The relationship between chronic sleep deficits and distractions in young adult drivers

This study reports the relationship between chronic sleep deficits and distractions on driving mistakes in university undergraduates (age 19-23 years). All participants were asked to complete a questionnaire about their sleeping habits and to drive a fixed-base driving simulator housed in a Fiat Cinquencento. Drivers were distracted either by being asked to read a map, operate a radio, take a drink, open a sweet wrapper or discuss with the experimenter (on a mobile phone during the drive).The results showed that drivers had more speed limit exceedances and more road edge excursions when distracted. There was also a significant difference in speed exceedances between participants who had sufficient sleep and those that had a chronic sleep debt. Significant positive correlations were found between speed exceedance and obtaining too little sleep, and between feeling uncomfortable during the day in the distracted drivers. There was also a significant negative correlation between speed exceedances and actual hours of sleep. Even when not distracted, a positive correlation existed between the number of collisions and difficulty in waking up. The results of this study indicate that young drivers with chronic sleep deficits are more likely to make driving errors when distracted

Prevalencija invazije vrstama roda Cryptosporidium u goveda na području Jugozapadne Nigerije

This study investigates the prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. infection in Oyo state, south western Nigeria. Fecal specimens from 406 cattle were randomly collected and examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts using the formol ethyl ether concentration and the modified Kinyoun acid-fast staining method. The results showed that the overall prevalence of infection was 23.4% (95/406), with an infection rate of 27.4%, 28.1% and 19.9% in cattle less than 6 months, 7-12 months and over 12 months respectively. Although no significant difference (P>0.05) exists between the age groups, calves less than 6 months of age are more likely to be infected than adults (OR: 1.512; 95%CI: 0.849-2.709). A significant difference (P0,05) među skupinama različite dobi, smatra se da je telad mlađa od šest mjeseci primljivija na invaziju od odraslih. Značajna je razlika (P<0,0001) dokazana između prevalencije u goveda različitoga spola. U krava je dokazana dvostruko veća mogućnost invazije. Stopa invadiranosti iznosila je 84,2% (80/95) u goveda bez proljeva, a 15,8% (15/95) u goveda s proljevom. Nije ustanovljena povezanost između pojave proljeva i prisutnosti oocista kriptosporidija (P = 0,9468; OR: 0,979; 95%CI: 0,522-1,636). Rezultati pokazuju da je invazija protozoima Cryptosporidium sp. česta u Nigeriji, osobito u goveda koja ne pokazuju kliničke znakove bolesti, a mogu biti znatan izvor invazije za ljude

IN VIVO AND IN VITRO EFFECTS OF ARTEMISININ GROUP OF DRUGS ON TRYPANOSOMOSIS IN MICE

This study was done to study the effect of artemisinin groups of drugs on mice experimentally infected with the protozoan Trypanosoma brucei and on Trypanosoma brucei invitro. Commercial artesunate and artemether were used with diminazene aceturate serving as control. It was discovered that artemether administration resulted into seven days of aparasitaemia of trypanosomosis in vivo and reduced motility of the trypanosomes in vitro. There was synergistic effect in the action of artesunate and diminazene aceturate. In vitro analysis gave a similar result in that the trypanosome were found to be sensitive to artemether  with an MIC of 0.6µl,  artesunate with berenil combination and the artemether treatment group 2.5µM. The implication of these results is discussed and advice is given on the potential adaptation of artesunate for treatment of trypanosomosis and planting of Artemisia annua tree in the country.Â

Prevalencija invazije vrstama roda Cryptosporidium u goveda na području Jugozapadne Nigerije

This study investigates the prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. infection in Oyo state, south western Nigeria. Fecal specimens from 406 cattle were randomly collected and examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts using the formol ethyl ether concentration and the modified Kinyoun acid-fast staining method. The results showed that the overall prevalence of infection was 23.4% (95/406), with an infection rate of 27.4%, 28.1% and 19.9% in cattle less than 6 months, 7-12 months and over 12 months respectively. Although no significant difference (P>0.05) exists between the age groups, calves less than 6 months of age are more likely to be infected than adults (OR: 1.512; 95%CI: 0.849-2.709). A significant difference (P0,05) među skupinama različite dobi, smatra se da je telad mlađa od šest mjeseci primljivija na invaziju od odraslih. Značajna je razlika (P<0,0001) dokazana između prevalencije u goveda različitoga spola. U krava je dokazana dvostruko veća mogućnost invazije. Stopa invadiranosti iznosila je 84,2% (80/95) u goveda bez proljeva, a 15,8% (15/95) u goveda s proljevom. Nije ustanovljena povezanost između pojave proljeva i prisutnosti oocista kriptosporidija (P = 0,9468; OR: 0,979; 95%CI: 0,522-1,636). Rezultati pokazuju da je invazija protozoima Cryptosporidium sp. česta u Nigeriji, osobito u goveda koja ne pokazuju kliničke znakove bolesti, a mogu biti znatan izvor invazije za ljude

