Cervical cancer knowledge and screening practices among women of reproductive age in Benin City, Edo State

Background: Cervical cancer remains a major public health challenge in developing countries including Nigeria and contributes signicantly as a major cause of death among women of reproductive age. This study was conducted to assess knowledge and cervical cancer screening practices among women of reproductive age in Benin City, with a view to planning programs to improve cervical cancer screening uptake in our environment.Methodology: A descriptive cross sectional study design was utilized for this study involving researcher administration of semi-structured questionnaires to 235 consenting women of reproductive age (15-49years) attending immunization clinics in Benin City. The data collected were analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 with statistical signicance set at p<0.05 and 95% Condence Interval.Results: The mean age and parity of respondents studied was 28.8 ± 7.4 years and 2.19 ±1.85children respectively. One hundred and thirteen (48.1%) of the women studied were aware of cervical cancer with 57(50.4%) having good knowledge of cervical cancer. Furthermore, in relation to cervical cancer screening only 31(27.4%) of respondents studied had previously been tested. In relation to knowledge on cervical cancer, primary level of education (OR=0.095; 95% CI=0.019 – 0.475) was the only signicant predictor identied, while parity (OR=0.157; 95% CI=0.025 – 0.969) was the only signicant predictor identied that inuenced screening practice.Conclusion: This study identied poor knowledge of cervical cancer and low practice of cervical screening among women of reproductive age. There is need to create and strengthen cervical cancer awareness campaign and screening practices among women.Keywords: Benin City, Cervical Cancer, Screening, Reproductive Age, Wome

Verification of Some Vegetable Oils as Cutting Fluid for Aluminium

Vegetable oils (palm oil, groundnut oil, shear butter oil and cotton seed oil) have been used as lubricants in the turning operation of aluminum under varying spindle speeds, feed rates and depths of cut and the results compared with kerosene (due to the gummy nature of aluminium metal). The parameters investigated are the chip thickness ratio, surface finish and surface temperature. Their performances when compared with the conventional soluble oil have shown that they can perform the same functions as imported ones in the machining of aluminum. They reduced chip thickness ratio, improved surface finish and exhibited good cooling behaviour at the work piece-tool interface. This performance is due to their high viscosities and the presence of surface active agents such as stearic acid and halogens, such as chlorine which help to reduce surface energy of a liquid and increase its wetting ability or oiliness.KEYWORDS: vegetable oil, chip compression, surface roughness, temperature, surface active agent

Uropathogens isolated from HIV-infected patients from Limpopo Province, South Africa

The primary aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility profiles of uropathogens isolated from HIV-infected patients in Limpopo Province, South Africa. One hundred and ninety-five urine samples were obtained from HIV-infected patients between June 2008 and May 2009 and the samples were investigated using standard and conventional microbiological methods. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) were detected in 95 samples. Enterobacter species (37.6%) was the most prevalent uropathogen. Other bacterial isolates included Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species, each constituting 17.9%, Citrobacter species (9.7%), Proteus species (7.4%) and others (11.6%). Resistance to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (SXT) which is used for empiric therapy was above 35%. However, majority of the isolates were susceptible to amikacin, ciprofloxacin and most of the second generation cephalosporins as well as imipenem. Resistance of uropathogens to SXT in Limpopo Province is higher than the recommended IDSA setting and this requires the introduction of an alternative first-line therapy.Keywords: Antibiotic resistance, HIV, uropathogens, urinary tract infection

Heavy Metals in Soils and Tomatoes Grown in Urban Fringe Environment in Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria

