The Impact of Financial Knowledge on Student Retention from the Second to the Third Year at a Public Research University

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the influence of financial knowledge and selected demographic characteristics on student retention from the second to the third year at a public research university in the southern region of the United States. The accessible population was defined as students in the Fall 2013 entering freshman cohort who were enrolled in the Spring 2015 semester. Measurements including the independent variable represented by the financial knowledge score and 17 other independent variables were collected using a survey instrument and downloaded data from the university’s electronic student information system. A total of 695 students responded, and these data were analyzed utilizing appropriate descriptive measures and stepwise multiple discriminant analysis. Of the 695 students who responded to the survey, 665 or approximately 96 percent of the students did persist from the second to the third year while the remaining 30 or approximately 4% of the students did not persist. The mean score on the financial knowledge instrument was 68 percent with scores ranging from 15 percent to 100 percent. Financial knowledge did not have an impact on student retention from the second to the third year in this study. However, further study is recommended on this relationship and the instrument should be administered to a larger sample size and retention evaluated beyond the second to the third year. A model was identified that increased the ability to correctly classify university students on whether the student did or did not persist from the second to the third year. The model correctly classified 95.7 percent of the students on their retention status. The three variables that entered the model were: high school GPA, college GPA, and on/off-campus living. Residency status and the amount of loan debt were related to student retention. Students whose race was Black or African American persisted at a lower rate than other races. Additionally, students who lived off-campus were retained at a higher rate than students who lived on-campus. This conclusion is contrary to previous studies and much of the available research

Hypertension Despite Dehydration in an Adolescent with Diabetic Ketoacidosis

In general, information on blood pressure changes in diabetic ketoacidosis in paediatric population is very scarce. Our aim was to report a case of severe DKA in an adolescent girl who unexpectedly had hypertension rather than hypotension.A 17-year-old girl presented in our Children’s Emergency Unit with complaints of excessive eating for 6 weeks, excessive urination for 2 weeks, fever for 1 week, vomiting for 4 days, difficulty with breathing for one day and unresponsiveness to calls for 3 hours. She had moderated to severe dehydration but no hypotension. Laboratory findings included hyperglycaemia (random blood glucose 20.8 mmo/L; 347 mg/dl), acidosis (serum bicarbonate 5 mmol/L),  ketonuria 2+; glycosuria 2+, and urine  specific gravity of 1.015. At admission, the blood pressure was 100/60 mmHg but progressively rose to 140-180/80-100 mmHg by the third day from admission. A significant hypertension can occur in children and adolescents admitted for severe DKA despite the presence of dehydration. Therefore, the attending physician should be aware of this possibility

Availability and use of public secondary school libraries in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria

The study examined the availability and use of school library facilities and information resources by public secondary schools students in Minna, Niger State. Questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection and simple percentage distribution was used to analyze the data collected. The study showed that facilities such as tables (59.25%), book shelves (70.33%) were adequate but catalogue and computers had high percentage of inadequacy (75.99% and 70.23% respectively). The study also revealed that library resources which include dictionaries,  handbooks, manuals (65.88%) and textbooks (51.74%) were use to read in preparation for examination (80.3%). The study  recommended that school management should improve library facilities and resources, acquire more computers and employed trained librarian to manage the library and a mechanism to enforce the policy that requires each school should have a standard library

Availability of and barriers to the utilization of harm reduction services in Enugu, south-eastern Nigeria: Service providers’ perspective

The study aimed to determine the availability and barriers to the utilization of three Harm Reduction Strategies (HRS) in Nigeria from service providers’ perspective. This study was a descriptive survey using questions adapted from the harm reduction questionnaire. Eight institutions involved in the drug treatment services in Enugu, South-Eastern Nigeria participated. Only 25% of the agencies did not practice HRS in any form. The commonest internal and external barriers were lack of funding and community resistance, respectively. The heads of the agencies rated themselves and the community unfavorable to accepting HRS generally. However, with regards to specific HRS, they were more favorable to methadone replacement therapy, controlled drinking and condom sharing. The findings of this study enriched our understanding of the various impediments to the utilization of HRS in Enugu, Nigeria. Keywords: Availability; barriers; utilization; harm reduction; services; service providers, Nigeri