New Technologies ‘Challenges and Successes’: Implication on the Indigenous Mass Media

The media of communication as a result of Information and Communication Technology [ICTs] has liberalizing access to media products across the nations of the world. It is the process of internationalization of the mass media, such that media products of a nation are received by citizens of other nations on the globe even without the approval of or control by their governments. The satellite and the Internet have brought this to reality. These worrisome issues provoke the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO] to inaugurate the McBride commission to study “the question of how to maintain national and cultural values [or sovereignty] in the face of rapid globalization of mass media. In sprite of the merits associated with Information Technology [IT], it is disheartening to see that there is a widening gap and disparity of information flow between developed nations and developing countries of which Nigeria is among. Based on this, the study adopted survey design and employs qualitative and quantitative research method. Research instrument used were a structured questionnaire, [a five-point Likert scale] and an interview method.  Purposive sampling technique was used based on specific characteristics and qualities peculiar to AIT station.  The raw data were presented and analyzed using simple percentages. The data was collected through two procedures: the primary and secondary sources.  The hypothesis was tested using Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation [PPMC] at a value of 0.84

Comparative in-vitro studies on the efficacy of ivermectin against gastrointestinal sheep nematode

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the relative efficacy of various brands of ivermectin injection available for use in clinical veterinary practice in Nigeria. Method: Ivermectin injections were evaluated by a larval development assay (LDVA), using the larvae of Strongyles (predominantly Haemonchus contortus) of sheep. The effect of standard solutions of the drug from the various brands on the transformation of L1 to L3 and survival of L3 larvae was used to assess bioactivity. The 50% lethal concentration (LC50) was determined from regression line obtained by probit transformation of the biological data. The LC50 values for each of the brands were compared with that of the innovator brand (Ivomec Superâ) for any significant difference. Results: The LC50 values obtained for the five brands varied widely. It ranges from 1.1±0.17 ng/ml for the innovator brand to 2.3±0.3, 3.0±0.3, 8.0±0.2 and 17.0±0.3 ng/ml for the other four brands. The biological assays performed on each of the five brands were of comparable precision. LC50 for Ivomec superâ was significantly different from those of the other four brands (Student's t test, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The bioactivities of brands of ivermectin injections available in Nigeria are significantly different. This is a probable reason for the varied treatment response to various brands of ivermectin injection in veterinary practice in Nigeria. This justifies the need for drug regulatory bodies in Nigeria to ensure that ivermectin injections registered for use in Nigeria meets approved standards before the drugs are allowed to be imported into the country. Key words: Bioactivity, ivermectin, sheep nematode Trop J Pharm Res, December 2003; 2(2): 235-23

Differences in Mothers’ Literacy Level and Adolescents’ Achievement Orientation and Performance in Kwara State, Nigeria

The adolescence stage of life can be regarded as the middle stage of life between childhood and adulthood and is the foundation of life as it can make or mar one&rsquo;s life. The achievement orientation of an adolescent, therefore, matters to enable a good foundation. Inclusive in making for a good foundation is also the parental background. A mother&rsquo;s influence in the adolescent&rsquo;s life matters a lot, especially the influence of a literate and educated mother. It is given that a measure of achievement orientation would reflect in the academic performance.&nbsp;&nbsp; The present study looks into mothers&rsquo; literacy&nbsp;&nbsp; level and achievement orientation cum performance of adolescents in Kwara state, Nigeria, to see what differences can be found.&nbsp

La Efectividad de la Enseñanza de la Pronunciación Asistida por Ordenador en el Logro de la Capacidad Verbal en Inglés de los Estudiantes de la Escuela Secundaria Superior

