RELIABILITY ASSESSMENT OF STRINGERS SPACINGS IN BRIDGES AS FUNCTION OF TIMBER PROPERTIES

This presentation accounts for established functions of stringer spacing of major Nigerian woods when used as bridge decks. It entails stochastic evaluation of bridge wood decks with absolute regards to the spacing of supporting stringers. A timber bridge deck is modelled on timber stringers in accordance with current specifications as outline in AASHTO LRFD (2010), to represent real life experiment in order to depict the structural behaviour of Nigerian timbers when used for bridge decks. This model is then subjected to some degree of entropy using Advance Second Moment Reliability Assessment (ASMRA) method, which is subsequently analysed using JAVA library with the help of Flanagan polynomial. The concept of ASMRA with Flanagan polynomial returns optimum output values for any input array of data along the input normal distribution curve. Taking Lophira alata (EKKI), Afzelia bipindensis (APA),Chlorophora  exceisa (IROKO) and Mitragyna ciliate (ABURA) to represent N1, N2, N3, and N4 classes of Nigerian timber suitable for bridge decks, convincingly, it was established that, stringer spacing, strength classes, timber thicknesses and width are some of the major factors among others influencing the structural behaviour of Nigerian timber species used for bridge decks. These data are treated as random variables to generate relative optimum values which, are used to predict the relationship between stringer spacing as a dependent variable on other variables using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and multiple Regression line analysis. For the considered timber species, it was observed that large percentages, (R2 ≌ 1 that is  100% for EKKI, APA, IROKO and ABURA of the variation in the dependent variable (stringer spacing) is explained by the independent variables (strength classes, timber thicknesses, timber width, plank deck unit weight, unit weight of surfacing material, lane load, thickness of surfacing material  and reliability indices) which are all good fit. Also all the predicted regression lines are reliable and statistically significant as the significance F, (3.59709E-05 for EKKI, 5.58768E-05 for APA, 3.59709E-05 for IROKO and 8.55563E-05 for ABURA) are all less than 0.05. Thus, these established relationships will help in future forecast of stringer spacing for bridge deck design and analysis within acceptable structural reliability indices which are statistically significant (and are all within acceptable values ≤0.05)  http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/njt.v35i2.1

Biopsychosocial Complications of Pentazocine Dependence: A Case Report from a co-occurring Treatment Facility in Lagos

Pentazocine, a synthetic, prescription opioid analgesic, can now be obtained from the Nigerian illicit market. This development is not without concomitant medical and psychosocial complications. This is a case of psychosocial and cutaneous complications of 8‑year history of pentazocine dependence in a 44‑year‑old married male health worker with features of severe depression, multiple cutaneous abscesses, and punched‑out, deep, painless ulcers surrounded by hypopigmented halos. There were associated fibrosis of the skin, strained relationship with wife, and imminent dismissal from work. This report underscores the need for standard prescription  procedure adherence by health workers, especially for medications that are potential drugs of dependence for patients with physical conditions. Keywords: Complications, dependence, pentazocin

AN EVALUATION OF SORGHUM BICOLOR (Linn.) MOENCH LEAF SHEATH EXTRACT IN HIGH FAT DIET-INDUCED OBESE RATS

Obesity, resulting from energy imbalance caused by an increased ratio of caloric intake to energy expenditure is a global health problem. This study investigated the effects of Sorghum bicolor leaf extracts (SBE) on blood lipid levels in high fat diet-induced obese rats. Sorghum bicolor leaf was extracted with 70% ethanol using Soxhlet extractor. Male Wistar rats (n=36) divided into six groups: (A) normal control, (B) obese control (High Fat Diet – HFD), (C) HFD+150 mg/kg body weight SBE (first treatment), (D) HFD+300 mg/kg body weight SBE (second treatment), (E) HFD+600 mg/kg body weight SBE (third treatment) and (F) HFD+ 1200 mg/kg body weight SBE (fourth treatment) were used. The SBE was administered orally to the animals daily for 28 days. Body weight was taken weekly and Lee index was calculated alongside. Plasma, erythrocytes and lipoproteins' lipid profiles were determined using spectrophotometric methods. Results from the study revealed that generally, SBE significantly reduced (p<0.05) the levels of cholesterol, phospholipids, triacylglycerol by varying levels, in the various blood compartments of the obese animals. It was observed that SBE caused a significant (p<0.05) decrease in plasma cholesterol level of the fourth treatment group. Also, SBE significantly (p<0.05) reduced the elevated atherogenic and coronary risk indices by 50%. This study suggests that SBE might be useful in the management of obesity and its co-morbid conditions