Factors influencing knowledge about childhood autism among final year undergraduate Medical, Nursing and Psychology students of University of Nigeria, Enugu State, Nigeria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Knowledge and awareness about childhood autism is low among health care workers and the general populace in Nigeria. Poor knowledge about childhood autism among final year medical, nursing and psychology students who would form tomorrow's child health care professionals can compromise early recognition and interventions that are known to improve prognosis in childhood autism. Educational factors that could be influencing knowledge about childhood autism among these future health care professionals are unknown. This study assessed knowledge about childhood autism among final year undergraduate medical, nursing and psychology students in south-eastern Nigeria and determined the factors that could be influencing such knowledge.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>One hundred final year undergraduate students were randomly selected from each of the Departments of Medicine, Nursing Science and Psychology respectively of University of Nigeria, Enugu State, Nigeria making a sample size of three hundred. A socio-demographic questionnaire and knowledge about childhood autism among health workers (KCAHW) questionnaire were administered to the students.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The total mean score for the three groups of students on the KCAHW questionnaire was 10.67 ± 3.73 out of a possible total score of 19, with medical, nursing and psychology students having total mean scores of 12.24 ± 3.24, 10.76 ± 3.50 and 9.01 ± 3.76 respectively. The mean scores for the three groups showed statistically significant difference for domain 1 (p = 0.000), domain 3 (p = 0.029), domain 4 (p = 0.000) and total score (p = 0.000), with medical students more likely to recognise symptoms and signs of autism compared to nursing and psychology students. The mean score in domain 2 did not show statistically significant difference among the three groups (p = 0.769). The total score on the KCAHW questionnaire is positively correlated with the number of weeks of posting in psychiatry (r = 0.319, p = 0.000) and the number of weeks of posting in paediatrics (r = 0.372, p = 0.000). The total score is also positively correlated with the number of credit hours of lectures in psychiatry/abnormal psychology (r = 0.324, p = 0.000) and the number of credit hours of lectures in paediatrics (r = 0.372, p = 0.000). The field of study also influenced knowledge about childhood autism (p = 0.000).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Peculiar situation in this environment as signified by inadequate human resources needed in the area of clinical psychology training often times necessitates employing first degree graduates in psychology into clinical positions. This calls for additional exposure of the undergraduate psychology students to training curriculum aimed at improving their early recognition of symptoms of autism spectrum disorders in this environment.</p

Comparative studies on the effects of biochar and cow dung amendments on the mobility, bioavailability and toxicity of heavy metals in lead-acid contaminated soil

This study compared the heavy metals remediation potency of biochar and cow dung in soils contaminated by lead-acid batteries. Soil samples were gathered from three different battery charging shops in Benin City at the depth of 0-15cm using systematic grid sampling method. Hardwood was pyrolyzed at 350°C for 80minutes and cow dung was air dried and pound into powder. The soil was characterized using standard methods, and was fractionated using modified European Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) three-step sequential extraction procedure while the concentration of heavy metals was determined using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The total metal concentration in the lead-acid contaminated soil was 127.50mg/kg Pb, 0.32mg/kg Cr, 0.03mg/kg Cd, 0.18mg/kg Ni and 135.00mg/kg Fe. The contaminated soil was remediated with biochar and as well with cow dung at 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%. The soil was also amended using biochar-cow dung mixture (1:1, 2:1 and 1:2). The outcome revealed that the metal content in lead-acid contaminated soil remediated with biochar and cow dung were found to generally decrease as the percentage of amenders increases, with biochar being further efficient in lowering the levels of heavy metals in the contaminated soil. However, biochar when mixed with cow dung at 2:1 ratio at 20% amendment gives a better result than when used separately. Pot experiment was designed and the amounts of heavy metals bioavailable to plant were determined. The mobility factors and bioavailability indices of the metals reduced as the percentage of amenders’ increases. The result obtained from this study revealed that although biochar and cow dung were effective amenders, biochar was more potent in lowering the mobility, bioavailability and toxicity of heavy metals in lead-acid contaminated soil. Biochar when mixed with cow dung at 2:1 ratio gave the best result in remediation of lead-acid contaminated soil

Awareness and Acceptance of Harm Reduction Services in a Nigerian Psychiatric Hospital: Patients’ and Family Caregivers’ Perspective