This study investigated the effectiveness of a computer-assisted pronunciation teaching (CAPT) package on the achievement of senior secondary students in oral English in Minna, Nigeria. It also examined the influence of CAPT on verbal ability and gender. The sample consisted of sixty senior secondary school students drawn from two coeducational secondary schools within the Minna metropolis. Stratified random sampling was used to select 60 students from each school: 15 males and 15 females; 10 high, 10 medium and 10 low verbal ability students. The Oral English Achievement Test (OAT) consists of 50-items of multiple-choice items, validated by experts, and administered to students as a pre-test, post-test and delayed post-test. The data obtained were analysed using t-test statistics, one-way ANOVA, and Scheffe’s post-hoc test. The results revealed that students taught oral English with the CAPT package performed and retained the concepts of oral English better than those taught with the traditional teaching method. Students with high verbal ability performed better than medium and low verbal ability students respectively. However, there was no significant difference in the post-test mean achievement scores of male and female students taught using the CAPT package. These findings indicate that oral English concepts could be taught and learned better through the resourceful integration of a computer- assisted pronunciation teaching package.En este estudio se investigó  la efectividad de la Enseñanza de la Pronunciación Asistida por Ordenador (EPAO) en el logro de la capacidad verbal en inglés de los estudiantes de la Escuela Secundaria Superior en Minna, Nigeria. También examinó la influencia de la Enseñanza de la Pronunciación Asistida por Ordenador (EPAO) teniendo en cuenta el  género y la capacidad verbal de los estudiantes. La muestra consistió en sesenta estudiantes de secundaria de dos escuelas secundarias mixtas dentro de la metrópoli de Minna. Se utilizó muestreo aleatorio estratificado para seleccionar a los 60 estudiantes de cada escuela; 15 hombres y 15 mujeres; 10 estudiantes con nivel alto de inglés, 10 estudiantes nivel intermedio y 10 estudiantes nivel bajo. La prueba de inglés consistió en 50 preguntas de selección múltiple, validadas por expertos y aplicadas a los estudiantes como pre-prueba, post-prueba y un cuestionario posterior a la prueba. Los datos obtenidos fueron analizados mediante el análisis estadístico t test, análisis de varianza (ANOVA) y la prueba post-hoc de Scheffe. Los resultados revelaron que a los estudiantes que recibieron clases de producción oral en inglés usando el  paquete EPAO se desempeñan y retienen los conceptos orales de ingles mejor que aquellos a quienes se les enseñó con el método de enseñanza tradicional. Estudiantes con alta capacidad verbal se desempeñaron mejor que los estudiantes de media y baja capacidad verbal respectivamente. Sin embargo, no existía ninguna diferencia significativa entre los puntajes medios de rendimiento de las pruebas posteriores aplicadas a hombres y mujeres usando el paquete de enseñanza de pronunciación asistida por ordenador (EPAO). Estos resultados indicaron que los conceptos orales de inglés pueden ser enseñados y aprendidos mejor mediante la integración de un conjunto de recursos de enseñanza de pronunciación asistida por ordenador

COMPARISON OF ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOSORBENT ASSAY WITH ACID-FAST STAINING TO DETECT CRYPTOSPORIDIUM OF CATTLE FAECES

Cryptosporidiosis is a major cause of diarrhoea, weight loss and low productivity in various domestic animals. The acid-fast staining method used to detect the parasite in cattle may be responsible for the low prevalence rates recorded in previous studies in Nigeria. A comparison of the efficacy of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and acid-fast staining techniques in detecting Cryptosporidium spp. in bovine faeces was carried out in this work. A total of 200 faecal samples were collected from cattle of different age groups by the use of a simple random sampling technique. The samples were analyzed microscopically using formalin-ethylacetate sedimentation method followed by modified Kinyoun’s acid-fast staining technique. All the samples were later tested for Cryptosporidium coproantigens by the use of a commercially available ELISA test kit. Microscopy detected Cryptosporidium oocysts in 24.0% while ELISA detected the antigens in 37.5% of the samples. The ELISA, with a sensitivity and specificity of 72.9% and 73.7% respectively, had a significantly higher (p&lt;0.05) rate of detection of Cryptosporidium spp. than microscopy with a sensitivity and specificity of 46.7% and 89.6% respectively. The ELISA is therefore a preferable method than microscopy for detection of Cryptosporidium in faecal specimens and will be useful in routine diagnosis and screening of large number of samples in epidemiological survey

COMPARISON OF ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNOSOR- BENT ASSAY WITH ACID-FAST STAINING TO DETECT CRYPTOSPORIDIUM OF CATTLE FAECES

Cryptosporidiosis is a major cause of diarrhoea, weight loss and low productivity in various domestic animals. The acid-fast staining method used to detect the parasite in cattle may be responsible for the low prevalence rates recorded in previous studies in Nigeria. A comparison of the efficacy of an en-zyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and acid-fast staining techniques in detecting Crypto-sporidium spp. in bovine faeces was carried out in this work. A total of 200 faecal samples were col-lected from cattle of different age groups by the use of a simple random sampling technique. The sam-ples were analyzed microscopically using formalin-ethylacetate sedimentation method followed by modified Kinyoun«¤??s acid-fast staining technique. All the samples were later tested for Cryptosporidium coproantigens by the use of a commercially available ELISA test kit. Microscopy detected Crypto-sporidium oocysts in 24.0% while ELISA detected the antigens in 37.5% of the samples. The ELISA, with a sensitivity and specificity of 72.9% and 73.7% respectively, had a significantly higher (p&lt;0.05) rate of detection of Cryptosporidium spp. than microscopy with a sensitivity and specificity of 46.7% and 89.6% respectively. The ELISA is therefore a preferable method than microscopy for detection of Cryptosporidium in faecal specimens and will be useful in routine diagnosis and screening of large number of samples in epidemiological surveys