Effective doses in chest and abdominal radiography following the ICRP recommendations of 1991 and 2007 in a regional hospital.

Background: In 2007, the International Commission for Radiological Protection (ICRP), published a new set of tissues and tissue weighting factors as recommendations in the ICRP publication 103. This altered the parameters contributing to the calculation of effective dose, which is normally used as a single indicator of risk. Purpose: To assess the effect of the 2007 review of tissue weighting factors on measured doses in a clinical setting, using patient doses for chest (CXR) and abdominal (AXR) radiography. Materials & Methods: Patient entrance surface doses(ESD) obtained in a dose audit for chest (CXR) and abdomen (AXR) examinations with Harshaw type Lithium Fluoride thermoluminescent dosemeters (LiF-TLD 100) were used in a Monte Carlo calculation software, XDOSE, developed by the National Radiation Protection Board (NRPB) to calculate organ doses. Effective doses (E mSv) were calculated with both the ICRP 1991 and 2007 recommendations of tissue weighting factors. A 2-sample t-statistic was used to test for differences between the results for both recommendations. Tests were at the 95% confidence interval. Results: The mean effective doses for CXR were found to be 0.04 (range 0.019 to 0.092) mSv and 0.03 (range 0.011 to 0.069) mSv for the 1991 and 2007 recommendations, respectively. Mean abdominal effective dose values were 0.78 (range 0.16 to 2.98) mSv for the 1991 wƮ factors, and 0.49 (range 0.099 to 1.97) mSv for the 2007 recommended factors. The mean percentage difference between the effective doses calculated with wƮ recommendations of 1991 and 2007 respectively came to 1.7 ± 0.6 % with a range between 0.8 and 3.3 % for CXR (p < 0.05) and 35.9 ± 5.6 with a range of 20.8 to 42.3%, for AXR (p = 0.05). Conclusion: Effective doses showed statistically significant differences between the values calculated from the 1991 and 2007 wƮ values for chest radiography. There is however, insufficient evidence to accept a difference for the abdominal effective doses. Wider studies are required to confirm this result

The Causes of the Ineffectiveness of Selected Statutory Anti-Corruption Establishments In Fraud Prevention And Control In The Nigerian Public Sector

One of the major attributes that have eluded the Nigeria policy for a long time is accountability and transparency. The fact that accountability seems to be the major road to good governance makes it inevitable. It is apparent that, without a reversion to this cardinal attribute fraudulent practices will continue to exist. It is on this note that this study titled: The causes of the ineffectiveness of selected statutory anti-corruption establishments in fraud prevention and control in Nigerian public sector is aimed at identifying strategies and measures that will strengthen the effectiveness of the commission in their fight against corruption in the Nigerian public sector ensure accountability and transparency. The researcher adopted content analytical method. The study revealed that lack of internal control system, poor financial records, keeping and inadequate qualified accounting staff and more so, plea bargaining and presidential pardon on fraudsters affect the effectiveness of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practice Commission (ICPC). The implication of the findings is that, it will be difficult for the government to succeed in the fight against corruption in Nigeria if the identified problems are not addressed. The recommendation of the study is for everybody to collaborate with the EFCC and ICPC to get rid of corruption in Nigeria, government should ensure that the public sector officials discharge their duties in compliance with the code of conduct guiding the public sector. Key word: Anti corruption agencies, fraud and corruptio

Estimates of Paediatric Doses for Common Radiographic Procedures in some Nigerian Hospitals

Purpose: To determine and establish doses in paediatric radiography for hospitals which have no previous data. Materials and Methods: X-ray examination data were collected and used as input in a dose calculation software (DOSECAL, from St. Georges’ Hospital, London) to obtain absorbed doses to the skin (entrance surface dose, ESD) as well as organ and effective doses. The study covered five common radiological examinations. Results: Entrance surface and effective doses were found to be generally higher in agreement with an earlier study using thermoluminescent dosimetry, while organ doses were lower than the values for similar age groups in the literature. Causes of these high doses are attributed to the type, age and conditions of radiographic equipment, radiographic exposure factors (low kVp - which also accounts for low organ doses, and high mAs in some cases), film processing conditions and lack of quality assurance programmes. Suggestions and recommendations are outlined for dose reduction to within recommended international limits. Conclusion: Doses obtained in this study will serve as a basis for comparison of future studies in the area

Macrobenthic Fauna Of A Humid Tropical Water Reservoir, Abia State, Nigeria

The macrobenthic fauna of a humid tropical zone water reservoir was investigated from January to December 2002. Benthos was obtained using an improvised Surber Stream Bottom Sampler. Threephyla of macrobenthos (Arthropoda, Mollusca and Annelida) prevail in the reservoir, with quantitative variations. A total of 1,279 macrobenthic animals were recorded. The Arthropoda was represented by larvae of ve genera of insects, wth a total of 644 (50.4 %), while Molusca was represented by two genera with a total o 165 (12.9 %), and Annelida by three genera, with a total of 470 (367 %) of the benthos. There was significant dfference (

Entrance Surface Air Kerma for Chest X-ray Examination in some Diagnostic Radiologic Facilities in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