Globalization and Organization Performance in Nigeria —A Review of Literature

This study examined globalization and organization performance in Nigeria, a review of literature. Globalization has become an experience that has turned the entire world into a global business village that can not be ignored by any organization if maximum or improve performance is to be achieved. This study was conducted using data from a single source. Information was obtained from magazines, articles, journals, periodicals, textbooks, the internet, and other unpublished materials applicable to the work written by different authors on the current topical issue. The secondary source of data collection was therefore adopted with the data examined using the content analysis approach due to its dependence on the secondary source data

Emerging Trends in Lifelong Learning: The Covenant University Perspective

In the last few decades, lifelong concept of education has resonated with other concepts such as the knowledge society, new knowledge economy, open courseware, open source, wikieconomics, and technology enabled learning. Embedded in all of these concepts and emerging from them is the notion that access to knowledge and learning is a universal right. Infact, knowledge is increasingly regarded as the solution to individual and collective, social and economic problems. In other words, lifelong learning is an essential part in the community development process, where community members acquire their life skills, soft skills and vocational skills throughout their lifespan to take part in their social, cultural, vocational and professional life. It is indeed an intervention tool for socioeconomic empowerment in a globalizing world to stay ahead in a competitive world with knowledge superiority. In this connection, the purpose of this paper is to share the lifelong learning management experience of Covenant University in terms of its programmes, processes and strategies adopted to cope with some internal and external constraints within the context of key global trends in lifelong learning. This may be of value to lifelong learning community because Covenant University is already becoming a global brand in higher education. The idea is to provide some lessons for global lifelong learning managers as well as expose them to issues and challenges confronting lifelong learning in our own part of the globe. This exposure will further show how lifelong learning has been planned, not only to bridge the knowledge gaps between university curricula corporate practices, but also between information rich and information poor citizens, particularly for the citizens who cannot afford formal education due to socio-economic backwardness

Sonographic normative values of carotid intima-media thickness in an adult Nigerian population

Background: The thickness of the intima-media complex of the Common carotid artery (CCA) has been advanced as a reliable measurement of the degree of atherosclerosis in the CCA and the coronary artery. We set out to determine the baseline values of this complex in a Nigerian population so as to determine standards for abnormalities.Method: This prospective study was conducted on 100 normal patients aged 21years and above. The CCAs were scanned using GE Logic 5 color Doppler scanner (2007) with 7.5MHz linear probe. Two measurements of the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) were obtained at 1cm proximal to the right and left carotid bulbs and the mean value of the two measurements was recorded. The mean values were then analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0.Results: The age range of participants was 21-70 years with a mean age of 45.26 ±12.95 years. We observed the mean CIMT of 0.61±0.12mm with the overall right and left mean CIMT of 0.61±0.12mm and 0.61±0.13mm respectively. No significant difference was seen between the two sides. CIMT in the study population increased with age, with a maximal value of 0.82±0.05mm recorded among the 61-70 year age group. Male subjects had higher CIMT values than females. CIMT values were higher in overweight, compared to underweight, subjects.Conclusion: This study showed different values of CIMT according to age and gender variations. However, the values obtained were slightly different from previous values from other African and Caucasian populations

ATTITUDES AND THE PRACTICE OF DOCUMENTATION OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE BY THE TRADITIONAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS IN KWARA STATE, NIGERIA.

This paper examines the attitudes and the practice of documentation of indigenous knowledge by the traditional health practitioners (THP) in Kwara State, Nigeria. Indigenous knowledge has been playing significant roles most especially in the primary health of the people in rural areas. This important knowledge is prone to attrition due to non-documentation and the World Bank has warned that if the knowledge is not documented, it will be lost. The study adopted descriptive survey research design and utilized questionnaire to collect data for the study. 30 traditional health practitioners were purposively selected based on their experience for the study. Simple percentage and frequency count were used to analyse the biographic variables while the research questions were answered using means and standard deviation while the hypotheses were tested using Pearson Correlation. The result of the study shows that there were more male traditional health practitioners than female, the higher percentage of them were elderly and highly experienced in the practice. The practitioners had positive attitudes to documentation of their IK and there is significant relationship between attitudes and documentation of IK. Writing and storytelling are the most prominent practice of documentation and that lock of formal education, fear of loss of ownership of the knowledge, misuse of the documented knowledge among others are challenges facing documentation of Ik in Kwara State, Nigeria. The study concludes that THP should be helped to overcome these challenges so that they will be encouraged to document their IK to prevent it from going into extinction