Schatzki’s Ring in a Nigerian at Gastroscopy

Schatzki’s Rings are the most common of the types of esophageal rings. Their prevalence varies with the population being studied and the diagnostic technique deployed. They are rarely documented and described from reports emanating from this environment. This article seeks to document one such case and briefly discuss aspects of its clinical significance and management.Keywords: Schatzki’s Ring, Nigeria, Gastroscop

Girl-child education in Nigeria: issues and implications on national development

A journal article on the importance of girl-child education in the national development of Nigeria.The importance of girl-child education to the development of any nation cannot he overemphasised. There is a saying that "if we educate a boy, we educate one person, hut if we educate a girl, we educate a family and a nation". In many parts of the Africa, particularly in Nigeria, the girl-child face significant obstacles in accessing proper education, there is a serious gap between the boy-child education and that of girl-child due to inherent societal values placed on the boy-child over the girl-child. The girl-child has her destiny sealed by both tradition and culture on account of biological sex. There is also a seeming absence of policies that are specifically geared to attending to gender issues with obvious room for gender gap. It is on the basis of this that this paper examined issues in girl-child education in Nigeria and its implications on the development of the country. Peculiar issues such as access to education, school retention and drop out, equity as well as quality of education were closely examined vis-a-vis the implication on national development. The paper also proffered solutions to eradicating the problems facing girl-child education in Nigeria in order to achieve meaningful development. The paper concluded that education is the right of every girl-child, a key to transforming her life and making her a responsible member of the society. Therefore, the government should not only provide adequate policies to meet this yearning need, but also ensure that these policies are fully implemented

Urban poverty and residential environment degradation in Calabar Area of Cross River State, Nigeria

In recent times the problem of environmental degradation of urban areas in Nigeria has reached an unprecedented proportion This phenomenon which is prevalent in both residential and industrial areas is caused by increased population growth unsustainable use of resources rapid industrialization unemployment income inadequacies as well as inefficient or non-existing waste management strategies This study examines the contributions of poverty as a reflection of income inadequacies and disparity to the availability of waste disposal facilities and its role in environmental degradation in Calabar urban area The research objectives are achieved though the identification of the disparity in household income distribution An assessment of the quality and quantity of waste disposal facilities available to housing units is made using primary and secondary data The findings reveal a wide pattern of disparity in household income and waste disposal facilities It is observed that the high density residential areas of Calabar South Local Government are not well served in waste management facilities resulting in environment degradation The medium and low density residential areas within the municipality are better served resulting in proper waste management The opinion of residents within the urban area is that government should be solely responsible for waste managemen

Assessment of faecal contamination in selected concrete and earthen ponds stocked with African catfish, Clarias gariepinus

Background: Microorganisms constitute significant fraction of the aquatic ecosystem and have been reported to be the cause of emerging novel infectious diseases in aquacultural practices. The prevalence of infectious diseases has been observed to depend on the interaction between fish pathogens and the aquatic environment. This study was conducted to assess the levels of faecal pollution markers in catfish (Clarias gariepinus) and their growing waters in selected earthen and concrete ponds in the teaching and research fish farm of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Nigeria in the dry (February-April) and wet seasons (May-July) of the year. Methodology: Two earthen and 2 concrete ponds were randomly selected as sampling sites due to their frequent usage. A total of 120 grabs of catfishes from the earthen (n=60) and concrete (n=60) ponds, and 84 pond water samples from earthen (n=42) and concrete (n=42) ponds, were randomly collected over a 6-month period of study. Enteric bacteria count in the water and catfish samples were determined using membrane filtration and pour plate methods respectively. The physiochemical characteristics of the water samples were determined using standard methods. The rate of bioaccumulation of faecal indicator bacteria was obtained by dividing the log count of each organism in the catfish by the corresponding log count in the growing waters. Results: Faecal coliforms count (log10 CFU/100ml) in the catfish from concrete and earthen ponds ranged from 1.41 to 2.28 and 1.3 to 2.47, and in the growing waters; 1.43 to 2.41 and 1.50 to 2.80 respectively. There was positive correlation of faecal coliforms with alkalinity of water samples from the earthen (r=0.61) and concrete ponds (r=0.62). Salmonella and faecal coliforms had the highest and least bioaccumulation in catfish raised in earthen pond while Salmonella and enterococci had the highest and least bioaccumulation in catfish raised in concrete pond respectively. Faecal coliforms and Escherichia coli had the highest and least counts in water samples from the earthen pond during the dry and wet months while Salmonella and E. coli had the highest and least counts in water samples from the concrete pond during the dry and wet months. Conclusion: High levels of bacterial faecal pollution markers in water samples and catfishes from the earthen and concrete ponds are reported in this study. Physicochemical characteristics and seasonality played major roles in the rate of bioaccumulation of the faecal pollution markers in catfishes raised in both earthen and concrete ponds