Pb, Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr, Mn and Fe in soils and tomato leaves and fruits from peri-urban environments in Asaba, Delta State were determined after acid digestion by using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). The concentrations of metals in the soil samples were 10.14, 2.28, 3.96, 7.88, 0.15, 14.53 and 66.00 mg/kg site A; 7.01, 2.01, 2.03, 5.53, 0.16, 12.15, and 70.12 mg/kg site B, and 9.12, 2.24, 3.01, 4.35, 0.01, 11.52, and 61.22 mg/kg site C for Pb, Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr, Mn and Fe respectively. The concentrations of metals in the tomato leaves samples were 4.01, 1.91, 1.83, 4.89, 0.16, 4.51 and 7.13 mg/kg in site A; 3.84, 1.56, 2.07, 4.00, 0.41, 4.48 and 8.15mg/kg in site B, and 4.03, 1.75, 2.01, 4.52, 0.01, 4.42 and 8.11 mg/kg in site C for Pb, Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr, Mn and Fe respectively while in the tomato fruits, the concentrations of metals in mg/kg were 2.96, 0.41, 1.35, 3.33, 0.01, 3.83 and 6.38 mg/kg in site A; 3.01, 1.35, 1.88, 2.98, 0.15, 3.01 and 5.09 mg/kg in site B, and 3.92, 1.44, 1.82, 3.73, 0.01, 3.05 and 6.00 mg/kg in site C for Pb, Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr, Mn and Fe respectively. These values obtained in the soils for all sites were below the given values for naturally occurring metals in soil and Department of Petroleum Resources target and intervention values for metals in soil while the values recorded for tomatoes leaves and fruit are below the levels recommended by WHO/FAO and NAFDAC for metals in foods and vegetables but are within the normal range of metals in plants. There was positive correlation among metals except Pb/Cr, Cr/Mn and Cr/Fe. The values of transfer factor (tf) obtained for all the metals except Fe in leaves and fruits for all the sites were above 0.2 indicating anthropogenic contamination of the sites and also high take up and accumulation of the metals from the soil by the tomatoes thus the need for environmental monitoring of the area.Key words: Heavy metals, tomato, anthropogenic, contamination, pollutio

In Vivo Comparative Evaluation of Effects of Artemeter-Lumefantrine, Sulphadoxine-Pyrimetamine and Halofantrine on G6PD Activities, Haemoglobin Concentration and Malaria Parasite Clearance Rate in Malaria Infected Adults

Background: The use of antimalaria combination therapy especially regimens containing an artemisin-based compound has been recommended as a good first-line treatment for malaria by WHO. However, limited reports exist on the effects of the ACT and other antimalarial drugs on some vital biological parameters such as G6PD activity and haemoglobin concentration. In this study, we investigated the effects of Artemeter-Lumefantrine, sulphadoxine-pyrimetamine combination therapies and Halofantrine monotherapy on G6PD activity, Haemoglobin level and parasite clearance rate in malaria-infected adults treated with the drugs in Enugu, Nigeria. Methodology: Forty malaria-infected adults aged between 20 and 30 years were used. The subjects were divided into four groups (A, B, C and D). The groups A, B and C were given Artemeter-Lumefantrine, sulphadoxine-pyrimetamine and halofantrine respectively, while group D was a control group (malaria-positive control). Blood samples of the subjects were collected through venepuncture at baseline (Day 0) and after treatment on Day 4, for comparative analysis of G6PD activity, haemoglobin concentration and parasite clearance for each group. Results: The result of this study showed that sulphadoxine-pyrimetamine significantly (p<0.05) lowered haemoglobin concentration as compared with Halofantrine, Artemeter-lumefantrine and control. The haemoglobin concentration of the last three groups did not show any significant difference (p>0.05) between each other. The G6PD activity of the group treated with sulphadoxine-pyrimetamine was significantly (p<0.05) higher as compared with that treated with Artemeter-lumefantrine but non-significant (p>0.05) as compared with halofantrine and control. Parasite clearance rate was significantly (p<0.05) highest with the Halofantrine group (76%, p< 0.05) while Sulphadoxine-pyrimetamine had the lowest (52%) parasite clearance. Conclusion: This study therefore indicated that antimalaria drugs as well as malaria parasite could cause a reduction in haemoglobin concentration with sulphadoxine-pyrimetamine causing significant (p<0.05) increase in G-6-PD activity. Keywords: Antimalarials, Artemether-Lumefantrine, G6PD, sulphadoxine-pyrimetamine, Parasite clearance, Halofantrine, Haemoglobin concentratio

Global investments in pandemic preparedness and COVID-19: development assistance and domestic spending on health between 1990 and 2026