Introduction: There are burgeoning data on harm reduction services (HRSs) as a viable alternative to the traditional means of dealing with substance abuse in the developed countries. Despite the numerous benefits, its awareness and acceptability in developing economies such as Nigeria have been constrained by sociocultural and political factors. However, the specific patients’ and caregivers’ barriers to its uptake have not been evaluated in Nigeria. Aim: This study aimed to examine the awareness and acceptability of HRS among patients and caregivers in Enugu, South‑Eastern Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This study was a descriptive survey of patients with substance use disorders and their family caregivers at Enugu. Awareness and acceptance of HRS were assessed using questions adapted from the harm reduction survey. Results: The majority of patients and caregivers (76.5% and 88.2%, respectively) were not aware of HRS.&nbsp; Compared to family caregivers, the patients were more likely to rate themselves more favourably disposed to accepting HRS (U = 2750.00, p &lt; 0.001). The common reasons given for accepting HRS among the patients were centered on autonomy and the unrealistic nature of abstinence. The reasons for&nbsp; rejection by family caregivers were hinged on encouraging use, community resistance, and scandals to the family. Conclusion: This study highlighted the low awareness of both patients and their caregivers to the availability of HRS as a treatment option in Nigeria. It is hoped that these findings will provide some invaluable data to policy makers and clinicians in designing policies and in public education to improve service utilization by the public

The loss of vegetation cover has distinct but short-term impact on multiple vertebrate taxa in a grassland ecosystem

Vegetation cover in grasslands typically fluctuates over time, for example, declining with grazing and disappearing entirely with burning. This temporal change in vegetation cover may impact the composition of vertebrate communities by altering habitats or perceived predation pressure. We manipulated vegetation cover in a high-elevation (ca. 1240–1500 m above sea level) grassland ecosystem and measured its effect on the community structure of birds and small mammals using a Before-After-Control-Impact study design. We established 12 plots (each plot 100 × 100 m) at Telperion Nature Reserve, Mpumalanga, South Africa, which were assigned to three treatments: mowed with cut grass left in situ (mowed-litter), mowed with cut grass cleared (mowed-cleared), and non-mowed (control). We sampled birds and small mammals over three sampling periods: before the treatment (August 2019), immediately after the treatment (October 2019), and three months after treatment (January 2020). We used point counts and Sherman live traps to surveys birds and small mammals, respectively. We observed a total of 2801 individuals of 38 species of birds and 98 individuals of eight species of small mammals. Species richness and diversity of small mammals and birds was significantly higher in the non-mowed plots compared with the mowed plots. Birds also showed differences in community composition in mowed and non-mowed treatments immediately after mowing but these differences disappeared three months after mowing, whereas small mammal composition did not differ before and after mowing. The best performing generalized additive model showed that vegetation biomass had a significant positive influence on bird species richness but not rodents. On the other hand, diversity of both taxa was significantly influenced by grass biomass. Our study suggests that loss of vegetation cover in grasslands has significant short-term effects on birds and small mammals, but that these faunal communities rapidly return to pre-loss conditions within a few months. Hence controlled vegetation removal (e.g. mowing) could be considered an appropriate tool for managing these high-elevation grasslands.Oppenheimer Generations Research and Conservation in South Africa.https://www.elsevier.com/locate/geccoMammal Research InstituteZoology and Entomolog

Socio-demographic correlates of treatment response among patients with schizophrenia in a tertiary hospital in South-East Nigeria.

Background: Many patients with schizophrenia respond poorly to antipsychotic medication. Few studies have systematically examined the relationship of social and demographic characteristics of these patients to treatment response in our environment. Objective: To identify the social and demographic variables associated with treatment response in patients with schizophrenia. Method: A total of 172 participants with a diagnosis of schizophrenia receiving antipsychotics took part in the study. Participants were consecutively recruited involving patients presenting for the first time, or relapsed patients who had stopped antipsychotics in the previous six months. Both in-patients and out-patients who met the inclusion criteria were studied. Socio-demographic interview schedule and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were administered at the initial encounter and between 4 and 6 weeks, subsequently. Results: Defining good treatment response as 65 20% reduction in PANSS score, 68% had a good response while 32% had poor response. Good response to treatment was associated with late age of onset of illness, satisfactory family relationship, acquisition of skilled occupation and being married. However, there was no association between treatment response and gender. Conclusion: Knowledge about these variables in relation to treatment response would improve mental health services as regards articulation of prognosis and psycho education