Trend in the use of Intra-uterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD ,TCU 380A) ,in Enugu, Nigeria

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the acceptance rate and trend of Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD) use in Enugu,NigeriaPATIENTS AND METHODS: A review of all new acceptors of intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) over a nine year period(1999-2007) .RESULTS: A total of 133,375 clients were seen at the UNTH family planning clinic between 1999 and 2007. Out of 6,947 users of IUCD, during the period, 1,659 were new acceptors. The IUCD acceptance rate was 5.21%. Majority of the clients (29.7%) were aged 40 years and above. Eight hundred and forty seven (51.4%) had attained post secondary education . Majority of the clients (99.4%) were married . Twenty-six percent(26.0%) had completed their desired family size. Majority 1,359 (82.4%) did not use any method of contraception prior to IUCD insertion. The commonest complication was menorrhagia (5.8%) and this was responsible for removal in 3.0% of cases. Eight (0.5%) and nine(0.6%) requested for removal forfear of causing cancer and migration to the brain or heart respectively. Two (0.1%) became pregnant while having the IUCD in-situ. Majority of the clients (50.5%) had the knowledge of IUCD through friends.Conclusion: This study has shown that IUCD (TCU 380A) is both safe and effective in Enugu, Nigeria. Its use is for both child spacing and limiting family size.KEYWORDS: Intrauterine contraceptive device, acceptance rate,complications

Production of Periwinkle Shell Reinforced Grindstone

The study involves the use of periwinkle shell particles as reinforcement in the production of grindstone to meliorate its physical and mechanical properties. The assessment of the properties of the periwinkle shell reinforced concrete grindstone showed that reinforcement yielded several promising results. The compressive strength was higher for samples with lower water/cement ratio (7%) than those with higher water/cement ratio (10%). The introduction of concrete that contains periwinkle shells as fine aggregates resulted in the loss of smooth like appearance and reduction in weight. The loss of its smooth like nature introduces the rough nature which improved its functionality. The reinforced sample had the lowest hardness test and in hardness test the lower the number the higher the hardness. There was an increase in the density after absorption test was carried out on specimens. There was also reduction in production cost with periwinkle shells partial replacement of cement and gravel as fine aggregate. The composite was adequate for grindstone production since its sample has a compressive of 18.15Mpa and thus satisfied MOR requirements of 11.5 MPa for general purpose boards

Numerical simulation of strongly nonlinear and dispersive waves using a Green-Naghdi model

We investigate here the ability of a Green-Naghdi model to reproduce strongly nonlinear and dispersive wave propagation. We test in particular the behavior of the new hybrid finite-volume and finite-difference splitting approach recently developed by the authors and collaborators on the challenging benchmark of waves propagating over a submerged bar. Such a configuration requires a model with very good dispersive properties, because of the high-order harmonics generated by topography-induced nonlinear interactions. We thus depart from the aforementioned work and choose to use a new Green-Naghdi system with improved frequency dispersion characteristics. The absence of dry areas also allows us to improve the treatment of the hyperbolic part of the equations. This leads to very satisfying results for the demanding benchmarks under consideration

Phenotyping and genotyping of CYP2C19 using comparative metabolism of proguanil in sickle‐cell disease patients and healthy controls in Nigeria

Polymorphic expression of metabolic enzymes have been identified as one of the key factors responsible for the interindividual/ethnic/racial variability in drug metabolism and effect. In Nigeria, there is a disproportionately high incidence of sickle‐cell disease (SCD), a condition characterized by painful crisis frequently triggered by malaria. Proguanil, a substrate of the polymorphic CYP2C19, is a chemoprophylactic antimalarial drug widely used among SCD patients in Nigeria. This study aimed to conduct a comparative CYP2C19 phenotyping among SCD patients and healthy controls and to compare the results with those previously reported. One hundred seventy‐seven unrelated subjects comprising 131 SCD patients and 46 non‐SCD volunteers were phenotyped. This was carried out by collecting pooled urine samples over 8 h following PG administration. Proguanil and its major CYP2C19‐dependent metabolites were measured by high‐performance liquid chromatography. Metabolic ratios (MRs) were computed and employed in classifying subjects into poor or extensive metabolizers. Among SCD group, 130 (99.2%) were extensive metabolizers (EMs) and 1 (0.8%) was poor metabolizer (PM) of PG, while 95.7 and 4.3% non‐SCDs were EMs and PMs, respectively. MRs ranged from 0.02 to 8.70 for SCD EMs and from 0.22 to 8.33 for non‐SCD EMs. Two non‐SCDs with MRs of 18.18 and 25.76 and the SCD with MR of 16.77 regarded as PMs had earlier been genotyped as CYP2C19*2/*2. Poor metabolizers of proguanil in SCD patients are reported for the first time. Regardless of clinical significance, a difference in metabolic disposition of proguanil and CYP2C19 by SCDs and non‐SCDs was established