This study evaluated patient doses in diagnostic radiology facilities in Akwa Ibom State. Patient doses were evaluated using equations and software. One thousand five hundred and forty one (1541) patients took part in the study. Eight hundred and six (52.3 %) were female while six hundred and thirty five were male patients. Sixty  percent (60 %) patients were of mean  age group below 50 years, and 40 % of the patients were of mean aged above 50 years, their mean body thickness  range between 6.5-8.0 Kg/m, their height range between 1.5-1.7 cm and mean body mass range between 43.2-82.0 Kg. The ESAK value obtained from the software ranged between (0.38-1.69) mGy for male and  female ESAK ranged (0.37-1.69) mGy while  0.015 – 0.091mGy for male nd 0.015- 0.095 mGy for female were obtained from equation. This study shows that, 6 facilities representing 66.6 % of the facilities recorded mean ESAK values that are within the UK range while only 3 facilities representing 33.3 % recorded ESAK higher than the UK range but within the Montenegro and Serbian range.  Mean ED (mSv) values obtained for the examinations in the different facilities show ED ranges of (0.03-0.12) mSv. The differences in mass and height of patients affect the ESAK value from equation because body thickness of the patient depends on body mass and height. Other reasons for this dose variation are chiefly human factor

Pedagogical pattern of running a course on secondary school students’ achievement in waves

This study investigated the comparative effectiveness of pedagogical pattern of running a course and talk-chalk methods on senior secondary school students’ achievement in waves. It is triggered by reports of persistent students’ low achievement in physics contributed largely by students’ poor performance in waves-related items. It adopted the quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design. Three research questions and hypotheses guided the study. There were 216 students who participated in the study. Physics Achievement Test (PAT) containing 50 multiple-choice researcher-developed items were used as instrument for data collection. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while ANCOVA was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Results showed that: the pedagogical pattern of running a course method was superior method in fostering students’ achievement in waves; female students achieved higher than male students using pedagogical pattern of running a course strategy to teach waves; and there was no significant interaction effect of teaching methods and gender on students’ achievement in waves. From the findings, it was recommended that the pedagogical pattern of running a course strategy should be used in teaching physics in secondary school education system and in training of teachers

An Evaluation of Some Common Laboratory Materials by Xray Attenuation, for use as Human Tissue Substitutes

To develop readily available laboratory materials for probableuse as imaging phantoms or test objects, Laboratory MagnesiumSulphate (MgSO4) and Table salt (NaCl) were used in the ratio80:20% by weight with paraffin wax to form test materials(MgSO4:PW1) and (NaCl:PW2). Rice powder, gelatineseparately, and a combination of gelatine (20g in 100ml of warmwater) and 100g rice powder were also made into test objects.The ratios used were confirmed by matching differentconstituents by weight of the test samples with the web basedphoton interaction software XCOM designed by the NationalInstitute of Science and Technology, USA, to obtain closematching with tissue data. Each test object was made into 1 cmblocks for exposure to narrow beam x-rays over the diagnosticenergy range (50 – 150kV) under automatic exposure conditions.Good agreement within 10%, was found between the measuredand calculated values for four of the five tested samples.Matching of the tested materials with mass attenuationcoefficients of simulated tissue showed acceptable match at highphoton energies of 0.04 – 0,05 MeV and above for gelatine, PW1(paraffin wax + MgSO4.6H2O) and Rigel (Rice + gelatine). Thesematerials can therefore be used as tissue substitutes in imagequality studies

Quality Control Tests on Andrographis paniculata Nees (Family: Acanthaceae) – an Indian ‘Wonder’ Plant Grown in Nigeria

Purpose: To characterize the aerial parts of Andrographis paniculata, a bitter Indian herb grown in Nigeria, for the purpose of quality control.Methods: The determination of bitterness value and of various physicochemical characteristics; tests for key phytochemicals; and thin layer chromatography (TLC) of the air-dried herb, were carried out as prescribed in standard texts. Results: The mean bitterness value of the herb for both men and women was 2.86 ± 1.74 x 103 unitsper g. The male value (2.07 ± 1.42 x 103) appeared to be lower than the female’s (3.52 ± 1.82 x 103) but the difference was not statistically significant. The results (% w/w) of loss on drying (10.64 ± 0.36), totalash (14.10 ± 4.49), water extractive value (30.37 ± 2.63) and acid insoluble ash (1.00 ± 0.06) were similar to those reported for the Asian plant. The phytochemical tests revealed the presence of glycosides, saponins, tannins and alkaloids, but not of anthraquinones. Normal phase TLC of the drug yielded 5 spots as against 6 spots yielded by reverse TLC. Conclusion: The results provide useful quantitative and descriptive data that are essential for identifying and characterizing the Nigerian grown herb for the purpose of quality control; and confirm keysimilarities between the Nigerian and the Asian plant.Keywords:  Andrographis paniculata, Quality control, Bitterness value, Physicochemical, Phytochemical, Chromatography

Comparative study of intradermal smear microscopy in the diagnosis of malaria in symptomatic pregnant women

A comparative study of intradermal smear in the diagnosis of malaria in symptomatic pregnant women.Venous blood served as the control.Fifty consecutive symptomatic pregnant women were recruited. Thick films of both venous and intradermal blood were examined. Questionnaires were used to determine patients' preference for the two techniques. Tests of statistical significance were done with Fisher exact and Yates correlationcoefficient at 95% confidence interval. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy rates were used to assess the validity of intradermal smear.Intradermal smear more frequently diagnosed malaria parasitaemia than peripheral venous blood (66% vs 56%). This was statistically significant (P value: 0.0065). The sensitivity of intradermal smear was 85.7% while the positive predictive value was 77.4%. The accuracy rate was 76.7%. The technique of intradermal blood collection was preferred by28%of women.Intradermal smear is useful in malaria diagnosis in pregnancy and may be an additional evaluation tool for persistent fever in pregnancy