0.005), birth asphyxia (p=0.002), and low birth weight (p=0.006) compared to preeclamptics with normal uric acid levels. The sensitivity of high uric acid in predicting the outcomes was 78-81% while the specificity was 48%. Serum uric acid ≥334 µmol/l was the threshold for predicting adverse outcomes.Conclusions: Women with preeclampsia had significantly higher serum uric acid levels. Hyperuricaemia in preeclampsia was associated with a high incidence of acute kidney injury, Birth asphyxia, and low birth weight. Serum uric acid ≥334 µmol/l was the threshold for the prediction of adverse outcomes.

Maternal serum lactate dehydrogenase level as a predictor of adverse pregnancy outcome in women with severe preeclampsia

Background: Preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder causing vascular endothelial damage and leads to leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) into maternal serum. This study evaluated the serum LDH levels in severe preeclamptic women to detect any correlation with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methods: A prospective cohort study compared LDH levels of 68 severe preeclamptic women with 68 normotensives in the third trimester, matched for age, parity, and gestational age. The preeclamptic women were followed up until delivery to assess the maternal and neonatal outcomes. Data were analyzed with SPSS for Windows version 23. The level of significance was set at p&lt;0.05. Results: Both groups were comparable in their characteristics. The mean LDH level for severe preeclamptic group (717.40 IU/L) was higher than for the normotensive group (162.90 IU/L) and this was significant (p=0.001). Cesarean delivery was less likely when LDH was &gt;600 compared to ≤600 (OR 0.31; p=0.049) indicating a potential protective effect. The likelihood of IUGR (OR 3.14; p=0.045), IUFD (OR 6.48; p=0.028), stillbirth (OR 7.06 p=0.007), perinatal mortality (OR 4.84; p=0.004) and low birth weight &lt;2500 gm (OR 3.77; p=0.025) were all significantly higher with LDH levels &gt;600 IU/L. Conclusions: Maternal serum LDH levels were found to be significantly increased in pregnant women with severe preeclampsia compared to their normotensive counterparts, and elevated levels &gt;600 IU/L in the third trimester was associated with adverse perinatal outcomes

Colorimetric Measurement of Triglycerides Cannot Provide an Accurate Measure of Stored Fat Content in Drosophila

Drosophila melanogaster has recently emerged as a useful model system in which to study the genetic basis of regulation of fat storage. One of the most frequently used methods for evaluating the levels of stored fat (triglycerides) in flies is a coupled colorimetric assay available as a kit from several manufacturers. This is an aqueous-based enzymatic assay that is normally used for measurement of mammalian serum triglycerides, which are present in soluble lipoprotein complexes. In this short communication, we show that coupled colorimetric assay kits cannot accurately measure stored triglycerides in Drosophila. First, they fail to give accurate readings when tested on insoluble triglyceride mixtures with compositions like that of stored fat, or on fat extracted from flies with organic solvents. This is probably due to an inability of the lipase used in the kits to efficiently cleave off the glycerol head group from fat molecules in insoluble samples. Second, the measured final products of the kits are quinoneimines, which absorb visible light in the same wavelength range as Drosophila eye pigments. Thus, when extracts from crushed flies are assayed, much of the measured signal is actually due to eye pigments. Finally, the lipoprotein lipases used in colorimetric assays also cleave non-fat glycerides. The glycerol backbones liberated from all classes of glycerides are measured through the remaining reactions in the assay. As a consequence, when these assay kits are used to evaluate tissue extracts, the observed signal actually represents the amount of free glycerols together with all types of glycerides. For these reasons, findings obtained through use of coupled colorimetric assays on Drosophila samples must be interpreted with caution. We also show here that using thin-layer chromatography to measure stored triglycerides in flies eliminates all of these problems

Physical factors contributing to rural water supply functionality performance in Malawi

This report communicates the findings generated from one of the project surveys – deconstruction and forensic analysis of 50 individual water points in Malawi. The report presents the new data generated to Malawi’s groundwater resource potential; the nature and condition of hand-pump borehole installations; and the significance of both of these factors to service performance. Based on the evidence collected, the main physical factor affecting functionality performance within Malawi is shown to be the poor condition of handpump components. Functionality of handpumps is considerably higher than in the other study countries, Ethiopia and Uganda, and the resource potential, depth to groundwater and recharge are generally favourable. Improved systems for rapid maintenance and repair would help increase functionality further. This finding should not, however, be considered to be the only driving force of functionality outcomes in these regions of Malawi, and the results of this survey need to be examined alongside the wider project findings. Wider institutional arrangements, resources and dynamics, are likely to play a significant role in the implementation of appropriate borehole construction, siting and design; procurement processes; and the management capacity available for water points at national to local levels