Computed Tomography Scanner Distribution and Downtimes in Southeast Nigeria

Background: It is clearly known and documented that the first computed tomography (CT) scanner was installed in 1987 at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, Southwest-Nigeria. Ironically, it is neither clearly documented how many more scanners have been installed after then, nor about their functionality. Objective: To establish the actual number and functionality of CT scanners in the Southeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria.Methodology: The survey was undertaken from March – June, 2016. Radiographers across different tertiary hospitals in southeast (SE) Nigeria, were requested through phone calls to ascertain the number of CT scanners in their respective states of residence. Their feedback was crosschecked using entirely different Radiographers. Internet searches were conducted to authenticate some information obtained. For Anambra State where all but one of the authors worked or schooled, physical visits were made to all centres. Data elicited covered scanner specifications, installation details, ownership, and functionality, amongst others. These were recorded in a pro forma sheet and later collated and presented in tables. Result: A total of 23 CT centres with 28 CT scanners were confirmed. These were distributed across the zone as follows: Anambra; 10 (35.8 %), Imo; 6 (21.4 %), Enugu; 6 (21.4 %), Abia; 4 (14.3 %) and Ebonyi; 2 (7.1 %). Private ownership accounted for 19 (68.0 %) of the scanners while the remaining 9 (32.0 %) were distributed between the Federal Government (n = 5; 18.0 %), public-private partnership (n = 2; 7.0 %), and state governments (n = 2; 7.0 %), respectively. Appropriate personnel were engaged in the facilities. Majority of the scanners were installed in the current decade (2006 – 2016). At least 12 (43.0 %) of the scanners experienced downtime within the period of the survey with 7 scanners having downtime ≥ 1 year. Conclusion: There are 23 radiodiagnostic facilities with 28 CT scanners in the Southeast zone of Nigeria. Five facilities each own two scanners. There appears to be a good distribution of CT scanners with appropriate personnel. A high downtime rate was observed, suggesting the need for the employment of centre-based CT engineers, to ensure that CT patients have as prompt an access as can be achieved

Comparison between three-dimensional linear and nonlinear tsunami generation models

The modeling of tsunami generation is an essential phase in understanding tsunamis. For tsunamis generated by underwater earthquakes, it involves the modeling of the sea bottom motion as well as the resulting motion of the water above it. A comparison between various models for three-dimensional water motion, ranging from linear theory to fully nonlinear theory, is performed. It is found that for most events the linear theory is sufficient. However, in some cases, more sophisticated theories are needed. Moreover, it is shown that the passive approach in which the seafloor deformation is simply translated to the ocean surface is not always equivalent to the active approach in which the bottom motion is taken into account, even if the deformation is supposed to be instantaneous.Comment: 39 pages, 16 figures; Accepted to Theoretical and Computational Fluid Dynamics. Several references have been adde

Assessing audience’s willingness to curb digital piracy: A gender perspective

Rising incidences of piracy in the entertainment/creative industry in Nigeria are increasing concerns about the sustainability of the industry and the livelihood of content creators. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG 1) aims to end poverty at all levels and in all places by the year 2030, but this goal faces a challenge if personal and corporate investments of moviemakers are lost to piracy. Studies have shown that profit-seeking pirates are not the only ones who do damage to the industry, but end-users also share unauthorised digital contents. The purpose of this research is to investigate the connection between gender and willingness of the audience, who in this case are undergraduate students of a government-owned university in Lagos, to see piracy curbed. Multistage sampling was used to cluster the population into faculties and departments. A sample of 199 was selected purposively based on the respondents’ knowledge of digital piracy, and a 20-item questionnaire was used for data gathering. Using t-test to analyse the data, the result shows that there was no significant difference between the views of female and male respondents. Cohen’s d analysis also indicates that there is a negligible effect size. While respondents participated in digital file-sharing, they did not consider their stoppage of the habit relevant to curbing piracy in Nigeria. Hence, the study recommends proper enlightenment of end-users to understand their significant role in digital piracy

Paving the way for research findings: writers' rhetorical choices in education and applied linguistics

Notwithstanding the existence of previous investigations into how research results are presented in different academic disciplines, fewer studies have looked into how authors pave the way for their results, the interdisciplinary differences in ‘result pavements’, and the interconnections between their communicative functions and linguistic choices. Using the techniques of genre analysis, I have analyzed two corpora of research reports in applied linguistics and education in order to identify the possible ways in which experienced writers schematically pave the way for their findings. Using evidence based on authentic research articles, this study demonstrates how writers set the stage for their research results by (i) demonstrating their control of the structure and flow of result-related information, (ii) connecting past research with a current finding while furnishing pertinent background elements that lead the readership progressively to specific findings, (iii) regenerating readers’ interest in their initial research purposes, and (iv) deploying locatives to embed results in a ‘space-saving strategy’ aimed at presenting an abridged Results section. I have also analyzed interdisciplinary differences in the frequencies of these rhetorical steps and the range of intricate linguistic mechanisms employed by authors as communicative resources in each step to establish a smooth rhetorical transition that sets the stage for their research results

A four-surface schematic eye of macaque monkey obtained by an optical method

AbstractSchematic eyes for four Macaca fascicularis monkeys were constructed from measurements of the positions and curvatures of the anterior and posterior surfaces of the cornea and lens. All of these measurements were obtained from Scheimpflug photography through the use of a ray-tracing analysis. Some of these measurements were also checked (and confirmed) by keratometry and ultrasound. Gaussian lens equations were applied to the measured dimensions of each individual eye in order to construct schematic eyes. The mean total power predicted by the schematic eyes agreed closely with independent measurements based on retinoscopy and ultrasound results, 74.2 ± 1.3 (SEM) vs 74.7 ± 0.3 (SEM) diopters. The predicted magnification of 202 μm/deg in one eye was confirmed by direct measurement of 205 μm/deg for a foveal laser lesion. The mean foveal retinal magnification calculated for our eight schematic eyes was 211 ± (SEM) μm/deg, slightly less than the value obtained by application of the method of Rolls and Cowey [Experimental Brain Research, 10, 298–310 (1970)] to our eight eyes but just 4% more than the value obtained by application of the method of Perry and Cowey [Vision Research, 12, 1795–1810 (1985)]