Background The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted gaps in health surveillance systems, disease prevention, and treatment globally. Among the many factors that might have led to these gaps is the issue of the financing of national health systems, especially in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), as well as a robust global system for pandemic preparedness. We aimed to provide a comparative assessment of global health spending at the onset of the pandemic; characterise the amount of development assistance for pandemic preparedness and response disbursed in the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic; and examine expectations for future health spending and put into context the expected need for investment in pandemic preparedness. Methods In this analysis of global health spending between 1990 and 2021, and prediction from 2021 to 2026, we estimated four sources of health spending: development assistance for health (DAH), government spending, out-of-pocket spending, and prepaid private spending across 204 countries and territories. We used the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)'s Creditor Reporting System (CRS) and the WHO Global Health Expenditure Database (GHED) to estimate spending. We estimated development assistance for general health, COVID-19 response, and pandemic preparedness and response using a keyword search. Health spending estimates were combined with estimates of resources needed for pandemic prevention and preparedness to analyse future health spending patterns, relative to need. Findings In 2019, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, US$9·2 trillion (95$7·3 trillion (95% UI 7·2–7·4) in 2019; 293·7 times the $24·8 billion (95$43·1 billion in development assistance was provided to maintain or improve health. The pandemic led to an unprecedented increase in development assistance targeted towards health; in 2020 and 2021, $1·8 billion in DAH contributions was provided towards pandemic preparedness in LMICs, and$37·8 billion was provided for the health-related COVID-19 response. Although the support for pandemic preparedness is 12·2% of the recommended target by the High-Level Independent Panel (HLIP), the support provided for the health-related COVID-19 response is 252·2% of the recommended target. Additionally, projected spending estimates suggest that between 2022 and 2026, governments in 17 (95% UI 11–21) of the 137 LMICs will observe an increase in national government health spending equivalent to an addition of 1% of GDP, as recommended by the HLIP. Interpretation There was an unprecedented scale-up in DAH in 2020 and 2021. We have a unique opportunity at this time to sustain funding for crucial global health functions, including pandemic preparedness. However, historical patterns of underfunding of pandemic preparedness suggest that deliberate effort must be made to ensure funding is maintained

Temperature effects of vegetable based oil in cold extrusion in mild steel

No Abstract. Journal of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology Vol. 2(1) 2002: 33-3

Awareness and knowledge of female genital mutilation among women in a sub-urban community in Edo State, Nigeria

Background: An estimated 130 million reported cases of female genital mutilation (FGM) occur globally, and every year at least 3 million girls and young women are at risk of undergoing this practice. This study was carried out to assess awareness and knowledge of FGM in a sub-urban community, Edo State, to help raise awareness on FGC and help develop programs against the practice.Materials and Method: A community based descriptive cross sectional study design was utilized for this study, involving researcher administration of semi-structured questionnaires to 325 consenting women of reproductive age in Okada Community, Edo State. Data collected weresorted for completeness coded, entered and analysed using SPSS version 21.0 statistical software with statistical significance set at p˂0.05 and 95% confidence interval.Results: The mean age of respondents studied was 22.78 ± 9.30 years.Three hundred and fourteen (96.6%) women studied were aware of FGM while 11(3.4%) were not, with school 155(49.4%) and family 124 (39.4%) being their predominant sources of information. One hundred and eighty six (56.2%) of the respondents had good knowledge of FGM while 128(40.8%) had poor knowledge. Employment status (OR=0.453; 95%CI=0.225-0.911; p=0.001) was the significant predictor identified that influenced knowledge of FGM among women studied.Conclusion: This study identified disparity between level of awareness and knowledge of FGM with employment status identified as a significant predictor for knowledge of FGM. There is need for a well-coordinated approach involving all relevant stakeholders to raise needed awareness with adequate knowledge to make informed decision against the practice of FGM.Keywords: Awareness, Female Genital Mutilation, Knowledge, Reproductive age, Sub-urban community, Wome

On the transportation of dangerous materials

Advances and breakthroughs in technology may warrant increased transportation of dangerous materials across the globe. These materials include liquefied petroleum products, pressurized inflammable gases (e.g. hydrogen), toxic gases and radioactive materials. Depending on the degree of hazard posed by these goods, especially if they are involved in accident on transit, special packaging requirements are necessary to reduce as much as possible, the inherent dangers to persons and the environment. The dangerous properties of the package such as radioactivity, explosiveness, flammability, pyrophoricity, chemical toxicity and corrosiveness are normally considered in the packaging, labeling, marking, placarding, storage and transportation in compliance with the respective and relevant regulatory bodies. This paper highlights the design criteria and testing of packages for the transportation of various categories of dangerous goods with special reference to the nuclear and petrochemical industries. Nigerian Journal of Physics Vol. 16(2) 2004: 9-1