PRESENTEEISM IN WORK PLACES AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON EMPLOYEES’ HEALTH: EXPERIENCES OF BANKERS IN THE NIGERIAN BANKING SECTOR

Presenteeism occurs when employees in an organization come to work even though they are ill. Usually such illness justifies an absence from work and as such, employees tend to carry out their roles under sub-optimal conditions.  This study examines the factors blameable for presenteeism among bankers in the Nigerian banking sector. The cross-sectional study was conducted in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State in North central Nigeria. A total of 248 participants selected through multi-stage sampling method from eight commercial banks, was included in the study while primary data was collated through self-administered questionnaire administration.  Of those that participated in the study, (39.1%) fall within the age category of 18-30 years of age while (44.2%) fall in grade level of associate and support staff. Further result also acknowledged that (43.5%) of the participants were present at work when they were ill out of which, (34.8%) was due to enormous work load (28.0%) was due to participants’ passion for work (19.6%) was as a result of work pressure while, (17.3%) was due to the mild nature of participants’ illness. The study strongly recommends that government and other policy makers in Nigeria should legislate laws protecting bankers from coming to work when they are ill having been examined so by qualified physician.Keywords: Presenteeism, Employees, Work Load, Work Pressure, Bankers, Job Demands, Sector, DepositTarge

Organizational Support for Workers’ Recuperation in Nigerian Banks

This paper investigates organizational support for workers’ recuperation in Nigerian Banks. The study was conducted in Ilorin, the capital city of Kwara State, Nigeria. Eight commercial banks namely, United Bank for Africa, First Bank of Nigeria, Diamond Bank, Fidelity Bank, Wema Bank, First City Monument Bank and Union Bank were included in the study out of the seventeen commercial banks located in the city. Information was gathered through questionnaire administration that consisted of 128 respondents. The Chi square statistical tool was employed to test relationship between variables. Results showed that Nigerian Banks support their staff in recuperating during illness and help to maintain their as test of relationships were statistically significant. The P value of the hypotheses tested in the study are as follows; on the basis of medical facilities provided= 0.001; on adequacy of medical facilities =0.017 and other programmes provided = 0.002. The study suggested that government should enact a law that protects bank workers by ensuring that workers are excused from work as long as their illness lasted having been certified ill by recommended medical doctor.Keywords: Organization, Support, Sickness, Wellness, Workers, Recuperation, Banks, Chi-squar

Organic Fertilizers: Public Health Intricacies

Organic fertilizers are an essential source for plant nutrients and a soil conditioner in agriculture. Due to its sources and the composition of the organic inputs as well as the type, functionality and failures of the applied treatment process, the organic fertilizer may contain various amounts of infectious agents and toxic chemicals, especially the antibiotics that can be introduced to the subsequent food chain. A range of human and animal pathogens of bacterial, viral and parasitic origin have been the cause of food-borne epidemics due to unintended contamination from organic fertilizers. The use of antibiotics by humans and in animal feeds will also end up in the organic fertilizers. These antibiotics and other chemicals, depending on the sources of the organics, will enhance the likelihood of occurrence of resistant and multi-resistant strains of microorganisms in society and have been reported to cause ecotoxicological environmental effects and disruption of the ecological balance. Exposure of microorganisms to sublethal concentration of antibiotics in the organic products induces antibiotic resistance. WHO guidelines for the reuse of excreta and other organic matters identify the risk for the exposed groups to the reuse of the excreta and are applicable in the use of organic fertilizers in agriculture

Artificial lift selection methods in conventional and unconventional wells: a summary and review from old techniques to machine learning applications.

Artificial lift (AL) selection is an important process in enhancing oil and gas production from reservoirs. This article explores the old and current states of AL selection in conventional and unconventional wells, identifying the challenges faced in the process. The role of various factors such as production and reservoir data and economic and environmental considerations is highlighted. The article also examines the use of machine learning (ML) techniques in the AL selection process, emphasising their potential to increase the accuracy of selection and reduce data analysis time. The findings of this article provide valuable insights for researchers and practitioners in the oil and gas industry, as well as for those interested in the development of AL selection methods